chapter 46

For a trip to Yue Lao temple, it must be taken at night . Night is still some time away; the sky is still bright outside . Duan Bai Yue asked: “Let’s sleep for a bit first? You must be tired, rushing all this way . ” 

Chu Yuan shook his head: “Speaking of that, I’m not tired, it’s just unbearable being stuck in the carriage . It’s much better now that I can come out . ” 

“Then do you want to eat something?” Duan Bai Yue asked further .  

Chu Yuan laughed: “Why are your suggestions either sleeping or eating?” 

Duan Bai Yue said: “Of course, it’s because I cherish you . ” 

“Not hungry, I’m thirsty . ” Chu Yuan said, “There will be sour plum soup sent over later; whatever you want to eat, I will get Si Xi to buy it as well . The mincemeat su bing in this city is very famous, and there are also fried vermicelli buns, do you want them?”

Duan Bai Yue was looking at him with a smile .  

Chu Yuan was puzzled: “What are you smiling at?” 

“Nothing . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “I just like the way you were talking . ” Not like an emperor, but talking about some trivial matters instead, somewhat nagging, and yet also extremely at ease . Seeing this lets him relax too .  

The sour plum soup was quickly cooled down with ice . Along with it, the mincemeat su bing and other regional delicacies were also served . Chu Yuan didn’t have much appetite, and only sat by the table, watching Duan Bai Yue eat, and couldn’t help but blurt out: “Did you not eat for the whole day?” 

Duan Bai Yue said: “Yes . ”

Chu Yuan: “…… . ”

“I was waiting for you to arrive . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “For the free food . ” 

Not knowing which expression he should make, Chu Yuan passed him another bun .  

After finishing the meal, the two of them chatted in the room for a while . Seeing the gradually darkening sky outside, they left the rest stop via the back door and slowly walked to the Yue Lao Temple — no need to ask for directions either, they just had to follow the crowd . Yue Lao Temple was the most popular place tonight, with everyone wanting to go early to get a good place to pray for a good marriage .  

“Here, it’s just in front . ” Dan Bai Yue said, “But looking at the crowd, it’s hard to say if we can squeeze in . ” 

“Never mind, let’s just watch from here . ” Chu Yuan stopped, “It’s the same anyway . ” If two men were to ask for a blessing from the tree of marriage, even if no one recognises them, they will still attract attention .

Duan Bai Yue nodded, hooking one of his fingers: “No matter, even though we are a bit far away, if the prayers are meant to be heard, Yue Lao will still hear it . ”

Chu Yuan smiled, not speaking either, and kept looking in front .  \nPeople were crowded all in front of the tree of marriage, red strings almost covering its branches . With his life on the line, Tao Ren De forced his way to the front, coiling a red string on the tree . He panted tiredly, silently asking Yue Lao for a blessing over and over, to let the emperor quickly choose a consort, and not continue acting so willfully . Otherwise, when he closes his eyes for the last time, he won’t have the face to meet the late emperor .  

Unaware of the situation, the people beside him all muttered silently .  Wherever this old man came from, he sure has thick skin . Looking at his age he should be a grandfather already, and yet he still came over to ask for a marriage blessing, isn’t he scared of people mocking him?

Liu Da Jiong stood at the edge, clicking his tongue while drinking a big bowl of tea .  And he still says that I like being a matchmaker . How can I even compare to him, who wants to even join in such an event .  If the emperor still refuses to marry in the next two years, Lord Tao will probably go crazy .  

“Wait for me . ” Duan Bai Yue said .  

Chu Yuan nodded: “Alright . ” 

Duan Bai Yue turned and left, returning a moment later with a red string in his hands .  

Chu Yuan asked: “Where did you steal it from?”

“Shush, don’t talk nonsense in front of the gods . ” Duan Bai Yue grabbed his wrist, gently wrapping the red string around it, “I got a kid to buy it from Yue Lao Shrine . He looks frank and robust, and attracts attention easily . Yue Lao should like the look of him, so he will bless us for a while . ”

“Only for a while?” Chu Yuan asked .  

