Taking advantage of his slight drunkenness, Zhao Ze couldn't help reaching out and touching the little emperor's cheek, staring for a long time before pulling off the quilt and covering him tightly.
When he walked out of the dormitory, a gust of cool wind hit, and Zhao Ze suddenly woke up. After realizing what he had just done, his fingertips trembled slightly, and he couldn't help touching his lips, as if there was still a soft touch there.
He should have been terrified and regretful for doing such a crime. But in fact, there is uncontrollable joy in my heart.
The little eunuch who was guarding outside the hall bowed and asked him if he would stay overnight.
When the emperor and his courtiers discussed important matters, it often happened late at night, so the palace had a room exclusively for the ministers to stay overnight.
Zhao Ze turned around and glanced at the bedroom, but shook his head and said, "No need."
While in the army, he often thought about coming back. At that time, I always felt that as long as I could be by the little emperor's side, seeing each other every day was enough. But when he really saw the other party, he found that he was not satisfied at all, and couldn't help wanting more.
He raised his hands to cover his eyes, sighed deeply, and sometimes couldn't help but think that it would be fine if he didn't read those books and learn those etiquette lectures when he was young. If he didn't have the morality of the monarch and ministers in his heart, when the little emperor liked him back then, maybe... he would have agreed.
Back in the mansion, Zhao Ze lay on the bed tossing and turning, almost staying up all night.
In the early morning of the next day, he stood in a relatively front position, and he could clearly see that the little emperor's lips were much rosier than usual. He lowered his head with a guilty conscience and didn't say a word the whole time.
When the officials saw him, they thought he was deliberately avoiding the limelight, trying to dispel the emperor's suspicion.
Xiang Han didn't notice the abnormality on his lips, because of the hangover, when he woke up in the morning, his attention was all on the headache.
After the morning court, he declared Zhao Ze to discuss matters, in fact, he asked someone to help review the papers.
Zhao Ze is now serving as the Minister of Zhongshu, equivalent to the Deputy Prime Minister. Xiang Han placed him in this position, and his intention was already very obvious. Zhao Ze was originally a civil servant, even if he led the army, he still had a civil post on his body. In addition, he has made great contributions this time, so it is not an exaggeration to promote quickly.
But Zhao Ze's behavior became more respectful, showing no signs of arrogance.
After a few days, Xiang Han also noticed something was wrong. He found that after Zhao Ze came back, he seemed to be much stranger to himself than before.
Could it be that Zhao Ze also thought like a courtier, feeling that he was suspicious of him, deliberately using a high position to kill him
Xiang Han felt that this was not a good idea, he was following the route of mutual understanding, not the route of mutual suspicion.
So after approving the papers that day, he left Zhao Ze to have a meal together, recalling the deep friendship he had with King Liang together.
Speaking of what moved him, he couldn't help holding Zhao Ze's hand, and said cordially: "Qing Zhao, you don't need to pay attention to those groundless speculations in the court. I have not only a relationship with you as a monarch and a minister, but also a teacher-student relationship. Your Loyalty, I know very well that I will never suspect you for no reason. You are my minister and the pillar of the society, don't be alienated from me just because of a few rumors."
In fact, that night in the palace, Zhao Ze knew that the little emperor had never doubted him, and now he was deliberately unfamiliar, but he was suppressing his inner desire.
But when he saw the little emperor's white and slender fingers holding his wrist, he couldn't help being distracted again, wishing to cut off the sleeves that were in the way, so that the little emperor could directly touch his skin.
Seeing that he was absent-minded and silent, Xiang Han couldn't help but 'thump' in his heart, and thought to himself: Could it be that the monarch and his subjects have been separated
"Zhao Qing?" He couldn't help but tighten his grip and asked tentatively.
Zhao Ze felt the strength between his wrists, and then suddenly came back to his senses. He couldn't help looking at the little emperor, seeing the other party looking at him nervously, he couldn't help but smiled, and said softly: "No, I will always trust your majesty."
Seeing that he was no longer respectful, Xiang Han was relieved, and then happily took a piece of meat and handed it over to strengthen the friendship between the monarch and his subjects. The little eunuch who was next to him couldn't help but look confused when he saw it.
Zhao Ze took the food, and his mind was full of thoughts, it was the chopsticks used by His Majesty, and the tip of the chopsticks might have just been licked by His Majesty's bright red tongue, and now he is picking up vegetables for him...
He suddenly felt a heat on his face, he hurriedly lowered his head, put the sliced meat into his mouth, and tasted it slowly, as if he could taste a little bit of the taste of the little emperor.
After this conversation, the two returned to their old intimacy.
After that, Zhao Ze was often left by the little emperor to discuss matters, and then had dinner together. In the hall, Xiang Han only needed a hint in his eyes, and Zhao Ze knew what he wanted to do, and the cooperation was intimate.
Zhao Ze sometimes felt that there was nothing wrong with the current situation, except that the courtiers always asked the little emperor to choose a concubine, and Zhao's mother often urged him to get married.
Occasionally, he would also think that it would be great if they could stay together forever without getting married. But he knew that this was impossible, the little emperor had already performed the coronation ceremony, no matter whether it was good for women or not, for the sake of the country, the courtiers would ask him to choose a concubine to be the queen.
As for myself, in the past two years, I was able to evade the war as an excuse, but when I returned to Chang'an, not only my mother was anxious, but even my father, who never asked about such things, mentioned it several times.
