Chapter 089 Your Majesty, the Heartless Bad Guy
"Oh?" Zong Zhengxiao showed a curious look, "Let me see how brave you are."
Rong Yin said: "Close your eyes first."
Zong Zhengxiao was puzzled: "How can I see with my eyes closed?"
"You'll know in a minute, hurry up."
"All right."
Zong Zhengxiao put down his chopsticks and closed his eyes.
Soon, amid the sound of boiling soup, Zong Zhengxiao first heard the sound of bowls and chopsticks colliding, and then a familiar breath approached, and Rong Yin came in front of him.
"Your Majesty, open your mouth."
This time, Zong Zheng Xiao did not ask why, but opened his mouth slightly.
The next second, he felt Rong Yin feeding him something.
"Don't bite it, just hold it in your mouth." Rong Yin ordered.
Zong Zhengxiao obeyed obediently. After a while, Rong Yin's vague voice sounded, "You can open your eyes now."
After regaining his sight, the first thing Zong Zheng Xiao saw was Rong Yin, who was bending over and facing him. There was a bowl between the two of them. In the bowl was a noodle cooked in clear soup, one end of which was in Rong Yin's mouth and the other end was in his mouth.
Seeing Zong Zheng's surprised look, Rong Yin snorted and said vaguely: "How about it, are you brave enough?"
Zong Zhengxiao nodded.
"Let's see who eats faster." Rong Yin said, and before Zong Zhengxiao could react, she started eating the noodles quickly.
Zong Zhengxiao had just taken a few bites when Rong Yin had already finished most of it. The distance between the two of them got closer and closer until the noodles were finished and their lips touched.
The familiar soft touch of lips made Zong Zhengxiao's heart beat faster. Zong Zhengxiao wanted to continue, but Rong Yin retreated in time.
"You haven't stopped kissing me yet, but I still need to eat." Rong Yin returned to her seat with the bowl.
Who would have thought that when he looked over, he was met with Zong Zheng Xiao's lost expression, exactly the same as that of his classmate Xiao Ai who wanted to eat meat bones but was rejected.
Rong Yin couldn't bear it anymore, so she could only comfort him: "Let's kiss each other tonight, okay?"
"You said it, I have the final say on how long we kiss." Zong Zhengxiao looked pitiful.
Rong Yin was really afraid that he would look at her like that, making him look like a bully.
"Yeah, you decide how long to kiss. Let's eat quickly. The meat is overcooked."
Rong Yin, who was busy picking up the meat, didn't notice the cunning light that flashed in Zong Zheng Xiao's eyes.
That night, because Rong Yin had eaten spicy hotpot and didn't want to do it, Zong Zhengxiao followed what they had agreed on and he had the final say on how long to kiss her. In the end, he kissed her lips so hard that they were swollen.
This was not the end yet. After kissing her until she was dizzy, he went to help Rong Yin bite.
In the middle of winter, Rong Yin was so exhausted that he broke into a sweat. In the end, Zong Zhengxiao even said, "A Yin's food seems to be spicy too."
Rong Yin's face turned red immediately, and in excitement, she almost kicked the man off the bed.
After New Year's Eve, it's the New Year again.
Before the spring planting, Zong Zhengxiao asked the agricultural department to distribute the corn seeds to the various state capitals, and distributed them together with the order to start collecting autumn taxes this year.
Ji Xie's corn planting guide was updated with a lot of content last year. The booklet was handed over to the governors of the prefectures along with the seeds, and they were asked to teach the people to plant corn according to this booklet.
If the people discover new and more effective planting methods or new means of preventing and controlling diseases during the planting process and report them to the government, once verified to be correct, the reporter would receive a generous reward.
Because fertilizers brought real benefits to the people, and the rice paper and sanitary paper produced by the royal family were sold all over the country by merchants, everyone knew that what the government distributed must be good things, so they did not resist the emergence of this new variety of corn.
After the government explained the various ways to eat corn, people's enthusiasm for planting it increased even more. Not a single grain of the seeds distributed by the court was left, as they were all planted in the fields by the people.
Because the people had benefited from the fertilizers and new seeds, they did not react much even when they heard that taxes would be collected starting this year.
