Chapter 161

Chapter 161

Because of Suhuai Jing's complaint of bone pain, Rong Tang had been anxious for many days.

He didn’t know if the chief antagonist was truly in pain, and if so, what could be the reason.

But whether true or false, whether the pain was physical or an unbearable mental anguish, in Rong Tang's perception, Suhuai Jing, a man accustomed to enduring pain, leaning on him, vulnerable like a paper lantern that could be shattered by the wind, softly voicing his agony, must be in extreme pain.

It scared him, more than the intermittent, dull aches of his own chronic old injuries.

He summoned a doctor, wanting to have Suhuai Jing's pulse checked. When the latter returned home and saw the white-bearded physician in the hall, he hesitated for two seconds before laying his wrist out flat, under Rong Tang's unmistakably concerned and anxious gaze.

When Suhuai Jing realized that this medical examination was due to a particular cause, he suppressed his emotions for a moment but eventually couldn't help laughing.

“I just wanted you to fuss over me,” said the chief antagonist without any psychological burden, taking Rong Tang’s hand and gently squeezing it: “I like Tang Tang so much, I just wanted to act spoiled with you, no need to be so nervous.”

He didn't plan to tell Rong Tang why he had said his bones hurt. It did hurt indeed, feeling each bone being broken, sensing his vitality almost draining from his body. Even a warrior on the battlefield would be scared, let alone an eight-year-old child.

Whether it was Xingfeng or Bixin. Anyone who had seen Suhuai Jing in pain, rolling on the bed in silence, could understand why the master had become increasingly cold and indifferent, and why the most adorable and obedient little prince of the palace had developed a heart like one who crawled out of hell.

It was the most irrefutable painful experience. Suhuai Jing liked to act spoiled, occasionally saying pitiful things to make Rong Tang feel sorry for him, but this was the one thing he did not want to tell Tang Tang at all.

It wasn't necessary, nor did he want to see him pity himself.

His tone was off, but Rong Tang just gave him a cold look, withdrawing his hand from Suhuai Jing’s palm, picked up a prescription from the table, and slapped it in front of Suhuai Jing, saying coldly, “From now on, you’re taking medicine with me.”

Fiercely resolute.

Suhuai Jing blinked, lowered his head, and glanced at the prescription.

He wanted to say he was a physician himself and knew exactly what was wrong with his body, and it wasn't serious enough to require daily medication.

But the prescription indeed was for relieving stress, treating overexertion, and replenishing qi and blood.

“……”

Suhuai Jing blinked and tried to act spoiled with Rong Tang: “Can I not take it?”

“No!” Rong Tang said sternly, his eyes sharp as a knife: “And no acting spoiled either!”

Who is this person, really? Claiming to be a physician, but constantly tampering with his own medication, daring to take pills meant for the frail, and in the end, not even realizing that he's been stretched thin for so many years, already weakened, right?!

Had it not been for that unintentional murmur, Rong Tang wouldn't have even known that Suhuai Jing had indeed pushed his body to its limits.

He's only twenty years old!

And he indulges in pleasures every day!

The more Rong Tang thought about it, the angrier he got, flames nearly shooting from his eyes, his gaze at Suhuai Jing growing colder and more ferocious by the second.

The chief antagonist, unable to control himself, shivered slightly, submissively withdrawing his hand and pinching the tip of his finger, whispering, “Okay, I'll listen to Tang Tang.”

Rong Tang's mood improved slightly, but Suhuai Jing, still not giving up, moved his hand back, cautiously hooking Rong Tang's fingertip, his voice weak, with a hint of submission and pleading, “Don't be mad, Tang Tang, I know I was wrong.”

Rong Tang: “......”

Annoying, he really had no way to deal with the chief antagonist!

Rong Tang remained silent for a few seconds, only able to glare at Suhuai Jing again, his imposing aura diminishing.

So, Suhuai Jing broke into a sweet smile and once again snuggled up stickily, “I knew Tang Tang cares about me.”

There’s no pain that lingers forever. Time heals all wounds; scars may be unsightly but painless, serving only as reminders. But there’s someone who exists outside of time, carefully placing their fingers on the scars, gently stroking them, asking in a low voice, “Does it hurt?”

On the ugly, twisted wound, suddenly a small flower blooms, just like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.

-

The secrets of the royal family are never widely spread among the common folk. The incident on the day of the Empress Dowager's funeral, though it caused a stir, was no longer discussed openly after three or five days.

