Chapter 129 - Grape Flavored Imperial Gong (8)
Translated by Hua Li ^_^
Qinzhou.
In the study of the w.a.n.g Mansion, the King of Qin was raging.
“You said it was foolproof! Yet the plan was discovered as soon as it began. What else do you have to say?!”
Questioned by the King, Liang Gang’s face turned ashen. He used to be the honored imperial son, and the King of Qin never dared to be so insolent in front of him. But now he was no longer the only legitimate son in the palace, stripped of his royal t.i.tle and reduced to a commoner without even the royal surname. Facing the King’s reproach, Liang Gang gritted his teeth and said, “This time was just a fluke, but next time—”
“Shut up!” The King said angrily. “There won’t be a next time! What else do you want to do?!”
He was foolish to believe Liang Gang’s words.
Originally, in their plan, the mysterious poison should have gone unnoticed, disguised as an epidemic. With no cure available, the Emperor would have had no choice but to kill those poisoned scholars and commoners, diminishing his authority. Then, they would have caused a landslide on Tianzi Mountain, releasing the pre-buried warnings of patricide and usurpation, proving divine punishment.
The people are ignorant and feel taboo towards ghosts and G.o.ds. As long as the people’s morale is in chaos, he can justifiably send troops.
But was Tianzong so easily fooled?
If Liang Gang truly had such ability, why was he dealt with by Tianzong before he even acted?
The more the King thought about it, the more he regretted it. He had seen Tianzong’s methods over the years, even if he hadn’t personally experienced them. If Tianzong discovered he was behind this, the next commoner would be him!
Liang Gang goaded him, “Are you so afraid of him?”
The King’s face stiffened, then he coldly snorted, “So what if I am afraid of him? Aren’t you afraid too?”
Liang Gang’s face darkened, but he couldn’t refute.
The King looked disdainfully at him. “Elder Brother, my w.a.n.g Mansion is too small to accommodate such a big Buddha as you. You’d better leave quickly. Perhaps the King of Ping, the King of Yang, and those fools will avenge you for being deprived of your royal surname.”
“You!”
Liang Gang was furious.
“See yourself out!”
The King always turned his back on people.
Liang Gang gave the King a grim look, filled with anger, then stood up and left without a word. But before he could leave the room, the King’s trusted eunuch hurriedly ran in, looking fl.u.s.tered. “Your Highness, there’s someone from the capital requesting your presence in the front hall to receive an edict.”
The visitor was the adopted son of Eunuch Tong, He Taiji, who delivered the edict. After reading the decree inviting King Qin to depart for the capital today, He Taiji smiled and addressed the anxious King Qin, stating: “Your Highness, the late emperor’s birthday occurred a few days ago. His Majesty visited his mausoleum to pay his respects, only to find it damaged. As a result, he has summoned all the va.s.sal kings to Beijing to discuss repairing the mausoleum in honor of the late emperor.”
King Qin outwardly agreed, but harbored doubts within.
It was widely known that the late emperor had been sent to the afterlife by the unfilial son of Tianzong. In previous years, his birthday was commemorated with simple rituals at the Ancestral Temple. Why the sudden visit to the imperial mausoleum this year?
It seemed like nothing more than a pretext for the kings to return to the capital.
King Qin wondered about the emperor’s intentions in summoning them back to Beijing. Could it be related to their actions with Liang Gang? But no, the poisonings were orchestrated by Liang Gang’s a.s.sociates. Even if they were discovered, it would be hard to implicate him…
Just when King Qin was feeling lucky, He Taiji continued, “His Majesty learned that the King has been living a lonely life in Qinzhou. Therefore, he specially sent me to bring a gift for the King. None of the other princes have such fortune.”
As he spoke, he had someone bring in the item. Even though only a corner was revealed, the Prince immediately recognized it—it was the warning stone tablet they buried on Tianzi Mountain a year ago!
*
When He Taiji returned to the capital to report, the Emperor was in the study listening to Gou Hanlin explain a medical book with a serious expression.
They were discussing human acupoints, which interested the Emperor. Leaning closer to Gou Liang, who stood straight, he asked in a low voice, “Where is the laughing acupoint on the sole of the foot? Can Aiqing show it to me?”
He reached for Gou Liang’s shoe, and Gou Liang dodged for a moment before the Emperor took off his shoe and sock, holding his foot in his hand.
As the rough hand touched the sole of his foot, Gou Liang couldn’t help but squirm. “Your Majesty, please stop.”
