Ye Yang thought that Feng Luan was aware of his reputation among the population.
He was quite familiar with the novel’s plot. Almost everyone in the palace feared Feng Luan. When faced with unfavorable situations, Feng Luan acted ruthlessly and without mercy, never showing any kindness. Coupled with his actions during the power struggle before, Ye Yang felt that Feng Luan being called a tyrant seemed almost inevitable.
However, from the current perspective, Feng Luan seemed completely unaware of this. In fact, it appeared that Feng Luan might even consider himself a remarkable and benevolent ruler.
Kang Ning continued to persuade from the side, saying, “Your Majesty, your assiduous dedication to governance and compassion for your subjects are virtues that your humble servants deeply appreciate. However, the common people rarely have the chance to catch a glimpse of Your Majesty’s countenance in their lifetime. They remain unaware of your hardships, dismissing them as mere rumors. There is no need for you to be so upset.”
“He has presented rumors unsubstantiated by the common folk in documents before zhen. Is this how a scholar conducts himself?” Feng Luan raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, an air of genuine indignation palpable. He paced the room with his hands behind his back, his teeth clenched as he uttered, “Send him back to revise it… Have him transcribe ‘Teaching the Ignorant’ an additional twenty times!”
Ye Yang, “……”
Oh, what? So, this is once again the work of that top scholar?
Such a sad situation.
Observing Feng Luan’s profound vexation, he found himself uncertain whether he should take his leave at this moment. Just as he hesitated, Feng Luan’s gaze fell upon him. With an effort, Feng Luan tempered his ire and gestured for him to come in and be seated. Turning back, he suppressed his frustration and picked up the next document, his brows furrowing as he began to peruse its contents.
Ye Yang had no choice but to approach, taking a seat beside Feng Luan. He noticed Kang Ning’s private and exuberant smile, even catching a glimpse of Kang Ning about to mouth something to him. The shape of his lips seemed to convey congratulations to him.
Ye Yang had absolutely no desire to respond.
He was aware that everyone within the palace probably had misconstrued his relationship with Feng Luan. Nevertheless, he felt helpless. As an honorable man, a promise is worth a thousand ounces of gold. Since he had agreed to keep Feng Luan’s actions concealed, he had no choice but to bear the burden of Feng Luan’s less admirable deeds in silence.
As Feng Luan read an official document, Kang Ning stood silently by his side, offering his service. Meanwhile, Ye Yang idled without occupation, casually picking up an apple from the fruit tray. He glanced around absentmindedly, a touch of boredom in his demeanor.
Apart from Kang Ning, a young man whom Ye Yang had never seen before stood in the hall. He was dressed in the attire of a high-ranking Imperial Guard officer. Ye Yang deduced that he must be Shen Xiangning’s younger brother, Shen Shaoheng. Sensing Ye Yang’s gaze, he turned around and met Ye Yang’s eyes, offering a friendly smile in return.
After flipping through two documents, Feng Luan seemed to come across something displeasing. He tossed the document aside and cursed under his breath, “Tasking them with aiding disaster-stricken areas, and yet they still haven’t resolved this matter. What sort of useless individuals has zhen unwittingly harbored?”
Biting into the apple, Ye Yang vaguely recalled a certain tale from the original novel.
The disaster-stricken areas that Feng Luan mentioned were likely affected by the flooding incident described in the book.
This incident was the catalyst for Feng Luan’s departure from the palace and his subsequent journey to the common people. It was a pivotal prelude to the plotline where Feng Luan and Chu Lian embarked on that journey together. However, in the present circumstances, the plotline had deviated significantly. Feng Luan had lost all interest in Chu Lian, let alone journeying with her or even considering taking her along on his excursion outside the palace.
Ye Yang, unable to fathom a way to realign everything on its intended course, could only sigh as he gnawed on the apple. He pondered the saying that when met with an obstacle, one should either confront it with strength or circumvent it with strategy. If Chu Lian remained unfavored throughout, then the Chu family might not possess the resources to challenge the Yun family. At the very least, the Yun family would be safe.
“No more reading these, this ineptitude is just upsetting,” Feng Luan declared with a mix of annoyance and disarray. He let his writing brush fall onto the table and shifted his gaze to Ye Yang. “Yun shijun, if memory serves, you expressed interest in learning horseback riding, did you not?”
Suddenly singled out, Ye Yang couldn’t help but pause, nodding in a slightly dazed manner.
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.
Feng Luan rose from his seat and declared, “Come, zhen shall take you horseback riding right now.”
Tf Tjcu, “……”
Tf Tjcu lcralcmalnfis geyyfv tlr kjlra.
Having slept on the ground last night, his entire body ached, and without proper rest, he had little inclination to move. However, observing Feng Luan’s present mood and considering Feng Luan’s lukewarm favor towards him, he found himself hesitating and torn. He could only cautiously broach the topic, attempting to gauge the situation, “Your Majesty, this servant……”
Mfcu Oejc jgmtfv jc fsfygbk, “Qtja lr atf wjaafg?”
