Chapter 50: On the Same Boat

"Probe is but a stepping stone," Xiao Chiye’s gaze was cold, "honesty is like undressing layer by layer. We progressed gradually to reach today’s heartfelt conversation. You’re right. After the Southern Forest Hunt, I thought Hai Liangyi’s cabinet would change, but he still relied on Xue Xiuzhuo, who came from one of the Eight Great Families. This shows that even in a position where one can oversee the situation, they must still yield to the power of the aristocratic families. Under such circumstances, the Xiao family stands alone."

"How would you describe them?" Shen Zechuan pondered. "When there’s no common enemy, they become their own adversaries. Keeping the balance so the water bowl doesn’t tip over is a far more difficult task than dealing with any one person. Before the Xiao family appeared, the Eight Great Families only experienced internal shifts. But after the Xiao family emerged, they started to weed out the weak. The Hua family’s defeat was temporary; the court cleansed the remaining Hua faction, but no one held the Empress Dowager accountable, not even Hai Liangyi. Now, with the marriage alliance between the Hua and Qi families, it preserves the use of the Hua family and wears down the potential allies the Xiao family could seek. Some things may not seem significant on their own, but when connected, they send chills down one’s spine."

"Are you referring to the defeat at Zhongbo and the Hua-Qi marriage alliance?" Xiao Chiye asked.

"A strategy of distant alliances and nearby attacks," Shen Zechuan said, extending his finger to draw a circle on the table. "By defeating Zhongbo, the defenses in the northwest and southwest were left open. Cizhou borders the northeast grain and horse route, which is the lifeline of Liubei. Without Zhongbo’s defense, it has become the territory of the Eight Great Families in Qidu. By marrying into the Qi family of Qidong, you’ve placed yourselves in a situation where you’re backed by Hongyanshan, bordered by the Biansha Tribe to the east, and face double enemies to the south."

"Five years have passed. How could anyone guarantee Hua Siqian’s rebellion or my timely rescue?" Xiao Chiye frowned slowly.

"There had to be a purpose behind the defeat at Zhongbo," Shen Zechuan said after a moment’s silence. "It’s not difficult to control the situation, but controlling its direction is challenging. If I’m right, there’s someone among the Eight Great Families capable of manipulating the tide of events."

"If there truly is such a person," Xiao Chiye said, "it means everyone is a pawn on the board, and every move is within his calculations. This isn’t mere genius; it’s a ‘god’ who controls the Zhou Dynasty. How do you plan to compete against him? Sowing discord won’t work against the decades-long marital alliances among the Eight Great Families. In the face of a common enemy, they will remain unbreakable."

"Turbulent waters are better than calm seas. Only when the water is muddied can they fail to distinguish friend from foe. In truth, their unity is not unshakable." Shen Zechuan withdrew his finger. "Why did Xiao Fangxu manage to break through the aristocratic defenses? If this web was truly tight, how did Qi Huilian and Hai Liangyi, officials from humble backgrounds, rise to prominence? Your father could establish the precursor to the Liubei Iron Cavalry, the Luhua Calvary, because the Eastern Palace officials led by the crown prince implemented the Yellow Register to conscript troops from the borders, granting military households to soldiers so they could be subject to the military jurisdiction of the capital, separating the command of the aristocratic children stationed outside the capital and allowing the Prince of Liubei to consolidate military authority without interference from local civilian officials. Not only that, the strength of Liubei’s army today also owes much to the Tang Farming System implemented by the Zhou Dynasty. You understand better than me just how crucial military farms are."

"Why is Lu Guangbai suffering more than Xiao Jiming?"

Due to the inability to implement military colonization in the border regions, where sandy wastelands yielded no crops, Lu Guangbai relied solely on the military subsidies from Qidu. Although the 'seven soldiers to cultivate, three to guard' policy might not make the border troops entirely self-sufficient, it significantly alleviated their food supply pressures – something crucial for these frontier forces.

