Chapter 165

Chapter 165

Prince Ningxuan, Rong Mingyu, appeared to be favored by the Emperor, conducting secret imperial inspections on his behalf, but in reality, he had long been buried under unknown lands.

Therefore, when people from the palace came to Tangjing Residence and wanted to take Rong Tang away, the young master showed no surprise.

He even leisurely bought some candied fruit in advance, placing it in the bedroom he shared with Su Huaijing.

Shuangfu, both confused and anxious, called out nervously, "Young Master..."

"I'll go alone," Rong Tang said calmly, instructing Shuangfu to pack several days' worth of medicinal herbs in oil paper before he boarded the carriage to the palace by himself.

Shuangfu insisted on accompanying him, but Rong Tang, drawing back the curtain, solemnly said, "You will be dismissed from the house, and we will never see each other again in this lifetime."

Shuangfu was stunned, her eyes reddening instantly, standing frozen, not daring to step forward.

Rong Tang then softened his demeanor and tone, carelessly saying in a light voice, "I'll be back in a few days, prepare some good food for me."

Shuangfu was visibly panicked, but as she saw the royal carriage preparing to depart, she instinctively followed a few steps before hurriedly saying, "Then I'll prepare some rabbits for you, to make spicy rabbit heads when you return!"

Rong Tang paused, then couldn't help but smile slightly.

Such a familiar scene. Before his third brother left, he had talked about catching rabbits for Su Xiaoseven. And when he left, Shuangfu wanted to make spicy rabbit heads for him.

In a sense, it was a kind of fate intertwining.

Rong Tang nodded with a smile, lowered the carriage window, and sat quietly inside, pretending to sleep.

After arriving in Dayu, he had ridden in carriages countless times and had often slept in them.

But without the faint scent of sandalwood and the warm embrace of Su Huaijing, he found himself not really wanting to sleep.

His eyes remained closed for a long time without any hint of sleepiness, so he decided not to sleep at all.

Rong Tang opened his eyes, regretting that he should have taken a small handful of the candied fruit with him instead of leaving it all for Su Huaijing.

He wasn't really angry, but if he said he didn’t mind at all… Rong Tang wasn't some saint filled with compassion and benevolence for the world.

Sheng Chengli was a poisonous snake, always ready to strike and bite back. No matter how foolish, simple-minded, and straightforward he appeared, making people lower their guard, it didn't change the fact that he was a person who could betray at any moment.

Rong Tang wasn’t worried that he wouldn’t come out of the palace alive. The situation had escalated too much, with all the ministers watching. Sheng Chengli couldn’t find Rong Mingyu to corroborate his story, so he naturally wouldn't dare to kill Rong Tang just like that. He needed someone to face the anger and accusations of the imperial family and relatives.

Therefore, Rong Tang had to stay alive.

But without the threat to his life, he started to feel bored.

The villain was overconfident, keeping everything from him, not even willing to share a bit of information about his dealings with someone like Sheng Chengli.

Rong Tang even felt a bit vengeful, wondering if Su Huaijing would regret or be angry upon finding out he had been taken to the palace by Sheng Chengli.

However, this slightly spiteful feeling dissipated the moment he was led by the palace servants into an unused palace, and after a casual glance at the eunuch left to attend him, it turned into surprise and even a desire to sneer.

Everyone watched as Rong Tang’s expression suddenly turned cold. They hadn’t yet realized why a prisoner would display such a presence and had already subconsciously obeyed his command to leave.

"You stay," Rong Tang said, his voice cool, betraying neither pleasure nor anger.

A few bold young eunuchs turned back to look, their eyes flickering with a mix of sympathy and fear.

Rong Tang was a prisoner, but undoubtedly he was treated better than any other.

The furnishings in the hall were meticulously cleaned, the standards nearly matching those used by the masters of the palace. Before anyone else arrived, a pot of fine tea was already served on the square table in the room.

Spring’s early Longjing tea, with a light, sweet, and lingering taste.

Rong Tang poured himself a cup, his fingertips slightly pale, though it was unclear whether it was from anger.

He had thought he really wasn’t angry.

It didn't matter if Su Huaijing kept secrets from him, or if Sheng Chengli captured him.

Su Huaijing had his plans, and Sheng Chengli was always likely to overturn any agreement. These choices, consistent with their character settings, didn’t warrant excessive surprise or indignation from those involved.

But if there was manipulation before these established facts, then he was not happy.

Very unhappy.

So unhappy that although he had only met the person before him briefly in Shen Feiyi's courtyard in the capital years ago, he still called out for them to stay.

Rong Tang briefly hesitated, debating whether to pretend ignorance or to express his displeasure directly, demanding an explanation.

Moments later, the tea in his cup was gone, and the “little eunuch” standing humbly beside him showed no signs of fear or nervousness.

Then Rong Tang chose the latter.

Setting down his teacup, he lifted his usually smiling eyes, asking coolly and lightly, "Did Su Huaijing send you to stay by my side and enter the palace with me, or were you already in the palace working for him?"

He paused, then called out softly the person’s name, "Liuyun?"

He didn’t want to keep his doubts to himself. Su Huaijing was his partner and confidant. Even if Rong Tang harbored a moment of suspicion, he needed clarity. That way, if there were accounts to be settled in the future, he could ensure Su Huaijing understood why.

Liuyun hesitated for a moment, his expression as indifferent as usual, then knelt down and respectfully called, "My lord."

Rong Tang: "…?"

Rong Tang was instantly stunned.

-

With the Emperor suffering a stroke and the Crown Prince's origins uncertain, Sheng Chengli, acting as regent but weakened from bloodletting, the entire court was in disarray.

