Fang Linyuan almost kicked him on the spot.

"Sister-in-law! What nonsense are you spouting!"

He sneaked a glance at Zhao Chu, but saw that Zhao Chu remained completely composed and even nodded slightly toward Zhuo Fangyou with a faint smile, saying, "No need for such formalities, General."

Indeed, Zhao Chu had always been deeply scheming.

Meanwhile, over there, Zhuo Fangyou held the box of silver notes with both hands, tears nearly spilling from his eyes.

"Rest assured, Lord Marquis, not a single coin will be missing. I will ensure every bit reaches the people at the border. With you and the Princess, they are sure to have a good year!"

Fang Linyuan reminded him, "Be careful on your journey, and don't lose the money."

"I would sooner lose my head than a single cent!" Zhuo Fangyou replied. "Rest assured, Lord Marquis, I stake my life on it."

"Alright, alright, you always stake your life on everything. How many lives do you have?" Fang Linyuan punched him on the shoulder and added, "I can't go beyond the border now. Be cautious and don't take anything lightly."

Zhuo Fangyou nodded repeatedly.

The troops were already waiting outside the city, so Zhuo Fangyou couldn't stay long. After safely handing over the items to Zhuo Fangyou, Fang Linyuan didn't detain him further. They shared a cup of wine outside the door, and he watched as Zhuo Fangyou mounted his horse and headed out of the city.

Fang Linyuan watched him depart, thinking, well, no matter where one is, it is all for the protection of the nation and family.

However, he didn't notice Zhao Chu slightly turning his head to look at his profile.

Zhao Chu's gaze seemed long and distant, like the sound of a Qiang flute beyond the border. His glassy, transparent eyes reflected the distant backs of the departing soldiers.

For a moment, Zhao Chu had an illusion, feeling as if Fang Linyuan was like an eagle trapped in a golden cage, unable to fly out.

"...Do you really want to go with him?" He didn't know why he asked this.

Did Fang Linyuan's answer really matter?

But in an instant, Zhao Chu felt an illusion, as if as long as Fang Linyuan answered, he would break through the layers of the golden cage with his bare hands, so Fang Linyuan could see the complete blue sky outside.

But he saw that Fang Linyuan slightly stunned, then smiled.

"Not really," he said. "There are no wars at the border now, so it doesn't make much difference whether I'm there or not."

"It's much freer there than in the capital," Zhao Chu remarked.

Fang Linyuan chuckled and looked at him, somewhat surprised. "What's the difference? I'm not a child anymore. Besides, my sister-in-law is always worried about me. If I leave the capital today, she probably won't sleep well for a month or two."

Zhao Chu looked at him without speaking.

The next words reached the tip of his tongue, but seeing Fang Linyuan smiling, he only repeated them silently in his heart.

At Yumen Pass, you wouldn't have to pretend to be a couple with anyone, he thought.

But he saw Fang Linyuan smiling, looking relaxed, and when he turned to look at him, his eyebrows were also at ease.

Had he never thought about it that way? Zhao Chu wondered.

If he hadn't thought about it, then he didn't mind.

Zhao Chu understood this very well.

Only, he still couldn't be sure if Fang Linyuan didn't mind him or if he didn't mind pretending to be a couple with him.

Zhao Chu lowered his eyes.

He hadn't figured it out yet, but the ripples in his eyes already needed his eyelashes to slightly conceal them.

*

After Zhuo Fangyou left, Fang Linyuan and Zhao Chu returned to the mansion together.

When they arrived at the entrance of Huaiyu Pavilion, Fang Linyuan hesitated, wanting to ask Zhao Chu something. Just as he glanced at Zhao Chu, Zhao Chu said, "The Marquis's wound needs fresh bandages. Why not come to Huaiyu Pavilion for a cup of tea?"

Zhao Chu understood his intentions so well!

Fang Linyuan nodded without hesitation and followed Zhao Chu through the courtyard gate.

But as soon as they entered Huaiyu Pavilion, Zhao Chu really took out the medicine box.

"You're really changing the bandages?" Fang Linyuan blurted out.

