northernbook Chapter 236 Why are you even jealous of this?
Chapter 236 Why are you even jealous of this?
With a gust of wind, Gu Lin's hand landed on the young man, the force not fierce, but rather gentle. Looking at the young man in front of him, Zheng Hao's dark eyes showed a rare hint of confusion.
Even though the young man's expression remained unchanged, Gu Lin could see through his thoughts. He raised his hand and gently pressed on the young man's shoulder: "What kind of person do you take me for? From childhood to adulthood, have I ever laid a hand on you?"
of course not.
Looking back at the other person's light brown eyes that were looking at him with gentleness and a hint of annoyance, Zheng Hao thought to himself that Uncle Gu was gentle by nature and would always try to reason with unreasonable people before resorting to force. Even if the person did not listen, Uncle Gu would not get angry and would only order someone to properly invite the person away. How could he possibly hit him?
Sitting there facing Uncle Gu's slap, Zheng Hao didn't panic for two reasons: firstly, he didn't think Uncle Gu would hit him, and secondly...
He lowered his eyes slightly, and even when Uncle Gu angrily swung his hand to hit him, Zheng Hao did not think of dodging.
He was willing to accept anything that came from Uncle Gu, whether it was good or bad.
Seeing that the other person was lost in thought and didn't speak, Gu Lin moved his hands to lift the other person's chin. Zheng Hao felt a little heavy pressure on his chin, and then he was forced to raise his head.
He stared at Uncle Gu, his jaw unable to move, unable to make a move to avoid him.
Gu Lin lowered his eyes: "Do you feel wronged?"
A seemingly simple sentence, yet it contained the young man's concern. He asked Zheng Hao in a low voice.
Faced with such a gentle and considerate Gu Lin, Zheng Hao was momentarily dazed.
Seeing that the young man remained silent, Gu Lin was not embarrassed. He continued, saying to the young man in front of him, "I know you are upset. Before Xiao An came, you were the only one at home. All my attention was either on the business or on you. After Xiao An came, you felt uncomfortable because he took away my attention from you, right?"
Zheng Hao neither answered nor refuted.
Unlike Sister-in-law Zhao, Brother Yu, and others, Gu An has always been an eyesore in his eyes, and even though he intends to groom him as his successor, he has not changed this idea.
Because Gu An is so similar to him in some ways. He was lonely and helpless in his childhood, and was loved by Uncle Gu. Even after he grew up, Uncle Gu's attention would still occasionally be drawn to him.
Even though he knew that Gu An had no other feelings for Uncle Gu, Zheng Hao still couldn't let his guard down.
In his eyes, any man who comes into contact with Uncle Gu, whether young, middle-aged, or old, should be treated with caution, especially young men. A cold glint flashed in Zheng Hao's eyes. No one knew better than him how cunning young people could be. They would stop at nothing to get close to the person they liked. He himself had been through the same thing.
Unaware of the many thoughts the silent young man before him had uttered in those few breaths, Gu Lin changed the subject, his tone serious: "I assure you, I have never neglected you because of Xiao An, and you can feel that too..."
Zheng Hao knew this, but that didn't stop him from disliking Uncle Gu's excessive attention to Gu An.
Meeting the young man's gaze, which seemed to see right through him, Gu Lin said, "To be honest, I've devoted the most attention to you. We've relied on each other to get through this, and no one can replace you in my heart. Besides..."
Gu Lin showed a slight helplessness on his face, removed his hand from the young man's chin, and placed his palm on the other's face, saying softly, "You are my man. You and Xiao An have different identities. I treat him like a child, so it's inevitable that I care for him more. You also said that Xiao An will be our heir in the future. Why are you even jealous of this, huh?"
Zheng Hao's expression remained unchanged, but his fingers twitched slightly.
Upon seeing this, Gu Lin's brows twitched slightly. He moved his fingertips to the young man's eyebrows and eyes, then lowered his head and kissed them.
It must be said that Gu Lin was very good at soothing the young man's displeasure and jealousy. With a few words and a series of comforting actions, Zheng Hao's expression and brows relaxed slightly, and he was just about to give in.
A hint of helplessness crossed his mind. Gu Lin leaned close to the young man's ear and whispered something. Zheng Hao's eyes flickered slightly, and a faint blush appeared on his neck beneath his collar. However, seeing the other man's calm and composed expression, Gu Lin did not notice anything amiss with Zheng Hao.
He stood up and was about to step back slightly when suddenly, a pair of iron arms wrapped around his waist. Gu Lin looked up at the young man and saw that the other man was still staring at him and had no intention of letting go of the arms.
Gu Lin did not retreat further. A flash of inspiration crossed his mind. Under Zheng Hao's gaze, Gu Lin advanced instead of retreating, and sat on Zheng Hao's lap along the iron arms around his waist.
The two faced each other, only a few fingers apart. With each breath, Gu Lin could clearly feel his breath mingling with the young man's hot breath, adding a touch of ambiguity to the quiet room.
