HMAM CH 41 Revelations
Ye Mao and the maids were guarding the door. Seeing Lin Xiaosheng coming, he pointed at the back of the screen with his horsetail whisk.
Lin Xiaosheng entered the room, turned around the screen panels, and saw Jing Ye leaning on the pillow, his left hand resting on the cushion, allowing the imperial doctor to take his pulse.
Lin Xiaosheng said: "Your Majesty."
Jing Ye raised his head and said, "You're here."
His face was still pale, his cheeks were sunken, his facial features were thin, and a bit of sharpness was mixed with the gentleness. His long hair was loosely tied behind his head, and there was a three-finger-wide embroidered ribbon tied around his forehead. Likely due to Ye Mao being afraid of him getting a headache from the wind.
Lin Xiaosheng recalled Gu Hong's several reminders before leaving. When had the famous Gu Gongzi ever been so unable to let go of someone before?
Therefore, what the world called love was the most inexplicable thing.
Although one didn’t know where it started or where it would end, some people still devote everything to it, even risking their lives.
The imperial doctor checked his pulse, packed up the medicine box, and bowed: "As said before, Your Majesty's physique is weak and is not suitable to travel long distances. Now only rest and food supplements can avoid serious illness."
Jing Ye said: "Since food supplements can help, then the medicine..."
"The medicine must still be drunk twice a day, and must not be stopped."
Jing Ye: "...En, hngh."
The imperial physician asked to leave with his medicine box on his back, and Jing Ye waved his permission. As soon as the imperial physician left, Ye Mao came in with the medicine and said, "Your Majesty, please drink one bowl before nap today and another bowl before going to bed at night."
Jing Ye said: "Put it there."
Ye Mao held his horsetail whisk and said in a melancholy tone: "There's no hurry, this servant will wait until Your Majesty finishes drinking."
Jing Ye: "..."
He picked up the medicine, paused, took a sip, put it down with a twisted look on his face and said, "You can retreat first, zhen has a few important things to ask Lin Qing."
Ye Mao glanced at Lin Xiaosheng and said: "Then this servant will retire, this servant will leave it to Lin Gongzi to urge His Majesty to drink it while it's hot. Remember, when it's almost..."
Jing Ye's face darkened: "Ye Gonggong, you are better and better at your job."
Ye Mao shrunk his neck and went out muttering.
Jing Ye said: "Sit."
Lin Xiaosheng came over after hearing this he sat on the edge of the bed. Jing Ye was stunned. His original intention was for him to sit at the table.
Whatever.
Jing Ye sat up slightly, and the two faced each other, looking through the memorials placed on the quilt.
Jing Ye: "Zhen wants to send two thousand troops first to escort the common people to stay temporarily in the villages and towns behind Bixue City. Firstly, the common people will be protected from the impact of the war. Secondly, the soldiers of the army who have family in the city can also face the enemy with peace of mind... Lin...Lin Qing?"
Lin Xiaosheng came back to his senses. Jing Ye had a questioning expression on his face, his pupils were dark and shiny, his eyelashes were soft, his eyebrows were long, and a few strands of hair hung down, framing his handsome and soft outline.
Lin Xiaosheng's heart skipped a beat, as an inexplicable feeling slowly spread through him.
Jing Ye found it strange, this was the first time he saw Lin Xiaosheng distance when discussing something.
This feeling was like the person in the painting suddenly came to life, bringing a sense of surprise.
Lin Xiaosheng looked at him and suddenly said: "Does Your Majesty know love?"
Jing Ye was stunned for a moment: "Having experienced it… of course.”
Lin Xiaosheng frowned, remained silent for a while, and then said, “This subject would like to ask Your Majesty to teach me what is love?"
The next morning, Jing Ye faced out the window and stretched out his arms, allowing the maid to straighten his clothes and cuffs.
The window bars were wet, raindrops were rolling on the green leaves outside the window, and the birds were chirping.
There was a sound of fluttering wings, and the tame pigeon with snow-white feathers stopped on the window edge, tilting its little head.
Jing Ye went over, reached out and touched its head, grabbed a handful of millet with his left hand and fed it, then took a small paper roll from the bird's leg and unfolded it.
"Northwest."
Jing Ye frowned and said to himself, "The Xu family?"
Someone knocked on the door, it was Ye Mao: "Your Majesty, General Li is here."
Jing Ye put away the scroll and went out. Li Tingqiu stood in the courtyard, knelt on one knee and said, “Paying respects to Your Majesty."
Jing Ye smiled and said, "Rise."
