But with his peerless beauty, he should at least be worth a thousand gold per night. And yet, a mere hundred taels of silver to buy his noble body?
Was Jiang Yue looking down on him?!
"I’m only worth a hundred taels?!" Jing Xuan was furious. "Even Gu Fang is worth more than a hundred taels!"
Gu Fang remained calm. "I am indeed worth more than a hundred taels. But if it’s for Your Majesty, I can even add my own dowry."
Xie Buzi: "Wow."
Jing Xuan: "..."
Wow, my ass!
He angrily rolled up his sleeves. "I’m going to strip the skin off you, you seductive fox spirit!"
He had never seen someone lie with such a straight face like Gu Fang!
But before he could act, Bu San Bu Si suddenly emerged silently from the darkness.
Xie Buzi was so startled that he fell straight on his backside. "Oh my god, are all your imperial guards ghosts?"
Bu San Bu Si ignored him.
One of them handed over a secret report. "The entire Silver Crane Guard has scoured the northern region but found no unusual transactions involving black iron, copperware, horses, cloth, or grain supplies. That sum of silver has also disappeared without a trace, as if it vanished into thin air."
Another guard presented a memorial. "Zhao Wei has rushed to his destination on horseback, but things there do not seem to be proceeding smoothly. More details will take at least another month to arrive."
"What? Not a single suspicious transaction?"
Jing Xuan frowned, pressing his fingers against the report as he read carefully. There really wasn’t any.
That didn’t make sense.
Minister Jiang Yue, as the head of government, had long held supreme power. While he might not be "one man below, ten thousand men above," he was at least "two men below, ten thousand men above." Yet, he was so obsessed with making his niece the empress, to the point of being abrupt and reckless.
That meant he had to get Jiang Yingxue into the palace before a certain deadline.
Back when he served as the governor of Qianzhong province, he had deliberately married his niece to the newly assigned Prince Rui as a secondary consort. Because of this marriage tie, Jiang Yue had swiftly risen to power in Chang’an.
Upon his return to the capital, the former emperor had just passed away. Jiang Yue immediately aligned himself with the Grand Consort family, securing the support of many court officials, which allowed him to stand on equal footing with Hua Song, the Prime Minister Shi who had served three dynasties.
In this way, Jiang Yue was undeniably a man obsessed with power.
However, despite his ambitions, he had rarely left any leverage for others to use against him in matters of state. Though his clan members had engaged in acts of oppression, bribery, and the selling of official titles, such instances were minimal.
Otherwise, neither Jing Xuan nor Gu Fang would have allowed him to remain in his position for so long.
So while Jiang Yue was indeed a powerful minister, he was by no means a treasonous one. He merely sought to cling to imperial power, not overthrow it.
And yet, now he was so desperate to send Jiang Yingxue into the palace.
When combined with the mine disaster in Qianzhong, the massacre of the Liu family, the embezzlement of enormous funds in Jiangnan, and the disappearance of 300,000 taels of silver in the northern frontier. Everything pointed to Prince Rui possibly amassing his own forces.
If Prince Rui’s actions were exposed, there would be three possible outcomes:
The first, imperial wrath would descend, and blood would flow in rivers. Prince Rui would be executed along with his entire clan, and Minister Jiang Yue’s family would not escape punishment either.
The second, Prince Rui would rebel, march into Chang’an, and seize the throne. As the father-in-law of the new emperor, Minister Jiang Yue would receive the highest honors for supporting the new dynasty, securing glory for generations.
The third, Prince Rui and the court would be locked in mutual destruction. If only Jing Yi remained as the sole imperial heir, Minister Jiang Yue, as the maternal uncle from the Lin family, could rightfully support a new child emperor, making him the true ruler of Dayan.
Among these three possibilities, only the first was disastrous for Minister Jiang Yue.
However, if he could first install his legitimate daughter as the empress and then, at the crucial moment, betray Prince Rui under the guise of righteousness, he would still emerge as the ultimate victor.
That was the true reason why Jiang Yue was so desperate to place Jiang Yingxue in the palace.
