Chapter 108
When Shen Huaishi angrily retreated, the night became darker. Lin Qingyu and Jiang Xing looked at each other in silence across the scattered memorials.
Feeling the coldness from Lin Qingyu, Jiang Xing panicked a little. He made Lin Qingyu uncomfortable again. He was not afraid that Lin Qingyu would be angry with him, but he was afraid that he would not be able to comfort her well.
Jiang Xing was worrying about how to comfort him when Nanny Xiujiao came in to remind Lin Qingyu: "Lord Lin, it's time for the emperor to go to bed."
It was already against the rules for the emperor and his subjects to live together in Xingqing Palace. If they slept in the same hall again, even the empress dowager would not agree. Lin Qingyu has been living in a side hall these days, just a few steps away from the emperor's bedroom. But he still felt it was not enough. When he couldn't sleep or woke up from a dream, he would go to the main hall to take a look, just to make sure Jiang Xing was still there.
At this moment, he didn't want to let Jiang Xing go, so he blurted out, "You're not allowed to go."
Nanny Xiujiao was so frightened by Lin Qingyu's cold tone that she dared not breathe. Lord Lin is not an easy person to deal with. His husband just passed away, so he must be in a bad mood. Who would dare to mess with him at this time?
Jiang Xing said slowly: "You step back first."
Nanny Xiujiao was stunned: When did the emperor start speaking like an adult man, even with the aura of someone who is always in a high position. She didn't have time to think about it, so she bowed and left.
Jiang Xing looked at Lin Qingyu's expression and said coldly, "Jiang Xing, you are indeed a big liar. How many things are you hiding from me?"
Lin Qingyu frowned: "Are you here to play me now?"
Jiang Xing held Lin Qingyu's waist and pulled her into his arms with a smile: "Let me say something for you first, so you can take a break."
Lin Qingyu whispered: "You said... it would be very quick."
"It was indeed fast. Thousands of arrows pierced my heart, how could it not be fast?" Jiang Xing said half-truthfully, "To be honest, I think this way of dying is quite pleasant. It's much better than dying slowly from illness."
Lin Qingyu closed his eyes and clenched his fingers tightly: "You just acted wrong."
"Um?"
"I won't call you a liar."
Jiang Xing suddenly realized: "Oh, right, you should be able to curse 'beast'."
Lin Qingyu said word by word: "Jiang Xing, you big idiot."
Jiang Xing laughed out loud: "Baby, you're not angry anymore?" This was much easier to coax than he expected.
Lin Qingyu shook his head: "I can't live any longer." He lowered his head, leaning on Jiang Xing's shoulder, his voice trembling, "Why do you always have to suffer like that? It was like this when Lu Wancheng was like this, and it's no different when Gu Fuzhou becomes like this."
Jiang Xing smiled: "I'm also curious, why is it always me?" He said casually, "I don't think I've done anything harmful to the world."
Lin Qingyu's shoulders froze and his eyes widened in horror. Jiang Xing, who was holding him, noticed his abnormality immediately and looked down at him: "What's wrong?"
Lin Qingyu steadied his breath and clung to Jiang Xing even tighter: "...It's okay. Can you not leave tonight?"
Jiang Xing carried Lin Qingyu to the bedside and said solemnly, "General Gu died on the battlefield, and Madam Gu lost her beloved and is heartbroken. Let me comfort her."
Lin Qingyu buried his head in the crook of his neck and chuckled, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Jiang Xing accompanied Lin Qingyu to sleep, and only returned to the main hall after he fell asleep, and painfully returned to his own cold bed from the warmth and softness of his body.
He had to find a way to sleep with Lin Qingyu openly. In other words, they are just sleeping together now, and after making love he will have to put on his pants and leave. That would be too miserable and a typical scumbag behavior. More importantly, running back and forth like this every night is really tiring.
The news of Gu Fuzhou's death spread throughout the capital, and everyone in the city, from civil and military officials to ordinary people, sighed and lamented. In the military camp, the burly men had swollen eyes from crying. When Duke Wu heard the sad news, he burst into tears and cried out that the heaven was blind; Wu Zhan was also overwhelmed with grief, with white hair growing on his temples, and he no longer had the vigor and vitality he once had. Even some censors who disliked Gu Fuzhou had to pretend to be affectionate and shed a few false tears.
