Chapter 27

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Xiao-Huo writes a poem

Rong Luoyun strode into the Thousand Opportunities Hall. With all the disciples gone to morning drill, he strutted to the bamboo grove without the tiniest restraint. When he entered the courtyard, he met with Du Zheng, who was picking vegetables.

Du Zheng demanded: “You left just this morning. Why are you here again?”

Rong Luoyun said with a hint of pride: “Your didi called me over.”

Du Zheng snorted: “I bet he’s planning to get revenge for causing him to suffer for a whole night.”

That hint of pride disappeared like a puff of smoke. Rong Luoyun immediately felt worried. Unfortunately, Du Zheng had the mouth of an evil witch and eyed the kite: “If not for revenge, then it’ll be to take back that kite. Oh yes, and that lantern too.”

Can gifts still be taken back? Rong Luoyun thought about how he promised not to take back the handkerchief. Following the same logic, the lantern and kite should also be his to keep forever. “You’re just trying to scare people. This Lord doesn’t believe one word.” He arrogantly continued, “If he wants these back, I’ll take the handkerchief back.”

Du Zheng plucked away the vegetable’s roots: “It’s just a handkerchief. Back in Cleansing Sand Isle, the line of people waiting in line to give him handkerchiefs stretched from the city south to north. He can even use a new handkerchief daily and still have more to spare.”

Rong Luoyun clenched his fists. This servant likes to bully people, but isn’t he just relying on being Du Zhong’s bigger brother? He’s just relying on Du Zhong, relying on Du Zhong …… Rong Luoyun choked… relying on Du Zhong what? Is he condemning him for relying on Du Zhong too much?

After plucking the vegetables, Du Zheng continued to shave pears, handling the knife as if he was carving flesh. Rong Luoyun rarely suffered from such an attitude. He unhurriedly strolled to a stick of bamboo and used his internal energy to pull it up, root and all.

Du Zheng was startled and nearly cut his fingers.

Scaring the person frozen, Rong Luoyun said: “Make some bamboo rice for lunch. This Lord would leave after I eat.” He tossed the bamboo to the side and strode haughtily into the bamboo house. As soon as he entered the door, his arrogant air disappeared in a poof. Forcefully using his internal energy was painful.

He walked up the stairs and came to the bedroom, peering in with the kite hidden behind his back.

Huo Linfeng had already moved to the couch. A gray silk gown perched over his white inner robes, showing his bare collarbones and two bare feet, quite different from his usual clean and tidy appearance. Right now, he was teeming with the aura of a young master. He poured two cups of tea: “What is Palace Lord standing there staring at me for? Scared I’m still delirious?”

Rong Luoyun sat at the table across from him, dropping his gaze and refusing to make eye contact. Last night was improper and wanton, so it wasn’t weird for him to feel embarrassed.

He used that cup of tea as a front to stay silent, holding it up to his lips, sipping away for half the day. He only placed the cup down once every drop was drained and tried his best to start some idle chatter: “You, just now…… did you see me flying the kite?”

Huo Linfeng hummed in response. Rong Luoyun had come all the way to the Thousand Opportunities Hall’s perimeters. It’s not like he’s blind or something. Not only was he not blind, but his vision was also extremely sharp. He immediately spotted the patterns on the other party’s fair neck. The red traces, the bite marks, and the tiny dots of redness rubbed from his stubble. They were all evidence of the evil deeds he committed last night.

With the burning gaze on himself, Rong Luoyun shrank in his neck.

With the burning gaze still on himself, he tugged at this collar.

With the burning gaze on himself getting ever more burning, he raised his hand to cover himself and said helplessly: “Stop staring at me.”

Huo Linfeng’s heart softened. He really was a rotten thing, bullying the person last night and continuing to bully him now. “Palace Lord, come over here.” He picked up a small bundle resting on the couch. It was where he stored the medicine he always kept by his side when in battle. “Let’s apply a little. The marks would be gone in no time.”

Rong Luoyun was surprised. The other party often enjoyed dishing out snide remarks, but these two sentences were full of gentleness and warmth. He scooted over on his praying mat and couldn’t help saying: “You’re gentle today like……”

Huo Linfeng asked: “Like what?”

He finally thought of it: “Like Big Brother.”

Hmph, was Duan Huaike really that gentle? He didn’t think so. Huo Linfeng silently criticized as he opened the medicine jar. He pulled Rong Luoyun closer and moistened his finger before applying. His fingers were full of calluses, so in fear of hurting the other party, he used as little force as possible.

Rong Luoyun was feeling ticklish and used his elbow to poke him: “A little harder.”

Huo Linfeng prattled: “You were begging me to be lighter last night but now you want harder.”

The already red neck slattered with medicine turned into a bright crimson as if it wasn’t medicine being applied, but rouge. Rong Luoyun bent his neck, trying to endure. In the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a mound of handkerchiefs inside the opened bundle of medicine.

He asked: “Where did those handkerchiefs come from?”

Huo Linfeng answered: “Given by others *.”

