### Chapter 068: Scar on the Left Chest

### Chapter 068: Scar on the Left Chest

This dog is mentioned in a travelogue. The author of the travelogue had an extraordinary talent for languages and traveled extensively across the country, even to extremely hot and cold regions. This type of dog was seen in a very cold place, with thick fur like that of a snow fox, perfectly adapted to icy conditions.

The eunuchs in the palace first saw Xiao Bai and examined its tongue, forming some initial guesses. They wondered if the excessive use of charcoal fire might be the cause. However, due to Xiao Bai's severe hair loss and symptoms of bloody stools, they were unsure.

General Jian He placed great importance on this dog, intending to gift it to the Empress. If his own diagnosis turned out to be incorrect, it would be better to avoid any complications by not treating the dog at all.

After confirming from the book that the dog thrived in icy conditions, they felt confident about treating it.

Jian He slapped his thigh, looking at the book with sudden realization: "Now I understand... No wonder Zhuang Yuqing could raise it well while I couldn't. He kept it casually in the wild, whereas I worried it would get cold and gave it too much charcoal fire!"

Dogs born in icy conditions fear heat the most. Excessive use of charcoal fire, combined with large quantities of food, mostly meat, made the dog uncomfortable all over.

The eunuch said, "I will go prepare some medicine and take care of Xiao Bai. It should gradually improve."

"My personal guard is outside. You can take them to get the medicine and return now; I'll come back later." Xiao Bai was important to Jian He, but for some reason, he didn't want to leave the Imperial Academy just yet.

After the eunuch left, Jian He turned to Fu Jiaze and asked, "I heard your uncle is Fu Bin?"

"Yes."

"Because of such a relative, you can enter the Imperial Academy to read books, but you must be diligent. This travelogue..."

Jian He's expression was somewhat conflicted. While young people could read various books, the opportunity to enter the Imperial Academy before the Spring Examination was rare. He felt that if Fu Jiaze wasted time reading travelogues here, it would be a waste of precious time.

Pei Jin couldn't help but laugh.

Jian He looked at his friend and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"In the past, you used to get headaches from reading, and now you're lecturing others to read seriously," Pei Jin shook his head. "It's quite amusing."

"You, Pei Jin, always ruin my attempts," Jian He said irritably.

Fu Jiaze noticed that since meeting Jian He, Pei Jin seemed in high spirits, and the two engaged in playful banter.

Pei Jin said, "Jinyuan has his own ideas about reading. Don't worry; he reads these miscellaneous books to gather information."

They chatted for a while longer, with Fu Jiaze sitting quietly beside them.

From his angle, he could see Jian He's sharp jawline. His appearance bore no resemblance to Jian Yunyao except for their eyes. Jian Yunyao's eyes were bright and wise, like calm water, while Jian He's eyes were equally bright but sharp, like burning fire.

Fu Jiaze occasionally glanced at Jian He and then out the window.

The windows of the Imperial Academy were made of large, clear panes of glass, allowing light to stream in.

The snow from the last winter solstice had melted completely, taking the remaining leaves on the branches with it, leaving only bare branches.

Jian He said, "Let's have lunch together. You're invited too." The last sentence was directed at Fu Jiaze.

"I can't join you for lunch," Pei Jin shook his head. "I need to go home for lunch."

Jian He instinctively thought someone was managing Pei Jin's schedule: "Did you get married?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Jin's mind flashed with Wen Hui's face, suppressing the ripples in his heart. He shook his head and said, "I need to eat with Qinghe."

Seeing Pei Jin's expression, Jian He realized there might be more to the story and said, "Then have lunch with your disciple. Let him represent you."

Pei Jin smiled at Fu Jiaze, "You'll drink some wine with him on my behalf."

To Jian He, he said, "You're not young anymore, so don't bully my student."

"How could I?" General Jian He smiled warmly.

