Chapter 43 - 3#

Even if rooted in extremely malicious soil, the poisonous flower that grows possesses terrifying predatory nature, but no one can deny that arrogant and rich beauty.

Jingzhe was originally talking about the Taishi Palace, but as he spoke, he inevitably thought of Rong Jiu.

This couldn’t be blamed on him thinking too much.

After all, he naturally had an eye-catching personality.

Placed in a crowd, he was the most dazzling pearl, and no one could avoid him.

“I know about the Taishi Palace.” Shi’en waved his hand, “His Majesty didn’t go back until the afternoon.”

This scared the entire Taishi Palace into chaos.

Shi’en: “I almost thought you weren’t coming back.” He complained, his brow still furrowed.

Jingzhe: “When I came back, I already met Manager Hu. He said that the people going to the Taishi Palace have already been arranged, and I don’t need to go again.”

The abnormal change in the Taishi Palace was enough for Hu Yue to make the most appropriate response. He was reluctant to let his subordinates go, but he wouldn’t soften his heart for this bit and cause himself trouble.

Not to mention, last night, the conversation between Jingzhe and Wei Haidong wasn’t a secret and soon reached Hu Yue’s ears.

Hu Yue actually regretted it a bit.

If he had known that Jingzhe had such connections, he shouldn’t have stuffed him there yesterday.

Although it sounded nice on the surface, just helping out, Jingzhe was so smart, how could he not guess that Hu Yue asked him to take the blame yesterday?

When Jingzhe came back, Hu Yue had thought of various ways to appease him, but unexpectedly, although Jingzhe was a bit tired, he kept smiling.

That smile was sincere. He didn’t seem to hold a grudge because of yesterday’s events, but instead was somewhat grateful.

Hu Yue racked his brains but couldn’t guess why Jingzhe was so happy.

Jingzhe was naturally happy. If he hadn’t replaced someone to go to the Taishi Palace yesterday, he definitely wouldn’t have met Rong Jiu, nor could he have helped him relieve his pain.

If Rong Jiu really stayed in the heavy rain all night, no matter how strong his body was, he wouldn’t be able to hold on.

Jingzhe touched his own face, and Shi’en followed suit, shaking his head: “Go inside quickly, I’ll go get some ginger soup.”

Jingzhe: “I already…”

Before he could finish his words, he saw Shi’en hurry out again.

Fine, Jingzhe shut his mouth.

Before parting, he didn’t know where Rong Jiu got the ginger soup, pinching Jingzhe’s nose and pouring two large bowls down. Now back, Shi’en wanted to get some for him too.

Jingzhe felt that if he burped, his whole person would smell of ginger, marinated through.

Hu Yue gave Jingzhe a day off. The next day, when others went on duty, he lay in bed and slept soundly for a whole day.

When he got up, it was already afternoon.

The originally stuffy nose was finally not so blocked.

Jingzhe got out of bed and moved around, muttered a few words to himself, and breathed a sigh of relief after finding no abnormalities in his body.

It’s good that he didn’t really get sick.

Jingzhe had a little savings now, but if he really got sick, he couldn’t afford it.

Like Laifu in the palace, his body was gradually getting better now, but if it weren’t for the money Jiang Jinming paid in the early stage, he wouldn’t have survived at all. Even emptying the purses of these familiar eunuchs couldn’t afford the medicine that cost two taels of silver a pack.

Even Jiang Jinming only paid for the life-sustaining medicine. If he couldn’t be saved, he wouldn’t spend money in vain.

Jingzhe wandered around the neighborhood alone.

Others went to work, and it was not good for him to walk around randomly. He could only look around nearby and remember the way a little.

In two days, the foreign envoys would arrive.

Jingzhe had never seen people from foreign lands. He heard from Zheng Hong that they all looked like people with high nose bridges, deep eye sockets, very distinct features, and were quite tall.

He wrinkled his nose. No matter how tall, could they be taller than Rong Jiu?

Rong Jiu was the tallest person he had ever seen.

Wei Haidong was robust, but not as tall as Rong Jiu.

Before knowing Rong Jiu, Jingzhe never felt that he was short. No matter where he went, he was considered one of the tall ones. But he never expected…

In Rong Jiu’s eyes, he was a little shorty.

In the evening, when Shi’en came back, he specially felt Jingzhe’s forehead. Finding no fever and no blocked voice, he smiled with satisfaction.

Then, he stuffed another large bowl of ginger soup into Jingzhe.

Jingzhe: “…I’m really fine.”

Shi’en said with a serious face: “Can’t relax vigilance.” People like them were not qualified to get sick, so naturally, they had to be fully prepared to avoid regretting later.

Jingzhe had no choice but to drink the ginger soup.

Shi’en had a personality that couldn’t stay idle. With fewer people to gossip with every day, he could only talk to Jingzhe when he came back.

