Chapter 22
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Before things settled down, all the high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital shut themselves in, unusually obedient.
But the common people were not affected. After all, the residences of the imperial relatives were far from the common folk, and Gu Yuanbai intentionally avoided causing too much disturbance. This kind of action, at most, only scared the imperial relatives and courtiers who lived nearby.
Smart people knew this was just a warning and a demonstration.
The Emperor had long known what was going on. He used this opportunity to send out the royal guards for a round, telling others, “I have the power to decide your life and death. Don’t try to provoke me. The only thing you should do is obediently submit to me.”
This Emperor was completely different from the late Emperor. He said something, he did it, and he did it openly. Naturally, a chill rose in the hearts of the imperial relatives, but in the eyes of his admirers, the Emperor’s actions were incredibly impressive!
In the palace, after listening to General Cheng’s report, Gu Yuanbai heard about the poems written by Chang Yuyan and the son of the Shangshu of the Ministry of Revenue, Tang Mian, praising him. He chuckled and took a look at the poems, unable to help but laugh.
Chang Yuyan and Tang Mian were both intelligent people, and their literary styles and writing styles were different, each with its own merits. The two poems, one extolling the Emperor’s authority and the other extolling the Emperor’s love for the people, were both excellent works that rolled off the tongue. At this time, using this method to embellish the peace and stabilize the hearts of the people, these two had spontaneously developed into talents in public opinion.
That’s how the literary circle works—one person leads, and others follow. With Chang Yuyan and Tang Mian taking the lead, since this was the way things were done above, naturally, those below followed suit. The incident of using the royal guards personally to shed royal blood seemed to have been forgotten by everyone.
Gu Yuanbai thought for a moment, then chuckled and set the poems aside, asking Tian Fusheng, “Aren’t you going to rest lying down?”
“I’d like to rest for a couple of days,” Tian Fusheng said with a worried look, “but, Your Majesty, I’ve only been away for half a day, and so many things have happened in succession. This day feels really long, so long that my old waist doesn’t even ache anymore.”
Gu Yuanbai realized that it had only been half a day indeed.
But he was very satisfied with this efficiency. All the things that should have been resolved in half a day were resolved, and all possible contingencies were nipped in the bud.
“Wan Taifei really said she missed me and wanted to see me, right?” Gu Yuanbai smiled, “When there’s no morning court in a few days, let the people from the Imperial Observatory check the weather. I remember there’s a royal temple outside the capital that was bestowed by the late Emperor. It’s a good idea to take Wan Taifei there to relax.”
Tian Fusheng respectfully agreed, and Gu Yuanbai glanced at him, saying, “You don’t need to go. Just rest in the palace.”
“…” Tian Fusheng was moved by the Emperor’s concern and had tears in his eyes, but he was also worried that something might happen in his absence. For a moment, he was torn and speechless.
Xue Yuan, who had already finished cleaning up, spoke up at the right moment, “At that time, I will also accompany His Majesty.”
He smiled gracefully, “Don’t worry, Your Excellency. I’m strong and can withstand anything. I’m useful anywhere.”
Tian Fusheng politely replied, “With Lord Xue and Lord Zhang around, what do I have to worry about?”
Xue Yuan was excited all over.
He smiled slightly at Tian Fusheng, and the excitement hidden in his eyes gave his smile a hint of unusual meaning.
In fact, Xue Yuan was almost excited to the point of going crazy because of what the Emperor had just done.
Xue Yuan was bloodthirsty. At eleven or twelve, he dared to kill deserters who ran away from the battlefield. He enjoyed the battlefield, the killings, and the submission of others.
The most esteemed person in the world was undoubtedly the Emperor in front of him. But this Emperor, who seemed weak and powerless in his eyes, was as thunderous as thunder. He was arrogant enough and bold enough. After taking a bath and seeing the long line of black-armored royal guards running out of the palace, Xue Yuan suddenly felt his breath becoming heavier.
The most esteemed person in the world also has the ruthlessness of the ruler of the world.
Between conquering larger ambitions and conquering the Emperor, at this moment, the latter made Xue Yuan even more excited.
From the beginning to now, except for illness, Xue Yuan had never seen any other expression on the young Emperor’s face. Gu Yuanbai always seemed composed and calm, ready to be ruthless when needed, and wearing a cold face when necessary. Despite his seemingly frail body, he never showed a trace of weakness.
What would he look like when he was weak?
Xue Yuan didn’t know.
But after today’s test, Xue Yuan didn’t leave empty-handed. He at least knew that the young Emperor didn’t like being touched by others. The more intimate the touch, the more repelled the young Emperor was.
This was truly a priceless discovery.
Gu Yuanbai suddenly looked up at the sky, “Is it time for dispersal?”
Zhang Xu, the Chief Guard, said, “Your Majesty, indeed it is time for dispersal.”
