Emperor Renshou had seven princes. The eldest prince was born to Queen Wang, but he died young in the second year of Emperor Renshou's reign.
Among the princes who are still alive today, except for the male protagonist Sheng Chengli, whose mother was a foreign singer who died in the cold palace long ago, the second prince Sheng Chengming's biological mother is Concubine Yi, the daughter of cabinet elder Zhang; the third prince and the sixth prince are both born to Concubine Hui Xia; the fourth prince's mother, Concubine Rupin, was originally a maid beside Concubine Yi; the seventh prince's mother is the noble lady Fang who just entered the palace a few years ago and is on good terms with the queen.
Now the Second Prince is frequently praised by Emperor Renshou, and even Concubine Yi's maternal family is proud of it, which makes Concubine Hui very unhappy.
Concubine Hui's father was the Grand Marshal of the Army and had served Emperor Renshou well. In order to appease them, the Third Prince went out of the palace and set up a residence to hold a flower-picking party. The Emperor not only approved the leave of some civil officials to allow them to participate, but also, after hearing that the Third Prince was going to make friends through literature and select the first, second and third rank, he waved his hand and directly promised him a place in the Hanlin Academy as a prize.
Hanlin Academy Shujishi is not an official position, but it is closely related to the cabinet. Many cabinet ministers in history started out as Hanlin Academy Shujishi.
The admission of regular Shujishi was based on selection after the imperial examination. Emperor Renshou's move was said to be an appeasement, but it was more of a signal.
—A signal that allows the Third Prince to make friends with close ministers, build up power, and recruit subordinates.
Therefore, as soon as this order was issued, not only the talented scholars in the capital who were originally on good terms with the Third Prince, but also the children of noble families like Rong Tang and Rong Zheng were urged by their fathers to study hard and go to the meeting.
Rong Tang had little interest in the Shujishi. For others, this flower-picking party was a stepping stone into the official career, but for him, it was just an opportunity to go out of town for a short trip.
But Rong Tang was not sure whether Su Huaijing wanted this opportunity. If he wanted it, Rong Tang would fight for him.
The next morning, at Rong Tang's strong request, the two of them rode Su Huaijing's carriage out of the city. There were three carriages in total from Ning Xuan Palace. The first one was for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, the second one was for Rong Zheng, Rong Yuan, Rong Zhe, and the third one was for Rong Ying and Rong Ning.
Rong Tang slumped down in his seat as soon as he got on the bus, took out a wool blanket and wrapped himself in it, then pulled out a box of cards, his eyes sparkling, "Want to play poker?"
Su Huaijing was about to pour him some tea, but was startled when he heard this, and laughed, "Just the two of us?"
Rong Tang knocked on the car door happily: "Shuangfu!"
A round head came in from behind the curtain. Shuangfu's eyes lit up when he saw what Rong Tang was holding: "Master, my dear."
Su Huaijing simply didn't know what to say to this master and servant. He laughed for a while, poured a cup of tea for Rong Tang, set up a small table and started playing with the two of them.
When he was a child in the palace, he saw his mother and the concubines playing mahjong. When his third brother was thirteen or fourteen years old, he would smile and fan himself while counting cards behind the concubines. This often annoyed even the calmest and most peaceful Concubine Mei, who wanted to drive him away. So the third prince would smile, bend down and beg for mercy, then pick up Su Huaijing and go to the imperial garden to fly kites and catch crickets to while away the long hours.
So Su Huaijing actually never watched the ladies play a complete game of card games, but in his impression, card games are not called "poker", and the patterns are completely different from the one Rong Tang is holding.
Shuangfu said that Rong Tang drew the pattern himself and then found a craftsman to make it. Su Huaijing was a little suspicious at the time, but after hearing Rong Tang say last night that he had never been stupid, he felt much relieved.
Perhaps there were other reasons that forced Rong Tang to play dumb. The palace was a man-eating beast's mouth. The young master had such a kind heart, it would be safer for him to be a fool who didn't care about the world.
Rong Tang taught them the rules of poker, and the prize was copper coins. Shuangfu and Shuangshou lost so much of their monthly allowance several times, but the next time the prince urged them to play cards, they came running over excitedly again.
