"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
The unique stressed pronunciation made Shang Cizhou's expression pause. His eyes followed Rong Mu's figure, and when he saw the other blocked by the door wall, his feet had already unconsciously moved several steps toward the door.
Only several steps, then he forcibly stopped himself.
Rong Mu had a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead, carefully carrying a small white jade bowl. Crossing the threshold, he said: "Come quickly and look. Not to boast, but my craftsmanship is top-notch. After Your Majesty eats it, you will certainly get better!"
He placed the jade bowl on the small table of the Tingzhi Que, one hand on his hip using his sleeve to wipe his cheek. But he didn't know if his sleeve had touched the lotus root powder bag just now. This wipe not only didn't clean him, but added a few more touches of the comedy.
Shang Cizhou didn't speak. Naturally, others dared not prompt. They only watched as the Emperor sat by the table, then silently pulled out the stool beside him.
Several people stood dumbfounded in place. Shang Cizhou, sensing something wrong, looked up to see Rong Mu standing hesitantly nearby, completely without intention to sit down.
He had to speak personally: "Come, sit by my side."
The young man's lips parted slightly: "Ah? This, I... I can also sit?"
Something moved in Shang Cizhou's eyes: "I am the Emperor. If I say you can, you can. Come."
Only then did Rong Mu move his feet over, his bottom only touching half the edge, afraid this tyrant would find fault with him again somewhere.
But the other only picked up the spoon, gently stirring the lotus root powder. The lotus root powder was crystal clear, mixed with orange-yellow osmanthus honey sugar, the fragrance drilling straight into one's nose.
Rong Mu, seeing this, said: "This thing must first be dissolved, then quickly scalded with hot water before it can react, and stirred constantly without stopping. Only then can it be made successfully."
Shang Cizhou made an acknowledging sound, scooping up a spoonful and sending it into his mouth.
The fragrance of osmanthus suddenly exploded. Not knowing if it was because he had just taken medicine, the syrup seemed somewhat sweeter than usual. Shang Cizhou ate several mouthfuls, then silently set down the silver spoon.
He asked: "How did you learn to make this lotus root powder?"
Rong Mu was startled, then after a long while said: "I don't know either. This... isn't this quite simple? I seem to have always known how, just don't often make it for myself."
Shang Cizhou's eyes were deep: "I have never asked you before. All these years, from childhood to now, where did you grow up? You said you only have memories of the Great Shang imperial palace. Has someone ever hurt you? Made you forget the past?"
Rong Mu had felt since last night that this Emperor was somewhat strange. This morning, this strangeness reached its peak. He had been vexed by what had happened here, but after one night, Shang Cizhou didn't seem as aggressive as before.
Nor did he again connect him with that person from back then.
Rong Mu felt slightly better in his heart, no longer running his mouth, but earnestly and seriously said: "Didn't I tell Your Majesty before that I have no father or mother?"
Shang Cizhou nodded.
Rong Mu's expression was indifferent: "It's true. I grew up from childhood in a place with many children. From when I had memories, I was there. The conditions were initially very poor, but fortunately when I went I was already eight or nine, barely able to take care of myself. There were many infants who knew nothing, several who couldn't even speak yet."
Rong Mu's thoughts drifted slightly as he recalled the past. Lang Xi and Liu Dong quietly raised their heads to glance at the Emperor, and saw the Son of Heaven staring unblinkingly at that youth, his eyes were deep, swirling abysses that made people secretly alarmed."
Lang Xi quietly lowered his head, saying to Liu Dong: "Old brother, could Young Master Rong be talking about..."
Liu Dong's face was also full of surprise: "Shh. His Majesty seems somewhat off today. We should quietly serve."
Lang Xi nodded deeply in agreement.
Indeed, the Son of Heaven had attended morning court for seven full years, never resting a single day. Only after returning to the Eastern Palace to sleep one night, the next morning he skipped court.
His attitude toward this Attendant Rong had also become much more subtle... Like, like he was taking the initiative to get closer??
Lang Xi dared not think deeper.
Here, Rong Mu propped his chin with his hand, continuing to recall: "Children my age were only allowed one meal a day when young. That was all. Infants had two meals. Children under ten, if they performed well, could still receive candy rewards. If they performed poorly, they would receive punishment from the adults—"
Speaking to here, Rong Mu saw from the corner of his eye that Shang Cizhou's fingers contracted. He turned to look and saw the other's throat roll: "What punishment?"
Rong Mu sighed. The Emperor's expression suddenly became somewhat dark.
Lang Xi and Liu Dong nearby wished they could directly disappear.
"Locked in small dark rooms, not given food. Or if too naughty, tied to the bed unable to move. From the outside, the place looked bright and shiny, but the children inside had no one to rely on and were young. They were at the mercy of others."
