Holding the Emperor Hostage : Chapter 46 Bathing

From Luoyang into Bingzhou, if marching at full speed it would only be a few days journey.

However, the imperial court had to move the capital with civil and military officials and common people from Guannei, Henan, and other areas. The common people had to carry all their belongings, supporting the old and leading the young. Even with the single wheeled carts and flatbed carts urgently made by the Imperial Household Department and imperial estates to help transport their belongings, they could at most advance thirty li in a day. As a result, a journey that should have taken just a few short days ended up taking a full month and a half. The large procession had only just reached Shangdang.

But at least once they entered Bingzhou, they were on their own turf. Shengtu Yang, who had been tense all along the way, afraid of encountering enemy ambushes, finally breathed a slight sigh of relief. He quickly arranged for the imperial carriage to stay at the Shangdang Commandery governor’s mansion.

According to the ancestral traditions of the Yin Dynasty, when the imperial carriage traveled, the road had to be padded with yellow earth.

Now it was already the eighth month, the time when the autumn tiger was at its most vicious. During the day, the large procession had to travel under the scorching sun and through yellow dust, sweating profusely. At night they either stayed at post stations or directly camped out in the wild. One could imagine how dusty and travel worn this journey had been.

Fortunately, Yin Shuhuai was the emperor and had reached a tacit understanding with Shengtu Yang about moving the capital. Even though Shengtu Yang was eager to bring the emperor back to Youzhou, he didn’t forget to properly arrange for Yin Shuhuai along the way. Wherever Yin Shuhuai arrived, he stayed in the mansions of local powerful families. Though not as magnificent as the Luoyang imperial palace, it was still much better than staying at post stations or camping in the wild.

However, even so, Shengtu Yang still felt that this journey had truly wronged the little emperor. Now that they had finally reached Shangdang Commandery, he immediately set about arranging the little emperor’s lodgings.

“Your Majesty has endured much hardship and dust along the road. Better to bathe and rest early.” Shengtu Yang looked at Yin Shuhuai with eyes shining, “Let me attend to Your Majesty’s bath.”

Yin Shuhuai looked expressionlessly at Shengtu Yang, whose every scheming thought was written on his face. “The Duke of Yan has also worked hard. You should go rest yourself.”

Zhuang Wuwei and other eunuchs and palace maids stepped forward in good time, indicating that they would naturally attend to the emperor’s bath and rest, and there was no need for someone to overstep his bounds.

Shengtu Yang had thick skin. Hearing this, he immediately said, “Now that we have entered Bingzhou, this humble subject may be considered the host. Has Your Majesty not heard that the guest follows the host’s convenience?”

Yin Shuhuai met him head on, “Has the Duke of Yan never heard that all under heaven is the king’s land?”

Shengtu Yang’s eyes rolled, and he smiled and withdrew.

Yin Shuhuai was a modern person, and didn’t like others attending to him when bathing. So after undressing, Yin Shuhuai casually dismissed everyone and directly entered the bath pool. The warm clear water soaked his body. Yin Shuhuai wet a towel and placed it over his face. In that moment, he felt every pore in his body comfortably opening up.

Yin Shuhuai let out a long sigh. Being able to quietly soak in a hot bath after a long journey was truly the happiest thing in the world.

Yin Shuhuai closed his eyes and reclined against the jade carved pool wall.

They said Yan was bitterly cold, but those in power knew very well how to enjoy themselves. Take this Shangdang Commandery governor’s mansion for example. The entire residence was grand and magnificent, with flying eaves and bracket sets, carved beams and painted pillars, mostly decorated with gold and jade. Even the bathing pool was made from a single piece of white jade. Warm to the touch, worth a fortune.

Yin Shuhuai was resting with his eyes closed when he suddenly noticed the warm pool water gently rippling. He removed the towel from his face and opened his eyes to look. He saw a figure diving into the water, swimming over quietly.

Sensing Yin Shuhuai’s gaze, that person abruptly stood up. Water splashed down from his body, pattering onto the water surface, stirring up circles of ripples.

“Your Majesty need not fear, it is this humble subject.” Shengtu Yang reached out to wipe the water from his face. The clear water surrounded his brows and features, a few stray hairs stuck to his face, unexpectedly creating a strikingly handsome look.

