I Rely on Beauty to Stabilize the Country - Chap 13
A crisp sound of porcelain breaking came from right outside the window. Gu Yuanbai’s comfortable expression disappeared, and he called out: “Who is it?!”
The captain of the guard flew to the window, his sharp eyes spotting the dazed young servant. He recognized him as a close servant of Prince He. The captain’s serious face slowly relaxed. When he looked down, he saw a broken jade porcelain bowl,1 which had spilled red blood all over the ground, the walls, and the red-painted guardrail. The slating rain was washing away the blood, making it flow downstairs into the green grass under the storm.
A red that tried to hide someone’s wrongdoing.
Gu Yuanbai then walked out and looked at the shameful fresh blood on the ground. His face changed slightly, and he asked with a heavy voice: “What’s going on?”
The sky shook with the sound of thunder, and the dim area suddenly became bright.
The young servant who stood to the side went pale and fell to his knees, his body trembling as if he were sick. “Your Majesty, this is deer blood sent by Prince He.”
One second, Prince He had been standing by the window looking inside the bedroom, and the next second he furiously smacked the bowl of deer blood out of his hands, striding away violently.
The young man had been with Prince He for several years. Even when Prince He had been demoted, he’d never sported such a hideous expression. It was terrifying, as if he had been about to go crazy…
While the young servant shook terribly, the captain of the guard got down on one knee, touched the blood with one finger and put it under his nose to smell it. Nodding, he said: “Your Majesty, it is indeed deer blood.”
The dark red blood looked brighter as the rain splashed it around. Gu Yuanbai frowned, noticing an unpleasant smell, and stared at the boy intently, full of questions. “Prince He, huh?”
The young servant shook even harder, unable to say a word.
Gu Yuanbai’s face cooled down slowly. Looking up towards the wind and rain beyond the corridor, he spoke slowly: “Prince He is so concerned with Our health. We also worry about him. Zhang Xu, follow this servant to see how Prince He is doing, don’t waste time.”
Captain Zhang replied with a serious tone: “Yes!”
The captain immediately picked up the boy and went with many guards to Prince He’s rooms. However, when they arrived, they found out that Prince He had braved the storm alone to run back to his own mansion.
After Gu Yuanbai heard the news, even if he could keep a straight face, he still felt speechless.
Walking home under such a heavy rain, was Prince He still a child?
Well, it seemed that he was alright, and Gu Yuanbai was too lazy to ask further, so he returned to his room. His body still felt warm from soaking in the hot water. Tian Fusheng asked: “Your Majesty, are you still taking a bath?”
“No.” Gu Yuanbai breathed out. “Our body feels lighter, We have sweated a bit.”2
There were many braziers piled in the room, with the window opened a gap to ventilate. The entire room felt as warm as a spring sun, and he’d drunk bowl after bowl of soup to fight the cold, multitasking.3 Even a man made of glass would break into a sweat.
Gu Yuanbai felt better than said glass man.
His strong bodyguards were already sweating profusely. When Gu Yuanbai saw them in dire straits, he couldn’t help but laugh. “You lot seem to have gotten overheated while keeping an eye on Us, go out to cool off, all of you.”
The muscular imperial bodyguards, one by one, went red and bowed their heads in shame.
The guard captain said: “Your Majesty, your servants can withstand the heat.”
“Surely they don’t need to keep watch right here,” Gu Yuanbai said. “Since We came to Xue Mansion, naturally, the people here will come pay Us respects. Zhang Xu, send someone to inform General Xue that I am well enough to let them come over.”
Zhang Xu obediently left. Gu Yuanbai stood up and stretched out his hands, and Tian Fusheng went up and changed his clothes for him.
His previous clothes had already been impregnated by the cold air, but there weren’t any of Gu Yuanbai’s normal clothes in Xue Mansion. General Xue had sent soft, smooth garments with cloud patterns embroidered with golden silk thread, made of good material. Gu Yuanbai didn’t know who they were for originally, but now they were for him to wear.
Tian Fusheng said distressedly: “Your Majesty, just hold on for a while, we’ve already sent someone to the palace to bring things.”
The palace maid’s eyes went red while she pinned the Emperor’s hair up. When would the Emperor ever wear someone else’s clothes? The garments he wore now made him seem much more slender, weak and thin.
Gu Yuanbai felt amused and scolded in jest: “Fine, but hurry up.”
