Chapter 279 The Embarrassment of Being Late
As Qiao Youyou stepped out of the threshold of the Ministry of Household Affairs, she heard a familiar voice calling her from behind.
"Miss Qiao."
Qiao Youyou stopped, hesitated for a moment, then turned around and forced a smile.
"Xiaobai, you're leaving so early too?"
Wenren Yuebai was very perceptive. He pushed his wheelchair to her side. Their eyes met for just a moment, and he noticed that something was wrong with Qiao Youyou.
"...What's wrong with you?" Wenren Yuebai asked slowly.
"No, nothing happened." Qiao Youyou put her hands behind her back, twisted her fingers together, and looked around as if nothing had happened.
But she is not the kind of person who can hide things in her heart, her thoughts are all written on her face.
Wenren Yuebai hesitated for a moment, "Is it because of the medicine blanket? Don't worry about it. This medicine blanket is not a valuable item, and there is no difference between the new and the old."
Qiao Youyou stammered in response twice, her toes rubbing the ground unconsciously, obviously not worried about this matter.
Wenren Yuebai frowned slightly, not understanding why she was like this. Was she being bullied again in the Ministry of Revenue?
So he quickly made up his mind, "Don't worry, starting tomorrow, no one in the Ministry of Revenue will make things difficult for you."
"No..." Qiao Youyou's delicate features were almost wrinkled together. She bit her lips and hesitated for a long time before she said in a mosquito-like voice:
"Xiaobai, your leg... is it really bone poison and can never be healed?"
Wenren Yuebai suddenly raised her eyes and saw Qiao Youyou's gaze on her legs, her face full of sadness and... sympathy?
In an instant, Wenren Yuebai felt as if something on his body had stabbed him hard. His fingers suddenly tightened, causing wrinkles on the medicine blanket.
She knows everything?
So... you're hiding from me today?
When he spoke again, his voice had returned to the indifference he had when they first met, without a trace of emotion in his voice.
"Bone poison is not contagious. Also, don't look at me like that. I don't need anyone's pity."
He withdrew his gaze and stopped looking at Qiao Youyou. He turned his wheelchair and left, but his back looked embarrassed.
"No, Xiaobai, I..." Qiao Youyou took two steps forward, but didn't know how to explain for a moment. She could only watch Wenren Yuebai's figure disappear around the corner.
She knocked her head in regret. She was usually very good at talking to people, but why was she so tongue-tied at this moment?
She only knew that Wenren Yuebai had a leg disease, but she didn't expect it to be a bone poisoning disease that was extremely painful. She regarded Wenren Yuebai as a good friend, but seeing her good friend suffering, she could not empathize with him, and she didn't know how to help him, which made her heart very painful.
To the point that today I don’t know how to face Wenren Yuebai.
Qiao Youyou finally sorted out her thoughts and was about to catch up with Wenren Yuebai to explain it to him when she was suddenly bumped into by someone.
Qiao Youyou staggered and nearly fell, and then she heard someone next to her apologize repeatedly, saying that he had accidentally bumped into her.
Qiao Youyou rubbed her hurt arm and saw a few people moving things out of the government office, such as wooden boards and tiles. She asked curiously, "Is the Ministry of Revenue going to build a house? Why are they moving these things?"
The craftsman who apologized to her hurriedly explained that the warehouse of the Ministry of Revenue needed to be renovated, and since it was not raining recently, the entire roof would be dismantled and rebuilt.
"Okay." Qiao Youyou silently made way for the passage. When she looked back, Wenren Yuebai had disappeared.
It seems I can only explain it to him when I'm on duty tomorrow.
…
Wenren Yuebai returned to the prime minister's residence and happened to meet Lao Yan who was about to go out to the Ministry of Revenue to pick him up.
"Young Master, why did you come back alone?" Old Yan looked at the sky in surprise, and trotted to help Wenren Yuebai push the wheelchair.
Seeing that he didn't respond, Lao Yan sensed something strange. He lowered his head and saw that Wen Ren Yuebai looked very bad, so he quickly asked him what was wrong.
The young master seemed to be in a good mood these days, so why did he look so bad when he returned home today?
Wenren Yuebai spoke in a low voice, his voice was a little hoarse and he sounded very tired.
"Aunt, please go to the residence of the Minister of Revenue later and give him a letter for me. Tell him that I have something to ask for."
Old Yan was stunned for a moment, "Sir, the Minister just came to visit the master today. He said that he asked the emperor for a half-month leave and was going back to his hometown to worship his ancestors."
Wenren Yuebai raised his hand and pinched his brows, and after a moment he said, "Okay, I understand."
…
The next day, Qiao Youyou got up early and went to the door of Wenren Yuebai's office to wait for him.
However, after waiting for almost half an hour, no one showed up.
Maybe he asked for leave for something. Qiao Youyou thought about it and had to go back to work.
When she returned to the Duzhisi office, she was surprised to find that it was also empty, but at this time on normal days everyone would have been there.
It’s really strange, where did everyone go today?
Just as Qiao Youyou was standing at the door in a daze, a woman passed by. She looked like a low-ranking accountant in the Ministry of Revenue.
"Senior Sister Qiao...Oh no, Mr. Qiao?" The man said in surprise when he saw Qiao Youyou.
Qiao Youyou recognized that she was Junior Sister Zhou from the Mathematics Society of Longchang Academy, and felt very close to her, so she decided to call her Senior Sister because she felt more comfortable.
"Senior Sister Qiao, why didn't you go to the lobby to discuss matters?"
Qiao Youyou looked confused. What was the meeting about? No one told her.
"Just now, after the roll call, the Shangshu summoned all the officials of the various departments and above to discuss matters. The heads of the various departments led all the staff in the department to the meeting. If there were any who were not present, they asked us to call them." Junior Sister Zhou blinked and asked in confusion, "Senior Sister Qiao, didn't the head of the department send someone to find you?"
Qiao Youyou was annoyed. Wenren Yuebai's office was only separated from the Duzhisi by a wall, and she was standing in the yard. If someone from the Duzhisi came to look for her, they would be able to see her at a glance.
Zhang Lun, the Minister of Revenue, was in charge of the entire Ministry of Revenue. He would not appear in person on weekdays, but would be represented by the Vice Minister of Revenue. Today, the Minister appeared in person, and more than a hundred people were discussing matters in the lobby of the Ministry of Revenue. It was obviously extremely important.
It was obvious that Min Yuan had "forgotten" himself on purpose!
Qiao Youyou thanked Junior Sister Zhou and hurried to the lobby, but stood at the door hesitantly.
The Ministry of Revenue was in charge of the country's money and grain, and had many rules. Every meeting had to be recorded. Unless you asked for leave in advance, you would be severely punished for absence without reason.
What's more, he had reported for duty after reporting for duty, and was clearly in the yamen but did not participate in the meeting. At the very least, it was desertion of duty, and at the most serious, it was contempt for the Shangshu and the court.
Qiao Youyou could only grit her teeth and push open the door to the lobby.
In an instant, hundreds of eyes were focused on her.
The Minister of Revenue Zhang Lun was sitting at the top and speaking when he was suddenly interrupted. He looked at Qiao Youyou with a sullen face.
"Which department are you from? What's your name?"
Qiao Youyou had no choice but to bow and answer in front of everyone: "I am Qiao Youyou, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Revenue."
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