Rong Juan’s despair at this moment was no less than Zheng Wan and Rong Hengsui’s.
Unlike them, Rong Juan was innocent. In the entire process, he had done exactly zero things wrong.
“Why?”
“What did I do wrong to be treated like this?”
The imperial edict in his hand felt like a death warrant.
Rong Juan still hadn’t recovered from the shock.
His voice was hoarse and trembling, mumbling something, looking utterly bereaved.
The System, when it needed to be rigorous, was very rigorous. It began to correct him as he unconsciously voiced his thoughts.
[Bereaved? Given your current family background, isn’t that indistinguishable from weeping with joy?]
[Little Rong, the correct expression is that your despair makes it look like the Prime Minister’s entire family will live a long life.]
Rong Juan let out a ghostly “hoo hoo hoo” laugh, and the System tactfully shut up.
Then, Rong Juan floated like a ghost to the heavily guarded study.
…
“I have neither talent nor virtue. Why did His Majesty issue this decree?”
Rong Juan was too lazy to think for himself, and the System’s AI was unreliable, so he sought out the walking brain.
It was the first time Xie Yanzhou had seen someone treat becoming an official like visiting a grave.
The most shocked were his trusted aides. Their meeting was suddenly interrupted, yet their General, who usually values rules the most, wasn’t angry. Instead, he told them to pause and discuss later.
Xie Yanzhou calmly closed the confidential document.
“Do you know how much your older brother paid to catch the Emperor’s eye and become an official?”
Rong Juan didn’t answer.
Oh? Blame me for not knowing what’s good for me then.
“So why did His Majesty bestow an official position on me?”
Xie Yanzhou looked at him, and Rong Juan looked back.
Without explaining the reason, Xie Yanzhou resumed handling official business, and Rong Juan could only leave tactfully.
However, before he left, Xie Yanzhou suddenly said, “From now on, when you go out, let the Tao brothers, Tao Wen and Tao Yong, follow you.”
…
Lotus flowers grew in the pond near the study, refreshing to the senses when passing by, but the young man standing by the pond had no interest.
The System tried to cheer him up: [Little Rong, Xie Yanzhou sent martial artists to follow you. Either to monitor or to protect. AI calculates it’s the latter.]
Rong Juan pointed at his own head in the reflection: “Listening to your words is like listening to words.”
Who announces surveillance in advance?
The passing steward saw someone pointing and poking at his own head. Confirming Rong Juan’s brain wasn’t quite right, he shook his head and walked away.
The System tried again: [Based on the information currently collected, analyzing the Emperor’s behavioral pattern…
The host successfully solved the Emperor’s urgent need and offended the powerful, fitting the suspicious ruler’s need for an isolated minister.]
Feeling something was missing, the System added: [Little Rong, something seems off. Can you help me train the AI?]
The outcome of the big slacker delegating to the little slacker was that the little slacker couldn’t slack off.
“Sigh.”
Since receiving the edict, Rong Juan had lost count of how many times he had sighed. He thought for 0.05 seconds: “According to Xie Yanzhou, my good big brother risked his life wanting to be an official.”
Cheap Dad would arrange for his offspring to enter officialdom sooner or later. The Emperor was suspicious. Compared to the eldest son, who was of one mind with Rong Chenglin, he would naturally prefer to reuse Rong Juan.
Since he had already employed one son, he wouldn’t reuse the other.
He had clearly become a stumbling block on Rong Hengsui’s path to officialdom, which was why he needed protection.
[He wants to kill you?] The System was shocked. [But if they act again in the short term, they might try to steal a chicken only to lose the rice.]
Because the Superintendent Bureau was spreading news everywhere, the rumors about the Prime Minister’s wife from half a month ago still hadn’t been suppressed.
“When it concerns one’s future, where is the rationality?”
If he didn’t die for a long time, or died seven or eight years later, how could Rong Hengsui afford to wait?
Rong Juan worked hard to think of something happy that had nothing to do with being an official.
The small wontons he ate by the roadside that day were delicious. Maybe he could ask the chef to make some too. As for Rong Hengsui, Rong Juan only allotted him 0.000000000001 of his brain capacity.
With the Tao brothers protecting him outside, and in a real crisis, the System could leave his body and beat up the town bully with fat punches.
The probability of others successfully harming him was too low.
“Time waits for no one. Fortunately, the onboarding procedures usually take half a month. Let’s go to the kitchen first.”
Rong Juan planned to seize the time to enjoy his last moments of leisure.
Time indeed waited for no one, but in his case, it turned into “seizing the day and night.”
The next day, the Ministry of Works sent someone to measure him for clothes.
Two days later, the appointment letter and official seal arrived together.
Rong Juan was driven onto the shelf like a duck without even undergoing court etiquette training.
