Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

The carriage moved slowly forward, its wheels grinding through the snow. Outside, the snowstorm gradually subsided, leaving only the soft sound of the cold wind swirling the remaining snowflakes across the eaves.

Shui Rong leaned back on the brocade cushions, her fingertips lightly tapping her knees. Suddenly, she looked up at Zhao Zhong, who was standing beside her with his head bowed, and instructed him: "After we return to the manor, send someone to find a few street thugs tomorrow, give them some silver to send them away, and have them spread some rumors around."

Zhao Zhong bowed and replied, "This servant understands. May I ask what message Your Highness intends to spread?"

"Tell me, the Miss Qin at Ci'an Temple is the beloved daughter of Qin Zhongxun, the Minister of War, who was lost many years ago."

Shui Rong spoke calmly, but a calculating glint was hidden in his eyes. "The news should be spread naturally. There's no need to create a stir. Let it spread slowly inside and outside the court."

Zhao Zhong's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly understood the prince's intention. He said in a low voice, "This servant understands. Although Minister Qin usually favors the prince, in this way, he is completely bound to the prince."

"Um."

Shui Rong nodded slightly, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Qin Zhongxun holds military power and is very influential in the court. It's not enough to just show favoritism; I want him to be completely on my side."

He paused, gazing at the vast snowscape outside the carriage, and then said as if to himself, "As for my brother, the day for the tribute from Jiaozhi Kingdom is probably approaching. Jiaozhi has nothing else to offer, except for 'Immortal Smoke,' which is quite famous. I wonder if they will send some to the capital this time."

A profound glint suddenly flashed in Shui Rong's eyes: "The Crown Prince, the King of Qin, and the King of Zhao are all eyeing the position of heir apparent. Haha, we can't rush it. Take it slow; the real show has only just begun."

Suddenly remembering something else, he asked, "Zhao Zhong, where is Commander Lu right now? Is he still in the capital?"

"Your Highness, since you returned from Liaodong, Commander Lu has been ordered by the Emperor to go south to investigate the corruption of salt merchants, but there has been no news from him yet," Zhao Zhong replied truthfully.

Upon hearing this, Shui Rong's eyes brightened slightly, and she slowly nodded: "Very good."

Commander Lu was the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, possessing exceptional martial arts skills and unwavering loyalty to the Emperor. He was comparable to the henchmen of the Eastern and Western Depots, making him the person the Emperor feared most.

"It would be best if we stayed trapped in the south this time and never came back. My trusted confidants in the Embroidered Uniform Guard should take this opportunity to rise in rank."

Before the words were finished, a clear and familiar voice called out from outside the car, full of youthful energy: "Brother Shui Rong! Is that Brother Shui Rong?"

Shui Rong raised an eyebrow and lifted a corner of the carriage curtain.

Not far away, a carriage in the style of the Jia family mansion was parked, and beside it stood a handsome young man in red, with a face as white as powder and eyes as bright as stars. It was Jia Baoyu. He was wrapped in a scarlet felt cloak, his eyebrows and eyes curved, and he was standing on tiptoe looking this way.

"Baoyu?" Shui Rong smiled gently, pushed open the door and got out of the car. His black brocade robe accentuated his tall and straight figure, and his noble aura was natural.

The women passing by were all dressed in fur coats and sable furs. Seeing his elegant demeanor and gentle smile, they couldn't help but stop and glance at him. Their hearts skipped a beat, and they secretly marveled at the man's appearance.

Jia Baoyu ran forward quickly, his face full of joy: "It really is Brother Shui Rong! Xi Ren and I were enjoying the snow outside the city and were on our way back when we ran into each other. Do you have anything important to do right now, Brother? If not, come with me back to the Jia Mansion for a while. We just stewed some bird's nest with rock sugar and made some new desserts, which are very delicious."

Shui Rong chuckled and shook her head, her tone tinged with indulgence: "No, thank you. I just bothered you at your residence the day before yesterday; going again today would only disturb your peace."

As he spoke, he turned around and took out a gilded lacquer box from inside the carriage, handing it to Jia Baoyu. "This is for you. See if you like it."

