PC Chapter 39

“What does Lord Su of the Dali Temple think?”

Everyone in the court was taken aback, glancing around to figure out who this “Lord Su” was. Even Li Shi turned to look at him. Despite the sea of colorful court robes, Li Shi’s gaze landed directly on him, a rare smile in his eyes. For once, he didn’t interrupt, waiting for Su Cen’s response.

Meeting the crowd’s gaze, Su Cen sighed inwardly, thinking, So you remember I’m from the Dali Temple, huh? What does your power struggle have to do with us? We’re just here to watch the drama, why drag me into this mess?

But Liu Cheng’s mind was calculating fast. He had recently received a report from the spies he placed near Xingqing Palace, stating that Su Cen had been injured and thrown out during a rainstorm, and hadn’t appeared in the palace since. Liu Cheng was confident that the two had fallen out, and Su Cen could no longer be on Li Shi’s side.

Su Cen, resigned but outwardly calm, maintained his indifferent expression. He stepped forward, bowed, and said, “I recommend the current Registrar of Huzhou.”

“Huh?” The entire court was stunned.

Liu Cheng frowned. “Who is the Registrar of Huzhou?”

Su Cen kept his head lowered in humility, his tone respectful. “I do not know who the Registrar of Huzhou is. I only know that after the sudden death of the Governor of Huzhou, the water bandits have become rampant, even coming ashore to rob and kill. It was the Registrar who took command, organized the defenses, and coordinated the crackdown on the bandits. From this, we can see that this person remained calm under pressure and is familiar with the terrain of Huzhou. Therefore, I recommend him for the position of Governor.”

The officials: “…”

The Minister of Personnel cleared his throat with a slight chuckle. “Lord Su, were you even listening just now? Do you know what we’re discussing?”

The heated debate was about whether Prince Ning had overstepped his authority—no one had asked about the position of Governor!

“Oh, that,” Su Cen lowered his eyes, “That is a family matter of His Majesty, not something I should comment on.”

The court was once again stunned, but after a moment, it dawned on them.

Whether it was Prince Ning or the young eunuch, these were matters of the Emperor’s household. They could be handled privately within the palace walls. After all, court meetings were meant to discuss the affairs of the realm, not the Emperor’s personal issues. Arguing about such things was one thing, but interfering in family matters was risky—what if the imperial family suddenly united and turned against the meddlers?

Su Cen had set a precedent, showing that in the future, they wouldn’t need to be caught between Empress Dowager Chu and Prince Ning.

The officials finally recalled that this was the newly appointed top scholar of the imperial exams. His talent was undeniable, but his ability to navigate treacherous waters was even more impressive.

The young Emperor, enlightened by Su Cen’s words, eagerly seized the opportunity. “I think Scholar Su’s suggestion is quite reasonable. Let the Registrar of Huzhou temporarily take over the position of Governor, and after three months, we will review his performance and decide.”

Stealing a glance at Li Shi and seeing that his expression had softened, the Emperor quickly added, “As for this eunuch’s misconduct in court, I sentence him to thirty lashes and demote him to a servant in the inner quarters.” He hesitated, then cautiously asked, “Is that acceptable, Uncle?”

Seeing that Li Shi finally nodded, everyone in the court collectively breathed a sigh of relief. When they looked again for Lord Su, they found him already bowing his head, blending in with the other officials, standing tall and upright like a pine tree. Many couldn’t help but sigh, thinking that his future was boundless, before turning their attention back to the proceedings.

After this brief interlude, there were no more major issues. The reports flowed smoothly, and during the session, Zheng Yang even sneaked over to greet Su Cen. Grinning, he whispered, “I told you the court could be lively. Isn’t it more fun than your Dali Temple, where it’s all about dead bodies?”

Su Cen sighed deeply. “Living people are scarier than the dead. I’d rather return to the Dali Temple.”

“After today’s scene, I doubt you’ll get much peace anymore. It was only a matter of time before you entered court life, Brother Su. You might as well embrace it. You know what they say: the thrill of mind games and political battles is endless.”

Leaning lightly against the red lacquered pillar, Su Cen glanced around and whispered, “Look at these people. One moment they’re taking the stage, the next they’re fighting tooth and nail. In the end, all they’re doing is sewing clothes for the one in power. Flatter well, and you rise; flatter poorly, and you lose your head. It’s like walking a tightrope blindfolded. What’s the point of groveling and constantly second-guessing everyone’s thoughts?”

Just as he finished speaking, Su Cen felt a gaze fall on him. He looked up and met a pair of deep eyes, hesitating briefly before standing up straight and rubbing his nose self-consciously. Then he reconsidered—how could that person hear him from halfway across the court?

