IRBSC 117

Chapter 117

While the imperial physician took the Emperor’s pulse, Xue Yuan stood beside him, watching intently.

Gu Yuanbai, having inhaled the Western Xia incense for over ten days, was uneasy, his complexion fluctuating between pale and flushed. Xue Yuan, assuming it was mere discomfort, stood beside him like a grim reaper, his jaw set, radiating a chilling aura.

After checking the Emperor’s pulse, the physician declared confidently, under the intense scrutiny of both men, “I swear on my life, Your Majesty’s body has not been affected by any drugs in the incense.”

Gu Yuanbai corrected him, “It’s called poison.”

The physician wiped the sweat from his brow. “Yes, then it is poison.”

The physician didn’t understand the concept of “addiction” or “side effects.” He only knew that the incense contained no lethal poison, only stimulants. This was the reality of the times. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, Five Stone Powder was prevalent among the upper class, and even deaths didn’t deter its use.

They were unaware of its harmful effects, disbelieving its dangers.

Gu Yuanbai had every imperial physician examine him, and from their pronouncements, he concluded he wasn’t yet fully addicted.

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He went out to ask Tian Fusheng for a basin of hot water, then sat at the edge of the dragon bed, removing his boots and soaking his feet. Gu Yuanbai kicked him in the back, exasperated. “Xue Jiuyao, why are you so shameless?”

Xue Yuan remained unmoved by the kick, carried the basin out, and returned with a wet face. “Your Majesty, I’ve washed myself. May I grace the dragon bed once more?”

Even as he asked, he climbed onto the bed.

“Xue Jiuyao, even swords and blades cannot pierce your thick skin,” Gu Yuanbai said. “I provide you with food and lodging, not a place on my bed.”

Xue Yuan feigned deafness, using the hem of his robe to wipe the water from his face, revealing his toned abdomen. Gu Yuanbai glanced at it, appreciating the physique honed through countless battles and trials, every inch bearing the marks of countless clashes of swords and blades. Like a coiled wolf, it radiated raw power, hard and defined.

As he moved, a faint scar on his waist became visible. Gu Yuanbai leaned forward, lightly touching the scar.

Xue Yuan froze, lifting his face from his robe to look at him intently.

The young emperor, leaning out from the blankets, his black hair loose around his shoulders, the anger and fierceness in his eyes now dissipated, looked like…a shy newlywed peeking out from under the covers.

“Don’t touch it,” he said, his voice hoarse.

Fortunately, this young emperor was on his side, the Emperor of Great Heng. If he were an enemy, lying like this before Xue Yuan, he could have easily disarmed Xue Yuan completely, vulnerable enough to be stabbed to death in his bed.

Gu Yuanbai followed the scar with his eyes towards Xue Yuan’s back, the rest of it hidden beneath his clothing. “Turn around and let me see.”

Xue Yuan muttered “It’s ugly,” but obediently turned around, lifting his robe to reveal his broad back.

The scar stretched from his side to his back, a testament to a brutal wound. Gu Yuanbai assessed the size and color of the scar, imagining the blow that must have struck the then-young Xue Yuan.

His gaze lingered on Xue Yuan’s back.

There were no other scars. Xue Yuan had protected himself well, leaving a vast expanse for Gu Yuanbai to trace.

Recalling Xue Yuan’s words, Gu Yuanbai couldn’t resist reaching out and lightly scratching Xue Yuan’s back, leaving a white mark.

Xue Yuan shuddered, unable to contain himself any longer. With a sudden surge of strength, he turned and pounced on Gu Yuanbai, pinning him to the bed.

The bed creaked softly.

Gu Yuanbai’s head landed on Xue Yuan’s hand, a buzzing in his ears. “Are you crazy?”

Xue Yuan rolled over, pulling Gu Yuanbai on top of him, and threw the blankets over them both. “It’s late, Your Majesty. If you don’t want to sleep, I can massage your legs.”

Gu Yuanbai tried to get off him, but Xue Yuan held him firmly around the waist. He gave up and settled comfortably against Xue Yuan, using him as a cushion. “Massage them then.”

Outside, Tian Fusheng stood guard. He occasionally heard creaking sounds from the bed inside and paled, shooing the other attendants further away.

Worry gnawed at him. Your Majesty, please don’t torment Minister Xue too much.

Those inside, of course, were oblivious to the old eunuch’s concerns. Xue Yuan’s hands moved down Gu Yuanbai’s waist, massaging his thighs with just the right amount of pressure. Gu Yuanbai sighed contentedly, his eyes drifting closed.

“Master Bai,” Xue Yuan asked, “What is this ‘addiction’? Can it be fatal?”

Gu Yuanbai replied, “It’s worse than fatal.”

Xue Yuan frowned, listening intently.

Gu Yuanbai explained the dangers of addiction in detail. His tone was casual, as if discussing everyday matters, but Xue Yuan’s expression grew increasingly grim, tinged with a dark intensity.

If Gu Yuanbai hadn’t discovered this, wouldn’t he have become a puppet in the hands of the mastermind behind it all?

The thought enraged him, filling him with a desire to find the culprit and tear them limb from limb.

