Chapter 31 - 3#

Mingyu sighed.

“Actually…” he paused, “Today, it was Huiping who came to see me, and that’s how I found out about your situation.”

He glanced at Jingzhe and, as expected, saw a look of shame on his face.

“If it were the past, no one would have noticed,” he said softly. “Jingzhe, it was Rong Jiu who turned you into this.”

Jingzhe actually wanted to say that it wasn’t Rong Jiu, but the pressure from the system and the missions, as well as the ever-present dangers. But the words wouldn’t come out, firstly because he couldn’t say it, and secondly…

Was there really no connection at all?

Mingyu was still talking.

“Before, you were always calm, you never wished for anything, you barely even had desires. If people asked you to do hard work, you just did it. Even if nothing good came of it, you couldn’t be bothered to argue. It was as if you were just… forced to live. As long as you were alive, nothing else mattered.” He rambled on to this point, then finally stopped and looked at Jingzhe seriously.

“But not anymore. You have Huiping, and many friends. People care about you, worry about you, and you care about them too, running around for their sake, no longer confined to your shell… Jingzhe, this makes me feel that you are truly alive.”

Jingzhe knew very well that the two “alives” Mingyu spoke of had completely different meanings.

Living like a walking corpse, or living earnestly, indeed…

Completely different.

Jingzhe buried his face in his hands, rubbing it hard. He said softly, “Sometimes I also feel that I’m quite terrifying.”

His tone was a bit harsh, with a hint of confusion.

“Mingyu, he is clearly malicious, and has even done many things that I find… very dangerous. But why do I still…”

Hesitate.

This made Jingzhe feel as if he were also a madman.

…

Inside Qianming Palace, a faint fragrance permeated the hall.

This incense was initially only in the side hall.

But from some unknown time, it had silently appeared in the main hall, and now, the entire hall was filled with its scent.

Ning Hongru could sense that Emperor Jingyuan did not like it.

But he said nothing.

For the emperor, this was already a certain degree of tacit approval.

Ning Hongru wanted to cry with joy.

The production of this medicinal incense, guided by Zong Yuanxin, could not only prevent the approach of Gu insects but also calm the mind and soul. It was perfect for Emperor Jingyuan.

Shi Lijun walked past him, her steps hurried.

This female official was in charge of all the affairs of the Shanggong Bureau, so she was often summoned by the Empress Dowager. However, her position was different from the Empress Dowager’s, and the Empress Dowager did not trust her at all. Many things were not handled by the Shanggong Bureau, and Shi Lijun rarely got involved.

Ning Hongru paused for a moment. As Shi Lijun passed him, she said a sentence.

“Mao Zishi is back.”

Mao Zishi…

Ning Hongru knew what Emperor Jingyuan had sent him to investigate. Now that he was back, it meant the investigation was more or less complete.

He personally brewed hot tea, replaced it with Emperor Jingyuan’s recent favorite peach blossom pastry, and then gently brought the things in.

In the study to the north, a person was kneeling before the emperor.

He looked to be in his early twenties, very young, but his beard was a bit long, making him seem somewhat old-fashioned.

“…Huang Qingtian these years… likes to go… exactly…”

“The Xu family… mother’s family…”

“King Rui and the Huang family often exchange letters…”

“…The Empress Dowager summoned the Huang family’s daughter…”

It was a dense collection of secrets concerning the Huang family.

Ning Hongru gently put the things down, noticing that the medicine bowl brought in earlier was already empty.

Emperor Jingyuan listened with half a mind, it was unclear how much he had taken in. His brows were lowered, and he seemed to be resting with his eyes closed.

After Mao Zishi finished speaking, the hall became exceptionally quiet.

After a long while, Emperor Jingyuan finally opened his eyes.

“Get up.”

Mao Zishi stood up as instructed, his movements very nimble. Kneeling for so long had not affected him at all.

“Your Majesty, should we take further action against the Huang family…”

Before Mao Zishi could finish his eager words, he suddenly choked, staring at the emperor’s face for a long time. “Your Majesty, your face…”

Was he mistaken?

Why did it seem like the faint mark on the side of Emperor Jingyuan’s right eye was… from being hit?

How could he be hit in the eye!

“Who is so brave, I really want to meet them.”

Who was so bold and skilled to have done what he wanted to do but dared not do.

Of course, it was also because he couldn’t do it.

After all, Emperor Jingyuan’s skills were excellent, and it was not easy to beat him.

“…”

Emperor Jingyuan ignored him, while Ning Hongru gave him a strange look.

Mao Zishi pondered for a moment and suddenly understood: “Oh, oh, is the person already gone? It’s okay, let me go and pay my respects at their grave.”

Ning Hongru: “…”

Please shut up!

Emperor Jingyuan’s gaze slowly fell on him: “Are you very idle?”

Mao Zishi keenly sensed the danger and immediately put on a serious and proper expression: “Your Majesty, this servant remembers that there are still things to do, please forgive me, this servant will take his leave now.” He calmly took his leave, calmly turned around, and as soon as he was out of the hall, he started to jog, as if a monster was chasing him from behind.

Mao Zishi was a capable person, but he was too cynical and had caused many jokes.

After he left, Qianming Palace became much quieter.

