Ch17 - Rumors

Only after Jing Shao has blanked out for half a day did he react to the fact that his Wang Fei was asking to borrow money from him. He couldn’t help but knit his brows, he pulled Mu Hanzhang to go to the study in the Listening Wind Pavilion. He took out a small ebony box with golden designs on it and gave it to him: “You take these first, if it’s not enough come tell me again.”  

“There was a mishap in my wet nurse’s family, and I don’t have any money on hand,” Mu Hanzhang lowered his head. “When the taxes are received from my village, I will return it to you.” As he spoke, he opened the small box, inside was about one hundred taels in both gold and silver, and also stack of silver banknotes. Each one for a thousand taels, and in total there were five. 

“Say that one more time!” Jing Shao hearing this, slowly walked up, emitting an air of anger, reached out and pinched the chin of Mu Hanzhang, forcing him to look at himself.  

Mu Hanzhang was startled, staring woodenly at the Jing Shao who had lost his temper, and realized that it was wrong to speak about returning money in front of his husband. He licked his lips and said: “My village’s harvest is not good, these five thousand taels, I’m afraid that I won’t be able to return it in ten or even twenty years.”

This was clearly an excuse to go back on his word and not return the money, yet Jing Shao’s mood strangely got better, but he still pinched his chin and turned his face a few times: “If you have something you need, then come find me. It’s my responsibility to support you anyway.” After saying that, he kissed the lips that had been pursed just a moment ago, and radiating vitality, went out to continue practicing his sword. 

Mu Hanzhang looked at the ebony box in his hands and lightly sighed. 

Taking out one hundred taels, he had Lan Ting bring an imperial guard with her and go to the farm village, and Mu Hanzhang looked at this rather generous pocket money, and his thoughts began to flow. The property that was given to him by the North Marquis’ family was not a wasteland, but they were fields that yielded poor harvests. Not even one of the shops that could be found in the capital could be found here. 

Mu Hanzhang’s birth mother was born a merchant’s daughter. Although he hadn’t been able to learn it as well as his mother, for things like recognizing where to find raw materials, deciphering accounts, and running a business, he had the ability to do all of them. The five thousand taels given by Jing Shao are enough for him to set up a restaurant in the capital. He could also just take out a portion of it to buy a small shop, so at the very least he was unlikely to go so far as to spend all the money without generating any income. 

After carefully putting away the ebony box, Mu Hanzhang decided to go out for these two days and see what kind of suitable business he could do. As a nobleman in this world, he must settle down and get on with his own pursuits. 

With this idea, Mu Hanzhang’s mood became better. Of course, there was another thing that made him happy. That is, today was the fifteenth day of the third month. According to how it was arranged last time in the flower book, today Jing Shao should be going to the Fu Ren’s bedroom. These few nights, Jing Shao was always wrapped around him, kissing and hugging him. He was also a man, he knew how easy it would be for things to go out of control if it kept going on like this, so he was very apprehensive every day, waiting until Jing Shao fell asleep to fall asleep himself in relief. 

After dinner, Jing Shao scooted over to his Wang Fei wanting to do some things to aid in digestion. Mu Hanzhang made a meaningful glance toward Duofu, who embarrassedly scrunched up his steamed bun-like face, and with light cough said: “Wang Ye, Wang Fei arranged the appointments in the flower book a few days ago, today you should be going over to Fu Ren’s courtyard.”  

Jing Shao looked up and saw the scrunched up face of Duofu : “The flower book? How was it arranged?” 

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Mu Hanzhang was unable to do anything about it. In his heart, he thought that he might have been practicing his sword for too long, so he didn’t think too much. After reading a book for sometime, he went to bed. Who would have imagined that once he got in, he would be pressed down under Jing Shao with a flip of his body. 

“Wang Ye…” Mu Hanzhang’s body immediately tensed up. 

Jing Shao raised his hand and with a pull of his hand, the curtain fell immediately. Mu Hanzhang became even more nervous, both his hands pushing away Jing Shao’s shoulders. Didn’t this person say that he was not in the mood tonight?  

He felt that the reaction of the person under him was extremely interesting. Jing Shao slowly slid over, kissed him on the side of his neck, suckling gently, and then looked up at him, only to see him with his eyes closed tightly, and his delicate and long eyelashes that kept trembling. He couldn’t bear to frighten him again, so he turned over and took him into his arms: “If you let me touch a bit, I’ll let you off tonight.” 

Hearing such straightforward words, Mu Hanzhang’s face rapidly turned red: “Touch… touch where?”  

“Well… I kissed you here last time,” Jing Shao said, a finger circling on his beautiful collarbone. He felt that the body in his embrace was a little ticklish, shrinking away. He gently pulled apart the lapels of the soft clothing he wore, “Let’s just go down a little, okay?”

Mu Hanzhang bit his lower lip, distressed, not knowing how to answer. Jing Shao conveniently took it as him tacitly agreeing, elatedly using his wolf paws to reach into the lapels of the other’s clothes. Using big and lightly callused hands, he gently stroked the snowy chest, Jing Shao sighed at how nice the skin felt under his hands, and, at the same time, felt clearly the location of two little beans. 

“Wu…” Mu Hanzhang’s back faced Jing Shao, and he tightly grasped the bedsheets with one hand, letting that hand wander around on his own body, until two fingers suddenly pinched a small bean. “Ngh… don’t… A burst of tingling sensations exploded through his body centered around that one point, his body trembled uncontrollably, and he finally couldn’t help but press down that misbehaving hand. 

