Chapter 38: Applying medicine to a thin arm, so fragile
It wasn't He Wen? Did he recognize the wrong person?
Song Mingjiao was a little confused. From the direction he had looked before, the two men's figures were indeed somewhat similar.
Song Mingjiao was being held in Gu Linyuan's arms at this moment. The man's arm muscles were very hard, and he was still wearing that battle armor. The hard and cold armor pressed against Song Mingjiao's body, and even though it was covered by clothes, Song Mingjiao still felt uncomfortable.
He poked the general's hard armor with some curiosity, not noticing the man holding him, and the corners of his mouth suddenly tightened.
Song Mingjiao's legs were held in the air and he kicked twice reluctantly.
He now remembered that someone had submitted a memorial to him a few days ago, stating that they would return to the capital to report on their duties. It must have been General Gu Linyuan. However, Song Mingjiao had not taken it too seriously before, nor had he expected to meet a general from the Daliang Dynasty so unexpectedly.
"Put me down."
Song Mingjiao ordered bluntly, and moved a few times in Gu Linyuan's arms, but failed to break free from the man's arms.
It was not until he heard the emperor's order that the general came to his senses and carefully and gently placed Song Mingjiao on the ground.
Gu Linyuan heard the word "Prime Minister" that Song Mingjiao blurted out before. He had just left the capital for a while, but the emperor couldn't tell the difference between him and the Prime Minister?
He was a military commander! How could a civil official like He Wen be compared to him?
Gu Linyuan felt subtly unhappy, but he couldn't tell where the source of this unhappiness came from. He could only blame it on the conflicts between civil officials and military generals from ancient times to the present.
Song Mingjiao felt a little guilty for having recognized the wrong person, but he quickly comforted himself.
Song Mingjiao thought with confidence that he had three thousand court officials and it was understandable that he could not tell them apart for a moment as an emperor.
I guess Gu Linyuan didn't dare to blame him.
"Your Majesty, I, Gu Linyuan, greet you. I am late in reporting my duties, and I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
Song Mingjiao had just been put on the ground when he felt the light above his head being blocked by the man. But the next moment, the loyal general, just as Song Mingjiao had expected, did not comment on the man's mistake.
Instead, Gu Linyuan knelt on one knee and apologized to Song Mingjiao. One could even hear the sound of cold armor colliding.
Song Mingjiao had simply wanted to climb the palace wall to see the view, and he felt a bit embarrassed that such a small thing was being called "saving the emperor." Song Mingjiao put his hands behind his back, coughed lightly, and then put on the airs of an emperor.
"Well, my dear, there's no need to be so polite."
Although Gu Linyuan was apologizing, he kept recalling the feeling of hugging Song Mingjiao in his mind.
To be fair, Gu Linyuan rushed there out of duty at first. He even thought that the emperor was too playful to care about his own safety, and was slightly annoyed by the emperor's childish nature.
But when he actually caught sight of that light figure, Gu Linyuan's heart suddenly softened.
He was a general and usually spent a lot of time traveling outside. He met the emperor far less often than other ministers in the court, let alone such close contact as now.
Nestled in Gu Linyuan's arms, Song Mingjiao no longer looked as aloof as she did in the throne room or the imperial study. Instead, she exuded a touch of tenderness and loveliness. She would even actively seek a more comfortable position in his arms.
Perhaps it was because the soft, fragrant, and warm jade in his arms had just made Gu Linyuan's mind go wild. After Song Mingjiao called out "Stand up", he unexpectedly asked the little emperor:
"Your Majesty, if you want to see the scenery, I can carry you up."
Song Mingjiao raised his eyebrows. In fact, after this interruption, he no longer had any obsession with climbing high, but since someone was willing to help, he was happy to enjoy it.
"OK."
Song Mingjiao agreed with a smile, and even kept staring at Gu Linyuan, which reminded Gu Linyuan of the cat he once raised at home. The cat was so soft and fragile, and was not suitable for the battlefield at all. It needed to be carefully cared for to prevent it from getting hurt.
"I am sorry."
Gu Linyuan felt a little unnatural when he stretched out his hand because of Song Mingjiao's smile. He hugged Song Mingjiao's waist very carefully, fearing that he would hurt the little emperor, but he couldn't hug her too loosely, otherwise Song Mingjiao would be in danger of falling.
