Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 48

Wu Jing attended the court session together with Ning Qinghong.

 

The palace servants were swift and efficient. Wu Jing had dozed off on the dragon throne for nearly an hour. But by the time the court session ended, the Yangxin Hall had already been meticulously arranged.

 

Items from the Ning Residence were moved in.

 

The furnishings in Wu Jing’s sleeping quarters had all been changed to a more elegant style, with every detail reflecting a subtle yet undeniable luxury.

 

Additional shelves were added to the imperial study, where documents, strange records, medical books, and other items from the residence were placed. There was still space left for the Lord’s beloved tea pets, and on a high shelf, the string of human bone prayer beads was placed. 

 

A purple-golden nanmu waterfall table was also moved in, holding a chessboard of immense value. Beside it were two white jade walnuts, and even the scent of the tea mixed with floating gold leaves was faint.

 

Near the screen, the wooden racks for hanging clothes were filled with the large-sleeved robes that the Lord might change into at any time. In the warm alcove, fur cloaks scented with incense were also prepared.

 

Wu Jing gazed at the greatly transformed Yangxin Hall for a long time before he began to suspect that Ning Qinghong had indeed stayed because Wu Jing had said he wanted to accompany him.

 

Breakfast was once again simple and plain. After consuming a bowl of medicinal food, Wu Jing lost his appetite due to the bitterness. When he heard Ning Qinghong suggest that he go play in the Imperial Garden, he obediently followed the palace servants.

 

Now, when the other was discussing matters with ministers or reviewing memorials, he wouldn’t insist that Wu Jing stay by his side.

 

To be precise, Ning Qinghong’s original words were, “Wuwu can go wherever you like to play, just be careful and don’t lose the people following you.”

 

Wu Jing boldly asked, “Can Wuwu play with the puppies?”

 

Ning Qinghong smiled, “Of course, you can also play with the kittens if you want.” He looked at the boy’s slightly brightened eyes and instructed the palace servants, “If His Majesty wishes, have someone ask the Imperial Concubine.”

 

“And if you get tired of playing, you can come back to find your brother and practice your writing for the day.”

 

Ning Qinghong’s few words made Wu Jing completely relax.

 

Because he hadn’t met the Imperial Concubine in person, Wu Jing was too shy to ask for someone else’s kitten, so he played with the puppies in the Imperial Garden instead.

 

However, without him saying anything, the palace servants naturally interpreted the deeper meaning behind Ning Qinghong’s words.

 

Not long after, Wu Jing found himself with a little tabby cat in his arms, and the legs of the little stray dog had completely healed. It was now frolicking happily among the flowers.

 

Wu Jing held the little kitten, followed the puppy, and when he got tired, he would tell Yanhe, “Sister Yanhe, Wuwu is thirsty.”

 

When he was hungry, he would ask for some snacks and share half with the kitten and puppy.

 

When Wu Jing was with Ning Qinghong, the ones serving nearby were all eunuchs from the Internal Guard Office. However, when Wu Jing was alone, the familiar palace servants from Yangxin Hall would accompany him instead.

 

It was hard to tell if this arrangement was deliberate or if there was no need to involve the Internal Guard Office in following the simple-minded emperor.

 

Wu Jing didn’t think much about it, just as he didn’t when he was playing by himself before meeting Ning Qinghong.

 

Now, with the addition of a little puppy, he found even more joy.

 

Until he was led down a certain path, as the temperature rose slightly after the early autumn morning, the little stray dog suddenly plunged into a small pool, not too big or small, and began to paddle around, cooling off in the water.

 

The little kitten in Wu Jing’s arms also jumped down, but being small in size, it didn’t dare to jump into the water like the puppy. Instead, it crouched by the pool, using its tiny paws to reach for the fish in the water.

 

Wu Jing watched for a long time before realizing that this seemed to be the same small pool that had previously been filled with sand. At some point, the sand had been cleared out, and clean water was flowing in.

 

Even the fish were more abundant than before.

 

Having barely eaten any meat for nearly five days, Wu Jing, like the little tabby trying to catch the fish, stared longingly at the fish swimming in the pool.

 

Wu Jing glanced at Yanhe behind him, then at the fish in the pool.

 

Yanhe noticed the familiar look in the emperor’s eyes and immediately reacted, “Your Majesty—!”

 

But before the words were fully out, Wu Jing had already lifted his robe and jumped in, without even bothering to remove his shoes.

 

After all, there was a pile of clothes waiting for him to change into at Yangxin Hall.

 

Yanhe stood there, her face frozen, watching the young emperor, who after not long in the pool, caught a large fish under the envious gaze of the little tabby cat and brought it back to show her, taking a deep breath.

