Chapter 145
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During dinner, the Emperor was busy reviewing the genealogy scrolls that Prefect Han had sent over. Xue Yuan, embarrassed like a young girl, carried the bowl and chopsticks away from the eunuch, the spoon gliding over the porcelain bowl, dispersing the rising steam. He bent down to feed the Emperor.
Dressed in black robes, with a jade fan at his waist, tall and slender, he seemed imposing when silent. But in front of the Emperor, Xue Yuan’s lips curved, dispelling any gloom, revealing only a spirited and handsome appearance.
Gu Yuanbai unwittingly let himself be fed half a bowl of rice by him, mouthful by mouthful. Xue Yuan’s throat moved slightly, and when the Emperor wasn’t paying attention, he turned around and tasted the spoon several times.
“Drink some soup,” Gu Yuanbai chewed his lip, “I’m a bit thirsty.”
Xue Yuan carefully put away the spoon, then hurriedly exchanged it for a white porcelain bowl of porridge.
Tian Fusheng stayed in the palace, serving alongside the Emperor, followed by Tian Fusheng’s young apprentice.
The little eunuch hesitated, watching Xue Yuan collect the things the Emperor had used into his arms one by one, “Lord Zhang, Lord Xue acts like this. Are you really not going to say anything?”
The chief guard frowned, “Does Cao Gonggong dislike Lord Xue?”
The little eunuch shook his head with both hands and heads.
The chief guard’s expression softened slightly, and he spoke earnestly, “Lord Xue has disregarded his own safety to protect the Emperor’s safety. Lord Xue only respects the Emperor like this. Since the Emperor has not said anything, Cao Gonggong should refrain from saying such things in the future, so as not to hurt Lord Xue’s heart.”
The little eunuch was alarmed, “I understand.”
***
After dinner, Gu Yuanbai was dragged along by Xue Yuan for a walk together.
Halfway there, Xue Yuan suddenly twisted his face for a moment, and Gu Yuanbai asked, “What’s wrong?”
“My wound itches,” Xue Yuan tightened, not moving.
Gu Yuanbai casually said, “Scratch it if it itches.”
Scratching the wound behind his back would be bad posture. Xue Yuan, tortured by the itching, took a step back and covered Gu Yuanbai’s eyes to scratch it.
Gu Yuanbai grasped his wrist.
This hand was now as white as jade, as flawless and beautiful as a perfect gem. The joints were like pearls, the skin delicate. But Xue Yuan had seen these hands in other forms, brushing through mud and sand, mixed with the scent of Xue Yuan’s blood, slapping his face.
In anxiousness and trembling, Gu Yuanbai cried.
In disbelief.
His tears, although like droplets of water, made Xue Yuan’s heart seethe with burning anguish. Xue Yuan had always wanted to see him cry, but after witnessing it once, he didn’t even dare to recall it.
He stared at these hands for a while, the fine abrasions on them having long since healed and disappeared. But their absence didn’t mean they hadn’t been injured.
Xue Yuan turned and hugged Gu Yuanbai around the waist, his tall frame nestling against the Emperor’s shoulder, murmuring softly, “Gu Lian.”
He was acting spoiled.
Why was he being so clingy?
Gu Yuanbai coughed lightly, about to speak, but Xue Yuan was startled, gripping Gu Yuanbai’s hands and examining them. “You coughed?”
“…It’s nothing,” Gu Yuanbai’s throat tickled again, speaking slowly, “I just cleared my throat.”
Xue Yuan relaxed, but felt an itch on his back. Holding Gu Yuanbai’s hands tightly, he said, “Could you scratch me?”
His words were gentle, but his grip was firm.
“Master Bai,” Xue Yuan nuzzled and licked the neck, “my back itches.”
Gu Yuanbai remained unmoved until Xue Yuan almost slobbered all over his neck. He couldn’t stand the goosebumps. “Let go of my hands and turn around.”
Xue Yuan happily was about to turn around, but caught a glimpse of a piece of clothing hidden behind the rockery. Between his striking eyebrows, a sudden fierceness emerged. “Your Majesty, I’ll go deal with some small matter.” He strode forward and grabbed the person hiding behind the rockery.
The hidden figure was a servant boy who, upon seeing Xue Yuan approaching, looked away nervously and anxiously. Xue Yuan grabbed his neck without hesitation, his voice cold, “What were you looking at?”
The servant boy twisted his wrist, trying to defend himself, but still tried to explain, “I just happened to pass by, I didn’t dare look at anything! Please don’t wrong me, noble guest!”
Xue Yuan released his grip on the boy’s neck. Before the boy could feel relief, Xue Yuan grabbed his hair and slammed him against the rockery.
Blood trickled down the servant’s forehead. Xue Yuan asked expressionlessly, “Who sent you?”
Only now did the servant grow frightened, trembling all over as he said, “It was Madam Zhen from the mansion.”