Fortunately, after Rong Tang won the money, he would return it the next day under various pretexts, otherwise Su Huaijing would have to find a way to appease his servants.
Su Huaijing played with him for half a round, and when he saw that the tea was almost dry, he passed it to Rong Tang's mouth: "Moisten your throat."
Rong Tang was having a great time, and when he heard that, he didn't even blink. He naturally turned his head and tried to drink the water from Su Huaijing's hand.
Su Huaijing was slightly startled, but couldn't help smiling. He indulged him, raised his wrist slightly, and slowly and evenly fed Rong Tang half a cup of tea.
Rong Tang was slightly stunned when he took a sip of the tea. After letting go, he pursed his lips and asked Su Huaijing, "Did you change the tea leaves?"
Su Huaijing nodded: "Isn't it delicious?"
Rong Tang said: "Not really, it's just my drinking habit from before."
Su Huaijing smiled and put down the cup. Rong Tang asked casually while playing cards, "Is the tea gone?"
"Yeah." Su Huaijing said, "I brought the tea from Shu before, and there was only so much, and I drank it all. If brother Tangtang likes it, I will ask my uncle if there is any more at home later."
Rong Tang couldn't help frowning when he heard Li Changfu's name. The two of them didn't go to Li Changfu's house when they returned home. Later, Shuangshou said that on March 20th, the Li Mansion in Songjing Lane swept the floor early in the morning to welcome them, and hung two long strings of firecrackers at the door. Li Changfu and his sons waited at the door for half a morning, but they didn't wait for the Ningxuan Prince and the Crown Princess to return home, which made a big joke.
Rong Tang didn't care about him. Once Su Huaijing entered Ningxuan Palace, he was his person. The wedding banquet had already given Li Changfu enough face. He would not give this villain any chance to curry favor with the powerful.
So Rong Tang's tone became heavy, and with a bit of displeasure, he said: "Don't ask him, this is also very delicious."
Su Huaijing asked with a smile: "Tangtang likes it?"
Rong Tang glanced at him, somewhat puzzled: "It's really good."
It was a little more bitter than the tea he had drunk before, but it had a sweet aftertaste and a light taste, with a hint of morning dew, which was quite to his taste.
Before Su Huaijing could say anything, Shuangfu smiled and revealed his past: "Master, it's a good thing you said you like it, otherwise I would feel sorry for you."
Rong Tang was slightly surprised: "What's wrong?"
Shuangfu: "This is the dew that my husband collected in the garden early in the morning before daybreak. He collected some dew from the grass leaves and some dew from the flower petals. He boiled them separately and kept them. He knocked on your door when the sun came out. How can it not taste good?"
Rong Tang was stunned for a long time, and he played the wrong card. Su Huaijing raised his eyebrows, but he didn't let him. He took it with a smile and played all the cards in his hand. Shuangfu was still cheerful the previous second, but his face fell the next second. He reluctantly recognized the fact, took out two copper coins from his pocket and put them in front of Su Huaijing.
Su Huaijing spread out his right hand and handed it to Rong Tang: "Tangtang, give me the money."
Rong Tang subconsciously reached for the money, and halfway through putting his hand on his waist, he suddenly came to his senses and looked at Su Huaijing: "Isn't my money with you?"
"But that's my pocket money." Su Huaijing said this without any psychological burden, his eyes slightly curved, smiling harmlessly and innocently: "Brother Tangtang plans to use my pocket money to pay for gambling?"
Rong Tang was shocked and couldn't help but complain in his heart.
The system said coldly: [Host, you deserve it. ]
Rong Tang didn't feel that he deserved it, he just felt like he was being held in a trap.
Su Huaijing took care of him meticulously these days, and Rong Tang became dependent on him. Not only did he give him the key to the private treasury in the courtyard, but also every time he went out, he would just stuff money into Su Huaijing's pocket and stroll out with empty hands and just holding a hand warmer.
It was the same when he came to the flower-picking party this time. He didn't bring a penny with him. His money was either with Shuangfu or with Su Huaijing.
Now that I lost money playing cards with these two people, I want to find a wife to pay for the gambling...
Rong Tang felt a little embarrassed.
