Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 19

Wu Jing was scared into silence, his dazed mind gradually clearing up, realizing belatedly where he found the courage to vent his emotions on Ning Qinghong.

 

He remembered Ning Qinghong’s sudden appearance before him earlier, how the other could make him leave the icy dragon throne and the grand hall with just a few words.

 

And that warm embrace, the gentle soothing.

 

But it was Ning Qinghong who had forced him to attend court, the culprit who had put him in such an embarrassing situation, only to come and comfort him afterward.

 

Thinking he was a fool who knew nothing?

 

Wu Jing snorted heavily in his heart, determined not to cry in front of this lunatic.

 

He likes hearing him cry.

 

Sickening. 

 

Thinking so, Wu Jing dared not struggle to get down from Ning Qinghong’s arms, only feeling miserable as he let himself be held, experiencing the force behind each of his movements.

 

Growing up, besides his parents, it was the first time someone else had held him like this, comforting him like a child, patting his back.

 

Wu Jing couldn’t help but sniffle again.

 

Hearing his sniffles, Ning Qinghong inexplicably felt small, weak, as if scared by his words, afraid to cry, speaking even softer, “Big brother lied to Wuwu.”

 

Wu Jing hugged his neck, leaning his face against Ning Qinghong’s shoulder, the heat of his breath spraying on his ear.

 

Listening to Ning Qinghong’s soft chuckle, gently soothing him, “Big brother doesn’t like to see Wuwu cry.”

 

Liar.

 

Wu Jing thought in his heart.

 

“Wuwu doesn’t cry anymore, okay?”

 

“Big brother will take you to have breakfast.”

 

Ning Qinghong raised his hand, using his fingertips to comb through the wet hair behind Wu Jing’s head. With the coronet fallen off, the palace maid’s carefully arranged hair was all messed up, and when he moved, the Emperor’s full head of black hair cascaded like water, slipping into his hands.

 

One hand was not enough, as he passed through it, the remaining strands of hair followed suit, falling into Ning Qinghong’s hands.

 

These strands of hair, like people, soft and smooth, can be kneaded at will.

 

Wu Jing didn’t notice that his originally loose hair had completely fallen out, as he was attracted by Ning Qinghong’s words, “Eat.” He intermittently, with remaining sobs, “Want delicious food.”

 

Ning Qinghong responded with a “Hmm,” his tone even gentler, “Whatever Wuwu wants to eat, big brother will give you.”

 

Wu Jing was relieved as his frazzled nerves settled down, whispering a small “Thank you, big brother.”

 

He attempted to negotiate, relying on the person, pretending to be extremely frightened, “Wuwu doesn’t want to come here.” Wu Jing rambled, “Scared, big brother, scared.”

 

“Don’t want to play here anymore.”

 

Walking towards the dragon throne, he really didn’t want to go through that again, and besides, the dragon throne was uncomfortable to sit on, and he couldn’t move around freely.

 

Ning Qinghong patted Wu Jing twice, but said nothing.

 

Wu Jing couldn’t figure out what he meant, cursing in his heart.

 

They didn’t walk too far, about two quarters of an hour, half an hour, from the Hall to the back of the Yue Ji Hall.

 

This place was close to the Jinguang Hall, convenient for going up and down for court, handling court matters, and was mostly the place where the late Emperor lived most of the time. The Yongxin Hall could only be considered a place to occasionally rest, and after the late Emperor’s death, this place became Ning Qinghong’s territory, but he only handled court matters here, and most of the time, he still rested at home.

 

As for the Emperor, he was thrown into the unimportant Yongxin Hall.

 

Wu Jing didn’t know about this.

 

The palace was huge, and he was lucky not to get lost. No one told him, he didn’t know what those palaces were for.

 

Just knowing there would be breakfast to eat later.

 

The Emperor was safely put down, and as Wu Jing turned around, he saw a table full of dishes, his eyes, red from crying, suddenly lit up.

 

He subconsciously walked over, just as he was about to take a step, he remembered something and obediently stopped, pulling Ning Qinghong’s sleeve, “Big brother, eat?”

 

Ning Qinghong didn’t respond, only took the wet cloth handed over by the waiting eunuch, using his fingertips to lift up Wu Jing’s tear-stained little face, wiping it clean.

 

Wu Jing tilted his head back with his eyes closed, obediently not moving.

 

The force covering his face was stable, not letting up because he had held him for two quarters of an hour.

 

He looked like a noble gentleman, but his strength was not ordinary, Wu Jing thought to himself, until the cloth was moved away from his face and he heard a voice, “All done.”

 

Ning Qinghong said, “Go eat.”

 

He spoke, and Wu Jing dared to happily trot over.

 

“Wait.”

 

Wu Jing tentatively stopped, confirming that Ning Qinghong was calling him before reluctantly turning around.

 

What’s wrong now?

 

At Ning Qinghong’s signal, palace attendants approached, retying Wu Jing’s scattered black hair with a hairband and removing his heavy outer robe.

 

Wu Jing felt relieved, much more comfortable now, and looked eagerly at Ning Qinghong, “Wuwu eats?”

 

Can he eat now?

 

Ning Qinghong chuckled and agreed.

