Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 34

Fu Chen saw His Highness really heading to the dining hall and almost bowed down to thank His Majesty for these few words. As long as the meal was prepared, it would be easy. The master would eat a few bites at least. Otherwise, only drinking medicinal meals every day might not bother His Highness, but it would be torturous to watch.

 

Thinking this, Fu Chen quietly instructed the eunuch behind him to have another bowl of medicinal meal prepared. Just as he finished speaking, he saw the master suddenly stop and softly say something.

 

Wu Jing was daydreaming, trailing behind Ning Qinghong, being led along. When the person in front stopped, he didn’t stop his feet either. Only when he bumped into someone’s back with a “slap” did he raise his head in confusion to look at the person.

 

He didn’t know why this person suddenly stopped.

 

Ning Qinghong turned back to glance.

 

Wu Jing, holding his head with one hand, blinked hesitantly. In the next moment, the hand that was being held was lifted.

 

Ning Qinghong slightly bent his fingers with the hand that held Wu Jing, gently touching his forehead with the back of his hand, his eyes indifferent but his actions seemed to convey something.

 

It made Wu Jing feel uncomfortable, as if he were a child being watched by an impatient adult in everything he did.

 

Although he was pretending to be foolish, he really wasn’t paying attention to where he was going, hence the bump into someone else.

 

After the gesture, Ning Qinghong lowered his hand and continued on his way to the dining hall at a leisurely pace.

 

But Wu Jing was behind him, unable to help but look up at him, his eyes both curious and confused.

 

Fu Chen could easily tell that His Highness was not in the right state. His emotions were apparent from his actions, making it clear to see.

 

Although Wu Jing was slow, he could vaguely sense that something was off about Ning Qinghong. He seemed strange compared to before, but he didn’t know what had happened. For now, he could only observe Ning Qinghong based on his intuition.

 

Like a small creature sensitive to everything but hesitant to probe, he could only clumsily use his eyes to observe.

 

When they reached the dining hall and Ning Qinghong took his seat, Wu Jing sat down next to him as usual. Since yesterday’s lunch, he hadn’t eaten anything until now. Unlike the person beside him who could endure not eating for a day, Wu Jing was starving. He had forgotten what he had been thinking about earlier and stared eagerly at the delicious breakfast dishes on the table.

 

After the palace servants had tested each dish with a silver needle and tasted them one by one with a public chopstick, Fu Chen began to serve the dishes. After setting up the utensils, he brought over a bowl of medicinal meal.

 

Wu Jing’s eyes were practically glued to his hand.

 

In the next moment, he watched helplessly as Fu Chen only placed a set of utensils in front of Ning Qinghong. Then, he brought two bowls of pitch-black things over to the table and left them to cool.

 

“Your Highness, this is the medicinal meal prepared by the Imperial Study just now. The second bowl is freshly brewed medicine.”

 

“I’ll serve you, Your Grace.”

 

Fu Chen obviously knew His Highness’s usual tastes, so he only picked dishes that were plain and not greasy. He felt His Highness’s gaze, but he could only pretend he hadn’t seen anything.

 

His Majesty really dared to say anything, not knowing the consequences of agreeing to His Highness’s requests. It was pitiful to see.

 

On the entire eight immortals table, only a set of utensils was placed in front of Ning Qinghong. Wu Jing sat obediently in his seat, waiting for a while, and realized that after Fu Chen had served the meal, he lowered his head and left.

 

He knew they were deliberately not serving him.

 

Wu Jing was confused and saw the person beside him picking up the spoon for the medicinal meal, quietly scooping up a spoonful without looking around. Although the medicinal meal looked pitch-black, it didn’t seem unappetizing when Ning Qinghong ate it without any expression.

 

He swallowed his saliva.

 

Why weren’t they letting him eat?

 

Wu Jing was sluggish, eagerly looking at the medicinal meal in Ning Qinghong’s bowl, almost drooling.

 

Struggling to come up with a reason, could it be because he said Ning Qinghong should feed him, so… he tugged at Ning Qinghong’s sleeve, “Brother? Can Wu Wu eat?”

 

The porcelain spoon in Ning Qinghong’s hand knocked against the bowl, making a crisp sound, and he murmured, “Hmm?” with a smile that wasn’t a smile, “You want me to feed you?”

 

Wu Jing was puzzled, looking at the utensils in front of Ning Qinghong again, and decided to take responsibility for what he had said.

 

The young emperor hesitated to stand up, walked to Ning Qinghong’s side, and because Ning Qinghong’s hair still carried a hint of moisture, being too close made Wu Jing feel like he could smell the soap fragrance from Ning Qinghong’s recent hot bath.

 

At least it wasn’t that gilded rouge.

 

Wu Jing obediently stood by his side, still holding onto his sleeve. Because Ning Qinghong’s crane-repaired robe was draped over him, he only slightly gathered his fingers, causing the garment to slide off his shoulder.

 

The young man widened his eyes slightly, knowing he had done something wrong, and hurriedly and flusteredly reached out to catch the garment.

