“Is Your Majesty going to engage in debauchery in broad daylight?” “He just suffered.”
Chu Yi burned with a fluctuating fever for two days. Half-asleep and half-awake, he only felt that someone kept feeding him medicine, wiping his body, and changing his clothes for him, which made him feel quite comfortable.
When he opened his eyes again, he was startled by the glittering and resplendent sight before him. The bed curtains seemed to be sewn with golden thread, the bedding appeared to be made of silk, and the beams of the bedchamber were made of cloud-capped sandalwood.
While Chu Yi was still admiring the surroundings, a serving palace maid walked in carrying a tray of warmed tea. Seeing that he had awakened, she whispered a word to a junior palace maid at her side and then approached.
The palace maid bowed to Chu Yi. “Does Your Lordship wish to change clothes?”
Looking slightly awkward, Chu Yi had not yet grown accustomed to these ancient rules and etiquette. He pointed at himself. “You are calling me Your Lordship?”
The palace maid nodded in acknowledgment. “Your Lordship, you may not know this, but Your Majesty personally took care of Your Lordship all these days and did not allow any of us to serve. He hardly slept for a moment through the night, and without even taking a brief rest, he has already gone to attend court.”
Chu Yi remained unimpressed. He had not even settled accounts with this tyrant yet for choking him until he was nearly suffocated to death!
Now the tyrant sends a little palace maid over to sweet-talk him and expect him to let bygones be bygones? In your dreams!
He slipped on his shoes on his own, fetched a robe from the clothes rack, and pondered over it for a long time without figuring it out. In the end, the palace maid had to help him dress properly.
He truly did not understand why ancient people wore so many layers, with three layers inside and three outside, to the point where he could not even distinguish which were inner garments and which were outer robes.
Involuntarily, the scene of himself frantically tearing apart his clothes that day flashed through his mind. No, why was he being so proactive? Ah! Ancient aphrodisiacs were truly far too potent!
Under the palace maid’s assistance, Chu Yi partook of breakfast. He deliberately struck up a friendly conversation with the palace maid, learned her name, and gained a general understanding of the palace layout.
Using a trip to the latrine as an excuse, he managed to shake off his attendants. Finding the palace gate with much difficulty, he prepared to strut out with an air of arrogant haughtiness, only to overhear the gate-guarding sentries chatting away.
Guard Left: “The Emperor was assassinated a few days ago, and these past few days he insists that we tighten security. Anyone entering or exiting must present a token. How could we possibly dare to stop those high-ranking figures?”
Guard Right: “Stop complaining. Didn’t their subordinates stuff your pockets with silver coins? Besides, those who try to force their way through are to be bound directly and handed over to the imperial guards. As for resisters, His Majesty said to execute them on the spot without pardon.”
Chu Yi thought to himself: First, he had no token; second, he had no silver.
He immediately turned around and walked back. As expected of a tyrant, it seemed he would have to think of another way to escape.
Even though it was a palace out of a book, it was indeed restored with lifelike detail. While lost in thought, Chu Yi was unexpectedly captivated by the scenery inside the palace walls.
The next instant, he accidentally crashed into someone’s embrace, filling Chu Yi with a terrible sense of foreboding.
He did not need to look up; there was only one person who wore this yellow imperial robe.
Chu Yi quietly took a step backward, attempting to widen the distance between himself and the tyrant, but before he knew it, Sheng Qianheng pulled him firmly around the waist. In a flash, Sheng Qianheng’s scent was right up close, making Chu Yi’s hair stand on end. “Your Majesty, this subject was momentarily careless and collided with Your Majesty. Death is too light a penalty.”
Seeing that Chu Yi’s entire body radiated resistance, Sheng Qianheng raised a hand to tidy a stray lock of disheveled hair at his temple and asked, “Your body has just recovered yet you wander everywhere, and you even dismissed Ruotao. How mischievous.”
