Chapter 7
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Chu Wei’s face was grim, his phoenix eyes burning with anger. But Gu Yuanbai, who had lifted the bed canopy, looked even angrier. After a single glance, he turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.
For the first time, Chu Wei was bound and left at someone’s mercy. For the first time, he saw disdain in another’s eyes. It was clear: this emperor, whom he had thought was incompetent, had looked at him with unmistakable shock and disgust.
It seemed as if Chu Wei was some sort of filthy thing, capable of soiling his eyes with just a glance.
The emperor didn’t intend to touch him, but the fury in Chu Wei’s heart grew rather than diminished. He stared intently at the gauzy bed curtains, focusing on the faint yellow figure outside.
Gu Yuanbai, with a stern face, sat on the cushioned seat outside, waiting for Tian Fusheng’s explanation.
Upon learning that the person lying on his bed was none other than Chu Wei, the protagonist from the book, Gu Yuanbai slapped the armrest hard. The dull thud made everyone’s hearts tremble. Gu Yuanbai gripped the armrest tightly, his fingers turning white.
Tian Fusheng had never seen the emperor so angry. He trembled, knowing he had caused a serious problem.
“Tian Fusheng,” the emperor’s voice was distorted as it reached the inner chamber, “what kind of lecherous image do you have of me in your mind? Cough…!”
When the emperor was angry, everyone in the bedchamber knelt down.
Bound tightly on the bed, Chu Wei heard this and saw everyone kneeling. His eyes were cold, with a hint of mockery. Moments later, a servant entered to light the lamps, making the dim chamber as bright as day.
Chu Wei blinked uncomfortably. Outside the bed curtains, the faint yellow figure was leaning on the cushioned seat, coughing, the sound deep and urgent.
The emperor was only in his inner garments, tall and slender. As Chu Wei’s anger gradually subsided, it transformed into a deep, unfathomable coldness.
After struggling to stop coughing, Gu Yuanbai straightened up with effort and slowly walked to the bed.
Chu Wei stared directly at him through the curtains. If the emperor didn’t know about his being tied up, then his control over the inner court was indeed weak. How did such an emperor manage to overthrow the powerful minister Lu Feng?
Chu Wei had been studying abroad for seven years. Although he was away from the court, he still got some news from his father. However, his father held a low position and had no ambition in his career, so Chu Wei wasn’t well-versed in court affairs.
A thousand thoughts surged through his mind in an instant, but a hand reaching into the bed curtains abruptly cut them off.
The hand was beautiful, slender, and white. In an instant, the emperor lifted the curtains with a swish.
Gu Yuanbai wasn’t a self-serving person, and becoming emperor hadn’t gone to his head. He considered for a moment: if he were forced onto another man’s bed, he’d also be filled with murderous intent.
No matter what, no matter who, he’d want to kill that person.
So he quickly forgave Chu Wei for the murderous intent shown towards him. To appease this protagonist entangled by Tian Fusheng, his voice softened.
“No one will know about this…” Before he could finish, a tickle in his throat made him cough. Gu Yuanbai pressed a fist to his lips, turning aside to cough.
His long hair disheveled, trembling with his movement, the palace servants outside knelt, trembling, not daring to help the emperor at this moment.
The coughing wouldn’t stop. It became heart-wrenching. Gu Yuanbai, shaking, bent over, weakly pressing against the edge of the dragon bed.
His pale hand crumpled the yellow silk embroidered with dragon patterns, giving an illusion of sensual entanglement.
Chu Wei slowly furrowed his brow, remembering that this emperor had just ascended the throne last year and was exceedingly frail.
…
So useless.
“Your Majesty,” a voice as cold as ice falling into a pool sounded, “are you alright?”
Gu Yuanbai suddenly clenched the bedsheet.
The veins on his pale hand bulged, like intricately carved jade, as he leaned against the bed, his coughing finally subsiding.
The coughing ceased, but his heavy breathing continued. Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes, taking deep breaths of fresh air. After a while, he shakily pressed the bed to rise.
Such a body, Gu Yuanbai was already used to it.
Struggling to stand, looking utterly disheveled, he calmly continued speaking to Chu Wei, “Don’t worry, no one will know. I’ll send someone to escort you home discreetly and punish those who tied you up.”
Chu Wei watched him quietly.
The young emperor’s body was worse than he had imagined. After a bout of coughing, his eyes were reddened, his lips as if stained with rouge, as if he had cried.
His appearance was much better than Chu Wei had imagined.
Chu Wei, called the most handsome man in the capital, found the current trend of male beauty vulgar. After many subtle and overt hints from men, he had grown to despise any man with inappropriate intentions.
When bound, his heart had burned with murderous intent. Knowing he was sent to the dragon bed only intensified it. Even if it meant treason, he would make this foolish emperor pay!
Yet, it wasn’t the emperor’s idea, and he hadn’t expected the emperor to be so beautiful.
Chu Wei maliciously described the emperor as “beautiful” in his mind to relieve the anger he had previously suppressed.
Such a beautiful little emperor, showing dislike at first sight, probably doesn’t like men, right?
