Chapter 53

Jin Wang's eyes narrowed slightly. He looked coldly at the two people embracing inside the room.

His Chancellor had been throwing some kind of tantrum today — no matter how many times he sent a summons, the man refused to come to the palace. He had even sent Gaojin personally to bring him, and still had been turned away empty-handed.

Perhaps it was because the two of them had been inseparable lately, and His Majesty simply could not bear another night of solitude. He had powered through his remaining work without pausing and driven straight here.

And then he had seen this.

The two small kun-sovereigns inside the room both looked somewhat dazed, staring blankly in Jin Wang's direction. Xiao Huan's hand was still resting on Ye Shu's arm.

Ye Shu was the first to come back to his senses. He quickly pushed Xiao Huan away. "It's — it's not like that! Please hear me out!"

But unexpectedly, Xiao Huan didn't let go. If anything, he gripped Ye Shu even more tightly. "Your — your belly…"

"Let go!"

"Why are you—"

Before Xiao Huan could finish, a hand reached in from the side and forcibly pried his hand away.

Jin Wang pulled Ye Shu into his arms and looked at him with that particular half-smile. "No wonder the Chancellor wouldn't answer the summons today. It appears you were in your residence having a private… meeting… with someone."

Ye Shu: "…"

Was it too late to transmigrate back now?

A moment later, the room was brightly lit. Jin Wang sat in the main seat. Ye Shu carefully brought him a cup of tea.

Xiao Huan stood to one side, glaring at Jin Wang in furious indignation.

It was late into the evening. Ye Shu had little on, and his slender waist made the rounded swell of his belly all the more visible.

How could Xiao Huan not see what that meant by now?

Dog! Emperor!

Xiao Huan's eyes were red. His expression looked very much like he wanted to fight Jin Wang to the death on the spot.

The atmosphere in the room was so tense one could barely breathe.

Ye Shu stood there looking like a quail, head bowed, eyes firmly on the floor in front of him, doing everything possible to minimize his presence.

"What are you still standing for — you shouldn't be on your feet this long. Come and sit down." Jin Wang took a sip of tea and said mildly.

Ye Shu made a quiet sound of acknowledgment and was just about to step past Jin Wang to take a seat on the other side, when he passed in front of him and was yanked hard — pulled straight into his lap.

A warm breath brushed against the back of his ear. Jin Wang gave a low laugh. "I meant sit here."

Ye Shu shuddered, and his knees went weak instantly. "Let go of me…"

"No." Jin Wang held him around the waist and said quietly: "Don't you like it when I hold you like this?"

There was a sharp crack from Xiao Huan's knuckles.

Ye Shu: "…"

Oh no — he had forgotten there was someone else still in the room.

The tips of Ye Shu's ears were burning red. He didn't dare raise his head.

Jin Wang asked idly: "The Duke Protector left the capital several days ago. This official wonders what brought Young Master Xiao back."

Xiao Huan had mentally cursed Jin Wang countless times and answered in a flat voice: "This subject heard that Chancellor Ye had been reinstated and came specifically to pay a visit."

"If you came to pay a visit, why did you wait until the dead of night and come in through a window? What manner is this?"

Xiao Huan looked at him with an indescribable expression.

Didn't you just come in through a window???

Jin Wang held Xiao Huan's gaze with perfect composure, evidently finding nothing at all inappropriate about the sovereign of a nation climbing through a window into a minister's bedchamber in the middle of the night.

Ye Shu quietly tugged Jin Wang's sleeve. "Your Majesty…"

Jin Wang looked at him. "Mm?"

"Everything today was a misunderstanding. I had no idea Young Master Xiao would come here. And besides — he didn't mean anything by it…"

Xiao Huan had come here out of concern for him. He didn't want this young man to face punishment because of him.

Jin Wang moved a little closer without drawing attention to it and lowered his voice. "My Chancellor is pleading for him?"

Ye Shu pressed his lips together and gave a small nod.

The amusement in Jin Wang's eyes deepened. "And does my Chancellor know — what price it would take for me to let him go?"

The red had spread all the way down Ye Shu's neck.

Jin Wang's chest felt thoroughly agitated.

With someone else in the room, Ye Shu was always especially sensitive — even easier to take advantage of than usual. Jin Wang had no more patience to spend on Xiao Huan. He called out: "Someone come."

He instructed: "Take him somewhere and keep an eye on him."

Xiao Huan had no desire to keep standing there himself.

A martial artist's hearing being what it was, he had caught every word the two of them had been whispering.

Xiao Huan's mouth tasted sour. He shot Jin Wang a fierce glare and said icily: "I'll leave on my own!"

The door swung shut again. Jin Wang picked Ye Shu up and carried him to the bed, then pressed over him.

Ye Shu had no time to spare wondering where Jin Wang had stashed the household servants. He instinctively hooked his arms around the back of Jin Wang's neck, and very quickly his whole body was trembling.

Jin Wang braced one hand beside Ye Shu and let the other trail slowly lower. But just as things reached a crucial moment, his hand stopped. "Today's absence from the palace — truly nothing to do with wanting to meet Xiao Huan?"

Ye Shu had been completely worked up and nearly bit his own tongue. "N— no."

Jin Wang looked down at the person beneath him. The petty, satisfied feeling in his chest was more complete than it had ever been.

The person in his arms had red-rimmed eyes brimming with a misty sheen, one hand seeming to want to reach for Jin Wang's, then thought better of it with a pitiable reluctance. The fingers opened and curled, restless, and helplessly gripped the bedding beneath instead.

