Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 20
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These toys were meant for children. If they were given to a real three-year-old child, the child would likely cling to them and refuse to let go. But Wu Jing was only pretending to be foolish; he wasn’t truly foolish.
He shook the bright red rattle, shook the rattling stone fish, blew on the bamboo dragonfly twice, squeezed the cloth tiger, and touched the lifelike ceramic figurine. He very graciously interacted with each item.
Despite being quite moved, he quickly lost interest in them.
The noise he made with these toys didn’t draw any attention from the cabinet ministers who were holding a small morning meeting with the eunuch. They all remained quietly attentive, not looking up at all.
These days, the eunuch’s concern for the young emperor was evident inside and outside the palace. Although few took it to heart, no one wanted to spoil the mood.
Among these ministers were some who collaborated with Ning Qinghong and others who had to bow to the circumstances, but each one of them, having survived and held a close position under Ning Qinghong, were adept at reading people’s moods.
Clearly, they were accustomed to the eunuch’s mood swings—cordial to everyone when in a good mood, and a demonic rage when in a bad mood.
Although the emperor was at the age of high ambition, he was mentally impaired. If Wu Jing weren’t foolish, it would have made them uneasy.
They feared that the emperor might be trying to curry favor and maneuver under the eunuch’s control, gradually accumulating power, aligning with the Left Prime Minister, secretly growing stronger, and ultimately dragging down those who had long stood with Ning Qinghong and coveted imperial power.
That would be truly terrifying.
But unfortunately, although Wu Jing wasn’t foolish, he couldn’t even remember an official’s title. He stuffed a sweet malt candy into his mouth, without a thought of reclaiming power.
He just wanted to go to the Imperial Garden and play with the dogs.
Wu Jing climbed onto the imperial table, carefully folding the wax paper from his malt candy into a small square and placing it back on the wooden tray.
As for the nine-linked ring puzzle, he didn’t touch it.
In his previous life, there were plenty of small gadgets to pass the time in his class. People even brewed tea during lessons. Any new item would be passed from the front row to the back for everyone to play with.
He had played with the nine-linked ring puzzle when it became popular due to a drama. As a high school student who had gone through nine years of compulsory education, he easily solved it by watching a video and even taught the method to the students sitting around him.
But now, as a supposed fool, he could only shake it like a rattle, enjoying the “ding-ding” sound.
Wu Jing shook it, chewing on the sticky malt candy in his mouth, and then put it down, looking uninterested. He turned to watch Ning Qinghong, who was listening to someone speak.
“… The disaster relief funds allocated to Jiangnan recently—” The minister’s words were cut off by Ning Qinghong, “How much was embezzled?”
Wu Jing hadn’t been paying attention earlier but caught this part of Ning Qinghong’s question, which piqued his curiosity.
The minister bowed his head, “About a thousand taels.”
Ning Qinghong’s expression didn’t change, “Speak.”
He didn’t seem angry.
These ministers, who had gained their positions through connections, were well-versed in the art of gift-giving and receiving. They also had some knowledge, which allowed them to stand before Ning Qinghong.
The most corrupt of them sat before Wu Jing, smiling faintly without a hint of emotion.
Wu Jing listened as the minister listed a series of names and detailed how much silver had been received and when and where, finding Ning Qinghong’s methods somewhat terrifying.
“Of the twenty thousand taels of disaster relief funds, a thousand taels are already missing before reaching Jiangnan.” Ning Qinghong sighed, “The Assistant Minister of the Treasury couldn’t guard the money. Send someone to tell him that some money cannot be touched.”
“I want every tael he gave away to be retrieved in full.” His tone was light, but the coldness within his words was unmistakable.
With that, the eunuch lowered his eyebrows and left with small steps.
It was clearly not a decent method, or they would have already held evidence and issued an imperial decree.
Then Ning Qinghong asked, “What about the ten thousand taels?”
Another minister stepped forward, “The Right Minister of Works took the water route and didn’t stop. After taking office, he held a banquet and gave some of the money to the local magistrates. One of them is a distant relative of the Minister of Revenue.” He indicated the amount, “Five thousand taels.”
Ning Qinghong responded nonchalantly, showing no intention of pursuing it.
Wu Jing, listening, was completely confused.
The minister continued intermittently, “This ten thousand taels was cobbled together by the Ministry of Revenue…” He gauged Ning Qinghong’s reaction, “I think it would suffice to send someone to the Ministry of Revenue after leaving the palace to give them a warning?”宁轻鸿以
In a consulting tone, he said, “Shall we send Master Zhang?” He smiled faintly, looking at the last person, “After all, he knows whose man you are.”
