CH 15

Upon hearing Jin Wang’s words, Ye Shu first thought of where he came from.

If he had any secret that nobody else knew, it was probably only that he had transmigrated into a book.

But he didn’t dare say this matter. Leaving aside the impossibility of Jin Wang believing it, the more important thing was that……

Jin Wang was treating him in this way now all because of his old relationship with the original owner. If he knew that he was occupying the latter’s place by crook, would there still be any way for him to survive?

But other than that, what else could he say?

Jin Wang saw his hesitation and asked, “Is it that you don’t want to tell Gu?”

He was not asking whether or not he had a secret, but rather whether or not  he wanted to reveal it.

Jin Wang had a keen understanding of people so lying in front of him was not in the least a sensible act.

The carriage rocked slowly as it traveled, and the interior was silent for a while.

Ye Shu then asked in a low voice, “Can…this subject not talk about it right now?”

Jin Wang raised an eyebrow. “Now?”

“Yes…… I owe you this one,” Ye Shu pursed his lips and promised, “some time in the future, I will definitely tell Your Majesty.”

Jin Wang squarely looked at Ye Shu; the young man’s eyes were clean and sincere, not containing the slightest trace of impurities.

A soft spot in Jin Wang’s heart moved lightly.

Seeing that he didn’t answer, Ye Shu crept to Jin Wang’s side, lowered his head, and dug in under the arm where Jin Wang was holding his cup of tea. “Your Majesty, I don’t want to talk about it now, just let me owe it to you for a few days, okay?”

The two of them were so close together in that posture that Jin Wang’s expression changed. “Go back!”

Ye Shu didn’t move.

After more than half a month of living together, he had long perceived Jin Wang’s attitude towards him.

This man was firm in speech but soft in heart—outside looks unattainable. In fact, he very much let himself lay down the law, and was mostly unable to endure Ye Shu’s coquettish acts towards him.

If such a man actually existed in the real ancient times, perhaps he would really just be a fatuous ruler whose state suffered from being scourged by a demon concubine.

It was fortunate that Ye Shu didn’t want to scourge the state, he just wanted to live well.

Ye Shu wrapped his hands around Jin Wang’s neck and acted coquettishly very skillfully. “Your Majesty, just promise me, okay?”

How could Jin Wang not see the other party’s thoughts. He let out a low laugh, put down the teacup, and conveniently drew the man into his chest. “It’s not impossible for you to owe it. Let Gu have it off with my beloved minister in this carriage, and Gu will promise you.”

Ye Shu’s body stiffened.

Naturally, no one would dare come up to His Majesty’s carriage. However, this carriage had no sound insulation, not to mention that the curtains on both sides weren’t tightly closed, little gaps appearing between them with every bump in the road.

With so many martial experts out there, it was almost impossible to go unnoticed.

Why did this dog emperor have such sexual perversion?!

Ye Shu casually moved away, only to be held tighter by Jin Wang. “What, refusing to do so?”

“I’m…I’m feeling out of sorts these days……”

Jin Wang’s eyes seemed to smile. “Out of sorts where? Gu will help you check.”

“……”

Ye Shu and Jin Wang looked at each other for a moment when suddenly, he pushed Jin Wang away and lifted the carriage curtain. “Ou—”

Jin Wang, “……”

Ye Shu vomited so much that his head started to feel dizzy and his vision dimmed, yet he didn’t forget to turn around to explain, “Your Majesty, listen to me, I didn’t mean to vomit—”

Jin Wang, “…………”

This feeling of nausea came without any warning. Ye Shu only felt that his stomach had turned upside down and burst with regurgitation.

He woke up this morning with no appetite, and was only half forced by Jin Wang to drink a few mouthfuls of porridge, which were now all vomited clean.

A short while later, a pair of hands reached over and held Ye Shu’s shoulders.

A cup of fresh green tea was brought to his mouth.

