Xue Shu returned to his residence holding the brocade box.
A guard on duty saw that he was holding a large box in his hands, and, wanting to please him, he came forward and tried to help him take it.
But before his hand touched the brocade box, he was startled by Xue Shu's cold gaze, and his outstretched hand froze, unable to move forward or backward.
Xue Shu gave him a cold look and said, "We can get it ourselves."
After saying this, he held the brocade box, skipped the service, and strode back to his room.
After closing the doors and windows, Xue Shu opened the brocade box.
The brocade box has two layers. On the upper layer is a scroll tied with a red rope in the middle.
Xue Shu untied the red rope and carefully unfolded the scroll, revealing the young man on the rice paper - it turned out to be a painting.
In the painting, a young man is wearing a red robe and carrying a silver sword. Behind him, plum blossoms in the snow complement each other, both shining brightly.
——Everyone knows that the prince of Dayan is proficient in the Five Classics and the Six Arts. However, few people know that he is actually better at painting. Among his paintings, he is particularly good at painting figures, flowers and birds. His meticulous and colorful paintings are hard to come by.
Xue Shu only knew about it because he often went in and out of Hongren Hall and happened to hear Zheng Duobao mention it.
Yin Chengyu was the heir apparent of a country, and he cared about the country and the people. He rarely had the leisure to paint, so he produced very few paintings. Except for the ones that were asked for by the old ministers who loved painting, the remaining few paintings were kept by Zheng Duobao as if they were treasures.
But now, His Highness has picked up his pen to paint again to celebrate his birthday.
Xue Shu was very excited. Thinking of His Highness holding the paintbrush and sketching his appearance stroke by stroke... the joy in his heart almost overflowed.
His eyes lingered on the painting and he noticed the inscription below the portrait.
"How much sadness there is in my heart, I earnestly leave it for you to tell me when you return, but when we finally meet, it's been years since we last met." Xue Shu pointed at the words with his fingertips and read them out word by word: "Don't let down the clouds and rain in front of the pillow, the flowers and moon in front of the cup."
Although he had never been to school, he had learned to read and write. Before the great epidemic in Yutai, although the family was poor, his mother would send some rice and silver to ask the old scholar next door to teach him and his sister. She did not expect him to pass the imperial examination, but only hoped that he could become wise and sensible.
He had read this poem in an old scholar's book. It was written by a man who missed his hometown and his wife.
But now, His Highness wrote on the painting given to him.
And if he remembered correctly, the original sentence should be "Don't let down the clouds and rain in front of the pillow, the flowers and moon in front of the cup", but now it has been changed to "Don't let down the clouds and rain in front of the pillow, the flowers and moon in front of the cup".
"Don't let me down..."
Xue Shu's fingertips vaguely touched the two words, and he felt some emotions surging in his heart, but he couldn't express them clearly.
He repeated the words in a low voice, as if he wanted to engrave every word in his heart.
Xue Shu looked at the painting for a long time before reluctantly putting it away.
When he put the painting back to its original place, he remembered that there seemed to be something on the lower layer. He opened the second layer with great excitement, but found only a simple cloth bag.
When they opened the cloth bag, they found that it contained a gag.
The gag was originally used by some prisoners who were suffering from hysteria. A rope was tied behind the prisoner's head and a piece of wood was stuffed in his mouth to prevent him from shouting, making noise or even biting people.
But the one Yin Chengyu gave was quite exquisite. Two finger-wide dark black leather straps were connected to a palm-length, inch-thick piece of soft wood. The dark black leather strap was decorated with tiny gemstones on the outer side, and the wood placed in the mouth was also top-quality soft wood, with delicate patterns carved on it.
It doesn't look like a gag for punishing criminals, but more like... something to add to the fun between the beds.
Two years ago, when he was wandering around, he heard people say that some dignitaries had strange hobbies, and in order to cater to them, those Qinlou and Chuguan prepared many small gadgets, including this yoke.
Put it in the mouth during intercourse, and no matter how you torture and play with the other person afterwards, the other person will not be able to scream.
Xue Shu just listened to it at the time, and felt that the expressions on the faces of people who talked about these things were disgusting.
But now, when he held this delicate and small gag in his hand, his desire was boiling.
If this yoke were put in His Highness' mouth...
