Chapter 25

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Xiao-Rong is harming people

The candle snuffed out after a few tumbles. Its holder disappeared into the darkness down the steps.

Huo Linfeng let go of Rong Luoyun, feeling awkward after their hug. They had hugged when Rong Luoyun fell into the water, hugged when he was injured, and hugged this morning, stuck together inseparably. But this hug was different from those.

Those hugs were out of consideration, to comfort, and for warmth. They were not at all the same as this one.

As for how it was different, Huo Linfeng rarely hugged men so he didn’t know. Rong Luoyun was seldom hugged by men, and also didn’t know. Since neither knew why, they both felt incredibly embarrassed.

Huo Linfeng lightly coughed: “Palace Lord, I’ll be keeping this, then?”

Rong Luoyun didn’t even manage to fake cough: “Mhm, keep it.”

They went quiet as if they had nothing in this whole world to talk about. The mountain breeze came again. Rong Luoyun’s ponytail fluttered and brushed against Huo Linfeng’s ear. Huo Linfeng rubbed his face trying to fish for words: “Actually, shaving off your hair and becoming a monk here isn’t too bad.”

Rong Luoyun tried his best to continue the conversation: “Yeah, I see how the monk who comes to deliver food is always so happy.”

Huo Linfeng said: “That little monk has been staying at this monastery since young, so his position here is probably not low.” He kept talking with an animated voice, as if he feared the other party would lose interest, “Last night, when I was binding up Jia Yanxi, I saw that little monk commanding others to do chores. Seems pretty impressive.”

Rong Luoyun was very cooperative: “Really? I couldn’t tell that that baldy was that powerful.”

The two talked back and forth, relying on the darkness to uphold their pretenses. After gossiping about the monastery’s disciples, they found themselves starting to slip into silence once again. Rong Luoyun racked his brains for another topic: “The rabbit you roasted tasted so good.”

When stationed at the barracks, the soldiers had no choice but to hunt wild game, so Huo Linfeng was familiar with roasting meat. When he came to Jiangnan, he had tried his fair share of desserts, but he still missed those steamed pears from Saibei. Boiled in osmanthus syrup, the thin slices of pear carry a light fragrance and can be enjoyed either warm or cooled.

Rong Luoyun listened with rapt attention and couldn’t hold back a question: “What are some other interesting things at your Cleansing Sand Isle?”

Huo Linfeng recalled the city of Saibei, its wine shops and brothels, its stores, and that old man who would always give him piping hot cakes. And then he remembered the Marquis Manor and its numerous halls and courtyards, where maids and servants chattered……He had not been homesick for a while, but Rong Luoyun brought up such a topic.

He said: “My home has a magnolia tree. Its white flowers smell really nice when it’s in full bloom.”

Rong Luoyun: “If you’d like, we can get one planted in your bamboo grove.”

Huo Linfeng once thought of this idea, but he shot it down. After all, he eventually has to return to his post as a general. But, he does not want to think that far into the future. He had not yet left. Right now, he was still Du Zhong. He was still that disciple who would change clothes, wash hair, wipe mouths, heal wounds, and neglect sleep just to sit with a Palace Lord in the middle of the night.

He tucked the handkerchief away properly and asked just in case: “Palace Lord, now that you gave it to me, you won’t be taking it back, right?”

Rong Luoyun answered: “Of course not. It’s yours now.”

The ice-cold steps they sat on had turned warm over time. The night was no longer young, so they returned to the praying hall to rest. Duan Huaike was sleeping sprawled on the desk inside, Lu Zhun and Diao Yulaing snored on the bed, and the disciples were asleep outside.

When they arrived at the gates, Rong Luoyun asked: “Where are you going to sleep?”

Huo Linfeng replied: “I’ll go settle on a tree. We should be leaving tomorrow.”

Rong Luoyun mumbled: “Stay a few more days. We haven’t prayed to Buddha yet.”

They sunk into silence again. They stared at each other, their gazes were guilty yet devious. Before they arrived here, they had killed many. When they arrived, they were covered in blood. After they arrived, they secretly ate meat. These two really didn’t give Buddha much face.

Huo Linfeng suggested:” How about we go right now since no one is around?”

Rong Luoyun agreed: “That’s fine too.”

Changing their plan of getting rest, the two came down the mountain in the pure darkness, wanting to confess to Buddha their sins. Without the guidance of light, they kept stumbling and tripping, missing the steps here and there. After stepping on thin air numerous times, the Incorporeal Divine Dragon guy gave up and took hold of the Roaming the Eight Directions guy. Only then did they finally finish their bumpy journey down.

The temple gates were shut tightly. Its disciples were all asleep.

They came to the temple walls. Rong Luoyun had internal injuries, so he couldn’t use his qinggong. Knowing this, he pulled Huo Linfeng’s belt to get him closer. Huo Linfeng stumbled a little. He grabbed Rong Luyoun’s hand and moved it upwards so Rong Luoyun was holding onto him.

