Chapter 22
He reached the door of the study, but Xiao Rongzi, waiting outside, intercepted him with a smile. “Lord Ning, His Majesty isn’t in the study. He’s gone to the Imperial Garden.”
Lately, with so much going on, Li Wuting felt like the study was kidnapping him, and he rarely wandered elsewhere.
What was happening today? Had he accumulated too much pressure?
Xiao Rongzi explained, “His Majesty found the study too stuffy, so he went out for some fresh air.”
He thanked Xiao Rongzi and headed towards the Imperial Garden.
Li Wuting sat by the stone table, with De Quan and a group of palace attendants standing beside him. He hadn’t even changed out of his dragon robe, probably just sitting in the study for a moment before coming out.
Li Wuting glanced at him, then lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea. “Hmm.”
Ning Rushen, without missing a beat, continued, “Heard His Majesty is feeling stifled?”
A scene from Records of the Sea’s Rise and Fall suddenly flashed in Li Wuting’s mind: “Emperor Ting pressing Ning Lang down, his eyes red, muttering, ‘I feel stifled.'”
Li Wuting took a deep breath, his veins popping.
Ning Rushen leaned in, “Your Majesty?”
He stood out conspicuously in his crimson attire amidst the pure white pear blossoms, his head extended revealing a slender, fair neck.
Li Wuting felt a headache coming on. “What are you wandering around for? Stand behind me.”
Ning Rushen hesitated, “…”
He reluctantly moved behind Li Wuting.
Indeed, he felt stifled, his heart restless.
Standing behind him, he cast a questioning glance at De Quan, who skillfully and subtly replied with his eyes and brows:
We don’t know either. It was like this last night. It shouldn’t be Lord Ning’s fault.
Ning Rushen: Could it be an issue with Duke De?
De Quan stared, “Nonsense! We are the closest.”
The two were exchanging glances, their eyes meeting, communicating soul to soul… When suddenly, Li Wuting’s voice came clear and cool, “What are you staring at?”
De Quan hurriedly knelt, “Forgive me, Your Majesty!”
There was a silence by the stone table for a few moments.
Only when cold sweat started to form on De Quan’s forehead did he hear a voice from above, “Never mind, get up.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” De Quan gratefully got up, tears streaming down.
The emperor’s expression had returned to normal, as calm and dignified as ever.
He immediately lowered his head and stood to the side.
·
The emperor was in a bad mood, not even Duke De, who was the best at reading his expressions and flattering him, dared to speak, and no one else in the palace dared to make a sound.
Ning Rushen stood behind, not wanting to attract attention.
The spring weather was just right at this moment, and it was the time when the pear blossoms were falling. With a gentle breeze, the petals on the top of his head were blown down and covered the courtyard, piling up like snow.
He tucked his sleeves and leisurely enjoyed the scenery.
In the courtyard, the spring flowers were in full bloom, and the time was peaceful.
After a while, De Quan, who had been bowing his head, quietly moved his neck and glanced at the emperor.
With one glance, he saw Ning Rushen standing behind the emperor. There was a lush jade pear tree behind him, and the fallen pear blossoms were fluttering down.
His profile was clear, with black hair and a crimson robe, like a figure in a painting.
De Quan suddenly remembered the pear branches he had seen blooming in someone’s arms before, which had amazed him at the time. He hadn’t expected that the withered pear blossoms scattered on his shoulders would also be stunning in a different way.
It was vibrant and lively, completely different from before.
After marveling, De Quan secretly regretted:
It’s a pity… Why did Mr. Ning have to stand behind the emperor and not let anyone see this beautiful sight!
Just as he was thinking, Li Wuting in front of the stone table suddenly stood up.
“Return to the study.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” De Quan hurriedly responded.
After Li Wuting finished speaking, he turned to Ning Rushen. His gaze dropped, and his words suddenly halted.
Ning Rushen looked up, “Hmm?”
In that moment, a pure white petal floated down, landing on the tip of his nose.
A scene from “The Chronicles of Tenghai’s Rise and Fall” flashed into Li Wuting’s mind: “Teng Jun lowered his head and licked the sugar frost on Ning Lang’s nose: so sweet.”
Li Wuting: “…”
He took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose: poisonous.
Ning Rushen noticed his furrowed brow and spoke, “Is Your Majesty worried about the morning court?”
