Becoming Puppet Emperor of a Paranoid Eunuch - Chapter 8

Wu Jing was led to the table and naturally sat beside Ning Qinghong. He was extremely hungry, but he knew there were many rules here. Even though he couldn’t take his eyes off, he didn’t dare to move the chopsticks without permission.

 

He could only keep stealing glances at Ning Qinghong beside him.

 

Fuchén was meticulously arranging the dishes, instructing the eunuchs to test each dish with a silver needle, tasting it to ensure it was not poisoned.

 

Wu Jing waited boredly, unable to resist sneaking another glance at Ning Qinghong, who was still drinking tea. He cautiously pulled his hand, which was still being held.

 

Ning Qinghong glanced at him leisurely.

 

Wu Jing froze in an instant.

 

The young emperor probably didn’t even know how pitiful his expression looked as he stared at the person.

 

Unfortunately, the other party seemed oblivious, engrossed in new thoughts. Ning Qinghong held Wu Jing’s hand, inch by inch inspecting it, as if he were appraising a treasure stumbled upon by chance. But because of the distinct joints of the fingers, Wu Jing felt inexplicably tender.

 

Was this person not only a lunatic but also a pervert? Wu Jing swallowed nervously.

 

He was so hungry.

 

Fuchén said, “Your Majesty, the meal is ready.”

 

Ning Qinghong responded.

 

Wu Jing almost couldn’t resist. His right hand was held, so he reached for the bowl and chopsticks with his left hand. Before he could touch them, a slightly cold voice sounded in his ear, “Your Majesty.”

 

His hand trembled, and with quivering eyelids, he looked towards Ning Qinghong.

 

Ning Qinghong furrowed his brows slightly. “Your Majesty is the emperor, how can you be so careless?”

 

He really wanted to start the meal.

 

He really hated teachers who delayed mealtime.

 

If you’re not hungry, then I’m not hungry.

 

Wu Jing thought angrily in his heart, pretending to shrink back. “If Brother says it’s okay to eat, Wuwu will eat again.”

 

Ning Qinghong just smiled. “This humble servant does not mean that. It’s just that Your Majesty’s status is noble, how can you personally handle it?”

 

Wu Jing looked confused, but in the next moment, his eyes widened.

 

Ning Qinghong picked up the bowl and chopsticks, carefully asking, “What does Your Majesty want to eat?”

 

He was actually going to serve him personally!

 

Fuchén’s eyebrows jumped fiercely, not knowing how his master became interested in feeding the emperor. For now, he pretended to be blind and didn’t see anything.

 

Wu Jing dared not speak.

 

Ning Qinghong seemed not genuinely interested in asking for his opinion. He picked up a slice of bamboo shoot and fed it to Wu Jing’s mouth. Seeing that he didn’t eat, thinking that the emperor didn’t understand, he kindly changed his question, “Wuwu, why aren’t you eating?”

 

He smiled ambiguously. “Aren’t you hungry?”

 

Wu Jing closed his eyes, carefully opened his mouth, and swallowed the bamboo shoot like he was swallowing a pill. “Thank you, Brother.”

 

Like facing a formidable enemy.

 

The next bite was a slice of mushroom, followed by cloud ear fungus, vegetables rolled into a bun… With each bite, Wu Jing’s tense spirit slowly relaxed. Sometimes, he even found the speed at which Ning Qinghong fed him too slow.

 

Seeing that the next bite Ning Qinghong picked up was still vegetables, Wu Jing instinctively pulled on his sleeve with dissatisfaction, “Brother, Wuwu wants meat.”

 

Ning Qinghong’s hand paused slightly. “I neglected that.”

 

Wu Jing’s black eyes brightened a bit, like a small animal probing its territory, step by step feeling out where the other’s bottom line was. “And rice!”

 

Ning Qinghong complied immediately. “Not in a hurry.”

 

The young man ate very obediently, not opening his lips between bites to make indecent sounds. He would finish one mouthful before taking the next.

 

But it was still evident that he enjoyed the food, his cheeks slightly bulging like a little hamster.

