twenty one
You Shu didn't dare stay in the brothel for a long time. Although he knew that Luying just greeted him and walked in, he was still worried that he would be recognized. He just drank two cups of tea and then ran away. For this, he was ridiculed by Ying Jiu and the others.
After the New Year, the shadow guards were visibly fatter than usual. Ying Jiu was devastated to find that his pants were actually much tighter. It turned out that eating and drinking too much would make one gain weight easily.
So as soon as the holiday was over, the Shadow Chief began the devilish training, "What a disgrace you all are! Look how fat you are! Are you going to fight with others with your fat bodies when you go out to do things?"
This drama is performed almost every year. On the surface, everyone is being scolded in a proper manner, but in reality, no one listens and it fades out. You Shu is constantly distracted.
After the new year, this body is already twenty years old. So, it has been exactly fifteen years since he traveled through time.
Fifteen years...
It turns out that so much time has passed.
You Shu sighed, his college self was like a dream. Those distant memories didn’t seem real. He would only think about the past occasionally when he had free time, but in recent years he hasn’t even dreamed about it.
He has to continue to stand guard on the first day after the New Year. The plot will develop faster this year, so he has to cheer up, because this year will determine his promotion and salary increase.
Although he had a good New Year, some people did not.
For example, Prime Minister Xia.
After Wang Shunzhi unexpectedly "died of illness", the position of Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue became vacant. Although it was New Year period and no office was required, he still recommended his student Zhang Bing to Xiao Weishen, saying with certainty that he was a rare talent with great potential.
Although he spoke sincerely, Xiao Weishen was reluctant in his heart. He was not too stupid, knowing that this was Prime Minister Xia's personal network. Almost most of the six ministries in the court were in Prime Minister Xia's hands. He, the emperor, seemed to be sidelined, with very few people at his disposal. It was not easy for Wang Shunzhi to die, and he had not had time to deploy, and here came another one.
Xiao Weishen also had some thoughts. He was thinking about how to not offend his uncle and at the same time place his own people in power.
Coincidentally, at this time, Zhang Bing's mother, who was about to go to Beijing to take up his post, passed away. According to the laws of the Great Xia Dynasty, he had to mourn for his mother and could not go to Beijing to take up his post as scheduled. However, the Ministry of Revenue had a lot of things to deal with and could not wait for him that long.
Prime Minister Xia was a little worried because he couldn't find a suitable person for the time being, but Xiao Weishen was happy. This was like a divine help from heaven giving him a chance, but...
It seemed that he had not found a candidate that suited his taste.
However, this problem was quickly solved. When he went to visit Queen Mother Xia, he happened to hear her mention the severe drought in the north this year. He immediately remembered Shen Qingyu who had submitted a memorial two days ago.
When Shen Qingyu took the palace examination, he had just ascended the throne and still remembered this person. He was indeed a talented person at that time, but he forgot about this person after he was sent out. If it weren't for the severe drought this year, he wouldn't have remembered him. Huaizhou has been governed well by Shen Qingyu in recent years, and his response to this year's drought is also remarkable. He should be a talent. If he can be transferred back, maybe he can still use him.
Xiao Weishen then hurried out of Empress Dowager Xia's palace, intending to transfer Shen Qingyu back immediately.
The reason why Queen Mother Xia mentioned the severe drought in the north was all because of a remark made by Yu Sheng before, saying that many people had starved to death in the north this year. When chatting with Xiao Weishen, she mentioned it casually. No one thought that this was all arranged by Xiao Weishen long ago.
A few days after resuming work after the New Year, Shen Qingyu received an imperial edict to transfer back to Beijing. He knelt on the ground in a daze for a long time before getting up to receive the order, but he still couldn't believe it. He was suddenly recalled to Beijing without any warning, and two days ago he was still disheartened and thinking about resigning and returning home.
Shen Qingyu touched the bright yellow imperial edict in his hand and thought of the man in black that day. It turned out that he had known that this day would come
So can we expect that we might meet him again after going to the capital
Xiao Weixin lowered his head to drink tea, listened to the news brought back by Wang Chen, and whispered: "Is everything done?"
"Yes." Wang Chen answered respectfully, "The young man in the palace has carried out the plan. The Queen Mother now listens to him and dotes on him even more."
Xiao Weixin responded softly, looked at the desk and pondered for a while, then said: "Tell him to be very careful. Xiao Weishen is nothing to be afraid of, but we must not let Xia Maoan, the old fox, find out. We must not rush for quick success."
"If you want revenge, you don't need three to five days. Since you have waited for so long, you might as well wait a few more days and keep calm, otherwise you will fail."
Wang Chen responded, turned around and walked out.
After he left, Xiao Weixin stared at the names of Xiao Weishen, Queen Mother Xia, and Xia Maoan that he had written on the table. These three people were related by marriage, and their interests were interlinked. If he wanted to break the balance between them, he could only start from within.
Queen Mother Xia is the easiest point to breach among them. As long as she is still here, Xiao Weishen and Xia Maoan will be safer. However, he believes that day will not be far away, and Yu Sheng will be able to complete the task well.
After looking at it for a while, Xiao Weixin threw the paper into the burning brazier beside the desk and watched it being devoured by the flames and turned into a pile of ashes, just as the three people also turned into smoke and dust.
