Chapter 103 – The Hunt Begins

Xie Yi spent quite some time that night before he managed to soothe Xu Chun to sleep.

The next day, before the sun had even risen, Xie Yi changed Xu Chun into hunting attire and took him on horseback with his personal guards to the hunting grounds.

It was just dawn, and the shrubs on both sides of the hunting grounds were still covered in dew. Xie Yi explained to Xu Chun, “This is West Wind Mountain. In the morning, many birds have their wings dampened by the dew in the valley and can’t fly high. This is the perfect time for bird hunting.”

“Smell the wind. An experienced hunter can discern the scent of wild beasts.”

Xu Chun sniffed, but all he could smell was the fragrance of grass and trees. They proceeded up the mountain path, the mountain’s lush vegetation and scattered wildflowers swaying gently. Soon, they reached the mountaintop, where a spacious pavilion stood, clearly prepared in advance with long couches, low tables, armchairs, and apricot-yellow curtains surrounding it.

The terrain offered an elevated vantage point with excellent visibility, allowing one to see the entire hunting ground at a glance. One could even faintly make out the distant sea. Beams of sunlight pierced through the morning mist gathered over the mountains, illuminating the flags around the hunting grounds that clearly marked the area cordoned off by the imperial guards. This place was obviously designated for the imperial family members to rest and watch the hunt.

The pavilion still bore four large characters, “Unmoved by the Eight Winds,” which were unmistakably in the regent prince’s handwriting.

Xu Chun chuckled, and Xie Yi asked him, “What’s so funny?”

Xu Chun replied, “Has Your Majesty never heard of the story behind those words? ‘Unmoved by the Eight Winds’ is borrowed from Buddhist terminology, referring to the four favorable and four adverse winds.”

Xie Yi said, “That’s not entirely true. The Records of the Grand Historian contains a detailed explanation of the eight winds, derived from ‘remaining undisturbed by praise and blame, unmoved by the eight winds.’ Given the high elevation here, winds come from all directions, and inscribing these words carries a touch of heroism. The regent prince has faced countless criticisms and praises throughout his life, and indeed, he doesn’t seem to care much about them.” A ruler should act in such a manner, steadfastly adhering to his beliefs and moving forward regardless of others’ opinions.

Xu Chun couldn’t help but chuckle again, remaining silent. Sensing something amiss in his expression, Xie Yi playfully squeezed his wrist and whispered, “Could there be a story I’m unaware of?”

Xu Chun replied, “No, if I tell you today, every time you go hunting and see these characters, you might forget the heroic sentiment and blame me. Others must know this story as well but choose not to tell you because it’s indecent. It wouldn’t be proper to speak crudely before the sovereign.”

Xie Yi noticed that Xu Chun was intentionally being mysterious, but his radiant expression and sparkling eyes revealed his delight in knowing a story even he didn’t know. After coaxing the young master for so long last night, his heart was filled with tenderness, and he indulgently asked, “Tell me, how is it indecent?”

Xu Chun explained, “I heard this story too. It’s said that when Dongpo Jushi had an enlightenment, he wrote a five-character poem, the details of which I’ve forgotten. But I do remember a line that goes, ‘The eight winds cannot move me; I sit upon the purple lotus.’ After writing the poem, Dongpo Jushi was very pleased with himself and sent it across the river with his page to show Zen Master Foyin. Unexpectedly, the master’s reply consisted of only two large characters, ‘Fart.'”

Dongpo Jushi became furious and immediately prepared a boat to cross the river, personally going to Jinshan Temple to debate with Foyin. However, the meditation hall was closed, and a note was pasted on the door saying, ‘The eight winds cannot move me; a fart blows me across the river.'”

Xie Yi couldn’t help but laugh. Xu Chun continued, “See? Even though it says ‘unmoved by the eight winds,’ a single word like ‘fart’ was enough to anger Dongpo Jushi and make him rush across the river to argue. It seems that being unaffected by the eight winds means that the person causing the praise or criticism isn’t someone one truly cares about.”

