Song Yue poured some tea for Qingchen, then looked at her leisurely. "The reason the Japanese are lingering is because they want more money. Why do they want more money?"
After a long and cold day, Qingchen felt his head was numb. He wanted to know the answer as soon as possible, so he simply shook his head instead of thinking about it.
Seeing her shake her head and look a little dazed, her eyes misty, he smiled and said, "Now you've learned to be lazy, and you don't even want to use your brain anymore."
Qingchen smiled sheepishly, picked up her chopsticks and placed a piece of cooked beef on his plate. "It's too cold, this is frozen solid." She tapped her head. For some reason, she unconsciously relaxed in his presence, not wanting to think about anything. This relaxation felt like floating lightly on a cloud.
He remained noncommittal, only smiled at her, took a sip of his wine, and then said, "They want silver, but silver can't be eaten, drunk, or worn. In other words, silver only represents purchasing power. They want silver simply to exchange it for what they truly desire, what they lack."
Qingchen took a breath, looked at him, and said in unison with Song Yue, "Silk."
“That’s right,” he continued. “It’s silk. The best silk that only the Ming Dynasty can produce in this world. Every year at the end of the year, they come to pay tribute, sell sulfur and daggers for silver, and then in April or May of the following year, they use that silver to buy silk.”
"Last year, Japan sold only 50,000 catties of sulfur and 200 halberds to the Ming Dynasty. After making a profit, the Japanese wanted to recoup their investment. So this year, they brought 100,000 catties of sulfur and 400 halberds. However, the court's budget is limited, and the national treasury is tight this year. The Ministry of Revenue had to reduce the price of the purchases, which the Japanese were unwilling to accept. So, the two sides bargained for more than half a month without reaching an agreement. In addition, the late emperor once said that 'barbarians should be treated with courtesy,' and the emperor is also a person who cares about his reputation, so he cannot force the issue and lose face. Therefore, the situation has remained deadlocked."
Song Yue spoke earnestly and patiently, striving to explain the relationships involved clearly to his students. The candlelight softly illuminated his face, outlining his perfect features.
"This matter appears to be an isolated incident, but it should be considered in conjunction with the silk trade," he continued. "Silk is a necessity, both for the Ming Dynasty and for Japan. They are accustomed to silk fabrics and would feel very uncomfortable without it. Currently in Japan, two forces are secretly vying for power. If the rulers fail to meet this basic need of the people, the other side will use this as an excuse to win over wealthy and powerful families and attack the other side. At the same time, the Portuguese have a large number of advanced firearms and are eyeing Japan covetously. If Japan experiences internal strife, it will inevitably lead to external interference."
Qingchen continued, "So, if the Japanese delegation cannot bring back silk from the Ming Dynasty next April or May, they will be unable to report back to the rulers and will be in a very difficult situation."
Song Yue nodded. "Exactly. That's why I told them that if they want to make a fortune through sulfur this year, they can forget about buying silk next year. If they're willing to suffer a greater loss for a small gain, then let them keep making trouble."
Upon hearing this, Qingchen tucked in his sleeves, picked up the wine pot, filled it with wine, and watched him drink it all in one gulp.
He truly deserves his reputation as a renowned minister who rose to prominence at the age of seventeen, becoming the second-highest-ranking scholar in the imperial court, and the second-highest-ranking official in the cabinet at twenty-seven. Such a grand vision and keen insight are truly admirable.
If it weren't for her modern knowledge, she would be miles behind him. There is still so much she needs to learn from him.
Song Yue drank his wine, put down his glass, and asked, "Aren't you tired after listening to so much?"
Qingchen shook his head, "How could I be tired after such a wonderful lesson?"
“Alright. Then let me tell you a little more.” He said, “When I first asked you why they wanted money, it was to make you understand that whether it’s business or politics, what the other party wants is their weakness. Knowing the weakness is the key to hitting the nail on the head, saving a lot of unnecessary costs and sacrifices.”
"Hmm." Qingchen listened, and couldn't help but wonder what Xu Yan's weakness was.
Suddenly, a face appeared in her mind, a face that was sometimes unruly and unrestrained, sometimes cold and arrogant, and sometimes incredibly sincere.
He said, "Shen Qingchen, isn't it exciting?"
He said, "Would you forgive me if I jumped?"
"What are you thinking about?" Song Yue asked.
"It's nothing." Qingchen gathered her thoughts and asked, "Has Teacher already negotiated with the Japanese delegation?"
"Yes. I arrived early this morning and finished negotiating with them by the afternoon. I just visited the injured county magistrate and ran into you on my way back." He slowly took a sip of wine. "If it weren't for this snow, I would have been on my way back to the capital when I met you."
Qingchen nodded and looked out the window. The night was deep, and the sky was still filled with the swirling snowflakes.
I don't know whether I should thank this snow.
