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 Shiâs 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. Nanâan 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, âLu Qiaosongâs illness should be incurable, right?â
Lin Qingyu affirmed. âNaturally.â
âThen Iâm relieved.â Lu Wancheng coughed twice and laughed, âQingyu, we seem constantly gloat over the misfortunes of others together. We are malicious, petty people who curse at others indiscriminately.â
Lin Qingyu also smiled. âItâs good being a malicious and petty person.â
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 sheâd been crying, and asked, âWhatâs wrong, Hua Lu? Who bullied you?â
Hua Lu pouted and muttered, âNo one.â
Lin Qingyu said, âWas it Huan Tong?â
Hua Lu was the Blue Wind Pavilions highest-ranking maid. Only Huan Tong would dare make her angry.
Hua Lu originally didnât 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 oneâs forehead had recently come into fashion in the capital. Hua Lu was drawn in by the novelty of it and though she hadnât 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.
âHuan Tong, that brute, doesnât he know how to respect girls?â Lu Wancheng comforted Hua Lu, âItâs okay, Iâll scold him for you later. Your Young Master is an expert when it comes to scolding people. Iâll scold him so badly, his own mother wouldnât recognize him. â
Hua Lu finally broke into a smile.
Lin Qingyu said, âI can draw a huadian. Iâll draw one for you to apologize on his behalf.â
Lu Wancheng wondered, âArenât girls the only ones who know how to draw a huadian? How do you know how to?â
âHow difficult could it be?â Lin Qingyu said indifferently, âHua Lu, bring your dressing case.â
Hua Lu seldom wore makeup so she didnât 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 Luâs eyebrows.
Hua Lu was shrouded in the refined fragrance of books. When she looked up, she could see the Shaojunâs 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 couldnât help but think, if Shaojun hadnât married into the Hou Mansion and became a male wife, how many young girlsâ hearts would he have captured?â
After a while, Lin Qingyu put down his brush and said, âItâs done.â
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, âShaojun is amazing!â
Lu Wancheng smiled and said, âItâs beautiful. So pretty. Youâll surely blind that Huan Tongâs dog eyes.â
Hua Luâs cheeks flushed with shyness. âWho wants to show him?â
Lu Wancheng the said, âQingyu, youâre so good at drawing. How about drawing one for yourself?â
Lin Qingyu replied, âSince youâre so interested, how about I draw one for you?â
Lu Wancheng cheerfully said, âAlright.â
In the end, Lu Wanchengâs Huadian wasnât able to be finished. A servant came in to report that Imperial Physician Hu was here.
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 Wanchengâs situation was not optimistic. He wisely did not ask after Lu Wanchengâs 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.
âWhat did I say?â Lu Wancheng said slowly, âFor the crown prince, it is what is unattainable that is best.â
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 wonât stay with her often, the time when the poison would break out would be further delayed.
Lu Wanchengâs current condition, how could he possibly wait for that day?
Lin Qingyu said irritably, âUseless idiot, canât even compete for favor.â
âDonât be angry,â Lu Wancheng coaxed. âLu NiantaoâŚcough, sheâs a smart girl. And sheâs very eager to come out on top. Sheâll find a way to be favored.â
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.
âThe 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,â The more Hu Ji spoke, the more sentimental he became. âThe Emperorâs health as well is slowly deteriorating.â
Speaking of the west, Lin Qingyu thought of his father who was far away in Yongliang. He asked, âDoes Doctor Hu have news about my father?â
Hu Ji said, âThe 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. Heâs getting weaker day after day. I heard that he probably wonât be able to make it through the New Year.â
Lu Wancheng said casually, âThen Iâm going to have a face-to-face with this General Gu down in the Nine Springs.â
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, âThus is the injustice of heaven.â
Those who deserve to die donât die immediately, but those who donât deserve to die canât even be blessed with a natural death.
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. âAm I really going to die earlier than Xiao Cheng? Sigh, I just canât seem to accept that.â
Lin Qingyu was silent, then said, âThere will be other ways â there will definitely be other ways.â
Lu Wancheng smiled. âEn, yes.â
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 couldnât 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 âLittle Qingyuâ, he wanted nothing more than to cut Xiao Chengâs neck right then there and watch as the light in his eyes disappeared.
