Chapter 739 - 447: The Rite of the Hunt (Part 2)

But they thought, at such a grand ceremony, and under such public scrutiny, would assassinating Li Shensi in front of everyone be too sensational?

Zhu Zhengfu was silent for a moment, as he couldn’t answer that question.

Duan Rong turned his gaze to Zhu Cheng.

Zhu Cheng shifted slightly, adjusted himself in his chair, and said, "It won’t be finalized until the night before the autumn hunt and the festival."

Duan Rong fixed his gaze on Zhu Cheng and asked in a deep voice, "I need to know immediately which horse Li Shensi will be riding. Can it be done?"

"It can be!" Zhu Cheng’s heart tightened slightly, for Duan Rong’s gaze carried a sense of pressure. "Zhu Peng is the Imperial Secretariat Envoy at the Secretariat; he should have immediate access to this level of information."

"Good." Duan Rong nodded, "Once you have the information, deliver it to me immediately."

"Yes!"

In the following days, Duan Rong stayed in the other courtyard, studying the materials Zhu Cheng had compiled about Li Shensi.

Because he wasn’t sure if there would be an opportunity to act during the autumn hunt ceremony. What if Li Shensi didn’t attend the autumn hunt ceremony at all and directly participated in the festival?

This was entirely possible.

Therefore, if the autumn hunt ceremony failed, he had to immediately have a second plan ready.

In this other courtyard, Duan Rong was like a warrior guarding the gate, accompanied by beautiful women, feeling quite at ease.

Five days passed swiftly.

On this night, around the hour of Hai, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded at the entrance of the other courtyard.

Zhu Cheng brought Zhu Peng and rushed in.

Zhu Zhengfu didn’t come together; he had been called to the Prefecture Chief’s Office by the Mansion Master Wang Maochun at dusk. Many officials were summoned by Wang Maochun to announce the ceremonial proceedings for the autumn hunt and the festival the next day.

The ceremonial proceedings were largely similar each year but often had some changes, especially this year, as Minister of the Secretariat Li Shensi and Grand Protector Jiang Zhuoyun were attending the festival for the first time. Some complicated and cumbersome ceremonies were not passed on to them.

If any errors occurred, it would not only be embarrassing in front of the civil and military officials but the entire city’s populace, who were watching around the four sides of the observation platform.

Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng stepped inside as Ruyi was replacing Duan Rong’s tea cup.

Zhu Peng paused slightly at the doorway, looking at Ruyi.

Ruyi was indeed plump, fair, and full of youthful charm, truly tempting.

Zhu Cheng coughed, and Zhu Peng snapped out of it, with both of them kneeling at the doorway to pay their respects to Duan Rong.

"Your humble servants pay respects to you, sir!"

Seeing Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng come together, Duan Rong immediately knew that there was definite news about that matter.

Duan Rong glanced at Ruyi and said, "Ruyi, you step outside and close the door."

Ruyi curtsied and said, "Yes, sir!"

As Ruyi walked past, Zhu Peng, kneeling there, couldn’t help but glance at those dainty feet in pink floral shoes as they moved gracefully.

Once Ruyi closed the door, Duan Rong said, "Gentlemen, please rise."

Duan Rong motioned politely for them to sit down and then got straight to the point, asking, "Have Li Shensi’s horses been confirmed yet?"

Zhu Peng replied, "They’ve been confirmed."

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

Duan Rong’s expression shifted as he immediately picked up the paper and looked at it intently.

Upon seeing the contents of the paper, the muscles on his face twitched slightly, "What have you drawn here?"

Zhu Peng rushed in, bending over and pointing at the paper explaining, "This is the Secretariat’s gate outside, this place is the stable, and beside the stable here are the horses prepared for the autumn hunt tomorrow, already fitted with stirrups and bridles. The second horse from the east with a small red circle is Li Shensi’s horse."

Looking at the drawing and listening to Zhu Peng’s explanation, Duan Rong couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation, "Your drawing is too abstract. I couldn’t even tell these were horses."

