Chapter 9#
Anger: I told you to come here!#
Hoofbeats thundered, kicking up clouds of dust.
Xiao Cuan took the lead, leading two columns of personal guards to the foot of Northern Liang Mountain.
The Great Liang had enclosed the entire Northern Liang mountain range as a hunting ground.
A traveling palace had been built on the mountain, but Xiao Cuan never went there, always ordering camp to be set up at the foot of the mountain instead.
By the time they arrived, the tents had been pitched and the high platform had been constructed.
The tents were scattered, forming a military formation in their arrangement.
The Emperor’s tent was located in the center—the tallest, most luxurious, and most prominent of them all.
Bright pearls were embedded in the top of the tent, their reflection of the sunlight dazzling Yanzhi’s eyes.
Xiao Cuan was never afraid of drawing attention, let alone of assassination attempts; even on the battlefield, this was his style.
As the warhorse galloped, Xiao Cuan pulled hard on the reins. The horse let out a neigh, lifting its two front legs and pushing Yanzhi further into his embrace.
Xiao Cuan curled his lips, held Yanzhi tight, and flicked the reins, preparing to ride a lap around the camp.
“Jia!”
Yanzhi’s face was pale as he leaned weakly against the Emperor’s chest.
After the bumpy ride, he truly had no strength left.
His hands lacked the power to grip the reins.
His feet lacked the power to stay in the stirrups.
His body, even more so, lacked the power to sit steadily.
He was exhausted, yet the Emperor was still as vigorous as a dragon or tiger, holding him while wandering around the camp, casually waving his horsewhip to direct the soldiers in setting up camp.
“Add two sets of cheval de frise here.”
“Erect two more watchtowers on the high ground.”
“Place a wooden post in the river to record the water level.”
“Yes!” The soldiers in charge of setting up camp took their orders and immediately began their work.
Xiao Cuan lowered his eyes to look at Yanzhi, folded the horsewhip back, and poked his cheek with it.
Yanzhi still hadn’t recovered, taking small, shallow breaths.
He even kept his breathing quiet, afraid of disturbing the Emperor.
“Good little dog.”
While the soldiers turned away and the guards were behind them, Xiao Cuan used the whip to lift Yanzhi’s face. Under the cover of the tree’s shade, he leaned down and kissed him.
Yanzhi was stunned, completely forgetting to struggle. His eyes were wide and round, like two small bells.
Following that, like a wild beast licking its prey, the Emperor used his tongue to part Yanzhi’s lips.
A small, round candy was pushed into his mouth.
Between the warm contact of their lips and teeth, the candy ball had already begun to melt.
A rich aroma of milk filled Yanzhi’s mouth and nose, the sweet milky taste spreading from the tip of his tongue to the back of his throat.
Such delicious candy. Yanzhi blinked, becoming even more dazed.
Xiao Cuan examined his face and was satisfied to see color slowly returning to the small, pale face.
He rode his horse across the camp.
By the time Xiao Cuan returned to the starting point, the officials behind him had finally caught up.
“Your Majesty is strong and vigorous; we subjects are far behind.”
Xiao Cuan chuckled, ignoring their flattery, and simply turned his horse to stand at the front of the line.
According to the old traditions of the Great Liang, the officials should now respectfully invite the Emperor to dismount and ascend the high platform.
Then, soldiers would bring several cages of wild chickens and ducks and place them nearby.
Once the cages were opened, these chickens and ducks would flap their wings and run out.
The Emperor, from atop the high platform, would draw his bow and fire arrows; as long as he hit one, it would be considered proof of his wisdom and martial prowess.
Mere pretense and affectation.
Xiao Cuan naturally disliked such rules and had no need for them.
He gripped the reins, gazed at the vast and boundless Northern Liang Mountain, and said solemnly: “All officials—”
The ministers hurriedly responded: “Your subjects are here!”
Xiao Cuan patted Yanzhi’s head and said in a low voice: “And my good little dog.”
Yanzhi lowered his head and gave a small response: “I… I am here.”
—“Follow me into the mountains to hunt!”
*
The mountain forest was dense and the trees provided deep shade.
As soon as the group entered the mountains, a rustling sound came from the grass ahead, and a small patch of grey fur was faintly visible.
Yanzhi obediently took down the bow and arrows hanging from his body and handed them to Xiao Cuan.
Xiao Cuan only glanced at them before hanging them back: “A rabbit, too small, I don’t want it.”
“Yes.” Yanzhi nodded.
Since he didn’t act, the eager officials behind him didn’t dare move either, silently withdrawing their hands.
Continuing deeper into the forest, they occasionally saw some prey, but Xiao Cuan let them all pass with a wave of his hand.
An official asked tentatively: “Is Your Majesty waiting for…”
Xiao Cuan said indifferently: “Marten, fox, a tiger would be best, but a brown bear will do.”
