The Emperor returned in a rage, and the others remaining in the West Garden naturally dared not delay, rushing to return on the same day.
At the top of the mountain, Rong Juan looked at Xie Yanzhou as if asking for help.
“Can you be a designated driver and find a horse to drive me back?”
Not to mention Xie Yanzhou, even the Chief Superintendent felt for a moment that he needed to find a tutor for Rong Juan.
The current mistress of the Prime Minister’s manor was too insidious, raising a person to be like this.
He still had important matters to discuss with an official from the Ministry of Revenue who was in their faction, so he looked at Rong Juan hintingly.
Normally, Rong Juan would leave tactfully, but with the eighteen bends of the mountain road today, he looked at Xie Yanzhou with final expectation: “Godbrother, please.”
Xie Yanzhou froze.
The Ministry of Revenue official almost choked on his saliva. After coughing a few times, he couldn’t help correcting: “It’s ‘Sworn Brother’ (Yi Xiong).”
Rong Juan: “God…”
Xie Yanzhou looked at him.
“Sworn Brother.”
Everyone felt comfortable, but soon realized something was wrong. Why were they helping this kid call someone brother inexplicably?
The Ministry of Revenue official even felt like he had been suddenly tamed.
Rong Juan’s designated driver trip failed in the end. It wasn’t that Xie Yanzhou deliberately made things difficult for him, but the slope was too steep. If the horse ran, its few ounces of bones would be shaken apart.
The Chief Superintendent and others rode away directly.
Considering safety issues—losing a court official was a big deal—Xie Yanzhou accompanied him to walk down the mountain.
Rong Juan walked only a hundred meters before decisively proposing a deal: “Can Virtuous Brother carry me down on your back?”
“…”
After Rong Juan had almost rolled down three times and nearly sprained his ankle, Xie Yanzhou looked at the sky. If they continued like this, they wouldn’t make it down before dark.
“Why don’t we find a strong soldier to carry…”
“Get on!”
“Oh.”
Lying on the broad shoulder, Rong Juan knew he was in the wrong. With a long road ahead, he closed his eyes and mumbled, “Sworn Brother, I’ll definitely find a tutor when I get back and serve the country loyally.”
After speaking, his head drooped low.
With the extra weight on his shoulder, Xie Yanzhou hesitated for a moment but didn’t wake him up in the end.
Being almost murdered by the Right Prime Minister, he probably hadn’t slept well all night out of fear. It was normal to fall asleep suddenly now.
As for Rong Juan saying he would find a tutor, Xie Yanzhou didn’t take it to heart at all, just treating it as a joke.
…
Shortly after the polo match ended, the Wurong diplomatic mission embarked on their return journey.
After their leader’s death and the news of the marriage alliance, they were much quieter as they left, not even mentioning seeking orphans in Tongyuan City.
Probably realizing that mentioning it again might lead to entrusting their own orphans.
The situation in the capital didn’t clear up when the diplomatic mission left; instead, a huge shadow fell over it.
Without any witnesses or physical evidence, the Crown Prince’s fall from the horse was ultimately attributed to the horse catching a madness disease, an accident.
On the other hand, the news of the celestial phenomenon couldn’t be contained. The Emperor ordered the Superintendent Bureau to arrest many people discussing it wildly.
During the morning court session, an official accused the Fifth Prince’s maternal family of doing evil and occupying fertile fields in Xuanzhou.
The terrain of Xuanzhou was grand and treacherous. Once thought to resemble a snake for hundreds of years, it is now seen as a dragon, seemingly fitting the “dragon coiled, tiger crouching” prophecy.
The Emperor was already dissatisfied and issued an edict reprimanding them, demanding they “restrain themselves.”
The most dissatisfied with the Fifth Prince was the Crown Prince.
As the biggest victim, learning his case was left unsettled, the Crown Prince’s temperament changed drastically. He vented all his anger on the Fifth Prince, almost breaking out into conflict on several public occasions.
The current situation was unclear, and people inside and outside the court were panicked. The entire capital was permeated with a “wind filling the tower before the mountain rain arrives” atmosphere.
At the General’s Manor, Study.
A map was spread out on the table. Xie Yanzhou’s gaze swept across the cities surrounding Shangjing, one by one.