"How can a teacher, who has solved problems for the country and its people, return to the cabinet?"
“I spoke with the Japanese envoy. After all that fuss, it would be a loss of face and interests for them to suddenly turn back. Rather than that, they should tell the Emperor that if they want to negotiate, the negotiating partner must be a cabinet minister,” Song Yue said. “Xu Yan won’t get involved in such a thankless task. If he does it well, he’ll only get some praise, which is insignificant to him. If he does it poorly, it will make him appear incompetent and irresponsible as the chief minister. Therefore, he will definitely try every means to refuse.”
"The other cabinet members are all getting old and nearing retirement. They don't want to create trouble for themselves. Nobody wants to take on this hot potato. That's when they'll think of me. I'm the Minister of Rites, and I usually deal with foreign affairs. So, they'll definitely suggest to the Emperor that I return to the cabinet and negotiate with Japan. If we just give Japan a little concession, they'll save face, the Ministry of Revenue will be able to report back, and the matter will be resolved."
"The New Year is approaching, and His Majesty would not want the Japanese to cause trouble and ruin the New Year celebrations."
Qingchen shook his head after hearing this, and poured him another drink. "Your teacher is amazing. I don't even know what words to use to describe how I feel right now."
He smiled and gestured to stop her from pouring the wine. "Don't pour anymore, or I'll get drunk." He looked at her and noticed that her complexion was finally better than before. Her lips had regained their rosy color, her eyes were clear and bright in the firelight, and her cheeks and neck were pale.
Qingchen felt that his voice was always so clear and pleasant, and his words were always well-organized, not like someone who was about to drink too much. So he deliberately said, "I have only ever seen you sober and dignified, but I have never seen you drunk. I wonder... what you look like?"
He glanced at her sideways, raising an eyebrow. "What, you want to see?"
"I……"
Before they could finish speaking, the waiter knocked on the door and asked if they had finished their meal.
Song Yue responded and let him in to clear away the bowls, plates, and wine pot.
"I'll show it to you next time."
"Um."
Qingchen thought for a moment and then asked, "Teacher, can you tell me about yourself?"
"My business? What do you want to hear?"
Qingchen thought for a moment. Yes, what was there to listen to? Opportunities to be alone with him like this were rare, and she actually really wanted to know a lot about him.
For example, his upbringing, the environment in which he grew up, what else did he experience and what kind of education did he receive, and how did he accumulate knowledge and skills over time to become so intelligent and capable, ultimately becoming a renowned minister?
For example, his beliefs and convictions; what was his mindset when he entered officialdom? And how did he maintain his original aspirations and persevere in the face of corrupt officials in a chaotic world? He was neither corrupted nor persecuted by the Xu faction, which is no easy feat in the power struggles of the court. He always did what he was supposed to do, whether as a Grand Secretary, a Minister, or a teacher, seemingly with ease. But how much forbearance, how much torment, how much untold suffering he endured—history records very little of it. Most of it, only he himself probably knows.
For example, his love life. He's over thirty, yet still unmarried. How did he reject the powerful and wealthy women who were rumored to be interested in marrying him? Is his unmarried status due to having someone he loves but cannot be with, or is he keeping some promise, still waiting for someone? What kind of romantic experiences has he had? Has he ever been attracted to anyone? And what kind of beautiful and talented woman could have moved him…?
With her thoughts in turmoil, Shen Qingchen ultimately simply said, "Anything is fine."
"Anything is fine?" He tilted his head to look at her, his whole body enveloped in soft orange light, making his features appear even more flawless. "Then ask away. I'll answer whatever you ask."
"Then how about you tell me how you got into the cabinet?" She actually had other things she wanted to know more about, but she was afraid that if it involved too much privacy, he would object.
“Three years ago, the Emperor dismissed three Grand Secretaries, leaving only Grand Secretary Xu Yan. At that time, I was serving as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and became a candidate for the position of Grand Secretary. The Emperor recommended me to Xu Yan, and Xu Yan did not object, so I entered the Grand Secretariat.”
"Grand Secretary Xu actually..."
"Yes. I was only twenty-seven years old at that time. Grand Secretary Xu Yan had plenty of people who listened to him. I wasn't exactly obedient, but he still chose me. Because the cabinet needed people to do the work, if all the cabinet ministers listened to Xu Yan, he wouldn't hear any other opinions. No matter how capable Xu Yan was, he couldn't stand alone. Although I wasn't very obedient, I didn't have any background and was too young for the court."
Qingchen nodded.
Xu Yan initially wanted to find someone capable of doing the work and whom he could control. Although Song Yue was unwilling to align himself with any faction, he also lacked the power to oppose him. If things went well, it would be credited to the cabinet; if the cabinet failed, Xu Yan could shift the blame onto Song Yue, killing two birds with one stone.
