Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 114

Wu Jing was terrified, thinking about the secret medicine and the day-and-night application, and the matter of the Crown Prince today.

 

He was crying so hard that he nearly lost his breath, feeling his belly swelling more and more, with a growing sense of pressure inside.

 

He was sobbing and crying out, unable to articulate his desire to not give birth, and could only make incoherent sounds with his face covered in tears.

 

He was genuinely frightened, and his fear was compounded by the sensation of swelling.

 

Tensing up and crying out, he also started to swell even more.

 

Ning Qinghong’s soothing words were not heard by him anymore. By the time he finished, he was gently pressing and kneading Wu Jing’s soft, slightly swollen belly, gradually squeezing out whatever was inside.

 

Wu Jing’s cries became more intense, struggling and resisting in desperation, faintly believing that something was urgently trying to come out of his belly, crying with tears streaming down his face and a blocked nose, breathing with his mouth open and saliva connecting to his lips.

 

He cried even more, and his body tensed further.

 

It was unclear whether he was more frightened or more thrilled.

 

Ning Qinghong gently coaxed, “Wu Wu, take a look down, okay?”

 

Wu Jing only shook his head while struggling with his eyes closed, desperately trying to shrink back.

 

He dared not look.

 

Ning Qinghong sighed softly, kissing Wu Jing’s ear and neck to soothe him silently, while continuing his actions. After a while, seeing that nothing more could be pressed out, he said, “Brother will give Wu Wu a kiss?”

 

Wu Jing blinked through his tearful eyes, instinctively lifting his face and offering his slightly parted lips.

 

Despite his legs still trembling, his throat was still making intermittent sobbing sounds, and he cried uncontrollably.

 

Yet he clearly heard the few words and obediently sought the kiss, sniffling and closing his eyes, “Brother, brother kiss.”

 

He was remarkably obedient.

 

Ning Qinghong kissed him tenderly for a while, and once Wu Jing’s emotions had calmed down and his crying had subsided, he gently said, “Wu Wu’s belly isn’t swollen anymore.”

 

Wu Jing was stunned, looking down at his belly as instructed.

 

He finally could comprehend what Ning Qinghong was saying.

 

Ning Qinghong softly continued, “It’s already deflated, isn’t it?”

 

Wu Jing nodded slightly after a moment, still sniffling.

 

The young man was completely disoriented, staring at his soft belly with his legs spread, too scared to look but wanting to see.

 

Ning Qinghong gently guided Wu Jing’s hand, teaching him how to use his slender fingers to massage, “Wu Wu is all cleared out, so it’s not swollen anymore. Don’t cry, okay?”

 

Wu Jing’s hand was held by Ning Qinghong, unable to pull away.

 

After a few rubs on his belly, he couldn’t bear it and began to tense up.

 

Ning Qinghong’s gentle voice continued, “Brother was just scaring Wu Wu earlier. Although the medicine exists, it’s meant for women. Even if Wu Wu used it day and night, it wouldn’t have any effect.”

 

Wu Jing was gasping, his vision blurring again, dazed and responding with a crying voice, “Brother… heavy… heavy—”

 

Ning Qinghong paused his massage slightly, “Shall I rub a bit harder?”

 

Wu Jing tightly closed his eyes, making faint crying sounds, and nodded.

 

Ning Qinghong then moved his fingers slightly deeper, without much action yet.

 

Wu Jing arched his toes, his eyes nearly rolling back, exhaling a long, hot breath, and making some more noise.

 

By late at night, Wu Jing, who could barely speak clearly due to the confusion from the previous night, was carried out of the hot spring pool, bathed and cleaned up, dressed in sleeping garments, and wrapped in a crane cloak by Ning Qinghong, and brought back to the palace.

 

Upon entering the curtain of the bed, he was already resting on Ning Qinghong’s shoulder, mumbling in his sleep.

 

The young man slept in Ning Qinghong’s arms all night, and when he woke up on a cold autumn morning, he found the bedding warm. Still groggy, he instinctively leaned in to kiss the corner of Ning Qinghong’s lips.

 

When he came to his senses, the chaotic memories of last night came rushing back.

 

How he had been deliberately frightened while his mind was muddled, and then tricked into rubbing his own belly.

 

He was so overwhelmed that he felt flushed and a bit angry, but he couldn’t stay mad for long.

 

After a moment of stifling his feelings, he playfully wanted to wake Ning Qinghong, but also comfortably buried himself deeper into Ning Qinghong’s embrace.

 

Ning Qinghong woke up, “Wu Wu?”

 

Wu Jing ignored him.

 

“Wu Wu can’t sleep in today.”

