Chapter 75
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After resting in the palace for two days, this group of inspectors requested to leave.
Gu Yuanbai agreed and instructed them to bring the prisoners to the Dali Temple for sentencing as soon as possible. With the Longevity Festival approaching, there would be several days of no judicial complaints. They needed to take care of these matters while they could.
These bandits were all laborers. The strong men were divided into three groups: one group stayed in Lizhou to help the local people, another group was transported to the capital for display to deter and promote national prestige, and also to work as laborers in the newly opened land west of the capital. Another group was sent to Youzhou, where there was a shortage of labor.
After handling these trivial matters, it was already early September. Five months had passed since April.
Time truly flew by in the blink of an eye. As the crops in the fields ripened and it was almost time to harvest cotton, Gu Yuanbai decided to move back to the capital from the summer palace.
He had come later this year, arriving in mid-July at the summer palace. Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and now autumn was approaching.
Gu Yuanbai knew that the entire capital was busy preparing for the Longevity Festival. Now that he was returning to take charge, it would prevent these people from being extravagant and wasteful.
True to his word, with a decree from the emperor, the palace became busy, and soon the day to leave the summer retreat arrived.
A long procession snaked its way, with the emperor’s carriage guarded at the center. Gu Yuanbai bowed deeply to Wan Taifei, who stood at the entrance of the summer palace, and said softly, “Please take good care of yourself.”
Wan Taifei had been comfortable in the summer palace and was unwilling to endure the long journey back to the capital. Moreover, her health was not suitable for travel. Wan Taifei had a vague premonition in her heart. She smiled at Gu Yuanbai, took a step forward, held the emperor’s hand, gently patted it, and earnestly advised, “You must remember to take care of yourself at all times, even if there are urgent matters. No matter how urgent, they cannot surpass the need for meals and rest.”
Gu Yuanbai returned the gesture, “Yes.”
Wan Taifei still felt uneasy, “I heard that you spent nearly two hours in the court assembly the other day. Yuanbai, you mustn’t do this next time. Isn’t it harmful to your health to do so?”
Gu Yuanbai smiled faintly, “I understand, Mother.”
Wan Taifei smiled back, her eyes slightly tinged with bitterness. She blinked away the bitterness and pretended to be indifferent, saying, “Go on now, the officials are all waiting for you.”
Gu Yuanbai was urged several times before he turned and led the officials away. After walking a few steps, he couldn’t help but glance back. Wan Taifei looked serious, watching his departing figure.
Gu Yuanbai paused for a moment, then walked away with larger strides.
Wan Taifei couldn’t help but take a few steps forward, then stopped, sighing softly.
She regarded the emperor as her own son, and she couldn’t bear to see Gu Yuanbai so exhausted every day. Although an unhealthy body was most suitable for carefree living, how could the son of the late emperor not take his rightful place on the throne?
Gu Yuanbai was doing well, even better than the late emperor. If the late emperor knew, he would surely rejoice and proclaim, “My son is amazing.” Wan Taifei was a woman of the household, ignorant of many things, but she understood that the emperor’s authority was growing, and he was becoming more decisive in the palace.
Her son was getting closer to this powerful emperor. Even if she personally didn’t want him to be so tired, she had to be proud of him.
Wan Taifei wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. In a daze, she felt as though Gu Yuanbai was stepping on a landscape of prosperity and beauty.
Xue Yuan’s injuries had been nursed until early September, and he had been waiting by the carriage since early morning, waiting to see Gu Yuanbai.
After who knew how long, a gust of wind swept by. Gu Yuanbai hurriedly passed by him, lifted the curtain, and got in. After a moment, a muffled voice came from inside, “Let’s depart.”
The spirited horses raised their hooves. Xue Yuan was somewhat absent-minded. He turned his head to look into the carriage, just a quick glance, but it seemed like the little emperor’s eyes were red.
What’s going on? Xue Yuan furrowed his brows.
The return journey’s convoy didn’t stop for rest until noon.
Tian Fusheng entered the carriage to serve Gu Yuanbai his meal. Gu Yuanbai had no appetite, but he forced himself to take a few bites. Feeling full and unable to eat anymore, he let Tian Fusheng go.
Tian Fusheng walked out of the carriage with a worried expression and said to the people around him, “His Majesty is unhappy.”
“It’s probably because of Wan Taifei,” the chief guard sighed, “Wan Taifei is staying in Hebei, which is several days’ journey from the capital. With fast horses and urgent travel, it might take two days to reach, but His Majesty’s health… if he wants to see Wan Taifei just once, it might take fifteen days for a round trip.”
The imperial guards sighed. Why wasn’t His Majesty hungry? Their stomachs were growling.
But should they try to persuade the emperor again? They didn’t dare. If His Majesty couldn’t eat, it wasn’t something they could advise on.
