Chapter 351 Into This Sort of Thing?

Chapter 351: Got a Taste for That?

The letter was from Cheng Ge.

"Reading this, it's as if I'm right there with you: All is well on the northern frontier, Yuli need not worry.

The only thing is, the wind and cold cut to the bone—even worse than in the capital. When the sand kicks up, the whole world goes yellow, and you have to cover your face with a cloth just to walk around.

Yet here the sky's wide open and the clouds stretch forever. When I'm riding along the frontier, I see the north wind kicking up dust and a lone eagle circling up above—it's honestly pretty liberating. Way better than getting up at the crack of dawn in the capital to go to court and sit hunched over paperwork.

The other day I strolled into a nearby town. It's a place where Di and Han live side by side, and in the market, you'll see Northern Di merchants hawking furs and cheese.

The folks there are mostly big and tall, and the women often have bright eyes and high-bridged noses—they've got their own kind of beauty. Though their skin, roughed up by the wind and sand, isn't as soft and fair as the ladies back in the capital.

I tried this milk cake the Di people make—at first it tastes a bit gamey, but if you let it sit on your tongue, there's a sweet aftertaste. I've already had a box sent back to the capital for you.

One more thing, and I'm ashamed to even bring it up. When I set out from Yuanyuan, I accidentally lost that jade pendant you gave me. I searched the whole camp high and low, trudging through snow and ice, but it's gone for good.

That jade was so warm and smooth—losing it feels like losing the armor over my heart. I can't rest easy over it, and I hope you won't hold it against me.

And here's some good news to share. I've taken in a little one, he's almost two months old now. He's a sturdy little thing with a big head and bright eyes, and you can already see he's going to be a handsome one.

This kid's got a hell of an appetite—every time he drinks goat's milk, he can put away most of a bowl. He's gonna grow up to be a solid man, no doubt.

Once things settle down at the border, I'll bring him back to the capital and have him take you as his godfather.

I've included a drawing of him so you two can get acquainted ahead of time."

When Lin Nanshu reached this point, he pulled a folded piece of thin paper out from under the letter.

Unfolding it, he saw a kid drawn in wobbly ink strokes on the paper.

It's got a nose, it's got a mouth, the eyes are different sizes, and the hair looks like a hedgehog sitting on his head—you can barely tell it's supposed to be a person.

There's a tiny ink handprint stamped in the bottom right corner.

He was staring at this "masterpiece" deep in thought when he suddenly heard Lin Zhufeng's voice from behind him.

"What's got you so engrossed?" The Grand Tutor had somehow already walked up behind him, his gaze landing on the drawing, his graying eyebrows immediately scrunched into a knot. "This... is this supposed to be a monkey?"

Lin Nanshu smoothly tucked the letter and drawing back into his sleeve, then rose to bow to Lin Zhufeng. "Grandfather."

Lin Zhufeng looked at his grandson's handsome features, and thinking about that ridiculous scene at court today, couldn't help but let out a long, heavy sigh.

He thought to himself how his perfectly good grandson had somehow caught the eye of those barbarian Northern Di.

Lin Nanshu guided his grandfather to sit and poured him a cup of hot tea and slid it over. "Did you come here for something?"

Lin Zhufeng picked up the teacup, then put it back down. In the end, he couldn't hold it in any longer, and said in a low, serious voice, "At court today, the Northern Di envoy came to negotiate peace."

Lin Nanshu's hand holding the teapot paused slightly.

He had indeed heard that the northern grain supply had run into problems, but he hadn't expected the Northern Di to send someone to negotiate peace so quickly.

After a moment's thought, he spoke. "Negotiating peace at this time—it can't be that simple."

"Hmph!" Lin Zhufeng gave his sleeve a heavy flick. "It certainly isn't simple—they've even set their sights on us!"

Seeing his grandson's puzzled expression, Lin Zhufeng then recounted what had happened at court.

His voice dropped, carrying a hint of embarrassment he found hard to voice.

"That envoy from the Northern Di said... said they have a general named Wuliji who... actually named you specifically to marry into their tribe."

Lin Nanshu: "............"

His hand holding the teapot hung in midair, ripples spreading across the tea in the cup.

Even with his usual composure, he was momentarily struck speechless by these words.

Outside the window, the cold wind swept through withered branches with a rustling sound.

Lin Nanshu slowly set down the teapot, and after a moment of silence, said quietly, "...The Northern Di is trying to humiliate the Lin family and test His Majesty's limits."

"More than that!" Lin Zhufeng's anger had yet to subside. "That Wuliji named you specifically—clearly he knows you're the eldest legitimate grandson of our Lin family! And that old scoundrel Liu Wenzheng..." He suddenly lowered his voice. "I suspect he's in league with the Second Prince..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but Lin Nanshu already understood.

"Grandfather," he looked up, his gaze clear and bright, "the Northern Di's move seems to be paving the way for what comes next. If I'm not mistaken, the border will soon see trouble."

Lin Zhufeng nodded in agreement, then looked back at Lin Nanshu and spoke earnestly:

"That boy Cheng Ge... missing for so long, he's likely already met with misfortune.