But the Emperor didn’t listen, continuing until he touched a spot that made Gou Liang shiver suddenly, breaking his serious demeanor and bursting into laughter.
“So this is it, I’ve learned something.”
The Emperor mischievously pressed on his laughing acupoint, causing Gou Liang to squirm all over.
“Y-Your Majesty, let go… Hahaha, please, let go, I-I can’t… Hahaha, it tickles… Spare me… Hahaha!”
Gou Liang laughed so hard that he trembled, tears streaming down his face. He wanted to pull his foot back, even daring to try to push the Emperor’s hand away, but he was laughing too hard to muster the strength.
The Emperor kissed his moistened eyes, mischievously switching to his other foot.
It wasn’t until Gou Liang laughed until his stomach hurt, begging for mercy as he clung to the Emperor’s neck and timidly kissed his lips as requested, that the Emperor finally released his acupoint. Rubbing the tender and fair foot, the Emperor shamelessly took in Gou Liang’s breaths as they kissed.
The wanton laughter in the room ceased, replaced by the sounds of intimacy. Outside, Eunuch Tong’s adopted son hurriedly approached, but Eunuch Tong gestured for him to stay back.
—As long as the sky didn’t fall, any urgent matters could wait until the Emperor was free.
In the chamber, the unscrupulous Emperor removed his trousers and coaxed him.
Gou Liang blushed furiously and curled his feet, shaking his head, “N-No… Wei-Wei Chen hasn’t cleaned his feet yet…”
“It smells good.”
The Emperor brought his foot to his lips, kissing from the ankle to the sole, gently but a.s.sertively pushing his feet under his dragon robe. The scalding heat made Gou Liang shiver all over, his eyes filled with confusion and excitement. Gou Liang hadn’t experienced this kind of thrill before, and he was already excited all over.
“Your Majesty…”
His legs were so sore he couldn’t exert any strength, and Gou Liang collapsed on the couch.
The emperor who was thrusting into his feet lifted up his trouser legs and kissed his knees obsessively. His eyes were locked on Gou Liang for a moment, with a hint of evil smile on his expression.
At this moment, he almost overlapped with Bi Xia. Gou Liang was dazzled and accidentally said: “Bi Xia…”
The emperor was unaware of this and continued to tease his feet. Gou Liang’s legs tingled, and his body shrank, showing a seductive demeanor. Even his fair and slim legs were perfect in the Emperor’s eyes. However, he stubbornly refused to let Gou Liang fully reveal himself. The Emperor couldn’t help but want more, taking advantage of Gou Liang’s tender whispers to tear off his underwear, pressing his body against him and forcefully placing himself between his legs.
After it was done, Gou Liang’s lower body was already in disarray.
He was held by the Emperor, his lower body pressed against the revived big thing, his eyes staring blankly at the gradually cooling and whitening liquid on the center of his legs.
My delicacy…
Gou Liang, who had cried after being tossed around just now, suddenly shed tears of sadness. It was like a broken thread snapping.
The Emperor, who wanted to continue, was surprised and quickly restrained the endless variety of fire-avoidance techniques in his mind, soothingly comforting him.
Gou Liang kissed him as he led himself, drawing him closer until they couldn’t bear to part. When his mouth became swollen from the Emperor’s kisses, he stopped feeding him and finally felt a little better.
[ Ding, task progress bar advances, current task progress: 11%! ]
By the time He Taiji was summoned, an hour had pa.s.sed.
When he entered the room, he saw two men dressed in bright yellow dragon-patterned robes embracing each other. He Taiji was first startled to see Gou Liang wearing the Emperor’s clothes, and then seeing the Emperor holding Gou Liang, personally wiping his hair that hasn’t dried yet. He immediately lowered his head, covering his astonishment.
“Your servant pays respects—”
Gou Liang, who was drowsy, was disturbed. Furrowing his brows, he tried to wake up, and the Emperor glanced coldly at He Taiji. The latter suddenly bowed his head, using the lowest voice to finish the two words that had already rolled off his tongue: “…Your Majesty.”
The Emperor affectionately kissed Gou Liang’s temple, continuing to wipe his hair, and asked him, “How are things going?”
He Taiji humbly lay prostrate on the ground, giving the smallest report he had ever given in his life: “Your Majesty, the King of Qin, the King of Ping, and other kings have already set off for the capital and will arrive within ten days. The King of Qin intended to bring the criminal Liang Gang to plead guilty, but Liang Gang took his own life in the w.a.n.g Mansion ahead of time.”
