Gu Huaiyu didn’t answer immediately. He slowly lowered his bare foot, placing it unerringly between Pei Jingyi’s knees—right on that unmentionable spot.
Pei Jingyi’s eyebrows shot up. Instinctively, he reached out to grab the ankle—
“Hmm?”
Gu Huaiyu’s face chilled with displeasure, a warning hum vibrating in his throat.
Pei Jingyi slowly withdrew his hand. To prevent his hands from acting out of control, he tucked them behind his back. He straightened his spine, tensing every muscle in his body as if he were undergoing military training.
“At least you look the part.”
Gu Huaiyu was begrudgingly satisfied with his reaction. He pressed his toes lightly against the space between the general’s knees. “When I tell you not to move, you don’t move. I like those who are obedient.”
Pei Jingyi took a deep breath. The desire in his eyes was so raw it was almost tangible. The muscles in his thighs strained into sharp lines from the effort of staying still, yet he didn’t budge.
Gu Huaiyu admired the sight of this beast struggling to restrain himself. He could feel the increasingly rapid tremors vibrating through his foot.
This sense of control was more interesting to him than the intrigues of the imperial court.
The conquest brought by power was too easy. After all, all living beings were driven by profit or enslaved by fame. Whether they knelt in submission or rose in defiance, it was ultimately just a game of chess.
But what he held in his grasp now was a person’s most primal desire.
Watching the reason in Pei Jingyi’s eyes crumble inch by inch, hearing the gasps escaping his throat, seeing his entire body tremble with tension yet refusing to cross that line…
This thrill—of domesticating the most primitive hunger into a plaything in his palm—was what truly made his blood boil.
He abruptly withdrew his foot and sat up. “Not bad. Barely qualified.”
Pei Jingyi’s tense body suddenly slumped. He tugged at his collar, panting heavily. He chuckled, licking his canine teeth. “Then does Your Excellency have a reward for me?”
Gu Huaiyu raised an eyebrow. “What kind of reward do you want?”
Pei Jingyi had already thought of his prize. He stood up abruptly. “I want Your Excellency to count for me.”
Gu Huaiyu tilted his head, confused. “Count what?”
Pei Jingyi had already strode toward the candle stand, his broad back completely blocking the moonlight.
With a soft poof, the room was plunged into darkness. The sound of the window shutters closing was exceptionally distinct in the quiet night.
He sat on a chair with his legs spread wide, his tall silhouette a blurred shadow in the gloom. His voice was low and husky. “In a moment, I will have Your Excellency count.”
Gu Huaiyu had a vague idea of what he was planning. When he heard the metallic clink of a belt being unfastened, his suspicion was confirmed.
He simply lay back on the bed, turned his back to the room, and covered both ears with his hands. “Don’t think about me,” he ordered coldly.
In the darkness, Pei Jingyi let out a low chuckle. “If I said I wasn’t thinking of you, would you believe me?”
Gu Huaiyu didn’t answer. He closed his eyes, adopting an attitude of “out of sight, out of mind.”
The room was left with only the sound of suppressed breathing, occasionally punctuated by a few restrained moans.
After a long time, Pei Jingyi’s voice finally called out softly, “Lord Chancellor?”
There was no response.
He took a deep breath and listened intently. Gu Huaiyu’s breathing was steady and long; he was fast asleep.
“…”
Pei Jingyi’s teeth ached with frustration, but there was nothing he could do. He could only gloomily clean himself up and roughly fasten his belt.
He’s my own wife. What else can I do? Just have to bear it.
***
The next morning, as expected, Shen Jun arrived at the retreat, travel-worn and accompanied by more than ten high-ranking officials, including the Ministers of five departments.
Upon hearing the report from a servant, Gu Huaiyu had them settled in the main hall and called Pei Jingyi to accompany him to meet the guests.
Inside the hall, smoke curled from the incense. Over a dozen Ministers, Directors, and high officials were sitting on pins and needles, unable to even take a sip of their tea.
Every face was gaunt, with dark circles under their eyes as if they hadn’t slept in days. The collective misery in the room made the air feel heavy and suffocating.
At the sound of Gu Huaiyu’s footsteps entering the room, all ten-plus men stood up in unison. Their weary faces suddenly lit up.
“Lord Chancellor!”
Shen Jun was the first to rush forward, but his steps faltered slightly when he saw Pei Jingyi at Gu Huaiyu’s side.
Gu Huaiyu gave a nonchalant nod and took his seat at the head of the hall.
Pei Jingyi sat down beside him with great fanfare, tilting his chin at Shen Jun with a touch of provocation.
Shen Jun lowered his eyes to hide the shifting emotions within. He cupped his hands in a respectful bow. “Your Excellency has been resting in the mountains. Is your health restored?”
As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of lamentations rose from the hall.
The Ministers and Directors stepped forward. Some cupped their hands, while others directly knelt and kowtowed with reddened eyes, their voices thick with suppressed sobs.
“Lord Chancellor, you’ve finally agreed to see us! In these ten days, the sky has truly fallen over the capital.”
“The Ministry of Revenue cannot pay salaries. The people of the entire city are starving. If you don’t return soon, we are truly finished!”
“Without you in court, the Six Ministries have ground to a halt. Even the Bureau of Military Affairs is just staring blankly—”
“Get straight to the point.”
Gu Huaiyu tapped the lid of his teacup. The crisp clink of porcelain instantly silenced the room’s weeping and complaints.
There was no time for hem-and-hawing; every moment wasted was another person starving to death.
