Ning Rushen took a deep breath.

What kind of good intentions could Li Wuting have? He was probably just trying to dig a pit for him.

If he couldn’t answer this question well, he and the Geng family would be finished together.

Hesitating, the rumors he heard at the palace banquet suddenly surfaced in his mind. Ning Rushen steadied himself and decided to take a gamble—

His back, straight as a pine under his court robe, “Your Majesty, I believe that corruption and lawlessness harm the people, and such a scourge to the nation should have their entire family exiled, with all nine generations punished!”

Li Wuting raised a finger, seemingly surprised, but then added a hint of cold sarcasm, “Lord Ning, you are impartial, separating personal matters from official ones, your integrity is commendable…”

“Then, as Lord Ning suggested, let’s convict the Geng family and send them into exile.”

Ning Rushen nearly clawed a hole in the carpet.

Usually, you don’t seem to value my opinion so much.

He took a deep breath, “Your Majesty, I was referring to those ‘corrupt and lawless individuals,’ who should be punished.”

The only one still standing by was De Quan, drenched in cold sweat, trembling like a sieve, his entire being seemed to say: We’re doomed!

The servants were dismissed.

Li Wuting stood and walked over to Ning Rushen, his pitch-black eyes like storm clouds brewing, “Who gave you the nerve to guess my thoughts?”

He spoke softly, “What rumors have you been listening to?”

Ning Rushen’s heartbeat quickened; he thought to himself that he had guessed correctly.

Li Wuting clearly knew that the ones behind this were the former Crown Prince’s faction. The remaining question was how he planned to deal with the Cui family.

The new emperor’s rule was still unstable.

Anyone could see that this was not the best time to take down the Cui family.

But if Consort Xian was indeed killed by Empress Cui…

Ning Rushen thought: If he were Li Wuting, he would surely be eager to kill her day and night.

“Answer me.” The voice from above fell again.

Ning Rushen considered for two seconds, straightened up, and replied, “Actually, Your Majesty, it was Assistant Minister Geng’s wild ravings that I heard…”

Li Wuting, “…”

Ning Rushen continued, “He said the money from the Ministry of Revenue was all taken by the Cui family. When he said this, he was acting crazy, disheveled, his fists clenched so tight they were red, his teeth gritted, and his expression didn’t seem fake—so I dared to report this to Your Majesty, hoping the truth would be uncovered, and the main culprit severely punished!”

He said it all in one breath and mentally counted the words.

Seventy-four words in total. He felt like he’d made a comeback.

As he quietly counted, he suddenly heard Li Wuting speak, “It seems I misunderstood you, Lord Ning.”

Ning Rushen looked up with hope, Not going to pursue this further?

“It seems Lord Ning and Assistant Minister Geng don’t get along well.”

“…” Ning Rushen’s lips twitched, Does that matter?!

While his thoughts were in turmoil, the emperor withdrew his gaze.

A soft voice fell, “Lord Ning, do you know how much more difficult it is to deal with the Cui family than a Minister like Geng?”

Ning Rushen’s breath caught.

Li Wuting finished speaking and walked out of the Imperial Study, “I’ll pretend today’s conversation never happened. Go back; you’re no longer needed here.”

De Quan, drenched in sweat, hurriedly followed: Finally, it’s over, he was scared to death…

The emperor’s dark robe brushed past the hem of Ning Rushen’s crimson court attire.

Suddenly, Ning Rushen reached out and grabbed the emperor’s robe—

Li Wuting stopped, looking down.

De Quan almost knelt, Oh no, what’s happening now?!

Ning Rushen’s heart pounded, but he tightened his grip on Li Wuting’s robe. Since he had already decided to take this step, he might as well see it through.

He exhaled and met Li Wuting’s piercing gaze, “It may be troublesome… but I am willing to be Your Majesty’s blade.”

His thin, jade-like hand gripping the emperor’s dark robe looked so fragile, as if it would snap with a single twist. Li Wuting’s eyes followed his arm, landing on Ning Rushen’s upturned face.

After two silent moments, “Let go.”

…

Crash! The sound of a cup shattering echoed from the Imperial Study.

Immediately, the palace servants outside heard the emperor’s anger, thundering like a storm.

“Ning Shen’s behavior is out of line, take him away and give him thirty lashes!”

The palace servants were so frightened they didn’t dare to breathe.

No one knew how Ning Rushen, who had always been favored, had managed to anger the emperor.

Two squads of Royal Guards were dispatched. Soon, the courtyard echoed with dull thudding sounds that made everyone’s spine tingle:

Thump, thump, thump…

·

In the well-lit courtyard.

A large piece of pork was tightly tied to a bench, and two Royal Guards were dutifully raising their rods, striking the pork with full force.

Thump, thump, thump!

Ning Rushen sat not far away, warming himself with a cloak, sipping hot tea in small sips, looking rather weak.

Though it was a ploy of self-injury…

But having such a substitute, wasn’t that a bit… passive-aggressive?

