Holding the Emperor Hostage : Chapter 48 Rewarding

“Where is the lord heading?”

Shengtu Yang, galloping on horseback, was stopped in front of the military camp by Yao Wenruo.

“I am going to the palace to discuss important matters with His Majesty.” Shengtu Yang’s face was serious. If not for the overly obvious anticipation in his eyes, no one would have guessed that he had already been completely played by someone.

At least in Yao Wenruo’s eyes, Shengtu Yang’s reaction was not clever. Not just not clever, Yao Wenruo even felt that ever since the emperor moved the capital, Shengtu Yang’s behavior could be described with the four words “blinded by lust.”

Yao Wenruo had only heard before that heroes are short tempered and swayed by romance. But there weren’t many lovesick fools who would hand over a vast empire just to make someone happy. Unfortunately, he happened to run into one.

The world says that beautiful women bring disaster. Now it seemed, beautiful men were no less so!

“Lord, you respectfully welcomed the emperor to relocate the capital to Ji County. What exactly is your intention?” Before all of Yan’s ministers, Yao Wenruo had to seriously raise this question.

Shengtu Yang was startled upon hearing this. His gaze was like a torch, sweeping one by one over Yao Wenruo and the many generals standing behind Yao Wenruo. He asked in a deep voice, “What exactly do you want to say?”

“Ever since the Son of Heaven relocated to Youzhou, he has been trying every possible way to interfere in Yan’s government affairs…”

Shengtu Yang didn’t wait for Yao Wenruo to finish speaking before saying coldly, “He is the Son of Heaven. Is it not perfectly natural and right for the Son of Heaven to govern the world?”

“But when we welcomed the Son of Heaven into Youzhou, it wasn’t to become loyal ministers and good generals.” Much less to become the emperor’s dog!

Yao Wenruo looked at Shengtu Yang with burning eyes. “And those aristocratic young men relocated from Nanyang, Yingchuan, and other places, they are taking advantage of helping local officials settle refugees to win people’s hearts everywhere and fish for fame and compliments. The common people don’t know how cunning the aristocratic young men are, and are actually praising their kindness. They have forgotten that it was clearly our Yan that provided them with houses, farmland, oxen, and farming tools.”

When Yao Wenruo said this, he took a deep breath and said decisively, “This humble subject only worries that if things continue like this, I fear the people of Yan will only remember the kindness of the Son of Heaven and the court, but forget that the lord is the true master of Yan.”

Shengtu Yang didn’t know what they were afraid of. “Are you saying that the people of Yan are so stupid they can’t even tell who is truly good to them? Or do you think I am so useless that I can’t even compare to a bunch of defeated opponents who only know how to put on airs? The aristocratic officials can use sweet words and false pretenses to buy people’s hearts. Our Yan officials hold grain, farmland, houses, and oxen in their hands, and they still can’t beat a bunch of people who only know how to flap their lips?”

Yao Wenruo lowered his brows and eyes, bowing and saying, “This humble subject did not say that.”

Shengtu Yang knew Yao Wenruo was not convinced. He also knew that quite a few generals and ministers shared the same thoughts. They worried that the court’s people would gradually encroach upon Yan’s small court. They worried about the cuckoo occupying the magpie’s nest. They worried about instability in the rear. All of these were understandable. But Shengtu Yang’s thoughts were somewhat different from theirs.

“Just tell me, since His Majesty relocated to Ji County, which thing he has done has not been in Yan’s interest?”

The ministers looked at each other, speechless.

Regardless of how worried and anxious they were inside, they had to admit that since His Majesty relocated to Ji County, not only had Yan and Shengtu Yang occupied the moral high ground and gained the authority of holding the emperor to command the regional lords, but the millions of refugees who followed His Majesty in relocating to Youzhou had caused Yan’s population and arable land to experience explosive growth in a short time.

Not to mention the Imperial Household Department and imperial estates that followed His Majesty in relocating to Youzhou, which were full of talented people. The iron officials, coal mines, textile workshops, and breeding farms they established within Yan’s territory directly achieved the accomplishment of stabilizing people’s hearts in the shortest time, and comprehensively improving Yan’s military strength and civilian technology.

Even though everyone harbored vigilance toward the Yin Son of Heaven and the court, they all knew in their hearts that since relocating the capital, the Yin Son of Heaven had indeed been managing Yan’s land without reservation. Every edict he issued was for developing Yan’s national power. Even though the time was still short, everyone had felt the changes in Yan after the Son of Heaven relocated the capital. It could absolutely be described with the four words “changing with each passing day.”

