Chapter 85 Parading Horses Through the Streets
Lu Yao's words plunged the already quiet hall into a deathly silence.
Countless eyes were fixed on him, but Lu Yao seemed oblivious, standing ramrod straight with his eyelashes slightly lowered.
The most unbelievable of them all was Lu Youwei, the Minister of War.
He had previously hosted a banquet for Lu Yao, who was humble and polite at the banquet, and seemed well-behaved and sensible. He also understood that Lu Yao was not opposed to the Lu family, and even somewhat close to them.
But what does this mean now?
This person started by saying "the calamity of aristocratic families"?
Lu Youwei stared intently at the young man, his expression cold.
If he still can't see that Lu Yao is actually biased towards the imperial court and is only being polite and perfunctory towards the Lu family, then he has no reason to stay in this position.
He couldn't help but recall the events of the banquet, and the more he recalled them, the more alarmed he became.
Lu Yao is a man whose cunning and scheming are truly immeasurable.
The other party never said anything about wanting to befriend the Lu family, but instead guided them in the right direction.
A prodigy! A genius!
Lu Youwei's feelings were truly complicated.
She felt ashamed of being tricked, but also thought it would be great if Lu Yao could stand with the Lu family.
He really wanted such a talented person.
Qin Xiao's gaze swept over everyone in the hall, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Chu Jiubian remained expressionless, looking at Lu Yao without uttering a word.
Lu Yao continued, "As Zhang Er, the agricultural student, just mentioned, the encroachment of land by gentry and landlords has occurred frequently, and the land assets held by powerful families and nobles originally came from this."
“These people colluded with local officials to falsify household registration and land records, and tricked people to change the land grade, writing inferior land as superior land, and exchanging their inferior land for the superior land of the people. They even directly falsified the annual tax register, distributing the taxes they should have paid to the people of the county, making the people pay taxes they should not have paid, and using this as an excuse to evade taxes.”
These are all common tactics used by powerful and wealthy families, and everyone knows them well. But this is the first time someone has laid them bare in the imperial court, in front of all the officials, leaving no room for negotiation.
Everyone looked grim.
Even Wang Zhiyuan, the Minister of Rites who had already pledged allegiance to the imperial court, closed his eyes and silently exhaled.
As a prominent and powerful family, the Wang family owned an immeasurable amount of land.
These fields were nominally bought and sold legitimately from the people, but only they themselves knew how many secrets were involved.
Lu Yao's pronouncements in court today are certainly not because he is young and doesn't understand the ways of officialdom.
On the contrary, he actually understands very well.
He knew he was a man of the imperial court, a disciple of Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao, and a subject of Baili Hong. What he was saying at this moment was actually the result of guessing the emperor's intentions.
If those in power want to take action against the powerful families, then he will be the sword.
At this moment, everyone's gaze towards Lu Yao changed.
The talent and courage displayed by this young man, who is not yet twenty, are beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Prince Dingbei, Baili Yu, tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the boy from head to toe before finally settling on his face.
The boy had a very distinctive face, with some cheek fat that hadn't completely disappeared.
But the demeanor he displayed was definitely not that of a teenager his age.
Baili Yu gently stroked the jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips, a slight smile playing on his lips.
interesting.
This capital city is truly fascinating.
Not far away, Prince Baili Yue of Huguang was also looking at Lu Yao, with a hint of regret on his face.
Such a talented young man, at such a young age, I wonder what he will achieve in the future.
How did such a person fall into the hands of Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian? If they could be used by them...
Oh, what a pity.
Like General An Wuji, such talent is not necessarily a good thing in the hands of others.
If it can be eliminated, it's best to find a way to eliminate it.
Tan Yuzhu sat next to Lu Yao, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see that the boy was wearing the same sky-blue robe as her.
Lu Yao truly deserves to be ranked first in the provincial examination.
