Chapter 63
After Lin Rushan was reinstated, the emperor's side was handed over to him. Lin Qingyu finally didn't have to face the emperor's face, which was 30% similar to Xiao Cheng, every day. Father Lin's medical skills are better than Lin Qingyu's. With his miraculous hands, the emperor's health is getting better day by day. Although he is not completely cured, the frequency of his headaches has decreased, and as long as he is not sick, he is no different from an ordinary person.
Looking at the East Palace, Xiao Cheng's external injuries seemed to be getting better, but that sword had injured his foundation, and no matter how he recuperated, he could not recover to his previous state. The daily intake of medicine made his already bad temperament even more violent and unpredictable, causing chaos in the East Palace and making everyone feel insecure.
Tianjiying hadn't had any clues about Shen Huaishi for a long time, so Xiao Cheng didn't care about anything else. The emperor, mindful of the heavy loss he had suffered, tolerated his various perverse behaviors, but he also sent Xue Ying to give him some indirect advice, but the effect was minimal.
How could someone as arrogant and conceited as Xiao Cheng tolerate himself becoming a useless person? What made him even more angry was that the person who turned him into this was Shen Huaishi, who grew up with him.
He had spent so much effort and killed so many people to get to where he is today, but in the end he was defeated by a shadow guard. How could he be willing to accept this? He would never give up until he brought Shen Huaishi back to be slaughtered by him.
In the emperor's bedroom, Lin Rushan had just finished giving the emperor acupuncture. The emperor felt better physically, but not very happy mentally. Although Lin Qingyu and Lin Rushan are father and son, they do not look alike. Lin Rushan is just an ordinary handsome man, while Lin Qingyu's brilliance and handsomeness are rare in the world. If the man’s wife wasn’t unlucky, he wouldn’t have replaced her.
When Lin Rushan was leaving, the emperor casually asked, "What has Lin Qingyu been doing recently?"
Lin Rushan's face changed slightly, and he said, "My son has been staying in the Imperial Hospital these days to prepare medicine for Your Majesty."
The emperor hesitated, still thinking of the ominous words in his heart, and waved his hand and said, "Forget it, you leave."
Lin Rushan returned to the mansion with something on his mind. He saw a majestic Arabian horse standing at the gate of the Lin mansion. He recognized the horse. It was Gu Fuzhou's mount, but it seemed a lot fatter than before. He hurried into the mansion and asked the housekeeper, "Is General Gu here?"
The housekeeper said with a strange look on his face, "Yes, yes, the general is drinking tea with his wife and the young master inside at the moment."
Lin Rushan said, "Qingyu is back too?" That's perfect, he wanted to remind him to be careful of the emperor.
When they arrived at the courtyard, Lin Rushan realized that there were more than just the two of them in the mansion. There were many new faces in the yard, they should all be people from the General's Mansion. Yuan Yin from the General's Mansion was directing them to place the mahogany boxes one by one. The mahogany box was tied with festive red silk, which looked like a proposal of marriage. The key point is that the Lin family has no daughter.
Lin Rushan walked into the main hall full of doubts, only to see that the lady's expression was even more complicated than that of the housekeeper. Seeing him coming back, Lin's mother felt relieved as if she had found her backbone: "Master."
Lin Rushan first bowed to Gu Fuzhou, who then quickly helped him up. He asked: "General, this is..."
Gu Fuzhou smiled and said, "Foster father, I am here to propose marriage for myself."
Lin Rushan and his wife looked at each other and said, "May I ask, General, who are you proposing to?"
Lin Qingyu said: "I."
What shocked Lin's father and mother more than Gu Fuzhou's proposal of marriage was the eldest son's attitude. The last time the Nan'an Marquis's Mansion came to propose marriage, Lin Qingyu regarded it as an shame to have a male wife and would rather die than obey. In the end, he had to obey because he could not disobey the order. Why did he agree so calmly this time?
