My Husband Can't Possibly Be a Tyrant Emperor! - Chapter 8

The bookmarks were crafted from thin bamboo slices, each book paired with one. Adorned with bamboo leaf patterns and inscribed with a line of poetry, they were exquisitely made.

 

The two he picked up read:

 

[“The sword rests in its sheath, the flower in its case.”]

 

[“Spring river mirrors the bright moon, myriad blossoms drift like snow.”]

 

Judging by the calligraphy, they were written by the same hand as the couplet by Green Jade Lord hanging on the wall of his main room. And this Green Jade Lord was precisely the pen name used in those storybooks.

 

In business, uniqueness is paramount. To stand out, Kuang Xuexian personally composed the poems for the bookmarks, striving to match the style of each bookmark with that of its corresponding storybook. While the bookmarks themselves held little monetary value, their inclusion delighted customers, lending an air of elegance to the tales.

 

Fu Yao remarked, “Your handwriting is truly beautiful.”

 

Kuang Xuexian’s calligraphy did not follow the style of any popular master of the time. His strokes were sharp as if carved with a blade, yet fluid and graceful in their flourishes. The characters seemed to gleam with gold, the spaces between them moist with jade-like richness.

 

Steady yet innovative, his writing mirrored the man himself—both carried a wondrous, peculiar charm.

 

It was distinctive. Like passing through a dense bamboo grove in spring, suddenly showered by a drizzle, trembling yet abruptly glimpsing a hidden world within.

 

Yet, upon closer inspection, the man appeared delicate and fair, with a gentle, understated beauty.

 

He seemed to deliberately restrain his brilliance. Holding the bookmark, he brushed his thumb over the gilded characters.

 

[“The sword rests in its sheath, the flower in its case.”]

 

Kuang Xuexian had been thinking about the meal he had at noon. After closing the shop in the afternoon, he asked Li Qing and the others to take him to a street stall for dinner.

 

True delicacies are best enjoyed fresh from the kitchen. This stall owner hadn’t set up on the main street but rather in a narrow alley.

 

The stall was small, likely due to its poor location, with only a handful of customers quietly eating without speaking.

 

Li Qing quickly wiped the stools and invited them to sit.

 

Kuang Xuexian greeted the owner with a smile and said, “Judging by your accent, are you from the capital?”

 

The owner paused. “Yes, from the outskirts, near the capital.”

 

Kuang Xuexian turned to Fu Yao and Li Qing with a smile. “Consider him half a fellow townsman of yours.”

 

Li Qing chuckled. “Travel between Western Capital and the capital is frequent. Many merchants from Western Capital do business in the capital as well.”

 

The owner nodded. “Yes, yes.”

 

This was true. The two capitals were the most prosperous cities in Great Zhou, and exchanges between them were naturally frequent. Kuang Xuexian had only mentioned it because the owner hailed from near the capital, and due to Fu Yao and Li Qing’s presence, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, so he sat there chatting idly with the owner.

 

However, the owner seemed unusually introverted, stumbling over his words during the conversation.

 

Though the stall was unassuming, the owner clearly had a secret recipe. The dishes, though simple home-style stir-fries, were exceptionally delicious.

 

Kuang Xuexian couldn’t stop praising them.

 

Perhaps having served the emperor for too long, and having gone so long without hearing such praise—especially in the emperor’s presence—the owner felt a surge of joy, as if his hardships had finally paid off and his talents were at last recognized.

 

After all, while serving the emperor was an honor, His Majesty’s picky palate often left the owner doubting his own skills!

 

Breaking from his usual demeanor, the owner personally poured tea for Kuang Xuexian and the others, unable to resist boasting, “With the cold weather limiting ingredients, what I’ve made today is nothing special. Wait until the weather warms up—I can do even better!”

 

What had he prepared today? Just some flavorful but aesthetically plain dishes!

 

Li Qing smiled as he picked up the teacup, only realizing after taking a sip that the complimentary tea provided by the imperial chef was actually Mengding Ziying—the emperor’s favorite tea.

 

Ziying was harvested from mutated ancient tea trees, its yield extremely scarce, making it far more expensive than Mengding Shihua. As a result, it became an imperial tribute tea, and the court even appointed a special official to oversee its production. Later, this tea became a form of imperial favor. During annual court gatherings, sacrificial ceremonies, or the Qionglin Banquet, only when the emperor bestowed the tea could the officials take a sip. Before drinking, they had to kowtow three times, and after finishing, they had to kowtow three more times.

 

These people really needed him to teach them how to put on a show! If he missed even one detail, such a blunder would occur! Details—details were crucial!

 

Fortunately, this tea was so rare that Lord Kuang probably didn’t recognize it. After taking a sip, he set it down, finishing instead the bowl of osmanthus-infused dew.