Li Wuting relaxed his hand and looked at him, “What’s there to worry about?”
“At the morning court today, Prince Xuan was accused again.”
Ning Rushen paused, probing, “I dare to say, it seems that the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is taking the lead, and others are following suit… What does Your Majesty think?”
Li Wuting sneered, “I think he deserves it.”
Ning Rushen: “…”
What’s going on? Has Prince Xuan offended someone?
Li Wuting’s tone calmed down again, “Ning Qing can see through things, but some people think they’re invisible. Do they really think I’m easy to deceive?”
Ning Rushen thought: Wait a minute, what does “seeing through things” mean to him? Is he measuring the threshold of having a brain?
“Never mind, return to the study,” Li Wuting said.
Ning Rushen graciously didn’t dwell on it, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
As he caught up, two pear blossoms fell into his hair, but they didn’t fall off, hanging on his collar.
Li Wuting subtly moved his fingertips, lowering his voice.
“You may go, you don’t have to be on duty today.”
Ning Rushen pondered, “Then it’s perfect. I’ll go to the Prince Xuan’s residence.”
Li Wuting’s figure suddenly paused, and a slight ripple appeared in his calm eyes. “Go to Prince Xuan’s residence? For what?”
Ning Rushen said, “Just to visit.”
These days, Li Yingtang couldn’t leave his residence, but he frequently sent messages through the Brocade Guards, asking him to come over, saying he was withering away.
Ning Rushen thought, “If you’re withering away, just drink some water.”
“Was he the nutrient solution?”
Li Wuting remained silent for a few moments, then suddenly asked, “Did you chat with His Majesty Xuan about…” His voice trailed off, as if he remembered His Majesty Xuan’s mental state, so he changed his question, “When you last saw him, was he normal?”
Ning Rushen pondered for a moment, “He was spirited but incoherent.”
“…”
Li Wuting frowned, feeling tired. “Don’t talk to him as much in the future. Don’t go to His Majesty Xuan’s mansion today either.”
“What’s wrong?”
“We’ll have the Jin Yiwei raid the mansion tonight and resolve the matter quickly.”
Ning Rushen: ??
Li Wuting’s gaze drifted into the distance. “Clean up His Majesty Xuan’s household, and all the dirty things hidden there.”
After Li Wuting said this, Ning Rushen didn’t go to the mansion again. However, he was very curious about the situation, so he sent Shiyi to check it out for him.
In the evening, Shiyi returned with a report:
“… They caught quite a few people, including the steward of the mansion and several servants. His Majesty Xuan ordered the Jin Yiwei to raid and didn’t care at all.”
Ning Rushen praised, “Truly bold.”
Shiyi continued, “Oh, but just as they were about to finish, His Majesty Xuan suddenly rushed out and grabbed a stack of paper from the Jin Yiwei at the mansion’s entrance, shouting, ‘My treasure—’!”
His imitation was quite eerie.
Ning Rushen closed his eyes and covered his ears. “… What paper?”
Could it be ancient calligraphy from the previous dynasty, or account books from a bank?
“I didn’t see. Command…” Shiyi slipped up, then corrected himself in regret, “Their Jin Yiwei leader ignored him and impartially took the stack of paper away.”
Ning Rushen: …
In this place, there was a group of “Jin Yiwei” who couldn’t even come up with three hundred taels of silver.
He waved his hand to dismiss Shiyi, “You, take a rest.”
Shiyi withdrew, and Ning Rushen lay back in his chair, gently rocking:
From the looks of it, most likely there was a thief in the Wang Mansion, pretending to be the Crown Prince Xuan, and deceiving with his jade.
But where did the courage and ability of those servants come from?
Thinking of Li Wuting’s stillness, as steady as an old dog, he always felt that someone else was about to be dealt with.
…
They raided the Wang Mansion that night, and the case was closed the next day.
The confessions and physical evidence were all there, implicating dozens of officials.
The next morning at the court assembly, Ning Rushen stood in the queue of civil officials, watching as they wailed and cried on the palace floor.
The head of the Grand Court of Revision almost knocked his head open, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, see clearly! It’s the incompetence of us officials in investigating the case, with absolutely no intention of framing Crown Prince Xuan!”
On the Dragon Throne, Li Wuting listened coldly.
Behind the false case scandal, the hand of the former Crown Prince’s faction emerged again. Although the former Crown Prince was long gone, the conflict of interests between the old faction and the new emperor remained fierce, this time even reaching the Crown Prince Xuan Mansion.
