I am extremely sorry guys for not updating last week…my exams started and I did not have time to do anything other than studying. Adding on to that, I had to submit lots of assignments and records since my semester exams are near…I’ve been barely getting sleep these few days…So forgive me if I update late, I will make it up during my holidays 
Translated by Hua Li ^_^
After the rest day, the next two days were always the busiest for the Emperor. Although he intended to summon Gou Liang to accompany him, he was overwhelmed by state affairs and had to temporarily give up the idea.
On the third day, after the morning court session, the Emperor summoned Gou Liang to accompany him, but unexpectedly, his superior came instead. The old Hanlin apologized, saying that Gou Liang was ill and afraid of disturbing the Emperor’s presence, so he came to take over the duty on his behalf.
“Ill?”
The Emperor’s brows furrowed, and he couldn’t concentrate afterward.
Flipping through a few pages of a book, Eunuch Tong astutely handed him a scroll of greetings sent by a vassal state, pretending it was an urgent document, allowing the Emperor, who was preoccupied with state affairs, to dispatch the diligent attendant scholar.
Not wanting to reveal too much favoritism towards Gou Liang, the Emperor instructed Eunuch Tong accordingly. Eunuch Tong, unsure and suspicious, answered respectfully and then arranged for Gou Liang to be brought into the study, emphasizing the need to keep it discreet.
When Gou Liang arrived, the Emperor was already waiting in the chamber, reading the notes Gou Liang had written while studying.
“Your servant Chu Mo pays respects to Your Majesty…”
Before the full salutation could be completed, the Emperor strode forward and helped him up, examining Gou Liang. Not only was his voice weak, but his face was also pale, with faint dark circles under his eyes.
“Why are you so sick?”
The Emperor’s brows were tightly knit as he sat Gou Liang down before turning to Eunuch Tong. “When will the imperial physician arrive?”
Eunuch Tong lowered his head, not daring to look at the two of them too much, and respectfully replied, “Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is feeling slightly unwell today and has summoned Physician Zheng to attend to her—”
“Get someone else, can’t you handle such a trivial matter?”
The Emperor’s tone was angry.
Eunuch Tong shuddered and quickly agreed.
He feared that others would see through the ambiguous relationship between the Emperor and Gou Liang, and thought it unnecessary to trouble two authorities. Besides, Physician Zheng was a veteran of three dynasties and had a tight-lipped mouth, so he decided to ask for his help.
But compared to Gou Liang’s health, the Emperor didn’t care about such trivial matters at all.
Gou Liang, who had suffered two sleepless nights due to the heat, reacted slowly. When he heard his sharp words, he knelt down in surprise and said in fear: “Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I am fine. Please don’t disturb the Imperial Physician.”
“Get up”
“Your Majesty, I am really okay with this—!?”
Seeing him still not getting up, the Emperor pinched his waist and lifted him forcefully, pressing him against his chest.
Gou Liang stiffened like a wooden block and opened his eyes in shock: “Your Majesty, Your Majesty
A blush appeared on his pale face, and the close proximity made him breathless. Whether it was nervousness or shock, he shrank back abruptly like a shy plant. Seeing this, the Emperor reluctantly released him, but then pressed him back into his seat, saying, “Aiqing is sick, so you don’t need to be so polite. Just sit.”
Gou Liang blinked, still somewhat dazed, staring blankly at the Emperor.
Lowering his head to look at Gou Liang, the Emperor felt a sense of joy at this silly appearance, but it was quickly diluted by the sight of his exhaustion. He gently pressed his cheek against Gou Liang’s with the back of his hand, feeling the warmth that made his eyes darken, and sighed softly, “How can you not take care of yourself like this?”
“Your Majesty…”
Gou Liang seemed to be in a daze, trying to reach out and touch the Emperor’s hand. At that moment, Ye Xiao, who had gone to summon Physician Zheng, arrived, carrying Physician Zheng.
Gou Liang snapped back to reality, hastily retreating and anxiously saying, “Your Majesty, I’m fine, really. There’s no need to trouble Physician Zheng.”
The Emperor held onto his shoulder, preventing him from escaping, and said in a low voice, “Whether you’re fine or not, the physician will decide.”
