Chapter 28
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Sitting in the box, Ling Rui pondered for a while with his chin in his hands.
Just then, a strange voice sounded outside, asking, “Who are you, and why are you standing here?”
Ji Yan felt a flicker of annoyance at being questioned.
She had just told the little prince she would leave, and now this person was exposing her lie.
But the person in front of her was dressed in fine clothes, clearly a young master of some standing. She pursed her lips and replied, “This servant is Ji Yan, serving the Noble Consort.”
After stating her identity, the young master still didn’t leave.
Not only did he stay, but he also spoke flirtatiously, “Being a maid to Noble Consort is not as noble as being a proper mistress.”
“Ji Yan, I hear that palace maids can leave the palace when they reach a certain age. When you leave, wouldn’t you want to become a Madam of a household?”
Ji Yan: “…”
Ji Yan lowered her eyes, full of irritation.
Whose young master was this? So brainless, even daring to flirt with her.
Ji Yan politely declined, “I have no intention of leaving the palace.”
As a child, she had been sold by her family and suffered greatly. It was Noble Consort Yi, back when she was still a young lady, who took pity on her and brought her back.
To her, the General’s Mansion was her home.
And the young lady who saved her from the fire had become her light. As long as the second miss was in the palace as Niang Niang, she would stay and serve her.
“You didn’t have the thought before, but you can have it now.” The young master continued his pursuit.
Ji Yan, irritated but composed, smiled slightly and said, “If the young master insists on me leaving the palace, I will inform the Noble Consort and accept your kind offer to take me in…”
Before she could finish speaking, the young man who had been flirting non-stop suddenly changed his expression, interrupted her, and hurriedly left.
With the conversation ended, Ling Rui pricked up his ears and listened carefully.
After confirming that the stranger had gone far, he finally spoke from inside the box, “Yanyan.”
Ji Yan: “….”
She hesitated, unsure if she should respond.
As she wavered, the little prince inside the box continued with a bit of displeasure in his tone, “You shouldn’t be here.”
With Ji Yan present, his uncle would definitely know he was there.
If that happened, he wouldn’t be able to surprise his uncle.
Ji Yan had no choice but to back away a little and said, “Seventh Prince, don’t worry. I will hide as well. We can hide together, and no one will see us.”
Ling Rui was delighted to hear this: “Mm! Let’s hide together!”
The two of them, one hiding inside the box in the house and the other behind a tree outside, remained silent and still, making no noise.
Soon, Murong Xu would come to look at the gifts, and then Ling Rui could reveal himself.
Inside the box, he quietly recited auspicious phrases, preparing to say them to his little uncle.
Time passed slowly, and after what felt like the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, instead of Murong Xu, Ling Rui and Ji Yan saw someone else enter.
The person seemed to have wandered in by mistake, paused briefly, and then left.
Ling Rui’s hiding box had small holes drilled into it.
Ji Yan had specially made these ventilation holes to ensure he wouldn’t feel stifled inside.
From the moment the person entered, Ling Rui sat in the box, peering outside through the holes.
He saw the person drop something.
The person left too quickly for Ling Rui to call out to them.
After the person left, Ling Rui quickly rummaged around in the box, flipping it over so he could climb out.
Once out, he picked up the item the person had accidentally dropped—it was a jade pendant.
He recognized the design on the pendant; it was a dragon.
He tucked the jade pendant into his clothes and climbed back into the box before Ji Yan, who was not far away, could come over.
“Yan Yan, when will Little Uncle come?”
“Fifth Young Master will be here soon.”
Ji Yan retreated again without coming close, and Ling Rui told her to stay hidden.
The two of them waited quietly.
Meanwhile, Noble Consort Yi was in front, conversing with others.
“I hear the Seventh Prince is exceptionally intelligent and has already started school. Such early enlightenment is truly enviable; Noble Consort Yi, you’ve raised a little prodigy.”
There were many distinguished guests, and the noblewomen surrounded Noble Consort Yi with flattering words.
They praised the Seventh Prince to the skies, but Noble Consort Yi’s expression revealed nothing about whether she enjoyed the compliments.
