Rong Xun was hauled out of the dungeons by two estate guards, who shoved him down and forced him to kneel on the hard ground, unable to move.
Rong Huaizhou stood before him with his hands clasped behind his back.
“Remember, you only have one month. If you haven’t succeeded by the time the month is up, you can forget about seeing Wenxi ever again.”
Rong Xun violently shook off the hands pinning him down. With bloodshot eyes, he glared up in fury. “You really think too highly of me! What if Prince Chen finds out? Aren’t you afraid this will implicate the Yong’an Marquis’s estate?”
“That is why you must exercise the utmost caution. For Wenxi’s life, and for your own petty neck, my Yong’an Marquis’s estate has a hundred ways to slip away clean, but you do not.”
Rong Xun let out a cold laugh.
For the sake of his own interests, Rong Huaizhou was truly willing to sacrifice anything.
Upon leaving the Marquis’s estate, Nurse Wang stuck to Rong Xun like a stubborn plaster.
Seeing her attempt to climb into the carriage behind him, Rong Xun raised a hand to block her path. “I’m not going to run away. Why on earth are you trying to follow me up?”
“Your Consort, the Marquis instructed me to stay by your side every single step of the way. Once we return to the estate, I must ask the Consort to transfer me out of the small kitchen.”
“You don’t need to remind me again. Get off the carriage right now. As a mere servant, what qualifications do you have to share a ride with me?”
Unceremoniously, Rong Xun shoved Nurse Wang back down to the ground, turning to instruct the coachman, “Return to the estate.”
“Your Highness, you’re finally back!”
The moment he stepped down from the carriage, a gatekeeper from the estate hurried over.
Seeing how flustered the man looked, Rong Xun thought something had gone wrong inside the manor. “What is it? Why are you in such a panic?”
“Eunuch Duo and Changning have been leading people all over the place searching for you. They said you went missing.”
“Looking for me?”
Rong Xun frowned. “I just stepped out for a bit. What on earth were they looking for me for?”
With that, he walked inside, only to run straight into Changji, whose arm was still resting in a sling.
Completely baffled, Rong Xun asked, “Changji, you’re injured, why are you running around?”
Changji lowered his gaze, quickly masking the emotions swirling in his eyes. “I heard the Consort was missing, so this servant was worried.”
Pausing for a moment, Changji asked with cautious hesitation, “Where did Your Highness go?”
“I was just bored staying in my room, so I went outside for a stroll.”
Rong Xun found it rather odd. He hadn’t even been gone that long, what was everyone getting so worked up over?
Over at the Left Prime Minister’s residence, the banquet had drawn to a close.
The banquet tables were now a chaotic mess of neatly arranged cups and dishes left in disarray.
Once the song and dance numbers concluded, Yan Zuoye clapped his hands, and a youthful maiden dressed in translucent dancing robes drifted gracefully into the hall.
The moment she stepped inside, she made a beeline straight for Tan Taisi and offered a respectful bow. A veil concealed the lower half of her face, leaving only her delicately upturned eyes visible. Casting a lingering, tender glance at Tan Taisi, she quickly lowered her gaze.
“Hahaha! Your Highness, this is my humble daughter, Zhiwei.”
Yan Zuoye’s hearty voice echoed through the grand hall. “My daughter has long held a deep admiration for Your Highness. Today, she specially prepared a dance to present to Your Highness.”
Tan Taisi offered no reaction whatsoever, not even sparing Yan Zhiwei half a glance.
As the music struck up, Yan Zhiwei bowed once more to Tan Taisi and began to glide gracefully to the rhythm. Her light ribbons rose and fell in the air with every movement of her dance.
The dancer was a beauty, and the dance itself even more so. The other officials present could easily see through Yan Zuoye’s intentions, each sipping their fine wine while waiting to watch a good show.
As the dance concluded, Yan Zhiwei removed her veil and stepped up before Tan Taisi. “Zhiwei pays her respects to Prince Chen.”
“Rise.”
Facing the beauty, Tan Taisi maintained his entirely nonchalant expression.
Yan Zhiwei froze for a fraction of a second before quickly retreating to stand behind Yan Zuoye.
“Your Highness, I wonder if my daughter’s dance caught Your Highness’s eye?”
Tan Taisi twirled a wine cup between his fingers, smiling indifferently. “This Prince has spent long years in military camps and truly lacks the refinement to appreciate Miss Yan’s dance. What do the other lords think?”
“This.”
The officials spectating the scene looked at one another in mutual dismay, not expecting Tan Taisi to toss the hot potato right back at them.
After a moment of hesitation, someone piped up, “Miss Yan’s dancing skills are peerless. Naturally, it was wonderful.”
