Chapter 14: Abusing the Scum Again — Belated Deep Affection is Cheaper than Grass.
Usually, Su Fu’s voice wasn’t loud.
But today it seemed somewhat piercing, echoing through the deep courtyard of the Prime Minister’s residence.
Su Xueyi hadn’t taken the matter too seriously at first, so he had left Su Fu to inquire freely. Su Fu inquired for two days.
It wasn’t until the following afternoon that Su Fu presented the results to Su Xueyi: Ying Xi had personally gone to bury Xie Ji.
Su Xueyi pondered the deeper meaning within.
After the chaos of the Qingniu Army, the situation in the north had stabilized slightly.
The Xie family had lost Xie Ji and couldn’t stir up much trouble for the time being. Ying Xi should attend because he was under suspicion.
This move isn’t wrong, Su Xueyi nodded inwardly.
However, when Su Xueyi thought about how he had released the news of his continuous illness without receiving any response, yet it hadn’t delayed Ying Xi from patronizing the Xie family…
It felt like a hole had opened in his heart, capturing him once again with a rare sense of loss.
Su Xueyi’s official career had been smooth, rarely suffering setbacks, so this sparked a strong desire to win.
His thoughts began to shift from calm and waveless to vivid and lively. Su Xueyi hooked his lips playfully.
He spoke slowly, “What other movements has His Majesty made?”
Su Fu counted on his fingers as he answered, “Personally managing the Department of State Affairs, reviewing memorials at miraculous speed, promoting several capable officials, playing chess with Feng Yong.”
“Anything else?”
Su Fu thought for a moment and added, “When this lowly one was reporting back to you, His Majesty had already returned from the cemetery. I heard that upon returning to the palace, His Majesty summoned the Minister of War into the hall. They seemed to be discussing military affairs regarding the defense zone adjacent to Yangzhou. It involved secrets, so I couldn’t find out the details.”
Su Xueyi narrowed his brows.
Intuition told Su Xueyi that Ying Xi was doing something big without going through him, and that he could succeed even without him.
Su Xueyi’s brows furrowed tighter as he waved Su Fu away.
He couldn’t seem to sit still in the seemingly comfortable Prime Minister’s residence anymore.
His leisurely expression vanished completely. The disdain and boredom in his look disappeared without a trace, replaced by a sense of pleasure mixed with torture.
Su Xueyi stood up and contacted his subordinates with maximum speed.
After all, he was still the Right Prime Minister in the Department of State Affairs.
His network was sufficient to immediately crack the entire content of the meeting where the Emperor summoned the Minister of War.
Su Xueyi: “What did His Majesty say?”
The confidant said, “His Majesty told Minister Liu that the military funds allocated by the court must make the other side pay an equal price, or even more, to be meaningful.”
Su Xueyi: “…”
Su Xueyi pondered these words repeatedly, extremely shocked. This was simply profound insight; he felt it made total sense.
Ying Xi’s image became much taller and more mysterious in Su Xueyi’s heart.
One had to know, Ying Xi was only in his teens.
For the first nine years of his life, Ying Xi lived in a corner of Guangling Commandery in Jiangnan. Before that, he couldn’t have imagined he would eventually enter the core of politics and become Emperor.
Ying Xi hadn’t been in contact with power as long as he had.
But given Ying Xi’s current performance, Su Xueyi felt a vague threat, and at the same time, an excitement stronger than before rose within him.
Su Xueyi said hurriedly, “And then!”
The confidant had never seen the Right Prime Minister show such an expression, looking as if he had lost his composure and wanted to shake the answer out immediately.
The confidant reported in panic, “His… His Majesty told the various defense zones adjacent to the bandit Li Yilong in Yangzhou not only to strengthen defense but also to feign attacks…”
“Not really attacking, just making gestures of harassment. Once the opponent reacts, withdraw quickly.”
Su Xueyi was stunned.
Our side actively defends, and the enemy must also defend. This causes simultaneous consumption between the enemy and us!
Our side is fake attacking; the opponent doesn’t know.
The opponent responds as if it were a real attack, mobilizing the army for defense, spending far more than our side.
If this continues, Li Yilong’s army will inevitably be exhausted.
Moreover, even in a war of attrition, one Yangzhou prefecture cannot compete with the other prefectures of Great Qin!
This single measure alone could add a few points of winning chance to Great Qin’s changing destiny.
Su Xueyi felt a mix of awe, jealousy, and joy, his emotions expanding rapidly.
His hands and feet suddenly felt out of place. He generated a yearning for Ying Xi, and a scheming desire to compete with him.
This was a quick-witted and thoughtful Emperor, a fragile and beautiful Emperor, a teenage Emperor holding supreme power…
Many characteristics that Su Xueyi previously disdained had now all become highlights of Ying Xi, shining with contrast!
Perhaps, he had misjudged?
Su Xueyi advanced another half step toward the confidant.
“—Continue speaking!”
The confidant was frightened out of his wits, having no idea what Prime Minister Su wanted to do. Trembling, he continued to spill the intelligence.
