[365: Severe violation! Hurting the protagonist Nan Rongchengyu is strictly prohibited!]
Nan Rongchen originally had no such intention, but since the system brought it up and nagged him annoyingly, he exerted a slight pressure with three fingers holding the dagger. “What if Gu insists on killing him?”
The outcome was predictably the same. The tearing pain of the flesh over his heart surged back, and a trace of sticky moisture stained the corners of his lips. The system was truly adept at torture.
He mocked sarcastically, “Is this fun?”
The system continued its incessant buzzing. Observing the blade already stained with blood a half-inch wide, he answered himself, “It is rather boring after all.”
Nan Rongchen genuinely lost interest at this point. Human thoughts and emotions shifted in an instant.
Whether he successfully faked his death and lived at ease later, or genuinely died right then, made little difference.
However, since he was still alive and occupied the sovereign’s throne, paving one path forward was better than none.
Bringing together two fingers, he touched the blood on the dagger, struggling to concentrate amidst a heavy wave of dizziness, and stared intently at his fingertip.
Nan Rongchengyu naturally heard nothing of the exchange between him and the system. He was only distracted from the pain by the radiant allure at Nan Rongchen’s lips, replaced by an elusive, churning agitation deep within his heart.
Nan Rongchen’s current state and posture were virtually identical to that day in the grand hall, except this time, there was no Nan Rongxian around to be an eyesore.
Meanwhile, Nan Rongchen’s gaze, which seemed to be observing some rare and precious treasure, invisibly offered further encouragement.
Nan Rongchen, his elder brother, the current Son of Heaven, now held only his blood within a pair of eyes.
Seeing Nan Rongchen withdraw while holding the dagger, he reached out to grip the cascading dark robes, pushing his advantage to tighten his hold around Nan Rongchen’s waist and committing the most presumptuous act yet before Nan Rongchen.
Curling his fingers, he wiped away the blood at the corner of Nan Rongchen’s lips. “Royal Brother, are your old wounds acting up again? This subject will escort Your Majesty back.”
“Drinking alcohol harms the body. Royal Brother, do not get this intoxicated next time.”
[365: Detected that the protagonist’s affection and emotional value are rising continuously. Congratulations, Host, the protagonist’s satisfaction point has been fulfilled.]
Hearing this, Nan Rongchen turned to observe his protagonist younger brother’s expression, thinking to himself that he must truly be drunk, or else suffering from hysterics brought on by the system’s torture. Nan Rongchengyu clearly looked furious to the extreme; why else would he repeat his previous tactic of tightly gripping his forearm by way of threat?
Things having reached this point, he turned sideways to break free from the shackles on his arm, and beckoned to the dancing girl who was cowering behind Nan Rongchengyu’s seat and daring not to move. “Since you are already Prince Xiang’s person, Gu absolves you of any crime.”
“Step forward.”
With his palm suddenly empty, Nan Rongchengyu watched as Nan Rongchen curved his lips in a light smile directed at the dancer, radiant and captivating like pearls glowing in moonlight.
Having witnessed a slaughter with her own eyes, the dancer had yet to recover from the shock. Her face was deathly pale, making the rouge on her lips and cheeks look exceptionally lurid.
Nan Rongchen gestured with the beads of blood on his hand and spoke to Nan Rongchengyu, “Prince Xiang’s blood looks even more vibrant than a singing dancer’s rouge. It truly lives up to its origins among the common folk; who knows how much secular dust it has absorbed.”
Since Nan Rongchengyu kept flinging the word common folk around, it would be a waste not to make use of it.
With that, amidst a flurry of noise from violating comments, he placed the dancer’s hand directly into Nan Rongchengyu’s empty palm.
“Gu may have been a bit heavy-handed. Properly escort the fair lady back to your estate to recover from her shock, so as not to neglect state affairs.”
The second half of his sentence was spoken in earnest. When it came to state affairs, who else could shoulder them if not Nan Rongchengyu?
Having disposed of the protagonist, he did not linger, sweeping his sleeves past the pair of lovebirds.
Along the way, he took the opportunity to glance at Helian Yi’s expression. Putting everything else aside, he had performed another good deed here: folk traditions valued pairs, and presently both Helian Yi and Nan Rongchengyu bore wounds on their necks, both inflicted by his own hands.
The world likely held no more unique token of romantic pledge than this, which could be considered a slight consolation to Helian Yi’s attachment.
