Chapter 53

Jin Wang’s eyes narrowed slightly, looking coldly at the two men embracing in the room.

He wondered what his prime minister was up to today. He refused to come to the palace even after being summoned several times, so he sent Gao Jin himself to invite the man, but he still refused.

Perhaps it was because the two of them had been stuck together so much lately that His Majesty could no longer bear to be in solitude. He took the time to settle all his affairs at hand and made the trip there without delay.

Then he saw this very scene.

The two little Kunjun in the room looked somewhat at a loss, staring blankly in Jin Wang’s direction, with Xiao Huan’s hand still resting on Ye Shu’s arm.

Ye Shu was the first to come back to his senses and hurriedly pushed Xiao Huan away. “T-This is not what it looks like! Let me explain!”

However, Xiao Huan did not release his hold, instead, he held Ye Shu even tighter. “Your… Your stomach…”

“Let go!”

“Why you……”

Before Xiao Huan could finish his sentence, a hand reached out from the side and pushed his hand away.

Jin Wang pulled Ye Shu into his arms and looked at him with a wry smile. “No wonder Minister Ye refused to heed my summons today. As it turns out, he, had a private meeting, with someone else, in his mansion.”

Ye Shu, “……”

Was there still time for him to transmigrate back?

A moment later. The room was lit up, and Jin Wang was sitting on the main seat, as Ye Shu gingerly brought him a cup of tea.

Xiao Huan was standing by the side, glaring at Jin Wang in exasperation.

Having already gone to bed, Ye Shu was wearing less, his slim waist and the outline of his bulging belly was made even more pronounced.

How could Xiao Huan not discern what that was at this point?

Dog! Em! Pe! Ror!

Xiao Huan’s eyes reddened. He looked as though he was ready to take on Jin Wang right then and there.

The atmosphere in the room was suffocatingly deadlocked.

Ye Shu, like a quail, with his head bent downward, ‘eyes looking at his nose, mouth pointing at his chest’, was doing his utmost to keep his presence to a minimum in the background.

“Why are you still standing? You should not stand for long periods now, come and sit down,” Jin Wang said calmly as he sipped his tea.

Ye Shu let out an ‘oh’ and was about to walk past Jin Wang to the other side of the seat, but when he reached in front of him, he was pulled hard into his arms.

Warm breath spewed behind his ears as Jin Wang chuckled. “I meant for you to sit here.”

Ye Shu shivered and suddenly, his waist weakened. “Let go……”

“I won’t.” Jin Wang wrapped his arms around his waist as he said in a soft voice, “Wouldn’t you rather have me hold you like this?” 

Xiao Huan’s knuckles made a cracking sound.

Ye Shu, “……”

Crap. Forgot there was someone else in the room.

The roots of Ye Shu’s ears turned red and he dared not look up.

Jin Wang asked relaxedly, “The Lord Protector already left the capital a few days ago, I wonder what was the reason for Young Lord Xiao’s return?”

Xiao Huan had already berated Jin Wang an unknown number of times in his heart. He replied in a muffled voice, “This subject heard that Minister Ye had been restored to his former post and came to visit.”

“Since you came to visit, why did you have to climb through the window in the dead of the night? How is this appropriate?”

Xiao Huan looked at him in disbelief.

Didn’t you come in through the window as well???

Jin Wang locked eyes with Xiao Huan in a calm manner, not seeming to think that there was anything inappropriate about the ruler climbing into his subject’s chamber in the middle of the night.

Ye Shu quietly pulled on Jin Wang’s sleeve. “Your Majesty……”

Jin Wang turned his head to look at him. “Hmn?”

“What happened tonight was all a misunderstanding. I didn’t know Young Lord Xiao would come here. Also… Also, he didn’t mean to……”

Xiao Huan had come here out of concern for him. He didn’t want the man to be punished because of him. 

Jin Wang betrayed no emotion as he drew closer, and said in a low voice, “Is my beloved official asking for mercy on his behalf?”

Ye Shu pursed his lips and nodded.

The smile under Jin Wang’s eyes deepened. “Then does my beloved official know what price it will cost if I were to spare him?”

Ye Shu even got all reddened in the neck.

Jin Wang’s heart was tickled by this enticing sight.

When there were outsiders around, Ye Shu was always extra sensitive and was easier to bully than usual. Jin Wang was no longer in the mood to tangle with Xiao Huan, and he called out, “Men.”

The door was immediately pushed open and two imperial guards walked in.

Jin Wang ordered, “Take the other person out. Look after him properly.”

Xiao Huan did not want to stay there any longer either.

With his excellent hearing, he was able to follow the two men’s murmured dialogue very clearly.

Xiao Huan’s throat turned sour. He gave Jin Wang a fierce glare as he said in a cold voice, “I can walk out on my own!”

The door closed. Jin Wang picked Ye Shu up and carried him across to the bed, where he leaned over him and pressed him up.

Ye Shu couldn’t even be bothered to care where Jin Wang had sent all the servants in his own mansion. He subconsciously hooked the back of Jin Wang’s neck and was soon sent trembling all over his body by this man.

Jin Wang propped one arm on Ye Shu’s side while his other arm slowly moved downwards. But at the critical juncture, his movement stopped. “Was it really not because you were going to see Xiao Huan that you did not go to the palace?”

Ye Shu was already completely aroused by him; he almost bit his tongue. “I-It’s not.”

Jin Wang stared fixedly at the man beneath him. His heart fulfilled as never before with that last vile thought.

