Although Lin Zikui hid it very well, Xiao Fu could still tell that he seemed a little unhappy.
Is it because after returning to Jinling, I will have to leave him every day?
Xiao Fu had no choice. In addition to waiting for Lin Zikui to pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar, giving him an official position in one of the six ministries, the two of them could then go to court together.
Xiao Fu didn't tell him now because he was afraid that he would know his identity and blame him, so he would not take the exam and go back to Fengtai County to be a teacher, or go to some remote area to be a county magistrate.
By the time Lin Zikui passed the palace examination and received the imperial edict, the matter was done and there was no way he could run away.
Xiao Fu stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking him in the eye: "I will definitely be back before noon. Ask the cook to make something you like. I don't know what Xiao Si likes to eat. I'll ask him later." Eating seemed to have meaning all of a sudden. In the past, Xiao Fu had no appetite, so he would only eat a little to fill his stomach when he was hungry.
The weather was getting warmer in mid-May. Lin Zikui was writing an article under the window in a light jacket. The banana trees were swaying in the breeze, casting shadows and allowing spots of light to fall on the ground.
Lin Zikui was not the type to complain about himself. He understood that although Xiao Zhaoling's family might be prominent, his parents would not allow someone like him to marry him, and he was also a homosexual. Then I will pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar. With the right to speak, I can enter the Xiao family with a clear conscience.
Just now I saw Xiao Zhaoling leaving, followed by Yuan Qing. Yuan Qing had a sword on his waist, like a general.
Lin Zikui was working diligently on his article, while Xiao Fugang was just beginning to attend court.
Eunuch Liang said sharply, "If you have something to say, please report it. If not, please leave the court!"
Xiao Fu sat sideways beside the dragon chair: "Everything is fine, right? Let's adjourn the court——"
"Wait, wait, my Lord, I have something to ask!"
Xiao Fu frowned and looked over, not knowing who was talking. How ignorant.
A dwarf ran out from among the officials, knelt down with his black hat almost falling off, and said, "Your Majesty, there has been no rain in the north of Qinhuai for days, and the weather is burning for thousands of miles. I am worried that a severe drought is coming, agriculture will stagnate, and there will be no harvest, which will lead to famine!"
Xiao Fu looked at him for a while: "Who are you?"
"I'm Xiao Huang, a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue. Four years ago, when Shandong suffered from a drought, I followed the governor to provide disaster relief." Sir Xiao never dared to look up, but he had been worried about this matter for many days.
Xiao Huang——Xiao Fu remembered, isn’t this the family that was related to Lin Zikui?
Lord Xiao had made great efforts in his marriage, and Xiao Fu liked him quite a bit. After all, Lin Zikui had arranged the wedding in his hometown, and the money he had used to make his wedding dress was all from the money Xiao Huang had given him.
Therefore, his tone was not so harsh, but gentle: "Drought is often accompanied by famine. This is a problem in every dynasty. Sir Xiao, do you have any good ideas?"
All officials looked at him sideways.
The Regent doesn't usually speak in this tone.
This Xiao Huang? Have you recharged?
Xiao Huang was extremely terrified: "I thought that we could make plans early. There will be no shortage of food in the north in the short term. However, if the high temperature continues, we have to wait until there is a shortage to transport food. When food is hard to come by, it will be too easy to make mistakes! Please order the transfer of food from northern Jiangsu to Shandong for storage immediately!"
Drought is indeed a big problem. Xiao Fu remembered that Lin Zikui had also written an article on drought resistance, which he wrote while sitting in his arms. Xiao Fu was forced to read it word by word.
He said: "Therefore, if the thick snow is used to cover the bushes, the spring will be wet and the insects will die, which will make the next year a good year for crops. The state will develop water conservancy and build reservoirs to store water during the rainy season. As for the people, they should do what they can, build wells in local streams, and build pits at the bottom of the streams to collect and store water to resist drought next year."
Lord Xiao couldn't help but raise his head and looked at the Regent in shock: "These three methods are wonderful!"
Even the group of veteran ministers in the Fengtian Hall nodded in surprise and approval.
Xiao Fu forgot the rest, but he remembered that Lin Zikui's thought was extremely thorough and meticulous, which could not be summarized in a few words. He even drew a complete and detailed blueprint of the stream and well, as well as other water conservancy facilities and irrigation facilities.
As long as there is no consecutive years of drought, Lin Zikui's method will be enough.
Xiao Fu didn't dare to take credit for his young master's work, and said, "I came up with this method after reading the article handed over by the people below."
The Minister of Revenue stepped forward and said, "I wonder what kind of genius wrote this article?"
Xiao Fu: "I forgot, Eunuch Liang, have someone look for it in the imperial study. If they find it, they will be rewarded according to their merits."
The Minister of Revenue said: "This must be a great reward, a great reward!"
"Yes!" the courtiers echoed.
"Such a talent must be used by our Great Ye!"
Xiao Fu tilted his head and said, "I know, Eunuch Liang, please remember this matter first. If you find the article, you will be rewarded generously and promoted to a higher position."