“Wei chen has already checked myself. I’m really fine…”
Gou Liang tried to hide his hand behind him, his voice getting softer and softer under the Emperor’s stern gaze. The Emperor grabbed his wrist and pressed it against his pulse, not allowing him to resist.
Feeling Gou Liang’s pulse, Physician Zheng was surprised at first, then his expression turned grave.
Taking a deep breath, he solemnly said, “Lord Chu, please calm down and don’t be nervous.”
Gou Liang’s eye sockets turned red with urgency. He relaxed his tightly clenched fist and said with resignation, “Physician Zheng, you don’t need to worry. I know my own body… It’s just that after being poisoned, my constitution has been weakened. These past two days, I’ve been experiencing palpitations and night sweats, so I haven’t been sleeping well. I just need to rest…”
Physician Zheng checked his pulse again, and Gou Liang’s successful reassurance eased his earlier worries.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Xbe Oljcu’r qeirf mbcvlalbc lr fzjmais atf rjwf jr atja bo j Xfg ktb kjr cba gfilfnfv ogbw tlr tfja, mjerlcu atf wfglvljcr ab yf yibmxfv jcv atf mbcrfdefca rajucjalbc bo nlaji fcfgus. Lbkfnfg, rlcmf tf tjv yffc lcabzlmjafv ys atf jqtgbvlrljm, gfreialcu lc j kfjxfcfv obecvjalbc jcv vloolmeias lc gfifjrlcu tlr nlaji fcfgus, atlr qeirf kjr jirb gfjrbcjyif.
Relieved of suspicion, Physician Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing Gou Liang’s embarrassed expression, he sensed something and said, “Lord Chu’s words are not wrong. However, insomnia is still harmful to the body. How about I prescribe a mild calming potion for Lord Chu to rest?”
As he spoke, he suddenly realized that he was not facing an ordinary patient but was speaking in front of the Emperor, so he carefully rephrased Gou Liang’s diagnosis in more detailed terms, explaining the effects of the aphrodisiac.
After Gou Liang drank the calming potion and fell asleep, Physician Zheng cautiously approached the Emperor, who had a serious expression, and said, “Your Majesty, may I speak frankly?”
Having served three reigns and being the most trusted royal physician, Physician Zheng was naturally a smart person with superb medical skills.
Seeing the Emperor caressing Gou Liang’s face with tenderness, his eyes fixed on him, Physician Zheng understood everything.
Moreover, the Emperor, who had always disliked people getting too close, had carried the sleeping Gou Liang all the way from the side hall of the Zhongyang Palace to the main palace bedroom, letting him sleep on the dragon bed.
His thoughts were clear as day, and that’s why Physician Zheng became even more cautious.
The Emperor looked at him and said, “Go ahead.”
Physician Zheng said, “Your Majesty, although I don’t have a deep relationship with Lord Chu, I know that he is quite knowledgeable in medicine. I’m afraid… he already knows his true condition.”
The Emperor’s expression changed slightly, and he looked at Gou Liang, who was still frowning in his sleep, with a pang of heartache.
So that’s why he resisted so strongly earlier. It turns out he already knew that he had harmed his fundamental masculinity and didn’t want to reveal his scars in front of him.
After a moment of silence, the Emperor whispered, “How is his condition exactly? Tell me in detail.”
Physician Zheng bowed low and said respectfully, “Your Majesty, these past few days, I have consulted various medical books and came across a description of the effects of aphrodisiacs in an ancient text. It says that if a man overdoses on an aphrodisiac, causing stagnation of vital energy and liver fire accumulation, it may lead to internal heat and a desire for release. External substances are needed to help expel the vital energy, otherwise… it may shorten one’s lifespan. Today, when I observed Lord Chu’s condition, it perfectly matched what was described in the book.”
The Emperor was alarmed and asked, “How can we help expel it?”
Physician Zheng cleared his throat and said, “According to the book, it involves stimulating specific acupoints to guide the vital energy.”
The Emperor, not ashamed to ask, inquired about the location of the hidden acupoints. With a stern face, he dismissed Physician Zheng along with Ye Xiao, the dark guard, after being informed.
[A few days ago, watching Gou Liang hypnotize Physician Zheng to look at a non-existent medical book, the system finally saw through someone’s sinister intentions: “My master is awesome!” (^ ▽ ^)]
[Gou Liang smiled reservedly.]