Jian He took Fu Jiaze to dine at Tenglong Pavilion. The owner of Tenglong Pavilion, whose parents were killed by the Di people, reserved the best private room for General Jian He. Whenever Jian He visited the capital city, he always dined here.

/

Jian He didn't even need to order; the restaurant prepared dishes based on the number of guests.

Fu Jiaze looked at his cup and said, "Today, dining with the general is indeed a privilege to taste Tenglong Pavilion's fine wine."

Jian He laughed loudly, "Then you should drink more."

Fu Jiaze's alcohol tolerance was good for a scholar, but not for a military officer.

Especially someone like Jian He, who had spent years stationed in the cold borderlands, where strong liquor was consumed like water. Jian He had a high tolerance for alcohol.

Fu Jiaze could usually cheat or sneak around at other banquets, but for some reason, he didn't want to use such tricks with Jian He.

Jian He didn't need to force him; Fu Jiaze subconsciously raised his cup and drank.

Cup after cup, soon the wine jar was empty.

Clank.

Fu Jiaze's eyes glazed over, and his cup fell to the ground as he slumped onto the table.

Holding his cup, Jian He chuckled and shook his head, finishing the last sip.

Xiao Wu tried to help his master, but Jian He said, "I'm his elder; why do you need to? I'll carry him myself."

Jian He pushed Xiao Wu aside and easily lifted Fu Jiaze.

When he placed Fu Jiaze in the carriage, he pinched the flesh on Fu Jiaze's arm, satisfied to feel muscle underneath. Clearly, Fu Jiaze wasn't just a weak scholar but also practiced martial arts.

The carriage arrived at the Fu residence. The gatekeeper learned from Xiao Wu that Jian He was the general and quickly informed the lady of the house.

Today, Fu Heng had taken Fu Wanan out, and Fu Bin had returned to the palace for duty. The entire household was left to Lin Yingxue.

Lin Yingxue, wrapped in a fox fur, hurried out to greet him and bowed.

"General Jian, please let the servants take care of this."

Jian He looked at her. Since she had not gone out, her lustrous black hair was simply styled into a single bun. She wore a peach-colored robe underneath the bright red fox fur.

Her beauty was like the moon, her eyes captivating, and she seemed well-matched with Fu Jiaze in appearance alone.

But what is Lin Yingxue's status?

Jian He decided to find out later.

The residence was small, so if entering was inappropriate, Jian He handed Fu Jiaze over to his family members and said, "I am acquainted with Pei, the head of the Imperial Academy. I will request leave for him. Let Jinyuan rest at home this afternoon."

His tone was intimate, as if he were an elder concerned about a younger relative.

Lin Yingxue found it strange that her husband knew this general but still agreed.

Jian He glanced at Fu Jiaze, hesitated, then said, "In the future, you should also remind Jinyuan not to drink so much outside. Getting drunk would be troublesome, wouldn't it?"

"He doesn't usually do this. Perhaps he was just happy to see you," Lin Yingxue wondered why Fu Jiaze had gotten drunk, as he usually avoided drinking whenever possible. Moreover, it was General Jian who brought him back.

Hearing this, Jian He couldn't help but smile, thinking Fu Jiaze's wife was not only beautiful but also sweet-tongued.

To avoid suspicion, Jian He did not stay long. He drank the tea Lin Yingxue offered and left after wiping his mouth.

/

After seeing off Jian He, Lin Yingxue went to the room and asked Feiyuan, "Are you awake?"

Feiyuan shook her head.

Lin Yingxue walked around the screen to the bed, where the strong smell of alcohol was even more evident due to the charcoal fire.

She covered her nose and mouth, leaning closer to look.

Fu Jiaze was truly asleep, breathing evenly.

Just as Lin Yingxue hesitated whether to let him sleep it off, Fu Jiaze opened his eyes.

His eyes were bloodshot from drinking, making him look exhausted.

Lin Yingxue felt a pang of sympathy and asked, "General Jian said he would request leave for you. Do we need to send someone else?"

