Chapter 64 Old Tales of the Capital: The Story of the Hundred-Mile Twins
"Xiao Guohui will then send troops."
Li Wenjing shook her head silently, "That's not necessarily true."
"Liang Chengfeng's siege has dragged on for more than a month. I think..." A trace of worry flashed across the old man's eyes, "They may not have wanted to unite with the grasslands from the beginning. The Crown Prince of Xiao is the best candidate."
Xu Yi and Yao Ruyi exchanged a glance.
That's true. The Xiao Kingdom is more intimidating than the grasslands. Moreover, the Xiao and Yun Kingdoms had just reached a truce less than a year ago. To start a war now would mean facing both internal and external troubles.
The grasslands had just returned empty-handed from the Yun Kingdom, so for them, starting a war was like scratching an itch.
It's not a deterrent, but it's annoying.
The people of the grasslands are naturally brave and skilled in battle, and they are not afraid to die in war. Getting entangled with them can be quite a nightmare.
The old, kind voice chuckled softly. Li Wenjing glanced at the sky and said, "Alright, this old man should go back now. I need to prepare for court tomorrow."
"Take care, sir."
"Take care, sir."
After bidding farewell to the two gentlemen, Xu Yi and Yao Ruyi exchanged a glance. "Going back?"
Yao Ruyi nodded, "Okay, let's go back and get something to eat."
After chatting with a few people for a while, he started to feel a bit hungry.
"Alright, how about we go and have something to eat with His Majesty?"
After speaking, Xu Yi touched his nose guiltily, his eyes darting around. When His Majesty spoke to him just now, he could hardly believe that it was the same decisive and ruthless His Majesty.
Her voice carried the air of a resentful woman from the deep palace...
It also has a hint of the air of a courtesan in a brothel.
"Well, that's fine too."
After saying this, Yao Ruyi hurried back.
On the way back to the Cloud Palace, Yao Ruyi saw lights on in the room from afar, and his eyes lit up unconsciously. He himself was unaware that a hint of joy had crept into his heart.
"His Majesty."
The man sitting at the table looked up when he heard footsteps outside the window, a fleeting look of resentment in his eyes.
"Are the leaders of the 19th Party Congress finished with their work?"
Yao Ruyi pretended not to hear, but in any case, the emperor's words were not pleasant. "Your Majesty, would you like some tea and snacks?"
He sat down on the wooden chair next to Gu Huizhou with a smile, resting his arm on the edge of the table and his head on his arm. His eyes seemed to hold the stars in the sky, which made Gu Huizhou's heart tremble.
He smiled subconsciously, but then, remembering that he hadn't seen this person all day, the man suddenly straightened his lips and said, "I won't eat."
Why aren't you eating? "What did you eat tonight?"
Following Yao Ruyi's example, he lay on the table, and the distance between the two suddenly closed. Gu Huizhou could count the eyelashes of the mushroom when he looked up.
"What did I eat?"
His voice was light and flirtatious, and as he spoke, his warm breath brushed against Yao Ruyi's cheek, making her hair flutter and feel strangely itchy.
Yao Ruyi dodged to the side.
"Does the Nineteenth Prince care what I ate?"
"I am concerned." He watched the man lean forward a few more steps, resting his chin on his arm, and nodded reluctantly. "So, what did Your Majesty eat tonight?"
His smiling eyes shifted away, and it was unclear what he was looking at. "Stewed bird's nest, braised mutton, chicken with mushrooms, roasted chicken legs..."
The man spoke at length, and the further he went on, the lower Yao Ruyi's lips curled into a smirk.
"You haven't had dinner yet."
Gu Huizhou paused, then said, "I've eaten."
"You didn't eat."
"I--"
“Eunuch Cui told me that there is no such food today.”
“Tsk,” Gu Huizhou reached out and tapped Yao Ruyi’s palm, “Cui Xiangzhu has been getting more and more talkative lately.”
Yao Ruyi frowned. "Gu Huizhou, you need to eat."
Gu Huizhou's gaze wandered aimlessly. He sighed, straightened up, and leaned back in his chair. "How could I not have eaten? I ate a lot."
With a soft hum, Yao Ruyi looked at the man in the candlelight. He exuded a bewitching beauty, with no excess flesh on his jawline and his collarbone clearly exposed to the air.
Yao Ruyi didn't say a word, turned around and strode out the door. She returned a while later and said, "I'll have Eunuch Cui serve the meal."
A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "What, worried about me?"
Yao Ruyi was taken aback. He awkwardly met Gu Huizhou's teasing eyes and said, "I just... I was worried about you."
