Chapter 59 - 3#

This explanation sounded reasonable; otherwise, as a dignitary and Commander of the Imperial Guards, why would Wei Haidong go back to save Rong Jiu’s… friend?

Jingzhe nodded, yet couldn’t say whether he believed it or not.

He blinked and looked at the person behind Rong Jiu, who was watching him with great interest, “…Aren’t you going to introduce who this is?”

This person was handsome, with a gentle temperament, looking just like a clean-cut scholar.

Rong Jiu: “Mao Zishi, a… friend.”

His cold voice sounded somewhat forced for some reason, especially when he said the word “friend” at the end, his face became even frostier.

It was as if he wasn’t talking about a friend, but an enemy.

Jingzhe’s expression became a bit strange after hearing this, but he didn’t expect the one with the bigger reaction to be Mao Zishi.

Mao Zishi seemed to be frightened by Rong Jiu’s words, backing away repeatedly, “Friend, hahahaha friend, Rong Jiu? Hahahahahaha…”

This person laughed incredibly cheerfully. If not for a bit of restraint, he might have rolled on the ground laughing.

Jingzhe looked at Mao Zishi suspiciously, and Rong Jiu’s icy gaze followed, making him shiver.

Mao Zishi immediately returned to normal and looked at Jingzhe with a smile: “Hey, Jingzhe, I am indeed Rong Jiu’s friend. Seeing is believing; I’ve finally met you.”

He was very enthusiastic, and although a bit odd, he was also very friendly.

Although Jingzhe had said before that he wanted to meet Rong Jiu’s friends, he didn’t expect it to be at this time and on this occasion.

Mao Zishi seemed very curious about him.

It was a kind of strange curiosity, similar to Zong Yuanxin.

It seemed that whether it was Zong Yuanxin or Mao Zishi, they both felt shocked that such a person appeared by Rong Jiu’s side.

Was it because this person was a eunuch, or because they thought such an existence shouldn’t be by Rong Jiu’s side?

…Wait, in the hearts of these people, what was the relationship between Rong Jiu and him considered to be?

Also friends?

He hoped so.

Jingzhe thought silently; otherwise, this trouble would be huge.

If Mao Zishi knew what Jingzhe was thinking, he would definitely laugh out loud.

Friends?

By Emperor Jingyuan’s side, the most impossible thing to have was friends.

If it weren’t for Jingzhe today, Mao Zishi probably would never have heard these words from Rong Jiu’s mouth in his life.

It was like a fantasy.

Jingzhe wouldn’t be Emperor Jingyuan’s friend, because a relationship like friendship was completely insufficient to disguise his greed.

Mao Zishi was a very lively and extroverted person, his emotions and thoughts jumping much faster than ordinary people. One moment he was asking how Jingzhe and Rong Jiu met, and the next moment, he was already talking about what he had been doing these past few days, with no connection between them.

As Jingzhe listened, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Mao Zishi subconsciously stopped and looked at Jingzhe.

Rong Jiu beside them didn’t talk much, but his gaze never left Jingzhe.

Jingzhe covered his mouth and said slowly: “I just feel that Rong Jiu and you are a bit alike.”

Mao Zishi frowned and looked at Rong Jiu suspiciously.

“Where are he and I alike?”

If someone else had said in front of him that Emperor Jingyuan was similar to him, Mao Zishi would definitely have laughed heartily and then beaten that person up.

Being similar to Emperor Jingyuan, that would be eight lifetimes of bad luck.

Jingzhe: “Both very smart, thoughts are very active, speaking styles are also a bit similar, just like… having studied under the same teacher.”

Mao Zishi looked at Rong Jiu in surprise: “Did you tell him?”

Rong Jiu said coldly: “No.”

Mao Zishi clicked his tongue in wonder, circling Rong Jiu and Jingzhe once: “No, you must have told him, otherwise how would Jingzhe know?”

After saying this, he looked at Jingzhe again.

“You guessed right, his grandfather is exactly my teacher.”

Jingzhe understood; no wonder he had this feeling.

He said frankly: “Rong Jiu doesn’t talk much about his family matters with me, so he indeed didn’t tell me about this.”

Mao Zishi’s eyes were full of amazement. This keen sense of smell… He suddenly understood why Emperor Jingyuan had given him instructions before bringing him over.

“In front of him, just be truthful with every word, no need to lie.”

Mao Zishi didn’t understand what Emperor Jingyuan meant at that time, but now he was very clear.