The height of the palace wall was a piece of cake for a martial artist like Gu Linyuan. But now that he had brought a distinguished guest with him, Gu Linyuan suddenly felt constrained. He couldn't tighten or loosen the wall, and it was extremely difficult.
But in the end, Song Mingjiao was brought safely to the top of the palace wall, and the two settled down among the red tiles.
Song Mingjiao didn't notice that the person who was hugging him was sweating on his forehead.
At this height, there were only him and Gu Linyuan. The palace maids, eunuchs and guards were all under the palace wall, so far away that even their voices could not be heard clearly. There was only the sound of the wind blowing from time to time.
Song Mingjiao took two steps forward, and Gu Linyuan next to him was so scared that he quickly stretched out his hand and made a protective gesture, fearing that Song Mingjiao would fall again.
His black hair was blown by the wind, and even a small strand of hair floated in front of Gu Linyuan's eyes, making people almost unable to resist picking up that strand of hair.
Song Mingjiao opened his arms and felt the wind gently swaying his clothes.
Ancient buildings were not considered tall, so when Song Mingjiao stood on the palace wall, he could basically have a panoramic view of the entire palace and even the capital city in the distance.
The clear blue sky and the unpolluted white clouds complement each other beautifully. The horizon and the distant city walls merge into one, creating a sense of expansiveness as if one were looking far into the distance from a height.
"General?"
Song Mingjiao was sitting closer to Gu Linyuan than him. He had his back to Gu Linyuan and did not turn around as he called out to someone.
"I am here, Your Majesty, just call me by my name."
"Did you also see such a vast scenery when you were on the march?"
Gu Linyuan hesitated for a long time before whispering, "Not entirely. There are steep cliffs, but also vast grasslands."
Gu Linyuan heard the emperor chuckle softly. The chuckle was so light that it could even disappear in the wind at any moment. "Then it seems that this is much more interesting than the imperial palace."
The system felt from the bottom of its heart that giving Song Mingjiao the identity of choosing an emperor was an honor for him, but it also felt that giving Song Mingjiao the difficulty of creating an emperor was making things difficult for him.
But from beginning to end, Song Mingjiao had no special attachment to the so-called Supreme Emperor.
"His Majesty......"
The general behind him seemed to hear the emotion in the emperor's words and wanted to speak, but the general was just a rough man who didn't understand romance, let alone comfort.
Song Mingjiao laughed, casually gathered his flying hair, and then ordered: "Okay, you've seen enough, take me down."
Gu Linyuan breathed a sigh of relief and nodded his head. Such a straightforward order was obviously easier for the general to understand.
As soon as she flew down from the palace wall, Song Mingjiao, whose hair and clothes were disheveled, was quickly surrounded by Eunuch Zhao and a group of palace maids who had been waiting for a long time.
"It's windy up there. Your Majesty, are you getting a headache? Quick, bring me a hot towel."
"Oh, your Majesty's clothes are wet here? Your Majesty, do you want to go back to the bedroom and change?"
Eunuch Zhao had been on edge, fearing some accident might happen on the palace walls. Fortunately, the little emperor landed safely this time, and he quickly surrounded Song Mingjiao, busying himself around.
Song Mingjiao and Gu Linyuan were forcibly separated by a group of people.
In front of the emperor, even a great general would be pushed to the back, with only a few eunuchs welcoming the general, which was a stark contrast to Song Mingjiao who was surrounded by people.
If someone else came, such as Shang Nanxuan, he might start to feel indignant again.
Song Mingjiao raised his hand and let the palace servants tidy up his robes, while he walked past the crowd and looked at Gu Linyuan who was standing not far away.
Gu Linyuan's eyes were dark and no emotion could be seen.
"Okay, go back to the palace."
After a long while, Song Mingjiao finally responded to Eunuch Zhao's request.
The chief eunuch beside the emperor flicked his whisk and called out in a delicate voice: "Your Majesty, return to the palace—"
Seeing that the emperor's procession was about to return, General Gu Linyuan, who had just saved the emperor but did not receive any reward, stood there alone with his mouth pursed into a straight line.
He was so big that he looked like an abandoned dog.
"General, aren't you going to follow?"
However, the emperor's procession suddenly paused, and Song Mingjiao's soft voice came from the front, with a smile, making Gu Linyuan feel like listening to the sound of nature.
