CH 34.1

If he said he liked it and the troupe stayed, would the original shou’s friend, who mixed in, take the opportunity to steal him away?

If he said he didn’t like it, what would happen?

After a long time, Meng Huan mumbled, “So-so.”

After Xu Ruolin’s incident, Meng Huan distrusted the dispositions of the original shou’s friends. If he were dragged out of the house and sold, working in the black market, or even sold to a brothel, it would be a big problem.

Lin Bozhou didn’t seem to expect him to say that he did not like it. After a short pause, he nodded. “Okay. When Huan Huan is interested, we will see it again.”

Meng Huan forcefully let out an “mm” and hurriedly picked up the bowl to continue feeding Lin Bozhou.

A little bit of porridge brushed against his lips. Meng Huan reached out and naturally wiped it away.

Lin Bozhou raised his eyelids to look at him and inexplicably laughed again.

After eating, Lin Bozhou held Meng Huan’s hand to talk. The Changshi, Chen An, came in with a stack of letters, wanting to hand them over to Lin Bozhou to manage.

“Huan Huan, go eat. Huan Huan does not need to worry about this,” Lin Bozhou said.

“Mm.”

Meng Huan answered and went to the table to deal with his 30-course meal.

Lin Bozhou let You Jin help him drape an outer robe over his shoulders and sat at the desk outside the screen to listen to Chen An read the letter.

Chen An said, “The capital inspection will start next year. The previous impeachment of the Qingliu Party has already brought the party dispute to the surface. Next year, the court will be busy again.”

Lin Bozhou softly breathed an “mm.”

Even Chen An’s brow was furrowed with anxiety, but his face had no emotion.

“The court is already in dire straits, and much fighting is happening. It’s a mess, alas…” Chen An sighed heavily.

As soon as Lin Bozhou started to deal with political affairs, he regained the familiarity that belonged to him. “This is considered as the struggle before death. Good, let them fight. The higher they jump, the sooner they die, saving this prince from having to find excuses to take care of them later.”

“……”

Meng Huan stuffed a piece of plum vegetable with steamed pork into his mouth.

Lin Bozhou was really not far from what he imagined.

Gentle on the outside but aggressive on the inside. Others would sigh in frustration when they encountered difficulties, while he was keen on solving problems and would only get more excited when he encountered difficulties.

As Meng Huan listened to their words, he remembered the most serious psychological shadow that Lin Bozhou had brought to himself.

—Killing 30,000 people.

Was it the capital inspection and party dispute they mentioned now?

The original book stated:

The word “clique” referred to a grouping of people. In the bureaucracy, officials formed factions because of their origin, aspirations, ideals, etc., invoking each other and sharing interests. This created a stronger force than fighting alone while excluding others from their interest groups.

In this case, the struggle with other interest groups was called a party dispute, such as the current Qingliu and Zhuoliu.

In the past, there was the Lin Party and the Eunuch Party.

Lin Bozhou brought down the Eunuch Party to take back the power held by them for his own hands.

Meng Huan could barely remember this bit of information. He silently stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth and propped up both cheeks.

The officials in power will handle it, so why should I meddle?

–

The daylight coming through the window was dim; it seemed to be evening.

A breeze blew through the hall, bringing in the damp coolness after the rain.

Meng Huan was in Lin Bozhou’s bed chamber the whole afternoon. While Lin Bozhou read and wrote letters, he drew and painted figures.

When it was late, You Jin approached with a bow, setting a medicine bowl on the table. “Your Highness, it’s time to drink the medicine.”

When Lin Bozhou willingly listened to him in the morning, Meng Huan became much more active. He put down his pen and ran to him, taking the initiative to carry the medicine bowl to Lin Bozhou’s spot. “Drink the medicine. Drink the medicine~.”

“Huan Huan, wait a moment—”

Before Lin Bozhou’s words ended, Meng Huan had swept away the paper before him.

“……” You Jin froze.

Lin Bozhou generally wouldn’t let anyone disturb him when dealing with official documents, which could easily break his thoughts. However, Lin Bozhou smiled and didn’t say anything at this time, putting down the brush in his hand.

“Mm, drink the medicine.”

Meng Huan took the spoon and fed him one sip at a time.

The Lin Bozhou before him had his eyebrows lowered, and the curve at the end of those eyes carried a few touches of coolness, like the cold lake water in early spring, unfathomable.

But right now, he let Meng Huan do as he pleased, one sip at a time, masking all the sharpness and danger, and dutifully drank the medicinal soup he brought.

It inexplicably made Meng Huan feel…… he was so well-behaved.

The medicine soup was drunk in half before Meng Huan realized Lin Bozhou was now healthy and able to sit in a chair to deal with official documents; he was not as weak as this morning. To feed him medicine seemed a bit superfluous.

He asked, “Your Highness, you can actually drink the medicine yourself, right?”

“Right,” Lin Bozhou didn’t feel as if he had bothered him. “But Huan Huan is already feeding the medicine, so let’s continue it.”

“……”

Meng Huan’s bright eyes looked into his eyes. “Not bitter?”

Lin Bozhou admitted, “Bitter.”

“……”

So it was really bitter.

Did he endure it all along just to let Meng Huan feed him? Meng Huan blinked and lowered his head to stir the medicinal soup.

After stirring the medicinal soup with the spoon, Meng Huan thought momentarily and said, “Your Highness, why don’t you drink the medicine in one gulp now? I’ll pour a bowl of hot water and feed you again one sip at a time, okay?”

“……”

The air became a little silent.

Lin Bozhou’s dark eyes looked at him as if he was surprised by this statement.

Being looked at by him, Meng Huan also realized that this proposal was strange. Not knowing what he was talking about anymore, he explained as his fine white fingers nudged the porcelain bowl, “Bitter.”

And he looked at Lin Bozhou. “It’s not comfortable to drink something bitter. I don’t want you to drink…… something bitter.”

The atmosphere became even quieter than just now.

After all, Lin Bozhou said he would listen to his words this morning. Changing his mind, Meng Huan also wanted to consider him.

Who would want to drink something bitter?