Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Ke Hongxue tried to haggle, but to no avail.

The two geese were sold for an exorbitant price of two hundred taels of gold. If Dayu had a market supervision and administration bureau, both Suhuai Jing and himself would be arrested and thrown in jail!

While waiting for the kitchen to roast the goose in the tavern, Rongtang joyfully counted his silver notes, pondering with interest.

Ke Hongxue, having spent a lot and feeling both wronged and aggrieved, wanted to act spoiled with his senior, but Mu Jingshu ignored him, instead chatting casually with Lu Jiaxi about rumors in the capital.

Turning around, the young couple opposite were already planning how to use the two hundred taels of gold, considering whether to buy a few more properties.

Outside the window, the lively festivities of the Spring Festival in the capital city continued. The most prominent scholar-official of the past decade sat in a high seat in the tavern, lifting his cup of wine, taking a sip with a slight smile, shaking his head in amusement, as if giving out New Year's money to the children.

The government officials' Spring Festival holiday lasted until the sixth day of the first lunar month, and it was now nearing its end.

There was constant traffic in front of Ke's mansion. It wasn’t until the fifth day that Ke Hongxue found time to knock on the door of the deputy minister of Dali Temple, taking his senior out for a stroll through the worldly life.

Lu Jiaxi was encountered by chance. Even as an official, on his days off, he was tasked by the women of his family to run errands, and when Ke Hongxue saw him, Lu Jiaxi was squeezed in front of a rouge shop, competing with noble ladies in the capital to buy the hottest-selling perfumed powder and lip rouge.

Seeing him struggling, Ke Hongxue sent his attendant to replace him, choosing some rouges, powders, and snacks that girls liked, allowing Lu Jiaxi to return home with something to show.

Then the three of them wandered around the city and happened to see Rongtang and his companion.

It must be fate, Ke Hongxue thought.

The tavern was chosen at random, located in a less bustling area, but fortunately, the kitchen was willing to cook with ingredients brought in by customers.

Among the geese Suhuai Jing had caught, one lucky goose ended up stewed in an iron pot.

Rongtang enjoyed the meal immensely, devouring two bowls of white rice before leaning back in his chair to digest, listening to Ke Hongxue casually bring up various topics for light conversation.

Ke, the top scholar, could chat with anyone. His mind was always full of countless stories, each adaptable to his listener's interests, shifting seamlessly until hitting the topic they wanted to hear.

He and Rongtang talked about everything from the newly arranged plays of the Ziyu Troupe to how to choose the right rouge for Lu Jiaxi, and then casually mentioned, "On the first day the Duolan Temple opened, people lined up from the top of the mountain to the foot just to offer the first incense."

Rongtang, eyeing the wine jug at the edge of the table with longing, paused slightly at his words.

Suhuai Jing casually asked, "Has Master Huimian been found?"

Ke Hongxue smiled, "The temple's monks said Master Huimian left last winter to travel and offer alms. He might have gone to the recently flooded areas in Jiangnan and won't be back for a while."

Suhuai Jing understood the implication but asked, "What about the 'evil spirit' on the Fifth Prince?"

"You'll have to ask Lord Lu about that," Ke Hongxue said, passing the buck with a smile.

Lu Jiaxi, struggling to peel a shrimp, was momentarily stunned, blinked, and then replied somewhat awkwardly, "As for the matters of the Imperial Observatory, even if you ask me, I don't know."

He was even puzzled why Ke Hongxue, who was truly knowledgeable about court affairs, was asking him.

Ke Hongxue curved his peach blossom eyes, his demeanor joyful yet sly like a fox, "Didn't this all start with choosing a residence for the Fifth Prince?"

"Right," Lu Jiaxi replied, still confused.

Ke Hongxue: "The residence chosen was the former Duke Xian's mansion, which was about to be renovated but then burned down?"

"Yes," Lu Jiaxi answered, "Isn't that common knowledge?"

"Indeed, everyone knows that," Ke Hongxue poured himself another cup of wine, then asked, "But what happened after that?"

Lu Jiaxi didn't grasp the implication of his words. Rongtang, sitting opposite, glanced at Mu Jingshu somewhat perplexedly, as if thinking of something.

Ke Hongxue: "The chosen residence was burned down. Where should the Fifth Prince's mansion be established? After the New Year, he has reached the age of sixteen and should leave the palace to establish his own residence. But now, the Imperial Observatory claims his 'evil spirit may hinder the Emperor's star', and High Monk Huimian is nowhere to be found..."

Ke Hongxue paused, then asked, "Has the matter of the Fifth Prince leaving the palace been put on hold? At his age, wouldn't it be against tradition not to leave the palace?"

Only then did Lu Jiaxi understand his meaning, and after pondering uncertainly for a moment, he said, "Before the New Year, the Official from the Ministry of Personnel visited the imperial mausoleum."

Rongtang instantly understood.

Suhuai Jing asked, "What does this mean?"

Lu Jiaxi: "I'm not sure, but I heard the Fifth Prince personally requested to guard the imperial mausoleum to diminish the evil spirit on him and prevent disturbing His Majesty."

Upon this revelation, the table fell into a moment of silence.

After a while, Ke Hongxue chuckled softly, lifting his wine cup to Mu Jingshu, "Senior, what more could your junior possibly learn from you?"

Only then did Rongtang snap out of his usual lethargic, worldly unconcerned state.

