Card Room (Rebirth)

Chapter 153: Beacon in Troubled Times 03

Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang didn’t sleep until the early hours of the morning and only got two or three hours of sleep.

The next morning, their biological clock caused the two people to wake up on time. Xiao Lou found that both of them slept straight with their hands on their chests, in the standard ‘corpse’ position. They could directly be covered with white cloth to be buried.

Yu Hanjiang opened the quilt and got out of bed, speaking like nothing happened. “Get up and wash.”

Xiao Lou nodded. The girl outside the room knocked to come in. She carried a basin of water to the stool and handed him a clean towel. Xiao Lou briefly washed before grabbing the bronze mirror on the table and looked at it.

Although he had slept straight on the bed last night and didn’t dare to move, he still had to take down the bun while sleeping and his hair was a mess after sleeping all night long. Yu Hanjiang’s hair was also a mess. Xiao Lou was wondering if he should ask the maid to help comb it when Pingren laughed. “Madam, are you still going to comb Daren’s hair yourself today?”

Xiao Lou, “…”

Yu Hanjiang, “…”

This sentence made a scene automatically rise in their minds. Every day, Yu Hanjiang would get up early, waking before dawn. Xiao Lou would wake up with him at the same time, personally combing his hair and helping him organize his clothes. After Yu Hanjiang left, Xiao Lou would take a nap before getting up at breakfast time. Usually, Yu daren would’ve returned by this time.

Since being married, it was a habit to comb his husband’s hair every day. The habit naturally couldn’t be changed. Xiao Lou could only say, “Yes, I will comb Daren’s hair.”

Pinger smiled. “Then I will go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Wait for me to call you.”

Once she left, Yu Hanjiang consciously sat at the table and asked, “Will you comb it?”

Xiao Lou laughed. “I have the memory in my mind and will try it.”

He stood behind Yu Hanjiang and released the bun. In ancient times, men had very long hair. Xiao Lou combed Yu Hanjiang’s hair before carefully braiding it according to the scene in his memory.

Yu Hanjiang didn’t move. He looked at Xiao Lou’s serious expression in the copper mirror and couldn’t help smiling. If Xiao Lou was willing to comb his hair every day then he would rather have long hair and need to comb it for an hour a day.

Xiao Lou’s actions were very gentle and the wooden comb gently slipped across his scalp like feathers running across the apex of his heart. Although Yu Hanjiang was sitting upright with a still body, his heartbeat couldn’t fool anyone.

For men in ancient times, their happiest moment was having a lover like this?

Xiao Lou’s fingers were white and slender as they gently helped Yu Hanjiang organize his hair. Yu Hanjiang really wanted to play back this scene a hundred times in slow motion.

The room was very quiet and Xiao Lou was actually forcing himself to be composed.

It was unknown how long it took but Xiao Lou finally got Group Leader Yu’s hair according to his memory. Then he brought the official uniform to Yu Hanjiang. With his hair rising high, Yu Hanjiang’s distinctive facial features were completely revealed. Such a hairstyle made him look handsome and capable. His tall and upright figure would definitely fascinate countless people if he took part in an idol costume drama.

Xiao Lou’s heart thumped and he didn’t dare to look into this person’s deep eyes. He immediately looked away and tried to maintain his calm as he spoke softly. “The people in ancient times have too long hair. It is really troublesome to comb the hair.”

Yu Hanjiang’s eyes were particularly gentle as he watched Xiao Lou and whispered, “You sit down. I’ll also help comb your hair.”

Xiao Lou hurriedly shook his head. “No, I can do it myself…”

“You can’t figure out this long hair by yourself.” Yu Hanjiang simply pressed Xiao Lou down on the stool, picked up the comb and helped him organize his long hair.

Xiao Lou was in women’s clothing and his long hair went to his waist. The black hair slipping over Yu Hanjiang’s fingers were as soft as fine silk. Yu Hanjiang didn’t want to let this long hair go and combed it neatly. Then he tied it up based on his memory.

The women of the Daqi Dynasty could braid or have loose hair before marriage but they had to wear it up after marrying. There were many types of buns but Yu Hanjiang knew the one Xiao Lou usually wore because they were a loving couple in this world and often combed each other’s hair.

Yu Hanjiang skillfully tied up the long hair and personally inserted the elegant, wooden hairpin into Xiao Lou’s bun.

Xiao Lou’s ears were burning hot and the tip of his ears glowed a thin red. This particularly contrasted with his fair skin. Yu Hanjiang’s heart swayed when he saw the red ears and accidentally dropped the comb in his hand, making a loud sound as it landed on the ground.

The clear sound made both their senses return.

Xiao Lou hurriedly got up. “Um, thank you…”

Just then, the housekeeper Yao Ba came in from the backyard and said, “Daren, the carriage is ready.”

