Marked by the Tyrant After Transmigrating into a Book - Chapter 20

Outside the side hall, the guards were indeed gone. Ye Shu had made a conscious effort to memorize the paths during the day, so by following his memory, he easily slipped out of the Ancestral Temple.

…And then he got lost.

A royal sacrifice was no small matter. The main mountain roads near the temple were heavily guarded by troops, so the map Chang Yuan had left for Ye Shu consisted entirely of mountain trails.

But the artistic style of that map… was brief, abstract, and utterly unidentifiable.

After circling the same patch of woods several times, Ye Shu finally accepted the reality that he was lost. He sat on a green stone by the path, looked up at the cold moonlight, and sighed helplessly.

Why do I always end up circling in the woods every time I run away? This is far too difficult for someone with no sense of direction.

As he sat there, he suddenly heard someone approaching. Haunted by his previous experiences, Ye Shu quickly hid behind the large stone, curling into a ball to hide behind the grass.

Just as he concealed himself, voices drifted over.

“…This can’t go on. We have to think of something quickly.”

“What can we do? Who knows where His Majesty found that ‘vixen’—he’s completely bewitched. He even broke protocol for him during the ceremony. I can’t think of anything else to be done.”

Ye Shu: “…”

So that’s my reputation in the eyes of others.

Ye Shu peeked through the grass and recognized the two men standing by the stone. They were officials from the earlier procession: Duan Chengzhi, the Minister of Imperial Sacrifices, and Zuo Yan, the Great General responsible for the patrol.

Ye Shu didn’t know exactly how the court discussed his presence—Jin Wang hadn’t told him—but he could guess. Since ancient times, emperors couldn’t escape the duty of continuing the bloodline. With their Sovereign being a “cut sleeve” (gay), these ministers were naturally anxious.

“General, you can’t say that. His Majesty is temporarily blinded. As officials, we cannot just stand by; we must remonstrate.”

“Remonstrate?” The man beside him snorted. “Didn’t those few lords try that? They were punished by having to kneel in the Imperial Study for an entire day. If Minister Duan wants to try, be my guest.”

The two crossed past the stone, continuing their discussion as they walked away. Ye Shu breathed a sigh of relief.

This Minister Duan had been a subordinate of the original Ye Shu and appeared in the novel. As the head of the Nine Ministers, he held some prestige and wasn’t a bad person at heart. However, he was currently out of favor with the Sovereign because he was far too concerned with the Emperor’s “personal affairs.”

He was a minor character, and Ye Shu didn’t remember his plot clearly. He only recalled that this man did something that eventually sent Jin Wang into a towering rage.

But what exactly… Ye Shu couldn’t remember.

As his mind wandered, he didn’t realize his body was undergoing a change. A scent of green plums began to spread from him.

When a Kunjun (Omega) is pregnant, their pheromones often spiral out of control, beyond their will. Since finding out about the pregnancy, Jin Wang had stopped giving him the Breath-Suppressing Pills, opting instead to mask Ye Shu’s scent with his own Qianjun (Alpha) pheromones.

Because he had left in such a hurry, the temporary scent Jin Wang had infused into him wasn’t enough to last the night. Right now, the mask was failing.

Ye Shu, oblivious to the biological mechanics, simply tugged at his collar, trying to dissipate the sudden wave of heat.

In the distance, the two men stopped in their tracks. Duan Chengzhi asked, “General, what is it?”

“This smell…” Zuo Yan frowned, looking back toward the path. “Is there a Kunjun nearby?”

Duan Chengzhi was an average man, but General Zuo Yan was a full-fledged Qianjun. Once the uncontrolled pheromones leaked out, there was no stopping them.

Ye Shu’s consciousness blurred rapidly. He gripped the grass beside him, struggling to remain silent. Suddenly, a new scent filled the air. It was a thick, pine-like aroma that erupted unceremoniously through the woods, hunting for the hidden Kunjun. Unlike the comforting scent of the Qianjun who had marked him, this scent felt oppressive and suffocating.

Ye Shu lost all strength and collapsed. In a daze, he felt someone approach.

“Is… is this truly a Kunjun?” Duan Chengzhi asked.

Under the moonlight, a youth in black night-gear lay curled in the grass. A sliver of pale, slender wrist peeked out from his sleeve, looking fragile enough to snap. He gripped the grass unconsciously, his brow furrowed and lips pursed—beautiful enough to move anyone’s heart.

