OL CH62

The next day, after the two of them finished breakfast, Chen Tian excitedly followed Bai Su into the carriage heading to the suburbs.

Resting beside his hand was a thick-veiled hat. Even in the sparsely populated outskirts, he was still not permitted to show his true face.

When Bai Su brought out the prepared veiled hat, he had been somewhat worried. But seeing Chen Tian’s expression remain perfectly normal, he didn’t say anything more.

Inwardly, however, he scoffed at himself. He had clearly already done the most excessive thing possible; getting nervous over such a minor detail now just made him seem hypocritical.

Chen Tian’s thoughts weren’t nearly as convoluted. He simply felt that after such a long time, his lover finally being willing to take him out was a good sign, indicating an increase in his partner’s trust.

It was just a veiled hat; wearing it wouldn’t kill him.

Moreover, looking at the meticulously arranged carriage interior—lined with soft rugs and featuring a small table set with fruits, pastries, and his favorite strong tea—Chen Tian smiled. He felt more and more that his baby was considerate to his very bones!

He only hoped that his dedicated companionship would quickly help Bai Su untie the knot in his heart and believe that he was truly willing to stay by his side.

Thinking of this, Chen Tian sat directly beside Bai Su, pinched his chin, and leaned in for a kiss. The two shared a sweet, lingering moment within the swaying carriage.

When they finally stepped out, Chen Tian, wearing the veiled hat, looked no different than usual.

But Bai Su, standing beside him, had flushed cheeks, eyes shimmering with undeniable moisture, and slightly swollen red lips—clearly showing he had just been thoroughly loved.

Bai Su pursed his slightly numb lips, turned to look at Chen Tian with a half-smile, and said, “No wonder they say lust clouds the mind. Tianchen, you truly have good methods. Being so gentle and attentive, you make me want to dig out my very heart and give it to you.”

Bai Su’s words sounded half-joking, but Chen Tian didn’t miss the underlying seriousness in his eyes.

Helplessly, he leaned in, reached out to gently stroke the reddened corners of Bai Su’s eyes, then lowered his hand to intertwine their fingers, strolling through the gentle breeze with his lover.

It had to be said that the scenery in the suburbs was indeed beautiful. At this time of year, everything was coming back to life, and the temperature was perfect. The fresh outdoor air, the babbling streams, and the lush forests were a feast for the eyes, leaving one’s mind exceptionally relaxed.

The two of them strolled amidst the beautiful scenery for an entire morning. Just as Chen Tian was thinking it was about time to return to the carriage to get some food for lunch, he heard a somewhat familiar shout from behind.

“Suzhi! Suzhi, why are you here?”

A figure sprinted up to them, blocking their path, and smiled brightly at Bai Su.

Seeing Young General Qi in front of him, Bai Su’s heart tightened, though he nodded calmly on the surface. Especially when he saw Pei Meng hurrying over right behind Young General Qi, he subconsciously gripped Chen Tian’s hand tighter.

Panting heavily, Pei Meng patted Young General Qi’s shoulder and complained helplessly, “You’re way too fast, you didn’t even wait for me!”

“How could I wait for you? You’re too weak, panting this hard already! Didn’t the Marquis tell you to exercise more? It’s so much better to practice martial arts like me! What a waste of the name Pei ‘Meng’ (Fierce), tell me, what exactly is fierce about you?!”

The young Marquis Qi rolled his eyes ungracefully, leaving Pei Meng somewhat speechless.

But immediately after, noticing Bai Su, he hurriedly bowed and greeted, “Prime Minister Bai, what a coincidence!”

“What ‘Prime Minister Bai’? Court is already dismissed, and we’ve been brothers for so long. Just call him Suzhi,” Young General Qi chuckled, punching Pei Meng lightly on the shoulder.

Knowing his childhood bad-influence-of-a-friend all too well, Pei Meng rubbed his shoulder and could only nod helplessly.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Bai Su, his attention shifted to the person standing beside him, whose hand Bai Su was tightly holding. Curious, he asked, “Brother Bai, who is this?”

“This is my wife. She caught a slight chill, which is why she’s wearing a veiled hat. She’s also rather shy and introverted by nature, please forgive any discourtesy.”

Although Bai Su said this, his heart was constantly tense, hyper-aware of Chen Tian’s reactions.

He knew perfectly well that these two men were Huo Tianchen’s confidants. Although he had brought many hidden guards, if the man were to ask them for help, it would still be very difficult to detain him by force.

Most importantly, both Young General Qi and Pei Meng were upright, incorruptible officials, backed by the General’s Estate and the Marquis’s Estate respectively. Bai Su truly didn’t want to make enemies of them.

But if they tried to snatch Tianchen away from him, he feared he really would do something to harm these loyal subjects and capable generals.

Fortunately, after he spoke, Chen Tian made no reaction whatsoever, simply standing quietly by his side like an obedient spouse. This allowed Bai Su to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

Hearing Bai Su’s words, both Young General Qi and Pei Meng offered good-natured smiles.

Young General Qi even teased, “No wonder we didn’t see you at the palace banquet today. So you were here accompanying your Madam! Truly enviable!

The two of us without wives are much more miserable. The palace banquet was incredibly boring. I think even His Majesty looked rather listless; he probably found it boring too. But His Majesty isn’t like us; we can slip away.

The suburbs really are better. The air is so fresh, and the flowers by the river are blooming beautifully!”

