Chapter 64
In the end, through gritted teeth, the emperor finally agreed to Gu Fuzhou’s marriage to Lin Qingyu. War was once again breaking out in the Northwest and he had to appease Gu Fuzhou at this time. Furthermore, Xu Junyuan also said that the marriage between the two was a sign of auspiciousness. For the sake of the overall situation, he could only suppress his own selfish desires. He was the ruler of a country; between the country and a beauty, which was more important and which was less, he could still tell.
The emperor only acquiesced; he did not bestow the marriage. However, he did make a statement: A male wife may not re-enter the palace.
Hearing this, Gu Fuzhou wanted to go argue with the emperor. Lin Qingyu stopped him. “Don’t worry, it won’t be long before the Emperor invites me back.”
Gu Fuzhou pretended to complain, “Doctor Lin has done something bad again but didn’t take me with him.”
Lin Qingyu said, “I don’t think you can call this ‘something bad’.”
On the day Lin Qingyu left the palace, most of his colleagues in the Imperial Hospital watched from the sidelines. Aside from Hu Ji who saw him off all the way, Chu Zhengde unexpectedly also came to see him off.
The old man still had on an ugly expression whenever he looked at him and his words were still eccentric and cynical, “Marrying out of nowhere! You are failing to live up to your talent!”
Lin Qingyu said indifferently, “It is precisely because of this talent that occasionally delaying for some time should be of no matter.”
Chu Zhengde choked and he said, flustered and exasperated, “Hurry up and go! The very sight of you is unlucky.”
Lin Qingyu did not immediately depart – a eunuch from the Eastern Palace found him and said that he was being invited by the crown prince.
After many days, Lin Qingyu saw Xiao Cheng again. He almost couldn’t help laughing.
After spending a period of time wandering the edge of life and death, Xiao Cheng was now far from his high-spirited self of before. He had lost almost half his weight, resulting in sunken cheeks and pale lips. Even dressed in resplendent clothes, his sorry state could hardly be concealed. In Lin Qingyu’s eyes, he was doing not much better than Shen Huaishi at Changsheng Temple that day.
When those eyes looked at Lin Qingyu, gone were his past haughtiness and rationality, his arrogance and distrust; only stubbornness and resentment remained.
Lin Qingyu delivered the standard salutation. “Greetings to Your Highness.”
Xiao Cheng did not lock eyes with him like he did in the past. He went straight to the point, “Do you have any news of Shen Huaishi?”
Lin Qingyu raised his eyebrows. “Imperial Guard Shen is His Royal Highness’s personal bodyguard. Why would His Highness ask me about him?”
Xiao Cheng’s lips were pursed tight. After so long, the Tianji Camp had yet to uncover Shen Huaishi’s whereabouts. He had nowhere to vent his restlessness and resentment. He spent all day in the Eastern Palace and no amount of smashing everything in sight could provide him release. The Tianji Camp’s shadow guard then asked tremblingly, “Asking Your Highness for pardon but does Imperial Guard Shen have any relatives or friends? We can start from these people.”
Xiao Cheng was stunned. After much pondering, he thought of Lin Qingyu.
All of Shen Huaishi’s relative and friends disappeared with the Heavenly Prison Sect three years ago. For the past three years, apart from himself, the only person Shen Huaishi has had any significant connection with was Lin Qingyu. Otherwise, he would not have appeared to plead for Lin Qingyu on Jingchun’s birthday.
“You need only to answer Gu’s question. Besides, did Gu allow you ask anything?”
Lin Qingyu said, “The last time this official saw Imperial Guard Shen was at the Imperial Medical Office. I do not know what he had undertaken for Your Highness but he was injured all over. This official simply gave him a few medicines. That is all.”
“Did he tell you anything?” Xiao Cheng didn’t really hold out much hope that Lin Qingyu knew anything, but he really… was at his wits’ end. If there was any information, no matter how immaterial, he was going to hold on to it.
Lin Qingyu thought for a moment and said, “He mentioned the Princess Jingchun.
“Jingchun?” Xiao Cheng asked impatiently, “What did he say?”
“He said that he and the Princess Jingchun grew up together. Back then, the Princess was forced to enter a political marriage to the North. He doesn’t know how she has been these past three years.”
Xiao Cheng asked, “Did he say he was going to the North?”
Leading too deliberately would only make it too suspicious. Lin Qingyu said, “He never said that. He said that he was His Highness’s shadow guard and so naturally, he should always remain with His Highness.”
Xiao Cheng narrowed his eyes and said, “We are done here.”
Before leaving, Lin Qingyu asked, “Does Your Highness know about my marriage with General Gu?”
