Translated by Hua Li ^_^
During his days in the library, there were always new delicacies from the Imperial Kitchen.
Although the flavors tended to be sweet nine tis out of ten-revealing Gou Liang's fondness for sweets-luckily, there was always sothing new. Despite the Emperor's distaste for sweets, he graciously tasted them each ti and praised them. The Imperial Kitchen received ample rewards, showing their deep affection for Gou Liang. Every ti he visited the library, the quality of tea and snacks provided rose steadily, tailored to his taste.
Eunuch Tong keenly noticed that whenever Gou Liang accompanied the Emperor, His Majesty's mood was always a bit better. Originally, due to certain circumstances, he had so pity for Gou Liang and felt sowhat close to him, but now he beca even more polite to him.
On this day, while Gou Liang was enthusiastically discussing the scenery of the Northwest Desert described in the books with the Emperor, he noticed the hesitant expression on Eunuch Tong's face when a eunuch ca to report.
"Eunuch Tong, what's the matter?" the Emperor asked.
Gou Liang paused his speech, stealing a glance at Eunuch Tong, who was hesitating.
The eunuch respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, the Chief Eunuch of the Fengwu Palace ca to report that Wang Guijun of Biyi Hall is not doing well. The Empress Dowager sent him to inquire whether Your Majesty would like to visit Wang Guijun." Gou Liang was shocked, and the lid of his teacup clinked against the cup.
The Emperor looked at him, and Gou Liang hurriedly apologized, "I've been rude-"
"Stay seated," the Emperor interrupted him, saying, "Since Aiqing is proficient in foreign languages, I will have soone send over a few books for you to translate."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will do as instructed and present them to you as soon as possible."
"No rush."
The Emperor got up and left the library, casting a glance at Gou Liang through the latticed door. Seeing him caress the teacup he had just used with a look of pity on his face, the Emperor inexplicably felt a hint of joy, curling the corners of his mouth.
Gou Liang watched through the system monitor as the blind spot entered the "love rival's nest."
He wasn't worried that the Emperor would develop feelings for these people, nor was he concerned that the Emperor would yield to the Empress Dowager and public opinion to favor them. His dical skills were not acquired in vain. When he first t the Emperor, he could already sll the strong scent of "virginity" on him; it seed he hadn't even released his yang. In the twenty-seven years prior, the Emperor had never touched these people. Now that he was by the target's side, not even a drop of 'his' beauty could be touched by anyone else.
However, deep down, he still felt sowhat uncomfortable.
These people were occupying the position of the Emperor's consorts in the Imperial Harem, even if only as decorations, and Gou Liang felt extrely dissatisfied.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
The delicate consorts knelt before him in the hall. Countless people in the harem were waiting for Wang Guijun to die so they could finally et the Emperor.
Since the Empress was still under house arrest, although he was in charge of sending soone to invite the Emperor, it was now the four consorts who were managing the harem. Seeing that the Emperor had no intention of entering the inner hall, the chief consort, Huang Guijun, explained Wang Guijun's condition to him.
At twenty-five years old, Wang Guijun's health had deteriorated, and he had been unwell since the beginning of spring, barely holding on until now.
The young Emperor was exceptionally handso and charismatic, causing many gers to fall for him at first sight, but Wang Guijun was particularly affected.
He entered the palace at the age of fifteen and was the most vibrant among the many gers in the harem.
However, it was precisely because of this that his monthly heats beca even more tornting. In just seven short years, he was withered, his complexion yellowed, and his once exquisite features were no longer recognizable. He resented the Emperor, but in the long wait without end, his affection beca stubborn-just like many other gers in the harem, he long been unable to distinguish kind of feelings he harbored toward the Emperor.
He thought that if he could see the Emperor one last ti before he died, he would die content, but the Emperor only sat outside the hall to fulfill the final courtesy between monarch and subject, avoiding eting him. Wang Guijun felt inexplicable grief and struggled to get up, calling out to His Majesty with all his might. The Emperor frowned slightly outside, and soone inside quickly gagged him. In deep resentnt, Wang Guijun finally swallowed his last breath.
The Chief Eunuch of Biyi Hall ca out to report, "Your Majesty, Wang Guijun has passed away."
The Emperor nodded, getting up to address the four consorts, "Give him a funeral befitting of a second-ranked consort."