With the Empress Dowager laid to rest, the Emperor bedridden with illness, the common people simply continue their days cautiously, afraid to speak recklessly, lest the armored Jinwu guards with their long spears knock on their doors one day, dragging them all to prison.

It was a bizarre incident witnessed by all, an indescribable injustice, yet no one dared to discuss it or speak of it.

Suhuai Jing sat in the gilded tower, looking down at the bustling crowd in Yu Jing City, a slight, ironic smile playing on his lips.

He was here for a meeting, yet the person who had invited him was still nowhere to be seen.

He waited a few more moments, the erhu music changing to a different tune below, before the door to the private room was finally pushed open.

Suhuai Jing's expression remained unchanged, still sitting by the window, idly watching the pleasure boats on the Jinfen River, built in the style of the Jiangnan region.

"Lord Suhuai." A voice rang out from the doorway, clear and pleasant, fitting of the refined demeanor expected of a gentleman in the public eye.

Suhuai Jing finally diverted his gaze, lazily lifting his eyes, looking at the newcomer with an expression that was neither sympathetic nor anything else.

There are many phrases to describe the spirit of youth, always revolving around 'elegant demeanor' and 'starry-eyed'.

Putting aside all inherent biases and grudges, from an outsider's perspective, Sheng Cheng Li indeed possessed an advantageous appearance.

He pondered for a moment; this person was only about eighteen years old now.

When he himself was eighteen...

Seemingly recalling something, Suhuai Jing's lips curved into a gentle, more sincere smile: “Your Highness.”

He did not stand up or bow, as it was neither a formal court setting nor within the palace walls. Knowing each other's hidden agendas, they both found it pointless to maintain superficial formalities in private.

A hint of surprise flickered in Sheng Cheng Li's eyes, but he did not comment on it. Instead, he stepped into the private room, allowing the door to close behind him.

The table was bare, without any dishes served, and Suhuai Jing showed no intention of having dinner with him, lounging back in his chair, not resembling a powerful minister, nor a scheming traitor.

He was simply the dashing gentleman of Yu Jing City, built by the wealth and glamour of the city, maintaining a faint smile even in the presence of Sheng Cheng Li.

He asked, “Your Highness invited me to dine, what is the occasion?”

Sheng Cheng Li was somewhat stunned, his guard not only unlowered but even more tightly wound, like a bowstring stretched to its limit.

He frowned slightly, then relaxed, sitting opposite Suhuai Jing, his thoughts unclear. Pouring himself a cup of wine, he took a moment to ponder.

Looking up again, Sheng Cheng Li gazed at Suhuai Jing and asked after a moment, “What do you want?”

Suhuai Jing suddenly laughed: “Your Highness invites me here and then asks me what I want?”

He seems a bit off in the head, Suhuai Jing thought.

But Sheng Cheng Li said, “I just feel like, we seem to be natural enemies.”

Suhuai Jing raised an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, sitting up a bit to pour himself a cup of wine, watching the trembling liquid in the glass.

“We are natural enemies,” Sheng Cheng Li repeated, his words carrying a somewhat difficult-to-understand meaning, “but it seems not.”

Suhuai Jing did not agree or disagree, nor did he make a sound.

Sheng Cheng Li then said, “I always thought that our relationship should be a fight to the death until one of us is utterly defeated. But it seems it’s not that simple.”

“If not for you, my second brother wouldn’t have left the capital so easily, my third brother wouldn’t have died so quickly, and even my sixth brother wouldn’t have gone from glory to guarding the imperial tomb overnight. But these things, actually—”

Sheng Cheng Li paused, “are all the outcomes I wanted to achieve.”

Finally, Suhuai Jing looked up, seemingly intrigued by his words.

Sheng Cheng Li: “The Minister of Justice taught me not to trust anyone completely, and the Grand Tutor taught me that power and wealth can buy lives.”

He began to speak words others couldn’t understand, and even if Mu Jingxu or Ke Hongxue were there, they might not fully grasp the meaning of Sheng Cheng Li's words, because those were lessons they never actually taught.

But he continued on his own: “But my teacher… also told me that I am a special existence in this world, destined to stop all disputes and conflicts. He wants to see me ascend to that position with his own eyes.”

His slender fingers tightened suddenly on the wine cup, Suhuai Jing’s pupils briefly narrowed, then relaxed again, as if the impulse to kill the person before him was just an illusion.

Unaware of Suhuai Jing's reaction, Sheng Cheng Li continued, “He taught me a lot, told me a lot. I used to think he and I were the closest people in this world.”

He paused, deliberately giving Suhuai Jing room to think.