Grand Tutor Qi chose to feign madness rather than give up his life, driven by both lingering resentment and the unwillingness to abandon the opening he had worked so hard to create. The dozens of East Palace officials were all chosen by the Crown Prince from humble backgrounds, and Qi Huilian had dedicated his entire knowledge to aid the prince. When he cried out five years ago that "the state of the world was settled," every word was a sob of frustration!

"You've been stepping into my domain incrementally, tolerating my probing of your limits, all for this night, all to stand with me in the same boat," Xiao Chiye leaned forward slowly, his gaze chilling. "But if I hadn't uncovered Xi Hongxuan tonight or discerned your intentions, would you truly have trampled on me as a stepping stone?"

"You're a wolf with an acute sense of smell," Shen Zechuan said. "Why portray yourself as so pitiful? If I weren't who I am, you wouldn't have given me the chance to step in. We wouldn't even be having this conversation. That's just who we are. Instead of questioning me, why not ask yourself first?"

Xiao Chiye replied, "You're the real bastard."

Shen Zechuan responded, "It's hard to find a like-minded bastard."

Xiao Chiye didn't bother with further games, getting straight to the point. "Now, it's you who wants to leverage my power, but an alliance requires some form of collateral."

"We share the same fate," Shen Zechuan said. "Your Yao family is about to be pushed out of the game. Aren't you anxious, Second Young Master?"

"I don't need Yao Wenyu," Xiao Chiye said. "You misunderstand. The Yao family isn't allying with me for power struggles; it's simply because of Yao Wenyu himself... You'll understand when you meet him. He doesn't enter politics not because Hai Liangyi can't bear to part with him, but because he has no desire for it. The Yao family has a history of high-ranking officials, but they fell during his father's time. Yet, his grandfather's influence still lingers, revered among scholars and with a reputation in the bureaucracy far surpassing that of Hua Siqian. If he wanted to rise again, it wouldn't be difficult, but he prefers the life of a carefree wanderer. If Xi Hongxuan really ousts the Yao family, he'll be even freer."

"Did the Yao family once marry into the Fei family? Is he the cousin of Princess Chao Yue?" Shen Zechuan suddenly asked.

"Indeed," Xiao Chiye picked up his chopsticks and said, "Chuyue probably wants to marry him, but Duke Helian is a coward who obeys the Empress Dowager blindly."

"You might end up as relatives, then."

"The marriage didn't go through, did it?" Xiao Chiye said. "You disrupted my wedding, causing me to lose a beauty. You owe me compensation for that, don't you?"

Shen Zechuan raised an eyebrow.

Xiao Chiye swirled his chopsticks in the cold tea, lifted his gaze, and said, "Do you know that 'rowing a boat together' and 'sleeping in the same bed' only differ by two characters? I think it's no big deal if we mix them up in conversation; it wouldn't matter if we mix them up in reality either."

Shen Zechuan felt a bit dizzy from the warmth inside the room. Without responding, he turned to open the window.

Xiao Chiye, however, didn't touch the food. Instead, he said, "I brought you here to eat my food and drink my wine, yet you didn't suspect anything?"

Shen Zechuan looked at Xiao Chiye. The cool breeze made him finally aware of the heat, causing a light sheen of sweat to form on his skin. The tight collar of his garment outlined his fair neck, complementing the black hair and the red plum blossoms peering in from the window. It was an enchanting sight.

Outside, snowflakes like grains of salt drifted in and landed on Shen Zechuan's hand, melting into a tiny pool of water. This small chill heightened the warmth within his body. In a moment of distraction, Shen Zechuan genuinely entertained another thought — he wanted to unfasten his buttons.

"I don't recall such a clause in our pact," Shen Zechuan said. "I haven't been lacking in bed warmers lately."

Xiao Chiye propped himself up on his long legs and said, "You don't seem like someone who lacks anything now. Official matters are official matters, and private matters are private matters. We've finished with official business, so we can slowly sort out the personal matters. Was the person from Lotus Fragrance Pavilion sent by Xi Hongxuan? I heard he only likes women. When did his tastes change?"