The maids hid behind the pillars to watch the two men. Li Tingqiu was dressed in black martial robes, with broad shoulders, a straight posture, and long boots that wrap around his slender and powerful calves. Jing Ye wore a casual moon white robe with navy blue edgings. The exposed neck and wrists were delicate and flawless, handsome and elegant.
"So good-looking…"
"His Majesty and the General… suits each other..."
The maids looked at each other and giggled secretly.
Li Tingqiu's ears twitched, and the tips of his ears became slightly red.
Jing Ye was unaware and said with a smile: "Zhen wants to see Elder He and then go to the city gate to have a look."
Li Tingqiu lowered his head slightly and said, "Yes."
Jing Ye had the plainclothes guards follow him, and he and Li Tingqiu went out onto the streets. The streets were full of people carrying luggage walking towards the east city gate, pulling carts and holding children. Several girls turned their heads and saw Jing Ye and Li Tingqiu, and they all blushed.
When they arrived at Elder He's residence in the east of the city, it was to see only three or four simple farmhouses. There was a small fence around the house and a few hibiscus plants that were not in bloom.
The door was quietly closed, and it was unsure whether anyone was there. Jing Ye was about to go in and ask, when someone behind them called: "Brother Li?"
When the two of them turned around, they saw a handsome young man of eighteen or nineteen years old, carrying baggage on his left shoulder and holding a two or three-year-old toddler in his right hand.
Li Tingqiu turned around and said, "Fifteen? What are you..."
Fifteen smiled and said: "The neighboring auntie is going out the city, I am helping deliver her luggage."
The little toddler he was holding was chubby, with white and rosy cheeks, and looked at Jing Ye with big black eyes.
Jing Ye chuckled, and the little toddler staggered over and hugged his leg.
Jing Ye leaned over and stretched out an index finger. The little toddler looked at it and grabbed it with a chubby fist.
Fifteen saw that Jing Ye was similar in age to him, but his aura was gentle and dignified. Li Tingqiu was also very polite to him in his movements, so he somewhat understood his identity.
He looked at Li Tingqiu and saw that he was signaling to be quiet, so he remained calm and welcomed the two of them into the house with a smile.
The interior and exterior of the residence was similarly furnished with ordinary farmhouse furnishings. Fifteen picked up the little toddler and smiled at the two of them: "Let me send the luggage over first, and you two can have some tea first."
Jing Ye nodded and the other walked out.
Jing Ye sat at the table and looked around. He place was not poor, but it was far from rich either.
He took a sip of tea. The tea was made from the bitter tea leaves that the common people often drank. But it had a mellow taste, which must have been the work of the tea maker.
After waiting for a while, an old man carrying a wine jar arrived. He was tall and had sharp eyes. When he saw Jing Ye, he was stunned for a moment, then glanced at Li Tingqiu before saluting, "Your Majesty."
Jing Ye stood up and helped him up: "Elder He."
Jing Ye was speaking to Elder He in the house. Li Tingqiu and Fifteen were sitting opposite each other at the stone table in front of the house, chatting.
Fifteen said: "He actually came in person."
Li Tingqiu sat opposite him. When he raised his head, he could see Jing Ye's profile through the wooden window.
"A lot has happened in the past six months."
Fifteen: "I heard that the manor of Lord Zhao, the minister of the Imperial Court of Judicial Review, was seized and confiscated, and the young lady Zhao also..."
Li Tingqiu nodded lightly.
Fifteen frowned and said, "We always thought this was an unjust case."
"There are many unjust cases." Li Tingqiu held the teacup with his hand firmly, "But this one was not the case."
Fifteen said: “She put poison on you?"
Li Tingqiu tilted his head slightly, his eyes darkened: "She put shengjie in the embroidered silk ball."
Shengjie was a spice that lost its effectiveness once it evaporated. But people who have used ambergris all year round would die without warning in a short period of time if they inhale it.
Ambergris was an imperial incense. In the whole of the imperial palace, who could use it but the emperor?
"We have known each other for many years, but it was still not worth wealth, fame, and a bright future." Li Tingqiu looked at the gentle and courteous young emperor in the window with some bitterness, "The poison has made him weak and ill, and he is now plagued by suffering for the rest of his life... I owe him."
In the room, Jing Ye asked: "In Elder He's opinion, what is Xu Ming like?"
Old General He thought for a while and then said decisively: “He possesses some talent, but unfortunately an immoral character prevents him from becoming great."
Jing Ye frowned and said, "Immoral character?"
"When he was still a lieutenant general, he once followed me to suppress the bandits in the north." Old General He shook his head and said, "He uses vicious schemes and prefers deception. Although he could be considered to have an amiable temper when interacting with others, the true character will reveal itself over time."
"So it's like that..."
Jing Ye lowered his eyes and pondered quietly.