“Drink some of this,” Jin Wang gently caressed Ye Shu’s back as he fed him the tea and took out a brocade handkerchief to help him wipe his mouth, and said, dissatisfied, “Both motion sickness and sickness when seeing blood, this lousy body……”

Although he said so, he took Ye Shu into his arms and let him lean into his embrace.

Lying listlessly in Jin Wang’s embrace, he had no energy to squabble with the other, but only looked up innocently with his moist, red eyes.

Was this what he would have wanted??? Besides, he didn’t have motion sickness before ah!

Whatever…… It was the original owner who should be blamed.

—

It was almost sunset when the carriage pulled into the imperial city.

The imperial palanquin of the emperor had long been prepared, and the servants standing on both sides of the road bowed down.

The carriage had stopped at the roadside, but no one had gotten off yet.

A palace maid in the crowd ventured to raise her head.

Exactly at that moment, the carriage curtains were pulled open and His Majesty came out with a youth in his embrace.

The youth in his embrace looked thin and weak, but the appearance wasn’t clearly visible. From the palace maid’s point of view, she could only see a handsome, fair profile, lying quietly as if…asleep?

Looking straight ahead, Jin Wang carried the youth off the carriage and onto the imperial palanquin.

The drapery in the carriage fell, completely covering the two figures.

As the imperial palanquin slowly set off, the servants began whispering amongst themselves.

“Was that the noble consort that His Majesty will soon bring into the harem?”

“His Majesty actually carried him onto the imperial palanquin himself! Never before have I seen His Majesty show such favor to any one.”

“I just don’t know how long this favor can last. His Majesty used to treat Minister Ye very well, but it ended in a……”

The words didn’t finish as they looked at each other in dismay, not daring to continue.

That name had become a taboo ever since Ye Shu, the left prime minister, was publicly executed. They didn’t dare to talk any more and soon dispersed.

—

Inside the imperial palanquin, Jin Wang looked down at the pale face of the man in his embrace and pulled the quilt higher to wrap him up.

Ye Shu, suffering from motion sickness, vomited at intervals of half an hour; the fresh green tea was of no use. The short two-hour distance from the palace to the imperial city took twice the amount of time.

The imperial carriage had always been reserved only for the ruler of the state. The space was not as large as the carriage, so carrying someone was naturally not comfortable.

Ye Shu frowned and woke up with a low groan.

Jin Wang whispered soothingly, “We’re almost at the bedchamber, bear with it a little longer.”

“Oh……” Ye Shu raised his hand and pressed his brow, saying in a weak voice, “I’ll never ride a carriage again.”

Jin Wang said, dissatisfied, “It’s all because you have a poor body. Is there anyone else who is like this?”

Ye Shu was silent for a moment and then explained, “…Your Majesty, motion sickness and sickness when seeing blood are innate. The physical body has……”

Jin Wang raised a brow.

Ye Shu instantly corrected himself, “…Hmn, you’re right.”

The imperial palanquin arrived and they soon reached the palace. Jin Wang didn’t let Ye Shu down and directly carried the latter into the bedchamber.

Ye Shu was tormented by the carriage all day long. As soon as he touched the bed, he immediately took off his robe and shoes, tumbled onto the bed, pulled over the quilt, and rolled himself up.

Jin Wang also took off his robe and turned his head to see that the young man had apparently positioned himself, smiled as he shook his head. “Gu will go to the imperial study to summon several ministers to discuss affairs. Sleep here a little longer. If you’re hungry, let them prepare the meals. Don’t wait for Gu.”

Ye Shu covered tightly from the quilt, his exposed head nodded. “Mmhmn.”

Jin Wang changed into a black and gold dragon robe under the servant’s attendance, then walked to the bedside and removed the jade hairpin from behind Ye Shu’s head. “You have been vomiting a lot these days. Perhaps it has something to do with your stomach problems. Remember to let physician Feng come again tomorrow to check.”

Ye Shu was too sleepy to open his eyes and said vaguely, “I knooow.”

