Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The new Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War, Li Changfu's residence in the capital, is located in a small, dilapidated courtyard at the southwest corner, adjacent only to the servants' quarters.

Inside the room, unlit, after the rooster's third crow and the night watchman's distant patrol, a strikingly handsome youth sat by the table, supporting his chin with one hand, his eyes coldly sweeping downwards, "Where have you been?"

His voice was like a phoenix's cry, striking ice and jade, yet in the ears, it sounded like a stay of execution's death knell.

"I have failed in my duties, please punish me, Master."

The person kneeling below bowed even lower, the blood from his knocks on the floor dripping onto it, "This afternoon, I saw signs outside the city used by the imperial guards, in haste, I followed them.

The imperial guards were the personal troops of the late emperor, who should have all perished with him nine years ago.

"Did you catch up to them?" Su Huaijing asked calmly.

Xingfeng gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with unfathomable regret and towering hatred, "I deserve to die! The sign was a fake, I realized something was wrong when I reached the outskirts of the city and immediately rushed back."

"Huh," Su Huaijing chuckled lightly, as if he heard a great joke, and after a long while, asked softly, "A fake? A mere imitation can lure you away from my side, how am I to trust you in the future?"

"I... deserve to die." Xingfeng bowed his head deeply, prostrating on the ground, tears of blood flowing from his eyes, his words choked with sobs, his limbs cold as if he were in hell.

After realizing something was amiss, he hurried back, his heart sinking deeper and deeper along the way, an indescribable panic engulfing him.

"Just two days ago, the master had mentioned Li Changfu harboring impure intentions, fearing he might take action against him. Today, as Hángfēng hastily returned to the residence, he found not a single soul in the rooms. Amidst his panic, hearing the servants' gossip, a fierce murderous intent almost consumed him entirely."

"How dare he..."

"How dare Li Changfu..."

"That was the most esteemed Seventh Prince of Great Yu, the legitimate son of the former Emperor! How dare he treat him like... like a courtesan, drugging him and sending him to a brothel!"

"Does he have a death wish?"

Enraged, Hángfēng's vision blurred, his fingernails cutting into his palms. He bowed deeply once more, then rose to leave: "I will go kill Li Changfu and then return to commit suicide as atonement!"

Hángfēng moved swiftly to the door, about to employ his light body technique to go and commit the deed in the main courtyard, when a leisurely voice called from behind: "Stop."

Hángfēng halted in his tracks and turned around.

Su Huaijing stood up, tossing something onto the table, and walked towards the inner room, his voice floating out leisurely: "No need to rush the killing. After dawn, go buy some rouge, powder, silk, and cloth from the streets for me."

Hángfēng was taken aback: "Master, what is this for?"

"Arranging a dowry," Su Huaijing yawned lazily and entered the inner room.

Hesitating, Hángfēng followed, only to see a stack of high-denomination banknotes on the table.

Former Imperial Guard Seventh Squad Deputy Commander Hángfēng: "?"

-

After everyone had left, Su Huaijing stood in the inner room, raised his hand to his chin, and with a "click," nonchalantly dislocated his jaw.

He then reached into his cheek, pulling out a wax paper package and casually tossing it to the ground.

The package unfolded, revealing two pill-sized items, one red and one black.

Su Huaijing reattached his jaw and cleaned his hands.

A gray rat emerged from a corner, squeaking as it approached the pills and nibbled away the black one.

Observing this, Su Huaijing chuckled, counting down with interest.

"Five, four, three, two... one, bang—"

As he finished, the rat spun around on the ground, squealed, and collapsed, foaming at the mouth and twitching as it died in an instant.

"Pity," Su Huaijing murmured softly, his gaze falling on the remaining red pill.

The moment he tasted the Lotus Seed Cake, he knew he had been drugged and quickly prepared for this before the drug took effect.

The two pills: one a deadly poison that kills upon entering the bloodstream, the other a hallucinogenic laced with illusion-inducing herbs.

Life or death, he had initially wanted to assess Qin Pengxuan's character before deciding on a course of action.

As for the antidote to the paralyzing drug, Su Huaijing had no intention of using it.

Aware of Li Changfu's ulterior motives, Su Huaijing had been visiting various officials in the capital, seeking a patron for himself. However, he hadn't expected his good uncle to devise such a foolish plan as to offer his nephew as a concubine to a man, a revelation that truly broadened his perspective.

