Ch 41 – Late night rendezvous~
Do you really hate seeing me so much….. you would rather I sleep with some other woman, so you can push me away!
Blue veins stood up in sharp relief on Li ZeChen"s forehead, his hands which were hanging by his sides began trembling as he curled them into fists. His voice was tense and full of pain, “Do you even know what you are saying……”
Ye Ming suddenly averted his gaze, as if he couldn"t bear the cruelty of his own actions. But his tone remained hard with determination, “Your Majesty must have an heir, else the nation will be not be secure.”
“This beloved official is really loyal and devoted, heh….” A hoa.r.s.e chuckle escaped Li ZeChen"s throat, his heart slowly growing cold.
Ye Ming knelt down and prostrated himself on the ground, “Chén cannot be the cause of the nation"s downfall, asking His Majesty to please attach greater importance to the needs of the country.”
Note: Chén (臣) - this servant/official
Li ZeChen looked stonily at the man kneeling before him.
You are selfless enough, but you must understand, I wish you could be a little bit more selfish sometimes, be a bit less inhibited by what you think is right…… do you even realise how cruel you are.
You gave me something beautiful to look forward to, but at the same time you wrested it away from me, telling me that everything was but a lie that I dreamt up, in the end leaving me with nothing in my grasp.
[Ding! Li ZeChen"s blackening value +10, current blackening value is 80]
After a long while, Li ZeChen slowly loosened his fists. He gave a low, bitter laugh, “Very well, zhèn will listen to you.”
Note: Zhèn (朕) - I (imperial use)
With that, he turned around and left without hesitation. To the trembling eunuch at his side, he said, “To Chen concubine"s palace!”
Once Ye Ming could no longer see Li ZeChen"s figure, he slowly got up from the ground.
[888: He really left, guess he"s going to play around now.]
[Ye Ming: Nah, this is just a man"s way of protecting his pride. Just because you visit a concubine"s palace, who says anything has to happen? They can also spend time by having a nice heart to heart chat.]
[888: ……Are you so sure?]
[Ye Ming: Absolutely.]
[888: Need I remind you that the blackening value has risen again.]
[Ye Ming: Don"t worry, he just thinks that I don"t care about him. I just need find a chance to show him how much I really care, and that I"m actually doing this for his own good. It"s not easy to get rid of the blackening value~]
[888: Hehe……]
And that is why humans are such ineffable creatures. If it were him (888), he probably would have beaten this spicy chicken to death long ago, what maniac would want to continue this never ending hot and cold game with him (YM)? If you don"t like the spicy chicken"s att.i.tude, then give him a good stomp. If it"s not enough, then stomp on him again.
T/N : Spicy chicken (辣鸡) is a slang used by the Chinese. Simply put, là jī (辣鸡 – spicy chicken) sounds a lot like lā jī (垃圾 – rubbish). So 888 is calling Ye Ming garbage. I"m keeping ‘spicy chicken" because… it"s funny. ? (And because I can"t think of a suitable replacement lolol)
Li ZeChen left the Fengyang palace in large strides, his expression dark and cold. He halted at the gateway of the palace for a moment.
The eunuch carefully asked Li ZeChen, “Your Majesty…….. are we still going?”
After having served Li ZeChen for so long, he well understood the place Ye Ming held in Li ZeChen"s heart, and believed that Li ZeChen"s earlier instruction were but words spoken out of anger.
The corner of Li ZeChen"s mouth twitched slightly. He looked back at the palace, where specks of candle flames illuminated the interior, his gaze full of helplessness. Finally, he closed his eyes, and replied, “Yes.”
The eunuch was stunned. Has the Emperor finally given up?
Concubine Chen was asleep. She had gone to bed early, as was her wont, but today she was startled awake by a sudden clamor within her palace. She listened in a bewildered daze to her maid telling her that the Emperor was about to arrive, and the shock cleared her head like an icy splash of water to the face. Trembling with anxiety, she grabbed on to the elderly maid"s hand and asked, “His-His Majesty is really coming here?”
Her maid was also wearing an expression of one who had been struck by lightning by the heavens, her voice quivered with excitement as she answered, “Yes, there"s no mistake about it! His Majesty"s eunuch just dropped by to inform us, they will be arriving soon. My lady, hurry up and wash your face, ai, and rub the sleep from your eyes!”