Moreover, because no matter how things played out, Jiang Yue would inevitably have to deal with Gu Fang, he had tried to exploit the conflict between Jing Xuan and Gu Fang, plotting to eliminate Gu Fang during the winter hunt.
Everything about this made sense.
Except for one thing, the missing silver didn’t match up.
The 300,000 taels of silver had flowed into Chang’an, presumably to bribe officials, yet it had not been put to use.
Instead, the silver had been used to purchase Sichuan brocade and then exchanged multiple times in dealings with southwestern tribes until it became untraceable clean money.
There were still 300,000 taels of silver that had disappeared without a trace at the northern border.
But whether it was the laundered silver or the vanished silver, the money had to be spent somewhere.
After all, Prince Rui wasn’t a fool. He wouldn’t have embezzled millions just to sleep on piles of silver at home.
Yet, despite mobilizing the entire forces of the Silver Crane Guard and the Golden Scale Guard to search across the country, no unusual transactions involving horses, copper, iron, or grain had been found.
But if a vassal prince wanted to rebel, what else would he use the money for if not recruiting soldiers and stockpiling supplies?
Could it be that his and Gu Fang’s initial assumption was wrong? That the money wasn’t embezzled by Prince Rui, and that Prince Rui had no intention of amassing troops?
Impossible.
Jing Xuan quickly made this judgment.
However, no matter how fast he reached this conclusion, it was still just a conjecture without solid proof.
And without concrete evidence, no matter how much he suspected, he couldn’t directly send troops against Prince Rui, nor could he easily move against Jiang Yue.
Because power was never something determined by one person alone, not even an emperor.
Jing Xuan’s gaze turned cold.
Gu Fang set down his book as well. "It seems I will have to personally go to the north."
"You’ll go yourself?" Jing Xuan frowned.
Gu Fang nodded. "If even the Silver Crane Guard couldn’t uncover anything, then I must go myself. After all, in two months, it will be the winter hunt. If we still have no evidence by then, Prince Rui will be able to station troops in Chang’an openly, and the act between Your Majesty and me will be difficult to maintain."
"But…"
"But because of the love gu, Your Majesty and I cannot be separated by more than a hundred miles. So if I go to investigate, Your Majesty must accompany me. However, the northern lands are bitterly cold, and this journey will be rushed. I wonder if Your Majesty, with your esteemed status, can endure the hardships of travel."
Gu Fang’s expression was serious.
Jing Xuan did not argue this time.
Gu Fang wasn’t suggesting this because there were no other capable people in the court. It was because this matter was too important. Any mistake or leak could lead to another bloody storm.
Now, with Minister Jiang Yue and Prince Rui’s influence spreading throughout Chang’an, and with the winter hunt approaching, he couldn’t afford to indulge in pleasures at this palace every night.
But if he and Gu Fang were to leave for the north together, the palace would be missing both an emperor and a favored consort, which would surely alert the enemy.
Unless…
Jing Xuan suddenly looked up. "Bu San, go find Xue Qingshu immediately and tell him everything. He needs to make all necessary preparations. Bu Si, go find Hua Ting and have him approach Jiang Yingxue to get her cooperation. Xie Buzi, send a message to Minister Jiang Yue right now, telling him that I will be going to the hot springs at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM)."
Xie Buzi hesitated. "Your Majesty, are you planning to…?"
Jing Xuan smiled. "Tonight, I’ll show them."
"?"
—
"No, Your Majesty Please calm down"
Xie Buzi powdered his face pale and dressed as a eunuch, walking with exaggerated pain in his steps. He even deliberately pinched his voice to be sharp and thin, as if desperate for everyone to hear.
Jing Xuan, on the other hand, strode forward quickly, his steps urgent and forceful. "What? I can't live without him now? He throws a jealous fit and wants you castrated so you can serve him as a eunuch. Fine, I tolerated it, I agreed! But now, just because I spoke a few more words with you, he dares to give me attitude? Outrageous!"
"Your Majesty, please don’t say that. Zhaoyi Fang is jealous because he cares about you. He has always been favored and doesn’t act like those petty people who are just content with a bit of imperial favor. It’s only natural for him to be spoiled."
