Chapter 10

Rong Tang studied Chinese language and literature in modern times. He’s read a lot of classics, history and philosophical collections, Chinese and foreign classics, and supernatural novels.

There are various subject matters. Although he likes cool stories featuring a male protagonist’s power-up journey with an enjoyable plot the most, occasionally—due to graduation exams or recommendations from schoolmates—he will read some genres that he’s never been exposed to before.

The books read by his female classmates are quite unconventional. There was one time Rong Tang opened a subject link in the group with the title “Classical Chinese Learning”. While subconsciously translating it, he was shocked to read a book about ancient generals and emperors competing for a young eunuch, forcing him to escape from the palace and seek the prime minister for help. Ultimately, the three individuals joined forces to confine him and subjected young Huang Wen to relentless torture by irrigation around the clock.

Rong Tang was flabbergasted after reading it.

Firstly, it was because of the plot. Secondly, it was because of the author’s writing style and their capacity to retain and access knowledge.

That approach… is really zany.

It was a classical Chinese text spanning no more than three thousand characters, and the author presented seven vivid and captivating scenarios. What’s more, he remained fair, steering clear of the special privileges associated with particular ranks. There were two emperors, two prime ministers, two generals, and, to top it off, four individuals coexisting in a harmonious and balanced life.

Rong Tang quit and saw the message in the group: [Suddenly, it feels like what I wrote were vestiges from my ancestors’ musings.]

He gradually reconstructed his three perspectives that had just been shattered and decided not to click on links without specific literary titles in the future.

After the first two lives where Rong Tang transmigrated into the likeness of his ancestors, his mind was so filled with strategising that he didn’t even have time to pursue this hobby.

It isn’t until now that he resolutely decides not to care about the male protagonist’s life or death that he has the time to pick it up and read again. Consequently, after reading a few popular Dayu’s storybooks, he suddenly felt that it was likely his three perspectives haven’t been completely reconstructed yet.

For example, when Shuang Fu bought the book he now has, he said it was the best-selling storybook at the moment. The shop owner strongly recommended that he reads it. He added that there was even a theatre troupe in the capital that have altered their play based on the content of the storybook and performed it in the Pear Garden*. The response has been very enthusiastic.

(*TN: originally a college of dramatics founded by imperial decree during the Tang Dynasty.)

What is it about?

It tells the story of a young master from a wealthy family who suddenly underwent a huge change. Due to unjust and false charges, his parents and elders were implicated by association. The young master was punished to be a prostitute, He resided in a brothel and served customers with his body every day.

His patrons are all powerful, influential, well-known, and promising. Today, it is the eldest son of a wealthy businessman. The next day, it is the direct grandson of a high-ranking official, and the following day, it is a general who commanded massive military troops… Everyone lingers, and in the end, they are reluctant to leave. A sentence that often appears is “Qinglang, I really want to die on your body.” Based on the plot update last month, the new character who appears is even a certain prince. Readers have speculated whether or not he will help the young master redress the injustice suffered by his family.

Rong Tang flipped out as he flipped through the story. There is only one question occupying his mind: How on earth can this practically-action-filled storybook be adapted for Chinese theatre???

He’s aware that the people of Dayu are open, but they don’t appear to be open to this extent, right?

Even someone as contemporary and well-read as him finds his ears turning red upon reading it. Therefore, it’s naturally impossible for him to let this plot that forcibly seizes and shatters one’s moral compass taint the villain’s ears and contribute to the possibility of him darkening in advance.

However, Su Huaijing merely sits patiently and motionlessly in front of him, with a gentle but life-threatening smile on his lips. Rong Tang knows that he can’t pull the wool over his eyes on this matter.

“It’s not a good read,” he says softly.

“It doesn’t matter.” Su Huaijing smiles, “I just want to know what Tangtang likes.”

He doesn’t call him “Tangtang gege” this time. Rong Tang doesn’t know why, but senses that he is a little irate.

After struggling for a long time, he is about to speak when an idea strikes. Rong Tang begins orating and promptly changes the plot.

The first sentence is: “This protagonist is somewhat stupid.”

Su Huaijing casually toys with the tassel on his waist tablet. He looks at him and smiles. “Mmm? Why is that?”