“Many people in the Taishi Palace have been changed. Don’t know what happened.” As usual, starting with the most important Taishi Palace, “However, the place we went to today, we saw a lot of horses. Jingzhe, some horses are even taller than us…”

Jingzhe: “Why did you change to such a far place today?”

Shi’en: “Seems like something happened in the stable yesterday.”

Jingzhe lowered his eyebrows. Stable?

He remembered Wei Haidong going to the Taishi Palace in the middle of last night, wondering if there was any connection. However, it might also be him overthinking. After all, Wei Haidong seemed very busy these days. They followed the escort team all the way and didn’t see this lord’s figure.

After they ate and drank enough and finished chatting, they rested early.

The successive lights soon went out.

Hu Yue was also about to rest, but just after getting into bed, he was soon woken up by the movement outside.

Hu Yue frowned, knowing that those subordinates wouldn’t dare to mess around unless it was a special situation.

He rubbed his forehead and got up.

Just after putting on his clothes, he heard the door being knocked urgently. It sounded like Tang Ji’s voice.

Tang Ji was Hu Yue’s apprentice and was considered the most favored one among these second-rank eunuchs.

Hu Yue draped his clothes and opened the door.

“What happened?”

A look of fear appeared on Tang Ji’s face: “Master, Dai Youwei is dead.” He was originally quite tall, but when he said this, his momentum was very weak.

Hu Yue’s drowsiness flew away in shock at these words.

“Dead? What happened?”

Hu Yue had specially selected the people to send over.

Wu Feng was cautious, spoke and acted decently. Such a person, even if he went to the Taishi Palace, might continue to climb up.

Sending him over was not to harm him.

And choosing Dai Youwei, although his temper was unlikeable, he was capable when doing things. Moreover, he was cowardly and would only hide when encountering things.

This wasn’t a very good habit, but in the palace, it could save his life to the greatest extent.

For the newly sent people, those serving in the Taishi Palace had their own habits. Newcomers rarely went to the front of the hall, at most serving in the outer hall.

Although these people wished someone would stand in front of them when something happened, sending untrained palace servants to the front of the hall would be asking for trouble, and they dared not do so.

Hu Yue sent people over, at least indeed having selected them.

He thought that even if they couldn’t live to the end, at least, they shouldn’t disappear in the blink of an eye.

“Who sent the news?”

Hu Yue asked closely.

Tang Ji’s face was a bit pale: “It was Niu Lianzhong who sent the news. He also said, for the next person, let me go.”

Of course, Hu Yue wasn’t the only manager in Shangyu Garden.

Besides Hu Yue, there were many everywhere. Once the Taishi Palace needed new blood, they would choose from under various managers. Last time it was just Hu Yue’s turn.

The chief manager in charge of the Taishi Palace was named Ma De, and Niu Lianzhong was his apprentice. Niu Lianzhong coming to pass the message meant Manager Ma’s intention.

Ma De and Hu Yue had a decent relationship, and it was impossible to target him deliberately. But the meaning Niu Lianzhong conveyed…

Hu Yue’s face also turned pale. Was it a warning to him? Otherwise, with so many people under Hu Yue, why choose Tang Ji specifically?

He only had this one apprentice!

Hu Yue asked Tang Ji to wait outside. After changing clothes inside, he took Tang Ji and Niu Lianzhong to the Taishi Palace together.

If Hu Yue asked Niu Lianzhong, he could also know something, but he had to make this trip anyway. Hu Yue might as well meet Ma De in person to ask clearly.

After arriving at the Taishi Palace, Niu Lianzhong bowed to Hu Yue and led the way in front. After many twists and turns, they were soon brought outside Ma De’s room.

This was a neither big nor small house, naturally much smaller compared to the entire Taishi Palace. But the two palace servants standing outside the door made Hu Yue realize something was wrong.

These looked like unfamiliar faces.

Hu Yue was wary in his heart, but since he was here, he had to ask clearly.

Niu Lianzhong and Tang Ji stayed outside the house, while Hu Yue went in to talk to Ma De.

Niu Lianzhong’s face wasn’t very good, but Tang Ji looked even more nervous than him, probably having heard the news of Dai Youwei’s death.

Niu Lianzhong couldn’t bear it and whispered, “As long as you are careful and cautious, nothing will happen.”

Tang Ji: “Dai Youwei was the most cowardly under Master.”

He spent day and night with Dai Youwei, naturally knowing his character. Fawning and timid to superiors, somewhat showing off to inferiors, but at most just talking. If he was really asked to do something, Dai Youwei wouldn’t dare.

Once encountering danger, this kid ran faster than anyone. If even he had an accident, then this Taishi Palace was really a dragon’s pool and tiger’s den.

A strange expression appeared on Niu Lianzhong’s face: “…Who asked him to offend His Majesty.”

“That’s impossible.”

Inside and outside the house, Hu Yue and Tang Ji almost said this sentence at the same time.

At this moment, sitting opposite him was a somewhat skinny man, hunching his back, drinking tea.

Ma De didn’t even lift his eyelids and said lightly, “Why is it impossible?”

