After the attempt at Xiao Cheng’s life, the Emperor had to force himself to handle government affairs despite being ill. His headache was getting worse and worse. He was now dependent on the Lin Family’s accupuncture treatments to ease the pain. Every time it was Lin Qingyu’s turn to be on duty, he was almost always on standby in the Emperor’s palace. Even if while he was on break but in the palace grounds, he would be summoned by the emperor from time to time.
In the eyes of the emperor, Lin Qingyu had a gentle temperament. He never said anything unnecessary and he even carried a light medicinal fragrance on his body. This same kind of fragrance was also found on Chu Zhengde but on Chu Zhengde, he found it pungnet but on Lin Qingyu, it became refreshing. Especially when massaging the acupuncture points on his head for him, the beauty would lower his eyes and remain silent thoughout. His flawless skin glowed faintly under the palace lanterns.
Seeing so much of Lin Qingyu, he now found the other beauties in his harem dull and boring. It was a pity that he was in a bad mood right now. With such a big incident befalling the Eastern Palace, he simply didn’t have the energy to consider this matter. a big thing happened in the East Palace, he didn’t have the heart to think about it at all. During the times his breath is taken away by Lin Qingyu’s beauty, all he could do was heave a sigh.
Nowadays, he doesn’t bother having his concubines attend to him in his illness. He left only Xue Ying and Lin Qingyu, surrounding himself with silence.
On this day, Lin Qingyu was ordered to go to the Emperor’s palace but was stopped by Xue Ying at the door. “Imperial Physician Lin, the Emperor is discussing business inside. Please wait for a while.”
“Is the Prime Minister inside?” It was the Prime Minister who was in charge of running the government these days. Any important matter that the ministers had to report to His Majesty were all conveyed through him.
Xue Ying and Lin Qingyu had been serving the Emperor together for a long time and they have gradually became more familiar with each other. Xue Ying didn’t hide it from him. “It’s the leader of the Tianji Camp, Xie Daren.”
Lin Qingyu said indifferently, “I see.”
It must be because of the assassination attempt on Xiao Cheng. As soon as Xiao Cheng’s incident happened, Shen Huaishi disappeared. The Tianji Camp would follow this trail and track him down. No one know how their investigation has been going.
After Xie Daren withdrew, Lin Qingyu entered the Emperor’s sleeping chambers. The emperor sat at the dragon’s desk, a solemn expression on his face. It seemed that Tianji Camp hadn’t brought him any good news.
The emperor waived off Lin Qingyu’s salute and said feebly, “I have a headache again, come and give me a massage.”
Lin Qingyu went to stand behind the emperor and massaged his forehead for him. The emperor’s expression softened a little and he closed his eyes to enjoy it. “Your technique is really good.”
Lin Qingyu said, “This official learned all these from my father. My technique is nothing compared to my father’s.”
“Lin Rushan?” The emperor remembered this demoted former Yuan Pan, “He is a person of true talent, only that he is a bit presumptuous. It was not wrong of the Crown Prince to punish him, but it is indeed a waste of talent to prevent him from practicing his craft. Right now, the Imperial Hospital is in need of people. Convey my order, Lin Rushan shall be reinstated to his post as Yuan Pan of the Imperial Hospital.”
Lin Qingyu wanted to kneel down to offer his thanks on behalf of his father. But the emperor grabbed his hand. “No need to be too polite. Continue your massage for me.”
Xiao Cheng was not yet dead and the Emperor could not die either. Lin Qingyu suppressed his disgust and pretended to be respectful and obedient. Thanks to his massage, the Emperor’s head no longer hurt so much. He once again unfurled the reports and forced himself to read them.
Lin Qingyu said, “Your Majesty’s is in ill health. Mental stress must be avoided.”
The emperor sighed. “Now that the Crown Prince is also ill, if I do not concern myself with these things, who will concern themselve over these things for me?”
“The Crown Prince isn’t the Emperor’s only son.”
The emperor narrowed his eyes dangerously. “What did you say?”
Lin Qingyu made himself appear to panic. He knelt down and said, “This official spoke out of turn. I ask the Emperor to forgive me.”
