Before Feng Luan could react, Ye Yang blushed.
What nonsensical talk is he spouting, about undressing…… undressing what pants! He absolutely wouldn’t disrobe before this dog emperor!
Feng Luan was initially taken aback by Ye Yang’s words but quickly regained his composure. He couldn’t help but curve his lips slightly and replied, “If you want to undress, it’s not entirely out of the question.”
With those words, five points were added to his favorability score. It was clear that he was in an extremely cheerful mood. He even unfurled the folding fan in his hand and looked at Ye Yang with genuine interest.
It took Ye Yang a while to finally squeeze out the next sentence.
“We…… We…… We’re still outside,” Ye Yang stammered. “It’s not…… not very appropriate, is it?”
Feng Luan inquired, “Do you intend to undress when we return?”
Ye Yang, “……”
Insolent emperor!
“Zhen certainly remembers what you said earlier,” Feng Luan remarked. “When we return, you must say anything zhen wishes to hear.”
Ye Yang, “……”
Why does this insufferable, dog emperor have such a good memory?!
Ye Yang felt extremely awkward and didn’t know how to respond, but Feng Luan remained in good spirits, smiling gently as he remarked, “Zhen will be awaiting your return to the palace to take off your trousers, and then you can tell zhen everything.”
Ye Yang, “……”
Isn’t this a bit too much?!?!
Where’s the promised, adorable, innocent little emperor of brevity and purity? Who is this obnoxious rascal?!
Ye Yang’s ears and neck blazed like a fire, a deep crimson that forbade him from responding to Feng Luan any further. He sat, feet neatly together, posture upright, resembling a well-behaved child fresh from kindergarten. Internally, he was fraught with unease, uncertain about how to navigate this interaction.
If one were to judge Feng Luan solely by his tone, it seemed as if he might be joking, but considering their respective statuses, treating this matter as a mere romantic whim between the two was not entirely out of the question.
Ye Yang felt that he was on the brink of peril.
……
He spent the entire journey nervously contemplating his strategy, wondering whether, when they returned to the palace, Feng Luan indeed intended to inspect that ‘wound’…… he might have to sacrifice that precious favorability score of 47, while strenuously preserving his own virtue.
Returning to the palace was a moment of relief, with Feng Luan, as usual, alighting from the carriage first. Ye Yang, all nerves, was just about to disembark when Feng Luan extended his hand, effortlessly scooping him up and coughing discreetly, a smile gracing his lips as he said, “You…… with your injury, it is not easy to move. Let zhen assist you.”
Ye Yang, “……”
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.
Dog emperor.
Ktfs tjv yffc bea bo atf qjijmf jii vjs, jcv cbk tf mijlwfv ab tjnf vloolmeias wbnlcu? Pa kjr fnlvfca atja tf kjr vblcu la pera ab afjrf tlw.
Tf Tjcu ofia j aklcuf bo ogeragjalbc, yea cbk tf mbeiv bcis werafg j obgmfv rwlif jcv rjs, “Ktjcx sbe, Tbeg Zjpfras.”
Feng Luan responded, “In our relationship, there’s no need for words of gratitude.”
Ye Yang bowed his head in acquiescence and replied, “Yes.”
Yet, Feng Luan still wore a smile on his lips as he said, “Since our relationship is as such, there’s no need to be so restrained within the palace.”
Ye Yang responded with surprise, “……Huh?”
Feng Luan leaned in closer to his ear and whispered, “If it’s just the two of us, you can use the same terms as outside the palace.”
Ye Yang, “……”
Dog emperor!!!
In high spirits, Feng Luan held his hand and led him to another part of the palace, leaving Ye Yang slightly puzzled. Just as he was about to inquire, Feng Luan proactively spoke, “Aren’t you curious about who Lord Mo Hou is?”
Ye Yang nodded eagerly.
“Mo Hou, the very playwright Mo Hou, isn’t he synonymous with the famous scribe Ming Yan?” Feng Luan mentioned, “I’ve heard that most of the theatrical scripts in the capital originate from Lord Mo Hou’s quill. Quite surprising to discover that this individual is indeed Ming Yan.”
