“Baby, are you alright?” Huangfu Yuchen anxiously asked Yan Ge.
“I’m fine,” Yan Ge smiled at him, “just depleted quite a bit of qi.”
“You rest here first.” A fierce glint flashed in Huangfu Yuchen’s eyes, and he quickly chased after Meng Xiaohun. Meng Xiaohun’s target was his beloved, and Huangfu Yuchen wanted to see exactly who Meng Xiaohun was!
Meng Xiaohun fled far away, but just as he was about to catch his breath, he suddenly sensed a familiar aura rapidly approaching. Startled, he gritted his teeth, once again used a bit of fresh blood, and vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.
Huangfu Yuchen was a step too late, and he could only watch Meng Xiaohun disappear. He flew to the spot where Meng Xiaohun vanished but found no clues.
“Damn it!” A strong sense of frustration surged in his chest as he angrily swung his hand, causing a large tree on his right to come crashing down, startling countless birds.
Thinking that Yan Ge might be injured, he quickly returned. He took Yan Ge’s wrist, checked his pulse, and inspected his dantian before finally calming down. “It’s not serious, but indeed, a significant amount of qi was lost.”
He looked in the direction where Meng Xiaohun had left, his expression gloomy. “He knew we were hunting here today and that we had separated. Baby, could you see who he really is?”
Yan Ge shook his head.
“Your Majesty, General Lu and his men… they’re all dead…” Four guards who followed Huangfu Yuchen came forward to report.
Huangfu Yuchen’s expression became even more grim.
“They’re not dead.” Yan Ge walked over and touched Lu Fei and the others.
Their breathing instantly stabilized, but it was still very weak.
Yan Ge sent Huangfu Yuchen a voice transmission, “Meng Xiaohun controlled them to deal with me. I had no choice but to forcibly close off their senses.”
Huangfu Yuchen pinched his shoulder and said, “Baby, you did nothing wrong. If you hadn’t acted that way, either you or all four of them would have died.”
Yan Ge looked at Lu Fei and the others and said, “Forcibly blocking their senses caused significant damage to their bodies, almost crippling their martial arts. I want to let them cultivate as compensation.”
Huangfu Yuchen pondered, “It’s acceptable. All four of them are very loyal. But we must also keep some insurance. Just transmit the first two layers of the ‘Heaven and Earth Annihilation Technique.’ In case they harbor ill intentions, we can still suppress them. Today, they can be considered fortunate despite the misfortune.”
Yan Ge said, “You should handle it personally.”
Huangfu Yuchen knew that Yan Ge didn’t want his reputation to overshadow his own. He kissed his beloved’s face without rejecting the care, saying, “Don’t worry, I know what to do.”
He ordered a few guards to carry Lu Fei and the others back to camp. He didn’t mount his horse either, instead letting Yan Ge rest on Bai Guan’s back while he personally held the reins and walked the horse steadily.
Yan Ge couldn’t help but look at him, smiling gently as his thoughts drifted to Meng Xiaohun.
Was he really the person he suspected? Until there was concrete evidence, he couldn’t share his suspicions with Yuchen.
The people remaining in the camp saw Yan Ge sitting on the horse, while the emperor personally held the reins. Meanwhile, Lu Fei and the others were unconscious on horseback, and they were surprised. They quickly approached.
“Your Majesty! Yan Guiqing!” Gao Feng and Gao Yun swiftly arrived by their side, taking the reins from Huangfu Yuchen’s hand.
“Your Majesty, is Yan Guiqing injured?” Deng Mande asked worriedly.
Huangfu Yuchen helped Yan Ge dismount, “Yan Guiqing’s group encountered a fierce beast, and General Lu and his men suffered some minor injuries while protecting him. Deng Mande, instruct everyone to hunt in pairs and be cautious.”
“Yes!” Deng Mande felt a bit skeptical. Lu Fei and the others didn’t seem to be injured by a wild beast, but since the emperor said so, he wisely refrained from asking further.
Those who could survive in the palace or the court were all clever people. Even if they discovered something, they wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t appropriate to do so.
