Chapter 0060: Burnt Sienna

Chapter 0060: Burnt Sienna

Empress Dowager Sun felt more wronged than ever before.

Yes, she had always favored handsome men and had even invited soldiers into her palace in the past, only to be met with their reluctance and even loud protests. But that was all in the past! Since she had been with Tan'er, she hadn't favored any other man for four whole months!

One can imagine how furious she was when Sun Renluan called her over and berated her without any preamble.

Sun Renluan was twenty years older than her. When she was young, she feared him and hated him because he was the eldest son born of the original wife, and everything in the family belonged to him. She, being the daughter of a secondary wife, had to live under his shadow.

But why? She was also a legitimate lady of the Sun family, and her mother was a princess's granddaughter. In terms of birth, she never felt inferior to Sun Renluan. Moreover, if it weren't for her marrying the late emperor and becoming his empress through proper channels, would Sun Renluan have his current status?

This was a case where both sides had their own justifications. Empress Dowager Sun believed that her becoming empress elevated Sun Renluan's status and gave him significant influence after the southern migration. However, Sun Renluan thought that without his high-ranking position in court, she wouldn't have become empress at all. He believed he had always supported her, so her loyalty to him was expected.

Both sides had valid points, but neither would yield to the other. Especially Sun Renluan, who feared that Empress Dowager Sun might act independently and try to seize power from him. He constantly suppressed her, and when there were no outsiders, he could reduce her to a state where she couldn't even lift her head.

People are not perfect, and those in the thick of things often cannot see the bigger picture. If they had an omniscient perspective, they might not have strained their relationship so much. But life is not a history book; they couldn't foresee the future.

Empress Dowager Sun defended herself, insisting that she had done nothing to Xiao Rong. But Sun Renluan wouldn't listen; he trusted outsiders more than her.

Fuming, Empress Dowager Sun returned to her palace. It was too late to summon a man into the palace, so she spent the night crying on Tan'er's shoulder. The next morning, still angry, she immediately sent for Xiao Rong.

Xiao Rong was prepared. He had already changed his clothes, which puzzled Ah Shu, wondering why Master was dressed up but didn't leave.

How Empress Dowager Sun was scolded yesterday was how she planned to scold Xiao Rong today, demanding to know why he had tarnished her reputation!

The others in the palace: "…"

Your Majesty, you don't seem to have that kind of thing.

When Xiao Rong entered, Empress Dowager Sun was ready to unleash her fury. However, as soon as she started to berate him with "Dare you, Xiao Rong, to slander me," he looked up in shock, appearing genuinely bewildered.

"Your Majesty, what do you mean?"

Empress Dowager Sun: "…" Still pretending!

But Xiao Rong didn't seem to be pretending. From the moment he asked that question, Empress Dowager Sun lost her rhythm. She tried to explain, but he naturally countered her arguments. His emotions were far more intense than hers, and he vehemently denied the accusations, stating that he would never do anything to harm the empress's reputation. He had come to Jinling alone and was always cautious; he wouldn't dare slander the empress!

The others in the palace: "…"

Hmm... Your Majesty doesn't seem to have that kind of thing either.

Initially, Xiao Rong tried to distance himself from the incident, but seeing that Empress Dowager Sun didn't believe him, he grew agitated and pondered what was happening. Then he remembered that he was weak and had covered his face from the sun, which might have sparked the rumors.

Empress Dowager Sun angrily told him that wasn't all; there were also his wrinkled sleeves!

Xiao Rong was taken aback. This time, he didn't bother explaining. Instead, he swore solemnly that nothing had happened, and if it did, he would suffer a terrible fate!

Empress Dowager Sun: "…………"

In those days, oaths were taken seriously. Xiao Rong's willingness to make such a severe oath suggested that this was indeed a misunderstanding.

As Empress Dowager Sun thought this, her intelligence kicked in again. Covering one's face could be a misunderstanding, but what about the wrinkled sleeves? If it wasn't Xiao Rong, then someone must be framing her.

Thinking about it, Xiao Rong was associated with the Northern Pacification King. If she were involved with him, it would be a scandal the entire court couldn't tolerate. Ministers already disapproved of her conduct, and this would give them a chance to confine or exile her to a nunnery.

