Chapter 4

The newly appointed Minister of War, Li Changfu’s mansion in the capital has a small and dilapidated courtyard in the southwest corner near the servant’s room.

There are no lamps lit in the room. Outside, a rooster crowed three times, and the night watchman passes by unhurriedly. A handsome young man sits at the table, his cheek resting on his palm. His chilly gaze sweeps downward. “Where are you going?”

The sound is like the call of a phoenix, pure and melodious, but when it was heard, it sounded like the resonation of a suspended sentence.

“This subordinate has been negligent. Requesting Master for punishment.”

The man who was kneeling lowers his head even further, and the forehead blood from his kowtowing dripped onto the floorboards. “In the afternoon, This subordinate saw a seal of the Embroidered Uniform Guards outside the city going about their usual manoeuvres. I became anxious and chased after them.”

The Embroidered Uniform Guards were the late emperor’s personal bodyguards, and they should have all left with the late emperor nine years ago.

“Did you catch up to them?” Su Huaijing asks calmly.

Xingfeng gritted his teeth, his eyes brimming with dark regret and overwhelming hatred that couldn’t be banished: “This subordinate deserves death! The seal was an imitation. I chased them outside the city and realised something was abnormal, so I rushed back immediately.”

“Ha.” Su Huaijing let out a soft laugh, as if he’d heard some phenomenal joke. After a long while, he asked in a light tone, “An imitation? An imitation seal was able to divert you away from my side. How do you expect me to trust you in the future?”

“This subordinate.….. deserves death.” Xingfeng banged his head forcefully until he collapsed to the ground. Tears wept from his eyes, and each of the words he uttered was so intense with emotion that they may as well have been dripping with blood. His limbs are cold, as if he is in hell.

Once he was aware that something was amiss, he instantly hurried back. Along the way, his heart dropped more and more deeply, and an indescribable panic surged through his body.

Only two days ago, Master said that Li Changfu has wicked inclinations and fears that he is going to act on him. Today, he’d sped back to the mansion and couldn’t spot a single person within the house. In the midst of his tumult, he overheard the servants in the mansion gossiping. A strong murderous impulse nearly engulfed Xingfeng’s entire person.

How dare he…

Li Changfu, how dare he…

That is Dayu’s most honoured and noble Seventh Prince, the late emperor’s legitimate son! How dare he treat him like a… like a prostitute, drugging and sending him off to a brothel?!

How many brains does he have?!

Xingfeng’s anger increased, his vision became blurred, and his fingernails dug through the flesh on his palms. He kowtowed profoundly again and got up to leave: “This subordinate will kill Li Changfu now and then come back to apologise!”

Xingfeng strode to the door. As soon as he raised his body in preparation to use his light footwork skills over to the main courtyard and make his kill, a laggard voice sounded from behind him: “Hold it.”

Xingfeng paused in his steps and turned around to look.

Su Huaijing stands up and tosses something onto the table, walks to the inner room, and his leisurely voice could be heard: “There’s no urgency in killing people. At dawn, go to the streets for me and buy back some cosmetics and silk cloth.”

Xingfeng is startled. “Master, this is?”

“Purchasing dowry.” Su Huaijing yawns lazily and enters the inner room.

Xingfeng goes in hesitantly and catches sight of a stack of large-denomination banknotes on the table.

Xingfeng, the former Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s Seventh Division: “?”

–

After he left, Su Huaijing stands in the inner room, lifts his hand to pinch his chin, and with a “ka“. he dislodges his lower jaw without a change in his expression.

After he left, Su Huaijing stands in the inner room, lifts his hand to pinch his chin, and with a “ka“. he dislodges his lower jaw without a change in his expression.

The paper package unfurls, and two pills—one red and one black—about the size of half a fingernail, roll out.

Su Huaijing resets his lower jaw and cleans his hands.

From somewhere in the corner, a grey mouse made its way out. It squeaked and ran to the pills before gnawing up the black one.

When Su Huaijing saw this, he let out a laugh and even began counting down excitedly.

“Five, four, three, two.….. one, bang——”

As soon as he spoke, the grey mouse turned a couple of rounds on the ground, then collapses with a “thwack“. It foamed at the mouth with its limbs spasming before dying. Everything happened in a blink.

