The Black Armored Guards were rigorously trained and reacted before the Red-Clad Guards. Li Suichuan kicked the man who had sprung up in the chest, sending him flying three meters to crash heavily against the wall.
A bloody wind swept past Rong Mu's nose. His mind still echoed the final words this person had spoken.
"...My king's belonging?"
Bi Jiangxue, Southern Dai... So before the abbot of Huguo Temple brought it out from Southern Dai, Bi Jiangxue had always been a flower raised by the Southern Dai king!
So he had experienced two caretakers in succession, both reigning emperors of their time?!
Rong Mu stood dumbfounded in place, watching as Shang Cizhou coldly sheathed his long blade. Just as Li Suichuan was about to execute the man on the spot, he heard the Emperor say indifferently: "Did you not hear what the Attendant said?"
Rong Mu was startled. Shang Cizhou continued: "Attendant Rong is pure and kind by nature. I do not wish to see blood before him. These Southern Dai spies, send them back where they came from."
Saying this, he approached and glanced at the man gasping with difficulty on the ground. Suddenly, he spoke in a deep voice:
"You say Bi Jiangxue belongs to the Southern Dai king... Your Southern Dai king is lofty and proud. How could he be so stingy as to not give me even a single flower? And still chase all the way to Great Shang to demand it. I originally had no particular interest in Bi Jiangxue. But now it seems, this flower holds no small significance for your king."
That man drew a harsh breath and spoke words only Shang Cizhou could hear.
"My king raised this flower for many years. Bi Jiangxue is infinitely spiritual. Forcibly taking it away will only invite heavenly retribution!"
Shang Cizhou laughed lowly, then couldn't help but laugh more obviously. He looked at the half-dead spy on the ground with almost delight.
"Heavenly retribution? I await it eagerly. Tonight, I shall move the Southern Dai king's cherished Bi Jiangxue to an abandoned mansion. Let's see if heavenly retribution strikes."
"You are truly mad..."
Shang Cizhou seemed to lose interest in toying with him. "I spare your life. Go back and tell your king: if he wants the flower, come get it himself. Three hundred thousand troops are stationed at Great Shang's Hankou River, awaiting the Southern Dai king's honored presence at any time!"
"...If you dare extend your mouth again, I shall first cut out your tongue to send a declaration of war to the Southern Dai king. Is that clear?"
"Li Suichuan."
Li Suichuan stepped forward: "This subject is here."
Shang Cizhou's brows and eyes lowered, looking at them as if at several ants, mocking: "Throw these people back. Write a letter to the Southern Dai king saying that Bi Jiangxue has not yet bloomed. When it does, I can invite this former caretaker to view it together."
Li Suichuan bowed his head: "Yes, Your Majesty."
Several Southern Dai people were dragged away by the Black Armored Guards. The remaining nearly dead Western Yue barbarians were also dealt with by Xiahou Yan and the Cangling Guards.
For a time, only Rong Mu and Shang Cizhou remained in the deep black prison cell.
Rong Mu watched Shang Cizhou turn and walk toward him, imperceptibly stepping back.
The Emperor instantly stopped. "What, afraid of me?"
Rong Mu paused. "Your Majesty wants to move Bi Jiangxue to an abandoned mansion? Which abandoned mansion? What is the environment like?"
Shang Cizhou narrowed his eyes: "You care so much—do you wish to enter together with Bi Jiangxue?"
Rong Mu drew a breath: "Even if Your Majesty throws Bi Jiangxue into this imperial prison, I would go together."
Shang Cizhou made an "oh" sound. "Then I could not bear it... Do you know, only Southern Dai people love lotus like their lives? Even if you do not speak, I can roughly guess your origins."
Rong Mu looked quietly at the tyrant: "Has Your Majesty finished speaking?"
Shang Cizhou flicked his sleeve corner: "Finished."
