In the end, through gritted teeth, the emperor finally agreed to Gu Fuzhouâs marriage to Lin Qingyu. War was once again breaking out in the Northwest and he had to appease Gu Fuzhou at this time. Furthermore, Xu Junyuan also said that the marriage between the two was a sign of auspiciousness. For the sake of the overall situation, he could only suppress his own selfish desires. He was the ruler of a country; between the country and a beauty, which was more important and which was less, he could still tell.
The emperor only acquiesced; he did not bestow the marriage. However, he did make a statement: A male wife may not re-enter the palace.
Hearing this, Gu Fuzhou wanted to go argue with the emperor. Lin Qingyu stopped him. âDonât worry, it wonât be long before the Emperor invites me back.â
Gu Fuzhou pretended to complain, âDoctor Lin has done something bad again but didnât take me with him.â
Lin Qingyu said, âI donât think you can call this âsomething badâ.â
On the day Lin Qingyu left the palace, most of his colleagues in the Imperial Hospital watched from the sidelines. Aside from Hu Ji who saw him off all the way, Chu Zhengde unexpectedly also came to see him off.
The old man still had on an ugly expression whenever he looked at him and his words were still eccentric and cynical, âMarrying out of nowhere! You are failing to live up to your talent!â
Lin Qingyu said indifferently, âIt is precisely because of this talent that occasionally delaying for some time should be of no matter.â
Chu Zhengde choked and he said, flustered and exasperated, âHurry up and go! The very sight of you is unlucky.â
Lin Qingyu did not immediately depart â a eunuch from the Eastern Palace found him and said that he was being invited by the crown prince.
After many days, Lin Qingyu saw Xiao Cheng again. He almost couldnât help laughing.
After spending a period of time wandering the edge of life and death, Xiao Cheng was now far from his high-spirited self of before. He had lost almost half his weight, resulting in sunken cheeks and pale lips. Even dressed in resplendent clothes, his sorry state could hardly be concealed. In Lin Qingyuâs eyes, he was doing not much better than Shen Huaishi at Changsheng Temple that day.
When those eyes looked at Lin Qingyu, gone were his past haughtiness and rationality, his arrogance and distrust; only stubbornness and resentment remained.
Lin Qingyu delivered the standard salutation. âGreetings to Your Highness.â
Xiao Cheng did not lock eyes with him like he did in the past. He went straight to the point, âDo you have any news of Shen Huaishi?â
Lin Qingyu raised his eyebrows. âImperial Guard Shen is His Royal Highnessâs personal bodyguard. Why would His Highness ask me about him?â
Xiao Chengâs lips were pursed tight. After so long, the Tianji Camp had yet to uncover Shen Huaishiâs whereabouts. He had nowhere to vent his restlessness and resentment. He spent all day in the Eastern Palace and no amount of smashing everything in sight could provide him release. The Tianji Campâs shadow guard then asked tremblingly, âAsking Your Highness for pardon but does Imperial Guard Shen have any relatives or friends? We can start from these people.â
Xiao Cheng was stunned. After much pondering, he thought of Lin Qingyu.
All of Shen Huaishiâs relative and friends disappeared with the Heavenly Prison Sect three years ago. For the past three years, apart from himself, the only person Shen Huaishi has had any significant connection with was Lin Qingyu. Otherwise, he would not have appeared to plead for Lin Qingyu on Jingchunâs birthday.
âYou need only to answer Guâs question. Besides, did Gu allow you ask anything?â
Lin Qingyu said, âThe last time this official saw Imperial Guard Shen was at the Imperial Medical Office. I do not know what he had undertaken for Your Highness but he was injured all over. This official simply gave him a few medicines. That is all.â
âDid he tell you anything?â Xiao Cheng didnât really hold out much hope that Lin Qingyu knew anything, but he really⌠was at his witsâ end. If there was any information, no matter how immaterial, he was going to hold on to it.
Lin Qingyu thought for a moment and said, âHe mentioned the Princess Jingchun.
âJingchun?â Xiao Cheng asked impatiently, âWhat did he say?â
âHe said that he and the Princess Jingchun grew up together. Back then, the Princess was forced to enter a political marriage to the North. He doesnât know how she has been these past three years.â
Xiao Cheng asked, âDid he say he was going to the North?â
Leading too deliberately would only make it too suspicious. Lin Qingyu said, âHe never said that. He said that he was His Highnessâs shadow guard and so naturally, he should always remain with His Highness.â
Xiao Cheng narrowed his eyes and said, âWe are done here.â
Before leaving, Lin Qingyu asked, âDoes Your Highness know about my marriage with General Gu?â
âI know.â Xiao Cheng mocked, âLu Wanchengâs body hasnât even grown cold. Youâre in such a hurry to remarry. Lin Qingyu, you really canât live without a man. However, what does a warrior like Gu Fuzhou know of pleasure? And an invalid like Lu Wancheng never would have been able to satisfy you. If you had just given yourself to me sooner, you would have known the taste of marrow.â
Lin Qingyu could see that Xiao Cheng was just running his mouth. In his current state, even if the Princess Jingchun came back, he might not be able produce any sort of reaction.