The toxicity of the aphrodisiac posed a lethal threat to Gou Liang’s body, so he had already used detoxification tools to cleanse himself after regaining consciousness.
As for the heat caused by being a Ger, compared to Gou Liang’s initial suffering during the aphrodisiac-induced episode, it was much easier to endure. But how could Gou Liang let go of such a perfect opportunity for God assisted plot?
The Emperor, filled with tender affection, naturally didn’t see through his little scheme.
At this moment, he was gazing at Gou Liang, gently caressing his fair cheek with calloused fingers. Suddenly, he chuckled and, lowering his head, planted a kiss on Gou Liang’s forehead, whispering softly, “So be it.”
[Ding, mission progress bar advanced. Current mission progress: 0.01%!]
Gou Liang: !!
Since Little Strawberry, Gou Liang had never been pursued so actively by the target. His heart surged with excitement.
He let out a whimper in his “sleep,” uttering incoherent words.
The Emperor leaned in to listen, and only caught his faint call, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty…”
Feeling a surge of warmth in his heart, the Emperor lowered himself to lightly touch Gou Liang’s endearing lips. The soft and warm sensation was unforgettable, and he repeatedly imprinted kisses on Gou Liang’s lips.
He had no experience and solely acted on the impulse and intuition in his heart. He held Gou Liang’s face with one hand, hugged his waist with the other and took him into his arms, kissing him affectionately.
Gou Liang slept soundly, his furrowed brows gradually smoothing out under the gentle caress. He rubbed his face against the Emperor’s warm palm like a contented cat, and in his dreams, he saw scenes that brought a smile to his lips, revealing shallow dimples, as he murmured, “Your Majesty…”
As the Emperor’s lips followed the movement of Gou Liang’s lips against his palm, the Emperor quickly grasped the subtlety of the action and began to rub his soft lips back and forth.
Gou Liang’s lips felt hot, and unconsciously he smacked them, muttering foolishly in his dream, “Delicious…”
Not knowing what delicious food he had dreamt of, he licked his lips in satisfaction, and his moist and tender tongue lightly licked the Emperor’s lips—The Emperor’s breath hitched suddenly, then he grabbed Gou Liang’s tongue into his mouth, swallowing it as if clearing a blocked energy channel, and began to passionately suck on it, entwining with it.
“Mmm…”
Gou Liang let out a pained groan, his brows furrowing as if about to wake up.
But the Emperor was completely oblivious, as if a tiger had been released, he rolled over onto Gou Liang, inserting his fingers into his hair to pull him closer, and passionately kissed him.
“Ugh…”
Gou Liang’s eyelashes trembled, his fingers unconsciously clutching the pillow and bedsheet, tilting his head aside in an attempt to regain his breath.
The Emperor pursued him, not allowing any change in the distance between their lips and tongues. His other hand stroked Gou Liang’s slender neck and thin shoulders, then firmly gripped Gou Liang’s tightly clenched fist, prying his fingers apart from each other and interlocked them with his.
With a sigh, the Emperor swallowed or crushed Gou Liang’s uncomfortable moans, while the wet sounds of their lips and tongues entwined intoxicated him, urging him to kiss more vigorously to create even louder noises.
The Emperor, intoxicated, sank his body weight onto Gou Liang, intimately embracing him, causing the usually calm part of his body to quickly become aroused.
It wasn’t until the suffocating Gou Liang began to instinctively struggle that the Emperor finally woke up.
Propping himself up with his elbow, the Emperor patiently withdrew from the sweet mouth, allowing Gou Liang to catch his breath.
The calming potion had an excellent effect, and the two consecutive days of insomnia had left Gou Liang extremely exhausted, so even such an intense encounter couldn’t wake him up.
At this moment, Gou Liang’s face was flushed, his brows slightly furrowed, and his chest heaved violently, emitting a difficult-to-control soft moan, “Your Majesty… it feels so uncomfortable…”
Listening to his voice, the Emperor felt his internal fire surge.
He gripped Gou Liang’s fingers even tighter, gently stroking his head to soothe him, while lowering his waist to press his aching part against Gou Liang’s body through the blanket. His heart was both restless and joyful.
The Emperor had never felt so carefree in his life, with a smile lingering between his brows, he burst into laughter.