Gu Fuzhou patiently explained to the two: "The emperor intends to arrange a marriage for me. The candidates he picked for me are either his own daughters or the daughters of those civil officials. After thinking about it, I think these girls are really not trustworthy. I am afraid that keeping them around will only bring harm to me. Therefore, I want to settle my marriage before the emperor's decree comes down."
Mother Lin still didn't understand: "The general is wise and brave, a peerless hero, there must be many women who truly admire him. The general can choose the woman he likes from the families of military generals, why did he choose to marry my Qingyu."
When Gu Fuzhou was asked, he looked at Lin Qingyu for help. Lin Qingyu didn't want to worry her parents, so she didn't tell them about her situation in the palace. At this moment, she just said, "The Lin family has always been under the protection of the general. My marriage to the general will bring more benefits than disadvantages to both me and the Lin family."
Lin's mother didn't understand all this, but she still remembered the humiliation her son suffered when he first became a man's wife, and she couldn't bear to see it happen again. She looked at her husband: "Master..."
After a long silence, Lin Rushan said, "I understand."
The eldest son did this not only to help General Gu, but also to avoid disaster for himself. His Majesty has already developed that kind of thoughts about Lin Qingyu. Perhaps one day another imperial decree will come down, asking him to enter the harem and serve the emperor. By then, it will be too late to find a solution.
Lin Qingyu used to be a male wife, and wanted to find a woman of equal status to marry... Even if someone was willing, he would not agree. In this case, it would be better for the two of them to get together so that they can take care of each other in the future.
"Since you have your considerations, we will not object." Lin Rushan said, "But I'm afraid the emperor will not give in easily."
Gu Fuzhou smiled and said, "Don't worry, father-in-law, just leave this matter to me."
The words "Father-in-law" were called out so quickly and skillfully that everyone except Lin Qingyu was shocked.
Seeing that several men were about to settle the matter, Mother Lin couldn't help but say, "But, Young Marquis Lu has only been gone for less than a year."
My husband is not thoughtful enough, so he may not be able to see it. After Lu Wancheng left, Lin Qingyu appeared calm and composed on the surface, and didn't even shed a single tear for Lu Wancheng. He has been like this since he was a child, and he doesn't show his emotions easily. Only she, as his mother, knows that Lin Qingyu feels worse than anyone else.
Gu Fuzhou asked, "Is mother-in-law worried about rumors?"
Mother Lin hesitated: "It's not just this..."
Lin Qingyu knew what his mother meant. "Don't worry, mother," Lin Qingyu sneered, "I have long forgotten about Young Marquis Lu. Who is Lu Wancheng? What does he have to do with me?"
Gu Fuzhou: “…”
Since Lin Qingyu said so, Lin's mother had nothing to say.
The ring was given away and with the tacit approval of Lin Qingyu's family, Gu Fuzhou entered the palace without delay. Lin Qingyu planned to have dinner with his parents at home before leaving.
Lin Qinghe took the opportunity to stick to his brother and asked, "Brother, do you really want to marry General Gu?"
He was not allowed to sit in on the adults' conversation, but he still learned about it from the nanny.
Lin Qingyu nodded: "Yes."
"The general... he's too old." Lin Qinghe said aggrievedly on behalf of his brother, "He's twelve years older than my brother!"
Lin Qingyu smiled: "He's not that old." In terms of actual age, Gu Fuzhou is one year younger than him.
Lin Qinghe begged, "Brother, can you find another husband like Brother Wancheng?"
Lin Qingyu told his younger brother that if he did not marry the general who was twelve years older than him, he might have to be taken as a concubine by an old man in his forties. Only then did Lin Qinghe reluctantly agree to the marriage.
On the other side, Gu Fuzhou met the emperor in the Qinzheng Hall. The emperor's complexion has improved a lot and he will probably be able to appear at the morning court soon.
"My dear minister, you have arrived just in time," said the emperor. "Please take a look at the urgent report sent by Zhao Mingwei from Yongliang."
Zhao Mingwei reported in an urgent report that after resting for several months, Western Xia had made a comeback and had successively captured three small cities in Dayu. After several defeats, the army's morale was unstable and it was urgent for General Gu to return to Yongliang to take charge of the situation.
