Chapter 27

On the second day of the fourth month, the flower-picking festival officially began.

Rong Tang only drank half a bowl of soup at the dinner party the previous night. After returning to the courtyard, Su Huaijing helped himself to the kitchen and cooked a bowl of noodles for him. The two of them sat in the attic, one eating a late supper and the other playing chess. They enjoyed the breeze for half a night and waited until Ke Hongxue and Mu Jingxu returned.

The team formation is still the same as per his previous life, except for the addition of Su Huaijing.

Rong Tang had just finished eating supper, and to aid his digestion, he leaned against the railing to observe Song Garden’s lake and flowers beneath the night sky. When he heard Su Huaijing make a request with them, his thoughts came to a standstill, and he couldn’t stop himself from immediately laughing out loud.

Su Huaijing didn’t allow them to force Rong Tang to be present at all times. Rong Tang suddenly thought back to the time when he was in college and had been divided into groups at the end of the semester.

It’s just that in the past, his roommates were the ones who would take advantage of him. It was rare that he could take advantage of others. The configuration is still the main villain, the protagonist, and the protagonist’s think tank. Rong Tang is only too glad to be idle and is extremely happy.

It’s getting warmer towards the end of spring, and his body is finally able to be a little warmer. When he sees four people gathering together, a wicked intention to play four-person poker surfaces.

But as soon as Rong Tang’s eyes began to twitch, Su Huaijing seemed to know what his thoughts were and drove him back to his room to sleep on the grounds that the air is very moist and the wind is chilly at night.

Shuang Fu and Shuang Shou have already gone to bed, and Rong Tang originally wanted to go to sleep straightaway. Remarkably, Su Huaijing fetched him a basin of hot water, poured it into the foot bath bucket, and made his Boyboy soak his feet carefully to loosen his muscles and tendons. Once his entire body had become comfortably warm, only then did he allow him to go to bed.

From Yong’an Lane to Tanghua Courtyard and then to Song Garden, Rong Tang has developed a habit and obediently listens to Su Huaijing. Especially tonight, the main villain’s mood clearly doesn’t seem too good, so even though Rong Tang feels somewhat embarrassed, he still soaked his feet. Su Huaijing doesn’t allow him to be exposed to the wind anymore, so he personally took the wooden bucket and basin out. Before leaving, he tucked in the quilt for him. He lowered his gaze and spoke each word seriously: “Tangtang, I agreed to let you befriend them, but you can’t be unhappy.”

Rong Tang blinked and benumbed for a second. He suddenly reacted, some subtle emotions emerging in his heart, and he smiled instantly: “Thank you.”

It was just a guess at first, but now he has the answer. Su Huaijing had rejected Ke Hongxue’s invitation because of Rong Tang’s instinctive reaction at that moment.

From start to finish, this matter actually doesn’t conform to common sense.

Just like Rong Tang, who initially assumed that his attitude towards Sheng Chengli just ought to be pure disgust and indifference. But when he heard that he was in Song Garden and might form a team with him, the first sensation that flashed through his mind was still the cold feeling of betrayal and excruciating pain when the sharp sword was stabbed into his chest in his previous life.

Blood oozing out and the body gradually losing its temperature is a hundred times more painful than being poisoned or falling to death.

Sometimes the body’s reaction is difficult to control, and Rong Tang is also irritated.

However, Su Huaijing noticed it, and because he changed his decision, Rong Tang felt happy.

He smiled so brightly that his eyes curved up, and he said earnestly, “I’m very happy.”

Su Huaijing stared intently at him for a while, as if analysing the authenticity of his words. After some time, he said, “Good night.”

Rong Tang smiled and replied, “Good night.”

Su Huaijing then left.

–

The weather the next day is good, and there are birds perched on the flowers that can be seen all over Song Garden early in the morning, chattering lively. The courtyard they’ve chosen is far from the central area, and there isn’t much noise. Rong Tang opened his eyes, then listened to the sounds of movements and birds in the courtyard for a while before regaining his senses and slowly getting up.

