Chapter 36#

Rong Yue’s pupils dilated, waves upon waves of terror flooding forth, as if he had seen something horrifying Chapter Number: 726676y#

In the dead of night, a horse-drawn carriage stopped at the Rong family’s front gate.

A maidservant held an umbrella as she ran to knock on the door. When the gates opened, she helped a heavily pregnant woman down from the carriage, carefully guiding her inside.

The woman supported her lower back with one hand and cradled her belly with the other, her face etched with worry, her steps hurried.

Just as she was about to reach Zhaohui Hall, she encountered a young man heading in the same direction at the entrance to the courtyard.

His attendant held an umbrella for him. The young man, wrapped in a white cloak, sat in a wheelchair, still clutching a hand warmer even in the April weather—frail and sickly in appearance.

Suddenly, a bright bolt of lightning split the heavy night sky. Through the layered curtain of rain, the young man’s face was pale as snow, only his lips a vivid red.

The woman’s heart lurched, but the young man nodded at her with a slight smile. “Elder sister is back.”

Rong Qingxue paused mid-step. “Third brother is also here to see Second Brother?”

“Yes, Second Brother was unconscious for so many days—he’s finally woken up.”

Rong Yu wore a smile on his face, but Rong Qingxue could see no trace of amusement in his eyes. Feeling somewhat uneasy, she said flatly, “The rain is heavy outside. Let’s go in quickly.”

“Elder sister, please go ahead.”

The group entered Zhaohui Hall. Madam Bai and Rong Xiuyong were both gathered around the bedside, surrounded by a crowd of maidservants and servants—some holding water, some holding food, some holding handkerchiefs, all waiting to attend to him.

“Father, Mother.” Rong Qingxue called out as soon as she entered.

Madam Bai turned and hurried forward to support Rong Qingxue, looking her over from head to toe with concern focused on her belly, then wiping the rainwater from her shoulders with a handkerchief. “My child, why did this disturb you?”

Rong Qingxue’s eyes reddened with moisture as she choked out, “Second Brother had such a big incident, and Mother didn’t tell me at all. If I hadn’t seen the servants rushing frantically outside the study waiting for His Highness today and asked a question out of curiosity, I would never have known Second Brother had been unconscious for three days.”

Madam Bai also shed tears. “You’re so far along in your pregnancy—how could I dare tell you? What if you were startled and something happened to the baby?”

“Your mother was only worried about you. You’re almost five months along—you shouldn’t be moving about so carelessly.” Rong Xiuyong said sternly.

“Exactly. The rain is heavy and the roads are slippery outside—how dare you rush out like this? If something happened to you, how would your father and I explain to His Highness the Third Prince?” Madam Bai scolded, then looked behind her. “Where is His Highness? Why didn’t he come with you?”

“His Highness has important matters to attend to.”

Rong Qingxue recalled the furious roar she had heard outside the study today, and the sharp crash of a cup shattering on the floor. Even now, her heart still trembled.

Yan Mingxuan had always been gentle and courteous, unflustered by praise or criticism. She had never seen His Highness so angry. She couldn’t even bear to imagine what could have provoked him to such a degree.

Upon hearing that the Third Prince was busy with important matters, Madam Bai didn’t press further. Rong Xiuyong, however, showed a contemplative expression.

“Mother, how is Second Brother?” Rong Qingxue asked worriedly.

“Why don’t you come see for yourself.” Madam Bai let out a sigh.

Approaching the bedside, they saw Rong Yue staring at the ceiling with wide, vacant eyes, completely unresponsive no matter how anyone called to him—as if his very soul had left his body.

“Second Brother? Second Brother?” Rong Qingxue called several times. Seeing Rong Yue as listless as a wooden puppet, she turned to Madam Bai in shock. “Mother, what’s wrong with Second Brother?”

Madam Bai wiped her tears and shook her head. “He woke up like this half an hour ago. No matter how we call him, he doesn’t respond.”

“Have you sent for a physician?”

Madam Bai said, “We invited a physician to look at him, but they all said there’s nothing they can do. Could you ask an imperial physician to come take a look?”

Rong Qingxue’s face showed reluctance. “The palace gates are already locked at this hour. Even if I presented the token of the prince consort’s wife, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to get in.”

Madam Bai paced anxiously in circles, muttering repeatedly, “What are we to do, what are we to do.”

“Why not let me take a look?”

A gentle, slow voice came from the doorway—it was Rong Yu, who had been overlooked by everyone until now.

Rong Xiuyong frowned and immediately slapped a label on Rong Yu. “What are you here to make trouble for?”

“How could it be making trouble? I’ve become somewhat of a doctor through years of illness—I know a little something about medicine. Second Brother has been unconscious for so long, and this younger brother is very worried. Father, why not let me take a look?”

Rong Yu’s words managed to persuade Rong Qingxue first. She urged Rong Xiuyong, “Father, Third Brother makes some sense. What if he can find the cause? Let him try first.”