Lu Yao's clear voice echoed in the hall, and everyone heard him continue: "Land is the foundation of the people and the foundation of the country. Therefore, I believe that this land should be re-surveyed and new household registrations and land records should be made."
“During the land survey, those who conceal their land holdings will be exempt from prosecution if they report it themselves. If they continue to conceal their land holdings, they will be fined three times the value of their land holdings in accordance with the laws of Da Ning.”
"Afterwards, through the policy of 'equal distribution of land and limited land,' the land that had been seized by powerful families and gentry was distributed to the people in accordance with the prescribed amount, ensuring that the tillers had their own land."
"It is also possible to stipulate an upper limit on the amount of land that aristocratic families can own, with the excess to be purchased and reclaimed by the imperial court and then sold to the people at a low price."
This directly targeted the foundation of powerful families, and the court officials almost wanted to immediately stand up and shout, "Your Majesty, I have objections!"
But this is the imperial examination, not the morning court session. Lu Yao is only answering questions and expressing his views as a student. They can't stand up and object at this time. That would not only make them seem petty, but also unreasonable.
After all, Lu Yao was just saying it; Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian didn't say they were going to do it. Their eagerness was simply a way of confirming that they had indeed hidden their own land.
So everyone could only listen to Lu Yao continue his eloquent speech with a sense of frustration.
"After the land survey is completed, I believe the tax system should also undergo some changes," Lu Yao said. "The imperial court could change the previous method of taxing based on population to taxing based on land and assets, with more land resulting in higher taxes, less land incurring lower taxes, and no land incurring no taxes..."
Chu Jiubian's eyes lit up.
The poll tax was incorporated into the land tax.
Currently, there are many people in the area who do not own much land, but have a large enough population, so they pay a lot of taxes.
Powerful and wealthy families often have more members and more land, and they may even conceal the number of people they own, thus paying less tax.
However, once the "land tax reform" was implemented, these powerful families who owned large amounts of land could no longer evade taxes by hiding their population numbers, because the taxes were levied based on the amount of land they owned. Therefore, regardless of the number of people, they could not pay less land tax.
If Lu Yao's statements about land and taxes were actually implemented, powerful families and gentry would not only lose a lot of land, but also face increased taxes.
Although these prominent families in the capital, especially the four great families, have developed other ways of generating revenue, land and taxes remain their foundation.
If these ideas were actually put into practice, even the four great families would be in serious trouble.
"Furthermore, the students believe that these chaotic situations in the localities arise because local officials disregard the lives of the people and are solely focused on colluding with local powerful families. Therefore, the imperial court should reform local governance."
Lu Yao showed no intention of stopping. After explaining how to undermine the economic foundation of powerful families, he immediately turned his attention to local officials.
Nowadays, local officials are appointed to positions in their own ancestral lands, and they are already connected with local gentry and landlords, which is why ordinary people have nowhere to turn for help.
These officials were all more or less connected to the major families in the court, serving as their protégés, former subordinates, or even direct relatives.
The "Boss Qiu" who Zhang Er mentioned earlier, who encroached on his land, is a member of the Qiu family.
The local magistrate was also from a powerful local family and colluded with the Qiu family.
Lu Yao then said, "I believe that the appointment of local officials should be made by the Ministry of Personnel of the Imperial Court. For high-ranking officials such as prefects and vice-prefects, His Majesty should personally appoint and dismiss them."
Nowadays, local officials such as county magistrates and assistant magistrates are mostly nominated by the local prefectures and cities, and the Ministry of Personnel approves them.
Bribing officials and buying and selling official positions were all means of making a profit.
Zhao Qianhe, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel who was previously exiled, profited from this.
This is why there are so many incompetent local officials who hold their positions without doing their jobs, and why so many corrupt officials are supported.
Lu Yao's method effectively cut off the path for officials in various counties and prefectures to embezzle and sell official positions.
Although this would give the Ministry of Personnel more power, the Ministry of Personnel now has Chu Jiubian and Xiao Huaiguan is confused, so it is not a problem for the Ministry of Personnel to have more power in the short term.
