In the end, Gong Zhuoliang's wine was still not finished, because before it was time for dinner, Qiao Ming sent someone to report that Qiao Yingze was ill. Gong Zhuoliang thought he was angry, and panicked at that time. He rode on the horse and went straight to Qiao's small house, startled the servant who hadn't finished speaking, and explained blankly to the smoke and dust along the way, the doctor came to see it and said it was just a cough due to lung fever, and there was nothing wrong with it.
"You... why are you running in such a hurry?"
Seeing Gong Zhuoliang rushing into the room in a hurry, Qiao Yingze was also taken aback, sitting up and looking at him strangely.
"Qiao Ming said you were sick, are you okay?"
Gong Zhuoliang looked at Qiao Yingze carefully from top to bottom, and there was nothing unusual except that he didn't look energetic, Gong Zhuoliang finally breathed evenly.
"It's just that I coughed twice, so I don't need to alarm you about this."
Knowing that Qiao Ming and the others saw that they were unhappy, they took the excuse to call Gong Zhuoliang. Qiao Yingze sighed softly, but saw Gong Zhuoliang stopped a few steps away from him, hesitating as if not quite dare to come over.
"Surprised or not... It's fine."
Gong Zhuoliang just had a deep self-reflection today, and he was also worried that Qiao Yingze was still angry, so he didn't have the nerve to go directly to him for a while, but he raised his eyes and scanned the food on the table, and saw that they were all the things he was used to eating on weekdays, but there were too many A bowl of sliced pear soup, knowing that Qiao Yingze was fine, he felt relieved.
"Wash your face and change into clean clothes. You're sweating all over. Don't you have dinner yet?"
Seeing Gong Zhuoliang's uneasiness and being careful with his company, Qiao Yingze said with a calm expression on his face, but he felt much lighter in his heart. Looking at the food on the table, he also felt that he had an appetite.
"I haven't eaten yet, I'll wash my face first."
Gong Zhuoliang nodded obediently when he heard the words, because Qiao Yingze liked to be clean, so there was always a ready-made clean cloth towel in the house, so Gong Zhuoliang went into the back room to simply wipe it off.
"Hanlu, add some bowls and chopsticks to my uncle, cut some stewed meat, and ask Hanshu if there is anything to add to the dishes."
Seeing Gong Zhuoliang entered the back room, Qiao Yingze ordered Hanlu who was waiting at the door to prepare. They didn't open fire here, and all the meals were taken from the Han Academy next door. Qiao Yingze and Gong Zhuoliang's portions were also prepared by Hanshu herself. Rest assured to others.
Although it is nominally divided into two courtyards now, in fact, the monthly bills and various expenses of both sides are calculated together. The servants on both sides know that Qiao Yingze is their real master, so there is no such courtyard. The estrangement and calculation in that courtyard.
The weather at the end of May was already very hot, Gong Zhuoliang simply put on his unlined clothes after wiping, and when he came out, he saw that his meal had been set on the couch table, so he sat cross-legged across from Qiao Yingze, the two of them didn't speak for a while, Chew slowly and start eating.
Qiao Yingze was full with only one bowl of rice, and spent the rest of the time taking care of Gong Zhuoliang, adding soup, picking fish bones, and picking shredded ginger. There are two full bowls of rice, and he is always hungry so fast that Qiao Yingze always wants to touch his flat stomach, wondering where he ate all the food, thinking back when he was his age , The appetite seems to have never increased much.
At the beginning, Gong Zhuoliang was thinking about how to tell Qiao Yingze about the imperial examination, so he was distracted while eating. When Qiao Yingze picked up a large piece of fish and put it into his bowl, Gong Zhuoliang vaguely remembered this scene as if After repeating this countless times, he couldn't help but raise his eyes to look at Qiao Yingze, then he chewed the food sullenly, feeling as if his heart was being fed along with his stomach.
"Let's sit in the courtyard to digest food, and you can go back later while it's still dark. Xian'er can't leave you at night."
After the two finished their meal, Qiao Yingze gave Gong Zhuoliang a coat, and had no intention of keeping him here for the night.
One is that Qiao Yingze is really uncomfortable, and the other is that he is afraid that Gong Zhuoliang hastily agreed in order to make himself happy. If there is any reluctance in the future, it will not be beautiful, so it is better to calmly think clearly.