Yan Ge instructed the palace servants to carry Lu Fei and the others down and take good care of them. He handed them a bottle of medicine and asked them to give one pill to each before focusing on their recovery.
Back in the tent, Yan Ge sat cross-legged on the bed, adjusting his breathing. “The Fengyun Immortal Records” were different from ordinary cultivation techniques. Even without a trace of true qi in his Dantian, the technique would automatically run to protect the master. Moreover, his dantian still had a small amount of qi, which could be quickly converted from less to more, allowing him to endlessly replenish it. Just a short while ago, he and Huangfu Yuchen had both advanced to the Late Golden Core Stage, and the advantage of this was now even more apparent. In preparation for condensing the golden core, there was always a vortex in his dantian that enabled him to absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth faster and convert it into true essence.
The hunters began returning one after another, preparing to eat lunch before continuing the hunt.
Huangfu Yuchen had Gao Feng and Gao Yun guard the entrance of the tent, not allowing anyone to disturb them. He also instructed the palace servants to prepare hot water before going to the open area to oversee the overall situation. The hunting competition was continued to avoid suspicion.
It wasn’t until noon on the third day that Yan Ge woke up from his meditation and saw Yan Jin and the Crown Prince quietly sitting on the carpet, playing chess. He smiled faintly.
“Why haven’t you gone out hunting?”
“Papa!”
“Second Master!”
Yan Jin and the Crown Prince ran over, surrounding him on the left and right.
“We wanted to accompany you.”
Yan Jin knew about the fight with Meng Xiaohun yesterday. However, Yan Ge was his master, and unless his life was in danger, he couldn’t intervene without his master’s command. So, he could only stay in place and secretly keep an eye on Yan Ge. After confirming that Yan Ge was safe, he continued to accompany the Crown Prince in hunting.
“Where’s your father?” Yan Ge asked.
The Crown Prince replied, “Father is outside. The hunting competition has already ended, and they are now tallying the prey. It’s very lively outside.”
Yan Ge saw they were both eager to go, and he smiled, “You go and see who won. I’ll take a bath and join you later.”
“Yes!” Yan Jin and the Crown Prince couldn’t wait and left.
After bathing and changing into casual clothes, Yan Ge first went to the tent where Lu Fei and the others were resting. They were still unconscious, but the medicine he gave them was very effective. Their pulses had strengthened significantly, and their
Recovery was going well.
After giving some instructions to the palace servants, he headed towards the liveliest place.
“Yan Guiqing is here—”
Huangfu Yuchen stood up and walked over. “Xiao Ge, you’re here. How’s your body?”
“I’m fine. So, who won?” Yan Ge sat together with him on the throne, his gaze sweeping over the piles of prey on the ground. ‘Goodness, the remaining animals in the forest have probably run away.’
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Still tallying.”
With that said, he looked at the people below, who were whispering to each other. He smiled and said, “The civil officials seem to be at a disadvantage. So, we’ll separate civil and military officials and rank the top three in each category.”
The civil officials were delighted, “Your Majesty is wise!”
After the tallying was complete, Huangfu Yuchen rewarded the top three in both civil and military categories.
The ministers only took three or four of the prey back home to let their families taste the fresh catch, and they offered the rest to the emperor.
Huangfu Yuchen accepted without hesitation. Both he and Yan Ge liked wild game, and the meat from these wild animals had a better texture. Any excess meat that they couldn’t consume immediately could be dried by the Imperial Kitchen and enjoyed later.
The group broke camp and set off to return to the capital. It was still early, and they would reach their destination before nightfall.
Sitting on the dragon carriage, Huangfu Yuchen finally had a chance to discuss the matter of Meng Xiaohun with Yan Ge.
“We both have similar cultivation bases, and Meng Xiaohun can now almost match you in strength. It’s evident that he has made significant progress since last time,” Huangfu Yuchen said.
Yan Ge nodded. “Indeed. He hasn’t shown up for so long, and suddenly making an appearance today might be a way to test my true strength.”