By having the emperor directly appoint regional officials, Baili Hong's power could be further enhanced, and these high-ranking officials could be brought closer to the emperor, thus strengthening the emperor's control over the local areas.
"In addition, local officials are not allowed to serve in their place of origin, and each official must have a fixed term of office, either three or five years, to avoid local officials getting too involved with local powerful families," Lu Yao added.
Chu Jiubian couldn't help but turn his head to look at Qin Xiao. After meeting the man's gaze, he blinked slightly and looked back at Lu Yao.
Qin Xiao smiled silently.
The two of them had just discussed what Lu Yao was saying a few days ago.
The two of them felt incredibly pleased to have such a talented person under their command, while the others were completely dumbfounded.
How much more does Lu Yao have to say?
He must suppress all these powerful and influential families to the ground before he's satisfied, right?
Hidden in the shadows, Qin Chuan gazed at the young man speaking eloquently in the hall, his eyes deep and complex.
Having spent so much time together, he was already aware of Lu Yao's abilities.
But the other party's performance today still surprised him.
Lu Yao's mouth was dry from talking. He pursed his lips, swallowed, and for a moment showed his usual blank expression.
Qin Chuan raised his eyebrows and smiled silently.
Lu Yao continued, explaining clearly how to suppress the powerful families. He had made his plan crystal clear to the people in the court, and they had no way to resist.
Because all of what Lu Yao said could be issued with just an imperial edict.
However, these powerful figures were not too panicked. Issuing a decree is one thing, but whether it can be implemented is another.
Unless Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, or Lu Yao, travel to every place and personally measure and register the land.
But there are only three of them. Even if Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were to leave the capital, the three of them alone would not be able to complete such a task.
What no one expected was that, not long after, the decree on "land surveying and land tax reform" was indeed issued.
And it was fully implemented, and could even be said to have gone smoothly.
All of this was made possible by the soldiers under Qin Xiao's command, who were distributed to various parts of the country after the Qin family army was broken up.
But Grand Commandant Qin was not one to suffer a loss. He agreed to split up the Qin family army not only to reassure Emperor Yingzong, but also for the sake of this event today.
Many of the soldiers he dispatched had long since infiltrated various prefectures and counties, gaining control of local city defense forces.
Even more so were those who held the rank of Commandant, such as the two Commandants who had previously sent messages and plaques to Zhang Er and Tan Yuzhu, as well as General Hu Fang who had followed Qin Xiao to the northwest to fight against the border states; all of them commanded large armies.
Chu Jiubian also ordered people to spread the message among the people in simple and easy-to-understand language that "the court will take the land back from the powerful families and return it to the people." He also said that taxes would be paid according to the land ownership, which united the people like never before and made them uphold the court's orders.
Therefore, with the support of those armed forces and the rallying of the people, the decree was indeed implemented.
The people sent by the imperial court to survey the land included not only mathematics students from the Imperial Academy, but also capable officials from the Ministry of Revenue selected by Wang Pengyi, the Vice Minister of Revenue.
The Ministry of Revenue has now subtly split into two factions.
One faction was led by Minister Su Sheng and Vice Minister Wang Pengyi, and included members of the Su and Wang families as well as officials who wanted to pledge their loyalty to the court.
The other faction was a disorganized mess, consisting of officials with complex relationships with the other three powerful families.
For this land survey, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao sent out those loyal to the court, but they used people recommended by Wang Pengyi without consulting Su Sheng, the Minister.
This was clearly an attempt to isolate Su Sheng. It was obvious that Chu Jiubian and the others had already developed doubts and reservations about Su Sheng, and did not consider him to be a loyal subject.
But Su Sheng had no choice, since he was still nominally loyal to the emperor and therefore had to obey the court's orders.
However, those with discerning eyes could see his current awkward situation and vaguely understood that he might not be a loyal subject, and there might be other forces behind him.