Ye Yang, “……”
Who? Ming Yan?
One person wrote the scripts for most of the theater troupes in the capital? That’s impressive?!
Ming Yan seemed to anticipate their visit upon their return to the palace, as she was already waiting inside. When Feng Luan and Ye Yang arrived, she greeted them with a smile and asked, “The performance today…… Was it to your liking?”
Feng Luan, not one for beating around the bush, bluntly asked, “Why did you do this?”
“I simply wanted His Majesty to hear the rumors circulating among the commoners,” Ming Yan whispered, “As a woman of the imperial harem, I am bound by the court’s rules, and we are not allowed to interfere in politics. If I wish to bring certain matters to His Majesty’s attention, I must resort to indirect means.”
With a hint of disdain in her gaze and a subtle arch of her brows, she continued, “Not long ago, I used the alias Mo Hou to befriend Yu Shangsheng. He has a wide network of connections, including many nobles and aristocrats, and through him, I’ve learned a great deal about matters in the palace that would otherwise remain hidden.”
Feng Luan hesitated for a moment but then continued to inquire, “What kind of matters?”
“Your Majesty, you must open your eyes and see for yourself,” Ming Yan whispered, each word sincere. “Deception and manipulation within the court are not uncommon. What Wei Shi has done today, compared to what others have done before, is but a minor affair.”
Feng Luan fell silent.
He had always considered himself a wise and just ruler. A while back, upon reading the scholar’s memorial, he had become aware of the mounting discontent among his subjects, which had already left him somewhat vexed. Now, he realized that his lack of awareness was far more extensive than he had ever imagined. If Wei Shi, as the father of the Commandery Prince Jinghuai, held only a nominal position as the Deputy Commander of the Military Affairs Bureau and could still command military forces to watch a performer, what could be said about the rest of the court?
Fearing that the act of deceiving the emperor had become a common practice, the more Feng Luan thought about it, the stronger his anger welled up. He felt a throbbing pain at his temples, a sign that his recurring headache was returning.
But he had no time to dwell on his headache. Shen Shaoheng and Kang Ning were waiting just outside the door. He ordered Shen Shaoheng to discreetly investigate the matter and also instructed Kang Ning to send a decree for the Commandery Prince Jinghuai to come to the palace tomorrow to have a proper discussion about this issue with him.
Sitting alongside Ming Yan, Ye Yang observed how Feng Luan was dealing with the situation. This matter was well beyond his understanding, and he had no intention of prying or offering unsolicited opinions. Instead, he turned to Ming Yan with a sense of admiration and asked quietly, “Did you actually write so many scripts?”
Ming Yan propped her chin with her hand and nodded, remarking, “It’s simply because the palace can be quite tedious, yet very few are aware of this……”
Ye Yang raised his thumb in a gesture of admiration for her prolific work and reassured, “Rest assured, I won’t divulge this secret.”
Ming Yan blinked and spoke softly to him, “Lately, I’ve been working on a play. When it’s complete, I’ll present both you and His Majesty with a ticket……”
Ye Yang was taken aback and hastily waved his hand, stumbling over his words, “No, no, no, I mean, His Majesty is so busy, I think he probably won’t have the time.”
Ming Yan, wearing a smile, replied, “If you accompany him, I believe His Majesty might find a way to spare some time.”
Ye Yang, “……”
He tried to steer the conversation away and posed a question that might lead Ming Yan into a lengthy discussion, saying, “What is the next play about?”
Ming Yan responded with a knowing smile but didn’t provide an answer.
Ye Yang couldn’t help but wonder if Ming Yan was hesitant to reveal more about her work since the new play was still in progress. Understanding her discretion, he refrained from pressing further and shifted his focus to Feng Luan, who was now beckoning him. It appeared that all matters had been resolved, but Feng Luan bore a hint of weariness. He said to Ye Yang, “Let us depart. Zhen shall spend the night at your residence.”
Ye Yang, “……Right.”
