I Rely on Beauty to Stabilize the Country - Chap 67
Chapter 67
It had been over twenty days since Gu Yuanbai last saw Xue Yuan.
He was busy with his affairs and didn’t have the time to think about writing anything else. However, when he heard the chief guard falling into the trap and obediently reciting this poem to him, Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing.
He felt amused in a casual way.
Xue Yuan’s approach was the simplest and most direct way to build up his own image.
Gu Yuanbai left the hall and took a stroll with the others. The palace was quite spacious, and as Gu Yuanbai wandered around, he happened to overhear a young attendant humming this poem.
The poem had already been set to music, with some embellishments at the end, giving the entire piece a different flavor. Gu Yuanbai sat in a pavilion, patiently listening to the faint singing of palace maids after sweeping the grass. After a while, he suddenly remarked, “It’s too sticky.”
Tian Fusheng didn’t hear clearly, so he leaned closer and asked, “What instructions do you have, Your Majesty?”
“The melody has become too sticky,” Gu Yuanbai said, “it has changed the taste of the poem.”
Tian Fusheng didn’t understand much about this but grasped Gu Yuanbai’s meaning. He glanced in the direction of the singing palace maids and inquired, “Shall I go and ask who composed the music?”
“Go ahead,” Gu Yuanbai shifted his gaze, took a folding fan from the hands of someone beside him, and lightly fanned it twice. “Ask her who she learned it from.”
Tian Fusheng complied and quickly walked over.
Gu Yuanbai felt the breeze between the fan’s panels and suddenly caught a whiff of a rich ink fragrance. He turned the fan around and saw a poem written above, accompanied by a delicate landscape painting.
“Who sent this?” he asked.
The chief guard took a step forward, somewhat unwillingly, and replied, “Your Majesty, this was sent by Minister Chu.”
The refined brushstrokes and the poetic words hidden within indeed matched Minister Chu’s image.
“I remember my birthday is still over a month away,” Gu Yuanbai chuckled, “and yet gifts are already being presented to me.”
The painting and the words were both excellent, and Gu Yuanbai appreciated Minister Chu’s thoughtfulness. He stood up and walked to the edge of the pavilion, gazing into the distance.
A gentle breeze blew, causing the nearby willow leaves to sway. In the corner of his vision, Gu Yuanbai caught a glimpse of a robe behind the trees.
After pondering for a moment, Gu Yuanbai’s expression changed slightly. He folded his fan and left the pavilion. The people behind him quickly followed, and as Gu Yuanbai took the final step on the staircase, he headed towards the willow tree.
When he was about to reach it, he halted his steps, feeling a mysterious presence around him that followed closely behind.
Gu Yuanbai turned to the chief guard and asked, “Was Xue Yuan severely punished with fifty strikes that day?”
The chief guard sighed and said, “Your Majesty, even a person with a weak constitution could be killed by thirty strikes. And even those with a strong physique would find it difficult to withstand the fifty strikes, likely resulting in severe injuries. Xue Yuan has a good physique, but he still needs two to three months of bed rest.”
After a moment, Gu Yuanbai murmured softly, “He deserves it.”
If the country lacks law, it will fall into chaos.
Gu Yuanbai had thoroughly studied the importance and relationship between the laws, power, and strategies of a ruler as described in the “Han Feizi.” If Xue Yuan violated the law, he could not serve.
Even though Xue Yuan had taken such a detour, it was all in order to remain by Gu Yuanbai’s side.
Gu Yuanbai clicked his tongue, found a smooth stone to sit on, and pointed at the willow trees, saying, “Go and see if there is anyone behind those trees.”
“Yes.” The guards ran from behind Gu Yuanbai and cautiously checked behind the trees.
Gu Yuanbai turned his jade finger ring around while observing the situation. Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from behind, “Your Majesty.”
Gu Yuanbai paused and turned around to see Xue Yuan standing straight not far away, dressed in black.
Xue Yuan’s injuries were indeed severe.
His intention was to stay by Gu Yuanbai’s side. As for the punishment inflicted upon Prince Anle’s little finger, Xue Yuan endured fifty strikes not for the sake of Prince Anle, but for the sake of the Emperor. He willingly suffered the harsh punishment to calm the Emperor’s anger.