“??”
In the 30th year of Liang Yongding, before dawn, Rong Juan welcomed the first commute of his life.
The Ministry of Rites wasn’t far from the palace, but it was very far from the General’s Manor.
Early that morning, the General’s Manor was in a flurry.
Rong Juan was practically carried onto the carriage by the steward’s men in a semi-comatose state. He had no idea what had happened during the ride.
Bumping along to the sound of clop-clop horse hooves, he was only woken up by the two martial artists using the “Lion’s Roar” internal energy technique when they arrived at the office.
“ROAR—”
Rong Juan jolted, did a carp kip-up, and instantly banged his head against the carriage roof.
He clutched his head, trembling with pain.
Seeing that he caused trouble, Tao Yong thought, It’s over. This young master is bound to throw a tantrum.
Rong Juan recovered and said, “Remind me later to sew a layer of mink on the inner roof too.”
“…”
With one eye open, clutching one side of his forehead, Rong Juan extended a leg first and got off the carriage tremblingly.
Ahead, a high-hanging plaque pierced his right eye.
The architectural style of the Ministry of Rites emphasized solemnity, with tall bronze crane statues flanking both sides. Even though it wasn’t dawn yet, officials were already coming and going, some carrying large stacks of documents.
Unauthorized personnel couldn’t enter the office area, so the Tao brothers, ordered to protect him, guarded outside the door.
Waking up early ruined the day. Rong Juan was groggy all over.
The surrounding officials were busier than one another; no one spared him a glance. Rong Juan didn’t know where to report.
“Are you the newly appointed official? Follow me.”
Rong Juan roused himself a bit, turning to thank the kind person, only to find the comer had hair that was mostly white, dark circles under his eyes, and an unsteady gait.
The System yawned: [Little Rong, judging by his court robes, his rank is far above yours.]
Rong Juan had some impression of this person. At the palace banquet, before he stood up to help Xie Yanzhou out and exchange favors, this official seemed to have had a tendency to stand up and speak.
Anyone who dared to speak at that time was definitely not an ordinary person.
Before starting work, Rong Juan had inquired a bit about the situation.
The Minister of Rites had an accident before the new year. Afterward, the Emperor hadn’t appointed a new one, leaving the work to several Vice Ministers temporarily. One of the Vice Ministers had just been executed due to the imperial examination case.
In the entire Ministry of Rites, power was concentrated in a few individuals. The person before him, being promoted to Minister, was a matter of time.
Such a high-ranking official took the initiative to guide him through the onboarding procedures.
Rong Juan thought for a moment: “Did General Xie ask you to look after me?”
The old man smiled and changed the subject, only introducing himself: “This old man is surnamed Kong, fifty-three years of age. If you have any questions in the future, you can find me anytime.”
Fifty-three? He looked like a candle in the wind!
Rong Juan was startled awake.
Seemingly seeing his thoughts, Lord Kong said kindly, “The pupil surpasses the master. Young Master, achieving the Upper Sixth Rank at such a young age is impressive. With a bit more effort, when you reach the Upper Fifth Rank, you can be like this old man and have the honor of participating in the morning court.”
Rong Juan vaguely grasped the key point: “…May I ask, what time is the morning court?”
“Fifth watch,” Lord Kong said. “Officials need to queue in advance. Rushing to the office after court is just in time for the Hour of the Dragon (7-9 AM).”
Calculating it meant queuing for morning court at 4 or 5 AM, then seamlessly transitioning to office work at 7 AM.
Rong Juan almost fainted on the spot.
Seeing he didn’t understand these basic facts, Lord Kong educated him while walking: “The Ministry of Rites often has urgent tasks. Officials under fifty need to take turns on night shifts. In case of court ceremonies, imperial examinations, diplomatic affairs, etc., everyone has to pull all-nighters. Currently, manpower is short. Soon, the Wurong diplomatic mission will arrive, which is why you were urgently summoned to start work.”
Starting work at dawn, rotating night shifts, and all-nighters in a few days. With this information, Rong Juan could no longer control himself and immediately feigned fainting.
Lord Kong might look physically weak, but his movements were fast. He extended a helping hand immediately, catching him steadily.
“Come, let this old man help you inside. Do you need a doctor?”
Lord Kong recommended passionately: “The street is full of doctors. Among them, Li’s Pharmacy and Wang’s Pharmacy give us an 80% discount for consultations.”
Their Ministry of Rites always got volume discounts for medical treatment.
They even had group buying.
Group-buy sickness?
Rong Juan laughed dryly: “No need, I just have a touch of heatstroke.”
Lord Kong shook his head: “Look how weak you are. The morning star hasn’t even set, and you have heatstroke.”
“Hehe.”
