UCTOOT CH90
“What time is it, and this group of young masters still eats so well.”
Shi Shu couldn’t help but say: “I’m a hater, throw them onto the Yunzhou city tower, get shot by a few arrows, and they’ll behave.”
Shi Shu entered the door. Inside the meeting hall, unlike the usual travel-worn military generals, several well-fed adults wearing silk and satin were either standing under the porch or sitting drinking tea, all looking somewhat indignant, swinging their wide robes and sleeves.
“Who are they?”
“The Deputy Privy Councilor, adults from the Eastern Capital. The grain official beaten a few days ago was also a young master. They are dissatisfied here, coming to quarrel and demand an explanation!” Lin Yan whispered.
Shi Shu looked inside the door. In the meeting hall, sure enough, another person dressed in luxury was slamming the table and arguing with Xie Wuchi: “Commander Xie, although the court allocated 500,000 piculs of grain and fodder, there are losses on the water transport road, and the surrounding prefectures can’t allocate grain either. How can we make up the number of 500,000? Just for this matter, you actually kicked the Duke’s young master.”
“To say something unpleasant, the Duke of Ning has received imperial grace for generations, galloping on the battlefield with the Great Ancestor. At that time, Commander Xie’s parents were probably still between the fields, right?”
Shi Shu licked the ice cube with the tip of his tongue: “Grain and fodder failed to be delivered in time, beheading him would be letting him off cheap. Just a kick, and they’re making a fuss here?”
Lin Yan said: “Second Young Master doesn’t know. Grain is grain, human favor is human favor. Bright and dark accounts are two different things. On the bright account, Commander Xie can blame him, but on the dark account, these are all noble children, speculating and profiteering, seeing the war and coming to the border to muddle for military merits. Behind them are Dukes and Marquises, can’t offend them easily.”
Shi Shu: “What bright and dark, don’t understand. If Yunzhou is lost, do these people have anything to say?”
Lin Yan said: “If Yunzhou is lost, it’s also Feng Chongshan’s crime. Dead fellow Daoist not dead poor Daoist, how would they be punished?”
Shi Shu raised his eyebrows and looked inside again. A perfectly fine frontline meeting hall turned into a place for quarreling and wrangling. The Deputy Privy Councilor, Jia Wu, who was also the current Empress’s cousin, was arrogant at this time.
Xie Wuchi was sitting drinking tea, saying calmly: “According to the laws of the current dynasty, there are rules against treating scholar-officials harshly, let alone using force. But coming to Yunzhou, the grain official is a military post. The court also has the rule that a general in the field is not bound by military orders. He delayed the grain delivery for so long; what is at stake is the important border land, the safety of the country!”
Jia Wu refuted: “What safety of the country? Could it be that with these 500,000 piculs of grain, Yunzhou can be held?”
Xie Wuchi: “No, definitely can’t be held.”
“Hehehe hahahahahaha!” Jia Wu suddenly laughed wildly, his face changing, “Commander Xie is full of talk about the country’s crisis. Heard that Changping Prefecture has been stationing troops and farming for a long time, rich in grain and fodder. Why doesn’t Commander Xie show loyalty to the country and transport grain and fodder from your garrison to relieve the siege of Yunzhou!”
——What a move of spitting blood, a battle of words.
Shi Shu understood too, thinking: “This Jia Wu is also a smart person, seeing through the Lanxian behind this Yunzhou at a glance. All people who only make efforts with their mouths but actually stand by and watch the fire from across the river.”
This sentence was almost accusing Xie Wuchi of hypocrisy, preserving his own strength but forcing others to act.
Now to relieve the siege of Yunzhou, the court allocated 50,000 Imperial Guards and dispatched Xie Wuchi, Chen Rulian, and others to lead troops from their garrisons to support. In fact, these people were waiting for the other side to move first. After all, everyone’s military strength and materials were limited. Yunzhou was obviously a “meat grinder,” a hole that human lives couldn’t fill. Who would be willing to use their own military strength to fill it?
This is the prevarication of officialdom. Once their own interests are involved, they all wish to pass the buck.
Xie Wuchi said: “Oh? Does Lord Jia mean to transfer the grain from stationing troops and farming in Changping and Xinggu Prefectures?”
Jia Wu: “Exactly!”
Xie Wuchi nodded and smiled: “Did Lord Jia forget that Changping Prefecture and Xinggu Prefecture are currently staring at the Min troops in the north, containing them for a long time? Because the Min army couldn’t conquer them for a long time, they detoured to attack Yunzhou? Transfer the grain and fodder of the Northern Army, what will the Northern Army eat? If the Northern Border falls, who will bear the guilt!”
