EHW Ch20

Gu Fangzhi returned to his quarters and first checked the injury on his leg.

Because of his poor posture while riding, his thighs had constantly rubbed against the saddle; the inner sides of both legs were scraped raw, each marked with a thin red line that had bled slightly. It wasn’t serious, just a few dried scabs formed from tiny spots of blood.

He didn’t think much of it. He dipped a cloth in water to wipe the wounds clean, then washed himself down briefly.

After a while, a young eunuch arrived carrying a small box, saying it was a medicinal balm sent by His Majesty Pei Xin.

Gu Fangzhi blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected Pei Xin to actually notice that he was hurt.

He opened the box and found a small porcelain jar, barely half the size of his palm. Inside was a pale, slightly runny ointment that smelled faintly bitter with herbal fragrance, luxurious just to look at, and even more so to smell.

From the eunuch’s tone, this “Qiongqing Balm” was extremely valuable and rare.

Gu Fangzhi thought for a moment, then decided it was too precious to waste on a little saddle rash. He carefully put the ointment away and went straight to bed.

But his sleep that night was anything but restful.

Every time he turned over, the pain in his legs jolted him half-awake, leaving him drifting in and out of consciousness.

And in that dazed state, his mind kept circling back to The Founding Emperor, the game, the protagonist, the storyline.

Half asleep, he found himself reviewing the main plot, recalling the hero’s rise through the ranks… and remembering, with a groan, the ridiculous name he’d given the protagonist when he’d casually copied something into the game, 

“On a Stormy Thunder Night the He Discovered His Wife Was a Man and Still Had His Baby.”

Name changes required a paid rename card, and Gu Fangzhi hadn’t been willing to spend the money.

Fortunately, the game had a nickname system: characters with low affection called the protagonist “Uke,” while those with high affection called him “Baby.”

He wondered idly what the protagonist’s name was here, in this world.

Surely it wasn’t still Baby… right?

Pfft

***

Perhaps because of the three repeated lessons earlier, Pei Xin had felt utterly drained once Gu Fangzhi left.

After soaking in a medicated bath, he quickly fell asleep.

That night, he only woke once, and for the first time in a long while, he slept soundly.

When he awoke the next morning, he felt refreshed, clear-headed, and in rare good spirits.

After breakfast, he went to the hunting grounds. With his longbow in hand, he scanned the gathered officials and courtiers, but frowned when he failed to spot Gu Fangzhi among them.

‘Where was he?’

Pei Xin had woken up in excellent mood, his sharp, youthful features alight with confidence, his hunting attire bright and commanding. Even Yang Luhai, attending him, felt buoyed by the Emperor’s good humor.

But then Pei Xin’s brow knit suddenly, and Yang Luhai’s heart jumped.

“Your Majesty?” he asked quickly.

Pei Xin said, “Where is Gu Fangzhi?”

“I will send someone to find out,” Yang Luhai replied, jogging off.

Before long, he returned, still slightly out of breath.

“Your Majesty, ” he said between pants. “This servant met the attendants caring for Master Gu on the way. They said…”, he paused to catch his breath, 

Pei Xin urged impatiently, “Said what?”

Yang Luhai continued, “They said Master Gu is unwell, has a slight fever. He feared his illness might offend Your Majesty, so he planned to rest and come later when he recovers.”

Pei Xin raised an eyebrow.

‘Sick? Gu Fangzhi?’                            

Was it because of the cold last night? The wind? Or something else?

So he was a delicate one after all.

Still…

Pei Xin turned the white jade ring on his finger and said to Yang Luhai, “Let him rest properly. If he’s sick, he should sleep, no need to come to the field.”

Ideally, he thought, the man would just sleep the whole day through, and have no time to use that cursed magic that made the world go dark.

Without Gu Fangzhi around, Pei Xin felt an odd lightness, as though a weight had been lifted.

He got through the entire day doing things only once: hunting, receiving envoys, handling state affairs, reviewing petitions, setting policies.

Even discussions with those idiots from the Ministry of War didn’t sour his mood.

Later in the evening, the tutor assigned by the Right Chancellor came to give him lessons.

Pei Xin waved him off. “Today, I intend to rest.”

The tutor obediently withdrew.

Pei Xin watched the man’s retreating back,  no sudden blackout, no time rewind, no teacher appearing out of nowhere insisting on another class.

He closed his eyes, and his lips curved faintly.

For the first time in ages, he felt truly happy.

And yet…

Something felt missing.

The day had passed in peace, yes, but Gu Fangzhi hadn’t sent a single message.

Just a fever, and he was still bedridden?

Pei Xin considered ordering Yang Luhai to send someone to check, but at the last moment changed his mind, 

He would go himself.

After all, Gu Fangzhi’s sorcery was of immense potential value to him and to the empire.

This was the perfect time to play the gracious ruler,  to show favor, win loyalty, and make Gu Fangzhi even more devoted.

***

Pei Xin went on foot, without a palanquin.

Even before reaching the residence, he spotted a young eunuch dozing by the door.

Since Gu Fangzhi’s rank was low, he hadn’t brought his own servants; the eunuch had been specially assigned by Yang Luhai to attend him.

Hearing approaching footsteps, the boy stirred awake,  and when his sleepy eyes met the sight of the Emperor’s golden robes, he turned pale with fright and dropped to his knees.

“Your Majesty!”

Pei Xin acknowledged him with a quiet “Mm.”

“How is he?” he asked.

The eunuch froze for a second before realizing “he” meant Gu Fangzhi.

