Chapter 48
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Gu Yuanbai was born weak, with a frail body inherited from birth.
After years of recuperation, he gradually regained some color. However, having endured numerous covert injuries amidst political power struggles, he was feared by his adversaries. They feared his health would recover, so to hasten his demise, they had been feeding him slow-acting poison for several years.
Bit by bit, things went from bad to worse, making his condition difficult to treat.
Before Gu Yuanbai fell asleep, he felt particularly reassured knowing that everything had been arranged according to the regulations. This sense of security lulled him into a deep sleep until evening. When Gu Yuanbai finally opened his eyes, he was still a bit groggy, unsure of what year it was.
As he sat up, his hand touched something unusual. Upon looking down, he realized he had been leaning on Xue Yuan’s body.
Xue Yuan had fallen asleep at some point, his eyes tightly shut, his sharp eyebrows still furrowed. Gu Yuanbai withdrew his hand and tried to get up, but felt a tightness around his waist. Looking down, he saw Xue Yuan’s hand wrapped around him. His movement startled Xue Yuan awake from his slumber.
“Who?!” he demanded in a low, hostile voice.
After a few moments, Xue Yuan came to his senses. He looked at Gu Yuanbai, who had already awakened, and his lips unconsciously curled up, “Your Majesty is awake?”
His voice was low and hoarse, carrying the refreshing feeling after a good sleep.
The bed was still warm, and Gu Yuanbai felt lazy all over. He said, “Go and bring me a cup of warm tea.”
Xue Yuan obediently got out of bed, his clothes disheveled, his robe loose. When Gu Yuanbai raised his head, he saw Xue Yuan’s tall and powerful back, unable to help but look down. Below the sturdy buttocks were two straight and strong legs.
After taking off the outer robe, revealing a body that was young and had been through various battlefields, it was hard for people to look away.
Although he acted a bit crazy, he still exuded the charm of a strong man.
Gu Yuanbai sat up straight, leaning lazily against the bed frame. Xue Yuan poured a cup of water, and because Gu Yuanbai wanted warm water, he even touched the cup with his fingers to test the temperature, and poured some into his hand to test it again. Satisfied that it wasn’t too hot, he walked steadily toward Gu Yuanbai with the cup, holding the kettle in case one cup wasn’t enough.
After Gu Yuanbai took the cup, he took a sip, but was scalded and shivered, unable to swallow the hot water. His lips turned red from the heat, and he looked pained.
Xue Yuan was dumbfounded. He pinched Gu Yuanbai’s face to make him spit it out, angrily, “It’s burning your mouth and you still won’t let go?!”
But Gu Yuanbai swallowed the mouthful of water directly.
Xue Yuan’s face turned dark, he threw the teapot and the blanket aside, then reached out to pry open Gu Yuanbai’s lips, leaning in to see if there were blisters from the burn.
Gasping for breath, Gu Yuanbai said, “It’s burning to death!”
Too delicate, too tender—Xue Yuan’s hands, which he didn’t even feel the warmth of, would scald the lips of the young emperor.
The thought made Xue Yuan feel more uncomfortable than if he had been stabbed himself. In his agitation, his hands, roughened from training, rubbed against Gu Yuanbai’s lips, causing them to ache. Unable to bear it, Gu Yuanbai kicked him.
Xue Yuan freed one hand to hold down Gu Yuanbai’s foot and continued examining his lips. “Stop fussing, let me take a look,” he said.
Gu Yuanbai had calmed down by now, turning his head slightly, hissed a sound, “Guard Xue, could you be more gentle?”
“Alright, alright, I’ll remember that, I’ll be gentle,” Xue Yuan said, puzzled. “Your Majesty, how can you be so delicate?”
Gu Yuanbai: “…”
He kicked him again, sending Xue Yuan, along with the blanket, tumbling off the bed. Xue Yuan landed with a thud, too preoccupied to care, and quickly got up, kneeling beside the bed. His expression turned serious. “Let me see.”
What was all this fuss about? Couldn’t he wait until his mouth was better before causing a scene?
Xue Yuan applied more force this time, but also exercised extreme caution. If Gu Yuanbai complained about his roughness, he didn’t dare to continue rubbing. It was more strenuous than fighting in battle. Xue Yuan ended up sweating profusely, and only after confirming Gu Yuanbai was fine did he notice his back was soaked with sweat.
