UCTOOT CH121

Xie Wuchi was very busy for the next few days.

Shi Shu went to find Lin Yangchun and settled down within the army. Xie Wuchi, meanwhile, was busy with political affairs. The envoy to arrange the deployment of troops with the King of Zhouchi had already been dispatched. It was necessary to take inventory of military supplies, baggage, and provisions, as well as select officers and soldiers, making preparations in advance to launch the troops promptly upon coordinating with the King of Zhouchi.

—At the same time, it was the harvest season. Vast fields were heavy with fruit. Corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, rice, peaches, grapes, and melons were all ripe. The common people organized in the military agricultural colonies were harvesting, drying, and storing the yield in granaries. Every day, Xie Wuchi met with grain officers and agricultural officials, inspecting the territory.

Perhaps due to the harvest, the atmosphere within the borders was lively. Shi Shu had been in the main camp recently. Whenever he finished his work and went to find Xie Wuchi, he often saw him barely two bites into a meal before someone came to report a shortage in the ranks or a fire somewhere, causing him to get up and leave immediately.

Xie Wuchi governed the army and administration with strict discipline. He set rules, and anyone who dared to violate them was executed. With so many affairs came many problems, and recently, there had been many executions. When he walked, there was a faint scent of blood beneath his robes, and the attendants trembled at the sight of him.

Shi Shu stayed in the main camp, going out on medical rounds with Lin Yangchun during the day and sleeping in the Commander-in-Chief’s central tent at night. Often, by the time Xie Wuchi returned late at night, Shi Shu was already asleep.

upon his return, Shi Shu would get out of bed yawning. Seeing the exhaustion between Xie Wuchi’s brows—looking as if he could fall asleep sitting up—Shi Shu would fetch water and wipe the sweat from his body.

He would take off Xie Wuchi’s clothes, wipe away his sweat, and give him the prepared heat-relieving soup to drink. Xie Wuchi would rest for a moment, write in his diary at his desk, and then go to bed.

Once busy, he would fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. The next morning, he would leave in the dead of night to inspect the various sites manufacturing military equipment and weapons to prevent anyone from slacking off.

Watching Xie Wuchi leave early and return late every day, Shi Shu couldn’t help but want to praise him: “Xie Wuchi, without you shouldering this heavy burden, Du Zihan and I would still be feeding pigs in the village, wouldn’t we?”

A man is most charming when he is working.

When looking for a partner, one must find someone hardworking and capable, and not be deceived by flashy appearances.

Shi Shu was also busy every day, covered in dust and grime from digging and drying medicinal herbs. He was only slightly better off than Xie Wuchi in that he didn’t work overtime. When he came back, he would shower, eat, and lie down to rest while waiting for Xie Wuchi.

Xie Wuchi wasn’t the type to go home after work and find fault with everyone; his temper remained good. The only thing he couldn’t control was his intense desire. He wanted Shi Shu to service him orally until he was comfortable, and he also wanted to hold Shi Shu and kiss him for a while. If he was truly exhausted, he would just hold him and sleep. How long he slept was a matter of luck; he might lie down for just an hour or two before news came and he had to leave again.

The reason Xie Wuchi was so busy was the hostility from the Imperial Court. There was an urgent need to repair armor, sharpen weapons, and become self-sufficient. The world was currently in a state of flux, and the rebellion of the people in Qian’an Prefecture was a signal.

They couldn’t relax in the slightest; perhaps the moment of independence was approaching.

After the busiest days had passed, Shi Shu finally found time today to invite Lin Yangchun, Lin Baihe, Zihan, and Sinan—friends who had gone through the events in Yunzhou together—for a meal, something he had planned for a long time.

Inside a verdant wooden pavilion beside the Imperial City Temple in Yanzhou City, laughter and cheerful voices filled the air. Shi Shu sat by the window, and while eating, he looked down at the street.

“Did Brother Xie say he was coming back today?” Du Zihan asked.

Shi Shu replied, “He went to inspect other prefectures for three days and said he’d return today. There’s a decree from the Eastern Capital. Why haven’t I seen the carriages and horses pass by yet?”

