The Rong family was powerful and close to the imperial family. Originally, the imperial family borrowing their influence wouldn’t be impossible, but the Rong family had marriage ties to the Di family.
If the Di family were completely loyal, that would be fine. Setting aside how loyal the Di family was, the Di family had people like Old Madam Rong.
In His Majesty’s and Her Highness’s eyes, with Old Madam Rong having such a nature, and the Di family holding military power, if he became the Crown Princess’s husband in the future, how could the Rong family possibly resist seizing imperial power?
There was no logic in desperately trying to escape tiger claws only to deliver oneself into a wolf’s mouth.
Though the reasoning was clear, his heart was unwilling.
At this moment, the moon was bright and stars sparse. Moonlight spread across the ground like a pale white scroll, with the slender silhouette of a young woman etched within it, long hair scattered in the wind.
This scene seemed vaguely familiar, as if he had seen it years ago.
Memories buried deep in his heart churned, like a bone stuck in his throat.
He couldn’t help but say: “Your Highness, do you remember when you were twelve years old, you shot an arrow from the palace’s star-gazing platform and hit someone climbing the palace wall?”
Tie Ci remembered this incident and nodded: “Of course. It was actually a master thief who had the audacity to scale the palace wall. I sent him down with one arrow. Later this story got distorted and actually became…”
She didn’t continue.
At that time, her reputation was excellent. Countless people inside and outside the palace used this as conversation material. Somehow it transformed into a story about that night involving a dissolute young man who, for beauty’s sake, risked life and death to climb the palace wall hoping to see her once, only to have her shoot off his middle leg with an arrow.
People always loved these romantic legends, and no one thought to consider why no family’s young master was ever reported as being crippled afterward.
Nor did they consider what kind of single-celled brain someone would need to climb palace walls seeking death.
Besides, could one even see Ruixiang Palace from the palace walls? Did they think the imperial palace was some one-bedroom apartment?
That night, Tie Ci had been practicing qi circulation on the star-gazing platform when she inadvertently discovered someone with excellent qinggong attempting to leap over the palace wall, seemingly carrying someone in their hands. She immediately shot an arrow, bringing that person down from the wall.
But when people were sent to investigate later, they only found a pool of blood beneath the palace wall—no person anywhere.
Rong Pu said: “Actually…”
Suddenly Tie Ci sniffed and said in surprise: “How fragrant!”
Turning her head, she saw Rong Wei leaning against a flowering tree, twirling a string of meat skewers in his hand without eating them, casually sniffing the aroma.
Rong Pu nearly rolled his eyes without regard for his image.
Why was he everywhere!
Rong Wei smiled as he looked at him, also finding this friend who had seemed acceptable before now appeared detestable.
Why was he everywhere!
And this guy was actually a cut-sleeve too!
He had noticed his unusual attitude toward Eighteen before, and just now he had gotten a good look—those eyes were practically dripping with emotion.
Eighteen was arguing with him, so what was this guy trying to do?
Fortunately, he couldn’t sleep tonight and got up to slaughter a sheep that the supervisor’s family kept on the back mountain.
Tie Ci had been scheming with people for half the night and was famished. Smelling the fragrance, she walked over with quick steps to take some, but Rong Wei moved his hand away.
Tie Ci was stunned.
Thinking about it, oh right, they were still in a cold war.
Tsk tsk, such a big temper.
Tie Ci was someone who kept big matters in her heart while small matters didn’t trouble her. Usually with such things, she would immediately apologize and be done with it. Having quarreled with him for a while today, now that she had come to her senses, she felt she had been acting rather petty.
When it came to matters involving Rong Wei, she always seemed unlike herself.
She made a refined bow: “Sir, it was Eighteen who was wrong earlier. I shouldn’t have offended you. Please forgive this student.”
It would have been better if she hadn’t apologized. Once she did, Rong Wei’s expression turned cold.
He lowered his head to look at Tie Ci for a while. His eyes were beautifully shaped with long eye corners. When lowered, they were covered by long, dense lashes—even when emotionless, they were moving.
But Tie Ci felt as if she were being stared at by ten thousand ice sculptures—both cold and eerie.
Dan Shuang suddenly walked over, staring at Rong Wei, stepping forward to block Tie Ci.
Tie Ci pushed her aside.
She was afraid that in a fit of anger, Rong Wei might kill her beloved maid.
This guy was capable of it.
She sighed inwardly but maintained a gracious smile on her face, as if she hadn’t heard someone seemingly grinding their teeth.
The distance was too close. She quietly shifted on her heels, but Rong Wei suddenly increased the distance between them, instantly becoming spring breeze-like again.
“You are my beloved student—what would I quarrel with you about?” His attitude was gentle. Turning around, he saw Senior Nanny Gao who had followed Rong Pu out, seemingly wanting to attend to something.
Senior Nanny Gao deliberately avoided Tie Ci, paying no attention at all to Rong Wei standing to the side.
