At the beginning of human life, in the orchid courtyard.
After a few days of recuperation, Chen Que felt better and his fever finally subsided.
Because of this acute illness, Shen Que has been taking leave frequently recently. He is not a lazy person. After resting for the past few days, he always feels like he has become an idler in this mansion who eats and does nothing. He is flustered and can't lie down peacefully.
After feeding, he took out his official robe from the trunk, sorted it out, and planned to go back to work early the next morning.
He had only half finished tidying his clothes when he heard Yuanzhi suddenly come into the courtyard and said to him in a hoarse voice, "Sir, just now Jiang Shaoxiong sent someone from the outer mansion to bring you a message."
The weather has been fluctuating wildly lately, and even Yuanzhi caught a cold. He coughed until his throat became hoarse. However, Chen was also sick and had no energy to take care of him. He just told him to go buy some medicine and take it himself.
"What?" he asked.
Yuan Zhi answered hesitantly, "He said that he had spent all the money he had, and he wanted you to give him some more money as a token of filial piety. He also said that he would be waiting at the first alley of Pingkangli at 4:00 pm tonight, and if you arrive at 1:00 pm, he would come to ask for the money in person."
What the scoundrel meant by "coming to my house in person" must not be just to ask for money.
However, the more Chen thought about it, the more scared he became. He asked Yuanzhi to go back to the house to rest first, and then closed the door. He searched everywhere and found the small gold ingot that Xie Shiguan gave him during the Spring Festival.
Then he walked around the room again. He had always lived a simple life and had never thought of adding anything to his room over the years.
So when he looked around at this moment, he really couldn't find anything that could be pawned. Only a few old silk and brocade clothes in the suitcase were worth a little silver.
But it was already dark and the pawnshop had closed long ago, but Shen was pacing anxiously in the room. He knew very few people in the palace, and he didn't dare to go to Shen Luo. Being scolded was the worst thing, but if he opened his mouth, he was afraid that his senior brother would get anxious and angry about him again.
Just as he was getting anxious, a person suddenly popped up in Shen Que's mind——
eleven.
Eleven and Shen Luo lived in the same courtyard, which was not far from Lansheng Courtyard. However, Shen took advantage of the cover of night and quietly came to Chongtai Courtyard, and then knocked on his door stealthily.
The courtyard here is large, but the houses are small, one next to the other. Any slight noise would alarm the neighbors.
While waiting for the door to open, Shen's heart was beating like a drum, fearing that someone might suddenly come out and run into him.
Fortunately, there was movement in there soon, but Chen stared at the door closely. When Eleven opened it a crack, he immediately squeezed in. This unseemly action made him think of Lin Xie involuntarily, but he was only in a daze for a while, and then he suppressed the thought back to the bottom of his heart.
Glancing at Eleven opening his lips as if to ask a question, Shen quickly raised his index finger and pressed it against his lips, signaling him to be silent.
He was preoccupied with something, so he didn't notice that Eleven was dressed for going out, and when he saw him come in, there seemed to be a hint of surprise on his face.
"What's the matter?" Eleven lowered his voice. Chen seldom came to their place. Even if he came occasionally, it was to look for Chen Luo.
This was the first time Shen spoke to someone, and he seemed very embarrassed. He raised his hand again and again, and after a long while, he finally mustered up the courage: "I want to borrow some money from you. It's urgent. When the pawnshop opens tomorrow, I will pay you back after I have pawned my belongings."
He was most afraid of owing money to others. During all the years he had been in the palace, he had never asked anyone for money. He was afraid that Eleven would refuse him, so he spoke very sincerely and even explained clearly when to pay it back and what to use to pay it back.
Eleven was stunned for a moment: "What do you want the money for?"
In his opinion, Shen Que neither gambled nor visited prostitutes. If one were to talk about the most innocent and clean person in the palace, besides him, Eleven couldn't think of anyone else.
However, Shen looked a little hesitant. He and Eleven were just acquaintances, but their friendship was not that deep. Besides, this matter was a long story, and if he started to talk about it, it would probably take too long.
Seeing that he was silent, Eleven took the initiative to smooth things over, and changed the subject, asking him: "How much do you want?"
Shen lowered his head and thought for a while, then answered slowly: "Fifty taels..."
He paused, then tried to make amends, saying, "If you can't take it out right now, thirty taels will do."
Everyone who was familiar with Eleven knew that he had never been able to save money. As soon as he received his monthly allowance, he would go to play a few rounds of cards or spend the night on a beautiful woman's couch in a houseboat. Fortunately, it was just the end of the year and he still had a few dozen taels of silver.
In Eleven's eyes, Chen Que had always been an honest and upright man, so he lent out the money in his hand without thinking twice.
Shen was quick to thank him, and was very grateful for his generosity, but he would not say those nice polite words, and just secretly kept his kindness in his heart.
He put the borrowed money into his purse, then raised his head and looked at Eleven earnestly: "Don't tell anyone about this, especially Chen Luo."
