EHW Ch33

Dinner was held in the front hall.

Everyone walked together with Pei Xin toward the main room.

Manman, who had originally been beside Gu Huaiyu, spotted Gu Fangzhi and ran over to him, clutching the corner of his robe.

He whispered, “Fangfang-Ge, I heard from Xiao Lian and the others, you’re amazing! You actually brought the emperor home for dinner!”

Gu Fangzhi chuckled. “His Majesty, like everyone else, must eat too.”

He reached out and patted Manman’s hair, then slipped a hand into his sleeve and produced a small box of candies in his palm. He held it out in front of Manman. “Guess which hand?”

“Right hand!” Manman said.

Gu Fangzhi reloaded.

“Left hand!” Manman corrected.

Gu Fangzhi reloaded again.

After five or six more rounds, Manman finally guessed wrong.

Satisfied, Gu Fangzhi handed him the little box of orange-flavored soft candies.

Manman huffed. “Next time I’ll get it right for sure!”

Meanwhile, at the very front, Pei Xin, who hadn’t moved an inch despite walking all this time: “……”

Now he finally understood why every evening after duty, Gu Fangzhi seemed so busy.

He even had to win against a five-year-old? How childish could he be? Pei Xin figured Gu Fangzhi was mentally about that age anyway.

Still, that one line, “His Majesty, like everyone else, must eat too”, he quite liked.

Because word of Pei Xin’s visit had reached them in advance, the kitchen had prepared a generous spread. The long table was filled with dishes, perhaps not as refined as those in the imperial palace, but full of homely warmth and flavor.

A young eunuch stepped forward to perform the poison test as procedure required, and Yang Luhai began serving Pei Xin his meal.

Gu Yunchuan noticed something. “His Majesty’s tastes seem to have changed a little.”

He had once been rewarded with a feast by the emperor for his military achievements five years ago, back when Pei Xin had been barely twelve, a small boy who ate slowly and picked at his food. Watching the child emperor so finicky back then, Gu Yunchuan had secretly thought: This sort of delicate temperament won’t survive a battlefield.

Only after hearing of Pei Xin’s first victorious campaign did his opinion begin to change.

Pei Xin lowered his eyes to the small plate of greens before him.

“……”

His living father was watching, he couldn’t not eat.

Resistance was pointless. Acceptance was the only path to peace.

He faced his fate and stuffed the vegetables into his mouth. The bitterness spread across his tongue. Pei Xin closed his eyes briefly and swallowed.

The next second, a loud clang-clang-crash broke the quiet from Gu Fangzhi’s side.

It was followed by the sharp sound of porcelain shattering against the floor.

Someone cried out, “Second Master, be careful!”

Gu Fangzhi’s panicked voice rang out: “Ah, ! Heaven above!”

What now?!

Pei Xin’s heart lurched, and he immediately looked over.

One of the servants carrying dishes had lost balance, the tray too heavy, and the porcelain plate slipped from his hands. The impact shattered several bowls and plates, scattering food everywhere. Soup splashed across the table, spilling onto Gu Fangzhi’s hand. The skin around the sauce-stained spot turned red at once.

Gu Fangzhi hissed, drawing a sharp breath. Fortunately, just a minute earlier, worried that Gu Yunchuan’s questions might upset Pei Xin, he’d saved an extra checkpoint for safety.

He quickly reloaded. The pain and redness vanished instantly.

Gu Fangzhi let out a relieved sigh.

Pei Xin: “……”

Wonderful. The bite he had just forced down was now threatening to crawl back up.

Still, given the situation, Gu Fangzhi’s use of his “magic” this time was… understandable.

Just as Pei Xin frowned and chewed, the same servant came again from afar carrying a new dish.

As the man approached, Gu Fangzhi planned to help hold the tray, but his timing was off. When he reached out, his sleeve brushed the edge of the table, sending dishes clattering to the floor again.

“……Tch,” Gu Fangzhi muttered.