You should let it go and move on."

He gave a light sigh. "Even if you prefer men, there are plenty of jade-like gentlemen in the capital. Why trap yourself in place?"

The news that Cheng Ge was still alive was known to only a few, given its importance.

Lin Zhufeng knew nothing of it and had always believed Cheng Ge had long since perished.

Lin Nanshu was silent for a moment, then looked directly at his grandfather. "Grandfather, Grandmother has been gone for over a decade, and you've never remarried—have you trapped yourself?"

Lin Zhufeng was caught off guard by this sudden counter-question, as if he could once again see his wife's gentle smile before his eyes.

He opened his mouth, but in the end just shook his head helplessly, no longer pressing the matter.

"Enough," he rose and patted Lin Nanshu's shoulder. "You've always known your own mind."

Outside the window, dusk was deepening, and in Lin Nanshu's sleeve, the edge of that clumsily drawn child's portrait was curling slightly upward.

After his grandfather left, Lin Nanshu took out the crooked portrait from his sleeve once more.

His fingertip gently traced over the ink handprint, and a faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.

The scene flashed back to the northern border camp.

Cheng Ge was holding up a newly drawn portrait of the child, offering it to Cui Ji. "Behold my masterpiece!"

Cui Ji looked up at the drawing—ink blobs flying across the paper, the child's face lopsided in a uniquely distinctive way.

One eye large, one small, both looking askance; the mouth drawn over by the cheek; the hair exploding outward like it was standing on end.

The corner of his mouth twitched, and for a long moment, he couldn't find words.

But when he looked up and saw Cheng Ge's eyes, bright enough to startle, practically screaming "Praise me," he...

Cui Ji took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and forced himself to praise against his conscience, "Quite impressive, really has that master's touch."

Hearing this, Cheng Ge couldn't help puffing out his chest, "Really?"

Cheng Ge looked down at his "masterpiece" again, and the more he looked, the more pleasing it seemed—the child in the drawing appeared handsome and extraordinarily dignified.

He carefully smoothed the paper out, murmuring to himself, "Guess I do have some talent for painting..."

He thought to himself that next time he wrote to Yuli, he should toss in a few extra drawings.

Cheng Ge set down his brush and shook out his slightly sore wrist.

Just then, Wufeng pushed aside the tent flap and entered, giving a salute, "Sir, news has arrived from the capital.

The court is locked in a heated debate over the peace negotiations, and the faction backing the Second Prince... is leaning toward pushing for a peace treaty."

Cheng Ge's eyes narrowed, and he exchanged a look with Cui Ji.

"What did His Majesty say?" Cheng Ge asked in a low voice.

Wufeng had a strange look on his face: "The other terms are still being discussed, but as for the marriage alliance... His Majesty turned it down."

Cheng Ge nodded, not the least bit surprised. It would have been strange if Zhou Mingqi had agreed to a clause that was such a blow to national pride.

Wufeng hesitated, as if he wanted to say more, "Moreover..."

Cheng Ge: "What else?"

Wufeng swallowed hard, struggling to get the words out, as if they were scalding his tongue.

"Moreover, Grand Tutor Lin petitioned the court to marry the Great Khan of the Northern Di, saying he wanted Hutuke to come to Great Zhou to marry him..."

The moment the words left his mouth, Cheng Ge's eyes flew wide open, and he blurted out, "Holy crap?! I never knew that old man swung that way!"

Cui Ji turned his head to look at Cheng Ge, looking a bit confused.

Noticing this, Cheng Ge glanced at Wufeng and lowered his voice, "Turns out this Grand Tutor Lin... is into men."

Cui Ji was caught off guard for a moment. In his youth, Grand Tutor Lin and his wife had been deeply devoted to each other, their love story famous in the capital.

"Where did you hear that?" Cui Ji asked.

Cheng Ge leaned in with a mysterious air: "It's a long story. A while back, my father arranged a marriage for me."

Cui Ji's expression darkened: "A marriage?"

Cheng Ge waved his hand: "That fell through ages ago, no big deal. The thing is, Grand Tutor Lin later hinted to me that the girl and I weren't suited, and he even said..."

His ears turned slightly red, "He even said to pay more attention to the fine gentlemen right in front of me!"

"So you think he was after you?" Cui Ji's voice was calm and even.

Cheng Ge smacked Cui Ji's thigh, his voice rising considerably: "Isn't it obvious? He was the only one standing right in front of me at the time! Who else could he have meant?"

Cui Ji: "…"

He turned his head and replied in a low voice, "Mm, that's right."

The charcoal brazier crackled in the tent. Cui Ji reached out, as if casually, to wipe the ink stain from Cheng Ge's fingertip.

The gesture was done so naturally, yet with an indescribable intimacy.

"Aside from Grand Tutor Lin," Cui Ji's voice was so light it was almost like he was talking to himself, "have there been others... who've hinted at something like that?"

As he spoke, his gaze drifted almost imperceptibly toward Wufeng, who stood not far away.

Cheng Ge looked at Cui Ji, feeling that the question was asked lightly, yet felt like there was something simmering underneath.

