“Just spend the rest of your life with the memorial then!”

Ji Yue went on with the same rhythm. He would get up early and listen to the ministers in the Court. Afterward, he would attend to his official documents in the imperial study, then visit Yangshou House to play with A’Meng, and then go back to his palace hall for a rest.

After his lunch break, he would go to Zhongling Palace to play Go and the zither with Wei Lian, chatting and spending the rest of his leisurely afternoon there. After the evening meal, he would return to the imperial study and finish the memorials to the throne, before turning in for the night alone in Yangxin Palace Hall.

What a diligent and self-disciplined Emperor.

Every time, after Ji Yue had dinner with Wei Lian in Zhongling Palace, Wei Lian tried to keep the other from leaving, but Ji Yue always firmly refused.

For the same reason.

“We have official business to attend to.”

Mind filled with only official business, official business this, official business that.

Wei Lian smiled and said nothing. Like many times before, he administered a strong dose of medicine.

He is proficient in pharmacology and knows how to arrange meals to nurse one’s health. Whenever Ji Yue came to his palace, he would coax the older man into drinking a bowl of tonic soup made by him, as well as eating supplemented meals especially selected by him, he was confident he could treat Ji Yue.

Wei Lian used the warm nurturing method. The so-called tonic soup was no different from ordinary soup, except adding additional herbs. Along with the special diet, it would have an unexpected effect.

When people with weak physiques drank this, they would naturally gain great benefit, reviving their vitality was not a problem. It was harmless to the normal person after large consumption, but it would only make them more sturdy, as well as...increase their vigour in the short term.

As soon as the ‘heat’ is taken in, the urge to relieve this heat would increase.

Therefore, every time Ji Yue came back to Zhongling Palace for dinner, he would feel this burning sensation in his lower abdomen. His mouth and tongue would be dry. Only thing he wanted to do was to carry the other person to the bed and spend three days and nights on it.

However...this was only wishful thinking.

Ji Yue blamed these consistent thoughts leading to his dreams. In addition, he had read many little yellow books recently, and that was why Wei Lian was always on his mind.

This was not good. He had to respect the person he likes, how could he act like a beast?

So Ji Yue would rather leave and relieve the burning sensation in his stomach by soaking in the cold water for a full hour every day than to use the youth to release the fire.

Wei Lian: “...”

Ji Yue, this Gongzi has never met such an insensitive person as you.

Wei Lian was never a coy individual, at first, it was just meant to survive, using his body as a gamble. Now Ji Yue was the person he liked, so what was wrong with wanting to be together? He was not going to stay solitary all his life.

So today’s tonic soup was much more intense.

He did not know how to cook rice in the kitchen, but that didn’t mean how he would be cooked on the bed.

Ji Yue had finished eating at the dining table. He was about to get up and leave but was stopped by Wei Lian.

“Your Majesty, you have not finished today’s soup yet.” Wei Lian reminded in a gentle voice.

Ji Yue remained seated in this sticky predicament.

It was not as if he was unaware of it for the past few days. He had always been restless, and the problem had to lie in this bowl of soup.

But he also consulted with the imperial physician. There was no issue with the soup. It could only strengthen the body, nourish his complexion, if it was just that consuming too much would lead to suffering too much internal heat.

It was only just too much internal heat, how could he brush off Wei Lian’s good intentions?

Seeing the anticipation in the young man’s eyes, how could he disappoint him?

Ji Yue picked up the bowl and finished every one last drop.

As soon as he finished it, he felt something was wrong.

So hot.

Ji Yue put down the bowl and propped his head, his face a little flushed.

Wei Lian naturally knew what was happening, but pretended to be ignorant, “Your Majesty, why is your face so red? Is the underground heating too hot?”

Not good! Ji Yue immediately got up and announced, “It is time for us to leave.”

“Don’t, your Majesty.” In front of palace workers, Wei Lian was always gentle and obedient as he pulled on Ji Yue’s sleeve, “This subject still wants to chat with you.”