Thinking of His Highness being forced to open his mouth, unable to speak, and only able to whimper like a small animal—
Xue Shu lowered his eyes, put the gag in his mouth and bit it gently.
The soft wood is of the right size and thickness, and its texture is not hard, so I don't think it will hurt anyone.
…
Perhaps because the gag aroused his thoughts, Xue Shu slept very restlessly that night.
Even in my dreams, I was filled with unspeakable anger.
Yin Chengyu was handling official business in the Hongren Hall and didn't even notice him coming in through the door.
Xue Shu walked quietly behind him and saw him reading the memorials submitted by the officials.
"Another petition to appoint a crown princess?"
Xue Shu took the memorial from Yin Chengyu's hand, flipped through it casually, and his face darkened as if a storm was about to come.
He leaned over and almost hugged Yin Chengyu from behind: "Your Highness is already twenty-four years old, and has no wife, concubine or children. It's time to get married..." He smiled, but his voice was gloomy, like a poisonous snake spitting out its tongue, with a hint of temptation: "Does Your Highness have a suitable candidate for the Crown Princess in mind?"
Yin Chengyu looked at him from the side and suddenly sneered: "Who among the civil and military officials in the court doesn't have one or two daughters of the right age? Are you worried about not having a suitable candidate? I'm just worried that the governor won't agree."
Xue Shu stared at him for a while, anger surging in his eyes.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, lifted his chin with his fingertips, and said with a fake smile: "I am doing this for your Highness's good. After so many days of teaching by me, how can you still want a woman? If you show your cowardice in bed, it will also damage your Highness' wisdom."
"Xue Shu!" Yin Chengyu shouted sharply when he heard this, his face flushed red, and he was really angry.
"If you, a eunuch, can do it, why can't I?"
The two men's eyes met, and they used words as weapons, neither giving in.
After a long confrontation, Xue Shu suddenly sneered, with a hint of sarcasm and sadness in his eyes: "Your Highness has grown too powerful and is no longer of any use to us."
After saying that, she lowered her head and bit his neck hard.
Yin Chengyu frowned in pain, but didn't say a word.
Xue Shu raised his head again, his lips still stained with blood, but he whispered in his ear: "Your Highness, does it hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt." Yin Chengyu's face turned pale, refusing to show weakness.
Xue Shu didn't know whether he believed it or not. He laughed deeply and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, remember this feeling. Only our family can give it to you."
After saying this, he put the petition for the appointment of a Crown Princess into his sleeve and walked away leisurely.
…
When Xue Shu woke up from his dream, he felt panic in his heart.
It was as if something he was trying so hard to hold on to was slowly but surely slipping away.
He tried desperately to hold on to it, but it slipped away even faster.
There was nothing he could do except to feel angry.
Xue Shu got up and drank two cups of cool tea before he could dispel the panic that lingered in his heart.
He touched the wound on his neck before he calmed down.
His Highness did not hold back when he bit him, so the wound was quite deep. Even after one night, one could still vaguely feel the complete tooth marks.
But he didn't feel any pain, only peace of mind.
Dreams and reality are the opposite.
In the dream, he and His Highness were running in opposite directions and getting farther and farther away.
But in reality, His Highness treated him very well, and he would never bear to let His Highness suffer that much.
After Xue Shu had his breakfast, he left the palace and went to the imperial prison.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Justice reviewed the Sun family's case. Although the case has not yet been finalized, everyone knows the result. The only thing that remains to be discussed is Gao Yuan's punishment.
Gao Yuan has been running the business for many years, and he has the support of Gao Xian. The tree is big and the roots are deep, so it is not urgent to move him. However, the scholars who were imprisoned in the imperial prison with Sun Miao before can be taken out of the imperial prison in advance.
It is safer in the Ministry of Justice prison than in the Imperial Prison.
It can also destroy the prestige of the East Factory.
Xue Shu led the people from the West Factory to the Imperial Prison in a mighty procession and demanded the release of the people from the East Factory.
Gao Yuan heard the news and rushed over. Seeing the arrogant people from the West Factory, he was so angry that his face twisted: "I arrested people from the East Factory. Why are you from the West Factory asking for them?"