“When the protagonist was a child, his family was wrongfully implicated because of some matters, and the imperial edict was issued to punish without distinction.”

Su Huaijing lets out an inaudible laugh, which seems rather sarcastic.

Rong Tang pauses and says, “But there was a particularly loyal servant in his family who protected him, and he escaped.”

“Oh?” Su Huaijing asks calmly, “He didn’t die together?”

Su Huaijing is asking offhandedly, but Rong Tang feels as if someone has abruptly pounded him with a wooden mallet, and he is a little sore. He lowers his head to avoid looking at Su Huaijing’s expression, and his voice is shaky: “How could he die? He worked so hard to survive…”

The movements of Su Huaijing’s hands ceased, and he said nothing.

Rong Tang continues: “The protagonist had a miserable life as a child, but in the end he was still captured by the authorities and sent to a bad place.”

He says it ambiguously, but Su Huaijing states it directly: “Brothel?”

Rong Tang chokes: “Mmm.”

“After that?”

Rong Tang: “Then he remained in the brothel for a long time and tried every means to get close to people with links to high-ranking officials to redeem him and reverse the verdict for his family.”

Su Huaijing: “Was is successful?”

“It should have been successful,” Rong Tang said, “but something bad happened in the middle.”

Su Huaijing eyes him quietly, with an indistinct smile on his lips.

Rong Tang deliberates for a while and continues: “Once, in order to win the trust of that dynasty’s prince, he told him the news he heard in the brothel. The prince, according to his instructions, captured a group of traitors and won the emperor’s appreciation.”

Su Huaijing lowers his gaze. Something flashes in them, but it is hard to tell if it is a feeling of warmth or indifference: “Rather smart, not stupid. Tangtang gege has bullied me somewhat.”

Rong Tang is puzzled: “Why do you say that about me?”

Su Huaijing: “His identity and status cannot support him in taking any major actions. Since his body is his only capital, he should naturally make the most of it and, therefore, seek protection. In my opinion, not only is he not stupid, but he is quite smart and knows that apart from his body, he only has a contradictory information channel. He also knows that within the brothel, it is difficult to find anyone with a higher status than the prince. He told the other party the news he heard in exchange for trust and gratitude. As such, if he wasn’t to reverse the verdict for his family in the future, at least there will be a measure of kindness left.”

Rong Tang is amazed and stares at Su Huaijing with a slightly complicated look. But Su Huaijing just smiles as he pours him a cup of tea and hands it over: “Tangtang gege is born into an aristocratic family. You’ve never suffered any hardships and naturally won’t know that if an insignificant person wants something in exchange, he must pay a lot. It’s not your fault.”

He says it plainly and casually, assuming that Rong Tang bore such an expression due to disbelief. On the contrary, Rong Tang completely understands how his brain is wired.

He just thinks that at this point, if he can’t save him in time, will Su Huaijing have to follow this path in his life?

A path similar to the brothel boy he’s made up?

Rong Tang can’t help but feel distressed. He is on the verge of perturbation as he lowers his eyes to take the teacup. He takes a sip of tea to suppress the sourness in his mouth, then raises his eyes to look at Su Huaijing and says softly, “But those people weren’t rebels.”

“What about it, then?” Su Huaijing asks, “Did his parents deserve to die?”

Rong Tang shakes his head and wanted to say, ‘Of course not’.

His parents didn’t deserve to die, and your parents weren’t fatuous and unprincipled.

But he couldn’t bring himself to say it, and he could only utter softly, “That group were actually righteous men who robbed the rich and gave to the poor. Moreover, one of them was the child of the man who’d saved the life of the protagonist’s father.”

Su Huaijing is momentarily stunned. After a long time, he mutters in a low tone, “Really? Then that’s really stupid.”

Rong Tang very nearly weeps.

Right now, he doesn’t want to believe the original plot at all.

He even suspects that the author didn’t write about the villain’s psyche and bitter experiences because he was afraid that readers would feel sorry for Su Huaijing and want to change protagonists!

Why? He is obviously a very, very good person.

Rong Tang sniffles and says in an incredibly soft voice, “If you were the protagonist and only discovered this after a long time, what would you do?”

Su Huaijing only regards this as a story, and he will blithely respond to whatever Rong Tang asks him. When he hears his movements, he is perplexed for a moment. He then leans forward to dab Rong Tang’s eyes with his sleeve. “Why are you crying? It’s just a storybook.”

