Jing Le hugged his younger brother and carried the small wooden sword on his back, running all the way from the small side path back to the secluded courtyard.

There was an old plaque hanging in front of the courtyard, with the words “Xiaoyi Pavilion” inscribed.

Little Jing Yun was still slapping his elder brother’s tender face angrily: “Wah wah!”

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“Don’t fuss, Yun’er.” Jing Le grabbed his younger brother’s chubby paws with a stern face, “We have to meet Shifu.”

“!!!!!!”

Jing Yun widened his eyes and was finally obedient.

Jing Le carefully stepped into the yard with his brother in his arms, stood in front of a paper window, and then lowered his head: “Shifu.”

 After a long time.

“You are late.”

“Still late in the end…..” Jing Le pursed his lips and lowered his head again: “This disciple understands.”

“Go outside and slash a hundred times with your sword.” The man’s voice was as cold as ice and snow, “No whistling sound of the wind should be heard.”

“Yes, Shifu.”

Jing Le hesitated for a moment, but still raised his head and said, “Shifu, can you look after Yun’er for this disciple?”

“Fine.” The man responded, “Just bring him into the room.”

“This disciple thanks Shifu!” Jing Le smiled and carried his younger brother to the door, “This disciple is entering?”

“En.”

Jing Le took his younger brother into the house. The man was sitting quietly by the window, the candle was flickering, and the dim yellow candlelight reflected on his long jet-black hair, shrouding it in a flowing halo.

Jing Yun was carried to the couch while still babbling. Jing Le stroked his soft hair, and instructed, “Be good Yun’er, listen to Shifu’s words.”

Little Jing Yun stared at his older brother with wide eyes, and then turned to look at the man at the table who was as cold as snow. He suddenly recalled the gentle smile and embrace of the young man earlier, and he couldn’t help feeling a surge of misery.

“Wah wah wah wah——”

The man’s brows moved slightly: “What’s wrong?”

Jing Le was a little embarrassed: “This…..”

The man was silent for a while, then finally got up, walked to little Jing Yun and leaned over to hug him: “Don’t cry.”

The angry little Jing Yun was like a newborn calf not knowing to be afraid of tigers. Although he was a little scared, he still resolutely slapped Shifu’s icy face with a wave of his little chubby paws.

“!!” Jing Le inhaled sharply and stepped forward: “Shifu, actually…..this disciple can still look after Yun’er…..”

“What happened outside?”

“Huh?” Jing Le was stunned, “Oh, it’s, it’s nothing, we just met one person…..”

He looked at the expressionless face of his shifu, and said carefully: “This disciple didn’t take good care of my younger brother, letting him run off accidentally, and when this disciple found him later, someone was holding him.”

“…..Yun’er liked his hug and refused to come back. That’s why we came back late.”

The man didn’t say a word, just gently let go of the little guy who kept babbling in his arms, lowered his head and looked at him: “Don’t fuss.”

Little Jing Yun was first shocked by the man’s icy eyes, but he immediately reacted: You actually acted mean to me! As a result, let go of his lungs and screeched, this time turning the volume to the highest level.

“Wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah——”

Man: “…..”

Jing Le: “Shifu, what should be done?”

Man: “…..Children, hard to raise.”

Jing Ye saw the two brothers again the next day.

As soon as the little one saw him, he grinned and opened his arms to beg for a hug. Jing Ye walked over and stretched out his arms. The bigger one hesitated for a while, but still carried his brother and handed him over.

Jing Ye smiled and hugged the little guy, rubbing against his little petal-like face. If he could take him back with him just like this, his mood would be even more complete.

Little Jing Yun raised his head and opened his mouth, spitting out a bubble, with an adorable smile on his face.

Jing Ye smiled at Jing Le: “Are you lost again?”

Jing Le looked at his smiling eyes, and suddenly felt a little embarrassed for the lie he told yesterday, and rubbed the little wooden sword in his hands: “No, no.”

Jing Ye squeezed little Jing Yun, who was constantly moving in his arms, and asked him, “Do you have to practice martial arts outside until this hour every day?”

Jing Le nodded, thought about it for a moment, and said, “Shifu said that people must first work hard on their hearts and minds and then work hard on their muscles and bones.”

Jing Ye looked at the wooden sword in his hand again, and found that the back of the sword was hollow: “This is…..”

Jing Le followed his line of sight and replied, “Shifu wants me to practice slashing with it until there is no sound of breaking the air.”

Jing Ye: “…..”

A child who was only eight years old was treated so strictly. He remembered that group of little ancestors in his previous life who would burst into sobs if just their little finger was scraped, and he couldn’t help but gently hold the boy’s hand and found that there was already a thin layer of calluses on it: “You practice every day, are you happy?”

Jing Le was stunned for a moment, then shook his head: “I don’t know, but I need to practice.”

Jing Ye sighed in his heart.

Lu Baizang came to deliver snacks to His Majesty the Emperor as usual. Jing Ye looked at the porcelain plate on which the desserts were placed, and suddenly asked him, “Do you know what children like to eat?”

Lu Baizang was slightly surprised and said with a smile, “This subject has a little niece. Before entering the palace, she often pestered this subject for snacks to eat.”

“Really?” Jing Ye couldn’t help laughing, “Then Zhen must trouble qing to make some of the same from before.”

“En?”

No need to fry melon seeds anymore?

“You don’t need to fry melon seeds anymore.” Jing Ye said, “If it is no trouble, please make some snacks that qing’s niece likes to eat.”

Lu Baizang raised his eyebrows and smiled: “Your Majesty’s words are too impersonal and distant.” Then he loomed closer over him, “As long as Your Majesty wants, this subject can give you anything…..”

“Aiqing.” Jing Ye stepped back expressionlessly, “Remember Lu Huihui?”

Lu Baizang: “…..”

Jing Ye was once again standing by the lake, this time with a bag of cakes. Sure enough, when it was almost evening, Jing Le walked out from the shade of the tree with little Jing Yun in his arms.

Jing Ye leaned over with a smile, took over Jing Yun who had already opened his arms, and said to the serious-looking elder brother with a smile, “Are you hungry?”

“…..” Jing Le lowered his eyes: “I’m not hungry.”

“Is that so.” Jing Ye freed one hand and slowly opened the paper bag in his hand, “Then do you want to eat cakes?”

Lu Baizang’s cooking skills were truly outstanding, as soon as the paper bag was opened, a sweet fragrance wafted into the air. Little Jing Yun’s eyes went cross eyed, and his drool was like a dam bursting.

Jing Le swallowed his saliva, and just as he was about to say no, his stomach growled and his face flushed.

Jing Ye couldn’t help laughing and picked up a piece and put it into the mouth of the little guy who was already desperately trying to grab at it. Jing Le blushed and wanted to turn his back, but Jing Ye grabbed another piece and stuffed it directly into his mouth.

After all, he was just a child, the yam cake with jujube filling in his mouth melted in his mouth, accompanied by the sweet aroma of red jujube filling, and he couldn’t help swallowing straight down into his stomach.

Since his father’s death, Jing Le had never eaten any meals or snacks that could be used other than to satisfy hunger. Because his shifu never ate these kinds of things.

Jing Ye smiled and rubbed his head.

Whether it was the palace guards who followed the emperor, or the uncle and his two nephews who were eating happily, none noticed the corners of white robes fluttering gently in the tall trees not far away, 

After feeding the two little guys, Jing Ye returned to Ping An Palace in the imperial sedan. Ye Mao was waiting at the gate of the palace. When he saw the emperor getting off the sedan, he stepped forward and said: “Your Majesty, the two lords, Lord Yin and Lord Tang you sent to the southwest, have returned to the capital today.”