Gu Fuzhou remained calm, but his heart was filled with rage. He knows what kind of overall situation he can preside over and what he is capable of. A winning streak depends on luck, and will inevitably be followed by a losing streak. Even if he quits now, it won't lower his chances of winning. Zhao Mingwei fought hundreds of battles, and his winning rate might be only 60%, but it was much more stable than his 100% winning rate in five battles.
The emperor continued, "I have said that you should come to the capital alone and leave the capital as a couple. Your marriage was delayed because of the prince's sudden illness the other day, and now it cannot be delayed any longer. Settle down your family first, so that you can have no worries in Yongliang. The queen has also looked at many noble ladies with you, do you have a favorite candidate in mind?"
Gu Fuzhou closed the memorial and said, "Speaking of this matter, I went to ask Master Xu for a fortune-teller, and he asked about marriage."
"Oh?" The emperor had always respected the mysterious imperial teacher. "What did he say?"
"The Imperial Master said that I should marry a man who was born on the eleventh day of the third month of the Guiwei year. Only in this way can I be assisted by a god on the battlefield."
"Male wife?" The emperor frowned. "Did the Imperial Master really say that?"
"Indeed. Your Majesty once made an exception and allowed the late Young Marquis Lu to marry a man. I hope Your Majesty will make an exception for me again."
The emperor asked, "Do you know that it is said that a man's wife is unlucky?"
"The Imperial Master said that auspiciousness and inauspiciousness all depend on the individual. A man's wife may be inauspicious to others, but to me, it is a sign of good fortune."
With the precedent, the emperor couldn't refuse, so he asked, "Have you found the man with this birth date and horoscope?"
"What a coincidence. My sworn brother, Lin Qingyu, the imperial physician, was born on the eleventh day of the third month of the Guiwei year."
The emperor stood up suddenly: "Lin Qingyu, you mean Lin Qingyu?"
He got up too hard and his body was not fully recovered yet, so he was inevitably a little unstable. Xue Ying hurried forward to support him: "Your Majesty, please take care of your health."
The emperor realized his mistake and said, "Lin Qingyu is a talented person in the Imperial Hospital. I can't live without him. How can you marry him just because you want to?"
Gu Fuzhou said, "This is not a conflict. Doctor Lin is a man who has entered the government, and he will remain the same as he was before. I don't need him to perform the duties of a mistress in your house."
"Ridiculous." The emperor slammed his hand on the table. "How can I allow a male wife to hold a fifth-rank official position and work with the civil and military officials in the palace!"
Gu Fuzhou's tone was a little colder: "Doctor Lin was once a male wife, but didn't the emperor give him an official position anyway? Doctor Lin prescribed a prescription for epidemic diseases and a good medicine for headaches. I am willing to let my wife continue to stay in the palace for the sake of the emperor's health."
The emperor said coldly, "I haven't agreed yet, and you're already mentioning the word 'wife'?"
Gu Fuzhou raised his lips slightly and said, "Just like the emperor said, I need to settle my family first, so that I can have no worries in Yongliang." Gu Fuzhou knelt down and saluted, "Please grant your permission, Your Majesty."
The emperor heard the threat in Gu Fuzhou's words and flew into a rage, with a severe headache. He no longer cared about anything else, holding his head in his hands, he said anxiously: "Call Lin Rushan!"
The news that Lin Qingyu was going to marry Gu Fuzhou again spread like wildfire. More than a year later, the Lin Mansion once again became the topic of conversation among the nobles in the capital. In other words, the rumors about the Lin family have never stopped since the day Lin Qingyu married Lu Wancheng.
Various rumors about Lin Qingyu were rife in the Imperial Hospital. Hu Ji wanted to ask Lin Qingyu several times what happened, but seeing that the other party acted as if nothing had happened, he swallowed the words back.
Lin Qingyu hates gossipers. If he wants to make friends with him, he must know what to say and what not to say.
On this day, Hu Ji returned from a medical consultation and ran into a few imperial censors walking together. They were talking about Lin Qingyu's remarriage.
