Chapter 103
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When Gu Yuanbai decided to investigate, he did so decisively. Within half an hour, everyone involved that day was brought before him.
In the grand, majestic Xuanzheng Hall of the imperial palace, the atmosphere was imposing.
The palace attendants stood silently, and the air was filled with the rich, refined scent of the court. The red columns soared, creating an overwhelming sense of awe and tension.
The servants from the Xue household knelt below, sweating with fear, as Gu Yuanbai, sitting high above, looked at them and said calmly, “Tell me, what happened that day.”
The servants bowed and carefully replied, “Your Majesty, we were only following Lord Chu to the countryside. We did not spy on Your Majesty, nor did we collude with the assassins.”
After they finished, they waited breathlessly for the Emperor’s reaction. Gu Yuanbai casually said, “Continue.”
They had no choice but to continue, “We didn’t expect Your Majesty to be there. That was our mistake, and we are willing to accept any punishment.”
The servants of the Xue household are as loyal as ever to their master, like devoted dogs.
Gu Yuanbai smiled. “Then tell me, who sent you to follow Official Chu?”
Chu Wei remained silent. He was also present, hastily summoned, and still wearing his plain blue robe.
The winter wind had tousled his black hair slightly, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. Given special permission by the Emperor, he stood straight, head bowed, listening to the words of the Xue household servants.
The kneeling servants did not dare to deceive the Emperor, “It was the Second Young Master who sent us to follow Lord Chu.”
Chu Wei raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. He turned his head slightly to look at these servants.
The servants were all robust and muscular, clearly possessing considerable martial skills. Indeed, without such skills, how could Xue Yuan have sent them to kill him? Chu Wei wondered if these were the same people who had beaten him in the alley.
This thought made Chu Wei smile. His blue robe sleeves swirled as he bowed and asked, “The Second Young Master? But I have never met this Second Young Master.”
The hearts of the Xue household servants sank. They were in trouble.
They wore pained expressions, racking their brains to think of how to respond. But Gu Yuanbai was no longer interested in their potentially deceitful words.
He turned his head, the line of his jaw connecting to his long neck, and coldly said, “Send the Donglingwei to invite the Second Young Master of the Xue family. Since these people dare not speak the whole truth, it is necessary to alert Old Madam Xue.”
“Investigate thoroughly. Inform Old Madam Xue openly about what her household servants have done. Search the rooms of both young masters and all their correspondence,” Gu Yuanbai leaned forward slightly, his black hair softly falling beside his jade-like face, his eyes glancing at the kneeling servants, “and make sure to search their rooms thoroughly.”
The Xue household servants quickly said, “Your Majesty, we will tell you everything!”
Gu Yuanbai smiled, “I no longer wish to listen.”
***
Gu Yuanbai used the Donglingwei as his eyes and hands to uncover the truth.
The Donglingwei members were elite soldiers, with formidable physical abilities and meticulous logical thinking. After half a year of training, their sensitivity and sharpness in detecting clues had reached a new level.
The Donglingwei first courteously informed Old Madam Xue and then split into two groups to search for the items the Emperor desired.
The Donglingwei moved silently, entering and leaving rooms swiftly. In less than a quarter of an hour, they had withdrawn from the Xue residence, leaving everything as orderly as before, except for the missing Second Young Master.
The Second Young Master of the Xue family had been brought to the palace and placed before the Emperor.
His leg was still broken, making him a cripple. In terms of a bad reputation in the capital, no one surpassed this Second Young Master of the Xue family.
Gu Yuanbai sipped his tea, his eyes still fixed on the memorials, continuing his official duties, “So this is the Second Young Master of the Xue family? I remember you.”
Being remembered by the Emperor was not a good thing. The Second Young Master, lying on the ground, was more nervous than those kneeling. He trembled as he spoke, “Your Majesty, this humble servant, Xue Lin, is grateful that Your Majesty remembers me.”
Gu Yuanbai lifted his eyes to glance at him, “You are unlike your brother.”
The Second Young Master replied, “I am not as good as my brother.”