Huangfu Yuchen sighed, “It’s just a shame that I’m not strong enough. Otherwise, I would definitely be able to draw him out!”
“Yuchen, don’t push yourself too hard. He may become stronger, but we are also getting stronger. Besides, there are two of us, and he can never defeat both of us alone.” Yan Ge didn’t want to put too much pressure on him. Besides, there was still some doubt in his heart, so he didn’t say much. Yuchen was very sensitive and intelligent; he might notice any slip of the tongue, so he had to choose his words lightly.
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “I’ll finish any important matters these two days, then I’ll go into seclusion.”
Since he had made up his mind, Yan Ge’s only option was to accompany him. “We’ll go together then.”
After returning to the palace, Huangfu Yuchen stayed up late to write a simple plan and implemented it during the morning court the next day.
“The northern Yongzhou is severely affected by freezing, and we don’t know the extent of the disaster. I plan to dispatch an envoy to investigate the situation and make reasonable arrangements for relief efforts. Which minister do you think is suitable for this task?”
Huangfu Yuhu stepped forward. Perhaps due to his recent wedding, his face was rosy, and he looked very healthy. “Your Majesty, I’m willing to go.”
Haungfu Yuchen was surprised, “Prince Dai, it will be New Year’s in two months. Yongzhou is far from the capital, and you may not make it in time for the celebration.”
Huangfu Yuhu smiled, “I understand. However, it’s time for me to set aside my playful nature and share the burden with my elder brother. But, I request permission to bring Princess Dai and Concubine Song with me.”
The ministers all laughed.
Huangfu Yuchen also chuckled and glanced at Huangfu Yuhu, saying, “Very well, since you insist, I will appoint you as the envoy. Investigate this matter and report back to the capital promptly. If the disaster is severe, ensure proper arrangements for relief work.”
Huangfu Yuhu knelt down, “I will follow your decree! Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my best!”
“Rise.” Huangfu Yuchen said, “If any officials neglect their duties or act for personal gain, they will be severely punished.”
“Yes! I will depart today.”
Once he was back in Tenglong Palace, Huangfu Yuchen instructed Deng Mande, “I recall there is a fox fur cloak in the treasury. Go and find it, then have it sent to Prince Dai.”
“Yes.”
The palace staff were efficient, and the cloak was quickly brought out and carefully cleaned.
Upon seeing it, Yan Ge asked casually, “Why did you dig this out?”
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “Yuhu is heading north, and I realized that both of us have no use for this cloak, so I had it sent to him.”
Yan Ge was taken aback, “Prince Dai is heading north? Is there something going on?” He wanted to investigate Prince Dai’s residence tonight, but unexpectedly, he got this news.
“Yongzhou is severely affected by the cold, and he volunteered to go as an envoy to inspect the situation. It’s rare that he wants to share my burdens, so I agreed. I just didn’t expect him to take his wife and concubine along on the mission. I don’t know what to say to him.” Huangfu Yuchen shook his head as he spoke. Although his words were blaming, his tone was indulgent.
Yan Ge was deeply worried. If Huangfu Yuhu wasn’t Meng Xiaohan, it would be fine, but if he was indeed Meng Xiaohan, he was concerned that Yuchen might not bear the blow.
His fists unconsciously clenched. Huangfu Yuhu, I hope you won’t disappoint Yuchen and me! Otherwise…
“Xiao Ge? Xiao Ge?” Huangfu Yuchen gently shook his beloved’s arm, “What are you thinking?”
Yan Ge returned to his senses and smiled at him, “Nothing, just thinking about how much colder it is in the north compared to the capital. I hope Prince Dai’s journey goes smoothly. I have some pills to withstand the cold; have them sent along.”
“Thank you, my love.” Huangfu Yuchen kissed his forehead.
Yan Ge took the initiative to deepen the kiss, capturing Huangfu Yuchen’s lips and softly sucking on them. “Yuchen, I’ll always be by your side.”
Huangfu Yuchen was momentarily stunned, then smiled contentedly and hugged him tightly. “Of course, we’ll always be together. Even if you want to leave, I won’t let you go.”