The chief guard was worried, but he still followed the usual practice of letting the group eat in batches. He specifically remembered Xue Yuan, who was still injured. “Lord Xue, are you hungry? Why don’t you go eat first?”
Xue Yuan’s expression was dark, thinking, how could I be hungry so easily? But considering the chief guard’s stupidity, he reluctantly said, “I’ll eat last.”
His bad mood was evident, and his tone was somewhat reminiscent of his previous demeanor before heading to Jinghunan. The chief guard quickly distanced himself, feeling extremely puzzled.
On the way back, Gu Yuanbai would usually give the soldiers ample time to rest and eat.
Not far away, groups of soldiers were gathered, eating their meals. In addition to the distributed rations and pickled vegetables, there was also a cook boiling meat soup. The aroma of this pot of meat soup could travel for miles. Although not as refined as the royal cuisine, it was plentiful.
The soldiers lined up in batches, holding their bowls and chopsticks, waiting for the meat soup. Occasionally, someone would shout loudly, “Give me the soup with the most meat.”
The soldiers behind burst into laughter, teasing, “Everyone, remember! He got the most meat in his bowl, so when you finish your own, go come to steal the meat from his bowl!”
“Leave him with plain broth and water!”
“Hahaha.”
The aroma of the meat soup wafted into the carriage. Gu Yuanbai lifted the curtain to take a look. Seeing the soldiers in the distance playing around, he watched for a while before also stepping out of the carriage.
The guards waiting to eat suddenly stood up straight in surprise. “Your Majesty?”
Gu Yuanbai rolled up his sleeves and gestured towards the big pot of food, “Bring me a bowl of meat soup.”
A guard hurried over to the meat soup, and Gu Yuanbai looked around, finding a smooth rock to sit on.
The guard who went to get the soup ran straight to the front. Some soldiers in line shouted loudly, “His Majesty said that eating should be done in an orderly manner, and no one should ignore military regulations. Why did you just run straight to the front?”
The guard replied loudly, “Brothers, please wait a moment. I’m getting a bowl of meat soup for His Majesty.”
The soldiers behind fell silent, afraid of delaying the time. The soldier who was about to scoop the soup quickly protected his bowl and blocked the spoon handed over by the cook, saying, “Serve His Majesty first. I don’t need meat; all of mine can go to His Majesty.”
“There’s enough meat,” the cook said as he tried to scoop for him. Seeing him shaking his head vigorously, the cook didn’t insist and instead asked the imperial guard, “Has His Majesty’s bowl and chopsticks been brought?”
The imperial guard was stunned, “I forgot.”
The cook quickly squatted down to search for a bowl and chopsticks. After a while, he found a complete bowl without any discoloration or cracks. After washing it several times in clear water, he carefully filled it with meat soup and handed it over to the guard’s hand.
The guard quickly came to Gu Yuanbai’s side, carrying the aroma of meat. Gu Yuanbai looked down and saw that the soup was clear, with ginger slices and Sichuan peppercorns to remove the fishy smell. Gu Yuanbai took a sip. The saltiness was just right, and it seemed like there was also a hint of vinegar added, making the flavor rich.
“Not bad,” Gu Yuanbai said, “Bring me a large flat bread.”
The guard was stunned, then ran over again.
Flat bread began to appear during the Han Dynasty, and during the Tang and Song Dynasties, flat bread became the main staple for marching armies. With the increased farmland cultivation during Great Heng’s time, the people had more food, and the two meals a day had become three. With more food, the variety of meals became richer. During Great Heng’s time, flat bread and steamed buns had matured in terms of technology, and there were many varieties.
Gu Yuanbai knew how much effort was put into providing food for the military, but he wondered if it actually benefited the soldiers.
Sitting on a rock, Gu Yuanbai lowered his head and calmly drank the meat soup in his bowl. His movements were smooth and neat, unlike many burly men in the army who were often rough. Despite his poor health, the little emperor seemed exceptionally graceful.
The guard brought the flat bread made in the military. Gu Yuanbai placed his bowl and chopsticks beside him, tore open the flat bread, and looked at its color. After tasting a piece, he found it slightly hard and difficult to swallow.
He tore off a piece of flatbread and soaked it in the meat soup. Eating like this made it easier. Gu Yuanbai tried his best to improve the soldiers’ rations, to provide them with enough salt blocks and meat, and fortunately, these things had been carefully inspected and implemented at the grassroots level.
A hint of satisfaction appeared on his face, but he wasn’t hungry and couldn’t eat any more. Xue Yuan, who was watching him constantly, spoke up: “Your Majesty, are you unable to eat any more?”
Gu Yuanbai nodded, “Full.”
Xue Yuan said, “Give it to me then.”
He came over, picked up the bowl and chopsticks, and showed no discomfort. In full view of everyone, he soaked the flat bread in the meat soup. Once the flat bread had absorbed enough water, he used his chopsticks to scoop it into his mouth, along with the meat and the flat bread.