"And what is this twisted, curved thing in front of the stable?" Duan Rong pointed at a part of the drawing, asking.

Zhu Peng glanced where Duan Rong was pointing and replied, "That’s a rockery not far from the stable."

Surprised and amused, Duan Rong said, "That’s supposed to be a rockery?!"

That was nothing like a mountain, just a chaotic cluster of curved lines.

Even without the mastery of ink and brush through the Devouring Artifact Spirit, which far surpassed ordinary mundane experts, even common folk would dismiss this as childish scrawling.

Zhu Peng smiled awkwardly, "I can’t draw, so I could only sketch a rough outline. Such confidential matters can’t be entrusted to others, so I had to draw it myself. Please don’t laugh at me!"

Hearing this, Duan Rong forced a faint smile from his lips.

Zhu Peng’s drawing of the rockery was meant to show the stable’s surroundings. Although crude, it did include everything it needed to.

Adjusting his perspective on the art, Duan Rong deciphered the drawing, understanding the depicted scenery one by one from Zhu Peng’s youthful lines.

Gently shaking the paper in his hand, Duan Rong said to Zhu Peng, "While your brushwork is a complete mess, the intention behind it is thoughtful; it’s not bad at all!"

Upon hearing Duan Rong’s somewhat positive three-word evaluation, Zhu Peng immediately beamed with a smile.

After discussing some details with Zhu Peng, Duan Rong had a clear idea in his mind and said to them, "Alright. You may leave now."

Understanding his cue, Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng stood up, clasped their fists, and said, "Then we won’t disturb your rest any further, sir."

Duan Rong merely hummed softly, and the two exited.

Outside, Ruyi was waiting. She curtsied as they left, and Zhu Peng, stealing one last glance at Ruyi’s fair neck, hurriedly followed Zhu Cheng into the night.

After their departure, a flash of annoyance passed through Ruyi’s eyes as she turned and entered the room.

As she entered, Duan Rong had already carefully placed Zhu Peng’s drawing next to him. He looked at Ruyi and said, "Let’s rest."

Ruyi happily remarked, "So early tonight?"

Duan Rong replied, "Yes, I’ve grown a bit weary tonight."

Ruyi attentively helped Duan Rong change clothes and wash his feet until he was lying in bed.

Though Ruyi only wore a dudou and undergarments, Duan Rong, seemingly preoccupied, never even glanced at her. The joy in Ruyi’s heart quickly vanished.

Soon after the lights went out, they appeared to be fast asleep.

In the darkness, faint breathing could be heard.

But Duan Rong was merely lying in bed, resting his mind, not truly asleep.

Joking aside, tomorrow’s the day of the autumn hunt and festival. He hadn’t finished his preparations tonight, so how could he dare to sleep?

Outside, the faint tap of a Night Watchman’s clappers drifted in, as Duan Rong lay in bed, silently counting points.

In the darkness, his eyes suddenly opened, radiating a piercing light like stars.

Midnight had arrived!

Duan Rong quietly got out of bed, standing barefoot. In the dark, he hesitated as he looked at Ruyi, deciding against drugging her.

He dressed quietly and gracefully and slipped out of the room through the window.

It was quite a while after Duan Rong left before a long sigh sounded in the room.

"My lord, I’ve lain with you for several nights, and yet you’ve never touched me. Do you sneak out at night to fool around with someone else?"

Ruyi lay there, her face in the night now devoid of its usual innocence and warmth, replaced by an alluring smile as her hand glided over her chest, and she began to hum.

Outside, in the blackened night.

Duan Rong had long since been moving like a ghost through the streets and alleys, spreading his Divine Sense to survey the surrounding scenery and figures in minute detail.

Standing in the shadows at the mouth of an alley, he gazed across the street at the high wall opposite.

That high wall was the back wall of the government office of the Secretariat.

With his agility, Duan Rong soared like a ghostly eagle, landing silently within the high walls.

This place, a secluded area near the back wall, was where firewood and charcoal were stored.

With another light step, Duan Rong leapt over an old courtyard and, following the directions on Zhu Peng’s map, headed towards the stables...