The deep and magnetic laughter made Gou Liang tremble all over, almost instantly becoming aroused. He had to use all his willpower to avoid waking up.
The intoxicating scent of grapes enveloped him, and the warm breath against his ear made Gou Liang feel a slight pain in his earlobe—he was being bitten.
And the culprit, smiling, asked him, “Aiqing, what do you want, hmm?”
Sleeping Gou Liang naturally couldn’t answer him, but the Emperor continued regardless, “As long as you say it, I’ll grant it to you. Aiqing, Chu Mo, Zigu… ”
Even after using several terms of endearment, he still couldn’t express one-thousandth of his passion. The Emperor kissed Gou Liang’s earlobe, then his cheek, before finally calling out softly, “Xiao Keng’er.”
With his tongue slightly curled, this calling was extremely gentle, making one’s heart soften.
“Xiao Keng’er…”
The Emperor’s voice softened a bit, and Gou Liang seemed to sense something, turning his face to press against the Emperor’s forehead. He looked serene, his rapid breathing gradually calming down as he sank into a deeper sleep, murmuring, “Your Majesty…”
The Emperor chuckled lightly, pressing his forehead against Gou Liang’s, rubbing his nose against Gou Liang’s, and sighed softly, “Xiao Keng’er, you’re so good.”
As the sleeping Gou Liang didn’t respond, the Emperor couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by his emotions, pressing his hot lips against Gou Liang’s and once again launching a passionate assault.
Facing such emotional arousal for the first time, the Emperor’s demands were domineering and direct, but even though he wrestled with many thoughts in his mind, in the end, he suppressed the impulse to lift the blanket, tear open Gou Liang’s clothes, and completely possess him.
[Ding, target favorability updated. Current favorability: +99!]
[Ding! Mission progress bar advanced. Current mission progress: 1.11%!!]
“Soon… you’ll be mine.”
With a deep gaze, the Emperor kissed Gou Liang deeply, then rolled over to sit on the side, struggling to calm his desires.
Even so, his eyes remained locked on Gou Liang without wavering.
He was truly exhausted, and even though he had been tossed around like this, he still peacefully fell asleep under the effects of the medicine.
At this moment, the usually quiet and dignified Hanlin’s face was flushed from several rounds of suffocation, his lips were swollen and hot, a few strands of his usually meticulous hair were disheveled, and a large blush adorned his fair neck, with several dark purple kiss marks left by the vigorous sucking.
The Emperor gently touched his lips, then coughed lightly into his hand, restraining the urge to reclaim his territory.
After calming down a bit, the Emperor stroked Gou Liang’s hair, loosened his hairpin, and let his disheveled hair fall.
The strands of hair were black, dense, and soft, feeling as smooth as top-grade silk between the Emperor’s fingers. He wrapped Gou Liang’s hair around his fingers, pressed his lips to Gou Liang’s forehead, and quietly emptied his mind for a while before getting up.
“Eunuch Tong.”
The Emperor’s voice, several times deeper than usual, rang out, startling Eunuch Tong, who had been standing outside the hall for three quarters of an hour. “Your Majesty, I’m here.”
The Emperor did not call him in, but instead had him fetch the healing ointment and personally apply it evenly to Gou Liang’s lips and neck. He then straightened Gou Liang’s hair and spread it beside the pillow, tucked in the corners of the blanket, and moved the cooling device closer to the bed. Only then did the Emperor go to take a cold bath. After completely calming his desires, he changed his clothes, straightened his attire, and had Eunuch Tong bring in the memorials that needed to be handled today.
When Gou Liang woke up, the first thing he saw was the bright yellow bed curtains.
He had slept too long, going straight from noon to the dawn of the next day.
Sitting up with the covers wrapped around him, his eyes were somewhat dazed, and he felt somewhat lost as to where he was. Rubbing his eyes and letting out a delicate yawn, Gou Liang felt the light was too harsh, so he covered his head with the blanket again, nestling back into the pillow, groaning a few times, completely unwilling to get up and struggling with himself.
Suddenly, a soft laugh sounded in his ear, “Aiqing, are you awake?”
The movements under the blanket suddenly stopped, and Gou Liang, full of suspicion, cautiously poked his head out from under the blanket, only to see the Emperor, dressed in dragon robes, standing by the bed, smiling at him.