Yin Shuhuai’s eyes moved slightly, his gaze very directly landing on Shengtu Yang’s body.

One had to admit, Shengtu Yang’s physique was indeed very good. Broad back and narrow waist, strong and tall, smooth muscles firm and full, every movement filled with power. But what drew even more attention were the scars of various sizes on his body. Among them, old scars were mostly from whips and blades. Yin Shuhuai noticed that on Shengtu Yang’s right arm, there was actually a fierce scar that looked particularly like an animal bite mark. Newer scars were mainly from blades, spears, and swords. Those scars, large and small, deep and shallow, covered his chest and back, all medals of Shengtu Yang’s years of battlefield killing.

Yin Shuhuai’s gaze suddenly softened, and he said gently, “When were these all from?”

Shengtu Yang lowered his head to look at the scars on his own body, completely unconcerned, “Some were from when I was with the Xiongnu, some from when I fought the Xiongnu. I was young then, with little experience. Later when I had enough experience, I didn’t get injured much anymore.”

Yin Shuhuai quietly looked at the scars on Shengtu Yang’s body, not speaking. He suddenly realized that Shengtu Yang was not just a rebellious minister and traitor who could fight well. The fifteen years he spent as a slave among the Xiongnu must have involved much suffering.

Sensing that Yin Shuhuai’s gaze held some sorrow, Shengtu Yang quietly moved closer to him, smiling and saying, “Your Majesty need not grieve. This humble subject came to offer himself to Your Majesty’s bed, not to assassinate.”

Yin Shuhuai’s gaze fell on Shengtu Yang’s face. He looked at Shengtu Yang, who was all jest and anger with no proper dignity, and suddenly smiled, “Since you want to offer yourself to my bed so much, then scrub my back for me.”

Shengtu Yang’s face suddenly flushed red, looking at Yin Shuhuai in disbelief.

Yin Shuhuai casually tossed the towel to Shengtu Yang, asking with a half smile, “What, you don’t dare?”

Shengtu Yang had the heart of a wolf and the ambition of a wild dog, how could he not dare? His heart surging with excitement, he walked before His Majesty. Yin Shuhuai had already turned around and leaned against the warm to the touch white jade wall.

Shengtu Yang’s eyes were filled with His Majesty’s snow white back. Smooth lines, firm muscles, a pair of shoulder blades like butterfly wings ready to take flight, smooth lines tapering to reveal a slender waist and what gradually disappeared beneath the clear water…

Shengtu Yang only felt a heat at the tip of his nose, and bright red blood actually flowed out uncontrollably. One drop, two drops… falling into the warm pool water, like clusters of blooming plum blossoms.

Shengtu Yang lowered his head to look at his excited and eager little Shengtu, helplessly tearing off two strips of cloth to plug his nostrils, then carefully placed the wet towel on Yin Shuhuai’s back.

A not too light and not too heavy force came from behind. Yin Shuhuai blinked in some surprise, not expecting that Shengtu Yang would actually honestly scrub his back. While scrubbing he asked in a muffled voice, “Your Majesty, is this pressure alright?”

…The service attitude was pretty good!

Yin Shuhuai’s eyes narrowed slightly, letting out a not too light and not too heavy hum.

Shengtu Yang only felt all the blood in his body uncontrollably rushing to one place. His large hand covered in calluses, through the damp thin towel, felt the warm and smooth muscles beneath his palm. Shengtu Yang felt somewhat dizzy. He couldn’t even tell whether the snow white towel or His Majesty’s back was whiter. He only knew that the fair and delicate skin under his palm gradually turned a light pink.

Sensing that Shengtu Yang’s hand was gradually beginning to misbehave, Yin Shuhuai stopped his service, “That’s enough.”

Yin Shuhuai turned around, immediately noticing the comical appearance of Shengtu Yang with cloth strips plugging his nose, and couldn’t help but curve the corners of his mouth, “The autumn air is dry, and the Duke of Yan’s internal fire seems a bit strong. You could drink some chrysanthemum tea to clear the heat.”

Shengtu Yang looked at Yin Shuhuai who was facing him openly, and emphasized gloomily, “I came to offer myself to Your Majesty’s bed.”

