Ch 130: Transmigrated to become a Koi Husband

Jing Li and Deng Tianyou had never formally met, so he wasn’t familiar with the man’s figure. It wasn’t until he got a proper look at his face that he realized who the person lying before him was.

Jing Li immediately dropped the broom and rushed over to help him up. “Lord Deng… Lord Deng! Wake up!”

Poor Deng Tianyou was nothing more than a scholar, and the ordeal had left him unconscious. No matter how much Jing Li called out, he didn’t wake up.

Jing Li tried everything—fanning him for air, pressing his acupressure points—but after a long struggle, he still couldn’t bring him around.

When Qin Zhao arrived, this was the scene he walked in on.

“What are you… doing?”

Seeing the little fry return alone had already made Qin Zhao uneasy. Carrying the child, he rushed out to find them but unfortunately arrived a step too late.

Qin Zhao glanced at the unconscious Deng Tianyou, then at Jing Li, who crouched beside him with a guilty expression. Without needing an explanation, he already understood most of what had happened.

Rubbing his temples, Qin Zhao sighed, “Let’s bring him inside and let him lie down for a while.”

Deng Tianyou had come to meet Qin Zhao as agreed.

Though Qin Zhao had been lying low, he wasn’t idle during these days of waiting for news in the capital. Deng Tianyou had recently returned to the capital for his official duties and had received a message from Qin Zhao before his departure, requesting a meeting at the residence.

Being a cautious man, Deng Tianyou didn’t want to draw suspicion by being seen entering Qin Zhao’s residence openly. Therefore, he came alone and attempted to sneak in through the back gate.

Unfortunately, his stealthy entrance coincided with Jing Li catching him in the act.

Jing Li had become far more vigilant lately, not letting even the slightest rustle go unnoticed. Seeing someone sneaking near the back gate of their home, he naturally assumed the worst.

As for Qin Zhao, while he had roughly calculated when Deng Tianyou might arrive, he hadn’t known the exact time and thus hadn’t informed Jing Li beforehand.

In the end…

This led to the current situation.

Deng Tianyou remained unconscious for nearly half an hour before finally waking up. Just as he moved, someone came to help him. “You’re awake. Does your head hurt?”

The wound on his forehead had already been treated and bandaged. Focusing his vision, Deng Tianyou found himself face-to-face with a delicate and handsome young man. “You are…”

“My husband,” Qin Zhao answered.

It was only then that Deng Tianyou noticed Qin Zhao, also in the room.

This was a guest room in Qin Zhao’s home. Deng Tianyou lay on the bed, while Qin Zhao sat by his side. A small table beside him held gauze and medicinal ointments, presumably used for treating the injury.

“Your Highness, I… what happened to me…?” Deng Tianyou, a man of refined manners, immediately tried to sit up upon understanding his situation, but the young man gently pressed him back down, saying with concern, “Don’t move yet. Are you feeling dizzy?”

“I…” Deng Tianyou felt a bit dazed and finally remembered to ask, “What happened to me? How did I lose consciousness?”

He raised a hand to touch the still-aching spot on his forehead and asked in confusion, “Did I… get hurt?”

Jing Li nervously glanced at Qin Zhao.

Clearing his throat, Qin Zhao calmly replied, “You fell.”

“…What?” Deng Tianyou blinked in disbelief.

Qin Zhao said, “Indeed, you fell. My husband brought you back.”

His expression was perfectly serious, and Deng Tianyou believed him without question. He immediately sat up and bowed toward Jing Li. “Thank you, Your Grace.”

Jing Li: “…”

It was the first time he had been addressed that way, and he wasn’t used to it at all. His response came out awkward and stammered, “N-no problem.”

In contrast, Qin Zhao showed no hint of guilt for his white lie, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor. “You can’t stay here long. Let’s get to the main topic.”

“Yes,” Deng Tianyou replied.

Qin Zhao led Deng Tianyou to the table, where they began to talk in detail. Jing Li had nothing to contribute to the conversation but didn’t want to leave, so he busied himself pouring tea and serving water.

Qin Zhao glanced at him and let him be.

“When did you return to the capital? Have you been to the palace yet?” Qin Zhao asked.

“I returned early yesterday morning and entered the palace at midday,” Deng Tianyou replied.

“Did you see His Majesty?”

Deng Tianyou shook his head. “All state affairs are now managed by the Empress Dowager. When I inquired about His Majesty, I was told that his health is too frail for visitors.”

After a brief pause, he added, “However, I heard the Ministry of Rites is already preparing for the year-end ancestral rites.”

“Oh?” Qin Zhao raised an eyebrow. “When is it scheduled?”

“December 16th.”

This was news to Qin Zhao.

Although he had an intelligence network in the capital, its efficiency couldn’t compare to a high-ranking official like Deng Tianyou, who operated within the court.