Even for his disguise, Ye Shu had chosen an exquisite face, though it was still a few degrees less stunning than his original appearance.

Zuo Yan suppressed the surge of lust in his eyes. “Indeed. It is a Kunjun.”

He was about to step forward when Duan Chengzhi blocked him. “General, what are you doing?”

Zuo Yan was irritated, but the interruption cleared his head slightly. He took a deep breath. “The reason this person is here is unknown. He should be handed over to His Majesty for judgment.”

Duan Chengzhi didn’t move. “General, wait. We can discuss this.”

“Discuss what?”

Duan Chengzhi’s eyes lit up, his voice trembling with excitement. “This is a Kunjun! A one-in-a-million Kunjun who can bear children!”

Zuo Yan: “…What are you suggesting?”

“Lean in, let me tell you…”

Ye Shu could no longer hear them. Even if he could, he had lost the ability to process information. His mind was a chaotic fog, and he quickly lost consciousness under the unrestrained Alpha pheromones.

His last thought before blacking out: I am truly incompatible with forests. Failed to escape again.

The next morning, the sound of breaking porcelain echoed through the Sovereign’s side hall.

Attendants and guards knelt in rows outside. Inside, a black-clad figure was forced to the ground by two guards. Jin Wang sat in the high seat, his expression terrifyingly grim.

“You said you agreed to meet him at the bottom of the mountain. Where is he now?”

The man kneeling—Chang Yuan—was covered in wounds. He kept his head down and didn’t answer. He had waited all night at the rendezvous point, but instead of Ye Shu, the Emperor’s guards had found him. He thought something had gone wrong and Ye Shu hadn’t made it out, but it seemed Ye Shu had left the temple.

…Where could he have gone?

A teacup shattered at Chang Yuan’s feet, splashing him with scalding tea. Before he could react, he was hoisted up by a powerful grip on his throat. Chang Yuan let out a short wheeze, his face turning red.

He struggled to look up and met Jin Wang’s bloodshot eyes.

“If anything happens to him, I will make you wish you were dead,” Jin Wang’s voice was raspy and dark. “Speak!”

Chang Yuan grabbed Jin Wang’s wrist, gasping, “I… truly don’t know.”

Unveiled killing intent flashed in Jin Wang’s eyes. Chang Yuan felt that Jin Wang might actually crush his throat right then and there. But Jin Wang simply hurled him back toward the guards. “Take him away.”

As the coughing guard was dragged out, Jin Wang sat back down, closing his eyes wearily. He never imagined Ye Shu would dare to drug him. Perhaps the news of the pregnancy had made him drop his guard, or perhaps Ye Shu’s acting had been so good that he hadn’t suspected a thing.

All that feigned obedience was for this day. But if he had actually escaped, that would be one thing, why was he nowhere to be found?

Jin Wang didn’t even dare to think about what an unarmed, pregnant Kunjun would face out in the wild.

Gao Jin pushed the door open. “Your Majesty…”

Jin Wang’s eyes snapped open. “Found him?”

“No,” Gao Jin whispered. “Your hand… shall I call the physician to dress it?”

Jin Wang blinked and looked down. His hand had been sliced by the porcelain shards, and blood was streaming down. He gave a bitter, ignored laugh.

“Pass down the order. Recall all spies sent out from the capital immediately. Have every agent and shadow guard search. Starting from the Ancestral Temple, dig three feet deep into the earth. I want him found alive… or his body recovered.”

“Yes.” Gao Jin asked, “And the sacrifice ceremony?”

“Postponed,” Jin Wang said wearily. “No one can know the Consort has fled. Say I am unwell, and the ceremony will be rescheduled.”

From that day on, Jin Wang’s agents began a secret, frantic search. But there was no sign. One day, two days, three days… it was as if Ye Shu had vanished into thin air.

Aside from the initial breakdown on the first day, Jin Wang appeared remarkably calm. The imperial convoy returned to the capital on the third day, and the Sovereign even held court the following morning, showing no sign of illness—except for a progressively gloomier expression and more brutal methods.

For several days, ministers who misspoke were frequently imprisoned. Even the luckiest were beaten with dozens of strokes, nearly losing their lives. The officials endured the court sessions, fueled by rumors. The most popular theory: His Majesty had finally woken up from his infatuation and regretted the appointment of a male consort. Why else would he postpone the sacrifice and stop mentioning the wedding?

