Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 112

Ning Qinghong had been comforting Wu Jing for a long time, but Wu Jing hadn’t calmed down.

The young man seemed genuinely terrified, ignoring everything around him, only managing to awkwardly huddle in someone’s arms, curling up tightly, trembling uncontrollably, sniffing, and emitting faint sobs.

Even if someone came in, he would only let out a few muffled cries, unable to hide or avoid anyone.

Only staying in Ning Qinghong’s embrace made him feel secure.

No matter how harsh or unbearable the situation was, he clung tightly, crying out “brother” over and over, completely oblivious to his own identity or surroundings, his mind focused solely on the person in front of him.

Forget about the previously established words that could end the situation; he just whimpered and sobbed. When Ning Qinghong tried to take him out, Wu Jing, terrified, shook his head and buried his face even deeper, saying, “No, don’t go.”

“Brother won’t leave. Don’t go.”

“Don’t separate from brother…”

When Wu Jing held onto him tightly, he sank even deeper, trembling all over, still clutching tightly, and refusing to let go even a bit.

Ning Qinghong gently comforted him, “Wu Wu, be good. Brother won’t leave. Let’s go out first, okay?”

Wu Jing shook his head, crying heavily through his nose, “Lying to me, I won’t listen. I don’t want brother to leave.” He desperately buried his face forward, which made him sink even deeper.

He was completely buried.

Wu Jing cried until he suddenly opened his mouth wide, closing his eyes tightly and gasping as he let out a muffled whimper, his body tensing slightly for a while before softening.

After just a little of the sticky tears had flowed, he slightly calmed down, continuing to hold tightly and crying, “No, don’t go.”

“Don’t tie me up.”

“I want brother, I don’t want to be tied up…”

Ning Qinghong reassured him, “Okay, I won’t tie you up. Brother won’t leave.” He gently patted Wu Jing’s back and hair, softly asking, “Hmm?”

After soothing him for a long time, Wu Jing’s cries gradually weakened.

The sound of Wu Jing sniffing also grew fainter.

Ning Qinghong moved the damp bedding aside, picked up the fallen cloak, and placed it over Wu Jing’s back before lying down with him, holding him close to rest.

The room was warm with the stove and charcoal fire, so it wasn’t cold.

Wu Jing, nestled between the cloak and Ning Qinghong, was enveloped in warmth and fell asleep peacefully. But whenever Ning Qinghong moved, Wu Jing would uneasily murmur.

Ning Qinghong sighed softly, touched the swelling around his eyes to check, and then let the young man hold him, adjusting to this position to rest.

They stayed like this all night.

The next morning, Wu Jing, still groggy, was woken by a kiss. Still not fully awake, he cried again right away.

In the same position as last night, he cried and swallowed his saliva.

Ning Qinghong gently kissed his brow and withdrew, asking, “Wu Wu?”

Wu Jing’s drunkenness from the previous night had completely faded. After a while of whimpering, he suddenly pushed Ning Qinghong away and scrambled to the ground, stumbling over a red ribbon on the floor. Angrier, he kicked the ribbon and the other fallen objects multiple times to vent his frustration, while wiping his tears.

Ning Qinghong dressed and got out of bed.

Wu Jing had already moved to sit on the nearby beauty couch, his back turned to Ning Qinghong, and was randomly wiping his tears, occasionally sniffing.

Ning Qinghong picked up the red cords from the floor, cleaned them in a copper basin of clear water, wiped them with a cloth, and put them back in the wooden box.

The red ribbon hadn’t gotten dirty, so he rolled it up and placed it in a concealed spot.

The bedding that had gotten wet last night was now dry. He folded the wrinkled parts and prepared to have the servants take it away soon.

When he went to hold Wu Jing, he was pushed away.

Wu Jing’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, and he said angrily, “I’m not talking to you.”

Ning Qinghong reached out again, speaking gently, “But Wu Wu needs to wash up, change into new clothes, and put on some medicine, okay?”

Wu Jing hesitated, was comforted, and allowed himself to be held. He said softly, “Then I’ll come down after it’s done.”

Ning Qinghong agreed lightly, “Your eyes are swollen too, we’ll put some medicine on them later.”

He had been so cruel and had cried so much.

“It’s all your fault,” Wu Jing mumbled over and over. Thinking about how he was tricked and ended up hugging Ning Qinghong and sleeping the whole night without getting up made his face flush with embarrassment.

After everything was cleaned up, Wu Jing, as he had said, truly ignored everyone. Ning Qinghong’s attitude remained unchanged, continuing to comfort Wu Jing in the morning and evening with medicine.

