ADWMCES Chapter99

Before Chu Fengqing lost consciousness, he seemed to hear Ji Yujin’s voice. He leaned over and whispered something in his ear, but the voice was so vague that he couldn’t hear it clearly.

There are many views on death. Some believe that after death, we continue to exist in another form and that there is an afterlife; hence, many have made promises for the life to come. Others believe that after death, consciousness fades away, that from that moment on, you no longer exist in this world, that you are no longer able to feel its warmth or cold, its love or sorrow.

Just like a wisp of smoke, it disappears without a trace when blown by the wind.

Ji Yujin never had the first idea. What’s the good of being a human being? He has had enough of this life and doesn’t want another afterlife, so just let him disappear when he dies.

But now… he was sitting in front of Chu Fengqing’s bed with his eyes lightly closed and his expression calm. This was the fifth day that he took the medicine, but he still hadn’t woken up.

No one can help him, he can only rely on himself.

No one knows when he will wake up, or… will he ever wake up either.

Ji Yujin rubbed his earlobe, and it instantly turned red. Look, he is still alive.

He has thought a lot these days. If Chu Fengqing cannot wake up, he will stay with him for the rest of his life, but please give them a next life and give Chu Fengqing a healthy body in the next life.

He was willing to give everything.

Ji Yujin gently placed a kiss on his forehead, looked out the window, and said to himself, “Summer is here.”

The Chu Mansion seemed to be shrouded in a dark cloud. Even the servants kept their heads down all day long and dared not make any loud noises.

The first rain of summer comes unexpectedly. The sun may be shining brightly one moment, but the rain drops as big as beans can soak you to the bone the next.

The rain hit the tiles with a crisp sound. After a rain, the smell of earth was everywhere. Chu Zhengyin had developed an illness in the prison. Whenever the weather changed, his feet would ache, and he would feel better only after acupuncture.

He pressed his feet and subconsciously called out, “Qing’er, help father…”

……

The room was silent. Chu Zhengyin was stunned for a moment and didn’t say anything. He turned his head and looked towards the door. The wind blew the gauze curtains, leaving nothing behind.

He nodded as if he understood, turned back blankly and pounded his feet woodenly. His temples, which were already mixed with silver hair, seemed to have become even whiter, and his turbid eyes were slowly stained with bloodshot and turned red.

When Mother Chu came in, Father Chu pretended to turn his head and look out the window. Mother Chu had heard him shouting at the door and her eyes turned red. She waited until she calmed down before entering the room.

Father Chu: “Is that kid still in Qing’er’s room?”

Mother Chu: “Yes, he has been guarding for more than ten days already. Unless it is necessary, he almost never leaves.”

Chu Zhengyin clenched his fists and snorted. He wanted to say something unpleasant but didn’t know what to say.

Mother Chu had lived with him for so many years so she naturally knew his character. She sighed and said, “It’s almost enough. There’s nothing wrong with this child.”

“Do you know what Qing’er said to me the night before he left for disaster relief?”

“What did he say?”

Mother Chu recalled that day when Chu Fengqing came to look for her at night and said, “Mother, how did you feel when you came all the way from Jiangnan due to Father’s serious illness?”

Mother Chu didn’t expect him to ask this question. After thinking for a while, she slowly said, “I was worried and scared. I was thinking about what I would do if he died just like this. I even thought about following him.”

Chu Fengqing said softly, “Mother and I feel the same way.”

She was really shocked at that time, but she also relaxed and did not stop him. The fact that he came to her today to beg for mercy showed that he had understood what was most important.

She had also been curious about what kind of girl Chu Fengqing liked, until Ji Yujin appeared in front of her.

She realized almost instantly that this was the lover Chu Fengqing had been hiding, because the look in Chu Fengqing’s eyes when he looked at him could not be hidden at all.

Mother Chu helped Father Chu massage his feet. “If Qing’er can wake up, just accept them.”

Chu Zhengyin was silent for a while and then said, “En.”

As long as he is happy, healthy, worry-free, and free from illness and disaster, nothing else matters.

Summer came quietly and left quietly.

However, the autumn heat is intense, and the weather remains very hot.