After the praises, the Shangshu Madam curiously asked, “Has the Seventh Prince not come today? I haven’t seen him yet.”
“He is here,” Noble Consort Yi said calmly, “but I don’t know where he has run off to play now.”
“The Seventh Prince is still young and very active.”
They continued chatting until another guest arrived with a gift.
Gifts brought by guests were not immediately taken to the storeroom; they were usually displayed for everyone to see.
The Madam who had been talking all stood up, led by someone, to go and take a look.
Noble Consort Yi did not join the crowd. Instead, she sent Madam Murong, the Third and Fourth Misses, and Murong Xu to go look while she went to check on the old Madam.
The old Madam was getting on in years, and every time Noble Consort Yi saw her, she couldn’t help but worry about her health.
Murong Xu was talking with Ling Chen when he was called over.
Noticing Ling Chen seemed a bit off today, Murong Xu couldn’t contain his curiosity: “What’s wrong with you? Your attitude towards me seems off today.”
Ling Chen: “…”
Ling Chen looked at him and couldn’t help but ask, “What attitude problem do I have towards you?”
“You’re a bit cold to me,” Murong Xu said sharply.
Although their relationship had been cold before, after recent events, Murong Xu felt he and Ling Chen had become somewhat closer.
At the very least, they could be considered friends now.
But Ling Chen’s tone and demeanor today were all wrong.
“I’m not.”
Ling Chen denied it: “You’re overthinking things.”
Murong Xu eyed him, clearly not believing his words.
The two stood there for a while until Ling Chen asked, “Have you introduced Liu Fener to all the guests today?”
“I’ve arranged for someone to follow her and watch discreetly. So far, I haven’t received any updates.”
“Alright, do you have any suspects?”
“Aside from the Yong Wang residence, I really can’t find anyone else to suspect.”
The General’s Mansion remained neutral in court politics and never made enemies proactively. As the young master of the General’s Mansion, Murong Xu had many friends in the capital and had never quarreled with anyone.
At least, in his perception, he hadn’t.
“Did anyone from Yong Wang residence come today?” Ling Chen asked.
Murong Xu chuckled, “There’s no way anyone from their residence would come.”
Given the current strained relations between the two families, it was impossible for anyone from Yong Wang residence to have the magnanimity to attend his birthday celebration.
Their conversation was interrupted as Murong Xu was called away. Before leaving, he pulled Ling Chen along, “Come on, let’s go take a look together.”
The General’s Mansion had a good reputation on the surface, and the gifts for Murong Xu’s birthday filled the courtyard.
Inside the courtyard house, gifts were also piled up.
“Hey, eldest master, what did you get me today?” Murong Xu asked in a low voice.
“I gave you my calligraphy and paintings,” Ling Chen replied flatly.
Murong Xu: “…”
Murong Xu fell silent.
After a while, he said gloomily, “Eldest Young Master, I remember telling you that I’m short on money lately.”
The gifts from guests couldn’t be converted to cash. He had spent all his savings on divinations for his Little Seven.
He was now so broke he couldn’t even afford a hairpin. If he met a girl he liked, he wouldn’t even have a token to give her.
“I can tell.”
Murong Xu muttered as they walked, “You definitely have a problem with me.”
When they were on good terms recently, Ling Chen had been quite generous. Knowing Murong Xu was broke now, he still gave him calligraphy and paintings instead of even a small piece of gold.
They continued talking as they walked and soon arrived at the courtyard.
Behind Murong Xu, the noblewomen, especially those with marriageable daughters, were all sizing him up.
The newly arrived Shilang Madam added her gift to the collection, while the other ladies examined the presents, commenting as they looked.
The lively noise outside reached the box.
The little one waiting in the box, feeling drowsy, rubbed his eyes and pressed his face against the box’s holes, looking out.
“Hey, what’s inside this box?” someone asked curiously upon noticing it.
Murong Xu couldn’t recall what was inside the box either.
He and Ling Chen walked over, and Ling Chen found the box quite familiar.