When he was first reborn, his physical condition was so weak that he panted for breath every few steps and became unreasonably exhausted. As such, Shuang Fu remained in his room day and night, waiting to serve his master while dressing and eating. After Rong Tang’s health improved somewhat, the practice of the servants standing watch at night was scrapped. Once Su Huaijing entered the house, he’d also hijacked Shuang Fu’s job of serving Rong Tang to wash up in the morning, causing Shuang Fu to fear for some time that he would be dismissed.

When Rong Tang recalled this, he felt a little amused. He slowly gets dressed while chatting with the system, carrying out their friendly exchanges as usual, until someone knocks on the door. Su Huaijing walks in and sees that he’s gotten out of bed. He was startled, then immediately smiled: “Why did Tangtang get up so early today?”

“Maybe because of the nice weather.” Rong Tang smiles as he ties the last section of his belt. He intends to go to the yard to wash up.

Su Huaijing’s gaze lingers at his waist, where the belt is fastened. It looks even slimmer, almost to the point where it can be snapped off. He turns around silently and retrieves a navy blue cloak from the closet, walks quietly behind Rong Tang, and ties it up for him: “It’s too early; be careful of being gusted by the wind.”

Rong Tang raises his head, permitting him to tie a knot at the front of his neck. His dark eyelashes fluttered, reflecting the morning sun. The wild, agile charm, like a jungle creature’s, emerged again. Su Huaijing became lost in thought for a moment and stopped moving.

Rong Tang bided his time, blinked a couple of times, and reminded him softly, “Huaijing?”

Only then did Su Huaijing come to his senses, release his hands, take a step back, and say with a smile, “Breakfast has been prepared in the main courtyard, but I thought you might not like to be stuck there eating with those people, so I asked Shuang Shou to bring some food back and heat it up. Where do you want to eat?”

Rong Tang didn’t even think about it: “The loft is fine.”

“Alright.” Su Huaijing nodded. “Then I’ll go up and wait for you.”

“Ng.” Rong Tang responded and walked towards the washroom.

He slept very well this time, and his energy is much better than the previous day’s. After washing up, he walks up the wooden steps to the loft, feeling that even the air is fresher.

Early morning in Song Garden is different from dusk or nighttime. The morning light is pale, and everywhere is swathed in a subdued filter. The dew gathered on the flowers and leaves fell with a ‘plop’. The blossoming flowers suddenly straightened their stems proudly, flourishing in the wind.

It is such a beautiful scene that Rong Tang feels restless just looking at it.

He wants to buy something for Su Huaijing again.

Wang Fei doesn’t allow Rong Tang to give his estates to Su Huaijing. So if he buys one for Boyboy, there shouldn’t be a problem, right?

A property the size of Song Garden is unlikely, but if they find a smaller manor in a beautiful place that is well-maintained, it’ll be perfect to be used as a summer vacation spot in the future.

The corners of Rong Tang’s lips can’t help curling up. Noting his appearance, Su Huaijing asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Rong Tang picks up a steamed dumpling with his chopsticks and says with a smile, “Secret.”

Su Huaijing: “?”

He was dazed for a moment but didn’t pursue it. He smiles silently, then habitually pours a cup of tea and sets it aside for Rong Tang to prevent him from choking.

Just as they were having breakfast, a group of people arrived at the entrance of the courtyard. Rong Tang sits in the loft and looks down. He instantly caught sight of Ke Hongxue, who’d changed into a bright red Sichuan brocade spring robe. Even his fan has been swapped to a chicken-blood-red jade fan, and he sways it slowly. His whole person resembles a big cockscomb flower.

Rong Tang’s eyelids twitched when he saw it, and he complained to the system: “Sooner or later, the Ke family’s wealth will be squandered by him.”

The system disapprovingly asked in reply: [Host, do you truly consider it like this?]

Rong Tang immediately turned silent and huffishly took another bite of the steamed dumpling.

He’s not; he doesn’t.

He just can’t stand it.

The Ke family has produced renowned scholars for generations. They possess a smooth family background with noble and virtuous regard.

However, Ke Hongxue’s father is a complete eccentric. In an era where common perception prioritises scholarly pursuits over everything else, Ke Hongxue’s father has only one thing on his mind: making money, making money, making money!

