Chapter 152
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
“Master Bai,” Xue Yuan whispered, “Want to play something?”
The mother wolf at the mansion was about to give birth.
He wanted to bring the emperor back to the Xue residence.
The steam from the teacup condensed into water, dripping into the tea bowl. After three drops, Gu Yuanbai’s profile turned a delicate shade of pink.
He glanced at Xue Yuan, “What did you just say?”
The emperor pretended not to have heard, but his lips curved into a smile.
That smile, like a ripe fruit hidden behind spring leaves, was both concealed and revealing, with hints of affection and springtime. This faint smile was more captivating to Xue Yuan than a bright grin.
This expression made it seem as though Gu Yuanbai also liked Xue Yuan.
Xue Yuan abruptly stood up, reached across the table, and grabbed Gu Yuanbai’s hand.
His movements were so abrupt that people at nearby tables looked over in surprise. Gu Yuanbai also looked up at him, lips slightly parted in astonishment.
“I,” Xue Yuan’s mouth was dry, his palm sweating as he held the soft hand. Words stuck in his throat, and he was so anxious that visible steam rose from him in the winter cold, “I…”
Gu Yuanbai thought he was really going to do something outrageous in public, and sweat beaded on his nose.
But Xue Yuan let go of his hand, turned, and ran out of the teahouse like the wind, his retreating figure looking rather pitiful. The heavy footsteps gradually faded, and Gu Yuanbai stood there stunned for a while. When he looked down, Xue Yuan had already run downstairs, standing out in the crowd with his flushed face.
Gu Yuanbai pressed his fist to his lips and chuckled.
The scholars in the teahouse whispered, “Does that man have a problem?”
“Making such a fuss in a teahouse.”
Gu Yuanbai laughed even harder, his shoulders shaking. He suddenly noticed how bright the blue sky and white clouds were outside the window. Today was indeed a clear day.
On such a beautiful day, it was a mistake to bring Xue Yuan here to listen to the scholars’ opinions on punctuation marks.
Footsteps approached lightly, and someone asked with concern, “Young master, what happened to you?”
Heavy footsteps quickly followed, and Gu Yuanbai looked up to see Xue Yuan, with a stern face, pushing aside the concerned scholar and dragging Gu Yuanbai out of the teahouse.
The streets were bustling with people coming and going. The guards surrounding the teahouse followed discreetly. Gu Yuanbai spoke languidly, “General Xue, why did you run just now?”
Xue Yuan said nothing. Gu Yuanbai smirked silently, “What do you want to play with me?”
Xue Yuan stumbled slightly, almost falling.
He tightened his grip, feigning a stern expression, “Don’t say such things.”
Gu Yuanbai said, “You’re hurting me.”
Xue Yuan stiffened all over and quickly turned to look. There was nothing on Gu Yuanbai’s wrist, he hadn’t hurt him.
When he looked up, Gu Yuanbai was still smiling.
Xue Yuan swallowed hard and suddenly hugged him.
Gu Yuanbai was startled, slapping his arm forcefully. Reluctantly, Xue Yuan let go, unable to hug him as people walked by. He could only follow closely, circling Gu Yuanbai, murmuring, “Yuanbai, you’re really good-looking.”
Gu Yuanbai moved his lips, suppressing a smile, “Get lost.”
They walked towards the bridge. The river flowed gently, the bare trees had no grass beneath them, and there were few people around. The melting snow wet their shoes in the grass.
Xue Yuan said slowly, “I want to kiss you.”
Gu Yuanbai instinctively said no.
Xue Yuan frowned, sweat soaking his white collar. Gu Yuanbai felt a bit sorry for him, lifting his arm and rolling up his sleeve, exposing his slender wrist bones, “How about smelling this?”
Xue Yuan cherished his wrist, sniffing it.
Gu Yuanbai casually asked, “Why didn’t you kiss me the other day?”
“Impossible,” Xue Yuan responded without thinking, firmly, “I kiss you every day.”
Gu Yuanbai smirked, “Even when I’m busy, you kiss me?”
Xue Yuan paused, then nodded vaguely, “…when you’re asleep.”
Gu Yuanbai was stunned, then quickly asked, “What else did you do?”
Xue Yuan didn’t dare to speak.
Gu Yuanbai’s voice grew lower, pressing, “Speak.”
This look was completely different from his furious demeanor in court. There was no anger, only a teasing tone.
Unable to bear the questioning, Xue Yuan stiffened his neck, “I just touched.”
Gu Yuanbai coolly asked, “Touched where?”
Xue Yuan, summoning his military courage, pointed all over Gu Yuanbai’s body.
“To think I felt sorry for you,” Gu Yuanbai crossed his arms, laughing coldly, feeling a tickle in his heart, “It turns out that when I’m busy with state affairs, my General Xue is enjoying himself.”
Xue Yuan’s eyes lit up, “The Emperor felt sorry for me?!”
Gu Yuanbai snorted, “Felt sorry for nothing.”
But Xue Yuan didn’t hear this. He was overjoyed, muttering, “You felt sorry for me,” grinning foolishly, so much that it was hard to watch.
Gu Yuanbai’s feigned anger was completely shattered by this silly smile. He muttered to himself, “What a fool.”
