The expression on the young and handsome face changed several times. Xiao Shen suddenly stood up from the water and gritted his teeth and said, “Master, take a closer look.”
Accompanied by the sound of “bang, bang” of water, a powerful body broke out of the water, making people dizzy for a moment.
“I won’t look!” Shen Qingzhuo closed his eyes subconsciously. “You are not a delicate beauty, what’s so good about you?”
He turned around and walked out in a hurry. After two steps, he reminded him worriedly, “Don’t soak in the water for too long. I’ll call someone to come in and serve you.”
When Xiao Shen wiped off all the water and returned to the bedchamber, he saw his master lying on the noble consort couch, pretending to sleep.
The anger mixed with desire in his heart melted away silently the moment his eyes met that peaceful face.
His master was so thin and pitiful that even with layers of clothes on, he was still as thin as a piece of paper. He even doubted that he could easily pick up his master with one hand.
Xiao Shen deliberately increased his footsteps and walked to the couch with clattering sounds. As expected, his long eyelashes, which were quietly closed, trembled imperceptibly like the wings of a frightened butterfly.
He placed his hands on both sides of the couch and slowly bent down. Although the wound on his back was aching slightly, but it did not stop him from getting close to his master.
The hot breath was getting closer and closer, and a strange cold fragrance wrapped in moisture enveloped his head. Shen Qingzhuo’s breath was choked, and he was so nervous that his tender fingers grabbed the corner of his clothes.
When the breath was so close that it sprayed on his face, he finally couldn’t help but open his eyes and raise his hand to hold back the young man who was almost pressing on him, “What are you doing?”
Xiao Shen let out a soft “tsk”, feeling sorry because it was a little short, but he chuckled and said, “I want to see how long Master is going to pretend to sleep?”
The enlarged, handsome face was in front of him. Shen Qingzhuo felt uncomfortable being stared at. He pushed him and said, “Master was not pretending to be asleep. You woke me up.”
Unexpectedly, after this gentle push, Xiao Shen immediately cried out, “Ouch!” and fell on his master like a scoundrel, burying his face in the fragrant and soft neck, “It hurts… I can’t get up…”
But Shen Qingzhuo had seen through his disciple. Whether the wound hurt or not depended on whether he wanted to cheat or not, so he said coldly, “If you still don’t get up, I’ll kick you down.”
“Is Master willing to do so?” Xiao Shen was sure that his master would be soft-hearted, so he rubbed it stickily. “Master is not willing…”
The puppy grew into a big dog, but he still couldn’t change his habit of acting coquettishly. However, his heavy body made Shen Qingzhuo feel a little breathless.
He said helplessly, “You get up first, Master has something serious to ask you.”
Xiao Shen had a lot of improper thoughts in his mind, but he still got up obediently. “What does Master want to ask?”
Only by listening to his master can he get the candy. He can clearly distinguish between short-term happiness and long-term plans.
Shen Qingzhuo breathed a sigh of relief, straightened his clothes, stood up from the couch, sat at the desk, and kept a certain distance from the young man. “Since you came back, Master has been wanting to find a time to review everything with you.”
Xiao Shen sat up straight unconsciously.
“When you were in Suixi, you were reluctant to discuss the war with me. I got all the news about the battles, big and small, from the Military Advisor.” Shen Qingzhuo looked at him. “Now I want to hear your thoughts. Why do you think this war lasted for two years?”
Darong was originally a general term for the barbarians distributed in the northwest of Dayong. There were many tribes, and they engaged in nomadic life and migrated, following water and grass. After several generations of internal wars, they finally split into two, forming the present-day Beirong and Xirong.
Beirong moved to the north, and the Youbei territory guarded by the Shen family separated them from Dayong, while Xirong used the Suiling River as the dividing line, and for many years they had no conflict with Dayong. Until a few years ago, there was a severe drought in the Suiling River area, and the Xirong began to frequently launch small-scale wars, harass the border, and try to move eastward to compete for more water and grassland.
Xiao Shen thought for a moment and replied in a deep voice, “Objectively speaking, the Xirong people are good at riding and shooting, brave and good at fighting, while the Suixi army has been at ease for too long, and when they first arrived on the battlefield, they could only be beaten.”
Shen Qingzhuo shook his head. “Suixi originally had 60,000 soldiers and horses stationed there. Add the 30,000 elite soldiers you brought with you, and you will have nearly 100,000 troops. Even if it’s two against one, we should be able to win.”
“That Xirong commander is a genius at using troops, good at sneak attacks, cunning, and often retreats after a single strike. Yuan Hao has suffered too many losses from ambushes and traps and often dares not to pursue rashly.” Xiao Shen frowned. “Of course, the most fundamental reason is that the court does not provide enough food and fodder, and the soldiers are not well fed.”