Gu Yuanbai said nothing more, writing “Approved” on the memorial and setting it aside. He began reviewing the evidence presented by the Donglingwei, starting with a torn letter.
The Donglingwei had demonstrated impressive investigative skills, piecing together fragments of the letter from various corners of the Xue residence, though some pieces had been lost forever.
Qin Sheng, the leader of the Donglingwei, reported solemnly, “Your Majesty, Old Madam Xue said everything should be decided by Your Majesty.”
Gu Yuanbai’s expression softened, “I understand.”
He sat for a while before reaching out. His slender fingers, adorned with a jade ring, picked up the fragmented letter and began to examine it.
***
A verbal message traveling from the northern border to the capital was fraught with risks.
Xue Yuan couldn’t be sure if the message would reach the capital, let alone Gu Yuanbai’s ears.
And even if it did reach the capital, who knew how the message would be altered after passing through many hands?
If it fell into the hands of someone forgetful or indifferent, or even someone hostile to Xue Yuan, the message could be completely distorted.
In the north, unable to act, Xue Yuan’s thoughts grew increasingly dark. His mental state was evident to those around him, as irritable as a lion unable to sleep.
The recent Khitan tribes had ventured deeper into the grasslands, and without any battles to report, Xue Yuan brooded for days, believing that resolving the nomads’ issue would allow him to return to the capital sooner.
He requested permission from the old General Xue and led several expeditions in the snow to investigate the Piqi and Tulu tribes, discovering their alliance.
The large army at the border had made these tribes uneasy, realizing that the soldiers intended to stay past the new year, suggesting hostile intentions.
While Xue Yuan brought this news back for discussion, in the capital, the Emperor had already reviewed the evidence gathered by the Donglingwei.
This included a reconstructed letter from Xue Yuan to Xue Lin.
The Xue household servants had assumed the letter demanded Chu Wei’s death, turning pale. But Xue Lin, knowing its contents, felt a bit of schadenfreude, thinking he had done nothing wrong, and if anyone were to be punished, it should be Xue Yuan.
Gu Yuanbai finished reading and looked up, his face shifting between emotions.
“Official Chu, there’s nothing more for you here,” the emperor said, suppressing his anger. “Thank you for going to the trouble, you may leave.”
Chu Wei had a thousand thoughts flashing through his mind.
Did the emperor discover the truth and decide it had nothing to do with him? Or did he find evidence of Xue Yuan’s attempt to kill him and chose not to reveal it?
However, Xue Yuan’s people had no shame lying in front of him, turning an assassination attempt into a protection mission. If Chu Wei left now, they might lie even more brazenly.
Still, Chu Wei gracefully exited the Xuanzheng Hall.
There was no need to dispute such trivial matters with petty people; what mattered most was how the emperor viewed them.
Left alone with Xue’s household servants, Gu Yuanbai leaned back in his chair, pondering. The palace was so silent that even breathing seemed loud.
Silence, an invisible executioner, weighed down, causing unease and fear.
“Speak, what else have you not said?” Gu Yuanbai’s voice was heavy. “I want the truth.”
Xue Lin had planned to speak first, hoping to shift the blame to the servants behind him. Unexpectedly, the servants were quicker, confessing immediately, “Your Majesty, it was the eldest young master who sent a letter from the border to the second young master. After reading it, the second young master ordered us to follow Lord Chu.”
The very letter that had been torn to pieces.
Though parts of the letter were missing, the language Xue Yuan used to order people to watch Chu Wei was anything but friendly. Gu Yuanbai’s gaze shifted to Xue Lin. Fearful, Xue Lin recited the letter word for word.
The possessiveness and hidden intentions towards the emperor in those words were apparent to the knowing Tian Fusheng, who listened with trepidation.
“Enough,” Gu Yuanbai suddenly said.
Xue Lin obediently shut his mouth, realizing the emperor’s expression had darkened even further.
“Earlier, you claimed you were sent to protect Lord Chu,” Gu Yuanbai’s tone was repressed. “Was this how you intended to deceive the emperor?”
