4.5

After the Lantern Festival concluded, boss Hu's glass lamp business was doing exceptionally well. He couldn't help but smile all day long while because business was booming.

Qiao Chen also became famous in Luodu city overnight. Many people went to the Marquis of Guangde's official manor to request a painting from Qiao Chen. However, they ended up learning that Qiao Chen mainly resided in Hanwu Temple and very seldom returned to Guang Dehou's residence. Therefore, many people went to Hanwu Temple to find Qiao Chen, but practically no one was able to see him.

After Prince Yong An found out that Qiao Chen was living in Hanwu Temple, he personally visited the temple to see Qiao Chen. However, the young monk's response informed him that Qiao Chen and the host were discussing Buddhist sutras, so he was unable to see anyone during this period of time.

Hanwu Temple's abbot was a senior ranked monk. His followers could be found all over the great Wei country. Even many esteemed individuals in various highly respected fields were his followers. Furthermore, people with powerful connections also had to show some consideration or yield to him to some degree.

Qiao Chen was young, but he was still able to be recognized by Great Master Kong Wu. He could even discuss Buddhist sutra and dharma with him. This made Prince Yong An firmly resolve his determination to pull Qiao Chen to his side. He believed that he would very soon defeat the Xiao family and ascend the throne with Chen Jingrui's and Qiao Chen's help.

These days, Qiao Chen was actually discussing sutras and dharma with the host, but they only talked for one or two hours a day. There were so many people who wanted to see him every day. If he met with one, then he'd have to meet with the others. Not only would this disturb his own peace, but it would also disturb Hanwu Temple's monks and their peace. Therefore, he simply chose not to see anyone. Since no one was able to meet him, there were fewer and fewer people coming to find him.

Qiao Chen was certain that no one would dare to rush into the temple to see him. So then, he brought two retainers with him to live in the bamboo house behind Hanwu temple for peace and quiet and to paint. Even Zhang Hong and the other businessmen weren't about to contact him directly. He just occasionally descended the mountain and returned to the family home to see his mother and let her see him.

Qiao Chen knew that the Hanwu Temple's warrior monks could stop everyone except for one man. That one man was currently hiding outside the corner window watching him. He had painted for more than two hours and that man had also stood there for more than two hours. Qiao Chen felt quite helpless about his lover's voyeuristic habit.

Qiao Chen finally finished the painting after several days. After putting the brush down, he began to prepare the painting to dry. Then he would have his attendant send it to the host.

He lived there for free and used the Hanwu Temple as a shield to refuse those people who requested paintings. He has always wanted to give the host some benefits for helping him, so the Guanyin lotus flower was painted as a beautiful gift..

Qiao Chen asked Feng Shu to boil some water to make tea. When the tea was ready, the aroma wafted through the air. Qiao Chen then said, "If you don't come in, then I'll drink it all alone. I won't even leave you a drop."

Feng Shu and Fend Bi were confused because of Qiao Chen's sudden words. They didn't know who Qiao Chen was talking to. They were shocked when they saw a person suddenly appear at the door. They had no idea when this person came and they didn't even notice him either.

"The two of you can take the painting on the table and send it to the host. You also don't need to come in to wait on me for the time being." Qiao Chen instructed Feng Shu and Feng Bi.

"Yes sir." Feng Bi carefully rolled up the painting and carried it while Feng Shu led the way. When they passed by Xiao Qinan, they wanted to secretly look up to see him, but Xiao Qinan's aura was too strong. They didn't dare to look up.

"Come and try my tea. It's specially prepared just for you." Qiao Chen said.

Xiao Qinan sat down and asked, "How do you know I have a heart demon?"

"I've heard that the general was not only brave and good at fighting, but was also able to slaughter your enemies in your dreams. That you are not afraid of the cold- so much so that even the coldest of winters are nothing to you." In fact, Qiao Chen knew through his system that when Xiao Qinan made his way to the province south of Xinjian, he was mistakenly targeted by the shaman clan. He was dosed with a fire poison that caused him chronic physical and mental damage.

