Chapter 40
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Xue Yuan’s demeanor clearly showed he wasn’t afraid of being discovered.
Indeed, such an act of humiliating a court official right under the Emperor’s nose was a direct slap to Gu Yuanbai’s face. He ordered the city’s governor to conduct a thorough investigation, determined to catch all those disturbing the peace.
However, despite extensive efforts, they only caught a few petty thieves and burglars. Not a single person related to the assault on Chu Wei was found.
Chu Wei was a scholar. Although he practiced some martial arts for fitness, he was no match for professionals. He could clearly feel that the people who cornered him in the alley that day were exceptional fighters. Their strikes were swift and precise, targeting spots that wouldn’t cause serious injury but were excruciatingly painful.
His face remained unscathed, without a single visible injury, which was clearly intentional.
Other than Xue Yuan, Chu Wei couldn’t think of anyone else capable of such a thing. Yet, he had no proof to accuse Xue Yuan.
The top scholar’s face was calm and composed, while Xue Yuan seemed to be in quite a good mood these days.
Gu Yuanbai had woken up several times to find Xue Yuan waiting beside him. The future Regent was shamelessly attentive, even though other guards waited outside the palace. He remembered his duty as a commander and stayed openly by Gu Yuanbai’s side.
He was there when Gu Yuanbai changed clothes, and when he tied his hair. Sometimes, when Gu Yuanbai needed a drink, Xue Yuan would bring it before Tian Fusheng could.
Xue Yuan couldn’t explain his actions, but he couldn’t stand others with dubious intentions being around Gu Yuanbai. Rationally, Xue Yuan and Chu Wei had no quarrel, but thinking about Chu Wei’s feelings for the young emperor made Xue Yuan suppress a strong urge to kill him. Gu Yuanbai would never know how much effort it took for Xue Yuan to restrain himself from acting on this impulse.
Soon, the day of the spring hunt arrived.
Before dawn, a thousand cavalry and infantrymen had already headed to the hunting grounds. The cavalry scouted the vast plains while the infantry searched the dense forests. Once the area was secured, a messenger would ride swiftly to notify the Emperor.
The Emperor’s hunt was not just for entertainment; it had numerous political and strategic implications.
Gu Yuanbai, dressed in a clean and neat hunting outfit with jingling accessories, carried a bow and arrows, along with a small, easily concealed crossbow. His hair was tied high, giving him a heroic appearance.
After a few days of rest and nourishment, he looked much better. A grand entourage awaited outside, and Gu Yuanbai dismissed the attendants who wanted to adjust his attire again, saying loudly, “Let’s go!”
Red banners fluttered as the sound of hooves filled the air. Gu Yuanbai lifted his robes and mounted a tall, gentle horse.
His red, gold-embroidered dragon hunting attire matched the flying banners.
To ensure Gu Yuanbai’s comfort, the horse’s tack was covered with soft padding, and the horse trotted steadily towards the hunting grounds.
The closer the courtiers were to the Emperor, the more they showed their favor.
The horse walked slowly, and with the padded tack, Gu Yuanbai looked at ease. Once they reached the hunting grounds, the animals were released, scattering in all directions. This was when the Emperor needed to shoot the first arrow.
Gu Yuanbai, mindful of his reputation, had practiced repeatedly for this moment. He didn’t need to draw a heavy bow or shoot a powerful arrow; he just needed to hit the target. He couldn’t bear to miss.
Taking the bow and an arrow, he aimed and released.
With a “whoosh,” the arrow flew through the air and struck a stag’s hind leg.
“Excellent!!!”
“The Emperor’s archery is superb!”
The courtiers, prepared to flatter, cheered enthusiastically, their faces flushed with excitement, each trying to outdo the other in praise.
Gu Yuanbai smiled, listening to their flattery. Once they quieted down, he said, “Alright, everyone, go hunt. Gather here in two hours, and I’ll see who catches the most. There will be rewards!”
The courtiers expressed their modesty, and Heqin Wang led the way, glancing at the well-dressed Gu Yuanbai before speeding off.
Heqin Wang departed, followed by the royal relatives, then the courtiers, and finally the young noblemen and officials’ sons.
Dust rose as Gu Yuanbai ordered preparations for roasting the game. He then leisurely rode into the depths with his guards.
He didn’t intend to outshine his ministers; the hunt was more about giving them a chance to prove themselves. As he had previously explained to Qin Sheng, the ruler must balance severity with leniency, not stealing his subordinates’ credit.
The hunting grounds were a vast expanse of green, refreshing and invigorating. Occasionally, game darted across the plains. Gu Yuanbai allowed his guards to hunt freely, promising rewards for the most catches. This sparked a competitive spirit among them. The Chief Guard asked, “Your Majesty, should we count by size or number of game caught?”
Gu Yuanbai pondered and smiled, “Let’s see who catches the most challenging prey.”
