Chapter 120
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Fusang must be wealthy indeed.
After sighing, Gu Yuanbai heard a knock on the door. Xue Yuan knocked urgently, though his tone was slow and deliberate, “Your Majesty, I’m here.”
That was a strange thing to say.
He came, so he came; he knocked, so he knocked. Why add those extra words?
Gu Yuanbai glanced at the rain still falling outside and spoke with a grim tone, “Come in.”
Xue Yuan walked in, dripping wet, his robe having gotten soaked today and now starting to drip again. Gu Yuanbai turned to look at him and saw the tender branches in his hand. He smiled, almost mockingly, “Xue Jiuyao, you truly have no fear of death, truly not a coward.”
When Xue Yuan climbed the tree to pick the tender branches, he seemed to hear the Emperor’s shout, but the sound was too distant, fragmented by the sound of rain. He dared not hope, fearing disappointment, but now his eyes lit up as he stared at Gu Yuanbai, “Is Your Majesty worried about me?”
Gu Yuanbai replied, “I’ve never seen someone so eager for wealth at the expense of their life.”
“Your Majesty misunderstands,” Xue Yuan smiled, “I’m not after wealth.”
He took off his soaking outer robe, and as everyone in the room left, Tian Fusheng closed the door quietly behind them.
Once everyone was gone, Xue Yuan walked to the window, closed it tightly, then took Gu Yuanbai’s hand and made him sit on the bed.
Gu Yuanbai, having gotten up in the middle of the night and not bothering to tie his hair, had his long hair loose around him, with a few strands brushing over Xue Yuan’s head, intertwining.
Without saying a word, Xue Yuan kneeled down, lifted the Emperor’s foot onto his knee, and removed his clean dragon boots.
He moved swiftly, although his actions appeared steady and calm, the urgency was evident, not willing to waste even a fraction of a second.
Something was… definitely wrong.
Gu Yuanbai pursed his lips, “I’m tired.”
“You sleep,” Xue Yuan’s voice was deep and thick, “I’ll take care of it.”
Gu Yuanbai didn’t know what he was up to, so he simply laid down on the bed. Closing his eyes, in a daze, he felt something hot touching the soles of his feet, hard like a stone.
Xue Yuan’s muffled groan was barely audible, sweat dripping onto the Emperor’s jade feet. As Gu Yuanbai drifted off to sleep, he tried to turn over but found his foot pressed against something hot and unyielding. Irritated, he curled his toes, only to find the annoying stone even hotter, causing a momentary shiver of pain in his foot.
“Go away…” He was so tired that his words came out unclear, “It’s uncomfortable.”
“It’s comfortable,” the stone spoke calmly, pulling the foot back again, its voice low and frightening, “You can do it.”
In his dreams, vines wrapped around his feet, relentlessly scratching at the soles, and in a daze, he endured the scratching all night long.
The next day, when Gu Yuanbai woke up, he felt something wrong with the soles of his feet, a slight ache. Sitting up, he saw that his tender, delicate feet, which had rarely walked much, were now red, as if bleeding. They hadn’t been cut open, but touching the bedding made him shiver with discomfort, a needle-like sensation.
Gu Yuanbai was bewildered, unable to understand why they had turned out this way. He tentatively put on his socks and shoes, wincing every time they brushed against the white fabric, even sucking in a few breaths of cold air. “Where’s Xue Jiuyao?”
What had he done!
“Lord Xue seems quite spirited. Before dawn, he was already practicing swordsmanship outside,” Tian Fusheng said, “I’ll call him over now.”
When Xue Yuan walked in, his eyes burned as he looked at Gu Yuanbai.
His throat moved, and he walked quickly, kneeling at the bedside, regardless of whether anyone else was there, and asked, “What’s wrong?”
His tone was very gentle.
Gu Yuanbai was about to ask him, but his kind tone stopped him. After a pause, he said, “What did you do for an hour after I fell asleep last night?”
Did something that made me happy. “Did some things that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.”
Gu Yuanbai’s face remained unchanged, but he was guessing what Xue Yuan had wanted to do for a long time. “Tell me about it.”
Xue Yuan thought for a moment, slightly straightened his kneeling knees, and with a tense effort in his arm, he lifted himself up. Leaning close to the Emperor’s ear, he said, “Your Majesty, I’m a bit ugly, and my temper is a bit deep. If you want me to speak now, I feel ashamed and hesitant to disclose the matter.”
