Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: 204. Going Home

Chapter 204: 204. Going Home

Translator: 549690339

It was late April.

Xing Yusheng took Lin Xueqing to Duke Qin’s Mansion early in the morning, and they happened to bump into Old Master Qin as he was leaving.

He had agreed with Lin Shuzhi to go fishing at a beautiful lakeside spot in the city.

“Miss Qing, has your second brother sent a letter?” Old Master Qin asked cheerfully.

Lin Xueqing shook her head, “There have been no letters these days. However, my eldest brother said that the emperor has approved my second brother’s return to the capital to get married.”

“He’d better not be late; otherwise, I’ll have to hit him with my cane for making Yujin worry all the time,” Old Master Qin said with a smile, walking out the door with steady steps, not needing anyone to support him.

When Xing Yusheng and Lin Xueqing found Qin Yujin, she was sitting in a pavilion in the Garden, gazing blankly and pulling at a flower, with petals scattered all over the ground.

Lin Xueqing took the flower away, “It didn’t offend you.”

Qin Yujin came to her senses, looked at Xing Yusheng and Lin Xueqing, and said with a hint of disappointment, “You guys are here.”

Xing Yusheng chuckled lightly, “Qing’er, I told you, cousin wants to see someone other than us.”

Lin Xueqing glared at Xing Yusheng, “You might as well go to Xuanbei City.” Xing Yusheng was stunned, “Why should I go?”

“You can try to experience my second brother and Yujin’s feelings of being separated in different places, and then you won’t make sarcastic remarks.” Lin Xueqing said, looking at Qin Yujin’s expression.

“Exactly.” Qin Yujin nodded, “I think Xueqing is right.”

Xing Yusheng cleared his throat and stood up, “Alright then, I will leave for Xuanbei City today and see if my father and Su Liang need any help. I’m going, Qing’er, don’t stop me.”

As Xing Yusheng walked out of the pavilion, his pace got slower and slower.

Qin Yujin and Lin Xueqing covered their mouths and giggled while watching his retreating figure.

“How many more steps do you think Cousin Xing will take before turning back?” Qin Yujin asked softly.

Lin Xueqing put on an arrogant face, “Who cares! If he wants to leave, let him.”

Of course, it was Xing Yusheng who lost. Hearing Lin Xueqing’s words, he turned helplessly, “Qing’er, are you really willing to let me go?”

“Your father left, Su Liang left, my second brother left, why can’t you just leave?” Lin Xueqing retorted.

Xing Yusheng conceded, “You have a point, but I am not cut out to be a general. Going there would only add to the chaos, so I cannot go.” He then turned back.

After sitting back down in front of Lin Xueqing, Xing Yusheng said with a smile, “But when we get married, if Qing’er ever wants to go to the northern region for fun, we can go together.”

Qin Yujin stood up sadly, “I won’t disturb you two.”

Lin Xueqing quickly grabbed her, “Let’s all go to Su Liang’s house together!” Qin Yujin frowned, “But she’s not home.”

“Brother Ning is, though. My eldest brother told me he has a day off today, so he must be at home. Su Liang has been away for so long, and we haven’t visited Brother Ning.” Lin Xueqing said.

“Ning Jing…” Qin Yujin hesitated, “I feel like he doesn’t like noise, and without Liang, he probably won’t welcome us, right?”

“No, Brother Ning is really nice. Let’s go, let’s go.” Lin Xueqing insisted, determined to take Qin Yujin out for some fun.

Qin Yujin finally gave in, agreeing to go to Su Liang’s house. There was no need to notify them in advance.

“By the way, let’s check on our mansion. A few days ago, I took Qi Yan to plant some trees; I wonder how they’re doing now,” Xing Yusheng laughed.

Lin Xueqing stepped on his foot without a word, her eyes warning him not to show off their love in front of Qin Yujin!

Xing Yusheng cleared his throat, thinking his little wife was getting more and more fierce, but also so adorable.

With Qi Yan driving, the three of them arrived at Su Mansion, unsurprised to see the gate tightly closed.

But it didn’t matter, Qi Yan climbed over the wall, opened the door, and everything was fine.

They had always entered this way when visiting before.

The Mansion was filled with trees, which were lush and beautiful this season.

When the three of them arrived at Su Liang’s courtyard, the gate and Ning Jing’s door were both open. An open book lay on the stone table in the courtyard.

“Brother Ning?” Lin Xueqing called out, but no one answered.

“He didn’t sneak out, did he?” Xing Yusheng suggested.

“If Brother Ning went out, he should have taken the book into his room in case it got wet in case it rained,” Lin Xueqing said.