"Male companionship is no longer rare," Shen Zechuan replied. "I don't know if he's changed, but has Second Young Master changed?"

"I'm fickle," Xiao Chiye picked up Shen Zechuan's hair, which had fallen in front of his knees. "It's always been a matter of mood."

Shen Zechuan lifted his finger to retrieve his hair. He was already perspiring. "Some people talk as if they're sophisticated and composed, but in reality, they're just ravenous and inexperienced, aren't they?"

Xiao Chiye pushed away the small table and firmly held onto Shen Zechuan's wrist, which was trying to withdraw. "…Some people look pitiful when they're drenched in sweat."

Shen Zechuan's ardor remained undiminished, and the part of his body that Xiao Chiye held was scorching hot. He propped himself up on one arm before his knees and said to Xiao Chiye, "What drug did you use?"

Xiao Chiye took Shen Zechuan's wrist and changed the subject. "Ji Gang couldn't have taught you these things. Who is your master, or should I say, your tutor?"

The corners of Shen Zechuan's eyes reddened slightly. He whispered softly, "I won't tell you."

Xiao Chiye leaned in slightly and sniffed. Suddenly, he said, "You smell so good."

Shen Zechuan's breath quickened as he said, "Have you resorted to using the beauty ploy too?"

Xiao Chiye remarked, "I have no association with the term 'beauty.' Why are you getting flustered just from talking?"

Sweat drenched his inner garment, and the heat was enticed by this inexplicable intimacy, becoming stickier and more humid. Shen Zechuan furrowed his brow and asked, "What did you put in it?"

Xiao Chiye chuckled and said recklessly, "I was just teasing you; it's just medicated wine."

Shen Zechuan found Xiao Chiye's gaze perilous. He couldn't help but close his eyes and gather his composure, saying, "Xiao Er—"

Xiao Chiye downed the cold wine in one go. At the sound of Shen Zechuan's voice, he suddenly lowered his head and sealed Shen Zechuan's lips. Shen Zechuan was pushed against the window, causing the plum branches to sway. He leaned back slightly, feeling as if his waist was about to snap. Snow had fallen from the back of Xiao Chiye's neck, but he paid no attention to it. Half his body pressed against Shen Zechuan, and he forced their fingers together in an assertive grip.

Ever since that glance at the banquet of officials, Xiao Chiye had wanted to kiss him! It was even more so tonight. He had endured through the entire night. Seeing how ruthless and heartless Shen Zechuan was, and how skillfully he navigated the situation, Xiao Chiye couldn't figure out how he felt. All he wanted was to pin him down and kiss him until his face was flushed and his eyes were filled with desire.

Shen Zechuan's chest rose and fell rapidly, and the wind blew through his sweat, making him shiver. The wine Xiao Chiye fed him slipped past his teeth, choking him as it slid down his throat. But Xiao Chiye bit down on the tip of his tongue, preventing him from coughing. All Shen Zechuan could do was endure with tears welling up in his eyes. Even if the heavens and earth crumbled, Xiao Chiye wouldn't let him go.

There was a sudden crash from above, followed by someone tumbling down. Ding Tao fell into the snowdrift and quickly popped his head up, rubbing his arms vigorously against the cold. Just as he was about to curse, he looked up and saw the window, his eyes widening in shock, his soul seemingly leaving his body.

Shen Zechuan immediately kicked Xiao Chiye away and leaned against the window to cough. His ears burned red, and his mouth was filled with the scent of wine. Xiao Chiye's breathing quickened, and he shot a gloomy gaze outside the window.

Ding Tao's teeth chattered. Trembling, he extended his index finger and pointed slowly upwards, whispering, "I-I'm s-sorry, M-Master..."

Qiao Tianya and Gu Jin maintained their composure above, wisely pretending not to be present. Before Xiao Chiye could speak, Ding Tao leaped up and ran, nimble-handed and quick-footed, climbing the tree with agility. In a flash, he darted back onto the roof.