Chapter 35: CH 34

It was the beginning of winter, the water was beginning to freeze, the ground as well. The greenery has withered and the insects now lay hidden and dormant. The fragrance of the sweet-scented osmanthus tree in the Blue Wind Pavilion was gone, only layers of dead branches remained. 

At the other end of the Hou Mansion was Liang Shi’s courtyard. The weather was getting colder and colder, but the main hall was full of spring and vitality. Ever since Lu Niantao was married into the Eastern Palace as a concubine, Liang Shi gradually returned to favor. Nan’an Hou even intended to give her back part of the power of managing the household. Even the sick Lu Qiaosong regained his vigor and went around looking for famous doctors for a cure to his impotence.

After hearing about this, Lu Wancheng asked Lin Qingyu, “Lu Qiaosong’s illness should be incurable, right?”

Lin Qingyu affirmed. “Naturally.”

“Then I’m relieved.” Lu Wancheng coughed twice and laughed, “Qingyu, we seem constantly gloat over the misfortunes of others together. We are malicious, petty people who curse at others indiscriminately.” 

Lin Qingyu also smiled. “It’s good being a malicious and petty person.”

As the two were talking, Hua Lu walked in to refresh their tea for them. Lu Wancheng saw that her eyes were a little red as though she’d been crying, and asked, “What’s wrong, Hua Lu? Who bullied you?”

Hua Lu pouted and muttered, “No one.”

Lin Qingyu said, “Was it Huan Tong?”

Hua Lu was the Blue Wind Pavilions highest-ranking maid. Only Huan Tong would dare make her angry.

Hua Lu originally didn’t feel it was anything much but when the two master showed their concern about it, her grievance suddenly welled up. Choked with sobs, she told them what had happened. It turned that painting a huadian on one’s forehead had recently come into fashion in the capital.  Hua Lu was drawn in by the novelty of it and though she hadn’t drawn one before, drew one for herself this morning. Though she was agile in her work, she found her hands clumsy when she tried applying makeup on herself. The plum blossom she painted on herself as all a mess and in a moment of carelessness, she was accidentally caught by Huan Tong. He had laughed at her, saying that she was Dong Shi imitating Xi Shi's frown.

“Huan Tong, that brute, doesn’t he know how to respect girls?” Lu Wancheng comforted Hua Lu, “It’s okay, I’ll scold him for you later. Your Young Master is an expert when it comes to scolding people. I’ll scold him so badly, his own mother wouldn’t recognize him. ”

Hua Lu finally broke into a smile. 

Lin Qingyu said, “I can draw a huadian. I’ll draw one for you to apologize on his behalf.”

Lu Wancheng wondered, “Aren’t girls the only ones who know how to draw a huadian? How do you know how to?”

“How difficult could it be?” Lin Qingyu said indifferently, “Hua Lu, bring your dressing case.”

Hua Lu seldom wore makeup so she didn’t have much in the way of makeup. However, she did still have rouge, this item commonly used by women. Lin Qingyu took a clean brush and dipped it in rouge. Brush in one hand and holding back his sleeve with the other, Lin Qingyu drew carefully between Hua Lu’s eyebrows. 

Hua Lu was shrouded in the refined fragrance of books. When she looked up, she could see the Shaojun’s cold and beautiful jawline. Her whole body tensed up. Even though she had nothing but reverence for the Shaojun, at this moment, she felt her heart racing and her face flush with heat. She couldn’t help but think, if Shaojun hadn’t married into the Hou Mansion and became a male wife, how many young girls’ hearts would he have captured?”

After a while, Lin Qingyu put down his brush and said, “It’s done.”

Lin Qingyu painted a small group of burning flames. Though made with but a few strokes, it appeared vivid and playful. Hua Lu looked at herself in the mirror and exclaimed, “Shaojun is amazing!”

Lu Wancheng smiled and said, “It’s beautiful. So pretty. You’ll surely blind that Huan Tong’s dog eyes.” 

Hua Lu’s cheeks flushed with shyness. “Who wants to show him?”

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Oe Qjcmtfcu mtffgoeiis rjlv, “Cigluta.” 

Pc atf fcv, Oe Qjcmtfcu’r Lejvljc kjrc’a jyif ab yf olclrtfv. C rfgnjca mjwf lc ab gfqbga atja Pwqfglji Utsrlmljc Le kjr tfgf.