Anyway, they have fertilizers, and according to the tax rates announced by the government, they will have some surplus after paying taxes, enough to feed the family and even have some left over to sell.
Ji Xie's reputation spread to every corner of Dasheng as the corn planting guide became popular.
Ordinary people may not know how tall or handsome he is, what official position he holds in Beijing, or who his father is, but as long as his name is mentioned, ordinary people will say, "I know him, the man who taught us how to grow corn."
Zong Zhengxiao joked with him: "Among the people of Dasheng, I'm afraid more people know your name than the name of me, the emperor."
Ji Xie said cheerfully, "Your Majesty, what are you talking about? How can I compare with Your Majesty? You are the emperor, and not has the honor of knowing your name. I am not like me, an ordinary citizen. People remember my name as a compliment to me. How can everyone really think that I am a great person?"
Zong Zheng Xiao laughed and said, "It seems that you are not arrogant, but you are still good at flattering others."
Ji Xie said, "I am the kite, and Your Majesty is the one flying the kite. The ropes tied to my feet and neck are always in Your Majesty's hands. How high and how far I can fly is up to you, Your Majesty."
Rong Yin couldn't help but sigh when he heard what Ji Xie said. No wonder people say that people who know how to flatter are popular everywhere. What's more, Ji Xie is not only good at saying nice things, but also quite capable.
Such highly qualified people can do what ordinary people cannot do and say what ordinary people are unwilling to say. It is normal for them to climb to high positions in any era.
"Your Majesty, oh, my most wise and mighty Majesty, your temperament is as majestic as a mountain, and your heart is as broad as the sea. Please forgive my offense. I am just a little person who admires you. If you allow me, may I kiss your right hand?"
Rong Yin imitated the translation accent from old foreign movies, dancing in front of Zong Zheng Xiao with an exaggerated expression. Finally, she took his right hand and looked at him with sincerity.
Zong Zhengxiao was puzzled. "Ayin, is this your hometown accent? Why is it so strange?"
Rong Yin said, "Is the accent the main point? The main point is what I said. Aren't you happy to hear it? I'm just trying to flatter you."
Seeing Rong Yin's serious expression, Zong Zheng Xiao was afraid of making him angry, so he nodded quickly, "Happy, I'm very happy."
Rong Yin asked again: "So who do you think is more appreciative of flattery, me or Ji Xie?"
Zong Zhengxiao thought for a moment and said, "Each has its merits. I admire both. Ji Xie's flattery is subtle and introverted, moistening things silently, while your flattery is more direct, hitting the heart, and is funnier than him."
Rong Yin quickly approached Zong Zheng Xiao and stared at him with wide eyes, "Is it funny?"
"Pfft." Zong Zheng Xiao laughed out loud.
Rong Yin: “…”
In the end, in this flattery competition, Rong Yin won by a slight margin because he was funny.
In spring, when all flowers are in full bloom, many children pick beautiful wild flowers and go into the city to sell them. Ningyue's maid knew that her daughter loved flowers, so when she went out to pick them, she brought back a bunch.
Ningyue trimmed the branches herself, mixed them with other flowers and plants and inserted them into a vase, which she placed next to the incense burner. The smoke from the vase gave it a unique and elegant flavor.
Several guests who came today praised it after seeing it, and said casually: "Ms. Ningyue's perfume making skills are getting better and better. After smelling your fragrance these days, I sleep much better after returning home."
Ning Yue smiled and said, "Thank you for your interest."
In the afternoon, after seeing off the last guest, Ning Yue picked up a few pieces of letter paper and began to study them. Written on them were several methods of perfume making.
As for who taught her these methods, the story began last winter.
Ning Yue saved He Yi'er at the banquet last year. Later, because Master Cui got some benefits from her, she decided to be a good person and warned Master Zhou, which scared him so much that he dared not disturb the women of the He family again.
He Yi'er's sister somehow found out that it was Ning Yue who actually saved He Yi'er. After the storm subsided, she wrote a letter to thank her for her great kindness.
There was also a silver note for 100 taels in the letter, which should be a thank-you gift to her.
After reading the letter, Ning Yue carefully considered the words and wrote a reply. In the letter, she also asked Sister He Yi'er a question about musical instruments.