During the late Emperor’s reign, Great Liang had nearly twenty princes. Three princes with different surnames passed away long ago.
Of the remaining seventeen princes, more than half died within ten years. The once most favored Prince Ding was also captured and recently brought to the capital for attempted rebellion; he is still detained in prison.
Now, only Prince Ning, Prince You, Prince Qi, and Prince Beiyang were lingering on.
The Emperor was suspicious of the Fifth Prince but couldn’t let the Second Prince dominate alone. Presumably, he would soon repeat his old trick and adopt another prince to maintain the balance of the court.
He needed to change to a new, obedient target for support.
“Where is Xue Ren?” He looked at the woman in green standing aside.
The woman was Xue Ying, the military veterinarian who helped test Rong Juan that day.
“Senior Brother was summoned to the palace. His Majesty has been having nightmares recently.” Xue Ying’s tone revealed a bit of amusement: “Recently, His Majesty even worried that the cats and dogs in the palace would go mad and hurt people, asking him to check them all.”
As for the cause of the nightmares, they knew it best: the Empress contributed a lot.
Casting a long line to catch a big fish.
The Emperor had physical problems, and most concubines miscarried during pregnancy.
Back then, Xue Ren and Xue Ying’s master spent tremendous effort to forcibly protect the Empress’s fetus, resulting in the birth of Princess Zhaohua.
Later, through step-by-step planning, guiding the Emperor to purge the power of maternal relatives, the Empress gradually lost hope in the Emperor. After the marriage alliance incident, she had to reach a consensus with them.
If not for being tricked by the Right Prime Minister at the end, the situation would be excellent now.
Xue Ying suddenly worried again.
“The Fifth Prince is repeatedly targeted by the Crown Prince now, and even tried to ask us for help directly. His Majesty has noticed something wrong and suspects we colluded with the Fifth Prince long ago.”
Xie Yanzhou looked down at the map and said lightly, “His Majesty has plenty of energy.”
Xue Ying pondered. Does the General think this level of nightmare isn’t enough, hinting for the Empress to increase the use of special spices?
But the more nightmares His Majesty has, won’t he suspect the princes and even them more?
“Ask Godfather to keep an eye out for suitable candidates for the Imperial Guard Commander recently.”
Xue Ying, who was thinking, looked up sharply.
Han Kui, who was currently in charge of the Imperial Guards in the capital and the palace city guards, was the Prime Minister’s man and a great help to him.
After years of struggle, the court balanced the distribution of people between the Right Prime Minister and them. Xie Yanzhou commanded tens of thousands of troops, while the Right Prime Minister also had the support of the Imperial Guards and local commanders.
Han Kui came from an extraordinary family and was deeply trusted by the Emperor. Backed by the big tree of the Right Prime Minister, moving him was as difficult as climbing to heaven.
Moreover, moving the Imperial Guard Commander would break the balance.
Xue Ying’s palms grew sweaty, sensing that a major change was imminent.
Xie Yanzhou’s gaze finally moved away from the map. Compared to the Imperial Guard Commander, the choice of the new puppet Emperor was more troublesome.
The Emperor’s offspring were withering, and the situation in the imperial clan wasn’t much better. After years of persecution, the remaining few either had too many thoughts or were more timid than the Fifth Prince.
Before sending the Emperor to heaven (death), the chosen puppet must enter the East Palace first.
Thus, even if the commander sought to mobilize troops at the right moment, he would have no legitimate reason, significantly reducing the drain on national strength in the civil war.
Xie Yanzhou’s mind quickly flashed through the heirs of all surviving princes. When he thought of Prince Beiyang, his expression suddenly changed slightly.
“Prince Beiyang.”
Speaking of which, Rong Hengsong could be considered half a royal relative, albeit a maternal relative.
Rong Chenglin was heartless and cleared his relationship with his father-in-law too cleanly. So when he suddenly remembered Rong Hengsong was Prince Beiyang’s grandson, he was momentarily surprised.
The steward knocked and entered to deliver tea.
Xie Yanzhou asked in passing, “What is Rong Hengsong doing now?”
…
Not asking about politics, not doing work, with a fruit plate on the table and water-cooling equipment in the room, as if “The Peach Blossom Spring” was being staged here.