Shi Shu thought: Good, wanting to checkmate Xie Wuchi, no way.
Jia Wu was speechless: “You…”
Xie Wuchi put down the teacup, changing from pleasant to stern: “Lord Jia newly took charge of key positions, with high status, but doesn’t understand the rules in the army. His Majesty bestowed the precious sword ordering us to guard the border. We absolutely cannot tolerate any major event hindering the state. Lord Jia, please go back. If the grain and fodder are not escorted here within five days, not only this grain official young master but also the officials involved on the transportation route will be punished together!”
Jia Wu flew into a rage, slapping the table with a “Bang!”.
Xie Wuchi remained motionless. The guards behind him took a step forward.
“Clang”, drawing swords, Jia Wu’s guards also took a step forward.
Jia Wu said: “Long heard that soldiers at the border are a group of wolves and tigers, hard bones drinking blood. This official has seen it today! Go!”
After speaking, Jia Wu and his group of military nobles walked out of the meeting hall in a rage.
Xie Wuchi threw the teacup, with a “Clatter”.
The guards aside hurriedly cleaned up the debris. Xie Wuchi stood up.
Shi Shu made way, watching this group of people walk away, and entered the door. In the hot weather, seeing people gone, Xie Wuchi pulled open the tight official uniform collar, revealing the collarbone at the neck. Shi Shu entered the door; the mung bean ice block had melted, emitting a faint fragrance while speaking.
“Which family’s young master is that grain official?”
Xie Wuchi: “Marquis of Dongyang, in-laws with Jia Wu. Not important.”
Shi Shu: “Not important… those soldiers on the Yunzhou frontline died, and no one collected their corpses or cared. Here a golden branch and jade leaf was kicked by you, actually alarming the Deputy Privy Councilor.”
Xie Wuchi adjusted his cuffs, listening sideways to Shi Shu.
Shi Shu said: “It doesn’t matter if people die, but death is also unequal. Do human lives have high and low status? Why do some people die earth-shatteringly; some people die silently.”
Xin Bin interrupted: “Besides, haven’t died yet! Coming to mourn!”
Xie Wuchi glanced at him: “You guarding the Second Young Master these few days, also become loose-tongued.”
Lin Yan smiled: “Twenty-something, the age to think about such things.”
Shi Shu’s eyes rolled on his fair and handsome face, understanding.
Unlike Xie Wuchi, who saw clearly and thoroughly long ago, wanting to be a superior person wherever he went, stepping on people, not taking anyone’s anger, nor accepting other instructions. Anyone provoking him would be punched back cleanly, always maintaining a quite arrogant posture.
Shi Shu sat in the chair, looking down at Xie Wuchi’s official uniform. It was stripped messy by him last night; obviously, there were several sets for changing, and this one today was older.
Shi Shu raised his hand to look at his palm. Grinding medicine constantly these days, a pair of clean and slender hands were covered with some messy marks.
Strange, strangers with him, but Xie Wuchi insisted on pressing Shi Shu’s hand on the tattoo between his legs on the bed at night, caressing it in every way.
Shi Shu thought for a second and felt Xie Wuchi was quite perverted, having neither normal sexual relationship cognition nor normal romantic relationship cognition.
Make do with it, a friend with benefits wearing a boyfriend’s coat.
Shi Shu waited for him for a while. Xie Wuchi finished his official business and went back to eat with him. Since Shi Shu lived in the annex of the pharmacy, Xie Wuchi came here almost every night to eat and rest with him.
Four dishes and one soup on the table. Thanks to Xie Wuchi, Shi Shu ate quite richly. While eating, Xie Wuchi changed clothes and said: “I received His Majesty’s decree this morning, asking to aid Feng Chongshan by all means. In the afternoon, I met two lieutenant generals from Yunzhou city and transported some military supplies in.”
Shi Shu: “Mm.”
“Too hot at noon, didn’t want to eat much. Lanxian has a kind of cold water noodles, added some ice blocks, ate together.”
Shi Shu: “Oh.”
Xie Wuchi: “In the afternoon, received envoys from Northern Min, discussing whether peace negotiation is needed. Just sent people out, Jia Wu came to quarrel.”
Shi Shu was eating, not understanding why Xie Wuchi said these things.
After a moment, Shi Shu noticed movement above his head. Looking up, Xie Wuchi seemed quiet before asking: “What about you?”
