Chen Xiangwu

  The east was already bright, and the golden rooster sang at dawn. The soft footsteps and suppressed conversations of the outer and inner servants slowly awakened Tong Chunniang from her spring dream. At this time, the incense lit last night had already burned out, but the faint fragrance still lingered in the room, bringing a hint of sweetness and ambiguity to the morning of the new year.

  As soon as she woke up, Tong Chunniang felt a bit heavy in her body. After careful feeling, she found that the boy's evil hand had passed through her neck and covered her naked chest at a very natural angle. Tong Chunniang tried to move slightly, but the boy held her so tightly that she almost leaned on his naked chest.

  Tong Chunniu slightly furrowed her brow, of course, the sideways lying posture made her feel uncomfortable on one hand, but more importantly, she finally remembered last night's madness. Unfortunately, even at the final critical moment, the young man still restrained his desire and did not taste the chastity he had reserved for himself for many years.

  "Foolish boy!" Tong Chunniang gazed at the young man with a mixture of resentment and longing, his profile in the morning light looking more resolute than ever. "Don't you know that I'm already 19? How much youth can I still hold on to? By the time I'm old and worn out, how can I still serve you?"

  Tong Chun's daughter stared blankly, but didn't know that the young man had slowly woken up: "How, aren't you tired of looking yet?"

  "Scared me to death!" Tong Chunniang was startled, and immediately used her fist to gently pound Zheng Kechang's chest. "As soon as you wake up, you know how to scare people."

  Gently, Zheng Kezang's morning desire grew stronger with the woman's delicate fist and flower-like face. He saw her smile slyly as he pulled her hand to that critical spot, taking advantage of her shyness and annoyance to seal her lips with a kiss, then plundered her jade saliva.

  Stealing fragrance is not enough, Zheng Kezang's evil hands are moving on the woman's soft and beautiful body, pinching, kneading, squeezing, and scratching.

  Eighteen martial arts were performed, and Tong Chunniang was already panting, but Zheng Kechang had not yet given up. His hand finally reached the depths of the valley, teasing at the wet entrance.

  "Oh no, I'm going to die!" Chunniang's body arched up, and after letting out a coquettish cry, she collapsed like a broken reed. Zheng Kecang also felt that he couldn't go on anymore, so he suppressed his passion and stopped, without further stimulation. After a brief moment of being in a trance-like state, Chunniang finally returned to the world of the living. "You're going to die, you wicked grandson!" As soon as she came to her senses, Chunniang couldn't help but become angry and humiliated. "All day and night, you only know how to torment me," she said, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes. "Why is my life so bitter?"

  "Does it hurt?" Zheng Kezang pulled her back into his chest, gently kissing away the tears at the corner of her eyes. "I understand that you and Yuniang are heartbroken, but Mother has only been gone for less than a year, and I've already taken in both of you as concubines. If word gets out, it would be a breach of filial piety, so I can only continue to inconvenience you both." Zheng Kezang lightly patted Chunniang's buttocks. "You and Yuniang have a place in my heart, even if I were to marry a principal wife in the future, you both will still have a place in my heart." Although Zheng Kezang had promised this countless times before, these words of affection were something that the two women never tired of hearing. "Alright, it's getting late, time to get up."

  Although that was the case, Zheng Kezang did not let go, and insisted on making Chunniang struggle out of his arms in a flustered state. The two of them rubbed against each other, their limbs entwined, before they finally managed to put on their clothes. By the time they finished washing up, one after the other, and arrived at the dining hall under the guidance of the palace attendants, the sun had already risen above the treetops.

  In the dining hall, Fang Yuniang, still dressed as a young girl, had been waiting there for a long time. Seeing Zheng Kezang and Tong Chunniang arriving late, she seemed to think of something and covered her mouth with a sly smile. However, Chunniang slightly shook her head, causing the other's face to darken instantly. Zheng Kezang, however, seemed not to notice the secret exchange between the two women and simply sat down on his seat with a thud.

  "It's just the New Year, otherwise who has time to sleep so long?" Zheng Kezang followed the Confucian teachings of not speaking while eating, and finished a simple breakfast quickly. Until the inner servant took away the dishes, Fang Yuniang used a handkerchief to wipe his mouth corner, he cleared his throat. "What's the plan for today?"

  "Descendant, the old national grandmother invites you to go in the afternoon." The leader of the inner attendant, Jin Shi Jiu, is now also rising with Zheng Ke Zang's established status in Anping City, so generally trivial matters don't need him to take action. He has a complete and utter air of a high-ranking official. "Also, Fu Ning Bo sent an invitation card inviting you to drink at his mansion."

  Zheng Kezang thought for a moment, and it seemed that Dong Guotai had let him pass in the past because of Zheng Kesao's studies. This year, Zheng Kesao is also ten years old, and when the two tutors taught him before, they didn't teach well, so the old lady should be worried about this, so she prepared to let Lu Xiansheng, who had taught her, teach Zheng Kesao instead. However, this problem is not big, after becoming the regent, Zheng Kezang originally did not have much thought and time to waste on learning the way of the sages, it's better to let Lu Xiansheng teach Zheng Kesao, so that he can gain a reputation for brotherly love and let Zheng Kesao focus on developing his "learning".

  As for Fú Níng Bó's side, at this year's New Year's family banquet, Zhèng Míng and Zhèng Kuān etc. were outraged because the Ying Gui Lei business firm had not provided black slaves, and it seems that Zhèng Cōng is preparing to apologize for these brothers' rudeness and perhaps also trying to appease Shòu Níng Bó's group of parasites by shedding a bit more blood.

