Chapter 191: Hold On, Imperial Advisor! I, the Emperor, Have Recovered 28

Chapter 191: Wait, National Preceptor! I've Recovered 28

Qin Hanyue didn't say it, but he almost forgot—"greenery" was a term he'd actually learned from Qin Hanyue.

Who knew the old bastard could hold a grudge like this.

"*Cough, cough.*" Lin Huaiqing coughed guiltily.

"Drink slower, no one's fighting you for it." Qin Hanyue sat beside Lin Huaiqing, not acting all high-and-mighty like a cultivator. He scolded with his mouth, but his hands were honest—gently patting Lin Huaiqing's back to help him breathe.

The road from the capital to Yunhe Mountain wasn't far—just on the outskirts of the city—but they had to scatter blessed prayer papers along the way, so they couldn't move quickly.

They hadn't even been sitting for an hour before Lin Huaiqing's eyelids were drooping, too sleepy to keep his eyes open.

Seeing how dead tired he looked, Qin Hanyue just pulled him into his arms, carefully taking off the heavy ceremonial crown and letting Lin Huaiqing rest comfortably on his lap.

"Your Majesty, if you're tired, just sleep."

Qin Hanyue's words were like a spell, wrapped in a sense of trust that was deeply reassuring. Lin Huaiqing was so far gone he just passed out.

The dragon carriage split the noise outside from the peace inside, like two completely different worlds.

Qin Hanyue looked down at the sleeping Lin Huaiqing on his lap, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth without him even realizing it. He poked Lin Huaiqing's smooth, fair cheek with his finger.

If only the Little Emperor were this well-behaved when he was awake. Why was it that every time, he could just barely feel Lin Huaiqing keeping his distance?

Was it because he didn't trust him?

Did Lin Huaiqing think he wasn't even worth trusting—not even as a lowly shadow guard?

Every time he saw Lin Huaiqing getting that close to Xiao Xuan, he couldn't hold back the restless malice churning inside him, wanting to tear the guy apart limb from limb.

Maybe it was the demon blood in his veins acting up. After all these years of cultivation, he still couldn't hold back his animal instincts.

Even with him putting on this upright, gentlemanly act, Lin Huaiqing still had to be on guard everywhere. If Lin Huaiqing ever found out who he really was, he'd probably run the other way.

So damn infuriating.

If he had the chance, he really would strip Lin Huaiqing bare, chain him to a bed, and stash him in his fox den where no one could ever find him.

To hell with the Great Yue, the throne, Xiao Xuan—all of it could go screw itself as far as Lin Huaiqing was concerned.

Even if Lin Huaiqing cried and threw a fit, he wouldn't go soft. Who cared that this man was infuriating as hell and yet constantly made him worry?

He could only keep him in his pocket, hold him in his mouth, tie him to his waist—scared to death of losing him.

Lin Huaiqing had no idea how long he'd been out, only that the carriage kept swaying, making it impossible to really rest.

The second he opened his eyes, he found Qin Hanyue staring down at him with a complicated look. His gaze was full of longing and regret, loaded with unspoken meaning.

That look made Lin Huaiqing's skin crawl. He shot up like a fish flipping out of water.

Had Qin Hanyue been staring at him the whole time he was asleep? How long had he been watching?

"Where are we? How long did I sleep?"

"About an hour or so. Should be there soon."

Lin Huaiqing lifted the curtain and saw the bustling streets were long gone, replaced by a quiet, secluded grove of trees.

The dragon carriage had made it out of the city and finally reached the foot of Yunhe Mountain.

Gazing at the endless mountain range outside the city, Lin Huaiqing took a deep breath.

So this was what suburban air felt like—it tasted like freedom.

Compared to the exhausting life of an emperor—all the work, the scheming, the having to spread his attention thin—Lin Huaiqing would rather live light and free.

He finally got why the emperor was called the Supreme Emperor.

Because being emperor meant waking up at five every morning for court and not getting to rest until nine at night.

Three hundred sixty-five days a year, except for big occasions like national mourning when court could be skipped, there was no excuse for just not showing up.

Whoever wanted this crappy job could take it!

"Your Majesty! The Thousand-Step Stairs are right ahead, and the ceremonial sedan is ready for you."

Looking at the seemingly endless staircase, then at the sedan chair that was literally powered by humans, Lin Huaiqing waved his hand.

"No need. I'll climb it myself—it shows more sincerity toward the gods."

Sure, the four sedan bearers all looked strong and burly, with arms thicker than his head.

But a thousand steps would wipe out an ordinary person just climbing them, let alone carrying a heavy guy like him on top of that!

"Huh? Your Majesty, the Thousand-Step Stairs may be called that, but there are way more than a thousand steps."

"Enough talk! Let's get up the mountain before noon." Why dawdle—once the blazing sun comes out, it'll only get hotter.

Lin Huaiqing walked in the middle, Qin Hanyue right beside him, with a sea of imperial guards trailing behind to protect the emperor.

For the first few hundred steps, the guards kept up. But as they went on, some started dropping off.

By the time they passed a thousand steps, there was no one left next to Lin Huaiqing and Qin Hanyue. Old Yan Weiquan had been left so far behind he might as well have disappeared.

After breaking through the Golden Core stage, Lin Huaiqing felt his stamina and senses had gotten better. Though *that* particular function still didn't work, at least everything else was pretty decent.

Qin Hanyue's stamina went without saying—even climbing ten thousand steps, he wouldn't be out of breath or break a sweat.

Noticing Lin Huaiqing gradually slowing down, Qin Hanyue figured he was hitting his limit.

"Why didn't Your Majesty take the sedan up?"

"I was afraid Zhao Ge bribed the bearers to drop me from up high." Lin Huaiqing glanced at the steep, winding mountain slope beyond the stairs.

If he couldn't summon his sword in time, even at the Golden Core stage, he'd end up banged up pretty bad from the fall.

"Your Majesty's always been all bark but soft-hearted. If you were trying to spare the bearers the hard work, you could've just said so. No one would call you soft."

Lin Huaiqing frowned at that.

Was it really that obvious? Were his little thoughts that easy to read?!

"National Preceptor... d-don't act like you know me that well. If you're so tough, carry me up yourself!" Lin Huaiqing panted as he climbed, his face bright red.

At that, Qin Hanyue actually stopped and crouched down on the steps. "Hop on."

"?!" This guy was way too easygoing—was he seriously going to carry him?

"No need, I was just kidding. I can still manage." If anyone down there saw him like this, what would be left of his imperial dignity?

"..."

"What about your shadow guard? Didn't you bring him along when you left the palace this time?" If Xiao Xuan were here, Lin Huaiqing would definitely make him do the carrying, right?

"Shadow guard, shadow guard~ Of course, they stay in the shadows. If you could see him, would he still be called a shadow guard?"

The two made small talk like this until they finally reached the mountain gate stone inscribed with the words "Yunhe Mountain."

Lin Huaiqing, panting heavily, climbed the final stair and then collapsed onto the steps at the mountain gate, gasping for air, with not a shred of imperial dignity left.

"Damn it, this definitely exceeds a thousand steps."

While Lin Huaiqing was still cursing and griping about being dog tired, a figure suddenly blocked the sunlight before him.

"Your Majesty, this humble Daoist pays his respects."