CH 15

After six days of continuous travelling, You Shu finally returned to the palace.

He first went to Xie Feiyuan to report about the successful completion of the task. After this, he wanted to go and report to Xiao Weixin but, thinking of that person’s outrageously severe mysophobia, he decided to bathe and change his clothes before going. He dared to bet that if he really went to report to Xiao Weixin while covered in sweat, he would almost definitely be thrown out.

At this time of the day, the bathhouse was completely empty. Most of the shadow guards were either on duty or training at the moment so he was the only one in the huge hall. You Shu took off his clothes and then moved over to the side of the pool to scoop up water to wash his hair. As a result, he didn’t really notice when Ying Jiu snuck inside.

As a man, You Shu has a good figure and he has everything he should have. His abdominal muscles, pectoral muscles, and biceps are all very beautiful and look neither showy1 nor bulky, and are just the right shape. Although his skin is not as pale, soft and well-maintained as Xiao Weixin’s, it is quite healthy and the water droplets on his body made his skin glow with a honey-colored luster in the sunlight coming in from the window, looking very attractive.

He was washing his hair with honey locust2, completely focused, when he inadvertently felt someone standing behind him. Knowing it was merely a colleague who also came to bathe, he lazily moved to the side to make some space.

As a result, the guy’s claws were very impolite and pinched his butt.

You Shu: ……..

He spun around and threw the water in the ladle at the culprit, Ying Jiu, who avoided it, smiling: “It’s me!”

“It was you I was splashing at.” You Shu calmly put the water ladle down, not wanting to talk to him.

Ying Jiu sometimes wonders if it’s because he pretends to be a woman so often that his gender has become so unclear and he likes to touch3 other men. He obviously has those things himself but he always covets others’. You Shu is most afraid of taking a bath with him because he always gets taken advantage of.

“Don’t be so narrow-minded.” Ying Jiu charmingly walked into the pool and said pretentiously: “I just touched it without any other meaning. Who told you to have the most flesh on your body in that place?”

You Shu ignored him, grabbing a ladle to rinse off the honey locust bubbles on his head, and then took a loofah4 to scrub his back. In ancient times, the bathing conditions were naturally not as good as in modern times. Rich people used silk or cotton cloth to scrub their backs but shadow guards like them who have rough and calloused skin can only use loofahs. Although scrubbing with it made one’s skin hurt, You Shu had already become used to it and scrubbed vigorously, But You Shu is used to it and scrubbed vigorously, as if it wasn’t his own skin.

Seeing him treating his own skin so roughly, Ying Jiu couldn’t help feeling distressed: “Hey, take it easy! That’s not pig skin. Look how red it’s become!”

“I’m going to greet the prince.” You Shu replied simply, “He will be angry if I haven’t cleaned up properly.”

Ying Jiu tsked, amazed, “That’s true. A person as obsessed with cleanliness as our lord would definitely feel irritable seeing someone who hasn’t taken a bath in three days.”

As You Shu tortured himself with the loofah, he couldn’t help but look enviously at Ying Jiu’s chest hair. Ying Jiu’s face is soft and beautiful but he unexpectedly has a lot of hair on his chest and legs. In fact, most of the brothers in the Shadow Guard Camp have leg hair, even little Ying Shi, but he is the only one who doesn’t have any.

It’s too difficult for a man to admit that he doesn’t have any leg hair. In You Shu’s mind, it is very shameful because it’s equivalent to announcing to everyone that he is like a weak chicken because only men with hair can be considered mature and sexy.

He made a wish every day to grow thick and sexy leg hair as soon as possible.

After he finished his bath, You Shu quickly dressed and walked out of the bathhouse. The air outside was so cold that he could see his breath each time he exhaled. His hair was still wet, but since there is no hair dryer in this era, he could only dry it manually by using his internal force.

You Shu is not a man who knows how to dress up. People in ancient times had to grow their hair but he doesn’t know how to style it so he usually ties it up into a large ponytail. Although the others always laugh at him, there is nothing he can do about it. Afterwards, he occasionally asked a young maid in the mansion to style his hair properly in exchange for some pocket money and then just slept with that hairstyle for several days to avoid having to comb it again.