Lin Qingyu gradually became restless and uneasy. He lay on Lu Wanchengâs upper bunk and couldnât 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 wasnât there. He called out, âHua Lu, help me up.â
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. âWhat would you like to do, Young Master?â
Lu Wancheng paused for a long time and said, âThere 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.â
Hua Lu was worried. âWho made this prescription? Letâs show it to Shaojun first.â
Lu Wancheng smiled: âItâs okay. This prescription was made by my father-in-law.â
âAh, itâs from pan yuan daren. Then it must be a good prescription.â Hua Lu said happily, âIâll go right away.â
Lu Wancheng stopped her. âYou donât need to tell Shaojun about this. Hmm⌠But heâs so smart, heâll definitely be able to tell with just one look.â
They didnât 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 wasnât the medicine he had prescribed to Lu Wancheng.
Lin Qingyu suddenly raised his eyes.
Lu Wancheng smiled at him. âWhatâs wrong?â
Lin Qingyuâs fingernails almost plunged into his palm. He shook his head and said as calmly as possible, âItâs nothing.â
If this was Lu Wanchengâs choice, he would respect it.
âWhen did you ask my father for it?â Lin Qingyu asked.
Lu Wancheng made no effort to hide. âRemember how I woke up early on the day father-in-law left the capital?â
Lin Qingyu smiled lightly. âSuch is fate. Arenât you afraid of pain?â
âHow painful can it be?â Lu Wancheng seemed unconcerned. âWomen can endure the pain of childbirth. No matter how painful it is, it shouldnât be as painful as giving birth, right?â
Lin Qingyu seemed to have something stuck in his chest and said, voice hoarse, âDidnât you say that your fate was up to heaven? That it isnât up to you?â
âAhâ Lu Wancheng said, âThen, I want to see the snow, see it a lot⌠and then Iâll go.â
Lin Qingyu said nothing, patiently feeding Lu Wancheng all the medicine. Then, he stayed with him until the medicine started to take effect.
Lu Wanchengâs expression didnât change much but blue veins appeared on his forehead. Not long after, he broke out in cold sweat. When he met Lin Qingyuâs gaze, he blocked Lin Qingyuâs eyes with his hand and said with a trembling smile, âDonât look. My face must be all twisted now. Itâs hideous.â
Lin Qingyu took his hand down and held it in his palm. He said softly, âWhat can I do to make you feel better?â
Lu Wancheng thought for a while, and then said, âWell⌠Will you let me take a bit of advantage?â
Lin Qingyu hesitated for a moment and asked, âWhat advantage?â
âDonât worry, I wonât go too far. I just want to hear you call meâŚâ
Lin Qingyu guessed, âWancheng Gege?â
That really had been what Lu Wancheng was going to say. However, seeing Lin Qingyuâs 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. âNot âgegeâ. Call me â Lao Gongâ.â
Lin Qingyu was stunned and asked helplessly, âDo you know what the word âLao Gongâ means in Dayu?â
âI know, it means âeunuchâ, right?â 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, âBut the truth is, my lifelong dream has been to go to the palace and become a eunuch.â
Lin Qingyu: ââŚâ Lu Wancheng must have already lost all rationality from the pain and so heâs able to spout such nonsense.
Lu Wancheng said with difficulty, âCan you let me take this advantage?â
How could he not?
Lin Qingyu gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the hem of his sleeve and whispered, âLao Gong.â
Lu Wancheng smiled weakly, suppressing the groan that almost overflowed from his mouth because of the pain. He smiled, eyes curving, âThat sounds so nice. Thank you, Lao Po.â
Translatorâs note: I hope you liked this chapter. This was the chapter that convinced me to take this project on despite already having a project Iâm releasing almost everyday. Oh, Lu WanchengâŚ
Anyway, I do have to apologize but there wonât be any release next week. RL stuff has kept me from translating, making me have to resort to using up my entire stockpile. So, I need the extra time to translate a few chapters. orz