CH 8

“Alright, qing can go back for now.”

The young man raised his eyebrows and glanced at the emperor who was seated with the clear artitude of seeing off guests, and showed a helpless smile on his face: “Your Majesty avoids this subject like one avoids rats and snakes, but why does this subject still have no resentment?”

Jing Ye glanced at him coldly, what, do you still want payment as well?

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Lu Baizang stood up from the ground, adjusted the sleeves of his robe, and bowed in a salute: “This subject will take my leave.” He turned around, picked up the food box with one hand, and grabbed Lu Huihui, who was immersed in the world of dim sum, and threw it in with the other, his movements a bit rough, causing His Majesty the Emperor to sweat a bit for the little stupid pig.

Throwing it like this would affect the quality of the meat.

As he thought this, the lid of the box was lifted immediately, and Lu Huihui put his two front legs on the edge of the box against the lid, and his small black bean-like eyes flashed, cheerfully indicating that he was intact.

Jing Ye: “…..”

Lu Baizang laughed and pressed the little white pig’s head: “When this little beast is not immersed in eating snacks, he’s not that stupid.”

After the two left the palace, and he could no longer hear any movement outside, Jing Ye slapped the table with a dark face: “Ye Mao!”

Ye Gonggong sidled out tremblingly: “Your Majesty…..”

“What were you doing just now?”

“This servant…..” Ye Gonggong choked for a moment, then his eyes flickered, he toughened his scalp and replied, “This servant accidentally stepped on dog poop and went back to change.”

“…..”

So Ye Gonggong was now unable to eat meat for half a year.

In the early morning of the next day, the emperor had his breakfast, and a palace servant entered the hall and said, “Your Majesty, Lord Feng asks to see you.”

Jing Ye’s hand holding the tea paused: “Coming so early?” He looked up at Ye Mao, “See him in quickly.”

Ye Mao responded, and soon, Feng Ling walked in, with a slight hurried pace, he stepped forward and bowed: “Paying respects to Your Majesty.”

“Feng Qing, rise quickly.” Jing Ye put down the teacup, and got up to help him, “When seeing Zhen in the future, there is no need for such etiquette.”

“Etiquette cannot be abandoned.” Lord Feng was very stubborn.

“Fine.” Jing Ye sighed, “Do as you like.” There was an intimacy in his tone, and Feng Ling choked when he heard the words, and couldn’t say any more words of propriety.

Jing Ye was still looking at him with a slight smile: “Why has qing come?”

Feng Ling looked at him and then lowered his head: “Your Majesty was seriously ill the day before yesterday, and this official entered the palace today just to see how Your Majesty is recovering…..”

Jing Ye was stunned for a while, and felt his heart move. He reached out to hold the hand of the person in front of him, and led him into the inner room: “Then why don’t qing assist Zhen with the memorials, just like in the imperial study.”

“Yes.”

So Feng Ling knelt down on the small table and sorted out the untidy memorials. The emperor was still lying on the couch, randomly looking through a memorial.

After reading for the time a small incense stick burnt down, Jing Ye felt bored, it seemed that after returning to his personal quarters, he had no energy to complete official duties at all!

At this time, shouldn’t he be doing something that a normal incapable ruler should do!

So His Majesty the Emperor resolutely threw away the memorial, and took out a copy of “Legend of Hede” from under the pillow (don’t ask him why it was under the pillow).

Feng Ling looked up and saw the title of the book and couldn’t sit still: “Your Majesty, forgive this official’s bluntness, this book…..”

“Zhen knows.” Jing Ye glanced at it briefly and then threw it away listlessly. Looking at the nervous young man in front of him, his eyes suddenly became empty, “But Zhen has been feeling dizzy for the past two days, and Zhen’s chest feels tight…..”

Ye Gonggong: …..Your Majesty, you actually have such symptoms? Why doesn’t this servant know?

“What?” Lord Feng was shocked, “This official will go to bring the imperial physician.” And as he spoke, he was about to get up.

“Ai, ai, the imperial physician has already said.” The emperor immediately stretched out his hand to hold him down, “It’s just the aftermath of poisoning, and it will subside slowly.”