Xie Yi found Xu Chun’s argument surprisingly logical and nodded. “Your reasoning is sound, my dear.”

Xu Chun smiled at him. “I suppose others thought it indecent, which is why Your Majesty hasn’t heard this story.”

Xie Yi poured a cup of tea and handed it to him. “Sit down and have a drink. You must be thirsty after the journey.”

Xu Chun sat down on a chair nearby and took the teacup to drink. However, he saw Xie Yi turn to Su Huaibei, who was following him closely, and instruct him, “Go and summon the commander and deputy commander of Fengxiang Guards to pay their respects.”

Su Huaibei went to relay the message. Soon, two guards arrived in response, both wearing black guard uniforms with vermilion borders. The leading guard bowed respectfully. “Commander Pei Dongyan of the Fengxiang Guards.” The slightly shorter guard behind him followed suit. “Deputy Commander Qi Luan.” “Greetings to His Majesty and Prince Xu.”

Xie Yi nodded slightly and instructed them, “Later, your squad will escort the prince to hunt in the opposite valley. Prioritize his safety above all else.”

Both commanders acknowledged the order. “As ordered!”

Xie Yi then turned to Xu Chun. “First, go for a round in the opposite valley. I’ll wait for you here. Don’t worry, Dingshi will accompany you.”

Xu Chun glanced at Dingshi, who had been silently following him. He wore a completely black guard uniform, unlike the other guards accompanying Xie Yi, whose uniforms featured apricot-yellow borders.

He understood that Xie Yi was giving him the opportunity to lead this escort squad on a hunt. There would undoubtedly be no danger, but how could he take control of this unfamiliar guard unit? They would undoubtedly follow his orders, but they wouldn’t trust or respect him.

After some thought, Xu Chun asked Xie Yi, “Is Chunxi… also here?”

Xie Yi’s eyes flickered with approval as he smiled and instructed Dingshi, “Go fetch Chunxi.” Soon, Chunxi appeared wearing a similarly all-black guard uniform. Although his attire matched Dingshi’s, the bow and arrow on his back and the saber at his waist were clearly ones he was accustomed to using. He approached and bowed gracefully. “Fourth-class Tiger Warrior Guard Chunxi greets Your Majesty and Prince Xu.”

Xie Yi said, “Rise. Follow your young master.”

Xu Chun got up and smiled. “Your Majesty, I’ll be going now.” He descended the steps, accompanied by Dingshi and Chunxi, and bowed to Xie Yi. Xie Yi watched him standing below, bathed in the golden rays of the rising sun, his eyes shining like a little tiger brimming with enthusiasm. He smiled. “Go ahead. I’ll watch you from the mountain.”

From the pavilion, he observed Xu Chun mounting his horse with several guards and galloping toward the valley. Soon, all the Fengxiang Guards imperial guards followed, charging into the forest. More servants soon joined the procession with packs of hunting dogs and leopards, forming a grand hunting party.

Xu Chun stood out among them, dressed in his bright red Qilin prince robe, silver soft armor, silver crown, and long boots, exuding an imposing presence.

Confused, Su Huaibei stood beside Xie Yi and asked, “Since Your Majesty came out to relax, why did you let the young marquis go hunting alone?” He had selected bows and horses for him, personally taught him archery, and yet, he allowed the young marquis to lead the guards on a hunt by himself. How dangerous could this hunting ground be?

He added, “There are real ferocious beasts in this hunting ground. I heard the young marquis joking with you about hunting at some mountain villa, where they only hunted rabbits and pheasants, which are nothing like the beasts in this hunting ground. If Your Majesty doesn’t accompany him, won’t you be worried?”

Xie Yi replied, “Hunting is akin to leading an army. Can an army have two generals? If both Fang Zixing and I were present, who would the Fengxiang Guards listen to? These Fengxiang Guards will accompany him to the Office of Maritime Trade, and if they can’t be controlled like an extension of his arm, what’s the point of taking them along? “The purpose of this half-month-long hunting expedition is to familiarize them with each other. They need to understand their master’s temperament, and Xu Chun needs to learn which of them are useful and which are not. Without fierce beasts, I would deliberately drive some over. If the hunting ground can’t protect people, then Fang Zixing’s leadership would be in vain.”

