Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 216 Taking the Table for the Feast (1)

Since it was an imperial order to return to Luoyang before the White Dew solar term, Shi Shouxin had no choice but to set off immediately for Luoyang.

This time, besides Wei Xiu wanting to go to Luoyang to visit her uncle Wei Guan, Hui Niang's brother Su Shao also went along, supposedly to discuss some political matters with Sima You.

In addition, Zhao Lun personally led two hundred elite soldiers to escort him. According to Shi Shouxin, this was because "a governor should have the pomp and circumstance of a governor!"
If one were to travel to Luoyang alone, a lack of pomp and circumstance might lead to being looked down upon. With the founding of the nation imminent, this is the time to demonstrate strength; one cannot, and should not, be low-key.

This time, the return trip doesn't need to pass through Taishan County, making the route much simpler.

The group first walked a short distance north to reach the south bank of the Ji River, and then found a ferry near Bochang County to board the boat.

Then, travel west along the Ji River, changing boats along the way without disembarking, and after a few days you can reach the Suoxian ferry near Xingyang.

The journey was mostly by water, so it was very easy.

Shi Shouxin brought some maps with him and studied them carefully along the way. Most of these maps were kept in the Qingzhou government office, while some were drawn by him when he was an official in the Luoyang Imperial Household Department.

These are all valuable strategic assets that require careful study.

Shi Shouxin was always very busy, and she could hardly see him during the day. Now, spending every day together in the same cabin, Wei Xiu felt that the man in front of her was... so focused that it was awe-inspiring.

"My lord, I find you to be quite amusing."

Seeing that Shi Shouxin was engrossed in reading, Wei Xiu couldn't help but speak up, making conversation out of nothing.

"Yes, whatever you say."

Shi Shouxin gave a casual reply.

His mind is now filled with thoughts of how to get involved in the war against Wu, to reap various benefits, and to prepare for "doing something big".

There may not be a War of the Eight Princes in the future, but there will be all the turmoil that is expected. If you are prepared, you will succeed; if you are not prepared, you will fail. We must start planning now.

Shi Shouxin ignored Wei Xiu's nonsense and didn't want to pay any attention to it.

"Yesterday you delivered the new clothes that you ordered to the inner quarters for all the ladies in the house."

I heard from Lady Yu that when she put on this dress, she seemed to transform into a sixteen-year-old young lady.

Wei Xiu covered her mouth and chuckled.

Upon hearing this, Shi Shouxin was taken aback, then asked in return, "Did she say that?"

"Why not?"

Seeing Wei Xiu's confident expression, Shi Shouxin put down the map in his hand. He had been extremely busy lately and had no time for such trivial matters.

"So what did I say?"

Shi Shouxin asked again.

“Ah Lang said, how could she be sixteen? I think she must be at least eighteen.”

Hearing this, Lady Yu was overjoyed and couldn't stop smiling. She figured that he wouldn't let Ah Lang off the hook last night.

Right? "

Wei Xiu's words were tinged with bitterness, and she could already picture Yang Huiyu and Shi Shouxin locked in a passionate battle in bed.

last night?

Shi Shouxin recalled what happened last night and then smiled bitterly, "Yu Niangzi is already six months pregnant, how could she possibly do anything reckless? It took me a lot of effort to get her to sleep yesterday, so please don't tell anyone about this."

Last night he and Yang Huiyu planned their future together and even named their unborn child. He was really busy.

"Huh? This? She actually... how could this be true...?"

Wei Xiu was stunned by the blow and was completely dumbfounded, unable to speak coherently.

Then Wei Xiu, somewhat worried, took Shi Shouxin's arm and exclaimed in a low voice:

"My lord, Lady Yu is Sima Shi's... You guys are really daring!"
Sleeping together is one thing, but without any proof, they can deny it once they're dressed.

But what if she gets pregnant in a few months?

These days, the circles of aristocratic families are quite chaotic, and it's common for everyone to go their own way.

As long as the woman is not pregnant, it can be treated as if nothing happened, and no one will expose the truth.

But pregnancy is a different story. You can't just pretend nothing happened after giving birth, can you?

Shi Shouxin waved his hand gently and said:
"What Yu Niangzi wants is not romantic love, but a normal family life, to be a normal wife and mother."

She wanted to be an ordinary woman; otherwise, how could she have gotten pregnant?
If she really only wanted to be a bed partner, there are plenty of ways to cover it up, and she wouldn't have needed to come to Qingzhou.

You don't need to worry about this. The baby will be born when the time comes; it's no big deal.

Shi Shouxin's nonchalant attitude suggests that if one had to endure such things in life, it would be too stifling.

Hearing this, Wei Xiu nodded silently. These days, there are still many ways to prevent pregnancy. The reason they haven't done so is simply because both parties tacitly agree and are unwilling to say it out loud.

In other words, they conspired to do this. There's no such nonsense as "unplanned pregnancy."