At this point, they had no choice but to try any remedy, even a dubious one. Letting him look couldn’t possibly make things worse. Rong Xiuyong kept a stern face and grudgingly agreed.

Madam Bai despised Rong Yu the most and didn’t believe a single word he said, yet she was forced to put on a show of expectation and gratitude.

The crowd made way for Rong Yu. Moshu pushed him to Rong Yue’s bedside.

He pretended to feel Rong Yue’s hand, then tugged at his skin, and finally used two fingers to pry open Rong Yue’s upper and lower eyelids, peering at them.

The room was silent as several pairs of eyes fixed intently on Rong Yu.

Madam Bai clutched her handkerchief deathly tight, several times nearly reaching out to stop him, afraid he might harm Rong Yue.

After a long moment, Rong Yu withdrew his hand. Rong Xiuyong asked coldly, “So what did you see?”

Rong Yu took the handkerchief Moshu handed him and wiped his hands, shaking his head and sighing heavily.

The sight made the others’ hearts leap with alarm—could he have actually found something wrong?

“Just say it!” Rong Xiuyong was both anxious and angry.

“Father, don’t be anxious. Let Third Brother speak slowly.” Rong Qingxue pursed her lips, looking at Rong Yu with earnest apprehension. “Third Brother, whatever you think, just say it directly.”

Rong Yu found it amusing. Just a moment ago, she’d called him “Third Brother” at a distance, and now she was calling him “Third Brother” affectionately.

Still, he kept them dangling in suspense before beginning his nonsense. “Based on what I can see, Second Brother’s pupils are unfocused, his skin is cold and bloodless, and he has no perception or reaction to the outside world. These are the symptoms of lost soul.”

“Lost soul?” The others exclaimed in shock.

Rong Yu nodded with a perfectly serious expression. “Yes, lost soul. Based on his current state, he’s lost at least one soul and three apertures.”

“Stop your superstitious nonsense here! What lost soul and lost apertures—I think you’re spouting utter rubbish!” Rong Xiuyong’s beard bristled with anger. He was a somewhat superstitious man, wary and reverent of ghosts and spirits in equal measure—a strange and contradictory combination.

Rong Yu thought, I am indeed spouting rubbish. There’s no such plot in the book, so I don’t know why Rong Yue is unconscious either. The only reason I came is to watch the excitement and amuse myself at your expense.

Thinking this, however, he put on a helpless expression. “Father doesn’t believe me, so I suppose I’ll take my leave.”

Rong Yu had Moshu push him out. As he passed the mother-daughter pair of Madam Bai, he didn’t miss the hesitation on their faces, so he lightly added, “If you don’t perform the soul-summoning early, he’ll lose one soul and three apertures every hour. Once all three souls and seven apertures are gone, then… ah…”

Rong Qingxue and Madam Bai exchanged glances, both seeing panic in each other’s eyes.

“Third Brother, wait.”

Rong Yu quietly curved his lips upward, then turned back to look at Rong Qingxue with a calm expression.

Rong Qingxue swallowed nervously. “Do you know the art of soul-summoning?”

Rong Yu smiled faintly without answering, shifting his gaze to Madam Bai, who had remained silent the entire time. Madam Bai clutched her handkerchief, looking at Rong Yu with doubt.

After a long moment, she showed a pleading expression that was half-genuine, half-feigned. “Third Brother, if you have a way, please save your brother. Consider it your mother—consider it my begging you.”

Rong Yu raised an eyebrow, a flash of mockery passing through his eyes. “What’s all this talk of begging? Saying such things, Madam Bai, makes it sound like we’re strangers.”

After a few seconds of silence, he coughed twice into his fist, then shook his head. “I don’t know how.”

Madam Bai and Rong Qingxue were instantly stunned. A surge of anger at being toyed with rose steadily. Veins bulged on the back of Madam Bai’s hand, and the mask she wore nearly cracked.

Rong Xiuyong immediately flew into a rage and was about to curse when Rong Yu changed tack. “But my attendant knows.”

Rong Xiuyong’s breath caught in his chest—he nearly choked. His face turning ashen, he said, “Your attendant? Moshu?”

Moshu looked down at Rong Yu, confusion evident in his eyes. When had he ever learned soul-summoning?

“Chu Tan.” Rong Yu smiled mysteriously, tilting his chin toward the tall young man who had been standing at the doorway without entering. “Come here.”

Chu Tan had heard their entire conversation and was also somewhat puzzled by this young master’s sudden whim. He walked over to Rong Yu, his expression unreadable.

Rong Yu idly stroked the hand warmer in his grasp, giving Chu Tan no hint at all. He merely said to him, “Soul-summoning is your specialty. Go call out to Second Brother.”

Chu Tan’s eyebrow twitched slightly, a trace of helplessness and indulgence flickering in the depths of his eyes. “Yes, young master.”

He stood before Rong Yue’s bed, closed his eyes in a show of ritual, and after a moment of silence, began to call Rong Yue’s name in a low voice.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only Chu Tan’s voice gently echoing. Everyone watched him and Rong Yue with bated breath. Only Rong Yu sat with half-lidded eyes, lounging lazily in his wheelchair, looking utterly unconcerned.