The sound of soup gradually diminished, and in a short while, Xue Yuan finished a bowl of meat soup and flat bread. He didn’t change his expression, holding the bowl and chopsticks, walking towards the back of the convoy, preparing to get another bowl.
Gu Yuanbai felt like he had only taken a few breaths, and he was already far away. He remained silent for a moment, then turned to the chief guard. “Have you not eaten yet?”
The chief guard felt embarrassed. “We have not had our meal yet.”
Gu Yuanbai gestured towards Xue Yuan and said with some difficulty, “Does he always eat like this?”
What a spoiled brat. If this was how he ate normally, how hungry must he have been at the border?
The chief guard thought for a moment. “Lord Xue seems extremely intolerant of hunger. Sometimes when he watches His Majesty eat, he seems to salivate.”
Gu Yuanbai pondered. No wonder there were always times when he could feel Xue Yuan’s burning gaze during meals.
After lunch, Gu Yuanbai returned to the carriage.
In the afternoon, the wind picked up, causing the carriage to sway. Gu Yuanbai felt uncomfortable from the jostling, and when Tian Fusheng brought dinner, he really wanted to force himself to eat some, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. He had no appetite and felt a bit nauseous.
“I won’t eat,” Gu Yuanbai muttered, “I’ll eat later if I feel hungry.”
Having only taken a few bites for both lunch and dinner, Tian Fusheng became worried. He came out of the carriage, hesitated for a moment, and finally approached Xue Yuan. “Lord Xue, do you have any way to get His Majesty to eat?”
Xue Yuan smiled, though his urgency was evident. “Steward Tian, I don’t know if it’s feasible. But if it is, I might end up being punished again.”
Everyone knew about the injuries on Xue Yuan’s body. Tian Fusheng frowned, pondered for a moment, and gritted his teeth. “If Lord Xue really gets punished because of this, I and the other lords will definitely do our best to plead for Lord Xue.”
Before he could finish his sentence, Xue Yuan snatched the food box from him and leaped back onto the carriage.
Before Gu Yuanbai could see who had entered, Xue Yuan was already beside him.
Upon seeing his expression, Xue Yuan’s face darkened. He reached out and touched Gu Yuanbai’s stomach, furrowing his brows. “Don’t want to eat? Is it uncomfortable here?”
Gu Yuanbai was uncomfortable. He pushed Xue Yuan’s hand away, frowned, and said in a suppressed voice, “Get down.”
Xue Yuan smiled and bent down. He was indeed tall, casting a shadow over Gu Yuanbai.
The next moment, Xue Yuan forcefully pulled Gu Yuanbai into his arms. As Gu Yuanbai struggled, Xue Yuan held him down, gently stroking his back and pressing his thumb lightly on the young emperor’s stomach, which was flat and empty, not containing anything at all.
Gu Yuanbai, feeling weak from not eating, gathered some strength and kicked Xue Yuan’s thigh hard. His voice was filled with anger. “Xue Yuan, do you really want to die?! Let go of me!”
“Whatever you say under normal circumstances, I obey,” Xue Yuan said with lowered brows and a submissive tone, though his actions were not as gentle as his expression. He pinned Gu Yuanbai’s legs under his own and restrained his hands and feet before taking the food box. “But not this time.”
He threw the lid of the box aside and moved the food onto the table one by one. He massaged Gu Yuanbai’s stomach, knowing that when someone was in a bad mood, they wouldn’t want to eat, and forcing them would only make it worse.
Gu Yuanbai’s anger hadn’t fully erupted yet, but after being massaged like this, the feeling of nausea subsided, and he even felt somewhat comfortable. He suppressed his anger and found a comfortable position, using Xue Yuan as a human sofa, closing his eyes and saying hoarsely, “Higher.”
Following the command, Xue Yuan gently massaged Gu Yuanbai. However, his hands couldn’t help but move upward, wanting to touch the conscience of the heartless little emperor.
Did Gu Yuanbai have a conscience? Yes, after all, he remembered to reward Xue Yuan after feeling satisfied.
Xue Yuan wanted to serve the emperor with his body. The difficulty lay in whether this service could win the emperor over.
If that Taoist’s talisman could work… Xue Yuan sighed.
He, Xue Jiuyao, hadn’t expected to be so foolish.
But at this moment, Gu Yuanbai eating was the most important thing. Xue Yuan focused on massaging his stomach for a while, feeling that it was almost enough. He moved his hand away, then bent down and listened to Gu Yuanbai’s belly, which was now growling.
Gu Yuanbai heard the sound of his own stomach too. He opened his eyes and saw Xue Yuan leaning against his stomach, listening intently to the noises. His expression seemed rather fascinated.
Gu Yuanbai’s face twisted slightly. “Xue Yuan?”