Moments ago, he had just seen this box.
“Let me open it and take a look.”
Murong Xu said casually. He then reached out and lifted the lid of the box. The next second, a little one stood on tiptoes, looked up with an excited, flushed face, and called out to Murong Xu, “Uncle, happy birthday!”
Murong Xu: “!”
Murong Xu was startled.
He looked at the little one, unsure of how long he had been in the box. After a moment of shock, he hurriedly lifted him out: “Little Seven, why are you in the box?”
“I was waiting for Uncle,” Ling Rui said happily, “to surprise Uncle!”
Murong Xu, holding him, indeed felt both surprised and happy.
Seeing the little one in Murong Xu’s arms, the other Madams also greeted him.
Although the box had holes, the space inside was small and uncomfortable. Now that he was out, Ling Rui, leaning against Murong Xu, felt much more relaxed.
This lively atmosphere continued for a while until Madam Murong led the guests elsewhere, and it finally quieted down around Ling Rui.
He sat in Murong Xu’s lap but kept his eyes on Ling Chen.
Ling Chen did not leave with the others but stayed behind.
“Little Seven, are all these toys for Uncle?”
Murong Xu asked as he examined the toys Ling Rui had brought him. Holding the little one with one hand, he fiddled with the toys with the other.
The toys were made of gold and could be exchanged for money.
Ling Rui looked at the toys and softly said, “All for Uncle.”
“Our Little Seven is so good,” Murong Xu said with a smile, kissing Ling Rui’s cheek.
After kissing his cheek, Murong Xu noticed Ling Chen watching the little one in his arms.
“What’s… going on between you two?” he asked.
In the past, Little Seven would always obediently call Ling Chen “Big Brother” when he saw him. Now, he had been sitting in his lap for a while without acknowledging him.
Just as Murong Xu was puzzled, Ling Rui mustered up his courage.
His bright, dark eyes looked at Ling Chen without blinking, then he reached out his small hands: “Big Brother, hug.”
Ling Chen was taken aback.
Ling Rui’s small hands trembled slightly, clearly very nervous.
After asking for a hug, Ling Rui started counting in his mind.
He decided that if he counted to three and Big Brother didn’t hug him, he would pull his hands back.
“1.”
“2.”
“3.”
After counting to three, Ling Rui’s face fell slightly, but he didn’t withdraw his hands. Instead, he decided to count three more times.
After counting who-knows-how-many times, Ling Chen took a step forward and picked him up.
Almost as soon as Ling Chen reached out to hold him, Ling Rui’s eyes turned red.
Once in Ling Chen’s arms, his little hands tightly wrapped around Ling Chen’s neck.
“Big Brother, don’t you like Little Seven?” Ling Rui asked, hugging him with tear-filled eyes. All the days of not seeing his brother and feeling wronged rushed out in that moment.
Ling Chen supported him with one hand and pressed his forehead against Ling Rui’s: “I don’t dislike you.”
“But when I went to find you, I couldn’t find you,” Ling Rui complained, “I went many, many times!”
When he went there, he brought delicious food for his eldest brother and some herbs he had spent a long time finding in the palace.
However, none of the things he brought had ever been delivered.
When Ling Chen saw the little one with teary eyes wanting a hug, he knew his earlier guess was wrong.
Little Seven didn’t avoid getting close to him.
The Noble Consort hadn’t taught Little Seven to ignore him either.
“It was my fault.”
Ling Chen didn’t mention that he hadn’t received any messages. He took the blame upon himself and earnestly apologized to the little one in his arms.
“I’ll be back at the academy soon. Then you can see me whenever you want.”
“Mm!”
The two brothers reconciled, and Murong Xu understood why Ling Chen had been cold to him today.
After the brothers made up, Murong Xu found he couldn’t pry Ling Rui away from Ling Chen.
“Ling Chen, your injury hasn’t healed yet. Little Seven is heavy; be careful not to strain yourself.”
“Little Seven is light,” Ling Chen retorted, not appreciating the concern.
