IRBSC 111

Chapter 111

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The next morning, as the palace attendants helped Gu Yuanbai tie his hair, one of them suddenly exclaimed, “Huh? Your Majesty, there’s a red mark behind your ear!”  

Gu Yuanbai’s face remained calm, showing no reaction to the attendant’s words. Tian Fusheng leaned in for a closer look and gasped audibly. It was alarming—a thumb-sized red mark was visible behind the Emperor’s ear, a deep reddish-purple hue that stood out starkly against his fair skin. “There was nothing there last night before bed. Could it be an insect bite?”  

But at this time of year, how could there be insects? Besides, the Emperor was always cared for with the utmost attention to detail—it was practically impossible for such a thing to happen.  

The position behind the ear was rather concealed; if not for the attendants tying his hair, it wouldn’t have been noticed at all. Gu Yuanbai looked at his reflection in the bronze mirror, his expression undoubtedly unsightly. He let out a cold laugh. “Bring me another mirror, one that can show the back of my head. Let me take a look.”  

The servants retrieved a bright, clear mirror and positioned it behind him so that the Emperor could see the mark through the reflection in the bronze mirror. Although the bronze mirror was somewhat blurry, the thumb-sized red mark was still visible. Gu Yuanbai touched it and let out a few more cold laughs.  

When he was stationed in the northern frontier, Xue Jiuyao—upon learning that Gu Yuanbai planned to take a concubine—had galloped back on horseback, kissed him, and groped him, seemingly to reassure himself. The wolves in Xue’s household even had collars inscribed with vulgar, obscene phrases. And now, after sneaking into his room in the dead of night, all Xue Jiuyao did was lick his earlobe?  

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“Yes, every morning,” one servant replied cautiously. “But today the young master woke up even earlier, starting at the hour of Yin and practicing until now. Normally, he doesn’t begin so early.”  

In fact, Xue Yuan hadn’t slept all night.  

But no one could tell.  

Seeing Xue Yuan now, Gu Yuanbai felt a wave of irritation rising within him. He was about to leave when Xue Yuan, hearing the sound of footsteps, turned his head. He abruptly halted the blade mid-thrust and strode over to bow. “Your Majesty.”  

He paused for a moment and asked nonchalantly, “Did Your Majesty sleep well last night?”  

Gu Yuanbai retorted, “Did *you* sleep well last night, Xue Qing?”  

Xue Yuan’s gaze flickered. “Very well.”  

Gu Yuanbai smirked silently and coldly. He didn’t want to see Xue Yuan any longer. With a wave of his hand, he resumed walking, the attendants following him as they passed Xue Yuan.  

Xue Yuan took the blade sheath from the servant, sheathed the curved blade, and quickly caught up with the Emperor. “Your Majesty has not yet had breakfast. I’ve already instructed the kitchen to prepare a bowl of yam porridge to warm Your Majesty’s stomach.”  

The Emperor acted as though he hadn’t heard. Seizing the opportunity, Tian Fusheng grabbed Xue Yuan and complained, “Master Xue, is there anything unclean in your residence?”  

Xue Yuan froze for a moment before relaxing. “What do you mean by that, Chief Tian?”  

Lowering his voice, Tian Fusheng replied, “Master Xue, don’t blame this old servant for speaking bluntly. This morning, when His Majesty awoke, we discovered a red mark behind his ear—it was deep and alarming to see. Not only that, but the right ear had faint traces of blood, as if it were about to bleed, yet His Majesty felt no pain. What kind of strange occurrence is this?”  

Traces of blood? Xue Yuan frowned. *Was my strength too much for him?*  

Tian Fusheng continued, “How could His Majesty wake up like this after just one night’s sleep?”  

Everyone fell silent, lost in thought.  

—

After breakfast at the Xue residence, Gu Yuanbai returned to the palace. As soon as he departed, Chang Yuyan arrived at the Xue residence, finding Xue Yuan seated in the main hall, eating.  

Chang Yuyan raised an eyebrow with a smile. “What good timing. Someone, bring me a set of tableware!”  

A servant guided him to sit down. “Young Master Chang, our young master’s utensils are unused. You may use them.”  

Chang Yuyan looked surprised and pointed at Xue Yuan’s cup and chopsticks. “If those belong to your young master, then whose are *those* he’s using?”  

The servant said nothing, lowering his head as he retreated.  

