Chapter 53 He held her, she held the rabbit…
Xue Lanyi's feet suddenly left his arm, and she clung to him, trying to break free.
Under the corridor, the girl used both her hands and feet, but she could not escape his control at all.
In the end, Wei Zhang threw him into the armchair opposite the desk.
"Whoever broke it, has to copy it." He braced himself against the armrest, trapping her in the armchair.
Xue Lanyi's nose was slightly red and sweaty from the struggle, and she tried to get up but couldn't stand up.
"You got it wet yourself!"
“If you take good care of it, how could it get wet?” Wei Zhang raised an eyebrow.
"you!"
That's just sophistry!
Xue Lanyi was speechless for a moment, then said in a muffled voice, "I can't remember so many accounts."
Who was the author of the famous passage from the Zuo Zhuan, which he could memorize in five days?
How could Wei Zhang not remember? She had an exceptional memory even when she was at the Imperial Academy.
What's so difficult about copying a few accounts?
Wei Zhang released her, sat down opposite her at the desk, and went to review official documents.
Xue Lanyi puffed out her cheeks and stared intently at the stack of account books in front of her that were still dripping water.
Wei Zhang had calmed down and was turning the pages of the book at a leisurely pace. "If you don't move, the ink will smudge and you won't be able to tell the difference."
Even with her excellent memory, Xue Lanyi could not possibly fabricate accounts out of thin air.
Before the book becomes completely blurred, it's best to compare it with the original ledger for easy transcription; otherwise, it might take a year or two to organize everything completely.
Xue Lanyi jolted awake, straightened her back, and picked up her pen with her wrist suspended.
A lamp illuminates two people on either side of the desk.
On a damp, rainy night, the only sound outside could be the raindrops tapping against the window.
The candlelight, enveloped in dampness, emitted a gentle glow.
The flames, carried by the night wind, sometimes blew toward her, and sometimes carried the faint scent of sandalwood toward him.
Tonight is filled with official duties, and the Duke's mansion's accounts have been destroyed by some people. It's clearly a situation of internal and external troubles.
Wei Zhang, unaware of why he wasn't angry, actually handled his official duties with exceptional smoothness.
By midnight, all the backlogged tasks had been reviewed.
Wei Zhang raised his head, and the first thing he saw was not the cold, hard black lacquered furniture, but the pretty sleeping face of the girl opposite him.
Xue Lanyi had long since reached her limit. She propped her temples up with her hands, closed her eyes tightly, and her head kept slamming down.
Suddenly, his arm gave way and he plunged headfirst into the inkstone.
Wei Zhang subconsciously reached out and cupped her soft, plump cheek.
The skin is so smooth and delicate, it seems to have a slight elasticity, and the feeling of holding it in the palm of your hand is surprisingly wonderful.
Wei Zhang couldn't help but pinch her cheek, but perhaps his fingers were stiff from holding a pen for too long and he couldn't control his strength.
Xue Lanyi's face turned red from being pinched, her eyebrows furrowed, and she turned over and continued to sleep.
Wei Zhang then realized that the right cheek he had been supporting was covered in ink, staining half of his fair skin.
Like a tabby cat.
Wei Zhang shook his head helplessly. He couldn't let her get ink all over him, so he got up and took out a handkerchief from her collar to wipe it off for her.
His fingertips, holding the handkerchief, touched the ink on her face.
Wei Zhang suddenly remembered that back in the Imperial Academy, she would often sit behind Wei Xuan and doze off, and would often point her finger at the two brothers in the front row to warn them, "You two sit up straight, or you'll be in big trouble if the teacher finds out about me."
"It is disrespectful for teachers and students to doze off in the classroom." Wei Zhang, who was to her right, turned his head and solemnly reminded her.
She suddenly grabbed a brush dipped in ink and pointed it at Wei Zhang's nose, saying, "If you argue again, I'll draw a turtle on your face."
"Alright, Zhang, Yiyi didn't sleep well last night taking care of her mother. Let her sleep! I'll make up for the lessons she missed later." Wei Xuan put his arm around Wei Zhang's shoulder, gesturing for him to turn around and straighten his back.
