Chapter 66 Autumn Hunt: He spoke slowly, "Immortal Lord, you are wise."

In the autumn of Beijing, withered yellow leaves are everywhere, rustling under the wheels of carriages and horses. Many children love to play on the streets, stepping on the fallen leaves and piling them up into small mountains. Lying down on them, you can hear the resounding cracking sound echoing in your mind.

However, the emperor always traveled outside the palace via a special road, so he could not see ordinary people, and the people on the street could not see the imperial procession either, thus avoiding any disruption.

The motorcade was a grand procession, but the chief eunuch Cui Xiangzhu, who followed the long, dragon-like procession, always frowned and looked uneasy.

He sighed from time to time, turning to look at the imperial carriage and pursing his lips. He had noticed something was wrong since he woke up that morning. The Nineteenth Prince and His Majesty were usually inseparable, but today the Nineteenth Prince suddenly went off with the Thirteenth Prince.

With that thought in mind, Cui Xiangzhu turned his head and looked back.

In the shadows, only three people accompanied him on the autumn hunt. Fourteenth hadn't rested well and was swaying sleepily on horseback. Thirteenth and Yao Ruyi, on the other hand, were full of energy, practicing their bows and arrows back and forth.

Thirteen raised his voice, "It's alright, brother is also very good at archery. I'll teach you when we get to the top of West Mountain."

"Hmm." Yao Ruyi nodded with a smile. He held his bow and arrow and looked ahead. He also saw Cui Xiangzhu looking in his direction, but he didn't want to look over.

He even said he was being a liar, but it was clearly his own idea to play around. He has countless red marks all over his body, which only started to fade this morning.

Yao Ruyi was sullen all morning, but when she looked down at the bow and arrows the man had given her and the armor she was wearing, she felt that she was being too stingy.

But how can these be the same thing?

If he were to let the man do whatever he wanted just because the emperor gave him all sorts of things, wouldn't he be too pathetic?

and……

In short, it just won't work.

The mushroom remained defiant, refusing to look in that direction.

Cui Xiangzhu thought for a long time but still couldn't figure out what was going on between the two of them.

Oh well, never mind.

It's not something a mere eunuch like him can control.

After a day's journey, the caravan finally arrived at the imperial palace on the western hill at dusk. People had already been sent to tidy up the place, and the palace was spotless. Yao Ruyi waved to Thirteen and then walked to the door with a pout. He frowned as he looked at the fawning eunuch, "Eunuch Cui, what is it?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing," Cui Xiangzhu hurriedly waved his hand, but as soon as he finished saying it was nothing, he added, "The Nineteenth Prince didn't talk to His Majesty much today, and His Majesty was very sad."

"Today, His Majesty was worried that the Nineteenth Prince might be tired, so he specially instructed this old servant to prepare soft cushions and tea and snacks in the imperial carriage. The Nineteenth Prince did not come over along the way, and His Majesty himself did not eat either."

Cui Xiangzhu's speech made Yao Ruyi feel like he was the unfaithful man. He awkwardly touched his sideburns, messing up his originally neat sideburns. "I understand."

“Alright,” Cui Xiangzhu nodded and bowed. “Then, Lord Nineteen, please go in quickly. His Majesty is still waiting.”

squeak--

The door opened with a sound, and as soon as Yao Ruyi opened the door, she saw the man resting with his eyes closed by the bed. The Xishan Palace was much smaller than the imperial palace, and there was only one bed in the room.

He turned and closed the door, then slowly moved to the chair by the window, clutching his bow. Gu Huizhou remained silent, and so did he.

As darkness fell, the room, without any lights, became increasingly difficult to see. Yao Ruyi had fallen asleep sometime earlier. He had been sitting on horseback all day and was not feeling well, but thankfully the padding on his legs was thick enough that he felt fine.

squeak--

The mahogany chair was braced against a leg, scraping against the floor with an unpleasant screech. Yao Ruyi frowned, swaying slightly uneasily. As if sensing danger, her eyelashes fluttered twice, then she snapped her eyes open, "Ugh—"

The man was sitting on the armrest of the chair. When he saw that she was awake, he suddenly leaned forward and pressed his lips against Yao Ruyi's slightly parted lips, his eyes burning with desire.

"Gu Huizhou!"

Yao Ruyi pushed the person away, his face full of displeasure.