Since arriving in Qingzhou, Shi Shouxin and Yang Huiyu have been having sex non-stop. It would be strange if there were no signs of pregnancy; it would be perfectly normal for her to be pregnant.

The relationship between the two of them was far more complicated than just a casual fling or a fling.

The intricacies of the situation were beyond Shi Shouxin's ability to explain to Wei Xiu, as they involved a political contract between him and the Taishan clan.

"Sigh, I guess I'm doomed to be cursed by you in this life."

My love, I admire you to the core. You are truly a great man.

Things that others wouldn't even dare to dream of, you can accomplish in a single sentence.

Wei Xiu said sarcastically in a strange tone.

Sima Shi's widow got pregnant and will give birth to an illegitimate child. She willingly became someone's mistress. If this gets out... how exciting!
While she complained about Shi Shouxin's audacity, she also felt a twisted sense of excitement and pride that "my man is really capable."

With Yang Huiyu's incident as a precedent, Wei Xiu felt that it wasn't such a big deal for her to "condescend" to become a lady.

"Why do I feel like you... seem quite happy?"

Shi Shouxin looked at Wei Xiu and asked, his face full of confusion.

"How could I not be happy!"

Wei Xiu's face showed an unusual emotion. She stood up and gestured wildly at Shi Shouxin, saying:

"Ah Lang, think about it. Lady Yu has such a noble status. She's Sima Shi's wife."

I heard that Sima Shi is about to be posthumously honored as an emperor, so Lady Yu can be considered an empress, more or less.

Then Ah Lang pulled her into bed, and they had all sorts of fun, she was so happy she couldn't extricate herself, and eventually she got pregnant with Ah Lang's child.

"Isn't this something to be happy about? She did it voluntarily, not under duress! This is wonderful!"

Wei Xiu's mind was filled with filthy images, and her big, blinking eyes shone brightly; she was practically ready to pick up a pen and write some erotic fiction.

"From now on, you need to keep your distance from Hui Niang. She's corrupting you."

She came from the hellish Shi family, after all, and her thoughts were different from ordinary people.

Shi Shouxin sighed and pressed Wei Xiu's shoulders down, making her sit on the bed.

Shi Shouxin knew that Wei Xiu often spent time with Hui Niang.

"By the way, my lord, Hui Niang told me she's pregnant, is that true?"

Wei Xiu suddenly brought up another matter.

"Is it?"

Shi Shouxin was taken aback; he truly knew nothing about this. He had been in Qingzhou for two months, and since life had settled down, many of his wives and concubines were pregnant.

For example, Li Wan, and Yang Huiyu. Hui Niang refused to disclose her pregnancy, perhaps fearing repercussions if she did; she was being overly cautious.

"Yes, I thought she had already told Ah Lang," Wei Xiu muttered to herself.

Shi Shouxin nodded. As his family members continued to grow, the backyard of the government office would no longer be able to accommodate them all. He needed to finish building the Prince of Qi's palace as soon as possible.

This palace was nominally built for Sima You, but in reality, it was for Shi Shouxin and his family to move into; this was essentially a project for himself.

Of course, Sima You himself didn't come to Qingzhou, and his family was in Luoyang. So, it's quite reasonable for Shi Shouxin, as the "Chancellor," to move in with his family and manage the Qi King's estate, right?
After all, the produce from the fiefdom still needed to be converted into easily transportable wealth and sent to Luoyang for Sima You's entertainment and socializing. How could no one be in charge of this?

It seems that after returning from Luoyang, the construction of the palace can no longer be delayed and must be treated as the top priority.

"My lord, when I went to the storeroom to get rice last time, I found a woman moaning happily in the pile of rice."

The concubine only saw her stretch her bare arm out of the wooden box in the rice granary and grab the edge, but she didn't see her face.

Is she Yang Ying, the one who manages the household accounts? And that man who pinned her down and kissed her—could he be a bad guy from outside?

Wei Xiu smiled meaningfully and winked at Shi Shouxin.

"Those are all your illusions; you didn't actually see anything."

Shi Shouxin was spouting nonsense with a straight face, but his composure was starting to crumble. Of course, he knew what it was about, but there was no need to publicize it.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm, those were just my eyes playing tricks on me."

Wei Xiu nodded with a look of sudden realization. Then she gave Shi Shouxin a resentful look.

When a woman speaks in circles, Shi Shouxin naturally understands what she means! What Wei Xiu is really saying is that she is the only woman of marriageable age in the family who hasn't yet slept with Shi Shouxin.

Twelve-year-old Zhao Xiangfeng is not included.

Wei Xiu also wanted to get things done as soon as possible, and then have a child to solidify her position.

That's the rule these days. Wei Xiu doesn't have to harm people or compete with other women for favor, but she must have her own children, otherwise she risks being kicked out of the house in the future.