When the He family had not yet fallen, everyone knew that the He family's daughters were proficient in everything from playing the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. They were well-known even in the circle of talented ladies in the capital.
Ning Yue asked, and out of gratitude for saving her life, Sister He Yi'er must go back.
As time went by, because Ningyue kept finding topics to talk about, the two of them kept exchanging letters, and gradually their relationship upgraded from strangers to pen pals.
Both parties admired each other's talents and regarded each other as confidants. In the days that followed, whenever Ning Yue found out that the He family's daughter was in trouble at a banquet, she would help.
In this way, she became friends with several girls from the He family. At a dinner party, Ning Yue met He Yan, He Yi'er's sister. After talking with her face to face, their relationship deepened.
Now, the two of them have become good friends who can talk about anything. It was He Yan who taught her about perfume making.
After thinking about the questions she wanted to ask, Ning Yue asked the maid to prepare paper and pen and began to write a letter to He Yan.
The maid watched Ning Yue carefully blow the ink off the letter, fold it and put it into the envelope. She said in a depressed tone, "Miss, do you have to send a letter to the Music Bureau again?"
Ning Yue said, "If you think it's too far and you don't want to go, you can find someone you trust to take you there, and I'll pay for the errand."
"It's not that I don't want to send you off, it's just that..." The maid grabbed the handkerchief and moved closer before asking in a low voice, "Miss, you said you saved Miss He Ni'er for a better future, and you kept in touch with Miss He later, probably because of this. But I don't understand, the He family has fallen, and Miss He can't even save herself, so how can she give you a future?"
Ning Yue chuckled: "You have to eat a little at a time and walk a step at a time. There are not so many things in this world that can be accomplished overnight. I have waited for your girl for so many years, so why would I care about this little time."
The maid sighed: "Miss, you still like to tell riddles so much."
Ning Yue patted her head and said, "Be good, go and deliver the letter. Remember to be careful and don't let outsiders find out."
"I know, girl, you've said it eight hundred times."
Ning Yue poked her forehead with her scallion-white finger, "Scrooge, don't you like to eat the milk biscuits in Boss Rong's shop? When you come back from delivering the letters, buy a few boxes for yourself. I'll give you the money you spent."
Hearing that there was something delicious, the maid smiled and said, "Thank you, young lady. You are so kind to me."
After the maid left, Ning Yue came to the window and looked at the setting sun in the distance with cold eyes.
She raised her arm, as if wanting to touch the unreachable clouds, but after hesitating for a moment, she quietly withdrew her hand.
"One day, I will stand outside Qingqiu Pavilion and touch the free sky with my own hands."
Ning Yue lowered her eyes and whispered softly in a voice that only she could hear.
That day, Rong Yin took classmate Xiao Ai out of the palace to play. Remembering that he hadn't seen Ning Yue for a long time, he took Gou Zi to Qingqiu Pavilion.
When the boss saw Rong Yin appear, he knew that it was a distinguished guest and he couldn't stop smiling.
At that time, the boss used the reservation for the cream cake that Rong Yin gave her to exchange for a lot of good things with a powerful person.
"Boss Rong, you haven't been here for a long time. I thought you had forgotten our little Qingqiu Pavilion."
Rong Yin smiled and said, "No way, I was just too busy recently and didn't have time to play."
He handed the bread and milk tea in his hand to the boss and joked, "I'm here to trouble you and the girls again. Don't blame me if you gain weight."
The boss covered his mouth with a handkerchief and smiled, "Don't blame me, I can't thank you enough."
Xiao Ai, a student who was born after Rong Yin, asked the boss: "Can I bring the dog in? If not, I will ask someone else to take it outside to play."
The boss then noticed that there was a big black dog following Rong Yin.
The boss was a little surprised: "Hey, this is the dog you raised, Boss Rong. It's so big and looks so majestic."
Rong Yin smiled and said, "She's become a beautiful young lady now."
The boss followed suit and said, "What a coincidence. We don't have much in Qingqiu Pavilion except for girls. It's just right for your dog to be here."
"Sorry to bother you, boss. It's very well behaved. It doesn't bark or bite."