"What? Are you hiding from me?"

"You lied to me again."

Gu Huizhou chuckled. He stepped forward to grasp the person's wrist, but Yao Ruyi dodged him. He wasn't annoyed. He moved closer again, his body moving erratically to avoid Yao Ruyi's obstruction. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes full of smiles. "I don't know either."

The hot breath hit Yao Ruyi's ear. "How would I know there are still a few pieces that haven't been connected?" The man looked innocent. Every time Yao Ruyi saw his expression, she thought she was wrong. Just as her thoughts were about to waver, he muttered to himself.

How could this man not know?

"You definitely know."

"I don't know."

Gu Huizhou straightened his expression, as if he were innocent.

“You…you must know.” Yao Ruyi’s momentum weakened, allowing the man to get a little closer. “How could I know? The one I’m wearing and the ones the thirteenth and the others were wearing before are all the same, except for yours.”

The heat on his neck was alluring, and Gu Huizhou's slightly raised eyebrows appeared even more profound and melancholic in the dim room. He spoke slowly, "Immortal Lord, please be wise."

"I……"

Yao Ruyi was speechless. Deep down, he still felt that Gu Huizhou knew, but seeing the man like this, he couldn't even utter a word. His eyes and cheeks flushed red, and he stared straight at the emperor's aggrieved eyes, "...I..."

He's so handsome.

In the end, he still fell for the emperor's trick and compromised even though he didn't believe in the mushroom, saying, "I'm not angry."

His hand was pulled by Gu Huizhou and slipped inside the man's clothes, down along the man's collarbone, to touch the soft armor on the other's body, and there were indeed no other openings.

A man's laughter rang in her ears, ethereal and distant in the moonlit bedchamber. "Hmm, then you can't hide from me anymore."

"good."

No one knew who the spirit was, but Yao Ruyi was led away by the emperor's alluring eyes and ended up on the bed, lying there without knowing why.

The incense emanating from the person beside him made Yao Ruyi feel at ease. He couldn't remember if he was still angry or not. He drifted off to sleep in the person's arms and didn't wake up until the next day.

Many civil and military officials came, and most of the sons who could come were skilled in riding and archery. For example, Qian Ce, the young master of the Qian family, stood out among a group of noble young men with his handsome face and strong physique.

A year ago, when the eldest princess of Xiao Kingdom was sent to marry a foreign ruler, Qian Ce also stole the show, winning the hearts of many young ladies. Originally, among the young masters of noble families, Baili Wenhan was the most popular among the young ladies, but now few people mention him.

I heard that he was confined to his quarters by Lord Baili for two months not long ago, but I don't know if it's true.

"His Majesty has arrived!" Cui Xiangzhu shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects!"

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Yao Ruyi, dressed in white, followed behind Gu Huizhou. Aside from the emperor in his red robes, he stood out the most. Those around the emperor were either eunuchs or the bodyguards of the Thirteenth Prince and his men.

It's rare to see someone dressed as conspicuously as Yao Ruyi, which attracted a lot of attention.

He rarely appeared before officials; the last time was at Yun Temple. Several ministers recognized him after a moment's thought and couldn't help but mutter to themselves.

This man doesn't look like the emperor's bodyguard at all; anyone who didn't know better would think he was the emperor's new male favorite.

What someone thinks in their heart, someone else says out loud.

Among the young masters of noble families, someone muttered first, "Who is this person? Is he perhaps His Majesty's male favorite?" He then joked with the person next to him, "His Majesty is handsome and has excellent taste. First it was the third-ranked scholar, Lord Xu, and now it's the nineteenth-ranked scholar."

He clicked his tongue lightly. "Being pretty really can put food on the table, don't you think?"

His voice wasn't loud, only about a dozen people could hear it, but no one answered him. After he finished speaking and saw that no one paid attention to him, he awkwardly touched his nose, snorted coldly, lowered his head, and secretly sized up the others with his narrowed eyes, criticizing this one and looking at that one.

He was eager to find people who shared his thoughts.

Baili Jiang was annoyed by the retort. He had ignored the person's first retort, but the person had shamelessly tried again. He said with dissatisfaction, "Go home and say what you want to say. This autumn hunt isn't for you to discuss His Majesty in private!"

