Chapter 138
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That night, Gu Yuanbai couldn’t accomplish anything because he developed a slight fever.
The imperial physician said he could engage in intimate activities after half a month. Xue Yuan was extremely careful not to hurt him further. However, the emperor’s body couldn’t withstand the deep pleasure, so Gu Yuanbai had to take medicine and rest in bed.
To comfort him, Xue Yuan showed him his back, which was covered in scratches from Gu Yuanbai.
The emperor was not appreciative. He gave the loyal General Xue a glance and closed his eyes to rest.
Three days later, Gu Yuanbai finally got out of bed. Tian Fusheng had secretly persuaded him several times, saying, “Your Majesty, you mustn’t neglect your health like this. It’s truly too harmful.”
The old eunuch didn’t stop there; he deliberately complained in front of Xue Yuan, accusing him of being too clingy, with much resentment in his tone. Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but laugh, his back trembling slightly as he leaned over his desk.
Xue Yuan stood nearby, his cold gaze sweeping over Tian Fusheng, his hand gently soothing the emperor’s back.
A few days later, Gu Yuanbai received a letter from the Emperor of Xixia.
The current Emperor of Xixia was the former second prince, the timid prince whose leg Gu Yuanbai had broken.
Li Angyi’s letter was full of frustration. “Your letter to my father made my life very difficult during that time.”
He didn’t say it so directly, but the details implied it. After reading the letter, Gu Yuanbai’s expression grew serious, discerning many probing questions from the Xixia second prince.
Li Angyi was aware of the naval battle between Fusang and Great Heng. Was he planning to make a move?
Gu Yuanbai pondered over this all night, even thinking about it as he went to sleep. When Xue Yuan tried to climb into bed, he was kicked off. “I’m not in the mood right now.”
Xue Yuan climbed back up, hugging him tightly despite being kicked and hit several times. “Your Majesty, tell me who upset you. I’ll go deal with them.”
“Many have,” Gu Yuanbai pointed at him. “You’re the main one.”
Xue Yuan sucked on his finger, smiling gently. “Your Majesty, I am willing to be punished by you.”
“Kneeling, without moving,” Xue Yuan eagerly suggested, recalling the carriage incident. “Your Majesty, my legs are strong. You can stand on them and hold my shoulders.”
Gu Yuanbai remained unmoved, calmly saying, “Xue Jiuyou, say one more word?”
Xue Yuan fell silent.
After a moment of quiet, it was Gu Yuanbai who spoke first. “I am thinking about the Xixia Emperor.”
Xue Yuan sneered, “I remember, the second prince whose leg I broke.”
“Yes,” Gu Yuanbai said slowly. “Soon, there will be a war at the border between the Northwest and Xixia. I plan to lead the army myself.”
Xue Yuan’s grip on Gu Yuanbai tightened suddenly.
Gu Yuanbai pursed his lips, turning to face him directly. He explained to Xue Yuan why he decided to lead the campaign, breaking it down bit by bit. “The country is stable now, and the victory at the coast is still distant from the interior. When I was working on anti-corruption, I thought of using a victory to assert my authority. The local officials are far from the Emperor, and the Emperor’s prestige has weakened for them. I once told you about this, and you said that the greater the commander’s prestige, the more the soldiers will obey and follow.”
Xue Yuan took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes.”
“Therefore, I need an assured victory to intimidate the local regions and shock the Northwest. The victory in the Northern Frontier isn’t enough. A victory based on luck doesn’t have the deterrent effect I want internally,” Gu Yuanbai stated decisively. “I am confident in a victory against Xixia, so I cannot miss this opportunity to lead the campaign.”
“Moreover,” Gu Yuanbai paused, lowering his voice, “after the war with Xixia, I plan to implement educational reforms. Only by returning victorious will those people be cowed by my triumph and continue to retreat in fear.”
“By then, the reform of the academic factions will have seized upon this opportunity and succeeded in one fell swoop.”