As they chatted, by a rockery in the rear garden, a young man in green spoke to another in luxurious clothes: “I really placed it… I did.”
He didn’t place it too conspicuously, fearing the Murong family’s people would discover it too soon.
But he hadn’t hidden it so obscurely that no one should have missed it.
“Useless.”
The young man in luxurious clothes looked at him as if he were a useless dog: “I gave you a simple task, and you couldn’t do it. Tell me, what use are you?”
“Young Master Zhuang, please give me another chance. I’ll get it right this time, no matter what you order.”
“Fine, find Liu Fener and kill her.”
Liu Fener was now a useless pawn, and useless pawns needn’t be kept.
“She’s in the General’s Mansion. If you have the skill, coax her out.”
Young Master Zhuang laughed as he spoke, “Maybe Liu Fener is watching me right now, but what good will that do her?”
He chuckled and couldn’t be bothered to continue talking to Wang Xia.
Wang Xia watched his departing back, not daring to call out to him again.
The lively birthday banquet became even more grand with the arrival of Emperor Ling. The Emperor personally gifted Murong Xu a bow and encouraged him, “I hope you, like your elder sister, will protect our country and become a hero respected by the people.”
Murong Xu accepted the bow and solemnly promised to remember the Emperor’s teachings and encouragement.
As they stood together, the Emperor patted Murong Xu’s shoulder. Both wore smiles, and from a distance, the scene looked quite harmonious.
The Emperor stayed at the banquet for about an hour before returning to the palace.
Once he left, the other princes and princesses also began to leave one by one.
Only Ling Rui remained.
He was in Murong Xu’s bedroom, lying on Murong Xu’s bed, looking at a letter sent by Ah Wu.
Ah Wu had sent him a very thick letter, along with many local specialties from some unknown place.
Ling Rui was delighted to receive the letter and the gifts.
However, as he held the letter and read it for a long time, his little face grew increasingly worried: “What is all this writing? How did Ah Wu write so much?”
Ah Wu could write letters, but he couldn’t read them.
Previously, he always asked Niang Niang to read the letters for him. Now that she wasn’t around, reading the letter was difficult.
He worried for a while on the bed, then decided to find someone to read it to him.
He had been everywhere in the General’s Mansion and was very familiar with it. He easily found his little uncle along a small path.
His little uncle was talking to Sister Fener.
“I didn’t mistake him; it’s definitely him.”
Liu Fener’s face was pale as she spoke to Murong Xu, “I saw him at the banquet, trying to talk to other ladies, but no one paid him any attention.”
“Zhuang Yong is known for being frivolous and lecherous, but why would he use my name… to frame me?” Murong Xu was puzzled.
He had suspected Yong Wang Mansion but hadn’t thought of Zhuang Yong.
Though Zhuang Yong was dissolute, he came from a respectable family. He was the grandson of the great scholar Zhuang Xuan, who not only had profound knowledge but also held many lectures and taught numerous students.
His students were spread across the country, and even Emperor Ling had studied under Zhuang Xuan in his early years.
Zhuang Xuan could be considered the teacher of the Emperor.
Even though his grandson was not accomplished, he had never done anything truly evil, so people generally avoided conflict with him.
“Fifth Young Master, can you still help me?” Liu Fener felt despair upon learning that Zhuang Yong was the culprit.
How could she accuse him when he was from such a prominent family?
“I’ll visit the Emperor.”
This matter involved the culprit, but further investigation was beyond his capability.
Seeing Liu Fener in tears, he said, “Zhuang Yong wanted to harm not only you but also me. His crime won’t go unpunished!”
He believed his sister would help him seek justice.
After comforting Liu Fener, Murong Xu turned around and saw the little one who had arrived unnoticed. He quickly adjusted his mood and picked him up.
“Little Seven, why are you here?”
Ling Rui clutched the letter. He originally wanted his uncle to read it, but after hearing his uncle’s conversation, he couldn’t help but cling closer to him.
He instinctively used his foresight ability on his uncle again.
This time, he wanted to see if anyone else besides that bad Zhuang was trying to harm his little uncle!
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