The smile on Huo Yuyan’s face was all but withdrawn.
He was rendered speechless, and it was only a while before he found his voice. He asked in a low voice, “Do you know what you are saying?”
When Jiang Suizhou met his gaze, he didn’t show weakness at all, but instead said confidently, “Of course. Anyway, now that Huo Wujiu isn’t here, why should I keep pretending? If you want, go to him and complain, and see if he believes you or me.”
He spoke with a faint smile that was smudged with arrogance. Afterwhich, he turned around and sat back on the throne.
“All right.” When he raised his voice again, the viciousness of his whispered words had vanished. He looked at Huo Yuyan, smiled gently and said, “I’ve been in the court before, and I think I know more about Southern Jing’s affairs than Your Highness. If Your Highness wants to help the General, then this Prince might as well help you. You don’t mind, do you, Your Highness?”
Looking at his stance, no matter how deep Huo Yuyan’s cultivation was, he still got a little short of breath at this time.
Huo Wujiu was indeed blind. He thought deep down while gnashing his teeth. Wasn’t he smart on the battlefield? How come he lost his mind in front of a man and let such a mean and vicious person coax him round and round?
Huo Yuyan gritted his teeth, holding back his disgust and anger.
Forget it, he thought. Bear it for the time being. After all, Huo Wujiu was not in the palace at the moment, and he couldn’t drive him away even if he was dying to do so. The affairs of the state were complicated. This little pretty boy looked like a good-for-nothing that could only be mischievous. Even if it got in the way, it wouldn’t really ruin his major plans.
With this belief, Huo Yuyan clenched his jaw and forced a smile, “Naturally, suit yourself, Your Highness.”
However, it was only later did he understand how much trouble his hasty decision had brought to him.
This good-for-nothing only didn’t understand anything, but also liked to make indiscreet remarks.
He stayed behind, only eating snacks and fruits, and even let people bring fruit wine and drink leisurely with his desserts. Despite this, it did not prevent him from meddling. He even had to read every memorial and every official’s arrangement.
When his eyes were tired, he asked the brownnosing eunuch beside him to read it to him. His lackey also didn’t have an iota of shame. His cheek was thicker than the wall around the corner. Hence, he took everything and read it to the bastard, Jingwang.
Listening to it wasn’t enough, but he had to tell him what to do here and there, before he would stop.
The original distribution of officials that Huo Yuyan had arranged turned into a mess. Sometimes, just because the officials’ names didn’t conform to the five elements or their surnames didn’t sound good, Huo Yuyan was forced to arrange them to another place.
Huo Yuyan was already in poor health, which made him more unable to endure this torment.
All morning, he disturbed Huo Yuyan so much that he only decided where a few officials were assigned. He was so exhausted that he fell into a trance.
At the end of the day, he really had no choice but to perfunctorily follow Jiang Suizhou’s directives.
Sure enough, this good-for-nothing could pester somebody endlessly. Even if the positions of those officials were redesignated, their ranks basically hadn’t changed, which absolutely was not a problem.
This hard work continued till dusk.
Huo Yuyan couldn’t stand it anymore, so he could only force a smile and bid farewell for the time being.
Jiang Suizhou’s gaze sank, staring at his departing back that seemed to tumble at any time.
The effect of playing the fool was quite satisfactory.
That night, Huo Yuyan returned to his bedchamber and fell ill. The attendant at his side hurriedly called the imperial doctor who traveled with them. They worked until midnight before Huo Yuyan’s fever subsided, and he slept peacefully.
Meanwhile, Jiang Suizhou’s side wasn’t at all tranquil either.
When Huo Wujiu finished his work and returned to the palace, he saw Jiang Suizhou sitting under the lamp, holding a book in one hand and a pen in the other, hastily transcribing something.
Seeing Huo Wujiu return, he raised his head and said, “You’re back.”
Huo Wujiu hummed in response. He sat down opposite him and said with a smile, “I’m back. I heard about everything on the way back just now. You have harassed Huo Yuyan a lot all day, have you?”
Jiang Suizhou smiled lightly and said, “Of course.”
After saying that, he raised his head at Huo Wujiu and said with a half-joking smile, “Who hasn’t been sick? I can be considered an expert. When beating a snake like him, the best way is to strike seven inches below his head.”
Huo Wujiu laughed, then reached out and naturally took the booklet in Jiang Suizhou’s hand, along with the pen and ink. He seized all of them.
“Come on, tormenting him doesn’t count. But did you have to tire yourself along with him, too?” he said.
He lowered his head and read the names of officials that filled the booklet. The one on the left side was what he and Jiang Suizhou prepared together some days ago, which was originally for the planning and arrangement of those officials, while the one on the right, the one Jiang Suizhou was transcribing, was arranged in front of Huo Yuyan today.
The discrepancy between the two sides, all in the official positions, was to keep Huo Yuyan from suspecting anything. Jiang Suizhou has been pestering him all day. While playing the spoiled and arrogant little pretty boy, he inwardly checked and sorted out the information of those officials again and again, and then arranged suitable places and positions for them. It was really laborious mentally and physically.
Jiang Suizhou’s hand was free, so he picked up the teacup next to him and drank a few sips.
Huo Wujiu spoke on the opposite side, “I will organize it for you. You only need to repeat them to me. Who did you arrange during the day?”
This was much easier.
Jiang Suizhou was exhausted from the whole day, so he didn’t refuse Huo Wujiu’s help and slowly told him all the arrangements made during the day. Huo Wujiu wrote quickly, and in less than two quarters of an hour, the two of them had compiled the results of the day.
“It’s done.” Huo Wujiu put down the pen and handed the finished booklet to Jiang Suizhou.
Jiang Suizhou took the booklet, and after just a glance, he couldn’t help but smile.
The booklet was clearly distinct. The first half was his regular and neat italic handwriting, but the second half took a sudden turn into a lively and vigorous calligraphy with the characters executed swiftly and with strokes flowing together. Huo Wujiu’s words weren’t at all appealing. They had no rules, but they exuded more power and confidence. They were just not quite legible.
It was akin to a post-apocalyptic doctor’s prescription.
Want to read more chapters and support us? Please consider becoming a patron to read up to 4 chapters in advance!
