novelraw Chapter 834 - 812: Affection
Chapter 834 - 812: Affection
In the courier station, Xie Jue and Fang Chuning were playing chess by the window. It rained frequently in Jiangnan, and today there was a light rain. Xie Jue and Fang Chuning didn’t go out, instead stayed in the station playing chess and brewing tea. There was an iron wire mesh on the stove, apart from brewing tea, they also roasted sweet potatoes and fruits, giving off a sweet aroma, adding a unique flavor to such a rainy day.
Ever since the day the two returned hand in hand to the station, the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry suddenly became more stable. This time, Fang Chuning selected mostly young lads aged 15-21 from among the soldiers. Each was lively and clever, full of youthful vigor. After reaching Sannan, they were almost all on duty in rotation, and during their downtime, they liked wandering around Mudan City. Whether it was playing or eating, they were adept at it; otherwise, they would practice martial arts at the station, making it lively and often leading to verbal conflicts and fights. But now they were all behaving, with thousands of pairs of eyes fixed on Xie Jue and Fang Chuning, as if expecting a miracle.
Xie Jue hadn’t heard them discussing behind his back, but it’s easy to imagine rumors spreading. Fang Chuning, on the other hand, behaved as though nothing happened, doing as he pleased, and even openly stayed overnight in his room, impossible to drive away.
No shame!
He simply gave up arguing, knowing that no one would believe him now.
Zhang Boxin gathered with a few soldiers by the stove brewing tea, but his mind was elsewhere; the rain outside mirrored his mood. He still couldn’t believe Fang Chuning and Xie Jue were in such a relationship.
Lin Xiao got angry seeing him like that, "Slow to realize!"
"You knew early on, why didn’t you tell me?"
Deputy General Zhou Buyan stayed in the Capital City this time, not travelling along. Otherwise, he would already be laughing at this group of soldiers for their slow reaction.
"Thinking it over, Mr. Fang really is overly intimate with the Prince. I grew up with Zeyu, enlisted together, fought enemies together, ate and slept together, but we didn’t cling like this, nor held hands like that..." He actually went to hold his companion’s hand, especially interlocking fingers, both getting goosebumps, hurriedly letting go, "It’s creepy."
Zhang Boxin wore a blank expression. Yes, he and Lin Xiao also ate and slept together, sharing a tent while building roads, or drinking from the same bowl of soup without minding each other, but they weren’t this intimate.
"Actually, I had suspected for a long time. Mr. Fang, put among a bunch of men..." He raised his thumb, "is absolutely number one, but never had women entangling him, always circling around the Prince. In normal times, he’d greet everyone with a smile, but let anyone gossip about the Prince, he’d immediately turn hostile. During our time of food scarcity, drinking thin porridge daily, he’d go fishing and cook soup for the Prince after camping. If it were a son to a father, it’s filial piety; if it were a husband to a wife, it’s deep love; if it’s brothers... brothers truly couldn’t do this. ’Eat if you like, or don’t’, isn’t that how the Prince treats the Emperor? But with Mr. Fang, it’s different."
"Not only that, whenever Mr. Fang is free, he would take the Prince mountain climbing, just the two of them, frequently disappearing overnight. It’s truly terrifying upon deeper thought, turns out they have had a thing going on for a long time."
Lin Xiao kicked him, "Aren’t you afraid for your life?"
"Bah! With just us here, what’s there to fear!" This group wasn’t entirely composed of the original Kyoto Capital Guard; some were quite experienced, having been with Fang Chuning for many years already.
"No wonder Mr. Fang is handsome, from a prominent family yet never talked about marriage."
"The Prince also hasn’t gotten engaged; except for marrying while hostage among the Beiman, it was just unwilling circumstances. Nowadays, what Princess can’t he have, but has never mentioned marriage once; even the Emperor doesn’t dare bestow a marriage, turns out they had been secretly advancing."
"Mr. Fang really is brave, daring to covet the Prince; how could he? I wouldn’t even dare steal a glance."
"The Prince treats Mr. Fang well too. Previously, he showed mere tolerance for Marquis in the tent, but to Mr. Fang, it’s conviviality; it’s clearly different from others. When the Emperor first arrived at the camp, he got upset over this, watched Mr. Fang just to see him suffer, simply displeased with how gentle the Prince was with Mr. Fang."
"It’s over, finished. If the Emperor finds out, wouldn’t Mr. Fang get..." He made a throat-slitting gesture, his expression fearful, "The Emperor would definitely go mad."
Lin Xiao thought about Xie Xun’s temperament; such a scenario indeed seems possible!
Zhang Boxin said, neither sad nor happy, "What if the Emperor knew long ago?"
"Impossible. If the Emperor knew, given his personality, it’d be catastrophic; how could he specifically request Mr. Fang to travel with the Prince."
Everyone could imagine Xie Xun chasing Fang Chuning with a knife, quite a frightening scene.
"How can this be hidden? Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin are trusted by the Emperor; dare they conceal this upon returning to the Capital City?"
Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin exchanged glances. They certainly didn’t dare; hiding it would lead to trouble if Xie Xun heard from someone else. Now figuring out whether to mention this incident to Xie Xun in their letters was problematic. That’s why Lin Xiao hadn’t written to Xie Xun in the past few days, fearing he might rush to Sannan and chop down Fang Chuning, ignoring any diplomacy.
But if not mentioned, how could it be concealed?
Prince, truly muddled, why would you indulge Mr. Fang?
"Just holding hands, I hold hands with Lin Xiao too; who says there must be something? If the Emperor asks us, we’ll claim to know nothing." Zhang Boxin had a rare moment of wit, and Lin Xiao found it hard to rebut. Whether Xie Xun believed it’s Xie Xun’s business, and they offend no one.
Fang Chuning and Xie Jue were unconcerned about the military gossip. Xie Jue worried only about what the Grand Marshal’s reaction might be upon discovering, hoping it would be delayed as long as possible!
"Ting Feng, you zoned out, it’s your move."
Xie Jue, distracted, made a blunder move, impossible to salvage, leaving Fang Chuning blocking all paths. Originally, when playing chess with Fang Chuning, they were at 40-60 odds, but one wrong move makes recovery difficult, particularly on such a critical line.
"Unsettled mind, you’ve lost three games today." Fang Chuning, resting his head, teased, "Even if my father knows now, what can he do? Being at the border, it’ll be upon our return from Sannan, what’s the point in worrying over distant things?"
"Distant?" Xie Jue snorted, "Matters here in Sannan will conclude in at most a month."
"Even if my father is enraged, he’ll only confront me. It’s fine; haven’t I received enough beatings from him since childhood? He doesn’t dare harm you; could he really beat me to death?" Fang Chuning wore a look of a pig fearless of boiling water.
"He really could beat you to death!"
"I hold a Death Exemption Token!" Fang Chuning winked, "The Emperor won’t allow it."
"Zhixu will protect you, you’re overthinking!" Xie Jue sneered, Zhixu would only hand the Grand Marshal an even thicker whip while he beats Fang Chuning.
"That’ll depend on how much affection Ting Feng has for me; the more affection, the more the Emperor will protect me." Fang Chuning shamelessly said, "Your performance will be key."
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