“Every once in a while, we can come and ask Yue Lao again, and make him not able to forget it even if he wants to . ” Duan Bai Yue intertwined his fingers with him, “What do you think?” 

Chu Yuan smiled: “Good . ” 

The people around them were all running in front, saying that the emperor happens to be in the city these few days, so they want to quickly go and pray to Yue Lao, maybe their daughter or niece will be able go to the palace as a consort, what an honor to the ancestors that would be!

Duan Bai Yue coughed .

“Let’s go . ” Chu Yuan patted his chest, “We have prayed to Yue Lao and eaten sweet porridge . Whatever we needed to do has been done, let’s go back to rest . ” 

Duan Bai Yue said: “Shall I stay at the rest stop tonight?”

Chu Yuan glanced at him: “Where else would you go?”

Duan Bai Yue’s smile stretched across his whole face .  

The two of them felt that it was crowded, and didn’t walk the main roads, strolling in the alleys instead, turning in any direction and almost losing their way . When they finally returned to the rest stop, it was already midnight . During Chu Yuan’s bath, Duan Bai Yue stayed behind the screen on the emperor’s order, sighing with his face in his hands .  

Placing his chin at the edge of the bathtub, Chu Yuan smiled at the blurry figure outside .  \nThe bed was very big, with two pillows and one blanket . Duan Bai Yue pulled him into his arms: “Sleep well . ” 

Chu Yuan grabbed the sash of his robe: “Hmm?”

Duan Bai Yue: “Don’t want you to chase me off the bed . ”

“Stop acting pitiful . ” Chu Yuan wrapped himself in the blanket, revealing only two eyes .  

Duan Bai Yue turned and pressed down on him .  

“For offending the emperor . ” Chu Yuan grabbed his cheeks, “Drag out for twenty strokes of the cane . ” 

“There’s something even more offensive, want to try it?” Duan Bai Yue asked, biting Chu Yuan’s lower lip .

Chu Yuan was all smiles .  

The kiss was patient and gentle . Duan Bai Yu intertwined his hands with him, his tongue licking the soft and warm lips over and over . Feeling the other party’s invitation, his actions became more daring .  

After a long while, Chu Yuan pushed him away, redness running from his ears to his back .  

Duan Bai Yue said: “This is it?” 

Chu Yua paused, saying: “Yes . ” 

“Yes?” Duan Bai Yue lingered by his ear .

Chu Yuan couldn’t avoid him; he wanted to call for Si Xi, but felt that he wasn’t wearing much . Afterwards he really couldn’t resist, and his hand was grasped and made to do…something that had never been done before .  

Duan Bai Yue was breathing heavily .  

Chu Yuan shut his eyes tightly, not willing to think about his surroundings at all .  

This time, it was quite long, even longer than when he was infected by He Huan Gu in Xi Nan .

After an indeterminate amount of time, Duan Bai Yue finally exhaled satisfyingly .  

His face fully red, Chu Yuan pulled over a handkerchief and wiped his hand, then wrapped himself tightly in the blanket, only leaving the back of his head exposed, almost squeezing into the gap between the bed and wall .  

Duan Bai Yue carefully approached him, saying: “Let me help you . ” \nChu Yuan, muffled: “You dare!”

Duan Bai Yue: “……”

Chu Yuan ended up wrapping his head in the blanket too .  

It’s summer, won’t it be too warm .  Duan Bai Yue dragged down the blanket a little: “I —-”

“Shut up!” Chu Yuan’s ears were almost blood red, and looked like if he were to say one more word, he would explode .  

Duan Bai Yue closed his mouth tactfully .  

The warmth of his palm didn’t ebb . It was as if it would never dissipate . Biting his lower lip angrily, Chu Yuan rubbed it harshly on the blanket twice again .  

