Transmigrated as the Emperor, but Slacking Off - Chapter 17

Inside Funing Hall.

A stray flame of perverse heat surged within Wen Xing, leaving him weak and drained. He opened his eyes, his head throbbing and his vision still blurred. He could only make out a black silhouette, but upon smelling that familiar scent of snowy pines, the tightness in his brow suddenly eased.

“Ning Wujie, where am I?”

The other person replied softly, “Back in the palace, Your Majesty. You are safe.”

“That Wang Yian…”

“I killed him.”

The taut strings of Wen Xing’s heart finally relaxed. “What poison was I given? Where is Zhai Yuanqing?”

Ning Wujie paused, avoiding the core of the issue. “Imperial Physician Zhai was here. He administered acupuncture, left a prescription, and departed. Your Majesty, please take your medicine.”

The bowl was handed over. Wen Xing, feeling limp and powerless, ordered: “You feed me.”

Ning Wujie hesitated for a moment. Wen Xing lifted his eyelids to look at him. “What? Unwilling? But I have no strength at all; someone must serve me.”

Ning Wujie lowered his eyes as if weighing something. After a moment, appearing to have made a firm resolution, he finally sat beside Wen Xing and supported the limp man. Wen Xing leaned back, resting against the other’s shoulder. The shoulder seemed to stiffen for an instant.

The medicine bowl was brought to his lips. Wen Xing took a deep breath and drank it all in one go. “…Bitter.” He frowned deeply.

A preserved plum was very consciously offered to his lips. Once the fruit entered his mouth, slivers of sweetness spread through his oral cavity, suppressing the bitterness. Wen Xing’s consciousness finally fully returned, and he realized something was amiss. This stubborn man is being exceptionally obedient today.

He looked around and saw that the inner chamber was empty except for Ning Wujie. “Where is everyone else?”

“I dismissed them,” Ning Wujie said, pausing briefly. “You were hit with… an aphrodisiac.”

Wen Xing understood. Ning Wujie was afraid he would lose his composure in front of others when the medicine’s effects flared up, so he had driven everyone away. No wonder he was willing to serve him personally; with only this boy in the room, he couldn’t rely on attendants.

“Only I, Physician Zhai, and Eunuch Li know of this.”

Perhaps the medicine was working. That wildfire surging through Wen Xing’s body earlier had been suppressed, turning from a prairie fire into a small flame flickering in his lower abdomen. His strength had also largely returned; he could now sit up on his own.

Seeing him rise, Ning Wujie found several soft pillows to prop up his lower back. “Your Majesty, do you feel better?”

Sensing the small flame within him, Wen Xing frowned with dissatisfaction. “Is Zhai Yuanqing’s medical skill even up to par?” Though he felt much better than when he was first poisoned, there was an “up and down” sensation a restlessness that left him uncomfortable. He couldn’t quite describe the feeling. If he distracted himself, he could force himself to ignore it, but it wouldn’t be long before it surged up again to annoy him.

Ning Wujie explained: “Physician Zhai said that while this poison isn’t hard to neutralize, the residual toxins fade slowly. Your Majesty must endure it; you will be fine in two days.”

Wen Xing was shocked. Endure it? Was he a monk? Why should he endure? This original body was twenty-three, and in his previous life, he had lived to twenty-eight. Even if he had been single, he wasn’t some naive child who knew nothing! Since transmigrating to this world, the first thing he had learned was to never make things difficult for himself.

Thinking of this, Wen Xing looked at the youth before him with curiosity. “So, do you usually endure like this too?” To be able to say the words “endure it,” Wen Xing highly suspected whether this kid had ever received proper sexual education.

Ning Wujie was stunned. Wen Xing leaned back on one elbow, looking at him with great interest. “Speak up.”

As if finally reacting, Wen Xing saw the tips of Ning Wujie’s ears turn from white to red, finally becoming like a drop of pigeon-blood ruby set against warm jade. Ning Wujie’s brow was knitted tightly. This faint-hearted ruler is at it again!

Seeing he didn’t answer, Wen Xing raised an eyebrow. If I tease him further, will he run away again? I haven’t played enough yet.

Thus, he spoke with great mercy: “Then I’ll ask a different question. How did your parents teach you?”

Ning Wujie’s brow eased slightly as he let out a secret sigh of relief that the Emperor had changed the subject. He replied solemnly: “My father taught me only three things from a young age: first, to establish oneself through virtue; second, to establish words through literature; and third, to establish life through martial arts.”

Wen Xing: … What was with this aura of “Great, Bright, and Righteous”? He was about to be blinded. How did such a “red and expert” kid eventually become a rebel leader? How did he become that cold-blooded tyrant in history? Was it even scientific?!

