EHW Ch17

Pei Xin’s vision went dark again,  but this time, it wasn’t because Gu Fangzhi used his witchcraft.

He was simply furious.

And Qin Xuan, oblivious, poured oil on the fire.

“Your Majesty’s archery seems to have declined.”

Pei Xin: “……”

He was seething inside.

Still, debts have their rightful debtors.

It wasn’t Qin Xuan’s fault, so he didn’t lash out at him, just turned and gave Gu Fangzhi another murderous glare.

Gu Fangzhi, that good-for-nothing, was at that moment basking in everyone’s praise, blissfully unaware of how humiliating it was that his success came down to dumb luck.

Hearing Pei Xin’s cold snort, Qin Xuan reined in his horse and followed the emperor’s gaze.
“Oh, Gu Fangzhi. What about him?”

Qin Xuan rarely returned to the capital, and when he did, he usually ignored the court officials trying to curry favor. Pei Xin hadn’t expected him to even remember Gu Fangzhi’s name.

Pei Xin asked instead, “You know him?”

Qin Xuan replied, “Gu Yunchuan’s younger brother. Of course I remember, good-looking, bad temperament.”

Pei Xin said nothing.

It was an accurate assessment, but for some reason, hearing Qin Xuan praise Gu Fangzhi’s looks annoyed him, and hearing him criticize Gu Fangzhi’s personality also annoyed him.

He yanked the reins tighter, spun his horse around, and kicked its sides sharply. “Hyah, hyah, hyah!”

Behind him rose a chorus of exaggerated compliments: “Another bull’s-eye! Perfect aim! Lord Gu never misses!”

Pei Xin: “…………”

Go on then, Gu Fangzhi.

Make a spectacle of yourself.

No one can out-spectacle you anyway.

***

By day’s end, Gu Fangzhi was quite pleased with himself.

Aside from the insides of his thighs rubbing sore from his inexperience on horseback, he’d bagged four rabbits in total.

The palace attendants collected them, and he was already planning to turn them into fur collars once back in the capital, one for himself, one for Gu Yunchuan, one for Gu Huaiyu, and one for Manman.

He was lost in thought when someone patted his shoulder.
“Lord Gu.”

Gu Fangzhi jumped. “Ah, !”

He turned, saw the Right Chancellor’s face so close he could see every pore, and jumped again. “Ah ah!”

Right Chancellor: “……”

Embarrassed, Gu Fangzhi quickly reloaded.

His last save point was right after shooting the final rabbit, while chatting with the other officials.

He climbed down from his tall horse a bit earlier this time and waited for the Right Chancellor to approach.

Meanwhile, in the distance, Pei Xin, having just heard that Gu Fangzhi was done hunting, was finally feeling at ease. He’d just found a good spot, raised his bow, ready to shoot, when suddenly the world snapped back mid-ride.

Pei Xin: “……”

Qin Xuan, noticing his abrupt halt, looked puzzled. “Your Majesty, are you unwell?”

Otherwise, why did the emperor keep starting and stopping, freezing like he was waiting for something unseen?

Pei Xin gave a humorless laugh. “I feel great. In fact, I think I’ve grown younger just now. Truly, I feel wonderful.”

Qin Xuan: “?”

Pei Xin exhaled a long, furious breath.

Whoever said “once the arrow is nocked, it must be loosed” was lying.

Anyone would lose their nerve after meeting Gu Fangzhi.

Annoyed, he looked back, just in time to see Gu Fangzhi awkwardly dismounting.
Not cautious like he feared the horse would buck him off, but rather…

…like someone whose legs were sore. From chafing.

Delicate creature, Pei Xin thought.

***

A little later, the Right Chancellor arrived as expected.

Since that day he’d visited the Gu residence to invite Gu Fangzhi as Pei Xin’s tutor, they’d met a few more times.

The old man’s body might be aged, but his mind was sharp and just; he truly wished both Pei Xin and Great Qi well. He’d even been among those who risked their lives to remonstrate with the emperor when Gu Fangzhi first transmigrated, almost losing his head for it.

Gu Fangzhi already regarded him as an ally.

And allies should, naturally, be shown one’s competence.

So he put on his best “wise strategist” smile.

“I knew you’d come find me,” he said confidently.

The Right Chancellor blinked in surprise.
“You even knew that? Lord Gu truly sees through heaven’s patterns.”