Chu Yi instinctively ducked his head, but fearing the tyrant’s mercurial temperament, he had no choice but to lean back in close. “Is Your Majesty just back from morning court? Ruotao said Your Majesty has not rested properly these past few days. Why does this subject not accompany Your Majesty back to the bedchamber for a brief nap?”
Although Sheng Qianheng did not know what scheme Chu Yi was hatching this time, as long as the person stayed by his side, it was fine. He knew he had frightened him earlier. “Alright, whatever you say.”
On the leisurely walk back to the bedchamber, the two remained mutually silent.
Chu Yi was terrified that a slip of the tongue would incur the tyrant’s punishment, while Sheng Qianheng was afraid Chu Yi would bring up the subject of leaving.
Once they entered the room and only the two of them were left staring at each other, Chu Yi watched as Sheng Qianheng unfastened his own outer robe, turned, and strode right up to him. Reaching out to undo Chu Yi’s belt, Chu Yi immediately grabbed his wrist and asked, “Why do Ruotao and the others call me Your Lordship?”
Sheng Qianheng raised his eyes to meet his gaze, knowing that Chu Yi was already resisting his touch, so he had to resort to a soft approach. “I have been taking care of you these past few days, so they naturally assumed you are the imperial consort I wish to take. Calling you Your Lordship is only logical; they are merely servants who know how to read the room.”
Chu Yi pursed his lips slightly, his gaze lingering on the token hanging from the clothes rack. “But I am a man. Since previous dynasties, there has never been a precedent for taking a male consort. Your Majesty, this subject likewise does not wish to be trapped within the deep palace.”
Sheng Qianheng showed no excessive surprise at Chu Yi’s words, which differed so greatly from his past behavior, simply attributing it to shock. “Without your consent, how could I casually take a consort? Besides, the two of us previously made a pact: you do not take a wife, and I do not take a consort. Or is it that you wish to treat what happened that day as if it never occurred, and Ayi still wants to take a wife, have children, and abandon me without a second thought?”
Chu Yi only then pulled his gaze back, left utterly speechless by Sheng Qianheng’s shameless words.
After pondering for a long time, he could only feign intimacy by pinching the tyrant’s fingertips. Leaning on his vague memories from the book, he spoke up, “Aheng, that is not what I meant. It is just that you have newly pacified Xixia, and the current political situation is turbulent. You should focus on state affairs rather than sinking into personal romance. Can we discuss our matters another day?”
Seeing Chu Yi pull him toward the bed, and feeling genuinely fatigued these days, Sheng Qianheng could not be bothered to guess his little tricks. He had already dispatched guards to secretly protect Chu Yi, so Chu Yi would not be able to sprout wings and fly away anyway. “Alright, whatever you say. Lie down with me.”
Chu Yi quietly climbed onto the bed, meticulously smoothing down his robes to ensure there was no possibility of them being stripped off, before stiffly lying down and pulling the quilt over himself.
Sheng Qianheng casually lay down on the outer edge of the bed, closing his eyes with steady breathing as if he had truly fallen asleep.
Chu Yi had woken up less than two hours ago, and asking him to accompany the tyrant for a nap now was truly a tall order. He cast sideways glances at the tyrant beside him.
Standing roughly five foot six inches with a well-proportioned figure, this tyrant belonged to the striking-featured type with thick eyebrows, large eyes, deep-set facial features, and lips of moderate thickness.
The tyrant’s looks unexpectedly matched Chu Yi’s specific preferences!
Terrified of letting his lust cloud his judgment, Chu Yi reined in his thoughts and pondered how he could steal the token without the tyrant noticing. Recalling the earlier situation, the tyrant had seemed quite gentle with him; could he actually be a foolish ruler?
If so, could he use this seduction to swipe the token while the tyrant was not paying attention?
Still, the fastest method right now was to wait until the tyrant fell into a deep sleep and quietly slip out of bed to grab it. Chu Yi lay straight as a board in bed for nearly half an hour before daring to slowly sit up. He waved his hand a couple of times before Sheng Qianheng’s eyes, and confirming that the other was deeply asleep, he quietly raised a leg, intending to climb right over the tyrant.