Like a firework exploding in her heart, all the gloom of the day vanished without a trace. Gu Huizhou stood up, stepped forward, and pulled her into his arms. "Why are you worried about me? Yao Ruyi, tell me."
Why is it like this again? Yao Ruyi struggled a few times but found he couldn't move. He groaned, "It's just... I'm just worried."
But the man didn't seem to intend to let him off so easily. He lowered his head and brushed the corner of his lips against the ear of the person in his arms. "Hmm? Why?"
"Mmm—" Mushroom trembled. He was most ticklish near his ear. Every time Gu Huizhou kissed him there, it felt like his whole body was being brushed by feathers. "Gu Huizhou, it tickles."
"Why?"
Gu Huizhou not only ignored him, but went even further. He opened his mouth and put his small, fair earlobe in his mouth. Yao Ruyi's earlobe was clean and had no ear hole, but he had a mole on his right ear in the place where most people would get an ear piercing, which Gu Huizhou liked very much.
Every time I see it, I have to lick it properly.
"Because... I like you."
His voice trailed off as he spoke, and he craned his neck to try and get away from the man, but it was no use; those hands were wrapped around his waist and he couldn't break free.
"Heh, I like you too." With that, Gu Huizhou turned the person around. His eyes were dark, and he kissed the person's forehead, down to their eyebrows, eyes, nose, and lips...
Seeing the blush creeping onto the cheek of the person in his arms, he asked, "Why is the Nineteenth Prince so easily embarrassed? Wasn't he quite bold on the mountain last time?"
Staring into those clear, innocent eyes, I asked myself if I liked him.
I've never seen such a daring person before.
"No, I didn't."
Yao Ruyi himself didn't know that he couldn't control the joy in his heart every time he saw Gu Huizhou. He wanted to get close to him, but he couldn't help but blush when Gu Huizhou hugged and kissed him.
Thinking this, Yao Ruyi looked up and placed a light kiss on the man's lips.
"Um?"
“Not enough,” Gu Huizhou pointed to his lower lip, “kiss here.”
Her eyes seemed to have hooks, which would catch the person's gaze tightly without them noticing and never let go.
Yao Ruyi responded and stretched her neck to get closer.
He gently pressed his lips against the man's warm lips, their mouths touching. Yao Ruyi tried to lick Gu Huizhou's lips, but in the end, she only lightly brushed them twice.
This was like scratching an itch through a boot, which only made Gu Huizhou breathe more heavily.
"You're trying to seduce me again?"
What do you mean by "again"? Besides, he didn't do anything.
"I don't."
Gu Huizhou didn't care; if he said it was there, then it was. Without saying anything more, he pulled the person close and lowered his head to cover him.
They kissed for an unknown amount of time, and didn't even hear Cui Xiangzhu knocking on the door.
"Hmm—"
Yao Ruyi pushed the person away, "Let's go eat."
"I understand." That's what she said, but the hand on her waist never let go.
Another half incense stick's time passed before the door was finally opened.
-
The capital city was getting better day by day in the month following the war, and the two presidents of the Wanyou Chamber of Commerce and the Siyun Chamber of Commerce were also busy in the capital for a month.
Han Siwen had lost a lot of weight. Seeing that everything was almost back on track, she decided to return to Jiangnan.
She didn't bring many people with her when she returned to Beijing this time; mainly, it was just the guards who stayed by her side. Throughout her many years of traveling around the country, these were the only people who had always been with her.
She had to repeat herself several times before she finally stopped the Han family from seeing him off. He'd always been alone all these years, so why would he need a ride?
As we walked from the Han family home toward the city gate, a carriage suddenly appeared beside us.
"Qingxiao?"
Baili Qingxiao was helped down from the carriage. The Baili family had found a famous doctor in the martial arts world recently, and Baili Qingxiao's legs were now strong enough to stand up, but he still needed someone to help him.
He was a head taller than Han Siwen, and had to lower his head slightly to make eye contact when speaking. After getting out of the car, he nodded, and the man smiled gently, "Yes, I knew you were going back to Jiangnan, so I came to see you off."
Han Siwen was momentarily speechless. She had been in business for many years and had met countless people. But for the first time, she felt a pang of reluctance. The thought flashed through her mind, and the woman chuckled, "Then when you come to Jiangnan, Siwen will certainly give you a proper welcome."
"Okay, it's settled then."
Han Siwen nodded and turned to get back into the carriage. They were now outside the capital, and not far away lay the battlefield where the rebels had attacked the city. The sandy ground had been cleared, but many soldiers remained to guard it.
People passing by couldn't help but look in that direction, but ultimately they couldn't see anything, so they looked away and continued walking forward.