As for those violating comments, they were nothing more than chatter about how much Nan Rongchengyu resented and hated him, which was precisely what he desired.
Following that, he strolled over to the Chief Astrologer’s seat. Before the man could cup his hands in salute, Nan Rongchen used his blood-stained hand to grasp the pristine, dust-free sleeve, placing the dagger directly into the Chief Astrologer’s hand. “Trouble the Chief Astrologer to come see Gu in three days.”
With the banquet reaching this point and every resource fully utilized, Nan Rongchen leaned a few steps onto Chen Ping’s shoulder. “Beloved ministers, today’s banquet concludes here.”
Nan Rongchengyu released the dancer’s hand, nearly failing to maintain the mask of acting submissively before Nan Rongchen. He cupped his hands toward the dark-robed figure supported by Chen Ping and bowed. “This subject respectfully sends off Royal Brother.”
This was the second time Nan Rongchen refused his escort.
The overlapping cries of respectfully send off Your Majesty and set off marked the complete conclusion of the commotion in Hanyuan Hall.
Nan Rongchengyu exchanged a quiet, unreadable glance with Helian Yi. With Nan Rongchen out of the picture as a variable, he had seamlessly slipped back into his gentle, cultivated persona, cupping his hands with a virtuous posture as he watched Helian Yi leave.
Helian Yi still bore a faint handprint on his face. Enduring the unavoidable embarrassment, he cast a look of lingering guilt toward Nan Rongchengyu; after all, his actions had ultimately implicated Nan Rongchengyu.
That exchange of glances lasted only a fraction of a moment. The lives and safety of his soldiers, who had accompanied him to Shangjing as surrendered captives, still rested in Nan Rongchen’s hands.
No matter how unfamiliar he was with Central Plains power politics, particularly the schemes of Linyue’s sovereign Nan Rongchen, he had figured out that Nan Rongchen’s supposed reward was actually a threat.
Furthermore, Nan Rongchen forcing him to untangle the situation in Western Xia was meant to thoroughly sever his path toward an alliance with them.
Nan Rongchengyu had little spare energy to worry about Helian Yi right now. He turned and fell in step beside the Chief Astrologer, walking alongside him out of Hanyuan Hall. “The Chief Astrologer had better divine this hexagram well for His Majesty.”
Clutching the unused bamboo slips without offering even a formal bow, the Chief Astrologer replied, “In three days, if Prince Xiang is interested, you may come to observe this divination.”
“After all, what is being divined is Prince Xiang’s own destiny.”
Without a single ripple on his composed exterior, murder surged within Nan Rongchengyu’s heart. “Naturally.”
Yet, for these three days, he could not afford to lay a hand on the Chief Astrologer, lest it arouse suspicion and invite unnecessary trouble.
Having transmigrated for so many years, this banquet marked the second time a variable diverged from the book’s established plot.
As the astonishment faded, he belatedly realized just how precious this unpredictability was. He finally felt a genuine sense of truly living within this book’s world.
Stepping out of Hanyuan Hall and looking up, the setting sun melted into gold while dusk clouds merged into one. Nan Rongchengyu used the lingering twilight to examine the dried crimson stain on his fingertips, blood originating from the wound over his villainous boss Nan Rongchen’s heart.
Supported by Chen Ping, Nan Rongchen stepped onto the imperial sedan. A breeze carrying the lingering chill of winter brushed against his face.
The intoxication dissipated slightly, rendering the pain from the wound over his heart all the more pronounced. He loosely gripped the armrests and dropped a threatening remark, “If there is a next time, Gu will ensure Nan Rongchengyu feels this exact same pain.”
[365 in a trembling voice: Detected that the Host’s life is out of danger. Please bandage the wound in time.]
[365: Please remember, Host, harming the protagonist is strictly prohibited!]
Throughout the entire journey, Chen Ping’s gaze never left the imperial sedan. He desperately wanted to leap up and take the pain in Nan Rongchen’s place, wishing the sedan could move faster yet terrified that the jolting would aggravate the Sovereign’s condition.
His demeanor made Qi Yan’s teeth ache. Tying his sword around his waist, Qi Yan delivered a cool remark, “Relax, he won’t die.”
That earned him a glare from Chen Ping that made his hairs stand on end. Naturally, he would never admit to it.
