"Ah, Young Master Qian has fallen into the water."
Gu Lan hopped several steps away from Qian Rui and then shouted calmly.
The incident happened suddenly, and Aunt Fang, along with the little palace maid who accompanied Qian Rui, was in shock. They only came to their senses upon hearing Young Master Gu's voice and hurriedly called for palace attendants to rescue the man.
Qian Rui knew how to swim; he thrashed around a couple of times in the water before managing to float up by himself. Then he started shouting and struggling, his light green robe soaked through, making him look very much like a frog.
There were many palace attendants near the Imperial Garden, and having learned from Young Master Gu's previous incident not long ago, Qian Rui was quickly pulled out by several little eunuchs working together.
Qian Rui's belly was showing as he spat out water and rolled his eyes like a stranded fish.
Gasping for breath, he looked towards Gu Lan, his triangular eyes filled with resentment.
Gu Lan paid him no mind, instead focusing on the familiar figure she had just glimpsed.
With the crowd of palace attendants gathering around, Rong Heng and Jiu, standing by the canna flowers and dragon claw locust trees not far away, had no choice but to step forward.
She wasn't mistaken.
At this moment, the master and servant each held packages in their hands, and it was unclear what they were doing, but they were forced to stop and watch Young Master Qian fall into the water.
Gu Lan opened her mouth and uncharacteristically swallowed.
The protagonist is indeed handsome.
Standing under the sun, Rong Heng had his hair tied with a black silk ribbon and wore a moon-white short robe, his figure thin and slender.
His black short boots stood on the mud-splattered path after the rain. Gu Lan, with her sharp eyes, noticed the badly worn edges of those boots, and his clothes were still the same ones he wore at the market a few days ago.
Without the evening glow that day, she now noticed that Rong Heng's clothes were rather old and washed-out.
He held two tattered wooden boxes in his arms, one of which was partially open, revealing a corner of a yellowed scroll.
Beside him, Jiu wore the torn robe of the lowest-ranking eunuch, with a roll of cloth tucked under his arm, a bedcover on his back, and a large package in his hand.
Gu Lan had previously confirmed Rong Heng's identity because of one word, "Jiu."
In the original book, Jiu was one of Rong Heng's most capable aides, skilled in martial arts and exceptional in combat.
However, Jiu's fate was tragic.
During a battle, he fell into an ambush, pierced by thousands of arrows, and died with the thought of protecting Rong Heng.
Later, Rong Heng restored his original name, "Xiao Jiu," and piled a mound of enemy heads at his grave.
Gu Lan had a strong impression of this character but never expected that Jiu turned out to be a little eunuch.
After all, if Rong Heng lived in the Imperial Palace, naturally his servant could only be a eunuch.
Gu Lan looked at the two of them and found it truly difficult to connect the aloof prince and loyal guard from the original book with their current selves.
Are they fleeing famine?
Or fleeing famine within the Imperial Palace?
Aunt Fang saw the two as well but pretended not to notice.
Some palace maid pinched her nose and murmured in a low voice, "Isn't that Fifth Prince Rong from the Imperial Court? So shabby, he reeks all over."
Rong Heng stood quietly in the distance, exuding a cold and somber demeanor, as if he couldn't see the disdainful glances.
"Gu Lan," Young Master Qian, finally regaining his senses, climbed up from the ground, burning with fury, and yelled, "How dare you kick me into the water!"
Gu Lan, her view obstructed, impatiently cast a glance at him, "Evidence, who saw it?"
"I didn't see anything."
"I didn't see it either."
"I only saw Young Master Qian, for some reason, approaching Young Master Gu. Unexpectedly, Young Master Gu paused to admire the lotus, and then Young Master Qian fell into the water."
Aunt Fang also said, "I too saw Young Master Qian suddenly approach Young Master Gu and then just fall into the water by himself."
The gathered palace attendants started chattering away. One was Young Master Gu from the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, and the other was the son of the Minister of Revenue; they dared not offend either.
What's more, everything happened too quickly just now, and they truly did not see it clearly.
