The System was thoroughly shocked by Ci Yun’s words and wanted to question her further, but Wu Ciyun directly ignored it, propping her chin up as she watched Rong Tan playing with the brother and sister.
Rong Tan wasn’t sure if he just wanted to sneak a glance at her during his free time or if he just happened to look up because he sensed something.
Their gazes met. He was a little flustered at first and instinctively wanted to look away, but for some reason, he stopped, staring straight at Wu Ciyun in a manner that suggested he had given up all pretense.
“Housekeeper Rong, it’s your turn.”
Wu Liangyu noticed that Rong Tan hadn’t moved for a long time.
He wanted to remind him, but seeing the odd scene before him, he tilted his head in confusion.
“My turn already…”
Rong Tan lowered his head, a bit flustered. Even so, he could still feel Ci Yun’s intermittent gaze. His mind was in turmoil, and he soon forgot what he was supposed to do, quickly losing his winning lead and ending up utterly defeated.
Seeing the siblings still hadn’t had enough, Wu Ciyun smiled and said, “Housekeeper Rong didn’t play well, did he?”
Wu Mingzhu pouted and cozied up, acting spoiled.
“Then big brother, play with us again. Let’s have another round.”
Wu Ciyun shook her head helplessly.
“Big brother doesn’t know how to play these… How about I send you two to your uncle’s to play today?”
“Really? We can go see uncle today?”
Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu were clearly excited at the news. Since arriving in the Capital, they’d been stuck at home all day, endlessly bored.
Now with a chance to go out, all their attention was instantly drawn.
Wu Ciyun asked A Ming to take the siblings to Su Wuke’s place first, while Rong Tan quietly stayed behind to clean up the mess, carefully tidying everything away.
Originally, this was nothing unusual for him, but for some reason, Wu Ciyun kept watching him intently today.
Fearing he’d make a mistake, Rong Tan tried hard to keep himself calm.
The more nervous he became, the more mistakes he made, and he accidentally knocked over the wooden box containing the spinning tops, sending them rolling everywhere.
He had to hurriedly bend down to pick them up.
Seeing this, Wu Ciyun said lightly, “Leave it for now. Have someone else come clean up later.”
Rong Tan answered, intending to stand aside as usual, but with Wu Ciyun’s eyes on him all day, he felt completely at a loss and could only whisper, “A Yun, why are you looking at me like that today?”
“Because you look nice, so I wanted to take a few more glances.”
Wu Ciyun replied casually, then retorted, “Weren’t you also sneaking looks at me? Can you see clearly from that far away?”
Caught off guard, Rong Tan’s ears turned a bit red. He silently sat down beside Wu Ciyun.
Wu Ciyun’s attitude toward him was always hot and cold.
Sometimes she was passionate and caring, and other times extremely indifferent, leaving his heart in constant suspense.
His attendant always said that Wu Ciyun didn’t take him seriously, hence her dismissive attitude, blowing up over the smallest mistakes.
But Rong Tan himself didn’t quite feel that way.
Wu Ciyun’s temperament was unpredictable, and she was so busy with official affairs—her occasional anger was hardly a big deal.
Besides, she only got angry at him, not others.
Didn’t that just prove she was focused on him?
Thinking this, Rong Tan felt at ease again.
The System saw the sweet smile return to his face and felt speechless, almost wanting to bang its head against a wall.
Wu Ciyun was a textbook case of putting profit above all.
To her, Rong Tan was like a useful dog, not even scientifically well cared for, but in a way that would have animal rights groups up in arms.
If Rong Tan became useless, she’d toss him aside without a second thought.
But whenever she needed him, she’d toss a bone, put on a show saying, “You’re my favorite little dog,” and Rong Tan would wag his tail like a propeller.
The System felt something was off, but had long given up resisting.
Since the parties involved enjoyed it, what was there left to say?
Today, Wu Ciyun watched Rong Tan playing with the siblings the whole time and asked offhandedly, “Do you really like children that much?”
Rong Tan was stunned by the question, hesitated a moment, and softly replied, “No… I don’t like them anymore.”
He couldn’t figure out Wu Ciyun’s preferences and feared saying the wrong thing. Remembering his answer last time she’d asked, he changed his response.
“You don’t like them now?”
Wu Ciyun raised her eyebrows, her tone even.
“Didn’t you say before you liked them?”
Rong Tan lowered his eyes obediently.
“If you like them, then I do too.”
“I don’t like them.”
Wu Ciyun was blunt: “Most children are too noisy.”
Rong Tan nodded, whispering, “If you don’t like them… then I won’t either.”
Wu Ciyun was taken aback, then half smiled, half teased, “So obedient?”
Rong Tan said nothing. His gaze swept over Wu Ciyun’s face.
In the end, he didn’t dare to reach out and pinch her cheek, only thinking to himself that Wu Ciyun looked even more obedient than him.
Their appearances and personalities were polar opposites.
Wu Ciyun looked cool and gentle, like a model of rules and decorum, but in reality, she was decisive and bold, never caring for regulations or rituals.
He’d inherited his mother’s striking beauty, so others always assumed he was flamboyant and difficult, but in truth, he had spent his life with the Ancient Buddha by the Light of a Blue Lamp for company, and his attendants said he was as soft as cotton.
Seeing Rong Tan silently watching her, Wu Ciyun didn’t mention the matter of Xiao Wan’s visit again.
Instead, she gently said, “In a few days, after I become Duke Protector of the State, the first thing I’ll do is find you another bead, just like before.”
Rong Tan hadn’t expected her to remember.
His heart warmed, and he replied softly, “Better not. Times are troubled; no need to go to so much trouble.”
Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu were still children, ignorant of the current situation, but he saw it clearly: though Wu Ciyun looked glorious, she was beset by wolves in front and tigers behind, her position dangerously precarious.
He had thought Wu Ciyun was only being polite, but she genuinely wanted to help him find the bead. That sentiment was already precious enough; whether the bead was found didn’t matter.
In truth, Wu Ciyun had only been making polite conversation.
Seeing Rong Tan so understanding, she simply went along with it and sighed, “You really are a virtuous housekeeper.”
The two gazed at each other, emotionally moved by an empty promise.
“Thinking carefully, after Teacher and Master’s Wife passed away, Mingzhu and Liangyu grew up by my side. There’s not much difference between them and my own children.”
Wu Ciyun found a comfortable position in Rong Tan’s arms and asked offhandedly, “You’ll treat them as our own and take good care of them, right?”
“Of course.”
Rong Tan didn’t understand why she suddenly asked, but Wu Ciyun’s sudden closeness left him both flattered and flustered.
The words “our own children” made his heart pound.
“A Yun, we’re family now, right…”
He hugged Wu Ciyun tightly, savoring her familiar warmth, and softly confirmed, “You definitely won’t leave me, right?”
Wu Ciyun nodded.
“Of course not.”
“A Yun, I really only have you left.”
Rong Tan buried his face in her neck.
After a long while, he whispered, aggrieved, “My mother died giving birth to me. My father thought I was unlucky and sent me to a monastery as a child… All these years, you’re the one who’s been best to me.”
“How could that be…”
Wu Ciyun looked pitiful, her lowered lashes hiding the indifference and disdain in her eyes as she pretended to be heartbroken, “You must have suffered a lot.”
The System, long accustomed to her false sympathy, still disapproved: [Do you really not have any sympathy at all?]
Wu Ciyun replied calmly: [I don’t see anything pitiful about Rong Tan.]
Based on her intel, Rong Tan’s father was Emperor Jingwen of the Liang Dynasty—now the grandfather of the current emperor.
In other words, the current Emperor Liang would have to call him “Royal Uncle.”
His mother was from the Rong clan of Baijing, and calling them “wealthy enough to rival nations” wasn’t an exaggeration.
Emperor Jingwen ruled all, and though he was distant from Rong Tan as a father, he never withheld what was due.
At age one, Rong Tan was made Prince Xun by imperial decree. His teachers were all renowned Grand Scholars, and his guards all Imperial Guards.
The emperor didn’t want to see Rong Tan’s mother’s face on him, so forbade him from entering the palace, but still sent all sorts of rewards regularly.
After his death, arrangements were made for everything, and even now Rong Tan could mobilize half the troops in the Liang Capital.
He had wealth, military power, influence—what did he have to complain about?
She’d been a maid, washing clothes with cold water in winter, while Rong Tan sipped tea in fur robes as he admired the snow. She’d been a study attendant, copying books day and night, while Rong Tan was waited on by servants. She’d tried every way to win her teachers’ favor, while for Rong Tan, Grand Scholars lined up to teach him.
If she’d had such a life, she’d probably be wearing dragon robes by now, not wasting time talking nonsense with Rong Tan.
“By the way, in a few days, the Liang Dynasty Envoys will arrive in the Capital. How about I bring you to the palace banquet?”
Wu Ciyun lightly changed the subject.
Rong Tan hesitated when he heard “Liang Dynasty,” then said softly, “With my identity, it probably isn’t appropriate.”
“Change into something plain, and I’ll say you’re my attendant.”
Seeing his reluctance, Wu Ciyun switched, “Never mind. If you don’t want to, forget it.”
“It’s not a big deal, but Princess Zhaoning will definitely be there. I’m worried she’ll pester me, so I wanted someone to help deal with her. If you won’t go, I’ll ask A Ming instead.”
“No need for A Ming, I’ll go.”
Just thinking of Xiao Wan hugging her child and calling Wu Ciyun “Father” made Rong Tan’s scalp tingle. Even risking exposure, he didn’t want to witness that scene again.
He had rarely shown his face in public over the years, so few would recognize him. It probably wouldn’t be a big problem.
Wu Ciyun was finally satisfied. Rong Tan saw her in a good mood, so he tried kissing her ear.
Wu Ciyun didn’t stop him, so he took it further, kissing her cheek…
“Master!”
A sudden voice interrupted Rong Tan.
Wu Ciyun clicked her tongue and frowned, “Why so noisy all day?”
She stood to straighten her clothes and told them to come in with ill humor.
Ling Tianyuan was nowhere near as observant as A Ming and failed to notice Wu Ciyun’s displeasure.
He glanced at Rong Tan, then formally reported, “Master, I have something urgent to report.”
Rong Tan knew it was best not to stay, so he quietly left.
Only after the study door closed did Ling Tianyuan present a letter, saying gravely, “Master, this is from Chu Mingyi of the Liang Dynasty.”
“Chu Mingyi?”
Wu Ciyun was surprised, quickly opening the letter.
After reading it, instead of being shocked, she was even more certain of her suspicions.
She folded the letter carefully and, as if thinking of something, suddenly let out a small laugh.
“Seal it and send it to Prince Rui. He’ll need it more than I do.”
Ever since Wu Ciyun’s return to the Capital, Prince Rui had been holding in a simmering anger.
At first, he thought Wu Ciyun was cold and aloof, so he let down his guard. But she immediately turned to win over court ministers right under his nose.
He was tricked into thinking she was a loyal and virtuous official and even considered granting her the title of En’en Marquis.
But then Wu Ciyun colluded with noble families and demanded the position of Duke Protector of the State.
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