The emperor looked at the beauty who was so frightened that his face paled. He felt that he himself might have been overly-suspicious. He was a mere imperial physician, what schemes could he possibly get up to? “Get up. What you said was not unreasonable. It’s a pity that the two remaining princes…” Thinking of this, the emperor’s head began to ache again and the words on the reports began to blur.
Seeing his bitter expression, Lin Qingyu said, “You Majesty’s health is the most important thing. It would be better for the Emperor to take a rest first.”
The Emperor nodded. “Alright. I will have to rely on you to help me get ready for bed.”
Lin Qingyu stared at the emperor’s throat. “Yes.”
Lin Qingyu helped the emperor up and walked towards the dragon bed. Suddenly, he said, “There is one matter this official wishes to apologize for and seek the Emperor’s punishment.”
“Oh? What crime have you committed?”
Lin Qingyu said, “Recently, my mother has been feeling unwell. This official and his righteous brother, General Gu, went to Changsheng Temple to offer incense and pray for my mother. At the entrance of the temple, we met the imperial censor Yang Geng, Yang Daren. Yang Daren said that a male wife is an inauspicious thing and that this official was still within the period of mourning and thus should not be so close to other men. If this official brings any ill to General Gu, even if this official were to die a thousand deaths, it would not suffice.”
The emperor let out a groan in his heart. The tragic situation of the Nan’an Hou’s mansion was vivid in everyone’s mind and the Nan’an Hou has only slightly improved after Lin Qingyu departed from the mansion. With regards to these kinds of things, it was better to believe than to not.
“Withdraw first,” the emperor said, “let Xue Ying come in and serve me.”
Lin Qingyu walked out of the bedchamber. He saw Xue Ying hurriedly approaching and asked, “Eunuch Xue, why are you in such a hurry?”
Xue Ying said happily, “It’s the Crown Prince – the Crown Prince is awake!”
Lin Qingyu laughed: “This… is indeed a happy event.”
Back at the Imperial Hospital, Hu Ji told Lin Qingyu that although the Crown Prince was awake, most of his body had broken down to the extent that to what degree he’d be able to recover would depend on his recuperation in the days to come. When he woke up, he became even more temperamental and irritable than before. One concubine who had been serving him by his sickbed was only slightly clumsy but was sent to the cold palace to spend her days together with Side Concubine Lu.
Hu Ji had also seen Xie Daren of the Tianji Camp in the Eastern Palace and even overheard a conversation between him and the crown prince. The crown prince seemed to not even be at all interested in the affairs of the court. Heedless of anything, he desperately wanted to capture the assassin and bring him back to the capital. The crown prince repeatedly emphasized that he must be kept alive.
After Lin Qingyu left the palace, he went directly to the General’s Mansion. Yuan Yin welcomed him into the mansion and said, “The general is training at the military grounds.”
When Lin Qingyu came to the military grounds, he saw Gu Fuzhou with his upper body bare, his stomach to the ground, his body in a straight line. He propped himself up and down, muttering under his breath, “Seventy-seven, seventy-eight, seventy-nine…”
“General,” Yuan Yin said, “Imperial Physician Lin is here.”
“Eighty…!” Gu Fuzhou breathed a sigh of relief, got up and took the shirt handed to him by a servant. He put it on carelessly and joked, “Ah, I was seen by Imperial Physician Lin. How embarassing.”
Lin Qingyu’s bad mood at learning of Xiao Cheng waking up from his coma eased a bit. “I’ve helped you take a bath. There’s no part of you I haven’t seen.”
Gu Fuzhou sent the servant away and said, “That’s the body from the past. You haven’t seen my current body before.”
“I can’t have a look yet?”
Gu Fuzhou complained, “We’re you the one who said my abs were getting loose. You can look once I’ve trained them back into shape.” Gu Fuzhou wiped his sweat with the hem of his clothes. “I’m exhausted – I’m so exhausted. I used to be able to play ball for hours on end and still not get tired. The years are so unforgiving…”
Lin Qingyu interrupted him. “Xiao Cheng is awake.”
Gu Fuzhou raised his eyebrows, not surprised at all. “What did I tell you? Xiao Cheng has a halo. He’s not going to die that easily. But we aren’t completely defeated. The Emperor might not be able to tolerate a weak and sickly Crown Prince who has no intention to govern. What happens in the future depends on whether Xiao Cheng can strive for himself.”