Though foolish, the plan presented him with an opportunity to act, potentially leveraging it to gain access to the Wu Kang Marquis's residence—

Unfortunately...

"Su Huaijing glanced again at the few remaining pills on the floor before walking towards the bed."

"Removing his outer robe, he revealed a waist tag underneath, the same one the charming young prince had insisted on taking off himself and giving to Su Huaijing, along with some silver notes."

"Palm-sized and made of golden phoebe wood, it was carved with cloud patterns and a rising sun on the top and fortune and longevity symbols below, indeed a symbol of immense wealth and status."

"Rong Tang, the piece that had never been part of his chess game, became the only variable that night."

"A sickly figure, constantly coughing, suddenly had the whim to visit the brothel for an eye-opener?"

"To save him?"

"Such coincidences hardly exist in the world."

-

"After returning, Rong Tang fell unconscious for three days. When he woke up, it was just getting dark outside. Attending him was Shuangfu's brother, Shuangshou, who brought over a bowl of dark medicinal soup, 'Young Master, the doctor instructed you to drink this sedative medicine when you wake up.'"

"'Where's Shuangfu?' asked Rong Tang."

"Shuangshou avoided eye contact, pushing the medicine towards him. Rong Tang frowned, struggling to sit up, 'Was he called away by the lady?'"

"'You should drink your medicine first, Young Master,' Shuangshou insisted."

"Feeling displeased, Rong Tang took the bowl, gulping it down in one go, his voice turning hoarse and bitter. He asked again, 'Where’s Shuangfu?'"

"Shuangshou suddenly knelt down, 'Young Master, you are unwell and need rest. The matters of servants shouldn't trouble you.'"

"Rong Tang suddenly felt annoyed, unable to tell whether it was due to his frailty or the rigid feudal hierarchy that made even simple conversations difficult."

"'Fine, rest. I’ll go find him myself,' said Rong Tang, struggling to get out of bed. His feet had barely touched the ground when he felt weak, and Shuangshou hurriedly came to support him."

"Rong Tang gave him a cold look, 'Take me to the lady.'"

"'Young Master...'"

"Take me there!" Rong Tang's voice deepened, exerting the authority of a master over Shuangshou.

Just then, a woman's voice came from outside the room, "Is Tang awake? Has he taken his medicine?"

Rong Tang hurried to the door, "Mother."

The Wangfei, not yet forty, looked resplendent with jewels even at home, reflecting years of managing a powerful household in her eyes, but her expression softened upon seeing Rong Tang, her eyes brimming with warmth as she quickly approached and led him back to bed.

"Why did you get up? It’s so windy outside, you should have persuaded the young master," the Wangfei glanced to the side, her eyes falling on Shuangshou.

Rong Tang softly called out, "Mother."

In his past two lifetimes, devoted to saving the male lead and the world, his actions were beyond reproach, but he had forgotten that mothers always worry for their children.

In both lives, Wang Xiuyu died unexpectedly, while Rong Tang focused solely on the male lead, failing to save even his own mother who loved him wholeheartedly.

Thus, there was some truth in what he said to Su Huaijing that night.

This lifetime's mission might also be unfulfilled, but after his death, this world would still exist for five or six more years. If the Wangfei could live until then, he hoped Su Huaijing would treat her well.

Wangfei regained her composure, only leaving after seeing Rong Tang tucked in bed. Sitting at the bedside, she spoke half in reproach, half in advice, "I know you have a pure heart, but sometimes being too kind to servants makes them overstep. They become less devoted in serving their master."

Rong Tang sighed again, "Shuangfu and Shuangshou are very devoted to me."

The Wangfei gave him a reproachful look, to which Rong Tang quickly added, "Mother, about Shuangfu..."

Wangfei interrupted him, "I know what you want to say. Shuangfu and Shuangshou were sent by the Crown Princess. I can’t punish them, but I am truly upset. They’ve been with you since childhood, knowing your frailty, yet still took you to a brothel, such a filthy place…"

Rong Tang admitted, "It was my own decision to go."

"You've always been at home since you were young, never stepping out. How would you know about a brothel? It must be those servants gossiping and influencing you!" Wangfei said, clearly upset.

Rong Tang felt helpless, thinking to himself that Rong Zheng was indeed clever; no one in the house knew he had gone to the brothel with him.

"But this is better, it spares a lot of trouble."

Rong Tang noticed the queen was furious, coughed quietly twice, and Wang Xiuyu immediately dropped her anger, her face filled with nothing but concern, "My child..."

