Chapter 6
Ning Ruchen took a deep breath: What good intentions could Li Wuting possibly have? He was just looking to set a trap for him.
If he answered this question poorly, he and the Geng family would be done for.
Hesitating, rumors he had heard during the palace banquet suddenly came to mind. Ning Ruchen steadied his nerves and decided to take a gamble—
His spine, visible beneath his court attire, was as straight as a pine, “I believe that those who are greedy, pervert the law, and harm the livelihood of the people, such calamities to the country and disasters to the people, should have their families confiscated and be exiled, with their entire clans bearing the same guilt!”
Li Wuting seemed surprised for a moment, then added a touch of scorn, “Minister Ning cuts off relations for justice, clearly distinguishing between public and private interests, admirable for your integrity…”
“Then, as Minister Ning suggests, let’s convict and exile the Geng family.”
Ning Ruchen almost tore a hole in the blanket: I’ve never seen you hold me in such regard before.
He took another deep breath, “I meant, those who are ‘greedy and pervert the law’ should be immediately punished.”
Only De Quan, drenched in cold sweat and trembling like a sieve, remained, his whole being screaming: We’re done for!
Everyone else was sent away.
Li Wuting stood up and walked over to Ning Ruchen, his dark eyes clouding over like an approaching storm, brewing with emotion, “Who gave you the courage to speculate on my thoughts?”
He asked softly, “What rumors have you been listening to?”
Ning Ruchen’s heart raced, silently confirming his guess was right.
Li Wuting indeed knew that the backers were from the former Crown Prince’s faction. The remaining question was how he planned to deal with the Cui family.
With the new emperor’s foundation not yet stable, now wasn’t the best time to take down the Cui family in anyone’s eyes.
But if Consort Xian really was harmed by Queen Cui…
Ning Ruchen thought: If he were Li Wuting, he’d definitely want to deal with them immediately, day and night.
“Answer me,” the voice from above demanded again.
Ning Ruchen took a moment to gather his thoughts, then straightened up to reply, “Actually, I heard the ravings of Minister Geng…”
Li Wuting, “…”
Ning Ruchen continued, “Saying that the treasury’s money has all been taken by the Cui family. Seeing him speak with such frenzy, in utter disarray, his fists clenched red and grinding his teeth, his expression seemed genuine—so I took the liberty of reporting to Your Majesty, hoping to uncover the truth and severely punish the chief culprit!”
He finished in one breath, quickly calculating in his mind.
Seventy-four words to turn the tables.
As he was silently calculating, he suddenly heard Li Wuting speak, “It seems I have misunderstood Minister Ning.”
Ning Ruchen looked up, filled with hope: He’s not pursuing it further?
Li Wuting remarked, “It seems your personal relationship with Minister Geng is quite poor.”
“…” Ning Ruchen’s lips quivered: Is that important?!
Amidst the surge of emotions within him, the emperor before him withdrew his gaze.
A light voice fell, “Minister Ning, do you realize how much more troublesome it is to deal with the Cui family compared to handling a Minister like Geng?”
Ning Ruchen’s breath hitched.
After Li Wuting finished speaking, he stepped towards the exit of the imperial study, “Consider today’s words unsaid. Go back, you are no longer needed for duty here.”
De Quan, with sweat beading on his forehead, hurriedly followed: Finally, a turn of the page, scared him to death…
As the dark fabric of the emperor’s robes brushed past Ning Ruchen’s crimson official robe, Ning Ruchen suddenly reached out and grabbed the hem of the emperor’s garment—
Li Wuting stopped in his tracks and looked down.
De Quan almost knelt down: Oh no, what now?!
Ning Ruchen’s heart was drumming, but he still tightened his grip on Li Wuting’s robe. Having decided to take this step, he was committed to seeing it through.
He exhaled, meeting those penetrating eyes, “It may be troublesome… but I am willing to be Your Majesty’s blade.”
Li Wuting’s gaze followed Ning Ruchen’s arm up to the face looking up at him, his slender hand stark against the dark fabric of his robes, fragile as if it could not withstand a single fold.
After a moment of silence, “Let go.”
With a crash, the sound of a cup shattering echoed from the imperial study.
Immediately after, the palace attendants outside heard the Emperor’s wrath, fierce as thunder:
“Ning Chen’s conduct is outrageous, drag him out, and administer thirty lashes!”
The palace attendants were terrified into silence.
They couldn’t fathom how Lord Ning, who always enjoyed the Emperor’s favor, had managed to enrage His Majesty.
Two teams of the imperial guards were ordered to come forward. Soon, chilling thuds resonated through the courtyard:
Thud, thud, thud…
·
In the brightly lit courtyard.
A large piece of pork was firmly tied to a wooden bench, and two imperial guards wielding rods dutifully struck the pork buttocks: Thud, thud, thud!
Ning Ruchen, wrapped in his cloak, sat not far away, sipping tea delicately, the very picture of fragility.
Though it was a ruse of self-inflicted injury…
But to find such a substitute for him, was this some kind of veiled message?