"He told me he came to save me," Sheng Cheng Li looked up, meeting Suhuai Jing's gaze, earnestly saying, "Do you understand that feeling? Wandering alone in the dark for years, and someone comes to your side, disregarding everything, suffering from their own ailments, yet still trying their best to protect you..."

"Like a celestial being from heaven, coming just to redeem you, all his actions aimed at fulfilling his initial promise. No matter how many people come and go, he always stands behind you, visible whenever you turn around."

Suhuai Jing put down his wine cup, his fingers searching for something under the table, a calm, superficial smile on his face.

Sheng Cheng Li frowned, appearing somewhat annoyed, his tone sincere, "How could I doubt his intentions?"

"I thought we were archenemies. I thought his association with you was a betrayal of me. I feared that one day he would stab me in the back, so I wanted to separate from him, to prevent the possibility of betrayal in advance."

"But it seems not, we are not archenemies. Everything you do benefits me, every plan I make paves the way for you," Sheng Cheng Li lifted his head, his eyes gleaming like morning stars, "If we are not archenemies, but destined companions, then what difference does it make who he sides with?"

"Helping you is helping me; helping me is also helping you."

Sheng Cheng Li said, "So, I want to know what you really want. I will achieve it for you. We should be on the same side."

A child raised in the royal family, no matter how neglected or abandoned, cannot shed their inherent pride and cunning.

He met Suhuai Jing's gaze, clearly conveying a fact: Rong Tang helping you is essentially helping me. No matter when, in any lifetime, he's always on my side. And you should help me too.

Suhuai Jing, a jealous man, couldn’t stand anyone coveting or snatching Rong Tang away. Yet at this moment, his fingers under the table were already holding a lethal poison, which he then put back, lifting his eyelids and asking with a light laugh, "Are you done?"

Sheng Cheng Li was slightly taken aback, unconsciously tensing up as he looked at Suhuai Jing.

"Why are you so anxious, running to me in such a panic, trying to drive a wedge between us?"

Suhuai Jing smiled lightly, pondered for a moment, and lightly exclaimed, "Could it be that you discovered the truth about your father killing your grandmother?"

"Even though the Eighth Prince is not his biological son, and even after discovering this secret through his mother, he still didn't hesitate to kill her to secure the Eighth Prince's position as the legitimate heir?"

Suhuai Jing's smile was gentle yet demonic, his voice light and soft, "Why is that? Because he wanted to put the Eighth Prince on the throne, or... because he discovered your intention to kill him?"

Sheng Cheng Li instantly became tense, his pupils dilating unconsciously, his eyes filled with wariness and fear as he looked at Suhuai Jing.

The other party simply poured the wine on the table, his tone gentle, "You realized your plans aren’t going as smoothly as before, and without advisors, you find yourself in a difficult situation. So, you panicked, and you want my help?"

"I..."

"Just speak the truth," Shu Huaijing interrupted, his voice indulgent like a parent forgiving a child's mistake.

He said, "Tell me what you want to achieve, where you erred. Perhaps, I will complete it for you."

Sheng Chengli was momentarily stunned. He knew Shu Huaijing didn't believe a word he had just said, yet his response was an undeniable promise.

Sheng Chengli opened his eyes, which felt slightly sore from swelling. He blinked lightly and looked at Shu Huaijing, asking, "Why?"

But Shu Huaijing simply countered, "He wants to see you rise to that position, doesn't he?"

He said, "If that's his wish, I will fulfill it for him."

A spark of excitement surged in Sheng Chengli's eyes. Yet, just as he was overwhelmed with emotion, Shu Huaijing stood up, looking down at him with a serene gaze, not of contempt or hatred, but of indifference, like one would look at an ant.

"As for the rest, I don’t believe a word. You are indeed not my nemesis."

Such a person, devoid of desires, almost saint-like, looking at everyone with inherent pity, would be laughable if he claimed to have come for rescue, seeking gratitude in return.

Shu Huaijing might have once seen Sheng Chengli as a thorn in his eye, but in that moment, he suddenly understood.

It's unnecessary. This man hasn't even touched a fraction of Tang Tang's reality, how could he qualify as his enemy?

"Go wherever you wish. If it's Rong Tang's desire, no matter from which lifetime, I will fulfill it for him."

And after that...

Shu Huaijing suddenly burst into a smile brighter than the autumn moon, like a child who, after rummaging through a whole library, finally finds the correct answer.

After that, he would be able to kill the person in front of him without any hesitation, right?