“Pity.” Su Huaijing says softly, his gaze landing on the red pill.

As soon as the lotus pastry entered his mouth, he knew that someone had drugged it, so he hurried into the inner room to make preparations before the drug took effect.

Two pills. One pill is a highly toxic poison, and the other is a knockout drug mixed with hallucinogenic grass.

In this life and death, he initially wanted to see what kind of revolting temperament that idiot Qin Pengxuan has before prescribing the correct medicine for the illness.

As for the muscle relaxant’s remedy, Su Huaijing simply had no intention of neutralising it.

He knows that Li Changfu has evil notions and has been dropping by the houses of all the officials in the capital these days, trying to get hold of a backer for himself. However, Su Huaijing really didn’t expect that this good uncle of his would come up with the pathetic idea of giving his nephew to a man as a concubine. It was truly an eye-opener.

Though the move was pathetic, it presented him with a way in which he could act at his discretion. If he could make use of this opportunity to enter Earl Wukang’s Manor——

Pity……

Su Huaijing glanced at the remaining pill on the ground again, then turned and walked towards the bed.

He removes off his outer clothing. A waist tablet is hanging inside. Before leaving, the radiantly beautiful young prince assertively unfastened it from himself and handed it to him, along with the banknotes.

It is about the size of a palm, made of golden cedar wood, the top engraved with cloud patterns and sunrise and the words 福寿如意* on the bottom—all to symbolise boundless wealth.

(*TN: A common Chinese expression that can be translated to “May you have happiness, longevity, and everything as you wish”. It’s often used as a wish or blessing for someone to have a happy, healthy, and successful life.)

Rong Tang—this chess piece that has never been on his chessboard—emerged as the only variable tonight.

A sickly person who coughs three times each step has been seized by a sudden impulse to head to a brothel and broaden his horizons?!

Save him?

There is no such happenstance in this world.

–

When Rong Tang returned this time, he fell unconscious for another three days. When he woke up, the sky outside has just darkened. Waiting by his side is Shuang Fu’s younger brother, Shuang Shou. Seeing that he is awake, he brought over a bowl of dark-coloured decoction: “Young Master, the doctor urged that once you wake up, you should drink a sedative.”

“Where’s Shuang Fu?” Rong Tang asked.

Avoiding his look, Shuang Shou only hands over the medicine to him. Rong Tang’s brows knitted, and he made an effort to sit up. “He’s been called away by Madam?”

“Young Master, you’d better drink the medicine first,” Shuang Shou said.

Rong Tang is annoyed. He takes the medicine bowl, raises his head, and tosses it back in one go. His voice became a little hoarse from the bitterness, and he asks again, “Where’s Shuang Fu?”

In the end, Shuang Shou knelt down with a plop: “Young Master, your body isn’t well and needs convalescence. We dare not trouble you with the servants’ matters.”

Rong Tang suddenly feels a little mad, yet he can’t tell whether he is angry at this body of his, which frequently topples over, or at evil feudalism’s strict social divisions that renders people unable to speak properly.

“Fine, you take a break. I’ll look for him myself.” Rong Tang struggled to get out of bed, but his legs gave in as soon as they land on the ground. Shuang Shou hurriedly got up to support him.

Rong Tang throws him a cold look: “Take me to see Madam.”

“Young Master…”

“Take me there!” Rong Tang said sternly and had to use his master demeanour to pressure him.

While he was talking, a woman’s voice rang from outside the house: “Tang’er is awake? Did you drink the medicine?”

Rong Tang rushes to the door, “Mother.”

Wang Fei is not yet forty-years-old, and she is the matriarch of a powerful family. Even at home, her hair is adorned with pearls and emeralds, radiating her own elegance. Her countenance bears the determination and steadiness of one who has managed a household for many years. However, the instant she saw Rong Tang, she softens, and her gaze warms. She quickly walks over and tugs Rong Tang to the bed.

“Why are you up? The wind is so blustery outside.” Wang Fei’s gaze swept to the side and landed on Shuang Shou. “You don’t even know how to persuade Young Master.”

Rong Tang called out softly, “Mother.”

In his past two lives, he’s done everything with a clear conscience in order to save the male protagonist and the world. But he’s forgotten that in this world, there will inevitably be mothers worrying about their children.