He remembered the snowfall earlier that year when he and Suhuai Jing visited Ke Hongxue’s house, warming themselves by the stove and drinking tea, and the odd feeling that welled up in him when he first heard about this so-called 'evil spirit' secret.

Why hadn't the system punished him yet?

If Yue Rong fell into the water and died, Rongtang would feel intense pain on the other side of the Song Garden.

Then, over the past year, with Shengcheng Li breaking his leg, Ke and Mu no longer assisting the protagonist, and the Duke Xian’s mansion being burned...

Every incident weakened the protagonist's strength. Why hadn't the system punished him?

Was it because these events didn’t actually affect Shengcheng Li, or was the system gradually losing control over him?

Rongtang couldn’t figure it out, but all were possibilities.

He slightly furrowed his brows, and Suhuai Jing asked, "What's wrong?"

Rongtang hesitated for a moment, then asked him, "On the day of the palace banquet, did you see Shengcheng Li?"

Almost the moment the name was mentioned, Suhuai Jing felt a hint of unhappiness, but he paused and patiently asked, "What does Tangtang want to say?"

"His leg…" Rongtang said, "Is it really broken?"

Suhuai Jing nodded: "It's broken."

He had taken an extra look when entering the scene; Shengcheng Li was limping.

Yet, this answer didn't bring Rongtang any joy.

The royal mausoleum is a significant location in the original story, naturally serving to empower Shengcheng Li.

In the mausoleum, there was an old eunuch who had served Emperor Mingzong in his early years. Stooped and unobtrusive, to anyone's glance, he was just an aged eunuch, spending his days guarding the imperial tombs, keeping company with coffins and ancient lamps, waiting for the day when the yellow earth would cover his neck.

However, in the novel's setting, such recluses are often extraordinary experts.

Although merely an old eunuch, he was highly skilled in martial arts. In the original text, the protagonist met him while being punished with tomb guarding in the mausoleum, thus learning life-saving skills.

This time, Shengcheng Li volunteered to go to the mausoleum, and Rongtang was unclear if his purpose was to meet this master.

But he was aware that Emperor Renshou had not given Shengcheng Li an ultimatum. This retreat by the protagonist was actually a strategic advance.

This cunning matched the Shengcheng Li who had orchestrated events in Song Garden to cause Yue Rong's death, but it didn't resemble the Fifth Prince who sent a table full of dishes to Shaohua Hall.

Rongtang remained silent for a moment, then Suhuai Jing squeezed his hand and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing," Rongtang shook his head, "Just a bit tired."

A deep shade flickered in Suhuai Jing's eyes as he asked, "Go home?"

Rongtang was about to nod, then changed his mind, "Let's go to Yong'an Lane. Tell Shuangfu to inform my mother that we'll stay there until the Lantern Festival before returning."

By the seventh day of the new year, officials of Dayu should return to the court. Suhuai Jing, temporarily appointed to the Imperial Censorate at the palace banquet, would likely assume his duties after the Lantern Festival, once all documents and affairs were prepared.

Meanwhile, Rongtang glanced at the system space, noting the dense fog on one side, rolling like storm clouds on the other.

There were several things he couldn't understand.

One was what the battling fogs in this consciousness space represented, and what changes would occur to him after their struggle ended; second, how the system's main consciousness, or what he understood as the heavenly path, could justify deciding the fate of a small world with such blatant favoritism; third, whether Shengcheng Li was aided by external forces or had memories of his past two lives, and to what extent these memories had been restored.

With his mind in turmoil, Rongtang glanced at Ke and Mu, standing side by side, his brow furrowed in deep thought, leading to a more profound doubt.

Had they truly given up on Shengcheng Li?

The best outcome would be if the main consciousness lost control over Rongtang, thus sparing him punishment, but if not.

The broken leg would later receive treatment from a master, and the burning of the Duke Xian’s mansion would hasten Shengcheng Li's journey to the imperial mausoleum.

Then, why wouldn't Ke Hongxue and Mu Jingshu's betrayal result in any punishment or backlash against Rongtang?

And the deaths of Mu Jingshu in the previous two lives...

Rongtang hadn't pondered deeply before, but now he couldn't help but contemplate.

If Ke Hongxue had guessed the identities of Mu Jingshu and Suhuai Jing early on, why didn't he unify their camp sooner, and why did he wait until after Mu Jingshu's death to reveal this irreversible and potentially devastating truth to Suhuai Jing?

Moreover, was Mu Jingshu aware of this 'honest confrontation' while he was alive, and did he consent to it?

Didn't he suspect that his death might hasten Suhuai Jing's descent into darkness?

With one mystery following another, Rongtang pursed his lips, feeling like he was stepping on uncertain, floating clouds.

There was no solid ground under his feet.

"Tangtang." The sunlight fell on the long street, reflecting off the snow on the eaves. Suhuai Jing held his hand, his voice as gentle and indulgent as ever: "Don't be lost in thought while walking."

He didn't ask what Rongtang was thinking about, but squinted his eyes, looking up at the sun: "And today, the sun is really nice."

The sun is nice, so don't think about the future or the past, lest the present sun feels wronged.

Rongtang was momentarily startled, then followed his gaze to the halo above their heads, the mysteries quivering for a moment.

He had an inexplicable sense of awareness.

It wasn't a whirlpool dragging one into darkness, but the deepest night before dawn.

The night hides everything, so no traces can be seen.

But just wait a little longer, the sun will eventually rise over the eastern mountains, dispelling all shadows.