Yu Hanjiang naturally took Xiao Lou’s hand and said, “We will set off after breakfast.”

Xiao Lou whose hand was held again, “……”

Wasn’t Group Leader Yu becoming more and more skilled with this action?

After breakfast, they came to the door and saw Yun Cang waiting with two horses. The horses looked edge and there was a fine carriage parked not far away. Yu Hanjiang ordered Yun Cang to prepare for his wife. Pinger would be next to her and Yao Ba the driver.

They were only taking Yun Cang, Yao Ba and Pinger to Jiangzhou this time. The other servants had been released by the housekeeper and they could go to Jiangzhou to find them again if desired.

Yu Hanjiang took Xiao Lou to the side of the carriage and whispered, “Madam, get in the carriage.”

He held his arm to help Xiao Lou onto the carriage and had Pinger follow to take care of her.

Xiao Lou sat firmly in the spacious carriage and opened the curtains to look. Yu Hanjiang was riding the horse in front of him. Regardless of whether Yu Hanjiang rode in real life or not, the setting was automatically set when he came here.

Yu Hanjiang’s appearance when riding was quite handsome and brilliant…

Yu Hanjiang on the horse turned back to look at Xiao Lou. He met Xiao Lou’s eyes and slightly smiled as he waved his hand. “Go!”

In ancient times, traffic was inconvenient and it took a day to get from the capital to Jiangzhou.

Xiao Lou hadn’t slept well last night and the shaking of the carriage was hypnotic. Yu Hanjiang wasn’t around and his heart wasn’t so chaotic. He fell asleep and there were many messy fragments in his dream, all of which were memory fragments of this world.

Four years ago, Yu Hanjiang had rushed to Beijing to take the exam and was bitten by a poisonous snake in the woods. Xiao Lou happened to pass by and saved him. After a few days together, Yu Hanjiang went to the capital and became the highest scorer.

After a month, Yu Hanjiang came back to Jiangzhou to find him and proposed seriously, “Marry me. I will love you and protect you for all your life.”

Xiao Lou was moved by his promise and agreed.

The Yu family had been officials for generations and Yu Hanjiang was the new champion. The matchmakers almost broke through the threshold and as a result, he married a civilian woman from a poor family. He was naturally criticized. However, Yu Hanjiang didn’t mind. There was lavish treatment for the official wedding. The wedding was extremely grand to give Xiao Lou face.

On the wedding night, Yu Hanjiang led Xiao Lou into the wedding room. The two people drank a glass of wine and Yu Hanjiang stared into Xiao Lou’s eyes, his voice low and hoarse. “From today on, you are my wife. In this life, I only want to work with you and grow old with you. Can you do this?”

Xiao Lou blushed and nodded earnestly. “En…”

Yu Hanjiang smiled and gently took off Xiao Lou’s red wedding dress. Then he pressed Xiao Lou back on the wedding bed covered in red silk. It was a night of being tangled up together.

Xiao Lou suddenly woke up from his dream, his face as red as a cooked shrimp.

Pinger looked at his face and couldn’t help wonder, “Madam, why is your face so red?”

Xiao Lou, “………”

He really wanted to beat up A of Hearts a hundred times! The role-playing game just needed to set the identities. Was there a need for some many details? Not only did he need to wear women’s clothing and pretend to be husband and wife with Yu Hanjiang, he even received the memories of their wedding night!

He was a virgin in his 20s who had never been in a relationship. Now he was inexplicably married to someone and had memories of the wedding room?! These were just false memories and didn’t really happen. It was like having a dream and he shouldn’t mind it too much. However, if Yu Hanjiang also had this memory… how could he look Group Leader Yu in the eye after leaving this secret room?

Xiao Lou suddenly had a headache. A of hearts was once his favourite but now he found that she also had a big pit!

He covered his head to calm himself down. Just then, the carriage suddenly stopped and the sound of Yu Hanjiang conversing with someone was heard. He heard Yu Hanjiang’s low voice ask, “Who are these people?”

The one in charge of driving the carriage, Yao Ba replied, “Daren, I see that they carrying a lot of cloth. They should be a caravan from Qingzhou.”

Yu Hanjiang ordered, “Go and take a look.”

He and Yun Cang rode together. They had just taken a few steps when they saw a man leaning on the side of the carriage, leisurely drinking water while basking in the sun.

The man was wearing a deep purple silk robe with gold threads embroidered on them, delicate black boots on his feet and a folding fan in his hand. The pair of peach blossom eyes were full of charms. Wasn’t this Shao Qingge?

Yu Hanjiang glanced at his ‘I am an upstart’ clothing and raised his eyebrows. “This is?”

