Chapter 119
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Two years had passed, a quarter of the deadline elapsed, and there was still a year and a half remaining until Chu Lishu vanished, and Yuan Ran returned.
So, the male lead had only this year and a half to accomplish his great undertaking. Remembering the original plot, the events during the upcoming time were summarized in four sentences.
Weakening the four major families, causing chaos in the palace, reshuffling the six ministries, and annihilating the royal family.
Many things were already planned by the male lead before entering the imperial palace. However, every step was extremely perilous, and it could be said that a misstep could lead to an abyss. During this period, the male lead faced even greater dangers.
But he still succeeded. However, now, due to Lin Qingyang’s transmigration, many things have changed, and the future may not align with the original plot. Lin Qingyang often wonders if the system brought him here to experience Chu Lishu’s life as a trial ground for completing missions and gaining a chance at rebirth, like a mere game of the gods. Or, perhaps, it genuinely wants him to come here to change something?
Lin Qingyang inclined towards the latter. The former speculation seemed too heartless as if treating everyone here with flesh and blood as mere NPCs. The latter option is more humane.
At this moment, Chu Lishu kneeled meticulously on the ground, displaying impeccable behavior even in the face of his mortal enemy. However, Lin Qingyang, who was watching beside him, was nervous to the point where his hands trembled.
Among all the study companions, Chu Lishu’s appearance was the most stunning. When he entered the palace, even the palace maids couldn’t help but sneak glances. Now, even the Emperor couldn’t help but marvel at Chu Lishu’s looks. He probably wouldn’t have thought that the unforgettable man before him was the one he caused the death of, Prince Yuan Ran.
When the Emperor met Chu Lishu’s gaze, he couldn’t help but pause for a moment. Although there was no killing intent in those eyes, it still made the Emperor inexplicably shiver, a difficult-to-describe feeling, giving rise to a slight displeasure. Perhaps due to a strange affinity, the Emperor didn’t pursue it.
“It was you who saved the Fourth Prince.”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, this humble servant only did what was within the duties of a subject.”
The Emperor nodded approvingly at Chu Lishu’s manners; in terms of etiquette, he was quite satisfied. Compared to other courtiers who were trembling when they first met the Emperor, Chu Lishu showed some courage.
Due to the matter involving the Fourth Prince, the Emperor paid attention to Chu Lishu and then let him step back.
It wasn’t until Chu Lishu stood next to Lin Qingyang that Lin Qingyang could finally breathe a sigh of relief. When he came to his senses, his palms were sweaty.
The Emperor addressed a few words to everyone, reluctantly completing the opening ceremony of the school.
The next step was Grand Tutor Lu Zhong introducing the basic rules and personnel of the Shiye Hall to everyone. On the first day, there were no classes; Lu Zhong only assigned a topic for everyone to contemplate, and the actual lessons would begin on the second day.
Currently, the Crown Prince, the First Prince, and the Third Prince each had a two hour-long duty to attend to state affairs in the morning. Therefore, after the matters in the Shiye Hall were concluded, only the young Fourth Prince enjoyed leisure time.
Bounding over to them, the Fourth Prince greeted them with a smile. Initially tense in the presence of the Emperor, he now relaxed. “Finally, I’ve been waiting for you. Come on, let’s go meet my mother, and then we can play.”
Sure enough, he’s still just a child, constantly thinking about playing.
The three of them bowed, preparing to follow the Fourth Prince to Chui Xue Palace. However, a young eunuch came to stop all the departing study companions, stating that, according to the rules, they needed to familiarize themselves with the layout of the palace. It was essential to accompany everyone and show them the way. After all, the palace was enormous, and one could easily get lost. If they accidentally entered restricted areas, it could lead to trouble.
The one in charge of this task was Chief Steward Ning, Ning Ziheng.
Hearing Chief Steward Ning’s name, the Fourth Prince couldn’t help but show a hint of fear. He quickly waved his hand and said, “When you’re done, just come directly to Chui Xue Palace to find me. I’ll be waiting for you.” With that, he led his personal eunuch and slipped away.
Being able to instinctively frighten a young prince, Chief Steward Ning was truly a figure unmatched in history. Not only the prince, but even Xu Wenze couldn’t help but offer a reminder, “The most difficult to deal with in the palace is Chief Steward Ning. Don’t treat him as just a servant.”
While they were whispering, the three princes ahead of them started to quarrel.
Probably due to some minor disagreement before, the Eldest Prince couldn’t help but mock, “Your Highness, you better leave quickly. Otherwise, if Chief Steward Ning catches sight of you, he might find some excuse to report to Father Emperor and you’ll end up being punished.”