Ji Yue insisted, “It can wait until tomorrow.”

Wei Lian smiled. “We can have a conversation on the couch.”

Ji Yue, even if you are a swine-head, you should get an idea now.

Ji Yue fixed his gaze on the young man in white in front of him: “...”

The light in Wei Lian’s eyes flickered, there were even hints of colour in them. He leaned softly against the other man’s chest and whispered in his ears, breathing out warm air, “Are you really not interested in me...gege?”

The string called Ji Yue’s reason broke in half with a snap.

When the Emperor picked up the handsome young man in white and walked to the chamber, Zhongling Palace’s palace workers widened their eyes before quietly dismissing themselves.

Once the palace gate was closed, the smell of sandalwood thickened.

Beneath the curtain, the double shadows swayed as the colour of spring spilled out from the palette.

The black robes that symbolised the Emperor’s immortality as well as the gentleman’s white robes were tossed to the ground. The young Emperor passionately gave the beauty under him a deep kiss, from the delicate eyebrows, to the corner of his eye, down to the snow-white neck, and up back to the rosy soft lips.

Tracing over the skin carefully as if he was drawing out the outline on a picture scroll.

Wei Lian wrapped around the other man’s neck to return the kiss. Sound created between the entangled lips could make anyone blush bright red.

The pale skin was dyed crimson, dark hair were tangled, ten fingers were clasped tightly with love, and their shadowy figure became a blur.

The thick long eyelashes were damp slightly as they trembled against the red corners of the eyes like the butterfly’s fluttering wings as it rested on a gorgeous flower.

Both were breathing shorter than usual. Wei Lian leaned against the man’s shoulder as he mumbled in a tight voice, “Ji Yue...”

It was at this everlasting beautiful moment.

Ji Yue stopped.

He stopped.

He actually stopped.

Wei Lian half opened his misty eyes and whispered, “...Ji Yue?”

Ji Yue: “...”

He looked at the young man before him with complicated eyes.

A mottled kiss mark and scattered silk hair. The watery eyes, lightly red and swollen lips. The young man was in a state of disarray.

Looked completely like he had been bullied.

And it was all his doing.

Physician Xu’s warning immediately rang in his ears.

Unlike women, men were not made to be on the receiving end, the entry is too tight and dry. The pain will be like being torn apart, a pain worse than death.

This matter is extremely harmful to someone's health, moreover, there might be long lasting negative effects to the body. Your Majesty should not view this lightly after hearing this old subject’s advice. 

Damn it, how dare he forget the warning.

Ji Yue’s eyes were filled with frustration but a hint of relief.

Fortunately, they did not reach the last step, the mistake had not yet been made.

Ji Yue slowly and seamlessly moved to the bedside. “We have to deal...”

“Deal with more official business?” Wei Lian spoke in a calm tone, even a faint smile appeared on his lips.

But there was a murderous look in his eyes.

If you dare to deal with the official business, then I will deal with you.

Ji Yue was quiet for a moment before changing his excuse, “We need to review the memorials to the throne.”

He quickly got out of the bed and dressed himself. “You can go to sleep!”

“...” Wei Lian was shrouded with a dark aura.

“Ji Yue, if you walk out of that door today, you can just spend the rest of your life with the memorials then.” Wei Lian said coldly.

Ji Yue hesitated for a moment, before he hurried away.

Wei Lian watched the older man walk away in disbelief and smacked the headboard hard.

“Ji Yue!” The young man’s voice was filled with grievances.

He was about to cry because of this man.

How could Ji Yue leave him alone...in the middle of such a thing!

This was too much, this was crossing the line.

He was so angry with him!

“Gongzi...” The palace workers entered carefully. “You—”

“Get out!”

The palace workers were startled.

Gongzi was always in a good temper. This was their first time seeing him this angry.

What did his Majesty do to cause this?

They bowed. “...Understood.”

“Wait.” The young man behind the curtain suddenly spoke out.

He said in a very light tone, “There is no need to prepare the soup in the future.”

