Chapter 22 "I have selfish motives." "I have selfish motives."...
Zhang Min bowed and said goodbye.
The Emperor reached out a hand, wrapped it around his arm, and pulled him into his arms. "Cousin Bai Shi, it's been a long time since we last met. Do you miss me?"
The word "Bai Shi" carries a distinct smile.
Shiraishi Motoshi pursed his lips and gritted his teeth.
The other party was the emperor, so he couldn't struggle. He could only force himself to say one word to this nagging emperor who kept saying "like" and "miss" every day.
"……think."
He really wanted to say no.
But their Majesty has always been very emotional, and he wants to care about everyone close to him. From the queen to the court officials, and even the poor beggars on the street, they can all get his favor.
When he was little, he didn't know the other person's personality, and he disliked his clinginess and gave him a cold "I don't want to".
As a result, Xiao Xiaomin pulled him in the street and cried for half an hour...
He still remembers the suspicious and condemning looks from passersby.
The past is simply unbearable to recall.
He gave the queen a numb look that begged for help: Sister, please take care of your husband!
"Alright." Gongsun Jiao covered his lips, smiled mischievously, and then set out to rescue his cousin who had betrayed the family. "Erlang, please let Bai Shi go."
She also used the word "Bai Shi" in a meaningful way.
Gongsun Shuo and Li Wuji were also fanning the flames, complaining that the fun wasn't big enough—
"Yes, brother-in-law, Bai Shi is just a weak scholar and can't stand the torture."
"I second that. Brother Bai Shi is thin and refined, unlike warriors like us."
Considering that his sister rarely asked for anything on her own initiative, Xie Zhaoming was polite and just watched the show without saying anything for the time being.
Even so, Zhang Min was sweating profusely, his spring clothes were almost soaked through.
He knew that something bad would happen when this group of people showed up together!!
Only then did Xiao Min let go.
Zhang Min quickly moved three steps away from him and hid behind his wife.
"My wife..."
With a hint of grievance, he pulled Ye Jindian's sleeve.
Ye Jindian didn't understand what was going on, but she still reached out to stop Zhang Min and looked at this group of complete strangers: "Who are you?"
Is she joking with her husband or bullying him?
Looking at Ye Jindian's protective gesture, then looking at Zhang Min who was proud of "I have my wife's protection", and then looking at Xie Zhaoming who was standing leisurely beside him, Xiao Min, Gongsun Jiao, Gongsun Shuo, Li Wuji and the followers behind them were silent.
——They feel a sour taste in their teeth.
General Gongsun looked at him with disdain: "Zhang Baishi, how many Xie foxes have you swallowed?"
Look at this pitiful and familiar look, he must be pretending a lot in his daily life.
Zhang Min muttered softly, "My lady, he's so fierce."
Gongsun Shuo, who had sharp ears and eyes and heard everything clearly, was choked by his coquettish look and almost couldn't keep his composure on his face.
Ye Jindian frowned and looked at Gongsun Shuo unkindly: "Who are you? Why are you scaring my husband for no reason?"
If they were friends, it would be too much.
Doesn’t she know that her husband is timid and easily frightened?
Gongsun Shuo was shocked.
Did he scare Zhang Zimei?
He? He! Could he scare this God of Death?!
"He's the daughter of my family's eldest wife, so he's barely my cousin." Zhang Min briefly introduced him in a low voice behind his back, then turned to Gongsun Jiao and raised his voice slightly. "This is my elder sister. She used to take good care of me and my younger sister. She's a gentle person, well-known in the surrounding area for her compassionate heart. She's also a Zhuge Liang among men, intelligent and studious, and she's as foresighted as a god, capable of handling every matter with impeccable care."
Gongsun Shuo: “???”
Gongsun Jiao nodded and smiled at Ye Jindian, walked towards her, and looked at her tenderly.
