93 Technology
"Can't you practice more?"
When Gu Ningxi woke up, the bed beside him had been empty for a long time.
When she asked the time, it was exactly the Si hour.
Looking at the dazzling sunlight outside the window, she was panicked for a moment, and then she remembered that she was on duty in the imperial study today.
She felt relieved, changed into her crimson official robe, had a simple breakfast, and then ordered the carriage to enter the palace.
The distance from Prince Zhao's Mansion to the Imperial Study was not far. Gu Ningxi made up her mind that if she met a colleague, she would say that it was His Majesty who asked her to go to Prince Zhao's Mansion to get an official document, and it was definitely not that she was late for the roll call.
Sun Jing opened the door of the imperial study for Lord Gu with a smile. After Lu Jingfang finished discussing matters with the court officials, he was reviewing today's memorials.
"Have you slept enough?" He looked at his beloved with a smile, indicating that no court officials would come to see him today, and asked her to sit next to him.
Gu Ningxi was familiar with the duties in the imperial study and had a tacit understanding with Lu Jing, so it was more than enough for them to report for duty starting at noon.
At present, the court is carrying out three tasks simultaneously: reforming the military system, abolishing royal titles, and redistributing prefectures and counties, and they are being carried out one by one in an orderly manner.
The decree of demotion was sent to all four regions, and effective from the winter solstice, their ranks and salaries were officially reduced. This swift resolution gave the Lu clan princes more than two months to adjust to the situation.
The new emperor acted decisively and without any regard for the feelings of his fellow clan members.
All the memorials submitted by the Lu clan were kept in the palace, without a single reply. To preserve their titles, many close relatives had already petitioned the retired emperor.
In Renzhi Palace, the retired emperor read letter after letter of petition, feeling sorry for the victims.
Moreover, they were all royal titles bestowed by his imperial decree, and he was very unhappy to see them all stripped away by Qi'an.
"This kid is too reckless. Before his kingdom is stable, he's already targeting his own people."
Empress Yao pruned a bunch of flowers and said calmly, "The imperial court imposes low taxes and levies, saving the people's energy. It would be inappropriate to use such a large amount of taxes to support members of the imperial family who have done nothing for them."
Emperor Mingde was aware of this truth, but since they were all relatives of the Lu family, it was inappropriate for Qi'an to be so ruthless.
"If Your Majesty can't save face, just stay away. Why bother with them?" Queen Yao said calmly, completely approving of the new emperor's actions. "For the clan members, the title of Marquis is already generous enough. If Your Majesty had conferred the title upon them, I'm afraid they would still be grateful to this day."
If the imperial family were to multiply in the future, the court would likely find it difficult to afford such high salaries and rice. Rather than waiting until then and then struggling to strip him of his title, it would be better to cut ties right from the start.
At this age, Empress Yao no longer wanted to keep many things to herself and spoke her mind: "Qian has taken the bad name for Your Majesty. As a father, I cannot destroy him."
The Emperor was speechless, and Empress Yao trimmed the branches to a passable degree. "Your Majesty will be ill in the next few days. If there are relatives, I will take care of them."
"Alright, alright."
Empress Yao issued an order that Renzhi Palace be closed to visitors for the next month. Even if there were close relatives who were difficult to refuse, she dismissed them with a few words, citing the emperor's illness and long absence from court.
Letters arrived from Shu, confirming Heng'er's safety. He was now in charge of all Shu affairs, and Qi'an issued a decree exempting the people of Shu from taxes for three years, striving to quickly restore Shu's reputation as the "Land of Abundance."
Empress Yao placed the latest letter, which she had carefully read, in a box. Heng'er's temperament resembled his father. In a peaceful and prosperous era, she believed her son would be capable of becoming a wise and stable ruler.
But the current situation is different. Internal and external troubles have not been resolved. Only Qi'an can suppress this chaotic world and build a beautiful country.
Everyone has their place, and she has never regretted her decision.
…
The political reforms were in full swing, and Gu Ningxi almost forgot his birthday.