To be fair, Lord Kong had been immersed in the Ministry of Rites for decades. Following him saved a lot of detours, and with Xie Yanzhou’s greeting in advance, Rong Juan wasn’t assigned too much work.
After getting off work, Rong Juan specifically prepared to bring a return gift for Xie Yanzhou.
According to inquiries, the pastries at Xiangwei Zhai were sweet but not greasy, and the price was favorable. There was a long queue in front of the door every day.
Unfortunately, he arrived too late; they were sold out just as he got there.
“Is it Young Master Rong?”
An old woman recognized him at a glance, extremely excited, and insisted on shoving her portion into his hands.
“The pension for the fallen soldiers has been delayed for so long, but this time it came all at once.”
Rong Juan’s eyelid twitched. The Superintendent Bureau knew nothing but spreading news every day. He couldn’t imagine his reputation had already been whitewashed.
“Life is going to get better.” Having received the money, which coincided with her granddaughter’s birthday today, and meeting her benefactor on the road, the old woman felt everything was an auspicious sign.
She spoke with gratitude and excitement, making Rong Juan shake his head secretly on the way back to the manor.
Against the backdrop of the prosperous Imperial Capital, the commoners of the outer city were like an incompatible layer. Being able to merge slightly into the edge was enough to satisfy them.
The weather was changeable. In the blink of an eye, the sunlight was forced back layer by layer by dark clouds, signaling impending rain.
System: [From this afternoon to tomorrow daytime, cloudy turning to showers, 23°-32°. Recommend buying rain gear.]
Rong Juan bought an umbrella casually. Just as the carriage entered the inner city, a burst of rapid and fierce raindrops smashed down.
The umbrella in his hand saved him from the fate of becoming a drowned rat.
This weather didn’t allow for slow strolling.
Rong Juan hurried into the manor, preparing to deliver the pastries.
The study door was ajar, revealing a small gap.
Looking from the outside, he could vaguely see the figures of Xue Ren and a strange woman.
The people here all knew kung fu. Long before he knocked, Rong Juan had attracted their attention. He stuck half an arm directly inside: “Sent by the masses.”
He didn’t know how delicious these pastries were for so many people to queue up.
Xie Yanzhou said indifferently, “Come in.”
Seeing Rong Juan’s gaze lingering on the bamboo tube, he inexplicably remembered a greedy little foal he saw in his childhood. Born after a difficult labor, it couldn’t stand up at first, but it was particularly protective of its food.
Xie Yanzhou pushed the osmanthus cake forward a bit.
Rong Juan eventually couldn’t resist. He swallowed one quickly and frowned immediately.
“Mmm… didn’t… didn’t they say it wasn’t greasy?”
Xie Yanzhou looked at his lack of table manners. “Swallowing dates whole naturally chokes you.”
Xue Ren, who had come to return the roster of the fallen, clicked his tongue watching this. He couldn’t figure it out for the life of him. The General clearly hated idle second-generation rich kids the most; since when was he so tolerant?
After Rong Juan swallowed the pastry completely, Xie Yanzhou looked calmly at the woman in green.
The woman in green immediately smiled and leaned down.
“Is it really that delicious?”
With a beauty actively getting close by his side, the scent of cosmetic powder wafted over. Rong Juan dodged hurriedly.
Seeing the woman maintaining her leaning posture while speaking, he subtly pulled his stool to the side.
Xie Yanzhou’s gaze was deep, and Xue Ren gradually put away his flippant smile.
Men and women shouldn’t touch; avoiding her was normal. But for someone verified by the Superintendent Bureau to have a history of harassing common women, it wasn’t so normal.
Impotence could cause a dandy to have physiological aversion or even other deviant behaviors.
But it definitely wouldn’t include shyness.
Xue Ren suddenly said, “Little Junior Sister has followed the army for years and is very greedy for snacks.”
Rong Juan glanced at the woman. Her complexion and physique didn’t look like a female warrior.
“I am a veterinarian.”
“So that’s it.” Fighting wars couldn’t happen without warhorses; good horse doctors were popular in the army.
After the woman said a few more sentences about which shop in the capital was delicious and which was average, Xue Ren nudged her arm before starting to report to Xie Yanzhou about the number of warhorses.
Since it concerned military affairs, Rong Juan tactfully rose and left.
After a day at work, he wasn’t feeling great and needed to go back to catch up on sleep.
The rain fell harder and harder, but the voices in the room gradually faded.
Xie Yanzhou stared at Rong Juan’s figure leaving with the umbrella, some contemplation in his eyes.
Xue Ren frowned, saying bluntly, “A person’s temperament cannot change drastically in a short time.”
In this dog-eat-dog world, one certainly wouldn’t become smarter and kinder.