Gu Yuanbai had already recovered by then, feeling weak all over, with a headache and thirst. “Guard Xue, I want warm water,” he said.
Xue Yuan, dragging his sweaty body, went to fetch warm water for the precious young emperor. This time, he specifically tested the temperature in his mouth before handing it over to Gu Yuanbai, ensuring it wouldn’t scald him.
Gu Yuanbai drank half the pot of water, relieving some of the dryness and hoarseness in his mouth. The inner hall was dimly lit, with only a few candles around. Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes to let his mind continue resting, then asked, “What time is it?”
Xue Yuan finished the remaining half pot of water and said, “I don’t know.”
Gu Yuanbai couldn’t find words to say.
Xue Yuan quenched his thirst and took a deep breath, getting up to leave. “I’ll go check the time.”
After a while, the palace attendants entered the inner chamber quietly. Tian Fusheng came over and whispered, “Your Majesty, it’s time for dinner. Shall I serve your meal?”
Feeling the faint pain in his head, Gu Yuanbai reluctantly got up. “Then let’s go eat.”
After the Emperor finished his dinner, it was time for dispersal. However, Xue Yuan stood still, watching as the physicians came to examine the Emperor’s pulse.
Tian Fusheng kindly reminded him, “Lord Xue, it’s over for your shift.”
Xue Yuan replied in a low voice, “I know.”
But he hesitated to leave.
Gu Yuanbai heard this and looked up at Xue Yuan, meeting his eyes.
The warm and comfortable feeling from the nap during the day instantly came to mind.
Xue Yuan was indeed suitable for warming the bed.
Gu Yuanbai spoke lazily and hoarsely, “Before I recover from my illness, Guard Xue shall stay by my side. Guard Xue has a fiery temper, which might spare me some suffering.”
Xue Yuan couldn’t help but curl his lips at hearing “spare some suffering.” He couldn’t help but wonder, how could he let Gu Yuanbai suffer?
Since there was no need to leave the palace today, after the Emperor finished his meal, the guards outside the hall were replaced, and Xue Yuan followed his colleagues to have dinner. Palace servants would inform the Xue mansion and provide Xue Yuan with some clothing and necessities. When Xue Yuan returned after dinner, these items would be handed to him.
Gu Yuanbai was already lying on the bed, covered with a bright yellow dragon-patterned quilt. He held a memorial in his hand, reading it slowly and carefully.
Gu Yuanbai read it carefully and attentively. A group led by Kong Yilin and Qin Sheng had already transported money and grain to Lizhou. This batch of supplies served as bait to catch the biggest fish in corruption until now.
The governor of Lizhou did not have much overt corruption in the area, but the people under his rule lived in hardship. As the investigation by the disciplinary department went deeper, they found out that most of the bandits around Lizhou were forced into banditry due to the governor’s covert coercion.
Officials forced people into banditry and colluded with them.
This matter was too terrifying and absolutely could not be made public.
Once the news spread, it would only cause people to distrust the court, leading to riots and causing a major backlash from bandits across the country.
Gu Yuanbai let out a sigh. This big fish had to be firmly hooked.
Everything else could be ignored, but the governor of Lizhou must die.
Gu Yuanbai exerted force in his hand, leaving a mark on the memorial.
Seeing that he was dealing with official business, Xue Yuan stood aside and suddenly struck up a conversation with a eunuch nearby.
“Can rough hands be treated?” he asked.
The eunuch was startled and replied nervously, “Replying to Lord, using hand care products more often would be helpful.”
Xue Yuan’s head ached. “Explain clearly.”
The eunuch explained, “Essential oils, pearl powder, or fish oil can be applied to the hands and feet to make them soft.”
After a moment of silence, Xue Yuan said with difficulty, “Go and get me some of these things.”
Gu Yuanbai had just put down the memorial when he caught sight of a shadow approaching.
He glanced over and saw Xue Yuan. After watching him for a while, Gu Yuanbai suddenly asked in a casual tone, “Guard Xue, if one day the people under your command also start coveting money that doesn’t belong to them, what will you do?”
Xue Yuan replied, “They should be killed.”
Gu Yuanbai smiled, “But corrupt officials can’t be eradicated.”