These are all things to be discussed later. Now, during the palace examination, Lu Yao spoke at length.
He mentioned that the imperial examination system would continue to be implemented in the future, and that official schools would be established in the private sector, thus painting a vivid picture of a prosperous and thriving era for Daming.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao did not interrupt him.
Lu Yao's remarks today will not only be recorded by the hidden historians, but will also be spread to the ears of all the people of Da Ning.
They wanted the people to know that the imperial court was not only composed of powerful and wealthy families, but also of people like Lu Yao, Tan Yuzhu, and Zhang Er, who were dedicated to serving the people.
Furthermore, after the New Year, high-yield sweet potatoes will be planted in Hexi County, and cotton that can keep warm will be planted in the southern border region. After the first half of the year's harvest, the imperial court can take advantage of this achievement to promote these two crops to other places, which will be more acceptable to the people.
With the land survey and inventory, by the end of the year, the people would be able to eat their fill and stay warm.
The common people are complex in some ways, but simple in others; they will be good to those who treat them well.
Therefore, if the court treats them well, they will be loyal to the court and extol the emperor.
This is the will of the people, and this is also reputation.
In this way, when a civil war breaks out in the future, the people will be more eager for the court to win.
Because they knew that only the imperial court would give them a good life, and would give them the opportunity to eat their fill, dress warmly, have land to cultivate, study, and become officials.
The people of Da Ning are everywhere, and there are obstacles everywhere, so other rebellious forces will find it difficult to move forward.
Not everyone could foresee what might happen next, but those who were more perceptive, such as the princes of Huguang and Dingbei, as well as ministers and vice ministers like Su Sheng, Qiu Heng, and Lu Youwei, had actually glimpsed the changes that would occur in Daming in the future.
They also saw that if they did nothing, it would become increasingly difficult for them to oppose the imperial court.
Everyone felt a heavy weight in their hearts as they watched Lu Yao finally sit down.
The palace examination consisted of two rounds: one was a skills assessment, and the other was a court debate, which was a question-and-answer session.
Previously, Chu Jiubian, Baili Hong, and Qin Xiao had prepared ten questions, but now they had actually finished asking them.
Chu Jiubian turned around and looked at the dragon throne. Baili Hong had long been "conquered" by Lu Yao and these students, and the children's eyes were particularly bright.
Chu Jiubian smiled, knowing that the young man had nothing more to ask. He was probably just thinking about finishing court quickly so he could have time to chat with these brilliant students.
So he bowed to the throne and said, "Your Majesty, please review the papers and rank the candidates."
Baili Hong immediately said, "Alright, please wait a moment, my dear minister."
He already had a plan in mind, and when his uncle and teacher asked Eunuch Hong to bring up the answer sheets, they had already given a rough ranking.
So, not long after Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao had been seated, the imperial edict was freshly issued.
Eunuch Hong carried the imperial edict down the steps and handed it to Wang Zhiyuan, the Minister of Rites.
Case studies for the imperial examinations were supposed to be the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites, but for this first time, Chu Jiubian had to handle it personally.
However, the final reading was entrusted to Wang Zhiyuan, which also showed the emperor's high regard for him.
Wang Zhiyuan had already received news from the palace that he was to announce the rankings. After receiving the imperial edict, he respectfully expressed his gratitude before proceeding to the center of the main hall to face the students, princes, and officials.
Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian stood up, and the other vassal kings and officials followed suit.
The crowd stood in silence, and Wang Zhiyuan's calm voice rang out in the hall: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: In the second year of Jingrui, the imperial examination has been held, and three people have been selected as first-class Jinshi, twenty as second-class Jinshi, and forty-two as third-class Jinshi."
"The first place in the first class, Lu Yao Lu Zicheng of Ruihai County, is hereby granted the title of Jinshi!"
"The second place in the first class, Gu Fang Gu Chiheng from Sichuan Prefecture, is hereby granted the title of Jinshi!"
