EHW Ch55

Before dawn the next day, the imperial entourage was already assembled and ready to depart from the camp.

Pei Xin was the kind of “top scorer” who apparently didn’t need sleep; his subordinates were all “mini top scorers” cut from the same cloth.

Everyone looked bright-eyed and full of energy… except for Gu Fangzhi, who was so sleepy he felt nauseous, and that was after two layers of save-file naps.

Rubbing his face to force himself awake, he looked up and saw Ye Bao standing at the front, seeing them off.

It felt surreal, a character he had once created in a game was now a living, breathing person standing before him.

Gu Fangzhi walked up and called, “Son.”

Ye Bao: “…What?”

Gu Fangzhi reloaded a save. “Deputy General Ye.”

Ye Bao asked, “What is it?”

Gu Fangzhi, in the tone of an old father sending his son off, earnestly advised:
“Stay close to General Qin, work hard and learn well!

As the saying goes, young men should have lofty ambitions, ride fine horses, and gallop across wide plains!

And remember, don’t fear hardship, the workplace is like a marathon!

As long as you keep running, you’ll always reach the next checkpoint!”

“Oh.”

Ye Bao crossed his arms in a classic Dragon-Proud-Sky pose, his expression reading “?_?” as he asked, “Well said, but… what’s a marathon?”

Gu Fangzhi: “……”

Despite everything, Ye Bao couldn’t bring himself to dislike Gu Fangzhi.

He’d once served under Li Hao, the former leader of the Xuanjia Army.

Li Hao was fierce in both battle and training but far from a competent commander, fickle at best,
and if something displeased him, he’d scowl and curse at everyone in sight.

Pei Xin didn’t have a great reputation back then either.

Both Ye Bao and Gu Fangzhi had once been soldiers under unreadable superiors, so now, they shared a quiet sympathy.

Ye Bao said solemnly, “Don’t worry. Since I’ve chosen to believe in your Great Qi, and in your emperor, I’ll do my duty well.”

Gu Fangzhi blinked. “……”

Just a few months ago, he’d been terrified that Ye Bao would attack them, kill Pei Xin first, then him.

And now, Ye Bao was one of their own.

It felt like a dream.

But before Gu Fangzhi could even sigh in relief, Ye Bao added, “Of course, if your emperor ever loses control of his bloodlust and brings ruin upon the people, then I—”

“He won’t, he won’t!” Gu Fangzhi blurted out.

Pei Xin was so well-behaved, he only looked scary sometimes, with that expression and tone of his that made people misunderstand.

Ye Bao merely arched a brow, unconvinced.

He was about to say more when he felt a gaze land on him.

He didn’t even have to look to know whose it was.

He clasped his hands to Gu Fangzhi in farewell.

“You, me, take care.”

Gu Fangzhi smiled and climbed onto the small carriage Pei Xin had specially arranged for him.

Snow blanketed the land, white and pure.

The soft gold of morning light spilled over the horizon.

Pei Xin’s carriage rolled forward, the return journey to the capital had begun.

***
Five days later, the Imperial Capital.

Inside the Great Hall, the civil and military officials stood in rows, heads bowed, silence heavy in the air.

Nearly a month had passed since His Majesty’s illness began.

But he was only eighteen, how could an illness keep him confined for a whole month, unseen by the court?

Unease spread among the ministers.
Even those who privately disapproved of Pei Xin had started quietly planning their escape routes, just in case.

Prince Ning, meanwhile, was completely obsessed with his pet raccoon, and the other princes were all idling their days away.

Sigh… sigh…

The officials sighed quietly, when a flicker of blue caught their eyes, a shadow sweeping past behind them.

Song Jingzhou was the first to notice the figure that had appeared beside him.

He turned his head—

and saw a man standing there soundlessly,
dressed in blue official robes, skin pale as jade, features elegant and gentle,
with a small red mole beneath one peach-blossom eye.

Song Jingzhou froze for a moment, then his eyes widened. “Brother?! You’re here?!”

His shout was a bit too loud;
the colleagues around them turned in surprise, and also spotted Gu Fangzhi.

They all greeted him in hurried whispers:

“Lord Gu, you’ve returned.”
“Lord Gu seems thinner, the temple meals don’t suit you, do they?”
“Lord Gu, is that a wig? Hard to tell any difference from before.”
“Didn’t expect you’d actually shave your head for prayer, such devotion, admirable indeed…”

Gu Fangzhi: “?”

Wait, what?

How did I become bald in this timeline?!

He quickly saved the moment. “Huh? What exactly did you all think I went to do?”

Song Jingzhou replied, “Weren’t you at the mountain temple, shaving your head to pray for His Majesty’s health?”

“……?” Gu Fangzhi asked, “And may I ask where this rumor came from?”

Song Jingzhou said cheerfully, “From the Right Chancellor, of course.”

Gu Fangzhi: “……”

He lifted his gaze to the front of the hall, staring accusingly at the Right Chancellor’s back.

The old man only raised his head and admired the ceiling decorations with great interest.

Pei Xin looked down at himself.

Compared to the ornate dragon robes, he still preferred the solid weight of armor pressing against his shoulders.

But whatever he wore, he had to wear it flawlessly.

His gaze swept briefly over the jade pendants at his waist, confirming that Yang Luhai hadn’t forgotten any of them.

Then he stepped toward the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

No one but the Right Chancellor and a few others yet knew of his recapture of Wucheng.

The thought of the ministers’ shock, and awe, made the corner of his lips curl upward slightly.

Then, all at once, darkness flickered before his eyes.

He blinked, and the few steps he’d just taken seemed to reset, returning him to where he’d started.

Pei Xin showed no reaction.

He was long accustomed to being rewound by Gu Fangzhi, and ever since realizing he’d fallen for his living father figure, his heart had become completely still.

Other young men’s first love felt like fluttering deer; his was enlightenment, was instant Buddhahood, was complete emptiness, was surrendering serenely to bitter fate.

Radiating saintly calm, Pei Xin stood there a moment.

When he saw that Gu Fangzhi really had only rewound once,

he thought dryly—

That’s it? Not even enough to fill the cracks between my teeth.

Pei Xin gave a quiet laugh and stepped into the hall again.

The already-silent court fell into an even deeper stillness, so quiet that a dropped pin could be heard.

Then the ministers all rushed to kneel, their voices ringing out in unison:

“Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty!”

Pei Xin raised a hand lazily.

“Rise.”