Chapter 86: Self-Punishment in the Snow

Before today, every time the two of them were intimate, they were filled with love and joy. But this time was different. There was only sadness in Rong Yin's tears, not joy.

The physical pleasure and psychological pain were intertwined, making Rong Yin lose his mind and left with endless confusion.

The cup of soup not only failed to fulfill its destiny of warming others, but also gradually became cold.

Zong Zhengxiao tidied up Rong Yin's clothes and carried him out of the study. Rong Yin buried his face in his chest and said nothing. Zong Zhengxiao's face was also very gloomy.

Si Xi didn't dare to look up at the two of them. He stood aside with his eyes lowered, waiting for instructions.

Zong Zheng walked without stopping. When he passed by Si Xi, he said casually, "Clean up the inside and take the soup back."

"Yes." Si Xi responded quickly.

The palace maids in Yinjiao Garden saw Rong Yin go out happily, but was carried back by His Majesty when she came back, and there was something wrong with the atmosphere between the two of them, so they all became cautious.

Zong Zhengxiao asked the palace maids to prepare bathing supplies, and he carried Rong Yin into the bathtub in the house. He wanted to help Rong Yin clean up like before, but Rong Yin pushed his hand away.

"I can do it myself." Because she had just cried, Rong Yin's voice was a little hoarse and she spoke with a nasal tone.

After what happened just now, Zong Zhengxiao's excitement had faded a lot. He withdrew his hand dryly and said dryly: "I'm outside. You can call me if you need anything."

"Yeah." Rong Yin responded softly without looking at Zong Zheng Xiao.

Zong Zhengxiao pursed his lips, turned around and left.

When Si Xi finished cleaning up the study and came back with the cold soup, Zong Zheng Xiao was standing alone in the corridor, half of his body was covered in wind and snow, his face as cold as snow.

"Your Majesty," Si Xi asked softly, "The soup is cold. I'll take it to the kitchen to reheat it."

Zong Zhengxiao had no appetite to eat at the moment, but he took a look at the soup bowl and thought of Rong Yin, so he nodded.

Si Xi handed the soup bowl to the palace maid beside him, and after the maid left, he said, "The maid has been detained, and the interrogation result will be released soon."

Zong Zhengxiao raised his eyes and looked at the familiar courtyard in the snow. He said calmly, "I thought this was a pure land for him and me, but I didn't expect it to be stained with filth. Si Xi, what do you think we should do?"

Si Xi was a very smart man. He understood Zong Zheng Xiao's meaning immediately. He knelt down in the snow and kowtowed several times before saying, "It was my carelessness that caused the thief to appear in the garden. Please punish me, Your Majesty!"

Zong Zheng Xiao closed his eyes and stood with his hands behind his back. "You know the rules, I believe there is no need for me to say more. If you can't catch him within three days, you don't have to appear in front of me."

With Si Xi's ability, it wouldn't take three days. Si Xi understood that this was Zong Zheng Xiao's hint, meaning that although he had made mistakes in his work this time, as long as he made up for it in time, he would not be severely punished.

Si Xi breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes, thank you for your leniency, Your Majesty."

By the time the soup was hot and brought back, Rong Yin had finished cleaning.

The two of them sat facing each other, and for the first time they felt the atmosphere was too quiet. If it were in the past, Rong Yin would have started chattering.

Zong Zhengxiao served the two of them soup, took a sip himself, and then raised his lips: "This soup is delicious. I heard from the palace maids that you personally stewed it for me. You obviously don't like fire, but you still stayed in front of the stove. Thank you, Ayin."

"You're welcome." Rong Yin stirred the soup with a spoon, her tone a little cold.

Zong Zhengxiao wanted to ask Rong Yin if she was still angry, but he felt he couldn't ask, so he fell silent again.

In the end, Zong Zhengxiao drank most of the soup, while Rong Yin took a few sips and put down the bowl.

After the palace servants cleared away the tableware, Rong Yin stood up and seemed to be talking to Zong Zhengxiao, but she didn't look at him. "I'm sleepy. I'm going to sleep for a while."

Zong Zhengxiao didn't know whether this was Rong Yin's excuse for not wanting to be with him or if she was really tired. After all, they had just done that.