Zhao Chu pointed to the soft couch by the window and asked, "What did you think I was going to do?"

"I thought you knew I had something to ask you..." Fang Linyuan mumbled as he slowly sat on the couch. "Can we skip the bandage change?"

"Is this how you handled injuries before?" Zhao Chu glanced at him, his calm tone suggesting there was room for negotiation, but his hands were ruthless as he took Fang Linyuan's injured wrist and started unwrapping the bandages, asking, "Didn't it always hurt more to treat the wound than the injury itself?"

Fang Linyuan muttered under his breath, "It never hurt more than the injury before."

Zhao Chu looked at him without saying a word and slowly unwrapped the bandages around his hand, revealing the wound underneath.

Fang Linyuan was slightly stunned when he saw the wound.

The wound that had looked so frightening yesterday had already completely scabbed over today. Even the innermost layer of bandage wasn't stuck to it. This rate of healing would usually take three to five days at least.

But it had only been a day since he got injured!

"Is your medicine really this effective?" Fang Linyuan asked in wonder. "How did you make it? Can you write me a prescription? I can send it to Fangyou, and then he can... hiss!"

The medicine powder fell softly into his palm, causing Fang Linyuan to shiver in pain once again.

However, having witnessed the miraculous effect of this medicine before, Fang Linyuan endured the pain with remarkable composure this time. He clenched his teeth tightly, his muscles tense all over, but he didn't forget to ask Zhao Chu, "Is there a saying that the prescription for this medicine shouldn't be passed on? I've never seen..."

Shivering from the pain, his clear, bright eyes were still fixed on Zhao Chu.

In an instant, Zhao Chu unexpectedly felt a strange, soft feeling in his heart, like a little deer that appeared out of nowhere, very clumsy, stepping on the soft flesh of his heart with a hoof.

It quivered slightly, sinking softly, but the little deer was oblivious and continued to step around.

Zhao Chu lowered his eyes.

"There's no such saying. But the ingredients for this medicine are precious and rare. I only have these few on hand, and the soldiers at the border probably can't afford it," he said.

"Oh..." Fang Linyuan sounded a bit regretful.

Then it really couldn't be afforded. Once there was a conflict at the border, casualties would be counted in the hundreds or thousands. Even the cheapest medicinal supplies were sometimes insufficient.

Fang Linyuan remembered a time when he returned wounded, only to find several dying soldiers had no medicine. He questioned the military doctor, who said there were no medicines available in the city's pharmacies, and they had to wait three to five days for supplies from the capital before these soldiers could use them.

Hearing Zhao Chu's explanation, Fang Linyuan could only give up on his thoughts.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Chu spoke again.

"But Doctor Yu's medical skills are superb. If we change a few ingredients, it should work," he said.

Fang Linyuan's eyes brightened as he looked up at Zhao Chu.

But Zhao Chu still had that same indifferent look.

However, Fang Linyuan was not affected in the slightest. His eyes sparkled as he asked, "Can we do that?"

"We can try," Zhao Chu confirmed.

"If it really works, Zhao Chu, you will have done a great deed!" Fang Linyuan said. "By then, how can the Turks still have the strength to fight against our Xuan soldiers? When they retreat in defeat, they'll probably say we had the help of gods!"

As he spoke, he looked at Zhao Chu with a smile, joking, "Immortal, I'll thank you on behalf of the soldiers at the border first."

Fang Linyuan was enthusiastic, forgetting even the pain in his hand. Zhao Chu calmly bandaged his wound, his eyes lowered, but a faint curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Don't move," he whispered softly.

"Is it settled then?" Fang Linyuan asked.

Zhao Chu glanced at him, then lowered his eyes again as if scalded, not saying a word, but neither denying it.

"Alright." After a moment, Zhao Chu tied the bandage.

"You mentioned earlier that you had something to tell me?"

Only then did Fang Linyuan remember his original purpose for following Zhao Chu back to Huaiyu Pavilion.

"Oh, I almost forgot," he said. "I was going to ask you, why did you suddenly decide to give Zhuo Fangyou so much money?"

