The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

Once again he lifted a stone and smashed his own foot. Shen Yu stopped talking.

But he secretly told himself: Did His Majesty change? He’s not as funny as he used to be.

For a while they read together. Then Shen Yu suddenly remembered something.

“Your Majesty, spring is here. Should we go on an outing?” Shen Yu blinked. “Of course, if Your Majesty doesn’t have time, I can go alone.”

“Thinking of leaving the palace?” Shang JunLin asked.

Shen Yu propped his head in his hand and nodded. “The spring scenery is so nice. Every year I go to the manor. If I can’t go this year it would be a shame.”

Shang JunLin: “What manor?”

Shen Yu: “It’s one of the few things I inherited from my mother. Your Majesty knows how my life was in the Zhenbei Marquis’ residence. Sometimes I really thought it would be better if I lived in the village all the time and didn’t have so many worries.”

Before Shen Yu entered the harem, Shang JunLin asked the Hidden Dragon Guard to check his background. What Shen Yu said was indeed true. Despite being the only di son of the Zhenbei Marquis, Shen Yu didn’t have an easy life in the Zhenbei Marquis’ residence. For Madam Ru and her son, who was almost the same age as Shen Yu, his very existence was an eyesore.

Shang JunLin stroked Shen Yu’s long hair and said softly, “Don’t worry, noble monarch. No one will be able to bully you in the future.”

He couldn’t change what happened in the past, but the present and future were under his control. He’d never allow anyone to oppress Shen Yu while he was under his wings.

He also knew Shen Yu made an annual visit to a certain village every year, saying that he was going to recuperate in a place with peace and quiet. But Shen Yu was the legitimate son of a noble house. Why did he have to go somewhere else to recover from illness?

Because it was an excuse for outsiders. Only Shen Yu himself knew the real reason.

Shen Yu didn’t know what was running through Shang JunLin’s mind, but he saw a touch of distress in the emperor’s eyes.

Shen Yu leaned over to Shang JunLin. “Does Your Majesty agree?”

As Shen Yu spoke, their breath intertwined. Shang JunLin’s eyes deepened. “If the noble monarch wants this emperor to agree, isn’t there something you should say?”

“Surely Your Majesty is impervious to offers of riches and honors? Is it even possible to sway someone who’s so mighty?” Shen Yu pretended not to understand the man’s hint. He innocently widened his eyes. “Your Majesty, I’m thinking of you as well. Everyone likes to go out to enjoy themselves when it’s spring. Your Majesty is so busy with public affairs every day. You should find some time to relax and unwind.”

“The noble monarch knows this emperor has urgent business.” There was no emotion in Shang JunLin’s voice.

There were multiple things piled up, all of which needed to be dealt with, and one of them involved a subject as serious as the bloodline of the imperial family. Shang JunLin hadn’t rested for several days.

“Political affairs are always urgent.” Shen Yu pressed the memorial in Shang JunLin’s hand. “Your Majesty employs so many officials. Just leave some of it to them. Why does Your Majesty have to do everything yourself?”

“The noble monarch is right.” Although he said so, Shang JunLin didn’t lower the memorial he was holding.

The large desk was covered with the books Shen Yu was reading, which he’d intentionally strewn across the entire surface. Shang JunLin’s memorials occupied only a small corner. Later, Shen Yu put some of the books in a pile to make more room for Shang JunLin’s reports.

Shen Yu knew it wasn’t possible to change Shang JunLin’s habits with one or two words. He concluded: “Since Your Majesty is busy, I’d better go by myself.”

Shang JunLin raised his eyebrows and looked over. “The noble monarch intends to leave this emperor alone in the palace?”

“Then what does Your Majesty want?”

“The noble monarch should understand that with your status you can’t leave the palace too often. The noble monarch should get used to living in the palace instead of thinking about leaving it all day.” Shang JunLin’s tone was indifferent.

“That means Your Majesty won’t accompany me, and you forbid me to go by myself, is that right?” Shen Yu suddenly stood up, turned around, and walked out. “I see, I know. I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay in Yuzhang Palace obediently.”

Shen Yu did what he said. After that, he didn’t mention leaving the palace again, but those who waited on the pair noticed the atmosphere between them was different.

