Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life-Chapter 227: The Forest of Illusions: Cracks Appear

When Su Ming walked out of the palace gates, the snow had already stopped.

Thick snow blanketed the vermilion palace walls and the golden glazed tiles, the entire capital shrouded in a dazzling, pristine white.

The air was fresh and bitingly cold, carrying a hint of sweetness with each breath drawn into the lungs.

Everything was perfect, flawless beyond reproach.

"Lord Su, the sedan chair is ready."

A sedan bearer dressed in dark blue clothes hurried forward, bowing in greeting, his face wearing a precisely appropriate smile of respect.

The curve of that smile, the angle of his bow, even the reverence visible in his eyes—it all seemed as meticulously standard as if dictated by the strictest master of ceremonies.

Su Ming stopped walking, his gaze lingering on the sedan bearer's face for a moment.

"No sedan today," Su Ming said, his voice turning into a puff of white mist in the cold air. "I'd like to walk."

The sedan bearer showed no hesitation, offered no superfluous attempts to dissuade him, and immediately straightened up, stepping aside. "Understood. This humble one will have the sedan chair taken back at once. Please be careful of the slippery path, my lord."

Su Ming stepped onto the snowy ground. His official boots made of cowhide crunched against the snow with a "crunch, crunch" sound.

Ever since discovering that missing "smiling face" mark on the memorial in the imperial study, a seed named "doubt" had taken root and begun to sprout in the depths of his heart.

But he always felt that he seemed to have forgotten something even more important.

What was it?

He tried hard to recall, but his mind only held the clear trajectory of this "perfect life": Qingshi Town, the County School, the imperial examinations, the Hanlin Academy... Further back, there was only a hazy, misty fog, as if the source of his memories was obscured by something.

He had tried to concentrate, to "think," to "dig," but every time his thoughts touched that mist, he would feel a gentle weariness, and then his attention would be diverted back to the tangible reality before him—the official robe, the documents, and the fragrance of tea.

He wasn't in a hurry to expose anything. Instead, like a patient hunter, he began to scrutinize this jungle called "perfect life."

Returning to the Hanlin Academy, Su Ming sat behind his wide rosewood desk.

"Someone."

Qian Bin pushed the door open almost instantly, holding a cup of tea at just the right temperature. "My lord, your instructions."

Su Ming took the teacup but didn't drink from it. Instead, he casually placed it on top of a stack of archives. The tea sloshed out, soaking the topmost document—an urgent report concerning "river engineering repairs."

This was a major taboo in official circles.

Damaging official documents could result in anything from a salary deduction to criminal charges.

There was no trace of panic on Qian Bin's face, nor the slightest hint of reproach for Su Ming's carelessness.

He didn't even show a flicker of change in his eyes. He simply, very naturally, took out a handkerchief, deftly wiped up the moisture, and said, "My lord must be weary. This humble official will handle such a trivial matter. Fortunately, the ink hasn't bled through. I'll simply recopy it."

Su Ming watched him.

"Assistant Prefect Qian," Su Ming said, lightly tapping the desk with his fingers. "Regarding the calculation of the river engineering funds, I recalculated them last night. It seems the amount approved earlier is about thirty percent higher than it should be."

This was an obvious trap.

Approving thirty percent extra funds was enough to cause an uproar throughout both the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue. As the person who handled it, Qian Bin's first reaction should have been fear, or at least a frantic attempt to explain himself.

Yet, Qian Bin merely paused briefly, then immediately nodded. "Since my lord's calculation indicates an error, then this humble official's previous calculation must have been mistaken. I will go and recheck it at once, ensuring that the thirty percent excess is corrected. I will absolutely not cause any trouble for you, my lord."

No questioning. No explanation. Not even fear.

He was like a puppet programmed for a single purpose: to cooperate with Su Ming's every instruction, to ensure Su Ming's official career path remained smooth and unobstructed.

A sliver of coldness stirred deep within Su Ming's eyes.

In this world, he, Su Ming, was the absolute center. All the rules, all human hearts, revolved around his will.

It was too smooth.

So smooth it was nauseating.

As evening approached, Su Ming arranged to meet Xu Qing. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The location was, as usual, Taibai Tower, their customary private room.

After several rounds of wine and many dishes had been sampled.

Xu Qing was slightly tipsy, his cheeks flushed, enthusiastically recounting a recent amusing incident from the Ministry of Revenue.

Su Ming held his wine cup, watching this close friend through the flickering candlelight.

"Brother Xu," Su Ming suddenly interrupted him. "Do you remember back in Qingshi Town? That time in front of the bookstall, you argued until you were red-faced with that stall owner over that copy of *Records of Southern Border Wonders*."

Xu Qing was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. "I remember, of course I remember! We were so poor back then, willing to forgo dignity just to save a few copper coins."

"It wasn't to save money," Su Ming said, staring into his eyes. "It was because the stall owner said the 'gu sorcery' in the book was fake, and you were so indignant you insisted on arguing the point. You said that seeking truth and being pragmatic were the fundamental duties of a scholar, and that even strange tales shouldn't be casually dismissed."

Xu Qing's smile stiffened for an instant.

This was something Su Ming had made up. It was Su Ming who had bought the book back then.

"Is... is that so?" A flicker of confusion passed through Xu Qing's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by that rational clarity. "I must have mixed up the memory. But Brother Su is right. Seeking truth and being pragmatic are indeed our fundamental duties."

He seamlessly followed Su Ming's lead, flawlessly, yet utterly soulless.

Su Ming set down his wine cup, leaning forward slightly, his voice lowering. "Brother Xu, lately I've been feeling uneasy at court. The more His Majesty relies on me, the more I feel like I'm treading on thin ice. You know how it is—it's lonely at the top. Those great aristocratic families, though polite on the surface, behind the scenes..."

He deliberately let a hint of weakness and anxiety show—a side of himself he rarely revealed in front of others.

If this were the real Xu Qing, his brow would have furrowed tightly by now. He might even have slammed the table, cursing the hypocrisy of those aristocratic scions, then grabbed Su Ming's hand, drunkenly saying things like "we can always resign and go back home."

The "Xu Qing" before him set down his chopsticks, his expression turning solemn and thorough.

"Brother Su is worrying too much," Xu Qing analyzed. "His Majesty is wise and sagacious now, precisely in need of capable ministers like you. Although the aristocratic families are powerful, as long as Brother Su closely follows His Majesty's lead and acts according to the law, they won't be able to find any fault. Moreover, Brother Su's political achievements are now illustrious; you are a pillar of the court. A little turbulence is nothing to fear."

Rational. Objective. Perfect.

But these words were like a standard answer copied from a textbook—every single character was beyond reproach, yet they lacked one thing alone—warmth.

The eyes looking at Su Ming held no concern, no shared indignation, only the placid stillness of two pools of stagnant water.

Su Ming leaned back in his chair. The hollow chill in his heart was deeper than the snow outside the window.

"Brother Su, what's wrong?" Xu Qing asked with concern, seeing his silence.

"Nothing," Su Ming said, picking up his wine cup and draining it in one gulp. "It's just that... this wine seems a bit bland."