Jia Baoyu quickly took it, opened the lacquer box, and saw that inside was a set of the Four Treasures of the Study—the Huizhou ink was lustrous, the Xuan paper was delicate, the Huzhou brush was sharp, and the Duan inkstone was warm and smooth, all of which were rare treasures.

His eyes lit up immediately, and he stroked it lovingly, but when he heard what Shui Rong said next, his face fell instantly.

"I know you've always loved these refined things, but you should also settle down and study hard. If you can pass the imperial examination with flying colors and become the top scholar, then you will not have failed your talent and the expectations of the Jia family." Shui Rong's tone was gentle, but it carried a hint of admonition.

Upon hearing this, Jia Baoyu could only dejectedly reply, "Yes, I understand. Thank you, brother." He had always despised fame and officialdom, but he couldn't bear to refuse Shui Rong's kindness.

Seeing this, Shui Rong shook his head helplessly, then took out several small brocade boxes and handed them to him one by one: "This box is for Lin Daiyu, and these boxes are for your four older sisters, Yuan, Ying, Tan, and Xi. They are all ordinary jade trinkets, not worth much money, just a little something from your brother."

Jia Baoyu quickly took the box and opened it for Lin Daiyu. Inside lay an exquisitely carved jade plum blossom. The jade was translucent, the petals were lifelike, and even the snow marks on the branches were exquisitely carved. It was a refined object that suited Daiyu's temperament.

The other boxes also contained exquisite jade ornaments, all treasured items from the Prince's collection. He beamed with joy, repeatedly expressing his gratitude: "Thank you so much, Brother Shui Rong! Sister Lin and the other sisters must be overjoyed."

Seeing his excited expression, Shui Rong reached out and gently touched the tip of his nose, smiling, "I'm glad you like it."

Suddenly, Jia Baoyu remembered something and took out a small jade Pixiu from his pocket. Although the jade was not as exquisite as the items in the Prince's mansion, it was still polished smooth and round.

He presented it with both hands, his eyes full of sincerity: "Brother, this is a gift for you. I got it from Qingxu Temple the other day. They say it can ward off evil and bring peace, so I thought it would be best to give it to you, brother."

Looking at the jade Pixiu and then at Baoyu's clear eyes, Shui Rong felt a warmth in her heart and smiled as she pushed his hand back: "Brother, you don't need to. Baoyu, you can wear it yourself. You have a lively personality, so wearing it will ward off evil spirits."

"But..." Jia Baoyu still wanted to insist.

"Listen to me." Shui Rong interrupted him, her tone gentle yet firm, and pointed to his cloak. "It's cold outside, and the wind is fierce. Hurry back to the carriage to avoid catching a cold. Otherwise, your Lin sister will worry about you again."

Upon hearing this, Jia Baoyu nodded obediently, a bright smile spreading across his face: "Alright. Then I'll find an even better item to give to you, brother!" With that, he skipped and hopped back to the Jia family carriage, not forgetting to turn back and wave as he lifted the curtain.

Shui Rong also waved his hand, and only after Bao Yu's figure disappeared behind the carriage curtain did he turn around and get back into his own carriage.

He watched the Jia family carriage slowly moving forward and couldn't help but chuckle—judging from this scene, Baoyu must have sneaked out of the mansion with only a few servants and no elders to watch over him.

The carriage started moving again, and just as it turned a corner, a procession of carriages and horses suddenly appeared ahead. The procession was orderly, and the insignia of the Prince Zhongshun's Mansion embroidered on the curtains was particularly eye-catching. The two carriages and horses met on the narrow road and both slowly came to a stop.

Zhao Zhong quickly got out of the carriage to check, and returned to report in a low voice: "Your Highness, it is the carriage of Prince Zhongshun's residence."

Shui Rong's eyes darkened slightly, and her fingertips unconsciously tightened.

King Zhongshun had always been close to the King of Qin and was a key figure in the King of Qin's faction. He and I had always been outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds.

He slowly raised his hand, indicating to the driver that there was no need to move aside, and said calmly, "Since we've met, let's wait a moment."

The cold wind swirled with the remaining snow in the alley, and the carriages and horses of the two mansions stood frozen for a long time. Snow accumulated on the eaves fell in a rustling sound, adding to the stillness.

