Wen Zong put down the black piece in his hand, “Your Majesty seems to have something on your mind?”
Wang Dian smiled, “The Imperial Preceptor has sharp eyes, nothing can escape your sight.”
“Your Majesty works day and night for the affairs of the state, excessive worry may harm your health.” Wen Zong said calmly.
Wang Dian placed a white piece down, “It’s not a big deal. Wang Dian has been living in the harem for a long time, which is not a long-term solution. Rumors outside have never stopped.”
“Does Your Majesty want Wang Dian to enter the civil service?” Wen Zong asked.
“Is there anything inappropriate?” Wang Dian picked up another chess piece and placed it down.
“Your Majesty’s decision is naturally appropriate.” Wen Zong looked at the chess game and said, “But why is Your Majesty restless?”
Looking at the disorganized white pieces, Wang Dian still put down the piece in his hand, but didn’t continue, “In the case of Xun Yao’s fraud, Zhen doesn’t want to let it go lightly.”
Wen Zong paused, “Didn’t Your Majesty say a few days ago that you wanted to proceed gradually?”
“I ran into Cui Qi in the imperial garden a few days ago.” Wang Dian said, “Cui Yuxian is sure to take action, I want to strike first.”
Wen Zong pondered for a moment and said, “So Your Majesty means——”
“Zhen wants Cui Qi to enter the outer court.” Wang Dian’s gaze was heavy, “And Zhen wants Cui Yuxian to personally send him over.”
Wen Zong said, “The person Your Majesty wants will naturally come. This old minister has a disciple, Tong Cheng’an, who has been a disciple before and after apprenticeship, but he has been indulging in landscapes for many years. Now that Your Majesty needs people, this old minister dares to recommend him.”
Wang Dian’s eyes flickered slightly, “The Imperial Preceptor’s disciple must be good.”
Most of the scholars in ancient times carried a proud air. When Wang Dian saw Qi Ming, he couldn’t help but think of Baili Cheng’an and Cui Qi. Although Qi Ming was gentle, Baili Cheng’an was proud, and Cui Qi was cold, their personalities were vastly different, but they always gave him a sense of reaching the same goal by different means.
But no matter what, after so long in this world, this was the first time he had met a peer of the same age with whom he could have a good conversation.
Qi Ming was gentle and measured, yet he did not shy away due to the difference in their statuses. Wang Dian had a long conversation with him, discussing everything from state governance to this year’s floods and epidemics, to the price of rice and pastries in Yingsu Fang, and even some interesting incidents that Qi Ming had experienced at the Imperial Academy. He was eloquent and spoke vividly. Wang Dian was also talkative, and the two of them talked until the moon was high in the sky. Wang Dian even invited him to stay for a meal.
“Zhen felt an instant connection with Le Hong.” Wang Dian said, laughing as he clinked glasses with him.
Qi Ming laughed, “Le Hong feels the same. I used to only hear about it from others, but now that I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I realize that rumors can’t be fully trusted.”
Wang Dian said, “Just now, you spoke about the tax issue, it was insightful and concise, something ordinary people wouldn’t think of.”
“I also saw it during my travels. Now, both Southern Zhao and Eastern Chen are starting to reform, but our Northern Liang not only does not change, the Grand Empress Dowager even reverted to the tax system from decades ago…The people are suffering.” Qi Ming said with a heavy face, “The Cui family is even using the name of the royal family to amass wealth and seize good land… Even if we want to reform the tax system, it seems far off now.”
Wang Dian rubbed the wine cup in his hand, “It may not be as far off as you think.”
Qi Ming was taken aback.
Wang Dian laughed, “Zhen wondered if Le Hong would be interested in gaining some experience in the Ministry of Household?”
By the time he and Qi Ming finished their drinks and returned to the back hall of the study, it was already late at night. When he saw Liang Ye lying on the couch, playing with a fan and swinging his legs, he thought he was seeing things.
Ever since the absurd incident that morning, Liang Ye had become more elusive, intentionally or unintentionally avoiding people. By his count, it had been seven or eight days since they last saw each other.
Although he didn’t want to admit it, he did miss him a bit. That morning, when he was bullying Liang Ye, his eyes were red but he didn’t let go. He didn’t know his own strength in his anger, and now thinking about it, his ears were burning.