Ning Hongru stood by Emperor Jingyuan’s side and clearly saw that on the desk, besides the documents from Mao Zishi about the Huang family, there was also a file on Chen An.

Not about his time in the palace, but his movements outside the palace.

What Chen An had done in the palace, who he had contacted, how he went from the Zhidianjian to the Imperial Pharmacy, how he was demoted from the Imperial Pharmacy, and later became the teaching eunuch for new eunuchs, all these things had long been investigated clearly.

Including Chen An’s relationship with Concubine Yao.

However, for Chen An and Concubine Yao to be able to avoid the Empress Dowager’s eyes and ears and live in the harem for so many years, they had some ability. Even if their connection could be found, it was still unclear how they communicated.

As for Chen An’s movements outside the palace, because he was not a famous eunuch before his death, although his comings and goings were recorded, what he did and who he met after leaving the palace was not so easy to find out.

Mao Zishi had spent a great deal of effort and several months to find only a few traces.

Among them was the contact between Chen An and Cen Xuanxin outside the palace.

The relationship between these two indirectly explained why Chen An gave special care to Jingzhe.

However, these were not the focus of Emperor Jingyuan’s attention.

He picked through the numerous documents and finally pulled one out, examining it carefully.

On it was the testimony of an official “knife master”.

It was about his father still being alive.

Being a “knife master” was a hereditary profession, usually passed from father to son. It was for this reason that he could remember some things.

Because Chen An had also been castrated by this knife master’s father back then. And about ten years ago, Chen An had once again had contact with his father.

Shortly after that contact, his father performed his last castration and died not long after.

Attached to this matter was the list from that time.

Emperor Jingyuan read line by line until the end, where he saw Jingzhe’s name.

Then, Emperor Jingyuan smiled.

It was a strange, terrifying, and eerie smile.

He was clearly smiling, but it inexplicably made people shiver.

Even Ning Hongru couldn’t help but tremble.

He had seen Emperor Jingyuan smile coldly, ferociously, and sarcastically, but he had rarely seen the emperor smile so…

Creepily. He looked very happy, extremely delighted.

But it was still creepy.

Can Your Majesty please stop smiling?

It’s really scary.

Emperor Jingyuan contentedly threw the paper into the brush washer, and the things Mao Zishi had worked so hard to find dissolved in the water.

The ink marks were washed away by the water, swaying slightly with the ripples. As the paper blackened the water in the brush washer, it also slowly rotted at the bottom.

He had long had his suspicions.

About the reason why Jingzhe had hidden in the North Wing for many years, about the secret he kept silent and carefully hidden.

However, when the truth was finally revealed before his eyes, Emperor Jingyuan could not hide his delight.

Ha, how wonderful.

To be able to have him, completely.

It was not in vain for Mao Zishi to work so hard. If there was a one percent chance that Emperor Jingyuan had guessed wrong… then what Mao Zishi would have brought back would not just be this news, but also that precious root.

Emperor Jingyuan absolutely could not allow any part of Jingzhe to be left outside.

If Jingzhe knew what he was thinking, he would probably curse him as a madman.

But so what if he was mad?

Zong Yuanxin’s medicine was indeed effective.

It pried open the long-sealed ice, chipping away at the thick ice bit by bit.

However, this was not necessarily a good thing.

At least for now.

What was dug out from the iceberg might not be straightforward and happy emotions, but sometimes it would drag out a primitive beast. Unrestrained lust would erupt and frantically attack the object of affection.

The emperor’s favoritism was a sin in itself.

Helian Rong’s… was especially so.

Jingzhe’s avoidance these days was also a suitable time for the emperor.

He needed to, bit by bit, restrain those overly violent emotions and maintain them at a delicate boundary.

He could neither completely scare away that poor, lovely little dog, nor…

Let him continue to ignore it.

Outside the hall, hurried footsteps were heard, and soon, the female official Shi Lijun appeared in the hall.

Shi Lijun’s face was a little strange. After a hurried bow, she said, “Your Majesty, news from Shoukang Palace… Consort Zhang is pregnant.”

Before Emperor Jingyuan could react, Ning Hongru’s head shot up.

Consort Zhang? Pregnant?

These words sounded normal, but when associated with Emperor Jingyuan, they were very abnormal!

He carefully glanced at Emperor Jingyuan and, as expected, the emperor was looking at Shi Lijun with a blank expression.

Under that immense pressure, Shi Lijun couldn’t help but lower her head, her forehead breaking out in a thin sweat.

“…Is that so?” His Majesty’s voice was a little lazy as he said slowly, “Then let’s go and have a look.”

It even carried a hint of cold pleasure.

However, it was completely different from the genuine, heartwarming smile from a moment ago.

Ning Hongru looked at the emperor, bit by bit.

Helian Rong’s complexion was very pale.

A deathly, pale white that made his beautiful and handsome face look even colder.

When he curled his lips into a cold arc.

Death followed like a shadow.

He wanted to cut open her stomach and see for himself.

What “his” seed looked like!

Author’s note:

Jingzhe: Didn’t you say you don’t care about being cuckolded?

Rong Jiu: You haven’t even conceived my child, and you’re letting someone else get “pregnant” first? This won’t do.

Jingzhe: I’m a man… forget it, pretend I didn’t ask. I just had to run my mouth.