CH 23

Emperor Jinghe narrowed his eyes dangerously.

Having been in a high position for many years, he had heard plenty of hypocrisy and it had been a long time since he had met anyone who dared to speak to him like this. He felt a little fresh for a moment, and re-examined Princess Consort Rui.

Ye Zi wasn’t afraid and looked at him calmly.

Ye Zi’s face was small with exquisite features and a pair of eyes as bright as stars. His figure was considered slender among men and he looked very weak, which made him look like an easy target to others. 

But it was such a person who used a bamboo chopstick to penetrate the skull of a goat running wildly in the chaotic hunting ground. And under the current Emperor’s order, which was half deliberative and half coercive, he calmly said that he was unwilling.

With just that one word, Emperor Jinghe knew that this person was not as easily manipulated as he appeared to be.

He closed his eyes and suddenly understood why Gu Yan was so infatuated with this person alone.

But since he had already spoken, there was no reason to take it back.

After a while, Emperor Jinghe spoke and his voice became cold: “What if We insist on making you agree?”

Ye Zi’s expression didn’t change, as if he wasn’t surprised that Emperor Jinghe would say that.

He bent down, touched his forehead to the solid ground, and said in a low voice: “Over my dead body.”  

“Bastard!” Emperor Jinghe got up abruptly, “Gu Yan is Prince Rui and has a precious body. Allowing you to stay by his side is the greatest grace We have given. To actually…..actually…..” 

He was so angry that his breathing was slightly uneven.

Emperor Jinghe turned pale with anger, picked up the teacup, and took a sip before continuing: “Three wives and four concubines are common. Not to mention the fact that you are still a man who cannot bear children and cannot continue the bloodline for him. Who are you to threaten Us here?”

Ye Zi said, “Your Holiness, I beg your pardon.” 

Emperor Jinghe’s expression eased a little until he heard Ye Zi continue: “I come from commoners so I don’t know the rules. I only know that Prince Rui and I love each other. In this life, we only have eyes for each other and no one else can interfere.”

“As long as I am the Princess Consort for a day, I will not allow any concubine, male or female, to appear beside Prince Rui.”

With a crisp sound, the white porcelain tea cup shattered in front of Ye Zi, splashing tea on the hem of his clothes.

Emperor Jinghe gritted his teeth: “Get out.”

Ye Zi kowtowed and left as he was told. 

The Imperial tent was lifted and the sky outside was completely dark. There were no stars or no moon in the sky, as if wrapped in a thick ink that could not be melted.

Gu Yan was standing outside the Imperial tent.

When he returned to their tent after dining with the Empress Dowager, he learned that Ye Zi had been called away by Emperor Jinghe, so he immediately hurried here. But Emperor Jinghe had instructed not to let anyone in, so he could only wait outside.

At this moment, when he saw Ye Zi finally coming out, his anxious heart finally calmed down.

Ye Zi knelt inside for too long and now that he was more relaxed, he felt that his legs were numb and weak. He was about to walk forward, but suddenly staggered and fell into an embrace.

The faint fragrance of medicine immediately filled the nose.

Gu Yan asked urgently: “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Ye Zi leaned into his arms, his voice was warm and soft as he acted a little bit spoiled, “I was just kneeling for too long so my legs are numb.” 

Gu Yan was slightly relieved as he stroked Ye Zi’s hair: “Can’t walk anymore?”

There were plenty of eunuchs and guards outside the Imperial tent. With the two of them acting so intimately, they soon attracted a lot of attention.

Ye Zi broke away from his embrace and said in a low voice: “I can walk.”

However, Gu Yan shook his head. He turned his head and ordered his attendant, “Go get a horse.”

Ye Zi froze.

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Their tent was not far from here, was a horse really necessary?

The attendant quickly brought a brown horse, Gu Yan got onto the horse and extended his hand towards Ye Zi: “Come, I’ll take you somewhere.”

Ye Zi tilted his head to look at him and the latter looked down at him from the back of the horse. The campfire was reflected behind him, as if it had coated him with a layer of light, making him look like a god descending.