Wang Xiuyu* died due to accidents in both lives. Rong Tang had devoted himself to the male protagonist and didn’t even save this mother of his, who wholeheartedly regarded him as her son.

(*TN: For those who are confused, Wang Fei is the title i.e. Princess Consort, Wang Xiuyu is her name. Many characters are referred to by either depending on the context.)

So there was indeed some truth in what he’d said to Su Huaijing that night.

In this lifetime, most of the mission will not be able to be completed, but after his death, this world can still exist for at least five or six years. If Wang Fei can live until then, hopefully Su Huaijing can treat her a little better.

Wang Fei came back to her senses. Once she saw Rong Tang has gotten on the bed and tucked in the quilt, she dismisses the servants. She sits on the bedside to half-reproach and half-admonish: “Mother knows that your innocent heart is essentially pure and virtuous, but sometimes you treat the servants too well. Their hearts will become unruly, and they won’t sincerely take care of their master.”

Rong Tang let out a sigh again: “Shuang Fu and Shuang Shou are very sincere to me.”

Wang Fei throws him a scathing look, and Rong Tang takes the opportunity to say, “Mother, Shuang Fu, he’s…”

Wang Fei stopped him: “I know what you want to say. Both Shuang Fu and Shuang Shou were granted by the Eldest Princess. I can’t beat, scold, or punish them, but mother is really angry. They’ve been serving you since you were a child. Knowing full well what kind of body you have, how could he still bring you to such a filthy place as Fengyue House…”

Rong Tang: “I, myself, wanted to go there.”

“You’ve remained at home all year round and have never been out since you were a child. How would you know about Fengyue House? I think it was one of the lads who went fooling around, came back, told you nonsense, and you listened and went!” Wang Fei raged.

For a moment, Rong Tang felt helpless. He considers Rong Zheng to be quite smart. No one in the whole palace knows that he’s followed him to a brothel.

But this is a good thing: it reduces many inconveniences.

Rong Tang saw that Wang Fei was fuming and softly suppressed a few coughs. Wang Xiuyu’s temper immediately abated. Only distress remained on her face: “My son…”

Rong Tang weakly raises his hand and grasps the back of Wang Fei’s hand. “Mother, it was really me that wanted to go.”

Wang Xiuyu frowned. “Why would you think to go to that kind of place?”

Rong Tang said, “My beloved was there.”

Wang Xiuyu is stunned. The room instantly falls silent, and there seems to be a very soft sound above her head. Before Rong Tang has the chance to ask, he hears Wang Fei force herself to calm down and then she asks softly, “Which young lady is it? How many patrons has she received? If you are truly like her, Mother will help you——”

“It’s not a young lady.” Rong Tang said.

There was a moment when Wang Fei’s expression turned blank, and the way she looked at Rong Tang abruptly grew very complicated. For a minute, she struggled, but ultimately succumbed to the sincerity of motherly love: “It’s not an issue if it’s a young man; it’s not shameful. It’s just that it’s not safe outside. Mother actually worries that you go out to meet this person at ease. Why don’t I redeem them for you, and you look after them in your courtyard?”

There was another soft sound from the roof. Rong Tang subconsciously raises his head and hears a cat meow.

His mood has been disturbed by this movement. By the time he reacts, he inwardly feels a little dissatisfied.

When Wang Xiuyu, the noble daughter of a prestigious family, married Rong Mingyu, he wasn’t Duke Ningxuan. The year she gave birth to the original owner, it was a difficult birth, and she subsequently fell ill. All means were employed to keep mother and child safe, but it damaged her uterus, and she could no longer bear children. Fortunately, she has her family background as her bulwark and hasn’t been overly trampled over by the concubines for so many years.

The original owner wasn’t a halfwit from birth. In the beginning, he was merely in fragile health. The year he turned nine, exactly during Dayu’s upheaval, he probably saw something that caused him nightmares every night and three days of high fever. By the time he regained consciousness, he’d become a fool.

So many years of struggles, protecting and nurturing him to adulthood, until finally, he isn’t halfwit any longer. They said that the apple of Wang Xiuyu’s eye wouldn’t survive. Never mind that he’s fallen for a youth from a brothel; even if he wants the royal descendants from the imperial palace, Wang Xiuyu can very possibly prostrate herself all the way to the entrance of Fengqi Palace to beg the Empress for sympathy.

