Chapter 75

Chapter 75

In late August, they set out from Suzhou Prefecture, passed through Huizhou, and Hangzhou, slowly meandering through Jiangnan before heading northeast.

Along the way, Rong Tang asked Mu Jingxu how he could be away from the capital for so long without attending to his duties at the Ministry of Justice. Ke Hongxue, who was playing cards and snacking on preserved fruits in their carriage, heard this and laughed casually, saying, “I had my father donate another half a million to the national treasury, consider it buying a long vacation for my senior brother.”

Rong Tang: “…”

I forgot your ability to throw money around. Sorry for my mistake.

The journey took half a month going there, but over a month to return. By the time the grand caravan entered the gates of Yujing City, it was mid-October, and charcoal was lit again in the carriages.

Rong Tang tended to get sleepy and lazy in winter, reluctant to move, spending nearly half of each day dozing off.

In the first few days of the temperature drop, Shuangfu and Shuangshou were extremely anxious, fearing Rong Tang would faint for days like in previous years with the change of seasons. Though there was a physician with the caravan, the lack of complete medical supplies made it troublesome if Rong Tang fell ill. This was also why the Princess had been urging them to return to the capital in her recent letters.

However, after the initial few days of fluctuating temperatures, when it settled into a steady decline, Shuangfu found his young master surprisingly spirited despite being bundled up in heavy cotton clothes.

Su Huaijing took great care of him. Apart from being more sleepy, he didn't show any signs of weakness that would make anyone think he was on the brink of death.

It was Mu Jingxu who suffered in those cooler days, staying curled up inside his carriage, rarely venturing out. Passing by his unadorned carriage occasionally revealed muffled groans of pain.

He refused medical attention. Su Huaijing visited a few times, but the specifics of their conversations were unknown to the servants. They only knew that each time their master came out, Ke Shaofu’s expression improved significantly.

After a few such instances, Ke Hongxue directly had Mu Jingxu moved to his own carriage, which was as lavishly equipped as Prince Ning's. The carriage was lined with red silk mattresses and silver-threaded charcoal fires, keeping the biting north wind away from Mu Jingxu.

During meal times, people in the caravan would gossip, noting that both sides were immensely wealthy, but unfortunately, it seemed neither was destined to enjoy their riches for long.

Shuangfu silently took note of the person who spoke ill and, upon reaching the next city, immediately went to the escort agency to change the guards, giving them some money as a dismissal fee.

He couldn’t bear to hear even the slightest curse against his young master.

Fortunately, although their journey was slow, it was safe and uneventful. On an ordinary autumn afternoon, Rong Tang once again heard the familiar accent of the capital’s citizens.

Before they left, vendors sat on small stools by the road selling eggplants and cucumbers. Upon their return, the same faces were selling pumpkins and carrots.

The seasonal vegetables were a reminder that half a year had slipped away.

Rong Tang sat inside the carriage, pulling back the window curtain, his gaze lingering on the rows of baskets, seemingly lost in thought.

Su Huaijing poured him a cup of hot tea. Rong Tang lowered the curtain to take it, holding it in his palms to warm them.

Su Huaijing asked, “What was Tang Tang thinking just now?”

Rong Tang lowered his eyes, looking at the steam rising from the tea cup, “I’m craving something.”

Su Huaijing was momentarily taken aback, knowing he was being evasive but unsure what Rong Tang didn’t want to talk about. He had just glanced outside and didn’t notice anything particularly noteworthy.

But Rong Tang didn’t seem inclined to elaborate. After drinking half the cup of tea, he returned to his usual self, curling up on the carriage’s small couch, wrapped in a blanket, and softly said, “I’ll take a nap, let me know when we get home.”

Su Huaijing loved hearing the word ‘home’ from Rong Tang’s mouth. He smiled and agreed.

Once they entered the capital, they would part ways with Ke and Mu. The carriage of Prince Ning turned west towards Yong’an Lane, while Ke Hongxue headed north, back to the Ministry of Justice.

Rong Tang closed his eyes, hearing a mechanical beeping sound in his mind. The system cautiously asked him: [Host, what were you just thinking about?]

Rong Tang said with amusement, “Why are you acting like Su Huaijing now?”

The system, feeling a bit indignant but not wanting to argue with Rong Tang at this moment, silently processed for a while, then tentatively asked, [Do you not want to die anymore?]

“……”

Rong Tang did not respond for a long time. After closing his eyes, his hearing became exceptionally clear.

In Yujing City, amidst the bustling crowd and the continuous roll of carriage wheels, Su Huaijing sat quietly beside him, flipping through an ancient book they had brought back from Jiangnan.

That year during the Lantern Festival, he dragged his sick body from the Ning Xuanwang Mansion to the palace. It was the first time he truly felt that the characters in the book came to life, no longer just a few brief characters.

Now, traveling from Yujing to Jiangnan and back to the capital over half a year, stepping back into this lively and bustling city, seeing the change of fruits and vegetables in the vendors' baskets, Rong Tang suddenly remembered a fact:

It seemed he hadn't lived even three years.

In the ninth year of Qingzheng, the grand drama began to unfold; in the tenth year, changes stirred in the court and harem; in the eleventh year, Cheng Shengli stepped onto the stage of succession, and Su Huaijing entered the court of Dayu; in the twelfth year, Su Huaijing ‘usurped the throne’, and the plotline collapsed...

A quarter of this recurring timeline had passed, and suddenly, Rong Tang didn’t want to die anymore.

After a trip to Jiangnan, seeing old friends and acquaintances, he just... didn’t want to die anymore.