*For those who have forgotten, Du Zheng had a whole stack of handkerchiefs he got from Mei Zi back in chap 12. After HLF “lost” the gray handkerchief (tossed it down the stairs back to its rightful owner 😀 ) , DZ let him have a few

Rong Luoyun thought, with this many handkerchiefs, is it true that you have people lining up from north to south, waiting to give you one? Since he already received this many, how come he was so happy when he got Rong Luoyun’s, even pulling him into an embrace?

A scene emerged in his imagination. Huo Linfeng stood at south of the city with a line of young ladies stretching all the way to the north. For every handkerchief offered, Huo Linfeng would accept. Then, he would reach out and give the other person a hug.

How was this something an unsullied virgin would do? Not even the frequent guests of Dusk-till-Dawn would do such a thing.

With the medicine applied, Huo Linfeng asked: “What is Palace Lord thinking about?”

Rong Luyun snapped out of it and turned to ask: “Your gege said you’re a virgin. Is that true?”

Huo Linfeng’s face turned stiff, alternating red then white, burning with the urge to beat Du Zheng up. Not waiting for him to say anything, Rong Luoyun continued: “You went to Dusk-till-Dawn not to find Bao Luo, but to find me. Why did you lie?”

One after another, saved up to deal a killing blow. Huo Linfeng might as well confess: “I lied to you.” He truely was throwing away all his dignity as a general, “I rarely visit brothels. Bao Luo isn’t my love. I was just trying to get into Palace Lord’s good graces. And as for if I’m a virgin…… it seems to be unrelated to Palace Lord.”

He managed to salvage some of his face and said in a low voice: “That replenishing tonic was very strong. Palace Lord indulges in pleasure houses, so could it be that you take that medicine often?”

The topic of the conversation changed rather quickly. Rong Luoyun raised his eyes and drew closer, wanting to argue, but caught the laughter in Huo Linfeng’s eyes. He decided to play along and act shrewd: “Of course not. Do I seem that unfit?”

Huo Linfeng nodded in concession and laughed, feeling the magnolia flowers in his heart bloom. Fit his ass. Last night, when they were hugging and rubbing together, if he held on a little tighter or used a bit more force, that guy would be panting nonstop, softening like he lost his soul.

At this time, an aroma drifted into the room. Du Zheng carried up lunch, consisting of five side dishes and a tray of sweet rice steamed in bamboo. Huo Linfeng and Rong Luoyun were both hungry and came to the table to eat. Du Zheng consciously stepped aside on standby.

Rong Luoyun felt it was odd: “He’s your big brother, so why isn’t he eating?”

The master and servant pair stared. Huo Linfeng quickly said: “Big Brother, what are you standing there stupidly for. Quickly come eat while it’s still hot.”

The three sat around the table. Rong Luoyun pried open the bamboo tube, happily immersing himself in eating. This time, his visit wasn’t for nothing. The illness was gone, he had medicine applied, and enjoyed a meal. He stayed all the way until noon.

Seeing Huo Linfeng had drunk his medicine, he sat with his butt stuck to the stool, not moving, and said: “I should go back now.”

Huo Linfeng wiped his mouth: “Palace Lord is leaving already?”

Rong Luoyun changed his remark: “Then after one more cup of tea.” Drinking and eating, like a money leecher. He had thin skin and fiddled with the kite to hide his embarrassment. Suddenly, his hands turned up empty. When Huo Linfeng snatched the kite away, he immediately went into defense mode: “You can’t take back what you gave me.”

Huo Linfeng laughed in spite of himself. This kite was too plain and needed some decoration, so he went to get a brush and ink. Rong Luoyun relaxed his vigilance and went to pour tea. They ground cinnabar for red ink, azurite for green, and cape jasmine for yellow.

They sat close together, each with a brush in hand, pondering how they should depict the swallow.

Rong Luoyun drew the bird’s head while Huo Linfeng drew the body. They each took a wing. With an eye dotted on by each, the scarlet-feathered swallow was complete.

After setting down their brushes, Rong Luoyun remembered the bamboo lantern and the cloud patterns on its handle. He raised his brush again, dipped it into the greenish-blue ink, and added a few strokes to the bird’s wings. Huo Linfeing inquired: “What are these two little leaves?”

He answered: “—Du Zhong [1].”

The two turned to each other simultaneously, staring blankly at one another like two cute yet confused butterflies who had collided. A lantern with clouds was to be held in hands, yet the kite with eucommia flew in the skies.

Rong Luoyun only recovered after a while: “Okay, since we’re done drawing, I’ll be heading back.” He was starting to panic.

Huo Linfeng rose: “I’ll see you out.”

Rong Luoyun made his way out. He passed by an upturned book but couldn’t care less about it at the moment and hurriedly sped out. With the two people walking down the steps, their added weight made the squeaking of the steps sound like the rocking of the bamboo bed at night.

He blushed shamefully at this. Bamboo was a symbol of nobleness and elegance, but why was it that every nook and cranny of this bamboo grove was filled with charm?

