Chapter 39: Hand-Feeding
System Mission: Feed Xie Qianli something to eat (0/1000)
Mission Drop: Legendary Lucky Bag (Mall Trial Version)
On that interface, glaringly bright, the number one thousand was flashing.
Tiantong went hiss-ha hiss-ha.
Ying Xi was speechless: “You’re stuck on him?”
Recently, he seemed to be constantly doing missions related to Xie Qianli. Ying Xi lowered his head, inadvertently glancing at his own hand.
Tiantong indicated sheepishly: “People feel that Your Majesty and the big wolfdog are a good fit~”
Ying Xi frowned: “Not a good fit.”
Tiantong presented evidence: “You’ve never let anyone else live in the study!”
Ying Xi said faintly: “The Xie Manor has no resident physician.”
“Couldn’t you grant a physician to go there?”
“I fear the care wouldn’t be thorough.”
“You’re worried about him!”
“He needs to return to his position early; he is still useful.” Ying Xiās tone was calm, seriously dispelling Tiantongās thoughts. “Only this person is absolutely impossible.”
Tiantong hummed and hawed, expressing confusion.
However, the mission placed before him, along with the new item reward, made Ying Xi slightly waver.
Lottery draws were hard to resist; he was curious.
He had certainly seen Emperor Yuantaiās beloved concubine flirting and feeding the late Emperor in the previous dynasty. That scene still gave him goosebumps all over just thinking about it.
Now it was his turn to do it… What could be eaten a thousand times? Feed him until the end of time???
It must be the Dating Systemās bad taste!
That system didn’t hide from people either; the mission prompt flashed ostentatiously again: Feed Xie Qianli something to eat (0/1000) (Hurry up)
It was even rushing him.
Ying Xi took a long breath.
While he was pondering countermeasures, from the other end of the stairs came the clanging sound of boot soles stepping on steps. The friction of armor plates was distinctive.
Ying Xiās heartstrings tightened, his breathing lost its rhythm for an instant, and he curled his fingertips.
The shop assistant had dared to block Huachao just now, but now he hurriedly dodged out of the stairway entrance. White clothes and silver armor illuminated the top floor of Yunyong Tower, causing the voices of the guests in the originally noisy Yunyong Tower to drop eight octaves.
“Quick, quick, look! Is that the Duke of Ying? The one supervising the execution?”
“Should be. Oh my, he really is handsome, but too fierce; he scared me to death just now.”
Everyone feared his full armor.
Therefore, walking from the end of the corridor to the table, Xie Qianli entered as if entering an uninhabited land.
Even Huachao was afraid of him and hurriedly lowered her head: “Greetings, Duke of Ying.”
When Xie Qianli arrived in front of the Emperor, his steps gradually became heavy.
During this time, he thought that he had acted wrongly and had wronged Ying Xi. Although Ying Xi was magnanimous, was Ying Xi actually accumulating disappointment and disliking him?
Xie Qianliās heartstrings tightened abruptly.
Regret mixed with shame, Xie Qianli bowed: “This subordinate saw the Young Master’s carriage stopped at Yunyong Tower, hence came up to pay respects.”
“The big wolfdog is so well-behaved in front of you~”
Ying Xi felt nothing; he couldn’t see it.
Seeing him, he could only think of zero out of one thousand.
Besides the headache, Ying Xi also sensed the change in Xie Qianliās attitude now. The misunderstanding between the two was resolved; he must know he was wrong.
Human nature is mostly like this: you retreat, I advance.
Since that spring rain night, the grievance that Ying Xi had failed to release pressed sourly on his heart.
Ying Xi was cold: “Zhen is well. Kneel and withdraw.”
Kneel and withdraw equaled get out.
Xie Qianliās pupils contracted.
There was a fine, needle-like pain in his viscera. The monarch issued the eviction order without hesitation.
Xie Qianli said hoarsely: “Subject… has matters to report.” His voice was drifting.
Princess Huachao, however, looked up in surprise.
In her palm, Huachaoās brush nearly snapped. She looked left and right at her cousin and cousin-in-law (figuratively/status-wise), finding it a bit incredible.
Her Emperor Brother was noble and reasonable.
Her Cousin Duke of Ying was decisive and courageous; every sentence was like issuing a military order.
But who could have imagined this dialogue? The Emperor Brother seemed to be sulking, and Cousin Duke of Ying was actually stuttering?
Princess Huachao didn’t dare make a sound, observing in secret.
Ying Xi said faintly: “Grant a seat.”