He glanced sideways at Li Wuting.

Li Wuting remained expressionless, “This is the first time I’ve used such a fragile blade.”

Ning Rushen blushed, “Assassins are always high offense, low defense…”

After saying that, he didn’t care if Li Wuting understood and turned his head, flashing a toothy smile, “Should I act a bit more convincingly?”

Li Wuting’s thin lips twitched, as if in warning.

Ning Rushen put down his teacup and began, “Ah… ah…”

“Ah… spare me, Your Majesty…!”

His cries were overly serious, while De Quan, standing to the side, felt anxious just listening.

Li Wuting’s temple twitched as he finally snapped, “Shut up.”

“…Ah.”

Ning Rushen let out a final breathy whimper, then obediently shut his mouth and went back to drinking his tea.

He actually thought he did quite well, his emotions were spot on.

The thirty lashes were finished quickly.

The legendary Royal Guards, who could kill without drawing blood, efficiently cleaned up the pork from the bench.

Ning Rushen sighed in admiration and guilt, “They’ve really been wronged.”

The elite secret agents directly under the emperor, yet he made them do this kind of thing. It was really his fault.

“If you want to be my blade, you must be able to do anything.” Li Wuting said flatly.

As he spoke, the Royal Guards were carrying the bloodied pork past Ning Rushen. He glanced at it—after thirty lashes, the pork was completely mangled.

“Lord Ning.” A voice pulled his attention back.

Ning Rushen turned his head to see Li Wuting’s sharp profile, illuminated against the gray courtyard wall behind him, his gaze distant, “I’m giving you this chance; don’t disappoint me.”

Ning Rushen tightened his grip on the teacup, the warmth seeping from his fingertips to his heart.

“I will give it my all.”

…

Returning to the Ning residence.

As soon as Ning Rushen entered the house, he instructed Xing Lan to bring him paper and a brush, and he immediately began writing.

Yan Min approached curiously, “Master, what are you doing?”

Ning Rushen didn’t even lift his head, “I’m giving it my all.”

Yan Min: ??

Soon, the paper was filled with lines of writing.

Ning Rushen picked it up, reviewed it, and feeling satisfied that there were no mistakes, stepped outside to call for ten of his guards.

“From now on, follow what’s written on this list, and make a big scene—put your clothes back on! I don’t mean that kind of scene… Just be louder, got it?”

The guards all lowered their heads, “Yes, sir!”

Once the group of burly figures disappeared through the courtyard gate, Yan Min approached again, “What did you send them to buy, Master?”

Ning Rushen handed over the list with a sense of pride, showing off his carefully crafted masterpiece—

Yan Min took a look.

Buy incense burners from the Eastern Market, buy pork bones from the Western Market.

Hire a doctor from the Southern Market, pull white cloth from the Northern Market.

“…”

Ning Rushen eagerly asked, “Any thoughts?”

Yan Min, “I don’t even dare to think.”

·

In just one day, rumors spread quickly—

Ning Rushen lay on a soft chaise in the courtyard, squinting as he basked in the setting sun, “So, what are people saying now?”

Yan Min reported truthfully, “They’re saying that you, Master, have fallen out of favor, that you angered the emperor by speaking on behalf of Minister Geng, and after receiving thirty lashes, you’re on the verge of death, covered in a white cloth and carried back to the Ning residence.”

“They believe it?”

“They do. They say you broke eight ribs, bought ten pounds of pork bones to make soup for recovery, and dragged every doctor in the capital into the mansion, filling two carts with medicine to keep you alive.”

“And what about the white cloth…” Yan Min hesitated, “Uh, Master, isn’t this a bit exaggerated?”

“It has to be vague to work.” Ning Rushen lazily opened his eyes, his long eyelashes dusted with a hint of golden sunlight, “To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive yourself.”

He gazed at the distant sky, “Heh, dazzled yet?”

…

At the same time, in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Li Wuting, feeling rather dizzy rubbed his temples, “Say that again, what is he doing?”

De Quan bowed low, “Reporting to Your Majesty, I heard the Ning residence is hanging white cloth, preparing for a funeral.”

“…”

De Quan carefully studied the emperor’s expression, chuckling awkwardly, “Though it’s a ploy of self-injury, Lord Ning is doing it so convincingly, even I almost believe it.”

After he finished speaking, there was no response from the hall.

After a long silence, Li Wuting suddenly asked, “I really didn’t hit him that day, did I?”

De Quan looked up in shock, “Your Majesty?”

Li Wuting furrowed his brow, a strange sense of uncertainty creeping in, “I didn’t punish him in any other way? That cup… it didn’t actually hit him?”

“Of course—”

De Quan had been so sure, but when asked like this, he suddenly wasn’t so certain.

With Lord Ning’s frail and sickly body, who could really say?

He knelt down with a thud, “Your servant… your servant doesn’t remember clearly…”

Li Wuting, feeling muddled by the rumors, grew even more confused.