The expressions of the Yan father and daughter shifted slightly.
Establishing his composure, Yan Zuoye turned back to Tan Taisi. “My daughter heard that Your Highness is fond of fine wine, and our estate happens to have a jar of top-tier vintage Nuer Hong.”
Turning to Yan Zhiwei, Yan Zuoye instructed, “Go fetch the wine and pour a cup for His Highness.”
“Hold on.”
Tan Taisi set down his wine cup and stood up. “Lord Yan, a light drink is good for leisure, but one shouldn’t overindulge. The hour is getting late, and this Prince should take his leave. As for the estate’s Nuer Hong, you’d best save it to enjoy yourselves.”
Yan Zhiwei bit her lower lip gently, speaking in a soft plea, “Will Your Highness not stay a moment longer? This Nuer Hong was brewed by Zhiwei’s own hands. Surely Your Highness could spare at least one cup.”
“This Prince appreciates Miss Yan’s kind intentions, but unfortunately, I have no taste for Nuer Hong.”
Having been rejected repeatedly, Yan Zuoye could hardly force the issue any further. He stood up and bowed to Tan Taisi. “This humble minister respectfully sends off Your Highness.”
Departing the Yan residence, Tan Taisi sat inside the swaying carriage, massaging his temples.
Out on the streets, the night life of the capital was bursting with a different kind of vibrancy, punctuated by the occasional cry of a vendor calling out his wares.
Cutting through a quiet alleyway, the carriage came to a halt.
Not long after, Tang Jiu emerged from the shadows.
“Your Highness, the people trailing us have been dealt with.”
“All cleaned up?”
Tang Jiu replied, “Yes.”
Tan Taisi gave a brief nod. “Very well, let’s head back.”
Back at Prince Chen’s estate, the Southern Courtyard was exceptionally quiet that night.
Not long after Tan Taisi entered his study, Changning stepped inside.
“Your Highness, this servant has something to report.”
“Speak.”
Clenching his fists tight, Changning recounted the events of Rong Xun’s unauthorized trip outside the estate earlier that day.
Inside the study, the candlelight flickered.
Pondering for a moment, Tan Taisi said in a deep voice, “There will not be a next time. From now on, do not let the Consort leave the estate alone. Go and investigate thoroughly everywhere the Consort went after stepping out today.”
“Yes.”
Changning was just about to turn and leave when Rong Xun’s voice rang out from outside the door.
“Your Highness, Duo Fu said you were back. This subject is coming in.”
Without waiting for Tan Taisi’s permission, Rong Xun pushed the door open and walked right in.
Had it been before, he would never have dared to pull such a stunt. But with Wenxi’s life hanging in the balance, Rong Xun could no longer afford to care about protocol.
Only, he hadn’t expected to bump straight into Changning the moment he stepped inside.
“Eh? Why are you still here?”
Changning froze for a second. “This servant.”
“I had him come in to fetch something for you.”
Casually, Tan Taisi reached into a drawer and pulled out a jade pendant. “Since the Consort has come over, you may take it yourself.”
Rong Xun bought the excuse without a second thought. He walked over, picked up the jade pendant from the table, and inspected it in his palm. “Many thanks, Your Highness.”
“Think nothing of it. Did the Consort come looking for me at this hour for a reason?”
As he spoke, Tan Taisi waved a hand to signal Changning to withdraw.
“Uh, I.”
Rong Xun hesitated repeatedly, the words sitting right on the tip of his tongue failing to cross his lips.
Ever since returning from the Marquis’s estate, his first and most direct impulse had been to simply come clean with Tan Taisi. But upon second thought, what reason did Tan Taisi have to help him?
The Rong family had tricked him into a fake marriage in the first place, and now they were plotting to steal the Prince’s military tally. Why on earth would Tan Taisi ever trust someone he’d only known for two months?
In Tan Taisi’s eyes, he was still a legitimate son of the Rong family. What if the man decided to lump him in with the conspirators and execute him?
Rong Xun didn’t dare take that gamble. He had fought too hard to win back this second lease on life. He had no intention of throwing it away in a blind guess.
“What is it the Consort wishes to say?”
“Ah, I, I just came to pay my respects to Your Highness, and, and also to ask if Your Highness plans to rest in the Southern Courtyard today.”
Tan Taisi raised an eyebrow, a teasing, amused smile playing at his lips. “Is the Consort inviting me to rest in your quarters?”
Hesitating for a few seconds, Rong Xun sheepishly mumbled, “Not necessarily, but if Your Highness doesn’t mind, I suppose you could come over to my courtyard.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Rong Xun wished he could chew his own tongue off.
What on earth am I even saying?
