Chapter 167

Chapter 167

Rong Tang had been puzzled by the tea Liuyun served him that day, but today's explanation made it clear without any need for evidence that the letter was Sheng Chengli's doing.

That year, almost all of Sheng Chengli’s trusted aides were personally unearthed by Rong Tang and sent to his side.

Compared to the prince who had only recently emerged from the cold palace, those strategists were much closer to Rong Tang.

Even if some newcomers were displeased with Rong Tang's influence in front of Sheng Chengli, they would never harbor thoughts of killing him.

— After all, he was the heir to Prince Ningxuan.

On Su Huaijing's end, the villain was an absolute leader, and his subordinates never acted on their own against orders.

Liuyun was the only exception, being too stubborn and tasked only with ensuring Su Huaijing's safety, without getting involved in the complex political intrigues. Therefore, starting with him was much easier than with others.

Rong Tang wasn't sure how Sheng Chengli knew about Liuyun's existence, but after ruling out all other possibilities, the only one who would have had the motive to harm Rong Tang at that critical juncture was Sheng Chengli himself, whose power was growing and who had just had a disagreement with Rong Tang.

If Sheng Chengli wanted to consolidate his power, then naturally, Rong Tang had to die.

Rong Tang couldn't help but think wryly that in the first life, Sheng Chengli used someone else to kill him, and in the second, he did it himself. And now, he had the audacity to ask, "Is this really what you think of me, cousin?"

What else could it be?

How else should Rong Tang think of him, as someone with a compelling reason, forced to act this way?

He was no longer the Rong Tang constrained by the novel’s plot and system tasks. Why should he give Sheng Chengli any more patience or opportunity?

Sitting upright in his seat, without standing up, Rong Tang’s gaze then shifted to the “scribe”, asking, “Is this your master?”

Sheng Chengli was taken aback, not yet responding when Rong Tang clicked his tongue and said, “You really undervalue him. He’s been scheming for you for so long, and you only let him serve as a scribe in the palace? Even Master Huimian didn’t get such treatment.”

Master Huimian was another pawn of Sheng Chengli, but from the moment he was drawn into Rong Tang's counter-strategy, his path in the game changed, leading to a situation where Sheng Chengli completely lost control and became furious.

Sheng Chengli opened his mouth, something dawning on him, his face turning slightly angry, “You’ve known all along!”

He had tested Rong Tang more than once about memories of his past life, each time being deceived. But now, Rong Tang wasn’t pretending anymore.

Sheng Chengli suppressed his anger, trying to remain calm, his expression darkening, “Is it I who wants to kill you, or you who wants to kill me? Wasn’t it you who ordered someone to gouge out that eye?”

Playing the blame game, Rong Tang silently agreed in his mind but was already out of patience. He turned to the “scribe”, asking, “Sir, may I know your name?”

Without hysteria or overwhelming anger, he asked calmly. Sheng Chengli instantly fell silent, looking at him with shock and uncertainty, unable to speak.

Finally, the person seated behind the desk lifted his head, looking towards Rong Tang.

With just one glance, Rong Tang was stunned.

It was a face... hard to describe.

As the books say, the wise and the saints in paintings all seem to look this way, exuding an aura of serenity and simplicity, with a mature and steady demeanor, appearing around fifty or sixty years old, with slightly graying beard, and a quiet smile at the corners of his mouth.

It was a face one could look at ten times and still not remember, yet its mere presence somehow induced a sense of calm and tranquility.

However, it was this very calmness that put Rong Tang even more on guard, a kind of eeriness close to inhuman.

Without showing any emotion, he subtly pinched his fingers to maintain a sense of pain, warily watching the other.

The man spoke softly, "I am nameless and without a family. If young friend deems me worthy, you may call me Old Man of the Heavenly Dao."

In that instant, Rong Tang felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave.

-

Outside the capital, a caravan passed by, with the last wagons carrying several crates of freshly ripened fruits of the season, large and sweet, piled together, their fragrance dispersing even amidst the clatter of horse hooves.

The convoy stopped outside the gates of Yu Jing City, and Sheng Chengming leaned out of the vehicle, looking up at the city wall's plaque.

Since being ennobled as a king and leaving the capital in the tenth year of the Qingzheng era, it had been two years since his last return to the capital city.

Back in the day, flourishing in the capital and aspiring for the supreme imperial throne, he walked through days filled with an unspeakable fear. Sheng Chengming was definitely not the smartest among Emperor Renshou's sons, but he was obedient.

—Obedient to Shu Huaijing's words.

When Shu Huaijing advised him to accept the kingship far from the capital, he had harbored resentment, but now, looking back, which of his father’s children, apart from him, had met a good end?

With doubts cast over his youngest brother's lineage, he, being far in Lingnan, had received countless letters from the capital. Those royal princes who once commanded great respect were now scattered and diminished. Only Sheng Chengli seemed to have the potential to ascend to the golden throne.

But... Sheng Chengming sat back in the carriage, closing his eyes. The perennial wind outside Yu Jing City whistled in his ears. Yet, beyond that distant wind, he heard another sound, more akin to clashing arms and marching troops.

It was the sound of thirty thousand troops' horses galloping from all directions.

Sheng Chengming pursed his dry lips, unconsciously clenching his fists. Among his brothers, there were no winners.

The only victor could only be that one person.

A guard outside the window respectfully asked, "Your Highness, shall we enter the city now?"

Sheng Chengming shook his head, "No, rest here for now."