However, there is no time to ask that maid to help right now so You Shu casually tied his hair into a ponytail and then quickly rushed to the study.

After announcing from the outside, he opened the door and entered. Xiao Weixin was looking at something on the desk. After walking in, You Shu knelt down on one knee and said in a low voice: “My lord, this subordinate is here to report to you.”

Xiao Weixin had already found out about his return a long time ago and had been waiting for him in the study since then. Seeing that he took so long to arrive, he was inevitably rather irritable and had a cold face. After putting down his book, he raised his head and discovered You Shu’s messy, large ponytail which had strands of hair sticking out and asked with a frown: “Did you just return after going out to beg?”

You Shu had long been accustomed to his poisonous tongue and he replied with his head bowed: “This subordinate had a long journey and was afraid that returning in that dusty state would offend the prince so I went to take a bath and change clothes before coming here. However, there was not enough time to properly comb my hair. Please forgive me, my lord.”

Hearing that the delay had been because he had made an effort to clean up before coming to see him, Xiao Weixin’s face improved slightly, “Stand up.”

You Shu truthfully reported everything that happened along the way and then added: “My lord, the magistrate is indeed an extraordinary talent. When this subordinate left, he had already begun to distribute the food. It will be no problem to help the majority of the people survive until the end of the year.”

“Shen Qingyu is indeed talented, but it’s a pity that he wasn’t given any opportunities.” Xiao Weixin said calmly. He looked down at the table and seemed to be talking to himself: “I have long disliked Wang Shunzhi, the Vice Minister of the Ministry Of Revenue. This is a good time to make him step down too.”

You Shu bowed his head and dared not speak.

In the novel, Wang Shunzhi was just an idiot who had a high position but never used it properly. He was pushed into his position by that old fox, Prime Minister Xia, who wanted to use him as a cover for his embezzlement. At this time, Shen Qingyu really needs an opportunity in order to return to the capital in a fair and proper manner.

After Xiao Weixin pondered for a while, somehow his attention returned to You Shu’s messy ponytail.

You Shu usually gives people the impression that he is mature beyond his years. Although he has a handsome face that can easily entrance people, it is a pity that his face is always expressionless. It is very rare for him to look… so unkempt.

Xiao Weixin looked at You Shu with great interest, discovering that his messy hairstyle actually made him look a little more youthful than usual. Although this style still didn’t match his coffin face5, he looked inexplicably…cute.

“Looking at your hair makes this king feel annoyed.” Xiao Weixin pretended to be cold and reprimanded him, “Do you not know what a crime it is to appear so slovenly in front of this king?”

“My lord, please punish me.” You Shu didn’t say a word of excuse and merely knelt down, waiting for the punishment. He had already known that it would be like this.

Xiao Weixin leaned back into the chair, arms folded over his chest and looked at him with a half-smile, then said softly: “Call Hua Chun in.”

You Shu didn’t know why he wanted to call for Miss Hua Chun. Did he want her to whip him with a small whip? But among all of them, Hua Chun is the only one who doesn’t know any martial arts so what would she do?

Soon after, Hua Chun entered while Luo Yao sneakily hid outside the door. Xiao Weixin pretended not to see her, pointed at You Shu and said to Hua Chun, “Properly comb his dog-gnawed hair again.”

Hua Chun was a little surprised. She is a maid who is usually responsible for taking care of the prince’s daily life and physical health. She serves only the prince and has never been asked to serve anyone else. Now the prince is actually asking her to comb the hair of a mere shadow guard. It sounds very unbelievable. Even if he wants someone to comb his hair, there are countless maids in this mansion, is it necessary to call her?

But Hua Chun is not a rude or unkind person so, despite her confusion, she still respectfully stepped forward to get a comb and then asked You Shu to move to the window.

You Shu was also confused, not knowing what had happened. Could it be that his hair was truly so messy that the protagonist couldn’t stand it any longer?