“But…” Wei Zhang said in a muffled voice, his voice growing softer and softer: “She has no manners and can’t be disciplined.”
Xue Lanyi stuck out her tongue and made a face at him from behind.
Half an hour later, Wei Zhang secretly looked back again.
Xue Lanyi fell asleep holding a pen, a turtle stained with ink on her face.
While his brother wasn't looking, he secretly stuck his tongue out at her.
Unfortunately, Xue Lanyi couldn't see it.
She didn't even realize that every time she fell asleep, her face would be covered in dirty makeup.
Because, before she even woke up, Wei Xuan would carefully wipe the ink off her face.
Wei Zhang always stayed by their side, and he saw how carefully Wei Xuan wiped her, afraid of waking her up.
Each time he cleaned it, it was as if it were a major event, and a satisfied smile spread across his face.
Wei Zhang had never understood why Wei Xuan, a military general, could be so patient.
Now, as his fingertips touched her face, his movements became instinctively gentler.
He wiped the ink off her cheeks and nose little by little, and her face returned to its usual beautiful appearance.
A gentle stream welled up in Wei Zhang's heart, gradually filling his entire chest.
It was getting late, so he carried her back to her bedroom.
He turned off the lights, and held her in his arms within the four-sided curtains, resting his chin on the crook of her neck, the faint scent of sandalwood filling his nostrils.
He thought that he would be too busy to sleep well today, but he slept very well.
In his dream, he saw her standing an arm's length away from him, writing and turning the pages of a book together.
Before she knew it, his tall body arched against her back, pressing against her as closely as possible.
The next morning, when Wei Zhang woke up, Xue Lanyi was not in his arms, but at the other end of the bed, holding an ugly rabbit with a crooked face and a pointed snout.
Last night, she kept hugging the ugly rabbit.
He held her, and she held the rabbit.
Wei Zhang was afraid that the fleas on the ugly rabbit would soil his bed, so he threw her out several times, but she would unconsciously hug him back.
Wei Zhang sat up, his deep gaze fixed on Xue Lanyi.
Xue Lanyi felt an invisible force pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe. When she opened her eyes, Wei Zhang was sitting on the other side of the couch with a tense face.
"Did I wake the Duke?"
Xue Lanyi didn't realize that she had rolled over to the other side of the bed for the sake of a rabbit.
Wei Zhang didn't say much, and got up to go to the clothes rack.
Xue Lanyi noticed that he looked too good, and immediately tensed up. She quickly got off the bed to help him change his clothes.
Wei Zhang spread his arms and let her serve him, but his eyes would occasionally dart to the buck-toothed rabbit sleeping on his bed.
The air above Xue Lanyi's head was thick with gloom.
She dared not look at him, nor speak, for fear that saying too much would lead to trouble; she could only silently hope that he would leave the mansion soon.
She brought over her official robes.
Wei Zhang gestured with his hand, "The manor will hold a banquet to welcome guests in five days; all guests will be on leave until then."
Xue Lanyi was taken aback.
This is unlike Wei Zhang's style.
Even when the old Duke passed away, he would only observe a seven-day mourning period before immediately returning to court.
For the past five years, through thick and thin, how could he have neglected court affairs just because of the succession banquet?
Xue Lanyi was puzzled and too lazy to ask any more questions, but she felt immense pressure.
If he didn't attend court, Xue Lanyi would have to face him every moment, constantly on edge.
For a moment, the dark clouds in my heart were even heavier than the dark clouds outside the window.
But she didn't dare show it on her face. After changing him into his everyday clothes, she put on a proper smile and said, "I'll go prepare breakfast."
She tried to escape Wei Zhang's presence, but a strong hand grabbed her wrist. "Is the ledger copied?"
There is none.
There are five thick ledgers.
Xue Lanyi shook her head.
"Then hurry up and copy it! How can you put the priorities backwards?"
After saying that, Wei Zhang released her and went to his study with his hands behind his back.
Xue Lanyi stood behind him, stunned.
With so many ledgers, it would take at least five days to transcribe them without stopping.
So, during Wei Zhang's five-day holiday, she would have to stay in the same room with him every time.
Xue Lanyi frowned almost imperceptibly, but had no choice but to follow.
