Chapter 35: Close and Distant

It was the New Year again, and Shen Zijie was recalled to the capital by the emperor.

Because of Wen Youqing's contributions to farming, he was ordered to return to the capital, naturally bringing his family with him. Shen Zijie stuffed the hot water bottle into Wen Youqing's blanket and said, "I always feel uneasy. Once we leave, only the Wang family and other noble families will be left in Xunyang."

"If the New Year doesn't pass, these noble families will really..." Before he finished speaking, his meaning was clear. Wen Youqing found a comfortable position and said, "Don't worry too much, it will be fine."

The carriage was slow and slow, and seeing Wen Youqing fall asleep, Shen Zijie finally showed a look of worry on his face. This time he went to Beijing, saying that he was returning to report on his work, but in fact, Cui Junji was behind it.

After controlling the flood, Cui Junji became even more depressed. It was said that he beheaded several corrupt officials with a smile and buried their heads in the mud for building the river dam.

In his previous life, he used his benevolence to win over the wise and capable people in the heartland of the Central Plains. In this life, he has won the hearts of the people on the border. It seems that the situation of holding the emperor hostage is not far away.

It was precisely because he was on good terms with Cui Junji that he was particularly worried about returning to Beijing to report on his work during the New Year holiday. Was he preparing to take action against the Wang family on the border?

Fortunately, he had Wang Rong prepare in advance, so hopefully nothing extreme would happen.

—

It was already the 25th when we arrived in Beijing. Every household had already hung up lanterns and put up Spring Festival couplets.

Because of Shen Zijie's promotion, the Shen family became much more friendly and waited for Shen Zijie at the door early.

Mother Shen held Shen Zijie's arm and pulled him away from Wen Youqing. She said happily, "You must have had a hard time on the road. Change your clothes and take a rest first, then go to the main house to see your uncle and aunt."

Shen Zijie supported his mother with one hand, and with the other hand he still held Wen Youqing steadily, and said with a smile: "Okay, mother, don't worry, let us take a breath."

Seeing that Wen Youqing was pregnant, the Shen family looked much better. Mother Shen said, "Daughter-in-law, you don't have to go. It will be hard to move with such a big belly. Now you can rest in the house."

It seems considerate, but if you don't see the elders when you enter the mansion, I don't know what outsiders will say. Shen Zijie naturally wanted to let Wen Youqing rest, but he knew that people's words were scary, so he smiled and said: "Don't worry, let the ancestors and aunts also see this joy, isn't it better?"

After a few polite words, there was nothing else to say. It was nothing more than asking Shen Zijie to take care of his family more in the court.

There is no difficulty, and naturally no concern.

At night, after washing up, Shen Zijie got into the finest brocade. The calluses on his hands immediately snagged the quilt. He said seriously, "Do you want to go back to the Wen family on Chuyi? I'll help you vent your anger."

"No need. You married me back then and I already felt relieved. It's not worth it to worry about someone who has nothing to do with you." Wen Youqing subconsciously touched her belly. "Where are you going tomorrow?"

"I'm meeting up with my friends in Beijing. I found a great place for you to enjoy the snow. You can stay there all day without being disturbed."

Wen Youqing kissed Shen Zijie on the face, "Thank you, husband."

The next day, Shen Zijie slept until noon before taking Wen Youqing out. He still looked like a dandy boy, which made Shen's mother frown. She couldn't help but warn: "Don't take your wife with you. She is heavy and it's not convenient for her."

Shen Zijie remained unmoved, and said nonchalantly, "You looked down upon me, your son, in the past. Now that I have married such a talented and beautiful woman, I must show her off."

Hearing this, Mother Shen knew that her son's temper had not changed. Instead, she was more concerned about Wen Youqing and said, "If this kid does something stupid, come back quickly. I will support you."

"Thank you, mother-in-law."

Shen Zijie went to the largest singing and dancing house in the capital. After entering, someone came to pick up Wen Youqing. They walked from the back door to the inner court, isolated from the noise. The inner court was actually a different world.

The interior of the house is elegant and simple, and outside the window is the vast picture of the river in the snow, which makes people calm down.

Si Shi knew that Wen Youqing liked to play in the snow, so she said, "Miss, I'll get you some snacks you like. There's no rush to play in the snow later."

But Wen Youqing really couldn't hold it in any longer. She even forgot her disgust for Xue when she broke off the engagement. She walked out of the corridor alone and headed towards the river.