But these can only be seen as time went on.
Lin Qingyu thought for a while and said, “As for our second marriage, we should do it as soon as possible.”
Gu Fuzhou paused and the corner of his mouth raised in a smile. “Now you’r in such a hurry?”
Thinking about the emperor’s various actions, Lin Qingyu said, “Since it has been decided, delaying it might simply lead to more trouble. Or, have you changed your mind and want to marry the Seventh Princess?”
“Of course not. But have you really thought about it?”
Lin Qingyu asked back, “Do I seem like I haven’t thought well and good about?”
“What I mean is, have you ever thought about what we’re going to do after we get married…” Gu Fuzhou’s tone was a little unnatural, “Uh, how would we get along?”
Lin Qingyu was stunned by this question and he said, hesitantly, “We’re getting married because we have no choice. How we get along now will naturally be…how we will get along in the future.”
Gu Fuzhou pouted and said in a low voice, “If you say so, then I won’t propose seriously.”
Lin Qingyu didn’t understand. “Propose what?”
“Here, take this.”
Gu Fuzhou flicked a shot with his hand and a golden object slid across the air, which Lin Qingyu firmly caught.
It was a ring of pure gold, much thinner than the ornamental thumb rings often worn by men. It had a simple relief engraved on it, small and delicate.
Lin Qingyu cast a confused look at Gu Fuzhou. “What does this mean?”
Gu Fuzhou explained, “In my hometown, it is a tradition to wear a ring on your ring finger when you decide to get married.”
“Is that so?” Lin Qingyu often heard Gu Fuzhou talk about his hometown. It must be such a bizarre world. In summer, there was something called an “air conditioner”, which saved Gu Fuzhou’s life for the better half of every year. In his hometown, it would take only an hour to travel the distance between Yongliang and the capital. There, men who were 18 years old were adults but they couldn’t get married until they were 22. If he and Gu Fuzhou went back there, no one would recognize their marriage.
Since they met, it had been Gu Fuzhou following their customs. Occassionally, he should respect the rules of Gu Fuzhou’s hometown.
Lin Qingyu picked up the ring and was about to put it on his ring finger but was loudly stopped by Gu Fuzhou, “What are you doing?”
Lin Qingyu asked, puzzled, “Didn’t you say I have to wear it?”
Gu Fuzhou couldn’t help laughing. “You can’t put it on yourself. Ask me to help you put it on.”
“Is this also a rule in your hometown?”
“That’s right”
“So troublesome.” Lin Qingyu stretched out his left hand, “Then, you come and do it.”
Gu Fuzhou’s expression suddenly became serious. He lowered his head and for a while, he stared at Lin Qingyu’s hand. He first wiped his hands with a handkerchief and then carefully picking up the ring.
His hands seemed to be shaking a little. He was nervous.
Lin Qingyu had never seen Gu Fuzhou take something so seriously before; it was as if he was accomplishing the most important thing in his life. Seeing him like this, Lin Qingyu also started feeling nervous.
It must be because Gu Fuzhuo held the ring for so long, the metal had grown a but warm. He slowly pushed it to go round his finger, leaving a dazzling afterimage in the sunlight.
It was a strange feeling. After putting on the ring, the two did not speak for a while.
Lin Qingyu calmed down and asked, “Is it alright now?”
“Wait, at a moment like this I ought to say something a bit pretentious. Let me think about it…” Gu Fuzhou took a deep breath, grabbed Lin Qingyu’s hand and placed it on his chest. He said, voice filled with emotion, “Then, Qingyu, I entrust the rest of my life to you.”
The rest of his life? Not marrying a wife and having children but staying with Gu Fuzhou til the end, making jokes, laughing and cursing, occasionally conspiring to do bad things together and supporting each other for the rest of their lives?
It seemed… acceptable.
“En.”
Hearing Lin Qingyu’s agreement, Gu Fuzhou couldn’t help reaching for a mile after having gotten an inch. “Then promise me, even if I’m bald, fat and without any abdominal muscles, you won’t dislike me, okay?”
Lin Qingyu quickly calmed down and mercilessly took back his hand. “Impossible.”
The author has something to say: Salted Fish Jiang, a male high school student who travels to a different world and still tries to maintain the traditions of his hometown. (This is the ring around his finger on the cover.)
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