Chapter 73
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Gu Yuanbai watched the rain from inside the room, while Chu Wei played the zither, accompanying the sound of the rain.
The six arts of a gentleman: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics, were essential studies for ancient scholars. Gu Yuanbai, a modern man, couldn’t fully match the proficiency of a true ancient gentleman.
Chu Wei, however, was a prime example of an excellent ancient gentleman.
Gu Yuanbai didn’t play the guqin but enjoyed its sound. Tian Fusheng brewed a pot of hot tea, poured a cup, and brought it to him. Gu Yuanbai held the cup, savoring the tea’s aroma while watching the rain, feeling relaxed and content, his eyes narrowing in comfort.
After a while, a servant from the Chu residence ran over and reported, “Young master, someone is here to visit. It is the eldest young master from the Xue residence.”
Chu Wei’s fingers paused on the zither strings, and the melodious sound ceased. He looked at Gu Yuanbai, “Your Majesty, it must be Lord Xue.”
Gu Yuanbai lazily said, “Let him in.”
After a moment, Xue Yuan appeared, carrying an umbrella and the birdcage, walking slowly through the rain into their view.
Xue Yuan’s steps were unhurried, and the rain obscured his figure. Dressed all in black, Gu Yuanbai’s attention was drawn to the birdcage in his hand. When Xue Yuan entered the corridor, Gu Yuanbai asked, “Where did this bird come from?”
Xue Yuan approached, placing the birdcage in front of Gu Yuanbai, then squatted down and opened the cage, casually joking, “I said I’d catch a bird to show Your Majesty, and this little thing flew in when I opened the cage.”
His hand reached into the cage and grabbed the sparrow, “Your Majesty, does it look like the one that took your jade thumb ring?”
The sparrow’s body half protruded from his hand. Gu Yuanbai raised an eyebrow, “Don’t all sparrows look the same?”
He reached out to touch the bird. Its feathers, gray and dull, weren’t as bright as those of rare birds, but still felt soft. Xue Yuan’s gaze lingered on the jade ring on Gu Yuanbai’s thumb.
Xue Yuan smirked, “You’re right, sparrows all look the same. Who can tell them apart?”
He looked up and saw Chu Wei, greeting politely, “Lord Chu, long time no see.”
At the sight of him, Chu Wei recalled the Chief Guard’s recent remarks. He could never warm up to Xue Yuan, feeling a deep-seated aversion, and responded coldly, “Lord Xue.”
As Gu Yuanbai stroked the sparrow, his fingers occasionally brushed against Xue Yuan’s hand, causing an itchy sensation. Suddenly, Xue Yuan grabbed Gu Yuanbai’s fingertips, lifting his hand slightly, and joked, “Your Majesty, the feathers are here; you’re touching my hand.”
“…” Gu Yuanbai withdrew his hand, expressionless, “Lord Xue, you’re very thoughtful.”
Xue Yuan chuckled, tossing the sparrow back into the cage and set it aside. He stood up slowly, glanced around, and naturally took on the demeanor of a host, “Where’s the chessboard?”
A clever servant immediately brought the chessboard over. Gu Yuanbai glanced at it impassively, “Minister Xue, why don’t you and Minister Chu play a game?”
Xue Yuan didn’t mind. He gestured politely, “Please, Lord Chu.”
Chu Wei and Xue Yuan sat down, each taking black and white pieces, silent and seemingly harmonious, but the chessboard was a battlefield.
Gu Yuanbai watched intermittently, finally understanding why Chang Yuyan had said Xue Jiuyao’s chess style was similar to his own. The chessboard was a battlefield, testing one’s strategic thinking and overall vision.
Despite Xue Yuan’s composed exterior, his nature remained as fierce as ever, his moves relentlessly targeting his opponent’s weaknesses from the start.
Halfway through, Gu Yuanbai knew Chu Wei was doomed to lose.
Chu Wei’s strategy was steady and methodical, well-founded and thoughtful, planning three moves ahead. He was cautious and had played with Gu Yuanbai before, familiar with such tactics. But familiarity didn’t help; no matter how stable the position, constant evasion would eventually reveal a flaw.
Gu Yuanbai stood up, walked to the corridor, and watched the rain, listening to the sounds of rain and chess, closing his eyes.
After a while, a warm presence approached from behind. Xue Yuan draped his outer coat over Gu Yuanbai and stepped aside, “Your Majesty enjoys reading, and now I see you also like watching the rain.”
“It’s soothing,” Gu Yuanbai felt tired, “Rainy days are good for resting.”
Xue Yuan asked, “Feeling sleepy?”
Gu Yuanbai replied, “Minister Xue, you should go watch your bird.”
Xue Yuan chuckled softly, “My bird is right here with me.”
He spoke quietly, and Gu Yuanbai thought he misheard. Raising an eyebrow, he turned suspiciously to Xue Yuan, “What did you say?”
“The bird I brought for you to see is right here in the room,” Xue Yuan said, “Why look at it when it can’t even understand what you’re saying?”
“That’s an interesting point,” Gu Yuanbai responded. “Minister Xue, do you expect the sparrow to understand you? That’s amusing.”
