Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Having decided to bring lotus pastries, Rong Tang thought it over and decided to take a few more varieties of cakes.

Su Huaijing is suspicious by nature; trying too hard might backfire.

The Li residence, located in Songjing Lane, is in an area with exorbitantly high land prices. Most of the neighbors are court officials, which is indicative of Li Changfu's ambitions in his official career.

Shuang Fu went ahead to knock on the door. It took a while for the gatekeeper to respond. Upon seeing a luxurious carriage, he was momentarily startled, then quickly bowed and scraped, "May I know which distinguished person this is?"

Shuang Fu replied, "The Crown Prince of Ningxuan."

The gatekeeper quickly smiled apologetically, "The Crown Prince's visit is unfortunately ill-timed. My master has gone to a banquet at the Marquis of Wukang's residence and won't be back shortly. Perhaps the Crown Prince might consider returning to his mansion, and I will inform my master upon his return to pay a visit on another day."

It was just as well that Li Changfu was not present; Rong Tang had no desire to interact with him. Hearing this, he stepped down from the carriage. Understanding the situation, Shuang Fu sternly said, "My young master is the Crown Prince of Ningxuan, personally appointed by the Emperor. How can a mere gatekeeper decide whether he should leave or stay?"

The gatekeeper panicked, "This is..."

Rong Tang covered his mouth with a fist and coughed softly, speaking gently, "I am feeling unwell and wish to rest in your residence for a while and have a cup of water. I believe Mr. Li would not refuse if he were here."

Far from refusing, if Li Changfu knew that the Crown Prince of Ningxuan was visiting, he would likely welcome him with open arms.

The gatekeeper hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside to make way, "Then please, Crown Prince, follow me."

"Thank you," Rong Tang said, bowing his head.

Passing through the screen wall, the gatekeeper originally intended to take him to the living room, but Rong Tang stopped on the pebble path and pointed towards a small courtyard in the west, asking, "May I know who resides in that part of the residence?"

The gatekeeper's expression changed slightly, "It's the residence of a young master from another branch of our family."

Rong Tang nodded, "In that case, I would trouble you to lead me there."

As he spoke, he glanced at Shuang Fu, who handed a few pieces of silver to the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper's face lit up with joy, "Please, Crown Prince, follow me."

This courtyard was next to the back door; Rong Tang had previously stopped his carriage in the back street when he brought Su Huaijing here, but this time, upon entering the courtyard, he saw no one.

Rong Tang intended to wait, but as he walked into the house, he was instantly taken aback.

In the eyes of the influential families and officials in the capital, like Wang Xiuyu, Li Changfu's official position indeed wasn't very high. Yet, he still held a rank of the fourth grade.

Emperor Renshou, having ascended to the throne through a coup, was especially aware of the importance of balancing grace and severity with his subordinates to prevent them from harboring disloyal thoughts.

Therefore, the salaries of officials in Dayu were not only substantial but rather impressive. Not to mention the "ice tribute" and "charcoal tribute" paid annually by local officials. Although Li Changfu had just arrived in the capital, he was certainly not so destitute as to be unable to afford proper accommodations for his own nephew.

However, what Rong Tang saw before him was even inferior to Shuang Fu’s bedroom.

An old four-panel screen divided the inner and outer rooms. Inside was a narrow bed, just big enough for a teenager of thirteen or fourteen, but an adult would have to curl up to fit.

In the outer room, near the window, there was a soft couch slightly longer than the bed. Judging by the placement of the bedding, Rong Tang suspected that Su Huaijing had been sleeping on the couch these days.

The paper on the windows was torn and full of holes. Though it was February, a cold snap had hit the capital, and it would be chilly at night. Sleeping like this would certainly lead to catching a cold.

A surge of anger welled up in Rong Tang, quickening his steps. He reached the couch and lifted the bedding, growing even more furious.

It was damp and thin!

The original text scarcely described the antagonist, so when it mentioned an incident where Su Huaijing orchestrated Li Changfu's dismissal from office, the comment section erupted in moral outrage. Many criticized the villain for being heartless; after all, his uncle had taken good care of him for nearly a decade. Without Li Changfu, where would Su Huaijing have gotten the chance to bide his time?

Li Changfu was a petty man and a minor character. Readers wished for his demise but hoped it would be at the hands of the protagonist. Learning that it was the antagonist who outshined him, they felt an unexpected anger, something Rong Tang couldn’t comprehend.

At that time, he didn't understand why a major villain would stoop to dealing with such a minor character. But after the incident at Fengyue Tower, Rong Tang believed that Su Huaijing was beyond redemption.