Shang Cizhou slowly exhaled a breath. The taste of osmanthus honey sugar had somehow disappeared. He said coldly: "Were you also treated this way?"
Rong Mu nodded, then hurriedly shook his head: "I grew up good-looking and knew how to read people's expressions, so I didn't suffer much torment. These are all past matters. When I first came to the Great Shang imperial palace, I truly had forgotten all these. Only when Your Majesty brought them up did I remember this period of childhood."
This period of welfare institution time—truly made him feel how quickly time flew!
Rong Mu was immersed in his own thoughts, completely not noticing that he and the Emperor were on channels separated by a hundred and eighty thousand li.
In Shang Cizhou's heart, being cultivated from childhood, beaten if disobedient, not getting enough to eat, being casually bullied and mistreated—this was only the method used to cultivate death soldiers.
Such people might initially have their own consciousness, but after a long time, they would forget who they were, only becoming living dead who executed commands.
Rong Mu's temperament would never become an obedient chess piece. So he was thrown before him... to live or die on his own??
"Do you still have any specific impressions of that place?" Shang Cizhou suddenly asked.
Rong Mu was startled. What impressions? These were all modern matters. This tyrant couldn't be trying to trick him into revealing something, right!"
He said vigilantly: "Long gone, no impressions. After leaving there, I never returned."
So even unwanted discarded chess pieces would be brainwashed not to betray and reveal specific locations. Shang Cizhou withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at Rong Mu's wary and guarded expression when looking at him.
That distrustful expression made his heart prickle with discomfort..
"You didn't like that place. If one day you remember, tell me."
Rong Mu frowned: "Hm? Tell you for what?"
Shang Cizhou's tone was dark: "I will make it disappear."
Rong Mu: "!!!"
Next time, he absolutely, definitely, would not increase the dosage for Shang Cizhou!
Rong Mu smiled awkwardly: "Your Majesty, rest assured. That place is already very good now. There are dedicated people managing it. Really, I'm not lying to you."
Shang Cizhou only nodded, not knowing how much he believed of his words.
Rong Mu silently pressed down his frightened little heart. Coming back to his senses, he suddenly said: "No, why is Your Majesty speaking so much to me today?" Could he be scheming against him again!
Shang Cizhou's face was no different from usual. No one knew what he felt in his heart.
He said: "Bi Jiangxue's effects are prominent. Last night I had a strange dream."
Rong Mu subconsciously said: "What dream?"
Shang Cizhou's eyes turned to the youth, his voice low: "I seemed to dream of... what you looked like as a child."
Rong Mu: "???"
Crossing time, crossing space, crossing species—all three crosses in a dream? This was the innate quality of an emperor? What else could come to suppress Shang Cizhou who was about to become a spirit?
Wait, speaking of which, this person had been too clingy to him today... staring at him constantly since just now... If this continued, his Bi Jiangxue disguise would sooner or later be completely exposed—
Right! And Bi Jiangxue, his big clumsy vat. He was so restless last night he went out to catch dragonflies and almost forgot his original body that was affected by the "fight"!
After one night, who knew if his original body had continued being clamped shut.
Rong Mu couldn't sit still thinking of this. He rose and quickly walked to the small wooden window, making the same movement as Shang Cizhou just now.
Bending down, appreciating flowers.
Only at that time, Shang Cizhou was quickly attracted by his attention. But now, Rong Mu carefully saw Bi Jiangxue's appearance.
Shang Cizhou saw him walk over and not move, his figure facing away from him, his frame much grown compared to the person in the dream.
All memories related to that person were gone. Only one illusory nightmare, he had seen such a small fragment, and his heart already ached unbearably. Then when he returned from Lizhou territory back then, what kind of desperate situation was it?
Originally no will to live...
Originally no will to live.
He originally didn't believe what Liu Dong said, nor did he understand why Min Kong lied to him.
Shang Cizhou didn't know what triggered his dream, nor did he know when next he would see that "Tingzhi."
He only discovered, too alike.
Truly too alike.
But how did Rong Mu fall into such a place? Liu Dong said that person had passed away, , but how could a dead person inexplicably appear elsewhere?
Was Rong Mu or was he not the person from the Tingzhi Que?
Shang Cizhou couldn't imagine at all. Shadows upon shadows filled this place, and he had only peeled back the most superficial layer.
Yet this shallow layer was already enough to make him lose himself, unable to bear seeing Rong Mu suffer before him.
Shang Cizhou glanced at the osmanthus lotus root powder before him, recalling the white powder that person had smeared on his face just now. He turned his head and extended his hand. Lang Xi, with great perceptiveness, presented a small handkerchief.
Shang Cizhou had just risen, preparing to walk toward Rong Mu, when he heard the silent youth draw a long, sharp breath. Then both hands grasped Bi Jiangxue's slender flower stem, overwhelmed, he cried: "Bi Jiangxue! Bi Jiangxue! When did you open up?!"
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