The geological and climate conditions in Suixi were not suitable for growing grain, especially in recent years. The reserve grain depot in Jingzhou, east of the capital, has also been affected by drought. Grain production has decreased year by year. Once war breaks out, it will be completely insufficient to supply food for the soldiers.
But at the same time, the imperial court repeatedly delayed the allocation of grain. After finally allocating the grain, it was damaged several times along the way and was greatly reduced in value when it finally reached Suixi.
After years of war, the army could not even feed its soldiers. Even the strongest army was just an empty shell, and an army of nearly 100,000 men became a burden.
“The food supplied by the court is insufficient, and the battle line was forced to be extended. In order to make up for the loss of war consumption, the court will continue to increase taxes. The harvest of the people is not enough to maintain their livelihood. At this time, if local gentry take the opportunity to occupy the land, tens of thousands of people will become displaced refugees.” Shen Qingzhuo sighed and continued, “Continued war will reduce the number of people, and the abandoned land will be uncultivated, and the army’s food will be even more insufficient. This is a vicious cycle ah.”
After he finished speaking, Xiao Shen fell into a long silence.
“The mountains of corpses and seas of blood you saw on the battlefield are cruel and bloody enough, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.” Shen Qingzhuo walked back to the young man and said word by word, “Behind the war is a scorched earth with no grass growing, people with broken homes, and unpredictable disasters.”
Xiao Shen raised his head, a look of confusion and doubt appearing in his eyes. “Master, what you mean is… I fight the wrong battle?”
“Of course not.” Shen Qingzhuo raised his hand and stroked the young man’s head. “The Beirong frequently invaded Suixi and had obvious ambitions to expand eastward, causing the people on the border to suffer. This time you fought a war to protect your homeland and country. You went out to fight for the people of Dayong. Despite the difficulties, you won the battle in the end. Master was very proud of you.”
The dark eyes suddenly brightened. “Really?”
“When did Master ever lie to you?” The hand that was touching the top of his head slid down, and Shen Qingzhuo’s eyes could not help but moisten. “After you came back, Master had no chance to praise you. Xiao Qi did much better than what Master taught you.”
These scars all over his body are his unique medal of youth.
Xiao Shen’s eyes were moved. He held his master’s hand and rubbed it against his cheek repeatedly. “Before I left, I said that I would never let Master down.”
When he first entered Suixi, no one took him, the unfavored Seventh Prince from Shengjing, seriously, not even the 30,000 elite soldiers he brought with him.
Yuan Hao, the commander of the Suixi Army, looked down on him the most and refused to see him for several days. It was not until he defeated a capable general under Yuan Hao at the training ground that he officially met him and made some sarcastic remarks. In short, he told him to be a mascot in Suixi.
He did not say much. During the night attack by the Xirong one month later, he held a scimitar and threw the severed enemy’s head in front of the commander-in-chief’s tent. Only then did Yuan Hao finally realize that His Highness King Jin was not coming to Suixi to make trouble for fun.
In the battles that followed, both large and small, he won and also lost, went straight into the enemy camp, took the head of a Xirong general, and was also shot by a poisoned arrow and was in critical condition.
The only thing that supported him to climb out from the piles of corpses time and time again and pulled him back from the gates of hell time and time again was a strong belief—
His master is waiting for him, waiting for him to return home triumphantly.
“Master was very satisfied that you can return safely.” Shen Qingzhuo was very upset. “In fact, Master has thought that if we cannot win this battle again in the next year, Master will call you back to Beijing in advance regardless of everything.”
His little disciple was only sixteen years old when he left home. The youth, who had never killed a chicken, had to go to the battlefield and kill enemies, and he couldn’t even be with him.
If the war in Suixi becomes tense, the court will definitely send other people to support as a last resort, and it does not necessarily have to be His Highness King Jin.
The funniest thing is that Emperor Guangxi’s original purpose of sending him to Suixi was probably because he hoped that he would not come back.
With his master’s words, Xiao Shen thought that it would be worth it even if he got stabbed a few more times. He said dazedly, “I knew that Master loved me the most.”
After saying that, he reached out to hug his master out of habit again.
Shen Qingzhuo came back to his senses and put his hand on the young man’s chest. “Master has said so much just now. I want to tell you one more thing.”
The hug was interrupted. Xiao Shen frowned slightly and asked patiently, “What does Master want to tell me?”
“Any war will inevitably cause casualties and bring endless suffering to ordinary people.” Shen Qingzhuo’s face was more serious than ever before. “What I told you before was a historical warning. Now that you have seen the war with your own eyes, you should understand this truth even more—no matter how strong a country is, it will perish if it engages in war, and if it becomes too aggressive, it will surely reap its own consequences.”
Xiao Shen nodded repeatedly: “I understand, Master.”