“Baby, are you alright?” Huangfu Yuchen anxiously asked Yan Ge.
“I’m fine,” Yan Ge smiled at him, “just depleted quite a bit of qi.”
“You rest here first.” A fierce glint flashed in Huangfu Yuchen’s eyes, and he quickly chased after Meng Xiaohun. Meng Xiaohun’s target was his beloved, and Huangfu Yuchen wanted to see exactly who Meng Xiaohun was!
Meng Xiaohun fled far away, but just as he was about to catch his breath, he suddenly sensed a familiar aura rapidly approaching. Startled, he gritted his teeth, once again used a bit of fresh blood, and vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.
Huangfu Yuchen was a step too late, and he could only watch Meng Xiaohun disappear. He flew to the spot where Meng Xiaohun vanished but found no clues.
“Damn it!” A strong sense of frustration surged in his chest as he angrily swung his hand, causing a large tree on his right to come crashing down, startling countless birds.
Thinking that Yan Ge might be injured, he quickly returned. He took Yan Ge’s wrist, checked his pulse, and inspected his dantian before finally calming down. “It’s not serious, but indeed, a significant amount of qi was lost.”
He looked in the direction where Meng Xiaohun had left, his expression gloomy. “He knew we were hunting here today and that we had separated. Baby, could you see who he really is?”
Yan Ge shook his head.
“Your Majesty, General Lu and his men… they’re all dead…” Four guards who followed Huangfu Yuchen came forward to report.
Huangfu Yuchen’s expression became even more grim.
“They’re not dead.” Yan Ge walked over and touched Lu Fei and the others.
Their breathing instantly stabilized, but it was still very weak.
Yan Ge sent Huangfu Yuchen a voice transmission, “Meng Xiaohun controlled them to deal with me. I had no choice but to forcibly close off their senses.”
Huangfu Yuchen pinched his shoulder and said, “Baby, you did nothing wrong. If you hadn’t acted that way, either you or all four of them would have died.”
Yan Ge looked at Lu Fei and the others and said, “Forcibly blocking their senses caused significant damage to their bodies, almost crippling their martial arts. I want to let them cultivate as compensation.”
Huangfu Yuchen pondered, “It’s acceptable. All four of them are very loyal. But we must also keep some insurance. Just transmit the first two layers of the ‘Heaven and Earth Annihilation Technique.’ In case they harbor ill intentions, we can still suppress them. Today, they can be considered fortunate despite the misfortune.”
Yan Ge said, “You should handle it personally.”
Huangfu Yuchen knew that Yan Ge didn’t want his reputation to overshadow his own. He kissed his beloved’s face without rejecting the care, saying, “Don’t worry, I know what to do.”
He ordered a few guards to carry Lu Fei and the others back to camp. He didn’t mount his horse either, instead letting Yan Ge rest on Bai Guan’s back while he personally held the reins and walked the horse steadily.
Yan Ge couldn’t help but look at him, smiling gently as his thoughts drifted to Meng Xiaohun.
Was he really the person he suspected? Until there was concrete evidence, he couldn’t share his suspicions with Yuchen.
The people remaining in the camp saw Yan Ge sitting on the horse, while the emperor personally held the reins. Meanwhile, Lu Fei and the others were unconscious on horseback, and they were surprised. They quickly approached.
“Your Majesty! Yan Guiqing!” Gao Feng and Gao Yun swiftly arrived by their side, taking the reins from Huangfu Yuchen’s hand.
“Your Majesty, is Yan Guiqing injured?” Deng Mande asked worriedly.
Huangfu Yuchen helped Yan Ge dismount, “Yan Guiqing’s group encountered a fierce beast, and General Lu and his men suffered some minor injuries while protecting him. Deng Mande, instruct everyone to hunt in pairs and be cautious.”
“Yes!” Deng Mande felt a bit skeptical. Lu Fei and the others didn’t seem to be injured by a wild beast, but since the emperor said so, he wisely refrained from asking further.
Those who could survive in the palace or the court were all clever people. Even if they discovered something, they wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t appropriate to do so.