His fingers unconsciously brushed against the back of Cui Ji's hand, and he turned his head away, his voice trailing off: "No one..."

Those three words were spoken vaguely, the last syllable dragged out, as if trying to cover something up.

He thought to himself that he wasn't lying—those people had all been direct, none of them had hinted at all.

Cui Ji heard the answer he wanted, and his expression visibly softened.

Wufeng shifted his feet slightly, then quickly averted his gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching down slightly.

Cheng Ge couldn't help but glance at him, noticing something was off.

"What's wrong with your leg?"

Wufeng, startled by the question, stretched out his injured leg a bit, stole a glance at Cui Ji, and immediately launched into his complaint.

"Last time you were in danger at Wild Fox Valley, after we delivered the grain, we were going to turn back to find you.

Ling Feng dropped a rope over the cliff edge, and I went down the cliff wall into Wild Fox Valley.

But halfway down, Jiyue suddenly came running up saying you'd been found.

The moment Ling Feng heard that, he dropped the rope and took off. I was chased by the Northern Di barbarians down in the valley for an entire day."

"So your leg—did the Northern Di do that to you?"

"No..." Wufeng said flatly, "It was bitten by a Northern Di dog."

Cheng Ge: "…"

Hearing this, Cheng Ge felt a twinge of sympathy for Wufeng. He scratched the back of his head guiltily and turned to look at Cui Ji: "This... well... that was pretty messed up."

An awkward silence settled over the tent. Cui Ji kept a straight face, as if he hadn't heard a thing.

Cheng Ge cleared his throat, trying to smooth it over: "How about... Ling Feng takes you out for a nice meal?"

Just then, the tent flap was yanked open with a whoosh, and Ling Feng burst in, all excited, carrying two flapping roosters.

"Master! Look what I got—" He stopped mid-sentence.

Ling Feng froze in place, watching helplessly as Wufeng slowly turned around and gave him a sinister smile.

………

"To the southwest, north is water, Gen is mountain, Xun is wind." Cheng Ge held a small compass in his hand, standing on a little dirt mound.

He looked off into the distance as he spoke calmly, "The wind's coming from the southeast."

Cheng Ge looked away, paced a few steps on the spot, then pointed at a flat, open area. "Right here. The chicken's head should face south. Set up the roasting rack here."

Ling Feng, as if he'd just been pardoned, immediately grabbed the chickens and scurried over.

Cheng Ge looked at the chicken on the grill and gave Ling Feng and the others some impromptu technical guidance.

Then he wandered off into the distance with Dahuang and Cui Ji.

Dahuang had been cooped up in the tent lately, so being let out for some air, it went absolutely nuts.

It sprinted with its tongue flapping, its face radiating pure ecstasy as if it had no clue what the world even was.

The wilderness wind brushed past Cheng Ge's robes, and on a whim, he took off running too.

Dahuang turned back, saw its master chasing, and excitedly pounced toward him. Cheng Ge immediately zigzagged to dodge and tease it.

The man and dog played gleefully on the grass until Cheng Ge was flattened by a fierce leap from Dahuang.

"Woof!" Dahuang wagged its tail proudly, but didn't notice that Star Frost, knocked loose by the impact, was flung off Cheng Ge's shoulder and rolled twice across the grass.

Dahuang seemed to realize it had caused trouble, drooped its ears, let out a whimper, and turned to bolt.

"Stop right there! Hit-and-run adds to your punishment!" Cheng Ge sprang up in one fluid motion, shouting as he chased after this out-of-control mutt.

The moon-white hair ribbon traced a smooth arc in the twilight as Cheng Ge lunged and pinned Dahuang into the tall grass.

Man and dog wrestled and rolled down the slope, scaring up a few grasshoppers.

The hair ribbon snagged on a dead branch, and Dahuang seized the chance to break free, shaking its dazed head and scrambling away on all fours.

Cheng Ge flicked the grass bits off his face and leaped up to give chase.

Cui Ji ambled behind, watching the man and dog frolic across the open field.

Cheng Ge ran until he was hot and sweaty, then casually shrugged off his cloak and tossed it behind him.

His raven-black hair broke free from the ribbon's restraint, whipping in the wind alongside his plain white robes, like a runaway wild horse trampling the sunlight.

Cui Ji bent down to pick up the grass-stained cloak, and as he reached for the hair ribbon tangled among the dead grass, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from afar.

When Cheng Ge came back, he ran straight into Cui Ji's bent-over form. The setting sun gilded him with a golden glow, even the tips of his hair radiating warmth.

No man could resist that view.

He thought fast, then suddenly broke into a run, planning a historic leap—

But Cui Ji seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, straightening up the moment Cheng Ge jumped.

Cheng Ge crashed unexpectedly into a warm, fragrant embrace.

His nose slammed into the hard shoulder armor, and tears welled up in his eyes. "Ugh... ow..."

Cui Ji hadn't expected Cheng Ge to suddenly pounce on him, bringing with him the crisp scent of soap.

He instinctively reached out, his hand steady as it caught Cheng Ge's butt and thighs.