Chapter 169 – Seeking a Title

Steam rose from the warm water in the spacious bath, fragrant lotus petals floating on the surface. Beside the Jade Poppy Pond, reed mats held neatly folded clothes for changing. On one side, a glass screen depicted a pair of golden red carp playing in the water, now draped with discarded garments.

Xu Chun, his face flushed, knelt on a cushion, hands resting on his thighs. His muscles tensed to the point of stiffness from anxiety. He shifted his toes uneasily but was stopped by the cool, round jade ruyi tapping him lightly, a warning. “Don’t move,” came the admonishment. “I’ve said it before; your body is mine. I’m inspecting my treasure. See how much has been lost due to your carelessness? You must compensate each loss.”

Xu Chun tried to control his breathing, not wanting his chest to heave too visibly. He felt like a shrimp, from his face to his toes, all crimson with embarrassment.

The pale green, smooth jade ruyi traced his shoulder scar repeatedly, icy and slick. “A blemish on white jade—this spot isn’t beautiful anymore—it doesn’t please the eye nor can it serve its purpose. How can you attend to your lord in such a state? What punishment should you receive for your neglect?”

Xu Chun’s shoulders trembled slightly, a line of goosebumps rising along them. His voice carried a hint of pleading. “Ninth Brother… I won’t dare again—Donghai said that these marks are more visible at first, but they’ll fade over time and become smoother…”

The jade ruyi struck his back gently, reminding him to relax his shoulders. “That would take quite some time. Are there any other places?”

Xu Chun swallowed. “There really aren’t. Afterward, I was in the logistics corps. If it hadn’t been for Nong Ge and Changtian Ge getting trapped, I wouldn’t have taken risks, but I stayed safely behind the protection of Commander Dinhai Pei and didn’t engage in hand-to-hand combat.”

“Blasphemy!” Xie Yi’s voice was stern.

Xu Chun shifted uncomfortably. “I haven’t hidden anything from Ninth Brother. It’s all written in the report…”

The jade ruyi slid down, reaching his waist. “What’s this?”

Xu Chun, ticklish, twisted away, his abdominal muscles contracting tightly. He turned sideways to look at his back, utterly confused. “What?”

The cold jade ruyi pointed at a patch of bruised skin on his lower back. “How did you get such a large purple bruise here?”

Xu Chun touched the spot uncertainly, disbelieving. His eyes, clear as glass, regarded Xie Yi suspiciously, tinged with reproach. “Ninth Brother is teasing me? It doesn’t hurt or ache, how could there be an injury?”

Xie Yi scoffed. “Go see for yourself in the dressing mirror.”

Xu Chun jumped up and hurried over to the mirror, finally spotting the so-called “large purple bruise.” It was merely a blue mark, likely from bumping into something during his march. He frowned. “I don’t know where I hit it. It’s so shallow, it’ll definitely be gone by tomorrow.”

Xie Yi said, “You don’t take good care of my treasure and seem to not care about these things. Is this a small matter? You don’t even remember when you bumped into something. What if someone had left a poisoned needle there?”

Xu Chun was silent.

He suddenly recalled. “I remember now. It happened when I was sparring with Chunxi. He tapped me with the handle of his knife. He’s strong, and I wasn’t paying attention.”

Xie Yi huffed softly, still seated in the armchair, holding the ruyi. His plain gauze robe, long sleeves trailing to the ground, made him appear even more ethereal. Under the lamplight, his long eyebrows and refined eyes looked as if painted with ink, his bearing akin to that of a celestial being.

Xu Chun hurriedly approached with a smile, reaching for Xie Yi’s waist to undress him. “Let me serve Ninth Brother while you bathe.”

Xie Yi took the jade ruyi and tapped his arm, clearly displeased. “Go wash yourself. I’ve already bathed and perfumed myself before my Buddhist rituals. Washing again would make me swell.”

Xu Chun was speechless. So this was truly just a physical inspection! He’d thought that Ninth Brother was just threatening him casually in his letters, telling him to be careful.

He didn’t dare resent Xie Yi, slowly descending into the pool. He scooped a handful of soap nuts, rubbing them on his body to create bubbles.

Xie Yi remained seated in the wicker chair beside the pool, caressing the jade ruyi. The ruyi, green and glossy, contrasted beautifully against his slender, fair fingers, resembling a pool of clear water. His gaze never left Xu Chun, as if the meticulous examination earlier wasn’t enough, almost as if he could bore holes through him with his eyes.

Xu Chun felt like a shrimp thrown into boiling soup, steam rising from his body. He quickly washed himself, then climbed out to grab a towel and dry off before dressing. As he slowly put on his clothes, he watched Xie Yi, waiting for him to call him over to serve.

But Xie Yi said nothing, watching him silently as he put on piece after piece of clothing. Finally, he stood up. “Now that you’re done, let’s have dinner.”

Xu Chun was speechless.

Xie Yi ignored his pitiful gaze and the clear signs of youthful vigor, leaving the room on his own.

