Lin Qingyu found Gu Fuzhou in the bedroom. The general wore a black blindfold, and a porcelain medicine bottle hung in front of him. One end of a red string was tied to the bottle; the other end was tied to the rafters.
When he heard Lin Qingyu’s footsteps, Gu Fuzhou tugged the blindfold up, revealing mirthful eyes. “Qingyu, Qingyu—let me show you something fun.”
He pulled the blindfold down again and pushed the porcelain bottle, which began to swing back and forth. Gu Fuzhou likewise swayed, but left to right, perfectly dodging the bottle each time so that he was never hit. He was having so much fun that his smile lit up the entire room.
“What do you think? I’ve been practicing for an entire hour.”
Lin Qingyu walked over and steadied the swinging bottle. “Xiao Jie and his eunuch are here.”
Gu Fuzhou raised his eyebrows. “Now?”
“Yes. They’re already inside the manor.”
When Gu Fuzhou smelled Lin Qingyu’s faint, familiar scent, he smiled even wider. He reached out, pretending to reach for the bottle, but sneakily grasped Lin Qingyu’s waist instead.
Letting Gu Fuzhou hold him, Lin Qingyu tore the blindfold off his face. “And, as expected, Xiao Cheng sent the Tianji Guard to the North Kingdom. The emperor should be unhappy with that decision.”
Impressively, Gu Fuzhou could still think logically even while distracted by the beauty in his arms, who smelled pleasantly of herbs. “You mean…today? Would it still be too early?”
Lin Qingyu pushed him away. “You don’t need to promise the steward too much. Just test him a little.”
They returned to the front hall to entertain their guests. Before Xiao Jie and Xi Rong, Gu Fuzhou’s behavior was introverted and serious; he acted like a man of few words and fewer smiles. Even Xi Rong probably couldn’t have imagined that, just moments earlier, Great General Gu had been laughing in his bedroom as he practiced dodging a porcelain bottle.
After some small talk, Gu Fuzhou ordered the servants to present the Qingyun Jiuzhou spear to the prince. The spear was extremely heavy, and few people could hold it with ease. At least two grown men were required to lift it.
Xiao Jie circled the spear, exclaiming in admiration. He turned to Xi Rong excitedly. “A-Rong, do you feel the bloodlust of the northwestern deserts?”
“Spears are nourished by blood,” Xi Rong remarked. “Naturally, the great general’s spear has a soul of its own.”
Xiao Jie tried to pick up the Qingyun Jiuzhou spear, but however hard he tried, he could barely lift it an inch from the ground. “This spear’s hefty enough to pulverize someone, but Great General Gu can use it one-handed to kill countless enemies. No wonder you’re seen as Great Yu’s war god,” he exclaimed.
Gu Fuzhou faced the prince’s compliments with the same unflagging reticence. “You flatter me, Your Highness.”
After Xiao Jie finished admiring the spear, Gu Fuzhou led them to the stables, where a handsome horse was drinking water. At the scent of strangers, the horse raised its head, alert, and swished its tail nervously.
This horse was as black as ink, with slender, sculpted limbs and a thick mane. It looked quite different from the commonplace horses one saw in public. The only thing was that it had gotten much fatter since it had first arrived in the capital.
Xiao Jie couldn’t stop complimenting the steed. “What’s its name?”
Lin Qingyu glanced at Gu Fuzhou in amusement. “Little White.”
Xiao Jie looked confused. “But it’s black.”
“Indeed,” Gu Fuzhou said seriously. “Would Your Highness like to ride him?”
“M-me?” Xiao Jie looked ecstatic. “Can I?”
Xi Rong didn’t approve. “Prized horses usually have strong personalities, and they’re loyal to their owners—and Your Highness isn’t adept at riding, so please reconsider.”
“Nothing will happen as long as I’m here,” said Gu Fuzhou.
Xiao Jie stroked Little White’s jet-black mane, already excited. “It’ll be fine as long as we go slow, right? A-Rong?”
Xi Rong sighed helplessly and shrugged. “I can only ask the great general to take care of you.”
Gu Fuzhou and Xiao Jie began riding horses while Lin Qingyu and Xi Rong stood by to watch. It wasn’t hard to tell that Xiao Jie and Xi Rong’s relationship wasn’t as simple as master and servant. Xiao Jie clearly relied heavily on Xi Rong; Gu Fuzhou had said as much. But Lin Qingyu couldn’t see Xi Rong’s perverted, debased side. The eunuch must’ve been adept at hiding his true colors.
Putting on a show of nonchalance, Lin Qingyu said, “His Highness is quite naive. It’ll be good when the crown prince becomes emperor, and His Highness is simply the ruler of his own princedom.”
Xi Rong’s eyes dimmed, but he quickly smiled, looking as beautiful as a woman. “Correct, Lady.”