Chapter 79 Great Tonic: These are all highly nourishing foods for men.

Gu Huizhou looked at Yao Ruyi for a while, then took her hand and whispered, "Give it a try."

The two had discussed healing. Yao Ruyi had previously struggled to heal Fourteen, and so far, the only person he had healed smoothly was Gu Huizhou.

Just in case, Gu Huizhou held a dagger in his hand and swiftly brought it down. Blood slid down his wrist, and Gu Huizhou picked up a wine cup next to him to catch it. He smiled at Yao Ruyi and said, "Immortal Lord."

Yao Ruyi frowned. He wanted to say that so much was unnecessary, but no one knew how effective the treatment was, so he forced a smile.

Outside the tent, the sky was bright. Yao Ruyi's face was serious. He stepped forward and reached out to touch Han Jiqing's wrist. A white light appeared from the point where the two made contact. The light was different from the dazzling light outside the window. It was faint and flickering.

Yao Ruyi frowned and took a deep breath, concentrating all his inner strength on his wrist.

Fifteen minutes later, the wound finally showed signs of healing, but Yao Ruyi was surprised to feel the emptiness of her magical power.

It was even more strenuous than when I treated the Fourteenth!

His face was deathly pale, which made Gu Huizhou, who was standing to the side, purse his lips. The man wanted to interrupt but couldn't bring himself to say it.

The wine cup filled with the emperor's dragon blood was to one side. Yao Ruyi twisted her wrist and drew a red thread from the cup, threading it into his chest. The blood slowly flowed into his body. After another quarter of an hour, Yao Ruyi's complexion gradually regained its rosy hue.

However, Han Jiqing's wounds remained frozen, showing no signs of improvement.

“Yao Ruyi!” Gu Huizhou said coldly, “He won’t die.”

Yao Ruyi, however, was unwilling to stop. He was momentarily distracted but stubbornly said, "It'll be soon, but it will take some effort." After saying that, he focused all his attention on healing. The white halo grew larger and larger, and soon after he finished speaking, the wound showed signs of healing.

The emperor's clenched fist then loosened slightly.

The faint sound of large footsteps could be heard outside the tent. Gu Huizhou frowned, glanced at the two people inside the tent, and then got up and went out.

Just as Thirteen was about to speak outside the tent, he saw His Majesty come out. A look of joy flashed across his face, but he couldn't smile again when he thought of the news that had just come. "Your Majesty, Xiao Zhuyue has not withdrawn her troops!"

"Vice General Jiang has already led his troops to meet the enemy."

Without a second thought, Gu Huizhou coldly ordered, "Have men guard outside General Han's tent; they are not to enter." He quickened his pace as he walked towards the outskirts of the command tent, declaring, "Lead twenty thousand soldiers to accompany me on this expedition!"

"yes!"

Two cycles of dawn and dusk passed, and Yao Ruyi exhaled a breath of stale air. Only the bottom of the cup remained of blood in the quilt. He was almost exhausted, and hurriedly reached out to pick up the cup. Like a starving homeless man, Yao Ruyi hugged the cup and licked it.

He licked the dried bloodstains in the quilt clean, and only then did the color of his lips soften slightly.

But as soon as he stood up, everything went black. Yao Ruyi stumbled back two steps and plopped down on a wooden chair, panting heavily. "Huff—"

Han Jiqing on the bed no longer showed any marks on his body. Although his face was still pale, it was clear that he was slowly recovering. Yao Ruyi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Two days have actually passed." He hadn't expected it to be so difficult this time.

What about Gu Huizhou?

Yao Ruyi paused for a moment, then called out loudly, "Someone come here!"

Someone outside the tent immediately reacted to the sound. It was a soldier. As soon as he saw the person, he brought over some vegetable soup and porridge. After thanking him, he hurriedly asked, "Where is His Majesty?"

The soldier said, "Since the Crown Prince of Xiao attacked two days ago, His Majesty and Vice General Jiang led troops to the front line to meet the enemy, and they have not yet returned."

What?

Yao Ruyi was taken aback. Two days had passed and he still hadn't returned. "No battle report either?"

"Never."