With everyone’s eyes fixed on him, embarrassment colored his ears red. He immediately reloaded again.

This time, nothing was knocked over. He moved gracefully, stepping forward at precisely the right moment to steady the servant’s tray with one hand.

The action was smooth and effortless.

Aqi gaped, impressed. “What skill!”

Gu Huaiyu snorted with laughter. “Aren’t you a civil official? When did you learn martial arts?”

Manman, wide-eyed, looked up at Gu Fangzhi with pure admiration.

Pei Xin: “……”

He had never seen anyone so obsessed with saving face. That damned Gu Fangzhi, he’d do anything for the sake of looking good.

Someone please pity him; he’d already swallowed that vegetable twice.

***

Though neither Pei Xin nor Gu Yunchuan was much of a talker, as emperor Pei Xin couldn’t let silence linger. Inevitably, the conversation turned to Gu Fangzhi, since he was the only one in the family holding a court position.

Gu Yunchuan said, “Fangzhi is young and inexperienced, he must have caused Your Majesty no small trouble.”

Pei Xin: “……”

You could say that again.

But he couldn’t say that aloud.

His fingers turned the jade wine cup idly as he thought hard for a diplomatic response.

“Teacher is diligent,” he finally said. 

Diligent in sleeping late. Every morning he used his witchcraft just to stay in bed three times longer.

“Persistent-” he added.

Never gives up until he gets what he wants. Even if that “want” is to make a five-year-old guess wrong which hand holds candy.

“Mature,” he finished. 

More like fatherly, in both attitude and age; overripe, really.

At that moment, Gu Fangzhi was busy removing fish bones for Gu Yunchuan, mindful of his brother’s weak left hand. He was concentrating when Gu Huaiyu nudged him with an elbow. “The emperor’s praising you.”

Only then did Gu Fangzhi look up, realizing what Pei Xin had said.

A surprised smile bloomed on his face.

Pei Xin’s palm itched beneath the table; he clenched his fist to suppress the strange feeling. But after a second thought, Gu Fangzhi’s smile was… actually kind of nice.

After dinner, the moon was already hanging high in the branches.

Pei Xin was preparing to rest.

He refused to sleep in any newly arranged room, only in one that had already been lived in. But not just anyone’s room would do.

The attendants directly requisitioned Gu Fangzhi’s chamber.

They changed the bedding on Gu Fangzhi’s bed for a bright imperial-yellow set brought from the palace, and even carried in a copper tub to prepare a medicinal bath for Pei Xin.

Watching all this, Gu Fangzhi clicked his tongue in wonder. No wonder the emperor rarely leaves the palace, this looks less like a visit and more like a full relocation.

Yang Luhai quietly pulled Gu Fangzhi aside. “Lord Gu—”

“What is it, Eunuch Yang?”

Yang Luhai got straight to the point. “Lord Gu should keep watch for His Majesty tonight as well.”

He sighed. “It’s not that we wish to trouble you, but this servant truly worries for His Majesty’s health. The emperor didn’t sleep again last night… Only when Lord Gu is present does His Majesty rest peacefully.”

Gu Fangzhi really had no reason to refuse, especially when Yang Luhai was already pleading so earnestly.

He nodded. “All right.”

Yang Luhai’s face lit up. “Then I’ll have a small bed brought in right away.”

“Much appreciated, Eunuch,” said Gu Fangzhi.

While the attendants busied themselves, Gu Fangzhi went to find Gu Yunchuan and Gu Huaiyu.

Even though Gu Huaiyu and Gu Yunchuan weren’t on the best terms, the two of them still put their heads together for half the night, finally deciding on the emperor’s breakfast menu for the next day.

Gu Huaiyu, reeking of wine from dinner, turned toward Gu Fangzhi with a lazy grin. “So you really became the emperor’s teacher, huh? The way he listens to you, saying he’d come here to your house, just like that. Impressive.”

Gu Yunchuan frowned. “Huaiyu!”