He also took hold of Rong Luoyun before leaping over the wall.

As a temple in the mountains, few people came to light incense and make donations. The temple couldn’t even bear to light a lantern. They quietly stepped into the hall. A strong scent of sandalwood filled the room. The moonlight shone dimly, vaguely outlining the silhouette of the Buddha statue.

They knelt side by side on the praying mat and placed their palms together to pray, not daring to ask for blessings before atoning their sins. Huo Linfeng had once blabbered nonsense in the presence of Buddha, so now, he was feeling too embarrassed and urged Rong Luoyun to go first.

Rong Luoyun started: “I’ve murdered many and have committed many sins. I ask Buddha for forgiveness.”

Huo Linfeng followed: “The people I killed are full of evil. Please note this, Buddha.”

Rong Luoyun continued: “I had greeted Buddha wounded and covered in blood. I was discourteous. I ask Buddha for forgiveness.”

Huo Linfeng followed: “Hoping for a sturdy, healthy body in the future. Asking Buddha for his blessings.”

Rong Luoyun continued: “Because of the desire for food, we ignored Buddhist disciplines. I ask the Buddha to punish us.”

Huo Linfeng followed yet again: “The food has already been digested. The Buddha is benevolent, so please understand.”

After confessing three sins, Rong Luoyun was angered into shoving Huo Linfeng. Why is this person trying to absolve every one of them? Is he trying to anger Buddha to death? General Huo was quite the rebel and continued to mutter: “If Buddha were to appear, there wouldn’t have been so many people who died from this disaster—” Before he could continue, Rong Luoyun covered his mouth and delivered him a punch to the back.

Huo Linfeng coughed twice: “Palace Lord……be a little gentler.”

Rong Luoyun mocked: “Tasted too many of those light, delicate punches and can’t take mine?”

It was not good to chatter nonsense in front of Buddha, so Huo Linfeng shut his mouth. After confessing their sins, the two continued by putting their hands together and kowtowing. Rong Luoyun was utterly devout, kneeling there murmuring with his eyes closed for a long time.

Huo Linfeng’s expression was stony. He had nothing much to pray for and took a long time to think of something.

After worshiping, they snuck back out of the hall and flipped over the wall. The two arrived at the stairs. Are they going to arduously climb four hundred steps just to sleep on that crowded bed and to rest on that tree? It really was not worth it. As they contemplated, they heard hooves stamping against the dirt behind them. It was the carriage that they had parked around the corner.

That carriage belonged to Jia Yanxi. Not only was it spacious, but it even had soft cushions paired with pillows of all sorts. They finally found a resting place and climbed aboard. They closed the door and pulled over the curtains, each taking a side and lying close to the carriage wall. They recalled simultaneously that night they slept holding hands at Spirit Jade Stream.

There was only the sound of breathing in the darkness. Huo Linfeng piped up: “Are you cold?”

Rong Luoyun said honestly: “A little.”

There was the rustling of clothes, a pop of the sound of a belt being undone. The carriage was filled with the sound of cloth rubbing together. Removing his outer robes, Huo Linfeng covered Rong Luoyun properly and spoke like a father coaxing his son: “Now you’re warm. Go sleep.”

The night was already half over by the time they settled down.

The next day, early morning, the Extraordinary Palace’s people prepared to leave, but not before making a generous donation to the temple. The large group of people traveled south, finally on their trip back to Xiqian Ridge.

Rong Luoyun couldn’t help but look back. To him, those mundane days in the mountaintop courtyard were full of interest and delight. The mountain slowly faded from view. The courtyard was returned to the wild dogs, and the clean robes were returned to the abbot, leaving him only memories of the past few days.

Jolting along three hundred li, it was already noon by the time they arrived at Xiqian Ridge.

As they passed by the Long River, Rong Luoyun headed to Dusk-till-Dawn to report his safety. Remembering how Huo Linfeng was having fun there before he came to save himself, he said: “Du Zhong, I’ll give you another half month of rest to make up for the days lost.” He came closer and said out of consideration, “Why don’t we go together? My treat.”

Huo Linfeng said evasively: “Palace Lord is too generous……” Lies were easy to tell but hard to maintain. He clenched his teeth and pretended to be weak, “My internal energy is worn out from healing Palace Lord, so I fear I’m lacking the energy for such activities right now.”

Rong Luoyun’s beautiful face showed a hint of embarrassment: “…….It was me who was thoughtless. Go back to the Palace and rest.” He was feeling guilty. This perfectly fine, eight chi tall young man, was emptied of his vigor. How dejecting.

He went alone. The servant who waited at the door every day saw him and quickly ran to report. When he entered the building, delicate, relieved cries sounded all around. The proprietress patted her heart as Rong Duanyu hurried down the stairs with a face stained with tears.