"Although there is a precedent for male wives, that precedent is not very good. Why would General Gu ask to marry a widowed male wife? I don't understand."
"I heard that he went to the Imperial Master for a fortune-teller, and the Imperial Master said that Lin Qingyu could bring him good fortune."
"Nonsense! Gu Fuzhou must have been seduced by Lin Qingyu's beauty, so he asked the national teacher to endorse him. He is so obsessed with male beauty, if the enemy uses a beauty trap in the future, won't he succumb?"
"In my opinion, it was Lin Qingyu who took the initiative to seduce. I wouldn't be surprised if Lin Qingyu, an imperial physician who didn't stay a widow for her husband and showed off in the palace, did anything. It's a pity for General Gu's reputation..."
Hu Ji couldn't bear to hear these words, but he couldn't stop them because of his status. He was about to take a detour when he heard a voice from behind: "I say--"
He and several censors looked back. Gu Fuzhou was seen wearing a first-rank military officer's uniform with two flying eagles embroidered on it. He was tall and had a stern face. Standing in front of several censors, it would not be an exaggeration to describe him as a crane standing out among chickens.
"That's enough." Gu Fuzhou said slowly, "Who do you think you are talking about?"
Gu Fuzhou's voice was unusually calm, but the desire to destroy that was faintly revealed made everyone present feel frightened and oppressed.
The censors exchanged glances and saluted him together: "Your subordinate greets General Gu."
Yang Geng bravely said, "We are all imperial censors appointed by the emperor himself. The so-called imperial censors are responsible for enforcing discipline and supervising the government, and they can report on matters they hear. Imperial Doctor Lin's behavior is improper and shameless, so why can't we speak out?!"
Gu Fuzhou swept his eyes over everyone: "Listen carefully. It was me, the Imperial Physician Lin, who asked the Emperor to marry him. Imperial Physician Lin was reluctant, but due to my power, she had to obey. If you have anything else to scold, scold me."
Yang Geng said angrily: "General, you are so aggressive, do you want to fight with us?!"
"Can't?"
As soon as Gu Fuzhou finished speaking, the ministers were in an uproar.
"Of course not! This is the Imperial Palace, not the Northwest battlefield, nor the general's military camp!"
Gu Fuzhou smiled and said, "You don't think that I have never fought anywhere else except in the military camp or on the battlefield."
Yang Geng was so angry that his face turned red and his neck became thick: "May I ask General Gu, do you still have the emperor in your eyes?"
Seeing that the situation was getting serious, Hu Ji was afraid that Lin Qingyu would be implicated, so he hurried forward and said, "General!"
Gu Fuzhou naturally remembered this imperial physician who had a close relationship with the Lin family: "What's the matter?"
"General, calm down. This is in the palace after all. If the emperor hears about it and punishes Imperial Doctor Lin, then..."
Gu Fuzhou was uninterested: "Go away."
Gu Fuzhou was going to the Qinzheng Hall to discuss the northwest war with his ministers and did not stay long. When Hu Ji returned to the Imperial Hospital, he saw Lin Qingyu examining a patient's pulse and couldn't help but move closer.
"General Gu..." Hu Ji shuddered, "It's a bit scary."
Lin Qingyu was a little surprised: "Why do you think so?"
Hu Ji told Lin Qingyu what he had just seen and heard: "No wonder, General Gu has killed so many people with his Qingyun Jiuzhou spear. Only a Northwest War God like him can suppress those censors with his aura. However, I always thought that General Gu was a reserved and gentle warrior. I didn't expect him to say that he would fight with others in addition to in the military camp and on the battlefield..."
Lin Qingyu couldn't help but smile when he heard this.
It seemed that his past and future husband had a side that he couldn't see.
The window was not closed and a gust of wind blew by, bringing a slight chill. Lin Qingyu said: "Is the weather getting colder?"
Hu Ji said: "Yes, it's almost the beginning of winter."
Lin Qingyu sighed for no reason: "So fast."
The winter story is about to begin again.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