He added, explaining for himself, “It’s unavoidable. People are different from each other, and I naturally can’t compare to Your Majesty. I only hope not to scare you in the future. If Your Majesty dislikes it, I’ll just extinguish the light.”
Gu Yuanbai was puzzled, furrowing his brow. “What?”
“It’s nothing,” Xue Yuan composed himself. “I’m here to assist Your Majesty to rise.”
Gu Yuanbai wanted to kick him. “My foot hurts! Just say it, what have you done?”
“I’ve already said everything,” Xue Yuan gently held his foot, concerned. “I’ve applied ointment for you twice already. Let me check again. Steward Tian, do you have any more effective ointment?”
After applying the ointment, Xue Yuan carried Gu Yuanbai to have their meal, then carried him down the mountain to board the carriage. He willingly played the role of an ox or horse, making up for his rudeness.
The Chief Guard ran after him, sweating profusely, “Lord Xue, let me do it.”
But each time he said this, Lord Xue’s strides quickened even more. Eventually, the Chief Guard, empty-handed, couldn’t keep up with him anymore.
“Lord Xue!” His shouted pleas grew fainter and fainter, “Slow down—”
Gu Yuanbai looked up and glanced back, the wind between his brisk steps had already blown his hairband up, causing him to click his tongue involuntarily, “Xue Yuan, are you still human?”
How could he carry himself so easily? They had already descended half the mountain, hadn’t they?
Xue Yuan’s expression remained unchanged, not even a hint of urgency in his breath. He glanced at the steep path ahead, “There’s a bit of a steep section ahead, Your Majesty, please get on my back.”
He carefully placed the Emperor on a clean rock first, then bent his back, “Get on.”
Gu Yuanbai crawled onto his back, and Xue Yuan reached back to hold him, stepping down the mountain step by step.
His steps were steady, as if he were carrying Gu Yuanbai for a lifetime.
Gu Yuanbai rested on his back, looking at the unfamiliar mountains and forests around him, the sunlight shining on him, neither cold nor hot, just lazy enough to make one’s bones feel lazy.
He closed his eyes, thinking about Xue Yuan. Was his mind messed up, always thinking about something unconventional? Thinking about it, he couldn’t help but blurt out without permission, “Xue Yuan.”
Xue Yuan turned his head, “Hmm?”
Gu Yuanbai was dumbfounded, “Did I call you?”
“Yes, you did,” Xue Yuan turned his head back and jostled Gu Yuanbai lightly, “Were you thinking about me?”
Gu Yuanbai pondered for a moment and nodded. But Xue Yuan didn’t see him nodding, nor did he hear Gu Yuanbai speak, so he thought he didn’t want to talk to him. Xue Yuan smiled, “Your Majesty is much better than me. When I was in the Northern Frontier, I had to get up before dawn every day to wash my pants.”
Gu Yuanbai: “What do you mean?”
“I was dreaming about you,” Xue Yuan casually brushed past it, “When you’re young and energetic, you have to get up early to wash your pants.”
Gu Yuanbai suddenly realized, he should be angry, but he just felt amused. Burying his head on Xue Yuan’s back, he chuckled, “Xue Jiuyao, aren’t you embarrassed?”
“Embarrassed,” Xue Yuan nodded seriously, “Your Majesty doesn’t know, when I used to hang my pants in front of the tent every day, people passing by would laugh at me behind my back.”
“Laughing at you for always having a perverted mind even in battle?”
“Laughing at me for having someone I care about in my heart,” Xue Yuan’s voice was distant, as if it came from the Northern Frontier, slightly losing its authenticity, “Nobody believed that the Xue Jiuyao who only knew how to fight and kill in the Northern Frontier would also have a day when he washed his pants for every day for half a month.”
Gu Yuanbai lifted his eyelids to glance at the back of his head, then let them droop again, not saying anything.
“Some other generals also asked me if there was someone in my heart,” Xue Yuan’s voice was leisurely, as if it came from the Northern Frontier, slightly losing its authenticity, “What do you think I would say?”
Gu Yuanbai opened his mouth, “Tell the truth.”
Xue Yuan laughed a few times, his throat trembling, “I also think so.”
“Your Majesty, how about this, I’ll say one sentence, and you say one,” Xue Yuan suddenly had a strange idea, tilting his head slightly, his nose high, “I indeed have someone in my heart, do you have someone in your heart?”
Gu Yuanbai’s finger twitched, “No.”
Xue Yuan: “I knew it.”
