LOT - 3

Shang Cizhou already found it difficult to sleep at night. Having returned from a day of reviewing memorials, he encountered such a mysterious little assassin of unknown origin.

To say he was foolish, he managed to bypass the patrols of both capital guard units without a sound. To say he was formidable, his current posture before the Emperor was like that of a three-year-old child.

Shang Cizhou had never seen anyone who could fall into a deep sleep within the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn while by his side.

Rong Mu curled into a corner of the massive dragon bed. His initial posture was extremely wary, occasionally glancing at him. Later, perhaps realizing he was temporarily out of danger, he slowly let down his guard, and drowsiness overcame him.

Despite being in the sleeping quarters, he still seemed sensitive to the cold. At first, it was just his feet overstepping their bounds, but eventually, he dragged over a large corner of the quilt. Had the brocade quilt not been so wide, he would likely have been exposed to the air by now.

Audacious and reckless.

Shang Cizhou had intended to kick him awake and make him kneel.

That was indeed his initial thought, and it was certainly how he had handled matters in the past. Furthermore, usually, doing something wrong wouldn't even lead to the stage of kneeling. Anyone daring to play tricks on the Emperor would have been beheaded long ago.

But why?

Shang Cizhou looked at Rong Mu’s exceptionally handsome face and the faint fragrance lingering in the room. 

Was it really as that charlatan said, that a person’s emotions could be governed by a flower? Otherwise, he could not explain why, even now, he could tolerate an unknown person sleeping messily at his feet.

***

Rong Mu slept soundly, so well that even his dreams were filled with a sweet scent. The sound of attendants' footsteps came from outside the window. 

Rong Mu’s brow furrowed as sunlight spilled over his half-opened eyes. He paused for a second before suddenly throwing off the quilt and sitting up.

He had slept like the dead!

Who was he? Where was he? What was he doing?!

He had turned into a flower and was being raised by a tyrant. He was in an ancient dynasty where one wrong move could cost him his head. Rong Mu gasped, quickly lifting the covers to see if he had kicked the Emperor aside.

But after lifting them, except for the spot where he had huddled, the rest of the bed was cold. Clearly, the Emperor had been gone for a long time.

Rong Mu made a painful mask face again. He had told a lie in a moment of desperation yesterday, now that he had calmed down, he felt his story was full of holes. 

This Emperor looked shrewd, how could he possibly believe it? Even if he did, a single investigation would reveal everything he said was false.

Since the Emperor hadn't exposed him yet, he was likely playing along. He just didn't know what use he could possibly have that would make a madman show him mercy.

Although Rong Mu didn't yet understand his usefulness, seeing the Chief Eunuch walking in with a beaming face, followed by young palace maids carrying accessories and fine robes and noting the curiosity in the little attendants' eyes, he knew the Emperor had dug a massive pit for him to jump into.

Sure enough, as soon as Lang Xi opened his mouth, it was a voice of congratulation: "Greetings to the Consort. Last night, His Majesty specifically came out to tell this servant that from this day forth, you are His Majesty’s favored Consort. His Majesty is very satisfied with your performance, this servant has never seen His Majesty show such favor to anyone, even allowing you to stay overnight in Ziyuan Hall. Even those young masters in the Xiqing Palace don't have such good fortune!"

Rong Mu: "…?"

What? Why did this black-hearted Emperor give him the status of a favored Consort?

And what was that about... very satisfied? This was clearly meant to mislead the subordinates! Seeing the ambiguous and respectful gazes of several attendants, Rong Mu felt a sudden headache.

He had crossed over and done nothing yet, but he had already offended the ultimate ruler.

The eerie atmosphere of the palace from last night seemed to have vanished with the rain. Sunlight flooded the grand palace, and the attendants before him were smiling. Rong Mu moved toward the edge of the bed, and a palace maid immediately knelt down with his brocade boots held high in both hands.

