Chapter 30

Gu Yun had just passed that obstacle and had originally thought the other man had not recovered his memory.

But now he was uncertain. The reaction was too strange, and when combined with the earlier cold distance, it became even more puzzling.

He could not make sense of it. After thinking for a long time, he wondered whether Lin Yue had met someone from his past who had told him something about him, but whose account differed from his own, causing suspicion.

That would also explain the letter, the yamen runner, and Magistrate Wang.

Having reached this conclusion, Gu Yun felt uneasy. He bit his finger and looked outside.

Outside, he could hear the landlord and others speaking with Lin Yue, curious as to why a magistrate would send gifts to someone renting such humble lodgings.

Lin Yue answered them with a smile, brushing them off.

Gu Yun’s anxiety slowly faded. So what if he was being suspected? It was not as though anything had been confirmed. As long as he achieved his goal before the truth was discovered, it would be enough.

He reviewed his progress and felt confident that he would soon succeed.

He went out to help, and in a few trips the two of them carried all the gifts back inside.

Books, paper, ink and writing tools were placed on the table. Gu Yun pulled over a stool, leaning it against the wall, and placed the gifts on it, saying excitedly to Lin Yue, “Let’s pawn some of these things. That way we will have money.”

Lin Yue said, “No rush.”

Gu Yun immediately realised he should not have said that. The items belonged to Lin Yue, and he had no right to decide their use. He quickly nodded.

Lin Yue sat back down and asked, “What did you eat for lunch?”

Gu Yun said, “Whatever I brought back for you, I ate the same.”

Lin Yue glanced at him, pushed the reed-leaf parcel to the side of the table, and said, “Eat it.”

Gu Yun said, “I gave you…”

Lin Yue said, “Do not make me angry.”

Gu Yun made a small sound of acknowledgement.

Lin Yue: “Hmm?”

Gu Yun picked up the reed-leaf parcel, peeled it open, and after a while revealed a meat bun the size of an adult’s fist. It had already gone cold, but the rich aroma still seeped through the dough and into his nose.

He took a bite of the bun. The soft, slightly yellow dough was tender and pillowy. As he chewed, starch broke down under salivary amylase, giving a faint sweetness.

He bit deeper, swallowing both filling and dough together. The fragrance of cabbage and spring onion filled his mouth first, followed by the rich, savoury fat of the meat filling. It was extremely delicious, even better than buns he remembered from modern times.

In truth, he had already forgotten what modern buns tasted like. Those memories of modern food were like a thick mist, stripped of all flavour.

Gu Yun ate in small bites, his pink tongue occasionally flashing between his neat white teeth.

Lin Yue noticed this and his gaze could not help but linger. Realising it, he frowned, quickly looked away, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and focused on his writing.

“What are you thinking about?”

Gu Yun had not finished eating when he saw him writing. Driven by a strong sense of urgency, he quickly moved closer.

Before he could ask how to read or what the text meant, he saw what was being written and fell silent. After a moment, he could not help but ask.

Lin Yue said, “What?”

He looked closely at the page and saw a string of messy, incorrect characters.

After a moment of stunned silence, Lin Yue lowered his gaze, picked up the paper, crumpled it slowly into a ball, and threw it into the waste bin. His expression darkened.

“Do you still want to study?”

Gu Yun did not understand how he had offended him. He had only been gently pointing out a mistake.

Gu Yun retreated a few steps. Seeing the other man’s expression worsen, he continued inching backwards in small movements.

Carefully observing him, he saw his expression ease slightly, and whispered, “I do.”

Lin Yue bent down, took a fresh sheet of paper from the book box, wrote out the passage, taught him how to read it, and explained its meaning. He then took another sheet and continued his work while instructing Gu Yun to take out the writing implements sent by Magistrate Wang.

Gu Yun did not ask why and quickly brought them out.

Lin Yue said, “Write the passage we just studied from memory.”

Gu Yun pointed at himself. “Me?”

Lin Yue said, “Is there anyone else here?”

Gu Yun said, “But…” He touched the fine Xuan paper. “These are quite expensive. It would be wasteful to use them for practice.”

Lin Yue said, “If I tell you to use them, then use them. Stop talking nonsense.”

Gu Yun stared at him for a moment, then spread out the writing set opposite him, thinking: You had better hope I can find a good job after I have learnt properly, otherwise I will default on this writing equipment debt.

He ground the ink, picked up the brush, and began writing. He remembered it well and completed the passage from memory without a single mistake.

After reviewing it, Lin Yue took five books from his book box and handed them to Gu Yun. “These are the books I promised to lend you.”

Gu Yun said, “I thought you had forgotten.”

Lin Yue had mentioned lending him books twice before, but both times were interrupted, once by the Zhao Shui matter, and once by rain, when plans were changed to deal with urgent matters first, namely redeeming clothing and renting accommodation.

After that, Lin Yue had not mentioned it again, and Gu Yun had assumed he had forgotten. He had even intended to remind him when the opportunity arose.