Qian Rui's expression shifted unpredictably as his eyes scanned the surrounding palace attendants, then he suddenly snorted coldly, pointing at Rong Heng, "You're Fifth Prince Rong, right? Did you see anything? Speak up, and you'll be rewarded!"
For a moment, the palace attendants around them fell silent.
Rong Heng weighed the wooden boxes in his arms, seemingly not hearing Qian Rui's words. His pitch-black eyes looked at the path beneath his feet as he lifted one foot.
"You stop right there!"
Rong Heng's steps did not pause in the slightest, and naturally, Jiu followed him, carrying their belongings.
"Are you deaf?!" Qian Rui strode in front of Rong Heng and angrily raised his arm, apparently about to strike.
Rong Heng's eyes were deep and lifeless, without any ripple of emotion.
Gu Lan's gaze sharpened, and she seized Qian Rui's arm firmly, speaking in a calm voice, "Instead of framing me for pushing you, why don't we go to the Capital City Governor right now to report it?"
The presupposed pain didn't occur, yet Rong Heng's expression remained unchanged.
Qian Rui struggled a bit, finding that the hand holding him seemed delicate and tender, yet it felt like a giant clamp, causing severe pain throughout his arm as if it might snap at any moment.
Her eyes were unusually light in color, with pupils that appeared amber in the sunlight's reflection. Her red lips curved into a slight arc, showing a hint of eerie allure.
Suddenly, Qian Rui was a little scared. He wiped his face and gritted his teeth, saying, "Enough, take me to change clothes already. Delaying my audience with the Empress Dowager is something you cannot afford!"
The accompanying palace maid immediately complied, and Gu Lan released her grip, leaving a bruise on Qian Rui's arm.
Qian Rui grimaced in pain, glaring at the mark on his arm in disbelief, wishing he could choke Gu Lan to death.
When did this guy become so strong, and the look in his eyes, it's terrifyingly strange.
He laughed coldly, his gaze particularly foreboding.
The next moment, Qian Rui suddenly swung his arm, and the heavy sleeve, soaked with pond water and mud, landed on Rong Heng's body.
Rong Heng's hand relaxed, and the wooden box in his arms fell out. Instinctively, he wanted to catch it, but his trembling fingertips stopped him.
With a "crash," the wooden box hit the ground. The already flimsy box shattered instantly, spilling out sheets of worn, tattered scrolls.
Gu Lan, too, intended to catch it but didn't make it in time.
"Gu family, this Young Master won't bother with you." Qian Rui spat and stormed off with the palace attendants.
Gu Lan clenched her fist, her watery eyes flashing with a dark glint as she watched that retreating figure.
He dared not confront her, yet dared to overturn Rong Heng's box, deriving satisfaction from humiliating others.
—She should have kicked him into the water earlier, or better yet, shattered his bones.
Rong Heng patted the dirt off his body, squatted down silently, and began picking up the scattered scrolls.
Jiu hurriedly put down his bundle, almost stumbling under its weight.
Around them, the palace attendants' suppressed laughter erupted, and even Aunt Fang's eyes revealed undisguised disdain.
"This is the Fifth Young Master Rong raised in the Imperial Court."
"Hah, a criminal's grandson, you can tell he's up to no good."
"Finally leaving the Imperial Court with a bunch of junk to bring to Xiaoxiang Palace..."
Hearing the whispers around her, Gu Lan remembered what Gu Changting had told her. The Emperor had ordered Rong Heng to join the Imperial Family school, moving him from the Imperial Court to another palace; it turns out these two were indeed moving.
Squatting to collect the scrolls, Rong Heng looked small and unobtrusive. With his eyebrows lowered, his thick lashes cast a sharp shadow on his eyelids. His nose was high and straight, his thin lips lightly pressed together, displaying no visible emotion, yet exuding an inherent unyielding and crisp character.
His fingers were long and well-defined, starkly pale against the cobalt blue-covered book, as if they seldom saw the light.
At this moment, another hand covered the scroll Rong Heng was about to pick up.
Slender fingers, jade-like and delicate, their pads a healthy rosy hue.
Rong Heng looked up and saw Gu Lan's face, as brilliant as summer flowers.
"I'll help you pick it up."