"Don't worry," Eleven smiled and patted his shoulder, "I'm tight-lipped."
Shen hesitated for a moment, and looked at him sadly: "I know you are good friends with Shen Luo, I only ask you this time, his injuries are not fully healed yet, please don't make him worry, okay?"
It was rare for the mute to show some fragile emotions. Eleven became serious when he stared at her and promised him, "I swear, I will never tell Shen Luo about this."
After hearing his solemn assurance, Shen Que left with the silver in his pocket with peace of mind.
It was less than half an hour before the fourth quarter of the evening. He hurried back to Lansheng Courtyard to change into light riding clothes, and then hurried to Pingkangli in the light snow.
When he got there, Shen asked the people in the street and heard that it was less than three quarters of an hour before the hour of Xu. He then breathed a sigh of relief and hid in the alley, waiting quietly.
Seeing that the snow was falling heavier and heavier, and he was only wearing a thin riding suit, he did not feel cold while riding on the horse just now, but now that he stopped, he felt the biting cold all around.
He didn't have time to bring an umbrella, and the ends of his hair were wet from the snow. His wet clothes stuck to his skin and froze into ice when the cold wind blew.
It’s cold, so cold that my hands and feet are numb.
However, Shen Luo pondered over it for several days on his sickbed. He understood what Shen Luo said. Jiang Shaoxiong's desire was an insatiable ravine. Even if he was thrown into the pit, he probably couldn't be satisfied.
So he saved up the money tonight. It wasn't a lot, but it wasn't a small amount either. The village didn't have much expenses, and if Jiang Shaoxiong was willing to go back and live an honest life, this money would be enough for him to use for a few years.
He wanted to persuade him to take the gold and silver and return to his hometown. Even if he had to kneel down to Jiang Shaoxiong and get beaten up by him tonight, he would never let him stay in the capital.
But if Jiang Shaoxiong refused to do so... Chen subconsciously reached for the scimitar he always wore on his waist.
No, you can't.
After all, seeing blood is not clean and difficult to deal with, so he has to lure the person into the restaurant first, wait until the person is drunk, then knock the person unconscious and carry him to a secluded place in this alley.
On such a cold night, it would not be uncommon for a drunkard to freeze to death in Kyoto.
Unfortunately, half an hour had passed, but Shen's fingers were so cold that they were numb, and no one came.
He looked around and searched the area thoroughly, but he couldn't find any familiar figure. He has always been cautious and worried that the child might have passed on the wrong message. Before leaving, he went to the mansion outside to ask in person, and Jiang Shaoxiong did say it was four quarters past the hour of the twilight.
I was the one who had to pay the money, but Jiang Shaoxiong was the one who benefited. He was clearly the one who shouldn't have been late. Did something happen, or...
The night is getting deeper.
Even the lights and noise in the brothels and taverns had dimmed. Shen got on his horse and was about to ride away when he suddenly heard someone on the shore exclaim, "Oh my God, there seems to be something in the water!"
"Why do they look like human clothes?!"
Shen turned his horse back and took a quick look while riding on horseback. He saw that the shops on the shore had opened their doors again. Many residents gathered around them. There was a noisy crowd. He could vaguely hear someone whispering, "Someone's drowned, someone's drowned..."
Several drunkards would drown in this tourist area from time to time. They would stagger along the lakeside after getting drunk and fall into the water if they misstepped. There was revelry every night in this tavern, and if someone fell into the icy water, there might not even be a sound.
Drunk, fell into the water?
Shen's heart skipped a beat. The lanterns on the roadside were lit again. He glanced dazedly into the crowd and vaguely saw a corpse that was blistered and swollen. Only by looking at the clothes could he vaguely recognize that it was a man.
He did not turn back to look, but turned his horse around. He felt as if there was a void in his heart, neither sad nor happy, just lonely and empty.
That person might be Jiang Shaoxiong, or maybe not. Shen did not have the courage to confirm it. Even though he hated that man so much in the past and still hated him now, all that tangled hatred suddenly had no place to go.
However, Shen had a hunch that the swollen, pale corpse lying on the snow was Jiang Shaoxiong, the one he hated so much, and the one he hated the most in this world...
The last person connected by blood.
Until he returned to the palace, Shen was still a little dazed. From afar, he saw that his Lansheng Courtyard was silent and quiet. The inky night was pouring down, and the whole courtyard seemed to be immersed in a pool of insoluble liquid.
He walked on the snow to the eaves of the porch, reached out and gently pushed the door, but found that the door was locked from the inside.
Shen was anxious and knocked on the door, but unfortunately there was no response from inside.
So he had no choice but to walk to the side of the room, where he could faintly see some candlelight coming through the half-open window. He stood on tiptoe to look inside and happened to meet a pair of smiling eyes.
Shen was startled and almost sprained his ankle.
The man curled his lips and said in an aggrieved manner: "Why are you acting like this? Am I born scary?"
Shen frowned and gestured to him: "Open the door!"