He had not expected the books to already be prepared.

Gu Yun took them.

Five volumes: The Book of Songs, The Book of Documents, The Book of Rites, The Book of Changes, and The Spring and Autumn Annals with Zuo’s Commentary.

Gu Yun looked at them in surprise. These were the Five Classics of Chinese history. Did Great Xuan also have these texts? If so, were the other Great Xuan books also derived from Chinese history?

Could Great Xuan itself be a dynasty from Chinese history?

No, there was no Great Xuan in Chinese history. Unless it belonged to an extremely early period, so early that no records remained.

But that was impossible. The earliest known dynasties in Chinese history were not this developed. Great Xuan’s level of civilisation was comparable to the Tang, Ming, or Song dynasties.

He suspected Great Xuan might be a parallel world of a historical dynasty. Otherwise, it might be an entirely fictional dynasty constructed from Chinese history.

He did not dwell on it further. Knowing the answer would not change his situation. His priority was survival.

Lin Yue said, “The Four Books are incomplete; I have not been able to borrow them yet. We will discuss it later. Study the Five Classics first. Ask me if you do not understand.”

Gu Yun agreed.

In high school, he had not needed to study the Four Books and Five Classics, though he had read some in his spare time.

If he had known he would transmigrate, he would have studied them properly, found a wealthy patron, sat the imperial examinations, and lived without worry about food or clothing. Changing his fate would not have been a dream.

He turned the pages angrily, earning a glance from Lin Yue. After flipping through several pages, he saw Lin Yue finish his work and put things away, and remembered something.

Gu Yun said, “Aren’t you going to the construction site?”

Lin Yue said, “I took the afternoon off.” He added, “To buy household necessities.”

Lin Yue was not disrupted by the county magistrate’s claim that he was the orphan of an old acquaintance of Chancellor Meng and would be taken to the capital.

First, from their words, it could be inferred that Chancellor Meng did not intend to bring him to the capital; he merely asked them to find him. The idea of being taken to the capital was only the magistrates’ speculation.

Second, even if it were true, messages from here to the capital and back would take at least ten days. Was he supposed to stop living during that time?

Either way, purchasing necessities was essential.

Gu Yun hesitated between continuing to study and acting responsibly, then closed his book and said with forced enthusiasm, “I want to go too.”

Lin Yue said, “I was going to call you anyway. Do you think you can slack off?”

Gu Yun: “…”

He muttered, “Of course not.”

The two of them left. Before leaving, Gu Yun asked the landlady’s mother to look after the house.

Lin Yue, however, believed no one would dare steal from them, since the goods had been delivered by the magistrate himself. Anyone who wished to avoid trouble with officials would not dare touch it.

Since ancient times, commoners did not oppose officials. Gu Yun understood this reasoning, but still felt uneasy, which made Lin Yue chuckle softly.

Gu Yun did not argue. Someone like Lin Yue, who had never truly suffered hardship, would never understand how important money was.

The two went out to shop and returned as night fell.

Gu Yun carried the basket and settled accounts with Lin Yue: “Soap, nineteen wen… You previously said there were two taels from Jailer Feng, and not a single wen from Bi Laosan. So after all these scattered expenses, we’re left with just over twenty wen, aren’t we?”

Lin Yue said, “Twelve wen, plus the money you have there, probably just over twenty.”

Gu Yun said, “Thirty-five wen!”

Lin Yue said, “I meant there was no rush to pawn those items, not that we shouldn’t pawn them.”

Gu Yun said, “Then there’s no need to pawn too many. I’m not urging you to get money, I just think we need to be careful with spending.”

Lin Yue looked at the shops lit up around them and said, “Do you want to see a doctor?”

The topic shifted too quickly for Gu Yun to follow. He let out an “ah?”

Lin Yue said, “When you were doing those things, you were sharp enough, so why are you so dull now? Don’t tell me someone’s been advising you from behind the scenes?”

Gu Yun looked at him blankly and said, “What did I even do?” He could not help adding, “Why are you always losing your temper?”

Lin Yue said, “I always lose my temper?”

Gu Yun thought about it and corrected himself. “You’ve been losing your temper all day.” He counted on his fingers. “You’ve lost your temper four times today. It’s not even youshi* yet. That’s once every two and a half hours on average.”

(*TN: hour of the rooster, 5-7 PM)

Lin Yue sneered. “I’m about to lose my temper for the fifth time. That makes it once every two hours on average.”

Gu Yun said, “…Can’t you control it a bit?”

Lin Yue said, “No.”

Gu Yun said, “So what exactly did I do wrong? How did I offend you?”

Hearing this, Lin Yue pressed his brow, thinking to himself that clearly the other party had his reasons, so why could he not control himself, always seizing the opportunity to blame him?

Could it be simply because the other was not a woman, and his feelings had been misplaced, yet he could not let go, turning affection into resentment… Lin Yue felt a chill run through him, followed by absurdity.

How long had they even known each other? He had already become such a strange person.