He wanted to accompany Rong Yin, but he felt that Rong Yin probably didn't want to see him much.

"Well, have a good rest." Zong Zhengxiao left that sentence and fled.

Rong Yin finally raised his eyes, looked at Zong Zheng Xiao's back, and couldn't help but tears welling up in his eyes.

Later, Lu'e came back and heard about this from Si Xi. She immediately went to Zong Zheng Xiao to apologize.

Although her main task now is to help Rong Yin manage the outside business, as the aunt in charge of Yinjiao Garden, she also has a responsibility if there is a traitor in Yinjiao Garden.

Zong Zhengxiao sat behind his desk, looking at Lu'e kneeling on the ground. He did not question her for her dereliction of duty, but instead asked, "Did Rong Yin encounter any bad things outside these days?"

In the past half month, Rong Yin looked unhappy every time he came back from going out. Zong Zhengxiao asked him if something happened, but Rong Yin denied it and just said that the store was busy at the end of the year, so he was a little tired.

Zong Zhengxiao advised him that if he was too busy, he could hand over the business to his subordinates, but Rong Yin said that he would not be able to adapt if he suddenly had free time in the middle of his work, so Zong Zhengxiao had no choice but to let him do as he pleased.

But Zong Zhengxiao calmed down and realized that Rong Yin was really not right today. Based on his understanding of Rong Yin, since Rong Yin knew that the palace maid did that to alienate them, she would definitely join him in condemning the people of the aristocratic family with righteous indignation instead of avoiding him for no reason.

The only thing Zong Zhengxiao could be sure of was that nothing had happened in the palace recently that made Rong Yin unhappy, so the problem could only be outside the palace.

Before Lu'e came, Zong Zhengxiao had already consulted the secret guards who were protecting Rong Yin, and they all said that they did not find anything unusual.

Zong Zhengxiao thought that Lu'e was closer to Rong Yin, and maybe he could hear some different news from her.

"Bad things?" Lu'e thought about it carefully before replying, "With the protection of the guards, no one dares to bully the master. However, there were a few times when the master happened to encounter guests discussing something. However, the master did not respond at the time, so the servants did not pay attention to it. But now that I think about it, the master has recently encountered such an unpleasant thing outside."

Zong Zhengxiao asked, "What are the guests talking about?"

Lu'e knew that Zong Zhengxiao hated procrastination, so she continued, "The guests are discussing when Your Majesty will start selecting beauties. They said that Your Majesty is over thirty years old, but there is no concubine in the palace. If you don't take concubines to expand the family, Dasheng will be without an heir for a long time, which may cause unrest among the people and lead to instability in the country."

After saying the last word, Lu'e knocked her head to the ground and told Zong Zhengxiao in a submissive manner, "I am just a relayer. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Zong Zheng Xiao only loves Rong Yin, and he is also a king with a strong desire to control his kingdom. These words undoubtedly touched both of his reverse scales at the same time.

After hearing her answer, Zong Zhengxiao quickly understood the real reason why Rong Yin behaved abnormally today.

In fact, the secret guard had reported to him before that there were some rumors in the capital about his selection of talents, but they were not spread on a large scale and had no impact, so Zong Zhengxiao did not care.

Because he had been told this before, when he asked the secret guard whether Rong Yin had encountered any bad things outside, the secret guard said no.

If Rong Yin had not acted awkward and evasive today, Zong Zhengxiao would never have linked the reason for Rong Yin's depression to these rumors.

Because on the day Rong Yin decided to stay, the two of them made a promise to be together forever. Rong Yin also said domineeringly that if he broke his promise and was with someone else, Rong Yin would kill him with her own hands.

Zong Zhengxiao thought that Rong Yin would definitely be dismissive of these rumors, but he didn't expect that he would care so much about them that he reacted like that when he heard what the palace maid said before she was dragged away.

But he didn't even notice Rong Yin's worries, and he even went crazy and forced Rong Yin. He deserves to die!

After Lu'e left, Zong Zhengxiao sat in the small study for a long time until dinner time, when he got up and went out to see Rong Yin.

But when he arrived, he found out that Rong Yin told the palace maid that he was not hungry and wanted to continue sleeping, so he did not come for dinner.