Madam Xue, wearing an honorary titled lady’s garments, arrived with her daughter-in-law to solemnly greet Gu Yuanbai. “Greetings, Your Majesty, your servant’s wife is here to pay respects.”
General Xue and his son followed closely. Gu Yuanbai, sitting at the principal seat, said gently: “Rise.”
Madam Xue, with her hands shaking from the excitement, followed etiquette seriously and stood up. Gu Yuanbai told them to sit down and asked cordially: “Madam, have you been in good health?”
“This official’s wife is in good health,” Madam Xue replied with a smile, “The winds and rains are good under His Majesty’s rule, and this wife has good food and clothing.”
“That’s good,” Gu Yuanbai nodded, pleased. “If the old madam is healthy, Xue Qing can be at ease.”
Xue Yuan, who was sitting further away,4 looked up when he heard the words, and saw the little Emperor smiling and talking to his grandmother. Xue Yuan spotted the clothes he was wearing, and his eyebrows went up suddenly.
Since the clothes were meant to fit Xue Yuan’s body, they were too large on the Emperor. Xue Yuan picked up his teacup, casually wondering if the Emperor, being so thin and in such poor health, would be able to father any children.
Xue Yuan grinned as soon as the idea popped up. That was a great question.
If the sickly Emperor were unable to get a woman and leave a heir, wouldn’t he be really unlucky?
The kingdom was being handled by other people, the harem had no concubines, the little Emperor wasn’t even able to get a political marriage. He was all alone, having nothing but that body that even made him drag his legs.
Xue Yuan, who had been in the military from childhood, had been on the battlefield dozens of times. He knew that, in order to make both men and horses subservient, he had to lead the charge without fearing death. Xue Yuan behaved crazily in the capital, but he was even crazier on the battlefield, and his blood sang with excitement when bravely slaying his enemies.
He enjoyed battles and bloodshed, and he could control troops and horses. After having them under control, possibilities to plot even bigger things opened up before him.
Gu Yuanbai put down his white jade chopsticks, looked down, and met Xue Yuan’s ambitious eyes.
Xue Yuan’s expression did not change. Standing respectfully, he hid his sharp fangs and his glowing green eyes, and offered the Emperor a toast.
Gu Yuanbai’s eyes were clear. He stared at Xue Yuan for a long moment, then suddenly pursed his lips and smiled meaningfully.
Brother, even if I die, even if you become the regent, you will never sit on the throne.
You aren’t expecting that, eh? In the future, you will start a socialist brotherhood with Chu Wei. A heirless regent is like a tiger who has lost its teeth. The future Emperor only has to wait until he can devour you, sooner or later.
After eating, Gu Yuanbai returned to his rooms to rest.
Someone from the palace had delivered garments. After two hours, the heavy rain hadn’t let up even slightly. Fearing that the Emperor would catch a cold after all, the palace had also sent two young doctors.
After the imperial doctors took his pulse, Gu Yuanbai took a hot bath and, when he reached the bed, fell asleep the moment his head touched the pillow. He slept through the night, but after going to bed early, he woke up early as well. When he woke up, the sky was still dark, and the guard that watched his bed had drifted off to sleep.
Gu Yuanbai opened his eyes in a daze. Then, he quietly got up and put on a cloak, silently leaving through the door.
The guards outside the door were talking quietly. They were taken aback when they saw Gu Yuanbai coming out, and hurriedly greeted him. “What happened, Your Majesty?”
“We woke up,” Gu Yuanbai whispered. “We will just go for a short walk, without leaving the courtyard. Just keep watch from here.”
This sky from the ancient times was full of stars, and the heavy rain from the day before had now stopped. Gu Yuanbai slowly walked a few steps. Suddenly, he heard some faint rustling coming from the grass.
Gu Yuanbai frowned, instantly becoming vigilant. He took a slow step back and retreated towards a corner before he finally spotted what was in the grass.
Jet black hair, glowing green pupils, exposed fangs. It was two adult wolves.
Gu Yuanbai’s heart leapt into his throat.
The two wolves were nosing the grass and licking it. Gu Yuanbai remembered that the bowl of deer blood had been spilled over that area the day before. The blood stains in the corridor had been cleaned up, but the blood that reached the grass had been left behind.
So the Xue family actually raised wolves!