His expression was clear. Gu Yuanbai chuckled, his eyes darkening. “I also want to know who’s behind this. They’ve cast a wide net. Aren’t they afraid it will break?”

“If what Your Majesty says is true, and addiction is so dangerous, driving people to madness and making them easily controlled,” Xue Yuan said, his voice turning menacing, “wouldn’t Western Xia be practically a puppet state already?”

Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes, recalling the horrors of history, and repeated, “From the Emperor down to the officials and wealthy families…indeed, it would be a puppet state.”

A chill ran down his spine.

How many years had the person, or the nation, behind this been plotting to reach this point?

They fell silent for a while. Then Xue Yuan gently placed Gu Yuanbai back on the pillow. Gu Yuanbai grumbled, “Was I too heavy?”

Xue Yuan didn’t reply, but slipped under the covers and proceeded to give the Emperor a thorough massage, from his neck to his toes.

The blankets rumpled, and the Emperor, enjoying the massage, curled his toes and clutched the blankets for a full hour, letting out several soft moans.

The next day, Gu Yuanbai ordered the Imperial Hospital to analyze the ingredients of the Western Xia incense. He also dispatched a team to the coastal regions to investigate the source of the incense, sending both civil and military officials with absolute authority to prohibit its further spread, destroying any they found, leaving no trace.

He would rather face bloodshed than allow this substance to circulate within Great Heng.

It had to be banned! And thoroughly investigated!

Even if it meant alerting the enemy, he wasn’t afraid. Among the surrounding nations, Great Heng remained the dominant power. Gu Yuanbai had the confidence to act decisively, hoping to flush out the mastermind and disrupt their plans.

Intimidated by the Emperor’s authority, the imperial physicians and ministers didn’t object, but they privately considered the Emperor’s reaction excessive and unnecessary.

They didn’t grasp the gravity of the situation. The physicians had declared the incense merely a stimulant. If Western Xia dared to use it as their national fragrance, surely they weren’t foolish enough to poison themselves?

The ministers had repeatedly advised Gu Yuanbai that investigating the source was sufficient, questioning the need for such drastic measures to ban it. But the usually receptive Emperor remained unusually firm. This unyielding stance worried many, even though they didn’t voice their concerns.

The Emperor, having ruled effectively for two years and brought order to Great Heng, was he becoming arrogant and dismissive of advice?

Gu Yuanbai not only dispatched teams to suppress the incense but also employed subtle tactics within the capital to ensure that half of the Western Xia delegation contracted a cold, prolonging their stay in Great Heng.

The Western Xia delegation wanted to leave, but a simple cold could be fatal in those times. To protect themselves, they remained in the capital for treatment.

The Emperor expressed great concern for their health, specifically dispatching imperial physicians to the station to attend to them.

“Ensure they can’t leave Great Heng for two months, preferably confined to the station at all times,” Gu Yuanbai instructed the physicians. “If they recover quickly, find a way to worsen their condition.”

The physicians, foreheads beaded with sweat, etched the Emperor’s every word into their memories. “Yes, Your Majesty. We understand.”

Orders were issued, and the Surveillance Bureau shifted its focus to Western Xia, conducting secret investigations. The border garrisons were also placed on high alert. Gu Yuanbai was confident that this sudden action would catch the mastermind off guard.

Xue Yuan asked gleefully, “If the Western Xia delegation recovers from their colds within two months, what will Your Majesty do?”

“They’d best recover slowly,” Gu Yuanbai sneered, glancing at him. “Unless they want their legs broken.”

The Western Xia delegation, fortunate enough to contract a cold, found their condition worsening under the care of the Imperial Hospital. After half a month, they were bedridden, unable to even get out of bed.

The attending physicians breathed a collective sigh of relief, keeping a close watch on the Western Xia delegation. If anyone showed signs of recovery, they would quickly intervene to ensure they remained incapacitated.

Finally, as the Western Xia delegation slowly recovered from their colds, the Great Heng’s martial arts examination, held every five years, commenced with great fanfare.

Along with the martial arts examination came an imperial decree announcing that the examinations would now be held every three years instead of five. Furthermore, the examination criteria would be more specialized, with separate assessments for land and naval forces, the details of which were publicly posted.

Gu Yuanbai hadn’t been in a hurry to develop the navy. In his memory, no one paid attention to maritime resources at this time. England was still small, mired in the Dark Ages, and the Native Americans were still living in primitive societies. The world, as he knew it, was dominated by China.

But he had placed too much faith in his preconceived notions of history, forgetting that since his arrival in Great Heng, history had changed.

This wasn’t the world he knew. This was a new world, a world of endless possibilities.

If this incense had come from overseas, naval warfare was inevitable.

Gu Yuanbai’s preparations were late, but he had discovered the enemy’s plot in advance. With Great Heng’s strength, even if they didn’t win, they wouldn’t necessarily lose. The Ministry of Works had never ceased its research on shipbuilding.

Gu Yuanbai was patient. He kept a close eye on the martial arts examinations, searching for promising candidates, while waiting to see if the enemy lurking behind Western Xia would reveal their hand.

Come on, I’m waiting for you.