Su Huaijing smiled, untied his purse with his backhand, took out a handful of silver and copper coins from it, and piled them in front of Rong Tang, whispering, "Remember to return them to me."
Rong Tang was so amused by him that he almost forgot that the money was all his. He agreed without thinking and took out two copper coins from the pile and handed them to Su Huaijing as gambling money.
The system was amazed: [Host, what kind of fun are you playing? ]
It was clear that all the silver notes Rong Tang gave to Su Huaijing started at one hundred taels, but now this mountain of silver and money added up to less than ten taels, and the two of them were still returning it, as if they were flirting.
The system actually wanted to say this conclusion directly, but it knew that its host was too thin-skinned, so it digested it on its own, turned around in the system space, and then curled up in Rong Tang's legs to watch him play cards.
It was Rong Tang who wanted to play poker, and it was also Rong Tang who lost everything in the end. He looked at the pile of copper coins in front of him and returned to Su Huaijing's purse intact, and was very puzzled: "Were you pretending to be me before?"
Su Huaijing smiled: "No."
Rong Tang didn't believe him at all. Seeing Shuangfu also looked miserable after losing, he handed over the two remaining silver coins. He originally wanted to give them all to him, but he knew Shuangfu wouldn't take them, so he said, "One for you, and one for me to keep. You can give me the next time we play cards."
Shuangfu looked at him, then at Su Huaijing, hesitated for a while, and finally put it away, turned around and got out of the car.
Rong Tang lost the whole game and was in a rare bad mood. He drank most of the cup of tea as if he was sulking. He wanted to pour more, but Su Huaijing stretched out his hand to stop him.
Rong Tang glared at him unhappily. Su Huaijing lowered his eyebrows, looking somewhat pitiful and aggrieved: "Brother Tangtang gave my pocket money to someone else."
Rong Tang's scalp tingled: "Aren't I going to return it to you?"
Su Huaijing added: "Brother Tangtang is angry."
Rong Tang retorted: "I didn't."
Su Huaijing didn't believe it. He stared at him for a while, shook his head, and concluded, "He's just being angry."
Rong Tang: “…”
He confronted Su Huaijing for two seconds, calmed down, and decisively admitted: "Yes, I am a little angry."
He asked puzzledly: "Can you count cards?"
Su Huaijing blinked: "It's not difficult."
Rong Tang was choked by his relaxed tone, and after a while he complained in a low voice: "Playing cards and counting cards is so boring, it's like standing naked in front of you."
Su Huaijing's eyes darkened slightly, then suddenly relaxed, and he smiled and coaxed: "I was wrong, I won't remember the cards next time."
Rong Tang looked at him suspiciously: "Really?"
Su Huaijing nodded: "Really."
Su Huaijing smiled and curved his eyes: "Because brother Tangtang said he would return it to me."
Rong Tang: "? Are you short of money?"
Su Huaijing shook his head: "No shortage."
"Then...?" Rong Tang was even more confused.
Su Huaijing said: "I have the key to the storehouse, and I keep the monthly allowance from the palace. Brother Tangtang gave me all the cash as pocket money right after he got married... Tangtang, you don't have any money now, right?"
His smile was gentle and calm, but Rong Tang seemed to have seen a fox and his eyes widened in disbelief.
Su Huaijing stepped forward, took his hand, and squeezed it slowly: "If you can't pay me back, Brother Tangtang, give me something else."
Rong Tang digested it for a long time, his voice hoarse: "What do you want?"
Su Huaijing shook his head obediently: "I haven't thought about it yet. I'll tell you when I think of it."
Rong Tang was almost pissed off by him. He bit his lip and was about to explode when his hand was pinched again and again. Su Huaijing let him go, spread his palm in front of him, and rolled up his sleeves: "It hurts..."
Rong Tang was stunned and looked down. The villain's plain white wrist was covered with many intricately scarred scars, each of which looked very fresh, as if they were scratched by grass stems or branches.
Rong Tang thought of what Shuangfu had said before, and his anger immediately disappeared, and he even felt a little distressed. Su Huaijing raised his eyes to look at him, and said softly, "Okay?"
Rong Tang: "...Okay, okay."
What can he do? He has to marry his own wife.
Su Huaijing smiled and said coquettishly: "Then Tangtang, can you help me apply the medicine?"
