Sickly Jade - Chapter 1

The early spring morning was exceptionally cold. Outside the window, a biting gale howled, yet inside, warmth steamed and surged, reminiscent of the celestial pools of the Jade Palace.

“Gentler… Your Highness, are you trying to end this Taoist’s life?”

The detached, cold voice drifted slowly from behind the red curtains, stained with a faint, shimmering hint of desire.

The other person inside the curtains let out a slow, light laugh, teasing with a voice that was cool yet hoarse: “At a time like this, must the National Teacher still refer to himself as a ‘Taoist’? My good Yun’er, call me something nicer.”

“Crown Prince, you are being presumptuous.”

The beauty’s slender, snowy fingers reached out from the red curtains. His distinct, knuckled fingers fumbled to pick up a pipe from the side table, but before he could even bring it to his lips, he was forced to grip the pipe tighter.

Ye Shaoyun let out a stifled, unbearable groan, his brows knitting together fiercely. Even when held captive by desire, he remained just as cold and detached.

Qi Chu: “Yun’er, it’s better to smoke less of this stuff.”

“If I don’t smoke this, should I ‘smoke’ you instead?”

Ye Shaoyun was most annoyed by Qi Chu’s hypocritical nagging at times like this. He was the one inhaling it into his own lungs; why should others meddle? He spoke as if he actually cared.

As the National Teacher of the realm, Ye Shaoyun could indulge in reckless intimacies with the Crown Prince here only because he knew that Qi Chu would never truly love him.

Three years ago, he had personally extracted Qi Chu’s “thread of emotion” .To an ordinary person, it might be the most precious thing, but to someone destined to be an emperor, it was not. An emperor does not need to be dedicated to one person himself included.

He had removed the Crown Prince’s ability to love for the sake of the realm, and in doing so, he could freely engage in these intimacies with him, even though he didn’t particularly enjoy the process.

Qi Chu was still a clumsy novice, a bit green as a man, but Ye Shaoyun had never held that against him. As the Crown Prince’s first man, Ye Shaoyun simply ignored Qi Chu’s comments, tremblingly brought the pipe to his lips, and took a deep drag to regain his strength.

Qi Chu leaned in close, letting the exhaled smoke drift slowly over his own handsome face. He enjoyed this; he enjoyed watching the National Teacher’s expression soften into one of enjoyment.

Ye Shaoyun was beautiful delicate features, waist-length white hair, and eyes that were permanently tinged with a scarlet hue, as if from extreme exhaustion or the lingering flush of pleasure. At first glance, he appeared completely harmless, but Qi Chu knew his methods best: when he turned ruthless, he wouldn’t even spare himself.

“Your body is in poor health. The Imperial Physician says to use less tobacco and alcohol,” Qi Chu continued to persuade him softly, while cherishably stroking the white hair scattered across the pillow.

Sometimes, Qi Chu felt that he perhaps couldn’t satisfy Ye Shaoyun as well as that pipe could. It wasn’t the first time he realized his own lack of prowess, and though Ye Shaoyun never said it, he could feel it. In moments like these, he even grew jealous of the tobacco; he would rather be that pipe himself.

Painful lessons learned.

He had put in no small amount of effort for this. During his spare time from reviewing memorials, he had secretly asked the young eunuch Xiao Xiazi to find him several erotic manuals to study, practicing them on the National Teacher whenever he had the chance. Unfortunately, his aptitude for learning was poor; every time, he left the National Teacher drenched in sweat and wearing a pained expression, forcing him to use tobacco to soothe the agony.

Ye Shaoyun lethargically pushed himself up, shaking the floating ash off the bed. “If Your Highness wants my life, just say so. Quitting smoking? Not in this lifetime.”

This body was truly wretched. In less than half an hour, he was already out of breath. The little Crown Prince on his body was clearly still unsatisfied, rubbing against his chest like a fawning Feifei (a mythical furry creature).

Whenever the Crown Prince took on this fawning posture, Ye Shaoyun found himself genuinely pleased. Ye Shaoyun liked cute, furry things Qi Chu was one, and the Persian short-legged cat Qi Chu had gotten from a foreigner during his trip to Jiangnan a year ago was another. He couldn’t keep his hands off either.

Perhaps it was inevitable to develop feelings for things he had raised himself, even though he had told himself countless times that he couldn’t because he was destined to leave.

After today, he would head to Jiangnan. This was their final intimacy. Qi Chu didn’t know, and Ye Shaoyun had no intention of telling him.

Under his all-out assistance over these years, Qi Chu’s position in court was basically solidified. Leaving behind his personal guards to protect Qi Chu until he ascended the throne, he was no longer needed on the path ahead.