He softly replied to the system, “Who wants to die?”

Who doesn’t want to live a peaceful and healthy life? Otherwise, what was the point of struggling through so many years in the time loop?

[……] The system remained silent, staying still in its three-dimensional space, watching the pixelated figure on the carriage curled up into a ball.

It too didn’t want its host to die...

What should be done?

-

After resting for three days in Yong'an Lane, Rong Tang's fatigue and weariness from the long journey dissipated, and they finally returned to the Ning Xuanwang Mansion.

Half a year away, the mansion stood as opulent as ever in the wealthiest district of the capital. Officials in court attire coming and going outside the mansion stretched their necks curiously at the sight of Ning Xuanwang's carriage.

Rong Tang had no interest in exchanging pleasantries with them, but Su Huaijing secretly took note of everyone’s faces.

They alighted from the carriage at the entrance, and the mansion gates were opened to welcome their master. The gatekeeper hurriedly ran inside to announce the return of the Crown Prince.

Rong Tang raised an eyebrow, turning to Su Huaijing, “This is only the second time I've been given such importance in this mansion in my life.”

Su Huaijing held his hand; Rong Tang’s hands and feet were always cold in winter, feeling like holding a piece of jade that required careful warming up.

Su Huaijing asked, “When was the first time?”

Rong Tang didn’t even have to think: “When I married you.”

Su Huaijing was momentarily startled, then smiled, holding the hand even tighter, “Tang Tang deserves it.”

Rong Tang, as the Crown Prince of Ning Xuanwang, deserved all the attention he received, let alone a mere announcement from a gatekeeper.

Rong Tang had a vague bad feeling, jokingly said, “I hope it’s not a trap like the Feast at Hongmen.”

Su Huaijing was taken aback, his brow furrowing unconsciously, not for any particular reason but simply because he didn’t like seeing Rong Tang so wary in his own home.

Su Huaijing involuntarily thought of Rong Tang’s words about never having been a fool. What kind of environment would force such a noble Crown Prince to feign madness and stupidity, tarnishing his own reputation, just to survive?

The more Su Huaijing pondered, the colder his gaze became. A fierce aura uncontrollably seeped out. If it weren’t for the Princess’s longing for Rong Tang, he actually didn’t even want to return this time.

Su Huaijing suppressed his turbulent emotions, speaking gently, “Let's not worry about that. After having dinner with Mother, we’ll head back to our quarters, okay?”

Rong Tang, preoccupied with other thoughts, nodded absentmindedly upon hearing this. Su Huaijing observed this, his eyes growing deeper.

Wang Xiuyu had prepared countless dishes and a welcome ceremony, but upon seeing Rong Tang, she burst into tears, clutching his arm and repeatedly lamenting, “You’ve lost weight, lost weight…”

Rong Tang felt a warmth in his eyes too. Including the Flower Picking Festival, it had been almost half a year since he had stayed at Ning Xuanwang Mansion. Seeing Wang Xiuyu now, he realized how much he missed his mother.

Su Huaijing watched for a while, then silently withdrew to give mother and son some space to talk.

Ning Xuanwang played a unique role in Dayu's court. Standing outside the consort's courtyard, Su Huaijing gazed at the bustling garden and the occasional court officials passing by, his eyes shadowy and inscrutable.

“Huaijing.”

A voice came from behind, clear yet slightly soft and unintentionally coquettish.

The darkness in Su Huaijing's eyes was immediately replaced by a bright smile. He turned around and naturally took Rong Tang's hand, gently rubbing it to warm him, “Why didn’t you talk with Mother a bit longer?”

Rong Tang glanced at the garden, withdrawing his gaze from where Su Huaijing had been looking: “Mother asked me to find you.”

The smile in Su Huaijing's eyes deepened. Sometimes he felt he was overstepping, wanting Rong Tang's heart to hang entirely on him. Yet at other times, he found contentment in Rong Tang’s initiative to seek him out, obediently accompanying him, allowing Su Huaijing to suppress all the unspeakable thoughts deep in his heart.

There were good and bad thoughts, some related to Rong Tang and some to the court affairs.

But no matter what, no amount of scheming could outweigh Rong Tang’s initiative in coming to him and calling his name.

“Let’s go back and spend some time with Mother,” he suggested.

Rong Tang glanced sideways, scrutinizing Su Huaijing's expression quietly. Only after confirming there was nothing unusual, did he nod and walk back to the courtyard with him.

In these past few months, the events in the capital had escalated, one more significant than the other. The drama of the ninth year of Qingzheng was just beginning.

Even with the unpredictable butterfly effect, the predetermined plotlines in the novel were bound to happen, sooner or later.

For instance, Ning Xuanwang Mansion was soon to welcome a newly born young master.

Such as the Empress Yi, mother of the Second Prince, who was found to be pregnant by the imperial physician in the autumn of the ninth year of Qingzheng.

And then there’s the protagonist of "Emperor's Conquest," who would leave the palace and establish his own mansion after the New Year.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether it's the author's own wicked sense of humor or the characters’ inherent flaws.

The residence bestowed upon Cheng Shengli by Emperor Renshou was located on Xuanwu Avenue, directly opposite the mansion of Princess Duan Yi.

—That overgrown, dilapidated, desolate mansion, once honored as the 'Xian' Ducal Mansion.

The place where General Wei Zhun grew up, Su Huaijing's maternal home.

Bestowed by Emperor Renshou to his least favored son.

Rong Tang couldn't help but wonder: How would Cheng Shengli deserve it?