Chapter 52: Serving as a Reader is Not Serving in Bed

Su Xiaobei and Su Xiaojing stood warily in the courtyard, peeking up at the top of the steps.

In the hall, on the eunuch’s chair in the first seat position, there was a brocade-clothed young man sitting in a big, black face staring in the direction of the gate, it was the white dragon and fish clothes of the crown prince, Zhu Hailin.

The young chamberlain Fubao stood beside him and advised in a low voice, “Young master, this has been waiting for more than an hour, Lord Su wants to be busy with official business and return late, why don’t we go back first, and next time, we’ll poke around and come back when he’s at home?”

Zhu Hailin annoyed: “I have come three times, he was not at home every time! What business can be busy to not at home, the court did not see like him like this day! I ordered today to go to the Da Lisi inquired about, Shen time, now are into the night, is not back.”

He raised his voice and asked the boy standing at the bottom of the stairs, “Speak! What on earth is your master doing at this moment?”

The two boys where to know the master’s whereabouts, only that the recent government offices are busy in the case, not go home at noon, the evening meal outside, most of the Ohio can return, and occasionally do not return at night, there will be a small cap of the green clothes of the tomato to hand them a letter, said do not have to wait for the door.

This time under the Crown Prince’s forced questioning, the two did not dare to utter a breath and mumbled.

“Green clothes and small hats?” Zhu Hailin pondered, “Mostly the officers of the Brocade Guards and the East Chamber are dressed like this, and since the East Chamber is now virtually non-existent, it would be the Brocade Guards.”

Fubo reminded him, “The errand that Lord Su is running is not related to the Brocade Guards.”

“What more, night can still sleep in the north township not?” Zhu Hailin shot up, shocked the desktop packet of “with bone abalone snail” jumped.

This “abalone conch with bone”, baked with buttermilk and sugar cane cream, resembling abalone, crispy exterior, smooth interior, is the new Suzhou cook’s specialty dessert in the palace. Before he left the palace, he specially brought a package of freshly baked, want to give Su Yan a taste of fresh, who expected that again did not meet. Full of expectations went down the drain, the Prince heart and is aggrieved and angry, which is towards the subordinate attack.

Su Xiaojing was scared to death, fearing that the crown prince would question his master, hurriedly said: “Little master rest his anger! Although I don’t know where my lord is going, I overheard the coachman say that every time he waited for his lord, he drank bean flowers at the entrance of the quiet alley.”

Su Xiaobei’s hand behind him tugged hard on his coat, but didn’t stop this fast-mouthed, only to secretly glare at him and make a mouthful of words: shut up! Kill you!

Su Xiaojing’s neck shrank like a frozen quail, only shivering and no longer speaking.

Zhu Hailin asked Fubo, “Where is the quiet alley?”

Fubo thought for a moment and said, “It seems to be in Hourong Place.”

Zhu Hailin immediately got up and put the packet of “bone-bearing abalone snails” into his sleeve, “Let’s go and take a look.”

“Young master, the palace gates are about to be keyed down, why don’t we tomorrow–“

“Tomorrow is another day, but I can’t afford to waste it!”

The two of them went out of Su Yan’s house, boarded the carriage, and sped away with a whip.

Su Xiaobei closed the door, turned around and slapped Su Xiaojing a brain, still not relieved, and manipulated the broom behind the door to whip him. Su Xiaojing was beaten wailed, and begged for mercy: “North brother I dare not, I am also worried about the little master blame adults …….”

“I’m beating you, you troublemaker!” Su Xiaobei pumped until his arm was sore and stopped to catch his breath, “That thing on your neck is called a brain, if you’re useless, bring it to me for hot pot!”

Su Xiaojing complained, “I can’t eat my brain! You’re not addicted to human flesh when you were fleeing the famine, are you?”

Su Xiaobei hate to use the axe to give him enlightenment: “You think about it, Su adults recently every day after the duty to go to the quiet alley, and sometimes do not go home at night, back to the house, but also bathed, changed the new clothes, why? Either he has a lover, or he has a soul-sucking house, and he doesn’t want people to know about it. You are so loud and furious to poke in front of my lord, in case my lord rushes to bump into, that will make your lord embarrassed!”

Su Xiaojing was dumbfounded, “Little master …… still cares about whether people raise an outside house or not? There are so many officials in this dynasty, can he manage it?”

Su Xiaobei said, “Our lord and other officials are different, the honor of the East Palace is unique, the constraints are naturally unique. I just beg you not to stay overnight today, otherwise my little master will break in and have a seizure to dispose of that wavy hoof, how can it end?”

