Lin Qingyu returned to his residence. He told Hua Lu and Huan Tong that there would be a guest coming tonight. Since the establishment of this residence, no guest has been to it. Huan Tong guessed that the guest would be Hu Ji and Hua Lu said it would be a relative of the Lin Family.
âNeither.â Lin Qingyu said, âIt is my adopted brother, General Gu.â
Huan Tong was overjoyed to hear it and Hua Luâs face flushed with excitement. In the Dayu, Gu Fuzhou was a god of war, known by all. Many of the men and women their age worshipped Gu Fuzhou. There was no need for Lin Qingyu to say more. The two of them happily got busy, preparing the wine, tea and snacks for the guest.
Lin Qingyu remembered something, and asked Huan Tong, âIs the thing I asked you to order ready?â
âYes, itâs already in the study.â
After Lu Wanchengâs death, he was still able to enjoy the lighting of incense from the Lu Familyâs ancestral hall. However, the famous and honored General Gu had gone without anyone knowing that he had already laid down his life for the country, unable to enjoy the worship of later generations. Since Gu Fuzhou claimed to have gotten the chance to be reborn from saving the life of a pregnant woman, then General Gu, a good soldier who had saved countless lives, must have also gone to be reborn in another world. Regardless, Lin Qingyu still asked Huan Tong to order a blank stone tablet to be enshrine in the dark room behind the study.
It was getting late. Though it was already after dinner time, Gu Fuzhou had yet to be seen. Huan Tong whoâd been keeping watch at the door was looking around expectantly. In the end, it was Yuan Yin that he led inside. Yuan Yin told Lin Qingyu that Wu Guogong suddenly visited the generalâs mansion with a couple jugs of good wine, wanting to drink and reminisce with the general. Wu Guogong was an elder and he has expended a lot of effort regarding this matter with the Tianji Camp. The general could not refuse and said he would be late in coming over.
âThe general also said that if it is getting too late, Imperial Physician Lin should not wait for him and go to bed first.â
Lin Qingyu thanked Yuan Yin and went to the study after dinner. Although Gu Fuzhou told him not to wait, how could he fall asleep knowing that Gu Fuzhou would come?
It wasnât until late in the night, nearing the end of haishi that Lin Qingyu suddenly heard a whistle and knew that a certain someone had arrived. It stood to reason that if Gu Fuzhou had arrived, Huan Tong would announce his arrival. He had no idea what the hell that man was up to.
Lin Qingyu walked out of the study, and saw a black figure jump over the wall. Moving like drifting clouds and flowing water, he landed steadily on the ground. Gu Fuzhou clapped his hands and said, âGood evening, Qingyu.â
Lin Qingyu was expressionless. âWhy did you have to climb over the wall? Itâs not as though I didnât leave the door unlocked for you.â
âWhatâs so interesting about walking right through the front door when youâre visiting a widowâs house? Since weâre pursuing excitement, then weâve got to follow it through to the end.â
ââŚWho said weâre pursuing excitement?â
Gu Fuzhou asked knowingly, âItâs not for the pursuit of excitement, why would Imperial Physician Lin be inviting this general to visit his residence in the middle of the night?â
Thinking of how pitiful this personâs last life had been, Lin Qingyu took a deep breath and tried his best to restrain his temper. He said patiently, âItâs inconvenient to talk in the palace during the day â come here.â
Lin Qingyuâs house was more than a little bit smaller than the Nanâan Houâs Mansion and the Generalâs Mansion. Gu Fuzhou looked around and said, âIâve given you so much property, you could have bought a mansion as big as the Nanâan Houâs.â
Lin Qingyu said, âAnd be accused of overstepping my authority by the Imperial Censor? Thereâs only a handful of people in my house, why would I need to make it so big?â
The two headed to the study. The study had two rooms, an inner and outer room. The outer room was lined with bookshelves, and the long table in front of the window was where Lin Qingyu spent his time hunched over his books. If he got tired from reading and writing, he could go to the inner room to rest for a while. As soon as Gu Fuzhou entered the inner room, he saw the bunk bed he had designed for him and Lin Qingyu to sleep in.