A prince entering the capital with an army unbidden could be charged with treason, a crime punishable by death, especially with an army of 300,000 at his back.

He had to wait for a signal from someone inside the city, to act legitimately.

As for whether he would use this military power to attack the city and claim the throne for himself...

At this moment, Sheng Chengming felt that he might not be cut out for it.

Even if he succeeded by chance, how long could he hold on?

When Su Huaijing was his strategist, Sheng Chengming trusted him unconditionally; now that Su Huaijing wanted him to be his support, Sheng Chengming...

Seemed to have no reason to refuse.

After all, this empire was originally meant to be Su Huaijing's—or perhaps, Sheng Fuya's.

He exhaled softly, closing his eyes with a trace of weariness.

As dusk approached and the city gates were about to be locked, a few crows flew out of the dense woods near the capital, with the last rays of twilight returning to the clouds.

-

Inside the Qinzhen Hall, Rong Tang involuntarily swallowed, quickly regaining his composure after a momentary shock in his gaze.

He said, “I thought you would have come to find me sooner.”

The elderly man claiming to be the Old Man of the Heavenly Way replied, “I always thought that we would meet after you completed your task.”

The figure paused slightly, then in a tone tinged with regret, softly said, “It's just unfortunate that you never completed it even once.”

Rong Tang looked at him and bluntly asked, “Are you implying that my incompetence and failure in the task led to all this?”

He said coldly, “That’s called gaslighting.”

Both were momentarily stunned. If the system was still there, it would have probably started to rant alongside Rong Tang. This manner of speaking from a high ground, uttering reproaches in a nonchalant way, was a clear example of negative psychological manipulation.

But for Rong Tang…

He’d been through enough lifetimes to be bothered by someone trying to blame him.

Leaning back in his chair, he smiled slightly, “Now that I think about it, I’m glad that your flawed mission failed.”

The old man looked startled for a moment, then also smiled, “Young friend, your words are still as interesting as ever.”

“Still?” Rong Tang inquired, “Have you met me before?”

‘Heavenly Dao’ nodded, “As heaven, every creature under the sky is within my sight.”

Rong Tang nodded, “Sounds quite benevolent.”

Changing his tone and looking at Sheng Chengli, who had been silent since their conversation began, he mockingly asked, “With such benevolence, why choose someone like him to join you in theft?”

Sheng Chengli retorted, “You—!”

‘Heavenly Dao’ frowned, a displeased expression appearing on his overly calm face for the first time, and said sternly, “Young friend, mind your words.”

Rong Tang retorted, “Why should I be cautious? Is it because Sheng Chengli didn’t steal Su Huaijing’s empire, or because you didn’t steal my duty?”

‘Heavenly Dao’ looked slightly shocked, then composed himself, and inquiringly said, “It seems the young friend already knows some things.”

He paused, looking intently into Rong Tang’s eyes, with a hint of suggestion, “But I wonder, do you know the whole truth?”

The candlelight in the room was bright, and as the twilight faded from the sky, Rong Tang and ‘Heavenly Dao’ locked gazes, a moment of dizziness flashing before his eyes.

He frowned, thinking to himself that this was not good.

Digging his fingernails into his flesh, the pain brought Rong Tang back to his senses. He pursed his lips, tasting the faint trace of blood for the first time in a while.

Just then, a palace attendant knocked on the door, asking in a low voice, "Your Highness, Lord Su is here to see you. Shall I let him in?"

At that moment, the tension in Rong Tang's body visibly eased, as if just hearing Su Huaijing's name meant he no longer had to face the storm alone.

He bowed his head, steadying the emotions that had been unsettled by the earlier eye contact.

Sheng Chengli looked displeased, but before he could utter a word of refusal, 'Heavenly Dao' interjected softly, "Let him come in. I still have matters to discuss with this young friend."

Sheng Chengli fell silent, hesitating momentarily before nodding and obediently acquiescing upon 'Heavenly Dao's' repeated insistence.

The doors of the hall opened and then closed, leaving only the two of them inside.

Rong Tang had long felt they should meet, but now faced with the elderly man who called himself 'Heavenly Dao,' he was unsure what to expect from their private conversation.

Sheng Chengli was repulsive because his dark, venomous nature was masked by a repeatedly feigned innocence, spewing lies so transparent they could be seen through at a glance.

That’s why Rong Tang refused to engage with him; even his presence was revolting.

But this old man before him, Rong Tang had no idea why he dismissed Sheng Chengli to speak to him alone.

After waiting a while without hearing him speak, Rong Tang saw him looking up, seemingly reminiscing as he gazed at the ceiling beam.

A sense of foreboding suddenly struck Rong Tang's heart, urging him to look up at the aged wooden beam above.

The man said, “Did you know, the late emperor and empress' bodies were hung here. The palace was in turmoil for days, and they remained hanging. When Sheng Xuyan entered the palace, the Hall of Diligence was swarming with hundreds of flies, maggots crawling out of the corpses' eyes and nostrils. The eunuch who came to collect the bodies was so terrified he broke protocol.”

He chuckled, disregarding Rong Tang's increasingly pale face, and lamented, “It’s a pity, I should have let him witness that scene before leaving the capital.”

“How could he then be so easily redeemed by you?”

This self-proclaimed 'Heavenly Dao' spoke the world's most chilling and disgusting words without a trace of kindness or hypocrisy in his eyes, only bottomless desire and hatred.

He despised Rong Tang, yet he couldn’t kill him.

He wanted to drag Su Huaijing into darkness, but could only watch helplessly as Rong Tang pulled him into the light.