–

Su Yan is currently in the boudoir of the Wandering Hooves Thousand Households, burying his head in his paperwork and running his pen like a fly.

As long as the name of a certain guardhouse, a thousand households, a hundred households, Shen Qi thought a little, open mouth will be able to say when this person is in office, the hand handled so and so important cases, how to act, what are the characteristics and hobbies.

At the end of a comprehensive review: “is a talent, in addition to being born ugly, there is no big problem” “can not be a big job, do chopsticks barely used, do rafters to collapse the house” “available, but to watch a little tight, in case the tail is not big! “Waste snacks, better to go home and plant sweet potatoes” and so on.

In the case of higher ranked officials such as Zhenfuzhuang, Commander, and Tongzhi, his critique was even more detailed, basically devaluing several of Feng Deiye’s beloved officials that Feng Deiye had personally promoted to worthlessness.

Su Yan lost his smile, “It’s not that bad, at least you can do something, otherwise how can the Jin Yi Wei run smoothly in the past few years?”

Shen Qi grunted coldly: “Eat while you work, what’s the use of working more? Leaving them behind, it would be better to replace the lions at the entrance with brave soldiers.”

Completely change the blood, this is also Su Yan’s idea. After all, these several Tongzhi and Commander collusion with Feng to evil is too deep, the business again competent can not be kept, according to the words of the later generations, it is “political position is not correct, ideological problems”.

With a broad stroke of his pen, he wrote after these names the endorsement of the chief officer, “Their hearts are not right, their natures are impure, and they are all of the Feng party.”

Su Yan suddenly thought of something, and then turned his head and laughed: “Speaking of which, is Shen Qiandu not a member of Feng’s party? Don’t they say that if you know a favor, you should return it?”

This is mostly flirting, but Shen Qi answered in a serious manner, “Adults are wrong, I am actually Su party, it is a life-saving grace, to the body.”

Su Yan couldn’t help his face from heating up, taking the brush in his hand and throwing it at his head.

Shen Qi lying on the edge of the bed, can not hide, also do not want to hide, pen hair snapping poke in the brain, a large group of ink black. The pen fell down, rubbed the bridge of the nose, cheeks, and again a little black spot, the whole face with a flower civet cat like.

Su Yan laughed so hard that he had to stumble. The colder Shen Qi’s face was, the more he laughed.

Easily stopping his laughter, he dipped a sweat towel in hot water and half squatted in front of the bed to wipe Shen Qi’s face.

Shen Qi took advantage of the fact that his face was close, to come over and steal the fragrance. Su Yan threw the sweat towel over his face, “You’re so capable, wipe it yourself!”

Taking out the newly purchased Western enamel pocket watch and looking at the time, it was already nine o’clock in the night, Su Yan got up and organized the papers on the desktop and put them into the box, saying, “I should go back, you also have an early night.”

Shen Qi was putting the wet sweat towel on his shoulder and rubbing his face with self-reliance, and sniffed and advised, “Rest down tonight, I’m close to the Da Lisi’s official office here, so I’ll save you from running back and forth.”

Su Yan shook his head: “These days, I come to disturb the duty, affect your rest, not conducive to the healing of injuries. But the good thing is that the list of these people, also ranked seven or eight, the criminal file also straightened out, it is estimated that another seven or eight days, it will be able to all sorted out, proposed into a book, reported to the emperor to decide.”

Shen Qi’s eyes flashed with coldness: ”Is this saying that without my use, you won’t come in the future? Lord Su is planning to hide all the birds and bows?”

Su Yan held his forehead: ”Here we go again! I said I’m a brother, how could I be so snobbish, I just want you to feel at ease and recuperate. A hundred days of injury, you’ve only been lying down for half a month, it’s still early.”

Shen Qi didn’t answer, only ho ho sneer.

Since Su Yan saw his wounds after being tortured, he didn’t realize that his tolerance for him was much higher than before, and patiently coaxed, “Seventh son, be reasonable. I’m busy with my business, so I really can’t stay here with you 12 hours a day. During the period when you are bedridden, I will try my best to take the time to come and visit, and when you have recovered from your injuries, I will go in front of the Emperor to ask for credit for you.”

Shen Qi has been pretending to be vulnerable for almost a month, because it is against his nature, pretending to be extraordinarily hard, at this moment, the demonic nature of the attack, very much wanting to make waves for a while, but it is a pity that at the moment, it is still not able to do so.