She had held her coming-of-age ceremony last year and was the legitimate eldest son of Marquis Xuanping.
In Qinlan Courtyard, Madam Meng had already prepared a sumptuous meal. After lunch, Gu Ningxi had to report back to the Ministry of Works.
It was a rare time for mother and daughter to be together. Mrs. Meng watched Gu Ningxi drink her soup and said, "You've been staying at home less and less these past two months."
Gu Ningxi said vaguely, "The Secretariat is very busy, and I really don't have time."
She would go home every few days to have meals and talk with her mother, but she rarely stayed overnight in Leyouyuan.
Sometimes she would joke, "Look, mother, if I really got married, I wouldn't be able to come back to see you all the time. I would have to look at my husband and mother-in-law's faces when I go out."
This caused Madam Meng to tap her head lightly: "Talking nonsense again."
She had initially worried that Xi'er wouldn't be able to take good care of herself while she was away from home due to her busy work schedule, but every time she saw her daughter, Xi'er looked well, her cheeks even a little more rosy than before.
She looked happy and said, "Aren't you staying in the mansion on your birthday?"
"I have to go to the Imperial Study tomorrow to be on duty. If I am late for even a moment and delay important matters, His Majesty will be displeased."
Serving the king requires caution and care, Madam Meng nodded and reminded her not to miss the time.
Madam Meng looked at her daughter with a loving heart. She asked the maid to serve Gu Ningxi some food, then suddenly said, "I've been watching you for a while now, and I always feel that you are different from before."
Gu Ningxi was unexpectedly choked by the soup, and Madam Meng hurriedly ordered the maid to pat her back.
"What changes do you think have occurred in your child?"
Mrs. Meng took a closer look and found that the appearance had not changed much, but she felt that the aura was very different.
"It's like my daughter has grown up all of a sudden."
The speaker had no intention, but Gu Ningxi lowered her eyes, feeling empty inside.
If her mother knew what she had done outside, she would definitely give her a severe lesson.
After lunch, Gu Ningxi talked with his mother for a while.
The maid came and reported: "Madam, Erlangjun, the eldest daughter is here."
"Please ask her to come in."
Although she was not on good terms with Mrs. Shen, it did not affect Mrs. Meng's sincere praise for the eldest daughter of the Gu family.
Gu Ningwan came to give her sister a birthday gift. She greeted Mrs. Meng, and after sitting down, the three of them chatted.
She said deliberately: "Xi'er won't stay at home tonight."
Gu Ningxi felt as if she was facing a formidable enemy, and signaled to her sister with her eyes not to tease her.
Mrs. Meng smiled and explained for her daughter: "She is very busy with official duties, and I also want to keep her."
There was nothing Gu Ningwan didn't understand, she just saw it all but didn't say it. It was Xi'er's birthday, so it was obvious who she was going to spend the evening with.
After sitting for a while, Gu Ningxi happened to be going back to the Ministry of Works duty room, so Gu Ningwan said goodbye with her.
The two walked together for a while, and when they passed the hanging flower gate, Gu Ningwan stopped.
Seeing that her sister had something to say, Gu Ningxi waited for her to speak.
"Are you in Kyoto on Double Ninth Festival?"
Gu Ningxi nodded: "I can stay."
Gu Ningwan had been thinking about it for a long time. In such a huge Xuanping Marquis Mansion, the only one who could help her was her sister.
She said, "I'll tell you in detail after you're done with this."
Gu Ningxi agreed.
…
The sky was full of twinkling stars, and the Ruihe Hall was beautifully decorated.
Gu Ningxi changed out of her official uniform. When she got up in the morning and went out, Lu Jing repeatedly told her that he would accompany her to celebrate her birthday tonight.
So after finishing her official business, she went straight back to Ruihe Hall from the Ministry of Works.
She thought with amusement that if she was delayed for a while longer by official business, the other party would probably come directly to the Ministry of Industry to pick her up.
On the Qixi Festival, the brocade screen flower-blooming lantern was specially lit, and the attendants all retreated to the outer room.
