Saving the beautiful and strong tragic husband! (Part Two)
Translation Checker: jellypeaches
Editor: jellypeaches, Dobhsh
Before Meng Huan’s eyes, there were many neatly bound books with yellowed pages and a faint scent of ink. The handwriting on the pages was of perfect size and neatly aligned, with fine strokes and powerful hooks. Every stroke on every page was exquisite as a work of art.
In the study, Meng Huan huddled in Lin Bozhou’s usual chair and flipped through the letters Lin Bozhou had transcribed.
His leg injuries were not fully healed yet, so he did not change out of what he had slept in last night. He curled up in the chair, tucking his arms and legs in, and his pale ears, neck, and fingers emerged out of his robe as he flipped through the letters Lin Bozhou had written page by page.
Next to him, You Jin asked, “Master, how many words have you learned?”
Meng Huan racked his brain and counted with his fingers. “I learned thirty more words this morning.”
You Jin was all smiles. “His Royal Highness will certainly praise the master once he is back.”
Meng Huan tittered, “Hehe.”
Despite having to stay in the compound, idling around, Lin Bozhou asked Shan Shu not to come out of fear that the calligraphy sessions would lead Meng Huan’s illness to take a worse turn. To chase away the boredom of being alone, Meng Huan dug out letters and calligraphy written by Lin Bozhou and identified the words on the paper.
The youth squatted like a cat. His fair ears stood out from under his dark hair, looking like they would redden from the slightest pinch. His jaw was pale and slightly pointy, but his softly pursed lips had regained their familiar light pink color.
This was the scene Lin Bozhou happened to stumble into.
Before he changed out of his court uniform, he walked up behind Meng Huan and looked down at the words he had written. When You Jin saw him come in, he wisely withdrew.
Because Meng Huan’s full attention was on writing, he did not pick up the man’s presence until he spotted a shadow out of the corner of his eyes. He looked up. “Husband.”
Lin Bozhou picked him up. Once he was done inspecting the wounds on Meng Huan’s ankles, he sat down and held Meng Huan in his arms from behind. “Working on your writing?”
He scanned the desk and instantly deduced that Meng Huan was flipping through the book he had copied.
“Yes.” Meng Huan said, “Husband has very pretty handwriting.”
“Come, this husband will teach Huan Huan how to write.” Lin Bozhou chuckled and gently cupped Meng Huan’s hand, grasping tightly with his palm. Picking up a writing brush, he slowly guided Meng Huan, writing one word at a time on the manuscript paper.
Meng Huan lowered his head and felt that literacy seemed more interesting, so he memorized with single-hearted devotion.
After reviewing all the words learned today, Meng Huan looked at the much neater and better-looking characters, shook his head, and said, “No more, I am tired.”
The heat behind his ear did not subside, but rather it got closer to his ear. Lin Bozhou took his hand and commented, “Huan Huan’s hand is so small.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“…” Meng Huan’s ears and neck felt cold as he stared at Lin Bozhou in a daze, who learned over and licked his fingertips with the tip of his tongue. Lin Bozhou’s dark eyes were no longer contained by any cushion or cover. He placed Meng Huan’s hand on his scarlet sleeve.
Lf tjv pera gfaegcfv ab atf mbwqbecv jcv tjv cba mtjcufv bea bo atf qjaafgcfv rmjgifa mibatfr tf kbgf ab mbega. Qtfc tf kbgf tlr mbega beaolar, tf kjr qjgalmeijgis eqgluta jcv gfragjlcfv, fwybvslcu atf rfglbercfrr jcv rbifwclas bo qjijmfr jcv afwqifr, yea atf uifjwlcu gfv jirb wjvf tlw ibbx fzagfwfis tjcvrbwf jcv ffglis vfwbclm.
Meng Huan liked this outfit of his the most, but Lin Bozhou would not wear it except when he went to court. Stunned for a moment, he furrowed his brow as his hands were already placed upon it.
“…”
At this time, Lin Bozhou was equivalent to being raw and open.
His dark brows slowly smoothed out. He leaned back, resting on his glossy wooden armchair, and spoke in a calm tone as if he were discussing an official matter. “Echul is being kept in the Criminal Investigation Service, and the interrogation will be held soon. Today, His Majesty had Senior Cui arrested as well.”
The hollows of Meng Huan’s palms were in contact with the hot skin. The back of his ears burned as he licked his lower lip and stammered, “Is… that so?”