“Really? This…..” Feng Ling sighed, “What shall be done?”

Jing Ye thought of the Feng family son’s qin music, which was praised by the people of the dynasty in his memory, and smiled, “Isn’t qing quite proficient in music, why don’t you play a song for Zhen?”

Feng Ling was startled: “But this official entered the palace empty-handed, without bringing a qin or a flute…..”

“It doesn’t matter.” Jing Ye waved his hand with a smile, and took out a jade flute from under him, “Here is one.”

Feng Ling took it and looked at it carefully: “Isn’t this the green jade flute left by the late emperor? Rumor has it that the music played on it is so beautiful it could overthrow a country…..Why did Your Majesty put it on the couch?”

It’s so valuable, so Zhen couldn’t help but sleep hugging it.

“Cough…..With it here, could you play a song?”

“Shengshang has ordered and this official shall follow the divine decree.” Feng Ling nodded lightly, pressing his slender fingers on the sound holes. “What do you want to hear, Your Majesty?”

“Feng qing can choose.”

“Yes.” Feng Ling lowered his eyes and pondered for a while, then took a light breath and pressed his thin lips to the flute. Immediately, the flute melody sounded.

It is ‘A Phoenix Comes with Grace to Rest’.

Jing Ye’s eyes flickered suddenly, feeling that it was as if this person changed completely when he played the first note.

It was still the same not very stunning features, but now like pines and cypresses after the spring rain where every green leaf flowed with scorching brilliance, and also like a snow-white gardenia hidden within the leaves, only to finally raise its head to bloom in open air, emitting traces of fragrance that slowly dissipated in the scorching summer night.

People in the world say that “faithful and loyal to the monarch, guarding to death the righteous way” refers to a true gentleman.

The continuing sound of the flute seemed to take on a quality of a dancing phoenix, circling the empty Ping An Palace and flying straight to the sky.

After a long time, the song was finished.

Feng Ling’s long eyelashes trembled lightly, and he gently put down the flute, as if he was still immersed in the music just now.

“Your Majesty…..”

“Your Majesty?”

“…..”

Outside the bead curtain, Ye Gonggong, who was enjoying the filial piety of his apprentice’s tea, looked inside, and the sip of tea he took was sprayed on the face of the little eunuch beside him.

Your Majesty! Why did you fall asleep again!

“Teacher.” The little eunuch wiped the tea on his face aggrievedly.

Ye Mao stretched out his hand and patted his head: “Teacher couldn’t control it.”

“…..Yes.”

Ye Gonggong turned his head and silently concealed the wildly galloping grass mud horse he was sure could be seen on his face, and was about to scream at the moon: This is not going right, Your Majesty! Shouldn’t listening to the melodious music played by a beauty lead to, you know, kissing and touching…..or hugging and then blowing this ‘flute’ and that ‘flute’…..why did you fall! Asleep! Again!

Falling asleep in everything you do, could it be that you have been up to secret things at night when this servant wasn’t paying attention…..

Feng Ling was stunned for a while, then slowly put the jade flute back under the emperor’s pillow. The back of his hand gently brushed against the emperor’s soft cheek at that moment, and his heart trembled.

The first time he entered the palace, it was for the common people of the southwest, the second time was for the emperor’s diligent administration, the third time, and the fourth time, for…..

Now, how much thought did he put into entering the palace secretly, all the while avoiding his parents? What for?

There were thousands of thoughts in his heart that he couldn’t voice clearly, or understand fully.

It was just that he couldn’t help but keep looking at him, his hands froze for a long time, struggling, but still he couldn’t help but to…..touch.

Feng Ling stared blankly. The morning light that gradually brightened, shining in through the regular window panes, fell on the face of the person in front of him.

The little eunuch sneaked in and said to Ye Mao, “Teacher, Gu Gongzi is here.”

“What?” Ye Gonggong got up and looked inside the curtain, “Ai, can’t these masters come one by one?”

“Teacher, shall I see him in?”

“This…..” Ye Mao was in a dilemma for a moment, then flicked his whisk, “See him in!”

Gu Hong was led by the little eunuch, and he calmly stepped in. Ye Mao immediately greeted him, his voice lowered: “Gu Gongzi, you see, it just so happens that His Majesty is asleep.”