In addition to Gu Ningxi's favorite dishes, two pots of Ruilu sake were specially prepared for dinner.
The wine has a mellow and mild texture, a mellow and sweet taste and a long aftertaste.
The wine was not strong and Gu Ningxi enjoyed it.
There was no need for anyone to serve the food, the two of them sat facing each other and ate.
Speaking of court affairs, the imperial edict to reduce titles had been issued for more than half a month. Gu Ningxi saw that most of the Lu princes dared to be angry but not to speak out, and had already accepted the decree to reduce their titles.
But it was inevitable that some people might harbor ulterior motives. Gu Ningxi said, "We have to be on guard."
Lu Jing nodded, also wanting to see who dared to rebel against him.
Gu Ningxi and Lu Jing clinked their glasses, their eyes filled with smiles.
Yes, the most capable fighter in the entire Jin Dynasty sat before her. If one were to rebel against the dynasty, it would indeed take some courage.
She couldn't help but think that if she could lead troops to fight, she would be more confident in controlling military power.
No matter how restless the Lu clan members are, they probably won't be able to cause any big trouble.
"It's better to kill them with one blow, so as not to give them the opportunity to gather together and discuss things."
Gu Ningxi did not think that the decree to strip him of his title was too coercive. Except for the Lu clan, everyone in the world was happy to see it happen.
Take the Xuanping Marquisate, for example. The Gu family's title was passed down through their military campaigns with Emperor Gaozu, demonstrating their contributions to the founding of the nation. It's difficult to convince the public that those princes were crowned simply based on their surnames.
Gu Ningxi took a sip of the wine and refilled her own glass. It was rare to find a sake that she liked so much.
She had a good alcohol tolerance, and as the bottle of wine gradually finished, the two of them chatted more freely.
"...Why were you so distant from me when I first came back two years ago?"
"It's been three years since we last met," Gu Ningxi said innocently. "Besides, at that time, His Highness Prince Zhao had captured two kings in one battle and was very popular. I didn't follow you into the battlefield to suffer, so it would be inappropriate for me to come and add to your glory."
Not to mention how others view her, even she herself despises such "fawning" behavior, and she is even more afraid that the other party will misunderstand it.
Lu Jing laughed: "You are different from them."
"Besides, I still hold an official position in the Eastern Palace."
The Xuanping Marquis's family hesitated and was unwilling to serve the Eastern Palace at the beginning. In order to recover from the big step behind, they used her to show their loyalty.
But her life in the Eastern Palace was still okay. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was kind to everyone and never made things difficult for her.
"If I don't bring you to Prince Zhao's Mansion, what are you going to do? Keep hiding from me?"
Gu Ningxi thought about it slowly. With those dreams in mind, she would probably try harder to show her kindness to him.
She said, "It's so boring to keep bringing up the past... But," she raised her eyes, remembering an incident she had always ignored, "I was always dressed as a man back then. When did you have any, uh, inappropriate thoughts about me?"
She blinked her eyes in confusion, and Lu Jing said, "Let's not bring up the past."
Gu Ningxi: “…”
Before I knew it, both pots of fine wine were finished. The wine didn't taste like anything special at first, but it had a strong aftertaste.
Lu Jing lowered her eyes to look at the slightly drunk person. Her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were smooth and soft, like a full moon.
He picked him up and took him to sit beside the couch.
Gu Ningxi leaned back on the couch with her hands, letting the man in front of her half-kneel down to take off her brocade boots.
Lu Jing felt the weight and laughed, "How high are your shoes?"
When he was lying on the couch, he noticed that Yuan Le's stature was slightly different from what he usually saw.
"It's not that high!" Gu Ningxi repeated his words.
The more she thought about it, the more unconvinced she became. She jumped off the bed barefoot, determined to show him the difference between before and after.
"Not much difference, is it?"
"Okay, no."
It was a chilly autumn night, and Lu Jing was afraid that she would catch a cold, so he lifted her up by her hips.