Xing Yusheng immediately nodded, “You’re right. He’s probably fishing in the Garden.”

So, the three of them went to the Garden together.

From a distance, they saw someone swimming in the lake.

Xing Yusheng sighed, “I really didn’t expect that Ning, who usually seems like an immortal, would be so…lively when he’s alone at home.”

Look at that strong figure and flexible arms, like a free fish. It made Xing Yusheng want to jump in and swim a few laps too.

Lin Xueqing’s expression was strange, “Ning used to be afraid of water because of a drowning accident when he was a child.”

Qin Yujin chuckled, “It seems that he’s not afraid anymore.”

Lin Xueqing shouted towards the lake, “Brother Ning! We came to see you!”

The person in the lake suddenly raised his head and then dove down, disappearing from sight.

The three approached, but still no one surfaced.

Lin Xueqing’s expression panicked, “Brother Ning, are you alright?” And then she pushed Xing Yusheng, “Quick, go in to check! Did I scare Brother Ning?”

Without a word, Xing Yusheng took off his shoes and outer clothes, just about to jump in when there was a splash on the other side of the lake. A soaking wet person with his back turned to them climbed ashore.

“Brother Ning, you’re alright! You scared me to death!” Lin Xueqing patted her chest.

Qin Yujin also let out a sigh of relief and quickly turned Lin Xueqing around, avoiding looking at the impropriety.

“Ning Jing, what are you doing? Are you teasing us?” Xing Yusheng picked up the clothes on the ground, speechless.

“Who let you come uninvited? I’m going to change.” Pretending to be Ning Jing, Qi Jun tried to make his voice sound colder. He left quickly without letting Xing Yusheng’s group see his face.

Xing Yusheng and the others didn’t suspect anything, thinking that Ning Jing was not welcoming them, even complained a little that he wasn’t a good friend.”

Just as the three were about to sit in the pavilion and wait for Ning Jing to get ready, they heard Qi Yan’s exclamation from not far away, “Ajun?”

“Has he gone mad? Ajun went to Xuanbei City with Su Liang!” Xing Yusheng blurted out, then subconsciously looked at “Ning Jing’s” back. His eyes narrowed, and he rushed out of the pavilion.

Qin Yujin and Lin Xueqing looked at each other, both not knowing what had happened.

Qi Yan blocking Qi Jun head-on was something Qi Jun hadn’t anticipated. As twins, even without seeing Qi Jun’s face, Qi Yan could recognize him.

And at this moment, Xing Yusheng had also finally realized that something was wrong.

Blocked on both sides, Qi Jun had no choice but to give up pretending, confessing honestly, he looked at Qi Yan and weakly said, “Brother.” Turning around, he called out to Xing Yusheng, “Master.”

Xing Yusheng looked at Qi Jun, who had just emerged from the water, with disguise traces still visible on his face. Because he had soaked for too long, some of the Disguise Medicine had become ineffective, so it was obvious that it was Qi Jun.

This was also why he hid as soon as he heard Lin Xueqing’s voice and

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Xing Yusheng was almost laughing in anger, “What did you call me? I dare not accept. You’re really something! I asked you to go to Xuanbei City with Su Liang, but you never left the capital and didn’t even give us a word! Do we even exist in your eyes?”

Qi Jun quickly explained, “It was Master Ning who asked me to stay in the capital pretending to be him, because he wanted to go to Xuanbei City with Miss Su. I have been following Miss Su’s orders.”

Xing Yusheng snorted, “Did Su Liang personally tell you to keep this from me?”

Qi Jun immediately nodded, “Yes!”

Xing Yusheng was baffled, “Those two! I kindly helped arrange aid for Su Liang, and she and Ning Jing really know how to have fun! Since they can’t be separated even for a day, if they don’t get married and consummate when they return, this matter won’t be over!”

Qi Yan kicked Qi Jun from behind, “You didn’t even tell me. Wait until we get home, see how I’ll deal with you!”

Qi Jun wanted to cry but had no tears. He was bored every day and didn’t have much to do. Today the weather was good and there was no need to work at the Ministry of Revenue, so he just came to the garden to relax and swim. Who would have thought Su Liang’s friends would suddenly miss Ning Jing and pay a visit.

Qi Jun had actually imagined many scenarios for pretending to be Ning Jing and meeting Xing Yusheng, and even practiced what to say. In the end, it was just his overthinking.

“If you don’t hurry up and change your clothes, put on your disguise!” Xing Yusheng also wanted to hit Qi Jun.

Qi Yan just pulled Qi Jun away.

When Xing Yusheng returned to the pavilion, he saw Qin Yujin and Lin Xueqing looking puzzled, as they had not heard the conversation between the three men, but saw Qi Yan kicking Qi Jun.

