Marked by the Tyrant After Transmigrating into a Book - Chapter 16

The young man’s features were soft and handsome; when he smiled, his eyes sparkled with a gentle light, and his expression was captivating.

Without warning, Jin Wang’s heart gave a sudden tremor, as if struck by a small hammer, sending faint ripples through his chest. He suppressed the palpitation and said steadily, “Did I not tell you to eat alone? Do you realize that by coming here, you are delaying state affairs?”

The smile in Ye Shu’s eyes faltered, replaced by a flash of panic.

He bit his lip and whispered, “But… but everyone has to eat. I heard Your Majesty has been busy since noon and hasn’t eaten yet. How can your body sustain that?”

Jin Wang asked, “Are you worried about me?”

Ye Shu lowered his head submissively, a trace of bashfulness appearing on his face. “I am fond of Your Majesty, so naturally, I worry.”

Jin Wang stared at him fixedly, as if trying to discern the truth of those words. After a moment, he beckoned to Ye Shu. “Forget it. Come here.”

Ye Shu obeyed and walked over. Jin Wang took the food basket with one hand and pulled the youth into his lap with the other. He stroked the long hair cascading down Ye Shu’s back and asked tonelessly, “You walked all the way here like this?”

Ye Shu feigned ignorance. “Is there something improper about how I look?”

“Disheveled hair is a breach of court etiquette.”

Ye Shu looked innocent. “But I don’t know how to bind it.”

“I left palace maids for you.”

“I don’t like the styles they do.” Ye Shu pulled a jade hairpin from his robes and pressed it into Jin Wang’s hand. “I want Your Majesty to bind my hair for me.”

Since Jin Wang’s ascension, no one had ever dared to order him around like this. He gripped the hairpin and let out a short laugh. “Ye Shu, you have quite the nerve.”

Ye Shu met Jin Wang’s gaze for a moment, then lowered his eyes, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features. “Never mind then… I just had a dream earlier and remembered how Your Majesty always used to bind my hair when we were young…”

As he spoke, he reached out to take the hairpin back. To his surprise, Jin Wang’s fingers tightened, gripping the jade pin with immense force.

“Your Majesty?”

Jin Wang’s expression had turned cold and dark. His voice was icy. “Ye Qian’an, if you are trying to test my limits, I advise you to stop while you’re ahead.”

Ye Shu’s lashes trembled, and he didn’t dare answer.

He was indeed testing the waters. Jin Wang had always been contradictory. Because of his past bond with the original owner, he was incredibly considerate and indulgent. Yet, whenever Ye Shu brought up the past to please him, he became intensely resistant—as if he didn’t want Ye Shu to mention those memories at all.

Ye Shu couldn’t understand what the man was thinking, so he had taken a risk. But… it seemed he had overplayed his hand. The thoughts of this dog emperor were truly impossible to guess.

The atmosphere around Jin Wang was no longer warm. A trace of murderous intent flickered in his handsome eyes, like a true dragon whose reverse scale had been touched, finally revealing its fangs.

He gripped Ye Shu’s jaw with one hand, forcing him to look him in the eye. “My kindness to you is not a reason for you to act lawlessly. Whatever I think in my heart has nothing to do with you, nor is it for you to pry into.”

“Since ancient times, those who dared to second-guess the Sovereign’s intent have never met a good end.”

“Ye Shu, you only have one life. Don’t play yourself into an early grave.”

The air in the Imperial Study grew heavy and suffocating. Ye Shu stared into those deep eyes for a long time before lowering his gaze. “I understand. I won’t do it again.”

Jin Wang released his grip, leaving two red marks on Ye Shu’s cheeks. Ye Shu rubbed them and muttered, “Could Your Majesty not just speak reasonably? You squeezed so hard it hurt.”

Even now, he didn’t forget to keep up the act of submission. After living with Jin Wang for half a month, he knew this temper well. This man could carry him back to the palace in front of everyone one moment and kick him away the next because of a single word.

Emperors were heartless. No matter how much Jin Wang favored him, Ye Shu wasn’t stupid enough to think it was genuine love. To put it bluntly, the dog emperor currently viewed him as a tool for venting lust. A well-behaved tool shouldn’t do anything extra.

“I cannot,” Jin Wang’s expression softened slightly once he saw Ye Shu’s compliance. “You won’t learn your lesson otherwise. Not only that, I must punish you.”

Ye Shu asked, “How will you punish me?”

Jin Wang looked down and remained silent. The young man was still pale, and his hands were icy to the touch—both signs of a frail constitution.

After a moment of thought, Jin Wang pulled a ledger from the desk and tossed it into Ye Shu’s lap, his voice laced with unconcealed disdain. “I’d like to punish you, but there are hundreds of penalties in this palace. Which one do you think that pathetic body of yours could actually survive?”

