Regent (4): 

Zhou Qinghao returned this time with two hundred thousand troops.

Many of these soldiers were originally farmers from near the capital. When Jin suffered a disaster and its grain harvest fell, Zhou Qinghao had led them to war to seize Chu’s grain.

Now that the war was over, some would remain stationed at Jin’s borders, some had been absorbed into Zhou Qinghao’s elite forces, but the vast majority would return to farming.

Jin’s national strength could not support such a massive army.

These soldiers, like the commoners in the capital, wore ragged clothes and had little flesh on their bones.

Still, they were happy simply to have survived the war and returned to the capital. They even felt gratitude toward Zhou Qinghao.

He had lived and eaten alongside them, led them to victory, and ensured they did not starve to death.

These ordinary soldiers had already gone home over the past few days; now only twenty thousand elite troops and numerous generals remained by Zhou Qinghao’s side.

As the capital grew closer, Zhou Qinghao’s deputy looked at him worriedly. “General, many of our people in the capital have been killed. You must be careful this time.”

“I know,” Zhou Qinghao replied.

This deputy, also from a humble background, was literate and skilled at accounting. He had long served as Zhou Qinghao’s aide, managing military provisions.

He glanced at Zhou Qinghao’s profile, wanting to warn him to be wary of their king, but in the end said nothing.

Their general was loyal to the king; saying such things would only displease him.

Besides, what use would caution be?

The king was still their ruler.

Even though their general held the title of Regent, he was not the true king.

Jin’s royal clan and great nobles did not heed him. If he rebelled, the realm would fall into chaos, and no one would help him govern.

He could not flee to Qi or Chu either—both had deep grudges against him and looked down on him.

The deputy could only hope the king would not grow suspicious of their general, would not, like so many before him swayed by slander, kill him.

The deputy thought a lot; the ordinary generals thought far less. They were only looking forward to entering the capital to receive rewards and promotions.

Meanwhile, the nobles behind Gu Juntian had even more on their minds.

Standing in the cold wind, they whispered among themselves, exchanging bits of information.

“Why did the king kill that eunuch today?”

“Could it be the king discovered our scheme?”

“Most likely it was a moment of anger—the eunuch overstepped.”

“The king must have lashed out because he couldn’t bear Zhou Qinghao’s dominance.”

…

Gu Juntian’s sudden killing earlier had made them uneasy, but after discussing, they decided he probably hadn’t uncovered their private dealings. Killing the eunuch must have been because Zhou Qinghao was returning today, and the king was furious.

The former king had returned from Qi with nothing and still managed to suppress them—what about the current king?

Even with Zhou Qinghao’s help, he was still fooled by them.

They knew Gu Juntian well—he was like a flowery pillow filled with straw: fine-looking, but useless.

His killing, and dragging them to greet Zhou Qinghao, was likely just a way to vent anger.

And the target of that anger was probably Zhou Qinghao.

But the cold outside was real.

They had purposely arranged for the king to wait outside early to deepen his resentment toward Zhou Qinghao. They hadn’t expected that while the king sat in the carriage, they would be left standing in the freezing wind.

The group strained their necks, eager for Zhou Qinghao to enter the city quickly.

Although the original host could not issue edicts and was constantly obstructed, he was not without usable officials.

It was simply that those officials acted together to ignore him.

After arriving outside the city, Gu Juntian had sent someone on horseback to scout ahead and report when Zhou Qinghao was near.

When that man returned, Gu Juntian stepped down from the carriage and looked at the nobles. “Gentlemen, since uncle’s return is important enough for me to greet him in person, you should also show proper respect.”

Humiliation flashed in their eyes.

Gu Juntian saw it and chuckled.

In this era, birth was everything, and people looked down on those of humble origin.

Indeed, few of humble birth achieved success.

It was hard to learn in these times—knowledge was monopolized by the ruling class, and office was gained through recommendation, so commoners had no chance to become literate officials.

Even poor but educated men rarely rose above petty clerkships.

