Chapter 108

Chapter 108

By the time Shen Huaishi withdrew, it had already gone dark outside. Lin Qingyu and Jiang Xing looked at each other without saying a word, separated by the scattered scrolls.

Feeling the coldness radiating from Lin Qingyu’s body, Jiang Xing panicked a little. He’d made Lin Qingyu distressed again. He wasn’t afraid of Lin Qingyu being angry with him, but he was afraid of being unable to coax him.

Jiang Xing was worrying about how to coax him when Xiu Jiao momo came in and reminded Lin Qingyu, “Master Lin, it’s about time for His Majesty to head to bed.”

It was already a violation of the rules for the emperor and his minister to live together in Xingqing Palace. If they were even going to sleep together in the same room, even the Empress Dowager would not agree. For the past few days, Lin Qingyu has been staying in the side hall, only a few steps away from the emperor’s bedroom. But even still, he sometimes felt it wasn’t enough. When he couldn’t fall asleep, after waking up from a dream, he would go to the main hall to take a look, just to make sure that Jiang Xing was still there.

At this moment, he didn’t want to let Jiang Xing go. And so he blurted out, “He can’t go.”

Xiu Jiao momo was so frightened by Lin Qingyu’s cold tone that she didn’t even dare to breathe too loud. Master Lin wasn’t easy to get along with even at the best of times and now, he had just lost his husband. He must be in a terrible frame of mind. Who would dare to provoke him at a time like this?

Jiang Xing said slowly, “Withdraw for now.”

Xiu Jiao momo was stunned. When did the Emperor start sounding like a grown man? Even one with the air of one used to being followed? She didn’t have time to think about it. She bowed and retreated.

Jiang Xing looked carefully at Lin Qingyu’s expression. He said coldly, “Jiang Xing, sure enough, you are a great big liar. Just how many things are you hiding from me?”

Lin Qingyu frowned, “Are you play-acting me now?”

Jiang Xing wound his arms around Lin Qingyu’s waist, smiled and pulled him into his arms. “I’m just speaking for you. You know, so you can rest for a while.”

Lin Qingyu whispered, “You said... it was quick.”

“And it really was very quick. Thousands of arrows pierced my heart. How can it not be quick?” Jiang Xing said half-truthfully, “To be honest, I think this way of dying is quite pleasant, much better than dying slowly from illness.”

Lin Qingyu closed his eyes, tightly gripped his fingers. “That wasn’t a faithful reenactment.”

“Oh?”

“I won’t call you a big liar.”

Jiang Xing suddenly said, “That’s right, you should call me a ‘brute’.”

Lin Qingyu paused and said, “Jiang Xing, you great big idiot.”

Jiang Xing laughed out loud, “Baobei, you aren’t angry anymore?” This coaxing task was a lot easier than he expected.

Lin Qingyu shook his head. “I can’t bring myself to get angry anymore.” He lowered his head and leaned on Jiang Xing’s shoulder. His voice trembling slightly, “Why do you always have to suffer like that? It happened to Lu Wancheng and even as Gu Fuzhou you couldn’t escape it.”

Jiang Xing smiled. “I’m curious too. Why is it always me?” He said casually, “I don’t think I’ve done anything so atrocious as to offend the Heavens.”

Lin Qingyu’s shoulders stiffened and his eyes grew wide. Jiang Xing, who was holding him, immediately noticed his strange behavior. He looked down at him. “What’s wrong?”

Lin Qingyu held his breath and clung to him even tighter. “...It’s nothing. Can you not leave tonight?”

Jiang Xing carried Lin Qingyu and walked towards the bed, saying seriously, “General Gu died in battle and Madam Gu was suffering from a painful loss. He was grief-stricken and inconsolable. Allow Zhen to comfort you.”

Lin Qingyu buried her head in the crook of his neck and chuckled lightly, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Jiang Xing accompanied Lin Qingyu until he fell sleep. Once Lin Qingyu was sleeping sound, he quietly returned to the main hall. From the warm, fragrant and soft embrace, he returned bitterly to his cold bed.

He had to find a way to be able to sleep with Lin Qingyu openly and aboveboard. While they might be just sleeping next to each other in bed now, later on, if after making love he would still need to pull up his pants and leave, well, that was just too miserable and truly proper scumbag behavior. But more importantly, running back and forth like this every night was really tiring.