The four consorts responded in unison, feeling a sense of grief at the Emperor's departure. However, there were still so who had not awakened, kneeling in the hall, staring foolishly at the Emperor's retreating figure, hoping that he would occasionally turn back and glance at them, but it was nothing but wishful thinking.
Gou Liang saw this and couldn't help but smile faintly.
He didn't pity these delicate flowers who were tornted by their heats, withering day by day. When their families sent them into the palace, they were destined to be sacrificial lambs.
*
"Your Majesty, are you returning to the imperial study, or...?" Eunuch Tong inquired.
Listening to Eunuch Tong's question, the Emperor paused for a mont, then continued in his original direction.
Although he had set aside the review of morials today due to his discussion with Gou Liang, for so reason, he felt an impulse to see him urgently now.
To see him smiling in the sunlight with such carefree deanor, to see him greedily indulging in desserts one after another, or simply to see him pretending to be serious-any would do.
However, what surprised the Emperor was that Gou Liang did not comply with his wishes at this mont.
Seeing Gou Liang lying on the table seemingly asleep, the Emperor's slightly impatient steps faltered. Then, he raised his hand to signal Eunuch Tong behind him to stop and approached the room with lighter steps.
On the table lay an unfinished ink painting, depicting a scene from this very chamber, even the sunlight streaming in from outside was not overlooked. Large areas of blank space remained on both sides of the painting, and a hand holding a teacup was depicted with remarkable detail, with distinct knuckles, round nails, and smooth, flowing strokes, rendering the fingers lifelike.
The Emperor was taken aback, subconsciously raising his left hand-although the sleeve of the person in the painting had not been depicted with a single golden dragon pattern, there was no need to guess whose hand it was in the painting.
The Emperor didn't know when Gou Liang, who had always been focused and serious in front of him, had paid attention to his hand, and what kind of admiration he had, to etch it into his heart so clearly, depicting every bone and even the obscure scar on the back of his hand with such precision.
This was probably the boldest way Gou Liang had ever expressed his affection, even though he had never written a word or painted a piece of clothing.
Gou Liang slept peacefully, and only at this mont did he dare to place his hand next to the hand in the painting, gently touching the slightly curled pinkie with his fingertips. Perhaps feeling satisfied, even in his dreams, a quiet smile still played on his lips, and the dimple on his left cheek faintly exuded sweetness.
The Emperor's fingertips trembled, unable to resist squatting down.
He placed his hand on the painting, next to Gou Liang's slender fingers, quietly watching his sleeping face. The Emperor couldn't help but reach out and gently poke Gou Liang's dimple.
"Um..."
Gou Liang groaned, and the Emperor quickly withdrew his hand, standing up abruptly.
But Gou Liang did not wake up, only scratching the cheek that had been touched just now, tilting his head slightly to hide the dimple, revealing his right cheek instead.
Only a few ink marks were left on his cheek, which looked particularly striking on his fair skin.
The Emperor chuckled.
[Ding, Target Favorability Updated, Current Favorability: 50!]
That night, the leader of the Royal Shadow Guards, Ye Xiao, who always struck with bloodshed, was ordered to sneak into the room of a certain Hanlin mber and steal a painting. The Emperor did not specify what painting it was, so Ye Xiao pried open the locked cabinet and found many paintings and calligraphy inside. He was at a loss but decided to take all the paintings back.
Each painting depicted a wolf-hair brush, an inkstone, a teacup... The items were too easy to recognize, and the Emperor would not mistake them. These were all things he used regularly.
The aning of the paintings was subtle, but the emotions were clear.
Each painting did not have love poems, rather each was inscribed with a date, ticulously recording the date of the painting and whether it was sunny or rainy.
In the brightly lit Zhongyang Palace, the Emperor carefully examined each painting and inscription until he saw a complete portrait on the last one.
At a glance, he could tell it was taken at the Yuan Si Terrace of the Huguo Temple, with the sun rising, and the distant mountains shrouded in clouds, with the faint silhouette of the Chongming Pagoda visible.
A man stood with his hands behind his back on the cliff, quietly watching the rising sun, his black robe embroidered with golden clouds fluttering in the wind, and his purple jade crown ticulously tying up his hair. The man's profile was sharp, with slightly furrowed brows and a hint of solemnity in his gaze, giving off a calmness that was completely different from the lively sunrise on the ground.
