How rich is the Ke family
The richest places in Dayu are the capital and Jiangnan. The former is for the rich and powerful, while the latter is for the rich and the powerful.
However, Ke Wenrui of the Ke family is the emperor's tutor in Beijing, and Ke Xuebao is the richest man in Jiangnan.
At this time, Ke Hongxue, who was walking towards Rong Tang in the sunset, looked like a walking money bag in Rong Tang's eyes!
His eyes lit up and he swallowed unconsciously.
The system was so unbearable that it was about to go into hibernation. It froze for a moment before leaving, and taking advantage of the fact that no one could see it, it floated over the head of the pixelated man representing Su Huaijing and danced happily before leaving feeling refreshed.
After it left, Su Huaijing paused while fanning Rong Tang, frowned slightly, and looked around with a little confusion.
Sheng Chengming's eyes always followed him intentionally or unintentionally. Seeing this, he asked, "What's wrong with my cousin's wife?"
Rong Tang's attention was called back, and he saw Su Huaijing's brows just relaxed. He shook his head and smiled, "It seems that a bug flew over here." Then he asked him, "Have you finished fishing?"
Rong Tang had started fishing because he was waiting for Su Huaijing to get bored. Upon hearing this, his gaze shifted downwards to the exposed part of Su Huaijing's wrist.
White jade-like skin, clean lines and texture, beautiful no matter how you look at it. But now there are a few annoying rashes on the wrist, as if it was pierced by a needle and not noticeable, but Rong Tang knows that after a while these rashes will become lumps the size of a fingernail, itching incredibly.
He immediately felt distressed, put down the fishing rod and said, "Okay."
Su Huaijing smiled and said, "Let's go have dinner. The crucian carp soup should be ready."
Rong Tang nodded hurriedly, thinking about where to find medicine to apply on him.
Several people walked towards the direction where Ke Hongxue came from. The latter bowed slightly and saluted Sheng Chengming. Rong Tang asked him, "Didn't Mu Shaoqing come with you?"
Ke Hongxue said, "Brother has been exhausted from all the hard work. As soon as we entered Lin Garden, I asked the butler to find a room for him to rest. I apologize for not having the time to ask the prince for permission in advance."
Rong Tang waved his hand: "I'm sorry."
His house was almost becoming the imperial court's office in Suzhou. People coming and going were either imperial officials or princes of Dayu. It was impossible for him not to be forgiven.
But when he heard this, he couldn't help but ask one more question: "Is Mu Shaoqing overworked or has he contracted an illness?"
Mu Jingxu has always been in poor health, so Rong Tang was inevitably worried when he heard that he had fallen ill, not to mention that there is an epidemic raging in the Jiangnan area right now.
Ke Hongxue smiled, as if he was not worried at all: "Thank you for your concern, my senior, but my senior is obviously as kind-hearted as an immortal in heaven. He happens to be in charge of punishment, and he always gets sick for a while after interrogating a prisoner. It's just an old problem, it's not a big deal."
Rong Tang's heart skipped a beat and he looked at Ke Hongxue suspiciously, with an unpredictable look in his expression.
Sheng Chengming was stunned for a long time, and suddenly an idea came to him. He finally grasped the message in his words and asked excitedly: "But has Lu Junxian confessed to the case?"
As they were talking, they were almost reaching the dining courtyard. Ke Hongxue smiled when he heard this.
He is the prince's tutor. Strictly speaking, Sheng Chengming should respectfully call him teacher.
So Ke Hongxue looked at him as if he were looking at a student in the class who was not very talented but at least was down-to-earth, with a little more indulgence, and asked back: "Your Highness, are you talking about the case of Governor Lu's corruption and bribery?"
Sheng Chengming was startled and frowned: "Is there anything else?"
"That's a lot." He looked at Rong Tang and the others and said casually, "Didn't the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess tell you?"
Rong Tang: “…”
He regretted it again. He really shouldn't have said a word to Ke Hongxue.
Rong Tang turned his face away from him, rolled his eyes to the sky, took Su Huaijing's wrist and walked towards the side room in the courtyard, leaving Ke Hongxue and Sheng Chengming standing there staring at each other.
Master Ke stared at them for a while, then laughed uncontrollably behind them, waving a jasper folding fan and teasing them: "People say that when you are well fed and warm, you will think about sex. How come it happened to you, my Lord, that you can't help it before dinner? Be careful not to indulge in sex or it will hurt your body."
