Chapter 105: Another Shura Field
“Your Majesty, we’re almost at Chang’an.”
[Your Majesty, your act of giving a gift is so… do I need to say more? You and the big wolf dog are so good together~]
[Your Majesty, I like the big wolf dog too. He’s so caring; I bet when you’re doing the deed, he’s the type to lower his head and kiss you because he’s afraid you’ll feel pain.]
“…”
Ying Xi’s head was buzzing.
The Sweetie System was like a little megaphone. Whether they were on water or land, it hadn’t stopped yapping all the way because of that tallow leaf.
He had simply seen the leaf, thought of the “Foal” from the north, and picked it up for him to see.
This was something he had done ten years ago; he had just stopped doing it for a while.
The Sweetie System thought it was a token of love.
But he had given “Foal” many such things from childhood to adulthood, including but not limited to self-made bamboo dragonflies, strange stones, dried pinecones…
A few months ago, “Foal” had given him the Loyal Heart Jade Pendant.
He was slightly gratified but not too surprised; their old pattern of interaction was gradually recovering.
A return gift was actually late.
If all these were considered tokens of love, wouldn’t he have had to marry “Foal” ten years ago?
Ying Xi rubbed his ears in a headache.
“Read fewer of those CEO novels,” Ying Xi said. “Some of them aren’t suitable for you; you’re still young.”
The Sweetie System acted spoiled: [Caught you! If you didn’t read them, how would you know they aren’t suitable for me? Does Your Majesty just skip the parts you don’t like?]
Ying Xi was speechless.
He was always at a loss with young girls, so he lectured: “Even skipping them, I had to find a problem first to skip. Those books have many pages describing bedroom affairs. You’re still at an age where your heart isn’t steady; don’t fill your head with too many wicked thoughts. It’s bad for your qi and blood.”
He was getting more and more upright.
It didn’t fit his age!
The Sweetie System wouldn’t allow His Majesty to be like a little old man, because His Majesty was indeed still very young.
[Then if I like someone, can’t I do the deed with them?]
The Sweetie System nearly stifled Ying Xi.
Ying Xi’s face turned pale, then red.
He couldn’t understand how it could say such words without any consideration, yet he still maintained basic respect for the thinking of a future woman.
“You can. But you’re still young.”
On second thought, a sixteen-year-old girl in Great Qin was also considered of marriageable age.
It was just that he always treated the Sweetie System like a child.
Just as he didn’t like the Barbarian King coveting Huachao, this was his overflowing protective instinct.
Ying Xi reminded: “You should find someone suitable. Someone who is good to you. Even if they are poor, Zhen can give you a subsidy.”
The Sweetie System was ecstatic, its interface flashing: [Waaah, Your Majesty, I like you even more now (unilaterally)~]
The Sweetie System naturally couldn’t have any “suitable person.”
But through its observation and analysis of the human world, there were at least some things Ying Xi needed to understand, whether he implemented them or not.
[Ta-da!—]
[System Notification: High-definition, lossless “Spring Palace Pictures” (Erotica) have been downloaded.]
[“Tale of Wind and Moon,” “Mirror of Flowery Elegance,” “The Golden Lotus”… are downloading.]
Ying Xi’s head hurt even more.
But the Sweetie System meant well and seriously tapped the chalkboard:
[Maybe I’m small, but Your Majesty isn’t. This isn’t doing something bad; it truly has benefits.]
It circled a line: “High-quality sexual behavior can increase happiness and reduce stress,” trying hard to open up the ancient man’s mind.
But ancient people didn’t seem to be that far behind.
Ying Xi: “I’ve seen them.”
Sweetie System: [⊙▽⊙]
“That was a very important part of the education I received,” Ying Xi said calmly. “It’s just that I’m not used to others touching me. Nor am I used to actively touching anyone.”
The Sweetie System suddenly felt a wave of bitterness.
If one imagined the environment His Majesty grew up in… his youth was like walking on thin ice.
It was impossible for him to have any transgressive behavior; he couldn’t even show a desire.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to remain the Crown Prince.
[Your Majesty, give me a hug!!!]
The early autumn wind rose, and the air was crisp.
The main gate of Chang’an was wide open. Xie Qianli opened the carriage door, and Ying Xi stepped out of the golden carriage.
The officials, led by Su Xueyi, were standing in several rows.
Even if Su Xueyi didn’t stand at the very front, other people’s gazes would be drawn to the brilliant embroidery of his Prime Minister’s official robe.
Su Xueyi was wearing incense. The scent was rich, slowly dispersing as he walked. The jade pendant at his waist was a trending item in Chang’an, custom-made by a famous master, essentially priceless. No matter where he walked, he seemed to be highlighted.
“This subject, Su Xueyi, leads the officials to welcome the Emperor. May you live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!”
The mountain-shaking shouts were deafening. Ying Xi told them to rise.
“We thank Your Majesty.”
Having dealt with many people recently, the total number of court officials coming to welcome him wasn’t too large.
Before returning to the capital, Ying Xi had warned against extravagance and waste; Su Xueyi had always executed such tasks well.
