Chapter 51. The son is attracted to men; he's gay. ...
Lin Yan knelt on the cold ground, head bowed, feeling as if his kneecaps were about to fused to the ground.
What did he just say?
Oh, he told his parents, "Son really likes men."
The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap, shattering the teacup in his father Lin Chengji's hand and instantly draining the color from his mother Wen Yun's face.
The room was deathly silent, save for his father's heavy breathing and his mother's suppressed, faint gasps.
Lin Yan dared not look up, and could only stare at a small, blurry patch of light on the ground.
Sure enough, even in modern society, not many parents can accept that their child is gay, let alone in ancient times, especially when both parents come from scholarly families.
Will Dad immediately resort to family discipline? Will Mom faint?
Is it too late to change my mind and say I was joking? No, this has to be said sooner or later... It's better to say it sooner rather than later, to avoid trouble later.
Lin Chengji's fingers trembled violently as he pointed at Lin Yan. His lips quivered for a long time before he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth: "You...you say it again?"
Wen Yun snapped back to her senses, grabbed her husband's arm, and said in a trembling voice, "Husband, please don't get angry. Yan'er, are you confused? How can you say such nonsense?"
Lin Yan steeled himself, closed his eyes, and repeated himself again, his voice even lower than before, but exceptionally clear: "Father, Mother, your son is not lying. Your son really cannot have those feelings for women. Your son likes men, and he is gay."
"Bang!"
Lin Chengji slammed his fist on the small table beside him, making the teacups on it vibrate loudly. "You wretched child! My Lin family has maintained a good reputation for generations, how could we produce someone like you...!"
Lin Chengji was too angry to speak the rest of his words, and felt dizzy.
Wen Yun's tears streamed down her face. Looking at her son kneeling on the ground, she was filled with heartache and disbelief: "How could this be... Yan'er, are you under too much pressure at the Hanlin Academy? Or are you being haunted by some evil spirit? Mother... Mother will go and invite a high monk..."
"Father, Mother." Lin Yan raised his head, his eyes also red. "Your son is very clear-headed. This is the kind of person I am. I dare not deceive you, Father and Mother, and I dare not delay other people's good girls."
Lin Yan spoke earnestly, even with a hint of despair.
Looking at their son's state, Lin Chengji and Wen Yun felt their anger and shock dissipate as if a hole had been punched in them, leaving only immense bewilderment and helplessness.
They weren't the kind of unreasonable parents who would force their son to marry. They couldn't do that. Knowing their son was gay, they wouldn't trick an innocent woman into marrying them and living a life of widowhood. The Lin family would never do something so immoral.
But the news was too shocking and horrifying, completely beyond their comprehension and acceptance.
Lin Chengji slumped back into his chair, covered his face with his hands, and remained silent for a long time.
Wen Yun wiped away her tears, looked at her husband, then at her son, her heart in turmoil.
Finally, she choked back tears and waved her hand wearily: "Go back to your own yard first. Your father and I... need some peace and quiet."
Lin Chongchong kowtowed deeply: "Your son is unfilial and has saddened your parents." Then he got up and almost staggered as he retreated.
Back in his courtyard, Lin Yan collapsed onto the bed, staring blankly at the canopy ceiling.
He knew how much this would impact his parents.
In this day and age, this was simply outrageous and shocking. The fact that his parents didn't break his legs on the spot was already a testament to their extreme restraint and love.
What's next?
Lin Yan's mind was a complete mess.
His parents need time to process this, so he'd better minimize his presence and avoid being around them, lest they get angry and something bad happen to them.
Having made up his mind, Lin Yan began to strictly implement the "lowering his presence" plan.
First, the morning court session.
In the past, he would always hitch a ride with his father in his carriage to the palace, where he could take a nap or listen to his father ramble on about trivial matters of the Ministry of Works.
Now, garlic bird, garlic bird.
Lin Yan got up very early, and before dawn, he quietly hitched up his carriage and slipped out of the mansion ahead of time. He would rather wait outside the palace gate in the cold wind than see his father.
When the court session ended, he would keep a close eye on everything around him. As soon as he spotted his father, he would slip away quickly, blending into the crowd of his colleagues to avoid the awkwardness of riding in the same carriage.
Secondly, getting off work.
As long as Xiao Che released the people, Lin Yan used to go home immediately, but now he doesn't dare. When he gets home and sees his parents' gloomy faces, Lin Yan wants to kneel down in front of them.
Thus, Lin Yan began a crazy "voluntary overtime" mode.
He could "care about state affairs" and voluntarily stay in the imperial study to "share the burdens of His Majesty"!
Xiao Che raised an eyebrow as he watched Lin Yan sneak into the Imperial Study once again, just in time and carrying a few unimportant documents.
"Minister Lin has been very diligent lately." Xiao Che put down his vermilion brush, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.
This person used to run faster than a rabbit when it was time to leave work, but lately he's been unusually proactive.
Lin Yan lowered his head and said respectfully, "It is my duty to share Your Majesty's burdens."
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I really dare not go home to face my parents. Please allow me to stay here and enjoy some more charcoal."
When my dad saw me, his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, while my mom's eyes turned as red as a rabbit's.
What kind of broth? What kind of rabbit?
What happened to Lin Yan's family?
Xiao Che remained expressionless, only giving a faint "hmm" to signal Lin Yan to put the document down.
Lin Yan breathed a sigh of relief, quickly put his things down, and then very consciously scurried to the small desk that had been specially added for him in the corner, and began... to dawdle.
[Ugh, how boring. I already read the summaries of these memorials yesterday.]
[Your Majesty seems to have changed the incense you're using today? It smells quite nice.]
Why didn't Aman come? I miss fluffy Aman.