Even the Chief Justice who investigated the case was bribed, the evidence was conclusive, and there was no room for his cunning defense.
Ning Rushen glanced at the weeping Chief Justice.
Then he looked at Crown Prince Xuan, whose innocence had been proven.
He always felt that Crown Prince Xuan’s expression was even more sorrowful than that of the Chief Justice.
“The person involved will be investigated impartially,” the stern voice of Li Wuting sounded from above. “The Prince Xuan has suffered, his fief will be changed to Jiangnan as a compensation.”
Jiangnan is a wealthy and talented place, enough to show the emperor’s attitude towards his own brother.
The court officials now had a clearer idea.
Ning Rushen also had a clear idea in his heart: Jiangnan is warm and pleasant, and he can start his journey today.
The Prince Xuan ahead was sobbing, “I… no, no, no…”
Li Wuting said, “Prince Xuan, don’t you thank His Majesty for his grace?”
Prince Xuan sobbed, “Wuwuwuwu…”
Ning Rushen remained silent.
During the morning court session, Li Yingtang hurriedly chased after Li Wuting.
Seeing the situation, Ning Rushen immediately followed.
The royal carriage arrived at the steps outside the study hall.
Li Yingtang finally caught up with Li Wuting. “Your Majesty!”
Li Wuting turned around, expressionless. “What is it?”
“We agreed to wait until the imperial examination was over before leaving the capital!” Li Yingtang was anxious. “Also, where is the stuff I asked for?”
Li Wuting sneered, “I haven’t punished you yet, and you dare to come and demand things?”
Li Yingtang pretended to be innocent under his pseudonym, “What crime have I committed? Did I write about someone?”
Li Wuting remained silent.
Just then, Ning Rushen arrived, with a restrained look of curiosity. “Your Majesty, Your Highness, what’s going on? Who wrote what?”
Li Wuting felt even more dizzy, “What are you here for?”
Li Yingtang’s eyes lit up as he grabbed him, “You’re here just in time, help me plead with His Majesty!”
Ning Rushen was almost dragged down the steps.
He was confused: Plead for what?
“Ridiculous!” Li Wuting had already read the letter, how could he not know what was on the Prince Xuan’s mind? He looked at Ning Rushen’s hand grabbing him, frowned, and said, “Let go.”
Ning Rushen also tried to shake off the hand grabbing him, “Your Highness, I am insignificant…”
Ignoring him, Li Yingtang cried out, “I can’t leave. I have my own career in the capital! I have achieved nothing since childhood, and now…”
Ning Rushen was overwhelmed by his crying.
What does His Majesty Xuan’s career have to do with him? He was just here to watch the show.
Amidst the shaking and sobbing, he vaguely recalled the elegant demeanor of His Majesty Xuan when they first met, and he couldn’t understand what had turned him into the current tantrum-throwing mess.
De Quan beside him urged, “Your Majesty, ah… Your Majesty!”
While being shaken, Ning Rushen’s arm was suddenly pulled.
Li Wuting reached out and pulled him out, stumbling a few steps on the palace steps, he approached Li Wuting’s side:
“It’s no use begging him, hurry back to the mansion and pack up.”
Li Yingtang pulled him back again, “Lord Ning!”
Ning Rushen, “…”
You two brothers better have a good reason.
After a bit of pulling back and forth.
Li Yingtang suddenly made up his mind, burning his bridges, “If His Majesty wants me to leave, I’ll show what I’ve written to Lord Ning!”
Li Wuting’s forehead twitched, “You dare.”
Li Yingtang called Ning Rushen over, “Come, go back with me to the mansion.”
“Come back!” Li Wuting shouted harshly.
“If His Majesty can read it, why can’t Lord Ning?” Ning Rushen asked, as the two of them argued heatedly, the conversation gradually veering off and inexplicably circling back to himself, Ning Rushen felt uneasy standing between them…
It shouldn’t have been like this, he was just here to watch the show…
After a few tugs, Li Wuting finally couldn’t take it anymore, “Do you really think I won’t punish you!”
The palace attendants suddenly fell silent.
In the tense atmosphere, Ning Rushen coughed dryly. He looked at the two of them, slightly embarrassed but also timely, and said the classic line with a gentle voice:
“You two… don’t argue because of me anymore.”