Fu Jiaze shook his head, his voice hoarse. Seeing Lin Yingxue cover her nose, he tried to get up.

"My teacher and General Jian are close friends; there's no need to go to the Imperial Academy. Have someone prepare hot water for me to bathe."

Lin Yingxue, seeing how difficult it was for him to get up, said, "If you're uncomfortable, don't bother bathing."

"I'll feel worse if I don't." Fu Jiaze replied.

Lin Yingxue had the servants make the bath room warmer, while Fu Jiaze started undressing.

Removing his outer robe, revealing his inner garment, which fell to the ground, exposing his chest. There was a scar on his left chest.

Fu Jiaze touched the scar.

Lin Yingxue couldn't help asking, "Does the wound hurt because of the alcohol?"

"A wound from over a decade ago wouldn't hurt now," Fu Jiaze smiled, "I just touched it."

Lin Yingxue discovered this scar on her husband half a month after their wedding night. On their wedding night, she didn't dare open her eyes, only holding his neck, touching nothing else.

Half a month later, Lin Yingxue touched the scar and asked about its origin.

Fu Jiaze raised an eyebrow, amused, saying, "I thought you'd ask sooner. Didn't expect it to be now."

That night, Fu Jiaze led her to touch his body.

Lin Yingxue blushed and tried to withdraw her hand, but Fu Jiaze held it.

"This scar is from when I was abandoned. I was stripped naked, my hair cut short, and this wound on my chest. I think my birth parents did this. Hair could be sold, clothes weren't wasted, and since I was young, they didn't want to sell me cheaply, so they decided to kill me."

Fu Jiaze played with Lin Yingxue's hand, saying, "At that time, Great Qi and the Di people were fighting over Fengcheng, and many people couldn't afford to raise children. Child traffickers didn't need to buy; they just picked them up. I was lucky to be adopted by my mother. When she saw me half-conscious, she thought of her brother and took me in. I survived by luck. I was too badly injured, and traffickers didn't want me, fearing bad luck."

"Saving me was luckier. The doctor my mother found didn't charge her a coin, saying if I died, he would take the body."

Fu Jiaze held Lin Yingxue's hand, pointing to the right side of his chest, "Everyone has a heart, usually on the left, but mine is oddly on the right."

Lin Yingxue remembered those words and touched the scar.

"The water is ready," Feiyuan peeked in.

Lin Yingxue quickly withdrew her hand, turned away, and after a moment, turned back to support Fu Jiaze.

Fu Jiaze chuckled, "I can walk."

Lin Yingxue glared at him, "Why did you drink so much?"

Though her tone was reproachful, she supported him carefully.

After a brief nap, Fu Jiaze had sobered up a bit and walked alongside Lin Yingxue.

Neither of them liked being served, so Feiyuan prepared the water and left.

In the bath room, Fu Jiaze entered the tub, and Lin Yingxue, who usually left, stayed behind.

She worried he might drown in the tub due to the alcohol.

The warmth of the bath room reddened her cheeks, and the steam seemed to mist her clear eyes.

Her support moved him, and her tone of reproach was somewhat adorable. Fu Jiaze endured for a long time, feeling that the scent of alcohol on his body had been replaced by the fragrance of soap, and even his mouth tasted faintly of green salt instead of alcohol. He then kissed her lips.

Lin Yingxue struggled; her clothes were all wet.

Fu Jiaze paused, "You don't want to?" He began to reflect, wondering if he had forced her.

"My clothes are all wet."

If it was just wet clothes, it didn't matter. Fu Jiaze smiled as he lifted her into his arms, his voice hoarse: "We can dry them later by the fire. I'll do it."

He placed her gently onto the soft bed, then leaned over her, placing her hand on his chest, right over the scar from his wound, and began to kiss her tenderly.

If his usual actions were gentle and languid, today Lin Yingxue felt like a small boat in a storm, tossed high and then thrown down by the waves.