“Tonight, you will kneel by the bed and keep watch.”

Li Fuquan had thought that when his Majesty entered in anger, even if not sentencing the Young Master Lian to death, he would suffer a few dozen strokes as punishment at least.

He had been by his Majesty’s side for many years and had never seen his Majesty this angry. It was not that his Majesty had never been angry before, but that he never displayed the emotion, and the more unhappy he was, the gentler his face became, and a faint smile would appear, making people shudder.

This explosive emotion, even if frightening, gave him a rare sense of being a human.

He just didn’t know how that Young Master Lian would handle His Majesty’s wrath.

Li Fuquan shook his head outside and wondered, I thought that Young Master Lian was a smart man, how could he have done something so stupid?

As soon as the gates of the Tangquan Pavilion were opened, Li Fuquan hurriedly withdrew his thoughts and bowed his head to greet his Majesty.

He originally thought that his Majesty would order Young Master Lian to be dragged out and disposed of, but when Li Fuquan quietly raised his eyes and caught a glimpse of the young man leaning against his Majesty’s arm, his skin was as white as snow, complexion the colour of peaches, dusted with scarlet powder.

The corners of Li Fuquan's eyes twitched and he hurriedly removed his sight.

It seemed punishment was out of the question.

There was no problem that couldn’t be solved in one round, and if there was, then two rounds.

Young Master Lian was really a character.

This was the nth time Li Fuquan sighed like this.

* * *

That same night at the side of the imperial bed, Ji Yue dismissed servants left and right until there was no one else in the room.

Ji Yue suddenly reacted to something in hindsight.

He seemed, once again, to have been made a fool by Wei Lian.

Ji Yue: “...”

Ji Yue, we have never seen such a foolish person like you in eight hundred years, who repeatedly falls into someone’s schemes.

Are you a swine???

And since he had promised himself that he would not hit Wei Lian, and as a gentleman who kept his words, he could always settle the score later.

As for killing?

...Let’s just say, keeping him alive for entertainment.

But he was not willing to give up. Ji Yue's anger was suffocated in his throat, unable to be shallow or be released.

When had he ever been played for a fool like that?

Ji Yue looked back at Wei Lian’s stunningly beautiful face, and felt that it wasn’t pleasing to the eyes anywhere.

“Kneel.” Ji Yue ordered in a cold voice.

Wei Lian was struck dumb.

“Just because we didn’t reprimand you doesn't mean we will let you off lightly.” Ji Yue got into bed, entered the quilt, and covered himself, the action was completed in one breath. “Tonight you will kneel beside the bed and keep watch.”

He buried himself under the covers, back toward Wei Lian and ignored him.

Wei Lian: “...”

Another day when he wanted to commit regicide.

* * *

Ji Yue rolled over and lay on his side, but did not fall asleep, straining his ears to hear Wei Lian’s every movement.

Wei Lian extinguished the light and the room went dark, followed by no more sound.

Ji Yue endured for a moment, pretending to be asleep and turned over as if from a dream.

He saw that the youth was indeed kneeling peacefully beside the bed. A thin, dark silhouette in the night, motionless as an unmovable mountain.

Why was the young man being so obedient this time?

Just wait. He would definitely show his demon-like features later and trick us to get him to the bed.

He must be thinking of something now.

We won’t fall into his trap this time for sure.

Ji Yue used three affirmations in a row and filled his head with a bunch of thoughts.

After spending these days together, Ji Yue had gotten to know Wei Lian a little more. He knew that the younger man was someone who could not bear hardship, and never let himself be disadvantaged.

With so many ideas brewing in his head. There was no way for him to stay on his knees all night.

Ji Yue then waited quietly to see what scheme Wei Lian came up with.

A quarter of an hour had passed.

Two quarters passed.

"..."

Ji Yue waited until his eyes were heavy, but the youth still did not move.

It seemed as if Wei Lian really intended to kneel all night, and halfway through his form swayed a little, and then quickly knelt upright again.

Not a single sound was made from start to finish.

The more Ji Yue looked, the more uncomfortable he felt.

...There was none of the contentment from his revenge.

He was even feeling slightly annoyed.

Aren't you the best at tricks? Why aren't you using any of them now?

We told you to kneel, and you really kneeled.

Aren’t you being a fool?

More foolish than we are.

Ji Yue mentally disdained Wei Lian.

There was a sudden muffled sound. Ji Yue was surprised to see that the figure had fainted on the ground.

Before he had the time to think, Ji Yue’s heart was filled with panic as he immediately got off the bed, ready to summon the doctor. But when he picked up the young man, and upon a closer look, he just fell asleep from exhaustion.

Ji Yue: “...”

How dare you sleep when we told you to kneel.

You’re losing your head tomorrow.

Ji Yue thought coldly as he gently lifted Wei Lian onto the bed.

We are not being soft-hearted, we are just letting him sleep peacefully before he loses his head.

Ji Yue snorted coldly and carefully covered Wei Lian with a quilt.

If Wei Lian had known of the Qin Emperor's complicated mental journey this evening, he would have laughed in a mocking manner and said, ‘You are a difficult man to serve.’

* * *

The next day, when Wei Lian came to his senses, he was confronted by the solemn gaze of the Qin Emperor.

Wei Lian: ...Good morning.

He naturally did it on purpose last night. He knew that the Qin Emperor wasn’t asleep, obvious from his chaotic breathing. The Qin Emperor watched him for a long time, but said nothing about allowing him to come up to the bed.

Wei Lian was so annoyed that he simply pretended to be asleep.

The worst case would be to sleep on the floor. Whatever the case, he wasn’t going to kneel!

Sleeping was a natural part of human existence, he couldn’t be blamed for that.

It was true that Wei Lian had taken advantage of the fact that the Qin Emperor did not want to kill him now, so his manner of acting was extremely reckless.

The Lian in his name meant ‘control oneself’, but he was a complete madman.

But he did not expect that the Qin Emperor would carry him to the bed, and even tuck him in carefully.

Not even the imperial concubine who was his mother in name only had ever treated him with the same care and attention.

Of course, Wei Lian would not thank the man for this. The one who made him kneel was the Qin Emperor in the first place, and he was not taking advantage of some small kindness he had received from him.

It was just there was something subtle in his mood.

He prided himself on being able to see through people’s hearts, but he couldn’t understand the Qin Emperor’s.

“...Your Majesty.” Seeing that the man was still staring at him, Wei Lian had to speak up.

The Qin Emperor moved his gaze back away and indifferently made a noise in response.

It was as if nothing had happened.

Wei Lian asked in bewilderment. “How did this subject...get on the bed?”

Ji Yue turned his head and said nothing.

Wei Lian asked, “Your Majesty?”

Ji Yue replied like a firecracker, “It was your sleep walking self who insisted on climbing onto the bed last night and grabbed onto me, it was definitely not us who carried you up here!”

Wei Lian: “...”

You know, you just admitted to it.