Jingzhe was very sharp. Lying in front of him would instead be a useless cover-up and would make him suspicious.

If everything was truthful, then the words spoken would be naturally accepted by Jingzhe.

No matter how bizarre the matter was.

With his character, he wouldn’t proactively pry into other people’s privacy, which gave a strange feeling, as if Jingzhe would naturally accept whatever others said, like a poor person who was particularly easy to deceive.

“Jingzhe, have you ever thought about doing something…”

Before Mao Zishi could finish his excited words, Rong Jiu’s hook-like hand pressed on his shoulder, stiff enough to almost break his bones.

He wailed twice: “Alright, alright, I won’t poach your corner, okay? Let go, let go quickly!”

Jingzhe could tell that Mao Zishi was a bit afraid of Rong Jiu.

This was normal; who wasn’t afraid of him?

But besides fear, the contact between Rong Jiu and Mao Zishi indeed confirmed the saying that Mao Zishi was an acquaintance.

Although Wei Haidong occasionally joked with Jingzhe and was very familiar with Rong Jiu, Rong Jiu wouldn’t relax in front of Wei Haidong.

After all, Wei Haidong was still Rong Jiu’s superior.

This Mao Zishi should really be Rong Jiu’s friend… or at least, a familiar person who could make him relax his guard slightly.

This undoubtedly made Jingzhe’s heart relax as well.

Rong Jiu rarely mentioned the past, but since Mao Zishi was his grandfather’s student and had a close relationship with him, at least it could show… that this grandfather should have treated him well?

Not all elders were unreliable. This matter was enough to make Jingzhe breathe a sigh of relief.

Mao Zishi didn’t stay long. Before long, he said he had something to do and left, but before leaving, he gave Jingzhe a little gadget.

“See this? Here is the firing hole. As long as you tie it to your arm, when you flick your hand, the mechanism inside will shoot out.”

This was a little gadget like a sleeve arrow.

Jingzhe hadn’t had time to refuse before Mao Zishi waved his hand and left.

Jingzhe silently grasped the “little gadget” in his hand. Who would give such a cruel weapon as a little gadget?

He had just nearly been taken for questioning because of privately receiving and hiding forbidden items, and the next moment he was holding a device comparable to a weapon.

If this thing were discovered, even if Wei Haidong covered for him, he probably couldn’t cover it, right?

Jingzhe looked at Rong Jiu with an indescribable expression, and Rong Jiu frowned.

…You also think it’s very dangerous, right!

Rong Jiu: “This thing is a bit weak, just play with it, don’t hurt yourself.”

Jingzhe: “…”

Heh, he shouldn’t have had any illusions about Rong Jiu.

“If I keep this thing and get reported and investigated next time, I really won’t be able to say a word in defense.”

Rong Jiu: “No one will dare to investigate you.”

He said lightly.

Although it was just such an ordinary sentence, it carried great confidence. It was as if what he said was the truth.

Jingzhe said calmly: “That is natural. After all, if it weren’t for your permission today, this matter might not have happened, right?”

He raised his head and met the man’s dark eyes.

Rong Jiu didn’t answer, so Jingzhe continued.

“This report had no beginning or end, the matter was resolved too smoothly, and Commander Wei returned too coincidentally, as if he appeared at the Imperial Guards Office for this matter. Naturally, as guessed, the Office of Punishment wouldn’t rashly go against the Imperial Guards Office, so they canceled all of today’s matters… But where did this order originate from in the beginning?”

After Jingzhe finished these words, it seemed that everything around them fell silent.

Rong Jiu didn’t answer Jingzhe’s accusation, but instead slowly frowned because of another matter: “You suspect me, of instigating anything unfavorable to you?”

Jingzhe was in a daze for a moment, what?

Then, he immediately reacted, “I’m not saying you designed this matter, but you must have known about it.”

Jingzhe couldn’t hold back and lightly kicked Rong Jiu.

What is he getting angry for?

He hasn’t even gotten angry yet; where does Rong Jiu get the face to be angry?

Just because he looks good?

Rong Jiu: “The Office of Punishment is the Office of Punishment, and the Imperial Guards Office is the Imperial Guards Office. The Imperial Guards Office has no right to interfere with the Office of Punishment.”

This matter was indeed not his order.

Even with his identity as the Emperor, he wouldn’t do such a thing.

Jingzhe nodded. These two places indeed didn’t interfere with each other.