At a young age, he dared to skip school and join a trade caravan. He scrounged a load of sachets and rouge from the capital and sold them to Northern Xinjiang. Then he transported back a cartload of jewellery from Northern Xinjiang and delivered it straight to the auction house to sell.

When he encountered items that wouldn’t sell, he wasn’t fussy at all. He would either compose a poem himself or use his father’s influence to go to school and persuade his classmates or teachers to write verses for him. Once those circulated in the streets of the capital, the jewels he brought back were exaggerated into priceless treasures, fetching high prices and filling his pockets.

Ke Wenrui is a great scholar of his generation, and it often infuriated him so much that he wanted to kick him out of the family.

There was a time when the late emperor came to visit the teacher on New Year’s Day. After witnessing a chaotic debacle, he laughed heartily and then advised Ke Wenrui: “Why is Grand Tutor so infuriated? His ambition is not in academics or books, but he is good at managing. Why don’t you let him venture out and try his luck? If he manages to achieve something, This Emperor will be at ease. Otherwise, you decline each reward from the palace. I, your student, really can’t bear to see my teacher so impoverished.”

A student with ambitions beyond books and good at managing. It might be better to let him venture out. If he manages to achieve something, it will bring him peace of mind. Otherwise, with the rewards from the palace coming repeatedly and you declining each time, I, as a student, find it hard to witness your frugality.

Ke Xuebo was so ballsy that he hid behind the emperor and stuck his head out, making faces at his father and repeating, “That’s right! That’s right”

The late emperor’s mood and humour were good. He turned around, raised up his hand to pat his head somewhat gently, and said to the eunuch in charge, “Go to my private treasury and get some silver to lend it to Xuebo.”

He then turned back to Ke Xuebo: “In three years, if you can double the return profit, I shall approve and allow you to go into business. If you can’t, be obedient and listen to the teacher. Go to school, become the top scholar, and share This Emperor’s burdens! Do you understand?”

His Majesty had issued an order, and Ke Wenrui had no choice but to comply despite his unwillingness. Moreover, he is also aware that his son is indeed not cut out for studying, which is why he’s so irate because, firstly, there has never been a businessman in the family since ancient times, and he was worried that this matter would draw the emperor’s displeasure.

The Grand Tutor’s son engaged in business? This was unprecedented! It’s a transgression against the ancestors! They’ll be denounced by the ministers and continue to be criticised even after death!

But the Emperor had given his golden approval, and Ke Wenrui finally breathed a sigh of relief. He waited for three years to see what kind of fame Ke Xuebo was capable of producing, though in his heart, he hoped that he would come back to study.

Then Ke Xuebo returned as the richest person in Jiangnan. Not only did he double the money the late emperor lent him, but he also donated a lot to the national treasury. The tax paid alone was enough to feed the population of a county. The late emperor was elated and praised Ke Xuebo as a courageous and accomplished good man, and granted his family’s descendants the right not to follow the law that “only merchants with three generations are allowed to take the imperial examination.”

When it comes down to it, he feared that due to this incident, his teacher would worry that his descendants would not be able to study normally and serve as officials in the court, so he was merely providing him with reassurance in advance.

In the hands of Ke Xuebo, the Ke family’s wealth has grown outrageously. Even if Ke Hongxue squanders a jade folding fan every day, it’s likely enough for him to squander for several lifetimes.

Even more, because Ke Xuebo was rich and patriotic, he took the initiative to donate hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to the national treasury every year. This hasn’t changed from when the late emperor was alive until Emperor Renshou’s ascension to the throne. Therefore, even though Ke Wenrui was the former emperor’s teacher, Emperor Renshou didn’t implicate the Ke family but instead took special care of Ke Hongxue.

——One is a teacher from his childhood, another is a wealthy businessman who contributes to the national treasury every year, and the other is a talented and learned Third-rank Scholar who only wishes to live happily and have no involvement in government affairs. It would be a challenge for Emperor Renshou to be wary of taking action against them.

