Chapter 9

Ye Shu remained silent for a long time.

Mu Jiuqing said: "Chancellor Ye, that dog emperor and you have a grudge as deep as the sea. Surely you haven't gone soft on him?"

"I…" Ye Shu lowered his eyes.

Of course it wasn't that he'd gone soft.

Life was life regardless of high birth or low, just as he had been unwilling to harm others in order to save himself before — now, too, he had no desire to hurt Jin Wang just to escape.

The idea of casually taking a life was something he simply couldn't accept.

But he had no need to explain any of this to Mu Jiuqing.

Mu Jiuqing was a spy from an enemy nation. His relationship with the original host had been nothing more than a working arrangement — each getting what they needed — and was not to be fully trusted.

"How could I possibly go soft on that dog emperor." Ye Shu said coolly. "It's just… he's surrounded by tight security at all times, I have no martial arts training, and now the situation has already turned against us. How could I possibly help you kill him?"

"Young Master Mu, compared to killing someone, what I can offer you is far greater than you imagine."

That was no lie.

In the novel, Xixia fell first, then Dayan surrendered — and by the timeline, Jin Wang would be the one to ignite the conflict within the next year or two.

Jin Wang was a military genius, extraordinarily skilled in battle tactics and troop formations. And Xixia happened to be lacking exactly that — a military advisor who understood strategic defense.

Right now, only Ye Shu could fill that role.

He had thought all of this through long before coming here.

But Mu Jiuqing said: "Who said I need you to do the deed yourself?"

Ye Shu: "…"

"You have a close relationship with the Emperor of Changlu. What I need from you is to keep him in the capital tonight — find a way to drug him unconscious. I can handle killing him myself."

Ye Shu: "………………"

Was everyone in this novel out of their mind???

Not interested in ready-made intelligence???

Ye Shu's composure cracked slightly. He let out a light cough. "Young Master Mu, why don't we discuss this further…"

"There's nothing to discuss." Mu Jiuqing set an elegant jade vial on the table. "Do as I say. As long as the Emperor of Changlu doesn't return to the palace tonight, I can certainly get it done."

A short while later, Ye Shu walked out of the alley carrying a whole nest of kittens.

A carriage was parked at the mouth of the alley. A young man dressed all in black was leaning against it with his eyes closed, resting.

Hearing footsteps, he lifted his head.

Light filtered through the treetops and fell across the side of his face, as though gilding it faintly, lending a touch of warmth to his features.

Ye Shu met his gaze and paused mid-step.

"Done?" Jin Wang asked.

Ye Shu made a sound of assent and walked forward. "Look — they're so tiny…"

The nest of yellow-and-white kittens lay with their heads pressed together while the mother cat rested obediently beside them, quiet and calm.

Jin Wang reached out and stroked one of the kittens on the head. "When you picked up Awang, it was about this size too."

Ye Shu smiled and said casually: "Right — and you were even jealous of it, weren't you?"

It had been the dead of winter. The original host had brought home a half-dead little yellow puppy from somewhere, and not only had it competed for food, but he had also insisted on naming it "Awang" — which had sent young Jin Wang into a jealous sulk for several days running.

At those words, the warmth in Jin Wang's eyes dimmed a little.

He turned and instructed someone to take the kittens away and send them back to the traveling palace to be washed and fed first.

Ye Shu got into the carriage with him.

The carriage rolled slowly forward. Ye Shu asked: "Aren't we going back to the traveling palace?"

"Didn't you say you'd been cooped up in the traveling palace for too long and wanted to come out and look around?" Jin Wang propped his chin on one hand and said lazily, "Today happens to be a day off. Wherever you'd like to go, We will oblige."

The capital was a prosperous city, with the Bian River running straight through its heart.

The late emperor had been devoted to pleasure, and at the height of his reign, pleasure houses had lined every street in the capital, the whole city reeking of debauchery and excess.

That state of affairs had only begun to improve after Jin Wang took the throne.

Ye Shu had long been curious about the pleasure houses described in the novel and very much wanted to have a look.

But he was a coward.

He didn't dare bring it up.

In the end, the two of them rented a small boat and drifted along the river.

As evening drew near, the glass river lanterns along both banks lit up, painted pleasure boats swayed on the water, and the faint sound of singing and music drifted across from the other shore.

"That is 'Chunjiang Pavilion' — the capital's finest pleasure house." Jin Wang sat by the window and set down his wine cup. "Beloved subject has looked over there seventeen times this evening. Surely you'd like to go in and have a look?"

"…"

Ye Shu looked away. "No. I wouldn't."

