I Rely On Beauty To Stabilize The Country or Peerless Beauty

by Usui Takumii

not mine, foxaholic, novelhall, etranslations space and wuxia world. Beware Bl. Total: 164 Chapters and 16 Extras. Waiting for the translator to update.

7. 51 to 60

Chapter 51 Part 1

Xue Yuan recalled that this was a handkerchief he and Chang Yu had picked up in the lake a long time ago. After finishing the evening meal provided by the emperor from the palace, he absentmindedly took this handkerchief, which had been trampled underfoot by him, into the bathhouse and casually tossed it aside while bathing.

Only Xue Yuan and the cleaning servant entered this bathhouse, yet somehow this handkerchief inexplicably remained until now.

It belonged to Gu Yuanbai.

There was even a dragon pattern on it.

The scene of carelessly trampling on the handkerchief vividly replayed in Xue Yuan's mind. His face changed as he looked at the dirt on it, forgetting to continue bathing. He strode over to the bathtub and began washing the handkerchief.

Xue Yuan, he thought, why did you have to step on a handkerchief of all things?

With the weather becoming hotter, fresh seasonal fruits were also placed on Gu Yuanbai's dining table.

Gu Yuanbai had a weak constitution and couldn't tolerate the cold or the heat. Now that the month had reached June, by the end of June or the beginning of July, he would have to move to the summer palace and spend the entire summer there.

Consort Wan would move in mid-June. The imperial physician had recently informed Gu Yuanbai that Consort Wan's health condition seemed to have stabilized, and as long as she didn't suffer a serious illness during this summer, she should be able to get through it.

Gu Yuanbai scolded the attendants by Consort Wan's side and gave them instructions, and since then, this group of people had been even more cautious when serving Consort Wan.

The preparations for the trade route were likely to be completed by July or August, which would be the golden autumn season. By the time the trade route reached the border, it might already be September.

Autumn was a season of harvest for the Da Heng Dynasty, but nomadic tribes often chose to attack the border during this season.

Their warhorses were well-fed and robust, and their cavalry was formidable. They would take advantage of the Da Heng Dynasty's grain harvest in autumn to invade the Central Plains and seize the winter's entire food supply.

The timing was just right. While enjoying the fruits, Gu Yuanbai pondered that when he would be in the summer palace, the border should have already engaged in battle. The nomads would have no food throughout the winter and could only trade their valuables with the merchants. That would be the ideal situation.

Thinking about the border, Gu Yuanbai looked up at Xue Yuan and asked, "Captain Xue?"

Xue Yuan, lost in his thoughts, snapped back to attention and quickly stepped forward. "Your Majesty?"

"If I were to send you to the border, what would you do?" Gu Yuanbai asked.

Xue Yuan smiled coldly, far from friendly. "Exterminate them."

This... was a bit problematic.

First and foremost, Gu Yuanbai had to consider the interests of the entire Da Heng Dynasty. Currently, the cavalry of the Da Heng Dynasty was unable to resist the nomadic tribes on the northern grasslands as a whole. With a scarcity of warhorses in the Da Heng Dynasty, the first step was to acquire the horses from the nomads. Once enough light and heavy cavalry were trained and transportation became convenient, then it would be the time to eliminate them and subjugate the northern frontier.

Therefore, what Gu Yuanbai wanted now was to frighten them, not to cultivate enmity.

Now was not the time for revenge; it would take at least two or three more years for that. At this moment, it was better to send a rational and broad-minded general to promote the establishment of mutual trade at the border.

Xue Yuan could wait until the time came to subjugate the northern frontier.

An experienced general who was familiar with both the nomads and the border, and possessed a composed character, flashed through Gu Yuanbai's mind—General Xue.

Xue Yuan called out, "Your Majesty?"

Gu Yuanbai snapped back to attention and said directly, "But I don't currently need you to exterminate them."

Xue Yuan calmly responded, "I understand."

But did His Majesty really mean to send him to lead the troops?

Xue Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

He had almost gone crazy without seeing Gu Yuanbai for just one day. Now, the thought of not seeing him for two or three months made him want to take Gu Yuanbai away with him.

His mansion was so large, the border was vast, and he could afford to keep a delicate little emperor. Xue Yuan calculated his wealth and salary, and it seemed like it wouldn't be impossible.

With a plan in mind, Gu Yuanbai asked Xue Yuan to step aside. The morning passed by with work, and when it was time for lunch, Tian Fusheng promptly reminded him. Gu Yuanbai had no choice but to put aside his official duties and had the meal served.

While he was eating, Xue Yuan stood nearby, observing. The Captain of the Imperial Guards noticed his gaze and cautiously approached, kindly saying, "Lord Xue, if you're hungry, why not eat first?"

Xue Yuan stared at Gu Yuanbai's lips, glistening with oil, his throat feeling itchy. He didn't catch the words clearly and asked, "Hungry for what?"

The Captain of the Imperial Guards raised his voice a little, "If you're hungry, then go eat."

"Go eat?" Xue Yuan couldn't move his eyes away, his voice hoarse. "Can I eat?"

Can his mouth eat?

"What can't you eat?" The Captain of the Imperial Guards chuckled and felt that Xue Yuan reminded him to be wary of Chu Wei, making him a good person. "The palace's food is delicious and abundant. You can eat as much as you want."

"Eat as much as you want..."

Xue Yuan's breath quickened, and he suddenly became tense, but his nervousness caused him to choke and emit a low cough.

Gu Yuanbai paused and gestured to the side, saying, "Get him a glass of water."

A palace attendant brought a glass of water to Xue Yuan, who took a sip and finished it in one gulp. His peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Gu Yuanbai's porcelain-like profile, and he became entranced once again.

How much money would a meal cost? Xue Yuan couldn't help but calculate it in his mind. After the calculation, he realized that he could afford it. Unexplainably, Xue Yuan found himself smiling with satisfaction.

After lunch, Gu Yuanbai took a short nap.

When he woke up, it was exactly an hour later. Gu Yuanbai lay on the bed to clear his mind. There was some commotion outside, and when he raised his eyelids to look, he saw the door being opened.

Tian Fusheng said, "Your Majesty, it's time."

Gu Yuanbai made a muffled sound of acknowledgment.

"What's happening outside?" he asked.

Tian Fusheng replied, "When you were sick a few days ago, Lord Xue brought two wolf cubs into the palace. Now that the palace staff sees that you're feeling better, they came to ask if you'd like the two cubs to keep you company."

Gu Yuanbai chuckled in a muffled voice, "When I said I wanted wolves, they actually brought them to me."

In a good mood, he lifted the blanket and said, "Let's get up."

The two wolf cubs had silver-gray fur and were incredibly beautiful. When they were brought over, they started howling at Xue Yuan.

Xue Yuan approached and personally grabbed the relentlessly barking wolf cubs, then handed them over to Gu Yuanbai.

The wolf cubs were cute when they were small, but they already possessed the wildness to attack people. As Gu Yuanbai reached out his hand towards the two cubs, they opened their mouths wide, eagerly wanting to bite his fingers.

Xue Yuan glanced down and tightly held the cubs' vital points. The cubs drooped their ears and tails, timidly letting out a howl.

Gu Yuanbai's fingers landed safely on the top of the little cub's head.

With their fluffy fur, it was evident that the emperor had a fondness for soft-haired creatures. The previous red fox was also kept in the palace.

The two wolf cubs were quite clever, understanding how to be petted. Apart from their initial attempt to bite Gu Yuanbai, they obediently let him stroke their fur. The sound of their gentle howling was particularly pleasing.

These fierce beasts were always so adorable when they were young, melting people's hearts. As for when they grew up, they would completely transform.

Gu Yuanbai reminisced about encountering two wolves at Xue Mansion before. Those wolves had black fur, exposed fangs, and drools dripping from their sharp teeth. They were completely different from when they were young and couldn't be compared.

After playing with the wolf cubs for a while, as Gu Yuanbai was about to retract his hand and focus on work, Xue Yuan suddenly threw the two wolf cubs he was holding to the ground. The cubs were abruptly tossed and nearly saw stars from the impact.

Xue Yuan tightly grasped Gu Yuanbai's hand and before Gu Yuanbai could furrow his brow, Xue Yuan smiled and took out an emerald jade finger ring from his pocket, placing it on the thumb of Gu Yuanbai's left hand.

The Emperor's fingers were slender and fair, the most pampered and noble hands in the world. When adorned with the weighty and translucent green jade finger ring, his hand suddenly came alive. The whiteness appeared even whiter against the green, and the green seemed even greener against the white. The two complemented each other, exuding unparalleled delicacy.

Xue Yuan was delighted and wanted to raise the ring to his lips to give it a kiss. He smiled and said, "It seems my taste is not bad."

Gu Yuanbai withdrew his hand and examined the jade ring. He turned it over in his hand and unexpectedly found it to his liking.

The Emperor's face softened, and a faint smile curved his lips. "Guard Xue has put in effort."

"If you're willing to wear it, how can it be considered troublesome?" Xue Yuan spoke, thinking it was just an ordinary statement. But when he heard his own voice, he found it unexpectedly soft. "Your Majesty, tonight is the first day of the Lantern Festival. Would you like me to accompany you to see the lanterns?"

If Xue Yuan's subordinates and the attendants in his mansion were to witness him in this posture, they would surely be astounded.

The two wolf cubs were clinging to Xue Yuan's black boots, trying to climb up and grabbing onto his official robe. Xue Yuan kicked them away, his gaze fixed on Gu Yuanbai. "Your Majesty?"

Gu Yuanbai suddenly realized, "Today is indeed the Lantern Festival."

He became enthusiastic. "We must go. The lanterns I made some time ago were meant for today, weren't they?"

The Lantern Festival lasted for three days, during which the curfew was lifted in the capital. As night fell, with the sound of drums, every household lit up their lanterns, turning the entire capital into a shining beacon in the dark.

Smiles adorned the faces of families, and people of all ages laughed cheerfully.

A scholar stood at the bridge and proclaimed loudly, "In the Splendid Lane, fragrant banquets are set, with orchid reds from the early years. Elaborate colors are scattered afar, and dazzling lights adorn the distant sky." [1]

Others burst into laughter. Besides these poets exchanging verses, many people held copies of the "Da Heng State Gazette" and gathered in small groups, happily discussing something.

The lanterns dazzled, painting the sky in a multitude of colors. The streets were filled with people, and laughter and chatter resounded everywhere. Young men and women walked hand in hand, sharing their secrets with rosy cheeks.

Da Heng prospered and flourished. Clean seas and clear rivers.

As Gu Yuanbai found himself in this sleepless city, his heart softened at the sight before him. He walked along the streets with his lantern, brushing past crowds of people. Occasionally, he would see soldiers in full armor with large swords patrolling. Every year during such festive occasions, the city magistrate would dispatch guards to ensure the prevention of theft and mischief.

Gu Yuanbai held onto his simple lantern, its glow accentuated by the darkness, while Xue Yuan closely followed by his side. Xue Yuan resembled the tallest wolf beside Gu Yuanbai. Several times, due to the crowded crowd in front, Gu Yuanbai almost fell into Xue Yuan's arms but was promptly supported by him. Compared to the incident when Xue Yuan impulsively pulled down his pants, today's Xue Yuan could be considered well-behaved.

Gu Yuanbai chuckled and teased, "Guard Xue, how do you feel about working together with Chu Wei these past few days?"

Xue Yuan's expression remained unchanged. "Your Majesty, Chu Wei is not suitable for this position."

Gu Yuanbai raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

If he were to go to the border, he wouldn't be able to return to Gu Yuanbai's side for several months. Leaving behind Chu Wei, who harbored ill intentions towards Gu Yuanbai, seemed dangerous no matter how one looked at it. Xue Yuan solemnly said, "He has a hidden agenda."

Gu Yuanbai was momentarily stunned, then his expression turned strange.

Xue Yuan pretended to be serious as he spoke, as if he were saying something genuine. "He appears decent on the surface but is actually despicable. Your Majesty, this man is cunning, you must not be deceived by him."

Gu Yuanbai felt a hint of complexity.

In theory, it would be normal for Chu Wei to have a preference for men, but Xue Yuan's current attitude and tone made it seem as if Chu Wei's inclination towards men was utterly repulsive.

Moreover, it was the first time Xue Yuan had so blatantly disparaged someone in front of the Emperor.

Curiosity arose in Gu Yuanbai's heart, and he directly asked, "Do you like men?"

How could that be?

Xue Yuan wanted to say he didn't like them.

Men? What men should he like?

[1] This is a poem describing the festive atmosphere of the Lantern Festival.

Chapter 51 Part 2

Throughout history, the combination of yin and yang has always been the correct path. Both being men, what's there to like about rigid, hard men?

He wanted to say it, to straightforwardly say, "How could I like men?" But as the words reached his throat, they suddenly got stuck.

Why couldn't he say it?

Xue Yuan opened his mouth, but the words remained stuck in his throat, suffocated by his heavy, throbbing heart. Try as he might, he couldn't utter those words.

The young men and women around him exchanged smiles, while the colorful lanterns on the street flashed with various lights.

Although the trend of same-sex relationships had become prevalent in the capital in recent years, today, upon a closer look, it was still only young men and women of similar age. The city was bustling and prosperous, yet Xue Yuan couldn't bring himself to say a word.

It was stuck in his throat, leaving him only to gaze at Gu Yuanbai, at the night and the shimmering water. Then he asked himself, Xue Yuan, do you like men?

Ha.

Just the thought of all those men in the barracks made Xue Yuan feel nauseated. He didn't like men.

But...

What if it were Gu Yuanbai?

A loud boom.

His slowly beating heart suddenly started to race.

Xue Yuan struggled to part his lips. "I—"

Gu Yuanbai had already forgotten about that casual question. He eagerly looked around at the scenery, tilting his head slightly and curving his lips. "What is it?"

Xue Yuan fell silent.

He looked at Gu Yuanbai, his eyes filled with ambiguity.

The light reflected on Gu Yuanbai's face, and although the young emperor had a good appearance, no matter how good one's appearance was, they were still just a man.

Gu Yuanbai had simply taken a leisurely stroll that night, but his eyes had feasted on the view, and he returned to the palace feeling satisfied.

Xue Yuan also returned to his residence. As the night grew quiet, he lay in bed, and once again, Gu Yuanbai's question echoed in his mind.

"Do you like men?"

Even in his dreams, that question pervaded every moment of his sleep.

In the dead of night, he was abruptly awakened.

The bed creaked, and Xue Yuan calmly sat up, quickly walking into the bathroom and hastily pouring half a bucket of cold water over his head.

As the cold water washed over him, his mind cleared.

Xue Yuan looked at the cold water, lowered his head, and let the water droplets from his hair flow down his body.

Gu Yuanbai doesn't like men.

Even the young emperor doesn't like men, so why should Xue Yuan, a resolute and upright man, like men?

His breathing became heavy, and the cold water flowing from his mouth turned bitter. Xue Yuan, expressionless, stood up and walked back to his room. The moon in the courtyard was bright and round, and the starlight seemed within reach. Xue Yuan's gaze shifted, his footsteps paused in place.

Unconsciously, he thought, how nice it would be if Gu Yuanbai could see this beautiful moon too.

When he snapped out of his thoughts, Xue Yuan's face suddenly darkened, and he strode towards his bedroom.

A few wolf howls erupted.

Xue Yuan sat at the edge of the bed but felt no trace of sleepiness.

The moonlight outside gradually faded, and the sky began to brighten. The light illuminated the room, revealing the dark circles under Xue Yuan's eyes.

He wiped his face and thought to himself, "It's over, Xue Yuan. You've fallen for the young emperor."

It's not just loyalty to the emperor.

It's you wanting him.

The next day.

While Gu Yuanbai was reviewing the memorials, he sensed a faint gaze upon him.

He looked up in the direction of the feeling and saw Xue Yuan looking at him with a dark gleam in his eyes. Xue Yuan forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, you should take a rest."

Tian Fusheng was absent, so he entrusted Xue Yuan with the task of ensuring that the emperor rested in a timely manner. Xue Yuan was bold and dared to speak and act. He pushed the boundaries of Gu Yuanbai's tolerance, and Tian Fusheng held high expectations for him.

Coincidentally, Gu Yuanbai's eyes were a little sore, so he put down his brush and said, "Alright."

It was the first time Xue Yuan had feelings for someone, and he was not accustomed to it.

He hadn't slept all night, his thoughts consumed by Gu Yuanbai.

He pondered over the fact that the young emperor didn't like men.

Xue Yuan still remembered Gu Yuanbai's expression when he stepped on his dignity, the gaze and the unsettling premonition that arose from the depths of his heart. It seemed that as long as Xue Yuan had impure intentions, Gu Yuanbai would immediately dispose of him.

With that in mind, he seemed to be grateful for his unreliable upbringing.

Xue Yuan's expression changed constantly, adding an extra touch of intrigue.

The people around watched him as if it were a show, and the guards stifled their laughter.

Look, is this foolish-looking man their Captain Xue? Why does he look so amusing?

As soon as the emperor closed his eyes, a nimble eunuch approached and gently massaged Gu Yuanbai's head. The incense in the hall was fragrant and delicate, and it was unclear whether the emperor was asleep or not.

After resting for a while, Tian Fusheng walked over from outside. He approached the emperor and took out a secret letter from his sleeve.

The young eunuch stepped aside, and Gu Yuanbai unfolded the letter. He raised an eyebrow and smiled after reading its contents.

The letter came from South Jinghu and contained information reported by an official named Liu Yan from the Surveillance Department. It detailed the gifts Gu Yuanbai had sent to the remnants of the Lu Feng faction in Jinghu South and Jiangnan—an impressive lineup of prisoners that scared them upon arrival at their bases.

With Gu Yuanbai's anticipation and Liu Yan's instigation, it was fortunate that they finally began to feel a sense of crisis and planned to assassinate Gu Yuanbai.

Gu Yuanbai chuckled and said, "How wonderful."

Just a few days ago, he felt that his days were numbered and that he might not live long enough to witness the rebels rising up. But unexpectedly, his opponents were so enthusiastic that they directly planned to send someone to assassinate him.

When Gu Yuanbai dispatched the rebels to South Jinghu and Jiangnan, he had planted a few pawns, and now the opportunity to put them into action had finally arrived.

The assassination wouldn't be delayed. It would take more than half a month of riding day and night to travel from South Jinghu to the capital. Gu Yuanbai eagerly awaited this assassination. He put away the secret letter and softly said, "Fight fire with fire."