“I know.” Xiao Cheng mocked, “Lu Wancheng’s body hasn’t even grown cold. You’re in such a hurry to remarry. Lin Qingyu, you really can’t live without a man. However, what does a warrior like Gu Fuzhou know of pleasure? And an invalid like Lu Wancheng never would have been able to satisfy you. If you had just given yourself to me sooner, you would have known the taste of marrow.”
Lin Qingyu could see that Xiao Cheng was just running his mouth. In his current state, even if the Princess Jingchun came back, he might not be able produce any sort of reaction.
“Your Highness has repeatedly shown me your goodwill. I thought Your Highness wished to see me for this matter. I didn’t expect that Your Highness would not even mention my marriage with General Gu, concerned only about the possible whereabouts of Imperial Guard Shen.” Lin Qingyu chuckled lightly. “It seems that in Your Highness’ heart I am far less important than Imperial Guard Shen.”
Xiao Cheng was dumbfounded, as though only realizing this himself. He then said, as if to convince himself, “Gu’s only concern is that he meet his punishment and suffer the consequences of his own action as soon as possible.”
Lin Qingyu said, “It must be as Your Highness says. – This official will now take his leave.”
Regardless of the rumors flying about outside, Lin Qingyu and Gu Fuzhou’s marriage was finally settled. The marriage had been decided in a hurry, but under the supervision of Mother Lin and Yuan Yin, everything, from the engagement ceremony to the selection of the day of the wedding, went smoothly.
When Lin Qingyu got married last time, he had basically prepared no dowry. This time, Mother Lin prepared a dowry list for him, but he said, “You can add a little more.”
Mother Lin looked embarrassed. “Qingyu, your father has been in office for so many years and he has kept his hands clean all throughout. This is all that he has saved.”
Lin Qingyu smiled and said, “Mother misunderstood. I am the one getting married, naturally, I shall pay my dowry myself. How could I possibly use my parents’ savings? Do not worry, Mother, I will have others handle this matter.”
Mother Lin said worriedly, “How will you pay for your dowry? How long have you been working?”
“I shall let Young Master Hou help me out.” Lu Wancheng had left him so much property; he was worried he would have nowhere to spend it.
Mother Lin was taken aback. “Th-this is not good.”
“There’s nothing wrong with it.” Lin Qingyu smiled slightly, “If Young Master Hou, down in the netherworld, even knew, he might even urge me to bring more over to the General’s Mansion.”
Mother Lin only felt that she understood her eldest son less and less. However, she has never been one to interfere with Lin Qingyu’s decisions and finally, she arranged for matters as Lin Qingyu wanted.
Unmarried couples were not allowed to meet in private before the wedding. Though Gu Fuzhou couldn’t see him it didn’t stop him from sending a lot of things one after the other. For example, the wedding dress he was going to wear was personally selected by Gu Fuzhou and was delivered to the Lin Residence by Yuan Yin.
Lin Qingyu knew that Gu Fuzhou had an inexplicable obsession with his wedding dress. He thought that Gu Fuzhou would choose a wedding dress that was even more elaborate than the one he had worn when they first got married. Unexpectedly, though the wedding dress he sent was made from excellent brocade but there wasn’t much embroidery on it; it was simple scarlet dress, like a pure burning flame.
Lin Qingyu touched the ring on his ring finger; the relief on this ring too was very simple. Gu Fuzhou’s vision and tastes were not bad. He himself didn’t like dressing up too garishly.
A letter from Gu Fuzhou came along with the bridal attire. In colloquial speech, it was an entire page filled with his complaints about being tired and hungry these days, how he could hardly bear it any longer. Afterwards, he lamented about human life, how it was meaningless, how it was better to jump into the lake if one can’t eat meat.
Lin Qingyu was puzzled. “The General’s tiredness aside, why would he be hungry?”
Yuan Yin said helplessly, “In order to motivate himself with his training, the general made his wedding attire a little smaller. He hasn’t eaten much during the past few days, making do with green vegetables and radishes. Yesterday, he even grabbed me asking why do people live, just to marry a beautiful wife, the world was not worth it…”
Lin Qingyu: “…”
The current Gu Fuzhou was actually quite tall, with broad shoulders and long legs. To say that he couldn’t be made better wouldn’t be too much of an exaggeration; everything was just right. Lin Qingyu had deliberately said that his abdominal muscles were loosening in order to urge him to be diligent in his training. Getting in a bit more physical exercise wasn’t a bad thing. Unexpectedly, it had been such a big blow to Gu Fuzhou.
Lin Qingyu laughed: “Tell him, I don’t like men too thin either. Have him eat well.”
The author has something to say: Finally, it’s the second marriage~!