Curious, Wu Jing followed his gaze. It was Grand Academician Zhang, who had stopped the Left Prime Minister from running into the pillar in the imperial study the other day. The man responded with a “yes.”
The ministers under the imperial table continued their discussion.
Wu Jing finished the malt candy in his mouth and glanced at Ning Qinghong, then tried to unwrap another piece of wax paper.
Ning Qinghong, holding a scroll, lightly patted Wu Jing’s hand, “No more eating.”
His tone was gentle yet helpless.
The emperor, used to this, slumped back down.
The hall fell silent for a moment. The ministers exchanged glances, coughed lightly, and continued speaking, secretly wondering if the palace rumors were true.
Had the emperor truly become the eunuch’s pet?
Why else would he stay in the palace day and night?
The small morning meeting ended half an hour later. Wu Jing buried his face in the cloth tiger, lying on the table, bored to the point of mold.
The hall fell silent again, with only the sound of Ning Qinghong flipping through memorials and writing with his vermillion brush. After a long time, he glanced at the emperor.
Wu Jing, cradling the festive cloth tiger in his arm, rested his face against it, his cheek squished by the soft fabric. He seemed to be daydreaming, staring blankly without focusing on anything, yet not blinking as he watched Ning Qinghong.
When Ning Qinghong moved his hand, Wu Jing’s gaze followed the brush in his hand. The toys around him, making “ding ding” sounds, didn’t catch his attention.
He seemed uninterested in playing with any of them.
Except for food, which was even harder to please than he was.
“Does Your Majesty want to write?” Ning Qinghong asked.
Wu Jing, snapped back to reality, blinked in confusion, pretending not to understand.
He was just bored, looking around.
But Ning Qinghong had other thoughts. He squinted at Wu Jing for a long moment, contemplating something, then smiled and had the palace attendants bring out a set of the Four Treasures of the Study.
Pen, ink, paper, and inkstone were laid out in front of Wu Jing, and the wolf-hair brush that Ning Qinghong had been holding was placed in Wu Jing’s hand.
Nervously holding the brush, Wu Jing didn’t know what Ning Qinghong intended. He mimicked Ning Qinghong’s earlier actions, scribbling randomly on the paper, “Wu Wu wants to play with Brother.”
He smiled, his eyebrows curving.
The white paper was covered in red scribbles.
Looking at this, the returning eunuch, Fuchen, felt a headache, but Ning Qinghong indulgently let Wu Jing mess around, patiently explaining, “Brother is writing, not playing.”
Ning Qinghong seemed to enjoy overseeing Wu Jing’s every move, whether eating, drinking, waking, or sleeping. Wu Jing, though bored, never mentioned wanting to play in the Imperial Garden when Ning Qinghong was around.
Now, he could only comply with Ning Qinghong’s wishes.
“Writing?” Wu Jing asked, confused. He scribbled two more strokes on the white paper, seriously saying, “Wu Wu is writing.” He seemed very happy, “Brother, look, Wu Wu is playing with Brother.”
Ning Qinghong picked up the cloth tiger that Wu Jing had been lying on and put it aside, “Wu Wu doesn’t want to play with these, wants to play with Brother?”
Wu Jing, hearing something that made him happy, repeated, “Play with Brother!”
When ignored by Ning Qinghong, he quietly kept to himself, not making any fuss. When hungry, he ate; when sleepy, he slept.
When Ning Qinghong paid attention to him, he happily clung to him, with “Brother” on his mind, easily satisfied.
“Wu Wu, come here.” Ning Qinghong’s eyes softened, smiling as he beckoned. Wu Jing got up and walked to him, step by step, until Ning Qinghong pulled the young emperor in front of him.
Sitting while Wu Jing stood, they faced the piles of memorials. Watching Ning Qinghong become interested, he guided Wu Jing’s awkwardly held vermillion brush, leading him to write on the memorials.
Wu Jing obediently stayed still, wide-eyed, marveling at the elegant symbols Ning Qinghong helped him write.
Though using the emperor’s hand to approve memorials, it finally gave some legitimacy to the Great Zhou’s emperor.
Fuchen stepped forward, “Master, if outsiders learn that you let the emperor approve memorials, they might…”
Ning Qinghong smiled, “Might what?”
Fuchen, anxious, closed his mouth.
Ning Qinghong continued, “Those who talk too much can be killed.”
