On the contrary, the General raised his eyes. His expression was cold, and his gaze looked unkind.

Then, the General flipped through the account book and then closed it.

“I’ll use the rest,” Huo Wujiu replied indifferently.

What?

This was the first time ever.

Wei Kai was quite puzzled: “General?”

Huo Wujiu replied with an impatient click of his tongue.

“What’s wrong? Do you still want to grab every opportunity to gain benefits?” Huo Wujiu asked. He looked unconcerned, and instead acted as if justice was on his side.

Wei Kai was a little confused by his retort. While he was still in a daze, the General stood up.

“Go back and send someone to look around the city and outside of the city to check where there are book shops, auction houses, and antique shops. Search them all,” Huo Wujiu ordered.

This made Wei Kai even more miserable.

He quickly said, “G-General, this subordinate can only recognize a few words, so I might go around foolishly… What books do you want? How am I supposed to find them?”

His reasoning stopped Huo Wujiu.

He left these silver, purely because of some unspoken reasons.

He had always regarded money as nothing. After all, he had never lacked money since he was a child. He had no concept of these gold and silver things, much less being interested in them.

But just now, when he saw the various treasures in Pang Shao’s mansion flowing past in front of him, he was moved for the first time.

He thought to himself: How could Pang Shao, an old geezer, dare to collect the priceless treasures around the world, while Jiang Suizhou, who was clearly a relative of the Emperor, paled in comparison to that old man?

He felt indignant. He felt that these priceless treasures should belong to Jiang Suizhou.

However, he knew that Jiang Suizhou did not like these things.

The money should be spent if need be, but the rare treasures, antiques, calligraphy and paintings would naturally be returned to the national treasury. When the heaps of riches in front of Huo Wujiu gradually dwindled, he actually felt anxious.

The treasury was full; the army was well paid; even the soldiers under his command were going to have a good meal tonight and share their rewards, but his Jiang Suizhou still had nothing!

So, Huo Wujiu grabbed the last sum of money in his hand.

He had to buy something for Jiang Suizhou.

What did he like? An image of Jiang Suizhou reading a book with that focused, quiet and calm look, immediately emerged in Huo Wujiu’s mind.

It was precisely because of this that he made such a request to Wei Kai.

But now that Wei Kai asked, he was at a loss.

What books should he buy? Wei Kai couldn’t understand a thing, so could he?

Huo Wujiu stayed silent for a long time. Finally, he uttered a string of words.

“Never mind the content,” he said. “Pick the expensive ones. Pick the most expensive ones in the whole world.”

That night, it was just after the second watch by the time Huo Wujiu returned to the palace.

He went straight to Jiang Suizhou’s bedchamber, and when he entered, he saw Jiang Suizhou sitting under the window with his robe on, contemplating over a game of chess. The tea in his hand was steaming, and amidst the tea fragrance was Jiang Suizhou’s calm and serene eyes.

Huo Wujiu caught his breath.

Jiang Suizhou heard footsteps, raised his head at him and said, “You’re back.”

When their eyes met, Huo Wujiu’s mind was filled with the inappropriate image of Jiang Suizhou when he pressed him in his arms today. At that time, his face was flushed, and his eyes were misty.

He cleared his throat, unable to move his legs. A moment later, the man with ulterior motives advanced and sat opposite Jiang Suizhou.

“Hmm,” he said. “I’m done with work.”

Jiang Suizhou noticed that as soon as he entered the threshold, he sat down in front of the chessboard and looked down at the chess game. It was as if he was interested in it.

He raised his hand and asked Meng Qianshan to serve Huo Wujiu some tea, and then said, “Do you like this too? You came just in time. I don’t have a clue about this game yet. Come and help me.”

Huo Wujiu stared at the chessboard.

Of course he wasn’t interested in the game. Back in the day, in order to force him to learn chess, his father almost beat him to death, but he failed to force him.

Huo Wujiu stared at the chessboard, purely because he could not look at Jiang Suizhou. This man was too seductive. But then again, he had just tasted two bites of meat, so if he were to take another glance, something was bound to happen.

However, it was useless to avoid looking at him.

Huo Wujiu looked at the black and white jade chess pieces intertwined on the chessboard, but what appeared in his mind was Jiang Suizhou’s neck that was as white as jade under the heavy black robe.

Huo Wujiu’s breath deepened.

But opposite him, Jiang Suizhou thought that he was staring at the chessboard in contemplation.

Huo Wujiu’s eyebrows were naturally sharp. At present, he looked entirely serious, and his eyes were focused and earnest. Under the shadow of the lamp, his sternness and solemnity radiated a kind of fatal attraction.

He has always been attractive when he’s serious, Jiang Suizhou muttered inwardly.

After Huo Wujiu pondered for a long time, his hand fell on a black piece. He picked it up and let it fall on the chessboard with a click.

It was obviously such an nonchalant movement, yet it was full of vim. It gave the impression that he was the world to rights.

In a moment, the black and white pieces on the board became like two armies facing each other beyond the walls of their respective territories under Huo Wujiu’s hand.

Whenever a piece fell, it was akin to a general waving a marshal’s flag in front of a battlefield. Afterwhich, a thousand cavalry immediately galloped forward.

Jiang Suizhou quickly surveyed the chess game.

Black and white were already in a stalemate. Both sides were biting together, as if they were clutching each other’s throats. At this juncture, every step was critical and brilliant. Oftentimes, a single move could take the life of the opponent and seal one’s victory… Huh?

Jiang Suizhou was stunned.

He saw that the black pieces on the board, which had been so aggressive and fierce on the board, lay down their arms and surrendered because of Huo Wujiu’s move. Their momentum changed, and they plunged headlong into the circle of white pieces.

Jiang Suizhou was confused.

He raised his eyes at Huo Wujiu, and Huo Wujiu did the same.

Huo Wujiu rubbed a chess piece with one hand. He was deadpan, and his eyes were calm, but his words were confusing.

“It’s time to sleep,” Huo Wujiu said.

Jiang Suizhou froze, then glanced out the window. The night was indeed deep.

“Yes,” he agreed and looked at Huo Wujiu.

However, Huo Wujiu remained seated there, motionless.

Jiang Suizhou was even more confused.

What’s wrong with this person?… He urged me to go to bed, and yet why is he still sticking around?

Chapter 185
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