I Rely on Beauty to Stabilize the Country Chapter 81

Chapter 81

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The next day, the Xixia prince personally offered gifts as an apology but was refused an audience by Heqin Wang.

The gatekeeper said politely, “Your Excellency’s timing is unfortunate. Our Wangye has other matters today and has declared he won’t see any visitors.”

Li Angshun expressionlessly handed the lavish gift to his subordinate behind him. Just as he was about to leave, he paused, as if remembering something, and asked the gatekeeper, “Has Heqin Wang ever fought on the battlefield?”

This information was not a secret. The gatekeeper replied, “Heqin Wang has indeed fought on the battlefield before.”

Li Angshun smiled faintly. “Many who have fought on the battlefield tend to have hidden injuries.”

The gatekeeper sighed. “Indeed. Fortunately, our Wangye is in good health. Even if he’s been injured, he can recover quickly.”

Li Angshun felt something was amiss. He frowned, his eyes sunken. “Not easy to recover?”

The gatekeeper said, “Not really. With some medicine, our Wangye is fine.”

Li Angshun’s brow furrowed even more.

Was it possible that appearances could be deceiving? The person in the carriage seemed frail and weak, but was actually mighty and strong?

The Xixia prince felt something was wrong. As he walked with his men, he suddenly remembered Chu Wei.

This official was handsome, catching Li Angshun’s eye. A flash of insight struck Li Angshun, and he suddenly thought that the person in the carriage must be related to Chu Wei in some way. He smirked coldly and ordered his men, “Find out where this Chu Wei’s mansion is.”

“Yes.”

***

With the arrival and departure of the Xixia prince, the capital’s magistrate, who was keeping an eye on him, immediately reported the matter to Gu Yuanbai.

Gu Yuanbai: “How is it related to Heqin Wang again?”

He rubbed his temples and had no inclination to deal with these trivial matters anymore. “Keep an eye on them. Don’t let them act recklessly in my Great Heng capital.”

As for Heqin Wang, well, he still believed that his dear elder brother had his wits about him. He couldn’t possibly cooperate with a small Xixia.

The city magistrate of Great Heng nodded and withdrew.

A flexible eunuch approached and massaged Gu Yuanbai’s temples. When Kong Yilin entered the hall and saw this scene, a worried expression crossed his face. Suddenly, he remembered something. “Your Majesty, do you remember the woman in the bandit’s den in Lizhou?”

Gu Yuanbai laid back in his chair, eyes closed for relaxation. “I remember.”

He sighed, “That woman has had a hard life.”

However, in the eyes of countless men in the world, few would think that a woman’s life was hard. Kong Yilin couldn’t help but sigh. He looked at the tired face of the Emperor and said with concern, “Your Majesty, with so many talented people in the court, you must not personally handle everything.”

“Of course,” Gu Yuanbai said, “but lately, everything has to go through me. Forget about it. I remember that the woman seemed to have decided on suicide because her family was killed by bandits?”

“Yes,” Kong Yilin said, “but later, I heard from Mr. Sun that the woman is a physician.”

Gu Yuanbai raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“The woman’s ancestors were renowned physicians, and she learned some medical skills from a young age. Mr. Sun from the Supervision Bureau asked her why, if she knew some medical skills, she still went down the mountain to seek medical treatment. The woman replied, ‘If I knew medicine, where would I have the chance to go down the mountain in this life?’ Mr. Sun told her about the court’s plan to suppress bandits and fight corruption, and she gave up the idea. After the magistrate of Lizhou was arrested, she followed us to the capital.”

“Right,” Gu Yuanbai nodded.

When he heard the words “female physician” or “renowned physician,” he didn’t react at all. It was as if he had long been convinced that no matter what kind of doctor there was, none could cure his illness.

Kong Yilin couldn’t help but glance at the Emperor.

The Emperor seemed even more frail compared to the day of the palace examination. The fingers protruding from his sleeve seemed as fragile as they could be snapped by the weight of his heavy robes.

Kong Yilin didn’t understand the methods of diagnosis, but he understood whether a person was healthy; that was something one could see at a glance.

Even if the Emperor had a good appearance, it couldn’t conceal the signs of weakness.

Kong Yilin withdrew his gaze, his lips twitching slightly, but all he could do was tentatively advise, “Your Majesty, if you don’t mind a female physician, could you let her examine your pulse?”

At this point, Gu Yuanbai opened his eyes. His gaze swept over Kong Yilin and then pointed to the two wolves crouching in the corner, with a smile, “If this heroine isn’t afraid of these two wolves, then she can come and check my pulse.”

***

The woman really came.

Xue Yuan had once said that if anyone touched Gu Yuanbai’s finger or even a strand of his hair, the two wolves would bite off their finger. Regardless of whether others believed it or not, Tian Fusheng believed it because every time he served tea to the Emperor, the two wolves would crouch low and stare at Tian Fusheng’s hand with their eyes fixed.

But what was strange was that every time the imperial physician from the Royal Hospital checked the Emperor’s pulse, the two wolves showed no sign of attack.

