Chapter 131

Chapter 131

The winter day was cold and quiet, with few people on the streets, but the Shudao Pavilion was bustling and lively.

Ke Hongxue was led by a servant into a private room, and upon seeing Rong Tang drinking a steaming bowl of mutton soup, he paused, then suddenly smiled, "You're finally better."

Rong Tang glanced at him lightly without a word, and Mu Jingxu, with Yuan Yuan, sat next to him.

The child changed every day, but Yuan Yuan's identity was extraordinary. To prevent him from being taken away, every time they went out, he was wrapped up tightly, and Bi Xin even made several human skin masks for him.

Fortunately, it was winter now. Dressing warmly made it easy to disguise, without needing to be so elaborate.

Yuan Yuan took off his hat and scarf, his eyes bright and shining. Seeing Rong Tang, he sweetly called out, "Brother Tang Tang! Is Brother Tang Tang feeling better?"

Su Huai Jing was slicing mutton into the pot and raised his eyebrows upon hearing this. His hand holding the chopsticks paused, and he felt an overwhelming urge to scold the child.

Ke Hongxue, smilingly, said, "You should call him uncle."

"I won't." Yuan Yuan was quite stubborn, pointing around and saying, "Brother Tang Tang, Brother Mu Mu, good uncle, bad uncle..."

When he called Su Huai Jing, his tone was quick and light, and without looking at him, he burrowed into his brothers' arms.

Ke Hongxue made him laugh and, glancing at Su Huai Jing's expression, asked Yuan Yuan, "If you're so scared of him, why do you still call him over?"

Yuan Yuan muttered softly, "He doesn't hit me."

Rong Tang asked, "If he doesn't hit you, why is he still the 'bad uncle'?"

Yuan Yuan: "Because he's really fierce."

The child's eyes gleamed mischievously as he tugged on Rong Tang's sleeve, coaxing, "Brother Tang Tang, why don't you come with us? He's really fierce, you shouldn't stay with him."

"That's not possible," Rong Tang gently refused.

"Why not?" Yuan Yuan asked.

Rong Tang smiled. Su Huaijing was quietly cooking the hot pot from start to finish, while Yuan Yuan kept tattling on him, but Su Huaijing didn’t even glance at the little troublemaker.

Rong Tang explained, "Because Uncle and I have had our wedding ceremony, we are spouses."

Yuan Yuan opened his mouth wide in surprise, obviously puzzled why someone would marry Su Huaijing, who was so fierce.

He scrunched up his face, looking back and forth between Rong Tang and Su Huaijing. The latter playfully made a face at him.

Yuan Yuan returned the face, prompting an exasperated glance from Rong Tang at Su Huaijing.

After making faces, Yuan Yuan looked thoughtful for a while. After eating some beef and drinking half a bowl of warm sheep's milk, he suddenly suggested to Rong Tang, "Divorce him! Then, when I turn fifteen, we can get married!"

"Cough cough cough—!"

Rong Tang choked, a bit of spice entering his throat, causing him to cough for a long time.

Su Huaijing, trying to contain his temper, patted Rong Tang's back for a long while, then poured a cup of tea to cut the grease and placed it in front of Rong Tang. Once the coughing subsided, he looked at Ke Hongxue, accusingly questioning, "Is this how you raise a child?"

Ke Hongxue, completely unflustered, lazily countered, "He's not missing any limbs, he likes someone and doesn't force or snatch them, haven't I raised him well?"

Su Huaijing swallowed the words "leading astray the youth" that were stuck in his throat. Rong Tang patted his hand to calm him and then leaned over to ask Yuan Yuan gently, "Why do you want to marry me?"

"Because I like you, and I want to be your spouse," the child answered naturally, with pure and sincere conviction.

He was like Su Huaijing, yet in some ways completely different from the villain.

—At least a ten-year-old Su Huaijing would never be this innocent.

Rong Tang slightly frowned, showing a troubled and hesitant expression: "But what can I do? I like Su Huaijing."

Yuan Yuan opened his mouth wide in confusion, failing to understand.

Rong Tang looked down at him and spoke seriously, as if addressing someone his own age, "I like Su Huaijing, and he likes me too, so us being spouses is a very happy and satisfying thing. I'm glad Yuan Yuan likes me, but we can't get married."

Yuan Yuan pondered for a moment, then asked, "But aren't you a crown prince? Doesn't Great Yu allow multiple spouses? I can be your concubine; I will treat you better than him."