Thoroughly undone.

Who would have guessed this was the same person who commanded the entire court from the highest position of power during the day.

Jin Wang had originally thought Ye Shu might face some difficulties and initial adjustment problems, having never genuinely served as Chancellor before. But as it turned out, this person's ability to adapt had exceeded all expectations.

And the more effortlessly capable this person appeared in the outside world, the more Jin Wang wanted to see him like this.

"Jin… Jin Wang…" Ye Shu finally couldn't take it any longer and called out to him in a small voice.

The sound was thoroughly suppressed — quiet and a little hoarse, like a kitten's light scratch.

Jin Wang came back to himself and said gently: "Sorry." He finally relented and stopped his torment.

A short while later, Ye Shu curled on the bed with reddened eyes in silent accusation. "…You only ever know how to bully people."

"I think you found it rather unsatisfying." Jin Wang tossed the silk cloth aside casually. "No matter — it's too late tonight. We'll continue tomorrow."

Ye Shu was appalled. "You're coming back tomorrow?"

"You think this is all settled?" Jin Wang raised an eyebrow. "Keeping me sitting in the palace while you're at your estate having a private meeting with another man — does my Chancellor think this level of punishment is sufficient?"

Ye Shu buried half his face in the blanket and said nothing.

"Tomorrow is a rest day. I'll allow you to sleep until afternoon."

Jin Wang lay down beside Ye Shu and bent to press a kiss to his forehead. "Once you wake, come to the Imperial Study. And wear your court robes."

By the time Ye Shu woke the next day, Jin Wang had already left the estate.

It was close to noon. Ye Shu didn't wait for a meal to be prepared, and took the palanquin straight into the palace.

He couldn't imagine what more Jin Wang might do to punish him.

He was still carrying a child — the worst Jin Wang could do was put him through the usual ordeal. He didn't believe there was anything Jin Wang could do that he hadn't already experienced during the arousal cycle.

Only…

Ye Shu looked down at the immaculately crisp dark court robe he was wearing, and felt an inexplicable flush of embarrassment.

Officials' court robes in Changlu were not particularly thick, with elaborate embroidery only at the back and collar, a jade belt at the waist, and a formal hairpiece — dignified and austere in appearance.

But who could know that he was dressed like this not to discuss serious matters of state with the sovereign, but rather to…

Ye Shu pulled his fox fur cloak tighter around the outside, covering the rounded swell of his belly.

This dog emperor and his endless tricks.

When he arrived at the Imperial Study, Jin Wang was inside in the middle of a discussion with someone.

After being announced by an attendant, Ye Shu stepped into the hall.

Inside the Imperial Study stood a tall young man in light armor.

Ye Shu bowed to Jin Wang, then looked toward the young man. "General Zuo."

The man immediately bowed. "Greetings, Chancellor."

This person was Zuo Yan — Ye Shu had encountered him once before.

When Ye Shu had been planning to escape during the imperial ancestral rites, he had happened to run into Zuo Yan and the Grand Master of Ceremonies conducting an external inspection. At the time, he hadn't yet learned to control his pheromone, and Zuo Yan had caught him in the act and subsequently presented him as a beauty back to Jin Wang.

That incident was long past. Ye Shu had never held any grudge over it, and the latter had no idea of his role in it.

Ye Shu gave Zuo Yan a nod and asked: "Is the General in the middle of discussing something with His Majesty?"

"It concerns Xixia." Jin Wang answered. "Xixia has been repeatedly crossing the border recently. It seems war is not far off."

Jin Wang gestured for Gaojin to bring a seat. Once Ye Shu was seated, he asked: "What are the Chancellor's thoughts?"

Ye Shu said: "Fight if we must. What else — hide away like a tortoise?"

Jin Wang's lips curved with satisfaction.

Zuo Yan said: "The Xixia people have lived as nomads for generations and are fierce fighters. A hasty campaign would risk…"

"You worry too much, General." Ye Shu cut him off pleasantly. "They have an army, and Changlu has one too. And besides — winning battles isn't about force. It's about using your head."

It was only Xixia. Jin Wang could handle them more than adequately on his own — and now he had Ye Shu's help as well.

The young Chancellor leaned back in his chair with an easy grace, his eyes alight with a confident smile. Zuo Yan had been about to say more, but the moment he met that smile, his mind went completely blank.

He was staring at Ye Shu with a somewhat distracted expression, when he heard Jin Wang suddenly say: "There are further matters to discuss with the Chancellor in private. That will be all for today."

"But…" Zuo Yan opened his mouth, and then found that the sovereign's head attendant was already crossing the hall to open the hall doors for him.

He had no choice but to bow and take his leave.

On his way out, Zuo Yan couldn't help glancing back into the hall. Through the not-yet-closed doors, His Majesty had already walked over to the Chancellor's side and appeared to be leaning down to say something to him.

The hall doors closed. Jin Wang pinched Ye Shu's cheek. "You little enchanter."

Ye Shu immediately shot back: "You little vinegar jar."

Jin Wang kept his face expressionless. "Xiao Huan."

Ye Shu caved instantly. "I was wrong."

"Good — that's all I need to hear." Jin Wang smiled with satisfaction and took Ye Shu's hand, leading him toward the side room.

Beside the Imperial Study was a small warm room used for the sovereign to rest during the day.

The warm room held a soft couch. On the small table beside it sat a wooden brocade box.

It looked… somewhat familiar.

Ye Shu remembered where that box had come from, and his expression changed in an instant.