After the Corrupt Official Was Coveted by the New Emperor - Chapter 3

“Why are we returning to the palace again?”

Qi Zhaoxuan kept his eyes closed and remained deaf to the question. Ji Rong, however, was not afraid of him. He kicked the Emperor’s shin directly to get his attention.

“I do not recall ever promising you that we would not return to the palace,” Qi Zhaoxuan replied.

“That is not the point,” Ji Rong said, finding the situation both incomprehensible and laughable. “Why are you keeping me locked in the palace? Since my position has been abolished, based on my past deeds, imprisonment, exile, or even the death penalty would all be justifiable.”

Ji Rong let out a sneer. “But you keep me here in secret, hiding my presence from the Court of Judicial Review without a word. Is this how a wise ruler acts, Your Majesty?”

Qi Zhaoxuan remained silent. Finding no joy in the conversation, Ji Rong stopped asking. They stayed in that silence until they returned to Qianqing Palace.

Qi Zhaoxuan was likely truly busy. As soon as they arrived at the palace, an attendant reported an urgent matter. The Emperor departed immediately for the Imperial Study to meet with his ministers. Once again, Ji Rong was left alone in Qianqing Palace.

Life in the palace was dull. Since returning that day, his days consisted of nothing but fishing and admiring flowers. He even had to wear a veiled hat constantly to prevent others from seeing his face. For the past decade, his life as Prime Minister had been restricted by rules and regulations. Now that he held no office, he was still being kept under lock and key. Ji Rong was bored to death.

He tossed fish feed into the water and leaned against a pillar, staring blankly at the school of fish scrambling for food. He could not understand what Qi Zhaoxuan was trying to do.

Under the late Emperor’s tyranny, the people lived in misery. Ji Rong had been the late Emperor’s most useful lapdog, having seemingly committed every possible evil. His reputation was far reaching, but it was the image of a man capable of any atrocity.

In contrast, Qi Zhaoxuan was the eldest legitimate son, born to be the Crown Prince. He was a man of discernment, calm, and strategic. He was utterly different from the late Emperor, who was violent by nature and disregarded the people’s livelihood. During the late Emperor’s reign, the state was in such turmoil that many suspected the Yu Dynasty might not last long. Then, the late Emperor suddenly died. The Crown Prince, Qi Zhaoxuan, ascended the throne and forcibly pulled the dying Yu Dynasty back from the brink of collapse.

Ji Rong’s gaze darkened. People called the new Emperor a gentleman of both benevolence and wisdom, but in the end, the same blood as the late Emperor flowed through his veins.

Ji Rong had served as the Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince for several years when Qi Zhaoxuan was still young. Back then, Qi Zhaoxuan did not put on the pretenses he did now. He had eyes that were always dark, a sickly pale complexion, and a habit of avoiding interaction with others. He preferred to stand on the rooftops, quietly observing everyone.

As a child, Qi Zhaoxuan was particularly fond of staring at him. He went from not speaking at all to eventually clinging to Ji Rong’s side every single day. However, at some point, the look in Qi Zhaoxuan’s eyes changed. It became something Ji Rong did not quite like. Though his expression remained calm, it always gave off a dark, shadowy feeling. He was like a tiger in the forest, silently watching its prey.

Ji Rong disliked that sensation. Coupled with the late Emperor’s increasing debauchery and his own growing workload and worsening reputation, he gradually lost contact with Qi Zhaoxuan. This continued until the late Emperor died and the new Emperor took the throne. The newly ascended Son of Heaven acted with thunderous efficiency, removing the corruption left behind by his predecessor. This included Ji Rong, the late Emperor’s claw, who was stripped of his rank.

After that, he was confined to Qianqing Palace until this very day. If one were to speak of the greatest tumor left by the previous regime, it was him. Yet, not only had he avoided punishment, but he was also provided with the best food and drink. Aside from the fact that the stubborn Qi Zhaoxuan only provided him with women’s clothing, everything else was quite comfortable.

