The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

 

For a moment Shang JunLin stared at Shen Yu with obscure eyes, but didn't say anything.

There was no doubt that Shen Yu was extremely good-looking. After all, he was famous for his beauty throughout the capital. Against the crimson backdrop of the bed quilt his fair face was even more enticing, and now this beauty in red was seated on the bed, his gaze glowing with affection, as if the man before him was the only one who could enter his eyes and his heart. Absolutely anyone would be moved.

The air pressure around Shen Yu was dropping lower and lower, but he seemed unaware of it. He laughed and pulled the hand of the emperor in black. "Your Majesty, it's time to sleep."

Hearing this, the palace attendants around them bowed their heads lower and lower. Meng Gonggong, who stood beside the emperor to wait on him, didn't dare look up. He sighed to himself. The young master of the Shen family was so brave.

It had been more than ten years since Shang JunLin ascended the throne. After leading the iron cavalry to retake the empire, his actions became more and more violent. There were rumors that the emperor had killed his own father and brothers, and wrongfully took the throne. Of course, under the suppression of brutal force, no one dared to spread such rumors except in private.

Shen Yu glanced at the shivering palace servants. His hand was already touching the emperor's. In two lifetimes he'd never been this close to such a beautiful man, but Shen Yu also viewed it as a test. He touched the man's hand lightly but was ready to withdraw. Then, to his surprise, the emperor took his wrist.

Shen Yu struggled but couldn't break free. Puzzled, he looked at the man.

"Didn't you say it's time to sleep?" Shang JunLin waved his hand. "Everyone, dismissed."

The red candles were burning, and in the twinkling of an eye only two people remained in the room, one seated, one standing.

As the emperor in black stared at him, Shen Yu couldn't help but feel a little panic. He didn't actually want to do it, right? Shen Yu had entered the palace because this man wasn't interested in beauties. He didn't want to get involved with him, OK?

The next moment, Shang JunLin suddenly leaned in. Startled, Shen Yu backed up.

Shang JunLin paused. "It seems the rumors are untrue. The eldest son of the Zhenbei Marquis' family is not at all..." a gentleman.

Shen Yu, the eldest son of the Zhenbei Marquis, was beautiful, noble, and elegant, a paragon beyond the dreams of countless people. But now that the actual person was before him, Shang JunLin discovered how greatly the rumors paled before the reality.

Shen Yu was confused, but then he remembered he was his current self, not the flattering sycophant everyone talked about ten years later in his previous life. In this life he hadn't gotten involved with Shang JunYue. He still had a sparkling reputation.

It made him a little nostalgic.

Shen Yu glanced at the other man to make sure he wasn't sexually aroused, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then, which does Your Majesty prefer, me as I am now, or the me in the rumors?"

Shang JunLin didn't answer. He looked at Shen Yu's face carefully. The rumors were not entirely untrue. Regarding Shen Yu's appearance, in fact, they were completely accurate.

Shang JunLin let go of Shen Yu's hand and stepped back. "This emperor thinks Noble Monarch Shen has a remarkably thick face."

Shen Yu responded with a smile. "As long as Your Majesty likes it, does it matter if my face is thick?"

Shang JunLin was noncommittal. He raised his arms. "Didn't you say you want to go to bed? Undress this emperor."

"Won't Your Majesty call in the palace servants?" Shen Yu wanted to test Shang JunLin's bottom line again, but the emperor didn't budge.

"This is your duty," Shang JunLin said indifferently.

I see, then I have to do it myself.

Shen Yu got up from the bed. When he stood, he suddenly felt dizzy and fell down.

The expected close contact with the floor didn't happen. Shen Yu fell into a hard, warm embrace.

Shang JunLin caught the young man with quick eyes and hands. "What, you keep saying you like this emperor. Don't you want to undress me?"

Shen Yu was too dazed to answer. He waited to recover like he usually did, but instead suffered wave after wave of pain, getting worse and worse.

He closed his eyes and tried to resist the surging pain. Despite the cold air of winter, fine beads of sweat seeped on his forehead, and his face grew paler and paler. He unconsciously bit his lower lip and didn't even feel the bleeding.

Shen Yu had dragged this sickly body for decades and knew it very well. Even in the most difficult times he'd never endured this kind of agony, like a raging flood was trying to drown him. Lost in endless pain, he couldn't perceive anything of the outside world.

