The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

Shen Yu nudged his head against Shang JunLin. “I’m talking to Your Majesty about serious things.”

“This emperor knows.” Shang JunLin touched Shen Yu’s forehead. “It was discovered early, which means it’s not as difficult to look into. This emperor will disqualify everyone who participates. Ah Yu shouldn’t worry. This emperor asked the examiners to change the test questions as well. There won’t be a problem.”

When he learned that someone was trying to tamper with the imperial examinations, how could Shang JunLin sit back and let them do it? The necessary adjustments had already been made. To ensure the new test questions wouldn’t leak, everyone involved in the changes was living in a house arranged by Shang JunLin, and they’d continue to live there until the end of the exam. There were heavy guard patrols around the house. If anyone tried to send information to the outside world, all they’d do was expose themselves.

Shen Yu nodded and began to talk about the things Jiang HuaiQing and his friends had discovered recently.

“Jiang HuaiQing sent a letter saying that the people were targeting a specific type, mostly poor students. Some of Jiang HuaiQing’s other good friends were approached as well. It’s only when it came up in conversation as an anecdote that they realized several people had been contacted.” Shen Yu thought. “Did they notice that Your Majesty likes to employ people from poor backgrounds, and that’s why they decided to meddle with them?”

Shang JunLin: “Whether they succeeded or not, those new officials would be susceptible to blackmail in the future. In order to continue their careers, they’d have no choice but to work for the conspirators.”

Shen Yu: “True, and the higher those officials rose in the future, the better it would be for the conspirators. What a cost-effective method. With so little effort they can turn this class of scholars into their agents.”

Although… Shen Yu looked down to conceal the coldness in his eyes. No matter if it was in his previous life or this one, that man would never succeed in his goals!

At Yingxing House:

As the examination day approached, the lodging house appeared less populated. The students stayed in their rooms to make their final preparations.

Jiang HuaiQing’s restless mind gradually calmed down. After discussing everything with Young Master Yu, he realized that Young Master Lin and Young Master Yu weren’t as simple as they appeared. Most likely they weren’t even exam candidates.

Jiang HuaiQing left the window and walked over. “ChengYu Xiong is always so calm.” 

After spending so much time with Hè ChengYu, Jiang HuaiQing had never seen him lose his composure. The students around them were getting more and more nervous, but Hè ChengYu was the same as ever.

He himself felt anxious a little while ago, but after a few days passed his state of mind gradually recovered.

Hè ChengYu smiled lightly. “It’s just an exam. HuaiQing is the same as usual too, right?” 

“I might not show it on my face, but that incident a while ago really shocked me.” Jiang HuaiQing patted his chest. “I’ve been up and down for several days.

“I wonder if ChengYu Xiong noticed that those people are targeting poor students.” After observing for a while, that was the conclusion Jiang HuaiQing had reached.

Hè ChengYu nodded. “I saw that too. I indirectly asked some exam candidates from other large families, and they didn’t encounter anything similar.”

“Then their purpose seems clear.” Jiang HuaiQing touched his chin. “They’re choosing the type of people His Majesty is most likely to appoint.”

When the late emperor was in power, poor families were suppressed by aristocratic families and could hardly find a place to stand. After the current emperor ascended, he gradually promoted officials from poor backgrounds.

“The examination will begin soon. I wonder if they’ll manage to resolve everything before it starts.”

At long last, the examination that everyone was anticipating so eagerly arrived.

Early in the morning, the students lined up with their supplies and effects. After being inspected, they entered the examination hall one by one.

Everyone was focused on the exam, so none of them noticed that a small number of students were quietly taken away before they could enter the examination hall.

After the rest of the scholars entered the examination rooms, a well-prepared series of arrests were carried out in secret. The evidence was conclusive, and the offenders had no opportunity to resist. Several inconspicuous people were quietly taken away.

As the weather gradually warmed, flowers began to bloom, especially in the garden of Yuzhang Palace. Knowing that Shen Yu liked flowers and plants, Shang JunLin gave orders to bring in numerous examples of rare greenery.

Recently, a top-grade cymbidium ink orchid was presented by a few subjects. Without so much as a thought, Shang JunLin told someone to send the flower to Yuzhang Palace.

Meng Gonggong personally accompanied the attendants who carried it in. He knew that whenever something good arrived, it would be sent immediately to Yuzhang Palace. Who hadn’t noticed that His Majesty stayed there exclusively?

Since Shen Yu entered the palace, Shang JunLin hardly returned to the emperor’s bedchambers. By now Meng Gonggong had his own room inside Yuzhang Palace to rest in.