Su Huaibei commented, “Your Majesty’s intentions are commendable, but it’s too harsh on the young marquis. It’s not that I’m complaining, but the elite guards in these units mostly come from proud military families and aren’t easily impressed. “I myself spent a considerable amount of time gradually taming them, removing the unsuitable ones and promoting the capable ones. It requires time to balance kindness and authority. In just fifteen days, Your Majesty has given the marquis too short a period.”

Shaking his head disapprovingly, Su Huaibei continued, “I remember that Pei Dongyan comes from a distinguished family. Just like the Helan family, they produced numerous distinguished officials and generals, and he’s very proud. Qi Luan was selected from the border troops. I heard he’s skilled and has an extraordinary background. His family is powerful in the local area and has high hopes for this son. Small favors won’t win their loyalty.”

Xie Yi whispered, “I can’t protect him forever, but this team will accompany him to Tianjin Port, and if there are any unsuitable members, we can replace them within these fifteen days. If these two are merely arrogant and don’t know their place, we can replace them. Without a butcher, can I not eat pork?”

“Moreover, seeing that Xu Chun requested Chunxi, I believe he has a plan. He might not fail to win their loyalty.”

Surprised, Su Huaibei asked, “Why do you say that?”

Xie Yi explained, “You don’t know Chunxi as well as I do. I’ve personally seen Chunxi’s astonishing arm strength and accurate shooting skills, and his unwavering loyalty to Xu Chun. That’s why I allowed him to join the inner guards. Dingshi is one of the best secret guards, but he might not have a sure victory against Chunxi, despite being older than him.”

“Xu Chun wants Chunxi by his side, essentially aiming to disrupt the situation with Chunxi and Dingshi. Both are secret guards from the Tiger Warrior Guards, tasked with protecting him while showing equal devotion, even willing to die for him. Chunxi serves him as a servant. No matter how arrogant the Fengxiang Guards are, their abilities still fall short compared to Dingshi and Chunxi, who are trained under unusual methods to be loyal soldiers. “They’ve served in the Fengxiang Guards for years and finally received a proper assignment. Yet, the noble they’re supposed to protect relies more on the Tiger Warrior Guards. What do you think they feel? Their competitive spirit will surely be ignited.”

“Furthermore…” Xie Yi’s lips curved into a smile. “You mentioned that money can work wonders.”

“Small favors won’t work, so we’ll offer more. After all, our young marquis is skilled at throwing money at people. Over the years, although others may disdain him as vulgar, he often succeeds. It demonstrates that people are inherently pragmatic and desire wealth within reach. After all, money can solve most problems.”

Xie Yi’s face lit up with a joyful smile. “Dingshi became devoted to him after a single sea voyage. We can’t simply attribute it to Xu Chun having some kind of majestic aura that impresses heroes. Rather, it’s because the Sheng family treats him generously, and his extravagant spending at the auction left a deep impression on Dingshi. “A wealthy and generous master is welcomed anywhere, especially with a bright future ahead. He’s better than me, who’s known for being stingy.”

Su Huaibei hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, saying such things makes us humble servants feel ashamed. Every one of Your Majesty’s close attendants is loyal to the core, wishing they could alleviate Your Majesty’s burdens. This is because Your Majesty is generous and extends kindness appropriately. If we relied solely on substantial rewards, someone could always buy them away with even greater benefits.”

Xie Yi chuckled. “The art of using people is not easy. Let’s take it step by step. I have confidence in his ability to win over this guard unit. After all, they’ve already been carefully selected for their loyalty. If we’re prouder than him, then let’s not forget that our young marquis is a first-rank national duke’s heir, with immense wealth, giving him the right to be picky.”

Su Huaibei, observing the emperor’s radiant demeanor, thought to himself: It’s not just being picky. It’s almost as if life and death are at the young marquis’s command. I hope Pei Dongyan and Qi Luan are wise enough to recognize the situation.