Can she just pick any major ministry she wants? Wu Youren was somewhat speechless. Her background was truly something.
"Still, the Works Bureau? No wonder you're studying mechanics, but isn't the work there grueling?"
"I could look into managing materials and inventory," Ailin replied casually. "I wouldn't have to go to construction sites very often."
Logistics in an engineering department? Wu Youren mentally translated her words with precision.
Just what kind of family did she come from? No wonder she looked down on a spot in the City Guard Bureau; why would she bother?
Unfortunately, neither post seemed likely to be of any help in his efforts to leave Liang.
Only the City Guard Bureau... might have offered some slight convenience, yet she didn't even consider it worth her time.
No wonder Manna said her background was even better than Cynthia's.
Wu Youren could only shake his head. "I don't know much about these things. All I think about all day is killing Guizu. Dealing with human affairs is too exhausting!"
"I feel the same way," Ailin nodded in deep agreement. "Killing Guizu brings in so much money."
Killing Guizu can get you killed! Wu Youren shook his head speechlessly. Here was a girl who had clearly grown up pampered in the lap of luxury.
His gaze turned back toward the fine drizzle ahead. "Things aren't very safe right now. You and your companions should be careful."
Women were generally attentive, so she should have picked up on his implied meaning—he was suggesting Fanghua Martial Academy band together for safety, right?
Yet Ailin completely missed it. Instead, she offered a faint smile. "You have Instructor Xia'erzi looking out for you here, don't you?"
Instructor Xia'erzi had shown up two days ago, making a special trip to see Manna and telling her to contact them if anything came up.
Was that what I meant? Wu Youren was at a loss for words.
Then, Ailin spoke up again: "That triple-ring interlocking clasp you mentioned yesterday can't work in certain extreme conditions."
"Then don't use it," Wu Youren replied. He hadn't wanted to say much, but he couldn't help himself. "Strong winds or swift currents can cause uneven load distribution... but mechanical devices are built to be used. There are countless extreme environments. We select the right tool for the job, rather than just using whatever we feel like!"
This was precisely the difference between the academic school and the practical, self-taught path.
He felt his words were quite a wet blanket, especially since she came from a respectable family and had plenty of pride.
Yet upon hearing this, Ailin's eyes brightened immediately. "That's exactly the kind of advice I was hoping to hear from you! Can it be improved, then?"
Your sense of boundaries... is seriously lacking! Wu Youren instinctively wanted to refuse.
Keeping his distance from others had practically become second nature to him.
Yet thinking back on the reactions of the City Guard Bureau and Count Shengming, he realized that blindly rejecting everyone might not be a wise choice either.
Whatever was bound to come would come anyway. He might as well appropriately reveal a few "weaknesses"—such as being easily swayed by feminine charms.
At the very least, it would give him a clear angle to anticipate and defend against.
Having thought this through, his subsequent course of action was simple: do not initiate, do not refuse, do not take responsibility... and do not make promises!
Over the next two days, the lingering autumn rain continued to fall on and off.
Manna was somewhat worried that the Guizu situation in Suotu Town might take a drastic turn and affect Hong Da.
Hearing laughter like silver bells beside her, she glanced to the side.
The young female knight was covering her mouth, her eyes brimming with amusement.
Not far away, the youth looked on with clear eyes, his posture relatively relaxed.
Curiosity stirred in Manna's heart. Hadn't Siya said this girl was exceptionally reserved?
Could it be because Little Wu hadn't deliberately kept her at arm's length?
If so, this Jin youth's lethal charm with women was terrifying, wasn't it?
If not for his habitual poker face and if he were built just a bit sturdier... the thought boggled the mind.
She was beginning to believe a certain rumor: that the youth had been dispatched to Red Pine because there was a strong chance he might marry Princess Yongning.
Otherwise, given his modest background, he might never have made it out of Hostage Manor.
Manna had been skeptical of the rumor at first. Wu Youren was handsome, yes, but could it really be that exaggerated?
Yet looking at it now, it seemed entirely possible.
At that moment, Ailin was explaining the organizational structure of the National Treasury Bureau to Wu Youren in detail.
She could actually laugh while talking about something like this?
Meanwhile, in the Jin youth's clear eyes, there was a faint trace of... bewilderment?
Wu Youren felt rather helpless inside. It had only been a couple of days; how had their relationship progressed to this point?
And that was without him catering to her in the slightest, having executed the "do not initiate" rule to absolute perfection.
To be fair, Ailin hadn't shown any physical intimacy toward him; it was just that the topics of their conversations were no longer confined to mechanical traps.
She desperately wanted the youth to help her decide which bureau to join after completing her studies.
Though their hands had never even brushed, why did this feel eerily like... a couple planning their careers before marriage?
Regarding those two departments... Wu Youren made it clear he knew nothing about them, saying she should decide for herself and take her family's views into account.
To which Ailin's reaction was: You don't know? Then let me tell you!
The administrative structure of Liang's government was a complete blind spot for a Jin hostage.