Compared to drugging someone, this mistreatment seemed almost insignificant.

—If Rong Tang didn't know that Su Huaijing had once voluntarily given Li Changfu a night pearl worth a fortune as compensation for being raised and sheltered by his family.

He suddenly dared not think about the unmentioned parts of the original story. To make the villain grow more evil and corrupted, just how much suffering had Su Huaijing endured?

Rong Tang was furious, his heart aching with a faint pain. He walked around the yard a few times, then strode out and asked the servants, "Where is the young master of another branch?"

Not just the servants of the Li residence, but even Shuang Fu and Shuang Shou were startled, exchanging a look.

When had they ever seen their young master so angry? He was like a beast whose scales had been touched, or a wolf whose cub had been stolen, a sight that inspired fear.

Rong Tang coughed quietly, a slight frown forming between his brows, as his irritation began to seep out.

He asked a servant to lead the way to find Su Huaijing, and instructed Shuang Shou to run an errand for him.

The system, which had been silent up until now, couldn't help but feel that it was seeing its host as he was in the beginning. Flamboyant, unrestrained, and full of vitality, even when trapped in a body on the brink of death, nothing could dim his dazzling light.

These past days, the host didn't say it, but it was really... so tough. His soul was locked up, living like a walking corpse.

Even the system couldn't bear to watch.

-

In the Shangwen Pavilion of the Li residence, the newly hired tutor was lecturing. Two rows of six short tables were set up, with the Li family's children listening to the teacher, including Li Panyan.

She still believed that sending Su Huaijing to the Marquis of Wukang's son was for his own good. Moreover, her father's attitude towards Su Huaijing had improved in recent days, so she naturally assumed her plan had succeeded, returning to her usual way of interacting with him.

—As if what she had sent that day wasn't drugged pastries, but rather a stepping stone for a carp leaping over the dragon gate.

Today's lecture was on "Zhongyong (Doctrine of the Mean)," which she found quite dull. Sitting in her seat, she doodled with her brush, making Su Huaijing kneel on a cushion beside her, grinding ink.

This way of interaction had continued for several years. Initially, Li Panyan used the excuse “This way, cousin can study with us and take the imperial exams in the future!” to deceive him, but gradually it became more natural for her to command and control without any pretense.

Bixin, watching from outside, was itching with frustration, wishing she could go in and end Li Panyan's life with a poisoned needle, rather than see her master suffer such humiliation.

Bixin's eyes were red with anger, yet she kept a close watch on the room until she heard a commotion from the moon gate, prompting her to turn around and look.

The young man at the gate, surrounded by people, had a countenance as gentle as warm jade and as clear as the bright moon. He wore a deep red cloak with a rabbit fur collar, an attire out of sync with the season, yet it made the surrounding early-blooming flowers pale in comparison.

Bixin watched as he hurriedly walked under the corridor, glanced inside through the window, and in that moment, she felt that his anger even surpassed her own.

Rong Tang was very angry, exceptionally and immensely angry.

He didn't care that this place belonged to someone else or that he was an uninvited guest; he went straight to the door and pushed it open, interrupting the tutor's lecture.

“I had no idea that Master Li's residence was in such dire straits that even the task of grinding ink and attending was left to the master himself!”

Furious, his voice raised slightly, and his usually low body temperature seemed to rise with his anger, bringing a hint of color to his face.

Rong Tang walked over to Li Panyan's desk, pulled Su Huaijing behind him to protect him, making a rather abrupt movement that caused the ink to splatter onto Li Panyan's face, eliciting a soft cry of surprise from her, "Ah!"

Rong Tang glanced coldly at her, kicking over her desk. Before the teacher could reprimand him, he took the initiative to say, "A gentleman's conduct is calm and self-disciplined, frugal to nurture virtue. The teacher preaches but does not instruct students to value caution at the outset. Instead, you allow a culture of ease and pleasure to permeate the school. What is your intention?"

The elderly teacher, over fifty, was taken aback by his questioning. He stared, beard quivering, and pointed a shaking finger at him, stammering "You, you, you" without being able to continue.

Still furious, Rong Tang said sternly, "Our great Dayu has thrived for a century, and now is a time of prosperity and strength. Ambitious individuals should aspire to study literature and martial arts to serve the nation and nurture the people. With your profound knowledge, you should know that the strength of the youth is the strength of the country. Yet, you turn a blind eye and deaf ear, ignoring injustice and allowing students to bully their peers. Forgive my frankness, but I think such a lesson is better left untaught!"