Yao Ruyi let out a deep breath. Even the soldiers could see how weak he was. Remembering the instructions of the two officers, the soldier said urgently, "Vice General Yao, this humble general will go and fetch a military doctor for the general right away!"

Before Yao Ruyi could react, the soldier ran off. Yao Ruyi tried to stop him but couldn't. "It would be good to bring him here so Han Jiqing can have a look."

But Gu Huizhou… Yao Ruyi frowned. He finished all the food on the table in one go. Although the taste wasn't great, it filled his stomach to some extent. Feeling his strength gradually returning, Yao Ruyi didn't think much of it and got up to leave.

When the soldier and the medic returned and couldn't find him, the soldier was taken aback. "General! General?" He scratched his head. "Wait a minute, he was just here!"

The two calls didn't find Yao Ruyi, but they did wake Han Jiqing. The military doctor rushed forward, "General Han! General Han?"

When Han Jiqing groggily opened his eyes, the military doctor was about to lift his clothes to examine his wounds. After a while, Han Jiqing vaguely heard the military doctor exclaim in surprise, "This! His Majesty's medical skills are so superb! In just two days, the wounds are no longer visible!"

The soldier leaned closer and asked, "How could that be? Wouldn't that make you a god?"

The military doctor examined Han Jiqing's wrist for a long time but found no other wounds. He placed his hand on Han Jiqing's wrist in disbelief, "This is a blessing for our Great Yun! His Majesty is indeed a true dragon descended to earth!"

The two were overjoyed, their bickering irritating Han Jiqing. His mouth was dry, unable to utter a sound; his throat felt like parched earth under the scorching sun, parched and cracked. "Cough, cough—"

The army doctor then remembered that Han Jiqing had already woken up, and ordered a soldier to bring him water from the table. "General, it's better for you to stay in bed. Although your external wounds have healed, the rest of your body is the most important thing. I'll go and brew some nourishing soup for you. Please rest for now!"

The soldier followed closely behind the medic, saying, "Medic, if you're brewing tonics, brew some for our deputy general as well. The two seem to have similar symptoms."

"Okay, don't worry."

"Thank you, military doctor."

Han Jiqing reached out to touch his injuries, but his wrists ached so much he couldn't lift them. After several attempts, he finally slammed his fist on the bed and lay there silently.

The sky was blindingly bright. At a fence in the camp, a red horse carried a man. He held a silver longsword and rode on the horse's back. His silver armor covered his entire body. They galloped rapidly toward the city gate where no one was watching, and a moment later they left the city through a narrow gate in the city wall.

Several miles outside the city, yellow sand filled the sky.

Gu Huizhou looked around at the countless dead and wounded soldiers and exhaled a deep breath. In two days and two nights, this place had become a blood-red world. Many people from Yun Kingdom had died, as had those from Xiao Kingdom.

Hundreds of meters away, Gu Huizhou looked at the commander's flag opposite him. The blood at the corner of his mouth had congealed and was vigorously rubbed away by the man.

He then gave a disdainful smile. He also held a piece of silk in his hand, glanced at it, and then Gu Huizhou threw it away, sending it flying into the flames and being swallowed by the fire.

Xiao Zhuyue's stupidity is laughable. This trick might disturb Han Jiqing's mind, but how could it affect him?

The soldiers continued to fight. Jiang Shuang swung his longsword and took down two men with a single blow. He was bloodthirsty and stayed close to Gu Huizhou's side.

General Han is now seriously injured; Your Majesty must not be harmed!

Gu Huizhou reached for his sword hilt, mounted his horse, and sat on the tall steed, tilting his head back. He moved his body slightly, and the sound of his bones creaking could be heard. The man's eyes were dark. He gave Jiang Shuang a look, and without waiting for her reply, Gu Huizhou shot forward like an arrow drawn from a bow.

Jiang Shuang's pupils dilated, and his wrist trembled. "Your Majesty!"

Crazy! Both of them are crazy.

Jiang Shuang saw a horse charging out from the opposite side. Were the commanders of the two countries going to fight to the death today?

The wind whistled past his ears. Gu Huizhou gripped the reins tightly with one hand and his sword with the other, blood still dripping from the tip. The distance between the two horses closed, and arrows flew past his ears repeatedly, but Gu Huizhou paid them no heed.

"Oh! Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor of Great Yun!"