He raised his head to block the branches hanging overhead, the foot of the mountain was in sight, and the voices of the people behind them became closer, the end of this road was near.
“You even know if there’s someone in my heart,” Gu Yuanbai’s tone was lazy, “Then tell me, who annoys me the most?”
“Me,” Xue Yuan chuckled.
Gu Yuanbai smirked, “General Xue, you’re right. Self-awareness is a virtue.”
“I also want Your Majesty to guess,” Xue Yuan’s tone was plain, “Your Majesty, guess who’s in my heart?”
The spring breeze rustled through the green leaves, swirling around lazily, lifting Gu Yuanbai’s robes and blowing towards Xue Yuan.
The sun was getting better, the sky was clear, and today was indeed a perfect day.
After a while, Gu Yuanbai said, “Me.”
“The one in your heart is me,” Gu Yuanbai’s finger twitched again, “You like me.”
“Correct, Your Majesty, self-awareness is a virtue,” Xue Yuan chuckled softly, “But you got it wrong, I really like you a lot.”
With the bright moon shining and the great river flowing, so many hearts are drawn to you.
***
After the carriage entered the capital, Tian Fusheng reminded Gu Yuanbai that it was time to visit Heqin Wang Mansion.
Naturally, they were going to see how well Heqin Wang and his Wangfei were taking care of each other. Except for a few people, the noble ministers didn’t know that Heqin Wang was the foster son raised by the late Emperor in his brother’s mansion. Gu Yuanbai was delighted that they didn’t know. Now, regardless of whether Heqin Wangfei gave birth to a boy or a girl, they would be the eldest son or daughter of the next generation, which would put everyone’s mind at ease. Gu Yuanbai was very happy about this and thought that Heqin Wang should be even happier than him.
But after entering Heqin Wang’s Mansion, it was much quieter than Gu Yuanbai had imagined.
Some people looked uneasy and wanted to go in to inform their master early. Gu Yuanbai raised his hand expressionlessly, and the guards behind him quickly stepped forward to restrain those who wanted to inform their master.
“Heqin Wang is in his study,” a trembling servant whispered.
With every step Gu Yuanbai took, he could sensitize the pain on the soles of his feet. He suppressed the pain and walked slowly to the study. The guard stationed there suddenly changed his expression when he saw Gu Yuanbai, and was about to enter to inform Heqin Wang, but was immediately suppressed by Zhang Xu, the chief guard, and couldn’t move.
Gu Yuanbai looked at the wooden door of the study, his right eyelid twitched suddenly. He rubbed his brow and pushed the door open.
The study was empty, with no trace of Heqin Wang. Gu Yuanbai looked around and finally saw another inner room. He took a step forward and walked towards the inner room.
Inside the inner room, there was a bed with someone sleeping on it. Gu Yuanbai approached and saw that it was indeed Heqin Wang, who looked much thinner and darker than usual.
Gu Yuanbai frowned, about to call someone, but inadvertently glanced around, and suddenly froze.
Near the foot of the bed, not far away, there was a wall with a long scroll hanging on it, almost the same height as him. The person in the scroll had bright eyes and a faint smile on his lips, tinged with a hint of sickness. His hair was wet, and his clothes slipped off one shoulder, revealing a round and fair shoulder.
With one shoulder half-hidden, the dignified smile became somewhat charming.
The person in the painting was Gu Yuanbai.
Gu Yuanbai’s memories suddenly flashed back, recalling the scene when he first met Heqin Wang after transmigrating to Great Heng.
It was midsummer, and the disgraced Heqin Wang stormed into the palace, bursting into anger, and charged towards Gu Yuanbai who was soaking in the water to cool off. Gu Yuanbai heard the commotion, put on his clothes and stood up, not yet tidying up his clothes when Heqin Wang arrived in front of him, his hair tied up high, his handsome face flushed with anger, “Gu Lian—!”
That year, Gu Yuanbai smiled slightly at him, politely saying, “Elder Brother.”
Gu Yuanbai suddenly clenched his fists, his breath becoming more rapid, his temples pulsating, veins popping on his forehead, displaying the same fury as Heqin Wang’s back then.
Xue Yuan followed behind, his pupils contracting, and he quickly closed the door of the inner room with a clang, trapping everyone outside.
Heqin Wang was awakened by the noise, abruptly sitting up, his thin and shadowed face not yet showing anger. Instead, he saw Gu Yuanbai standing in front of the painting.
He was suddenly shocked, his whole body freezing as if struck by ice, completely stiff on the bed.
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