To his utter shock, the moment he cleared one leg, Sheng Qianheng woke up! He directly lifted his leg and forced Chu Yi to stumble and drop straight onto his lap.
Terrified of crushing the tyrant, Chu Yi could only brace one hand against his chest, look back, and offer an awkward smile. “Your Majesty is awake?”
Sheng Qianheng slept lightly, waking instantly at the slightest disturbance, let alone the not-insignificant commotion Chu Yi had made.
Propping up his upper body slightly, he reached out to clasp Chu Yi’s waist, hoisted him up to a comfortable sitting position, and instead started teasing him, “Where to? Wanting to run away again?”
Chu Yi let out an astonished gasp, feeling utterly awkward with nowhere to put his hands. For a fleeting moment, he could not help but wonder if the book’s description of Sheng Qianheng as a tyrant or a foolish ruler was completely wrong. Sheng Qianheng was far too skilled, and that day, he could not even remember how many times they had been together.
And right now, all these interactions with him flowed far too naturally. He certainly possessed the traits of a foolish ruler. Or perhaps he had many consorts behind the scenes, and the book simply failed to mention them?
Feeling the strange stirring beneath him, as Sheng Qianheng was apparently getting aroused, Chu Yi tried to stand up, but Sheng Qianheng’s hands pinned his waist immovably. Flushing bright red, Chu Yi could only retort, “Is Your Majesty planning to engage in debauchery in broad daylight?”
Sheng Qianheng chuckled softly. Fearing he would push Chu Yi into a corner, he withdrew his hands, and the next second, the little rabbit bolted from his lap, nearly tumbling off the edge of the bed.
Sitting up, he looked at Chu Yi’s reddened earlobes. “Lord Chu, are you feeling shy? Have we not already engaged in broad daylight debauchery once before?”
Though he was twenty-nine years old, this was Chu Yi’s very first time experiencing such intimate contact with another person. He had once believed he would only reach that step after confirming a mutual bond with the person he loved, yet who would have thought he would be forcefully claimed by this tyrant!
On second thought, they were both adults taking what they needed; there was nothing shameful about it. Besides, he was not a woman, nor did he need to worry about accidentally getting pregnant.
Having successfully comforted himself, he prepared to turn around and fire back a retort at Sheng Qianheng, only to find that the man was already gone from the bed.
Once fully dressed, Sheng Qianheng grasped Chu Yi’s wrist and pulled him toward the exit. “Accompany Me to the imperial study to discuss official business.”
Whirled around in a complete three-circle turn, Chu Yi’s head spun; he completely failed to grasp the tyrant’s thought process.
Several ministers were already waiting inside the imperial study. Silently trailing behind Sheng Qianheng, Chu Yi made multiple attempts to shake off the tyrant’s grip to no avail, ultimately having no choice but to stand right beside the dragon throne.
Lowering his head, he roughly pieced things together: this was, after all, a political intrigue novel, and with his meager intellect, surviving would be difficult. For now, staying alive depended entirely on flattering the tyrant!
Four officials were present in the room. General Wang stepped forward as the leader and spoke first: “Your Majesty ordered this subject to thoroughly investigate the assassination during the sacrificial rites. This subject has not recovered much, but has already had the findings secured in a brocade box. To think that the Prince Regent is also present; what is Your Majesty’s meaning?”
“Is the title of Prince Regent merely an empty name?” Sheng Qianheng glanced sideways at Chu Yi, his brows curving pleasantly. “Speak freely. Is there anything Regent Lord Chu, my esteemed official, cannot hear? Whatever you have investigated, present it at once.”
Chu Yi was completely rigid. Did this tyrant not claim he had stripped away his title of Prince Regent? Why was he going back on his word again?
General Wang immediately dropped to one knee and continued, “Naturally, the Prince Regent is permitted to hear.”