Once the Emperor of Da Heng was successfully wounded by this group of rebels, giving them the feeling that the emperor's life was hanging by a thread, they would undoubtedly be overwhelmed with joy and thoughts of rebellion.

They would rebel.

They were finally going to rebel.

Except for a very small number of people who knew about the planned assassination of Gu Yuanbai by the Jiashen Society, this information was completely hidden.

Even the guards who closely protected Gu Yuanbai only knew about it if they were among the few people he trusted, let alone Xue Yuan, who was a courtier.

After fifteen or sixteen days passed, Gu Yuanbai speculated that the assassins sent by the Jiashen Society should have arrived. So, he gave them an opportunity himself. He personally went to the fields with a group of talented scholars from the Imperial Academy to see the crops cultivated by the farmers.

Xue Yuan woke up early in the morning, trained his body, and then went to take a bath with a steaming head right after training. After changing into his clothes, he armed himself with a sword and waited at his own doorstep.

General Xue passed by him while riding a horse, and when he saw Xue Yuan, he sneered, "Why aren't you wearing your official robes today?"

Xue Yuan stood straight, lazily glanced at him, and replied, "I'm going to the fields with His Majesty."

Xue Yuanjun earnestly said, "His Majesty treats you so well. You must protect him with all your heart. As loyal subjects, our hearts and minds should be filled with nothing but His Majesty."

Xue Yuan replied, "My heart and mind are already completely filled with him."

He hadn't had a peaceful night's sleep for several nights. Every time he woke up, he had to take a cold bath in the middle of the night. Xue Yuan chuckled; he was so captivated by the love potion that he couldn't distinguish between north, south, east, and west.

Xue Yuanjun was in the middle of delivering a profound lecture and didn't hear clearly. He asked, "What?"

However, Xue Yuan ignored him and looked past Xue Yuanjun to the emperor's carriage. He grinned and walked briskly toward the carriage, saying to Xue Yuanjun, "I'm leaving."

Before Xue Yuanjun could get angry, he saw Xue Yuan suddenly freeze in his tracks. Xue Yuan turned to the side and warned, "General Xue, this loyalty to the emperor, I'm the only one who has it and can speak of it. Do you understand?"

After saying that, Xue Yuan took confident strides and headed toward the carriage.

The chief guard held a spirited horse with a striking reddish-brown coat. It was the horse named Hongyun, which was designated as Xue Yuan's mount.

Xue Yuan mounted the horse and rode up to the carriage window, looking handsome and charming. He asked, "Your Majesty, how are you today?"

Gu Yuanbai's voice still carried traces of sleepiness and laziness as he replied, "I'm fine."

Xue Yuan smiled faintly and said meaningfully, "Did Your Majesty dream last night?"

Gu Yuanbai paused for a moment and asked curiously, "What do you mean by that, Guard Xue?"

Xue Yuan's eyebrows furrowed. Could it be that the young emperor didn't dream of him last night?

Fuck.

Xue Yuan's expression instantly turned dark, but his tone remained unchanged. "It's nothing. I was just asking casually."

Someone actually dared to deceive him?

Were they seeking death?

Yesterday, Xue Yuan encountered a Taoist priest during his shift, who sold a talisman that could make others dream of oneself. Xue Yuan, driven by curiosity, spent a large sum of silver to buy it. Following the instructions of the Taoist, he silently recited the young emperor's name a hundred times before going to sleep. He placed the talisman next to his pillow as instructed, believing that it would make the person he was thinking of dream of him.

With the intention of not letting outsiders know, Xue Yuan even cleaned himself up and didn't wear a single piece of clothing. He slept the whole night in that state.

As a result, he was fucking deceived.

Gu Yuanbai, inside the carriage, held his face in exasperation for a moment. When he lifted the curtain to look outside, he saw Xue Yuan with a dark expression, as if he was about to kill someone. It was chilling to behold.

With such an expression, if someone really came to assassinate him, they would probably be frightened at first glance.

Gu Yuanbai rested his arm on the carriage window, squinted his eyes, and smiled like those spoiled young masters in the capital who flirted with virtuous young ladies. He said, "Guard Xue, you look so displeased. Could it be that you don't want to accompany me to the countryside?"

Xue Yuan replied, "I'm willing, no matter what."

Gu Yuanbai found his response a bit strange and asked, "If I were to make you serve me, like a servant, would you still be willing?"

Xue Yuan glanced at Gu Yuanbai and thought, Even if you want to touch me... it's not impossible.

His lips curved into a lazy smile and asked, "What does Your Majesty want me to serve you?"

He seemed not only unangered but rather eager. Gu Yuanbai pondered for a moment and said, "Just maintain a pleasant expression."

Xue Yuan's heart, which had been longing for the dragon bed, began to thump wildly. He wanted to see him in a good mood?

To see him smile?

Little Emperor.

This is getting interesting.

Chapter 52 Part 1

The several talented students were selected from the Imperial Academy and National Academy. Naturally, they were not following Gu Yuanbai closely but trailing behind, led by eunuchs to observe the rice fields.

The term "five grains" in the context of the five cereal crops generally refers to rice, millet, barley, wheat, and beans. In ancient China, barley held a high status and was considered the leader among the grains. The term "sheji" in the phrase "jiangshan sheji" (the prosperity and stability of the nation) refers to barley.

However, as time went on, rice gradually became the highest-yielding staple food. Millet and barley required less water, so they were gradually cultivated in dry highland fields.

Naturally, the current rice yield could not compare to the future. Gu Yuanbai also lacked the ability to research hybrid rice. He didn't have the power or the necessary conditions.

Walking along the narrow paths in the fields, Gu Yuanbai's steps were leisurely. His gaze occasionally swept the surroundings, nodding slightly as he observed the newly planted fields.

Although it seemed carefree, a sense of alertness had already risen in secret.

The people protecting Gu Yuanbai were fully tense, both openly and covertly, fully prepared. The captain of the guards had a serious expression, which was his usual calm demeanor, so he didn't draw attention to himself.

However, Xue Yuan's sharp instincts had already cast suspicious glances at the captain of the guards several times.

Fully tense and ready to attack at any time, Xue Yuan narrowed his eyes and scanned the group of guards, noticing that quite a few of them were in the same state.

Lost in thought, he smiled wryly, somewhat unexpectedly.

Suddenly, someone approached Gu Yuanbai from behind, and when he turned his head, Xue Yuan grinned sinisterly and said, "Your Majesty, is your humble servant inferior to Captain Zhang, the head of the guards?"

This statement was inexplicable, but Gu Yuanbai casually replied, "Why would Captain Xue say such words?"

Xue Yuan said, "Your Majesty, my loyalty to you is evident to heaven and earth."

So, what exactly was he being kept in the dark about?

Gu Yuanbai chuckled. For some reason, although Xue Yuan had been increasingly loyal in recent days, every time he heard him express loyalty, Gu Yuanbai felt like laughing.

And with this laughter, Xue Yuan became completely baffled.

The group of people walked out of the fields. The students at the back saw that the Emperor had already moved far ahead and hurriedly wanted to catch up. "Your Excellency, let's go quickly."

However, the eunuch smilingly stopped them, saying leisurely, "Gentlemen, don't rush. Why not take a closer look at these rice plants?"

The students could only suppress their anxious hearts and once again pondered what was different about these rice plants.

Meanwhile, Gu Yuanbai had already led his entourage into the shade of the forest beside the fields.

The guards found a spot for Gu Yuanbai to sit, while the trailing guards tied the horses to trees and went to fetch some clean water to freshen up the Emperor.

Tian Fusheng wiped away the sweat on Gu Yuanbai's forehead and whispered, "Your Majesty, can you bear it?"

Gu Yuanbai looked up at the sun through the swaying leaves and nodded, "Although it's hot in the countryside, it's bearable."

Tian Fusheng responded and remained silent.

The guards discreetly surrounded the Emperor, ready and waiting for enemy assassins to make a move, prepared to counter their every move.

Underneath the calm surface, an undercurrent of turbulence seemed to lurk.

Suddenly, Xue Yuan's eyelids twitched, and he swiftly drew his sword.

Several fierce-looking assassins wielding large blades emerged from the forest, pouncing recklessly towards Gu Yuanbai. With a calm expression, Gu Yuanbai tightened his grip on the hidden crossbow within his sleeve and even had the leisure to take a sip of the cool tea from his water pouch.

Tian Fusheng shouted, "Protect the Emperor!"

The guards who had already received the message swiftly shielded Gu Yuanbai, engaging the attackers without mercy. Swords clashed, chaos ensued. Xue Yuan's heart raced as he cleared a bloody path towards Gu Yuanbai, but as he looked up at him, he saw an assassin raising his hand to strike.

Xue Yuan's heart skipped a beat, bloodshot eyes filled with determination. He mustered all his strength and hurled his sword, a flash of cold light, directly knocking the blade out of the assassin's hand.

The assassin was dumbfounded.

Gu Yuanbai, who had planned this assassination attempt to feign injury and counterattack, was also dumbfounded.

In the moment they locked eyes, Xue Yuan had already rushed over with a murderous aura. Without a weapon, many assassins took advantage of the situation and attacked him, but he fended them off barehanded. In an instant, his body was stained with blood. Xue Yuan's expression turned grim as he casually picked up a large sword from the ground, swung it behind him, and then extended his iron arm to hold Gu Yuanbai in his embrace.

After embracing Gu Yuanbai, they rushed towards the sweat-soaked warhorse.

Only when Xue Yuan helped Gu Yuanbai mount the horse did he whisper in a suppressed voice, "Xue Yuan—"

That motherfucker was one of his people!

Covered in blood, Xue Yuan held onto Gu Yuanbai's waist, his arm tightened, and with a fierce tone, he said, "Don't speak."

With a flick of the reins, the sweat-soaked warhorse leaped forward, galloping at lightning speed, swiftly leaving the chaotic battlefield behind as if riding the wind.

While still dealing with the assassins, one of the leaders exclaimed with a hoarse voice, "Fire the arrows!"

As a hundred arrows chased after them, the guards hurriedly rushed forward to slay the assassins. Xue Yuan, on horseback, heard the sound of arrows cutting through the air and exerted force to pull the warhorse to a stop. He dismounted and used his sword to cut down the incoming arrows.

With the horses running far away, the leader of the assassins gnashed his teeth. Due to the rushed situation, no one knew if they had injured the Emperor. Now they could only wait for news from the court. He shouted in a stern voice, "Retreat!"

Tian Fusheng was completely bewildered by Xue Yuan's actions. With no time to think, upon hearing the assassins preparing to retreat, he sneered and loudly proclaimed, "Master Zhang, it's up to you now!"

The Emperor had said that it would be enough to leave around ten of the assassins alive as messengers. The rest, who dared to show disrespect to the Emperor, should pay with their lives!

Zhang Xu, the captain of the guards, replied with a deep voice, but he was still in a panic. The forest by the field was vast, with countless dangers lurking. What if something went wrong?

He sighed one after another, regretting that he hadn't secretly reminded Xue Yuan.

Not only Zhang Xu, but others who were already familiar with the plan also panicked. The assassins who had pretended to be involved in the assassination attempt, nearly killed by Xue Yuan, were also in a state of panic.

Tian Fusheng felt even more anxious. But after dealing with the group of assassins, he had to follow the Emperor's orders and hurriedly return to the palace with his men. The horse carriage sped up, and everyone's expressions were filled with sorrow. Once they arrived at the palace, a large number of imperial physicians were immediately summoned to the imperial chamber for treatment. The palace attendants in the chamber had solemn expressions, as if blood was being carried out of the hall in basins.

In less than half a day, news of the Emperor being attacked and injured during the visit to the countryside spread within a certain range.

No one was allowed to enter the palace to visit, but this calculated move was not meant to incite panic among the officials of the court. Therefore, Tian Fusheng dispatched people to visit every household and reassure them that the Emperor was fine, having only experienced some fright and minor injuries.

At the same time, officials from the Ministry of State Affairs and the Supervisory Council emerged. The Vice Minister and the Supervisory Councilor graciously received the national affairs that the Emperor held in his hands. The composure and calmness of these two ministries were like two large stones that pacified the officials of the court.

As the trusted confidants of the Emperor and the heads of government and military affairs, along with the Surveillance Department and the Dongling Guards, they naturally knew what the Emperor was planning. Following the Emperor's instructions, they suppressed the unrest before it could rise, proceeding with everything in an orderly and calm manner.

But to those who participated in the Jiashen Society, this calmness appeared to be nothing more than a facade of peace.

With a hundred assailants attacking, only a dozen survived in the end. The outcome of this assassination attempt was unbelievably catastrophic, a result that no one had anticipated. The leader of the assassins had already despaired, but upon hearing the news from the court, that despair turned into ecstatic joy.

The Emperor was injured!

They spent a large sum of money to gather information from inside the palace. After learning that the faces of the people in the imperial chamber were solemn and the imperial physicians were uneasy, and seeing blood being carried out from the palace, they could hardly hold back their laughter.

This was not a minor injury!

It was clearly a severe injury that would shake the court!

The leader of the assassins burst into laughter. "The dog Emperor must have been hit by our arrows while being protected and fleeing!"

Others were equally excited. "The archers who were killed by the Emperor's lap dogs have been killed! Sir, we must avenge them!"

"We must seek revenge," the leader of the assassins laughed harshly. "Since the dog Emperor is injured, he won't have the energy to manage South Jinghu and Jiangnan. He might even lose his life. We must hurry back and report to our general. We should seize this opportunity to make these two regions completely ours, the Jiashen Society's territory!"

Gu Yuanbai's face turned wooden, his black hair wrapped in the wind. Xue Yuan emanated a bloody smell, mixed with the aura of killing and determination forged between the flashes of blades and sword shadows.

After a while, Gu Yuanbai resigned himself to the situation and could only silently pray for the plan to proceed as he desired. He took the initiative to say, "Are you injured?"

Xue Yuan, who was always attentive to any movement around them, replied with a bloody tone, "I'm fine."

Once he was sure that no one was following behind him, Xue Yuan slowly pulled on the reins and stopped the horse, which was galloping in delight. The horse let out a neigh, and Xue Yuan dismounted, leading the horse towards a tree.

His body was covered in bloodstains, but it was unclear whether it belonged to others or himself. His voice was hoarse, perhaps due to having killed so many people. A chilling aura surrounded him, making him resemble an evil spirit crawling out from hell, gloomy and oppressive.

Gu Yuanbai looked at the several gashes on Xue Yuan's body caused by swords and blades, as well as the minor wounds on his sleeves from the arrows. His expression was complex.

Gu Yuanbai never expected Xue Yuan to come to his rescue in such a reckless manner.

When Xue Yuan ran towards him, his expression was terrifying, bordering on ferocious. He didn't even have a weapon in his hand, yet he took determined steps without hesitation.

That blood-filled gaze was something Gu Yuanbai couldn't forget with just one glance. It clearly conveyed the message: Whoever dares to touch Gu Yuanbai will die.

The overwhelming killing intent, honed on countless battlefields, startled the "assassins" who had attempted to kill Gu Yuanbai. Gu Yuanbai also noticed Xue Yuan's expression, a furious and ferocious anger that seemed capable of incinerating everything, which momentarily stunned him.

In that moment of distraction, Xue Yuan swept him up onto the horse.

Why did he risk his life to save him like this?

Gu Yuanbai pondered, finding it hard not to doubt whether Xue Yuan's professed loyalty to the Emperor was genuine.

...It was difficult not to question it, but the reality was right in front of him.

Chapter 52 Part 2

No matter how many calculations were made, no one could have predicted that Xue Yuan would act this way.

Gu Yuanbai sighed silently. Xue Yuan tied the horse's reins to a tree, stretching his shoulders and flexing the muscles on his back. He remained gloomy, resembling the fiercest bandit leader on a bandit-infested mountain, devoid of any official demeanor.

Xue Yuan turned around and reached out his hand towards Gu Yuanbai, who said, "I can get down by myself."

However, Xue Yuan approached silently, treating Gu Yuanbai as if he were a precious treasure that had nearly been lost, and lifted him down.

Once he held Gu Yuanbai, he didn't let go, and some of the fresh blood on him smeared onto Gu Yuanbai's body. Gu Yuanbai said, "Put me down."

Xue Yuan's brows furrowed, his face impassive and silent.

Gu Yuanbai repeated one last time, "Xue Yuan."

"Your Majesty," Xue Yuan finally parted his lips. His lips had already become cracked and scabbed, his voice hoarse and parched. "Didn't you notice, Your Majesty? You frightened this humble servant."

Gu Yuanbai paused, remaining silent for a moment, then said, "There's no need for that."

Xue Yuan wanted to laugh, so he did.

What's the point of saying there's no need?

Who the hell could know?

Xue Yuan placed Gu Yuanbai on a clean rock and went to inspect the things hastily brought on the horse. He had a large knife and a dagger on him, and the horse carried a bag of water pouches. Other than that, there was nothing else.

Gu Yuanbai stood up and looked around. In the deep forest, trees covered the sky, and the sound of birds and insects filled the air. He glanced around and fixed his gaze on an old tree, walking up to it and pulling off the clinging Usnea.

Xue Yuan followed, lifting his eyelids to take a glance. "What's this?"

"Usnea," Gu Yuanbai replied in a flat tone, continuing to gather the moss. "It can stop bleeding and detoxify. It's a useful thing."

There were only the two of them here, so it was evident who it was for. Xue Yuan's tense body relaxed slightly. He looked at the side profile of Gu Yuanbai, his mind still filled with the image of the large blade coming towards Gu Yuanbai just moments ago.

The sharp blade, about to strike Gu Yuanbai.

A piercing sound reached his ears, and Gu Yuanbai followed the source. It turned out to be Xue Yuan's hand inadvertently pressing down on the knife handle, causing it to scrape against the scabbard, creating a continuous sharp noise.

"Xue Yuan?"

Xue Yuan stared at Gu Yuanbai absentmindedly, not hearing him.

Gu Yuanbai removed his hand from the knife handle.

Xue Yuan snapped out of his thoughts and took off his blood-stained outer garment, revealing several knife wounds that were still bleeding. Gu Yuanbai placed the usnea on his wounds, and the light green usnea became stained with red blood. Xue Yuan remained silent as Gu Yuanbai treated the prominent wounds on his body. Gu Yuanbai asked, "Are there any more?"

Xue Yuan lifted his inner garment, revealing another bloody wound on his side.

Compared to him, Gu Yuanbai only had some of Xue Yuan's blood on him.

Gu Yuanbai personally applied medicine to Xue Yuan, sighing inwardly.

