Chapter 452: The Rite of Hunting

Zhu Zhengfu and Zhu Cheng explained the various steps of the Autumn Hunt Sacrifice to Heaven to Duan Rong in detail.

Duan Rong listened while asking questions, lowering his head to ponder from time to time.

"Officials of the third rank and above will all attend the grand sacrificial ceremony, so you two should be on-site that day, right?" Duan Rong asked, his gaze sweeping over Zhu Zhengfu and Zhu Cheng.

"For such a grand ceremony, even if one were ill, as long as one could still crawl up, one would not be absent," Zhu Zhengfu said, his eyes shifting slightly as he added, "However, that refers to the Sacrifice to Heaven. The Autumn Hunt is not necessarily the same."

A look of slight astonishment appeared in Duan Rong's eyes. "The Autumn Hunt and the Sacrifice to Heaven—are they not one grand ceremony?"

Zhu Zhengfu gave a faint smile and said, "Throughout the court and the public, this ceremony is generally called the Autumn Hunt Sacrifice to Heaven Grand Ceremony out of habit. But in reality, the Autumn Hunt is the Autumn Hunt, and the Sacrifice to Heaven is the Sacrifice to Heaven. Strictly speaking, only the Sacrifice to Heaven is the grand ceremony; the Autumn Hunt is merely a prelude to prepare for it."

Zhu Zhengfu paused slightly and continued, "Taking this humble official as an example: I have not participated in that Rite of Hunting for over ten years. Yet, I have never once been absent from the grand ceremony of the Sacrifice to Heaven."

Duan Rong's expression shifted slightly as he looked at Zhu Zhengfu and asked, "May I ask, Master Zhu, is there some specific reasoning behind this?"

Zhu Zhengfu said, "There is indeed a reason. For the Rite of Hunting on Wuji Mountain, one cannot use internal energy; one must use only the strength of one's muscles to shoot and kill the prey."

Duan Rong noted Zhu Zhengfu's choice of words; he had called it the Rite of Hunting. "Only the strength of one's muscles?"

"Correct," Zhu Zhengfu said, then gave a self-deprecating laugh. "To be frank with you, Master, my life over these past ten years has been a bit too comfortable; I have long since grown flabby. If I were to use only muscle strength without internal energy, I fear I wouldn't even be able to bend a bow!"

Duan Rong only gave a warm smile; he had absolutely no interest in whether Zhu Zhengfu had grown flabby or not.

A few mornings ago, before dawn, he had kept watch in front of the wonton stall, and at that time, he had used his Divine Sense to probe Li Shensi.

In that narrow sedan chair, the muscles in Li Shensi's arms were knotted and powerful, a point that had left a deep impression on him.

Duan Rong asked, "Then which officials generally participate in the Rite of Hunting?"

Zhu Zhengfu said, "More military officials participate. As for the Prefecture Master, Wang Maochun has also not participated in the Autumn Hunt for many years. The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review Chen Shanmeng, the Advisory Grand Master Ge Hengtai, and the Grand Protector Jiang Zhuoyun should all participate."

Duan Rong could understand what Zhu Zhengfu meant: Chen Shanmeng and Ge Hengtai had likely participated in the Autumn Hunt every year, and although Grand Protector Jiang Zhuoyun had only taken office this year, as a military general, he would generally not be absent from such an occasion.

Duan Rong frowned slightly and asked, "What about Li Shensi? Will he participate in the Autumn Hunt?"

"This..." Zhu Zhengfu pondered for a moment, glanced at Zhu Cheng, and said, "Reporting to you, Master, Li Shensi only took office two months ago, after all. As for his temperament, this humble official does not yet fully understand it."

Duan Rong's gaze swept toward Zhu Cheng, and he asked, "Zhu Cheng, what do you say?"

Zhu Cheng was cautious and said, "Reporting to you, Master, this subordinate also dares not make a rash judgment."

Duan Rong looked at Zhu Cheng and said, "We are just chatting; do not be so constrained. Put right and wrong aside, and just speak openly according to your own thoughts."

