ADWMCES Chapter2

From ancient times to the present, there were very few eunuchs who could set up their own residence outside the imperial palace, and there was no precedent in this dynasty, which shows how powerful Ji Yujin is.

After the bridesmaid sent him into the main courtyard, she left in a hurry without even having time to say a word, as if there were a ghost chasing her.

After waiting for some time with no one arriving, he lifted the veil himself and glanced around. It appeared to be a bedroom, furnished sparsely with only a bed and a table. The simplicity bordered on neglect.

The Ji Mansion was also exceptionally deserted. Not to mention the lights and decorations, even the bedding was green. There was no sign of a wedding at all, and there wasn’t even a wedding ceremony. Chu Fengqing guessed that Ji Yujin was probably not in the mansion.

At this time, there was a knock on the door, and an old servant walked up to him and bowed, “Madam, I am the steward of the Ji Mansion, you can just call me Lao Mo. Lord Governor is still doing business in the south, I’m afraid he won’t be able to make it back in time.”

The word “Madam” made Chu Fengqing feel a little uncomfortable, but he didn’t say anything in the end. He just nodded. His throat was sore now, and he didn’t want to say anything.

“Would Madam like to eat first?”

Chu Fengqing shook his head. “I want to rest for a while first. Can someone prepare some water? I want to take a bath.”

Lao Mo immediately said, “This humble one will have someone prepare it for you right away.”

There was a natural hot spring in the Ji Mansion, and Lao Mo took him there.

The hot spring had flowing water, with a pool large enough to hold four or five people. The water level wasn’t high, and the pool was lined with marble. It wasn’t known as to what the bottom material was made of, but it felt smooth underfoot, comfortable to step on and not slippery.

Lao Mo originally sent a maid to help Chu Fengqing bathe, but he refused. Fortunately, Lao Mo did not insist.

Chu Fengqing dismissed the outsiders and went to bathe. After the bath, Chu Fengqing found that he seemed to have no change of clothes. He actually forgot to prepare some women’s clothes.

Helplessly, he had to put on the wedding dress again. When his eyes fell on the red dudou and the things sewn inside the dudou by the pool, he paused, his expression changed slightly, and after thinking for a while, he gritted his teeth and put it on again. His jade-like face remained expressionless, with only his earlobes tinged in crimson.

After Chu Fengqing dressed up, he was led by the steward to rest in the bedroom. At some point, the color of the bed and quilt in the bedroom turned bright red, and a pair of dragon and phoenix candles were lit on the table.

This is… Chu Fengqing stood beside the bed for a while. Could it be that Ji Yujin is coming back?

He sighed softly. Be done with it. What’s coming will come sooner or later. He curled his fingers slightly against the silver needles in his sleeve. The cold touch made him feel a little relieved. His faint eyes looked at the pair of dragon and phoenix candles. Ji Yujin was a eunuch, so he shouldn’t…

But thinking of what Chang Wang said, he pursed his lips again and subconsciously exerted force with his hand. The silver needles broke through the skin, and a drop of blood oozed out.

The sharp pain jolted Chu Fengqing back to his senses. He pressed his lips to the wound, drawing in the blood. His pale lips were now tinged with red, carrying an indescribable flavor.

He put aside all distracting thoughts. These days, he has been taking care of his mother’s and sister’s affairs. He hadn’t slept for more than two hours in several days in a row, and his body was extremely tired.

Never mind, he can’t just kill him right away.

He walked to the bed and was about to rest when he caught sight of the pair of dragon and phoenix candles. He stood up and blew out the candles with a cold face.

He lay in bed, unable to sleep. The quilt was icy against his body, and the warmth from the hot spring bath had already faded, his hands and feet were cold once more. In such bitter weather, there wasn’t even any charcoal burning in the room.

After a while, perhaps because he was too tired, he fell asleep.

On the other side, a guard wearing a pointed hat and white leather boots ran up to Ji Yujin with a letter in his hand: “Admiral, there’s a letter from the capital.”

Ji Yujin sat astride his horse, clad in a red robe, a whip coiled around his hand. His fox-like eyes slanted upward, carrying a trace of disdain and chill. At the words, he merely lifted his eyelids, showing no intention of taking the letter, and said coldly, “Read.”

The Second in command, Zhao Li, immediately stepped forward, opened the letter, and read it for a few seconds, his eyes flickering. “Governor, Lao Mo said that the Madam has already entered the mansion.”

Ji Yujin tilted his head, “Madam?”

Zhao Li said in a businesslike tone, “His Majesty granted you a marriage a few days ago. Today is your wedding day.”

Ji Yujin used a snow-white handkerchief to wipe the whip in his hand, and the handkerchief was instantly stained red with blood. A man was lying on his back in front of the horse. The man was covered in wounds, and there was a pool of blood under his body. It was unknown whether he was dead or alive.

Ji Yujin didn’t say anything for a long time. The messenger bent lower and lower. There was no other sound in the forest except for the occasional call of one or two unknown birds. It was so quiet that it was a little scary.

