Chapter 61
Before Chu Huan could say anything, the system started to get upset: [Hey—can you even speak? What does it mean to steal someone?]
[Sister Huan is only thirteen years old this year, still a full-fledged minor. Who are you stealing from? It's against the law, don't you know? You're illiterate! I'll teach you not to study hard!]
Meng Hang: “…”
This scolding almost made him hallucinate his own master, but it was the overly cute and babyish childish voice that distracted him - it was so different from his master's hoarse voice that he would never admit his mistake.
Having promised the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Works before him, Meng Hang did not dare to show any unusual behavior in order to avoid exposing the truth. He asked again, "Are you sure you want me to help you steal someone?"
Chu Huan didn't have that idea at first, but seeing Meng Hang's look of disbelief, she wanted to tease him instead.
"Can you steal it?"
Meng Hang: “…”
Stealing things is not difficult in itself. He can even steal things from the imperial palace, but stealing people is a different matter.
People are not like ordinary objects that will stay in place quietly. When encountering an accident, they will resist, run away and scream. He is only good at mechanical engineering and does not have strong fighting power.
But since he has already acknowledged this boss, he has to show his goodwill to him. Besides, stealing people is indeed very challenging. He has never done it before and he doesn't know if he will fail halfway.
"I'll try." The young man who had looked hesitant before suddenly rubbed his hands and became eager to try, as if he was ready to start as soon as it got dark.
Now it was Chu Huan's turn to calm him down: "Don't get carried away. Do you know who Shang Lu is?"
Meng Hang had a good memory: "You said, the new Imperial Observatory."
Chu Huan corrected him, "He was specially invited by the imperial court to the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. He didn't have a specific official title, but he was more respected than a fifth-rank official. Even when the imperial treasury was broke, they spent ten thousand taels to build a Star-Picking Platform for him."
"Hiss—" This person is simply the darling of the Great Sheng court! Even more important than the emperor's son!
Meng Hang suddenly realized the importance of Smilax glabra, and the idea was a bit tricky.
"Have you seen it?"
Chu Huan: "No."
Meng Hang: "Then why do you want him?"
Chu Huan: "Because he..."
The cute little system suddenly appeared and answered perfectly: [It looks really good! ]
Chu Huan and Meng Hang were both silent.
After a moment, Chu Hua pretended nothing happened: "I want to learn his ability to read the weather."
The main purpose is to take the blame for the system's weather forecast function.
If she doesn't learn this skill from Shang Lu, it will be inconvenient for her to use the system's disaster warning function unless she is willing to completely hand herself and the system over to the court.
Meng Hang didn't know there was this whole story. He just thought that she wanted to learn out of personal interest and was afraid that Shang Lu would not teach her, so he thought of stealing her home.
"How about we try to be polite first and then use force? Go to his house and ask for instruction first. If he really doesn't want to teach you, I'll find a way to steal him back for you later."
Chu Huan knew Meng Hang had strayed from his thoughts, so she agreed, "Okay, I'll post a message for him first."
These days, the old Grand Tutor and the old Preceptor had been teaching her very attentively, without mixing in any private talk about loyalty to the emperor, patriotism, and dedication to the people, nor had they explicitly or implicitly suggested that she use the system's weather forecast function.
She was worried that an earthquake or major disaster might happen someday, and since she hadn't learned how to read the weather, she couldn't cover up her lie.
Rather than being forced to confront the court in order to let the court organize the people to take refuge, it is better to make preparations early.
Meng Hang left with the gift satisfied.
Seeing that it was still early for class, Chu Hua simply asked the system: [How beautiful is the Chinese pomegranate?]
System: [Do you like beauties with teardrop moles?]
Chu Huan took a deep breath: [Tong'er, I suspect you've secretly eaten melon.]
[Hehe...] The system let out a delighted chuckle. [Although I don't have your exact ideal type, I think a beauty with a teardrop mole would really appeal to you.]