“Madam Zhen?” Xue Yuan’s tone turned even colder, “What did you see?”
The servant’s teeth chattered. “Your humble servant, your humble servant…”
Xue Yuan, lost in thought, murmured, “You saw everything.”
The servant’s words got stuck in his throat.
The dagger spun in Xue Yuan’s hand a few times, inserted and withdrawn. The servant fell to the ground without a breath. Xue Yuan glanced at the little emperor who had approached, crouched down, wiped the blood from the dagger and his fingers, and walked out with a smile. “Your Majesty.”
Gu Yuanbai looked at the rockery for a moment. “Who was it?”
Xue Yuan walked with his arm around him, whispering, “A servant sent by Madam Zhen from the mansion.”
Gu Yuanbai frowned, turned his head to look, “Where’s the servant?”
“I found him in time, and he didn’t see anything,” Xue Yuan gently turned the Emperor’s face, bowing his head to rub his own against the Emperor’s cheek, “He was scared to the point of wetting his pants, dirty, Your Majesty shouldn’t look.”
Gu Yuanbai chuckled and glanced at him sideways. “You scared him to the point of wetting his pants?”
Xue Yuan nodded seriously.
Gu Yuanbai laughed and smiled.
***
Later, Prefect Han learned about the incident.
Madam Zhen was the second lady of Prefect Han’s mansion. She sent the servant to see if there were any needs of the distinguished guests of Great Heng, showing her thoughtfulness and virtue. This move indeed embarrassed Prefect Han, who personally visited Gu Yuanbai, apologized, promised to punish Madam Zhen, and begged the Emperor not to be angry.
Gu Yuanbai forgave him.
That night, the servant who had made a serious mistake was found to have drowned himself in the lake. Madam Zhen went to the lake to see, where a corner of the lake was bloody, and the servant’s face was vaguely visible. She covered her mouth, feeling nauseous from the bottom of her heart.
Prefect Han scolded her for a long time, “Even if you die, don’t show up in front of me again. With such a great crime, do you want the entire prefectural mansion to be damned for you?”
Madam Zhen sobbed incessantly, feeling an inexplicable chill deep in her bones.
How could the servant who feared death throw himself into the lake?
***
The Emperor’s residence remained peaceful.
Xue Yuan had already cleaned himself up and laid naked on the Emperor’s bed. He didn’t know what he was thinking, and his ear tips were already burning red. Now it wasn’t just the wounds on his back that itched; places where scabs had formed all over his body were also itching faintly.
During those days when he was just injured and unable to move, the Emperor would personally dampen a towel and reach into Xue Yuan’s clothes to wipe his body.
Even if it hurt, it was as sweet as honey.
Returning from his bath, the Emperor saw the scene on the dragon bed and breathed a sigh, “Xue Jiuyao,” each word hesitated, “what are you doing like this?”
Xue Yuan frowned, more surprised than Gu Yuanbai: “Didn’t Your Majesty say you wanted to play with me tonight?”
Gu Yuanbai: “Mm.”
He lifted his hand to point at Xue Yuan and chuckled, “I said play, not this kind of play.”
Xue Yuan looked at Gu Yuanbai in disbelief for a long time. After a while, he sat up, the thin blanket slipped to his lean waist and abdomen, and he sighed deeply, “What does Your Majesty want to play?”
His expression was full of disappointment.
Gu Yuanbai sat down at the table and took out a piece of paper. Xue Yuan silently followed, and Gu Yuanbai dipped his pen in ink, “Xixia has now had quite a few cities captured by me, but there are still some stubborn resistances. Siege is not easy and often requires a lot of time. A city could potentially collapse the front line. If it weren’t a last resort, I really wouldn’t want to siege.”
Xue Yuan took a deep breath, knowing this was what Gu Yuanbai meant by play, “Let me put on some clothes.”
A moment later, the two sat together and carefully discussed the current situation in Xixia.
It wasn’t until the moon was high that they put down their pens and took a break.
***
Attacking the city was secondary, attacking the hearts was primary. If the people in the city were determined to defend to the death, the attacking army really had no good way.
In the royal city of Xixia, Small King’s Madam became increasingly crazy about her possession of power and her desire. Her madness before her death just happened to be the crack that Gu Yuanbai pried open in the city of Xixia.
Ding Yan and his team from the Supervision Bureau moved between the cities of Xixia. As each city fell under the control of the Great Heng Empire, the residents were immediately organized to work the fields.
The cities conquered by Great Heng remained peaceful and stable, free from the chaos of war. Protected by Great Heng soldiers, the residents busily tended to agricultural work. The appeal of a peaceful life attracted many residents to flee to the rear cities. Over time, the people in the capital finally began to feel a sense of dread beyond their hedonistic lifestyle.
Xixia was a small region, about the size of two provinces within Great Heng’s territory. With three out of its five provinces already occupied, how could they continue to fight?
