Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 43

Inside the painted pleasure boat chamber.

 

Only the specially crafted tobacco slowly burned, and with just a light breath, Wu Jing was nearly overwhelmed by the sweet fruit aroma in the air.

 

Yet it wasn’t cloying, just enough to make one involuntarily salivate, followed by the heady scent of Floating Golden Jade that left the mind in a haze.

 

Wu Jing blinked dazedly, completely unable to understand what was going on. They had shared the same spoon and chopsticks before, so why did everything now feel so inexplicably wrong?

 

Wu Jing stayed silent.

 

Ning Qinghong had to turn slightly, taking the white jade cigarette holder from his mouth. Wisps of smoke drifted lazily as he casually set it down on the desk.

 

Though he purposely avoided facing the young Emperor directly, his fingertips still grazed Wu Jing’s earlobe, and when he straightened up, they brushed past the corner of Wu Jing’s eye, smiling faintly, “Hmm?”

 

What did he ask again?

 

… It seemed like he was asking what was wrong with him.

 

Wu Jing nervously searched for an excuse, “… Sweet, brother, it’s sweet. Wu Wu thought—”

 

Ning Qinghong interrupted with a smile, “Does Wu Wu want to taste it?”

 

In the midst of words, Wu Jing could only timidly nod.

 

Ning Qinghong chuckled, “Wu Wu can’t taste it, but if you want—” He leaned in slightly, “there are other ways.”

 

Their proximity allowed Wu Jing to catch a hint of tobacco lingering in Ning Qinghong’s breath, not from breathing, but subtly released during conversation.

 

But now that he couldn’t touch the cigarette holder,

 

how else could he taste it? 

 

Wu Jing couldn’t help but glance at Ning Qinghong’s smiling lips, his gaze barely touching them before hurriedly looking away, inadvertently meeting Ning Qinghong’s eyes.

 

Staring blankly, he lifted his face to meet Ning Qinghong’s gaze.

 

His features were beautifully crafted, but still young, with a hint of innocence in his slightly parted lips, looking at Ning Qinghong with full-hearted eyes.

 

Every part of him evoked an inexplicable sense of pity.

 

Ning Qinghong leaned a little closer, then stopped, watching as Wu Jing closed his eyes instinctively. He chuckled softly.

 

Then he straightened up.

 

As Wu Jing, with his hearing blurred, opened his eyes in confusion, he didn’t know what Ning Qinghong intended to do. First he leaned closer, then when he closed his eyes, he smiled and moved away.

 

It didn’t seem quite right to tease him like this, Wu Jing thought in a daze, as if Ning Qinghong was indulging him by letting him tiptoe up for a hug if he really wanted to.

 

And then nonchalantly revealing a hint of satisfaction.

 

Ning Qinghong withdrew his fingertips as well.

 

Wu Jing’s earlobes, rubbed red, finally got a chance to breathe.

 

The tobacco continued to burn slowly, untouched by anyone else. The sound of the qin from the deck below drifted into the cabin, distant yet intimate because they were in a high-rise.

 

Ning Qinghong toyed with a cup of sake in his hand, strolling to the window. Wu Jing subconsciously tugged at his sleeve and followed.

 

The previous incident seemed to have passed like this,

 

leaving him completely unsure of what Ning Qinghong meant.

 

Wu Jing could only look up at him in confusion, then look outside the window with him, not sure what there was to see.

 

“How long will this literary gathering last?” Ning Qinghong asked slowly.

 

The nearby young eunuch waiting immediately replied, “Replying to Your Highness, it will last about an hour more. It will disperse at Hai hour.”

 

Ning Qinghong then asked, “Who are the people attending today?” As he spoke, he seemed to notice Wu Jing’s gaze and lightly touched the young man’s forehead.

 

It was as if he was reproaching him for not being attentive.

 

Wu Jing subconsciously closed his eyes and then opened them again, not understanding why he felt Ning Qinghong had such thoughts. He considered himself a fool; even when he tried not to daydream and listened attentively, he couldn’t make out much.

 

The young eunuch replied, “They are all wealthy sons rushing to the capital for the imperial examinations.” Implicitly, today’s attendees were not impoverished scholars; they were all wealthy and influential individuals.

 

Ning Qinghong asked casually, “What about those from the capital?”

 

The young eunuch stepped back slightly, and another scout from the Imperial Guards, dressed in civilian clothes, answered, “There’s the third son of Li, Assistant Minister of Rites, the fifth son of the Deputy Chief Censor, the eldest son of the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Personnel, and the second legitimate son of the Liu family from the wealthy merchant guild…”

 

This literary gathering on the flower house pleasure boat was not meant to be a grand event that attracted attention.

 

It was supposed to be conducted discreetly, but Ning Qinghong had taken an interest in bringing the young Emperor here today and had investigated the affairs on the pleasure boat beforehand.

