Rong Tang and Sheng Chengli looked at each other. There was a breeze on the lake. Tourists were returning home happily, singing wildly on the boats. The fleet that had just been disrupted had returned to order. The accident was just a small episode on the way back, and no one would care.
Except for the three people on this boat.
Rong Tang stood outside the boat awning, and sat back in his original seat after a moment.
Ke Hongxue gave him a look that showed disapproval, but Rong Tang gestured for him to sit down as well.
The boats vary in size, from exquisite pleasure boats to crude black boats. The more casual and frivolous ones do not even have a roof. You can lie on your back on the lake by bending your knees and looking at the stars in the sky, immersing yourself in a starry dream.
There was a wooden table at the bow, with tea brewing. After Rong Tang sat down, he poured himself a cup of tea with ease, and then asked softly, "What is your highness talking about? What's wrong with the tea?"
Sheng Chengli looked at him, his pupils revealing a hint of teasing. After staring at each other for a few moments, he smiled and took the teapot that Rong Tang had just put back. He also poured himself a cup and took a sip. He said, "Third brother is favored by our father, and the imperial concubine's mother's family is also wealthy. The whole Song Garden uses the best pre-rain Longjing tea. What's wrong with that?"
Rong Tang held the teacup under his nose and sniffed it, but did not take a sip. He said slowly, "Then I don't know what kind of tea Your Highness is talking about, and I don't understand why I dare not come to the Flower Picking Club, and who should I not trust?"
The oars made clear sounds as they slid across the lake. Sheng Chengli lowered his head and looked at the teacup, seemingly unconcerned. After a long while, he said softly, "My cousin, when you say that, Chengli doesn't know what to say."
Master Ke, who was very good at dealing with people, spoke up at the right time to break the deadlock and said with a smile: "Your Highness has been recuperating in the mansion for three months. Why did you want to go out for the banquet this time? I heard that Your Highness went to the southwest a few years ago and was infected with malaria. Is he fully recovered now?"
Sheng Chengli put down the teacup and replied: "Third brother's flower picking party was so lively, father asked me to help him share the worry. As for the miasma-"
He paused, raised his eyes and looked at Rong Tang again. There was not a trace of impurities or grafting in his beautiful and clean eyes. His whole face was extremely superior.
Sheng Chengli smiled softly: "Much better. The poison gas smoked my eyes before and I couldn't see clearly. Now I see again and realize that I have been living in a fog."
Rong Tang frowned, clearly hearing the hidden meaning of his words, and looked a little surprised.
He sat in the cabin without saying a word, and Ke Hongxue chatted casually on the side, neither making the atmosphere too awkward nor asking for information without making a sound.
When the black-sailed boat came to the shore and the people separated, Sheng Chengli suddenly called out and asked in a low voice: "Teacher, how could things become like this between us?"
Rong Tang paused slightly and stopped with Ke Hongxue, but did not look back.
Master Ke looked puzzled and answered without a single mistake: "Your Highness is a rich man, and I am just an ant. I should maintain the distinction between the ruler and the subject. Please don't say this again, or you may be impeached."
Sheng Chengli glanced at him and said, "I forgot that Master Su is now the Chief Censor, holding the power to impeach all officials. I must be careful with my words and actions in the future."
He took the initiative to mention Su Huaijing, and Ke Hongxue smiled and reminded him: "It's late at night and the dew is heavy. Your Highness should go back to your room early to rest, so as to avoid being blinded by the darkness and accidentally stepping on a pothole and falling down."
Two years ago, Yue Rong fell into the Songyuan pond and died. Soon after, Sheng Chengli "accidentally" slipped in the Imperial Garden, fell into the pond and broke his leg.
Sheng Chengli's expression changed slightly, he nodded without saying anything more, and turned to leave.
The smile on the face of the versatile Tanhua scholar finally couldn't be maintained.
He walked forward with Rong Tang for a while, and after the crowd dispersed, he sneered softly, and it was hard to tell who he was mocking, but he said: "I thought that my senior brother's vision was extremely poor, but I didn't expect that you, the prince, are even better than me?"
Rong Tang raised his lips, but did not refute his teasing, nor did he respond directly. He concentrated on walking forward, with a hint of sleepiness in his eyes.
Ke Hongxue thought for a moment and asked, "Do we need to hide this from Su Huaijing?"
Rong Tang was slightly startled, and his heart was moved for a second, but he said, "I can't hide it."
Ke Hongxue: “…That’s right.”
From the moment they agreed to let Sheng Chengli get on board, it was impossible to hide it from Su Huaijing. It was just a matter of time. Ke Hongxue asked this question probably because he knew that if Su Huaijing knew about it, Rong Tang would probably not be "better off".
Rong Tang just smiled, using the night to hide the anger and sadness in his brow, and walked back with Ke Hongxue.
However, the moment she was about to step into the courtyard, Ke Hongxue spoke in a low voice, like a whisper, but also like a question, and said casually: "Do you feel that Sheng Chengli seems to have changed a bit?"
The heart of the man who had been trying to remain calm and not show his emotions all night suddenly sank.
Rong Tang licked his cracked lips and said softly, "It's normal for people to grow up fast when they are seventeen or eighteen years old."
Ke Hongxue lowered her eyes and looked at Rong Tang's swirling hair. She realized that he was unwilling to say more, but she already knew everything. She replied casually, "Indeed", sent him back to her room, and went back to the other side of the courtyard.