After many years, seeing such a painting, the Emperor instantly recalled the thoughts and feelings he had when he stood on the Yuan Si Terrace waiting for the sunrise.
At that ti, Ye Xiao reported to him about his good younger brother-forrly the Prince of Liang, now a commoner nad Liang Gang, who was privately monopolizing the salt and iron trade and raising private soldiers for ulterior motives. Despite being surrounded by peaceful scenery, all he could think of were violent affairs... Little did he know that his thoughts had been seen by others, stirring up emotions.
The Emperor gently touched the rice paper and brush, bringing them to his nose to sniff-this painting must have been done four years ago.
Beside the painting, there was a half-written verse: "The mountain has trees, and the trees have branches."
The Emperor ran his fingers over the elegant and neat calligraphy, chuckling, "I can't even rember when I last went to the Yuan Si Terrace to watch the sunrise."
Eunuch Tong, who served beside him and dared not look at the painting, spoke softly, "Your Majesty, if this old servant rembers correctly, it should have been during the autumn festival five years ago. It was said that bathing in the morning sun on that day would bring good luck, and people also said that listening to the bell of the Huguo Temple while welcoming the first ray of sunlight could enlighten the mind. Many scholars like to watch the sunrise at the Yuan Si Terrace, and there were quite a few scholars there that day. This old servant was afraid that Your Majesty might encounter so accidental collisions."
So that's how it was.
What kind of profound thoughts and lingering emotions could recreate such a detailed scene a year later?
The Emperor chuckled and said, "Eunuch Tong, prepare the brush and ink."
The mountain has trees, and the trees have branches.
- On the fifth day of the ninth month of the Gengchen year, the moonlight tells of my thoughts.
Your heart is like mine.
- On the eleventh day of the sixth month of the Yiyu year, the night conveys my intentions.
[Ding, Target Favorability Updated, Current Favorability: 75!]
Taking out the ink masterpiece that Gou Liang had made today, the Emperor carefully rolled up the other paintings and handed them to the leader of the Shadow Guards.
"Take these back and make sure he doesn't find out."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
And so, Ye Xiao ventured into the general's mansion once again.
That night, the Emperor, full of energy, added a few strokes to the painting, waited for the ink to dry, then announced, "Eunuch Tong, fra this painting."
Only when Eunuch Tong held up the painting to leave the blind spot did he see its true appearance-a pair of hands touching, with a red thread wrapped around their pinkies.
As the painting was carried out of the room, Gou Liang, having seen the colored brushstrokes on the rice paper, rolled around in bed, pulling himself into the covers, his silly laughter echoing in the room. Sending plum blossoms by post, communicating through fish, who says romance is dead?
The next day, the Emperor, who had not slept all night, was full of vigor, but he was burdened with state affairs. When he finally had so free ti, the palace gates were already locked.
The following day was the monthly rest day, and the Emperor, absorbed in reading the morial of the vassal kings, suddenly turned to glance at the seat where the imperial reader usually sat. Although he knew he would see him the next day, he inexplicably felt an urgent desire to see him now, unable to focus on handling state affairs.
With a raised eyebrow, the Emperor put down his vermilion brush and decided to leave the palace in disguise.
As he quietly left the palace, Gou Liang was receiving a box from Lady Chu-so items and a "Fire Avoidance Diagram."
Lady Chu briefly explained the use of the items in the box, looking at Gou Liang's flushed face, she spoke earnestly, "Once you pass forty, it'll be better. For now, you must learn to relieve yourself."
As the father of Gers, he was well aware of the pain of enduring alone when emotions surged. Lady Chu had never thought of interfering in his son's private matters before, only advising him to take his Ice-Clear Pill on ti. But today, he suddenly had this idea after hearing about a certain lady who suffered from neglect due to his husband's favoring of concubines, and eventually passed away after enduring for several years.
Although he valued wealth, status, and position, and was strict with his son, he did love and care for him, fearing that his own montary negligence would cause his son to die young.
Facing his intense gaze, Gou Liang forced a natural smile and said, "Father, I understand."
Lady Chu didn't elaborate on the details, just instructing him to follow the Fire Avoidance Diagram and repeatedly reminding him not to let anyone see it before leaving.