Well, young love is hard to get over, the officials thought. But it’s us who are suffering.

Finally, during the morning court of the seventh day, someone stepped forward. The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Jin Wang, in his black-and-gold robes, tapped the dragon throne, narrowing his eyes dangerously. “Say that again?”

The tone was bone-chilling. Duan Chengzhi, the Minister of Imperial Sacrifices, stammered, “This official… recently found a peerless Kunjun and wishes… wishes to present this beauty to Your Majesty.”

“Present a beauty…” Jin Wang repeated the words slowly, then sneered. “Who gave you the audacity?”

“Your Majesty, have mercy!” Duan Chengzhi prostrated himself. “Your Majesty previously said you preferred men, and if we found a Kunjun, we could present them. This official is merely following the imperial decree!”

Jin Wang’s finger paused. Did I say that? Perhaps he had, during those days when the ministers were giving him a headache, just to brush them off. Kunjun were hard to find; he hadn’t expected them to actually find one.

And right when he was in the worst possible mood.

Jin Wang laughed out of pure fury. “Since it is a peerless beauty, I suppose I should take a look.”

Duan Chengzhi breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear Jin Wang add: “However, if Minister Duan has exaggerated, shall we settle this as the crime of deceiving the Sovereign?”

Duan Chengzhi immediately regretted it. But having made the offer, to retract it was also a crime. He could only say “Yes” through gritted teeth.

Jin Wang said tonelessly, “Bring him in.”

Four attendants carried a sedan into the hall. It was draped in bright red silk. Duan Chengzhi knelt over, grabbed the rope, and pulled. The silk fell, revealing a golden iron cage. The bottom was lined with thick red silk, upon which lay a beauty in plain robes.

The cage was large enough for a grown man to lie down comfortably. The beauty was curled at the bottom, his face rosy and calm, sleeping heartlessly and soundly. His long hair was scattered, revealing only half of a handsome, pale face.

That half-profile alone was enough to stun everyone. But Jin Wang said lazily, “Nothing special. Not even a ten-thousandth as beautiful as Ye Shu.”

“Deceiving the Sovereign is a grave crime. Drag him out and give him a hundred strokes.”

As guards stepped forward, Duan Chengzhi wailed, “Your Majesty! He is a rare Kunjun! Please—!”

At the sound of the wailing, the beauty in the cage seemed disturbed. He rolled over on the red silk. The cinnabar mole behind his ear was finally revealed, and a fresh, sweet scent instantly filled the court.

The scent was like green plums after rain—elegant, fresh, and mouth-watering.

Jin Wang’s expression changed instantly. No one could resist a Kunjun’s scent. In the hall, several Alphas felt their own scents being stirred, and they began to compete subconsciously.

Disturbed by the clash of scents, the beauty in the cage frowned and let out a soft moan. “Mm… uncomfortable…”

Jin Wang snapped to his senses. The next second, a massive wave of Alpha pheromones erupted in the hall. The Emperor’s scent was pure and incredibly aggressive, instantly smothering all others. The officials’ legs went so weak they could barely stand.

Amidst this suffocating scent, the young Emperor on the throne gave a soft laugh. “I like this gift very much. Minister Duan was thoughtful.”

When Ye Shu woke up, he was lying inside a bed canopy. He rubbed his eyes and rolled over sleepily. He had been in that Duan guy’s hands for the last few days. The man must have given him some kind of sedative; he slept more than he was awake and had no idea what day it was. Occasionally, he had heard the guy talking about “presenting him to the Emperor.”

Wait… presenting to the Emperor?!

Ye Shu suddenly remembered the novel. It said that shortly after the Minister Ye Shu died, Duan Chengzhi searched everywhere and presented a peerless beauty to the Sovereign. But the presentation was too crude, and Jin Wang’s standards were too high. He didn’t even look at the beauty and ordered them dragged out and beaten to death. Duan Chengzhi also received a hundred strokes and nearly died.

This won’t do. If I’m presented to Jin Wang as a ‘beauty,’ haven’t I just jumped back into the tiger’s den? No, I have to escape.

Ye Shu dragged his sore body upright and yanked open the gauze curtain—only to shudder violently at the person sitting silently by the bed.

He met a pair of dark, bloodshot eyes.

The air froze. The next second, Ye Shu yanked the curtain back shut with a violent tug.

Jin Wang: “…”

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