Yan Ge instructed the palace servants to carry Lu Fei and the others down and take good care of them. He handed them a bottle of medicine and asked them to give one pill to each before focusing on their recovery.
Back in the tent, Yan Ge sat cross-legged on the bed, adjusting his breathing. “The Fengyun Immortal Records” were different from ordinary cultivation techniques. Even without a trace of true qi in his Dantian, the technique would automatically run to protect the master. Moreover, his dantian still had a small amount of qi, which could be quickly converted from less to more, allowing him to endlessly replenish it. Just a short while ago, he and Huangfu Yuchen had both advanced to the Late Golden Core Stage, and the advantage of this was now even more apparent. In preparation for condensing the golden core, there was always a vortex in his dantian that enabled him to absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth faster and convert it into true essence.
The hunters began returning one after another, preparing to eat lunch before continuing the hunt.
Huangfu Yuchen had Gao Feng and Gao Yun guard the entrance of the tent, not allowing anyone to disturb them. He also instructed the palace servants to prepare hot water before going to the open area to oversee the overall situation. The hunting competition was continued to avoid suspicion.
It wasn’t until noon on the third day that Yan Ge woke up from his meditation and saw Yan Jin and the Crown Prince quietly sitting on the carpet, playing chess. He smiled faintly.
“Why haven’t you gone out hunting?”
“Papa!”
“Second Master!”
Yan Jin and the Crown Prince ran over, surrounding him on the left and right.
“We wanted to accompany you.”
Yan Jin knew about the fight with Meng Xiaohun yesterday. However, Yan Ge was his master, and unless his life was in danger, he couldn’t intervene without his master’s command. So, he could only stay in place and secretly keep an eye on Yan Ge. After confirming that Yan Ge was safe, he continued to accompany the Crown Prince in hunting.
“Where’s your father?” Yan Ge asked.
The Crown Prince replied, “Father is outside. The hunting competition has already ended, and they are now tallying the prey. It’s very lively outside.”
Yan Ge saw they were both eager to go, and he smiled, “You go and see who won. I’ll take a bath and join you later.”
“Yes!” Yan Jin and the Crown Prince couldn’t wait and left.
After bathing and changing into casual clothes, Yan Ge first went to the tent where Lu Fei and the others were resting. They were still unconscious, but the medicine he gave them was very effective. Their pulses had strengthened significantly, and their
Recovery was going well.
After giving some instructions to the palace servants, he headed towards the liveliest place.
“Yan Guiqing is here—”
Huangfu Yuchen stood up and walked over. “Xiao Ge, you’re here. How’s your body?”
“I’m fine. So, who won?” Yan Ge sat together with him on the throne, his gaze sweeping over the piles of prey on the ground. ‘Goodness, the remaining animals in the forest have probably run away.’
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Still tallying.”
With that said, he looked at the people below, who were whispering to each other. He smiled and said, “The civil officials seem to be at a disadvantage. So, we’ll separate civil and military officials and rank the top three in each category.”
The civil officials were delighted, “Your Majesty is wise!”
After the tallying was complete, Huangfu Yuchen rewarded the top three in both civil and military categories.
The ministers only took three or four of the prey back home to let their families taste the fresh catch, and they offered the rest to the emperor.
Huangfu Yuchen accepted without hesitation. Both he and Yan Ge liked wild game, and the meat from these wild animals had a better texture. Any excess meat that they couldn’t consume immediately could be dried by the Imperial Kitchen and enjoyed later.
The group broke camp and set off to return to the capital. It was still early, and they would reach their destination before nightfall.
Sitting on the dragon carriage, Huangfu Yuchen finally had a chance to discuss the matter of Meng Xiaohun with Yan Ge.
“We both have similar cultivation bases, and Meng Xiaohun can now almost match you in strength. It’s evident that he has made significant progress since last time,” Huangfu Yuchen said.
Yan Ge nodded. “Indeed. He hasn’t shown up for so long, and suddenly making an appearance today might be a way to test my true strength.”
