I Rely on Beauty to Stabilize the Country

With the guard protecting the Emperor, they managed to reach the gates of the Xue Mansion before the rain started falling.

The concierge was about to ask who the pedestrian was. He glanced quickly at the dragon jade pendant on Gu Yuanbai’s waist, and then his heart jumped, his legs went soft and he kneeled on the ground. “I, um, this peasant…”1

The news spread like wildfire across Xue Mansion, and the General’s quiet household blew up like water in boiling oil. General Xue, with some young servants, hurried from the study to the mansion’s gates. On the way, he met with Madam Xue, who looked flustered and had her hairpins askew. “General, is the Emperor really here?”

General Xue nodded without slowing down. “I’ll go to the gates to welcome the Emperor. Hurry up and fix your appearance, and go with mother to greet the Emperor’s carriage. Messy people and things must not appear before the emperor!”

Madam Xue nodded hurriedly and walked at a quick pace towards the inner courtyard, with a maid supporting her hand. The maid struggled to keep up. Where was the madam who walked so lightly on regular days?2 Did she still need her support at all now? She didn’t walk with this madam’s speed!

Madam Xue got to the inner courtyard quickly. Elder Madam Xue had already received the news, and the people around her were helping her change into garments appropriate for a titled lady.3 Layer after layer of gold embroidery covered the red robe on her upper body, and the servant girls weren’t being as loud as usual.

The old Madam Xue looked rosy as if she had instantly become a teenager. When she saw Madam Xue coming, she smiled and gestured for her daughter-in-law to come to her side. “Huiniang,4 I heard a magpie chirping in a tree this morning. I was wondering what sort of good event might be coming, but I didn’t expect it’d be so great! Isn’t it such an honor to have the Emperor come to our residence in person?”5

Madam Xue, seeing her so energetic, also seemed to find her inner strength. “Madam, how should we organize our household? The Emperor is probably here to hide from the rain. If the rain doesn’t stop, won’t His Majesty end up staying in the residence?”

Elder Madam’s face suddenly went blank and she clutched Madam Xue’s hand, admonishing her energetically: “Whether or not the Emperor stays, Huiniang, you must keep an eye on the people in our household. Don’t let anyone with twisted thoughts appear before the Emperor’s sight! Don’t think I’m not aware of how many maids here think loftily of themselves. If they dare wander and appear in the Emperor’s presence, this old woman will show them how fierce she can be!”

Madam Xue understood what she meant and nodded her head, asking her anxiously: “Madam, should Lin-ger6 and the concubines also greet the Emperor?”

Elder Madam Xue’s tone darkened. “No! Only Yuan-ger can greet him. Huiniang, don’t waste time. Go change your clothes and make yourself presentable, and then follow me to go greet His Majesty.”

Madam Xue nodded, only saying: “Yes,” and sent someone to inform Xue Yuan.

While Madam and Elder Madam Xue were busy, General Xue had already rushed to the mansion’s gates, accompanied by many servants. The rain fell heavily, and General Xue had his heart stuck in his throat.

He only breathed a sigh of relief once he saw the Emperor in the distance, surrounded by his people, in a corridor where the rain couldn’t reach him. General Xue quickly walked up to him, lifted his robe and knelt down. “Your servant greets the Emperor.”7

The Emperor said gently: “Official Xue, get up.”

Only then did General Xue and his many servants get up. When he looked up, he noticed that the Emperor wasn’t able to endure the cold. Even though not a drop of rain had fallen on him, the wind chill had made his lips go white, and his face didn’t look good. General Xue felt anxious, and a clever servant boy behind him quickly handed him a big cape.8

Tian Fusheng put the cape over Gu Yuanbai. Gu Yuanbai coughed a few times. His hands and feet felt a bit cold. “Today we went out of the palace incognito. I didn’t expect to encounter a torrential rain. Xue Mansion happened to be nearby, so We ended up bothering Official Xue.”

General Xue said quickly: “It’s a blessing for a minister to receive a visit from the Emperor himself. How could it be called a bother?”