 

It seemed Lord Kuang had a sweet tooth.

 

“Do you like drinking this?” their emperor asked.

 

Lord Kuang nodded.

 

The emperor said, “If there’s a chance in the future, I’ll take you to the capital. There’s a place called Drunken Blossom Brew there, which tastes even better than this.”

 

Hearing this, Li Qing’s heart tightened.

 

Shuangluan City was already remote and mountainous—would the emperor really bring this person back to the capital?

 

Wouldn’t the palace be thrown into chaos then!

 

He stood up to settle the bill, but Lord Kuang beat him to it, asking the shopkeeper, “Shopkeeper, what kind of tea is this?”

 

Li Qing’s heart tightened again.

 

The imperial chef, realizing his own carelessness, forced a smile and said, “Um… it’s just ordinary tea… I picked it myself from the mountains.”

 

“My lord really enjoys drinking it. I wonder if the shopkeeper could sell some to me?”

 

The imperial chef glanced furtively at Li Qing.

 

Li Qing nodded.

 

The shopkeeper then smiled and said, “Sell, sell… it’s not particularly good tea, just has a unique color.”

 

Nervous, he rambled on, saying he had stumbled upon this unusually colored tea tree while foraging in the mountains, casually plucked some leaves, and unexpectedly found the flavor quite pleasant. Li Qing, fearing he might say too much, quickly coughed a few times.

 

Fortunately, Kuang Xuexian wasn’t particularly fond of tea and likely didn’t know much about it. The shopkeeper only charged a few copper coins, making it seem like it was truly worthless wild tea.

 

Their emperor stood up, his expression devoid of a smile, quietly watching Kuang Xuexian from the side. Kuang Xuexian carefully tucked away the small packet of Mengding Ziying and said with a smile, “Let’s go.”

 

Only then did a smile appear on the emperor’s face. “You’re so attentive,” he remarked.

 

Lord Kuang replied cheerfully, “It’s rare to see you finish a cup of tea. Yesterday, to welcome you, I specially bought Green Changming, but you only took a sip. Today in the shop, I brewed Old Fengchun, but you didn’t care for it either.”

 

So he had been paying such close attention.

 

Their emperor seemed to particularly enjoy this attention. “Yes, I think this tea tastes good. It’s quite rare.”

 

Li Qing had initially wanted to add something like “Our master just enjoys drinking some unusual teas,” but after some thought, it seemed too deliberate, so he held back.

 

Nevertheless, Lord Kuang’s gesture clearly pleased the emperor immensely. He asked gently, “So, what do you like to drink or eat?”

 

Lord Kuang continued to answer every question without hesitation, saying, “I enjoy sweet drinks, like strained pear soup, plum brine, lychee paste water, white fermented rice water, and the osmanthus dew I just had was quite nice too. As for food, there are many things I like—nothing in particular, as long as it tastes good.”

 

His Majesty said, “I’m quite picky when it comes to food.”

 

You don’t say!

 

Kuang Xuexian chuckled softly, “I could tell.”

 

He ate little, chewing slowly and deliberately. His table manners couldn’t even be described as refined—perhaps because of his sharp eyebrows, when he wasn’t smiling, he resembled a cold-faced beauty, as if eating was something he did reluctantly, only taking a few bites out of courtesy.

 

He asked His Majesty, “Have you ever visited the City That Never Sleeps?”

 

His Majesty replied, “No, since I arrived here, I’ve rarely gone out.”

 

“Then I’ll take you there another day. The City That Never Sleeps is bustling, with delicacies from all over the world, and even a capital-style restaurant. It might suit your taste.”

 

His Majesty smiled warmly, “That sounds wonderful.”

 

After crossing the Kaiyang Bridge over the Beidou River, they entered the abandoned old imperial gardens in the northern part of the city. A low hill stretched from east to west here, and suddenly, His Majesty reached out his hand to Lord Kuang and said, “Give me your hand.”

 

Lord Kuang was taken aback. But he still pursed his lips and extended his hand. His Majesty took Lord Kuang’s hand and led him up the slope.

 

Li Qing held his breath, unconsciously slowing his pace. Kuang Xuexian gently returned the grip on Fu Lie’s hand.

 

It was strange—the other man was exceptionally handsome and refined, yet the calluses on his fingertips were quite noticeable, especially on his thumb and forefinger.

 

He used to have them too, mainly from drawing bows and shooting arrows too often. Now, after two years of leisure, his hands had become soft and smooth again. As for the other man, judging by his scholarly appearance, the calluses were likely from holding a brush too much.

 

The faint friction of those thin calluses against his hand sent a tingling, almost ticklish sensation through him.

 

Fortunately, the other man tightened his grip, and the tingling finally faded completely, leaving only the warmth of being held firmly.