No matter how strong Xue Yuan was, he was still a human being. The fifty strikes were inflicted on him without mercy, leaving him bloodied and unable to recover fully in just two or three months.
But Xue Yuan couldn’t bear to be away from Gu Yuanbai.
Xue Jiuyao had never known what it meant to retreat.
Even with such severe injuries, he had people carry him, waiting for the moment when Gu Yuanbai walked out of the palace to take a stroll, just to catch a glimpse of him. He had to see Gu Yuanbai; otherwise, Xue Yuan would go mad. When Xue Yuan went mad, no one could control him. General Xue had long since given up, and Lady Xue had even stood in front of the Xue residence’s gate, blocking Xue Yuan from leaving.
At that moment, Xue Yuan was being carried by his servants. He lifted his eyelids and glanced at his mother, his eyes showing the signs of a severely ill patient. “Mother, your son needs to take a look.”
His voice was hoarse, as if his throat was damaged.
He didn’t specify what he wanted to see, but his expression made it clear. No one could stop him. This one look, he was determined to have it.
Mother Xue knew how stubborn and obstinate her son could be, to the point of being somewhat paranoid. If she didn’t let him go, he could even crawl on the ground with his own arms until he reached his desired destination.
Wiping away her tears, Mother Xue reluctantly stepped aside.
While Gu Yuanbai thought that he hadn’t seen Xue Yuan for over twenty days, in Xue Yuan’s eyes, twenty days felt like forever.It felt even longer than twenty days.
Gu Yuanbai didn’t go for a walk outside the palace every day, and when he did, he didn’t always go to the same place. Xue Yuan relied entirely on luck, sometimes waiting for a whole day, only to end up not catching a glimpse of a single hair.
Xue Yuan had experienced bloodshed throughout his life, surrounded by the stench of decaying corpses. He had endured flies and insects. In his most desperate moments, he was even more wretched than a drowning dog.
So, resorting to various means just to catch a glimpse of Gu Yuanbai, for him, it was nothing at all.
The unbearable part was that he wanted to talk to Gu Yuanbai.
Chang Yuyan’s poems had gained popularity. With the success of the “Da Heng National Gazette,” his reputation had soared rapidly. His fame grew, and the “Da Heng National Gazette” gained a prominent position in literary circles, forming a positive feedback loop.
Xue Yuan used some minor means to request an audience with the chief guard.
Early in the morning, while his wounds were still healing, Xue Yuan dressed in black to conceal the bloodstains. He stood tall, walking as if the injury behind him didn’t exist, projecting a normal and unharmed appearance with his strong willpower.
Just like he was standing in front of Gu Yuanbai at this moment.
Gu Yuanbai looked at Xue Yuan.
Between Xue Yuan’s calm brows and eyes, there was a hint of a smile, but his eyes were bloodshot, and his chin was scruffy and disheveled.
He exuded a sense of masculinity in his decadence.
Despite his decadent appearance, it was strange how Xue Yuan still carried a sense of elegance and ease. If we talk about beauty, Chu Wei’s appearance was even more beautiful, but if Chu Wei were in such a wretched state, he wouldn’t exude the same carefree demeanor as Xue Yuan.
Gu Yuanbai snapped out of his thoughts and gently waved his folding fan. There was no anger or joy on his face. “Are you healed?”
The chief guard had just mentioned that it would take two to three months for Xue Yuan to recover, yet now he looked perfectly normal, showing no signs of a severe injury.
Xue Yuan’s lips curled into a smile. He stood upright, still displaying an extremely resolute appearance. “I’m fine. How has Your Majesty been these days?”
His voice was deep and hoarse, reminiscent of someone seriously ill. It was as if there were grains of sand in his voice, and the last three words, “How have you been,” sounded distant and ethereal, as if coming from a faraway place.
“I am naturally doing well,” Gu Yuanbai closed his folding fan, “Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself.”
Xue Yuan smiled slightly, displaying a cultured and refined demeanor as if he were a scholar from a scholarly family. “Knowing that Your Majesty is doing well, I can rest assured.”
Gu Yuanbai paused, carefully examining him from head to toe.
His gaze swept over Xue Yuan, but Xue Yuan’s expression remained unchanged, except that his eyes lowered slightly. “Why is Your Majesty looking at me like this?”