“What happened?” Lin Xueqing frowned and asked.

Xing Yusheng told the truth, Ning Jing wasn’t home at all, he had run away with Su Liang.

The two young ladies were dumbfounded.

After a long while, Lin Xueqing sighed, “I knew it, Brother Ning shouldn’t know how to swim.”

Qin Yujin couldn’t help but smile, “They’re so sweet! Who would dare say their fake marriage isn’t real? I saw it long ago that Ning liked Liang!”

Lin Xueqing nodded repeatedly, “Of course! They used to deny it, but now we’ve caught them red-handed! When they’re back, they should get married! If Brother Ning dares to deny it again, I’ll cut ties with him!”

Xing Yusheng laughed lightly, “He probably wouldn’t mind cutting ties with you.”

Lin Xueqing’s gaze came over, and Xing Yusheng immediately changed his tune, saying seriously, “Actually, I think the same as Qingqing.”

Qin Yujin said solemnly, “We must not let any more people know about this matter, or it will be very troublesome.”

If Ning Jing hadn’t become an official, it would have been fine. Now he is a royal official. Impersonating him could be considered a crime to deceive the king.

However, because they discovered the secret of Su Mansion, the three of them found it quite amusing, and Qin Yujin temporarily put aside her thoughts of Lin Bojun.

This day Qi Jun didn’t go to the restaurant for lunch. Instead, he enjoyed the delicious food prepared by Qin Yujin and Lin Xueqing.

The two young ladies took their role-playing seriously and enjoyed it.

Listening to Lin Xueqing calling him “Brother Ning,” Qi Jun felt a bit uncomfortable, and his master’s gaze was terrifying.

Before leaving, Qi Yan asked Qi Jun, “Does father know about this?”

Qi Jun shook his head, “I don’t think so. I have no chance to tell father.”

Qi Yan sneered, “How could father not recognize you?”

Xing Yusheng nodded in agreement.

Qi Jun thought for a moment and said, “If Miss Su and Master Ning really don’t want father to know, they must have a way.”

Xing Yusheng and Lin Xueqing sent Qin Yujin home first.

At the gate of Duke Qin’s Mansion, Qin Yujin got out of the carriage and bid them farewell.

Just as Qi Yan was about to turn the carriage around and leave, he suddenly brightened up, “General Lin!”

Qin Yujin paused, turned around, and saw a tall figure striding out of her house. Wasn’t it Lin Bojun, the man she had been thinking about?

Lin Bojun returned to the capital city without seeing his family first and came to Qin Mansion to tell Qin Yujin that he was back and ready to get married as promised.

However, he was informed that Qin Yujin had gone out, which left Lin Bojun quite disappointed. Just as he was about to leave, he saw Qin Yujin returning.

Qin Yujin stared blankly at Lin Bojun. Lin Bojun rushed to her side in one step, grinning, “I’m back.”

Qin Yujin nodded gently, “Mhm.’

“I’m back!” Lin Bojun looked at her intensely.

Qin Yujin nodded again, “I heard.”

“Why don’t you look at me?” Lin Bojun asked her when he saw her keeping her head down.

Qin Yujin raised her head, tears in her eyes, “What’s so good about looking at you?” As she spoke, she pushed Lin Bojun away and ran into her house, lifting her skirt.

Lin Xueqing, who was leaving in the carriage, heard her brother’s voice and quickly lifted the curtain, surprise and delight on her face, “Second brother!”

However, she only saw Lin Bojun chasing Qin Yujin back into the Duke’s Mansion…

Xing Yusheng burst into laughter, “Qingqing, your second brother needs to coax his cousin. Let’s go first!”

Lin Xueqing pouted, “It’s just like second brother, not even married yet and already ignoring me. Fine, I don’t care about him anymore! Let’s go!” She couldn’t help but laugh, “It’s so nice! I know Yujin was not worried about the wedding being delayed. She was worried about second brother getting in trouble at the border. She won’t be at ease until she sees him in person!”

Xuanbei City.

Su Liang had not yet received Duanmu Yi’s reply, so she couldn’t leave for the time being.

In the meantime, she went to Ping’an Temple again to tell Master Puqing that she had entrusted the items to a reliable person, Cheng Yun.

One day, when Su Liang went to give acupuncture treatment to Che Yun’s father in Nancheng, a guest arrived at Che’s house.

Su Liang and the guest looked at each other in surprise, both startled.

Che Yun looked puzzled, “You two, know each other?”

Su Liang smiled, “Do you know each other?”

Lian Shun, who had come from afar, laughed heartily, “I know, you know each other.”