He opened his mouth to speak but ultimately sighed, reaching out to help the girl, who looked like she wasn't even an adult yet, to her feet.

Lang Xi, seeing this, quickly stepped in to help: "Consort Rong is truly kind! Quickly, thank the Consort."

The palace maid bowed nervously. "This servant, Ming Chun, thanks Consort Rong."

She finished speaking without daring to lift her eyes. Who knew how much mental torment she usually suffered under the tyrant.

Rong Mu felt the rigid hierarchy of the ancient dynasty once again. Even if he had just slept with the Emperor for one night, in these people's eyes, he was someone who had ascended to heaven in a single bound. 

He clumsily put on his boots and looked up to see Lang Xi watching him with a loving expression. The more he looked at that expression, the more unsettling it became. Rong Mu coughed and said, "Eunuch..."

Lang Xi paused for a moment, and hearing the voice, his gaze toward Rong Mu became even more knowing. He squinted his eyes and said considerately, 

"This servant's name is Lang Xi, the Chief Eunuch by His Majesty's side. If Consort Rong needs anything in the future, feel free to call upon me."

Despite the words, Rong Mu didn't dare boss around someone so close to the Emperor. Plus, coming from the modern world, he felt awkward seeing palace maids and eunuchs who were younger than him.

Rong Mu sighed. How did he become a white lotus, and why was his heart becoming so philanthropic along with it... Wait, flower?!

His original body!

Rong Mu hurriedly said to Lang Xi, "Eunuch Lang! Where is the vat of lotuses from last night?"

Lang Xi smiled: "Does the Consort like those?"

Rong Mu frowned at the title but didn't argue for the moment, nodding urgently.

"That was a gift to His Majesty from the Abbot of Huguo Temple. Since His Majesty didn't say how to dispose of it, this servant placed it in the corridor for now."

Rong Mu breathed a massive sigh of relief. As long as it was still here. If it was too far away, he feared he might vanish into thin air right in front of the Emperor, making it even harder to explain.

"I... he, uh, where is His Majesty?"

Lang Xi’s expression became suggestive: "Attendant, please be patient. His Majesty finished reviewing memorials late last night and went to the morning court session. He should have just finished discussing matters with the ministers and will be back shortly to dine with you. His Majesty even specifically left me in the sleeping quarters to look after you."

Rong Mu: "..."

Wait, this feels like a familiar "Emperor’s exclusive favor" or "femme fatale" plotline... and it’s actually happening to him?

But they’ve only known each other for one night!

Rong Mu was certain that madman didn't actually like him. He might just be using him as a shield or a way to kill through borrowed favor, making him die quietly in the harem struggles. Lang Xi just mentioned there were other people in the Emperor's harem!

His heart was in turmoil. Rong Mu really wanted the black-hearted Emperor to experience a thousand years of pure fermented silt to understand his painful mask feelings.

Rong Mu reached for the clothes, waving away the two maids who wanted to help. He went behind the screen, threw them on haphazardly, and tucked away the green clothes he had materialized in. When he stepped back out and sat by the mirror, he finally saw his current appearance clearly.

In the modern world, Rong Mu had just reached adulthood and was a freshman in college. Though people had always praised his refined looks, he never felt he was particularly handsome.

But now, with his long hair flowing and features as if painted, combined with the white embroidered brocade robe bestowed by the Emperor, he looked every bit the elegant gentleman just sitting there. Because he came from a flower, he carried a faint, elegant fragrance.

Forget the Emperor being reluctant to kill him, even Rong Mu himself thought this was a face meant for a protagonist.

His ancient self... seemed indeed more beautiful than his modern self.

Rong Mu touched his face and felt his vocal cords. No wonder, compared to killing him, such a face could bring the Emperor countless benefits.

Just as the Emperor looked at his original form, in the eyes of this ancient monarch, he was full of utility from head to toe.