Lin Yue glanced at Gu Yun from the corner of his eye but said nothing, instead quickening his pace.

Gu Yun was left behind. After a moment, he calmed himself, saw the other walking alone, then silently chased after him, only to slow again.

Gu Yun, seeing this, smiled at him.

Still able to smile at a time like this. Lin Yue’s words, “You don’t need to guess, in a while you’ll know what you did to offend me,” had not yet left his mouth before they were swallowed back with a sigh.

Why bother? In a few days the truth would come out anyway. Why let the other party suffer in advance?

In any case, the other had no malicious intent… forget it, forget it, forget it.

Lin Yue finally convinced himself.

He said coldly, “What you’ve done, whether you’ve offended me or not, you don’t even know yourself? I ran into some matters today and am in a bad mood. As my wife, can’t you be a little more understanding?”

Gu Yun: “…”

Gu Yun’s mouth twitched, and the worry that had just risen faded again.

He felt both annoyed and amused. Looking at Lin Yue, he said, “You can’t even handle your own affairs properly, can’t regulate your mood, and you take it out on others… Do you know what people like that are called?”

Gu Yun refused to suffer even the slightest loss. “That kind of person is called a coward.”

Lin Yue narrowed his eyes. “Say that again.”

It was truly like biting the hand that feeds you.

After venting his frustration, Gu Yun immediately recognised who held the upper hand and backed down at once.

“I’m your wife. Saying that isn’t meant as an insult. It’s advice. You should know right from wrong so life can improve.”

He spoke nonsense casually.

Lin Yue could tell he was spouting nonsense. Instead of anger, he actually laughed and said, “After seeing the doctor, if it’s not serious, then tonight…”

“Tonight what?” Gu Yun asked warily.

Lin Yue smiled pleasantly, almost like a saint from a book. “We’re husband and wife. Do I really need to remind you what happens at night?”

Gu Yun: “…”

He said, “My health is very poor…”

Lin Yue said, “Whether it’s serious or not, the doctor decides.”

After speaking, he ignored Gu Yun’s refusal, took the household items back home, and then dragged him toward a nearby clinic.

Gu Yun looked utterly despairing. Just before entering, he grabbed the doorway and glared at him fiercely.

“Is there no way you can do things properly!” he said, guessing his condition was not serious enough to prevent marital relations.

Lin Yue said, “I have nothing to do with how others do things.” He tugged him down. “Do you want me to carry you in?”

In Gu Yun’s mind, he cursed him as a madman.

In the end, to avoid further trouble, he followed him into the clinic. There were not many patients, so his turn came quickly.

The doctor asked about his symptoms.

Gu Yun said, “If I squat too long and stand up, I feel dizzy and my vision goes black. Also, if I run or walk quickly, my knees hurt.”

Lin Yue said, “Knee pain? Why have you never mentioned it before?”

Gu Yun said, “Would it have made any difference if I had?”

“You’re my wife. If you don’t tell me, who are you going to tell?”

The doctor interrupted them and took his pulse. Gu Yun’s heart sank when he saw the doctor’s eyes suddenly widen. He had almost forgotten that a doctor could determine a patient’s sex through the pulse.

He nearly reached out to cover the doctor’s mouth, fearing he would blurt out, “Why are you a man?!”

But he restrained himself, forcing calm as his mind raced. He had to find an excuse to send Lin Yue away before the doctor spoke.

He quickly came up with one and said, “Husband, could you go buy me some candied fruit? The doctor will probably prescribe medicine.”

Lin Yue, sitting to the side, said, “No.”

Gu Yun said, “Please… the candied fruit shops will close soon.”

Lin Yue looked at him for a moment, then stood up.

The doctor was about to speak, but Gu Yun stopped him with a look. Only after Lin Yue left did the doctor speak, though he did not mention anything about sex, only saying, “Stick out your tongue.”

Gu Yun complied.

After examining him, the doctor said, “Dizziness when standing after squatting for a long time, and black vision. This is due to insufficient qi and blood, failing to nourish the brain.”

He then examined his legs and pressed them carefully. “The tendons and bones are injured.”

Gu Yun asked, “Can it be cured?”

“Yes,” the doctor said. “I’ll prescribe two doses of medicine, to be taken three times daily, along with a plaster. You’ll recover within half a year. You came early. If later, it would have been much harder.”

At that moment, Lin Yue returned just in time to hear this. He looked at Gu Yun with a faint smile.

“So it’s not serious,” he said. “Doctor, can we still have marital relations tonight?”

Gu Yun: “…”

He truly is insane.

The doctor fell silent for a moment and rubbed his arms. “It’s fine, but not too intense.”

Lin Yue said, “Thank you for the advice.”

After prescribing the medicine, the cost exceeded what they had on hand. Lin Yue brought out the ginseng, sold it to the clinic, and even made a profit. He carefully stored the remaining money and signalled for Gu Yun to go home.

Gu Yun would have preferred to die in the clinic.