27

Jing Xuan felt that, given Gu Fang's despicable nature, he was truly capable of doing something as shameless as drugging someone through a kiss. 

Terrified, he immediately "swish" opened his eyes wide, attempting to lash out in furious condemnation.

However, his cheeks were already pinched by Gu Fang, causing them to cave in, and his lips were rounded into a pout. So, the moment he opened his mouth, his upper and lower lips anxiously met—"pfft"—a bubble slipped out along the shape of his lips.

"...."

Pop.

It burst.

"...."

Gu Fang could no longer hold back and let out a silent laugh.

What was even more excessive was that while he laughed, his other hand was still pinching Jing Xuan’s cheeks.

Jing Xuan, puffing his lips like a goldfish, was both angry and frustrated "Mmmnngh! Wah wah! Jiliguagua!"

Gu Fang tilted his head, amusement hidden in his eyes: "Your Majesty is cursing me for being inhuman?"

Jing Xuan glared at him angrily: "Wuli gua la!"

Gu Fang nodded: "Indeed, I was momentarily overcome by lust today. But it was the aphrodisiac’s doing. I am not as strong-willed as Your Majesty. I lost control for a moment, and I ask for Your Majesty’s understanding."

Jing Xuan raised a questioning eyebrow: "Gu gu?"

Gu Fang nodded: "Truly. I originally only wanted to ensure Your Majesty's safety, but then the aphrodisiac flared up unexpectedly, and I lost control."

Jing Xuan scoffed, curling his lips in disdain: "Ji!"

Gu Fang did not argue: "Your Majesty is the ruler; I am the subject. It is natural for a minister to be inferior to his sovereign. I must continue to learn from Your Majesty, and I hope Your Majesty will not hold it against me."

Jing Xuan rolled his eyes: "Tch."

Indeed, as long as Jing Xuan was not given a chance to speak, everything could be easily smoothed over.

"However..." Gu Fang loosened his grip on Jing Xuan’s cheeks. "Miss Jiang Yingxue made a few points today that were rather reasonable."

Jing Xuan glanced at him sideways.

Gu Fang picked up the medicine bowl again and said indifferently, "Your Majesty now favors a man so exclusively. Though the circumstances have forced it, in the annals of history, it may still become a stain. Does Your Majesty truly not mind?"

Jing Xuan frowned in confusion: "Why should I mind?"

Gu Fang assumed he did not understand. Seizing his moment of doubt, he fed him two spoonfuls of medicine and slowly continued, "Though our dynasty is open-minded and does not forbid same-sex relationships, in the end, the love between men is not seen as dignified. It contradicts moral teachings and propriety. If Your Majesty continues down this path, future scholars may condemn you endlessly, making it difficult for you to leave behind an enduring legacy."

Every word Gu Fang spoke was a genuine concern of his.

But Jing Xuan only let out a cold laugh: "Royal Uncle is indeed getting old. Your thinking has become just as pedantic as those old fossils."

The so-called "Old Fossil" Gu Fang momentarily paused in his act of feeding the medicine.

Jing Xuan, however, merely rolled over lazily, propping up one leg: "Setting aside the fact that I don't care about my legacy—so what if I did?"

"Do you think that, in the hearts of the common people, they care more about whether they have enough to eat and wear, or whether their emperor loves men or women?"

"Do you think that, in the minds of the soldiers at the border, they care more about winning battles and returning home to their wives and children by the warm hearth, or whether their emperor loves men or women?"

"Or do you think that, in the eyes of future generations, they will care more about whether the territory of Great Yan expanded or shrank under my rule, or whether I loved men or women?"

"I am the emperor. My duty is to drive out invaders, secure peace within the realm, safeguard our lands, and revitalize industries. I must ensure that the people of Great Yan no longer suffer in turmoil, and that my empire stands tall among the nations."

"If I can achieve this, then let alone favoring a man exclusively. Even if I took my father's concubine, stole my son's wife, or never married in my lifetime. There will still be storytellers who will write my legend for the ages, and poets who will immortalize my name in song."

"If, however, I am to be condemned for all eternity, it will only be because I have failed my nation. After all, everyone knows that the crimes of King You and King Wen of Zhou never lay in their consorts Daji or Baosi, but in their own incompetence or lack of virtue."

"So what should I fear? If I can accomplish what I truly wish to, then future generations will be too busy praising my achievements to dwell on a mere romantic affair. That bit of scandal will be nothing more than a footnote in the vast chronicles of history. so insignificant in the grand scheme of my reign, why should I even care?"

"What a joke."

At that moment, the young emperor’s stunning, amorous peach blossom eyes, under the illumination of the ever-burning lamps in the room, shone as brilliantly as a sudden beacon on a vast, dark ocean. A light unwavering, fearless, and flickering with dangerously captivating ambition.