Wu Jing had not gone to the Imperial Academy for the past few days. Only on the Double Ninth Festival did this one-sided cold war come to an end. As the emperor, he was dressed more formally today, wearing a dragon robe embroidered with golden threads and adorned with nine dragons. He had to board the imperial carriage and head to the outskirts of the city with the officials.

They would perform a ritual on the mountaintop altar to worship heaven and ancestors and pray for favorable weather in the coming year. After the ceremony, they would have a chrysanthemum feast at the half-mountain palace.

Ning Qinghong was inside the carriage with the officials and did not ride in the imperial carriage with Wu Jing.

The imperial carriage had curtains partially blocking the view, and the emperor’s face was further shielded by a crown with twelve tassels. Apart from hearing the cheers and comments of the surrounding people, Wu Jing was a bit nervous but gradually became accustomed to it.

He remembered Ning Qinghong’s instructions, not looking around or lowering his head, and stared straight ahead, not daring to move. After a long while, he began to daydream.

He didn’t dare to fidget with his hands to pass the time and held on until they left the city. He jumped down from the carriage and was led to Ning Qinghong’s carriage. In front of the officials, he bowed his head and got in.

The procession started again.

As soon as Wu Jing was in the carriage, he nestled close to Ning Qinghong, his heart still racing, feeling that he had truly accomplished something today by sitting for so long in front of so many people.

Ning Qinghong received him with a smile, “Just showing yourself to the people, and you’re already so nervous?”

Wu Jing shook his head, “No, no.”

Ning Qinghong patted him gently and comforted, “Wu Wu needs to learn these things. Besides the Double Ninth Festival, there will be many important days in the future where you’ll have to make appearances.”

“Let the people remember you, and you’ll gain public favor.”

“Have you memorized the blessing words for later?”

Wu Jing hesitated and nodded, nervously curling his fingers around Ning Qinghong’s.

Ning Qinghong whispered, “Brother will go with Wu Wu.”

Wu Jing finally relaxed.

The official road to the mountaintop had been repaired long ago. The procession moved steadily up the mountain, and after half an hour, they finally came to a halt.

Wu Jing thought they were about to disembark, but Ning Qinghong held him back. Seeing Ning Qinghong shake his head slightly, Wu Jing didn’t understand what was happening. The outside noise continued until it gradually quieted, and then the sound of a brush was heard, “Master, Your Majesty, we’re ready.”

Ning Qinghong said, “Let them wait a bit longer.”

The brush replied immediately, “Yes.”

Ning Qinghong leisurely sipped tea, “It’s not time yet. Let them wait a bit longer. When they’re tired, they’ll be thinking about when the emperor will arrive, and then we’ll go down.”

Wu Jing, bewildered, nodded.

After waiting for half an hour, the brush came again, “Master, it’s time.”

Soon, the curtain of the carriage was lifted by slender fingers, and Ning Qinghong, in his crimson official robe, led the young emperor, Wu Jing, down from the carriage.

A grand procession of palace servants and guards followed them as they walked slowly to the altar.

The autumn wind at the mountaintop was fierce, and the officials stood on either side, shivering from the cold but dared not make a sound. When they heard the eunuch announce, “His Majesty has arrived—” everyone let out a collective sigh of relief and knelt down, “Paying respects to Your Majesty—”

Wu Jing couldn’t help but want to hide behind Ning Qinghong but was tightly held by his hand. He looked up slightly, gazing at the person in the official robe next to him.

Ning Qinghong kept his eyes forward, walking at a steady pace. As his crimson sleeves fluttered in the wind, he seemed to say something.

After a moment, the wind carried his words to Wu Jing’s ear, “Don’t be afraid.”

The Astronomer’s Office on the altar recited a long series of ceremonial words. Only when the emperor approached did they deeply bow and hold up the imperial edict, making themselves into a human platform.

Wu Jing took a deep breath and recited, “We revere the blessings of the Emperor of Heaven, gather the spirits of the earth, bring wind and rain, so that all living things may thrive. We worship the spirit of the earth, honor the gods of heaven, inspire wind and rain, so that all plants and creatures may flourish.”

The Astronomer’s Office bowed again, then stood up and continued the ceremony, with music and drums gradually starting. Ning Qinghong held Wu Jing’s hand, guiding him to take the jade vessel presented by the palace servants and place it on the altar. He then helped Wu Jing take up the knife to sacrifice the pigs and poultry.

Since it was only the Double Ninth Festival, the ceremony concluded with the recitation of blessings and the offering of the jade vessel. 

Ning Qinghong stood tall and composed, speaking quietly to Wu Jing amidst the sounds of the Astronomer’s Office, “At the palace banquet later, I need to discuss something with you.”

Seeing Ning Qinghong speak to him in a low voice, Wu Jing’s nervousness diminished somewhat. He leaned closer and asked, “What is it?”

“About the crown prince.”

Ning Qinghong said.