Chapter 86: Volume 1, Chapter 86: A Good Show to Watch

Rong Yan had his sister sit down and looked at her, asking, "Tell me carefully what Eldest Sister said to you."

Rong Ling Shan also knew the matter was of great importance, so she recounted her conversation with Rong Luoge word for word without missing anything.

Rong Yan finished listening and looked at his mother. "Mother, it seems you'll need to pay a visit to Lady Lin. Best not to let anyone know—do it quietly."

"That's easy enough. I've arranged with several ladies to go offer incense. When the time comes, I'll have your aunt send word to Lady Lin, and we'll meet at the Buddhist temple." Chu Ke was well-versed in such matters.

These noble ladies, whenever they had matters that couldn't be handled openly, would arrange to meet privately at Daoist temples or Buddhist monasteries—neither drawing attention nor raising suspicion, yet still getting things done. It was the best approach.

Chu Ke watched her son's flickering expression, feeling somewhat worried. "Lin Gao Xuan has already been punished over this matter. You'd best not make a move for now. We'll talk about it later."

"I know, Mother." Rong Yan used to be a standard young master of a noble house, without any great ambitions. After all, he was the legitimate eldest son—the position of Heir Apparent was his—so he didn't need to toil upward like others did.

But after this series of events, he finally understood: until the meat is in your mouth, it could become someone else's at any moment.

If his mother hadn't caught the servant who was secretly swapping his medicine, his leg might truly have been ruined.

If he still didn't grow up, he really would be a useless waste.

"The most important thing right now is to nurse your leg back to health. I'll take your sister back to your maternal grandfather's house today. The matter of asking your aunt must be handled quickly." Chu Ke's ability to sit in the position of Duchess of the State was certainly not that of some naive flower. She had calculation and she had means. Having made her decision, she acted on it immediately.

As long as it was good for her children, she was willing to bow her head to Rong Luoge.

Chu Ke hurried off with her daughter. Rong Yan thought for a long while, then called his servant over and instructed him, "Go invite Tai Da Gong Zi. Just say I have a matter I'd like to ask his help with."

Tai Yong Yuan was the nephew of the Virtuous Consort, and the two of them had a decent relationship. After the Lin Gao Xuan affair, he had even come to visit and scolded him for poor judgment of character.

Tai Yong Yuan arrived very quickly. It was also a coincidence—he had been listening to opera at the Front Gate Tower, and upon receiving the message, he came straight over.

"What do you want me for? Still want to get scolded?" Though Tai Yong Yuan had refined and handsome features, his tongue was vicious when he spoke.

Rong Yan didn't take it to heart. He had his friend sit down, then said, "I've already admitted my fault. What more do you want? I asked you here today because there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Tai Yong Yuan saw his expression and grew serious as well, asking, "What is it? Go ahead and tell me."

Now that Rong Luoge had become the Crown Prince's Good Lady, although she had severed ties with the Zhen Guo Gong Fu, Rong Luoge still showed some consideration for Rong Ling Shan as her younger sister. So everyone believed that although the Protector Duke had expelled Rong Luoge from the family, the branch of the Duchess Who Guards the State still had a good relationship with Good Lady Rong.

Therefore, as the Crown Prince's favor toward Good Lady Rong grew, people's attitudes toward Rong Yan naturally changed as well.

"Brother Yi Qing, I keep your kindness in my heart. If one day this brother can soar high, I certainly won't forget you."

Tai Yong Yuan was no fool. Hearing this, he looked at Rong Yan. "What, has Qi Jing found a post already?"

Yi Qing was Tai Yong Yuan's courtesy name, and Qi Jing was Rong Yan's courtesy name. The two addressed each other by courtesy names, which showed their relationship was genuinely close.

Rong Yan nodded and glanced in the direction of the Dong Gong.

Tai Yong Yuan cursed inwardly—he hadn't expected this. He sized up his friend. "Well, I'll be. Didn't see that coming—you still had this move up your sleeve."

Rong Yan gave a light laugh. "You know, for sons of families like ours, bearing the title of Heir Apparent—though it sounds pleasant—trying to secure a proper post is actually very difficult."

Tai Yong Yuan clicked his tongue. Wasn't that the truth? His aunt was the Virtuous Consort, yet here he was now, still just a lord without office.

"Those great families control the court and official posts. Why would they share even a cup of broth with us?" Tai Yong Yuan scoffed. People like him were considered in-laws of the imperial family, and those families looked down on them.

Rong Yan's situation was different from his. The Zhen Guo Gong Fu's ancestors had at least established themselves through merit. It was only because the current Protector Duke was rather ineffectual that the family had gone into decline.

"So, opportunities can't be waited for. We have to take the initiative." Rong Yan looked at his friend and spoke softly.

Tai Yong Yuan fell silent at these words. "You want to pledge yourself to His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Earlier, Rong Yan had said that Good Lady Rong would seek a post for him, but was such a post so easily obtained?

Once you took on the Crown Prince's assignment, that was tantamount to boarding the Dong Gong's ship.

"Yes." Rong Yan admitted it directly. "To put it bluntly, Yi Qing—His Highness Prince Liang of your family, and His Highness Prince Shou—which of the two could contend for the position of heir apparent?"

Those words struck a nerve. Tai Yong Yuan gave his friend a cold laugh.

Rong Yan didn't mind and said directly, "Since that's the case, for people like us who have no way out yet want to find one, we can only pledge ourselves to one master. It's not simply because my eldest sister became a Good Lady, but because Rong Lang and I cannot coexist under the same sky. He pledged loyalty to Prince Qi, so I naturally can only pledge myself to His Highness the Crown Prince."

Tai Yong Yuan knew about the messy affairs of the Zhen Guo Gong Fu. Hearing his friend speak like this, his expression softened. "Have you thought it through? I don't think His Highness the Crown Prince is necessarily as kind-hearted as he appears on the surface."

"That he's not is exactly what I want. If His Highness were truly that kind of person, what use would there be in my pledging myself?"

Rong Yan finished speaking and looked at his friend. "I know you harbor ambitions and are no incompetent fellow. Think it over carefully."

Tai Yong Yuan said nothing this time, silently gazing into the distance.

Choosing a side was not so easy to do.

Rong Yan wasn't in a hurry. His leg still needed time to heal. He hoped to have his friend fighting alongside him, but he wouldn't force anyone to follow him.

"You're recuperating, so you probably don't know what's happened out there. Three examination candidates have died in succession. The matter has caused quite a stir now," Tai Yong Yuan said.

Rong Yan truly hadn't known about these events. Mainly, the sons of noble houses like them and the impoverished scholars seeking advancement through study traveled different circles. They kept to their own domains, so naturally he wouldn't have paid much attention to such matters.

But his friend certainly wouldn't bring it up casually. He thought it over carefully, then looked at him. "Are you saying there's a conspiracy behind this?"

Tai Yong Yuan gave a light smile. "What do you think? I originally hadn't planned to do anything, but you're right—for people like us, seeking a future is easy if you want easy, but not easy if you don't. A real future is something you have to reach out and seize for yourself."

If you wanted a sinecure to save face, that was easy—spend some money or work some connections and you could get one. But official posts with real authority were something they shouldn't even dream of.

The current murders of examination candidates might not necessarily not be an opportunity.

"Have you thought it through?" Rong Yan asked gravely.

Tai Yong Yuan stood up. "If even a salted fish like you wants to flip over, can't I too strive for better? Just you wait and see—there's a good show to watch this time."