Downstairs, Du Zheng appeared from the kitchen and returned the food box Rong Luoyun brought over last night. Huo Linfeng acted as a guide and led Rong Luoyun out of the bamboo grove. When he reached the doors, he continued to see Rong Luoyun out of the Thousand Opportunities Hall. Even a thousand-mile journey must end with a farewell. Yet, although this trip couldn’t be counted as a thousand miles, it stretched on and on.

Rong Luoyun walked a few steps along the small street and turned to say, “You should go back now.”

Huo Linfeng said: “Since the kite is freshly decorated, can Palace Lord fly it for me to see?”

This Great Disciple loves to disregard propriety, even making such a request. On the contrary, the Second Palace Lord’s temper was actually getting better, so he nodded in agreement. Rong Luoyun broke into a light run, unraveling the string, letting the inky swallow that had yet to dry fly freely into the sky.

His lightly colored robes fluttered in the wind, fresh and lively. Huo Linfeng followed behind in his ash gray robes, his eyes following along. With one behind the other, it looked like a devil venerable was following a little immortal, touring the three realms before they finally arrived in this one belonging to mortals.

A thin layer of sweat glistened under the sunlight. Rong Luoyun stopped and carelessly wiped at his face.

Huo Linfeng strode over to snatch the string spool like a bandit and ran away.

With few people outside this afternoon, the two chased and played around unfettered, despite one having internal injuries and the other still recovering from sickness. Thus, the two were huffing and puffing after a little running. These two who occupied the first and second place for the best qinggong techniques under the heavens were now gasping for air, their breaths entangling.

Huo Linfeng ended up sending Rong Luoyun all the way back to the Nameless Abode. He had not left after all this time because he had something on his mind. Jia Yanxi had five ledgers, two of which were given to Shen Zhou. There were still three left. If he guessed correctly, they should’ve been sent to that “mystery person” in Chang’an.

After chatting for a while, he watched the fish swimming in the tank and said casually: “Being back for two days, I can’t help but worry how Han Prefecture is doing.”

Rong Luoyun said: “It’s impossible to be attending to the world’s sufferings at all times. It is enough as long as you give it all your heart.”

Huo Linfeng hummed: “It’s a pity we only dug up Jia Yanxi’s crimes but not the evidence for his collusion with Chen Ruoyin.”

Rong Luoyun said: “He refused to confess, but the ledgers are crystal clear. You can see with one glance how much money was sent to the Grand Councilor.”

It seems to be that he was waiting for this very sentence. Being sly can easily arouse suspicion, so Huo Linfeng said bluntly: “The ledgers are of utmost importance. Seeing this, the remaining three will probably play important roles. I will be ready for any orders from Palace Lord.”

The water rippled as Rong Luoyun threw in a piece of pastry: “They will be, but this task is something this Lord would be doing himself.” He walked around the tank to Huo Linfeng’s side, “Don’t worry and focus on recuperating. Rest well for a few days.”

Huo Linfeng also advised: “Palace Lord’s internal energy has not yet recovered. You’re not allowed to go handling affairs alone.”

What he said was not “should not”, but “not allowed to”. His unyielding attitude caught the other party off guard. Rong Luoyun finally nodded, telling him to rest assured: “I was originally going to go alone, but now, I’ll get Third Bro and Ruan Ni to go.”

Huo Linfeng snorted coldly in his heart. That Little God of Wealth is always causing a ruckus, robbing people in the middle of the road. As for bringing Ruan Ni, he asked: “Palace Lord, if you were to go yourself, who would you bring?”

Rong Luoyun was silent for a moment. If he went himself, he would bring no one. Yet, when he opened his mouth to answer, he changed his words: “……You, of course.”

At these words, the fish in the tank splashed water at them, scolding them for being too noisy. Happiness sprouted in Huo Linfeng’s heart. Next time. They’ll go together next time. He’ll simply tell his secret a little later and stay a little longer.

The two used feeding fish as an excuse to stay, only stopping when the poor fish were on the verge of bursting. Huo Linfeng bid his farewells and stuffed a food box into Rong Luoyun’s arms, saying softly: “I told Big Brother to pack some snacks. You should try them, Palace Lord.”

After the person left, Rong Luoyun sat at the veranda and opened the box. It was a plate of warm steamed pears. He pinched up a piece and tried a bite. The texture was soft and a little gritty, and its sweetness was lasting.

When he looked again, he found a small note under the plate. There were several lines of words in small print.

—— Last night was warm and vivid. As an apology, for you, I gift this sweet and sour. Everything is still and silent, but seeing you again, my heart skips for you.

With a thump, Rong Luoyun felt his heart……skip a beat.

The author has something to say:

Rong Luoyun imagined a hand shaking convention for Huo Linfeng, where handkerchiefs are the entrance tickets.

If you enjoy reading Riling Up the Jianghu and would like to support the author (please do if you can!!), please consider purchasing the raws here (guide on JJWXC here). Thanks for reading!

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Notes

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