Gu Ningxi wrapped her calves around his thin waist, and now she was much taller than him as she wished.
The candlelight was soft and lingering, illuminating his handsome features.
Gu Ningxi couldn't help but lower her head to kiss him, their lips and teeth intertwined. Lu Jing laid her horizontally on the couch and began to untie her brocade belt.
The half-drunk Gu Ningxi looked up at him and obediently let him do what he wanted.
Pieces of clothes were piled on the ground, and when the curtain was lowered, Gu Ningxi blurted out a word.
"Can't you practice more?"
"It's okay if it takes a long time each time, and I won't mention it if it happens often, but can there be more styles?"
She was worried in her heart. Although it was still comfortable, it was far worse than what she had dreamed of!
Lu Jing was so shocked by these words that he could hardly recover.
So much so that in the second half of the night, when the person in his arms was already asleep from exhaustion, those words were still lingering in his mind.
The next day, after finishing his duties in the imperial study, Lu Jing put down his pen.
When the emperor returned to Ruihe Hall, he had dinner absent-mindedly and called Sun Jing.
He thought for a moment and didn't know how to describe it: "Is there anyone in the palace——"
Sun Jing was so perceptive that he immediately guessed what His Majesty was talking about.
"Yes, yes."
He personally went to get a few volumes. These secret play picture books were all treasures of the palace and were far superior to the crudely made picture books on the market.
After delivering the things, he hurriedly left.
It happened that Lu Jing had some free time this evening, so he placed the three picture albums on the desk.
And since he was not Long Yang, he looked at it without any burden.
The painter's skillful brushwork makes pairs of characters appear to be in a state of lingering affection, with expressions of ecstasy, as if they have reached paradise.
The writing is full of charming and beautiful postures, with various looks, and there is no repetition even after turning over a dozen pages.
Lu Jing couldn't help but think of Yuan Le in his arms last night, with flushed cheeks and gentle voice.
As the night deepened, Sun Jing, who was on duty, heard the order from Ruihe Hall again.
On an early autumn night, I went to prepare three buckets of cold water.
He stood in the corridor and looked at the dim moon in the sky.
Alas, you are young after all.
…
Gu Ningxi, who was far away in the Ministry of Works, knew nothing about what happened in Ruihe Hall.
In fact, she didn't even remember a few words he'd said that night while drunk. She only knew that Lu Qian'an had no self-control at all. Round after round, as if it was his birthday, he did whatever he wanted.
Gu Ningxi had no time to go to the imperial study these past two days, discussing with Minister Li how to improve the high-speed rotary drum cart.
After being busy the whole afternoon, Gu Ningxi and Minister Li finished drawing a new draft of the blueprint before the end of the shift.
She put the pattern away, her smile clearly relaxed. "Tomorrow is finally my day off, so I can have a good rest."
Minister Li was quite envious. He also had to teach his two useless sons to read so that they could achieve fame and success as soon as possible.
He smiled and said, "Yuan Le, have you not planned on getting married yet?"
Gu Ningxi explained everything: "I want to accumulate more political achievements."
Young people are ambitious and want to build a career first and then start a family.
Minister Li sighed, "If my son could be half as good as Doctor Gu, I would have nothing else to ask for."
He truly admired Gu Ningxi. Although he came from an aristocratic family, Doctor Gu possessed none of the arrogance of a child from an aristocratic family. He was incredibly talented, yet also humble, diligent, and eager to learn.
Minister Li thought of his fellow Jinshi in the Taichang Temple, who had just been transferred to his post as the sixth son of the Lin family.
The young men of the Ningguo Mansion were uneducated and unskillful, and they were not allowed to say a word. He could only serve them, which made him miserable.
It was getting late, so Gu Ningxi bowed to Minister Li and said goodbye.
When she was wondering where to rest tonight, a familiar carriage had already stopped outside the Six Ministries' duty room and took her back to Prince Zhao's Palace.
The sunset tonight was gorgeous. Gu Ningxi stared at it for a long time before stepping into the mansion.
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