Duan Bai Yue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Why don’t I get some warm water, and let you wash your hand?” 

You still dare to speak! Chu Yuan sat up, and chased him down with a pillow .  

Xi Nan King could only sleep on the floor .  

But the floor was comfortable too .  

Looking at the moonlight outside, Duan Bai Yue thought, this Yue Lao Temple here is really quite effective .  

When he returns to Xi Nan, he must send over some silver and make a proper offering .  

On the morning of the second day, it was eunuch Si Xi who came to wake Chu Yuan up . It was not known when Duan Bai Yue had left; the blanket he used folded up neatly, and even had a pillow placed on it .  

Eunuch Si Xi thought to himself, ah, they slept separately .

They didn’t do this in the palace before, could they have quarrelled? 

Chu Yuan coughed once .

Eunuch Si Xi came back to himself, quickly put a smile on his face, and attended to the washing up and changing clothes of the emperor — they still had to rush today .  

The rest of the trip went without a hitch — frankly, with imperial guards and martial arts experts, it was hard for it to not go without a hitch even if one wanted to . As before, Duan Bai Yue arrived in Yun De city two days earlier, and after finding an inn to stay, he went to the summer palace alone, thinking that it was a good place to walk around still .  

With the emperor arriving, the summer palace must of course do some preparations . There were people everywhere, seemingly as if they were planning to work through the night . Duan Bai Yue made a round in the front hall and went to the residential quarters for a while . As he thought of going back, he saw a faint light coming from a small courtyard, its surroundings dark and quiet . Compared to the other bustling places, it was conspicuously out of place .  

Duan Bai Yue was curious and walked over to take a look . But before he could get near, a wizened voice came from the courtyard: “This sire, who are you?”

Duan Bai Yue was taken aback slightly .  

“Come out . ” The old man continued, “Hearing your footsteps, you don’t seem like someone from this palace . ”

Duan Bai Yue could only open the door to the courtyard, and force himself to say: “Apologies for intruding . ” 

“Yo, xuan ming han tie, looks like you are someone siginificant . ” After a glance at the sword at his waist, the old man continued to play chess against himself, ignoring him .  

Talented people are hidden in the martial arts circle of the Central Plains; Duan Bai Yue said sincerely: “This younger one saw a light coming from here and came for a look . To have bothered the elder’s refined pastime, please forgive me . ” 

“It’s not quite a refined pastime . ” The old man said, “Playing chess for the past thirty years, if it’s not the left hand which wins, then it’s the right hand which wins . But it seems like this left hand cannot handle it anymore, it has already lost for an entire month . ” 

Duan Bai Yue’s heart stirred, asking: “This elder likes to play chess?” 

The old man shook his head: “It’s just to kill time . ” 

Duan Bai Yue said; “Then does this elder know about the Fen Xing match?” 

The old man was a little surprised, then sighed: “Young man, do not say you also want to find treasures, on that island, there is really nothing . ” 

Duan Bai Yue perked up, sat opposite him and said: “This elder doesn’t have to worry, this young one doesn’t have any interest towards the treasure and isn’t concerned about Chao Ya at all . I only wish to ask this elder, do you know why Fen Xing would occasionally shine?”

“The Fen Xing is in your hands?” The old man finally raised his head . After looking at Duan Bai Yue for a long time, he said: “I heard that Jiu Xuan Ji was destroyed . So it was due to your actions . ” 

“This elder . ” Duan Bai Yue asked again, “Just what is Fen Xing?” 

The old man waved his hand: “Help me with a matter, and I shall tell you the secret within Fen Xing . ” 

Notes:

Su bing: 酥饼 – a type of flaky pastry with various type of fillings . Very delicious .

He Huan Gu: 合欢蛊 -lit . together, happy, gu . Basically a gu that causes an aphrodisiac effect .  

Xuan Ming Han Tie: 玄冥寒铁 – lit . black/mysterious, dark, cold, metal . Name of Duan Bai Yue’s sword .