Vfflcu cb mtjcuf lc tlr ojnbg, Tf Tjcu gfijzfv rilutais jcv mbcalcefv, “Qfii…… atlr rfgnjca’r yjmx lr j yla rbgf. Lbk jybea kf…… vb la abwbggbk?”
Dfobgf Mfcu Oejc mbeiv fnfc gfrqbcv, Vtfc Vtjbtfcu, ktb kjr rajcvlcu cfjgys, tjv jigfjvs vlrqijsfv jc jii-xcbklcu fzqgfrrlbc. Lf fnfc fzmtjcufv j wfjclcuoei uijcmf klat Bjcu Rlcu, ifjnlcu Tf Tjcu offilcu gjatfg fwyjggjrrfv.
Unaware of the nuances, Feng Luan proceeded, “Given that you’re not feeling up to riding today, let zhen take you to select a horse first.”
Ye Yang, “……”
Carefully observing Feng Luan’s current demeanor, he sensed that he might not be able to decline the offer. Reluctantly, he nodded in agreement. As he nodded, he noticed Feng Luan’s favorability score towards him increased by 5 points, finally returning to 20. He felt somewhat moved by this development, almost wishing he could accompany Feng Luan right away to choose the horse.
Feng Luan was skilled in horsemanship and archery, which led to the existence of a royal stable within the palace. He led Ye Yang to the stable, waiting for him to choose a horse he liked.
Horses were a rare sight for Ye Yang in the modern world, and he wasn’t well-versed in identifying a good horse. He could only make a choice based on appearance. Looking around, he settled on the one that appeared the whitest and most striking. He was content with his decision, and to his delight, the horse displayed a gentle temperament. As he extended his hand to touch it, the horse didn’t flinch; instead, it even leaned in to nuzzle his hand.
Ye Yang couldn’t help but grow fonder of the horse. He turned to Feng Luan and inquired, “What’s the name of this horse?”
However, a gentle smile graced Feng Luan’s lips as he replied, “If you like it, you can name it yourself.”
Ye Yang, “……uhh.”
He was well aware of his incompetence in naming things. Despite the magnificent and handsome white horse before him, his mind was only coming up with names like ‘Big Whitey’ or ‘Little Whitey.’ And to make matters worse, Feng Luan was looking at him from behind with an expression filled with anticipation……
The original Ye Yang, after all, was well-read and educated. He shouldn’t be coming up with names as plain as ‘Big Whitey’ or ‘Little Whitey.’ If he were to say such names, Feng Luan’s favorability score might drop, and his current score of 20 points was indeed quite precarious. He forced himself to think rapidly, from ideas like ‘White Dragon Horse’ to ‘Prince Charming.’ He even considered names like ‘Little Electric Donkey,’ but still, he came up with nothing.
Feng Luan had already spoken, inquiring, “Have you thought of a name?”
Ye Yang, recalling the car he had always yearned for but couldn’t afford in the past, blurted out, “Let’s name it Land Rover.”
Ye Yang, “……”
Why did he say something so odd!
Feng Luan was taken aback, “Land…… what?”
Ye Yang forced himself to explain, pressing on despite his discomfort, “In ancient times, there was a saying, ‘calling a deer a horse.’ Today, I…… I thought of calling a horse a tiger.”
Based on his past experiences, Ye Yang assumed that if he concocted something on the spot like this, there was a high chance Feng Luan’s favorability would drop. He cautiously turned to look and was met with Feng Luan’s lips curving into a faint smile. It seemed that Feng Luan found his words quite amusing. Feng Luan then stated, “Very well, zhen agrees.”
This dog emperor was inherently handsome, but he smiled rarely, giving off an imposing air. However, as Ye Yang, an ordinary person, observed him purse his lips, he inexplicably felt his heart race slightly faster. But that was all it was—a subconscious reaction. Ye Yang gave his chest a light pat, reminding himself to stay composed. Putting aside all other thoughts, if one solely considered Feng Luan’s recent statement, it did indeed hold a touch of…… tyrannical behavior.
……
Having chosen the horse and arranged to meet Feng Luan again tomorrow after the morning court session, Ye Yang was finally permitted to return to the palace.
As he hurried back to catch up on some rest, he couldn’t help but notice that every palace attendant he crossed paths with seemed to regard him with slightly altered gazes compared to before.
Those whose faces were painted with obvious envy were one thing, but those who were bolder even stepped forward to congratulate him. It seemed that news of his spending the night in Feng Luan’s chamber had spread. The entire palace seemed to believe he had received the Sacred Heart, while only Ye Yang knew that nothing had actually happened last night.
He couldn’t explain it well, nor did he have the extra energy to do so. He wished he could sprint back to the palace, and upon entering, he unexpectedly encountered Ming Yan waiting inside.
Ye Yang found Ming Yan to be a rather peculiar individual. If he had a choice, he would prefer not to meet her. Yet, since they were already in the same place, he reluctantly stepped forward to greet her. However, before he could utter a word of greeting, Ming Yan preemptively offered her congratulations with a smiling face, saying, “Congratulations, Yun shijun. In His Majesty’s eyes, you truly stand out.”
