Daily Life of a Villain at Work [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: The Nineteenth Day of the Villain Being Emperor

Chu Xin’s reaction time was a bit slow; it wasn’t until her Majesty personally escorted her on horseback to the gates of the Wenyuan Pavilion that she finally pieced together the chain of events.

“Your Majesty, that scholar, she is…” Chu Xin, disregarding protocol, instinctively held Her Majesty’s hand as she dismounted.

“A person of great courage. She is well-suited to review cases at the Court of Judicial Review after the reform of the Great Qian Code,” Wen Qingyun said, leading Chu Xin forward. As they walked, she naturally interlaced her fingers with Chu Xin’s.

The officials on duty nearby lowered their heads in unison. They all noticed the Emperor holding Chu Xin’s hand, but they collectively chose to pretend they had seen nothing.

“Among the Six Ministries, which do you prefer most?” Wen Qingyun sat in Chu Xin’s seat, her right hand still holding Chu Xin’s.

However, it was no longer interlaced fingers; she was playing with Chu Xin’s fair, slender fingers as if she were fondling a piece of warm jade.

Chu Xin was a beat late in realizing her Majesty was asking a question. She habitually wanted to ball her hand into a fist to think, but was forced to stop by the Emperor’s actions.

“Wherever your Majesty needs this subject to go, I shall go,” Chu Xin chose a flawless answer.

“The Six Ministries have been quite obedient lately; they haven’t done anything to displease me.” Wen Qingyun stopped her movements, turning instead to admire Chu Xin’s fingertips.

A healthy pale pink, with crescent moons at the base of the nails. She has a bit of nail growth; I must remind her to do some preparation next time.

“One of the Left Censors is stepping down. Since you’re willing to go anywhere, go to the Censorate,” Wen Qingyun said. “Fill the position of the Right Vice-Censor. Produce some results over the next few years, and then I will promote you again.”

“Your Majesty, would that not be a bit too fast?” Chu Xin hesitated.

A Right Vice-Censor was a third-rank official. Even according to her current prestige rank of 4B, this was a leap of three full grades. Promoting three ranks wasn’t the issue; the issue was that she hadn’t performed the corresponding merits.

“The person I favor—even if they held a first-rank position, it would not be excessive, let alone a mere third-rank.” When Qingyun released Chu Xin’s hand. “Chu Xin, I only want you to know that my favor will not be a shackle for you. Do you understand?”

Chu Xin opened her mouth. She felt she should say something to thank the Emperor for her deep affection. But at that moment, her throat felt as if it were blocked by something; she couldn’t utter a word.

This look amused Wen Qingyun. She stood up, pinched Chu Xin’s chin, and while the girl’s eyes widened, she dropped a kiss on the corner of her mouth.

“I look forward to tonight. Do not disappoint me.”

Leaving those words behind, Wen Qingyun swaggered away, remounted her Sweat-Blood horse, and headed for the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Chu Xin, standing rooted to the spot, felt her ears turn red, and the flush soon spread across her entire face. Trembling, she touched the corner of her mouth where she had been kissed. After failing to process the information, she covered her face with both hands.

How did things turn out like this? Her Majesty just revealed her feelings, right?

Stupid mouth! Why couldn’t I say a single word! I need to give her Majesty a response!

But then again, what should I do… so as not to disappoint her Majesty?

The rest of the day felt agonizingly long to Chu Xin. Especially during dinner with the Emperor, she wanted nothing more than to bury her head in her bowl. Wen Qingyun was considerate and didn’t push her, barely even speaking. Only after Chu Xin finished eating slowly did she order the dishes cleared.

“I will return in an hour,” Wen Qingyun said, smiling as she patted Chu Xin’s shoulder and left with a light step.

Chu Xin’s mind was a mess. She didn’t even know how she got back to Jingren Palace, or how she finished her bath and changed into her clothes to appear in the main hall. By the time she finally recovered her ability to think, someone outside announced: “The Emperor has arrived.”

Chu Xin instinctively lifted her robes to bow. “This subject—”

“Dispense with the formalities,” Wen Qingyun spoke first. After she entered, the female officials behind her sensibly closed the doors.

“Have you bathed?” Wen Qingyun asked, grabbing Chu Xin’s wrist and sliding her fingers into the gaps between hers.

“This subject… has bathed,” Chu Xin replied dryly.

Wen Qingyun didn’t waste words. She used her other hand to untie Chu Xin’s belt and tossed it to the floor. “Where is the warm jade I gave you?”

“It… it’s kept in the box,” Chu Xin gulped.

She didn’t dare resist, allowing her outer robe to be untied by the Emperor. In this moment, Chu Xin realized clearly that she could no longer be a “loyal minister.” Because her heart was anticipating what the Emperor would do, rather than resisting what was to come.

Chu Xin couldn’t be blamed. Who would refuse the favor of a monarch? Especially one with such striking looks, a noble bearing, and…

Stop! How can I critique Her Majesty’s appearance! Even thinking about it is a great disrespect!

Chu Xin didn’t dare look up at the Emperor, so she didn’t notice Wen Qingyun taking the warm jade out of the box. She only felt her outer robe’s tie undone, then the tie of her inner garment. Before long, her fair skin was exposed to the air.