He could always refuse this kind of thing, but the little emperor couldn't. For the sake of the country and the country, the other party will eventually choose a concubine to establish a queen and give birth to an heir.
Xiang Han couldn't help complaining to Zhao Ze several times because the ministers had been urging him so hard recently.
Zhao Ze smiled every time, saying that the courtiers had worked hard, but his heart was extremely bitter. He didn't know how long he could hold on, maybe when the little emperor couldn't stand the urging and planned to compromise with the courtiers, he couldn't hold on anymore.
He couldn't imagine himself watching the other party choose a concubine and have a child. At that time, he should write a letter requesting to go to the southwest. If you can't see it, maybe you won't feel uncomfortable.
Zhao Ze thought that the little emperor would choose a concubine to have a child, and that he would have his own child, but he never thought that he would lose his temper because of a man.
A few days later, news came from the southeastern prefecture that Luo Bai, who had gone out to sea to look for crops, had returned. When he heard the news, the little emperor dropped his vermilion pen in excitement, picked up the hem of his clothes and rushed out.
Seeing this scene, Zhao Ze felt a tingling pain in his eyes, and his heart tightened as if being held by invisible hands.
Luo Bai is back, is His Majesty so happy? Could it be that His Majesty has been surrounded by no one these years because he never forgets Luo Bai
Zhao Ze's hands hidden in his sleeves trembled slightly. He didn't know how he stopped the little emperor, and he even said calmly, "Your Majesty, the ship has just docked. It will take at least a month for Lord Luo to reach Chang'an."
"That's right." Xiang Han slapped his head violently, almost forgot about this, and hurriedly ordered: "Let the post along the way prepare a good horse, and I want to see Luo Qing as soon as possible."
Zhao Ze's eyes were dark, he clenched his fists, and said jokingly: "Your Majesty is so eager to see Lord Luo, it seems that Lord Luo has an unusual position in His Majesty's heart?"
"Of course." Xiang Han replied without thinking.
Grilled corn, french fries, shredded sweet potatoes... He has been thinking about it for a long time, and he hasn't tasted the dishes made by Xiaobai for a long time.
Zhao Ze's eyes darkened again, and the palm was pinched with scars, slightly bloodshot.
On the day Luo Bai came back, Xiang Han went ten miles out of Chang'an to meet him. Accompanied by Zhao Ze, his expression was stern throughout the journey, without any looseness.
When the sound of horseshoes came, Xiang Han stood up from Luanjia excitedly, and asked with his head, "But Luo Qing and the others?"
Zhao Ze clenched his horsewhip tightly, turned sideways and said, "Going back to Your Majesty, I can only see smoke and dust, but I can't be sure."
"Then what are you waiting for? Send someone to investigate." Xiang Han said eagerly.
Zhao Ze took a deep look at him before giving orders.
Xiang Han was taken aback by the look, and felt that Zhao Ze's gaze contained too much emotion, which made his heart feel stuffy and a little breathless.
But before he could think about it, he saw the banner in front of him, and it was indeed Luo Bai and his party. He couldn't help ignoring the strange feeling in his heart, holding the horizontal bar and staring excitedly into the distance, completely oblivious to the fact that Zhao Ze's face had completely darkened.
I haven't seen him for three years, and Xiaobai has become a big white. He is much taller, but not so dark, and he still shows a row of small white teeth when he smiles. Seeing Xiang Han stepping off the Luanjia, he immediately got off the horse and knelt down to salute.
Xiang Han hurriedly helped him up, held his hand and said excitedly: "Xiaobai, you are finally back, are you okay on the way? Where are the ingredients I asked you to find?"
Luo Bai took advantage of the situation and stood up, with a bright smile on his face: "Your Majesty, I am fortunate that I did not disgrace my life."
Zhao Ze only felt that the smile was very glaring, so he couldn't help but stepped forward to interrupt the 'intimacy' between the two, bowed and said: "Your Majesty, Mr. Luo is exhausted, why don't you go back to the palace to rest for a while, and we can talk about it at the dinner party." .”
"Yes, yes, yes." Xiang Han nodded quickly, pulled Luo Bai and walked towards Luanjia, with a happy expression on his face: "I prepared a reception banquet for Luo Qing in the palace, go back first, and talk while eating."
Luo Bai hurriedly said: "Thank you, Your Majesty Long En."
Zhao Ze watched them walk up to Luanjia hand in hand, his eyes dimmed for a while.
It turned out that going out of the city to greet him and ride in the same car was not his exclusive treatment. It turns out that in His Majesty's heart, he is not the most special.
This Luo Bai has nothing but cooking skills. How could he be where he is today if he hadn't been appreciated by His Majesty for saving his life
Why can he let His Majesty go out of the city ten miles to meet him? Why did His Majesty lose sight of himself when he saw him
A little bit of jealousy arose in Zhao Ze's heart. For the sake of Daqi and the country, he was willing to hide his feelings and watched the little emperor choose a concubine to have a child, but Luo Bai...he couldn't give birth to a child for His Majesty.
He stared closely at the two 'intimate' figures, and couldn't help thinking, if His Majesty only likes men after all, why can't it be him
His Majesty once liked him too, didn't he? If he hadn't lost his head at the beginning and avoided His Majesty everywhere, what's the matter with Luo Bai now