This meant small game like rabbits and pheasants wouldn’t suffice. The guards exchanged glances, many looking towards Xue Yuan.
The exploits of Marquis Douyu in eradicating bandits have already become widely known throughout the capital, so naturally, they were aware of it. They heard from the Imperial Guards who fought alongside Xue Yuan that day that he was truly formidable and fierce in battle. Losing to Chief Guard Zhang last time in a cuju match was humiliating enough; losing to Xue Yuan this time would be an even greater disgrace for all the imperial guards.
Xue Yuan noticed their glances and, feeling challenged, curled his lips into a smile. Though he appeared polite, there was an unmistakable excitement hidden beneath.
Xue Yuan’s arrogant demeanor caused the guards who already disliked him to sneer repeatedly.
One person might not be a match for Xue Yuan, but surely three or four together could surpass him.
The guards’ competitive spirit ignited, and Gu Yuanbai was happy to see it. He leisurely rode his horse at a slow pace. Even during the archery contest, the guards couldn’t stray far from Gu Yuanbai. They had to seize opportunities to shoot when animals passed by.
The sound of arrows cutting through the air frequently reached Gu Yuanbai’s ears, along with the guards’ barely suppressed cries of joy. Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but smile, feeling a surge of heroic spirit. He drew an arrow from his quiver, pulled back the bow, and aimed at a fiery red fox.
With a “whoosh,” the red fox was startled by the sound and leaped away from Gu Yuanbai’s aim.
Gu Yuanbai raised an eyebrow and was about to draw another arrow when another arrow whizzed past, grazing the fox’s neck and pinning it firmly to the ground!
Turning his head, Gu Yuanbai saw Xue Yuan had already dismounted, retrieved the arrow, and held up the fox by its neck, saying deliberately, “This wild fox is really ignorant, daring to dodge when the Emperor himself is shooting at it.”
Gu Yuanbai laughed and playfully aimed an arrow at Xue Yuan. “How about Guard Xue holds it in his hands, and I take another shot?”
Xue Yuan approached, swinging the fox casually, and smilingly said, “This wild fox has such smooth and shiny fur, fiery red all over. It would be a shame to kill it and ruin its pelt.”
Xue Yuan brought the fox over to Gu Yuanbai. The fox’s pitiful eyes met Gu Yuanbai’s, and he couldn’t help but reach out and stroke its head.
The fur was soft and fine—a good fox.
As he petted the fox, its red fur reflected on his hand. Xue Yuan looked at Gu Yuanbai’s clean, slightly pink fingernails and felt a sudden shiver, as if afflicted by a strange ailment.
No, he had to see for himself. Even if he had to pretend to be virtuous, he had to confirm it.
If he didn’t, Xue Yuan felt he wouldn’t find peace.
Growing up rough in the military, Xue Yuan had doubts.
Could a man really be so exquisite and beautiful?
How could they both be men and yet be so different?
Gu Yuanbai withdrew his hand and, seeing Xue Yuan lost in thought, flicked his forehead and laughed, “Guard Xue, come back to your senses.”
Xue Yuan snapped back to reality, glanced at the fox in his hand, and asked, “Your Majesty, should I keep this fox?”
The Emperor replied, “Consider it an achievement of yours.”
Xue Yuan mounted his horse with the fox in hand, and they continued on. Before long, someone reported the sighting of a wild bear.
In the hunting grounds, finding a wild bear or tiger was a significant event. The Emperor would enthusiastically lead a group to hunt it, and sometimes, with the help of five or six guards, they could capture these beasts alive.
Gu Yuanbai headed towards the bear’s location, with the excited guards in tow. Upon arrival, they saw a large, robust bear with exposed fangs.
The bear was feasting, the stench of blood thick in the air. The guards spread out to surround it, preparing to attack when a sudden thunderclap boomed in the distance.
The sound startled the bear, which looked up towards the noise. Its neck twisted, exposing a vital point right in front of Xue Yuan.
Xue Yuan, ever bold, knew this was a rare opportunity and seized it without hesitation. With a swift, precise strike, he plunged his sword into the bear’s neck.
Blood sprayed, and the bear roared in fury, thrashing wildly before finally collapsing to the ground.
Xue Yuan stepped back, while the surrounding guards stared in shock, all stunned. Xue Yuan grinned, cut off the bear’s paw, and asked, “Your Majesty, does this count as my achievement too?”
Gu Yuanbai glanced at the dead bear, suppressed his surprise, and laughed loudly, “It does!”
Now, everyone knew they couldn’t compete with Xue Yuan.
The bear was too large to carry, so the guards dragged it away, sending someone to haul it back to camp.
Xue Yuan wiped the blood off himself, thinking about the possible rewards for winning the hunt. He mounted his horse with the bear paw and looked at the distant sky, frowning. “Your Majesty, it looks like rain is coming.”
