BLHO Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Do You Love Me, Lin Shuangxu?

The bright moon hung in the sky, the harsh north wind buffeting their faces. Outside the military camp, Lin Shuangxu and Princess Meng Ning stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing at the desolate wilderness. Neither was in a hurry to speak.

Shen Tan stood guard not far away, ensuring that Princess Meng Ning did not leave her sight, nor would she be disturbed.

“You have a secret.”

Princess Meng Ning spoke first, uttering this seemingly unrelated sentence to Lin Shuangxu.

“What secret?” Lin Shuangxu calmly retorted.

“If I knew, it wouldn’t be a secret.”

Lin Shuangxu smiled.

“Are you willing to share it with me? I absolutely promise not to tell anyone,” Princess Meng Ning assured.

Lin Shuangxu shook his head, saying, “You’re overthinking it. I have nothing to say.”

Princess Meng Ning shrugged. “Fine, if you don’t want to talk, I won’t force you. How about I tell you a secret instead?”

Lin Shuangxu looked at her with great interest. “I’m all ears.”

Princess Meng Ning clasped her hands behind her back, her eyes gaining a sharp edge. “Do you know who the culprit was who plotted against me the night I entered the General’s Manor?”

By this point, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs had completely fallen out with the He family. Li Yuliang’s conspiracies and schemes were out in the open. Although the case was ultimately tried by the Three Judicial Offices and became a suspended case, Li Yuliang as the mastermind was beyond doubt.

Faced with Princess Meng Ning’s question, Lin Shuangxu did not directly answer. Instead, he asked her, “Who is it?”

Princess Meng Ning walked up to him, her eyes shining like stars in the night, as if trying to see through everything.

“You know,” she said slowly to Lin Shuangxu.

“The culprit’s goal wasn’t to harm me, but to use this to put the He family to death. Brother Shuangxu, you are not He Yuncheng and shouldn’t let loyalty and morality bind your thinking. In the imperial court, what rulers fear most isn’t eunuchs, but officials who command their own armies. It’s the person sitting on the Dragon Throne.”

The biting cold wind made their hair flutter. Lin Shuangxu’s expression darkened, and he met Princess Meng Ning’s gaze without a word.

After a long silence, he asked, “Do you have evidence?”

Princess Meng Ning took a deep breath, her mind flashing back to a scene she had accidentally witnessed while still in the palace—

In the depths of the palace, it was not uncommon for eunuchs and maids to engage in illicit relationships. Princess Meng Ning did not strictly control her servants. Once, a maid who served her closely returned after engaging in such an act, forgetting to fasten the buttons on her collar. Princess Meng Ning teased her a few times and let it go. It was something she hadn’t originally paid attention to, but she smelled a fragrance on the maid.

It was agarwood, used in the Emperor’s chambers, and impossible to encounter elsewhere.

Princess Meng Ning smiled lightly and said to Lin Shuangxu, “Do you believe that He Yuncheng will end up dying a miserable death?”

Lin Shuangxu’s jaw tightened. Even though he knew Princess Meng Ning wasn’t trying to curse He Yuncheng, such words were still unbearable to hear.

This was what he feared most.

He didn’t need conclusive evidence. Just the slightest doubt was enough for him to be unwilling to let He Yuncheng take even the smallest risk.

That’s why, before the expedition, he had used his drunkenness as an excuse to desperately beg He Yuncheng to abandon everything and leave with him.

If the Bei Sheng court could not tolerate the General Who Pacifies the Nation, then they should no longer concern themselves with the affairs of this court.

Princess Meng Ning observed Lin Shuangxu’s expression. She couldn’t push any harder if he still wasn’t willing to yield.

She rubbed her nose, reddened by the wind, looking like a little girl. It was hard for anyone to imagine that such a person harbored ambitions to usurp power.

“Where are you going next?” Lin Shuangxu asked her.

“Back to Fengdu City.”

Lin Shuangxu frowned. “What do you want to do?”

Princess Meng Ning smiled. “What’s wrong? Are you worried about me? Are you afraid I’ll raise an army and rebel, and be killed by Gu Huan? Then have He Yuncheng help me.”

Lin Shuangxu remained silent.

Princess Meng Ning smiled again. “Alright, I told you, this time I only came to repay a debt of gratitude, not to discuss conditions. I’m going back to Fengdu City to pay respects to the late Empress Dowager. Brother Shuangxu, you don’t need to worry.”

Princess Meng Ning was not in the palace when the Empress Dowager passed away, and didn’t get to see her one last time.

“The Empress Dowager didn’t die of illness,” Lin Shuangxu said.

The truth was cruel, but Princess Meng Ning had the right to know.

“I know.” Princess Meng Ning’s reaction was calmer than expected, not needing anyone to comfort her.

But no matter how much she tried to suppress it, the sadness in her eyes was evident.

Lin Shuangxu didn’t know how to console her. He too had suffered the pain of losing his mother, yet he felt nothing.

“It’s getting late. Let’s go back,” Princess Meng Ning said, glancing back at Shen Tan. She said to Lin Shuangxu, “She’s still waiting for me, and you should go and coax He Yuncheng too.”

A playful remark eased the oppressive and dangerous atmosphere.

Mentioning He Yuncheng’s name, the tenderness in Lin Shuangxu’s eyes melted.

The two walked back side by side. Princess Meng Ning smiled at Shen Tan, and as they approached, she suddenly whispered to Lin Shuangxu, “I’m really curious about what you’re hiding in your heart. Let me guess, the reason you’re unwilling to form an alliance with me…could it be that Brother Shuangxu wants to become the emperor himself?”

Lin Shuangxu’s smile suddenly froze, and he looked at Princess Meng Ning in disbelief.

