Chapter 62 - 1#

What is he going to Qianming Palace for at this critical juncture? To see Emperor Jingyuan? Or to go crazy in front of Qianming Palace? His head is living well on his shoulders, and he doesn’t want it to fall off.

Jingzhe is not afraid of death.

But he certainly doesn’t want to seek death.

A few days ago, Qianming Palace looked like a tragedy. Otherwise, Mingyu wouldn’t have said that Jingzhe might as well go to Qianming Palace. Although it was a joke, it also showed how many vacancies there were in Qianming Palace.

Going with Rong Jiu, how could he survive?

Jingzhe gritted his teeth: “I thought about it, if we get caught in the future, at worst, that’s it. But I never thought about actively seeking death myself.”

Rong Jiu said coldly, “How is it seeking death? Isn’t it exactly what you want to know, which is more important?”

Jingzhe’s eyes widened. This sounded very unreasonable.

He clearly didn’t mean that.

Rong Jiu, inside and outside his words, always deliberately twisted his meaning.

“I don’t want to see His Majesty.” Jingzhe hugged the trunk of a tree on the palace path with one arm. He estimated that he hadn’t done such a rascally thing for over ten years, and his skills were a bit rusty. “And I don’t want to leave my head there.”

Rong Jiu looked at Jingzhe’s comical movements and said indifferently, “Who dares to chop off your head?”

Jingzhe wanted to cry but had no tears. If he went to Qianming Palace, then truly anyone could chop off his head.

“I know sometimes you go crazy, and I know sometimes you go completely crazy, but we only have one life, we can’t play with it casually.” Jingzhe urged earnestly, “Rong Jiu, I trust you, I really trust you, don’t…”

Seeing Rong Jiu walking towards him, afraid that this person was going to use brute force to drag him away, Jingzhe directly wrapped one leg around the tree and refused to leave with all his might.

He didn’t want to be such a rascal, nor did he want to lose face like this.

But there was really no other way.

Rong Jiu looked coldly at Jingzhe, like an evil shadow, even more like a rotten and dark ghost, with indifferent malice in the depths of those pitch-black eyes.

“Isn’t this what you want to know?”

His lips seemed to be seeping with strong poison, and the words he spoke carried a creepy eeriness.

“Hearing is false, seeing is believing. Jingzhe, that is the truth you like.”

Slap—

With a crisp sound, Jingzhe’s hands slapped Rong Jiu’s face hard.

In order to make this move, he had to put down the leg that was already wrapped around the tree trunk.

This was really a hassle.

“No matter how important the truth is, it’s not important enough to fill it with your and my lives.” Jingzhe kicked Rong Jiu hard and said angrily, “I don’t care what you think, anyway, I’m not going to Qianming Palace today.”

Speaking of this, he pinched the man’s face hard.

“You can’t always be like this, losing your temper casually.” Jingzhe muttered, this is too petty.

“I’ve never been a magnanimous person,” Rong Jiu said.

Is this being proud instead of ashamed? Where can one find such a shameless and thick-skinned person.

…It’s wrong for Rong Jiu to lose his temper casually, but Jingzhe is also clear about the reason why he does this.

If a person is willing to live for you, this heavy emotion is already like a river full of gloom, carrying painful suppression.

Such heaviness is unhealthy. He shouldn’t repeatedly compromise on what Rong Jiu does because of such feelings. After all, this man doesn’t know how to restrain himself at all, and will only plunder more aggressively.

But people are really easily affected by emotions. Even if they know clearly in their hearts what the most rational approach is, it doesn’t mean they can really act accordingly.

Otherwise, he should have listened to reason long ago and stayed as far away from this man as possible.

Jingzhe sighed: “You are angry now because you think I don’t trust you. But Rong Jiu, if I didn’t trust you, we wouldn’t have come to this day.”

Rong Jiu seemed to want to say something, his eyebrows moved slightly, and he suddenly swept his gaze towards the corner.

Jingzhe quickly stopped, lest this posture be seen by others.

Jingzhe’s hearing was good, but Rong Jiu’s ears were sharper than his. When Zheng Hong came just now, it was Rong Jiu who heard his footsteps first.

Soon, Jingzhe saw Wei Haidong walking through the palace path with a group of people, looking serious.

The small path where they stood was still a bit far from the corner.

Originally, such a distance was not enough for people to notice, but unexpectedly, Wei Haidong seemed very keen on sight and looked over suddenly.

The leading commander stopped, and the others did even more so.

Wei Haidong narrowed his eyes, looked at Rong Jiu and Jingzhe, and said calmly, “Rong Jiu, just right you are here, bring Jingzhe and come with me to the Imperial Guard Office.”

Jingzhe blinked frantically, afraid that Rong Jiu would say something shocking and directly reject Wei Haidong. He poked his finger on Rong Jiu’s back, and poked very hard again.

Rong Jiu felt the strange itch on his back, his expression was as cold as ever, just more suppressed than before, “Since the commander has an order…” He smiled inexplicably, just looking a bit twisted, “I should obey.”