“You have to promise Master that when you become the ruler of Dayong in the future, you will always keep this in mind and never start a war for your own selfish desires, causing the people to suffer.” Shen Qingzhuo asked solemnly.
Although at this moment, Xiao Shen still didn’t understand why his master was worried about this non-existent problem, he still nodded obediently, “I promise, Master.”
“Good boy.” The heavy stone that had been weighing on Shen Qingzhuo’s heart for a long time finally fell halfway. “You will become a good emperor loved by the people.”
“En.” Xiao Shen responded, lowering his eyelids slightly to hide the complex expression in his eyes.
In fact, he was not deeply moved by what his master had just said. Apart from his master, what did the life and death of others have to do with him?
He went to Suixi because his master wanted him to go, and he won the battle because his master wanted him to win. And now, his master wants him to become a good emperor loved by the people, so he will definitely be able to do it.
As long as he obeys his master in everything and lets his master get everything he wants, his master will always be with him.
The only thing that troubled him was that he seemed to be increasingly dissatisfied, dissatisfied that his master still treated him as a child, dissatisfied with the superficial and restrained hug through clothes.
He wanted more…
“Alright, go to bed early.” Shen Qingzhuo touched his face. “There will be another tough battle in a few days. You have to get better soon.”
Xiao Shen opened his eyelashes again and said innocently, “Master, will you sleep with me tonight?”
Shen Qingzhuo was about to respond when the scene in the bathtub suddenly flashed through his mind, and his ears inexplicably felt hot again.
“What is Master thinking about?” Xiao Shen stood up and took a step closer to his master. “Why are your ears suddenly turning red?”
Shen Qingzhuo took a step back involuntarily. “No, I’m not thinking about anything ah… Go to bed quickly!”
Xiao Shen was pushed towards the bed by his master and smiled maliciously, “Master, are you so impatient?”
“What impatient? Stop using random words, alright?” Shen Qingzhuo was so angry that he pinched his strong waist muscles. “If you keep talking nonsense, be careful that Master will seal your mouth.”
***
That night, Shen Qingzhuo was sleeping in a daze when he suddenly felt someone climbing on him.
Half asleep and half awake, he thought it was his little disciple who was bothering him again. He waved his hands impatiently and muttered, “Xiao Qi, stop making trouble…”
But Xiao Qi ignored him and instead grabbed his hand. His hot breath wandered around his wrist, and then his wet and hot tongue licked the pulsating veins.
Shen Qingzhuo shuddered, an indescribable electric heat running through his wrist, stimulating him to moan.
“Master…” A low, hoarse voice sounded next to his ear, “You are so sensitive ah…”
Shen Qingzhuo regained consciousness, but he couldn’t open his eyelids no matter what.
Another sleep paralysis?
He recalled the two seemingly similar dreams he had a few years ago. Later he attributed it to being too tired, which resulted in a phenomenon similar to sleep paralysis.
But after more than two years, it was still the same ghost that was suppressing him?
“Master obviously likes it, why don’t you respond?” The man asked unhappily. The next moment, he felt a sharp pain on his wrist; he was bitten.
“I’m sorry, I hurt Master…” The man apologized quickly after biting him and continued to soothe his wrist with his hot and wet tongue. “I’m sorry, Master, I just love you too much…”
Shen Qingzhuo was so angry that he desperately tried to break free from the constraints of the dream. At the same time, the more he listened to the voice, the more familiar it sounded to him.
“I let them go as Master ordered.” The man finally let go of his wrist and peeled off his front to attack the softer and more fragrant parts. “I originally prepared many ways for them to die, but who told Master to dislike blood? Am I a good boy ah, Master?”
Shen Qingzhuo: What the hell, you big-headed ghost? Get out!
“Good kids should be rewarded.” The man smiled to himself, holding him in his arms, “Master, reward me…”
Shen Qingzhuo had no power to resist and only felt his body getting hotter and hotter. The moment the pain came, he couldn’t help but raise his hand to slap the person who was hugging him tightly.
With a “slap” sound, the hand waving in the air happened to slap the young man on the face.
Xiao Shen, who was in a beautiful dream, suddenly woke up with murderous intent in his eyes. His first reaction was that someone was attacking him, so he hooked his hand as if by reflex and ruthlessly went straight for the opponent’s throat.
Fortunately, he woke up quickly and met his master’s eyes, who also opened his eyes, and the fatal attack was abruptly stopped.
After being stunned for a moment, Xiao Shen retracted his hand and covered his face instead, saying with an extremely aggrieved tone, “I was sleeping well, why did you hit me, Master?”
However, Shen Qingzhuo suddenly sat up and pointed at him in disbelief, “Ghost! That ghost!”
The young man’s low and hoarse voice at this moment was exactly the same as the male ghost who oppressed him in his dream!