There were dozens of steps, and they were indeed slippery, but she walked carefully.

Suddenly, a strong hand, as solid as a rock, supported Wen Youqing as she staggered. She tilted her head and looked at Cui Junji, whose features were handsome, and for a moment she was stunned.

Wen Youqing didn't come back to her senses until Cui Junji called out to her. She lowered her eyes and pulled her arm away, secretly cursing her own face-chasing nature. A chill spread from her feet to her body. She stood up straight and said, "Thank you."

Cui Junji's eyes fell on Wen Youqing's bulging belly. His eyes were too unpredictable. Wen Youqing felt uncomfortable and subconsciously took a step back.

Before she could move her feet, she heard Cui Junji say, "You're almost due, so you'd better not go out much. Even if you do go out, you have to let him accompany you."

"Being a father is different. He's so nagging." Wen Youqing retorted.

These words were really harsh to Cui Junji. Before he controlled the flood, he seemed to want to prove something by making Li pregnant again, and calculated the date to be after Wen Youqing gave birth.

Cui Junji immediately looked away, gazed into the distance for a moment, and hurriedly avoided the topic: "Where are you going? Do you have to walk in the snow?"

"Come out for a walk." Wen Youqing said briefly and clearly, not wanting to waste time, so he held onto the railing and continued walking.

"Where's Brother Shen? I saw him drinking in the brothel. Is there a conflict?"

Wen Youqing glanced at Cui Junji as if he were an idiot and said, "You already know this, why are you asking me?"

After not seeing each other for a long time, Wen Youqing was still the same Wen Youqing. Cui Junji smiled and said, "Are you really angry?"

"If you like, please continue to watch here." Wen Youqing really didn't want to stay with him any longer.

"Madam, don't you like the snow scene?" Cui Junji walked backwards in front of Wen Youqing and said with a smile.

"I don't like it." The snow and the man in front of her reminded her of herself kneeling in the snow many years ago. Wen Youqing's face turned completely cold. "Master Cui, I'm nice to you because I'm well-educated, not because you're nice. Whether I'm angry or not is my private matter and has nothing to do with Master Cui. And if I'm going to come out in anger just because my husband is drinking, it's really looking down on me."

"If I were really angry, I would kill my husband and find another one."

The harmony just now was gone in a flash. Cui Junji also saw the fierce disgust in her eyes. The hand he reached out to help her was severely stung. He silently put it behind his back and stood aside.

But he didn't take a step back. His heart was strangely excited by her words. He lowered his eyes to look at her, and his eyes were no longer as gentle as before. Instead, they were filled with worldly wisdom and coldness, as if he was thinking about where to bite her and kill her with a single blow.

Her neck, wrists, waist...every part of her body was so vivid and fragile.

The prey under his nose was ignorant of life and death, and glared at him further, "You and I should just be casual acquaintances. We should pretend that each other doesn't exist during normal times, and not even think about each other during holidays. That's the best."

The familiarity Cui Junji had imagined was completely shattered between the lines of Wen Youqing's writing. It was like being stripped naked and exposed in a busy street, allowing everyone to see his filthy inner self. Anyone else would have died countless times, but with Wen Youqing, he truly understood the true meaning of laughter in the face of extreme anger, and slowly put on his gentlemanly face.

"Madam, let's just wait and see. There's no need to rush to conclusion." Wen Youqing shuddered as if being stared at by a poisonous snake. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Shen Zijie who came anxiously.

In just a blink of an eye, the smile spread from Wen Youqing's mouth to her eyes, dazzling Cui Junji. She waved her hand and said happily, "Husband."

"You really are running around everywhere. I couldn't find you when I turned around. I just fell when I came here. No, no, let's go home first. I'll buy you what you want to eat." Shen Zijie seemed to have fallen quite hard and came over limping.

After he finished speaking, he seemed to see Cui Junji in white clothes. He was startled and said, "Hey, Brother Cui, why are you here? I thought you had gone home just now."

"Lord Cui is going back, let's go back." Wen Youqing supported Shen Zijie, but Shen Zijie held her hand and pulled her into his arms.

Cui Junji saw this and said with a smile: "Go back quickly, don't fall again."

Cui Junji stared at the two women's backs, supporting each other in the snow, his eyes unblinking. His nails dug into his flesh, and his surging emotions slowly cooled. He had thought that his interest in her was only temporary, and that once his career was smooth and his family was harmonious, he would forget that temporary interest.