“Is that so?” Jing Ye leaned down and got out of the sedan, “All the officials on the imperial envoy have returned to the court…..then it’s time to settle the account.”

The next day.

Jing Ye sat on the dragon throne in his five-clawed dragon robe and said loudly, “Tang Aiqing, Yin Aiqing.”

The two glanced at each other, and said, “This official is here.”

“Zhen has been worried about the disaster in the southwest this whole time, and now that the two aiqings have come back…..” Jing Ye’s index finger lightly rubbed the dragon head on the armrest, “…..Can you tell Zhen how the disaster is now?”

Yin Yuan took a step forward, stroked his sleeves, and knelt down on the ground: “Reporting to Your Majesty, after the 300,000 taels arrived in the southwest, many people now live in peace and warmth, and the disaster situation has greatly improved.”

Jing Ye smiled: “Is that so? Then the two aiqings have worked hard.”

The two of them also smiled: “Your Majesty is wise, it is the blessing of the imperial court.”

“Zhen feels very relieved that aiqing has said this.” Jing Ye said with a smile, word by word, and only he could hear how he gritted his teeth, “That being the case, Zhen has here some seemingly untrue rumors, and would like you two to have a look.”

Lords Tang and Yin had strange expressions on their faces, raised their heads, and saw that the emperor took out a red sealed memorial from his sleeve, raised his hand and threw it down the steps.

The two couldn’t help the sinking in their hearts.

Tang Hongwen moved his fingers, stepped forward slowly, picked up the memorial, and opened it to look.

There was silence in the hall for a while. Tang Hongwen stood at the foot of the steps and looked at the memorial, and the more he read the more his body trembled, and finally his hands trembled so hard the memorial fell to the ground, and he himself also knelt down: “This official! This official…..Your Majesty please investigate…..”

Yin Yuan sensed something was wrong, so he hurriedly picked up the memorial and read through it. However, after two brief glances, he was already dripping with cold sweat, and immediately fell to the ground: “Your Majesty, please investigate! This subject has never concealed anything from Your Majesty!”

Jing Ye leaned forward and stared at them: “Then does aiqing mean to say that this Shahe County magistrate falsely reported news and intended to deceive Zhen?”

“Yes…..yes…..”

“Do you really think that this was the only memorial handed to Zhen!” Jing Ye raised his voice sharply, “The officials from several counties and towns next to Shahe County have sent them! Saying that you two! Allowed the relief funds to be robbed without reporting it! And even made a profit from it!”

“…..Speak, who should Zhen trust?”

“Your Majesty…..Your Majesty, this official…..”

Jing Ye looked at the two people coldly: “Tang Hongwen and Yin Yuan, who embezzled the state treasury, deceived the monarch and did not report the truth, should be sentenced to death on the basis of the law.”

“Your Majesty!” The two of them could no longer say anything, they just knelt on the ground and kowtowed, “Begging Your Majesty to forgive the sins of this official…..”

Jing Ye looked at these two people indifferently: “Where are the Imperial Guards?”

There was a sound of armor clanging behind the huge colonnade, and the soldiers who emitted the aura of blood and killing intent stood forward: “Your Majesty.”

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“Take the two of them out of the hall, remove their official uniforms, and throw them out of the palace.”

“Yes!”

“Relay the order to the Imperial Army to leave immediately without delay, seize and confiscate the manors of Yin and Tang.”

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By the time the boat was moored on the other side of the lake, Jing Ye was already rocked to the point of dizziness so when stepping ashore, he couldn’t help but stumble. Fortunately, Gu Hong was there to lend him an arm.

A person was already standing on the shore, with slightly curved eyes and ebony hair.

Jing Ye paused for a moment, then turned to look at Gu Hong, who motioned for him to come forward.

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Jing Ye coughed lightly and said, “Lin Qing.”

Lin Xiaosheng bowed and saluted: “Your Majesty.”

Gu Hong smiled slightly, reached out to hold the emperor’s hand, and led him inside. After passing through the shadows cast by the trees on both sides, Jing Ye was surprised to find that this place was also a cluster of buildings and pavilions that was tidied very cleanly with no sign of dilapidation.

Lin Xiaosheng walked by the side of the two, and when he lowered his head a little, he could see their hands clasped.

Jing Ye followed Gu Hong to a door. The houses and buildings here did not have plaques hanging on them to indicate any name. A black-clothed guard was waiting at the door, who also bowed and greeted, “Your Majesty.”

Jing Ye nodded and the guard pushed open the door to let the three of them into the room. Further inside was a jade gauze partition with the door already open.

Jing Ye stepped in and was stunned when he raised his eyes and looked around: “This place…..”

Behind him, Lin Xiaosheng glanced at Gu Hong and spoke slowly.

“This is the work of our Gu and Lin families, who have devoted more than 20 years of efforts.”

…………

Feng Ling stood quietly in the main hall of the Feng Manor. Behind him, old Lord Feng sat on the main seat, the tea lid in his hand gently knocking against the edge of the tea cup.

The servant stood in front of the doors, bowing and leading the distinguished guest in front of him to the main hall.

The old man in his fifties walked slowly to the front of the hall with the servant, and said with cupped hands, “Lord Feng, I haven’t seen you for so many years.”

Lord Feng hurriedly put the tea cup back on the small table, stood up and said, “Elder Xing.”

Feng Ling didn’t understand, so he could only bow in greeting.

The old man smiled slightly, moved his gaze to Feng Ling, and sighed with feeling: “This is…..your son?” He couldn’t help but take two steps forward and look more carefully.

Feng Ling looked up at him, then lowered his head again: “Feng Ling, greets this respected elder.”

“Good, good.” Elder Xing looked at him, and couldn’t help but speak praises to old Lord Feng, “Your son truly has the appearance and demeanor of dragons and phoenixes, truly a pillar of the nation…..”

Old Lord Feng nodded and smiled.

When the servant standing by the side raised his eyes, he saw the thin fingers of this Elder Xing, trembling faintly within his sleeve.

………..

In front of Jing Ye’s eyes were dozens of standing cabinets, all of which were sealed with paper seals. When he looked up to the innermost part of the room, he could see the cabinet with the seal of the Zhao family, which was the largest one.

So he simply walked straight to it, raised his hand to tear off the seal, and opened it. What met the eyes were shelves and shelves of booklets, each marked with the year, month and person’s name, numbering almost hundreds of volumes, even divided into main volumes, auxiliary volumes and so on.

Jing Ye now completely understood that this was the “Qingyu Pavilion” planned and set up by the female emperor and Prime Minister Gu in his memory.

A trove of information managed by the Gu family and funded by the Lin family.

It seemed that his workaholic grandmother not only had to control the overall situation when she was alive, but also required her children and grandchildren to continue to remain fully in control of the court after she ascended to heaven.

It was really not a small case of controlling and possessiveness at all. It was no wonder that after the night of food poisoning, the booklet of information Gu Hong brought over was detailed enough to write a novel.

Jing Ye raised his hand to take Zhao Mingde’s volume, but unexpectedly, it unstabled and brought several volumes with it, all of which fell to the ground. The black-clothed guard hurriedly stepped forward to tidy up.

“Your Majesty, please be at ease.” Gu Hong said with a smile, “The people around Your Majesty are very clean, guaranteed to have no informants from outside the palace. These days, Your Majesty can come here to check more, in the case of…..suppressing the chaos.”

Jing Ye: “…..En.”

He suddenly had a creepy feeling.

It was getting late, and the three quickly returned to the shore from earlier. Gu Hong seemed to have something to do, so he quickly bowed and left. Lin Xiaosheng also turned to leave, but was stopped by Jing Ye.

“Lin Qing.”

