Chapter 121

Lin Qingyu was very surprised when he learned what a “honeymoon” was. For Jiang Xing, who found even the distance from Xingqing Palace to Fengyi Palace too far, to actually invite him to go on a long trip together?

“Where do you want to go?” Jiang Xing ordered Xiao Songzi to unfold Dayu’s map and hang it on the wall. He put his hand on Lin Qingyu’s shoulder and said, “How about we go to the Southern Border?”

Lin Qingyu said, “I’ve been to all the places in the south.”

“Hmm… how about Xuzhou? It’s the rainy season so the small villages there would be very charming.”

“I’ve been there too.”

Jiang Xing had a bad feeling. “Then let’s go north?”

“When I was sixteen, I stayed in the north for half a year with several fellow apprentices.”

Jiang Xing was in a complicated mood. “You’ve been everywhere and you went to all these places with people that aren’t me.”

“A man aspires to travel far and make one’s mark. And you like to nest in one place.” As Lin Qingyu said it, a trace of doubt appeared on his brows. That’s right, in the past, he traveled around the world with his mentor, doing good for society and saving people. But now he didn’t have much interest in going anywhere, he just wanted to stay at home with Jiang Xing.

Lin Qingyu glanced at Jiang Xing. “I blame you. You’ve made me lazy.”

Jiang Xing smiled and said, “Is it all my fault?”

“We can’t go on like this, Jiang Xing.” Lin Qingyu said, speaking from his heart, “While we’re still young, we must learn as much as we can and do all that we can. Staying all day in the palace, engrossed in romance; what kind of life is that?”

Jiang Xing disagreed, “We don’t do it the entire day. We have a lot of work to handle. Besides, only young people can engross themselves in romance. When we’re old, we wouldn’t be able to even if we want to.”

Lin Qingyu said, half-truthfully, “Don’t worry, when you’re old, you’re still going to be able to engross yourself in romance. I just need to apply acupuncture.”

Jiang Xing was very excited. But how could there be such a good thing? There must be a price to pay. In the end, his desire to live prevailed, “No, I want to keep living a few more years.”

The two discussed for a long time, but they couldn’t come to a conclusion. Instead, the topic strayed further and further away. Hua Lu came in to serve them fresh fruit, “Your Majesties, this is the pear sent from Qingzhou.”

After Lin Qingyu remarried for the third time, this time to the emperor, Hua Lu voluntarily entered the palace and was now the maid in charge of Xingqing Palace. Both she and Huan Tong thought that Lin Qingyu had been forced into this marriage and she entered the palace to continue serving Lin Qingyu. Huan Tong wanted to enter the palace to continue serving him as well but according to the rules, he had to cleanse himself and Lin Qingyu could not bear to let that happen to him. And so he left him in the General’s Mansion to learn how to manage a household from Yuan Yin.

Jiang Xing casually took a pear from the basket and tossed it up and down for fun. “Since you’ve visited all the places worth visiting in the Dayu, why don’t we let chance decide where we go for our honeymoon?”

Lin Qingyu said, “You mean, draw lots?”

“Sort of.” Jiang Xing ordered Hua Lu, “Hua Lu, fetch me a dagger and a wide ribbon.”

Hua Lu brought what Jiang Xing asked for. Jiang Xing said, “Qingyu, close your eyes and throw the dagger at the map. We’ll go wherever it hits.”

Oh, so they could also do it like this. Lin Qingyu found it a little novel and asked, “What if it turns out to be too far from the capital?”

It was not actually uncommon for the emperor to travel far away. Emperor Yuwen went to the south seven times. It was not impossible for Jiang Xing to leave the capital for several months, leaving the cabinet to take charge of the government. But if he stays away from the capital for too long, something unforeseen might happen. The Dayu’s territory was vast. Going from the southernmost point to the northernmost point could have several years.

Jiang Xing said, “Then we’ll just choose somewhere else.”

Jiang Xing blindfolded Lin Qingyu with red silk ribbon, leaving half of the bridge of his nose. His reddish lips slightly parted due to the sudden darkness, giving him an ambiguous and obscene air. Just looking at him was getting Jiang Xing hot under the collar. Thinking of how Lin Qingyu was cold and reserved in front of outsiders, yet gorgeous and blooming when under his body, he couldn’t help but bow his head and plant a kiss on the beauty’s lips.

Hua Lu was stunned for a moment but Xiao Songzi pulled at the hem of her clothes. She then turned around and retreated, pretending that she hadn’t seen anything.

Underneath the silk blindfold, Lin Qingyu’s long lashes moved. “Why are you suddenly kissing me again for no reason?”

Jiang Xing just laughed. “I often kiss you for no reason. Haven’t you gotten used to it yet?”

Lin Qingyu thought for a while. “That’s true.”