His hand clutched tightly at the black fabric, and his clenched teeth were forced open by a big hand. He didn't know how long it lasted, or maybe it was just a few moments. Shen Yu barely struggled back to consciousness.

"Meng Chang! Imperial Physician Xuan!"

Confused, Shen Yu seemed to feel the arms holding him tighten.

The beauty in red lay pale and weak in his arms, no longer as sharp-witted and agile as before. The emperor in black gazed at him without expression, and his eyes were deep.

Meng Gonggong stood to the side and hardly dared to breathe. When he heard the emperor's voice filled with suppressed anger he thought the young master of the Shen family had provoked the emperor, but after coming in he found it wasn't so.

The court physicians arrived late, led by Imperial Physician Gu.

"You need not pay respects. Come and see to him."

Imperial Physician Gu finished taking the young man's pulse and reached the same conclusion as last time. "The noble monarch's weakness is brought on by congenital deficiency in the mother's womb. All that can be done for now is to care for him well. Please forgive your servant's inability to devise a better cure."

"I see."

---

Shen Yu woke up at noon the next day. When he awakened, Shang JunLin was no longer beside him. Mu Xi brought in some medicine. The girl's eyes were red as if she'd been crying.

Shen Yu drank the medicine and got out of bed despite Mu Xi's objections. The pain came and went quickly. Aside from some weakness, Shen Yu had no other discomfort.

Yesterday Shen Yu was in too much of a hurry to take a good look at the place where he'd live from now on.

Yuzhang Palace was the largest palace in the imperial harem, with beautiful architecture and pleasant scenery. It was also close to the emperor's bedchamber. Shen Yu listened to the explanation of the palace servants as he walked.

The construction of Yuzhang Palace hadn't taken place over many years, but it cost a great deal of money. The palace was built by a previous emperor of Da Huan for his beloved. After that time, Yuzhang Palace was sealed until Shen Yu moved in.

 

The attendant hoped to please Shen Yu. "It can be seen that His Majesty cares greatly about the noble monarch. When His Majesty left this morning, he specially asked the slaves not to disturb your rest."

Through some oblique questions, Shen Yu learned that His Majesty hadn't announced Shen Yu's illness last night. Except for a few insiders like Meng Gonggong and Imperial Physician Gu, the others only knew that His Majesty spent the night in Yuzhang Palace.

That night, Shang JunLin came to Yuzhang Palace again, just in time for Shen Yu's evening meal. Shen Yu had been weak since childhood, and he adhered to the principle of eating smaller, more frequent meals. Yuzhang Palace had its own small kitchen, and Shen Yu never skimped on clothing, food, housing, or transportation for himself, so he was already used to the living arrangements here.

"Will Your Majesty join me?"

Shang JunLin nodded and sat down.

"I thank Your Majesty for his kindness last night, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get out of bed today." Shen Yu deliberately made his words ambiguous. He lowered his eyes and made a shy face.

Shang JunLin paused while eating his food and then said, "I'm glad that you know I care about you."

"Your Majesty is vigorous and powerful. In the future I hope Your Majesty and I can do more—"

Shang JunLin interrupted him lightly. "Eat."

Shen Yu: "... Ah."

Around them, the palace servants ducked their heads with scarlet cheeks. Meng Gonggong fought to control the expression on his face. If he hadn't known the real situation, he would have genuinely thought the two masters had engaged in an intense battle last night.

That evening, Shang JunLin stayed in Yuzhang Palace again. The bedding had been changed to a light color in accordance with Shen Yu's preference. This time Shang JunLin didn't tell Shen Yu to help him undress. After bathing with the help of the palace attendants, he changed into his nightclothes and walked in.

When he saw Shang JunLin come in, Shen Yu moved to the bed. "Your Majesty, come quickly."

The man in his nightclothes was much more approachable than in black regnal robes, and Shen Yu became more daring.

After waving away the servants, Shang JunLin walked over. "From today on, this emperor will make Imperial Physician Gu take charge of your health."

Shang JunLin didn't want what happened last night to repeat ever again.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Shen Yu's small face nestled against the quilt. "Your Majesty is very kind."