The person who was called turned around. The moonlight reflected on his handsome silhouette, making him look extraordinarily cold.

Jing Ye said, “Are your eyes better?”

He nodded: “This subject thanks Your Majesty for the medicine.”

Jing Ye looked into his eyes and thought to himself that the reason his eyes were blurry and couldn’t see things must be because of congenital myopia.

Lin Xiaosheng said, “Your Majesty?”

“Ah, ah, it is nothing.” Jing Ye came back to his senses and smiled at him, “Qing can go back.”

Lin Xiaosheng pursed his lips, looked at him, and in the end still turned away.

The next day, all the officials with their own thoughts and motives went to court, but Zhao Mingde took sick leave, and after that, he continued to take leave for several days, putting on a full air of arrogance.

Jing Ye didn’t pay it any attention either, and still asked the quails with an amiable face, “Are there any memorials today?” “How is the disaster in the southwest?” “Do the common people have enough to eat?” “How many young can the old sows in the east of the city have in a single litter?” And so on. The officials were also used to it, all replying timidly with perfunctory answers one by one.

The days went by without any waves.

It was just that Jing Ye no longer went to the imperial study after taking a noon nap every day, but instead took a boat to Qingyu Pavilion to check the volumes. As soon as Lu Baizang heard about this he suddenly developed a whim, going to the hall every day to ask His Majesty the Emperor if he wanted to bring some snacks to relieve his boredom.

While asking, he would also press kisses.

Jing Ye was practically almost driven to look up to the sky and scream by this questioning mode of asking and kissing and said: “Qing, qing’s kindness is difficult to refuse, just…..hnn, uh, then you can fry Zhen some melon seeds…..” As he spoke he kept backing away to avoid the kissing.

“En?” Lu Gongzi stopped pressing down kisses and blinked, “Your Majesty wants to eat melon seeds?”

“…..That’s right.”

Lu Baizang frowned: “It’s just a crude street snack…..” Then he smiled at Jing Ye, “Your Majesty, please change it to another kind.” He stretched out his left arm and hugged Jing Ye’s waist, lowered his head and bit the other’s pink lips, lightly licking and kissing.

Jing Ye’s forehead vein twitched, he grabbed Lu Huihui, who was nibbling on some snacks, and blocked Lu Gongzi’s mouth with its small belly that was like a creamy steamed bun.

Lu Baizang: “…..”

Lu Huihui struggled fiercely: Ah, too scary, I want to take a shower——

Jing Ye: Who’s the one refusing to shed a tear without seeing the coffin.

His Majesty the Emperor who finally won the victory, brought a packet of fragrant melon seeds (Lu Gongzi expressed that his heart was broken with the act of frying them) into the archives room with a smile, and while eating melon seeds, he learned the profound science of “the Zhao family’s daily life”.

By the evening, Jing Ye finally went ashore. Ye Mao had been waiting on the shore for a long time, and hurriedly stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, to the imperial study?”

Jing Ye lowered his head and crossed under the hanging willow branches: “Zhen won’t go tonight, to the palace.”

“Ai.” Ye Gonggong raised the whisk, “Your Majesty, please step on the imperial sedan.”

Jing Ye was raising his foot to enter, but suddenly he said, “Why does Zhen…..hear the crying of a child?”

“Ah?” Ye Mao was stunned for a moment, listened carefully, and sure enough, “This is…..” After a moment of thinking, he understood why, and hurriedly smiled: “It’s the little prince.”

Jing Ye’s heart moved, and after pondering about it for a while, he found his answer.

Jing Ye’s fifth brother was conferred the title Prince of Xiao by the late emperor because he liked to wander jianghu as a chivalrous knight-errant. Although he did not participate in the fight for the throne, when he returned to the imperial palace he was gravely injured and in the end, died from his injuries. The two sons he left behind were arbitrarily named princes by the original owner, and they were left to their own devices in an unknown secluded place in the imperial palace.

Jing Ye raised his foot in the direction of the crying as soon as he understood, and Ye Mao hurriedly followed.

Passing through the shade of the trees was a small spot of open grassy area, and under the twilight and sunset, there was a little child sitting there, crying with his chubby little paws covering his face.

Jing Ye walked over slowly, the little guy was quite keen, and immediately moved his paws to look at him. He was only one or two years old, and was very cute like a snowball.

Ye Mao let out a surprised sound: “The appearance of this little prince…..is quite similar to Your Majesty’s.”

“Really?” Jing Ye couldn’t help chuckling as he watched the child raise his face to look at him. “Where’s the maid who takes care of you?”

However, the child got up unsteadily, reached out and hugged Jing Ye’s leg, opened his mouth and spit out a bubble.

Jing Ye’s heart softened. In his previous life, a group of nephews and nieces often surrounded and bothered him to play with them. The elders laughed and said that he had an affinity for children. Now it seemed, this was really the case?

He couldn’t help leaning down and picking up the little guy: “Know how to speak yet?”

The little prince remained silent, his big black grape-like eyes looking at the warm and gentle young man holding him in his arms, unwiped tears still on his small face. Jing Ye’s heart moved, recalling that this child’s parents had died, he was his uncle, so why not raise him at his side…..

“Yun’er!”

Suddenly there was a childish sounding shout from the front. Jing Ye raised his head, and saw that it was a seven or eight-year-old child holding a hollowed-out wooden sword, watching them vigilantly.

The sunset was gradually setting, and the ground was painted with red and orange rays of light.

The sweet and cute little baby in his arms suddenly opened his arms and kept “babbling” toward the boy in the distance.

Jing Ye was amused and couldn’t help but lower his head and rub his face against the child’s smooth and chubby cheek, saying with a smile, “Your big brother is here?”

The little prince: “Yah!”

Both grown-up and child looked at each other and smiled, looking like a pair of father and son, causing the boy who was holding his sword vigilantly to startle.

Jing Ye looked at him and instructed Ye Mao: “Wait here.” He walked over with the little guy, leaned down, and handed him the child in his arms: “Can you hold him?”

The boy nodded with a serious expression on his tender face and stretched out his hands.

The little prince nestled in his arms, looked at the stern face of hus big brother, and then looked at Jing Ye who was smiling gently, then turned his head, and resolutely hugged Jing Ye’s neck: “Yahyahyahyah!”

The little boy’s face darkened.

Jing Ye couldn’t help laughing, and his intention to bring this little baby home became stronger and stronger.

The little boy was still working hard: “Yun’er!”

Little baby: “Yah!”

Little boy: “Yun’er, don’t fuss, come, come to big brother.”

Little baby: “Yahyah…..wu, wu wah wah wah…..”

Little boy:”…..”

Jing Ye smiled and looked at the wooden sword in the boy’s hand. Although it looked rough, the body of the sword was as smooth as a mirror. Just by looking at it, one could estimate the smooth fluidity when the maker’s hand raised their own sword to create this wooden one.

…..Wait.

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He suddenly remembered that although the Prince of Xiao had passed away, before he died, he was worried that his two sons would be left unattended in the palace, so he ordered a servant to go out of the imperial palace to find a close friend to look after and teach his sons.

And this person was indeed now living quietly in the imperial palace.

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TN: bonus chapter!💕

The fifteenth of the seventh month was a full moon night, and the evening breeze was slightly cool.

Zhao Manor, in Zhao Miaorong’s Xiuwan Residence.

The servant girl Shui Tao took a pair of small silver scissors and cut a newly blooming rose from the window, held it up to Zhao Miaorong’s temples for comparison, and smiled: “The young lady is really beautiful.”

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Zhao Miaorong was picking up the rose-colored rouge with a hairpin, and dabbing it on her lips in front of the mirror. Hearing the words, she smiled and said, “You are very good at talking.” But she couldn’t help revealing her joy on her face.