“Our Yan is bitterly cold. The common people not only have to endure hard times, but also face daily threats from the Xiongnu and Hu people. Even if we soldiers can mount our horses and kill enemies, plundering cattle, sheep, and horses from the Xiongnu so the common people don’t go hungry or become enslaved, what about after we dismount?”

“Which of you dares claim you could govern the world better than the emperor?”

This time even Yao Wenruo was silent.

Shengtu Yang then said, “Since you can’t, then let those who can do it. Those aristocratic nobles may not be good people, but they are all capable bad people. As long as they are willing to work honestly and steadily, we let them work. In any case, the hilts of the swords are all in our own people’s hands. What are you afraid of?”

Yao Wenruo said, “What I fear is that they will hold the logistics of several hundred thousand troops in their hands. At that time, even if our brothers hold the sword hilts, if they are starving, they won’t have the strength to kill people!”

“Am I that stupid of a person?” Shengtu Yang glared with round eyes, asking righteously, “Can’t you just collect the grain yourself after they grow it?”

Yao Wenruo didn’t speak. What he worried about was never just the logistics problem. Who collected the grain wasn’t important. What was important was that their soldiers needed to go to the battlefield to fight. Where there was war there were casualties. Where there were casualties, they needed to recruit local common people into the army. If the people of Yan began to feel grateful for His Majesty’s kindness, would they develop thoughts of loyalty to His Majesty?

After all, the one sitting in the deep palace was the master of the world…

“You’re worrying about this now. What do you plan to do about it?” Shengtu Yang asked patiently, “Forbid the Son of Heaven and the court from being good to the common people?”

But the people of Guannei and Henan Yin had followed them all the way to Youzhou precisely because they felt grateful for the Son of Heaven’s benevolence. This could never be changed.

Yao Wenruo, “…”

Shengtu Yang patted Yao Wenruo’s shoulder, then looked at his brothers with bitter hatred and deep grievance. He truly felt that everyone was unsuited for court struggle.

Shengtu Yang shook his head, mounted his horse with a face full of disdain, and rode off in a cloud of dust. Leaving only the group of brothers standing in place eating his dust.

This small episode in front of the military camp was quickly reported to Yin Shuhuai by the Night Owl secret agents.

Yin Shuhuai smiled slightly, not taking it seriously.

The way he was rewarding Shengtu Yang today was to have the Court of Imperial Entertainments prepare a feast to Shengtu Yang’s taste.

There were eight dishes in total. Taro braised chicken, iron pot stewed fish, sweet and sour pork, candied egg threads, braised pork hock, sweet and sour spare ribs, braised beef, and honey glazed char siu. More than half of the dishes were sweet flavored. Yin Shuhuai hadn’t expected that Shengtu Yang, who looked like a tough and hard man, besides being a meat lover, actually also liked eating sweets.

Fortunately, Yin Shuhuai in his later life could be considered quite the foodie. He had enjoyed cuisine from all regions and could instruct the Court of Imperial Entertainments’ cooks in making delicious dishes. He believed Shengtu Yang would also be satisfied.

Shengtu Yang indeed very much liked the feast Yin Shuhuai specially prepared for him. Especially the sweet and sour sweet and sour pork, and the soft, flaky, fragrant, and sweet candied egg threads. While eating he praised repeatedly, “The meals in His Majesty’s palace are truly the most delicious under heaven. How exactly is this candied egg threads dish made? I have never eaten it before.”

Yin Shuhuai said with a smile, “This dish is made with eggs. I had the Court of Imperial Entertainments people specially make it for you according to your taste.”

Shengtu Yang’s heart swayed, feeling somewhat light and floaty all over.

“Specially made for me?” Shengtu Yang murmured to himself, then said, “Your Majesty has gone to much trouble.”

“But how is this made with eggs?” Shengtu Yang looked at the candied egg threads before him with slight astonishment. He really hadn’t tasted the egg flavor.

“Mix egg liquid and starch evenly, pour into hot oil pan and fry into thin egg pancakes. Then cut the pancakes into diamond shaped pieces, coat with egg liquid, and deep fry in hot oil until golden and crispy. Fry until the egg pieces puff up like fish bladders, then remove and set aside. Then use a hot oil pan to boil syrup, pour the egg slices into the syrup and stir fry evenly. After the dish is cooked, let it sit for a moment, and then it can be pulled into threads.”