Ji Yue was not incapable.

He just didn’t want to touch him, that was all.

All right, since the older man walked out of that door, he would never allow him back on his bed again.

Wei Lian very unhappily lowered his eyes.

He felt that he was finished. He had actually lost his usual composure due to that man.

He knew this was bad.

But there was no escaping.

This feeling was very foreign, he was frightened at losing control.

Wei Lian suddenly understood why Ji Yue wanted to draw a clear line between them. The other man also wanted to escape from this feeling.

Love brings not only joy, but as well as the sorrows of life, both come in complete packages. He had never tasted all the flavours that the world had to offer, but now he would have to taste them one by one.

So troublesome.

Wei Lian hated trouble the most.

But what could he do? He liked Ji Yue.

* * *

Ji Yue practically escaped to imperial study.

Of course, he could not take in a single word on the memorial.

Holding the bamboo slip in his hand, his mind started to wonder.

It was unkind of him to leave Wei Lian there alone...wasn’t it?

Ji Yue pondered over this and suddenly found that what he did was not right.

But if he were to return, it would only bring awkwardness between them.

At that time, if he continued to stay, he would not be able to restrain himself from taking Wei Lian.

Wei Lian would hurt.

These four words were the root of Ji Yue’s patience.

Forget it, he could make amends with Wei Xiao Lian another day.

He put away his wishful thinking, picked up the carving knife and the white jade to continue with his work.

It was both of their first times liking someone, so they had little experience. Love could be clumsy and being careful was required. If others were to watch them, they would probably laugh at them.

How could two smart people became so dumb when together.

Fine, just let them be dumb.

In the imperial study, Ji Yue looked up and inspected the jade under the candle light. When he noticed the rough smoothing job, he moved it back to eye-level and fixed it, looking very serious.

In Zhongling Palace, Wei Lian put on his clothes with a blank face. Then summoned someone to bring three large plates of rabbit shaped desert. He would treat each rabbit head as Ji Yue and chomp on them one by one to vent his anger.

—They like each other in such a pure and silly manner.

The next day, Ji Yue arrived at Zhongling Palace like before.

But he was stopped outside by Chang Sheng and Chang Shou.

“Gongzi said he is not seeing you.” Even when facing the Qin Emperor, Chang Sheng’s attitude was neither humble nor arrogant.

Chang Shou also added, “Yes, that’s right. Gongzi said it himself. He wanted you to spend time with the memorials and not disturb him.”

Even though he was afraid of the Qin Emperor at the beginning, he felt that his Majesty was not so terrible because of all the meals he ate in Zhongling Palace.

What was more, they have Gongzi’s support!

Ji Yue: “...”

So last night was for real?

Li Fuquan was about to scold them for their insolence, but he was stopped by the raise of Ji Yue’s hand. “Then we will wait out here for him.”

He crossed the line last night, it was Wei Lian’s right to calm down and take some heat off his feelings.

Chang Sheng said, “Please help yourself.”

The wait lasted an hour.

It was both warm and cold in early spring. It might not be obvious when being out for a short duration, but standing for a long time one would feel the cold penetrating one’s bones. Ji Yue was able to withstand it as a martial arts practitioner, but his palace attendants weren’t as lucky as they shivered in the cold.

He gazed at the freshly blooming flowers on the branches, and remembered the first time he met Wei Lian.

...Wei Lian was punished by him for kneeling in the snow for four hours.

It was still snowing at that time in the winter. The snow on the ground was almost one metre deep and the incoming wind was as sharp as a knife.

He had just returned from the battlefield between the Qin and the Chu. There were casualties in the war between the two empires. A general who had fought with him for many years was killed in that battle, which caused his hatred towards the people of Chu.

And this anger was aimed towards an innocent hostage prince.

Because of his words, the young man got frostbite on his knees. If it was not for the best medicine, those two legs would be crippled or suffer from future complications.

Ji Yue suddenly felt distressed.

If we knew how much we liked him, we would have treated him well at the very first sight.