  But anyway, these two places are a must-go, governing the country and pacifying the world, if things at home can't be settled, then governing the country and pacifying the world is even more out of the question. At this thought, Zheng Kezang nodded: "Go back to Funingbo Fu and tell them that in the morning I will go to pay respects to Old Lady Guo, and can come over at noon."

  ??”

  "Uncle, are you here to mock me?" For nearly a year, Chen Xiangwu, who was once spirited and liked to wear a feather fan hat, had disappeared. Now he was just an unkempt, bearded, and disheveled man, looking more haggard and aged than Chen Yonghua, who was over a decade older. "It's not that great, anyway. If I succeed, I'll bring prosperity to the world; if I fail, I'll still be content with my simple life. Being an ordinary person isn't necessarily a bad thing - who knows what fortune or misfortune may bring?"

  "You're drunk all day, aren't you?" Chen Yonghua handed the thing in his hand to Chen Xiangwu's wife. "There are many things to do and I'm busy, it's been a year since I came, I didn't expect to see a drunken cat." Chen Xiangwu's wife had some red eyes, but still personally served tea to Chen Yonghua. "Sit down." Chen Xiangwu found a chair and sat down, seeing that the uncle and nephew were about to have a heart-to-heart talk, his wife did not dare to intervene, excused herself and went to the back hall to urge the servants to prepare food. "It's been almost a year, things should be clear by now, let's talk, what are you planning to do next?"

  "What else can I do?" Chen Xiangwu put away his frantic look. "Wang Shang's uncle is not unaware, he loves to listen and believe, hates to stand on both sides, this time I was unfortunately plotted by a villain, and offended Yuanzi, in the two generations of father and son, it is completely out of favor, in Dongning who else dares to use me, I don't drown my sorrows with wine, what else can I do."

  "Are you trying to secretly calculate something?" Chen Yonghua shook his head. To be honest, he was not pleased with Feng Xifan's small actions, but in the officialdom, it was common for people to deceive each other. Therefore, although he had become more cautious around Feng Xifan, he would not directly take action against him.

  But what truly disappointed Chen Yonghua was that Chen Xiangwu still didn't understand where he went wrong. "The wise and intelligent Crown Prince has been granted wisdom from heaven, and all the things he has done in Dongning have been beneficial to our clan, to the point where all the officials are praising him. The king's heart is full of love for the Crown Prince, but hasn't expressed it openly."

  "Everyone else can see clearly, only you are confused, and you've repeatedly questioned the Crown Prince's actions. If the king didn't think of you as an old minister at the time, he would have already lost his temper, and wouldn't have waited until last year." Chen Yonghua said with a tone of frustration.

  "It's clear that you're the one who pushed yourself into the fire pit."

  "What ability does that young Huang have?" Chen Yonghua's earnest words were met with a still defiant look from Chen Xiangwu. "It's just luck that he happened to guess one or two things correctly, and yet some petty people hastily took him as a model, and now my nephew's words of caution have become a thorn in their side, a major military affair is being handled so carelessly, it's frightening to think what the future holds for our province."

  "Nonsense!" Chen Yonghua shouted, interrupting Chen Shengwu's nagging. "Do you know what the Crown Prince of Dongning has been up to?" Chen Yonghua recounted Zheng Kecang's actions over the past few years and presented his observations and analysis on the table. "Tell me, which one of these things wasn't a deep-laid plan with a long-term strategy?"

  "Snow sugar? Cement? Population? Road repair?" Chen Xiangwu had already connected the dots and was deep in thought, his expression finally changing. "If Uncle is pointing out the way, I really can't see the connection between these things, it's indeed a bit suspicious." Chen Xiangwu sighed, but still looked skeptical. "Could it be that Sheng Sun has someone capable by his side?"

  "It's not just a matter of being capable." Chen Yonghua recounted Zheng Kecang's actions in the children's camp, and then talked about his handling of internal affairs within the Zheng family. "Some were secretly investigated by your uncle's people, while others were independently handled by the Crown Prince in front of your uncle. Tell me, is this still just a coincidence?"

  "If that's really the case, I truly underestimated him." Chen Xiangwu let out a long sigh. "Our clan has such an heir, no wonder the king would love him so deeply." Chen Xiangwu shook his head. "It's too late, everything is too late, the die has been cast," as he said this, Chen Xiangwu suddenly felt resentful towards Chen Yonghua. "Uncle, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

  "Can you listen to me?" Chen Yonghua's retort left Chen Xiangwu speechless. "Besides, back then, we didn't even have time to avoid suspicion, how could we dare to make more connections." Seeing Chen Xiangwu's disheartened face, Chen Yonghua comforted him. "Actually, it's not too late to understand now, you still have a chance."

  Opportunity? Chen Xiangwu suddenly became spirited, and he looked at Chen Yonghua with eagerness.

  Chen Yonghua went over the matter in his mind again, gritted his teeth, and said to his nephew: "Our clan was defeated on land, Wu Sangui was also defeated by the Qing army in Hunan, it seems that the enemy is still powerful and difficult to defeat, so we must prepare an early retreat."

  "Is it another 'Three Caves of Cunning Rabbit' theory of the Regent?" Chen Xiangwu was taken aback, then seemed to think of something. "What do you want me to do?"

  "You go and make a tour of Annan, Batavia and Luzon, get a clear understanding of the military preparations in each place, if possible, also spread two or three idle sons."

  "What is this?"

  "That's right, it was Shisun who asked me to come and talk to you," Chen Yonghua admitted Chen Xiangwu's guess. "Whether the opportunity can be grasped depends on yourself."

  ??”