Chapter 570: Don’t Seduce Me (1)
Although the southern border at Mingzhou was stable, it didn’t mean that skirmishes didn’t happen.
The environment of those living beyond the southern border was horrid, so the people there have been coveting the fertile lands of the Great Wu Dynasty for ages.
There was only one reason why the Emperor would call the defender of the border back to the capital at this time. He wanted to prop He Changdi up.
He was going to do this by slowly taking away the powers of Count Jing’an, and transferring the influence that the He Family had in the imperial court to He Changdi.
Otherwise, if the He Family collected too much power, it wouldn’t be a good thing for the imperial court.
Count Jing’an was already fifty. That was rather old for an officer. Furthermore, he had spent years away from his family, so it was time for him to return to the capital and spend the remainder of his life in peace.
He Sanlang stared at her clear almond-shaped eyes, and smiled, “Have you figured out the reason yet?”
Chu Lian blinked at him, “The Emperor intends to entrust you with greater responsibility?”
He Changdi raised his hand to pinch her soft and rosy cheeks, “You’re pretty smart.”
Chu Lian puffed up her cheeks and escaped from his evil clutches.
“When my holiday ends, all the matters regarding the Department of Appointments will become my responsibility. When that time comes, I won’t have as much time to spend with you.”
“I don’t need your company,” Chu Lian softly retorted.
He Changdi tossed the book in his hand aside. He suddenly lowered his body and held her down with one leg. His warm breath washed over her ear as he said, “Are you sure you don’t need my company?”
His aggressive move caused Chu Lian’s face to become completely flushed. Afraid that he would do something naughty, she used both arms to push against his solid chest, “You’re too heavy! Don’t squash me, it’s so uncomfortable.”
He Sanlang noticed that his body was reacting to her actions, but knowing that she was likely too tired from what had happened last night, he endured it. He lightly pecked the side of her lips and said, “Don’t seduce me.”
Chu Lian was feeling very wronged. She hadn’t even done anything at all! How was that considered an attempt at seducing him?
She glared at him with her wide, watery eyes, but He Changdi covered them with his wide palm. He pressed his lips together, gritted his teeth, and said, “I just told you not to seduce me! Stop, or I’ll do you right here and now.”
Chu Lian: ……
He Changdi reverted back to the relaxed position he was in against the bed. He took out an envelope from his sleeves and handed it to his wife.
Chu Lian sat up, crossed her legs, and leaned against him. With a confused look, she stared at the envelope, “A letter? Who is it from?”
She was only wearing a thin brown robe. Although the room was heated and it wasn’t cold, He Sanlang was still worried that she would feel chilly, so he pulled up the blanket to cover her legs, “It isn’t a letter, open it up and see.”
Chu Lian received the envelope with suspicion and opened it. There were two booklets inside. When she took them out, she could feel that they were made of high-quality paper. Once she flipped them open, she realised that they were deeds.
The deeds were for a storefront situated in an excellent location on Zhuque Avenue. The two deeds were for the shophouse in the front and the courtyard right behind it.
Chu Lian’s eyes went wide with astonishment and she exclaimed, “Where did you get such a good storefront?”
All the good locations on Zhuque Street were already owned by someone high-ranking in the capital. It was no simple task to obtain such a good storefront, as it was something that money couldn’t buy.
Even if these were obtainable through wealth alone, the value of these two deeds added together would at least be five thousand taels…
That was going by a conservative estimate.
Even House Jing’an hadn’t owned any storefronts on Zhuque Street at its prime. They had held one or two shops on a side street nearby at the most.