Rong Mu exhaled and said: "Good. Then let me ask Your Majesty one thing: did you secretly order General Li to investigate my origins?"
Shang Cizhou's movements paused, his eyes deep: "So what if I did?"
Rong Mu couldn't describe what he felt in his heart. Every time he thought he and Shang Cizhou could establish a good relationship, this person always gave him unexpected "surprises."
"Not so what. Your Majesty is the sovereign of a nation, high in position and great in power. Whatever you do, others have no room to comment. But if this is to continue, Your Majesty can directly have the young general come find me. I will certainly speak without reservation and assist him in investigating me. You may not believe it, but I truly have a poor memory. I only have memories of the Great Shang imperial palace. If General Li can truly investigate my origins, I would instead thank him."
...As if they could find anything!
In Rong Mu's understanding, he was not even from this era. No matter how these ancients struggled, they would only go in circles. Unless they could discover that he was not human at all.
Otherwise, no one would ever know where he came from.
This was the first time Rong Mu revealed his hand before Shang Cizhou. If he didn't say something now, there was no guarantee he wouldn't be investigated and expose Bi Jiangxue's strangeness. Better to throw out some distraction first, to stop this person from staring at him constantly.
Shang Cizhou indeed stood silent in place, his deep eyes watching him, not knowing how much he believed.
Rong Mu endured the discomfort in his chest from the cold, dark cell, turning to walk out alone.
He walked faster and faster, almost ignoring the Emperor behind him.
The light of the prison gate was like the only exit in a dark world. Rong Mu walked toward the exit, leaving Shang Cizhou alone to gradually fade into the darkness.
Suddenly, that black figure began to move. With a few steps, he caught up to the young man ahead.
Rong Mu knew Shang Cizhou would certainly follow. Even the sickest person wouldn't squat in this prison. Just as he exited, he saw Li Suichuan had already loaded the several Southern Dai people into a prison cart.
He called out: "General Li, wait!"
Li Suichuan turned back to look. Rong Mu walked out of the black opening like a weak rabbit. Just as he was about to ask what matter, he saw the Son of Heaven also emerge from within—only his expression unclear, his gaze gloomy, truly like a wolf following behind the rabbit.
He saluted behind Rong Mu, then looked at Rong Mu: "Does Young Master Rong have business?"
Rong Mu stepped forward, looked at the several Southern Dai people, and said softly to him: "These people's original intentions were not bad. Let them see Bi Jiangxue, and they can better respond to the Southern Dai king... Southern Dai people love flowers like their lives. If this causes misunderstanding between the two nations, it would not be good."
Li Suichuan thought this indeed made sense. But Bi Jiangxue now belonged to His Majesty; he had no authority to decide—
"Do as he said." Shang Cizhou suddenly spoke.
Only then did Li Suichuan acknowledge.
Several disheveled Southern Dai people were pulled from the prison cart and lined up to walk before the imperial carriage.
With Shang Cizhou and Li Suichuan both present, Rong Mu feared being seen through by these two shrewd people. He only lifted the carriage curtain and stepped slightly back.
"What you smelled earlier should be this scent."
These people's eyes indeed brightened upon seeing Bi Jiangxue. One of them even bowed reverently. Rong Mu found this somewhat strange.
Even if Southern Dai people loved lotus, they shouldn't respect a flower so much... Could it be simply because this was the Southern Dai king's flower?
While puzzled in his heart, that Southern Dai man who had nearly bitten him earlier looked toward him.
The man's eyes seemed to probe. Rong Mu's skin involuntarily tightened.
He always felt that facing native Southern Dai people, his disguise was about to fall off at any moment.
But this time, the man did not make any strange movements. Instead, taking the opportunity, he spoke in an extremely soft voice:
"My king is benevolent and virtuous. He will never allow Southern Dai clansmen and Bi Jiangxue to wander outside. Even if you are a branch, you will certainly be rescued. That tyrant is unkind to you. Young Master need only endure for some time. When I report back to my king..."