Gu Yuanbai’s spirit sank below his stomach. Slowly, he backed away from the two wolves. The guards were still some distance away from Gu Yuanbai, and the wolves’ fur merged with the darkness. The guards wouldn’t spot them.
Gu Yuanbai could only hope that the amount of deer blood covering the grass would keep them busy licking for a while.
But his prayers fell on deaf ears.
The two wolves, whose heads were buried in the grass, heard him. Instantly, their heads turned and they stared at Gu Yuanbai with their green eyes.
Drool fell from between their sharp teeth, and one of them began to tentatively approach him.
Wolves are extremely keen observers. If anyone shows fear before them, they’ll attack immediately.
Gu Yuanbai kept himself very calm and, since he’d been spotted, he stopped walking away. Instead, he stared directly at the two wolves while squatting down, acting as if he was going to pick up something to attack them with.
The two ferocious wolves visibly flinched, but instead of backing off, they took another step forward.
Damn it.
Was it possible for even an animal to detect his body’s weakness with just a glance?
The guards at his back felt that something was wrong. They cried out, about to run over: “Your Majesty!”
Gu Yuanbai’s face suddenly changed.
Predictably, the cry started the wolves. Baring their teeth, they rushed directly at Gu Yuanbai. Gu Yuanbai rolled over himself, avoiding the wolf’s jump. Just as the other wolf was about to pounce at him, two dull slamming sounds suddenly came from his back. Gu Yuanbai’s head, pale, swung around to look. It turned out to be Xue Yuan, who had smashed the two wolves’ skulls in with a heavy wooden stick.
Xue Yuan’s expression was also terrible. He was calm, but his eyes were full of hostility as he looked at the bodies of the two wolves. After a moment, Xue Yuan threw the blood-stained stick aside and took a knee next to the Emperor. “Did Your Majesty get injured?”
“Your Majesty!”
The guards rushed to Gu Yuanbai’s side. After seeing the two dead wolves lying on the ground on their sides, their faces went dark.
Gu Yuanbai’s face was pale. Calming down his quick breaths, he said casually: “I got a foot cramp.”
The faces of the guards changed. The one who had to go look for an imperial physician went looking for a physician, and the one who had to deal with the wolves dealt with the wolves. Gu Yuanbai rejected the guard captain’s outstretched hand with a wave. He gave a cold glance at Xue Yuan and ordered him: “Xue Yuan, pick Us up.”
Since his body was extremely delicate, Gu Yuanbai assumed that his ankle would be swollen all over. He couldn’t put weight on it nor use any strength, and would have to be carried by someone.
Deer blood, ferocious wolves, Xue Yuan. It’d be hard to say whether Gu Yuanbai’s face was stormy or peaceful. The anger swirling in his mind was making his expression more strained.
Xue Yuan, sulking, held onto the Emperor’s waist and the back of his knees with his strong arms, and stood up straight, carrying Gu Yuanbai in his arms.
The palm of his hand was holding tight onto the Emperor’s waist, but both their expressions were unpleasant. Xue Yuan said in a deep voice: “Although it’s true that the Xue Mansion raises wolves, as soon as Your Majesty walked in, the Madam locked them away. Begging for Your Majesty’s sharp understanding.”
Gu Yuanbai said: “We will investigate thoroughly.”
The Emperor didn’t even attempt to hide the suspicion in his voice. Xue Yuan couldn’t help clenching his fists.
“Release Us,” Gu Yuanbai commanded. “Light and steady. Help Us walk slowly, turn each stride into ten steps. If you don’t know how to walk, get on your knees to support Us and move.”
Xue Yuan’s gaze sank. At this moment, he feared that, in the Emperor’s eyes, he was nothing but an animal like a horse or a mule. And, possibly, not even as capable as them.
He opened his palms as he’d been told. That was when he realized that the Emperor’s weight was extremely light. The skin under his palms was so soft that, even through the silk, Xue Yuan’s five fingers were able to sink deeply into his flesh.
He needed to pay attention and control his strength, which was very troublesome.
Gu Yuanbai’s tone was cold. “We said slowly.”
Xue Yuan stopped abruptly, and after a few breaths, began to walk slowly.
He looked down at the Emperor in his arms. A mad dog hid behind Xue Yuan’s eyes. The mad dog couldn’t fight his nature, and he smirked at Gu Yuanbai: “Your Majesty, is this slow enough?”
“It’s sufficient,” Gu Yuanbai sneered. “But now, We want you to speed up.”