Seeing that she liked to listen to this, Shui Tao then complimented her: “Really, they all say that the eldest young lady is famous all over the capital. In fact, our young lady is not worse than her at all, not to mention in terms of this appearance, this figure, the young lady is even better than her.”

Zhao Miaorong couldn’t help but curve up her lips. She raised her hand to take the rose in Shui Tao’s hand, and gently tucked it into her hair. Shui Tao clapped her hands and praised her even more, and she felt even more proud in her heart.

Meng Qiucui walked around the partition and said with a smile: “The main room has already finished preparing, you must hurry up.”

“Coming.” Zhao Miaorong smiled and got up, smoothed her hair and stepped forward. When she passed by Meng Qiucui, she reached out and pulled the rose off her temples. Zhao Miaorong’s smile froze.

Meng Qiucui looked at her and said coldly, “Don’t be too ostentatious.”

Zhao Miaorong looked at her in fright, lowered her head and walked out. Shui Tao followed her: “Young lady…..”

She gave her an icy look, and Shui Tao felt a chill in her heart. But the next moment, she showed a soft smile: “It’s fine, mother is right to scold me.”

“…..Ai.” Shui Tao responded timidly.

The carriages and sedans of the officials were parked outside the palace. After getting off the carriage, they had to walk into the palace.

Zhao Mingde got off the carriage, looked back at the female family members behind him, and saw that after Xu shi stepped on the low stool and got off the carriage, she was followed by their eldest daughter, Zhao Miaoling!

Zhao Mingde suppressed his temper, and did not bother to respond, only flicking his sleeves before walking towards the palace gate. Seeing this, Xu shi couldn’t help but grit her teeth, but she turned back to Zhao Miaoling and said, “Be good after entering the palace, your father is already angry.”

“Yes.” At this time, Zhao Miaoling’s mind was full of the person she had been dreaming about for two years, so she didn’t care to refute, “This daughter understands.”

“En, good.” Xu shi looked at her beautifully dressed daughter, and smiled very proudly, but in a blink of an eye her face turned cold after she saw Zhao Miaorong getting out of the carriage: “Follow well.”

Zhao Miaorong curtsied slightly: “Yes.”

Several of the surrounding officials’ wives came over together to chat and laugh, and Xu shi put on a warm smile again, pulled Zhao Miaoling, and entered the palace with them.

Zhaoyang Hall.

Jing Ye watched as the officials entered the hall, and one by one, brought their family members forward to bow in salute, secretly covering his lips and yawning.

Lin Xiaosheng, Lu Baizang, and Gu Hong’s small tables were placed beside him. Don’t know what the two former were still doing, but they still did not enter the hall at this time. Only Gu Hong was with him. Seeing his appearance, he smiled and said, “Your Majesty is tired?”

Jing Ye glanced at him and nodded.

Gu Hong chuckled, and the hand under the table reached out to hold Jing Ye’s: “Your Majesty, bear with it, this subject will take Your Majesty out secretly at that time.”

Jing Ye pulled his hand, but was unable to break free.

Soon, Zhao Mingde brought his family into the hall, stepped forward and saluted: “Paying respects to Your Majesty.” After saying that, he knelt down and bowed, followed by Xu shi and Zhao Miaorong. The eldest daughter Zhao Miaoling’s heart moved and she couldn’t help but look up.

Gu Hong was sitting in front of the table and smiling and chatting with the emperor. He was wearing a jade crown and elaborate robes, but none of that could hide his divine appearance, like that of a god untouched by the dust of the secular world. He still resembled the beautiful white robed gongzi from the prime minister’s manor many years ago.

She was so intoxicated that she even forgot the etiquette. The people in the hall were still chatting amongst themselves at first, but then the people who discovered this scene pointed to her and everyone gradually became quiet.

On this side, Jing Ye swallowed the “rise” he had prepared to say, and glanced at the person next to him.

Meeting the emperor but not saluting, if given a heavier punishment one could even be sentenced to death. This lady is risking her life just to get a glimpse of you.

Gu Hong didn’t look at the eldest young lady of the Zhao family who was in a trance at the bottom of the steps, but clenched Jing Ye’s hand tightly and smiled: “Your Majesty, those who meets shengshang yet does not kneel and salute have committed the crime of belittling the monarch and should be punished to death.”

The officials burst into whispers.

Zhao Miaoling, who was standing under the steps, regained her senses, and when she heard this, her face turned pale immediately.

Xu shi also knelt at the foot of the steps, and when she heard this, she felt both shock, fright and hatred, and hurriedly leaned over and kowtowed: “This official’s wife has not taught well, causing my daughter to lose her morality. Please, Your Majesty, for the sake of blood relationship, please forgive my daughter!”

Jing Ye’s eyes moved.

Zhao Mingde was Jing Ye’s grandmother, Emperor Xian Ming’s grand-nephew. In terms of familial ties, Jing Ye had to call him “elder cousin”.

Xu shi was beside him pleading continuously for forgiveness, Zhao Mingde hated his daughter for not knowing her place, but he still chose to remain silent. In his opinion, the big mistake had already been made, whether the crime was punished or not, the blemished reputation of the Zhao family would spread, and the reputation of his daughter was ruined. In this situation, not only did Miao Ling cause trouble for herself, she also ruined the reputation and future of the other daughters of the Zhao family.

As of now, there was only one thing that could turn this situation around——whether it regarded things done in the past or what they were faced with now——it could turn everything around.

So long as he took that seat up high.

“Your Majesty.” Zhao Mingde raised his head and said slowly: “As my wife said, please forgive my daughter for the sake of old affection, and even if there is no affection, please also forgive her for the face of…..this official.”

As soon as these words came out, even Gu Hong frowned, not to mention the officials in the hall, all of them closed their mouths tight and thoughts arose in their hearts.

Your face? What face do you have to make the emperor bow down? You are…..

Jing Ye’s expression remained unchanged, and he said with a slight smile: “Zhen naturally wants to give Zhao Qing face, the whole family can rise, it must not be easy to speak while kneeling.”

When Zhao Mingde heard these words, he got up and helped Xu shi up aa well. The couple looked at each other, and Xu shi’s poise which had been disrupted just now was regained. She wiped away tears and smiled and said, “Thanking Your Majesty. Miaoling, what are you doing standing there in a daze? Why are you still not thanking His Majesty?”

Zhao Miaoling hurriedly stepped forward and curtsied: “This official’s daughter, thanks Your Majesty for your forgiveness.”

This family was really…..Jing Ye didn’t expect that he just wanted to test this family on a whim, but Zhao Mingde actually ripped away any shame d o decisively.

As expected, he was unable to hold back any longer?

“Enough, this matter is over, let’s continue to be lively.”

The music that had stopped just now, began to strike up again with the emperor’s words, and the officials continued entering the hall to celebrate at the birthday banquet which was full of lively sounds of revelry and laughter.

Those who couldn’t understand the situation continued to chat and have fun, and those who understood, also kept their mouths shut and continued to socialize.

Jing Ye sighed softly and glanced around. Seeing this, Gu Hong smiled and asked, “Who is Your Majesty looking for?”

“En, Zhen is looking for…..” He searched to no avail, so he gave up, “…..Why doesn’t Zhen see Lord Feng?”

Gu Hong’s eyes darkened: “Lord Feng had taken leave due to illness.”

“Due to illness?” Jing Ye couldn’t help sitting up straight, “Why did he become sick too?”

“Oh, this…..” Gu Hong smiled and poured wine for him, “This subject doesn’t know either. Is Your Majesty bored?” As he spoke, he lifted the wine cup up to his lips.