Chu Tan’s deep, cool voice reached Rong Yue’s ears one call at a time—and remarkably, his vacant pupils actually began to regain focus. His eyeballs moved stiffly and slowly, and the fingers at his side curled slightly.

“He moved, he moved!” Some maidservants and servants exclaimed excitedly.

Rong Yu curved his lips in a knowing arc.

Madam Bai shot a fierce glare at them, and the servants immediately fell silent, not daring to disturb.

Seeing that Rong Yue had moved, Chu Tan stopped calling and rose to step aside.

Madam Bai hurried forward, grasping Rong Yue’s hand and asking anxiously, “Yue’er, Yue’er, how are you? Are you awake? Is anything uncomfortable? Do you remember your mother?”

“Enough—you’re asking so many questions at once. How can he respond to all of them?” Rong Xiuyong frowned.

Rong Qingxue also advised, “Yes, Mother. Take it slow. Let Second Brother collect himself.”

Everyone watched Rong Yue, but Rong Yue was searching for the source of the voice he’d just heard. His stiff eyes moved, passing through the crowd, and gradually fixed upon Chu Tan.

The color drained from his already pale face, turning almost translucent. Rong Yue’s pupils dilated, waves upon waves of terror flooding forth as if he had seen something horrifying.

His entire body went rigid. His mouth hung open, emitting indistinct sounds.

“Im… Im…”

Rong Yu narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

“What? What did you say, Yue’er?” Madam Bai asked frantically.

This interrupted Rong Yue’s nightmare-like state of confusion. He blinked in bewilderment, still studying Chu Tan, then rasped, “Wei…”

“This is Chu Tan.” Rong Yu said with a smile. “Does Second Brother remember him?”

“Chu… Tan…” The unfamiliar yet familiar name awakened Rong Yue’s hazy memories. He rolled the two characters over and over on his tongue, and finally relaxed back onto the bed as if all the strength had drained from his body.

Then he let out a soft laugh, in a tone of absurd mockery. “Heh. Chu Tan.”

“What is it? Does Second Brother want to thank him? After all, it was Chu Tan’s soul-summoning that brought you back.” Rong Yu’s lips curved upward, his smiling eyes veiling a hint of probing scrutiny.

Rong Yue didn’t answer. Instead, he gazed deeply at Rong Yu.

After a moment, he said something with no apparent connection to the preceding conversation. “Third Brother. Long time no see.”

Rong Yu raised an eyebrow, looking bewildered. “What do you mean? It’s only been three days. Could Second Brother still not be fully awake?”

Rong Yue stared hard at Rong Yu’s expression. Finding no clue in it, he finally withdrew his gaze and said indifferently, “Perhaps.”

“Then Second Brother should rest well. I’ll be heading back now.” With that, he coughed twice more. “The night is deep and the rain is cold. I really can’t take much more of it.”

Rong Yue said nothing more. Rong Yu was pushed out by Moshu and Chu Tan, while Madam Bai and Rong Xiuyong quickly gathered around the head of the bed, fussing over him with concern.

Only Rong Qingxue watched the young man’s thin back. She pursed her lips, took her own cloak from the maidservant beside her, and walked over to drape it over Rong Yu. She said earnestly, “Third Brother, thank you for today. Go back and rest. Mind you don’t catch cold.”

Rong Yu touched the satin fabric, slightly surprised, then smiled at Rong Qingxue. “Thank you, Elder Sister. You should take care of yourself too.”

Rong Qingxue nodded, said no more pleasantries, and turned to go back and attend to Rong Yue.

“Yue’er, what exactly happened to you?” Madam Bai said with red-rimmed eyes, taking tea from a maidservant and carefully feeding it to Rong Yue. “You frightened your mother half to death.”

Rong Yue’s gaze was vacant, as if he were deep in thought. After a long while, he said in an extremely quiet voice, “I had a very, very long dream. For a moment, I couldn’t tell the difference between the dream and reality.”

Biying Pavilion.

Moshu brought Rong Yu a bowl of hot tea. While wiping the rain-moistened strands of his hair with a cloth, he asked Chu Tan curiously, “When did you learn soul-summoning?”

Chu Tan raised an eyebrow. “That, you’ll have to ask the young master.”

Rong Yu smiled softly without speaking.

Seeing the two of them trading riddles again, Moshu pouted in displeasure. “Master, do tell us.”

Rong Yu took a sip of tea, his cold body gradually warming. “There was no soul-summoning. I simply woke up someone who was dreaming.”

“Dreaming?” Moshu was utterly confused. “So Second Young Master wasn’t suffering from lost soul, but from a nightmare? Then why couldn’t anyone else wake him, but Chu Tan could?”

Rong Yu curved his lips, his peach-blossom eyes landing on Chu Tan as he smiled meaningfully. “Probably because… he was the very core of that dream.”

【Author’s Note:】

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