Chapter 2: The marks on the eyebrow are marks on the heart (2)

The first snowfall of the year came and lasted all night.

Long Yanzhao remembered the first time he met Gu Jingyuan three years ago. A sudden cold wind had risen, and the heavy snow had just stopped.

Gu Jingyuan had been standing in front of a blooming wintersweet tree, wrapped in a snow-white cloak over a striking, fiery red robe.

His slender waist was tightly cinched by a belt, and his back was straight as an arrow. His poise was no less noble than the wintersweet blossoms blooming in the cold behind him, and yet, he was even more dazzling and radiant than those vivid flowers.

Gu Jingyuan was the adopted son of the Regent.

Though called an adopted son, he was really just a favored retainer.

It was merely a coincidence that they shared the same surname, so he was adopted into the family.

Not only was Gu Jingyuan extraordinarily talented, but his appearance was also even more exceptional.

The cunning old Regent had long taken notice of that.

Their first meeting had been on the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, when the Regent brought Gu Jingyuan into the palace.

Over the years, the Regent had held control of the court, and Long Yanzhao had always been at odds with him.

So, by rights, he should have detested everything associated with the Regent, including his retainers.

Even more so when considering the Regent’s intentions in bringing such a stunning young man in front of him were.

Yet, at that time, Long Yanzhao noticed Gu Jingyuan’s face and brow.

Just one glance, and the image was etched into his heart, impossible to ignore.

Because he looked alike.

Far too alike.

Gu Jingyuan was so exhausted that he could barely lift a finger, but insisted on bathing after it was over.

He was a bit obsessive about cleanliness in this regard, and Long Yanzhao knew it. He indulged him and had hot water prepared again.

The floor heating in the hall was strong, so Gu Jingyuan didn’t feel cold while bathing.

Just tired.

He fell asleep while bathing. In a half-dreaming haze, the scent of dragon musk lingered at his nose. He knew it was His Majesty who had fished him out of the tub, dried him off, and placed him on the bed.

Then, he sank into a nest of soft brocade quilts.

Gu Jingyuan wrapped himself up like a rice dumpling and finally slept soundly.

When he woke up again, the sky outside was still dark.

Emperor Yuwen had already risen and was sitting beside him, reading memorials.

They had gone wild directly in the imperial study last night, which actually made things more convenient for His Majesty.

Gu Jingyuan lied there without moving. Long Yanzhao’s handsome profile faced him, the sharp features radiating calmness and strength.

The current emperor had very defined features, deep eyes like the stars, dragon-like brows, phoenix-like eyes.

One could hardly compare him to ordinary mortals. Even if one tried, His Majesty would still be a first-class handsome man…

“You’re awake, Ah Yuan?”

Long Yanzhao noticed he had woken and handed him a drink of water.

Gu Jingyuan’s throat was sore from shouting last night.

Half-sitting up, Gu Jingyuan hissed from the soreness in his hips and quickly lay back down, curling into the covers, silently counting how many times it had been last night.

He only remembered three times. After that… he had no idea how long His Majesty went on for.

…Wasn’t there talk that a new Dong-gongzi had entered the palace?

But His Majesty… seemed to be even “hungrier” than himself?

Gu Jingyuan looked at the emperor, his peach-blossom eyes widening slightly.

He suspected that His Majesty wasn’t even human.

Still drowsy, Gu Jingyuan drifted back to sleep for a while.

When he next awoke, it was already time for Emperor Yuwen to prepare for morning court.

Gu Jingyuan had always been a light sleeper. When Long Yanzhao got up, he also stirred and sat up.

Seeing he was awake, Long Yanzhao called for attendants. Palace maids and eunuchs filed in, some carrying washbasins and grooming tools, others carrying a bright yellow dragon robe embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon.

The servants were well-trained; they all kept their heads down and didn’t dare look at the imperial bed, where Gu Jingyuan lay.

His Majesty’s relationship with Lord Gu wasn’t a secret.

But no one dared whisper a word.

The emperor forbade it.

So no one dared.

Everyone wanted to live—no one wanted to die.

Gu Jingyuan automatically picked up the dragon robe and helped His Majesty dress.

Whenever he was in the palace, this task was always his.