He led Jingzhe and joined their team.

Wei Haidong seemed to know that Jingzhe had doubts in his heart. While leading the people forward, he said, “His Majesty has ordered a thorough investigation into Concubine Kang’s matter. Among those investigating now, there are people from the North Room. That is where you came from. It would be helpful for you to watch from the side.”

Jingzhe: “If you ask about the past, I might know a thing or two; but since leaving, I’m not very clear about the matters of the North Room.”

Wei Haidong smiled: “It is investigating the past, as well as the present.”

Saying this, there was a somewhat strange ambiguity.

Wei Haidong didn’t know where he came back from, carrying a chilling aura. Entering the Imperial Guard Office, most people lowered their heads and dared not speak.

Jingzhe was really glad that he had already finished what needed to be done when he came out, otherwise, with his posture of running outside all day, Jiang Jinming might have skinned him.

Jingzhe was almost familiar with the guards of the Imperial Guard Office. Seeing Jingzhe appear in the team together, they didn’t feel anything.

They just bowed slightly to them and looked straight ahead.

Rong Jiu swept his gaze across them.

Not everyone recognized the Emperor, nor could all guards go before the Emperor. Those placed here to guard the gate of the Imperial Guard Office were naturally ordinary guards.

Most people here only knew that Rong Jiu was the commander’s deputy.

Just having a very good relationship with a little eunuch.

Now, even seeing them appear together, there wouldn’t be strange looks.

How would they dare?

The attitude of Commander Wei Haidong towards Rong Jiu was lenient to a bizarre degree.

When their figures disappeared into the Imperial Guard Office, one guard said to another: “Have you heard? Commander Wei seems to intend to leave office.”

“How can it be called leaving office? This is called transfer.” The other guard shook his head, “This is a promotion.”

“But the person taking over is not that lord just now, this…”

“What thoughts the superiors have, do you need to care?”

Just shut up.

This is the best rule for living in the palace.

No matter what you hear or know, keep your mouth shut and don’t talk nonsense, and you can live more comfortably than anyone else.

Everyone understands the principle that trouble comes from the mouth.

Even if this Rong Jiu is still a deputy, his status is still beyond reach, so what face do they have to criticize?

Inside the Imperial Guard Office, Jingzhe was already familiar with the way.

Although he hadn’t been here many times and knew the Imperial Guard Office was huge, he only needed to remember one path.

The path from the gate to outside Rong Jiu’s room.

Now, Wei Haidong led them on another path. Twisted and turned, they finally stopped, only to find that the surrounding buildings looked different from other places at a glance.

Jingzhe looked carefully; this looked more like some kind of prison.

Wei Haidong led people in. The spacious road in the middle was enough for them to walk in the center and still clearly see the people at both ends of the room. Most of the rooms were empty, only a few held people.

“Bring out the people from the North Room.”

Wei Haidong ordered.

At the end of this road was a hall.

The hall was very spacious, somewhat resembling the shape of an external government office. Screens were placed on both sides. Looking around, one could see several chairs behind the screens.

Besides Rong Jiu and Jingzhe, there were two other men sitting on chairs behind the screen opposite.

Jingzhe looked at Rong Jiu suspiciously.

Along the way, Rong Jiu seemed very quiet, no longer having the violent emotions as before, only carrying a strange indifference.

Naturally, in their seemingly close movements, Jingzhe would often squeeze Rong Jiu’s fingers.

These excessive small harassing movements made Rong Jiu suddenly grip Jingzhe’s hand tightly.

Jingzhe pulled but couldn’t move it.

So, he let Rong Jiu hold it.

“These screens are usually placed here,” Rong Jiu said slowly, “just for this kind of situation.”

Wanting to listen, but inconvenient to show face.

Jingzhe lowered his voice: “What about the two people opposite?”

Perhaps because behind the screen, they couldn’t see others and others couldn’t see them, Jingzhe seemed much more at ease.

His body leaned close to Rong Jiu, a natural intimacy.

“Those two are both Wei Haidong’s deputies.”

Jingzhe was slightly stunned, Commander Wei’s deputies?

He whispered to Rong Jiu.

“Then the two of them count as your competitors?”

Rong Jiu raised an eyebrow: “Competitors for the position of commander?”

“Didn’t Commander Wei say that he intends for you to be the successor…” Jingzhe’s voice became lower and lower, obviously afraid of being heard by others, “With so many deputies, Commander Wei is really grand.”

Rong Jiu was silent for a moment.

He was thinking.

If he followed Jingzhe’s wish now and seized Qi Wenhan’s position as the next commander…

Never mind.

Better not create more trouble.

In the end, Rong Jiu gave up this somewhat wonderful idea.

In the seats behind the opposite screen, Lu Xudong looked at Qi Wenhan’s restless appearance and said amusingly: “What’s wrong with you? It’s not the first time sitting in this position.”

Usually, they stood outside, but occasionally sitting here also happened.

Qi Wenhan touched the back of his neck, “I just feel chilly.”

