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 discovered new and more effective planting methods or new means of preventing and controlling diseases during the planting process and reported 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 everyone 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 I 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 his."

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."

丫鬟嘆氣：“姑娘你還是那麽喜歡打啞謎。”

寧月摸摸她的頭，道：“乖，去送信吧，記得小心點，別被外人發現了。”

“知道啦，姑娘你都念叨過八百遍了。”

寧月蔥白的手指戳了戳她的額頭，“貧嘴，你不是喜歡吃戎老板店裏的牛奶餅幹嘛，送完信回來的時候自己買幾盒，花了多少錢我補給你。”

聽見有好吃的，丫鬟立即眉開眼笑：“謝謝姑娘，姑娘對我可真好。”

丫鬟走後，寧月來到窗邊，眺望遠方的落日餘晖，眸色清冷。

她擡起胳膊，似乎想要觸碰那遙不可及的雲朵，可猶豫片刻，還是悄悄收回了手。

“總有一天，我要站在清秋閣之外，親手觸摸自由的天空。”

寧月垂眸，用只有自己能聽見的音量輕聲呢喃。

這日，戎音帶着小艾同學出宮玩，想起好久沒見到寧月了，就帶着狗子去了清秋閣。

老板看見戎音出現，知道是貴客臨門，笑得合不攏嘴。

當初老板可是用戎音送她的那個奶油蛋糕的預約名額，跟某個權貴換了不少好東西呢。

“戎老板，您許久不來了，我還以為您已經把咱這小小清秋閣忘了呢。”

戎音笑嘻嘻：“哪能啊，就是前段時間太忙了，沒空閑玩。”

他把手裏拎着的面包奶茶遞給老板，玩笑道：“我又來禍害您和姑娘們了，長胖了可不許怪我哦。”

老板拿着帕子捂嘴笑，“不怪不怪，感謝你還來不及呢。”

戎音牽出身後的小艾同學，問老板：“可以帶狗進來嗎？不行的話我讓別人帶它去外面玩。”

老板這才注意到，戎音身後還跟了只大黑犬。

老板有些驚訝：“喲，這是戎老板你養的狗啊，這身量，長得可真威武。”

戎音笑道：“是個漂亮的大姑娘了。”

老板順勢道：“巧了，咱們清秋閣什麽都不多，就是姑娘多，你家的狗來了這兒是正正好。”

“那就叨擾老板你了，它很乖的，不會亂叫，也不會咬人。”

老板也笑：“看着就是個乖姑娘。”

此時正好寧月有空，戎音牽着小艾同學上樓去找她，一路上引得無數人側目，大概是好奇為什麽有人來這種地方玩還帶狗。

小艾同學是個社牛，被一大群陌生人盯着也不怕，步伐相當輕快，可以看得出來它很興奮。

“這就是戎老板你養的那只狗啊。”寧月聽戎音說過他養了一只黑犬，但見到還是第一次。

戎音摸摸狗頭，道：“小艾同學，快跟寧月姐姐打個招呼。”

“汪汪！”小艾同學叫了兩聲，激動地搖着尾巴，還湊過去蹭寧月的腿。

戎音道：“看來它很喜歡你，小艾同學只喜歡長得好看的人，寧月你的漂亮得到了它的肯定。”

“我們小艾同學這麽厲害啊。”寧月也學着戎音去揉狗子的腦袋，狗子乖乖地讓她摸，喉嚨裏還發出了歡快的哼唧聲。

沒有人能拒絕一只乖巧的狗子，寧月叫丫鬟去廚房要一根多帶點肉的大棒骨來給小艾同學磨牙，丫鬟很快就取了回來，把骨頭送到小艾同學面前時，還趁機摸了摸它。

或許是感受到了丫鬟的喜歡，小艾同學忽然被摸了也不生氣，還開心地舔了舔丫鬟的手指，把丫鬟萌得心都要化了。

“姑娘，要不咱們也養只小狗吧。”丫鬟提議道。

寧月道：“你覺得老板會同意？”

“不會……”丫鬟臉立即垮了下來。

戎音見不得姑娘難過，連忙道：“以後我多帶小艾同學來清秋閣找你們玩吧，你們這裏确實不适合養寵物。”

丫鬟這才重新笑了起來，“好啊，謝謝戎老板。”

過了一會兒，寧月叫丫鬟牽小艾同學去花園裏玩，她要單獨跟戎音談點事情。

等丫鬟和狗子離開後，戎音才問：“寧月你要跟我說什麽？”

寧月故意賣了個關子，問他：“戎老板可聞出來了，現在我香爐裏的香，跟之前有什麽不同？”

戎音仔細嗅了嗅，慢慢道：“香味更純正了些，濃淡适宜，不刺鼻，也不悶人，反而有點提神醒腦的作用。”

寧月又道：“比起上次你來，是不是有了很大進步？”