Gu Jingyuan’s movements were practiced. Though he wasn’t as tall as Emperor Yuwen, his hands were clever and skillful, even more capable than the eunuchs who usually served His Majesty.

Piece by piece, the intricate layers of the dragon robe were draped onto the emperor, while Gu Jingyuan himself wore only a white inner garment.

When it came time to tie the belt, Gu Jingyuan knelt on one knee.

His long, dark hair spilled over his shoulders, cascading like ink against the stark whiteness of his robe.

He must’ve been a little injured from last night, since this posture made him slightly uncomfortable.

But he still continued tying the knots around the emperor’s waist meticulously.

Long Yanzhao looked down. From his angle, he could see Gu Jingyuan’s lowered gaze and submissive expression. He couldn’t help but say, “Ah Yuan, take today off. Zhen will exempt you from morning court.”

Gu Jingyuan shook his head, “This subject should still attend with Your Majesty. This is the imperial study—if you’re not here, I can’t stay here sleeping. And leaving the palace to return home at this hour would appear even more inappropriate. All the other ministers are entering the palace, and I alone would be leaving…”

Emperor Yuwen laughed, “That’s easily solved. Zhen doesn’t have any women in my harem—so many empty courtyards, they’re all yours. Ah Yuan can stay in whichever one you like.”

Gu Jingyuan glanced at the emperor, his expression still soft and compliant, like a small animal being deliberately teased by its master.

Long Yanzhao could never resist that look from him.

He couldn’t help but say, “Shall I talk to my mother then? Go to the Regent’s manor tomorrow and formally propose…”

“Your Majesty,” Gu Jingyuan cut him off before he could get even more improper. “When is the literary contest scheduled?”

Only then did Emperor Yuwen get serious again, “Tomorrow.”

At the mention of this, a trace of annoyance appeared on his face.

“Those scholars from Chang heard you were out of the capital and immediately tried to exploit the gap. They’ve been pestering me these past few days, urging me to appoint someone else to compete against them.” Long Yanzhao lifted Gu Jingyuan’s chin, making him look up. “So tomorrow, Ah Yuan, you’d better give a stellar performance. Do well, and I’ll reward you handsomely.”

Gu Jingyuan gave a faint smile, neither agreeing nor refusing.

He directly moved to the next topic: “Now that I’ve returned to the capital, what does Your Majesty plan to do about the matter in Lianghe?”

Speaking of this matter, Long Yanzhao’s expression turned grim and severe.

The river governor responsible for embezzling disaster relief funds was the Regent’s right-hand man.

Long Yanzhao had long known that certain officials were targeting the relief grain and silver, but the Regent commanded a powerful military presence and wielded overwhelming political influence. Though the emperor had sent men to investigate several times, they were never able to gather solid evidence, so there was no way to convict them.

If not for the catastrophic floods this year, which had devastated the land and stirred the people’s outrage to a boiling point—so much so that even the coffins couldn’t hold their dead—the truth might still have remained buried.

Even so, deciding who should investigate and handle the case had caused a major uproar in court.

The emperor wanted to send his own men.

The Regent wanted to send his.

After much arguing, the task ultimately fell to Gu Jingyuan.

He was, after all, the undisputed genius of the Great Yi dynasty, a literary star without equal. In terms of rank, he was qualified; in terms of ability, few could match him.

And after all, he was the seductress the Regent had specially gifted to His Majesty to charm and beguile the emperor.

Only by sending him would the Regent raise no objections.

Long Yanzhao said, “The disaster relief silver has all been recovered and redistributed. The governor of Lianghe has also been dismissed and investigated, replaced with one of my own men. This is already the best possible outcome.”

Gu Jingyuan had no objections, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

He wanted to nod, but his chin was held in place by the emperor and couldn’t move.

Emperor Yuwen said, “This time, Ah Yuan, your contribution was indispensable.”

Gu Jingyuan smiled, “Thank you for the praise, Your Majesty.”

Long Yanzhao’s eyes darkened further, and he let out a sigh, “But you’ve suffered for it.”

Gu Jingyuan had successfully tracked down every last coin of the relief funds and ensured it was redistributed. The evidence against the corrupt officials had also been sent back to the capital. He had handled the Lianghe crisis flawlessly.

The emperor was satisfied. The court officials were reassured. The people of the realm rejoiced.

