Li Wuting silently stared at the little walnut in his hand for a long time before suddenly speaking, “Shi Yi.”

From the shadows in the corner of the Imperial Study, a figure silently emerged. Li Wuting glanced in the direction of the door, and the figure melted back into the shadows.

By the time Ning Rushen returned to his carriage, half an hour had passed.

Yan Min lifted the curtain for him. “Master, you don’t look well.”

Ning Rushen slumped into the cushions, gazing deeply out of the carriage window. “What I lose is my fortune, and what I gain is my destiny.”

“…” Yan Min: He’s starting to spout nonsense.

“Should I summon a physician for you?”

“No need.” Ning Rushen pulled his thoughts together. “When we return, gather everyone in the household. I have something to announce.”

As Yan Min let the curtain drop, he glanced inside the carriage again, noticing the fruit tray was empty. “Master, you ate all the walnuts?”

The Ning residence wasn’t large but exuded an elegant simplicity. For an official of the fifth rank, there was nothing to criticize.

When they arrived, Yan Min quickly assembled all the household staff.

Ning Rushen dragged a Taishi chair into the courtyard, sitting by a plate of fruits and snacks. He surveyed the dozen or so nervous servants gathered before him, deep in thought.

Resigning isn’t an option. My memories are too fragmented. I can only take things step by step and figure out the situation.

“Master, everyone’s here,” Yan Min said.

The group stood with heads bowed, waiting for his orders.

“Everyone’s here?” Ning Rushen put down his teacup, straightened his posture, and cleared his throat. “Alright. Praise me.”

“…”

The crowd lifted their heads in confusion: What?

Ning Rushen thickened his skin and repeated, “Praise me.”

The group exchanged bewildered glances until the maid Xing Lan quickly caught on and piped up, “Master, you’re as radiant as the moon, brimming with talent and wisdom, truly the famed zhuangyuan who once astounded the capital!”

The others finally got the hint.

Suddenly, the courtyard was awash in a shower of flowery praise.

Listening for a while, Ning Rushen gradually pieced together some clues:

The young “Ning Chen” had not yet reached adulthood and was the youngest fifth-rank official in the empire. Orphaned at a young age, he rose from humble beginnings to become the imperial examination’s zhuangyuan, earning the late emperor’s favor and advancing through the ranks of the Hanlin Academy.

Later, he took the winning side in the battle for the throne, helping to secure Li Wuting’s reign.

From an outsider’s perspective, his life should have been nothing short of illustrious.

So where did “he” offend Li Wuting?

The compliments began to dwindle.

The servants had scraped the bottom of the barrel, even exaggerating minor things like eating an extra bowl of rice into poetic feats.

Ning Rushen raised a hand to stop them. “That’s enough.”

Everyone exhaled in relief.

“Now,” Ning Rushen continued, “insult me.”

“…” The entire courtyard dropped to their knees in unison.

Even the shadow lurking beyond the courtyard wall seemed to flinch.

“Master, we dare not!”

Ning Rushen sighed. “Get up.”

He studied the trembling group for a moment before saying, “Insult me, and you’ll get a silver tael for each insult.”

A dozen faces hesitated, lifting slightly.

Ning Rushen deftly cracked another walnut. “The first to speak gets ten taels.”

The next second, Yan Min’s booming voice roared, “Master, were you a starving ghost reborn?!”

Ning Rushen: “…”

Ning Rushen spent the entire afternoon paying to be insulted.

What began as a search for valuable information quickly devolved into numb resignation.

Most of the complaints were trivial, laced with backhanded compliments, and the tone grew increasingly bizarre. One maid even blushed furiously as she muttered, “Leaving your robe open, so unseemly… utterly, utterly lacking in male virtue!”

By the end, Ning Rushen had a headache.

What is all this nonsense?

Not a single useful detail emerged. He still didn’t know who his enemies were or why the new emperor was displeased with him.

“That’s enough,” he waved tiredly.