Huangfu Yuchen sighed, “It’s just a shame that I’m not strong enough. Otherwise, I would definitely be able to draw him out!”
“Yuchen, don’t push yourself too hard. He may become stronger, but we are also getting stronger. Besides, there are two of us, and he can never defeat both of us alone.” Yan Ge didn’t want to put too much pressure on him. Besides, there was still some doubt in his heart, so he didn’t say much. Yuchen was very sensitive and intelligent; he might notice any slip of the tongue, so he had to choose his words lightly.
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “I’ll finish any important matters these two days, then I’ll go into seclusion.”
Since he had made up his mind, Yan Ge’s only option was to accompany him. “We’ll go together then.”
After returning to the palace, Huangfu Yuchen stayed up late to write a simple plan and implemented it during the morning court the next day.
“The northern Yongzhou is severely affected by freezing, and we don’t know the extent of the disaster. I plan to dispatch an envoy to investigate the situation and make reasonable arrangements for relief efforts. Which minister do you think is suitable for this task?”
Huangfu Yuhu stepped forward. Perhaps due to his recent wedding, his face was rosy, and he looked very healthy. “Your Majesty, I’m willing to go.”
Haungfu Yuchen was surprised, “Prince Dai, it will be New Year’s in two months. Yongzhou is far from the capital, and you may not make it in time for the celebration.”
Huangfu Yuhu smiled, “I understand. However, it’s time for me to set aside my playful nature and share the burden with my elder brother. But, I request permission to bring Princess Dai and Concubine Song with me.”
The ministers all laughed.
Huangfu Yuchen also chuckled and glanced at Huangfu Yuhu, saying, “Very well, since you insist, I will appoint you as the envoy. Investigate this matter and report back to the capital promptly. If the disaster is severe, ensure proper arrangements for relief work.”
Huangfu Yuhu knelt down, “I will follow your decree! Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my best!”
“Rise.” Huangfu Yuchen said, “If any officials neglect their duties or act for personal gain, they will be severely punished.”
“Yes! I will depart today.”
Once he was back in Tenglong Palace, Huangfu Yuchen instructed Deng Mande, “I recall there is a fox fur cloak in the treasury. Go and find it, then have it sent to Prince Dai.”
“Yes.”
The palace staff were efficient, and the cloak was quickly brought out and carefully cleaned.
Upon seeing it, Yan Ge asked casually, “Why did you dig this out?”
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “Yuhu is heading north, and I realized that both of us have no use for this cloak, so I had it sent to him.”
Yan Ge was taken aback, “Prince Dai is heading north? Is there something going on?” He wanted to investigate Prince Dai’s residence tonight, but unexpectedly, he got this news.
“Yongzhou is severely affected by the cold, and he volunteered to go as an envoy to inspect the situation. It’s rare that he wants to share my burdens, so I agreed. I just didn’t expect him to take his wife and concubine along on the mission. I don’t know what to say to him.” Huangfu Yuchen shook his head as he spoke. Although his words were blaming, his tone was indulgent.
Yan Ge was deeply worried. If Huangfu Yuhu wasn’t Meng Xiaohan, it would be fine, but if he was indeed Meng Xiaohan, he was concerned that Yuchen might not bear the blow.
His fists unconsciously clenched. Huangfu Yuhu, I hope you won’t disappoint Yuchen and me! Otherwise…
“Xiao Ge? Xiao Ge?” Huangfu Yuchen gently shook his beloved’s arm, “What are you thinking?”
Yan Ge returned to his senses and smiled at him, “Nothing, just thinking about how much colder it is in the north compared to the capital. I hope Prince Dai’s journey goes smoothly. I have some pills to withstand the cold; have them sent along.”
“Thank you, my love.” Huangfu Yuchen kissed his forehead.
Yan Ge took the initiative to deepen the kiss, capturing Huangfu Yuchen’s lips and softly sucking on them. “Yuchen, I’ll always be by your side.”
Huangfu Yuchen was momentarily stunned, then smiled contentedly and hugged him tightly. “Of course, we’ll always be together. Even if you want to leave, I won’t let you go.”
