Chapter 45: Playing the Delinquent Starts a Cohabitation in a "Dark Room"...
"Your Majesty, it's time to take your medicine today."
White smoke curled from the Boshan incense burner as a eunuch walked around it and respectfully presented a tray.
The plate was small, and it contained only a single tiny red pill.
Emperor Qingming leaned against the couch, his previously closed eyes suddenly widening, and said with delight, "Quick, quickly give it to me."
After swallowing the red pill with warm water, my eyes and brows immediately cleared, and the fire within my body surged forth, instantly bringing life to my lower abdomen.
"How many pills are left from what Madam Cui offered?"
"Your Majesty, there are less than three left." The eunuch looked up and glanced at Emperor Qingming's expression, then added, "However, Madam Cui has not offered any pills for two whole months."
Emperor Qingming twirled the remaining medicine residue between his fingertips and took a deep breath: "Is the person still at the estate?"
"Yes, I heard he's quite ill."
Emperor Qingming waved his hand: "Then send the imperial physician to take a look. The old man's health is poor, and he is bound to develop some health problems."
Although Cui was treacherous, he was still useful.
Without this elixir, how could he have maintained his current state?
Otherwise, given what she knew, she should have done it long ago...
"absurd!"
Before the person arrived, their voice was heard.
With a furious shout, the Empress Dowager stormed in.
The broken beads were scattered all over the ground, and the prayer beads were thrown to the ground, making a crackling sound.
The palace maids and eunuchs dared not stop them and could only obediently follow behind to pick up the items, saying in a flustered tone, "May Your Majesty the Empress Dowager be well!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Qingming did not look up. He took a sip of tea to moisten his throat before speaking calmly, "What brings Mother Empress here today?"
The Empress Dowager spoke with a face full of resentment: "The war in the west is critical, and many people have lost their homes and families, while you spend your days indulging in sensual pleasures and elixirs, neglecting state affairs and military matters. Where do you place the entire Great Yong Kingdom!"
Emperor Qingming maintained his half-closed eyes and said, "Military campaigns are matters for the general to consider."
"Isn't the imperial court supporting them and providing them with substantial rewards and salaries every year precisely for this time?"
With a loud bang, the teacup shattered on the ground.
"The Crown Prince is weak and the Prince of the County is incompetent, yet you have allowed them to form separate factions and compete with each other. Now that the important officials in the court are divided into two camps, do you think you still have anyone you can use?"
The Empress Dowager's eyes were bloodshot, mostly from anger at herself for choosing to support this good-for-nothing son back then.
Emperor Qingming narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable, and said in a deep voice, "Empress Dowager, you have overstepped your bounds."
"At his age, he should enjoy his retirement and not worry about the affairs of the previous dynasty..."
These words struck the Empress Dowager's heart like a thunderbolt.
She staggered back a step, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Having spent over forty years immersed in the imperial harem, she never imagined such a day would come.
Seeing this, the head maid immediately steadied her swaying body.
The Empress Dowager stood there blankly for a long time, but Emperor Qingming still didn't look at her once.
After a long silence, she gave a bitter smile: "I can support you, and I can also ruin you."
"The Great Yong Dynasty will never be destroyed in my hands, nor will it tolerate an emperor like you!"
Having said that, he flicked his sleeves and left.
On the way back to the palace, the Empress Dowager's hands trembled with anger, her legs shook, and she almost lost her balance and fell to the ground.
After calming down and thinking it over carefully, she held her breath and instructed the lady-in-waiting beside her, "Go, bring the Third Prince to my palace. I want to raise him myself."
"yes."
The female official showed obvious surprise, but quickly regained her composure and replied, "Yes."
*
It's May, and the aroma of zongzi leaves fills the air.
The festive atmosphere of the Dragon Boat Festival has not yet subsided. Shops line the streets, and vendors walk around calling out their wares, bringing the lively atmosphere of everyday life to the scene.
The freshly baked sugar buns were still steaming hot. Yu Wenxue gently blew on the oil paper buns and handed one to Gu Yunshen, saying, "It's a little hot, eat it slowly."
Gu Yunshen's brow twitched slightly as he took the packet of candy and ate it in small bites.
Yu Wenxue assumed he didn't like sweets and asked with concern, "Is it too sweet? Should I go buy something else?"
"No need, it's fine."
However, he prefers a different kind of sweetness...
Gu Yun Shen eats with elegance, at a moderate pace, never wolfing down his food. Watching him eat is never boring.
Her gaze shifted again, landing on his lips.
A phrase inexplicably popped into my mind: "a feast for the eyes."
Yu Wenxue felt a tightness in her throat and guessed that it was probably from being thirsty after eating the candy bun. She looked away and wrung out the water bottle in her hand.
