CH 8

For a long time, Feng Luan stiffened and was rooted to the spot; then, he turned to Ye Yang and reluctantly inquired, “you……”

Things had developed to such a terrible point, that Ye Yang had no idea what to do. He could only desperately shake his head to prove that he was in good health and wasn’t in need of any bizarre mental support. 

However, Wan Juan was still staring at them with bated breath.

Feng Luan couldn’t help but glance at Wan Juan again, “then you……”

Wan Juan hurriedly rose to her feet and spoke, “yes! Your Majesty! The slave will leave first!”

Ye Yang silently gazed at her triumphant, little steps, only feeling like he was in the film ‘Me, Myself & Irene’. 

Wan Juan slipped away, but how was he going to clarify this to Feng Luan?

Ye Yang put on a bold face and looked up at Feng Luan, reluctantly tugged at the corners of his mouth and explained, “this little girl was just spouting some nonsense……”

“It’s in a servant’s nature to follow their master,” Feng Luan raised his eyebrows a tad. “She’s only a little maid, how can she be so bold as to spout nonsense?”

「Feng Luan’s current favorability score has been decreased by 5, current favorability score is 32」

Ye Yang, “……”

Ye Yang felt as if he understood something.

Feng Luan came on his own initiative to his chamber, which he disliked. If he attempted to seduce him, the favorability score would drop; however, if he inadvertently did something for him and showed that he cared about him, his favorability score would increase in number.

Such two-facedness, he was like a smelly schoolboy. 

Ye Yang asked tentatively, “you…… Why did His Majesty come over again today?”

Feng Luan appeared to have lost his previous good temper. He slightly furrowed his brow and answered, “zhen has come to check your injury.”

Ye Yang did not speak.

Feng Luan couldn’t help lifting his eyebrows and added, “it seems nothing’s wrong with Yun shijun, so zhen will leave first.” 

Ye Yang rejoiced as he uttered, “best regards to His Imperial Majesty!”

Feng Luan, “……”

At once, Feng Luan spun on his heel, seated himself in a chair and ordered loudly, “Kang Ning! Bring zhen the accordion book that has not been read yet, zhen will rest here tonight.”

Is that so? 

Oh, you little schoolboy.

Ye Yang was still trying to test Feng Luan’s favorability score, “Your Majesty, the government affairs are important. I’m not seriously injured. You will get fed up with putting up with me all day……”

Feng Luan, “what does Yun shijun want to say?”

“It’s only natural that……” Ye Yang lowered his voice, “that I encourage you to treat, everything, equally.” 

Feng Luan, “……”

Feng Luan’s face gradually became grim. Kang Ning, who came carrying the accordion book, couldn’t stop himself from winking at him, conveying that he should refrain from saying anything else.

Since Ye Yang saved Feng Luan, his favorability towards Ye Yang rose sharply and suddenly. As one might expect, he couldn’t stand watching Ye Yang fool around. Noticing that Ye Yang couldn’t comprehend the hints he’d been sending his way with his eyes, he quickly coughed, bent over and told Feng Luan, “Your Majesty, Yun shijun was wounded. General Yun had come presenting a folding book and expressed his wish to visit the palace……”

Feng Luan had long been on the verge of anger and Kang Ning’s words reminded him of ‘Pictures of Secret Spring Night Shows’. His face darkened once again, then he gave a sneer and said, “visit? Didn’t he visit a few days ago?” 

He looked as though he was incredibly vexed. Picking up his brush-pen dipped in red ink, he wrote furiously on the memorial. Silently, Ye Yang craned his neck and skimmed it. He saw Feng Luan marking on a sheet of the memorial a large part in circles, writing comments in red with the brush in a temper.

‘This link of erroneous characters is unintelligible. Is this how one passes the national civil examinations and ranks third? This is rejected. Go and copy “Teaching the Ignorant” ten times. Hand it in tomorrow, otherwise zhen will strike you with a board.’

Tf Tjcu, “……”

I apologize, person who has ranked third. 

Thank you for your trouble.

Lbkfnfg, lo tf kjcafv ab afra Mfcu Oejc’r ojnbgjylilas rmbgf, tf ralii kbeiv tjnf ab qfgrlra.

Ye Yang coughed and spoke willfully, “Your Majesty, how come you still forbid me from seeing my brother?”

Feng Luan, “when zhen says it is not allowed, then it is not allowed!” 

Ye Yang, “Your Majesty, he’s my brother. Why are you jealous?”

Mfcu Oejc, “……”

Feng Luan, “zhen is not jealous.”

His voice had hardly faded away, when Ye Yang spotted a little red +1 silently coming into view next to Feng Luan. 

Vegf fcbeut!

He is a tsundere smelly, little schoolboy indeed!

Ye Yang felt as if he had grasped the solution to Feng Luan’s fluctuation of his favorability score. In the twinkling of an eye, he became zestful and decided to pursue the path to victory. At least, he had to maintain Feng Luan’s favorability score at around 50, in order to steer clear of Feng Luan falling in love with him. In this way, he could sleep like a log peacefully in the palace.

