How much artistic embellishment was in Lang Xi's words was unclear, but nine times out of ten, it was true. Although this chief eunuch could not be judged solely by his surface amiability, his words and actions genuinely favored the Emperor.
However, Rong Mu had originally thought this chief eunuch was the mad Emperor's most trusted person. But after today's conversation, he learned that Li Suichuan, whom he had met by the small lake in the imperial garden, was perhaps the one who truly understood the Emperor.
If the Emperor had really experienced something in the past, perhaps this unpredictable, volatile dog temper of his was related to someone in that matter.
He had been determined to run off to Southern Dai to live as a salted fish, unconcerned with whatever serious illness the mad tyrant had. But Rong Mu had read books for so many years, received so much proper education—he understood better than anyone what a tremendous blessing a diligent, dedicated sovereign was to the country and its people.
If the Emperor continued like this, there was no guarantee that one day, he wouldn't truly go mad.
Thinking of this, Rong Mu frowned tightly, his gaze vaguely resting on the unopened bud of Bi Jiangxue.
The abbot of Huguo Temple must know something. The great monk served the country and the sovereign; he gave the Emperor this Buddhist lotus to help him.
But none of them could have imagined that this Buddhist lotus would develop spiritual awareness and give birth to a heretical Rong Mu.
Rong Mu suddenly shuddered.
Then if he opposed the tyrant too fiercely, wouldn't the effect of his original body, Bi Jiangxue, on the tyrant be greatly diminished... If the Emperor became unstable, the country would surely be shaken.
These were all things Rong Mu had never considered before. He thought he would work for this tyrant, then retire as soon as possible. Now it seemed it was more than that.
Because of Bi Jiangxue's second-layer identity, he also had to keep an eye on the Emperor at all times, to prevent him from doing something irrational in one of his mad fits.
This way, the abbot of Huguo Temple wouldn't become suspicious, wouldn't discover that an uncontrollable human soul resided within Bi Jiangxue.
The people here—Ming Chun, Lang Xi, Yan Hualing, and those three colors—could live peacefully in the Great Shang dynasty.
Rong Mu pressed his temple with a headache.
He had to get along well with the Emperor. But the other held the power of life and death, often wearing an expression of "death to those who approach me." Most importantly, he was immune to Rong Mu's "soul-snatching, life-captivating" tricks.
In the Emperor's eyes, he, Rong Mu, was still a dangerous person of unknown origins.
Rong Mu lifted his head and downed the sweet soup Ming Chun handed him. Only then did the inexplicable stagnation in his chest ease.
Why did a delicate flower like him have to take on this hell-mode quest!
The young man took a deep breath and set the soup bowl down on the small wooden table with a "thud," startling Ming Chun.
"Is the young master feeling unwell again?"
Rong Mu shook his head, said it was nothing, and looked outside again. The Emperor hadn't returned, and even Lang Xi was gone.
He got down from the couch and paced around. After much thought, he said to Ming Chun: "Ming Chun, what does Your Majesty... like most? Or rather, do you know what he most loves to do when he's angry?"
Ming Chun was stunned. She was just a small palace maid without the authority to inquire about imperial matters. But she had occasionally heard sisters from other palaces mention things.
After thinking, she told Rong Mu: "Your Majesty's temperament is unpredictable. Sometimes he smiles on the surface, sometimes he is silent and withdrawn. This servant knows a sister who works as a night-watch maid at the Gilded Hanging Lantern Tower. She told me that when Your Majesty is in a bad mood, he always goes there to light lanterns."
Rong Mu furrowed his delicate brows: "Light lanterns?"
Ming Chun hmmed: "Your Majesty loves lanterns. The Gilded Hanging Lantern Tower has all kinds of flower lanterns. It is said to be the most beautiful palace in the entire imperial palace."
Rong Mu thought for a moment and slowly asked: "Where is this lantern tower located?"
Bi Jiangxue had been separated from him twice in one day. Before leaving, Rong Mu had specifically stuck close to it for a long time to ensure he wouldn't be suddenly sucked back halfway.
But with all this back and forth, the sky was visibly darkening.
By the time he walked out the main gate of the Ziyuan Hall, a crescent moon was already hanging from the corner of the building.
Rong Mu didn't bring Ming Chun. He specifically found a Black Armored Guard, planning to ask about Li Suichuan along the way.
But the Black Armored Guards were rigorously trained. No matter how he probed, the guard only blushed darkly and dodged like practicing tai chi.
Finally, unable to bear it, the guard said: "If the attendant truly wishes to befriend the general, you can beg His Majesty to take you out of the palace. His Majesty occasionally races horses with the general on the straight road outside the city."
Rong Mu finally understood—no matter what he wanted to do, he always had to get past the Emperor first.
He stopped asking. The Emperor hadn't restricted his range of movement, and the Black Armored Guard had led him for a while. The imperial palace at night was strangely cold and gloomy. Rong Mu rubbed his arms, turned a red corner wall, and a brightly lit palace burst into view from the distance.
The palace tower was four-cornered, three stories high, magnificent and exquisite to the extreme. The young man's pupils slightly dilated, his soft lips unconsciously parting slightly. Only after a long while did he take another breath.
This vast palace complex, including the Ziyuan Hall, was cold and hard. Only this Gilded Hanging Lantern Tower in a corner of the imperial palace had warm lights burning on every floor in the darkness, burning quietly and silently.
Rong Mu turned back and said: "I know the way now. You go back first. I'll go see if His Majesty is inside."
The Black Armored Guard hesitated for a moment, then saluted and turned to leave.
Only then did Rong Mu tuck his hands in his sleeves and saunter toward the lantern tower. The places the Emperor loved always had attendants guarding them at all times. Rong Mu didn't want to waste more words with those attendants. When he got close, he simply tried to conceal his form.
This was the first time he used his spirit powers since emerging from Bi Jiangxue. A young attendant at the palace entrance was dozing off. The flame in the palace lantern flickered for an instant, then returned to calm.
Rong Mu planned to search around here. If the Emperor wasn't here, he would go check the front hall.
But that silly girl Ming Chun seemed to have some luck on her. Rong Mu had just entered the tower and hadn't even had time to marvel at the exquisite arrangement when he saw, amidst thousands of flickering lights, a man with his long hair down, sitting with his back to him at a desk.
On the desk were thin bamboo strips, colored paper, and various oil paints. Rong Mu watched as those knuckles moved, treating these cheap trinkets with the same caution one would give to memorials on state affairs.
He fell silent, stepped forward quietly, and watched the Emperor use thin glue to stick the bamboo strips together, attach the colored paper, then raise his hand and use a fine wolf-hair brush dipped in ink mixed with gold powder to write two forceful little characters on the exquisite lantern.
Rong Mu watched entranced, unconsciously murmuring: "Ci... Zhou?"
The long fingers instantly lost their strength. The character "Zhou" was forcibly pulled three inches off course.
The lantern was ruined.
Rong Mu watched as the Emperor set down his brush and paper, turned his gaze sideways, and after a few breaths, laughed lowly and said gloomily: "Does Attendant Rong know what fate awaits those who trespass into my place?".
Comments Box