Liang Gang was ruthless too. Upon learning that the situation was exposed, he decided to end his own life, leaving all the mess for the King of Qin to bear alone.
The King of Qin wished he could slit his throat, but he lacked the courage of Liang Gang. He thought that since the heavens had covered for him, attributing the poison among the scholars to the rat corpses washed into the well by the rainstorm, it must be out of consideration for the royal dignity. Surely, they wouldn’t seek his life… With such hopes, the Prince of Qin whipped Liang Gang’s corpse, then nervously followed the Imperial Guard into the capital.
The Emperor nodded. “Make sure to keep a close eye on them below, don’t let anyone die on the way.”
He Taiji quickly acknowledged.
The next day, Gou Liang received a joint invitation.
You Jìng, Táng Qīngfēng, Lù Yīmíng, and Zhào Chūyáng, who had narrowly escaped death, invited him to dine at the most luxurious restaurant in the capital. Since it was a rest day tomorrow, Gou Liang agreed.
Upon learning of this, the Emperor made a mental note of the other three aside from Fatty Táng.
Gou Liang secretly chuckled at his unreasonable antics. He couldn’t stay at the Hanlin Academy every day, especially not so frequently as to arouse suspicion, let alone on a rest day.
*
“Greetings to Lord Chǔ.”
As Gou Liang entered, the four men performed a deep bow.
When Gou Liang arrived at the inn that day, the helpless physicians finally found the source of the disease and obtained the remedy. Táng Qīngfēng and the others guessed that Gou Liang had saved their lives, which Yóu Jìng later confirmed. After several inquiries, they learned Gou Liang’s true ident.i.ty, which was a pleasant surprise.
Although they didn’t know why the court hadn’t rewarded Gou Liang, only rewarding the Imperial Hospital, the four of them sincerely acknowledged his life saving grace, which touched Gou Liang deeply.
After receiving a courtesy, Gou Liang asked them to get up and said, “We are of similar age, so let’s address each other as peers.”
The four men glanced at each other and didn’t refuse.
However, Lù Yīmíng remained kneeling on the ground, refusing to get up, saying, “Younger brother has been ignorant of Mount Tai and was disrespectful before. Please punish me as you see fit, Lord Chǔ.”
Gou Liang smiled faintly. “How could that be? I believe being ranked ‘16-year old champion’ in the Imperial Examinations is a well-deserved t.i.tle.”
Lù Yīmíng blushed deeply.
Táng Qīngfēng laughed and said, “Brother Zìguī, don’t praise him too much. This kid lacks nothing but common sense. He believes everything others say.”
Lù Yīmíng glared at him fiercely.
It was evident that after experiencing life and death together, they had put aside their past grievances and got along quite well.
With Táng Qīngfēng at the dinner table, it was not dull. Plus, with Lù Yīmíng adding to the fun, they were already chatting lively while waiting for the waiter to serve the dishes. When the door to the private room was pushed open, they didn’t pay much attention, thinking it was the waiter coming to serve the food. Táng Qīngfēng even turned around to ask the attendant to bring another pot of tea. Unexpectedly, the visitor turned out to be “Brother Jìa De.”
Gou Liang was surprised and stood up abruptly. He was struggling with what to call him when the Emperor walked up to him.
He opened the fan and fanned Gou Liang, smiling at him. “Brother is in a good mood today. Why not invite your brother to accompany you?”
He had deliberately brought a fan today, with famous paintings on it. Who knows how many times more valuable it was than the fan Fatty Táng lent Gou Liang. As he spoke, his gaze, devoid of any warmth, swept over the faces of the four men before returning to Gou Liang, where it softened.
“Brother Jìa, what brings you here today?”
After Gou Liang’s initial shock, only joy remained. With a slight smile at the corners of his eyes, his dimples added a touch of sweetness.
“All the courtiers are resting, yet Lord Chǔ, who is too busy to even warm his seat, has time to meet friends for dinner. How could I not come to visit you?” He emphasized the phrase “too busy to even warm his seat,” then folded the fan and tapped Gou Liang’s forehead. Gou Liang covered his forehead, his big eyes showing a hint of pity. The Emperor’s slight annoyance dissipated, and a faint smile appeared on his stern face.
Even the slow-witted Yóu Jìng was somewhat puzzled by the ambiguous atmosphere between Gou Liang and the Emperor. However, Lù Yīmíng welcomed the Emperor unreservedly, and even called for the waiter to add two more dishes.