He lowered his head and answered carefully, “Reporting to Your Majesty, Master Gu slept the whole day. He only woke once to drink some water.”

“He hasn’t taken his medicine?”

The eunuch shook his head. “No, Your Majesty. Master Gu said it tasted bad.”

Pei Xin: “……”

Of course it tasted bad, it’s medicine, not dessert.

How old was he, still afraid of bitterness like a child?

“Where’s the medicine?” Pei Xin asked.

“It’s still warm, Your Majesty-” said the eunuch.

“Bring it.” Pei Xin ordered, striding toward the inner hall.

Inside, he didn’t see Gu Fangzhi at first glance,  then noticed a mound beneath the bedding. The man had cocooned himself completely under the covers.

Pei Xin stepped closer. “Teacher?”

No response.

Outside, quick footsteps approached; the eunuch returned, clutching a steaming bowl of medicine.

He stopped at the doorway and said nervously, “Your Majesty, the medicine is here.”

Still too green to read the room, he was immediately glared at by Yang Luhai, who hissed under his breath, “Go feed it to Master Gu! His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, surely you don’t expect him to do it himself?”

“Yes, yes, of course!” the eunuch stammered.

He hurried forward, first setting the bowl on the table, then reaching for the blanket.

Bit by bit, he peeled it back until Gu Fangzhi’s face emerged.

From fever, or perhaps from being buried under the quilt too long, his cheeks were flushed bright red.

His slightly wavy hair spread across his face like strands of black seaweed.

He wore only a thin white inner robe, the neckline gaping enough to reveal the smooth line of his throat and collarbone.

His skin looked even paler than his face.

The young eunuch propped two cushions behind Gu Fangzhi’s back, carefully helping him sit up before reaching for the bowl of medicine on the table.

Scooping a spoonful of the dark, bitter liquid, he held it to Gu Fangzhi’s lips and said softly, “Master Gu, Master Gu… wake up, it’s time to take your medicine.”

Half-dazed, Gu Fangzhi parted his lips and accepted the spoon.

【Congratulations, player! You have achieved a Bad Ending (BE),  “Choked so hard your swan neck stretched from Hainan all the way to Beijing to watch the flag-raising.”】

At the instant the BE triggered, the game’s main menu unfolded before his eyes.

His head spun. Staring at the “Auto Save 2” slot, he weakly raised a hand and selected Load Save.

The eunuch brought the spoon to his lips again. “Master Gu, please drink your medicine. I added honey.”

【Congratulations, player! You have achieved a Bad Ending,  “Choked so hard your swan neck stretched from Hainan all the way to Beijing to watch the flag-raising.”】

Gu Fangzhi loaded again.

“Master Gu, your medicine,” the eunuch repeated.

【Congratulations, player! You have achieved a Bad Ending,  “Choked so hard your swan neck stretched from Hainan all the way to Beijing to watch the flag-raising.”】

Gu Fangzhi: “…………?”

He was thoroughly confused.

The night before, he hadn’t slept well, his legs hurt, and his mind kept turning over thoughts about the protagonist.

Sometime during the night, he must have kicked off the blanket and caught a chill. By morning, he’d developed a fever.

Whenever he caught a cold, he preferred to sleep it off. He had decent health; normally, if he just buried himself under the blankets and slept a full day, he’d wake up completely restored.

So when he heard the eunuch say that His Majesty had ordered him to rest well for the day, he promptly went back to sleep.

But no one had told him that sleeping could trigger a Bad Ending!

Gu Fangzhi was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Meanwhile, When Pei Xin saw the eunuch feeding Gu Fangzhi medicine, the tension in his brow eased slightly, and Yang Luhai quietly let out a breath of relief.

He quickly fetched a chair. “Your Majesty, please sit.”

Pei Xin gave a brief “Mm,” lifted his robe, and sat down.

The moment he settled into the chair, darkness.

He found himself standing again. Yang Luhai hurried over with the chair once more.

“Your Majesty, please sit.”

Pei Xin: “……”

So this was the first time today Gu Fangzhi had used his damn sorcery. Instead of annoyance, Pei Xin felt an almost resigned acceptance, Ah, there it is. I knew it couldn’t last.

He glanced toward Gu Fangzhi, whose brows were furrowed, clearly struggling with the bitterness of the medicine.

Honestly, Pei Xin thought with disdain, so much talk about loyalty and duty, yet he can’t even handle bitter medicine?

Suppressing a sigh, Pei Xin told the eunuch, “Add some honey to it.”

The eunuch bowed quickly. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Pei Xin sneered softly, watching the still-sleeping Gu Fangzhi.

Who else, other than him, could ever guess what went on in that man’s mind?

He let out another quiet scoff, pulled up his robe, and sat again, 

And the world went black.

Pei Xin was back on his feet.

Yang Luhai, dutiful as ever, carried the chair over again.

“Your Majesty, please sit.”

Pei Xin: “…………”

Was it possible… that Gu Fangzhi was pretending to refuse the medicine just to punish him?

Pei Xin glanced coldly at the chair and said, “Take it away. I dislike sitting, especially in that chair.”

Yang Luhai blinked. “…Eh? Oh, uh, yes, Your Majesty.”

He couldn’t fathom why the emperor suddenly seemed to hold a grudge against a piece of furniture, but obediently dragged it aside.

Pei Xin stood there, glaring icily at the unconscious Gu Fangzhi.

And at last, he understood what had been missing from his day.

It was this, the torment that came with Gu Fangzhi’s existence.

Finally, things felt right again.

‘Satisfying.’