Jin Wang smiled without replying, and reached over to pick up the wine flask.

He gave it a light shake. It was empty.

After what had happened the previous night, Jin Wang had refused to let Ye Shu touch a single drop of alcohol, so this entire flask had been drunk by himself.

Jin Wang's tolerance was nothing special, and after a full flask his eyes had lost their usual clarity.

But His Majesty the sovereign clearly hadn't drunk his fill this evening, and was about to call for more wine when Ye Shu quickly said: "I'll go get it."

Jin Wang looked at him.

Ye Shu stood up. "Your Majesty, please wait a moment. I'll bring it."

Without waiting for Jin Wang's reply, Ye Shu walked quickly toward the outer cabin.

He left so hastily that he didn't notice Jin Wang's expression suddenly go cold.

A rare glint of killing intent had crept into it.

All the wine tonight had been brought from the palace by Jin Wang's people, and sat piled on a small table in the outer cabin, blocked from view by a folding screen — Ye Shu's movements were impossible to see from where Jin Wang sat.

Jin Wang made no move to look back either.

He leisurely drank the last mouthful of wine in his cup. Then the young man returned to the table, wine flask in hand.

"The night is already late. Your Majesty should stop drinking after this last flask." Ye Shu said, and poured Jin Wang's cup full.

The wine rippled in the cup, its color clear and translucent.

Jin Wang looked down at it and smiled. "I didn't expect beloved subject to care about Us so much. Very well — once We finish this cup, let's return to the traveling palace."

"Sit down. Keep Us company."

Ye Shu poured himself a cup of tea.

Jin Wang wouldn't let him drink alcohol, so he had been substituting tea all evening, keeping Jin Wang company through the whole night.

Ye Shu raised his cup to drink when Jin Wang suddenly said: "A Shu — do you remember the last time we drank together?"

Ye Shu's hand stilled.

"It was three years ago."

"That same day, you told Us you wanted to be Chancellor."

"Afterward, We kept thinking — We should have just given you some arbitrary noble title back then, let you live as an idle prince in the capital. That would have been better than things are now." Jin Wang suppressed a flicker of mockery in his eyes and said flatly: "But then, who wouldn't want power and wealth? Isn't that right?"

Ye Shu did not answer.

He genuinely didn't know how to answer.

Why had the original host betrayed him — he had no memory of that, and the novel offered no explanation either.

Not only was Jin Wang confused — he was equally confused himself.

Faced with Jin Wang's questioning, he couldn't even come up with an excuse.

The room was silent, with only the faint, drifting strains of a melancholy melody floating in from outside the window.

"Drink."

Jin Wang raised his cup and tapped it lightly against the cup in Ye Shu's hand, then drew his sleeve aside, tipped his head back, and drained it in one go.

Jin Wang really did seem to have drunk too much. He set his empty cup down on the table with a thud, pushed himself upright using the table's edge, and nearly toppled sideways.

Ye Shu quickly steadied him.

The small boat docked at the bank, and Ye Shu helped Jin Wang off.

"My, how did His Majesty end up this drunk?" The attendant waiting on the bank rushed over at once. He helped the two of them into the carriage and then asked: "Chancellor Ye, shall we… still head back?"

The capital was some distance from the traveling palace — the drive back would take at least an hour and a half.

With Jin Wang this drunk, he needed to rest as soon as possible; making him sit in a carriage any longer would only make things worse.

But returning to the palace now was equally inadvisable.

Ye Shu was supposed to have someone find an inn for the night — that way, he could cooperate with Mu Jiuqing from the inside.

And yet…

Ye Shu had one arm around Jin Wang. The latter was leaning against his shoulder, his half-lidded eyes hazed with drink, gazing at him deeply.

That gaze, for no particular reason, made Ye Shu think of the dream from the night before.

The young boy curled up in his arms, murmuring softly: "Let me be scared just this last time."

Ye Shu drew a long breath and gave the order: "Send some hangover soup, and return to the traveling palace."

The night was still and quiet. A carriage moved slowly along the mountain road.

The interior of the carriage was spacious. Ye Shu propped Jin Wang up and held the hangover soup to his lips.

Jin Wang frowned and turned away. "What is this? We won't drink it."

"It's hangover soup." Ye Shu said. "Drink it quickly — you'll feel better once you do."

"…No." Jin Wang seemed to think for a moment, then said with his eyes closed: "You feed it to Us. Otherwise We won't drink it."

Ye Shu: "…" Just choke on it then.

The jade vial in his pocket was still sealed. He hadn't drugged Jin Wang tonight at all.

