Huaisang nods at his comments. He feels a deeply buried twinge of betrayal at what he knows about how Meng Yao actually felt about that loss, but he knows how to keep those things buried. On the surface, he keeps his more important feelings, his genuine loss and loneliness.
"That's kind of you to say, even if you're exaggerating. I'm fortunate to have very competent people helping me. I've always been good at making people like me and want to spoil me, so Meng Yao and Lan Xichen and all the bureaucrats and generals back home are very patient with all the things I don't understand."
Which is all entirely true, really. Huaisang's not an academic, but he's an exceptional manager, making people want to do their best to help him. He notices successful results and gives those people more power, while weaponizing his confusion and ignorance against anyone whose results he doesn't want to enable. He has one branch of cousins who have been complaining about the gold leaf flaking off their residence for years and the request just keeps getting lost due to Huaisang's helpless incompetence. The roads of Qinghe, meanwhile, have never been in better repair and their grain silos are full, because he promoted the people who understood how to make those things happen.
Finally Huaisang reaches a set of rooms, drawing open the doors. A lock dangles from one handle, unused. He'd left the rooms unlocked, despite Meng Yao's frequent scoldings that he should take more care with himself. Huaisang cannot allow himself to be vigilant or to have anything to hide. His escort from Qinghe stays elsewhere in the palace complex, somewhere more suited to their rank, and it drives them to distraction that Huaisang constantly insists that he needs no protection here and there's no need for them to keep an eye on his person or his possessions.
He has to leave himself vulnerable to Meng Yao. He has to. Only the open palm conceals no weapon.
The rooms themselves are beautiful and luxurious, all silk and gilt, painted screens and vases full of fresh peonies. A pair of bird cages sit at opposite ends of the main room, both birds rare and lovely, twittering prettily as Huaisang enters. Everything is chosen for beauty and pleasure, artfully arranged. Much of it personally selected and placed by Meng Yao, Huaisang is certain.
Only Huaisang himself stands out as out of place in the rooms. In this gold and cream room with pink accents, Huaisang seems glaringly misplaced in his streamlined silver robes.
"Isn't it lovely?" Huaisang asks, going over to one of the birds to fuss gently over it for a few moments. "As I said, Meng Yao spoils me."
no subject
"That's kind of you to say, even if you're exaggerating. I'm fortunate to have very competent people helping me. I've always been good at making people like me and want to spoil me, so Meng Yao and Lan Xichen and all the bureaucrats and generals back home are very patient with all the things I don't understand."
Which is all entirely true, really. Huaisang's not an academic, but he's an exceptional manager, making people want to do their best to help him. He notices successful results and gives those people more power, while weaponizing his confusion and ignorance against anyone whose results he doesn't want to enable. He has one branch of cousins who have been complaining about the gold leaf flaking off their residence for years and the request just keeps getting lost due to Huaisang's helpless incompetence. The roads of Qinghe, meanwhile, have never been in better repair and their grain silos are full, because he promoted the people who understood how to make those things happen.
Finally Huaisang reaches a set of rooms, drawing open the doors. A lock dangles from one handle, unused. He'd left the rooms unlocked, despite Meng Yao's frequent scoldings that he should take more care with himself. Huaisang cannot allow himself to be vigilant or to have anything to hide. His escort from Qinghe stays elsewhere in the palace complex, somewhere more suited to their rank, and it drives them to distraction that Huaisang constantly insists that he needs no protection here and there's no need for them to keep an eye on his person or his possessions.
He has to leave himself vulnerable to Meng Yao. He has to. Only the open palm conceals no weapon.
The rooms themselves are beautiful and luxurious, all silk and gilt, painted screens and vases full of fresh peonies. A pair of bird cages sit at opposite ends of the main room, both birds rare and lovely, twittering prettily as Huaisang enters. Everything is chosen for beauty and pleasure, artfully arranged. Much of it personally selected and placed by Meng Yao, Huaisang is certain.
Only Huaisang himself stands out as out of place in the rooms. In this gold and cream room with pink accents, Huaisang seems glaringly misplaced in his streamlined silver robes.
"Isn't it lovely?" Huaisang asks, going over to one of the birds to fuss gently over it for a few moments. "As I said, Meng Yao spoils me."