It was a lot colder, especially Shen Yu’s attitude towards Shang JunLin. Those with keen eyes could tell that something was wrong. But Shang JunLin seemed not to have noticed anything. Every day, except for attending morning court, he stayed in Yuzhang Palace as usual.

The servants didn’t know what their masters were thinking, but they hoped the two would make up quickly. They didn’t want to live in such a turbid atmosphere every day.

The events in Yuzhang Palace soon spread outside.

That wasn’t surprising, because Yuzhang Palace had a high profile for a long time and was watched by countless eyes. But the news hadn’t leaked accidentally. It would be more accurate to say it spread with deliberate connivance.

The officials gathered together, confused about why two people who were glued to each other a few days ago were suddenly at odds.

“The emperor’s favor can change with a single word. If you ask me, Noble Monarch Shen should never have been so arrogant.”

“Indeed, a man’s heart is fickle. That’s true for ordinary people, not to mention the emperor himself.”

“I doubt Noble Monarch Shen will ever be favored again.”

“No, I disagree.”

As far as the news was concerned, most people had the mindset of enjoying a show. After all, what happened had nothing to do with them. How Shen Yu and Shang JunLin interacted with each other had little effect on their lives.

Of the people with the biggest reaction, the King of Yue was one, and the rest lived in the Zhenbei Marquis’ mansion.

The King of Yue heard the news when he was looking into recent political events. He felt surprised, but his mood was complicated. Not long ago, Shen Yu had arrogantly shown off his power in front of him, but fell from favor just a few days later. The King of Yue couldn’t help feeling somewhat delighted, but he was also filled with dissatisfaction that was difficult to put into words.

The people in the Zhenbei Marquis’ residence had opposing reactions. The Zhenbei Marquis wanted to rush to the palace to ask Shen Yu what happened. Meanwhile, Shen QingRan and his mother were overjoyed. The sooner Shen Yu fell from favor, the happier they’d be.

They didn’t know the reason for the noble monarch and the emperor’s disagreement. In fact, if you looked at it carefully, it wasn’t so much that the noble monarch had fallen out of favor. It was more accurate to say His Majesty had fallen out of favor.

The palace attendants who served beside them saw that His Majesty’s attitude was the same as before. The thing that changed was the noble monarch’s attitude towards His Majesty.

After holding back a few days, Mu Xi couldn’t help but ask, “Young master, why…” 

Shen Yu was loosening the soil in the flowerpot of the “jun ling” plant. The plant he’d cared for was doing well. It had safely survived to the beginning of spring.

“Are you asking why I’m hardly on speaking terms with His Majesty?”

Mu Xi nodded and looked at Shen Yu with concern. “Young master, you live in the palace. Shouldn’t you treat His Majesty better?”

“I thought you were the one who didn’t want me to enter the palace in the first place. You didn’t think very highly of His Majesty, either, did you?” Shen Yu put down his trowel and lifted his eyebrows. “Is it ‘mutiny’ already?”

“At first this slave thought His Majesty was no different from other men….” After entering the palace, Mu Xi saw how His Majesty treated Shen Yu. Over time, Shang JunLin’s actions made her change her opinion.

“His Majesty is naturally different from other men.” Shen Yu pinched the slender leaves of the “jun ling” plant. “But Mu Xi, you have to understand something. A single indulgence can ruin a man. If I want to get along with His Majesty in the long run, there’s all kinds of grinding and breaking-in that needs to happen. I can’t blindly agree to his wishes.”

Shang JunLin was a genuinely talented emperor. In keeping with that, his personality had obvious imperial traits. But this was Shen Yu’s new life, and he had no intention of bending to anyone’s will, even if that person was the emperor.

Mu Xi appeared to understand. She didn’t know what happened between Shang JunLin and Shen Yu, but when she saw that the young master was clear about his intentions, she didn’t continue asking.

Shen Yu’s mood was also a little complex. He had the feeling Shang JunLin didn’t know what the matter was.

Maybe he didn’t care much about Shen Yu at the beginning, which was why Shang JunLin didn’t have many opinions about what he did. Shen Yu liked that way of getting along. There was a clear line between them, and they didn’t intrude on each other.