Only then did Zhu Cheng cup his hands and say cautiously, "Yes, Master."

Just now, he had been unwilling to speak; firstly, he was afraid of being wrong, and secondly, since Zhu Zhengfu had said he didn't know, if he had immediately followed up with an answer, wouldn't that have been a slap in the face to his superior?

Zhu Cheng said, "In this subordinate's view, the Secretariat Commissioner, Master Li Shensi, will certainly participate in that Rite of Hunting."

"Oh!" Duan Rong's eyes brightened, and he asked, "What makes you say that?"

Zhu Cheng said with a rather confident expression, "Reporting to you, Master, as far as this subordinate knows, Master Li Shensi's grandfather made his fortune in the fur trade, and going back further, their ancestors were hunters for generations. Master Li Shensi was mischievous in his youth and often followed his elders to hunt in the mountains. As for this Rite of Hunting, the prey has been penned up for half a year and is at its fattest; how could he not have an itch to test his skills?"

Duan Rong gave a faint smile and glanced at the stack of documents on the desk; this information was all meticulously copied by Zhu Cheng in that stack of documents.

His own view was exactly the same as Zhu Cheng's.

At the Rite of Hunting, Li Shensi would definitely arrive!

Duan Rong's expression suddenly turned profound; knowing Li Shensi would arrive was only the first step!

Last night on his bed, the idea of using the Autumn Hunt as a setting had flashed through his mind again. He suddenly looked at Zhu Cheng and asked, "Which Ya Men is responsible for preparing and supplying the ritual implements for the Sacrifice to Heaven, as well as the horses and weapons for the Autumn Hunt?"

Zhu Cheng naturally knew the details of this question very well, but he did not answer, because he knew that Zhu Zhengfu also knew the answer to this question.

Sure enough, seeing Zhu Cheng's silence, Zhu Zhengfu replied, "The ritual implements for the Sacrifice to Heaven have always been handled by the Prefectural Office. As for the horses and weapons for the Autumn Hunt, they are generally supplied by the Privy Council."

"The Privy Council?" Duan Rong frowned. "Isn't Zhu Peng the Secretariat Commissioner of the Privy Council?"

Seeing Duan Rong suddenly mention Zhu Peng, Zhu Zhengfu did not respond.

Duan Rong asked again, "During the Autumn Hunt, is it determined who uses which horse?"

Zhu Zhengfu said, "It is determined. The hunting on Wuji Mountain also follows rites and laws; the horses ridden and the bows and arrows used by civil officials and military officials, and by first-rank and second-rank officials, are all different. They are classified and manufactured according to the Ancient Rites."

"Classified and manufactured?" Duan Rong pondered for a moment and asked, "Then when is it determined which horse Li Shensi will ride, at the very latest?"

Hearing this, both Zhu Zhengfu and Zhu Cheng understood completely that Duan Rong intended to make his move during the Autumn Hunt.

They only felt that, at such a grand ceremony and under the eyes of so many people, would it be too sensational to kill Li Shensi in public?

Zhu Zhengfu remained silent for a moment, as he could not answer this question.

Duan Rong shifted his gaze to Zhu Cheng.

Zhu Cheng shifted his weight on the chair before saying, "It can only be finalized on the night before the Autumn Hunt Sacrifice to Heaven."

Duan Rong looked steadily at Zhu Cheng and asked in a deep voice, "I want to know which horse Li Shensi is riding the moment it is decided. Can you do it?"

"I can!" Zhu Cheng's heart tightened slightly, because the gaze Duan Rong was fixing on him carried a sense of pressure. "Zhu Peng is the Secretariat Commissioner of the Privy Council; he should be able to access information of this level immediately."

"That is good," Duan Rong nodded and said, "Once you have the information, hand it to me immediately."

"Yes!"

For the next few days, Duan Rong stayed in the Separate Courtyard, studying the documents on Li Shensi that Zhu Cheng had organized.

