Rong Xuan spoke with his usual arrogant tone.
Rong Xun rolled his eyes at him and ignored him completely.
It was truly bizarre. He had only been interacting with Rong Xuan for a little over two months, so why did this fellow target him at every turn?
Walking at the very front, Tan Taisi halted his steps and cast a critical look at Rong Xuan.
The Marquis’s family members trailing behind also turned their heads to look.
Realizing that it was once again that good-for-nothing third son causing trouble, Rong Huaizhou glared fiercely at Rong Xuan, using his eyes to warn him against speaking recklessly.
He then turned back to smile apologetically at Tan Taisi. “Please do not take offense, Your Highness. The brothers share a close bond and often joke around with each other. He simply failed to process the Princess Consort’s current status in time.”
Rong Xun remained silent.
A close bond? They loved joking around?
Old man Rong Huaizhou spun lies straight out of thin air without batting an eye. If not for the imperial decree forcing this marriage, had he actually perished outside some remote farming estate, nobody in the Marquis’s household would have even remembered he existed.
Tan Taisi gave no particular reaction to Rong Huaizhou’s words. His gaze swept briefly across Rong Xun’s face before he resumed his stride and walked further into the estate.
For the return visit of the Prince and Princess Consort, the Marquis of Yong’an’s estate had gone to painstaking lengths to prepare this grand banquet.
Upon entering the front hall, Tan Taisi took the seat of honor, while Rong Huaizhou accompanied the male members of the household to host him.
Rong Xun, meanwhile, led his pages and maidservants to the inner courtyard to pay his respects to the Marquis’s wife.
Inside the inner courtyard’s reception hall, Rong Xun marched in followed by a full entourage of servants. The display was quite imposing.
Seated comfortably in the primary seat with a smile was Lady Chen, flanked by Rong Huaizhou’s two concubines.
Today was actually Rong Xun’s first time seeing these two concubines. Both looked relatively young.
Lady Chen showed no intention of standing up to greet him.
The two concubines looked to Lady Chen for cues and likewise remained seated without moving.
“The Princess Consort has returned for a home visit. Will you all please stand and pay your respects?”
The one who spoke was Changji, the page by Rong Xun’s side.
Hearing this, the smile on Lady Chen’s face froze for a few seconds. She offered an unnatural explanation. “Look at me, I almost forgot. Xun’er is no longer what he used to be. Why, I remember when you used to cling to your mother’s knees and act spoiled.”
As she spoke, Lady Chen, accompanied by the two concubines behind her, finally rose and bowed to Rong Xun.
Listening to Lady Chen’s speech, the corners of Rong Xun’s eyes twitched violently.
The Marquis of Yong’an and his wife were quite the actors. Lies rolled off their tongues so casually without a single trace of blushing.
Since they insisted on putting on a show in front of people from the Prince’s estate, Rong Xun was more than happy to play along.
First, he produced the gifts he had prepared in advance and handed them to Lady Chen and the two concubines seated beside her. Then, he engaged in a round of idle, pointless chatter with Lady Chen, weaving through a mountain of empty pleasantries.
It was a picture-perfect scene of filial piety and maternal warmth. Anyone unaware of the truth would genuinely believe that Lady Chen cherished her youngest son dearly.
Wenxi kept rolling his eyes in the background.
Throughout the meal, Rong Xun barely ate a few bites of food, though he drank plenty of water. There was no helping it; spitting out empty pleasantries required quite a bit of moisture.
Only after the meal finally concluded did Rong Xun get a chance to catch his breath.
“Xun’er, sitting around with us older women must be terribly dull for you. Why don’t you go take a look at the courtyard where you used to live?”
With Changji and the others present, Lady Chen acted exceptionally affectionate toward Rong Xun. To an outsider, she truly cut the image of a benevolent mother.
Rong Xun was just racking his brain for an excuse to leave, so when Lady Chen offered it first, he naturally had no intention of refusing.