Hu Yue found it inconceivable: “Dai Youwei’s character has extreme points, but he is fawning and timid to superiors. How could he offend His Majesty?”

He naturally didn’t want to seek justice for Dai Youwei.

The person was dead, and the accident happened in the Taishi Palace. He would be crazy to seek a reason for Dai Youwei out of boredom. This was purely for Tang Ji.

Dai Youwei died, and Tang Ji was named to succeed him. He had to know how the person died to understand how much chance Tang Ji had to survive.

Ma De: “You don’t need to ask more. His Majesty’s thoughts, no one can guess.”

Finally, he glanced at Hu Yue.

“As for Tang Ji, that was named by Manager Ning, having nothing to do with me.”

He wouldn’t make enemies for himself out of boredom, digging up others’ roots for no reason.

In this palace, the master-apprentice inheritance, if the relationship was good, was not much different from father and son.

Manager Ning, this title could only appear on one person.

Ning Hongru.

Although both were called managers, the weight of the three words “Manager Ning” was something they couldn’t catch up with even by spurring their horses.

Hu Yue’s face turned pale. It was actually chosen by Ning Hongru.

If it was this one, he really dared not say a single extra word.

Tang Ji was probably doomed.

Outside a silent palace room, a young eunuch was speaking respectfully to Ning Hongru, relaying the conversation between Hu Yue and Ma De one by one, as if someone was hiding in the room eavesdropping. The tone was exactly the same.

Ning Hongru nodded casually, not taking this matter to heart.

Just a casual act.

A small warning, that’s all.

Smart ones would naturally tuck their tails.

There was a faint smell of blood in the air. Even after scrubbing, it was hard to hide the bloody smell. There was also a faint orchid fragrance floating in the air, bringing a little sweetness.

Ning Hongru put his hands behind his back and said faintly, “Why does everyone understand the principle that disaster comes from the mouth, yet no one remembers it?”

Of course, of course, to some extent, this couldn’t be blamed on Dai Youwei.

After all, he always acted safely and carefully. Even if he spread malice, it was poured towards those who wouldn’t refute or couldn’t.

For example, Jingzhe.

It was just a pity that beside the seemingly docile person, a terrifying monster was entrenched.

This matter, to Emperor Jingyuan, was like a small pebble in the shoe. Not serious, but uncomfortable after all.

If it’s uncomfortable, the small pebble has to be removed.

It was just that Emperor Jingyuan, who had always been quick to kill and too lazy to talk nonsense, had leisure interest for the first time.

Bit by bit, he peeled off Dai Youwei’s face skin.

That weird screaming and roaring continued intermittently.

Finally, Emperor Jingyuan sighed faintly, picking up the peeled human skin with a dagger. A pair of dark eyes fell, staring at the bloody piece of flesh for a while.

The dagger was a good dagger, and the person who did it was also very crisp and neat. He didn’t even hurt Dai Youwei’s eyes, so that the bloodshot eyeballs could still see that nightmare face.

Those beautiful thin lips moved slightly, saying with interest, “You look more suitable without a face, actually better looking than before.”

Better looking?

Looking at the human skin casually thrown away by His Majesty, even the palace servants who were used to Emperor Jingyuan’s bloodiness almost vomited.

Crack—

In the next instant, Emperor Jingyuan, who still had a little interest on his face, raised his foot and stepped violently on the wailing piece of flesh. The cruel voice was mixed with pure desire for destruction, “Looking for death!”

His tyrannical action made the wailing almost silent.

Until Emperor Jingyuan stopped his movements and those twisted malices were suppressed, he moved his boots away expressionlessly.

“Ning Hongru.”

“This servant is here.”

“Go and summon Zong Yuanxin.” The rich smell of blood filled the hall, but Emperor Jingyuan turned a blind eye to it. “Let him prescribe medicine.”

In his indifferent voice, there was a violent desire. As the treatment proceeded, Emperor Jingyuan indeed was no longer completely closed off as before, but it also brought many small troubles.

For example, he should have left Dai Youwei a breath.

Dying just like that was still too easy.

“Yes.”

Ning Hongru said carefully.

“Your Majesty, Wei Haidong is still kneeling outside the hall.”

Emperor Jingyuan sneered, “He handled things poorly, he should kneel.”

Last night, Wei Haidong rushed to Shangyu Garden specifically for a secret mission on him, but overall, it was considered a slight failure.

If he hadn’t brought back Huang Qingtian’s head, Wei Haidong probably wouldn’t have needed to come back.

Emperor Jingyuan looked at the blood on the ground. After a long while, he said lightly, “Forget it, let him get up.”

He thought somewhat carelessly, if he gave Huang Qingtian’s head as a gift to Jingzhe, would he be happy?

Probably would be scared into howling, looking up in panic, eyes full of wet moisture, with terror and dependence that he didn’t even know.

Pitiful, and cute.

In this blood-filled palace, Emperor Jingyuan actually laughed.