A few raindrops, blown in by the wind, landed on his hair. Xue Yuan’s voice softened suddenly, “Your Majesty, it’s raining outside. Don’t stand so close.”
But his voice was hoarse, the gentleness buried in the gravelly tone, making it impossible to find.
Almost simultaneously, a clear and melodious voice came from behind them, as pleasant as a string of pearls falling onto jade, “Your Majesty, come inside and shelter from the rain.”
The difference was clear.
Xue Yuan smiled faintly, following Gu Yuanbai into the house.
The atmosphere inside was stifling. With Chu Wei and Xue Yuan both present, neither spoke. Fortunately, the rain stopped quickly, lasting no more than half an hour.
Gu Yuanbai had no intention of staying long at Chu Wei’s residence. As he was about to leave, Chu Wei remembered something and hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, please wait.”
He turned to fetch something but then glanced at Xue Yuan and coldly said, “Lord Xue, would you accompany me to get some warm clothes for His Majesty?”
Xue Yuan narrowed his eyes and walked forward, the two of them disappearing down the corridor.
Gu Yuanbai watched their retreating figures. Both men were tall and healthy, looking quite compatible together.
After a while, Gu Yuanbai shifted his gaze, only to see a small head peeking out from behind a pillar. He smiled, “Yi Ger, come here.”
Chu Xiaosi emerged from behind the pillar, looking embarrassed. He clutched his small sleeve and bowed to apologize, “This child knows the proper manners; I came to find my nephew.”
Gu Yuanbai replied, “Your nephew isn’t here now.”
Chu Xiaosi looked up in confusion, “Then where is Zihu?”
Such obedient and well-behaved children always brought out a bit of mischief in Gu Yuanbai.
“Your nephew?” Gu Yuanbai pretended to think seriously for a moment, then smiled mysteriously, “Yi Ger, I once had a particularly delicious dish. You probably haven’t tasted it.”
The child swallowed, responding politely, “Please enlighten me, Your Majesty.”
“Fry Chu Wei in an oil pan, then coat him with sauce and scallions,” Gu Yuanbai’s lips curled into a playful smile, “It was so delicious that even Xue Yuan next door cried with envy.”
Chu Xiaosi was so frightened that he turned pale and started to cry, “Zihu, has Nephew Zihu been eaten?”
When the child started to cry, Gu Yuanbai felt a pang of guilt. He rubbed his nose, about to reveal the joke, when Tian Fusheng suddenly began coughing loudly.
Gu Yuanbai paused and turned around to see Xue Yuan and Chu Wei standing not far away, one raising an eyebrow slightly, the other with a complex expression, both looking at him.
Gu Yuanbai asked, “What are you standing there for? Come here.”
As soon as Chu Wei approached, Chu Xiaosi threw himself into his arms, crying. Chu Wei consoled his little uncle in a low voice, the initial complexity in his heart turning into bemusement.
Tian Fusheng handed the cloak to Gu Yuanbai, who put it on his shoulders, coughed twice, and then Chu Wei escorted him out of the residence with his little uncle. Uncle and nephew both bowed, seeing him off.
On the way, Xue Yuan followed Gu Yuanbai, suddenly asking, “Your Majesty, what does it mean to cry with envy?”
Gu Yuanbai turned the question back on him, “Why are you still following me?”
Xue Yuan, still holding the birdcage, stopped, “Then I’ll stay here to see you off, Your Majesty.”
“…” A vague irritation welled up in Gu Yuanbai’s heart. He tried to suppress it, intending to leave, but Xue Yuan called out hoarsely, “Your Majesty.”
Gu Yuanbai paused.
“The jade thumb ring has been replaced,” Xue Yuan said, “I wonder if the previous one is still around?”
Gu Yuanbai pursed his lips without replying.
“Your Majesty said you would grant me a request,” Xue Yuan’s voice was low, “I think I’ll use it now.”
“If Your Majesty doesn’t like that jade thumb ring, please don’t throw it away. Return it to me. I’m quite fond of it and can keep it for my future wife.”
“Minister Xue, the whole world belongs to me,” Gu Yuanbai’s voice turned cold, “Even if I don’t like the thumb ring, it stays in my private collection.”
His words, much like his statement about his empire being a masterpiece, made Xue Yuan’s heart race.
Gu Yuanbai’s domineering words were precisely what Xue Yuan liked. Was he interested in Xue Yuan?
A gust of wind blew, ruffling his hair, and Gu Yuanbai started coughing. The coughs were deep, one following the other, giving him no time to recover.
People around him called out in panic, “Your Majesty,” “Handkerchief,” but without hot water, no one dared to approach and help him.
Xue Yuan sighed, quickly pushing through the crowd of guards and eunuchs, and reached Gu Yuanbai. He wrapped his arm around Gu Yuanbai, letting him lean against him, and gently patted his bony back.
Gu Yuanbai gripped his clothes tightly, his fingers white, head resting against Xue Yuan, most of his weight supported by him.
As Xue Yuan comforted him, he looked up at the gloomy sky.
Gu Yuanbai, dizzy from coughing, felt his head swell. When his hands started to slip weakly, Xue Yuan held them firmly.
“Your health is always poor,” Xue Yuan said softly, like a dog drenched in rain.
“But you can’t bully me just because you’re weak,” he added.
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