Zong Zhengxiao went to the inner bedroom, stood at the door, knocked, and said, "Ayin, fill your stomach before going to bed, okay? You didn't eat much today, it's not good for your health."

There was no sound from inside. He didn't know whether Rong Yin had fallen asleep or simply didn't want to respond to him.

Zong Zhengxiao stood at the door for a long time before leaving. He didn't touch the meal at all. He took it away exactly as it was served.

After Zong Zhengxiao went out, Lu'e also went to persuade Rong Yin. Rong Yin did respond to her, but with the same reason: he was not hungry, he just wanted to sleep.

He didn't even want to eat his favorite food, which was enough to show how bad Rong Yin's mood was at the moment. Lu'e naturally also heard from Si Xi what the emperor had done to Rong Yin today. Rong Yin must be very sad now.

Lu'e sighed, but in the end she was helpless.

While it was still early, Lu'e instructed the kitchen to always prepare hot meals in case Rong Yin suddenly wanted to eat and they could not serve them in time.

After that, she went to look at the store account book.

Unexpectedly, just after she turned two pages, her friend ran in and said anxiously: "Lu'e, something happened, go and have a look."

"What?" Lu'e was pulled out by her friend with a confused look on her face, and then she saw a scene that made her unbelievable.

Zong Zheng Xiao was seen taking off all the ornaments on his body, with his black hair loose, standing in the courtyard wearing only his underwear and trousers, without even a pair of shoes.

It was snowing heavily at the time, and soon his head was covered with snow.

Si Xi held the umbrella for him while begging him to go back, but Zong Zheng Xiao not only asked him to take the umbrella back, but also ordered him and all the palace servants not to find Rong Yin and tell him what he was doing. Anyone who violated the order would be killed.

宮人們被他冷漠的語氣吓得縮成了鹌鹑，又清楚他言出必行的性格，誰都不敢起前去通知戎音的念頭。

四喜見勸不動宗政逍，就想陪他一起淋雪，誰知宗政逍卻道：“你現在該賣力去做的是另一件事，它才是導致這一切後果的原因。”

四喜明白了宗政逍的意思，咬咬牙，這才狠下心離開，抓緊時間去把那個內鬼抓出來。

綠娥和宮人們看着宗政逍，都有些不知所措，宗政逍則語氣冷漠：“全在這兒站着，是很閑嗎？”

宮人們被吓得一激靈，綠娥趕忙讓宮人們各自去忙各自的事情，自己和好友站在宗政逍看不見但他離他不算遠的地方侯着，免得宗政逍要是忽然想吩咐什麽，找不到人。

好友悄悄朝宗政逍那邊瞅了一眼，小聲問綠娥：“綠娥，我們真不去告訴小主子嗎？”

綠娥想了想，搖頭：“別去，陛下不是在說反話。”

綠娥大概明白宗政逍這麽做的原因，他在懲罰自己，懲罰自己今天欺負了戎音。

從傍晚到深夜，宗政逍始終直挺挺地站在那裏，沒有移動分毫，就像他原本就是一尊不會移動的雕塑一樣。

連守在旁邊的綠娥和好友都被凍得受不了了，難以想象立在冰天雪地裏的宗政逍是什麽感受。

屋內，燈火昏暗，床上的戎音忽然驚醒。

其實他下午到傍晚宗政逍來找他之前都沒睡着，只是呆坐在床上，想着那些亂七八糟的事情。

後來大概是白天的疲憊感反湧，他不知不覺就睡了過去，直至被一種難以言喻的心慌感吓到，這才蘇醒過來。

屋裏安靜得出奇，戎音都能聽見自己略微急促的呼吸聲，他不知道現在是什麽時辰了，但看窗外的夜色，想來已經不早了。

戎音早就習慣了睡覺時身邊有宗政逍陪着，現在他獨自一個人，外面也沒有宮人行動的聲音，寂靜得仿佛他被全世界抛棄了一樣。

宗政逍呢，他這會兒在哪在做什麽？會不會因為自己今天的逃避而悲傷難過？

戎音內心泛起一陣沖動，他現在很想見宗政逍，哪怕只是一眼。

他下床穿鞋，拉開房門，守在外面的宮人立即上前，“主子，可要用餐食？小廚房一直留着火呢。”

