…If she insisted on understanding it this way, it wasn’t entirely unacceptable.
The emperor’s golden words had been spoken, and the ten thousand imperial guards present at the time all heard them clearly.
Of course, he could deny them later—if he was willing to completely abandon his reputation.
They were clearly just two children, so how had their bond grown so deep and unbreakable?
The daughter raised by Gao Jing truly… inherited her father’s cunning nature.
In that instant, the emperor thought of many things. He cherished this child and hoped his life would be smooth and successful. But as a parent, one could not protect their child forever. Especially since he was an emperor. One day, when he passed away, the throne would change hands, and the new emperor might not tolerate a brother who had received such boundless imperial favor.
Thus, he intentionally pushed Li Fuxiang to get closer to the Zheng family, planning for his future.
As the saying goes, “The influence of a noble family lasts no more than five generations.” Even a prominent family like the Zhengs could not remain prosperous indefinitely. However, for now, the younger generation of the Zheng family consisted of ambitious and capable talents. Out of consideration for the late Imperial Consort Zheng, they could serve as a reliable support for Li Fuxiang in the future.
The more the emperor thought, the more thorough he wanted to be. Gradually, he realized that relying solely on Zheng Qianye might not be enough. To govern a country, there must be balance—civil and military capabilities working in harmony.
Military generals were often straightforward, but navigating the court and its intrigues required the finesse of civil officials.
However, civil officials were not easily manipulated.
When the emperor looked at Gao Jing now, it was as if an old fox were squinting at its prey. If the emperor were to secure Li Fuxiang’s future by arranging a marriage alliance early, their family would not lose out.
Of course, Gao Jing also had his own calculations. Rising unhindered to the position of Minister of Justice required not only talent but also mastery of human interactions. Swimming through the murky depths of the bureaucracy to climb upward, it was rare to remain clean and free of factions or private dealings. As an official, Gao Jing certainly had his methods.
But Gao Jing was also troubled.
It wasn’t that he had anything against Li Fuxiang, but he was deeply dissatisfied with this prospective father-in-law.
Yet, this pair of lovebirds was inseparable and couldn’t be torn apart no matter what.
Ultimately, the two old foxes, each harboring their own schemes, had to begrudgingly compromise for the sake of their children, feigning casual indifference to let the matter pass.
“As for the imperial decree, let us put it aside for now. After all, the children are still young. Matters of the heart should not be taken lightly. In my opinion, it would be better to wait until they come of age before making any decisions. What do you think, Minister Gao?”
“Your Majesty is absolutely right,” Gao Jing replied stiffly. He could hardly force a smile. Regardless of whether his daughter and Li Fuxiang’s marriage succeeded in the future, until it was definitively settled, no one in the capital would dare to propose marriage to Gao Yuexing. After tonight’s events, who wouldn’t know that the emperor intended to reserve this girl for his own son? Who would dare compete with the emperor?
“Rest assured, Minister Gao. Even if this matter doesn’t come to fruition in the future, I will not treat Ah Xing poorly. To me, the affection for a child raised by my side is no different from that for my own daughter.” The emperor was now suggesting bringing Gao Yuexing back to the palace.
“If Your Majesty would keep this sentiment in mind and look after Ah Xing, I would be endlessly grateful.” Gao Jing was indirectly hinting at the emperor to prevent any recurrence of incidents like the previous one involving Fox Hu Tribe spies. After all, they were all someone’s flesh and blood, precious beyond measure. Gao Jing implied that if such things happened again, he would not tolerate it.
“You’re too polite, Minister Gao…” The emperor smiled inscrutably. If anything happened to the Gao family’s daughter, wouldn’t it also cost the emperor’s son his life? The emperor and his son were not close to begin with; any mishap might lead to resentment. For the sake of winning his son’s favor, the emperor couldn’t allow anything to happen to the Gao family’s daughter.
After a few days of fuss, at least this year’s Spring Hunt wasn’t delayed.
Li Fuxiang moved back to the mountain palace and brought Gao Yuexing along with him.
Gao Yuexing’s return brought him visible joy. Even though his first premeditated attempt to escape had failed, he didn’t seem to care. To him, this commotion that resulted in retrieving his “wife” felt like a worthwhile exchange.
Many eyes in the palace were secretly watching, waiting to see the spectacle. If Li Fuxiang’s antics went too far and angered the emperor, could the emperor still dote on him as before?
After dealing with various affairs, the emperor returned to the palace under the night sky. As he ascended the steps, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of something golden. He paused momentarily, and the eunuch beside him perceptively picked it up and handed it to him. It was a gold peanut, about the size of a thumb.
The emperor suddenly recalled the bag of dry provisions Li Fuxiang carried when he was first captured, which was filled with coarse, dry cornbread.
Li Fuxiang had been brought into the most opulent palace under heaven, where he was fed the finest foods, dressed in the softest silks, and surrounded by the abundance of gold that was treated as worthless trinkets. For an ordinary person, it would be impossible to abandon such luxury. Within days, or perhaps even hours, that dry cornbread would have been deemed inedible.
For the first time, the emperor witnessed the unyielding nature of Li Fuxiang’s character, a testament to the legacy of his bloodline.
