Chapter 18: We Are a Couple
Zhao Linxu was holding the still-sobbing Little Jiu’er. After they descended the mountain, Zhao Linxu had the shadow guards take Little Jiu’er back to the city and entrust him to Meng Qingshu’s care. Meng Qingshu had a soft temperament and would probably be better at coaxing children.
After that, the two of them hurried to the next stop, Maple Leaf Village. The procedure was the same as in Sunflower Village: worship, scatter rice, and eat a banquet together.
Maple Leaf Village didn’t have a large house, so Zhao Linxu and Li Jianyu joined the villagers for a barbecue in the square. Everyone gathered around a bonfire to grill meat. Thick smoke rose into the sky, and the aroma was tantalizing. The saucy meat skewers, paired with hot rice, made people eat until they lost count.
And the ending was also surprisingly similar.
“City Lord! Do you like boys or girls?”
Li Jianyu almost choked on the meat in his mouth.
“City Lord, our village grows a lot of fruit. The children here grow up eating fresh fruit and are more radiant than the next!”
“Look at my daughter…”
Li Jianyu felt that he would probably be asked this question for the next two days, and there was no escaping it.
In any case, the rumor about tossing the embroidered ball couldn’t be suppressed. He didn’t want to be chased by matchmakers. He might as well be a dead pig that’s not afraid of boiling water… and go all out!
With the air of a soldier going off to battle with no intention of returning, Li Jianyu closed his eyes, reached out, and wrapped his arm around Zhao Linxu’s. “I’m sorry, I have no plans to get married for the time being.”
Zhao Linxu looked down at Li Jianyu’s fair and slender hand on his arm and raised an eyebrow slightly.
Li Jianyu also felt a little uneasy. He wasn’t so presumptuous as to think that Zhao Linxu liked him. Zhao Linxu was open-minded by nature, had spent years fighting in military camps, and after ascending the throne, had no one close to him besides his sister. Li Jianyu thought that, at most, Zhao Linxu just found him interesting.
If he happened to not want to cooperate at this moment and ruin the scene, then he would lose face.
Zhao Linxu smiled and broke free from Li Jianyu’s grip.
Li Jianyu was stunned.
Then, he saw Zhao Linxu directly wrap an arm around his shoulder, pulling him against his body.
Li Jianyu’s breath hitched. Zhao Linxu’s arm was around his shoulder, and the sense of pressure from his body was so strong that he almost felt as if he were trapped in Zhao Linxu’s embrace, unable to move.
The onlooking villagers let out a collective gasp.
Besides regret, there was also a sense of shared honor. It was truly a mix of sorrow and joy.
And so, by selling his looks, Li Jianyu finally escaped the villagers’ forced marriage proposals.
After leaving Maple Leaf Village, Li Jianyu didn’t plan to ride his horse.
He had already filled his stomach in Sunflower Village, and then he had eaten a lot of barbecue here. His stomach was very full, so he planned to walk to aid digestion. In any case, the next stop was not far from Maple Leaf Village.
Zhao Linxu naturally accompanied him. The two of them walked side by side on a small muddy path surrounded by green woods in the countryside.
“Beauty, we have to commit to the act. Should we hold hands when we enter the next village?” Zhao Linxu winked.
Li Jianyu ignored him.
“Beauty, to use someone and then cast them aside, how heartless.”
Li Jianyu said helplessly, “This subject wouldn’t dare.”
“Then how about holding hands?”
Li Jianyu couldn’t win against him. He could only suppress his shame and say with a straight face, “The Emperor still hasn’t found his mysterious fox spirit. If you’re going to hold hands, you should hold his.”
Zhao Linxu was stunned and fell silent.
Li Jianyu looked at him in confusion.
After a pause, Zhao Linxu said, “We’ll have Chen Zhishu and the others stop looking when we get back.”
“Why?” Li Jianyu thought he had misheard.
“Although We had other selfish motives for looking for him at first, Our feelings for him were not entirely false… But, after making such a big fuss and letting the whole world know, he is still unwilling to come out. Doesn’t that mean he doesn’t want to be with Us? He doesn’t like Us and is very disgusted by the accident that night. For Us to do this, it seems like We are using him.”
Li Jianyu raised an eyebrow at Zhao Linxu.
Zhao Linxu would actually think of this? It was truly not easy.
“So, We think it’s better not to trouble him anymore. What does Beauty think?”
Zhao Linxu knew he had done something wrong. He had stepped forward to admit it, and even without knowing the other person’s identity or appearance, he was willing to take responsibility. That was already a show of his courage and apology, but he had received no response. The fact was, perhaps the compensation that person wanted more was to pretend that nothing had ever happened.
“I think it’s very good,” Li Jianyu said decisively. “Extremely good.”
Oh my god, it’s unprecedentedly good!
Li Jianyu was so moved he was on the verge of tears. He gave Zhao Linxu a knowing look and a thumbs-up, thinking to himself that he would have to go and offer thanks to Buddha later.
“We still think that someone who can be touched and seen is better. At least there isn’t that sense of distance.” Zhao Linxu said with feeling, and as he spoke, he took Li Jianyu’s hand.
Li Jianyu was still immersed in his ecstasy. Although his face was calm, his heart was blooming with joy. Therefore, he didn’t notice Zhao Linxu’s gaze or actions at all, which could be said to be very tragic.
By the time the two of them returned to the city, it was already late at night, but the festival in the city was not over yet. The sound of string and bamboo instruments and a clamor could be heard from the lakeside, sounding quite lively.
