Chapter 100: Zhemei 10 You want me, don’t you?
Prince Xuan is young, with a gentle demeanor and a smile on his face when he sees people. He likes to play with flowers, plants, calligraphy and paintings.
He immediately stepped forward and bowed: "Father... this... your son is not familiar with the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue."
"I'm afraid I can't take on this responsibility."
Li Heng turned his head and thought secretly. The young prince's expression relaxed and he glanced at his brother who was kneeling on the ground, bowing deeply and declining with his head lowered.
My note...Yushitai...is the Yushitai again.
Jiang Tingyuan didn't look over, and seemed completely unconcerned about the undercurrent between them.
Song Yanze realized something. His Royal Highness Prince Xuan was really a well-hidden person. The Ministry of Revenue could not be left vacant any longer. It was only the beginning of the year, and all matters needed to be handled as quickly as possible.
The emperor on the throne said: "Okay, if you don't know how to do it, you can learn and ask."
That’s settled.
"The selection of the Minister of Revenue is now in your hands. Please take your time to consider and recommend him to me."
It seems that the Emperor does not completely trust Prince Xuan and has not taken any action. This is just a test.
Everything has finally settled down. More than half of last year's deficit has been made up. It's finally not that difficult to deal with.
People in the government and the public are not happy about this. This is trying to make money from them. The knife hasn't hit them yet, but they can't help but feel sad when they see it.
After the court session, Song Yanze walked slowly on the palace road. There was no one around him except Jiang Tingyuan.
He was lost in thought and nearly missed a step. Jiang Tingyuan immediately grabbed his arm.
"careful."
"It's unseemly."
A voice came from behind him. Song Yanze looked in the direction of the voice. It was his "father", the Minister of Rites Song An. He had a long beard and a white face. He frowned and glanced at the two of them, fixing his eyes on Song Yanze.
"I'm not asking you to bring honor to the Song family, I just ask you not to bring disgrace to them."
Song Yanze didn't feel anything at all, at most he thought he was funny. But Jiang Tingyuan stared straight at Song An and sneered.
"Which Song family are you talking about? The Song family in Kyoto?"
"Isn't Mr. Xiao Song from Huizhou?"
Song An is a person who cares a lot about face and always talks about the glory of his family, but he is also the most heartless and disloyal person.
He did not bring his grandmother to the capital to take care of her, he did not love his wife, and he did not care about his concubines, singing girls, and maids at all. He only treated them as toys for entertainment and did not treat them well.
He waved his sleeves, snorted coldly, and walked away with his hands behind his back.
Jiang Tingyuan looked at his back and raised his voice to say with amusement: "Sir Song, you have blue eyes and walk unsteadily. I think you are not getting enough Yang Qi and your kidney Qi is deficient."
Song Yanze raised his eyebrows and couldn't help laughing. How could the passing court officials not hear it? They all glanced at Song An's face suspiciously. Song An was so angry that his face turned red and he covered his face and left.
"Your tricks are enough to keep him angry for half a month."
Song Yanze was interrupted by this, and the solemn and turbulent atmosphere in the court that he had just glimpsed disappeared. He pulled his sleeve and walked away still laughing.
"Are you happy now?"
Jiang Tingyuan frowned, totally unable to understand why this made him so happy. A few harmless words could not be considered revenge.
Song Yanze thought what he said was strange, but didn't think much about it.
It was not until the evening when Song An was off duty that he heard that when he was dismounting in front of the mansion gate, the horse got startled for some reason and kicked him on the back, causing him to crash into the threshold and knock out his front teeth.
Song Yanze laughed secretly for a while, and after a while, he heard someone from the Ministry of Justice reporting on the detention situation, and he listened.
It was strange that when Hu Zhong was being arrested and his house was searched, he accidentally fell and broke his arms and legs, and also had a cut on his head.
Song Yanze's smile froze. He walked out of the yamen and saw Jiang Tingyuan standing beside the carriage with his hands behind his back waiting for him to return.
"Why are you looking at me all the time today?"
Jiang Tingyuan took off the goose-feather knife from his waist and put it aside. He had his eyes downcast, but suddenly he raised them and caught Song Yanze's eyes.