Shao Qingge also recognized Yu Hanjiang but they didn’t know each other in the secret room so he could only enter the role. “I am Shao Qingge from the Shao family of the lower Qingcheng. Can I ask who you are?”

“Yu Hanjiang, the new prefectural magistrate of Jiangzhou.”

Shao Qingge reached out and smiled. “Yu daren, it is fortunate. I am also going to Jiangzhou. I wonder if I can go with you and be a companion?”

Yu Hanjiang nodded. “Okay.”

Xiao Lou heard Yu Hanjiang riding his horse away and talking to the other party. He opened the curtain and got out of the carriage because he was curious. He took a few steps forward and asked softly, “Husband, what is it?”

Yu Hanjiang, “…”

Shao Qingge, “……”

Seeing that the woman in front of him was Professor Xiao, Shao Qingge almost spat out a mouthful of water.

Although he was wearing female clothing, Shao Qingge recognized Xiao Lou instantly. Xiao Lou wore a long white gown and his temperament was gentle and beautiful. What did he call Yu Hanjiang? If Shao Qingge heard right, it seemed like… Husband??”

Facing Shao Qingge’s shocked eyes, Xiao Lou’s ears turned red. He didn’t know how to explain and wanted to immediately retract back into the carriage, pretending that these people didn’t exist.

Shao Qingge firmly pressed a hand against his temple and asked, “Daren, this is?”

Yu Hanjiang thought of the ancient vocabulary and replied calmly, “This is my neiren.” (Humble way of saying my wife)

Xiao Lou and Shao Qingge, “……”

Yu Hanjiang was very engaged and devoted to this play as he looked back at Xiao Lou. “Madam, this is the young master of the Shao Family in Qingcheng. He is going to Jiangzhou to do business and is taking the same way as us.”

Xiao Lou was so embarrassed that he couldn’t wait to dig a hole and bury himself.

Neiren, madam, how could Group Leader Yu say these words so smoothly?

However, a group of servants was around him and Xiao Lou had to smile. “Shao gongzi.” (Son of an official/noble)

Shao Qingge almost spat out water again. He hurriedly gave it to his servant as he looked carefully at Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang. Finally, he accepted the setting with a smile. “The two of you are really talented and beautiful. You are a perfect match!”

Xiao Lou was embarrassed and had to pretend not to hear.

Yu Hanjiang accepted the praise and held Xiao Lou’s shoulder. “Shao gongzi, let me speak to you.”

Shao Qingge followed Yu Hanjiang and Xiao Lou into the depths of the woods.

Once no one was around, Shao Qingge laughed loudly. He laughed so much that he might’ve got an internal injury. Xiao Lou’s cheeks were hot and he spoke helplessly, “Stop laughing. Do you think I want to wear female clothing?”

Yu Hanjiang spoke lightly, “It is the keeper who arranged Xiao Lou as my wife and we have to act as a husband and wife.”

Shao Qingge’s eyes teased them. “You don’t want to? I think the two of you are very immersed.”

Xiao Lou, “…”

Yu Hanjiang quickly changed the topic and asked seriously, “You are a person coming from Qingcheng to Jiangzhou. Do you have any clues?”

Shao Qingge became serious. “My Shao family is the largest silk supplier in the Qi Dynasty. My father asked me to transport this batch of silk to Jiangzhou and to visit the Eighth Imperial Uncle in Zhenjiang. The Eighth Imperial Uncle is the uncle of the emperor and it will be his 50th birthday in a few days. My father asked me to prepare a generous gift so we can establish a good relationship with the Eighth Imperial Uncle. This way, the market in Jiangzhou can open for the Shao family.”

Xiao Lou joked, “You did assign yourself the identity of a rich man.”

Shao Qingge winked at him. “I would rather let the keeper arrange a lady for me, hahahaha.”

“…Are you done?” Xiao Lou wondered.

Shao Qingge continued to laugh. “This secret room seems to have no time limit. The two of you should cherish the time you need to play a husband and wife.”

Yu Hanjiang glanced at him coldly, “After going to Jiangzhou, we will investigate separately. Once we find our other teammates, we need to gather up and organize the clues so as to not reveal any suspicion.”

Shao Qingge nodded. “Of course. After I arrive in Jiangzhou, I will settle at the inn. You can always come to me.”

Xiao Lou smiled and said, “Then let’s go. We should arrive in Jiangzhou as soon as possible.”

Back in the carriage, Shao Qingge kept laughing.

His small manservant next to him asked doubtfully, “Master, why are you so happy today?”

Shao Qingge told him, “I think that there will be a very good play to see this time in Jiangzhou.”

He really couldn’t wait to see the reaction of his teammates to Xiao Lou wearing female clothing and calling Yu Hanjiang ‘Husband’. It was estimated that the jaws of Ye Qi, Old Mo and the others would drop. Hahaha!