In Gu Yuanbai’s heart, each clause came one by one. If his body couldn’t be treated, naturally, he wouldn’t choose to lead an expedition himself. He wasn’t even sure if he could endure the distant journey. But now, everything was different. With a way to improve and prolong his health, Gu Yuanbai’s ambitions began to burn along with his body. As he spoke these words, his eyes seemed to sparkle with light.
Captivating, dazzling, making hearts beat faster.
Suddenly, Xue Yuan lowered his head, cupping Gu Yuanbai’s face to look into his eyes.
Gu Yuanbai was taken aback, his words halted abruptly, his eyes reflecting Xue Yuan’s face with puzzlement.
“Your Majesty,” Xue Yuan’s voice was low, “we agreed that no matter where you go, you must take me with you.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Gu Yuanbai’s mouth. He touched Xue Yuan’s Adam’s apple and smiled, “You be obedient. If you behave, I’ll take you.”
“…” Xue Yuan sighed, “Your Majesty, I can be obedient in any situation. But if I were too obedient then, I would die.”
Gu Yuanbai opened his lips to speak, but before he could say anything, Xue Yuan earnestly asked, “Do you really feel uncomfortable? Dislike it?”
“I like it,” Gu Yuanbai honestly admitted, “It’s just that you’re too persistent, and your hands are too rough.”
“D*mn,” Xue Yuan muttered softly, then immediately said, “Your Majesty, please stop. I’m going to become an animal.”
Gu Yuanbai: “…”
The two bantered for a while, playing intentionally. Then they embraced and slept. In the middle of the night, Xue Yuan suddenly woke up, gasping heavily. He pressed his forehead against Gu Yuanbai’s, feeling his breath spray. After a long while, the suffocating feeling from his dream still lingered in his mind.
He had had the exact same nightmare again.
Gu Yuanbai, half awake, seemed to sense his panic. Instinctively, he reached out and hugged Xue Yuan’s head tightly, “I’m here, don’t be afraid.”
Xue Yuan was pressed against his chest, his eyes widened, and after a moment of confusion, he couldn’t help but laugh.
The terrifying scene of mountains collapsing and the earth cracking in his dream gradually dissipated.
Over a dozen days later, the Northwestern Army had returned from the coastal navy. A report also came from the front, informing that soldiers from the interior of Xixia were gathering, fearing an attack from behind on Great Heng.
In the early morning court session, Gu Yuanbai calmly declared his intention to lead the expedition himself.
The court was in an uproar.
One minister after another came out to dissuade him, kneeling tearfully and pleading. After the morning court session, groups of three or two came one after another to the Xuanzheng Hall to advise him.
But the Emperor’s mind was made up. He couldn’t use the reform of the academic factions to persuade everyone, so he listed the other reasons one by one. It had been nearly ten years since Jingping had started. In two years, two generations of emperors of Great Heng had never led troops into battle. The imperial dignity was gradually being ignored, and in Gu Yuanbai’s eyes, this opportunity was extremely rare; he couldn’t afford to miss it.
Those who could be persuaded were persuaded by the Emperor. Those who could not be persuaded did not need to be forced. Half of the court were loyal supporters of the Emperor, willing to step back but still worried about his safety.
Gu Yuanbai was not a person who couldn’t take advice from his subjects. Even if the ministers were worried about his safety, even if Gu Yuanbai had enough confidence, he still had to leave a stable guarantee for his ministers.
Two days later, he picked out five children from the ancestral home to enter the palace.
The ancestral home vaguely sensed something, so they were very excited, repeatedly admonishing the children to respect the Emperor as they would their parents, to be sensible and polite, and not to behave like children.
The five children were terrified, their hearts trembling as they met Gu Yuanbai. They didn’t dare to lift their heads, afraid that they were the ones not behaving properly.
But the Emperor was kind and smiling, not only taking them for a stroll in the imperial garden but also letting them have dinner, which was suitable for children.
The five children gradually relaxed, showing some liveliness when they talked to the Emperor. When they were about to leave the palace, the Emperor rewarded them with many things and watched them leave with a smile.
The children left with their rewards, their faces blushing, holding the hands of the palace attendants. They showed genuine joy from the bottom of their hearts.