Jiang Xing held the dagger and helped Lin Qingyu wrap his hand around the handle. “Throw it.”

He threw the dagger and after hearing it hit, Lin Qingyu took off the silk blindfold and saw where the dagger struck. “Jiaozhou?”

Jiaozhou was located in the south of the Dayu. It was surrounded by mountains and forests and was close to the sea. It was humid and a place with heavy miasma, making it unsuitable for long-term residence. A few years ago, after Shen Huaishi’s attempted assassination of Xiao Cheng, he lived in Nanyue in Jiaozhou for a time to hide from the Tianji Camp.”

Jiang Xing said with great interest, “What a coincidence. Actually, you could say that Jiaozhou is my hometown.”

Lin Qingyu was a bit surprised. “Really?” He always thought that Jiang Xing’s hometown was in another world, a place that couldn’t be found in the Dayu’s territory.

“Yes. But in our place, ‘Jiaozhou’ is not called ‘Jiaozhou’.”

Lin Qingyu asked, “What’s it called then?”

Jiang Xing recalled his poor knowledge of geography, “Jiaozhou in my hometown is referred to as Guangdong, Guangxi, and Northern and Central Vietnam. Among them, I was born in Guangdong and moved to Jiangnan with my parents when I was young. In the Dayu, it’s called Yuzhou. Then I returned to Guangzhou in Guangdong after finishing high school.”

“Guangdong, Guangzhou.” Lin Qingyu remembered these words in his heart, “I didn’t expect you to be born in such a remote and desolate place.”

“Remote? Desolate?” Jiang Xing asked incredulously, “What about Guangzhou is remote and desolate…?”

Before Jiang Xing had time to defend his hometown, Shen Huaishi came in. He came to bid farewell to the empress. In two days, he will be leaving for the north.

“Huaishi, you came at a good time.” Lin Qingyu said, “You have been in Nanyue. You tell the emperor whether Jiaozhou is a remote and desolate place or not.”

Shen Huaishi looked at Jiang Xing. “Your Majesty, Jiaozhou is vast and sparsely populated. Most of the common people live among the high mountains and live by hunting and gathering. It is a whole world of difference between the capital, Jiangnan and other places.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Jiang Xing choked and said, “Fine, Jiaozhou might be a bit barren now, but in a hundred, no, a thousand years, it will be one of the most affluent places in the country.” Jiang Xing pointed to Jiaozhou on the map, “Look Baobei, Jiaozhou faces the Southern Sea and borders several neighboring countries. Once a port is opened…”

Shen Huaishi almost choked at hearing the word “Baobei”. Now he really truly believed that the empress considered him a good friend. Otherwise the emperor wouldn’t tell him his true identity, nor would he be not treated like an outsider in the slightest.

It was not surprising that the emperor would call Lin Qingyu “Baobei”. The strange thing was that Lin Qingyu could accept it so calmly, without feeling awkward at all. If other people, ignorant of his true identity, coveted his beauty and called him “Baobei”, he would probably feed them to the princes and princesses.

Jiang Xing has always been generous and easy-mannered, but now talking about his hometown, he was filled with nostalgia and he couldn’t help feeling sentimental. “I haven’t spoken the dialect of my hometown for five or six years. I’m afraid I might have forgotten how to speak it. Huaishi, how do they call beauties in Nanyue? Do they use ‘liangzai’ and ‘liangnu’?

Shen Huaishi told him very seriously, “No.”

“Then what words do they use?”

Shen Huaishi uttered two strange sounding words. Jiang Xing didn’t understand at all. He shrugged and said, “Fine.”

Lin Qingyu pondered, “I’d like to see your hometown.”

He was filled with yearning for the world where Jiang Xing grew up in. He wanted to know what kind of mountains and rivers could raise a person like Jiang Xing.

Jiang Xing hesitated and said, “But Jiaozhou is too far away from the capital.” No matter what Jiaozhou will look like in a thousand years, the current Jiaozhou truly was too remote. Ministers who committed crimes were often exiled there.

Lin Qingyu said regretfully, “Indeed.”

At this time, a servant from Ci’an Palace arrived, inviting Jiang Xing and Lin Qingyu to the evening meal. Jiang Xing said, “Qingyu, you go ahead. Don’t keep the empress dowager waiting for too long. I’ll go after I have a talk with Huaishi.”

Lin Qingyu nodded and said, “Alright.”

Lin Qingyu walked out of Xingqing Palace, and noticed Hua Lu’s distraught appearance: “Hua Lu.”

Hua Lu came back to her senses. “What is the Empress’ instructions?”

Lin Qingyu said, “Do you find it strange that I am so close to the emperor? Are you wondering if I’ve completely forgotten about Young Master Hou and General Gu?”

Hua Lu lowered her head. “This servant dares not.”

