Chapter 122
March in Yangchun was filled with apricot blossoms and spring showers, peach blossoms and swaying willows. It was a good time to be traveling to the south of the country. Their group had two carriages; one for Lin Qingyu and Jiang Xing and the other for the servants to take turns to rest. The shadow guards looking after the safety of the emperor and empress followed them in the dark.
Just traveling from the capital to the Southern regions takes a lot of time. The carriage needed not only to be comfortable but also had to have some entertainment to relieve boredom. Lin Qingyu and Jiang Xing’s carriage was extremely spacious, big enough for two grown men to fully lie down. The inside was covered with cushions. It was outfitted with a teapoy with some fruit and preserves to satisfy their food cravings and also a small sized bookcase with paper and brushes, some medical books and novels.
Lin Qingyu wanted to pass the time by reading, but Jiang Xing insisted on teaching him to speak Cantonese and wouldn’t let him off.
He had a highly retentive memory and instantly remembered things he’s seen, the same went for things he’s heard. While they were in the palace, Jiang Xing had taught him to read and write the characters of his hometown. With the Dayu’s characters as foundation, he easily mastered simplified characters. During their usual days, when the two of them would chat with Xiao Songzi, Jiang Xing, hating anything troublesome, would fall back on using simplified characters. Thus, even Xiao Songzi had learned to understand simplified characters. Now, Lin Qingyu spent a little time learning Jiang Xing’s native dialect and by the time the carriage arrived at Yuzhang, he was able to have a simple conversation with Jiang Xing in Cantonese.
“Qingyu, say that again, the one I taught you just now.”
Lin Qingyu said unhurriedly, “I heckin’ luv ya?”
Jiang Xing was amazed. “You’re so talented.” There was nothing awkward about his accent. One who didn’t know otherwise would think that Lin Qingyu was born and bred in Jiaozhou.
Lin Qingyu said lightly, “His Majesty must have misspoken. The world is so vast, is there anything I do not have the talent for?”
Jiang Xing gave a thumbs up. “Damn it, you almost had me there. If you go to my hometown and take the college entrance examinations—the college entrance examinations is kind of like the imperial examinations, you would most definitely take top spot.”
Lin Qingyu said modestly, “This insignificant skill of mine is nothing to speak of.”
“Then, I have to play a song for you.” Jiang Xing picked up the Xiqin beside him, “The title of this song is: Lonely is the Unmatched.”
Having had his fill of playing around, Jiang Xing started to feel sleepy. Lin Qingyu generously lent him his lap as a pillow. When Jiang Xing woke up, it was already dusk. Lin Qingyu maintained the same sitting posture as when he had fallen asleep, with a chess piece between his fingers, playing one man chess. The glow of the setting sun sprinkled over Lin Qingyu’s shoulders, making his face seem aglow. Even his hair seemed to take on the golden hue of the setting sun.
Probably in order to fit with the beautiful spring scenery, Lin Qingyu wore a sky blue corseted robe today. With eyes lowered, lost in thought, he looked like a naturally carved jade porcelain figure.
Jiang Xing spent a long while simply appreciating the sight of him. His heart seemed to have been ignited by the setting sun. Lin Qingyu noticed his rapid breathing and looked at him. “You’re awake?”
“En.”
Lin Qingyu touched Jiang Xing’s cheek with the back of his hand. “Are you thirsty?”
Jiang Xing grabbed his wrist. Eyes twinkling, he said quietly, “Qingyu, I kind of want to…”
The two had been married for a long time and they shared a deep mutual understanding. With just one look from Jiang Xing, Lin Qingyu knew what he was thinking.
Lin Qingyu could vaguely hear the conversation between Xiao Songzi and Hua Lu outside. The look in his eyes was clear. “Don’t even think about it — We’re in a carriage.”
Jiang Xing just laughed. “Don’t be like that. I can’t even think about it? I’m not going to do anything.”
Lin Qingyu sneered. “You want to use your imagination to bed me again?”
“Oh, that’s right. If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten that I still have this skill.” Jiang Xing put his hands behind his head, imagining, “Just listen, there’s a rustling sound. It’s me lifting the hem of your clothes. Immediately, you feel a slight chill. My hand has reached in and is pressing against your soft spot. Our lips meet and my palm starts rubbing slowly…”
Lin Qingyu supported his forehead. “His Majesty is so talented. That you didn’t turn your considerable talents to writing romance novels is a true loss for this world.”
Jiang Xing’s lips curved into a smile and he said, “Then have you cum yet?”
Lin Qingyu was very supportive. “Three times already.”
Jiang Xing said boldly, “Well, I’ve already cum five times.”
Lin Qingyu: “…” He’ll remember to increase the number next time.