"It depends on what kind of person you are."
Song Yanze took off his official hat. Jiang Tingyuan looked at the scar on his head and then glanced at the wooden hairpin on his head.
"So what's the conclusion?"
Jiang Tingyuan has high brow bones, and looks cold and fierce when he is not smiling. When he lowers his head, his narrow eyes look as if he is angry. But when he smiles, it is extraordinary, as if he is thinking about how to kill someone.
Everyone was afraid of him. Even the children in Kyoto cried and made a fuss, and used him to suppress their fear.
Song Yanze never felt scared, he just felt that he was a little bit shy, with a kind of strength that was hard to describe, yet delicate and gentle.
But he was the emperor's sword and also got involved in the fight for the throne.
"never mind."
Song Yanze sighed and lowered his eyes to look at the goose-feather knife he had taken off. The pattern was plain and simple, the leather and metal were cold and hard, and only the red tassel was soft and beautiful. It looked a little old, but it was well cared for.
He subconsciously reached out and poked the red tassel, only then did he see a red rope in front of it, like a hair rope?
Jiang Tingyuan had been looking at him, and suddenly reached out to grab his hand and Hongsuizi. When their eyes met, Song Yanze couldn't help but move his Adam's apple and looked at him in amazement.
He had never seen such eyes before, eager and yet somewhat cautious, which was very strange in Jiang Tingyuan.
Song Yanze didn't know what to do. They had crossed the line too much these past few days, being too intimate. He was getting used to it but still worried.
"Actually, my injury has healed a lot, you..."
"Do you want to see this knife?" Jiang Tingyuan interrupted him, grabbed his hand and slowly stroked the handle of the knife which was warm from his body temperature.
"The Imperial Guard carries an Embroidered Spring Sword, which is a ceremonial sword. This sword has been with me since Yanzhou, and it is called Yanling."
With a clang, the sword was drawn out of its sheath, and the sharp blade was cold and sharp.
"The general is courageous when he marches south, with a sword on his waist." Song Yanze avoided his sight, lowered his head, and recited softly.
"It's a sword, a knife for killing people."
Song Yanze couldn't help but look up at him. Jiang Tingyuan had his usual indifference on his face. He wasn't panicked, and didn't feel any emotion about human life.
"That day, after I rescued you from the cliff, there were four imperial envoys and ten people in the Ogura, but I only brought back two to judge."
"Purge the Imperial Guards and kill twelve people."
After saying this, Jiang Tingyuan let go of his hand, looked up at Song Yanze, and watched every tiny change in the expression on his face.
Song Yanze's hand was white and slender, with soft fingertips, and it was obvious that he was the hand that held a pen. He gripped the scabbard tightly, letting the sharp blade slowly re-sheath itself, his eyes calm.
"You want me, don't you?"
Song Yanze didn't look at him, but he could always feel the burning gaze.
"It's not just a moment of pleasure. You want me to know you, understand you, know everything about you, the good and the bad, and then accept it all."
"So smart." Jiang Tingyuan laughed softly, looking at his white fingers tightly gripping the goose feather scabbard.
"Why me?"
"Why can't it be you?"
"You are attracted by her beauty?"
"love at first sight."
Song Yanze stopped talking, thinking back to the first time he met him. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't feel any ambiguity. It couldn't be that he just liked people who didn't listen to him and went against him?
There are so many people like this.
"You really can say anything." Song Yanze held up his face and shook his head: "Love at first sight?"
Jiang Tingyuan answered him confidently: "The truth."
The carriage stopped and neither of them moved. Jiang Tingyuan was still looking at him. Song Yanze lowered his head and twisted the red tassel with his fingers. His face was normal and his ears were flushed.
"I am a man."
"I can see that."
Jiang Tingyuan's every answer, every word, was firm and resolute, without hesitation, as if it was natural and impossible. Only his tone was hesitant, and his heart was in turmoil.
Song Yanze clenched the red stalk and asked him back, with a subtle complaint in his tone: "Why do you think I agreed to you?"
Jiang Tingyuan suddenly leaned over and got close to him, his nose rubbing against his, their breaths intertwined, and he chuckled.
