Chapter 27: Jinling City (9)
At that moment, Yuwen Duo still had no idea that his reign as emperor was nearing its end, and that his life was already being counted by the days. He was still furious about what Grand Secretary Xu had done over the years.
He knew full well that Grand Secretary Xu had formed factions for personal gain and adopted many “righteous sons.” Not only did he know, he had even turned a blind eye to it.
Otherwise, how else could he check the power of the Prime Minister?
But not long ago, the Grand Academician of the Imperial Cabinet, Tang Mengyang, had been castrated, his eyes gouged out, and then delivered to court like that.
When Emperor Wen Tai saw this, he flew into a rage. “Who dares lay such cruel hands on a court official?!”
In the throne room, Grand Secretary Xu glanced at his adopted son and spoke up, “Lord Tang, who was so cruel to you? It’s truly despicable!”
Tang Mengyang couldn’t even stand up. He collapsed, kneeling on the ground, experiencing for the first time in his life the sheer horror of blindness.
Gouging out someone’s eyes sounded like an act of revenge, but Tang Mengyang knew Lin Zikui too well—Lin Zikui would never do such a thing, nor would he hire anyone to do it. At most, he’d be deeply disappointed and cut off all ties.
As for who had the guts to do such a thing, there was no doubt in his mind. Other than Xu Zhuojun, with his cruel and violent temper, who else could it be?
Earlier, someone had come to bring him to court. Tang Mengyang didn’t know who the person was. The voice was calm as the man explained the stakes: “If you tell the truth before the emperor, you might have a slim chance of survival. But if you claim not to know, do you think the Xu faction will let you live?”
Tang Mengyang said, “No… I’m the adopted son of my foster father. He wouldn’t harm me!”
“You’re already a cripple. Do you think you can still serve as Grand Academician? Lord Tang, you’re of no use to Grand Secretary Xu anymore. Accuse him in court, and I’ll ensure your life is spared and send you back to your hometown in Jiangnan.”
Kneeling in the throne room, Tang Mengyang heard the voice of Grand Secretary Xu and turned his head toward him.
“Foster father… do you truly not know who did this to me?” His lips trembled as he spoke.
“What foster father? Lord Tang, your mind must be clouded!” Grand Secretary Xu looked uneasy, afraid of angering the emperor, and quickly said, “Your Majesty, Lord Tang is clearly confused and not in his right mind. His words can’t be trusted!”
Emperor Wen Tai raised his hand to stop him. “Enough, my good subject. Let’s hear what the Grand Academician has to say. Don’t interrupt.”
After the interrogation, by law, Xu Zhuojun was to be detained by the Ministry of Justice and held in the imperial prison. Then Emperor Wen Tai ordered the Brocade Uniform Guard to escort Tang Mengyang to the Imperial Physician Courtyard and personally went to check on him.
“Grand Academician Tang, write down everything the Xu faction has done over the years and sign it. I will spare your life. I value talent. These years, you’ve offered me much advice and earned many merits—I’ve seen it all. You’re a loyal subject of the court. Why not stay in the palace and serve me as a eunuch?”
When Tang Mengyang heard the word “eunuch,” he didn’t know if he should thank the emperor for his grace.
He understood clearly that eunuchs could gain favor.
Forcing himself up from the bed, he was about to bow in gratitude, but the emperor waved his hand. “No need to kneel. I grant you this honor.”
The young eunuch at the emperor’s side quickly chimed in, “Oh my, congratulations, Tang Gonggong*.”
Note; Gonggong is term refers to eunuch.
Had Tang Gonggong still had his eyes, they would’ve welled up with tears at that moment. “Same to you… same to you…”
Emperor Wen Tai had some appreciation for him and also pitied him, so he asked the imperial physician, “Imperial Physician Zhang, take a look at Tang Mengyang’s eyes. Is there any hope of saving them?”
Imperial Physician Zhang, who was highly skilled, replied, “If the eyeballs that were removed are still intact, there might still be a chance…”
The emperor looked down and asked him, “Tang Mengyang, where are your eyeballs?”
Tang Mengyang’s face went deathly pale in an instant and he nearly vomited at the edge of the bed!
Seeing him gag, Emperor Wen Tai frowned, and the eunuch beside him scolded, “Tang Mengyang! How dare you?!”
“No, no! Your Majesty, forgive me. I lost my composure! It’s because of Xu Zhuojun—he had my eyes… my eyes were fed to me. That’s why… just now I…” He trembled as he tried to hold himself together.
“What did you say? He fed them to you?!” Emperor Wen Tai was furious beyond belief. “That Xu Zhuojun! So vicious and evil-hearted!”
If this man wasn’t eliminated, he’d become another Xiao Fu!
Just a few days later, the old Gu master and over ten Brocade Uniform Guard sent to track down the location of the mother insect had all perished—only one heavily injured person returned!
That Brocade Uniform Guard lay in the Imperial Physician Courtyard coughing up blood and said, “We traced the trail to Jishui in Jiangxi! The Gu master said the mother insect was nearby, but we were ambushed! The attackers were unknown, and everyone was slaughtered! Only I made it back…”
Emperor Wen Tai frowned. “Jiangxi… Jishui County?”