And this time was no exception.

The woman brought back by Lord Sun Shan from the bandit’s den in Lizhou was named Jiang Bajiao. She was beautiful, but tall, and there was a hint of heroism in her eyes. Jiang Bajiao calmly saluted the Emperor and opened her medicine bag, “Please raise your hand, Your Majesty.”

Gu Yuanbai raised his hand. He admired such a woman. He smiled faintly and pointed to the two wolves that were slowly approaching, “These two creatures are here. Can you still be calm?”

One of the wolves seemed to understand Gu Yuanbai’s words and approached, extending its rough, reddish tongue to lick Gu Yuanbai’s outstretched finger. The sticky saliva made the finger shine, surprising Gu Yuanbai, who then looked helplessly at the wolf.

Jiang Bajiao also stiffened when she saw the two wolves, but she forced herself to calm down and began to check Gu Yuanbai’s pulse.

Tian Fusheng wanted to step forward to wipe the Emperor’s hand, but he dared not approach the wolves. He frowned and said with bitterness, “Why is it that Miss Jiang can approach without incident, but I am stared at every time I approach?”

Gu Yuanbai pondered for a moment and understood, “There’s medicine on her.”

Tian Fusheng was stunned, “Huh?”

Gu Yuanbai snorted, thinking to himself that Xue Yuan had thought of everything, even the imperial physician who needed to get close to him for his pulse. He said those words about biting off anyone’s finger who dared to touch him; could they really be true?

***

“Lord,” the deputy pointed to the water pouch tied to Xue Yuan’s waist, “Is this filled with strong alcohol?”

Xue Yuan clearly had a water pouch on him but still brought another water pouch to drink from. Hearing the deputy’s question, Xue Yuan smiled and casually patted the water pouch at his waist, deliberately lowering his voice, “This is something better than strong alcohol.”

The deputy was curious, “Oh, what could it be then?”

Xue Yuan said, “Soup, soup that induces sleep.”

The deputy burst into laughter, “The Lord is joking.”

Xue Yuan raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. After drinking the water, he walked to a secluded place and removed the pouch from his waist.

After days of exposure to the scorching sun, the water in the pouch seemed to have decreased. Xue Yuan opened the lid and sniffed. The fragrance penetrated his nose, a mixture of medicinal and aromatic scents, permeating even after such a long time, still carrying a hint of spring water.

Xue Yuan was actually tempted to take a sip, but every sip would be one less sip, and he hesitated. He had a strong odor all over him, just like the men in the barracks. The only fragrant thing was Gu Yuanbai’s bathwater.

What if he took a sip and missed a sip? What then?

Calculating the time, the Longevity Festival should have begun. He had been gone for over ten days now. He wondered if the person in the palace would remember him.

Rubbing his fingers, he quickly finished his break time. Xue Yuan tied the water pouch back to his waist and stood up, “Let’s go.”

The deputy hurried forward, and they walked together. Liefeng was busy eating grass, but when it saw Xue Yuan approaching, it resisted, kicking its hooves.

The deputy laughed, “This horse is indeed intelligent, knowing that we’re about to set off. It won’t eat anymore.”

But Xue Yuan didn’t respond to him.

The deputy turned his head in confusion, only to see Xue Yuan’s serious expression. He was staring at a tree and suddenly took a step forward, grabbing something. The deputy approached and saw a yellow locust.

The deputy was startled.

Xue Yuan crushed the locust to death and looked around, “It seems we’re about to enter the area affected by the northern plague.”

“Protect the food and prepare torches and large nets,” Xue Yuan untied the reins and led the horse away, “Go find those officials who deal with locusts and make sure they’re prepared.”

***

By the end of September, the day of the Longevity Festival was approaching.

Gifts from various countries had all been received and stored in the national treasury. As for the gifts from those powerful families, Gu Yuanbai had them returned, hinting subtly at the northern locust plague.

Sure enough, those powerful families were all very clever. Upon hearing the Emperor’s hint, they inquired about the northern locust plague, gathered together, and ultimately decided to send a hundred thousand ducks to the northern region to eradicate the locusts.

When locusts gather in large numbers, they produce toxins. Yellow locusts are poisonous, while green locusts, when alone, are not. It is precisely because of the toxicity emitted by the locusts in large quantities that birds that feed on locusts dare not approach.

Autumn locusts only live for three months. When they are about to die, they find a place to lay eggs. This period is called the nymph stage. During the nymph stage, the toxins in the locusts dissipate, and this is when ducks come to prey on them. With a hundred thousand ducks, each capable of eating two hundred locusts a day, the locust plague can be quickly controlled.

The powerful families calculated the time and realized that by now, they could send ducks to the northern borders. By the time the ducks arrived, the locusts would be in the nymph stage, and the ducks could then play their role. After eating all the locusts, these ducks, full and round, could also become meat in the soldiers’ bowls. Why not seize this opportunity?

