Rong Tang had been eating since he got up in the morning. For lunch, he just drank two sips of soup and put the bowl down. Su Huaijing frowned and felt a little regretful when he saw him from the side.
The sense of accomplishment from feeding the small animals was so strong that even he forgot his sense of propriety.
Fortunately, he didn't eat much, so he didn't get indigestion. After sending Rong Tang back to his room to rest, Su Huaijing just stood there and pondered for a moment, and silently put all the snacks he brought into the bottom of the box.
He hesitated for a moment after closing the lid, took out all the ingredients and packed half of them, then locked the other half again.
We can't cut it off all at once, otherwise Tangtang might feel wronged.
After Su Huaijing finished all this, the courtyard became quiet. Rong Tang was taking a nap, Ke Hongxue and Mu Jingxu were still on the island in the middle of the lake. He was sitting at his desk, and heard two kingfishers calling from outside the window. He frowned unhappily and walked out.
Before leaving, he called Shuangshou and said, "If Tangtang wakes up and I'm not back, tell him that I'm going to look for the second young master."
Shuangshou was startled, and his expression immediately became alert and panicked: "If there is anything that you need to inform the Second Young Master, just let me pass the message. There is really no need to make this trip in person."
The night before coming to Songyuan, although Rong Zheng sent many things to Tanghuayuan, everyone in the palace knew very well that the Second Young Master and the Third Young Master were not as respectful to the Crown Prince as they appeared to be. Now that the young master had gone alone to look for the Second Young Master, Shuangshou was very worried.
Su Huaijing wanted to laugh when he heard that. He felt that his image in front of Rong Tang was as pure as a white flower, and even his servant thought that he was someone who would be bullied by others.
But when he thought about it carefully, Su Huaijing felt happy again.
It is precisely because she is protected so carefully, with her every drink and food carefully considered, that in the eyes of others, the Ningxuan Prince's Consort is a dodder that clings to Rong Tang for survival.
It can’t be said to be very good, but it is definitely not bad.
Su Huaijing had no intention of changing this perception for the time being. Selfishly speaking, he somewhat enjoyed the feeling of clinging to Rong Tang and being protected by Tang Tang.
In terms of the actual matter, 'Prince Consort of Ning Xuan' was his most natural and impeccable disguise. From the day Rong Tang gave it to him personally, Su Huaijing had been thinking about how to make the most of it.
As for other so-called reputation or other things, Su Huaijing didn't care. He was very happy to have the most inseparable connection with Rong Tang in the world through this title.
Su Huaijing smiled and said to Shuangshou: "Don't worry, the second young master respects Tangtang very much now, and he will not neglect me."
Shuangshou was still suspicious, but Rong Tang had previously told everyone in Tanghuayuan that all of Su Huaijing's orders were equivalent to what he said in person, so he insisted on going alone. Shuangshou had no way to stop him, but he was a little cautious, thinking that if someone reported back that the young master was bullied by the second young master, he would immediately wake up the young master to help the young master vent his anger.
Su Huaijing walked out of the courtyard, took a look at the growth of the flowers, and walked around a few steps. Then a servant in gray appeared in front of him and took Su Huaijing to a slightly dilapidated and sparsely populated courtyard.
The yard was even bigger than the one they lived in now. The first thing they saw when they stepped into the yard was a dark red stage.
Over the years, the stage was embroidered with gold thread and pear trees were planted everywhere. Now is the season when flowers fall and leaves grow lush, and the courtyard is shaded like the sky. It is not difficult to see that this place was probably a lively place many years ago.
Su Huaijing was not in the mood to appreciate the scenery. He walked across the stage without looking around and came to the door of the main house.
The wooden door looked like it had been wiped, and there was almost no dust to the naked eye. The sound of footsteps could be heard faintly from the inner room. Su Huaijing pushed open the door and said in a low voice: "Your Highness is acting too rashly."
The person pacing back and forth in the room was Sheng Chengming. He was wearing an apricot-yellow robe and was pacing around the room anxiously.
Su Huaijing lowered his head with interest and looked at the wooden board under his feet, wondering if it had been wiped clean by the Second Prince.
Sheng Chengming was called back to his senses. He froze for a moment, turned around, stared at Su Huaijing, and leaned forward, as if he wanted to move forward. But he remembered the dignity and dignity of a royal heir, so he stopped and said, "Sir."
"Yeah." Su Huaijing responded, turned around, closed the door and went in.
Sheng Chengming was the only one in the room, which was somewhat beyond Su Huaijing's expectations.
He originally thought that with Sheng Chengming's reckless and naive character, after discovering his relationship with Ning Xuan Palace, even if he could resist coming to ask for accountability right away, he would certainly not be able to resist asking Rong Zheng for some information.
Su Huaijing asked: "Did anyone see your Highness come here?"