The antagonist's army sent someone to assassinate him, and he used the assassination attempt to his advantage, but he couldn't tell Xue Yuan about it.

Except for his trusted confidants, no one else could know.

Because behind this assassination attempt was Gu Yuanbai's plan to force those people to rebel and target the powerful Lords.

The situation within the Jiashen Society was currently in chaos. They had few troops and limited food supply. Their leader, Xu Xiongyuan, lacked strategic acumen but was extremely arrogant. Although he could put on a show of appearing respectful and deferential, his inherent greed made him prioritize personal interests above all else.

The reason he followed Lu Feng was that Lu Feng provided him with a lot of gold and silver. Now, as long as there was money and food, he dared to crush the powerful landlords for these things.

In ancient times, there was a term called "military disaster."

A military disaster was a calamity akin to locusts. This was a disaster initiated by Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty. When Liu Bang was conquering the world, he was extremely impoverished, and his peasant army was a group of rogues. In order to obtain military pay and rewards for his soldiers, every time he captured a city, he would let his soldiers plunder everything in the city.

The lands, crops, gold and silver of the powerful landlords, as well as the women and food of ordinary families, were looted. Some soldiers, driven by rage, would even kill ordinary people to vent their frustrations.

That was a military disaster.

If you wanted to maintain strict discipline in the army, ancient soldiers could only rely on military pay to establish a complete system of discipline and create a well-trained army. But without military pay, why would soldiers risk their lives for you?

The Jiashen Society, which lacked military pay, would also act in the same way. In the chaos of the South Jinghu region, the powerful landlords were never their partners. They would directly seize everything from the landlords. If they were already planning to rebel and didn't care about the emperor, why would they care about the landlords? They would seize the wealth of the landlords, continue to expand their troops, conquer one city after another, and ideally trample all the powerful landlords. This way, the new dynasty would be clean and free from the control of powerful landlords and aristocratic clans, just like Liu Bang's situation.

The imperial troops were the royal army, an army of benevolence and righteousness. They couldn't resort to the robbery and banditry of rebellious forces. Some things required using others as a tool to achieve the desired results.

And if the Jiashen Society didn't rebel, the powerful landlords would become local overlords. They enslaved the tenants in their lands, collected taxes for their own use, controlled the government, and built their own little kingdoms. Over time, the imperial court would weaken, the country would crumble, uprisings would occur everywhere, and more importantly, there were hostile foreign powers eyeing their country.

After being the emperor for three and a half years and holding power for half a year, Gu Yuanbai clearly saw the flaws in the Daheng Dynasty. He truly wanted to be a good emperor and genuinely wanted to create a prosperous and peaceful era.

But here's the problem.

Is it better to promote the rebellion of the antagonist's army now, causing the people of two provinces to suffer from military disaster in order to uproot the powerful landlords and curb their momentum? Or is it better to let the entire Da Heng Dynasty fall into turmoil in the next twenty or thirty years?

Neither option was good.

Between controllable disasters in two provinces versus future chaos throughout the entire Da Heng Dynasty, Gu Yuanbai didn't know how others would choose, but he had chosen to secretly promote the development of the rebel forces. Before making this decision, he had doubted and hesitated, feeling that he was too cold and ruthless. But indecisiveness was not in Gu Yuanbai's character.

He had made this decision half a year ago, so now he would make the greatest effort and plan meticulously to protect the people of these two provinces, but that was all he could do.

The situation of a country does not tolerate an emperor's indecisiveness. The conscience of a modern person must be suppressed to match the conscience of an ancient emperor at this time.

Perhaps the protagonist and the antagonist in the original text also made the same choice.

But this kind of matter couldn't be discussed with a minister. Regardless of whether Xue Yuan had genuine loyalty to the emperor or whether he would remain loyal to Gu Yuanbai in the future, Gu Yuanbai would never disclose such matters to him.

After a while, the bleeding stopped. Gu Yuanbai felt a bit heavy-hearted. He casually sat down, and after Xue Yuan put on his clothes, he approached and asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you uncomfortable?"

Gu Yuanbai casually replied, "No."

Xue Yuan leaned closer, chuckling softly, "I don't believe you, Your Majesty."

Gu Yuanbai glanced at him lightly, and Xue Yuan sat down beside him, saying, "Since Your Majesty is not in a good mood, let me tell you an amusing story."

Even with his own injuries, he still wanted to cheer up Gu Yuanbai. Gu Yuanbai felt like he was oppressing his ministers, so he touched his nose and smiled helplessly, saying, "Just take care of yourself."

Seeing him smile, Xue Yuan suggested, "Your Majesty, the sun is setting, and it might be nightfall on the way back. It's not safe to ride in the woods at night. How about finding a cave nearby and spending the night here?"

Gu Yuanbai nodded and stood up, saying, "Let's go."

The luck of the two was good. After riding for a while, they found a dry cave not far from a stream. Inside the cave, there was a grass bed and a dirty blanket, probably a cave where a hunter occasionally rested.

Xue Yuan went to find some firewood and looked at the nearby flowing stream. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind. "Your Majesty, would you like to wash your face?"

Gu Yuanbai replied, "No need."

At this point, he didn't care about anything anymore and added, "You are injured, so you shouldn't wash either."

Xue Yuan obediently replied, "Yes."

After tidying up the cave, Gu Yuanbai and Xue Yuan strolled through the jungle to find some wild fruits to eat. Gu Yuanbai came across several snake berries and picked a few, but when he looked up, he saw Xue Yuan jumping down from a tall tree with a bunch of wild fruits in his arms. With a casual glance, Gu Yuanbai suddenly froze, his tone stern, "Don't move!"

Xue Yuan immediately stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brow and speaking calmly, "Snake?"

A slender snake was sticking its head out from behind the branches, staring intently at Xue Yuan's neck.

Short and thin tail, colorful patterns on its body, triangular-shaped head—it was a venomous snake!

Gu Yuanbai dropped the snake berries from his hand, took out a small crossbow from his sleeve, loaded it with a good arrow, and raised his arm, aiming at the venomous snake.

Xue Yuan still had the leisure to laugh and said, "Your Majesty, please don't shoot me."

"Shut up," Gu Yuanbai's eyes were sharp, and he slowly approached, "Don't speak."

The sound of the whooshing arrow would startle the venomous snake, so it was best to get closer and deliver a fatal blow before it could react. Squinting his eyes, Gu Yuanbai aimed three short arrows at the snake's head, seven inches down its body, and its tail.

Xue Yuan appeared relaxed, but his entire body was already tense. One of his hands moved towards his dagger. Just as the two of them held their breath and focused, a rabbit suddenly darted through the grass!

Gu Yuanbai thought to himself, "This is bad," and almost in the next second, he activated the crossbow. The three arrows flew through the air towards the venomous snake. However, the snake was startled by the rabbit's movement and lunged towards Xue Yuan's neck.

Almost simultaneously, Xue Yuan turned around and swung his dagger. At the moment the arrows hit the snake, he had already cut it in half.

The snake convulsed on the ground and died completely. Gu Yuanbai breathed a sigh of relief, his features relaxed. He asked, "Are you injured?"

Xue Yuan lowered his head and glanced at his forearm, sighing.

Just as Gu Yuanbai approached him, his eyelid suddenly twitched.

"Your Majesty, I've been bitten," Xue Yuan said, "It tore my clothes."

Veins bulged on Gu Yuanbai's forehead. He endured it, but couldn't hold back and angrily shouted, "Why the fuck didn't you say so earlier?"

Chapter 53

Even after being bitten, he could calmly sigh, taking a deep breath. Gu Yuanbai was truly impressed by him.

The emperor's face was composed as he brought Xue Yuan to the riverside and tore his sleeve, revealing two sharp tooth marks that had pierced his skin. Gu Yuanbai took Xue Yuan's dagger and tore a long strip of cloth from his robe, using it to bandage the wound not far above it.

The young emperor had probably never encountered such a situation before, but he remained calm, skillfully treating the wound with a blank expression. Xue Yuan was even somewhat fascinated by this composure.

He lifted his other hand, intending to touch Gu Yuanbai's cheek, but halfway there, he noticed bloodstains on his fingers and quickly withdrew his hand.

"Your Majesty," he spoke, "I am deeply honored."

To receive such treatment from the emperor for his wound, he must be enjoying a higher privilege than Zhang Xu, right?

Gu Yuanbai furrowed his brow, in a bad mood, he said, "Silence."

While Xue Yuan was speaking, Gu Yuanbai had already used the dagger to reopen the snake bite wound. He asked, "Do you recognize that snake?"

"I do," Xue Yuan replied calmly, only because he recognized it. "It's venomous, but not too potent. At most, it will cause numbness for a few days."

Gu Yuanbai nodded, then took a sip from the water pouch. After confirming he had no wounds in his mouth, he spat out the water, lowered his head, and raised Xue Yuan's arm, leaning down to suck out the venomous blood.

As soon as Xue Yuan felt the warmth of Gu Yuanbai's lips on his arm, he instantly froze in place, feeling somewhat dizzy and disoriented.

Gu Yuanbai spat out the blood in his mouth, rinsed with some water, and then lowered his head again to suck the fresh blood from Xue Yuan's arm.

After repeating this several times, once the color of the fresh blood had turned vibrant red again, Gu Yuanbai stopped. He rinsed his mouth a few more times to ensure he hadn't ingested any blood and showed no signs of dizziness. Then, he closed the water pouch, turned around, and looked at Xue Yuan's complexion. Upon seeing that Xue Yuan's face was flushed, his eyes were vacant, as if deeply poisoned.

Gu Yuanbai furrowed his brows, glanced around, and plucked some pine needles to cover his wound before wrapping it with a strip of cloth. Xue Yuan's mind was in chaos, but when he saw the emperor picking up the scabbard and the sharp dagger scraping against it, emitting sparks and a harsh friction sound, he was startled awake. As he raised his head, his gaze met Gu Yuanbai's.

Gu Yuanbai sheathed the dagger. "How do you feel?"

Xue Yuan checked himself briefly. "Your Majesty, I am completely fine."

Gu Yuanbai found it strange. "If everything is fine, why is your face flushed?"

In his heart, Xue Yuan thought, If I am kissed by my beloved, shouldn't I blush to show respect?

Afraid of revealing his feelings, he pretended to be impatient, turned his head away, and clenched his jaw. "Your Majesty, let's not talk about that. I will take the wild fruits we just picked. It's getting dark, and we should rearrange the cave to prevent snakes and ants from getting in."

However, no matter how they arranged it, the cave remained quite rudimentary in the presence of the ruler of the nation.

If it were just Xue Yuan alone, he wouldn't care much about these things. But when he looked at Gu Yuanbai, he felt that nothing was worthy of the young emperor.

He took off his outer garment and turned the cleaner side over to spread it on the grass mat. "Your Majesty, make do with it for tonight."

Xu Yuan was busy tending to his own bite wound, Gu Yuanbai calmly and rationally reminded him, "You're aggravating the wound by moving around like this, accelerating the spread of the remaining snake venom."

Xue Yuan casually replied, "I'm quite resilient, I'll be fine."

But by midnight, the seemingly fine Xue Yuan started running a high fever.

Gu Yuanbai sat by the bedside, almost speechless, observing the person leaning against the cave wall, in a dazed and heavy state.

Xue Yuan was far away from Gu Yuanbai. His body was soaked in sweat, his face slightly wrinkled, and he seemed to be in pain and struggling. His white undershirt, stained with blood, was also covered in dirt and dust. He looked extremely disheveled.

Finally, Gu Yuanbai sighed and got off the bed, walking towards Xue Yuan.

He never expected to experience such a plot that only happened in novels. However, the one injured, sick, and running a fever was not him, the frail individual, but Xue Yuan, the strong and robust protagonist.

Gu Yuanbai rubbed his forehead, dispelling drowsiness and fatigue. "Xue Yuan?"

Xue Yuan's lips were dry, his face flushed. Gu Yuanbai squatted beside him and placed a hand on him, confirming that he indeed had a fever. He called out again, "Xue Yuan, can you hear me?"

In his hazy state, Xue Yuan heard the voice of his beloved. He exerted effort to open his heavy eyelids and looked at Gu Yuanbai with a foolish grin. "Your Majesty?"

The smile on his face was so silly that Gu Yuanbai chuckled. "Don't sleep. Stay alert."

Xue Yuan saw only Gu Yuanbai's lips moving. He swallowed some saliva, his throat hurting, and his furrowed eyebrows indicating discomfort.

Gu Yuanbai said, "Don't speak."

Xue Yuan nodded, and Gu Yuanbai got up to fetch a water pouch. After giving Xue Yuan some water and seeing him regain some clarity, he asked, "Are you feeling cold?"

"Hot," Xue Yuan replied hoarsely. "Your Majesty, I'm burning up."

After speaking, he moved his hand and dove into the embrace of the young emperor. The fragrance of palace incense wafted over, and the cold sensation from Gu Yuanbai's body transferred to him. Xue Yuan sighed contentedly. In his unclear mind, he would momentarily forget the emperor's threat to his descendants.

That was why he was afraid of him, precisely because he was his beloved.

In the midst of their idling, the emperor was right in front of him. Following his instincts, Xue Yuan leaned closer and lightly bit him.

Gu Yuanbai let out a muffled groan.

That sound completely shattered Xue Yuan's rationality. He closed his eyes and, like a mad dog, sniffed and nuzzled against Gu Yuanbai's body, ignoring his words. Gu Yuanbai couldn't push him away. Suddenly, the mad dog grasped the emperor's lifeline.

The emperor trembled all over and became still.

Xue Yuan smiled and stuck out his tongue to taste the place he had nuzzled. His fingers moved, and the delightful sound of the emperor resounded again.

Unable to resist, Gu Yuanbai grabbed Xue Yuan's hair.

The feeling of doing it oneself and having someone else do it were completely different.

As an adult male, it was a natural physiological instinct and reaction.

Gu Yuanbai felt an electrifying sensation, and his adrenaline surged. Men are creatures that think with their lower body. After experiencing pleasure, Gu Yuanbai's rationality was stimulated repeatedly.

In the dark night, with no one around and only the constant sounds of birds and insects, a gentle breeze blowing, in this environment, people's desires were amplified.

Xue Yuan lifted his head forcefully and their eyes met.

Xue Yuan's voice was husky, and his eyes seemed to contain sparks. "Your Majesty."

Gu Yuanbai looked down at him from a higher position and saw himself in his eyes. After a moment, the emperor held Xue Yuan's chin, and then fiercely kissed him.

Their lips and tongues intertwined passionately, and Gu Yuanbai took the dominant position. He teased Xue Yuan's tongue, sucking and entwining, consumed by instinctual impulses.

Xue Yuan's breath was scorching hot as he held onto Gu Yuanbai, doubting if this was a dream.

When they finally separated, their lips were already burning.

Gu Yuanbai pinched Xue Yuan's chin, lightly parting his own lips from his. He smiled and coaxed, "Guard Xue, serve me. Understand? Go ahead."

If he served him well, there would be ample rewards.

Xue Yuan did as told, serving him perfectly.

After experiencing pleasure, Gu Yuanbai regained his composure. He calmly got up and walked towards the grass bed. Xue Yuan chuckled softly from behind, "Your Majesty, why are you so heartless?"

Gu Yuanbai also laughed, "Both Guard Xue and I are men, so how is that heartless? Isn't it just letting Guard Xue serve me? Does Guard Xue want to be my palace concubine?"

Xue Yuan paused for a moment, then his expression darkened as he looked at him ominously.

Gu Yuanbai, behaving like an irresponsible playboy, found it amusing himself. "Guard Xue, I remember you once said that you would be willing to serve me even as a servant."

Xue Yuan remained silent, his face still gloomy.

Gu Yuanbai touched his nose and licked his lips.

To be honest, entangling with Xue Yuan felt quite pleasurable—clashing of strength against strength, collision of desire against desire. Gu Yuanbai was certain that he didn't like men, but the intense kiss he forcibly planted on Xue Yuan, stimulated by his lower body, actually felt good.

It was more like biting than kissing.

He could even taste the metallic tang of blood on their lips.

Gu Yuanbai casually sat at the edge of the grass bed, looking rather relaxed and his clothes slightly disheveled. He gazed at Xue Yuan, smiled again, and reassured him, "Guard Xue, it was just a momentary excitement. Surely you wouldn't mind. You're not a woman, and I'm not a woman either. But this time, I was reckless, and it was my mistake."

He casually added, "What does Guard Xue want?"

After a long pause, Xue Yuan sneered, "Your Majesty is truly merciful."

Gu Yuanbai still had patience towards Xue Yuan at this point, pretending not to hear the sarcasm in his words. He smiled and said, "Guard Xue, just speak directly after you've thought it through."

He wanted to change the subject, but Xue Yuan didn't allow him to. His tone was icy, as if he held a knife and arrows, "Doesn't Your Majesty ever think for yourself?"

Gu Yuanbai wondered, "What should I think for myself?"

Xue Yuan's hand clenched instantly, almost gritting his teeth as he said, "—I touched you!"

Gu Yuanbai gave an objective evaluation, "Guard Xue, your hands are a bit rough, but the pressure was just right. It felt comfortable when you touched me."

In simple terms, he just gave himself a hand job.

However, that kiss was indeed impulsive. Testosterone surged within him, and in his impulsiveness, Gu Yuanbai grabbed and kissed him.

—But people tend to do things under impulse without even realizing it themselves. Gu Yuanbai himself enjoyed it, so he didn't mind. However, it was inevitable for the person he forcibly kissed to mind.

His expression was candid, but it deeply troubled Xue Yuan.

So could anyone do it? As long as it pleasured the young emperor?

Xue Yuan's expression was unpleasant. He grabbed a piece of rock, squeezing it with force. The sharp edges pierced his palm, and blood flowed, bringing an intense sense of sobriety through the pain.

He kissed him? He touched him?

What did that mean?

Early the next morning, with Hongyuan carrying the two of them, they raced through the forest at a fast pace.

Following the direction of the warm morning sun in the east, Xue Yuan rode behind Gu Yuanbai. His expression was still grim, filled with a deep killing intent and darkness in his eyes.

Gu Yuanbai slightly closed his eyes, appearing as if he were asleep.

Xue Yuan spoke to him in a low voice, his tone heavy, "Your Majesty, am I to be ignored like this?"

Gu Yuanbai made a nasal sound in response, lazily saying, "Guard Xue, you've repeated that sentence several times this morning already."

Xue Yuan's expression grew even darker as he coldly sneered, "Your Majesty, my heart has grown cold."