“Your Majesty is good at recognizing and employing people. If they were without virtue or talent, how could they work under Your Majesty?” Baili Jiang spoke with confidence and authority. The young master who was being stared at by him didn’t react for a long time before being reprimanded on the spot.

“Wang Qi, you failed the imperial examination along with Lord Xu. From then on, whenever someone said anything bad about Lord Xu, you would agree with them.”

"You're now going to slander the 19th Party Congress again, how utterly shameless!"

"you!"

Wang Qi was stunned. Baili Jiang's voice wasn't quiet, and quite a few people on both sides had already turned to look. He stammered, unable to speak, "I didn't!"

His eyes glared wildly, and he brandished his arms, shouting, "I didn't mean that! I was just saying it casually, why did you take it so seriously!"

"Just saying?"

Baili Jiang scoffed, "You've said this countless times in private, haven't you?" Baili Jiang had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and was often described as having an impartial appearance; if he were in the imperial court, he would be in the Dali Temple. "And now you dare to say it in front of so many people? I think you don't want your head!"

Damn it, how dare he talk to him like that. Wang Qi gritted his teeth. Baili Jiang was half a head taller than him, and he had to look up to make eye contact when Baili Jiang spoke. For a moment, Wang Qi was at a disadvantage in terms of momentum.

Wang Qi's eyes widened. "What did I say?" He denied it. "I should have just stood here quietly without saying anything. What did Young Master Baili hear?"

"Did you hear that?" he asked someone randomly.

"...No, no."

The people he randomly grabbed were all sons of minor officials in the court. They dared not cause trouble and were afraid of being implicated. They were not qualified to participate in the autumn hunt, but now that the emperor had no heir and there were no other royal nobles in the court, they had a chance to show their faces.

"No, I didn't say."

This was a classic case of bullying others by relying on one's power. Baili Jiang frowned as he watched. Wang Qi's father was a fourth-rank official in the court, which was not a low rank, giving him the opportunity to bully others by relying on his power.

"Didn't say anything? Why didn't you say anything?" Qian Ce stepped forward from the back of the crowd, stood next to Baili Jiang with a grin, and put his hand on Baili Jiang's shoulder as if they were very familiar with each other.

“I heard it all clearly. You just said that Lord Xu Yi and Lord Nineteen were only able to make a living because of their beautiful faces. I heard it all.”

Baili Jiang frowned as he looked at Qian Ce. He tried to shake the hand off his shoulder, but the man was very strong and he couldn't get a response no matter how hard he tried.

"You! You're talking nonsense!"

Wang Qi panicked. He knew he shouldn't have said it the moment the words left his mouth, so he tried to find someone to agree with him. If he said it himself, his heart would pound with anxiety, but if a group of people said it, then there would be no problem.

But unexpectedly, not only did they fail to find the person, they also got into trouble with these two troublemakers.

One was the Minister of Revenue, and the other was the Vice Minister of Rites.

He's someone no one can afford to offend.

If his father knew that he had offended these two people as soon as he arrived at the autumn hunt, he would be in big trouble. Swallowing his resentment, Wang Qi adjusted his expression and suddenly smiled at the two people, "Yes, I spoke too quickly for a moment, but it was definitely not what Young Master Qian meant."

"I was merely praising those two for their handsome looks and dashing demeanor; how could I have meant it that way?"

Qian Ce rolled his eyes inwardly, but outwardly he was very polite, "I didn't mean that?"

"Of course, I hold both of you in high esteem. How could someone who can serve His Majesty be of mediocre talent?"

This subservient demeanor was quite an eye-opener for the two men. Qian Ce smiled but remained silent, while Baili Jiang wore his dissatisfaction and disdain on his face. He didn't look at him again, snorted coldly, and turned his head away.

Qian Ce nodded, "If that's the case, it's just a misunderstanding. Why should Brother Wang make things difficult for these brothers?"

As he spoke, his gaze swept over a group of people who were listening silently with their heads down; clearly, the brothers were referring to these people.

"Yes, Young Master Qian is right."

"Alright, it's good that you know you were wrong."

Qian Ce nodded and smiled at him. The man almost couldn't hold back his smile. Qian Ce was afraid he would faint from holding it in. When the man finally left, he clapped his hands and said with a sneer, "What kind of trash is he? He even dares to talk nonsense about Lord Xu."

"Most of the rumors about Lord Xu back then were his doing." Baili Jiang frowned, then bowed to Qian Ce, "Thank you for your help, Young Master Qian."