To Wu Youren, the National Treasury Bureau and the Works Bureau were departments he was almost certainly never going to cross paths with.
Yet precisely because they were useless to him, learning more about them shouldn't arouse much suspicion from those in the know.
In his Four No's, number two was "do not refuse."
Besides, gaining a bit more knowledge did no harm; knowing oneself and one's enemy was the key to victory in a hundred battles.
Given Wu Youren's status, another chance to openly learn about the government's structure would likely never come again.
He merely listened in silence, never rashly probing into things he didn't understand.
Only when he heard details that might affect her career development did he chime in with a question.
With how he handled himself, even if an agent from the Life-and-Death Knot listened the entire time, they wouldn't detect anything amiss—at least, so he believed.
Yet simply having such a good listener made Ailin very happy.
Unfortunately, right to the end, Wu Youren failed to offer any substantial advice.
Ailin wasn't annoyed. For someone speaking, having someone willing to listen attentively was already a pleasure in itself.
And her fondness for the youth was something even a blind person could sense.
"Then which bureau would you like me to join in the future?"
"I'm not you," Wu Youren began, shaking his head. He paused thoughtfully before choosing his words carefully. "Everyone has different aspirations, and I can't put myself in your shoes. But if it were up to me, I'd prioritize three things... high pay, little work, and close to home!"
A real family man! Listening in, Manna couldn't help nodding slightly. As expected of a Jin native!
Men of Great Liang could hardly ever measure up to this—even Wu Youren growing vegetables had drawn so many odd looks!
She just wondered whether Ailin liked this type.
Most Liang women would certainly appreciate a man devoted to home and family.
Yet many women also admired power and strength, which was especially common among female martial artists. Seeking out the strong was only natural, wasn't it?
To her surprise, the aloof Ailin's eyes rippled with emotion upon hearing this, shining with a faint sparkle. "That advice... is pretty good."
Women might admire strength, but admiring strength and wanting someone family-oriented weren't strictly mutually exclusive, were they?
She was visibly tempted. "Then what do you recommend I choose?"
"I don't have a recommendation," Wu Youren emphasized once more. "You have to consider your own needs."
"In that case..." Ailin pondered for a moment. "What do you think of becoming an Erudite?"
"An Erudite draws widely from all areas to offer counsel and submit policy proposals," Manna unexpectedly spoke up to explain. She was certain the Jin hostage wouldn't know the ropes of such positions. "There is little real power, but high prestige."
Similar to an armchair pundit... Wu Youren automatically translated in his mind. Probably doesn't pay very well either!
"I don't lean any particular way. As long as you think it suits you, that's fine. Just remember to discuss it with your family."
Ailin knitted her brows, musing aloud, "That position isn't easy to obtain. Help me come up with an idea." After a pause, she added, "No more making excuses. Give me something useful."
A beauty was a beauty after all; even her complaints carried a playful, petulant charm.
"Me... come up with an idea?" Wu Youren asked in astonishment, shaking his head frantically. "I don't have connections in the imperial court!"
"You don't necessarily need people in court," Ailin shook her head. "Finding respected senior figures or nobility would work just as well."
You're really going out of your way to make life difficult for me! The youth was completely at a loss.
Hearing this, Manna nearly burst out laughing. Making that demand of him... maybe if they were in Jin!
In the end, however, she spoke up. "There's an Erudite who came out of Red Pine. He used a policy proposal as his stepping stone."
"Oh? That's worth considering!" Ailin turned to the youth. "Help me think of a good proposal... you're so smart!"
Over the past few days, the two had been constantly discussing the layout of mechanical devices, and she had immense respect for his intellect.
"I..." Wu Youren wanted to cry. Submit a proposal to your imperial court?
He knew next to nothing about most of Liang's local customs and conditions, and when it came to policy common sense, he was utterly in the dark.
If it were truly up to him, there was only one proposal he'd want to make: release foreign hostages and send them home!
But such a proposal would just be digging a pit for Ailin—strictly speaking, she would never agree to it anyway.
Still, with her pressing the issue this far, he could no longer play dumb.
Wait... digging a pit? His eyes darted slightly.
That position was basically just an armchair pundit anyway, and rule number three of his Four No's was "do not take responsibility."
Hardening his resolve, Wu Youren ventured, "Then let's just make a random suggestion. For example... tax cuts?"
Holy crap! Manna had wanted to hear what kind of idea the youth would come up with, but hearing this, she rolled her eyes. You really dare say anything!
Ailin's reaction, however, was different. She thought it over carefully before shaking her head. "I'm afraid that's impossible." One of her potential targets was the National Treasury Bureau, so she had a fairly good grasp of Liang's tax situation. "The treasury is currently depleted!"
"It is precisely because it's depleted that taxes must be reduced," Wu Youren replied solemnly. "Many knights I know don't have stable estates or businesses. They rely on fighting and killing just to make a living. They fight tooth and nail to break through to knighthood; is that fair to them?"
Chapter 139