Originally seated on Gou Liang’s left, Táng Qīngfēng gave up his seat. Gou Liang poured a cup of tea for the Emperor and said, “I heard that the Drunken Wind Pavilion has two specialties: one is their wine, and the other is their signature dish, Phoenix Spreading Wings. Unfortunately, the Phoenix Spreading Wings is only served once a day, and we seem to have come too late this time.”
Táng Qīngfēng added, “Indeed, I had sent someone to wait early, but it turns out that the Phoenix Spreading Wings was reserved half a month ago.”
To their surprise, when the food and wine were served, the first dish was the famous Phoenix Spreading Wings.
The Emperor awkwardly picked up a piece of chicken leg for Gou Liang. The renowned delicacy lived up to its reputation. Gou Liang closed his eyes in contentment. Even the food prepared by the Imperial Kitchen had never satisfied him so much.
The Emperor felt joyful and picked up another piece of food for Gou Liang, saying, “I… I will buy that kitchen and give it to you, how about that?”
After savoring the dish for a while, Gou Liang recounted the exclusive recipe and method for making the Phoenix Spreading Wings in detail. He waved his hand and said, “I’ll treat you to something better next time.”
Tang Qingfeng and Zhao Chuyang glanced at each other, and their att.i.tude toward “Brother Jia” became even more humble—who didn’t know that behind the Drunken Wind Pavilion stood the Princess’s Mansion, and the head chef of the Phoenix Spreading Wings was from the Princess’s Mansion, not just an ordinary chef. Yet, this person completely disregarded such a prestigious ident.i.ty.
After finishing their meal, the four of them withdrew to drink and chat.
Lù Yīmíng, who loved to show off, suggested playing the game of pa.s.sing flowers to compose poetry. Tang Qingfeng was unlucky and was. .h.i.t several times, making several awkward poems on the spot, which wrinkled his chubby face and elicited laughter.
After several rounds, when it was Lù Yīmíng’s turn to pa.s.s the jade pendant to Zhao Chuyang, it slipped and fell to the ground. Zhao Chuyang bent down to pick it up but saw a different scene under the table.
——The Emperor was holding Gou Liang’s hand and placing it on his own leg, their fingers intertwined. Gou Liang noticed that he had been discovered and tried to pull his hand away, but the Emperor held it even tighter.
Zhao Chuyang nonchalantly raised his head, punished himself by drinking a cup of wine, and composed a poem welcoming autumn that far surpa.s.sed Tang Qingfeng’s.
Gou Liang blushed and pretended to drink two more cups, feeling a bit dizzy when they dispersed.
As they boarded the carriage, the Emperor leaned against his face and said, “Why are you so hot? Are you uncomfortable?”
Gou Liang shook his head, revealing a silly smile. He acted as if he were drunk, acting more boldly than usual. Nestling into the Emperor’s palm, he rubbed against it and affectionately kissed his palm.
The Emperor was taken aback, feeling a familiar softness in his palm, as if the little drunkard before him often kissed his palm.
Gou Liang’s frankness was quite rare, so the Emperor simply laughed it off. He hugged Gou Liang into his arms, caressed his face, and said, “If I had known earlier, I would have charmed you into staying long ago.”
There was a hint of regret in his tone, and he resolved to persuade Gou Liang to drink a few more cups the next day when he stayed at the Hanlin Academy.
Gou Liang, unaware, lingered in his embrace, chatting with him casually, occasionally kissing his neck and face like a cat stealing cream, smiling even more foolishly.
The Emperor was extremely moved and reluctant to send him home. He willingly became an indulgent monarch, setting aside all the unfinished state affairs in his study and enjoying the night with Gou Liang. The carriage slowly circled around the capital until Gou Liang sobered up, and then they reluctantly parted ways.
Before getting off the carriage, the Emperor hugged him tightly and specifically instructed, “Come to Zhengyang Palace early tomorrow morning. Let He Taiji fetch whatever books you want to read and wait for me in the bedchamber, alright?”
Gou Liang nodded with a blushing face, bidding farewell to the Emperor with reluctance. This scene and sentiment were reminiscent of the innocent infatuation he felt when he was with Shi Yu. A smile or a little affectionate gesture from him would make his face blush and his heart race uncontrollably.
That was the sweetness of first love, intoxicating and irresistible.
The Emperor kissed him repeatedly, and although Gou Liang knew it was inappropriate, he didn’t refuse.