Noticing that Chu Yi seemed lost in thought, Sheng Qianheng deliberately squeezed his fingertips a bit harder. “What are you thinking about?”
Chu Yi could only nod with a smile. “Your Majesty, since General Wang has matters to report, this subject should excuse himself to avoid bias.”
He tried to wrench his hand free from Sheng Qianheng’s grasp, but finding it immovable, he looked questioningly at Sheng Qianheng, only to hear him say, “Ayi, General Wang has worked tirelessly. After investigating for all these days, do you not want to listen?”
Sheng Qianheng signaled for General Wang to present the prepared items.
Chu Yi watched as three eunuchs stepped forward, each carrying a tray. From a distance, they seemed to hold several letters, a blood-stained arrow, and a final wooden box.
Sheng Qianheng reached out to push the small of Chu Yi’s back, compelling him to step forward. “The things these three are holding are all related to you. Step up and take a look.”
Chu Yi pressed his lips together. The current plot diverged entirely from the book, leaving him no choice but to bite the bullet and open them.
The first tray held several letters with “Personally opened by Chu Yi” written on the envelopes. He picked them up and scanned them rapidly from top to bottom; these were letters documenting his communication with the rebels! Yet Chu Yi knew those were forged by the villains mimicking his handwriting.
Sheng Qianheng twirled the jade thumb ring on his thumb. “Go ahead and open the second one.”
Chu Yi slowly shuffled over to the blood-stained arrow. The fletching of this arrow was unique, as it belonged exclusively to Chu Yi’s personal confidants.
Struggling to keep his calm, Chu Yi stated, “Your Majesty, anyone’s handwriting can be imitated, and as for this arrow, a few days ago, my confidants informed me that a few of my arrows were missing. They were definitely stolen by someone to frame me.”
General Wang pressed aggressively, “What a coincidence that this rebel happened to mimic the Regent’s handwriting and then stole your confidant’s arrows to carry out the assassination.”
Seeing Chu Yi unable to defend himself, and taking in every single expression on Chu Yi’s face, Sheng Qianheng chose to ignore Chu Yi’s sophistry and spoke softly, “Open the third wooden box.”
Chu Yi proceeded to the third tray. According to the book’s accounts, the original Chu Yi was sliced to death by a thousand cuts, with his head hung high on the city walls. Terrified that opening it would reveal someone’s head.
Taking a deep breath and mustering his courage, Chu Yi opened it.
The box was empty.
Releasing a breath, Chu Yi asked in confusion, “Your Majesty, this is empty?”
General Wang continued, “The evidence collected by this subject leaves no doubt that the Prince Regent standing here intended to rebel. This third wooden box is what this subject prepared for the Prince Regent.”
Swallowing hard, Chu Yi did not quite know what to say for a moment. On second thought, he collapsed to the floor and feigned a faint.
On the bed within the imperial study, Chu Yi lay with a pale complexion and furrowed brows. Though he was merely faking sleep, his mind raced, constantly trying to puzzle out how to argue his way out and how to make his escape.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Sheng Qianheng had long since noticed that despite Chu Yi closing his eyes as if dead out cold, his slightly twitching eyeballs completely gave him away.
He asked the imperial physician, “Well, why did he faint?”
Having finished taking the pulse and placing Chu Yi’s wrist back onto the bed, Imperial Physician Xu replied, “He merely suffered a mild shock, coupled with physical exhaustion, which caused him to pass out.”
After sending the physician off, Sheng Qianheng walked back to the bedside. Watching Chu Yi’s eyelashes flutter, he directly raised a hand to stroke Chu Yi’s neck, applying a slight pinch.
Chu Yi immediately grabbed Sheng Qianheng’s hand, whipped around to tuck himself into the inner side of the bed, the terror in his eyes still lingering.
Sheng Qianheng withdrew his hand and smoothed his sleeves. “Still going to pretend to sleep?”
Chu Yi shook his head.
Sheng Qianheng sat on the edge of the bed with his back to Chu Yi. “Do you think I should suspect you?”