Regarding “just touching a bit” becoming “pinching”, Jing Shao did not show any embarrassment at having been caught, he smiled and kissed the forehead of person in his arms, who was beginning to perspire, covered him with the quilt and gathered him into his arms, very happily drifting off to sleep after rubbing against him a few times. 

And like this, continuously, for a few days, every night, if Jing Shao was not “tired”, then it was “too late”, either way, the final result was that he would stay the night in the East Court. Mu Hanzhang guessed that Jing Shao perhaps did not like Madam Song, so he did not urge him, just considered giving the two other concubines a few more days next month.

Originally, on the eighteenth of the third month, Jing Shao would have to return to court, but he wrote a letter, and extended it for a few more days, so on the morning of the twentieth day of the third month, His Highness Cheng Wang was still sleeping soundly on his wife’s bed.  

Awakening early in the morning, regarding the big hand that made its way to his chest again, Mu Hanzhang could only helplessly sigh, reaching out and taking it out from within his lapel, slowly sitting up. 

The Jing Shao who had been moved, dazedly reached out his hand and felt around, hugging the waist of the other, rubbing close, then closing his eyes to continue to sleep.  

“Don’t you have to go to another court today? Still not getting up?” Mu Hanzhang helplessly nudged him a few times. 

“Don’t worry.” Jing Shao muttered, burying his face into the other’s waist.  

“You’ll have to go to morning court tomorrow, it’s still better to finish dealing with things today,” Mu Hanzhang looked at the one ear he revealed, and couldn’t help but reach out his hand and tug at it. “The accent of Ren Feng is not like someone from the capital. How did he become the commander of your close guards?” 

“He was originally a great swordsman from the Jianghu, because of the lack of money, he washed his hands of the life of an outlaw and followed me to work in proper business.” Jing Shao opened his eyes and lay flat on the bed.  

Jianghu? Like those great heroes in the legends and novels? That kind of thing actually really exists? Mu Hanzhang after hearing these words, could not help but be curious.

“The Jianghu really does exist, but it is not as exaggerated as in the books,” Jing Shao rolled out of bed and stretched. “Next time, I will take you to go see those heroes of the Jianghu.” He was preparing to have Ren Feng begin to recruit capable people in the Jianghu to become soldiers. According to his experience from his previous life, in the fourteenth year of the Hong Zheng era, that is, next year, the conflict of the three vassal states would begin. Before that, he must make thorough preparations.  

When Jing Shao went out, Mu Hanzhang, who had nothing to do, also went out with Yunzhu to walk around. 

The main street in the capital was always bustling with noise and excitement every day. The elderly went to wine shops, pawn shops, or antique shops, and the young went to little gimmick shops, people who blew sugar, and so on.  

“Young master, it’s getting late, let’s find a place to eat.” Yunzhu touched his stomach, which had gotten so hungry it became flat, and suggested. Outside he couldn’t call him Wang Fei, and thus went along with how Lan Ting and the others addressed him, with “young master”. 

Mu Hanzhang smiled and looked at the gluttonous Yunzhu: “Where should we go to eat?”  

“Naturally, we should go to “Hui Wei Restaurant” , Yunzhu became spirited, “Going right now is the best time, if we go later then there’ll be no more seats.” 

While Mu Hanzhang didn’t go out often, he had still heard of Hui Wei Restaurant. The restaurant had only opened two years ago, and, because the Chinese cuisine from the Central Plains was especially delicious, the business has always been very prosperous.  

The decoration inside the Hui Wei Restaurant was not very refined, luckily it was clean and orderly. There were quite a lot of tables and chairs placed on the floor, it must be because the business was so good that they added some tables. Soon after they sat down, around them people began to continuously sit down, and there was a full house before long. 

“Young Master, do you know who the boss is here?” Yunzhu scooted over to Mu Hanzhang’s ear and whispered.  

“Who is it?” Mu Hanzhang took a sip of tea and his gaze fell on the young shopkeeper behind the counter who was looking down, calculating bills. That person’s physique was tall, his face steadfast, yet from head to toe he wore an emerald green long gown, it was truly strange. 

“That person is the male wife of the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.” Yunzhu mysteriously added that this Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue is from the south, he was handsome, just a little short and small, yet this male wife of his is a man from the North, whose physique was tall and powerful. In court, many of his colleagues made not a small amount of joke about the Assistant Minister of Revenue. 

“Oh?” Hearing this, Mu Hanzhang’s eyes gleamed. Seeing as the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s wife can open a restaurant, then he should be able to open a few shops and have there be no gossip? Thinking about it in this way, Mu Hanzhang somewhat generated a few thoughts about becoming friends with this boss, but he also didn’t know how Jing Shao’s relations with the Assistant Minister of Revenue were, so he should return first and ask him before taking any further action. 

“Hey, have you heard? Recently, some people have heard that the Fourth Prince likes to eat human flesh.” Someone from a neighboring table said in a low voice to his companions.  

“That is so disgusting, I heard that he likes to eat placentas, because it is a big supplement, and that some other bigwigs also eat it.” One person next to him corrected him. 

“Haha, you guys don’t know it as clearly as how I know,” A person from another table heard the conversation, laughed haha, and in an exaggerated yet mysterious manner said, “The fourth Prince was born with some kind of physical weakness, and that year there was a Taoist who said that it is necessary to eat a bowl of raw baby’s meat every year to be able to live for a long time.”　 

Mu Hanzhang bowed his head and silently drank tea, from 7 to 9 in the morning, the citizens very openly shared news, perhaps they would discuss the marrying-in of a male wife, perhaps they would discuss the court politics so the rumors regarding the royal family can also be quickly spread. He really wondered just what news Jing Shao had people send out that things have unexpectedly become so bizarre!