After hearing Xue Yuan's remark, Gu Yuanbai couldn't help but laugh.

But he chuckled twice and felt it wasn't appropriate. Last night was clearly a mutual entanglement between the two of them. When Gu Yuanbai forcibly kissed Xue Yuan, Xue Yuan responded as well. But whenever Gu Yuanbai recalled the four words Xue Yuan had mentioned earlier, "loyal to the Emperor," he felt that the current situation was somewhat strange. "Is it the loyalty to me that has grown cold?"

It was the heart of the man who loved him!

He swallowed the words that were about to come out, and Xue Yuan responded in an unclear, muffled voice.

That's good, that's good. Gu Yuanbai finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Xue Yuan didn't like him, wasn't interested in him, he only felt that his loyalty to the sovereign had been tarnished, perhaps feeling uncomfortable because he had become entangled with the emperor in a moment of confusion. But as long as Xue Yuan didn't like Gu Yuanbai, Gu Yuanbai didn't have that heartless scumbag feeling of a heartbreaker.

He said with some relief, "Last night was my recklessness, but Xue Yuan, rest assured, I absolutely don't have any dirty thoughts towards you."

Xue Yuan was almost amused by anger. His dark eyes flickered up and down, "Your Majesty's words are indeed true. I've taken note of it."

Damn it.

Frustration overwhelmed him.

Translator's note: Damn, our Gu Yuanbai is a certified scumbag but I like it. Hahaha. A challenge he shall be. Hahahaha.. *evil laugh*

By the way, thank you again Rika-sama. Greatly appreciate it.

Chapter 54

Once Gu Yuanbai returned to the court, everyone gradually calmed down.

The person who had been secretly watching the assassins delivered a message to Gu Yuanbai. After gathering information about the capital, the group of assassins sent by the Jiashen Society hastily left before the city gates closed yesterday.

As Gu Yuanbai listened to the news while tidying up, he smiled faintly and said, "A new batch of personnel from the Supervisory Office has already arrived in both southern Jing and Jiangnan regions."

The majority of the Jiashen Society's forces were in southern Jing, as it was chaotic and convenient for hiding. A smaller portion was in the Jiangnan region. Unlike southern Jing, where the rebel forces would be directly crushed, they would likely resort to coercion and temptation when dealing with the wealthy and influential figures in the prosperous Jiangnan region.

Gu Yuanbai tossed the towel into the basin and glanced briefly at the people around him. Even Xue Yuan failed to hold his gaze for more than a moment. Finally, Gu Yuanbai's gaze settled on the topographical map hanging on the wall.

It was a map of the Daheng Dynasty that he had just ordered to be placed there.

At the bottom left corner of the map were southern Jing and Jiangnan.

Gu Yuanbai focused his gaze on this area and let out a sigh, saying, "It's finally about to begin."

He had long been coveting the various mines in southern Jing.

The terrain of southern Jing was naturally fortified, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only one side open, facing Jiangnan directly.

To the south, it bordered Guangdong Nan; to the left, it connected with Guangdong Xi. Both were places where the imperial court exiled serious offenders. For example, the former deputy chief of the Imperial Censorate, Feng Chengzhi, was exiled to Guangdong Xi.

Such a place possessed natural defenses, and the complex network of powerful local forces believed that the emperor could not deploy troops to suppress them, which was the main reason.

Among the local powerful forces in southern Jing, the Lu family in Huainan held a prominent position. If we talk about the top figures here, the Chen family, as the leading local force, took the first place. Their ancestors were government officials, and their connections with officials were intricate. They were ostentatious and arrogant to the point where if a local official accidentally collided with them while riding a horse on the street, they would openly drag the official down and beat them.

Engaging in murder, controlling government affairs, and levying unauthorized taxes, the heavy taxation burden left the common people in a miserable state.

As time went on and their influence grew, southern Jing had already formed a political power led by the Chen family.

And these powerful figures were all the remnants of Lu Feng's control over the court.

The head of the Chen family was called Chen Jinyin. Chen Jinyin was already old, and his youthful shrewdness had been replaced by greed. He no longer had the drive to strive and instead enjoyed the fruits of his labor. He didn't care about the other members of the family, but when it came to his mines, that was a different story.

As one grows old, they also learn to indulge in luxury. Chen Jinyin used the finest porcelain from the imperial kiln, his fruits were sourced from as far as Yongxing in the north and Liangzhe in the east, the freshest batch of fruits in the entire country. He ate good rice and the most tender cuts of meat from livestock.

Luxury had intoxicated Chen Jinyin's thinking, and it had also intoxicated the entire Chen family's thinking. If the Chen family indulged so extravagantly, who among the other powerful figures would willingly be inferior to them?

When those in power were absorbed in pleasure, the common people beneath them suffered even greater hardships.

When Gu Yuanbai had his people track the Jiashen Society members all the way to southern Jing and Jiangnan, he took the opportunity to place his own men in these two regions. In early April, he had his people disguise themselves as a merchant caravan and staged a trade war in the southern Jing area.

He conducted this trade war in a highly publicized manner, completely adopting Guan Zhong's strategy, except he replaced the act of buying deer with buying mines using money.

Mines were a significant geographical advantage in southern Jing, and when Gu Yuanbai's people swiftly delivered the heads to the Jiashen Society, it was also in April.

At the time, it was the sowing season, and according to Gu Yuanbai's plan, the people disguised as a merchant caravan stayed in southern Jing for two months. They fully showcased the grandeur of the prosperous area as merchant caravans, declaring, "We only need ores, any kind of ores will do, as much as you have. As long as we find a mine, we can exchange the ores for money."

The caravan sought ores while generously distributing money. As soon as they obtained the ores, they immediately exchanged them for money. This successful approach made the farmers in southern Jing forget about their unplanted fields and they went to the mountains daily with their hoes to dig and search for mines.

News of this event reached the ears of the local powerful figures led by the Chen family. They went even further and suspended all the work of their servants and tenants, making them spend day and night searching for mines in the mountains and then selling them to Gu Yuanbai's caravan.

Two months later, after the sowing season had passed, the fields in southern Jing were left barren, and Gu Yuanbai's caravan departed. The common people had no choice but to continue mining and sell the ores to passing merchants. Surprisingly, many people earned more from mining than they did from farming.

And half a month ago, people in southern Jing unexpectedly discovered a gold mine!

The excitement spread throughout southern Jing, from the powerful figures to the common people. Mining became even more fervent. Naturally, the Chen family claimed ownership of the gold mine. With this gold mine, they possessed a literal golden mountain. Chen Jinyin had completely lost himself in the mines, sending all his servants and tenants to dig for ores.

As the people witnessed the actual excavation of the gold mine and the previous ores being sold, who cared about food? They could earn money by mining, and with money, couldn't they buy food?

Jiangnan was known as the land of fish and rice, where the rice grown was fragrant and sweet. The people from southern Jing transported food, opened food shops, and as long as they had money, they could buy food without having to cultivate their own land. They could spend the remaining time mining and earning money. Wasn't this better than farming?

Therefore, even now, the food in southern Jing was purchased with money. They couldn't keep up with the sowing season, and all of southern Jing devoted itself to the passion for mining. Under such circumstances, Gu Yuanbai easily took control of the trade war.

On this day, Chen Jinyin was basking in the sun and enjoying iced tea in his residence.

His sweaty youngest son walked over and plopped down, picking up a piece of ice that hadn't melted and stuffed it into his mouth. He casually complained, "Those managers are really troublesome. Just because the rice and grains from Jiangnan have increased in price, they insisted on dragging me over to discuss it."

Chen Jinyin replied, "They've never seen gold and silver mountains. They even want to take advantage of these trivial benefits."

The youngest son smirked, "I think so too. We can afford it anyway, so let them raise the prices. I guess the people from Jiangnan are envious of us, thinking that our family has discovered a gold mine, so they deliberately increased the prices."

Chen Jinyin's heart had already been covered in the golden glow of gold. His old eyes were hazy, and he couldn't think clearly anymore. After hearing his youngest son's words, he also felt the same and cursed, "Those people in Jiangnan are so poor that all they can do are these petty tricks! They raised the prices because they know we will buy. Well, I won't buy. I already have a gold mine. I'll eat the rice from wherever I want. Even the emperor doesn't eat as well as I do. Didn't we buy some good rice before? Let's eat that first."

"Alright," the youngest son agreed, "I'll take care of it."

But as he stood up, he suddenly faced the sun and had a moment of dizziness. A terrible and absurd thought emerged in his mind.

He turned to look at Chen Jinyin and hesitantly said, "Father, now that we have the gold mine, will the court send troops to attack us?"

This ridiculous statement made Chen Jinyin burst into laughter, even tears streaming down his face. He made a bold declaration, "Let them come and attack! I want to see what kind of troops the court will send to attack me! I hold the power over the government offices in southern Jing. Here, I am the local emperor. The court sending troops to attack? Let them come, hahaha."

Upon hearing his words, the youngest son realized he had been overthinking. He quickly left to reject the inflated prices of the merchants from Jiangnan who deliberately manipulated the grain prices.

And so, half a month later...

Ningyuan County, Jiashen Society.

Xu Xiong-Yuan was engaged in a conversation with Liu Yan. Their expressions were intimate, indicating a high level of trust between them.

Zhao Zhou asked, "In the past half month, the Chen family discovered a gold mine, and the entire southern Jing region has been caught up in the enthusiasm for mining. Liu Xiong, why did you prevent the people from the Jiashen Society from going to mine?"

Liu Yan sighed, "Zhao Xiong, haven't you thought about it? Although the gold and silver mines are tempting for us, this is southern Jing, a place filled with chaotic forces. Those local strongmen can't even be restrained by the emperor himself. Our Jiashen Society is already struggling to operate in secret. How can we possibly have more control over them than the emperor? In this situation, even if we discover a gold mine, in the end, it will be snatched away by the Chen family."

Zhao Zhou had to admit that Liu Yan's words made sense.

Xu Xiong-Yuan also found it reasonable, but the implication that he was less influential than the emperor made him very unhappy. His smile towards Liu Yan faded, and he said, "Are these strongmen really that powerful? Do they have troops?"

Liu Yan naturally smiled and replied, "They don't have troops, but when you combine their household servants and tenants, they have over two to three thousand people. Moreover, they have intricate and complex relationships with officials, using their influence to bully and expand their power."

Xu Xiong-Yuan discontentedly said, "How can their two thousand household servants compare to my five thousand elite soldiers!"

Involuntarily, he thought that if even small merchants could seize a gold mine, then it should be an effortless task for his five thousand elite soldiers to claim it.

Zhao Zhou seemed to know what he was thinking and repeated word for word the thoughts in Xu Xiong-Yuan's mind.

Liu Yan was astonished and immediately tried to dissuade him, "Absolutely not! These local strongmen have various connections, both close and distant. If the general tries to forcibly seize the gold mine, anyone related to the Chen family will rise up against us! The authorities will become aware of the general's presence, and they might even send troops to suppress us. Besides, such actions would be no different from acting like bandits."

Xu Xiong-Yuan and Zhao Zhou exchanged a glance and thought together that Liu Yan was good in many ways, but he was too narrow-minded like a scholar.

How could this be called seizing? Even if they truly obtained the gold mine, it would only be a gift from the Chen family.

They tacitly skipped over this topic and reassured Liu Yan with smiles. However, in their hearts, they were already contemplating whether it was worth the risk of being discovered by the authorities to snatch that gold mine.

If the people sent to assassinate the emperor in the capital succeeded, that would be great. Xu Xiong-Yuan devoutly thought that if the Buddha truly existed, he should protect him, the true dragon. Let the people in the capital successfully assassinate that wretched emperor.

Once the emperor was dead, the court would have no time to bother with the Jiashen Society. With no imperial heir, Xu Xiong-Yuan didn't believe that those imperial relatives could avoid causing chaos.

And once chaos broke out, it would be the time for him, the true dragon, Xu Xiong-Yuan, to rise.

At that time, forget about the Chen family's gold mine, the entire world's gold mines would belong to him, Xu Xiong-Yuan!

Hahaha, how exhilarating!

Chapter 55

Thanks to the availability of food and money, thanks to Liu Yan's influence, Jiashen Society didn't notice the increase in the food prices.

The rations for five thousand soldiers were not too much, and Xu Xiong Yuan currently didn't feel any pressure.

He secretly coveted the local wealthy elites' mines, especially those glittering gold mines. He really wanted to seize them. However, he couldn't help but keep Liu Yan's words in mind. Even though South Jing had its natural advantages, if the local elites united and combined with the surrounding garrison troops, his five thousand soldiers wouldn't be enough to handle them.

Xu Xiong Yuan could only temporarily suppress his restless desire and patiently wait for news from the capital. During this waiting period, Liu Yan gradually gained his favor.

Zhao Zhou, on the other hand, had a sense that something was amiss. He occasionally asked Liu Yan, "Is the imperial anti-corruption campaign really so intense?"

Liu Yan coldly snorted, his voice filled with both hatred and anger. "On the surface, it seems like an anti-corruption effort, but it's actually an abuse of power to force people into submission! The higher-ups make empty promises, and the lower-ranked officials just go through the motions. In the end, they only catch a few scapegoats, and that's considered enough!"

Those corrupt officials in Daheng were just pandering to the emperor!

Liu Yan's genuine anger was clearly visible, and Zhao Zhou felt it. He didn't feel comfortable asking further and could only think that perhaps it was because South Jing was too chaotic. Either the anti-corruption personnel hadn't arrived yet, or the local officials had already swept things under the rug, so nothing significant had happened.

Although this line of thinking seemed reasonable, Zhao Zhou had an uneasy feeling. His right eyelid had been twitching incessantly, and he didn't know what kind of event was about to occur.

After a few more days, the assassins sent to kill the emperor returned.

These individuals were in a sorry state, collapsing to the ground as soon as they arrived at the Jiashen society. Xu Xiong Yuan was anxiously impatient. He couldn't even maintain a pretense anymore and stood beside the assassin, urging, "How did it go? Was the assassination successful? Is that damned emperor dead? Why are there only a few of you left?"

The leader of the assassins took a deep breath, gradually regaining composure before bursting into loud laughter. "We've wounded that damn emperor with our shots, hahaha! I'm afraid his days are numbered!"

Xu Xiong Yuan was overjoyed, patting the assassin leader on the shoulder and laughing heartily at the sky. "Well done! Heaven is assisting me, Xu, too!"

Xu Xiong Yuan sneered triumphantly. Now, it seemed that the court would no longer be able to control the rebel forces. He could seize the gold mine without anyone being able to stop him.

He ordered his servants to help the exhausted assassins rest and instructed them to prepare a lavish feast to celebrate.

During the banquet, everyone was enjoying themselves and toasting. After a few drinks, Zhao Zhou overheard two guests nearby complaining about the rising prices of food and their inability to afford it.

Zhao Zhou furrowed his brows, and Liu Yan, who was sitting beside him, glanced at him and leisurely poured himself a glass of wine. He showed concern and asked, "Why does Brother Zhao look so worried?"

Zhao Zhou sighed and said, "Brother Liu, you might not know, but the food you brought back recently is almost depleted. Once the military rations run out, the soldiers will panic. I sent people to purchase rice and grain a few days ago, only to find out that the prices in the city have actually increased."

Liu Yan couldn't help but smile and asked without changing his expression, "How much did it increase?"

Zhao Zhou replied, "It has risen by thirty percent."

Liu Yan shook his head as if amused and said, "Zhao Xiong, since your family isn't involved in these matters, you may not know that this price increase is within the normal range."

Zhao Zhou questioned, "But a thirty percent increase, is that still considered normal?"

"Of course," Liu Yan nodded and pondered for a moment. "The recent news about the abundance of minerals in South Jing must have spread. These grain merchants who came from Jiangnan naturally assume that everyone in South Jing is making a fortune. Merchants are driven by profit-seeking instincts."

Zhao Zhou sighed and felt uneasy. "I hope that's the case."

When Liu Yan first arrived at the Jiashen Society, he was accompanied by two hundred new members of the Supervisory Office.

The emperor was in need of personnel, so the members of the Supervisory Office worked diligently. As time passed, the influence of the Supervisory Office grew stronger in secret. People like Sun Xiaoshan emerged from the office, and they traveled throughout Daheng, investigating on behalf of the emperor.

Alongside the Supervisory Office were five hundred elite soldiers from the Eastern Feather Guard, who were always ready to follow the office's commands. Each of these five hundred soldiers was formidable, capable of taking on ten opponents.

The leader of the Supervisory Office was named Jiang Jin.

Jiang Jin led his team to Jiangnan, first cutting off the information flow between South Jing and Jiangnan to prevent premature alarm in South Jing.

After completing this task, Jiang Jin began the large-scale purchase of food in Jiangnan according to the emperor's orders.

The grain warehouses in Jiangnan had already been emptied by Gu Yuanbai's men, and the grain shops had also closed their doors. These people were Gu Yuanbai's men embedded in Jiangnan. After closing their grain shops, the remaining grain was secretly transported to the Supervisory Office.

How could Gu Yuanbai not take precautions when he intentionally drove the rebel forces to South Jing and Jiangnan?

When he forced the rebel forces here, he had already made many preparations for the scene that would unfold today.

Later on, no one knew when it started, but the phrase "Jiangnan has no food" began to echo throughout the region.

Initially, many people scoffed at the notion. Jiangnan was a prosperous land known for its abundant resources. How could it possibly lack food?

However, as more people began to talk about it, even the skeptics started to hesitate.

They entered grain shops with a mix of belief and doubt and discovered that the grain supply was indeed scarce.

Many grain shops had even closed their doors.

The people of Jiangnan were shocked.

After regaining their senses, in a state of inexplicable panic, the people rushed into the few remaining grain shops, desperately trying to seize the grain. As more people joined the frenzy, the panic of food scarcity grew even stronger. In the end, the shop owners became angry and closed their doors, refusing to sell any more grain.

As this situation escalated in Jiangnan, another rumor began to circulate.

There was an epidemic outbreak in other provinces.

As soon as this rumor spread and people saw the lack of grain in the shops, everyone was thrown into a panic. Regardless of their previous beliefs, fear gripped their hearts at this moment. Under the threat of an epidemic, the demand for food among the people intensified. They had no choice but to seek help from the officials, but to their astonishment, the officials had already fled with the grain!

The people used brute force to break open the granaries, only to find scattered grains on the ground, sparsely scattered with no substantial amount left.

South Jing, being so prosperous, its people had become accustomed to buying various things with currency. They had never imagined a day without food, but when that day truly arrived, they realized how fragile Jiangnan's prosperity was.