The crime of deceiving the emperor was severe; these people couldn’t withstand such a charge. At best, it meant execution; at worst, it meant implicating their entire families. Xue’s servants immediately started slapping their own faces, “We were misguided. When assassins attacked, we were too afraid to tell the truth.”
These people were handed over to the Donglingwei for disposal. After they were gone, the emperor looked at the items on the table, rubbing his forehead.
Xue Yuan had not deceived him, not even once.
Everything here was related to Gu Yuanbai, the hidden secrets completely unrelated to Chu Wei.
But how bold, daring to fill his mind with such possessive thoughts about the emperor. Xue Lin might not understand, others might not either, but how could Gu Yuanbai, the subject of these thoughts, not perceive the underlying declaration of dominance?
Xue Yuan pursued Gu Yuanbai relentlessly, showing no fear of his intentions being discovered. On the contrary, his audacity and disregard for societal norms made everyone unconsciously dismiss the idea.
Not having been deceived lowered Gu Yuanbai’s anger significantly, making him feel much calmer. But at the same time, such a letter, such overreaching behavior—what did Xue Yuan think of the emperor?
Did he see the emperor as his possession?
Addressing him as master in public but harboring strong possessive desires in private.
On one hand, Gu Yuanbai felt guilty for his anger and misunderstanding towards Xue Yuan. On the other, he felt offended and provoked by Xue Yuan’s feelings.
Does he see me as his property?
How bold is he, and how much bolder can he become?
These mixed emotions left Gu Yuanbai uncertain of his own feelings.
After a moment, he felt his throat, sore from recent anger, starting to ache again.
Putting everything else aside, just focusing on Xue Yuan’s letter to Xue Lin. He had Xue Lin remember those who had intimate contact with Gu Yuanbai. What was he planning to do when he returned?
Was he really planning to show up and start a fight?
Kisses, touches—twice already.
And that time of softness.
Gu Yuanbai rubbed his temples, his lips pressed tight. The force left his lips white, his emotions complex, alternating between anger at misunderstanding Xue Yuan and guilt over the same.
He was silent for a long time when the head guard cautiously said, “Your Majesty, about a month ago, Lord Xue also wrote me a letter.”
Gu Yuanbai was startled and looked at him.
The guard’s expression was strange, clearly puzzled by Xue Yuan’s intentions, “Lord Xue said he had an illness, causing panic attacks, and needed flower petals to ease his anxiety. But where could he find flowers in the North? So, he asked me to send him some dried petals.”
Gu Yuanbai asked curiously, “Why tell you this?”
Couldn’t Xue’s people send them? And why did this sound so odd?
The guard was embarrassed, blushing as he spoke, “Lord Xue said he feared it was an incurable illness and sought the emperor’s blessing to protect him. So, he begged me to send him the dried petals from the emperor’s bath.”
Gu Yuanbai was speechless. When did he ever use petals in his bath?
All his guilt instantly vanished, along with his anger, replaced by a sense of absurdity.
It was laughable.
Gu Yuanbai suddenly felt clear-headed.
Why bother worrying?
Right is right, wrong is wrong. If Gu Yuanbai made a mistake, he’d admit it. Xue Yuan might have these thoughts, but Gu Yuanbai couldn’t control someone’s mind. As long as Xue Yuan didn’t act on these thoughts, Gu Yuanbai shouldn’t let them trouble him.
In comparison, it seemed Gu Yuanbai’s thinking had been constrained by the ancient environment.
He needed to integrate into the current environment but also remain clear-headed. Gu Yuanbai believed his most valuable trait was the mindset cultivated in modern times. This mindset reminded him that no one could control another’s thoughts.
He reflected on himself, temporarily putting aside other matters, focusing only on his own mistakes.
Gu Yuanbai had promised to compensate Xue Yuan. Did he want flower petals?
Turning his head, Gu Yuanbai said to Tian Fusheng, “Go find all the rare flowers in the capital and dry them.”
He couldn’t send the petals he had bathed with, but he could send all the flowers that should and shouldn’t be blooming in this season.
Since the first snowflake of the northern frontier was returned, he would compensate him with all the famous flowers of the capital.
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