Chapter 25

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Rong Tang met Sheng Chengli for the first time on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month—the Lantern Festival—during the ninth year of Qingzheng.

The carriage going from Duke Ningxuan’s Palace to the Imperial Palace was filled with heated charcoal. The temperature was so high that Shuang Fu would sweat as soon as he came in, but Rong Tang still felt cold despite the tight cloak he had on.

He actually… doesn’t really want to go save the male protagonist that much.

When he first transmigrated, his youth acted up and was tricked by the system to assume that he was the saviour who possessed the highest responsibility and mission for the world in this novel.

But with the pain in his body, the unbearable symptoms, and having been lying in bed half-dead for over ten days, Rong Tang himself didn’t want to remain alive, let alone save the male protagonist.

Irregardless of whether it was the system tasks or the idea of playing the game from an omniscient perspective, Rong Tang still went for it.

The imperial palace during the Lantern Festival is the most prosperous place in the capital.

Delicacies, beauties, and wine. The emperor and generals sit high on the balcony. Beauties traverse through the gardens, lanterns hang on the treetops, and blooming winter plum blossoms fill the entire palace.

It was the most beautiful sight. For a moment, Rong Tang felt that the costume drama he’d watched in his previous life had become a reality, and the man on paper had gained vitality.

He paired the living people before him with two or three characters of the names in the e-book, one by one. Then he was able to see them realistically and not as the illusions fabricated in a novel comprised of hundreds of thousands of words.

He carried the palace lantern and walked along the stone path, coughing at every step he took and pausing every three. He bypassed all the bustling and confusing palaces until he arrived in the dark and ominous cold palace.

Someone was suffering from high fever, fervid with delirium, and huddled in a cold quilt. The mole at the corner of his eye seemed to be dripped from candle wax, shining in the contrasting firelight.

‘So pitiful.’

It was Rong Tang’s first thought at that time.

He may or may not have made a sound. The teenager, who was suffering from a high fever, wasn’t sleeping soundly. Rong Tang wanted to go out and find a doctor for him, but as soon as he turned around, the finger at his side was grabbed by someone.

It was like grabbing a piece of driftwood; the force was harsh and desperate, afraid that he would run away, and the grasp was painful.

The mole was stained with clear teardrops. On a night when the whole palace was bustling with activity and even the eunuchs and maids could enjoy a delicious meal, the young man huddled on the bed, sobbing hoarsely, and called out, “Mother…”

Rong Tang inwardly said, You are extorting me.

As a result, he was extorted for two lifetimes.

From “Mother” to “Mr.” to “Rong Tang”…

He himself couldn’t remember when the change occurred, nor could he tell when the male protagonist he watched as a child had other thoughts.

Suspicion, fear, anger, resentment—so much so that ultimately, in a ruined temple, beneath a statue of the compassionate Buddha, he’d resolutely plunged the sword into his chest.

Rong Tang thought he’d raised an ingrate.

He’d spent seven years raising this ‘cared for by the Heavenly Law and born to be the centre of the world’ ingrate.

–

Lanyue Pavilion is located on a small island in the middle of Song Garden’s centre lake. A boat is needed to get in and out.

It wasn’t terribly late by the time Rong Tang arrived. The ferry is lit with lanterns, and there are still many people walking around. Su Huaijing led him onto a small boat docked on the shore, and, together with Shuang Fu, they crossed the water. Shuang Shou stayed in the courtyard and continued to clean up.

Long wooden piles have been erected at regular intervals on the lake, with lights lit on them. The reflections of the lights and the moon are scattered on the water, seeming to haul down the Milky Way.

Rong Tang watched for a while, then couldn’t hold it back. He bent down and put his hand into the lake to disturb the surface of the water. Shuang Fu’s heart trembled seeing this, and he reminded him: “Young Master, the lake’s waters are cold.”

Rong Tang fist clenched lightly and appeared a little stunned. Su Huaijing asked him, “Is it cold?”

Rong Tang shook his head. “Still okay.”

If Shuang Fu hadn’t reminded him, Rong Tang would’ve overlooked it. He rarely feels cold these days. If it rained, Su Huaijing wouldn’t let him go out. He can’t sense the temperature difference when he stays in the room, and he rarely uses the hand stove at night. But now in Song Garden, when he places his hand in the waters of the lake on a spring night, he doesn’t really feel that chilly.

Rong Tang poked the system: “Has my body healed?”

The system heartlessly shattered his fantasy: [Impossible; this body can live for four more years at most].

As such, Rong Tang attributed this reason to the weather and lake water having turned warmer. He doesn’t notice Su Huaijing’s eyebrows relaxing after hearing his answer.