As if a seam kept blowing air towards the back of his neck, making him uncomfortable everywhere.

Lu Xudong: “Could it be because of the person opposite?”

Speaking of this, Qi Wenhan became even more silent.

He exchanged a glance with Lu Xudong and whispered, “I think so.”

“I think so too.” Lu Xudong shook his head, “But impossible.”

If it were really that person, how could Wei Haidong order him? And how could he be intimate with an ordinary eunuch?

Besides, what for!

Qi Wenhan scratched his neck and said somewhat distressingly, “That’s what is said, but facing that face, isn’t it chilly?”

Lu Xudong shivered silently and looked faintly at the screen in front of him: “Truly fortunate.”

Although they both felt that this couldn’t be Emperor Jingyuan.

But Rong Jiu…

They had also heard of this person’s famous name.

This person appeared and disappeared mysteriously. Only Wei Haidong knew the specific situation, and they had basically never seen this person’s appearance.

They occasionally heard that he would appear in the Imperial Guard Office.

But this was like a legend.

In the Imperial Guard Office, there were indeed people who had seen him, but they were either inconspicuous little guards manning the gate, or they didn’t dare to look closely at Rong Jiu’s appearance. Piecing it together carefully, there was actually no real image.

Now, they finally saw this person’s appearance, but regretted that it would have been better not to see.

The awe for Emperor Jingyuan was still deeply hidden in their hearts.

Even facing someone who only had a few points of resemblance, it would easily arouse panic in their hearts.

“…They seem to be afraid of you.”

Just opposite, Jingzhe racked his brains to recall, and could only have this little feeling.

“They are not afraid of me.” Rong Jiu said without changing his expression, “They are afraid of the power represented behind Wei Haidong. It’s just that I stand with him, so it looks like they are afraid of me.”

Jingzhe raised an eyebrow: “Is that so?”

He looked Rong Jiu up and down.

“It’s normal to be afraid of you too.” Jingzhe muttered, “Should have really let them see how you looked just now.”

It’s just that this person’s emotions surged one moment and became calm and stable the next.

He instinctively realized that Rong Jiu’s state was wrong, but he no longer had the extra mental energy to think about these things now.

Outside, someone had already been escorted in.

They couldn’t see the people outside, but they could hear the voices.

Jingzhe could vaguely hear from the voices that there was a middle-aged woman and an older male voice. Hearing this, they were the two recent managers of the North Room.

Wei Haidong was questioning them.

But no matter what he asked, the people below insisted they knew nothing.

“Jingzhe, what do you think?”

Jingzhe was listening attentively, and when asked by Rong Jiu, he was subconsciously stunned.

“What?”

“Do you think they are lying?”

Jingzhe looked at the screen. Although he couldn’t see the person behind the screen, after hesitating for a moment, he still whispered: “Neither true nor real.”

This was just a feeling.

Needless to say about Nanny Chen, after Li Dong died, Jingzhe couldn’t have any good intentions towards her. As for the other one, he used to be from the Empress Dowager’s palace.

With such a background, even if he said he was innocent, it was hard for Jingzhe to believe.

Outside, Wei Haidong didn’t go so far as to use torture.

But he also had them taken down.

Qi Wenhan spoke up: “Commander, what Nanny Chen said just now doesn’t match the traces on Li Dong.”

“Have her family members been found?”

“Found, bringing them to the capital.”

Wei Haidong nodded: “Then wait for the people to arrive, then question again. Send the remaining one to the Department of Prudence and Punishment”

Qi Wenhan obviously knew who Wei Haidong was talking about.

Nanny Chen was to stay, but that manager eunuch was to be sent away.

Jingzhe narrowed his eyes slightly. Wei Haidong’s way of handling things indeed didn’t look like he wanted to investigate in detail.

“Investigating the Empress Dowager’s people is useless,” Rong Jiu said thinly. “Generally, they are too lazy to touch them.”

Jingzhe frowned strangely: “Then why doesn’t His Majesty…”

Okay, he almost quarreled with Rong Jiu just now because of Emperor Jingyuan, and now he was a bit afraid to mention him. Jingzhe had once suspected…

Thinking of Rong Jiu’s irritable appearance just now, he only felt the previous guess was funny.

“Not lock her up, chain her up, even crippling her hands and feet is fine, anyway, it can avoid many disasters?”

Rong Jiu’s words carried a ruthless baleful aura.

Although Jingzhe shouldn’t have any reaction to this, after all, this is the Empress Dowager, he still nodded slowly.

Compared to Emperor Jingyuan’s usual style, this indeed fit his habits very well.

Rong Jiu’s eyes carried a weird eagerness to move, but it was quickly covered by some cold emotion, becoming disinterested: “This is the meaning of her living.”

Jingzhe’s eyebrows frowned as if they could pinch a person to death.

Why couldn’t he understand Rong Jiu’s words?

What does it mean, this is the meaning of the Empress Dowager living… living to cause trouble for Emperor Jingyuan???