Chapter 157
The study room was full of smashed china and books were thrown all over the floor. The Prime Minister’s Mansion had already been searched and raided by the government. Right now it was not fit for living in. That’s why when Su Shi woke up as Lu Li, he was sitting out in the main hall.
Su Shi was in a hurry to shake off that acting regent who seemed to carry bad intentions towards Su Shi’s pot. He made a majestic exit from the main hall only to realize that there was nowhere for him to stay inside.
He stood at the door in silence for a moment, still carrying the imperial edict in his hands. Then he rolled up his sleeves and started tidying up the study without complaint.
With some difficulty, Su Shi managed to gather the shattered porcelain into one corner. Then he bent down to pick up all the books on the floor one by one. He gathered all the books in the crook of his arm, preparing to put them back on the unbroken bookshelf all at once.
Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.
Carrying a food box in hand, Song Rong walked to the door of the study, but his footsteps suddenly came to a stop. He stared at the prime minster’s back.
Lu Li had taken off his heavy and luxurious prime minister court outfit. Beneath it, he only wore an ivory white changshan*. Delicate patterns were embroidered on the collar and cuffs with golden thread. This appearance gave him a clear and melodious aura.
[*T/N: 长衫 changshan – translates to long gown. It is a traditional Asian dress for men.]
Such a person was born to stand above the clouds, but now he had no choice but to do servant’s work with his own hands and he couldn’t even eat a bite of food.
Song Rong wanted to go in and help, but he worried that Lu Li would think he was humiliating him. He could only stand there, feeling great pity for the other man.
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While Song Rong was hesitating by the door, the person in the room stood up with a stack of books in his arms. Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Li saw a figure at the door and he turned around cautiously. His eyes flashed with fierce murderous intent: “Who [is it]?!”
Song Rong met his gaze and walked over. He put the food box down on the table and took the stack of books in Lu Li’s arms. “These things shouldn’t be done by the Prime Minister of the Right himself.”
“I’m already no longer the Prime Minister of the Right.”
Su Shi did not expect this person to chase him into the study. He couldn’t help but frown. When he saw the food box that the other person had brought with him, his heart could not help but waver.
The body that he was in has been starved for two days. He could smell the aroma of the food coming from within the food box. His stomach, which has been numbed by hunger, started to ache again.
He was already a criminal in the eyes of everyone else. It shouldn’t hurt anything if he sat down and ate something.
Maybe Song Rong had come to poison him to death. Su Shi comforted himself by thinking like so and decided not to refuse anymore. He arranged his clothes and sat down at the table. Then he lifted the lid of the food box.
Translations are by vmnovels [dot] com, if you’re reading this anywhere else, then it was stolen.
The food was already cold. Song Rong had most likely gathered the food from elsewhere [and not from the prime minister’s mansion] and brought it here. The food was not the slightest bit refined.
Su Shi was already beyond hungry, so he didn’t pay attention to whether the food was refined or not. He simply picked up the chopsticks and ate calmly.
Song Rong helped him put the books on the bookshelf, and deliberately turned sideways to pretend to organize the bookshelf, but his eyes couldn’t help but fall on the other man.
Lu Li must have been really hungry. His eating speed was on the fast side, but his movements were still as meticulous as always, not losing a bit of his usual elegance.
Song Rong’s imperial father was hale and hearty despite his many years of age, so there was a difference of twenty years between Song Rong and the late emperor. When the late emperor seized the throne, he feared Song Rong for his outstanding military achievements. When the late emperor got on in years, he feared Song Rong for his youth and strength. So he assigned Song Rong to lead the soldiers on a military campaign before the boy even reached adulthood.
Song Rong spent over ten years living at the barracks and hardly ever returned to the capital. He was used to seeing the sight of burly big men at the barracks, so it was even harder for him to take his eyes off of that elegant like bamboo figure.
Song Rong’s peeping was way too obvious. Su Shi placed a piece of cabbage in his mouth and then finally put down the chopsticks. He lifted his head and looked over at the acting regent.
“If you’re still hoping for me to confess something, then just ask. For the sake of this meal, I can provide a few more minions of the “Lu Party.””
Song Rong hurriedly looked away. He wanted to ask if the other man had anything he wanted to justify, but he instinctively knew that he would not be able to get anything out of this man.
Seeing Song Rong bowing his head silently, Su Shi lost his patience. He took out a handkerchief and wiped the corner of his mouth. Then he pushed away the food box and got up.
“Wangye is a man who fights on the battlefield. Since you don’t understand court politics, then there’s no need to force yourself to get involved. Since I dare to do something, why would I not dare to admit it? I have nothing to explain. It’s getting late. Wangye, if there is nothing else then please go back.”
The words of rejection were so obvious that there was no arguing it. Song Rong’s gaze dimmed. He picked up the food box, turned, and left without a word.
Seeing that the acting regent has finally left, Su Shi was relieved. He touched the imperial edict again. Then he picked up a book at random, sat down at the table, and leisurely flipped through it.
Translations by Vanilla Muse. Read on vmnovels [dot] com
In order to humiliate Lu Li, the new emperor even ordered people to destroy all the bedrooms in the prime minister’s mansion. The original Lu Li lived like a prince since childhood and has a noble temperament. Moreover, he’s been occupying a high position all these years. So he actually sat in the main hall for two days without eating or sleeping, and he never let out a word of apology.
He came in from the main hall, so it would be weird to go back out just to sit there. After eating a full meal, the body could not extricate itself from heavy sleepiness. After flipping through a few pages in the book, Su Shi felt his eyelids sinking. He brushed the book aside, pillowed his head on his arms, and fell asleep.
After two whole days, this body was really exhausted. Upon falling asleep, he did not wake up until the sky was bright the next day.
A burst of hurried footsteps woke him. Su Shi straightened up his clothes, stood up calmly, and greeted the black-robed official who walked in arrogantly.
“Did the Prime Minister of the Right sleep well last night?”
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