The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

Shang JunLin imagined Shen Yu dressed as a little eunuch with red lips and white teeth, and his eyes darkened.

In the end, he couldn’t bear it.

“This emperor will tell someone to put up a screen. You can sit behind it.”

Shen Yu nudged him. “Is that Your Majesty’s way of taking revenge for the time I put you behind a screen?”

At the time, Shen Yu needed to establish his authority in Yuzhang Palace, but Shang JunLin refused to leave. Shen Yu had to tell someone to set up a large screen in the main hall and asked Shang JunLin to sit behind it.

Shang JunLin pinched Shen Yu’s cheek. “Do you think this emperor is so petty?” 

“Your Majesty took advantage of the letters Shen QingRan wrote to me several times…” Shen Yu muttered under his breath.

Shang JunLin’s ears were sharp, and he heard Shen Yu say this clearly. He jokingly pinched the young man’s cheek and shook it left and right. “If Ah Yu didn’t always refuse, would this emperor have to find so many excuses?”

He wished the names of other men would never be mentioned in Shen Yu’s hearing.

Shen Yu didn’t want to admit Shang JunLin was right. He broke free of Shang JunLin’s hand. “Your Majesty just likes to make trouble. Why are you trying to blame someone else?”

If it wasn’t for the fact that Shang JunLin wanted more and more every time, would Shen Yu need to try to refuse?

“Yes, yes, it’s all this emperor’s fault. This emperor hasn’t worked hard enough to make Ah Yu enjoy himself.” Shang JunLin relaxed the hand pinching the soft flesh on Shen Yu’s face and kissed the reddened skin.

For a moment Shen Yu was speechless at Shang JunLin’s deliberate misinterpretation of his words. However, he knew he had no chance of defeating Shang JunLin where this subject was concerned.

He sat up straight and patted Shang JunLin on the shoulder as if he was venting his anger. “Your Majesty has worked hard. Really, if you try any harder, Your Majesty will have to find someone else.”

Didn’t he toss Shen Yu around enough already? What more did he want?

“Ah Yu, don’t talk nonsense.” Shang JunLin grabbed Shen Yu’s waist and took the man into his arms, then bit Shen Yu fiercely on the lip.

“Mm—” There was a sting of pain, and Shen Yu let out a low cry. Soon the taste of blood was in his mouth. “Your Majesty!”

“This emperor doesn’t like to hear such things.” Shang JunLin let go of Shen Yu’s mouth and gently kissed the blood stain on his lip. “Ah Yu, everything this emperor has can only belong to you!”

The man’s aura was so strong it was frightening, like a raging storm that would sweep through everything in its path. Shen Yu, at the center of the vortex, felt the strength of Shang JunLin’s emotions.

“Well, Your Majesty, I was talking nonsense,” Shen Yu admitted. When Shang JunLin withdrew, Shen Yu took the initiative to chase him and kiss the man’s lips. “Your Majesty certainly belongs to me, and no one can take Your Majesty from me.”

The terrible aura around Shang JunLin gradually stabilized after Shen Yu’s reassurance. He didn’t immediately resume his efforts but enjoyed a rare instance of Shen Yu taking the lead.

The young man had a light fragrance on his body which was very faint. Shang JunLin could only smell it when they were close, and he liked the scent very much.

Shen Yu didn’t go deeper; he just grinded against Shang JunLin’s mouth. His lip was wounded, and a faint taste of blood reached their tongues.

When he sensed that Shang JunLin had calmed down, Shen Yu slowly withdrew.

But how would Shang JunLin be willing to miss out on such a good opportunity? The moment they were about to separate, the hand that had moved behind Shen Yu’s head at some point exerted slightly more force, and Shen Yu was forced to return.

Compared to earlier, Shang JunLin’s kiss was much softer this time. Although it was gentle, it had an irresistible strength.

Under the tall, leaf-laden tree, the man in black held the young man in blue tightly in his arms. The shadows beneath the tree drifted slightly, and small birds occasionally circled over their heads.

A light breeze brushed against them, and the branches and leaves bowed and rippled.

Dappled light and shadow fell on them, and the swing swayed gently with their movements. It was a quiet afternoon, leisurely and beautiful.

After being inspired by Shen Yu, Shang JunLin invited his important ministers for a discussion.

In order to implement Shen Yu’s suggestion, Da Huan’s existing laws on merchants would have to be changed.

After Shang JunLin outlined the idea, a long silence filled the imperial study.

The prime minister hesitated. After a while, he said, “Such a law would subvert expectations, but for Da Huan the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. This servant thinks it should be implemented.”