The Imperial Observatory had predicted the weather multiple times, ensuring there would be no rain. But Gu Yuanbai recalled the earlier thunderclap and frowned, thinking that if it did rain, it would be a disgrace for the bureau.
The Chief Guard worriedly said, “If we return now, we might not make it in time, even at full speed.”
Moreover, how could the Emperor travel at full speed?
Xue Yuan suddenly said, “It’s here.”
Everyone looked up to see dark clouds rolling in from the distance, threatening to engulf the sky.
Among them, only the young Emperor couldn’t be rained on.
Gu Yuanbai turned his horse around, “Let’s go!”
The black clouds chased them, and the sound of rain hitting leaves and grass grew louder. The wind picked up, splitting the sky in two.
Just before the rain reached Gu Yuanbai, Xue Yuan released the reins, moved his foot, and leaped onto Gu Yuanbai’s horse from behind.
The horse, startled by the sudden extra weight, stumbled for a moment.
Xue Yuan took the reins from Gu Yuanbai and whipped the horse, “Giddyup!”
Before Gu Yuanbai could ask what he was doing, an iron arm wrapped around his waist, forcefully turning him on the horse. Xue Yuan pressed the young Emperor’s head against his chest and draped his cloak over them, shielding Gu Yuanbai from the wind and rain.
“Your Majesty,” Gu Yuanbai felt the slight tremor in Xue Yuan’s chest as he spoke, “the storm is coming, please bear with me.”
The horse galloped, the wind flapping the cloak. Underneath, with the horse’s jostling, Gu Yuanbai’s expression gradually became strange.
Under the cloak, it wasn’t completely dark, just a bit dim. In the dim light, Gu Yuanbai’s gaze fell on an extremely awkward and inappropriate place.
His head was protected against Xue Yuan’s chest, so he could only look down, and what he saw was this eye-catching thing taking center stage.
Feeling embarrassed, Gu Yuanbai simply closed his eyes.
He thought about work, and once his mind was on work, the embarrassment faded. His mind filled with thoughts about various regulations and recent issues like anti-corruption and establishing trade routes, which would take months to resolve.
Focused on his thoughts, Gu Yuanbai let Xue Yuan ride on.
The dark clouds seemed slow but were actually very fast. Soon, wind and rain began to sweep towards the group. Xue Yuan instinctively held Gu Yuanbai tighter. Trapped in his arms, Gu Yuanbai pushed against the horse’s back, wanted to raise himself to see outside.
Xue Yuan grunted in pain, his expression contorting.
Gu Yuanbai peeked out from under the cloak and saw Xue Yuan’s pained expression. Looking down, he realized his hand had pinched Xue Yuan’s thigh, almost touching his groin.
Gu Yuanbai calmly retracted his hand, “Is Guard Xue alright?”
As the pain subsided, Xue Yuan felt a sudden itch in his heart seeing Gu Yuanbai’s calm expression. His throat itched, and as he was about to scratch his Adam’s apple, he noticed something wrong below.
Looking down, he saw his “brother” standing at attention.
It stood up for no apparent reason.
Gu Yuanbai watched the entire process of it standing up with a conflicted expression.
Gu Yuanbai’s expression shifted unpredictably as he raised his head, wanting to ask what Xue Yuan was thinking: “Guard Xue, you have quite a temper.”
As soon as he looked up, he saw Xue Yuan’s impatient expression. Xue Yuan forcefully pressed down his brother who had raised his head and respectfully said, “Your Majesty, there’s no need to concern yourself with it.”
Gu Yuanbai replied, “…I wasn’t planning to concern myself with it.”
The red riding attire highlighted Gu Yuanbai’s lips, making them look slightly flushed. Xue Yuan glanced at his lips, feeling his throat itch even more.
He frowned and scratched his neck twice. Gu Yuanbai was still facing him, with something spirited between the two of them. Even though it had been suppressed by its master, it was still aiming cannons and long spears at Gu Yuanbai.
Xue Yuan felt frustrated with himself.
Gu Yuanbai said expressionlessly, “Guard Xue, calm down.”
With the horse jostling, Gu Yuanbai pushed against Xue Yuan’s chest to look at the approaching rain clouds. The wind blew harshly against his face, and Xue Yuan pulled him back into his arms, spurring the horse faster while scanning the surroundings. Finally, he spotted a cave nearby.
“Your Majesty, don’t worry about this,” Xue Yuan said lightly, “it’ll calm down soon.”
A tough guy, Xue Yuan turned out to be such a tough guy. Gu Yuanbai respected him solemnly. Even Gu Yuanbai, with his weak physique, would revel in the moment when there was a response. This guy seemed like he was very familiar; was it the case that he solved every hard situation like this?
