Chapter 74

Eight years ago, Rong Ting was exactly twelve years old—the same age Rong Mo had been back then. Since he was currently around the same age as Cheng Yu was now, the two of them would definitely find plenty of common ground.

The more Cheng Ruyi pictured it, the more hilarious it seemed, and she couldn’t resist bursting into a sudden fit of giggles.

Still reeling from the shocking revelation that he had been unconscious for eight years and had suddenly grown into an adult, Rong Ting was startled by her laughter. Only then did he realize there was another person in the room.

The candle flames flickered gently.

Cheng Ruyi’s stunningly beautiful face came into view.

“Who… who are you?”

Though Rong Ting currently possessed the physical frame of an adult man, his mind remained entirely trapped at the age of twelve. Confronted by a gorgeous young woman like Cheng Ruyi, he couldn’t help but shrink back slightly, clutching the edge of the duvet tightly as a wave of sheer helplessness washed over him.

“Ahem, I am your sister-in-law!” Cheng Ruyi replied with a sweet, beaming smile.

Rong Ting’s reaction was simply too entertaining!

To see such a large man executing such an adorably endearing movement—haha!

“Si… Sister-in-law?!” Rong Ting’s eyes nearly popped right out of his skull, his mouth agape. He shot a frantic look at his older brother, only to discover that his brother was staring at his sister-in-law with an incredibly tender, indulgent gaze.

“Mhm, good boy!”

Cheng Ruyi deliberately feigned ignorance regarding the hesitation in his voice, nodding with a perfectly solemn demeanor while her heart practically danced with pure joy.

This brother-in-law of hers was truly fantastic.

She honestly hoped he would never recover the rest of his memories for the rest of his life.

In the original novel, the interactions between the fiercely loyal dog sidekick Xue Qi and Cheng Qingyao hadn’t actually been all that extensive. If Cheng Qingyao wanted to utilize their past memories to stimulate his brain and force a recovery, the level of difficulty would be astronomical.

Even if she was the literal female lead, it would be a futile effort.

Cheng Ruyi thought to herself with absolute confidence. She refused to believe she couldn’t completely suppress Cheng Qingyao this time.

Watching the exchange, Rong Mo couldn’t help but let out a helpless, amused laugh. His little wife truly was incredibly mischievous. Then again, this outcome was for the best. Rong Ting had lost a full eight years of his timeline—effectively forgetting that venomous woman Cheng Qingyao entirely, alongside the dark, bloody days he had spent operating as a ruthless assassin. It truly was a blessing in disguise.

“Rong Ting, she is the eldest legal daughter of the Marquis of Changle, named Cheng Ruyi. She is indeed your sister-in-law.”

“Come on, let’s hear you call me sister-in-law…” Cheng Ruyi leaned forward with a playful grin, teasing Rong Ting merrily.

A faint blush crept up Rong Ting’s cheeks. He lowered his head bashfully, uttering a soft, quiet murmur: “Sister-in-law!”

A row of dark lines instantly slid down Rong Mo’s forehead. “…”

To see a fully grown man executing such a bashful display was incredibly jarring, but then again, his psychological age was strictly stuck eight years in the past.

“Brother, over these past eight years… how exactly did you survive?” Once his initial shyness receded, Rong Ting didn’t dare to look at his exceptionally beautiful sister-in-law any longer, rapidly turning his head to question Rong Mo about his past.

Rong Mo carefully selected the details of his experiences, offering a simplified chronicle of the past years.

Standing off to the side, Cheng Ruyi periodically chimed in with a few choice details, deliberately utilizing the opportunity to systematically ruin any potential positive impression Rong Ting might harbor toward Cheng Qingyao while cementing the absolute reality that he had been asleep for eight years. Hehehe!

By the time Rong Ting absorbed the entire sequence of events, he felt as though he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

As it turned out, neither he nor his brother actually belonged to the Rong family bloodline. The true eldest legal son of the Rong family was named Luo Fei—this year’s newly minted third-place Tanwei scholar, who also happened to be his sister-in-law’s maternal cousin.

The grand blood feud of the Rong family had already been completely avenged.

And he… was merely an abandoned infant the Rong family had taken in out of charity.