"The East Factory is not doing well, and Governor Gao is involved in a lawsuit. This imperial prison and even the East Factory will sooner or later be returned to our West Factory. Now it's just a matter of a few people, what evidence do we need?"
When Xue Shu left the palace today, he wore a black and silver-embroidered flying fish suit, with a long sword slung over his waist. He placed his right hand on the hilt, and as he glanced at the people in Dongchang with his narrow eyes, there was a chill in his eyes.
He had not unsheathed his sword, but his murderous aura was already surging. He did not hide his ambition at all: "If I were Governor Gao, I would not be wasting my breath here right now, but would quickly hand the people over. Otherwise, if those scholars died in the imperial prison, even if Governor Gao committed suicide on the spot, I am afraid that it would not be able to quell the anger of those scholars, and the seal holder would be implicated for nothing."
Ever since Gao Yuan became the supervisor of Dongchang, no one has dared to act so arrogantly in front of him for many years.
Xue Shu is unique.
But he had to admit that Xue Shu was right.
Gao Yuan was not a patient person, but he still had some fears. The Sun family case had become so chaotic that his elder brother Gao Xian had taken the initiative to avoid suspicion in order to avoid being implicated. Not only did he not intervene in the trial, he had not even seen him in the past few days.
He and Gao Xian were brothers, but they were just related by the same clan. If he did a good job, Gao Xian would be willing to give him some credit, but if he got into trouble, Gao Xian's adopted sons would be waiting to take his place.
If he could get through this hurdle, it would be fine. If he couldn't, Gao Xian probably wouldn't help him. He might even step on him to clear himself and appease the anger of the literati.
"Go and bring those people out and hand them over to Supervisor Xue." Gao Yuan gritted his teeth in hatred. For the long-term benefit, he had to trample on Dongchang's face under his feet.
The servants of the East Factory were originally filled with anger, with their hands on the hilts of their swords. When Gao Yuan said this, everyone in the East Factory was stunned.
Gao Yuan was already feeling unhappy because he had lost face, and he was even more upset when he saw the guards standing there in a daze. He shouted in a shrill voice, "Are you all deaf? Why don't you go now!"
The guards came to their senses and hurried to pick up the person.
After a while, the remaining eight scholars were handed over to Xue Shu.
Xue Shu got the man back and nodded with satisfaction. He said to Gao Yuan, "Governor Gao is indeed very righteous. I will take the man away with me."
The people from Xichang came in large numbers and left in large numbers.
Only the people from the Dongchang were left looking at each other, secretly sizing up Gao Yuan's iron-green face, feeling uneasy.
When the scholars were sent out, they were in the prison cart. Xue Shu did not intend to take over, so he did not release them, but took the prison cart directly to the Ministry of Justice.
Perhaps it was Sun Miao's death that made Gao Yuan cautious. Although these scholars were tortured, at least they had all their arms and legs intact and no parts of their bodies were missing.
One of the scholars recognized Xue Shu's face and clung to the prisoner's cart, cursing, "You damned dog! Give me back Brother Sun's life! You take human life lightly, and you will die a miserable death sooner or later!"
They had been imprisoned in the imperial prison, and they only knew that Sun Miao was dead, but they had no idea that a lawsuit had been initiated outside because of Sun Miao's case, and all parties were competing with each other.
Instead, another scholar who looked a little cleaner pulled him and advised, "Speak less. Brother Sun's death..." He paused, glanced at Xue Shu, and didn't finish his words.
He was there that day, so he naturally saw that the other party had killed Sun Miao. This was a good thing for both Sun Miao and the Sun family.
But the truth was too cruel to tell, and he didn't believe that these eunuchs had such good intentions. Most of them were just fighting for their own interests, so he suppressed it and didn't mention it. He only advised his classmates not to curse and swear anymore, so as to avoid suffering physical pain in vain, which was not worth it.
Xue Shu was indifferent to the insults of these scholars, but instead glanced at the scholar who was trying to persuade him.
If he remembered correctly, the scholar's name was Xie Yunchuan.
The author has something to say:
Gou Gou: Your Highness loves to bite people, so the mouth cangue is of course for Your Highness.
Your Highness:
PS: I didn’t find any relevant information about the ancient gag. The relevant information in the article was designed by me personally to satisfy my purpose of writing this (……), everyone understands.