T/N : ‘Sleep" as in the stuff stuck to your eyes. FYI, we Chinese call it ‘eye s.h.i.t". ?
Fl.u.s.tered, Concubine Chen hurried to wash her face and brush her hair at the same time. She has never been pushed to such a frenzy before. Before she could put on her shoes, the Emperor"s arrival was announced. Panicking, she rushed out, tripped and fell flat on her face in a prostrated position.
And so, what greeted Li ZeChen was the sight of a woman with long messy hair collapsing to the ground in front of him.
Such a unseemly display……. the maids who were kneeling nearby shivered and broke out in a cold sweat. Such a rare opportunity has arrived, but now it seems like it will be wasted instead. How would the Emperor be interested in such a stupid and clumsy woman.
In terms of looks and family background, Concubine Chen was fairly unremarkable. And now the Emperor will be even less inclined to look at her.
Concubine Chen was close to tears, and couldn"t react for a long moment. She finally lifted her head, trembling from head to foot, “Chén welcomes Your Majesty…..”
Li ZeChen shot her a quick, indifferent look. Then he walked in as if nothing had happened. The eunuch by his side quickly closed the doors and kept guard outside.
Everyone: “…….”
His Majesty just went in without saying a word??? Isn"t he angry at all?
Concubine Chen watched as Li ZeChen entered and the doors were closed behind him. She has received instruction before on how to serve the Emperor, and understood her role, but she couldn"t help feeling so nervous that her hands and feet trembled. She has always been rather reserved, and still felt embarra.s.sed at the thought of serving a man. But the man in front of her now was the Emperor, and so she has to grit her teeth, gather her courage, and step forward to help him disrobe.
Li ZeChen turned his head and looked at her.
Likely owing to the abrupt nature of his visit, the girl"s current appearance was really miserable. Her eyes were still somewhat unfocused, her hair was barely brushed, her clothes were crumpled and twisted in places. Her face was white and nervous, her fear palpable.
His sudden appearance must have really given her a fright.
Li ZeChen sighed, “You can go to bed, zhèn will stay here for a while.”
Concubine Chen replied confusedly, “Chén qiè should attend to Your Majesty tonight.”
Note: Chén qiè (臣妾) – I, your servant
Li ZeChen had chosen Concubine Chen"s palace because he had heard that she was of a peaceable and quiet nature, and was fairly obedient. Right now, looking at her abject state, his temper fizzled out as quickly as it came. Hence he only said coldly, “This is zhèn"s will.”
Concubine Chen hesitated, but she was deathly afraid of Li ZeChen. She tiptoed to her bed, turning her head back to look at him every three steps along the way. When she realised that Li ZeChen was not angry, she finally closed her eyes to sleep. However, because she was still frightened, she covertly peeked at him through her lashes.
She watched Li ZeChen sit on a chair.
Concubine Chen was eventually too tired to fight the heaviness of her eyelids, and fell asleep. In the middle of the night, she woke up in a daze to see Li ZeChen still seated in the same spot, as if he had never moved. Could it be just her imagination….. is Li ZeChen just here to sit through the night in her palace?
When Concubine Chen opened her eyes again in the morning, Li ZeChen was gone, as if last night was all but a dream.
Li ZeChen stopped frequenting Fengyang Palace. He began spending the night in the palaces of his other concubines. Ye Ming stayed in his own palace without a fuss, and did not ask for Li ZeChen"s whereabouts.
Ye Ming had just finished his breakfast today, and strolled to the gardens as usual. Suddenly, he heard the whispers of several palace women drifting over from the rockery.
“His Majesty went to Concubine Chen"s palace again today. He has already stayed there for several days.”
“Really? Could His Majesty have taken a liking to Concubine Chen?”
“Could it be that the Young Master has fallen out of favour…..”
Ye Ming paused, then turned and walked away as if he had not heard anything.
[Ye Ming: Everyone in the palace here is a qualified actor. While sharing gossip in secret, they have to ensure that I would overhear. But they couldn"t be too obvious about it either, lest I realise that they were doing it on purpose. It"s really not an easy task.]
[888: …….]
[Ye Ming: I"ve just realised our dear Emperor has a very cute side to him, turns out he"s actually a very childish and proud little boy. He has visited other women, and is eager for me to know it. I didn"t ask about it, so he devises a method to make sure I know it. Does he really think I would be jealous?]
[888: You definitely wouldn"t be jealous.]
