CH 35

After the Disabled God of War Became My Concubine Chapter 35

On the carriage returning home, Jiang Suizhou's face was frosty.

He didn't expect that Chen Ti would be so eager for quick success and instant profits to the point that he even abandoned his dignity.

Of course he knew what Chen Ti wanted to do. Inviting Huo Wujiu to his courtyard to appreciate some rotten flowers was a pretense. Seeing that the emperor suffered a defeat, Chen Ti purposely provided the emperor a comeback at his own banquet. What he was really doing was sucking up to the emperor’s ass.

After all, Chen Ti had been under Pang Shao's command. His official position was not high, so there were few opportunities for him to really show his face in front of the emperor. Last time, Jiang Suizhou turned down his invitation, but in turn gave him a raft, giving him a chance to win a laugh from the emperor.

As expected, the emperor responded readily, and gave Jiang Suizhou no chance to refute. He even promoted Chen Ti half a rank higher on the spot, rewarding him with a cushy job.

The banquet was, of course, to everyone’s delight and satisfaction, except that Jiang Suizhou’s pretend coldness had turned real cold.

At the end of the palace banquet, the rain fell even harder outside.

And with the sudden downpour, a gust of wind blew, whistling and stirring the brocade curtains on the carriage. Droplets of rain also blew into the carriage.

Shortly after, half of Jiang Suizhou’s shoulders were wet, but he did not feel anything. He only stared frostily out the window.

Jiang Suizhou knew that although the palace banquet was not a Hongmen Banquet1, those people had long been fully motivated to take them for the sheer pleasure of the emperor.

He definitely couldn’t counterattack all overt attacks and covert means. However, when such a bootlicker suddenly took advantage of him, he was still upset.

Especially...What about Huo Wujiu?

Jiang Suizhou had always been afraid that Huo Wujiu would hate him, and planning for him had become a habit. Although the matter today had nothing to do with him, Jiang Suizhou was still irritated by it.

Just then, a cold wind whistled in, making Jiang Suizhou shiver from the cold.

His throat itched, and he coughed.

But before he could cough, a soft and heavy cloak fell on him without warning. The cloak carried a nice and warm body heat that bundled him up in a split second.

Jiang Suizhou was stunned. He raised his head and saw Huo Wujiu sitting next to him, as silent as a post.

It was he who took off his cloak and draped it onto Jiang Suizhou.

"You..." Now that he took off his cloak, Jiang Suizhou found that Huo Wujiu was already thinly dressed, so Jiang Suizhou moved to take off the cloak and give it back to him.

It was just then that he heard Huo Wujiu speak: “You’ve just recovered.”

Jiang Suizhou clutched Huo Wujiu's cloak in his hand: "Hmm?"

Huo Wujiu turned his head sideways and looked at Jiang Suizhou.

"Drape it properly over your shoulders," he said.

Jiang Suizhou awkwardly draped the huge cloak over himself.

Although he was not in good health now, he had at least been a healthy person for more than twenty years, so he often forgot that he was a sick man. He never expected that Huo Wujiu was more mindful of it than he was.

Seeing that Jiang Suizhou obediently retracted into his cloak, Huo Wujiu tucked in the corners for him, and then turned around with satisfaction.

Jiang Suizhou glanced at him.

He somehow felt that Huo Wujiu's lip color was not right. When they had arrived, his lips were a bit pale, but they seemed a bit whiter now.

“...Are you not cold?" He asked.

He heard Huo Wujiu snort and glanced at him: "What kind of cold is this?"

When it came to coldness, Yangguan was called cold. The snow in winter could bury tent doors overnight, and they had to dig and kick to open the doors.

In the dimly lit carriage, Huo Wujiu raised his eyebrow slightly as he looked sideways, revealing a touch of rare juvenile spirit.

His appearance was a bit similar to how he looked in the palace hall earlier. However, it was less aggressive, and even somewhat showing off.

Jiang Suizhou couldn’t help but follow him with a chuckle, wrapped in the big cloak.

“Forget it if you’re not cold,” he said.

Seeing him smile, Huo Wujiu’s gaze couldn't help but stay on him. He stared at Jiang Suizhou a couple more times.

In a dim corner of the carriage, the robe on his leg had long been drenched. The dampness seeped into his injured leg, and it felt like a blade was digging into his bones. It hurt so much that he started to shiver uncontrollably.

It was because of the bumpy ride that Jiang Suizhou was unaware that something was astir.

However, it was just right that he took no notice.

Although taking off his cloak and wrapping it around his legs might alleviate the pain to a certain degree, Huo Wujiu could not bear to see the sick rabbit shivering. For him, he just had to endure the pain, and it would soon pass. But if King Jing were to freeze and fall ill again due to the wind and rain, he’d have to take fever medicine when they  returned. He was afraid he would cry again because of the bitter decoction.

Now, it was really not a loss in exchange for his not half bad smile.

——

Jiang Suizhou slept lightly at night.

He went back to his room, changed his robes and laid down, still thinking about what happened today. He mulled over everything as the rain outside the window was pouring, and he fell asleep in a daze.

He was awakened by the sound of a small, crisp object falling to the ground.

He opened his eyes, and found that only a night lamp was lit outside the canopy. What was brighter was the lightning flashes outside the window. He looked sideways at the window and saw a tall silhouette amidst the lightning flashes and rumbling thunder. He sat up from the bed with some effort, seemingly to pick up something.

Jiang Suizhou quickly got up.

"What's wrong?" His voice sounded hoarse from having just woken up.

Huo Wujiu didn't respond to him for a moment, and only with great effort did he manage to sit up straight.

Jiang Suizhou hurriedly got out of bed, put on his shoes and walked to the couch.

It wasn't until Jiang Suizhou was in front of him that Huo Wujiu seemed to notice that he was awake. Huo Wujiu's eyebrows were tightly furrowed as he raised his head to look at him. He asked in a dumb voice, "Did I wake you up?"

In the dim light of the night, his face was exceptionally white, and his forehead was covered with a layer of fine sweat, which soaked the strands of hair on his forehead.

Footnote:

1 Hongmen banquet - a metaphor for a banquet that hides murderous intent and attempts to harm guests.