Because he was not certain that there would definitely be an opportunity to strike during this Rite of Hunting. What if Li Shensi did not participate in the Rite of Hunting at all and went straight to the grand ceremony of the Sacrifice to Heaven?

This was entirely possible.

Therefore, if the attempt at the Rite of Hunting failed, he had to have a second plan ready immediately.

In this Separate Courtyard, Duan Rong could be said to be a brave man guarding the gate with a beauty to add fragrance, and he was quite at ease.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

Around the Hai hour that evening, a flurry of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded at the entrance of the Separate Courtyard.

Zhu Cheng brought Zhu Peng with him as they rushed in.

Zhu Zhengfu did not come with them; at dusk, he had been called to the Prefectural Office by the Prefecture Master Wang Maochun. It was not just him; many officials had been called by Wang Maochun to announce the ritual protocols for tomorrow's Autumn Hunt Sacrifice to Heaven Grand Ceremony.

The ritual protocols were much the same every year, but there were often some changes, especially this year, as the Secretariat Commissioner Li Shensi and the Grand Protector Jiang Zhuoyun were both attending the grand sacrificial ceremony for the first time; some of the cumbersome and difficult rituals would not be handled by the two of them.

If a mistake were made, it would not only be a disgrace before the civil and military officials, but all the commoners of the city were watching from around the Heaven Platform.

As Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng stepped through the door, Ruyi was in the middle of changing the tea cup for Duan Rong.

Zhu Peng stood at the doorway, slightly stunned, and looked toward Ruyi.

Ruyi was indeed plump and fair-skinned, and filled with the aura of youth; she was truly alluring.

Zhu Cheng coughed once, and only then did Zhu Peng snap out of it; the two of them knelt and bowed to Duan Rong together at the doorway.

"This subordinate pays respects to you, my lord!"

As soon as Duan Rong saw Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng arrive together, he knew there was definite news regarding that matter.

Duan Rong glanced at Ruyi and said, "Ruyi, you go out first and close the door properly."

Ruyi performed a curtsy and said, "Yes, my lord!"

As Ruyi walked past, Zhu Peng knelt there, his eyes unable to resist looking at her small feet, which moved gracefully in pink floral shoes.

Ruyi closed the door, and only then did Duan Rong say, "Both of you, rise."

Duan Rong sat and gestured for them to take their seats, then went straight to the point: "Has the horse for Li Shensi been confirmed?"

Zhu Peng said, "It has been confirmed."

Zhu Peng immediately stood up, pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve, and placed it on the small table in front of Duan Rong.

Duan Rong's gaze shifted, and he immediately picked up the paper, staring at it intently.

As soon as he saw the contents on the paper, the muscles on his face twitched, and he said, "What is this you've drawn?"

Zhu Peng immediately leaned over, pointed at the paper, and explained, "This outside is the Ya Men of the Privy Council, this place here is the stable, and this spot next to the stable is where the horses prepared for tomorrow's Autumn Hunt are kept; they have all been fitted with stirrups and bridles. The second horse from the east, circled with a small red ring, is Li Shensi's horse."

Duan Rong looked at the drawing in his hand and, after hearing Zhu Peng's explanation, was momentarily caught between laughter and tears, saying, "This drawing of yours is too abstract; I truly couldn't tell that this was drawn as a horse."

"And what is this thing in front of the stable?" Duan Rong asked, pointing to a twisted, winding blob in the drawing.

Zhu Peng glanced at the spot where Duan Rong was pointing and replied, "That is a Rockery not far in front of the stable."

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong was both surprised and amused: "This is a Rockery?!"

That was nowhere near a mountain; it was nothing more than a cluster of twisted, chaotic strokes.

Not to mention that Duan Rong, through the Devouring Artifact Spirit, had long since surpassed ordinary worldly masters in the arts of calligraphy and painting; even an ordinary person would scoff at such brushwork as a child's doodle.