 

His eyes would light up when he ate something delicious, and he wouldn’t refuse something unpleasant, still obediently swallowing it.

 

He wasn’t picky and easy to feed.

 

After a meal served so comfortably, Wu Jing’s animosity towards Ning Qinghong was almost completely gone, and he didn’t curse him silently in his heart anymore.

 

After finishing the meal, Fuchén skillfully presented a handkerchief for Wu Jing to wipe his mouth. Knowing that his master liked cleanliness, he whispered, “Shall I have someone take Your Majesty to rinse your mouth?”

 

Ning Qinghong’s eyebrows twitched slightly, nodding. “Go ahead.”

 

Wu Jing was taken to a small room in the side hall, and the two eunuchs accompanying him, who had been lowering their heads in the side hall, both breathed a sigh of relief when they entered the room, carefully observing the emperor, who they saw as a fool.

 

“Will he be able to do it?”

 

“Let’s teach him first.”

 

As they taught Wu Jing how to use a soaked willow twig with tooth powder to clean his mouth and where to spit out the water after rinsing, Wu Jing pretended to be confused, nodding hesitantly.

 

The two eunuchs were from the Imperial Guard, skilled at reading people’s expressions. At this moment, they didn’t dare to offend the emperor who suddenly gained the favor of Ning Qinghong, but because Wu Jing was seen as a fool, they didn’t show much respect either.

 

Watching Wu Jing clumsily follow their instructions, the two of them began to chat.

 

“It’s strange, when His Excellency summoned His Majesty before, didn’t they always put him in the side hall? Why did they take him to the study today?”

 

“Yeah, and he stayed in the study all morning.”

 

“Just now, His Excellency even personally served His Majesty. Ever since His Excellency climbed to this position, when has he ever done such informal things?”

 

“Could it be for a show in front of the court officials?”

 

“After all, when the late emperor passed away, His Excellency’s words instructed His Excellency to assist the new emperor when he ascended the throne. Who would have thought that later on, the palace would be in chaos, and among the princes, there’s only a fool left languishing in the cold palace.”

 

Later, Ning Qinghong relied on this edict and the extensive network of contacts he had cultivated in the court over the years to lead Wu Jing to this throne.

 

Regent by decree, perhaps that’s how it was.

 

Wu Jing slowly brushed his teeth with the willow twig, listening to the gossip behind him, and began to understand somewhat.

 

So, the reason Ning Qinghong looked at him every now and then, was because of this edict.

 

To show in front of the court officials that he, as the chief minister, was indeed following the late emperor’s decree and taking care of the current emperor.

 

The nominal emperor was a fool, but with this decree, Ning Qinghong’s wielding of power might draw criticism, but it was completely justified.

 

No wonder, in the eyes of the literati and clean officials, this Ning Qinghong was nothing more than a cunning villain.

 

No wonder Fuchén said there were reports every day criticizing Ning Qinghong for his arbitrary rule, after all, anyone could see that the Great Zhou had long changed hands.

 

This is too foolish.

 

Wu Jing thought, these reports were all criticizing Ning Qinghong, they would never reach his hands, besides venting some anger, they were completely useless, and might even be noted by Ning Qinghong to settle scores later.

 

But besides writing reports, these people couldn’t do anything, after all, the emperor was a fool.

 

Unless…

 

Unless he wasn’t a fool.

 

Unless someone thought he could see those reports.

 

Wu Jing shuddered and dared not think further.

 

He knew his own capabilities and had no intention of getting involved in palace intrigue. If he could play the fool well, Wu Jing would happily give himself an Oscar.

 

And according to what the two eunuchs said, it had been a whole morning. He should be leaving soon, and the next time he saw Ning Qinghong, it would probably be ten days later.

 

He hadn’t succeeded in clinging to his thigh yet,

 

it’s not working.

 

Wu Jing firmly decided and silently encouraged himself.

 

After washing his face and hands, he was taken back by the two eunuchs.

