Ancient Nailhouse
Yan Ge held the soup bowl in his hands, and the curve of his lips unconsciously widened, “Delicious. Why didn’t you disguise yourself or change clothes before coming out? It’s dangerous.”
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “If it’s delicious, drink more. Even if I change my face, others will still know it’s me. You, Boss Yan, are now a famous figure, and I’m basking in your glory.”
“That’s true,” Yan Ge smiled and finished his soup, passing the bowl to Deng Mande. “Let’s go back.”
The two of them got on the carriage, and as the curtain fell, Yan Ge hooked his arm around Huangfu Yuchen’s neck and kissed him.
Wan Xiang and Xiao Chuanzi now had another carriage. When Yan Ge’s carriage was unavailable, they would use the other one.
“There aren’t many opportunities for my sweetheart to take the initiative to kiss me.” Huangfu Yuchen teased, deepening the passionate kiss.
During this period, both of them were busy, and they would practice for half an hour before bed every night, without fail. Usually, they would fall asleep immediately after practicing, and it had been a long time since they had been intimate. After kissing for a while, they almost went too far before they leaned against each other to catch their breath.
“I saw the announcement outside the company earlier. The football tournament sounds interesting, and I plan to form a team as well.”
Yan Ge raised an eyebrow, “Are you thinking that no one will be interested in the tournament, and by August 15, there won’t be a second football team to compete against the Yunxiao Team, so you want to prepare a team in advance to save me?”
“Baby, your eloquence is impressive! You didn’t even pause for such a long sentence.” Huangfu Yuchen praised.
“Cut it out,” Yan Ge glanced at him, “Isn’t what I said true?”
Huangfu Yuchen touched his eyelashes, “It’s not that I don’t have confidence in you, it’s that I don’t have confidence in the people of the capital city. This is their first encounter with this new thing called football, and it might not be easy for them to accept.”
This guy really wasn’t good at comforting others. Yan Ge said, “I’ll take you to watch the match the day after tomorrow, and then you can speak.”
“Okay,” Huangfu Yuchen agreed.
After disguising themselves, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen arrived at the temporary footfield. It was already crowded with people. The perimeter of the field was cordoned off with simple railings, not allowing the spectators to get too close to avoid accidents.
Huangfu Yuchen noticed that the players on the field were wearing two different colored outfits, allowing for easy differentiation between the two teams.
“Has the match started? Why are they running so slowly?” Huangfu Yuchen was a complete novice.
Yan Ge explained, “They are warming up right now. Because playing football requires constant running on the field, and at a fast pace, it’s easy to get injured if they don’t warm up their bodies beforehand.”
After a while, the whistle sounded, and the match began.
As soon as the ball entered the field, a player from the black team reacted the quickest and ran a few steps to kick the ball towards the south goal. A player from the white team also reacted swiftly, with powerful legs, running quickly to intercept the ball and kick it towards the north goal.
And so it went, kicking towards the south, kicking towards the north, but the ball never made it into the goal.
A voice full of innocence rang out, “Papa, why are so many people fighting over one ball? Why doesn’t that uncle give them each a ball? Then they wouldn’t have to fight over it.”
The surrounding people burst into laughter.
‘Yan Jin!’ Yan Ge’s mouth twitched. ‘Can you please stop ruining your master’s image?’
Huangfu Yuchen squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.
Yan Jin was being hugged by Jiang Gan, and neither of them noticed that Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen were standing nearby. Even if they noticed, they wouldn’t recognize the disguised Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.
Jiang Gan said, “Having one ball for each person wouldn’t be fun. Let’s continue watching.”
At that moment, a short player from the black team made a fake move, pretending to go left but actually going right, deceiving the defender from the black team. He lifted his right foot and kicked the ball, which whizzed towards the goal. The goalkeeper from the red team crouched down, then pounced forward, intercepting the ball but missing it by inches. The ball slightly grazed his sleeve as it flew past.
Goal!
The spectators were drawn in by this series of actions and couldn’t control their excitement until the ball went in. It was at that moment that they vaguely sensed the joy of football. The act of scoring a goal always brought a sense of accomplishment.
“Great!” Yan Ge exclaimed loudly.
Others also joined in, shouting their approval.
On a wooden board placed on the side, Gao Yun wrote a number “1” below the black team’s flag and shouted, “The black team scores one point. The red team needs to work harder!”
Huangfu Yuchen also found it interesting, “its really interesting! Baby, did you notice that this football match is similar to a hunt?”
Yan Ge sent a telepathic message, “Clever. It is said that football was inspired by a hunting game on horseback, but it gradually evolved into a ground-based sport.”