The attendants cleared the tableware, and Tian Fusheng brought the Emperor a cup of tea. “Your Majesty, how did you find those young lords?”
Gu Yuanbai shook his head and sighed.
The next day, another five children from the ancestral home entered the palace. This time, Gu Yuanbai was already waiting in the pavilion of the imperial garden. The pavilion was surrounded on all sides, and braziers were lit, making it as warm as early spring.
When the children arrived outside the pavilion, Gu Yuanbai took Xue Yuan’s hand from behind a thick cotton curtain and ate the sticky petals in his mouth. “Half a day’s bag, no more.”
Xue Yuan cherished the petals, worried, “Your Majesty, I only have three and a half bags of dried petals left.”
Gu Yuanbai was shocked. “I’ve sun-dried thousands of famous flowers for you!”
Xue Yuan clicked his tongue. “Not enough.”
The voices outside grew louder, so Gu Yuanbai sent Xue Yuan out. Xue Yuan lifted the heavy cotton cloth and stepped out, locking eyes with a child. He frowned, feeling somewhat familiar with the child. When the child saw Xue Yuan looking at him, he bowed to him in accordance with the etiquette for a superior person.
Strange, the children from the ancestral home were all members of the royal family. They should only bow to ministers who hold marquis positions or members of the royal family according to their seniority and rank. Xue Yuan raised an eyebrow, stepped forward, and looked down at the child. “Do you recognize me?”
“When the general returned to the court, I happened to see it,” the child said calmly and unhurriedly, “The general was very brave and admirable.”
He spoke of admiration, but his expression was calm. He looked about five or six years old, but he could already praise others without blushing or skipping a beat. He was indeed a talent.
Moreover, this child seemed to have some resemblance to the Emperor’s mannerisms. Xue Yuan smirked and said deliberately, “The Emperor has said similar things about me.”
The child suddenly looked up, his expression surprised. He cautiously, yet unable to contain his excitement, asked, “Did His Majesty praise the general in the same way as I praised the general?”
“His Majesty also praised my bravery,” Xue Yuan said meaningfully, “urging me not to slack off and to scale greater heights.”
The child couldn’t detect General Xue’s playful exaggeration. Feeling elated for echoing the words of the Emperor, he smiled foolishly, then quickly composed himself and slowly replied, “General Xue, that’s right. You must bravely scale those heights.”
This child truly admired and adored Gu Yuanbai.
Xue Yuan took it in stride. Of course, Gu Yuanbai was so exceptional that it was only natural for a young child to admire him.
But Gu Yuanbai belonged to him alone.
He had initially thought that a single close interaction would temporarily quell his cravings and desires, but it turned out quite the opposite. Xue Yuan was becoming more and more infatuated with Gu Yuanbai, to the point where just a glance from him could steal Xue Yuan’s soul away. When Gu Yuanbai’s fingers gestured, Xue Yuan’s heart beat like a drum. How was this any better than before? It was clearly more intense than ever.
Suppressing his ambitious desires, Xue Yuan stepped aside, allowing the children from the Imperial Clan to enter the pavilion.
***
When the five children entered, His Majesty set aside the book in his hand and greeted them with a slight smile. “Feeling chilly?”
The children blushed and shook their heads awkwardly. Gu Yuanbai beckoned them closer, and each one paid their respects to the Emperor. When one of the children called out “Royal Uncle,” Gu Yuanbai suddenly paused. “Have I seen you somewhere before?”
A serious child respectfully greeted Gu Yuanbai, though his ears turned red. “Royal Uncle, your nephew, once saw you at the Summer Palace.”
Gu Yuanbai recalled.
When Xue Yuan supported him to Wan Taifei’s bedroom door, amidst a group of children from the Imperial Clan, one had exclaimed with joy, “Royal Uncle is here!”
It was this child.
Gu Yuanbai remembered Wan Taifei, pushed away his melancholy, and his smile softened. He patted the child’s head. “What’s your name?”
The child tried to appear calm. “Royal Uncle, I am called Gu Ran.”
“Gu Ran,” Gu Yuanbai nodded gently, smiling. “A good name.”
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