As soon as he left, the flush on Gou Liang's face dispersed naturally. He casually flipped through the Fire Avoidance Diagram, disappointedly muttering, "I thought it would be more exciting."
[System that always gets shielded by the blind spots when the host and the target are doing things together: If you don't want to be tornted by the heats every month, hurry up and conquer the target, and continue enjoying night after night!]
Gou Liang snorted coquettishly.
Ever since he spent over ten thousand points in the mall and beca the only executor to complete a mission so far, the Ti and Space Managent Bureau specially upgraded the 004 system to reward him. For example, when Gou Liang first arrived in this world, the system maintained a special mode of activity for the current world day. This was one of the new functions.
Of course, what Gou Liang cared more about was that after upgrading to a diamond-level user in the mall, the prizes in the lottery section also upgraded to items worth 1000-10000 points.
Gou Liang was already familiar with the product numbers in the mall, and he hadn't used up the 100% lottery chance from completing the previous world's mission. Seeing that the Emperor was on his way to the General's mansion, Gou Liang began the arduous task of selecting the prize for this lottery from piles of delicacies.
Disguised as an attendant, Ye Xiao entered the mansion to invite Gou Liang to accompany the Emperor, but soon returned alone.
He inford the Emperor with discerning eyes that Master Chu was personally cooking in the kitchen and didn't want to disturb him. He ca to inquire whether the Emperor would like to taste Gou Liang's culinary skills.
How could such a wonderful opportunity be missed?
When the Emperor stepped into the courtyard, he was ntally prepared. Even if Gou Liang cooked nothing but sweet and greasy food, he was determined to accompany him.
However, as he entered the kitchen, a tantalizing aroma greeted him, making his mouth water.
Eunuch Tong suspiciously swallowed his saliva, glanced at the Emperor who quickened his pace, and wiped the sweat from his face to cover his nervousness.
Gou Liang was busy at the stove, tasting a spoonful of spicy mushroom soup with delight on his face. Suddenly, he noticed a figure standing at the kitchen door and was startled.
The hot soup burned his mouth, and Gou Liang covered it in pain, saying, "Who's there?!"
Frowning at the sight of him being scalded, the Emperor strode forward and took his hand-Gou Liang's tender lips were slightly swollen, and his tongue was also scalded, tears welling up in his eyes from the pain.
"Eunuch Tong, fetch the imperial physician!"
The Emperor's voice was cold as he tightly held Gou Liang's hand and led him away from the stove.
Eunuch Tong had only heard the Emperor speak in such a tone when he made up his mind to send the late Emperor on his final journey. He was so scared that he took two steps back before rembering to send Ye Xiao to "invite" the imperial physician.
"Your... Your... Your Majesty..."
Gou Liang was frightened by the Emperor's sudden appearance, stamring, "I'm... I'm... I'm guilty."
He wanted to kneel down and ask for forgiveness, but the Emperor held him up. Seeing his teary and tongue-tied appearance, the Emperor's stern expression softened, and a hint of amusent flickered in his eyes.
Glancing at Gou Liang's scalded mouth, the Emperor saw that the injury wasn't severe, and the anxiety in his heart subsided.
Mockingly, he asked, "What are you guilty of, Aiqing?"
Blushing deeply, Gou Liang couldn't speak.
It was a well-known fact that gentlen stay away from the kitchen, and in this world, the kitchen had always been the realm of the Gers. That was why Gou Liang deliberately dismissed others when he cooked.
Who could have imagined that the usually reserved and courteous Master Chu was not only a lover of sweets and laughter but also loved being in the kitchen?
Hmm, and his culinary skills were so excellent. No wonder he always seed unenthusiastic whenever he was asked to serve at the dining table.
The Emperor thought to himself and glanced at the relatively distant Black fish.
As Gou Liang couldn't eat due to the uncertain condition of his mouth, the Emperor graciously served himself a bowl of Black fish. However, Gou Liang couldn't help but cast an envious glance at the 10,000-point delicacy being enjoyed, his resentful gaze almost turning into
substance.
The Emperor noticed, but he couldn't suppress the curve of his lips.
It seems that I'll be well-fed in the future.
The Emperor thought as he glanced at the next dish of boiled live fish.
[Ding, Target Favorability Updated, Current Favorability: 80!]*
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