Chapter 14: Permission Granted. Relieve Yourself Right Here. Part 1

After Gu Huaiyu finished washing, Yun Niang attended to him while he dressed.

As she fastened the jade belt around his waist, she looked up at him and asked softly, “My Lord, after yesterday… are you still going to West Mountain today?”

On the fifteenth of every month, Gu Huaiyu made a trip to Chongfu Temple on West Mountain without fail. “It is fine,” he replied indifferently.

Yun Niang swallowed hard, unable to stop herself from asking, “There is something I do not understand.”

She had been by his side for over three years. Gu Huaiyu knew exactly what was on her mind before she even spoke. “Do not be nosy,” he cut her off.

With her words stifled, Yun Niang could only say helplessly, “I understand.”

Liu Erlang poked his head into the room, his round face creased with a smile. “My Lord! The carriage is ready!”

He hesitated for a moment as if remembering something, and his face instantly fell into a look of reluctant annoyance. “That… gentleman is currently loitering outside the main gates!”

Gu Huaiyu took a sedan chair to the side gate of the manor. Standing before a low-profile, unassuming carriage was Pei Jingyi. He stood with his arms crossed, his black riding gear accentuating his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

The Chen Dynasty valued civil service over military prowess, and men favored a refined, scholarly air. It was rare to see someone with a stature so tall and imposing, or features so sharp and cold. A few young maidens of the manor were hiding behind the corridor pillars, stealing glances at him.

The moment Gu Huaiyu stepped out of the sedan, a smirk played on Pei Jingyi’s lips.

The smile stayed only at the corners of his mouth, while his eyes remained as cold as a deep pool of stagnant water. On the surface, he was playing the role of an obedient dog, but he was hiding his fangs, waiting for the perfect moment to devour his master.

Gu Huaiyu didn’t even spare him a glance. He merely lowered his gaze and cradled a gilded hand-warmer, allowing Liu Erlang to drape a white fox-fur cloak over his shoulders.

The snow-white fur collar framed a face that looked like polished white jade, effortlessly outshining the vivid colors of the morning frost in the courtyard.

In front of everyone, Pei Jingyi showed no hesitation. He gathered a corner of his robes and dropped to one knee before the carriage, suddenly lowering his back. “Please board the carriage, Chancellor Gu.”

Gu Huaiyu raised an eyebrow slightly. His cloud-patterned silk boots stepped onto Pei Jingyi’s tensed thigh as if it were a stair, then onto the perfect curve of his spine. “General Pei has worked hard.”

His sickly, frail body felt light, weighing almost nothing to Pei Jingyi. The soles of his boots were pristine; they didn’t even leave a footprint on Pei Jingyi’s thigh. The rich, cool scent of incense from his robes drifted down, carrying a trace of lingering, mellow sweetness.

Pei Jingyi struggled to keep his muscles relaxed. Just as he was about to stand up, a firm, heavy pressure suddenly bore down on the back of his neck.

His expression turned icy.

Gu Huaiyu held the carriage frame with one hand while the toe of his boot pressed against that patch of wheat-colored skin on Pei Jingyi’s neck, forcing his head down inch by inch. “Did I give you permission to rise?”

Pei Jingyi forced his head up against the pressure of the boot. “Does even standing up require the Chancellor’s permission? Should I ask for your blessing before I take my next breath as well?”

Gu Huaiyu increased the pressure, forcing his head down another inch. “It seems General Pei finally understands.”

He suddenly leaned down, his ink-black hair cascading over Pei Jingyi’s cheek. “From now on, you must ask me even for the right to breathe.”

A cold sneer tugged at Pei Jingyi’s lips. He suddenly raised his voice and asked, “I have an urgent need to relieve myself. Does Chancellor Gu grant me permission?”

Behind the pillars, the young maidens turned bright red and scurried away. Even the Iron Eagle Guard looked embarrassed, averting their gazes.

He was intentionally trying to humiliate Gu Huaiyu, but Gu Huaiyu didn’t seem to find it disgraceful at all. He gave a slight nod. “Permission granted. You may relieve yourself right here.”

Pei Jingyi made a show of grabbing his belt. Even when he had it halfway undone, Gu Huaiyu did not flinch or look away. Instead, he narrowed his eyes with genuine interest.

“With the Chancellor staring so intently, how is a lowly official supposed to perform?” Pei Jingyi looked up at him, his tone drawling and insolent. “I am a thin-skinned man. I hope the Chancellor will forgive me.”

Gu Huaiyu’s eyes turned cold, and he delivered a sharp kick to Pei Jingyi’s shoulder.

But the strength was like hitting iron; Pei Jingyi’s sturdy frame didn’t budge an inch.

Gu Huaiyu didn’t have time to discipline him further. He ducked into the carriage and threw back a cold remark: “Delay me again, and I will have your skin.”

The Iron Eagle Guard were all in disguise, wearing the common robes of a wealthy family’s servants. As Gu Huaiyu entered the carriage, they all mounted their horses in unison.

Gu Huaiyu had said he wanted Pei Jingyi to lead his horse and hold his stirrups, and he hadn’t been joking. Among the crowd of men, the only empty spot was the driver’s seat.