"No problem, we were classmates."

"Then you should thank me."

Qian Ce smiled indifferently, "Then, Young Master Baili, would you let me have a turn during the autumn hunt?"

"That won't do."

"Young Master Baili really knows the rules."

Meanwhile, Gu Huizhou was getting sleepy listening to Cui Xiangzhu's rambling. The autumn hunt was the same every year, and the prizes were always the same. He was planning to take a certain mushroom to practice archery later, so he had no interest in listening to Cui Xiangzhu's talk about the autumn hunt.

What are you looking at?

The emperor, high on his throne, reached out and touched the guard behind him, hooking his hand under the table so no one could see it. But the man looked at Yao Ruyi with a smile, as if he was afraid of being discovered but also afraid of not being discovered.

It's blatant.

"Someone over there is talking about me."

"What did you say about Yao Ruyi?" Gu Huizhou's brows furrowed. "What did you say about me?"

Yao Ruyi thought for a moment, "They say I'm as handsome as Pan An, dashing and debonair, and that beauty can put food on the table." After he finished speaking, he saw the man smile, "What?"

Gu Huizhou smiled knowingly and followed Yao Ruyi's gaze. He could only see a figure fleeing in panic, disappearing into the crowd. A thought flashed through his mind. "It's alright. I think he's right," he said, beckoning someone to come closer to listen.

"Um?"

Yao Ruyi lowered her head and was immediately scalded by the man's hot breath. "I also think that the Nineteenth Prince is quite handsome."

"You're teasing me again."

Yao Ruyi stood up and refused to listen to him anymore. He should have realized long ago that he wouldn't hear anything good from Gu Huizhou. Originally, he thought the emperor was an upright and capable person, but now he saw...

Well, it looks pretty good too.

As Yao Ruyi kept replaying the aggrieved look on the emperor's face in his mind last night, he couldn't help but laugh. But just as his lips were about to twitch, he patted his own face.

If someone saw him laughing for no reason, they would think he was illiterate and must be Gu Huizhou's male concubine.

Let's go.

Yao Ruyi snapped out of her daze and saw that Gu Huizhou had stood up sometime earlier and was slowly walking back, holding her hand. Meanwhile, the young masters from noble families below mounted their horses, shouting "Whoa!"

"Whoa—"

The sounds rose and fell as we slowly ventured deeper into the jungle.

A long sword had been placed on the high platform at some point, and six imperial guards stood guard around it. Yao Ruyi asked, "Is this a reward for the winner?"

"Hmm, does the Nineteenth Secretary like it?"

Yao Ruyi shook his head. "I already have a sword." Shuangyue was light and agile, and he was already used to it. Shuangyue was the best for him.

"One more won't make a difference."

Yao Ruyi still shook her head.

Gu Huizhou felt a tickle in his heart as he looked at the obedient appearance of the person beside him. He pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth and coaxed, "I am good at riding and archery. Why don't I teach the Nineteenth Prince? Once he has learned, he can go hunting with them in the autumn."

Will you teach me?

"Hmm." He finished speaking and then asked, "Unwilling?"

“I spoke with Thirteen yesterday, and he can teach me too.”

Gu Huizhou suddenly stepped forward. "I can teach you too," he said firmly. "Choose one."

Choose one...

I choose you.

“Very good,” Gu Huizhou said without any restraint, “There is no one else on this high platform except the two of them and the eunuch’s guards. “Hmm, I also think I look better than the thirteenth.”

Let's go.

Yao Ruyi was stunned when he heard this, but before he could react, the man had already pulled him to the back mountain.

This mountain range consists of several connected peaks, but the most important reason why a palace could be built on Nishiyama is that Nishiyama is much larger than the surrounding mountains and has a gentler terrain. However, Arashiyama, which the two are now heading to, is not like that.

All around were cliffs and precipices, and the lush trees were now bare, making the place look extremely desolate.

Gu Huizhou carried a black bow and arrow on his back, which seemed to contrast with the silver-white bow inlaid with jade in Yao Ruyi's hand as if one was in the daytime and the other in the dead of night.

"arrive."

The two stopped on a cliff edge. Several eunuchs had been following them, but they were nowhere to be seen. Yao Ruyi looked at the vast, boundless sky before her, as if she could reach out and pluck a cloud from it. "Here?"