When they first arrived in Yuzhang, the two spent the day walking around the city for a day with Xiao Songzi and Hua Lu. Although the markets in the South weren’t as lively and bustling as those in the capital, they also had their own charms. The willow trees swayed with the wind and the calls of the vendors had a soft tone unique to the Southern dialect. The way the women dressed too was slightly different from what was worn in the capital. In their hands, they held fans made of light gauze, creating a graceful and subdued style.
Both Lin Qingyu and Jiang Xing were dressed like ordinary rich young masters. Lin Qingyu was more like the son of a scholarly family, wearing a long blue robe that attracted the attention of many people. On the other hand, Jiang Xing, holding a jade fan, appeared like an elegant young man with a free and easy manner. He asked Lin Qingyu, “Qingyu, is there any place you want to go?”
Lin Qingyu said, “The largest pharmacy in Yuzhang is called ‘Xuanhu Tang’. It’s known as the Imperial Medical Office of the South. I’d like to go and have a look.”
“Alright. Xiao Songzi, go ask for directions to Xuanhu Tang —— Xiao Songzi?”
When he didn’t get a response, Jiang Xing turned around to look for him, only to find that Xiao Songzi had been distracted by a shop called “Liu Ziang Zhai”. “What is it? Do you want to buy cosmetics?”
Only then did Xiao Songzi come back to his senses and hurriedly said, “Replying to the Young Master, this servant wishes to bring back some local product as a gift to my younger sister.”
Hua Lu asked curiously, “Is there any difference between Yuzhang’s rouge and the capital’s?”
Lin Qingyu said, “If you want to find out then go in and have a look.”
Xiao Songzi was overwhelmed by favor from his master, “No, no. How can we can possibly delay the Young Masters’ matter for mine?”
Lin Qingyu said, “This is a leisure trip. There is no hurry for any matter. Go on, go in.”
The boss of Liu Xiang Zhai was used to talking human when talking to humans and talking ghost when talking to ghosts. As soon as she saw Lin Qingyu and Jiang Xing, she knew that these two must be giants among men so she hurriedly greeted them with a smile. “Esteemed Sirs, are you interested in buying some rouge and powders? Then you came to the right place. In the whole of Yuzhang Liu Xiang Zhai’s cosmetics are the best. Even the nobles in the capital who’ve used it swear by it.”
Jiang Xing pointed with his jade fan to Xiao Songzi. “We’re not the ones looking to buy. Rather, it’s this little brother who’s interested. You should address him. Don’t mind us.”
The boss looked at Xiao Songzi, blatantly sizing him up. The smile on her face faded a bit. “What would you like to buy, little brother?”
Xiao Songzi didn’t know anything about women’s cosmetics. He scratched his head, and said, “I have ten pieces of silver. What can I buy?”
As the eunuch personally serving the emperor, Xiao Songzi had quite a lot of savings. But when all was said and done, he was a child from a poor family and being frugal has been his habit since he was a child. For him, spending ten pieces of silver on a rouge was already a splurge.
When the boss heard him say this, she immediately knew that he knew nothing about this trade. “Ten pieces of silver won’t buy you anything good,” the boss said. “Better to add three more and that should be just enough to buy you Liu Xiang Zhai’s signature powder.”
Xiao Songzi appeared embarrassed. “I left the rest of my silver in the carriage.”
Lin Qingyu was about to pay the extra silver for Xiao Songzi but was stopped by Jiang Xing. Jiang Xing looked at the boss, raised his eyebrows and said, “What good rouge can’t be bought with ten pieces of silver?”
The boss begun to have misgivings. This young man in his brocade robe was obviously a nobleman. What did he know of the price of rouge and powders? “Yes,” the boss toughened her scalp. “I wouldn’t lie to you. You get what you pay for. The goods here in Liu Xiang Zhai simply cannot be compared to those used by those cheap wretches on the street.”
When Jiang Xing entered this shop, he noticed that there was another cosmetics shop right across called “Yu Fang Zhai”. He smiled and said, “Since you didn’t bring enough money, we’ll just have to come next time.”
The boss hurriedly tried to persuade them to stay, but the customers left so decisively that she could only watch helplessly as they went to the opposite shop. She and the boss of the shop across have been rivals for more than a decade. Seeing the other make money pained her more than losing money herself.
Xiao Songzi said, “Young Master, I won’t buy it anymore. We should go to Xuanhu Tang first after all.”
Jiang Xing said, “We’re already here. It would be a pity not to buy.”
“But I don’t have enough money.”
“Don’t listen to her nonsense. How could ten pieces of silver not be enough to buy good rouge?” Jiang Xingyu put away his fan and beckoned, “Come here, I will teach you how to do it.”
Jiang Xing whispered a few words to Xiao Songzi. “Go ahead, we’ll wait for you outside. While you’re at it, help me buy a box of rouge — the best one they’ve got.”
