Married Thrice to Salted Fish

5

After a few days of careful nurturing, no matter his actual condition inside, Lu Wancheng improved a lot on the surface. Lin Qingyu thought he could try getting out of bed and taking a couple of steps. Lu Wancheng listened to his advice, got out of bed, and took two difficult steps. He felt weak in his limbs; he felt his whole body go soft. He lay back on the bed and said with a clear conscience, “There is nothing difficult in this world, as long as you’re willing to give up. I choose to give up.”

Lin Qingyu asked him, “Could it be that you plan to lie in bed for the rest of your remaining days?”

Lu Wancheng: “Is there something wrong with that?”

Lin Qingyu: “…No. Just stay lying down.”

Lin Qingyu, who believed in diligent study and had a strong determination to succeed, couldn’t bear to look at Lu Wancheng’s half-dead appearance. He didn’t step a single foot into their room for the entire day — Out of sight, out of mind.

This was the day of a newly-wed bride’s first return to her parental home.

Lin Qingyu didn’t want to admit that he was a “bride”, but he did miss his family. It has only been a few days since he left home, but to him, it felt like years.

Early in the morning, Liang Shi sent a steward to the Blue Wind Pavilion. Under the steward’s supervision, the servants carried in two boxes of gifts, saying that Madam was letting Shaojun bring these back to his parents.

Hua Lu was still quite young and said simply what was on her mind, “What’s this? There’s only these two boxes? The Madam prepared more gifts when she married off a servant girl.”

The steward smiled and said, “Hua Lu Guniang does not understand. The amount of gifts the bride brings back to her parents depends on how much dowry she brings in when she gets married. Shaojun brought little dowry into the mansion, so the gifts for his return to his parents is also naturally but little.

This was true. When his parents had prepared Lin Qingyu’s dowry that day, he strongly demanded that there be as little as possible. It would have been best if he had brought nothing at all. He didn’t take any of the rare collections or valuable porcelains prepared by his father, any of the gold and silver jewelry or deeds to fertile land prepared by his mother. Bringing these to the Nan’an Hou Mansion would only dirty the Lin Residence’s things.

Lin Qingyu knew that his parents cared nothing for these mere worldly possessions. They wished only for his safety and success. He said, “There’s no need to bring even these two boxes.”

The steward was taken aback, thinking that he had heard it wrong. “Shaojun means…”

“Keep it. Let the Madam use it as she wishes.”

Although Hua Lu had yet to marry, even she knew that the bride’s first return to her parent’s house was a matter of face. She tried to persuade Lin Qingyu, “Shaojun, at least take a little bit with you. If the bride really goes back to her parent’s house empty-handed, the neighbors will definitely point and gossip.”

“Is the Lin Residence not already the subject of much gossip?” Lin Qingyu said lightly, “Let them gossip.”

In the current dynasty, male homosexuality was in vogue. Most all houses of high-ranking officials and nobles kept several male concubines. Even His Majesty’s harem had one or two male concubines. But when all was said and done, a man was a man, unable to have children; and so, he could not be made a proper wife.

Dayu’s law states that for every man, a woman; one husband, one wife and many concubines. If it weren’t for the sake of saving Lu Wancheng’s life, and the words of the National Teacher, His Majesty would not have gone against established tradition and bestowed marriage upon two men.

Lin Qingyu was the first man given to another man in marriage by the Emperor. This alone was enough to make the small Lin Residence famous throughout the capital, becoming the topic of idle conversation over a cup of tea by the rich and powerful in the capital.

The steward felt apprehensive in his heart. He heard Lin Qingyu ask him, “Is the carriage ready?”

“It is ready. There is one more thing, the Madam has tasked me with telling Shaojun.” The steward cleared his throat and said, “The Madam said, the Young Master has yet to completely recover and it is cold outside. She is afraid the Young Master may not be able to stand it. And so, there will be no need for the Young Master to accompany Shaojun on his return to his parent’s house.”

Lin Qingyu said calmly, “Don’t worry. I never planned on taking him with me either.”

Lin Qingyu got into the carriage alone. The Nan’an Hou Mansion and the Lin Residence was separated by more than half of the entire capital. A trip to there and back would take half a day.