To some extent, he still needs to flatter the Ke family in order to gain a reputation for honouring his teachers, valuing tradespeople, and treating everyone equally, so as to replenish the national treasury from time to time.

Ke Hongxue is clearly not of noble descent or a high-ranking official, but within this capital city of Yu, he lives a much more carefree and wanton life than the majority of the offspring of aristocratic families.

In Rong Tang’s eyes, he is just a walking, money-burning furnace.

He is so capable, even more so than him.

While he was complaining, the people from outside the courtyard had already walked in. Ke Hongxue looked up and noticed the two people sitting in the red-painted loft having breakfast. He immediately smiled, snapped his folding fan closed, and turned around to drag Mu Jingxu upstairs. When Mu Jingxu shook him off his sleeves, he wasn’t upset. As usual, he turns and casts a grin at Lil’ Bro Mu and hastens up the stairs.

“The Prince is blessed as always, having someone who will deliver the meals to him without having to leave the courtyard and even bring them up to the loft so as to enjoy the scenery while eating.”

Rong Tang raised his eyes. “Why, are you envious?”

Ke Hongxue was dazed for a moment, and his smile became even more unrestrained. He easily pulls up a chair and sits down, slowly swishing his folding fan: “Prince Rong, do you think I’m that idiot like that Qin Pengxuan?”

Ke Hongxue had obviously watched the scene last night of Rong Tang scolding Qin Pengxuan. He’d initially been beaming so brightly that you almost couldn’t see his eyes. If it wasn’t because he’d been waiting with Mu Jingxu for his little student, who was shaking and unsteady after recovering from a serious illness, Ke Hongxue would’ve really rushed over uninhibitedly to Rong Tang’s table.

Rong Tang didn’t respond upon hearing him.

When it came to his feelings towards Ke Hongxue and Mu Jingxu, they’ve always been complicated. At first, he considered them colleagues, but then, in this completely unfamiliar dynasty, he thought, wouldn’t it be nice if he could make three to five like-minded good friends?

Rong Tang didn’t dare to say whether or not he and Mu Jingxu would become friends. After all, Excellency Mu is like snow that never melts throughout the year, and Rong Tang couldn’t figure out what he was thinking. But at least he and Ke Hongxue have been friends for their first two lives.

——The type of friends that are bad influences, that is.

Today I’ll take you to a gambling den, and tomorrow you’ll take me to visit a bawdy house. The following day, the two of them received a visit from the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, who conducted an inspection incognito. They froze under his scrutiny and, subsequently, obediently went back to assist Sheng Chengli for a while.

Then they refused to stay idle. You said that a famous opera troupe from Jiangnan had just arrived in the capital, and I said that the distilled spirits sent from northern Xinjiang were truly exquisite…

The few periods in Rong Tang’s first two lives that could be deemed recreation and relaxation times were mostly spent thronged together with Ke Hongxue.

The two of them should be what you call “rogues and scoundrels.”

Therefore, when he came back in this life, it’s difficult for Rong Tang to have any particular intense wariness towards them.

He originally didn’t want to fight anymore. He is clearly aware of which day he will be reborn and which day he will die. He can discern the life force draining from his body day after day and simply doesn’t think much about resorting to trickery. He just wants to enjoy the fun he’s missed in the past few years, reading story books, listening to ditties, engaging in gardening, copying Buddhist scriptures when he’s feeling terribly guilty, and giving Su Huaijing some reminders on important issues that come to mind.

As for other matters, Rong Tang absolutely doesn’t want to bother with them at all.

He’d scolded Qin Pengxuan and Rong Zheng very easily, berating them as soon as he thought of it because they were both idiots. But with Ke Hongxue… Rong Tang is emotionally drained after just saying a few words.

One sentence has eighteen twists, seventeen of them leading to pitfalls, and the last one inviting criticism.

Rong Tang decides to pay him no heed. Mu Jingxu was coming up soon anyway, so Ke Tutor will just linger around for a while.

When Mu Jingxu came up, there was someone following behind. He looks about sixteen- or seventeen-years-old and is still very green. He is wearing a blue-green scholar’s outfit with a hat on his head, decked out as a very traditional and elegant student.

