My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 66p2

Chapter 66p2: Destiny

At the door of his house, Song Changxu pushed it open with a smile. Xu Zhizhou had gone to buy a few packages of vegetable seeds in the morning and was now turning the soil, not yet sowing.

He heard the noise at the courtyard gate and knew that Song Changxu was back. He was still turning the soil, his mind working on a small plan. When his husband came over, he would stuff the hoe into his hands and have him work.

He would go and rest on the side.

Song Changxu’s heart was pounding. He entered the courtyard with the small box and quickened his pace when he saw Xu Zhizhou.

“Zhizhou, look what this is.”

Xu Zhizhou first stuffed the hoe into Song Changxu’s hands.

Song Changxu: “…”

He looked at the small box in Song Changxu’s hand with curiosity.

Song Changxu handed it to Xu Zhizhou.

He gave him gold, and Xu Zhizhou gave him a hoe.

“Open it and have a look.”

Xu Zhizhou opened the small box, and his eyes immediately lit up.

“It’s gold bars!”

He had never seen gold bars in his entire life. He took one and weighed it.

There were a total of ten gold bars. They could buy a house. Why were they still farming here? If they were to farm, they should do it in their own courtyard.

Thinking of this, Xu Zhizhou held the box and wouldn’t let go. He said, “Did His Majesty reward you?”

“Yes.”

Xu Zhizhou kissed Song Changxu’s lips. “You’re so amazing, husband. His Majesty is also so good.”

“Where should we go to choose a shop and a house? I think ten gold bars is enough. You don’t know how much I want to have our own house,” Xu Zhizhou said, the corners of his lips curved up.

Living in the village was a blue-tiled house. Song Changxu’s room was large enough for the two of them, but there were no shops in the village. They had to take an ox-cart to town for everything.

The things in the town could satisfy their basic needs for food, clothing, housing, and transportation. If they wanted to buy other things, they had to go to the county.

When they came to the capital, it was so prosperous. He could find whatever he wanted. When he was in Jinhe County, he had wanted to buy a house with Song Changxu, but he hadn’t because he wasn’t sure where he would be taking the exam.

Now he could finally buy a house of their own in the capital.

One gold bar was ten taels. One gold bar was worth two hundred taels of silver. Ten gold bars were two thousand taels of silver.

Xu Zhizhou still had two hundred taels that he hadn’t touched. By that calculation, their family suddenly had two thousand two hundred taels of silver.

“It’s a bit reluctant to give the money to someone else in a blink of an eye. Let’s rent for a while and then buy. We have to give out more than a thousand taels of silver at once, and the gold bars haven’t even been warmed up yet,” Xu Zhizhou said stingily.

Song Changxu said, “We can learn about it first. We can also hold onto the money and buy a suitable house when we see one.”

Xu Zhizhou nodded.

Today was a good day. He went to buy some meat and fish to celebrate.

Now that they had such a large sum of money in hand, the two of them were much more at ease. With the gold bars, they could buy a house if they wanted to. It was good to have money in hand.

Xu Zhizhou once again thanked His Majesty in his heart.

At night, Xu Zhizhou was still looking at the gold bars, unable to put them down. He swung his legs. If he could sleep while holding them, he would definitely do so.

Xu Zhizhou said with apprehension, “Husband, it seems that His Majesty appreciates you very much. Now that you have the gold bars, you have to be more cautious with your words in the future, so you don’t get beheaded.”

Song Changxu: “…”

Song Changxu kissed him. “Don’t worry. I’ll be careful. I won’t put our family in danger.”

Xu Zhizhou nodded with a smile. He took the initiative to wrap his arms around Song Changxu’s neck.

In this world, they were just an ordinary couple. Song Changxu untied his sash and kissed Xu Zhizhou’s eyes.

Their life would get better and better in the future.

Song Changxu thought so, and his gaze fell on Xu Zhizhou’s stomach again. His heart was on fire, restless.

The thought of getting him pregnant made him even more possessive, feeling both excited and expectant.

Xu Zhizhou grabbed Song Changxu’s shoulder.

He found that his husband had been a bit unable to control himself these past few days.

Xu Zhizhou was both sweet and burdened.

He reached out and touched Song Changxu’s face, from his eyebrows to his chin. He liked it all very much.

After a round of fooling around, Song Changxu held Xu Zhizhou and whispered in his ear.

He talked mostly about the officialdom. Xu Zhizhou would occasionally mumble a few words in agreement, but he was not really listening.

Song Changxu suddenly stopped talking. He watched Xu Zhizhou nestled in his arms, leaning against him, sleeping peacefully.

His heart was soft. When he came home, there was someone waiting for him, someone to talk to, and they did everything together. He wanted to live a good life.