As if isolated from everything around them, the two commanders faced each other in an open space. Xiao Zhuyue was much thinner than when the war started half a year ago. He was almost unrecognizable, and his whole body was covered by armor, as if he could be crushed by the iron block at any moment.

Bloodstains covered his handsome, refined face, and the look in his eyes grew increasingly resolute. Xiao Kingdom had already lost two cities to Yun Kingdom, yet he seemed to have conquered the world with an air of triumph. Xiao Zhuyue laughed wildly, "How about it? Isn't my good brother-in-law dead?"

"Perfect timing, I can tell my elder sister when I get back."

Gu Huizhou raised an eyebrow. He could sense that Xiao Zhuyue was the same kind of person as him, but when two people of the same kind meet, only one can survive.

"Dead?" The emperor sneered as he leisurely wiped the cold sword. His red robe was soaked in water under the silver blade, but no bloodstains were visible. However, he was able to clean the silver cold sword thoroughly.

The sword reflected Gu Huizhou's cold and stern features in the chaotic air. "He won't die under my hand."

With a single sentence, Xiao Zhuyue, who had just been laughing, turned cold. His face instantly hardened, and after a moment, he gritted his teeth, as if finally remembering the two cities that had been seized. The ancient city behind the other party was originally territory of their Xiao Kingdom. "Gu Huizhou—"

As the name was read out one word at a time, Gu Huizhou smiled contentedly. He casually wiped away the blood that had spilled from the corner of his mouth. "Then I will come and learn from Your Highness's swordsmanship."

The two dismounted.

"Clang—" The longswords clashed, producing a buzzing sound.

Xiao Zhuyue's eyes widened in astonishment at the strength of the other party.

"Perfect!" Xiao Zhuyue held a blue longsword in his hand. Although he was no match for Gu Huizhou in strength, his movements were so unpredictable that they were hard to see clearly.

Gu Huizhou suddenly retreated, his long sword slipping from his wrist. With a "bang," he blocked the hidden weapon thrown by Xiao Zhuyue. The two daggers fell to the ground at the same moment. The emperor said contemptuously, "Everyone says that the emperor of Xiao Kingdom is upright and honest, but his crown prince is so despicable."

despicable……

Xiao Zhuyue was so agitated that his hands trembled, and his eyes almost turned red. With a roar, he charged forward without regard for anything else.

Despicable! How long has it been since he last heard that word? Doesn't he even realize it himself?

Gu Huizhou's brow twitched, and he moved like a ghost. In the next instant, "Clang!"

The clang of two black iron swords clashing echoed across the sky. The impact of the swords sparked a momentary burst of light, and the two forces resisted each other, causing them to stagger backward. Xiao Zhuyue staggered and bent over to steady himself, his chest heaving violently. "Gu Huizhou, have the arrangements in the court been made?"

"Thanks to His Highness the Crown Prince, the trouble has been eliminated, and I am now clear-headed."

Eliminate the scourge?

Xiao Zhuyue's gaze sharpened instantly; he understood. No wonder he hadn't received any news these past few days—so be it… Oh well. It was just the last use of a discarded pawn; the Baili family was of no use anymore.

He scoffed, "His Majesty is truly ruthless!"

In an instant, the two were entangled again, the sounds of swords clashing filled the air, and their figures shifted rapidly, stirring up a cloud of smoke on the open ground.

Xiao Zhuyue seized an opportunity, his body twisting like a snake, the long sword in his hand about to fall on Gu Huizhou's neck in the next instant, his lips slowly grinning as he waited to let out a sharp, maniacal laugh.

"Whoosh—"

In a flash, Gu Huizhou changed his stance from retreat to advance, using his arm to withstand the sword wound. His arm armor was minimal, and a sword mark immediately appeared on his forearm. Without sparing a glance, he shifted his stance, his entire body charging towards Xiao Zhuyue like an arrow.

The smile on his face froze, his pupils contracted, and he hastily retreated, almost a hundred meters back. Xiao Zhuyue seemed to realize something, her heart skipped a beat, and she raised her hand, "Kill—"

Hundreds of soldiers lay in ambush among the fallen warriors behind him. At his command, a dark mass of soldiers swarmed towards Gu Huizhou like a swarm of crows covering the sky.