âYour Highness has repeatedly shown me your goodwill. I thought Your Highness wished to see me for this matter. I didnât expect that Your Highness would not even mention my marriage with General Gu, concerned only about the possible whereabouts of Imperial Guard Shen.â Lin Qingyu chuckled lightly. âIt seems that in Your Highnessâ heart I am far less important than Imperial Guard Shen.â
Xiao Cheng was dumbfounded, as though only realizing this himself. He then said, as if to convince himself, âGuâs only concern is that he meet his punishment and suffer the consequences of his own action as soon as possible.â
Lin Qingyu said, âIt must be as Your Highness says. â This official will now take his leave.â
Regardless of the rumors flying about outside, Lin Qingyu and Gu Fuzhouâs marriage was finally settled. The marriage had been decided in a hurry, but under the supervision of Mother Lin and Yuan Yin, everything, from the engagement ceremony to the selection of the day of the wedding, went smoothly.
When Lin Qingyu got married last time, he had basically prepared no dowry. This time, Mother Lin prepared a dowry list for him, but he said, âYou can add a little more.â
Mother Lin looked embarrassed. âQingyu, your father has been in office for so many years and he has kept his hands clean all throughout. This is all that he has saved.â
Lin Qingyu smiled and said, âMother misunderstood. I am the one getting married, naturally, I shall pay my dowry myself. How could I possibly use my parentsâ savings? Do not worry, Mother, I will have others handle this matter.â
Mother Lin said worriedly, âHow will you pay for your dowry? How long have you been working?â
âI shall let Young Master Hou help me out.â Lu Wancheng had left him so much property; he was worried he would have nowhere to spend it.
Mother Lin was taken aback. âTh-this is not good.â
âThereâs nothing wrong with it.â Lin Qingyu smiled slightly, âIf Young Master Hou, down in the netherworld, even knew, he might even urge me to bring more over to the Generalâs Mansion.â
Mother Lin only felt that she understood her eldest son less and less. However, she has never been one to interfere with Lin Qingyuâs decisions and finally, she arranged for matters as Lin Qingyu wanted.
Unmarried couples were not allowed to meet in private before the wedding. Though Gu Fuzhou couldnât see him it didnât stop him from sending a lot of things one after the other. For example, the wedding dress he was going to wear was personally selected by Gu Fuzhou and was delivered to the Lin Residence by Yuan Yin.
Lin Qingyu knew that Gu Fuzhou had an inexplicable obsession with his wedding dress. He thought that Gu Fuzhou would choose a wedding dress that was even more elaborate than the one he had worn when they first got married. Unexpectedly, though the wedding dress he sent was made from excellent brocade but there wasnât much embroidery on it; it was simple scarlet dress, like a pure burning flame.
Lin Qingyu touched the ring on his ring finger; the relief on this ring too was very simple. Gu Fuzhouâs vision and tastes were not bad. He himself didnât like dressing up too garishly.
A letter from Gu Fuzhou came along with the bridal attire. In colloquial speech, it was an entire page filled with his complaints about being tired and hungry these days, how he could hardly bear it any longer. Afterwards, he lamented about human life, how it was meaningless, how it was better to jump into the lake if one canât eat meat.
Lin Qingyu was puzzled. âThe Generalâs tiredness aside, why would he be hungry?â
Yuan Yin said helplessly, âIn order to motivate himself with his training, the general made his wedding attire a little smaller. He hasnât eaten much during the past few days, making do with green vegetables and radishes. Yesterday, he even grabbed me asking why do people live, just to marry a beautiful wife, the world was not worth itâŚâ
Lin Qingyu: ââŚâ
The current Gu Fuzhou was actually quite tall, with broad shoulders and long legs. To say that he couldnât be made better wouldnât be too much of an exaggeration; everything was just right. Lin Qingyu had deliberately said that his abdominal muscles were loosening in order to urge him to be diligent in his training. Getting in a bit more physical exercise wasnât a bad thing. Unexpectedly, it had been such a big blow to Gu Fuzhou.
Lin Qingyu laughed: âTell him, I donât like men too thin either. Have him eat well.â
The author has something to say: Finally, itâs the second marriage~!