“A little.” Jing Ye hurriedly took the wine cup over and drank it.

Gu Hong said with a smile: “In that case, Your Majesty might as well accompany this subject out to relax.”

Jing Ye thought about it for a while, and decided that he could just go back to his quarters to sleep if he didn’t want to go with the other, so he let him hold his hand and got up.

“Zhen has tired, and will now go back to the palace to rest, everyone can enjoy yourselves, no need for restraint.”

The officials in the hall all stood up and bowed: “Thanking Your Majesty! Respectfully sending Your majesty!”

Zhao Miaorong also saluted by her father’s side, and when she raised her eyes, she saw the emperor walking out of the hall being led by the hand by that person, the gesture and demeanor very intimate, and she couldn’t help clenching her fists.

Gu Hong.

After leaving Zhaoyang Hall, Gu Hong didn’t let the palace people follow, and carried the five-cornered glazed lantern himself while leading Jing Ye to the imperial garden. When Jing Ye asked him where he was going, he just smiled and said, “Taking Your Majesty to get some air.”

Don’t know how long it took, but they finally came to a lotus flower pond.

The night wind was chilly, perhaps because it was close to the water, Jing Ye felt the coolness even more than anywhere else: “Here?”

Gu Hong shook his head slightly, raised his hand and curved his fingers. Soon something moved in the mottled tree shadows, and it turned out to be a small awning boat.

Jing Ye’s brows twitched.

Gu Hong pulled him to step on. The boat swayed slightly on the lake and the cabin was a little narrow. Gu Hong put his hands on both sides of Jing Ye, and suddenly said: “Your Majesty…..”

“En?”

“In the future, when no one else is present, could Your Majesty…..still call this subject ‘Ah Hong’?”

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Jing Ye’s fingers twitched and he felt a little embarrassed by what he said.

Gu Hong looked at him quietly, and the two of them fell into silence for a while. Outside the boat was the sound of the wooden boat gliding through the water, and the breeze sneaked in, sending traces of the mixed fragrance of leaves and flowers.

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TN: bonus chapter!💕

The Zhao family, a few generations ago, was barely considered a middle-low level noble family. Their ancestor was originally the servant of the founding emperor who accompanied him to many battlefields. After the dynasty was established, his slave status was waived and he became a wealthy man.

But that was all there was to it.

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In the 17th year of Emperor Wen, the Zhao family’s daughter received the decree by the emperor to enter the palace to participate in the concubine selection, and from then she began her long harem and political career that lasted for fifty to sixty years. This eldest daughter of a concubine from the Zhao family, who was by no means of high noble birth, relied on her almost innate talent for political strategy and not only forged a bloody path in the harem to become the empress, but also in the last eight years of her life, she also became the first Her Majesty the Emperor of the dynasty.

This woman who had been all-powerful for half her life was also Jing Ye’s biological grandmother.

The Zhao family had since become one of the big families standing at the top of steps just below the emperor’s feet. The Jing family had practically almost declined, but the imperial jade seal in the female emperor’s hand was eventually handed over to her fifth son, Emperor Ren, Jing Ye’s father.

The character of Emperor Ren was like the title “benevolent” given to him by later generations (TN: ren=benevolent). He was diligent in government and loved the people, magnanimous and benevolent, so the country became more and more prosperous, the common people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the world was prosperous and peaceful.

It was because of a father who worked hard and a grandmother who could basically be called a workaholic, that the original owner of this body had been on the throne for five years, committing hundreds of misfortunes, yet the dynasty still managed to remain relatively stable enough.

Jing Ye sat quietly on the soft couch, looking through the booklet sent by Gu Hong.

Gu Hong sat on the side and said with a smile: “Does Your Majesty really believe that the more than 200,000 official silver sent to the southwest was robbed by bandits?”

“Is Zhen a fool?” Jing Ye pressed the paper, frowning, “Or the bandits are fools. There are so many rich people in the world yet they do not rob them, and instead they decide to offend the emperor.”

Gu Hong still smiled: “Exactly.”

“There’s someone behind this.” Jing Ye stared at the booklet, “Say, who could it be?”

In the evening, the emperor’s decree came from the palace——the emperor wanted to celebrate the birthday of Gu Hong, the consort of the first rank, and hold a banquet in Zhaoyang Hall on the evening of July 15th. Officials of the fourth rank and above must bring their families to the banquet.

“Does Your Majesty intend to test the Zhao family’s attitude?” Gu Hong asked with a smile.

“En.”

“Fine.” Gu Hong smiled and nodded: “Although Your Majesty has an ulterior motive, this subject also respectfully thanks Your Majesty’s decree.”

“Well, this matter…..” Jing Ye suddenly felt a little embarrassed, “Qing doesn’t need to say thanks.”

“But this subject has something else I want to tell Your Majesty.”

“What is it?”

“My birthday is on June 15th.”

Jing Ye: “!”

Zhao Manor.

Once Zhao Mingde returned to the manor, he went to Xu shi’s rooms for dinner. After the meal, he dismissed the maids and servants in the house, leaving only their youngest son, who was still a baby, and asked Xu shi in a deep voice, “Is it you who promised Miao Ling to let her go to the birthday banquet in the palace?”

“That’s right.” Xu shi pulled out the gold hairpin from her hair and leaned over to tease the baby in the cradle, “She was clamoring to go, so I promised her.”

Zhao Mingde said angrily: “Why are you so ignorant! As an unmarried lady going to see her former…..lover, what if she can’t hold back and does something improper, do you even care about her reputation?”

“What former lover!” Xu shi slapped the gold hairpin on the table, “If it wasn’t for the emperor, Miao Ling would have been the third young madam of the Gu family, and wouldn’t that make the daughters of the world envious? Now that the Gu family has retreated to the southwest, and Gu Hong has entered the palace, Miao Ling insists that she has no eyes for others. How can the daughter of our Zhao family, can’t even marry the husband she wants, in the future, just wait until we overthrow the…..”

“Shut up.” Zhao Mingde immediately lowered his voice and scolded, “Just based on your words, I can’t let her enter the palace! You tell her for me that she should obediently study calligraphy and music at home, don’t even think about it!” Then he flicked his sleeves and walked away.

The baby was frightened by the quarrel between the two, and burst into tears with a “wah”. Xu shi hurriedly sat down and coaxed him with a rattle, while gritting her teeth and looking in the direction where Zhao Mingde had left.

Zhao Mingde couldn’t calm down in his heart. He wanted to stay in his study for the night, but he turned around and went to his concubine, Meng Qiucui’s place.

Meng Qiucui was originally the daughter of a seventh-rank small official in Zhengzhou. When Zhao Mingde passed through Zhengzhou once, an official surnamed Meng asked a matchmaker to offer his daughter as a concubine. This happened often, and he was not moved. But the girl was indeed very beautiful, not an ordinary beauty at all. After it was mentioned twice more, his heart ended up being moved.

Meng Qiucui also gave birth to a daughter for him, who was two years younger than Zhao Miaoling, and was at the age where young girls became engaged.

In the evening, after the couple’s business ended, Meng Qiucui nestled in his arms and brought up the matter of letting their daughter enter the palace with him to attend the birthday banquet.

Zhao Mingde frowned: “You also have this intention?”

Meng Qiucui curled her lips: “Miao Rong is also the daughter of laoye, now that she is old enough, we should also think about her marriage, go out to see the world, and let the madams of the families have a look…..”

Zhao Mingde was silent for a while but eventually nodded.

Meng Qiucui’s eyebrows and eyes curved, and the corners of her bright red lips hooked up.

Ping An Palace.

Jing Ye paused while holding the tea: “Fiancée?”