“Xue Qing seems to be different,” Gu Yuanbai furrowed his brows slightly, unable to pinpoint what exactly was different about him. He looked at Xue Yuan over and over again, “Xue Qing seems…”
He suddenly realized that Xue Yuan seemed to have become more restrained.
In the time they had stood there, Xue Yuan hadn’t taken a step forward towards Gu Yuanbai. He was clad in a dark attire, emanating a heavy and dignified aura.
It was as if all the previous thoughts, all the rebellious words, had been buried in the memories of a few people. The one standing there now was just a clean and innocent minister who hadn’t done anything wrong.
Xue Yuan smiled as if nothing had happened, his hands folded firmly behind his back. He spoke slowly, “Your Majesty, it’s already August. The wind is picking up. Would Your Majesty like to fly a kite?”
Gu Yuanbai looked up at the treetops. The slender branches swayed aimlessly in the wind. The weather was clear, giving a sense of refreshing autumn. It was indeed a perfect day for flying kites.
The guards who had checked behind the willow tree returned empty-handed. When they saw Xue Yuan, they were all somewhat surprised. Especially the chief guard who knew the extent of Xue Yuan’s injuries, his gaze towards Xue Yuan was filled with words unsaid, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.
Xue Yuan paid no attention to the guards; he was waiting for Gu Yuanbai’s response.
After a while, Gu Yuanbai nodded. “Let’s go.”
Xue Yuan had already prepared the kite. He bent down to pick it up, and his movements were fluid and graceful. Underneath his black robe, his wounds had reopened slightly, but Xue Yuan showed no change in expression as he walked beside Gu Yuanbai. As they passed a meadow, he suddenly spoke, “Your Majesty, have you ever tasted sweet grass?”
Gu Yuanbai was intrigued and turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. “Sweet grass?”
He only knew of flowers that had a sweet taste, where one could suck the base and taste the sweet nectar.
Xue Yuan smiled and carefully examined the meadow. He took a few steps forward and plucked some grass leaves with small white flowers. He deliberately crushed the leaves with his fingers, releasing a fragrant scent of fresh grass and sweet juice, effectively masking any faint trace of blood on Xue Yuan.
Xue Yuan didn’t want to appear weak in front of Gu Yuanbai.
He offered the sweet grass to the young emperor and took a bite himself, narrowing his eyes slightly and nodding in satisfaction.
Seeing that he had eaten it and seemed pleased, a palace attendant by Gu Yuanbai’s side took a leaf, rinsed it with clear water, and wiped it with a clean cloth before handing it to Gu Yuanbai.
Gu Yuanbai raised his hand to accept it and tentatively tasted a bite. He was surprised to find that the taste was similar to sugarcane. He took another bite and asked, “What is this called?”
“The common people call it sweet grass,” Xue Yuan said, “Is it sweet?”
Gu Yuanbai nodded involuntarily. “With this level of sweetness, it could be a good ingredient for tea.”
Everything could be related to government affairs, and that was Gu Yuanbai’s nature. Xue Yuan timely changed the subject, “Your Majesty, there are also other sweet things such as honey. When the common people can’t afford sugar, they give their children these things when they want something sweet.”
“The taste is good,” Gu Yuanbai pondered, “I wonder if it’s easy to cultivate.”
Seeing how easily Xue Yuan had found this grass, it shouldn’t be a difficult plant to grow. If this sweet grass were to be found all over the streets, it might not be considered a luxury in the Da Heng Dynasty, but in countries without it, such as Western Xia, and the surrounding countries along the Silk Road… it would likely sell well.
Every unit sold would be money gained without effort. Gu Yuanbai’s health was not good, and he didn’t have much time left. But if he could live a little longer, he would definitely try to sell this product overseas and make a hefty profit from the countries abroad.
“Your Majesty,” the chief guard spoke, “Your Majesty?”
Gu Yuanbai snapped out of his thoughts. “What’s the matter?”
The chief guard had been glancing at Xue Yuan multiple times but ultimately remained silent. “This area is quite spacious. It should be enough if we want to fly the kite.”
Xue Yuan looked around and nodded in agreement. “This place will do.”
“Then let’s fly it,” Gu Yuanbai said. “What does Xue Qing’s kite look like?”
“It’s here.” Xue Yuan lifted the kite, and with the assistance of a guard, they held it up high, waiting for a gust of wind. When the wind blew, they released it with a sudden motion.
