Chapter 84 Rui Er, When Will You Give Me Official Status?
Her eyes were clear and bright as she looked up at him, glimmering with flecks of light. Yan Xuerui understood Gu Yan well—he was rigid and authoritarian, forbidding her from appearing in public.
Seeing him remain silent, she thought he was angry and was about to resort to the excuse, "It's all for Young Slave's sake," when he suddenly drew closer. Startled, Yan Xuerui shut her eyes immediately.
His cool, thin lips brushed against her trembling eyelids—soft and tender.
His kisses always carried a strong sense of possession and conquest; such tenderness was rare. Yan Xuerui fluttered her dark eyelashes and whispered tentatively, "You agree?"
So easily?
Gu Yan chuckled lazily, "When did I say I agreed?"
He was teasing her!
Flustered and indignant, Yan Xuerui reached for his waist and pinched him hard, thinking herself fierce, but to Gu Yan, her soft, supple fingers only sent a tingling shiver—she was flirting with him.
He caught her hand and said seriously, "Rui Er, let's be logical. Even a country schoolteacher requires tuition as payment for imparting knowledge. Nothing in life comes for free, don’t you think?"
Yan Xuerui widened her beautiful eyes and glared at him, speaking boldly, "Just name your price. Money has never been an issue for me."
Since childhood, she had never worried about money, and now she had even more of it.
Gu Yan smiled lightly, took her slender, pale fingers, and toyed with them. Noblewomen nowadays loved staining their nails with henna, and married noblewomen preferred gem-studded gold nail guards to display their status. But Yan Xuerui’s mind was entirely on perfumery; her natural hands were soft and slender, with rounded, full fingertips and nails naturally a soft cherry pink.
He said, "As I just mentioned, that applies to ordinary village teachers. I am the Crown Prince Senior Tutor, now the Imperial Tutor. Mere wealth isn't enough to sway me."
Yan Xuerui blinked, thought for a moment, and then softened her expression.
"You, must you really make things so complicated?"
She freed her hand, wrapped her arms around his neck, and complained, "When have I ever denied you my bed at night? Why the extra hassle?"
Gu Yan curled his lips and shook his head. "That's not it."
Yan Xuerui paused, puzzled. "Then what do you want?"
"Don’t be lazy. Think for yourself."
Gu Yan looked down at her and said slowly, "Given our past marital bonds, I’ll teach you the first lesson: Rui Er, to please someone, you must first learn to appeal to their interests."
Appeal to his interests?
Yan Xuerui pondered carefully. Gu Yan’s daily routine was rigid and monotonous. No matter how late he stayed up, he always rose at mao hour (5-7 AM), trained on the drills field for two ke (a half-hour), then ate and attended morning court.
After court, he hurried to the Eastern Palace to tutor the Crown Prince, returning at noon to nap with her. Most of his time was spent handling official duties or receiving guests in his study. When less busy, he stayed in the main courtyard reading or playing a few games of chess with her to pass the time. His desires were strong; even after a full day’s work, he remained energetic at night, often wearing her out.
For over a decade, his routine had been the same. Aside from visiting her room more frequently, it was hard to pinpoint what he truly favored. In his high position, he lacked nothing. Even the most ordinary writing tools in Senior Tutor Gu’s study were of the finest quality: Hui ink, black as lacquer, that never smudged or pooled; mature Xuan paper, textured like silk; brush handles made of Hainan rosewood with carefully selected wolf hair tips; and a paperweight made from a solid piece of Hotan warm jade, lustrous and exquisitely crafted.
Yet these treasures seemed to him merely "serviceable." When Ming Wei was young and playful, she chipped a corner of his favorite paperweight. Though she thought it a pity for the flaw in the beautiful jade, Gu Yan only said lightly, "It's just an object—not worth mentioning."
She thought that since Gu Yan was born into an aristocratic family, he didn’t value such external things. In his youth, he had been keen on collecting renowned swords and blades. As he grew older, subordinates would present him with fine tea and antiques. He would admire them briefly then store them away. His possessiveness was strong; even if he later lost interest in those famous swords, he kept them in his private collection, gathering dust, and forbade others from touching them.
...
After thinking for a long time, Yan Xuerui said slowly, "I'll ennoble you as a prince."
For over a decade, he had always been fond of power.
Gu Yan scoffed disdainfully. "This unworthy official dare not accept such an honor."
He did like power, but he didn’t care for flashy titles. When the emperor once sent him to the Hanlin Academy to compile books, Gu Yan remained calm, treating it as a chance to cultivate his mind and rest. Being a minor Hanlin scholar, a Senior Tutor, or a prince—it didn’t matter to him. His orders were followed without question, and that was enough.
He lacked nothing, wanted nothing—he was clearly toying with her!
Yan Xuerui angrily released his neck and struggled to get down from his embrace. Gu Yan tightened his arms, his voice amused.
"Alright, alright. Considering you’ve been diligent in tending to my bandages, I’ll give you some time."
"Until then, if you assist me by preparing the ink, I’ll allow you to observe. How much you grasp will depend on your wit."
Gu Yan was too cunning; one careless word with him and she’d fall into his trap. Yan Xuerui looked at him suspiciously. "Really?"
Gu Yan raised his chin. "Why not start now?"
The desk was piled high with memorials like a small mountain. Since these would eventually end up in his hands anyway, he might as well have her by his side now. As for Yan Xuerui’s request to "teach her," he treated it as mere bedroom banter and laughed it off.
Gu Yan often spoke with subtlety, but he kept his promises and never lied. Yan Xuerui, supporting her sore legs, climbed down from his embrace, rolled up her sleeves, and like an earnest little scribe, began grinding ink.
