Seeing Li Gongzi leaving Ping An Palace with an expression of realization and holding the scroll, Ye Mao immediately turned around and ran into the emperorâs bedroom.
Jing Ye was leaning against the bed, still with the expression of âGo, Iâll let you go, no matter how painful my heart is, Iâll let you go as long as youâre happyâ.
Ye Mao: âYour Majesty, Li Gongzi has left!â
The expression collapsed.
Ye Mao hurriedly stepped forward to help the emperor change into a more comfortable position: âYour Majestyâs performance was really good!â
ââŚ..â Jing Ye remained expressionless, âZhen wants to wash my face.â
âYes, yes, yes.â Ye Gonggong turned around and had the maids bring water and towel, wring it dry, leaned over and wiped the emperorâs face carefully, âThis servant notices that the eyes of Your Majesty are really a bit dull.â
Well, duh, was my transcribing without sleep all night for nothing?
Ye Mao continued wiping and asked, âYour Majesty, does your throat still hurt?â
âCough, coughâŚ..â Jing Ye swallowed, his voice hoarse, âSlightly.â
Li Qing, if you come back again, Zhen would definitely give you the title of the âKing of Black Foodâ, who had never come before or would ever come in the future, so that everyone in the world would understand that your cooking skills are even more powerful than your face.
The next day, the imperial decree to depose Li Gongzi was sent to Yaoguang Hall. There was also an addition to the emperorâs order: Because of Zhenâs serious illness, the government affairs are to be temporarily managed by the Minister of the Right who shall lead the cabinet, the vermillion ink to be replaced with blue.
When the emperor made this move, there was an uproar in the court and once again there was gossip to be discussed.
The attitude among the common people was still quite the same. They all sighed at how the jade-like gentleman Lord Tanhua refused to be afraid of using his death to oppose power (although it was the emperor who was poisoned), and finally ended up in a tragic situation of being exiled to a barren land, which only made many infatuated young ladies cry out of heartbreak.
The thoughts of the people in the court were much more varied. Some felt sorry for Li Tingqiu having the ability to serve the country but with no way to do so. Some scolded the incapable ruler but could do nothing. Some took into account the diligent administration of the emperor the past few days and faintly noticed something. There were also those sitting on pins and needles, afraid that their precious son/brother/nephew would be snatched by the emperor to fill the haremâŚ..
At dusk, in the western part of the capital.
âYou can accompany a friend for a thousand kilometers, but eventually you will have to say farewell.â Gu Hong led the horse behind him and smiled, âThe two of them wanted to come to see you off, but after all, they shouldnât be too ostentatious, so they did not come.â
âI understand.â
Li Tingqiu lowered his eyes, turned around and stepped on the carriage, but then suddenly stopped: âRuoshui.â
âEn?â
âHeâŚ..what is he doing this for?â
âWhat do you say he is doing this for? Why bother with this anymore, you have escaped the cage.â
The young man was silent for a long time, and finally grabbed onto the wall of the carriage and boarded the carriage: âWhat Ruoshui said is very true.â
Gu Hong smiled slightly and watched as the carriage curtains were lowered and the wheels reeled, heading down the road to the southwest.
In the palace, Jing Ye could also be said to have relied on Li Tanhuaâs blessing, and finally spent a few days living the life of an incapable ruler.
Life couldnât be better at all.
If one could ignore some certain people.
After lunch at noon, Jing Ye ordered someone to put down the gauze curtain by the window and laid on the soft couch to read a memorial. Although there was no need for the emperorâs personal approval in vermillion ink, there were some things in the memorials that could not be ignored.
After reading for a while longer, His Majesty the Emperor, who was diligent in government and loves the people, yawned. After a while, he yawned again, then a third, a fourth, and a fifth timeâŚ..
Then he fell asleep.
The burning ambergris in the jade cauldron slowly floated into the air. The afternoon breeze evoking good dreams.
Ye Gonggong was serving outside, and seeing this situation, he instructed the little eunuch beside him: âTell those palace maids to be quiet, His Majesty is asleep.â
âAi, Teacher.â
As soon as the voice fell, a little palace maid hurried in, Ye Mao held the whisk and pointed at her: âBe quieter.â
âGonggong, Lu Gongzi is here.â
âWhat?â Ye Gonggong startled, âQuick, go and tell the Gongzi that His Majesty is still asleep, change the timeâŚ..â
âChange what time?â Lu Baizang walked in with a smile, carrying a wooden food box, followed by a few little eunuchs who wanted to stop but didnât dare. âYe Gonggong.â
Ye Mao: ââŚ..Lu Gongzi, His Majesty is still asleep.â
âAsleep?â Lu Baizang looked in, âHis Majesty had just eaten lunch, right? Sleeping after a meal can lead to indigestion, which is not good for the dragon body. I will go and accompany His Majesty for a chat.â After he finished speaking, he raised the bead curtain and was about to enter.
âAi, Lu Gongzi! His Majesty orderedâŚ..â Ye Mao hurried over to stop him, but a certain someone tripped him with his foot, causing him to fall to the ground. Fortunately, a fleece carpet was placed on it, so it didnât hurt too much.
Lu Baizang chuckled lightly, then lifted the curtain and went in.
Lu Baizang walked quietly to the front of the couch. He saw the sun shining through the soft smoke-like gauze curtain to envelop the emperor in a hazy halo. His long feathered eyelashes occasionally trembled slightly, his thin lips were pursed, and he appeared more gentle when asleep.
Lu Baizangâs lips curved upwards, he bent down and rubbed the emperorâs gentle profile, and placed the food box on the small table beside the couch.
Unfortunately, the food boxâs weight caused the memorials that were stacked so high to suddenly become unstable, and they all fell to the ground.
