IRBSC 108

Chapter 108  

When the people below were playing cuju, they were dressed in thin shirts. The thin fabric outlined their figures clearly. The guards, with their broad shoulders and long legs, had excellent physiques. Occasionally, the women watching from the sidelines would cover their mouths, their faces flushing faintly as they observed.

Gu Yuanbai’s gaze was effortlessly drawn to Xue Yuan. It wasn’t because Gu Yuanbai was particularly sensitive to him, but because Xue Yuan was simply too conspicuous.

He ran swiftly, his thin shirt clinging tightly to his torso as he moved. His legs were taut, filled with a hidden explosive power like a cheetah. When he jumped and flipped, his movements dazzled the eyes. Among both teams, no one drew more attention than him. Gu Yuanbai watched him for a while, and just like that, the first half came to an end.

Xue Yuan’s face was drenched in sweat, exuding a damp sensuality. He seemed to notice Gu Yuanbai’s gaze and looked up in his direction with a smile.

Gu Yuanbai nonchalantly shifted his eyes away, thinking to himself, I can’t indulge.

There was no way he would sleep with Xue Yuan. If he did, he might not survive it.

Whether it was dying in the bed of a concubine or in Xue Yuan’s bed, neither was a good look.

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It was so delicious that Gu Yuanbai took one bite after another.

As he sat in the pavilion eating the sandwich, Xue Yuan stood below, smiling up at him. His lips gradually curled into a smile, his eyes brimming with warmth.

Xue Yuan had never imagined that one day, he would feel so content and happy just because someone ate a couple more bites of food.

When Xue Yuan was halfway through his sandwich, the Dongling Guards called him away. Gu Yuanbai watched his departing figure and took another bite of his sandwich, unaware that Tian Fusheng was watching him with such emotion that he was nearly moved to tears.

Xue Yuan had really gone all out to ensure that the Emperor would stay at his residence. Even his teammates in the Dongling Guards found it hard to keep up with his pace. And sure enough, after the second half, Xue Yuan won.

The captain of the guards, Zhang Xu, approached Xue Yuan with a complicated look in his eyes. “Lord Xue, the last time I saw you, you were—” he hesitated, “holding His Majesty in your arms.”

Xue Yuan was forthright and said, “Is Lord Zhang referring to the incident in the palace a few days ago?”

Zhang Xu nodded. Even the most loyal and trustworthy people couldn’t help but cast suspicious glances at Xue Yuan after that.

The way Xue Yuan had held the Emperor was far too natural. His hand resting on the Emperor and the way he had touched him made Zhang Xu’s instincts tingle. Something wasn’t right.

Xue Yuan smiled slightly and glanced toward the pavilion. “Lord Zhang, don’t overthink it. I saw His Majesty laughing so hard he was weak, and I was worried about him. That’s why I acted out of concern.”

It made sense. Zhang Xu frowned but still felt something was off. “But Lord Xue…”

Before he could finish, Xue Yuan clapped him on the shoulder, cutting him off. “Lord Zhang, I have matters to attend to. Let’s talk next time.” With that, he hurriedly made his way toward the pavilion.

By the time he reached the top, Gu Yuanbai had already boarded his carriage. From outside came Xue Yuan’s eager voice. “Your Majesty, may I accompany you to the Xue Residence?”

“…” Gu Yuanbai rubbed his forehead. “Get in.”

Xue Yuan climbed aboard the carriage, drenched in sweat, and leaned close to the Emperor. With a sniff, he smiled in satisfaction. “Your Majesty smells like donkey meat sandwiches.”

Gu Yuanbai sniffed the air. “I can only smell your sweat.”

Recalling how sensitive Gu Yuanbai’s nose was, Xue Yuan immediately withdrew, but no matter how far he moved, there was nowhere else to go. He sighed in resignation and was about to open the door and jump out when Gu Yuanbai suddenly started coughing.

Startled, Xue Yuan was at a loss. His hands fumbled in panic as Gu Yuanbai clutched his chest, coughing so hard that his eyes reddened. Only after a moment did Xue Yuan manage to calm himself down enough to pull Gu Yuanbai into his arms, gently rubbing his back.

“Why are you coughing all of a sudden? Are you unwell? Did you catch a chill?” Xue Yuan was so flustered that he didn’t even know what he was saying. “Are you cold? Does something hurt?”

Gu Yuanbai couldn’t utter a word, his grip on Xue Yuan’s hand tightening. He wanted to control himself, but he couldn’t. His coughing was so intense that his lungs felt like they couldn’t breathe, his brain was deprived of oxygen, and dizziness set in. Only when his body was pushed to its limit did the coughing gradually subside.

The air around him was filled with the scent of sweat. Gu Yuanbai weakly grasped Xue Yuan’s fingers. Once he caught his breath, his eyes slowly moved to the side.

Xue Yuan was holding his hand tightly, his voice hoarse. “Your Majesty?”

Gu Yuanbai didn’t want to show such a vulnerable side of himself, so he turned his head, burying his face in his hair and robe, unwilling to speak.