 

On the way back, Wu Jing looked around but didn’t see Yan He’s shadow. She should have gone back.

 

That’s good, he felt bad for making Sister Yan He wait so long.

 

Ning Qinghong had not finished his meal yet.

 

Fuchén, seeing the emperor return, asked with lowered eyes, “Your Excellency, shall this old servant escort Your Majesty back to the sleeping quarters?”

 

Ning Qinghong glanced at Wu Jing. “Yes.”

 

Fuchén said respectfully, “Your Majesty, it’s time for you to go back. Let this humble one accompany you.”

 

Wu Jing asked in confusion, “Do you sleep after eating?”

 

Fuchén smiled gently, “Yes, this old servant will take Your Majesty to rest.”

 

Wu Jing was puzzled, “What about Brother?”

 

Fuchén hesitated, “Um, His Excellency has not finished his meal yet. We’ll, we’ll have to wait a while.”

 

After a while, he would directly leave the palace and return to his mansion.

 

Wu Jing made a decisive move, hugging the nearby carved wooden pillar, “Wuwu is not leaving.” He pouted, “I want to go with Brother.”

 

Ning Qinghong’s hand, which was having his meal, paused, and he looked up.

 

Fuchén wiped the sweat off his forehead, “Your Excellency, this…”

 

Wu Jing had prepared himself mentally, but he didn’t dare to meet Ning Qinghong’s gaze, just hiding himself behind the pillar. The pillar was large, so he could only hug half of it.

 

After a while, not hearing any sound, he cautiously peeked out to see. After looking around with his black eyes, he saw Ning Qinghong put down his chopsticks and say to Fuchén, “Let’s rest in the Yangxin Hall for a while today.”

 

Fuchén responded softly, “Yes.”

 

Only then did Ning Qinghong raise his eyes to look at him. Seeing Wu Jing showing half of his face, looking at him timidly, he shook his head and smiled, “How improper.”

 

“Since His Majesty wants to stay by my side, then let him stay.” He smiled meaningfully.

 

Wu Jing, for some reason, had a vague sense of unease.

 

The reports and writing materials that had been moved away by the palace servants were brought back, and the study was once again filled with a warm fragrance.

 

Ning Qinghong seemed busy. After he finished washing up, he didn’t rest but sat back down, continuing to handle the reports one by one, issuing imperial edicts one after another.

 

Wu Jing still sat on the side. He was used to taking a short nap at noon and now felt dizzy and couldn’t hold on.

 

“Thud—”

 

The young man fell over.

 

Ning Qinghong saw it out of the corner of his eye and then glanced at the large stack of reports on the table, seemingly lost in thought. Suddenly, he laughed inexplicably, “I never thought I would also have a day of suspecting gentlemen with the heart of a villain.”

 

Fuchén couldn’t fathom the meaning underneath, so he just stiffly replied, “Your Excellency is a gentleman.”

 

Ning Qinghong softly retorted, “Is that so?”

 

After a while, Ning Qinghong casually picked up a few reports, “Go, summon those righteous ministers to the study.”

 

Fuchén took them and was about to leave silently when he heard the master say, “Forget it, summon them in half an hour.”

 

He raised his head slightly, unexpectedly seeing His Excellency quietly looking at the sleeping emperor, his eyes calm and serene, then slowly smiling.

 

Ning Qinghong murmured three words softly, “Quite interesting.”

 

Fuchén breathed a sigh of relief, waited for half an hour, then silently left with the reports. When he reached the outer hall of the side chamber, he opened the reports and glanced at them, intending to see which ministers were mentioned.

 

To his surprise, as soon as he opened them, he saw the words “crafty minister” and “treacherous” written inside.

 

And finally, there was a sentence—”Hope the emperor will no longer favor villains.”

 

He suddenly felt like he was holding a hot potato in his hands.

 

After quickly scanning through them, Fuchén calmed his thoughts and said, “Go, summon the Prime Minister, Grand Academician of the Imperial Academy, and the Ministers of the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of Works to the study—”

 

He paused and corrected himself, “To see His Majesty.”