戎音搖了搖頭，問：“什麽時辰了？”

宮人道：“子時過半了。”

淩晨十二點過了。

“我睡了那麽久嗎？”戎音呢喃了一句，擡頭環視屋內，宗政逍不在，他又問宮人，“陛下呢？”

他一說出口，宮人原本含笑的表情瞬間就僵住了，不過宮人很快就緩和了神色，目光有些躲閃地道：“陛下在忙呢。”

“他在小書房嗎？”戎音又問。

這回宮人不敢答了，皇上不許他們告訴小主子他在做什麽，她也不能對小主子撒謊，兩個都得罪不起，只能保持沉默。

戎音心裏忽然不安起來，總覺得是有什麽不好的事情發生了。

宮人不吭聲，他就自己去找，剛踏出大門沒幾步，綠娥就迎了上來。

“主子，你怎麽出來了？需要什麽叫奴婢們去取就行，你身上只穿着單衣，小心凍着。”

即便清楚戎音其實并不怕冷，但看着戎音完全以人類形态出現時，綠娥還是忍不住将他當成真正的人族對待。

戎音看向她：“綠娥，陛下在哪兒？”

“這……”綠娥猶豫了。

看見連綠娥也是這表情，戎音就明白自己的第六感果然沒錯。

他大步流星朝小書房走去，想着宗政逍應該在那裏，綠娥她們跟在他身後，一點動靜都不敢有。

冬季的夜晚因為有雪反光的緣故，能見度其實挺高的，但因為宗政逍全身都已經被雪覆蓋，跟個雪人一樣，所以戎音繞過走廊拐角往小書房而去時，并沒有第一時間發現庭院裏的他。

但庭院裏突然多出那麽一個顯眼的“東西”，戎音想要忽視也難，當餘光被吸引過去時，戎音腳步逐漸緩了下來，而後站定。

他看着那個人形雪人，眨了眨眼睛，耳朵裏一陣嗡鳴，開口時嘴唇都在發顫。

“那是……陛下。”

綠娥等人沒有回答，算是默認。

戎音立即紅了眼睛，聲音顫抖：“怎麽會這樣……”

說完，他跳下走廊，一步一步快速涉過雪地，奔向了那個雪人。

綠娥她們也趕緊跟了上去。

戎音來到“雪人”面前，擡手扒開“雪人”臉上的雪，當看見那張被凍得發紫的熟悉臉龐時，戎音的眼淚再也控制不住落了下來。

“陛下……”戎音哭泣着喊。

聽見戎音的聲音，感受到他指尖的溫度，宗政逍想回應他，但卻連張嘴都做不到。

意識陷入黑暗前，宗政逍只記得自己倒下了，而戎音穩穩地接住了他。

大半夜的，老太醫睡得正香呢，就被人從床上抓起來打包進了銀鲛園，聽說是陛下出問題了時，他那點僅剩的瞌睡瞬間就被吓沒了。

當看見泡在溫水裏，臉色鐵青，頭發上還有幾片冰屑未化，像是馬上就要咽氣的宗政逍，老太醫默默嘆氣，在心裏直呼造孽，怎麽啥壞事都讓他遇上了。

戎音臉上的淚痕還沒幹，帶着哭腔對老太醫道：“請您一定要救救他。”

“小主子不必說請，這本就是下官的職責。”

老太醫心裏雖然慌，但動作卻不慢，他去将宗政逍全身都檢查了一番，确定暫時還死不了後，先讓人喂給他一顆藥丸，然後才寫方子叫宮人去抓藥熬藥。

戎音不懂醫術，只能盡量站到旁邊，不給老太醫添麻煩。

可看着看着老太醫救治宗政逍，戎音的眼淚就又憋不住了。

方才綠娥都跟他說了，酉時剛過宗政逍就站在那裏，直到他找過去，這期間宗政逍硬是沒有放棄也沒有移動半分，還不許宮人們告知他這件事。

宗政逍做這一切，都是因為覺得對不起他，在懲罰自己。

不為求得他原諒，就只是單純的自我懲罰。

綠娥還把她下午回來後去找宗政逍請罪，宗政逍問她的問題，以及她的回答，全都跟戎音說了。

戎音想，宗政逍應該已經知道他鬧別扭的原因了。

綠娥給戎音遞上手帕，輕聲道：“主子，別哭了，小心哭壞了眼睛，到時候你想照顧陛下都做不到。”