Although the evening meal didn’t involve fasting, it was still mostly vegetarian, lacking substantial meat dishes. Xu Chun carefully examined the dishes: crab roe steamed tofu, chicken broth with wolfberry leaves, tender bamboo shoots stir-fried with shredded chicken, Sichuan peppercorn salted chicken, and sautéed mountain delicacies. A bowl contained almond milk lotus leaf soup, and desserts included rock sugar longevity cakes. There was also peppermint ice plum wine, the amber-colored chilled wine poured into white porcelain cups. Additionally, slices of translucent fish were served on a bed of snow.

Xu Chun looked at Xie Yi with resentment. Xie Yi said, “Aren’t you hungry? Eat. Fasting is good for me, but you need to recover from your injuries. Don’t overeat. Quietly eating little by little, sleeping more, that’s the way to maintain health.”

Xu Chun was speechless.

A small eunuch placed a light blue covered pot in front of him. Inside was tender, fragrant stewed mutton. Xu Chun was satisfied. “This is great.” He noticed that only he had the dish, while Xie Yi didn’t, and asked, “Ninth Brother, you don’t eat mutton?”

Xie Yi replied, “I wasn’t the one who suffered on the ship for months. I don’t crave meat. You enjoy it.”

Xu Chun laughed, picking up his chopsticks and devouring the mutton. It was cooked with plenty of ginger and black pepper, soft and flavorful without being tough. A few mouthfuls later, it tasted delicious. After finishing quickly, he set down the pot and saw Xie Yi had placed a serving of wolfberry leaves on his plate. In return, Xu Chun scooped a spoonful of crab roe tofu onto Xie Yi’s plate.

Xie Yi ate it, watching as Xu Chun drank the almond milk lotus leaf soup in a few gulps, then ate a few mouthfuls of the pickled cherries garnishing the steamed fish. Perhaps feeling a bit nauseated from the almond milk, he then picked up several thin slices of fish with his chopsticks, dipped them lightly in soy sauce, and stuffed them into his mouth.

Xie Yi observed his changes silently. Previously, he had been a pampered nobleman in the capital, raised under strict rules since childhood. Despite his discernment in food and clothing, he had maintained a graceful demeanor. Now, however, he lifted his bowl to eat quickly and hastily, regardless of whether it was hot or not. He needed to eat quickly, consuming enough in one sitting because he didn’t know when the next meal would come. Gradually, his appetite grew, preferring meat and noodles, which could better sustain him. This was a habit formed in the military.

Although he had only been on a hunt, Xie Yi knew that this was how military campaigns were. When there was food and drink, replenish supplies quickly, for time was limited. Moreover, in the freezing cold of the far-off lands and at sea, Xu Chun had been on patrol for over ten days at a time. Although he seemed taller, his hair, skin, lip color, and fingertips weren’t as fresh and lustrous as before. He was still lacking in vitality, and his digestive system probably wasn’t in the best condition either. He certainly hadn’t eaten many vegetables and fruits in the past six months and needed proper recuperation.

The evening meal ended quickly.

Xie Yi and Xu Chun took a stroll in the imperial garden to digest their food. Xu Chun recounted his experiences on the road—the campaign, the battles—all until his throat was parched. They returned to the hall, and thankfully, Xie Yi didn’t have any more reports sent over for review, instead instructing them to rest.

Xu Chun sighed in relief, hurrying forward to personally help Xie Yi undress. They went to bed, Xu Chun snuggling close to Xie Yi, lying in the warm and comfortable bed. He savored the subtle fragrance, sighing deeply. “Nothing beats the comfort of home.”

Xie Yi glanced at him. “After going out, you realize how good it is here, right?”

Xu Chun remembered he had forgotten to ask for credit for his achievements. He hurriedly said, “Ninth Brother, do you think my performance this time was high? Was it impressive? Should I be rewarded? What title does Ninth Brother plan to give me? Commander, perhaps? Commander of Jinhai Guard, heh heh he, let me oversee the military affairs of Jinhai Guard, alright? What do you say?”

Xie Yi snorted. “It was high, but it scared me. Let’s stay in the capital this time. I’ll grant you the title of Linhai Marquis. Stay in the capital and take charge of the Ministry of Revenue. You’re skilled in this area, and having a marquis title will protect you from others taking advantage of you. Work patiently and produce some results. The maritime trade, the transportation of grain, the customs duties of the harbor office, earn some wealth for me.”

“You’ve depleted my treasury with this battle. Even Empress Dowager’s birthday couldn’t be celebrated. We told the public that she was worried about the country and didn’t allow celebrations, saving the money for national use.”

Xu Chun chuckled, knowing this was an excuse. Xie Yi had stripped the Empress Dowager of her title; how could he possibly celebrate her birthday?

He whispered, “Ninth Brother, I don’t want to return to the capital. I want to continue staying in Jinhai Guard.”

Xie Yi’s expression remained unchanged, ignoring him, indicating that his decision was final.

