Chapter 9 The Tyrant's Test: "Where are the mushrooms?"

After Yao Ruyi finished speaking, no one paid any attention to him for a long time. "Your Majesty, help me up."

After waiting for a while, His Majesty the Emperor simply sat there quietly, even picking up a memorial to read.

Yao Ruyi took another sip of tea, though he knew he couldn't hear. He sighed deeply, and just as Mushroom was preparing to fend for himself, a series of footsteps approached.

"Ouch!" Cui Xiangzhu exclaimed, "Why did this mushroom fall over?" He quickly ran over and helped Yao Ruyi up. "This servant was blind, please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

He quickly wiped the flowerpot clean and set it aside, then went downstairs to brew another cup of tea and brought it back. "Your Majesty, rest assured, the palace servants who are doing the repairs will arrive shortly."

Gu Huizhou nodded slightly, "Okay." After speaking, he glanced out the window. The window was intact and did not look damaged. He then looked back at the orange-red mushroom.

Yu Guangzhong's mushroom cap was even more vibrant than before, as if it had been watered with dew. Gu Huizhou wanted to look away, but a flash of orange suddenly appeared in his mind.

A boy dressed in white slumped to the ground, his round eyes looking upwards, and there seemed to be a wisp of orange-red hair beside his ear...

The man's fingers traced patterns on the memorial. "Are there any red-haired people within the territory of Yun Kingdom?"

Cui Xiangzhu was taken aback. "Red hair? This servant has never heard of such a thing. Our Yun Kingdom has always had black hair, but some people from the Western Regions in the northwest have yellow hair and green eyes."

A while ago, some merchants came to the capital for trade, and their green eyes frightened some of the children there, making them cry loudly.

"The Western Regions." The man remained silent.

"I also thought of something else. Red hair is not seen in our Yun Kingdom, but it exists in the Western Regions. They like to use some material dug out of rocks to coat their hair, which can last for ten days to half a month. When it shines in the sunlight, it becomes a delightful red."

Gu Huizhou nodded casually, and the topic was considered over. Gu Huizhou then reviewed the memorials, while Cui Xiangzhu ground the ink on the side.

"His Majesty."

Cui Xiangzhu swallowed hard. "Just now, I heard from the servants that General Liang's wedding to Miss Li is set for the twelfth lunar month. It should be in the next few days."

"I heard that even Miss Li's wedding dress was bought from embroiderers outside. It was originally made for another family's daughter. After the Li family bought it, they asked embroiderers to make alterations themselves, and they almost didn't have time to finish it."

"Those embroiderers' eyes were all bloodshot from staying up all night."

Gu Huizhou hadn't expected them to be in such a hurry. Could it be that they wanted to marry a noblewoman before the military merits were settled? Could there be any other changes? "Hmm."

Cui Xiangzhu slowed his movements, "In my opinion, the one who is in such a hurry may not necessarily be Miss Li. General Liang had a close female friend when the late emperor was alive, and the two had a very good relationship."

"When the old master of the Liang family was alive, General Liang asked him for a marriage proposal, intending to take that confidante as his wife. For this, he was punished by the old master of the Liang family with two months of confinement to reflect on his mistakes."

Gu Huizhou raised an eyebrow. "General Liang actually has such a romantic past." Even he didn't know about this. The man turned his head.

"To be honest, Your Majesty, I was originally just a lowly eunuch following my godfather around, spending my days discussing trivial matters with a group of other eunuchs. It was during that time that I heard about the romantic escapades of some aristocratic families. After my godfather passed away, Your Majesty gave me an important position, which is why I am where I am today."

“Go on.”

“Ah,” Cui Xiangzhu nodded, “General Liang’s affair was more than ten years ago. At that time, not many people in the capital knew about it, and I guess even fewer people know about it now. There are also rumors that General Liang had a son with that confidante, who is probably sixteen or seventeen years old now.”