[Ye Ming: You"re wrong! I"m super jealous ah!!!]
888: I give up, what the h.e.l.l is this?
[Ye Ming: I also want to live with so many beautiful women ah! Even if I can"t touch them, at least I can still look at them and feast on the eye candy, right! Hehehehehe……..] He snickered obnoxiously.
[888: …….] This sc.u.m!
Time continued to pa.s.s in this way, and Ye Ming continued his days nonchalantly. But the expression of servants tasked with serving him reflected what those on the outside had already suspected, that he has fallen out of favour with the Emperor. They looked constantly worried, and always hovered around him, on the verge of asking him to persuade the Emperor to return, but Ye Ming remained unmoved.
[888: Li ZeChen hasn"t been to see you for over a month now. Congratulations, he has set a new record.]
[Ye Ming: I estimate that he won"t be able to hold back for much longer.]
[888: Oh? You have already sent him packing to someone else, will he really come back? Is the Emperor really so spineless?]
[Ye Ming: Ai, love has always been a tiresome little creature. The one who falls in love first is always destined to be the loser~ ]
[Ye Ming: But that"s alright, I actually still really like him, I will love him properly ^_^ ]
888: It"s better if you spare the man your love.
Today, Ye Ming retired to bed early after taking his dinner.
He has always been a fairly light sleeper. When he turned around in the middle of the night, he opened his eyes in confusion. There was a black figure in front of him, which scared him thoroughly awake. He was about to call out in alarm, but then the figure moved closer into the moonlight, illuminating his features and revealing him to be Li ZeChen.
Ye Ming immediately got up from the bed to kneel, but Li ZeChen wrapped his arms around him and laid back down on the bed.
Li ZeChen held on to the man in his arms tightly and closed his eyes.
These days, Ye Ming had not inquired on his whereabouts at all. When he knew Li ZeChen had been spending nights in another concubine"s palace, he had remained unaffected….. he really hadn"t cared….. what else can Li ZeChen hope for?
Li ZiChen knew he was neither welcome not wanted, that Ye Ming does not wish to see him at all, but still he came back…..
If all roads were equally painful to walk upon, he would rather choose to be by this person"s side. At least then, he wouldn"t go mad from missing him.
You"ve won, zhèn has been completely defeated by you.
After having not seen the other for some time, to be enveloped in the man"s familiar scent again made Ye Ming"s heart twist. Nervousness and uncertainty filled him, he had not thought that Li ZeChen would ever return. “Your Majesty……”
In the dark of the night, Li ZeChen"s eyes opened as he whispered, “Don"t speak.”
Don"t say anything, just stay in my arms, let me hold you for awhile……
Ye Ming fell silent again, and closed his eyes.
Li ZeChen liked the sight of Ye Ming"s sleeping face. When he was asleep, he would not look at him with indifferent eyes, he will not use thorns disguised as meekness and obedience to protect himself, he will not attempt to distance himself from Li ZeChen.
Li ZeChen reached out to gently trace the contours of Ye Ming"s face, skimming lightly over his lips.
Why can"t you love me? Was I too late, or am I just not good enough for you? Or is it…. because of my ident.i.ty?
I actually understand what you want….. you want to be able to stand proud, and be a good minister. Back when we were studying together…. I already knew you were such a person……
But I am selfish, and want to keep you by my my side.
I thought I could give you everything, but I didn"t know, this was never what you wanted.
Li ZeChen slowly gripped his hands into fists.
Do you regret having treated me kindly in the past, thereby drawing my attention…..
However, it is too late for regrets.
Note : I fully intended to post a complete chapter instead of splitting it into two halves, but I was too tired to continue, and decided to release this portion first. It"s a decent length, and doesn"t stop at a cliffhanger.
But…
Here"s a teaser for the beginning of the second half anyway ?
Today, Li ZeChen was in the imperial study room, handling the doc.u.ments of the country"s affairs. The leader of his secret guard slipped in soundlessly to report to him.
“Your Majesty, you were correct. Zuo Yu has really pa.s.sed on the information to the Zheng Guógōng, Li ZeYuan now knows of this matter. It seems that he is ready to act, and waits only for a chance to infiltrate the Imperial palace.”
Li ZeChen"s eyes were cold, “Zhèn has put up with him for long enough. Since it has come to this, it"s time to settle this once and for all.”
Thanks for reading.
-Syeki
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