“To meet such a fool.”

When Wei Lian woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. He lazily curled up under his blanket, feeling so warm inside the quilt that he didn't want to leave.

This was the downside of being the miserable Qin Emperor, having to get up before dawn to attend court, even during the harsh cold and intense heat season. The mere thought of this made him even less interested in being an emperor.

Wasn’t sleeping inside the blanket nest so comfortable? Why must one torment themselves with all of these responsibilities?

“This servant girl sees that the Gongzi is awake.” A palace maid entered and put his outfit for the day on the headboard. “Gongzi, please change your clothes.”

Wei Lian glanced up and found that the palace maid today wasn’t Zhu Chu. With his good memory, he remembered the servant girl before him was in charge of serving the Qin Emperor in dress. Her name was Zhu Yue.

The woman was not bad looking, as pretty as the autumn moon, and as beautiful as a peach and plum blossom. To have such beauty wandering around the Qin Emperor all day long without the older man taking advantage of it.

What an insensitive Zhan HuoAlso known as Liu Xiahui 柳下惠. The story was this ancient Chinese politician from the Lu Empire met a woman without a place to stay, fearing that she would catch the cold in this weather, he held her within his clothes (loose robe I guess) the whole night without doing or showing anything inappropriate..

He unhurriedly put on his clothes, while Zhu Yue’s head was lowered, saying not a single word.

“You seem to have something you want to say to me.” Wei Lian mentioned as he gently fastened his sash and finally raised his eyes to look at Zhu Yue.

Zhu Yue's hand trembled, not expecting that Lian Gongzi could have such sharp observation skills.

Zhu Yue bowed her head and said, “His Majesty has instructed that if you feel bored in the pavilion, you may go out for a walk.”

Wei Lian fixed his eyes on her. “But I am not familiar with the Qin Palace, and I do not know where to go.”

What she said didn’t reveal what was harboured in her heart. She was happy at first, but then she was afraid of having her intention be seen through, so she summoned the courage to say, “This servant girl can guide the way for Gongzi.”

Wei Lian chuckled. “All right, then thank you for your trouble, we can leave now.”

Zhu Yue was stunned. “Is Gongzi not bringing his attendants?”

There should be two attendants beside Wei Lian, Chang Sheng and Chang Shou.

“No need. It would be quicker to go without summoning them.” Wei Lian said.

Zhu Yue didn't expect things to go so smoothly, and her footsteps swayed a bit as she turned around.

No, you won't be coming back. Zhu Yue thought maliciously.

She missed the faint coolness in the smiling young man’s eyes behind her.

He also wanted to know what medicine this palace maid who harbour ulterior motives was selling in her gourdWhat medicine is being sold in the gourd is the Chinese idiom equivalent to ‘what she has up her sleeve’.
.

Acting in front of him was rather like displaying one’s intermediate skill to a master. Zhu Yue thought she was hiding her emotions well, but she scarcely realised that in Wei Lian’s eyes, her jealousy and fear were clearly written on her face.

A rabbit wanted to send a lamb into the tiger’s den, but the schemer didn’t realise that the person being schemed was a king of the jungle.

Very interesting.

* * *

Zhu Yue brought Wei Lian out of the palace gates. It had not snowed in the past few days, and the sun was warm enough to bring comfort to them. The accumulated snow on the ground had not yet melted, but it was beautiful to see the vast expanse of white from a distance.

“At this time of the year, the plum blossoms in the Yimei GardenExactly what it is, a garden with plum flowers. are in full bloom. Why not have this servant girl take Gongzi to admire them?” Zhu Yue said, guiding Wei Lian to the southeast.

The Yimei Garden was indeed in that direction. But what Zhu Yue didn't mention was that there were two palace paths leading to the Yimei Garden, and the palace workers usually took the other one.

...Because the path they were on now passed through the Yangshou HouseDirect translation—place to raise animals. where his Majesty’s mastiff was being kept.

The mastiff was a gift from the Liang Emperor two years ago. His Majesty raised it from a pup, now at two years of age, it was half a man tall, fierce and powerful. It even saved his Majesty’s life several times, so it was very much loved by his Majesty.

Many assassins had attempted to assassinate his Majesty, but before they could get close, the mastiff ripped out their throats. The mastiff even had a scar on its back, which it took on behalf of his Majesty.

His Majesty raised it feeding raw meat, and when the mastiff bit the assassin, it was able to eat the man alive. Having a taste of human flesh made it hard to tame. Even several strong men couldn’t subdue it.

It only listened to his Majesty, and treated everyone else with great hostility. Even the eunuchs tasked to feed it only dared to put food in the bucket while it was sleeping, avoiding approaching it the rest of the time. The ordinary palace workers all went around that dangerous place.

Otherwise, there was no reason to be bitten. Their lives weren’t as valuable in his Majesty’s eyes as the life of a dog.

That was how things were in the palace. People were worse than dogs.

The mastiff was kept free-range, neither in a cage nor chained. His Majesty would sometimes visit to play with it, other than that, it mostly just lazed around in the Yangshou House and slept. It didn’t often go out, staying in the Yangshou House as its own territory. Except for turning a blind eye to the caretaker eunuch, it treated anyone who entered its domain other than his Majesty as an enemy, and would attack and kill without hesitation.

There was once a palace worker who stepped foot in Yangshou House by mistake and was bitten to death on the spot. Half of the body was digested in the mastiff’s stomach while the other half was messily buried. To die in such a quiet way and without getting justice in the end…

Zhu Yue was planning to get rid of Wei Lian with the mastiff's help.

Her scheme was well laid out. She would lure Wei Lian to the Yangshou House, and when Wei Lian was swallowed by the beast, he would die without a witness, and no one would know that she was the culprit who deliberately led him there.

