Transmigrated as the Emperor, but Slacking Off - Chapter 21.2

The ruler on the bed moved. After a few seconds of silence, the “silkworm cocoon” rolled over to the edge of the bed. The quilts slid down, revealing the person within clad in a jade-white undergarment. Wen Xing’s messy hair was stuck to his fair skin; his loose collar revealed a portion of his collarbone, and his black hair was tangled around his white neck.

His gem-like eyes were misty with the morning dampness, and due to lack of sleep, the corners of his eyes were tinged with red; his gaze hadn’t even focused yet. That dazed expression… looked much like a certain unknown dream.

Ning Wujie’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He cursed himself for being a beast. He looked away and said to the old eunuch, “His Majesty has risen. Serve him for dressing.” With that, he prepared to leave.

“Wait.” Wen Xing propped up his head on one hand and beckoned to Ning Wujie with the other. “I don’t want to move.”

Ning Wujie suppressed the wildfire rising in his heart and looked at the other coldly, sensing again that no good would come from this ruler. Sure enough, the Emperor said lazily, “Carry me over to change.”

Ning Wujie: … “Your Majesty has hands and feet.”

Wen Xing was perfectly justified: “Not enough sleep. No strength.”

“Your Majesty has attendants.”

Li Dequan immediately pulled the young eunuch beside him and bowed while backing away, his face piled with a fawning smile. “We ‘rootless’ people simply don’t have the strength to carry Your Majesty.”

Wen Xing cast an appreciative glance at the old eunuch.

Ning Wujie: … Seeing Wen Xing extend his arms toward him in a gesture for a hug, the loose sleeves of his undergarment sliding down to reveal his snow-white wrists and the elegant lines of his forearms… Ning Wujie closed his eyes, forcefully separating the person in his dreams from the image of the faint-hearted ruler before him.

Then he heard the Emperor say, “Unwilling? Then I simply won’t go. Anyway, if anyone seeks me for trouble in the future, I’ll just push you out…”

Ning Wujie handed his official cap to an attendant. He scooped the faint-hearted ruler up in a horizontal carry. Wen Xing got his wish and saw the crimson tips of Ning Wujie’s ears. The ears were right before him; against the morning light, they were even slightly translucent, as clear as beautiful hibiscus jade.

How fun. Thinking this, he curiously reached out and pinched the tip of that ear.

The person holding him stopped abruptly. He felt the muscles in Ning Wujie’s arms tighten, becoming as hard as stone. The grip holding him also grew suddenly stronger, pinching him until it actually hurt. Wen Xing frowned: “You’re hurting me.”

Ning Wujie was frozen, trying forcefully to suppress the fire in his lower abdomen. He dared not think what would happen if he wasn’t wearing his baggy court robes today. At the thought of being in full view of everyone… his entire ear surged with heat.

Wen Xing watched the person’s ear-root turn so red it was practically cooked. He thought to himself: Eh?! Is the effect of touching them this good? He was about to try again when he saw Ning Wujie walk quickly to the dressing mirror and put him down as if he were a hot potato. Without waiting for further orders, Ning Wujie turned and bolted out the door, leaving only: “I shall go on ahead.”

The man had vanished like a gust of wind, leaving Wen Xing bewildered. He grit his teeth. Fine, your guts are truly getting bigger.

Xuanzheng Hall.

This was the venue for the Emperor and officials to discuss affairs or hold inner court sessions. It wasn’t as grand as Huangji Hall, but it was solemn enough. When Wen Xing arrived, Ning Wujie and the heads of the three judicial offices were already present. Below the dais stood a County Prince in a green dragon robe. There were also many nobles who had been present at the scene that day.

As the Emperor appeared, everyone performed their salutes, shouting “Long live.” On the high dais, Empress Dowager Wang Fuwei sat with perfect poise beside the dragon throne.

As he took his seat, Wen Xing said, “Why have so many people come?”

Wang Fuwei said genially, “This matter occurred in my palace. Naturally, I and the nobles must appear as witnesses.” Wen Xing looked at the officials with an inquiring gaze. The Chief of the Court of Judicial Review immediately replied: “It should be so. All relevant parties from the day of the incident should be present.”

Wen Xing squinted at the County Prince below, saying with cold disdain: “Are you the one who beat the Dengwen Drum?” To drag him out of bed so early… that alone was enough to make him want to “linger” his gaze on this old man with murderous intent.

Wang Xuanyi was covered in tears as he knelt before the dais, crying out: “Your Majesty! I seek justice for my grandson today! Yian entered the palace only to attend the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet; how did he lose his life? I beg Your Majesty to grant me justice!”

Wen Xing frowned. “What nonsense are you talking? Wang Yian poisoned me to attempt regicide. Death by a thousand cuts would not be enough for him.”

Wang Xuanyi’s eyes widened in rage as he said with shock: “Impossible! Yian adored Your Majesty too much to ever poison you! Your Majesty speaks thus, but is there evidence?”

Hearing this, Wang Fuwei suddenly covered her mouth and let out a low cry: “Oh dear!” Her eyes shifted, and she suddenly leaned into Wen Xing’s ear, whispering urgently: “Huaiyu, when Mother inspected the scene, I did indeed find the censer. Knowing it contained such ‘unclean’ things, I feared it would harm the Emperor’s reputation, so I destroyed it. What should we do?”