Rong Mu was dumbstruck.
"Wait, what, what branch? You've recognized the wrong person!"
Confusion also appeared in that man's eyes, but then came certainty: "You resemble my king by seven parts."
Rong Mu: "...?"
Was this the legendary flower resembling its owner? This misunderstanding had grown too large!
But Rong Mu knew this was not a good time to speak. He could only watch as Li Suichuan led the several people away. Before leaving, their eyes still looked unwillingly in Bi Jiangxue's direction. Rong Mu stood before the carriage. Bi Jiangxue was cold to others, but sensing his presence, it rejoiced and moved without wind.
The people who needed saving were saved. Now only one matter remained.
Rong Mu silently turned back, his eyes as calm as possible looking at Shang Cizhou walking toward him:
"Your Majesty, Bi Jiangxue should still be somewhat useful to you. When choosing an abandoned mansion, please do not make it too far from the imperial palace. This way, it will also be convenient for Your Majesty to come and go when you need me. When the young general returns, you can have him come to the mansion to find me."
Shang Cizhou looked at him and slowly opened his mouth: "You truly wish to live with Bi Jiangxue? Why do you care so much for a single flower, to the point of eating, living, and sleeping together with it?"
Rong Mu brushed away the flying catkins stuck to his clothes, and said slowly: "If this flower does not bloom well, it may cause conflict between the two nations. Besides me, no one in the imperial palace can care for Bi Jiangxue properly. I beg Your Majesty's permission."
He had a heart to restrain the mad emperor, but this emperor kept pushing him away. Without giving this tyrant some time to cool off, he would never know the benefits of having Bi Jiangxue nearby.
"Rong Mu..."
Rong Mu stood before the carriage. Wind blew up his long hair, and the ends seemed to flash with dark purple in the sunlight.
Shang Cizhou's eyes were complex: "If you are determined, there is indeed an abandoned mansion adjacent to the imperial palace for your use. However, that place has been deserted for seven or eight years, and I once used it as an execution ground..."
"It doesn't matter." Rong Mu's voice was clear. "This period, I have blocked much romantic entanglement for Your Majesty. It should also be time to rest."
Shang Cizhou's mention of an abandoned mansion was specifically for the Southern Dai spies to hear; he hadn't expected this person before him to take it to heart.
He had always been too lazy to explain past misunderstandings, letting others weave his cruelty as they wished. But facing this person before him...
This person, he always did things he could not understand. These actions had become increasingly frequent recently, troubling him extremely.
He frightened Rong Mu wanting him to stay away, not to presumptuously try to guess the imperial heart—rather, he could say he was somewhat unable to control himself.
(t/n : The Emperor scared Rong Mu to keep him at a distance, to stop him from trying to figure out the Emperor's true feelings—when in reality, the Emperor himself was losing control of his own emotions.)
Unexpectedly, Rong Mu took this opportunity to voluntarily propose living with Bi Jiangxue.
The court officials no longer urged him to establish an empress. This should have been getting his wish. Even after some time, if he were more benevolent, he could show mercy and secretly send Rong Mu away.
As he said: parting ways with mutual relief.
But why, after using him up, did he instead feel countless threads pulling and tangling unclearly?
This person, and matters involving this person, both confused him and made him lose his usual composure.
...Perhaps these few days, he should visit Huguo Temple to find Min Kong again.
Shang Cizhou's heart surged with undercurrents. After a long while, standing before the dark entrance of the prison, he said to Rong Mu:
"If you insist, my old residence—the Eastern Palace of the Crown Prince—can serve as your temporary dwelling with Bi Jiangxue. This would also prevent the Southern Dai king, when he comes, from saying I mistreat his delicate flower."
Eastern... Palace?
Rong Mu rolled these two words in his mouth.
The Eastern Palace of the Crown Prince—wasn't this the tyrant's childhood residence?
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