"Didn't you also give him all the gold rewards from the palace?" Zhao Chu countered.

"Yeah," Fang Linyuan admitted. "But you... it was quite sudden, and there was so much silver."

But Zhao Chu just picked up his tea and took a slow sip.

"It's not much money," he said. "Just let your subordinate use it with confidence."

Fang Linyuan blinked.

It wasn't until today that he realized clearly that Zhao Chu was wealthy, extremely wealthy.

But amidst his astonishment, he also understood very well. Zhao Chu's willingness to put out such a large sum of money for the border residents, regardless of how wealthy he might be, was a gesture not to be underestimated.

Thinking of this, Fang Linyuan said solemnly, "I'll remember your kindness. In the future, whenever there's anything I can do for you, just..."

But Zhao Chu picked up the jade pot on the table and filled the cup in front of Fang Linyuan with tea.

"I'm not asking you to do anything," he said. "You've been busy all morning, have some tea."

With this casual gesture, Zhao Chu effectively shut down Fang Linyuan's further words.

He really hadn't meant for Fang Linyuan to do anything, to the extent that he hadn't even thought about his own purpose in doing so if Fang Linyuan didn't speak up.

Throughout the Chu family's businesses in the capital, both overtly and covertly, not a single shop was unprofitable, nor was a single coin spent in vain.

But this sum of money, in Zhao Chu's hands, seemed to be an unexpected expense..

It wasn't for bribing anyone, nor was it for expanding influence.

Zhao Chu set down the jade pot.

Just yesterday, Yanting sent over ten taels of gold, saying it was a reward from the Emperor for the Marquis. Apart from sending it to Yumen Pass for relief efforts, the Marquis sent all of it to him and Song Zhaojin.

At that moment, Zhao Chu looked at the lonely gold ingots on the table, but in his mind's eye, he saw the vast, desolate land reflected in Fang Linyuan's eyes.

What impact could such a small amount of money make?

It was like a weak stream flowing into the desert, which would be swallowed up by the sand in an instant.

Like Fang Linyuan's passionate, seemingly endless hot blood, freely flowing, as if he wanted to confront the vast, boundless world with his own body.

What was the difference between him and that stream? Both would vanish without a trace, consumed by their reckless abandon.

Zhao Chu looked at that stream and didn't want it to disappear.

And he knew that if he wanted it to endure, there were only two ways.

One was to forever confine it in the beautiful rivers and mountains of Jiangnan, nurtured by the spiritual mountains and rivers, which would not be as harsh as the desert on the border.

But a golden cage was a tomb for an eagle, rendering its wings useless.

The other way was to continually inject water into it.

Let it become a river, become an ocean, inch by inch devouring the desert, spreading out until it formed an oasis that extended as far as the eye could see.

*

The case was over, however it did not mean Fang Linyuan's departure from the Garrison Command would be immediate, and the news quickly spread within the Sixteenth Garrison.

Unlike what Fang Linyuan imagined, this group of people didn't put on mournful faces at all. Instead, they gathered their funds and rented the entire Taixing Building to celebrate Fang Linyuan.

Lou Shuo even told Fang Linyuan mysteriously that it was Li Cheng'an who footed the bill.

The incident where Fang Linyuan saved Li Cheng'an's life quickly spread to the ears of the Minister of War. Li Fu was eager to personally bring gifts to Fang Linyuan to express his gratitude, but Fang Linyuan declined his kindness, saying he accepted his gratitude.

Failing to thank him properly left Li Fu quite unwilling to give up. He then insisted that Li Cheng'an treat Fang Linyuan to a drink.

These people acted on their own without consulting Fang Linyuan, who had no choice but to come.

On the day when most of the Sixteenth Garrison were on leave, except for the part of the guards on duty, they all filled the Taixing Building from top to bottom.

After arranging for the guards on duty to have their share of food and drinks taken care of, Fang Linyuan sat at Li Cheng'an's table and pushed his own cup of wine away.

With so many people wanting to toast him, he would end up in the medical clinic if he drank today. He didn't want to suffer that, and conveniently, he had a perfectly reasonable excuse.