Ke Hongxue had been chatting with Rong Tang earlier, but now he can’t sit still anymore. He leans half his body over, looks the young man up and down a few times, then turns to Rong Tang and says casually, “Tsk, tsk, tsk, Prince, observe my junior schoolmate. Doesn’t he look like an elderly scholar with one foot in the grave?”

If anyone spread this out, they would be beaten to death.

Whether it was the Imperial Academy’s tutor who said that a young man has one foot in the grave or the great scholar Ke Wenrui’s grandson who said that an elderly scholar has one foot in the grave, Ke Hongxue deserves a round of whipping.

Rong Tang drinks half a sip of tea, tilts his head, and says in a semi-serious tone, “I’ve never been to school, so I don’t know what an elderly scholar looks like. But you stay away from me. You look like a fighting rooster; it’s hurting my eyes.”

Su Huaijing is initially a little irritated because Ke Hongxue is too close to Rong Tang. When he hears what his little Buddha said, he can’t help but smile. He stands up silently, puts away the finished dishes, and moves them aside to wait for an attendant to come and clean them up.

Ke Hongxue has been flattered by others throughout his life; it is rare to encounter someone who is constantly averse to him every time they meet. Miraculously, he doesn’t feel vexed at all. Instead, he stared most exhilaratingly at Rong Tang for a while, and then, per what he’d said, moved a little bit away.

Mu Jingxu doesn’t have the habit of verbalising his salutations. He is considered to have made his greeting once both their gazes met, and he subsequently looked away. Therefore, at the moment, only the youth remains who hasn’t introduced himself.

Rong Tang takes a sip of tea, stands up to aid his digestion, and hears him say, “Wishing Your Highness good fortune. This student is from the capital, studying at Linyuan Academy in the eighth year of Qingzheng year, Lu Jiaxi.”

Rong Tang knows his name and has met him before. It’s just that in the past two lives, Mu Jingxu was responsible for writing poems at the flower-picking festival. Rong Tang and Ke Hongxue took advantage of their status to bring the male protagonist everywhere, so he didn’t actually associate much with Lu Jiaxi, and they only regarded him as a common student who’d come here to freeload points.

At this time, something suddenly occurred to him, and he asked, “Does Lu’s bookstore in the west of the city have any relation to you?”

Lu Jiaxi lifted his head in anxious confusion and replied courteously, “It is this student’s ancestral legacy.”

Rong Tang frowned and glanced at Su Huaijing, who was pouring tea for him. When he noticed him looking over, he raised an eyebrow to say, ‘What’s the matter’?

Rong Tang feels that the association which has just presented itself in this instant is most inexplicable. He doesn’t want to deal with it anymore, but he hears Ke Hongxue say, “Don’t judge my junior schoolmate based on his youth and small stature; he is extremely courageous! You know the judicial office in the capital, right? The place where civilians will be beaten three times if they report on an official. He actually dared to beat the drum to complain about the injustice for a girl he met by chance and even succeeded in suing someone.”

“Does Prince know who is the one being sued?” Ke Hongxue asked.

Rong Tang’s inner guess turns out to be true, but he still pretends not to know and asks, “…Who?”

“It’s Ding Laibao, the only son of Ding Weishan, the general of the Left Vanguard of the Imperial Guards, who was originally sentenced to beheaded after autumn. A few days ago, for some unknown reason, His Majesty became furious. On the twenty-second of the third month, he ordered the man to be pushed out through the Meridian Gate and beheaded on the spot.” Ke Hongxue smiles leisurely, waving his fan gently. No one could tell whether his gaze had fallen upon Lu Jiaxi or if he’d casually thrown a glance at Su Huaijing. He gave a slow laugh. “Don’t you think this is most interesting?”

Rong Tang was too lazy to utter a word.

Indeed.

It’s interesting indeed.

—‘These days, when I occasionally go out, I see that Lu’s Bookstore in the west of the city has recently released some popular Jiangnan story books. I thought you would like to read them, so I bought them and placed them in the study for you to read.’

You’re really so “occasional”.

Rong Tang lowered his eyes and drank another half cup of tea without so much as batting an eyelid.