The Emperor burned the letters sent to him by the rebel army and refused to accept their valuable gifts. Now they finally knew where to show favor, and the powerful families naturally didn’t want to miss out.

They were busy showing loyalty and courtesy to His Majesty the Emperor, while within the capital, His Majesty the Emperor ignited a tiny, tiny bit of hope for survival.

Several days ago, Female Doctor Jiang checked Gu Yuanbai’s pulse. She admitted, “This humble woman’s ability is insufficient.”

After Gu Yuanbai smiled faintly, she pondered for a while and said, “But my grandmother gave birth to a premature baby at the age of forty. My uncle was born with congenital defects and was extremely weak, but he lived until before I was abducted by bandits to the mountains. By then, his health had improved a lot, and I have also observed his pulse. With proper care, His Majesty should be able to live a long time.”

At that moment, Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes, his face calm and without a ripple, concealing the turbulent waves in his heart. “Oh? But your family members have all been killed by bandits.”

“That’s true,” Jiang Bajiao fell silent for a while, “But if I remember correctly, my grandfather had a younger brother. Most of the medical books in the family were in the hands of this younger brother. The two brothers were separated during their youth due to famine, and it has been forty years since then.”

“My grandfather once told me that he only knew half of the treatment for congenital defects, and his brother was even more talented than him. If this uncle survived with a large number of medical books from the famine, there must be a prescription among them that can cure the Emperor’s illness.”

Whether the scattered famine survivors from forty years ago were still alive now was unknown. But after Jiang Bajiao finished speaking, the officials from the Inspectorate immediately asked for details. They were determined to spare no effort to find this missing uncle.

Even if there was a possibility that the person was dead, even if his medical books had been sold, or even if he had completely lost his medical skills, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, the officials of the Inspectorate were like chickens injected with blood.

Although Gu Yuanbai didn’t say anything, he tacitly approved of the Inspectorate’s actions.

A spark of hope ignited in his heart, but it was too small and faint. Gu Yuanbai dared not let it flourish wildly; he could only wait rationally and calmly for the final outcome, diverting his attention to the locust plague, nomadic issues, and the Longevity Festival.

In this calm yet uneasy atmosphere, the day of the Longevity Festival finally arrived.

On the day of the Longevity Festival, Gu Yuanbai wore the imperial attire according to the specifications of the Great Heng Dynasty. After all the ornaments were hung on him, Gu Yuanbai held his breath and looked at himself in the bronze mirror.

As the descendant of a noble lineage, his nobility was indescribable.

Gu Yuanbai raised an eyebrow and smiled. The crown on his head swayed slightly. Incense wafted through the air, and the dragon patterns on his yellow robe seemed to come to life. He turned around and walked steadily towards the outside. Tian Fusheng stepped forward to support him, “Your Majesty, you must be very tired today.”

But with all the people in the world bowing down to celebrate for him, could fatigue still not be cured?

For an ambitious person, such honors were addictive, like the sweetest poison. Gu Yuanbai smiled but remained silent, steadily advancing towards the throne room.

After the Emperor took his seat on the dragon throne, the officials in the court, dressed in ceremonial robes, stood solemnly on both sides. In the early morning sun from the east, they unified their voices and offered congratulations to Gu Yuanbai. At the same time, officials in various regions set up incense tables, and local officials, dressed neatly, led their subordinates towards the direction of the capital, bowing three times: “May the Emperor be healthy, and may there be peace in the world!”

Incense smoke filled the air, and the whole country celebrated the Emperor’s birthday. During these three days of rest, artisans would take to the streets to entertain the people, showcasing the prosperity under the current rule of Great Heng.

Wealthy families or officials even took money out of their own pockets to provide the people with free pastries bearing the words “Longevity and Prosperity,” in hopes of receiving good luck.

These three days had no curfew, and the taverns and restaurants were bustling with activity, lively and prosperous. When someone mentioned “harvest” and “favorable weather,” laughter would abound, followed by exclamations of “this year is indeed a year of abundant harvests.”

Meanwhile, in the far north.

Xue Yuan looked up at the midday sky, then halted his horse and shouted, “Dismount and line up!”

The soldiers in armor didn’t hesitate for a moment. As soon as they heard the command, they dismounted.

The cavalry lined up, followed closely by the infantry, and in an instant, the main force formed a majestic formation.

Xue Yuan faced the direction of the capital with his men, lifted his robe, and knelt down neatly, loudly proclaiming, “Wishing Great Heng prosperity, and wishing His Majesty good health.”

This proclamation was passed back by the officers, and the tens of thousands of soldiers who ate the Emperor’s food and wore the Emperor’s clothes also knelt down solidly, a dense and uniform mass. Their voices echoed through the forest, startling the birds.

“Wishing Great Heng prosperity! Wishing His Majesty good health!”

Xue Yuan and the soldiers shouted three times together. As he looked into the distance, Xue Yuan thought, if there were shameless immortals in the sky, they must have heard it clearly.

With so many people praying for Gu Yuanbai, the young Emperor had to live a long and healthy life.

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