The kite soared into the sky, becoming a unique sight above the summer palace. Gu Yuanbai used a folding fan to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight and looked up to see the kite.
He was slightly surprised to find that it was just an ordinary swallow kite.
He had expected Xue Yuan’s kite to be grand and imposing, given his personality. But to his surprise, it was extremely ordinary, so ordinary that Gu Yuanbai was somewhat astonished.
After his initial surprise, Gu Yuanbai found it somewhat amusing. He curled his lips, about to withdraw his gaze when suddenly, the kite was jerked back by the wind. It swayed as if it was about to touch the ground, but before it could land, Xue Yuan quickly tugged the string, and another gust of wind lifted the kite back into the air.
In that moment of closeness, Gu Yuanbai seemed to catch a glimpse of a few lines of words on the swallow kite.
After flying the kite for a while, the chief guard approached Xue Yuan and took something from his hand. He earnestly advised, “Lord Xue, take care of your health. By coming before His Majesty in your current condition, you are the one suffering. Why bother?”
They were still unaware of the previous events and merely believed that Xue Yuan had offended Marquis Anle while seeking revenge for his younger brother, which led to his punishment by the emperor.
The more time the chief guard spent with Xue Yuan, the more he realized that despite his unpleasant way of speaking and his attitude, Xue Yuan was actually a good person. He genuinely worried about Xue Yuan’s well-being. “By exerting yourself like this, won’t your injuries become more severe in the end?”
Xue Yuan replied, “Then so be it.”
He handed the kite to the chief guard and walked briskly toward Gu Yuanbai. Gu Yuanbai was contemplating the writing on the kite. When he saw Xue Yuan approaching, he casually asked, “What is that?”
“Just two lines of words I wrote on a whim,” Xue Yuan glanced at them casually and averted his gaze. “It’s just for fun. Your Majesty need not pay it any mind.”
Gu Yuanbai made a sound of acknowledgment and lost interest in the kite. Accompanied by Xue Yuan, they walked to a nearby shady spot to rest. They watched as the chief guard and his men continued to fly the kite with great effort.
“Your Majesty, earlier it was I who overstepped,” Xue Yuan suddenly spoke, “Both the thunder and rain are bestowed by Your Majesty’s grace. I have limited knowledge and a shallow perspective, having read a few books, so I am unaware of the proper etiquette.”
Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but glance back at him.
Xue Yuan’s lips curved upwards, and if it weren’t for the bloodshot and disheveled appearance in his eyes, he would have appeared refined and elegant.
This wasn’t the Xue Yuan he knew, or rather, this feeling wasn’t what Xue Yuan should evoke in Gu Yuanbai.
Gu Yuanbai furrowed his brows, his tone becoming indifferent after a moment. “We have already forgotten.”
Xue Yuan’s smile didn’t waver; he merely nodded and shifted his gaze to the kite not far away.
Those words he had desperately spoken, suppressing all his emotions, were completely disregarded by Gu Yuanbai.
But it didn’t matter.
Xue Yuan would prepare another set of even better words.
The chief guard and the others ahead were all focused on the swallow kite, while Gu Yuanbai and Xue Yuan slowly walked towards the nearest pavilion.
The pavilion was built on a wooden path, surrounded by lakes with greenish-yellow hues. Birds flew in and quickly took off before anyone could approach.
Xue Yuan noticed the folding fan in Gu Yuanbai’s hand. “Your Majesty, who made this fan?”
“Chu Wei.” As soon as these words were uttered, Gu Yuanbai felt a slight awkwardness. The protagonist in the original text was now showing interest in him, but what about the original text’s love interest?
He rubbed his temples with a headache. He never expected that besides being an emperor, he also had to work as a relationship expert and a matchmaker.
Xue Yuan shifted his gaze away from the fan. “So it was made by Lord Chu.”
“His calligraphy and painting are unparalleled,” Gu Yuanbai casually remarked. “I’m afraid that after a hundred years, they will become treasures in someone else’s hands.”
Xue Yuan smiled and suddenly pointed ahead. “Your Majesty, look, there’s a bird feeding its fledgling up ahead.”
Gu Yuanbai followed his pointed finger but didn’t see anything. “Where?”
“I dare to request permission to hold Your Majesty’s hand for a moment,” Xue Yuan said. “I will point it out to you.”