As Xiao Che listened to the chattering thoughts around him that had nothing to do with "diligence," a vein throbbed on his forehead.
This person certainly knows how to find a quiet place to hide away.
After several days of this, Xiao Che finally couldn't take it anymore.
That day, only the two of them remained in the imperial study. Xiao Che spoke up seemingly casually, "Minister Lin."
Lin Yan snapped out of his reverie, immediately snapping out of his thoughts about "what to eat for dinner": "Your Majesty, I am here!"
"I've noticed you've seemed preoccupied lately," Xiao Che said, his gaze probing. "Is there some difficulty at home?"
Lin Yan forced a smile and waved his hand, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Everything is fine at my home, and there are no difficulties."
[It almost gave my parents a heart attack...]
Xiao Che: "There are no difficulties?"
Is it possible for him to believe it?
"Really." Lin Yan tried his best to make his expression look sincere. "It's just that a while ago, I... accidentally told my parents some personal matters, which may have had a slightly bigger impact on them."
He held up two fingers, making a "little bit" gesture.
Xiao Che's curiosity was completely piqued. But he could tell that Lin Yan was unwilling to go into details, so he changed his approach and softened his tone: "In that case, it's good to let your parents have some peace and quiet. If you feel that the atmosphere at home is oppressive, you don't have to rush back every day."
Lin Yan nodded: "Yes, yes, yes!" That's exactly what he thought.
However, he still politely said, "Then I will trouble Your Majesty."
“It’s alright.” Xiao Che interrupted him, as if he suddenly remembered something, and casually said, “I had Li Defu send people to clean Qingyi Pavilion. If you are busy late or in a bad mood, you can rest there and save yourself the trouble of going back and forth.”
Lin Yan was stunned.
So Xiao Che just let him stay at Qingyi Pavilion again, all so fresh and beautiful? Then could A'man stay there too...?
“Aman will also be sent to Qingyi Pavilion,” Xiao Che added.
Your Majesty is too kind!
Lin Yan was so moved that he almost burst into tears, and immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"
Xiao Che looked at his "grateful" appearance and smiled slightly: "Okay, go ahead."
Lin Yan happily withdrew and headed straight for Qingyi Pavilion. He was going to pet Aman!
Only Li Defu, who stood by the side, trying his best to shrink himself into the background, was already numb inside.
He wondered why His Majesty had suddenly ordered the Qingyi Pavilion to be cleaned up. He thought that Lord Lin didn't seem to need to live in the palace. It turned out that His Majesty was waiting for this.
Your Majesty! As the Emperor of the Great Yu, is it really appropriate for you to use such tricks on a subject?
Lin Yan's figure disappeared outside the Imperial Study. His light, almost skipping steps were a stark contrast to his recent listless appearance, which had been "preoccupied" and "diligently working overtime."
Xiao Che withdrew his gaze from the empty palace gate, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the smooth rosewood imperial desk.
Are you that happy?
The slight displeasure that had arisen from Lin Yan's "diligence" had long since vanished, replaced by a deeper curiosity, like a feather gently scratching at the tip of the heart.
What kind of "personal matter" could make Lin Yan afraid to go home, and even remain vague about it in his inner thoughts?
After Xiao Che realized he could hear Lin Yan's thoughts, he understood Lin Yan far better than anyone else, even knowing all of Lin Yan's rebellious, silly, and whimsical inner monologues.
But Lin Yan seemed to be subconsciously keeping this matter very secret, automatically censoring his inner thoughts.
The more this was the case, the more Xiao Che wanted to know.
He pondered for a moment, without raising his head, and spoke softly to the empty corner of the hall: "Jin Jiu."
As soon as he finished speaking, a dark figure seemed to emerge from the shadows and silently knelt on one knee before the imperial desk. It was none other than Jin Jiu, who appeared and disappeared without a trace.
“Go and investigate.” Xiao Che’s gaze fell into the void, as if he was carefully choosing his words. “What has happened to Lin Yan’s family recently, especially what Lin Yan said or did to his parents, which caused the two elders of the Lin family to react abnormally, and Lin Yan himself dared not return home.”
He paused, then added, "The key is to investigate what Lin Yan's so-called personal matters really are."
"Yes." Kim Gu answered crisply and decisively. With a swift movement, he silently disappeared into the shadows, just as he had come, as if he had never been there at all.
The Golden Shadow Guard is extremely efficient.
Less than an hour later, just as Xiao Che finished reviewing a small stack of memorials and picked up his teacup to moisten his throat, the shadows in the hall shifted slightly, and Jin Jiu's figure reappeared.
This time, however, Kim Gu, who was usually expressionless and wouldn't even blink if the sky fell, had a slightly unnatural expression. If you looked closely, you could even see that his fingers hanging at his side curled up slightly.
Xiao Che put down his teacup and raised an eyebrow: "How is it?"
Jin Jiu took a deep breath, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before beginning his report. However, if one listened closely, one could hear that his tone was more stiff than usual: "Your Majesty, my investigation has revealed that four days ago, Lord Lin, in the main hall of his home, frankly confessed to his parents, Lord Lin Chengji and Madam Wen..."
Kim Gu paused for a moment, which was rare, before continuing, "He frankly admitted that he has homosexual tendencies, and stated that he does not like women, but only admires... men."
"puff!"
Even with Xiao Che's remarkable composure, upon hearing this earth-shattering answer, he almost choked on the warm tea he had just taken a sip of.
Xiao Che coughed twice suddenly, his usually deep and unfathomable phoenix eyes filled with disbelief: "What did you say? Lin Yan is gay?"
Is there really such a good thing?
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Author's note: Who's this beautiful?! [doge emoji]
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