“They may not be eradicated, but if the attitude is displayed, they will be afraid,” Xue Yuan grinned. “It’s like leading troops. There are always a few who dare to violate military discipline. Why do they dare? It’s because the commander no longer scares them. Once the authority from above is not enough, the people below will start to chaos.”
Gu Yuanbai said, “Go on.”
Xue Yuan continued slowly, “I’m finished speaking.”
Gu Yuanbai: “…”
“Your Majesty, I’m a rough man. I can’t handle the affairs of the court,” Xue Yuan said.
Gu Yuanbai thought to himself, then how did you become a regent?
But what Xue Yuan said was true.
The farther away from the capital, the less authority the emperor had, so they were not afraid. Perhaps it was also because Gu Yuanbai’s authority was not high enough to deter them from causing trouble in the local area, so they dared to act recklessly.
After this anti-corruption campaign, Gu Yuanbai’s authority in the hearts of local officials would rise to a new level.
But that wasn’t enough.
The Great Heng Dynasty had been weak for over a decade. Nomads dared to invade, local officials dared to be corrupt, and local tycoons and officials colluded, becoming bigger than the emperor himself.
Gu Yuanbai wanted to win a decisive victory, a victory that hadn’t been achieved in nearly fifteen years. This battle would be against the nomads.
It would also be the first nationwide show of authority after Gu Yuanbai took power.
They had to take the army out for a walk, so these people would know how insignificant they were.
After relieving his mood, Gu Yuanbai noticed that Xue Yuan’s complexion had improved a lot. He spoke kindly to the tool man for warming the bed, “Guard Xue, it’s late. Come to bed.”
Xue Yuan felt a tingling sensation on his scalp at Gu Yuanbai’s gentle tone. He placed his hands on his waist and quickly removed his clothes down to his inner garments.
The palace maids took the clothes and neatly arranged them, lit the sleeping incense, and quietly retreated.
Xue Yuan was indeed like a big stove. After getting into bed, Gu Yuanbai sighed, feeling extremely comfortable.
With this ability, Xue Yuan’s position in Gu Yuanbai’s mind suddenly rose several notches, and Gu Yuanbai became more cordial towards him.
However, after a while, Gu Yuanbai smelled a herbal fragrance. He sniffed and realized it was coming from Xue Yuan’s body.
“What did you use?” he asked directly.
Xue Yuan froze.
A grown man, secretly using hand care products for the first time, and still being caught, he mumbled, “Nothing.”
The smell wasn’t unpleasant, and seeing that he didn’t want to say, Gu Yuanbai couldn’t be bothered to ask further.
The young emperor was soft and fragrant, and the dragon bed was soft and fragrant as well. But after a while, Xue Yuan started sweating profusely. He asked, “Your Majesty, are you feeling hot?”
Gu Yuanbai, comfortable, flipped open a leisurely travelogue. “I’m not hot. Are you, Guard Xue?”
Xue Yuan stared at the book in Gu Yuanbai’s hand with a heavy tone. “Your Majesty, look at me.”
Finally, Gu Yuanbai took his eyes off the book and frowned when he saw Xue Yuan’s sweaty appearance. “Guard Xue, why are you sweating so much?”
Xue Yuan was sweating all over, his black hair damp with sweat, his entire face distinct in the mist of sweat. “Your Majesty, the blanket is too thick, and the bed is too hot.”
It was almost the end of May, and someone like Xue Yuan couldn’t bear the heat. Gu Yuanbai furrowed his brows. “What should we do then?”
“Your Majesty is still cold, hands and feet cold,” Xue Yuan’s voice lowered, “like cold jade. Shall His Majesty cool this official down, and this official warm Your Majesty’s hands and feet for you?”
Gu Yuanbai pondered for a moment, then nodded. “Yes.”
Xue Yuan, like a wolf allowed to eat meat, quickly turned over and took Gu Yuanbai’s hand, which was cool to the touch. He nestled it against his stomach, enjoying the sensation with closed eyes.
Gu Yuanbai’s hand was smaller than Xue Yuan’s, delicate and tender. Xue Yuan gave his fair palm a gentle tug, causing Gu Yuanbai to feel a tingling sensation. He instinctively pulled back, but Xue Yuan pulled him back even harder.
“What book are you reading, Your Majesty?” Xue Yuan pretended to smile, fixing his gaze on the book.
Gu Yuanbai casually replied, “Just a travelogue, to pass the time.”