The young king listened very carefully. After the court session ended, he followed Xiao Fu to the imperial study to read the article written by the talented scholar: "This man must be an official of the imperial court. Why didn't he come forward today?"
"It wasn't written by anyone in the court, it was written by Master Lin." Xiao Fu was in a hurry to leave the palace and go home to change his clothes.
Yuwen Xuan's voice was like a wall: "Master Lin is such a genius, why doesn't your father take him in and use him for your own benefit?"
Xiao Fu changed his clothes with a rustling sound: "The emperor wanted to use him, but the emperor used his identity in the underworld to make friends with him, so you, Master Lin, don't know."
"Master Lin will definitely serve the court. Father, do you know where he lives? I will send someone to convey the order and invite him to the palace—"
"Forget it. The Emperor knows how to handle this matter. Your Majesty, please go and read the memorial." Xiao Fu changed his clothes and left. Yuwen Xuan was sitting in the imperial study. He had to sit on a high stool to touch the huanghuali table. I heard the eunuch beside me say, "Your Majesty, Qiansui has gone to see King Kang again."
The emperor seems to be particularly fond of the fourth child. I wonder if it’s because the fourth child is good at acting like a spoiled child.
When the eldest prince heard that the third brother was rewarded because of their friendship and respect for each other, he immediately went to Qiyang Palace to visit the fourth brother. He went there just in time to meet the Regent.
Xiao Fu only said two sentences to him, one of which was: "No need to be polite, Your Highness, please stand up."
He immediately picked up the fourth child who was lying on the sickbed.
Attitude change: "Xun'er is much better today, right? Did you take the medicine well?"
Xiao Si's nose was still a little blocked, so he hugged his neck and said softly, "Father, Xun'er drank the medicine and is much better now."
"Much better, I'm fine, I'm not sick anymore."
Xiao Fu turned around and said the second sentence to His Highness: "Why haven't you returned to the palace yet?"
The eldest prince clasped his hands nervously in front of him and said, "Son, I am here to visit my brother and bring him some supplements."
"Your Highness is very thoughtful. Commander Chen said that you are good at archery. Go and learn some moves from him. Practice the plum blossom pile until you can spread your wings like a roc. In a few days, the emperor will test you."
"Plum, plum blossom pile?" Isn't this embarrassing for him?
Xiao Fu looked at him: "Your Highness, do you feel tired?"
"No, no!" His Highness made a bitter face, but he had no choice but to agree: "Father, I will go practice now!"
After driving away the troublesome eldest prince, Xiao Fu put the fourth child down and asked the nanny to feed him medicine.
Xiao Fu walked to the side hall and asked Xie Lao San, who he had called over, "Third brother, the child's illness, could it be that Lin Lang has been passed on to him?"
"His fever subsided last night, but he looks a little weak now. How can he be sick?" Xie Lao San reacted and asked in surprise, "Wait...wait, what are you going to do? Are you taking Prince Kang to see Lin Zikui?"
"He likes children, so let's catch one. The fourth child will act like a spoiled child and make people happy."
Lin Zikui has been a little unhappy lately. He must be bored from studying. Give him some fun to cheer him up.
Xie Lao San was incredulous: "Do you think His Royal Highness King Kang is a puppy? If you want to amuse people, why don't you just buy a puppy?"
Xiao Fu: "How can a dog be as fun as a child?"
After secretly taking His Royal Highness Prince Kang out of the palace, Xiao Fu said to him, "Yun'er met Master Lin and wanted to play a game with him. Master Lin must not know that you came from the palace. You are Prince Kang. Your father, the Emperor, and your mother, the Consort, are your father and mother. The Emperor is also your elder brother. There are no palace servants or eunuchs around you, only maids, servants, and nannies."
Yuwen Yan rolled his eyes: "Too many, Father, I can't remember them all..."
Xiao Fu said without hesitation: "Change your words."
“Brother…”
Xiao Fu: "If you can't change it, I'll send you back to the palace."
"No! Xun'er will not return to the palace. Xun'er has changed, changed."
Xiao Fu: "Change it again, how do you say the words 'return to the palace'?"
Yuwen Xun was almost crying because of what he said. He sat in the carriage with his short legs together. His little brain couldn't understand why his father was so moody. Sometimes he would hug him and coax him, and sometimes he would be so stern and cold.
"Xun'er, I don't want to go home..." There were tears in his eyes.
"You cried when the voice was louder?" Why was he the same as Lin Zikui? When Xiao Fu kissed Lin Zikui, his eyes became moist, and when he touched him, tears came down.
Yuwen Yan wiped his eyes and said he didn’t cry.
Xiao Fu taught him the way, and they changed carriages twice before they arrived at the villa.
He led the child in.
"Zikui, Zikui," he called out, "Look, what fun things I brought you?"
Side hall.
The food was cooled and then heated up three times, but Lin Zikui was still waiting, reading a book while waiting.
Mo Liu advised him: "Sir, don't wait for Madam, eat first."
Lin Zikui got stubborn and said, "No, he said he would be back at noon, so I must wait for him to come back at noon."
Mo Liu said: "What if Madam doesn't keep her word and doesn't reply?"
Lin Zikui said nothing. He turned the pages of a book with one hand and fanned himself with the other.