Such a gentle and kind look was not abrupt, nor did it make people feel like they were being scrutinized like merchandise. Although she was not very old, Ye Jindian always felt that there was a round moon with a warm glow hanging on her back...
Well, somewhat kind and amiable.
"I always hear Bai Shi mention you, but today is the first time we meet." Gongsun Jiao waved to the maid behind her. When the maid came forward, she opened the wooden box and took out two jade bracelets with excellent water content.
She stretched out her hand, and Ye Jindian took two steps back.
Gongsun Jiao was stunned for a moment.
Ye Jindian knelt slightly and bowed to her: "Thank you for your kindness, sister, but this gift is too heavy."
She won't accept it.
Gongsun Jiao looked at Zhang Min, lowered his eyes, smiled gently, and walked closer to her.
She whispered in Ye Jindian's ear, "My brother is quite proud. When he left home, he asked for nothing except a thin cloth shirt, his mother's tablet, and his sister."
Ye Jindian was deeply touched by the concept of pride.
but--
Did he actually escape from the family with nothing?
Ye Jindian couldn't help but looked back at Zhang Min.
"This pair of bracelets originally belonged to his mother. They were a family heirloom left by Madam Zhang to her new bride." Gongsun Jiao's tone was filled with a hint of sadness and loss. "It's a pity that she can't give them to you in person."
After just two sentences, Ye Jindian was a little shaken.
The brutal struggle for power within the noble families slowly unfolded before her eyes, and the invisible bloody storm, with its sticky smell, spread across her nose.
She seemed to see a mother who loved her children dearly and passed away early, leaving behind a family heirloom to her two young children. But the youngest son was unable to protect the treasure and could only watch it being taken away, his big, dark eyes filled with tears, grievance, and grief.
Gongsun Jiao saw her eyes wandering and she looked back frequently, so he tentatively reached out his hand, held her arm, and put the bracelet on it.
The bracelet dangled on the wrist, jingling and clanging.
Ye Jindian: "Thank you, sister."
She reached out and touched the bracelet, and it felt warm and cool.
"Since you know to call me sister, why be so polite." Gongsun Jiao patted the back of her hand, raised his eyes to glance at Zhang Min who was staring at the men behind him as if facing a great enemy, his eyes filled with long speeches, and simply pulled his hand over and put their palms together.
Ye Jindian and Zhang Min looked at her subconsciously.
Gongsun Jiao winked at them and whispered, "I'll help you hold Erlang back, you just run."
ha?
Ye Jindian was a little unable to adapt to her sudden cunning and liveliness.
Zhang Min was experienced. He shouted, "Remember to send someone to bring the lunch box back for me," and then ran away.
Xiao Min hadn't seen his trusted minister in nearly two months, and he had intended to engage in some serious banter, determined to see him blush with embarrassment. He had never expected his plans to be cut short by his wife just as they began.
"Qingqing!" He stared at his queen with disbelief, his eyes filled with grievance. "Why are you supporting Zimei and not me?!"
How could Zimei, a distant cousin, be more important than him?
Li Wuji and Gongsun Shuo: "..."
Being alone can be quite sad sometimes. You come here to watch the fun and whet your appetite, but end up with an empty stomach and fill three plates of food.
Ye Jindian's side.
After getting rid of the others, the two of them felt a little hungry, so they had to pick some wild fruits, wash them by the stream and eat them.
The stream water was cold, and Zhang Min was afraid that she wouldn't be able to handle it, so he covered it with his palm for a long time before handing it to her.
Ye Jindian took a bite and felt that the warm fruit tasted a little strange...
Fortunately, she is not picky and can get used to it after eating a few bites.
Zhang Min saw the sweat on her forehead and calmly took out his handkerchief. He slowly approached her and said, "Can I wipe the sweat off your face?"
Ye Jindian held a fruit in one hand and a bunch of small fruits in the other, and she had no hands free, so she nodded and let him do it.
Zhang Min wiped the sweat off her face with ease.
