Chapter 87 The Dust Settles: "Two chapters, just a quick touch."

Two days after the peace talks, Li Wenjing finally heard the Emperor say that he wanted to return to the capital. He was so happy that he didn't know what to do. He insisted on taking Lan Yan for a ride on the battlefield to calm his emotions.

Now that the two countries have ceased hostilities, the ceasefire agreement states that the ceasefire will last for at least five years. However, he believes that the two countries may not go to war again.

What can the Xiao Kingdom use to fight the Yun Kingdom? The old man was unusually arrogant, but it was the truth.

The day I returned to Beijing.

The carriages and horses were properly set up at the original camp. Yao Ruyi and Gu Huizhou came out of the tent and walked towards the carriage. The sun was shining and the breeze was gentle. Yao Ruyi turned her head and saw that the curtain of another tent had also been lifted. Han Jiqing helped Xiao Xiaoyuan out.

The two looked at each other with an indescribable expression of joy or sorrow, as if they had become strangers after not seeing each other for a year.

"You don't need to worry about it." Gu Huizhou stepped forward to block Yao Ruyi's view and squeezed Yao Ruyi's hand. "Your Excellency can keep an eye on me."

Gu Huizhou's words elicited a soft snort from Yao Ruyi, who turned her head back and said, "Let's go."

Han Jiwen's death is not something that can be resolved overnight. Even if it has nothing to do with Xiao Xiaoyuan, it will inevitably create a rift between the two.

Soon, the carriages and horses embarked on their journey back to the capital.

The carriage jolted and bounced along the official road, making Yao Ruyi uncomfortable. He nestled in Gu Huizhou's arms, and after a while, he suddenly laughed, "Your Majesty? Why have I suddenly become so delicate?"

"Delicate?" Gu Huizhou didn't think so. With a warm and soft woman in his arms, he had no time to think about such things. The man had several memorials brought by Li Wenjing beside him, but he only read half of them before putting them aside and ignoring them.

Reaching out, Gu Huizhou pinched the neck of the person in his arms and shook his head, "Where are you delicate?"

"You're already sitting in the carriage, yet you still want to be carried." Yao Ruyi muttered. Although he said that, he was lying there very comfortably, and even twisted his body to find a more comfortable position after he finished speaking.

"Heh," came a soft laugh.

Gu Huizhou lowered his head and kissed Yao Ruyi's hair. "I like it." The love in his eyes was undisguised. All his favoritism and doting affection fell on the person in his arms. Gu Huizhou was happy. It didn't matter what happened to his Nineteenth Prince, as long as he was his.

He can afford to feed any pampered child.

The turbulence suddenly subsided, and Yao Ruyi opened his eyes drowsily. He asked Gu Huizhou, "What's wrong?"

Before Gu Huizhou could speak, Thirteen's voice came from outside, his voice somewhat hoarse, "Your Majesty, it is the carriage of the eldest prince of Xiao Kingdom."

The eldest prince? Didn't he already return to Xiao Kingdom?

Yao Ruyi was puzzled. He got up, lifted the curtain, and looked outside. There happened to be a carriage parked opposite. Several people outside the carriage were dressed in the clothes of the Xiao Kingdom, and some of them were dressed in the robes of the Yun Kingdom's imperial guards. They knelt down in unison and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Gu Huizhou raised his hand, "Did we delay you?"

A man who looked like a leader of the Imperial Guard stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, we were delayed for three days due to a problem with the carriage frame. Please forgive us!"

"Hmm." Gu Huizhou responded indifferently and then stopped paying attention. Yao Ruyi was about to go back to her carriage when a familiar voice suddenly came from the carriage opposite, "Yao Ruyi."

That sound...is coming from the fog?

After a long pause, Mushroom stared at the carriage opposite him.

After hesitating for a while, Yao Ruyi got out of the carriage and walked forward. He smiled at Gu Huizhou, who was frowning behind him, and then knocked on the side of the carriage in front of him. "Wuyuan?"