Just before leaving, she turned back, tidied the bed, and gently placed the rabbit on the pillow, covering it with her blanket.
She really liked the rabbit; just looking into its watery eyes brought a smile to her own, and her mood improved slightly.
As Wei Zhang passed by the window, he noticed that Xue Lanyi hadn't followed, but was instead sitting on the edge of the bed, grinning foolishly at the ugly thing.
His brows were furrowed.
A somber atmosphere quickly permeated the window.
Xue Lanyi turned around, her long, dark shadow cast on the window paper, enveloping her.
Her smile froze instantly, and she quickly lifted her skirt and followed.
Wei Zhang stopped and stood there with his hands behind his back, staring at the bed through the crack in the window. "Do you know what taboos the Duke's mansion has?"
Seeing his serious expression, Xue Lanyi realized that she might have unknowingly committed a serious taboo, and looked at him nervously.
He said, "My ancestor followed the emperor into Shengjing and was besieged in the Great Wilderness Mountain. He had no water or food for five days and five nights, and then he unexpectedly hunted a wild rabbit."
Xue Lanyi knew about what had happened before, but she had never heard the anecdotes about the wild rabbit.
She listened intently.
Wei Zhang solemnly said, "Our ancestor was so hungry that he wolfed down his food and almost died from having his throat cut by rabbit bones. Therefore, rabbits must not appear in the Duke's mansion."
"..."
Is there?
The Duke's ancestors were renowned for their military exploits and were like powerful and ruthless figures. How could they almost choke to death on a rabbit?
Xue Lanyi felt something was off. "But didn't you also make up a rabbit before..."
Do you think I would lie to you?
"..." Xue Lanyi felt that he wasn't that free.
The two stood facing each other in a stalemate.
Boom—
Suddenly, a thunderclap boomed from the horizon.
Wei Zhang looked up at the sky and said, "Look, the celestial signs are a warning to you."
Boom—
Another clap of thunder sounded from the horizon.
A blue-white lightning bolt struck straight at Wei Zhang.
Wei Zhang remained unmoved, but Xue Lanyi was almost terrified and instinctively hid behind Wei Zhang.
Wei Zhang glanced at the trembling girl beside him and said, "The ancestor is very unhappy. Don't let me get struck down with this."
Xue Lanyi was genuinely afraid of thunder, and she couldn't think of any reason why Wei Zhang would fabricate a story to deceive her.
So he quickly knelt down and went back into the house, opened the trunk, and put the rabbit into the bottom of the trunk where it was out of sight.
Another head peeked out from behind the huge trunk, looking out nervously.
Alert like a rabbit.
Outside the window, a barely perceptible smile appeared on Wei Zhang's lips as he strode towards his study.
*
For the next three days, dark clouds continued to surge in from the west.
They stretched out in a continuous line above Shengjing City, blocking out the sunlight.
In the city, the drizzle continued incessantly.
I heard that many cities in Dayong were flooded, and refugees flocked to the capital.
A powerful enemy was besieging the city from the outside, while floods ravaged the land, causing immense suffering to the people.
Amidst the constant turmoil and upheaval in the city, the courtyards were unusually quiet.
When Wei Zhang was in power, Chong'an Hall was always full of guests, and there was never a quiet day.
Now, he's been rejecting stacks of visiting cards.
He refused to see anyone or care about anything, spending his days in the study with Xue Lanyi, settling old scores.
Later, Shen Jinglan forced her way in twice.
On one occasion, it was because a court official suggested that the emperor form a marriage alliance with Xicang and marry the eldest princess of Xicang as his empress, in order to intimidate Xiqi.
Wei Zhang stood beside Xue Lanyi, pointing out the errors in the accounts while saying without looking up, "His Majesty's wedding should be discussed with the Ministry of Rites; the Censorate has no right to interfere."
Once, Shen Jinglan burst into the study, shouting in a panic, "The Minister of Personnel is demanding that the Eastern Depot be reorganized according to the old system of the previous dynasty to fulfill its supervisory responsibilities. This matter could strip the Censorate of its power, and you're not going to do anything about it?"