"Farewell."
Baili Qingxiao cupped his hands in farewell, a slight, reluctant smile playing on his lips. "Farewell."
The two looked at each other and smiled.
Han Siwen turned and got into the carriage. The coachman lashed the horse with his whip, and four guards followed steadily behind him on horseback.
Baili Qingxiao didn't move. His gaze was fixed on the carriage. After a while, a bitter smile appeared on his face. He was nothing now, so how could he be worthy of her?
“Young master…” the servant began.
“Let’s go back,” he said, pausing for a moment, “and then we’ll go check out the Chamber of Commerce.”
"Yes, young master."
The servant nodded and turned to help his young master into the carriage.
The strangeness of the past few days suddenly magnified in the man's mind, and he thought about the figure that had flashed past him before he left the house...
Baili Qingxiao suddenly had a bad feeling. His heart skipped a beat. "Quick! Follow them!"
"Young Master?"
"quick!"
The servant quickly helped him onto the carriage, and with a "whoosh," the carriage sped off like an arrow.
"Whoosh—"
"Kill them!"
Baili Qingxiao, sitting in the carriage, reached out and lifted the curtain to look outside. His pupils widened. At the foot of a mountain ahead, he saw that familiar figure from before. "Siwen!"
And standing opposite them was...
Baili Qingxiao's eyes darkened, and he immediately turned cold as he looked at Baili Wenhan, who was impersonating a bandit.
That's practically suicide!
Baili Wenhan didn't even glance at him. His eyes were bloodshot, and his anger and greed had overwhelmed his senses. "Take him down!"
He was determined to bring her back today, no matter what; Han Siwen could only be his!
The four guards behind Han Siwen were locked in combat with the twenty-odd bandits brought by Baili Wenhan. The four guards were highly skilled in martial arts and had unpredictable movements, and they fought to a draw with the twenty-odd bandits.
Han Siwen stood behind, watching coldly, a long sword in her hand, waiting for her chance to strike.
"Siwen!"
Han Siwen frowned, surprised. "Qingxiao, your leg?"
The person who had just been helped up and down the carriage by the servant was now walking anxiously towards them. Baili Qingxiao's steps were a little unsteady, and he almost fell several times. He used his sword to support himself on the ground and asked, "I'm fine, how are you?"
Han Siwen shook her head. "It's nothing."
While being held up by a guard, Baili Wenhan glanced over and saw the two of them standing together again. A nameless anger surged up inside him. "Damn it!"
Why are these two always together? He should be the one standing next to the woman!
This Baili Qingxiao is everywhere, why doesn't he just die!
Baili Wenhan retreated, leaving the other bandits and guards to fight. He turned his head and called out, "Siwen!"
"It's me, Siwen!" Her voice was filled with barely suppressed urgency. "I'm Wenhan! Siwen."
Baili Qingxiao stood coldly in front of the woman, brandishing his longsword to shield her behind him, and sternly rebuked, "Look at what you're doing!"
"What's it to you? What right do you have to tell me what to do?"
Baili Wenhan turned cold and said, "Now that you've made some money, you really think you're invincible? Baili Qingxiao, get out of my way!"
Baili Qingxiao said in a deep voice, "Go back to the manor! Tell your men to stop."
"Bai Li Qingxiao! What right do you have to tell me what to do?!" Suddenly roaring, Bai Li Wenhan pointed his blood-stained sword at Bai Li Qingxiao and shouted, "Get out of my way! This is none of your business."
After saying that, he acted as if he couldn't see the person at all, with an eager smile on his face, "Siwen, I'll take you away!"
Han Siwen frowned, and the woman's cold and beautiful eyes grew increasingly gloomy. "Is the Second Young Master joking?"
"Siwen is not familiar with the Second Young Master. What is the Second Young Master trying to do?" She glanced around and saw that the guards and bandits who were fighting had stopped. The bandits did not wait for Baili Wenhan's instructions and stood still.
They were secretly gathering strength, ready to strike.
"How can we not know each other? Siwen, I'm Wenhan!" Baili Wenhan was so anxious that he took several steps forward.
Baili Qingxiao instantly raised his longsword, "Halt!"
"Siwen! I'll take you away. We'll never have to worry about things in the capital again. I'll take you to a beautiful place with clear waters and lush mountains. From now on, it will just be the two of us."
Step by step forward, Baili Wenhan stopped when the tip of the sword touched him.
"Siwen and the Second Young Master are just nodding acquaintances, and I don't want to make things too awkward."
"Second Young Master, let's go."
