Chapter 102
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Xue Yuan couldn’t return to the capital, and to make matters worse, the post station had stopped sending letters.
How could this be!
Wouldn’t that mean after the New Year, Gu Yuanbai would completely forget about him?!
Thinking of this, Xue Yuan immediately strode out of his tent, face dark, and rode off to chase the post station official.
Luckily, due to the heavy snow in the northern border, the post station personnel couldn’t travel quickly. Xue Yuan soon caught up with them. He approached them on horseback, politely but firmly, “Are you really not sending any more letters to the capital?”
The post station official, covered in layers of snow, shouted back, “Sir, we really aren’t sending any more letters. It’s too cold!”
Xue Yuan muttered to himself, “I didn’t hear that.”
He suddenly reined in his horse, dismounted, and quickly approached the post station official, grabbing the reins of the official’s horse and pulling him down.
The official, intimidated by Xue Yuan’s imposing figure, obediently bent down and asked, “Sir, is there something you need?”
“I need to discuss something with you,” Xue Yuan said, his urgency apparent. Despite not wearing warm clothes, his grip was strong, his long, slightly reddened fingers holding the official’s collar to prevent escape. He spoke kindly, “Sir, what if I have an urgent letter that must be sent to the capital?”
“If it’s related to the border warfare, there are special couriers to send it to the capital,” the official replied honestly, “If it’s an urgent letter, it depends on the subject.”
So only war-related letters could be sent, nothing else.
Xue Yuan wiped his face, “Fine, I’ll send a war-related letter.”
He had to find out what was going on.
The official hesitated, “Only the chief commander has the authority to send war reports at the end of the year.”
Xue Yuan: “…”
He tightened his grip with a polite smile. The official, terrified, listened as Xue Yuan said, “I won’t send a letter then. I just need to send a verbal message to the capital. Many people come and go from the post station; someone will surely return to report to the capital. If you don’t go, someone else will.”
“I have just one message,” he continued, his expression turning stern, “Tell the Emperor not to believe what people say about Xue Yuan.”
“That includes other people named Xue, including Chang Yuyan.”
***
Finally, in January, it snowed in the capital.
The snow fell for three days straight. Amidst the heavy snowfall, a person entered the capital.
Wrapped in a cloak and wearing a thick hat, he occasionally glanced at the houses along the road, looking for his friend’s residence with a mix of familiarity and unfamiliarity.
Despite the falling snow, the roads of the capital showed no signs of accumulation. The thick snow had been cleared to the sides, leaving the smooth ground exposed. Occasionally, a carriage or children bundled up like little balls passed by.
This person slowed his pace, wandering through the capital for half an hour. By the time he found his friend’s residence, he was covered in a layer of snow.
His friend came out and greeted him with a laugh, “Lin Zhicheng, we’ve been waiting for you! Why are you only arriving now?”
Lin Zhicheng dismounted and asked with a smile, “We?”
“Come in quickly,” his friend personally led him inside, “Besides me, everyone who knew you were coming is already here.”
Moments later, they sat on a heated kang, gathered around a table, eating and drinking, laughing and chatting. Looking at the now mature but still righteous Lin Zhicheng, some had tears in their eyes, “Didn’t the Emperor ask you to report back after the New Year? Why are you here now?”
“I was anxious,” Lin Zhicheng, now in his mid-thirties, smiled. “Seeing a glimmer of hope, how could I not be eager? Besides, I have no family to hold me back, so I can travel whenever I please.”
As he spoke, he asked a question he had been holding back, “What’s with this bed? Why is it so warm?”
His friends, touched moments before, burst into laughter, “The Emperor came up with this. It’s called a heated kang. Do you know what a heated kang is?”
Lin Zhicheng nodded, “Of course, I know. I read your articles.”
He touched the warm kang, pondering for a while, then said, “I wandered the capital for half an hour and noticed many narrow alleys now have bluestone pavements.”
“Yes,” his friend nodded lightly, “You wouldn’t believe how much the capital has changed.”
“Indeed,” Lin Zhicheng said, “On my way here, I rarely saw beggars huddled in corners.”
His friend replied, “After we finish eating, I’ll take you around the capital.”
Lin Zhicheng raised his cup, “Alright.”
Soon, Gu Yuanbai also heard of Lin Zhicheng’s return to the capital. Three days later, he summoned Lin Zhicheng to the palace.
As Lin Zhicheng bowed in greeting, Gu Yuanbai carefully observed him. Lin Zhicheng, now over thirty, nearing forty, was in his prime. Despite having been a pirate and a pirate leader at that, he showed no traces of banditry. His features radiated integrity, making him a very proper and upright person.