The crops in the fields were still growing, and the households only had the remaining stored grains from the previous harvest. The only ones with enough food were the local wealthy and powerful.

At this point, it was impossible to transport grain to South Jing, as there was not enough local food in Jiangnan itself.

Half a month later, the people of South Jing finally heard the news that had come from Jiangnan.

Jiangnan has no food.

The people of South Jing looked at each other in shock.

Their initial reaction was the same as when Jiangnan first heard the news—disbelief.

But soon, they had no choice but to believe.

Jiangnan had no food. After confirming this fact, the entire population of South Jing fell into chaos. The surrounding provinces that relied on Jiangnan for food supply were left in a predicament. If Jiangnan had no food, what were they supposed to do?

The people of South Jing were plunged into deep fear and anxiety.

They used the money they had earned from selling minerals to buy food from the grain shops. But without food, what use was money, no matter how much they had?

In the blink of an eye, both South Jing and Jiangnan found themselves impoverished, with only money left.

In Ningyuan County, those with status within the Jiashen Society gathered together. Many people wore anxious expressions, all discussing the same issue. "General, what should we do now that we have no food?"

Xu Xiong Yuan's expression was grim as he turned to the group of advisors and asked, "Do any of you gentlemen have any brilliant ideas?"

The advisors all wore troubled expressions, and Zhao Zhou's heart raced, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably. "How could the food suddenly disappear like this?"

Xu Xiong Yuan's patience wore thin, and he impatiently said, "Mr. Zhao, since this has already happened, there's no need to dwell on what happened. The most important thing now is how to obtain food! Soldiers cannot go hungry, as the lack of military pay will lead to desertion and chaos."

Zhao Zhou hesitated, unable to speak, and ultimately remained silent.

Liu Yan glanced at him soothingly, pondered for a moment, and said, "General, now news of the epidemic outbreak in other provinces is spreading throughout South Jing. Even in a small place like Ningyuan County, there is great panic. Although we don't know if it's true or false, the people have already believed it. Now that they can't buy grain and no one is willing to sell, it poses a problem."

Xu Xiong Yuan replied, "I am well aware of that."

Liu Yan sighed and lowered his voice, saying, "It just so happens that our people have also sent someone to the emperor. With the current chaos outside, isn't it time for us to make a move?"

Xu Xiong Yuan was taken aback by the words, and then his excitement surged. His dark face showed signs of eagerness, clearly indicating that he was already tempted.

Liu Yan continued in a low voice, "South Jing is in such turmoil, and I presume Jiangnan is the same. In such circumstances, we..."

"It's time for us to make a move," an advisor exclaimed excitedly. "While the people are in panic, those wealthy and powerful individuals can still sit comfortably. General, I believe the grain is with the wealthy and powerful!"

In an instant, Xu Xiong Yuan recalled the gold mine discovered by the Chen family half a month ago.

Once the greedy thought emerged, it couldn't be suppressed any longer.

Zhao Zhou's thoughts followed Liu Yan''s line of thinking. Regardless of whether the epidemic was real or not, both South Jing and Jiangnan must be in chaos.

The emperor was currently in grave danger. With an opportunity like this, who wouldn't take the lead?

If they could capture both South Jing and Jiangnan in one fell swoop, with natural defenses and the entire Jiangnan region as their financial backing, coupled with the emperor's demise...

Zhao Zhou abruptly stood up, gripping Xu Xiong Yuan's hand in excitement. "General, this is our chance for a comeback."

A surge of ambition filled Xu Xiong Yuan's heart, and he exclaimed with great fervor, "Your words align with my intentions!"

Chapter 56

Meanwhile, three garrisons had already set off towards the borders of South Jing and Jiangnan. Their mission was to station there and suppress any counter-revolutionary forces.

These were the exact words of Gu Yuanbai.

The Supervisory Office and the Eastern Feather Guards secretly delivered the large quantities of purchased grain to the garrisons, reserving them for the fleeing civilians at the border. A commander of the garrison sighed and said, "The Emperor has thought of everything."

The captain of the Eastern Feather Guard spoke calmly, "The Emperor has entrusted these matters to the generals. Please offer assistance to the civilians who flee here."

"You can rest assured," the commander replied. "We will fulfill the Emperor's orders."

The Eastern Feather Guard and the Supervisory Office personnel needed to stay hidden in these two regions to guide the fleeing civilians. War inevitably led to bloodshed, but within their capabilities, they aimed to minimize the innocent casualties.

Xu Xiong-Yuan initially intended to send troops to seize grain, even from the households in the nearby counties. However, Liu Yan and Zhao Zhou strongly objected. Firstly, it would create uncertainty in the rear, which was a taboo in military operations. Secondly, the households had little grain to begin with, so deploying troops would only be a wasteful expenditure of manpower.

Xu Xiong-Yuan heeded their advice and led five thousand elite soldiers, riding swiftly for half a day until they completely surrounded the Chen Residence in Huaihua Prefecture.

The Chen Residence was petrified, and Chen Jinyin, who was admiring a piece of precious jade, was also petrified.

What was happening? How could they be surrounded by the rebel army one day?

Chen Jinyin had yet to comprehend the significance of the situation. He was filled with anger and directly threw the precious jade in his hand to the ground. "Let me see who dares to touch my Chen family!"

The soldiers, starving and with eyes turning green, dared to do so.

At Xu Xiong-Yuan's command, the densely packed soldiers surged into the Chen Residence like locusts. They killed any servants who resisted and clung onto any beautiful women they encountered.

They greedily filled their bodies with valuable possessions, relentlessly slaughtering their way into the inner courtyard, as if entering a deserted place.

They resembled heartless demons, their vision blurred by the magnificent and luxurious Chen Residence. They only saw gold, silver, food, and women. Bodies piled up on the ground, forming rivers of blood. Xu Xiong-Yuan sat on his horse and burst into loud laughter, immensely satisfied with the ferocity and cruelty of his troops. He kept shouting, "Kill them all! Don't spare anyone! Capture the beautiful women and reward yourselves! Let's see how much grain this Chen family has, whether it's enough for us to eat!"

This was the calamity of war.

While plundering, they also killed, and after the killings, they set fire to everything.

Chen Jinyin and his sons hurriedly fled from the inner courtyard, guarded along the way. When the soldiers saw them, a greedy gleam appeared in their eyes.

This gaze of greed fixated on the gold and silver on their bodies, and they raised their arms to kill them.

Chen Jinyin screamed in fear, "I have money! I'll give you money, I'll give you grain, anything you want, just don't kill me!"

The soldiers sneered, "Once we kill you, everything will belong to the general. Why would we need you to give us anything?"

When the soldiers of the court had to abide by discipline and law, what rules and laws did the rebels follow? Throughout history, those who led troops in rebellion often turned a blind eye to the calamities caused by their subordinates!

The raging fire illuminated the sky, and lamentations echoed across the field. When the officials heard this, they quickly fled from Huaihua Prefecture.

Xu Xiong-Yuan breathed in the scent of blood, his nostrils tingling. He gazed at the towering flames that almost licked the clouds. Many, many people struggled in the midst of the inferno and the slashing blades. As he watched such a massive fire, it was as if he was witnessing his own grand ambition burning fiercely.

Amidst the cries of violence, Xu Xiong-Yuan realized that the Chen Residence was quite good. It was a pity that everything was being burned down. He shouted, "Burn down the buildings on the west side; the rest should be preserved! Tonight, I, the general, will relocate the base of the Jiashen Society here. Hahaha!"

With the Chen Residence in ruins, the other local powerful figures in Huaihua Prefecture naturally couldn't just stand by. Driven by their interests, several parties hurried to the Chen Residence with their servants.

When they arrived, the rebel army in the entire Chen Residence was reveling, and the atmosphere was filled with chaos and fumes, darkening the sky. The hearts of the powerful figures sank, sensing that Chen Jinyin was in trouble.

This powerful family had perished just like that, and their remaining wealth was divided among the rebel army. It was as if they were snatching food from the hands of these old folks. The expressions of several powerful figures turned grim. Meanwhile, Xu Xiong-Yuan, seeing this large group of people approaching, carrying hoes, axes, and kitchen knives, burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Then his eyes gleamed red.

Within a few short days, Xu Xiong-Yuan wiped out all the powerful figures in Huaihua Prefecture who did not voluntarily contribute military provisions. He showed no mercy, staining the entire Huaihua Prefecture with blood, completely transforming this place into his stronghold.

Meanwhile, the common people of Huaihua Prefecture had long since fled after the officials escaped.

Almost immediately after Xu Xiong-Yuan had just finished dealing with the powerful figures in Huaihua Prefecture, news of the rebellion in South Jing reached Jiangnan.

Those remaining from the Jiashen Society in Jiangnan were dumbfounded!

How did they start a rebellion?

How did they manage to pacify the powerful figures in Huaihua Prefecture?

Why were they so oblivious?

Not only do they not believe, but the influential figures rooted in Jiangnan also refuse to believe. They were unwilling to accept it.

The profits in Jiangnan were enormous. Just Yangzhou alone was the gathering point for Huai merchants every year. Let's not mention other places. The Lü family of Huainan could firmly establish their footing in South Jing because of the profits from Jiangnan. Compared to West Huainant, Jiangnan and South Jing were the true roots of the Lü family.

How could they believe that the rebels were uprising in the neighboring province? The common people could escape, but they were here, thousands of cultivated fields, tenant households, luxurious mansions... they had no way to escape!

So after they obtained accurate information, they decided to take the initiative.

The powerful figures seized the members of the Jiashen Society who were staying in Jiangnan, and used it as leverage to make the person surnamed Xu obediently stay in South Jing.

When the news reached Xu Xiong-Yuan, he was already living in the largest and most beautiful mansion in the entire Huaihua Prefecture. Sitting on a chair made of agarwood, he smiled and asked his advisors for their thoughts.

Outside, conscription was being carried out door-to-door. They called it conscription, but it was actually forced recruitment. After snatching people, due to the lack of military reserves, they only needed to provide them with a hoe, and they could be sent to the battlefield. This was the conscription method in chaotic times.

At the very least, Xu Xiong-Yuan could gather a disorderly crowd of ten thousand in Huaihua Prefecture.

After the advisors individually read the threatening letters sent by the influential figures from Jiangnan, they fell into contemplation. At this moment, Zhao Zhou stood up with seriousness and asked, "May I ask, General, what are your ambitions?"

Xu Xiong-Yuan's expression became resolute, and he replied in a deep voice, "Although I, Xu, am not talented, I also wish to do my best for this world."

Zhao Zhou readily responded, "Then, General, you must save your colleagues in Jiangnan. If you don't, you may bear the name of being unrighteous and unjust."

Xu Xiong-Yuan reached out and helped Zhao Zhou up, smiling, "I also share the same thoughts."

Liu Yan, who was nearby, took a sip of tea, concealing the mockery in his eyes.

To do one's part for this world, it truly was a grand undertaking.

All the events occurring in South Jing and Jiangnan were truthfully reported to Gu Yuanbai's desk.

Gu Yuanbai carefully examined everything, paying close attention to the locations of the military garrisons and the routes of refugee escape. He repeatedly scrutinized them in his mind to ensure there were no omissions before turning his attention to the conflicts between the powerful figures and the rebels.

The powerful figures in South Jing could be subdued by the rebels, but Gu Yuanbai felt reluctant to see the powerful figures in Jiangnan suffer the same fate.

Jiangnan was a prosperous land, and the rebels see it as a logistical granary. South Jing adopted a tough approach to showcase their military strength, while Jiangnan adopted a more flexible approach, cooperating with those who were willing and forcefully compelled those who resisted cooperation.

As long as Xu Xiong-Yuan and several influential families in Jiangnan establish marital connections, the powerful figures will be on board, providing everything they can to ensure Xu Xiong-Yuan's successful rebellion.

Throughout history, the methods used against powerful figures have been suppression and restrictions. One common method of restriction was to force them to relocate, leaving their established roots and competing for resources with the local powerful figures, thereby imposing limitations.

The original young emperor ascended the throne, and Lu Feng governed for several years. If you don't have the necessary skills, don't meddle in delicate matters. Look at the current situation, how have the powerful figures been indulged by Lu Feng?

Gu Yuanbai rubbed his forehead and spoke calmly, "I believe the influence of Jiangnan's powerful figures will extend even further."

Because of the emperor's anti-corruption efforts, they have witnessed the emperor's firmness. When the emperor shows concern for the people, it means he was not considering the interests of the powerful figures. It means he intended to take action to restrict them.

In the previous years, the powerful figures lived too comfortably. As long as they paid tribute in silver, they could comfortably play the role of regional despots. They set the rules, they were the law, they did as they pleased. But with such a relaxing environment, the sudden intensity of the anti-corruption efforts had left many powerful figures resentful and dissatisfied.

The influence of the powerful figures in Jiangnan extended to almost all the major merchants in Daheng. Under such circumstances, once some of them were truly lured onto Xu Xiong-Yuan's ship, they would desperately try to pull more people onto that ship. They would completely destabilize Gu Yuanbai's position on the throne and allow another figure like Lu Feng, someone who could be indulged with money, to rise to power.

Gu Yuanbai tapped his fingers on the table, fearing the slightest oversight. He discussed with his trusted ministers, and suddenly a thought occurred to him. "South Jing is surrounded by mountains on three sides, but there is a winding Jiang Xian Dao behind it. Beyond Jiang Xian Dao is Da Yue. I cannot give them the opportunity to escape to Da Yue."

Xue Yuan, who had been sternly observing, stepped forward and firmly said, "I humbly request to undertake this task, willing to bear the responsibility."

Gu Yuanbai had great trust in his abilities and a smile appeared on his face. "Then, I entrust it to you, Xue Yuan."

Since the two of them returned riding the Red Cloud, Gu Yuanbai treated Xue Yuan with utmost casualness. It was as if the kiss and the touch he gave Xue Yuan never happened, completely forgotten as soon as it was done.

Xue Yuan didn't actually lose out; on the contrary, he gained some advantages. He was kissed and touched by his beloved, which should have been satisfying enough.

But there were still two words: aggrieved.

Xue Yuan glanced at Gu Yuanbai, who smiled faintly with an unchanged expression. "Go to the Ministry of War and mobilize troops. You are allowed to lead ten thousand soldiers. Appoint General Dian Dingyuan as your deputy. Coordinate with the garrisons in South Jing and Jiangnan, and together, conquer all the rebel forces!"

Xue Yuan's expression turned serious, and he responded in a deep voice, "I obey your orders!"

After speaking, he bowed to Gu Yuanbai and temporarily put aside the matter at hand, striding purposefully toward the exit of the hall. Just as he was about to step out of the door, he inexplicably turned his head to glance at Gu Yuanbai and then turned away again.

This glance left Gu Yuanbai puzzled. He looked at Xue Yuan's figure until he disappeared, but he couldn't figure out the meaning behind that glance.

Tian Fusheng, who was standing by, expressed his concern. "Is it too soon to send troops now?"

Gu Yuanbai snapped back to reality and said, "Not too soon."

When marching and waging war, provisions must come first. By the time Xue Yuan arrives at Jiangxiandao, the powerful figures in Jiangnan will either have been eradicated by Xu Xiong-Yuan or have been lured onto the rebel ship.

At that time, whether it is the powerful figures or Xu Xiong-Yuan, they will become rebels, and fighting against the rebels will be a legitimate pretext. Launching a military campaign against them will place the imperial army in a morally superior position. Gu Yuanbai has no intention of prolonging the war or getting involved in a larger conflict. Once Xu Xiong-Yuan deals with the powerful figures, he will deal with Xu Xiong-Yuan.

Within a month's time, the damage to South Jing and Jiangnan will be minimal. That's good.

This is the difference between how the emperor and Xu Xiong-Yuan operate.

Xu Xiong-Yuan directly takes action to eliminate the powerful figures, without needing an excuse, clean and decisive. Gu Yuanbai, on the other hand, cannot do such bandit-like things as an emperor.

Gu Yuanbai greatly admired Xu Xiong-Yuan and issued a decree, expressing his righteous indignation against the atrocities committed by the Jiashen Society, which disrupted the peace of the world and took lives.

Chapter 57 Part 1

Xu Xiong Yuan indeed managed to establish connections with the powerful figures in Jiangnan.

Among the military advisers, those who were skilled in eloquence volunteered and went to persuade the powerful clans in Jiangnan. Using a combination of coercion and temptation, they even offered Xu Xiong Yuan's position as a concubine to the daughter of the prominent Yu clan.

Once the leader had set foot on the rebel's ship, the remaining few were persuaded with a mix of reluctance and coercion. However, some astute individuals sensed that something was amiss. They chose to flee to the countryside overnight, willing to abandon their wealth rather than conspire with Xu Xiong Yuan.

Naturally, Xu Xiong Yuan believed himself to be persuasive. If someone didn't want to cooperate with him, he would say, "Fine, you can leave, but leave your money behind."

Liu Yan secretly noted down the names of these law-abiding powerful figures and later informed the Supervisory office hidden in Jiangnan. As always, the emperor favored honest and upright officials and merchants.

While Xue Yuan rushed on horseback towards South Jing, those powerful figures who had joined the thief's ship planned to use their influence to persuade other influential figures to join them.

The more people involved, the greater the commotion, and the more precarious the emperor's position became. It might even reach a point where the court, without resorting to war and wasting military resources, would willingly dismiss the emperor and welcome Xu Xiong Yuan.

Xu Xiong Yuan dreamed of such a scenario, day and night, incessantly pondering about the court, the capital, and the throne.

Liu Yan protected Xu Xiong Yuan's dream like one would protect a child's childhood dream. Whenever Xu Xiong Yuan's face showed anticipation for the future, Liu Yan would smile and nod, saying, "General, everything you desire will come true. What we desire will be accomplished by you, General."

His tone was gentle, filled with hope and devotion. Every time he finished speaking approvingly, Xu Xiong Yuan would gratefully grasp his hand and exclaim loudly, "With Liu Xiaoyou as my confidant, what else could I ask for?"

Whenever this happened, Liu Yan would smile faintly, keeping silent.

South Jing and the border of Jiangnan.

The three defending armies tightly surrounded the area, intercepting every letter sent out by the powerful figures in Jiangnan. The messengers from Jiangnan were completely astonished when their envelopes were thoroughly intercepted by the three defending armies. People and horses were detained, even the carrier pigeons were shot down and subjected to rough treatment. In short, it was nearly impossible to escape.