Jing Ye was awakened suddenly by the noise. His eyes adjusting to the sunlight, he turned his head and saw Lu Baizang.
Jing Ye: âF**k!â
âWhat did Your Majesty say?â The other raised his eyebrows and smiled.
âNo, itâs nothing.â Jing Ye felt his eyes twitch and he sat up, âWhy is qing here?â
ââŚ..â Lu Gongzi blinked and bit the folding fan again: âYour Majesty, twice.â
âWhat?â
âTwice Your Majesty sees this subject, and all you said isâŚ..â Lu Baizang looked aggrieved, âWhy did qing come here? Your Majesty hates seeing this subject that much?â
Jing Ye: ââŚ..No, Zhen does not mean that.â
Lu Baizang squinted at him for a while, then smiled again: âThis subject made some cakes for Your Majesty, could Your Majesty try it?â
Jing Ye: ââŚ..â He even knows how to make cakes.
âThese are all ones that this subject newly came up with. Your Majesty will definitely like them.â Lu Baizang leaned over and smiled.
Really? Jing Ye became a little interested, and lowered his head silently, only to see that after the exquisite box lid was lifted, on the luxurious and beautiful agate plate, lay a snow-white chubby steamed bun.
But steamed buns wonât have a tail that curls, and a belly that shrinks and stretches!
Lu Baizang: â!â
Jing Ye raised his head sincerely: âQing, for now Zhen doesnât want to eat raw pork.â
ââŚ..â
Lu Baizang showed exasperation on his face, and stretched out his hand to pick up the 'steamed bunâ that had curled into an ellipsoid shape: âA moment of carelessness let this little beast startle Your Majesty.â
âYour pet?â Jing Ye couldnât help laughing. The little guy was lying in the young manâs flat, jade-like palm, flicking its pretty ears from time to time, âLu Qing has quite the leisurely interest.â
Lu Baizang looked at the emperorâs expression with clear eyes.
When the emperor forced him to enter the palace, he had his attendants throw Lu Huihui into the wasteland when he was off guard, and he was even more disgusted with cats and dogs. A palace maid once raised a stray cat in her room and after being caught by him, it was seized and burned alive in front of the palace gate.
But the person in front of him had smiling eyes. Seeing Lu Huihui open its eyes and sniffing around, he stretched out his right hand with palm flat and the little suckling pig immediately jumped up onto it with short stubby legs.
Jing Ye rubbed its snow-white fluff: it felt so soft, the meat must be good.
âŚ..When faced with the question of how to deal with the cute pet Lu Huihui, the former and current emperor undoubtedly maintained an astonishing consistency. It was a pity that the little stupid pig didnât feel the murderous intent around it at all, still wagging its tail and trying its best to burrow into the embrace that emitted the sweet fragrance of honey pastry and incense.
The emperor poked its round head and smiled softly. Because he had just taken a nap, his hair was not as meticulous as usual, the strands were scattered, his robes were not neat, there was also a sleepy look in his eyes, and his movements were slightly slower than usual, looking rather indolent.
Lu Baizangâs eyes darkened, and he said, âYour Majesty.â
âEn?â
The young man smiled slightly, leaned over closer to the emperorâs temples, picked up Lu Huihui with one hand and tossed it behind him. The little piglet landed on the small table accurately, and then with the momentum of ânot defeating the Loulan, we shall not returnâ, plunged into the pile of cakes prepared by the palace servants for the emperor.
âYour MajestyâŚ..â The young manâs scent tightly enveloped him, and Jing Yeâs right hand shook: Why was there such a strong flavor of erotica againâŚ..
âWhy does Your Majesty only look at it, is it better looking than this subject?â
Jing Ye: ââŚ..â You have high aspirations, comparing your beauty with that of a pig.
âââââ
In the afternoon, the ice cubes in the copper basin radiated cold air, the mist rising up into the air, mixed with the scent of ambergris, and gradually filled the entire bedroom.
Outside of the bead curtain, Ye Mao and the palace servants had already retired wisely. The hall was silent, echoing the ambiguous moist sounds that made people blush and feel warm all over.
When he was so aroused that his guard lowered, Lu Baizang unwittingly slowly let go of the clamped wrists in his hand, slipping his left hand between the otherâs legs, and alternately caressed with light and heavy pressure.
He was just gently biting and kissing the emperorâs flexible waist when he noticed a hand groping over and gently touching his face: âLu Qing..âŚâ
When the emperor called with a voice that was slightly hoarse, it seemed to be full of affection, which was quite captivating.
Lu Baizang reached out and held it without thought: âYour MajestyâŚ..â
âLu Qing.â Jing Ye called again in a hoarse voice, âZhen wants to see youâŚ..â
Lu Baizang couldnât help feeling his heartbeat taking a drum rhythm, and he subconsciously raised his head to meet the tearful eyes of the emperor.
ThenâŚ..
âThump!â
The third time.
Letâs wipe a tear for Lu Gongzi with Ye Gonggong.
âYour MajestyâŚ..â Lu Baizang simply propped up his right leg and leaned against the cool fleece carpet, but a certain part of his body was still so hot and swollen so he could only smile bitterly.
âWhy are you so heartless to this subject?â
âIf qing can keep your body chaste for three months.â Jing Ye closed the torn front of his robes, âZhen will believe that you have feelings for Zhen.â (TN: by chaste I donât think he is implying that Lu Baizang does it with other people, just stipulating that he must wait three months before they can take it any further)
âIf qing has feelings for Zhen, then Zhen will not disappoint qing.â
Lu Baizang was surprised at first, then amused, and then the smile turned into a heavy gaze, âYour Majesty is so greedy.â
Jing Ye sorted out his clothes and sat at the small table: âWho in the world is not greedy? Are you not greedy?â