“Ah…”
The officials were all stunned, and Yanzhi was also dazed.
Once they recovered, the officials hurriedly said: “Your Majesty is truly brave.”
Xiao Cuan chuckled, pinched Yanzhi’s cheek, and said playfully: “I can’t help it when someone clings to me, weeping and saying the winter is too cold to survive, pestering me for marten fur, fox fur, and even wanting to sleep on a tiger skin.”
He finally added: “A little dog wanting to sleep on a tiger skin—truly audacious.”
The officials bowed their heads, not daring to respond.
Yanzhi was dazed, feeling only fear.
Foxes, tigers, brown bears—is the Emperor going to look for those animals now?
How terrifying.
What if he couldn’t run away in time? What if he fell off the horse while running?
He would be flattened by a tiger’s paw and then eaten.
Could he not go? Which “little dog” exactly wanted…
Yanzhi belatedly realized and looked up at the Emperor.
Sensing his gaze, Xiao Cuan turned back and looked at him: “What is it?”
Yanzhi said softly: “I didn’t pester Your Majesty for a tiger skin.”
“I wasn’t talking about you,” Xiao Cuan said righteously. “I was talking about the little dog, the little dog who loves to fight for favor.”
Yanzhi paused and looked around.
In truth, everyone present knew the Emperor was talking about him.
The Emperor was joking with his personal attendant; the officials didn’t dare say much.
The Emperor cared for the attendant; those who intended to enter the palace were secretly wary.
Seeing Yanzhi look over, they all averted their gazes to avoid suspicion.
But…
Yanzhi lowered his head, clutching his sleeves.
He felt very comfortable wearing his own clothes.
He had never even dreamed of a tiger skin.
*
The first day of the Autumn Hunt.
The hunting party didn’t go too far into the mountains, so they didn’t encounter any so-called tigers or brown bears.
After crossing two more small hills, the shadow of a fox flashed on a mound.
This time Xiao Cuan didn’t hesitate, took the bow and arrows from Yanzhi, and drew the bow.
Two “swoosh” sounds—
Two snow-white foxes fell to the ground.
Amid the congratulations of the officials, Xiao Cuan patted Yanzhi’s back and told him to go pick them up.
Yanzhi responded obediently, grabbed the saddle, and slid down from the horse’s back.
The mountain path was rugged. He ran to pick up the foxes but tripped, falling forward.
He hurriedly supported himself with his hands so he wouldn’t fall too ungracefully.
In a daze, he heard the Emperor laugh, his tone helpless: “Clumsy as anything, not even qualified to be a little hunting dog.”
The foxes weren’t entirely dead yet, their bodies stiff and twitching.
Yanzhi mustered his courage, reached out, grabbed their hind legs, and carried one in each hand back to the Emperor.
But the Emperor looked at him, the smile on his face growing wider: “Oh, now you’re qualified to be a little hunting dog.”
Now that the Emperor had finally shot some prey, the following officials were no longer restrained and began to pick up their bows.
At noon, they didn’t descend the mountain but instead found a clearing in the forest to rest briefly before immediately chasing after more prey.
It wasn’t until evening, when the sun went down, that the group left, still wanting more.
The accompanying officials all returned with full loads, their faces beaming with joy.
“General Wang is still vigorous despite his age.”
“Not at all, it’s all thanks to His Majesty’s great fortune.”
“The wild chicken the General caught has feathers of seven colors!”
Hearing this, Yanzhi couldn’t help but turn his head, wanting to see the seven-colored feathers.
But before he could see clearly, Xiao Cuan pressed his head: “Don’t move, you are also my prey.”
“I…”
“They have prey hanging from their saddles, and you are on my horse. You are also the prey I caught.”
Yanzhi thought for a moment and rarely spoke back: “Your Majesty just said I was a little hunting dog.”
Xiao Cuan frowned: “Talk back again and I’ll hang you from the horse’s rear as well.”
*
Returning to the camp, the prey was handed over to the servants to be processed; it would be ready to eat in less than half an hour.
Inside the Emperor’s tent, Yanzhi helped the Emperor remove his armor, changed his own clothes, and did a simple wash to clean off the day’s dust.
Xiao Cuan, dressed in a black inner robe, sat back on a small couch with his arms crossed, resting with his eyes closed.
Yanzhi folded the clothes the two had changed out of, put them in a wooden basin, and prepared to take them out.
Just as he was about to leave, he heard the Emperor say: “Run there and run back. When you’re back, massage my legs.”
“Yes.”
Yanzhi responded and started running out.
In that short time, the sun had completely set, and the sky had darkened.
Torches were lit in the camp. Soldiers and servants were coming and going, all very busy.
Yanzhi carried the wooden basin and walked quickly toward the laundry area.
But just then, he vaguely heard two soft sounds, low and small—
“Young master… young master…”
Yanzhi paused and looked around.