 

“We need to head back by around the hour of the Si (9:00 AM). We’re in the wilderness; if we fall behind, it might attract the attention of those with ill intentions.”

 

“Once we return to the capital, the people will want to see Wu Wu again. When we get back to the palace, Wu Wu can sleep a bit more.”

 

Ning Qinghong spoke softly.

 

Wu Jing turned over, curling into the blanket, and his posture clearly showed his annoyance.

 

Ning Qinghong chuckled, “Then I’ll let Wu Wu sleep a bit longer.”

 

Wu Jing was hugged from behind and fell back to sleep in the warmth, dozing off again.

 

When he woke up, he was already in the carriage returning to the palace.

 

He was unsure when the medicine had been applied, and besides not wearing the morning crown, he was dressed in his dragon robe.

 

Sitting on Ning Qinghong’s lap, hugging his neck, he was still a bit dazed and staring blankly.

 

Before entering the capital, he quickly washed up in the carriage, donned the twelve-peak crown, and boarded the sedan chair. As he had become somewhat familiar with the routine, he dared to doze off a little, even as he was being watched by others, and returned to the palace in a semi-drowsy state.

 

After being teased so late last night, he was determined to catch up on sleep today.

 

Recently, during the Double Ninth Festival, there is a three-day holiday, and Wu Jing doesn’t have to attend the Guozijian (Imperial Academy), allowing him to stay comfortably in the palace’s Yangxin Hall rather than lodging at Ning Mansion for the journey.

 

However, after lunch, before he could nap, Ning Qinghong woke him up, saying it was time to attend a lecture from the Left Chancellor.

 

Wu Jing was shocked and stood still for a while before coming to his senses and anxiously tugging at Ning Qinghong’s sleeve, “I heard from my classmates that there’s a three-day holiday for the Double Ninth Festival?” He was in a hurry, “I saw the imperial decree you issued a few days ago, it was written clearly.”

 

Ning Qinghong smiled gently, “Wu Wu usually has to study court affairs with brother, make friends at the Guozijian, and listen to the Left Chancellor’s lectures. If you’re not diligent, how can you manage?”

 

Wu Jing protested quietly, “But everyone else has a holiday…”

 

Ning Qinghong firmly replied, “Wu Wu only needs to study for one hour each afternoon. If there is a holiday, then you can make up the hour on the day after the Guozijian’s ten-day break, which is the afternoon of the day you come to court every three days, okay?”

 

So it’s a holiday but still has to make up for two hours of lessons?

 

Wu Jing felt disheartened, knowing he couldn’t resist, and nodded reluctantly, “Then brother, please accompany me.”

 

Ning Qinghong laughed softly and agreed.

 

In the afternoon, when Wu Jing was forced to listen to the Left Chancellor’s lengthy lecture in the Imperial Study, he was a bit displeased. The previous day, the Left Chancellor and the Empress Dowager had tried to pressure him into choosing a consort, leading to the Crown Prince situation and the shock he had experienced that night.

 

Wu Jing was somewhat annoyed, but he knew the Left Chancellor meant well, considering the royal interests, so he couldn’t really complain.

 

Ning Qinghong was beside him, sipping tea and listening along,

 

Wu Jing dared not lose focus.

 

He listened for an entire day, making little progress, and barely understood the famine that occurred during the late Emperor’s reign and why it was handled the way it was.

 

The next day, he forgot it all again.

 

After repeating this for three days,

 

He finally remembered it all.

 

When the holiday was over and he could leave the palace for Ning Mansion, Wu Jing’s eyes brightened. He wanted to drag Ning Qinghong and run to the carriage, and that night, he went to visit the Double Ninth Festival night market.

 

He truly acted like a common young master, wearing a cornelian flower, holding hands with someone, and bought several pieces of Double Ninth cake to take home.

 

But the following half-month, he still couldn’t escape. He listened to the Left Chancellor’s lectures several more times, accompanied Ning Qinghong in reviewing memorials, and became familiar with a few ministers’ names and surnames.

 

But that was about it.

 

Whenever those ministers removed their official robes and changed into casual clothes, Wu Jing couldn’t recognize them again. He thought he still needed to study more.

 

However, today after school, when he came out of the Guozijian and climbed into the carriage as usual, he didn’t see the familiar figure inside the carriage.

 

Ning Qinghong usually came to pick him up every day.

 

Wu Jing waited for a while, but the carriage started moving directly. He peeked out from the carriage curtain, looking at the attendant, hesitating to speak.

 

The attendant noticed the young prince’s gaze and asked, “Does His Highness wish to inquire about Lord’s whereabouts?” He paused, lowering his voice, “Lord is in a bad mood today and did not go out.”

 

Is he ill again?

 

Wu Jing wondered.