Warning: NSFW, sexual references.

"Can this subject not be punished?"

Inside the Tangquan Pavilion, Wei Lian was submerged in a pool of warm water. The surface of the water flowed across his chest and stopped below his collarbone. His skin was as smooth as cream and his neck was pale and long, making him extremely attractive.

The water was covered with red plum flower petals, like a halo of rouge, which surrounded the youth, enhancing his glistening appearance and making him appear like a flower demon.

Ji Yue came in like a one man army with judgement in mind. When he saw such an image, he suddenly softened his steps.

The flame inside died down for the most part in an instant, his single force furled up the banner and silenced the drum, leaving a small kindle of anger.

“All of you, stand down.” Ji Yue did not want the others to see the picture of a bathing Wei Lian, even though most of the younger man’s body was submerged in the water.

“Understood.”

When the palace workers retreated, the two were the only ones in the Tangquan Pavilion.

Wei Lian exclaimed in surprise, “What brings your Majesty here?”

“If we didn’t come, we wouldn't know what kind of scheme you are orchestrating behind our back.” Ji Yue smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes.

Wei Lian’s tone remained calm, “What does your Majesty mean by that?”

Since he had schemed against Zhu Yue, he long expected that Zhu Yue would sell him out in her desperation. But so what? As long as he denied it, there was no solid evidence against him. It would be a joke to believe the one-sided story of a bed-climbing palace maid.

Ji Yue declined to comment. He reached out and removed his sash, untied the outer robe and threw it on the ground, took off his boots and entered the water still in his middle robe.

Wei Lian’s fingertips lightly went for the silver bracelet around his wrist.

...Without a single article of clothing on him, the only weapon he had was the silver needles hidden in the bracelet.

Ji Yue walked slowly into the water. His thin middle robe was soaked in an instant and it clung tightly to his body, showing the smooth outline of his muscles.

He closed the distance step by step, and didn’t stop until he was within a stone’s throw of Wei Lian.

The Qin Emperor had a pair of extremely beautiful phoenix eyes. They were long and slender, curved slightly upward and with sharp lights contained within them. At this moment, he was staring intently at Wei Lian, giving people the illusion of ‘you are everything in his eyes’.

But being targeted by such a man was nothing but bad news.

Ji Yue was not angry, but had a smile on his lips and a quip in his voice.

“We heard that Wei Lang was so tired from the nightly pleasures that his body cannot handle it, enough to have a servant maid replace him.”

Wei Lian: “...”

“There is absolutely no such thing.”

“Oh...” Ji Yue uttered, trailing off at the end. “What you mean is that bed-climbing servant girl wrongly accused you?”

Wei Lian said in exaggerated surprise, “How dare that servant girl be so bold?!”

He applauded in his heart, the Qin Emperor was really an extremely calculating man. Using ‘bed-climbing servant girl’ as the term of address, with no mention of Zhu Yue’s name. Because the older man wanted to see if he would accidentally spill her name while frantically explaining himself, essentially exposing himself.

After all, if he was innocent, he shouldn't know who this bed-climbing servant girl was.

But if the Qin Emperor was a thousand steps ahead, then he was ten thousand steps ahead. How could someone like himself be so easily tricked?

Ji Yue observed Wei Lian’s face, and saw that his words and expressions were flawless, as if he really did not know anything about it.

He said slowly, “It doesn't matter who she is, as we have already sentenced her to be caned to death.”

When he heard the words ‘caned to death’, he lowered his head in silence, but not alarmed or ashamed.

It was a sigh at the loss of a stranger’s life.

Making not a single mistake.

“She said you ordered her.” Ji Yue asked, “Wei Lang, do you think we should believe her?”

Wei Lian said in a soft voice, “If one wants to punish someone, they can always find excuses. Since that palace maid dared to do such a disgraceful thing, she must be blinded by her love for your Majesty. Your Majesty has been very fond of me for some time now, so it is possible that this subject is a victim of her jealousy.”

“Seeing that she could not save herself, it was only human nature for her to drag me into the trouble when death is near at hand.” Wei Lian’s voice trailed off. “In this subject’s humble position, my words don’t carry much weight, as a wise man who knows nothing, I can’t dispute such a claim. If your Majesty does not believe me, this subject will await your punishment.”

Ji Yue looked at him for a long time.

Wei Lian lowered his head and hid his emotions.

“Wei Lang is really a...clever man.” It was quite a while before Ji Yue said something. He chuckled, but fiercely pinched Wei Lian’s lower jaw, raising the younger man’s head and forcing their eyes to meet. “Your superior acting makes it hard for us to tell if you are lying or not. But we can tell that the palace maid was not lying. Are you treating it as if we can’t tell?”

The emotion in Wei Lian’s eyes did not flicker at all. I miscalculated.

Wei Lian was indeed an extremely intelligent person. Since childhood, he had been toying with people’s hearts within his palm. Shifu once praised his intelligence as unworldly, but also arrogant. If he ever met an equal match, he would be at a disadvantage because he underestimated his enemy at the start.

He disregarded this warning because he had never really met an evenly matched opponent…until now. There were only two kinds of people in his eyes—those who were stupid but saveable and those who were stupid beyond redemption.

He was born in the Chu Palace, the Chu Emperor had a harem and seventeen sons. He had seen too many scenes of jealousy among the concubines and rivalry among the brothers in public and in secret. As for the tactics they used to compete for favour, Wei Lian witnessed them all. He can only describe them in three words—mutual chickens pecking.

Too shallow and childish, it was a mockery to his intellect to participate in this quarrel.