Those who were preparing to leave Jiangnan with the letters wore expressions of disbelief. Only when they were bound and roughly tossed aside did they realize that the imperial troops were stationed at the borders of both regions.

Heavens…

The messengers shivered, their bodies covered in goosebumps. As they looked around, they saw a dense formation of upright soldiers stretching as far as the eye could see.

Suddenly, their vision darkened, and they felt dizzy.

While people within the province were still pondering rebellion and usurping the throne, the emperor's troops were lurking nearby, observing with a hawk's gaze. This spine-chilling sensation surged through their bodies, causing many to have weak knees and struggle for breath.

The emperor was watching them conspire against him.

Their breath grew shallow, and they continuously lamented, shouting at the top of their lungs, hoping that those within the province would hear their inner thoughts and quickly flee, abandoning their rebellious plans!

"Master, don't rebel! Hurry, take your wives and children and run! The emperor's men are here! The emperor knows!" they cried out.

Due to the urgency of the situation, the entire attention of the Jiashen Society was focused on the powerful figures. As for the common people, apart from encountering some marauding troops and suffering losses, they fared relatively well.

Xu Xiong Yuan's forces spread from Huaihua Prefecture to the surrounding prefectures and counties. As a result, he recruited twenty thousand young adults who had never set foot on the battlefield or killed anyone before. With both provinces facing food shortages, the private storehouses of the numerous powerful figures were opened, revealing batches of food that made Xu Xiong Yuan's eyes turn green.

With so much food, even if Xu Xiong Yuan maintained an army of fifty thousand soldiers, he would have no reason to fear. The emperor's granaries would probably pale in comparison!

Xu Xiong Yuan burst into laughter and immediately dispatched people to transport the food to the army, allowing them to feast to their hearts' content. The powerful figures whose food had been plundered forced smiles on their faces, their hearts aching with every bite, but they dared not voice their grievances.

Xu Xiong Yuan interpreted this cooperation as meaning that whatever belonged to the powerful figures was now his. Even if the noble families were unwilling, they had no choice. With the gates wide open, they could only watch as Xu Xiong Yuan's troops looted everything, claiming it was for logistical support.

The long-standing assets of many powerful families vanished into thin air. It was only at this moment that they realized Xu Xiong Yuan's previous politeness was merely an act. When it came to their interests, he didn't care who they were. After all, they had already boarded the rebel's ship. Could they still switch sides and join the court halfway through?

Once people with armed forces discarded benevolence and righteousness, they became a group of bandits and rogues!

Recently, Xu Xiong Yuan had been living quite well.

The young adults in Jiangnan were being forcefully conscripted into his camp. It had been more than ten days since then, and there was no news of an attack from the surrounding defense forces. The officials from the Jiangnan court had long since fled in a panic. Xu Xiong Yuan often remarked to those around him, "Perhaps the dog emperor truly cannot survive much longer."

The people around him constantly flattered Xu Xiong Yuan, providing him with the most comfortable experience of flattery. They took advantage of this peaceful period to prepare a righteous excuse for rebellion.

Nowadays, the emperor is diligent in governance and loves the people. The anti-corruption activities enjoy widespread support from the common people. They cannot simply use the emperor's exemplary governance and love for the people as an excuse, as the powerful forces do not want the emperor's diligence and love for the people to become a justification.

Finally, the members of the "Jiashen Society" decided to refute the current government by highlighting the drawbacks during Lu Feng's rule.

Regardless of whether these drawbacks were left behind by their mentor, Lu Feng, the issue of powerful local forces causing harm and loss of innocent lives is a result of your failure to handle it, Gu Yuanbai!

In short, even if it is not your fault, it becomes your fault. If you don't make any mistakes, how can we rebel?

While the members of the "Jiashen Society" indulged in the wealth of Jiangnan, Xue Yuan and General Dingyuan led ten thousand soldiers, urging their horses forward, and rushed to South Jing.

After coordinating the route and battle plans with the commanding officers of the garrison, they took a longer route from the border of Da Yue and blocked the end of the Jiang Xian Dao road from the rear, preventing the rebels from retreating.

The garrison had already received the news and was ready to enter Jiangnan and eliminate the rebellious forces!

After more than half a month stationed there, the generals were eager to achieve military merits, with their banners fluttering in the air.

As the mighty army marched, dust filled the air, the earth trembled, and the garrison forces approached from three directions, swiftly advancing to Jiangnan.

The desperate refugees along the way had yet to recover their spirits when they saw the well-equipped troops of the court approaching them. These refugees were stunned, unable to take a single step.

Whenever the soldiers encountered the affected civilians, they would provide them shelter and distribute large quantities of food purchased by the supervisory office. Some of the people among the refugees had gone without food for two to three days. They received the rice and noodles distributed by the imperial soldiers, tears streaming down their haggard and pale faces.

Only at this moment did they truly understand the significance of the country's soldiers and realize that the taxes they paid on ordinary days were not unjustified at all!

Just as Jiangnan was in turmoil, the court dispatched troops. This provided a great sense of security. After the exhausted and well-fed refugees had rested, they contemplated and changed their course, following the army from a distance, hoping to return to their hometowns with the large force.

Following behind this group of officials and soldiers, they felt a sense of reassurance and confidence.

When the members of the "Jiashen Society" heard that the court had already sent troops into Jiangnan, it was already two days later. By this time, the imperial troops were closing in on Longxing Prefecture, a mere two hundred li away from Xu Xiong Yuan's location.

Xu Xiong Yuan felt that everything was absurd.

Not long ago, the local powerful figures in Jiangnan sent a message, making it seem like the world's fate was converging on Xu Xiong Yuan. But inexplicably, why did the imperial troops appear just a hundred li away?

Did the heavens send divine soldiers?

Xu Xiong Yuan felt a sense of panic. Besides panic, there was also a fiery anger at being publicly humiliated. He gathered the members of the "Jiashen Society" and in a hurried and irritable tone, exclaimed, "Do any of you have a good solution?"

The members of the "Jiashen Society" were also stunned upon hearing this.

They had just convinced the powerful figures, lured them onto the rebel's ship, and emptied several granaries. Everything seemed to be going well, but now the imperial troops were just two hundred li away?!

An atmosphere of panic spread throughout the hall, and everyone's faces showed a hint of unease.

Someone made an effort to stay calm and asked hopefully, "General, how many troops did the court send?"

"I have inquired about that," Xu Xiong Yuan's face turned ugly, and he angrily replied, "When did they arrive? We didn't receive any news at all!"

"It came so suddenly, it's probably a long-distance raid," Zhao Zhou said with a solemn expression. "But a long-distance raiding force cannot be too large, yet..."

Zhao Zhou had a bad premonition in his heart, and he involuntarily said, "General, is it possible that our capture of southern Jing and the invasion of Jiangnan went too smoothly?"

The local officials in southern Jing put up a symbolic resistance, while the local officials in Jiangnan had long fled. The sudden rise in food prices, news of epidemic outbreaks, and the sudden cessation of grain supply... It all inexplicably led to the rebellion of the "Jiashen Society."

In a daze, by the time Zhao Zhou received the news, Xu Xiong Yuan had already completely eradicated the powerful figures in Huaihua Prefecture.

Everyone in the hall was confused and restless.

Two hours later, the cavalry sent to gather information hurriedly returned and fell in the hall, filled with extreme terror. They exclaimed, "General, there are imperial troops on all three sides, and at a rough estimate, there are at least twenty thousand of them!"

Xu Xiong-Yuan abruptly stood up.

The hall fell into a quiet stillness, shaken by these words.

Uncontrollably, Xu Xiong-Yuan's facial expression became ferocious. He shouted, "Gu Yuan-!"

Liu Yan quickly stood up, walked into the hall, and bowed deeply to Xu Xiong-Yuan. "Jiangnan lacks the natural defenses of southern Jing. Once the imperial troops surround us on three sides, we are destined to have no way out. I, as a humble person, am willing to stay behind and delay the imperial troops in Longxing Prefecture. I implore the general to quickly retreat to southern Jing. I will do my best to hold off the imperial troops."

Xu Xiong-Yuan was immediately moved, his eyes filled with tears. "You have gone to such lengths for me..."

Liu Yan sighed and said solemnly, "General, please return quickly. Twenty thousand elite imperial soldiers are just two hundred li away from us. If they push their horses, it will be too late!"

"You're right, you're right," Xu Xiong-Yuan murmured in a panic. "I will assign 15,000 men to you, and you will be in charge here!"

Liu Yan nodded, and the people in the hall admired his character, showing a trace of admiration. At this moment, Zhao Zhou suddenly stepped forward and stood solemnly beside Liu Yan. He said, "General, I am also willing to stay here and hold the rear."

Chapter 57 part 2

Xu Xiong-Yuan covered his face and wept, deeply moved. "I, Xu, how am I worthy to receive assistance from these two gentlemen!"

After finishing his tears, Xu Xiong-Yuan immediately sent someone to transport the grain and money back to Southern Jing. However, there was too much food, and it took a lot of time to handle it. Liu Yan advised, "General, it's better to leave the green mountains. Your safety is the most important thing."

Reluctantly, Xu Xiong-Yuan had to reluctantly leave behind a large portion of the food and money, taking five thousand elite soldiers and ten thousand newly recruited troops to rush back to Southern Jing.

The remaining 15,000 troops in Longxing Prefecture were actually newly recruited soldiers who had never been on the battlefield. Among them, ten thousand were from Southern Jing, and the rest were recruited from Jiangnan in the past few days.

Looking at these soldiers, a hint of despair couldn't help but appear on Zhao Zhou's face. He quickly composed himself and said, "Brother Liu, let's quickly fortify the city walls and dig trenches, preparing for the defense of the city."

Liu Yan narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Sure."

Xu Xiong-Yuan escaped in time, and as soon as the group left with the soldiers, the powerful figures in Jiangnan suddenly realized that half of the troops in the city were missing.

A sense of unease rose in their hearts, and they sent people to inquire, but upon receiving the news, they were shocked and fell to the ground in anger.

Xu Xiong-Yuan and the troops had fled! The court had sent troops!

Their properties had just been seized as military resources by the rebel army, and now they were going to be treated as rebels by the emperor.

Many powerful figures directly fainted in despair.

The next day, the people guarding the city felt the ground trembling from a distance. Liu Yan and Zhao Zhou climbed up the city walls, and after waiting for two quarters of an hour, they saw a vast army approaching from afar, covering the sky like a dark cloud. The yellow sand filled the air. Zhao Zhou's legs went weak, and he almost had to lean on Liu Yan to stand firm.

Liu Yan calmly said, "Zhao, don't be afraid."

"How can I not be afraid?" Zhao Zhou smiled bitterly, steadying himself and encouraging both himself and Liu Yan. "But it has always been easier to defend a city than to attack one. With both of us working together and plenty of food left by the generals in the city, we will surely hold out for over a month."

Liu Yan sighed, "But I feel that a month is too long."

Zhao Zhou looked at him, and his eyelids suddenly twitched. "What do you mean, Liu?!"

Liu Yan smiled, turned and descended from the city wall. Zhao Zhou felt uneasy and followed closely behind, relentlessly asking, "What do you mean by that, Liu?!"

The sound of the approaching army grew closer, and their feet could feel the vibrations of the large force pressing against the city. Liu Yan walked faster and faster after descending the city wall, and Zhao Zhou couldn't keep up with him. Finally, Liu Yan reached the city gate and loudly declared, "Open the city gate to welcome our royal troops!"

Zhao Zhou was suddenly startled, a chill rising from behind. He looked at Liu Yan in horror, almost fainting in disbelief. "You—"

What shook him even more was that the guards at the city gate actually obeyed Liu Yan's command, swiftly opening the gates.

The howling wind carried the sound of horses as it swept into the city. Liu Yan tidied his attire and walked confidently out of the city gate, facing the rapidly approaching army. He shouted, "Is General Lu Yanmao here?"

The leading cavalry, protecting the commanding general, galloped all the way to the city gate. General Lu dismounted and approached with a hearty laugh, "It is I!"

Liu Yan smiled and said, "I am Ding Yan, pleased to meet you, General."

"I have fulfilled my mission," Liu Yan proclaimed loudly, "and I present to the general the entire Jiangnan, returning it intact to His Majesty! I also hand over the 15,000 surrendered troops to the general."

Zhao Zhou, who was behind, could no longer be puzzled by the situation. He covered his chest and was so infuriated that he coughed up a mouthful of blood, a mix of shock, anger, and regret swirling in his mind.

From beginning to end, they had fallen into the Emperor's trap. Since the moment Liu Yan joined the general, they had been led by the Emperor!

Overwhelmed by anger and fear, Zhao Zhou's vision blackened, and he collapsed heavily on the ground, unconscious.

Liu Yan was well aware of which powerful figures in the city had sided with Xu Xiong-Yuan and who had fled. He smiled faintly and said, "General, I kindly ask you to capture all the rebels in the city."

Xu Xiong-Yuan was still on his way to Huaihua Prefecture, fleeing for his life.

He had no idea what had happened in Jiangnan Longxing Prefecture behind him, nor did he know that Liu Yan, whom he trusted wholeheartedly, was sent by the Emperor to be by his side. He was still grieving with the people around him, saying, "Mr. Liu and Mr. Zhao have ended up in such a state because of me. If that wretched Emperor attacks the city, I can't imagine how he would humiliate them!"

All the grain and wealth of Jiangnan, the prosperous land of Jiangnan, was gone just like that!

The people around him tried to console him, saying, "General, you have entrusted Mr. Liu and Mr. Zhao with 15,000 soldiers. You have done everything you could."

Xu Xiong-Yuan sighed, "I hope Mr. Liu and Mr. Zhao are safe."

Everyone knew that the 15,000 soldiers were not enough and that the two men were in great danger. But some words, even if known in one's heart, must remain unspoken.

A group of people hurried day and night towards Huaihua Prefecture. Just as they returned to the city, before they could fortify the city gate, scattered sentinels came reporting that a large number of imperial soldiers were chasing after them.

Xu Xiong-Yuan was immediately stunned. "Didn't Liu Yan and Zhao Zhou stay behind to hold them off?"

The scout who came to report urgently said, "General, run! There's no time to think about it now!"

In an instant, Xu Xiong-Yuan's face turned pale and defeated. He didn't understand what had happened. Just a few days ago, the situation was promising, but now he was forced to flee back to Southern Jing. And after fleeing back to Southern Jing, where else could he escape?

Southern Jing was surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the only way to escape was being pursued by the enemy. Xu Xiong-Yuan felt utterly defeated. "Am I, Xu Xiong, going to be trapped and die in Huaihua Prefecture today?"

With the sudden reversal, many people's faces were filled with despair. No matter how they thought about it, they couldn't understand how the imperial troops had suddenly appeared and caught up so quickly.

No one spoke in the room for a while. Suddenly, a guest shouted in astonishment, "General, there is still a way of retreat in Southern Jing!"

Xu Xiong-Yuan was taken aback. "What?"

The guest continued, "In the rear of Southern Jing, there is a treacherous and winding path called Jiang Xian Dao Road. Beyond Jiang Xian Dao Road is the territory of Da Yue. General, now that we have nowhere to escape, why not flee to Da Yue? With the troops in your hands, you can establish a foothold in Da Yue!"

Xu Xiong-Yuan's spirits were lifted, and he quickly brought a map and examined it carefully. After a while, he slammed the table decisively and made a decision, "Then let's take Jiang Xian Dao Road!"

As the enemy forces pursued from behind, possibly using the relentless method of long-distance pursuit, Xu Xiong-Yuan didn't dare to waste any more time. They gritted their teeth and decided to only allow each soldier to carry three days' worth of rations. Immediately, they headed towards the Jiang Xian Dao.

Leaving South Jing behind, Xu Xiong-Yuan's desolate state resembled that of a drowning dog, constantly being driven to the next location. They had long lost the fighting spirit they once had. Similarly, the soldiers under Xu Xiong-Yuan's command had become demoralized due to their continuous days of fleeing. Their expressions were full of fear and apprehension, and even the slightest rustle of grass would fill them with extreme terror. In this atmosphere, after enduring countless hardships, Xu Xiong-Yuan and the others finally reached Jiang Xian Dao.

The Jiang Xian Dao was extremely treacherous, and a moment of carelessness could lead to a sheer cliff. Some horses were even too afraid to cross it and had to be ordered by Xu Xiong-Yuan to be slaughtered and abandoned. With only a few remaining horses and soldiers, they cautiously crossed the Jiang Xian Dao.

As Xue Yuan awaited them at the end of Jiang xian dao, he was about to encounter this group of rebellious troops, who were like a pack of desperate dogs.

After these rebellious troops managed to navigate the extremely perilous Jiang Xian Dao, stepping onto level ground was an arduous task in itself. They had just started to show signs of relief and joy for escaping with their lives, but in the next moment, those expressions froze on their faces.

The imperial soldiers ambushed them, and shouted loudly as they rushed forward, a dense mass of soldiers that appeared more terrifying than ghosts in the eyes of these fleeing individuals. The smile that had just appeared on Xu Xiong-Yuan's face froze, his eyes widened, and his expression became a strange mix of laughter and crying, extremely eerie.

Banners fluttered, and on them, the prominent character "Heng" caught the eyes of everyone.

Every soldier under the command of Da Heng was experienced and physically strong. They stood their ground, brandishing their weapons to block every escape route, watching the expressions of the rebellious troops with a fierce gaze.

Xue Yuan, riding on his horse, paced a few steps in place and laughed loudly, "Wise Emperor, it was His Majesty's order to station us here. General Dingyuan, take a look. Who has come?"

General Dingyuan burst into laughter, "General Xue is right. Isn't it the leader of the pack of rebel dogs?"

The enemy forces had already shown signs of scattering, with people in the rear turning and fleeing towards the Jiang Xian Dao. In their panic and fear, many individuals lost their footing and fell into the abyss.

A surge of fear and anger rose within Xu Xiong-Yuan. He raised his blade, his expression fierce, and exclaimed, "Has the court run out of capable individuals? They actually sent a little brat who hasn't even grown a beard to capture this general! You, boy, have you ever set foot on the battlefield?!"

Xue Yuan's expression turned mischievous, "Are you talking about me?"

The position of Du Yu Hou was a fifth-rank official, while General Dingyuan held the rank of fifth-grade official. However, His Majesty appointed Xue Yuan as the commander-in-chief. General Dingyuan, a middle-aged man in his thirties, aware of Xue Yuan's capabilities, had no objections. Upon hearing Xu Xiong-Yuan's words, he burst into hearty laughter.