Yuan Ye was instantly angered and embarrassed, rebuking the Eldest Prince, “Yuan Shuo, are you trying to provoke me again!”
“Why are you angry? Eldest brother was just kindly reminding the Crown Prince,” the Third Prince gloated on the side. “Calm down, Crown Prince, so you won’t be punished again. Otherwise, the three of us won’t be able to listen in the court together.”
The anger on Yuan Ye’s face continued to accumulate, but he managed to suppress it. However, he forgot to restrain those around him. Seeing this, Cheng Yi, feeling indignant, stepped forward to defend, “Your Highnesses, isn’t it too disrespectful to speak in such a manner to the Crown Prince!”
Even if Yuan Ye was pushed to his limit, he wouldn’t bring up his status because being the Crown Prince was his most awkward position. However, Cheng Yi unexpectedly spilled the beans right away, receiving strange expressions from the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince. Yuan Ye found himself in a difficult situation and could only retort sarcastically, “Of course, they can be disrespectful. With me being poisoned and the Fourth Prince being attempted assassination, only they remain unharmed. Naturally, they have the confidence to be impolite.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince changed. This matter was not to be mentioned lightly. The conflict escalated instantly, and in the midst of the shoving, Yuan Ye unexpectedly stumbled and fell.
This incident brought an abrupt silence, and those around Yuan Ye began shouting and clamoring.
Meanwhile, Lin Qingyang, who was watching the commotion on the side, felt quite speechless. This was it? Even without Chu Lishu, could any one of these three actually lead the country to prosperity? When compared to this, with the best heir eliminated, it truly felt like heaven had no eyes. Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but turn and glance at Yue Chen and Huo Luo. Both of them were looking at the three individuals with slightly cold expressions.
Back then, these two had remarkable foresight. Serving this group of people was equivalent to insulting their ideal court. Accepting such a ruler was like abandoning their dreams for the serene landscapes. If Yue Chen hadn’t recognized Chu Lishu, they would probably never have set foot in the palace.
Soon, Yue Chen’s gaze shifted to Chu Lishu’s direction. Perhaps seeking solace in his heart, he noticed Lin Qingyang looking at him and gave a slight pause before smiling, casting a disdainful expression toward the three individuals without any hesitation.
Lin Qingyang gave an awkward smile and turned to look at Chu Lishu. Chu Lishu’s gaze remained indifferent as he observed the commotion before him. Soon, his eyes shifted towards the main entrance.
At that moment, a eunuch’s voice announced the arrival of Chief Steward Ning, and a person dressed in an exquisite crane-patterned high-grade eunuch attire appeared at the entrance of the Shiye Hall.
Standing in the corner, Lin Qingyang suddenly became curious and looked over. Ning Ziheng played a significant role in the original plot, a powerful eunuch engaged in intense struggles with the male lead.
Whether it was a psychological effect or not, Lin Qingyang felt that the air around Chief Steward Ning was unusually cold when he stood there.
Indeed, as described in the book, despite being over thirty, Chief Steward Ning’s appearance differed from the typical eunuch. His elegant stature, delicate features, and perfect embodiment of a refined and gentle aura, rather than effeminate or supernatural, indicated that he deserved significant roles in the story.
“What happened to Crown Prince?” a worried call came, sincere and genuinely concerned as if fretting over a master’s condition. The speaker quickly walked over.
Seeing that there was no improvement in the Crown Prince’s temper, he directly shook off Ning Ziheng’s hand and stood up. Ning Ziheng didn’t show any sign of anger, instead providing support as if perfectly portraying the professional ethics of a eunuch, safeguarding the masters within the imperial palace.
“Who caused His Highness the Crown Prince to fall? How do you servants serve? Do you think of yourselves as masters? Standing here like wooden stakes, letting His Highness fall without moving, what use are you? Each of you will receive punishment later.” After Crown Prince Yuan Ye stabilized himself, Ning Ziheng immediately spoke sternly. His cold and elegant gaze swept across, making the surrounding eunuchs kneel down, trembling.
However, Lin Qingyang felt like the scolding was directed at all the study companions present.
Study companions in the Great Zhou Dynasty held quasi-official positions and could address themselves as humble officials in front of the emperor. There was no reason for them to be scolded and punished by a eunuch. Yet, at this moment, even if the study companions could sense the implications of Ning Ziheng’s words, they dared not utter a word. It seemed like Ning Ziheng was using this as a show of authority, singling them out for reprimand?
“We were just playing around and accidentally got into a little mischief,” said the Eldest Prince fearlessly as he stepped forward.
The Third Prince also approached, saying, “It was our fault. We were just fooling around. Right, Crown Prince?”