Hearing this, Bai Su smiled and nodded, but then offered an apologetic smile. “Madam’s health is somewhat poor. We originally only planned to take a short walk, but now an entire morning has passed. It’s time we returned to rest!”

Saying this, Bai Su bid them farewell, then took Chen Tian’s hand, turning back toward the carriage, leaving Young General Qi and Pei Meng watching their retreating backs.

Pei Meng, who investigated cases for a living, had a more observant mind than most. Watching the “wife” who was actually a bit taller than Bai Su, he frowned and said to Young General Qi, “Qi Second, why do I feel like Brother Bai’s wife is a bit too tall and broad?

More importantly, look at that build. I swear I’ve seen it somewhere before.”

Hearing Pei Meng’s words, Young General Qi also narrowed his eyes. “You’re right! Actually, I felt something was off just now. Suzhi’s wife is wearing men’s clothes, isn’t she?

Although I initially thought she might just be a woman dressed as a man, that chest is far too flat. I know it’s not proper to say, but… look at that back, the height, the long legs, and even the way of walking. Why does it resemble His Majesty so much?!

You know I commanded troops under His Majesty for a long time. I’ve never seen anyone whose back looked so much like His Majesty’s…”

As he spoke, the two suddenly exchanged a glance. Although both felt the thought in their minds was utterly absurd, they couldn’t help but quietly follow them. At the same time, their observation of the two figures ahead became even more meticulous.

Lacking martial arts, Bai Su naturally didn’t notice the people tailing them. As for Chen Tian, he noticed, but felt today was a perfect opportunity.

His relationship with Bai Su couldn’t remain deadlocked like this forever. Over the past year, he had expressed his feelings to his lover. Now, he needed a catalyst to escalate things, to make Bai Su truly understand that he was here voluntarily, and thereby believe in their love.

At this thought, Chen Tian deliberately let his footsteps falter for a moment, as if he had tripped, leaning his weight against Bai Su.

Seeing this, Bai Su hurriedly supported Chen Tian, assuming he simply hadn’t watched his step, and gently reminded him to walk carefully.

From the start, Young General Qi could tell from the walking posture that this person was a martial artist.

But for a martial artist to occasionally have unsteady footsteps or nearly trip—it absolutely meant there was something wrong with their body!

Never one to hold back, and with suspicions already brewing in his mind, he decided not to keep it bottled up. He figured the worst that could happen was being wrong and having to apologize to Bai Su’s wife.

So, he sprinted a few steps, engaged his Qinggong (lightfoot technique), flipped through the air toward Bai Su and his companion, and snatched the veiled hat right off Chen Tian’s head.

With the veiled hat removed, Chen Tian’s true face was revealed. Even though he had somewhat anticipated it, Young General Qi was still so shocked that he dropped the hat directly onto the ground.

He took a quick step toward Chen Tian and said in shock, “Y-Your Majesty!”

But immediately after, he remembered the palace banquet he and Qi Meng had attended today. When they left the palace, the Emperor was clearly still sitting in the seat of honor. Furthermore, it was said the Empress Dowager had matters to discuss after the banquet, meaning the Emperor couldn’t have possibly left.

Therefore, the person in front of him and the Emperor in the palace were definitely not the same person!

But why did this person have the Emperor’s face and act so much like him?

Recalling that Bai Su had just claimed this person was his wife, and noting the intimacy between them, could it be that Bai Su had long harbored illicit thoughts about the Emperor, found a stand-in, and deliberately made him look like the Emperor?

At this thought, Young General Qi frowned deeply, his gaze turning hostile as he looked at Bai Su.

But soon, he realized something else. The aura radiating from the man opposite him was absolutely not something an ordinary person could possess.

Having followed Huo Tianchen on military campaigns for years, he noticed a familiar scar on the back of the man’s hand—a scar left when he blocked an enemy’s dagger for him. Young General Qi’s eyes widened completely.

This person was the real Emperor, the true Master of Dongye!

At the same time, Pei Meng caught up. Seeing his friend’s expression, he immediately knew what he was thinking.

He too was shocked to his core upon seeing Chen Tian’s face. Recalling how his friend had constantly complained recently that “His Majesty has changed,” it made perfect sense now—he had been swapped with someone else!

Moreover, their Majesty was clearly a martial arts master, yet his unsteady footsteps earlier looked exactly like he had been drugged. Add to that the obvious hostility in Bai Su’s eyes as he grabbed the Emperor’s hand, treating him as if he were a possession…

Realizing this, Pei Meng shouted furiously, “Bai Su, what is the meaning of this! You… you actually! I never imagined you harbored such wolfish ambitions! How dare you imprison His Majesty!”

Hearing this, Chen Tian immediately felt Bai Su’s soul begin to fluctuate violently. His nerves tensed instantly, only to hear Bai Su say, “So what if I did!”

“Do you think anyone would believe you even if you spoke of it? Aren’t you afraid of bringing disaster upon the General’s Estate and the Marquis’s Estate?”

As he spoke, Bai Su reached into his sleeve for the bone whistle, intending to summon the hidden guards to detain the two of them.

Pei Meng’s heart skipped a beat at those words, but for Young General Qi, the fury shot straight to the top of his skull.

Not caring for reason, he drew the sword at his waist and lunged directly at Bai Su.

Young General Qi was impulsive by nature, and Pei Meng was too late to stop him.

Although Chen Tian had wanted to escalate the situation, he absolutely could not allow anyone to actually hurt his lover.

So, purely out of instinct, he grabbed Bai Su, spun around, and shielded him tightly in his embrace.