Lin Qingyu asked suspiciously, “What are you up to?”
Jiang Xing was the very face of innocence. “Why, I’m buying it to give to Xiu Jiao momo when we get back.”
Xiao Songzi entered Yu Fang Zhai alone and said to the proprietress who came up to him, “The boss of Liu Xiang Zhai opposite said that you can’t buy any good rouge for less than ten pieces of silver. If you don't agree, let's argue.”
The proprietress’ mood soured upon hearing this and said with a sneer, “That ignorant fool. She’s an utter embarrassment to Yuzhang. — Don’t worry, young sir. Forget ten pieces of silver, even three pieces is enough to buy you the best rouge and powders in Yuzhang.”
After Xiao Songzi returned from Yu Fang Zhai loaded with cosmetic purchases, they continued walking in the direction of Xuanhu Tang. Yuzhang was a land of esteemed scholars and many of those who topped the Dayu’s imperial examinations came from here. Bookstores lines the street, specializing in poetry collections and treasured scrolls of calligraphy and paintings.
Jiang Xing had no interest in calligraphy scrolls. If he wanted, he could have the world’s most talented scholars write for him every day. He randomly picked some books to pass the time on their journey and asked Xiao Songzi and Hua Lu to take them back to the inn where they were staying the night.
Lin Qingyu spent a long time in the Xuanhu Tang, conversing with the doctor in charge and the errand boy who was in charge of collecting medicinal herbs for them. He also talked with the man who sold their medicine and while he was there, he even dispensed medicine for a patient suffering from a cough. He claimed to be a student of the Imperial Medical Office, here in Yuzhang to study. Most of the Dayu’s doctors aspired to join the Imperial Medical Office and he being such a beautiful doctor, who would dare to slight him? Who could have the heart to slight him?
They walked around the city almost the entire day and when they returned to the inn that night, not to mention Jiang Xing, even Lin Qingyu felt a little tired. After washing up, the two of them went to bed, fully clothed, without the energy to even consider doing a bit of lovemaking.
Early the next morning, Jiang Xing, as was his habit, turned to hug the beauty when he was unexpectedly met with thin air.
“Qingyu?” Jiang Xing opened one eye and saw Lin Qingyu sitting in front of the mirror with his hair tied back. He opened the other eye. “What are you doing?”
“Today I plan to go up Kuangsu Mountain.” Lin Qingyu said, “The herb collector in Xuanhu Tang said that there are many medicinal herbs unique to Yuzhang deep in the forests of Mt. Kuangsu. I’m going to try my luck. Maybe there’ll be a pleasant surprise waiting for me.”
Jiang Xing couldn’t believe it. “So, we’re going out today?”
Lin Qingyu asked strangely, “Otherwise?”
Jiang Xing’s voice went weak, “I thought we could rest at the inn today.”
Lin Qingyu was puzzled. “We’re here to travel. If you want to just rest in the inn, why’d you even come out? Wouldn’t it have been better to rest in the palace?”
Jiang Xing had no way to refute. He fell back down and laughed. “Yesterday we walked at least 20,000 steps. My legs were about to break. Today you want me to climb a mountain. You’re out for my life, aren’t you? The honeymoon I imagined is the kind where we walk at most 10,000 steps as you and I stroll along the beach.”
Lin Qingyu ruthlessly shattered his beautiful fantasy. “There is no sea in the South.”
Jiang Xing looked wretched. “Along the lake is fine too. I’m not asking for much.”
Lin Qingyu sighed. “Then how about you stay in the inn to rest?”
Jiang Xing frowned. “But, I want to stay with you.”
Seeing Jiang Xing so conflicted, Lin Qingyu too began to feel conflicted too. Of course, he wanted to stay with Jiang Xing as well. But Jiang Xing looked so much like a dead fish, tired and paralyzed, like his legs would break if he walked a few more steps. It would be too cruel to make Jiang Xing come with him up the mountain to collect herbs.
Lin Qingyu thought for a while and testing it out, said, “I also want to stay with my Lao Gong.”
Jiang Xing: “…”
Lin Qingyu pretended not to know what effect this had on Jiang Xing. “What kind of expression is that?”
Jiang Xing’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He said, “That’s not fair.”
The corners of Lin Qingyu’s lips ticked up and he asked, “Does Lao Gong have the strength to walk now?”
Jiang Xing assessed the strength he had in him and said in resignation, “It seems I have.”
The author has something to say: Do you think there would be something exciting when you saw ” Lin Qingyu and Jiang Xing’s carriage was extremely spacious, big enough for two grown men to fully lie down. The inside was covered with cushions”?
——I wasn’t thinking anything! ! ! (dog head)
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