It's a beautiful story for a noble lady to marry a victorious general, but it's hard to say what would happen if she married a deserter with no military merit.

"That day, you should personally deliver some congratulatory gifts and say it is my will."

"Ah!" Cui Xiangzhu, despite being of a good age, had wrinkles forced out of him. "The newlyweds must be overjoyed to receive a wedding gift from the Emperor on their wedding day. Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will certainly take care of this matter for you."

-

On the day of the wedding.

Gu Huizhou spent the entire day reading memorials in the Cloud Palace, while Cui Xiangzhu had just left the palace to deliver wedding gifts to Liang He and Li Yunyun. Thirteen and Fourteen stood outside the Cloud Palace, their eyes filled with conflicted emotions.

Thirteen asked in a low voice, "What if the young man His Majesty wants isn't among the people we've found?"

Fourteen remained silent. "If you don't find it, then keep looking."

Thirteen,"……"

Fourteen still couldn't understand what was going on with his confusion all this time. "What's wrong, Thirteen? Why are you acting so strangely today?"

"Tell me, do you know what day it is today?"

“Today,” Fourteen thought, staring at the snow on the tips of his shoes, “Oh, today is the wedding day of Liang He and Miss Li.”

"That's right."

How could that be right? Fourteen still didn't understand what he meant. "This?"

Thirteen sighed helplessly, put his arm around his shoulder and walked to the side. The two grown men huddled together, whispering something. "What do you think His Majesty's attitude is towards Liang He?"

Fourteen rolled his eyes. "Liang He? He hasn't earned a single military merit and was just a nuisance on the front lines. After returning to the capital, he's still courting death. His Majesty is being merciful by not executing him."

"That's exactly what I mean," Thirteen said earnestly. "Look, His Majesty's harem is empty. Now he's finally showing some interest and has asked us to find that young man. How heartbroken His Majesty would be if we couldn't find him?" He added, "Especially on the day of Liang He's wedding."

"The enemy is celebrating their wedding night, while our Emperor can't even catch a glimpse of his beloved."

“You’re right!” Fourteen’s eyes were filled with mixed emotions. “But if the person His Majesty is looking for is among these young men, then His Majesty will surely be delighted!”

"this……"

"Since His Majesty seems to be free now, let's go!"

"Alright, alright. I'll go take a look."

In the Cloud Palace, Gu Huizhou stared at the group of youths before him for a long time, then frowned, "What does this mean?"

Thirteen was taken aback. "Didn't Your Majesty say you wanted to find a fair-skinned young man?"

Gu Huizhou smiled. He now understood what Thirteen's tone meant back then. Looking at the group of frail men in thin white robes before him, each one was either as beautiful as a peach blossom or as charming as a delicate beauty. They were a good match; each had round eyes and looked innocent when they looked at people, but…

Is it fair-skinned?

Aren't they fair-skinned? Each one has skin as smooth as cream.

"Has the investigation into military merits been completed?"

Gu Huizhou abruptly changed the subject, and Thirteen hurriedly told Cui Xiangzhu to lead the group of youths out, "Ah—Your Majesty, the count has been completed."

Tell me about it.

Fourteen said, "In this war between the two countries, many generals have made great contributions, but General Han is the most valiant, having killed three generals alone. In addition..." He was about to continue when Gu Huizhou waved his hand.

"My subordinates also discovered that General Liang He's military achievements had been altered, and it was ultimately determined that they were the achievements of his deputy general. My subordinates also sent people to investigate and inquire in various places within the army. Liang He often disappeared from the army without reason, and some people saw him loitering in brothels in the surrounding counties."

Furthermore, on the battlefield, several of the generals seen wearing General Liang's battle robes were his deputies.

"I have asked the people from the Dali Temple and the imperial physicians to examine him. The strength and habits he used with the knife and sword are different from those of General Liang He. It was indeed done by his deputy."