Xue Yuan’s eyes on the book were unfriendly. He thought to himself, can’t I help pass the time too?
He was indeed like a furnace. In less than a moment, Gu Yuanbai’s hand was slightly sweaty from being held by him. Gu Yuanbai was extremely surprised. Xue Yuan let go of Gu Yuanbai’s hand. “Your Majesty, shall I warm your feet?”
Gu Yuanbai subconsciously said, “Go ahead.”
In the blink of an eye, Xue Yuan was on the other side of the bed. He grabbed Gu Yuanbai’s ankle and lifted it, tucking it under his clothes against his abdomen, warming it.
The cold feet, like meeting a warm fire, made Gu Yuanbai comfortable enough to relax. He couldn’t help but say, “Guard Xue, it has been hard on you.”
The young emperor’s feet were as comfortable as jade and ice. Xue Yuan thought to himself, what hardship is there in this?
He put on a smile. “It’s what this official should do.”
Last time, when he warmed Gu Yuanbai’s feet, Xue Yuan was scolded for being presumptuous. But this time, warming Gu Yuanbai’s feet was perfectly justified.
Xue Yuan felt a sense of satisfaction. After warming Gu Yuanbai’s feet for a while, he loosened his grip and took the initiative to say, “Your Majesty, how about I hold you while you read?”
Gu Yuanbai declined gently, “I’m not used to it.”
Despite saying he wasn’t used to it, Gu Yuanbai ended up lying in Xue Yuan’s arms after falling asleep.
Holding Gu Yuanbai, Xue Yuan sighed deeply. He hadn’t felt like he was lacking anything before he held Gu Yuanbai, but now that he did, he realized how empty his embrace had been.
Closing his eyes, clutching a heart full of loyalty, Xue Yuan sighed again and fell asleep.
The next morning, Gu Yuanbai still felt sluggish.
But after resting well for a day, he at least had the strength to get out of bed. The morning court was delayed, and all the officials responsible for reporting affairs had gathered in the side hall of the Xuanzheng Hall.
The court couldn’t focus all its attention on the anti-corruption campaign. Only the Imperial Censorate, Supervision Bureau, the Donglingwei, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Personnel, which were responsible for the anti-corruption process, were involved. Other officials had to attend to their own affairs.
Officials from the Six Ministries and the Grand Secretariat gathered in the side hall of the Xuanzheng Hall, discussing three matters. Firstly, road construction; secondly, sending troops to the border regions; and thirdly, trade negotiations.
Gu Yuanbai found it hard to concentrate for long. Finally, the officials couldn’t bear to see him like this and decided to discuss and draft a decree together before presenting it to the Emperor for approval.
Gu Yuanbai nodded slowly, letting them leave.
After the officials left, Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes, feeling weak.
He realized why ancient emperors wanted to live forever.
It wasn’t necessarily because they were greedy for power and desired youthfulness, but also because an emperor might have the intention to do things but lacked the ability to complete them.
He just wanted to live a little longer, just a little longer, so he could do a little more and fulfill a few more of his grand aspirations.
So, after becoming emperor, he really wanted to live for another five hundred years. Gu Yuanbai joked with himself, but who could live for five hundred years?
How many ambitious and wise emperors throughout history couldn’t even live for five hundred years?
It was very weak.
And very sad.
But there was no other way.
After mourning for a while, Gu Yuanbai opened his eyes. He called for Tian Fusheng and said, “Tell the people in Jinghunan to speed up.”
Everything else in the world, Gu Yuanbai could leave to future generations, but not this.
Anyone else touching this, apart from Gu Yuanbai, might fail.
So Gu Yuanbai had to speed up. He always felt like this illness was another reminder from heaven that his time was running out.
This tragic thought persisted until the time for the medicinal bath at noon.
The medicinal bath dispelled the cold. The imperial physician had to take Gu Yuanbai’s pulse first. After feeling his pulse, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Your Majesty’s condition seems to be improving.”
Gu Yuanbai was taken aback. He frowned, feeling that the imperial physician had taken the wrong pulse. “My head still hurts.”
The imperial physician smiled. “After soaking in the medicinal bath for two days, everything should be fine. Your Majesty must have used the warming stove last night, right? I saw that Your Majesty rested well yesterday. As long as you rest well, the illness should be seventy percent gone.”