Xie Buzi imitated the delicate, tearful tone of courtesans from the Southern Wind Pavilion, playing the role of a pitiful, scheming concubine to perfection.
The spies from Minister Jiang Yue watching from the shadows nodded in approval. As expected of someone chosen by Minister Jiang Yue, convincing indeed. They immediately sent a report, saying that the plan was proceeding smoothly.
Meanwhile, Jing Xuan stormed toward the hot springs at the mountaintop.
The palace had been built on Zheyun Mountain, and the main hall was named Zheyun Hall precisely because the mountain was covered in hot springs. At night, steam would rise like drifting clouds, making it the perfect place for autumn and winter retreats.
As the emperor, he naturally had exclusive access to the highest, most luxurious hot spring with the best view.
Ordinary people were not allowed anywhere near it.
So when he pushed open the door and saw Jiang Yingxue, he was startled. "How dare you!"
"This is my private bath! How did you get in here?"
Jiang Yingxue, wrapped up tightly, immediately played along and fell to her knees. "Ah! I was just strolling around, and the palace attendants accidentally led me here! I didn’t know, truly!"
"Unforgivable!" Jing Xuan pounded the door in frustration. "Why do I feel physically unwell whenever I get close to you?!"
Jiang Yingxue’s face turned pale in feigned shock. "How could this be, Your Majesty? Why would you feel unwell around me? Oh no! I think I feel unwell too!"
At Jing Xuan’s glance, Jiang Yingxue dramatically clutched her forehead and collapsed. "Ah! Dizzy… hot… painful…"
The two of them spoke so loudly, it was as if they were afraid the spies wouldn’t hear them.
Xie Buzi frowned, unable to hold back his whisper. "Your Majesty, act more natural!"
"I know."
Jing Xuan wasn’t sure why, but when he acted alongside Gu Fang, everything came naturally, as if it was second nature. But now, even though he knew Jiang Yingxue was on his side, he still felt stiff and awkward.
He even forgot his lines.
Gritting his teeth, he asked, "What’s the next step again?"
Xie Buzi was nearly dying of frustration and whispered, "Heat! The love gu is acting up! Take off your clothes!"
Jing Xuan: "???"
How could he undress in front of all these people?!
To make his "storming out after an argument with Zhaoyi Fang" scene look convincing, he had left the palace wearing only a thin outer robe. If he took it off now, where would his dignity as a man be?
While Jing Xuan hesitated, Jiang Yingxue frantically signaled behind him.
It seemed Minister Jiang Yue’s spies were nearby.
Damn it. There was no turning back now, he would have to sacrifice himself for the country.
Just as he steeled himself and prepared to remove his outer robe, a languid voice drifted in from behind him.
"So Your Majesty really intends to undress?"
It was just a simple, prearranged line.
But for some reason, the moment that voice reached his ears, Jing Xuan suddenly felt as if he had been caught cheating. His entire body tensed involuntarily.
Even Xie Buzi couldn't help but admire the presence of Prince Xiangding. Just look at that imposing presence, that calm yet thunderous jealousy hidden beneath his words, that undeniable possessiveness.
Even as someone used to watching performances at the teahouses, Xie Buzi couldn’t detect a single flaw.
One word: perfection.
His confidence in his chosen side instantly soared.
Gu Fang, wearing a veiled hat, walked gracefully to Jing Xuan’s side. He glanced at Jiang Yingxue and spoke in a slow, gentle voice.
"Seeing is believing. It seems Miss Jiang truly is a beauty of national renown. noble, well-educated, and kind-hearted. A perfect match for His Majesty indeed."
Jiang Yingxue: "…"
This emperor-exclusive hot spring must have been filled with aged vinegar, because the acidity in the air was overwhelming.
She didn’t know that Zhaoyi Fang was actually Gu Fang, only that both she and Jing Xuan opposed this marriage. That was why she was cooperating.
But now, witnessing this scene, she was convinced that Zhaoyi Fang was absurdly jealous.