***
In the evening, Xue Yuan used the excuse of the mother wolf giving birth to bring the emperor to the Xue residence. After a bath, Gu Yuanbai had a small meal and sake prepared, dismissing the palace servants to sit alone in the courtyard with Xue Yuan, drinking under the moonlight.
The stove radiated warmth. It was around the fifteenth, and the moon was bright and round. After a few cups of sake, Xue Yuan finally spoke of his recent worries.
“You’ve been busy with the punctuation marks, not speaking to me for a long time,” Xue Yuan mocked himself, “I once saw my mother crying every day, thinking only she could be so insecure. Now I know I was wrong. At first, just seeing you was enough. After a month, I could bear it. After two months, I started having wild thoughts. By the third month, I was melancholic. I brought this chaos upon myself.”
Gu Yuanbai pursed his lips, suddenly feeling he wasn’t a very good partner, “Is being with me exhausting?”
Xue Yuan was puzzled, “Why do you say that?”
Gu Yuanbai took a gloomy sip of sake, “I haven’t paid attention to you for three months.”
“I do it willingly,” Xue Yuan said honestly. After a pause, he added, “But occasionally, I feel like I’m not good enough. I don’t understand statecraft, I can’t help you.”
Gu Yuanbai was silent for a while. The sake didn’t taste good, nor did the food, “It’s a pity for you to stay by my side. You should follow your own path. As a general, let the world know your prowess, let the history books call you a hero. Xue Yuan, you don’t need to confine yourself to the palace.”
Xue Yuan froze, “What do you mean?”
Gu Yuanbai repeated himself.
Xue Yuan finally understood, incredulous, growling like a wounded beast, “You’re sending me away again?”
Gu Yuanbai gripped the sake cup tightly, “I just don’t want to hold you back from your bright future.”
Xue Yuan nearly went mad.
He was about to explode in anger, but the flickering candlelight revealed the expression on Gu Yuanbai’s face.
Xue Yuan’s fury turned to water. He walked around the stone table, squatting in front of Gu Yuanbai and gently lifting his face, “Are you feeling bad?”
Gu Yuanbai wouldn’t admit it. He just felt a bit defeated, looking at Xue Yuan’s worried face. He lifted his hand to caress his cheek, “I’m sorry.”
No matter how busy he was, Gu Yuanbai shouldn’t have ignored him for so long. He thought Xue Yuan wouldn’t mind. But did he really not mind?
If they were to be together, he had to fulfill his responsibilities. For the past three months, Gu Yuanbai had taken advantage of Xue Yuan’s deep affection. He knew Xue Yuan wouldn’t leave him and thought Xue Yuan should understand and prioritize his duties.
Such taken-for-granted thoughts were indeed hurtful.
With a heavy tone, he asked, “Did I hurt you?”
Xue Yuan smelled the sake on his breath, glanced at the cup, and frowned, “Why did Steward Tian bring you sake?”
Gu Yuanbai hadn’t drunk for a long time for his health. Though he had been in this world for seven years, he had only had alcohol a handful of times. Now he was already feeling tipsy without realizing it.
He felt oppressed and suffocated.
Xue Yuan carefully held him in his lap, asking, “Where do you feel uncomfortable?”
Gu Yuanbai frowned and touched his chest.
Xue Yuan followed suit, gently rubbing his chest. “Your Majesty, please don’t say such things anymore. Everyone in the world makes mistakes, but you haven’t done anything wrong.”
“I have,” Gu Yuanbai said, looking at the bright moon, seeming as sober as if he had never touched alcohol. “Your father once told me that even if you only became a minor official, he wouldn’t consider it a disgrace to you. At the time, I thought he was too harsh on you. You’re so talented, you should have made a name for yourself during the wars with the Xixia. But look at what you did in Xixia.”
He clenched his hand tightly, fingers digging into the flesh of his palm. “You’ve been protecting me, never leaving my side! Other generals fight to get on the battlefield and seize military merits, but you? You’ve wasted opportunity after opportunity. You clearly—”
Clearly, you are much better than those people.
All because of Gu Yuanbai.
His emotions were intense, his back trembling. Xue Yuan stroked his back, then suddenly lowered his head, pressing it against Gu Yuanbai’s dark hair.
“Your Majesty,” his voice was hoarse and gentle, “isn’t protecting you important?”
Gu Yuanbai thought, it’s really because of me.
His trembling eyes closed tightly.
Xue Yuan continued to speak softly, “It’s my duty to ensure your safety on the battlefield. It’s far more important than fighting the enemy. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with this task; only if I handle it myself can I be at ease.”
“All the other generals leading troops, what they do is not as important as what I do,” he said. “I’m willing to forgo military merits. As long as you’re safe, that’s enough for me.”
“A man usually seeks to establish a name for himself,” Xue Yuan said, his expression becoming increasingly calm and mature, his voice soft. “But I’ve found something more important than that.”
If I can make things easier for you, so you won’t be foolishly watching others discuss politics, that would be even better.
Both the fish and the bear’s paw.
Xue Yuan instinctively held Gu Yuanbai tighter, a flash in his eyes.
If in the court, Gu Yuanbai could look at him while handling state affairs… that would be the best.
Even if, after achieving great power, the Emperor tires of him, he would still be indispensable.
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