Rong Tang accidentally stepped on a stone and almost sprained his ankle.
Su Huaijing was quick to grab his waist and help him keep his balance. He lowered his head and saw that Tangtang's ears were red. His heart warmed, but he still remembered that he must not embarrass Rongtang in front of outsiders. After he helped Rongtang stand steadily, he let go of his hand, turned around to look at Ke Hongxue, looked him up and down, and smiled.
"When you are well fed and warm, you will think about sex. This is human nature and there is nothing to be ashamed of. But Master Ke, why do you still remain a virgin at the age of 26? Is it for some beautiful lady?"
Su Huaijing looked very puzzled and asked sincerely. Sheng Chengming's face changed instantly when he heard that. He stared at Ke Hongxue with wide eyes in disbelief. He simply couldn't believe that in this era there were still children of the rich and powerful who hadn't started having sex in their twenties.
Rong Tang was so embarrassed to hear them talking about this in broad daylight that he wanted to find a hole to hide in. However, Ke Hongxue waved her fan indifferently, not feeling offended at all, and said, "Isn't this very clear to the Crown Prince's Consort?"
He smiled and said, "If you have seen a beautiful jade, why would you look at a stubborn stone? I have someone in my heart. Apart from him, no matter how beautiful the beauties in the world are, they are just so-so."
Su Huaijing stared at him quietly, and said with a nonchalant smile: "Then I wish Master Ke can get his beautiful wife soon."
His words were so ordinary, it was hard to tell whether they were sincere or not. Anyone who heard them would think it was just a perfunctory statement. However, Ke Hongxue's eyes lit up immediately, and he closed the fan in his hand and took two steps forward excitedly: "Xiao Su, can you say it again?"
Rong Tang was a little confused. He looked up at Ke Hongxue. He always felt that Master Ke's expectant look was particularly... bootlickering.
strange.
Su Huaijing also felt it was strange. He was silent for a moment and thought about it, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong, so he added: "I wish Master Ke and his beloved will finally get married and live together forever."
"Okay!" Ke Hongxue clapped his hands together and bowed solemnly to express his gratitude: "Thank you for your good words!"
"?"
Rong Tang was almost confused by him. Su Huaijing frowned, said no more, turned around, took Rong Tang's hand and walked back to the side room.
Rong Tang was still thinking about what happened to Ke Hongxue just now. He was very puzzled and asked doubtfully, "Do you know who Ke Hongxue's sweetheart is?"
Su Huaijing was slightly stunned, then smiled: "Isn't it obvious?"
Rong Tang looked at him suspiciously.
Su Huaijing said: "I like Tangtang, so I can't wait to see you as soon as I open my eyes every day. I always keep your name on my lips. Even when I'm outside, I'll wonder if you've eaten and slept well at home, and if you've finished taking your medicine today."
Rong Tang's ears were already a little hot, and the temperature hadn't completely cooled down yet. After hearing what he said, the ointment he had just taken out of the cabinet became very hot in his hands.
He frowned and muttered softly, "I'm asking Ke Hongxue, why are you bringing this up with me?"
"Because you can't hide your love for someone." Su Huaijing chuckled, "I like Tangtang, everyone can see it; then it's no secret that Ke Hongxue likes Mu Shaoqing."
These days, Su Huaijing has been finding every opportunity to tell Rong Tang how much he likes him, and Rong Tang is a little overwhelmed. He originally pulled him in to help him wipe the mosquito bites on his wrists, but now he inexplicably feels that it is dangerous even to stay in the same room with Su Huaijing.
Rong Tang frowned and put the ointment on the table.
Su Huaijing was puzzled: "What does this mean?"
Young Master Rong pointed to his wrist awkwardly and said, "You have so many mosquito bites, don't you feel it? Wipe it off."
Su Huaijing was slightly startled and lifted his sleeves. Under the candlelight, the red spots on his fair wrist were almost connected into one piece. Rong Tang felt itchy and painful just looking at it, but Su Huaijing seemed to be completely unaware.
He stretched out his hand and poked it, and heard Rong Tang's uncontrollable gasping sound across from him. He was stunned for a second, and then he couldn't stop laughing and said coquettishly: "Tangtang, help me wipe it."