Behind a tent, he saw two hands waving.
Sensing something strange, Yanzhi was about to call the soldiers to check, but the next moment, two fifteen or sixteen-year-old girls poked their heads out from behind the tent.
“Young master, don’t… don’t call anyone…”
Yanzhi was surprised.
For this Autumn Hunt, the Emperor had specially allowed the selection candidates to accompany them.
When the camp was set up, it must have been divided into male and female sides.
How could women appear here?
Yanzhi looked around, abandoned the idea of raising an alarm, and ran forward.
The two girls bowed to him: “Greetings, young master. Our father is the Mighty General Wang Xing.”
“General Wang.”
Yanzhi knew General Wang; when he was copying the selection registry, he had noted that he had a daughter.
“This is my maid Xiao Cui. My maid and I were bored staying in the tent and wanted to walk around, but we accidentally got lost and ended up near His Majesty’s tent.”
“Just then, His Majesty returned from hunting with his men. We instinctively hid and ended up trapped here… no one to call for help, unable to move forward or back…”
“Seeing that young master looks kind, we dared to ask for help. Please, young master, do not tell anyone.”
The two girls had been standing here for a long time. Seeing that it was almost dark, they were pale with anxiety, struggling to maintain their dignity, but their speech was incoherent.
Yanzhi understood and nodded: “I’ll take you back.”
“Thank you, thank you.”
Yanzhi stood on tiptoe and looked at the surrounding terrain.
Fortunately, during the day, the Emperor had taken him around the camp on horseback, and he vaguely remembered the layout.
Yanzhi carried the wooden basin and led them past others, moving behind tents where the torchlight didn’t reach.
“This way.”
“Okay.”
Yanzhi walked in front while the two girls supported each other and followed behind.
Suddenly, someone shouted: “Who’s there?”
Yanzhi stood up and was about to speak when he realized the person wasn’t asking him.
The journey was relatively safe. Yanzhi led the two girls and brought them outside the female camp.
“We’re here, go in quickly,” Yanzhi reminded them thoughtfully. “Don’t say you went near His Majesty’s tent, and don’t say you met me.”
“Why?”
“Unauthorized persons appearing near His Majesty’s tent will be investigated as assassins.”
“What about you?”
Now that they were safe, the girl blinked, revealing her innocent side.
“Which family’s young master are you? I’ll tell my father so he can thank yours.”
“I am not a young master from a minister’s household…”
“Then are you a guard? Or a soldier?”
“I…” Yanzhi paused. “I am nothing. Just think of me as a little bird. Now that I’ve delivered you, it’s time for me to fly away.”
Yanzhi gave them a final nod, picked up the wooden basin, and strode away.
The two girls watched his hurried departure, about to say how strange he was, when they turned and ran into the nanny who had followed them from home.
“Oh my, where did you go, miss? I’ve been looking everywhere!”
Yanzhi looked back and saw someone had come to get them, then felt relieved and quickened his pace toward the laundry area.
After handing the clothes to the servant, Yanzhi ran back to the Emperor’s tent without stopping.
When he left, the Emperor told him to run there and run back. If he was late, the Emperor would surely be angry again.
When the Emperor was angry, he bullied him.
Yanzhi returned to the tent, wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve, and tidied his appearance.
Finally, he lifted the tent flap—
Fortunately.
Yanzhi saw the situation inside and breathed a sigh of relief.
The Emperor still maintained the same posture as before, arms crossed, eyes closed, leaning back on the couch.
Yanzhi lowered the flap and walked in quietly.
But in the next instant, Xiao Cuan spoke indifferently—
“The little dog is back from attracting bees and butterflies?”
Yanzhi was startled and froze in place.
Xiao Cuan opened his eyes and sat up straight.
The candlelight in the tent flickered, accentuating his gloomy face and sullen gaze.
“In the time it takes for one trip out, you manage to provoke someone else?”
“I only said during the day that the selection shouldn’t have included men to prevent you from being restless.”
“As it turns out, after just a moment out of my sight, you go and provoke women.”
Yanzhi hurriedly said: “I didn’t, I just met them on the road…”
Xiao Cuan was too lazy to listen to his explanation and only said: “Come here.”
Yanzhi was afraid and instinctively took a half-step back.
He was afraid—afraid the Emperor would bite him again, afraid the Emperor would pinch him again, afraid the Emperor would mess with him until he couldn’t get out of bed.
But that half-step made Xiao Cuan even angrier.
“I told you to come here!”
Yanzhi tried his best to suppress the urge to turn and run, but he just stood there, neither moving closer nor further away.
In the next moment, like a pouncing tiger, Xiao Cuan suddenly rose, strode forward, grabbed Yanzhi’s waist, and directly shouldered him.
As if carrying prey, he threw him heavily onto the couch.