Shi Shu understood instantly; this boyfriend was reporting. He said: “I worked all day. Came back in the afternoon; that mung bean ice block was quite delicious. That’s it for today, nothing else.”
Xie Wuchi responded and ate.
Shi Shu’s scalp tingled. Xie Wuchi ate people without spitting bones, couldn’t figure out his thoughts. After a moment, the dining table was cleared. It happened to be late at night. Just finished showering and preparing to sleep, the guard sent the ice blocks delivered to Xie Wuchi’s room to Shi Shu’s room.
Not long after, sure enough, the heat dissipated. Shi Shu recalled what Du Zihan said when they just started dating: You followed him, you really don’t want to suffer any hardship.
Shi Shu pinched the scar on his palm. Xie Wuchi undressed and sat on the bed. Shi Shu showed him his hand: “That, brother, can’t help you jerk off tonight.”
Xie Wuchi: “Does it hurt?”
Shi Shu: “Doesn’t hurt, just don’t want to touch things.”
Xie Wuchi: “Don’t touch.”
Shi Shu carefully studied the ice blocks in the basin, fished one out, and stuffed it into his mouth, tongue tip cold. He heard the dispute between him and Jia Wu just now. A superior judging the situation. The tens of thousands of troops brought by Xie Wuchi camped not far away. regardless of life or death in Yunzhou city, without an opportunity for profit, Xie Wuchi wouldn’t act.
Shi Shu bit the ice block, walked forward, straddled Xie Wuchi’s lap, and leaned close to kiss him.
Shi Shu was reflecting, also feeling he vented his incomprehension of this world on Xie Wuchi.
Glass bead-sized ice, after Xie Wuchi accepted it, Shi Shu touched his lips. Shi Shu sat in his arms taking off his clothes. After taking off the upper body, hands stroked his neck and broad, lean back. Muscles protruded like a wolf’s spine; touched by him, Xie Wuchi’s hands seemed to tighten.
Shi Shu only knew how to kiss and simply touch him, knowing no other flirting methods, slowly being pressed onto the bed.
Although there were ice blocks, the room was still stuffy, especially after both warmed up. Xie Wuchi changed methods. After licking Shi Shu’s earlobe, he licked the Adam’s apple, then towards below the fair collarbone.
In the sweltering weather, sweating all over, straw spread under the mat made very light noises when squeezed. Shi Shu’s fingers inserted into Xie Wuchi’s hair, pulling him tight, nose tips touching, hot air overflowing.
In his vision, Xie Wuchi lay on him, waist muscles rising and falling, the most stimulating parts fitting together. Shi Shu’s fair nose tip was covered with sweat beads. Just wanted to turn his face away, attention attracted by light kisses.
Tongue and teeth entangled with him, Shi Shu’s breath was crushed by him, extending arms to hug Xie Wuchi’s powerful back, trembling all over with pleasure, thinking in his heart: Damn…
He heard Xie Wuchi’s heavy breathing in his ear. Shi Shu often woke up in bursts of desire, realizing Xie Wuchi was a pure man, taller than him, stronger than him, with amazing strength, but it didn’t hinder Shi Shu from listening to his hoarse sexy panting, couldn’t help his heart softening.
As long as Shi Shu took a little initiative, Xie Wuchi would be more lustful. The lust emanating from his whole body could grind people’s bones, whether voice, breath, temperature, or handsome sensational eyebrows.
Slut, really slutty.
Shi Shu was pressed in his arms. When hugging him, Xie Wuchi pressed Shi Shu’s arm with one hand, legs pushed open, licking Shi Shu’s clean earlobe, then licking downwards.
Because it wasn’t rapid, afraid of scaring Shi Shu, it was exceptionally lingering. Everything between the two was marginal sexual behavior, bodies entangled, skin intimate, breath blending.
Shi Shu came back to his senses. Xie Wuchi got out of bed, preparing to clean the sweat on the mat. Shi Shu also stood under the bed, throwing clothes into the wooden basin to be washed.
The two lay down to sleep. Shi Shu saw his wrist in his vision again. At night, it was no longer wrapped in white gauze, carelessly exposing the ugly scar. Shi Shu held his hand.
Late night was cooler. Shi Shu stroked his wrist: “I always wanted to ask, did you have this behavior before meeting me?”
Xie Wuchi: “Had it when attending high school abroad.”
Shi Shu: “Why?”
“People met, none liked.”
“No wonder, I know you, look at people like looking at dogs.” Shi Shu unconsciously rubbed the scar. Xie Wuchi’s hands were born beautiful, bones thick but lean, joints distinct; those fingers seemed born with strength.