“I’m just saying, there’s no one else here,” Gu Huaiyu replied, waving it off. “It’s just… strange. Every merchant I’ve met calls the emperor cold and cruel, but after meeting him today, he actually seems… kind of gentle.”

Though gentle wasn’t exactly right either.

Gu Huaiyu searched for a better word, then thought of one: resigned.

That made it even stranger.

Why did the emperor, a man standing above all others, carry such a quiet, weary air of resignation?

Gu Huaiyu prided himself on reading people well, but this one, he simply couldn’t figure out.

***

On his way back to his room, Gu Fangzhi happened to meet some palace attendants carrying the used bathwater out.

A faint, bitter scent of herbs drifted through the cold night air, reaching his nose.

He knocked softly. “Your Majesty.”

Pei Xin’s voice came from inside. “Come in, Teacher.”

Gu Fangzhi pushed the door open.

Pei Xin had just finished bathing. His black, damp hair clung to his neck and shoulders, and he wore a dark robe embroidered with a golden dragon.

When he caught Gu Fangzhi looking, Pei Xin suddenly remembered that time the man had poked his waist, and without a word, pulled his robe tighter around himself.

Gu Fangzhi said, “Speaking of which, I owe Your Majesty thanks.”

Pei Xin raised an eyebrow. “Thank me? For what?”

Gu Fangzhi smiled faintly. “For agreeing to my foolish request today, coming home with me.”

Pei Xin was silent.

A foolish request, indeed.

It truly was, and his agreement had brought a mess of consequences.

He had meant to refuse, but when he saw Gu Fangzhi’s sleeve move, he thought the man might withdraw the offer—and somehow, words of refusal turned into assent.

Still, he didn’t entirely regret it.

Seeing Gu Fangzhi with his family, so vivid and alive—had stirred an old memory: sitting beside his father and elder brothers around a campfire, slicing sizzling roast meat with a Western blade, washing it down with a cup of warm mare’s milk wine.

Pei Xin finally said, “There’s no need for thanks.”

Gu Fangzhi smiled.

Pei Xin turned toward the bed. “I’ll rest now.”

He removed the robe and set it on the chair, then reached out to lift the quilt—

Something slid from under the mattress and hit the floor with a soft thud.

A book, bound in deep blue leather.

Pei Xin’s eyes narrowed.

Since ancient times, the space under a bed was the best place to hide things.

Officials hid ledgers; merchants hid silver notes.

What could this sorcerer possibly have hidden?

Could it be… a secret manual of his witchcraft?

Pei Xin picked it up and opened it with one hand.

Pei Xin: “……”

Indeed—a manual.

A dual cultivation manual.

For men and men.

Gu Fangzhi looked up to see Pei Xin standing there, blank-faced, holding a spring palace manual.

That thing had belonged to the room’s original owner. Gu Fangzhi had found it once while searching under the bed for hidden money, shoved it back, and forgotten it.

Who would’ve guessed it would fall out now, right into the emperor’s hands?

Gu Fangzhi froze. “……”

【Congratulations, player, on achieving a Bad Ending, Showing explicit material to a minor? That’s a criminal offense. The prison sentence is optional; the humiliation isn’t.】

Gu Fangzhi: “…………”

Heaven and earth, he was innocent!!

Since triggering a BE automatically saved five minutes prior, he hurriedly reloaded.

He reappeared right at the moment he had entered the room.

“Your Majesty,” he said, striding straight to the bed, “allow me to straighten the bedding for you.”

Bending down quickly, he snatched the book and stuffed it up his sleeve.

Avoiding the embarrassing scene entirely, he sighed in relief.

Then, trying to act natural, he asked, “Will Your Majesty rest now, or wait a bit longer?”

Pei Xin replied, “Mm. Either’s fine.”

Gu Fangzhi: “……?”

Ah, yes. The classic boss answer.

A or B, yet somehow, you still have to choose C.