Her wrists were pale and slender, the white jade bracelet on her arm swaying lightly with her motion. A subtle, elegant scent wafted from her hair. Soon, the inkstone held a pool of dark, glossy ink.
Gu Yan dipped his brush into the ink, his beloved by his side, the world in his grip. There was no greater joy in life.
Yan Xuerui occasionally leaned in to ask questions.
Her finger pointed to the edge of a memorial as she frowned. "This town is a thousand li from the capital. Is a snowfall really worth a special memorial? The local officials must have too much time on their hands."
Gu Yan set down his brush, tapped the line that read "On the third day, heavy snow fell, stretching for miles," and looked up at her. "Rui Er, do you think the local officials are idle, or do they dare not refrain from reporting?"
Yan Xuerui paused. "Is there a difference?"
"Of course."
Gu Yan’s finger traced the signature area as he explained slowly, "North of the Yangtze River, snow in winter is common—nothing unusual. But what does 'stretching for miles' mean? How many miles? How heavy was the snow? What happened afterward?"
"Did the snow damage the new crops in the fields? Were the local people affected by the cold? Are grain reserves sufficient? Are grain prices stable? Are there merchants hoarding grain to drive up prices and harm the people?"
"Deeper still, if the new crops were damaged, next year’s harvest will suffer. Should we allocate grain in advance? From where? How much? How will it be repaid?"
A series of questions overwhelmed Yan Xuerui, leaving her dizzy. It took her a while to process them. She exclaimed, "So many intricacies!"
Inwardly, she felt relieved that she had asked Gu Yan to review it. Otherwise, she would have been clueless and might have mishandled important matters.
Watching Gu Yan effortlessly respond to the memorial, Yan Xuerui felt both confused and angry. "With just one line, saying nothing, do we have to rely on guesswork? How dare they deceive and fool the emperor like this? Why not replace them with honest officials who serve the people?"
Gu Yan laughed. "They reported the snowfall truthfully. How did they deceive you?"
If those in power failed to see the clues, it only proved their foolishness. After a few such instances, subordinates would learn to deceive and conceal, leading to the downfall of a dynasty.
The emperor remained in the capital, but the realm was vast. As the saying goes, "Heaven is high, and the emperor is far away." The emperor could only govern the world through these small memorials. How he responded to them and appointed officials revealed the depth of his rule.
Yan Xuerui sighed softly, her tone heavy with worry. "Must we scrutinize every memorial like this?"
The slightest oversight could affect the livelihoods of an entire town, county, or even a prefecture—a heavy responsibility Yan Xuerui felt she couldn’t bear.
Gu Yan shook his head without explaining further. "Things will improve with time."
The new emperor ascended the throne in haste, and the local prefectures and counties are likely still processing things. These memorials also carry a subtle undertone of feeling things out. Had the old emperor still been on the throne, even if on his deathbed, those below would not have dared report matters in this manner.
Those who govern must do the mental work. Subordinates aren't necessarily loyal, nor does a mere title guarantee unwavering devotion. Just as the Crown Prince, despite his prestigious status, was pushed aside by Gu Yan, history is replete with emperors manipulated by eunuchs or maternal relatives. Empress Xu urged the Crown Prince to read more history, but unfortunately, it never really sank in.
Gu Yan suddenly asked, "Is Empress Xu still keeping in line?"
His energy was entirely devoted to the imperial court; the empress dowagers and imperial concubines in the rear palace were, in his eyes, practically dead already and not worth mentioning.
Yan Xuerui let out a bitter laugh, finally finding an outlet for her grievances. "How could she be behaving? She spends every day cursing in the palace. If not for the sealed gates, who knows what chaos she might stir up."
Originally, the empress dowager should have moved to Cining Palace, but with Empress Xu raging and cursing madly, Yan Xuerui directly ordered Fengyi Palace sealed. Now, Empress Dowager Xu still resides in the empress’s palace.
Gu Yan nodded thoughtfully, gently patting the back of her hand. "I’ll handle it."
He would leave no hidden dangers. The Crown Prince and Empress Xu might as well go together.
Yan Xuerui trembled slightly. After a long while, she said, "Gu Yan, we will descend into the eighteenth level of hell."
He was right; she ought to be more honest.
There were many things she was not unaware of, yet she could not overcome the barriers in her heart, pushing everything onto Gu Yan as if doing so could lessen her guilt and unease.
"Nonsense."
Gu Yan refuted her: "Those are just tricks used by monks and Taoists to fool people, only deceiving the ignorant and foolish. My Rui Er is quick and clever—how could you believe such things?"
He was quite dismissive. You can't show mercy in war. Throughout history, which succession to the throne was not accompanied by bloodshed? Even the late emperor left only the frivolous and incompetent Prince Su of Yangzhou alive. When we meet in the afterlife, nobody can throw stones.
Hearing the word "Taoist," Yan Xuerui’s eyes dimmed. She did not bring it up, but her expression grew somber. Thinking she was afraid, Gu Yan smiled and said, "Even if we descend into the eighteenth level of hell and face being skinned and having our tendons pulled, it will be my sin. What does it have to do with you?"
Yan Xuerui closed her eyes, recalling the words Yao Er had once used to curse her, and whispered, "Adulterers and whores—what distinction is there between you and me?"
Hearing this term, Gu Yan was not angered. He pondered seriously for a moment and said, "Now that you and I are together without a proper wedding, it is indeed improper."
"So, Rui Er, when will you make an honest man of me?"