Wei Zhang merely glanced at him indifferently: "The Eastern Depot monitors the Embroidered Uniform Guard, not the Censorate. Shouldn't Commander Shen go to the Ministry of Personnel to offer advice if he has any objections?"
Wei Zhang remained calm and composed, as if he had suddenly retired from the court and no longer cared about anything.
Only Xue Lanyi knew that every night when all was quiet, a copy of the memorials presented to the Emperor would be transcribed and sent to him.
The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel, who offered their advice, visited Chong'an Hall late at night.
Wei Zhang wasn't giving up on everything; he was forcing the emperor to concede even more.
The hereditary title of the Duke's Mansion was clearly not of any interest to Wei Zhang.
Xue Lanyi saw a greater ambition in his eyes, an ambition that knew no bounds...
Is it pretty?
A low, hoarse voice interrupted Xue Lanyi's thoughts.
Xue Lanyi then realized that she had been staring at Wei Zhang's profile.
Wei Zhang was engrossed in reviewing official documents, and even without looking up, he noticed Xue Lanyi's gaze.
Xue Lanyi quickly looked away and pointed randomly to a line in the ledger: "I don't quite understand this entry."
Wei Zhang then turned his head and looked in the direction of her fingertip.
The old ledgers were already smudged with ink and had dried out.
The ink blotches are mottled, making the characters difficult to decipher.
Let alone Xue Lanyi, even Wei Zhang himself couldn't clearly distinguish the accounts he had reviewed.
He raised his left arm, palm down, and hooked his finger.
Xue Lanyi was bewildered.
Wei Zhang was getting impatient. "The ledgers are so far away, how am I supposed to see them?"
These past two days, Xue Lanyi moved from sitting opposite Wei Zhang to sitting to his left because she needed to ask him questions about accounts.
However, she didn't dare to get too close to him, and always sat in the left corner, an arm's length away from him.
After Wei Zhang said that, she had no choice but to move the stool to the middle of the desk.
Wei Zhang's left arm slipped behind Xue Lanyi's shoulder and flipped through the first and last pages of the account book.
"These are the accounts of Jinxiufang. Have the manager bring over the account books of Jinxiufang for verification, and the situation will be clear."
He wrapped his left arm around her, his deep, magnetic voice brushing against her neck.
He hadn't burned incense these past few days; instead, the original intense heat emanating from his body had intensified, enveloping Xue Lanyi from all directions.
Xue Lanyi shrugged.
Wei Zhang easily noticed her subtle movements and glanced at her sideways.
His high, straight nose and deep-set eyes seemed to be right next to her breath, exerting a powerful pressure on Xue Lanyi.
She dared not show the slightest discomfort and forced a smile, saying, "There's no need for someone else to bring the account books. How about I go to Jinxiufang instead?"
Wei Zhang frowned slightly.
Xue Lanyi actually wanted to test the waters by asking if she could go out for a stroll.
She really didn't want to be tied to him every single moment.
But as soon as she spoke, she saw Wei Zhang's expression and understood.
Wei Zhang would not allow her to go out and wander around, not even to his properties.
She quickly stammered, "I...I just wanted to try on some ready-made clothes at Jinxiufang. I heard they received a few sets of shimmering brocade dresses. Could I go and pick one up?"
She tugged at the corner of his sleeve and shook it gently. "It doesn't matter what you wear on ordinary days, but the day after tomorrow is your succession banquet. If people see that the woman standing next to the Duke is not dressed appropriately, it will damage the reputation of the Duke's mansion and you."
She was timid, and her voice was soft.
Wei Zhang's gaze shifted to the fair fingers clutching the black cloth, and the solemnity in his eyes eased slightly, replaced by a hint of a smile.
Suddenly, he moved his left hand to support the back of her neck.
The powerful palm strike forced Xue Lanyi to look up and face him directly.
Standing a fist's distance away, Wei Zhang looked her down, a half-smile playing on his lips: "When did I say I would attend with you the day after tomorrow?"
"I……"
Did Wei Zhang miss the point?
Xue Lanyi bit her lip in embarrassment, "Then I won't go..."
The next moment, Wei Zhang slightly parted his thin lips and sealed them with a kiss.
Xue Lanyi didn't understand what he meant.