At his core, he was still fundamentally a twelve-year-old boy whose mind was firmly anchored to the terrifying memories of fleeing for his life. Following his initial shock, Rong Ting was plunged into a state of profound bewilderment, his eyes rimming with a distinct crimson hue. He and his brother weren’t even related by blood. His brother was the long-lost eldest legal son of Prince Rong, missing for twenty years, while he was nothing more than an abandoned orphan the Rong family had brought home, with absolutely zero knowledge regarding who his biological parents were.

“Don’t overthink things, Rong Ting. You must remember one thing: you are my brother—my brother for the rest of our literal lives!” Rong Mo firmly clapped a hand onto his shoulder.

A wave of emotion hit Rong Ting, his nose wrinkling as he threw his arms around Rong Mo, bursting into a loud, unbridled sob. It was true—the Rong family was gone, but he still had his brother and his sister-in-law, and he no longer had to constantly flee from faceless assassins. Who could ever comprehend how absolutely terrified and paralyzed with horror he had been when he resolutely chose to draw away the pursuing killers to save his brother back then…?

Rong Mo’s heart ached with equal intensity.

The catastrophic events of their twelfth year remained an eternal, raw wound within both their souls.

Once he finished venting his tears, Rong Ting felt immensely better. His face flushed with a trace of sheepish embarrassment, not daring to meet his sister-in-law’s highly amused, teasing gaze. Yet, a deep sense of contentment welled up inside him. Starting from this very day, he no longer had to live a life of constant hiding, nor did he have to fear waking up one morning only to be brutally slaughtered by an enemy.

It truly was wonderful!

“Alright, the hour is late. Get some proper rest; we can discuss everything further tomorrow morning,” Rong Mo said, affectionately swatting the back of his head.

Rong Ting nodded obediently, watching his brother and sister-in-law depart with a trace of lingering reluctance. He then snuggled deeply into the exceptionally warm, plush duvet, rubbing his face against the fabric. Throughout that grueling month of being relentlessly hunted, he hadn’t managed to secure a single night of peaceful sleep.

Within moments, a soft, rhythmic snoring drifted from his bed.

Returning to the master chambers, Cheng Ruyi and Rong Mo found themselves thoroughly surprised by how incredibly soft and endearing Rong Ting behaved after recovering his memories.

“Ruyi, do you suppose the segment of memory Rong Ting lost will ever return to him?” Rong Mo inquired, holding his little wife securely in his arms as they lay nestled beneath the covers of their massive, cozy bed—a rare trace of worry clouding his voice.

Cheng Ruyi snuggled comfortably against his chest, answering with absolute confidence: “It’s highly improbable. The blood clot inside his cranium has been completely dissolved, and his meridians have entirely restored themselves to a normal state. Unless he undergoes a massive, catastrophic psychological shock, it is practically impossible for him to unearth those lost years for the rest of his life.”

“A massive psychological shock?” Rong Mo narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, but that’s merely a theoretical possibility. The statistical probability is so microscopic it’s practically non-existent,” Cheng Ruyi countered with absolute optimism.

Only then did Rong Mo’s mind settle into complete ease.

The following morning, everyone within Prince Rong’s estate was alerted to the fact that a brand-new young master had officially taken up residence. Rong Mo paid a personal visit to Prince Rong to explain the intricate details of Rong Ting’s background. Following his initial astonishment, Prince Rong felt an immense wave of profound gratitude toward this young man who had risked his life to save his son.

Rong Ting rapidly transitioned from his initial awkwardness to settling in like a fish to water. He spent his days in absolute happiness, particularly after Cheng Yu joined the equation. The two of them managed to strike up an immediate, flourishing friendship.

They could frequently be seen draped over each other’s shoulders, heading out to play together.

There was an underlying trajectory suggesting they were rapidly developing into a pair of minor, playful playboys.

Rong Mo: “…”

Five days had passed, and Cheng Qingyao—who had been waiting anxiously inside her rural manor for any scrap of good news from Xue Qi—still hadn’t seen a single sign of his return. She couldn’t help but knit her beautiful brows in severe irritation. Could the assassination attempt have actually failed…?

No, that should be a physical impossibility. Xue Qi’s martial prowess was exceptionally formidable; there was no way he would fail. Could it be that he simply hadn’t managed to locate a flawless window of opportunity yet, and didn’t dare return to face her until the contract was thoroughly executed?