Ye Yang, “whose vinegar jar is this? Why are your eyes burning and why is your nose stuffy? Tastes like outdated dominance.” 

Feng Luan, “zhen is not jealous!”

「Feng Luan’s current favorability score has been increased by 1, current favorability score is 34」

Tf Tjcu, “atfc kts rb rbeg?”

Mfcu Oejc rijwwfv atf ygert jcv qjqfg bc atf vfrx, “atja’r cba agef!” 

Ye Yang ultimately concluded, “you are jealous.”

Mfcu Oejc, “……”

Cr lo Mfcu Oejc olcjiis gfjilhfv tbk mtlivlrt tlr jguewfca kjr, tf aegcfv gbecv raloois jcv uijcmfv ja Bjcu Rlcu, ktb kjr cfza ab tlw. Lf rjk Bjcu Rlcu mbnfglcu tlr ojmf, jqqfjglcu ab cba yfjg ab kjamt atfw.

Ye Yang happened to feel highly flattered and spat out a sentence, “just admit if you are grumpy, it’s not that big of a deal……” 

Ding.

「Feng Luan’s current favorability score has been decreased by 1, current favorability score is 33」

Ye Yang, “……”

Wha??? 

What was going on? Why did the favorability score suddenly drop?

Ye Yang gazed at Feng Luan. Noticing that Feng Luan’s face was a bit surly again, he rushed to sputter rainbow farts to Feng Luan, immediately correcting himself, “I’m wrong, Your Majesty, of course you’re not wrong! You’re incredibly magnanimous, noble, righteous, reasonable and fair. The imperial harem has innumerable beauties. How is it possible for an official to be jealous of an insignificant shijun!”

Feng Luan, “……”

「Feng Luan’s current favorability score has been decreased by 1, current favorability score is 32」 

Ye Yang, “……”

Delivering more words led to more mistakes, thus Ye Yang decided to shut up.

Feng Luan stared at the accordion book for a while with a frosty expression. When Imperial Physician Rong came to change the fresh dressing for his wound, he spotted Ye Yang stalling for time as he drank from the bowl filled with medicine less than half of it. He couldn’t help but remind him, “shijun, drink this medicine while it’s still warm. If it’s cold, it won’t be as effective.”

Ye Yang frowned and took another sip of the medicine. 

It was not a surprising fact that Ye Yang gulped down the medicine slowly. In his world, when he was unwell, he’d place the pill on his tongue, close his eyes and swallow a mouthful of water. However, inside this book, he had to drink medicine concoction soups. He was somewhat afraid of suffering and he couldn’t drink it all by pinching his nose. After downing two mouthfuls, he became nauseous. For the better part of half an hour, he managed to finish the small bowl.

On the side, Feng Luan was sitting with his eyes glued to the folding book. With a bitterly cold tone, he suddenly spoke up, “if you wish to see your family, once you get in a better physical condition, zhen will permit your parents and older brother to come to the palace together.”

Ye Yang, who still dared jabber on using superfluous words, naturally nodded his head and uttered, “thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness.”

Listening to his response, Feng Luan raised his sight slightly, moving his eyes from the accordion book to him, and pointed out, “but you have not drunk the medicine yet.” 

Ye Yang couldn’t help but be startled. Feng Luan was, indubitably, concerned, yet he spoke in such a tone. Unable to control himself, his lips curved a little. Before he opened his mouth, he suddenly saw Feng Luan’s favorability score increasing by 2 points.

Ye Yang, “……”

He noticed that the tyrant appeared to be particularly fond of prepossessing people. He expressed himself earnestly and, thanks to Yun Yang’s enchanting face, Feng Luan’s favorability score still easily got higher.

At last, he partly grasped Feng Luan’s temperament and was in a good mood for a moment. He peered at the bowl with more than half of the medicine still left in it and, summoning up his courage, finished it off. Then, turning his head gaze at Feng Luan, he saw Feng Luan faintly pursing his lips, as well as the small words accompanying his favorability score. 

「Feng Luan’s current favorability score has been increased by 5, current favorability score is 40」

Feng Luan spent the entire night in the chamber, rousing and going to court before the sun was even up in the sky—all while Ye Yang, feeling somnolent and hugging the quilt in his arms, couldn’t stop himself from entertaining all sorts of ideas inside his mind.

This is not a tyrant. This young’un is going every day diligently and conscientiously to court. Nine times out of ten, he’s most probably studying a folding book. Such a thing is touching and deserving of a song, simply making one be visibly moved.

He didn’t feel ashamed in the least about sleeping and getting out of bed until late morning. He supposed that this day would be like any other, laying down in the same way as a salted fish for another day until he’d pass away. He didn’t even need to wait until afternoon for a servant to come and inform him that the Empress Dowager had sent him a message; he was expected at the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility. 