Only the Regent, whose interests had been hurt, saw it differently. To him, his adopted son Gu Jingyuan had failed to handle the matter “properly.”

He had messed it up.

Long Yanzhao’s voice betrayed a trace of concern. “When you return to the Regent’s manor, follow the plan. Be extra careful.”

Gu Jingyuan simply gave a small smile. The scar on his brow, striking and seductive, stood out as he gently touched his injured shoulder.

“I can handle it.”

Long Yanzhao lifted his eyes slightly.

He reached out, placing his hand over Gu Jingyuan’s shoulder. “This injury was taken for me. I remember it all.”

But Gu Jingyuan shook his head, “I chose it willingly.”

His voice was rich and clear, and his gaze toward Emperor Yuwen was pure, as if he were looking at the most precious thing in the world.

Gu Jingyuan said seriously, “I am willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty. No matter the danger, I will not hesitate.”

His gentle demeanor could melt anyone’s heart.

Even a sovereign cold and unbending as iron could not resist such unwavering devotion.

“You like me that much? Hmm?”

The heavy atmosphere lightened. Long Yanzhao raised a brow.

“I can’t bear to have you go through fire and blades… but there is a dragon vein right here. Ah Yuan could… sit on it.”

Gu Jingyuan’s peach blossom eyes flew wide open, “Your Majesty!”

He was a man of scholarly grace with thin skin.

At the emperor’s vulgar words, his handsome face turned red in an instant.

Long Yanzhao chuckled, “Ah Yuan’s blushing. But last night on the bed, you weren’t shy at all, were you?”

As he spoke, his hand slipped under Gu Jingyuan’s collar.

His hand was a little cold, and the touch made Gu Jingyuan shiver. His face was still flushed, and his lips trembled slightly, “Your Majesty, you… have court soon.”

“You said it yourself—we still have a while.”

Emperor Yuwen leaned down and personally helped Gu Jingyuan up from the floor.

Or rather, he pulled him up.

With one long arm, he encircled Gu Jingyuan’s slender waist.

Gu Jingyuan tried to retreat from his touch, but his back hit a polished red pillar. With nowhere left to go, he stopped.

Since he hadn’t been pinned to the desk yesterday, Emperor Yuwen simply pressed him against the pillar this time.

The scent of dragon musk enveloped Gu Jingyuan, waves of heat curling around his breath.

There wasn’t much time, but urgency only heightened the feeling.

Long Yanzhao was more intense than ever.

Gu Jingyuan’s eyes grew misty with desire. He had to cling to Long Yanzhao just to stay upright.

This gesture clearly pleased the emperor. At the climax, Long Yanzhao asked with a low laugh, “Does Ah Yuan like it?”

Ah Yuan couldn’t answer.

But Long Yanzhao didn’t mind. In the heat of the moment, he once again touched the scar on Gu Jingyuan’s brow. Gu Jingyuan didn’t flinch, letting him caress it freely.

Only after a long while did Gu Jingyuan shakily nod his head.

“I like it…”

He was so exhausted he couldn’t move. Ignoring all decorum, he simply curled up on the imperial couch behind the study and went back to sleep.

The emperor didn’t mind him sleeping there, even though it was a place full of state secrets. And if the emperor didn’t mind, no one else dared say a word.

After all, as a pawn gifted by the Regent to enchant the emperor, the Regent wanted His Majesty to like and trust Gu Jingyuan.

Even the emperor’s birth mother, the Empress Dowager, showed a strange sort of tacit approval towards Gu Jingyuan’s disruptive presence in the harem.

Perhaps because His Majesty had never allowed himself to grow close to anyone. Gu Jingyuan was the one exception.

Before heading to court, Long Yanzhao personally tucked the blanket around him.

He stood there, watching Gu Jingyuan sleep.

There were dark shadows under his eyes, long lashes brushing against them yet unable to hide the fatigue.

Even like this, he had to curl up tightly in the covers before he could rest, like a small animal obsessed with building a nest.

Long Yanzhao kept watching the way he slept so sweetly, feeling that something about Gu Jingyuan’s return this time… was strange.

But no matter how long he thought, he couldn’t pinpoint what felt off.

In the end, the emperor gave up pondering it. He simply instructed everyone not to disturb Gu Jingyuan’s rest, then rose and headed toward the front hall.