“It’s me.” Wu Yuan chuckled and lifted the carriage curtain. He had changed his robe into a black brocade robe, but his hair hadn’t grown out yet. He didn’t want to wear a hat, so he just tossed it aside in the carriage. He smiled at Yao Ruyi, then held up the hat in his hand. “I’m familiar with you, so I won’t wear it.”

"So you are... the eldest son of the Xiao Kingdom's emperor?"

"Hmm, doesn't it seem like it?" Wu Yuan was squatting behind the curtain chatting with Yao Ruyi. After a while, he got tired of squatting and plopped down on the carriage. "I'm going back to be the emperor now, what do you think?"

Become emperor? The imperial guards by the carriage felt a chill run down their spines. This eldest prince was no pushover either. His Majesty was still alive, and he dared to say such a thing.

"Very good." Yao Ruyi smiled, as long as it wasn't Xiao Zhuyue.

Wu Yuan looked at the carriage behind Yao Ruyi with a half-smile, "I've been a monk for over twenty years, and suddenly I have to go back to govern such a vast dynasty. Yao Ruyi, what do you think I should do?"

"How should we do it?" Yao Ruyi shook her head. "Shall I ask Gu Huizhou for you?"

"Pfft—" Wu Yuan couldn't help but burst out laughing, "Then forget it. I've been a citizen of Yun Kingdom for over twenty years. I'm not afraid of him."

Was Wu Yuan afraid of Gu Huizhou? Yao Ruyi didn't see that.

"Let the people have enough to eat and drink, let there be no war, and let the country be prosperous and strong." Yao Ruyi lowered her head. "That's all I can think of for now."

"Yes, that's enough." Wu Yuan cupped his hands in greeting. "This humble monk has learned much."

"Yao Ruyi." Gu Huizhou's voice came from behind. Yao Ruyi smiled at Wu Yuan, "I'm going back now. See you another day."

Nodding, Wu Yuan chuckled, "We're friends?"

"yes."

Wu Yuan was relieved. "That's good. This humble monk is going back to my country to benefit the people. Farewell."

"Farewell."

After Yao Ruyi finished speaking, she turned around and crawled back into her carriage. Wu Yuan smiled and looked over there. The road was narrow, and they could only pass after the carriages from Yun Kingdom had all left. In the instant the two carriages passed each other, the curtain of the opposite carriage was blown up by the wind, and Wu Yuan vaguely saw Yao Ruyi being held in someone's arms.

Then he met a gloomy, dark gaze.

Wu Yuan paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

"I'm actually a little scared." He wasn't lying. Wu Yuan clicked his tongue and sat up straight in the carriage. He was waiting for the carriage behind the emperor, which he had heard belonged to his younger sister.

"Whoa—"

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Xiao Xiaoyuan appeared with dignified bearing, "Your Majesty."

"Hmm, Imperial Sister." Wu Yuan smiled contentedly, and he subtly looked Xiao Xiaoyuan up and down. The woman's originally well-proportioned figure now looked like skin and bones. "You should eat more."

Xiao Xiaoyuan was taken aback, then smiled and nodded, "Xiaoyuan knows, thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

Wu Yuan awkwardly touched his nose, then suddenly remembered that he hadn't put on his hat. He sighed and said, "Well, take care of yourself. Goodbye."

"Xiao Yuan is here to see my elder brother, the Emperor."

Xiao Xiaoyuan didn't know what she was feeling. She had never met this person before, but her first impression of her own brother was surprisingly good. The woman lowered the curtain, closed her eyes, and leaned back in Han Jiqing's arms. "Let's go."

"good."

The sound of tire tracks on the road gradually faded until it almost disappeared. Only then did Wu Yuan turn his gaze away, and he said in a relaxed tone, "Let's go."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The sound of wheel tracks rang out again, and the two groups of people gradually moved into the distance.