It was so dazzling that one couldn’t move their eyes away.

Ye Zi was lost in thought and Gu Yan frowned: “Why are you in a daze, am I that good-looking?”

Ye Zi hastily moved his gaze away: “N-No.”

Gu Yan smiled and leaned forward slightly: “A Zi, come up.”

The sound of horse hooves broke through the quiet night and the wind of the Spring night carried a chill. In the cold wind, Ye Zi’s brain became extra clear.

Emperor Jinghe’s questions were not outside his expectation.

Emperor Jinghe did not insist on bestowing Commandery Princess Changning to Gu Yan.

The suspicious monarch only wanted to test him to see how far he could go for Gu Yan.

Gu Yan had already acted like his love was as deep as the sea in front of others, but Emperor Jinghe was still worried. He wanted to make sure Princess Consort Rui was like Gu Yan, unquestioningly in love with him, and would do anything for him.

If he even relaxed a little bit during Emperor Jinghe’s questioning today or showed the slightest hesitation, he didn’t know whether or not he could get out of that tent successfully.

Ye Zi sighed lightly. He had always heard that accompanying one’s sovereign was like accompanying a tiger[1]; it really was true. 

When Gu Yan heard the sigh, he slowed down. His arms tightened as he gathered him closer: “Are you cold?”

“No.” Ye Zi shook his head, “What about you? I hope you won’t get sick again from the cold wind.” 

Gu Yan chuckled lightly in his ear: “If you stick closer to me, I won’t be cold.”

They were riding on the same horse. Gu Yan sat behind Ye Zi as he wrapped his arms around him and held the reins, which was already a close enough posture. Even when Gu Yan was speaking, Ye Zi could feel his breath gently brushing against his ear, like a small feather brushing against the most sensitive and soft place in his heart.

But Ye Zi only thought for a moment. He reached over to pull on the fur cloak over Gu Yan’s body and wrapped himself completely in it.

Now, it was as if he was completely embraced by Gu Yan.

The two of them were tightly pressed together, without any gaps.

Ye Zi’s hand clutched the fur cloak as he asked softly: “Is this better?”

Gu Yan’s breathing suddenly quickened a bit.

He eased the reins again and allowed the brown horse to stride forward slowly.

Gu Yan leaned his chin on Ye Zi’s shoulder and asked in a low voice: “A Zi, what’s wrong with you?”

Ye Zi pursed his lips and didn’t answer.

When he was in Emperor Jinghe’s Imperial tent, there was a moment when he felt as if he had really become Gu Yan’s Princess Consort.

He knew that Emperor Jinghe was testing him, but he still couldn’t stop being angry after hearing those words.

In the midst of his anger, those words came out in a natural way.

So natural that he couldn’t even tell whether the words he said were false or……came from his heart.

But in any case, he solved a problem for Gu Yan today. It wasn’t too much to ask for a little reward, right?

Ye Zi buried his face in the fur cloak as he thought selfishly.

Seeing that Ye Zi hadn’t replied for a while, Gu Yan asked again: “Did that old thing bully you?”

He softened his voice, as if he was worried about scaring Ye Zi: “I told you, there is no need to be afraid. Since you promised to stay by my side, I will not let anyone hurt you.”

Gu Yan paused, his voice low and shallow: “A Zi, I don’t care enough to get involved in the conspiracy for Imperial power, but it doesn’t mean I can’t do it. The world is chaotic enough, I just want to be left alone, I’m tired of matters that stir up a storm.”

“But if someone wants to do something to you, even if it’s the Emperor, I wouldn’t mind……taking their place.”

Ye Zi’s heart skipped a beat and he said nervously, “H-How can you say such things casually, you can’t—”

His voice stopped abruptly as Gu Yan suddenly let go of the reins and encircled him.

Ye Zi suddenly had difficulty breathing.

Gu Yan gave a light laugh: “I’m only joking with you, don’t be nervous.”

Ye Zi couldn’t stand him talking in his ear like this. His body felt powerless as he said in a rushed manner: “Where are you taking me?”

“We’re already here.”