Hua Chun’s hands are very dexterous and she ran the comb through You Shu’s messy hair in gentle strokes without causing him any pain. You Shu lamented in his heart that Miss Hua Chun is truly very capable. Her craftsmanship is so excellent that it’s practically on par with Teacher Tony6.

Seeing her good sister combing her male god’s hair, Luo Yao who was standing outside the door, scratched at the door frame with her fingernails, her eyes filled with jealous tears.

Xiao Weixin rested his chin in his hand and looked at him leisurely. The sunlight from outside the window fell on You Shu’s side face. He could clearly see You Shu slightly squinting his eyes in enjoyment. His hand, which was absent-mindedly flipping the pages of a book, gradually stopped.

As a serious face-con, Xiao Weixin is absolutely certain that he really likes the face of this little shadow guard.

If he could keep him by his side…

Xiao Weixin quickly vetoed this idea. For a genius like this who is talented enough to be Xie Feiyuan’s successor, it is really a waste and injustice to trap him in the backyard. A cage cannot confine an eagle7, he understands this truth very well.

But why does a shadow guard have to look so good? Making people unable to do anything but gaze helplessly at him.

Xiao Weixin was suddenly a little annoyed.

You Shu, who was disliked again for no reason, was entirely unaware of this and could only feel Hua Chun’s dexterous little hands running through his hair, her touch refreshingly soft and gentle.

Ah… this is a girl’s hand!

Girls are really so sweet8!

You Shu, who had never been so close to a girl before in either of his two lives, couldn’t help but sincerely praise the Creator in his heart. How could he have created such a beautiful creature like a girl?

If only he could marry a good girl like Hua Chun as his wife in the future, he would give her whatever she wanted and pamper her carefully.

You Shu thought excitedly in his heart. He does not dare to hope for the female lead but perhaps it is possible to be able to find a girl like Hua Chun in the future.

After his hair had been combed, Xiao Weixin raised his head to look at him and then didn’t want to look away.

Compared to the hair of those wealthy young masters who had been meticulously cared for since birth, You Shu’s hair isn’t as good and well-maintained and feels rather rough to the touch but his hair is thick, black and lustrous. Under Hua Chun’s hands, the unruly and messy hair was tamed into obedience and was docilely draped over You Shu’s back.

Although the current style is also a ponytail, it is combed differently. After putting it up, she tied it with a long blue hair ribbon. The ends of the ribbon hung down naturally along the long ponytail, weaving through the black tresses. The blue color added a touch of brightness and warmth to You Shu’s black-clothed figure.

How can a person’s entire aura change with just a hairstyle?

This question flashed through Xiao Weixin’s mind, then he nodded and said calmly, “Not bad.”

This ‘not bad’ coming from him means ‘excellent’.

You Shu was a little overwhelmed. This is the first time that he is experiencing the protagonist treating him so kindly treated him gently, even tenderly.

The fans of stars are very familiar with the feeling of being recognized and praised by their idols. You Shu was so moved that he wanted to go back and write a 3,000-word essay on the Internet and shower Xiao Weixin with praise9.

But, in reality, he didn’t do anything and only stood calmly in front of Xiao Weixin, with his back straight and his face expressionless. Only the slight redness at the root of his ears betrayed his shyness.

Must be restrained. This is definitely progress so the character design must not collapse now. Must not let the protagonist think that he has become arrogant because of being favored.

You Shu, you are really such a handsome man.

The author has something to say:

Xiao Weixin: Xiao Shu is so beautiful that I want to hide him away.

You Shu: Miss Hua Chun is so gentle that I want to marry her and take her home~

It means that his muscles aren’t useless and just for show but they also aren’t the kind that make him look bulky.

A type of plant which has pods that can be used in making shampoo or the ancient version of it.

grope

A gourd-like plant from the cucumber family apparently. Used for cleaning and exfoliating skin.

perennially cold and expressionless

Chinese slang for barbers and hairdressers

It means that a cage cannot be used to imprison a free and wild creature or it will no longer retain its wildness and uniqueness. Basically, confining a person with great talent is equivalent to destroying his talent.

ahem… right ofc

Not sure what this means yet so I just gave it my best shot.