 

Ning Qinghong quietly looked at him, holding the porcelain spoon in his right hand and using the hand resting on the table to gently press down on Wu Jing’s hand that had done wrong, his fingertips only touching the wristbone, without any movement.

 

He looked relaxed, his expression was indifferent, he didn’t say a word, but it seemed like he was saying something.

 

Wu Jing cautiously moved his hand around, careful not to disturb the fabric, lifting up Ning Qinghong’s robe from his right shoulder, but before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he recoiled.

 

He vaguely felt Ning Qinghong’s gaze on him.

 

Although it was from bottom to top, he knew who had the initiative.

 

It was clear who was waiting for what.

 

Wu Jing couldn’t guess, and couldn’t predict.

 

His head was spinning. When Ning Qinghong had laid out the situation for him earlier, telling him to obediently follow along, he hadn’t quite understood.

 

And now, Ning Qinghong was just sitting there silently, waiting for him to figure it out on his own.

 

Wu Jing didn’t know whether guessing right would bring rewards or guessing wrong would bring punishment.

 

It was too cruel.

 

The hand resting on Ning Qinghong’s left shoulder was held down, and the hand reaching out to fix his right shoulder’s clothing stopped as well. In a daze and confusion, Wu Jing found himself in a stalemate with Ning Qinghong. Unable to hold out any longer, his other hand fell and rested on Ning Qinghong’s shoulder.

 

In a position that almost seemed like he was throwing himself into Ning Qinghong’s arms.

 

There was no hint of refusal on Ning Qinghong’s face, or rather, he tacitly approved, which allowed Wu Jing to cautiously approach step by step, like a small animal exploring its territory.

 

Wu Jing’s expression was too bewildered, reaching a pitiful state of confusion, yet strangely appealing.

 

He hesitated, as if probing and guessing, “Brother?”

 

Ning Qinghong murmured again, “Hmm?”

 

Wu Jing pursed his lips. “Brother, feed Wu Wu?” After asking, he added, “Like this… feeding?”

 

Despite Ning Qinghong speaking only a few words from the beginning until now, apart from briefly holding his hand, he hadn’t made any other moves, seemingly in a weaker position.

 

But from start to finish, Wu Jing had the feeling that he was being led by someone.

 

The young emperor stooped down, burying his head in a daze.

 

He sat in the person’s arms.

 

Although he was much shorter than Ning Qinghong, sitting face to face on the person’s lap, he could only barely meet Ning Qinghong’s eyes. It seemed like every step from just now until now was initiated by him. Wu Jing felt even more embarrassed than when Ning Qinghong had picked him up from the dragon throne, or when he had knelt on the spring chair last night, cradled by a large pillow and slept all night.

 

He felt like he wasn’t as hungry anymore. Each breath he exhaled seemed to be burning hot.

 

Wu Jing didn’t dare to think about what he had done. It wasn’t until Ning Qinghong finally asked him “What do you want to eat?” that he felt a bit better.

 

He needed to focus on eating!

 

Stop thinking about it!

 

Wu Jing decisively said, “I want to eat what Brother eats!”

 

Ning Qinghong, who had only drunk half of his medicinal meal, paused for a moment after hearing this, then asked again, “Really?”

 

Wu Jing nodded eagerly.

 

It must be delicious.

 

There was no choice. In Wu Jing’s eyes, Ning Qinghong had become a big glutton who indulged in eating, drinking, living, and using extravagantly, except for the bowl of medicine on the table.

 

Ning Qinghong smiled ambiguously. “Since you asked for it, then finish it all.” He calmly lifted a spoonful and placed it by Wu Jing’s lips, then said, “Eat.”

 

But Wu Jing felt that something was off. The smell was strange. He had initially thought it was the smell of traditional Chinese medicine, but now he had no room for regret.

 

Seeing him not opening his mouth, Ning Qinghong slightly raised his fingertips and touched Wu Jing’s lips, then poured the spoonful down along the closed lips.

 

Afraid of spilling it on himself, Wu Jing had no choice but to open his mouth and swallow it.

 

The medicinal meal made Wu Jing’s entire face cringe. It didn’t taste as bitter as traditional Chinese medicine, but it was fishy, greasy, and had a strange taste.

 

He couldn’t understand how Ning Qinghong could drink it down without changing his expression.

 

Before he could react, another spoonful was already at his lips.

 

Ning Qinghong didn’t give him any room to refuse.

 

Wu Jing wanted to avoid it, but the spoon followed his lips. Refusing to open his mouth, Ning Qinghong poured it down anyway, forcing him to open his mouth and drink it.

 

His whole face was wrinkled in disgust.

 

Spoonful after spoonful, the remaining half bowl of medicinal meal went into Wu Jing’s stomach. But clearly, although the medicinal meal was unpalatable, its effects were significant.

 

Wu Jing carefully felt it.

 

The feeling of hypoglycemia after being hungry for so long had completely disappeared. It replenished his qi and blood, although he was still a little hungry, he could probably sustain his body’s nutrition without eating.

 

But… how could anyone consider this strange medicinal meal as three square meals a day?