There are rumors that after the new emperor ascended the throne, he gradually became more familiar with human affairs. When he learned of Gu Fuzhou's death, he felt as if he had lost a brother. He did not hesitate to cut his hair as a sacrifice and let Gu Fuzhou be enshrined in the Taimiao to comfort Gu Fuzhou's spirit in heaven.
Lin Qingyu is Gu Fuzhou's widow and the only remaining owner of the general's mansion. She has to return to the mansion to take care of the funeral. But he was dressed in mourning clothes, which were whiter than snow, even the ribbons that tied his hair were white, spotless and as pure as ice and jade.
Jiang Xing's eyes lit up when he saw this, and he said with a smile, "Where did this beautiful young widow come from? Come here and give me a hug."
Although Lin Qingyu didn't care about worldly ethics, it was a bit too much for him to be intimate with a man while wearing mourning clothes. "Stop it." Lin Qingyu said, "I'll go back to Gu Mansion, you..."
Jiang Xing consciously said, "I will wait for you in the palace and I won't go anywhere."
Lin Qingyu nodded, but after walking two steps, he still felt uneasy and hurried back: "Do you want to go back to the mansion to see the little poisonous insects? They are already very big..."
Jiang Xing smiled lazily: "Okay."
Lin Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief and called Xiao Songzi to help Jiang Xing change his clothes: "If the Queen Mother asks, just say that the Emperor has gone to bed and it is inconvenient for him to see anyone."
Jiang Xing changed into the attire of an ordinary rich young man. His short hair was too eye-catching, so Lin Qingyu put a hooded fox fur coat on him. No one in the Gu Mansion had ever seen Xiao Li, so they probably wouldn't be able to recognize him.
The two got on the carriage, and Jiang Xing joked, "Can you ask Xiao Songzi to cover for us? He is 'Xiao Songzi'."
Lin Qingyu said: "He is very strict in front of me and is a trustworthy person."
Jiang Xing's smile faded: "This..."
Outside the general's mansion, Yuan Yin, Huantong, Hualu, Zhang Shiquan and others were waiting early. From afar, it looks desolate and white. Jiang Xing looked at the two words "Gu Mansion" hanging on the white banner on the door and felt as if he was in another world.
Ever since Jiang Xing appeared in Gu Fuzhou’s dream on the seventh day after his death, Lin Qingyu has never returned to the Gu Mansion. Yuan Yin was a capable man. After receiving the news, he suppressed his grief, set up a mourning hall, and prepared everything. "Ma'am, you're back."
Huan Tong's eyes were red as she asked, "Master, did the general really...really go? He is so powerful, how could he just disappear like that...did they make a mistake?"
Lin Qingyu didn't comment and said, "Don't stand here, let's go in."
Yuan Yin was stunned when he saw the young man following Lin Qingyu, and asked, "Madam, who is this?"
"Don't worry about it, just let him follow me."
Before Gu Fuzhou's body arrived in Beijing, people came to the Gu Mansion to pay their respects one after another. Most of them were Gu Fuzhou's subordinates during his lifetime, so Lin Qingyu had to take the trouble to receive them. Jiang Xing was hidden in a side hall by Lin Qingyu. Through a door curtain, he listened to the sobbing and fell asleep until a loud voice rang out.
"It's me! It's me who killed the general! If I hadn't forced the general to take command of the northwest that day, the general wouldn't have ended up like this! General, oh general, without you, what will Dayu do in the future... I have become Dayu's eternal sinner..."
Yuan Yin looked at Wu Zhan crying loudly and losing control, and asked Lin Qingyu: "Madam, do you want to go and persuade General Wu?"
Lin Qingyu knelt in front of Gu Fuzhou's coffin and said, "It's okay, let him cry."
When Wu Zhan was howling loudly, many more people came one after another. Zhang Shiquan reported to Lin Qingyu one by one: "Madam, Lord Li from the Ministry of War is here."
The only official with the surname Li in the Ministry of War is Li Chan. Jiang Xing had heard Lin Qingyu talk about Li Chan. Lin Qingyu's evaluation of him was "a man with both inner and outer qualities, a man who can be used", which was much higher than his evaluation of Xiao Songzi - they were both "both inner and outer qualities".
Jiang Xing lifted the door curtain and just happened to see Li Chan walking into the mourning hall. He has a refined appearance and the bearing of a scholar. He is indeed a young talent.
Li Chan held incense and bowed three times in front of Gu Fuzhou's coffin, then walked up to Lin Qingyu and said, "Master Lin."