Her face was brimming with genuine joy, not a hint of falsehood. She appeared even more delighted than if she herself had been the one favored. Ye Yang felt puzzled by her sincerity and couldn’t quite grasp her intentions. In the end, he could only respond with an awkward smile and an acceptance of her congratulatory words.
Only then did Ming Yan hand over her congratulatory gift. Colorful brocade boxes filled an entire table, leaving Ye Yang utterly astounded. He turned to Ming Yan and found her beaming at him, blinking and smiling, as she said, “Yun shijun, this is but a modest token of appreciation.”
Ye Yang, “……”
A modest token? Is everyone in the palace offering gifts in this arrogant manner?!
After waiting for a while and seeing Ming Yan off, Ye Yang finally opened the colorful brocade boxes on the table to see what Ming Yan had actually given him.
Wan Juan, whom he hadn’t seen all night, was now seated beside him, chattering away in a bustling manner.
“Young Master, I inquired about it,” Wan Juan said. “Yesterday, Imperial Concubine Chu received a letter sent from her family.”
Ye Yang was in the process of opening the first gift box when he found a box of scented balm inside. He furrowed his brow and set the box aside, somewhat puzzled. Since he didn’t wear makeup, he couldn’t understand the purpose of such a gift.
Wan Juan continued, “Since it was a letter from her family, why would Imperial Concubine Chu be crying?”
Ye Yang responded casually, “Maybe she’s homesick.”
He had opened the second box, finding dried red dates and peanuts inside. He recognized these items—they were traditionally given to newlyweds as a symbolic wish for fertility. However, giving him these items…… it presented a practical puzzle that most people wouldn’t be able to solve.
Wan Juan found his words quite reasonable but couldn’t help asking, “But if she’s truly homesick, why not tell His Majesty? I don’t think His Majesty would prevent her from going home, would he?”
Ye Yang’s hand, in the midst of unwrapping the gift box, paused slightly. He also thought that Wan Juan’s words held some truth. On the day he had encountered Chu Lian crying near the rockery, her distress couldn’t be easily explained away as mere homesickness. Moreover, based on the original plot, didn’t Chu Lian intend to get lost and encounter Feng Luan last night? She hadn’t shown up all night. Where had she actually gone last night?
Furrowing his brow, he asked Wan Juan, “Are you close with the people in Imperial Concubine Chu’s palace?”
“How could that be?” Wan Juan shook her head. “The people in Imperial Concubine Chu’s palace despise us. I learned this from my older sister in Imperial Concubine Shen’s palace.”
Based on Shen Xiangning’s attitude during their previous encounters, Ye Yang didn’t perceive her as an enemy. Yet, why would people from Shen Xiangning’s palace know about Chu Lian’s situation? Puzzled, he inquired, “How did they come to know about this matter?”
“Last night, Imperial Concubine Chu went to see Imperial Concubine Shen,” Wan Juan explained. “I heard that she spent the whole night crying in Imperial Concubine Shen’s palace.”
Ye Yang, “……”
Wait a sec, isn’t the plot becoming increasingly weirder?
Not only did Chu Lian not encounter Feng Luan, but she also spent the entire night crying in Shen Xiangning’s palace? Weren’t they archenemies in the original story?!
Ah, this is giving me a headache too.
Ye Yang rubbed his temples and proceeded to open the next slightly smaller gift box.
Inside this box, there were only two neatly folded sheets of paper. It looked rather peculiar. Curiously, Ye Yang picked up the top sheet and immediately saw the six large words written on it: ‘The Group of the Three Emperors.’
Wan Juan leaned over and said, “Is this a ticket for a stage play?”
Ye Yang furrowed his brow slightly. Besides the name of the performance group, the paper also listed the names of the performers for that particular show. The date indicated that it was a few days away. However, he couldn’t easily leave the palace. Why would Ming Yan give him a ticket?
Wan Juan continued to mutter on the side.
“The ‘Group of the Three Emperors’ is one of the top three performance groups in the capital, and it’s even featuring Yu Shangsheng as the final act. This ticket must be worth a fortune.” Wan Juan widened her eyes with a hint of regret. “Unfortunately, we can’t leave the palace, so this ticket from Ming siji… might end up going to waste.”
Beneath the theater ticket, there was also a note, and Ye Yang furrowed his brow as he unfolded the note, expecting to find something written by Ming Yan.
I have also sent one to His Majesty. Go watch it together.
Ye Yang, “……”
What’s this all about! Did she buy a ticket for him as well?
What happened to everyone in the imperial harem loving the emperor? Why did he feel like Ming Yan was practically trying to pass the dog emperor onto someone else’s lap?
This harem is truly unfathomable.
Yes yes, go and watch it together!
Thanks for the chapter!
ty for reading!!
Shocking! The hubby let him chose the Land Rover! Those women plotting something for sure =.=
Thank You for the new chapter ♡ฅ(ᐤˊ꒳ฅˋᐤ)
Well, when we give a grouchy dog a bone, we’re just happy that he’s happy. Nobody has asked the bone’s opinion 😄.
If i didn’t know any better I’d say that ming yan is actually being a wingman for the emperor and ye yang 😂