At this moment, Crown Prince Yuan Ye stood with them, and none of them wanted to escalate this ludicrous incident to the attention of the emperor. Therefore, they had to pass through this current ordeal with Ning Ziheng.
However, Crown Prince Yuan Ye wasn’t naive. He played it smart and said, “Just now, my two brothers were joking around with me, and I was also messing around with them. I accidentally lost my balance and fell. They were just about to apologize to me. It’s just a little joke between brothers. Chief Steward Ning doesn’t need to worry about it.”
“All three princes have noble bodies. Please be cautious. If anyone gets injured, not only will it distress the emperor and empress, but we servants will also have to apologize with our lives. I hope the three princes will be merciful,” Ning Ziheng said. It seemed that he had no intention of reporting such a minor incident. However, he still appeared concerned and wanted to call the imperial physician to check on Crown Prince Yuan Ye. Nevertheless, Yuan Ye firmly claimed that he was fine.
Ning Ziheng then turned to express concern about whether the Crown Prince had been inadvertently injured during the commotion, appearing meticulous in caring for each person. Probably because of his impartial demeanor, the three princes found themselves helpless. After all, this eunuch couldn’t be bribed; he was loyal to the emperor.
The Eldest Prince were not very willing to deal with the inscrutable Ning Ziheng and was ready to leave. However, Yuan Ye suddenly spoke up, “Weren’t you just about to apologize to me? How did you forget? Well, forget it. I won’t hold it against my brothers.”
This statement instantly made the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince feel a headache, and they glared at Yuan Ye fiercely. However, they had no choice but to fall into his little trap, one by one offering apologies before leaving without looking back.
Yuan Ye finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t blame Cheng Yi for taking the initiative and asked Cheng Yi to follow behind Ning Ziheng to familiarize himself with the layout of the palace. Yuan Ye then walked away with his head held high.
Ning Ziheng didn’t immediately attend to the study companions but first went to pay respects to the officials in Shiye Hall.
Ning Ziheng finally arrived in front of Yue Chen and Huo Luo, greeting them like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time. Yue Chen and Huo Luo’s expressions were slightly different when facing Ning Ziheng, not showing fear but rather another peculiar emotion.
“I’m delighted that both of you could come. It seems you’ve figured it out and are willing to contribute your talents to the Great Zhou Dynasty,” Ning Ziheng said with a smile.
Before Huo Luo could speak, Yue Chen chuckled softly, “Chief Steward Ning, you’re our senior now. You should know about the situation of our two families. This isn’t… a voluntary choice for us, is it?”
Ning Ziheng chuckled, “People with your temperament need a bit of pressure; otherwise, being too willful might lead you down the wrong path.”
Huo Luo’s expression instantly changed, and it was the first time Lin Qingyang saw him look so unpleasant.
There was a hidden meaning in Ning Ziheng’s words, and Lin Qingyang could sense it. Huo Luo was probably quite upset, but due to the subtle connections between them, he couldn’t easily retort.
Yue Chen maintained his smile, “As long as we have a clear conscience.”
The two continued their cryptic conversation, leaving others puzzled.
However, it didn’t take long before Ning Ziheng turned his attention to the study companions.
Lin Qingyang thought he might ask them to introduce themselves, but to everyone’s surprise, Ning Ziheng recognized each and every one of them.
Standing in the corner, Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu drew Ning Ziheng’s attention after he spoke to Xu Wenze.
“Isn’t this the Second Young Master Lin from the Lin family? How has County Princess Yawen been lately?” he said, looking directly at Lin Qingyang.
Lin Qingyang didn’t recall ever meeting him, but Ning Ziheng seemed to recognize him. He was indeed quite adept at socializing. “Thank you for your concern, Chief Steward Ning. My mother’s condition has been stable recently.”
“By the way, not long ago, this servant heard from the Minister of Rites that the work you completed in the imperial mausoleum was excellent. I even took a special look myself. Young Master Lin’s painting skills are extraordinary. Even the royal court’s official painters may not have such proficiency.”
As Lin Qingyang heard this, he felt a cold sweat breaking out on his back. He quickly expressed humility, realizing he might have landed on Ning Ziheng’s blacklist.
In this country, there were many who harbored resentment towards the male lead, with Ning Ziheng being a prominent figure among them. Moreover, he was known for bearing grudges even against those who spoke a single good word about the male lead, going so far as to secretly plot their downfall.
In the original plot, if one were to talk about cruelty, only Ning Ziheng and the antagonist against the male lead could compete in ruthlessness.