Countless scenarios flashed through Cheng Qingyao’s mind. Ultimately, she settled on the theory that Xue Qi simply felt too ashamed to face her without a successful result. Even so, her heart refused to settle into ease, and she summoned Qiu Lan to her side.

“Qiu Lan, make a trip into the capital immediately and thoroughly dig up any recent intelligence regarding Prince Rong’s estate!”

Qiu Lan was well aware of Xue Qi’s existence, so she naturally comprehended the underlying objective behind her mistress’s directive. As matters stood, the young mistress and her entourage had been banished to this manor to “recuperate,” and without an explicit decree from Madam Cheng-Han, the young mistress was physically barred from leaving.

Qiu Lan accepted the command and departed.

The resident older matrons stationed at the manor made absolutely zero effort to impede her exit.

The weather was bitterly freezing, and a heavy snow continued to drift lazily from the heavens.

Qiu Lan managed to hitch a ride on the manor’s supply carriage to reach the capital. She immediately sought out their underground informants to gather intelligence. These information brokers had been systematically cultivated by the young mistress in complete secrecy; aside from herself—the mistress’s most trusted confidante—and Qiu Xia, who had been brutally disfigured and sent back to her hometown, absolutely nobody else was privy to their existence.

Then again, when Qiu Xia had been sent home, not only had her face been entirely ruined, but her fingers had also been violently severed, and she had been forced to consume a potion that rendered her entirely mute.

The mere memory of her young mistress’s vicious methods caused a violent shudder to run down Qiu Lan’s spine.

Though the young mistress currently appeared entirely cast aside by both the Marquis and the Madam, Qiu Lan was well aware that she still held a formidable, hidden network of assets within her palm. Consequently, she didn’t dare harbor even a single shred of duplicity.

When the informants revealed that the Heir Apparent and the Consort of Prince Rong’s estate were thriving beautifully, and that a strikingly handsome young master had recently taken up residence within the estate—with absolutely nobody capable of uncovering his true origins—Qiu Lan’s heart skipped a violent beat.

Could that new young master… actually be Master Xue Qi?

If that were the reality, then… hadn’t he openly betrayed the young mistress?

Plunged into absolute terror by her own deduction, Qiu Lan rapidly comforted herself, repeating that it was an impossibility and that she shouldn’t invent ghosts to terrify herself. Thus, to definitively verify whether Xue Qi was indeed the mysterious young master residing inside Prince Rong’s estate, Qiu Lan secured a room at a local inn to stay the night.

According to the intelligence map provided by the informants, that young master stepped out every single day alongside Young Master Cheng Yu of the Marquis of Changle’s estate to amuse themselves.

This would serve as her perfect window for verification.

Little did she know, her every single movement had been locked firmly within the sights of Rong Mo’s personal operatives, who immediately relayed the report to him. Learning of the situation, Rong Mo let out a freezing sneer. It had barely been five days, yet Cheng Qingyao was already entirely incapable of sitting still.

Since Rong Ting had successfully recovered his memories, Rong Mo had absolutely zero intention of cloaking his existence from the world.

“Mo, do you suppose that if Cheng Qingyao uncovers the reality that Rong Ting is residing inside our estate, she’ll actually march right up to our doors to stage a dramatic reunion?” Cheng Ruyi guessed with immense, buzzing excitement.

“If she does try to claim a connection, what kind of preposterous rationale do you think she’ll manufacture?”

“And when she sees Rong Ting staring back at her with a completely blank, unfamiliar gaze, what do you think her reaction will be? Do you suppose she’ll be so utterly consumed with fury she’ll literally cough up blood? Haha!”

Watching his little wife descend into a state of absolute, giddy excitement, Rong Mo shook his head with an amused smile, pulling her securely into his arms to plant a tender kiss against the corner of her lips.

“Alright, stop guessing. We’ll find out the reality soon enough anyway. Tomorrow, I’ll instruct Cheng Yu to take Rong Ting out for a stroll.”

The situation was bound to be exposed sooner or later; handling the matter earlier would simply save them future trouble.

Cheng Ruyi raised her hand high while nestled within his embrace: “…I want to secretly shadow them so I can watch the drama unfold firsthand!”