He looked at the flushed face and felt a little guilty: "I have troubled my wife today."
Originally, she could sit comfortably under the porch and slowly pick the flower petals without having to be exposed to the sun or run around.
Ye Jindian turned to look at him: "Why do you say that, my husband?"
"We had agreed to find a quiet, shady spot to comfortably eat spring pancakes and enjoy the spring scenery, but I didn't stop you from walking towards the deserted garden, disturbing your mood and causing you to not even eat a few bites of the spring pancakes you made. They got all the money."
"But I'm not afraid of those things." Ye Jindian sat on a rock and swung her feet. "Besides, those young boys are staying behind the abandoned temple. There are few people, birds or animals around. They must be so lonely."
Zhang Min gently pressed the handkerchief and wiped her chin: "My wife is always so considerate."
Ye Jindian said, "I'm not being considerate, I'm just being objective. If you stop me, I'll definitely get to the bottom of it. You won't lie to me, will you? In this case, we'll still end up in the deserted garden, in the ruined temple, and there to pay our respects."
She chose the path casually, so why blame him?
"What if?"
"Um?"
Zhang Min clutched the handkerchief tightly, lowered his eyes to look at her, and his eyelashes trembled slightly: "What if I lied to you?"
Ye Jindian was stunned and didn't answer.
"I know you're not afraid of these things." Zhang Min stared into her eyes. "You came from the border, so you've naturally seen the Hunting Fire Wolf Mountain, the banners fluttering, the borders fluttering, the golden swords stained with blood, the bones and yellow sand..."
But, but——
"Tiantian, you know that people's selfishness is far more terrifying than these things."
Ye Jindian asked him, "What about you? Did you not stop me just now because you knew I wasn't afraid, so you had selfish motives? Or did you have other selfish motives?"
She stopped chewing, looked up, and had a questioning look in her eyes.
The sunlight at noon was too strong, and spots of dazzling light were scattered through the narrow gaps, accompanied by a hot wind blowing towards us.
Zhang Min leaned forward in the backlight, his eyelids drooping, burying his dark pupils in the overlapping shadows. The wind blew, lifting the shadows of the trees, revealing a hint of light that flashed quickly from the bottom of his eyes and disappeared in an instant.
The eyes returned to their calm state.
Ye Jindian faced the light, her eyes were bright and clear, and her peach blossom eyes were bright and clear.
But in a moment, he lowered his head while looking at her, even covering his eyelids, revealing only his neatly wrapped turban, looking listless like a rabbit that had made a mistake.
"Yes." His voice was as soft and droopy as a dried radish sprout. "I have selfish motives."
His selfish motives are still hidden from the public.
He wanted to win her favor, hope to be loved by her, hope that she would be loyal to him forever and never leave.
Ye Jindian: "What selfish motive?"
Zhang Min stammered.
"What?" Ye Jindian didn't hear clearly, so she leaned forward and said, "I didn't hear clearly."
Zhang Min's desire to test it just arose and then disappeared.
He could never bear the sweet, strange, or hateful looks, so he had no choice but to act like a naive bastard and hide his head: "I said... I want my wife to know me better."
Ye Jindian: "...Is this your selfish motive?"
Zhang Min turned his eyes away, looked at the green grass by the river, took a bite of the slightly astringent wild fruit in his hand, and let out a muffled "hmm" sound through his nose.
"My lady, you can't just eat fruit." He changed the subject, looking around and talking about something else. "I'll see if there's any prey nearby. I'll catch some and roast it for you to fill your stomach."
Just as he was about to leave, Ye Jindian grabbed his sleeve.
Zhang Min stopped.
Ye Jindian said, "You haven't finished speaking yet, my husband, why are you so anxious? You have selfish motives, don't I have any too?"
"Boom!"
My heartbeat became disordered for a moment and there was a sudden loud buzzing in my ears.
"Don't you want to know what my selfish motives are?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com