Shi Shu acted on impulse, keep stroking his wrist, until hearing a soft voice: “Shi Shu.”
Shi Shu: “What’s wrong? Uncomfortable touching your wrist?”
These wounds led to the soft place in Xie Wuchi’s heart. Perhaps the uneasiness when the inner heart was touched made him unadapted.
Shi Shu felt a bit hot-headed, leaned close, close to his burning lips. Xie Wuchi’s eyebrows were cold after emotions calmed down, eyes born too cold, cold as ice and snow, handsome face also appeared cold, kissed by Shi Shu.
Xie Wuchi’s eyes seemed to flash, looking at him. At this time, neither of them wore much clothes. Shi Shu couldn’t help kissing him again.
Xie Wuchi was quite good to kiss, haha.
Shi Shu kissed him. Xie Wuchi didn’t dodge, until Shi Shu extended his tongue, holding his face and kissing.
After a while, Shi Shu was panting. Xie Wuchi’s lip corner also adhered to silver threads. Lust slightly floated in his eyes, but not as strong and sexy as when he pressed Shi Shu just now.
Shi Shu looked at his iceberg appearance allowing kisses, really too contrasting with his person, couldn’t help kissing again. Shi Shu tightly held Xie Wuchi’s injured wrist; he didn’t move at all, tongue tip entangling with Shi Shu, silver threads also pulling between lips and teeth, lingering for a long time.
“…Xie Wuchi, you occasionally… are a bit obedient.” Shi Shu blushed.
Xie Wuchi lowered his gaze, having nothing to say, taking out a handkerchief to wipe his and Shi Shu’s faces.
Shi Shu blushed for a long time, lying back on the bed.
Early morning, when Shi Shu woke up, the side was empty again. Shi Shu clicked his tongue at this workaholic, having no distractions in his heart every day except official business and going to bed. Shi Shu climbed up and was about to go out when the door opened.
Xie Wuchi wore a vermillion official robe, bright light fine armor covered with a robe embroidered with silver threads, black hair tied high, bracers on wrists simple and unadorned, changed into the style and clothes of being an official in front of people, adjusting the cuffs on his wrists, looking up upon hearing the movement.
Xie Wuchi’s eyebrows were indifferent as always, dark eyebrows pressing on eyes, nose bridge bone extremely high when turning head, a posture of arrogant alienation. But seeing Shi Shu, said: “Awake?”
Shi Shu blinked.
Have to say.
Shi Shu just liked Xie Wuchi’s contrast, dressed tighter than anyone in front of outsiders, wearing nothing in his bed, a monster in human skin.
Shi Shu thought for two seconds, propping his forehead: “Damn! Bewitched.”
Shi Shu trotted out of the room “Ahhhhhhh!”. A moment later brought breakfast. Xie Wuchi was still sitting by the table, ready to eat, chatting about today’s busyness by the way.
Xie Wuchi said: “The war in Yunzhou is getting tighter. Now all forces in Lanxian are in a deadlock, refusing to help, watching. It’s very bad if this continues.”
Shi Shu: “Do you have any way?”
Xie Wuchi: “The remaining 300,000 piculs of grain probably can’t be transported. The urgent task is to support Yunzhou first, then find trouble with the Min army.”
Shi Shu understood; this was all work Xie Wuchi had to do. He said: “Okay. Imperial Physician Lin and I can only guarantee avoiding plague; you guys do the big picture things.”
Xie Wuchi said: “Okay.”
After eating and breaking up, Xie Wuchi went to the public office. Shi Shu and Lin Yangchun and other Imperial Physicians went to the temporary wooden shed outside Yunzhou city to decoct herbs and supervise corpse burial.
Shi Shu’s work was very important. The plague caused by corpses even exceeded the power of thousands of troops. Zhu Yuanzhang and Mongols looting Europe had used these means.
Shi Shu walked under the wooden shed, cheering himself up: “Work!”
Then opened eyes and worked. Burying corpses was just a delaying tactic. After Yunzhou survived the most difficult period, corpses still had to be burned, otherwise melted corpses underground might affect groundwater, water sources, continuing to cause plague spread.
When Shi Shu stood on the soil, the soil was soft, floating on corpses like foam, blood water seeping out from time to time.
Watching the endless stream of corpses transported out, Shi Shu walked to Lin Yangchun: “Can Yunzhou persist?”
Lin Yangchun said: “Persisting is the disaster of one city of Yunzhou. If not persisting, the subsequent massacre will spread to Great Jing’s territory. Such hell on earth will be replicated a million times. Bodhisattva bless, bless Yunzhou to survive this disaster.”