For Lin Qingyu, Hu Ji was their main source of news from the palace. He immediately had the servant ask Doctor Hu in and serve hot tea.

As soon as Hu Ji saw that Lu Wancheng was lying on a luohan instead of sitting up on a wheelchair despite it being the middle of the day, he knew that Lu Wancheng’s situation was not optimistic. He wisely did not ask after Lu Wancheng’s health, going straight to reporting to Lin Qingyu the current situation in the palace, especially in the Eastern Palace.

The crown prince had accepted two side concubines at once and the Eastern Palace was bustling with activity. One of the two concubines came from a family of civil servants, the other from a military family. One had a gentle temperament, the other a lively one. According to the eunuchs in the Eastern Palace, at first, the crown prince treated the two concubines equally on the surface, but in private, he preferred Lu Shi a bit more; once staying with Lu Shi for three consecutive days. But later, the freshness wore off and the prince became a lot more indifferent to both concubines. He would occasionally drop in on them but it was now more like a routine matter. 

“What did I say?” Lu Wancheng said slowly, “For the crown prince, it is what is unattainable that is best.”

Lin Qingyu frowned slightly. He had thought that Lu Niantao would be favored for at least half a year. He had overestimated Lu Niantao. If Xiao Cheng won’t stay with her often, the time when the poison would break out would be further delayed.

Lu Wancheng’s current condition, how could he possibly wait for that day?

Lin Qingyu said irritably, “Useless idiot, can’t even compete for favor.” 

“Don’t be angry,” Lu Wancheng coaxed. “Lu Niantao…cough, she’s a smart girl. And she’s very eager to come out on top. She’ll find a way to be favored.”

Lin Qingyu closed his eyes, calmed himself down and asked about other things. He heard that an epidemic had broken out in the south as soon as winter arrived. No one knew what their current situation was.

“The situation is very bad. Several villages in Hongzhou have now been emptied. It has been a very eventful autumn, with an epidemic in the south and war in the west,” The more Hu Ji spoke, the more sentimental he became. “The Emperor’s health as well is slowly deteriorating.”

Speaking of the west, Lin Qingyu thought of his father who was far away in Yongliang. He asked, “Does Doctor Hu have news about my father?” 

Hu Ji said, “The Pan Yuan has been trying to detoxify General Gu since he arrived in Yongliang. But who knows where those Xiliang thieves got those strange poisons. The Pan Yuan has tried all kinds of remedies, but still to no effect. He’s getting weaker day after day. I heard that he probably won’t be able to make it through the New Year.”

Lu Wancheng said casually, “Then I’m going to have a face-to-face with this General Gu down in the Nine Springs.”

General Gu was born to a poor family. He joined the army at the age of fourteen. He led military operations with extraordinary skill, performed countless meritorious deeds and it was through his strength that the western border was protected. Now, at the age of 30, he has no father, no mother, no wife and no son. His spear was his only family.

Lin Qingyu sneered, “Thus is the injustice of heaven.” 

Those who deserve to die don’t die immediately, but those who don’t deserve to die can’t even be blessed with a natural death.

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After Hu Ji left, the relaxed atmosphere of drawing the huadian not long ago completely disappeared. Lu Wancheng looked out the window and laughed at himself. “Am I really going to die earlier than Xiao Cheng? Sigh, I just can’t seem to accept that.”

Lin Qingyu was silent, then said, “There will be other ways – there will definitely be other ways.”

Lu Wancheng smiled. “En, yes.” 

Despite having said that, no matter how much they wanted Xiao Cheng to die already, this was a thing more easily said than done. After all, they couldn’t even enter the palace.

Had he known earlier that something like this would happen, he might have just abandoned medicine to pursue martial arts. When Xiao Cheng called him “Little Qingyu”, he wanted nothing more than to cut Xiao Cheng’s neck right then there and watch as the light in his eyes disappeared.

Lin Qingyu gradually became restless and uneasy. He lay on Lu Wancheng’s upper bunk and couldn’t sleep all night. He had no choice but to give himself a sleeping aid.

How on earth could he make Lu Wancheng live a little longer… Just a little longer? 