Xue Yuan suppressed the expression on his face and stood up straight, lifting Gu Yuanbai and resting him against his chest. He picked up a bowl of congee and fed him.
Although it was called congee, it was actually as thick as rice. It was carefully made with meat strips and vegetables, all intended to whet Gu Yuanbai’s appetite as much as possible.
Gu Yuanbai reluctantly took a sip, fearing that he might vomit it out.
Xue Yuan’s palm was placed near his lips, his eyes unblinking. “Can you eat it?”
The discomfort had lessened considerably by now, and Gu Yuanbai managed to swallow the congee. He hoarsely said, “Continue.”
Xue Yuan was very busy, both feeding him and warming his stomach. Gu Yuanbai rarely behaved so obediently in his arms. After feeding him, Xue Yuan hesitated to let go.
Gu Yuanbai had half a bowl of congee, and when he felt something in his stomach, he stopped eating.
Xue Yuan tidied up, and when Gu Yuanbai felt better, he returned to his role as the superior emperor, casually picking up a memorial to read. “Get out.”
Xue Yuan rolled off the carriage, but before leaving, he suddenly turned around and smiled faintly, whispering, “Your Majesty, even the sounds of your hungry stomach are more pleasant than ordinary people’s.”
With a “pa,” the memorial landed on the wooden door that Xue Yuan had timely closed.
Xue Yuan chuckled silently a few times, touched the dagger at his waist, and leaped off the carriage.
The convoy traveled intermittently and arrived in the capital eight days later.
As they entered the capital, Gu Yuanbai looked around and couldn’t help but notice that the main roads of the city had been decorated with colorful paintings and bright fabrics by craftsmen. Groups of scholars gathered on the roadside, occasionally frowning in contemplation, and the poems they recited were all congratulations for the emperor’s birthday.
Everywhere there were peace and prosperity, a scene of a flourishing era.
The long convoy of the summer palace stopped in front of the imperial city gate. Officials stepped out of their carriages and stood beside them, bowing respectfully to Gu Yuanbai. Every word Gu Yuanbai spoke was relayed to the rear by eunuchs. After issuing the dispersal order, the officials dispersed one by one and returned home.
Chu Wei followed his father as they left in their carriage. After walking a few steps, he heard a familiar voice outside the guard of soldiers, “Chu Zihu.”
Chu Wei turned around and saw his classmate. He smiled, “You’re here too.”
The guard stopped his classmate by the roadside, and only after Chu Wei left the area did his classmate catch up to him.
Glancing back, his classmate opened a folding fan and joked, “The once disdainful Chu Zihu has now turned into a high-ranking official from a top scholar.”
Chu Wei recalled the past with a hint of irony. He smiled helplessly, “I was shallow in the past.”
His classmate was surprised and scrutinized him up and down, “Are you really Chu Wei, Chu Zihu?”
Chu Wei remained composed and coldly asked, “What do you want?”
His classmate relaxed and muttered, “This is the Chu Zihu I know.”
Chu Wei turned to leave, and his classmate hurried to catch up. The coachman from Chu’s Mansion, seeing his young master accompanied by a friend, returned home with the old madam first.
The streets of the capital were bustling with people, craftsmen painting colorful scenes, and citizens enjoying the spectacle. Occasionally, vendors would offer bowls of water, marveling at the paintings.
Passing by the cheerful craftsmen, they saw several scholars composing poetry. They were discussing today’s “The Great Heng Daily,” where an article about the preparations for the emperor’s birthday was published at the top.
“Those local magnates don’t know what they’re doing,” one of the scholars said displeased. “They’re making such a big fuss. Do they want to overshadow our capital?”
“The newspaper reported that in a place in Huainan, the common people spontaneously prepared a thousand Kongming lanterns,” another scholar said with a wry smile. “When the powerful heard of this, they immediately provided the remaining nine thousand lanterns, aiming to symbolize the phrase ‘long live the emperor’.”
“With the newspaper, we see how vast the world is,” the scholar sighed again, then became more spirited. “These places want to steal our limelight, but it depends on whether we agree or not.”
Chu Wei and his classmate exchanged glances, unable to hold back their laughter. As they walked past the scholars, they saw children running around with candied fruits. Suddenly, his classmate sighed.
“I was the shallow one,” his classmate said desolately. “Clearly, the best of Great Heng is right in front of me, waiting for me to serve, but I was blind, only being confused by the unrest within Great Heng.”
His classmate smiled bitterly, “The great danger I worried about had been resolved by the court even before I fully understood it.”
Chu Wei smirked.
He naturally knew how busy the court had been in recent months, but his classmate was not an official, so naturally, he was unaware. His gaze swept around, observing the peaceful lives of the people, feeling deeply moved. Just then, his classmate spoke.
“I also want to become an official.”
He said it with conviction.
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