I Rely on Beauty to Stabilize the Country Chapter 93

Chapter 93

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You have a lifetime to spend with me, but I don’t have that much time.

Gu Yuanbai’s breathing was rapid and labored, the steam dissipating, forming a round droplet at the tip of his nose.

Xue Yuan had said so much; he wanted to see Gu Yuanbai’s expression, but Gu Yuanbai’s face was half-covered by his hand, so he couldn’t see anything.

Xue Yuan thought, let it be. Not seeing Gu Yuanbai’s expression allowed him to deceive himself into thinking that Gu Yuanbai liked him. Seeing a look of disgust would be truly unbearable.

His eyes covered tightly, Gu Yuanbai opened his eyes blankly, a feather-like itch left in Xue Yuan’s palm.

Xue Yuan kissed Gu Yuanbai’s forehead, temples, and kissed away the droplets on his nose, planting one kiss after another on his cheeks.

Calming Gu Yuanbai, who had just spaced out.

Gu Yuanbai’s lips moved, and Xue Yuan, afraid he might say something hurtful again, immediately kissed him.

Gu Yuanbai turned his face away. “The water is dirty, get up.”

Xue Yuan finally released the hand covering Gu Yuanbai’s eyes. As Gu Yuanbai was about to look at him, Xue Yuan lifted him up, burying the emperor’s face in his chest, plunging him back into darkness.

“Don’t look at me,” Xue Yuan sensed Gu Yuanbai’s intent. “I look very bad right now.”

Xue Yuan’s hand glided along Gu Yuanbai’s back. On the shore, there were new clothes and a cloak. Xue Yuan sat on a chair, holding the little emperor on his lap, and casually grabbed the topmost hair tie to blindfold Gu Yuanbai.

Gu Yuanbai’s limbs were weak, perhaps from the hot spring, anger, or the moment of pleasure. His voice was lazy, “Xue Yuan, let’s have a good talk.”

Xue Yuan dressed him, his hands disciplined, not lingering for a moment.

Gu Yuanbai’s thin arms slipped into the sleeves, followed by his legs. Xue Yuan knew Gu Yuanbai was thin, but this time he realized just how emaciated he was.

In the dark, his jaw clenched, his fingers turning white with pressure.

After dressing Gu Yuanbai, still wet himself, Xue Yuan lifted him, stepping over the two wolves and slowly walked out. He said candidly, “You’re too calm right now, I don’t have the advantage. I’ll talk to you when you’re more emotional.”

He patted Gu Yuanbai, “Take a nap first.”

Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes, chuckling, “The first time inevitably leads to a second. In front of you, I’m neither an emperor nor your master.”

“You are my master,” Xue Yuan kissed his hair. “Master, don’t be stubborn. Sleep for a while.”

His voice was low, and Gu Yuanbai, truly tired, began to feel drowsy. He drifted off, really falling into a deep sleep.

Just before losing consciousness, Gu Yuanbai thought, why does he always fall asleep so easily in Xue Yuan’s presence?

***

Xue Yuan carried Gu Yuanbai back to his room, carefully placing him on the bed.

Standing by the bed, he watched Gu Yuanbai for a while before going to change clothes. When he returned, he sat by the bed, watching the little emperor sleep.

The dim light cast shadows on him, his eyes dark and sunken, his face stubbly. The frantic fifteen-day journey, pushing himself to the limit, left even Xue Yuan in a sorry state.

Xue Yuan never cared about his appearance, naturally handsome as he was, but before meeting Gu Yuanbai, he couldn’t help but become self-conscious.

After a while, not knowing how long, the person in bed furrowed his brows, looking uncomfortable.

Xue Yuan touched his face, then his hand under the covers—it was cold. He sighed, climbed into bed, lifted the blanket, and laid down, holding Gu Yuanbai in his arms.

What to do? So afraid of the cold. The hot spring villa was already warm. In the dead of winter, it would be unbearable.

Xue Yuan’s body was at its limit; he needed to return the next day. Yet now, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Gu Yuanbai, unwilling to sleep.

As if sleeping was a waste of time, reluctant to close his eyes.

Gu Yuanbai felt the warmth, his furrowed brows relaxing. Xue Yuan tucked his hands and feet into his embrace, lowering his voice to ask, “Comfortable?”

Gu Yuanbai’s breathing was shallow. Xue Yuan chuckled darkly, hinting, “If you take concubines, who will keep your hands and feet warm like this? You’d be the one warming their hands and feet, not good.”

Xue Yuan couldn’t stop talking, his voice hoarse and continuous. In the middle of the night, Gu Yuanbai woke once, finding Xue Yuan still talking, his already rough voice even worse. Gu Yuanbai woke briefly, but still groggy. “The northern frontier…”

“The northern frontier is fine,” Xue Yuan said. “Rilian got beaten up and ran to Xiwandan, but Xiwandan is cunning. After this winter, Ridian’s subordinates will have a new leader.”

“Xiwandan has a son,” Gu Yuanbai murmured in a daze, “His son harbors resentment towards Xiwandan’s top general, Wunan. Wunan has attempted several times to secretly kill Xiwandan’s son.”

Xue Yuan replied, “I’ve noted it down.”

Gu Yuanbai was about to close his eyes and continue sleeping when he seemed to catch a faint scent of blood. His brow twitched, “How many horses did you exhaust?”

“Five,” Xue Yuan responded.