Gu Yuanbai pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. “In that case, I understand.”
It must have been Xue Yuan who warmed his bed all night, keeping him warm throughout the night, which made him feel better today.
Knowing that his illness was improving, Gu Yuanbai asked the imperial physician in detail about whether this illness had affected his health. Although the imperial physician’s answer was cautious, it obviously eased Gu Yuanbai’s mind.
Gu Yuanbai comforted himself, thinking, “You can still live for another two or three years at least. The current Regent and future power holders haven’t shown any signs of emerging yet. Even if I’m just a background figure, I should still have some life left.”
With this thought, he became completely calm.
The Emperor’s thoughts were deeply hidden, and those around him didn’t notice anything. Yet, the Emperor had already resolved his worries.
Outside the palace, Xue Yuan stood straight but seemed absent-minded. His colleagues around him asked him to talk more about the border and the battlefield, but Xue Yuan couldn’t be bothered. He lazily licked the roof of his mouth and uttered a few words, “I don’t know.”
The guards were dumbfounded.
There was a medicinal scent coming from the cracks in the doors and windows. After getting used to it, the scent became quite pleasant. Xue Yuan took a deep breath of the medicinal scent, his brows furrowed deeply, his expression very dark.
Where was the miracle doctor?
His nerves were tense, and just thinking about the young emperor’s serious illness made him irritable.
Someone came out of the palace and invited Xue Yuan in. Xue Yuan pressed his lips together, straightened his official robe, and strode into the hall.
Once behind the screen, as Gu Yuanbai knew his life was temporarily out of danger, his enthusiasm for work reignited. His voice, filled with the steam of the medicinal bath, was muffled and indistinct. “Xue Jiuyao, I’d like to hear more about the border from you.”
Xue Yuan paused, looking at the flowers and birds on the screen, and said slowly, “Okay.”
Most of the border affairs were about harsh environments, danger, shame, and numbness.
He glossed over the brutal aspects, but even after glossing over them, Xue Yuan was surprised to find that he didn’t have much to tell Gu Yuanbai.
The scenery of the northern border wasn’t seen as beautiful by those who had been there for too long. People in the northern border were treated as disposable by the military.
Xue Yuan talked about the less brutal side of the cruelty to Gu Yuanbai.
He spoke neither quickly nor slowly, and Gu Yuanbai listened attentively. By the time Xue Yuan finished speaking, the water for Gu Yuanbai’s bath had cooled down.
Inside, people were helping the Emperor dress and wipe himself. Xue Yuan lowered his head, looking at the line of his boots from behind the screen.
Just by looking at the screen, one could tell the Emperor’s preferences. They must be clean and elegant, fond of poetry and scholarly pursuits. But Xue Yuan wasn’t a gentleman.
The young Emperor was quite fond of Chu Wei.
Chu Wei didn’t meet the young Emperor often, but every time they met, they would chat happily.
Xue Yuan thought to himself dispassionately, d*mn it.
Feeling stifled.
Gu Yuanbai finished dressing. The noon sun was the most intense. With the medicinal bath, he didn’t know if the moisture on his face was sweat or steam.
As he walked out, he saw Xue Yuan’s expression and casually asked, “What’s on your mind, Guard Xue?”
Xue Yuan subconsciously glanced at Gu Yuanbai, who was flushed from soaking in the water. Xue Yuan felt a tingling sensation all over. “I was thinking about this screen, Your Majesty.”
Gu Yuanbai casually said, “Since Guard Xue likes this screen, then it’s yours.”
Xue Yuan was stunned, but Gu Yuanbai had already left the palace with his entourage, taking away the scent of fragrance.
While he had the energy, Gu Yuanbai quickly handled state affairs. After dinner, he felt exhausted and uncomfortable as he laid down on the bed.
Someone came up behind him, and just as Gu Yuanbai was about to drift off to sleep from the warmth, he heard someone softly coaxing in his ear, “Your Majesty, do you like Chu Wei?”
Gu Yuanbai turned to the side, furrowing his brows.
Xue Yuan persisted, “Your Majesty, do you like Lord Chu’s face or his hands?”
Dark thoughts flooded his mind.
To like the face meant to scar it, to like the hands meant to cut them off.
Xue Yuan was a cultured person; he didn’t do things like killing and burying bodies.
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