The guard of honor headed toward the palace.
With a thousand things to do at court, Ying Xi canceled the victory banquet, opting instead to distribute rewards to the soldiers who had accompanied him and giving them each a long holiday to reunite with their families.
The Longwu Army was not suited to enter the inner city again.
The Longwu soldiers, who had fought side-by-side with Ying Xi for months, stood in a fan shape at the palace gate. Their eyes showed lingering attachment.
After all, an emperor like Ying Xi, who could share joys and sorrows with his brothers, was rare.
Little Black’s wings flapped pitifully.
Little White pawed at the dirt.
Ying Xi’s back gradually grew distant.
The person Xie Qianli carefully protected walked away from him and back into the airtight palace.
They might not see each other for a while.
Xie Qianli’s heart wanted to follow him, but his hands had to tighten the reins, pulling back hard. Because the horse had developed a habit of following this person; if he let go, the warhorse would definitely follow the Emperor into the palace.
That would not only break the rules but also make Ying Xi defensive.
He could only knit his sword-like brows, watching that slender back to the absolute limit.
The tallow leaf tucked inside his silver armor throbbed along with Xie Qianli’s heartbeat. Thump-thump, thump-thump.
“General, from now on, we can only see His Majesty at court,” Lian Qing said suddenly. “The court isn’t our home turf; we’re going to be idle for a while!”
Lian Qing’s few words outlined the predicament of generals returning to court. Xie Qianli’s back stiffened.
“But you’re fine,” Lian Qing said. “You hold the status of a Duke and are technically His Majesty’s cousin; you can see him in private.”
Xie Qianli breathed a slight sigh of relief.
“Talk less.”
“I can’t!” Lian Qing suddenly exploded, his horsewhip pointing into the distance. “Look at that Su Xueyi, that… womanly man with eyes at the top of his head! Just now when he saw us, he didn’t even greet us; he only cared about flattering His Majesty. When did he become so clingy??? His attitude makes this subordinate very uncomfortable!!!”
Xie Qianli’s heart twisted again.
He repeatedly chewed on the fact that Su Xueyi was wearing rich incense and a clean jade pendant. His posture was elegant and romantic.
One could read that the other was being slightly intentional. Even Lian Qing could see it; it was indeed different from before.
Xie Qianli glanced at his own hand gripping the reins—it was scarred and rough.
Lian Qing slapped his horse’s back: “Damn! He’s grabbing His Majesty’s arm!!!”
Xie Qianli looked up.
Watching as far as his eyes could see, Su Xueyi suddenly gripped Ying Xi’s arm firmly.
The ruler and subject seemed to be talking and laughing. Su Xueyi seemed to have an endless stream of words, witty and eloquent, expressing the joy of reunion after a long separation.
Xiao Xi was never short of romantic figures around him.
“Eh, does the Longwu Army have a problem with the Prime Minister?”
“Shh, lower your voice. The Emperor’s affairs are not for us to meddle in.”
Lian Qing’s lack of filter drew a flurry of discussion from the commoners watching the procession.
Above the palace walls, the guards warned: “His Majesty has entered the palace. No need to look anymore. Disperse, disperse!”
The commoners hurried away.
At the foot of the palace wall, Xie Qianli warned in a low voice, “Disharmony between generals and ministers is a taboo. Don’t talk nonsense.”
Lian Qing curled his lip.
What the two of them didn’t see when they turned away was that at the other end of the palace corridor, Ying Xi paused his footsteps and turned back for a deep look at Xie Qianli.
Su Xueyi held his left arm: “Your Majesty?”
That hand was as clean as jade, the finger bones slender and strong, the back of the hand showing subtle veins. It was perfect.
But Ying Xi didn’t notice. He suppressed a trace of disappointment that was hard to catch, feeling slightly uncomfortable, yet he couldn’t pull his arm from Su Xueyi’s palm.
His attitude represented whether the relationship between ruler and subject was harmonious.
He had just returned to the capital; he couldn’t give the cold shoulder to the Prime Minister who had done great work stabilizing the rear, right?
Ying Xi tightened his fingers inside his sleeve.
Su Xueyi introduced the way along the palace road: “The Secretariat, the Censorate, and other places were renovated while you were away on the campaign. Your Majesty should be able to see.”
Ying Xi looked into the distance; everywhere was neat. He nodded. “The world is unified, and everything is being renewed. It was right to allocate silver for repairs.”
Su Xueyi spread his long arm, taking credit: “No silver was spent.”
“The Ministry of Works had a surplus of paint every year. Each department took some to paint the walls, and the officials did the work themselves. No funds were needed.”
The sunlight was bright, and Su Xueyi looked somewhat proud.
Ying Xi looked past Su Xueyi to observe the officials behind them who were waiting for orders. They looked tired, each with their heads lowered.
Ying Xi: “No need to follow anymore. There are no court affairs today; rest early after you finish your shifts. If I need someone for an audience, I will send someone to summon you.”