Hearing this, Rong Tang widened his eyes in surprise, and Ke Hongxue, who had just claimed not to have spoiled the child, coughed violently.

Su Huaijing scoffed and glanced at Mu Jingxu, saying softly, "A child not taught is a child not formed."

The implied message was: "Am I really not allowed to discipline him?"

Mu Jingxu awkwardly averted his gaze, beginning to reflect on whether he had been too indulgent lately.

Rong Tang then regained his composure, still smiling and firmly shaking his head, "No, we can’t."

"The practice of multiple spouses is a bad custom, merely perpetuated over thousands of years, so everyone considers it normal. But in reality, it's not good at all. It’s neither equal nor responsible, and over time, it inevitably leads to dissatisfaction. Even if young people like each other at first, in the long run, it can turn into a resentful marriage."

In a feudal context, indeed there were women like Empress Wang Xiu Yu, the legitimate wife, who were “generous” and “proper,” tolerating their husband’s philandering as the "virtuous wife and good mother," but this was ultimately due to outdated views and long-standing oppression, leaving women unable to resist in the marital system.

In the current circumstances, changing the status quo was nearly impossible. Rong Tang, with the perspective of a modern person, couldn't impose modern standards on ancient people, but he could at least hold himself to them.

He continued smiling, "I like Su Huaijing, and I will only marry him in this lifetime, and be his spouse alone. No matter how good others are, they have nothing to do with me."

Yuan Yuan frowned thoughtfully, silent for a long while, seemingly puzzled.

Su Huaijing, hearing this, paused for a moment and reached under the table to gently squeeze Rong Tang's hand.

Rong Tang turned his head and gave him a warm smile.

Halfway through the meal, Yuan Yuan finally responded, sounding a bit defeated and reluctant, tugging on Rong Tang's sleeve and whispering, "Okay then, but if you stop liking him, you must kick him out and marry me. I'm younger and cuter than him, and I'm more obedient too."

“……”

Rong Tang fell silent for two seconds, thinking to himself that this kid was quite cunning and sharp-witted.

And when it comes to obedience... perhaps no one can surpass Su Huaijing, right?

Rong Tang remained noncommittal and did not respond. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, Su Huaijing clapped his hands and called Xing Feng into the room.

Xing Feng, understanding the cue, immediately mentioned that a troupe performing magic tricks had arrived downstairs and asked the young master if he wanted to watch.

Children, with their playful nature, can hardly sit still. Yuan Yuan's eyes lit up at the prospect, and forgetting all about wanting to be someone's concubine, he jumped off his chair and eagerly took Xing Feng's hand, bounding towards the door.

The room became much quieter. Ke Hongxue, watching the doorway, clicked his tongue and turned to Mu Jingxu, asking, "Senior Brother, was our eldest brother like this as a child?"

He simply couldn't find an appropriate word to describe Yuan Yuan.

Mu Jingxu pondered for a moment and shook his head.

The former Crown Prince was the most gentle and jade-like person in the world, respectful, steady, soft, and firm...

Every term used to describe a gentleman's character could be applied to the former Crown Prince, completely unlike the current Yuan Yuan.

But then, looking at Su Huaijing, Mu Jingxu added, "Maybe he was different in front of his elder sister compared to what we've seen."

Rong Tang suddenly remembered the visions he had seen in his nightmare, silently nodding in agreement.

Speaking of his elder brother, Rong Tang distributed the five peace charms given by Hui Mian, handing Yuan Yuan’s to Mu Jingxu for delivery.

Ke Hongxue seemed quite surprised, exclaiming, "I have one too?" as he unwrapped the charm packet, pulling out a paper strip that, coincidentally, had his exact birth details.

Ke Shaofu instantly became amused: "I must donate twenty thousand taels to Tuolan Temple tomorrow. This master is really to my liking."

Being included as part of a family of four is a testament to deep affection and strong bonds.

Su Huaijing glanced at him, a slight furrow forming between his eyebrows.

Mu Jingxu, noticing his expression, looked at Rong Tang and relaxed a bit only after seeing his rosy complexion, unlike his previous pallor.

Rong Tang hadn’t specifically distributed the charms, and he didn’t know everyone’s birthdays, yet each charm matched its recipient, arousing curiosity and suspicion.

