The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

The fireworks lasted less than an hour.

Shen Yu and Shang JunLin ignored the trembling Minister Qian and enjoyed the event which only came once a year.

There were countless people downstairs, but upstairs was peaceful and quiet. Shen Yu and Shang JunLin occasionally whispered a few words to each other. No one else dared to make a sound.

Minister Qian wanted to plead for his family, but as time stretched on, he was less and less eager to disturb the emperor and noble monarch as they enjoyed themselves. He hoped His Majesty would be in a good mood and take a lighter view of Qian MingFu’s behavior.

Qian MingFu woke up to a loud boom. At the moment, he didn’t dare to be arrogant. He huddled on the floor like a quail.

After the fireworks ended, the imperial guard arrived.

The Qian family members and their people were taken away. It was impossible to decide how to deal with them without investigating what they’d done over the years.

It was already late, and Shen Yu wasn’t interested in shopping anymore. He returned to the palace with Shang JunLin.

After taking a hot bath, Shen Yu came out with damp hair.

Shang JunLin was reading a memorial. Shen Yu came over to him and said, “It’s so late. Is Your Majesty still busy with official business?”

After spending a lot of time with Shang JunLin, Shen Yu knew how diligent he was as emperor. Shang JunLin spent a lot of time dealing with official reports every day. Especially with all the recent events, he didn’t have much leisure time.

Shen Yu’s half-dried hair was still hazy with moisture. Shang JunLin frowned and put down the memorial. “Why didn’t you dry your hair?”

After speaking, he picked up the dry towel that was ready and began to wipe Shen Yu’s hair.

“The noble monarch should cherish your body.”

Shen Yu squinted and sat in front of Shang JunLin, allowing the man to gently dry his hair.

His long, black hair was smooth and slipped between Shang JunLin’s fingers with a silken feeling.

Just after his bath, the young man’s body had a slight fragrance. They were so close to each other that Shang JunLin could feel the warmth of Shen Yu’s body.

His fingertips rubbed Shen Yu’s scalp, creating a slight tingling sensation. Shen Yu moved his neck. He never knew that touching someone’s scalp could cause this kind of feeling. The tingling meandered down from his scalp to his heart.

Shen Yu was sitting in front of the man, almost embraced in his arms. Shang JunLin’s cold aura seemed to pounce at him with every movement until he was completely surrounded.

“What is it?” Shang JunLin stopped moving his hands. “Does it hurt?”

Shen Yu suppressed the strange feeling inside him. “No, Your Majesty’s strength is just right.” 

Shang JunLin resumed. He’d wiped Shen Yu’s head a little hastily. He had so much hair that some of it was still wet, and Shang JunLin rubbed it a bit more.

Shen Yu stared at the candle in front of him. He felt restless and thought he should find something to talk about.

His eyes swept over the memorials that were open on the desk. He glanced at the contents and asked, “Is that from Lin County?”

“Yes, this emperor took the gift from the noble monarch and gave it to some experts to study. Lin County has major floods every year and should be able to use it.”

They discussed this topic for a while. Shang JunLin put away the towel and said, “It’s done.”

Shen Yu touched his hair, which was no longer wet, and smiled. “Your Majesty is skilled at his work.”

Shang JunLin: “The noble monarch is the only person in the world who dares to make this emperor dry your hair.”

Shen Yu: “Who made Your Majesty my husband? If Your Majesty wants, I can wipe your hair too.”

“Then the noble monarch can wipe this emperor’s hair next time. Don’t forget your words.”

After the excitement of New Year’s Eve, the ministers received one piece of news after another about the Qian family.

Thanks to the King of Li’s backing, the Qian family had acted recklessly and made numerous enemies at court. Many families were secretly pleased to hear the Qian family provoked the wrong person.

There were fifteen days of rest after the New Year. During this time, everyone went to visit relatives and friends, and there was no need to attend morning court. If something urgent happened, His Majesty would summon the necessary people to the palace.

“Do you think His Majesty will severely punish the Qian family?”

“It’s not clear. After His Majesty sent the Qian family to prison, no one from the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review went to the palace. Maybe His Majesty just wants to beat up the Qian family a bit.”