Zhu Peng smiled somewhat awkwardly and said, "I don't know how to draw, so I could only sketch a rough outline. Such a confidential matter cannot be entrusted to others, so I had to do it myself. My lord, please do not laugh at me!"

Hearing this, Duan Rong retracted the faint smile at the corners of his mouth.

Zhu Peng drawing this Rockery was also intended to tell him about the environment around the stable. Moreover, although the drawing was clumsy, everything that needed to be depicted was there.

Duan Rong adjusted his way of looking at the drawing, and viewing it through the lens of Zhu Peng's immature brushstrokes, he understood the scenery in the picture one by one.

Duan Rong lightly shook the drawing paper in his hand and looked at Zhu Peng, saying, "Your brushwork is naturally a complete mess. However, you have put thought into the intent, and everything that should be there is present; it is actually not bad!"

Hearing Duan Rong give the evaluation of "not bad," a smile immediately appeared on Zhu Peng's face.

After Duan Rong chatted with Zhu Peng about some more details, he basically had a grasp of the situation. He looked at the two of them and said, "Alright. You two go back first."

Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng understood, so they stood up, cupped their hands, and said, "Then this subordinate will not disturb your rest, my lord."

Duan Rong gave a light grunt, and the two retreated.

After the two walked out the door, Ruyi was guarding outside; seeing them leave, she performed a curtsy. Zhu Peng glanced at Ruyi's fair neck before hurrying to catch up with Zhu Cheng in the night.

After the two left, a flash of annoyance crossed Ruyi's eyes, and she turned and entered the room.

When she went in, Duan Rong had already tucked away the paper Zhu Peng had drawn. He glanced at Ruyi and said, "Let's rest."

Ruyi said happily, "So early tonight?"

Duan Rong said, "Mm, I am a bit tired tonight."

Ruyi then served Duan Rong by changing his clothes and washing his feet, until Duan Rong lay down on the bed.

Although Ruyi was only wearing a bodice and underpants, Duan Rong seemed to have something on his mind; from beginning to end, he did not even look at her once. The little joy that had just risen in Ruyi's heart immediately fell through.

Not long after the lamp was extinguished, both of them seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.

In the darkness, there was the sound of faint breathing.

But Duan Rong was just lying on the bed, closing his eyes to rest his mind, not truly asleep.

Just kidding! Tomorrow is the day of the Autumn Hunt Sacrificial Ceremony. There were still things that needed to be done tonight; how could he dare to sleep?

Outside, the sound of the night watchman's clapper could be heard faintly. Duan Rong lay on the bed with his eyes closed, silently counting the beats.

In the darkness, his eyes suddenly snapped open, his gaze concentrated and bright like the stars.

The Hour of the Rat had arrived!

Duan Rong got out of bed lightly and stood there barefoot. He looked at Ruyi in the night, hesitated for a moment, and did not drug her.

In the darkness, he put on his clothes with light, stealthy movements and then darted out of the room through the window.

A good while after Duan Rong left, a long sigh suddenly sounded in the room.

"My lord, I have accompanied you for several nights, yet you won't even touch me, and you always sneak out in the middle of the night. Could it be that you are going to see another woman?"

Ruyi lay there; in the night, her face no longer held its usual pure and gentle look, but instead wore an evil, charming smile. Then, her hand slid across her chest, and she began to make whimpering sounds in her throat...

Outside, in the pitch-black night.

Duan Rong was already moving like a ghost, passing through streets and alleys. At this moment, he released his Divine Sense, and the scenery and human traces around him were revealed in minute detail.

He was currently standing in the shadows of an alley entrance, looking at the high wall across the street.

That high wall was one of the back walls of the Privy Council Ya Men.

Duan Rong once again exerted his movement technique, like a flying eagle or a ghost, leaping over in one bound; when he landed, he was already inside the high wall.

This place was a secluded spot near the back wall, used for stacking firewood and charcoal.

Duan Rong tapped his toes again and vaulted out of a dilapidated courtyard, heading toward the stable in the direction Zhu Peng had drawn...

(End of chapter)