Besides, his illness had come and gone mysteriously, so Su Huaijing’s doubts were quite natural.

Mu Jingxu suppressed his own suspicions, not wishing to disrupt the harmony of the moment.

Until Ke Hongxue suddenly asked, "Was the case of the Southwest military provisions handed to you?"

Su Huaijing replied, "Yes."

Rong Tang was momentarily taken aback, instinctively asking, "The case involving Zhang Baoshan?"

The others had grown accustomed to Rong Tang, the young master who typically stayed out of court affairs, yet seemed to have an intricate understanding of all important matters. They nodded in acknowledgment, "Yes, that's right."

Rong Tang furrowed his brows.

The embezzlement of military provisions by Zhang Baoshan, the Southwest Governor, was a crucial turning point in the original story to weaken the Third Prince.

Wu Kangbo corresponds with Zhang Gaolao and the Second Prince, so Zhang Baoshan's counterpart would be Marshal Xia and the Third Prince.

Last year, during the flood disaster, a subordinate of Elder Zhang impeached Zhang Baoshan, but was accused of slandering a colleague and exiled to the frontier. However, this winter, with frequent disturbances in the Southwest border, the imperial court sent an envoy to investigate, uncovering this case.

The butterfly finally stirred its wings.

Rong Tang asked, “Are you going south?”

Su Huaijing shook his head: “Another has been appointed as the envoy. I requested to stay in the capital.”

Rong Tang slightly startled, understanding his reason for staying in Yu Jing, asked, “Who is it?”

Su Huaijing replied, “Shen Feiyi.”

Mu Jingxu was taken aback, looking surprised at both him and Rong Tang.

Rong Tang was also startled by Su Huaijing’s frankness, knowing that everyone is aware Shen Feiyi, who had assumed the name Chen Fei this spring, was newly promoted to the right commander of the Jinwu Guard, but Su Huaijing just openly shared his real name, an unspoken understanding among everyone present.

Rong Tang paused, remaining silent.

Ke Hongxue smiled and asked, “Did you arrange this?”

Su Huaijing answered, “He also needs an achievement to advance his career.”

“Pretty good,” Ke Shaofu nodded, but then asked, “Do you know who the envoy is?”

Su Huaijing looked up at him, and Ke Hongxue chuckled, “Sheng Chengli.”

He said, “Our emperor's intention to elevate the Fifth Prince is a bit too obvious.”

Zhang Baoshan is the son-in-law of Xia Jingyi, and last year, Elder Zhang's student was demoted for impeaching him.

Sheng Chengli's appointment as the imperial envoy not only directly challenges the Third Prince but might also absorb some remnants of the Second Prince's faction.

"Others fight for succession with life and death struggles. In our Great Yu, one by one, they are personally elevated by the emperor. Who dares say he won't become the emperor?" Ke Hongxue sarcastically commented.

When the Second Prince gains achievements, it's the Third Prince who is sent as an extravagant gift to the Shehua meeting.

With the Third Prince's growing power, the Fifth Prince is personally sent to topple his influence.

In the end, power still centralizes under the emperor, weakening the ministers and wearing down the princes.

Rong Tang's brows slightly furrowed, Su Huaijing holding his hand, asked, "What's on your mind, Tang Tang?"

With the system still missing, Rong Tang hesitated for a few seconds before finally speaking, "Can you do me a favor?"

Su Huaijing responded, "Just say it, Tang Tang."

Rong Tang requested, "Create some obstacles for Sheng Chengli. Not life-threatening, but enough to cause real setbacks."

He needed to validate his conjectures.

If successful, he might find a sliver of hope; if not...

Rong Tang glanced at Su Huaijing, then unnaturally averted his gaze.

At least, he wouldn't die.

Even if truly bound to Sheng Chengli, he could at least follow his heart and stay with Su Huaijing until the story's end.

His hand gently squeezed within someone else's palm, Su Huaijing nodded, both comforting and persuading, "I'll do as Tang Tang wishes."

He really is the most obedient person in the world, Rong Tang thought as they left the Shudao Pavilion.

Author's note:

After leaving the Shudao Pavilion—

Su Huaijing: "Tang Tang, do you remember promising me that once you're better, we'll consummate our marriage?" (Raises puppy-dog eyes) (Starts to make a move) (Undressing his wife) (My wife smells so good) (Kisses his wife) (My wife... so tender) (Hehe!)