“Boss, this football is quite interesting! After watching for so long, I’m interested in playing too.” Xu Yiming said to Xiao Jinran, “Why don’t we form a football team as well? I have a feeling that football will become popular nationwide.”
In the second half, the player from the black team who scored the first goal accidentally kicked the ball into his own goal. The referee awarded one point to the red team, and the spectators finally understood what had happened, erupting into laughter.
This football match completely ignited the interest of the common people. Yan Ge had successfully achieved his goal.
It seemed that overnight, several football teams emerged in the capital city: the Tiger Team, the Lightning Team, the Ever-Victorious Team, the Scholar Team…
Huangfu Yuchen finally felt relieved.
Football was just one of Yan Ge’s hobbies. After addressing the basic issues, he handed the football team over to Gao Feng. His main interest still lay in the reconstruction of the capital city.
Imperial Study Room
“Deng Mande.”
Deng Mande hurriedly walked over, “I’m here.”
Huangfu Yuchen asked, “Any news from the undercover spies we sent out?”
Deng Mande replied, “Your Majesty, not yet.”
“Hmm,” Huangfu Yuchen fell silent for a moment. “Go and prepare. I’m going on a secret visit to see how the road construction is progressing.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After five days of road construction, the first section was already dried under the sun for five days. People would curiously walk a few steps on it every day, marveling at it.
At the construction site, buckets of herbal tea and mung bean soup were brought over, and anyone who felt tired from working could freely go and drink. A soldier sat on one side, responsible for timing with an hourglass.
Once the time was up, they would switch shifts. Each shift changed every time the sun was at its highest point during the day. There was also a doctor on duty, ready to provide timely treatment in case of injuries or heatstroke.
Gao Jingwei and a few other government officials would inspect the site every now and then. Under the Emperor’s rule, not many dared to engage in deceitful acts, especially when the road construction was beneficial to everyone. The common people were working with great enthusiasm.
“Master Gao, something has happened.” The Minister of Works wiped his sweat and hurriedly approached Gao Jingwei, informing him of the situation.
His expression didn’t indicate a major issue, so Gao Jingwei didn’t feel overly anxious and asked, “What happened?”
The Minister of Works whispered, “There’s a troublesome household living ahead. It’s just him and his mother left in the family. The road construction will occupy their house, and we had already reached an agreement with them and provided compensation. However, he has now changed his mind and refuses to let us demolish the house. He even claimed that someone had told him his house was worth more than the compensation offered and demanded an additional hundred taels of silver. At the current pace, the road will reach their doorstep in about two to three days, and if we don’t demolish the house, it will certainly affect the subsequent plans. Master Gao, what do you think?”
“Absolutely absurd. Take me there to have a look,” Gao Jingwei’s face turned grim.
“Understood.”
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Follow quietly.”
The group quickly walked toward the troublemaker’s house. Gao Jingwei was followed by a few curious onlookers, while Huangfu Yuchen cleverly hid behind the crowd.
“What’s the situation with this family?” Gao Jingwei asked.
The Minister of Works replied, “Ah, this Zhao Bao is a troublemaker and a gambler. It’s just him and his elderly mother left in the family. We had reached an agreement with them before, and it was clearly written that based on the value of their house and land, we would compensate them with a hundred taels of silver. This fellow spent it all in just two days. I suspect he was instigated by some bad company, which made him think that his house was worth even more.”
“This is a case of stubbornness,” Gao Jingwei said. “I want to see what he has to say.”
With that, the group arrived at Zhao Bao’s house. There was a crowd gathered at the entrance, all there to spectate. In the center stood a young man with his legs apart, arms crossed, and chin held high, displaying a domineering posture.
The Minister of Works sternly shouted, “Zhao Bao, why haven’t you come to greet the esteemed Minister Gao?”
Zhao Bao dared not defy and immediately knelt down, “This humble one greets Minister Gao.”
Gao Jingwei did not call him up. In a calm voice, he said, “Take Zhao Bao to the prison.”
Zhao Bao was shocked, “Minister Gao! This… This is an abuse of power! What crime have I committed?”
Gao Jingwei maintained a gentle tone as he patiently explained, “Let me explain. Considering how attached you are to your house, the court has decided not to occupy your land. According to the agreement, you should return the previous compensation of 100 taels of silver. However, I heard on the way here that you have already spent the entire amount. In that case, I have no choice but to send you to prison. As for your mother, rest assured that the authorities will take care of her after you are imprisoned. Now that everything has been explained clearly, take him away!”
Zhao Bao’s face turned pale. He desperately waved his hands and hurriedly retreated, “No, no, Minister Gao, please inform the court that they can continue using my house. We will move out immediately. I don’t want to go to prison!”