Shi Shu looked at the city gate, thinking the same in his heart.
For the following time, Shi Shu was busy in the wooden shed, returning to the city to rest for one day only after two days. They simply brought their own pots and pans, simplest meals, built hammocks in the wooden shed, and rested at night.
“Rumble—”
“Rumble—”
The sound of catapults outside the city was louder, transmitted here from time to time.
Lin Yangchun’s other disciple Lin Baihe rushed here. Shi Shu talked to him every day. Just put a bundle of herbs on the ground. It was almost evening. The wooden shed was built near the official road, while the corpse burial pit was in the low valley of the forest beside.
“Rattle” sounds, countless carriages and fast horses rushed to aid the battlefield on the official road every day.
Shi Shu looked at a few carriages among them, pursing his lips, saying: “Coming again.”
“What coming again?” Lin Baihe asked.
Shi Shu: “Just these few carriages, I recognize them all. Either carrying singing and dancing girls, or carrying delicacies from mountains and seas.”
Lin Baihe: “Those are carriages exclusively for high officials and noble lords in Lanxian City. This group of people really knows how to enjoy.”
Shi Shu stood up, washed his hands clean: “Which way does that road lead to? Theoretically, transporting delicacies from the Eastern Capital doesn’t seem to go this way.”
Lin Baihe: “I’m not clear about this either.”
Shi Shu looked a few more times, seeing three carriages drive into the forest road from the fork and disappear, so he stopped looking.
However, due to the fighting day and night in the city, Shi Shu had no time to return to Lanxian, sleeping in clothes in the wooden shed at night. Dongtu Mountain was a big mountain spanning hundreds of miles, forming a natural barrier guarding Great Jing, with dense forests. At the same time, tigers and wolves caused trouble at night. Shi Shu woke up once late at night. Horses often galloped past on the official road at night, disturbing everyone. But waking up this time, he heard the rattling of carriages again.
Pitch dark, the carriages seen leaving yesterday evening returned in the morning night dew, curtains fluttering, residual rouge fragrance when vehicles passed.
“Coming again.”
Shi Shu noticed this movement for two consecutive days, asked someone to tell Xie Wuchi about this. The guard checked and reported back that these were carriages specifically transporting beauties. They specifically monitored; there were only ordinary beauties on the carriage, nothing abnormal.
Shi Shu: “Is that so? But I saw Min concubines in the carriage.”
“Young Master didn’t know? Min women are beautiful, with quirky personalities and beautiful dance postures. Keeping Min concubines is a big event in the Eastern Capital city, very common!”
Shi Shu: “So that’s it.”
This afternoon, Shi Shu happened to be free, saw carriages rattling past again, simply followed behind, intending to see the process of this group of people transporting dancing girls with his own eyes. Shi Shu walked behind the carriage. This carriage didn’t hide either, driving openly on the official road.
Walked for half an hour, probably to a ferry crossing. Seeing a wind and rain pavilion, beside the pavilion was a ferry boat. Several women wearing veils sat in the pavilion, with graceful figures.
There were also a few people helping women onto the carriage, laughing and talking with people.
Shi Shu peeked for a moment, nothing abnormal, except these Min women had different appearances, others were no different from ordinary Great Jing people. Shi Shu was preparing to turn around and leave, unexpectedly, from the narrow mountain forest, two people walked down one after another.
A young man in white fluttering clothes, wearing luxurious clothes, holding a folding fan, walked elegantly into the crowd. His face was handsome and sinister. Shi Shu felt vaguely familiar but didn’t know him.
Another one was slightly older, with a lean frame, lips pale, also in scholar attire, with a gentle and cold air, slightly sickly on his fair face.
When Shi Shu saw him, he suddenly felt very familiar, mind turning for a moment, name on the tip of his tongue: “Yuan Guan!”
Three years ago, Xiangnan Temple, Northern Slave Street!
Northern Min remnants captured by Great Jing ancestors to the Eastern Capital to show off civil and military achievements! Forbidden to intermarry, resulting in brotherly incest! Later because the daughter was intercepted by bandits, banned books and novels invited fatal disaster, resisted and killed people from the yamen, fleeing north.
Shi Shu didn’t expect to actually see him. He was a Min person, but his maternal line was Great Jing people. His appearance was no different from Great Jing people long ago; both of them were so.
That laughing voice said: “Old Wu, came?”
“Waiting for you, let’s go, have a drink?”
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