"I missed you too.
”
It was very hot inside the records office. Yu Shu's left hand that was being held by Xue Rui's sweaty hand felt hot, but it was like a cool breeze had blown into her heart, dispersing all the distractions she had on the way here.
She raised her eyes and looked at Xue Rui's handsome face that was dripping with sweat. A thought flashed through her mind, and she allowed him to hold her left hand while her other hand pulled out the handkerchief from her waist. She wrapped it around her fingers and leaned over to wipe his forehead with the handkerchief across the table.
"It's so hot and you can still sit here. If it was me, I would have already left."
Xue Rui looked at her actions and tightened his grip on her slender hand. He gently breathed in, smelling the refreshing fragrance of the handkerchief on her fingers. He did not move as he waited for her to wipe the sweat off his face. Only then did he slowly let go of her.
"I was the one who accepted this job, how can I just let it go? Don't just stand there, come and sit. "Xue Rui pulled out his chair and wiped it for Yu Shu to sit down. He then went to get the teapot, wanting to pour her a cup of water. Who knew that it was empty. He did not know when the water inside had been drunk.
"Wait here, I'll go outside and call someone to make tea."
"I'll go, you can rest." Yu Shu stopped him and took the teapot from his hand. She looked at him up and down and blinked with a smile, saying, "If Dage is hot, you can take off your official robe to cool down. There are no outsiders here, I don't mind."
With that said, he carried the teapot and strode past a few rows of desks, heading out.
Xue Rui's gaze followed her as she walked further away. Only then did he lower his head to look at the sorry state he was in. He laughed involuntarily. After thinking for a moment, he took off his official robe once again and found the fan that was pressed under a few files. He leaned his waist against the side of the table and fanned himself while looking outside the door. A faint smile hung on the corners of his mouth.
Not long after, Yu Shu came back with a pot of herbal tea. She saw Xue Rui's clothes. Because it was sweaty and thin, she could faintly see the smooth lines of his skin and his strong chest. She couldn't help but take a few more glances. Feeling the hot air caress her face, she pretended to be ignorant and poured some tea for him to drink.
"I heard from Zhaomiao that the imperial edict ordered to change the laws. Is that why you're so busy?"
Xue Rui drank two cups of water in a row, and his voice became much lighter. "Not only the Supreme Court, but the six ministries will also have to reorganize the Wen Zong, and report to the Imperial Library the inconsistencies of the previous years, so that the laws can be amended."
"Imperial Library?" Yu Shu didn't know much about politics. Since he wanted to understand more about Xue Rui's political environment, he asked him for advice.
Xue Rui told her about the imperial court's one supervisor, two bureaus, three temples and six ministries. At first he thought she was just curious, but when he saw her serious face, he could not help but feel strange. After he finished, he asked her, "Why do you suddenly want to know about court affairs?"
Yu Shu refilled his cup of water. Seeing his concerned expression, she seemed to have made up her mind about something, and said seriously, "I've decided that in the future I must become an official. How can I not know about these things? I was too careless in the past, in the future you must remind me more."
Xue Rui was surprised. Half a year ago, he encouraged Yu Shu to participate in the Da Yan Examination. After that, he often brought up the matter of women becoming officials in front of her. Every time, she would evade him, with a nonchalant attitude, as if she did not have much desire to enter the court and become a female official. But today was the first time she expressed it in front of him.
Knowing her temperament, Xue Rui knew that she wouldn't speak nonsense out of anger. Xue Rui's mind was moved. Long before the ancestral worship, he had heard that there was a seventh-ranked female official in the Imperial Astronomer who was going to fill in the vacancy. He had inquired about it and it was very likely that she would be promoted from the candidates for the ancestral worship this time. Recently, he was extremely busy. After he returned, he did not continue to ask about this matter. Now that he thought about it, he looked at Yu Shu's appearance. Could it be that the position was filled by someone else?
