C138 — Kill the Top Scorer（5）

A foolish emperor should act like one.

Unlike Wen Yurong, who went home to recover from his injuries, Shi Ji was back serving at the emperor’s side on the third day after his punishment. And he truly felt how difficult it was to serve Shen Jue.

For instance, Shen Jue sat on the beauty couch by the window. Even though it was only early autumn, he was already wrapped in a fox fur coat, lazily tossing a silk-embroidered red ball out the window.

Shi Ji tapped the tip of his foot against the ground and flew out to retrieve it. In no time, he was back, handing the ball over. But just as he did, the ball was thrown out again.

The palace attendants around them secretly chuckled, believing that the emperor was training Shi Ji like a dog. Shi Ji thought the same. After several rounds, his expression grew darker, yet he couldn’t lose his temper.

Shen Jue finally got tired of playing and decided to let Shi Ji off. But when Shi Ji returned the ball once more, Shen Jue curled his finger, beckoning him closer.

Shi Ji stepped forward with a grim face, only to see Shen Jue extend a hand toward him.

Shi Ji: “???”

He looked at Shen Jue with suspicion.

Shen Jue, gazing at him with the arrogance of a ruler, ordered, “Lower your head.”

Shi Ji had no choice but to obey. The moment he lowered his head, he felt a light scratch under his chin.

“Good boy.” Shen Jue chuckled.

Shi Ji froze, his entire body stiff. A deep sense of humiliation washed over him as his neck flushed red with anger, veins bulging. Shen Jue was clearly treating him like a dog.

Throughout the empire, perhaps only the emperor dared to toy with a battle-hardened general like this.

While Shi Ji struggled to contain his emotions, Shen Jue was observing him carefully.

Lately, Shen Jue had grown increasingly suspicious that Shi Zhou wasn’t actually dead. His first reason was that Shi Zhou had died too easily. The second was Wen Yurong’s reaction—too calm.

Even if Wen Yurong hadn’t developed romantic feelings for Shi Zhou yet, they had grown up together, and Shi Zhou had always clung to him. There was no reason for Wen Yurong to be this unaffected by his death.

But Shi Ji, on the other hand, always wore a face of deep sorrow.

Once Shen Jue finished toying with him, he lost interest and waved him away. As soon as Shi Ji left, the lazy expression on Shen Jue’s face disappeared, replaced with cold indifference as he stared at the embroidered red ball in his hands.

During this time, with Wen Yurong recovering at home, Shen Jue could only entertain himself by teasing Shi Ji and observing his reactions.

But his body was still too weak. He felt constantly drowsy, and even tormenting Shi Ji took a lot out of him. If not for the fact that he had survived until thirty-three in his past lives, he might have thought he wouldn’t last another day.

Shen Jue still wanted to nurse his body back to health. Only with strength could he fight back. So when late autumn arrived, he took the initiative to suggest moving south to the Nan Palace for a while and returning in the spring.

There was a tradition of wintering in the Nan Palace, but usually, they relocated only after winter had fully set in. This time, Shen Jue was leaving earlier than usual, so Tong Meng’er wouldn’t be able to accompany him right away. Instead, she sent additional personal guards to escort him.

“Should we bring Shi Ji?” Tong Meng’er asked.

Shen Jue thought for a moment. “Bring him.”

“And what about Wen Yurong?”

Shen Jue looked at Tong Meng’er. “What does the Empress Dowager think?”

Displeasure flashed in Tong Meng’er’s eyes. “Mother thought Wen Yurong was smart. Who knew he wasn’t? Let him stay in the manor and continue recovering, then. Mother has been watching him and hasn’t seen him bring you any fortune. That Si Tianjian decree of his is useless.”

This was a major shift. In previous lifetimes, because Shen Jue liked Wen Yurong, Tong Meng’er had adored him as well, showering him with favor and sending him the finest gifts.

But now, Shen Jue had shown indifference toward him. On top of that, there was the incident of Shen Jue getting injured and the time Wen Yurong fell sick from eating iced desserts. All these things had gradually soured Tong Meng’er’s opinion of him.

“Then, as Mother suggests, we won’t bring him,” Shen Jue said with a faint smile.

Thus, he sent someone to Wen Manor to inform Wen Yurong to stay put and focus on his recovery. However, to his surprise, Wen Yurong requested an audience at the palace the very next day.

Leaning languidly on his couch, Shen Jue eyed the kneeling Wen Yurong with disinterest. “Recovered already?”

“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fully healed,” Wen Yurong replied respectfully.

Shen Jue remained silent. Wen Yurong continued kneeling, but no further words came. After a brief hesitation, he finally spoke. “Your Majesty, I wish to accompany you to the Nan Palace.”

“Only those who perform well may come. Why should you go if you have not?” Shen Jue said softly.

Wen Yurong sat up straighter, exuding the dignity of a scholar. “Last time was my mistake. I will not repeat it.”

Another long silence followed.

“Come here,” Shen Jue said at last.

Since he had not been granted permission to rise, Wen Yurong remained on his knees and crawled forward, stopping at the foot of the couch. Just as he settled, a hand landed atop his head.