“Your… Your Majesty…” Chu Xin’s breathing quickened, her hands involuntarily clenching.

“Relax, I won’t hurt you.” Wen Qingyun smiled, wrapped the warm jade in a silk handkerchief with one hand, and held it to Chu Xin’s lips.

“Open up,” Wen Qingyun commanded.

Chu Xin didn’t know what would happen next; she could only obediently open her mouth, allowing the silk-wrapped jade to rest horizontally between her teeth.

“Don’t let it fall, and don’t bite it.” A playful smile played on Wen Qingyun’s lips. “This is something I lent to you. It isn’t yours, remember?”

Chu Xin made a muffled sound of affirmation.

The Emperor’s mischievous streak began to flare up. An honest and beautiful official—she had shown excellent villainous restraint by waiting this long to “bully” her. With a gentle push, Chu Xin lay back compliantly on the bed.

Wen Qingyun lowered the bed curtains so Chu Xin wouldn’t feel too much shame. But even so, the flush on Chu Xin’s ears and cheeks didn’t fade; instead, it intensified. She didn’t dare resist, even as her clothes were brushed aside and her trousers removed. She could only grip the corner of the bedding tightly, letting the one above her do as she pleased.

This pitiful, restrained look only incited Wen Qingyun’s hidden desire for dominance. However, Wen Qingyun was kind; she remembered that this was a minister she intended to rely on. So, she generously unfastened her own outer robe—the one embroidered with dragons—and draped it over Chu Xin’s head, allowing her to hide from reality.

Forced to bite the warm jade, Chu Xin’s words were mostly blocked. She could only make indistinct sounds. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, staining the bright yellow dragon robe into a darker shade.

Wen Qingyun was patient. She comforted Chu Xin by stroking her head through the robe, and only after her body gradually relaxed did she proceed step by step, demonstrating the height of considerateness. However, Chu Xin’s body was far too sensitive. While not being able to see helped the internal embarrassment, it also amplified her other senses, making it easier for her to reach the peak.

Seeing the moisture on her palm, Wen Qingyun couldn’t help but laugh, her smile turning more wicked. She truly was a “villain”—the more someone was easy to bully, the more she wanted to bully them.

…

Wen Qingyun didn’t attend the morning court the next day. The officials were used to this. But when they noticed Chu Xin was also missing from the hall, the people standing there had many different thoughts.

Not many knew the Emperor had moved from the Hall of Supreme Harmony to Jingren Palace, but every official present was aware of the Emperor’s deep affection for Chu Xin and Chu Xin’s own punctuality at morning court.

“Master Chu, is the younger Master Chu feeling unwell?” An official, unable to contain his curiosity, began to probe for information.

Master Chu kept his gaze fixed on his own feet. “I am not quite sure. Her Majesty relies on her heavily, and she has rarely come home lately.”

“I heard that yesterday Her Majesty took the younger Master Chu to the Court of Judicial Review to personally look into a case. She is serving the Emperor by handling those related matters.”

“It’s said Her Majesty was furious, and everyone involved in that case was dismissed. This will create many vacancies in the Ministry of Justice.”

“Then, perhaps the Emperor intends for the younger Master Chu to serve in the Ministry of Justice?”

After drifting off course for a bit, the officials soon began arguing over the immediate interests at hand, each offering their own opinions on the vacancies. With the Emperor absent, the morning court was led by the Grand Secretaries. After an hour of debate, the officials finished their duties and returned to their respective offices.

Looking at the pile of memorials on the table, the Minister of Finance left first, claiming urgent business. Wang Yuejiao, whose intuition was exceptionally sharp even if she didn’t fully understand the situation, also slipped away quickly. That left only the sisters, Si Wen and Si Yu.

“Sister, should we send these memorials to the Hall of Mental Cultivation now?” Si Wen asked.

Si Yu thought seriously, analyzed the rumors she had heard, and firmly shook her head. “Keep them with me for now. I’ll send them when the Emperor asks for them.”

Si Wen nodded but couldn’t help her curiosity. “Sister, is the relationship between Her Majesty and the younger Master Chu truly… different?”

“What do you think?” Si Yu countered. “Do I need to explain the distance between Jingren Palace and the Hall of Supreme Harmony?”

Si Wen rubbed her nose. “If that’s the case, will we lose a colleague?”

Si Yu pondered for a moment. “Unlikely. Chu Xin was the first female top scholar personally selected by the Emperor. If she… it would have a very negative impact. The reason given for Chu Xin staying in Jingren Palace is to make it convenient for her to attend court and work. Her Majesty has spent years paving the way for her; she absolutely won’t abandon that for a personal desire.”

Si Wen nodded; she thought the same. But the Emperor was above all; if she truly had such thoughts, they, as subjects, had no way to change them. There was only one Emperor, but if people like Chu Xin were discovered and nurtured, there could be a second.

“Alright, let’s not bring it up ourselves. As long as Her Majesty doesn’t make it public, we’ll pretend we know nothing,” Si Yu concluded. “The rule against the ‘inner court’ interfering in politics refers to the Emperor’s consorts. As long as Chu Xin holds a court appointment, she is a minister, not anything else.”