It was now late November, leaving them over half a month—ample time for planning.

Qin Zhao said, “I want to meet His Majesty. I’ll need your help.”

“During the ancestral rites?”

“No,” Qin Zhao replied. “The ancestral ceremony requires His Majesty to appear in person, and the ancestral temple is some distance from the capital, taking at least three days for the round trip. During those three days, find me an opportunity to meet him.”

Deng Tianyou hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded. “Understood.”

Qin Zhao then asked about various details concerning recent court affairs, which Deng Tianyou answered meticulously, speaking with grace and precision.

Jing Li watched him with interest.

Deng Tianyou, who had become the top scorer in the imperial examination at eighteen, had served under Qin Zhao ever since, effectively making him half a disciple. His demeanor, decision-making, and mannerisms were heavily influenced by Qin Zhao.

However, he lacked Qin Zhao’s natural poise and confidence, likely due to differences in their backgrounds.

Observing Deng Tianyou, Jing Li grew even more curious about the young emperor, who had been raised and guided by Qin Zhao for seven years. What kind of person was he?

Jing Li’s mind began to wander and he didn’t catch the rest of their conversation. Before long, Deng Tianyou rose to leave, exiting through the back gate just as he had arrived.

Qin Zhao saw him out and turned back, only to find himself suddenly hugged around the legs by a soft little figure.

The little fry, who had been quietly playing in the courtyard while the adults talked, finally popped out to make his presence known.

Jing Li noticed the child’s empty hands and suddenly remembered something. “Where’s my candied hawthorn?”

The little fry ducked behind Qin Zhao. “It got eaten.”

“Who ate it?” Jing Li pulled the little one out from behind Qin Zhao, mimicking his tone. “Didn’t your daddy tell you to hold onto it for me?”

The little fry blinked innocently and said, “But Daddy didn’t say I couldn’t eat it.”

“…” Jing Li was at a loss for words.

Grabbing the little fry by the collar, Jing Li looked up at Qin Zhao and said, “See what a bad influence you’ve been? Even your son is learning your tricks.”

Qin Zhao didn’t see how he was at fault, but he knew better than to argue in situations like this. Husbands were meant to be coaxed, not reasoned with. He nodded and said, “My fault. I’ll get you another one later—no, two.”

Jing Li, satisfied, agreed. “Deal!”

The two of them took the child back inside.

Jing Li soon forgot about the candied hawthorn and happily resumed squabbling with the little fry over pastries.

His parenting style was truly unique. While most parents saved the best for their children, Jing Li wasn’t one to let himself suffer. When the little fry was very young, Jing Li would secretly eat part of his treats. Back then, the little one didn’t understand why a big piece of pastry would somehow shrink by the time he got to it.

Now that the little fry was smarter and had caught him in the act several times, Jing Li simply started openly competing with him for food.

This often made Qin Zhao feel like he was raising two children.

“So, you were planning all along to use Deng Tianyou to meet the young emperor? I don’t quite understand—why is he helping you?” Jing Li asked, thinking back to earlier.

Perhaps because Deng Tianyou was a high-ranking official, Jing Li instinctively distrusted him.

Even if his demeanor resembled Qin Zhao’s, as a protégé of the Prince Regent, Deng Tianyou had quickly turned against his mentor when the prince fell from power. Now, he was trusted and employed by the court. Was someone like that really worth trusting?

Qin Zhao could guess what was on his mind and explained, “There are many people in the court I could use to get what I want. But do you know why I chose Deng Tianyou and Xiao Yue?”

“Because one holds office and the other has military power?”

“No.” Qin Zhao shook his head. “Deng Tianyou and Xiao Yue are fundamentally different people, but they share one thing in common: each has an unshakable conviction.”

Jing Li still didn’t quite understand.

Qin Zhao continued, “The Xiao family has been generals for generations, making significant contributions to the empire. Their ancestors fought alongside the founding emperor, and the Qi clan owes them a great debt. Xiao Yue himself is said to be unruly and unyielding. In his heart, he cares about two things.”

“The peace and prosperity of the Xiao family and the preservation of the Qi dynasty.”

As long as the throne remained in Qi hands, Xiao Yue didn’t care who sat on it.

“Deng Tianyou is even simpler,” Qin Zhao said. “He was born into poverty and is solely devoted to improving the lives of the people. He values the safety and well-being of the commoners more than his reverence for authority. That’s also why he and I had disagreements in the past.”

“I couldn’t tell…”

Deng Tianyou, with his scholarly demeanor, didn’t seem like someone with such a fiery conviction. Jing Li had never expected him to have such resolve.

Qin Zhao smiled. “Someone like him wouldn’t last three days under a tyrant.”

“But if he’s really like that, why would he help you?” Jing Li still couldn’t understand.

