“Emperor causes intimidation, Lord Husband does not.”

After the meal, the palace maids removed the scraps and cold food off of the table. Wei Lian wiped his lips extremely gracefully with a white embroidered handkerchief.

In winter, the days were short and the nights were long. The sky outside was dark and the moon was hazy.

The chill struck people deep into the very flesh.

Wei Lian didn’t want to walk out into the night’s cold temperature and almost returned back into the Yangxin Palace Hall. Ji Yue took his cold hand to pass the heat of his palm.

In front of the palace servants, the older man inquired solicitously on the younger man’s well-being, “Hold our hand if you’re cold.”

Wei Lian showed a smile before lowering his head as if he was being shy.

The atmosphere between the two was harmonious.

After nightfall, Ji Yue would retreat to his study to evaluate the memorials to the throne. If there was no important matter in the court, it would usually take an hour to finish. When there was, he often stayed up late and worked until dawn.

In the past, there would be a close attendant stationed in the study to grind ink, but now the task was delegated to Wei Lian, the new ‘male pet’. Now, the Emperor was accompanied by a beauty during his time reading.

The imperial study was not far from the Yangxin Palace. It took several winding corridors and they were greeted by a warm breeze when pushing open the study’s door.

Ji Yue kept Wei Lian beside him, along with four other palace attendants.

The Qin Emperor strove to make his empire strong and prosperous during his early years. Now the other six empires all respected the Qin, the four seas were calm and peaceful, and there were no natural disasters, even the court councillors were very idle these days.

For example, at this moment, Ji Yue’s official records were piled up, they didn’t contain the welfare of his people, nor military deployment, rather a stack of beauties’ picture scrolls.

He didn’t need to use his brain to figure they were from the pillar subjects who were crazy about pushing him in filling the harem.

He opened one and casually scanned it, then tossed the pile of scrolls to Wei Lian. “Pick out the ones that look better than you and present them to us.”

Not everyone could be worthy of his eyes. Any mediocre person didn’t deserve to be looked upon by Ji Yue.

Wei Lian said, “Understood.” Then he accepted the scrolls and looked carefully through them one by one.

After the time it took to burn one incense—or half an hour—Wei Lian put them all back into the stack, speaking in a humble and courteous tone, “This subject couldn’t pick one out.”

Ji Yue teased, “Does that mean that you look the best?”

Wei Lian paused and said very modestly, “Yes.”

The lights in Ji Yue’s eyes glittered slightly, as crow's feet appeared in the corner of his eyes, giving an illusion of a smile.

How could this man speak so arrogantly in such a ‘humble gentleman’ manner?

He took a shine to the young man...more now.

With a sweep of his arm, Ji Yue created an empty space on the table. The scrolls fell to the ground with loud thuds. The four palace servants thought the Emperor was angry, so they knelt down immediately in fear.

Only Wei Lian kept his indifferent expression.

Ji Yue pulled Wei Lian’s by the wrist and moved the younger man between him and the table, he said in an extremely loving tone, “Then we don’t want them, we only want you, alright?”

Inside Wei Lian’s head.Tsk, such a big pot鍋‌ is‌ ‌internet‌ ‌slang‌ ‌for‌ ‌blame‌ ‌or‌ ‌fault.‌ ‌Originally,‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌背‌黑‌過,‌ ‌or‌ ‌be‌ ‌innocently‌ ‌burdened‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌crime.‌ ‌Later,‌ ‌過‌ ‌was‌ ‌typoed‌ ‌to‌ ‌鍋‌ ‌(you‌ ‌can‌ ‌tell‌ ‌how‌ ‌closely‌ ‌resemble‌ ‌the‌ ‌words‌ ‌are‌),‌ ‌creating‌ ‌the‌ ‌internet‌ ‌slang‌ ‌of‌ ‌背‌黑‌鍋‌ ‌or‌ ‌burdened/‌ ‌carried‌ ‌this‌ ‌black‌ ‌pot‌ ‌(blame).‌ ‌ to carry.

The four palace workers crouched low in the room were not deaf. Wei Lian could already foresee the sight of him being verbally abused by the Qin subjects, picture them pointing at his nose for being the bane of this empire.

Wei Lian smiled with his eyes. “Alright.”

Ji Yue used his long fingers to lift up the younger man’s chin and leaned in for what appeared to be a kiss.

The four kneeling figures trembled and buried their heads deeper, not daring to glance upwards at all.

His Majesty was really fond of Wei Shijun...they thought in unison.

Only Wei Lian knew differently, as Ji Yue stopped inches from his lips and gave praise in a soft tone, “Your acting isn’t so bad.”

Wei Lian released a gasp, forming an illusion that his uneven breathing was from being kissed breathlessly, as he begged, “Your Majesty...Please let this subject catch my breath.”

Someone like Wei Lian was not only the most beautiful man in the world, he was also the best performer in the seven empires.

He didn’t mind showing off his acting skills in front of the Qin Emperor. It would only create layer upon layer over his face, eventually it would be so thick, not even the older man would be able to tell what was real.