“Are you sure?” Gao Jingwei asked.
“Absolutely, absolutely. I will move out right away. Everything is already packed, and my mother and I will leave with our belongings.” With that, he rushed into the house, supported his mother, and fled as if escaping.
The Minister of Works admired, “Minister Gao is truly formidable.”
Gao Jingwei addressed the common people, “Fellow citizens, road construction is a matter that benefits the nation and its people. I hope you can cooperate with the court. If you have any opinions, you may voice them. But if anyone intends to cause trouble, severe punishment awaits!”
“Yes, Minister.”
“That’s enough. You can all disperse now.” When Gao Jingwei turned around and saw Huangfu Yuchen, his expression changed. “Your Majesty! I pay my respects to Your Majesty!”
The common people rarely caught a glimpse of the emperor and respectfully knelt down, “Long live our Emperor!”
“Rise,” Emperor Huangfu Yuchen said.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Huangfu Yuchen spoke, “Minister Gao’s words just now were absolutely correct. The road construction not only benefits the nation and its people but also brings prosperity for generations to come. The reconstruction of the capital city is just the first step in the development of our great Han Kingdom. In the future, our kingdom will become even stronger, and we need the support of the people.”
“We, the common people, will definitely support!”
Suddenly, a voice filled with laugher shouted, “Long live the Emperor!”
The common people joined in, “Long live the Emperor!”
Huangfu Yuchen chuckled and looked over. The person sitting on the railing of the second floor, dressed in white, elegant and charming, and looking at him with a smile, could only be Yan Ge.
“Come here,” Huangfu Yuchen beckoned to him.
Yan Ge flew over with a whoosh and landed beside him.
“I greet Prime Minister Yan,” Yan Ge said.
“No need for formalities.”
“Why did you come here?” Huangfu Yuchen embraced Yan Ge’s waist.
Yan Ge replied, “I heard there was a troublemaker here, so I came to take a look.”
“A troublemaker? Quite accurate.” Huangfu Yuchen smiled lightly. “But Minister Gao has already dealt with it. Minister Gao has done well, and we must not underestimate any aspect of the road construction.”
“I will follow Your Majesty’s decree and assure Your Majesty of my utmost dedication,” Gao Jingwei said.
Ancient Nailhouse
Yan Ge held the soup bowl in his hands, and the curve of his lips unconsciously widened, “Delicious. Why didn’t you disguise yourself or change clothes before coming out? It’s dangerous.”
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “If it’s delicious, drink more. Even if I change my face, others will still know it’s me. You, Boss Yan, are now a famous figure, and I’m basking in your glory.”
“That’s true,” Yan Ge smiled and finished his soup, passing the bowl to Deng Mande. “Let’s go back.”
The two of them got on the carriage, and as the curtain fell, Yan Ge hooked his arm around Huangfu Yuchen’s neck and kissed him.
Wan Xiang and Xiao Chuanzi now had another carriage. When Yan Ge’s carriage was unavailable, they would use the other one.
“There aren’t many opportunities for my sweetheart to take the initiative to kiss me.” Huangfu Yuchen teased, deepening the passionate kiss.
During this period, both of them were busy, and they would practice for half an hour before bed every night, without fail. Usually, they would fall asleep immediately after practicing, and it had been a long time since they had been intimate. After kissing for a while, they almost went too far before they leaned against each other to catch their breath.
“I saw the announcement outside the company earlier. The football tournament sounds interesting, and I plan to form a team as well.”
Yan Ge raised an eyebrow, “Are you thinking that no one will be interested in the tournament, and by August 15, there won’t be a second football team to compete against the Yunxiao Team, so you want to prepare a team in advance to save me?”
“Baby, your eloquence is impressive! You didn’t even pause for such a long sentence.” Huangfu Yuchen praised.
“Cut it out,” Yan Ge glanced at him, “Isn’t what I said true?”
Huangfu Yuchen touched his eyelashes, “It’s not that I don’t have confidence in you, it’s that I don’t have confidence in the people of the capital city. This is their first encounter with this new thing called football, and it might not be easy for them to accept.”
This guy really wasn’t good at comforting others. Yan Ge said, “I’ll take you to watch the match the day after tomorrow, and then you can speak.”
“Okay,” Huangfu Yuchen agreed.
After disguising themselves, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen arrived at the temporary footfield. It was already crowded with people. The perimeter of the field was cordoned off with simple railings, not allowing the spectators to get too close to avoid accidents.
Huangfu Yuchen noticed that the players on the field were wearing two different colored outfits, allowing for easy differentiation between the two teams.