Xu Xiong-Yuan thought he was being mocked and immediately burst into laughter. He mounted his horse and wielded his weapon, saying, "You, little brat, today I, Xu Xiong-Yuan, will show you the cruelty of the battlefield. It seems that the court truly cannot send out any competent generals, allowing even a young lad like you to become a commander! Once I sever your head, it will be a perfect opportunity for that dog emperor to witness my prowess!"

Xue Yuan drew his large blade, which had been sharpened to gleam with a cold light during the days of waiting to kill enemies. He smiled at Xu Xiong-Yuan and replied, "Interesting."

The court achieved a complete victory!

The defense forces from the three factions, totaling a full 20,000 soldiers, hardly played a significant role. They only executed the wealthy elites who had joined the rebels, seized their assets, and tightly sealed off the news from South Jing and Jiangnan. Not even the slightest hint of information leaked out.

Under the guidance of the Supervisory Office and the Eastern Feather Guards, the damage suffered by the common people was less than expected. Gu Yuanbai made arrangements for the losses of grain and trampled houses. Once the affairs in South Jing and Jiangnan were thoroughly dealt with, the news was slowly reported in the "Da Heng National Gazette," which had been gradually spreading from the capital.

Only then did people from other provinces come to know that there had been turmoil in South Jing and Jiangnan. The rebel forces had forcefully taken control of the local wealthy elites and commoners, trampling upon the regional powerhouses for money and food. Fortunately, the court reacted swiftly and handled the situation in a timely manner, preventing the common people from suffering greater harm.

However, numerous wealthy elites and merchants were still completely killed by the rebel forces. These rebels showed no mercy, and their leader, Xu Xiong, was particularly ruthless, setting fire to more than half of Huaihua Prefecture!

This news shook the entire capital.

Soon, an outpouring of curses followed!

As the Emperor's trusted wordsmith, Chang Yuyan immediately stood up to praise His Majesty's benevolent actions and strongly denounce the greedy and brutal rebel forces. He wrote an exceptionally brilliant article that made readers feel the urge to personally grab a knife and stab the rebels in South Jing. The article vividly and sorrowfully described the agonizing and desperate experiences of the people in those two regions during the chaos and escape, evoking a sense of being present and bringing tears to readers' eyes.

Finally, Chang Yuyan called upon everyone, saying, "In South Jing and Jiangnan, due to the harm caused by the rebel forces, the people are left homeless, embracing their children and weeping. The court wishes to aid these suffering people. Let the wealthy donate money and the poor contribute rice, so that we may all lend a helping hand to the people of these regions."

Once this article was published, thanks to its excellent quality, it quickly spread throughout the entire southern and northern regions, becoming known to scholars.

It was at this time that these scholars learned about the events in South Jing and Jiangnan. Moved by the words in the article, they shed tears of sorrow and immediately sent generous donations to the court.

After Gu Yuanbai finished reading the letters sent by the defense forces, which had been seized from the group of wealthy elites, he roughly grasped the relationships and interests among the powerful figures throughout the country. From the letters, he also obtained some information. After organizing these documents, he heard the news of donations pouring into the capital from all over the country.

When he and the Minister of Revenue took a look, both of them were somewhat astonished.

Later, when they heard the exact amount being reported by the personnel, the Minister of Revenue gasped for breath, trembling and supported by eunuchs. He turned to look at the Emperor and, with a sudden realization, blurted out, "Your Majesty, do we still have any rebel forces left?"

Indeed, how incredible! It was truly a profitable endeavor!

Chapter 58

After the Minister of Revenue finished speaking, he was punished, and was driven out of the palace by the emperor.

Having vented his anger at the Minister of Revenue, Gu Yuanbai felt refreshed. He looked at the carts filled with grain, money, and various donations, and couldn't help but once again praise Chang Yuyan in his heart. This was truly a treasure.

The power of the pen was no less than that of a sharp weapon.

He gave the order, "Transfer Chang Yuyan to the Ministry of Government, and let the Deputy Minister of Government choose an experienced minister to guide him."

Tian Fusheng said, "Yes."

Gu Yuanbai pondered for a moment and said, "After they return, it's time to reward them for their achievements."

Tian Fusheng smiled and said, "Mr. Xue is also coming back. I have to say, I've been missing Mr. Xue for over a month."

"You miss him?" Gu Yuanbai couldn't help but curl his lips, "Tian Fusheng, I have a higher opinion of you."

Tian Fusheng replied, "It's just that I admire Mr. Xue's boldness. Besides me and Mr. Zhang, only Mr. Xue dares to advise the emperor to eat and rest."

Gu Yuanbai smiled faintly, "But Xue Yuan is such a talented person, staying by my side is somewhat stifling his abilities."

He casually continued, "After they return, reward them according to their merits. Transfer him to the court or let him command the various guards in the Forbidden Army. It wouldn't be considered a loss of his abilities."

"Anyway," the emperor concluded, "stop revolving around me."

Desire arose momentarily, and that kiss, driven by testosterone, carried some element of testing. Gu Yuanbai could forget about it with ease, but he was worried that Xue Yuan couldn't do the same. So it would be better to keep his distance sooner rather than later.

Knowing that Xue Yuan had no intention toward him, Gu Yuanbai felt quite pleased. He had to ensure that Xue Yuan would maintain this mindset.

While the emperor was smiling, the meaning behind his words seemed to express a disdain for Xue Yuan. Tian Fusheng couldn't discern the deeper implications, and he respectfully said, "I have taken note of it."

As Chang Yuyan received his reward, he was transferred to the Ministry of Government. On the day of his transfer, he truly wore a cheerful expression, smiling and appearing suave. The talented scholar had arrived at the Ministry of Government with such ostentation.

The Deputy Minister of Government assigned Chang Yuyan to an experienced official. The official took Chang Yuyan on a tour of the Ministry of Government, and after a brief introduction to the scope of the ministry's affairs, he said, "The affairs of the Ministry of Government are extremely busy. You have talent, so you will start by working in the newly established National Reports Department. Spend ten days getting acquainted with it under my guidance, and after ten days, you can handle the work yourself."

Chang Yuyan politely replied, "Yes."

Indeed, the affairs of the Ministry of Government were incredibly busy. Since his transfer, Chang Yuyan realized how shallow he had been before. In the National Reports Department, it seemed like every official had the ability to decipher numerous hidden messages and balance interests just by glancing at the memorials. Often, what appeared to be headache-inducing and incomprehensible memorials to Chang Yuyan were swiftly reviewed by his experienced superior.

With his pride, Chang Yuyan immersed himself in learning and eventually managed to handle these affairs within the ten days.

Coincidentally, after these ten days, Gu Yuanbai personally came to the Ministry of Government to inspect.

As Chang Yuyan raised his head from the documents, he saw the emperor and the Deputy Minister of Government smiling as they walked past. Chang Yuyan's heart tightened, and he quickly lowered his gaze. Although he was looking at the affairs, he couldn't really focus on them.

The Deputy Minister of Government noticed him and remembered that Chang Yuyan had written an article that brought numerous donations to the court. He had high expectations for this young man and now smiled, saying, "How is the progress of the talented scholar's affairs today?"

Chang Yuyan stood up and saluted, saying, "Half of it has been completed."

Gu Yuanbai casually picked up a memorial he had already reviewed, read the annotated corrections and integrations at the top, and nodded slightly, saying, "Well done."

Chang Yuyan humbly replied, "I am humbled and far from matching the greatness of the esteemed officials."

The emperor laughed, and the Deputy Minister of Government also chuckled a couple of times. Gu Yuanbai put down the memorial and continued walking inside with the high-ranking officials.

Chang Yuyan let out a breath and felt calm as he sat back down. He realized he had been quite nervous earlier. Reflecting on the first time he saw the emperor, he had been amazed by his appearance, but subsequent encounters revealed that the emperor's beauty was not just in his looks.

The majesty of the emperor grew stronger, making it impossible for anyone to entertain irreverent thoughts. The renowned Chu family and their son's fame in the capital might have been overshadowed if the emperor were not the emperor.

For a moment, Chang Yuyan's thoughts drifted, but he quickly snapped back to reality. He continued to lower his head and review the official documents on his desk, although his mind was somewhat absent.

The Deputy Minister of Government and Gu Yuanbai walked together, discussing the results of their recent busy period. "Your Majesty, this is the amount brought in from the confiscation of assets in South Jing and Jiangnan," said the Deputy Minister of Government.

Gu Yuanbai looked at the confiscated wealth of the powerful families in these two regions and exclaimed, "The treasury can't hold it all."

"I never expected the assets of the powerful families to be so abundant," the Deputy Minister of Government said with a serious expression. "Based on the quantity of good farmland, average farmland, and poor farmland that was seized, the tax revenues previously submitted by South Jing (South Jiang) and Jiangnan accounted for only thirty percent of their total wealth."

Gu Yuanbai nodded, not particularly surprised, and said, "In the past, they always said that Jiangnan was the land of abundance, the granary and money bag of the court. Look at it now, they only paid thirty percent of the taxes from their money bag."

"Not to mention other regions, if it's just Jiangnan and South Jing, it's already like this," sighed Gu Yuanbai. "Countless fertile fields have been seized by a single family, and that family only pays taxes on hundreds of acres. Concealment of land is a severe issue in our dynasty."

The Deputy Minister of Government expressed his concern, saying, "But if the rebels in South Jing and Jiangnan rise again, it may cause public anxiety."

Gu Yuanbai smiled and replied, "Where would there be so many rebels?"

After saying that, he changed the topic, and the Deputy Minister of Government obediently stopped asking further questions. After leaving the Ministry of Government, Gu Yuanbai got into a carriage and, in that drowsy state between sleep and wakefulness, heard Tian Fusheng outside saying, "Your Majesty, the two officials who went to suppress the rebels have returned."

After the great victory, Xue Yuan and General Ding Yuan were supposed to immediately rush to the capital. However, the garrison troops couldn't stay for long, and the officials from both regions hadn't returned from their assignments, leaving a mess that needed to be cleaned up by the court. So, they had to let the two generals stay with ten thousand troops and wait for the court to come and handle the aftermath.

By the time Chang Yuyan's article reached Jiangnan, Xue Yuan had been trapped there for almost a month.

When a soldier delivered the article to him, Xue Yuan had just finished sparring with General Ding Yuan. The heat radiating from his body distorted the air, and he threw his weapon aside before washing his face. Only then did he pick up the article and read it.

General Ding Yuan asked, "What does it say?"

Xue Yuan softly recited, "Upon hearing every complaint, one can feel the emperor's painstaking efforts. Pity the people who suffer in this hardship, and sigh at one's own inability to govern."

His gaze remained fixed on the word "emperor." With just this simple sentence, he could imagine Gu Yuanbai's expression. Would he furrow his brow out of sympathy for the people? In these thirty-plus days of not seeing each other, had Gu Yuanbai gained weight or lost weight? Was he ill?

Xue Yuan sighed after a long pause, rolled up the article, and tucked it into his sleeve.

The longing intensified when they hadn't seen each other for a day, but after more than a month, that longing settled, clinging to Xue Yuan's every nerve like wild grass, shrouding his thoughts whenever Gu Yuanbai came to mind.

The weight of it all pressed heavily on Xue Yuan, and the outward appearance grew steadier. Yet, his thoughts were gradually consumed, drop by drop, drowning him entirely.

General Ding Yuan chuckled and said, "The articles from the capital have all arrived. I suppose the people from the capital aren't far behind."

Xue Yuan raised his lips and replied, "Hurry up."

Accompanying the two officials on their return to the capital were important figures from the rebel forces, totaling ten thousand soldiers.

These individuals were dressed in prisoner's garments, shackled and wearing wooden collars, secured atop prisoner carts.

The Imperial Guards were divided into two parts, Southeast and Northwest, with the latter being responsible for guarding the inner palace. The prisoners were held in designated areas outside the palace. The combined forces of the Imperial Guards numbered over two hundred thousand, but the common people rarely caught a glimpse of them. This time, as the troops clearing the rebel forces entered the capital in batches, it startled the people.

The onlookers' gazes were filled with anticipation and awe. However, as the rebel prisoners passed by in the carts, their expressions turned fierce and disgusted.

Zhao Zhou kept his head low in a miserable state, avoiding eye contact with the surroundings. Standing beside him, equally disheveled, was Xu Xiong-Yuan. And next to them, riding a horse alongside, was Liu Yan.

Xu Xiong-Yuan had been cursing Liu Yan throughout the journey. At first, his curses had left him parched and unable to muster any more strength, but now, seeing the disdainful eyes of the people around him, his sensitive nerves were provoked once again. "Liu Yan, you're truly worse than pigs and dogs, a beast, a beast!"

Ding Yuan smiled faintly, and a cavalryman angrily scolded Xu Xiong Yuan, then turned to Ding Yuan. "Should we shut his mouth to spare you from hearing any more foul language, my lord?"

"No need for that," said Liu Yan, his expression unchanged. "It is said that a dying man speaks well. We should allow the dying man to speak some wise words to us as well."

The cavalryman burst into laughter and said, "My lord, you're absolutely right."

Xu Xiong-Yuan was so infuriated that his face turned red. Suddenly, he spat at Liu Yan, who quickly dodged and brushed off his clothes. "Which family's beast would spit at people?"

Zhao Zhou interjected with a mix of resentment and endless regret, "The rise in grain prices in Jiangnan, and even the mining activities by the entire province of South Jing, were all orchestrated by you behind the scenes, weren't they?"

Liu Yan replied, "Mr. Zhao's words are incomprehensible to me, I'm afraid."

Zhao Zhou was almost driven to spurt out another retort in anger.

The officials from the Supervisory Office enjoyed themselves, while Xue Yuan and Ding Yuan, in the gaze of the public, gradually made their way inside the imperial city.

Both generals were still wearing their armor. A eunuch stood at the palace gate, smiling as he awaited their arrival. As the two dismounted from their horses, the eunuch approached and had people help the generals remove their armor and swords.

Xue Yuan found the eunuch familiar; he must be someone from the Emperor's side. Speaking of the Emperor, Xue Yuan asked, "Is the Emperor ready to receive us now?"

He didn't seem eager to see Gu Yuanbai. His gaze occasionally wandered towards the palace, as if shrouded in mist, revealing a profound depth.

The eunuch smiled and replied, "The two generals have had a long journey. After meeting with the Emperor, you can return home and rest."

General Ding Yuan burst into laughter. "It's our duty. What are we waiting for? Kindly lead us into the palace to meet the Emperor, Lord Eunuch."

Xue Yuan also chuckled and said in a calm tone, "As General Ding Yuan said."

Chapter 59

After a month and a half, Xue Yuan stepped into Gu Yuanbai's Xuanzheng Hall once again.

Gu Yuanbai was sitting behind the desk, and upon hearing the footsteps, he looked up and smiled faintly.

From afar, Xue Yuan noticed the smile at the corner of Gu Yuanbai's lips. He stared at it for a while before catching up with General Ding Yuan's footsteps. Suppressing his emotions, he murmured to himself in a low voice, "It seems like he looks better."

The two officials approached and paid their respects. Gu Yuanbai kindly asked them to rise. After they reported on the matter of the rebel army and the current situation in South Jing and Jiangnan, Gu Yuanbai nodded and allowed them to return home and rest.

General Ding Yuan obediently retreated, but Xue Yuan remained motionless. Gu Yuanbai looked at him, his gaze shifting from Xue Yuan's eyebrows to his neck. He secretly wondered about the weather in Hu Nan, which had made Xue Yuan several shades darker.

"What else do you have, Xue Qing?" Gu Yuanbai asked.

In the scorching month of July, the Xuanzheng Hall had ice basins placed inside. Outside, the scorching sun accompanied the irritating bird chirping and cicadas' cries, distorting the air with its heat.

It took Xue Yuan seventeen more days before he saw Gu Yuanbai again.

Gu Yuanbai's face had turned slightly red from the heat, and his clothes had become thinner. The joints under his jade ring remained round and fair.

Xue Yuan, dressed in ordinary attire with his armor removed, still carried the aura of sand and wind. He smiled slightly and calmly replied, "As the leader of the palace guards, it is my duty to ensure Your Majesty's safety and accompany you at all times."

Gu Yuanbai pondered for a moment and said, "Then there's no need. The imperial decree promoting Xue Qing will be issued later. Xue Qing, with your great talents, you no longer need to stay by my side."

A momentary stiffness flashed across Xue Yuan's smile, and a hint of bitterness tingled on his tongue. He asked slowly, "Your Majesty, what do you mean by this?"

Tian Fusheng, seeing Gu Yuanbai's silence, interjected with a smile, "Lord Xue, His Majesty recognizes your talents and intends to promote you!"

The fire that had just ignited in Xue Yuan's heart was instantly extinguished.

Xue Yuan's eyes grew heavy as he stared at Gu Yuanbai for a long while. After a moment, he coldly smiled and said, "I will comply with the decree."

He turned around and left the Xuanzheng Hall with large strides.

Gu Yuanbai watched Xue Yuan's departing figure, the swaying of his robe indicating the extent of his anger. Gu Yuanbai rubbed his nose and turned to Tian Fusheng, asking, "Rewarding him with a good position as a recognition of his merits, isn't that good enough?"

Tian Fusheng was also extremely puzzled. "I can't understand what Lord Xue is thinking."

"Forget it," Gu Yuanbai rubbed his forehead in distress, unable to fathom what Xue Yuan was thinking. "Let's not worry about him."

Once Xue Yuan walked out of the palace, he stopped expressionlessly.

The palace behind him gleamed with golden brilliance, immense and grand, but it was cold and devoid of any human touch, just like its master.

Xue Yuan clenched the white handkerchief with the dragon pattern in his sleeve, returning to Xue Manor without showing any emotion.

Gu Yuanbai.

The people of Xue Manor had been waiting for him for a long time. Even after Xue Yuan finished bathing and lay in his room, he kept staring at the beams above.

After thinking all night, after a long time, he finally came up with a solution.

If the young emperor thought he could get rid of him like this, he was too naive.

When Xue Yuan first went to the battlefield, he was attracted to a dagger in the enemy leader's arms. For that dagger, he almost lost his life on the battlefield. But in the end, the dagger belonged to him. Xue Yuan was determined to obtain what he desired, as long as there was breath in his body, he would fight to possess it.

Either kill him.

Or give himself to him.

Wasn't satisfying him enough? If he let him be satisfied, wouldn't that be enough?

Gu Yuanbai didn't give the rebel army more than a day to live. At noon that day, he publicly beheaded the important figures of the rebel army in the capital city.