There were quite a few court officials from Jishui in Jiangxi. One year, over a hundred jinshi* had passed the imperial exam—ten of them came from Jiangxi.
Note; jinshi is a title to palace graduate, candidate who passed the highest imperial civic exam.
And the most powerful among them was none other than Grand Secretary Xu Hui.
Emperor Wen Tai was utterly shocked. He staggered back a few steps and collapsed onto the dragon throne. “It really is Grand Secretary Xu, he plans to harm me! The mother insect is in his hands—he wants to control me! He wants me dead! Quick, summon Prime Minister Xue into the palace!” At that moment, the only person Yuwen Duo could think of was the just and upright Prime Minister Xue, a man whose heart was pure as water.
“Prime Minister Xue…” The eunuch hesitated and said cautiously, “Your Majesty… you granted Prime Minister Xue permission to retire and return to his hometown just a few days ago…”
Emperor Wen Tai kicked him. “Then go bring him back for me! Now!”
At that very moment, Lin Zikui, still blindfolded and pretending to be blind, was helping Xiao Fu, who was feigning a limp, down from a carriage.
Xiao Fu beckoned a nearby guard over. “Hey there, fellow villager, do you live around here?”
Villager?
The guard looked uncertain, but seeing the expression on the marquis’s face, he quickly nodded and played along. “Yes, yes I do! And you two are…?”
Lin Zikui politely explained, “We were attacked by mountain bandits on our way out of the capital and ended up like this. Could you tell us how far it is to Xingzhi Temple from here?”
“Xingzhi Temple? Not far at all. But you two seem to be in no shape to walk. Poor souls. I happen to have a horse. I can pull your cart and take you there!”
Xiao Fu held onto Lin Zikui. “That’s wonderful, Lin Lang. We’ve met a good-hearted man—we’re saved.”
But Lin Zikui had been betrayed too many times recently. He hesitated and turned back. “Miss Zhao Ling, maybe… maybe we should be more cautious.”
Xiao Fu, “The villager looks like a good person. Right, good man?”
The guard answered solemnly, “Of course I am. My name’s Niu Er.”
Niu Er. The name alone sounded like someone honest. Lin Zikui still felt uneasy, but he climbed into the cart anyway.
Halfway through the journey, Lin Zikui was suddenly overtaken by a terrible itching. It was the aftereffect of the insect he had been fed by Third Master. It flared up every few days.
In the past few days, he had been muddle-headed, trying hard to hide it from Xiao Fu.
Every time the episode struck, he would quietly curl up and endure it in silence.
Right now, sitting in the carriage, the itch crawled deep into his bones. It wasn’t pain—it truly felt like something was writhing inside his body. Lin Zikui couldn’t help but scratch at it, trembling as he shrank into the corner. Xiao Fu noticed and wrapped an arm around him, taking his hand gently. “Lin Lang, where does it hurt? Your shoulder?”
Lin Zikui nodded slightly but replied, “It’s nothing… just a bit itchy. I can endure it.”
They had no warming stone with them. Xiao Fu took off his heavy cloak and draped it over Lin Zikui, then undid the sash of his inner robe. Lin Zikui instinctively grabbed his hand, his expression pained. “Miss Zhao Ling…”
Xiao Fu leaned in and pressed his lips to Lin Zikui’s ear—not quite a kiss, but close enough. Lin Zikui flinched sensitively and tucked his ear between his shoulder and cheek.
Then, suddenly, he felt a warm palm slide under his clothing, covering his shoulder and chest.
Xiao Fu murmured lowly, “Let me warm it for you. Don’t scratch—you’ll hurt yourself.”
He lowered his gaze to look at Lin Zikui’s skin.
His skin wasn’t snow-white, but rather the color of the goat’s milk that Xiao Fu used to drink like water every day back in the pass. It looked delicious, like it would taste sweet.
Of course, Xiao Fu didn’t truly understand what sweetness was.
But hidden in the shadowed compartment of the carriage, when his lips brushed that skin a few times, he finally understood.
So this… was sweetness.
He channeled inner energy into his palm, warming it slightly. The heat spread to Lin Zikui’s shoulder, soothing it instantly with the warmth of his body. Lin Zikui shivered and could only lean into Xiao Fu’s arms, feeling utterly embarrassed.
How could he, a man, be curled up in a woman’s arms like this…
But he didn’t even have the strength to resist. Shaking slightly, he mumbled something under his breath.
Xiao Fu leaned in to listen.
How wonderful—this little scholar was reciting *The Analects* again.
They continued like this for a little less than an hour. The carriage began ascending the mountain and soon brought them to Xingzhi Temple. Each episode of Lin Zikui’s didn’t last long—half an hour at most. The unbearable itching came fast and faded just as quickly. After sweating it out, he straightened his clothes and sat curled in the corner like a quail, nodding drowsily. Under the white cloth wrapped over his eyes, his cheeks were flushed, dewy with a thin sheen of sweat.