In reality, Xiao Qinan's dreams of killing the enemy were all sleepwalking. He had these nightmares every night and couldn't really sleep at all. Luckily, Xiao Qinan's body was strong enough and his martial arts was high. Ordinary people would have already died due to mental exhaustion. However, the doctor was unable to diagnose the reason. They said that Xiao Qinan had killed too many evil people who had heart demons, so Xiao Qinan would often visit the Hanwu Temple to try an soothe the evil haunting him.

"How's this tea?" Qiao Chen asked with a smile.

"It's too bitter and doesn't taste like tea." Xiao Qinan thought that the tea would have tasted just like it smelled. However, it was even more bitter than Chinese goldthread. It wasn't as good as the tea Qiao Chen made previously.

"Try it again." Qiao Chen poured him another cup.

Xiao Qinan still thought it was still bitter after drinking it. He thought that Qiao Chen was just teasing him on purpose, but still quietly finished the rest of the tea in the cup.

Qiao Chen kept pouring tea for Xiao Qinan until the pot was empty. Then Qiao Chen asked again, "What do you think of this tea now?"

Xiao Qinan was just about to say that all he tasted was bitterness, but he suddenly felt a refreshingly sweet taste in his mouth. It spread directly to his chest and that feeling of a dry heat that burnt his heart was immediately extinguished.

"What kind of tea is this?" Xiao Qinan asked seriously. He had tried a lot of herbs, but he still couldn't control the hot and dry fire he felt in his heart. But a pot of tea can actually suppress his hot and dry feeling?

"It's a wild tea that grows on the edge this mountain spring." Qiao Chen replied.

Xiao Qinan looked at Qiao Chen in disbelief. If it was just an ordinary wild tea, then it wouldn't be so bitter.

Qiao Chen saw that he didn't believe him and said, "This tea must be picked at midnight when the sky is very cloudy. Then, the lotus seed core in the lotus pond must be harvested at the same time. After, the two must be mixed and kneaded together for two shichen*. Then, you have to put it in the ice cellar to freeze dry the tea. Before you make the tea, you have to make sure that the tea isn't exposed to any sparks of light or sunshine. If you use the spring water from Hanwu mountain to steep the tea, then the effect will become much better."

(T/N: Two hour periods of the day. So two shichen is four hours.)

Qiao Chen took out a palm sized sealed ceramic bottle and handed it to him. "This is for the general to take back with you to steep and drink. It's better for the general to boil the tea in the evening yourself. However, this tea can only temporarily ease the general's heart fire. It cannot completely eliminate it."

Xiao Qinan held the ceramic bottle in his hand and looked at Qiao Chen. He asked, "Why do you know me so well? It seems as though you know everything about me. Why do you want to help me anyways? Your Cheng family stands with Prince Yong An's political faction."

"The Cheng family is the Cheng family. I am myself. Just because the Cheng family sides with Prince Yong An doesn't mean that I will also side with Prince Yong An."

Xiao Qinan had already thoroughly checked Qiao Chen's background out, but he still thought that this person was full of mystery. He looked at Qiao Chen's bright and clean face and was suddenly struck with the impulse to firmly push him down and possess his body.

Such an idea made Xiao Qinan close his eyes. He didn't want Qiao Chen to see the desire that burned in his eyes. Since they were both men, he didn't know if Qiao Chen would run away from him if he found out that he harbored such thoughts. If Cheng Jingyun didn't like homosexuality, then he would never be able see him again.

When Xiao Qinan opened his eyes, he saw Qiao Chen's face and looked into his eyes. Qiao Chen was less than three inches away from his face.

"If I said that I wanted to help detoxify the general, would you believe me?" Qiao Chen's body was propped up on the table as he was very close to Xiao Qinan and gazed deeply into his eyes.

"Detoxify? You mean I'm poisoned? How can you detoxify me?" Xiao Qinan previously suspected that he might be poisoned, but no doctor could detect it in his body. How would Qiao Chen know?

"General, just say that you are willing to believe me and do as I say." Qiao Chen couldn't tell him the detoxification method for the time being. Xiao Qinan's fire poison could only be removed by the leader of the Wu clan. However, it was too much trouble to go to south of Xinjian to find the shaman clan's leader. If Qiao Chen lead the fire poison into his own body, then he could use the system to easily drive out the fire poison. However, he was worried that if he told Xiao Qinan to lead the poison to his body, then Xiao Qinan would never touch him in this lifetime.