Realizing he had been teased, Su Cen glared in return, but the person had already turned away, leisurely tapping a finger on the armrest as if without a care in the world.

“I’m sneaking out now,” Zheng Yang stuck out his tongue. “Looks like my uncle’s in a good mood. Whenever that happens, he likes to lecture me. I’m not sticking around to get caught.”

With that, he discreetly moved closer to the door, ready to make a quick escape the moment court was dismissed.

In a good mood? Su Cen glanced at the back of the figure again, but this time, before he could focus, his view was blocked by Xiao Yuancheng, who glared at him murderously, eyes full of hostility, as if he wanted to kill him.

Su Cen spent the rest of the session under Xiao Yuancheng’s venomous gaze. When court was finally dismissed, he wasted no time following Zheng Yang out in a hurry, disappearing into the hall.

Watching the fleeing figure, Li Shi smiled slightly and turned to Qi Lin, saying, “Tell Zhang Jun he can start giving him cases.”

Every time Su Cen returned from a court session, he needed some time to recover. That man was like a scar on his body. Just when Su Cen thought the wound had long since healed, the scar would reappear in his vision, the wound tearing open again, bleeding and festering, refusing to heal.

Why? Su Cen couldn’t help but wonder. It was just a few physical transactions, after all. People say prostitutes are heartless and actors have no loyalty. Was he the only one destined to be a moralist, incapable of being heartless or indifferent?

After much contemplation, Su Cen finally found a way to explain it to himself.

It was like owning a bun shop. Someone comes by early every day for three days straight to buy buns from your shop, and then one day, you see them walk past, holding buns from someone else’s shop. It wasn’t just dissatisfaction; it was anger. But the money was theirs. They could buy from whoever they liked, and you had no say in it.

Or perhaps, you unintentionally picked up a precious pearl, polishing it every day, gazing at it every night. You didn’t mean to offend, but over time, affection inevitably grew. You thought you could claim it as your own, but then someone shows up, claiming the pearl belongs to them. You have no name, no title, no proof—what could you do?

Or maybe it’s like being a frequent patron of a brothel, where new love replaces the old. It’s a timeless truth that the new lover smiles while the old one weeps. How could you expect a patron to be loyal and sentimental?

All this back-and-forth—was it anger, or affection, or… feelings?

So what was it that he truly felt?

The well-read scholar Su, frustrated, spent the entire afternoon brooding. He barely flipped through a few pages of Yutai Xinyong before nearly stripping all the leaves off the bonsai on his desk.

Finally, considering how hard it was for the tree to grow that big, he picked up his book and went to the backyard to take his frustration out on the hawthorn tree instead.

Before he could reach the tree, he saw someone agilely flip over the wall into his courtyard. The person spun around with a cheeky grin, and their eyes met.

Su Cen immediately raised the book in his hand and hurled it. “Qu Ling’er, why do you keep climbing the walls instead of using the front door? Have you become addicted to it?!”

“Brother Su, Brother Su, wait!” Qu Ling’er had to leap into the tree. “I have a reason!”

Su Cen gave him a sidelong glance. “What now? Someone’s trying to kill you again?”

Qu Ling’er nodded hastily. “Exactly.”

Su Cen stopped, frowning. “The Secret Door?”

“No, not them,” Qu Ling’er waved a small pouch in his hand. “I went to Shunfu House to buy crystal pork, and I offended someone.”

Su Cen frowned. “Is your wound completely healed? Can’t you just stay out of trouble for a while?”

“It really wasn’t my fault,” Qu Ling’er said, looking aggrieved. “I went there first. The waiter had already brought the food to me, but then that guy barged in and tried to snatch it. Do I look like the kind of person who swallows my anger? So, I taught him a little lesson.”

“You hit him?!” Su Cen exclaimed.

“No, not exactly,” Qu Ling’er cautiously observed Su Cen’s reaction. “But I found his arrogant attitude really irritating, so I… stripped him of his clothes.”

“…” Su Cen was speechless. That was worse than just hitting him.

“But I didn’t expect him to have so many attendants, and some of them were pretty skilled. They chased me through several alleys. I didn’t want to bring trouble to you by using the front door, so I climbed over the wall into the backyard.”

“So, I should thank you for that?”

“No need,” Qu Ling’er replied with a mischievous smile, looking at Su Cen. “Can I come down from the tree now?”

Seeing that it hadn’t caused any real trouble, Su Cen gave Qu Ling’er an exasperated look, put away the book, and turned to head back inside.

Just as Qu Ling’er was climbing down from the tree, a loud thud came from the front gate, followed by an angry shout echoing through the courtyard: “You despicable scoundrel! Get out here now!”

 

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