“I don’t think so. Do you remember what happened to the King of Li? He’s still confined at home. You can see how much that incident annoyed His Majesty. Maybe the Qian family is being investigated because of the King of Li.”

The Qian father and son were suddenly taken away on New Year’s Eve with no warning, and His Majesty didn’t state a reason for it afterwards.

In fact, the ministers were familiar with this type of behavior from His Majesty. The previous two cases where full details were published weren’t the emperor’s usual style at all.

News of the Qian family soon reached the King of Li’s palace.

When the King of Li’s princess consort heard what happened to her family, she went crying to her husband. “Your Highness, don’t you know what kind of person this concubine’s father is? He absolutely would never commit a major offense. And this concubine’s nephew has always been well-behaved and obedient. He’s filial to both of us, yet His Majesty sent him to prison without a single word?”

The King of Li had heard some rumors, but his information was too uncertain and no clear reason was given. He comforted his princess consort. “Don’t worry, beloved concubine. This king already sent someone to inquire.”

The princess consort had deep feelings for her family, otherwise she wouldn’t have continued to help her family all this time. As for the King of Li, he loved the house and the crows, and he was fond of the Qian family.

“This concubine believes in Your Highness.”

Although the King of Li was confined to his home, it wasn’t difficult to get information. He’d lived in the capital many years and had his own contacts, so he immediately sent some people to investigate.

Nothing the King of Li did was hidden from the man sitting on the throne.

Shang JunLin listened to the Hidden Dragon Guard’s report and gave a cold snort. “If he wants to look into it, let him look into it. This emperor would like to see how he intends to save the Qian family.”

The matter of the Qian family, whether large or small, depended entirely on Shang JunLin’s attitude. If he didn’t want to investigate deeply, he could just let them go. If he wanted to look deeper, it wouldn’t be easy for them to escape.

At dinner, Shang JunLin told Shen Yu about it.

Shen Yu felt curious. “What does Your Majesty plan to do with the Qian family?” 

Shang JunLin didn’t answer directly. “When spring arrives, students will come to the capital to take the imperial examination. Officials who are changing posts will also return for their assignments.”

Shen Yu understood. The emperor wasn’t going to let the matter go. In the early years of his reign, Shang JunLin fought on the border and didn’t take firm control of the imperial court. If he hadn’t done some bloodletting a few times to threaten the people with ulterior motives, it was impossible to say what the court would look like now.

Installing new people was the fastest way to make changes.

As it happened, the newer officials who passed the examination in recent years were already well-trained. As long as there was an open position for them in the capital, they could take office the moment they were transferred back.

Shen Yu sighed. “So the imperial examination is this year.” 

Da Huan had two systems for selecting officials. One was the imperial examination system, which most people used, and the other was a recommendation system for the convenience of the sons of nobility. Shen Yu, the only di son of the Zhenbei Marquis, should have been the marquis’ heir. In the future, he would inherit the title and could directly enter the imperial court as an official. Unfortunately, he happened to have a father who was biased against him.

“Would the noble monarch like to participate?” Shang JunLin suddenly asked.

“What?” Shen Yu was surprised. “Is Your Majesty asking if I want to join the students in the imperial examination?”

“If the noble monarch wants to, this emperor can arrange it,” Shang JunLin said quietly.

“Your Majesty.” Shen Yu propped his chin in one hand, and his voice was amused. “If I really manage to pass with a brilliant score, would I enter the imperial court as an official or continue to be Your Majesty’s noble monarch?”

“With the noble monarch’s ability, you could have been…”

“Your Majesty.” Shen Yu interrupted Shang JunLin. “It’s my good fortune to be with Your Majesty. I won’t regret any of the decisions I made. Your Majesty shouldn’t try to trick me into doing two jobs by myself. Da Huan is full of talents, and there’s no shortage of people like me.”

Shen Yu genuinely thought his current situation was excellent. He was below one person and above ten thousand, and he didn’t face many constraints.

Shang JunLin saw Shen Yu wasn’t being entirely sincere and didn’t continue the topic.

After the meal, Meng Gonggong came to give a report.

“Your Majesty, His Highness the King of Li is requesting to see you.”