Even if Deng Tianyou didn’t fear imperial authority, it didn’t mean he’d casually betray it.

“Because I told him the truth—that my poisoning had hidden motives and that the Empress Dowager might be plotting to seize power,” Qin Zhao said calmly.

“What?” Jing Li froze. “How do you know the Empress Dowager…”

“I don’t,” Qin Zhao replied.

Jing Li stared at him, dumbfounded, before slowly realizing the truth from Qin Zhao’s expression.

He didn’t… just make that up to convince Deng Tianyou, did he?

Qin Zhao let out a leisurely sigh. “Unlike that blockhead Xiao Yue, Deng Tianyou is a thinker. I had to give him a plausible reason to persuade him.”

Jing Li: “…”

It was the first time he’d seen someone so confidently deceive another while claiming they lacked intelligence!

But honestly, it made sense. If Deng Tianyou were truly sharp, he wouldn’t have fallen so thoroughly into Qin Zhao’s trap.

Wasn’t this just the type of person who’d count money for someone who sold them out?

Some people were just too sincere.

Jing Li’s expression became a little dazed, and he asked, “But what if you’re wrong? If this has nothing to do with the Empress Dowager, won’t Deng Tianyou find out the truth?”

“And so what?” Qin Zhao countered.

Indeed, so what?

That night in Jiangling, if Deng Tianyou hadn’t agreed to help him, Qin Zhao might not have made it out alive. Even if the truth turned out to contradict his claims, what would he have to fear?

Deng Tianyou was only a civil official. He posed no real threat to Qin Zhao.

Understanding this, Jing Li fell silent.

This man had clearly been strategizing far more than he had let on.

No wonder the doctor had said he overthought everything.

“Do you think I’ve been too harsh on Deng Tianyou?” Qin Zhao asked, noticing Jing Li’s troubled expression. He quickly added, “But judging by how things are shaping up, my guess was likely correct. Something must have happened to His Majesty, and it’s probably tied to the Empress Dowager. So, in a way… I’m not entirely lying to him.”

These words were meant to comfort Jing Li, but in truth, Qin Zhao had been spinning half-truths and half-speculations. Only after His Majesty’s illness and retreat to the rear palace had his conjectures begun to solidify.

Jing Li, however, wasn’t focused on the same thing. Qin Zhao’s reassurance didn’t matter to him.

He said, “If you want to know what’s happening with the young emperor, I can help.”

“You can help?” Qin Zhao looked at him skeptically.

Jing Li nodded. “I’ve checked the area over the past few days. The moat runs directly into the palace. I can sneak in and see what the emperor is doing.”

Qin Zhao: “…”

“What’s so funny?” Jing Li asked, annoyed. “I’m serious!”

He wasn’t joking. Ever since arriving in the capital, he’d been considering this possibility and had even scouted out the route while running errands.

He was certain the moat led straight to the palace.

“Alright, I understand,” Qin Zhao said, stifling a laugh and trying to maintain a serious tone. “Swimming into the palace might work, but do you know how big it is?”

Jing Li was momentarily speechless.

“There are over seventy halls and more than 9,000 rooms in the palace. Do you even know where the emperor resides?”

Jing Li fell silent again.

“Chances are, you’d get lost in the maze of the palace before you ever found the emperor,” Qin Zhao sighed dramatically. “And then I’d have no choice but to have Xiao Yue storm the gates to rescue you.”

Jing Li: “…”

Did Qin Zhao really think he was that clueless?

How infuriating.

With a huff, Jing Li decided to stop speaking to him.

Qin Zhao dropped the teasing and coaxed, “I know you’re worried about me and want to help, but I’ve already made plans for this. All you need to do is take care of yourself, and that’s enough.”

“…I know,” Jing Li muttered gloomily.

Having successfully dissuaded his husband from his “spy mission,” Qin Zhao felt relieved and took a sip of tea.

After pondering for a moment, Jing Li suddenly said, “Now that I think about it, with how good you are at lying, did you trick me back when we first met?”

Qin Zhao froze, his expression turning serious. “Of course not. I would never deceive you.”

“True,” Jing Li agreed without hesitation. “Before you regained your memory, you were honest and kind, completely incapable of lying.”

Qin Zhao simply smiled and nodded, not daring to say another word.

In this world, his dear husband might be the only one who believed him to be honest and kind.

Jing Li turned back to the table, only to find that while he’d been talking to Qin Zhao, two-thirds of the pastries had vanished. He snapped, “Qin Zhao, we agreed to split them evenly!”

He was so angry he used Qin Zhao’s full name.

The little fry, holding a piece of pastry and about to take a bite, looked at the pastry, then at Jing Li. After a moment of hesitation, he carefully broke it in half and held out one piece. “Half for you.”

Jing Li: “…”