Some of the other ministers disagreed. “They’re only merchants. Is the treasury really in such need of money? Compared to the previous dynasty, Da Huan already gives preferential treatment to traders. This servant doesn’t think it’s necessary to give them even more advantages. Your Majesty, the nation shouldn’t encourage the arrogance of merchants.” 

The Minister of Works and the Minister of Revenue exchanged glances. For once they were in accord.

“Your Majesty, this servant thinks it’s a feasible approach.”

“This servant agrees as well. Merchants are also citizens of Da Huan. There’s no reason to treat them too harshly. The proposal is just a matter of giving them some honor and recognition. This would also give these merchants a greater sense of belonging to Da Huan.”

After some arguments back and forth, the people in favor had the upper hand.

The prime minister was impressed with the person who put forward the suggestion. “I wonder who came up with the idea. A man with such great talent shouldn’t remain hidden!” 

“It was the noble monarch who mentioned it to this emperor.” When he spoke of Shen Yu, Shang JunLin’s face softened visibly.

The prime minister was hoping His Majesty would promote the person who came up with the idea. However, since ancient times, the harem had always been forbidden to interfere in politics. He sighed heavily to himself, thinking it was a pity.

The other ministers were surprised as well. They looked at each other, and for a time, the study was quiet again.

Finally, the Minister of Works spoke up. “The noble monarch is a great talent. It’s Da Huan’s good fortune to receive his help.”

Previously, Shang JunLin had more or less told him that Noble Monarch Shen was the source of the cement recipe. From that moment, the Minister of Works looked on Shen Yu favorably. Now that the noble monarch had also come up with a way to solve the Ministry of Works’ longest-standing problem, his opinion was even higher.

Shang JunLin’s eyes became even more gentle.

“Before this matter is officially implemented, you should perform a trial run.” Shang JunLin paused. “Just experiment with the Ministry of Works’ current project.”

“This minister will obey.”

As they left the palace, the ministers gathered together to talk.

“It’s really a shame about the child of the Zhenbei Marquis’ family.”

“There were rumors before about a rift between them. I don’t know what the Zhenbei Marquis was thinking to send his di son to the palace.”

Everyone knew that, under the circumstances at the time, being sent to the harem was the same as being thrown away. Yet the Zhenbei Marquis had abandoned his only legitimate son so lightly. Everyone else was amazed.

“Back then, the Zhenbei Marquis’ favorite was a son born to a concubine. That child later got tangled up with the King of Yue. If I may say so, a di son is a di son. You can’t just let any cat or dog walk all over a di son, yet the Zhenbei Marquis spoiled his shu son and ignored his legitimate heir. It’s really stupid.”

“Who said it wasn’t? Noble Monarch Shen is so much better than that shu son who turned his elbows out. I wonder if the marquis regrets it.”

“It’s already too late. What’s the use of regretting it now?”

Did the Zhenbei Marquis regret it?

He did!

He regretted it until he was blue in the face.

After Shen Yu entered the palace, Shen QingRan repeatedly fell into trouble, which gradually wore down the Zhenbei Marquis’ feelings of fatherly affection. It was possible that Shen Yu’s behavior also broke through the blinders he had for Aunt Ru. No matter how the marquis looked at her now, he couldn’t see Aunt Ru as anything but ordinary. He even began to wonder if he was bewitched when he was infatuated with her.

Out of sight, out of mind. After Aunt Ru made trouble a few more times, the Zhenbei Marquis felt nothing for her but irritation. He was so anxious to clean up the mess created by Shen QingRan that he confined Aunt Ru as well.

Aunt Ru, who’d lived in the Zhenbei Marquis’ residence for more than a decade, had fallen completely. The people of the marquis’ residence all sighed about it.

A concubine who’d lived in the marquis’ mansion for a long time sighed. “Why, that’s the eldest young master for you ah. At first he doesn’t move, but the moment he strikes, you’re powerless to defend yourself.” 

“That’s so. A few months ago, Aunt Ru was treated like a legitimate wife. Who would have thought she’d see such a day?”

“When it comes to it, she’s only a concubine. I never liked her anyway. She tyrannized everyone when she had the marquis’ favor.”

“A di son is a di son. She wanted her son to become the heir, but she didn’t stop to check whether that’s even legal in Da Huan.”

“Certain humble people shouldn’t dream so big. If it wasn’t for Madam, would Aunt Ru be where she is today?”

“Careful, careful. You can’t mention that person.”