The only one who needed dispersal was Xue Yuan.
Xue Yuan stepped forward respectfully and bowed to Gu Yuanbai, “Then I’ll take my leave.”
After Xue Yuan left, Gu Yuanbai glanced at his departing figure, and Tian Fusheng also followed his gaze, admiring, “I still remember the first time I saw Young Master Xue, he was reeking of alcohol. But now that he’s not drinking anymore, isn’t he a great talent? Handsome and brave, they say like father like son. I heard that Young Master Xue is not afraid of fighting on the battlefield, and he’s very skilled in leading troops.”
Gu Yuanbai said, “He has military achievements, but General Xue wants him to stabilize and mature.”
“Yes,” Tian Fusheng chuckled, “Now Young Master Xue is serving as a royal guard by His Majesty’s side, which is also a great honor. Given time, he will definitely become an outstanding general.”
Gu Yuanbai thought to himself, indeed, he would become a general capable of threatening the throne.
Today, Xue Yuan seemed obedient, but upon closer inspection, he was rebellious and slippery in every aspect. If it weren’t for the fact that he was the protagonist and could be useful to the country in the future, Gu Yuanbai would have taught him what it meant to wield imperial power long ago.
But a mad dog was a mad dog; it was more interesting to tame him like this. If he became obedient and docile at the first scare, Gu Yuanbai would look down on him.
After dinner, Gu Yuanbai received the two generals who managed the palace’s royal guards in the side hall of the Xuanzheng Hall.
General Cheng said, “Your Majesty, among the people captured in Qi Wang’s mansion, some are requesting to exchange secrets for their lives.”
Gu Yuanbai chuckled, “No exchange. What I want is their lives.”
No one in the world had more intelligence in their hands than Gu Yuanbai. These people were thrown into the capital and could only resort to this last resort to save their lives. Gu Yuanbai didn’t believe they held any meaningful intelligence. Compared to that, what he needed was their heads. After intimidating all the mansions with their heads, including those that might be lurking among the ministers and imperial relatives, he would use them as a warning to scare and deter those who were still undiscovered among Lu Feng’s people.
After this battle, Gu Yuanbai believed that all royal mansions and ministers would cooperate with him.
When the hidden tumors were scared and exposed, he would personally send these abandoned people to the south of Jinghu and Jiangnan to meet with the remnants of Lu Feng.
That would be a good show of dogs biting dogs.
So, no matter how you looked at it, the use of these heads was paramount. After these heads had scared all the mansions, Gu Yuanbai would also give them to Lu Feng’s remnants as gifts.
Having received such a great gift of kindness from the current Emperor, he hoped they could regain some courage, feel scared sooner, and feel fearful. Then they could confront the local powerhouses in these two places, seize the wealth, farmland, and peasants of these local powerhouses.
Go crush them, and then wait to be crushed by Gu Yuanbai.
***
The Emperor caught a cold, and on top of that, he coughed up blood. The imperial physicians in the entire imperial hospital were busy, taking his pulse many times. Finally, they concluded that the Emperor spat out this blood due to a sudden attack of anger, and if he wanted to recover properly, he should not overthink things.
He listened to the advice of the physicians and set aside a work time for himself every day. All the work should be completed within that time, and the rest of the time was spent strolling in the imperial garden, reading books, and occasionally jotting down some modern knowledge from his memory to avoid forgetting it in the future.
After a few days like this, the cold gradually improved. Taking advantage of the weather forecast from the Imperial Observatory, Gu Yuanbai scheduled a visit to the royal temple with Wan Taifei on the agenda.
Early the next morning, a carriage left the palace.
Xue Yuan rode his horse beside the window. He looked spirited and handsome. When Gu Yuanbai opened the window, he smiled faintly and said, “Your Majesty, feeling cold?”
The early morning of April was not chilly anymore. Gu Yuanbai took off his heavy clothes, dressed in a green robe, and wore a jade crown. With a gentle smile, he exuded a sense of elegance.
A white butterfly flew past the carriage, and the Emperor’s gaze involuntarily followed the butterfly. Suddenly, a large hand reached out and swiftly and accurately caught the butterfly.
Xue Yuan smiled as he closed his fist around the butterfly and held it in front of Gu Yuanbai’s eyes, “Your Majesty, are you interested in this?”
Gu Yuanbai’s eyes sparkled with interest, “And if I am?”
Was Xue Yuan planning to offer this butterfly to him?
Xue Yuan smiled slightly and slowly opened his palm. In the middle of his palm lay a butterfly covered in blood, its yellow wings stained with the white of blood. The butterfly that had just been fluttering around was already crushed to death by Xue Yuan.
“It’s dead,” Xue Yuan looked regretful and apologized, “I used too much force. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
Gu Yuanbai said indifferently, “Throw it away.”