After exchanging polite words with Lady Chen, Rong Xun led Wenxi, Changji, and Changning back to the Warm Fragrance Pavilion.
The interior decor bore almost no resemblance to when he had lived here. The courtyard had clearly been reassigned to someone else. Yet Lady Chen had still casually invited him to come take a look, as if completely unconcerned that Rong Xun might notice, or entirely confident that he wouldn’t dare expose them.
“Young Master, sit down and rest for a bit.”
Wenxi poured a cup of tea for Rong Xun. Seeing Changji and Changning standing rigidly by the side like a pair of wooden statues, Rong Xun felt exhausted just looking at them. “You two should sit down and rest. Aren’t your legs tired from standing for so long?”
“This subordinate would not dare.”
“Sitting for a moment will not hurt.”
“You are the Princess Consort. How could we possibly presume to sit with you?”
Changji and Changning were just as rigid as Wenxi.
Finding no other option, Rong Xun picked up his teacup and downed the contents in one gulp. “Since that is how it is, I will not force you. But it is far too stuffy in this room. I am going out for a walk.”
Rong Xun did not need to invent an excuse. The moment he had stepped foot into the Warm Fragrance Pavilion earlier, he had been greeted by a heavy, cloying wave of powder and perfume, a scent thick enough to suffocate a person. Rong Xun had never cared for cosmetic fragrances. Lingering around them for too long always left him dizzy.
The group made their way toward the small garden behind the Warm Fragrance Pavilion. Back when Rong Xun resided here, out of pure boredom, he had planted a patch of orchids. Upon checking now, however, those orchids were long gone, replaced instead by numerous plum blossom trees currently in full, vibrant bloom.
Admiring the blossoms bursting from the branches, Rong Xun instinctively reached out to brush a petal.
“Seventh Brother is in high spirits, but plum blossoms are symbols of noble character. Is Seventh Brother truly capable of appreciating them?”
An untimely voice drifted from the quiet garden.
Rong Xun didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was. The newcomer was none other than his self-righteous third brother.
What even was a symbol of noble character? It sounded completely unrefined and utterly brainless.
Rong Xun turned to face the intruder. “Oh, it is Third Brother. What is this? Has the banquet in the front hall already concluded?”
Rong Xuan didn’t dignify Rong Xun with an answer. He strode toward him with a look of utter contempt, accompanied by Qing’er, the maidservant who had been given to Rong Xun as dowry.
Well, well. Rong Xun inwardly sneered. No wonder he hadn’t spotted this little maid during the banquet earlier. She had sneaked off to find Rong Xuan instead. Judging by this posture, she had undoubtedly run over to lodge a complaint.
Now, Rong Xun was genuinely curious. What kind of relationship did Qing’er and Rong Xuan actually share, that a legitimate third young master of the Marquis’s estate would repeatedly step forward to fight her battles? Seeing the veins bulging on Rong Xuan’s furious face, Qing’er must have painted a truly pathetic, tear-jerking picture filled with exaggerated grievances.
Rong Xuan looked Rong Xun up and down from head to toe, growing increasingly displeased the longer he stared. This cheap, lowborn bastard who had been cast away to a remote farming estate since childhood was now dressed far better than he was. Truly a dog climbing onto a high wall to pose as a phoenix.
“Seventh Brother sure looks majestic marrying into the Prince’s estate. You even dare to disregard Mother now.”
“What is Third Brother talking about? I have no idea.”
“Stop playing dumb with me. Do you really think that just because you are the Princess Consort now, I would not dare put you in your place?”
Changji and Changning exchanged glances behind Rong Xun, a sharp glint flashing across their eyes.
Wenxi couldn’t stand seeing Rong Xun bullied the most. Mustering his courage, he stepped forward. “Third Young Master, please mind your words. How dare you show such disrespect to the Princess Consort?”
“What kind of lowly thing are you to lecture me? Get lost!”