But she knew he didn't like being rejected.
Xue Lanyi even felt that he secretly preferred others to take the initiative towards him.
Xue Lanyi naturally wanted to take advantage of the peaceful coexistence to learn more about his character, so that it would be easier for her to escape in the future.
So she didn't refuse his kiss; instead, she took his shoulder, parted her red lips slightly, and tried to relax.
His lower lip slid between her lips and teeth.
The soft, cozy embrace made Wei Zhang's breath hitch.
It seems like it's been a long time since we've had such a harmonious kiss.
A sudden surge of energy rushed into my chest.
He rolled over, braced his hands against the armrests, and pressed her down onto the armchair.
"Is it nice there?" His hot breath brushed against Xue Lanyi's lips.
In the cramped and dimly lit study, a deep, magnetic voice echoed, ending with a soft pant.
Wei Zhang applied medicine to her every day, so how could he not know whether she was better or not?
This wasn't a request, it was just an notification.
Xue Lanyi had no right to refuse, nor would she be foolish enough to lie to him and say that it wasn't better, or to put up an ineffective resistance.
She simply turned her head away, gripping his shoulders tightly with both hands.
This action was something Xue Lanyi had made up her mind to do.
But she unconsciously pulled him even closer, as if it were a shy invitation.
Wei Zhang was very satisfied. He gently brushed his high, straight nose against her nose, and said in a low, gentle voice, as if bewitching her, "I'll feed you well tonight."
He must have known that he had gone too far last time, and this sentence was a way of making amends to her.
His kisses on her cheek were exceptionally tender.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door: "My lord, the Vice Minister of Rites requests an audience!"
"not see."
Wei Zhang buried his face in Xue Lanyi's neck, without raising his head.
Qingyang, being outside, naturally heard the slightly hoarse voice.
He paused for a moment, then said, "The eldest prince of Western Qi, Xiao Cheng, has sent his visiting card, saying he will attend the banquet at the Duke's mansion the day after tomorrow."
Xiao Cheng?
Xue Lanyi was surprised to hear a familiar name, and her body suddenly stiffened.
His gradually blurry eyes instantly cleared up.
Two days ago, she had heard from Wei Zhang that the Western Qi side intended to cease hostilities and seek peace.
Unexpectedly, it was Xiao Cheng who came to negotiate.
Xiao Cheng...
Six years ago, the Western Qi Dynasty intended to form a marriage alliance with Dayong, and the envoy sent to Shengjing at that time was none other than the eldest prince, Xiao Cheng.
Xue Lanyi had met him once in the palace, but the very next day he asked the late emperor for Princess Zhaoyang's hand in marriage.
The late emperor, understanding her friendship with Wei Xuan, declined the offer because she was still young.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Cheng kidnapped Xue Lanyi, intending to force himself on her and act first and ask for permission later.
Fortunately, Xue Lanyi managed to escape from under him.
Because this matter concerned Xue Lanyi's reputation, only a very few people knew about it.
Wei Xuan was one of them.
It was precisely because of this that when they later met on the battlefield, Wei Xuan, who always adhered to the principle of not pursuing a defeated enemy, went mad and relentlessly chased after Xiao Cheng.
They even drove straight into the enemy's territory, forcing Xiao Cheng to hide in a pigsty.
Xiao Cheng, who was already injured, was trampled in the waist and abdomen by the pigs, which resulted in him being... disabled.
Later, Wei Xuan was punished with thirty strokes of the military rod by the late emperor for acting without authorization, and only then was the matter considered settled with the Western Qi.
Xue Lanyi thought that Xiao Cheng should have stopped, so why did he go on a mission to Dayong again?
Xue Lanyi's pupils contracted sharply with tension as she stared intently at Wei Zhang. "Xiao... what brings Xiqi to Shengjing?"
"Marriage alliance".
Wei Zhang uttered two simple words, and Xue Lanyi's shoulders inexplicably trembled.
"What's wrong?" Wei Zhang easily noticed her unusual behavior.
However, Xue Lanyi did not want to talk to him about the past, and naturally, the topic of Wei Xuan would inevitably come up when discussing that matter.
She shook her head vaguely, but when she met his suspicious gaze, she stammered, "I...I touched it."
