I Rely on Beauty to Stabilize the Country Chapter 13

Chapter 13

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There was a sudden sound of porcelain breaking outside the window, and Gu Yuanbai’s lazy expression changed, and he sternly said, “Who’s there?!”

The Chief Guard rushed to the window, his sharp eyes staring at the servant who was standing there in a daze. He recognized him as Heqin Wang’s personal servant. The Chief Guard’s serious expression softened slightly, and he looked down to see the porcelain bowl shattered into pieces, crimson blood splattered everywhere. The rain outside dissolved and washed away the blood stains on the wall and the red railing, slowly flowing into the green grass in the heavy rain.

It was as if it carried a hidden sin within its redness.

Gu Yuanbai walked out, looking at the messy bloodstains on the ground, his face slightly changed, and he asked in a deep voice, “What happened?”

With a thunderous roar from the sky, the dim weather suddenly brightened.

The servant who was still standing there turned pale in an instant and fell to his knees, shaking as if he was sick, “Your Majesty, this is the deer blood that Heqin Wang ordered me to bring.”

One second ago, Heqin Wang was still standing at the window looking into the bedroom, and the next second, he angrily threw the deer blood, his veins bulging on the back of his hand as he stormed off.

The servant, who had been with Heqin Wang for several years, had never seen such a terrifying look on Heqin Wang’s face, so ferocious and terrifying, as if he was about to go mad…

The servant trembled violently, and the Chief Guard knelt down, dabbed some blood on his nose, sniffed it, and nodded, “Your Majesty, it is indeed deer blood.”

The black-red blood, splattered by the rain, turned into bright red. Gu Yuanbai smelled a faint scent of blood and furrowed his brows, looking at the servant with a scrutinizing gaze, “Where is Heqin Wang?”

The servant trembled even more violently, unable to speak a word.

Gu Yuanbai’s face gradually turned cold, and he looked up at the rain outside the corridor, saying in a low voice, “Since Heqin Wang is so concerned about me, I am also worried about his health. Zhang Xu, you go with him to see how Heqin Wang is doing now, and don’t take it lightly.”

Zhang, the Chief Guard, said solemnly, “Yes!”

The Chief Guard immediately lifted up the servant and led many guards to Heqin Wang’s residence. But when they arrived and saw Heqin Wang’s room, they realized that he had run back to his mansion alone in the pouring rain.

After hearing this news, Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help feeling speechless, even if he tried to keep his expression neutral.

Even in such heavy rain, he had to run back home. Was Heqin Wang still a baby?

But since everyone was okay, Gu Yuanbai didn’t bother to ask more. He returned to his room, feeling the lingering warmth from the hot water he had just soaked in. Tian Fusheng asked, “Your Majesty, do you still want to bathe?”

“No,” Gu Yuanbai exhaled, “I feel much lighter already and even broke a sweat.”

The room was filled with many braziers, and a crack was left in the window for ventilation. The entire room was as warm as a spring sun, and after drinking bowl after bowl of cold-expelling medicine, even the glass person would start sweating.

Gu Yuanbai felt stronger than the glass-making person.

Those strong and sturdy guards were already sweating profusely. Seeing them in such a disheveled state, Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but laugh. “Seeing you all like this makes me feel hot too. Go outside and cool off.”

The muscular guards blushed and lowered their heads in embarrassment.

The Chief Guard hesitated to speak, “Your Majesty, we can endure the heat.”

“Then there’s no need to stay here,” Gu Yuanbai said, “Since I came to the Xue mansion, the people here naturally want to come and pay their respects to me. Zhang Xu, send word to General Xue and tell them that I am well and they can come over.”

Zhang Xu obeyed and went off. Gu Yuanbai stood up and stretched out his hand, and Tian Fusheng came forward to change his clothes.

The previous outfit had already absorbed the cold, but there were no spare clothes for Gu Yuanbai in the Xue mansion. The clothes sent by General Xue were soft and smooth, embroidered with cloud patterns in gold thread. The fabric was good, but it was unclear whose new clothes they were meant for. Now they were brought for Gu Yuanbai to wear.

Tian Fusheng said with concern, “Your Majesty, hold on for a moment. The palace has already sent everything you need.”

Even the palace maids who had bound his hair couldn’t help but tear up. When had their Majesty ever worn someone else’s clothes? This set of clothes was a whole size too big for him, making him appear even more slender and frail.

