Chapter 3741 If he doesn’t come, it’s up to him
He took it and handed it to the little beggar.
Said: "I'll give you the things first."
“…”
The little beggar looked at him with wide eyes, as if he couldn't believe it. After a long while, he cautiously reached out his hand, but Li Bushan didn't let go immediately. Instead, he held the box tightly, staring into the little beggar's eyes, and said coldly, "I'll give you the things, but you owe me."
“…”
"After feeding your mother, come back to my house to work."
“…”
"From now on, if you want to eat, you have to work to pay for it, okay?"
The child held the box in both hands and looked into his eyes. His already thin frame inexplicably shrank even further, as if he was cowering under the pressure of his gaze. After a long while, he whispered, "Yes."
Li Bushang let go of his hand and said, "Let's go."
The child looked at him, put the box in his arms, turned around and ran. After running for a while, he stopped, looked back at Li Bushang, and then ran away.
It was not until his small figure disappeared at the end of the long street that Xie Jiaojiao walked up to Li Bushang with some doubts.
He whispered, "Aren't you afraid that he won't come back?"
“…”
"You don't even know his name or where he lives, what will you do if he doesn't come back?"
Li Bushang stood at the door, his eyes still looking at the end of the long street.
He said lightly: "If he doesn't come back, it's up to him."
“…”
Xie Jiaojiao looked at him strangely, then glanced ahead and said, "However, you are a dignified commander of the Jinyiwei, a very high official, and the Emperor is so kind to you, even giving you such a big house for free, and you are still stingy with a small box of cakes?"
“…”
"Why not just give it to the kid? Why do you want him to come back and work?"
“…”
Li Bushan turned around and looked at her, saying, "You can drive away wolves on the grassland. How do you treat those wolves normally?"
"ah?"
Xie Jiaojiao didn't expect him to mention this suddenly.
He was stunned for a moment, then said, "Just be nice to those wolves."
“…”
"Don't be fooled by their fierce appearance. In fact, they also have a gentle side. As long as you treat them well, they will understand."
“…”
"Be good to them, that's enough."
“…”
Li Bushang was silent for a while, then said calmly: "It's not enough to just be good to it."
"ah?"
Xie Jiaojiao was stunned again by what he said. After thinking for a while, she was about to say something else, but Li Bushang had already walked out.
Xie Jiaojiao looked at his back and fell into deep thought.
For the next two days, she continued to do the same as before, going to Li Bushan's house whenever she had time, and even if she had nothing to do, she would sit with him and drink tea. Sometimes she talked, and although Li Bushan seemed not to be listening, sometimes when she asked him questions, he would answer a sentence or two.
And the little beggar actually came back.
Li Bushan had someone change his clothes and gave him a broom, and asked him to go to the garden to sweep the floor. Although the gardener had already swept the floor clean, the child still swept for most of the day holding the broom, which was taller than him.
Before leaving, Li Bushan asked someone to give him another box of food.
Then he said, "Come back in two days."
The child looked at him and thanked him softly, but Li Bushang said coldly, "Come here to work and you'll have food. Thank yourself, it has nothing to do with me."
The child walked away with his head down.
In the following days, he would come every one or two days, sometimes to sweep the floor, sometimes to wash clothes, and Li Bushang never let him go back empty-handed.
However, one day, he took a box of pastries and left, and he did not show up again for several days.
As Xie Jiaojiao and Li Bushang sat in the pavilion in the garden drinking tea, she whispered, "That child, he won't not come, will he?"
“…”
Li Bushang was about to reach for the teacup when his hand paused.
Then he said, "If he doesn't come, it's up to him."
Xie Jiaojiao originally thought that he felt sorry for the little beggar and wanted to take care of him, but after hearing what he said, it seemed that this was not what he meant.
She asked doubtfully, "Then you, why do you want to do this?"
Li Bushang took a sip of tea from his teacup and didn't answer the question. Just as the two of them were sitting quietly, the steward Wang Sheng came in and reported, "Master, Commander Fang has arrived. He said the palace has sent a message for you to come to the palace and see the emperor immediately."
"oh?"
Upon hearing this, Li Bushang immediately put down his teacup and stood up.
He always dressed very neatly at home and rarely wore casual clothes. At this moment, he simply straightened his clothes and said to Wang Sheng, "Just tell him I'm leaving right away."
"yes."
Wang Sheng turned and left.
Xie Jiaojiao also stood up and looked at Li Bushang, saying with a half-smile, "What have you been busy with these past few days? Why has the emperor summoned you to the palace so many times?"
“…”
"Yes, are you busy with that day's affairs?"
“…”
"It was that day when that little kid suddenly called you away."
Li Bushang glanced at her.
Then he said, “It’s none of your business.”
After saying that, he turned and walked out.
Xie Jiaojiao stood there, watching his receding figure, and smiled softly, but then a hint of sadness appeared on her face.
|
That night, Zhu Feng was busy again until very late before returning to Yonghe Palace. Nan Yan had already gone to bed.
After taking a shower, he gently lifted the quilt and got into bed. Although he was very careful, as soon as he lay down, a familiar warm and soft body slipped into his arms as if it were his own way.
Zhu Feng looked down and said with a smile, "Are you not asleep?"
"Everyone slept and woke up again,"
Nan Yan said dazedly, "Your Majesty, why is it so late at night? Didn't you say before that you should take good care of yourself?"
“…”
"If you continue like this, I will have to find some Polygonum multiflorum to make tea for Your Majesty."
Zhu Feng smiled bitterly and said, "I'm really scared of you."
As he spoke, he pulled the quilt up to cover her more tightly, and then said, "There's a lot going on today. We need to resettle the people in Bailong City, and there are some issues that need to be resolved. Also, Liu Yueze's report from Shu has arrived, and he's been hindered in his work there, so he needs help."
"Is that all?"
Nan Yan glanced at him and smiled, "When I went to bring tea to the emperor in the evening, I clearly saw several commanders of the Jinyiwei entering the palace."
Zhu Feng said: "You saw them."
Nan Yan said, "I saw it from a distance, so I didn't go into the imperial study. I asked Eunuch Shun to deliver the things."
“…”
"Your Majesty, what a fool! He said before that he would give Li Bushang and Miss Xie the opportunity to spend more time together. But once he entered the palace, he was busy until midnight. How could he have the time to spend time together?"
Zhu Feng laughed and said, "I also heard Fang Buyuan joking with Li Bushang when he left. It seemed that when Li Bushang left home, Miss Xie was drinking tea at his house."
"oh?"
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