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Jin Wang carried Ye Shu back to the bedchamber.
Ye Shu had cried too much and still hadn’t recovered, softly gasping for air from time to time.
Jin Wang put him on the bed and was about to straighten up when a pair of hands tugged on his sleeve.
The outer corner of the young man’s eyes were red, droplets of liquid hanging off of moist eyelashes, clear and bright dark eyes—looking at him like a little rabbit, somewhat restless and afraid, not saying a word.
No man could stand such a look.
Jin Wang sighed and leaned over to embrace him again. “Gu won’t leave.”
With these words, he turned his head and ordered, “Prepare some hot water.”
The personal attendant responded and went to do it. Ye Shu leaned his head in Jin Wang’s embrace and breathed a silent sigh of relief.
He bet right.
From the time Jin Wang took out that pill, he had guessed that it shouldn’t be poison.
Jin Wang was the ruler of the state. If he really wanted to execute anyone, there was no need for a reason at all, nor would he listen to any explanation.
By asking Ye Shu to give an explanation, it showed that he really didn’t want Ye Shu to die.
But even if Jin Wang didn’t have the heart to kill him, it was fact that the original owner plotted a rebellion and an assassination. Whatever the case, there was no way to hide it, so he might as well admit it as soon as he could.
He just didn’t expect
this dog emperor to really fall for it.
His petty words usually wouldn’t be taken seriously, right?
The personal attendant soon brought in the hot water. Jin Wang let the man withdraw, and wrung out the silk handkerchief himself to help Ye Shu wipe his face.
“A-Yuan
” Ye Shu grabbed Jin Wang’s sleeve restlessly, his voice soft and trembling. “Am I already dead?”
Jin Wang’s movement paused. “What nonsense.”
“But I

”
“Gu told you, it wasn’t poison.”
Jin Wang’s heart felt a little upset, saying, “That was the same pill you took before. Couldn’t you taste it?”
It was in fact the suppressant.
Jin Wang had specially ordered the imperial physician to make extra pills—to keep one on his body just in case.
Who knew it would come in handy tonight.
Jin Wang had known Ye Shu for more than ten years, but this was the first time he had seen the man cry like this in front of him.
How many wrongs must he have suffered to make him this distraught.
Jin Wang thought back to the events of the past few days, and suddenly found that everything had changed.
Jin Wang dared not think about it. If this young man really did harbor such feelings for him, then how would he have felt about Jin Wang having sex with him that night, and how would he have been feeling about Jin Wang’s frivolous behavior towards him in the past few days.
Jin Wang took a deep breath and actually felt a vague tingling pain in his heart.
For the first time, His Majesty the Emperor felt some remorse.
He shouldn’t have bullied him.



Hold on!
It was obvious he wanted to kill Gu, so why should Gu feel remorseful here?
He almost got him there.
Shameless Ye Shu!
The silk handkerchief gradually cooled. Jin Wang threw it back into the basin and spoke with his voice turned cold all of a sudden. “Have you sobered up?”
“

” This man changed his face too quickly, don’t he???
The two looked at each other for a moment. Then, in silence, Ye Shu got up from the other party’s embrace, got on the ground and knelt straight in front of him.
Jin Wang was vexed. “What are you doing again?”
“This subject knew he had committed a serious crime. Asking Your Majesty to punish this subject.” Ye Shu resigned.
The young man had cried so much that even the tip of his nose had somewhat reddened and eyes filled with wetness—a look of vulnerability as well as that of being wronged.
It made one want to bully him even more.
Jin Wang averted his gaze and only felt his mouth dry up. “There’s no excuse for your crime.”
Ye Shu’s eyes dimmed.
“

But Gu is not disregarding old feelings,” Jin Wang said. “Gu thinks today you
were still honest
 Gu will take this case rather on the lenient side. Go and receive a caning of eighty strokes; this matter will then be considered settled.”
Eighty strokes???!!!
He’ll die!!!!!!
Ye Shu didn’t answer, his eyes sorrowfully reddened—bubbling with injustice.
Jin Wang also seemed to feel that his sentence was a bit extreme and that the punishment was a bit heavy for the young man, and coughed lightly. “