After more than ten days of bumpy travel, Yao Ruyi finally caught a glimpse of the capital. Meanwhile, the civil and military officials standing before the vermilion gates of the palace finally saw their Emperor, with Xu Yi, the leader, almost weeping.

Xu Yi had been eagerly awaiting His Majesty's return to the capital these past few days, and now that His Majesty had finally come back, his legs went weak and he knelt down, his voice choked with sobs, "Your subject! Welcomes Your Majesty back to the palace!"

"Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome you back to the palace!" The voices were loud and orderly as Gu Huizhou stepped out of the carriage. He nodded to the civil and military officials before him, "Thank you all for your trouble."

"Your Majesty is serious!"

"Your Majesty, what are you saying? It is all our duty!"

...

Gu Huizhou was tired of hearing this kind of talk, so he waved his hand and said, "All of you, step back."

"...Yes, Your Majesty."

"yes."

Those people exchanged bewildered glances. They had thought His Majesty had changed his ways, but it turned out he was still the same old man. They had hoped that His Majesty would change his ways after returning to the capital, but they hadn't expected this...

"Hey, let's go. What are you thinking about?"

The imperial carriage had long since gone far away, and the few people following behind whispered, "His Majesty is still the same His Majesty, sigh."

A tall minister beside him, upon hearing this, said with displeasure, "What's with this sigh? If it were the late emperor, how could he have conquered three cities of Xiao Kingdom within such a short period? It's simply wishful thinking!"

Upon hearing this, another short and stout minister hurriedly nodded in agreement, "Brother Chen is right. If it were the late emperor, I don't know if three cities would have been enough to lose!"

The minister who had just sighed paused, "You two are right, I am indeed foolish."

The tall minister walked slowly. "Hmph, if you ask me, His Majesty is good enough now. He can certainly be called a wise ruler."

"A wise ruler?" The short, stout minister paused for a moment. "When the people called His Majesty a tyrant, why didn't you call him a wise ruler?"

"Times have changed."

The two people next to them exchanged a glance and suddenly laughed, “That’s right, times have changed.”

The group knew what was going on, so they exchanged glances and fell silent. The court was much quieter now; not a single pointless word had been heard in the past six months.

The short, stout minister said as he walked, “Your Majesty could have returned to the capital riding a tall horse for the people to admire, but instead you secretly returned by another route. Such behavior is worthy of the title of wise ruler.”

"Alright, now we both know you are loyal to His Majesty, so there's no need to say more," the official surnamed Chen said with a smile.

The short, stout minister paused, his ears turning slightly red. "As a subject, it is natural to be loyal to His Majesty." With that, the three quickened their pace and followed the officials into the palace.

The emperor's return to the capital was also chosen at a convenient time, coinciding with the ten-day Lunar New Year celebrations. Cui Xiangzhu was already overwhelmed with work, having spent the entire year feeling restless with boredom. Now that His Majesty had finally returned to the capital, he would have plenty of time to keep busy.

"Look closely, everyone! Now that our Emperor has returned victorious, this New Year must be celebrated with great festivity and joy! Do you hear me?"

The eunuchs shouted in unison, "We understand!"

"Do you really understand?" Cui Xiangzhu frowned. There were a few newcomers here, and he was constantly worried about them.

"Rest assured, Your Excellency, we will work together with the Imperial Household Department to do our best in matters related to the New Year celebrations."

"Alright, everyone get back to work." Cui Xiangzhu shouted loudly, shooing everyone away. He noticed it was getting late, and he needed to check on the Imperial Kitchen. His Majesty had become so thin that he was almost unrecognizable, so he had to keep a close eye on the Imperial Kitchen.

Oh right, and there were also snacks for the 19th Party Congress.

Thinking of this, Cui Xiangzhu couldn't stop smiling. He was increasingly pleased to see His Majesty and the Nineteenth Minister.

In the Imperial Study, several small mountains of memorials were piled on the desk. Yao Ruyi didn't want to look in any direction; just looking at them made him feel dizzy and disoriented. He wondered how long it would take Gu Huizhou to finish reading all these memorials.