Gou Liang was dumbfounded, and he suddenly rolled off the dragon bed!
“Y-Your Majesty!!! Wei…Wei Chen deserves to die…Please, forgive me!”
He was so shocked that even his lips, flushed red, turned as pale as paper. He knelt down and was about to kowtow.
The Emperor squatted down, reached out to support him, and Gou Liang’s head, which should have hit the ground, landed in his hands, causing the Emperor’s expression to change abruptly.
—If he hadn’t stopped him in time, Gou Liang’s head would probably have been cracked open by now with such force.
“Your Majesty…” Being forcibly pulled up, Gou Liang’s legs were still weak, his face full of despair and fear as he repeated, “This humble servant deserves to die a thousand times, please, Your Majesty, punish me!”
The Emperor felt both heartache and helplessness. Seeing Gou Liang so terrified after just one night on the dragon bed, he didn’t dare to make any overly intimate moves, fearing he would push him too far. He retracted his hand, clenched it into a fist against his body, and said, “Aiqing, there’s no need to panic. Last night, when I saw that Aiqing had taken the medicine to sleep, I let you stay for the night. It’s nothing serious.”
“Wei Chen violated the rules of the palace and should be punished…”
“Chu Mo.”
The Emperor called out his name, neither light nor heavy, and Gou Liang swallowed his words.
The Emperor sighed lightly, then said, “If it weren’t for you taking the poison for me in the palace, yesterday’s situation wouldn’t have happened. If we were to delve into it, it would be my fault.”
“Your Majesty, please don’t say that. It’s my blessing to be able to share your worries. Even if I die, I won’t regret it!”
Gou Liang blurted out, then blushed and quickly lowered his head.
The corners of the Emperor’s mouth lifted, “I don’t need Aiqing to die for me. Just take care of your health and serve me well. Let’s not mention this matter again. I should go to the morning court now. You should have your breakfast in Zhengyang Palace before leaving.”
Only then did Gou Liang notice the time.
Not daring to delay the Emperor’s attendance at court, he was about to thank him and take his leave, but the Emperor took a step forward, brushed his disheveled hair, and whispered, “I’ll give you today off. Go back and rest well. Don’t make me worry anymore. Understand?”
Gou Liang looked up in astonishment, his face suddenly flushed.
“Th-thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!”
With that, Gou Liang quickly left the inner hall.
The Emperor watched him flee in confusion, rubbed the soft feeling left on his fingertips, and smiled faintly.
On this day, his efficiency in political affairs soared, but his mind was equally distracted.
The Emperor was multitasking, pondering how to alleviate Gou Liang’s anxiety without frightening the upright yet timid Hanlin. His solemn demeanor almost made Eunuch Tong think he was contemplating matters of national importance, so he refrained from disturbing him all day long. Unexpectedly, when Gou Liang returned from his day off the next day, he was lively and spirited. The Emperor subtly inquired about his health, and Gou Liang thanked him, saying he was perfectly fine.
The Emperor was filled with disappointment.
Only after asking the court physician Zheng did he learn that the residual poison had occasional flare-ups, but the dates were unpredictable. However, with Gou Liang’s good constitution, he shouldn’t feel any discomfort for the rest of the month.
The Emperor had no choice but to restrain himself, thinking that enduring for a month wouldn’t hurt. However, he had overestimated his self-control.
On this day, he heard that the diligent and studious Hanlin was reading in the library, so the Emperor took the time to visit. Originally, he only wanted to take a quick glance from afar, but he didn’t expect to find Gou Liang dozing off with a book in his hands, leaning against the back of the chair.
“Aiqing?”
The Emperor approached quietly and tentatively called out.
Seeing Gou Liang fast asleep, he leaned down and kissed Gou Liang’s lips faster than his thoughts.
Stealing a moment of intimacy, stirring up emotions.
Seeing that Gou Liang was still asleep, the Emperor, who had already tasted the sweetness, was not satisfied with just a taste. He took advantage of the situation and deepened the kiss.
But he forgot that Gou Liang hadn’t taken any calming medicine this time. Deprived of breath and entangled in tongues, Gou Liang soon woke up from his slumber…
And so, their eyes met.
Gou Liang’s eyelashes trembled, and he widened his eyes in astonishment.
Still a thief
Thank you for your translation 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