A bold idea suddenly popped into his head, and he unconsciously lowered his voice: “General, do you think he might have been replaced by a look-alike?”
Xie Yanzhou shook his head.
Xue Ren and the woman looked at each other, not understanding why he was so certain.
“After Rong Hengsong changed, the Right Prime Minister suffered greatly,” Xie Yanzhou said calmly. “Only my adoptive father and I have a reason to harm him.”
They weren’t idle enough to play “The Civet Cat for the Crown Prince.”
“…” Great truths are simple. He’s absolutely right.
Xie Yanzhou tapped his finger lightly on the table. The tapping sound gradually overlapped with the patter of rain. He knew in his heart that even if it wasn’t an impostor, there must be other hidden circumstances.
While he was thinking, no one dared to speak.
After a while, the sound of rain gradually lessened.
Xie Yanzhou finally spoke, looking at Xue Ren: “Go prescribe some medicine to regulate his body first, mix it into his daily meals.”
Only by living could he spill secrets.
The woman’s eyes widened directly.
She now suspected the General had been swapped!
The last time Xie Yanzhou ordered someone to administer drugs was to contaminate the water source of a Wurong tribe.
The result was a high survival rate for the army, but it took the woman a long time to forget the miserable state of the enemy. This was also why Xie Yanzhou was criticized; civil officials impeached him for violating harmony and harming the innocent.
According to his normal train of thought, shouldn’t he finish off the Rong family son? Kill the danger in the cradle directly.
Then say coldly, “It doesn’t matter who sent him. The enemies are just those few anyway. Don’t waste time on such things.”
She couldn’t help looking at Xue Ren. Is our General okay?
Unexpectedly, Xue Ren said with almost no consideration, “The General is wise.”
“…” You were also swapped by the wet nurse.
Rong Juan slept so soundly he didn’t know up from down.
Finally, he was woken up by hunger. Officials below the Fifth Rank only got two work meals a day, breakfast and lunch, and the taste was average. He had lasted until now entirely on that mouthful of pastry shoved in earlier.
The kitchen had reserved a midnight snack, which was sent over after he woke up. Three dishes and one soup; the fresh lotus root tasted sweet and crisp.
Rong Juan carried it to the window, eating while enjoying the rain scene.
Just as the spoon reached his mouth, the System: [Warning!]
[Warning!]
Rong Juan hurriedly put down the spoon, thinking it was poison. Just as he was about to induce vomiting, the System finished analyzing the ingredients further:
[Warning, health tonic added. Warning, health tonic added!]
“Cough cough…” Rong Juan almost choked.
After pounding his chest vigorously, he barely squeezed out a sentence: “What did you say?”
[The soup contains a small amount of detoxifying formula ingredients.]
This prescription was quite ingenious. Persisting in taking it could barely restore some vitality and extend his life a little.
Someone actually added stuff to the delicious duck soup. Who could tolerate this?
“Who? Who dares to give me an antidote in the General’s Manor?!”
The System’s AI was fluent again at this time: [The General, probably.]
“…”
The silence in the air lasted for a good while. Faced with this anti-human behavior, Rong Juan had to actively think.
Few people had this level of medical skill. He had just seen Xue Ren, so the medicine should have been prescribed by him. If it wasn’t Xue Ren’s spontaneous behavior, this seemed to be the only answer.
“Xie Yanzhou… why would he do this?”
This question lasted until bedtime. When something weighs on the mind, it’s easy to sleep poorly.
After eating and drinking his fill and falling asleep as soon as he hit the pillow, Rong Juan had several messy dreams in a row.
In the dream, there was the old woman stuffing pastries into his hand one moment, and Xie Yanzhou the next. He commanded two guards to hold him down and cruelly made Xue Ren pour the antidote down his throat.
“Drink! Even if we have to dislocate his jaw, make him drink the antidote clean!”
“Drink!”
“Drink every last drop for me.”
Rong Juan was scared awake.
The System woke up too.
[Your cranial nerves are too loud. Little Rong, is it necessary? Anyway, the one drugging you likely has good intentions.]
Rong Juan didn’t speak. He was somewhat resistant to sudden kindness from others.
What if too much contact affected his judgment of things? In their line of work, the biggest taboo was empathizing with anything in the feudal era.
The rain stopped the next day. It was overcast. He went out before dawn to be a midnight work-horse.
On the road, Rong Juan seized the time to catch up on sleep, only to relive the nightmare.
Lord Kong of the Ministry of Rites had just returned from the morning court. Just as he was about to step into the vermilion gate of the Ministry, sleep-talking sounds came from the mink-draped carriage driving toward him.
“Why?”
“What did I do right for you to treat me like this?”
Lord Kong: “…”
Author’s Note:
Unofficial History: The Emperor and Empress, drugging each other.