"Why should I open it for you?" Lin Xie leaned over and leaned on the window frame. The wind blew snow particles through his hair. "You were hanging around outside so late. Don't tell me you did something to let me down."
Shen Que was filled with rage. This was the yard where he lived and his bedroom, but this man was like a robber. Not only did he occupy his house, he also locked him out.
Lin Xie stared at his eyes, then smiled brightly: "I'm not angry, but you are. I've been waiting for you here for half the night, my heart is about to break, and you don't want to comfort me, but you still want to come into the house?"
"Well, call me husband and I'll let you in," he said. "I love you enough. If you don't want me to come, you can stand outside all night and I won't be soft-hearted."
But Shen was so angry that his eyes turned red, and he raised his hand unbearably: “I can’t!”
Lin Xie said to him calmly: "You don't even know this, you are so stupid, do you want me to teach you?"
Shen, however, had nothing to say to him. He turned around and went to the front door, squatting under the eaves and sulking.
Lin Xie in the room didn't care about him. He leisurely returned to the couch and shamelessly occupied most of the mute's bed.
Not long ago, he felt that the bed was too hard and could make one suffocate when sleeping on it. But now that he has tasted the sweetness of it, he feels that hardness has its advantages, just like the person in his arms, who looks hard but is soft when he holds him, and is very addictive.
After lying down for a while, he suddenly thought of the mute, that wooden idiot. Could he really stay outside all night?
Just as he was about to get up, push the door open and bully him a few more times, he heard a rustling noise suddenly coming from the small window on the side, and then a figure turned around and fell in.
"Why are you a thief?" Lin Xie laughed and teased, "Why did you insist on entering through the window instead of going through the main door?"
But Shen said sullenly: “Learn from you.”
Lin Xie was startled for a moment, then his smile deepened. He put his arm around his waist, pressed him on his lap, and asked casually, "Where did you go just now?"
He didn't answer and struggled to get up from him, but Lin Xie grabbed both of his hands, and then he held them tightly in his palms and rubbed them hard.
"Your hands are so cold, why don't you wear some thick clothes?" Lin Xie rubbed his hands while looking at his clothes. The riding clothes were light and thin, which made the lines of his shoulders and waist look particularly beautiful. "It's so cold, who are you trying to seduce in such a cold weather?"
Shen Que had just been burned by the warmth of his palm, and a subtle feeling of dullness rose in his heart, but this warmth only lasted for a moment before it was shattered by Lin Xie's words.
This man is like a dog's mouth that can't spit out ivory. When Shen Que saw him, he wished he was deaf.
Lin Xie had bullied him enough verbally, and forced him to sit facing him. Shen tried hard to ignore the man's burning gaze and made his movements look serious, but he was still held by his waist, and when he moved in this miserable place, he would inevitably rub against Lin Xie.
Every time he rubbed against her, Lin Xie's gaze on him became hotter.
But Chen was hesitant and was reluctant to sit on his lap, so Lin Xie raised his head and stared into his eyes. The more he dodged, the more Lin Xie wanted to get closer. Finally, he exerted force with his hands and simply pressed the mute's waist down.
Shen was caught off guard, and without even being able to stand firmly, he fell on him, his forehead hitting his shoulder, causing him to feel a little pain and a little dizzy.
"What?" Lin Xie's face showed a playful expression again, "It's only been a few days since we last met, and you miss me so much?"
As soon as Shen Que raised his head, he was grabbed by the neck, neither lightly nor heavily. His heart tightened, but he heard the man's commanding tone: "Don't you know how to open your mouth?"
But when Shen saw him approaching, she pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and her face was full of reluctance.
But Lin Xie didn't care whether he was happy or not. He tightened his grip little by little, watching him suffocate until he became short of breath and blushed, and then he was forced to open his lips and breathe through his mouth.
Lin Xie smiled, and then kissed him, making the mute's whole body red. The blood burned from the corners of his eyes to his neck, and his body gradually became hot.
"Are you having a fever again?" Lin Xie asked, "Your hands and feet are so cold, but your lips and tongue are so hot."
But Shen was so ashamed by what he said that he put his forehead on his shoulder and gasped, as if he was about to cry.
Without waiting for him to rest, Lin Xie turned him over again, loosened his clothes in a few seconds, and gave him a second hot kiss on the side of his neck.
"Why don't you say anything?" He laughed softly. "Where did you go tonight? You refused to tell me. Did you meet your lover secretly? Did he kiss you?"
"Did he touch you here?" Lin Xie's fingers moved down one by one, and he said in a low and hoarse voice, "Here? Did he go in there? Did you cry?"
Shen was so agitated that he dared not move. He tilted his head back, but his waist fell into his other arm, leaving half of his body hanging in the air, unable to find its place.
"Do you like his?" Lin Xie asked immediately, "or mine?"
The author has something to say:
I might as well just post three chapters, so there won't be two chapters tomorrow, only one chapter tomorrow~
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