Fifty.”
“

”
Jin Wang once again looked at the young man’s thin figure. “Thirty then.”
“

”
Jin Wang was already enraged. “Twenty! End of discussion! If you can’t stand it, let the Department of Prudence divide the beatings!”
Ye Shu, who hadn’t even said a word the whole time, “


”
Ye Shu wasn’t quite sure, so he gently and cautiously probed, “What is the meaning of divide the beatings? Is it one hit

a month?”
Jin Wang exclaimed angrily, “Ye Qian!”
Ye Shu hurriedly kowtowed. “This subject abides the Emperor’s order.”
“

”
Jin Wang almost maddened himself to death because of this young man, but contrarily, he didn’t know how to refute it either.
The young man’s eyes looked like they were poking at his lethal point—poking him to death.
Thinking of here, Jin Wang thought better of it and felt something amiss.
This man had a silver tongue and knew best how to deceive people.
He couldn’t say for sure that the confession a moment ago was also an act of deceit.


He almost fell for it.
Jin Wang narrowed his eyes, implicitly revealing a hint of danger.
Ye Shu then felt a shiver run down his spine.
He naturally knew that the confession in the carriage alone was not enough to fool this dog emperor.
Perhaps in that space of a moment, he would believe Ye Shu’s words, but as he gradually calmed down, he would only become more and more suspicious.
What should be done?
The two; one was kneeling and one was standing, and the surrounding that was deadlocked for a moment, when came a servant to report, “Your Majesty, the bath is ready.”
The deadlocked atmosphere subsided instantly as Jin Wang smiled gently at Ye Shu.
Ye Shu instinctively felt anything but reassuring.
Sure enough, he heard Jin Wang say, “We have been rushing about all day today. A-Shu, accompany Gu to take a bath ba.”
—
The bath steam rose in the air. Ye Shu stood by the white jade pool, the roots of his ears were steaming with some redness.
“A-Shu, why are you still there?” The greater part of Jin Wang’s body was soaked within the water, showing a vast stretch of his lean chest. “Aren’t you willing to share a bath with Gu?”
Who would be willing to share a bath with him!
Is this dog emperor a pervert ah!
However, even in ordinary circumstances, Ye Shu didn’t dare to refuse.
He reluctantly took off his robe and put it aside, while untying the belt of his inner garment as he headed for the bath.
Suddenly, the pool rang with the sound of splashing water. A hand reached out from the water and dragged Ye Shu inside.
The sky and the earth swam before his eyes. When Ye Shu came back to his senses, he was already pressed firmly against the wall of the bath.
He had not yet taken off the last piece of his clothing, but it was now soaked in the water, fitting snugly all over his body, thoroughly wet.
Jin Wang lifted Ye Shu’s jaw with only one hand, gazed into those eyes, and asked in a deep voice, “You said your heart burns for Gu?”
Ye Shu, “

Yes.”
“Then prove it for Gu to see.”
Another test.
This dog emperor!
Ye Shu deliberately inclined his head not to look at Jin Wang. After a long time, he replied softly, “
I don’t know how to prove it.”
“It doesn’t matter, Gu will teach you,” Jin Wang brushed away the water droplets on Ye Shu’s eyelashes, leaned into his ear and gently said, “Take the initiative to attend and please Gu for once. Gu will believe you.”
Ye Shu was stumped, his cheeks soon tinted red.
Jin Wang didn’t miss any hint of his reaction, and his tone remained unperturbed, “You’re unwilling to do it. How can you say that your heart burns for Gu?”
After that, Jin Wang turned to leave, but was held back by Ye Shu.
The young man’s lips trembled as he said in a low voice, “I
I’m willing.”
Jin Wang didn’t move. Ye Shu closed his eyes and slowly kissed Jin Wang on the lips.
“My heart burns for you