Perhaps it was because summer had arrived, but her palms were sweating from the heat. She tried to twist them several times without success, and her fingers gradually turned red.
Gu Yun Shen glanced back, naturally took the kettle, opened it for her, and asked, "Are you hot?"
Yu Wenxue fanned herself with her hand: "It's alright, just a little bit."
It's only May now. I wonder how hot it will be in July and August. In ancient times, there was no air conditioning, so life would probably be even more difficult.
After lost in thought for a while, she lifted the curtain and looked outside, a smile unconsciously curving her lips: "It's much more lively here."
After nearly two days of arduous travel, the group finally arrived in the capital.
The story begins two days ago.
Just as Yun Jin Academy was beginning to show promise, Lin Qingwan received a letter from home, asking her and Gu Rongting to return to the capital together to discuss their marriage.
As the saying goes, arranged marriages are always more prestigious than formal marriages, with the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words making the relationship more respectable.
It happened to be the anniversary of the late Marquis's death, and Madam Cui was seriously ill, so Gu Rongting had to take time off to go back home.
After a while, all the affairs of the academy, big and small, were handed over to Wei Heng.
Since Gu Yun Shen returned, Wei Heng has rarely appeared alone in front of Yu Wen Xue, spending his days at the academy with the children.
Yu Wenxue didn't think much of it. She was at ease leaving the academy in Wei Heng's care, so she packed her things and prepared to come back with him.
However, a small incident occurred the night before I returned.
For example, Gu Rongting subtly and earnestly advised her, "Cousin, I'm worried about you being alone in the mountains. Why don't you come back with us?"
Yu Wenxue really wanted to say that there was a large group of children in the mountains who had grown up here and were much more familiar with the roads than she was. At the very least, there was Wei Heng. Besides, she had no intention of staying, so his worries were completely unnecessary.
Before she could even speak, Lin Qingwan interrupted her again: "Yes, Wenxue, why don't you come back with us? I hope you can witness our marriage."
They rode back in the same carriage as Gu Yun Shen.
Lin Qingwan thoughtfully packed her luggage, as if afraid she would change her mind, and kept whispering in her ear: "After we go back, I will comb your hair every day."
"Wenxue, how about we build a swing in the yard and play together?"
"In spring, we welcome the spring flowers; in summer, we gather around the stove to brew tea; in autumn, we brew osmanthus wine; and in winter, we can set up a stove to roast sweet potatoes..."
Yu Wenxue found it strange, but did not refuse her suggestion.
After all, she couldn't exactly tell them that she might soon be locked up in a dark room...
Unfortunately, Lin Qingwan's wish is likely to be in vain.
The old lady had wronged her first, so she would never go back to the Marquis's mansion, especially since she had no right to stay there any longer.
She has saved money and can move out. Even if Lin Qingwan marries into the family, they still won't be able to live together.
Lost in thought, the carriage stopped in front of a simple gate before they even realized it.
Two solemn stone lions lie across the bluestone steps. Although there is no plaque, the courtyard still exudes a sense of solemnity.
Clutching all her belongings, she couldn't help but ask, "Do you have that much money?"
Wasn't he having a hard time in the Marquis's mansion? If his salary is so high, why would he stay in the Marquis's mansion and suffer so much grievance?
But thinking about it, it makes sense. I heard he was recently promoted, so his salary should have increased as well…
Yu Wenxue was enjoying looking around at the scenery and was about to share it with the person next to her when she was gently tapped on the forehead.
A bunch of keys rested in her palm.
She rubbed her forehead, frowned at the culprit, and said reproachfully, "You hit me again!"
"This is to remind you to come back to your senses." Gu Yun Shen took the things she was holding, and the two entered the room one after the other.
Upon entering, Yu Wenxue's eyes widened immediately.
Before your eyes are large flower bushes, bamboo shadows swaying on both sides, and near the waterside pavilion, there are several ponds of different sizes.
The plump koi swam freely, vigorously wagging their tails from side to side.
After passing through the winding corridor, there was an open space enclosed by a fence, with a row of small thatched houses built neatly at the base of the wall.
This scene looks so familiar.
Before she could have a moment to think, a system notification sounded in her ear:
[System: A friendly reminder that there are two days left until the deadline for completing the first main quest. Please hurry.]
here we go again.
Yu Wenxue shook her head and sighed.
Gu Yunshen froze for a moment, then asked, "Don't you like it?"
"No, I was just thinking, you're going back to the Marquis's residence tomorrow night, do you want me to go with you?"
A hint of worry flashed in Yu Wenxue's eyes.