“His Majesty asked this slave to bring this. Noble monarch, please see if you like it.” Meng Gonggong lifted the red silk covering the plant.

Layers of blooming petals appeared, and Shen Yu’s eyes lit up. “Where did His Majesty find such a beautiful ink orchid?”

“A few subjects sent it to the palace. The moment it arrived, His Majesty asked this slave to bring it to you.”

“His Majesty is very kind.” Shen Yu found a suitable place for the ink orchid and asked the palace servants to place it there.

When Meng Gonggong finished delivering the plant and was ready to leave, Shen Yu stopped him. “I wonder if Meng Gonggong can replace the eunuch in charge of Yuzhang Palace?”

Meng Gonggong froze for a moment. “Why does the noble monarch suddenly want to replace him?”

The attendants who served in Yuzhang Palace had all been arranged by Shang JunLin. At the time, Shen Yu had just entered the palace. Shang JunLin wanted people with clean backgrounds who wouldn’t make trouble. Meng Gonggong delegated the selection to some of his subordinates. Later, Shen Yu became favored, and countless people regretted not being assigned to Yuzhang Palace.

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Meng Gonggong regretted it as well. If he’d known Yuzhang Palace would become so prosperous because of Shen Yu, he would have given some of his own underlings a place there.

But the matter had already been decided, and it was pointless to think about it now.

Shen Yu had never asked about the arrangement of the palace staff before. Now he suddenly wanted to replace someone….

“You can select a group of candidates based on my requirements. Since I’m going to be staying for a long time, it has to be someone I’m comfortable with.” Shen Yu went on to state his requirements: “Loyal, adaptable, doesn’t gossip or argue, knows how to read the atmosphere, easy to work with in general. The rest is up to Meng Gonggong to decide.”

“The noble monarch flatters this slave. Rest assured, this slave will do an excellent job for the noble monarch,” Meng Gonggong responded respectfully.

It took sophistication and extensive experience to serve beside the emperor. Meng Gonggong could guess what happened the moment he heard it. The current head eunuch must have upset the noble monarch. Meng Gonggong felt puzzled. The noble monarch was a rare master who was easy to serve. What did the eunuch in charge of Yuzhang Palace do to provoke the noble monarch and cause himself to be replaced?

Also… When the noble monarch said he was going to stay here a long time, did he mean that he didn’t intend to live here a long time before, so he didn’t care about anything?

Lowering his eyes to conceal his thoughts, Meng Gonggong began to mentally review the candidates who met Shen Yu’s requirements.

“Well, it’s a relief to leave it to you.” After explaining, Shen Yu didn’t intend to do anything else.

Meng Gonggong returned to Shang JunLin to continue his work. After relaying Shen Yu’s reaction, he hesitated for a while and then told the emperor about Shen Yu’s wishes.

Shang JunLin recalled the eunuch in charge of Yuzhang Palace. He didn’t have much of an impression of him. When Shang JunLin stayed in Yuzhang Palace, he was always served by Meng Gonggong. Shen Yu didn’t like to have servants wait on him closely. Aside from Mu Xi, he had few other attendants.

“Did the noble monarch say why?” According to Shang JunLin’s understanding of Shen Yu, he didn’t do anything without a reason.

“No.” Meng Gonggong shook his head. “Just that the noble monarch isn’t comfortable with him.”

Shang JunLin: “Go and look into the eunuch in charge. If the noble monarch wants to replace someone, replace him. This time, he can choose the new person.”

Meng Gonggong: “This slave understands.”

Shang JunLin: “After you select the candidates, let this emperor take a look at them first. Don’t find another one who will make the noble monarch unhappy.”

Meng Gonggong: “Yes.”

Shen Yu gave the ink orchid some water, then lowered his rolled up sleeves. A moment later Shang JunLin walked in.

“Your Majesty is finished?”

“Mm.” Shang JunLin took a handkerchief and wiped Shen Yu’s hands. “Why don’t you let the servants do these things?”

“Of course I have to take good care of the flower sent by Your Majesty. Otherwise, what will I do if Your Majesty is unhappy with ‘jun ling’ again?”

The “jun ling” plant was sent by Imperial Physician Gu. Because it was so difficult to raise, Shen Yu personally watched over it. Shang JunLin had revealed his jealousy several times.

“Are you still making fun of this emperor?” Shang JunLin poked at Shen Yu’s forehead.

Shen Yu dodged aside. “Your Majesty won’t let me talk about what you did?”