The boss also laughed: "She looks like a good girl."
Ning Yue happened to be free at that time, so Rong Yin took her classmate Xiao Ai upstairs to find her. Along the way, they attracted countless people's attention, probably because they were curious why someone would come to such a place to play and bring a dog.
Xiao Ai is a social animal. He is not afraid of being stared at by a large group of strangers. He walks briskly and you can tell he is very excited.
"This is the dog you, Boss Rong, have." Ning Yue had heard Rong Yin say that he had a black dog, but this was the first time she had seen it.
Rong Yin patted the dog's head and said, "Student Xiao Ai, go say hello to Sister Ning Yue."
"Woof woof!" Classmate Xiao Ai barked twice, wagging his tail excitedly, and went over to rub Ning Yue's legs.
Rong Yin said: "It seems that it likes you very much. Xiao Ai only likes people who are good-looking. Ning Yue, your beauty has won its approval."
"Our classmate Xiao Ai is so amazing." Ning Yue also imitated Rong Yin to rub Gou Zi's head. Gou Zi let her touch him obediently and even made a happy humming sound in his throat.
No one can refuse a well-behaved dog. Ning Yue asked the maid to go to the kitchen to get a large bone with more meat for Xiao Ai to grind her teeth. The maid quickly brought the bone back, and when she handed the bone to Xiao Ai, she took the opportunity to touch it.
Perhaps because she felt the maid’s love, Xiao Ai was not angry when she was touched. She even licked the maid’s fingers happily, which made the maid’s heart melt.
"Miss, why don't we raise a puppy?" the maid suggested.
Ning Yue asked, "Do you think the boss will agree?"
"No..." The maid's face immediately fell.
Rong Yin couldn't bear to see the girl sad, so he quickly said, "I'll bring Xiao Ai to Qingqiu Pavilion to play with you more often in the future. This place is really not suitable for raising pets."
The maid smiled again, "Okay, thank you, Boss Rong."
After a while, Ning Yue asked the maid to take Xiao Ai to play in the garden, as she wanted to talk to Rong Yin alone.
After the maid and the dog left, Rong Yin asked, "Ningyue, what do you want to tell me?"
Ning Yue deliberately kept him in suspense and asked him, "Boss Rong, have you noticed? Is the incense in my incense burner different from before?"
Rong Yin sniffed it carefully and said slowly, "The fragrance is more pure, with a suitable intensity, not pungent, nor suffocating. On the contrary, it has a refreshing effect."
Ning Yue asked again: "Compared to the last time you came, have you made great progress?"
Rong Yin nodded, "Indeed, how come, Ning Yue, you went to study with a famous teacher?"
"He is indeed a famous teacher, so famous that even you, Boss Rong, know him."
"Really?" Rong Yin asked curiously, "I don't know much about perfume making. If even I know this, then he must be a famous master."
Ning Yue's expression was calm, she held her breath and concentrated, with a little nervousness in her eyes. She said, "This famous teacher's surname is He."
Rong Yin was stunned for a few seconds before he realized what Ning Yue meant.
"Ningyue, are you in contact with Miss He?"
They had discussed the He family's daughter before, and now they mentioned perfume making. Perfume making is an artistic activity that the daughter likes very much, so Rong Yin guessed that it was the He family's daughter from the Jiaofangsi.
Ning Yue nodded, her breathing still somewhat restrained: "We have been exchanging letters since last winter, and now we are close friends."
Rong Yin understood that if this friendship had nothing to do with him, Ning Yue would not have talked about it with him, not to mention that she would have dismissed everyone else and only told him.
Thinking of the importance of the He family girl, Rong Yin said in a positive tone: "Ningyue, are you making friends with the He family girl just for me?"
Ning Yue said: "It's for you, Boss Rong, and also for myself."
Then, Ning Yue told Rong Yin every detail of how she rescued He Yi'er and how she became friends with several girls from the He family.
Ning Yue said, "Although I didn't hear your conversation with Young Master Li, I thought about the status of the He family in the past, and combined with the different attitudes of the aristocratic families and the Li family towards the girls of the He family, I began to guess that the girls of the He family must be very important to you, Boss Rong, the one behind you, and the aristocratic families, so I tried to establish contact with the girls of the He family."