Song Mingjiao saw that Gu Linyuan, whose aura was about to dim, suddenly regained his strength and caught up, and then he curled the corners of his lips in joy.
Although I failed to seduce the Prime Minister this time, I got the loyal general, which is not bad.
*
After returning to the Yangxin Palace, Song Mingjiao bathed and changed clothes in the inner room. As an outsider, Gu Linyuan naturally could not follow him in.
But he was summoned by the emperor after all, so the palace servants did not dare to neglect him. They asked Gu Linyuan to wait outside and served tea and snacks.
For a while.
"General, do you have anything else to report to me on your return to the capital, besides the matters mentioned in the memorial?"
Changing clothes for Song Mingjiao was not a simple matter of putting on and taking off. Gu Linyuan had been waiting outside for a long time before he heard the sound of the emperor coming out.
Perhaps because it was just the Emperor receiving his favorite ministers, Song Mingjiao didn't wear the elaborate dragon robes he wore during the court ceremony, nor did he wear the low-key, luxurious casual clothes he had worn at the previous Qionglin Banquet. Instead, he wore only a single layer of clothing, and didn't even bother to style his hair, simply inserting a jade hairpin.
There was a faint moisture and blush on Song Mingjiao's cheeks, which was the effect of being steamed in the bathtub just now.
The single garment was made of the finest silk and was very soft and flowing, giving Song Mingjiao a sense of laziness when she walked.
"Yes, I have been..."
Gu Linyuan was reporting, but he couldn't help but look at Song Mingjiao a few more times. Then he remembered that the person in front of him was the Supreme Emperor, and quickly withdrew his wandering gaze.
He had thought that Song Mingjiao would summon him in such a private setting to discuss other matters, but he had not expected this, asking about government affairs in such a businesslike manner.
This was supposed to be the ideal situation for Gu Linyuan to get along with the Tian family. But for some reason, this time, he suddenly felt a sense of inexplicable loss in his heart.
Song Mingjiao was writing and drawing on a piece of paper while listening. When he raised his hand, the smooth sleeve fell down, revealing a white and slender arm. On the inside of his forearm, a faint red scratch could be seen.
The scratch was not deep and there was no bleeding, but it was very long, extending nearly an inch from Song Mingjiao's wrist.
It was just because the location was relatively hidden that no palace servants discovered it. Song Mingjiao himself didn't care much about it. The scratched skin was just a little swollen, and it would heal naturally in two days.
But this red color looked extremely eye-catching on Song Mingjiao's originally snow-white skin, and made Gu Linyuan, who couldn't control his eyes, notice Song Mingjiao's abnormality in an instant.
Gu Linyuan was reporting the situation when he couldn't help but glance at Song Mingjiao's hand. After reporting a few paragraphs, he couldn't help but glance up again.
It was not until Song Mingjiao had almost sorted out the overall military situation of the Daliang Dynasty through the general that he reached out and took a sip of the teacup beside him, then put down the brush and placed it on the paper that was already full of words.
"My dear minister, you are indeed my most loyal and trusted minister. Okay, I understand. If there is nothing else, please withdraw."
Song Mingjiao didn't look up, but after waiting for a long time, he didn't see any movement from the person in front of him. When he couldn't help but look over, he saw Gu Linyuan staring straight at his wrist, and finally said to him:
"Your Majesty's wound needs to be treated promptly, otherwise it may become inflamed in the summer temperature."
Song Mingjiao followed Gu Linyuan's gaze and looked at his arm. He understood Gu Linyuan's intention and said, "Okay, I know. You can leave now."
Gu Linyuan, who had been dawdling in front of him, finally bowed and slowly retreated. However, after taking a few steps, he suddenly turned around and returned to Song Mingjiao again, saying in a low voice: "Your Majesty, I am still worried. Let me help you apply the medicine."
Is this person constantly staring at his hands?
Song Mingjiao looked at Gu Linyuan, who was completely focused on her, and suddenly felt that this general didn't have any courage, bravery, or iron-fisted tactics. Could he really protect the court? Did he need to be replaced?
Forget it, just use it first.
Song Mingjiao put down the paper in his hand and deliberately rolled up his sleeves above his elbows. This single garment was loose to begin with, and after rolling it up, Song Mingjiao's arms were even more fragile, making the scar seem even more severe.
"General, you just want to apply medicine for me?"
Song Mingjiao deliberately stretched out his hand in front of Gu Linyuan and asked with a smile.