Guarding one’s chastity like jade, he guards it so well, probably even his fingers have never experienced it.
Sighing, Gu Yuanbai patted Xue Yuan’s shoulder. Then, he said seriously, “Guard Xue, I can’t afford to catch a cold. With the anti-corruption efforts at a critical juncture, if I fall ill, the officials won’t have my support, and the whole effort will be delayed and meaningless.”
Xue Yuan replied concisely, “I understand.”
He then pulled Gu Yuanbai back under the cloak, his voice low and playful, “Your Majesty, I’ll take you to the cave. If a drop of rain falls on you, I’ll apologize with my life.”
As promised, just before the rain reached Gu Yuanbai, Xue Yuan carried him into the cave.
Almost as soon as they entered, the rain began to pour heavily. The guards following behind were drenched in an instant. Xue Yuan dismounted and helped Gu Yuanbai down, turning to see the drenched guards, a mocking smile on his lips.
The guards glared at him, but as their eyes fell on him, their expressions turned strange.
Xue Yuan stood proudly, unfazed by their stares, though his arousal was more noticeable than his handsome face. The Chief Guard, his expression darkening, stepped forward to shield the Emperor and glared at Xue Yuan.
Xue Yuan continued to smile, seemingly unaffected by the hostility. In reality, he was puzzled. Normally, it would subside on its own, but after riding with Gu Yuanbai, it became more pronounced.
The more he saw the young Emperor, the more excited he became. It was truly strange.
Xue Yuan was about to calm down when he heard someone say, “…Your Majesty, let me check if you’re injured…”
Xue Yuan turned sharply, seeing the Chief Guard kneeling before Gu Yuanbai. His expression darkened as he strode over and knelt beside the Chief Guard.
“I still have the medicine from last time,” Xue Yuan said, “I can handle this. No need to trouble the Chief Guard.”
He smiled warmly at the Chief Guard, “You might as well think of ways to start a fire. With this rain, it doesn’t seem like it’ll stop soon, and the Emperor can’t catch a chill.”
Gu Yuanbai asked, “Can we even start a fire in this weather?”
Xue Yuan’s expression softened significantly when he looked at Gu Yuanbai, “The wood isn’t all wet.”
Gu Yuanbai nodded, “Then go ahead.”
The Chief Guard hesitated before getting up and leaving. Xue Yuan’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
Though Gu Yuanbai hadn’t been rained on, he had been exposed to the sudden cold wind. Xue Yuan checked him for any injuries from the rough ride, being very gentle.
When they were alone, Xue Yuan leaned closer and asked quietly, “Is there anywhere else you’re hurt?”
Gu Yuanbai replied, “No.”
Xue Yuan glanced down at Gu Yuanbai’s pants.
Despite his obedient facade, his nature was still rebellious. Xue Yuan smiled, his left hand suddenly touching Gu Yuanbai’s pants, and respectfully said, “I worry that Your Majesty might have chafed again.”
“Just a quick look,” the loyal servant pretended, “I’m concerned about Your Majesty. I’ll just take a quick look. If I linger, I’ll gouge out my eyes and present them to you.”
Everyone’s a man here, he’s just curious, wanting to know if it’s his eyes playing tricks on him, or if men really have such a big difference.
Gu Yuanbai couldn’t fathom his intentions.
Xue Yuan didn’t seem to mind serving others. Now, he was diligently concerned about Gu Yuanbai’s body, and his servant skills were improving.
The more Gu Yuanbai thought, the more he suspected Xue Yuan’s intentions were impure. Was he trying to see Gu Yuanbai’s manhood to determine if he could produce an heir?
Perhaps he wanted to undermine Gu Yuanbai’s self-esteem or show off his own “ability,” implying that his robust nature would ensure a prosperous lineage.
Even though Gu Yuanbai didn’t pay much attention, he noticed that Xue Yuan and Chu Wei hadn’t sparked any romantic feelings as he had imagined. Until now, they hadn’t even formed a socialist brotherly bond. In the future, if Gu Yuanbai truly made Xue Yuan and Chu Wei loyal subjects, how long would that loyalty last?
Would they covet the next generation’s young emperor?
The more Gu Yuanbai pondered, the deeper his thoughts went. But regardless of Xue Yuan’s intentions, Gu Yuanbai knew that most of the conditions posed by this mad dog couldn’t be accepted.
So, he calmly countered, “Why doesn’t Guard Xue show me if you’re injured?”
Xue Yuan’s eyelid twitched, but he didn’t speak.
Gu Yuanbai’s lips curled playfully, sensing the amusement. “What is it, Guard Xue, are you really hurt?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Xue Yuan stood up, swiftly undid his waistband, and exposed himself.
Gu Yuanbai was greeted by a dense patch of hair.
My… eyes.
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ang gago ni Xue Yuan. Hahhaahhahhahah Behold! -pants down-