When passing Yongxing Street, Lin Qingyu stopped the driver and said, “Wait here.”

Yongxing Street was the most prosperous street in the capital. Both sides of the street were full of shops: silk cloth shops, porcelain shops, wine shops and tea houses, etc. Lin Qingyu walked into a wine shop and ordered two pots of their best quality Nu’er Hong. He then went to the neighboring pastry shop to buy a few jins of candied fruit. Bringing just these home was enough.

The Lin Residence knew that Lin Qingyu would be going home today, and they had their doors open since early in the morning. When the hour was near, Mother Lin took her young son, and the young page who had followed Lin Qingyu since they were children to stand at the gate of the house and wait.

Seeing that he was about to arrive home soon, Lin Qingyu pushed open the window of the carriage. From a distance, he could see a little child bouncing up and down, waving his arms and rushing to the carriage.

This was his six-year-old brother, Lin Qinghe.

Lin Qingyu’s heart, stretched taut for many days, finally relaxed a bit.

Lin Qingyu stepped out of the carriage, and his younger brother jumped into his arms. “Gege!” Lin Qinghe was at the age when his baby teeth were falling out. His two of front teeth were missing and there would be a whistling sound when he talked.

“Young Master!” His page, Huan Tong, simply could not contain his excitement, as though his master wasn’t coming back from Nan’an Hou Mansion, but rather, from the battlefield.

Lin Qingyu rubbed his brother’s head, and looked at the sweet-tempered lady standing to the side. “Mother.”

Mother Lin said with tears in her eyes, “It’s good that you’re back.” She looked at the carriage and was quite nervous, “Is Young Master Hou still in the carriage?”

Lin Qingyu said, “Young Master Hou is laid up in bed and it was not advisable for him to go out. He said that we should regard him as dead.”

Mother Lin looked shocked. “This…”

Lin Qingyu smiled soothingly, “Let’s not mention others at home — Where is Father?”

“A student of your father’s came to visit today. He is receiving the guest in the hall.”

Lin Qingyu asked, “Which student?”

Mother Lin said, “Tan Qizhi.”

Lin Qingyu’s smile became restrained. “He sure knows how to pick a day.” Coming neither early nor late; he simply insisted on coming right on the day that he was scheduled to return home.

The Tan Family ran the largest pharmacy in the capital. Tan Qizhi was one of Father Lin’s outer disciples. It could be said that he shared some bit of friendship with Lin Qingyu. But that bit of friendship aside, if Lin Qingyu had his way, he wouldn’t want to interact with this person too much. This person was always looking to one-sidedly compete and compare with others. He did it so often that people simply grew fed up with him. Compared with Tan Qizhi, even Lu Wancheng would appear lovable.

In any case, that Lu Wancheng didn’t come made Mother Lin breathe out a sigh of relief. She and her husband only missed their son. If their son-in-law came as well, their entire family would be very reserved. “Let’s not all stand here at the door. Let’s go in. Mother has prepared your favorite plum cake.”

Lin Qingyu asked, “Did Mother make it herself?”

Mother Lin smiled, “Naturally, not as though you’d eat it if it were made by anyone else.”

Lin Qingyu smiled lightly. The piercing chill surrounding his whole body seemed to have turned into a gust of spring breeze. The Hou Mansion coachman who had been driving the carriage was stunned–Was this their Shaojun who ignored everyone and kept a frosty look all day long?

As soon as Lin Qingyu entered the door, he saw Tan Qizhi approaching, “Qingyu Xiong, you're finally here!”

Tan Qizhi appeared upright and proper, of a bookish nature. At first glance, he looked like a talented young man.

Lin Qingyu gave a careless nod to Tan Qizhi. He then gave a salute to the man in charge. “Father.”

Father Lin couldn’t be like Mother Lin, who showed her utter happiness on her face. A light merely flickered in his eyes. “You’re back.”

Tan Qizhi looked out the door and asked, “Why are you alone? What about Young Master Hou?”

Lin Qingyu said indifferently, “He didn’t come.”

Tan Qizhi’s face wore a look of surprise. “I’ve never seen a bride return to her parent’s house without her husband.”

“Is that so? Well, now, you’ve seen it.”