Xiao Qinan couldn't say anything to refuse. He thought that even if Qiao Chen didn't mean to detoxify him, but to take his life, then he still wouldn't resist. He knew this type of trust was dangerous, but he felt it in his very soul that Qiao Chen wouldn't hurt him.

Xiao Qinan stayed that night. When midnight arrived, Qiao Chen asked him to take off his clothes and soak in the lotus pond in his pants. Xiao Qinan had been poisoned for several years, so the venom had already spread all over his body. Qiao Chen had to force the toxin to one place before he was able to transfer it all in one go.

Half of the bamboo house was on the shore and the other half was on the water. Qiao Chen sat on the edge of the bamboo corridor with his feet immersed in the water. He propped his hands behind his back and looked at the moon in the sky while Xiao Qinan soaked in the water in front of him.

Hanwu mountain's nightly frost and fog was very cold. The water in the lotus pond was extremely cold as well. Xiao Qinan looked at Qiao Chen's feet swaying in the pond and wondered if he was cold or not. He wasn't very cold because of the poison, but why didn't Qiao Chen seem to feel the cold either?

Since Qiao Chen used the system to raise his body temperature, he naturally didn't feel cold either. After he saw Xiao Qinan staring at his feet, he used his foot to flick water at Xiao Qinan's face and asked, "What are you looking at?"

"Aren't you cold?" Xiao Qinan asked.

Qiao Chen smiled and sat up. He stepped on Xiao Qinan's chest with his feet and asked, "Is it cold?"

Qiao Chen's feet on his chest were warm. Xiao Qinan held onto Qiao Chen's feet and rubbed his thumbs on the back of them.

Qiao Chen wanted to take his feet back, but Xiao Qinan's hands didn't let him. Qiao Chen used his hands to splash some water at Xiao Qinan. "What are you doing? Let go."

After Xiao Qinan loosened his hold on Qiao Chen's feet, Qiao Chen stood up and said, "It's almost done steeping. Get up."

Qiao Chen returned to his room and took of his clothes to go to bed. He told Xiao Qinan who followed him into the room, "You sleep next door. What are you doing here following me here? In the future, even if I'm not here, you should remember to come here on time to steep the tea: You should steep the tea at least once every three days. After this summer ends, you can begin preparations for the detoxification."

Qiao Chen lied in his bed, yawned, and waved to Xiao Qinan to leave. Although he intended to tease him, he was preparing for the draw out the poison later. Now wasn't the time to have sex with him, otherwise it was be difficult to bring the toxins in his body all at once.

Xiao Qinan looked at Qiao Chen who was about to fell asleep as he held onto the blanket. His eyes had a profound and gloomy expression. He restrained himself and had to restrain himself again. Then he exited Qiao Chen's room and went into the room next door.

In the morning, Qiao Chen awoke in a daze. He was completely unprepared and was startled by the person who sat beside the bed staring at him. He immediately snapped out of his sleepy daze.

Qiao Chen sat up and scolded, "Who are you trying to scare to death so early in the morning? What good is there to look at when someone is sleeping that you're staring at me like that? "

Qiao Chen had just wanted to get out of bed when he found that not only were his clothes wide open, but his pant were even pulled down to his thighs. This man actually….

He looked up and saw that Xiao Qinan has something wrong in his gaze. Qiao Chen hastily pulled his pants up and put his clothes back on. Then he kicked Xiao Qinan on the stomach. "Loathsome hoodlum, how dare you take off my clothes while I'm sleeping."

"I didn't take off your clothes. They were already in disarray like that." Xiao Qinan wasn't afraid of the kick and defended himself.

Qiao Chen was so angry that he laughed. "So I took off my pants by myself? Do you think I'm you? That I was sleepwalking and took my own pants off in the middle of the night?"

Xiao Qinan was silent. Qiao Chen's pants had already fallen down to just above his crotch. He couldn't help it and pulled Qiao Chen's pants down a little more.