However, he finally knew why this kid’s skin was so thin. He had heard long ago that the Old Marquis Ning’s family discipline was strict but this was too strict! Wen Xing rubbed his twitching temple and continued patiently: “Did he not teach you anything else?”

Ning Wujie was puzzled. “Anything else?”

“For example…” Wen Xing moved closer, looking up at the man before him. “For example, what would you do if you encountered my situation today?”

The moment the words left his lips, he faintly noticed that Ning Wujie who was already standing ramrod straight became even more taut, like a stretched string. That drop of pigeon-blood red began to spread downward, flushing all the way into the collar of his white undergarment.

Wow, the effect is that good?

He saw Ning Wujie close his eyes, his voice still cold: “I would naturally seek a physician.” But his firm expression and sharp gaze were a world apart from those crimson ears.

Wen Xing was shocked by the contrast in this man. How could someone be blushing and perfectly serious at the same time? He curled his lips slightly and added, “I have other ways. I can teach you.”

Ning Wujie’s pupils shrank, and he grit his teeth. “I do not wish to learn.” Shameless, faint-hearted ruler! Not a single sentence is decent. As if fearing the Emperor would say something else annoying, Ning Wujie gave him no chance and spoke coldly: “Since Your Majesty is unharmed, I have cases to handle. I take my leave.”

With that, he turned and exited the room in a few steps. Behind him came the Emperor’s lazy voice: “Tell Li Dequan that no one is allowed to enter.”

Ning Wujie’s steps faltered slightly, but he immediately turned back to close the bedchamber door.

However, once he reached the outer room, he stopped before pushing the main door open. What should he do? Earlier, Physician Zhai had warned him that the Emperor had just received acupuncture and shouldn’t be left unattended. But that faint-hearted ruler wouldn’t let anyone into the bedroom.

He pondered for a moment before finally closing his eyes and forcing himself to sit upright in an armchair in the outer room. Fine, I’ll wait a while longer.

The room was silent. Ning Wujie sat with perfect posture, eyes closed to rest his mind. After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly heard an extremely suggestive, soft gasp from the inner room. The sound was very light; had it not been for his excellent hearing and the silence of the room, an ordinary person would never have heard it across a room.

Realizing what that faint-hearted ruler was doing, Ning Wujie’s expression froze. He didn’t notice that the redness on his ears, which had just faded, was returning and it was burning. The gasps rang out intermittently. The more he tried to ignore it, the clearer the sound became.

Ning Wujie couldn’t sit still any longer. He stood up abruptly, red from head to toe like a branding iron. His heart pounded uncontrollably, nearly jumping out of his throat. His fists were clenched so tight the white of his knuckles showed. This ruler… is…

He was dying of shame and indignation, an internal battle raging in his mind. After a long while, he heard a beautiful shift in tone, and the sound stopped abruptly. Ning Wujie’s pupils shrank, and he finally bolted out the door like an arrow from a bow.

Outside, Xing He saw him appear and hurried forward. “How is Master? Can I go in now?” Li Dequan also hurried over. “How is His Majesty?”

Ning Wujie’s lips moved slightly, and he left only one sentence: “His Majesty said no one is allowed in.” Then, his silhouette vanished.

Xing He let out a disappointed “Ah.” “I still can’t go in? Master~~”

The Bureau of Investigation.

Ning Wujie appeared suddenly, passing through the investigators who bowed to him like a gust of wind, heading straight into the Commander’s residence. Upon entering, he saw the teapot of cold tea on the table, grabbed it, and drank greedily.

The cold water went down, yet it still couldn’t suppress the perverse heat that had been surging through him. That fire was like a prairie fire; in the blink of an eye, it had ignited the blood in his entire body, making his heart flutter and his throat dry.

Noticing his own abnormality, he looked down. Whatever he saw made his pupils tremble, and he stood frozen on the spot as if struck by lightning. What was going on? He wasn’t the kind of animal that became excited regardless of the occasion. Could he have been poisoned too?

Calm down, Ning Wujie told himself, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Thinking back, when he had burst through the door at the water pavilion, he must have also smelled that “Drunken Bone Silk.” Though it was brief, he must have been poisoned.

As if finding the only logical explanation, he finally let out a long breath, calming his heaving chest. With both hands propped on the table’s edge, he spoke in a deep voice to the guards outside: “Summon the residence physician.”

A moment later, the physician rushed in. Ning Wujie sat at the table without a word, offering his wrist. “I have been poisoned. Check me.”

The physician was horrified. Not daring to be negligent, he hurriedly set down his medical bag and took Ning Wujie’s pulse, asking: “Was the Lord poisoned while on a case? Do you know what poison it was? How was it administered?”

