Chapter 66 Luck

Zhuang Dongqing was stunned.

A moment later, "Huh?"

My heart was truly fluttering, and I didn't realize it at first either.

"But, can we leave the capital?"

"Hasn't there been a lot of trouble lately?"

He paused, then realized, "It's not returning to his fiefdom, it's going to Jiangnan?!"

Cen Yan put his arm around Zhuang Dongqing and helped him sit down in the armchair. He then found a chair for himself and placed it next to Zhuang Dongqing. Seeing that Zhuang Dongqing's belly seemed to have grown a bit since they last met, Cen Yan took matters into his own hands and brought in a teapot and cups to mix the water.

Cen Yan: "I can walk."

"It's precisely because so many things have happened that it's hard to say what would have happened if nothing had gone wrong."

"Yes, going to Jiangnan is safer. Returning to the fiefdom... we can try, but it's unlikely to work out."

He had been kept here for so long, and the princes were growing up day by day. The power in the court was slowly becoming fragmented. When the court had more control, he was not allowed to return. Now that the court's control had weakened, it seemed unrealistic to let him go back.

In truth, even now, he still believes that it will probably have to wait until His Majesty passes away...

But to say that would be extremely disrespectful.

The first glass of water was placed next to Zhuang Dongqing and given to him. Cen Yan drank the second glass of water in one gulp, and then poured himself another glass.

Zhuang Dongqing then realized that Cen Yan's clothes were still the same as before. It was said to be a setup, but to make it look convincing, he probably had a tough time in the palace these past few days.

With a thought in mind, Zhuang Dongqing asked, "So, are you still going to the government office tomorrow?"

Cen Yan: "His Majesty has allowed me to come back and rest for two days. I can also take this opportunity to send my mother and Consort Tao off."

Oh, the Emperor's birthday celebrations have already passed. Indeed, it's not good to keep those people in the fiefdom any longer.

Zhuang Dongqing smiled, seemingly lost in thought. Cen Yan looked at him, and Zhuang Dongqing, unable to avoid his questioning gaze, finally said, "I noticed that the Dowager Consort is doing quite well with the Princess. After the incident at the Emperor's birthday celebration, Liu Qi comforted the Dowager Consort Tao within the palace, and letters were also sent to the Princess's residence. Every time I inquired, she said everything was fine..."

"Well, I'm a bit sentimental. Those who want to leave can't, and those who want to stay have to be sent away."

Cen Yan thought for a moment, then laughed, “That’s true.”

After Cen Yan put down his water glass, Zhuang Dongqing said, "Change your clothes and wash up first. We're not leaving anyway. We can talk after you're all comfortable."

This is what Cen Yan was thinking when he came back.

However, once she saw Zhuang Dongqing and saw him crying, she couldn't care less about anything else.

After catching his breath, Zhuang Dongqing mentioned it, and Cen Yan also felt uncomfortable all over, so he nodded.

It's rare for the east wing to start boiling water in the afternoon.

Cen Yan went to the restroom, and Zhuang Dongqing wanted to do something for him, so she went to get him some clean clothes, including undergarments and outer garments. Thinking that he probably wouldn't be going out today, she chose something light and comfortable.

Just as she hung up her undergarments, she saw Cen Yan starting to wash his hair. Zhuang Dongqing said, "Let me fetch water for you."

"good."

Zhuang Dongqing took a water ladle and carefully avoided rinsing Cen Yan's ears while pouring water down her face.

The bathroom was filled with steam, and everything was partially obscured, making it difficult to see clearly...

Zhuang Dongqing forced her gaze away from Cen Yan's smooth arm lines again, feigning composure.

Damn it, I've seen it so many times, why do I still want to watch it so much!

There is no solution.

They had no choice but to pretend it didn't happen.

Well, he was just helping out; having lustful thoughts doesn't matter.

After washing her hair, Zhuang Dongqing's face was also a little hot. She took a towel and wrapped it around Cen Yan's face. She called out, and several more buckets of hot water were brought in for Cen Yan to take a bath.

After Cen Yan was fully immersed in the tub, Zhuang Dongqing poured water on his back.

"Could you help me dry my hair? It's too wet."

Just as Zhuang Dongqing was about to leave after washing up, Cen Yan suddenly spoke up.

It's not that it's impossible, it's just...

Zhuang Dongqing: "I didn't do a as good job as Liufu, if we're going to talk about it..."

Cen Yan: "It's nothing."

He tilted his head back at the edge of the bathtub.

Zhuang Dongqing had no choice but to reach out. To be fair, Cen Yan's hair was of very good quality—very black and smooth. After washing, when spread out on the pillow, it had a luster like silk.

He really wasn't good at doing these things. In modern times, where would he get long hair? But in the Great Sheng Dynasty, he was well taken care of by Liu Fu.

Zhuang Dongqing felt pain every time she accidentally pulled on the handle, but Cen Yan didn't say anything, so Zhuang Dongqing had to be more careful.

After wiping her face once and looking up, she realized that Cen Yan's gaze had been fixed on her face.

"..."

"What's wrong?"