Xiao Fu leaned over and teased, “What are you blushing for, Lin Lang? I’ve already seen everything—what’s there to be shy about?”
If it had been anyone else, Lin Zikui would have lectured them: “Frivolous words are excessive; indecent speech is obscene…”
But since it was Xiao Zhaoling, he could only play dumb and stay silent, letting her talk.
Xiao Fu sighed and pinched his cheek. “Lin Lang’s face has gotten thicker than before.”
At that moment, the carriage came to a halt.
Lin Zikui immediately perked up. “Are we here? Second Young Miss, let’s get off the carriage!”
Inside Xingzhi Temple, Yuanwu, Yuanqing, and Jinzun had all returned to report. When they saw Marquis Xiao walking with a limp and being supported by the blindfolded Lin Zikui, they were shocked. “Master!”
“Ambushed on the road, nothing serious, just a minor injury,” Xiao Fu said as he swung his leg to show he was only pretending. He then ordered, “Where is Young Master Lin’s attendant? Bring him to Cold Plum Hall.”
The two of them entered the temple together. Lin Zikui went first to offer incense and kneel in prayer. Too much had happened lately. He no longer sought fame or honor—only to live a peaceful life with Second Young Miss.
With a guard leading the way, he returned to the East Guest Hall. Sitting beneath the banana trees, he heard a familiar voice and immediately stood. “Mo Liu!”
“Young Master!” Mo Liu hadn’t seen him in days and rushed over, practically flinging himself at him like a child running into a parent’s arms.
Since Lin Zikui had been applying medicine over his eyes daily, Mo Liu didn’t think much of the blindfold.
It seemed perfectly normal.
Lin Zikui, of course, wasn’t going to tell him the truth.
But Mo Liu was very concerned about Second Young Miss. “Did Second Young Miss return with you, Young Master Master? How did it go, Young Master? Did Lord Xiao summon you to Jinling to discuss the engagement?”
Lin Zikui parted his lips, then nodded. “Miss Zhao Ling…” He turned his head slightly—though he couldn’t see, he knew Xiao Zhaoling was just inside. He told Mo Liu, “Second Young Miss has agreed to marry me. Just now, she told me that in March, she’ll take me back to Fengtai County, and we’ll get married before my parents’ ancestral tablets.”
“Getting married in Fengtai County?” Mo Liu thought something felt off. Why not hold the wedding in Jinling? Maybe they’d have two ceremonies. He quickly came around and exclaimed, “That’s wonderful, Young Master! Second Young Miss is finally going to marry you and give you a fat baby boy!”
“Shhh, quiet…” Lin Zikui hurriedly pressed a finger to his lips.
Xiao Fu’s hearing was sharp. Though he was listening to Yuanqing report that he’d deliberately let a Jinyiwei agent return to the capital alive—“Marquis, the mother bug is unharmed. I did not fail you.”
After taking the jar containing the Gu insect that could control the emperor’s life and death, Xiao Fu was momentarily distracted.
Once Yuanqing finished, Xiao Fu stepped out. Lin Zikui was still chatting under the tree with Mo Liu. When Mo Liu spotted Xiao Fu, he quickly said, “Young Master, I’ve got a chicken boiling in the kitchen—I should go check it! You and Second Young Miss… have a good talk!”
“Second Young Miss is here?”
“Mhm.” Xiao Fu reached out and toyed with the end of Lin Zikui’s hair, twisted up with a sandalwood hairpin. Lin Zikui turned his head toward him.
Now that they were back at Xingzhi Temple, Lin Zikui felt his once-turbulent heart finally settle down. All he longed for now was a peaceful, quiet life.
He called softly, “Miss Zhao Ling…”
Xiao Fu gently tugged his hair. “Lin Lang, just call me Zhao Ling.”
Lin Zikui hesitated for a moment, then obediently said, “Zhao Ling.”
“I have something I must confess to you, Lin Lang. Otherwise, I won’t have the courage to marry you. My heart won’t be at ease.” His tone turned slightly solemn.
Lin Zikui froze in surprise.
What could it be?
He didn’t want to marry him?
Had he been married before?
Even if that were the case, Lin Zikui could accept it.
Note: the original clearly mentioned the pronoun ‘He’.
But Xiao Zhaoling said, “I… I can’t bear children for you.”
Huh?
Before Lin Zikui could even ask why, Xiao Zhaoling spoke frankly, “I was born physically different from most women. I can’t bear children, and I’ll never be able to continue the Lin family line. As for what exactly is different… Lin Lang, you’ll understand in time. So, do you still want me?”
Continuing the family line was a serious matter.
At least, that was what Lin Zikui had been taught since he was young. Among all unfilial acts, having no heir was the gravest.
But hearing this, Lin Zikui didn’t react the way Xiao Fu had expected. He simply frowned slightly, deep in thought, then responded: “I once… promised Second Young Miss that I’d win top honors at the imperial exams and marry her with honor. But the promise I made—I can’t keep it anymore. I can no longer pursue official rank or glory. I’ll forever be just a lowly provincial scholar. Zhao Ling, will you still want me?”
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