EHW Ch79

(19)
Second Brother and the emperor returned soon, bringing good news. Gu Yunchuan, whose heart had been hanging in suspense, finally felt it settle.

But then, they told him something even better. The emperor had officially given him a post, authorizing him to lead troops.

Perhaps it was because there weren’t enough capable men, or perhaps the emperor, unlike the previous sovereign, genuinely trusted Gu Yunchuan.

Some people congratulated him openly, while others, aside from congratulating him, warned him privately to be cautious.

Second Brother and Lu He both looked at him with sincere eyes, their gaze full of warmth that stirred Gu Yunchuan’s heart.

Gu Yunchuan laughed. In that moment, even the usual polite words of thanks slipped his mind. He clapped their shoulders and smiled, thinking to himself that perhaps sincerity didn’t always need grand gestures.

(20)
Snowflakes fell against the back of Gu Yunchuan’s cloak again. The light snow drifted like dancing willow catkins, both beautiful and lonely, so much so that he hoped the war would soon end, and that no one else would have to die.

It had been two years since the last battle, but for him, every winter still carried a sharp memory of war. Gu Yunchuan’s expression was stern as he ordered the soldiers to prepare for combat.

Although he didn’t say it aloud, Gu Yunchuan could sense that many people still doubted him. Yet, after he gave a few decisive commands, those defiant gazes began to fade.

Once all was ready, they awaited the emperor’s signal to attack.

Lying in the snow, Gu Yunchuan didn’t feel cold; instead, he felt a surge of heat beneath his armor.

(21)

The assault began at midnight. Fires broke out simultaneously at several points in the city. Gu Yunchuan led his soldiers to storm the walls.

Gu Yunchuan had never fought in such a situation before, perhaps because of how well-prepared they were, or because it was a surprise attack. The confrontation was quick and brutal, the clash between their blades echoing like thunder.

The battlefield was chaotic, yet there was no fear in him.

One soldier after another charged forward, weapons clashing in the dark. The moment an enemy tried to strike at Gu Yunchuan from horseback, Lu He leaped onto his horse’s back to shield him. Gu Yunchuan’s breath caught, and before he could even call out, Lu He had already drawn his blade.

Gu Yunchuan shouted, “Lu He!”
Lu He replied firmly, “Retreat, General! Leave the front to me!”

Lu He’s face and armor were spattered with fresh blood, no one could tell if it was his own or the enemy’s. In the dim light of night, his eyes shone with something fierce and terrifying. Yet, when he turned to Gu Yunchuan, his smile was calm, even guilty:
“I just wanted to protect you, General.”

(22)
The battle ended quickly. In Gu Yunchuan’s unit, only a few were injured, none killed. Other teams suffered casualties, but overall, it was a decisive victory. Gu Yunchuan’s mood was jubilant.

On the way back, they ran into a messenger, one of the soldiers had lost his gloves and kept rubbing his hands together for warmth.

The man handed Gu Yunchuan a letter. He had been sent to fetch Gu Yunchuan personally and escort him to the emperor’s side. Gu Yunchuan handed his own gloves to the messenger instead.

Lu He rode up beside him, his expression bright with a smile. “He’s such a good person.”

Gu Yunchuan shook his head, returning a faint smile. “Even if he weren’t, you’d still find a way to speak up for him.”

Lu He laughed, the corners of his eyes curling. “General, I feel like you always know what to say to make people happy. I wonder how many others have fallen for it.”

Gu Yunchuan couldn’t help smiling again. The snow fell heavier, and he couldn’t resist playing a little, he used the tip of his boot to push snow toward Lu He. The snowball hit Lu He’s chest, and before he could react, Gu Yunchuan had already bent down, scooped up another handful, and tossed it straight at him again.

(22)
Lu He let out a startled “ah!”—his hands grabbed Gu Yunchuan’s arm and pulled him down, revealing a snow-bright smile.

“General,” Lu He said to him, “I’ve always wanted to be your soldier, to be led into battle by you just once.”

Bathed in Lu He’s sincere gaze, Gu Yunchuan suddenly felt that trust and admiration flow straight into his heart. It was the same kind of warmth he felt when he looked at a younger brother he had grown up protecting.

Gu Yunchuan smiled and raised his hand, ruffling Lu He’s hair just like he had done to Second Brother before. His large, calloused palm pressed lightly against the crown of Lu He’s head, carrying a hint of fondness and gravity.

(23)
The emperor claimed to be ill, and even the capital’s ministers believed his condition was serious. The palace was in turmoil.

The emperor, however, had no intention of staying bedridden for long.

On the night before their departure, the camp held a celebratory banquet. Lu He brought over a cup of wine and sat beside Gu Yunchuan. Gu Yunchuan’s heart felt light and unburdened that night, and he drank a bit more than usual.

Lu He looked at Gu Yunchuan and said, “General, if you return to the capital to take command, would you let me serve as your adjutant?”

Gu Yunchuan lowered his eyes and smiled faintly. “Don’t talk nonsense. You’ll make others overhear.”

Lu He insisted, “Everyone’s saying the emperor plans to bestow rewards soon. If it’s true, then let me be your deputy.”

“Is that your decision to make?” Gu Yunchuan asked, amused.

Lu He leaned forward, his voice drawn-out and a bit pleading, almost coquettish: “Then… can I?”

Gu Yunchuan couldn’t help it. After a pause, he replied softly, “You can.”

(24)
When Gu Yunchuan returned to the capital, the emperor had already expressed his intent to appoint him as commander.