"Third place in the first class, Tan Yuzhu of Baxian County, is granted the title of Jinshi!"
The top three results were no surprise, the same as the previous provincial examination results.
The top student in the second-tier category was Zhang Er, a student in agricultural sciences, followed by Yuan Xueyi, a student in needlework, and Yan Rui, a student in engineering...
After the reading was finished, everyone knelt down and kowtowed to the emperor, shouting "Long live the emperor!"
Even the vassal kings had to do this, but Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian only bowed.
No one thought it was wrong.
The palace examination ended at noon, and the morning court session was also considered over.
All the officials and vassal kings left the palace, while Chu Jiubian ordered his men to take the students to the specially cleaned rear hall for lunch.
Baili Hong wanted to eat with them, but Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao refused.
An emperor is an emperor. He can be close to his ministers and even have a family banquet with them, but only if he is powerful enough to intimidate everyone. Otherwise, the emperor's authority would be lost.
Didn't they say these students were all their own people?
Baili Hong didn't quite understand, but he knew that his uncle and teacher were doing it for his own good. Although he couldn't understand it now, he would definitely understand it in the future.
So he happily went back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation with his uncle and teacher for a meal.
In winter, it gets dark early, so by the time the students had finished lunch and changed into the red-based, gold-patterned official robes that Chu Jiubian had ordered the Imperial Wardrobe to make, the sun was already beginning to set.
The news of the "praise of officials" had already spread throughout the capital, but no one knew what it meant, not even the officials in the court.
It wasn't until the palace gates opened wide and sixty-five students dressed in crimson robes emerged and mounted sixty-five tall horses led by the Imperial Guards that things finally became clear.
An Wuji led his men, with two teams protecting the students. He also specially assigned 65 men to stay with the students, holding the reins of the horses, so that they could deal with any sudden situation if the horses were startled.
However, these horses had already been trained and were very docile, and were used to the sound of drums and music.
So when the drum troupe at the front and back of the procession started playing music, the horses didn't react much, but the students were somewhat at a loss.
Lu Yao, who was walking at the front, was wearing an official hat and a large red flower on his chest. He looked spirited and cheerful, but his expression was somewhat blank and his face was full of innocence.
He wasn't embarrassed, and actually didn't really know what embarrassment was.
He simply followed the drum and gong troupe ahead, riding forward on horseback.
Seeing his composure, the crowd behind him, who had been somewhat at a loss, calmed down and obediently followed the group in front.
Baili Hong was held in Qin Xiao's arms as they stood atop the high walls of the palace, watching the procession slowly disappear into the distance.
Qin Xiao has a child in his arms, but he can actually take care of Chu Jiubian as well.
But Chu Jiubian felt it was unsafe, so he didn't go up. He just stood at the base of the wall with his arms crossed, and could see the figures of the uncle and nephew when he looked up.
"Wow!" The little boy hugged his uncle's neck and pointed to the departing procession of officials, exclaiming, "Uncle, it's so lively!"
"Mm," Qin Xiao replied.
The children craned their necks to watch the line gradually disappear from sight, but never said they wanted to go and see it.
He knew that it was dangerous outside the palace, and that it was not safe for a little boy like him to go out without his uncle's constant care.
Moreover, as the emperor, it seems inappropriate for him to leave the palace at will.
Qin Xiao turned his head and saw a clear expectation on the child's chubby face, but also an indescribable disappointment.
He was so young, he had never left the palace, let alone seen the bustling and prosperous world outside.
From birth, he was trapped inside these square high walls.
Chu Jiubian looked up at the child, feeling a sudden, inexplicable pang in his heart.
He paused, then raised his hand to touch his chest.
Is he feeling sorry for the child?
He felt this emotion more clearly than he had in a long time.
"Qin Xiao," he said.
The man then turned his head and looked at the people below the wall.
The young man, dressed in court attire, looked up at him, a clear light shining in his eyes.