"I'll eat, but I won't drink," he said, gesturing to his injured hand. "I can't drink with this injury."

Unexpectedly, someone immediately noticed the delicate knot on his handkerchief.

"Oh, General, are you saying you could drink, but the Princess wouldn't allow it?" the person laughed.

The Sixteenth Garrison burst into laughter at this remark.

Fang Linyuan quickly hid his hand under the table.

"Looking for a fight, huh?" Fang Linyuan glared at the person.

But these people had become acquainted with him, and they were all used to banter. They weren't intimidated by his threats.

"The knots on your bandaged wound are so beautiful, General, you're really lucky!" these people added fuel to the fire.

"Indeed, what a stroke of luck! This kind of luck is something others can only dream of!" Lou Shuo had a few drinks and was no longer afraid of Fang Linyuan. He laughed and joked, "You know that Qu Shangshu's son, Qu Huajun!"

"What happened to him?"

"Before General's wedding, he spent four or five days drunk in the brothels!" Lou Shuo laughed. "Even now, his reputation in Sweetwater Alley has spread. Everyone knows that Young Master Qu is a 'thousand gold to get drunk' kind of person."

"Getting drunk in brothels, and he still dares to call himself a romantic?" someone laughed.

"So, it has to be our General!" someone chimed in. "Other than our General, who else is worthy of Princess's reputation in the capital?"

Fang Linyuan wanted to flip the table.

They were all big and tall, acting like street gossipers, weren't they?

But they were just joking, and Fang Linyuan couldn't spoil the mood. He ate with a dark expression, letting their words pass through one ear and out the other, their words like the blowing wind.

At that moment, there was a commotion at the window.

"Who's riding a horse through the bustling streets?" someone whispered.

"Look at that horse, it seems to belong to Prince Wang..."

*

Several members of the Sixteenth Garrison crowded around the window to look, and Fang Linyuan was also drawn to look in their direction.

"Prince Wang?" Fang Linyuan also stood up to take a look.

"Prince Wang Chang of the State of Qin, this guy has been causing trouble for quite some time. We usually pretend not to see it." Mentioning this person, Li Cheng'an's expression wasn't very good. "We've given him warnings before, but he still causes disturbances inside the city."

"I'll go take a look," Fang Linyuan said upon hearing this.

Fang Linyuan had heard of Prince Wang Chang of the State of Qin. He was the most unruly person in the capital, a direct descendant of the former Empress Dowager, and could be considered a cousin of the reigning emperor.

Li Cheng'an followed him to the window.

Fang Linyuan turned to look and could see the figure riding a horse from a distance on the street outside.

Riding horses in the bustling streets of the capital was not allowed, and this fell under the jurisdiction of the Sixteenth Garrison.

This street was mostly lined with restaurants and stalls. As the man rode through, followed by several unruly attendants, several stalls had already been knocked over in their wake.

There was even a pancake stall set up on the street with a canopy overhead, and several customers sitting underneath. As the group approached on horseback, they laughed and saw the tables and chairs overturned, and the customers scattered in all directions.

It was like bandits had entered the city.

The Sixteenth Garrison patrolling the street had already arrived, but the attendants following the man on horseback couldn't keep up with his horse. They shouted for him to stop, but Wang Chang turned a deaf ear.

One guard even stepped forward to block his path, but he was whipped by Wang Chang's attendant. The guard narrowly avoided the whip, and the attendant arrogantly laughed, "Get out of the way!"

The faces of the surrounding members of the Sixteenth Garrison turned ugly.

"This scoundrel..." Lou Shuo had already rolled up his sleeves and rushed downstairs. Several members of the Sixteenth Garrison followed suit, putting down their chopsticks and heading downstairs.

But they saw that Wang Chang had already reached the intersection, where several members of the Sixteenth Garrison were about to stop his horse.

Fang Linyuan frowned.

He had issued orders that if there was any disturbance on a street, the guards patrolling that street would be responsible.