Chu Huan refused to admit it: "I still think that the cold and beautiful women of the banished immortal type are more appealing to XP."
Everyone: ???
Fork split? What?
The system laughed even louder, knowing that it could always trust the intelligence gathering capabilities of the "Eating Watermelon" system!
[Shanglu is an unattainable, aloof, exiled immortal beauty. While she doesn't have the white hair you so often adore, she has a pair of passionate peach blossom eyes and a teardrop mole beneath them. What do you think? A perfect XP boost, right?]
Chu Huan: “…”
She suspected the system had seen her screensavers, favorites, and browsing history, and even had evidence! Otherwise, how would 188 know that she liked white-haired lunatics, cold and exiled immortals, and beauties with teardrop moles?
Can she still keep a little privacy in front of the melon-eating system? Damn it!
[Not necessarily.] Haven't we ever seen an adult trying to save face?
The system doesn't buy it: [Hehe.]
Two simple words say it all: Do you think I believe it?!
Chu Huan shut up and went to class.
And this part of the news was quickly sent to the palace.
Since the last time the news about General Xuanwei was not delivered to the palace in time, which led to General Xuanwei's early escape and no timely settlement, the emperor ordered the Jinyiwei to deliver the news first regardless of whether it seemed urgent or not, so as to keep the right of judgment in his hands.
After reading the content this time, the emperor pondered for a long time.
He was not very clear about what the split was, but considering the context, it probably meant like.
So Chu Huan likes men like Shang Lu?
The emperor's first reaction was speechlessness.
Didn’t you say you wanted to cultivate it?
I already sent the Fifth Prince to you as a child husband, and now you say you like a grown man like Shang Lu? What are you doing?
Then he thought, the Fifth Prince had taken this opportunity to become a student of the old Grand Tutor and the old Grand Preceptor, and he had a good relationship with Chu Huan recently, which was a big progress.
For Chu Huan's safety, the emperor did not want her to take the risk of giving birth.
If she married the Fifth Prince in the future, he would no longer have legitimate children, which would be a pity.
Forget it, let it be.
Chu Huan wants to cultivate herself sometimes, sometimes she likes cool beauties, and maybe she will change her preferences after a while.
As for the trade routes... the emperor summoned his trusted ministers to discuss it.
"Will he cooperate in this matter?" The Minister of Revenue was not very optimistic. It was not him who invited Shang Lu, but he had heard how difficult it was to invite this person.
The Minister of Rites once again recalled the experience of repeatedly inviting people to come out of retirement but being turned down, and his face looked gloomy.
"He doesn't care about food or women, he's not greedy for women, he's just a gentle breeze and bright moon, he works from sunrise to sunset..." After a few words of gnashing praise, veins popped out on the Minister of Rites' forehead, and he said angrily, "I've never met such a difficult person!"
"Isn't it done?" The Minister of Revenue reassured him with his eyes: the process is not important, as long as the result is successful.
The Minister of Rites just wanted to laugh: "That was his master's order, he had to go down the mountain."
It turns out that you can't deal with the person involved, so you choose to take a roundabout way to deal with the person's master.
This is a brilliant move! All the officials took note.
This is also the reason why the emperor did not make a rash decision: he did not understand Shanglu and had to be cautious to avoid any bad consequences.
The old master was very pleased that Chu Huan took the initiative to learn how to read the weather.
"Why not tell the whole story? Perhaps Shang Lu will be willing to cooperate?"
The emperor and all the officials looked at him silently: Is it true?
The old master was not very confident, but Shang Lu had no obvious weaknesses that could be exploited. What could he do?
"They can both read the weather. Perhaps Phytolacca would be interested?"
The old tutor agreed with this point: "Recluses are often proud, and fame, wealth, and power are fleeting to them. But it... is so magical, perhaps it will pique Shang Lu's interest."
The emperor made the final decision: "It is settled."