The smile hadn’t left Rong Wei’s face, but as Senior Nanny Gao passed by him, he suddenly raised his hand and viciously grabbed her throat!
Before the crowd following them could react with shock, cries, or attempts to stop him, he gripped Senior Nanny Gao’s throat, his knuckles contracting with cracking sounds. Senior Nanny Gao’s hands desperately clawed at the back of his hand, her sharp nails scratching his hand bloody.
Rong Wei didn’t even look, backhanding her and violently hurling the old woman’s body away.
With a thunderous crash, Senior Nanny Gao’s body slammed into the courtyard wall, causing a large chunk of wall plaster to fall with a clattering sound.
The old woman’s body slid softly down the wall, collapsing in a heap on the ground—clearly she wouldn’t survive.
As the dust settled, it revealed everyone’s faces, some shocked, some angry.
Rong Pu said: “Mu…”
Rong Wei cut off his words, laughed, and said: “Don’t what? Don’t abuse your power to bully others? Young Master Rong, your family’s evil servant attempted to kill your friend. You lightly let it pass yourself, yet plan to condemn the one who took action?”
Rong Pu’s expression changed slightly.
It wasn’t that he didn’t value Tie Ci’s life and death, but in his eyes, an old servant like Senior Nanny Gao was merely following orders—just a blade. What truly mattered was the one wielding the blade.
Rong Wei clearly didn’t see it this way.
“Don’t tell me nonsense about her being just a blade. If she truly had any conscience, she shouldn’t have executed orders to kill innocent people. If she had no choice but to execute them, failing once should have been enough. Yet she attempted a second time—what kind of heart does this old servant have?” He laughed lightly. “Rong Pu, if this old servant of your family doesn’t have ten lives on her hands, I’ll take your surname.”
Tie Ci thought: but aren’t you already surnamed Rong?
Rong Pu fell silent.
Senior Nanny Gao was grandmother’s household-born servant, having followed her for decades. Behind the scenes, who knew how many inconvenient tasks she had helped grandmother with? In wealthy households, those disappeared concubines, drowned maids… ten lives was being conservative.
Rong Wei raised his hand and pointed at Rong Pu.
“If you want to avenge your evil servant, feel free to come find me. But someone with such a heart who harbors hostility toward Eighteen…” He smiled, flicking away blood that had dripped to his fingertips. “I will not allow her to live.”
After speaking, he ignored everyone and strode away.
Tie Ci instinctively moved to follow, taking two steps before stopping, lowering her head to stare at the blood drops that had fallen from his hand to the ground. After a long time, she let out a soft sigh.
…
After turning a corner, Rong Wei suddenly stopped and said: “Why are you following me?”
Rong Pu slowly emerged from behind the flower bushes, stopping ten feet away from him.
Seeing him now put Rong Wei in a bad mood. He sneered: “Don’t you love following Ye Shiba? What, switching targets to me now?”
Rong Pu also laughed, looking him up and down. Rong Wei let him look openly, even spreading his hands: “Well? Feeling ashamed of your inferior appearance?”
Rong Pu shook his head and suddenly said: “Brother Murong, I have a question I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
“Then ask away.”
“Let’s speak plainly. Brother Murong now seems to harbor considerable hostility toward me because of Ye Shiba. May I ask what the reason for this is?”
“You’re asking when you already know. The reason is the same as you stopping me in the middle of the night to say this nonsense.” Rong Wei smiled. “Just admit it honestly—aren’t you eyeing Ye Shiba like a tiger?”
Rong Pu smiled and shook his head: “But he is a man.”
“So what?”
“Has Brother Murong truly never been troubled by Eighteen’s male identity? With your status and ambitions, you should marry a daughter from a prestigious Liaodong family. Now that your heart is set on a man, your family will surely not tolerate it, your parents will not accept it. This will create countless obstacles for your future prospects, not to mention that the cut-sleeve relationship, while not uncommon, is ultimately a shocking act. Does Brother Murong have no hesitation or unease about this? Aren’t you afraid of the world’s criticism and mockery?”
Rong Wei tilted his head slightly to look at him, then suddenly smiled: “Hearing you say this actually puts me at ease.”
Rong Pu raised an eyebrow at him.
“At ease that you’re just an ordinary person after all.” Rong Wei also raised an eyebrow. “Admittedly, what you worry about is what most men in this world would worry about. What you think is what most men in this world think. But what does that have to do with me? I’m not them.” He began to laugh. “My life goal is not to be human.”
Rong Pu: “…”
A pervert. How disrespectful of me.
“Whether man or woman, if I like them, that’s good enough.” Rong Wei blew away a silk tree flower floating before him. “Now, are you satisfied?”
Rong Pu was silent for a long while, then smiled and shook his head again, saying slowly: “Thinking about it again, Ye Eighteen being a man is actually quite good for you.”
Rong Wei tilted his head to look at him.
“Because if she were a woman…” Rong Pu smiled. “What would you call that? Marriage fraud?”