“His… His Majesty said afterwards…”
“Said what?”
“Said that when the court is richer in the future, we don’t even need to send troops to wave flags and shout. Just build ships upstream, and float some shipbuilding waste, sails, and sampans downstream. This will make Li Yilong’s army panic at the slightest wind. At that time, it will be the court unilaterally consuming the opponent…”
Su Xueyi’s throat choked.
His heart felt pinched by someone. The ingenious strategy gave him a strong sense of suffocation. He was eager to try, turning into a sunflower seeking light.
Su Xueyi silently adjusted his clothes and hat for a moment. The game of feigning illness couldn’t go on; he wanted to weigh Ying Xi’s worth immediately.
He wanted to see Ying Xi.
Su Xueyi left the courtyard with brisk strides, walking largely out of the residence, heading toward the Imperial Palace.
Passing the main gate, Su Yin was catching crickets at the doorway. Seeing Su Xueyi come out, she clapped and shouted wildly, “Brother is going to see immortals! Brother is going to fight monsters!”
Seeing this scene, Su Fu was so scared he hurriedly tried to block him from behind.
“Young Master, you are still sick! His Majesty just approved your extended sick leave!”
“Young Master!!!” Going out now would be the crime of deceiving the Sovereign.
The figure disappeared; Su Fu couldn’t stop him.
Weiyang Palace Study.
Night. A cool breeze blew gently. The windows were open, and the humid, refreshing scent of a spring night permeated the room.
System Notification: Charm +500.
After the clear notification sound faded, Ying Xi put down his brush and stretched. His whole body was wrapped in soft golden light.
What is it this time? What is the reward for? Strange and delayed settlement method, Ying Xi thought.
Sweet Tub yawned in his ear at this moment. “So sleepy. I’m going offline. Withdrawing from Your Majesty’s presence.”
“Goodnight.”
“Wuu wuu wuu goodnight~” Sweet Tub used that voice so excited it went off-key again.
The Dating System disappeared temporarily. Ying Xi rubbed his eyes.
He had gone to the cemetery today, summoned the Minister of War, and just finished handling many trivial matters of the Department of State Affairs. He was very tired.
This was the hardest day since his rebirth.
He cursed Su Xueyi as a bastard in his heart. He had to admit, Su Xueyi indeed had the ability to share his burdens.
But did he have to tolerate Su Xueyi in everything like in his past life?
Impossible.
In this life, if he was willing, Ying Xi would immediately tie Su Xueyi to the Department of State Affairs.
Glancing at the corner of the desk, he saw a dark blue document cover. It was Su Xueyi’s application to extend his leave. Underneath it were pressed many other memorials; perhaps he couldn’t finish reviewing them today.
But Ying Xi didn’t plan to stay up late.
Ying Xi yawned, his mind wandering aimlessly, thinking about when he really sent someone to tie up Su Xueyi, should he gag him or put a sack over his head?
Hmph.
This Su Xueyi is currently worse than Xie Qianli!
At least after hearing that theory of mutual consumption, Xie Qianli could offer a strategy to float shipbuilding waste downstream. That was excellent and usable.
If Su Xueyi was useless to him, Ying Xi wouldn’t care about him at all.
“Your Majesty.” A figure flashed out from behind the screen. It was Yu Jing. Studying the Emperor’s expression, he probed, “It is nearing Hai hour (9-11 PM). All palace gates are to be locked. Is Your Majesty tired?”
Ying Xi nodded. “Let’s sleep.”
Yu Jing secretly frowned slightly, finding it a bit difficult.
Just now, the Grand Superintendent had been stopped outside the main hall of Weiyang Palace by a figure. It was the Right Prime Minister, Su Xueyi, intending to request an audience with the Emperor.
Usually, Su Xueyi had the priority right to an audience at Weiyang Palace at any time. But today was different; the Emperor’s attitude toward Su Xueyi had shifted.
Superintendent Yu dared not disturb the Emperor with Su Xueyi, afraid of taking the fall, but he couldn’t just ignore it. He probed again, “What if a court official wishes to see you?”
“Is it urgent?”
Yu Jing thought about it. “The matter shouldn’t be big; it concerns that lord himself.”
“Oh.” Since his Charm points increased, subordinates were always willing to tell him random things.
For example, Yu Jing turned into a health encyclopedia, offering advice at every opportunity: morning walks cultivate qi, midday naps allow yang energy to enter the body. Very metaphysical.
Another example was Feng Yong, bored enough to tell him that official duties at the Department of State Affairs were busy, and he was losing hair recently.
Therefore, Ying Xi didn’t really want to engage. “Order him to sleep peacefully. Come see Me tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
Yu Jing withdrew.
Yu Jing’s little apprentice hurried forward, imitating him, wanting to serve Ying Xi’s return to the sleeping quarters.
But the little apprentice was currently afraid of Ying Xi. Because he had been reckless in front of the Emperor a few days ago, his master had sternly reminded him that although the Emperor was young, his nature was actually mature and unfathomable.
