Wei Rong paid no mind to whether these visitors came with false concern or genuine probing. He was now a man poisoned with a deadly toxin, his days numbered. Affairs of the court were beyond his control and energy.
What waves could a half-dead man, barely sustained by medication, possibly stir?
Prince Cheng, Wuan Marquis, and other court officials and noble families watched closely, observing whether the new emperor on the throne could maintain his position.
After visiting Wei Rong that day, Jiang Tanjing immediately returned home and drafted a letter to his grandfather, sending it posthaste to the borderlands.
In Jiang Tanjing’s heart, he had always regarded Wei Rong as the figure he chased and sought to surpass.
Yet he had to admit—Wei Rong truly lived up to the title “Heaven’s Favored Son.”
Who could have imagined that heaven would envy such talent? The once brilliant and extraordinary Wei Shizi now lay bedridden, poisoned by conspiracy, clinging to life by a thread.
On Prince Cheng’s side, intelligence had also been obtained from the maid serving Fengyang Princess.
He learned that since leaving Wei Guogong Manor, Fengyang Princess had been weeping daily.
One maid who accompanied the princess to visit Wei Rong had inadvertently glimpsed the current state of Wei Shizi and overheard He Zhixian’s furious roars from within the room…
The maid recounted every detail without omission to the death warrior sent by Prince Cheng for the rendezvous.
Finally putting his mind completely at ease, Prince Cheng began plotting against his nephew—the current emperor.
He mobilized court officials to pressure the emperor.
Wei Rong watched these developments with amusement. When ministers pressed the emperor to reappoint the head of the Ministry of Justice, he even sent a memorial resigning his official position.
Though Ji Chenghe knew Wei Rong was assisting him, the public resignation before all officials poured oil on the flames, emboldening their opposition. While his expression remained neutral, inwardly he sighed repeatedly.
What an excellent cousin! What an outstanding subject!
While Ji Chenghe suffered through political turmoil in court, Wei Rong enjoyed leisurely comfort within the Guogong Residence.
Daily, he would pet his cat, read books, and occasionally craft toys for his feline master personally.
Dressed in simple gray martial attire, the man tied his long hair into a high ponytail with a black ribbon.
Without noble garments, luxurious jade pendants, or ornate crowns, even such plain clothing carried an ethereal elegance on him—like lotus emerging from clear water, natural and unadorned.
Yun Fu sat crouched under the shade of a nearby tree, perched atop a glossy white jade tray that provided refreshing coolness in the sweltering summer heat.
Her thick fur instantly found relief as the whole cat sprawled across the jade tray, occasionally nibbling dried fish from her embrace while stealing glances at the beautiful man crafting her toys.
Wei Rong held a saw in his hand. Due to the intense heat, he had rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing sturdy forearms.
With each movement, the muscle lines along his arms tensed visibly.
Glistening sweat droplets slid down the man’s forehead. Under the sunlight, his jade-like face seemed to radiate light.
Watching this scene, Yun Fu found her appetite sharpening.
A glance at Wei Rong, a nibble of dried fish. Another glance, two more nibbles of dried fish…
Shen Shi watched from a distance as his Shizi, dressed in coarse cloth with rolled-up sleeves, engaged in woodworking. His eyes nearly widened in disbelief.
Since beginning his service beside the Shizi, never had his master worn anything less than gold-threaded silks, projecting the noble prestige of the Guogongfu Shizi wherever he went.
Today, not only was the Shizi dressed in common cloth—he was personally doing carpentry work.
Looking at the rudimentary frame and the cat that had already collapsed asleep on the jade slab nearby—especially that jade slab, which was nearly the size of a table!
That was imperial-bestowed Hetian jade!!!
Such a large piece—the entire Jing An had only this one.
After it was bestowed upon the Guogong Residence, it was directly given to the Heir, who then stored it in his private treasury.
Today, the Heir ordered him to retrieve this jade from the private treasury. He had originally thought the Heir intended to have it made into jade accessories or a crown, but instead, he was told to place it directly under the large tree in the courtyard. Then, he watched as their Heir placed A Fu, that little chubby cat, on the jade slab, using it as a cushion.
Anyone who witnessed this scene would exclaim four words—sheer sacrilege!
Yet their Heir acted as if it were nothing, even remarking, “At least it’s somewhat useful.”
Useful? Using Hetian jade as a cushion for a cat? To help the cat cool down?
“Is the Heir raising a cat or an ancestor?”
Shen Shi couldn’t help but murmur to himself.
Beside him, Zi Shi didn’t respond. Instead, he quite liked the Heir’s current lifestyle.
No longer so repressed and monotonous, like a stagnant pond.
Because of that little cat, the Heir’s face carried more vitality.
~
From a bamboo hut nestled in the mountains of Lingxi Peak, an explosive voice erupted, startling the birds outside.
“What utter bullshit!!! My poison would make even the Great Deities step aside. Without my antidote, how could anyone still be breathing?!!”
“Slander! This is slander against me!!!”
Inside the bamboo hut, a woman dressed in a crimson gown clutched a returned letter, furious to the point that the paper in her hand couldn’t withstand her grip and disintegrated into scraps.
Yun Shu gritted her silver teeth—how dare these ugly creatures question her? How dare they!!!
Her poison, priced at ten thousand taels of silver, was no joke!!!
Under the heavens, besides her and her junior sister, who could possibly cure it? Moreover, it had been nearly ten days, and the victim was still breathing—this was nothing short of tarnishing her reputation!
Watching the mess her senior sister had made, Yun Jiao frowned slightly, set down the mechanism she was working on, and picked up a broom to start sweeping.
Seeing her junior sister’s cold, frosty beauty of a face as she swept diligently, Yun Shu’s anger subsided considerably.
She quickly took the broom from her, “Here, let me sweep. You go work on your mechanism.”
Yun Jiao patted her senior sister’s shoulder, her cool eyes seeming to speak volumes.
Yun Shu understood—her junior sister was telling her to calm down.
The sight of that cold face trying to comfort her nearly melted Yun Shu’s heart.
She pulled Yun Jiao into her arms, kneading her like dough, “Aww~ Senior sister isn’t angry anymore, not angry. Jiao Jiao is so good, so well-behaved~”
Ever since her junior sister was taken back by her family, Yun Shu had found the mountain far too quiet.
Recalling that the person who sent the letter was from Jing An, and that her junior sister had also returned to her ancestral home there, a sly glint flashed in her fox-like eyes.
“Junior sister, what if I go down the mountain to check on Fufu? And by the way, see which bastard managed to survive my snake venom—I want to observe this marvel.”
Yun Shu acted on her impulse, grabbing her poison pouch and vanishing from the bamboo hut in a flash.
Only after she had disappeared did the ever-silent Yun Jiao slowly speak.
“Master forbids senior sister from running around.”
However, only the rustling sound of wind through the bamboo forest answered her.