The little fish cub was still in a stage where he didn't understand much, but was very stubborn about what he believed. When he woke up early in the morning and found that his father was not around and he could only sleep alone in the water, he believed that his father must have bullied him and didn't let him go to bed.
That's why he ran to "comfort" his father.
It took Jing Li a lot of effort to convince Xiao Yuzai that his father was not bullied and that his father did not stop him from going to bed.
The little fish frowned, and a look of doubt appeared on his face, which was exactly the same as Qin Zhao's. But out of his unconditional trust in his father, he slid down from Jing Li's arms with a "hmm", staggered to Qin Zhao, and asked his father to pick him up.
Qin Zhao held his "lost and found" son in his arms and said helplessly, "I really can't easily make you angry in the future. My son is on your side."
If you provoke one, you will offend two people, and it’s impossible to appease them both.
"Of course I'll tell you." Jing Li smiled proudly, and then said, "By the way, don't change the subject. We haven't finished talking about what we just said. What are you going to do next? I think you said before that you would go back to Linxi Village first?"
Qin Zhao looked a little hesitant.
He seemed to suddenly develop a great interest in the little fish's clothes and started to fiddle with them.
Jing Li instinctively felt that his reaction was a little strange, and he suddenly thought of a possibility: "You don't want to leave me and Xiao Yuzi in Linxi Village and go to Beijing by yourself, do you???"
“… Ahem.”
Jing Li snatched the kid back, expressionless: "Don't even think about holding him again if you don't explain clearly."
Qin Zhao: “…”
"I did..." Qin Zhao considered his words carefully and said slowly, "I did... have this thought."
Jing Li narrowed his eyes in displeasure.
Qin Zhaoqing cleared his throat and explained, "The future of this trip to Beijing is uncertain. It may be dangerous for you to stay with me. I can feel more at ease if you stay in Linxi Village."
Jing Li held the fish cub and said sullenly, "I don't want it."
Qin Zhao had guessed this would happen.
It had always been his plan to go to the capital. Now the various prefectures and cities strictly scrutinized people coming and going, and he was a person without any background, so even if he pretended to be a merchant, he could not enter the capital, let alone the imperial city.
Going to Beijing as a juren to take the imperial examination was a powerful cover.
However, if he used this method, he would have to arrive in the capital at least one month before the imperial examination.
The first imperial examination was held on the ninth day of the second lunar month every year, and the journey from Jiangling Prefecture to the capital took one and a half months. So he had to set out at the end of November at the latest.
As for the return date, it is hard to say.
There is no way my husband would agree to such a long separation.
This is also the reason why Qin Zhao never mentioned it to him.
Jing Li said: "I can listen to you in everything except this one. Don't even think about leaving me behind."
The little fish cub also protested: "Humph."
In fact, Xiao Yuzai didn't understand what the two fathers were talking about at all. He just felt that his father was suddenly a little worried, so he naturally wanted to help him.
Qin Zhao was really troubled by this big and small one, and said: "Listen to me first..."
"Don't say anything. I won't agree to anything you say." Jing Li interrupted, "Yuzi and I won't cause any trouble. We can continue to take care of you if we follow you to Beijing. Otherwise, what if you get sick again?"
"Can… "
"There's nothing to discuss. Otherwise, no one should go. Let's go back to the village together. Anyway, we don't have to worry about food and drink now." Jing Li's attitude was very firm.
Qin Zhao couldn't persuade him and could only agree for the time being.
After finishing the business, Jing Li finally couldn't resist the sleepiness and rubbed his eyes. He had been in a state of great emotional fluctuations in the past two days, and he hardly slept last night, so he felt extremely tired at this moment.
"Have a sleep, I'll accompany you." Qin Zhao pulled the baby out of his arms and let Jing Li lie back on the bed.
He also sternly instructed the little fish: "Daddy is very tired, don't make noise, let him have a good sleep, do you understand?"
"I know." The little fish crawled between Jing Li and Qin Zhao and lay down obediently.
The tone of his words was almost exactly the same as Jing Li's. Qin Zhao also covered him with the quilt before lying down with him.
With a little kid in the middle, Qin Zhao couldn't hold his husband to sleep like before. He didn't close his eyes, quietly staring at his sleeping face, and from time to time stretched out his arm to brush the hair that fell on his cheek behind his ear.
"Qin Zhao..." Jing Li said in a half-asleep manner.
Qin Zhao: “Hmm?”
"Do you think I'm willful?" Jing Li didn't open his eyes. Half of his face was buried in the quilt. His voice was unclear. "But if you go to the capital, a letter will take more than a month to arrive. I can't stand not seeing you for so long and not hearing from you."
In this era, once two places are separated, it is a real separation.
There is no communication and no news for several months at the least, or even one or two years at the most. We don’t even know whether the other person is alive or dead.
Jingli couldn't stand this kind of life.
"I understand." Qin Zhao said softly, "What about you? Do you think I'm willful?"
"ah?"
Qin Zhao: "I could have just ignored everything and lived a peaceful life with you here, but I chose to go to the capital to make some trouble. Sometimes I wonder if I am a little too willful."
In fact, what Jing Li said just now was not wrong. Qin Zhao had more than one way forward.