When Hou Shen came to visit the sick, he rarely envied Rong Juan’s sick leave.
“His Majesty acts on whims. Because of constant nightmares recently, he is actually considering going to offer sacrifices to heaven.”
Whether he went or not in the end, the Ministry of Rites was busy in advance.
He whispered super quietly: “The Crown Prince’s temperament has changed drastically. I heard he started taking pleasure in torturing palace servants.”
This Highness still fantasized about not being deposed, putting on a full Crown Prince airs all day long. Truly pathetic and hateful.
Rong Juan finished eating and didn’t forget to feed Yi Dian Dian, the sparrow chirping while eating. He suddenly remembered the Chief Superintendent’s slightly changed face on the mountain that day.
When the Crown Prince fell from the horse, the Chief Superintendent didn’t show such a change. It seemed that compared to the Crown Prince, he valued the Fifth Prince more.
A so-called celestial phenomenon theory put the Fifth Prince in a situation no better than the Crown Prince’s.
And all this trouble couldn’t be separated from one person.
“Gu Wen.”
The name rolled over his tongue and teeth. Rong Juan fell into contemplation.
Tricks like attracting lightning, carving on mountain rocks, and ghost fires in the forest—the Right Prime Minister certainly couldn’t do them; more professional talents were needed.
An accidental fall from a horse could be utilized layer by layer, first making him a suspect, then dragging the Fifth Prince into the water. Regardless of the camp, this person was indeed very capable.
“Have you heard of Gu Wen?” Coming back to his senses, Rong Juan asked abruptly.
Hou Shen nodded: “This person is quite famous in the capital.”
“As the Right Prime Minister’s proud student, presumably this Gu Wen knows a lot about my dad.”
Hou Shen let out a confused “Ah,” feeling this sentence sounded weird.
The sparrow pecked his palm, tickling him.
Rong Juan looked at the sparrow begging for food obediently in the cage and forced a smile: “If only everyone were as well-behaved as you.”
Hou Shen realized belatedly that he was talking to the sparrow.
It was getting late, and Hou Shen prepared to leave.
Rong Juan said leisurely, “I have to work behind closed doors later, so I won’t see you out.”
Work behind closed doors?
Hou Shen was puzzled: “What does Virtuous Brother mean?”
Rong Juan changed to a more vernacular way of speaking: “Sleep and think about how to harm people.”
His Cheap Dad still owed him a debt from the racecourse, trying to seriously injure or even kill him. The other party held a high position and was hard to confront, but he could collect some interest first.
Hou Shen was startled.
Rong Juan waved his hand and smiled: “I’m joking.”
Hou Shen became more serious: “You said the same thing last time when you killed the Wurong envoy.”
“Oh, really?”
“…”
Hou Shen looked back every three steps, only seeing Rong Juan looking listless.
The heart he had lifted finally dropped back into his stomach.
The next day, before the sun showed its head, Rong Juan woke up.
A passing steward in the manor saw him and dropped the tray in his hand directly on the ground.
Every day of his sick leave, didn’t this person wake up when the sun was high?
Steward: “Do you have something on your mind?”
Rong Juan didn’t have something on his mind; he had an urgent matter. He jogged with swinging arms like morning exercise.
The steward shook his head and left, secretly thinking he had seen a ghost.
The robust macaw in the manor often pecked open the cage to fly around. This bird was smart to begin with. After Rong Juan got familiar with Xie Yanzhou, he often went to feed this “double-door fridge.”
The human and parrot had long been familiar.
“Gu!”
Discovering this lazy person got up earlier than the bird, the macaw’s wings almost folded in mid-air.
Actually, for Rong Juan, he had accidentally woken up late. When he hurriedly walked out of the manor, he barely caught up with Xie Yanzhou, who was about to go to the morning court.
“General.” Rong Juan ran with a head full of cold sweat, clasping his hands together: “Do me a favor. After court today, stall my dad for half an hour. Also, let the Tao brothers obey my… my orders all day.”
He bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath, unable to speak coherent sentences for a while.
To avoid missing the morning court, Xie Yanzhou didn’t ask in detail.
Soon, the curtain was pulled down again.