Gu Fuzhou was momentarily stunned, and then he laughed out loud. âWhyâd you bring this here too?â
Lin Qingyu said, âThe place didnât come furnished with a bed.â
He wasnât counting on Gu Fuzhou to believe such a clumsy lie.
With Gu Fuzhouâs current height, standing on the ground, he was much taller than this bed. He reached out and touched the silk quilt on the top bunk. In the past, Lin Qingyu slept here and accompanied him through nights of being tortured by illness.
Gu Fuzhou turned to look at Lin Qingyu and smiled.
His pupils were dark but his eyes were bright, reflecting Lin Qingyuâs face. Under his gaze, Lin Qingyu felt inexplicably uneasy.
In addition to the smell of pen, ink, paper and inkstone, there was also the faint scent of medicine in the study.
Lin Qingyu lowered his eyes and said softly, âDidnât you drink with Wu Guogong. Why isnât there even the slightest smell of alcohol on your body?â
Gu Fuzhou curled his lips. âI took a shower before I came to see you. You know how much I value you.â
âIs it important to take a bath before seeing me?â
âYes,â Gu Fuzhou said as though he were simply stating the truth, âthis is the highest courtesy.â
He wanted to show his best side to Lin Qingyu and he constantly worried that he didnât appear handsome enough in front of him. He was very strange. He considered himself to be someone of passable appearance, but there were times when he wasnât confident in the face of the person he liked.
Lin Qingyu smiled lightly. âThis is the first time Iâve heard of such a statement.â
Gu Fuzhouâs breathing gradually became unstable. The effect of Wu Guogongâs wine was pretty strong. He had felt fine after drinking, but now it was starting to rise to his head. Gu Fuzhou sat down on the bottom bunk, supported himself by propping his arms behind him. He said in a lazy tone, âQingyu, Iâm a little drunk.â
Lin Qingyu said, âShould I make you some sobering soup?â
Gu Fuzhou shook his head. âSobering soup is useless. Letâs get down to business first. Even Wu Guogong has heard about the matter of the Emperor wanting to betroth the Seventh Princess to me. He kept congratulating me as we were drinking, saying he would accept my future son as his disciple. Is there any way you can make the Emperor change his mind?â
Lin Qingyu calmed his mind and said, âThe Seventh Princess is the Emperorâs youngest daughter, and the Emperor has always regarded her as the pearl in his palm. You are a great general, brave and skilled in battle, having great achievements in battle; Pairing you with her, naturally, you make the ideal couple. But if you were suffering from some hidden disease, the Emperor naturally wouldnât be willing to marry her to you as a grass widow.â
Suffering from some hidden illness? A grass widow?
Gu Fuzhou reacted and stood up suddenly, saying in disbelief, âLin Qingyu, are you trying infuriate me to death?â
Lin Qingyu said indifferently, âNo.â
Gu Fuzhou said enigmatically, âAlright then. I thought you were trying to get me to drop dead from anger so you could go find yourself a girl to marry.â
âIf I wanted to find a girl to marry, why would I need to infuriate you to death first?â Lin Qingyu asked strangely, âCanât I find one while youâre alive?â
Gu Fuzhou was stunned for a moment. He then laughed from anger. âThis conversation is just too beautiful, brother. Your statement is so grounded and reasonable that I canât refute at all.â
Lin Qingyu said softly, âYouâre confident in my medical skills? Weâre just going to make you impotent for the time being. When attention is drawn away from you, Iâll make it so that you can get it up again. When you were still Lu Wancheng, werenât you able to accept this quite well?â
âI was forced to back then. It was to save my life, how could I quibble about that? But itâs different now.â Gu Fuzhou said solemnly, âI must live with dignity.â
Lin Qingyu emphasized, âItâs temporary.â
âIt wonât do, even if it is temporary.â Gu Fuzhou sneered, âEarlier you said, for the sake of General Guâs reputation, you wouldnât let him carry the title of âmale wifeâ. Now, youâre just going to make him put on the impotent hat. Does your conscience not sting?â
Lin Qingyu thought for a while. âWhat you said also makes sense.â If they were to make Gu Fuzhou impotent and this matter was publicized by busybodies, Gu Fuzhou would lose face and it might even affect his prestige in the army. âIf thatâs the case, then the only way isâŚâ
Gu Fuzhou was half angry and couldnât help but answer, âFor you to marry me?â
âFor us to find a way to send both the Emperor and Xiao Cheng to the west together.â Lin Qingyu said it so lightly, like he was talking about killing two chickens and making soup. âIf the Emperor doesnât die, your bethrotal is inevitable. If the Emperor dies and Xiao Cheng ascends the throne, our situation will only be more difficult.â Lin Qingyuâs eyes darkened, and his voice dropped, âUnlessâŚthey both die and some other prince takes over the throne. .â
Gu Fuzhou was quiet, not too surprised. Lin Qingyu dared to attack the crown prince. How different was that from outright killing him?