Gu Yuanbai paused and refused to look. “No need.”
Xue Yuan didn’t insist either. He leisurely accompanied Gu Yuanbai by his side, walking neither hurriedly nor slowly, even though he was rejected, he didn’t feel disappointed.
After they reached the pavilion, Gu Yuanbai was about to find a place to sit when Xue Yuan spoke first. “Your Majesty, please wait. Let me clean it.”
He pulled out a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away the dust from the seat in the pavilion. In reality, there was no need to clean it. Since Your Majesty arrived at the summer palace, the eunuchs and palace maids had been diligent in sweeping and cleaning, leaving no trace of dust anywhere, fearing to offend Your Majesty and face punishment.
When Xue Yuan bent down, Gu Yuanbai caught a faint hint of a bloody scent. His brows furrowed, and he followed the scent, which seemed to be mixed with the aroma of herbs and grass.
Gu Yuanbai sniffed, the more he smelled, the less he could detect the initial bloody scent. He wanted to get closer, but before he could, Xue Yuan suddenly stood up, swiftly turning around. Due to his haste, his wounds burst open. However, when he saw Gu Yuanbai clutching his nose, his usually cold and ruthless little emperor now had a hint of moisture in his eyes, and Xue Yuan forgot everything—what to say, what to do.
There was only one thought in his mind.
So the heartless little emperor still knows pain.
When Gu Yuanbai’s nose collided, his tear ducts were instantly activated. He held back the pain, but his delicate body couldn’t endure the impact, and tears welled up in his eyes.
It was so embarrassing.
But even in this sorry state, Gu Yuanbai didn’t want to lose face in front of Xue Yuan. He endured the pain, maintaining a calm expression. It was as if these eyes had nothing to do with him at all.
The little emperor was stubborn to the extreme. After Xue Yuan regained his senses, he bent down with a smile and softly coaxed, “Stay still, let me take a look.”
Gu Yuanbai grumbled, “Look at what?”
Xue Yuan removed Gu Yuanbai’s hand covering his nose, and upon inspection, it was fortunate that it only turned a bit red from the impact but wasn’t injured. Gu Yuanbai’s vision blurred, reaching the peak of pain before gradually subsiding.
Not long ago, Gu Yuanbai treated Xue Yuan with extreme coldness. Xue Yuan often saw his expressions, mostly radiating authority or gentle smiles. But once he got angry, it would be chilling and icy.
But he had never seen Gu Yuanbai with teary eyes.
Xue Yuan lowered his voice and said hoarsely, “Your Majesty, I want to wipe away your tears.”
Gu Yuanbai replied in the same hoarse voice, “Wipe.”
Just as Xue Yuan was about to reach out, Gu Yuanbai added, “Don’t use the handkerchief for wiping the stool.”
How could he bear to use a handkerchief to wipe your tears?
Xue Yuan silently chuckled, a hint of inherent sarcasm in his laughter. He earnestly held Gu Yuanbai’s face in the palm of his hand, gently wiping away the slight tear stains at the corners of Gu Yuanbai’s eyes with his thumb.
But as soon as his hand made contact, it seemed to have poked out the tears that were still lingering in Gu Yuanbai’s eye sockets. Without even realizing it, several more drops of tears flowed out.
Xue Yuan sighed helplessly.
Gu Yuanbai would never know how much his composed expression while shedding tears stabbed at Xue Yuan’s heart.
After all the efforts of maintaining appearances for over twenty days, it was almost breaking in this instant.
Xue Yuan leaned closer to Gu Yuanbai, his warm breath brushing over him, close enough for his tongue to catch the tears. However, he refrained from doing anything and instead used his sleeve to gently wipe away the tears.
When Gu Yuanbai felt better, he noticed that he had already sat down at some point, while Xue Yuan stood two steps away from him.
After a brief pause, Gu Yuanbai regained his senses and wondered what Xue Yuan had done before. He glanced at Xue Yuan, but Xue Yuan’s gaze was not on him. Instead, he stood tall, hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.
When Xue Yuan noticed Gu Yuanbai’s gaze, he turned his head back, raising an eyebrow and giving Gu Yuanbai a faint smile.
In that instant, Gu Yuanbai remembered a saying.
A barking dog doesn’t bite.