It shouldn't hurt that much, right?

Cen Yan's voice was very soft, "Look at you."

What's so interesting about it...?

It's not like we haven't seen it before.

But she could only keep her thoughts to herself. When their eyes met, Zhuang Dongqing couldn't help but be drawn to Cen Yan.

Actually, their skin is all white, but his is probably thinner, and he blushes easily if he feels shy or embarrassed.

It's not just his face, his whole body is like this.

Cen Yan's fair skin is more like an inorganic, cold white, a fixed color. Even if it has a hint of red, it is a pale red, and it is not easily noticeable unless you look closely.

For example, right now.

The temperature in the washroom was high, and Cen Yan, having spent too long in the palace, had become a germaphobe and took a long time to wash.

Now, immersed in the bathtub, the high temperature had brought an unusual blush to his cheeks. Zhuang Dongqing looked at him and unconsciously swallowed.

Cen Yan raised an eyebrow at him.

Zhuang Dongqing put down the towel in her hand, reached out, and touched Cen Yan's Adam's apple, which swayed with his breathing.

Cen Yan seemed to be deep in thought, then turned her head and kissed his wrist.

No, not the kind that's just a light touch, but... the kind that's rough and chewy, like you're sucking on it, biting into it, and wanting to lick off a layer of it...

Zhuang Dongqing's breathing quickened, and Cen Yan leaned his head against the edge of the bathtub again, taking several breaths as well.

"I miss our young master..."

The lips opened and closed, becoming very moist and red from biting.

The slightly hoarse voice was soft, but it went straight into Zhuang Dongqing's ears, making him inexplicably hold his breath.

"oh."

In response, Zhuang Dongqing moved closer.

Cen Yan parted his lips; the meaning was self-evident.

Zhuang Dongqing kissed him, starting slowly, and Cen Yan followed his lead, but didn't let go.

When Zhuang Dongqing was a little confused, Cen Yan reminded her, "Put your hand on the edge of the bucket, hold on tight, and be careful not to fall."

Zhuang Dongqing wanted to, but Cen Yan got up and cupped his face in her hands...

Water droplets slid down her shoulder blades, and within her line of sight, Cen Yan's collarbone was quite beautiful.

Zhuang Dongqing... actually misses Cen Yan a lot too...

It couldn't be stopped.

Neither of them could stop.

When Cen Yan asked him to hold onto the edge of the bathtub, Zhuang Dongqing was still wondering why the bathtub could fit both of them; it didn't look that big...

As Cen Yan pressed against his back, Zhuang Dongqing trembled all over.

Splash splash—

The hot water rippled in the bathtub, creating rhythmic waves that splashed outwards.

Behind her was Cen Yan, and in front of her was the bathtub wall; she couldn't even climb out. Zhuang Dongqing's tears fell again.

That's too much.

"Hmm, what?" Cen Yan kissed his ear and asked him in a deep voice.

Zhuang Dongqing's eyes were red.

"Heavy, important?... Hmm."

Cen Yan's persistent question: "Do you like it or not?"

Zhuang Dongqing cried, "...I like it."

I love it so much!

*

Zhuang Dongqing had no choice but to take a shower as well.

*

After washing up and changing her clothes, Zhuang Dongqing sprawled out on a recliner in the yard, her eyes glazed over.

Cen Yan, on the other hand, was quite energetic.

He dismissed the servants and slowly explained to him, "Regarding the altar, some delegations from small foreign states had all their members replaced when they arrived in the capital."

"Two groups of people have been found to be suspicious. Whether there are spies in the large foreign missions is still under investigation."

"I suspect so."

"This person was dug out from some obscure corner; he can't even speak properly, and he didn't cover up his true intentions."

"As for framing someone for treason, it's just political infighting. They're trying to take the opportunity to eliminate their rivals. I noticed that among the ministers who were falsely accused, there are ministers who are close to the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince. It's like casting a wide net to catch many fish."

"Before this dynasty, there were quite a few tribes living in Shangjing. It was only after this dynasty that they became entirely Han Chinese. Before that, people like yours, as well as some scattered members of small tribes, could all be seen in Shangjing, which led to a situation—"

“Going back three generations, no one can say that their family is purely Han Chinese. There are always some mixed branches. So if any minister’s appearance is slightly different, they will be accused of colluding with foreign enemies. His Majesty is very suspicious now. If there is anything that cannot be explained, he will be skinned alive, if not killed.”

Zhuang Dongqing looked at Cen Yan, her mind sluggish, "Then you..."

"Me? I belong to a different category."

Seeing Zhuang Dongqing's expression, Cen Yan said, "Liu Qi said you went to see Consort Tao. You guessed it, didn't you? What did I rely on to shout 'Catch the person' in the street back then?"

Zhuang Dongqing nodded.

Those few words of gibberish, which must have been the language of the Jurchens, were recognized by Cen Yan.

That's how I found out who the thief was.

Cen Yan: "Some members of the Jin royal family are born with golden eyes and are regarded by their clan as people who are capable of undertaking great responsibilities."