Rong Luoyun called out to his sister and opened his arms to hug her. When they parted, he was immediately pushed into a chair to have his meridians examined by a doctor. A maid shuffled over to feed him ginseng soup while his previously injured hand was inspected by Rong Duanyu. He was like a treasure. Only after everyone checked and confirmed he was alright did they finally calm down.

The siblings returned to the room on the fourth floor. Rong Luoyun apologized: “Jiejie, I made you worried this time. Please don’t blame me.”

Rong Duanyu glared: “You did something wrong, yet you don’t want to be blamed? I even feel like hitting you right now.” She closed the window, “If that disciple hadn’t come searching for you, I don’t know how much time would have been wasted.”

Rong Luoyun stared: “Du Zhong was trying to find me? Didn’t he come to find Bao Luo?”

Rong Duanyu said: “What does Bao Luo have to do with this? Stop diverting to random topics.” She jabbed Rong Luoyun’s forehead with her delicate finger, “Hydra of Immortal Souls still had seven people. How many times are you going to pull these dangerous acts before you’re satisfied?”

Rong Luoyun accepted the scolding and focused on consoling her. After stabilizing Rong Duanyu’s mood a little, he mentioned the most important part: “Jiejie, the new governor of Han Prefecture has already come from Chang’an. It’s …… Shen Zhou.”

Rong Duanyu’s beautiful eyes widened. Her hand that held a fan trembled. “Shen Zhou.” She silently mouthed these two words and only spoke up after a while, “It’s good like this. Han Prefecture’s commoners would no longer be pushed around by corrupt officials.”

Rong Luoyun said worriedly: “Jiejie, you and him —”

Rong Duanyu interrupted: “Stop blabbering nonsense. He and I have never met. The same goes for you.”

The coldness in her tone was evident. Rong Luoyun could only nod his head silently and no longer pursued this topic. He had been gone for many days, so he couldn’t stay long. After coaxing Rong Duanyu into resting, he quietly left.

Bypassing the corridor, he suddenly remembered something and went to find the proprietress.

“Granny,” He was like an obedient grandson asking his grandmother for sweets and scootched over beside the other party’s ear, “I want to get some replenishing medicine for men whose bodies are lacking vitality [1].”

The proprietress grabbed him: “Oh, my darling! How did you hurt your yang [2]?!”

Rong Luoyun turned scarlet: “It’s for a disciple……” Huo Linfeng’s tall figure appeared in his mind, so he continued in his embarrassment, “I want the best ones. That person is big and robust, so make sure you put extra.”

A moment later, the proprietress appeared with a box, instructing: “For the medicine in the cotton bag, mix two spoonfuls of it into soup to drink. For the one in the brocade bag, divide it into three bowls to boil before combining them into one. Take one pill from the hemp bag orally each day. It will be extremely effective, turning the weak to strong.”

Rong Luoyun memorized this and left Dusk-till-Dawn with the box.

At the Thousand Opportunities Hall, Huo Linfeng was lying on his bed in his bamboo grove. Du Zheng was undressing him, “Ah, Young Master, you’re burning up.” Du Zheng was frightened. He felt Huo Linfeng’s forehead with a hand, “This is not good. I think you caught a cold!”

Huo Linfeng was feeling hazy, so he grabbed his blanket and rolled on the bed. His internal energy had yet to fully recover, so after spending a few days outside, he grew ill. He felt cold. This blanket isn’t enough, he wants that warm white fox.

With his young master burning up, the little servant needed to hurry to town to get medicine. Du Zheng ran out and grabbed a horse, galloping madly, startling the disciples at Distant Gray Platform as he passed by.

When he arrived at the main street, he had yet to shout when the gates slowly opened.

Rong Luoyun strolled in with a small box and encountered Du Zheng, “Oh hey, Du Zhong’s big brother.” He called out to the other party, “Why are you in such a hurry?”

Du Zheng thought, as if this wasn’t all your fault! He said resentfully: “My little brother is bedridden and is all weak. Would Palace Lord please allow me to leave the Palace to go buy medicine for him?”

Rong Luoyun listened. Bedridden? Was it that serious? He immediately opened the box. The cotton bag contained the weakest medicine while the hemp bag had the strongest, so it would be best to try the one in the brocade bag first. He gave the brocade bag to the other party: “I know he’s unwell, so I got some medicine. Hurry and go boil some for him.”

Du Zheng’s anger dissipated. He happily stored the medicine in his pocket and returned to the courtyard.

Rong Luoyun had been indebted to the other and now, he can finally pay him back a little. He sighed in relief.

He should go check on him later. The moment he thought of Huo Linfeng, he laughed softly.

The author has something to say:

Rong, stop fucking laughing already.

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Notes

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