After all, he was the child of him and Zheng Yungou.
Flowing through his veins was the blood of the Great Xu imperial family and the iron-willed Zheng clan.
What a pity…
The emperor pretended not to notice the prying eyes within and outside the palace. The next morning, he took Li Fuxiang and left the mountain palace for the camp below. Personally, he chose the tamest little red horse, placed Li Fuxiang on its back, and assigned the most elite imperial guards to protect him.
The dramatic chase from a few days ago now seemed like nothing more than a fleeting dream. The emperor, fully understanding yet feigning ignorance, appeared determined to downplay the incident. Li Fuxiang hadn’t committed murder or arson. No matter how significant the disturbance, in the end, it was a family matter. How the emperor dealt with his family was not something any outsider could question or interfere with.
Zheng Qianye, disconnected from current news, had returned to the capital and was essentially idle at home. He never actively involved himself in rumors or gossip. It wasn’t until the night after Li Fuxiang’s return that Zheng Qianye learned the full story in his tent. Grabbing Zheng Yunji by the collar, he demanded, “What did you say? The emperor’s ten thousand imperial guards couldn’t catch him in three days and nights?”
Zheng Yunji patted his father’s hand, signaling him to calm down. “That’s right. The little rascal was pretty sly. In the end, they caught his sweetheart—the little girl from the Gao family—and used her to lure him out.”
Zheng Qianye frowned, tossing a chestnut shell at him. “Watch your mouth! Don’t use such indecent words about an innocent young girl…” Zheng Yunji didn’t dare dodge and ended up with a head full of chestnut shells. Zheng Qianye pondered for a moment, then burst into laughter. “That rascal has some guts, doesn’t he?”
Zheng Yunji replied, “It’s just that even heroes can’t resist the charms of beauty!”
Zheng Qianye laughed and laughed, but his laughter eventually faded. The freshly roasted sweet chestnuts in his mouth lost their flavor, and he pounded the ground with a sigh. “What a shame!”
Zheng Yunji, who knew his father’s thoughts better than anyone, echoed, “Indeed.”
Outside the tent, children were running and playing, their laughter carrying into the quiet interior. Zheng Qianye had brought along his three grandsons to enjoy this year’s spring hunt.
The eldest grandson, now seventeen, had followed his father to the border last year and already developed the temperament of an adult—calm and reliable. The other two were twelve and thirteen, at the mischievous age where they caused endless trouble, earning the disdain of both people and animals.
Zheng Qianye calculated in his mind: “Let Zheng Yi and Zheng Yan get closer to Fuxiang boy. They’re about the same age. My grandson has been confined in the deep palace for so long, with little chance to bond with his brothers. The spring hunt is a perfect opportunity.”
Zheng Yunji asked seriously, “Father, what do you mean?”
Zheng Qianye replied, “Does the emperor truly intend to raise him as a wealthy idler for the rest of his life?”
Zheng Yunji said, “What else can be done? That boy’s potential is already being wasted.”
Zheng Qianye said, “Help him as much as possible. A true man, born under heaven and earth, even if he cannot achieve fame and glory, cannot live an idle and meaningless life.”
Zheng Yunji considered his father’s reasoning sound and immediately went to push his sons and nephew to play with Li Fuxiang.
His son, Zheng Yan, pouted, “No way. Before we left, my mother specifically told me that little cousin is in poor health and needs to recuperate. She said I mustn’t bother him with my nonsense.”
His eldest nephew, Zheng Yi, nodded in agreement, “Exactly, my mother said the same. My father even went to the Medicine Valley to fetch a doctor for him. His health is fragile; it’s better to let him rest. I was worried just watching him ride that horse.”
Zheng Yunji, not one for eloquence, kicked each of them in turn, sending them tumbling to the ground. “I said go, so you go! At home, you listen to your mothers. Outside, you listen to your father!”
The two children, unable to protest, dusted themselves off and bolted, one behind the other.
Leaning against the door, Zheng Qianye watched the lively scene and finally commented, “Your wife may not say it, but she’s been longing to meet that boy.”
Zheng Yunji watched his two children run to the stables, nimbly mounting their horses and galloping off. He sighed, “Of course. Back when our family lived in Xiang City, life was so carefree. My second brother and I had just married, and my little sister had just come of age. We were all set on finding her a husband. Who would have thought…”
Zheng Qianye’s face suddenly darkened. “Mind your words!”
Zheng Yunji swallowed the rest of his sentence and muttered, “I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just thinking, if my sister were still alive, still at home, still in Xiang City, how wonderful life would be.”
Zheng Qianye rebuked him in a low voice, “Who doesn’t think that? You’re not the only one! But keep your mouth shut. Now go, and keep an eye on the kids!”
Li Fuxiang’s little red horse was paired with Gao Yuexing’s, and as Gao Yuexing approached, the two horses affectionately rubbed against each other.
The guards, tactful as ever, kept a respectful distance.
Li Fuxiang suddenly called out, “Gao Yuexing.”
Gao Yuexing responded crisply, her smile bright and unabashed. “Why don’t you call me ‘wife’ anymore?”