Rong Tang weakly raised his hand, placing it on the queen's hand, "Mother, it was truly my own decision to go."

Wang Xiuyu frowned, "Why would you think to go to such a place?"

Rong Tang said, "My beloved is there."

Wang Xiuyu was taken aback, the room falling into sudden silence. There seemed to be a faint noise overhead, and before Rong Tang could become suspicious, he heard the queen forcefully trying to sound calm, softly asking, "Which young lady is it? I’ve greeted many guests. If you truly like her, I’ll help you—"

"It’s not a lady," Rong Tang said.

The queen’s face went blank for a moment, her eyes looking at Rong Tang becoming complex. After a struggle, maternal love won over: "A young male servant is nothing disgraceful, not something to hide. But it's unsafe outside, I'm really worried about you meeting him. Shall I redeem him and have him stay in your courtyard?"

There was another light noise from the roof, Rong Tang instinctively looked up, then heard a cat’s meow.

This disturbance disrupted his emotions, and when he regained his composure, he felt a slight bitterness in his heart.

Wang Xiuyu, a noble lady from a prestigious family, married Rong Mingqiao when he was not yet the King Ningxuan. She had a difficult childbirth during Rong Tang's birth, barely saved mother and child, but at the cost of her health, leaving her unable to have more children. Thankfully, her family's status had protected her from being overshadowed by concubines over the years.

The original owner was not born foolish. Initially just frail and sickly, at the age of nine, coinciding with the Great Yu upheaval, he witnessed something traumatic, had nightmares every night, and a high fever for three days. When he awoke, he became mentally impaired.

After painstakingly caring for him for years until he finally grew up and recovered his senses, calling him the apple of Wang Xiuyu’s eye was no exaggeration. Not to mention a liking for a young male servant from a brothel, even if he desired a prince or noble from the palace, Wang Xiuyu might kneel in front of the Phoenix Resting Palace to beg the Empress for mercy.

Excessively doting.

Rong Tang felt this was not right, but to have Su Huaijing enter the royal mansion openly and honorably, he had to first lay some groundwork to frighten Wang Xiuyu.

He silently lowered his eyes, pursed his lips, and subtly clenched the sheet, looking quite forlorn.

Wang Xiuyu suddenly became somewhat panicked, forgetting her dignity as a noblewoman, and said in a flustered manner, “Tang’er, don’t be upset. Tell mother whom you like, and I’ll surely find a way to bring him into our home. Don’t worry yourself sick, it could harm your health.”

Seeing Wang Xiuyu's eyes start to redden, Rong Tang realized this act had gone far enough and it was time to wrap it up.

He shook his head, looked up at Wang Xiuyu, and said softly, "It's neither."

"Then you..."

"It's Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War, Li Changfu's distant nephew, Su Huaijing," said Rong Tang.

Wang Xiuyu paused, then visibly relaxed.

The Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War was just a fourth-rank official, and she hadn't heard of Li Changfu before, likely a newly promoted minor official. Moreover, being a distant nephew, if he entered the royal mansion, it would be his family’s good fortune, with no reason to refuse.

Wang Xiuyu dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, her tone reproachful, "You scared me to death. As long as he’s from a decent family, I’ll help you with the marriage proposal. But if the young master you found at Fengyue Building isn't from the Li family, he might not be a settled person, and I'm worried you'll be wronged."

"He's not a young master of the Li family," Rong Tang corrected seriously, "His name is Su Huaijing."

"Alright, Young Master Su then," Wang Xiuyu agreed smoothly, "But I’ve never heard you mention this name before. How did you meet him?"

Rong Tang thought to himself that Su Huaijing wasn't just a young master; he was a prince of the Great Yu and the future emperor. But since Wang Xiuyu had asked, he had to quickly continue.

"Mother, do you remember the Duke Xian’s mansion opposite grandmother's house a few years ago?"

Wang Xiuyu's expression shifted slightly, and she glanced outside the screen, replying, "What about it?"

Rong Tang said, "Li Changfu is a distant relative of the Duke Xian’s family, and so is Su Huaijing. As a child, I stayed at grandmother's for a while and happened to see Su Huaijing, who had fallen on hard times and came to seek refuge with relatives. I only thought he was handsome and talented back then. He was younger than me but much smarter. I envied him."

Rong Tang spoke these words with a sorrowful expression, causing Wang Xiuyu’s heart to ache, and she gently squeezed his hand.

