Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 117

Setting aside the fact that Ning Qinghong waiting for him all day seemed quite unusual, upon further reflection, Wu Jing sensed a hint of absurdity in the situation.

He stopped and looked at the servant with suspicion.

Fu Chen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. “The Lord indeed stayed in the palace all day because Your Majesty was not present. He only had a bowl of medicinal soup for his meals.”

Hearing this, Wu Jing was initially anxious. Although he knew that Ning Qinghong was often like this when ill, he still worried. However, his earlier suspicion remained, and he couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

As he walked with Fu Chen, he eventually realized that Ning Qinghong hadn’t explicitly said he had waited for him all day. It could have been Fu Chen’s own assumption…

Wu Jing calmed down and continued walking, but another thought crossed his mind: what if this was intentional?

Why would someone say this to him?

He felt somewhat alert, sensing that the situation seemed like a carefully set trap for him, but he couldn’t figure it out.

Recalling how he had spent the entire day with Ning Qinghong yesterday and how his sick brother had been very kind to him, his fears subsided somewhat. He was no longer so frightened.

He wondered if Ning Qinghong also missed him.

Wu Jing hurried to his quarters, pushed open the door, and called out softly, “Brother?!” The room was unlit, only faintly illuminated by moonlight. He could see a figure in a large snow cloak leaning against the armchair, but the details were obscured.

The servants stayed far outside, not daring to look inside.

The young Emperor rushed over, kneeling on the chair to embrace the person. He apologized softly, “I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”

“But today, I followed your instructions. I got up early for the morning court, had almond porridge made by the palace chefs after the court, and listened to the ministers discuss state affairs.”

“I even paid attention during the Left Chancellor’s lecture this afternoon and didn’t slack off.”

Wu Jing said sincerely.

“I missed you.”

“Did you miss me too?”

He continued speaking softly, snuggling close and pressing his warm body against the other. The last two sentences were barely above a whisper.

Even in the darkness, it was clear he was eagerly looking at him.

Wu Jing thought he needed to be more proactive, especially since Ning Qinghong was ill. He tentatively sought a place to position himself.

He held his breath slightly, but being so close, the warmth of his breath was easily felt.

Wu Jing lifted his face, not being able to see clearly, he randomly kissed the person’s face, not knowing exactly where he kissed, only hearing a soft “smack.”

He asked quietly, “Why aren’t you speaking?”

After a long pause, a sigh was heard from the darkness. The tone was ambiguous, seemingly a mix of regret and a subtle, almost imperceptible danger.

Ning Qinghong, with a smile that was not quite a smile, replied softly, “Of course, I miss you.”

Wu Jing, unaware of any underlying tension, cheerfully responded, “Then will you have dinner with me?”

“I’m hungry. Let’s eat something.”

Ning Qinghong paused and then stood up, taking the young emperor with him. “Alright.”

Wu Jing noticed something out of the corner of his eye, but it was too dark and obscured by the screen, so he couldn’t see clearly. He was led forward, looking ahead.

Once outside, Fu Chen approached and said, “Lord, dinner is ready in the dining hall.”

Ning Qinghong nodded slightly.

As Wu Jing arrived in the dining hall, he recounted the events of the morning court and then eagerly looked at Ning Qinghong, waiting for him to speak.

Without lifting his eyes, Ning Qinghong knew what the young emperor was thinking and asked softly, “What decision did you make after hearing the opinions of the ministers and the Left Chancellor?”

Wu Jing did not mention that he had consulted both sides and tried to find a middle ground, but Ning Qinghong seemed to anticipate this.

“The Left Chancellor reviewed the detailed reports from local officials and said the situation is not yet severe?”

“He suggested sending someone to estimate the remaining food supplies in the households.”

“And the ministers proposed reducing taxes by 20-30% initially. Depending on the situation, further decisions could be made?”

“If the food supplies are sufficient, there would be no need for further tax relief, and disaster relief food could be sent.”

“But… there’s the concern that if the situation worsens and snow blocks the roads, it may be too late for the orders and food to reach the affected areas.”

“Brother, will many people starve or freeze to death?”

Ning Qinghong’s expression remained unchanged. “There are cold disasters every year; it’s not a big deal,” he said. “In the past, we have dealt with it this way.”

“As for the disaster relief food, there’s no need to worry about it. The local officials will have grain reserves. If the situation worsens, we just need to issue an imperial decree to open the granaries.”

“But to prevent officials from being corrupt and privately hoarding the grain, we need to send a reliable commissioner from the capital along with a team.”

“Desolate and impoverished areas often breed deceitful people, so we must be cautious.”

Wu Jing tentatively asked, “What about that Zhang—Zhang something, Zhang Huzi?”

Ning Qinghong paused and gave the young emperor a long look.

Wu Jing, feeling guilty for using nicknames, explained, “There are too many people, and I have trouble remembering names… so…”

Ning Qinghong said, “He was recently sent as a supervisory official and has made a name for himself. We need someone to replace him to avoid making a scene.”

Wu Jing was curious, “Who should go then?”

Ning Qinghong did not hesitate, his eyes remaining downcast. “Let Huang Huairen go.”

Wu Jing vaguely remembered this name but could not recall much. He listened, still confused.

Ning Qinghong elaborated, “When we were appointing officials recently, Huang Huairen caused some trouble. The intention was to use him to provoke conflicts between the influential families and the Left Chancellor’s faction. Since the Left Chancellor has stepped down, Huang Huairen has been very anxious.”

“Sending him will make him focus on atoning for his mistakes and performing well. He will definitely not dare to make any trouble.” Ning Qinghong’s voice turned colder as he spoke, “He will not dare to be reckless.”

Wu Jing did not understand the details about the exams, influential families, or the troubles caused. His mind was a jumble of confusion, but he remembered Ning Qinghong’s words.

He planned to relay this information to the ministers the next day.

Wu Jing still looked at Ning Qinghong eagerly, not giving up.

Ning Qinghong’s tone softened, and after a moment, he said quietly, “Wu Wu, I’m very pleased that you’ve thought so much today.”

Wu Jing’s eyes lit up at the compliment. He was overjoyed. “Really?!”

Ning Qinghong smiled and replied calmly, “Really.”

Wu Jing happily took Ning Qinghong’s hand and went to dinner. He was very tired today and truly hungry, but he still made an effort to serve Ning Qinghong, adding extra dishes to his bowl.

He thought it was good for Ning Qinghong to eat more since he hadn’t eaten all day.

He insisted on making sure Ning Qinghong had plenty.

After dinner, when Wu Jing returned to his room after bathing, he noticed that it was still dark outside, and Fu Chen was waiting with others. When Fu Chen saw the emperor and Ning Qinghong approach, he quietly instructed, “When you go in later to light the lamps, pay close attention. If you see anything suspicious—” He didn’t finish his sentence but added, “Also, bring some fruits and hot tea. There’s no need to serve in the emperor’s courtyard tonight.”

Soon, the servants who had completed their duties were led away by Fu Chen with lowered heads.