But he seemed to be wrong. If he had known earlier, he would not have transferred them back to the capital. At least, out of sight, out of mind.

After the New Year, Shen Zijie received an imperial edict to leave Beijing. His official position was promoted, but he could not enter the capital, and the Shen family's attitude towards him became cold again.

Shen Zijie, who had originally planned to have Wen Youqing give birth in Beijing, was also troubled. If she went back, she might give birth right after returning. He was also worried about the sanitary conditions at the border.

But the imperial edict was difficult to disobey, and he was also worried about the border, so he spent a lot of money to hire several midwives and doctors to accompany him.

—

"You are uneasy today," Wang Ding'an, the chief minister, looked at the chess game with the outcome already decided, and slowly placed the last piece. "The New Year has just passed, what is making you uneasy? It's just the interpersonal relationships, which takes some time and energy. I shouldn't let you be like this." Wang Ding'an knocked the chessboard in disappointment.

Cui Junji blushed, but his heart was still on Northern Xinjiang. He offered a cup of tea and said, "Please forgive me, Master. I've been so busy at home that I was a little distracted for a moment."

"You are not the type to get upset by such a small matter. If you have anything to say, please tell me."

Cui Junji just said it was a trivial matter.

"The child has grown up and has his own worries." Chief Minister Wang raised his eyes slightly, glanced at him, let Cui Junji help him up, and slowly walked towards the main hall.

"You've experienced the Northern Frontier and Luoyang, and you've gained achievements and connections. That's enough." Wang Shoufu glanced at his most proud disciple. "But if you leave, I'm afraid that situation over there will be unstable. You need to be able to stand firm here."

Cui Junji's heart was empty. As smart as he was, he didn't believe what his teacher meant for a moment, and asked cautiously: "Not very safe? With Brother Shen over there, how could there be any insecurity?"

Prime Minister Wang chuckled, his beard trembling slightly. "The Shen family's brat does have some skills, but he's too gentle and dull, and doesn't know how to leverage momentum. A wise man builds momentum and plans accordingly. No matter how much he does, the capital is thousands of miles away. Who can hear or see him?"

Cui Junji didn't say anything, but he felt very uncomfortable in his heart.

Seeing his beloved disciple remain silent, Prime Minister Wang understood about half of what was going on. "I've heard my blockheaded nephew say that those who can get along are all blockheads. There's no point in being close friends with this person. If you truly think he's talented, get him a real job in the Ministry of Works or something, so he has something to do and can serve the court."

Cui Junji's mind was in a state of confusion. He simply said, "I understand. I still have some unfinished business in Luoyang. I can't accompany you to eat Yuanxiao. Please don't indulge in sweets, as they may damage your spleen and stomach."

After the people left, Wang Shoufu had the chess set put away. A young woman came forward and said softly, "Uncle, the wind is strong, let's go back to the house first."

This person was none other than Wang Rong’s half-sister, Wang Ruoti. Although she was not Wang Shoufu’s biological daughter, she had been valued by Wang Shoufu since she was a child and was raised by his side.

Wang Shoufu snorted coldly: "The wolf cub has grown up and has his own thoughts."

"Then why did my uncle teach him personally?" Wang Ruoti complained. "I let him learn most of my uncle's talent for managing the world."

"Son, look at those hawkers. They scratch people with their claws and peck people with their beaks. Nine out of ten hawks cannot be tamed. All of them are dangerous. Why do they keep them?" Prime Minister Wang persuaded him.

Wang Ruoti understood immediately and said with a smile, "My uncle is really capable. Even though he was sent to the border, he was still on my uncle's territory and used my uncle's methods."

Chief Minister Wang stopped and looked at his brother's daughter. He regretted countless times that she was not a boy. One of the sons in the Wang family was upright and stubborn, while the others were mediocre. Only this eight-year-old could understand the emotions in his paintings.

It was just an osprey lying among the lotus flowers. When Wang Ruoti was young, he asked him, "Uncle, why is the family title not yours?"

He patted Wang Ruoti's shoulder, saying, "Uncle is almost unable to teach you. Would you like to go to Cui Junji and continue your studies?"

In just a moment, Wang Ruoti understood the important task entrusted to her by Prime Minister Wang. She stepped back and bowed politely, "Ruoti will definitely live up to my uncle's expectations."