The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

Shen Yu is the Noble Consort and naturally should have his own residence in the palace. The quality of his residence will indicate his level of favor.

Initially, when arrangements were being made, the palace servants had designated a good courtyard for Shen Yu, but it was vetoed by Shang Junlin. Instead, Shen Yu was placed in his own residence.

While in the imperial palace, Shang Junlin had always regretted not being able to move Shen Yu to his own sleeping quarters. This time, he had the opportunity, and he wasn't going to let Shen Yu stay in a separate courtyard.

Shen Yu's words were meant to tease Shang Junlin. He couldn't care less about what the officials thought of him. If he did care, he wouldn't have chosen to enter the palace in the first place.

Shang Junlin gently placed Shen Yu onto the bed and held him close, not allowing him to get up. "How do you want me to behave, Your Majesty?" Shen Yu asked.

Shang Junlin rubbed his finger over Shen Yu's soft lips and applied a slight pressure, inserting his finger. "What do you think, Ah Yu?" he asked.

"Hasn't spring already passed?" Shen Yu looked at Shang Junlin with clear eyes.

It took a moment for Shang Junlin to realize what Shen Yu was hinting at. He leaned over and covered the young man beneath him. "Why wait until spring, when you're already by my side?" he said.

Shen Yu lightly touched the man's finger with his tongue, as if it were an accident, effortlessly arousing the man's desire.

"But Your Majesty is about to meet with the ministers," Shen Yu said innocently, blinking his eyes as if he hadn't deliberately aroused the man's desire.

Shang Junlin suddenly withdrew his hand, pressed Shen Yu against him, and fiercely kissed him.

The man's kiss could never be described as gentle; it was like a storm, carrying a strong sense of invasion. Each movement indicated his desire to devour the young man.

Shen Yu was forced to tilt his head back, enduring the onslaught.

"Did Ah Yu take advantage of the fact that I can't do anything now?" Shang Junlin bit Shen Yu's lip and slowly pulled back.

Shen Yu's face turned a light shade of pink, his lips looking like they were painted with rouge. His black hair was scattered on the bed, slightly messy.

"It was Your Majesty who started it," Shen Yu said.

The young man's eyes were shining with tears, the corners of his eyes were red, and he lay obediently beneath him. Shang Junlin almost exhausted all his willpower to resist and hadn't really done anything yet.

"I'll let you go this time." After speaking, Shang Junlin got up.

Shen Yu turned his head and laughed softly. He didn't know when he started to enjoy seeing Shang Junlin in such a helpless state.

"Does Your Majesty need to handle anything?" Shen Yu's gaze swept over from somewhere.

"No need."

After everything was settled here, he still needed to meet with the court officials once more, and this little bit of time was simply not enough.

Shen Yu had finished laughing enough and slowly propped himself up. Actually, he was also somewhat aroused, but it wasn't as obvious as Shang Junlin's. He just needed to take a break for a moment.

"I had Doctor Gu come over too. If you feel unwell, he can take a look at you." Shang Junlin straightened out Shen Yu's hair.

Because of his work on Shen Yu's physical condition, Doctor Gu became the person most valued by Shang Junlin as the imperial physician. He was also brought along this time.

The Summer Palace allowed officials to bring their families with them, so Doctor Gu didn't feel at ease leaving Gu Huai behind in the capital, and brought him over. Other ministers also brought their wives and beloved children from home.

The Summer Palace, which had been cold and desolate for many years, suddenly became lively.

After Shen Yu freshened up, he left the courtyard with Mu Xi.

This Summer Palace was built with the great efforts of several generations of rulers, and it was very luxurious. As an emperor, Shang Junlin lived in the best place inside.

"Young Master, it's so beautiful here." The surrounding scenery was unique, and Mu Xi was overwhelmed by it.

"Yes, in terms of enjoyment, who can compare to the royal family?" In this life and the last, Shen Yu had never been to this Summer Palace before.

Even when the former emperor was still in power, the Marquis of Zhenbei favored his concubine's son. Even if he could bring his family over, he would never think of Shen Yu, the legitimate son.

It was Shen Qingran and Aunt Ru who were able to come here, thanks to the favor of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

After returning, Shen Qingran boasted in front of Shen Yu about his experience. At that time, Shen Yu thought to himself that he would come and see for himself one day based on his own abilities. Now, not only has he come, but he has also moved into the most prestigious place, yet he no longer feels the same as he did when he was young.

"Who did the Marquis of Zhenbei bring with him?" Shen Yu asked.

"It's Aunt Zhou who used to have a bad relationship with Aunt Ru," Mu Xi had inquired early on.

"Did Shen Qingran not come?"

"No, he is still being kept by the Marquis of Zhenbei."

The Marquis of Zhenbei had been in a power struggle with the King of Yue for some time, and after spending a lot of effort to resolve the issue that Shen Qingran had stirred up, he was annoyed whenever he heard Shen Qingran's name. How could he bring him out?

Shang Junlin brought nearly half of the officials with him, claiming it was to escape the summer heat, but it was actually just a change of location to handle official affairs. There were still a large number of documents to be approved every day, and even more so now that he was not in the capital.

Shen Yu sincerely felt that being an emperor was not an easy job, as he saw how busy Shang Junlin was every day.

Even though he was in the summer palace, Shang Junlin still had a tight grip on the situation in the capital. The situation in the capital was relayed to the summer palace every day through a special channel.

The summer palace was smaller than the capital, and Shen Yu ran into the Marquis of Zhenbei several times. He didn't know if it was intentional, but the Marquis of Zhenbei didn't do anything each time he saw him, so Shen Yu ignored him.