Overly indulgent.

Rong Tang feels that this isn’t good, but if he wants Su Huaijing to enter the palace honourably, then he has no choice but to first manoeuvre stepping stones into place. He needs to scare the living daylights out of Wang Xiuyu.

He lowered his gaze in silence, pursed his lips, and calmly clenched the bedsheets with his fingers, appearing very disappointed.

Wang Xiuyu suddenly panicked a little. She couldn’t be bothered by her matriarchal demeanour and said frantically, “Tang’er, don’t be upset. Just tell Mother who’s caught your eye. Mother will definitely find a way to settle that family for you. You mustn’t distress yourself, no matter what, and hurt your health.”

Once he notices the rims of Wang Xiuyu’s eyes turning red, Rong Tang realises that this dose of medicine is just enough and can be withdrawn.

He shakes his head, raises his eyes to look at Wang Xiuyu, and says softly, “It’s not that.”

“Then, you……”

“He is the Minister of War, His Excellency Li Changfu’s nephew from his wife’s side, Su Huaijing.” Rong Tang said.

Wang Xiuyu is startled for a moment, and when she reacted, she visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

The Minister of War is only a fourth-rank official, and she’s never heard of Li Changfu. Presumably, he is a minor official who’s just been promoted and transferred over. In addition, he is a nephew from the wife’s side. If he truly married into the palace, the Li family ought to burn incense to thank their ancestors. There’s no possibility that they won’t agree.

Wang Xiuyu picks up the handkerchief and dabs the corners of her eyes. Her tone is solemn: “You scared Mother to death. It’s good that they are an unblemished family. Mother will help you send the betrothal gifts and bring him into our home. It’s just that you said you went to Fengyue House to find the Li family’s young master. I fear you won’t be well-behaved in the future. Mother is afraid that you’ll suffer injustices.”

“He’s not the young master of the Li family,” Rong Tang said seriously. “His name is Su Huaijing.”

“Fine, the young master of the Su family.” Wang Xiuyu says, willingly repeating, “But I’ve never heard you mention this name. How did you meet him?”

Rong Tang said inwardly: ‘He’s not the young master of the Su family; he’s the prince of Dayu, the future emperor’. But when Wang Xiuyu asks this, he has to quickly carry on.

“Mother, do you recall, in the early years, the Duke Xianguo’s Manor opposite my grandmother’s house?”

Wang Xiuyu’s expression changed slightly, and she subconsciously glances outside the folding screen. She replies, “What do you mean?”

Rong Tang: “Li Changfu is a distant relative of Duke Xianguo, and Su Huaijing is the same. When I was a child, I lived at my grandmother’s house for a while and happened to meet Su Huaijing, whose family fortunes had declined and who had come to seek refuge with his relatives. When he was young, I merely thought he was good-looking and talented. He is younger than me but much smarter, and I was envious of him.”

Rong Tang appears downhearted when he says this. Wang Xiuyu’s heart ached, and she squeezes his hand.

Rong Tang gives a soft smile: “Later, when I heard that the duke’s manor was in turmoil… This son realised that the first person I thought of was him.”

“He’s travelled to the capital to seek refuge with his relatives because his family was in ruins. It wasn’t certain whether or not he could’ve survived such a disaster, and I originally wanted to ask Mother to bring him into our home for me.” Rong Tang’s brows furrowed unconsciously. “But during those days, I had nightmares for a long time, and when I awoke, I’d very nearly forgotten everything. It wasn’t until a few days ago that I accidentally discovered that he’d followed Excellency Li, who was also in the capital at the time, and returned to Sichuan together.”

Rong Tang is weak and rarely speaks so many words in one breath. When he talked about his childhood, Wang Xiuyu’s tears began flowing, and the earlier anxiousness she’d felt about referring to taboo topics have dissipated.

She said dejectedly. “That explains why I recently heard your courtyard’s Chunmei say that you often talk about Sichuan.”

Rong Tang is a little surprised. He doesn’t expect there to be this additional assistance, but he doesn’t show it on his face and says, “I just want to bring him back. Mr. Li may be a good official, but after all, his household is flourishing with many people. It’s difficult to plant crops in Sichuan, and it’s not as prosperous as Jiangnan. Moreover, they lack a prominent position in the capital, and yet they are raising a child who’s lost his parents without any incentives. I always worry that he might be mistreated.”