On the island in the middle of the lake, banquets were set up everywhere—some by the water, others on elevated places, and perhaps a few beneath a blossoming spring tree. People sat on blankets, enjoying various pastries and cold dishes, and playing the zither or flute. With just a handful of passersby, it was enough to appreciate the scenery on a spring night.

Rong Tang used to participate in flower-picking festivals for the purpose of making connections for Sheng Chengli. This time, he’s here in a different mood, feeling that the Third Prince really knows how to entertain and is really impressive.

Concubine Hui forces such a great destiny upon her youngest son, yet she allows her eldest son to grow up into a hedonistic, carefree prince who lives a lavish life in the mortal realm. If he hadn’t fallen into the whirlpool of succession, Rong Tang would occasionally wonder what their original lives would have been like.

Su Huaijing leads him up Lanyue Pavilion.

The pavilion has four floors and a hollow interior. On the first floor, there is a red stage draped in red silk for actors to perform on and to view the guests drinking from an elevated perspective. Freshly picked seasonal flowers are all around, and their fragrance is everywhere.

Rong Tang wanted to go to Ke Hongxue’s table, but he wavered after taking two steps, not wanting to see Sheng Chengli. While he hesitated, Su Huaijing nodded to Mu Jingxu from a distance before turning around and taking Rong Tang’s hand to change direction.

Rong Tang caught sight of the group of rich scions previously from Liujin Parlour.

He instinctively frowned, but Su Huaijing’s expression didn’t change, and he led him over with a relaxed pace. Rong Zheng quickly stands up to greet him, and Su Huaijing smiles at him. The two of them are welcomed to the two seats next to the main seat at the table.

This table is full of dandies, and Rong Tang sits in their midst. For a moment, he doesn’t know who feels more uneasy.

But Su Huaijing doesn’t care. The banquets at the flower-picking festival are changed regularly. You can sit down to eat as long as you are able to make the numbers. There aren’t that many rules. He keeps thinking that Rong Tang hasn’t eaten properly all day, so as soon as he sits down, he serves him a bowl of yam and pigeon soup.

Just as Rong Tang is about to take a bite, he hears a contemptuous, mocking voice from the table: “Prince Rong is truly deeply in love and in perfect harmony with Shizi Fei. You’re so affectionate, to the extent that it seems as if there is no one else around. The main seat is still vacant, yet you’ve already started eating?”

Bamboo instruments are playing faintly downstairs, and people are drinking and gambling upstairs, creating a cacophony of voices and music. Outside the pavilion, the water is rippling, and the waxing moon is high in the sky. Rong Tang suddenly recalls the night when he first met Su Huaijing at Fengyue House.

He lifted his gaze to look at the person who’s spoken. It turns out to be Qin Pengxuan.

Rong Tang stared at him and said coolly, “What? Are you jealous?”

Qin Pengxuan’s voice stopped, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked over, as if he’d heard nonsense.

Rong Tang merely eyed his side profile and asked, “Now that you mention it, we’re also considered brothers-in-law. Little sister’s husband, where’s my Huaijing’s biao mei? You didn’t bring her here?”

Rong Zheng couldn’t sit still when Qin Pengxuan opened his mouth. He frowned and was preparing to refute, but Rong Tang spoke before he did. Once he heard those first words, Rong Zheng clearly knew that Qin Pengxuan was going to make a fool of himself tonight, so he silently sat back down and listened intently to his xiong zhang berating someone.

Rong Tang is originally in a bad mood. He and Su Huaijing didn’t reach an agreement. Even though he really doesn’t want to meet Sheng Chengli, it is something he can’t avoid.

Whether it is a royal banquet or riding and shooting in the imperial hunting grounds, as the heir apparent of Duke Ningxuan, it’s impossible for him not to meet Sheng Chengli his entire life.

Rong Tang felt it was a pity for Su Huaijing to give up this opportunity because he subconsciously revealed his emotions. Before he could think of a way to persuade Su Huaijing to change his mind, Qin Pengxuan came into his line of fire. If Rong Tang doesn’t target him in his attacks, does he still have to let him go?

As if he’d just remembered, Rong Tang inclined his head to ask Su Huaijing, “That’s right, on the day of our wedding, I heard Excellency Li say that my biao mei is pregnant? Huaijing, have you prepared a congratulatory gift?”

Su Huaijing knew what he was planning, so he smiled dotingly and said, “She’s only one month pregnant; it’s not good to prepare gifts too early. When she’s about to deliver, can Master prepare them with me?”