At that moment, Xu Xiong-Yuan looked at the crowds of people in the capital, their excitement and eagerness to see the rebels punished. In that instant, he felt that he had suffered a complete defeat.

Gu Yuanbai had the ability to behead Lu Feng and would he really let him escape the capital city with five thousand soldiers? Perhaps, from the moment he was chosen by Gu Yuanbai, he had already lost.

But he realized it too late.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, heads rolled.

The next evening, Gu Yuanbai held a small banquet for the meritorious officials.

The palace maids were busy preparing wine and serving dishes. In the open space of the palace banquet, the court's song and dance performers were gracefully dancing.

The current emperor had no interest in women, and his gaze as he watched the performance was clear and devoid of desire. Xue Yuan took a sip of wine and glanced at the emperor, his gaze intense and scorching.

During the small banquet, to show affability, the emperor wore a bright yellow court robe. Occasionally, when he raised his cup or lifted his sleeve, the hidden golden patterns on the fabric could be glimpsed. Xue Yuan traced the patterns with his gaze, drinking one cup of wine after another.

Seated beside him was General Ding Yuan, who had already become somewhat intoxicated from the numerous toasts he received. When he turned to look at Xue Yuan, he was startled by the empty bottles strewn all over the place. "Hey! Lord Xue, how can you hold so much liquor?"

Not far away, Chang Yuyan overheard the conversation and laughed heartily, raising his cup to Xue Yuan and General Ding Yuan. "General Ding Yuan spent over a month with Xue Jiuyao in southern Jinghu. Don't you know Lord Xue's drinking capacity?"

General Ding Yuan replied, "He used to climb up to the eaves every day, swaying his wine bottle. I always asked him if one bottle was enough. I didn't expect that I had underestimated Lord Xue's drinking capacity."

Chang Yuyan laughed and emptied his cup with General Ding Yuan.

Suddenly, Xue Yuan stood up, holding a cup of wine and walking toward the emperor. However, before he reached him, the Prince He sitting at the lower left of the emperor stood up and raised his cup to Gu Yuanbai, whispering, "I offer a toast to the emperor."

With a sidelong glance, Gu Yuanbai inadvertently caught sight of Xue Yuan, who had stopped in his tracks. Xue Yuan's long eyebrows arched, his smile ambiguous, as if he was watching a good show between the two of them.

It seemed as if, all of a sudden, the mad dog had returned to its original state. But it also seemed completely different from the initial state.

Gu Yuanbai withdrew his gaze, turned his head, and gave Tian Fusheng a command. Then he raised his cup, indicating to Prince He, and took a shallow sip.

Prince He finished his cup in one gulp, not leaving a drop. He looked at Gu Yuanbai, who had taken just a shallow sip, without saying anything, silently sitting back down as if he had simply toasted the emperor with a cup of wine.

After the prince consort sat down, Xue Yuan approached. Tian Fusheng had just brought a fresh jug of wine, and he refilled the emperor's cup. Gu Yuanbai smiled and said, "Xue Qing, you've made quite a spectacle again."

Upon closer inspection, his gaze halted. "Where did the drop of water on Xue Qing's hand come from?"

Xue Yuan lowered his head and casually replied, "The cup has a crack."

Gu Yuanbai had someone bring him a new cup, and once Xue Yuan took the new cup in his hand, he lifted his sleeve. Just as the white jade cup was about to touch his lips, Xue Yuan said, "Your Majesty, don't drink it."

Gu Yuanbai's hand paused, and he looked up at Xue Yuan.

The emperor's eyes reflected a glimmer of water, and Xue Yuan's Adam's apple rolled as he quickly finished the wine in his cup. Then, in a swift motion, he stepped forward and snatched the cup from the emperor's hand, drinking every last drop.

The water that Tian Fusheng had brought to replace the wine tasted fresh and sweet. Xue Yuan smiled and spoke elegantly, "Your Majesty, this wine has an extraordinary flavor."

With his hand still paused in place, Gu Yuanbai's lips twitched. "Is that so?"

"Tian Fusheng," he stared straight at Xue Yuan and said, "present this jug of wine to Lord Xue as a reward."

Tian Fusheng complied and handed the jug to Xue Yuan. However, Xue Yuan didn't leave immediately, and his shadow seemed to cast over Gu Yuanbai. After a while, he spoke, "Your Majesty, you promised me something as a reward, but you haven't given it to me yet."

Gu Yuanbai suddenly recalled the mountain cave from before. His thoughts wandered for a moment, remembering how well Xue Yuan had served his younger brother.

This man was like a bandit, rough in his ways, but when he pleased him, it was as if he was handling a precious treasure.

Gu Yuanbai felt a twinge of guilt like that of a scumbag. Softening his voice, he asked, "What do you want?"

Xue Yuan grinned, bowed his head, and whispered, "Your Majesty, you once took a piece of clothing from me."

Gu Yuanbai couldn't help but laugh. "Xue Mansion's esteemed young master, are you still holding a grudge over a piece of clothing?"

"It's not about that," Xue Yuan said, "I just thought that the clothing looked good on Your Majesty and you should wear it more often."

They had already exchanged many words, and quite a few people had noticed their proximity. Prince He, sitting at the lower left, couldn't hear their conversation amidst the string and woodwind music, but he could see their close distance. He furrowed his brows and said loudly, "Lord Xue, haven't you finished speaking?"

Xue Yuan exerted some force in his hand, nearly causing the cup that the emperor had just brought to his lips to crack again. Smiling, he said, "Your Majesty, do you still have the jade finger guard I gave you?"

Gu Yuanbai thought to himself, why is Xue Jiuyao asking all these questions today? Nonetheless, he raised his hand, and between his slender white fingers, the jade finger guard, almost dripping with green fluid, wrapped around delicate flesh, as beautiful as a flower glistening with dewdrops.

Xue Yuan admired it for a while, longing to reach out and touch it with his lips or give it a gentle caress. But he couldn't do that; it would scare people away. Xue Yuan suppressed his thoughts, bowed to Gu Yuanbai, and walked back leisurely with the wine cup and a deliberately concealed white jade cup.

The Prince Consort glanced at Gu Yuanbai's hand and his eyelids twitched before retracting his gaze. However, when he saw Xue Yuan's figure, that sense of panic turned into a deep-seated anger.

This General Xue's eldest son was too audacious. Taking the wine from Gu Yuanbai's hand was one thing, but what infuriated Prince He even more was that Gu Yuanbai didn't punish him.

Could it be that the emperor's favor was enough to indulge such a brazen person?

What others were thinking had nothing to do with Gu Yuanbai.

The afternoon breeze was cooler than the daytime, and Gu Yuanbai drank some water and ate a few bites of food. When he felt it was about time, he ordered the banquet to be dismissed.

As the emperor withdrew from the banquet, Prince He also got up and followed behind Gu Yuanbai in silence. They walked together, and when they were about to reach the sleeping quarters, Gu Yuanbai asked, "Prince He, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Nothing," Prince He's voice was gloomy, and he unwillingly raised his head to look at Gu Yuanbai. "I miss the late emperor, so I wanted to visit the palace."

Gu Yuanbai found it amusing, detecting a hint of unusual meaning. He raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Alright. Since Prince He is missing the late emperor, you can stay in the palace for one night. The late emperor used to enjoy staying in Hua Yi Palace, so Prince He can spend the night there."

Prince He nodded heavily, gave Gu Yuanbai a glance, and then left with the eunuch.

Gu Yuanbai squinted his eyes as he watched Prince He's figure and instructed, "Investigate if anything has happened to Prince He recently."

After Tian Fusheng acknowledged the order, Gu Yuanbai continued walking towards the sleeping quarters.

After washing up and lying in bed, Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes, holding the smooth white jade in his hand. His fingers caressed the jade pendant for a few moments before he suddenly remembered the white jade cup he had used at the banquet.

Where was that cup?

Chapter 60

The white jade cup was brought back home by Xue Yuan.

He sat alone under the moon, pouring wine into the cup that had touched the little emperor's lips.

Despite the stifling summer heat, as soon as his lips touched the cup, he remembered the little emperor's pale lips. The heat dissipated from his body, and his senses became intoxicated.

Xue Yuan couldn't help but recall the kiss in the cave.

That kiss was the reason Xue Yuan could stay in South Jing for a whole month.

Every day, the more Xue Yuan thought about it, the more intense his desires became.

Gu Yuanbai was like wine, a few thoughts of him could intoxicate a person.

Xue Yuan sighed softly and thought about the transfer order given by Gu Yuanbai. He tapped the cup gently and muttered, "You heartless little devil."

The next morning, as he was being attended to, Tian Fusheng whispered to Gu Yuanbai, "Your Majesty, this morning, Master Xue arrived. He said that as long as your imperial decree is not issued and the transfer is not made, he will remain by your side. He wants to protect Your Majesty's safety."

A palace attendant approached and wiped away the fine sweat from the Emperor's forehead with a cold cloth. The almost melted ice basin was removed from the room and replaced with fresh ones.

There was no morning court today. After the celebration yesterday and finally letting go of a burden in his heart, Gu Yuanbai had finally slept well after a month and a half of discomfort. He woke up a little later today, and when he heard Tian Fusheng's words, he hadn't fully grasped the situation yet. "Does he love his position so much?"

Tian Fusheng pondered for a moment and roughly guessed the meaning of "love his position." He didn't know whether he should say more about Xue Yuan's affairs in front of the Emperor, so he cautiously replied, "Master Xue probably doesn't want to leave Your Majesty."

That polite remark immediately snapped Gu Yuanbai back to reality. He thought to himself, let him not want to leave.

Gu Yuanbai couldn't bear this kind of favor.

Now, both Xue Yuan and Chu Wei had shown varying degrees of loyalty to Gu Yuanbai. From this perspective, it seemed no different from what he had originally imagined.

The only difference was that there were no sparks between the two of them.

Gu Yuanbai sighed.

He decided to go with the flow and didn't feel like meddling in matchmaking anymore.

The Emperor walked out of the inner hall with palace attendants following behind. The imperial kitchen had already sent the meals, considering that the Emperor had consumed rich food last night, today's meal was deliberately made light and delicious.

Gu Yuanbai was quite satisfied with it. Xue Yuan was standing by the hall during breakfast, but Gu Yuanbai didn't say anything about Xue Yuan's presumptuousness.

Gu Yuanbai, who tarnished the loyal hearts of his ministers, chose to turn a blind eye to such a minor matter.

Xue Yuan watched the jade spoon and chopsticks play around his lips and revealed a familiar look to the chief guard.

The chief guard was extremely puzzled. "Master Xue, did you come on duty before having your meal? Are you hungry again?"

"Um," Xue Yuan nodded heavily, his eyes fixed on Gu Yuanbai's lips. He was hungry, hungry to taste the flavor of Gu Yuanbai's mouth.

Last time was like a dream, floating in the air without touching the ground, influenced by the venomous snake. He only remembered that it was soft and sweet, but Gu Yuanbai couldn't possibly be just soft and sweet.

The chief guard pondered for a moment. "If you're really hungry, why not ask His Majesty for a favor and go downstairs to have a meal?"

In Xue Yuan's mind, if he went up now and kissed Gu Yuanbai, he could probably be directly pressed into the bowl.

He replied, "No." His eyes were still fixed on the Emperor's pale lips that glistened with a watery sheen. He needed to find an opportunity to give Gu Yuanbai another moment of pleasure, to kiss him once more.

The Emperor appeared weak due to illness, but his personality was strong-willed. As long as he was pleased, even if Xue Yuan held his chin and kissed him, he wanted to taste him again.

After finishing the meal, Tian Fusheng brought today's "Da Heng National Gazette" and placed it on the Emperor's left side.

A palace attendant was wiping the Emperor's hands with a cloth. The delicate and beautiful fingers seemed to appear and disappear between the folds of the cloth. After the hands were cleaned, the Emperor put on the jade finger guard that Xue Yuan had given him.

Xue Yuan's lips curled up. When the palace attendant was about to leave, he calmly approached and took the cloth that had just been used to clean the Emperor's hands from the attendant's hands.

In today's edition of the "Da Heng National Gazette," the rebellion was still the main topic, but it also mentioned that powerful forces in Jiangnan were sending out letters in an attempt to trap local influential figures. However, these sealed letters were intercepted by the Emperor.

This matter was briefly mentioned, seemingly unimportant. The common people wouldn't think much of it, but Gu Yuanbai knew that once those influential figures learned about this, they would become extremely restless and uneasy.

Especially the influential figures with connections to Jiangnan, they were afraid that those letters were addressed to them, containing tabooed information or unfavorable messages. Now that the envelopes were in the Emperor's hands, with unknown contents and recipients, many people would find it difficult to sleep and live in constant anxiety.

Gu Yuanbai turned the jade finger guard in his hand and smiled. "The articles in the 'Da Heng National Gazette' are getting better and better."

Tian Fusheng smiled and agreed, "Indeed. Many esteemed officials have put a lot of thought into it, and their writing skills have become more formidable."

The articles in the "Da Heng National Gazette" were all written by the Ministry of Government Affairs. The ministry had set up a newspaper department specifically for this purpose, and Chang Yuyan played a role in its operation.

After the articles were written, they were sent to the Zhang family for publication. The bookstore behind the Zhang family was state-owned, and the Zhang family was only responsible for managing and developing it. When the bookstores were established nationwide, the "Da Heng National Gazette" would represent the most direct voice of the country.

This method was much more efficient than directly entrusting it to the Zhang family as before, relieving the pressure on the Zhang family, and the newspaper production began to gradually increase. Recently, many merchants wanted to cooperate with the Zhang family to spread the "Da Heng National Gazette" to different regions.

Gu Yuanbai was pleased with this situation and allowed the Zhang family to choose a few of these cooperations. He believed that soon, the newspaper he was currently reading would be in the hands of influential figures everywhere.

Gu Yuanbai had the newspaper put away and pondered how to use the fears of the local influential figures to his advantage. But before he could think for long, Tian Fusheng interjected, "Your Majesty, it is now the 22nd day of the seventh month. Consort Wan has urged several times, and the weather has become hot. It's time for you to go to the summer palace."

In reality, the Emperor should have gone to the summer palace to escape the summer heat long ago, but due to the busy affairs, it had been postponed until now.

Tian Fusheng counted for the Emperor, "The anti-corruption matter has come to an end, and vacant official positions across the country have been filled by transfers. General Ding Yuan and Lord Xue have already returned. If you don't go to the summer palace soon, I will be urged by Consort Wan."

Gu Yuanbai asked, "Isn't everything being prepared?"

Tian Fusheng smiled bitterly, "It has been prepared long ago, just waiting for your command."

During this scorching season, blocks of ice were placed in the Emperor's sleeping quarters and places where official duties were conducted. Gu Yuanbai's body was weak, and using ice to cool down was not as effective as a cool breeze. In these days, while the Emperor was busy with state affairs, the palace attendants were busy serving him, fearing that he would feel hot or cold at any moment.

Officials from various government offices who attended court or handled official business had their official robes soaked in sweat. Many of them had secretly inquired when the Emperor would depart.

After pondering for a moment, Gu Yuanbai said, "In that case, we shall depart in five days."

Tian Fusheng breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Yes."

Previously, Gu Yuanbai had been too busy to pay attention to the heat, but now that the government affairs were less demanding, he turned his attention back to himself. As he touched his face, he realized that even his sideburns were damp with sweat.

There were still many ice basins in the Xuanzheng Hall. When he looked up, he could see that he was relatively better off compared to others, as their necks were already soaked in sweat.

"Let's go outside and feel the breeze," Gu Yuanbai said. "The lakeside is cooler. Have someone bring our things and let me do some fishing."

A palace attendant carried the items, holding the ice basin, and followed along to the cool pavilion by the lake. The lakeside was filled with tall and dense willow trees, their branches lush, shielding the area from the scorching sun and providing a cool shade.

A gentle breeze blew, carrying the coolness from the ice basin. Finally, it was not as stuffy as it was in the hall.

Gu Yuanbai spread his arms and had someone help him remove a layer of heavy outerwear, replacing it with a light and thin robe.

Xue Yuan's sweat dripped down from his forehead like beads. Seeing Gu Yuanbai changing clothes, he felt even more uncomfortable in the heat. "Your Majesty, may I also remove my outerwear?"

"Now you feel hot?" Gu Yuanbai chuckled, raised an eyebrow, and glanced sideways at Xue Yuan. "I told you to rest at home, but you didn't listen. Now that you're by my side, you find it too hot. Just dress properly. I can take it off, but you can't."

With that glance from the corner of his eye, Xue Yuan's breath hitched, and he turned to the side to shield himself.

Gu Yuanbai's eyebrows and eyes filled his mind.

Suddenly, the heat surged within him.

After changing his clothes, Gu Yuanbai felt much more comfortable. The fishing rod was placed by the lake by the young eunuchs, and he lifted his robe, sat down, and leisurely watched the tranquil green water, taking a contented breath.

The fish in the palace were quite foolish. As soon as the bait was thrown in, they swarmed to peck at it. Gu Yuanbai quickly caught one after another. After catching them, he released them back into the lake, thoroughly enjoying himself.

When he was happy, his eyebrows and eyes relaxed, and his fair face had a touch of tranquility, making him look like a celestial being. It seemed that if one wasn't careful, those shameless celestial beings in the sky would abduct him.

After having that thought, Xue Yuan silently tensed his nerves and dismissed the eunuch who was changing bait for the Emperor. He squatted down beside Gu Yuanbai without saying a word.

His tall figure stood tall and upright. Once he squatted down, he appeared even more eye-catching than the sitting Gu Yuanbai. Gu Yuanbai glanced at him and casually asked, "Xue Qing, how tall are you now?"

In the Great Heng Dynasty, one chi (a traditional Chinese unit of length) was about 32 centimeters. Xue Yuan appeared to be around 1.9 meters, quite tall and conspicuous.

Xue Yuan replied casually, "I have never paid attention to it."

Gu Yuanbai became interested and had someone bring a measuring tape. Xue Yuan stood up straight, unmoving. Gu Yuanbai also stood up, and his black hair was right at eye level for Xue Yuan. Xue Yuan lowered his gaze and looked at him. In this moment, the usually wild and fierce person unexpectedly revealed a hint of tenderness in his eyes.

However, this tenderness was not a characteristic of Xue Yuan. When his gaze slid down to Gu Yuanbai's neck, it transformed into a strong sense of aggression.

To have an emperor, one must either conquer him or be conquered by him.

How difficult and stimulating it was.