The place Gu Yan brought him to was an abandoned shooting range. Gu Yan helped Ye Zi off the horse, walked inside the range, and took down two longbows with several feathered arrows from the weapons rack.

Gu Yan said: “I saw that you were excited when watching the hunt today, do you want to try it yourself?”

Ye Zi was surprised. He only watched the people from the palace shoot arrows for a while today. How did this person grasp his own thoughts so thoroughly?

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Ye Zi took the bow and arrows: “But I don’t know how.”

Gu Yan was a little surprised: “You don’t know how?”

Ye Zi nodded his head.

“I thought……” Gu Yan paused and didn’t finish his sentence. He then smiled: “No harm, I’ll teach you.”

Gu Yan stepped forward, held Ye Zi’s left hand, and raised it naturally. His right hand then took his other hand and pulled back the bowstring.

“……You have to look straight ahead and use the left arm for drawing the bow. The feathered arrow should be aligned with your gaze to form a straight line, just like this……” Gu Yan patiently explained. But as Ye Zi listened and listened, he slowly got a little distracted.

He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Gu Yan’s profile. His harsh features weren’t as cold as before and were instead gentle and charming.

Why did he think this person was fierce before?

He was obviously such a nice person.

And the gentle Prince Rui in his eyes suddenly donned a straight face in the next second. He raised his hand and gently flicked Ye Zi’s forehead.

“What are you spacing out for? Do you still want to learn?”

Ye Zi rubbed the reddened spot where he had flicked and mumbled: “Yes.”

“Then pay proper attention. If you don’t learn properly, we won’t go back tonight.” Gu Yan tried scaring him. He picked up his bow and let loose an arrow, hitting the red mark in the center.

He looked back at Ye Zi: “It’s your turn.”

Ye Zi nodded and followed Gu Yan’s example. Drawing his bow, he aimed at the target that Gu Yan had previously shot at. The feathered arrow cut through the air and actually split Gu Yan’s previous arrow as it struck steadily into the red center.

Ye Zi turned his head to look at him and smiled foolishly: “It doesn’t seem to be that difficult.”

Gu Yan: “……”

Gu Yan took a deep breath and asked again: “You really don’t know how to shoot an arrow?”

Ye Zi was sure: “I don’t.”

Gu Yan was silent for a moment before grabbing a handful of arrows from the quiver and placing them in front of Ye Zi: “Let’s have a match.”

Not because of his desire to win but because he just wanted to have a good match with this person to make up for his past regrets.

Gu Yan believed that his riding and archery skills weren’t inferior to others, but in his previous life, he tried every possible way to get this person to compete with him. And not once did he ever think that this person actually didn’t know how to shoot arrows and even more so, that he would actually be a quick learner. 

Twenty feathered arrows, ten for each person. Gu Yan was the first to start and nine of his ten arrows struck the red center.

When it was Ye Zi’s turn, the first nine arrows all struck the red center.

He picked up the last arrow and smiled wryly at Gu Yan: “Your Majesty, if I win, is there a reward?”

Gu Yan asked: “What do you want?”

This question stumped him. Ye Zi thought about it seriously, but he couldn’t think of what he wanted and responded calmly: “I can’t think of what I want yet. How about we save it for now?” 

Gu Yan was between laughter and tears: “Who asks for a reward like the way you do?” 

Ye Zi looked at him and his voice softened: “Is that a no?”

Gu Yan compromised without principle: “……It’s a yes.”

“Many thanks, Your Majesty.” Ye Zi grinned and turned his head to face the target.

Ye Zi raised his arm, raised the bow and arrow, and was about to shoot an arrow when his eyes suddenly moved.

In the blink of an eye, Ye Zi’s movement suddenly turned as he pointed behind Gu Yan. The feathered arrow flew out close to Gu Yan’s ear and pierced into the darkness of the trees with a muffled sound.

A black figure fell down from the tree.

At the same time, several figures appeared one after another and surrounded the two of them.

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[1] Idiom: the idea that accompanying a sovereign will come with dangers (assassins, etc) like accompanying a tiger.