Ch 116: Transmigrated to become a Koi Husband

In the outskirts of the provincial city lay a forest of maple trees. Every September, when viewed from the heights, the mountain appeared ablaze with endless stretches of red maples.

Qin Zhao had the carriage stop at the foot of the mountain and rented a sturdy brown horse, well-suited for mountain trails, from a local. He then brought Jing Li and their little fish child up the mountain for a ride.

He had already scouted out the route beforehand, selecting a gentle path perfect for autumn leaf viewing.

The dense treetops filtered the sunlight, while a soft breeze drifted through the air, making the journey exceptionally pleasant.

Jing Li sat in front of Qin Zhao, holding the little fish fry in his arms. The little one clutched a red maple leaf Qin Zhao had just plucked for him, waving it around happily.

As they crossed a hill, the brown horse let out a snort.

Jing Li, who had always been a bit apprehensive about horseback riding, immediately tightened his grip on the little fish fry and asked nervously, “Is it tired?”

This type of horse, trained for pulling carts and carrying loads, wasn’t likely to tire easily. Seeing through Jing Li’s fear, Qin Zhao teased, “Maybe it’s because you’re too heavy.”

Jing Li thought for a moment, then earnestly turned to the little fish fry. “Did you hear that? You’re too heavy.”

The little fish fry blinked innocently.

Not far ahead, a small stream meandered by. The family paused by its banks to rest. While the brown horse leisurely grazed on wild grass near the water, Jing Li bent down to scoop up some water from the stream.

The stream was fed by mountain springs, its water sweet and refreshing.

As Jing Li lifted his head after gathering water, he noticed the little fish fry lying on the ground, mimicking the horse as if trying to taste the grass. Jing Li frowned and glared at Qin Zhao. “Why aren’t you stopping your son?”

Not only did Qin Zhao not intervene, but he seemed to be enjoying the show.

“I’ll handle it,” Qin Zhao said, pulling the little fish fry up by the back of his collar. With a serious expression, he scolded, “You’re a fish, not a horse. No eating grass.”

The little fish fry wriggled, kicking his stubby legs in protest.

Jing Li handed the water to Qin Zhao and took the child in his arms, giving him a firm lecture. Qin Zhao didn’t drink the water right away, instead sitting quietly and watching them.

Jing Li caught him staring. “What are you looking at?”

“You seem a little off today,” Qin Zhao said.

“What do you mean?”

“Your husband just became the top scorer in the provincial exam,” Qin Zhao remarked. “Aren’t you surprised?”

Without hesitation, Jing Li replied, “What would be surprising? If you hadn’t won, that would’ve been shocking.”

“…Fair enough,” Qin Zhao conceded.

Jing Li returned to playing with the little fish fry, while Qin Zhao took a sip of water. After a moment, he said, “Jing Li, after the Deer Call Banquet, we should visit Linxi Village.”

“Alright,” Jing Li nodded.

Traditionally, after becoming a Juren, one should return home to pay respects to their ancestors. However, Qin Zhao, having no clear origins, regarded Linxi Village as the closest thing to a hometown.

“When we left Linxi Village, the little fish wasn’t even in human form yet,” Jing Li mused. “It’s been years—we should take him back for a visit.”

The little fish child looked up at his two fathers, chirping happily, “Bamboo… bamboo courtyard!”

Qin Zhao chuckled. “Who says young children can’t remember things? He still remembers the bamboo courtyard.”

Jing Li smiled. “That’s probably because he’s a koi fish, not an ordinary child.”

Qin Zhao tilted his head. “Then do you remember anything from when you were born?”

Jing Li blinked.

When he was born… Did that mean Yun Temple?

Years ago, Prince Rong had stayed at Yun Temple and personally witnessed the hatching of the little koi, forging a unique bond between man and fish.

Whatever he was thinking, Jing Li lowered his head and mumbled, “I don’t remember.”

“What did you say?” Qin Zhao asked.

“I said I don’t remember,” Jing Li repeated. “It’s been so long. You’re not still jealous because I clung to someone else when I was born, are you?”

“I’m not…” Qin Zhao sighed helplessly.

What was there to be jealous about?

The person the little koi clung to at birth—wasn’t that Qin Zhao himself?

But Jing Li clearly didn’t want to dwell on this topic and quickly changed the subject.

A few days later, the invitation to the Banquet of the Deer Call arrived at Qin Zhao’s residence.

In the study, Ah Qi reported the findings of his recent investigation to Qin Zhao.

“…Deng Tianyou was appointed Inspector by the Emperor three years ago and has been overseeing civil and military affairs in Jiangling Province. After your… incident, he was also responsible for searching for you in the vicinity of Jiangling.”

Qin Zhao spread the invitation on the table, his voice calm as he said, “I recall that the officials who pledged allegiance to me back then were either executed or exiled after I left. Yet Deng Tianyou not only survived but got promoted…”

“Yes,” Ah Qi confirmed. “This man was never a trusted subordinate. It’s likely that when he saw you lose favor, he defected to the Emperor…”

Qin Zhao glanced up at him, his eyes suddenly cold. “Did Gu Changzhou tell you this?”

Ah Qi froze and lowered his head. “Yes…”

“It seems I’ve been too lenient with you all recently, to the point where you dare to speculate about my thoughts so freely,” Qin Zhao said, leaning back in his chair with a faint tone of reproach. “When did I ever say I intended to oppose the Emperor?”

“I have erred,” Ah Qi said, dropping to one knee. His shadow flickered in the dim candlelight of the study.