 

She consoled herself that it was just a matter of helping His Majesty handle a fish, nothing more.

 

The fish was taken by Yanhe to the small kitchen in Yangxin Hall, simply steamed, and then brought to a small stone table in the corner of the Imperial Garden.

 

Wu Jing ate half, the little tabby cat ate a small portion, and Yanhe finished the rest, erasing the evidence.

 

This sneaky kitchen operation behind Ning Qinghong’s back continued for three days, until the palace servants in charge of the fish pond noticed that five or six fish had mysteriously disappeared. Just before they reported it to the palace guards, Yanhe preemptively confessed and offered her dusting brush as a token of apology.

 

At that moment, Ning Qinghong had just finished discussing matters with the cabinet ministers. After hearing what Yanhe had to say, he simply smiled and asked, “Where is His Majesty now?”

 

Yanhe replied, “His Majesty just returned from the Imperial Garden and is waiting for you at the steps of the imperial study.”

 

The novelty had worn off for Wu Jing by the first day, and over the next two days, he didn’t spend much time playing in the Imperial Garden before obediently returning to the imperial study to practice his writing.

 

However, every time he came back, it was at the wrong time, and he would always encounter the cabinet ministers still present. These days, as the court was busy with the spring imperial examination, the officials were overwhelmed with work.

 

Deciding who would be the chief examiner, who the deputy examiner, which Hanlin scholars and Lezheng officials would set the questions, and choosing the most auspicious day for the exam from those calculated by the Astronomical Bureau.

 

How the papers would be reviewed, who would present them to the Lord, and ensuring the Left Chancellor’s faction wouldn’t get involved were all difficult tasks.

 

And after the spring imperial examination, there would still be a palace examination.

 

Finally, after nearly half a month of hard work, they had just finished assigning the posts. As the cabinet ministers left the imperial study one by one, exchanging polite remarks, they saw the young emperor sitting on the steps, resting his chin on his hand, pretending to play with some grass, hoping to be ignored.

 

Ning Qinghong put down the document in his hand, got up from his grand tutor’s chair, and with a slight smile, said to Yanhe, “No need to intervene. I’ve taken great pains to discipline him, but if he doesn’t listen, he’ll have to suffer the consequences and learn his lesson.”

 

He was referring to the emperor indulging in non-vegetarian food.

 

Yanhe, recalling the excessive effects of the medicinal food, nodded sheepishly.

 

Ning Qinghong walked out of the hall, “Wuwu?”

 

Wu Jing heard the sound and immediately dropped the dogtail grass in his hand. He clapped his hands clean and stood up. Seeing that the ministers had not all left yet, he shyly walked slowly to Ning Qinghong, then hid behind him.

 

“Fu Chen, please see the ministers off,” Ning Qinghong said with a smile. He then naturally took Wu Jing’s hand and led him inside, saying, “Next time, shall we prepare a small stool for Wuwu?”

 

The ministers hurriedly replied, “We wouldn’t dare,” and each of them, wishing they could pretend to be blind and deaf, quickened their pace, leaving without looking back.

 

“You’ve cleaned the steps by sitting on them, haven’t you?” Ning Qinghong teased casually, “How many outfits have you changed these past two days?”

 

Wu Jing thought about how he had changed into new clothes each time he went into the pool and felt rather guilty, shaking his head.

 

He didn’t pick up on the deeper meaning in Ning Qinghong’s words.

 

Once inside the imperial study, Ning Qinghong sat down calmly at the waterfall table to teach Wu Jing calligraphy. When he watched, Wu Jing could finish writing ten copies in fifteen minutes. When he didn’t watch, Wu Jing could dawdle away the whole morning.

 

His writing had already improved to the point where it somewhat resembled proper calligraphy—not imitating Ning Qinghong’s handwriting, but finally looking like something written with a brush.

 

Wu Jing subconsciously mimicked Ning Qinghong’s every stroke, and gradually picked up a few habits. When he concentrated on writing seriously, the result was quite presentable.

 

Ning Qinghong glanced at his work, “Practice for a few more days, and Wuwu can start learning new characters.”

 

Wu Jing pretended to look like he didn’t fully understand.

 

When Ning Qinghong went to review the memorials, Wu Jing would sit in his spring chair like a bird taking over a dove’s nest, using the waterfall table, nibbling on the expensive tea cakes, and playing with the black and white Go stones, stacking them into piles.

 

Wu Jing didn’t know how to play Go; he only knew how to play Gomoku, but he had to keep up appearances.

 

When he got tired of playing, he would poke at the jade walnuts.