Not long after, a compiled intelligence report was escorted to the merchant by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
When Shang Lu heard that the book was sent by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he put down the book he had been reading for a long time, and once he picked it up, he didn't put it down for a long time.
Doubt, surprise, shock and other emotions flashed in Peach Blossom's eyes, which usually showed no emotion, and she was no longer as calm as before.
The master always said that the world is so big that there are all kinds of wonders, but he thought that things in the world are just like that, and he never thought that there would be such miraculous things.
The sound can be heard by people within a radius of fifty meters.
It is easy to find out things that others are trying hard to hide.
In front of it, everyone is transparent and there are no secrets.
The emperor would not make up a lie that could be so easily exposed, so it is likely to be true.
There was a strange light in Shang Lu's eyes. He knew everything about the world without leaving his house. There was actually someone in the world who could do this.
The Imperial Astronomical Observatory was under the Ministry of Rites and was mainly responsible for observing astronomical phenomena, calculating solar terms, and formulating the calendar. The officials under it ranged from the fifth to the ninth rank, and their ranks were not high, but the importance of this department was self-evident because of its responsibilities.
The imperial court prohibited the public from learning divination and astronomy in order to prevent people from misleading the people by taking advantage of abnormal weather and astronomical phenomena. As a result, the officials of the Imperial Observatory were basically hereditary or recommended by officials.
Shang Lu was good at divination, understood astronomy, and could predict celestial phenomena. He had no rivals when he was on the mountain. Unexpectedly, when he came down the mountain, he encountered a system that was suspected to be able to accurately predict weather and disasters.
What made him feel even more awkward was that the main function of this system was to eat melons, and predicting weather and disasters was just a by-product.
It feels like something you have worked hard to learn for more than ten years is just mentioned casually by others.
Even someone as good-tempered as Shang Lu really wants to compete with the system.
The report sent by the Embroidered Uniform Guard contained a lot of content. Shang Lu read it one by one, from the first appearance of the system to the most recent content. He even read through the complicated content of the system doing the imperial examination questions late at night without changing his expression.
Until today's content mentioned that Chu Huan liked men like him.
Phytolacca: ???
He had long known that he was better looking than the average person, but he had never cared about it.
The system seems to only be able to confirm things that have been said or done, and has no idea what other people are thinking, so...
The man's peach blossom eyes were slightly raised, with a hint of smile, which made the teardrop mole under his eye sparkle.
In the afternoon, Shang Lu received a note from Chu Huan, asking him if he was free the day after tomorrow as she wanted to visit him.
Shanglu agreed.
That night, Chu Huan was doing her last activity before going to bed: soaking her feet.
Late autumn has passed and winter is about to come. Soaking her feet in ginger water can make her feel better throughout the winter, especially during her period.
It was also at this time that the system, noticing that she had finally stopped studying and had some free time, broke the news in the private chat channel: [The Emperor has told Shang Lu everything about us.]
Chu Huan didn't take it seriously: [Just say it.]
Everyone in the court, both civil and military officials, knew about it, and many female members of the family also knew about it. What’s the big deal?
The system said quietly: [He also knows that you like him.]
Chu Huan's expression froze.
If she had known this day would come, she would never have let the system talk nonsense!
No, if she had known that she would travel through time and be bound to the melon-eating system, she would definitely not have saved so many refined pictures of the white-haired madman, the cold and banished immortal, the abstinent elite, the beauty with tear mole...!
That's all.
Isn’t it just social death?
Life is only a few decades long, and it passes by in a blink of an eye.
Chu Huan's excitement quickly subsided: "So what? Isn't it just to satisfy my craving for pleasure?"
[I said I wanted to play the cultivation game, but the emperor even sent the fifth prince here. Didn't I do nothing?]
Sooner or later, they will realize that I am just a talker, and that I only talk big but never actually do anything.
The system saw through everything: [Then if you have the guts, stop talking so much.]