Rong Tang turned his head away and tried to walk out of the house: "No, I'm hungry."
Su Huaijing raised his eyebrows: "Tangtang wants to go out now?"
"Is it not possible?" Rong Tang asked back.
"It's not impossible." Su Huaijing said softly, "But firstly, the Second Prince is not as smart as me. If you go out and get teased by Ke Hongxue again, and no one helps you fight back, wouldn't you get angry easily? Secondly—"
He paused, then smiled and said, "Now is not a good time to go out."
Rong Tang paused and frowned: "Why is it not good?"
Su Huaijing: "The relief money hasn't come yet, but Master Ke has taken the initiative to come to Suzhou. Does Tangtang really think it's as simple as coming here to celebrate the Chinese Valentine's Day?"
"After natural disasters, the relief money and grain issued by the imperial court is not enough for the people in the disaster area, not to mention the exploitation by corrupt officials along the way, so the amount that actually reaches the victims is minimal. The Second Prince is waiting for the Ministry of Revenue to allocate money in Suzhou every day, but when the money really arrives in Jiangnan, he will know that the little relief money is just better than nothing."
Su Huaijing sat on a chair, poured himself a cup of tea, and motioned Rong Tang to sit next to him. He put his hand on him, as if he would not continue talking unless Rong Tang helped him apply the medicine.
Rong Tang had no choice but to hesitate for a moment before lifting Su Huaijing's sleeve and lowering his head to apply the ointment for him.
The fragrance of green grass condensed on his fingertips and wrists, and then diffused throughout the room. Su Huaijing curved his eyes in a good mood and continued, "So the money for post-disaster reconstruction usually comes from the government, local taxes, and donations from local gentry."
"But this donation is not for nothing. Whether it's lowering the tax rate or becoming an imperial merchant, the merchants must be given some sweetness before they are willing to donate the large amount of gold and silver they have accumulated throughout their lives. The Ke family made their fortune in Jiangnan. Although they are a wealthy family with a lot of assets, the Ke family's businesses were not the only ones affected by the flood. They even suffered more than other small families and small vendors. They are willing to donate money at this time, which is actually a favor, not an obligation."
Rong Tang wiped off the ointment, loosened his hand, and asked, "Does Sheng Chengming know?"
"He knows." Su Huaijing nodded. "After Lu Jiaxi told me that Ke Hongxue came to Jiangnan, I analyzed this matter with him. So the two of them are in the restaurant at this time. In fact, one represents the court and the other represents the family. They are negotiating. Are you sure you want to go now?"
Rong Tang: “…”
He is sure.
Don't go.
He felt a little melancholy. On the one hand, he was happy that Ke Hongxue's arrival could at least solve some of Jiangnan's urgent problems, but on the other hand, he wanted to run away.
He was a little panicked.
I can’t explain why.
The moonlight outside the house gradually eroded the dusk, and the fragrance of herbs was still lingering. Rong Tang inexplicably thought of the two sentences that Ke Hongxue mentioned after his arrival.
-
Chinese Valentine's Day.
-
When one is well fed and warmed, he will think about sex.
He coughed lightly, stood up and was about to leave, but just as he reached the door and before his hand touched the door handle, Su Huaijing suddenly called him softly from behind: "Tangtang."
Rong Tang's heart trembled, and he clenched his palms to prevent his voice from shaking: "Hmm?"
Su Huaijing drank half a cup of cold tea, put down the teacup, stood up, and walked slowly behind him. The fragrance of the herbs was particularly clear, and once again enveloped Rong Tang.
He chuckled softly, hugged him from behind, and put his chin on Rong Tang's shoulder meekly. He was clearly a superior, but he pretended to be obedient and adorable. He gently rubbed the side of his neck and asked stickyly, "The court knows to give some sweet treats to coax merchants to donate money. What about you, Tangtang?"
Rong Tang's whole body was tense. He could clearly feel Su Huaijing's breath through his earlobes, which was so hot that he felt like exploding.
Young Master Rong tried to remain calm and asked, "What about me?"
It was hot in midsummer and even ice cubes in the house could not stop the two bodies from hugging each other.
Su Huaijing raised his chin and saw Rong Tang's bright red earlobe. He couldn't help laughing. He opened his mouth, bit the earlobe gently, and asked vaguely, "When will you give me something sweet?"
(End of this chapter)