Thus, though Zhou Qinghao was highly capable and wielded real power, many still looked down on him.

In the distance, dust rose—Zhou Qinghao had arrived.

Gu Juntian straightened his robe and crown, ready to receive him.

A group rode up. Seeing Gu Juntian and the others, they immediately dismounted and strode forward.

At the head was a tall, strong man in his thirties, with sun-darkened skin and a scruffy beard.

Who else could it be but Zhou Qinghao?

Gu Juntian’s gaze landed on his face, and his heartbeat quickened with an indescribable feeling.

Zhou Qinghao looked weathered. He must have suffered much hardship in the years at war.

He ought to be high above, like an immortal exiled to the mortal world, enjoying the finest things—but now…

Before he left for war, his skin was fair, his looks striking, and countless women in the capital pined for him.

How had he come to look like this? He seemed to have aged more than ten years!

A pang of distress flashed through Gu Juntian’s heart.

He even wanted to go up and examine Zhou Qinghao carefully.

He suddenly remembered that Zhou Qinghao had been injured several times in the past few years.

Were those wounds serious?

Had he eaten and dressed warmly these years?

Countless thoughts raced through Gu Juntian’s mind, then startled him.

Why was he so concerned about Zhou Qinghao?

His heart raced just seeing him—was this love at first sight?

That didn’t seem right!

The original host’s memories contained Zhou Qinghao’s handsome youth, but those memories had stirred nothing in him. Yet now—

His skin was dark, his beard unkempt, his whole bearing rough—

And still, Gu Juntian had fallen for him at first sight!

Was his taste this strange?

Baffled, he stared straight at Zhou Qinghao.

Zhou Qinghao froze.

Three years ago, when he realized his feelings for the young king had changed, he had despised himself.

It had taken him three years to forget Gu Juntian.

To sever this forbidden thread completely, he had returned to the capital without grooming himself, even growing a beard.

Yet the moment he saw Gu Juntian in the distance, all those feelings surged back uncontrollably.

In three years, his king had grown to match his height, now striking and extraordinary.

He wanted to embrace and kiss this young king.

At that moment, Zhou Qinghao deeply regretted—

Why hadn’t he shaved? Why hadn’t he cared for his face during those years?

His expression darkened.

Why was he even thinking like this?

He was the king’s uncle, the man who had raised him. He could not lead the king astray!

He had promised the late king to assist this boy faithfully.

And even if the king accepted men, he certainly wouldn’t accept him.

Years of campaigning had made him a burly, weathered middle-aged man.

In his youth, perhaps he could rely on his looks—but not now.

All these thoughts flashed through Zhou Qinghao’s mind before he pushed them all down.

Both men had been momentarily lost in thought, but they smoothly completed the formal scene of the Jin king welcoming the victorious regent, presenting a show of harmony before all.

When it ended, Gu Juntian invited Zhou Qinghao to ride with him back to the palace for the victory banquet.

Zhou Qinghao instinctively refused. “It is improper for me to share a carriage with the king.”

He had bathed and changed clothes yesterday, so he was not dirty, but he was unkempt, while Gu Juntian looked immaculate.

He even felt that getting in the carriage would somehow sully it.

“Uncle, have we not shared a carriage many times before?” Gu Juntian replied. In the past, Zhou Qinghao had often ridden with the original host.

Zhou Qinghao hesitated, then no longer refused.

Gu Juntian, however, studied him closely.

Zhou Qinghao had followed the late king at fifteen, when the original host had been only one year old—meaning Zhou Qinghao was fourteen years older.

Now Gu Juntian had just turned nineteen, while Zhou Qinghao was thirty-three.

That was not young in this era, though some well-kept nobles looked little different from men in their twenties.

When he left the capital at thirty, Zhou Qinghao had appeared very youthful.

Though he looked rough now, with a shaved beard his looks would not be lacking.

In truth, Gu Juntian’s attraction to Zhou Qinghao was not strange.

After all, in the whole of Jin, who could compare to him?