The court held ceremonies and set an auspicious date, and preparations for the investiture began.

Gu Yunchuan knew he’d soon be heading south again, but for now, he stayed home for a short while. He spent his days with his brothers, chatting with Second Brother, playing small games with the younger one.

He also received two letters from Lu He.

The first was filled with cheerful greetings.
The second congratulated him on his new position. The letter’s closing lines, like before, were written in Lu He’s straightforward tone:

“General, I miss you very much. Please write to me too.”

Gu Yunchuan wrote back.

He imitated Lu He’s posture in his mind, imagining him sitting and writing, pausing midway to think before continuing. He hoped Lu He wouldn’t have to rely on the army’s couriers to send letters—it was too slow.

The handwriting was neat, firm, and upright—just like Gu Yunchuan himself, precise and composed.

(25)
But Gu Yunchuan still received another reply from Lu He, this time, it arrived tied to the leg of a hawk that landed directly on his window ledge.

Lu He wrote that he had tamed the bird himself.

“…This is no good,” Gu Yunchuan thought to himself. “If he keeps sending messages like this straight to the imperial palace, one day the emperor’s spies will notice. Then he won’t know peace again.”

Gu Yunchuan quickly penned a short, concise reply, calm and proper, as always.

(26)
By late spring, the grass had turned green and the willows had budded. Gu Yunchuan led three hundred men and began marching south once more.

(27)
Lu He, now serving as Gu Yunchuan’s deputy, had already gone ahead to make arrangements. When Gu Yunchuan arrived, Lu He came to meet him from afar, eyes shining as he called out, “General!”

Gu Yunchuan lifted his gaze. Looking around at this once-familiar yet battle-scarred land, he smiled broadly and said, “I’m here.”

That night, Lu He and the other officers hosted a welcoming banquet. Everyone drank a bit, and Gu Yunchuan didn’t even know when he had fallen asleep, by the time he woke, it was already noon the next day.

The smell of wine still lingered on him. He got up and wiped himself down with a towel.

After washing, Gu Yunchuan couldn’t help but laugh to himself.

Maybe it was because of the rubbing, but his chest had an uneven flush of red, one side pale, the other faintly pink. It looked odd, and it made him chuckle again.

(28)
The emperor’s absolute trust in Gu Yunchuan was well-known throughout the realm. There was no one who doubted his loyalty; the relationship between monarch and subject was said to be one of the warmest in generations.

Even so, Gu Yunchuan didn’t allow the soldiers to slack off. Their rations and pay were generous, and every half-month, they received bonuses.

In private, Gu Yunchuan once asked Lu He, “Do you think I’m being too strict with them?”

Lu He replied, “No. You’re doing it for their own good.”

That day was the Dragon Boat Festival. Gu Yunchuan gave the troops a day off and sent some men to the market to buy ingredients. He personally wrapped zongzi and boiled eggs for everyone.

Two young soldiers, grinning as they worked, walked past Lu He and Gu Yunchuan. Lu He suddenly said, “General.”

“What is it?”

“Those two… they’re a pair.”

“A pair?”

Gu Yunchuan froze for a second before realizing what he meant. “Really?”

“Mm.” Lu He smiled.

The whole thing went beyond Gu Yunchuan’s expectations. He didn’t quite know how to respond and only gave a small “Ah,” without saying anything else.

(29)
Gu Yunchuan had brought some books with him. In recent days, whenever Lu He had nothing to do, he would sit in Gu Yunchuan’s tent and read quietly. When there were words he couldn’t recognize, he would ask Gu Yunchuan about them.

It had snowed a few days ago, but today was clear. Gu Yunchuan spread out his bedding to air it. When he brought it back in, the sun-warmed fabric still held a trace of lingering heat.

He bent over the bedding, his movements calm and deliberate.

Though he had been on the battlefield for a quarter of his life, he still managed to keep his personal affairs in perfect order. His tent was always neat, and his bedding folded with precision.

To Lu He, he was like one of those statues of benevolent deities often seen in temples, distant yet quietly kind. His manner had the serene authority of an older brother, and his eyes, though gentle, carried that untouchable calm that drew people in.

Gu Yunchuan shook out a blanket and spread it over the bed.

Lu He stepped forward to help, taking one corner. Gu Yunchuan said, “All right, I’ve got it.”

Lu He loosened his grip but didn’t step away. Watching Gu Yunchuan, he suddenly said, “General, those two soldiers, the ones I mentioned—one is twenty-eight, the other thirty-one. They’ve been together for years.”

Gu Yunchuan paused, then realized Lu He was referring to the same pair from the other day.

Gu Yunchuan asked, “How did you find out?”

“I heard about it before,” Lu He said. “And I know of a few other pairs too. They all live together, like married couples.”

Gu Yunchuan was a little surprised. He’d always thought only men and women lived together that way—he never expected men and men could share a life as well.

Lu He asked, “General, do you think it’s wrong?”

Gu Yunchuan thought for a moment. “No, not really.”

To him, as long as it didn’t interfere with duty or discipline, he didn’t care much. He wasn’t like others who would find it shocking or indecent; his sense of propriety remained calm and unshaken.

Lu He said softly, “General, actually, I’m… a little curious.”

“Oh?”

“Mm, General.” Lu He’s voice dropped lower, his tone light and teasing, almost like he was coaxing someone. His words carried a faint smile, and as he spoke, he stepped a little closer, shortening the distance between them.

“What does curiosity and kissing feel like? General, you’ve kissed someone before, haven’t you? Could you… teach me?”