Chapter 110 The Imperial Censor visits, fulfilling the husband's wish...
People from the Gao family have arrived.
He was a disciple of Gao Xiang, and Zhao Xi, an imperial censor of the Censorate.
As expected, she came specifically to see him, and Zhang Ting invited her to his study to talk.
"Lord Zhao is so busy with various matters, why have you graced my humble abode with your presence?" She sat upright in the main seat, her bright eyes shining like stars, and spoke gently.
Just then, a servant came to Zhang Ting with tea and snacks. She summoned him to serve tea to Zhao Xi first, saying, "My humble abode is simple and humble, so I can only trouble Lord Zhao to serve this scalding coarse tea."
Before arriving, Zhao Xi thought that Zhang Ting, despite his young age, had already achieved remarkable feats and was even sought after by the five ministers. He suspected that Zhang Ting might be a reckless and arrogant young man, and that this trip would likely bring him some trouble.
Unexpectedly, the other party, who was enjoying great favor and was riding high, remained so calm, humble, and polite.
Zhao Xi nodded to himself, confirming that he was indeed as rumored to be, an extremely easy person to get along with.
She relaxed, realizing that there was nothing to worry about regarding the purpose of her trip, and couldn't help but feel a bit fond of this person.
Zhao Xi composed himself, regarding Zhang Ting as a comrade-in-arms to fight alongside in the future. After drinking the tea, he smiled and exchanged pleasantries with her: "Lord Zhang, you are too modest. The tea in your residence is in no way inferior to that of my mentor's residence. It is sweet and fragrant, with an endless aftertaste." He hadn't expected that this humble Zhang residence would serve 'Tea Fragrance Green,' which showed that this woman had a deep understanding of the culinary trends in the capital.
Such a person, so eager to achieve their goals, would certainly not turn down a path to success.
Zhao Xi felt reassured and gently told her the purpose of their trip. Although Zhang Ting's power was currently weak, she was exceptionally intelligent and talented, and was well-liked by her superiors, colleagues, and even the Emperor. As long as she accumulated seniority, promotion was just around the corner.
This will become a crucial part of their grand plan in the future!
Zhao Xi also sincerely promised many benefits, expressing his anticipation to work with her to achieve great things.
Zhang Ting gently swirled the teacup, her gaze falling on the rootless tea leaves floating in the bowl. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if she were carefully considering the matter. After a long while, she politely declined Zhao Xi's offer.
"As officials appointed by the imperial court, we are serving the country and the people no matter where we are. It doesn't matter where or what path we take, we will eventually converge in the same place."
Zhao Xi's face immediately turned extremely ugly, and he stood up abruptly. "Zhang Ting, I sincerely tried to win you over, yet you are ungrateful! Could it be that you have been blinded by the Five Ministers and look down on Prime Minister Gao?!"
Zhang Ting raised his eyes, put down his teacup, and stared intently at her face, which was burning with anger. His tone was as calm as water: "This humble official is but a minor Hanlin official. How dare I look down on the Prime Minister? It's just that I am of lowly status and have little influence, so I dare not presume to presume upon Your Excellency."
No matter how many excuses they give, they still refuse!
Zhao Xi, who was quick-tempered, was so angry that his face turned red. He pointed at her and cursed, "You ignorant and stubborn worm, even if you kneel down and beg me to introduce you to a high-ranking official, there is absolutely no way you'll ever get the chance!"
Zhang Ting sat there, calmly letting her rant.
Seeing that the other party remained calm, Zhao Xi felt even more annoyed, making him seem like a scurrying bug. He then angrily turned and left.
She gritted her teeth and thought bitterly: One day, she would teach this ignorant girl a lesson!
Zhang Ting watched her leave quietly, then suddenly sighed: If he were truly a penniless scholar, he would probably be willing to take this path to success. But now, she had harmonious relationships with her teachers and friends, a wide network of connections, and a reputation for virtue both within and outside the court. A much wider and smoother path to advancement was already laid out for her; why would she want to lose the big picture for a small gain?
I felt my throat was dry and itchy again, so I picked up the glass and took a sip.
Well, although I never really understand this stuff, Zong Suyi's taste is impeccable; she's really showing off again.
...
When Zhang Ting didn't see Zong Suyi during dinner, she asked Xiao Rong and learned that he was sick.
"Are you sick?" Zhang Ting put one hand on her hip, her brow furrowed.
She was perfectly fine before she went on duty this morning, so how did she suddenly get sick?
Xiao Rong kept her head down as if she didn't dare to look at her. Zhang Ting narrowed her eyes and told her to raise her head and answer.
"How did you fall ill, my lord?"
Xiao Rong had to look up at her, her eyes darting away, "...Maybe I caught a cold last night, that's why I got sick."
Zhang Ting nodded and waved him away. "It's already summer, what cold could you possibly have?" His lies were full of holes; it was clearly Zong Suyi's doing.
Lately, I've been overwhelmed with trivial matters, feeling completely suffocated. I wonder what he's up to now. Zhang Ting sighed, having neither the mood nor the interest to get entangled with him.
After hearing Xiao Rong's explanation that he was ill, he simply sat back down in his original seat, picked up some vegetables, and ate them with his rice.
Zhang Shu muttered to himself, "How did he get sick?" That child could ride a horse and draw a bow, and was as strong as an ox, much better than this old man.
Yang Fuchen, who had been engrossed in his tedious official duties, paused to ask with concern, "How is your brother-in-law?"
Zhang Ting smiled and said softly, "I just found out too. I'll go check it out later."
Wu Pingliu held her bowl and watched them talk quietly.