After a long while, he finally seemed to remember something. His red lips curled slightly, and he smiled bloodthirstily, “This old emperor is barely alive. He really knows how to play around. He granted a rootless person¹Not sure if there’s an actual term for it in English, but a rootless man is another way to refer to a eunuch. like me, a marriage. How interesting.”

The messenger’s pupils contracted sharply, and he dropped to his knees, followed by the crowd behind him. Only Zhao Li remained standing.

Ji Yujin glanced at them, and when he saw the blood-soaked handkerchief in his hand, a trace of disgust flashed in his eyes. He threw it away and asked lazily, “Which family’s lady is so unlucky?”

“The Third Young Lady of the Chu family, Chu Yinyin.”

Ji Yujin hesitated, “The Chu Family… Chu Zhengyin?”

“Third Lady Chu is his legitimate daughter.”

Ji Yujin raised his brows slightly. “Does she have a twin brother, whose name is Chu something?”

Zhao Li: “Chu Fengqing, the second son of the Chu family.”

Ji Yujin glanced at him and said, “You remember it clearly.”

Zhao Li’s expression remained impassive, his tone steady and flat. “You once ordered an investigation on Chu Zhengyin’s son.”

“What else do you know?”

Zhao Li thought for a moment, “Chu Fengqing has a beautiful face, he is the capital’s big beauty, he has excellent medical skills but poor health, and he likes reading.”

He glanced at Ji Yujin and continued, “He has a cold personality and is even better looking than you.”

The veins on Ji Yujin’s forehead bulged, and he placed the whip on Zhao Li’s shoulder, as if he were going to whip him around the neck in the next moment.

Ji Yujin smiled dangerously. “I’m asking about Chu Yinyin.”

Is there anything to be proud of if a man is good-looking?

Having said that, a vague shadow still emerged in his mind, which seemed like it happened three lifetimes ago.

Zhao Li: “Chu Yinyin looks seventy percent similar to Chu Fengqing, but slightly inferior.”

“No more?”

“No more.”

Ji Yujin: “……”

Zhao Li: “It’s hard to investigate a girl who lives in seclusion. Besides, Chu Yinyin and Chu Fengqing have been in Jiangnan for many years, so little is known.”

Ji Yujin made a “tsk” sound, tapped the saddle with his slender fingers, and his eyes were slightly cold. “Burden.”

As he spoke, he lifted his whip, his red robe billowing with an air of utter arrogance. Suddenly recalling something, he paused, then leveled the whip at the man before the horse. “Leave two men. If he’s still breathing, finish him. If he’s dead, toss him into the mountains to feed the wolves.”

“Also, Zhao Li, go receive the punishment by yourself.”

Zhao Li frowned with a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and after a moment of silence, he loudly said, “Yes.”

After Ji Yujin left, he suddenly remembered something and said, “A highly skilled physician once diagnosed Chu Fengqing and said he wouldn’t live past the age of twenty.”

He is already eighteen years old this year, so he only has two years left.

Chu Fengqing slept uneasily, trapped in a nightmare and unable to break free. He always felt that someone was staring at him. But because he was too tired, he slept from the afternoon until late at night, despite the uneasiness. As soon as he opened his eyes, he noticed a strange smell in the room.

He turned his head and bumped into a pair of upturned eyes. Ji Yujin was leaning against the head of the bed, the red robe he was wearing was even redder than his wedding dress. Both of them were wearing red clothes, and they really looked like a newlywed couple.

Ji Yujin bent his long legs slightly, put his hands on his knees, and stared at him without blinking.

Chu Fengqing was slightly stunned. He didn’t know when Ji Yujin came back or how long he had been watching, he didn’t even notice that there was another person in the room. He slowly clenched his hands, a cold sweat broke out on his back, and his palms also began to sweat. The two looked at each other, and no one spoke.

Ji Yujin raised the corner of his mouth, “Chu Yinyin?”

Chu Fengqing pressed his lips together, his hand moving quietly beneath the pillow to where a dagger that was sharp enough to slice through iron as if it were mud, lay within.

Ji Yujin glanced in the direction of his hand, as if he had discovered his intention, but he did not stop him. Instead, the smile on his face grew wider. “Are you afraid of me? Do you want to kill me?”

In fact, Chu Fengqing had no intention of hurting him, and he only placed the dagger to protect himself.

Ji Yujin drew out the dagger from beneath the pillow, toyed with it in his hand for a moment, then remarked after a pause. “This kind of dagger is not good. Although the blade is sharp, but the tip is not sharp enough. People with little strength can’t pierce the skin with it. It will definitely not work if used for sneak attacks, and you might even get yourself killed. But it’s good for slitting the throat, and it can kill with one blow. I have a few good daggers, and they are very fast. I’ll have someone send them to you tomorrow.”

“But it’s not good for a girl to use a dagger or a spear.” He threw the dagger behind him, looking disdainful.

He pinched Chu Fengqing’s chin with his fingers and twisted his face toward him. He moved his face closer and scanned him, inch by inch. After a while, he said, “Do you know that I have met your brother?”

Chu Fengqing was stunned. When had he seen him? He wasn’t talking about when he was in the Imperial Academy, right? That was a long time ago.