Xu Chun reached around Xie Yi’s waist, his entire body pressed against him. He pleaded softly in his ear, “Give me three more years, Ninth Brother. There are many things I want to do in Jinhai Guard that I haven’t had the chance to start. Reclamation farming, building artillery factories and shipyards, establishing a naval academy. Jinhai Guard already has a martial arts school; building a naval academy on that foundation would be very convenient. Ninth Brother, give me more time. I’ll cultivate more talent for you and build more ships.”

Xie Yi responded coldly, “You want to go to sea and rob more pirates, fight more battles, loot more silver, and accumulate more military merits, don’t you?”

Xu Chun, caught off guard, smiled awkwardly and whispered, “Ninth Brother, I realized after this battle that at sea, it’s all about who has more bullets, who has longer-range cannons, who has sturdier ships, who has submarines, and who has torpedoes.”

“We can be better, Ninth Brother! This time, I captured many prisoners and kept those who understood technology. I plan to extract knowledge from them first to teach our students. Ninth Brother, the students from the Fujian Naval Academy truly gained valuable experience!”

“You wouldn’t believe it! Guan Wanwan was originally the daughter of the Fujian county magistrate, a lady at home. There were several female students, all well-educated ladies. They excelled in astronomy, navigation, geometry, algebra, geography, measurement, physics, and mechanics!”

“At home, they were already proficient in poetry and literature. With just a little opportunity, they could reach such heights! Even Lu Jiugao accepted a female student, saying she learned shipbuilding faster than others. She learned quickly and drew pictures well, as if born for this field.”

“Ninth Brother, you lack talent. Nowadays, educated scholars who have talent all aim for the civil service exams. Therefore, many people think the naval academy is for joining the military and are unwilling to go. Instead, female students who can’t take the exams willingly put effort into this field, and they can teach more students.”

“With enough people, I can open shipyards, machine factories, arms factories, and create good things for you, Ninth Brother. The sturdiest ships, the longest-range cannons, elusive submarines—we’ll make our own ammunition and train our own students, making them dare not covet our country…”

Xu Chun’s thoughts wandered further, lost in the beautiful vision he had conjured. Xie Yi looked at him, seeing his radiant expression and increasing enthusiasm. Earlier, after dinner, he had yawned and rubbed his eyes, but now it seemed as if all drowsiness had vanished. Clearly, this was another result of the disrupted sleep schedule during the campaign, always alert, leading to difficulty relaxing. He lacked the habit of rising with the sun and resting at sunset. This would only lead to imbalances and poor circulation, requiring proper rest to consolidate his foundation.

Xie Yi thought this to himself but said aloud, “You claim to share the emperor’s burdens, yet these things you want to build, don’t they cost money? I truly don’t have any more funds for your endeavors. We need to rest and recuperate for a while. Returning to the Ministry of Revenue to earn some money is more practical.”

Xu Chun said, “Ninth Brother, it’s harder to earn money in the Ministry of Revenue. There are too many eyes watching, and I can’t freely act. Any misstep could lead to impeachment by the censors, putting you in a difficult position. Allow me to stay in Jinhai Guard. I have a method to raise funds without burdening the Ministry of Revenue or taking money from you.”

Xie Yi’s expression didn’t change. “Tell me more.”

Xu Chun explained, “Do you know that Feiyue Country launched this war against Silla because they were poor and couldn’t afford ships? They issued government bonds in the name of the emperor, promising profit sharing. Then, private merchants bought the government bonds and used the money to fight overseas wars, profiting greatly from war. The earned money was then shared as dividends.”

Xie Yi was speechless. “You have a sharp mind.”

Xu Chun continued, “Isn’t it true? This is similar to private businesses. Sea traders often pool funds to purchase goods for a large ship, then distribute profits based on investment. But with the government involved, more funds can be raised!”

Xie Yi cautioned, “This affects the whole situation. It’s too risky to attempt lightly.”

Xu Chun said, “That’s why I want to try it in Jinhai Guard, without returning to the capital. I’ll issue Four Seas Bonds, guaranteed by the government, and establish Jinhai Shipyard, a machinery bureau, and an arms factory, as well as academies. Ninth Brother, please let me try.”

Xie Yi pondered for a long time. Xu Chun, however, couldn’t wait any longer and began using his lips and tongue to serve his lord diligently.

Unfortunately, this time, Xie Yi’s heart was as hard as iron. He stopped him, pressing him down. “Let me consider it. Tomorrow, we have the ceremony for presenting the captives. Don’t worry about it, rest.”

Xu Chun deflated slightly. Xie Yi comforted him with a gentle kiss on the lips. His fingers slowly brushed through Xu Chun’s hair, gently covering his eyes, forcing him to close them. “Sleep. You must be tired from traveling today. How could you understand the concern I feel for you?”

Hearing Xie Yi’s unexpected words, Xu Chun felt deeply moved. He grabbed his wrist, pulling it into his embrace, leaning closer to him and closing his eyes. He fell asleep almost immediately.

Soon, Xie Yi heard the soft sound of Xu Chun’s breathing and couldn’t help but chuckle. He knew Xu Chun was pretending to be capable. He tucked the blanket around him, pulling him closer into his arms, and they fell asleep together.