Faced with this situation, Zheng Hao found it difficult to remain calm. He leaned forward slightly, and Gu Lin paused, but did not back away. He felt the young man getting closer and closer, his hot breath hitting his face.
Gu Lin's lips parted slightly, but Zheng Hao sealed them with his.
Warmth landed on his lips, and Gu Lin slowly closed his eyes. After a long kiss, when the young man pulled away, Gu Lin opened his eyelids and looked at him with his light brown eyes filled with moisture.
Zheng Hao spoke, his voice low and hoarse: "I understand what Uncle Gu means."
As far as Uncle Gu was concerned, he was Gu An's husband, while Gu An was a junior. Uncle Gu's concern for Gu An stemmed from the care of an elder and had no other motives.
But he was different. Thinking about his own identity, Zheng Hao felt that Uncle Gu was right. He shouldn't be so petty with Gu An. Gu An was their heir, and he should be more magnanimous.
An argument that had barely begun to develop vanished completely within fifteen minutes.
When Gu An led the people into the house to serve the dishes, he didn't sense that the two had argued about him. He watched Zheng Hao and Uncle Gu sitting close together. Although the two didn't make any ambiguous moves, their eyes met every time they looked at each other, their affection was so deep that they couldn't distinguish between them.
When it was time to eat, the servants left the room.
Gu An watched as the young prefect ladled soup for Uncle Gu, and Uncle Gu used chopsticks to serve him food. The two went back and forth for several times until Uncle Gu seemed to sense his gaze. He stopped and glanced back at Zheng Hao before they stopped.
In front of Uncle Gu, Zheng Hao turned to look at Gu An and asked, "How have you been feeling lately, learning from Mr. Ye and handling official documents?"
Unlike his gentle and affectionate tone when speaking to Uncle Gu, Zheng Hao's tone turned cold when facing Gu An, as if the other party were his subordinate.
Gu An paused in his chopsticks, feeling no warmth from the young man's concern. On the contrary, he found Zheng Hao's inexplicable concern and inquiry quite strange.
He didn't show it: "Everything is fine."
Seeing the awkward silence between the two, Gu Lin didn't know whether to be speechless or helpless. They were clearly not that far apart in age, yet it was like a father lecturing his son.
He looked up and gestured to Zheng Hao, indicating that he shouldn't reprimand Gu An like he would a subordinate.
Zheng Hao didn't think there was anything wrong with his attitude towards Gu An; these days, elders often teach younger generations in this way.
But with Uncle Gu in front, he said in a slightly gentler tone, "When you encounter difficulties, consult Mr. Ye and Master Wu, but don't rely too much on others. When you can handle things on your own, I will send you to deal with important matters."
Gu An nodded in agreement.
study.
Looking at the contents of the memorial, Ye Kuo put it down and looked up at the young prefect sitting behind the desk: "If the lord has really decided to present the potato seeds and their cultivation method to the court, there will be no room for negotiation once this memorial is submitted."
Zheng Hao lowered his eyes: "Aren't you happy, sir, that the people can fill their stomachs?"
Ye Kuo shook his head slightly: "I am deeply moved that my lord has the world in his heart and puts the common people in his heart, but if we offer potatoes to the court, the powerful families will be the ones who benefit in the end. I don't know when the common people will be able to eat potatoes."
When Ye Kuo first learned about the potato yield, he did consider persuading the young prefect to donate the potatoes to the imperial court, but as he said, donating the potatoes to the imperial court would do more harm than good.
"Don't panic, sir."
Zheng Hao said, "Since I have decided to offer the potatoes, I will not do anything that would be detrimental to myself."
Upon hearing this, Ye Kuo realized that the other party was magnanimous and wouldn't act rashly.
Relieved, he asked with slight curiosity, "Why would our lord suddenly decide to offer potatoes to the court?"
Why?
Zheng Hao's fingers, hidden behind the desk, twitched slightly. He recalled that after Zhao Dagen and the others fled to Youzhou Prefecture, Uncle Gu, although he acted as usual during the day, often had nightmares after falling asleep at night. When Zheng Hao approached Uncle Gu, he could clearly hear him constantly murmuring, "Don't eat people, don't eat people."
Meeting Ye Kuo's curious and inquisitive gaze, Zheng Hao said with a serious expression, "Master often says that the people are the most important and the foundation of the country. I have been deeply influenced by Master's words and deeds every day."
Upon hearing this, Ye Kuo paused, his gaze falling on the faint smile on the young prefect's lips, unsure whether he believed it or not.
Capital City, Imperial Study Room.
The room was filled with the fragrance of incense, and the desk was piled high with memorials to the emperor. These were just the tip of the iceberg; many more memorials were kept elsewhere.
After Emperor Qianyuan finished reviewing a memorial of greetings, he picked up a new memorial from the side. When he saw the contents of the memorial, his mind, which had been gradually tired from reviewing memorials for so long, was refreshed.
He stared intently at the memorial in his hand, reading it quickly. As time passed, he gripped the memorial tighter and tighter, as if he had witnessed something momentous. But strangely, his expression gradually relaxed.
