“We see no etiquette in your eyes.”
Ji Yue carried Wei Lian back to his bedchamber and laid him down on the bed, then sat down by the edge to remove his own shoes.
A faint ambergris fragrance lingered on the tip of their noses, which was very soothing. The imperial bed was large enough to accommodate five to six people. Wei Lian rolled to the other side of the bed while curling himself into the quilt.
When Ji Yue looked back, he saw a large gap between him and the young man: “...”
Very good. The other party was very self-conscious.
As a territorial Qin Emperor, he indeed didn’t like being too close to people. Last night, the young man was ill and subconsciously sought for a heat source to snuggle in to. Today, Wei Lian was fully awake, he knew how to draw a river-like line between the two.
...But there was this small, subtle displeasure.
Ji Yue wasn’t sure where this negative emotion came from...Perhaps because he was the one who always disdained others while never permitting them to avoid him.
He pulled down the drapery and gazed over at Wei Lian. “What are we going to be covered with, when you take all the quilt?”
Wei Lian started blankly for a moment before slowly releasing the bedding and reluctantly tossed a corner to the older man.
Ji Yue grabbed it and took the entire quilt impolitely.
He was the Chang Emperor of Qin, there was no reason for him to share with others.
Last night, there was no point bickering with the ill.
Wei Lian obediently sat down on his knees. “Your Majesty, can you share a small portion with this subject?”
There was an indescribable itch in Ji Yue’s heart before he deliberately made things difficult. “No.”
Reckoning, Wei Lian asked, “Then add another quilt?”
Ji Yue emphasised by dragging out the word, “No.”
Wei Lian: “?”
This was not the Qin Emperor. Who was this childish brat sulking for some unknown reason?
Ji Yue glanced at him, covered himself with the quilt and turned his back to the younger man. Not intending to tend to him.
Wei Lian was shivering in his thin robe on this cold night.
...Well, not entirely true. The inside of the pavilion was warm and cozy due to the heating. But it didn’t change the fact it was a cold winter’s night outside, one would still catch a cold without a quilt.
After a moment's thought, Wei Lian reconsidered, and without another word, he lunged forward to snatch the quilt from the Qin Emperor.
The moment Wei Lian launched his attack, Ji Yue perceived this. How could a cautious man like himself easily leave his back unguarded to his opponent. It has become a habit to take precautions at all times. Almost immediately, reacting as if he was about to grab Wei Lian’s throat.
But Wei Lian’s voice was quicker, “If your Majesty is not willing to share it, then please forgive this subject for fighting for it.”
Ji Yue's hand paused, and Wei Lian successfully snatched half of the quilt away.
Ji Yue's sharp eyes lifted upward slightly. “Wei Lian, do you not fear death?”
No one had ever dared to be so bold in front of him.
He raised his eyes and said sincerely, “This subject did everything for your sake.”
Ji Yue: “...”
We would be stupid to believe you.
“Let go.”
“Your Majesty...”
“We don’t want to hear it.”
Wei Lian had a tight grip on the bedding. Ji Yue's patience ran out as he took it upon himself to snatch it back.
One of them was clinging to the quilt to the death, and the other made it his mission to seize it back. The two young men were like children, entangled in a tug-of-war, neither giving way.
Ji Yue was almost laughing at Wei Lian’s audacity.
—In fact, if Ji Yue was really angry, he could have just called someone to drag Wei Lian out and have him caned to death.
The Qin Emperor had never been moved to true anger.
Wei Lian was great at grasping the bottom line. He always knew how to protect himself.
* * *
In the end, it was Wei Lian, a ‘weak gentleman with no stamina’, who was slightly outclassed as Ji Yue won the quilt in his arms, ending the battle for the blanket.
Ji Yue didn’t stop in time. He didn’t expect Wei Lian’s pull to suddenly weaken when the older man was still exerting his strength, so he pulled the youth along under the law of inertia.
Wei Lian rolled into the older man’s arms with the blanket.
Both of their bodies froze for a moment.
When he was about to get off using Ji Yue’s shoulder, a female voice suddenly came from outside the curtain, “This subject pays respects to your Majesty.”
Wei Lian suddenly stopped and sank down, nestling quietly in Ji Yue’s arms.
Ji Yue said coldly, “What gave you the authority to enter the palace without a summons?”
The woman hurriedly said, “Replying back to your Majesty, this humble subject is a tong shi lady official.”
A tong shi lady official was someone who was tasked to record the Emperor's bedroom matters.
Their duty was to keep track of the birth dates, preferences and monthly bleeding of all the noble consorts. When a noble consort was called upon by the Emperor, they would record outside the bed with a vermilion pen, including whether medicine was given or if the noble consort was granted permission to conceive an heir afterwards. This was all to ensure the purity of the imperial bloodline.