His voice sounded close to the side of his face; therefore, it is reasonable to be gentle. Moreover, with an appearance where beauty and grace coexist like spring flowers and the bright moon, Rong Tang has to suppress himself so that his gaze won’t turn evasive.

But when he heard the word “Master,” he still couldn’t help but tremble slightly. Su Huaijing took advantage of this to grab his hand and place it on his knee, appearing obedient and decent, but in fact, he is carelessly fiddling with his hand beneath the table.

Rong Tang felt goosebumps, but he was pressed by Su Huaijing again. Subsequently, he accepted his fate, nodded, looked at Qin Pengxuan, and said, “I wonder what gift my little sister’s husband wants. Since she is Huaijing’s biao mei and Excellency Li’s direct daughter, I definitely won’t be stingy. If there is anything lacking in your residence, you might as well come directly to my palace to ask for it, ng?”

Su Huaijing lowered his gaze, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

He knows that the prince is exceptionally articulate, but Rong Tang always acts so cute in front of him that Su Huaijing occasionally forgets what he looks like when he is unreasonable and unforgiving.

In the mere few seconds from the time Qin Pengxuan started looking for trouble until now, Rong Tang has already assumed a superior attitude, generously and calmly offered grace, and trampled Qin Pengxuan beneath his feet.

Since you say we aren’t well-matched, then what kind of thing are you?

Su Huaijing is growing fonder and fonder of Rong Tang. He sits calmly and quietly, letting him stand up for himself as he perfunctorily massages his tendons with his fingers.

Rong Tang speaks until he is excited. His right hand is under the table, and his left hand is supporting his cheek. He casually glances around the table and notices Rong Zheng, who seems to be wavering on whether or not to speak.

He narrows his eyes, looks over from a distance, and asks, “What does er di wish to say?”

Rong Zheng choked until his lungs ached. As soon as he heard his voice, he said, “If xiong zhang wants to prepare a gift for Miss Li, there’s no need to prepare a gift for the birth. Instead, you should send some supplements for nourishing the body.”

Rong Tang eyebrows raised a little: “Why is this?”

Before Rong Zheng could say anything this time, a young man at the table who disapproves of Qin Pengxuan spoke out disdainfully: “Because his concubine had a miscarriage.”

Rong Tang appeared slightly startled and inadvertently glanced sideways at Su Huaijing. The latter is still sitting firmly in his seat with a vague expression. Upon seeing him look over, he even smiled a little.

Rong Tang’s heart trembled; he quickly looked away and restrained his expression. He slapped the table with his free hand and said fiercely, “How can this be?!”

Qin Pengxuan looked at Rong Tang in shock, and Rong Tang said furiously, “Biao mei came all the way from Sichuan. It was an injustice for her to marry into your Earl Wukang’s household as a concubine. When she finally got pregnant with your child, you didn’t take additional care or look after her attentively until she suffered a miscarriage! After the miscarriage, you don’t even accompany her at home, and instead, rush over to attend the banquet?!”

“A man first gets married and then builds a career. How will you make contributions to His Majesty and Dayu in the future with this behaviour of yours? Earl Wukang has worked hard all his life and possesses an impressive military record. You’re shadowed by your father, and you don’t wish to bring honour to your family or make a name for yourself. You only live a life of debauchery day after day, indulging in sensual pleasures. How can you be worthy of being the heir to Earl Wukang’s title? How can you deserve the privileges bestowed upon you by royal favour?!”

The singing voices on the lower level of Lanyue Pavilion’s are melodious and soulful. Outside the pavilion, moonlight shines coolly. The small pleasure boats are busy attending to guests one by one along the river. Rong Tang isn’t strong enough, and his volume is very light, but it is powerful and resonating. Su Huaijing lowers his head and holds his hand, squeezing it repeatedly. Then he suppressed the smile that was about to exhibited.

Rong Tang displayed a long face and did not look at him. He glared angrily at Qin Pengxuan, his entire expression resentful. It stunned Qin Pengxuan into remaining in place. The whole table fell silent.

It is rare that the system isn’t dormant tonight. After witnessing the whole scene, it clicked its tongue twice and grew curious from the bottom of its heart: [Host, every time you speak, how is it that you are able to be so… elegant in your choice of words?]

“You don’t have to praise me if you don’t want to,” Rong Tang said.

Consequently, the system didn’t make a sound.

Rong Tang asked, “Have you received nine years of compulsory education?”

System: [?]

Rong Tang asked a series of questions: “Have you ever sat for an exam, written an essay in Chinese, or completed reading comprehension? Do you know anything about moral values?”

This is.

Never mind the details; I’ll slap a label on you first and talk later.

Stupid idiot Qin Pengxuan, I’m giving you face.

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