 

With a dustpan holding a copper basin, after the master cleaned his hands and sat down at the table, the attendant carefully removed the coronet for the master and whispered, “Your Majesty, the items you ordered after leaving the court earlier have been brought in from outside the palace.”

 

Ning Qinghong’s eyebrows twitched slightly, “Hmm, take them to the main hall.”

 

Waving his hand, letting the attendants carry the items away, Ning Qinghong then asked, “The Emperor’s coronet is damaged, shall the servant send some new ones to the Ministry of Internal Affairs? His Majesty’s court attire is only this set, worn today, and without spare clothes, he may not have anything to wear tomorrow.”

 

Due to the blow struck by His Highness, no one dared to mention it, so a new one had to be made.

 

Ning Qinghong picked up his chopsticks and glanced at Wu Jing, who was eating happily even though the meal hadn’t been served properly, saying, “It might be too late to worry about that.”

 

The attendant joked, “Indeed, if I were to force them, the palace maids from the Ministry of Internal Affairs would probably burst into tears.”

 

Ning Qinghong thought of something, “What about the late Emperor’s court attire and coronet?”

 

Wu Jing, eating with his head down, perked up his ears, unable to continue eating.

 

Would he want him to wear clothes of the deceased?

 

The attendant said, “Those have all been burnt, and the remaining ones have been sent into the tomb.” He pondered for a moment, “If Your Majesty wishes, the servant will immediately dispatch someone to retrieve them from the tomb.”

 

Wu Jing nearly choked, goosebumps rising all over his body. He stabbed a meatball in the plate, thinking it was pretty good, and now, trying to please him, he clumsily picked it up and put it in Ning Qinghong’s bowl, looking up at him, “It’s delicious, big brother should try.”

 

He didn’t use public chopsticks.

 

The attendant looked at the chopsticks that had been dipped in the Emperor’s saliva and now poking into the meatball, which had a hole in it as soon as the Emperor picked it up, feeling nervous and uneasy, “Let me get a new bowl of rice for Your Majesty.”

 

Ning Qinghong raised his hand, indicating there was no need.

 

Looking at Wu Jing, who looked puzzled as to why he wasn’t eating, Ning Qinghong sighed lightly, “Forget it.” He picked up the meatball and looked at Wu Jing, smiling, “I’ll spare you this time.”

 

“Don’t want to go, then don’t.”

 

Ning Qinghong said calmly, “Take your time.” He added, “Make it fit better, look nicer.”

 

Seeing that the master was indeed eating, the attendant hurriedly agreed in a low voice. When he looked up again, the way he looked at Wu Jing was different.

 

I don’t know how this little fool managed to please His Highness so much.

 

After breakfast, Wu Jing was taken to the main hall. It was much more spacious here than the study, even if all the cabinet ministers were crowded together, it didn’t seem cramped.

 

The arrangement of the main table was similar to that of the study, with a Grand Tutor’s chair beside the dragon throne. Wu Jing followed Ning Qinghong and sat down beside him, preparing to pick his nails boredly after finishing breakfast, just like he did yesterday, and then lie down to take a nap.

 

But as soon as he sat down, a palace attendant suddenly presented a golden nanmu tray in front of him, lined with red cloth and adorned with some exquisite items.

 

The first item was a redwood drum.

 

There was also a bronze or stone fish-like object. When Wu Jing touched it, it made a rustling sound as the small stones collided with each other, like a modern child’s rattle.

 

The attendant also seemed interested, “Isn’t this a clay resonant fish? It’s the favorite toy of the children outside the palace.” He chuckled, “It turns out that the items His Highness ordered the attendants to purchase after leaving the court were these.”

 

Wasn’t that the time he waited for Ning Qinghong to return while sitting on the dragon throne? Wu Jing blinked in confusion.

 

He recognized the rest of them, such as bamboo dragonflies, cloth tigers, ceramic clay figurines, malt candy wrapped in oil paper, and a nine-link puzzle made of gold and bronze.

 

Ning Qinghong seemed nostalgic as well. He picked up the drum at the front and, while Wu Jing was still in a daze, spun it deftly.

 

With a “tap tap” sound, Wu Jing was brought back to his senses. He looked up in surprise, meeting Ning Qinghong’s smiling eyes. His nose was lightly touched by the drum, then he moved away, “Why are you daydreaming again?”

 

Ning Qinghong’s tone was warm, “Didn’t Wuwu say he was bored yesterday?” He continued, “If you don’t like these, big brother can buy some new ones?”

 

Wu Jing’s eyes were still confused as he looked at these children’s toys, blinking in puzzlement.

 

Ning Qinghong stuffed the drum into Wu Jing’s hands, smiling helplessly, “Silly.”

 

He really treated himself as a fool, really took to heart what he said yesterday, and then bought these toys to keep him from being so bored.

 

Wu Jing stared blankly at the drum in his hand, keeping a trace of clarity, pretending to be stupid and asked, “For, for Wuwu?”

 

His tone was mild, and a little bit stuttering.

 

Ning Qinghong made a sound of agreement, “Hmm?” Then added, “We’ll buy new ones tomorrow. You can play with these today.”

 

Wu Jing slowly, softly said, “Oh.”

 

He didn’t know why, but he felt a little bit teary-eyed.

 

Author’s Note:

 

Jiu Qian Raise Wu Wu Diary: Give some rewards to the obedient ones from time to time.