 

Even if he hadn’t come tonight, the scout would still report the news to him.

 

Ning Qinghong chuckled, “The officials in the capital still have some brains. Those who came are all secondary sons of their families. Only those from small doors and households are confused.”

 

The Deputy Director of the Ministry of Personnel was just a sixth-rank minor official, and as for the wealthy merchants who couldn’t enter the court, they were also included in the category of those from small doors and households.

 

The young eunuch replied, “Yes, the cabinet ministers did not send anyone here.” Implicitly, these were all outsiders. It was common for scholars coming for the examinations to collude with officials in the capital.

 

To privately gather so many people was not something that one person could easily accomplish. The relationships were intricate and complex from top to bottom, and these people’s family backgrounds allowed them to exploit loopholes under Ning Qinghong’s watchful eyes.

 

Even if the Lord of the Thousand Years found out, scapegoating a secondary son wouldn’t cause much trouble.

 

But why did this happen? Naturally, there was a cause and effect.

 

Ning Qinghong asked, “What has Madam Cui been doing these days? Has she been spreading rumors?”

 

The scout replied, “Madam Cui was drunk the other day and didn’t hold back her words.”

 

People knew that even the Lord of Nine Thousand Years turned a blind eye to it. The cabinet ministers sent invitations, and even the Lord of Nine Thousand Years, listening below, naturally took some thought.

 

But coincidentally, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Personnel had such a relationship with the Prime Minister.

 

Ning Qinghong pondered for a moment, “Go send someone to Huang Huai-ren’s house. Let him impeach the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Personnel at tomorrow’s morning court and spread the word to Huang Huai-ren to use his legitimate son as a joint, forcing the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Personnel to reveal everyone who participated in today’s literary meeting one by one.”

 

Huang Huai-ren was the one who sent the invitation to Madam Cui, and he made a mistake. Even if the Lord of Thousand Years wanted to make him a target, he could only say something with bitterness.

 

But this matter is just a minor matter, and the punishment cannot be too heavy. It is just to kill the chicken and warn the monkey, to allow the Left Prime Minister’s party to establish a relationship with the examination families rushing to the capital.

 

After that, if the Left Prime Minister becomes the chief examiner, this matter will inevitably be used as a catalyst.

 

In just a few words, Ning Qinghong arranged the matter properly. After he finished, the scout realized it and knelt down as if he had suddenly understood.

 

With the matter settled, Ning Qinghong turned his gaze to Wu Jing on the side. There seemed to be a questioning intent in his eyes, as if asking if he had understood.

 

In response, the young Emperor, who was low-headed and somewhat bored, picking at his hand, looked up in confusion when Ning Qinghong stopped speaking, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

 

Why suddenly look at him?

 

Wu Jing was puzzled.

 

There was a brief silence from Ning Qinghong, followed by a resigned smile. “Never mind, take your time,” he said, and as if in a playful punishment, he gently tapped Wu Jing’s forehead with his knuckle.

 

Wu Jing stood there, letting Ning Qinghong tap him twice more, eyes closed and motionless, not avoiding the touch.

 

“It doesn’t hurt anyway,” Wu Jing thought to himself.

 

Ning Qinghong withdrew his hand with a soft sigh, observing Wu Jing who seemed bored and unsure of what to do next. He guided him away from the window back to the desk.

 

By now, the tobacco had burned out.

 

Ning Qinghong didn’t glance back at it. He hadn’t yet had his dinner. On the way through the night market, only Wu Jing continued eating, now accompanied by clear wine and tea, along with some fruit and snacks.

 

Palace servants brought in the boat’s distinctive light dishes.

 

Wu Jing had eaten his fourth meal of the day with him, feeling stuffed but still greedy. Under normal circumstances, he would have been asleep by now.

 

Content with food and drink,

 

he began to feel drowsy.

 

Today’s outing was just for leisure. Seeing the young man’s head drooping more and more, they turned back for home.

 

Halfway on the carriage ride, Wu Jing felt like dozing off.

 

Ning Qinghong wouldn’t let him sleep, half-smiling and half-helpless, calling out, “Wu Wu?” He touched Wu Jing’s stomach lightly and said, “Can’t sleep yet, or your stomach will feel uncomfortable, hmm?”

 

Wu Jing reluctantly opened his eyes again, hearing Ning Qinghong half-leaning on the desk, softly saying, “Eating and then sleeping all day, besides playing with your brother and the little dog in the palace, you don’t talk to different people.”

 

“What if you get bored to the point of illness?” he sighed softly.

 

Wu Jing was puzzled for a moment, then blurted out subconsciously, “Playing with brother… and the little dog, Wu Wu is not that bored.”

 

Nothing’s that boring.

 

Author’s note:

 

Qinghong: Concerned about Wu Wu’s physical and mental health, trying to find something interesting for Wu Wu.

 

Wu Wu: Fidgeting, please don’t disturb.jpg