Gu Fangzhi’s mysterious smile deepened.

He waited for the old man to admire his brilliance and start discussing serious matters, say, state secrets or political intrigue, but instead heard:

“These past days His Majesty’s studies have fallen behind. I dare not tutor him alone. Could I trouble Lord Gu to join me this evening?”

Gu Fangzhi: “……”

Oh. That’s what this was about.

‘Here I am treating you like a grand strategist, and you treat me like a glorified homework tutor.’

Still, when a superior asks, one doesn’t refuse.

Gu Fangzhi sighed. “Of course. Leave it to me.”

Even so, he couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

To Pei Xin, this hunt was basically a vacation.

And really, what student enjoys a makeup class during break?

Who likes a teacher who assigns homework over the holidays?

That night, Pei Xin had matters to discuss with several ministers and foreign envoys.
Gu Fangzhi arrived early, waiting outside with the court tutor until the meeting ended and people began to leave.

The tutor was trembling. “Lord Gu, I’m scared.”

Gu Fangzhi said, “Don’t be scared.”

The tutor trembled harder. “Lord Gu, I’m nervous.”

Gu Fangzhi said, “Don’t be nervous.”

The tutor stammered, “Lord Gu, my legs feel weak.”

Gu Fangzhi replied, “A man should be cautious about using the word ‘weak’.”

Tutor: “……”

So much for comfort. He really shouldn’t have asked Gu Fangzhi for reassurance.

Truthfully, Gu Fangzhi was nervous too.
The envoys who had come out earlier hadn’t looked pleased, and no one could tell what had happened inside. Was Pei Xin angry again?

Out of habit, he saved, reloaded, saved, reloaded—then took a deep breath to steady himself before going in. But just then, a voice came from inside.

“Gu… Gu… Gu… Gu Fangzhi, y-you… y-you come… in… in—”

Gu Fangzhi listened for a while, thinking it was background noise, before realizing it was Pei Xin calling him.

He tugged the tutor along and stepped inside. “Ah, so His Majesty already knew I was here?”

Pei Xin: “……”

Of course he did.

Just moments ago, Pei Xin had thought the inner hall was a little dim, so he’d called Yang Luhai to light the candles. As the flame flared, he happened to look up—

—and saw that Gu Fangzhi’s time magic had frozen everything right between the moments before and after the candle was lit.

Light, dark. Light, dark. The world flickered like a dying lantern.

Ever since discovering Gu Fangzhi’s powers, Pei Xin felt his own future was just as unstable and hopeless, and now, barely in his twenties, his eyesight already felt like it was going.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and asked coldly, “What brings my teacher here?”

Gu Fangzhi stated his purpose, “Your Majesty has fallen behind on your studies these past few days…”

Before he could finish, Pei Xin ran his tongue over his back teeth.

It was a pity someone with such a face could speak so much like an old court official—rigid, formal, enough to make his teeth ache. He lost interest halfway through.

“Studies, studies. I’ve only missed a day or two. Must you—”

Halfway through his retort, Gu Fangzhi suddenly went “Mm.”

Holding his chin, he muttered, “As expected, students never like hearing that sort of thing. I should rephrase.”

He promptly reloaded. Time reset to the moment Pei Xin asked, “What brings my teacher here?”

This time, Gu Fangzhi said brightly, “Your Majesty is wise and diligent, bearing great responsibility. Even while traveling, you never neglect your studies. I deeply admire such dedication!”

Pei Xin said, “I—”

“Still not working?” Gu Fangzhi sighed, reloaded again, and tried a new line:

“This humble servant only came to advise Your Majesty not to overwork yourself. While traveling, it’s good to relax a little. But I see Your Majesty has already summoned Master Li for study! Truly, Your Majesty’s thirst for knowledge humbles me.”

Pei Xin said, “I—”

Gu Fangzhi scratched his hair in frustration and prepared to reload yet again.

Pei Xin: “…………”

Honestly, he’d already been about to agree back during the first loop.

After all, Gu Fangzhi could reverse time, if he didn’t say yes, the man would just keep trying again and again.

He was simply too tired to keep this up.

Before Gu Fangzhi could restart the loop, Pei Xin cut in, suppressing his growing headache and forcing out, “The two teachers came at just the right time. I—just so happen—to want to study.”