“I felt a sense of familiarity the first time I met you,” Princess Meng Ning said lightly. “You look very much like someone from the Gu family. You have the face of an emperor.”

Seeing Lin Shuangxu’s expression gradually darken, Princess Meng Ning burst out laughing. “Just kidding, what are you so nervous about?”

With that, they reached Shen Tan. She happily stepped forward, took Shen Tan’s arm, and waved goodbye to Lin Shuangxu. “Let’s go, Brother Shuangxu.”

–

In the room, He Yuncheng sat upright at the desk, with wound medicine and white cloth sent by the military doctor beside him.

He had been attacked by snow wolves yesterday, and the wound on his arm had not been treated. The military doctor had offered to apply medicine and bandage it for him, but he said he could do it himself.

With armor protecting him, the wound wasn’t serious, and He Yuncheng could indeed handle it himself.

But he hadn’t made a move until he heard a sound at the door, when he tore open his sleeve.

The blood had already dried, staining a large area around the wound. Regardless of how serious the actual injury was, it looked shocking enough.

This was the scene Lin Shuangxu saw when he entered. He Yuncheng was frowning, seemingly in great pain, laboriously using one hand to clean his other arm.

“You’re injured?”

He Yuncheng hadn’t shown any signs of discomfort after returning, so Lin Shuangxu hadn’t noticed.

He walked to the light, examined the wound, and saw several shallow puncture wounds that weren’t serious.

“This was…attacked by wild animals?” He sat next to He Yuncheng, took the cloth from his hand, and began to wipe the wound for him.

He Yuncheng obediently offered his arm, nodding and saying, “Yes, snow wolves. A pack, with their wolf king.”

“The Yan Zhao people really will resort to any means,” Lin Shuangxu said, carefully helping him clean the blood and apply the wound medicine.

“Hiss…it hurts.” He Yuncheng whimpered as the medicine powder touched the wound.

Lin Shuangxu thought he had misheard.

He Yuncheng crying out in pain from an injury was more unbelievable than a man giving birth.

Lin Shuangxu looked up at him, at his sharply defined face, with an expression that showed no fear of life or death. Now, however, because he had been bitten, the corners of his eyes and mouth were drooping. He was imitating some unknown woman’s weak demeanor, waiting for Lin Shuangxu to feel sorry for him.

Lin Shuangxu certainly felt sorry for him, but wasn’t this too deliberate?

“Bear with it,” Lin Shuangxu said calmly, continuing to apply the medicine for him.

Seeing his coldness, He Yuncheng’s carefully constructed emotions began to rebel again.

He lost patience with going in circles and asked Lin Shuangxu, “What did Princess Meng Ning want from you?”

“Nothing, just talking.”

“What did you talk about?”

“Nothing.”

“If it was nothing, why did she want to see you alone?”

Lin Shuangxu slowly wrapped the bandage around his wound, ignoring him.

“Stay away from her in the future,” He Yuncheng said.

“Why?”

“You know she’s full of bad intentions. How did she kidnap you before? How did she threaten me? Have you forgotten? You even shielded her from an arrow, you saved her. I don’t even know why you saved her.”

Lin Shuangxu wanted to laugh, but held it back. “No matter how ambitious she is, she’s just a young woman. She doesn’t have your skills. How could I stand by and watch her die?”

“Too shameless.” He Yuncheng cursed, unable to stop himself even before Lin Shuangxu had finished tying the bandage, pulling his arm back. He cursed again, “She failed to seduce me, so she came to seduce you. She calls you ‘Brother Shuangxu’ all the time, she just wants to use the He family to help her rebel. You’re being deceived by her, Lin Shuangxu!”

Lin Shuangxu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I’m being deceived?”

He Yuncheng took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions. He asked, “Tell me the truth. Are you really sure that you like men?”

Lin Shuangxu looked up, pretending to think seriously.

As if it was difficult to give a definite answer.

He Yuncheng saw that his attitude was deliberate. Unable to suppress his anxiety, he grabbed his wrist. “Lin Shuangxu!”

Lin Shuangxu finally couldn’t help but laugh. He looked down at He Yuncheng’s hand, tensed with veins bulging, the one that was injured.

“Doesn’t it hurt?” he asked.

He Yuncheng’s brow furrowed. The previous grievance was feigned, but this time it wasn’t.

He pulled Lin Shuangxu into his arms, tightly embracing his slender body, and said resentfully, “Don’t tease me.”

Lin Shuangxu said helplessly, “Do you still take it seriously even though you know I’m teasing you?”

“You’re too good to her,” He Yuncheng complained.

“Am I?” Lin Shuangxu stroked his cheek and asked him, “Is giving her a few bites of food considered being good to her?”

He Yuncheng shook his head. No, it wasn’t just giving her a few bites of food. It was that Lin Shuangxu himself didn’t know…

He Yuncheng pinched him hard, his breathing rough. “You never look at anyone but me, you don’t care about anything else, you only care about me, you care about me especially.”

Was that true?

Lin Shuangxu thought about it seriously.

It seemed so.

“Have I spoiled you? He Yuncheng,” Lin Shuangxu asked.

He Yuncheng didn’t speak, his eyes burning with a fervor that gave an affirmative answer.

“This is difficult…” Lin Shuangxu sighed in annoyance, tilting his face up passionately.

A possessiveness that bordered on madness. The two of them simultaneously possessed it for each other. This was too crazy.

He Yuncheng stared at the curve of his neck, fair and slender, vulnerably exposed to him.

Desire was instantly ignited. He exerted force with his arms, easily lifting Lin Shuangxu up.

In the narrow bed, the two exchanged warm breaths.

“Do you love me, Lin Shuangxu?”