A bit of curiosity grew in Li Jianyu’s heart. If it were just ordinary dancing, the atmosphere wouldn’t be so high. Could it be that someone was fighting in the ring?
Only when the two arrived at the festival grounds did they see clearly. There was indeed a tall man with fluttering robes standing on the fighting ring.
“Is there anyone else who wants to come up and challenge me? Hehe… If you beat this seat, ten or twenty buckets of gold is not a problem.” The man’s voice was like a song, so cloying it gave one goosebumps.
Li Jianyu and Zhao Linxu exchanged a glance.
The Joyful Moon Cult’s leader, Xing Huan?
It seemed that since the Joyful Moon Cult had traveled a thousand li to Luoye City for the spirit mushroom, they might as well come and have a look.
“Hey, that Lu Ai, didn’t you say the one with the highest martial arts here is the Emperor? This is a rare thing. When is he coming back?”
Li Jianyu’s subordinate generals, Lu Ai and Zheng Ke, stood by the ring and said helplessly, “Cult Leader, please don’t cause any more trouble…”
Not only had he beaten everyone with decent martial arts here, but now he was even calling out the Emperor by name. He was truly arrogant. But Xing Huan’s movements were affected and coy, and he looked completely non-hostile, more like he was throwing a tantrum. Lu Ai and Zheng Ke couldn’t just use force to drive a guest off the stage.
“Oh?” Zhao Linxu smiled and stepped forward, saying in a loud voice, “What, does Cult Leader Xing Huan want to experience the taste of being defeated by Us again?”
Lu Ai and Zheng Ke knelt on one knee and said in unison, “Greetings, Your Majesty!”
Xing Huan stood on the stage, his eyes wide as he stared at Zhao Linxu.
…???
“You… you…”
“Hmm?” Zhao Linxu tilted his head innocently.
After composing himself from his surprise, Xing Huan sneered, “The Emperor is even better at the art of deception than the demonic cult. This commoner is impressed!”
Why is this Emperor so idle? He even went to snatch the spirit mushroom?
“We told you before. You just didn’t believe it yourself. Beauty can bear witness to this.” Zhao Linxu wrapped an arm around Li Jianyu, who was beside him.
Li Jianyu looked at Zhao Linxu helplessly.
“This commoner was referring to the matter of you throwing your mess to the demonic cult,” Xing Huan said, raising an eyebrow.
“Thank you for reminding Us! The demonic cult is righteous and helpful, taking the initiative to fend off assassins for Us. We must thank you properly. Tell me, what reward do you want?”
Looking at the magnanimous man before him, Xing Huan was conquered by Zhao Linxu’s thick skin.
At the side, Zhao Zhanqi looked at Xing Huan and Zhao Linxu, frowning slightly. He had originally returned to the inn to rest after Zhao Linxu left, but he had come with Xue Ni to have a look after hearing that the Joyful Moon Cult was causing trouble.
When did Zhao Linxu make friends with the demonic cult? How did he not know?
The assassins Zhao Linxu mentioned, could it be…
“No need for a reward. My cult is not lacking in anything. I just want to ask Your Majesty to let the Fifth Prince have a match with this seat!” Xing Huan threw a flirtatious glance at Zhao Zhanqi.
Zhao Zhanqi: “…”
Why him?
“This commoner has already witnessed the Emperor’s martial arts and is thoroughly convinced. And the two generals just told me that the Fifth Prince’s martial arts can compete with the Emperor’s. This seat would like to have a match with him, but His Highness is cold and heartless and refuses.” Xing Huan had the mournful expression of a cast-off wife.
“Pfft…” Zhao Linxu glanced at Zhao Zhanqi, who looked as if he had eaten shit, and found it very amusing. Looking at Xing Huan, who was causing trouble for Zhao Zhanqi, he couldn’t help but find him more pleasing to the eye.
“Fine! We permit it. Your Highness will have a match with the Cult Leader.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Ignoring the farce here, Zhao Linxu pulled Li Jianyu and left. He figured that Xing Huan would definitely give Zhao Zhanqi a wonderful experience.
As he was being pulled back to Luoye Garden by Zhao Linxu, Li Jianyu said, “This subject should also go back and rest. I still have to go to the outer villages tomorrow.”
“I will accompany you tomorrow as well.”
Li Jianyu knew he couldn’t stop him, so he didn’t say anything.
“Do you want me to teach you martial arts?”
“Hmm?” Li Jianyu was a little confused. Why did he suddenly bring this up?
“Practicing martial arts can not only be used for self-defense but also to strengthen the body. We saw that you seemed to be struggling after running around all day today.”
Li Jianyu frowned slightly. “I wouldn’t want to trouble Your Maj…”
“You don’t want to learn?”
Li Jianyu hesitated.
He was indeed very envious of Zhao Linxu and the others, who could brandish their swords and fists with such ease, fight against enemies, and have good stamina. But in the past, his uncle had been very strict with him, overly doting. And on the first day he learned martial arts with Old General Lu, he had sprained his waist, and his uncle had forbidden him from continuing. Now, although his uncle had already left to travel, this matter had been delayed.
He was naturally willing to learn, but if the master was his 419 partner, Zhao Linxu, then…
[Translator’s Notes (T/N): 419: This is internet slang for a “one-night stand,” derived from the English phrase “for one night.”]
Seeing that Li Jianyu didn’t agree, Zhao Linxu said, “You can also bring others to learn together.”
Zhao Linxu just thought that the person before him was very cute and good, and wanted to spend more time with him. It didn’t necessarily have to be alone.
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness. This subject will consider it.”