Lin Qingyu nodded to Li Chan: "Master Li."
Li Chan couldn't help but stretch out his hand, wanting to touch that thin shoulder. Just as he was about to touch it, his hand dropped again. After all, he still didn't have that much courage, and could only comfort him with words: "The dead cannot be resurrected, I hope Lord Lin will accept my condolences."
Jiang Xing chuckled softly, lowered the door curtain, and sat back to continue feeling sleepy.
Hualu and Huantong knelt in front of the brazier and burned paper money. The former muttered, "How can the young master be so calm?"
Huan Tong said, "You forgot that when the young marquis passed away, the young master was also very calm, but he must have felt worse than anyone else."
Hua Lu shook her head: "It's different." She could feel the subtle difference, but couldn't tell what was different.
After sunset, the guests gradually dispersed. According to Dayu customs, Lin Qingyu had to keep vigil for her deceased husband for three days.
Seeing that Lin Qingyu had sent all the servants away, Jiang Xing came out from the side hall yawning. Lin Qingyu glanced at him: "Do you want to burn some incense for yourself?"
"No thanks." Jiang Xing leaned over from behind and hugged Lin Qingyu, "Qingyu, I'm sleepy."
Lin Qingyu said: "Go back to your room and sleep first."
Jiang Xing said sleepily, "You stay with me."
Lin Qingyu looked at Gu Fuzhou's spirit tablet and took away Jiang Xing's hand from his waist: "Your Majesty is so kind to me, I am overwhelmed with fear. However, I am still in mourning for General Gu."
Jiang Xing closed his eyes and smiled: "If you say this, I won't be sleepy anymore - how do you want to mourn for General Gu?"
"At least you can't sleep with the emperor in the Gu Mansion."
"It doesn't matter." Jiang Xing's eyes were bright, as if he was planning something bad. "We'll do it secretly so no one will find out."
Lin Qingyu: “…”
“So, do you want to have an affair with me—Madam Gu?” The three words “Madam Gu” rose in tone, with an ambiguous smile at the end.
Lin Qingyu said calmly: "This body of yours is not yet eighteen years old."
Jiang Xing was confused: "...Huh?"
"I remember you said that in your hometown, there are many restrictions on men under the age of eighteen. They cannot get married, and it is not encouraged to have sex with others." Lin Qingyu paused, "Also, you said that in your hometown, sleeping with a fool is illegal."
Jiang Xing refused to pay: "Did I say that?"
Lin Qingyu sneered: "Could I remember it wrongly?"
"But I'm not stupid anymore. Besides, I'm in Dayu now, why should I follow the traditions of my hometown? Here, those who marry early can have a second child at the age of seventeen. Wait, you're not really going to wait until this body of mine is eighteen before having sex with me, are you? It's rare that I've found something I'm willing to do and not tired of, how can you discourage me like this?"
Seeing Jiang Xing's sad face, Lin Qingyu couldn't help but smile. He smiled in mourning clothes, and Jiang Xing felt so warm inside that he bent down to kiss him.
Lin Qingyu raised his hand to cover his lips: "Not here."
Jiang Xing grabbed his hand: "I want to."
When he kissed her, Lin Qingyu's heart suddenly rose and her body trembled. The candlelight was dim and Jiang Xing was too close. Lin Qingyu couldn't see his face clearly, only a vague outline.
The word "absurd" flashed through Lin Qingyu's mind. She put her hand on Jiang Xing's chest, but couldn't push him away.
Jiang Xing felt his strength and laughed: "Baby, you are so nervous - is it because your late husband is watching?"
Before Lin Qingyu could refute, Jiang Xing blocked his lips again. He has never been a pedantic person. Since he can't escape it, he might as well enjoy it. Lin Qingyu closed his eyes, and the mourning hall around him disappeared, leaving only the gentle and warm touch and the clean and natural breath of the young man.
Suddenly, a slight noise came from the darkness in the corner.
Jiang Xing slowly raised his eyes and looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a figure leaving in a hurry. He couldn't see the man's face, but just from his back he had a rough idea of what he looked like.
Judging from this man's skills, he was still able to leave traces, which shows how scared he was.
Lin Qingyu was kissed by Jiang Xing until her whole body went limp and she couldn't hear anything. She let out a soft moan from between her lips due to her breathing problems.
The low moan made Jiang Xing's breath catch. He immediately put the matter behind him, lowered his eyes, and concentrated on kissing the beauty in mourning clothes in his arms.
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