Gu Yuanbai chuckled and scolded, “Alright, hurry up.”

***

Old Madam Xue, dressed as the Honored Madam Gaoming, solemnly led her daughter-in-law to bow to Gu Yuanbai. “Your Majesty, may you be at peace. I, as a humble wife, pay my respects to Your Majesty.”

General Xue followed closely behind with his son. Gu Yuanbai sat in the main seat and kindly said, “Please rise.”

Old Madam Xue’s hands trembled with excitement as she followed the proper etiquette to rise. Gu Yuanbai asked them to sit down and kindly inquired, “Old Madam, how is your health now?”

“I am in good health,” Old Madam Xue replied with a smile, “Under Your Majesty’s auspices, our household has been blessed with good weather, and our living conditions are very good.”

“That’s good,” Gu Yuanbai nodded with relief, “If Old Madam is in good health, General Xue can rest assured.”

Sitting at the lower end, Xue Yuan lifted his head and saw the young Emperor chatting with his grandmother. Xue Yuan’s eyebrows raised slightly when he saw the clothes on Gu Yuanbai. 

The clothes that fit Xue Yuan perfectly seemed oversized on the Emperor. Xue Yuan lifted his tea cup, casually thinking, with such a frail Emperor, can he still produce heirs?

As this thought crossed his mind, Xue Yuan burst into laughter. This was indeed an interesting question.

If the frail Emperor couldn’t be with a woman and couldn’t produce heirs, then he was truly unlucky as an Emperor.

Giving up the throne to someone else and having no concubines in the harem, the future Emperor would be unable to arrange political marriages. Alone in the world, he would only have this burden of a body.

Xue Yuan, who had been in the military since childhood, had been on battlefields of various sizes dozens of times. He knew that to command soldiers, one had to lead by example and not fear death. Strengthening the strong and weakening the weak, Xue Yuan was crazy in the capital and even crazier on the battlefield. When he bravely killed enemies, excitement surged in his blood.

He enjoyed the battlefield and enjoyed bloodshed. He was the one who could conquer soldiers, and by conquering soldiers, he could aspire to greater things.

Gu Yuanbai put down the white jade chopsticks and glanced down, meeting Xue Yuan’s ambitious gaze.

Xue Yuan’s expression remained unchanged. He respectfully stood up, concealing his sharp teeth and eyes gleaming with green light, and raised a cup of alcohol to the Emperor.

Gu Yuanbai’s eyes were clear as he looked at Xue Yuan for a while, then he pursed his lips and smiled meaningfully.

Brother, even if I die, even if you become the regent, you won’t ascend the throne.

Didn’t expect that, did you? In the future, you’ll be fostering a socialist brotherhood with Chu Wei. As a regent without heirs, like a toothless tiger, the future Emperor can outlast you sooner or later, just by being patient.

***

After the meal, Gu Yuanbai returned to his residence to rest.

The palace had already sent clothes and supplies. The heavy rain had lasted for two hours without showing signs of stopping. Fearing that His Majesty might catch a cold, two younger imperial physicians had also been sent.

After the imperial physicians had finished examining his pulse, Gu Yuanbai took a hot bath and went to bed. He slept until late at night. He went to bed early and woke up early. When he woke up, it was already dark outside, and the attendants guarding him had fallen asleep in a daze.

Gu Yuanbai stared blankly for a while after waking up, then quietly got up and put on a cloak before quietly leaving the room.

The guards outside were whispering to each other. When they saw Gu Yuanbai coming out, they were surprised and quickly approached, “Your Majesty, why are you up?”

“I woke up,” Gu Yuanbai whispered, “I’m just going for a walk around here. You guys stay here.”

In ancient times, the sky was full of stars, and the heavy rain during the day had now stopped. Gu Yuanbai took a few steps slowly, suddenly hearing a faint rustling in the grass.

Gu Yuanbai frowned, instantly becoming alert. He slowly retreated and changed his angle to see what was in the grass.

Dark fur, green eyes, exposed fangs… It turned out to be two adult wolves.

Gu Yuanbai’s heart sank.

These two wolves were burying their heads in the grass, licking something. Gu Yuanbai suddenly remembered that this seemed to be the place where the bowl of deer blood was smashed during the day. The bloodstains in the corridor had been cleaned up, but the smell remained in the grass.