His back injury was only barely glued together, the surface covered with a layer of uneven blood scabs, the tendons and flesh underneath were growing twistedly day and night, throbbing with pain all the time. Only when he saw Su Yan would this pain be washed away by a stronger thirst, and only when Su Yan slept by his side for a night or two could he sleep peacefully.

Now as long as he thought that this kind of constrained days will continue for another two months, his accumulated hostility would go crazy.

Watching Su Yan leave, the darkness in Shen Qi’s eyes almost condensed into substance. He curled his fingers like claws, using his newborn fingernails to tear and scratch the bed beneath him one by one, and the bed sheet cracked.

On the other hand, Su Yan had just left the gate of Shen Mansion, and met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who stepped down from the carriage.

When Zhu Helin raised his eyes, he was first stunned, then his eyes reddened slightly as he forced himself to hold back his anger and stride over, asking in a deep voice, “Whose mansion is this? What are you doing here?”

Su Yan met the crown prince at the door of Shen Qi’s house, remembering that the two had not met for more than half a month, and as the crown prince’s attendant, how long had it been since he had gone to the East Palace to ask for good morning, inevitably, there was some emptiness, and he snapped, “This is …… the mansion of one of my brothers. He was seriously injured for saving me, I came to visit when I had time to visit.”

Zhu Hailin in the heart chassis counting, anger gradually hidden in the chest, grinning: “Could it be you in the ‘twelve Chen’ in the mention of a thousand Shen Qi? Not only for him alone listed a crime, but also in the court meeting in public for his credit, you this brother when the, really love and righteousness, two ribs into a knife! Since it is Li Taifu personally praised the righteous man, the young master I should meet even more, but also face to face praise his righteousness miles.”

Prince is still young face, I do not know when there is a trace of a mature man’s flavor, so Su Yan inexplicably gave birth to the other side of the illusion of growing up overnight, and even with the two people without the pressure of proximity, but also seems to be a little bit different.

Zhu Hailin didn’t notice, the corners of his mouth still had a smile on them, and he pulled him hard into the door.

Although the Shen residence’s domestic servants were ordered to let Su Yan come and go as he pleased, they were wary of another unfamiliar and uninvited guest and went forward to question and stop him.

Su Yan saw the prince’s sword eyebrow raised, is going to be angry precursor, immediately gesture to drink: “Prince in front of, who dares to be rude, not quickly report Shen Qianhu! Even if he is seriously injured and bedridden and can’t get up, he still has to call out all up and down in the residence to receive the emperor.”

He intended to make a big noise so that he could startle Shen Qi and prepare himself mentally, so that he would not face the Dauphin suddenly and be punished for his impoliteness.

Zhu Hailin privately out of the palace, do not want to make it known to everyone, a moment some difficult to ride. He can see that Su Yan protect this so-called brother, the bottom of his heart is sour and hard to be, to the panic to welcome up the Shen housekeeper said: “There is no need to welcome the driver. Lone to visit the meritorious minister, just on the way, will not stay long.”

The butler respectfully and apprehensively led the way with a lamp in front of him, and Zhu Helin held Su Yan’s wrist tightly as he walked through the two courtyards, and did not take a seat in the main hall of the third one, but directly barged into the master’s room.

“Since he can’t get up from his serious injuries, he’ll lie down, and I’ll go into the house to see him.” Zhu Hailin reached out and was about to push the door of the bedroom.

Su Yan was in a hurry and once again reached out to block.

Zhu Hailin fixedly look at him, look at Su Yan heart jumped chaotically, secretly this brat today how some odd, say it is a temper tantrum it, and not like the usual general shouting, but to say that sincerely come to visit the patient …… in ten minutes ago, he can think of Shen Qi who is it?

This look is not like visiting a sick person, but rather like spying on the military under the banner of peace talks.

He was puzzled and helpless, so he could only advise, “Young master, Shen Qi has not recovered from his long term injury, the house is inevitably muddy, and it is not good to go over the sick air. Besides, it’s not polite for the Crown Prince to enter his subject’s bedroom.”

Seeing this, Zhu Helin drew the corners of his mouth, but did not get angry, and spoke with a slight nasal voice: “You are a weak person, and you take care of him in front of his bed every night, so how can you not be afraid of being too sick? It’s not polite for me to enter his bedroom, but it’s not polite for you to stay in someone else’s house at night?”

Su Yan was speechless. But after blinking he found himself another grandiose excuse: “Shen Qi and I are lifelong brothers, I owe him the favor of saving his life, and it’s only right to take more care of him in his illness. As for one or two times to stay in the Shen residence ……”

Staying in the guest room is still reasonable, but he is sleeping in the same bed with someone, how do you look at it is a little too intimate, Su Yan himself also feel that it can not be justified, slightly hanging his head, “In the future, I’d better go home earlier.”