Fixed under Jin Wang’s arms, the rims of the man’s eyes were red and watery. It seemed as if he wanted to reach for Jin Wang’s hand, but then resisted the impulse. His fingers flexed open and shut with impatience, and clutched helplessly at the quilt beneath him.

Looking soft beyond belief.

Who would have thought that this was the prime minister, who by day held himself aloof and was the head of all the officials.

Jin Wang had thought that since Ye Shu had not really been a courtier before, he was likely to face some problems at first and find it difficult to adapt. But to Jin Wang’s surprise, this man’s adaptability was more than he could have imagined.

But the more in control the man was on the surface, the more he wanted to see him drown in the throes of desire.

“Jin….. Jin Wang……” Ye Shu, finally couldn’t stand it, called softly.

That voice sounded suppressed, soft and hoarse. He was like a kitten pawing him lightly.

Jin Wang suddenly came back to his senses and said “sorry” softly and finally released him.

A moment later, Ye Shu curled up on the bed, with aggrieved red eyes. “……only know how to pick on me.”

“I see you have not yet been satisfied.” Jin Wang threw the silk handkerchief he had wiped to the ground. “No matter, it’s already late. We’ll continue this tomorrow.”

Ye Shu was stunned. “You’ll still come tomorrow?”

“You think we are done for today?” Jin Wang raised a brow. “Putting Gu aside in the palace while having a private meeting with another man in your mansion, does Minister Ye think that was enough punishment?”

Ye Shu buried half his face in the quilt and did not answer.

“Take a rest. I will allow you to sleep until the afternoon tomorrow.”

Jin Wang lay down beside Ye Shu, lowered his head, and kissed him on the forehead. “Come and see me in the imperial study when you wake up. And remember to be in your court dress.”

When Ye Shu woke up the next day, Jin Wang was no longer in the mansion.

It was already nearly noon, so Ye Shu did not let anyone prepare a meal and went straight into the palanquin for the palace.

He couldn’t think of how else Jin Wang would punish him.

He was still pregnant. At the worst, it was simply a matter of being slept with. He didn’t believe that Jin Wang had any other tricks up his sleeve that he hadn’t experienced during his heat cycle.

But……

Ye Shu looked at himself in his meticulously worn ink-colored court attire and inexplicably felt a little abashed.

Changlu’s officials’ court attire was not too extravagant, save for the intricate embroidery on the back and the collar, the jade belt around the waist and the hair crown, which made it look stately and solemn.

But who could say that he was not dressed like this to discuss affairs with the monarch, rather…… 

Ye Shu pulled the fox fur robe tighter around him, shielding his bulging belly.

That dog emperor was always so good at his tricks.

When he arrived at the imperial study, Jin Wang was in the middle of a conversation with someone in the main hall.

After an inner servant announced his arrival, Ye Shu stepped inside.

Inside stood a tall young man in light armor.

Ye Shu made a salute to Jin Wang and then looked at that man. “General Zuo.”

The man immediately bowed to salute. “Greetings, Minister Ye.”

This man was Zuo Yan, whom Ye Shu had met once.

At the time when Ye Shu tried to escape during the ancestral worship, he happened to meet this man together with the official from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices who were both on patrol outside. He was not yet able to control his faith incense at that time and was soon caught by them, and was then offered back to Jin Wang.

It had been so long ago. Ye Shu had long since disregarded that little grudge back then, not to mention the fact that the latter had no knowledge of the situation. 

He nodded to Zuo Yan, and then asked, “His Majesty and General Zuo are having a discussion?”

“It’s Western Xia,” Jin Wang replied. “Western Xia has repeatedly invaded the frontier of late. Perhaps a war will soon ensue.”

Jin Wang motioned to Gao Jin for a seat and waited for Ye Shu to sit before asking, “What do you think?”

Ye Shu said, “A war it is then. We can’t cower, can we?”

The corner of Jin Wang’s mouth quirked in satisfaction.

Zuo Yan said, “The Western Xia people have lived nomadically for many, many years and are brave and warlike. I’m afraid that a rash deployment of troops may……” 

“General Zuo worries too much. They have an army, and so does Changlu,” Ye Shu interrupted in a warm voice. “Also, winning a war relies not on military force, but on intelligence.”

Just one Western Xia was more than enough for Jin Wang to handle on his own, not to mention that he now had his help.

The young prime minister leaned back leisurely in his seat, a confident smile shining in his eyes. Zuo Yan was about to say something else, but the moment he caught sight of that smile, his mind suddenly blanked out.

He was a little lost in thought as he stared at Ye Shu, when he heard Jin Wang suddenly said, “Gu still has important matters to discuss with Minister Ye. Let’s call it a day.”

“But……” Zuo Yan opened his mouth, when he saw that the servant who had been beside His Majesty had already gone to push open the door for him.

He could only give a salute and withdraw.

As Zuo Yan walked away, he could not help but glance back. Within the hall doors, which had not yet closed, His Majesty had already walked up to Minister Ye’s side and seemed about to lean down and say something to him.

As the door closed, Jin Wang gave Ye Shu’s cheek a pinch. “You honeytrap.”

Ye Shu shot back, “Jealous.”

Jin Wang, with an expressionless face, “Xiao Huan.”

Ye Shu wimped out instantly. “I was wrong.”

“All’s good since you know where you were wrong.” Jin Wang smiled satisfactorily as he led Ye Shu towards the side hall.

There was a warm room to the side of the imperial study for His Majesty to rest in.

Therein was a couch. Beside it was a small table with a wooden brocade box placed above.

And it seemed……a bit familiar?

Ye Shu’s complexion changed as he remembered where that thing had come from.