The study fell into an awkward silence for a long stretch before Tan Taisi slowly spoke, “Very well.”
Rong Xun was startled, lifting his head in utter shock to lock eyes with Tan Taisi’s playful, mocking gaze.
“Since the Consort is being so proactive, how could this Prince refuse?”
Tan Taisi was also rather curious to see just what game Rong Xun was trying to play.
He actually didn’t mean that at all. But at this point, he couldn’t take it back.
The Eastern Courtyard differed significantly from the Southern Courtyard. Tan Taisi’s living quarters lacked all frivolous floral landscaping, boasting instead a vast courtyard where more than half the space had been converted into an open-air martial training ground.
After Duo Fu finished assisting the two of them with washing up, he retreated with the maidservants, a beaming smile plastered across his face.
Clad in his inner sleeping robes, Rong Xun sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, casting furtive glances at Tan Taisi, who was still seated by the writing desk.
He mentally smacked himself on the head in frustration. How did things spiral completely out of control like this?
“Why is the Consort sighing so late at night?”
With his back turned to Rong Xun, Tan Taisi continued perusing his documents without looking up.
Rong Xun marveled inwardly at the man’s acute hearing. How on earth did he catch such a quiet sigh?
Not daring to reveal the real reason behind his sigh, Rong Xun dryly scraped together a deflection: “Why hasn’t Your Highness gone to bed yet?”
“I still have official business to attend to. Can the Consort not sleep without me?”
Well aware that Tan Taisi was deliberately teasing him, Rong Xun felt his ears burn a bright, angry shade of red.
Hearing the soft, rhythmic sound of fists lightly pounding against the mattress coming from behind him, Tan Taisi felt the corners of his lips curl upward in genuine amusement.
Realizing Tan Taisi had no intention of going to bed anytime soon, Rong Xun mustered his courage and began casing the room with his eyes.
Could the military tally possibly be hidden right here in this room?
No, absolutely not!
Rong Xun shook his head vigorously. Even if the tally really was hidden here, he wouldn’t dare steal it. Knowing Rong Huaizhou’s ruthless personality, even if he handed over the military tally, the man wouldn’t necessarily let Wenxi go.
Compared to Rong Huaizhou, Rong Xun actually found Tan Taisi to be the far more reliable party.
With that thought in mind, Rong Xun slid off the bed and walked right up to stand before Tan Taisi’s desk.
Tan Taisi laid down the document in his hand and looked up at Rong Xun. “What is it this time?”
“Ah. This subject simply wanted to chat with Your Highness.”
Rong Xun forced out two dry, awkward laughs. “I was worried Your Highness might be lonely reading these boring documents by yourself.”
Tan Taisi chuckled. “The Consort overestimates. I find reading these documents rather fascinating, far more interesting than the romance storybooks you spend your days reading.”
This guy was indirectly mocking him for having zero taste.
Suppressing a surge of irritation, Rong Xun slapped on the fakest, most brilliant smile he could muster. “Your Highness is entirely right. It seems I must learn more from Your Highness and spend more time studying the profound wisdom of the ancient sages.”
Supporting his head with one hand, Tan Taisi offered an unenthusiastic, lukewarm acknowledgment, “Mm.”
Rong Xun quickly realized that trying to force a conversation was an agonizingly physical ordeal. Within moments, a thin layer of sweat had broken out across his back.
Sensing that Tan Taisi showed no signs of losing patience just yet, Rong Xun pushed through his psychological barriers and finally ventured the question:
“Your Highness, if someone, if someone close to you were to betray you, what would you do?”
The room fell into an abrupt, heavy silence.
Crack!
With a sudden, violent motion, Tan Taisi tossed the book in his hand straight onto the desk.
A faint, dangerous smile touched his eyes. Fixing his gaze squarely on Rong Xun, he enunciated each word with chilling clarity: “Does the Consort know how traitors are dealt with in my military camps?”
Rong Xun swallowed hard. “I, I do not.”
Tan Taisi’s smile slowly widened.
“Back at the border, a traitor once leaked intelligence that nearly caused our entire garrison to be wiped out. Afterward, I had him shoved inside a thick hemp sack, tossed in a pit of venomous snakes, poisonous spiders, and a half-dozen large rats.”
Seeing the color drain entirely from Rong Xun’s face, Tan Taisi painted the picture with increasingly vivid cruelty.
“Once those creatures were sealed inside, I had someone cut out his tongue, sever his heel tendons, tie the sack shut with heavy rope, and drop him deep into a half-man-sized stone cavern to slowly torture him to death.”
The hands resting upon his knees began to tremble with increasing violence.
The candlelight burning before them radiated a warm, golden hue, yet Rong Xun felt chilled to his very marrow.