The smile on Baili Wenhan's lips vanished, and he suddenly screamed, his eyes reddening. He had recently lost a lot of weight, his cheeks were severely sunken, and his sunken eyes made him look terrifying.
"Han Siwen! You can only be mine, only mine!" The sudden scream startled everyone around her. "I love you so much, I've loved you for so many years! How could you do this to me? How could you do this to me!"
Baili Qingxiao gritted his teeth, "Baili Wenhan!"
"Get out of my way, this is none of your business!" Baili Wenhan gritted his teeth fiercely, looked the man who was half a head taller than him up and down, and smiled sarcastically, "Big brother's leg is broken, it's better if you don't come up and get in the way."
"Heh," Baili Qingxiao sneered, "Try taking a step forward. If my leg breaks, yours won't be any better."
He stood up straight and was half a head taller than Baili Wenhan, and when he spoke, he lowered his head as if looking down at the other person.
"Why, brother, do you want to cut off my legs too?" Baili Wenhan laughed maniacally. "Isn't it enough that you stole my people? Now you want to cut off my legs too!"
"Go ahead and chop! Why don't you do it?"
"You're afraid you'll fall down before you even make a move."
He jumped around like a clown, and Han Siwen didn't even want to look at him.
Instead, it only tainted my own eyes.
"Clang!" The longsword rang out and collided with another sword.
A fierce glint flashed in Baili Qingxiao's eyes. He abruptly turned his head, looking at the person who had stopped him from swinging his sword. "Father?"
Baili Yi arrived at some unknown time, dismounted, and gasped for breath, "Qingxiao, let's leave it at that."
"Is this the end?"
Looking around at the twenty-odd bandits and Baili Wenhan dressed as a bandit, Baili Qingxiao felt a surge of resentment welling up inside him. He frowned and asked coldly, "Why should this end?"
Baili Yi sighed deeply, his face serious as if issuing a warning, "Baili Qingxiao."
"Your leg is already healed, what more do you want?"
Baili Qingxiao sneered, "I'll make him pay for my leg."
Han Siwen's heart skipped a beat. Compensation?
She realized something, and her gaze immediately shifted to Baili Wenhan. Qingxiao's leg was actually caused by him?
Baili Yi sneered, "Nonsense!"
"Why is my son talking nonsense?"
Baili Qingxiao's eyes reddened, and he frowned as he faced Baili Yi. "If it weren't for my good brother tampering with the reins, I wouldn't have fallen off the horse and broken my leg!"
Baili Yi was so angry that his face turned ashen. He wanted to shut Baili Qingxiao up, but it was no use. The man, who was in a fit of rage, blurted out everything on his mind: "If it weren't for him! How could I be stuck with a limp and only able to do business!"
"The imperial examination was just a few days away!"
Baili Qingxiao said through gritted teeth, "My father asked me if he should compensate me for my leg?"
He's your brother!
Baili Yi was so angry that he puffed out his beard and glared at Baili Yi, "Besides, you're already healed, what more do you want?!"
"Why should I give way to him just because he's my brother?" Baili Qingxiao sneered. "I've given way to him for over ten years, and this is what I get in return."
The longsword twirled lightly in his hand, gleaming coldly. Taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, he swung it with a "Ah—"
Blood splattered everywhere.
Baili Wenhan, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, instantly knelt on the ground, clutching his leg and howling wildly, "My leg! Father, please save me, my leg!"
"Bai Li Qingxiao!" Bai Li Yi shouted, "This is your younger brother!"
Baili Qingxiao replied, "I spared his life only because he is my brother."
Baili Yi glared angrily, "You'll be the head of the family sooner or later, what are you fighting him for?!"
"Patriarch?" Baili Qingxiao found this statement amusing. "Does Father think that what I care about is the position of patriarch?"
Only he knew the bitterness in his heart; his legs could no longer support him. After sitting in a wheelchair for so long, his muscles had almost atrophied. He had only just been able to stand up and was not fully recovered. The long hours of standing made his whole body tremble with pain, and his voice was extremely hoarse.
He braced himself against the ground with his blood-stained longsword.
"If it weren't for him, my son would be standing in the imperial court." But now he can only try to befriend His Majesty as a merchant.
Baili Yi fell silent. He acknowledged that Baili Qingxiao was his most outstanding son. He had placed all his hopes on him, but—
He called to the people behind him to help Baili Wenhan up quickly, "Take him to the clinic immediately."
"Yes, sir."
"Ah! My leg! Baili Qingxiao, I'm going to kill you! Why didn't I just kill you back then!" The man had already been lifted onto the carriage, but the shouts and curses still lingered in their ears.
Baili Qingxiao's face was pale. "Father heard that?"