After reading all the memorials, Emperor Qianyuan put down the memorials, and his solemn expression, which had been somber for many days, brightened up for the first time: "What a fine Prefect of Youzhou! He is indeed a capable minister left to me by the late Emperor. Just one month after I ascended the throne, I was troubled by the disasters in various places and worried about food. The Prefect of Youzhou shared my worries."
Seeing His Majesty's great joy, the personal eunuch who had served him for many years, though unaware of the contents of the memorial, tactfully chimed in: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, on gaining such a virtuous minister. Although Lord Zheng is far away on the frontier, he still worries about Your Majesty's troubles and anxieties."
Emperor Qianyuan nodded slightly in agreement.
At this moment, a tall figure walked into the imperial study without being announced by the eunuchs.
Upon seeing the other party, Emperor Qian Yuan was not angry at the other party's overstepping of bounds. Gao Yuan clasped his hands in greeting, and after Emperor Qian Yuan smiled and said that he would not need to stand on ceremony, he stood up and asked with curiosity, "What makes Your Majesty so happy?"
He did not feel that the other party was spying on the emperor's mind. Gao Yuan was his brother-in-law and the empress's brother-in-law. The other party had made great contributions to his successful ascension to the throne.
He beckoned to the other person: "Come and look at this document."
Gao Yuan stepped forward, took the memorial handed to him by Emperor Qian Yuan, and looked at it with his head down. Then, he looked up with a shocked expression: "Your Majesty, is what is said in the memorial true?"
Emperor Qianyuan said: "This matter cannot be faked. Before the prefect of Youzhou presented the potatoes, he had tested them many times in Youzhou and only presented them after confirming that they were correct."
Thinking of this, Emperor Qianyuan, who had dealt with many officials who opposed and betrayed him, sighed slightly: "The potatoes are so productive, which is beneficial to the Great Qian Dynasty and the common people. Mingzhang has made a great contribution. I must think carefully about how to reward him."
Upon hearing this, Gao Yuan's expression changed slightly. Zheng Hao was now a prefect of a region, and he was sent to a local area by the late emperor. He was an official that Emperor Qian Yuan would promote after ascending the throne. If Emperor Qian Yuan wanted to reward him, what else could he do besides promoting him to a higher rank?
Now that the struggle for the throne has occurred, Emperor Qianyuan is quite suspicious of the court officials. Gao Yuan, who was spared because of his meritorious service in assisting the emperor, is deeply trusted by Emperor Qianyuan and has been able to form factions and build his own power in the court. How could he allow a capable minister who is highly regarded by the emperor to return to the capital and share the emperor's trust?
Thinking this to himself, Gao Yuan didn't say it out loud.
After careful consideration, Emperor Qianyuan said, "Mingzhang has made two great contributions: defending the city against the northern barbarians and presenting high-yield grain seeds. Now that he has been transferred back to the capital, the court officials will have nothing to say. It just so happens that there is a vacancy for the position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. After Mingzhang returns, he can also help me clean up the court."
Speaking of this, Emperor Qianyuan recalled the tax silver case presided over by Zheng Hao, which stirred up a storm in the court. Although the tax silver case involved his people, the feeling of being the crown prince and the emperor were completely different. As the crown prince, he allowed his subordinates to embezzle and break the law, but as the emperor, the whole country belonged to him, and he would not allow anyone to deceive him.
I used to think Zheng Hao was bad at interpersonal relationships and wouldn't accept anyone's attempts to win him over, but after becoming emperor, Emperor Qian Yuan greatly admired such a loyal minister. No wonder the late emperor valued him so much.
Emperor Qianyuan smiled and said, "Improving the administration is what he excels at."
When Emperor Qian Yuan spoke of the other party with a slightly familiar and teasing tone, Gao Yuan felt a growing sense of crisis and became even more determined not to let Zheng Hao return.
Given His Majesty's high regard for him, once the other party returns to the capital, where will he find a place in the court?
Gao Yuan lowered his eyes, concealing the darkness within them, and said, "His Majesty's summoning of Lord Zheng back to the capital is perhaps somewhat inappropriate."
Emperor Qianyuan looked at him: "What do you mean?"
Gao Yuan: "The Marquis of Zhenbei commands hundreds of thousands of troops. The late emperor sent Lord Zheng to Youzhou Prefecture to check the Marquis of Zhenbei. I have heard that Lord Zheng has gradually intervened in military affairs. If we summon him back to the capital now and send a military supervisor there, it will be difficult to monitor the Zhenbei Army."
"You are right."
Emperor Qianyuan gradually calmed down.
"In your opinion, how should I reward Mingzhang?"
Gao Yuan smiled, but because he kept his head down, Emperor Qian Yuan did not see it.
He whispered a few words for the other party to consider.
After listening, Emperor Qianyuan lowered his head slightly to think, and after a moment said, "These rewards are not enough. The General of Youzhou Prefecture has been in office for many years without any merit. Minister Zheng is capable and should be given more responsibility, so let him concurrently serve as the General."