While the others were talking, Xun Han secretly took the last few pieces of sweet and sour pork ribs from the table. I must say, the cooking skills of the kitchen helper trained by Fourth Sister are truly excellent!
When Wu Pingliu came to her senses, there was only an empty plate in front of her. She glared angrily at Xun Han.
Xun Han chuckled twice, "Don't glare at me, it's your fault for not concentrating on your meal! I'm teaching you a lesson, senior sister."
Seeing this, Yang Fuchen wanted to say something, but then stopped abruptly and buried his head in his hands to eat in silence.
Zhang Shu, however, harbored resentment. She glanced at her second apprentice dismissively, "Is the preparation for the Shujishi's examination complete? Stop doing nothing but eating all day long." She also quite liked that dish; this rebellious apprentice who didn't know how to respect his teacher!
"I won't embarrass you, sir," Xun Han muttered, poking at the rice in her bowl.
At this moment, Zhang Ting put down her chopsticks and said, "I'm finished eating. Senior sister and teacher, please eat slowly." She then stood up and walked out.
Xun Han stopped her fourth junior sister, saying, "Junior sister, you've been busy with government affairs lately, and it's inevitable that you've neglected matters of the household. If there are any conflicts, it's best to talk them out." She seemed to have noticed something.
Zhang Ting replied with a smile, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister. I have learned a lot." She looked relaxed, as if nothing had happened.
Xun Han was relieved to see this. She had thought that her junior sister and brother-in-law had quarreled, but it seemed that she had been overthinking it.
"Go ahead, go ahead."
Zhang Ting went out alone, and when she reached the corner, she rubbed her temples wearily.
He took a deep breath and strode towards the main house.
The main courtyard was completely quiet; not a single servant was in sight.
Zhang Ting stopped in her tracks with suspicion, looking around. Everything was arranged as usual.
Where did everyone go?
She pushed open the door to the room, which was quiet and peaceful; the heavy curtains that had hung down the night before had not yet been drawn up.
She called softly, "Xiaoyi?"
No one answered.
Zhang Ting's suspicions deepened, and she called out again, but still no one answered. Anxiety grew in her heart, and she hurriedly lifted the layers of curtains, calling Zong Suyi's name again and again.
"Xiaoyi, where are you?"
Zhang Ting couldn't describe the emotion she felt. Her head felt like a complete mess, as if a needle had pierced her heart. Her breathing became unsteady, and her hand trembled as she lifted the curtain.
Finally, in front of the last layer of curtains, she saw a familiar figure.
With a huge weight lifted from her heart, Zhang Ting realized that her palms were covered in a sticky layer of sweat.
The panic subsided in an instant, replaced by a surge of anger. Zhang Ting closed his eyes, touched his face with one hand, and pursed his thin lips.
He stood there silently for a long time, until the person behind the curtain couldn't help but hesitate and call out, "Is that Zhang Ting?" His voice was inexplicably unclear.
She stepped out and lifted the curtain, a smile spreading across her previously indifferent face. The smile, though warm, held a hint of coldness, sending chills down one's spine.
Before Zhang Ting could even coldly question her, the moment she looked up, her gaze froze, and the scene before her made her heart tremble.
A beautiful woman, as white as snow and as smooth as jade, knelt on a large, flat couch, her body draped in a layer of dark gauze. Her eyes were clear and bright, yet deep with a lingering obsession, staring intently at her like a cunning fox about to devour her whole.
When he saw his beloved enter, his eyes lit up as if filled with countless stars, and he shrank his legs and crawled forward a few steps.
Zhang Ting snapped out of her reverie and noticed that his hands were tightly bound, with ambiguous red marks on his wrists, and his mouth was stuffed with a piece of burlap.
No wonder his words were ambiguous just now.
The anger in her heart had dissipated at some point. She took two steps forward, pulled the burlap out of Zong Suyi's mouth, stroked his face, and asked, "What is my lord trying to do?" Her expression was indifferent as she looked down at him from her high position.
Zong Suyi lazily raised his bound hands slightly, and the black veil rose with his movement, revealing half of his fair waist.
"Does my wife not like this?" His voice was dignified and clear, but his eyes were fixed on her.
Zhang Ting lifted his chin with one hand and circled his Adam's apple with the other, thinking to herself, what's the point of raising his arm to show his waist? It's just a thin veil; a light sweep will reveal everything.
Q: What would I like?
As soon as she said those words, Zong Suyi's cheeks turned bright red. He dared to seduce her, but he was not a promiscuous male prostitute, so he always found it difficult to say such audacious words.
He wanted her to be serious, but he was afraid that his actions and words would be ridiculed, so he remained silent, nestled in Zhang Ting's arms, and listened to her rapid heartbeat. Suddenly, he smiled.
Then a wave of bitterness washed over him. For the past two weeks, his wife had been very busy, only returning to her room to rest late at night. The two of them had not shared a room for half a month.
In the past, even if I was infertile, there was always hope as long as we had sex. But now even sex has faded. What is the possibility now?
Zong Suyi knew that Zhang Ting pitied him, liked him, and respected him, but couldn't stand her neglect at all.
Even exchanging a few words with him is better than ignoring him.
During this period, he was filled with anxiety and was truly terrified.
He straightened his legs slightly, wrapped his arms around her neck, his eyes serious and devoid of any mockery, yet deep within them lay a pleading look, "Give me a child." Please.
Zhang Ting stroked his fair, jade-like face. The current situation was unclear, and it was definitely not the right time to have a child, but she finally sighed deeply, "Okay."
She thought that she must really like Zong Suyi.
She gently caressed his lips with one hand, her eyes filled with unspeakable affection, then closed her eyes and leaned down to kiss him.
Fine, I'll grant his wish.
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