Jin Wang laughed and put the jade hairpin on the bedside. He ordered the windows to be closed and the palace lamps to be put out before he led the people out of the bedchamber.

When Ye Shu woke up again, it was already dark, the only light was from the moon, passing through the window and casting down a chilly play of light and shade inside the silent bedchamber. He raised his head and stared at the drapes above his head, momentarily unable to recall where he was.

A few moments later, Ye Shu sat up and called in a low voice, “Chang Yuan?”

The unlatched window opened and then closed in one instant, a figure already kneeling before him. “Young Master.”

Ye Shu swept his eyes out of the window. Chang Yuan then intuitively understood. “Young master, don’t worry. His Majesty was worried about you being disturbed and thus withdrew the palace servants far away; they won’t be able to hear us.”

“Okay,” Ye Shu nodded and added, “I called you here to ask, what has Jin Wang said to you?”

Chang Yuan was the original owner’s trusted subordinate and had an unconditional loyalty towards him. The original owner also never concealed it to him when he conspired to rebel.

Chang Yuan immediately relayed the conversation he had with Jin Wang at the palace before, in sequential order and with nothing missing.

The more Ye Shu listened, the more alarmed he became. Waiting until Chang Yuan finished, Ye Shu only slowly said, “He……still doubts me.”

Chang Yuan looked down and said nothing.

Ye Shu asked again, “What about you, do you doubt me?”

“This subordinate has never doubted,” Chang Yuan said. “This subordinate has always been at the young master’s side. No matter how you act or what decision you make, I will do as I am told. I only said that to His Majesty to find out what his notion of you is.”

Ye Shu nodded. “You did well.”

“What is the young master’s next plan?” Chang Yuan asked.

Ye Shu was slightly taken aback.

Staying by Jin Wang’s side for so long, all he thought about every day was how to please the tyrant and how to survive in the hands of the other party.

He almost forgot that he was originally going to escape.

“I……” Ye Shu soon snapped back to his senses. “I certainly want to leave here as soon as possible.”

Chang Yuan, “This subordinate understands.”

“But there’s no hurry,” Ye Shu said. “His Majesty is keeping an eye on me now, we have to give this matter further thought and discussion.”

“Yes.”

The dark chamber once again fell into silence. Ye Shu fell back into the bed with his hands raised, and the jade hairpin by the pillow caught his sight.

When Ye Shu came into this world, he didn’t know how to tie his hair and always failed to remember to remove his hair ornament. In the few days after he came into this world, he was so unaccustomed to it that he was frequently chafed by it in his sleep.

Jin Wang was afraid that he would be hurt by the ornament, hence he would personally remove it every night before going to bed. In the course of time, it has already become a habit.

That jade hairpin was translucent and rather cool to the touch. Ye Shu’s mood gradually calmed down.

Come what may, the most pressing matter was to coax the dog emperor!

Ye Shu sat up and asked, “Where is His Majesty now?”

“Perhaps he’s in the imperial study.”

“Have the meals prepared. I will go and see him.”

After a stick of incense, Ye Shu came to the imperial study carrying a food container.

The imperial study was brightly lit and the chief personal attendant, Gao Jin, was guarding the door. When he saw Ye Shu coming, he was about to announce his presence when Ye Shu signaled that there was no need.

Gao Jin, by insight, understood and stepped aside from the door.

Ye Shu pushed the door in.

Inside, Jin Wang didn’t raise his head as he said, “Didn’t Gu say not to come in and disturb Gu?”

The visitor said nothing.

Jin Wang looked up to see who it was, but was taken aback.

The young man in plain clothes stepped into the hall, long hair unbound and scattered behind him, drifting with a faint luster under the moonlight.

The door then closed behind him. Ye Shu looked into Jin Wang’s eyes and smiled. “It’s boring to dine alone. This subject is here to find Your Majesty to eat togetheeer.”

A/N:

Ye Shu: I came to coax yooou!

Jin Wang: That… You came to the imperial study with that appalling appearance?

Ye Shu: ………