A single royal decree from Nan Rongchen could spell death for countless individuals; letting him die so easily would be letting him off far too lightly.
He ought to be made to taste the agony of a thousand arrows piercing the heart or drowning slowly. Death by a single sword stroke through the heart. Could it be that his sword strike last time had aggravated Nan Rongchen’s unhealed previous injuries, causing this relapse today?
Through his garments, he touched the embroidered silk handkerchief tucked inside his breast pocket, which he had used to wipe his sword, and looked toward the tyrant leaning against the sedan in the setting sun. If Nan Rongchen were to actually die…
Before he could sort out his thoughts, Chen Ping grabbed him by the arm and yanked him aside completely unceremoniously, increasing the distance between them and Nan Rongchen while completely blocking his view with the bright yellow curtains.
“Qi Yan, you are forbidden to talk like that anymore.”
Since when did this mushroom by the tyrant’s side start bossing him around? And calling him directly by his name, too! Qi Yan let out an uncomprehending, disdainful scoff, though he ultimately kept his mouth shut.
A gentleman does not engage in petty verbal squabbles! That was all there was to it.
The entourage finally halted before the Zichen Palace. Chen Ping hurried forward to support Nan Rongchen. Seeing the Sovereign’s pale complexion and unsteady footsteps, he found himself burdened with too many worries. Furthermore, seeing the Sovereign in such a state for the very first time made him hesitant and overly cautious, afraid to exert his full strength.
Following Gao Zhong’s death, the position of chief eunuch in the Zichen Palace remained vacant. The sprawling Zichen Palace temporarily lacked anyone capable of calling the shots.
Scanning the surrounding crowd, Chen Ping first ensured that Qi Yan was kept at a safe distance from the Sovereign, then pointed randomly at a guard. “You, help me support His Majesty inside. Move gently.”
“Troublesome.” Nan Rongchen patted Chen Ping’s shoulder soothingly, disliking being touched by unfamiliar people. “It is only a few steps. Fall back.”
Seeing the guard obey and step back into place, he steadied his footing and prepared to walk forward, only to be blocked by a figure, Helian Yi.
He was hardly diligent enough to keep straining himself to manufacture hatred value with Helian Yi right at this moment. “Step aside.”
The deterrent effect of that command was evidently severely diminished. Nan Rongchen raised his eyelids to look at Helian Yi, his gaze filled with complete displeasure and intimidation.
Yet the next second, he was swept up by the waist into Helian Yi’s arms. “Don’t move. You cannot die just yet.”
Chen Ping had not anticipated such a turn of events, and daring not to resort to lethal force, he could only watch helplessly as Nan Rongchen fell into the hands of the Prince of Shule.
Helian Yi was someone the Sovereign had brought back, and Chen Ping never probed too deeply into matters he didn’t understand, meaning he knew nothing of this Prince’s background. He could only lead a group of guards trailing closely behind them into the bedchamber, ready to subdue the intruder at the slightest sign of abnormal behavior.
Yet in the end, despite having their swords drawn and cross-bows notched, Helian Yi genuinely placed the Sovereign gently onto the couch, then turned and departed with a rigid expression.
Nan Rongchen sank entirely into the embroidered quilts. Helian Yi was probably truly terrified he would die, given how carefully he had set him down.
However, his consciousness was currently muddled and chaotic, leaving him no spare capacity to ponder whatever fresh madness Helian Yi had relapsed into. He only knew that the Zichen Palace was in complete chaos, and the sound of footsteps alone was enough to grate on his nerves.
This wound on his chest was likely tortured by the system to a state no better than the day he committed suicide. The piercing agony made him murmur a single name, “Xie Chen.”
He instantly realized what a foolish thing he was doing; the Witch God would hardly come running to meddle in his affairs at every turn.
Fortunately, whatever he sought from Xie Chen was merely a slight alleviation of the pain, and he could endure it on his own.
The imperial physicians probably hadn’t arrived yet. Following his instinctive impulse, he raised a hand to press against the wound over his heart, only for his hand to be gently and inexorably intercepted and tucked back beneath the quilt.
“The Empress Dowager has arrived!”
The shrill, piercing cry of the eunuch echoed outside the hall, followed by the overlapping greetings of “Greetings, Empress Dowager” and “Greetings, Lord Xiao.”
Nan Rongchen looked toward the crimson illusory figure. “Xie Chen, grant Gu one wish. Take me away from this place.”