As the carriage gradually moved away, Rong Juan recovered and asked, “Did he agree?”
System: [Didn’t hear clearly, just heard you panting.]
Rong Juan wiped his sweat. Xie Yanzhou shouldn’t refuse a small favor. He said to the System: “Don’t go AFK to sleep yet! Go find something out for me.”
Half an hour later, the System returned.
This time it was its turn to pant.
[Confirmed. The person, the person lives in, huff, lives in the Prime Minister’s manor.]
Leaving the host for too long was a burden on it. Rong Juan wasn’t much better off. Without the System suppressing the side effects of the toxins in his body, his internal organs took turns hurting.
One human and one system were weaker than the other.
After a long while, Rong Juan summoned the Tao brothers, Tao Yong and Tao Wen, and got into his BMW (Precious Horse) carriage. “Go, to the Prime Minister’s manor.”
…
Sunny day. The sun just peeked over the horizon, and the edges of the tiles on the Prime Minister’s manor eaves shimmered with iridescence.
Rong Hengsui had dark circles under his eyes. He hadn’t rested well recently. He risked his life and took a stab wound, only to draw water with a bamboo basket—all in vain.
No one could accept that.
“Mr. Gu, I feel extremely depressed inside.” Rong Hengsui’s arm muscles on the stone table were tense, his tone indignant: “Since I can remember, I studied from before dawn until night. Yet my incompetent bastard brother only knows how to eat, drink, and play, stupid as a pig…”
He wished he could use all the insulting words in the world.
“…And the result? Doing nothing, he landed a Fifth Rank official position instead!”
The Prime Minister’s manor had a designated area for retainers to live. Gu Wen was valued by the Right Prime Minister, who specially rewarded him with a residence outside the manor.
However, for convenience in discussing matters, he still lived in the manor daily.
Gu Wen loved books like life, never letting go of a scroll.
Hearing the complaint, he only spared a little attention, smiling: “Why should the Young Master bicker with someone destined to die young?”
Hearing the words “die young,” Rong Hengsui’s eyes flickered.
He had long known about his mother’s deeds. Avoiding this topic, Rong Hengsui continued to express his depression: “But I can’t just wait like this. That Rong Hengsong is shameless, clinging to the Superintendent Bureau and Xie Yanzhou by betraying the Prime Minister’s manor. Everyone knows Xue Ren’s medical skills are superb. What if…”
What if he doesn’t die?
Gu Wen naturally knew what Rong Hengsui was worried about. He had also considered this point, which was why he adapted to the situation at the racecourse, trying to drag Rong Juan down.
His mind was still on reading, saying: “Young Master, rest assured. I will remove this obstacle.”
“Does Mister really have a way?” Rong Hengsui was excited.
Gu Wen nodded.
Nothing in this world escaped calculation.
Just like himself—his ancestors were exiled, so Gu Wen knew he couldn’t become a high official. Rather than that, it was better to choose a good tree to nest in.
The Right Prime Minister held a high position, so his voice beside him was destined to be limited. Rong Hengsui was different.
Average ability and easy to control. The Right Prime Minister would step down from that position sooner or later. At that time, with a little effort from him, Rong Hengsui could become a new, powerful minister.
As for Rong Hengsong, Gu Wen had already thought of an entry point.
The bystander sees clearly.
The nobles in the capital had probably long forgotten Rong Hengsong’s complex background.
This person was the grandson of Prince Beiyang.
When the late Emperor was alive, he was very dissatisfied with the current Emperor (then Crown Prince).
Later, when the Crown Prince was caught in an affair with a concubine, the late Emperor, in a fit of rage, even intended to pass the throne to Prince Beiyang.
After His Majesty ascended the throne, every time he thought of this, it was like a fishbone in his throat.
If the Emperor felt that Prince Beiyang and Rong Juan had been in constant private contact, or secretly guiding this grandson, then His Majesty’s grace toward Rong Hengsong would come to an end.
“As for how to implement it specifically, I still need further…”
Before he finished speaking, a commotion suddenly came from outside the courtyard.
Interrupted at a critical point, Rong Hengsui frowned and looked up: “What sound?”
A large mink-furred carriage broke into the field of vision without warning.