Rong Mu took a silent breath, feeling his head throb again. He didn't know if it was from being angered by the black-hearted Emperor or because he hadn't been in the lotus all night. Either way, he felt tight-chested and was getting quite hungry.

Lang Xi seemed to notice his discomfort. He gave a warning look to some eunuchs and maids who were blushing as they stole glances, then led Rong Mu toward the side hall.

Last night, in the life-or-death crisis, he hadn't seen the palace clearly. Walking through it now, he saw the grand layout of a building every five steps and a pavilion every ten. 

However, there were no trees outside the hall, only a few symbolic flowers and grasses were planted. Rong Mu also saw his large flower vat had been moved nearby.

After the night rain, the morning petals and green leaves were covered in water droplets, shimmering brightly in the sun. As Rong Mu watched, he suddenly found it hard to keep walking.

He was even hungrier.

Since when did his hunger and thirst reach the point of making his stomach growl at a bunch of flowers?

Lang Xi saw him stop but didn't rush him. The words the Emperor had spoken last night flashed through his mind.

"...Yan Min has already submitted memorials three times this month. Because he has a granddaughter of marriageable age, he has been eyeing the Empress's position for years. Although some 'vases' (concubines) have been kept in the harem over the years, they are far from enough to shut everyone's mouths," Shang Cizhou had said, looking pindifferently behind him. 

"The person inside, no matter what his identity was before, will have only one identity from now on: my new favored Consort, Rong Mu. My heart and eyes are currently full of him, and there is no room for anyone else. Understood?"

Lang Xi had quickly complied, but he knew this was just the Emperor rearranging the chessboard.

He had served this master for ten years, since the Emperor was still the Crown Prince, and had never seen him develop feelings for anyone. In the early years when the late Emperor was still alive, it wasn't obvious. 

Since the late Emperor's passing and his ascension, the fierce and cruel nature that used to be hidden in the shadows was now displayed openly.

Lang Xi still remembered the night before the coronation. It should have been a moment of triumph for His Majesty, but he couldn't find his master anywhere. 

Finally, he found him in an old hall of the Eastern Palace. The soon-to-be Emperor had actually gone back to his old residence to sleep. When he woke up, he looked perfectly normal, performed the ancestral rites, met the officials, and then did his first act as Emperor:

He wiped out the entire clan of his adoptive mother, Lady Qi, including Lady Qi herself, who had just become the Empress Dowager.

The blood of the Qi clan wasn't washed clean for three days. It didn't flow at the execution grounds, it all flowed before the vermilion gates of the Prince's Mansion. The scene was tragic beyond measure, but His Majesty finally showed a hint of a smile.

The officials were terrified, secretly regretting helping a tyrant onto the throne, but His Majesty's wings were already fully grown.

The Black Imperial Guards were personal guards His Majesty had secretly trained years ago, and the Red Plumed Guards held most of the legitimate sons of the capital's noble families in their ranks... Every dynasty used to marry noble daughters into the palace to balance the court, but His Majesty simply took their sons into the military instead. This move truly kept the officials quiet for a long time.

But even Lang Xi, who served him closely, didn't understand why the Emperor, who had been close to his adoptive mother, would suddenly turn and kill hundreds of her relatives, even having the cavalry level the Qi clan's ancestral hall.

His Majesty always sought revenge for the smallest slight. What kind of deep-seated hatred must that have been...

Lang Xi pulled back his thoughts and sighed. His Majesty's temperament had become increasingly difficult to decipher in recent years. 

Outsiders thought he sat firmly on the throne, but who knew the Emperor didn't actually love this empire much? He seemed to be governing it just in passing.

This Consort Rong was exceptionally handsome and looked innocent and confused. He had been placed by the Emperor in a position to check and balance Prime Minister Yan. 

The Yan family daughter was arrogant and willful, it was rumored she had already harmed three young masters in the Xiqing Palace. He didn't know if His Majesty knew... He only hoped heaven would pity the beauty and let this mysterious Consort Rong live for a bit longer.​