[The more you talk, the more it proves that you care about this matter. Those who really don't care never look back at the explosion.]
Chu Huan held her forehead with her hand. Little Sha Tong had become smarter and was no longer easy to fool.
She did care a little, but that was because adults didn't want to die socially, and nothing else mattered.
Chu Hua: [If you have time to think about these things, you might as well think about how to conquer Shanglu.]
After satisfying his craving for food, the system went back to work: [Shang Lu has long lived in the mountains, indifferent to fame and fortune, leading a life like a monk. He has no interest in wine, women, money, or power.]
He could eat both meat and fish, as well as vegetables and radishes. When the mountains were covered in snow, he could survive on pickled vegetables and mushrooms for two months. He could even eat white rice three times a day.
[How do you capture someone like this who has no preferences or weaknesses? I'm not a capture system, so I can't provide you with a detailed guide.]
Chu Huan had just casually said it to divert the system's attention, but she hadn't expected Shang Lu to be so difficult to deal with.
She was thinking that the court wanted the ability to predict weather and disasters, so she would definitely discuss with Shang Lu to cooperate with her performance. She was busy recently, so she didn't target her likes and weaknesses like Meng Hang did.
Who would have expected Shang Lu to be such a difficult person to deal with?
Chu Hua: [Then how did he get to the Imperial Observatory?]
The system had already heard about this while Chu Huan was busy, and it spoke very fluently: [It's because there are too many natural disasters in Dasheng. The emperor feels that the Imperial Astronomical Observatory is not doing a good job, so he is sending people everywhere to search for people who know divination and astronomy.]
[But the imperial court forbade the common people from learning divination and astronomy. Even if someone did know how to do it, they wouldn't dare to expose it.]
Shang Lu's master was his senior brother who had been in charge of the Imperial Astronomical Observatory during the previous emperor's time. The Minister of Rites, following the handwritten notes left by the former Imperial Astronomical Observatory after his death, came to him.
Shang Lu's master was already over eighty years old. How could he possibly do this kind of work? The Minister of Rites asked Shang Lu to come down the mountain. After repeated objections, he persuaded Shang Lu's master.
Later, Master Shang Lu was persuaded by the Minister of Rites' words, "Do you want Shang Lu to die of old age here?" and abandoned his apprentice down the mountain.
Chu Huan: “…”
[Is Shanglu a homebody? ]
【Huh?】The system hadn't anticipated the addition of roads, and after flipping the melon, he thought, 【You're right.】
This guy doesn't need to stay at home. He loves to make dried vegetables, dried radishes, dried mushrooms, and all kinds of sauces at home. He can store a whole cellar of them and eat them for several months.
The filter of the cold and exiled fairy beauty was shattered to pieces.
Chu Huan rubbed her face. [Tong'er, does he have any other strange hobbies or practices?]
Say it all at once and let her completely give up!
The system dove into the melon field. It wasn't sure what Chu Huan's strange criteria were, so it picked out everything it could find.
He has a hoarding habit and becomes anxious when food runs out at home.
He has obsessive-compulsive disorder. Books, pens, and jars must all be neatly arranged, and chopped firewood must be neatly stacked.
He also has mysophobia and has to take a shower and change clothes every day, and keeps the house spotless.
Chu Huan was already numb from listening to it.
Are you sure you want to make her give up instead of increasing her favorability?
"Ah, I found a strange one." The system quickly emerged from the melon field. "Does his liking for stargazing count?"
Chu Hua: [Isn't this a normal hobby?]
In her previous life, she had a good friend who was an astronomy enthusiast. He often taught her about the stars in the sky and took her to the best locations to watch the stars and the rare meteor showers.
System: [Was stargazing considered a normal hobby in ancient times? There are no telescopes here, so you can only see a little light.]
Huh? Chu Huan suddenly realized that she knew how to conquer Shanglu.
Telescopes originated from glasses, glasses originated from glass, and she happened to own a glass factory.
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