Su Huaijing had been so busy with affairs at the Censorate that he had missed dinner for several consecutive days. Returning to Yong’an Lane that day, he couldn't help feeling a bit guilty.

Tangtang was always enthusiastic about meals, but recently, often due to him, he had to wait hungry for a long time until Su Huaijing returned home, so they could dine together.

Su Huaijing inevitably felt guilty.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking about the few moves left in this chess game. Once the dust settled, he planned to take Tangtang to some places for a proper vacation.

Lost in thought, his mood lifted considerably, a smile unconsciously forming on his lips. He quickened his pace toward the residence, but as soon as he entered, he saw Shuangfu sitting on the steps, crying, her eyes swollen like walnuts.

Su Huaijing was stunned for a second, then a chill rushed up from his feet, enveloping him completely.

He quickly approached Shuangfu, his tone more urgent and tense than ever, forcefully assertive, yet it felt like a front to hide his fear from others.

“Where is Tangtang?”

Shuangfu reacted dully for a couple of seconds, blinking up at Su Huaijing. Finally, realizing the situation, she burst into even louder crying, "My lord, the young master was taken away by people from the palace, wuwuwu..."

Su Huaijing's vision momentarily darkened uncontrollably, followed by a fierce and murderous rage.

He had been pretending to be normal for so long, but it turned out that without Tangtang, he would instantly revert to the demon that crawled out of hell.

Su Huaijing swallowed hard, turned around, and got back into the carriage.

Shuangshou worriedly watched her brother while dutifully following Su Huaijing.

Then Su Huaijing said, "To the palace."

The chess game was laid out more intricately and densely, all for the sake of foolproof success and maximum benefit.

But what did it matter if the other player didn't play by the rules, self-damaging one wing to hasten the process?

Did Sheng Chengli want to be the Emperor?

Even if it meant being an emperor only in spirit, it wasn't impossible.

-

Rong Tang and Liuyun had only met a few times in passing.

Rowfeng might still appear before him in various guises, but Liuyun was always a shadow in the dark night.

Rong Tang's first interaction with him in his first life was because he had drugged him.

In the second life, he occasionally conversed with Su Huaijing, but Liuyun’s shadow guards were never seen.

In this life, at the Shen Feiyi's courtyard, although Rong Tang was grateful for the life-saving favor and intended to repay it, Liuyun never actively appeared before him. Over time, this unspoken “debt of gratitude” wasn’t given much importance by either party.

So much so that at this moment, when Rong Tang directly pointed out Liuyun's relationship with Su Huaijing, Liuyun hesitated for a moment. When he knelt down calling Rong Tang his master, Rong Tang was utterly shocked.

In Rong Tang's understanding, Liuyun was stubborn and committed, with every action guided by Su Huaijing. His logic was straightforward: do nothing to harm Su Huaijing, and act in his best interest.

Once he recognized Su Huaijing as his master, he was his devoted retainer, ready to lay down his life for him.

And now, he was kneeling and addressing Rong Tang as "my lord."

This unexpected turn diffused the subtle anger within Rong Tang, who was momentarily stunned. Regaining his composure, he asked, "Why do you call me that?"

"As my lord commanded."

Rong Tang, just addressed as 'my lord': "…"

After a pause, he decided not to dwell on semantic loopholes with this unwaveringly loyal man, instead slightly lowering his tone to ask, "So, your entering the palace today was also anticipated by your master?"

Liuyun knelt, his expression unchanged, a flicker of doubt quickly suppressed, and he honestly shook his head: "My lord only instructed me to stay by your side and to protect you at all costs if any unforeseen events occurred."

And Rong Tang being summoned to the palace likely qualified as such an unforeseen event.

Rong Tang felt slightly embarrassed, realizing his earlier misinterpretation of Su Huaijing's actions.

He coughed lightly and said, "Stand up."

Liuyun silently got to his feet.

The atmosphere turned somewhat awkward. Had Rowfeng been there, Rong Tang might have engaged in some conversation, but with Liuyun…

He couldn't very well ask curiously, "Why did you kill me back then?"

Rong Tang racked his brain and then changed the topic: "How did you manage to infiltrate the palace?"

Liuyun replied, "Shen Feiyi, he now oversees the palace’s defense."

This was a move arranged by Su Huaijing before the Emperor fell seriously ill, and now it was evidently paying off.

Rong Tang asked, "Then how did you determine that my entering the palace would lead to trouble?"

Only then did Liuyun show a hint of surprise, "The Crown Prince of Dayu is Prince Ningxuan's child, and you are Prince Ningxuan's heir. How could your entry into the palace not cause trouble?"

Rong Tang fell silent for two seconds: "You are smarter than Su Huaijing."

It wasn’t that Su Huaijing hadn’t thought of this; it was more likely that no one expected Sheng Chengli to directly order Rong Tang to be brought into the palace.

Rong Tang said this offhandedly, but Liuyun, after a pause, replied softly, "I am just more concerned about his safety than my lord is."

Rong Tang looked up at him, and Liuyun’s eyes flickered with a complexity that was hard to describe: "As my lord’s shadow guard, I am his second life."

"Therefore, for him and for you, I must eliminate any danger in advance and protect anything that would cause him distress."

Rong Tang was stunned for a long while. The voice of a eunuch outside announced that the fifth prince requested a meeting with him. He rose from his seat and glanced at Liuyun again.

The latter, dressed in eunuch attire, bowed his head and hunched slightly, blending in perfectly.

The door opened, and an elderly eunuch greeted him with a fawning smile. Rong Tang blinked, suddenly understanding the meaning behind Liuyun’s words.

Strangely, on his way to the Administrative Hall, Rong Tang deliberately slowed his pace, asking in a tone only they could hear, "Was it you who killed me?"