Ji Yujin narrowed his eyes and said, “You look a lot like your brother.”

Chu Fengqing hesitated and cast his eyes downward, wrestling with doubt. His face remained calm, but his pupils, partially obscured by his lashes, flickered slightly. The man before him was far too perceptive, danger lurked in every glance.

He opened his mouth, and a cold female voice came out: “The dagger is just for self-defense, not for hurting anyone. I was startled when I opened my eyes, so…”

After he finished explaining, he answered Ji Yujin’s question: “My Second Brother and I are twins, so it’s not surprising that we look alike.”

At the sound of his voice, Ji Yujin stopped and abruptly threw off the quilt draped over him. With no burning coal in the room and heavy snow blanketing the outside, a chill swept in. He pursed his lips and regarded him calmly, as if puzzled by the sudden action.

Chu Fengqing stretched out his hands to support himself on the bed and sat up. He was wearing a bright red wedding dress. Because he didn’t know how to tie his hair into a bun, his black hair was loose. As he shifted, his black hair slipped from his shoulders, falling to rest on the back of Ji Yujin’s hand beside him.

Ji Yujin glanced at his chest, only to see that it was slightly bulging. He retracted his hand that was pinching his chin. “Yes, you are a big beauty. I like big beauties. I heard that your brother and mother have fled to Jiangnan. Why didn’t you run away when you knew you were going to marry a eunuch like me?”

Chu Fengqing turned his head to avoid his burning gaze, leaving two scarlet fingerprints on his chin, which were particularly obvious on his snow-like skin. Facing the question, Chu Fengqing coldly said, “There’s a reason I didn’t run.”

“Hahaha.” Ji Yujin suddenly laughed out loud after hearing his answer. “Then can you tell me why you didn’t run away?”

As he spoke, a hint of interest appeared on his face. “You are very unwilling to marry me, right?”

Chu Fengqing: “I married you today, and I will be your wife in the future. Lord Governor, there is no need to test me like this.”

“Lord Governor may not know that we met four years ago when my brother and I went to the Imperial Academy.”

Ji Yujin thought about it but had no impression at all. He only remembered meeting Chu Fengqing, but he couldn’t remember at all whether there was anyone with him at that time or who it was.

Chu Fengqing lowered his eyes as he spoke, his long eyelashes covering his eyes, like a shy girl. He opened his red lips slightly and said, “I have remembered the day we parted until today, I didn’t expect us to meet here again today.”

Chu Fengqing thought, At least we can build some relationships first, even if it’s just a chance encounter, it’s still fate. This way, he wouldn’t be so quick to kill.

As soon as these words came out, the room fell silent. Ji Yujin was stunned for a long time. What was this? A confession? Huh?!

Ji Yujin stared at him with a deep gaze, and it was unknown what he was thinking. After a long time, he raised his lips again and smiled. “So…”

“Then today is our wedding night, and I certainly cannot let my wife down.”

Chu Fengqing suddenly raised his head to look at him. Ji Yujin’s nose was pressed against his neck, and he moved down little by little. Chu Fengqing’s pupils constricted, and he subconsciously raised his hands to block. However, he was restrained by a force that pulled and twisted above his head, leaving him no room to fight back.

Chu Fengqing didn’t expect that this sentence would cause Ji Yujin to go crazy, but he couldn’t figure out what was wrong with this sentence either.

Ji Yujin licked his lips. “What does My Lady want? I can satisfy you.”

What? Chu Fengqing suddenly thought of what Chang Wang said, ‘They have their own way.’ He didn’t understand it at first, but now he has some ideas. When he thought of that scene, Chu Fengqing couldn’t calm down anymore.

He had originally buttoned his wedding dress to the top, but now two buttons were unbuttoned, revealing his undergarment as well as a bright red dudou.

Ji Yujin just glanced at it and passed by it. He lowered his head and put his lips on his neck.

Chu Fengqing bit his lip and struggled to no avail. He lowered his eyes and looked at the man who acted absurdly. That person’s phoenix-lije eyes were still cold, but they also carried an indescribable interest. His lips were red, and his black hair was spread out. He looked like a goblin that crawled out of hell to eat human bones and blood and suck human essence.

Ji Yujin chuckled and looked at the mark he left. He didn’t use much force, but there was already a spot of blood color there, which was particularly obvious on the fair skin. He said, “Your skin is really delicate and tender. Girls who are raised in seclusion are different.”

As he spoke, he hooked his slender fingers around the red string tied around his neck and said, “Little Goblin, even your dudou is bright red.”

“You!” Chu Fengqing had never been treated like this before. He felt both embarrassed and angry, and his tone became sharp. “Presumptuous!”

“Presumptuous?” Ji Yujin found his cowardly look amusing and let go of him. He supported his head with his hand and leaned on the bed, staring at Chu Fengqing with an even brighter smile. He held his thin hand with his own and moved down to his body regardless of his objection.

Chu Fengqing, who guessed what he was going to do, narrowed his pupils in disbelief, and a trace of blood color appeared on his earlobes.

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  Not sure if there’s an actual term for it in English, but a rootless man is another way to refer to a eunuch.