I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 146 - 100: Acting_2

"There are, but each of your poems is different."

"Oh? What are their verses?" Rong Jing squatted down and touched the top of little Rong Heng’s black hair.

"Third Imperial Brother’s is: ’Precious jade gives brilliance to the mountains, and pearls make the rivers enchanting;’ Big Brother’s is: ’Lofty mountains inspire reverence, noble behavior sets a path,’ but he’s not in the palace, and I don’t know how to deliver it to him."

Rong Jing said, "Bring it to me, I’ll leave the palace tomorrow and go to the South Camp to deliver it to Big Brother for you."

Rong Heng didn’t hesitate, handing another fan to Rong Jing, bouncing away spiritedly.

Later, when Rong Jing was alone, he tore the fan that Rong Heng intended to give to Rong Shuo into pieces.

Wu hasn’t smiled at him for many years, unlike when he was young.

"Why not smile?"

Rong Jing asked once more, his peach blossom eyes filled with obsession.

Seeing Rong Heng remain unresponsive, he suddenly realized and said, "I understand, you’re blaming me for punishing Jiu."

"But, I said, mistakes must be punished. You were beguiled by this servant, punishment naturally falls on him."

"Does the Emperor want to beat him to death?" Rong Heng knelt on the ground, speaking softly, "I only have this one servant."

The depth of Rong Jing’s peach blossom eyes grew darker; he gently touched Rong Heng’s hair in a soothing voice:

"I know, you’ve grown up with this servant since childhood. Back when Lu’er fell into the water, he saved Lu’er’s life. I’ve seen the deep affection between you two, which is why I’ve never told you..."

Rong Heng’s eyes trembled abruptly, finally lifting his head to ask hoarsely, "What does the Emperor mean?"

Jiu lowered his head, half-kneeling on the ground, a moan of anguish emanating from his throat as he shook his head with all his might: "No, no!"

Rong Jing licked his lips, eagerly anticipating Rong Heng’s response.

"It means... Jiu is actually the Empress Dowager’s man."

He said gently, each word piercing the heart.

Rong Heng’s eyes widened, turning his head in disbelief to stare at Jiu, as a bitter taste welled up in his throat, causing a trickle of blood to seep from his lips.

"His mother was a maid from the Su Family, who brewed excellent wine. Jiu was sent to the palace at five to play with you, but in fact, he was a pawn placed by the Empress Dowager beside Princess Consort Xiao at that time."

The Emperor slowly spoke, his peach blossom eyes unblinkingly watching Rong Heng’s previously calm, fair complexion turn flushed.

"Otherwise, why did so many loyal servants around you die, yet he and Xia He remain?"

Rong Heng gritted his teeth in torment, clutching the hemostatic powder in his hand tightly, his black eyes burning with a cold anger.

"Servant..." Jiu’s voice diminished as he said, "My mother was indeed part of the Su Family."

Rong Heng’s hand relaxed, and the porcelain bottle containing the hemostatic powder fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Zhang Fengcai cast a glance at Jiu and then spoke:

"This Jiu was just a child of five or six, the Empress Dowager didn’t expect him to do anything significant, merely... poisoned Princess Consort Xiao’s food and drink daily with a slow-acting toxin, deteriorating her body and mind until she followed the former Emperor."

The Emperor saw his loyalty to Fifth Young Master Rong, arranged by the Empress Dowager, and kept him all these years to take care of you."

Zhang Fengcai’s words widened the eyes of the surrounding eunuchs.

Everyone in the palace knew that Fifth Young Master Rong had only one loyal little eunuch to accompany him, yet unexpectedly, this eunuch was the Empress Dowager’s man, who once harmed Princess Consort Xiao.

Jiu started accompanying Fifth Prince Rong at age five, with the Empress Dowager making arrangements beside Princess Consort Xiao so early; truly terrifyingly malicious.

"Jiu, is what the Emperor said true? Was it you who killed Xiao Ning?"

Rong Heng asked in a hoarse tone, word by word.

Jiu trembled all over, remaining silent.

"Fifth Young Master Rong is asking you!" The eunuch kicked Jiu.