Prince Zhongshun, Zhang Shixun, sat in the carriage, his fingers clutching a brocade handkerchief, his expression changing several times. In terms of rank and title, he was ultimately inferior to Shui Rong, and in terms of imperial favor and power, he dared not openly confront Prince Bei Jing.

After a moment's hesitation, he finally said coldly to the driver, "Back off."

The coachman dared not delay and quickly spurred the horse back a few feet to clear a narrow passage.

The water-soluble carriage moved slowly forward. When the two carriages were side by side, the two men simultaneously raised their hands to lift the curtains, their eyes meeting in mid-air, both carrying a hint of probing and sharpness.

Zhang Shixun spoke first, his tone tinged with mockery and sarcasm, his voice soft but each word clear:

"Brother Wang, you've lost some weight these past few days, but your methods have become even more sophisticated. Forcing the Jia family to write a letter of divorce and then hiding that Qin woman in Cining Temple—such a cunning and forceful method is hardly honorable. If word gets out, where will you put your face?" With that, he raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways, his eyes full of mischief and disdain.

Shui Rong's expression remained unchanged, his eyes calm and expressionless. He spoke calmly, his tone devoid of emotion: "My trip to Cining Temple was merely to pray for my own well-being and fulfill a wish. How could it be considered abduction of a woman? Your explanation, brother, is far too far-fetched. But brother, have you found the assassin who attempted to assassinate me?"

These words pierced Zhang Shixun's heart like a needle, and he was immediately filled with anger, his temple veins throbbing slightly.

Although the assassin has been captured and confessed to being a barbarian from Liaodong, how can he believe him?

A barbarian assassin would gain nothing by assassinating a prince of the current dynasty; on the contrary, it would easily provoke war between the two countries. Clearly, someone is deliberately framing him.

But no matter how much he investigated, he couldn't find a single flaw, leaving him in a dilemma.

Seeing his face turn from pale to grim, Shui Rong's lips curled into a faint smile, and she reminded him in a somewhat casual tone:

"Brother, don't be angry. I was just offering advice out of kindness. Don't let yourself be used as a pawn. In my opinion, it's better to let this matter rest. I left some items at the house in the east of the city as an apology and to settle this score. I also entrust you with the investigation of the assassination case. You should slowly figure out the reasons behind it."

Zhang Shixun felt a chill run down his spine and instantly understood Shui Rong's intention.

His Majesty's dispatch of him to investigate the assassination case was merely a pretext; the real purpose was to investigate whether Prince Bei Jing was secretly colluding with the Jia family.

But after investigating, he found no accomplices and instead stumbled upon the sordid affair of Shui Rong taking Jia Rong's wife—how could he possibly report such a scandal to His Majesty?

Moreover, everyone in the government and the public knows that Shui Rong needs to rest and recuperate after being assassinated. Even if there is a private affair, he would be "willing but unable" to do so. Revealing it rashly would only make it seem like he deliberately framed him.

He remained silent for a moment, then looked up at Shui Rong, his eyes surging with resentment, but he could only suppress his anger and slowly nodded: "Brother Wang is right. We have a long future ahead of us, let's see how it goes. As for the things you left behind, there's no need—the Prince Zhongshun's mansion doesn't lack those things."

He chuckled lightly, his tone carrying a hint of firmness, "Brother, please go well. I still have a matter to investigate outside the city, so I won't stay any longer."

Having said that, he lowered the carriage curtain and shouted at the driver, "Go!" The carriages of Prince Zhongshun's mansion immediately sped away, their wheels crunching over the snow and kicking up a cloud of snow foam.

Shui Rong lowered the carriage curtain, leaned back on the soft cushion, her eyes deep and thoughtful, and her fingertips tapped her knees lightly again.

He knew Zhang Shixun wouldn't let this go easily; today's confrontation was merely a temporary respite. "Return to the residence."

He gave the driver an order, and the carriage slowly started moving, heading towards the Prince of Beijing's residence.

The carriage was silent, except for his deep thoughts. The aftermath of the assassination case, the secret struggle with Prince Zhongshun, and the power struggle for the throne in the court all intertwined and swirled in his mind.