“Fine, Ah Yu can say whatever you want.” Shang JunLin took Shen Yu’s hand and led him to the soft couch to sit down. “Why do you suddenly want to change the head eunuch?”

“Meng Gonggong told His Majesty, then.” Shen Yu wasn’t surprised. When he spoke to Meng Gonggong, he intended it to reach Shang JunLin’s ears.

“Shen Yu already knows that this emperor is always concerned about what happens in your life. Meng Chang wouldn’t dare to hide it.”

“It’s Mu Xi who found out. The man used his authority as the eunuch in charge of Yuzhang Palace to harass the palace maids. He didn’t dare to touch anyone in Yuzhang Palace, so he focused on maids in other palaces.” Shen Yu’s face showed his disgust.

“I asked Mu Xi to draw up a list of palace maids who were bullied. If not for the fact that one of the maids has a strong personality and made  some noise, I don’t know how long it would have been hidden.”

The air pressure around Shang JunLin’s body lowered. “Who gave him the courage to commit such outrages?”

“It’s probably because His Majesty doesn’t pay that much attention to what happens with the palace maids. The man thought that since he was the head eunuch of Yuzhang Palace, he could do whatever he wanted.” When Shen Yu heard about it, he almost got rid of the person immediately, but Mu Xi stopped him.

“Young master, this kind of thing is common in the palace. This time the person you’re dealing with is Li Gonggong, but next time it will be Zhao Gonggong or Sun Gonggong. If you want to put an end to the behavior for good, you have to make sure they never dare to do it again, no matter how much they want to!” Mu Xi said.

The more glamorous and beautiful the surface, the easier it is to hide the dirt and grime underneath. If the water was clear, there would be no fish. Shen Yu wasn’t a naïve young master who lived in a castle in the air. He’d experienced the dark side of the world too many times, and he knew that the imperial palace was the center of power in Da Huan. No matter how appalling the things that happened here, it didn’t surprise him.

“Let Meng Chang handle it….”

Shen Yu pressed his hand to Shang JunLin’s lips. “No, since someone from Yuzhang Palace committed the crime, I should be the one to deal with it. He dares to do such things under my nose—I’ll see who gave him the nerve!”

It was the first time Shen Yu revealed such a fierce side of himself in front of Shang JunLin. His temperament was as beautiful as ice, and the coldness in his eyes was devastating. Shang JunLin looked at him and felt his heart beating faster and faster.

Most of the time Shen Yu was gentle and harmless. He occasionally showed his sharp little fangs, but he was more like an immature cub than a predator, which made him seem less intimidating.

But right now Shen Yu was different. A menacing aura emanated from him, and his beauty was breathtaking. Shang JunLin immediately felt that this was the real Shen Yu.

Brimming with aggression, danger, and charm.

He almost couldn’t tear his eyes away.

When Shang JunLin didn’t respond for a long time, Shen Yu looked at him suspiciously. “What is Your Majesty thinking?”

“Thinking… that Ah Yu is so beautiful.” His voice was as low as a whisper.

He wanted to take this man in his arms regardless of anything else, kiss him hard, and mark him as his own inside and out!

TL Notes:

examination hall – 考场 – exam room, exam field – The examinations took place in an open-air plaza or compound. Constructed specifically for this purpose, it was filled with rows and rows of tiny cubicles for the examinees (Wikipedia) (Pic) (Pic)

cymbidium ink orchid – 墨兰 – “ink orchid”, Cymbidium sinense, Chinese cymbidium – The flowers are usually strongly aromatic, variable in color, usually dark purple or purplish brown with a paler lip (via Google)

comfortable with – 得心应手 – lit. what the heart wishes, the hand accomplishes (idiom) skilled at the job / entirely in one’s element / going smoothly and easily

don’t gossip or argue – 不乱嚼舌根 – don’t randomly chew the root of tongue – to gossip / argue unnecessarily

commit such outrages – 胡作非为 – play the gangster; act absurdly; break the law; commit all manner of evil; run amok, commit outrages

do whatever he wanted – 肆无忌惮 – act recklessly and care for nobody; act outrageously; afraid of nothing; behave in a disorderly manner without fear

hide the dirt and grime – 藏污纳垢 – to hide dirt, to conceal corruption (idiom); to shelter evil people and accept wrongdoing / aiding and abetting wicked deeds

If the water was clear, there would be no fish – 水至清则无鱼 – If water is too clean no fish can live in it; One should not be too eager to find fault; water which is too clean has few fish

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

李公公 – Li Gonggong – Refer to Ch 3 for the note about “gonggong”

赵公公 – Zhao Gonggong

孙公公 – Sun Gonggong