Chapter 137
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Gu Yuanbai took Xue Yuan back to the palace that day.
General Xue, seeing his son enter the carriage, felt a mix of complex emotions.
The Emperor had been angry for his son’s sake, such anger made General Xue feel both happy and apprehensive. He hadn’t expected the Emperor to care so much for Xue Yuan. His son’s favor with the Emperor was a cause for joy, but the same favor brought fear—what if it backfired and brought disaster to the Xue family?
If it’s a blessing, it’s not a curse; if it’s a curse, it can’t be avoided. The Emperor reprimanded Old General Xue for his son, and Old General Xue felt truly flattered. He just hopes that Xue Yuan can repay the Emperor’s great favor.
As the carriage gradually left, Old General Xue chuckled for a while before suddenly putting on a stern face. He said to Madam Xue, “I want to see who exactly this man is that he likes!”
What kind of person could make Xue Yuan treat his bright future like a joke? How could this be worthy of the Emperor? Or of his old father and mother?!”
***
Days passed, and by the end of the month, it was the Emperor’s birthday. Xue Yuan finally managed to let Gu Yuanbai taste a bowl of longevity noodles he had cooked himself.
The noodles filled his stomach. Xue Yuan, holding the empty bowl, stared at the Emperor’s slightly protruding belly with fascination before turning to take the dishes away.
Half a month passed quickly.
The extraction of salt from the salt mines in the Zhejiang area was ongoing in secret and was expected to be ready for sale in the state salt market after the new year. During the day, Gu Yuanbai discussed state affairs with his ministers. They had occupied an island important to Fusang’s external trade and military preparations.
Fusang had offered compensation, willing to trade gold and silver for the island. They even agreed to sign a three-point agreement with Great Heng. The ministers were debating whether to agree to the trade.
The incense from Fusang are truly disgusting, even the usually stern old scholars grit their teeth in hatred, longing to deliver a severe blow and let the wolf-hearted Fusang see the power of Great Heng.
After much discussion, Gu Yuanbai made the final decision: negotiate and exchange.
Fusang has very little to offer; besides their harmful incense, they are indeed poor. Due to the long distance, it would be difficult to manage them even if they conquered them. Moreover, with frequent foreign wars in recent years and the ever-watchful Xixia at our back, this business deal is not worth it.
However, Gu Yuanbai cannot let Fusang off so easily. Reports from Lin Zhicheng indicate that Fusang’s spice sources are in Southeast Asia. Burning this area completely would place significant constraints on Fusang domestically.
Destroying their spice sources would reduce Fusang to its former state of poverty and backwardness. Moreover, after this incident, few neighboring countries that were previously oppressed would be willing to treat Fusang favorably.
After discussing with his ministers, Gu Yuanbai broke into a slight sweat. He wiped away the sweat and couldn’t help but smile at his gradually improving health.
“Tian Fusheng, prepare a bath.”
After bathing, it was already dark. The October weather had already started to turn chilly. Clad in a white robe, Gu Yuanbai walked out of the spring palace and saw Xue Yuan squatting by the stream on either side of the palace, lost in thought.
The water in the stream was from the emperor’s bath in the spring pool. Gu Yuanbai raised an eyebrow and called out, “Xue Yuan.”
Xue Yuan turned around, and upon seeing Gu Yuanbai, he was momentarily stunned.
Gu Yuanbai had a dark blue cloak draped over his shoulders, which accentuated his slightly flushed, jade-like skin. No matter how many times Xue Yuan had seen the Emperor after a bath, he was always captivated by this sight, his predatory thoughts stirring.
The Emperor was amused by his expression, a smile tugging at his water-flushed lips. With a playful look in his eyes, he glanced at Xue Yuan and teased, “Fool.”
Xue Yuan felt a tingling sensation all over his body, his foot slipping, and he fell with a splash into the Emperor’s bathwater.
Gu Yuanbai couldn’t hold back anymore and laughed heartily.