Gu Huizhou stopped in his tracks and raised an eyebrow.

"Run! Why don't you run?" Xiao Zhuyue shouted recklessly. It didn't matter whether Gu Huizhou ran or not. If he ran, he would be spared and continue to play with him. He could still see the king of Yun Kingdom fleeing for his life like a drowning dog.

If he doesn't run... then he can just wait for the Yun people to collect his corpse!

"Heh," a cold laugh rang out. Gu Huizhou took the bow and arrow from behind him, and a grayish-white arrow shot straight into the sky with his movement, "Whoosh—"

And the next moment.

"Whoosh—"

"Whoosh—"

"Whoosh—"

...

Countless arrows suddenly shot out from a small hill behind Gu Huizhou, and the swarms of crows were shot down by the arrows, one after another.

Gu Huizhou mounted his horse with a swift motion, like a divine warrior descending from the heavens. Arrows that blotted out the sun surged from behind him toward Xiao Kingdom. Xiao Zhuyue's expression instantly paled. He watched as his meticulously planned assassination attempt failed to even get close to Gu Huizhou. The rage in his heart almost consumed him.

"Gu Huizhou!"

The man in the distance chuckled softly. Gu Huizhou picked up his bow and arrow, and with a "whoosh,"...

The arrow, covered in dust and sand, struck the ground directly in front of Xiao Zhuyue in an instant.

The shield she had just snatched from the soldier looked like a joke to her, and Xiao Zhuyue's face turned ashen.

"Withdraw the troops!"

The swarming black cavalry immediately turned around, but how could they retreat when faced with arrows from behind? "Ah—"

"Hmm—"

"Help—help—" An arrow pierced his throat, silencing the rest of his words.

The soldiers who were originally at the forefront fell first, while Xiao Zhuyue had already hidden behind the crowd. Gu Huizhou watched the Xiao soldiers running further and further away with a mocking expression.

Who exactly is the dog that ran away in panic?

"Go back to the city!"

Jiang Shuang was overjoyed and shouted, "Back to the city!"

"Back to the city——"

The resounding voices pierced the heavens and earth. Thousands had perished in the two-day, bloody battle, yet the soldiers still cheered with jubilation. Some of the fallen soldiers' bodies were picked up by their comrades and carried back on horseback, while others were left to remain, turning to dust.

Among a group of soldiers returning to the city, a red horse galloped upstream, almost clearing a path. The Northern Yuan soldiers did not recognize who this person was, but he was wearing the armor of a deputy general, so they reluctantly made way for him.

Yao Ruyi kept looking around until she finally spotted the figure in the farthest open space. Her heart finally settled. "Gu Huizhou—"

Hearing the familiar voice, Gu Huizhou turned around abruptly. His heart pounded. He watched as Yao Ruyi weaved through the crowd and headed straight for him. Finally, "Gu Huizhou!"

Gu Huizhou reached out and caught her. Yao Ruyi leaped onto Gu Huizhou's horse and the two embraced. Yao Ruyi reached out and gripped the man's wrist tightly. A white light emanated from where they touched, and Gu Huizhou smiled.

He opened his mouth and kissed the person, the taste of blood spreading between his lips and teeth.

"Why is it taking so long?"

Gu Huizhou put his arm around the person's waist and said, "You don't need to worry so much about beating a dog that's running away in defeat, Nineteenth Lord."

Yao Ruyi hummed and ignored him. Gu Huizhou reached out his hand, "There they are, watching us."

who?

Yao Ruyi turned her head and saw a man sitting on a tall horse not far away. Even though he was wearing armor, he could not hide his refined temperament. Xiao Zhuyue seemed to be a different person. He was no longer hysterical as before, but instead pretended to be a refined scholar and bowed to Yao Ruyi.

Just like back in Jiangzhou City.

That person is... Chen Zhuyue?

Yao Ruyi's heart pounded wildly. He stared at that direction for a long time until the person waved to them and turned around. Gu Huizhou asked, "What?"

He didn't know what to say, nor did he know if the scholar's riot before the New Year had anything to do with that person. Yao Ruyi said in a calm tone, "I saw him in Jiangzhou City."