Since his rebirth, many things had become strange, like a dream.

“Shi Yi.”

A figure silently knelt inside the hall.

“Go check, is he really faking illness or—” Li Wuting stopped mid-sentence, remembering something, “Never mind, you may go.”

Shi Yi quietly kowtowed and disappeared.

After a moment, Li Wuting rose and looked out at the sky now tinged with a faint greenish hue, “There’s nothing going on today, I’ll leave the palace.”

He had to see for himself if he was truly imagining things.

·

Ning Rushen was “gravely ill” at home, yet the area in front of the Ning residence was eerily quiet. Not a single colleague had come to visit, a stark contrast to the last time when the doorstep had been worn down by visitors.

The only one who came was Geng Yan.

Geng Yan entered the mansion carrying heavy gifts, only to find the entire estate shrouded in the thick scent of medicinal herbs, with wisps of white smoke rising from the main courtyard, making it seem as if the owner had little time left.

The servants were busy hanging white cloth, and not even one of them had time to announce his arrival.

His heart sank, and he rushed to the main courtyard, “Ning Shen!”

He dashed through the front yard and into the main courtyard, where he was greeted by a cloud of white smoke.

As the smoke cleared, Geng Yan saw Ning Rushen, Yan Min, and Xing Lan sitting around a small table in the courtyard, eating hotpot. Their faces were flushed, looking like they were having the time of their lives.

It looked especially lively and festive.

Geng Yan was dumbfounded.

“Cook that pork belly a bit longer…” Ning Rushen was happily eating, then turned his head to see Geng Yan standing in the doorway, “Why are you here?”

Geng Yan stared at him, his lips trembling.

As if he was about to spew out some choice words.

Ning Rushen, noticing the gift in his hands, quickly put down his chopsticks and sheepishly waved him over, “Oh, you didn’t have to bring anything… Yan Shu, go help him carry it inside, it must be heavy.”

Yan Min quick on the uptake, went over to help with the heavy gift and took it inside.

Geng Yan finally snapped out of it, “Are you… having a final moment of energy before death?”

Ning Rushen marveled, “Do you talk like this when you visit others who are sick?”

Geng Yan was bathed in Ning Rushen’s gentle gaze.

A shiver ran down his spine, and he fully woke up.

…

Fifteen minutes later, Geng Yan was seated at the table, chopsticks in hand.

After hearing the whole story, he began to wonder if he could take the gift back.

Ning Rushen, reading his expression, casually remarked, “Oh, by the way, that cup just brushed past my shoulder. It flew out—bam! Shards went everywhere.”

Geng Yan swallowed, “Uh-huh…”

Ning Rushen continued stirring the pork belly, “And the rod for beating the pork—it was this long. As the Royal Guards carried the bloodied flesh past me, His Majesty softly said to me, ‘Lord Ning, don’t disappoint me…’”

“Alright, alright!” Geng Yan’s scalp tingled, nearly dropping his chopsticks, “You’ve suffered enough. Don’t say anymore.”

He didn’t mention taking the gift back again.

Ning Rushen happily resumed eating his hotpot.

Geng Yan, on the other hand, found it hard to stomach, “You’re supposed to be ‘gravely ill,’ yet you’re living so well? What if others find out…”

“Don’t worry.” Ning Rushen said contentedly, “No one comes to our mansion, not even dogs.”

“…”

After a pause, he quickly added, “Except for you.”

Geng Yan’s expression twisted even more.

The two were eagerly stirring their chopsticks in the pot when suddenly, Xing Lan shouted toward the courtyard gate:

“Master! Besides Lord Geng and dogs, there’s someone else here!”

Ning Rushen: ?

Geng Yan: ??? What’s that supposed to mean?

Both turned to look toward the courtyard gate, and through the swirling white smoke, they suddenly saw a figure standing silently at the entrance.

“…” Ning Rushen’s heart skipped a beat.

The deepening dusk mixed with the smoke, obscuring the visitor’s face.

All that could be seen was a tall, upright figure, with a servant beside him whose head was nearly buried in his chest. A cold, jade-like voice cut through the mist:

“Lord Ning, you seem to be in high spirits.”

Ning Rushen’s breath hitched, and in an instant, he felt dizzy—

Li Wuting had come here!

“You…” He had just started speaking when the figure beside him wavered.

Yan Min had already stood up, ready to greet De Quan and take the thick gift from his hands, “You really didn’t have to bring anything—”

“Don’t…!” Ning Rushen grabbed Yan Min back.

A gust of night wind swept through the courtyard, dispersing the smoke.

Ning Rushen locked eyes with Li Wuting, who was standing across the small courtyard, his gaze darker than the twilight itself. Ning Rushen swallowed and then quickly stood up, brushing off a stone bench and inviting him, “…Please, make yourself at home.”

Li Wuting looked at Ning Rushen’s face flushed from eating.

A cold laugh fell from his lips, “Heh.”