This way, if a noble consort became pregnant, they would compare it with what was documented and confirm the authentication using the lunar month.
The late Emperor was so lustful that he had countless concubines in his harem, and he was often able to keep several women at night. It was too much to document even with a dozen tong shi female officials. There was even a female official who was taking down notes one night until the late Emperor pulled her onto his bed...
In this generation, the Qin Emperor had no one in his harem so the tong shi female officials were collectively unemployed.
Some earth cracked in drought, while others flooded in rain.The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Here it's saying the previous Emperor 'ensured' lots of potential heirs, while the current Emperor is 'poor' (and so, therefore, is the country) in this respect.
They finally have one in the harem, but a man no less.
Men don't get pregnant, and she didn’t know what she was doing here either. Coming was customary anyway.
She was confused as well.
* * *
Wei Lian tightened his fingers on Ji Yue's shoulders, as if he was too shy to be seen.
The female official could only see two overlapping fuzzy figures behind the bed curtain, the young man must be lying in his Majesty’s arms, perhaps in the middle of it as well...
She was also quite embarrassed as she interrupted them halfway through the process.
Wei Lian saw the intruder was still standing outside, so he released a whimper, “Your Majesty...”
The voice was soft and charming. Even just calling out to the other man, her ears still went soft from the sound separated by a curtain.
Wei Shijun was really a real piece of work. She thought.
Ji Yue reprimanded, “Sightless thing, why haven’t you scrammed!”
The female official said stiffly, “But this is this subject’s duty...”
Wei Lian’s voice turned an octave lower as he uttered with a hint of trembling, “You need to go out first...”
It wasn’t clear who he was addressing, her or his Majesty.
The tong shi lady official thought for a moment. If he was addressing her, there was no need to use the honorific ‘you’.
If he was addressing his Majesty...
Go out? Where to?
Her whole body quivered from the excitement that she dared not to imagine in detailThis girl has got a totally smutty mind. xD She is picturing exactly what you think she's picturing... i.e. the Emperor having to 'pull out'. Ahem..
Ji Yue didn’t expect the younger man to improvise, but he cooperated.
“The duty of the tong shi official is to ensure the purity of the heir’s bloodline. If you can make Wei Lang pregnant with an imperial heir, then stay on to fulfil your duties.” Ji Yue spoke indifferently.
Tong shi female official: “...”
She immediately started sweating. “This subject excuses herself.” She slipped away right after.
As she was about to leave the pavilion, she could vaguely hear one or two more suppressed gasps from the youth.
Her facial expression didn’t change, but her pace quickened a little.
* * *
Inside the curtain...
With an expressionless face, Ji Yue said, “Enough.”
Ji Yue sneered. “You still know what discourteously is? We see no etiquette in your eyes.”
Wei Lian knelt on the bed facing the older man, a perfect image of an obedient partner.
“Do you assume that by selling your acting skill it would make us overlook your earlier disgraceful behaviour?” Ji Yue continued, “You would never consider...What are you doing?”
Wei Lian got off the bed barefoot. “This subject has no bedding, and would surely catch a cold at night. To prevent passing illness to your Majesty, this subject will go to sleep on the soft couch.”
The small couch couldn’t be compared to the imperial bed, where there was room to move, but more importantly, it was located in the outer room without a charcoal fire. It would be very cold.
Ji Yue's tone was deep, “Come back!”
“You’re not allowed to go anywhere in this pavilion.”
Wei Lian stopped and turned, saying in grievance, “But...the ground is too hard to sleep on.”
Ji Yue: “...”
Ji Yue was indifferent. “Sleep on the bed.”
Wei Lian was concerned. “But the subject could pass illness—”
Ji Yue slammed the blanket over the younger man’s face. “We’ll share with you!”
Wei Lian contently caught an armful of quilt. Hearing the older man’s discomfort hiding under the anger and frustration was enough for his lips to curl up to form a faint and imperceptible smile.
Who tf came up with a position like a tong shi? That means the emperor could “enjoy” the night time just with an audience? Srsly, wtf lololol
And another small victory for WL >3
Thx for the ch ٩( >ヮ<)۶
Apparently, in ye olde Europe when people got married, on the wedding night they’d have a whole ton of family, friends, ministers (in the case of royalty) in there to witness the deed and to confirm consummation (but not always). It was known as a ‘bedding ceremony’. Seriously wtf!
Hahaha lol I forgot about that (っ ̯- ) They had a ton of stupid af rules back then, well… at least more than today x’D As if, first time intercourse and BAM pregnant.. yup…. xDD