All thoughts of Chen Zhuyue flooded his mind, and Yao Ruyi tightened his grip on the reins. He had originally planned to find her after the war ended, to ask if anything had happened, and why the school was no longer operating...

But now it's not necessary. Crown Prince Xiao is too busy to keep running schools in Yun Kingdom.

Yao Ruyi told Gu Huizhou everything she knew in one breath, her anger flaring up like a spark in dry grass. "And last year. Near the end of the twelfth lunar month, he and Xunyang went to the capital to see Lord Li and asked me for help."

"I didn't respond, and I never saw him again."

"Go back to the city first."

Gu Huizhou pursed his lips and remained silent. He had been careless. He had actually allowed these maggots to stay in Yun Kingdom for so long. He reached out and put his arm around Yao Ruyi's waist. "Be good, leave it to me."

"good."

The battlefield fell silent after both sides withdrew, and only when night fell did the camp in Guyue City finally light up with smoke.

A large pot of porridge was simmering, with only a few scattered vegetable leaves and shredded meat offering a faint taste. The cook was sweating profusely, his collar soaked with sweat, as he and his companions stirred the porridge in the pot with large iron ladles while talking.

Candles were lit in several tents.

Han Jiqing wanted to rush to the battlefield during the day, but was desperately stopped by the army doctor and a few soldiers. The soldier who was originally ordered by the thirteenth and fourteenth to take care of Yao Ruyi had been searching for a person all day. When he saw that the person had returned from the battlefield with His Majesty, he almost cried. He quickly warmed up the tonic prescribed by the imperial physician and sent it to Yao Ruyi.

There was quite a bit more, so Yao Ruyi shared a bowl with Gu Huizhou.

Inside the tent, the blood-stained clothes had all been taken out, and the smell of blood could still be smelled during the day. But now it was almost completely masked by the smell of medicine. Yao Ruyi took a sip and almost vomited. He didn't need to take medicine; he had Gu Huizhou's blood on the battlefield, which was much more effective than this medicine.

Frowning, she was about to take a second sip, but she simply didn't have the courage. Ignoring the emperor's scrutinizing gaze, Yao Ruyi pushed the rest of her bowl of medicine towards him, muttering, "I can't drink it."

Gu Huizhou, “…Hmm.”

Han Jiqing glanced at it and didn't want to look anymore. He lay on the bed with his eyes closed, the bitter taste of the soup he had just swallowed still lingering in his mouth. He tried to think about other things, but his mind was always on Han Jiwen and Xiao Xiaoyuan. He couldn't think of anything else right now.

"Your Majesty, Xiaoyuan..."

“Bai Liyi was accused of colluding with foreign powers; his entire family was executed.”

"What!" Han Jiqing nearly fell off the bed upon hearing this. He clenched his fists tightly. "He actually—!" Why hadn't they discovered it sooner? The reason they suffered such heavy losses in the battle months ago—"was it all because of Baili Yi!"

After a long pause, "So that battle wasn't reported by Xiaoyuan?"

"Hmph." Gu Huizhou laughed at his lack of common sense. "The Princess has been away from Yun Kingdom for months. How could she know about the news from the capital?"

"This..." The person on the bed paused.

That's right. Xiao Yuan has been away from the capital for so long, she shouldn't know so much. Han Jiqing struggled to his feet, propping himself up with his elbows. Although his injuries had healed, his body was still weak. "Your Majesty, I was so angry that I lost my mind. I beg for forgiveness."

"I can't be bothered to argue with you."

Han Jiqing chuckled self-deprecatingly. If Ji Wen were here, he wouldn't have been fooled by such a petty trick. But speaking of the capital, the Baili family had been colluding with foreign powers for so long—didn't that mean they were already doing this even during the late emperor's lifetime…?

With a serious expression, he said, "The Baili family must have news about the Xiao Kingdom. Baili Yi is not the kind of person who leaves himself no way out. Even if he really wants to follow Xiao Zhuyue in the future, he will leave Xiao Zhuyue with something to hold against him."

Gu Huizhou nodded. That's right. He had already sent people to look for it. It would be best if they could find it, but if they couldn't, it wouldn't stop them from sending Xiao Kingdom back.

"Alright, you take care of yourself. You can lead the troops again when you're better."