Gu Huizhou nodded. This explained why Han Jiqing's deputy generals were all highly decorated, while Liang He's deputy generals had few merits. "Make sure to organize them carefully, and reward or punish them together after the New Year."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

With only two or three days left until the Lunar New Year, and only four or five days after the New Year as Gu Huizhou mentioned, they would have to work overtime to organize everything if they wanted to take a break during the holiday.

"Your Majesty, that young man..."

"I must have misremembered. What I saw at the time was an assassin sent by the other side. Perhaps I am delirious from blood loss, so there is no need to search anymore."

Gu Huizhou spoke casually, waving his hands to dismiss the others.

Thirteen could only obey the order, and after leaving, he was heartbroken. "I thought His Majesty had finally come to his senses, but I didn't expect he had misremembered." He frowned. "Do you think it's possible that His Majesty has fallen in love with that assassin?"

Fourteenth Prince let out a long sigh of relief; he now understood. It wasn't His Majesty who was delusional. "You, shut up! Go back and check the military merits."

"Hey hey hey—"

Gu Huizhou dismissed Thirteen and Fourteen, then smiled as he faced the empty bedchamber, saying, "I truly am mistaken. There is no such youth."

"This Cui Xiangzhu has also learned to act on his own initiative, always sending over some cloying snacks."

The man's gaze seemed to fall on the pot of mushrooms on the table, a silver-white robe draped over his body as he leaned against the table. He tapped his fingers lightly twice.

As expected, for several days in a row, Gu Huizhou would see the empty jade plate on the table as soon as he opened his eyes. The man looked at the mushroom with a questioning gaze, unusually for him not bringing the mushroom pot with him when he went to the Imperial Study.

With the New Year approaching, the palace is filled with festive red decorations.

Gu Huizhou's bedroom was also filled with auspicious ornaments symbolizing the New Year.

Everyone in Yun Kingdom knows that His Majesty enjoys handling herbs and some precious flowers and plants. More than ten days ago, a lot of them were transported from various prefectures and counties, and they are now displayed in large and small sizes in the courtyard outside the Yun Palace, being tended to by the gardeners of the Imperial Garden.

"Oh my, these plum blossoms are growing so well. Those officials from the north send them over every year to please the Emperor. I'm sure His Majesty's mood will improve a bit when he sees them."

Cui Xiangzhu liked them more and more as he looked at them. Having been by Gu Huizhou's side for the past two years, he had even developed a fondness for these flowers and plants. "May I ask you, are any of these flowers and plants poisonous?"

The gardener was startled. "Eunuch Cui, these flowers, herbs, and medicinal plants have all been examined by me and the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital. Only those that are non-toxic and pose no harm to the human body are sent to this Cloud Palace!"

"Some of the medicinal herbs sent by the officials have been reported to contain toxins, and those have been carefully preserved by the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital and handed over to His Majesty."

"Get up, get up. I didn't mean to blame you," Cui Xiangzhu said, reaching out to help the man up. "It's just that the New Year is approaching, and we need to pay more attention to things inside and outside the palace."

"Thank you, Eunuch Cui. You are right, Eunuch Cui. We are all happy to have you by His Majesty's side."

Cui Xiangzhu smiled broadly at this suggestion. "Then you continue pruning the flowers and plants in this courtyard. I'll go to the palace to see if there's anything else we need to buy." He remembered that His Majesty had reminded him to water that mushroom plant.

"This servant obeys, please rest assured, sir."

Cui Xiangzhu entered the hall with a smile. The gardener finally breathed a sigh of relief. As lowly palace servants, they felt terribly uneasy following beside the head eunuch.

He had just relaxed when he heard Cui Xiangzhu exclaim from inside the hall, "Where are the mushrooms!"

The gardener got up and ran over, "Eunuch Cui, what happened?"

Cui Xiangzhu, panting heavily, asked, "Where did that mushroom on the table in Your Majesty's palace go? Where did you put it?!"

As soon as he went in, the empty flowerpots were covered with only a layer of soil.