Even so, the teacher remained dedicated to the country and its people, working tirelessly.
"Teacher is always busy with court affairs, and hasn't even settled down yet..." She paused, then immediately stopped talking.
He paused for a moment, his gaze following her slightly evasive eyes. "Are you worried that I won't be able to find a wife?"
"No." She quickly shook her head. "Teacher certainly doesn't lack good marriage prospects. It's being said in the court that many noble families want to marry into the family, but Teacher hasn't agreed."
After a long pause, Song Yue said softly, "These things depend on fate."
"..."
"Why are you suddenly so interested in my marriage?" Looking at the handsome face in front of him, the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
"I..." she said hastily, "Teacher, it's late, let's get some rest."
He nodded and said, "Okay." Then he got up, went to the bedside, spread out the blanket, and arranged the pillows.
Qingchen looked at the only bed in the room, then at his silk robe on the clothes rack, and felt a little nervous.
Song Yue didn't notice her and went to stir the fire. "Take off your cloak. It will be even colder if the snow melts tomorrow. You won't be used to going out."
"Um."
When Song Yue returned to the stove, he saw that she had already taken off her cloak. Her slender body was wrapped in a plain dress, and she looked gentle and refined, but her expression was slightly unnatural. He took the cloak from her and said, "Take it off and get into bed. Why are you still sitting?"
"...Teacher, this bed is too small, there's not enough room for two people to sleep together. I'll sleep on the floor. There's a stove in the room, and the floor isn't cold."
On the surface, she's a man, so there's nothing wrong with sleeping with him. But she's always slept with a blanket and has never slept with a man before. Now, she's sleeping with such a handsome teacher, and she feels awkward.
Song Yue raised an eyebrow. "Who said I was going to sleep with you?"
"..."
“You’re not well, and you’ve caught a chill just now. You should sleep on the bed; I’ll sleep on the floor.”
"How can that be? It's unreasonable for teachers to sleep on the floor while students sleep on beds..."
“Since you’re a student, you should listen to your teacher,” he joked. “You even dare to ask about my life’s most important matter, so what’s there to be polite about?”
She was a little embarrassed, "This is different..."
"Be good." With that, Song Yue gestured to the bed.
Qingchen had no choice but to obediently walk to the bedside.
He spread the cloak on the ground, then blew out the candles and lay down on it.
The room suddenly became pitch black, with only a faint glow from the stove in the corner, but even that was barely visible.
Shen Qingchen lay on the bed, using a comfortable pillow and covered with a warm quilt, listening to the north wind blowing intermittently, thinking about Song Yue sleeping on the floor.
He had once been someone unattainable, yet on a snowy winter night, he lay with her in this small house, warming themselves by the same fire, waiting for the same dawn. The feeling was quite surreal.
The night was silent.
She turned over, looked in his direction in the darkness, and couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, are you asleep?"
After a moment of silence, Song Yue's voice rang out, his tone slightly magnetic, "No."
What is the teacher thinking?
"I wasn't thinking about anything."
"real?"
"Really? Why aren't you asleep yet? What are you thinking about?"
"Doesn't the teacher already know?" She gently curved the corners of her mouth.
"How would I know?"
"I already told you that."
When did you say that?
“I asked you what you were thinking, so what I’m thinking is exactly what you’re thinking,” she continued. “It seems it’s too cold; even the teacher’s brain has frozen.”
Song Yue rested her head on one arm, her gaze drifting involuntarily to her bed in the darkness. The bed was covered by curtains, and the faint shadows were barely visible.
"You're really vengeful. It's clear that anyone who offends you will not have a good ending."
Qingchen chuckled softly, "Two people whose brains are frozen are no longer able to care about others. I just want to prove that it's too cold for the teacher to sleep on the ground."
After a while, Song Yue's voice rang out again, "Yes, you succeeded. Go to sleep."
"I can't sleep." She stared wide-eyed, showing no signs of sleepiness.
"Close your eyes, lie quietly, and you'll fall asleep soon."
"Teacher, come and sleep in the bed. You admitted it's cold on the floor."
Another moment of silence. "The bed is too small; the floor is more comfortable."
"Then teacher, please bear with it. I'll sleep on the innermost side and promise not to move around."
He rolled over, seemingly unwilling to change his mind. "Alright, stop arguing. It's only one night, nothing serious will happen. Just relax and get some sleep."
"Is the teacher really not coming up?"
"Um."
Stubborn.
But she is also a stubborn person.
Qingchen threw off the covers and got out of bed, groping her way to his side and groping around haphazardly in the dark.
Song Yue was filled with surprise, but managed to keep her tone steady as she asked, "What are you doing?"
Qingchen's face was already red, thankfully concealed by the darkness. She brazenly continued touching him, grabbing Song Yue's wrist and calmly saying:
"Come to bed with me. This isn't a place for you to sleep."
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