Rong Tang: “…”
The ointment prescribed by the palace doctor was very effective. Rong Tang had some left after using it up before, so he packed it up in his luggage and brought it with him this time.
He rummaged around and found the bottle of black ointment. He opened it and scooped out some. He remembered the last time in Yong'an Lane, when the man in front of him was helping him apply the ointment while looking like he was about to kill. He couldn't help but glared at Su Huaijing and said unkindly, "You can hurt yourself by collecting dew water. You shouldn't have collected it."
Su Huaijing felt that this sentence was very familiar. He was stunned for a moment, recalled for two seconds, laughed sullenly, and did not move his wrist. Ren Rongtang helped him apply the medicine, but said: "No."
Rong Tang looked at him with confusion in his eyes.
Su Huaijing said: "It should be 'How can you hurt yourself by collecting dew water? Huaijing, you shouldn't collect it.'"
The two words "Huai Jing" sounded smooth and smooth when they came out of his mouth. They even had a hint of laziness in them, as if they were filled with love.
After Su Huaijing finished speaking, he looked at Rong Tang with sparkling eyes: "Tangtang, can you say it again?"
Rong Tang: “…” I refuse.
[You deserve it.] The system once again criticized its own host.
It also couldn't understand it. The host clearly knew that it was no match for the villain, but it still had to provoke him again and again, and would not stop until it was blushing and speechless.
Rong Tang said: "Shut up."
He couldn't defeat Su Huaijing, so how could he defeat the little fool called the system
[You only know how to be mean to me!] The system said angrily, jumping up and down on the legs of Rong Tang's virtual character many times as if to vent its anger.
Su Huaijing couldn't hear the answer, and his tone became much softer, even stickier than before: "Tangtang?"
Rong Tang's ears couldn't help but feel hot. He really had no choice but to ask in a weak voice, "Don't call me like that."
Su Huaijing was startled for a moment, then smiled. The plaster had been applied, and there was a scent of herbs on his wrist. Su Huaijing took his hand back, propped up his chin with one hand, raised his eyes and looked at Rong Tang with a smile: "Brother Tangtang bullied me."
Rong Tang was even more devastated.
Su Huaijing said: "Since you don't allow me to call you husband, nor do you allow me to call you Tangtang, then what should I call you?"
He paused, his smile deepened, and he asked softly, "... Husband?"
Rong Tang panicked and leaned forward, putting his palm directly on Su Huaijing's mouth, holding him down tightly. His ears became redder and his eyes were dodging. He wished he could find a hole to crawl into, and his face was full of embarrassment.
But his fingers happened to press on the back of Su Huaijing's hand that was resting on his cheek. Su Huaijing paused slightly, lowered his gaze, and smiled slightly. Rong Tang shrank as if he was burned, but did not take his hand away. Su Huaijing kept this posture and changed the movement of his left hand. His fingertips went in between Rong Tang's fingers little by little until they were clasped together. He took them down and raised them in front of Rong Tang with a smile.
As if offering a treasure: "Look, fingers intertwined!"
Rong Tang: “…”
I'd rather die.
-
The flower-picking party was held at the farm named Songyuan which was awarded to the third prince by Emperor Renshou at the end of last year. It was located on the outskirts of the capital, close to mountains and water, and had beautiful scenery.
The Ningxuan Palace convoy was moving slowly all the way because they were worried that the Crown Prince would not be able to withstand the bumps. By the time they arrived outside the manor, a row of horses and carriages were already tied to the hitching posts.
It was spring, with flowers blooming everywhere and trees shading the mountains and forests. Rong Tang dodged Su Huaijing's hand awkwardly and got off the carriage. At a glance, he happened to see Ke Hongxue getting off the carriage.
Master Ke was wearing a emerald green spring outfit today, paired with a white jade folded fan, his hair was tied up with a crown, and he stood tall and graceful. His pair of peach blossom eyes were full of thousands of charms. The noble ladies passing by inadvertently saw him and covered their faces in shyness.
Rong Tang: “…” a scourge.
He was just complaining in his heart when Ke Hongxue looked over at him leisurely, opened his eyes, closed his fan, shook his head and said with a smile: "My Lord, we meet again!"