Through the fabric, Wei Zhang touched something soft and warm, and hearing her words, he couldn't help but feel a spasm in his abdomen.
Reply: We eagerly await your arrival.
A calm and composed voice was used to communicate with the outside world.
His hand, however, grasped Xue Lanyi's ankle and placed it on her waist.
A moment later, her dress was piled up to her waist, and the roof beams above her head began to sway.
It was dark, and the study was dimly lit, with no candles lit yet, making it impossible to see anything.
All that could be heard was the creaking of the chair, which grew faster and faster.
Xue Lanyi raised her neck and breathed heavily.
She couldn't see Wei Zhang's face clearly, but she could vaguely make out that a huge figure was pressing down on her, making her unable to move.
She recalled that six years ago, when she was still very young, she was also pinned down by Xiao Cheng in the same way.
At that time, she didn't understand anything, and fear assailed her from all sides.
Suppressing her fear, she plunged a hairpin into Xiao Cheng's neck and stumbled into the street, covered in hot blood, seeking help.
At that time, she had her mother to hold and comfort her, her father, a civil official, to carry a sword and behead Xiao Cheng, the late emperor and empress to come out of the palace overnight to investigate, and Wei Xuan to avenge her.
Now, she lay beneath Wei Zhang, surrounded by complete silence.
No one stood up for her anymore.
Even she herself lacked the ability to channel her pent-up resentment into the tip of the hairpin and stab him fiercely.
"Breathe for me," Wei Zhang ordered.
He didn't notice the tears in her eyes, only that she was lying there lifelessly like a puppet.
He deliberately provoked her.
The undercurrent quickly spread from that point to the limbs.
"Um!"
Xue Lanyi's shattered heart was pulled back by desire.
Instinctively, he straightened his instep, and a faint sound escaped from his throat, exceptionally clear in the enclosed space.
He has countless ways to erase people's sense of shame.
In the end, she lost herself in front of him.
The soft moans mingled with the man's intermittent panting, finally ceasing in the middle of the night.
Wei Zhang grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap.
Xue Lanyi had little strength to get up. Her thin body lay slumped against his chest, her two jade feet dangling on either side of his thighs, her embroidered shoes barely touching the ground.
Beneath her half-open shirt, the exquisite curves of her back were revealed.
Wei Zhang gently stroked the tattoo on her shoulder with his fingertips. Now that he had a moment to spare, he changed the subject again, "Do you know Xiao Cheng?"
The man's breath was still tinged with desire, but it was clear that in his moment of passion, he had noticed Xue Lanyi's absent-mindedness.
He looked her over suspiciously.
Xue Lanyi was frightened by his keenness and could only nod, "I met him once in the palace before, but I wouldn't say we know each other."
"I'm just curious about who he's going to marry?" Xue Lanyi leaned weakly on his shoulder, glancing at Wei Zhang's sharp profile out of the corner of her eye.
She asked this question partly to explain what she had been thinking about absentmindedly, and partly to try and glean some information from Wei Zhang.
After all, when Xiao Cheng attempted to ruin her reputation, she was not yet of marriageable age and was not mentally mature.
That was the first time she had been in a room with a lustful man, which could be considered a childhood trauma.
She had to be more careful.
However, this question caused Wei Zhang to show an unusual look of confusion.
Four days ago, his message reminding the Crown Prince of Western Qi to cease hostilities reached the capital of Western Qi.
The Crown Prince of Western Qi was quite clever. He immediately persuaded the Emperor of Western Qi to come to Dayong to negotiate peace by arguing that Xiao Cheng's achievements overshadowed the Emperor's.
Xiao Cheng was dissatisfied and once stirred up a bloody storm in the Western Qi court.
Later, Xiao Cheng proposed a condition: he would come to Dayong to select a noblewoman of noble birth for a marriage alliance. If the marriage was successful, he would not only return the city of Dayong, but also promise never to set foot in Dayong territory for three years.
But the problem is...
The late emperor's princesses were either already married or had not yet reached marriageable age, so there were no princesses of suitable age to go on a marriage alliance.
It is unknown who Xiao Cheng intends to marry.
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