"No reason."
"It's only a matter of time."
Song Yanze's whole body was tense, his heart was numb, and his hands were clenched. He was afraid that such a crazy and hot kiss would stir his heart again, and the slippery tongue would tease him in the most decadent way, making him lose all his gentlemanly self-restraint.
But for a moment he was expecting something.
Song Yanze would not deliberately avoid the strange thoughts at that moment, but it did not prevent him from becoming angry and embarrassed. He pushed his shoulder hard, lifted the curtain and left.
"Oh, sir, you have a fever?"
"……No."
Song Yanze held his official hat and walked into the door without looking back.
"Close the door!"
Jiang Tingyuan was holding a knife, holding the red stalk and smiling at his figure. Lianxin hesitated for a moment, looking at Song Yanze and then at Jiang Tingyuan who had not yet entered the door.
"Lian Xin!"
Lianxin immediately slammed the door shut, causing it to shake.
Song Yanze walked forward with his head covered. Before he walked out of the corridor, his legs started to hurt again. He sat down on the side, holding onto a pillar. Then, remembering that he hadn't said the important thing, he slapped the pillar in annoyance.
When I looked up, I saw a plum tree with a bald patch standing there pitifully.
"What a filthy bastard!"
I originally wanted to ask him indirectly whether he was a member of King Xuan's party. If so, I also wanted to test his attitude and see if part of the silver could be allocated to repair the dam in Sanjiang.
Now that the conflict between them has come to this, he has to ask Jiang Tingyuan for help again.
This is nothing.
If he discussed it directly with him, would he agree to Jiang Tingyuan's conditions? If he proposed it himself... that would be even worse, because it would humiliate his sincerity and himself.
If he simply agreed, wouldn't it seem like he was holding him hostage and forcing him to do something by blackmail?
Song Yanze rubbed his goose bumps and plucked the flowers and plants on the corridor in annoyance, his face turning pale and blue.
After dinner, he was still struggling with this matter. It had to be done, and it had to be done quickly. But how to say it, how to bring it up...
Song Yanze stood in the yard and sighed. He was a little uncomfortable with Jiang Tingyuan's absence today. He subconsciously looked to his side while eating, and even poured two cups of tea.
What does this mean for him? Is he greedy for someone's tenderness and kindness, and is obedient to others? If he is seeking a moment of pleasure and seeking pleasure, then he can respect himself and easily refuse.
But how could he be like that? He had already noticed it, but he just realized it today.
There is no equal sincerity, no flawless love, just treat him lightly and respond easily just to enjoy his benefits...
This is not what a gentleman does.
Song Yanze thought about it and felt that he was too reckless and behaved like a mean person. He pulled out two more grasses in annoyance.
“Keep your distance, keep your distance.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and saw a person jumping down from the courtyard wall.
Jiang Tingyuan was dressed in a black suit, with her ponytail standing upright and shaking. She turned around with skillful movements and saw Song Yanze holding a few pieces of grass in his hand.
"There aren't many grasses growing yet, why pull them out?"
Song Yanze turned his face away, and every time Jiang Tingyuan took a step forward, he took a step back.
"What are you doing so late at night?"
"I'm bored, so I climb over the wall to visit other people."
Song Yanze uttered an "oh" and glanced at him, still immersed in the regret for taking advantage of others some time ago.
"Now that you're done, go back."
"Don't you want to take a shower today? Isn't it inconvenient?"
Jiang Tingyuan rolled up his sleeves as he spoke, his tone flat and his expression indifferent, as if he was saying "I'll pour you a cup of tea", seeming uncomfortable that Song Yanze was being suspicious.
"No, don't bother yourself."
"Don't you trust me?" Jiang Tingyuan laughed at himself and turned to leave: "Do you think I'm that kind of person?"
Some time ago, he had never used his hands to wash, feed, and change clothes. Not to mention when he was unconscious, he had seen everything he looked like.
"No, I am..."
"That's good, let's go and take a shower."
Jiang Tingyuan didn't turn around much, so he turned back immediately, put his arms around his waist, lifted him up and walked into the inner room.
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