"Consort Tao looked like a Han Chinese, and after giving birth to me, I inherited some of that feature."

"But the fiefdom was also inhabited by various tribes. If you insist that Father's ancestors had blood from another tribe, it is actually plausible."

"I guess they just tried it out casually. They saw that I looked like one, and since they had also gathered the remnants of the fallen families, they let them make these false accusations."

Zhuang Dongqing: "But you were already..."

Cen Yan: "Yes, I guess they never imagined that something so outrageous would actually be true."

"So my solution is actually very simple: have a conversation with the person who is accusing me in a different language. Once they are shocked, they will be exposed and their innocence will be proven."

Zhuang Dongqing: "..."

It was such a lucky accident.

"Then why...?"

Cen Yan: "Cast a wide net. As long as we can get rid of one or two of His Majesty's trusted confidants, the third and fourth, it will greatly benefit the person behind the scenes."

"Furthermore, given His Majesty's current physical condition... if we can cut off even just one of his spies, it would be a good thing for all the princes."

Zhuang Dongqing remained silent.

Unable to comprehend anything too complicated, she pressed on to the question she wanted answered, "If that's the case, will His Majesty still harbor suspicions?"

Cen Yan: "Yes."

"That's why I said, with this matter, things will be easier to handle."

Zhuang Dongqing didn't understand.

Cen Yan slowly said to him, "Even if he knows it's a coincidence, His Majesty will definitely think more about it. Once he starts thinking about it more deeply, it's impossible for me to reveal my identity. He'll start to speculate whether another prince has also discovered this secret. Once his thinking goes in that direction, my reliability will decrease..."

"Therefore, it is best for me to request to leave the capital now."

“I will be sent away for a year or two, cutting off my contact with the princes, and observe them slowly. If there are no unusual developments after this period, His Majesty will then fully believe that it was a pure coincidence.”

Zhuang Dongqing rubbed her temples: "This is so complicated."

All this suspicion and mistrust is giving me a headache.

Cen Yan smiled and said, "You don't need to worry about that. Just know that we're leaving."

Thinking of something, Zhuang Dongqing added, "You're so useful, even... would His Majesty be willing to let you leave the capital?"

"meeting."

"Because of this matter, there is no one more suitable than me."

Zhuang Dongqing: "What is it?"

"Salt inspection".

Zhuang Dongqing was taken aback.

Cen Yan said slowly, "It just takes a bit of effort."

“In my early years, I was only thinking about returning to my fiefdom, and I couldn’t be bothered with anything else.”

"Right now, it's better to go out and do something practical than to get tangled up in the whirlpool of Beijing, living a life that's neither human nor ghost."

After a pause, Cen Yan glanced at Zhuang Dongqing with a smile.

She said softly, "It's also a way to accumulate blessings for future generations."

Zhuang Dongqing seemed to be thinking of something, but hesitated to speak.

Cen Yan: "?"

Zhuang Dongqing lowered his eyes for a moment, then slowly beckoned to Cen Yan, "Hey, come sit over here."

"Young Master, we're already very close."

Ignoring Cen Yan's teasing, Zhuang Dongqing simply said, "...come a little closer."

"good."

"You, put your hand out."

Cen Yan reached out his hand.

Zhuang Dongqing placed his hand on her protruding belly and said shyly, "It's not certain, you... you'll have to wait."

"What's all this secrecy about? Why are you keeping it a secret..."

Sensing something, Cen Yan suddenly fell silent.

Shh! You can touch it.

Zhuang Dongqing said seriously.

Two more times.

Cen Yan said in disbelief, "Yes..."

Zhuang Dongqing nodded, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "It's moving."

Fetal movement.

And it's quite significant; you can feel it.

"It happened a few days ago. He doesn't like to move around much either..."

Making conversation, he said, "I didn't expect you to be able to touch me. You're really lucky."

Under Cen Yan's intense gaze, Zhuang Dongqing's voice grew softer and softer until it finally fell silent.

Cen Yan found it difficult to describe the feeling at that moment.

She wanted to put her head on Zhuang Dongqing's stomach, but she held back, realizing that Zhuang Dongqing was not very willing.

A moment later, Zhuang Dongqing heard Cen Yan's voice softly.

That is,”

"Young Master is my lucky star."

"After meeting you, all my luck has been good."

The voice was so tender that Zhuang Dongqing dared not look up.

*

After seeing off both the Dowager Consort and Dowager Consort Tao, Cen Yan submitted a memorial requesting to return to his fiefdom.

The memorial was detained by His Majesty for a few days, and then rejected in court.

In subsequent discussions about the salt administration, both Cen Yan and Li Yang volunteered. The former was willing to take on a mess, while the latter had grown up and wanted to go out and gain experience.

This was followed by several more days of back-and-forth.

Whether Li Yang goes or not, the officials are all indifferent; after all, it's just a chance to gain experience.

However, all the officials in the court wholeheartedly supported Cen Yan's decision to go.

In addition, the salt administration had accumulated many problems in recent years, which had also depleted the national treasury. With these factors combined, Emperor Shengwu finally nodded in approval at the morning court session one day.