 

From the top of the slope, they could see the distant Phoenix Palace. The statue of the phoenix with broken wings stood alone atop the crumbling walls, towering over ten zhang high, with only its tail feathers retaining patches of faded red. At that moment, several crows had perched on the statue.

 

Under the setting sun, the ruins of the old palace and the wild grass exuded a vast, desolate loneliness. Kuang Xuexian’s heart beat rapidly, a sensation he hadn’t felt in a long time.

 

Having spent so much time in the big-shot system, his heart had grown almost numb. This long-lost flutter felt so fresh it seemed to make his pores open wide.

 

Perhaps it was because he had experienced everything except falling in love.

 

If what they were doing could be considered falling in love.

 

Of course, part of it was also because, despite having been a big shot in so many different roles, he now found himself completely dominated by this young, handsome, and seemingly innocent-looking man.

 

His face grew warm, and he felt too embarrassed to look at Zhang Ji, so he could only gaze into the distance. Faintly visible were the soldiers stationed outside the Phoenix Palace and the carriages coming and going. The palace walls were lined with flags, fluttering vigorously under the crimson sun. A flock of crows cawed as they flew past, with two even circling around them, their feathers shimmering with a dark golden iridescence in the sunset.

 

His heart was beating a little too fast, prompting him to speak more than usual in an attempt to ease the tension. “There have been a lot more people around the old palace lately. I wonder who’s arrived.”

 

Fu Lie turned to look at him. Perhaps because he was backlit, his eyes appeared even darker as he gazed at him intently and said, “It might be the emperor.”

 

Kuang Xuexian exclaimed, “What?!”

 

“What’s wrong? Are you that afraid of him?”

 

Kuang Xuexian said, “He doesn’t have a good reputation in Shuangluan City.”

 

Now that he and Fu Mi had grown much closer, and they were in private, he seriously complained, “I’ve heard this emperor has a perverse temperament, is unpredictable in mood, bloodthirsty and cruel… In short, he’s a man-eating dragon!”

 

Fu Mi raised an eyebrow, his hair slightly tousled by the cold wind on the high slope. He stared at him with a smile and hummed, “Then you should speak less ill of him in the future. He might be even more terrifying than the rumors say.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, they heard Li Qing cry out, “Ouch!” as he accidentally tumbled down the slope.

 

Kuang Xuexian quickly let go and ran down the slope to help Li Qing up.

 

“This servant is fine, this servant is fine,” Li Qing stammered, his face flushed red.

 

Kuang Xuexian smiled and brushed the dry grass and dirt off his clothes. Fu Mi stood on the slope, waiting for him to straighten up, then beckoned with a hook of his finger.

 

The setting sun hung low, casting light on his plain, unpatterned robe—a pale moon-white garment that seemed rather thin. It was a mystery how he could withstand the cold so well. Yet, tall and slender, with striking good looks, he stood out on the slope, almost otherworldly.

 

They walked all the way home, the last rays of twilight fading completely. The spring night sky was at its clearest, the stars possessing a crisp, refreshing beauty. But Kuang Xuexian noticed something unusual about the area near his home.

 

As they approached the front door, he kept looking back.

 

Li Qing asked alertly, “Young master, what’s wrong?”

 

“It feels too quiet.”

 

Li Qing: “…”

 

He guiltily glanced up toward the neighbor’s gate. Thank goodness, thank goodness—the gate was tightly shut, and nothing could be seen.

 

While Kuang Xuexian was washing up, Li Qing quickly slipped out and dashed into the neighbor’s house. The courtyard was filled with guards and attendants, yet not a single sound could be heard.

 

It was as silent as a small underworld on earth.

 

“Everyone, don’t be too quiet! Make a little noise once in a while,” he instructed before rushing back, panting heavily.

 

This household truly couldn’t function without him!

 

In the east wing room, Fu Mi looked up at him.

 

“Your Majesty,” Li Qing approached, squatting beside the warm couch and looking up. “Your Majesty, this servant feels that this Kuang gentleman is an upright person. He might genuinely be looking for a man to spend his life with.”

 

Fu Mi said, “It seems that way.”

 

It might be hard to believe, but this man who threw the embroidered ball to find a husband was neither a show-off nor a frivolous, reckless type.

 

He was just different from ordinary people.

 

Perhaps he truly wanted to find a lifelong partner, which was why he was willing to go through fire and water, risking everything. For someone as delicate and refined as him to take such a step was truly commendable for his courage.

 

Upon hearing this, Li Qing leaned in closer. “Should we leave this place in a couple of days?”

 

Since the man was upright, they shouldn’t tease him any further.

 

“This servant noticed the way he looks at Your Majesty—it seems he’s genuinely smitten.”

 

Fu Mi lowered his gaze to look at him. “Is that so?”

