Chapter 26

Yet he had been filled with disgust at the time; when had he ever cared about Rong Dalang's circumstances?

"He hadn't gotten the chance to humiliate him before I stopped him." Liang Siwen's face flushed slightly, and he felt somewhat guilty.

Rong Dalang had acted wrongly, but his actions were understandable.

But Rong Han, as the true culprit, had humiliated two people with a single move. If he was not beaten severely, it would be hard to vent their anger.

Qin Ke's gaze fell on Rong Han's face, his eyes utterly cold. "What was Rong Dalang's birth mother's keepsake? Where is it?"

Minister Rong wanted to argue that they could not simply take Liang Siwen's word for it, but when he caught sight of Qin Ke's cold profile, he lost some of his nerve.

Rong Han only knew how to cry. How could he still hear Qin Ke's question?

"I'm asking you! What was the keepsake? Where is it?" Liang Siwen was utterly frustrated at realizing he had become a tool for brothers to turn against one another.

The Rong family's upbringing had truly fallen into decay!

Startled by his shout, Rong Han's body trembled. He had been beaten into submission.

Then, when he inadvertently met Qin Ke's icy gaze, fear made him disregard everything as he wailed, "I threw it away! I threw it away! It was just an old pouch!"

With matters laid bare, how could Minister Rong still fail to understand what had happened?

Rebellious son! Rebellious son! The Rong Clan's face had been utterly disgraced!

"Where did you throw it?" Liang Siwen asked again.

Rong Han's legs shook as he said miserably, "In the grass."

That day, the young gentlemen had traveled together and later held a merry outdoor feast on a patch of grass. Could it have been that very patch?

"Minister Rong, your household's discord has implicated my prince's residence. Since matters have come to this, our grievances are settled. What do you think?"

Sitting high atop his horse, Qin Ke looked down at Minister Rong.

Rong Han had used Liang Siwen as a living target to toy with Rong Dalang, causing Liang Siwen to make a fool of himself in public and become gossip for others. What Rong Han suffered today was entirely deserved.

"My son is young and ignorant. I will certainly visit your residence another day to apologize." Knowing himself to be in the wrong, Minister Rong had no choice but to lower his head.

Seeing that he showed not the slightest concern for his eldest legitimate son, Qin Ke suddenly let out a cold laugh.

Then he said to Liang Siwen, "You assaulted someone in the street. You should be punished as well. Give yourself ten lashes when you return home."

With that, disregarding the crowd's discussion, he spurred his horse away in a cloud of dust.

After Liang Siwen returned home and took his ten lashes, he lay sprawled on the couch while Chen Chuangu applied medicine to him.

"You were too impulsive." Seeing the purplish-red welts across his back, Chen Chuangu could not bear it.

Liang Siwen grunted. "I was just too angry. How could Rong Han be so shameless? Using someone else's birth mother's keepsake as a threat is utterly despicable!"

He was righteously indignant, as though he wanted to go back and give Rong Han another vicious beating.

Chen Chuangu said helplessly, "Where did your father go?"

"I don't know. It seems he left the city."

After the medicine had been applied, Liang Siwen suddenly got up and went to the desk. "Uncle Chen, Rong Lian also misunderstood Rong Dalang before. Now that he's in Linxi and living with Rong Dalang, I want to send him a letter telling him not to misunderstand, lest it hurt the brothers' relationship."

Chen Chuangu thought to himself, He clearly just wants to write a letter. What excuse is he looking for?

"After you finish, lie down properly and recover." With that, he carried the medicine box away.

After stepping outside the courtyard, he found the night dark and heavy. Suddenly, he saw a tall, slender figure ahead—it was Qin Ke.

The man seemed to be holding something in his hand, but it was impossible to see clearly.

"Qin Ke!" he suddenly called out loudly.

Qin Ke seemed to react on instinct, immediately stuffing the object in his hand into his sleeve. A flicker of panic crossed his face.

Fortunately, the courtyard was dim, and Chen Chuangu did not see it clearly.

"His Majesty has ordered me to lead several people from the Ministry of Works to Mengshan County tomorrow to learn the craftsmen's methods."

Beneath the swaying tree shadows, Qin Ke lowered his eyes and asked, "Are you going?"

"Of course!" Did he even need to ask?

Still, His Majesty was sending people to Linxi to learn rather than summoning Mengshan County's craftsmen to the capital. That was rather strange.

Could it be because a certain Qin had pulled some strings behind the scenes?

Author's Note:

An interview with Minister Rong.

Microphone: May I ask, other than "rebellious son," what else can you say?

Minister Rong: ...The Rong Estate's reputation has been utterly disgraced!

Microphone: Emmmmmm, oh, get lost!

Please provide the text you would like me to translate and revise.

Chapter 26

Shengjing Rong Residence.

After returning home, Minister Rong dearly wished to make Rong Han kneel in the ancestral hall, but seeing him covered in wounds and pitiful beyond measure, with Madam Rong Zhou weeping uncontrollably as well, he could not bring himself to say it.

"Not one of you gives me any peace of mind!" he snapped before helplessly flicking his sleeve and leaving.

Far away in Qingzhou, Rong Xi did not know that someone in Shengjing had already cleared his name. He was hiring people to install Glass in Gao Bai's home.

Gao Bai was advanced in years. His wife had long since passed away, and he had only one daughter, who had married far away and was difficult to see. He lived alone in solitude.

Earlier, he had received a handwritten letter from Minister Rong asking him to teach Rong Xi. Out of consideration for their old friendship, he had agreed.

He had thought it would be a difficult task, but unexpectedly, the rumored unruly and incorrigible Rong Dalang was gentle and refined, cultured and courteous. He was also loyal and affectionate, and knew how to repay kindness.

It was truly regrettable that Minister Rong did not recognize his eldest legitimate son's fine qualities.

In his twilight years, having gained a young friend to care for and keep him company, Gao Bai had no regrets.

The house Gao Bai lived in had stood for many years. It was rather old, poorly laid out, and lacked sufficient light. The study was usually dim, and at his advanced age, spending too long there would leave him listless.

Now that Glass had been installed, the rooms immediately became much brighter. Gao Bai was greatly pleased and smiled at everyone he met.

"Eldest Brother, you've finished all the books I gave you last time, haven't you?" Smiling kindly, Gao Bai selected several more books from the shelf and handed them to Rong Xi. "Take these back with you."

Giving books was how he expressed affection, and Rong Xi had already grown accustomed to it.

"Thank you, Teacher."

When he returned home, the residence was exceptionally quiet.

Liu Zishi had gone to the county seat to study martial arts, while Rong Lian was reading in the study. With nothing to do, Rong Xi took several lenses and sheets of white paper into the sunny part of the courtyard and called Liu He over.

After Glass had been made, he had personally polished convex and concave lenses as well.

The matter of the Horseshoe had reminded him of what happened later in the book.

Though Great Wei was quite powerful, formidable enemies in the north watched covetously and invaded the borders year-round. The protagonist, Liang Siwen, went on campaign with his father and accidentally fell into an enemy encirclement, only to be rescued at the cost of Prince Qin's life.