Wu Jing’s hand shook, smearing the characters. Realizing he had exposed himself too much, he knew he couldn’t let Ning Qinghong discover he wasn’t a fool.
He hurriedly tried to pull his hand back, backing away, stammering, “It’s ugly now. Brother doesn’t want ugly. Wu Wu will play by himself.”
Ning Qinghong tightly held Wu Jing’s hand, “Wu Wu, don’t move.”
Wu Jing, unable to control himself, fell back, shaking his head, “Won’t move. Wu Wu will be good.”
Ning Qinghong reassured him, “It’s okay.” He used the vermillion brush to cross out the smeared characters, “We can just erase it. What is Wu Wu afraid of?”
His tone was calm and unhurried, as if asking something else.
Wu Jing held his breath, feigning disappointment. “If I do something wrong, Brother won’t play with Wu Wu anymore.”
Ning Qinghong laughed, “How could that be?” He whispered softly, “Brother enjoys playing with Wu Wu very much.”
He was almost whispering into Wu Jing’s ear, his breath light and gentle, sending shivers down Wu Jing’s spine.
It almost made him think Ning Qinghong had seen through his act.
But Wu Jing knew that the toys Ning Qinghong gave him today showed he believed he was truly a fool.
Wu Jing pretended his ear was tickled by Ning Qinghong’s breath, instinctively leaning away. “It tickles,” he said, scrunching his face. “Something is biting Wu Wu.”
Ning Qinghong chuckled, “There are no bugs in the hall, Your Majesty worries too much.” He then took Wu Jing’s hand to continue reviewing the memorials, “I suppose Your Majesty has never reviewed a memorial?”
“Today, this humble servant will teach Your Majesty.”
Although he spoke grandly and looked considerate, Wu Jing had no real choice but to comply, not daring to move in Ning Qinghong’s embrace.
Holding Wu Jing’s hand to review the memorials, Ning Qinghong, though reading quickly, was much slower than usual. Ink smudged Wu Jing’s sleeve and fingertips.
Sitting uncomfortably and feeling his hand ache, Wu Jing quickly erased any feelings of gratitude he had for Ning Qinghong.
Slowly, seeing that Ning Qinghong was seriously reviewing the memorials, Wu Jing relaxed. Slightly tilting his head, he could see Ning Qinghong’s focused expression.
He still looked annoyingly handsome.
Inwardly, Wu Jing grumbled.
Suddenly, Ning Qinghong seemed to notice, “Is Wu Wu looking at Brother?” He smiled, lifting his brush, “This humble servant is working hard, but Your Majesty isn’t focused at all.”
“This calls for a punishment.”
He drew a red line on Wu Jing’s face.
Then, as if feeling guilty, he gently wiped Wu Jing’s face with his thumb. The vermillion smeared across Wu Jing’s pale face, spreading wherever Ning Qinghong touched, forming a mess.
Wu Jing could only blink in confusion, not understanding what Ning Qinghong was doing, thinking his brother was still playing with him.
He silently fumed, letting himself be played with like a soft bun.
Don’t think he didn’t know Ning Qinghong was pinching his face!
After a moment, Ning Qinghong withdrew his hand, sighing, “It won’t come off.” He finally relented, “Alright, take His Majesty to wash his face.”
Wu Jing’s face was a mess, clearly not something a damp cloth could quickly clean.
Angrily, Wu Jing allowed the palace servants to lead him away.
Only then did Fuchen step forward to help Ning Qinghong wash his hands.
Ning Qinghong simply gestured for him to step back, savoring something, “That tabby cat raised by the Empress Dowager feels quite different from His Majesty.”
One is a puppy, one is a person; of course, they feel different.
Fuchen, unsure why his master was making such a comparison, cautiously said, “Master, why did His Majesty suddenly shake earlier?”
Ning Qinghong smiled, “How would I know?”
Fuchen continued cautiously, “If…”
He feared the same thing as the cabinet ministers. He knew Ning Qinghong didn’t care at all.
When healthy, Ning Qinghong had the power to keep the court in check. If sick, he cared even less. His master didn’t care about himself, let alone other matters.
Fuchen carefully advised, “Master, just in case…”
Ning Qinghong, rubbing the vermillion left on his fingers, only smiled, “If he’s pretending, it’s too convincing.”
Even putting secret memorials in front of the emperor wouldn’t get them remembered.
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Lemon2
Aaaa the plot is starting to excite me. Definitely interesting🫡