Li Fuxiang didn’t answer and simply refused to say it.
Gao Yuexing raised her eyebrows. “Fine, don’t call me that. After all, we’re still young. It wouldn’t be proper to keep calling me that.”
Today, she wore a perfectly tailored black riding outfit that accentuated the faint heroic aura in her features. On the spring hunting grounds, many eyes were involuntarily drawn to her, especially when she whipped her horse into a gallop. Her movements shed all traces of childhood immaturity, displaying a poised and confident demeanor befitting a heroine.
At that moment, the two Zheng boys arrived.
Gao Yuexing didn’t recognize them and curiously studied them with her bright eyes. The Zheng boys, however, were naturally outgoing. Zheng Yi immediately approached Li Fuxiang and said, “Hello, little cousin. My father is your mother’s brother. I’m your cousin.”
Gao Yuexing suddenly understood and turned her head at the sound of approaching hoofbeats, catching sight of Zheng Yunji.
Zheng Yunji rode up to Li Fuxiang, flashing a grin that looked like he might devour a child whole. “Little Highness, do you like roasted rabbit?”
Nearly everyone treated Li Fuxiang with extreme caution and care, as if handling a precious piece of porcelain. But Zheng Yunji, a rough man by nature, tried to speak gently, though his forced attempt ended up looking comically awkward and utterly out of place.
Li Fuxiang took a few steps back.
Zheng Yi shouted, “Uncle, your expression looks like you’re about to roast little cousin!”
“Bah! You little rascal, I’ll roast you right now if you don’t believe me!” Zheng Yunji turned his horse and swung his whip to chase him. Zheng Yi squeezed his legs against his horse’s sides and darted off with a laugh, riding skillfully away.
Zheng Yan, being a year older and slightly more composed, turned to Li Fuxiang and said, “Come play with us.”
Li Fuxiang nodded.
Zheng Yan found his little cousin to be quite obedient and deliberately tried to be more familiar, saying, “There’s a painting of your mother at my house. You look exactly like her. You haven’t been to the general’s residence, have you? How about I take you home to play one day?”
Li Fuxiang nodded again but still didn’t say much.
Zheng Yan pressed his lips together, seeming to feel a little bored.
Gao Yuexing stepped in to smooth things over. “Uncle Zheng mentioned roasting rabbit earlier. Where can we find some rabbits? Young Master Zheng, can you take us to find some?”
Zheng Yan’s mood immediately lifted, and he smiled broadly. “Sure! Let’s go chase after my father. If we catch some rabbits, we’ll roast them on the spot!”
Li Fuxiang gave Gao Yuexing a long, meaningful look. When he caught her urging glance, he reluctantly spurred his horse to follow.
His expression was deep and unreadable, but Gao Yuexing didn’t think much of it. She spent the next several days running around with the two Zheng boys, only to gradually realize something felt off.
She had almost become sworn brothers with the two Zheng boys, but Li Fuxiang remained as distant as ever. He wasn’t particularly close to them, but he wasn’t cold either.
Could he be unhappy?
Gao Yuexing kept her thoughts to herself and didn’t ask. Instead, she spent the next two days quietly observing.
When they were hunting rabbits, Li Fuxiang stayed to the side, waiting to eat.
When they played with slingshots, he lay on the grass to rest.
When they practiced riding and archery, he half-heartedly strummed the string of a small bow that barely drew three stones, looking utterly uninterested.
However, the moment the topic of returning to camp came up, Li Fuxiang perked up more than anyone else, practically itching to sprout wings and fly back immediately.
…
It seemed he preferred cozying up by Zheng Qianye’s fire, snacking on roasted chestnuts, over running around outside with his companions.
Gao Yuexing eventually figured it out: he was just plain lazy.
Zheng Qianye had also seen through him and, feeling resigned, stopped sending his sons to invite Li Fuxiang out. For the next few days, Li Fuxiang holed up in the tent, reading by the warmth of the fire.
The mountain palace had a library.
After going through all the books at hand, Li Fuxiang sought the emperor’s permission to visit the palace’s library with Gao Yuexing. This time, it was Gao Yuexing’s turn to feel sleepy.
As soon as she entered the library, she curled up in a patch of sunlight by the window.
The library was never heated with braziers, and the lingering chill of early spring was especially sharp on the mountaintop. Only during the midday hours could one bask comfortably in the sun for a nap.
When the sun shifted westward, Gao Yuexing woke from her nap.
Having slept peacefully for half the day, she opened her bleary eyes to see Li Fuxiang’s profile bathed in soft golden light.
Gao Yuexing held her breath and stared at him for a long time.
Suddenly, Li Fuxiang turned his head toward her.
As their eyes met, a gentle layer of warmth quietly spread over Gao Yuexing’s heart.
In front of Li Fuxiang was a sheet of paper, the ink still wet. Gao Yuexing got up to take a look and saw that Li Fuxiang, with his less-than-elegant handwriting, had casually copied a passage from the book:
“The supreme strategy is to subdue the enemy through wisdom. Next is to undermine alliances, then to engage in battle, and the worst is to besiege cities.”
—
The emperor’s daily success in causing chaos: achieved √