In another courtyard, separated by a single wall, Aunt Ru tightly clenched her fists, and her nails pressed deep into her palms. She knew those people were deliberately pitching their voices so she could hear. After suppressing them for more than ten years, she’d suddenly fallen, and they wouldn’t miss the chance to throw stones into the well.

Shen Yu heard what happened at the Zhenbei Marquis’ residence from Mu Xi.

“She deserves it. Aunt Ru probably never thought the day would come when the feng shui would turn.” After she reported the situation at the Zhenbei Marquis’ residence, Mu Xi felt angry, but… “Young master, did you expect all of this to happen when you left the marquis’ residence?”

When Shen Yu allowed the Zhenbei Marquis to deal with Aunt Ru, Mu Xi was disappointed. She thought he was going far too easy on her.

Mu Xi wasn’t the only one. Other people in the marquis’ residence thought so too. After so many years, the Zhenbei Marquis’ favoritism towards Aunt Ru was obvious to everyone who lived in the mansion. When Shen Yu left Aunt Ru for the marquis to manage, wasn’t it a clear opportunity to let the marquis shield her from punishment?

Shen Yu casually fiddled with the leaves of the “jun ling” plant, which was growing healthily. “I showed Aunt Ru what kind of person the Zhenbei Marquis is. If I took care of her myself, she would have only hated me. But what if the person who sends her to hell is the marquis who always doted on her?

“She thought she had the Zhenbei Marquis’ heart. But she didn’t realize it was merely because she hadn’t touched his material interests. You see, I didn’t lift a finger against her here in the palace, but she’s already realized what a heartless person that man is.”

“The young master considered it thoroughly.”

Shen Yu chuckled and didn’t say anything. There was no need to take things too far. He had plenty of ways to get rid of Aunt Ru, but he didn’t bother. What he wanted was to show Aunt Ru with her own eyes that the Zhenbei Marquis was a false and hypocritical person. The truth was, Aunt Ru’s deep feelings meant nothing to the Zhenbei Marquis. He could give her limitless affection and let her dominate the marquis’ residence, but he could also take back everything and let her be insulted by everyone.

She wasn’t worth his time. Her former glory was a joke. Shen Yu wanted her to see for herself that everything in the past was a sham.

That was far more painful for her than if he’d taken action himself.

The ink orchid sent by Shang JunLin had passed its flowering period. Shen Yu placed the two pots of flowers side by side and looked at them.

“Ah Yu is taking care of the flowers again?” Shang JunLin strode inside and then touched Shen Yu’s face. “Ah Yu seems particularly happy today?”

“Is it so obvious?” Shen Yu touched his face, not realizing that his hand had just touched the soil. His lustrous, jade-like skin was immediately stained with dirt.

Shang JunLin lifted Shen Yu’s chin and carefully wiped it for him. “Ah Yu, tomorrow you can accompany this emperor to the palace examination. You don’t have to pretend to be anyone. Just follow this emperor around.”

This emperor will restore to you everything you missed, one by one.

TL Notes:

red lips and white teeth – 唇红齿白 – A common way to describe a person with a handsome or beautiful appearance

Your Majesty took advantage of the letters Shen QingRan wrote to me – 陛下都借口沈清然给我写信的事占好几次便宜了 – I honestly don’t remember Shen QingRan ever writing letters to SY, so I wonder if this is a bug and it’s supposed to be Jiang HuaiQing, who wrote to SY several times (and SJL got jealous)

any cat or dog – 阿猫阿狗 – people of little importance; Tom, Dick, and Harry

walk all over a di son – 爬到嫡子头上 – climb all over a di son’s head

turned his elbows out – 胳膊肘往外拐 – lit. the elbow turns outward (idiom) / fig. to side with outsiders rather than one’s own people

blue in the face – from 肠子都青 – intestines are blue/green – An idiom describing the worst kind of regret. The intestines turn blue after death, so if a person regrets something until their intestines are blue, it means they regret it to death

fell into trouble – 作死 – seek death; take the road to ruin; look for trouble

throw stones into the well – 落井下石 – drop down a stone on the man who has fallen into a well — to maltreat an injured person; add insult to injury; add to the misfortunes of a man who is already unfortunate

There was no need to take it too far – 杀人不过头点地 – “Killing/Hurting a person is no more than touching the head to the ground” – You should leave room and not go too far, to avoid hurting the innocent or bringing more harm to others, which wouldn’t be of much benefit to yourself. Once one’s purpose has been achieved, there’s no need to continue

lustrous, jade-like – 羊脂玉般 – mutton fat jade-like – A specific type of top grade jade, which is pale, lustrous, and glossy

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

Madam – 夫人 – fūren – Alternatively: Lady, Mrs.