Rong Xun reached out to pull Wenxi safely behind him. With a faint, smiling expression, he addressed Rong Xuan. “The weather is so cold, Third Brother, why the fiery temper? Why don’t you spell it out clearly: how have I shown disrespect to Mother?”
As he spoke, Rong Xun cast a meaningful glance past Rong Xuan toward Qing’er. The chill in his eyes rivaled the winter frost.
Rong Xuan pulled Qing’er behind him, a ferocious glare in his eyes. “You are still acting innocent! Qing’er and Mammy Wang were bestowed upon you by Mother as dowry attendants. How dare you dish out such harsh punishments to them inside the Prince’s estate? Are you not intentionally slapping the Marquis of Yong’an’s estate and Mother in the face?”
“Where is Third Brother getting these wild ideas? As their master, am I not allowed to punish servants who make mistakes?” Rong Xun feigned pure confusion. “Besides, the people I punished were Qing’er and Mammy Wang. How on earth does that translate to a slap in the face for the Marquis’s estate and Mother? Is that not a bit too far-fetched?”
“Qing’er and Mammy Wang were gifts from Mother, meaning they represent Mother. Punishing them is no different from hitting Mother in the face!”
“Now that is a strange logic. Since they were given to me by Mother, they belong to me. What is wrong with disciplining the maids in my own quarters? I am certain Mother wouldn’t mind.”
“You!”
Rong Xuan found himself utterly speechless, choking on his own rage as he gnashed his teeth.
Ignoring him, Rong Xun looked past Rong Xuan straight at Qing’er. “Though I am rather curious, Qing’er. You are supposed to be my personal dowry maid, yet the moment you return here, you run straight to Third Brother to cry and complain. Anyone unaware of the situation might mistake you for a maid from Third Brother’s courtyard who was forcibly shoved onto me instead.”
“You. Princess Consort, please do not hurl false accusations!” Qing’er’s face flushed bright red with anger, throwing protocol to the wind as she snapped back at Rong Xun.
“What false accusations? I merely stated a fact. I haven’t even said anything yet. Why are you in such a rush to panic?” Rong Xun watched their comical reactions with amusement, roughly piecing together the true nature of their relationship.
Having his authority challenged repeatedly by a concubine-born younger brother he had always despised caused Rong Xuan to lose his mind completely. Forgetting their respective statuses, he lunged forward, raising his fist to strike Rong Xun.
“Third Young Master.”
Changji moved like lightning, stepping in front of Rong Xun to intercept and lock onto Rong Xuan’s swinging fist with an unyielding grip. “I would advise Third Young Master to think carefully. If you lay a hand on the Princess Consort, the consequences are not something you can bear.”
Rong Xuan’s face instantly drained of color. Having thrown his weight around so arrogantly for so long, he certainly wouldn’t be easily intimidated by a mere page’s threat. The true reason for his pale complexion was the sheer, terrifying force radiating from the hand clamped around his wrist. His bones felt as though they were about to snap. He would never have guessed that an unremarkable page by Rong Xun’s side possessed physical strength far surpassing a trained martial artist.
Meanwhile, back in the front hall, the banquet had drawn to a close. Rong Huaizhou was formally introducing his family members to Tan Taisi.
“Your Highness, this is my eldest son, Rong Zhe.”
Rong Zhe immediately stepped forward to salute. “Greetings, Your Highness, Prince of Chen.”
Tan Taisi set down his teacup and glanced at Rong Zhe. “No need for formalities. Rise.”
As Rong Zhe retreated to stand behind Rong Huaizhou, Tan Taisi swept his gaze across the remaining men in the room before speaking in a measured tone. “I hear the eldest young master of the Rong family achieved the rank of Juren on his very first examination. Truly a tiger begetting a hero.”
“Your Highness flatters him. My son’s small achievements are hardly worth mentioning, and certainly look like nothing before Your Highness. If he could be fortunate enough to receive a word of guidance from Your Highness in the future, it would be a blessing beyond measure.”