Sheng Chengming hadn't slept well that night, and his eyes were bloodshot. Hearing this, he immediately replied, "The flower picking party will start today, and everyone is either on the island or playing in the manor. This place is dilapidated, and the third brother has ordered people to seal it off. I have been avoiding ears and eyes all the way, and I haven't been seen. Don't worry, sir."
Su Huaijing curled his lips and said with a smile: "Your Highness is looking for me so urgently, what important matter do you want to discuss?"
The young man's face showed a calmness and composure beyond his age. Sheng Chengming grew up in the royal family. His grandfather had thought more than once about arranging a few counselors around him so that he could win the favor of Emperor Renshou or suppress other princes.
But in Sheng Chengming's view, those people were all pedantic people who only knew how to show off their knowledge of books, talked a lot and shook their heads, and were indecisive before doing anything. Sheng Chengming got a headache just by listening to what they said.
When he met Su Huaijing, he was at a very critical period.
His father allowed him to attend court affairs, but it was unclear whether it was to intimidate him or to target the ministers of the Third Prince's faction. He messed up several cases he took over, even the easiest and simplest ones, and displeased his father.
For a while, Sheng Chengming was very worried that His Majesty would throw him back to the Imperial College to attend lectures with his fourth and fifth brothers.
Su Huaijing happened to surrender at that time. Sheng Chengming was originally wary and suspicious of him, but he was able to find a lucky beast like the white tiger, and presented it to him without reservation as a bargaining chip to please his father. When Su Huaijing was proud and complacent and almost left a hidden danger, Sheng Chengming carefully reminded and advised him, thus avoiding being held accountable by his father in the future and avoiding risks.
Sheng Chengming now has overflowing trust in this young man.
For this reason, when he found out that the marriage Su Huaijing mentioned was actually marrying the Prince of Ningxuan as his consort, Sheng Chengming fell into a long and difficult state of shock.
He searched for a long time, then said, "I was dealing with the remnant rebels last month, and I didn't have time to pay attention to the major events in the capital, but I heard that... Prince Ningxuan's marriage was originally for the purpose of bringing good luck. If you—"
Su Huaijing didn't say anything, but looked up at him with a faint smile on his lips, which seemed like silent encouragement at first glance.
Sheng Chengming then became a little bolder. He swallowed his saliva and said, "If you are not willing, I will help you report to your father and cancel this marriage. It is not orthodox for a man to marry. How can you, a talented young man, be confined to the harem and serve a sickly woman every day?"
Sheng Chengming thought that Su Huaijing was forced to marry Rong Tang. He felt that this was not enough. He frowned and said indignantly, "Cousin Rong is too willful. Knowing that he will not live for many years, how can he marry a man? After he dies, won't you have to mourn for him? A newly widowed woman is not allowed to take the imperial examination for three years. If he dies early, it's fine. But if he drags his broken body to struggle for three to five years, won't you have to waste nearly ten years on him!?"
The more Sheng Chengming thought about it, the more frightened he became. When he said this, his brows were tightly knitted and his face was filled with indignation. After he finished speaking, there was no response from Su Huaijing for a long time. He raised his eyes and looked over with burning eyes, as if as long as Su Huaijing gave the order, he could immediately ride back to the palace from Songyuan and ask Emperor Renshou to cancel this marriage which he thought was extremely ridiculous.
But the moment their eyes met, Sheng Chengming suddenly felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and a sense of crisis was roaring in his face!
Those were the eyes of a wild beast in the wilderness before hunting, its scarlet pupils locked onto the throat of its prey before dawn, ready to pounce and bite it off at any time, ending everything in the dark night.
The instantaneous body sensation was particularly clear, and Sheng Chengming's hair stood on end, as if a gust of cold wind had blown past him, making him feel as if he were in the coldest days of winter even though he was under the warm April sun.
Sheng Chengming was shocked and looked at Su Huaijing again in disbelief, but suddenly realized that the perception just now seemed like an illusion.
Su Huaijing still smiled gently, and patiently listened to all the sentences he said that could be considered slander and curse. Then he turned his head and said softly, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Sheng Chengming was unusually cautious and did not respond immediately.
Su Huaijing said: "Rong Tang and I love each other. I am a person with no ambitions. I just hope to enjoy flowers, read books, listen to operas and appreciate music with Tang Tang for the rest of my life. I hope Tang Tang can live a hundred years. If God does not pity me and I don't have that blessing, I just hope to be with him long enough."
Sheng Chengming stared at Su Huaijing blankly, and saw that the expression on the face of the young man he respected was actually a kind of gentleness that seemed to be coated with light.