But at some point Shang JunLin crossed the line. He began to try to control Shen Yu. It wasn’t always obvious, but Shen Yu felt it clearly.

Shen Yu had no interest in being controlled by anyone. Ever since he learned the world he lived in was a book, and that he was being manipulated by an unseen consciousness to fall in love with the King of Yue, he felt disgusted by the idea of being controlled by someone else. He wanted to go back to having clear boundaries with Shang JunLin.

But obviously, Shang JunLin didn’t want that.

Shang JunLin read memorials for a while, and then threw his pen aside in annoyance.

“Is Your Majesty troubled because of the noble monarch?” Meng Gonggong had served at Shang JunLin’s side for many years. He’d never seen Shang JunLin so upset before.

He could tell Shen Yu’s attitude towards Shang JunLin had changed. He didn’t know what had happened between them, and His Majesty hadn’t said. As a servant, it wasn’t his place to ask.

“This emperor can’t figure out what the noble monarch is angry about.” Shang JunLin rubbed his eyebrows. “It’s not because this emperor didn’t agree to accompany him out of the palace, is it?”

Shang JunLin didn’t think he’d done anything wrong. He was the emperor, Shen Yu was the noble monarch, and Yuzhang Palace was their home. What was the point of thinking about leaving the palace all day?

Last time Shen Yu wanted to go out of the palace to see the fireworks, and Shang JunLin took him there. That was only a few days ago, but now Shen Yu wanted to leave again. Would he find another excuse to leave the palace a few days from now?

“Your Majesty, why don’t you just ask the noble monarch? You and the noble monarch are husbands. It’s never good for outsiders to interfere in matters between husband and husband,” Meng Gonggong suggested.

The words “husband and husband” pleased Shang JunLin. He stood up. “You’re right. This emperor was thinking too much, and it’s useless to guess. It’s better to ask him directly.”

“His Majesty has arrived!”

Shen Yu put the flowerpot back in its original position. Only then did he unhurriedly stand to pay his respects.

“The noble monarch doesn’t need to be so polite.” Shang JunLin took a few steps forward and stopped Shen Yu.

“The rest of you are dismissed.” As soon as Shang JunLin waved his hand, each of the palace attendants retreated.

Mu Xi glanced anxiously at the room before she was pulled away by Meng Gonggong.

Mu Xi stood anxiously outside, unwilling to leave. “Meng Gonggong, nothing bad will happen, right?” 

“Lady Mu Xi shouldn’t worry. The matters between His Majesty and the noble monarch have to be solved by themselves. No one else can intervene,” Meng Gonggong comforted her. “You should trust the noble monarch. He knows what to do.”

As far as this encounter was concerned, Meng Gonggong could see it clearly from the sidelines. Noble Monarch Shen, who never showed the slightest trace of a sharp edge, had the upper hand from the beginning.

His Majesty, ah—he lost completely.

Shen Yu looked at the empty room. “Your Majesty, what’s this?” 

“This emperor apologizes to the noble monarch for what happened before.” Shang JunLin helped Shen Yu sit down. “Don’t be angry with this emperor.”

Shen Yu sat obediently with a smile on his face, but the smile didn’t touch his eyes. “I’m not angry with Your Majesty. How could I, a noble monarch, be angry with Your Majesty?” 

“What did this emperor do wrong, Ah Yu? Just tell me directly.” Shang JunLin squatted down and looked into Shen Yu’s clear eyes. “Ah Yu, tell this emperor, how did I make you unhappy, hmm?”

TL Notes:

impervious to riches and honors – 富贵不能淫 – Neither riches nor honors can lead one astray; be impervious to the temptation of wealth and high position; He is incorruptible by offers of money and power; He is unyielded by dirty lucre offered as bait

hardly on speaking terms – 冷战 – cold war / (fig.) strained relationship / to be barely on speaking terms

never showed the slightest trace of a sharp edge – from 那位不显锋不显水 – similar to 不显山不显水 – “not showing the mountains, not showing the water”, a saying which means concealing one’s talents, showing humility, being low-key, subtle, and unassuming (Baidu) Instead of mountains (山) the version here used “锋”, which means “the point of a spear / edge of a tool”