Having said that, General Xue cupped his hands and looked at Prince He, saying respectfully: “Blessings to you, Prince He.”

Prince He nodded with a blank expression. “General Xue.”

Gu Yuanbai turned his head to cough a few more times. There was cold air rising from the soles of his feet, and a faint fever showed on his face. It felt pretty bad, like a symptom before the onset of an illness. Tian Fusheng, who was always paying attention to him, said hurriedly: “General Xue, let’s not talk too much, the Emperor still needs to enter the house and get away from the cold.”

General Xue stepped aside hurriedly, leading the Emperor down the hall. Gu Yuanbai pulled the cape close to his body, following after. His previously pale face was now dyed an unusual red color.

His head felt a little muddled.

Gu Yuanbai hadn’t forgotten how, a month ago, he’d nearly died from the cold. This time he had a really bad feeling, and he feared that this might be another deadly wind chill.

There was a frown on his face, and, after being led to sit in a preferential seat, the first words out of his mouth were: “Do you have a doctor in Xue Mansion?”

General Xue had been thinking that the Emperor’s complexion had improved, and he was startled by the question. Forcing himself to calm down, he asked the servant next to him to hurry and bring the doctor, and ordered others to bring medicinal soup and hot water to chase away the cold without delay.

Tian Fusheng wiped Gu Yuanbai’s face with a napkin. He could feel the heat rising through the silk handkerchief on his hand. Tian Fusheng’s face turned pale, and his hands trembled slightly. “Emperor…”

Gu Yuanbai’s breathing sped up slightly, and he suddenly smiled. “Looking at the rain outside, it seems like it won’t stop tonight. We fear We will have to stay in Official Xue’s mansion.”

General Xue saluted. “This servant will prepare a room for the Emperor. Does Your Highness wish to go rest?”

Gu Yuanbai nodded and waited calmly for the doctor’s arrival. As he waited, his hands and feet grew colder, but his cheeks slowly became hotter. Gu Yuanbai was already covered with a cape, but the cold made him want to tremble.

He endured all of these discomforts with the corners of his mouth still raised with a calm and relaxed smile. Prince He looked at the downpour outside the window, then looked at Gu Yuanbai’s flushed face. His lips formed a flat line, his expression sinking.

Earlier that day, he was the one who said they should leave the palace. If something really happened to Gu Yuanbai, he could not shirk the blame.

The doctor was brought over very quickly. He seemed aware of Gu Yuanbai’s identity, given that he was trembling all over. The captain of the guard checked him over before letting him in. Gu Yuanbai held out his hand, and Tian Fusheng pulled up the cuff of his sleeve, revealing his wrist that was as white as jade.

The doctor checked his pulse, and a moment later released his hand. “Your-, Your Highness, the cold hasn’t reached your internal organs yet. Your Highness only needs to soak in a hot bath and drink some hot soup, and after sweating it out it’ll be fine.”

Gu Yuanbai raised his eyebrows. He was used to the careful and meticulous Imperial physicians in the palace. Now, hearing the doctor not treat him as if he were made of glass, he felt cheerful. “If that’s the case, if Official Xue does not mind.”

“I dare not,” General Xue said. “This servant will prepare water for the Emperor. The hot soup will also be ready soon.”

Gu Yuanbai let out a hot breath. The fine fur on the big cape rose and fell with his breathing. Placing his pale fingers on the dark wood table, Gu Yuanbai had to use some strength to stand up.

With Tian Fusheng and the guards following behind him, Gu Yuanbai slowly walked to the door. However, his left leg went weak out of nowhere, and his whole body stumbled forward. Suddenly, someone held him by the waist, stopping the fall.

The hand around his waist was firm and strong. Xue Yuan looked at the Emperor who had fallen right into his arms, and smiled respectfully. “What’s wrong, Your Majesty?”

Gu Yuanbai’s expression changed. Xue Yuan let his hand go, and he saluted Gu Yuanbai, grinning gracefully towards the Emperor.