On this day, Lu Wancheng woke up from his nap and saw that Lin Qingyu wasn’t there. He called out, “Hua Lu, help me up.”

Hua Lu put down her work and helped Lu Wancheng to sit up. While she was at it, she stuffed a soft pillow behind him. “What would you like to do, Young Master?”

Lu Wancheng paused for a long time and said, “There is a prescription in the second cabinet on the left. Take it to the people in the pharmacy and ask them to decoct my medicine according to this prescription from now on.”

Hua Lu was worried. “Who made this prescription? Let’s show it to Shaojun first.” 

Lu Wancheng smiled: “It’s okay. This prescription was made by my father-in-law.”

“Ah, it’s from pan yuan daren. Then it must be a good prescription.” Hua Lu said happily, “I’ll go right away.”

Lu Wancheng stopped her. “You don’t need to tell Shaojun about this. Hmm… But he’s so smart, he’ll definitely be able to tell with just one look.”

They didn’t know quite when it started but Lin Qingyu began to personally serve Lu Wancheng his medicine. As soon as it was time for Lu Wancheng to drink his medicine, Lin Qingyu returned to their room. Hua Lu brought over the medicine. He took the medicine bowl and as soon as he smelled it, he knew that this wasn’t the medicine he had prescribed to Lu Wancheng. 

Lin Qingyu suddenly raised his eyes.

Lu Wancheng smiled at him. “What’s wrong?”

Lin Qingyu’s fingernails almost plunged into his palm. He shook his head and said as calmly as possible, “It’s nothing.”

If this was Lu Wancheng’s choice, he would respect it. 

“When did you ask my father for it?” Lin Qingyu asked.

Lu Wancheng made no effort to hide. “Remember how I woke up early on the day father-in-law left the capital?”

Lin Qingyu smiled lightly. “Such is fate. Aren’t you afraid of pain?”

“How painful can it be?” Lu Wancheng seemed unconcerned. “Women can endure the pain of childbirth. No matter how painful it is, it shouldn’t be as painful as giving birth, right?” 

Lin Qingyu seemed to have something stuck in his chest and said, voice hoarse, “Didn’t you say that your fate was up to heaven? That it isn’t up to you?”

“Ah” Lu Wancheng said, “Then, I want to see the snow, see it a lot… and then I’ll go.”

Lin Qingyu said nothing, patiently feeding Lu Wancheng all the medicine. Then, he stayed with him until the medicine started to take effect.

Lu Wancheng’s expression didn’t change much but blue veins appeared on his forehead. Not long after, he broke out in cold sweat. When he met Lin Qingyu’s gaze, he blocked Lin Qingyu’s eyes with his hand and said with a trembling smile, “Don’t look. My face must be all twisted now. It’s hideous.” 

Lin Qingyu took his hand down and held it in his palm. He said softly, “What can I do to make you feel better?”

Lu Wancheng thought for a while, and then said, “Well… Will you let me take a bit of advantage?”

Lin Qingyu hesitated for a moment and asked, “What advantage?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t go too far. I just want to hear you call me…” 

Lin Qingyu guessed, “Wancheng Gege?”

That really had been what Lu Wancheng was going to say. However, seeing Lin Qingyu’s unconcealed expression of concern, he suddenly changed his mind and wanted to go a little further.

Anyway… Lin Qingyu will never ever know what he wanted to express.

Lu Wancheng shook his head. “Not ‘gege’. Call me ‘ Lao Gong‘.” 

Lin Qingyu was stunned and asked helplessly, “Do you know what the word ‘Lao Gong’ means in Dayu?”

“I know, it means ‘eunuch’, right?” Lu Wancheng wanted to talk to Lin Qingyu in his usual teasing tone, but he was in so much pain that he was barely able to show a broken smile, “But the truth is, my lifelong dream has been to go to the palace and become a eunuch.”

Lin Qingyu: “…” Lu Wancheng must have already lost all rationality from the pain and so he’s able to spout such nonsense.

Lu Wancheng said with difficulty, “Can you let me take this advantage?” 

How could he not?

Lin Qingyu gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the hem of his sleeve and whispered, “Lao Gong.”

Lu Wancheng smiled weakly, suppressing the groan that almost overflowed from his mouth because of the pain. He smiled, eyes curving, “That sounds so nice. Thank you, Lao Po.”

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