Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Lin Qingyu met his father’s disciple, Hu Ji, in the front hall of the Lin Residence. Hu Ji came from a poor family. When he was studying in the Imperial Medical Office, he could only afford to eat one meal a day. Once, when Father Lin had gone to the Imperial Medical Office to give a lecture, he ran across him hiding in a corner desperately gulping down water to stop his hunger. Having pity on him, Father Lin found him a job cleaning the library. With this little money, Hu Ji was able to complete his studies. Afterwards, he entered the Imperial Hospital, and was taken in by Father Lin as his student ad shown great care. To him, Father Lin was tantamount to a second parent. And so, no matter how difficult the task assigned to him by Father Lin, to him it would be an un-shirkable duty.

After exchanging greetings, Hu Ji took out two incense boxes from the medical box. “The red spices are the ‘Feng Qiu Huang’ used by the Empress; the brown spices are the ‘Sheng Chazi’ used by Concubine Chen. As for His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, he is not in the habit of using incense.”

Lin Qingyu took the incense boxes and smelled them one after the other, “Doctor Hu, have you done any study on spices?”

Hu Ji said modestly, “I know a little bit.”

“What is your opinion on these two spices?”

The items used by the nobles in the palace are naturally unparalleled. Feng Qiu Huang can help one concentrate energy and calm the mind. It promotes health and soothes the nerves. Sheng Chazi has the effect of helping one reach enlightenment and stabilizes the blood. Both incenses are palace secret formulations. Without the Emperor’s explicit permission, no one is allowed to use it.” Hu Ji said, with a hint of lingering fear in his eyes, “Yunxiu Guniang from Fengyi Palace and Xiao Kuanzi from Changle Palace took great risks to steal these samples. I hope they may be of use to Young Master Lin.”

Lin Qingyu pondered for a moment, then asked, “Why doesn’t the Crown Prince use incense?”

Hu Ji said: “The Crown Prince experienced the battle for succession and witnessed the death of the third prince due to poisoning. And so, he’s very careful about what he eats. According to the maids of the Shang Shi Bureau, all meals in the Eastern Palace are prepared by the kitchen of the Eastern Palace. It never passes through anyone else’s hands.”

“I see.” Lin Qingyu said, “Thank you, Doctor Hu, for your hard work.”

Hu Ji said immediately, “Young Master Lin is very polite. The Pan Yuan had provided me with the chance to rebuild. It is an honor to be able to share Master’s worries.”

Father Lin has helped and rescued far more than just one or two people. Lin Qingyu himself also wondered how his parents, ever so kind-hearted, could give birth to a “wicked person” like him.

Lin Qingyu found Lu Wancheng in the guest room and showed him the two boxes of spices that Hu Ji brought. Lu Wancheng asked, “Is there any problem with these two incenses?”

“No. But in pharmacology, good medicine and good medicine can result in something highly toxic when mixed together. I think the same holds true for spices.”

Xiao Cheng wasn’t like Lu Qiaosong. As Hu Ji said, everything sent to the Eastern Palace must be strictly investigated. The livening-up medicine he’d used last time wouldn’t be able to enter the Eastern Palace. The only way was to send in something seemingly harmless, have it react with the things that Xiao Cheng often comes into contact with, allow it produce a poison that would quietly eat away at Xiao Cheng’s body bit by bit.

Lu Wancheng couldn’t help sighing when he heard these words. “Study well the sciences and you can travel fearlessly to any corner of the world. This is a truth since time imemorial.”

“Truth is useless.” Lin Qingyu pressed down his lightly on the space between his brows, “Xiao Cheng doesn’t use incense. Even if he does, what we send won’t make it into the Eastern Palace.”Cheêck out latest novels on novel/bin(.)com

Lu Wancheng played with the Buyao that Lin Qingyu had given him. He said, “If you can’t send things in, can you send people in?”

The tacit understanding had gradually become stronger and Lin Qingyu almost immediately understood what Lu Wancheng meant, “We’ll still need an opportunity for this matter.”

Lu Wancheng smiled and said, “I’ll look for the opportunity, and you find the catalyst for the reaction. When bro-... Husband and wife are of the same mind, they’re a blade sharp enough to even sever gold.”

Lin Qingyu’s lips ticked up slightly. “Okay—that’s right,” he remembered something, and beckoned to Huan Tong, “Remove the luohan in my room and replace it with a small bed.”

Lu Wancheng was taken aback. “Qingyu?”

Lin Qingyu delivered the reason that he had thought of in advance, “Given your current condition, a mishap may happen at any time. You can’t be left without someone watching you. Hua Lu is a girl and propriety limits her. While Huan Tong is not meticulous enough in his work. After thinking about it, it is still better to keep you by my side. ”

Huan Tong said in disbelief, “Young Master?”

A smile slowly appeared on Lu Wancheng’s face. Looking at Lin Qingyu, his eyes appeared as pools reflecting a spring scenery. “Then when we return to the Hou Mansion, we will also replace the luohan with a bed. Or, we’ll have the carpenter make a new bed.” Lu Wancheng gestured up and down, “We’ll have him make a bunk bunk. I’ll sleep in the bottom bunk, you sleep in the top bunk...”

Lin Qingyu imagined the scene for a moment, a complicated expression on his face.

Huan Tong couldn’t help muttering in his heart: “Young Master Hou is really promising.

