Chapter 7
Ning Rushen moistened his lips. How should he respond?
Seeing Li Wuting still standing in place, he took a half step to the side and gently issued an invitation, “Please, take a seat.” Seize the warmth.
Only then did Yan Min and Xinglan belatedly recognize De Quan, immediately dropping to the ground in shock, “Your Majesty!”
Xinglan was especially terrified, her pupils trembling, and she kept muttering the sentence that spelled doom: “Lord Geng and the dog, Lord Geng and the dog…”
Ning Rushen caught a glimpse of this unfortunate child, “…”
Fortunately, Li Wuting had no intention of making things difficult for them, saying “At ease” before stopping in front of Ning Rushen.
He then noticed the person in front of him, not only with cheeks flushed from eating but also with lips so red and lustrous, shining brightly against the red mole on his ear in this dim, elegantly simple courtyard. It was a vivid and lively beauty he had never seen in his memories.
Facing that silent scrutiny, Ning Rushen nervously pursed his lips:
He quietly licked his upper lip: Hmm…not sticky..
(Kipzi – no food on his lips. Doesn’t know why the emperor is staring lol)
Before Ning Rushen could retract his tongue, the person before him moved. Instinctively leaning back, his lower back hit the cold, hard edge of the table.
But then he saw Li Wuting move past him and sit down, lifting his robe.
In the smoky twilight, Li Wuting, dressed in a low-key deep teal uniform with dark raven patterns along the edges, sat by the stone table, his whole being exuding a clear and noble aura.
Only when he lifted his eyes did a sharpness leak out, like a gentleman concealing a blade.
Until a soft voice said, “Everyone, please sit.”
He slowed his breathing and sat down with Geng Yan, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Geng Yan had been trying to make himself as small as possible since the beginning, and even after sitting down, he couldn’t muster a word. Ning Rushen couldn’t rely on him and had to break the silence himself,
“Your Majesty, what brings you here so suddenly? The servants didn’t even announce your arrival.”
Li Wuting almost smiled, “Don’t blame them; they’re all busy.”
Ning Rushen thought of the servants busy pulling at white cloths: …
After speaking, he took the opportunity to send Yan Min out to stand guard and sent the terrified Xinglan away, “Go to the kitchen and bring a bowl of soup for His Majesty.”
Li Wuting frowned, “No need…”
But Xinglan had already darted off like a rabbit.
“…”
The bowl of soup was quickly brought over.
It was the original broth used for hotpot, stewed until it was milky and rich, with tender, flavorful meat and bones floating in it.
Ning Rushen pushed the bowl towards Li Wuting: Go ahead and eat. Once you do, you’ll have no ground to criticize me.
Li Wuting glanced at it but didn’t move. As the emperor, he couldn’t be careless about what he consumed.
He asked casually, “What soup is this?”
Ning Rushen replied, “Soup stewed from ten pounds of bones.”
Li Wuting chuckled coolly, “Oh. If I take another sip, will it cause Ning to grow a couple of ribs less?”
(Kipzi – he’s saying he’s too skinny.)
Ning Rushen, “…”
What’s going on? Why has Li Wuting been giving off such a strange vibe since earlier? Did I offend him somehow?
He touched his ribs, “No harm done. I’ve had it twice and nearly grew armor.”
Li Wuting, “…”
De Quan, sweating profusely on the side, thought to himself:
Oh dear, Li Wuting, could you hold back a bit? It’s those rumors about you that got His Majesty all mixed up, leading him to make this special trip!
As Ning Rushen was rubbing his ribs under Li Wuting’s silent gaze, De Quan cleared his throat, “Li Wuting, actually—”
“Li Wuting!”
Yan Min’s voice suddenly came from outside, interrupting De Quan.
Ning Rushen: Hm? Actually, what??
In a flash, Yan Min had run inside, “Great… uh, no, Your Majesty!”
Li Wuting lowered his eyes, “What’s the matter?”
Yan Min reported, “Meng Fu Cheng has sent a visiting card, and he’s waiting at the entrance!”