Gu Fang simply sat there, holding the medicine bowl, gazing silently into those eyes. And then, all of a sudden, he felt that perhaps he truly was old.

Not in body or mind, but in the way he had always regarded Jing Xuan as a junior. Believing he could shield him from every risk, pave the way for him, and bear all the burdens of infamy, so that from a distance, he could watch him ascend the path of a wise and virtuous ruler.

But he had forgotten,

A youth of twenty should blaze with his own radiance, a brilliance so dazzling it shakes the world.

Perhaps compared to the things he cared about so much, the more difficult task was to get the wooden-headed to wake up, to make the feisty raccoon obedient enough to be petted, and to make the cautious and defensive little creature trust him again.

Anyway, no matter what choice Jing Xuan made, he would definitely make him the great king who would be revered by all.

So, all the previous troubles seemed to be just him causing unnecessary worries.

Gu Fang lowered his head again and smiled lightly, but this time, his smile was clearly laced with more self-mockery and composure.

Jing Xuan, who had just been full of vigor, immediately became wary and stepped back: "Gu Fang! What are you secretly scheming now!"

Gu Fang raised his head, his expression serious: "It's nothing."

"? "

"It's just that I want to marry."

"? ? ?" "Gu Fang! How can you think about marriage at a time like this?!"

—

Even after the two of them got into the carriage sneaked out by the officials, Jing Xuan was still fixated on this statement, angrily scolding without rest.

"On the public side, with wolves lurking around and tigers eyeing them, one wrong move could bring chaos to the world. As the emperor's uncle, the Prince Xiangding in Great Yan, and the regent appointed by the late emperor, you should be focusing on helping me stabilize the country, yet you’re thinking about your romantic affairs. You're nothing but a waste of a position, unloyal and immoral!"

"On the private side, you and I are currently bound by a love gu and every full moon, we must make love to relieve it. Under such circumstances, you’re thinking about marriage. How shameful and painful it would be for your future prospects! If you actually go through with it, you would be utterly heartless, shameless beyond belief!"

"You, you, if you marry now, you’re a wolf-hearted, dog-souled beast, worse than an animal!"

Jing Xuan didn't even understand why he was so angry, but anyway, he was furious!

He cursed all the way, his face flushed, his mouth dry and tongue parched, both anxious and angry, as if he wanted to devour Gu Fang alive right then.

Gu Fang just let him scold, waiting until he was tired, then handed over a water bag: "Drink some water, soothe your throat."

Jing Xuan snatched it and angrily drank a large gulp: "Did you listen to everything I said?"

Gu Fang took back the water bag and handed over a piece of lotus flower pastry: "I listened."

Jing Xuan angrily bit into it: "You listened, then at least respond."

Gu Fang lightly brushed the crumbs from his lips and said, "I think what you said makes sense."

Jing Xuan confidently said, "That’s more like it."

Then Gu Fang said, "So, I still want to marry."

Jing Xuan: "???"

Why is this person so stubborn?!

Before he could get angry again, a voice came from outside: "Your Majesty and Young master, the station is here. I see several escort carriages in front. Could it be Young Master Xue?"

This time, they were heading to the northern regions, aiming for the Yan and You provinces, because the 300,000 taels of silver had disappeared at the boundary between these two provinces.

Moreover, it was well known that Yan and You were remote and cold, with a rugged, fierce population. If they went alone, they would inevitably venture into dangerous areas, but if they brought a large army, it would undoubtedly attract the attention of the local powers.

That’s why Jing Xuan had sent a message for Xue Qingshu to prepare several escort carriages to pose as a merchant caravan entering the region.

The reason for choosing Xue Qingshu over Hua Ting was because Xue Qingshu had grown up in the northern regions, was familiar with the local customs, and could interact more effectively with the locals.

Secondly, although Xue Qingshu hadn’t participated in next year’s imperial exam yet, he at least had the status of a scholar, and if they got into trouble, he could maintain some dignity at the local government office without revealing their identities.

Thirdly, Xue Qingshu was well-liked. If they needed to act separately, he and Gu Fang would head one direction, while Xue Qingshu and Xie Buzi would go in another direction, and both groups would be able to protect themselves.

As for Fu Chang and Hua Ting, they were more familiar with the palace and court matters, so they were left behind at the temporary palace to serve as cover.

This matter was not trivial, so as soon as Jing Xuan heard this, he immediately stopped reprimanding Gu Fang, shoved the remaining lotus pastry into his hand, and jumped out of the carriage.

"You move pretty fast."