Jealousy could blind a person. Zhu Yue had no courage to kill, but once resentment was born, boundless evil thoughts would form inside her head.

* * *

Once they were near the boundary of the Yangshou House, Zhu Yue did not dare to go forward, for fear that she would provoke the fierce mastiff. She pretended to have a stomach ache, wrapped her arms over her belly and uttered, “Ah, this servant girl...suddenly feels unwell and has to go relieve herself. Gongzi, you go on ahead, this servant girl will be right back.”

When Zhu Yue finished speaking, she hurried away without waiting for Wei Lian to reply.

Wei Lian remained where he stood, waiting for Zhu Yue to disappear from his sight and turned to leave without hesitation.

He already knew that there was something wrong with the palace maid, and when he returned, he only had to ask the others where Zhu Yue took him to learn what her plan was. Why should he personally take the risk to verify the unknown?

He was not stupid.

But that palace maid was a fool. Did she really think that if they came out together and something happened to him, she would make it out of this alive?

“My first time meeting such a foolish person.” Wei Lian sighed.

As he was about to leave, he suddenly felt the sound of wind coming from behind him. He paused his footsteps slightly, a cold flash of light flashed through his fingers, and several silver needles suddenly appeared.

He turned around to send the needles flying, and they were instantly stuck into the body of the new-comer.

A giant mastiff with smooth fur, powerful frame, and a majestic golden mane around its head appeared. Its golden mane was like a lion’s.

As it was about to pounce on Wei Lian, it was restrained by a few tiny silver needles and confined from mid-air to the ground.

“Oh?” Wei Lian narrowed his eyes. “I thought it was something, but it’s a little thing like you.”

Giant mastiff: “...”

Excuse me? Little thing? Could you repeat that again?

It lost all of its dignity!

The giant dog bared its fangs, making a fierce face in an attempt to scare off this audacious human. “Woof!”

Wei Lian frowned, disgusted with its saliva. “Keep your mouth shut.”

The giant dog barked louder and more aggressively, “Woof woof!!!”

Wei Lian’s eyes turned cold. “A dog raised by the dog-of-an-Emperor, it won’t be too good to kill it...”

The moment the youth's eyes went cold, the giant dog instinctively felt a hint of danger as fear streaked across its gaze.

It dropped its foreleg to the ground in a show of submission.

The animal’s ability to detect danger was the sharpest of all. Instinct told it that the human before it was not to be messed with. It was the animal’s instinct to absolutely surrender to the strong.

Wei Lian showed a gentle smile and withdrew the silver needle back to his bracelet, as if the murderous intent just now was imaginary. “That's a good boy.”

Seeing that the silver needles that threatened its life were gone, the giant dog stood its ground with its front paws and let out another dangerous low growl, ready to attack again.

Wei Lian gently stroked its head, right on its lethal acupuncture point. “You are so cute, especially your head. It’s good enough to eat, perfect for a braised lion’s headChinese name for a type of meatball. .”

The giant dog whimpered.

Master, where are you? Why did you allow such a dangerous human being in?

Others came as its food, but this youth treated it as food.

This was terrible.

The giant dog’s whole body was listless as it lay lifelessly on the ground.

Master, come and save my dog's life!

Master...Eh? Master is coming!

The dog's eyes lit up at the sight of the man dressed in dark clothes. It immediately stood up, wanting to jump into its master’s arm with joy.

...Then it watched dumbfoundedly as the heartless youth ran with faster speed to monopolise its master’s arms. He laid softly on them in tears. “Your Majesty, this subject is so scared!”

Giant Dog: “...”

Was it dreaming? Was this scene reality?

Shouldn’t I be the one who is scared?

The dog was at a loss.

Ji Yue looked down at the young man in his arms, briefly stunned.

Considering there was a group of followers behind him, he quickly cuddled the youth in his arms and coaxed him while asking, “What were you doing here?”

After he left the court, he was still troubled by the embarrassing situation in the morning and the enchanting dream from last night. He didn’t want to return to the Yangxin Palace Hall to face the young man for the time being.

...It was not because he was ashamed, he just didn’t want to see the other man.

After pondering, he decided to go visit the Yangshou House to see his dog.

But he didn't expect to face an armful of Wei Lian.

Wei Lian raised his head and mumbled with red eyes, “This subject stayed in the palace hall for so long and wanted to come out to explore...Then a dog suddenly came out from nowhere...This subject is afraid of dogs the most!”

Giant dog: “...”

Excuse me? I’m more afraid of you, thank you very much!

The young man’s slightly rosy eyes, and his trembling body from the lingering trauma—this suddenly reminded Ji Yue of the dream from last night.

The youth was in his arms too, with such flushed eyes and shuddering body...

Cough, cough.

Stopping this train of thought right now!

This matter should not be underestimated indeed. If he had arrived any later, the youth would have been eaten alive by his mastiff.

When he thought of this possibility, Ji Yue's heart suddenly sank, and he actually felt a faint fear along with it.

Wei Lian was a very interesting character. If he died, the Qin Palace would return to its boring times again.

The very desperate mastiff dog could read its master’s thoughts very clearly from his eyes. Master, if you had arrived any later, the one eaten alive would have been me!

Ji Yue reassured him, “It’s all right, A’MengSo this author tends to add modern slang into the novel even with its ancient setting. This is one of them. 萌 Meng is a borrowed word from 'moe' which means a feeling of cuteness. is just being playful on this occasion. It won’t hurt you. Don’t let its fierce appearance trick you, this dog is actually as adorably cute as its name.”

The trembling in Wei Lian’s body stopped.

The Qin Emperor named that golden furred lion king of a dog ‘A’Meng’?

And the definition of this ‘meng’ was ‘adorably cute’???

All right, I see, this was a very Qin Emperor way of doing things.