He glanced sideways at Li Wuting.
Li Wuting’s face was expressionless, “This is the first time I’ve used such a fragile blade.”
Ning Ruchen, embarrassed, replied, “Assassins are all high offense, low defense…”
He didn’t wait to see if Li Wuting understood, turning to others with a grin, showing off his teeth, “Should I make it more realistic?”
Li Wuting’s lips twitched slightly, as if on alert.
Ning Ruchen had already put down his teacup and started, “Hiss… Ah… Ahhh…”
“Ah… Your Majesty, spare my life…!”
He cried out very earnestly, while De Quan beside him grew anxious.
Li Wuting’s forehead twitched, unable to bear it any longer, “Shut up.”
“…Ah.”
Ning Ruchen ended with a whisper, then obediently closed his mouth and lowered his head to drink tea.
He actually felt pretty good about his performance, emotions and all.
The thirty lashes were soon over.
The imperial guards, rumored to kill without shedding blood, were tidily packing up the pork on the bench.
Ning Ruchen praised yet felt ashamed, “They’ve been wronged.”
Forcing the emperor’s personal secret service to perform such tasks was indeed his fault.
“If you are to be my blade, you must be prepared to do anything,” Li Wuting said indifferently.
As they spoke, the imperial guards walked past Ning Ruchen, carrying the pork. He glanced at it; after thirty lashes, the whole piece was battered and torn.
“Minister Ning.” A voice drew his attention back.
Ning Ruchen turned his head and saw Li Wuting’s distinct profile against the grey-white wall of the courtyard, his gaze distant, “I am giving you this opportunity, do not disappoint me.”
He gripped his teacup tighter, the warmth seeping from his fingertips straight to his heart.
“I will give it my all.”
…
Back at Ning Residence.
As soon as Ning Ruchen entered, he instructed Xinglan to bring him paper and ink, and then he began to write furiously.
Yan Min leaned in, “My lord, what are you doing?”
Ning Ruchen didn’t look up, “I am giving it my all.”
Yan Min: ??
Soon, the paper was filled with item after item.
Ning Ruchen reviewed the list, satisfied there were no oversights, and confidently stepped out to summon ten of his bodyguards.
“From now on, you’ll follow the instructions on my note, make a bit of a scene—put your clothes on! I don’t mean that kind of scene… Be louder, got it?”
The bodyguards bowed in unison, “Yes, my lord!”
Once a group of formidable figures disappeared outside the courtyard, Yan Min approached, “What did you send them to buy, my lord?”
Ning Ruchen gracefully handed over the note, displaying the eloquently written list—
Yan Min looked down:
Buy incense burners in the eastern market, marrow bones in the western market;
Seek a physician in the southern market, tear white cloth in the northern market.
“……”
Ning Ruchen asked with anticipation, “What are your thoughts?”
Yan Min, “I dare not even think it.”
·
In just a day, rumors spread far and wide—
Ning Ruchen lay on a soft couch in the courtyard, squinting his eyes in the sunset, “What are they saying outside now?”
Yan Min reported truthfully, “Everyone in the court says that you’ve fallen out of favor for speaking up for Minister Geng and angered His Majesty, resulting in thirty lashes. They say you were unable to stand right after and were carried back to Ning Residence covered in a white cloth.”
“Do they believe it?”
“They do. Everyone knows you broke eight ribs, and the house bought ten jin of marrow bones to nourish you back to health. They’ve also rounded up all the physicians in the capital and brought in two carts of medicinal herbs to save your life.”
“And those white silks…” Yan Min paused, seeming hesitant, “Uh, my lord, isn’t this a bit exaggerated?”
“It’s precisely the ambiguity between truth and fiction that we aim for.” Ning Ruchen slightly opened his eyes, his long eyelashes catching the thin gold of the sunset, “To deceive the enemy, one must first deceive oneself.”
He gazed leisurely into the distance, “Ah, it must be dazzling.”
…
Meanwhile, in the Yangxin Hall.
Li Wuting rubbed his temples in confusion, “Say that again, what is he doing?”
De Quan bowed, “Your Majesty, it’s said that Ning Residence has started tearing white cloth, preparing to hang mourning banners.”
“……”
De Quan cautiously gauged the emperor’s expression, attempting to lighten the mood, “Although it’s a self-inflicted strategy, Lord Ning might have made it too convincing, even I almost believed it.”
After his remark, the hall remained silent.
After a long pause, Li Wuting suddenly spoke, “That day, I indeed did not hit him, right?”
De Quan looked up in shock, “Your Majesty?”
Li Wuting’s brows were deeply furrowed, a sense of bewilderment overtaking him, “Nor did I punish him in any other way? That teacup… it didn’t touch him?”
“That would be—”
De Quan was initially certain, but upon being questioned, suddenly became unsure himself: Lord Ning’s frail condition was indeed hard to clarify.
He kneeled down with a thump, “This servant, this servant can’t remember clearly either…”
Li Wuting felt his head ache from all the rumors.