He dared not refuse and bid farewell to Ming Yan, leaving with Feng Luan.
Upon returning to his own palace, Ye Yang felt restless and anxious. He couldn’t help but regret the impulsive promise he made in the carriage, the one where he pledged to prove his innocence by taking off his pants. He wished he could give himself a good, hard slap for it.
See what happens when you speak recklessly? Regretting it now, aren’t you!
Feng Luan either didn’t seem to notice Ye Yang’s unease or chose to downplay it. After a full day outside the palace, he had a substantial portion of the morning’s official documents still unread. Despite his vexation, he knew he had to get through them. Consequently, he was up late into the night. Seeing Ye Yang sitting nearby, book in hand and evidently sleepless, Feng Luan’s mood mellowed somewhat. He casually commented, “The beds in your palace are exceptionally firm. Zhen has been experiencing some back pain lately……”
Ye Yang had already risen to his feet and said in a wooden tone, “I…… This servant will instruct someone to add more layers of blankets.”
It was evident that he had become excessively nervous, appearing as if even his legs and back had stiffened. Feng Luan couldn’t help but chuckle, yet he still gently said, “Zhen would like to sleep on a bed tonight.”
Ye Yang was momentarily flustered.
He dared not utter a word of protest, nodding repeatedly at Feng Luan. He kept silent, watching the favorability score above Feng Luan’s head skyrocket.
「Feng Luan’s favorability score has increased by 1, has increased by 1, has increased by 1,…… current favorability score is 61」
Ye Yang, “……”
He knew he couldn’t avoid this ordeal.
Ye Yang turned to fetch his own pillows and bedding. After the attendants had helped Feng Luan undress and get comfortable, he returned to see an empty bed with just a sheet, and Ye Yang struggling to move a large duvet and pillows to the soft pallet.
He couldn’t help but fall into contemplation.
Ye Yang brought over the bedding and pillows that Feng Luan had often used on the soft pallet and placed them on the bed, diligently arranging the bed for Feng Luan.
Feng Luan remained silent for a while and then asked, “Yun shijun, what are you doing?”
In an effort to demonstrate his sincere attempt to please, Ye Yang didn’t allow the palace attendants to assist. The bedding was somewhat heavy, and he broke into a light sweat as he answered, “Your Majesty, a bed is more comfortable. This bed is so soft, and you need not worry about me! I prefer to sleep on something firm!”
Feng Luan, “……”
Ye Yang had finished making the bed.
He almost wanted to dash backward but still took the initiative to extinguish the candles in the room. As the sound of decreasing favorability score filled the air, he slipped away to the soft pallet, not hearing Feng Luan call him back.
After a while, Ye Yang wrapped himself tightly in his small blanket and cautiously peered out to check Feng Luan’s favorability score.
Feng Luan appeared to have settled into the bed, and the room was dark. Ye Yang stared for a while, but he could only make out that the favorability score had dropped to just over 50, but the exact number was difficult to discern.
Ye Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Good, that’s good!
He had managed to evade another crisis through his clever thinking. It had indeed been a day filled with close calls!
……
Ye Yang had always been a heavy sleeper.
He enjoyed a deep and restful sleep all night, his bed was warm and cozy. As the morning light streamed in through the window, he gradually awoke from his slumber. He stretched lazily, feeling somewhat puzzled that the bed seemed a bit cramped.
It seemed that the bedding he had slept with last night had a different pattern, and when he touched it, it felt smooth and luxurious, like high-quality silk. It was far more expensive than his own bedding and had a rather……
Now wait a second.
Ye Yang suddenly opened his eyes, his face filled with terror.
What’s going on? Why was Feng Luan in his bed?
Where’s his blanket?
And why hadn’t the dog emperor gone to court again!!!
Dog emperor!😂
Lol give it up ye yang 😂
Hehe so it’s not so much if the bed is hard or soft, he just sleeps better if there’s an emperor making it warm and cozy 😏
Thank You for the new chapter ♡╰(⸝⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝⸝)╯♡
This Dog Emperor never forgets 😌
Thanks for the chapter!