Despite Qianqing Palace being the Emperor’s private residence, Ji Rong was the one living there, and he barely saw Qi Zhaoxuan. It made him feel as though he was the one who was the Son of Heaven.

Ji Rong muttered to himself as he scattered the rest of the feed into the water. He washed his fair fingers in a basin of clear water and wiped them dry with a handkerchief. The paths of the Imperial Garden were numerous, dotted with densely blooming flowers. Today was cloudy, and only a few rays of the stinging sun peeked through.

“Spread out a bit. It feels suffocating,” Ji Rong said lazily.

Qi Zhaoxuan had assigned two simple minded guards and a few eunuchs and maids to him. Perhaps they had been instructed by the Emperor, for they were absolutely obedient to his words. As the tall, lush trees lined the path, Ji Rong slowly wandered forward while the others followed from a distance. The path was shaded by thick foliage, and a cool breeze occasionally drifted by.

Ji Rong looked ahead and saw several small eunuchs walking toward him. At the moment the two parties passed each other, Ji Rong swiftly took a crumpled ball of paper from the last eunuch’s hand. With a flick of his fingers, the paper disappeared into his palm.

The weather was pleasant, but after wandering for a while, Ji Rong felt tired. He let out a yawn and prepared to return. Just as he reached the gates of Qianqing Palace, he sensed something was wrong. The number of guards at the entrance had significantly increased, and the eunuchs and maids were visibly nervous and formal.

Ji Rong raised an eyebrow and casually asked a guard, “Is His Majesty here?”

The guard at the door was not one of the newcomers. He was clearly well trained and did not bother to respond to the question. In truth, the answer was only a few steps away. Li Youde was waiting at the entrance of the warming room. There was no need to guess who was inside.

For some reason, the atmospheric pressure in the hall was very low. The palace servants held their breath and kept their heads down. Ji Rong walked into the inner room step by step, his footsteps echoing through the hall. Qi Zhaoxuan lifted his eyelids and slowly raised his head. His pupils were as calm as stagnant water as he stared at Ji Rong.

By Qi Zhaoxuan’s hand were the items they had bought at the rouge shop when they went out of the palace recently. Further in, two palace servants stood by a clothes rack, which was hung with dozens of light colored women’s dresses. The moment Ji Rong stood before him, Qi Zhaoxuan raised a finger. Li Youde, who was following closely behind him, immediately presented a tea cup.

“My Lord, the summer heat is intense. This is mung bean soup prepared by the imperial kitchen,” Li Youde said.

“What exactly are you trying to do?” Ji Rong asked.

Qi Zhaoxuan did not speak. He only tapped his finger against the cup. It was clear that if he did not drink, the Emperor would not talk. Ji Rong looked at the soup with annoyance, picked it up, and finished it in one gulp. The bottom of the bowl made a crisp sound as it hit the tray. Ji Rong pulled over a chair and leaned back in it, lacking any proper posture.

“Can you talk now?”

Qi Zhaoxuan’s well defined fingers tapped lightly on the table. His gaze swept carelessly over the lip rouge on the table before his fingertips landed on a porcelain jar, which he picked up gently. His black brocade robes fell as he stood up, the hem embroidered with dark gold cloud patterns. He walked toward Ji Rong with steady steps.

As the distance closed, Ji Rong once again smelled that cold, lingering fragrance on Qi Zhaoxuan. It was a scent like damp earth after rain, carrying a deep chill. Ji Rong remained seated, his chin slightly tilted up as his clear eyes watched Qi Zhaoxuan’s slow approach. The jar of rouge was opened, and a sweet, light floral fragrance immediately floated in the air. He saw Qi Zhaoxuan take a bit of the rouge with his index finger and lean down. Warm breath brushed against Ji Rong’s face as the cool fingertip carefully applied the rouge to his lower lip.

The movement was gentle, as if afraid of disturbing something. The color was a translucent light red, neither too bright nor too pale. The rouge made his skin look even whiter, emphasizing his elegant and somewhat cold features.