Seeing the youth hesitate, looking unwilling to speak, the physician added: “Only with a full understanding can I neutralize it. The Lord must not hide his illness from the doctor.”

Hearing this, Ning Wujie finally closed his eyes in a “burning of boats” fashion and said, with a mixture of helplessness and shame: “An aphrodisiac. It was in the incense.”

The physician realized, thinking to himself that working at the Bureau of Investigation was truly a high-risk job to use such underhanded methods…

…Wait. The physician’s eyes showed doubt as he checked the pulse again. He looked at Ning Wujie and asked cautiously: “My Lord, are you certain you were poisoned?”

Ning Wujie replied categorically: “Of course.”

The physician was puzzled, wondering if his skills were lacking. This pulse was clearly excellent. Not just excellent, it was too good powerful, vigorous, and full of youthful yang energy. A young man full of vigor it was so good an old man like him was envious.

The physician let go of Ning Wujie’s wrist and shook his head. “This old man can find no trace of poisoning in the Lord.”

Ning Wujie: … He looked at the physician suspiciously. “Are you certain?”

The physician nodded earnestly. “Though there are many types of aphrodisiacs in the world, this old man is quite experienced. The Lord’s pulse is excellent; it does not look like poisoning.”

Ning Wujie didn’t give up. “Perhaps because the time I inhaled it was too short and the toxicity is weak, so you can’t detect it?”

The physician raised an eyebrow, thinking it possible. “Incense poisoning requires a closed space and long exposure to take effect. May I ask how long the Lord stayed in that room? Were the doors and windows shut tight?”

Ning Wujie froze. He recalled for a moment before saying blankly: “It was only the instant I pushed the door open. No more than a few breaths in total.” He had killed the man after asking just one question.

The physician smiled and shook his head. “The Lord is overthinking. It is absolutely impossible to be poisoned like that.” With that, he picked up his bag to leave. “If the Lord is still worried, you can go to the palace to see the imperial physicians. But in my humble opinion, there is no poison in the world so powerful. I take my leave.”

The physician departed, leaving Ning Wujie sitting in a daze. If it wasn’t the “Drunken Bone Silk,” then what could it be? Could it be… He didn’t know what he had thought of, but he suddenly rose and left the residence, heading toward a courtyard on the other side of the Bureau.

He walked to a room with a plaque: “Examination Office.” Inside, an official with Western-style glass spectacles perched on his nose sat at a desk, head down, busy with tweezers. Ning Wujie stood behind the man, who had no reaction at all.

Until Ning Wujie spoke: “Xia Qi.”

The official was startled and turned back. Realizing it was Ning Wujie, he let out a sigh of relief, set down his tools, and said reproachfully: “My Lord, you nearly scared me to death.”

Ning Wujie surveyed the simple, cluttered room filled with evidence and examination tools, and went straight to the point: “The incense I asked you to test last time are there results?”

Xia Qi seemed to just remember. He stood up and walked to a shelving unit taller than himself, rummaging through it with a clatter. Ning Wujie frowned. After a long wait, Xia Qi brought over an exquisite small box, chattering as he walked: “This incense is precious. I had to plead with the Imperial Household Department to get this little bit. After all, it’s for the Emperor’s use, and there are fixed amounts. Fortunately, our Bureau now manages the inner treasury, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten even this.”

He adjusted his glasses as they started to slip. “My Lord, why are you investigating this?”

Ning Wujie was losing patience. “Just tell me the result.”

Xia Qi let out an “Oh” and said blankly: “There’s nothing wrong with it.”

Ning Wujie: ?

He suddenly snatched the box from Xia Qi’s hand. Upon opening it, that familiar scent wafted out. Because it was in solid form, the fragrance was much richer than what he smelled on that faint-hearted ruler. It was correct. It was that ambergris.

He asked Xia Qi again in disbelief: “What did you say? Say it again.”

Xia Qi blinked. “I’ve tested this incense several times; there is no problem. The ingredients and proportions are quite particular, but it’s for the Emperor’s use.” He asked with some confusion: “My Lord, which case requires testing this incense?”

He received no answer. He only saw Ning Wujie standing frozen on the spot. After a long time, he heard Ning Wujie’s deep voice: “It’s nothing.”

With those words, the man walked out of the room. As Ning Wujie exited the courtyard, he heard Xia Qi’s voice from behind: “My Lord, what about this incense…”

“You keep it.”

Ning Wujie walked with heavy steps. When he returned to his residence, he finally closed his eyes as if forced to accept reality and smashed his fist into the pillar of the doorframe.

Thud—

The pillar cracked in several places. His knuckles split open, and slivers of blood seeped out. He bowed his head, grit his teeth, and hissed through them: “Damn it!”