Gu Linyuan took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I dare not offend Your Majesty."
"Okay." Song Mingjiao responded, then raised his voice and called Eunuch Zhao in, "Go get the ointment."
As soon as Eunuch Zhao came in, he heard the little emperor's order. He was so frightened that he wanted to apologize, but was called up by the emperor again. He hurriedly took the ointment and looked at the scars on Song Mingjiao's arm with heartache.
"It's all my fault. I didn't notice that Your Majesty was injured. I deserve to die. I will go get the imperial physician right away."
"Okay, it's just a minor injury. You haven't even called the imperial physician yet, but it's almost healed."
Song Mingjiao didn't intend to start a war, so he added, "Besides, isn't our battle-hardened general right here? I bet the general must be quite experienced in treating wounds, right?"
"I will do my best."
Finally getting the approval of His Majesty, Gu Linyuan snatched the ointment from Eunuch Zhao's hand as if he were snatching something.
Eunuch Zhao: What are you so anxious about?
"bring it on."
Song Mingjiao sat down on the carved wooden chair next to him and placed her wrist on the table. Her thin arm lay defenselessly spread out before Gu Linyuan's eyes, looking so vulnerable.
Gu Linyuan held his breath. Although he had requested His Majesty to apply the medicine, when he really started to do it, he suddenly felt a little at a loss.
Because Song Mingjiao's skin looks so delicate.
The little emperor, who was raised with the whole country's strength and lived a life of luxury, did not even have a single flaw on his wrist, except for that eye-catching scar.
It was completely different from Gu Linyuan's rough appearance with scars all over. When he applied medicine to himself, he never had any scruples. He did it as quickly as possible, and he was so ruthless that he even pulled out the arrow without saying a word.
But at this moment, facing the little emperor's small scar, he hesitated rarely.
Gu Linyuan has been practicing archery and bow-making for many years, and even his fingertips are covered with thick calluses. As a result, when he was applying the medicine, he was even worried that his rough fingers would hurt Song Mingjiao's fair and tender skin.
Especially the eunuch Zhao next to him, who was like a supervisor, exclaiming from time to time.
"Hey, General, be gentler! Look, His Majesty is frowning!"
"Master Gu, can this ointment alone cure it? Or should I go and call the imperial physician?"
Chirping.
Gu Linyuan had never thought that this eunuch was so annoying before, but he was under the control of Song Mingjiao. Even if he was annoyed, he could not put his energy on Song Mingjiao.
Song Mingjiao watched Gu Linyuan pursing his lips and getting angry, and suddenly found it a little funny. He remembered that there seemed to be an allusion to "General Embroidery" in ancient times, and it was similar to Gu Linyuan at this moment.
Seeing that Gu Linyuan and Eunuch Zhao had unconsciously formed a united front, they showed the spirit of scientific research towards Song Mingjiao's arm, which was not a big deal but looked very pitiful. They touched here and there, fearing that they would miss any scars on His Majesty's body.
"Alright, I told you it's okay. If you keep rubbing it, my arm will be covered in ointment. It's sticky and uncomfortable."
Until then, the conscientious general Gu Linyuan reluctantly removed his fingers from Song Mingjiao's wrist, but his other hand still held the box of ointment tightly.
"If the general likes it, I will give him this ointment. It is a new formula developed by the Imperial Hospital and is very effective. I think it will be of great help to the general during his march."
Song Mingjiao thought Gu Linyuan had taken a fancy to the ointment. Indeed, swords and spears are merciless, and even with Gu Linyuan's martial arts skills, he would inevitably be injured on the battlefield. As an emperor, he should be compassionate to his subjects.
"I thank Your Majesty for the reward."
Song Mingjiao watched Gu Linyuan take the ointment and thought to himself that he was a truly considerate emperor.
"Oh, I almost forgot something important. Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is outside seeking an audience."
Eunuch Zhao slapped his head. He had been so focused on the emperor's injury that he had forgotten about He Wen who was waiting outside the door.
"Well, please invite him in."
Song Mingjiao gave instructions to Eunuch Zhao, then turned to look at Gu Linyuan. This man seemed to be rooted to the ground, with no intention of leaving. It was not until he saw the emperor's puzzled look that he slowly bowed and took his leave.
"I thank Your Majesty for this box of ointment. I will keep it in my house and treasure it day and night."