Lin Qingyu plunged headlong into studying the incenses. His body was dyed with all sorts of fragrances every day. Formulating incenses was a whole different study. Although he has a foundation in pharmacology, it wasn’t easy to understand its subtleties in a short period of time.

The two stayed in the Lin Residence for a few days during which news from the palace that the Emperor intended to choose a concubine for the crown prince.

It was said that it was Wen Guogong who first brought up the matter. Wen Guogong believed that the Crown Prince having already reached the age of weak crown, had long been old enough to marry a wife and take on a concubine. Three years ago, the Empress Dowager passed away, and the Crown Prince had just entered the Eastern Palace, the matter of his marriage was delayed due to filial piety. Now that the period for filial piety has passed, it was time to turn their thoughts once again to his marriage. The wife of the crown prince was to be the future Empress, so in this matter they should be cautious and not act too hastily. However, they could choose one or two concubines for the crown prince in the meanwhile to take care of the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace, so as to share the worries of the crown prince. The Emperor pondered this matter deepy and gave the Empress full authority to select the concubine.

Although she is only a concubine, she would still be the crown prince’s first concubine, giving her great status. In the future, she would at least be a guifei. Naturally, they couldn’t simply just choose anyone. Her character, appearance and family background must all be carefully considered. After some deliberation, the Empress drew up a roster for the Emperor to look over. Among them, there was included the name of Lu Niantao, the daughter of Nan’an Hou.

The noble ladies on the roster each have their own merits. In the end, they were to be the crown prince’s concubine so the Emperor meant to let the prince choose himself.

“They...”

Lu Wancheng saw someone approaching from a distance, and abruptly interrupted Lin Qingyu, “Qingyu, you must hate Xiao Cheng a lot, don’t you?”

Lin Qingyu gave him a strange look. “Is there a reason you’re asking?”

Lu Wancheng smiled a little shyly. “Then if you had to be kissed by a man, would you rather be kissed by Xiao Cheng or by me?”

Just hearing the words “by Xiao Cheng” made nausea rise in Lin Qingyu’s stomach and he looked at Lu Wancheng as though he found him offensive. But thinking that Lu Wancheng didn’t have long to live, he tried his best to put away his bad temper and said as calmly as possible, “I choose neither.”

“Sigh, just choose one,” Lu Wancheng won’t give up, “It’s only ‘if’.”

Lin Qingyu didn’t know what was so important about this question, why Lu Wancheng was so insistent on having him say “I choose you”.

“I’d rather die.”

Lu Wancheng whispered, “Qingyu...”

“Fine, fine. I choose you.” Lin Qingyu reluctantly said, “Can you stop it?”

Lu Wancheng didn’t know where the strength came from, but he stood up from the wheelchair and said with a smile, “Remember what you said.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Qingyu felt a tightness around his waist. Lu Wancheng had unexpectedly wrapped his arms around his wait. The familiar medicinal incense mixed with sandalwood penetrated into his nose. Before he could react, he saw Lu Wancheng bowing his head, leaning in close to him.

Lin Qingyu snapped back to his senses. He put his hands against the other’s chest, trying to push the person away. But if he really did push him, Lu Wancheng might really just die.

At this moment, Lu Wancheng whispered in his ear, “Someone’s watching.”

Someone?

Lin Qingyu understood, the strength behind his hands gradually weakened and finally he changed what was to be a push into a hug. He closed his eyes while clinging to Lu Wancheng’s shoulders with both hands.

Long eyelashes swept across the tip of Lu Wancheng’s nose. Itchy; his lips barely brushed against Lin Qingyu’s cheek.

It was just a borrowed kiss.

He didn’t know how long it took but he eventually felt Lu Wancheng straighten up. Lin Qingyu slowly opened his eyes, his long eyelashes couldn’t hide the look of loss and unease in his eyes. Seeing it, Lu Wancheng breathing stuck.

Lin Qingyu calmed down and asked in a low voice, “Is it him?”

“Qingyu,” Lu Wancheng said slowly, “There seems to be something a little wrong.”

“What?”

“My heart is beating so fast, I’m almost out of breath...”

Lu Wancheng was already shaky, Lin Qingyu instinctively stretched out his hand and pulled him into his arms. “Wancheng?”

The two almost fell together. Fortunately, Lin Qingyu steadied the both of them with his knees on the ground.

Lu Wancheng’s face was pale, but his ears were strangely red. He knew that he was about to faint but he had something he needed to say before he lost consciousness.

Lu Wancheng grabbed Lin Qingyu’s robes and desperately spit out a few words, “Do not princess-carry me...” After speaking, he tilted his head and promptly fainted in Lin Qingyu’s arms.

Lin Qingyu: “...”

Huan Tong had come looking for the two young masters. Seeing this scene, he thought that the Young Master Hou was ill for the umpteenth time. With fire burning his eyebrows, he said, “Young Master, what happened to the Young Master Hou?!”

After Lin Qingyu checked Lu Wancheng’s pulse, he didn’t know what expression to show for a while. “He was too weak to bear the excitement, so he temporarily lost consciousness. It’s not a big problem, let’s just wait for him to recover.”

Huan Tong hit the truth on the head. “But with the Young Master Hou’s temperament, what could have possibly gotten so unbearably excited?”

Lin Qingyu’s cheeks slightly warmed. He forced himself to calm down and said, “Who knows with him? Carry him into the room to rest.”

When Huan Tong left with Lu Wancheng on his back, Lin Qingyu said coldly, “Since Your Highness is here, why hide in the dark?”