The descriptions in the original plot regarding some of the actions taken by Ning Ziheng made Lin Qingyang feel a chill down his spine. The most memorable incident was when a civil official with some background dared to scold him. Ning Ziheng captured the man’s legitimate son and daughter, controlled them with drugs, and sent them separately to brothels. When the civil official found them, they had already served countless clients, their innocent futures ruined, and their dignity trampled upon. However, Ning Ziheng left no traceable evidence, and when the man brought them back home, the son went mad, and the daughter took her own life. This led the entire family to resign from their official positions and leave the capital.
Everyone knew it was Ning Ziheng’s doing, but no one could hold him accountable because he was the confidant of the emperor.
Lin Qingyang really didn’t want to attract the attention of such a person.
However, in the original plot, Ning Ziheng didn’t harbor hatred towards Yuan Ran. Like everyone else, he considered himself a master in the palace, superior to all others. The reason for his transformation, as mentioned in the original plot, was the loss of his only relative on the battlefield, and no remains were recovered. The current emperor found a relic for him, leading Ning Ziheng to develop hatred towards Yuan Ran and pledge allegiance to the emperor.
Even when he lost to the male lead and learned the truth about Yuan Ran’s death, he didn’t regret his actions. In his view, regardless of whether Yuan Ran was wronged or not, he only knew that his only relative wasn’t brought back alive by Yuan Ran. So, in his mind, even if Yuan Ran was unfairly accused, he shouldn’t have come back alive.
In the end, the male lead didn’t torture him; instead, he gave him a cup of poisoned wine and allowed him to be buried alongside his own relatives. It could be considered one of the better endings among the enemies of the male lead.
However, it seems that this Chief Steward Ning has set his sights on Lin Qingyang now. Not only did he paint a posthumous portrait for Yuan Ran, but, in the eyes of Chief Steward Ning, it seems to be exceptionally well-done, surpassing the expected level. Such an action, in Chief Steward Ning’s view, undoubtedly signifies an act of reverence towards Yuan Ran.
“I heard that you encountered trouble on your way back and got injured. Are you fully recovered now?” Chief Steward Ning asked, feigning concern.
Lin Qingyang quickly nodded, indicating that he had recovered.
Chief Steward Ning finally spared Lin Qingyang and turned to the last person, “Young Master Chu.”
Chu Lishu paid his respects in a respectful manner. Chief Steward Ning squinted his eyes slightly, and his narrow gaze was filled with scrutiny and examination. “I’ve heard of Young Master Chu’s heroic deeds. You truly possess both courage and strategy. I hope that in the future, you can accompany Fourth Prince well.”
“It is my duty,” Chu Lishu replied humbly.
With that, all the individuals had been introduced, and Chief Steward Ning then led them to recognize the palace gates.
At this moment, Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu walked at the back with Xu Wenze.
Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but say, “Am I being targeted?”
Xu Wenze was puzzled, “Why do you say that?”
Indeed, the matter of repairing the portrait was not reported by the Minister of Rites. Outsiders should not know about it. However, Chief Steward Ning unexpectedly knew about it. It must be that he was very concerned after seeing the portrait. It seems he is still fixated on everything related to Yuan Ran. This level of resentment is almost comparable to the revengeful heart of the male lead.
Chu Lishu spoke up to reassure, “It’s okay. He also knows that it was the Ministry of Rites that asked you to do it. As long as you haven’t explicitly stated anything, he won’t really come after you.”
Xu Wenze probably guessed what was going on, as things that could innocently attract the attention and retaliation of Chief Steward Ning usually had only one possibility. Xu Wenze looked at Lin Qingyang somewhat surprised and said, “You must be cautious in your words and actions, especially here.”
Lin Qingyang chuckled and said, “Naturally, I’m not that foolish.”
While they were talking, someone in front suddenly asked, “Why can’t we take that road? What kind of place is it?”
With these words, Chief Steward Ning, who was leading the way in front, stopped and turned around to look at the person who asked the question. A flash of killing intent passed through his eyes, frightening the inquirer into a shiver. Those who knew the inside story around quickly urged him to be silent.
Curious, Lin Qingyang looked over and saw a path inside a semi-circular gate with gray stones. The trees nearby seemed withered as if it had been a long time since anyone entered. Despite its favorable geographical location, the place exuded a ghostly atmosphere, cold and eerie, resembling the rumored Cold Palace.
While Lin Qingyang was looking curiously, Chu Lishu beside him made a subtle movement.
Lin Qingyang looked over and saw Chu Lishu gazing into the distance with an unusually melancholic expression. However, it quickly faded, replaced by his usual indifferent demeanor.
Lin Qingyang suddenly had a speculation regarding this place.
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