Aunt Zhou, who was with the Marquis of Zhenbei, was warm and respectful to Shen Yu as if the incident where she had tried to harm him had never happened.

Shen Yu couldn't be bothered to deal with them and gradually stopped going out.

"Master, many young lords, and ladies have been trying to get close to the Emperor recently just because they think he can be easily influenced. Does the Emperor really think he can handle it himself?" Mu Xi came in, looking angry.

"The Emperor will handle it himself," Shen Yu said as he put the flowers that Shang Junlin had recently picked into a vase.

Shang Junlin recently learned something new, and every day he brings back some fresh flowers. Some of them can survive, so Shen Yu asks the palace maids to find a vase to take care of them, while the ones that cannot survive are dried and put into the books he has already read.

"Master, aren't you worried at all?" When Mu Xi heard the news, she was almost desperate. She now fully recognized Shang Junlin's existence and did not want anyone else to take away his favor.

Of course, she knew that as an emperor, he could not have only one woman in his harem forever, but she just could not accept that there was anyone besides Shen Yu by Shang Junlin's side who said that they would not accept any new members in the harem.

She had been walking around outside a lot these days and had heard a lot of news. The emperor had already made it clear, so why were these people still dreaming of becoming a member of the harem?

Shen Yu took the handkerchief and wiped his hands slowly, "Why should I worry? It's their own business how they think. Can I control how they think?"

"If they really enter the palace, what will Master do?"

"I brought you all out to relax, why should I worry more than I do in the palace? Don't worry, your worries won't happen because your Master won't allow them to."

Since Shang Junlin had promised him, there would be no chance for regret. As for those who thought of Shang Junlin, he did not mind doing what he said, and if they entered the palace, they could not blame themselves for not being able to get out.

Shen Yu thought that these words would only spread in a small circle of servants, but he did not expect to run into someone even when he was just out for a walk with Shang Junlin.

"You look so beautiful, Miss, even better than that Noble Consort. The emperor will definitely like you when he sees you."

"But..."

"Miss, please don't hesitate. The young master said this is our best chance. If we succeed, you will become a consort and won't have to worry about being married off indiscriminately. Your aunt's life in the mansion will also improve a lot."

"You're right," the woman collected herself. "Are you sure His Majesty will pass by here?"

"Please rest assured, I have inquired about it. You just need to wait quietly here for some time, and His Majesty will come. Whether we succeed or not will depend on you."

At the corner, Shen Yu nudged Shang Junlin with his elbow. "Is His Majesty really that popular? If I hadn't followed you out today, would I have had a chance to have a good encounter with that woman in front?"

"Is Ah Yu feeling jealous?" Shang Junlin grabbed Shen Yu's arm and pulled him close, whispering in his ear with a breathy voice, "From beginning to end, I only want Ah Yu. I thought you already knew that."

The conversation at the corner continued, but Shen Yu couldn't hear it anymore. The sensation of wetness spread from behind his ear, inching forward until it reached his lips and stopped.

Shang Junlin's lips were pressed against Shen Yu's skin, and his hot breath washed over Shen Yu's face.

"I thought they had given up," Shen Yu frowned. Shang Junlin had made his stance clear multiple times, but these people were still unwilling to accept it.

"They will never give up. With imperial power in front of them, no matter how I express my attitude, they will always hold onto this thought. Do you think they are after me? No, they are after the power and benefits that I represent."

"Are you going out to meet her?" Shen Yu knew very well that hardly any of the women who entered the harem did so willingly.

"If even Ah Yu is feeling jealous, why would I want to see her?" Shang Junlin suddenly picked up Shen Yu and walked away.

Leaves rustled down, and two women not far away turned their heads, only to see shaking branches.

"Did someone just come by?"

"I didn't notice anyone."

Shen Yu was carried back to the bedroom, where Meng Gonggong came to greet him but was immediately dismissed. Meng Gonggong took all the palace servants with him and left the room.

Shen Yu was thrown onto the bed, and the man loomed over him.

Shang Junlin was half a head taller than Shen Yu, and he easily pressed him down. Shen Yu pushed against him, feeling uncomfortable.

Instead of backing off, Shang Junlin moved closer, his narrow phoenix eyes staring intently at the young man beneath him.

Shen Yu squinted his eyes and suddenly flipped over, pressing down on the man.

Shang Junlin was caught off guard, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Sitting on Shang Junlin's waist, Shen Yu supported himself with one hand on his chest and held his chin with the other. "Your Majesty is attracting bees and butterflies. I want to punish Your Majesty."

Shang Junlin's taut body relaxed, and a glint of interest flashed in his eyes. "How does Ah Yu want to punish me?"

"Then punish Your Majesty for not being able to control yourself." Shen Yu finished speaking and leaned down.

His black hair cascaded down, covering the man's entire chest. The Adam's apple of Shang Junlin rolled violently.

The sweetest and most torturous thing, nothing could compare to this.

"Ah Yu, let me touch it..." Shang Junlin couldn't hold back anymore, he turned over and pinned Shen Yu down, leaning down to kiss him.

The kiss went all the way down, accompanied by gentle nibbling, finally stopping at a certain spot.

Shen Yu moved uneasily and suddenly felt enveloped in warmth.

"Don't..."

----

Author's note:

Hint: Ah Yu playing by himself + being unable to endure the advances of the emperor.

Translator's Note:

I'm changing Noble Monarch -> Noble Consort because I think this is more suitable title than the former.