"Your Majesty." It is fifteen.

"Enter."

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Fifteen rose, his face always cold. "Your Majesty, the entire Baili family, except for Baili Qingxiao and Baili Rou, has been executed."

Baili Yi was not dead at first, but for some reason, when he heard that His Majesty had returned to the palace last night, he fainted on the rack. His wounds kept reopening, and the imperial physicians were helpless, so they let him die.

Sixteen was on guard at the Ministry of Justice last night. After the imperial physician finished speaking, he clicked his tongue twice. After taking a few steps forward, he saw Baili Yi's skeletal frame and smiled sarcastically, "Scared to death? That must be a good deed he did in his past life."

Gu Huizhou tapped the table lightly with his finger.

"I understand."

"Your Majesty, should Baili Qingxiao still be imprisoned?"

"Let it go."

"Yes." Sixteen accepted the order and slowly withdrew. Yao Ruyi, slumped on the table, stared wide-eyed. "Your Majesty, is Xiao Zhuyue still imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice?"

"Hmm, is something the matter?"

Gu Huizhou's face darkened as soon as Yao Ruyi mentioned Xiao Zhuyue, but fortunately Yao Ruyi didn't mention it much, and this was only the second time since returning to the capital.

What if he dies in Yunguo?

"What will happen?" The man pondered for a moment, then chuckled softly, "It will be enjoyable."

"Yao Ruyi, I want revenge. Only by personally torturing Xiao Zhuyue by a thousand cuts can I quell the hatred in my heart."

"The Kingdom of Xiao will not let this go."

"He will."

“A prince has died, how could Xiao Kingdom—” Yao Ruyi stared wide-eyed. His injuries had almost completely healed in the past few days, and his voice was full of energy.

"Heh, the Xiao Kingdom wouldn't dare turn against me for a deposed prince." The man rose and sat beside Yao Ruyi, stroking his fair neck. "Even if I kill Xiao Zhuyue tomorrow, the old emperor can only tell me, 'I hope the Wangyun Kingdom will send the prince's body back to the Xiao Kingdom.'"

"Pfft." Yao Ruyi suddenly laughed, still somewhat skeptical. "Really?"

"Naturally true."

"Okay, I'll believe you for now."

"For now?" Gu Huizhou raised an eyebrow.

Yao Ruyi felt as if he were burning up as Yao pinched his earlobe and blew on it. He frantically picked up a cup and then put it down again. "Your Majesty, what can Baili Qingxiao do if he goes out now?"

"What should I do?" Gu Huizhou mercifully spared the soft flesh. "Become a teacher in the school and no longer interfere in court affairs."

For some reason, Mushroom suddenly said, "Then wouldn't it mean I could be his student too?"

"Hmm?" The emperor frowned.

"Doesn't Wang Qianshan know more than him?"

Yao Ruyi then remembered, and he smiled awkwardly, "Just kidding."

"Are you joking?" Gu Huizhou sneered. "Then I'll personally teach you, and I guarantee your career will be smooth sailing."

"You'll teach me?" Yao Ruyi became interested.

"Hmm," Gu Huizhou smiled, picking up a book of poetry from the side. "I am the most suitable teacher for the Immortal Lord." His smile was handsome, and now that he had returned to the capital, the emperor's gold ornaments had increased, rustling with his movements. "Hmm, if Your Majesty memorizes a chapter, I will allow Your Majesty to kiss you."

"Two chapters, just one touch." The man reached out and parted the fabric of his shirt. The room was well-ventilated, so a thin layer of clothing was enough. With a simple movement of his hand, he could see the full pectoral muscles beneath the fabric. They weren't visible when he was dressed, but they were completely different when exposed.

Mushroom stared, his eyes glued to the screen, unable to look away no matter how many times he read it. Yao Ruyi blushed and asked, "What about the other three chapters?"