Her intuition told her that this would be a bloody battle, likely related to Gu Yun Shen's descent into darkness in the original novel.
In the past few days, Gu Yun Shen did not show any abnormality and continued to interact with Gu Rong Ting as usual, at least on the surface, they appeared to be "brotherly and respectful".
But she only learned this morning that the old lady would also be attending the memorial service tomorrow night.
No matter how many heinous things she did behind the scenes, she was still nominally the late patriarch's legal wife.
After the old lady was sent to the estate, things calmed down for a while. A few days ago, she suddenly fell seriously ill. Since Gu Rongting was not in the capital, he had to ask the head of a collateral branch of the Gu family to find a doctor.
It so happened that the Emperor was traveling incognito and learned of this incident. He kindly ordered the imperial physician accompanying him to treat Cui. After Cui recovered, the Emperor, under the pretext of recuperating, decided to let her stay.
Because her crime of trafficking girls was not publicized, it was covered up. However, this does not mean that everything she did can go unpunished.
Back then, the old lady conspired with Madam Qian to send Gu Yunshen's birth mother to the emperor's side. After he returned to the Marquis's mansion as a child, she repeatedly abused him, not only giving him drugs that would make him stupid, but also trying to kill him.
And then there are those innocent girls who were trafficked and lost their lives, and those who nearly lost their lives to being sold into ghost marriages... She herself...
None of these things are forgivable.
She wasn't worried that Gu Yunshen would seek revenge on her; what worried her more was that the old lady might have other plans behind the scenes.
After all, she had the Emperor behind her.
The calm before the storm often precedes a storm...
“It’s a pity that I have no relatives in the Marquis’s mansion.” Gu Yun Shen stood straight, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “How about I take you to the cemetery? That’s where my relatives are.”
"......"
Yu Wenxue crossed her arms tightly: "Who goes to a cemetery to play? Are they looking for the Black and White Impermanence?"
Gu Yunshen raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
The owner of this house was a former official of the previous dynasty. It is said that his wife loved lotus flowers very much, so a large number of lotus flowers were planted in the pond behind the artificial hill.
On a hot summer day, the delicate fragrance of lotus flowers is intoxicating, and the fatigue of the journey is greatly relieved.
If this is the legendary "little dark room," Yu Wenxue would rather stay here and live a life of debauchery and idleness, and not go anywhere else.
However, she soon regretted what she had said.
The full moon hangs high in the sky, radiating a cool, clear light.
Yu Wenxue, wrapped in a thin blanket, pursed her lips into a straight line, staring intently at the chessboard on the table.
"Are you cheating?" She had five or six pieces of paper stuck to her face, making her look quite comical.
Even though she had lost all night, she was still unwilling to give up, believing that Gu Yunshen was definitely lying to her, and asked in a puzzled tone, "How come I don't remember where you placed your last move?"
"Then I'll move a little slower." Gu Yun Shen picked up a black piece, a faint smile appearing in his narrow eyes.
He moved extremely slowly so that she could see clearly.
Yu Wenxue was very satisfied with the 0.5x slow motion, and she stared at his hand almost without blinking.
After observing the board repeatedly, he placed his last piece.
“You lost again,” Gu Yunshen said, raising an eyebrow.
"You cheated!" Yu Wenxue straightened up, and the blanket slipped off her body, exposing most of her shoulders.
She didn't help him up, but walked over to him and pressed him into a chair: "You must have hidden a chess piece, right?"
"I don't."
Caught off guard, Gu Yunshen was pushed backward by her. He subconsciously took her blanket and gently twisted it.
A faint fragrance lingered around her; it was from her newly changed bath soap.
When he denied it, Yu Wenxue pressed against his shoulder again and touched it a few times.
She even suspected that he had known all along that she couldn't play chess and deliberately dug a pit for her to fall into.
He searched for a long time but couldn't find a chess piece. Judging from his reaction, he didn't seem like he was hiding anything.
Is she overthinking it?
I'm just really stupid.
Suddenly meeting her clear gaze, Gu Yun Shen abruptly stopped playing with the blanket.
He knew his intentions were despicable, but he couldn't frighten her at this moment.
His eyes swirled with emotion, but he restrained himself and closed them to avoid her gaze: "It seems your chess skills are indeed not very good."
"In that case, I won't force you..."
"No way." Yu Wenxue deftly removed the note from his face, stopping him from leaving. "How about we compete in something else?"
Gu Yun Shen crossed his arms and said leisurely, "Hmm?"
The author's note: Xiao Gu's inner thoughts: We've started living together, it's time to meet his family, but his family has passed away... so he can only visit their graves.
The girl's inner monologue: This freak is really trying to take me to see the Black and White Impermanence!! [Fear][Fear]
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