Baili Yi remained silent for a long time before letting out a long sigh. "Father had no choice. The matter from back then can only be put aside for now. The Baili family cannot afford to lose two sons at once."
"Oh."
"So, does Father still think he's useful?"
Baili Yi paused. "Alright, this matter was our Baili family's fault." He turned to Han Siwen, who was standing to the side. "On behalf of Wenhan, I apologize to Miss Han."
Han Siwen frowned and nodded. "Siwen and the Second Young Master are indeed not familiar with each other. I hope the same thing will not happen again in the future."
Baili Yi chuckled wryly, "Yes, Miss Han, don't worry. I'll put him under house arrest when we get back."
Seeing this, the bandits quickly dispersed, having already received their bounty. The four guards, however, quietly retreated to the side, standing guard in front of their horses.
"Siwen has to get going, so she'll be leaving now."
"Then let Qingxiao see Miss Han off on my behalf. I have some important matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."
After saying that, he glanced at the two hands clasped together.
With a slight pursing of his lips, Baili Yi finished speaking, turned around, mounted his horse, and didn't look at Baili Qingxiao again.
Only when the sound of horses' hooves gradually faded did Baili Qingxiao come to his senses. He felt a sudden rush of emotion as he looked at the woman beside him, who was filled with worry.
He had completely forgotten that Siwen was still behind him.
He was surprised to find his hand in the woman's grasp; his heart pounded, and he quickly let go.
A hint of sadness flashed in his eyes. Was he afraid of falling?
"I'm sorry," he said with a wry smile, trying to compose himself, "I'm sorry you had to see this."
"It's nothing," Han Siwen said with a slight smile, withdrawing her hand. She had just noticed that the man's legs were trembling uncontrollably, and his long sword was barely supporting his body against the ground. His carriage had just been used to take Baili Wenhan to the clinic.
Han Siwen's eyebrows furrowed with anger as she hurriedly beckoned to the servant, "Quickly help your young master in and have him sit down."
She stepped onto the carriage first, saying, "Qingxiao, come in first."
"I trouble you, Siwen."
Han Siwen sighed helplessly, "Why do you keep thanking me?"
Baili Qingxiao was helped into the carriage. He let out a long breath and sat down in the carriage, feeling completely relieved, as if all his strength had been drained away. He leaned against the carriage wall, saying, "I'm so grateful."
Despite the increasingly cold autumn weather, he was covered in sweat.
"If it weren't for Siwen, how could there be the Wanyou Chamber of Commerce?"
He had the idea of starting a business association several years ago, but he had never taken action. If he hadn't met this woman this year, he might still be that useless man curled up in his mansion waiting to die.
What's the use of holding grudges? You still can't do anything about it.
When he first fell from his horse, he genuinely believed it was his fate. He had been renowned throughout the capital since childhood, but he never imagined he would perish so tragically...
It wasn't until two years later that he uncovered the truth about what happened back then.
Baili Wenhan also did everything perfectly, poisoning the horse's feed and cutting off the stirrups and reins.
I'm not afraid he'll die on the spot.
...
Although he knew the truth, there was nothing he could do at that point; he was just a useless person waiting to die in the mansion.
His younger brother, who was originally inferior to him in everything, passed the imperial examination and entered officialdom under his father's protection.
His fists clenched tightly, the man lowered his head, "I'm sorry for letting you hear these unpleasant things today."
Han Siwen was taken aback. "Why didn't you want me to know? If it's a family matter, I should be the one apologizing." The woman smiled after saying that. "Besides, you were the one who argued with him to save me, so it's not Qingxiao's place to apologize."
"I just didn't want you to think I was..." pathetic.
But after thinking about it, he realized that saying it aloud would sound like the place was boundless, so he said, "Never mind."
The carriage remained stationary, and Han Siwen understood his meaning, a bitter feeling rising in her heart. If it were an ordinary person experiencing these things, they would surely talk about it.
But the less he said, the more heartbroken he became.
"Let's go, I'll take you home."
Baili Qingxiao paused for a moment, "No need, it's fine to go directly to Jiangnan."
"Will you come with me to Jiangnan?"
The man gave a wry smile. "Why not? I just had a big argument with my father. I don't even know if I'll be allowed into the manor."
“Great!” Han Siwen laughed heartily. “It’s perfect that you’re going; it’ll allow me to fulfill my duty as a host.”
Thank you.
Looking at the handsome and refined face of the man from before the New Year, Han Siwen suddenly felt a little embarrassed. She turned her head and lifted the curtain, and the cold wind blowing in made her feel much better. "Let's go and continue on our way."
"Yes, Chairman."
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