"With your current health, having a baby would be like risking your life. Let's wait two years."

Shi Shouxin put his arm around Wei Xiu's shoulder and said.

"Sigh, I've been waiting and now I'm all old."

She clicked her tongue in frustration, feeling utterly helpless. For the sake of the future, she could only endure it for now.

"You're not even eighteen yet, and you keep calling yourself 'old lady'!"

Shi Shouxin patted Wei Xiu on the head and scolded her in an annoyed tone.

……

The summer heat hadn't dissipated yet; on this early autumn afternoon, the sun shone brightly outside, and the air still carried a hint of heat.

Outside the east gate of Luoyang, Wei Guan, dressed in an official robe, stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves, watching as a group of people slowly approached in the distance.

His body remained motionless, like a sculpture, which made him look very dignified.

The junior official beside him saw that Wei Guan was covered in sweat, so he quickly took out his handkerchief to wipe his sweat, not daring to be careless at all.

In this kind of weather, even officials dressed in their official robes would soon be drenched in sweat.

To maintain his composure, Wei Guan remained completely still, which was quite ruthless of him.

The carriage finally stopped in front of him. Shi Shouxin lifted the curtain of the carriage, stepped forward, bowed to Wei Guan, and said, "Lord Wei, how have you been?"

"Lord Shi's reputation has soared, I am truly ashamed of my own inferiority. I have been ordered by the Prince of Jin to come and welcome you, Lord Shi. This way, please!"

Wei Guan gestured for her to proceed. At that moment, Wei Xiu also jumped down from the carriage. Seeing her uncle Wei Guan give her a disapproving look, the girl, who had originally intended to go up and greet him, immediately stopped in her tracks.

That was... a meeting between adults; children and women were not allowed to interrupt.

Recalling Shi Shouxin's instructions, Wei Xiu couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. She also felt that it was truly remarkable that Shi Shouxin, who had risen from humble beginnings, could now speak to Wei Guan as an equal.

Shi Shouxin and Wei Guan walked at the front of the procession. Seeing that no one was around, Wei Guan leaned close to him and whispered, "We came to the Prince of Jin's residence tonight on important business. I'll take you to a secluded courtyard to settle in now. You can stay here for the time being."

Is something wrong?
Shi Shouxin looked at Wei Guan with a puzzled expression, but simply nodded without saying anything.

Wei Guan understood and waved his hand gently, remaining silent as well.

Zhao Lun entered the city with ten trusted men, while the rest were arranged to camp near the outskirts of the city.

Shi Shouxin, Wei Xiu, and the others were settled in an ordinary courtyard in a residential building north of the Prince Jin's residence, about half an incense stick's time's walk away. By the time everything was settled, it was already night.

Wei Guan arrived as scheduled and personally led Shi Shouxin to the Prince of Jin's residence. After entering the study, Wei Guan discreetly withdrew.

The only person left in front of Shi Shouxin was Sima Zhao, who was sitting at the table.

"sit down."

Sima Zhao pointed to the soft cushion in front of him. He didn't look well and was in a listless state.

His voice also lacked strength.

It may be due to the recent hard work on the founding of the nation.

"Your Highness does not look well. Should we have the physician examine you?"

Shi Shouxin casually mentioned it.

Sima Zhao waved his hand gently and said, "It's alright, Wei Fan has already seen it. Now I have something important to discuss with you."

"Please give me your instructions, Your Highness."

Shi Shouxin was a straightforward person and spoke his mind directly.

As expected, Sima Zhao nodded slightly and said, "I admire this about you the most; you don't shy away from trouble and are trustworthy."

He sighed and continued, "You know about the incident at Gaoping Mausoleum back then, that the Sima family kept assassins in their household, right?"

"Your Highness may speak frankly; I, Shi, will have no objection."

Shi Shouxin bowed and gestured, indicating that Sima Zhao could be straightforward and there was no need for beating around the bush.

"The founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China will be held on the autumnal equinox."

"If anything serious happens, you will lead these loyal followers and follow my orders to handle the trouble, understand?"

Sima Zhao handed a jade pendant to Shi Shouxin and said, "This is the token."

What kind of trouble is this so-called "trouble"?

Shi Shouxin didn't ask any questions, he simply accepted the jade pendant.

Who should be dealt with?

A moment later, Shi Shouxin asked a question.

Sima Zhao shook his head and said:
"I don't know who will jump out. Anyway, when the time comes, I'll decide who to deal with, and you can deal with them."

No need for prison, just use assassins, understand?

"understood."

Shi Shouxin carefully put the jade pendant close to his body.

"This humble official only obeys the orders of the Prince of Jin."

Shi Shouxin expressed his attitude.

"You did very well last time... cough cough cough, if you get things done this time, I will reward you handsomely."

Wei Guan will tell you the specifics.

Sima Zhao coughed lightly a few times and made a promise to Shi Shouxin.

(End of this chapter)