"Yingze, I have something to tell you, let's go to the back room."
Subconsciously, Gong Zhuoliang wanted to hug him directly, but considering that Hanlu and Hanxia were still cleaning up the table, he took the clothes from Qiao Yingze instead, and said naturally while tidying himself, just looked at Qiao Yingze's eyes were pleading.
"All right."
Seeing that Gong Zhuoliang was serious, Qiao Yingze nodded and went into the back room with him. Before he could even ask a question, he was hugged from behind.
"Yingze, it's my fault for being anxious with you today, I'm here to make amends to you."
Gong Zhuoliang hugged Qiao Yingze and swayed left and right, wondering what to say in his heart, although he had figured out that he should respect Qiao Yingze's decision and do his best to support and help him, but Gong Zhuoliang was really worried about him Physically, this person said that he would not be brave, but when he got to the momentum, he would never give in easily.
"..."
Qiao Yingze didn't make a sound when he heard the words, but turned his head and looked at him quietly, waiting for him to continue.
"I know you have the talent and ambition to help the world, but in my heart, your health and happiness are the most important. Can you understand this feeling?"
Holding Qiao Yingze's shoulder to make him face himself, Gong Zhuoliang stared into his eyes and said word by word.
"I understand, I..."
Heartbroken by Gong Zhuoliang's pause, Qiao Yingze wanted to guarantee that he would be careful, but Gong Zhuoliang pressed his index finger to his lips, so he could only keep his voice down and listen to him continue.
"So, we can take the imperial examination, and officials can do it, but there is only one thing you must promise me."
Gently rubbing Qiao Yingze's lips with his fingertips, Gong Zhuoliang raised the left corner of his mouth, showing his usual smirk.
"What?"
Hearing that Gong Zhuoliang agreed to take the imperial examination, Qiao Yingze's eyes lit up, and he seemed to wake up in an instant.
"No matter what kind of official you are in the future, all government affairs will be shared by me. You are not allowed to suffer by yourself. If you agree to this condition, then I will let you take the imperial examination."
Throwing the multiple-choice question back to Qiao Yingze, Gong Zhuoliang felt relieved immediately. Although Gong Zhuoliang himself was very resistant to the ancient officialdom, it was because he was worried about Qiao Yingze's body and hated being restrained, not because he was afraid of it. who. Since Qiao Yingze wants to be a good official so much, then I should just help my wife show off her strengths. Anyway, the bookstore is already on the right track, and I just write manuscripts and read the accounts. If I want to come to Qiao Yingze's government affairs I can't help myself, as long as my wife is happy, it's worth my hard work.
"Huh? Okay, then it's a deal."
Qiao Yingze was surprised by Gong Zhuoliang's condition at first, but then his eyes moved, and he grabbed Gong Zhuoliang's wrist and slapped himself three times, which was regarded as a high five.
"Uh... you agree now?"
Looking at Qiao Yingze's relaxed expression, it's Gong Zhuoliang's turn to stay silent this time, I didn't expect this person to agree so simply, where is his gentleman's pride? What about the loftiness of scholars? What about the officials' sense of secrecy
"The law stipulates that women are not allowed to participate in politics. Zhuo Zhuo, you don't have to be bound by this. Naturally, you can help your husband share the worries and be a good wife."
Qiao Yingze was in a good mood, so it was rare for him to take the initiative to bully Gong Zhuoliang once. He is not a pedantic person, and he would not refuse his lover's help for the sake of face. After all, he wants to be an official not only to show off his strengths In addition, it is also to better protect this family. He knows what is really important to him, so he will not mess around with his body and cause Gong Zhuoliang to worry.
"Great wife... Mr., there is no evidence for what you say, let's 'stamp' it!"
Realizing that Qiao Yingze was teasing him, Gong Zhuoliang's eyebrows twitched, and his smile became more evil.
As for Qiao Yingze's belief that Qiao Yingze's social status is that of a husband and that he will be a husband for the rest of his life, regardless of his 'posture', Gong Zhuoliang said that he is really 'powerless', or should be said, Gong Zhuoliang I think this is actually very emotional, especially when I am galloping in his body, calling him husband will be more exciting and conquering than calling him wife.
"Seal? Uh..."