“Has the match started? Why are they running so slowly?” Huangfu Yuchen was a complete novice.
Yan Ge explained, “They are warming up right now. Because playing football requires constant running on the field, and at a fast pace, it’s easy to get injured if they don’t warm up their bodies beforehand.”
After a while, the whistle sounded, and the match began.
As soon as the ball entered the field, a player from the black team reacted the quickest and ran a few steps to kick the ball towards the south goal. A player from the white team also reacted swiftly, with powerful legs, running quickly to intercept the ball and kick it towards the north goal.
And so it went, kicking towards the south, kicking towards the north, but the ball never made it into the goal.
A voice full of innocence rang out, “Papa, why are so many people fighting over one ball? Why doesn’t that uncle give them each a ball? Then they wouldn’t have to fight over it.”
The surrounding people burst into laughter.
‘Yan Jin!’ Yan Ge’s mouth twitched. ‘Can you please stop ruining your master’s image?’
Huangfu Yuchen squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.
Yan Jin was being hugged by Jiang Gan, and neither of them noticed that Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen were standing nearby. Even if they noticed, they wouldn’t recognize the disguised Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.
Jiang Gan said, “Having one ball for each person wouldn’t be fun. Let’s continue watching.”
At that moment, a short player from the black team made a fake move, pretending to go left but actually going right, deceiving the defender from the black team. He lifted his right foot and kicked the ball, which whizzed towards the goal. The goalkeeper from the red team crouched down, then pounced forward, intercepting the ball but missing it by inches. The ball slightly grazed his sleeve as it flew past.
Goal!
The spectators were drawn in by this series of actions and couldn’t control their excitement until the ball went in. It was at that moment that they vaguely sensed the joy of football. The act of scoring a goal always brought a sense of accomplishment.
“Great!” Yan Ge exclaimed loudly.
Others also joined in, shouting their approval.
On a wooden board placed on the side, Gao Yun wrote a number “1” below the black team’s flag and shouted, “The black team scores one point. The red team needs to work harder!”
Huangfu Yuchen also found it interesting, “its really interesting! Baby, did you notice that this football match is similar to a hunt?”
Yan Ge sent a telepathic message, “Clever. It is said that football was inspired by a hunting game on horseback, but it gradually evolved into a ground-based sport.”
“Boss, this football is quite interesting! After watching for so long, I’m interested in playing too.” Xu Yiming said to Xiao Jinran, “Why don’t we form a football team as well? I have a feeling that football will become popular nationwide.”
In the second half, the player from the black team who scored the first goal accidentally kicked the ball into his own goal. The referee awarded one point to the red team, and the spectators finally understood what had happened, erupting into laughter.
This football match completely ignited the interest of the common people. Yan Ge had successfully achieved his goal.
It seemed that overnight, several football teams emerged in the capital city: the Tiger Team, the Lightning Team, the Ever-Victorious Team, the Scholar Team…
Huangfu Yuchen finally felt relieved.
Football was just one of Yan Ge’s hobbies. After addressing the basic issues, he handed the football team over to Gao Feng. His main interest still lay in the reconstruction of the capital city.
Imperial Study Room
“Deng Mande.”
Deng Mande hurriedly walked over, “I’m here.”
Huangfu Yuchen asked, “Any news from the undercover spies we sent out?”
Deng Mande replied, “Your Majesty, not yet.”
“Hmm,” Huangfu Yuchen fell silent for a moment. “Go and prepare. I’m going on a secret visit to see how the road construction is progressing.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After five days of road construction, the first section was already dried under the sun for five days. People would curiously walk a few steps on it every day, marveling at it.
At the construction site, buckets of herbal tea and mung bean soup were brought over, and anyone who felt tired from working could freely go and drink. A soldier sat on one side, responsible for timing with an hourglass.
Once the time was up, they would switch shifts. Each shift changed every time the sun was at its highest point during the day. There was also a doctor on duty, ready to provide timely treatment in case of injuries or heatstroke.
Gao Jingwei and a few other government officials would inspect the site every now and then. Under the Emperor’s rule, not many dared to engage in deceitful acts, especially when the road construction was beneficial to everyone. The common people were working with great enthusiasm.
“Master Gao, something has happened.” The Minister of Works wiped his sweat and hurriedly approached Gao Jingwei, informing him of the situation.
His expression didn’t indicate a major issue, so Gao Jingwei didn’t feel overly anxious and asked, “What happened?”