"Um."

As he spoke, Gu Huizhou took out his bow, faced the high mountains behind him, and pulled it back forcefully with his right arm. "Whoosh—"

"Whoosh!"

While Yao Ruyi was unaware, the palace servants hidden in the distance quickly threw down targets. Gu Huizhou raised an eyebrow at the mushrooms, followed by the sound of several arrows piercing the air.

Swoosh—

Swoosh—

Swoosh—

One by one, the wooden targets fell to the ground with a series of crisp sounds. The man, like a fox eager for praise, squinted and looked up, "How was it, my opinion?"

Yao Ruyi always fell for his seductive traps, and this time was no exception. "Your Majesty is amazing!"

One sentence made him happy: "Come, I'll teach you."

"good."

The two spent the whole day teaching each other, their affectionate interactions making it unclear whether they were practicing archery or flirting. The wooden stake was repeatedly thrown into the air only to be picked up by the palace servants.

Finally, Yao Ruyi's shoulders ached from practicing, and the two of them stopped.

The mountain path was rugged and difficult to traverse, but their descent under the setting sun had a unique charm. Yao Ruyi muttered to herself, "I wonder how that sword shot at Gu Huai'an even managed to hit him..."

He kept missing the nine or ten rings today; I don't know if it's just bad luck or if this is how it is for beginners.

Gu Huizhou chuckled, "It's his fate."

"Is the autumn hunt over for today?"

"Um."

Gu Huizhou followed his gaze and saw Qiu Lie and his entourage descending the mountain to return to the palace from the mountain path. The emperor then did not return to the high platform from earlier in the day, but instead took his arm and went back to the main hall.

It was late at night, and the moon and stars were few.

A sudden howl erupted from the quiet palace, originating from some courtyard, followed by one after another.

"Why--"

"Ouch--"

"It hurts! It hurts so much!"

...

Even Cui Xiangzhu couldn't escape it. He clutched his stomach and couldn't straighten up for a long time. Just by looking at his expression, you could imagine how much pain he was in.

Gu Huizhou's face was cold and stern. He reached out and handed Cui Xiangzhu a pill. "Take it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Cui Xiangzhu quickly swallowed. The burning sensation started in his throat and went all the way down to his stomach, but it was only that burning sensation. Soon all the pain in his body disappeared. Beads of cold sweat dripped down his forehead, and with tears in his eyes, he knelt down and kowtowed.

"This old servant thanks Your Majesty!"

Under the moonlight, the man's eyes appeared even more sinister. He was only wearing an inner garment, with his outer robe hanging loosely on his body. "What's going on?"

Yao Ruyi glanced at Cui Xiangzhu and said, "Poisoned."

Gu Huizhou, "Poisoned?"

Everyone at the Western Hill Palace had only consumed the palace's water, so how come they were unharmed? Gu Huizhou frowned. But he didn't have time to think about that now. "Is Thirteen alright?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Thirteen landed nimbly from the rooftop. "Your Majesty, I am fine."

“Fourteen is fine too,” Thirteen continued. “Your Majesty, I just went to check on the ministers. The imperial physician has already gone there and said that there is a problem with the water we are drinking.”

Very good, now they dare to poison him right in front of him.

He snorted coldly, "Investigate for me."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Thirteen withdrew, and the eunuchs who were supposed to be on duty outside the Cloud Palace had long since disappeared, leaving only Cui Xiangzhu diligently. He looked at the emperor and explained, "Your Majesty, the poison just took effect and I was in excruciating pain. I thought they were also unable to bear it and that's why they abandoned their posts. I hope Your Majesty will be lenient."

The man replied casually, "Hmm."

The howls rose and fell, and Yao Ruyi could even hear a familiar voice among them. It was... Baili Wenhan?

He actually came along too, but I never saw him during the day.

Gu Huizhou's expression grew colder and colder. He spoke slowly, but every word he uttered filled people with dread: "Investigate. Find the person who drugged me."

Cui Xiangzhu nodded in agreement. He was still clutching the other three pills that the emperor had just given him in his palm. After thinking for a moment, he turned and left.

Yao Ruyi listened intently; he was fairly certain that the howling voice belonged to Baili Wenhan. "Your Majesty—"

Before he could finish speaking, his mouth was covered. "—What are you going to do now?"

"Yao Ruyi, are you alright?"