The Chu Emperor happily fell into traps that he could see though at a glance. The concubines frequently fell against each other’s schemes, each of his brothers was dumber than the previous one. When Wei Lian saw it long enough, he simply treated everyone as a fool.

It made him forget that the Qin Emperor was not one of the fools in the Chu Palace.

This Emperor, who was able to pacify civil strife at the age of fifteen and to sweep away the six empires at the age of twenty-one. This man’s ability to read through people’s hearts and dissect people’s words was no less than his.

He could tell at a glance that Zhu Yue had evil intentions, and naturally, the Qin Emperor could also tell whether Zhu Yue's confession was true or not.

The Qin Emperor was also a smart man.

If it was in the past, to meet an evenly matched opponent, he would have appreciated the other’s talent. But now...the situation wasn’t looking very good.

Shifu was right. He was too wild. He was in over his head and now was in the danger of losing his life.

Even so, Wei Lian remained very calm.

He said helplessly, “Your Majesty is wise.”

Ji Yue raised an eyebrow. “So do you admit to doing this?”

“Yes.” Wei Lian sighed softly. “What would your Majesty be punishing this subject with?”

He was not as pure as he looked, he had a black heart and was ruthless.

Ji Yue was more interested.

Wei Lian was like a treasure. When Ji Yue unearthed a piece of jade, he thought that was all he discovered, but he did not expect that when the jade was cracked open, there would be silver, and when the silver was cut open, there would be gold. It was a constant source of surprise.

But Ji Yue would not tolerate anyone playing him for a fool.

If he was used as an executioner for someone else’s means, the person would also need to pay the price of the aftermath.

“Since that palace maid has been sentenced to death.” Ji Yue whispered, “That doesn’t excuse your act of instigating in the front and deceiving us in the back. Such a great crime, twenty strokes would do to make an example of you, see if you will continue to act undisciplined in the future.”

The punishment of twenty strokes was considered a very light sentence for what Wei Lian had done.

However, Wei Lian did not want to receive such physical punishment either.

Glancing in the Qin Emperor’s direction, Wei Lian looped his arms around the other’s neck, moved forward and gave Ji Yue a kiss.

Ji Yue: “...”

When the soft lips came forward, he could smell the faint plum flower fragrance on the youth, refreshing and charming.

When Ji Yue came out of his daze and wanted to push the youth away, his traitorous mind remembered the dream and caused hesitation in his movement, giving the youth time to move away.

It was a feathery light kiss, like a dragonfly touching on the surface of the water lightly for a split second.

Wei Lian murmured, “Your Majesty...this subject already made atonement for his crime this way, can this subject not be beaten?”

Ji Yue: “...”

Don't pretend to deceive us like this! We won't fall for your tricks anymore!

Ji Yue felt that this was not enough. He was an absolute man on the top, but he always tended to be on the downside in his confrontations with Wei Lian.

He must not continue to lose face.

Ji Yue gazed at Wei Lian for a moment, and then suddenly a plan was formed in his heart.

His hand was under the water as he seamlessly grasped the younger man by his most intimate part.

Wei Lian’s whole body stiffened as his eyes were wide with shock. “Your Majesty—”

It was rare for him to display such shock. The calmness that had been masterfully maintained on the young man's face was shattered, bringing Ji Yue joy.

Ji Yue teased, “Didn't you say your body couldn't handle tonight? We have to be true to our reputation.”

A thin red blush appeared at the corners of Wei Lian’s eyes as he whispered, “There is no need for your Majesty to...” A gasp escaped his trembling lips.

Ji Yue slightly tightened his grip and spoke in a relaxed tone, “No need for what?”

Wei Lian lowered his eyes, “Your Majesty, please do as you wish.”

What a nice way to put it.

Ji Yue snorted, “Three times. If you can't orgasm three times, go out and accept the twenty strokes yourself.”

Wei Lian: “...”

You win, you dog-of-a Emperor.

Fine, it was only three times, he was the one getting the benefit anyway.

* * *

At the end, when the warm pool had turned cold, the youth leaned breathlessly against the Emperor’s body. His chin rested against Ji Yue's shoulder, and his hands clung to the older man’s arms weakly, his nails scratching out light red marks.

The corners of his peach-petal like eyes were slightly red as a thin layer of watery mist under them, making his eyes appear dazed, as if his vision were blurred.

It was as if the plum flower lost its colour, staining the youth’s cheeks with its dye.

Ji Yue washed his hands in the water to get rid of the sticky feeling; he actually had never masturbated himself, and now he had performed it on Wei Lian.

The youth still looked the best lost in pleasure. When he had all the control in the palm of his hand, he could make the younger man too breathless to say a word, unable to utilise that annoying mouth of his to piss him off.

Ji Yue was about to take revenge on Wei Lian by launching a series of taunts...

But where did his sharp tongue go?

The younger man was so quick to release.

And became so weak and useless after just three orgasms.

When he turned his gaze, he saw the youth huddled in his arms with a lost expression and flushed cheeks.

Looking unreasonably soft and obedient.

The taunts did a one-eighty in Ji Yue's mouth as he spat out, “Such a fool.”

“We won’t beat you.”

Authors Corner

The author has something to say:

Ji Yue: (radiant with delight) (finally blew off his steam) (rejoice) You see, we finally turned the match around!

Wei Lian: (completely relaxed) (extremely calm) (max level ridicule) I’m the comfortable one, I don’t know what you’re so happy about.

Chapters

2 Comments

  1. Muggelschmuggel

    You call that punishment? xDD I thought (bc of the NSFW warning) that he would go all the way and not just play around with little WL.
    But good thing that it didn’t went that way, I’m really glad :3

    Thx for the ch ٩(。˃ ᵕ ˂ )و

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