As he spoke, he turned back. Li Panyan had already stood up, glaring furiously at him. Covered in black ink, her beautiful face appeared utterly hideous in Rong Tang's eyes.

He didn't even deign to speak with her, saying coldly, "Miss Li, if you're unwilling to use your hands, I won't mind chopping them off for you."

Li Panyan's face turned pale in an instant.

Rong Tang glanced around at the restless Li family members in the study hall and called out loudly, "Come here."

Immediately, four guards rushed into the room. Rong Tang, holding Su Huaijing's hand, left with a chilling voice, "Smash it."

Bixin, who had watched everything from outside, had redder eyes than before. If not for considering her master's plan, she would have rushed to Rong Tang and knelt in gratitude.

After a deep look at Su Huaijing, Bixin wiped her face, feigning worry and panic, and entered the room to help Li Panyan, secretly hoping she would drop dead immediately!

Holding Su Huaijing's hand, Rong Tang strode through the gardens of the Li mansion, furious and heartbroken, unable to speak for a long time.

Su Huaijing followed him, his hair occasionally drifting before his eyes, adorned with a light blue ribbon.

He squinted his eyes.

This was the second time he had seen this Crown Prince.

The first time, without any warning and with evident concern, he burst into the top courtesan's room at Fengyue Tower. Seeing him safe and sound seemed to relieve him, yet he appeared inexplicably angry, voluntarily seeking a doctor to counteract the drug's effects, and then half-truthfully talked him into agreeing to an engagement.

Initially, Su Huaijing thought of him merely as an unpredictable factor, thus instructing Xing Feng to keep a close watch.

Unexpectedly, this unpredictable factor turned out to be quite frail, fainting for three days straight after returning from Fengyue Tower, making Su Huaijing genuinely question his intentions.

In recent days, he had heard about him only through Xing Feng: the Crown Prince discussing marriage with the Queen, tidying up the brightest room in his courtyard, wanting to paint the walls in cinnabar but being stopped, instructing craftsmen to make the most luxurious furniture, and nearly buying out all the books in the capital's bookstores...

Clearly too weak to even leave his house, yet he seemed to be earnestly preparing for his 'entrance.'

Su Huaijing couldn't see through him but didn't care much either. After all, from his plan’s perspective, Ningxuan Palace was much better than Wukang Marquis Mansion. With someone willingly providing a stepping stone, he saw no reason to refuse.

Just going with the flow.

And today was their second meeting. The sickly young man had finally managed to leave his residence, only to come looking for him in a dusty and furious state. A trivial matter, so commonplace in Su Huaijing's eyes, had enraged him to the point of wanting to smash the entire room.

Li Changfu was utilitarian, so the tutor he hired was naturally not much better, with mediocre scholarship and questionable character, having spent the past half month capriciously ordering him around in the family school.

Su Huaijing didn't take it to heart. He had specific revenge planned for each person who had humiliated him. In a few days, Li Changfu would receive news of his wife and children being robbed by bandits on their way to the capital, and Li Panyan would be sent by her foolish father to the bed of the Marquis of Wukang's son.

Qin Pengxuan was lust-driven and fickle. He might cherish and care for Li Panyan for a while, but once the effects of the beautifying drug wore off, a concubine without status or children would only lead a miserable life in such a household, worn down over a lifetime.

He had a plan for everyone, clearly anticipating everyone's end. Thus, even when targeted and bullied, he could remain composed and unangered.

Yet, someone irrationally and repeatedly barged in, unhesitatingly standing in front of him, protecting him like a hen guarding her chicks, speaking fiercely like a firecracker, seemingly angrier than himself. Suddenly, he found it all rather interesting.

Holding his own hand, it felt cool despite being heavily clothed; it remained cold, even though he gripped it so tightly, failing to warm it much.

Su Huaijing even amusedly thought that this delicate Crown Prince, like a beauty under the lamp, might faint for another three days when he returns.

Well, it was somewhat for his sake that he got so worked up.

Su Huaijing chuckled softly, reversing his hand to grasp Rong Tang's wrist, his two fingers on his pulse, asking gently, "Why so angry? Weren’t you planning to marry me and bring me into your residence? Why care about them?"

Under a blooming pear tree in the dilapidated courtyard of the Li residence, Su Huaijing stood, his tone gentle and soft, smiling at him, "Hmm? My husband?"

Author’s note:

Tang Tang, your aggressive lover is starting to make waves!!! Be careful!