“Stand up,” Qin Zhao said coldly. “Kneeling like this—what does it look like if someone sees?”

Ah Qi reluctantly stood.

Qin Zhao continued, “The world is at peace now. I have no intention of overturning the dynasty, nor do I have ambitions to rule the world. I don’t want to hear such talk again.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“As for Deng Tianyou, do you think I should go or not?” Qin Zhao asked.

Ah Qi remained silent. Qin Zhao prompted, “Speak freely. What are you afraid of?”

“Yes,” Ah Qi responded after a pause. “I believe that Deng Tianyou’s current stance is unclear. Meeting him rashly may put you in a disadvantageous position.”

Qin Zhao looked at the invitation and sighed softly. “If I hesitate over something as small as this banquet, how will I handle matters when we go to the capital? Should I just avoid him forever?”

The study fell silent again.

Qin Zhao tapped the armrest of his chair with his fingertips. After a moment, he said, “The Banquet of the Deer Call will not only include Deng Tianyou but also several officials from the Hanlin Academy. Attending under such circumstances is indeed risky.”

He took up a brush and quickly wrote a few lines on paper.

Moments later, he set the brush down and said, “Tomorrow morning, take this to the county office and hand it to the prefect. Tell him I’ve suddenly fallen ill and will have to miss the banquet.”

He waited for the ink to dry before folding the paper and handing it to Ah Qi. “Go.”

“Yes, my lord,” Ah Qi said, accepting the paper and preparing to leave.

“Wait,” Qin Zhao called after him, sighing. “Bring me a basin of cold water.”

The next day, as expected, Qin Zhao developed a fever.

“How did this happen? Weren’t you fine yesterday?” Jing Li asked, wringing out a cloth to wipe Qin Zhao’s forehead. His worry was evident in his voice. “Did you leave the window open again while reading last night?”

Lying in bed, Qin Zhao, pale and drenched in cold sweat, turned his head and coughed lightly. “It’s nothing, probably just a chill.”

After wiping himself down with cold water and sitting by the window for half the night, how could he not catch a chill?

Of course, Jing Li had no knowledge of this.

“I shouldn’t have let you stay in the study alone; it’s so cold in there.” Jing Li’s eyes reddened with worry as he scolded, “Why can’t you take better care of yourself? Aren’t you afraid of frying your brain one day?”

Qin Zhao, his lips pale, reached out to touch Jing Li’s soft fingers, gently stroking them. “Don’t worry, that won’t happen.”

“You’re just saying that to comfort me…”

Just then, Ah Qi entered quickly from outside.

Jing Li turned to look at him, his temper flaring. “Where have you been so early in the morning? I wanted you to find a doctor, and you were nowhere to be found!”

Ah Qi was scolded before he could say a word. He lowered his voice to explain, “I…”

Before he could finish, Jing Li noticed the man who had followed Ah Qi inside. The newcomer was dressed in a constable’s uniform and seemed unfamiliar.

“And you are…?” Jing Li asked.

“I sent Ah Qi to the county office,” Qin Zhao explained. “The Banquet of the Deer Call is tonight. In my condition, I can’t attend, so I had to inform the prefect.”

The constable added, “Yes, the prefect, upon hearing that Qin sir had fallen ill, sent me to check on him.”

Jing Li paused, understanding the situation.

Qin Zhao was clearly too unwell to attend the banquet, but as the top scorer and an honored guest, skipping a banquet hosted by the Inspector would be a slight. The prefect likely couldn’t make such a decision lightly and had sent the constable to confirm Qin Zhao’s condition.

While the visit was ostensibly for concern, it was clearly an inquiry into the truth of the matter.

The prefect’s implication was clear: if Qin Zhao’s illness were mild, he would send a sedan chair to bring him to the banquet, no matter what. However, seeing Qin Zhao pale and feverish, lying weakly in bed, the constable felt a sense of unease.

With this condition, forcing him to attend might lead to dire consequences.

Better not risk it.

The constable made his decision and said, “The prefect is considerate of Qin sir’s health. You are excused from tonight’s Banquet of the Deer Call. The items you intended for the Inspector will be delivered by the prefect. Please focus on your recovery.”

Qin Zhao propped himself up with effort and nodded slightly. “Thank you, and thank the prefect for his understanding.”

As the constable prepared to leave, Jing Li said, “Allow me to see you out.”

Though Jing Li was displeased with the prefect’s hesitation, the constable was still an official representative, and offending him would not be wise. Jing Li helped Qin Zhao lie back down, tucked the quilt around him, and said, “Stay put and rest. Let Ah Qi handle anything that needs to be done. I’ll fetch a doctor for you.”

Qin Zhao coughed lightly, his voice hoarse. “Alright.”

Throwing on a coat, Jing Li accompanied the constable out of the room.

Ah Qi watched Jing Li leave, then turned back to Qin Zhao lying in bed. He couldn’t help but say, “Madam seems very worried.”

“That’s unavoidable,” Qin Zhao replied, suppressing the discomfort of his aching, exhausted body.

His health truly couldn’t withstand such strains, but without this act, he wouldn’t have been able to convince even the prefect.

Feigning illness was the simplest and least suspicious method.

Ah Qi hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back. In his heart, he felt the approach was effective, but seeing how anxious Jing Li had been earlier, he doubted Jing Li would be easily appeased if he discovered the truth.

Choosing silence, Ah Qi said instead, “I’ve already relayed your instructions to Gu Changzhou. What should we do next?”

“Wait,” Qin Zhao said, coughing again. “After all this effort, I just hope my former student doesn’t disappoint me.”