Wang Fuwei looked apprehensive. “Did I destroy the evidence? Have I brought you trouble?”

Wen Xing’s eyelids narrowed as his gaze swept over Wang Fuwei’s face. He couldn’t tell if her acting was too good, or if she truly did it for his reputation, or if she intentionally destroyed the evidence.

Ning Wujie’s sharp gaze locked onto the Empress Dowager, his eyes reflecting coldness.

Yet Wang Fuwei seemed to change her mind and, with a righteous expression, said: “But Huaiyu, as an Emperor, if people knew you had been hit with such a thing, it would be far too scandalous a stain on the imperial face. In my opinion, even if it meant destroying evidence, for the sake of our imperial reputation, it had to be done. You are most sensible; I am sure you understand your mother’s painstaking care.”

Wen Xing curled his lips slightly and said perfunctorily: “Naturally.” A smile formed on Wang Fuwei’s lips.

Ning Wujie could guess what the Empress Dowager had done. Although their motives might be different, he had originally intended the same. At the Empress Dowager’s Yongshou Palace, his movements had been restricted; using her hand to destroy the censer was simply “going with the flow.” Currently, the Emperor was portrayed in street stories as a shameless, faint-hearted ruler who loved men. If word got out that he was hit with an aphrodisiac, who knew what those stories would become. How would the subjects view the Emperor? How would they view imperial power? Just thinking of it made Ning Wujie incredibly restless.

Seeing the Emperor not answer, Wang Xuanyi pushed further: “Even Your Majesty must have evidence to sentence someone to death, right?” He then said to the heads of the three judicial offices: “Lords, since the founding of our dynasty, we have ruled with virtue. Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven; does that mean he can arbitrarily decide the life and death of others?”

The heads of the three offices looked at each other, then at the cold-faced Emperor. After much hesitation, the Chief of the Court of Judicial Review finally plucked up the courage to test the waters: “May I ask Your Majesty, what poison was it? Is the evidence available?”

Wen Xing was about to speak when Ning Wujie said: “His Majesty fainted from a sudden heart ailment. Wang Yian pulled out a hairpin to attempt regicide and was executed on the spot by this subject.” Ning Wujie, anticipating Wang Xuanyi’s rebuttal, stepped forward: “I am the only witness at the scene; there is no one else.”

Wang Xuanyi’s gaze turned sharp, and he scoffed: “How can the killer act as a witness?! Your Majesty! Your Highness! As it stands, there is neither physical evidence nor witnesses; from start to finish, there is only Ning Wujie’s one-sided story. I reasonably suspect he was abusing his authority, or even…” He peeked at the Emperor and mocked: “…using it as an excuse to eliminate a competitor and monopolize the Emperor’s heart!”

A vein in Ning Wujie’s temple throbbed. This angle of attack was indeed one he hadn’t expected.

The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze crossing the jade steps to land on the purple-robed figure kneeling below. Is this stubborn man actually protecting my reputation? Even if he has to bear the charge of slaughtering imperial kin?

The situation fell into a stalemate. The heads of the three offices were in a bind. The Luohe Wang clan was powerful; they wouldn’t easily accept the death of their kin. Yet Ning Wujie was the Emperor’s favorite and claimed to be protecting the Sovereign. Could they truly arrest him?

Ning Wujie was prepared to take the blame when he heard the Emperor on his throne say lazily: “Lord Ning cares so much for my well-being. It has been hard on you.”

He spoke with a half-smile, looking at the youth below who was gazing back at him. “I am very moved.”

Seeing Wen Xing’s playful expression, Ning Wujie felt an ominous premonition. Sure enough, the faint-hearted ruler changed his tone and, in front of everyone, said leisurely: “At the time, Wang Yian gave me an aphrodisiac.”

Ning Wujie: !

Wang Fuwei’s eyes widened, looking at Wen Xing in disbelief: “Huaiyu! You…”

The officials and imperial kin were caught between shock and a flurry of whispers. Aphro… aphrodisiac? Then could it be that the Emperor and that Wang Yian… Hiss… so intense?! No wonder there was no evidence earlier. For a Sovereign to be hit with an aphrodisiac it would be as scandalous as it gets. The common people wouldn’t know how to fabricate stories about the imperial family!

Wang Xuanyi apparently hadn’t expected Wen Xing to openly admit such a thing that stained the imperial face. He stood frozen for a while. After reacting, he remembered to throw mud at Wen Xing: “Then did Your Majesty and my grandson…”

Wen Xing cut him off: “The moment I realized I was poisoned, I ordered Lord Ning to execute Wang Yian on the spot. Afterward, naturally, Lord Ning ‘helped’ me.”

Ning Wujie: …

This word “helped” was extremely subtle. Helped with what? Helped with the killing, or helped with neutralizing the poison? The faint-hearted ruler had intentionally spoken ambiguously to pull him down with him. Ning Wujie grit his teeth in hatred. Such a thing couldn’t be explained; explaining would only make it worse.

Ning Wujie closed his eyes deeply. How could he forget? This was a faint-hearted ruler who didn’t care about his reputation at all!

The ministers all lowered their heads, their minds racing like ten thousand horses. This… this… right after killing the man, they… The Emperor truly knows how to play!

While Ning Wujie’s rage was rising, he heard the Emperor on the high throne ask in a light tone: “Am I correct, Lord Ning?”