Her voice was very soft, and only the two of them could hear it.
Rong Ting caught her and put her into the carriage. When the curtain was lowered, she bit her lips, leaned lazily on her shoulder, and said, "Whether the road ahead is good or bad, I am not sure."
The smile in his eyes disappeared, and his tone suddenly became colder and more domineering, "Even if it's not 100% certain, you have to stay with me."
Even if he died, he would not let her leave even a step.
He sighed, "That's what I was thinking. Since you're willing, this is the best."
…
More than half of the imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau were in the Yangxin Palace, serving in front of the dragon bed.
When Rong Ting came, a director named Zhang in the crowd did not look up, but quietly adjusted his right sleeve with his left hand.
When Rong Ting took the medicine bowl from the eunuch, he glanced at Zhang Yuanzheng.
When Zhang Yuan was adjusting the corner of his sleeve, he put three fingers on top and two fingers pressed on the fabric of the sleeve.
Three months.
Rong Ting slowly withdrew his gaze.
Lying on the couch, Emperor Zhaowu looked sick, haggard and tired.
He didn't even have the strength to open his eyes. He lost weight rapidly in half a year and became like a dead leaf in late November, as skinny as a bone.
Rong Ting tasted the medicine and handed it to the eunuch beside him.
Two palace servants helped Emperor Zhaowu up from the couch and fed him medicine. Emperor Zhaowu opened his eyes a little and kept coughing. Rong Ting stood by his side and said, "Father, I have tasted the medicine."
Emperor Zhaowu was seriously ill, and there were frequent unusual movements inside and outside the palace. A few days ago, a prince came to visit the patient, and the medicine was mixed with medicinal herbs that were harmful to the patient's body. After investigation, he was stripped of his title. Emperor Zhaowu felt cold in his heart and became more suspicious of his sons. All the medicines and foods they took had to be checked thoroughly.
After he finished drinking the medicine, he wanted to talk to Rong Ting, but there was nothing to say.
Looking at Rong Ting's face, he couldn't even remember what he looked like as a child. At most, he could only vaguely remember his mother through his face.
Including the two years when Rong Ting had just returned to the palace from Yecheng, he had only met his ninth son a few times. If Rong Ting had not handled the tasks entrusted to him to his satisfaction, he would have given him a fiefdom far away from the capital and sent him off hastily.
The accident during childbirth of Rong Ting's mother was caused by the Queen, and he handed Rong Ting over to the Queen to raise. He learned about this from Li Ren and was ashamed to face it.
After Emperor Zhaowu fell ill, his temper became erratic and he became gloomy and unstable. Thinking of the embarrassing things, he brushed away the arm of the eunuch who was feeding him medicine. As he was seriously ill, the force was weak and not strong, but it was so sudden that the young eunuch was frightened and the medicine bowl rolled to the ground.
A few drops of bitter medicine splashed onto the back of Rong Ting's boots.
He stood there, not dodging or avoiding, and bent down to pick up the bowl on the ground, handing it to the trembling eunuch, and said calmly, "Father, the emperor summoned me, what is it about?"
After Emperor Zhaowu had vented his anger, he was left with fatigue, so fatigued that he had lost all vitality. "I am not fit enough to attend the morning court. In the future, you will move your office to the Yangxin Palace and help me look over official documents and handle official business."
"I will share your worries for you, Father."
"Yes." Emperor Zhaowu felt a little better and coughed, "Don't tell Yun'er about my current condition."
Rong Ting responded with "I know", and as he was leaving, he thought about what Emperor Zhaowu had told him, and sneered silently.
Back then, the Queen caused his mother to die during childbirth. When his father found out, he felt no guilt at all and did not want to admit that he had made a mistake, so he asked Li Ren to keep it secret from him.
It's a pity that the emperor doesn't know that it was he who ordered Li Renchuan to tell him this. He understood it clearly at a young age. Now he is sick and confused, how can he hide it?
But it doesn't matter much.
The life of the person who once didn't care about his life or death and never asked a question now is in his hands.
Shortly after leaving the palace, Liao Qiubai met with Rong Ting in private.
"I asked the Imperial Hospital and learned that the Emperor's illness is incurable and he may not survive until this winter."
Rong Ting lowered his head and drank his tea. "Three months."
Liao Qiubai's hands trembled, and he asked in shock: "... so fast?"
There was no expression on Rong Ting's face, and the porcelain cup was filled with white mist, making it look extremely quiet.
"I'm afraid these few months haven't been so peaceful." Liao Qiubai frowned, lowered his voice, and stared at Rong Ting, trying to figure out his plans.
Rong Ting only nodded slightly, his face sullen.
He never shows his emotions on his face and is difficult to predict.