However, Yin Shuhuai was well versed in the basic principle of using and discarding. He reached out and patted Shengtu Yang’s shoulder, “I have finished soaking. The Duke of Yan may continue washing slowly.”

Shengtu Yang watched helplessly as Yin Shuhuai climbed out of the pool, drying his body nonchalantly before him, not calling for eunuchs or palace maids, and changed into clean underclothes himself. The soft smooth silk gradually wrapped and covered his body. Shengtu Yang’s eyes almost spat fire. He only felt even more restless and agitated.

He splashed out of the water, standing wet before Yin Shuhuai, relentlessly saying, “Your Majesty, give me a little more sweetness please.”

Yin Shuhuai patted Shengtu Yang’s wet head, “It’s getting late, I need to rest.” They had to continue the journey early tomorrow morning!

Yin Shuhuai went to sleep refreshed and energized, leaving Shengtu Yang full of fire in his belly to continue soaking in the already cooled pool water.

The next morning, after Yin Shuhuai woke up, he didn’t rush to set off for Youzhou. Instead he planned to rest in Shangdang Commandery for three days, to give the Imperial Household Department personnel time to thoroughly survey Bingzhou.

As everyone knew, Bingzhou possessed extremely rich agricultural resources. It was a historically famous place for raising horses and livestock, and also produced abundant cloth and silk.

Since Yin Shuhuai agreed to move the capital to Youzhou, he was determined to properly govern Yan. So after arriving in Bingzhou, he instructed the Imperial Household Department personnel to survey Bingzhou’s terrain and landforms, preparing to formulate a “first five year plan” suited to Bingzhou’s development based on local climate conditions, soil characteristics, and folk customs.

“Bingzhou is mostly inhabited by Hu people. Many common people are Hu people who have submitted to the interior, including that branch of Southern Xiongnu that was subdued by Emperor Li twenty years ago, who were also resettled in southern Bingzhou. They aren’t skilled at farming, but are skilled at raising horses and herding. And their folk customs are fierce and tough.” After Shengtu Yang controlled the situation in Yan, his first move was to station troops in Shangdang and Henei, wanting to suppress the local Hu people who were causing trouble, and recruit his first Bingzhou cavalry.

He hadn’t expected that his actions would actually arouse the court’s suspicion and fear. What happened afterward, Yin Shuhuai also knew. Huo Yan gathered a hundred thousand strong army to attack Shangdang and Henei, attempting to reclaim the two commanderies under the pretext of suppressing rebellion. Unfortunately, Shengtu Yang was a born military talent. In an extremely short time he subdued the local Hu people, and led the Bingzhou iron cavalry to rout the court’s hundred thousand strong army, capturing sixty thousand men. Even the then General Who Suppresses Rebels, Jiang Yang, was heavily wounded and captured by Shengtu Yang.

This battle severely damaged Huo Yan’s prestige at court, and also laid the groundwork for the later alliance of aristocratic families and officials against Huo.

But these were all old matters from years ago, and Yin Shuhuai didn’t want to bring them up. The urgent task at hand was still to quickly understand Bingzhou’s situation, so he could formulate the next development strategy.

Yin Shuhuai rested in Shangdang Commandery for three days, also giving the entire court three days to observe Bingzhou’s local customs and conditions.

Their clansmen had mostly been escorted to Youzhou by the Yan army. This meant that their plan to collude with regional lords along the way to severely wound Shengtu Yang and seize the chance to snatch back the emperor and rescue their clansmen had completely failed. It also meant they had no choice but to be tied to the same boat as Shengtu Yang.

If from now on they didn’t want to completely become fish on the chopping block, they had to find ways to gain His Majesty’s trust and heavy use. Lest they be slaughtered like fat sheep by that rebellious minister and traitor Shengtu Yang.

Since this was the case, divining the emperor’s intentions and helping Yin Shuhuai achieve his goals as much as possible became something they had to consider.

Shengtu Yang’s moving the capital with the emperor in tow might have this or that intention, but one thing he said was right. That was that these aristocratic families and nobles would only consider listening to the emperor after they had completely lost all retreat.

And now times had changed. It was indeed no longer the time when Yin Shuhuai had to beg them to serve the court!