“Stop, stop quickly!” The steward chased behind with servants, but seemingly having scruples, he dared not do anything directly, only shouting from behind.
Rong Hengsui’s face changed. He slapped the stone table: “Bastard! Why not stop it? Where are the guards!”
Which audacious person dared to drive a carriage into the Prime Minister’s manor!
“Whoa—”
The extremely arrogant carriage stopped after the reins were actively pulled. The fine horse neighed, snorting air from its nostrils.
Tao Wen helped lift the curtain. The owner of the carriage—the young man sitting inside without any proper posture—appeared before everyone.
Beautiful as he was, with loose hair and loose clothes.
Seeing Rong Juan, Rong Hengsui’s anger flared.
No wonder those guards not only let him in but also hesitated.
After the shock and anger, Rong Hengsui thought of something. The initial anger disappeared, replaced by a glint of pleasure in his eyes.
“Good, good. Driving a carriage into the house. You are too rampant today. When Father comes back later…”
Ignoring Rong Hengsui’s severe accusations, Rong Juan got off the carriage very leisurely and walked slowly to Gu Wen.
Gu Wen had great composure. Facing someone clearly looking for trouble, he still bowed politely first, calling him Lord Rong.
Rong Juan nodded, looked around, and found a place to sit.
He finally looked directly at Rong Hengsui: “That day in the West Garden, Father asked me whether I wanted to return to the manor. I thought about it, and I should come and see.”
As he spoke, Rong Juan slowly took a teacup from the tray and poured himself a cup of hot tea.
The steward wanted to step forward, then froze in place, really not knowing what to do.
“Brother Gu.” Rong Juan drank a mouthful of tea and called him familiarly: “At the racecourse, I wanted to ask you something.”
“Please speak, my Lord.”
Rong Juan propped his head up, looking even more lazy: “In this world, for any conspiracy or trick to succeed, what is the most important link?”
Gu Wen answered every question: “Timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony.”
“No.” Rong Juan denied softly: “It’s that you have to be present.”
Dropping a baffling sentence, he stood up without warning and waved his hand: “Men, tie him up and take him away.”
Gu Wen was stunned.
Less than three seconds after the words fell, this young man, who usually paid great attention to appearance, was full of learning, and was respectfully called “Mister” even by Rong Hengsui, was directly lifted up like a sack by Tao Wen and Tao Yong.
The scrolls habitually stuffed in his sleeves for years fell out with a crash.
“My books… let go of me!”
Finally realizing what happened!
The moment his feet left the ground, Gu Wen lost his previous calmness.
He confirmed repeatedly that this wasn’t a dream. His white clothes struggled, and half his belt rubbed off: “In broad daylight, what do you want to do?”
The incident was sudden, and Rong Hengsui was even more shocked: “Rong Hengsong, are you crazy?”
Rong Juan explained his reason very patiently: “I see this Brother Gu is quite good-looking. Why not wash your hands and come back with me to be a male favorite… oh, no, a page boy.”
“You are truly crazy!” Rong Hengsui ordered the servants to save him immediately.
The hidden guards in the Prime Minister’s manor were also preparing to act.
However, the moment before they moved, Rong Juan’s previously smiling voice turned abruptly cold: “Want to beat a court official?”
The servants holding sticks paused. If they really hurt him, they would definitely be punished.
The hidden guards hesitated even more. If they were caught, the trouble wouldn’t be small.
“Help!” Gu Wen struggled alone.
The voice attracted Zheng Wan. Just passing the corridor, she saw the usually refined Mr. Gu flailing his limbs, being forcibly stuffed into the carriage. His fingernails scratched the wooden edge, making ear-piercing scratching sounds.
Rong Juan kicked him in the butt.
A footprint appeared on the white robe instantly. Gu Wen, like a lamb to the slaughter, was kicked directly inside.
In Zheng Wan’s eyes, which were shocked to the point of splitting, Rong Juan had already gotten on the carriage, gently reminding: “Don’t just stand there, go report to the officials.”
Immediately after, just as it came, the mink-furred carriage drove out of the Prime Minister’s manor spiritedly.
Author’s Note:
Unofficial History: The Emperor, treating worthy men with courtesy (Corporal punishment/kidnapping).