A little cold wind, and he could cough like this. And when the coughing fit ended, even lifting a finger felt impossible.

There was a faint taste of blood in his throat. His body was too delicate, unable to bear the strain of continuous coughing, so there was a hint of blood.

He didn’t need to consult the imperial physicians to know. Gu Yuanbai was well aware of his body’s condition, how fragile it was.

He even knew roughly how much time he had left.

He was unwilling to accept it.

His fingers twitched, wanting to grip tighter, to maintain a facade of calm and composure, but fatigue weighed heavy on his heart. He didn’t want to fake it anymore. He just wanted to relax for a brief moment.

Xue Yuan held him close and bent down to whisper in his ear, “Gu Yuanbai.”

Gu Yuanbai responded softly.

His face was obscured by his dark hair, making it hard to tell whether he was happy or sad. But he was probably sad. With his ambitions and aspirations, how could he be happy about his body’s weakness?

Xue Yuan gently brushed the hair from Gu Yuanbai’s face. Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes but quickly noticed that Xue Yuan’s hands were trembling. He opened his eyes again to check, and sure enough, Xue Yuan’s hands were shaking.

“What are you afraid of?” he asked in a hoarse voice, his tone slow. “I won’t die for a few more years.”

Xue Yuan’s grip on his hand tightened, his words squeezed through clenched teeth. “A few years?!”

Gu Yuanbai’s eyes moved slightly, and he smiled. “Does Lord Xue wish for me to live to a hundred?”

But that smile was forced, and even curling the corners of his lips seemed difficult. Xue Yuan’s face darkened, the veins bulging on his forehead and neck.

By the time they arrived at the Xue Residence, Gu Yuanbai had recovered. He straightened his robe and adjusted his hairpin, saying calmly, “Last year, I spent several months bedridden. Every meal I ate was laced with the taste of medicine. You may think I’m weak now, but in my view, I’ve improved a lot. At least, coughing fits like the one I just had have only happened a few times this winter.”

If his nose itched or his throat tickled, it would inevitably lead to a coughing fit. Once Gu Yuanbai started coughing, he couldn’t stop.

After speaking, Gu Yuanbai gestured toward the carriage door with a nod. “Help me down.”

Xue Yuan, with a stern face, jumped out of the carriage and extended his hand to assist Gu Yuanbai. But even after the Emperor had disembarked, Xue Yuan didn’t let go. He only murmured in a low, determined voice, “I will find a divine doctor.”

Gu Yuanbai smiled faintly. “I’m looking as well.”

He hadn’t given up on life, nor was he waiting passively for death.

Though Gu Yuanbai spoke lightly, in private, he had never stopped fighting.

He cast a sidelong glance at Xue Yuan, his lips curving slightly. In that moment, he revealed the vigor and defiance of youth, “Lord Xue, let’s see who finds one first.”

This confident tone, as if he was certain he would survive, caused the tension in Xue Yuan’s mind to ease. He released Gu Yuanbai’s hand and replied in a calm, unhurried manner, “Alright.”

Gu Yuanbai would live a long life.

Even the gods wouldn’t dare take him away.

—

In the Xue Residence, Xue Yuan was the only male master.

The elder and younger mistresses of the household sent word asking if they should come to pay their respects, but Gu Yuanbai declined. As for Second Master Xue, as soon as he heard the Emperor had arrived, he shrank like a quail, hiding in his room without daring to utter a word.

Gu Yuanbai had more or less expected Xue Yuan to win. The reason he had agreed to Xue Yuan’s audacious request for favor was simply to see what Xue Yuan intended to do.

It was a rest day. The Emperor had taken a day off, and no official documents had been brought along—only a few books he often read.

Xue Yuan led Gu Yuanbai on a walk through the courtyard, and by chance, Gu Yuanbai noticed a swing in Xue Yuan’s garden that hadn’t been there the last time he visited.

Next to the stone table were wood shavings from a recent carving. Gu Yuanbai glanced at them. “Did you make this swing?”

“Yes,” Xue Yuan answered straightforwardly. “Your Majesty can sit on the swing while I sit by the stone table and carve a figurine for you.”

Gu Yuanbai, intrigued, actually went and sat on the swing. “Did you also make the wooden knife you gave me last time with your own hands?”

“Of course,” Xue Yuan’s lips curled into a smile. He sat down with a grand, confident air, motioning for a servant to bring a dagger and some wood. Casually, he performed a few fancy tricks with the knife in front of Gu Yuanbai. “I won’t boast about other things, but when it comes to playing with knives, I’ve yet to meet anyone better than me.”

Gu Yuanbai nodded thoughtfully. “I hadn’t heard that before.”

Xue Yuan grinned. *Of course, you haven’t.*

Xue Yuan had never known how to do woodworking. The only reason he had learned was because he had been infuriated by the gongbi painting of Chu Wei that was gifted to the Emperor. The Six Arts of a gentleman were beyond his grasp, but he excelled at knife work. Since Chu Wei could paint for the Emperor, Xue Yuan would carve a likeness for him.

Who was better than whom?