Even if this guy was a heartless bastard.
Liang Ye’s fan was spinning fast in his hand, he lazily said, “Zhen’s thigh is all scraped up, it was annoying when riding a horse, and when Zhen came back, Zhen saw you having a good time chatting with some people of little importance.”
Wang Dian glanced at him and poured a cup of tea to sober up at the table, “Le Hong is a student of Imperial Preceptor Wen, I plan to place him in the Ministry of Household, what do you think?”
“Zhen has said before, you can do as you please with the affairs of the court.” Liang Ye said disinterestedly.
Wang Dian glanced at him, “Are you that confident?”
Liang Ye put one leg on the back of the couch, pointing to the root of his thigh, “Right here, the scab just fell off a couple of days ago.”
Wang Dian’s Adam’s apple bobbed, he lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea.
Liang Ye complained, “Zhen was gone for seven or eight days and you didn’t even ask where Zhen went.”
“Where did you go?” Wang Dian asked, looking down.
“Zhen won’t tell you.” Liang Ye laughed, jumped off the couch, dragged a chair to sit across from him, took the teacup from his hand, licked the edge where he had just drunk, then took a sip of tea. He put the teacup back, complaining, “It tastes like alcohol.”
“If you don’t want to say, then forget it.” Wang Dian poured more tea, picked it up and took a couple of sips, “I met with Imperial Preceptor Wen today, planning to force Cui Qi into the outer court, do you have any good ideas?”
Liang Ye pouted, “You just can’t let go of that sickly seedling, today it’s someone with the surname Cui, tomorrow it’s someone with the surname Qi, you’re fickle.”
“…” Wang Dian didn’t bother to deal with him, perfunctorily said, “Yes, if you want to kill or skin, do it sooner rather than later.”
Liang Ye clicked his tongue, kicked his calf with his foot, and whined, “Zhen’s leg hurts.”
“My leg hurts too.” Wang Dian said with a smirk, “Aren’t you tired of playing?”
Liang Ye raised an eyebrow, pulled Wang Dian up from the stool, let him straddle his leg, hugged him and took a long sigh of relief, buried in his chest and mumbled, “Leg hurts, head hurts too.”
Wang Dian gritted his teeth, grabbed his hair and pulled it, “Did you drink white jade soup again?”
“No.” Liang Ye looked up at him with puppy eyes, mumbled, “Head hurts when not drinking, give Zhen a massage.”
Wang Dian touched him, indeed his whole body was cold, like he had just been dug out of the snow. He reached out and pressed on the back of Liang Ye’s neck, Liang Ye subconsciously squinted his eyes and buried his head in his chest.
“Xun Yao’s test question was leaked to him by his fellow townsman, who ran away before the exam. The same question was also given to two other people. This townsman is the younger brother of the concubine of the county magistrate of Guangyuan County.” Liang Ye suddenly said.
Wang Dian’s hand paused, continued to massage his head, “The county magistrate of Guangyuan County, I remember his surname is Bian?”
“Mm, he is a person among the Bian Cang clan, in terms of seniority, he is Bian Cang’s nephew.” Liang Ye hugged his waist, “But his concubine used to be a maid in the old home of the Cui family in Liyang. If we continue to investigate, we can trace it to the Cui family, but it will also implicate Bian Cang.”
Wang Dian frowned, naturally Bian Cang couldn’t be moved, but Cui Yuxian’s chess move was really tricky, either let it go lightly, or pull Bian Cang into the water together, both sides would suffer, it’s not worth it.
Liang Ye hugged him and didn’t say anything more, Wang Dian was thinking about things in his head, massaged his head for a while before he remembered to ask, “Did you go out to investigate this matter these few days?”
“It was investigated along the way.” Liang Ye grabbed his wrist and put his palm on his cold neck, “Zhen went to see Jiao Wenbo.”
Wang Dian looked down at him in shock, “Commander Jiao is at the southernmost part of Northern Liang, you went there and back in eight days, didn’t you sleep?”
“Zhen drove three horses to death.” Liang Ye touched his hand and put it on the root of his thigh, rubbed his forehead against his chest, “Leg hurts so much.”