Then Lang Xun and Yu Jing stood up, making room for Xie Qianli.
Xie Qianli sat down and spoke neatly: “When investigating Pingling Village, this subject discovered that the local area was not plagued by a single group of roaming bandits. They are fierce, but their power is not massive.”
“However, there are other bandit strongholds. Although temporarily formed into a scale, they originated from commoners fleeing chaos and evading taxes; the peopleās hearts long for stability.”
“This subject knows that bandit troubles cannot remain unaddressed,” Xie Qianli said. “Becoming bandits and harming a region is unforgivable.”
“But if we view them all equally and use thunderous methods to exterminate them all, it amounts to helping the groups of bandits aid each other in evil to oppose the Imperial Court.”
“At that time, if a charismatic bandit leader appears to gather various forces, the chaos of the Green Ox Army will immediately reoccur.”
Ying Jia couldn’t understand and was scribbling and drawing on the table.
Ying Xi, however, was aroused to a few degrees of interest in the conversation. He raised his eyebrows, straightened his robes, and while peeling a grape, said: “State the countermeasure.”
Xie Qianli: “The Imperial Court can establish an Amnesty Mission, employing a strategy of parallel suppression and pacification, breaking them one by one according to the situation of the bandit groups.”
Ying Xi chewed on this sentence and pursued: “How to suppress?”
“Those who resist stubbornly, have a litany of evil deeds, and refuse to accept reform shall be eliminated.”
“How to grant amnesty?”
“Those who are not the primary evildoers, cause less harm to the local area, have a heart of repentance, and accept the Imperial Court’s arrangements shall be granted amnesty.”
“Who will handle these matters?”
Xie Qianli said: “This subject requests orders to lead the Amnesty Mission.”
These were the contributions he could currently make to the Great Qin Empire. Xie Qianli waited for the Emperor’s appointment.
Regardless of whether Ying Xi was angry with him or not, as long as he was still willing to assign him work, Xie Qianli would feel he was useful. As a subject, one feared most being unusable.
He lowered his gaze. Ying Xi was still peeling grapes.
Jade-colored fingertips removed the translucent grape skin, the tips moistened with crystalline juice.
Xie Qianli pursed his lips.
The grape had emerald-colored flesh. The crystal-clear grape flesh contrasted with Ying Xiās fine skin; the green was scorching, the cool white dazzling.
He waited for a long time.
But actually, the Emperor responded to him very quickly: “Minister Xie, you are unsuitable.”
Xie Qianliās heart tightened suddenly.
As if an invisible hand was choking his neck, Xie Qianli tilted his head slightly back: “Subject…”
Unexpectedly, that green jade grape and the white jade fingertip suddenly pressed against Xie Qianliās lips simultaneously.
His lips felt cold. The grape flesh was soft, tender, and slightly cool. The fruity fragrance carried a scent of clothes. Xie Qianli, wrapped in frost-like armor plates, was trembling unbeknownst to others.
Xie Qianli: “…”
He was stunned and didn’t understand. A blush burned onto the tips of his ears; fortunately, his complexion disguised his panic.
He could weave through armies as usual, yet now he dared not move.
The monarch said: “You have fought against most of the rebel armies. If you act as the Chief Envoy, they will worry whether it is a trap by the Imperial Court to lure them into surrender. Minister Xie should act as the Deputy Envoy to hold down the fort; Zhen will find another for the Chief Envoy.”
The fruit flesh pressed deeper against his lips.
Xie Qianli swallowed in a trance, hearing the Emperor’s voice by his ear as if through a thick fog.
“But you have merit in offering a plan. Zhen rewards you.”
That bestowed grapeāhe neither chewed it nor tasted itājust slid into his belly, causing the flush on Xie Qianliās ear tips to spread to the back of his neck, burning like a great fire under the cover of his armor!
āHow can there be an Emperor in this world who rewards a subject like this?
Even Xie Qianli had read history books and heard of Tang Suzong and the important minister Li Mi being friends since childhood, with the Emperor even deigning to roast pears for Li Mi.
But there was no…
Feeding…
To… the mouth…
Even when they were so close at Fanglan Hall in their childhood, Ying Xi had never personally fed him anything.
Was he not angry with me? Or?
The grape made Xie Qianliās mouth astringent, his thoughts sluggish, his gaze slightly fixed. Only after a long pause did he say: “Subject, thanks Your Majesty for the grace.”
Ying Xi raised an eyebrow: “How is the taste?”
Xie Qianli could hardly say he didn’t taste it, so he had to say, “Quite sweet.”