“Yes.” Ye Gonggong nodded, “At that time, both the Gu and Zhao families had this intention, but before they could bring it out in the open, Gu Gongzi entered the palace, and the Gu family also retreated to the southwest.”

Jing Ye stared at the fog for a while and said, “The eldest daughter of the Zhao family…..seems to be very famous in the capital.”

“Yes.” Ye Gonggong nodded again and opened his mouth, but suddenly hesitated, “The former…..Lord Zhao of the Court of Imperial Entertainments’s eldest daughter…..”

Jing Ye’s eyebrows twitched.

Ye Mao looked at his face, but there was no anger, so then he continued: “…..and this young lady Zhao family are equally famous as young ladies with both talent and beauty. The two families are also from the same clan, so they are called the ‘Zhao family’s twin pearls’ by the people.”

The eldest daughter of the former Lord Zhao of the Court of Imperial Entertainments, was the dear, dear childhood sweetheart of comrade Li Tingqiu who left for the southwest.

So ruthless. Jing Ye sighed at this stifling of any ulterior intentions aimed at the male pets. As for the young lady of the Zhao family who was almost married to Gu Hong, he remembered that she still hadn’t been married yet.

I won’t marry anyone but you, I will marry nobody except you. How tragic.

“Your Majesty.” Ye Gonggong sneaked up to him, “If Gu Gongzi asks, you must not let him know that it was this servant who said it.”

Jing Ye’s eyes twitched: “What?”

Ye Mao: “Your Majesty! What if…..”

Gu Hong lifted the bead curtain and walked in: “What if?”

Ye Gonggong: “!!!!!!”

Jing Ye froze: “Qing…..when did you come? There was no word from outside.”

“This subject arrived just now.” Gu Hong smiled softly, his eyes glanced at Ye Mao who was trying to step back and pretend to be a quail, “From that phrase ‘fiancee’.”

Wasn’t that all of it…..

Ye Gonggong’s face was as green as a vegetable. The little eunuch who followed behind and brought Gu Hong in raised his head, looked at Ye Mao, who was smiling in embarrassment, and covered his face silently. Teacher, I really didn’t do it on purpose.

Gu Hong did not pursue the matter, but sat beside the emperor with the medicine in his hand: “Your Majesty, please drink the medicine.”

Jing Ye scooted back: “Why must Zhen drink it again?”

Gu Hong chuckled: “Your Majesty is too impatient. There was a saying in the past: ‘Illness comes like a mountain, and it goes away like a thread.’ It’s not an elixir of the immortals, so how can it be so effective. If Your Majesty wants to get better soon, come, open your mouth.”

Are you speaking to a child.

His Majesty the Emperor took the medicine bowl and looked at it for a long time before he frowned and took two sips. It was so bitter that he wanted to stick his tongue out, but because of the noble and solemn image he wanted to maintain, he managed to resist and swallow it all.

Gu Hong smiled and said, “Your Majesty, is it bitter?”

Jing Ye glanced at him and said solemnly, “En, it’s alright.”

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“Is that so.” Gu Hong frowned, “Then this subject will order the imperial kitchen to leave out the licorice on the prescription. Lest using it to boil with the medicine suppresses the medicinal properties.”

Jing Ye: “…..” Wait, what do you mean!

Sure enough, he still holds a grudge!

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The lights in the hall flickered, and the two were quietly embracing by the desk. At first glance, they really looked like a couple who loved each other deeply.

Lin Xiaosheng lowered his eyes, thinking of thoughts unknown, the sound of breathing in his ears was long and calm, and after glancing lightly to the side, he could see the young man’s fine long eyelashes and the soft corners of his eyes.

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The emperor’s eyebrows suddenly moved. He rubbed against his shoulder, and murmured, “Zhen…..really likes…..”

“En?” Lin Xiaosheng tilted his ear unconsciously closer.

“…..Ham and fresh bamboo shoots soup…..”

“…..”

Lin Xiaosheng couldn’t help but let out a light chuckle. He simply supported the man’s back with his right hand, and slid his left hand under his knees, lifting and hugging him in his arms horizontally. However, as soon as he got up, he stumbled and nearly fell.

Although His Majesty the Emperor had been working hard these days, the food and drink that should be eaten at each meal were not missed at all. And every day he woke up at five and went to sleep at nine, so his life habits were quite regular, as a shameful result…..he had put on some weight.

Lin Xiaosheng steadied himself and carried the person back to the dragon bed. The emperor’s hands laid on the side of his neck, still sleeping soundly.

It was just after the heavy rain, so the hall was a little hot. Lin Xiaosheng was in a daze for a moment, but still gently pressed the hand of the person in his arms back on the quilt, and went to the windows to open a few. The cold night wind blew in, which refreshed and woke up the mind.

He looked up at the dark night sky outside and couldn’t help laughing at his actions.

Although he did not dislike the emperor as much as others expected, his feelings were not as peaceful as that of an ordinary stranger.

Towards him, he had always been contemptuous and indifferent.

Such an emperor who lived his days without doing anything useful, even an ordinary person would be despised by others, let alone the emperor. But he still lived in the palace willingly. He lived in a place where he could control money and power at any time. So long as he ignored some things that made him uncomfortable, for him, he was the most at peace here.

Don’t get involved in useless things, don’t commit useless actions, this was his motto.

But today seemed to be a little out of the norm. Lin Xiaosheng looked at his palm and smiled.

Maybe it was because that person had changed too much.

Lin Xiaosheng was the son of a Jiangning weaving merchant and a courtesan.

The courtesan was the most famous prostitute in the south of the Yangtze River. Not only did her beauty and song moved the world, she also recited poems with a soft, southern accent and enchanted with her graceful sleeve dance, making countless literatis and nobles bow down. Later, this peerless beauty selected the master of Jiangning Weaving, and was carried through the door of his manor in a red soft sedan.

Two years later, she swallowed gold and died in her embroidery room, leaving behind Lin Xiaosheng, who was only one year old. The woman went to the underworld without any worries, leaving a son still suffering in the world.

Lin Xiaosheng still remembered that when he was six years old, the eldest son in the mansion forced him to swallow a pill. That night he felt cold all over his body, and when the chill seeped out bit by bit from his bone marrow, he almost thought he was a corpse.

He remained freezing until midnight, when suddenly something jumped up and burrowed into his thin quilt. The little thing was warm, and he was already delirious. As soon as his fingertips touched it, he desperately hugged it to him tightly. It panicked suddenly, waving its claws and struggling.

Don’t move, don’t move, don’t go.

After struggling for a long time, it gradually quieted down.

Was it tired? Or…..dead?

After a long, long time, the warm little thing moved again, but this time it burrowed into his arms, and after settling somewhere on his chest, it gently rubbed against him.

En?

It rubbed against him again.

Then it started to rub against him continuously, until his chest became hot…..

Lin Xiaosheng suddenly opened his eyes.

What he saw in front of him was a head of long jet-black hair, his chin resting on the top of that head, which was shaking slightly. He lowered his head slightly and stroked the disheveled hair with his hand, feeling a cool and silky texture.

The tip of his finger swept across the person’s cheek, and actually felt feverishly hot.

The emperor was still rubbing against the front of his robe, the snow-white inner robe had been rubbed into a bunch of folds and wrinkles, and his hands were tightly hugging his waist.

Lin Xiaosheng frowned, feeling as if something was wrong, and moved to hold the emperor’s hands, which were cold. After a while of silence, he got up and lifted the curtain and shouted, “Ye Gonggong.”

Ye Mao, who was guarding outside the curtain, startled awake: “What’s the matter, gongzi?”

“His Majesty…..” Lin Xiaosheng stretched out his hand and touched the forehead of the person in front of him, “Seems to be ill.”