Yancheng lies in the south, where people still wear light summer clothes and avoid going out in the midday sun. Before the leaves turned golden, Yancheng welcomed a group of distinguished guests. Li Yu took Ji Yujin’s token and hurried into the city with his family.

Because of Zhao Yiyu.

The constant pressure from Prince Wuxian put him under great pressure. He had only ascended the throne not long ago, and the internal affairs of the court had not yet been sorted out. The military power in his hands was mostly in the hands of his uncles, and these princes obviously did not intend to intervene in the matter as they had no soldiers or people available.

They had no choice but to find another way and start reforms. It can only be said that the purpose and starting point were good, but time was too tight. A group of counselors had never actually led troops in battle nor had they ever gotten close to the people so what good ideas could they come up with?

The result was naturally a failure. The people inside and outside the city suffered terribly. Loyal ministers and wise advisors offered their counsel, but Zhao Yiyu refused to heed them and insisted on continuing.

In fact, it is understandable that if he did not change, he would be doomed, but if he changed, there might be a glimmer of hope. The worst result would be to bring the result of destruction earlier. It can only be said that the previous emperor had betrayed him badly, leaving so many “uncles” with military power. Even if he had the talent to rule the world, it would also be difficult for him to cut off such a big tumor in a short time.

At that time, Prince Wuxian’s army was victorious in every battle, and the counselors, seeking to atone for their mistakes, began spreading rumors of a traitor in the city. This investigation inevitably fell on Li Yu’s head. After all, the relationship between Li Yu and Ji Yujin was obvious to all, and this time Prince Wuxian rebelled, it was Ji Yujin who fanned the flames.

Li Yu was imprisoned in the prison, and the loyal Lord Li could no longer sit still. He originally wanted to stand by the emperor, but he did not expect Zhao Yiyu to be like this. Looking at his son’s body full of wounds, which were no longer in human form. He began to doubt his choice.

If it was him in the prison, he would not leave, but it was Li Yu…

This led to the subsequent scene. After Li Yu arrived in Yancheng, he rested for a long time before his injuries healed. However, Lord Li did not stay in Yancheng for long and took his family south. After this incident, he no longer wanted to get involved in these things and just wanted to find a place to spend the rest of his life.

As for Li Yu, Lord Li asked him to stay because he had great ambitions and should not retire with him.

The next day after Li Yu arrived in Yancheng, he went to see Chu Fengqing with his seriously injured body. “Why did this happen?”

The last time they met felt like yesterday. He had been fine then, but now he couldn’t even distinguish hot from cold, nor feel anything at all.

……

The thin summer clothes gradually gave way to autumn attire, and soon people were wearing thick winter garments.

A lot happened this year.

The biggest event was the change of dynasty. Prince Wuxian led his troops all the way to the capital with an unstoppable force. Zhao Yiyu defended the city for two months, but it was finally breached when the first heavy snow fell.

When the new emperor ascended the throne, in order to show his enlightenment, he did not kill Zhao Yiyu but placed him under house arrest in the cold palace. Several other princes were also imprisoned, while others were sent out of the palace to bitter and cold places.

Ji Yujin heated the brazier until it was very hot, making the room and the outside feel like two different worlds. He held a carving knife in one hand and worked on a flat piece of jade with intricate carvings. He seemed a little dissatisfied. He looked at the light a few times and frowned.

He was still mumbling, “That coward Zhao Yiyu is under house arrest in the palace, and yet he still complained about everything, writing sour poems all day long. If they hadn’t stopped me, I would have sent him to heaven long ago.”

“Killing him with the sword would end it in an instant and feel unsatisfying so it’s better to keep him locked up like this.”

Ji Yujin suddenly thought of something and raised his eyebrows. “But he always holds a piece of silver and says all kinds of nonsense, and they are all related to you. I can’t stand it. Anyway, I have taken the silver back. You have to give me an explanation when you wake up.”

After carving for a while Ji Yujin set the knife down; the veins on the back of the hand that had held it stood out and his eyes drooped as he asked, “Why are you so lazy?”

“Chu Fengqing, it’s time to wake up.”