“Imperial Father is truly beautiful,” Qi Zhaoxuan said.

Ji Rong’s eyelid twitched. He leaned back several steps, leaving Qi Zhaoxuan’s hand hanging in the air. A low, raspy chuckle escaped Qi Zhaoxuan’s throat.

“I always feel that I cannot sleep alone on summer nights. But as you know, Imperial Father, I have high standards.” Qi Zhaoxuan took a few steps forward, his palm touching Ji Rong’s cheek again. His thumb brushed over the reddened lips as he whispered, “But I find you quite delectable. Dressed in women’s clothing, you could easily pass for the real thing. Why not wrong yourself a little and become my imperial consort?”

Ji Rong fell silent. Qi Zhaoxuan’s words made his heart feel a bit panicked. After a long moment, he pretended to be calm and asked sincerely, “Are you sick?”

“You are asking a man whom everyone loathes, who has committed every evil,” Ji Rong began.

“Imperial Father,” Qi Zhaoxuan interrupted him forcefully with a long sigh. “I know what kind of person you are. I will not get to know you through the evaluations of others.”

Ji Rong’s face went blank. Why was he suddenly feeling flustered? What was Qi Zhaoxuan trying to say?

“Imperial Father,” the Emperor started again.

“Shut up,” Ji Rong replied. He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache. He suddenly did not know what to do, but at the very least, he could not let Qi Zhaoxuan continue. He was afraid that if the Emperor kept talking, it would confirm his worst suspicions.

Ji Rong slapped Qi Zhaoxuan’s hand away and moved further apart. He weighed his words and said, “Wait, listen to me first.”

“Imperial Father.” Qi Zhaoxuan pursued him, wrapping both arms around his waist and lowering his head to Ji Rong’s neck. The cold incense once again surrounded him. “Imperial Father,” Qi Zhaoxuan said in an undeniable tone, “I love you.”

This was absolutely crazy. Although Qi Zhaoxuan was now taller than him, Ji Rong’s impression of him was still stuck on the child from years ago. Hearing that boy say he loved him was something any normal person would find hard to face, especially while currently wearing women’s clothes. It was enough.

As Qi Zhaoxuan pressed against him, Ji Rong felt a mixture of speechlessness and despair. Suddenly, his body went stiff. The paper ball was still in his sleeve. The summer skirt was thin and the paper ball was hard. It would be far too easy for someone to feel it.

“Why is Imperial Father so nervous?” Qi Zhaoxuan asked softly.

Ji Rong’s mind was racing to find a solution. He no longer had the energy to worry about the Emperor’s unspeakable feelings. His entire focus was on the paper ball. He tried his best to keep his voice steady. “You are holding me too tightly.”

“Is that so?” Qi Zhaoxuan asked softly.

The arms around his waist tightened further. Ji Rong did not dare to move.

“I treat you so well,” the Emperor whispered. “I have lacked for nothing. You have fine clothes and gourmet food and everything you could want.”

For some reason, Ji Rong’s consciousness began to feel heavy and his vision blurred. Qi Zhaoxuan’s voice sounded puzzled as he asked softly, “Why are you always thinking of running away?”

As soon as he spoke, Qi Zhaoxuan pulled back and reached into Ji Rong’s sleeve to take the paper ball.

His vision grew blurrier, and Ji Rong finally realized something was wrong. It was the mung bean soup. He had been drugged. He looked up at Qi Zhaoxuan. The corners of the Emperor’s mouth curled into a slight arc, but there was no hint of a smile in his eyes. Instead, they were as cold as an icy pond.

Qi Zhaoxuan’s thumb rubbed against Ji Rong’s lip where the rouge had been applied. His tone was gentle yet sinister. “What should I do? Since Imperial Father loves to run so much, how about I lock you up? If I lock you up, you will not be able to run away anymore.”

This was the last sentence Ji Rong heard before he lost consciousness.