Rong Tang turned around and was about to leave, but Su Huaijing stopped him and took him a few steps forward with a smile: "Master Ke."
Rong Tang had no choice but to go over and ask, "Mu Shaoqing is not with you?"
Ke Hongxue's mouth drooped, and he said self-deprecatingly: "My senior brother is very partial. He was worried that his little apprentice would be neglected on the road, so he went to escort him personally. How could he think of me?"
Rong Tang was slightly startled and frowned: "Sheng Chengli is here too?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ke Hongxue's expression changed. He looked at Rong Tang thoughtfully and said meaningfully, "Prince Ning Xuan is really favored by His Majesty."
Rong Tang was stunned, and turned to look at Su Huaijing, only to see the latter looking at him thoughtfully. His heart froze, and just as he was about to explain, he heard Su Huaijing say, "Your Majesty is happy to have a lucky beast, and the world knows it. Master Ke, have you forgotten what you said in Shudao Pavilion last night?"
The reason why Ke Hongxue became suspicious was very simple. It was just that they didn't mention Sheng Chengli's name at all last night. But just now, when Rong Tang heard what Ke Hongxue said, he asked if the male protagonist was here too.
This kind of acumen makes it hard not to suspect that he knows something.
Hearing this, Ke Hongxue's smile remained unchanged, and he asked Su Huaijing slowly and leisurely: "Oh? What did I say that could allow the prince to guess who my brother is so quickly? Please tell me clearly, princess."
Rong Tang frowned and wanted to beat Ke Hongxue.
Su Huaijing said calmly, "It seems that Master Ke does have a poor memory. As a master, Master Ke walked around the palace, and the people he made friends with were not only the eunuchs in charge, but also the princes and companions of the Imperial Academy."
Ke Hongxue waved his folding fan and said, "That makes sense."
Su Huaijing: "The person who could make Master Ke save him from the jaws of death without regard for his own safety is unlikely to be my father-in-law."
Ke Hongxue said directly: "The Crown Prince's Consort is very perceptive. It is not only unlikely to be the eunuch, but it should be the prince. But how could the Crown Prince happen to guess the Fifth Prince?"
Although some time ago, Taifu Ke Wenrui suggested to Emperor Renshou that Sheng Chengli should be a minister to assist in the administration, this matter was kept secret and only the emperor's close ministers knew about it.
Rong Mingyu and other confidants of Emperor Renshou were all very tight-lipped and would never tell their family members about secrets in the palace. Ke Hongxue's question showed that he had some ulterior motives.
While he was suspicious of Rong Tang, he also became suspicious of King Ning Xuan.
Rong Tang's temples throbbed when he heard this, and he really wanted him to stop talking. Rong Tang in this life didn't understand him, but after all the years of getting along with him in the previous two lives, how could he not understand Ke Hongxue!
This man inexplicably called him at Shudao Pavilion last night. Even if it was really an accidental encounter, the words about "tiger" and "your apprentice" were mentioned by him himself.
Not to mention that we "happened" to meet at the gate of Songyuan today, and when I asked casually, he brought up his apprentice again.
Time and again, it was clear that they had some ulterior motive, but they were able to pin the suspicion on him, putting themselves in a high position to hold him accountable.
Rong Tang didn't believe that Su Huaijing didn't see it. If he didn't think that Su Huaijing must have some ulterior motive in coming over to talk to him, he would have really exposed Ke Hongxue directly.
His head ached when he heard Su Huaijing laughing and saying, "To be honest, since he is a prince, he must be escorted by carriages and horses from the palace and protected by the Dragon Guards. Apart from the Fifth Prince, who dares to neglect the prince's grandson?"
Ke Hongxue paused for a moment, and saw that Su Huaijing's eyes had changed, showing some satisfaction and some fear. He closed his folding fan casually, and smiled as if he had just realized something: "It was because I let the cat out of the bag that aroused the suspicion of the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. If the Crown Princess hadn't reminded me, I don't know how many mistakes I would have made in the future. Thank you very much."
Su Huaijing avoided his thanks, his eyes were a little colder, his voice was a little deeper, and a sense of oppression came over him: "I don't deserve the word thank you, but I don't know why Master Ke has tested me so many times?"
(End of this chapter)