Ordinary people couldn't afford ice, so they had to rely on wind and shade to keep cool. However, he had drawn a blueprint of a windmill. Lin Zikui remembered this and was about to get up to find the blueprint when he heard Zhao Ling's voice coming from outside.
"Look, what fun things did I bring you?"
Lin Zikui pushed open the window and saw what Zhao Ling was holding in his hand. Was it a fish? Lin Zikui couldn't see clearly, so he immediately put on his visor and pushed the door open and said, "The meal is ready. You bought fish, but you can only eat it tonight."
However, when I pushed the door open, I was stunned.
The soft and juicy little ball was only slightly taller than Xiao Zhaoling's knees and was wearing a dark blue brocade dress.
He bowed respectfully and said, "Xun'er greets the Master. Good afternoon, Master. Do you have any meal?"
Master Lin vaguely remembered his voice and thought of it: "You are... the fourth brother, Xun'er."
"Master, I am Yun Xuan."
The two words have similar pronunciations and sound like reduplicated words, which makes them even more cute.
"Xun-Xun?" Lin Zikui also heard it wrong, squatting down and saying, "Xun-Er is so well behaved, is he three years old now?"
"To answer Master, I just turned three."
Lin Zikui looked up at Xiao Zhaoling, with a smile in his eyes, as if he wanted to take credit for it.
Lin Zikui blinked: "Why did you really bring a child here?"
"I'll do what I promised you. I'm afraid you'll be bored, so I'll find you a playmate. You can teach him to read."
Lin Zikui sighed, retracted his gaze, and continued to ask Xun'er: "Master hasn't eaten yet, where is Xun'er?"
The fourth one shook his head: "None of them either."
Lin Zikui picked him up, with some difficulty: "Then how about going with Master?"
"OK."
Lin Zikui remembered that Xiao Zhaoling had said that the fourth brother's parents had passed away, so he didn't mention this topic at all. But he didn't know how to coax the child, so he just asked him what he liked to play, and he said he liked to play hide-and-seek with others.
After coaxing them for a while, Lin Zikui found that children are easy to coax. They are imaginative and their words are interesting.
But during the entire lunch, Lin Zikui hardly spoke to Xiao Fu. Xiao Fu initially thought that he was happier, but gradually he felt something was wrong and his face turned dark.
As soon as the meal was over, Yuwen Yan was taken to take a nap.
Little Dumpling was not sleepy: "Xun'er, I want to sit on the swing. Master, help me swing..."
Lin Zikui immediately agreed: "Master will swing for you."
There was a sturdy acacia tree in his garden, and a swing was tied to the tree.
Xiao Fu stood aside with his hands behind his back: "He usually takes a nap, don't spoil him."
Lin Zikui didn't look at him. All his attention was on the child: "After playing on the swing, how about taking a nap?"
Yuwen Yan nodded and said, "Okay, Master."
"Be good." Lin Zikui took him to sit on the swing. Xiao Fu stood on the eaves and watched, feeling a little annoyed.
The fourth child is good at acting like a spoiled child, which is an advantage, but he is too good at it.
Lin Zikui was so obsessed with him that he couldn't take his attention away.
Xiao Fu frowned as he watched the two of them play. After playing for a full quarter of an hour, Yuwen Yun rubbed his eyes sleepily, so Xiao Fu asked someone to take him to the side room for a nap.
Lin Zikui was sweating all over and wanted to go back to the house to take a shower and wipe himself, so he asked someone to fetch some well water for him.
The villa is not big, but it has a courtyard in the front yard and a back yard. There is a small courtyard that can only be entered from his dormitory. There are cherry trees in the courtyard, and the steps are covered with dark green moss.
There was no one here, so Lin Zikui took a shower in the open air, changed his face towel, and bent over to wash himself with the cool well water.
Xiao Fu pushed the window open a little and looked in, but he couldn't see clearly. Lin Zikui even used a bamboo screen to surround him, as if he didn't even want to be seen while he was taking a bath.
What can’t you see?
He wants to see it!
Xiao Fu was upset and pushed the door open: "Lin Lang, is there enough water?"
Lin Zikui stopped watering, squatted down and said, "That's enough, don't worry about me."
"I'll help you wash." Xiao Fu didn't care about that. They had been married for a long time, so he couldn't bear to watch. Not only did he watch, he also wanted to wash together.
"No...no need." Lin Zikui was scared and immediately pulled the clean shirt off the screen and draped it over his shoulders. When Xiao Fu walked over, he saw that the bamboo green jacket mixed with water was clinging to his skin. It was vague, but he could see it more clearly. Xiao Fu looked at Lin Zikui with eyes as deep as a black pool. His black hair stuck to his back in wet strands, and his eyebrows, eyelashes, nose bridge and lips were all covered with crystal clear water droplets, dazzling in the sunlight.
Lin Zikui noticed his gaze, lowered his head to tidy up his wet clothes, and walked into the house barefoot. The clothes were so thin after being soaked in water that even the sheen and trembling of his skin could be seen clearly. Xiao Fu turned his head to stare at his back, and desire rose in his heart.
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