Ye Shu flipped through a few pages of the manual and shook his head regretfully. “It seems there are none.”

This body’s foundation was poor, and Ye Shu was terrified of pain. If Jin Wang actually used physical punishment, he might accidentally kill him. And Jin Wang never wanted him dead.

Jin Wang laughed. “So, I truly have no way to punish you?”

Ye Shu ventured, “Then… should I just owe you this one as well?”

Jin Wang remained noncommittal. “You owe me for this, you owe me for that… You’re starting to owe me quite a lot.”

“But what choice is there?” Ye Shu’s voice was soft and sweet. “If Your Majesty beats me to death, who will be left to serve you?”

Jin Wang was momentarily speechless. After a short while, he reached out, his thumb lightly brushing against Ye Shu’s lips. “This mouth of yours… it is truly sweet enough for me to like it.”

Usually, when he said this, it meant he had forgiven him. Ye Shu felt a surge of secret joy and was about to speak when Jin Wang added, “I only wonder how its skill at ‘oral service’ compares.”

“…”

“???”

Oral… what?!

Ye Shu’s expression froze, and he nearly dropped his submissive facade. He said hoarsely, “…Your Majesty, I… I don’t know how…”

“Then learn.” Jin Wang’s lips curled into a playful, teasing smile. “I believe in you.”

The lamps in the study began to dim. Gao Jin, the Head Attendant, knocked on the door. “Your Majesty, I have come to trim the wicks.”

There was no response from inside. After a moment, Jin Wang’s low, raspy voice came through: “Enter.”

Gao Jin led several maids into the room. They opened the lamps and replaced the wicks. As Gao Jin approached the desk, he looked puzzled. Under the light, the young Emperor’s features were handsome, but his ears were a strange, vivid shade of crimson.

He looked up and asked coldly, “What is it?”

“Replying to Your Majesty, I remember the Young Master coming to the study. Why is he now…?”

Since Ye Shu had returned to the palace, it was inconvenient to call him “Minister,” and since the wedding hadn’t happened yet, he was referred to as “Young Master.”

As soon as Gao Jin finished speaking, Jin Wang suddenly gave a light cough. His brows knit slightly, revealing an indescribably odd expression. Gao Jin was standing close and accidentally caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye beneath the desk.

The desk was draped with a long silk cloth, but now, a corner of simple, plain-colored robes was peeking out from beneath it—a color that looked very familiar.

Gao Jin suddenly realized what was happening, and his old face turned bright red instantly.

Jin Wang’s eyes were dark. He gritted his teeth and hissed, “Get. Out.”

“Yes!” Gao Jin didn’t dare linger and scrambled out with the maids.

Once the doors were closed, Jin Wang lowered his eyes, let out a long breath, and lifted the silk cloth.

The youth was kneeling beneath the desk, his head resting on Jin Wang’s lap. His breathing was unsteady, his eyes were misty, and he looked up at Jin Wang with an expression of pure, aggrieved misery.

Stimulated by that single look, Jin Wang’s mind went numb. He quickly hauled the youth up. He held a cup of tea to Ye Shu’s lips. “Rinse.”

Ye Shu obeyed, his eyes full of resentment. “You are too much.”

Jin Wang retorted, “Who is being ‘too much’? You nearly bit my…” He paused. He hadn’t expected Ye Shu to be so nervous. When Gao Jin spoke, Ye Shu had been so startled his teeth had snapped shut, nearly…

…Anyway, it was a complicated situation.

“Why did you let him in!” Ye Shu was stunned by the man’s ability to shift the blame. He accused him with a raspy voice, “And we agreed ‘not inside’! Is it not true that a Sovereign’s word is final?!”

“Fine, I was wrong.” Jin Wang pulled him into his arms to soothe him. “How about I make it up to you?”

“A verbal apology doesn’t count. Not unless you do it back to me next time.”

“This…”

Ye Shu’s eyes were red. “What, are you unwilling?”

“It’s not that…” Jin Wang was helpless against him. He sighed, “Whatever you want, I will grant it.”

Jin Wang set the teacup aside and glanced at the food basket. “It’s all cold. I’ll have them prepare more. Eat something first.”

“I’m not eating,” Ye Shu rubbed his stomach, feeling sluggish. “I’ve eaten too much of Your Majesty’s stuff. I can’t fit anything else.”

Jin Wang froze for a second, and his ears turned a rare shade of red.

Ye Shu clutched his stomach and laughed heartily. “Haha! Is Your Majesty blushing? So, Your Majesty has moments like this too! Truly, mmph!! Mmph!!!”

Jin Wang reached his limit and silenced the noisy mouth.

A moment later, the attendants outside the Imperial Study watched as their Sovereign opened the doors with a dark face, grabbed a young man in plain robes by the collar, and tossed him out.

…Then, he immediately granted the youth the use of the imperial sedan to be sent back to the sleeping quarters.

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