He returned to his bedchamber with a smile, where the servants had prepared the bed. Gu Yuanbai climbed into bed, the fragrance from his bath lingering in the air. Suddenly, he had an idea and called out to Tian Fusheng, who was about to leave, “Light some incense for me.”
Tian Fusheng was surprised. Ever since the Emperor had been tormented by Xixia’s incense, he had developed an aversion to it. This was the first time the Emperor had requested incense since then.
Tian Fusheng quickly prepared the incense, choosing one that aided sleep, hoping the Emperor would have a good night’s rest.
The fragrance slowly filled the room, spreading gently.
Gu Yuanbai clutched the blanket and gradually fell asleep.
When he became conscious again, someone was lifting his wrist above his head, kissing his earlobe.
A tingling sensation shot from his earlobe to his brain. Gu Yuanbai’s eyes opened slightly, and he looked up to see Xue Yuan’s chest.
Gu Yuanbai asked, “What are you doing?”
His voice was thick with sleep and drowsiness.
Xue Yuan took the opportunity to kiss his lips, invading deeply. Gu Yuanbai tried to push him away, only to meet Xue Yuan’s burning gaze.
Gu Yuanbai knew what he intended to do.
He wanted to go to bed.
His heart began to race, a wild mix of emotions stirring within him, the atmosphere thickening with tension, small flames growing into a blazing fire.
The bedding was crumpled into peaks and rivers, his fingers clutching the yellow silk tightly.
Gradually muffled, Gu Yuanbai’s face was tinged with a light blush. He closed his eyes in pain, trying to avoid Xue Yuan’s greedy tongue.
His lips were wrapped, sucked, and every drop of water in his mouth was being taken away. Gu Yuanbai wanted to say, “Stop kissing,” but he couldn’t get the words out.
This scene was somewhat different from what Gu Yuanbai had imagined.
It seemed reversed.
His legs struggled free from the restraint, but no matter how hard he kicked, Xue Yuan remained immovable as a mountain. Biting down hard, his tongue bled, but Xue Yuan only frowned slightly. Then, he raised his eyes and looked at Gu Yuanbai with eyes reddened with desire, a look that was practically drooling.
“Let go,” Gu Yuanbai groaned fiercely and kicked Xue Yuan hard again. “I order you to let go!”
Xue Yuan remained unmoved, even smiling slightly. He lowered his head and took another sip. “Don’t be afraid, Your Majesty. I’ve taken a lot of supplements and learned many things over the past half month.”
Gu Yuanbai suddenly lost his strength, his eyes widened, and in his helplessness, there was a hint of inexplicable panic.
He was so obedient in the carriage, but now he wasn’t.
The emperor’s harsh words came out intermittently, each one capable of making a person tremble. Xue Yuan, however, seemed to hear none of it, meticulously tasting the front before slowly flipping the emperor over to taste the back.
Every piece of flesh had to be carefully savored between his lips and teeth. Some places were so delicate that Xue Yuan’s softest part, his tongue, was used. When the tongue touched, the harsh words in the emperor’s mouth abruptly stopped.
His neck arched, and large beads of sweat from Xue Yuan’s body fell onto Gu Yuanbai’s. Though he had just bathed, his body was again covered in sweat. On the fiery bed, the bedding offered no moment of concealment.
“Get off,” he said, his voice trembling with collapse, “Xue Yuan, you’re disobedient.”
“Obedient,” Xue Yuan’s clothes had long been thrown to the floor. He moved forward, wrapping the emperor’s fair, slender arms around his neck, coaxing, “The back isn’t injured anymore. There’s a large area for you to scratch.”
He lowered his head to kiss, but Gu Yuanbai dodged. Xue Yuan chuckled lowly, chased after, and still managed to kiss him.
Nails left red and white scratches.
There was no one more obedient than Xue Yuan, of this, Xue Yuan was certain.
***
The Emperor’s health was poor, everything had to be slow.
Xue Yuan was extremely slow, each move becoming a torturous grind. The slow and long night passed with the candles burning down to wax.
The Emperor ordered him to roll away, to hurry up… he obeyed none of it. Ensuring the Emperor’s well-being, he became forceful like a bandit, deaf to everything.