He had a safer choice, which was to take his husband back to his hometown, hide his identity, and live the rest of his life. Jiangling Prefecture had Gu Changzhou in it, and the governor was his own man, so it was not difficult for him and his family to live the rest of their lives in peace.
But if you want to continue moving forward, you will face an uncertain future and many dangers.
It might even implicate his family.
This question was asked by Deng Tianyou when I met him last night.
"... I don't understand, wouldn't it be better for you to stay in Jiangling? It's been so long since the incident happened. If His Majesty really wanted to get rid of you, wouldn't you be walking into a trap if you go back now?"
Qin Zhao had heard this question more than once. Even the loyal Ah Qi had asked Qin Zhao, since Gu Changzhou was not allowed to rebel, why did he insist on going to Beijing
He never gave a direct answer.
"I understand you." Jing Li leaned forward and rested his head on Qin Zhao's shoulder. "As long as you don't abandon me, I will support whatever decision you make."
Before this, Jing Li guessed Qin Zhao's identity, so he didn't want Qin Zhao to come to Beijing.
Because he didn't know what happened at that time, he was worried that Qin Zhao would encounter danger on this trip and didn't want him to take the risk.
Until today.
When Qin Zhao was telling Jing Li about the past, he did not mention a word about the reason for going to Beijing, but Jing Li could feel what he was thinking.
He was unwilling to accept this.
Back then, Qin Zhao had the courage to take on the important task entrusted to him by the late emperor, and he was able to clean up the court by himself. He was a man more proud than anyone else. But now, even if he was exposed to the wind for a while, he would be sick and bedridden, and could only rely on medicine to barely survive.
No one would be willing to live like this.
Jing Li understood him and was willing to support him.
Of course, the premise is that this person absolutely cannot abandon him.
Even if you think he is willful, it won't work.
"Besides, don't forget that I am also useful." Jing Li said, "Yuzi and I are both koi. Staying by your side can increase your fortune. Anyone who dares to harm you will definitely have a bad ending in the end."
Qin Zhao chuckled and didn't argue with him: "Okay, I'll listen to you."
"Is it settled?"
"Well, it's settled." Qin Zhao said, "After all, your husband was once second to none, and I can't let you and your child really suffer that injustice."
Jing Li mumbled something in response, as if he had finally put his mind at ease, and soon there was no sound.
Fell asleep already
Qin Zhao tilted his head and saw the latter sleeping soundly with his head resting on his shoulder.
"I was worried that you would be scared after you knew the truth, but you went to sleep right away, and you didn't seem scared at all..."
Qin Zhao whispered to himself, but a little fat dog pressed his lips.
The little fish boy covered Qin Zhao's mouth and said seriously: "Shh."
Although Qin Zhao had promised not to abandon Jing Li, they had already written a letter back to the village, stating that they would return to Linxi Village in the near future. Therefore, the two decided to go back as planned.
"Take this with you as well. It's very windy in the village at night." In a blink of an eye, it was the day before departure, and Jing Li started packing his clothes early in the morning.
Qin Zhao watched him busying around and couldn't help asking, "Are you planning to stay in the village until winter?"
"Of course not. I agreed to be back in a few days." Jing Li said, "Unless you still want to leave me there."
Qin Zhao quickly shook his head to deny it.
Since he had promised Jing Li, he would definitely not go back on his word. But... they were clearly only going back to the village to stay for a few days, but this guy was making such a fuss that it was as if he was moving house, which was really frustrating.
"Fish, you're crushing your father's robe!"
"Qin Zhao, if you don't want to help, take the fish cub out and don't get in the way here."
The room was in chaos for a while, and it was in such an environment that Ah Qi knocked on the door.
The door was not closed. Qin Zhaogang picked up Yuzi from a pile of clothes and responded without turning his head: "Come in."
Ah Qi was also a little dazed when he saw the mess in the house, but he did not forget his mission and walked straight to Qin Zhao: "Sir, there is news from the capital."
Everyone in the room stopped moving.
Years ago, Gu Changzhou went to the capital, ostensibly to deliver cloth for the imperial family, but actually to lay the intelligence network in advance and prepare for Qin Zhao's trip to the capital.
The news network was just launched, and news was not delivered quickly. This was the first time Qin Zhao received news from the capital.
Jing Li quickly put down his work, took the little fish, and sat beside him. Ever since Qin Zhao confessed to him, he never avoided him again. Jing Li knew that he was just trying to accommodate him, so he tried not to disturb Qin Zhao when he was busy.
Qin Zhao didn't say anything and opened the letter directly.
After reading it, he was silent for a moment.
He waved Ah Qi away and put the letter into the charcoal brazier and burned it.
"What's the matter?" Seeing Qin Zhao's face slightly solemn, Jing Li asked in a low voice.
Watching the secret letter sent from the capital burn to ashes, Qin Zhaocai slowly said, "News came from the capital saying that the current emperor caught a cold in the fall and has been bedridden ever since. He has now retired to the harem to recuperate and has not attended court for dozens of days."
"… ah?"
Jing Li blinked. He didn't know much about these things, and for a moment he couldn't understand the twists and turns. His first reaction was...
Is his koi physique already so agile
It was not in vain that he cursed Qin Zhao every night before going to bed, hoping that the person who poisoned him would pay the price soon.