The Minister of Works whispered, “There’s a troublesome household living ahead. It’s just him and his mother left in the family. The road construction will occupy their house, and we had already reached an agreement with them and provided compensation. However, he has now changed his mind and refuses to let us demolish the house. He even claimed that someone had told him his house was worth more than the compensation offered and demanded an additional hundred taels of silver. At the current pace, the road will reach their doorstep in about two to three days, and if we don’t demolish the house, it will certainly affect the subsequent plans. Master Gao, what do you think?”
“Absolutely absurd. Take me there to have a look,” Gao Jingwei’s face turned grim.
“Understood.”
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Follow quietly.”
The group quickly walked toward the troublemaker’s house. Gao Jingwei was followed by a few curious onlookers, while Huangfu Yuchen cleverly hid behind the crowd.
“What’s the situation with this family?” Gao Jingwei asked.
The Minister of Works replied, “Ah, this Zhao Bao is a troublemaker and a gambler. It’s just him and his elderly mother left in the family. We had reached an agreement with them before, and it was clearly written that based on the value of their house and land, we would compensate them with a hundred taels of silver. This fellow spent it all in just two days. I suspect he was instigated by some bad company, which made him think that his house was worth even more.”
“This is a case of stubbornness,” Gao Jingwei said. “I want to see what he has to say.”
With that, the group arrived at Zhao Bao’s house. There was a crowd gathered at the entrance, all there to spectate. In the center stood a young man with his legs apart, arms crossed, and chin held high, displaying a domineering posture.
The Minister of Works sternly shouted, “Zhao Bao, why haven’t you come to greet the esteemed Minister Gao?”
Zhao Bao dared not defy and immediately knelt down, “This humble one greets Minister Gao.”
Gao Jingwei did not call him up. In a calm voice, he said, “Take Zhao Bao to the prison.”
Zhao Bao was shocked, “Minister Gao! This… This is an abuse of power! What crime have I committed?”
Gao Jingwei maintained a gentle tone as he patiently explained, “Let me explain. Considering how attached you are to your house, the court has decided not to occupy your land. According to the agreement, you should return the previous compensation of 100 taels of silver. However, I heard on the way here that you have already spent the entire amount. In that case, I have no choice but to send you to prison. As for your mother, rest assured that the authorities will take care of her after you are imprisoned. Now that everything has been explained clearly, take him away!”
Zhao Bao’s face turned pale. He desperately waved his hands and hurriedly retreated, “No, no, Minister Gao, please inform the court that they can continue using my house. We will move out immediately. I don’t want to go to prison!”
“Are you sure?” Gao Jingwei asked.
“Absolutely, absolutely. I will move out right away. Everything is already packed, and my mother and I will leave with our belongings.” With that, he rushed into the house, supported his mother, and fled as if escaping.
The Minister of Works admired, “Minister Gao is truly formidable.”
Gao Jingwei addressed the common people, “Fellow citizens, road construction is a matter that benefits the nation and its people. I hope you can cooperate with the court. If you have any opinions, you may voice them. But if anyone intends to cause trouble, severe punishment awaits!”
“Yes, Minister.”
“That’s enough. You can all disperse now.” When Gao Jingwei turned around and saw Huangfu Yuchen, his expression changed. “Your Majesty! I pay my respects to Your Majesty!”
The common people rarely caught a glimpse of the emperor and respectfully knelt down, “Long live our Emperor!”
“Rise,” Emperor Huangfu Yuchen said.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Huangfu Yuchen spoke, “Minister Gao’s words just now were absolutely correct. The road construction not only benefits the nation and its people but also brings prosperity for generations to come. The reconstruction of the capital city is just the first step in the development of our great Han Kingdom. In the future, our kingdom will become even stronger, and we need the support of the people.”
“We, the common people, will definitely support!”
Suddenly, a voice filled with laugher shouted, “Long live the Emperor!”
The common people joined in, “Long live the Emperor!”
Huangfu Yuchen chuckled and looked over. The person sitting on the railing of the second floor, dressed in white, elegant and charming, and looking at him with a smile, could only be Yan Ge.
“Come here,” Huangfu Yuchen beckoned to him.
Yan Ge flew over with a whoosh and landed beside him.
“I greet Prime Minister Yan,” Yan Ge said.
“No need for formalities.”
“Why did you come here?” Huangfu Yuchen embraced Yan Ge’s waist.
Yan Ge replied, “I heard there was a troublemaker here, so I came to take a look.”
“A troublemaker? Quite accurate.” Huangfu Yuchen smiled lightly. “But Minister Gao has already dealt with it. Minister Gao has done well, and we must not underestimate any aspect of the road construction.”
“I will follow Your Majesty’s decree and assure Your Majesty of my utmost dedication,” Gao Jingwei said.