He gently kissed Xu Zhizhou’s forehead.

Where could he find such a good person?

Now, when Song Changxu looked at Xu Zhizhou, he found him cute everywhere, and his eyes were full of love.

The next day, Song Changxu went to court. Xu Zhizhou went to the Zhuang family’s shop to have the assistant transport the sugar.

This time, the sugar sold for twenty taels. After deducting the cost, he had earned fifteen. It was not in vain that he had saved up so much sugar to sell.

Today, his elder brother had said he was going to open a herbal tea stall. Xu Zhizhou thought of going to help him have a look.

Xu Zhizhou was wearing his new clothes today. They were lake-blue. His hair was simple, just a wooden hairpin. He didn’t wear anything else, which made him look even more beautiful.

He stood in the crowd with a smile, which made people’s eyes light up.

Soon, he saw a herbal tea stall. Xu Zhici had written the characters himself. His handwriting was very delicate. He was sitting on the side, waiting for business.

“Elder Brother,” Xu Zhizhou said, running over and burrowing into Xu Zhici’s arms like a light cat.

“Zhizhou, you’re here,” Xu Zhici said, catching him.

Xu Zhici was wearing a simple set of clothes today. The two brothers looked like they were together. They both had good-looking faces. Xu Zhizhou was stunningly beautiful, while Xu Zhici’s features were more gentle and elegant.

“I’ll help you sell the herbal tea, Elder Brother. You just watch,” Xu Zhizhou said, winking.

Before Xu Zhici could say anything, Xu Zhizhou started to hawk his wares. He was not afraid of being laughed at at all. He was very bold.

Xu Zhici, on the other hand, was a bit shy.

With such hawking, someone came to buy the herbal tea. Xu Zhizhou was quick with his hands and feet. “The ingredients are solid, and it’s clean.”

A cup of herbal tea cost eight copper coins, which was not a high price.

When the first person came, more and more people followed. Some people, seeing that the two of them were good-looking, even came to buy the herbal tea to chat them up.

Xu Zhizhou had met many such people when he was selling Bobo Chicken in Jinhe County. He said with a smile, “I’ve been married for several years. My husband goes to the palace for work and only comes back in the afternoon.”

The person sized up Xu Zhizhou and asked tentatively, “Is your husband a eunuch?”

Xu Zhizhou almost burst out laughing. “No, no. He’s the new top scorer.”

Hearing this, the person’s expression changed, and he did not ask any more questions.

With Xu Zhizhou by his side, Xu Zhici’s courage also grew. Although he did not earn much money, he had at least taken the first step.

Xu Zhizhou threw the copper coins into the money pouch. He said, “Let my brother-in-law open a teahouse for you to run, Elder Brother. In the future, you can just learn how to do the accounts.”

Xu Zhizhou smiled. “I’ve just started a herbal tea stall, and you’re already thinking of opening a teahouse. The villagers say that if you take too big a step, you’ll have a bad end.”

Xu Zhizhou obediently listened to his elder brother. Today, without that annoying Xie Huaichuan, his mood was much brighter.

Xu Zhici sold a lot of herbal tea, and his mood also improved.

Xu Zhizhou: “Elder Brother, your handwriting is so good. It looks so delicate.”

Hearing this, Xu Zhici was happy again. “Don’t coax me. My handwriting is just average.”

“Hmph, if you let my husband say it, he would also say that your handwriting is good.”

Xu Zhici already knew that the new top scorer was very amazing. How could he be worthy? But he was overjoyed to be coaxed by his younger brother.

The two brothers were selling herbal tea together. A moment later, some patrol soldiers came. Xie Huaichuan was among them. Next to him was a ge’er in fine clothes, his beautiful eyes sparkling as he looked at Xie Huaichuan.

Xu Zhizhou: “Ha.”

“…”

Xu Zhici clutched the corner of his clothes.

Xu Zhizhou had already subconsciously rolled up his sleeves and was looking at Xie Huaichuan fiercely. As long as he said one wrong word, he could pour the herbal tea bucket over his head.

Xie Huaichuan sensed a familiar, malicious gaze again.

He turned his head and saw Xu Zhici and Xu Zhizhou.

Xie Huaichuan: “…”

He strode forward and asked, “I asked you where you were setting up your stall today. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Seeing the subordinates behind Xie Huaichuan, Xu Zhici said, “I just set it up wherever it’s good. There’s no fixed place.”

Xu Zhizhou said enthusiastically, “On such a hot day, my elder brother will treat you all to a bowl of herbal tea. Brother-in-law, you wouldn’t not let your subordinates have a cup of herbal tea and rest for a while, would you?”