Huachao immediately picked a grape and tossed it into her mouth. Juice splattered, and instantly it was so sour her cheeks twitched!
Princess Huachao was dumbfounded.
Her cousin and cousin-in-lawāone of them must be crazy, or possibly both were crazy.
The corner of her mouth lifted secretly, her eyes gradually lighting up. The character image of that peerless young nobleman completely merged with the Imperial Brother before her eyes, inciting a brand-new creative train of thought for Ying Jia.
Could the protagonist not be both a beauty and a young nobleman?
Able to be surrounded by heroines, yet also make heroes bow down. Much, much broader than a courtesan contacting societyāimagination must be unleashed!
Ying Jiaās inspiration exploded, wishing she could pick up her brush and rush out of Yunyong Tower.
But after all, she didn’t dare; she couldn’t afford to offend either of her two brothers. She could only sit down and watch for changes.
Ying Xiās expression remained calm as usual. If anyone present had surging thoughts just now, that was because their six senses were impure; the Emperor was like light breeze and clear moon.
Ying Xi wiped his fingertips with a handkerchief and glanced faintly at the screen:
Feed Xie Qianli something to eat (1/1000) (Keep up the good work) (There are good rewards oh)
āHeh, the Dating System has even learned to use bribery.
Ying Xi remained unmoved.
Tiantong urged in his ear: “Woo woo woo, Your Majesty keep feeding, it’s good for my eyes~”
Truly feeding one thousand grapes would either stuff Xie Qianli to death or exhaust himself to death. Ying Xi wouldn’t do such a foolish thing.
He had, of course, already considered a countermeasure during the mission execution.
Ying Xi beckoned the waiter over. The assistant hurriedly bowed to attend: “Young Master, your orders?”
Ying Xi: “My general friend here likes the fruit at your place. He thinks it’s sweet. I’ll buy some more; send him enough to eat his fill.”
The tavernās food was good; it was normal for guests to have demands for additional dishes.
It was just that the shop assistant would never have guessed it would be grapes, even if he died.
Grapes were produced in autumn. Spring grapes were specially cultivated near hot springs to mature; guests ordered them purely for the novelty. They were expensive and tasted bad.
But money delivered to the door couldn’t be refused.
The waiter served: “Then, another plate of grapes for the Young Master?”
“Bring a warehouse full.”
The waiter was shocked: “Young Master, could you speak more clearly?”
“Iām booking the warehouse. Deliver it immediately to the Duke of Ying’s residence.” Ying Xiās smile hid a bone-chilling danger. “Give them to him to eat; he likes them.”
The waiter hurriedly agreed: “Yes, yes…”
Chang’an was huge and full of wonders; a strange fat sheep had appeared.
Yu Jing paid immediately.
Lang Xun was jealous to death.
Huachao, however, had completely changed her accumulated impression of her Emperor Brother.
To complete this hugely profitable business deal, more than a dozen shop assistants from Yunyong Tower mobilized. The grapes were packed on ice and loaded onto carts; the freight carts sped toward the Duke of Ying’s residence like the wind and lightning.
Subsequentlyā
The system interface numbers jumped incessantly:
Feed Xie Qianli something to eat (122/1000)
Feed Xie Qianli something to eat (364/1000)
Feed Xie Qianli something to eat (576/1000)
Feed Xie Qianli something to eat (758/1000)
Feed Xie Qianli something to eat (3962/1000)
The number jumped to over twenty thousand and was still rising continuously.
Tiantong was so shocked it couldn’t speak. The Dating System tended toward overloading, and it also started to lag a bit, calculating rapidly: “Ho-Host…”
“More than thirty thousand, more than forty thousand!”
“That’s enough, Your Majesty, that’s enough!”
“Make them stop!”
Ying Xi smiled calmly, watching the Dating System scramble.
If giving Xie Qianli something to eatāthis “give”āin the system’s eyes, meant feeding…
Then it could also be understood as giving as a gift, subsequently extended to letting Xie Qianli take it home to eat slowly. This way, he didn’t need to personally hand-feed him.
This was another word game.
Ying Xi was particularly good at this.
But why did he really have to feed Xie Qianli one grape when he had a countermeasure prepared early on?
Because he had to let the system default that each grape represented one-thousandth of the mission. Accumulating small amounts to make a lot made it convenient to negotiate terms later.
How could an Emperor’s ambition be satisfied by just a lottery draw?
Ying Xi said unfathomably: “Zhen over-fulfilled the mission; I should receive extra rewards.”
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