"Let's go take a look together," he said.
Previously, there were no conditions to take the children out, but now, in broad daylight, with such a lively scene as the Emperor's ceremonies, it makes no sense that everyone else can watch while Emperor Baili Hong cannot.
Moreover, times have changed. They now wield more power, so it's appropriate to let the children relax a bit.
Now they no longer need to be cautious in the palace, and can even openly climb the wall with Baili Hong, so going out for an afternoon of fun is no problem.
Baili Hong's eyes lit up, and he suddenly looked at his teacher, then at his uncle.
Clutching his uncle's clothes with his little hands, Baili Hong wanted to act cute, but he was afraid of making things difficult for his uncle, so he could only look at him longingly.
Qin Xiao was silent for a moment, then said, "Going out to play is fine, but you have to finish today's homework when you come back."
"Good!!" Baili Hong nodded vigorously. "I agree!"
Qin Xiao then picked him up and jumped down from the wall, landing in front of Chu Jiubian.
Chu Jiubian glanced at the man a couple more times.
To be honest, that scene was pretty cool.
Qin Xiao put the child down on the ground and looked up to meet the young man's somewhat ambiguous gaze.
He raised an eyebrow: "Is it beautiful? Would you like me to do it a couple more times?"
Chu Jiubian: "...No need."
The child tilted his head back, looking at the two adults with curiosity.
My uncle and husband have been acting strangely lately, saying things that I can understand but don't quite get to know.
"Alright, the procession has already gone far," Chu Jiu said. "Let's have someone prepare the carriages."
Upon hearing this, one of the hidden guards immediately left to search for Xiaoyuzi.
Xiao Yuzi was still making up the bed in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, preparing to take a nap when His Majesty returned. Upon hearing that His Majesty was leaving the palace, he quickly prepared the carriage and horses and rushed to the palace gate.
Within this palace, only His Majesty's carriages and horses can move freely.
Xiaoyuzi also ran all the way with the carriage, still out of breath, and hurriedly bowed to the three of them.
Baili Hong declined the formalities, then hesitated for a moment before turning to Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao, and whispering, "Sir, Uncle, may we take Xiaoyuzi with us?"
Like him, Xiaoyuzi had been in the palace since childhood and had never left.
The nannies who served him had days off and could leave the palace, and the palace maids could also leave the palace when they reached the age of twenty-five.
Hongfu and Xiaoxiangzi are both working at the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. Xiaojinzi and Xiaoyinzi from Yaotai Residence also help out at the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs on weekdays. They are considered non-official staff, so they have the opportunity to leave the palace if anything happens outside.
Only Xiaoyuzi is different; he can't get out.
Xiaoyu felt a warmth in her heart upon hearing His Majesty's words.
But he knew his place and never dared to hope for such things.
But the next moment he heard Chu Jiubian say, "If Your Majesty wants to bring them along, then bring them along."
Xiaoyu's heart skipped a beat.
Really? Can he also leave the palace with His Majesty?
He was sold into the palace when he was the same age as His Majesty, and has no memory of the world outside the palace.
Baili Hong was so happy he almost jumped up and down on the spot, but thankfully he managed to hold back.
"Get in the car," Qin Xiao said.
Baili Hong was then carried into the carriage, and then he looked at Xiaoyuzi and said, "You should go up and keep His Majesty company too."
There was only one carriage. If Xiaoyuzi didn't get on, all three masters could sit down.
But Xiaoyuzi dared not disobey Qin Xiao's words, so she could only reply "yes" and get into the car.
Baili Hong lifted the carriage curtain and poked his head out, saying, "Uncle, sir, aren't you coming up?"
The car wasn't very big; it would be too cramped for four people, but Baili Hong thought they could squeeze in—he was small, so it wouldn't be a problem.
"No, let's go slowly." Qin Xiao turned to a shadowy spot by the palace wall and said, "You protect His Majesty."
Baili Hong looked in that direction curiously, thinking it was his uncle's bodyguard.