“What?” Ye Mao was startled, and quickly lifted the curtain and ran in. The emperor was still lying in Lin Gongzi’s arms, and Ye Mao moved a floor lamp to look at him closer. Seeing that his face was red, but his lips were white, he quickly put down the lamp to touch his forehead, and it was indeed really hot.

“This is clearly a cold.” Ye Gonggong hurriedly lifted the thin quilt and tucked it around the emperor’s neck, and glanced at the open windows beside the bed, “Ai, why are these windows wide open?”

Lin Xiaosheng frowned slightly: “I opened them.”

“Gongzi is too careless.” Ye Mao felt anxious, and couldn’t help but blame, “His Majesty can’t help but get hot after drinking. Yet you keep the window open and the night wind is freezing, how could these layers of gauze stop the chill? As the saying goes, when the body is hot, the cold wind cannot be allowed to blow, it will cause illness.”

It was not like he ever became so ill despite staying up all night indulging in wine and song. Lin Xiaosheng lowered his eyes and looked at the emperor, seeing that he seemed to dislike the quilt being too hot and attempted to raise his hand to knock the quilt off his body, he couldn’t help holding that wrist to stop him.

Ye Mao had already rushed outside and called the little eunuchs to pass on the news to the imperial physician. Lin Xiaosheng was still for a while, but soon got up and got out of bed, closing the few windows beside the bed.

The imperial physician was dazed when he was slapped awake in the middle of the night. After hearing the message, he put on his official uniform and carried the medicine box into the palace tremblingly, fearing that the little emperor was in a playful mood again and wanted to try something novel.

But when he took the pulse in front of the bed, the emperor was indeed ill, and he couldn’t help but let out the breath he was holding.

Ye Gonggong hurriedly flicked his whisk: “Lord, why are you so relieved! His Majesty is ill!”

The unlucky imperial physician was so frightened that he did not dare to even breathe: “His Majesty, His Majesty’s illness is a result of both outside and inside factors, and he also drank alcohol before, so this illness is actually a small cold…..”

Ye Mao took a step forward: “Then I ask my lord to quickly draw up the prescription, and this servant will order someone to concoct the medicine.”

“Yes, yes, this official will go now.”

The imperial physician was led by the little palace maid to the main hall, and Ye Gonggong stomped his feet in front of the bed and turned around.

The eyelashes of the person lying on the bed trembled and slowly opened: “…..Ye Mao?”

Lin Xiaosheng lowered his head.

“Ai.” Ye Gonggong rushed to the bed, “Your Majesty, you are awake.”

Jing Ye supported himself with his hands to sit up, but Ye Mao hurriedly stepped forward and put the pillow forward and helped him up.

“I just had a night’s sleep, but you woke me up.”

Jing Ye had actually woken up already, he just kept his eyes closed and carefully recalled his drunk behavior for a while.

Oh my virgin mary, he had lost such face, how shameful.

The emperor coughed lightly, looked up at Lin Gongzi who was standing beside him: “Lin Qing…..”

When he was drunk, he couldn’t see clearly, but now that he was sober, when he looked at this person again, he noticed that his eyebrows and eyes were long and narrow and slightly hooked at the corners. His nose was high and straight, his lips were thin, his long hair was loose, and the color of his lips against his skin actually made Jing Ye think of a classic line of description.

Skin white like snow, lips red like blood, hair black like ebony.

Jing Ye shook his head and temporarily threw out the strange thoughts that had occupied his head, and said in a hoarse voice: “…..Qing must be tired from taking care of Zhen last night, it likely won’t be able to settle down for a while here. Qing can rest in the side hall instead.” He raised his hand as he spoke, and the little eunuch on the side stepped forward and bowed.

Lin Xiaosheng looked down at him: “This subject thanks Your Majesty.”

On the second day, the emperor did not go to court due to illness, and the officials could not help but talk about it.

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“Why so suddenly becoming ill again?”

“You don’t know yet? His Majesty summoned Lin Gongzi last night…..”

“Oh, I see, it’s no wonder…..”

The several officials winked at each other, thinking they knew the reason, and laughed ambiguously.

Feng Ling passed by them, paused, but still flicked his sleeves and walked away.

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The two discussed matters in the hall until noon. Ye Gonggong came in and said, “Your Majesty, it’s time for lunch.”

Gu Hong then got up with a smile: “Then this subject won’t disturb Your Majesty’s lunch.”

Though he said so, he just got up and didn’t turn around. His soft eyes looked at the emperor quietly, smiling without speaking.

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Ye Gonggong raised his eyes and glanced at the two of them, and knowing the other’s intentions, he clenched his fists and coughed desperately.

Your Majesty! The fox tail is willing to show for you to pull! If now isn’t the most perfect time to make a move then when is! (TN: fox demon spirit in Chinese folklore is a seductress archetype)

“En, qing can go back to your palace for now.” Jing Ye lowered his head and frowned, saying casually while reading the book, “Ye Mao, did you catch a cold at night? Your lungs are almost being coughed out.”

Ye Gonggong: “…..”

Gu Hong smiled helplessly, leaned over and stroked this person’s brow: “Your Majesty…..”

Jing Ye jumped at the touch and raised his head: “Does qing have anything else to discuss?”

“This subject…..although having lived in the palace for a long time, this subject has studied government affairs with my father as a child. In this matter, this subject is quite skilled.” Gu Hong smiled like a white orchid after the spring rain. “Therefore, Your Majesty’s future memorials, this subject can take care of them one by one, and there is no need to specially summon little Lord Feng to enter the palace.”

The young man had elegant eyebrows, and when examined at a closer distance, his flawless forehead and bright red cinnabar beauty mark complemented each other quite well, while his eyes were as soft as autumn water. Jing Ye was instantly captivated by the sight: “Ah?”

“Don’t, don’t…..summon then don’t summon.” Jing Ye turned his face away, took a deep breath subtly, and yelled in his heart, stop, where is your prestige!

“Zhen won’t summon him.”

“It’s not that Your Majesty should not summon him.” Gu Hong simply sat down again, put his arms around the suspiciously red-faced emperor, moved his thin lips closer, and chuckled in his ear.

“It’s that no one should be summoned except this subject.”

And then Gu Gongzi was kicked out.

Ye Gonggong beat his chest and stomped his feet: He actually drove the person away with a reason like ‘it’s lunch time, Aiqing will be hungry, so go back quickly’!

Your Majesty, your state of denial is incurable!

Jing Ye ate a whole plate of eggplants during his meal before he calmed down.

He didn’t understand what these people meant. If it was to sound him out, the result should have come out long ago, so why continue to bother? If this was out of true love, hehe.

He didn’t believe anyone. Originally men with bright futures, only to be snatched into the palace, forced to like a man, and threatened with his family’s life. The perpetrator’s temperament just changed, and now they fall in love with him? Such people who were born to be favored by the heavens, possessing such pride, could never tolerate such a thing.

So what was the reason? His Majesty the Emperor sadly took another bite from his chopsticks. It was not like he was that so and so, who wouldn’t be moved by beauties parading in front of him all day long?

Ai.

The time limit for governmental affair approval with the blue ink was only seven days. Soon, His Majesty the Emperor had to sit on the dragon throne and discuss (talk) state affairs (nonsense) with a group of quail-like officials early in the morning.

This was the case every morning during the morning assembly. The emperor asked a question, and the officials answered. The emperor looked at the expressions of the officials with cold eyes, and the officials carefully looked at His Majesty’s mood. There were those who couldn’t hold back and wanted to rush out to speak, but their colleagues grabbed the sleeves of their robes and tugged them still fiercely, so nothing ended up being said.

The scene looked very harmonious.