Xue Yuan threw the butterfly on the ground, then took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands. Once the blood was wiped away, he presented his clean palm to the Emperor with a smile, “Your Majesty, how about now?”
Gu Yuanbai raised an eyebrow lightly, “No different.”
“I feel clean though,” Xue Yuan retracted his hand, “It’s simple to clean, just one wipe and it’s clean. After this, apart from Your Majesty, who would know that I accidentally crushed a butterfly?”
“I’m not interested in butterflies,” Gu Yuanbai said, finding his conversation with Xue Yuan quite interesting, “But I’m very interested in the horse you’re riding.”
Xue Yuan smirked, “I’ve also held the Emperor before, quite stable. Compared to a horse, am I not better?”
Gu Yuanbai replied, “Still more clever than livestock.”
Xue Yuan’s smirk froze for a moment. When he lowered his eyebrows and eyes, his whole face appeared dark and sharp, but soon he smiled again and said, “If Your Majesty is interested in my horse, why not get off the carriage and ride it?”
Gu Yuanbai lost interest and said, “No need,” before closing the carriage window.
Xue Yuan glanced at the carriage with a sinister smile.
He hadn’t planned to invite Gu Yuanbai to ride a horse, but now that the young Emperor had declined, Xue Yuan felt it necessary to make him get off the carriage and ride.
Gu Yuanbai was flipping through a book when the young eunuch beside him asked, “What kind of tea would Your Majesty like today?”
“Bring a pot of Shuangjing green tea,” Gu Yuanbai replied, “Brew it lightly.”
The cautious eunuch took out the tea leaves and said, “Yes.”
Shuangjing green tea was the Emperor’s recent favorite. The tea buds were plump and shaped like phoenix claws. When brewed, it had a clear and bright color, a mellow and fragrant taste, and a lingering aroma. The eunuch was carefully brewing the tea when suddenly the carriage shook violently, causing the entire compartment to sway.
Gu Yuanbai steadied himself against the carriage wall and exclaimed, “What’s going on?”
The spilled tea water flooded the floor, soaking the layers of soft blankets, making the seats unusable and the entire carriage uninhabitable!
Outside, there was a commotion. Gu Yuanbai raised his robe and stepped out of the carriage. When he looked down, he saw that a sharp stone had deeply pierced one of the horse’s legs, causing the entire horse to kneel on the ground and wail in pain.
Gu Yuanbai’s eyelids twitched, and he looked around.
There were indeed many small stones on the roadside, and some of them were sharp. But it was so coincidental that the stone had managed to angle itself into the horse’s leg, and the entire carriage was splashed with tea.
Gu Yuanbai chuckled coldly, “Zhang Xu.”
The chief guard hurried over and said, “Your Majesty, injured horses will be sent for treatment. The carriage is now unusable. Your Majesty, why not ride on my horse? I’ll lead the way.”
“No need,” Gu Yuanbai said, “That would be too slow, and Wan Taifei is still waiting for me.”
At that moment, Xue Yuan approached, leading a horse. He stroked the mane of his horse and said casually, “Your Majesty, why not try my horse?”
The chief guard frowned, about to retort, but Xue Yuan continued calmly, “The owner of the horse is slightly more clever than livestock. I believe the horse is also smarter than some people.”
“I will hold you firmly, Your Majesty,” Xue Yuan said with a sarcastic smile, “And my horse will also hold you firmly.”
Gu Yuanbai glanced at him and squinted, “I will ride together with Xue Yuan. Zhang Xu, bring the palace eunuch with us.”
Xue Yuan respectfully stepped aside and said, “Your Majesty, please.”
Gu Yuanbai gave him a meaningful look, then mounted the horse with agility. Although his health was not good, it didn’t mean he couldn’t ride. Although his endurance was lacking, he wasn’t embarrassed in the basics!
Mounting the horse was smooth as flowing clouds, and Xue Yuan held the reins, about to mount the horse himself. But suddenly, Gu Yuanbai squeezed his legs, flicked the reins, and exclaimed, “Let’s go!”
The horse suddenly galloped away, dragging Xue Yuan on the ground for more than ten meters before he managed to scramble onto the horse’s back, sitting behind the young Emperor.
Covered in dust, with even blood stains on his hands, Xue Yuan’s body ached, and he looked extremely disheveled. With a hint of hostility in his eyes and the taste of blood in his mouth, he asked, “Your Majesty, why did you run?”
“Xue Yuan,” Gu Yuanbai said in a low voice, “Do I look easy to deceive?”
Xue Yuan reached across the Emperor’s waist, grabbing the reins in his hand. Despite the blood and scratches on his hands from being dragged and entangled in the reins, he still had a strong grip, showing no signs of trembling.
“If I ruin one of your horses,” Xue Yuan said with a bloody breath in Gu Yuanbai’s ear, “Will you let me die?”
“Your Majesty, why are you so ruthless?”
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