Under the Bamboo Parasol

"Well, not everyone can live such a carefree life as this humble subject." Duke Ming Xiang said with a laugh and continued, "The first step is simple, be born to a common family. Families of wealth and power are way too complicated to deal with, especially their internal struggles. If you do not fall in that category, you should try to stay away from all troubles, keep away from all political factions and hope you get ignored. But if that doesn't always work as well, you can try to limit contact from others and isolate yourself, if that doesn't work, you can move away, find a place you want to go and enjoy yourself. Then, if you still get bothered, you can always fake your demise. Easy as that." Duke Ming Xiang said in a carefree manner.

At his words, Ruan Wang was speechless, to think that the unrestrained Duke would have such a way of thinking. This meeting truly gave a surprise.

"I presume Duke has already made it to the fourth step." For the first time, Ruan Wang really felt like laughing, it seems that even some had a facade of living life in a carefree manner while drowning in one's own worries.

"So have you, your highness. I heard you have only returned, and I have to ask, why now?" There was a dangerous bright glint in his eyes. Of course, to return when the emperor was ill, the timing was sensitive, to say the least. Those of the imperial court would be suspicious.

"For my great-nephew, of course, the imperial court was never a place for a young child like him." Ruan Wang wanted to say there were so many lions and wolves eyeing the crown prince like hungry beasts waiting to tear his flesh and drink his blood.

"The emperors since the beginning of the lineage have been living shorter lives, what is to say he will live longer than his father."

"That is a risk I'm willing to take."

"You seem to enjoy taking them a lot." Duke Ming Xiang said with a smile that was not much a smile.

"Certainly, do you think there is a single person alive in the imperial court that got where they are today without taking risks?"

"And if you were to fail, have you thought of the consequences then?" Duke Ming Xiang asked sternly.

"Then I may be forced to jump on the last step."

Duke Ming Xiang gave a smile when he listened to Ruan Wang's words. If it was so easy to do without arousing suspicion, would he have not already done it long ago?

He could not take any more of Ruan Wang's speech and said: "Why don't we see how the scholars are doing, after all, they've been invited and I should at least have the duty of being the host."

"Sure." Ruan Wang said as he followed along.

They made their way to the inner courtyard, where there were the scholars' gentle voices full of poetry and literature. The voices of the well-learned men who spoke ever so fluently, and full of etiquette. The many years of teachings deep in their minds, all shown for today's meeting.

"See, nothing more than poetry." Ruan Wang was prepared to whisper to Xu Fei, before realizing that there was no one beside him, and Duke Ming Xiang who ended up listening gave a smirk.

As the two middle-aged men entered, the scholars were nearly drunk from their stupor hardly noticed a single thing, believing that the people who arrived were also scholars. After all, there was no age to the intellectual mind, a middle-aged man may not necessarily be better learned than them, who mocked the older generation for lack of willingness to change.

They continued on their conversations, unknowing that the owner of the manor had arrived. Oh, what joys there were to the unknowing mind.

"Not too bad, right? I had the wine laced with some diluted Brugmansia, the effect is fabulous, wouldn't you agree?" Duke Ming Xiang said proudly.

Ruan Wang was slightly speechless, to think that the carefree duke would do something like this, he then looked at the scholars who were pouring out their heart and soul in a conversation about the current politics. There was no restraint, no regard for consequences, they were merely talking about what they wished. "And what do you have planned after you hear the true words in their hearts?" He inquired.

"Oh, nothing much, it's good to know what youths think of the current situation within our court. The medicine will wear off by tomorrow and it will be as if nothing happened." Duke Ming Xiang said with a shrug, he had never thought of using what those scholars said today and use it against them in the future, he was not that kind of person. Wait a minute, the duke looked at the young man sitting in the corner who did not seem to be affected by the wine.

Ruan Wang followed the duke's line of direction as his eyes landed on a young man. He felt that this man was a stranger, yet at the same time, there was a sense of familiarity within. This person was clearly a stranger, but why were there some feelings of knowing him?

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