“Alright, everyone have a bowl,” Xie Huaichuan nodded.

“Thank you, Sir Xie’s husband,” they called out to Xu Zhici.

Xu Zhici smiled and nodded.

The ge’er’s face was a bit embarrassed.

You knew it was embarrassing and you still came. Xie Huaichuan is already married. Xu Zhizhou rolled his eyes in his heart.

“Who is this young master?”

Xiao Mo glanced at Xu Zhizhou. “I am Xiao Mo, the ge’er of the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.”

“Do you want some tea? My elder brother is treating.”

“No need. I never drink tea from the stalls. I’m afraid it’s not clean.”

“Then you can leave this place. We coarse people won’t keep you,” Xu Zhizhou said, his words sharp and unforgiving.

Xiao Mo was annoyed. He turned his head and saw that Xie Huaichuan and Xu Zhici were affectionate. Xie Huaichuan was introducing people to Xu Zhici.

His eyes reddened, and he left with his attendant.

After Xie Huaichuan had left, Xu Zhizhou pulled on Xu Zhici. “Elder Brother, you should still be careful.”

Seeing that scene, Xu Zhici was already on his guard. “Alright.”

The two of them continued to sell herbal tea for a while. On the other side, Song Changxu was still on duty at the Panlong Hall.

Besides recording Emperor Pingjing’s affairs, he no longer had to record what the court ministers said. This time, it was the Minister of Revenue, Xie Yiyuan, who had come to see Emperor Pingjing.

It had also been mentioned in the court this morning. In Yongzhou, the summer rain had destroyed the river dikes, and there was also a drought in Youzhou. Both places needed disaster relief. The transportation in ancient times was not good. By the time these two eight-hundred-li urgent reports had reached the imperial city, who knew how many common people had suffered.

Natural disasters were something that could not be changed.

When Xie Yiyuan came out, Song Changxu greeted him. The two of them did not say anything, and Xie Yiyuan left in a hurry.

Song Changxu entered the Panlong Hall. Emperor Pingjing was still frowning. The national treasury had been empty since the late emperor’s time. After he had ascended the throne, the power was in Empress Dowager Xiao’s hands. The Xiao family, on the other hand, had become richer and richer, and the deficit of the Ningxing Dynasty had not been made up.

The previous Minister of Revenue was from the Xiao family. Xie Yiyuan had been promoted by him after he had ascended the throne.

The maternal relatives were interfering in politics, disregarding the imperial power. The ministers were not ministers, and the ruler was not the ruler.

A clever wife cannot cook without rice. There was no silver in the national treasury, but it was needed everywhere. The palace also had to live frugally.

Emperor Pingjing reviewed the memorials for a while. Song Changxu lowered his head without speaking.

“Minister Song, there is no money in the national treasury. Do you have any good ideas?” Emperor Pingjing was annoyed, so he asked Song Changxu for his political opinion.

If he were to raise taxes, besides the land tax and the poll tax, there were also various exorbitant taxes and levies. Adding to that would not be of much use. What’s more, he did not want to increase the burden on the people at the moment.

Xie Yiyuan’s method was to increase taxes and make the people suffer. If there were no other way, Emperor Pingjing would have to do so, and then he could just reduce them later.

It was easy to increase taxes, but not to reduce them. When they had tasted the sweetness, who would be willing to let go of the money in their hands?

At this moment, Song Changxu had never been so clear that what he said would affect millions of people.

The decrees were issued from the imperial palace to the whole court. His words could influence the emperor.

At this moment, he seemed to be carrying an invisible heavy mountain on his back. An eye was staring at him, and his body was entangled in threads. It was the gaze of destiny.

The storm of destiny was roaring in front of him. One choice would lead to countless different choices. Destiny was a chain reaction.

Emperor Pingjing was waiting for his answer.

And what answer should he give?

Accept his own mediocrity, his insignificance, and not be a hero. He was the new top scorer, but in the court, he was just a junior sixth-rank compiler with no real power.

He had a family, a loved one. He didn’t want to get involved in danger, to be a lone minister, to be the emperor’s knife. He just wanted to walk a steady path.

Even if this knife could cut through the corruption of the dynasty, even if he was standing on the shoulders of giants, even if he had the opportunity to offer his advice.

At this moment.

Even if my essays shock the world, the common people on paper are just that.

At this moment.

Entering the door, I hear wailing. The young son has already died of hunger.

At this moment, there were still countless common people in dire straits.

Song Changxu cupped his hands. “I have a plan.”

***

Author’s note:

Even if my essays shock the world, the common people on paper are just that. — Gong Zizhen

Entering the door, I hear wailing. The young son has already died of hunger. — Du Fu