 

Sunlight streamed through the lattice window into this corner, accompanied by the soft sound of flowing water and the scent of tea wafting through the air.

 

It was a rather leisurely scene.

 

Yet, Wu Jing still didn’t know what illness Ning Qinghong had, though he felt as if he himself were coming down with something.

 

He hadn’t been sleeping well these past two nights; sometimes the bed felt too thick and hot, making it hard to fall asleep, and other times he would wake up suddenly in the middle of the night.

 

Sometimes when Wu Jing woke up, Ning Qinghong would still be asleep beside him, and other times, he would be nowhere to be found. If Wu Jing searched the imperial study, he would find Ning Qinghong sitting alone in the dim light.

 

Sometimes, Ning Qinghong would be holding a medical book, and other times, he would just be lying on the spring chair, resting with his eyes closed.

 

Tonight was no different. Wu Jing woke up in the pitch-black darkness again. He had kicked off the covers in his sleep because he felt hot, and the person beside him hadn’t covered him up again, so Wu Jing assumed Ning Qinghong wasn’t there.

 

Wu Jing closed his eyes, intending to struggle a bit more in bed to see if he could fall back asleep.

 

But he felt hot all over, despite it being a cold autumn night, and he was growing increasingly restless.

 

Wu Jing rubbed his eyes and sleepily sat up, planning to get up and relieve himself.

 

As he climbed off the bed and headed for the small room, halfway there, he suddenly sensed something was off in the darkness. Instinctively, Wu Jing turned around, his eyes widening slightly as he spotted a faint, shadowy figure in the gloom.

 

The palace attendants who were supposed to be keeping watch were not behind the screen, and the palace lamps outside had not been lit, with only a faint sliver of moonlight filtering through the window lattice.

 

Wu Jing instinctively walked closer, step by step, knowing subconsciously who it was. When he finally reached the figure, he found Ning Qinghong sitting in the grand tutor’s chair, his eyes closed.

 

Ning Qinghong seemed to hear the sound beside him but, unlike the past few days, he didn’t reach out his hand or softly call Wu Jing’s name to pull him into his lap.

 

After a long while, Wu Jing, feeling uneasy and confused, called out, “Brother?”

 

In the surrounding darkness and silence, he met Ning Qinghong’s slowly opening, calm, and emotionless black eyes.

 

The suddenness was startling, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of inevitability.

 

Wu Jing instantly became alert, standing there feeling at a loss. Something was off. Just this morning everything had been fine, but after sleeping and waking up, Ning Qinghong suddenly seemed different, as if it had happened in the blink of an eye.

 

The very thought of it made Wu Jing uncomfortable, and he instinctively wanted to run away, but after standing in a daze for a moment, he cluelessly took a step forward.

 

The jade floor tiles in the hall had been polished clean by the palace servants. Wu Jing wasn’t wearing wooden sandals, so he walked barefoot, step by step, closer.

 

He had been raised to be too obedient.

 

Even when feeling uneasy, his instinct was to move closer to Ning Qinghong in the dark, to tug on his sleeve, to hold his hand, and to ask, with confused eyes, why Ning Qinghong was ignoring him.

 

“Brother… is sick?”

 

He asked softly.

 

On the fifth day of living with Ning Qinghong, the signs of something wrong with him had been gradually escalating, and tonight, they all came together.

 

Wu Jing repeated the question he had asked five days ago.

 

It slipped out of his mouth without warning.

 

Once said, he realized the truth.

 

But more than that, he didn’t want to believe it. Wu Jing thought that Ning Qinghong seemed like someone who would never show weakness, even now, appearing more cold and intimidating than ever.

 

Ning Qinghong, after hearing this, wearily responded, “Am I?” He didn’t give a direct answer, only extending his fingers, “Come here.”

 

Wu Jing, dressed only in his inner robe, who had just been feeling too warm, now snuggled up to Ning Qinghong as if seeking warmth.

 

Ning Qinghong sighed softly, “His Majesty is so obedient. How about I give you a reward?”

 

Wu Jing blinked in confusion.

 

But after Ning Qinghong spoke, he fell silent again. It was only after a long, long time that he suddenly leaned in close to Wu Jing’s ear and whispered, “It seems that the palace attendants placed something interesting from my study on a shelf in the imperial study.” He spoke in a casual tone, as if he had just remembered something, his voice soft and indifferent, as if it was a mere afterthought.

 

With a hint of weariness, yet as if he were bestowing something upon him.

 

Granting an opportunity.

 

“Wuwu, if you have time, go look for it.”

 

Ning Qinghong’s voice was extremely soft as he spoke.