“However, after the people from the Office of Punishment arrived at the Department of Palatial Affairs, I did receive the news.” Rong Jiu said slowly, “I didn’t design this, but handing it over to Wei Haidong indeed had a reason.”

Jingzhe pursed his lips. He knew it; why did he always feel that today’s events were too smooth?

There must have been Rong Jiu’s interference in this.

“What do you want to prove?”

Rong Jiu said coldly: “You are close to me. If I were to handle this matter, your attention would stay more on me rather than the event itself.”

The event, itself?

Jingzhe fell silent. What was worth investigating about the event itself? Was it Xinsheng’s jealousy? His evidence? Or how he contacted the Office of Punishment, or perhaps…

Jingzhe looked up at Rong Jiu.

“You want me to know the importance of power.” His voice was light and slow, carrying a chilling twilight.

Something that was dangerous in Jingzhe’s view, and even in the view of the Department of Palatial Affairs, could be easily eliminated in the budding stage by Wei Haidong. Between chatting and laughing, there were calculations, but also amiable disguises.

Was it because Sun Shaotao was such a kind person?

Ha, it was because Wei Haidong held power that even Sun Shaotao couldn’t defy.

Power, these two words were truly moving.

Rong Jiu walked towards Jingzhe, his steps steady, but every step carried a predatory pressure until he forced Jingzhe against the palace wall.

A cold touch came from behind; the winter wall was truly cold, and Rong Jiu’s fingers also carried a chilling breath.

Landing on Jingzhe’s forehead, like ice blocks.

“Jingzhe, you should be greedier and learn to plunder.” It wasn’t the first time he said such words.

Rong Jiu’s cold voice, like his breath, enveloped him, “You should utilize your claws and teeth, learn to snatch anything you need from me, from anything.”

Including power, status.

Coat your teeth with ice, decorate your sharp claws with cruelty, learn to use violence as a means, and trample everything that goes against you.

Jingzhe was almost crushed in Rong Jiu’s arms.

This made him feel that Rong Jiu was somewhat in pain.

Constantly watching Jingzhe in “danger,” this feeling made this cold-hearted person also have such emotions.

Although insignificant, it was still sensitively captured by Jingzhe.

He realized with hindsight that the man was indeed angry, but not because of the reason he suspected just now.

He was angry because Jingzhe clearly saw through it but didn’t learn to use it.

It was like a straight-A student who finally lowered his status to give a lesson to a failing student, but after watching, the failing student just looked at the straight-A student happily.

Ignorant, blank, and silly happy.

It’s not annoying if you don’t understand, but if you understand and still can’t do it, that’s truly annoying.

Jingzhe was not unaware of this.

When Wei Haidong was talking with Sun Shaotao, Jingzhe indeed felt a certain cold atmosphere, far away.

Jingzhe didn’t like power, which had a lot to do with his past experiences. His nature also preferred a simple life.

But no one could deny that power was indeed a good thing.

Whether in the past or now.

Jingzhe wasn’t so stupid as to not even understand this point.

Jingzhe sighed softly: “I really don’t know what’s wrong with you…”

What kind of strange description is claws and teeth?

Is he a puppy?

Why does he have to snatch other people’s things for no reason? If everything relies on fighting and snatching, isn’t that a robber?

He always felt the palace was full of dangers, always felt he could die just by tripping, always felt there were countless dangers around him… Naturally, today was indeed a crisis.

But people like Xinsheng were rare after all.

“…However, I will remember.”

The first half of the sentence was a helpless sigh, but the second half was a soft promise.

Rong Jiu shouldn’t be like this, always worrying about him in such a long and painful way.

Jingzhe didn’t make promises easily.

But as long as he agreed to something, he would always try his best to do it.

Rong Jiu’s eyes suddenly darkened, and on his expressionless face, there was finally a hint of a smile.

But it was eerie, carrying a bone-piercing coldness.

Previously, he had used the wrong method.

Jingzhe was just such a person, without the desire to attack, and with little greedy desire. For him, the more peaceful and indifferent, the more joyful.

But as long as Rong Jiu didn’t let him go for a day, the things he hoped for, the life he wanted, would only get further and further away.

Even if he wasn’t known by others now, in the not-too-distant future, some things were bound to happen.

Rong Jiu suppressed the bloodthirsty violence in his heart, maintaining the cold expression on his face.

Since bloody cruelty couldn’t dye Jingzhe to be like him, then use facts, sincerity, and a little seemingly insignificant pain, with the reality he could resist the least…

Let him willingly swallow the blood wine carefully brewed by Rong Jiu.