After the noon nap, Jing Ye entered the imperial study as usual, sat behind the desk and corrected the memorials newly handed in by the officials. As he went through the memorials, he suddenly thought of something. He lowered his head and pulled open a drawer on his right, and as expected there was an anonymous letter.

Jing Ye picked it up gently, his fingers stroked the snow-white sealed paper, and turned it to the back. There was a vermilion ink wax seal.

Southwest.

Jing Ye frowned, and immediately opened the envelope to take a closer look. The letter was very short and could be read in a few glances. However, there was another account paper attached, which made the emperor’s heart sink suddenly.

Gu Hong stood outside the door and was about to knock when he heard a clatter, followed by a loud “bang”, which should be the inkstone on the desk hitting the ground.

He raised his eyebrows and looked at Ye Mao who was standing under the steps. The latter also seemed to be startled, and shook his head to indicate he didn’t know, with a nervous expression on his face.

So he pushed open the door and entered.

The emperor was sitting behind the desk, his face did not show much anger, he just lightly threw the letter paper in his hand back to the desk: “Qing has come.”

Gu Hong bowed and saluted: “Your Majesty.”

“Rise. Zhen…..” Jing Ye pursed his lips and pointed to the desk, “Zhen had them send 300,000 taels to the southwest, but the old Prime Minister Gu wrote in a letter saying that the supplies sent by the capital officials totaled less than 30,000.”

Gu Hong said: “The father of this subject would not deceive the emperor.”

“Yes.” Jing Ye smiled at him, “People say that doing one evil must be repaid with ten good deeds. Zhen is afraid that with this situation, Zhen will never be able to repay it in this life.”

Gu Hong was silent for a while, and then said softly, “Your Majesty, knowing one’s mistakes means one can correct them.”

Jing Ye looked at him for a while, then nodded and smiled, “Thank you.”

Unhappy in the workplace and hopeless in love, Jing Ye could only use wine to drown his sorrows.

It was night, and the rain pattered loudly outside the window. It was top quality wine poured from a small bottle made of white porcelain. The bottle was slender and elegant. A few green bamboo leaves were drawn by a master on the front, and then lightly dipped in ochre that faded towards the top, becoming a treasured masterpiece and heirloom in the palace.

Jing Ye held the wine cup and dozed while drinking.

Outside the hall, two little eunuchs stood guard at the gate of the Ping An Palace, looking at the pouring rain in front of them and talking.

“Look at this rain, so heavy like this, why don’t we go report back to gonggong first and close the palace gate.”

“Gonggong can’t get away.” The little eunuch motioned inside, “His Majesty is still drunk. Although His Majesty’s temperament is much better now, if you leave your post without permission, see if Teacher won’t give you a good lesson.”

The little eunuch who asked the question sighed, turned his head, and suddenly saw the two figures with sharp eyes: “Aiyo, someone has really come.”

The two hurriedly stood at attention. The two figures slowly approached with umbrellas, and when the two little eunuchs took a closer look: “It’s Lin Gongzi! Quick, go in and tell Teacher.”

One of them immediately turned around and ran in.

Lin Xiaosheng walked to the gate of the palace, Mo Yan closed the umbrella and said to the little eunuch: “Go and report to His Majesty the Emperor, our Gongzi requests an audience.”

“Ai, ai.” The little eunuch bent over, “Someone has already entered to report.”

On this side, Ye Mao was dragging the emperor to the dragon bed with all the strength of his slight frame. At this time, the little eunuch came to report, and he couldn’t help but pause: “Lin Gongzi?”

In this moment, the strength in his hands loosened. Jing Ye immediately slid down and sat on the ground, just sitting there with his head down.

“…..Maomao.”

Ye Mao trembled at the call, “Ai, Your Majesty.”

“Zhen doesn’t want to sleep alone.” The young man still had his head lowered, his black hair falling around him in curtains, and he spoke in a very childish manner, “Zhen doesn’t want to be a great magician wu wu wu…..” (TN: slang for virgin)

Ye Mao: “…..”

“Then Your Majesty.” Ye Mao raised his hand and signaled the little eunuch to lead the person in, then leaned down and said softly, “This servant will invite someone to accompany you?”

Jing Ye heard the words and raised his head: “Is he hot?”

This should be a word to praise the handsomeness of a man, Ye Gonggong thought for a while: “Hot.”

Jing Ye nodded wildly.

“…..” Ye Mao covered his face, Your Majesty, you are revealing your nature thoroughly enough.

Lin Xiaosheng stood quietly under the palace gate, and soon, the little eunuch came to invite him into the palace.

When entering the bed chamber, Ye Gonggong personally greeted him: “Lin Gongzi.”

“Ye Gonggong.” Lin Xiaosheng smiled, “Lin came to ask His Majesty for medicine.”

“Then this servant will be blunt.” Ye Mao raised his hand and escorted him into the hall, “Gongzi’s medicine is in the treasury, and only His Majesty can give permission.”

“Is that so?” Lin Xiaosheng’s smile did not change, but there was a gloom in his eyes. “In this case, this subject must obey the divine orders.”

The door was quietly closed by the palace servants instructed by Ye Mao. Mo Yan stood outside the door holding an umbrella, his brows furrowed.

Ye Gonggong glanced at him and threw the whisk from left to right leisurely. What’s up with being so nervous, it was not like this was the first time.

Inside the hall.

Lin Xiaosheng slowly stepped forward, while shaking his sleeves, he wiped the rain off his body.

Then raised the bead curtain.

The emperor had his head buried in the crook of an arm, lying on the low wine table carved out of green jade, with a pot of fine wine in his hand, and several wine cups carefully placed by Ye Gonggong.

Lin Xiaosheng walked in front of this person and stood silently for a while. Seeing that the emperor still had his head buried, he leaned down and put his hand on his shoulder: “Your Majesty?”

No response. The corners of Lin Xiaosheng’s lips drew a slightly sardonic angle. Was this a new trick? He simply knelt down and took hold of the emperor’s shoulders, and slowly helped him sit up.

“If Your Majesty doesn’t move, this official will leave.”

Jing Ye began to feel his head spinning, so he sat and laid his head down. Who knew that as soon as he closed his eyes and then opened them again in what seemed a second later, the person next to him would change from Ye Maomao to an annoying person he had never seen before.

“Your Majesty…..”

Jing Ye angrily opened his eyes, stared at the person in front of him for ten seconds straight, his throat bobbing hard. He felt dizzy once again, but this time he seemed to be floating on a cloud.

At this time, the corners of his eyes were slightly slanted, blushed a little crimson, but they were not overtly garish, but rather made him look quite endearingly naive. With long eyelashes drooping and thin lips pursed lightly. Although he was angry he looked like he was smiling, and when he looked at him with anger it came across as affectionate. Lin Xiaosheng was struck into a daze.

The two just stared at each other in a daze for a while.

The wheels in Jing Ye’s turned for a long time, and finally he remembered——

Wasn’t this the hot guy Ye Mao sent to sleep with him!

After confirming the target, things were much easier to understand. His Majesty the Emperor proudly tore open the layers of robes, revealing delicate and beautiful collarbones and chest, and then with the standard position of an Australian koala hugging a tree trunk, he hugged the beautiful beauty in front of him tightly with both hands, long legs soon also following.

“Aiqing, Zhen has been waiting for you for a long time.”

Lin Xiaosheng: “…..”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e ir on tr ee bl oo ms. c o m )

He tried to move a bit, raised his hand to put it on the emperor’s back, and immediately touched an expanse of cool, silky long hair.

Jing Ye rubbed his face into that shoulder with his eyes closed, his lips pressed against the other’s neck, inhaling and exhaling as his chest rose and fell with his breaths.

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