So that was why Wei Lian did this, showing an arrogance engraved deep into his bones that couldn’t be hidden behind his humble and respectful persona. It wasn’t because he couldn’t hide it, but he didn’t want to.

Suitable disguises had the benefit of continuing living at peace, pretending to be too sullen would only bring future suffering to himself.

Wei Lian didn’t want hardship.

Ji Yue chuckled softly twice, and the sound of his laugh was extremely pleasing to the ears.

He whispered, “Wei Lang, we want to peel the skin off your face to see what you’re really like inside.”

Wei Lian was unmoved. “This subject is just a spineless individual who wants to live, that’s all.”

Ji Yue raised an eyebrow and ordered the four palace servants who were kneeling on the ground, “Dismiss yourself.”

The palace attendants hurriedly did as they were ordered.

The moment they exited and closed the door, the last image behind the crack between the doors revealed that his Majesty was impatiently pressing the younger man against the desk and removing Wei Shijun’s garments.

Did his Majesty intend to pleasure Wei Shijun in the imperial study?

The last palace maid who closed the door tightly was blushing deeply.

* * *

As soon as the door was closed, Ji Yue instantly moved further away from Wei Lian.

Wei Lian leisurely put his coat back on and drew it around his body. He even put the disordered ink, paper and ink-stones on the table back in their place.

Ji Yue looked at the younger man, taking things easy.

When Wei Lian started to tidy up the scrolls on the floor, Ji Yue spoke, “From what we see, Wei Lang isn’t a spineless individual.”

Wei Lian paused in picking up the paintings.

“They are all afraid of us.” Ji Yue spoke out this logic slowly, “But not you.”

As much as a masterful pretender the younger man was, he never felt a hint of true fear in the youth’s fearful act.

The youth and those people were not the same.

Wei Lian gazed up at the older man and said nothing.

The youth was half-kneeling on the ground, head slightly tilted. Under the flickering candlelight, those eyes were as quiet as a deep lake, yet as clear as a spring.

After a long time, he said, “Your Majesty, you as Emperor cause one to feel intimidated, but you as a husband do not.”

Ji Yue knew that the other was telling lies with wide open eyes.

But inexpressibly, this foolish statement brightened his mood.

Lian Gongzi, Wei Lian.

Was really a very interesting person.

* * *

There was not much business to attend to today, so after finishing things in the imperial study, it was time for a bath before sleep.

There was more than one pool in the Tangquan Pavilion, and Wei Lian had no love towards bathing with others, and apparently neither did Ji Yue.

They were both very well-guarded people, so how could they keep being frank and honest with each other?

As a cautious man like the Qin Emperor, no one was allowed to wait on him in the bath, making Ji Yue and Wei Lian the only ones inside the Tangquan Pavilion.

Wei Lian gave the older man a meaningful glance. “This subject will go to the other side.”

There were plenty of pools in Tangquan Pavilion, but Wei Lian had deliberately gone around to the farthest one. Through the numerous folding screens, he couldn’t hear any movements from the Qin Emperor’s side.

The Qin Emperor didn’t like people to be too close, not with his negative experiences.

Wei Lian couldn’t keep the Emperor from waiting too long, so he took a very quick bath. By the time he returned, Ji Yue had also finished. He had just gotten out of the bath and put on his middle robe, his inked hair poured down like a waterfall, as water dripped down his face and slipped into his collar. He was languid, bright-coloured, and inviting.

When Wei Lian saw this, he thought that the Qin Emperor deserved the name ‘the man who brought calamity to the empire’ more than himself.

Ji Yue looked up. “Come here.”

Wei Lian obediently walked over.

“Wait here a little longer.”

Wei Lian nodded and didn’t ask what he was waiting for.

He knew inside—it would always take some time to do thatEssentially Wei Lian and Ji Yue are hanging out waiting for everyone to think they're having sexy times because even though they've both cleaned up quickly, they've been in the baths for a while... in the pool.

Wei Lian lowered his head to count down. When the time was almost up, Ji Yue suddenly picked the younger man up and whispered in his ears, “Do you know how to act out there?”

Wei Lian’s ears reddened from the hot steam from the hot pond. He wrapped his arms around the Qin Emperor’s neck, and buried his head into the other man’s arms, whispering, “This subject understands.”

This was what the palace workers saw when the duo walked out from the Tangquan Pavilion’s large entrance.

Their Emperor held the frail youth in his arms, calm expression and eyes ahead.

The young man was buried in the Emperor’s arms, hiding his face, but they could see the faint blush from his neck to his ears.

It was obvious that nothing was revealed, but the scene was charmingly beautiful and it welcomed imagination.

His Majesty had just spent an extended time with Wei Shijun inside...

Looking at this, the two’s bath time was simply steamy, so much so it was impossible for Wei Shijun to walk as he needed to be carried by his Majesty himself.

One of the palace maids was even blushing fully.

Her name was Zhu Yu, and she was the same one who walked out last at the imperial study earlier.

His Majesty had already done the deed in the imperial study, and now he had taken Wei Shijun again during bath time...

This was so exciting, she must share this news to the other following maids in the palace!