The little apprentice didn’t make a sound, scared into only daring to carry the lantern.
The little apprentice led the way; Ying Xi followed.
Weiyang Palace was a massive complex.
Leaving the study and looking up at the deep night, one had to bypass several palace chambers and pass through a walled corridor to return to the sleeping quarters.
Other parts of Weiyang Palace were embellished with flowers and trees. However, the walled corridor was monotonous. Leading to the palace doors, there were no trees, and guards were stationed everywhere—this was to prevent assassins from sneaking in.
Seeing Ying Xi, the guards rested their sabers and bowed. “Your Majesty!”
Ying Xi nodded.
Ying Xi walked to the door of the sleeping quarters and counted. He passed a total of twenty-eight guards, one group about every three zhang (approx. 10 meters).
Four guards were stationed at the main door of the sleeping quarters, and two young eunuchs.
Two eunuchs were on duty in the outer room of the sleeping quarters, responsible for listening to the Emperor’s instructions at night.
There was no one in the inner room.
Emperors throughout history lay in the dragon bed just like this, as a matter of routine.
This was the second time Ying Xi felt that the distance from the study back to the sleeping palace was boring and long.
The Emperor lay down. The little apprentice lowered the curtains. In a place Ying Xi couldn’t see, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The room was extremely quiet, surrounded by hazy bright yellow.
The little apprentice dared not say much and hurriedly withdrew, walking backward, trembling with fear.
In the end, he was still stopped by the Emperor. “Wait.”
The little apprentice stopped hurriedly, panicked. “Y-Y-Y-Your… Your Majesty.”
Superintendent Yu’s advice was still ringing in his ears; the little apprentice was terrified of doing something wrong.
Ying Xi: “Is there a fixed number for the palace lanterns in the walled corridor?”
The little apprentice was slightly stunned, not expecting the Emperor to be curious about this. He answered, “There shouldn’t be.”
Ying Xi: “Remove the palace lanterns in this section tomorrow. In the future, you go to the common market to buy some colorful lanterns and hang them in the walled corridor.”
The little apprentice blinked.
This was inspired by the lantern market in Chang’an during Ying Xi’s incognito trip that night. Festive lanterns were cheap, and the sleeping palace was his private space.
Therefore, decorating the passageway with various colored lanterns wasn’t excessive for the Emperor; it could be considered a bit of fun for his nightly return to the sleeping palace.
“Do you understand?”
The little apprentice simply couldn’t believe it.
Because he had clearly been reminded by his master that the Emperor was mature. But what the Emperor wanted to do right now—buying festive lanterns—seemed like a boy’s whim no matter how one looked at it.
The little apprentice was astonished. “This slave obeys the decree!”
But since this task was strange, the little apprentice dared not make decisions on his own. Lacking confidence, he pressed, “This slave doesn’t know… what kind of festive lanterns Your Majesty wants?”
Ying Xi: “Whatever looks good to you. I don’t want duplicates.”
The collision of imperial detachment and boyishness made Yu Jing’s little apprentice stunned again, his throat tightening.
The Emperor, high above, felt closer to him.
The Emperor was also a teenager. He could also prove his value without imitating the Grand Superintendent in everything.
The little apprentice said excitedly, “This slave will definitely not fail Your Majesty’s trust. No need to wait for tomorrow; this slave will take down the lanterns right now!”
Over outside the main hall, Yu Jing used the excuse that the Emperor had gone to bed early to tell Su Xueyi to leave Weiyang Palace.
Feeling the change in his status in Ying Xi’s heart keenly, Su Xueyi became even more fearful.
Amidst the fear, there was actually a mix of secret excitement.
Su Xueyi gazed at the majestic Weiyang Palace. The tip of his tongue swept over his upper lip. He extended his sleeve unobtrusively.
A gold ingot from his sleeve was stuffed over. Su Xueyi was generous.
“His Majesty has a small misunderstanding with this Prime Minister. Harmony between ruler and subject concerns the safety of Great Qin. I hope Eunuch can offer some guidance.”
Heaven knows, the Right Prime Minister, who usually strutted like a peacock spreading its tail, would actually bribe an internal official!
Yu Jing was wide-eyed with shock, but too lazy to waste words with him. He thought to himself, When His Majesty treated you with kindness heavy as a mountain, why didn’t I see you moved to tears?
People, they are just cheap.
Deep affection that comes too late is cheaper than grass.
Yu Jing took the money unceremoniously but didn’t plan to help Su Xueyi. Instead, he really wanted to vent some anger on behalf of the Emperor.
He happened to see his little apprentice just coming out from the inner palace, leading some people carrying strings of lanterns.
Yu Jing pointed mysteriously at the several palace lanterns.
The meaning could be: Lights out, go quickly.
However, Su Xueyi was too clever for his own good. He raised his eyes, gaze flickering, and lifted his robes to kneel in front of the main hall of Weiyang Palace.
“This Prime Minister understands.”
Fortunately, I got a hint from the Grand Superintendent, Su Xueyi thought.
Lantern (Deng).
Wait (Deng).
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