Ning Rushen was shocked: Why is someone coming over in the middle of the night!
All he wanted was to enjoy a hotpot meal!
He was momentarily confused, “Who’s that now?”
Li Wuting glanced at him, his expression inscrutable.
After a moment, he moved his lips and finally answered, “The Prefect of the Zhanshi Prefecture, Meng Ke Bao, a relative by marriage under the Cui family.”
Ning Rushen suddenly understood.
The King of Hell hasn’t arrived, but a lesser demon has shown up first.
He glanced at the bubbling hotpot on the table and then looked around at those present: himself, Li Wuting, Geng Yan, and outside, waiting, a relative by marriage from the Cui family.
—All the people who shouldn’t be together were gathered.
He took the visiting card, “Should I meet him then?”
Li Wuting gave him a look that left no room for doubt.
Ning Rushen stood up, flicking the card in his hand, “Very well. It’s decided then, Pokémon!”
“…Li Wuting,” Yan Min said quietly, “his name is Meng Ke Bao.”
·
Ning Rushen delayed under the pretense of “lingering illness.”
De Quan and Yan Min took the opportunity to have someone clean up the hotpot in the main courtyard.
Geng Yan went to another courtyard to avoid the situation.
Probably thinking of the Cui family, his exit was as dramatic as a storm, more resentful than any vengeful spirit.
Li Wuting withdrew his gaze, “Ning hasn’t exaggerated.”
Indeed, the behavior was wild, akin to madness.
“I never deceive my sovereign.” Ning Rushen shamelessly claimed, preparing to go inside and feign illness, “Won’t Your Majesty consider stepping aside?”
Li Wuting’s gaze shifted towards his main house, suddenly asking, “Is Ning’s room spacious enough?”
Ning Rushen felt a warning bell in his heart, “What?”
“It looks spacious enough to me.” Li Wuting didn’t wait for his response, continuing on his own and then lightly laughing, “I’ve never personally heard someone plot in front of me. It sounds interesting.”
Ning Rushen: …
What kind of interest is this?
Li Wuting gestured to him, “Let’s go, Ning.”
…
The main room was divided by a large, opaque screen, with only a few carved openings in the wooden frame allowing those behind it to clearly see into the room.
Li Wuting, with De Quan in tow, moved behind the screen.
Ning Rushen, seeing the screen effectively concealed them, felt slightly more at ease. He turned and instructed Yan Min to light a lamp by the bed and incense in the room.
Soon, white smoke swirled around, enveloping the bed’s canopy and casting the interior light in a dim, yellow haze.
Ning Rushen, satisfied, commanded his servant, “Go invite them in.”
“Yes, Li Wuting.”
Yan Min, anxious, hurried him, “Li Wuting, you should go lie down now.”
“Alright, alright, I know.”
As Ning Rushen spoke, he started to untie his sash and casually began to remove his pants.
Yan Min, suddenly remembering the Emperor was still in the room, hastily intervened, “Li Wuting…don’t! Just cover with the blanket, no one will see.” There’s no need to undress!
Ning Rushen was shocked: His words made it sound as if he was stripping for no reason!
“Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on putting on a show.”
“It’s not that I…”
“There’s no time, we have to commit to the act.” Ning Rushen stopped him, sliding his pants off and tossing them onto a stool, then lifting his legs to flip onto the bed.
His crimson robe wrapped around his frost-white undergarments.
In the misty canopy, he flashed by, the candlelight flickering and bending with the wind, casting a swaying shadow into the tent.
Yan Min was utterly at a loss for words.
…
Behind the screen, De Quan buried his head into his chest.
Slivers of light and shadow fell through the carved openings, but he dared not look around carelessly, much less steal a glance at the Emperor beside him.
In his peripheral vision, he could see the Emperor’s hand, with its distinct knuckles, remaining motionless at his side. De Quan wondered if the Emperor was…
His heart skipped a beat, cursing himself internally:
Are you trying to get yourself killed, daring to speculate about the Emperor!
Who is the Emperor?
