Chapter 49 - 4#
The figures of Sanshun and Haolin disappeared inside the door. Soon, Haolin came out with a painful expression, followed by an expressionless Sanshun. Haolin looked like he had just been scolded severely.
He frowned: “Director Zhu let you in.”
Haolin pointed at Jingzhe.
“Only you.”
Jingzhe nodded gratefully to Sanshun, then entered the door.
Mingyu waited outside. Now, it was his turn to be anxious.
Haolin said grumpily: “Just now you weren’t worried, now you are worried instead, but it’s too late.”
Zhu Erxi’s temper was not good.
Mingyu would definitely suffer.
Sanshun said in a muffled voice: “He is not worried about himself.”
Mingyu nodded to Haolin: “I’m worried about Jingzhe. Will he be scolded by the Director?”
…Haolin chose to shut up.
Fine, it was him who spoke unnecessarily.
It was unknown what was said in the room, but the longer they talked, the closer the time approached. Jingzhe still hadn’t come out. Haolin frowned, afraid that this would affect Zhu Erxi.
Just then, light footsteps came from the room, and Zhu Erxi walked out.
“Haolin, you stay.” The director said expressionlessly, “Watch him.”
It was self-evident who this “him” was.
Then, Zhu Erxi looked at Mingyu and Sanshun.
“Follow me.”
Sanshun: “Director, Jingzhe…”
“Do what you should do. If you do it well, he naturally won’t have any trouble. If you don’t do it well…” Zhu Erxi paused meaningfully and didn’t continue.
Mingyu felt that the director meant something else, but couldn’t hear more. He stared at the door for a moment, then lowered his head and followed Zhu Erxi away.
No matter what Jingzhe wanted to do, obviously…
He convinced Zhu Erxi.
Haolin knew why Zhu Erxi kept him. In the entire Imperial Kitchen, he was considered Zhu Erxi’s confidant, even the later Sanshun was not as good.
He walked into the room and saw Jingzhe sitting in the corner, looking down at the tip of his shoe.
There were broken cups on the ground, but judging from the stains, they weren’t aimed at Jingzhe. It should be Zhu Erxi throwing them on the ground in a fit of temper.
Haolin sat down opposite Jingzhe and said suspiciously: “What exactly did you say?”
He had followed Zhu Erxi for so many years, but it was the first time he felt such a tense atmosphere.
Jingzhe smiled bitterly and just shook his head.
Haolin saw the same tension in Jingzhe as in Zhu Erxi. He frowned and didn’t speak anymore, but followed Zhu Erxi’s instructions and watched Jingzhe closely.
Time passed little by little, and soon it was the time for the Autumn Banquet.
Haolin noticed that Jingzhe’s face was even paler.
One quarter, two quarters… not knowing when, a commotion suddenly sounded outside the door. Haolin was about to get up and go out to check, but saw Jingzhe stand up abruptly.
“Stop, Director Zhu said you are not allowed to go out!”
Jingzhe seemed not to have heard, and ran out quickly.
Many palace servants in the Imperial Kitchen gathered in one place, with terrified faces, talking all at once.
“…Almost something happened…”
“…Vomiting and diarrhea… taken down…”
“Fortunately Director Zhu was cautious…”
“The poison was in the tea, it has nothing to do with us!”
The system dinged.
[Task Eleven failed]
This was the first time that the system didn’t immediately announce the punishment after saying this.
[Congratulations to the host, successfully saved Mingyu.]
Jingzhe’s legs went soft and he almost fell to the ground. He held onto a pillar and squatted down slowly. After a while, he whispered.
“Thank you.”
He knew very well that Task Ten was unnecessary. It was the system doing something in it, giving Jingzhe a small hint. Otherwise, even if he found Zhu Erxi, he wouldn’t have such confidence. Naturally, he might not be able to convince Zhu Erxi.
Even if the task failure was nothing, the most important thing was that as long as the Imperial Kitchen was not implicated, it meant there was still room for maneuver.
These acquaintances in the Imperial Kitchen should also be fine.
Haolin came out and dragged Jingzhe back.
The two continued to sit opposite each other.
The rumors outside had a great impact on Haolin, but he still stuck to Zhu Erxi’s order to watch Jingzhe, only occasionally looking outside the house, his legs shaking uncontrollably.
The atmosphere in the room was very oppressive.
Not knowing when, the noise outside suddenly quieted down. This strange silence made the two of them look at the door almost simultaneously.
Then, Zhu Erxi’s figure appeared outside the door.
His face had a bit of bruising and looked somewhat messy, but his spirit was okay. For someone who had just encountered such a storm, it was already considered good.
He looked at Jingzhe, a strange light flashing in his eyes: “How did you…”
He stopped.
“Never mind, no need to tell me.”
Zhu Erxi shook his head again.
Jingzhe was slightly stunned. He had prepared for Zhu Erxi to question him about how he found out after returning. As a result, Zhu Erxi didn’t seem to intend to ask.
“Chen An, that person, also did things like this, mysterious and strange. He had eight hundred minds in his life, but none were used on himself.” Zhu Erxi sighed, “Being friends with him is considered eight lifetimes of bad luck.”