Unexpectedly, the person who emerged from the shadows was a man dressed in black, wearing a straw hat, and with a mask covering half of his face.
The man was clearly not a bodyguard, but strangely enough, Baili Hong felt a sense of familiarity upon seeing him, along with a strange feeling of peace and closeness.
The man walked up to Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, nodded slightly, and then walked to the carriage and bowed deeply.
He didn't say anything.
However, the guards usually didn't speak, so Baili Hong didn't mind and told him to dispense with the formalities.
As the man stood up, he couldn't help but glance at Baili Hong.
The child's soft, chubby face still showed signs of immaturity, but the features of the Qin family were already evident in his eyes and brows.
Baili Hong met his gaze and was slightly taken aback.
Before he could think about it, the man had already turned around and sat on the vehicle.
The coachman then got in, informed Baili Hong, and then drove off.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao stood side by side, watching the carriage drive away.
Chu Jiubian turned his head and saw a clear trace of sadness in the man's eyes, which made him somewhat dazed.
He seemed to understand Qin Xiao's thoughts somewhat.
The other party was feeling sorry for Qin Chuan, but even more so, they were blaming themselves.
They come from the same background, yet one of the brothers openly enjoys family affection and can now spend every day with his only nephew.
Qin Chuan, however, could not even use his own name. In the martial arts world, others could only use his courtesy name, Ming Ce, but no one knew that his actual surname was Qin.
His only nephew, however, had no idea of his existence, let alone let him hug him, act spoiled with him, or call him uncle.
These things that Qin Xiao could easily obtain were things that Qin Chuan had never had.
But what wrong has Qin Xiao done? Why should he blame himself?
Everyone has their own reasons for having to do this.
Chu Jiubian disliked Qin Xiao's behavior. The other party's affection and righteousness, and his living, breathing presence, made Chu Jiubian feel that there was a greater difference between them.
He didn't like this feeling.
This made him feel... that he was not worthy to stand with someone as vibrant as Qin Xiao.
He instinctively wanted to get away.
But when he looked up and saw Qin Xiao's face, he didn't want to leave him alone there.
As he hesitated, he suddenly felt an arm across his waist, and heard a man's deep voice say in his ear, "Excuse me."
Chu Jiubian was taken aback. The next moment, he was lifted into the air by the man's arms around his waist.
My legs went numb instantly.
He instinctively hugged the man's neck tightly and buried his face in the man's chest.
The procession of officials would first pass through the common people's street in the East Market, then take a stroll through the most bustling and prosperous streets in the West Market, and finally stop at Qingyun Tower.
This process will take a long time, and it is estimated that it will not be finished until evening.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao didn't need to rush; they could simply wait at Qingyun Tower.
Therefore, Chu Jiubian didn't quite understand why Qin Xiao was "flying" with him, since they weren't in a hurry to travel.
The main problem is that in broad daylight, they are wearing crimson official robes. What if people see them?
But Chu Jiubian did not speak, nor did he even look up.
Just like that night before, when Qin Xiao carried him up and down in the city, the feeling of weightlessness came again and again, and his heart was going numb.
At that moment, Chu Jiubian buried her face in the man's neck, her mind filled with nothing but the whistling wind in her ears, the pounding of her heart, and the warm, strong body of the man beneath her.
And now, there are more sounds in his ears—
That was Qin Xiao's heartbeat.
Each beat was rapid and heavy.
Suddenly, the sound of the wind in my ears quieted down, and the feeling of weightlessness subsided.
Chu Jiubian stepped back from Qin Xiao's embrace and found that they had arrived at an unfamiliar courtyard.
Qin Xiao didn't stop, carrying him all the way to the main house in the courtyard, and pushed open the door to go inside.
Chu Jiubian: "?"
The door closed behind him, and Qin Xiao finally put him down.
But what followed was an even tighter embrace from the man and a sudden, overwhelming kiss.
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