Ever since his rebirth, many things had taken a bizarre turn, almost like living in a dream.
“Shiyi.”
A figure silently kneeled in the hall.
“Go see if he’s feigning illness or—” Mid-sentence, Li Wuting seemed to remember something and stopped, “Never mind, you’re dismissed.”
Shiyi silently bowed and disappeared.
After a moment, Li Wuting stood up, looking towards the sky outside the hall, already tinged with a hint of dusk, “There’s nothing urgent today, I’ll leave the palace.”
He wanted to see if he was delusional.
·
While Ning Ruchen was “seriously ill” at home, the front of Ning Residence was unusually quiet, a stark contrast to the bustling scene of colleagues visiting last time.
The only visitor was Geng Yan.
When Geng Yan entered the residence, carrying generous gifts, he saw the entire estate enveloped in a heavy scent of medicinal herbs, with smoke curling up from the main courtyard, making it seem as if the master’s life was hanging by a thread.
The servants were all busy hanging white cloth, so much so that there wasn’t even anyone to announce his arrival.
His heart skipped a beat, and he headed straight for the main courtyard, “Ning Chen!”
He rushed through the front courtyard and into the main one, greeted by a cloud of white smoke.
As the smoke dissipated, he saw Ning Ruchen, Yan Min, and Xinglan gathered around a small table, enjoying hot pot, their faces flushed with warmth and joy.
It looked utterly harmonious and festive.
Geng Yan was stunned on the spot.
“Add some more pork belly…” Ning Ruchen was enjoying himself when he turned his head to see Geng Yan standing at the courtyard entrance, “What brings you here?”
Geng Yan stared at him, his lips trembling.
As if he was about to unleash a string of expletives.
After speaking, Ning Ruchen noticed the gift box in the other’s hands and hurriedly put down his chopsticks, awkwardly calling out, “Ah, you’re here already, what did you bring… Uncle Yan, go help him with that, it looks heavy.”
Yan Min promptly went forward to take the generous gift, placing it inside.
Finally snapping out of it, Geng Yan asked, “Is this… your last burst of energy?”
Ning Ruchen marveled, “Do you talk like this when you visit the sick at other houses?”
Bathed in his gentle gaze.
Geng Yan had a sudden realization, fully waking up.
…
A quarter of an hour later, an extra set of bowl and chopsticks was added to the table.
After hearing the whole story, Geng Yan began to contemplate the possibility of taking his generous gift back.
Reading his expression, Ning Ruchen casually mentioned, “Oh, by the way, that teacup just brushed past my shoulder and flew out. With a bang! The shards scattered high.”
Geng Yan swallowed, “Oh…”
Ning Ruchen continued to cook the pork belly, “The board used to beat the pork—so long. When the imperial guards carried that piece of battered flesh past me, His Majesty whispered to me: ‘Minister Ning, do not disappoint me…'”
“Alright, alright!” Geng Yan, feeling his scalp tingle, almost dropped his chopsticks, “You’ve suffered enough, let’s not talk about it.”
He didn’t mention taking the gifts back anymore.
Ning Ruchen contentedly went back to enjoying the hot pot.
Geng Yan found it hard to eat, “You’re supposed to be ‘critically ill’, shouldn’t you at least act a bit more like it? If others find out…”
“Don’t worry.” Ning Ruchen said with ease, “Right now, not even a dog comes to our house.”
After his remark, Ning Ruchen noticed Geng Yan’s expression and quickly added, “Except for you.”
Geng Yan’s expression twisted even more.
As the two were vigorously battling with their chopsticks in the pot, Xinglan suddenly exclaimed towards the courtyard entrance, “My lord! Besides Master Geng and dogs, someone else has arrived!”
Ning Ruchen: ?
Geng Yan: ??? What does this mean?
Both turned their heads towards the direction of the courtyard door, and through the misty white smoke, they were suddenly confronted with the figure standing quietly at the entrance.
“…” Ning Ruchen’s heart skipped a beat.
The dim twilight mixed with the smoke obscured the visitor’s face.
Only the tall and upright figure, and a “servant” who seemed to be burying his head into his chest beside him, were discernible. A voice as cool and clear as jade cut through the haze:
“Minister Ning seems to be enjoying himself.”
Ning Ruchen’s breath hitched, feeling dizzy:
Why was Li Wuting here!
“You…” Just as he started to speak, a figure beside him suddenly moved.
Yan Min had already stood up, intending to repeat the gesture of receiving the heavy gift from De Quan’s hands, “You’re here—”
“Stop…!” Ning Ruchen quickly pulled Yan Min back.
A gust of night wind blew through, dispersing the smoke.
He faced Li Wuting’s gaze, deeper than the twilight, across half the courtyard. Swallowing hard, he then stood up and brushed off a stone bench as if to welcome him, “Please, take a seat, as if you’re in your own home.”
Li Wuting observed his flushed face.
A cold laugh fell, “Hmph.”