"If this marriage can really help Tangtang get rid of her illness, then that would be my blessing. I hope Your Highness will not say such things again in the future." He raised his eyes, looked at Sheng Chengming, and bowed his hands. "If Your Highness thinks that I am so sentimental and can't accomplish anything, it's also because I am unlucky and have no chance to assist Your Highness in conquering the world. But if you want me to leave Rongtang, that is absolutely impossible."
Su Huaijing said in a serious tone: "May Your Highness have a long life of blessings, make many friends and advisers, and one day bring peace and prosperity to Dayu, and become an emperor of all ages. I am of limited ability and unable to assist Your Highness, so here-"
"Sir, don't say that!"
Sheng Chengming finally came to his senses, his eyes widened in disbelief, all the reserved decorum he had just managed to maintain disappeared, he hurriedly took a step forward, stretched out his hand to shake Zhu Huaijing's hand, then as if he knew he was being rude, he took a half step back, and directly apologized: "I am pedantic and ignorant, and I don't know how to judge things. I hope you will be magnanimous and don't mind it. My cousin is a lucky man, and he will be blessed in the future if he survives a disaster. You and my cousin will definitely be..."
He paused for a moment and said with difficulty: "We will grow old together and be together forever."
Su Huaijing lowered his eyes and asked calmly, "Really?"
Sheng Chengming responded immediately: "That's right! In ancient times, talented men were paired with beautiful women. In Dayu a hundred years ago, there was even an era when the emperor and empress ruled together. That was a good story. I am ignorant and short-sighted, and I actually said such nonsense as 'men marrying is not orthodox'. Even if you don't remind me, I will not be able to face my ancestors in the future! Please be magnanimous and forgive my careless words!"
Su Huaijing looked around the room but couldn't find a place to sit. He was too lazy to waste words with Sheng Chengming, so he was silent for a while after hearing what he said. He bowed again and didn't mention the words that almost led to their separation.
Sheng Chengming felt a little scared. He had a lot of questions in his mind but didn't ask them out loud. He almost lost a general. For a moment, he was so nervous that he didn't dare to say a word.
Su Huaijing reminded him again: "Your Highness called me here, what is the matter?"
Sheng Chengming looked a little hesitant, and Su Huaijing said, "Your Highness, please feel free to speak."
Sheng Chengming then asked the main question: "Why did you team up with Master Ke?"
Su Huaijing lowered his eyes, his expression slightly cold: "Your Highness, you took the risk of letting me meet you, just to ask this?"
Sheng Chengming was shocked and didn't react for a moment.
Su Huaijing said, "Prince Ning Xuan is a close minister of the emperor, and he has three sons in his family. The eldest son, Rong Tang, is the nephew of the current queen, the second son, Rong Zheng, is good friends with Your Highness, and the youngest son, Rong Yuan, is in close contact with the third prince. There are four people in the Ning Xuan family, and they have four different positions. Your Highness has recognized me as his staff member, and he has learned that Rong Tang and I are a couple who have been sworn brothers. Now he has risked calling me to the Flower Picking Meeting, just to ask me why I teamed up with Master Ke?"
Su Huaijing's gaze fell on Sheng Chengming with a hint of imperceptible disappointment.
He said: "Even if Your Highness doubts my position, you should never doubt Ke Hongxue."
Sheng Chengming said hurriedly: "I didn't—"
Su Huaijing interrupted him: "Your Highness should be suspicious." He said: "When I surrendered to Your Highness at the beginning, I did not tell you everything, so you didn't know I was from Ning Xuanwang Mansion until yesterday. In this case, you should not only be suspicious, but you should also carefully recall every meeting and every conversation from our first meeting to now, so as to judge whether I have any second thoughts and whether you are in danger."
"I said it earlier that Your Highness was not cautious enough in his actions." Su Huaijing said.
Sheng Chengming opened his mouth and said blankly: "But everything you have done so far is indeed for my good."
Su Huaijing said: "That's because I have no intention of being disloyal."
Sheng Chengming was puzzled: "If that's the case, why did you make me doubt you, sir?"
"What if there are others like me?" Su Huaijing asked, "What if there are others who appear when Your Highness is in deep trouble, give Your Highness advice, gain Your Highness' trust, but then wait for an opportunity to betray Your Highness?"
Sheng Chengming felt a slight chill on his back, but Su Huaijing said, "Your Highness has a pure heart and is always less afraid of those close to you. This is something I have reminded you of before. It is my great honor as a counselor that you are willing to trust me, but for the monarch, this is not a good thing. Your Highness must change."
Su Huaijing chose Sheng Chengming because he was easy to get along with, and he was present at banquets with all kinds of people, including princes and nobles. Sheng Chengming himself was a proud and extravagant person, so it was very easy for him to get to know him.
The second reason is that he is too stupid and has no scheming, so he will just follow other people's ideas. If you give him a little sweetness, he will feel that the other party is devoted to him and he would like to treat him as a guest of honor.
Such people are easy to control, but they can also make people feel tired.