"There is a seventh-ranked vacancy for the Celestial Commissioner. Have you heard the discussion in the Taishi Library recently?" Xue Rui asked carefully. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Yu Shu was influenced by something that made her decide to become an official.
Hearing this, Yu Shu leaned against the table, supported her chin with one hand, and looked up at him. Half of her mind was thinking, when did this person in front of her start to care about her? It seemed that there were few things around her that he did not know.
"This vacancy has been filled." Yu Shu's tone was flat, as if it had nothing to do with her. Indeed, when she heard Situ Qinglan mention this vacancy, she did not covet it. Later, when she learned that Zhan Xueyuan picked it up, she was a little unhappy.
Xue Rui thought as expected, and asked again, "Who is it?"
"Do you remember the female student who threw the stone in Huazhen Garden? The Celestial Commissioner sent a document a few days ago. It is the young lady of the Zhan family in Jiangxi."
Xue Rui was very surprised, "How could it be her?"
Even if it was not Yu Shu, the Taishi Library should have other candidates. He remembered that the young lady surnamed Zhan was only a ninth-ranked teacher. There was nothing outstanding about her. The key was that she was a child of a famous family in Jiangxi. Based on this, she should not be the candidate for the Celestial Commissioner to promote.
After thinking for a while, he frowned and said, "The incident in Huazhen Garden, when Lord Wang and I returned to the capital, we reported it to the Celestial Commissioner. Did the Taishi Library pursue the two troublemakers?"
"No one mentioned it, and it was left unsettled." Yu Shu shook her head. She knew that with Xue Rui's strictness in doing things, he would not forget about the matter of Zhan Xueyuan and Cui Yun. Then there must be someone from the Celestial Commissioner's side who suppressed it.
However, Xue Rui thought more than Yu Shu. Seeing that she was confused, he did not want her to know nothing. After thinking for a while, he decided to tell her some internal affairs …
"It should not be like this. The Celestial Commissioner has always been exclusive. Among the ten officials, most of them are in charge of the twelve prefectures in the capital. Even if thirty percent of them are outside, they cannot be in high positions, especially not from the aristocratic families outside the capital. As for the female officials, they are first promoted from the aristocratic families of the twelve prefectures, and then they are inclined to young people like you who have no background but are outstanding. That Zhan's election must have something else behind it."
Yu Shu was alarmed when she heard this, and a few expressions flashed across her face. She said in a low voice, "I see. I just don't know what she relied on to enter the Taishi Library."
Afraid that she would be worried, Xue Rui said, "It's okay. I will tell you after I find out."
However, Yu Shu shook her head, "There is no need to be like this. Let her be. She is just a person without a brain, and will not affect me."
If Zhan Xueyuan had half of the scheming of Ji Xingxuan in the past, she would have to be careful. Unfortunately, Zhan Xueyuan did not, so there was no need for her to be suspicious.
The two chatted for a while, and it was almost noon. Xue Rui's manservant, Hōtoku, brought tea and food over. Only then did Yu Shu know that he had been staying in this enclosed restaurant from morning to night.
"You should go back first. I'll go look for you after I'm done with my work in another two days." Even though Xue Rui wanted to make Yu Shu stay for a while longer, he didn't want her to stay in this place and suffer with him.
Yu Shu saw that Hōtoku had brought out a lot of food, enough for two people. She picked up a pair of serving chopsticks and said to him, "I am also hungry. I will eat here."
Xue Rui could not drive her away, so he could only eat lunch with her.
After the meal, Hōtoku picked up the bowls and chopsticks and left. Yu Shu touched here and there, but she did not have the intention to leave.
At this moment, Xue Rui was not aware of her thoughts. He was very happy in his heart. It was not easy to see her, and he was reluctant to let her leave. He was selfish for once, and went back to the table to sit down. He called out to her, "Ah Shu, come over and help me grind the ink."
Yu Shu snickered and simply replied, "Okay." She walked over to his side.
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