Rong Tang clutches his sleeve and persistently asks, “If it were you, what would you do?”

Rong Tang’s complexion is too pale, as he is often sick. Aside from his pitch-black eyes, there is almost no other colour on his face. Even his lip colour is pallid, like a paper effigy that has been freshly put together and hasn’t yet have its lips painted on.

But he is not as terrifying and lifeless as the paper effigy. On the contrary, an indomitable determination emanates from the very core of his ailing bones.

If he hasn’t personally examined his pulse, if he hasn’t heard him coughing every day until he is nearly out of breath, Su Huaijing will sometimes forget that he is actually a sickly person who is about to die soon.

Right now, Rong Tang’s eyes are a little red, and his expression appears a little pitiful. Su Huaijing gazes at him. He wants to be a little heartless and move to pinch him just so he will cry and it’ll be better.

But he can’t be that extreme after all. He ponders Rong Tang’s question and says seriously, “I might not do anything.”

Rong Tang persists: “What about after you’ve already reversed the verdict for your parents?”

Su Huaijing is a little stunned. Once again, he feels that this young prince is truly an incredible person. He can actually discern the underlying meaning of all his unfinished words.

So he smiles and calmly says, “Then I’ll have to die as a way of apologising.”

Rong Tang instantly understands everything.

He kneels down on the couch in disappointment. His spine seems to be bent, but Su Huaijing smiles and coaxes him: “It’s just a storybook. If Tangtang gege can be so distressed by this, I have to assume that you’re a Buddha from a temple.”

Rong Tang forces a smile and says in a lacklustre voice, “Mmm, it’s just a storybook.”

It’s not just a storybook. It’s your life.

After a while, Rong Tang finds an excuse to leave. Su Huaijing is a little surprised. These days, Rong Tang stays here until it’s almost dark and has dinner with him before leaving. Right now, the sun is just starting to lean west, and the hour is still very early.

But he hasn’t said anything yet and just assists Rong Tang into the carriage.

As soon as Rong Tang enters the carriage, he asks the system, “Do you know where the Second Prince arrested those people?”

The system’s mechanical voice is cold and helpless. [It only said that it was on the outskirts of the city but did not specify where it was.]

After holding back for a while, it relents and reminds: [Host, you don’t have a Divine Perspective now, and I can’t check the original plot at will. If you look for someone like this, it is no different than looking for a needle in a haystack.]

“It doesn’t matter; I have to try.” Rong Tang replies, raising his hand to knock on the edge of the carriage, “Don’t return home; we shall leave the city.”

–

The study room of the new house on Yong’an Lane.

For the first time, the house is devoid of the occasional noise from the person who leans or reclines as he reads. Su Huaijing suddenly feels a little empty.

Rong Tang has even taken the storybook away with him. He finds it both funny and annoying, but he has no intention of actually reading it.

Two orioles call outside the window. Su Huaijing gathers himself before walking into a side house in the backyard.

Xingfeng is waiting there. When he sees him coming, he says, “Li Changfu has sent Li Panyan to Earl Wukang’s Manor, and Bi Xin has gone along with her.”

Su Huaijing’s expression is a little indifferent, and he doesn’t pay much attention to this matter. He fiddles easily with his waist tablet before lazily sitting down at the table. He only instructs: “As soon as Bi Xin notices the effect of the drug, let her find an excuse to leave.”

Xingfeng acknowledges and reports on another matter: “Liuyun has already investigated the movements of those who forged the Embroidered Uniform Guard seal. He wants me to come back and ask Master whether or not he proceeds as previously agreed and discloses the whereabouts to the Second Prince.”

Su Huaijing subconsciously wants to say yes. However, the moment he is about to speak, a thought of Rong Tang appears for some reason, along with his expression—one on the brink of tears but restrained—in his mind.

He is overly sentimental and susceptible. He doesn’t know how to survive in the cannibalistic environment of Duke Ningxuan’s Palace.

By some strange happenstance, Su Huaijing changes his mind.

He stands up and says, “Take me to see it first.”

The author has something to say:

From then on, Tangtang has become a little Buddha in the eyes of the main villain, hooray!