Clop, clop, clop. Shi Shu suddenly heard the sound of hooves. Xie Wuchi, dressed in a vermilion-purple round-collar silk robe, crossed the street surrounded by horses. Shi Shu’s eyes lit up, but his direction was not toward the main residence, but toward the Pacification Commission.

Shi Shu followed his retreating figure with his eyes. Xie Wuchi looked dusty, carrying a faint, world-weary scent of gunpowder smoke. Shi Shu really had no appetite to eat anymore. He shoveled a couple of bites into his mouth haphazardly: “You guys eat, I’m going back first.”

After speaking, ignoring the chorus of “Huh?” and “Hey?” trying to stop him, he quickly returned to the residence. Upon asking, he was told that Xie Wuchi was dining with colleagues from the Pacification Commission. He waited until late at night before hearing someone at the gate carrying an octagonal lantern, escorting someone back to the sleeping quarters.

His shoes kicked against the threshold; Xie Wuchi was slightly intoxicated.

Xie Wuchi drank very little at banquets, but with everyone offering a toast, he ended up having a few cups. Shi Shu approached and supported him into the room.

His body felt somewhat heavy. Shi Shu helped Xie Wuchi sit on the couch, smelled the sweat on him, and began to take off his clothes.

Shi Shu said, “You sleep, I’ll pour you some water.”

Shi Shu brought the water, but Xie Wuchi wasn’t actually that drunk. There were dark circles under his eyelashes. He barely moved even as Shi Shu fed him water. Shi Shu then brought a basin of water, wringing out a wet towel to wipe the sweat from his body.

Xie Wuchi was clearly exhausted. After traveling a long distance back from out of town, he had immediately gone drinking. Shi Shu touched his face, waiting for Xie Wuchi to recover his energy so they could lie in bed together.

Xie Wuchi had a habit: when he was tired, he quite liked to cuddle. Shi Shu lay down and turned around, allowing himself to be gathered into Xie Wuchi’s arms, from where he could see his lowered eyelashes.

Shi Shu couldn’t stand someone reeking of alcohol, like taking care of an old dad who drank too much at New Year’s. He said, “Go drink some water and rinse the alcohol taste out of your mouth. I don’t like it.”

Xie Wuchi got up, drank a few mouthfuls of water, and spat it into the golden basin.

Shi Shu held him, touching the dark bruising under his eyes. whenever a critical moment arrived with major moves and mobilization from all sides, Xie Wuchi attended to every detail. Even a man of iron would have moments of fatigue. Xie Wuchi was indeed tired; he didn’t talk much, nor did he say those flirtatious things.

However, just as Shi Shu was about to get up to blow out the candle, Xie Wuchi reached out his arm, grabbed him, rolled over, and pulled Shi Shu tightly into his embrace.

Shi Shu: “What? I was just going to blow out the candle.”

Xie Wuchi didn’t say a word. His frame was much larger than Shi Shu’s as he huddled into the crook of his neck. Shi Shu had no choice but to place his hand on Xie Wuchi’s back, stroking it gently, and talking to him.

“Still busy?”

Xie Wuchi: “The deployment to coordinate with the King of Zhouchi has been arranged properly, and the grain is all in the granaries.”

Shi Shu kissed his cool eyelids: “Is there more to do next?”

“Yes,” Xie Wuchi said. “After the deployment is complete, we have to fight a war.”

The candlelight reflected in Shi Shu’s eyes: “Damn it, crossing mountains and ridges—isn’t there a single thing where you can take a break?”

Normally, this would be the time for Xie Wuchi to rest after an exhausting day, and he would usually go straight to sleep. But now, perhaps because he was with Shi Shu, he liked to hold him, to embrace him.

Shi Shu asked, “Before, when you were busy and tired, did you just fall asleep immediately?”

Xie Wuchi: “Mn.”

Shi Shu: “Then why don’t you rest? You don’t need to hold me.” Shi Shu, afraid of delaying his rest, prepared to move away, but Xie Wuchi held him tighter. “I want to hold you.”

Xie Wuchi was so tired that, holding Shi Shu in bed, he surprisingly didn’t even have any wicked thoughts.