The officials immediately showed a bit of joy. “We thank the Emperor.”
The officials dispersed, leaving only Ying Xi and Su Xueyi alone on the imperial road.
The light in Su Xueyi’s eyes grew even brighter. From holding Ying Xi’s arm, it changed to lightly supporting it. He smiled and said, “Your Majesty’s complexion is poor. Did you fall ill during the campaign?”
“I’m better.”
Su Xueyi looked dejected. “Blame those rough military men; not a single one is attentive.”
Ying Xi: “Not necessarily.”
Twice showing a coldness toward Su’s overstepping, he turned at the Secretariat to continue touring the palace.
A ruler always likes to inspect his territory. Ying Xi had just returned and needed to look everywhere to be satisfied.
The autumn sun shone over the Shanglin Park, and there were few people.
Chang’an didn’t have tallow leaves. The green leaves had not yet faded, and the crape myrtles were about to finish blooming.
Ying Xi turned to a more important matter: “Why are there so many fewer officials at court?”
Su Xueyi felt wronged: “Rectifying corruption came first, and filling vacancies in Jiangnan came second. The Emperor always orders this subject to catch people and send people; naturally, there are fewer.”
Put that way, it wasn’t wrong.
Ying Xi shook his head inwardly.
At that moment, a scent of white sandalwood wafted from Su Xueyi along with the autumn air. The scent seemed to carry a spell.
Su Xueyi stopped: “Your Majesty.”
He pulled a scroll from his sleeve. “Your Majesty, look at this. You’ve moved so many people since your enthronement. I foresaw a shortage of manpower long ago.”
Ying Xi took the scroll and opened it. His gaze lingered on the silk; it was a list of recommended talents, with their locations, names, and specialties already marked.
It was so densely packed it was shocking.
Sweetie System: [Wow~]
[He’s so amazing. I’m having a change of heart—no, I’m getting a bit fickle.]
[Can’t you have both the big peacock and the big wolf dog? In a CEO novel, he’d at least have to be an Assistant Su.]
“Your Majesty?”
Ying Xi didn’t respond to the Sweetie System, reading the list carefully.
His eyes looked calm as they were lowered, but a thorn had already pricked his throat.
Because among those massive numbers of names, many surnames were highly repetitive. His intentions were obvious.
Ying Xi’s tone was like ice: “You dare to hand such a list to me?”
Su Xueyi shook his head. “This subject deserves death, but I am one of them too.”
“Cui, Wang, Lu, Fan—these old-school prestigious families each have a hundred or eighty disciples being raised in their manors. And then there’s our Su clan; the nickname ‘Su Half-Court’ has been circulating in the streets for decades.”
“I am the Prime Minister. While there was a war at the front, I could only accept these lists.”
“If I were to say a single ‘no,’” Su Xueyi raised an eyebrow, “I fear your rear would be overturned by these people.”
He might be right, but Ying Xi’s aura grew even heavier.
The Emperor’s brows and eyes were filled with sharpness, like a rose showing its thorns.
Su Xueyi laughed; he loved it when Ying Xi showed his fangs.
His smile was like blooming flowers. The scroll fell to the ground.
He slowly pressed Ying Xi completely against a tree trunk. A fire burned in his intense gaze, and the scent of incense grew stronger.
Ying Xi couldn’t escape the other’s strength, so by the time he realized it, the white sandalwood had already enveloped him. Su Xueyi was half-holding him, lightly caressing his cheek.
His voice was neither magnificently high like Prince Yong’s nor magnetically deep like Xie Qianli’s; it was a kind of extreme, superior beauty.
“Your Majesty, I missed you,” Su Xueyi said.
Ying Xi stood rigid and stared back. In a place Su Xueyi couldn’t see, he had developed several layers of goosebumps. “Prime Minister Su, have you gone mad?”
“Take your hand away.”
But the response he got was Su Xueyi trembling as he used the back of his fingers to lightly graze his cheek.
Ying Xi’s goosebumps were twitching.
“Get lost.”
Su Xueyi: “You are always like this—pushing me once, then hooking me once. You never care about me, yet you must use me. That high-and-mighty look is just too charming. I dream of being stepped on by you.”
Before Ying Xi left the capital, Su Xueyi hadn’t been this excessive.
Now that his favorability was maxed out, Ying Xi finally realized that the current Su Xueyi was completely different from any previous state.
He saw a kind of extreme fanaticism in the other’s eyes.
The other’s gaze looked like it was worshipping him, yet it also looked like it wanted to swallow him whole.
The obsession was too strong. Ying Xi averted his gaze.
But in that moment of being dazed, he was led by Su Xueyi’s palm, slowly coming into contact with a hard object on Su’s body that carried body heat.
“…” Feeling what it was, Ying Xi’s breathing grew heavy, and he immediately tried to pull his fingers away!
He was held tight by Su Xueyi’s palm.
He was pressed down, his finger pads instead completely fitting against it, his knuckles tightly wrapping around it.
Su Xueyi grinned. “Your Majesty, it’s a reunion after a long separation. Reward me.”
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