He instructed Yan Min to distribute the silver and retreated to his quarters. “Wake me before dinner.”

Yan Min clutched the silver with reverence. “Yes, Master.”

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Study, Shi Yi knelt before Li Wuting, recounting every detail of Ning Rushen’s antics at the Ning residence.

Hearing about the praise session, Li Wuting chuckled softly.

Then Shi Yi added, “Afterwards, Lord Ning said: ‘Insult me.’”

“One insult, one tael.”

Li Wuting’s expression turned peculiar.

Shi Yi, mimicking Yan Min’s voice, bellowed, “Master! Were you a starving ghost reborn?!”

Li Wuting choked on his tea.

Shi Yi, oblivious, continued, “Another maid said coyly: ‘Leaving your robe open, utterly lacking in male virtue!’”

Li Wuting: “…”

Shi Yi concluded, “Lord Ning blushed and quietly closed his robe…”

“Shi Yi,” Li Wuting interrupted.

Shi Yi immediately stopped, lowering himself further.

Li Wuting massaged his temples, feeling like his brain was stuffed with nonsense. After a pause, he ordered, “Continue watching him.”

Shi Yi kowtowed, preparing to leave, but the emperor added in a low voice, “And next time… leave out the nonsense.”

“…Understood.”

Ning Rushen slept until dusk.

When the knocking came, his mind was still groggy. With the shutters closed and the room dimly lit, for a moment, he thought he was back in his dorm.

Propping himself up, he mumbled, “Erkang, why didn’t you turn on the light? It’s so dark in here.”

The door creaked open, and a familiar voice replied, “Master, it’s Yan Min.”

The lamps were lit, illuminating the room.

Ning Rushen woke instantly.

Right, I’ve transmigrated.

He rubbed his temples, searching the bed. “Erkang, where’s my clothes?”

“Your robe is on the stand,” Yan Min said, handing over the crimson yunyan robe. “And, Master, I’m Yan Min.”

Ning Rushen took the robe and waved him off. “I’ll dress myself. You can go, Er… Yan Kang.”

Yan Min: “…”

By the time Ning Rushen entered the palace for the banquet, night had fallen.

The brightly lit hall was bustling. Under the eunuch’s guidance, he took a seat among his Hanlin Academy colleagues, far from the emperor’s elevated throne.

After a while, the emperor’s grand procession entered, and Li Wuting took his seat above.

Ning Rushen glanced at him. As if sensing it, Li Wuting’s gaze lingered briefly on him, unreadable.

Must be my imagination, Ning Rushen thought, scratching his chin.

The banquet unfolded with music and speeches. After several rounds of wine, Li Wuting left the feast.

As the atmosphere grew more relaxed, colleagues began to toast Ning Rushen. “I hear you’ll be serving in the Imperial Study starting tomorrow. Truly the emperor’s favorite!”

Ning Rushen: Who’s been snitching again?

When he learned the appointment came by imperial decree that afternoon, Ning Rushen nearly choked on his wine. So it’s His Majesty!

Drained from constant toasts, he finally seized Geng Yan, who appeared out of nowhere, as a distraction.

“Geng Yan, what a coincidence! Let’s discuss that… private matter of yours!”

“What?”

“Your, uh, health condition?” Ning Rushen improvised.

His colleagues exchanged awkward looks and quietly dispersed.

Realizing he’d been used as a shield, Geng Yan exploded, but Ning Rushen quickly mollified him with a drink and some walnuts.

The night grew late, and Ning Rushen wandered outside to cool off by the lake. The cool air cleared his head until a sudden splash shattered the tranquility.

“Plop!”

Li Wuting turned back just in time to see Ning Rushen’s upper body sink into the water.

“…”

“Your Majesty!” cried De Quan, panicked. “Lord Ning fell in!”

“Wait,” Li Wuting commanded.

After a moment’s hesitation, he sighed, “Forget it. Fish him out.”