Shi Shu kept his bright eyes open in the darkness. He didn’t have any thoughts either. Holding him, he could see the straight bridge of Xie Wuchi’s nose, his dark brows and eyes, and his profile—an air of nobility and indifference.

Shi Shu’s waist was tightly clamped by Xie Wuchi. He heard the sound of rain outside the window: “It’s exactly like in Qian’an Prefecture. As soon as the harvest is done, the rain starts falling. Is this rain going to last for several days?”

Xie Wuchi: “Mn. The rainfall is heavy; it might cause a disaster.”

“…” Shi Shu said, “So you have things to be busy with again?”

Shi Shu toyed with his hair. Xie Wuchi closed his eyes and actually fell asleep just like that. He was truly too tired—mustering soldiers and generals in the army, drilling military preparations, monitoring the people’s livelihood and grain harvest, rushing back to the city, and then having to socialize and drink at banquets.

Xie Wuchi fell asleep. Shi Shu examined his face carefully, thinking to himself that he was so tired today he hadn’t even kissed anyone.

Shi Shu’s gaze fell on his lips. Although they were thin and slightly pale, still…

Shi Shu looked for a few seconds longer, and by the time he reacted, he had already leaned in to kiss him. Since Xie Wuchi was asleep anyway, Shi Shu sneakily stole several kisses.

Xie Wuchi had a slight awareness of it, but between the drowsiness and the alcohol, he slept very deeply.

Shi Shu was worried about waking him, but Xie Wuchi’s body temperature was very high. Outside the window, the rain poured down, pattering against the plantain leaves. The whistling wind brought the chill of autumn, fluttering the tree leaves.

Shi Shu felt a bit cold himself. having not shared a bed with him for quite a few days, he unexpectedly felt some desire. He reached his hand under Xie Wuchi’s inner garment, touching his warm, fever-hot skin.

Xie Wuchi’s skin tone was a healthy wheat color with great texture. There were occasional scars on his body, indicating that he used to be pale, but the sun had tanned him into this healthy, steady complexion.

Although pale skin is aesthetically pleasing, it has a nobility that feels separated from the dust of the earth. His current skin tone, amidst a crowd of generals from the Northern Frontier Army, appeared even more calm and self-possessed, possessing an overwhelming deterrent force. This was the same thought Shi Shu had when he first met him.

Driven by wicked thoughts, Shi Shu slipped his hand gently under the thin inner garment, stroking his warm, hot broad shoulders and narrow waist.

Shi Shu was stimulated by the returning warmth: “Xie Wuchi… you’re so hot…”

After touching his skin, his hand rested casually, actually feeling a bit cool now. Under the quilt, Shi Shu kissed his lips again and habitually slipped his hand under the thin sash of his trousers.

When Shi Shu touched that familiar dense forest, his hand felt even hotter. Xie Wuchi, still exhausted, kept his eyes closed and offered no resistance.

“You’re actually behaving yourself for once today,” Shi Shu couldn’t help but smile and kiss him again. Xie Wuchi seemed to have a tiny bit of awareness, but he only pulled Shi Shu deeper into his arms, their skin pressing closer together. As for how Shi Shu played with him, he only had a slight reaction, lowering his head to kiss Shi Shu’s ear and neck.

Shi Shu didn’t want to wake the sleeping man. Even touching his back was very gentle, like stroking a piece of warm velvet. Shi Shu’s palm explored his defined muscles and waist, tracing his V-line. A shadow still hung beneath Xie Wuchi’s eyelashes, though his lips had regained some color after being kissed.

Shi Shu couldn’t help but smile again, but his intention wasn’t to wake Xie Wuchi up. After touching him all over, he simply rested his hand on the place he often fondled, and fell asleep just like that.

It wasn’t until he woke up early the next morning that Shi Shu lay on the head of the bed, opening his sleepy eyes, and felt the chill of an autumn wind sweeping through.

Xie Wuchi, however, had already risen. His long black hair was combed neatly, and he sat at the head of the bed in pristine inner garments, staring intently at the wind and rain outside the window.

Shi Shu: “What’s wrong?”

Outside the door, the sound of a servant hurriedly reporting news rang out.

“Summoning Commander Xie. His Majesty has a decree.”

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