What a vicious plot to frame her.

Without a doubt, it must be Sun Renluan. He would love nothing more than for her to die and join the late emperor, leaving the young emperor at his mercy!

Once someone believes something, even unreasonable details can seem logical. For example, the harsh scolding she received yesterday—while Sun Renluan had scolded her before, this time he seemed more urgent because of Xiao Rong. After all, negotiations with Xiao Rong were ongoing, and if she truly acted improperly, it would jeopardize the talks.

To Empress Dowager Sun, this seemed like Sun Renluan exploiting the situation to maximize its benefits.

Her expressions kept changing behind the curtain, unseen by Xiao Rong but noticed by the rather delicate-looking eunuch beside her.

This was Tan'er, a man nearly six feet tall and skilled in bedroom arts, a fake eunuch.

Their history was not recorded in official records, but he was known as a legendary seducer. Initially serving Empress Dowager Sun as a eunuch, he later used her favor to meddle in court affairs and even sowed discord between her and the Buddhist monk, urging her to distance herself from him.

This might be the source of the rumor that Empress Dowager Sun had an affair with the monk. Tan'er, jealous and distraught, threatened her to stop seeing the monk. While the unofficial histories portrayed this as gossip, the official histories suggested that he used jealousy and Empress Dowager Sun to keep the young emperor under control.

It seemed like two men vying for one woman, but in reality, they were competing for control over the young emperor.

Although Tan'er had entered the court through his relationship with Empress Dowager Sun, the entire court soon collapsed, and both Empress Dowager Sun and the young emperor died. Many despised his behavior, and he didn't die at the hands of the Northern Pacification Army but was killed by a fleeing minister who sought him out and stabbed him before fleeing. This showed how much he was hated.

Xiao Rong had no interest in such a brainless male favorite, especially one named Tan'er. Ugh, a grown man with such a name gave him goosebumps.

Xiao Rong thought to himself. …

While Xiao Rong had no interest in him, Tan'er took notice of him, especially after observing Empress Dowager Sun's expressions.

Logically, Xiao Rong shouldn't know Empress Dowager Sun so well, so he likely wasn't behind the plot. But then he remembered the rumors about Xiao Rong's divination skills, which were said to be highly accurate.

Could it be true?

With a few words, Xiao Rong ignited Empress Dowager Sun's anger, and she dismissed him. Despite his beauty, she no longer wanted to see him. She waved him away, and he left, visibly relieved.

Xiao Rong's swift departure made Tan'er even more suspicious. If he were behind the plot, he should have tried to stay. Could it be that he was telling the truth and someone else was framing him?

His mind was in turmoil. He was just a favorite and couldn't handle such complex matters.

As Xiao Rong left, sounds of things being smashed echoed inside the palace. He paused briefly but continued walking as usual.

Empress Dowager Sun, in a rage, didn't care about anything. But this time, a eunuch followed Xiao Rong out, not by her orders but by Tan'er's.

However, Xiao Rong was too focused on his task to notice the unusual presence. Near the palace gate, he awkwardly asked the eunuch if he could go change his clothes.

This is the elegant way of saying he went to the toilet. ...

The eunuch naturally led him there, and to avoid suspicion, stopped at the intersection. Xiao Rong smiled at him and turned to walk away.

But he did not go in; instead, he quickly headed down the corridor.

He Fu—this was the young emperor's name.

In history, he only lived to be ten years old—if counting by full years, he had already become a skeleton at nine.

Yet, the throne was a natural accelerator. Even though he had been in this world for less than a decade, he still left many bold strokes on the pages of history. Many people underestimated him due to his young age, unaware that even the smallest emperor was still an emperor. Moreover, during these years of being overlooked, he had learned much.

Historical records clearly state that to control the young emperor more easily, he did not reside in the late emperor's chambers. Sun Renluan renovated the palace, knocking down the walls between the empress dowager's quarters and the adjacent palace, connecting the two. Then, the entrance to the young emperor's side was locked shut all year round. Anyone wishing to see the young emperor had to pass through Sun Shannu's area.