Qiao Yingze was not understanding what Gong Zhuoliang meant, he had already kissed him heavily on the lips, and fell back on the bed while being hugged all the way. Then Qiao Yingze realized in a trance that the seal Gong Zhuoliang said meant this kiss.
"It's not easy to just stamp it, Mr. Xiang, let's make a 'contract', so that you won't forget what you promised me today."
Pressing on Qiao Yingze's body, kissing and biting his neck, Gong Zhuoliang didn't give him a chance to resist at all, directly pulled off his belt and pulled off his clothes, and then touched his crotch through his pants.
"Zhuo Zhuo, if you don't go back... no... Xian'er then... um..."
Qiao Yingze pushed Gong Zhuoliang's shoulder to make him stop first, but he wrapped and rubbed the sensitive place, Qiao Yingze immediately lost the strength to resist, but the sense of responsibility of being a father still reminded him that the youngest son was still alive. As for the Gong family, no one can coax him without Gong Zhuoliang.
"It's okay, he has become more obedient these two days, and the nanny can put him to sleep at night."
Gong Zhuoliang is on the point now, how can he manage so much, two or three blows have already thrown the clothes of the two of them on the ground.
"Can it work? Or... ah... don't bite there..."
Thinking of the two days when Gong Zhuoliang's mood was affected by him, so he threw Gong Jinxian to the nanny to coax him, and called it the bad habit of his son, Qiao Yingze felt a little sorry for the little guy, but on his side As soon as he was distracted, the sudden stimulation on his chest made him tremble violently, so he couldn't think of anything else.
"Sir, our mansion has no place to build, so you have to make it up to me."
Gong Zhuoliang kept lighting the fire with his hands, bit his earlobe and lowered his voice to complain. He was really depressed when he thought of this. Officials here also have real estate purchase restrictions in order to ensure integrity, although unlike Gong Zhuo Liang knows the same as those historical countries that are so strict that officials are not allowed to buy houses and can only live in official dormitories or rent private houses, but they also limit the size of official residences, and only one house is allowed to be purchased. As a countermeasure, you can't have one under the name of an official, but you can have it under the official's old mother and wife. It's called a dowry private house.
It's just that the problem of quantity is easy to solve, and the specification is not so easy. Foreign officials are far away from the emperor. That is, if you are rich, you have to pretend to be poor, otherwise you will have the stigma of 'corruption and bribery' and 'fornication in business affairs'. Therefore, Gong Zhuoliang's mansion covering an area of four hectares can be ignored in a short time .
"I'm sorry... slow... slow down... there..."
In this matter, Qiao Yingze also knew that he owed Gong Zhuoliang a lot, so he obeyed with some scruples at first, but he forgot that Gong Zhuoliang was used to making progress, once he let it go, he would immediately lose his temper fully open...
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX On the sixth day of June in the 43rd year of Hongzheng, 21-year-old Qiao Yingze and 16-year-old Gong Zhuoliang once again stood in the wedding hall and worshiped heaven and earth again amidst the blessings of relatives and friends. Unexpectedly received congratulations from many people in the city, the two had no choice but to extend the wedding banquet to the street, and temporarily booked banquets from various restaurants to rush to the venue, so they finally did not lose their manners in front of people.
At the end of August of the same year, the husband and wife moved to the capital with their children, accompanied by Pingxi, Shi Kang, Ruolan, and Qiao Ming's family of three, Hanlu and Hanxia, Gong Yi and his ten followers, and several others. The servants that Hu Zhong could use had already been dispatched to Beijing in advance to take care of them.
In addition, among those who did not follow to Beijing, although Wu Shi was reluctant to part with her son, in order not to delay their future, she still stayed on the grounds of taking care of the orphans and widowed mothers of the Gong family, and Ye Er also stayed by her side to serve. The other ordinary servants were all sent back and dismissed.
It is worth mentioning that Zhou Guanshi, who was the manager of the bookstore in Bocheng earlier, had already moved the "headquarters" to the capital in advance, and the reason why he was able to leave his hometown and follow him to Beijing was that he had officially become Zhou Zhou. Madam Ruolan is gone.
On the first day of September, Gong Zhuoliang and his group arrived outside the city of Kyoto. Qiao Yingze and Gong Zhuoliang couldn't help but smile at each other when they saw several familiar figures gathered in the welcoming pavilion...