Father Lin said, considerately, “I think it’s because Young Master Hou has yet to heal from his illness. It is inadvisable for him to go out.”

Even if he were still sick and was advised against going out, why was there not even a courtesy letter?

Tan Qizhi unabashedly sized up Lin Qingyu. Lin Qingyu wore plain white clothes today. He was already naturally thin, with a breeze flowing into his sleeves and a thin waist as though bound with a belt. Beautiful was beautiful, but it was too extreme. A male wife set so high on up, how could his husband look favorably upon him?

He more or less understood. Lin ‘The Great Beauty’ Qingyu has failed to win the favor of his husband and his husband’s family.

“Qingyu Xiong, sure enough, is still as magnificent as ever. His appearance would not lose out to any woman.” Tan Qizhi said with a smile, “However, you now belong to the Young Master of the Hou Mansion. Why do they still dress so plainly?”

Lin Qingyu swept his eyes up and down Tan Qizhi. “Naturally, I can’t compare with Tan Xiong. Tan Xiong has on bright purple clothes and even an ornament around his waist. You are simply oozing extravagance. Why, who could look more like the male wife of a wealthy family than you?”

Tan Qizhi’s face twisted but he quickly brought back his previous expression. “Qingyu Xiong jests. But speaking of wealthy families… What of Qingyu Xiong’s gifts for his return? Quickly take it out and let your brother see the wealth of a noble house.”

Lin Qingyu picked up the two pots of Nu’er Hong. “Here.”

When Father Lin saw this, he shared a smile with his son.

Tan Qizhi stared, “This… just this?” Even if Lin Qingyu has fallen out of favor, he was still the formally and legally married male wife of the Hou Mansion. How could his return gift be so shabby?

“There’s also a few jins of candied fruit,” Lin Qingyu said lightly. “Would Tan Xiong care to have a taste?”

Lin Qinghe heard that there was candied fruit, and said excitedly: “I want to eat candied fruit. Thank you, Gege.”

Tan Qizhi used a joking tone to say, “Could it be possible that Qingyu Xiong has hidden all the good things? Don’t you want to give it to Teacher and his wife?”

Father Lin said, “I think these are very good already. My good wife, please take the wine to warm it up. Qingyu, Qizhi and I will have a few drinks later.”

Tan Qizhi said, embarrassed, “Teacher, I’m afraid this is not in compliance with customs.”

Father Lin asked, “How so?”

Tan Qizhi seemed as though he were reluctant to say it, “Qingyu Xiong is already someone’s wife. How could he possibly share the same table with me, a male outsider?”

Father Lin’s expression sank. Even though his eldest son had an astoundingly beautiful face and has married into a noble family as a man, he still regarded him as man through and through. But others may not think so. The Nan’an Hou Mansion had strict rules. Whether a male wife could see a male outsider was already open to question, let alone drinking at the same table.

“It is certainly not in compliance.” Lin Qingyu appeared calm and unperturbed, but in fact, he was already thinking of what poison would be worthy of Tan Qizhi’s mouth, “Then Tan Xiong, what are you still doing here? Take care, we won’t bother seeing you out.”

Tan Qizhi was too surprised to utter a word. He obviously had yet to see a good show and he didn’t want to leave just yet. He gave a hollow laugh and said, “To tell you the truth, aside from paying my respects to the Master, I came here to visit to ask for one thing…”

Before he could finish speaking, a steward hurriedly said, “Master, Madam, your son-in-law is here!”

Lin Qingyu said coldly, “What son-in-law? What nonsense is this?”

“It’s Young Master Hou!” said Huan Tong, who had followed behind the steward. “Young Master Hou of the Nan’an Hou Mansion is here!”

What was Lu Wancheng doing out of bed at this hour? What did he come to the Lin Residence for?

Lin Qingyu packed away his moodiness. “I’ll go take a look.”

Father Lin said solemnly, “We’ll go too.”

When all was said and done, Lu Wancheng’s status was that of a noble’s. If they do not go out to welcome him, and they offend him, if news of it were to be passed on to the Nan’an Hou Mansion as gossip from people with ulterior motives, they were afraid that Lin Qingyu’s situation would become even more difficult.