“The sun is high up in the sky.” Gu Hong chuckled, “If His Majesty continues to sleep, aren’t you afraid of him hungering?”

Ye Mao: “…..” You and Lu Gongzi asked the same thing.

Gu Hong smiled lightly, holding a book in his left hand, took two steps forward, raised his hand, and gently lifted the slightly swaying bead curtain.

On this side Feng Ling was still in a daze, his fingertips almost touching the corners of the emperor’s pink lips, but was suddenly interrupted by a cold and clear voice from behind.

“Lord Feng.”

His hand trembled, and he hurriedly turned around and stood up: “Gu…..Gu Gongzi.”

Gu Hong’s brows were curved into a smile, but the smile did not reach his eyes: “Lord Feng, why did you enter the palace so early in the morning?”

Feng Ling bowed his head and cupped his hands: “This official was worried about His Majesty’s illness, so this official entered the palace to ask after his health.”

Jing Ye was awakened by the voices of the two of them. He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes: “Hmm? Why isn’t Feng Qing playing the flute any longer?”

Feng Ling smiled and said, “This official has finished the performance.”

“Ah?” His Majesty the Emperor stared blankly for a long time, then remembered that he had fallen asleep shamefully halfway through, and hurriedly sat up straight to remedy: “Ah! Ah, qing has played wonderfully, it was ‘A Phoenix Comes with Grace to Rest’? Very good indeed, your melody should only exist in the heavens…..only, ahem, Zhen has never been one for music…..”

Feng Ling looked at him, his eyes softened unconsciously: “This official knows, if it could give Your Majesty a good dream, this melody was worth playing.”

“…..Ha ha.”

“When did Gu Qing come?”

“Your Majesty.” Gu Hong smiled slightly and raised his hand to salute, “This subject has something important to discuss with Your Majesty.”

Jing Ye had seen the book in his hand, and his expression became serious, “En, Zhen understands, Qing can come closer. Feng Qing…..”

“It’s time for this official to leave the palace and return to the manor.” Feng Ling understood what he meant, so he bowed and saluted, “Your Majesty please forgive this official for taking leave now.”

“Fine…..” Jing Ye looked at his lowered face and eyes, and inexplicably felt apologetic, “Qing can go back. Ye Mao!”

“Ai, Your Majesty.”

“Carefully send Lord Feng back to his manor for Zhen.”

“Yes.”

Feng Ling stepped back a few steps with his hands still cupped, then turned around, and the palace servant stepped forward to lift the curtain allowing him to walk out.

It was just that his footsteps suddenly stopped before the bead curtain, and he turned around, wanting to take another look at the emperor, only to be immediately startled.

He clearly saw Gu Hong holding the emperor’s hand. He had leaned over to sit on the soft couch the emperor was lying on, stretched out his right hand, and hooked a loose strand of hair behind the emperor’s ear. The emperor looked at him in a daze, and so he smiled and whispered into his ear.

There seemed to be a flash of light in those always gentle and respectful eyes, and they turned slightly towards this side.

“Aiqing.” Jing Ye’s eyes twitched, “Why do you have to speak next to my ear?” (TN: aiqing and qing are used interchangeably, the former more affectionate, translating to ‘dear subject’)

Gu Hong smiled and said, “This subject was just afraid Your Majesty couldn’t hear clearly.”

Jing Ye didn’t want to bother with these people anymore, so he reached out to take the book in Gu Hong’s hand: “Everyone is listed?”

“Yes.” Gu Hong lowered his head and watched him open the book, “The night Your Majesty was seriously ill, many officials in the capital were dispatching doormen to exchange news, and the one that moved the most in secret was the Zhao family. There.” He tapped the long first column of the book.

“En…..” Jing Ye looked at it carefully, “Gu Qing has worked hard.”

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Gu Hong looked up at him and smiled softly: “Your Majesty supports my Gu family, naturally, this subject will return the generosity manyfolds.”

“…..” Jing Ye read on silently, but his brows became more and more furrowed. If it was really like what was recorded in the book, then in such a big court he couldn’t even find anyone who could be used?

Reality was always much more miserable.