Lin Qingyu could see through to Hua Lu’s thoughts. On the one hand, she felt that her master wasn’t a heartless and ungrateful person. But on the other hand, she could see how he and the emperor held the tray to eyebrow level. She was even more confused and puzzled than when he married Gu Fuzhou back then.

Lin Qingyu intended to tell her the truth and said slowly, “Don’t you think that the emperor’s temperament is very similar to Young Master Hou’s and General Gu’s?”

Hua Lu’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Thi-This servant now knows!”

Lin Qingyu asked, “You know?”

Hua Lu lowered her voice, “The Young Master is treating the emperor as a substitute for the Young Master and the General?!”

Lin Qingyu: “…”

Hua Lu looked worriedly towards the hall, “Young Master, does the emperor know about this?”

Lin Qingyu chuckled and said, “He knows and he is happy to be this substitute.”

Lin Qingyu didn’t have to wait long in Ci’an Palace before Jiang Xing arrived and the two of them had dinner with the empress dowager. They were served an extremely delicious dish of steamed fish. Jiang Xing knew that Lin Qingyu preferred light flavors; he was sure to like it. He chose the tenderest part of the fish and removed the bones before putting it in Lin Qingyu’s bowl.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Lin Qingyu took some fresh spring bamboo shoots and placed it in his bowl in return, “These bamboo shoots are plump and tender. Your Majesty should give them a try them.”

Jiang Xing smiled and said, “Thanks for your consideration, Empress.”

The empress dowager looked as the two kept exchanging gifts. A strange feeling rose in her heart. To love one’s wife was a good thing but the emperor was being too polite and attentive to the empress. The two were both men and those who didn’t know would think the empress was the emperor’s husband.

After dinner, the Empress Dowager said, “Empress, please go on ahead. Aijia would like to say a few words to the Emperor.”

Lin Qingyu glanced at Jiang Xing. He gave a salute and said, “Then Chen will be taking his leave.”

After Lin Qingyu left, the Empress Dowager said to Jiang Xing, all earnest words and sincere wishes. “Your Majesty, you are the emperor and the empress is your subject. Courtesy between a monarch and his subject is greater than that between husband and wife. The three cardinal principles and five virtues govern human relations and is the natural order of things. Do you understand what your Mother is saying?”

Jiang Xing smiled faintly, “I understand.”

The empress dowager was a woman of her time. That she thinks this way was normal. There was no use arguing with her; it would just be a waste of words. He agreed with his words but shall persist in doing it again the next time.

When Jiang Xing returned to Xingqing Palace, Lin Qingyu asked him, “What did the Empress Dowager say to you?”

Jiang Xing told him the truth. “She is upset that I deboned the fish for you. She implied that I should maintain my dignity as the emperor in front of you.”

Lin Qingyu said, “Then what does the emperor think? Does this mean you won’t be deboning my fish for me anymore?”

“How is that possible?” Jiang Xing said seriously, “You and I are both men. It could be said that you are my wife but then it could also be said that I am your wife. Since this is the case, of course, I will give you equal and respectful love.”

… Lin Qingyu couldn’t make up his mind, wondering whether he should be moved or not. He knew Jiang Xing too well. Generally, when he said words to move him, Jiang Xing would follow it up with something to spoil the mood.

Sure enough, before he could respond, Jiang Xing added, “It’s a pity the empress dowager would never understand. I didn’t bother trying to persuade her. How about this, I will teach you to speak my native dialect and we can speak Cantonese in front of her in the future. It’ll be a secret conversation.” Jiang Xing was eager to give it a try, “How about it, isn’t it interesting?”

Lin Qingyu: “…Heh.”

In the end, they decided to travel to the South. It just so happened that the taxation reform in Jiangnan was in full swing. They could observe the peoples’ sentiments while they were there.

Lin Qingyu wanted the Ministry of Rites to handle the emperor’s trip but Jiang Xing stopped him. “A honeymoon is spent by the couple together. If we bring a large group, it won’t be a honeymoon, it’ll be a group tour.”

Having said that, as the rulers of a dynasty, they had to have guards and servants in the palace, let alone when they travel far away. Jiang Xing also knew that traveling alone with Lin Qingyu was unrealistic. The Dayu was no better than his hometown, when going on a trip there were many complicated things to prepare. He didn’t know how much to bring and his carriage driving skills were average.

In the end, the two decided to take Xiao Songzi, Hua Lu and some the best shadow guards from the Heavenly Prison Sect. They then headed all the way to the South.

The author has something to say: I can’t wait to write them in the modern setting!

For example, Qingyu transmigrates to modern times and dates Jiang Xing, who’s still a high school student.

One day, Jiang Xing told him excitedly: Qingyu, I’m now eighteen years old!

Qingyu: … Again?