Chang Yuyan was about to press further when Xue Yuan suddenly pulled a gleaming dagger from his sleeve. The sharp edge reflected an intimidating cold light onto Chang Yuyan’s face. Xue Yuan, however, seemed indifferent as he asked casually, “What do you want to eat?”  

Chang Yuyan swallowed his words. “Whatever’s fine.”  

Xue Yuan picked up a fruit, skewered it on the dagger, and flicked his wrist. The dagger flew across the table and embedded itself in the wooden surface before Chang Yuyan with a loud *thunk*.  

“You lied to me, Chang Yuyan,” Xue Yuan said. “That day at the summer palace, when you played chess with His Majesty, he clearly spoke to you about me.”  

Chang Yuyan tensed up and blurted, “Don’t listen to nonsense—”  

“I don’t know if it’s nonsense,” Xue Yuan said with a gentle smile, “but it’s true you don’t want me getting closer to His Majesty.”  

Chang Yuyan couldn’t respond. Xue Yuan finished his last bite of yam porridge, then stood, retrieved the dagger, and removed the fruit. He placed it into Chang Yuyan’s hand.  

The fruit’s sour, sticky juice dripped down, staining Chang Yuyan’s sleeve.  

“This dagger might look unfamiliar to you,” Xue Yuan said, flipping it in his hands. “It’s not the one I played with as a child. But, Yuyan, do you remember when you were bullied by a servant at home? I pressed that servant down in front of you at the dining table and asked you whether I should cut off his whole hand or just a finger.”  

Chang Yuyan tightened his grip on the fruit, his sleeve damp with juice. He laughed. “Xue Jiuyao, we’ve never gotten along—always at odds, like fire and water. But we were childhood friends too, weren’t we? Birds of a feather, neither better than the other.”  

Xue Yuan laughed as well. “You said to show mercy, and you wouldn’t hurt anyone. The servant was so moved he cried and thanked you. But the next day, you took him to the lake and made him choose—to drown himself or cut off his own hand and tongue.”  

Chang Yuyan grimaced. “That’s all in the past. Let’s not bring it up now.”  

“Chang Yuyan, you’re cunning,” Xue Yuan said quietly. “But no matter how cunning you are, you’ve always been afraid of me. From childhood until now.”  

Chang Yuyan’s smile faded, replaced by a tight-lipped expression.  

“You spoke to His Majesty about me but didn’t dare tell me,” Xue Yuan said, patting Chang Yuyan’s shoulder. “This time, you’ve been sloppy.”  

Chang Yuyan whispered, “I’d never harm you.”  

Xue Yuan smirked. “But your petty tricks won’t stop.”  

Then, with a leisurely tone, he added, “It’s fine. I like having a scholar jealous of me—it’s amusing.”  

—

Back at the palace, Tian Fusheng applied another round of ointment to Gu Yuanbai.  

Though not yet senile, Tian Fusheng found the mark increasingly peculiar the more he examined it. After some hesitation, he murmured, “Your Majesty, the mark behind your ear looks like it was… sucked out.”  

Gu Yuanbai responded lazily, “Hmm.”  

Tian Fusheng understood and asked no more, focusing instead on applying the ointment.  

The medicinal scent masked the usual fragrance of the hall. Once the ointment’s scent faded, Gu Yuanbai noticed something unusual. “Why does the incense smell different from usual?”  

One of the attendants stepped forward. “Your Majesty, this is incense offered by Western Xia. It’s said to be their national fragrance, with calming and soothing effects, according to the imperial physicians. That’s why we lit it.”  

Gu Yuanbai nodded. “The scent is pleasant. Western Xia must have spent a fortune on it.”  

“They’ve already sent their reparations ahead to the capital,” Tian Fusheng added in a low voice. “The rest of the indemnity is on its way with envoys from Western Xia, led by their second prince.”  

“Western Xia’s second prince?” Gu Yuanbai leaned back in his chair, tapping the table rhythmically.  

“His name is Li Angyi,” Tian Fusheng explained. “Unlike the seventh prince, Li Angyi was born lowly and unloved by the Western Xia Emperor. He grew up without support but managed to survive. He’s mild-mannered and timid, so the royal family never paid him much attention—only remembering him when they needed him for something.”  

“So they sent him to handle this thankless task?” Gu Yuanbai chuckled. “I don’t care about that. What I find strange is…”  

He frowned, muttering, “Why did Western Xia agree to the reparations so quickly and without negotiation?”  

It was even more baffling than Xue Yuan sneaking into his room at night but doing nothing afterward.