He pauses, then says in a low voice, “This son can’t bear to see him wronged.”

Wang Xiuyu’s heart almost dissolved from the pain. She never expected that her son is actually the deeply-enamoured sort.

Before it concluded, Rong Tang added, “My health isn’t good. When I heard that he’d returned to the capital, I initially wanted to watch him from a distance and just discern that he was fine. So I secretly sent someone to follow him and punctually inform me of his whereabouts every day. I couldn’t go out, and I could only hear that he is doing well. Wherever he passes by somewhere, I would go there too. Someday, if… it won’t be too much of a regret, cough cough——”

Wang Xiuyu quickly pours him a cup of hot tea and responds in a hoarse voice, “Tang’er, no need to say more. Mother will negotiate the marriage for you.”

“Don’t—I have to finish.” Rong Tang holds his hot tea and said, “He conducts himself properly and is not the sort of person who would casually go in and out of brothels. Mother is the person who loves me the most in the world. I don’t wish for you to misunderstand him.”

Rong Tang: “I only received the news that afternoon. Li Changfu has entered the capital again, and his mind is filled with plans to ingratiate. In order to plot a good advancement for himself, he didn’t hesitate to throw his nephew into it. He even ordered someone to drug him, and once he succumbed, he was sent to the brothel. He wanted to gift him to a certain young master of an affluent family! Luckily… luckily this son went there in time, so his crafty scheme did not succeed.”

Rong Tang is furious; his complexion surged to a bright red, then quickly turns pale again. His is grim when he speaks: “That’s right, he’s merely a distant nephew, and the mourning period has already ended long ago. I can’t say for sure how much kindred blood is left in his body. I hate myself for being stupid for so many years and for not being able to bring him into our home fast enough.”

Wang Xiuyu’s mood fluctuated as Rong Tang related the story. At this time, she is crying on one hand, feeling distressed on the other, and holding onto a little anger.

It isn’t that she felt sorry about what Su Huaijing has experienced; instead, she is distressed by these longing and fluctuating emotions of her son’s. She is also vexed at the ignorant and stupid-like-a-pig Li Changfu. These stepping stones. If Tang’er truly wants it—just based on how much he cares about that family’s nephew—as long as Rong Tang says the word, can she still not figure out a way to deal with it?

But it has troubled Rong Tang to move around and toil for no reason, to the extent that he’s even fainted in the brothel! It is utterly hateful!

Wang Xiuyu relaxes and consoles: “Mother will make the decision for you and bring this person back. From now on, protect him well, and he will not suffer any mistreatment ever again.”

Unexpectedly, when he hears this, Rong Tang has a lonely expression as he shakes his head: “I can’t protect him.”

Wang Xiuyu is slightly startled. Rong Tang said, “Only the Duke’s Palace can protect him.”

Wang Xiuyu realises something, and her face grew agitated. She opens her mouth to speak, but Rong Tang straightaway interrupts her. After talking for too long, his lips have became paler, and he looks like he is beyond cure. Anyone who sees him knows that this person will not survive long.

Rong Tang’s voice is very soft: “I want to give him a status.”

“Tang’er——”

“Mother, listen to me.” Rong Tang said, “I know what condition my body is in, and I also know that my family has always wanted to find a family for me to marry and ward off bad vibes, but now I…”

He bites his lower lip, seemingly somewhat embarrassed: “In my current state, I’m destined to leave no heirs. This son is unfilial and has already failed my parents’ grace in birthing and raising me. I don’t want to offend any young lady’s family. Besides, my heart already belongs to someone. If the warding-off from the marriage can truly flush away the illness from my body, I’ll feel happy just looking at him in the future. If not, after I leave, I won’t have concerns in my heart when I reach the netherworld. I won’t worry whether or not he will be bullied, and I won’t be discontented when I leave.”

“This son begs Mother. I wish to request that Mother send betrothal gifts on my behalf and seek to marry Su Huaijing as the lawful wife of Prince Ningxuan.” Rong Tang raises his eyes and stares fixedly at Wang Xiuyu. At some point, his eyes fill with tears. His tone isn’t loud, but is extremely resolute: “I only want him.”