He is the sovereign above ten thousand people, a gentleman who restrains himself. Whether he saw or not, he would maintain a calm demeanor.
De Quan quickly reined in his thoughts, bowing his head in silent wait.
·
Just as Ning Rushen settled into position on the bed, the visitor arrived.
Half his face buried in the pillow, he saw a man in his forties being led in by a servant. Dressed in luxurious attire, his body was lean and thin, like a mannequin from a clothing store.
As soon as the man entered, his eyes started darting around, clearly harboring many thoughts.
Ning Rushen coughed discreetly into his sleeve.
Meng Ke Bao then shifted his attention back to Ning Rushen, adopting a worried expression, “Ah, Lord Ning, how is your health? I heard you were punished and I was so concerned that I came to visit immediately.”
He didn’t forget to stir the pot a bit, “Why is it so quiet here? Didn’t any of your colleagues come?”
Ning Rushen shook his head, “Not even a dog came.”
Meng Ke Bao: …
Behind the screen: …
Meng Ke Bao forced a smile, “It shows who your true friends are during tough times.”
Ning Rushen went along with him, looking moved as he lifted his head, “Indeed, it’s only you, Lord Bao, who treats me well.”
Meng Ke Bao’s smile almost faltered, “My surname is Meng.”
Ning Rushen corrected himself, “Sorry, Lord Meng.”
They exchanged pleasantries back and forth for a while.
Just when Ning Rushen was about to doze off from the monotony, the person in front of him finally got to the point—
“I heard Li Wuting punished Lord Ning for pleading on behalf of Secretary Geng, which angered the Emperor?” Meng Ke Bao sized him up tentatively, “Do you know any inside information, Lord?”
Finally, the conversation took a turn; otherwise, Ning Rushen was about to fall asleep.
Ning Rushen slightly propped himself up, feigning a hesitant demeanor.
Meng Ke Bao narrowed his eyes, his tone caring yet meaningful, “Lord Ning, you’re too naive and easily used by others. As for the current Emperor… he’s still impulsive, urgently needing a chicken to warn the monkeys.”
Ning Rushen appeared to be struck with realization, stunned.
Meng Ke Bao inwardly pleased, pretended to lament, “After all, you were personally selected by the previous Emperor, the top scorer of the imperial examination. Now, you’ve become a victim of power struggles, with your life and honor hanging on the Emperor’s words… I truly feel for you.”
Ning Rushen was internally stirred:
The instigation, the undermining, the empathy, the timely assistance!
He finally understood Li Wuting’s interest. Listening to someone babble all this in person was indeed quite fascinating.
Ning Rushen eagerly asked, “Then what do you suggest, Lord… Meng?”
“Well…” Meng Ke Bao’s eyes darted around, seemingly concocting a plan. Then he lowered his voice, “If you’re willing, why not visit my residence the day after tomorrow?”
He straightened up and coughed pretentiously, “It so happens I have a renowned doctor who could examine you.”
Ning Rushen was profusely grateful, “Thank you, Lord Meng!”
…
Mission accomplished, Meng Ke Bao staggered out with a shake of his head.
Standing guard outside, Yan Min entered, and Ning Rushen peeked out from the bedside, “Has he left?”
“He has.” Yan Min glanced nervously at the motionless screen, “Sir, you should get dressed first…”
Bang! A sudden wail from outside faintly reached them.
The conversation was interrupted. Ning Rushen was puzzled, “Uncle Yan, go see what happened.”
“Yes, sir.”
Just as Yan Min turned around, he saw a familiar figure whirl into the room like a gust of wind, closing the door behind him—
Geng Yan stood panting in front of Ning Rushen’s bed, clothes slightly disheveled, with a lingering excitement, “Hey.”
Ning Rushen had a bad feeling, “…What happened to you? What was that noise?”
Geng Yan wiped the mud off his hands, “I was lying on the wall of the neighboring courtyard. Seeing that no-good dog stirred my anger, I couldn’t help myself and flipped a tile at him as he passed by. Probably hit him square on.”