As National Teacher and Crown Prince’s Tutor, he should be enjoying the second half of his life in peace. This body truly needed recuperation; otherwise, if the Crown Prince kept tossing him about for a few more months, he would surely drop dead.

Therefore, the moment the System informed him the mission was complete, he immediately wrote a memorial to the old Emperor, requesting his resignation.

Back when he had accidentally arrived in this world, the System told him that as long as he protected Qi Chu until he sat firmly on the throne, he would be able to establish himself in this world and enjoy a life of prosperity. For Ye Shaoyun, who had died suddenly in the real world, this was undoubtedly a second rebirth.

When he first arrived, he was just a minor official. Qi Chu was only a young prince, his mother had died of illness, and no one cared for him in the deep palace.

Qi Chu was wary and frequently bullied. It had taken Ye Shaoyun great effort to gain his trust, followed by facing countless difficulties from the powerful elite. The hardships along the way could not be summarized in a few words.

For Qi Chu, Ye Shaoyun had practically risked half his life. In the early days, when Qi Chu was often attacked by those with ulterior motives in the court, Ye Shaoyun would take the blows for him. Back then, he held no real power all he had was this healthy body. He had to handle everything himself, acting as a human shield for Qi Chu. The number of times he had been stabbed by real blades was past the point of counting on two hands.

The time he came closest to death was when he drank the “Heart-Severing Poison” sent by the First Prince right in front of Qi Chu. Fortunately, the previous National Teacher was there to save him, but he was left with a lingering ailment whenever it rained, his stomach would cramp incessantly. He had never told Qi Chu any of these details; after all, he was doing it for the mission and needed no one’s pity.

Qi Chu had not let his efforts go to waste; he had grown well, excelling in books, painting, archery, and horsemanship. He earned the Emperor’s favor, was named Crown Prince, and granted the power to oversee the state, radiating brilliance. At the same time, he became increasingly reliant on Ye Shaoyun, obedient to his every word.

Seeing him lost in thought for so long, Qi Chu shifted his body, trying to call his soul back.

“Yun’er, why are you so distracted?”

Ye Shaoyun let out a stifled groan. After a few puffs of smoke, he completely lost interest and swiped a soft palm at the Crown Prince’s handsome face.

“Let’s stop here for today. The Emperor wants to see you, so go change your clothes earlier. I need to rest for a few more hours.”

Qi Chu only caught a hint of his fragrance, and he seized the opportunity to grasp that jade-like hand, rubbing it affectionately against his face. “Does the National Teacher not attend the morning court today? Will I not be able to see the National Teacher today?”

Ye Shaoyun was speechless—it wasn’t as if there was a single day they didn’t meet. Never mind seeing each other; wallowing like this was a common occurrence. Knowing this was just another one of Qi Chu’s cooing tactics, Ye Shaoyun found a legitimate excuse. “It’s not as if I haven’t skipped court before. I’m too exhausted today; I’m not going.”

His body was frail; the Emperor knew what he had sacrificed for the Crown Prince and cherished that sentiment, allowing him to skip daily court this was common knowledge.

Qi Chu nodded obediently without questioning him. Before leaving the couch, he tucked the quilt in for him with care, his eyes tracing every inch of Ye Shaoyun’s features like a hook, reluctant to leave as he put on his clothes.

“Yun’er, wait for me. I’ll come find you after court.”

The Crown Prince had not returned to the palace last night, staying at the National Teacher’s residence instead. The servants and steward were already accustomed to the Crown Prince’s freedom of movement. The current National Teacher was the Crown Prince’s teacher—everyone inside and outside the court knew this, and staying overnight had become the norm. Only a few close attendants knew the nature of their relationship, and their lips were sealed tight.

After the Crown Prince left, the secret guard Xiao Yun gently pushed open the palace doors.

Inside the hall, Ye Shaoyun, who was supposed to be catching up on sleep, had already gathered his clothes and sat up, signaling his attendants to help him put on his outer robes. Xiao Yun was one of the few who knew the relationship between his master and the Crown Prince.

“Master, the Crown Prince has left the residence. Are you certain you want to depart now?”

Ye Shaoyun yawned, listening to Xiao Yun’s report, and leaned back on the soft couch. He had been tossed about half the night and was dragged up early for “morning exercise.” This amount of sleep was far from enough for his frail body, so he would have to make up for it in the carriage later.

His earlier words were a trick to fool Qi Chu. Yesterday, the Emperor had already approved his resignation, and today, the news would be announced to all the court officials. To avoid having someone grab him and weep inconsolably in sadness, it was better to leave quietly in advance.

[Life Value -1, Remaining: 49.]

[Host, please take care of your health. If you cannot reach Zijin Mountain and find the True Person Qingfeng before your Life Value drops below 20, the System cannot guarantee your safety.]