戎音點頭，“的确是，怎麽，寧月你拜名師進修去了？”

“的确是名師，有名到戎老板你也認識。”

“是嗎？”戎音好奇，“我對調香沒研究，如果連我也知道，那确實應該是位大名師。”

寧月表情平靜，屏息凝神，眼神裏還有一點緊張，她道：“這位名師，姓賀。”

戎音愣了幾秒才反應過來寧月是什麽意思。

“寧月你和賀家姑娘有來往？”

之前他倆就讨論過賀家女，現在又提到了調香，調香是女兒家很喜歡的藝術活動，所以戎音就猜是教坊司的賀家姑娘。

寧月點頭，呼吸還是有些克制：“從去年冬天起，我們就一直有書信往來，如今已經是知心好友。”

戎音明白，如果這段友情跟自己無關，寧月就不會跟他談起，更何況還屏退了衆人，只告訴他一個人。

想起賀家女的重要性，戎音語氣肯定地道：“寧月你是為了我，才去結交賀家姑娘的嗎？”

寧月道：“既是為了戎老板你，也是為了我自己。”

接着，寧月便将自己是怎麽救下賀鳶兒，又是怎麽跟賀家幾個姑娘都結為好友的過程，事無巨細都告訴了戎音。

寧月道：“當初你和李大少爺的對話我雖然沒聽見，但想到賀家曾經的地位，再結合幾個世家和李家對賀家姑娘的不同态度，我就開始猜測，賀家的幾個姑娘，對戎老板你跟你背後那位、以及世家們應該都很重要，所以我才想辦法跟賀家姑娘建立了聯系。”

戎音眉頭微蹙，“為什麽要這麽做？寧月，你是個聰明人，你應該清楚，給我和李楚安排一個見面的地方，與親身參與到皇室與世家的鬥争中來，這兩者是不一樣的，後者很容易給你帶來傷害。”

“戎老板，我知道這很危險，但正因如此，我才會毫不猶豫地參與進來，正所謂富貴險中求，我不付出，又怎麽會得到我想要的東西。”

寧月做這件事是為了他和宗政逍，那她口中想要的東西，自然就得他們給。

戎音問：“你想要什麽？我們是朋友，只要在我能力範圍內，我都會盡力替你去辦，你不需要拿自己的生命冒險。”

寧月搖了搖頭，道：“戎老板，我知道你好心，也知道只要我說，你肯定會幫我，但我不喜歡欠別人，更何況你還是我的朋友，我不希望我們的友誼，被我的自私所破壞。”

戎音用帶着玩笑的口吻道：“除非你是要讓我嫁給你，讓我從你的朋友成為你的伴侶，不然我不覺得你會提出什麽過分到能破壞我們友誼的自私要求來。”

寧月被他逗笑，又搖了搖頭，“戎老板你不必勸我了，這個要求我先不說出來，等我從賀家姑娘那邊拿到了你們想要的東西，如果你們覺得值得，我再請你們幫我一個忙。”

寧月其實不知道戎音他們為什麽要在意那幾個賀家姑娘，但她可以推理，賀家倒臺，賀家女早已不是曾經的千金小姐，她們本身沒有值得觊觎的價值。

唯一的可能就是，他們在意的不是那幾個賀家姑娘，而是她們代表的某種東西，而且這東西對皇上和世家都很重要。

看見寧月的态度如此堅決，戎音也沒有再勸，而是道：“無論寧月你最後有沒有拿到我們想要的東西，你提的要求，我都會竭力去幫你完成，你也別拒絕，我們可是朋友，朋友間如果真要分那麽清，那還不如當陌生人。”

聞言，寧月眼圈泛紅，微笑着點了點頭，“好，都聽戎老板你的。”

回到宮裏以後，戎音将自己跟寧月的談話都告訴了宗政逍。

宗政逍聽完沉默了幾秒，才道：“從李楚那裏聽說賀家姑娘手裏可能有幾個世家的罪證後，我就派了人暗中去接近她們，看能不能成功跟她們交好，從而套出點消息，但派出去幾波人都沒有成功，反而引起了她們的警惕，但沒想到那麽困難的事，寧月居然做到時候。”

宗政逍也曾想過直接跟賀家姑娘坦白身份，用利益交換，以獲得她們手裏的證據。

可一想到從某種角度說，賀家其實是他和幾個世家一起扳倒的，賀家姑娘不待見世家的人，自然也不會對他和顏悅色。

毫無辦法了，只能采取這種徐徐圖之的計策。

戎音道：“寧月聰慧，借救人的恩情獲得接近賀家姑娘的機會，再靠着自己的人格魅力，加上跟賀家姑娘相似的身份，這才一點點俘獲了她們的心。”

宗政逍也誇贊道：“她能坐上清秋閣頭牌的位置，交際能力自然弱不了，只能說各行各業都有人才。”

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?"