Jingzhe lowered his brows: “Grandpa Chen was kind-hearted.”
“So, good people don’t get good rewards.” Zhu Erxi said indifferently, “You’d better remember this sentence.”
Zhu Erxi knew very well that Jingzhe was so desperate for Mingyu in the Imperial Kitchen. Just now, this person stood in front of him, that resonant confidence infected Zhu Erxi, as if he saw Chen An.
If not for this, Zhu Erxi might not have believed Jingzhe, sending more manpower to every link, firmly watching every kind of food, not letting outsiders touch it.
He could do these things, it was just too troublesome, and he rarely did it usually.
After all, who would be so daring as to do such a thing in the palace? It was simply unheard of. And how exactly did Jingzhe know about this matter, and did he know… how much risk he had to bear coming to the Imperial Kitchen?
Mingyu and he were old friends, so Jingzhe could disregard everything. Such a person could be called a good person, but might not live well.
Zhu Erxi waved his hand and let Jingzhe leave.
Now the Imperial Kitchen was chaotic, and he didn’t allow outsiders to stay here anymore. Even if Jingzhe wanted to take a look at Sanshun, he couldn’t.
Watched by Haolin incessantly, he had to leave the Imperial Kitchen.
Walking on the way back, Jingzhe felt weak in his limbs again.
He pounded his arms, but his heart was light.
In any case, the Imperial Kitchen was fine, which meant Mingyu and Sanshun were fine. As for the rest… Ha, looking at Zhu Erxi’s attitude, he probably wouldn’t tell anyone.
So for Jingzhe, today could be considered perfect.
…Wrong.
Jingzhe stopped his steps. At the same time, the life-threatening talisman arrived late.
[Random buff: Bloodlust]
[Effect: Within 8h (about four hours), everyone who sees the host will crave to offer blood to the host and develop a pathological obsession for this.]
Jingzhe: “…Heh.”
He was too lazy to curse the system’s perversion anymore.
He fumbled all over his body, managed to pull out two or three handkerchiefs from his bosom, nimbly tied them together, and then put them on his face.
Very good, for the next four hours, he would live like this.
No one should think about seeing his face!
Jingzhe gritted his teeth.
“Jingzhe?”
It was Sanshun’s voice. Not knowing where he slipped out from. Usually, Jingzhe would definitely turn around and greet him happily, but now his body was stiff, and he dared not turn around no matter what.
“Mingyu asked me to tell you that we are all fine. But don’t come to the Imperial Kitchen recently. Someone will definitely be watching. Now that something happened at the Autumn Banquet, the harem will definitely be chaotic for a while. You should pay attention to safety yourself.”
Jingzhe didn’t dare turn around, just listening to Sanshun’s words like this.
“Thank you, you go back quickly too.”
Footsteps didn’t sound.
Jingzhe’s heart rose. Sanshun was usually very obedient.
He didn’t move, which was very strange.
Sanshun said slowly: “Jingzhe, are you hungry?” This voice sounded with a hint of eagerness.
Jingzhe shook his head frantically: “Not hungry.”
Almost shaking off the thing on his head.
Sanshun didn’t give up: “Not even a little bit hungry?”
He wasn’t curious at all about why Jingzhe’s face was covered with that stuff.
…It was precisely because he wasn’t curious that the problem was bigger!
Usually, if Sanshun saw it, he would more or less ask!
Jingzhe: “Not hungry, go back immediately!”
He emphasized his tone.
“Oh.” Sanshun said slowly again, turned and left.
After confirming that Sanshun really left, Jingzhe walked away quickly.
Terrible. Fortunately, it was the dull Sanshun who came. If it were anyone else, it would be all over!
He didn’t want to drink human blood!
This damn buff, as long as “seen”, it would “take effect”, incomparably domineering. Should he be glad that this time it was limited to “humans” instead of any living beings?
If it presented the madness of last time again, he might as well just die now.
The person Jingzhe least wanted to see right now was Rong Jiu.
Fortunately, today was the eighth.
Even if Jingzhe was unlucky, he wouldn’t…
He braked urgently.
Jingzhe closed his eyes, opened them, closed them again, and opened them again. Through the messy cover, he discovered in horror that at the end of the palace path, a group of people was walking towards here.
Who else could the leading person be if not Rong Jiu?
He didn’t even see the people behind him clearly, just turned around sharply.
Fortunately, Rong Jiu was so outstanding that he could be seen at a glance.
Ha, misfortunes never come singly. Don’t ask for what comes. Is his mouth a crow’s beak?
Helian Rong just looked up and saw that familiar figure slipping away, as agile as a jumping puppy, making one have the impulse to break his limbs and bind him firmly.
He raised an eyebrow.
Strange.
Usually, this kind of crazy desire was hidden very well?
Why at this time… it was like raging waves, difficult to stop. He narrowed his eyes dangerously.
Tsk, gone in a flash, running quite fast.
“Wei Haidong.” He raised his hand coldly, “You handle the rest yourself.”
Wei Haidong lowered his head respectfully.
Now, he was going to catch that runaway puppy.
Bit by bit, torture out the reason, so that he would never dare to turn and run again.