園裏這麽多宮人，還有太醫在場，其實完全不用勞累戎音去照顧宗政逍，但綠娥知道他在意宗政逍，所以才這樣勸他。

這招也果然有用：“好，我不哭了，我還要守着陛下呢。”

戎音邊說邊用帕子擦眼淚，同時克制住了快要崩潰的情緒。

忙到淩晨三四點，宗政逍才被放上床，太醫囑咐，說宗政逍可能會發燒，得時刻有人盯着，給他降溫。

戎音看老太醫這把年紀，忙了這麽久，現在站着身體都有些晃悠了。

他讓宮人帶太醫去歇息，等真出現自己解決不了的情況，再去喊他。

老太醫也是真累了，所以沒有推拒，跟着宮人走了。

戎音坐在床邊，握着宗政逍的手，看着他緊閉的眼眸，悲傷又無助地抿緊了唇。

他沒有哭，只是情緒起伏不定，讓他根本冷靜不下來。

下午那場*愛雖然不是他自願的，但他其實并沒有生宗政逍的氣，因為他能理解宗政逍的想法，自己的愛人不理自己，有心事也不跟自己說，自己擔心，卻只能猜他的想法，這換誰都會不舒服。

而且宗政逍對他占有欲太強，所以一時激動，才會做出那種事。

而回到銀鲛園以後，戎音只是覺得思維混亂，不适合跟宗政逍待在一起，才回避跟他共處一室。

晚膳時沒有回應宗政逍，也是這個原因。

他哪裏想得到，宗政逍會為了他做到這個份上。

“對不起，對不起，我不該任性的……”戎音将額頭貼進宗政逍掌心，哽咽着忏悔。

睡夢中的宗政逍像是聽見了他的話，眉頭微微蹙起，眼珠子也一直在動，像是睡得極不安穩。

不出太醫預料，後面宗政逍果然發起了燒。

戎音用泡了冰水的布巾給宗政逍擦身子，一遍又一遍地重複，直到天色将明時，宗政逍漸漸退了燒。

天亮後太醫來看過一遍，說退了燒就沒問題了，只等陛下醒來，再喝幾服藥應該就能好了。

他會留在園裏，直到陛下醒來。

臨走前，太醫勸戎音：“小主子也去歇會兒吧，下官看你臉色很憔悴，別不小心染上風寒了。”

戎音搖頭，勉強擠出一抹禮貌的微笑：“謝謝太醫，我感覺還好，實在撐不住的話，我會自己去休息的。”

太醫見他态度堅決，也沒有多勸。

臨近中午，四喜回來了，還帶回來了一個好消息和一個壞消息。

好消息是抓到銀鲛園的內鬼了，壞消息是試圖離間宗政逍和戎音的那個宮女死了，她在牙齒裏藏了毒，再挨了一晚上的刑後，或許是受不住痛，就服毒自盡了。

Rong Yin rubbed his forehead and asked, "Didn't she reveal any information at all?"

Si Xi shook his head: "She was stubborn and refused to admit anything. She only said that she loved Your Majesty and was considering the whole Da Sheng, so she planned to become Your Majesty's concubine... The old slave and the guards are investigating who is behind her."

Rong Yin asked again: "Who is the ghost in Yinjiao Garden?"

Si Xi mentioned a name, a young eunuch. Rong Yin didn't have a deep impression of him and guessed that he was not serving in the front.

Si Xi found out that the young eunuch was led to participate in the underground gambling in the palace. They swindled all his savings and coaxed him into borrowing money to gamble, which eventually led to a gambling debt so high that he could not repay it in his lifetime.

The people who had deceived him revealed their true colors at this time, saying that if the young eunuch did not listen to them, they would spread the news that he was involved in gambling, which was a big violation of palace rules. Not only would he be punished, but he would also be expelled from Ginyamon Garden.

And if he couldn't pay his gambling debts, they would kill him.

Under their repeated pressure, the young eunuch had no choice but to agree to monitor Zong Zhengxiao and Rong Yin's actions and whereabouts for them, and then inform them in time.