“..…” Wang Dian pulled his hand out, continued to massage his head with a poker face.
Liang Ye leaned his forehead against him and laughed triumphantly, “Do you know why Zhen’s leg hurts? Just like you, that morning being——uh.”
Wang Dian pinched his mouth, “What did you go to see Commander Jiao for?”
Liang Ye removed his hand and bit the back of it. “Zhen will go and see who Zhen choses.”
Wang Dian waited quietly for the rest.
“He is loyal to Great Liang.” Liang Ye’s hand rested restlessly on Wang Dian’s inner thigh. “This man can be used.”
Wang Dian felt like he was embracing a block of ice. He picked up Liang Ye’s paws and wanted to get up. “You are so tired, go and rest.”
“Zhen is so tired, and when Zhen came back, Zhen found that you were having an affair.” Liang Ye held Wang Dian’s waist tightly, not letting him move, and his gaze was full of accusation and dissatisfaction. “You don’t even smile at Zhen so much.”
Wang Dian held his chin and said indifferently, “Do I smile at you too little? You’re not rare at all.”
Liang Ye hooked the corner of his mouth. “Then Zhen doesn’t want you to smile at anyone else either.”
“I will if I want to.” Wang Dian’s thumb pressed on his lips, rubbing them slowly. “Weren’t you afraid to come back because of extreme pain? What, afraid that I would really f*ck you?”
Liang Ye narrowed his eyes. “How vulgar.”
Wang Dian sneered. “You are not vulgar, you come back and throw yourself at me.”
Liang Ye looked at him puzzledly. “Your knee almost crushed Zhen to death, and Zhen hasn’t settled accounts with you yet. How dare you be so presumptuous? Have you gone mad?”
“I caught it from you.” Wang Dian squeezed the back of his neck and hugged his neck to kiss him. Liang Ye soon forgot his puzzlement, his hand resting on Wang Dian’s belt, only struggling with how to loosen it naturally.
Wang Dian raised his head and glanced at his paws. Liang Ye removed them nonchalantly and grasped the tassel of his jade pendant.
“A whiff of alcohol.” Liang Ye licked his lips, belatedly becoming alert. “You didn’t get drunk again, did you?”
Wang Dian snorted and pinched his earlobe. “No, if you don’t believe me, try it again.”
Liang Ye leaned back against the table, his Adam’s apple bobbing twice. Even though his head was throbbing as if it was about to explode, he couldn’t resist Wang Dian’s teasing and provocative gaze, and he leaned in on his own initiative.
But Wang Dian turned his head to avoid him, helped him up by his shoulders, and said, “It’s getting late, go to sleep early.”
Liang Ye held onto his jade pendant and wouldn’t let go, “Zhen’s head hurts.”
Wang Dian said, “I’ve massaged it, I’ve smelled it, it just hurts, what can you do?”
“You accompany Zhen to sleep.” Liang Ye said.
“Alright.” Wang Dian agreed very readily. Liang Ye only hesitated for a moment before boldly sticking to him. Wang Dian gave him a hand, and could feel Liang Ye’s arm trembling slightly.
It was really painful. Wang Dian still had lingering fears when he recalled the experience of drinking a small sip last time.
He looked at Liang Ye, one second he didn’t want to care about him and let him live or die, the next second this guy was pulling his sleeve and weakly complaining of a headache. The whole person curled up next to him, trembling. In the end, he couldn’t help but reach out and hug him.
Liang Ye buried his head tightly in his neck, the cold breath sprayed on his skin, causing a layer of goosebumps to rise on his arm.
“On the way back, Zhen picked up a nice-looking stone.” Liang Ye drooped his eyelids languidly and stuffed a round little stone into his hand.
“What for?” Wang Dian picked up the stone and looked at it under the candlelight. It looked like the small stone they had picked up on the Shizai mountain, very round, but this one was a bit bigger and had a bit of a dark gray color.
“Don’t know.” Liang Ye said weakly, “Zhen just wanted to bring it back.”
Wang Dian looked at the stone in his hand and didn’t say anything.
Liang Ye laughed once, seemed to fall asleep heavily, but when Wang Dian put that stone under his pillow, he suddenly spoke up.
“Give you.”