Jiu merely prostrated himself, saying nothing.

Rong Heng lifted his head and laughed, a lonely and despairing smile.

"So, you’re fake too.

All of you are fake, haha."

Rong Jing squinted his eyes, thinking, Wu finally smiled.

His voice was light and hoarse, reminiscent of luxurious silken brocade:

"Wu, you need not be too disheartened; this servant has some conscience, having accompanied you for so many years without harming you. Three years ago, the old maid from the Su Family died, and he never contacted the Empress Dowager again."

"Today, I merely wanted to tell you that the only person in this world you can trust is me."

"Including... Young Master Gu."

The anger in Rong Heng’s eyes slowly extinguished, his black pupils seemingly dulled forever, as he waved his hand and said:

"Kill him."

Rong Jing was stunned: "Kill him?"

"I don’t want to see the person who killed my mother consort appear before me every day."

Jiu finally lifted his head, saying unbelievingly: "Your Highness, I am the Empress Dowager’s man, but I’ve grown up with you, risking my life to care for you all these years.

That winter when you had no warm clothes, I knelt at the gate of the Imperial Court for a day and a night to beg for cotton clothes for you; I borrowed a ladle of grain for you when your provisions were docked, cooking for you while drinking water myself...

I never did anything to harm you... How can you be so heartless!"

In the midst of silence, Rong Heng closed his eyes, his voice faint as if he had completely lost his strength:

"From the moment you poisoned Xiao Ning, you should have known, what I hate most is betrayal."

"Fifth Young Master Rong, I will deal with him for you."

A nearby eunuch drew a flying knife from his sleeve, intending to kill Jiu with a single strike.

"Rong Heng, you are destined to live in guilt forever, destined to be... a waste." Jiu closed his eyes in despair, speaking softly.

Suddenly, Zhang Fengcai flicked away the eunuch’s knife, angrily rebuking, "Dog servant, with the Emperor here, who gives you the right to decide?"

"Yes, yes, the servant was wrong," the eunuch acknowledged obsequiously.

Zhang Fengcai asked, "Your Majesty, how shall we deal with Jiu?"

Rong Jing shook his head, his voice tinged with pity:

"This servant cared for you relatively well, if he died now, I’m afraid you wouldn’t get used to it if I replaced him with a new one. If he doesn’t die this time, just let him continue to follow you."

Now that Rong Heng knows the eunuch’s true identity and the eunuch is disheartened, Rong Jing is curious to see how they will interact in the future.

"I obey the imperial command."

Rong Jing was content, squinting his eyes and bending down slightly to ask gently: "Wu, were the table full of lotus pastries delicious?"

"I detest lotus pastries the most."

Rong Heng mechanically repeated.

"Then you must remember, Gu Lan really likes lotus flowers."

After saying this, Rong Jing turned and vanished into the pitch-black night.

Zhang Fengcai stayed in place, shaking his head and saying, "Fifth Young Master Rong, as long as you are obedient, the Emperor still cares for you, so don’t entertain any other thoughts.

I see you are indeed in straitened circumstances; it’s the unobservant lot at the Internal Affairs Office, they all cater to the powerful, I’ll talk to them."

"Thank you, Sir."

Zhang Fengcai also left, the light in his hand gradually fading, like an escort down the dim path of the underworld.

After an unknown period, Rong Heng staggered to his feet.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his black eyes deep.

"Your Highness, how was my acting just now?"

Jiu crawled up, his voice hoarse, the bloodstained face holding a sly smile.

Rong Heng silently breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at him, his eyes slightly sour: "If today you were truly Jiu, suffering such injuries, you would surely be dead. How could you still speak with such vigor?"

Jiu furrowed his brows and uncontrollably spat out a mouthful of blood, then smiled: "I’m almost dying now, those executioners truly wanted to beat me to death, it feels like my whole body is collapsing, I fear I’ll need your care for these days."

Rong Heng raised his head, seeing the pitch-black sky where the moonlight was so bright and clean, yet so unattainable.

He sat on the stone bench in the Xiaoxiang Palace courtyard, bathed in moonlight, and said:

"When you’re dead, leave the palace after some days."