"You're a wise person. This emperor believes he doesn't have to say certain things to you clearly."

Shen Yu nodded.

The two looked at each other and reached a kind of consensus.

Feeling the warmth from the other side of the bed, Shen Yu closed his eyes. The emperor he would be living with for a while seemed much better at "trickery" than he'd imagined.

Interesting.

For several days, Shang JunLin stayed in Yuzhang Palace. The news of how Shen Yu was favored spread like it was on wings.

Shen Yu lived quietly in the imperial palace, but tempests brewed outside because of him.

Many people who hadn't been optimistic about Shen Yu were taken aback after he gained favor. Those who ridiculed the Zhenbei Marquis for sending his only di son into the palace immediately sang a different song and complimented him to the sky.

And a throng of sour, sarcastic people insinuated that Shen Yu had beguiled and bewitched the emperor, while others thought carefully to themselves in private: If there could be one Shen Yu, could there also be a second or third?

This was a possibility that hadn't existed before. With Shen Yu as a living example, brave courtiers lined up to send their children into the harem.

During this period the Zhenbei Marquis received a lot of attention because of Shen Yu. Although he was happy Shen Yu was favored, he was terrified of Shen Yu's attitude—unlike his concubine and shu son, who were merely frightened.

Shen QingRan, in particular, couldn't help but wonder "what if". If he'd entered the palace, would he be the one with the emperor's favor right now?

It had to be said that the decline in Aunt Ru's status had an immediate impact on Shen QingRan. The people of the marquis' inner courtyard knew exactly how Shen Yu had entered the palace, and they frequently mocked Shen QingRan and Aunt Ru.

Meanwhile, thanks to the hard and soft persuasion of Aunt Ru and a lot of effort, the Zhenbei Marquis' attitude towards her began to relax. Just as she hoped for a restoration, the news that Shen Yu was favored beat her back into place. Aunt Ru couldn't have said how furious she was.

All kinds of news reached Shen Yu's ears.

"How can they speak like that, young master?" Mu Xi was dissatisfied. "You obviously didn't do anything. How can they say you beguiled the emperor? They even called you an alluring, seductive little..." fox spirit.

She couldn't bring herself to say the last part.

But she didn't have to say it, because Shen Yu already knew what people said about him, and he knew it was just the beginning. Several factions hadn't moved yet. Shen Yu hooked the corners of his mouth and smiled. "Since they say I've enchanted the emperor, I might as well make them feel it."

Mu Xi silently bowed her head. She thought the young master's smile just now truly had the aura of a bewitching, devilish concubine....

Shen Yu took a container of soup stewed in the small kitchen with him to the imperial study. When Meng Gonggong saw him, he wiped his sweat and greeted him. "Why is the noble monarch here?"

"I came to bring soup to His Majesty. Is it possible to see His Majesty now?"

"Just a moment, noble monarch. This slave will ask at once."

Shortly after, Meng Gonggong came out and led Shen Yu inside. When Shen Yu entered the door, Meng Gonggong bowed his head and retreated.

The imperial study was silent. Shen Yu had no time to look around before he heard the voice of Shang JunLin.

"Shen Yu."

He looked for the voice—then Shen Yu's pupils constricted sharply. His eyes saw dazzling red, and there, at the center of the scarlet, stood the emperor in black.

The heavy odor of blood filled Shen Yu's nostrils. In the pool of blood at the emperor's feet lay a man who might be either alive or dead, while another man cowered on his knees not far away but didn't dare to raise his face.

Shang JunLin's ink-black eyes flashed. He stretched out his hand to Shen Yu and said:

"Come here."

 

TL Notes:

fox spirit - 狐狸精 - húlijīng - fox-spirit, vixen, witch, enchantress

bewitching devilish concubine - 妖妃 - yāo fēi - "yao" means goblin / witch / devil / bewitching / enchanting / monster / phantom / demon

 

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

Imperial Physician Xuan - 宣太医

Yuzhang Palace - 玉璋宫 - Yu means "jade", "zhang" is a type of ancient jade ornament. Among other uses, parents would give them to baby boys in the hopes their child would grow up to be powerful and strong (Baidu)

Aunt Ru - 如姨娘 - Rú yíniáng

aunt - 姨娘 - yíniáng - (married) maternal aunt / one's father's concubine