Gu Yuanbai glanced at him and walked past, with a low cough. Seeing him leave, Xue Yuan put  his smile aside, turned his head and asked his father: “Did the Emperor catch some wind chill?”

General Xue and Prince He did not hear the gloating in his voice. General Xue asked Xue Yuan to come up to greet Prince He. Prince He seemed a little tired. After seeing the Emperor leave, he gave them an excuse and retired to his room.

Xue Yuan saluted Prince He respectfully before straightening himself at a leisurely pace. General Xue sighed, speaking out his concerns: “I only hope His Majesty will be safe.”

Xue Yuan smiled. “The Emperor is under the protection of Heaven, of course he will be fine.”

As soon as he was near the Emperor, Xue Yuan could feel the heat his body emitted. He himself had to lie down in bed for a long time until the injuries on his knees had healed. And now, unexpectedly, it was the Emperor’s turn to lie down in Xue Mansion.

Prince He returned to his room. His servant had gone to the kitchen, wanting to bring him a bowl of ginger soup, but he came back cheerfully carrying a bowl of deer blood. “Master, Xue Manor just killed a fawn. This is fresh deer blood that has just been boiled, it’s still steaming. It’s much more effective than ginger soup!”

Prince He took the bowl of blood and drank it. The scent of blood rose from his throat, warming up his entire body. With a guilty conscience, he said: “Go back for another bowl, I will go and bring it to the Emperor myself.”

The young servant went back and got another bowl of steaming deer blood, then followed Prince He to deliver it to the Emperor. The Emperor’s room was Xue Manor’s main bedroom, placed in the best location in the entire residence, a bit away from Prince He’s assigned room.

On the way over, Prince He felt that his whole body was covered in a thin layer of sweat. He had just drank the bowl of deer blood, but the effect was very quick. Prince He felt a wildfire burning inside his body, and he couldn’t help but rip his collar open.

When he was about to reach the Emperor’s door, he passed by the bedroom’s window. Subconsciously, he glanced inside, and stopped in his steps.

Inside the bedroom, the Emperor was leaning lazily on the side of the bed, his feet soaking in clear water with medicine. Tian Fusheng was squatting next to him, washing the Emperor’s feet.

Gu Yuanbai’s feet hadn’t seen much walking ever since he was born. The soles were soft like silk, pampered and maintained as clear as jade.

The hot water had steamed the white skin into a pink color. The clear water moved around, its droplets splashing playfully. A medicinal mixture with flowers was added, and the flowers slowly expanded in the water, adorning a pair of jade feet as delicate as fine art.9

With a “boom”, Prince He felt that the wildfire in his heart burned violently. His brain was blank, and he felt extremely hot all over his body. Staring at this scene, the heat steamed into his mind.

The taste of deer blood in his mouth suddenly thickened.

And Prince Hebites the dust! What’s with that cliffhanger though?

Thank you Wintery for PR!

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Footnotes

He’s stuttering 草民 (caomin) which is a form for non officials to address themselves before the Emperor.Literally with lotus steps 莲步 which I assume are short and poised. However, it can be a reference to (1) a courtesan of Emperor Xiao Baojuan whose dance he described as “lotus springs from her every step!”, in turn a reference to the figure of Padmavati from Buddhism (2) foot binding, since bound feet were also called lotus feet (3) the way of walking associated to foot binding, which forced short steps to keep the weight on the heel; it was also imitated, without requiring the feet to be bound, by certain styles of shoes.She’s the mother of General Xue. This sort of titled lady refers normally to someone who receives that title through being related to or married to an Imperial official, and they have specific garments associated.娘 Niang is a form of address for a noble lady of a house.Magpies singing is considered auspicious, because in Chinese the word sounds like ‘happy events coming’.哥儿 somewhat affectionate form of address towards young men. It doesn’t clarify their relationship, but he’s likely Xue Yuan’s younger brother.He uses 臣, a form of address for officials towards themselves before the Emperor, not the same as caomin some lines up.氅 seems used for big coats and capes, Gu Yuanbai seems to use it more as a blanket though.This specifically refers to the gongbi painting style.