Hearing this, Tan Taisi merely smiled without offering a response. A brief, heavy silence fell over the hall.
After a moment, Tan Taisi finally let out a leisurely remark. “The Marquis is far too modest. This king only knows how to lead armies into battle. I fear I would be of little help to the eldest young master. With the young master’s literary talent, he surely has no need of my guidance anyway.”
“Your Highness does this humble son too much honor.” Rong Huaizhou forced himself up to bow once more, though a dark shadow crossed his eyes.
Bringing up Rong Zhe was meant to serve as a smokescreen to test whether the Prince intended to align himself with the Marquis’s estate. Outsiders might remain blind to it, but as an old veteran who had sworn loyalty to three successive emperors, Rong Huaizhou knew the truth: Tan Taisi had been well-versed in the classics by age five and writing formal essays by seven or eight, a genuine prodigy of his generation. With such formidable capability, tutoring Rong Zhe would be child’s play.
By brushing it off so casually, Tan Taisi had made it crystal clear that he had zero intention of befriending the Marquis of Yong’an’s estate.
Tan Taisi truly was cold-blooded.
Rong Huaizhou’s underlying intentions were hardly difficult for Tan Taisi to deduce. The imperial court appeared peaceful on the surface, but treacherous undercurrents churned beneath. Corrupt officials formed factions to protect their own interests, while the young Emperor’s foundation remained unstable. His sudden return to the capital had naturally thrown those with guilty consciences into a panic.
Did Rong Huaizhou seriously think that a marriage alliance between the Marquis’s estate and the Prince’s mansion gave him leverage over him?
Sensing the oppressive atmosphere, Rong Zhe stepped in to smooth things over. “I hear Your Highness is a connoisseur of fine weapons, and our estate happens to house a few rare collections. Might Your Highness grace us with your presence to inspect them?”
“The eldest young master is remarkably well-informed. I have only been back in the capital for two months, yet you already know of my fondness for weapons?”
As soon as those words left his mouth, the expressions of every member of the Rong family seated in the hall shifted uncomfortably.
Rong Zhe forced a stiff smile. “This. The Prince’s fame precedes you, Your Highness. This subject has heard tales of Your Highness’s exploits since childhood, so naturally, I am aware of your preferences.” In reality, he was only a few years younger than Tan Taisi.
“Is that so?”
Tan Taisi rose to his feet and adjusted his robes. “Since that is the case, lead the way. The Marquis of Yong’an’s family has generations of fierce generals in its lineage. The weapons collected here must surely be peerless treasures of this era.”
Rong Zhe smiled wryly as he guided the way forward. “This way, Your Highness.”
Tan Taisi’s words struck Rong Huaizhou like another blow to the chest. The term generations of fierce generals described his grandfather’s era. The Rong family’s military decline had already begun during his own father’s generation.
Suddenly, Tan Taisi stopped in his tracks, turning to eye the entourage trailing behind him.
“I was told the Rong family has seven young masters. Aside from the Princess Consort, why do I only see two here?”
Scanning the back row, Rong Huaizhou realized with a jolt that his third son, Rong Xuan, was nowhere to be seen. Only his fourth son, Rong Xu, remained at the tail end.
That unprincipled little bastard! Rong Huaizhou cursed Rong Xuan inwardly, turning back to offer Tan Taisi an apologetic, smiling face.
“Please forgive this oversight, Your Highness. My third son, Rong Xuan, cannot hold his liquor and retired early to rest. As for the other three, unfortunately, they passed away in their infancy.”
“Ah, is that so? It seems this king has inadvertently touched upon the Marquis’s painful memories.”
“Not at all, not at all. Your Highness’s words merely show your concern for this humble official’s household.”
Following a round of hypocritical condolences, Tan Taisi finally allowed Rong Zhe to lead him toward another courtyard.