If he was being fair about it, this dog emperor — aside from frequently frightening him — had actually treated him reasonably well.

Jin Wang hadn't yet made any move to take his life. How could Ye Shu possibly harm him just to protect himself?

Especially not by such a lowly method.

Although… he'd gotten this drunk without even being drugged. This dog emperor really was useless.

Ye Shu sighed, scooped up a spoonful of hangover soup, and brought it to Jin Wang's lips.

The carriage jolted over the road, and Jin Wang was uncooperative. After several attempts, Ye Shu hadn't managed to get a single drop in.

"Stop moving!"

Exasperated, Ye Shu pressed one hand down on Jin Wang's shoulder, tilted his head back and took a mouthful of the hangover soup himself, then fed it directly mouth to mouth.

The other's lips were soft and slightly cool. Ye Shu parted Jin Wang's lips, and the sweet-sour hangover soup passed slowly through.

Jin Wang immediately stopped moving.

The mouthful was transferred. Then the unexpected happened.

From outside the carriage came the sudden sound of horses screaming. The carriage lurched violently once, then stopped.

"Protect His Majesty!"

"Assassins — protect His Majesty!"

Ye Shu startled and was just about to pull back when someone grabbed him.

It happened too fast. Before Ye Shu could react at all, he was pressed down into the soft cushions of the carriage's couch, and his lips were covered again.

Ye Shu opened his eyes and met a pair of dark, sharp, handsome eyes.

There was not a trace of drunkenness in them.

Ye Shu instinctively raised his hands to push him away, but Jin Wang pinned his wrists down into the couch.

Outside the carriage, chaos erupted — the clash of blades, the shouts of men.

Inside the carriage, Jin Wang kissed Ye Shu's lips, the faint scent of wine spreading between them.

When Jin Wang kissed someone, he was gentle in a way entirely at odds with his usual temperament.

One hand cradled Ye Shu's jaw, his thumb tracing softly over Ye Shu's face. His cool, thin lips pressed over Ye Shu's, tracing them carefully, patient and meticulous — so much so that it gave rise to an almost dizzying illusion of being cherished.

A moment later, the noise outside ceased.

A voice came from beyond the carriage: "Your Majesty, the assailants have all been captured. Are you injured?"

Inside the carriage, Jin Wang finally lifted his head. Their lips parted.

He gazed deeply at Ye Shu and said quietly: "We are fine."

The carriage curtain was pulled back. Imperial guards shoved several black-clad figures to their knees before the carriage.

Jin Wang walked out with his arm around Ye Shu.

The young man's lips were a vivid red, the corners of his eyes still moist — it was obvious at a glance what had just taken place.

All the guards closed their eyes and pretended to be blind. Ye Shu buried his face in Jin Wang's chest and carefully glanced up.

Kneeling at the very front was Mu Jiuqing.

"…"

Did this man always act so impulsively?

Mu Jiuqing had also spotted him. Fury ignited in his eyes at once.

He understood now. He understood everything.

Ye Shu had been on the Emperor of Changlu's side from the very beginning. He had feigned cooperation, purely to lure them all into a trap today.

Mu Jiuqing's eyes blazed with rage, but his mouth was gagged and he couldn't speak — he could only produce muffled, strangled sounds.

Ye Shu huddled in Jin Wang's arms, not daring to move a muscle.

"When we were rounding up the Xixia spies earlier, a few received word in advance and slipped away. It seems these are those very ones." Jin Wang said mildly. "Have them all executed."

Mu Jiuqing: "Mmph mmph mmph——!"

Jin Wang paid him no attention and turned back toward the carriage with Ye Shu.

Mu Jiuqing, even more frantically: "Mmph mmph——!! Mmph mmph mmph——!!!"

Jin Wang paused mid-step and looked back. "Do you still have something to say?"

Ye Shu's heart shot into his throat.

But before he could even open his mouth, Jin Wang gave the order first: "Let him speak."

An imperial guard ripped the black cloth from Mu Jiuqing's mouth. Mu Jiuqing bellowed: "Ye, you dog — how dare you go back on your word?!"

And then came his second sentence: "Worthless tyrant! I may die here today without regret, but don't expect you to fare any better!"

With death already at his door, Mu Jiuqing had nothing left to hold back.

A vicious grin curled the corner of his mouth, and he dropped a single devastating line: "The person right beside you — day and night, all he thinks about is how to see your entire Jin clan dead without a burial place!"

Ye Shu froze, and in that instant felt Jin Wang's gaze fall on him. His entire side went numb.

It was over.