Rong Tang washed up and lay down on the bed, but he couldn't fall asleep for a long time.
The door was opened from the outside, and someone came in with the night dew and stopped beside the bed.
There was a glowing light particle hanging on the bedside - the system cried before leaving.
Rong Tang sat up, looked at Su Huaijing in the dim light, and asked softly, "Are you angry?"
Su Huaijing covered him without saying a word, held his lips and kissed him gently. It couldn't be considered as venting, but he was in a bad mood anyway.
Rong Tangyu gave him whatever he wanted, letting him kiss her from her lips to her eyes, and peck her from her earlobes to her neck. She was as obedient as a doll.
Su Huaijing leaned against his neck and whispered, "I'm not angry with you."
"I know." Rong Tang said.
Su Huaijing was silent for a long time, and did not take the next step. Instead, he hugged him and asked, "What kind of tea is it?"
Rong Tang paused for a moment and asked in a low voice: "Did Ke Hongxue tell you?"
Rong Tang thought about it for a moment, then complained with a smile: "Why is he like this? He really doesn't hide anything at all."
Su Huaijing: "He thinks it has something to do with me and doesn't want any misunderstanding between us."
"… "
Rong Tang was silent for two seconds, and sighed from the bottom of his heart: "He is so smart."
The person on top of him had a darkened look in his eyes, and he lowered his head and kissed him on the neck.
Rong Tang felt pain and let out a soft hiss. Su Huaijing raised his head and looked into his eyes: "Tangtang, don't praise others in bed."
"… You little jealous guy." Rong Tang muttered softly, and interrupted Su Huaijing before he could speak again, reaching out to hug him from bottom to top, coaxing him in a low voice: "Do it first."
Su Huaijing was a little surprised. He didn't move for a long time, but his physiological reaction had honestly revealed his desire.
Rong Tang smiled, raised his head and rubbed his nose, whispering: "Let's do it first, I have a lot of things in my mind now, I can't sleep, you make me faint so I can have a good sleep, okay?"
It was hard to say whether this was instigation or joint crime. Rong Tang seemed to have figured out that Su Huaijing would not push him too much, so he made the invitation without fear.
Su Huaijing looked at him for a long while, and finally chose to sink together.
When they were in high spirits and sweating profusely, Rong Tang bit Su Huaijing's ear hard, which was both sobering and painful. Then he said weakly in a voice that was almost powerless: "Huaijing, there is no misunderstanding between you and me."
Whether it was that cup of tea or the two lives that were once at odds with each other, we have always been open and honest.
Su Huaijing didn't say a word, but under the witness of the tiny light particles at the head of the bed, his eyes became deeper and deeper, with a strong desire that was about to be dissolved rolling in his eyes.
I want to hide the person and eat him.
I also hope that he is safe and healthy, and that he lives a life without worries.
In the few days after the flower-picking meeting, Su Huaijing never left Rong Tang's side.
Rong Tang laughed helplessly. On the one hand, he felt that he was too vigilant, but on the other hand, he knew that it would be difficult for Su Huaijing to let go.
Just let him go, Rong Tang stayed in the garden until the last day and then returned to Beijing.
On the way back, we changed our route and went to Tuolan Temple.
Su Huaijing didn't understand what exactly he intended to do, but he indulged him as usual.
Whatever Tangtang wanted to do, he would always agree.
Tuolan Temple is very popular every day. The little monk I saw last time was still waiting at the gate. When he saw someone coming, he chanted a Buddhist name and said, "Donor, please follow me."
Rong Tang nodded and said, "Thank you, Master."
Su Huaijing seemed to be suffering from separation anxiety recently. Seeing this, he frowned slightly and asked, "Can't I go with you?"
Before Rong Tang could say anything, the young monk said, "My uncle told me that if you insist on going, you can be taken to the outer courtyard to wait."
Su Huaijing thanked them and walked in with the two of them. Rong Tang was slightly surprised, then shook his head and chuckled.
What do you mean by monks have completely cut off worldly affairs? It is clear that their kinship ties have not been completely severed at all.
The white snow on the pear tree in the courtyard turned into green leaves. Huimian knelt on a cushion and chanted sutras in a low voice. Rongtang came in and did not disturb her. He also knelt beside her, chanting sutras slowly in front of the ancient Buddha and sandalwood.
Until the last word of the scripture was recited, the fragrance of tea wafted from the side. Rong Tang opened his eyes and saw that the white-haired monk had already left the cushion and was now making tea with his head down, with a calm and peaceful attitude.
Huimian said, "The donor came earlier than I expected. Do you have the answers to the four questions you asked?"
Where did you come from, why did you come, when did you come here, and where are you going.
Rong Tang stood up and shook his head honestly: "No."
Huimian was not surprised. He calmly poured him a cup of tea and then spread his hands to invite him to sit down. "Then why did you come to visit me this time?"
"Master, don't you know?" Rong Tang asked, looking into his eyes.
Huimian smiled softly: "I am just a layman, how can I spy on the secrets of heaven?"
Rong Tang's eyes darkened and he slowly clenched his fingers into fists at his side.
The fragrance of tea and sandalwood are intertwined, and the pear trees in the yard are bearing tiny fruits.
Rong Tang asked: "Is there something wrong with the way of heaven?"
After a pause, he changed the question: "Or, who is it that is not in the position?"
(End of this chapter)