“Audacious!”
The young Emperor’s voice suppressed a rolling thunder, yet his fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly. “If anything should happen to the Chancellor—”
The blades of the Iron Eagle Guard cleared their scabbards with a sharp shink, their cold light pointed directly at Pei Jingyi.
The eunuchs and palace maids had long since lost their wits, kneeling in a dense, dark mass upon the ground, terrified of being swept up in this sudden disaster.
Eunuch Xu stumbled forward a few steps and slammed his knees into the dirt. “Forgive us, My Lord! It was this old servant’s negligence in duty. I failed to be on guard! Please, punish me, Chancellor!”
Pei Jingyi alone acted as though he were a mere bystander, seemingly unaware of the gravity of his actions.
Gu Huaiyu’s influence currently reached the heavens; he held the reins of the entire court. If the slightest misfortune befell him, no one could bear the responsibility. If this matter were pursued, Pei Jingyi could easily be charged with the capital crime of attempting to assassinate the Lord Chancellor.
Pei Jingyi, however, remained as steady as ever, without a hint of panic. “Does the Chancellor require a physician?”
Gu Huaiyu did not believe for a second that this wasn’t intentional. He pulled out a plain white silk handkerchief and gently wiped the blood from his cheek. “General Pei was far too careless. It would be one thing if you only injured this official, but how would you have accounted for it if you had harmed His Majesty?”
Pei Jingyi cupped his hands toward him. “The Chancellor and His Majesty are right to lecture me. This subordinate shall remember it.”
Fury seethed between Yuan Zhuo’s brows. He looked at Pei Jingyi, then at the calm and indifferent Gu Huaiyu, and forced his anger down.
Gu Huaiyu tossed the handkerchief aside and stood up, turning to the Emperor. “Your Majesty should continue your studies with General Pei. I am burdened with official business; I shall visit Your Majesty again when I am free.”
It seemed the Chancellor was magnanimous enough to let the matter drop.
Yuan Zhuo couldn’t help but reach out and snag a corner of that purple sleeve. “Does the Minister not need to see a physician?”
Gu Huaiyu was not so fragile as to be frightened out of his wits by a single flying arrow. He pulled his sleeve away, declining.
Accustomed to this, Yuan Zhuo said in a low, soft voice, “Understood. Take care of your health, Minister.”
Gu Huaiyu didn’t give Pei Jingyi so much as a glance as he turned and walked toward his sedan chair.
A sudden autumn breeze swept through, making Gu Huaiyu’s wide sleeves flutter like the wings of a crane. As the wind caught his waist, it revealed a startlingly sharp and slender silhouette.
Pei Jingyi stared at that retreating figure. Suddenly, he reached up and unfastened the purple silk belt from his sleeves in a few quick motions. “Stay your steps, Chancellor! This subordinate hasn’t returned your belt yet!”
Gu Huaiyu didn’t stop, only tossing back a single sentence: “It’s dirty. No need to return it.”
Pei Jingyi gripped the belt, his thick palm slowly stroking the fabric. “For the Chancellor to bestow even his personal items upon me… This subordinate shall keep such kindness close to his heart.”
The corner of Gu Huaiyu’s lip quirked up as he sneered internally. Lowborn wretch. You must be tired of living.
Yuan Zhuo’s cheeks puffed out, his teeth clenched tight to keep from speaking.
Pei Jingyi, acting the part of the diligent teacher, brought the farce to an end. He crumpled the belt into a ball and stuffed it into his tunic against his chest. Picking up the horsewhip again, he asked, “Where is His Majesty’s imperial steed?”
A eunuch led the horse forward. Yuan Zhuo flipped himself into the saddle, his eyes fixed intently on the bulge in Pei Jingyi’s chest.
Pei Jingyi didn’t care if the boy was listening. He explained the essentials of riding and archery while demonstrating the movements, teaching with a fair amount of seriousness.
However, the horses in the palace were kept in pens year-round and had long since lost their wild nature. They were docile to the point of being dull, running with a lazy gait that was utterly unexciting.
For the remainder of the session, Pei Jingyi continued his instruction, but Yuan Zhuo remained silent the entire time, his inscrutable gaze never leaving the General.
It wasn’t until the sky began to darken that Pei Jingyi put away the whip. “Your Majesty, we shall stop here for today.”
Yuan Zhuo gave a cold nod and departed on his imperial palanquin.
Pei Jingyi turned to head toward the palace gates.
Before he had gone far, a young eunuch hurried over to block his path. After looking him up and down, the eunuch spoke respectfully, “General Pei, please wait. The Chancellor requests your presence at the Chancellery.”
Pei Jingyi wasn’t surprised. “The Chancellor wants to see me?”
The young eunuch lowered his head, his voice dropping even further. “Yes. His Lordship said you are to go there immediately.”
Pei Jingyi crossed his arms, a half-smile playing on his lips. “It’s already dark and he still refuses to rest? The Chancellor truly has the soul of a workhorse. Isn’t he afraid his beautiful lady at home will get tired of waiting?”
The eunuch shifted uncomfortably. “General, please do not be so flippant. The Chancellor is not yet wed.”
Pei Jingyi knew that, of course. Countless young ladies in the capital dreamed of marrying the Lord Chancellor, but he had rejected every single one. There were even rumors that the Chancellor suffered from a “hidden ailment” and could not perform as a man.