If Gu Yuanbai knew what Chu Wei was thinking, he would likely be speechless. Chu Wei was clearly already homophobic.
In the original story, one character is straight and the other homophobic. How did they end up together in the end?
Chu Wei’s beauty wasn’t the kind of effeminate beauty; his attractiveness was about pushing handsomeness to the extreme. He was like a bright, clear moon, a clear and sunny day, exuding a heroic spirit from his brows, with a tall and athletic build, resembling a poised leopard.
If Gu Yuanbai had to choose, he would prefer such a body—handsome and healthy. Compared to Chu Wei, Gu Yuanbai’s current appearance lacked a bit of heroic spirit.
Chu Wei remained silent, and Gu Yuanbai, thinking he was still uneasy, sighed and casually sat by the bedside. “If I recall correctly, your father is the Ministry of Rites’ Langzhong, isn’t he?”
The leisurely chatting posture of the emperor made the person being chatted with feel immensely honored.
Chu Wei, having been untied, respectfully got down from the bed and bowed to the emperor, “Your Majesty remembers correctly.”
Gu Yuanbai discreetly sized him up, waved his sleeve, and had a chair brought over. He then draped a coat over himself and sat at the desk where he usually handled state affairs.
“Your father once wrote to me about managing the Yellow River floods,” the emperor said with a smile. “I remember the contents very clearly. Although there are some flaws, it’s still a good plan. Unfortunately, at that time, I was not in full control and couldn’t implement it immediately.”
Chu Wei frowned unconsciously.
His father had a deep understanding of flood control, and Chu Wei had seen that memorial. He believed it to be the most brilliant plan ever written. And now, this emperor, who had never left the palace, said it had flaws?
The future capable minister bowed his head and humbly asked for guidance, “Please enlighten me, Your Majesty.”
Gu Yuanbai didn’t hesitate. He quickly found the memorial written by Chu Wei’s father from among the pile of documents. Seeing this, Chu Wei’s expression softened somewhat; at least this emperor genuinely cared.
“The Yellow River floods have plagued every dynasty. Your father mentioned three points: prevention before the flood, rescue during the flood, and relief after the flood,” Gu Yuanbai said, his finger moving along the words on the memorial. Chu Wei unconsciously followed his fingertip. “Tang Taizong set up granaries to prepare for famines. He laid a good foundation. The Tang Dynasty improved irrigation, and the ‘Three Strategies of Jia Rang’ from the Western Han Dynasty must be familiar to your father: diverting the river, splitting the flow, and raising and reinforcing the existing dikes…”
The emperor spoke calmly and slowly, sharing his thoughts bit by bit. When he was inspired, he picked up a brush and sketched the bends of the Yellow River. The turbulent waters were rendered smooth and gentle under his brush.
He spoke eloquently, with a smile.
Chu Wei was almost stunned. He hadn’t expected the emperor to have such a side. With his intelligent mind, Chu Wei easily understood the emperor’s meaning, and it was precisely because he understood that he was astonished.
After the emperor finished speaking, he realized his hands and feet were cold. His nose was tinged with a pitiful red. After warming his hands by the fire, he sighed with relief.
Seeing Chu Wei deep in thought, a fleeting smirk crossed his lips. He paced slowly and suddenly asked, “Chu Wei, do you know what kind of great Heng I desire?”
I want to gather great talents!
***
Chu Wei returned home late at night, wrapped in the cold wind. He silently refused the concern of his family and locked himself in his study.
He sat in the study all night. When the morning light began to creep in and birds chirped outside the window, he realized it was already dawn.
Chu Wei stood up and opened the study door. The fresh, cold morning air instantly cleared his swollen head.
The emperor has ambition.
He sat for a night and came to this conclusion.
The emperor was not as weak and useless as he had thought. No, the emperor might be physically weak, unable to control the military or even the inner court, but within that frail body was the budding figure of an ambitious and enlightened ruler.
Chu Wei suddenly recalled the image of the emperor coughing and bending over from the night before.
Those slender fingers clutched at the silk bedding, digging into the mattress.
Coughing until his eyes watered, his eye corners flushed, and his stubbornly pressed lips were redder than the corners of his eyes.
Chu Wei slowly turned around. His steps were stiff at first, but they gradually became firm as he walked towards the bookshelf.
***
When Lord Chu entered the study, he found his son engrossed in a book.
Hearing his father’s voice, Chu Wei naturally put down the book and looked at him calmly, “I want to take the imperial examination in March.”
Chu Wei had passed the preliminary exam seven years ago, being the top scorer of his cohort at just seventeen, gaining much attention for his talent.
But Chu Wei had no interest in becoming an official, and in the seven years since, he had not pursued further exams. Now, after a night, Lord Chu didn’t know what he had thought through, but continuing with the exams was undoubtedly a good thing.
“Good, good, good,” Lord Chu said, his eyes slightly moist. “Good!”
Chu Wei nodded at his father and continued reading his book.
Since he was going to take the exam, who else but him would be the top scholar?
The author has something to say: The emperor punished Tian Fusheng, though it wasn’t written out in detail. There is a brief mention of it later, so I’m explaining it here.
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