Lin Bozhou showed a lax expression and continued, “In a few days, the three provincial-level officers will conduct a joint hearing on Cui Renfang. When that happens, Huan Huan will also need to go to the Criminal Investigation Service to confirm. Are you afraid?”
Meng Huan could feel Lin Bozhou’s hot breath in his ear. His fingers were tightly enclosed by larger ones. Hidden behind a folding screen, Lin Bozhou’s clothing was neat and proper, but Meng Huan’s fingers were pulled in through the gaps.
As the temperature slowly climbed, Meng Huan shook his head. “Not afraid.”
Unable to hold back, he started, “Husband.”
—Lin Bozhou appeared proper, but he was in fact not proper.
Lin Bozhou pinched his cheeks, and instead of making their imitate moment more private, he insisted on letting the evening sun shine through the window, shining brightly on Meng Huan’s slightly tense pale fingers and illuminating all the movements that should not have been so bright.
The light made it seem like this was exposed to everyone, like they were wandering near the border of danger.
“Husband?” Meng Huan was embarrassed and confirmed it in a whisper.
Lin Bozhou brushed the youth’s lips with his thumb. “Yes, just like that.”
“Oh…”
Meng Huan bit his lip. He lowered his slender eyelashes, and as the sunlight made his pale fingers glow, he continued touching.
There was no one else in the hall. After a long time, Lin Bozhou took out his handkerchief and gently cleaned Meng Huan’s white fingers. At this moment, Meng Huan was laying sleepily in his arms, complaining, “My hands are sore.”
It sounded like Lin Bozhou chuckled slightly and said, “The date of the trial has been pushed back. After three days, Huan Huan’s legs should be nearly healed, so there should be no issue for you to walk outside. This husband will accompany Huan Huan to the Criminal Investigation Service when the time arrives.”
For Meng Huan, the criminal justice system was somewhat scary, but he felt he had a foundation to stand on, knowing this could be the death of Echul and Cui Renfang. “Right.”
Lin Bozhou rubbed his cheek once more and said, “Huan Huan does not have to worry about anything; just tell the truth.”
This sentence brought great comfort to people with social anxiety.
Meng Huan rested his forehead in Lin Bozhou’s arms and nodded. “Got it.”
When the third day was upon them, a eunuch from the palace came to the compound before they set off.
The eunuch wore a blue robe with a cloth tied on his head. He had a clean, pale face and spoke in a small voice, “Your Royal Highness.”
Lin Bozhou met his eyes and said, “Something you want to say?”
The eunuch, called Li San, kowtowed politely, “Father asked this servant to inform Your Royal Highness that he personally picked eunuchs that would supervise Liaodong. He promises that they are very clever and obedient. They have already set off. The moment they arrive at the Liaodong front, they will write to Your Royal Highness.”
Lin Bozhou took a sip from the teacup, lowered his eyes, and made an affirmative response.
Li San went on, “Father asked this servant to inform You Royal Highness. During the few days Your Royal Highness was busy with family matters and away from the court, His Majesty also left his classes early and looked everywhere for someone to play Weiqi with him.”
Lin Bozhou closed his eyes and asked, “What is the matter with His Majesty recently? These naughty behaviors used to be infrequent, but now all His Majesty wants to do is play.”
Li San shook his head. “This servant does not know. His Majesty has been in close contact with the Kongjie Master as of late, as well as Young Master Cui, the elder grandson.”
Lin Bozhou’s fingers stopped moving.
“However,” the eunuch added, “His Majesty is only playing Weiqi with them, never discussing political matters. His Majesty is keeping Your Royal Highness’s teaching in mind. Anyone who dares to seek benefits from him during his games will be punished by flogging.”
Hearing this, Lin Bozhou’s hand that was counting the beads paused. “Very well.”
“This servant has nothing else to say.” Li San showed great respect.
Lin Bozhou responded, “Collect your reward, then go back to the palace.”
“Understood.”
The eunuch retreated out of the hall, turned, and followed You Jin down the corridor.
This was one of Lin Bozhou’s people in the palace. The ‘father’ Lin San spoke of was the head eunuch, Pei Xiyi. This generation of eunuchs by the Xuanhe Emperor’s side was all established by Lin Bozhou after defeating the previous generation of the Eunuch Faction. Most of them were his people, so of course they would listen to him.
Meng Huan changed his clothes and walked out of the door. Lin Bozhou took him by the hand and said, “Let’s go to the Criminal Investigation Service.”