Amidst the chirping of cicadas and birds, Gu Yuanbai personally wrote a letter of persuasion and sent it to Xingqing Prefecture.
Upon receiving the letter, the Small King’s Madam immediately summoned her confidants to read it aloud. The letter’s general content was: “If you voluntarily surrender, I can confer upon the current Emperor of Xixia the title of Duke of Xia, with a stipend of three thousand shi and countless rewards. A residence in the capital of Great Heng will be granted, allowing the Duke of Xia and his mother to live in wealth and comfort without worries.”
As long as they surrendered, although Xixia would be no more, they could still be granted the title of Duke of Xia and live a prosperous life under the Great Heng Emperor’s watch.
The Small King’s Madam abruptly stood up, walked over, and snatched the letter from her confidant’s hand, reading it repeatedly to confirm it was indeed a letter of persuasion.
She looked up at her confidants, who had varied expressions. “Madam, this…”
“Li Angyi is dead,” the Small King’s Madam said calmly. “Gentlemen, my son is still young, and I must govern in his place. But now, with wars raging, our forty thousand troops have all been defeated by either rebel leaders or enemy cavalry. Great Heng’s army is steadily approaching the capital, intent on annihilating Xixia. Great Heng is such a colossal power—how can my son and I possibly oppose it?”
One adviser cautioned, “Madam, if you accept this letter, you’ll go down in history as a traitor.”
The Small King’s Madam retorted angrily, “Nonsense! Must my son and I die at the hands of the enemy to satisfy the world? What do their opinions matter to me, a weak woman? They can’t offer me the prosperity the Great Heng Emperor can!”
As the argument grew louder, her confidant Dong Zhiyan suddenly said, “Xixia’s blue salt can no longer be sold in Great Heng.”
In the past, during conflicts between the two countries, Xixia avoided selling blue salt in Great Heng, and Great Heng did not broadly prohibit salt merchants from entering Xixia.
Aside from the Small King’s Madam, everyone was shocked, turning to look at Dong Zhiyan.
Dong Zhiyan, looking haggard, explained, “If we continue like this, fewer merchants from Great Heng will come to buy our blue salt, and soon the capital will lack the funds for even basic necessities.”
The Small King’s Madam sneered, shaking the letter. “The treasury has long been emptied by the military. As for Li Angyi’s private stash, who knows where it is? If you don’t want to surrender, then offer up your own money and food. Whoever contributes the most, we will follow their lead!”
No one spoke, and the palace fell into silence.
The Small King’s Madam carefully folded the letter and said, “The Great Heng Emperor has given Xingqing Prefecture half a month to consider.”
Would they choose a disgraceful surrender to enjoy a prosperous life, or resist until death?
The Small King’s Madam had already made up her mind and believed that the others would too.
***
Gu Yuanbai had personally led the campaign, and now winter had turned into summer.
Among the official documents sent from the capital, there was always a letter from Gu Ran.
Gu Ran, still young, lacked the strength to write properly, resulting in somewhat soft and delicate characters. However, his progress was evident over time as he diligently practiced.
In his latest letter, Gu Ran cautiously asked, “When will Royal Father return?”
Gu Yuanbai could almost picture Gu Ran’s expression as he read the letter. He too began to miss the capital, its people, and its familiarity.
A hand reached out to gently rub his back.
“In another month, I will return,” Gu Yuanbai said softly. “I have been away for too long and must not delay any further.”
Kong Yilin, who was writing reports nearby, lifted his head, his eyes showing signs of exhaustion. “Your Majesty, please rest assured. Now that Xixia is under our control, we will handle the reorganization and distribution of land according to protocol. You can return without worry.”
“Make it swift,” Gu Yuanbai instructed. “There are many talented individuals in Xixia, well-versed in our studies. By the next imperial examination, I want to see candidates from Xixia.”
Kong Yilin and the other officials solemnly agreed.
Gu Yuanbai nodded slightly, rising from his desk. As he was about to leave, an official from the government office suddenly remembered something and asked, “Your Majesty, once Xixia is fully integrated, what shall we name the new region?”
Gu Yuanbai paused, gazing at the rising sun, and said, “Out of the five provinces in Xixia, one will merge with Shaanxi, two will form Gansu, and the remaining two will be renamed Ningxia, signifying peace in the xia region.”
“Ningxia,” the officials murmured. “A fine name.”
Gu Yuanbai smiled, exhaling a breath of relief, and strode out into the sunlight.
In the summer of the twelfth year of Jingping, the Great Heng Dynasty conquered Xixia, establishing Ningxia Prefecture to signify peace in the Xia region. Thus, Ningxia came into being.
By mid-August of that year, Heng Gaozong Gu Lian returned to the capital, greeted by cheering citizens who danced and celebrated his arrival, sharing in the joy of the entire nation.
For now, Great Heng’s territorial expansion paused.
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