Su Liang didn’t expect that Lian Shun, who lived far apart, and Che Yun would be good friends.

“Actually, I heard you were in Xuanbei City and came here specially to see you.” Lian Shun laughed, “I just arrived and thought I’d stay with Beibei for a while.”

Che Yun shook his head, exasperated.

Su Liang expressed her understanding, “You call him Che Beibei because he calls you Lian Shanshan? Makes sense.”

“Haha, you guessed it!” Lian Shun, looking much healthier than when he left the capital, laughed, “You must be very curious how we met, right? Once, we both appealed to the same famous doctor. For the sake of who should go in first, we had a ‘polite’ exchange.”

Su Liang understood. Lian Shun was for Duanmu Che, and Che Yun was for his father. As for “courtesy,” it must mean becoming friends through conflict.

Che Yun sensed that Lian Shun’s gaze at Su Liang was unusual, but he didn’t point it out.

“Will you be staying here for a long time? How about accepting me as a little soldier?” Lian Shun half-jokingly asked Su Liang, “I feel bored after returning home. After all, the Lin Family was once a prestigious military family. I plan to revive the glory of the family!”

“I support you,” Su Liang nodded. “Join the Che Beibei brothers. I’ll be leaving soon. ”

Lian Shun was surprised, “Leaving? Going back to the capital?”

Su Liang smiled, “Yes, going back to get married. It’s too far away, you guys can buy your own alcohol and drink, I won’t be inviting you. Farewell.” With that, Su Liang left.

Lian Shun watched Su Liang’s retreating figure and sighed.

Che Yun bumped into Lian Shun, “Interested in her?”

Lian Shun’s tone was faint, “Is that not allowed?”

“It’s not up to me to say, she just told you herself, it’s not possible!” Che Yun dragged Lian Shun back, “Stop thinking about it, I think she must really like Ning Jing. By the way, have you met Ning Jing? Is he good -looking?”

Lian Shun thought of someone and shook his head with determination, “He’s only about a hundred times better looking than you, not as good as me.” The two had just met and started fighting in no time.

Su Liang returned to General Mansion in Xuanbei City and told Ning Jing that Lian Shun had arrived.

“He came for you?” Ning Jing asked.

Su Liang shook her head, “He and Che Yun are good friends. They said they plan to join the army in Xuanbei City. It’s good if he really has the heart to do so. He should achieve something.”

This was just a minor episode, and Su Liang quickly put it out of her mind. With less to do in the army, she began to focus on practicing her skills.

The next time she saw Lian Shun was five days later when Xing Ji sent for her.

As the eldest grandson of the Old General Lin, Lian Shun’s willingness to join the army was naturally welcomed by Xing Ji.

Lian Shun had a straightforward and unrestrained personality, which Xing Ji quite liked in the younger generation. He planned to cultivate Lian Shun well, so he specially submitted a memorial to the emperor.

Upon seeing Su Liang enter, Xing Ji let Che Yun and Lian Shun leave.

“Good news?” Su Liang asked.

Xing Ji nodded, “The emperor has granted you leave, but only for half a month. After staying in Su Family Village for half a month, you must set off for the capital. ”

Su Liang muttered under her breath, “So stingy.”

Xing Ji just laughed and didn’t say anything. He knew Su Liang had a sense of propriety and didn’t mind her talking like that in front of him.

“Do you know Lian Shun?” Xing Ji asked.

Su Liang nodded.

“What do you think of him?” Xing Ji asked again.

Su Liang said, “We haven’t interacted much, but his character is good.”

Xing Ji laughed, “Since you said so, I have to cultivate him well. Once these young people can stand on their own, I can go back to the capital to hug my grandchildren.”

Su Liang bid farewell to Xing Ji, and as soon as she walked out, she saw Che Yun and Lian Shun still waiting for her not far away.

“Do you need me for something?” Su Liang asked.

Che Yun smiled, “Is General Su going to leave soon?”

Seeing Su Liang nod, Lian Shun invited her to drink alcohol together to celebrate her new journey.

“Maybe next time.” Su Liang refused, “I want to set off early.”

Che Yun and Lian Shun could only give up.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on your brother’s situation, but unfortunately…” Lian Shun sighed.

Che Yun gave a bitter smile, “Thank you for your efforts. Even if there is no clue now, I believe my little brother is still alive.”

“Great God? Let’s go, let’s go home!” Su Liang called to Ning Jing as she entered.

Ning Jing came out of the study with a bundle in hand, having already packed Su Liang’s luggage.

After Su Liang rode alone out of the city, she met up with Ning Jing in the valley where they had stayed before and set off together toward Bei’an County..