At the entrance stood two tall horses. Luo Juan, with his tall and powerful physique, dressed in a scarlet flying-fish robe with a saber at his waist, stood at the entrance of the compound, waiting for Lin Bozhou and Meng Huan. When he saw them coming, he lowered his head, keeping his rough hands tightly on the reins.
Meng Huan entered the carriage, and beside him, Lin Bozhou lifted the curtain with one hand and said, “Minister Luo.”
Luo Juan approached and followed alongside the carriage. “Your Royal Highness, during Senior Cui’s stay at the Criminal Investigation Service these past few days, no one has come to see him except his family, who brought him some clothes and food.”
Typically speaking, with the kind of connections Senior Cui had, he could live comfortably even in prison. Moreover, he could direct his minions to hurry with his rescue. However, Luo Juan did not stay idle in the Criminal Investigation Service. Having Lin Bozhou and the capital army behind him, it was possible for him to keep a tight rein on anyone with connections to Senior Cui.
“No one else came to visit him?” Lin Bozhou showed a thoughtful look. “He has committed a serious crime this time; if he does not use his connections, the result of the interrogation would certainly be death.”
Luo Juan used his brawny brain to process this. “Maybe Senior Cui has already confessed and given up on fighting desperately like a cornered beast. He has, after all, betrayed the country and caused harm to a relative of His Majesty, both of which are capitol offenses that are set in stone and cannot be washed clean.”
Lin Bozhou lowered the curtain and disappeared into the carriage.
Luo Juan’s next sentence was, “Cui Renfang has been embezzling out of greed, misappropriating capital assets, forming cliques for self-serving purposes, and being savage beyond words. Now, his death is really upon him.”
Meng Huan’s heart raced as he listened to these words.
Echul and Cui Renfang must die; the sooner, the better.
Otherwise, if Lin Bozhou was really going to march to Jianzhou to face the Jurchen revolt, one of them would fight him head-on, and the other one would lay obstacles behind his back. Lin Bozhou would be in a dangerous predicament, having enemies on both fronts.
…The scene of Lin Bozhou sitting behind the city wall came to mind.
He turned his head to the side. The twilight dyed his bony jaw, and heaven’s falling snow and shadow reflected in his eyes. His jaw and the hair on his temples were stained with blood, making his dark hair clump together.
As Lin Bozhou finished bandaging his wounds, he scanned the dead soldiers around him, his heart hopelessly apathetic. His solitary figure sat slumped behind the city wall. Through his half-lidded eyes, the dark brown irises reflected the shadows of the outlanders’ swords as they invaded the city.
—Just thinking of this, it felt as if Meng Huan’s heart was stabbed.
It felt as if his heart were squeezed painfully.
Bump-bump, bump-bump—
His heart began to beat rapidly.
Over the past few days, he repeatedly recalled everything Echul had said and everything he had seen on that day, fearing he might forget it. He even jotted down the key points in order to add fuel to the two men’s crimes.
Meng Huan took a deep breath.
The rhythmic sound of the carriage wheels stopped.
Luo Juan announced, “We are at the Criminal Investigation Service.”
The moment he was about to enter, a speeding horse approached, dragging wind and debris along its hooves. The rider dropped to the ground, trembling all over and delivering a letter into Lin Bozhou’s hands.
The messenger was panting, and sweat was rolling down his face. “Your Royal Highness, a letter delivered with eight-hundred-li-per-day urgency from Liao… Liaodong!”
Eight-hundred-li-per-day was the highest level of transmission urgency in ancient times. Generally, when encountering such a letter, it was usually a military and political emergency, usually a military uprising or even the death of His Majesty.
Lin Bozhou gazed down and looked intensely at the letter in his hands, a dark glow shining from the depths of his eyes.
Meng Huan tilted his fair face up, puzzled, and quietly looked at him.
The author has something to say:
Dumb Huan-bao using his ultimate ability!!! (*≧ｍ≦*)
Thank you
Uh oh, what happened? 😰 I remember a general told someone to send a message to Lin Bozhou, but I don’t remember what it was about 😭😭
Thank You for the new chapter (๑˙❥˙๑)
I guess he can’t escape the war plot…😶
Thanks for the chapter
Thank you for your translation 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛
Meng Huan’s hands got tired from writing lessons so Lin Bozhou massaged them- with his d*ck, pfft.