 It’s true, please believe me.”
The young man’s skills were sloppy. Those trembling lips pressed against Jin Wang’s soon don’t know how to continue. Jin Wang sneered in his heart, clasped the young man’s wrist, and pressed him against the pool, reversing their positions.
Both men’s breathing became rapid.
Suddenly, Ye Shu’s body stiffened and struggled with all his might to get up.
Jin Wang slightly let go of him, and mocked a smile. “Couldn’t go on pretending? Gu just knew you
”
Jin Wang’s words came to a screeching halt.
The two were too close together, so close that any hint of change was evident.
Jin Wang looked at Ye Shu in disbelief.
In such a humiliating situation, he was able to


Ye Shu’s shock was no less than Jin Wang’s.
His trick wasn’t good enough for it to
 That reaction
was really not pretend.
Wasn’t it just a kiss? What was wrong with him?
Cut it out!
Ye Shu’s ears were all red. He couldn’t go on anymore and could only tilt his head to the side, wishing to dig a hole and bury himself on the spot.
But from Jin Wang’s point of view, this expression of his was of unbearable humiliation and painful struggle.
This time, he understood it all.
“A-Shu ah

”
After a long time, Jin Wang sighed lightly and pulled the young man’s taut body back into his embrace.
Ye Shu’s teeth trembled as he held Jin Wang’s wrist with force. “You
 Don’t. Touch. Me—”
“What are you embarrassed about? Don’t you believe in Gu?” Jin Wang pushed his hand away and whispered beside Ye Shu’s ear. “Don’t move. Gu won’t bully you this time
 Gu will help you.”
In front of Jin Wang, Ye Shu’s resistance was almost negligible.
Unsurprisingly, he soon lost even that feeble resistance.




The sounds of water emerged from the bath unceasingly.
—
Ye Shu had cried and run amok that night, plus was bullied by Jin Wang in the bath and finally passed out from exhaustion and was carried by Jin Wang himself back to the bedchamber.
As soon as he touched the bed, Ye Shu immediately rolled to the side, leaving only a thin back facing Jin Wang.
Jin Wang also lay down.
Ye Shu’s words today, Jin Wang did believe, but still had doubts.
Even if this man was in love with him, it could not erase the crime that he had committed by conspiring to commit regicide.
He would always be a hidden danger to Jin Wang.
That’s right, he’s a hidden danger, so Gu must not


The man beside him suddenly moved erratically, turning over and arching into Jin Wang’s embrace.
He rubbed like a small animal in Jin Wang’s arms, finally found a comfortable position and no longer moved.
Jin Wang hugged the young man’s warm and soft body, and after a long time, his consciousness returned.


What was he thinking about?
That’s right, this man abandoned the assassination today because of his love for Gu, but what would happen if one day in the future his love is no longer there?
Feelings in this world do not last, after all. He must still


“Jin Wang
” The sleeping young man murmured in his sleep. “How come you don’t even believe me
”
Jin Wang felt a tremble in his heart.
The young man shrank in his embrace, low hoarse voice accusing, “You will never believe me
”

That’s it.
Jin Wang closed his eyes and sighed like it’s a sort of compromise. “Gu will believe you once, for once and for all.”
“If you dare to lie to Gu again, I will definitely kill you.”
“

A ruler never goes back on his word.”
Author’s Note:
To tell the truth, I have rewritten this chapter three times qaq
Very thankful to everyone who supports me, I will continue to work hard!
—
TN: (shameless ad.jpg) still early for another project but yeah, i’ve ended up with one yet again. it will be up tomorrow, called “The Most Popular Comedian”, here on peachpits! entertainment circle, pure comedy (obv from the title alone(≧▜≊)) @@@ updates every Sunday! thank you all! mua~ (âșŁâ—ĄâșŁ)♡*