To travel from the northern frontier to the capital at the fastest speed would normally take about a month. Gu Yuanbai recalled Xue Yuan’s earlier words: fifteen days. He had made it in fifteen days. How had he managed that journey?

Everyone has their limits. In fifteen days, had he even slept?

The room was silent for a moment. Gu Yuanbai suddenly opened his eyes and sat up. Xue Yuan, puzzled, also sat up but was immediately pushed down to the headboard by the emperor.

Gu Yuanbai pressed him down, lightly patting his face and casually said, “Xue Jiuyou, the emperor has entered your arms?”

The candlelight in the room was extinguished, making it impossible to see Xue Yuan’s expression in the dark, but he chuckled softly, “Your Majesty, what are you planning to do to your servant?”

The hand on his face slapped lightly, almost as if in humiliation, yet it was incredibly exciting.

Gu Yuanbai, indifferent, asked, “Say it again, how does the emperor enter your arms?”

Xue Yuan, extremely obedient, smiled, “It’s your servant who enters your arms.”

Gu Yuanbai sneered and relaxed his grip on Xue Yuan, “I haven’t even settled the matter of your sneaking back from the northern frontier.”

“I’ll leave tomorrow,” Xue Yuan said, “When I return, Your Majesty can settle the score with me then.”

“Your Majesty has many scores to settle with me,” Xue Yuan accurately found Gu Yuanbai’s hand in the darkness, playing with his fingers, “There will be a fierce battle after the New Year. If I can return from the battlefield, Your Majesty can settle everything with me then.”

Lies.

Gu Yuanbai thought, how could that be considered a fierce battle for you? You’re clearly trying to evoke my sympathy, using a ruse.

But Xue Yuan merely brushed over it, then placed his hand over Gu Yuanbai’s eyes and said, “Sleep, Your Majesty.”

He always seemed to find Gu Yuanbai accurately in the dark, as if Gu Yuanbai glowed in his eyes. Gu Yuanbai, on the other hand, could only see darkness.

Gu Yuanbai patted the empty space beside him, unusually calm, “Lie down and sleep.”

Xue Yuan laid down, instinctively hugging Gu Yuanbai’s limbs. Gu Yuanbai sighed, suddenly laughing, “In the whole world, only you dare to hold me like this.”

Xue Yuan chuckled, “Even God wouldn’t strike me down; what do I have to fear?”

“What if God struck you down?” Gu Yuanbai suddenly asked. But he regretted it immediately, feeling foolish for asking such a boring hypothetical.

Xue Yuan, hugging Gu Yuanbai’s hand tightly, responded leisurely, “Let him strike; I’ll do what I want.”

Gu Yuanbai replied, “Well said, Xue Jiuyou.”

“Your Majesty isn’t angry anymore?” Xue Yuan asked.

“Why should I be angry?” Gu Yuanbai lazily responded, “You dare to come back because you have stabilized the northern frontier. You have confidence. I also enjoyed myself earlier. I’ve gained the advantage, so why be angry?”

Xue Yuan chuckled, “Yet you were so full of rage earlier.”

“That’s for you,” Gu Yuanbai replied, “Rules don’t bind you. How many times have I punished you, but you still dare to act?”

In the darkness, only their bodies touched. They couldn’t see each other, and Gu Yuanbai suddenly felt a sense of disorientation, as if he had traveled through time back to the modern era. Lying on the bed, beside him was an equal soul.

His tone was calm but relaxed.

“There are many things I dare not do,” Xue Yuan kissed Gu Yuanbai’s fingers, “I dare not hurt you, scare you. Even when I want to nuzzle you, rub your hand or foot, I’m afraid of chafing you.”

Quite daring in thought. Gu Yuanbai mused casually, unafraid of anything, daring to do everything. Even if Gu Yuanbai held the reins, did Xue Yuan fear anything?

He asked directly, “What are you afraid of?”

Xue Yuan was silent for a long time, unable to utter a word, and while waiting for his answer, Gu Yuanbai fell asleep.

After an unknown amount of time, the darkness outside began to recede. Xue Yuan managed to sleep for a brief moment.

He woke up suddenly, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily. Despite it being early winter, he seemed to have endured a fierce battle, his face twisted in tension.

Xue Yuan quickly turned to check on Gu Yuanbai, repeatedly feeling his pulse and testing his breath. After dozens of attempts, he finally steadied his trembling hands from the cold fear.

These hands, which had taken countless lives, now shook with excitement over one person’s breath.

Xue Yuan sat stunned for a while, then got up to put on his shoes. Before leaving, he couldn’t help but check Gu Yuanbai’s breath one more time, pressing his forehead against his to feel his shallow breathing, and only then did his heart return to his chest.

He kissed him and whispered, “Wait for me to come back and fly a kite with you.”

Pausing, he added with a sour feeling, “Don’t take any concubines.”

***

Sunlight filled the room.

Gu Yuanbai slept soundly through the night, and when he woke, Xue Yuan was gone.

The emperor was stunned for a moment, then called in a servant, asking Tian Fusheng, “Where is Xue Yuan?”

Tian Fusheng, more confused than the emperor, replied, “When did Lord Xue return?”

Gu Yuanbai frowned and was about to get out of bed when he suddenly remembered something. He flung back the covers, revealing several bloodstains where he had been lying.

It wasn’t a dream.

He had traveled for fifteen days, losing chunks of flesh along the way.

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