The Xue family actually kept wolves!

Gu Yuanbai’s anger sank deep into his dantian. He slowly backed away from the two wolves. The guards were still some distance away from Gu Yuanbai, and the color of the wolves’ fur blended with the darkness. They couldn’t spot the wolves.

Gu Yuanbai could only hope that there was enough deer blood in the grass to keep them licking for a while longer.

But his prayers were in vain.

The two wolves with their heads buried in the ground heard his voice. Instantly, their heads turned, and their green-glowing eyes fixed fiercely on Gu Yuanbai.

Their saliva dripped from their sharp teeth, as one of the wolves cautiously approached Gu Yuanbai.

Wolves have an absolute keen observation. If they sense fear in front of them, they will immediately attack.

Gu Yuanbai remained extremely calm. Since he had been discovered, he wouldn’t retreat anymore. Instead, he stared directly into the eyes of the two wolves, crouching down as if preparing to attack them.

The two evil wolves visibly hesitated for a moment but didn’t retreat. Instead, they took another step forward.

D*mn it.

Could this weak body even be detected by animals at a glance?

The guards behind also noticed something was wrong. They exclaimed and were about to run over, “Your Majesty!”

Gu Yuanbai’s face changed instantly.

Sure enough, the two wolves were startled by the shouting. They bared their teeth and lunged directly at Gu Yuanbai. Rolling on the ground, Gu Yuanbai dodged the lunge of one wolf. Just as the other wolf was about to pounce on him, two dull thuds came from behind. Gu Yuanbai turned pale and looked back, only to see Xue Yuan wielding a heavy wooden stick, smashing the two wolves to death.

Xue Yuan’s expression was grim as well. He looked at the eyes of the two wolves with hostility. After a moment, Xue Yuan threw away the blood-stained stick and knelt beside the Emperor, “Your Majesty, are you injured?”

“Your Majesty!”

The guards rushed to Gu Yuanbai’s side. Seeing the two dead wolves lying on the ground, their faces turned dark.

Gu Yuanbai’s face was pale. He calmed his labored breathing and said faintly, “I’ve sprained my foot.”

The guards’ faces changed. Some went to find the imperial physician, while others went to deal with the wolves. Gu Yuanbai waved away the hand extended by the chief guard, coldly turning his head to look at Xue Yuan, commanding, “Xue Yuan, carry me.”

This body was extremely delicate. Gu Yuanbai speculated that with this sprain, his ankle should be swollen entirely, unable to touch the ground or exert force, only to be carried by someone.

Deer blood, evil wolves, Xue Yuan. Gu Yuanbai’s expression was uncertain, and his anger intensified beneath the surface.

Xue Yuan reached out with a solemn face, passing his arms around the Emperor’s waist and knees, lifting him up with force.

His palm gripped the Emperor’s waist, but neither of them looked pleased. Xue Yuan said in a deep voice, “Although the Xue Family keeps wolves, as soon as Your Majesty entered, my mother locked the wolf pack away. Please investigate this, Your Majesty.”

Gu Yuanbai said, “I’ll investigate thoroughly.”

The Emperor’s doubt in his words was barely concealed. Xue Yuan’s grip tightened involuntarily.

“Release me,” Gu Yuanbai commanded, “Gently and steadily. Walk slowly with me, take each step cautiously. If you can’t walk, kneel down and carry me.”

Xue Yuan’s gaze darkened. At this moment, in the Emperor’s eyes, he was nothing more than a mere beast, perhaps even worse than animals like horses or mules.

As ordered, he released his grip, realizing the Emperor’s weight was incredibly light. Even with silk covering, his fingers would sink into the flesh.

Carrying him required a distracted control of strength, which was troublesome.

Gu Yuanbai’s tone was icy, “As I said, slowly.”

Xue Yuan abruptly halted his steps. After a few breaths, he resumed walking slowly.

He looked down at the Emperor in his arms. In the depths of his dark, fierce eyes, there hid a wild dog, suppressing its nature, showing a false smile of submission to Gu Yuanbai. “Your Majesty, is this slow enough?”

“Enough,” Gu Yuanbai sneered, “But now, I want you to walk faster.”

Author’s note:

Xue Yuan: The Emperor has no children; I have a chance now.

Gu Yuanbai: Xue Yuan has no children; the future Emperor has a chance.

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