The news of Gu Fuzhou’s death spread in throughout the capital. Everyone in the city, from high to low, from civil and military officials to ordinary common fold, all sighed woefully. In the barracks, all these burly soldier had their eyes swollen from crying. When Wu Guogong heard the bad news, tears burst from his aged eyes and cried bitterly about how Heaven had no eyes. Wu Zhan was also overwhelmed with grief; the hair on his temples turned gray and he was no longer are lively and vigorous as before. Even some of the imperial censors who disliked Gu Fuzhou had to put on a show and shed a few hypocritical tears.

Hua Lu shook her head. “It’s different.” She could feel the subtle difference but she couldn’t tell what exactly was different.

With the sunset, the guests gradually dispersed. According to the Dayu’s customs, Lin Qingyu had to keep vigil for his deceased husband for three days.

Seeing that Lin Qingyu had dismissed all the servants, Jiang Xing came out of the side hall, yawning. Lin Qingyu cast a sidelong glance at him. “Will you light incense for yourself?”

“No.” Jiang Xing leaned over and wrapped his arms around Lin Qingyu from behind. “Qingyu, I’m sleepy.”

Lin Qingyu said, “Go back to your room and sleep then.”

Jiang Xing said sleepily, “Come with me.”

Lin Qingyu looked at Gu Fuzhou’s memorial tablet and took Jiang Xing’s arms away from his waist. “My apologies, Your Majesty but this minister cannot accept your kind thoughts. I am still observing a mourning period for General Gu.”

Jiang Xing closed his eyes and smiled. “Since aiqing said this, Zhen finds that he is no longer sleep. — how do you plan to observe this mourning period for General Gu?”

“At the very least, I won’t be accompanying the Emperor to sleep under the General’s roof.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Jiang Xing’s eyes were bright, as though brewing they were brewing something wicked beneath the surface. “We’ll do it secretly. We won’t let anyone find out.”

Lin Qingyu: “...”

“So, would you like to have a secret affair with me—Madam Gu?” The words “Madam Gu” were said with a rising tone, the ending sounding as though it carried an ambiguous smile.

Lin Qingyu said calmly, “This body of yours is not yet eighteen.”

Jiang Xing was stunned. “...Huh?”

“I remember you said that in your hometown, there are many restrictions on men under the age of 18. They are not allowed to marry and have sex with others.” Lin Qingyu paused, “In addition, you also said that in your hometown, it’s illegal to sleep with a dullard.”

Jiang Xing tried to take back his words. “Did I say that?”

Lin Qingyu said, “You think I remembered wrong?”

“””But I’m not a dullard anymore. Besides, I’m in the Dayu now. Why should I follow the traditions of my hometown? Here, people who marry early could already have a second child by the time they’re seventeen. Wait, wait. You’re not actually planning to wait until this body of mine turns eighteen before you have sex with me, right? It’s rare for me to find something that I’m willing despite it being tiring. How can you dampen my enthusiasm like this?”

”

Seeing Jiang Xing’s pained face, Lin Qingyu couldn’t help but smile. While donned in mourning clothes, he smiled and Jiang Xing’s heart burned so hot that he lowered his head, wanting to kiss him.

Lin Qingyu raised his hand to cover his lips. “Not here.”

Jiang Xing grabbed his hand. “I insist.”

When he kissed him, Lin Qingyu’s heart suddenly rose and his body trembled. The candlelight cast a dim light. Jiang Xing was too close. Lin Qingyu couldn’t see his face clearly, only a vague outline.

The word “preposterous” flashed in Lin Qingyu’s mind. He put his hand on Jiang Xing’s chest but he couldn’t push him away.

Jiang Xing felt his attempt to push him away and laughed, “Baobei is so nervous — Is it because your deceased husband is watching?”

Before Lin Qingyu could refute his lips were once against blocked by Jiang Xing. He has never been an inflexible person; since he couldn’t escape it, he might as well enjoy it with peace of mind. Lin Qingyu closed his eyes and the mourning hall they were in disappeared, leaving only the gentle and warm touch, the young man’s clean and natural scent.

Suddenly, there was a slight noise from a dark corner.

Jiang Xing slowly raised his eyes and turned towards the sound, only to see a figure leaving in a hurry. He couldn’t see the man’s face but just based on the back view, he already had an idea in his mind.

That this person left such a trace with his skills showed just how frightened he’d been.

Lin Qingyu was so weak from Jiang Xing’s kiss that he hadn’t heard anything. Because of his shortness of breath, a soft moan escaped from lips.

This moan made Jiang Xing’s breath catch. He immediately put the matter behind him, lowered his eyes and concentrated on kissing the mourning beauty in his arms.Ne/w novel chapters are published on no/vel(/bin(.)co/m