Gu Yuanbai reminisced with Lin Zhicheng, starting from the time of the late Emperor. Gu Yuanbai had read the letters Lin Zhicheng had written to the late Emperor, which were very direct and often displeasing. Gu Yuanbai had prepared himself for Lin Zhicheng’s bluntness, but to his surprise, the five years had mellowed Lin Zhicheng’s speech, and he even managed to make some humorous remarks that had everyone laughing.
His official dialect was good but carried a Fujian accent. After their conversation, Lin Zhicheng said, “Your Majesty, my accent is quite strong. I hope you can understand me.”
“I can,” Gu Yuanbai smiled, “Your official dialect is excellent, Lord Lin.”
When Gu Yuanbai was in college, one of his roommates was from Fujian, and coincidentally, another was from Hunan. The influence was such that the whole dormitory sometimes spoke in a mix of accents, creating their own unique dialect.
After their casual chat, Lin Zhicheng brought up the matter of the naval forces. Gu Yuanbai nodded and tapped the armrest, saying, “I share your views, Lord Lin. The importance of the navy is no less than that of the army. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a suitable leader for training the naval forces.”
The Emperor’s intention was clear. Hearing this, Lin Zhicheng felt a surge of emotion. He solemnly clasped his hands and said, “If Your Majesty doesn’t mind, I am willing to serve with all my might.”
Gu Yuanbai responded heartily and walked over to help Lin Zhicheng up, smiling, “Having you, Lord Lin, is like obtaining a treasure. The naval forces of the Great Heng will be entrusted to you!”
“Yes!” Lin Zhicheng bowed deeply.
After discussing official matters, Lin Zhicheng was about to leave but suddenly remembered something. He said, “Your Majesty, when I passed the post station, an official there asked me to convey a message to you.”
Gu Yuanbai showed some interest, “What is it?”
“It seems to be something a general said, but the official forgot to mention which general,” Lin Zhicheng pondered and said, “He said: ‘Your Majesty, do not believe what those people say, whether it’s the other Xue family members or Chang Yuyan.'”
Those people.
Gu Yuanbai was silent for a moment, then nodded with a peculiar expression and dismissed Lin Zhicheng.
He wanted to laugh but also began to contemplate the general mentioned in Lin Zhicheng’s message.
It had to be Xue Yuan; it couldn’t be anyone else.
Gu Yuanbai turned the jade ring on his finger and asked Tian Fusheng, “Is the post station closed for the New Year?”
Tian Fusheng replied, “Yes, it is.”
“Tian Fusheng, what do you think Xue Yuan means by this?” Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes, his expression unreadable. “He tells me not to believe others, which makes sense. Regarding border matters and state affairs, I have never been one to listen to only one side. But he’s telling me not to believe other Xue family members or Chang Yuyan. Those are his household members and his friends. If I don’t believe them, should I believe him?”
Tian Fusheng cautiously asked, “Do you believe him, Your Majesty?”
Gu Yuanbai glanced at him and countered, “In which aspect?”
This response made Tian Fusheng realize that the Emperor still trusted Xue Yuan, at least in some areas. He felt sorry for Xue Yuan, considering how far he had gone for the Emperor, even using a yushi as a token of loyalty. However, he couldn’t mention the yushi, lest he offend the Emperor’s ears. Tian Fusheng cautiously said, “Perhaps Lord Xue has his reasons.”
Reasons? Gu Yuanbai thought. Not believing others, including Xue family members and Chang Yuyan—could it be that those people weren’t sent to protect Chu Wei? Chu Wei had been in trouble several times recently, being beaten up in an alley and then targeted by the Seventh Prince of Xixia. It made sense for Xue Yuan to send people to protect him.
Xue Yuan’s younger brother, Second Young Master Xue, had no connection with Chu Wei, while Chu Wei and Xue Yuan were a pair in the original text, and the expressions of those servants in Xue’s household… Gu Yuanbai rubbed his forehead, wondering why he was thinking about this.
It didn’t matter to him whether Xue Yuan and Chu Wei had a clean relationship or not.
Wait, when had he ever proactively sought out Xue Yuan?
The anger from being fooled by Xue Yuan resurfaced.
If Xue Yuan was indeed innocent and knew nothing…
Gu Yuanbai opened his eyes and coldly ordered, “Summon the servants and guards from the Xue household who were there that day.”
If Gu Yuanbai had misunderstood and was in the wrong, he would promptly admit his mistake and apologize to Xue Yuan, offering compensation. However, if Xue Yuan had done something wrong and stubbornly refused to admit it, showing deep affection to Gu Yuanbai while secretly entangling with Chu Wei, then if he truly took Gu Yuanbai for a fool and toyed with him, he should be prepared for Gu Yuanbai to hit back hard.
Gu Yuanbai would investigate everything thoroughly, checking each detail according to what Xue Yuan had said.
Xue Yuan, Gu Yuanbai’s eyes darkened, you better not deceive me a second time.
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