Qiao Chen inwardly snorted, "I don't know how long this guy has been staring at my ass. If I had woken up later, he would have turned into a wolf. You really can't change your nature even after you die."

Xiao Qinan would be coming over for the next few nights. Qiao Chen thought it was too dangerous to stay with him every day. Xiao Qinan's gaze was getting worse and worse. Therefore, Qiao Chen wanted to leave him for a few days so he could cool off and returned to the Marquis of Guangde's official residence.

Since Cheng Su was also at the Marquis' residence in Guangde for something, when he returned, Qiao Chen had no choice but to greet him first.

Cheng Su said to Qiao Chen, "You should go out and walk around with people more. What are you doing hiding in the mountains all day long? Prince Yong An has mentioned you to me several times. You need to go visit Prince Yong An as soon as possible."

Even though Cheng Su had the title of Marquis, he didn't do much with his official position. However, now, when anyone saw him, they would praise him for bringing up two excellent sons. Prince Yong An was also more and more kind to him, so this made Cheng Su a little proud.

Qiao Chen only replied to Cheng Su's words by agreeing. His replies were neither refuting nor superfluous. After he dealt with his father, Qiao Chen went to see his mother.

"You've lost weight again." Madam Shu took Qiao Chen's hand and said distressed, "You live in Hanwu Temple all day and only eat vegetarian food. You aren't taking in any oils or fats. How can your body stand it?"

"Buddhist monks are all vegetarians. Aren't they healthy? You don't have to worry about me mother."

Madam Shu patted Qiao Chen's hand and said, "You aren't a monk. How can you compare yourself with them? You've been weak since you were a child. If you don't take care of yourself, then you'll collapse. This time, just stay here for a few more days. I still have all those supplements you had sent here. Mother will make good use of them for you."

"Those supplements were specifically bought for you, mother. Leave all those things for you to eat. Don't tell me that you think I would treat myself badly."

"Mother has eaten so many of them already. There is enough to last for several years." Madam Shu said as she also instructed the maid to prepare some supplements for Qiao Chen.

"How have you been at home, mother? Did that mother and son duo try to go against you?" Qiao Chen asked.

"In the beginning, Madam Xu showed off her clothes and jewelry. However, since you sent me better ones, she doesn't show off in front of mother anymore. Even if her son has more money, she can't wear clothes or jewelry exceeding her concubine status. How dare she try and show off to me?"

Madam Shu added, "Previously when we just returned, she spoke of how highly the Imperial Concubine from Prince Yong An's manor thought of her. But when I went to the banquet last time, I think the Imperial Concubine only praised her son's usefulness to Prince Yong An. She may not necessarily think of her so highly as a concubine or her son with a bastard birth. The old princess was very kind to me. She also said that the glass lamp you painted for Prince Yong An is better than ones painted by other people. When can you also draw a picture for her?"

Madam Shu suddenly thought of something, patted his hands, and said, "By the way, speaking of glass lamps. You father forcibly took away those dishes you painted for mother, the ones with the lotus pond under the moon, and gave them away because I mentioned them to the Old Madame in passing. I managed to keep one of them, but she sent someone to come back to me and take it. She was saying that it was for a few days- that she was only going to borrow it for a few days. I'm afraid they won't be returned. Remember when you have some free time to paint some new ones for mother. Other people's things aren't as good as yours. I want that Madam Xu to be envious to death."

"I'll be living at home for the next few days. It just so happens that I have the time to paint some things for you, mother. If other people ask mother again, and if you think that person deserves the communication, then you can just give it to them. I'll paint anything for you until the day I die."

"Well how can you just come over and paint it? Those ladies haven't seen mother for so many years now are now acting like intimate sisters when they see mother. All they want is to ask mother for a lamp. It takes so much effort for you to paint these things. They only stop by for a couple of shichen anyways. I'm reluctant to give it to them. It's okay to invite them over to our home and enjoy it temporarily."

"I'll do what mother thinks is best. If anyone dares to embarrass mother, just send someone to tell me."

"Okay." Madam Shu replied happily. Her heart was greatly comforted and moved by her son.