These guards hurriedly stepped forward to stop the horse, but Wang Chang showed no intention of stopping. Instead, he urged his horse forward even more fiercely, heading straight for the guards.

If they couldn't dodge in time, someone would get hurt.

Just as Lou Shuo and the others reached the second floor, Wang Chang's horse was already within arm's reach.

Without hesitation, Fang Linyuan reached out and grabbed the window frame, leaping out of the three-story high building.

There was a gasp from the onlookers.

He cushioned his landing on the roof with a few points on his feet, and then landed steadily on the street. He had nothing in his hands, but he noticed a broom leaning against a shed nearby. He reached out and grabbed it, twirling it in his hand like a spear.

He leaped up and stopped directly in front of Wang Chang's horse. The horse neighed as it saw him approaching, but before it could react, Fang Linyuan jumped up, and the broom swept up a gust of wind, knocking Wang Chang off his horse.

The horse reared up in surprise, and Fang Linyuan grabbed the reins with one hand, pulling them back to keep Wang Chang from being trampled underfoot.

"Who dares to be so insolent!" The attendants behind them hastily pulled on the reins, causing a commotion.

Wang Chang was skilled in martial arts and managed to fall without injury. He got up and was about to challenge Fang Linyuan to a fight.

But Fang Linyuan didn't give him the chance.

With a flick of the broom handle, he firmly pressed Wang Chang back to the ground.

"The horse is confiscated, and there's a fine of fifty taels of silver. In addition, you will compensate for all the losses suffered by the vendors on this street," Fang Linyuan said.

He added: "Understood?"

Wang Chang, unwilling to accept defeat, tried to get up, but Fang Linyuan playfully swept him back down with the broom.

Gradually, the surrounding crowd of onlookers began to gather from a distance. Though they didn't dare to approach, they whispered to each other, all saying that the person lying on the ground was the famous Prince Wang of the State of Qin.

Meanwhile, the people upstairs in the Taixing Building erupted into cheers and applause.

Faintly, Li Cheng'an's voice could be heard: "It's really enjoyable to watch the General deal with people from a bystander's position!"

Amidst the cheers, Lou Shuo and the others had already arrived downstairs, arrogantly arresting the attendants and confiscating their horses.

In the centre of the crowd, Fang Linyuan held the reins of the horse with one hand and gripped a five-foot-long broom with the other. Amidst the swirling dust, he stood steady as if wielding a divine weapon to defeat the enemy.

Wang Chang's face turned almost as dark as the bottom of a pot.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked angrily.

From upstairs came Li Cheng'an's shout.

"Do you know who he is? If you fall into his hands today, you're in for trouble!"

Another round of enthusiastic cheers erupted throughout the Taixing Building.

*

On the upper floor of a nearby teahouse, the curtains fluttered gently, and wisps of tea smoke wafted through the air. The Tianzihao private room occupied the entire top floor of the teahouse, and the spring breeze of the capital drifted in from all directions, creating a hazy atmosphere.

Beneath the canopy, a soft laugh could be heard.

Sitting beside him was the wealthy owner of the teahouse, who, upon hearing the laughter, quickly asked, "Master, what did you see?"

And sitting in front of him was a man wearing a long curtain hat that reached down to his seat. He was tall and slender, and his snow-white robe reflected a dazzling light in the sunlight.

His entire face was hidden under the curtain hat.

He remained silent, only tilting his head slightly and looking through the heavy curtains, his gaze fixed on the young general standing tall and straight below.

With one hand, the young general lowered his spear, and the broom straws fell onto the hem of his robe like scattered golden light.

Before long, he spoke softly, "It's nothing. Continue."

The cold and aloof male voice, like melting snow on a mountaintop, was tinged with a faint smile, as if infused with the soft and elusive tea smoke.

"Yes," the owner opposite him replied respectfully.

The man fell silent again and picked up the cup on the table.

That hand, long and slender, as hard as jade, was translucent in the sunlight, androgynous, like a Bodhisattva carved from jade.

 

--

The author has something to say:

Quizz with prize: Who is this person?

The prize is "The Princess's Approval".

 

Translator : DarNan