Although Song Mingjiao felt that Gu Linyuan's way of showing love was a bit exaggerated, he was very satisfied that this general was a good minister who understood etiquette and morality. He knew that he was thinking of the emperor's kindness by rewarding him with a box of ointment. He was much better than some people who used a lot of his money and resources and thought it was justified.
He Wen waited outside the palace for quite a while, but the emperor didn't call him in. The emperor was busy with government affairs and couldn't spare the time, so He Wen didn't think there was anything wrong with him waiting a little longer.
But no one expected that when the palace door opened, not only Eunuch Zhao who reported the news came out, but also General Gu Linyuan who had returned to the capital at some point.
He Wen even heard words like "reward" and "ointment".
When He Wen entered the room, he passed by Gu Linyuan who was leaving. The two were of similar rank and had basically no communication other than business matters. They were not familiar with each other and just nodded to each other.
But for some reason, He Wen felt a little unhappy. This unhappiness reached its peak after he saw the emperor wearing only a single piece of clothing, not even properly dressed, with his snow-white arms and neck exposed.
The ancients said: "Your body and hair are inherited from your parents."
Gu Linyuan was on the march all year round and didn't have to pay much attention to details, so he didn't think there was anything wrong with him touching and rubbing Song Mingjiao's skin with his own hands.
But this Prime Minister had received an orthodox education since childhood. Song Mingjiao's current behavior was far more outrageous than when he teased him with the jade pendant in the garden.
"Your Majesty, etiquette must be taken seriously."
The Prime Minister lowered his brows and gave advice to the young emperor like the most loyal and upright minister.
In fact, after Song Mingjiao flirted with He Wen that day, he forgot about him and did not meet him privately.
Today He Wen happened to be requesting advice, and he also planned to discuss with his prime minister how to arrange for his good brother to enter the court to participate in politics.
But he didn't expect that this person would dare to pick on him as soon as he came in!
Song Mingjiao is angry!
Although the clothes he was wearing were indeed not suitable for meeting foreign officials, the arrogant little emperor still could not bear to hear such things.
Song Mingjiao's face was gloomy as he threw the memorial onto the table. Memorials these days were very important, and when they were thrown, they made a loud noise.
"Is the Prime Minister teaching me how to do things? Or does he want to work in the Ministry of Rites or the Censorate, like those censors, doing nothing all day long but watching my every move to see if it conforms to the ancestral etiquette? And then constantly admonishing me, annoying me?"
This sentence was definitely not just said to He Wen, because these days, although Song Mingjiao had great power as the emperor, he was also subject to some restrictions, especially the various advice from the censors.
Song Mingjiao, a modern man, was uncomfortable with the various ritual constraints of ancient times and impatient with the constant need to maintain so-called imperial etiquette and majesty. These issues had been brought to his attention by the censors, a group of senior officials, who had been bullying him.
But the ministers were only fulfilling their duties, so Song Mingjiao couldn't get angry. Seeing He Wen bump into the muzzle of the gun, he naturally vented his long-simmering dissatisfaction.
"I dare not."
He Wen knelt straight down, but what came to his mind was that he had lost his appetite during this period. The jade pendant given by the little emperor made He Wen cherish it, but also made He Wen feel like it was a hot potato. He tossed and turned, unable to guess the emperor's thoughts.
He knew that the emperor had once had feelings for the newly crowned number one scholar, and that homosexuality was not uncommon in this dynasty. He even went on to make up for his lack of knowledge in areas he had never explored before, when the emperor had not made a clear statement.
So when He Wen heard the conversation between Gu Linyuan and Eunuch Zhao just now and heard the word "paint", his first reaction was that it was the "ointment" used by men.
Seeing the emperor in disheveled clothes, all sorts of complicated emotions surged in my heart.
"My dear minister, in what capacity do you speak to me?"
Song Mingjiao walked out from behind the table and when he slapped He Wen's face, his sleeve slipped down again, revealing the scar on his arm that had been treated with medicine.
He Wen's pupils shrank, and he immediately forgot the bitterness and jealousy in his heart. Regardless of his identity, he grabbed Song Mingjiao's arm and hurried to check.
"Your Majesty is injured? How are the people in the Yangxin Palace serving you? Did you call the imperial physician?"
But Song Mingjiao pulled his hand away and pushed He Wen away fiercely. Even the coldness and anger in his voice could not be concealed:
"roll."
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