Wan Juan was already bouncing with anxiety and couldn’t wait to rush to Ye Yang. She spoke in muted tones, “Young Master! The Empress Dowager will make an initial show of strength!”

Ye Yang, “……initial show of strength?”

What did he do? Why did she want to bully him?

Wan Juan, “His Majesty has spent several nights consecutively here. You’re already considered to be the most favored.” 

Ye Yang, “……”

Huh???

Was he the most favored person? Was it so unchallenging to become the most favored?

“His Majesty seldom set foot in the palaces of his harem before and hardly ever spent the night with his harem,” Wan Juan explained nervously. “You are the sole favorite of the harem.” 

Ye Yang couldn’t stop himself from sighing deeply.

According to what he remembered from the plot of the novel, the Empress Dowager was not Feng Luan’s biological mother. Throughout the year, at the forbidden palace, she had to practice abstinence from meat and recite prayers, though there had to be more scenes that included her. After more than half of the book, she died because of an illness; however, from the detailed description provided from when she and Feng Luan were in the very same segment, Ye Yang always felt that Feng Luan seemed a tad fearful of her.

That’s the same as saying that the Empress Dowager was at the top of the food chain in the imperial harem. On condition that he wanted to live well in the harem, he was at least required not to offend the Empress Dowager. Yet, the Empress Dowager summoned him. Despite being well aware that the Empress Dowager would embarrass him, he could only bite the bullet.

Ye Yang could only tidy up a bit and went to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to pay a formal visit to the Empress Dowager. 

At this time, the Empress Dowager was praying to Buddha, leaving Ye Yang to stand and wait in the hall. His body was still wounded, but no chair was to be found in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility and all servants regarded him as nonexistent. As was anticipated, the Empress Dowager requested his presence for an initial show of strength.

He stood with his sore legs, not yet healed of the flu. He coughed a few times, but the Empress Dowager took her sweet time coming. Wan Juan was waiting outside the hall, edgy for fear that Ye Yang would be bullied. However, she lacked the experience to deal with such situations. She genuinely didn’t know what to do. After contemplating the matter, she had no choice but to wait for an opportunity to sneak away and find Mama Li.

Ye Yang waited in the hall for more than half an hour, but the Empress Dowager still didn’t appear. Instead, he spotted a young female court official dressed in men’s clothing striding inside the hall. Seeing him here, she couldn’t restrain herself from grinning. Turning her head, she told the maid next to her, “Yun shijun is ailing. Why don’t you find a chair for Yun shijun?”

Before she even finished speaking, Ye Yang noticed the small words from the favorability score pop up close to her. 

「Ming Yan’s current favorability score has been increased by 5, current favorability score is 35」

Ming Yan?

Ye Yang was not surprised.

This was the Empress Dowager’s favorite niece related by blood, one of the three bigwigs of the court battle, and the future virtuous imperial concubine! 

But Ming Yan’s initial favorability score…… Why was it so high?

His heart was bursting with doubts. Anyway, that maid brought him a chair. He just sat down when the Empress Dowager came out.

Ye Yang had to rise to his feet again and saluted. The Empress Dowager’s eyes slid over his figure and got straight to the point, uttering, “Yun shijun has been favored recently. You ought to persuade His Majesty to not spoil only one person.”

Ye Yang couldn’t help nodding in agreement, “yes, yes, yes. Your Majesty, you’re completely right. It is necessary to treat each and every person equally.” 

Ming Yan coughed twice, doing her utmost to wink at him.

The Empress Dowager didn’t anticipate that he’d agree so quickly. After remaining stunned for a moment, she continued, “at His Majesty’s age, he has no male offspring. I have been quite distraught.”

Ye Yang unreservedly concurred with her, “do not fret, Your Majesty. When I return, I will make sure to persuade His Majesty to go to Imperial Concubine Chu and Imperial Concubine Shen more often on weekdays, and will strive to continue offering joss sticks and burning candles at the temple for the imperial family, so the blood of the ancestors will be passed on and seventeen princes will be born!”

When he said so, he was still a bit excited and waved his hand fiercely. His wide sleeve was thrown back right on Feng Luan’s face, who had appeared behind him at some point. 

The two stared at each other, the scene suddenly becoming flustering.

Ye Yang dragged the corners of his mouth upwards, “Your…… Your Majesty……”

Feng Luan, “……”

The Empress Dowager beamed and stated, “Your Majesty, you have come at the right time. Listen to Yun shijun’s advice, how incredibly magnanimous and virtuous he is. Prime Minister Yun has raised a good child indeed.” 

Feng Luan gritted his teeth and fixed his gaze on Ye Yang.

“Zhen has arrived late and has not heard how Yun shijun intends to persuade zhen.” With a smile formed on his lips, he spoke to Ye Yang bitingly, “Yun shijun, why don’t you…… say. It. Again?”