He remembered that he seemed to have not seen the little shadow guard for many days. Counting the days, it has been more than half a month. Xiao Weixin was in a good mood today, so he asked someone to bring him over. It would be a little warmer after the beginning of spring, so it would be just right to have him as a sparring partner.
It was still early when You Shu came. When he appeared in the yard, Xiao Weixin frowned and looked at him for a while, "Why are you fat?"
He had been eating and drinking well these days without any worries, and You Shu had become much plumper. He also felt that he had gone a little too far. His master was in a bad mood and couldn't sleep or eat well, but he was eating and drinking delicious food and getting fat. It was really not appropriate.
"I probably didn't exercise enough during the New Year, so it shouldn't affect the competition, don't worry, Your Majesty."
Compared to his rosy and healthy complexion, Xiao Weixin looked a lot thinner. He was very picky about food and didn't eat much normally. Those days, because of his mother's matter, he had even less appetite and couldn't sleep every night.
In this comparison, Xiao Weixin seemed like an abused servant, while You Shu seemed like a well-fed landlord.
"Hmph." Although Xiao Weixin knew that his business would not affect other people's eating and drinking, he still snorted unhappily, "If you don't do your best later, I will peel off your skin."
Although he said so, he thought that the little shadow guard would look better if he had a plump figure.
After all, You Shu is the third-ranked person in the Shadow Guard Battalion. Even though he hasn't wielded a sword much these days, his kung fu has declined. It would be a long way for Xiao Weixin to defeat him.
Xiao Weixin was not arguing about winning or losing, he was just in a good mood and wanted to compete with the little shadow guard, so when his sword was snatched away by You Shu, he did not put up much resistance and was easily subdued.
The two were very close at the time. After You Shu snatched his sword, he twisted his arm and put the sword on his neck, then stepped forward to prevent him from having a chance to break free.
He tried to make his movements as light as possible, and when he looked up he met Xiao Weixin's gaze.
They seem to be of similar height, but when you compare them at such a close distance, you will find that Xiao Weixin only looks weak, he is actually half a head taller than You Shu, but he always pretends to be sick and deliberately shrinks his hands and feet, so he looks a little shorter.
You Shu didn't expect that he would be so close to him. After being stunned for a moment, he quickly let go of his hand and knelt on one knee to apologize. He did not forget the male protagonist's hopeless and outrageous mysophobia. It would be bad if he got angry and punished him.
Compared to his worries, Xiao Weixin's mood was much more complicated.
Over the years, he has been careful with his words and actions in the palace, hiding his edge. When he was a teenager, let alone his personal guards, he never touched any of the palace maids who wanted to get into his bed. When he grew up, he was too obsessed with revenge for his mother to have any love. For all these years, there has not been a single person around him with whom he could have physical intimacy.
Gradually, he could no longer bear to be close to people. Even when Hua Chun was taking care of him, he had to be very careful to avoid touching any part of her, otherwise his mood would instantly turn bad.
But Xiao Weixin just discovered that he didn't seem to dislike the little shadow guard's contact.
Just now, when he twisted his arm and held the sword with his backhand, his fingers accidentally touched his neck. Although it was only for a very brief moment, he was so sensitive that he still felt it.
The feeling was so strange that he couldn't even explain it to anyone in detail.
Xiao Weixin looked down at You Shu who was kneeling on the ground waiting for his punishment. He pursed his lips and thought deeply for a while before speaking: "Get up, I don't blame you."
Generally, Xiao Weixin would call himself "the King" in formal occasions or when he was angry, and he would also say "I" when he was in a good mood in private, so You Shu could basically judge that he was really not angry.
That's a bit strange.
You Shu stood up with doubts in his heart. He remembered that many years ago, there was a maid who served Xiao Weixin closely. Because she had evil thoughts and wanted to get promoted overnight, she overstepped her authority and just touched his finger. He had people beat her up and threw her out of the palace. Therefore, no one dared to have any evil thoughts for so many years.
For his rebellious behavior just now, he should be dragged away and beaten with a hundred and eighty strokes of the cane, have his salary for three months deducted, and be forced to face the wall for fifteen days to reflect on his mistakes.
Xiao Weixin calmly threw the sword aside and said calmly, "You go down first."
You Shu was of course happy that he was not beaten, and he immediately slipped out of the yard, fearing that if he was a step slower, Xiao Weixin would regret it.
Xiao Weixin was the only one left in the yard again. After a long while, he slowly raised his hand and gently touched his neck.
Although he knew it was just his own illusion, Xiao Weixin felt that the place that was touched for a moment...
It's hot.
——
It was another night under the candlelight, and You Shu was writing furiously with a newly sharpened charcoal pencil.
'x year x month x day sunny'
'I was asking for trouble today. I wanted to win so much that I forgot about his severe mysophobia and even touched his neck.'
'Oh, my damn desire to win!'
'But the male protagonist didn't seem to blame me. He wasn't even angry. Why is that? '
"Can mysophobia be cured on its own?"
You Shu thought about it here and continued writing.
'It could also be that I already have some importance in his heart, and because it's me, he's not angry.'
"If you think about it this way, it makes perfect sense."
"As expected of me."