Rong Yin frowned slightly, "Why do you want to do this? Ning Yue, you are a smart person, you should know that arranging a meeting place for me and Li Chu is different from personally participating in the struggle between the royal family and the aristocratic family. The latter can easily bring you harm."
"Boss Rong, I know this is very dangerous, but that's why I will participate without hesitation. As the saying goes, wealth and fortune are sought through risk. How can I get what I want if I don't pay?"
Ning Yue did this for him and Zong Zhengxiao, so naturally they had to give her what she wanted.
Rong Yin asked, "What do you want? We are friends. As long as it is within my ability, I will do my best to help you. You don't need to risk your life."
Ning Yue shook her head and said, "Boss Rong, I know you have good intentions, and I know that you will definitely help me if I ask, but I don't like to owe others, not to mention that you are my friend, and I don't want our friendship to be ruined by my selfishness."
Rong Yin said jokingly, "Unless you want me to marry you and become your partner instead of your friend, I don't think you would make any selfish requests that would ruin our friendship."
Ning Yue was amused by him and shook her head again, "Boss Rong, you don't have to persuade me. I won't tell you this request for now. When I get what you want from Miss He, if you think it's worth it, I will ask you to do me a favor."
Ning Yue actually didn't know why Rong Yin and the others cared about those girls from the He family, but she could infer that after the He family fell from power, the girls of the He family were no longer the rich ladies they once were, and they themselves were not worth coveting.
The only possibility is that what they care about is not those girls from the He family, but something they represent, and this thing is very important to both the emperor and the aristocratic families.
Seeing Ning Yue's firm attitude, Rong Yin did not persuade her anymore, but said: "No matter whether Ning Yue finally gets what we want or not, I will do my best to help you complete your request. Don't refuse. We are friends. If friends really have to make such a clear distinction, we might as well be strangers."
Hearing this, Ning Yue's eyes turned red, and she smiled and nodded, "Okay, I'll listen to you, Boss Rong."
After returning to the palace, Rong Yin told Zong Zhengxiao about her conversation with Ning Yue.
Zong Zhengxiao was silent for a few seconds before he said, "After hearing from Li Chu that the He family girl might have evidence of crimes against several families, I sent people to approach them secretly to see if I could successfully befriend them and get some information out of them. However, the few waves I sent out were unsuccessful and instead aroused their vigilance. But I didn't expect Ning Yue to be able to do such a difficult thing."
Zong Zhengxiao also thought about confessing his identity directly to the girl from the He family and exchanging benefits for the evidence in their hands.
But when I think about the fact that from a certain perspective, the He family was actually brought down by him and several other aristocratic families, and the girl from the He family doesn't like people from aristocratic families, naturally she won't be kind to him either.
There is no other way but to adopt this strategy of taking it step by step.
Rong Yin said: "Ning Yue is smart. She got the chance to get close to Miss He by saving someone. Then she won their hearts little by little by relying on her own personal charm and her similar identity to Miss He."
Zong Zhengxiao also praised: "She can sit in the top position of Qingqiu Pavilion, so her social skills are naturally not weak. It can only be said that there are talents in all walks of life."
Rong Yin said to Zong Zheng Xiao, "Your Majesty, since she is helping us now, we can't just ignore her. Send a few secret guards to protect her."
"Well, she is the only one who can get close to the He family girl at the moment, so it is right for us to protect her."
After getting Zong Zhengxiao's assurance, Rong Yin happily went over and kissed him.
After he kissed her, he wanted to leave, but Zong Zheng Xiao refused to let him go.
Zong Zhengxiao held the man in his arms, stroked his face, and whispered, "Ayin, it's been half a month since the last time. Don't even think about escaping tonight."
Rong Yin said coquettishly: "I played outside all day today, I am so tired, and I also brought you such important news. Are you willing to torture me? Are you going to be a bad guy without conscience?"
Zong Zhengxiao coaxed him: "You don't have to work hard, I can do it myself, it won't be too tiring."
"You still want to deceive me." Rong Yin said angrily, "Do you think I'm still a child who knows nothing?"
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