Even bandits weren’t this torturous, none slowed down deliberately like this.
***
The next morning, the sun was high when Gu Yuanbai barely opened his eyes.
He tried to move his hand, but even his fingertips tingled with numbness. When he looked up, he saw faint bite marks on his fingers.
Gu Yuanbai tried to prop himself up, but immediately fell back onto the bed, his bones filled with exhaustion.
Xue Yuan had been too careful, each move too slow. Gu Yuanbai wasn’t injured, but the torturous slowness of the night left him completely worn out.
For the first time, Gu Yuanbai realized that slow was more excruciating than fast.
He recalled how Xue Yuan had disobeyed him the previous night, his expression changing. Thinking of what happened last night, his expression changed again.
Lifting the blanket, Gu Yuanbai looked down and saw even his toes bore bite marks.
The Emperor froze in bed, his face alternating between red and black.
The door opened, and Xue Yuan walked in carrying hot water and a towel. Seeing the Emperor awake, a satisfied smile spread across his handsome face.
Gu Yuanbai glared at him, his lips pressed into a line, his red eyes unfriendly. Xue Yuan suddenly sighed, “Your Majesty, if you keep staring at me like that, I won’t be able to take it.”
“…” Gu Yuanbai sneered, “Heh.”
Xue Yuan approached, bending down to place the Emperor’s legs on his lap, speaking softly, “Does it hurt?”
It doesn’t hurt. If you ask how it feels, it’s quite enjoyable. As long as it’s enjoyable, Gu Yuanbai can be quite agreeable. But last night, Xue Yuan was like a silent mountain, not listening to Gu Yuanbai at all. When Gu Yuanbai asked him to hurry, he went slow. When he asked him to stop, he agreed verbally but continued anyway.
Thinking about this, Gu Yuanbai kicked Xue Yuan hard without mercy. “I find you annoying.”
Xue Yuan took the hit squarely, holding Gu Yuanbai’s toes in his hand and planting a kiss on the top of his foot. He smiled, “Please trouble Your Majesty to look at me a bit more. It’s getting late; let me help you get up.”
“Find something that covers my neck,” Gu Yuanbai’s voice was hoarse, “with long sleeves.”
Xue Yuan couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes.”
In the morning, the imperial physician was already waiting outside the hall. Gu Yuanbai pulled up his sleeve to let them take his pulse. On his wrist were several bite marks, one after another. The physician’s hand trembled slightly, pretending not to see them.
After the physician was done, Xue Yuan immediately stepped forward, taking out a cloth to repeatedly wipe Gu Yuanbai’s wrist.
Xue Yuan’s hands were rough, and the skin all over his body was more sensitive than usual. After the cloth had been wiped two or three times, Gu Yuanbai frowned and whispered, “It hurts.”
Xue Yuan dropped the cloth, deeply furrowing his brows as if someone had stabbed him in the heart.
Gu Yuanbai thought, pretending again.
Beastly as he was, if he really cared, why didn’t he listen when told to stop on the bed?
After the physician left, Gu Yuanbai held his wrist up to Xue Yuan’s lips and commanded, “Kiss it.”
Xue Yuan’s Adam’s apple moved dramatically, but he shook his head, “Your Majesty, I can’t kiss it. The skin here is thin; if I kiss it more, it will hurt.”
Gu Yuanbai felt slightly satisfied and was about to put his hand down when Xue Yuan caught it, lowering his head and blowing gently on it with concern.
A tingling sensation spread through his bones.
The emperor’s fingertips involuntarily curled up, and he softened his voice, asking Xue Yuan gently, “Does it hurt?”
Xue Yuan’s expression remained unchanged. “Where exactly, Your Majesty?”
“On your back,” Gu Yuanbai said seriously, turning his jade thumb ring. “Tonight, take off your clothes. Let me see if I hurt you.”
Xue Yuan couldn’t help but grin. He nodded in a mock-serious manner and obediently said, “I will do as Your Majesty commands.”
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