Rong Tang chuckled lightly, "Later, when I heard about the calamity that befell the Duke's mansion, I realized the first person I thought of was him."

"He was already from a family in decline, having traveled far to the capital to seek refuge. I was afraid he might not survive such a disaster. I wanted to ask my mother to bring him to our home," Rong Tang frowned slightly, "but during that time, I had many nightmares and, upon waking, had almost forgotten everything. Only recently did I accidentally learn that he returned to Sichuan with Minister Li."

Rong Tang was frail and rarely spoke so much at once, especially about his childhood. Wang Xiuyu was already in tears, her earlier apprehensions fading.

She said with pity, "No wonder I heard Chunmei in your courtyard say you often talked about Sichuan."

Rong Tang was surprised, not expecting this additional support, but he kept his composure, "I wanted to bring him back. Minister Li might be a good official, but his family is populous and Sichuan is not as fertile as Jiangnan, nor as affluent as the capital. Without his parents, I always worry he might be mistreated there."

Pausing, he added in a low voice, "I can't bear to see him wronged."

Wang Xiuyu's heart nearly melted at his words, not expecting her son to be so deeply affectionate.

Rong Tang continued, "I'm not in good health. Hearing he returned to the capital, I just wanted to see him from a distance, to know he's safe. So, I secretly had someone follow him and report his whereabouts to me daily. Unable to leave home, just knowing he's well and where he's been feels like I’ve been there too. If anything were to happen... I wouldn't have too many regrets, cough cough—"

Wang Xiuyu quickly poured him a cup of hot tea, her voice hoarse, "Tang’er, no need to say more, I'll ask him to come over."

"No, I have to finish," Rong Tang pressed on after a sip of tea, "His character is upright, and he’s not the type to frequent brothels. Mother, you are the one who loves me the most in this world, and I don't want you to misunderstand him."

Rong Tang said, "I only received the news that afternoon. Li Changfu had returned to the capital. Obsessed with his own gains, he even involved his distant nephew. He had someone drug him and planned to take him to a brothel to present to some young master of a wealthy family! Fortunately, I acted in time and prevented his vile scheme."

Rong Tang was infuriated, his face flushing red then turning pale, his voice filled with sorrow, "After all, he's just a distant nephew, no longer part of the immediate family, and who knows how much of our blood still runs in him. I only regret that my foolishness over the years delayed bringing him into our household sooner."

Wang Xiuyu’s emotions fluctuated with Rong Tang’s story, crying and feeling heartache, and even a bit of anger.

It wasn’t sorrow for Su Huaijing’s experiences, but distress for her son's deep, fluctuating feelings. She was also annoyed at Li Changfu for his ignorance and foolishness. If Rong Tang really wanted the distant nephew, she would have found a way to help, just for her son's sake.

What truly angered her was the thought of Rong Tang exhausting himself, even fainting in a brothel. Such a thing was infuriating!

Wang Xiuyu calmed herself and comforted, "Mother has decided for you and brought the person back. You must protect them well in the future and ensure they never suffer again."

Contrary to expectations, Rong Tang shook his head upon hearing this, his expression desolate: "I can't protect him."

Wang Xiuyu was slightly startled. Rong Tang said, "Only the royal mansion can truly protect him."

Realizing something, Wang Xiuyu's expression turned frantic. She opened her mouth to speak, but Rong Tang interrupted her directly. Having spoken for too long, his lips turned increasingly pale, looking gravely ill - anyone could see he wouldn't live much longer.

Rong Tang's voice was very soft: "I want to give him a proper status."

"Tang'er—"

"Mother, please listen to me," Rong Tang said. "I know the state of my health and am aware that our family has always wanted to find me a marriage to bring joy, but now..."

He bit his lower lip, seemingly embarrassed: "With my current state, I'm destined not to have offspring. I've failed our parents' kindness in raising me and don't wish to disrespect any girl's family. Moreover, I have someone in my heart. If marrying for joy could really cure my ailments, then in the days ahead, just seeing him would bring me happiness; if not, once I'm gone, I won't have to worry about him being bullied or live uneasily in the afterlife."

"I ask Mother to help me propose marriage, to take Su Huaijing as my lawful wife in the Ningxuan Royal Mansion." Rong Tang looked up firmly at Wang Xiuyu, his eyes brimming with tears, his voice soft but unwavering: "I only want him."