Still holding his wrist, Zhu Hailin said, “”

The door of the room suddenly pulled open, Shen Qi dressed in a dark colored pasting, face a little pale, stood in front of the two men, eyes very briefly and pointedly glanced at the Crown Prince, and was about to kneel down and salute.

Su Yan smelled the strong smell of medicine and busily held his arm: “You can’t move around! Your wound has just scabbed over, if it breaks apart, it will be even more difficult to maintain!”

“There’s no need to salute, get up.”

The Prince’s voice at the moment could not hear any joy or anger, Shen Qi helped Su Yan to stand up straight and respectfully said, “Your Royal Highness is here at your humble abode, due to my injuries, I hastily failed to welcome you from afar, so I am out of line. I don’t know what Your Highness has to say if you came here at night?”

Zhu Hailin had not yet grown up in stature and was a head shorter than Shen Qi, so he had to slightly tilt his eyes and carefully survey his face and physique, vaguely sensing a certain unspeakable threat. Especially when he touched the other party’s eyes – underneath the appearance of docility, there seemed to be a beastly and predatory nature lurking, making him feel displeased.

“Today, I came here, firstly, to visit the injured meritorious officials on behalf of my father’s emperor, to show the holy virtue. Secondly, I came to see what the ‘righteous man’, as described by Tai Fu Li, really looks like.” The Crown Prince said in a condescending and arrogant tone, “This third thing.”

He deliberately paused for a moment and reached out to drag Su Yan over before continuing, “Qing He was promoted to the position of Junior Secretary of the Da Lisi, but the title of Crown Prince’s Attendant is still there, and is still a lone person. In the future, in addition to the Da Lisi on duty, but also have to serve the East Palace, will not be delayed here. If you need someone to serve close to you, lone give you ten children, ten maids, tomorrow sent the chamberlain to your residence – still not thank you?”

Shen Qi secretly gritted his teeth and bowed his head, “Thank you, Your Highness, for the reward.”

A smile spread across the prince’s mouth, “This is what you deserve. As for not deserving it, it is useless to think about it more, it is better to get well as soon as possible and continue to serve the king and the country.”

After saying that, he pulled Su Yan and walked away with his head held high.

Shen Qi stood inside the door of the room, the light under the eaves shone obliquely, hiding half of his body in the darkness. And his gaze was also at this junction of light and darkness, long residual burning.

Zhu Hailin walked fast and furious, dragging Su Yan all the way and finally dragging him onto the carriage that was parked outside the gate of the Shen Mansion.

Su Yan rubbed his aching wrist and frowned when he was about to speak, Zhu He Lin took out the packet of “Bao snail with bone” from his sleeve and pushed a grain into his open lips.

“I brought you a special snack from the palace.” Zhu Hailin said with a smile, seeing that he didn’t respond, he urged again, “Taste it, is it good, taste it!”

Su Yan subconsciously chewed two mouthfuls, the outside is crispy and smooth, sweet and mellow, the taste is quite similar to the puffs that he loved to eat in his previous life, and he misses it a little.

Seeing that he loved it, Zhu Hailin fed him another capsule and stuffed one into his own mouth as well.

Su Yan looked at his joyful look, as if he had changed back to that simple and red-hot brat, remembering the scene just now, he couldn’t help but be in a bit of a dream-like trance, and asked, “How did the young master come out of the palace today?”

“I came to see you. I came three times, but I didn’t see anyone every time, which is why I was so angry that I personally went out to catch you back.” As the carriage clattered along, Zhu Hailin squeezed into the opposite side and sat side by side with him, complaining with grievances, “Since I returned to the palace from the East Garden, I haven’t seen you for twenty-two days, do you want to see me?”

Su Yan lost his smile. Idle time will of course think of this little kid, guess what he is doing at the moment, today’s window lessons have not completed, how the results of the test, will be rewarded by the emperor or reproach. Also thought that when the hand errand is finished, when you have time to go to the East Palace, bring some novelties bought in the market, so that he is happy.

However, these days are so busy that they are almost sleepless, not to mention going to the East Palace, even stay in their own home time is very little, in Shen Qi’s residence to stay the night, also because too tired to fall asleep in the case, wake up to find that the outer robe has been removed, lying next to Shen Qi, then also so then slept through the night.

“Do you want me or not, quickly say it!” Zhu Hailin showed his teeth and made a threatening expression, as if he couldn’t get a satisfactory answer, he was going to pounce on him and tickle him in the next moment.