Instead, the Emperor worried that he would be embarra.s.sed if his family saw him returning home, so he only lightly kissed his mouth and neck, then opened his collar a bit, leaving a row of kisses on his right clavicle before straightening his clothes to conceal the conspicuous marks.
Gou Liang returned home, the curve of his lips not fading until he saw Lady Chu sitting in the hall with a stern face.
“Dad, were you looking for me?”
Lady Chu was about to speak but smelled alcohol on him, his expression changing. “Have you been drinking?”
Gou Liang, who had been trained since childhood, instinctively straightened his back upon hearing his tone and explained in a low voice, “Just had a few drinks with colleagues.”
“You, you,” Lady Chu walked over and poked his forehead, saying angrily, “Didn’t I specifically tell you… not to drink when… that time comes? Once you drink, it will be twice or even more intense. How will you endure these past few days?”
Gou Liang’s eyes flickered for a moment, lowering his head and saying, “Just endure it.”
Lady Chu, unable to contain his anger, said through gritted teeth, “Endure what? Your father gave you something, haven’t you used it yet? Let me tell you, we are born with this kind of body, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Blame your father’s one moment of negligence. Now you can’t taste that feeling, but there’s no need to force yourself too much… Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Gou Liang nodded hastily, feeling extremely embarra.s.sed, and changed the subject, saying, “Dad, what did you want to see me for?”
Lady Chu became even more angry when he brought up the matter. He sat back in his seat and said through gritted teeth, “Your father has arranged for Chu Jian and Chu Jia to be engaged. Today, he wrote a letter and asked His Majesty to allow Chu Qian to return to the capital.”
Last month, when the Emperor came to the Huguo General’s Mansion, the two husband and wife were not at home because of matchmaking matters.
“He says it’s for attending the wedding, but he clearly has no intention of letting his precious son go!”
“Chu Qian has been away for three years now and has risen to the rank of a major general. Meanwhile, you’re still stuck in the Hanlin Academy as a low-ranking official of the fifth rank. When he comes back, do you think your father will still have a place for you in his eyes? He’s even planning to have Chu Qian serve as a deputy commander in the garrison, paving the way for him to inherit his position… Hmph, when has he ever cared for you like this? I just regret coming a step too late. Otherwise, how could I let you suffer like this?”
Madam Chu grew more and more resentful as he spoke.
General Chu’s primary wife, Madame Zhou, died giving birth to a pair of twins, leaving him racked with guilt as he was away on a campaign and didn’t get to see her one last time.
As a result, he always showed extreme care and concern for the Chu brothers, which inadvertently led to the original host being neglected.
Now that he was grown up and successful, the original host was unable to marry due to Madam Chu’s past deception about his gender. He couldn’t marry into a prestigious family, and even if he wanted to, he couldn’t deceive someone as discerning as the potential groom’s family.
Moreover, Chu Qian’s father-in-law was a rising star in the court. Despite his humble background, he had merits from military service and was highly regarded by the Emperor.
The families of the other two twins were even more prominent, with close ties to the royal family and the Emperor. Madam Chu couldn’t help but feel bitter when he thought about how the Princess and the Princess Consort had praised Chu Jian and Chu Jia back then. If it weren’t for his son being buried by him, based on his appearance and talent alone, who in the capital would dare to claim to be the best?
Madam Chu was holding back his anger, urging Gou Liang repeatedly not to slack off and not to let Chu Qian steal all the limelight.
After soothing him with good and bad words, Gou Liang sent him away and breathed a sigh of relief.
…The original host really had a hard time.
That night, Gou Liang indeed felt a much stronger surge of emotions than last month. He touched the soft, wet area behind him and carefully examined his appearance and posture in the system monitor.
The system found it quite eye-catching, but soon it went crazy—Gou Liang, dissatisfied with his body, bought the 998 Face Value Overload Gift Pack in the mall that had once made the system lament!
While the original host’s appearance and figure were good, he was still somewhat thin and lacked elasticity in his skin, and his features were not perfectly symmetrical.
Now prepared to be at his best, Gou Liang was lying awake, thinking happily about how he would pick the sweet grapes tomorrow, when he saw his blind spot, who was also unable to sleep, running towards him as if sensing something.
Gou Liang silently cried out several times under the covers and mischievously reached out his demon hand toward the thoughtful item prepared by Madam Chu.
Feeling excited like never before, the system, which seemed as if it had never experienced s.e.xual activity before, said, “Go for the big grape!!!”