“Minister Wen, I do appreciate you,” Shen Jue’s voice came from above, “but my mother prefers Shi Ji. I do not wish to go against her will, so you will have to endure this for now.”

“Do you understand my intentions?”

Wen Yurong immediately recalled past events. Shen Jue had always seemed to favor him, treating Shi Ji with coldness. However, in front of Tong Meng’er, Shen Jue had heavily punished him while letting Shi Ji off lightly.

For a courtier, two things mattered above all else—sometimes even more than ability itself: understanding the emperor’s will and winning his favor.

Wen Yurong had entered the palace as a study companion, but he had no intention of remaining in that role forever. Besides, the tasks he carried out daily went far beyond that of a mere study companion.

“Your Majesty means…?” Wen Yurong hesitated.

Shen Jue applied slight pressure to his head. “On this trip to the Nan Palace, I will only take one of you. Who that will be depends on your own efforts.”

With that, he withdrew his hand.

The departure was set for five days later. During that time, Wen Yurong didn’t enter the palace again. However, on the eve of their departure, a memorial arrived from Shi Ji’s quarters, stating that he had suddenly fallen seriously ill and would be unable to accompany the emperor.

When Tong Meng’er received the memorial, her brows knitted together. “What’s going on with Shi Ji?”

Seated beside her, Shen Jue was a bit surprised by this outcome.

Come to think of it, he had never truly understood Wen Yurong in his past lives. He had never known what Wen Yurong really desired. In those lifetimes, Wen Yurong had hated him and sought revenge.

But in this life, what was it that Wen Yurong wanted?

Everyone had desires. Even the gods were no exception.

For example, Shen Jue himself—he wanted nothing more than to cultivate in peace, free from worldly affairs. His senior brother, on the other hand, was hopelessly entangled in human love, unable to extricate himself.

“Mother, Shi Ji is ill, but the other one has recovered, hasn’t he? Let him accompany me instead.” Shen Jue said casually.

Tong Meng’er frowned even deeper. “Wen Yurong? I’m still angry about what happened last time. Now you want him to be the only one accompanying you? How can I be at ease?”

Shen Jue curled his lips slightly. “I still have plenty of palace attendants with me. It’s not just him. Besides, didn’t Mother doubt the Si Tianjian’s decree? This winter will be a good test.”

With that reasoning, Tong Meng’er finally relented. However, before the departure, she summoned Wen Yurong and gave him careful instructions. At the end, she added, “Serve His Majesty well. If you do, you will be richly rewarded.”

“I will obey the Empress Dowager’s teachings,” Wen Yurong lowered his head and responded respectfully.

…

As the imperial procession moved forward, Wen Yurong naturally had no right to sit in the emperor’s carriage. But on the second day of the journey, Shen Jue summoned him inside.

The moment Wen Yurong stepped into the carriage, he was met with an overwhelming heat. Looking around, he realized there were more than twenty hand warmers packed inside. If burning coal were not forbidden in the carriage, the palace attendants would probably have set up a brazier too.

Away from the palace, Shen Jue seemed even more exhausted. He was curled up under the thick blankets, barely half of his face exposed. That half was so pale it was almost translucent.

When he saw Wen Yurong enter, he struggled to extend a hand from beneath the covers. “Come here.”

Wen Yurong didn’t overthink it and moved closer. But just as he reached Shen Jue, he was suddenly pulled into an embrace. His body stiffened instantly. Shen Jue, however, seemed to finally feel warmth. He inhaled softly, his lips trembling as he whispered, “Hold me tighter.”

He had overestimated his own body. Just traveling on the road already made him feel like he was dying.

In past lifetimes, ever since Wen Yurong entered the palace, Shen Jue had always used him for warmth during these journeys. Before that, it had been Tong Meng’er who held him.

Shen Jue had thought he could endure it on his own this time—after all, winter hadn’t even begun yet. But the cold was unbearable. It seeped into his bones, making even sleep impossible.

“Your Majesty… are you very cold?” Wen Yurong hesitated before asking.

Shen Jue shut his eyes and simply threw the blankets aside, burrowing straight into Wen Yurong’s arms. His teeth chattered as he replied, “What do you think?”

Without the barrier of the blankets, Wen Yurong felt as if he were holding a block of ice. Startled, he hurriedly pulled the covers back over them. But still, it felt unnatural. He was a grown man, embracing another man older than him—worse yet, his sovereign.

Shen Jue, however, was past caring. The cold was more unbearable than pain; it suffocated him. He pressed closer, tightly fitting his hands, feet, and face against Wen Yurong’s body.

This wretched body…

It was a long while before Shen Jue finally felt his breathing ease. Wen Yurong had already adjusted his position, allowing Shen Jue to rest on top of him rather than the other way around. He didn’t dare to press down on the emperor.

Shen Jue lay quietly on Wen Yurong for a moment, then struggled to sit up.

Naturally, Wen Yurong reached out to assist him, but as Shen Jue sat up, their position became even more awkward.

He had ended up sitting precisely three inches below Wen Yurong’s abdomen.

 

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