"Your Majesty! I am now out of danger."

Gu Huizhou downed two large bowls of tonic in one gulp, frowned, stood up, and looked at Han Jiqing with a cold laugh, "If you die, I will not be able to explain myself."

"Your Majesty—"

Han Jiqing clenched his fists tightly, his eyes reddening. Even though Gu Huizhou had become the Emperor, he was still the Gu Huizhou Han Jiqing knew. His voice choked with emotion, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

It was already dark outside the tent. Gu Huizhou and Yao Ruyi walked towards the commander's tent one after the other, but they bumped into the army doctor on the way. Gu Huizhou suppressed the heat in his heart and stopped the doctor. "Stop."

The military doctor was startled. He had been mentally preparing his greetings and salutes when he saw the emperor from afar, but now that the emperor had called him, he forgot everything. His legs went weak and he knelt down, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty!"

Caught off guard by such a grand gesture, even the emperor was speechless. "...I ask you, what was added to today's tonic?"

What was added?

The military doctor was busy thinking, "A few days ago, after His Majesty returned to the camp, the Thirteenth Minister gave me a box of tonics, saying that it was brought by Eunuch Cui from the capital. Among them were highly nourishing ingredients such as deer antler and black mulberry. Eunuch Cui instructed me to use these to brew some tonics if His Majesty and the generals were tired."

Cui Xiangzhu…

Frustrated, Gu Huizhou turned away and strode off without another word.

The army doctor, fearing there was something wrong with the medicine, was trembling with fear. Even after the emperor left, he didn't dare stand up. "This…Deputy General Yao?"

"It's nothing, you can go back now."

"Thank you! Thank you very much, Vice General Yao. I will take my leave now."

For some reason, Yao Ruyi hurried a few steps to follow Gu Huizhou. He was worried that there might be something in the tonic that was making Gu Huizhou uncomfortable, and he couldn't help but feel anxious. He followed the man's steps and lifted the curtain, but the next second, "Ugh—"

He was completely embraced by a burning hot body, Yao Ruyi was almost unable to move. His lips were pressed against Gu Huizhou's, letting the man suckle vigorously, "Gu Huizhou—"

What's wrong?

Gu Huizhou's voice was deep. He chuckled softly and only released Yao Ruyi after nearly a quarter of an hour. However, he only released her lips, leaving her waist still pulled close to him. He had taken off his armor, and underneath he was still wearing thin summer clothes. Yao Ruyi instantly felt the man's burning heat.

His cheeks flushed as he stammered, "It was quite sudden..."

"Suddenly?" Gu Huizhou scoffed, rubbing Yao Ruyi's neck with his teeth.

The man was half a head taller than Yao Ruyi, and from a distance he looked like a hungry wolf king enjoying his prey.

"Immortal Lord, do you know what was added to that bowl of tonic? Immortal Lord only took a sip, but the other two bowls ended up in my mouth." As he spoke, he turned to bite Yao Ruyi's earlobe, panting heavily, one hand restlessly slipping inside the fabric.

"The adults have to take responsibility."

"Hmm—"

Yao Ruyi was dizzy from the kiss. He followed Gu Huizhou's words and thought about the bowl of medicinal soup: deer antler, black mulberry, ginseng...

These are all highly nutritious foods for men.

Her face instantly turned bright red. In the dim candlelight inside the tent, Gu Huizhou's heart trembled. He almost couldn't resist pulling her onto the bed and placing her hand on his waist.

"Yao Ruyi, help me." The hot breath hit Mushroom's ear, and the voice was deep and hoarse, as if seducing him.

"good."

Gu Huizhou thought, "She's really obedient."

But the man's wickedness surged into his heart in an instant. Looking at those hands, he felt no satisfaction. So he forcefully pressed her down on the bed. Yao Ruyi frowned in confusion, "How can I help you if you're like this?"

He almost ripped someone's belt off.

"Ha," came the mocking laugh.

"Yao Ruyi, your legs are so white."

A cool sensation on her leg, the bright red cinnabar beads on the emperor's wrist touching her fair skin, made Yao Ruyi tremble involuntarily, "Cool..."

"Sweetie, it won't get cold in a bit."

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Hehehe [green heart][yellow heart]