 

Li Qing nodded vigorously. “He blushes when he looks at Your Majesty. This servant definitely didn’t missee it. He’s usually such a calm and composed person!”

 

Fu Mi set down the storybook in his hand, seemingly trying to recall whether Kuang Xuexian had blushed or not. Li Qing glanced at the book in his hand and was shocked to see two men kissing on the cover.

 

Li Qing: “…”

 

He was stunned for a moment, unable to speak.

 

Fu Mi picked up the storybook again and continued reading.

 

Li Qing snapped back to reality. “Your Majesty?”

“Call me ‘Master.'”

 

“Master!”

 

“That…”

 

Li Qing turned around in a flurry upon hearing the voice. Kuang Xuexian stood at the door, wrapped in a thick robe. “Um… I’m done bathing.”

 

Li Qing got up and said with a smile, “You’re just as fond of cleanliness as my master, sir.”

 

Even on such cold days, you bathe every day.

 

“The bathhouse is still warm now. You two should go wash up quickly,” Kuang Xuexian said.

 

Fu Li turned to Li Qing. “You go first.”

 

Li Qing acknowledged and went to fetch his change of clothes before heading out.

 

Fu Li then asked Kuang Xuexian, “Are you cold?”

 

“Not too bad,” Kuang Xuexian replied. “It was a bit chilly when I first started, but I didn’t feel it after finishing.”

 

“I have a heater here,” Fu Li said. “Come over.”

 

Kuang Xuexian, still wrapped in his robe, stepped inside. “It might rain or snow tomorrow.”

 

Fu Li handed him the hand warmer prepared by Li Qing and the others, then leaned back on the soft couch, gazing intently at Kuang Xuexian.

 

Noticing Fu Li was reading The Lotus Chronicles, Kuang Xuexian remarked, “Out of all the books, you had to pick this one—the most scandalous.”

 

“I wanted to learn,” Fu Li said.

 

Kuang Xuexian chuckled.

 

“What’s so funny?” Fu Li asked.

 

“You don’t seem as honest as you appear.”

 

A faint smile curled at the corners of Fu Li’s lips, making him almost unnervingly handsome. “I never claimed to be honest.”

 

Kuang Xuexian wondered, Is this what they call ambiguity?

 

Otherwise, why was his heart pounding so hard?

 

Kuang Xuexian’s hair was loosely tied at the back, with a few damp strands clinging to his neck. His porcelain-white skin, delicate face, and slender neck stood out.

 

Fu Li recalled Li Qing’s words, thinking Kuang Xuexian resembled a frail warrior facing thousands alone with a sword.

 

“If we weren’t suited for each other, would you keep looking?”

Kuang Xuexian was taken aback, the smile fading from his lips. Unlike most people who might offer sweet words in such moments, he answered earnestly, “Yes, I would.”

 

Fu Li looked at him and said, “I can tell you’re genuinely looking for a man.”

 

Kuang Xuexian countered, “Do you… think we’re not suited?”

 

Fu Li deliberately avoided answering.

 

He truly wasn’t as honest or upright as Kuang Xuexian imagined. His eyes were pitch-black, with a subtle eeriness upon closer inspection, lending his handsome face a shadowy, sinister air. Yet, this sinister aura softened as his smile deepened. Fu Li said, “I dare not imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t caught your embroidered ball.”

 

He might have watched Kuang Xuexian toss the ball to another man. Kuang Xuexian might like him, but without him, he would keep moving forward. He wasn’t indispensable.

 

This displeased Fu Li greatly. After all, he was the more unscrupulous one. He was unreasonable and domineering to the core.

 

But this was his true nature. If he revealed his identity to Kuang Xuexian now, he feared Kuang Xuexian would flee faster than anyone.

 

He wasn’t Kuang Xuexian’s only choice. He wanted to ruin him. Ruin him, let him rot here, so he’d have no other options. He stared at Kuang Xuexian, lost in thought.

 

Then Kuang Xuexian said, “I had a feeling you’d catch it.”

 

Fu Li was momentarily stunned before a smile tugged at his lips. Leaning back on the couch, his dark eyes held a thick, intense emotion. “If you’d thrown it to someone else, I might have come to my senses a few days later and snatched you away anyway.”

 

Now it was Kuang Xuexian’s turn to laugh. He meant it.

 

Kuang Xuexian, who had dared to seek a husband through an embroidered ball toss, was destined never to escape his grasp.

 

But Kuang Xuexian probably wouldn’t believe it—Kuang Xuexian saw him as a gentle and refined gentleman.

 

Of course, he had to play this role well, to be her tender and loving husband.

 

“What I said earlier about wanting to learn is true,” he said to Kuang Xuexian with a smile. “I’d never seen such things before, but now, thanks to you, I understand them all.”