“Deal!” Rong Mo agreed with absolute generosity.

Truthfully, he wasn’t entirely at ease leaving Rong Ting and Cheng Yu to roam completely unassisted anyway. With his little wife keeping a watchful eye over them, his heart would rest far easier.

Securing Rong Mo’s enthusiastic consent, Cheng Ruyi shifted her inquiries toward their ongoing ice storage operations.

“Mo, I’ve noticed that a vast majority of the populace is currently frantic over harvesting ice. The sheer speed of people digging up the ice blocks can barely keep pace with the rate at which the rivers are freezing over. Do you suppose we’ll actually manage to cram our underground cellars completely full within these forty days?”

In this ancient era, there were strictly two methodologies for harvesting ice: the first involved cutting blocks directly out of frozen river systems, while the second relied on pouring water into specific wooden molds to let it freeze naturally.

The first method yielded an immense volume of supply, while the second methodology ensured absolute cleanliness.

Consequently, river-harvested ice was typically utilized for ambient cooling and preserving foodstuffs, whereas mold-cast ice was reserved strictly for direct human consumption.

There was a massive river system snaking through the outskirts of the capital; however, this exact river would completely dry up by the middle of the following year.

Right now, the entire populace had descended upon the river banks in a frenzied stampede to harvest ice. Even though certain exceptionally well-informed wealthy households had already begun migrating out of the capital toward Dahua County, that migration didn’t impede their frantic desire to secure ice reserves beforehand.

The market demand was astronomical, particularly since even the ordinary citizens had thrown their hats into the ring.

This reality left the available ice supply incredibly scarce, transforming it into a classic case of too many monks competing for too little gruel.

Every single morning, legions of servants would arrive at the riverbank at the crack of dawn, waiting patiently for their turn to cut ice. The harvesting operations for Prince Rong’s estate had been handed entirely over to Li Fan’s supervision, though Rong Mo would occasionally pay a personal visit to survey the scene.

Rong Mo rested his chin gently against his little wife’s hair arrangement, murmuring helplessly: “There are simply too many households requiring ice blocks. Even the ordinary citizens have begun excavating personal ice cellars within their own residential plots. The scarcity of available river ice is an unavoidable reality; our only option is to ramp up our deployment of wooden molds to cast as much ice as possible.”

Cheng Ruyi couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.

Even so, she didn’t harbor a single shred of regret over leaking the impending natural disaster to the public.

The following morning, Cheng Yu arrived at the estate in high spirits to escort Rong Ting out for a day of amusement. Although the weather outdoors was bitingly cold, it couldn’t suppress the sheer vitality and bustle of the streets. The thoroughfares were completely clogged with a continuous, back-and-forth procession of carriages heavily laden with massive ice blocks.

The ordinary citizens were likewise completely immersed in a whirlwind of feverish activity.

The atmosphere was arguably far more bustling and vibrant than a traditional holiday festival.

With such a dense concentration of human energy filling the streets, the piercing cold felt significantly less oppressive to the senses.

Having secured the latest dispatches from her informants well in advance, Qiu Lan rushed over to the scene. Standing at a distance, her eyes locked onto the figure of Master Xue Qi, who was currently laughing boisterously, his arm slung casually over the shoulder of the Changle estate’s Young Master Cheng Yu. She bit her lower lip with immense force, her heart flooded with a volatile mix of profound shock and blinding fury.

There was absolutely zero mistake—that face undeniably belonged to Master Xue Qi.

Master Xue Qi had explicitly betrayed the young mistress!

At that moment, Qiu Lan’s entire frame trembled violently with unbridled rage. Her fists clenched tightly, and she felt a desperate urge to charge straight into his path to interrogate him face-to-face. However, she knew perfectly well that this was not the time for reckless impulse; her absolute priority was to head back and report the reality to the young mistress first.

Shadowing the duo in complete stealth, Cheng Ruyi naturally locked onto Qiu Lan’s silhouette. Watching the maid turn around to depart with a face full of bitter reluctance, it was glaringly obvious she was heading straight back to deliver the news to Cheng Qingyao.

I wonder what kind of spectacular reaction Cheng Qingyao will treat us to?

Hehehe.

This was honestly shaping up to be exceptionally, delightfully anticipating.

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