Ning Rushen’s mouth fell open: ……………
Then he slammed the bed in anger, “Why are you causing trouble in my house!”
Geng Yan retorted angrily, “I told you, I couldn’t hold back! Just pretend the tile fell on its own!”
Ning Rushen exclaimed in disbelief, “Can tiles just fall on their own!”
“Are the tiles on your house not under your control?”
As they were arguing, they heard Meng Ke Bao’s wails getting closer, “Hiss! Ouch, Lord Ning—”
“Let’s not talk about this now, let me hide.” Geng Yan dropped a line and darted behind the screen.
Ning Rushen didn’t have time to warn him, “Wait…”
The figure disappeared behind the screen.
The next second, a startled hiccup was heard, “Hic—”
Ning Rushen: …
He was about to mention that Li Wuting was behind there, but it was too late to listen.
But soon the door was pushed open with a bang.
Meng Ke Bao entered, holding his head covered in blood, abandoning the pretense he had maintained earlier and almost glaring with suppressed anger.
“Lord Ning, how did a tile suddenly fall from your wall? It cracked my head open. Could it be someone did it on purpose?”
Ning Rushen showed surprise, then coughed weakly, “How could that be? Cough cough cough… All the servants in my house are in the front yard, it must have been the tile that fell on its own.”
Meng Ke Bao shrieked, “Can tiles just fall on their own!”
“A thief broke into the house a few days ago, loosened the wall top.”
“………”
The two looked at each other for a while, one standing, one sitting, as the room filled with the scent of the medicinal burner, Meng Ke Bao’s blood loss made his head start to spin.
Ning Rushen still stared at him with a pair of clear, bright eyes, repeatedly saying “Are you okay?” but without any intention of having someone bandage him up or call a doctor.
Meng Ke Bao felt a surge of frustration, silently cursing: Truly clueless! Deserves to be used as a pawn.
“Then, I will return to my residence and await your visit tomorrow.”
After saying this, he turned around and slammed the door shut!
·
Once sure the person had completely left, Ning Rushen stood up and got dressed.
There was a slight movement behind the screen.
Li Wuting then stepped out, followed by De Quan with his head bowed and Geng Yan with his tail between his legs.
Ning Rushen was tying his sash and turned around, his crimson robe loosely draped over his shoulders, his black hair cascading down around his collar.
Li Wuting hummed in acknowledgment, his gaze shifting away from him.
Geng Yan then knelt to admit his fault.
“You go back first.” Li Wuting glanced over him, paused, then added, “In the coming days, Geng Shangshu might have to endure some discomfort.”
Geng Yan was startled, quickly realizing the implication, and kowtowed in thanks.
Ning Rushen watched Li Wuting’s expression from the side.
Under the warm yellow candlelight, that cool and handsome profile seemed much softer than usual. Judging by the tone, his attitude towards Geng Shangshu seemed quite favorable?
Ning Rushen suddenly froze:
Could it be that from the beginning, Li Wuting never intended to let Geng Shangshu take the blame…
In the imperial study, was all that just a ruse?
As he pondered, the person in his line of sight turned to him, “And you—”
Ning Rushen snapped back to reality, responding to Li Wuting with a bewildered “Hmm?”
Li Wuting slammed his hand on the desk with a “bang,” his voice stern, “The way you treated people just now was utterly reckless! Reflect on your actions for a couple of days.”
After saying that, he swept out of the room with a flourish of his robe.
Ning Rushen hadn’t even recovered when he saw De Quan following behind, smiling cheekily at him and flicking his finger in a teasing gesture, “Lord Ning, that was quite reckless~”
After speaking, he too left the room.
Ning Rushen: ??????
After everyone had left, he stood there for a moment. Suddenly, his gaze flickered, and in the dim candlelight on the desk, he noticed an object.
Approaching, he saw it was a jade ring of pure white.
De Quan’s suggestive winking before leaving suddenly came to mind.
Ning Rushen, holding the jade ring at the desk, was silent for a long time:
Could Li Wuting’s “recklessness” actually mean “you’ve handled this matter well”…?