……

There is no snow in Yancheng in winter, but it was said that there have been several heavy snowfalls in the capital. On New Year’s Eve, the streets and alleys were bustling with people buying New Year’s goods. The smell of saltpeter from firecrackers lingers in the air. On New Year’s Eve, every household puts up Spring Festival couplets and door gods.

Qing Niao held up the Spring Festival couplets while frowning, “Is it not straight yet?”

Li Yu: “It’s crooked. How come you can’t even put up a Spring Festival couplet straight? Your eyes are crooked? Why didn’t I notice it before?”

Li Yu’s baby face had fully grown again, and his white teeth and red lips made him look quite delicate, but the sword at his waist added a lot of hostility to him.

The servants beside him didn’t dare speak. Clearly, it was quite true, Lord Li wouldn’t challenge Lord Ji, so he only picked on the weak.

Originally, they had no chance to paste Spring Festival couplets, being the servants responsible for it. But Li Yu was careless from start to finish and constantly provoked Ji Yujin. As a result, Qing Niao was punished as well and was forced to post Spring Festival couplets for the entire street.

Qing Niao pressed against the wall with a “bang,” ignored him, and vanished after hanging it, leaving Li Yu stunned. “Your master said to hang them in the whole street ah! Not just this one, come back here!”

When Li Yu came back, Zhao Li, Qing Niao, and a few of his brothers were drinking and chatting around the stove. Li Yu was so angry when he saw this scene that he immediately cursed: “You are simply not human. Am I the only one who provoked Dog Ji? It was obviously you all who came up with the idea, but in the end I was the only one who was punished! Even my hands were stained red by the red paper.”

Zhao Li leaned back at his loud voice. “Hiss, it’s not like Master is really going to check.”

Li Yu: “……”

“How would I know that he won’t check? Am I not afraid of becoming a eunuch? You guys didn’t even tell me when you knew about it.” Li Yu poured a glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. “No, I’m going to find Ji Yujin and tell him all your crimes.”

“Where’s he now?”

Qing Niao glanced towards the yard to the east, and the room instantly became quiet. Li Yu tightened his grip on the wine glass, stopped making noise, and a trace of sadness flashed in his eyes.

Chu Fengqing lives in that east yard.

The night is getting deeper and deeper. Today is different from usual. The lights outside are brightly on. According to the custom, they have to keep the lights on all night and keep watch.

Mother and Father Chu were old, and they couldn’t bear it anymore after a while and went to sleep.

Chu Yinyin and Chu Feng originally wanted to stay together in Chu Fengqing’s room to celebrate the New Year, but before they could enter the room, they saw Ji Yujin sitting inside drinking, so they stopped.

Chu Feng looked at Ji Yujin through the window with a sullen face and left with Chu Yinyin after a moment. Chu Yinyin turned her head and looked at Ji Yujin. The man in red was sitting on the ground while leaning lazily on the edge of the bed with his black hair falling on his red clothes. He seemed to be talking to the sleeping person or talking to himself without getting any response.

When Chu Yinyin came to her senses, she was already in tears. She didn’t even know why she was crying.

Li Yu also came to see Ji Yujin, but like Chu Feng, he left as soon as he saw him and didn’t disturb him.

Seeing that New Year’s Eve was about to pass, Ji Yujin, who was drunk, took out a red sachet from his arms and placed it next to Chu Fengqing’s pillow. “New Year’s red pocket, you lazy little thing, you’ve been sleeping for almost a year already.”

He tilted his head and pecked Chu Fengqing lightly on the lips, “Happy New Year, my Physician Chu.”

As soon as he finished speaking, fireworks exploded in the sky. Today was New Year’s Eve and also his birthday, but the only person who would say “Happy Birthday” to him had fallen asleep.

“Plop”, Ji Yujin accidentally knocked over the wine jug on the ground, and the wine spilled on his clothes. He frowned, stood up, and prepared to change his clothes.

The next moment he froze, staring at ** ¹It was censors like this in the raw in disbelief.

Chu Fengqing’s eyelashes trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes. The fireworks that had just exploded outside the window were reflected in his clear pupils. They were bright and beautiful.

It also reflected Ji Yujin, who was wearing red.

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  It was censors like this in the raw