âImperial Physician Linâs setup is getting bigger and bigger.â Gu Fuzhou said with a smile, âIs it possible that you even want to make the Emperor a puppet, having him in your power and ordering the nobles about in his name?â
Lin Qingyu raised his eyes slightly. âWhy not?â
He had no interest in the country or state power. He just wanted to study medicine with peace of mind. But they just kept coming one after another, provoking him and Gu Fuzhou. It was tiresome and he was sick of it. It would be better to just thoroughly carry it through, to support a new emperor who was close to them and would never trouble them.
Gu Fuzhou thought for a while and said, âThe Emperorâs princes have died in the battle for succession three years ago. Those who died have died and those you gave up have given up. Now, apart from Xiao Cheng, thereâs only Xiao Jie and Xiao Li left. Xiao Li is a fool; even if he is the son by the formal wife, he wonât be able to inherit the throne. So that leaves us with Xiao Jie? A beautiful idiot.â
Lin Qingyu grasped the key point. âYou think heâs beautiful?â
Gu Fuzhouâs survival instinct suddenly kicked in and he corrected himself and joked, âItâs so-so. You get used to it when you see it a lot. Unlike Imperial Physician Lin, who is not only a stunner at first glance but also grows more beautiful the more you look. Itâs completely different.â
Lin Qingyu snorted coldly and said, âIf Xiao Jie is an idiot, heâll be even easier for us to control.â
Gu Fuzhou disagreed, âThereâs someone pretty smart next to Xiao Jie. Iâm afraid it wonât be us doing the controlling.â
âWho?â
âYou should have seen that person before. He used to be a little eunuch who served Xiao Jie. Later, he grew up to be a proper eunuch and left the palace with Xiao Jie to build his mansion. Now he is the steward of Xiao Jieâs Mansion.â
Lin Qingyu remembered that there was such a person. âIs this guy smart?â
âYou can count him among the top three in the Dayu.â Gu Fuzhou said, âAnd because of his physical deficiency, this person is paranoid, sinister and ruthless. Dealing with him will take some brains.â
The furrow in Lin Qingyuâs brows loosened. âThese are all things for later, which is when weâll talk about it. The most urgent thing is to think about how to kill those two people.â Taking the Emperorâs life wasnât difficult. He was severely ill to begin with. With a little change to his prescription, he could make the Emperor appear as though he were dying from aggravated illness. After all is said, the most troublesome one was Xiao Cheng.
Gu Fuzhou also thought of this. âXiao Cheng doesnât drink medicine. He only eats things from the Eastern Palace. Having learned from his previous mistake, using incense isnât an option either. If poisoning is impossible, the only possible opening isâŚâ
Lin Qingyu took over, âShen Huaishi.â
Gu Fuzhou nodded. âBut Qingyu, I canât wait very long. According to the Emperorâs intentions, he wants to set down this marriage immediately.â
âIf our plan is successful, the matter of the marriage will be left unsettled; if it fails, it wonât be too late to discuss our remarriage.â
Gu Fuzhou concluded, âThat is to say, whether we get remarried depends on when Xiao Cheng dies?â
Lin Qingyu nodded. âThatâs right.â
Gu Fuzhou said, a complicated expression on his face, âThis mood has suddenly becomes quite subtle. I was originally hoping that Xiao Cheng would die immediately.â
Lin Qingyuâs voice turned slightly cold, âDonât you want him to now?â
Gu Fuzhou smiled and said, âThen, I still do want him to.â