Shengtu Yang had originally been listening quite seriously to Yin Shuhuai describe the cooking process of this dish. Until Yin Shuhuai mentioned pulling threads, Shengtu Yang didn’t know what he thought of, but his ears suddenly turned red, and even his neck followed in turning red, as if steam was rising from the top of his head.

Yin Shuhuai looked at Shengtu Yang, who was visibly turning into a cooked crab at the speed of the naked eye, and found it completely baffling. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing…” Shengtu Yang lowered his head and mumbled, his gaze glued straight onto the crystal clear syrup threads, his cheeks getting hotter and hotter.

Pulling threads… pulling threads…

Yin Shuhuai also didn’t know what was wrong with Shengtu Yang. He could only watch as Shengtu Yang for the rest of this meal only stared at that one dish. Eating seriously, eating with a pious attitude, eating until finally he even held the syrup threads in his mouth and savored them carefully. The more he savored, the redder his face became…

Yin Shuhuai was completely confused, and couldn’t help but also pick up a piece of candied egg threads with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. It was sweet! No chili peppers were added (nor were there any available), and it wasn’t hot. So why was his face getting redder the more he ate? He didn’t expect that it would be better if he didn’t eat. The moment he took a bite of candied egg threads, Shengtu Yang’s face suddenly shot up, as if on fire, and even his eyes were dyed with traces of scarlet red, staring straight at his lips.

Yin Shuhuai licked the candied threads stuck to his lips, frowning and asking, “Is there something wrong with this dish?”

Shengtu Yang could no longer restrain little Shengtu Yang’s excitement and arousal. His mind was full of the image of Yin Shuhuai just licking his lips, and he didn’t even hear what Yin Shuhuai was asking.

Yin Shuhuai let out a light sigh, and said something else, but Shengtu Yang didn’t hear clearly. He felt his head was a bit dizzy and muddled. He could only see Yin Shuhuai’s lips opening and closing before him. The crimson red lip petals set against white neat teeth, even his tongue was so flexible…

Shengtu Yang’s mind suddenly flashed back to when he first kissed Yin Shuhuai, how he trapped that clever tongue…

“Shengtu Yang!” Yin Shuhuai couldn’t bear it anymore, raising his voice to wake the person who was lost in thought.

Shengtu Yang suddenly came back to his senses, and asked distractedly, “What?”

Yin Shuhuai, “…Nothing, I just wanted to ask you whether today’s meal suited your taste.”

“Of course it’s sweet!” Shengtu Yang’s mind was completely blank, and he didn’t even know what he was saying, rambling incoherently, “Very sweet, as sweet as you.”

Yin Shuhuai, “……………………”

Shengtu Yang wasn’t speaking nonsense. This meal was indeed very sweet. He also only remembered that memorably sweet candied egg threads dish. Sweet to the point of being cloying, sweet to the point of making one’s heart flutter.

“This really is a dish that Your Majesty specially had the Court of Imperial Entertainments make for me? No one else has eaten it?” He repeatedly confirmed this matter with Yin Shuhuai.

Since Yin Shuhuai wanted to reward Shengtu Yang, he could only answer patiently, “It was specially made for you. No one else has eaten it.”

Yin Shuhuai wasn’t deceiving Shengtu Yang. He indeed only had the sudden inspiration after arriving in Youzhou to have the Court of Imperial Entertainments make some fitting Northeastern cuisine. It happened that Shengtu Yang had done things to his liking, so Yin Shuhuai simply took advantage of the situation to have Shengtu Yang come over to taste test the dishes. This way, he could both show his regard for his minister and do so at little cost.

Word would get out that Shengtu Yang would also feel honored. This was a dish specially invented by the Son of Heaven for Minister Shengtu!

Yin Shuhuai, who had experience in coaxing ministers, was calculating with clicking abacus beads, but didn’t know that Shengtu Yang hearing these words had already floated off to the ninth heaven.

Shengtu Yang felt his very bones were light and floaty, soaked by Yin Shuhuai’s few words until he was soft and tender, as if he couldn’t even stand up.

“I want to stay overnight at the Chongde Hall tonight.” Shengtu Yang leaned close to Yin Shuhuai, lowered his head, and stared straight at Yin Shuhuai.