“The King of Li? Didn’t His Majesty order him to remain home?” Shen Yu remembered that after the last incident, the King of Li was ordered to self-reflect behind closed doors.

“It must be about the Qian family,” Shang JunLin explained. “He and his princess consort have a close relationship. If she asks, he’ll come to see this emperor one way or another.”

Shen Yu shook his head. “The King of Li tried so hard to marry his niece to Your Majesty. I wouldn’t have thought he was such a romantic person.” 

“He and Princess Consort Li have known each other a long time. When the previous emperor was in power, they were always suppressed. It was only after this emperor ascended the throne that things became easier for them.”

Shang JunLin turned to Meng Gonggong. “Bring him here.”

Not long after, Meng Gonggong returned with the King of Li.

“This servant greets Your Majesty and the noble monarch.”

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Shen Yu looked at the man whose energy and spirit had decreased by half. The King of Li looked far older than the last time they met. His attitude towards Shen Yu was much more respectful as well.

“The King of Li is supposed to be at home reflecting on your actions. Why did you come to the palace asking to see this emperor?”

The King of Li didn’t talk in circles. He said bluntly, “Your Majesty, this servant came here to ask about the Qian family.”

“Does the King of Li know what the Qian family did?” Shen Yu asked.

The King of Li bowed deeply. “This servant only asks Your Majesty to spare the Qian family for my sake. If Your Majesty is lenient, this servant will surrender all rights that belong to ‘the King of Li’.”

That took a lot of determination. Surrendering his rights meant the King of Li was willing to give up his royal identity. Shen Yu didn’t speak. It seemed that the King of Li really valued Princess Consort Li highly.

Shang JunLin tapped the table with his knuckles. He seemed to be considering something, and the look in his eyes was unreadable.

After a long time, Shang JunLin finally said, “This country has laws. This emperor can only say that if their crimes do not merit the death penalty, this emperor will give them a way to avoid death.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The King of Li bowed his head deeply.

After the New Year, Imperial Physician Gu came to check Shen Yu’s pulse.

Thanks to Imperial Physician Gu’s treatment regimen, the toxins in Shen Yu’s body had been cleansed. His physical condition was also much better than before.

“The noble monarch’s recovery is going well. We can change the prescription again.”

Imperial Physician Gu wrote a new prescription based on Shen Yu’s current condition. Before leaving, he left a wooden box for Shen Yu. “This official combined several medicines to prepare a new ointment. The noble monarch can try the effect.”

The wooden box contained five medicine bottles made of white jade. Each bottle was about as long and wide as a finger.

Shen Yu picked up one of the bottles and opened it carefully. A faint fragrance escaped.

The bottle contained a transparent cream.

Shang JunLin came over. “What is the noble monarch looking at?” 

Shen Yu handed him a medicine bottle. “This is the new ointment sent by Imperial Physician Gu. He said he added medicine to it and recommended I try it.”

Shen Yu often received medicines for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. The imperial hospital sent new ones to Mu Xi every few days. Usually they were handed to Mu Xi to manage. When Imperial Physician Gu sent something too, Shen Yu didn’t think about it much.

He removed the cap of the medicine bottle in Shang JunLin’s hand. “Your Majesty, smell it. This ointment smells very nice.”

Shang JunLin looked at the transparent ointment in the medicine bottle and was silent.

If he wasn’t wrong, this cream was used to lubricate a man’s body during sex….

TL Notes:

I corrected the previous chapter to make clear that the woman of the Qian family married the King of Li as his official consort/main wife

Ministry of Justice – 刑部 – Also known as the Board of Justice, one of the Six Ministries under the Department of State Affairs in imperial China (Wikipedia)

loved the house and the crows – 爱屋及乌 – The love for the house extends even to the crows perching on its roof — loving one thing on account of another; He that loves the tree loves the branch; love for a person extends even to the crows on his roof

blood stasis – 血瘀 – A pseudo-scientific concept in traditional Chinese medicine described as a slowing or pooling of the blood due to a disruption of heart qi. Symptoms can include blue or dark red lips or tongue, heart palpitations or a speeding heart rate, or a stabbing pain or tightness in the chest (Wikipedia)

Transliterated names, places, and titles—new in this chapter:

nephew – 侄子 – brother’s son