Tan Qizhi rolled his eyes and he followed them out.

As soon as Lin Qingyu arrived in the courtyard, he saw Lu Wancheng sitting in a wheelchair, being pushed in by a male servant.

The two locked eyes with each other.

Lu Wancheng curved his lips and smiled. Sure enough, he was made of orchids and jade trees, a modest gentleman. “Qingyu, you went back to the Lin Resident but didn’t take me with you.” Seeing Lin Qingyu’s touching expression, he lowered his voice and said, “What’s this? Why are you angry again?… How can you still be angry in your own home?”

During the past few days, some color had been coaxed into appearing on Lu Wancheng’s face. But his complexion was still paler than that of ordinary people’s. He was holding an exquisite heating stove in his hands. He had on a crimson robe, a snow cape draped on his shoulders, and a snow-white fox fur robe laid over his lap. And yet, he did not appear the least bit bloated. On the contrary, he appeared handsome and luxurious. His jade-like quality and gold-like appearance was made all the more prominent.

When Lu Wancheng lay paralyzed on the bed, he looked exactly like salted fish. Out of bed,…he was a dog dressed as a man.

Before Lin Qingyu could speak, his parents had already come out. Lu Wancheng turned his eyes slightly, and the servant behind him readily took the hint. He took the heater and fox fur in one hand, and supported Lu Wancheng with the other. Once Lu Wancheng was steady on his feet, he bowed to Father Lin and Mother Lin, saying, “Greetings to Father-in-law and Mother-in-law. Your son-in-law has arrived late.”

Graceful and poised, with a natural manner that befitted the situation, he had exactly the bearing that a noble son should have.

Lin Qinghe hid behind his brother, staring at Lu Wancheng with wide eyes. “Gege, this person looks good.”

Lin Qingyu looked on coldly, “Your eyes are playing tricks on you.”

Father Lin said, “There is no need to be polite, Young Master Hou. You are unwell, please sit.”

Lu Wancheng got back into the wheelchair, his eyes falling on Tan Qizhi. “And this is?”

“Greetings, Young Master Hou.” Tan Qizhi stepped forward and said respectfully, “I am Tan Qizhi, a student of Lin Yuan Pan. The ‘Ever Bright and Harmonious Medicine Shop’ in the capital is run by my family.”

A smile appeared at the corner of Lu Wancheng’s lips. “En? Ever what and Harmonious?”

Tan Qizhi hurriedly said, “Ever Bright and Harmonious.”

Lu Wancheng asked again, “What Bright and Harmonious?”

Tan Qizhi had a vague feeling that he was being played with. Nevertheless, the identity of the other party was not ordinary, so no matter how he was being tricked, he could only greet him with a smile, “It’s Ever Bright and Harmonious.”

“Ever Bright and what?”

…This was all ‘what and what’.

Lin Qingyu interrupted the two of them. “The wind out here is chilly. Father, Mother, go into the house. You can leave Young Master Hou to me.”

Mother Lin stretched out her hand towards Lin Qinghe. “Qinghe, don’t always stick to your brother. Come here to Mother.”

After his parents left, Lin Qingyu asked Lu Wancheng quietly, “Did you take the wrong medicine?”

Now that he was talking alone with Lin Qingyu, Lu Wancheng didn’t bother pretending. His brows drooped low and a tired expression appeared on his face. “I’m here to support you, Doctor Lin.”

“There’s no need for that.” When something unusual happens, it means that there must be something fishy going on. Lin Qingyu frowned, “You don’t usually get up at this hour.”

“That’s right. I had to try hard so many times before I was able to successfully get out of bed.” Lu Wancheng smiled, “I did this for you, to repay you for giving me medicine and applying acupuncture. How is it? Were you moved?”

Lin Qingyu said in a cool tone of voice, “No.”

Lu Wancheng raised his eyebrows. “Then, should I go?”

Lin Qingyu pondered it for a short moment and said, “You may as well. Find an excuse and go back to the Hou Mansion.”

Lu Wancheng choked and suddenly felt that the world simply wasn’t worth it. “…That’s just too much, Xiongdi.”

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Salted fish Gong: God! And I even actually got up early for him…