Liao Qiubai gave up trying to find out, and looked at the sword that Rong Ting had placed beside his chair. He had a good memory, and he said casually, "I haven't seen you hang any accessories on your sword before, but this Acacia buckle is really pretty."
Love buckle...
Rong Ting took a quick glance and then turned the sword so that the tassel faced the back and the hilt blocked the light from passing through.
"It's really beautiful." he said.
"My wife gave it to me."
There was a gleam in his eyes and his tone was one of blatant boasting, like a child telling others about his favorite toy, showing off while holding it tightly for fear that someone else would snatch it away.
Liao Qiubai worked for Rong Ting, and he felt mixed feelings of respect and fear when he saw how Rong Ting manipulated his brothers, who were from prominent maternal families, without making a sound. Even though he considered himself resourceful, he did not dare to speculate too much about Rong Ting's thoughts.
He quickly said goodbye.
Rong Ting took the long sword in his hand. He looked at the tassel hanging on the hilt. Thousands of thin red threads were strung into a walnut-sized knot. He took it off and held it in his palm to look at it for a few seconds.
Someone who is not good at sewing may be very skillful at weaving.
He played with the love knot all the way, and remembered that Jiang Rao hurriedly hid something when she saw him a few months ago. His eyes suddenly moved, and he laughed softly while holding the love knot.
He understood where her dexterity came from.
She probably made more than a dozen over the course of several months and picked out the best one to give him. He could guess her little thoughts with just a little thought.
Unfortunately, she couldn't guess what he was thinking. As long as it was a gift from her, it was all good.
…
The sky was gloomy, with a few lonely stars in the night sky. The night wind made the glass lamps under the corridor sway.
Jiang Rao was lying by the window, wearing a cloak to keep warm, looking at the road outside through the window.
She was thinking about what Rong Ting had said before he left the house during the day. The slightest hint of smile disappeared from her ever-smiling face, and she seemed to be distracted.
Not running away from him was something she had originally wanted to do, but when he said that, it seemed as if he was forcing her.
However, he did not hide his feelings from her.
Jiang Rao lowered her eyes, and felt a chill on her cheeks as if raindrops had fallen.
She raised her eyes and saw Rong Ting was withdrawing the fingers that were touching her cheek.
He walked silently, and it was not until he touched Jiang Rao's cheek that she realized he was back.
Rong Ting played with the love buckle all the way and was in a good mood with a smile on his face. He also smiled in front of people, but his smile was always the same, gentle and also unfamiliar. When he looked at Jiang Rao, that smile was genuine, and he wanted to laugh from the bottom of his heart. He was very handsome and looked good no matter how he smiled. Jiang Rao felt lucky to see him smile.
She had never seen him smile in her dreams, and there was a chill in his bones.
Rong Ting put his arms around Jiang Rao's waist, lifted her up and let her sit on his lap.
He held the love locket on his middle finger and brought it before Jiang Rao's eyes. The red string was tied to his slender and strong finger, and the tassels hung into his palm. He said, "Can you make one for me every year?"
Jiang Rao was still immersed in her recent thoughts, and seeing that he didn't mention it at all, she decided not to mention it either.
But his request made her pout and whisper two words, "Greedy."
There was annoyance in her tone, and Rong Ting smiled.
His smile was charming, his chin resting two inches above Jiang Rao's chest. His smile trembled, as if it could penetrate her bones and reach her heart, making her heart tremble.
"I have always been greedy for Nian Nian."
Jiang Rao was afraid that she had not done a good job, so she gave him one, so the next one had to be better looking than the first one.
She lowered her head and said, "Then give me some more time."
"Ten days?"
Jiang Rao's voice became softer, "One month."
"About three months."
Jiang Rao was surprised by his sudden generosity, and Rong Ting's arm around her waist tightened a little, "Jin Xing, now that you have arrived in Jiangzhou, can you still think about him every year?"
Jiang Rao was stunned for a moment, and misunderstood, "I miss him, but I miss you even more."
She thought he was jealous because of her brother.
Although Rong Ting had a smile in his eyes, he sighed, "The maple forest in Jiangzhou in September is as red as a sea of fire. Do you want to see it every year?"
Jiang Rao then realized something was wrong and turned to look at her, "You want me to go to Jiangzhou?"
Let’s take a look at the maple forest in September…the trip there and back, plus the time spent there, would take at least three months.
Rong Ting smiled, his fangs pointed, looking a little childish, and said, "Since Niannian wants to give me something, I will naturally treat Niannian better."
He said softly, "Let your father-in-law and mother-in-law accompany you to Jiangzhou. Come back after you see the maple leaves, and then give me the Acacia buckle."
Jiang Rao was stunned for a moment, then asked softly, "You entered the palace today. What happened with your father?"
Rong Ting likes Jiang Rao, he likes everything about her, the only thing he doesn’t like is that sometimes she is really hard to deceive.
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