Jing Xuan glanced at the now-formed caravan, unable to help but praise.

The young man leading the caravan was feeding a horse alone.

He looked to be just over twenty, tall and lean, dressed in a simple silver-white round robe, with his hair tied up high, and wearing the simplest light-gray belt at his waist. He looked clean and crisp, elegant, and neat.

But there was no expression on his face.

Hearing Jing Xuan’s words, Xue Qingshu didn’t even bother to turn around, merely slumping his face and saying, “From childhood to now, has His Majesty made me commit any evil, and have I ever slacked off even half a step?”

This was indeed true. From childhood to now, if Gu Fang was the one cleaning up his messes, Xue Qingshu was the one helping him carry out his misdeeds.

He started fires, Xue Qingshu added fuel to the flames.

He skipped classes, Xue Qingshu dug tunnels.

He fought, Xue Qingshu would pull them apart while striking with deadly force.

Although he had a poker face, he was indeed very useful.

“Is everything arranged?” Jing Xuan looked around.

Xue Qingshu calmly replied, “No.”

Jing Xuan: “?”

Xue Qingshu was feeding the horse. “It’s too late, and only one room is left at the inn. I, along with that flashy and greasy Young Master Xie Buzi can share the carriage but you and the Prince Xiangding...”

Jing Xuan: “??”

Xue Qingshu looked up. “As far as I know, Your Majesty and His Highness are already... unclear. So, do you still want to sleep apart like before, or will you compromise and share a bed?”

Jing Xuan: “???"

What does "unclear" mean?!

Jing Xuan, struck at his sore spot, became embarrassed and angry: “Even if I have to sleep in the stable, in a manure pit, or in a firewood room, I will never sleep in the same room as him!”

“Oh.” Xue Qingshu remained calm. “What if I tell you there are rats in the inn?”

“....”

“What if I tell you, because of time constraints, I had to impersonate a merchant family of four to acquire the necessary documents for entering the state, and this family consists of an older sister, brother-in-law, younger brother, and his wife?”

“.....”

“So, based on our current circumstances, when passing through tomorrow, would you prefer to be the sister or the sister-in-law? This will determine whether you share a bed with the Prince Xiangding or sleep with Young Master Xie in the wild.”

“....”

At that moment, a sense of impending doom surged through Xie Buzi’s spine.

Without thinking, he immediately kneeled in front of Xue Qingshu, saying quickly, “Young Master, although we have never met, I feel like we’ve known each other forever. I beg for your great kindness. Tonight, sleep with me and save my life. It would be better than ascending to heaven!”

He finished speaking, bowing deeply, desperately pleading, fearing that in just one second, he would die at the hands of some powerful official.

And that official slowly got out of the carriage, walked over to Jing Xuan, fed him the remaining lotus pastry, and spoke softly.

“It’s fine, Your Majesty. It’s just a small rat. It won’t crawl into your bed in the middle of the night, following the scent of pastries. So, you needn’t worry. Also, I can sleep in the left hall’s firewood room. It’s no problem. The worst part would be the rain making it cold and damp, and my old injuries may hurt a bit, but that’s nothing.”

"...."

Gu Fang was truly a jerk.

What kind of good person would deliberately mention what he feared?

What kind of good person would pretend to be pitiful at a time like this?

What kind of good person would insist on sharing a bed with his own nephew?

Gu Fang was clearly looking down on him, finding ways to irritate him, drive him mad, make him lose sleep, and make him lose his temper!

Jing Xuan was furious: "Gu Fang! Do you still think I’m a six-year-old child? Let me tell you, I’m not afraid of...!"

"Ah!"

A field mouse suddenly scurried arrogantly in front of the stable, and Jing Xuan let out a sharp scream, instinctively jumping.

Then, when he realized what happened, he found himself tightly clutching onto Gu Fang’s waist with his legs and wrapping his arms around Gu Fang's neck, face-to-face, like a little cat hanging on a tree.

Jing Xuan: "...." 

Xue Qingshu: "....." 

Xie Buzi: "...."

A brief silence.

Xue Qingshu grabbed the back of Xie Buzi’s neck without changing his expression, dragging him off to a distance while calmly ordering, "Although you are taller and stronger than me, I don’t cross-dress, so you’ll be the another girl."

Xie Buzi: "Huh? Oh, okay."

Meanwhile, Gu Fang, who was left standing, looked at the still rigid Jing Xuan hanging on him. The corners of his lips curled slightly, his lashes lowered as he smiled softly and asked, "Your Majesty..."

"..."

"The world often compares Your Majesty’s beauty to peach blossoms and plums, and my demeanor to pine and bamboo. So, at this moment, what should Your Majesty and I be considered?"

"....."

Damn.