Su Yan smiled, “Think think think.”

“Hmph, perfunctory.” The Crown Prince said with dissatisfaction, patting the dessert crumbs between his fingers, then he pocketed most of the remaining packet into Su Yan’s lapel, “The key is under the palace gate, I can’t go back, what should I do?”

“Tell the forbidden soldiers guarding the gate to open the door for my lord?”

“Don’t, they’ll snitch on Father.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I will stay at your house tonight and return in the morning when the palace gates open.”

“But you can’t! If the Crown Prince doesn’t return to the Eastern Palace all night and the Emperor finds out, not only will you be scolded, I’ll be even more screwed.”

“Are you still not the Prince’s attendant? You’re not even willing to worry about this little matter for little master!” Zhu Hailin poked his chest with his fingertips in anger, “Don’t put it off, if I say I’m going to stay overnight, I’m going to stay overnight, divide half of your bed – no, divide two-thirds of it for me to sleep in!”

“My duty is to serve the readers, not the bed!” Su Yan finished speaking out of turn, hating to swallow his tongue.

“Serving – that what? Did you just say serve what?”

“Nothing!”

“Distinguish what there is, I heard you, little master! You say it again!”

“…… Get lost!”

“Bold thing, daring to scold Little Master!” Zhu Hailin leaned over and mercilessly pinched the itchy flesh around his waist.

Su Yan twisted and struggled while sliding down the seat. The carriage braked violently, and his forehead hit the crown prince’s shoulder heavily with an ow, and his eyes popped out.

Zhu Hailin hurriedly pulled him up to check his forehead and raised his voice to scold the driver, “How did you drive the car! Don’t you want your dog’s life?”

Outside the carriage, came the voice of the coachman confessing his guilt, “Please rest your anger, young master, it’s the men from the Five Cities Military Division that surrounded our carriage, saying that they want to arrest the assassin.”

–

Wu Ming escaped before the inner city gates closed.

The eight outer city gates that can be used to get out of the city are tightly closed like a clam, and the entire outer city has been raked by a team of officials and soldiers, not only are the roads tightly guarded, but also the shadows and shapes are drawn in the marketplace, and rewards are offered on a list, and there is also a house-to-house search for any trace of the assassin.

The outer city was inhabited by civilians, and the officials and soldiers searched it without hindrance and with great efficiency.

Wu Ming could not leave the city for the time being, so he had to enter the inner city of the capital first.

The inner city is more than four times larger than the outer city, alleys and lanes, houses, want to search thoroughly, is an extremely time-consuming and laborious project. What’s more, it is dotted with many residences of dignitaries, and the gardens are deep and suitable for hiding. Wu Ming intends to hide in the inner city for a while, and wait for the momentum of the search is weak, and then make plans.

The dark figure in the night, flickering between the roofs, like a bird throwing itself into the forest, flew into an extraordinarily grand, high-walled compound.

The plaque on the main door was gilt on a black background, engraved with the three big characters of “Yu Wang Fu” in iron and silver hooks.

Near the back of the garden in front of a room, Xiyan is holding a candle, to the porch of the begonias long pouting and sighing. At the end of May, begonias have reached the end of the flowering period, withered petals evoked his sympathy for the same disease, can not sleep at night.

He was ordered to sing, and it was not easy to impress the host family with his voice, was allowed to stay in the royal residence, the town day looking forward to King Yu to listen to him play the piano and sing opera, but the whole three days, even a piece of the King’s clothes have not seen.

What do you mean, Your Highness? Is he what is out of order, see the offense of the nobleman? Xiyan was anxious, but did not dare to take the initiative to visit, drummed up the courage to ask the king’s subordinates, was not coldly back to the sentence “wait, the king wants to see you, will order people to summon”, he had to continue to wait.

“Fear that the night is deep and the flowers are asleep, so burn high candles to illuminate the red makeup ……” Xiyan put on female makeup, put on a costume, in the corridor babbling and singing, the heart of the hope that there will be an opportunity to be heard by the king, remembering that there is still him in the mansion, such a beauty as a flower.

Wu Ming is now walking on the eaves of the roof on the tiles, by his “ah -” a thin high voice, shocked the soles of his feet almost slipped, stepped off half a piece of glazed tile.

Xiyan jerked his head back to look at the roof and asked in a trembling voice, “What kind of people?”

Wu Ming lowered his head, suddenly saw a reddish-white lead-powdered face, wearing a body of unmanly long pasties, frowned and asked rhetorically, “What the hell?”