Seizing the moment, she shot back, "That’s right! I am a beauty of national renown. noble, well-educated, and kind-hearted! So even if His Majesty wants to undress, what right does a mere man like you have to comment on it?"
The moment she spoke, Zhaoyi Fang’s voice turned colder.
He looked at Jing Xuan. "Your Majesty, she says I have no place here."
Jing Xuan: "???"
Was… was that a complaint?!
Jiang Yingxue silently apologized in her heart but had no choice but to recite Minister Jiang Yue’s rhetoric.
"You truly have no place here! You are a man, yet you hold the highest favor in the imperial harem. Not only does this disrupt the balance of yin and yang, but you also cannot bear children for His Majesty. The more His Majesty favors you, the more you become a stain on his legacy. If you truly love His Majesty, you should urge him to take an empress! Otherwise, history will remember nothing but His Majesty’s disgrace with you. how can his lifelong reputation endure such shame?!"
She spoke with deep emotion, voice trembling with grief, trying to fuel an argument between Jing Xuan and Zhaoyi Fang.
Yet what followed was only Zhaoyi Fang’s silence.
He was truly listening to her words, thinking about something.
No, that wasn’t what she meant at all.
Perhaps because a woman's heart is more delicate, at that moment, even through the veil, Jiang Yingxue could sense a genuine, calm restraint and quiet sorrow from Zhaoyi Fang.
She couldn’t quite grasp the source of this emotion.
But the sound of her father and his men approaching rapidly was already near. To accomplish her goal, she couldn’t afford to be lost in thought with Zhaoyi Fang.
She could only stand up on her own, grabbing Jing Xuan’s wrist in one swift motion and demanding, “So, Your Majesty, do you want him or me?!”
Jing Xuan, who had also been momentarily dazed by Gu Fang’s distraction, snapped back to his senses and immediately stepped on Gu Fang’s foot. “What are you doing?!”
Gu Fang finally raised his gaze. “This concubine simply thinks that Miss Jiang’s words make a great deal of sense.”
Jing Xuan: “???”
“Perhaps Your Majesty truly should not continue favoring this concubine.”
With that, Gu Fang slowly turned and began walking away.
Jing Xuan panicked. “What kind of nonsense are you talking about?! Even if I had a reputation to uphold—which I don’t—I wouldn’t care in the slightest!”
Saying this, he instinctively reached out to pull Gu Fang back.
But by sheer misfortune, his hand caught onto the veil draping from Gu Fang’s hat.
Rip
The veil fell.
The night wind swept through, sending his long, dark hair cascading down like silk. Under the flickering candlelight, Gu Fang’s elegant features were faintly visible.
Meanwhile, the voices of Minister Jiang Yue and Prime Minister Shi were drawing closer to the doorway.
Their original plan had been to use Minister Jiang Yue’s schemes against him. letting Zhaoyi Fang and Jiang Yingxue put on a dramatic display of jealousy.
This way, Minister Jiang Yue would be convinced that both of them were under the influence of a love gu. At the same time, the rumors about Zhaoyi Fang would intensify.
And in the midst of their quarrel, Zhaoyi Fang was supposed to "accidentally" collapse in front of everyone and faint, giving him a valid excuse to remain bedridden for ten days to half a month. Just enough time to secretly leave for the north.
But Gu Fang’s jealousy act had been far too convincing.
While it would certainly fool the spies lurking in the shadows, if this continued, Zhaoyi Fang’s true identity might be exposed to everyone.
Jing Xuan, now completely flustered, acted on impulse. He grabbed Gu Fang and plunged into the hot spring with him.
The spring was vast, and its waters deep, reaching roughly the collarbone of a tall man.
As the two of them fell into the water, their robes and hair fanned out in the steaming heat.
The rippling water, warm and smooth like silk, wrapped around them, rising above their heads. The thick mist blurred all vision, pressing in on their lungs, as if trying to trap them in this suffocating, scorching space, forcing them into each other’s embrace until they drowned together.
Then, at last, Jing Xuan realized he had never learned how to swim.
And the person in front of him had clearly realized it even earlier.
So, just as his eyes widened in panic his lips were already caught in a firm grasp.