Su Huaijing didn't want to clean up after Sheng Chengming every moment, so he still had to remind him of some things.
After he said this, he answered Sheng Chengming's previous question: "The reason why Your Highness asked me why I teamed up with Master Ke is because there is the Fifth Prince in our group, and Your Highness is worried that I will choose him."
"But please think carefully, Your Highness. Whether it's the mother and son of Concubine Fang who are protected by the Queen, or the Third Prince, the host of this flower-picking party, if I want to betray them, who among them wouldn't be more suitable than the Fifth Prince?"
Sheng Chengli is the least noticeable one among the heirs of Emperor Renshou. He is confined to the cold palace, has no relatives by marriage, and is not favored by the emperor. In terms of power, he does not have as much as Rong Tang.
To some extent, Sheng Chengli might be easier to control than Sheng Chengming. Su Huaijing suspected that Mu Jingxu chose him because of this.
But this has nothing to do with him. Su Huaijing has no intention of getting close to Sheng Chengli. The reason why he talked with Ke Hongxue before entering Songyuan was, after all, for the prize of this flower-picking party.
He asked: "Your Highness, since you know about my team formation, do you also know who are in my team?"
Sheng Chengming said, "Fifth brother, cousin, Master Ke, Master Mu, you, young master..." He paused, frowning slightly, "and a student from Linyuan Academy."
Su Huaijing felt a little disappointed, but it disappeared in an instant.
It was ironic that he had hope for Sheng Chengming. Su Huaijing said, "That student is called Lu Jiaxi, a native of Beijing, a junior of Ke Hongxue, and will take part in the imperial examination next year."
Sheng Chengming seemed to find the name 'Lu Jiaxi' very familiar, and repeated in a low voice: "Lu Jiaxi..."
Su Huaijing: "He was the one who sued the authorities in the Ding Laibao incident."
Sheng Chengming's pupils suddenly dilated: "It's him!?"
Su Huaijing nodded: "Lu Jiaxi's knowledge is not outstanding, even if he participates in the imperial examination, he may not get a good score. The best result is to enter the Hanlin Academy as a scholar, and after a year of experience, he will be transferred to the six ministries."
Sheng Chengming asked, "What are your plans, sir?"
"I think it's too late." Su Huaijing said, "The Third Prince has made many friends with talented scholars and civil servants. When the imperial examination begins next year, the students who participated in this flower-folding meeting can say that they are the Third Prince's disciples if they become officials in the court in the future. The Third Prince has not yet entered the court to listen to government affairs, but he already has many more advantages than you."
Concubine Hui was a very ambitious person. She gave her youngest son the destiny of the emperor star, but she did not let her eldest son grow up wildly.
On the contrary, it was clear that someone corrected Sheng Chengxing during his growth process.
His maternal grandfather was a military commander, so he chose the path of literature. When the time is right, looking back, half of the civil and military officials in the court will stand behind the third prince.
Sheng Chengming had no ability to fight him at all.
But this situation requires time to develop. Su Huaijing was happy to see the sons of Emperor Renshou fighting among themselves, and he was not so kind as to remind Sheng Chengming.
He just said the current plan: "Mr. Mu's knowledge is well known to the world. I will team up with him to win the prize of this flower-picking meeting and send Lu Jiaxi to the Hanlin Academy. As for whether to win him over openly or secretly make him a pawn, it will all be up to your Highness."
Su Huaijing glanced at the sky outside, frowned slightly, and said, "If Your Highness still has questions, just write a letter and ask someone to deliver it to me like before. Don't meet in private again, as it may arouse suspicion."
Sheng Chengming stood there in a daze, and after Su Huaijing gave him a few more instructions and left, he was stunned in the room for a long time, and called out, "Go find Rong Zheng."
_
Rong Tang woke up from his nap and relaxed in bed for a while when he heard a slightly noisy noise outside.
He was stunned for a moment, put on his clothes, stood up, pushed open the door and saw Shuangfu and Shuangshou standing in a daze by the moon gate. Rong Zheng walked into the yard and directed the servants to carry in many gift boxes.
Seeing that he had woken up, Rong Zheng quickly walked over and stood at the bottom of the steps to greet him: "Good afternoon, brother. Did you sleep well?"
Rong Tang nodded and looked at the box behind him: "What is this?"
Rong Zheng looked back and said with a smile, "Your Highness was rewarded by His Majesty some time ago and received many precious medicinal herbs. Your Highness was kind enough to give them all to me. However, I am a useless brother with only good health as an advantage. I really can't use these treasures and would rather waste them. So I decided to give them all to you as a filial tribute. Please accept them."
Rong Tang: “…?”
Medicinal herbs? Filial piety
He just took a nap, and what happened
Did Su Huaijing recognize him as a son? !
(End of this chapter)