This way, Sun Renluan would know who dared to visit the young emperor behind his back.

However, those were events from many years ago. Sun Renluan guarded against his own people but did not guard against outsiders. After all, Xiao Rong seemed to have no connection with the young emperor.

Since arriving in this era, Xiao Rong had never run so fast. His heart was pounding in his throat, but this was his only chance. If he missed it, he would never get another.

Xiao Rong had two goals: first, find the young emperor; if not, find the eunuch with the exceptionally large ears.

This eunuch was named Hengshun, the most loyal to the young emperor. He was even willing to defy Sun Renluan for the emperor, only to be killed by Sun Renluan in the next moment. ...

Lucky for him, the bored young emperor was currently feeding fish by the pond. The moment Xiao Rong saw the small figure, he knew today was his day.

A heavy burden lifted from his heart. He hid behind a rock formation to steady his breathing before walking out with a bewildered look. Approaching the young emperor, he exclaimed, "Your Majesty?"

The young emperor turned around, surprised to see Xiao Rong. The guards immediately became alert, ready to stop Xiao Rong from approaching, but he bowed directly to the young emperor: "Your subject greets Your Majesty. I came from the empress dowager's quarters and inadvertently got lost. I did not realize Your Majesty was here. May I have the honor of serving Your Majesty here?"

Xiao Rong's demeanor was very respectful. The young emperor instinctively straightened his back and agreed to Xiao Rong's request, despite the guards' attempts to refuse, which earned them a glare from the young emperor.

He might not dare to provoke his uncle, but that did not mean he could not assert himself over those who served him.

Xiao Rong smiled and walked over, humbly standing beside the young emperor, always bowing slightly. He asked the young emperor why the fish were not eating, and the young emperor replied that they were already full.

It appeared to be a simple conversation, but unnoticed by anyone, as Xiao Rong suggested throwing more food to see if the fish would eat, he quietly whispered something into the young emperor's ear while holding the fish food. The young emperor was stunned, but Xiao Rong had already stepped aside, continuing to smile as he watched the young emperor feed the fish.

Soon, the eunuch who thought Xiao Rong had fallen in rushed over, nearly dying of fright upon seeing him with the emperor. Xiao Rong was naturally escorted out, and his deliberate contact with the young emperor was noted by various parties.

They all agreed that Xiao Rong must have some ulterior motive, but what exactly was it?

He merely stood beside the young emperor for a while, discussing how to feed the fish, with guards and eunuchs watching. Xiao Rong made no unusual moves.

Sun Renluan, adhering to the principle of not letting any suspect slip away, even had the young emperor's clothes from that day torn apart, fearing Xiao Rong might have smuggled something in, but found nothing.

Then what was his reason for claiming to be lost and insisting on entering? There was no need to ponder whether it was a lie; if he could not see through such an excuse, he did not deserve to be the Grand Marshal.

The more he could not discern the reason, the worse his mood became. Knowing something was off but unable to pinpoint it, he could not confront Xiao Rong or watch him act as if nothing happened, engaging in casual conversation.

Sun Renluan grew increasingly agitated. He almost turned every place Xiao Rong had passed through upside down, but still found nothing. So, he started with the young emperor, repeatedly warning him that Xiao Rong was not trustworthy, that he was a counselor of the Northern Pacification King, and that whatever he did was for the king. Before leaving, he asked the young emperor again if Xiao Rong had done anything to him.

No matter what he said, the young emperor listened obediently. To his question, the young emperor blinked and shook his head. After Sun Renluan left, the young emperor silently returned to his desk and continued practicing calligraphy.

After filling one sheet, he replaced it with another, and the surrounding maids and eunuchs did not notice him secretly slipping a letter into his sleeve when changing the paper.

Later that night, when it was time for him to sleep and everyone else had left, leaving only Hengshun with him, he asked Hengshun to bring the lamp. Following Xiao Rong's instructions, he placed the letter given to him by the Buddha's son in front of the officials on his first day in Jinling on the candle and slowly heated it.

Soon, the scorched yellow letters appeared. The young emperor and Hengshun exchanged shocked glances before looking at the content together.