Transmigrated as the Emperor, but Slacking Off - Chapter 27

Wang Jiang knelt in trepidation. “Your servant thanks Your Majesty for your grand grace! However, your servant is merely a minor Compiler. I fear I cannot bear the weight of presiding over the imperial examinations.”

With a sweep of his grand sleeves, Wen Xing declared, “This Emperor says you can bear it, so you can bear it.”

Ning Wujie’s fists clenched so hard that his knuckles turned stark white.

Those identical words the foolish tyrant had just said them to him a mere few days ago. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the Emperor turned around and gifted the exact same phrase to someone else!

Wang Jiang could hardly believe his ears. Was His Majesty truly placing such absolute trust in him? Deeply moved, his voice trembled slightly. “Your servant will definitely not fail the imperial grace!”

Wen Xing stood up, a thoroughly self-satisfied smile gracing his features. “When This Emperor employs people, I never question their origins. No matter what their surname or name is, as long as they are loyal to their sovereign, they will be heavily utilized.”

Of the officials present, who could possibly fail to grasp the underlying meaning of these words? The Emperor was using Wang Jiang to set a grand example. Even if someone bore the surname Wang, as long as they openly declared their loyalty, they could hold the reins of the imperial examinations. That was the power to dictate literary standards! The scholars of the entire realm would be tied to his hands!

Wang Dowager Wang Fuwei’s finger guards dug viciously into the golden carved phoenix head of her armrest. This single move completely undercut her strategy of using a mass strike to paralyze the court!

Although the Wang clan’s cronies made up more than half of the court, the vast majority were simply drifting with the tide. Clinging to whichever faction held the greatest power had always been the survival logic of the imperial court. The reason they had been willing to strike this time was mostly because they were already labeled as members of the Wang faction. Rather than waiting for an inevitable purge, they chose to rise up in resistance, knowing they would be shielded by the Wang clan.

But Wen Xing’s move explicitly signaled to these wavering officials that he was willing to heavily employ even someone from the Wang family, let alone anyone else. Once they realized that turning back to the right path meant a safe retreat, who would still be willing to risk losing their official hats?

First, he threatened them with a three-day deadline, and then he set an example to lure them with immense benefits. With just a few casual words, the entire situation of a civil official coup was completely shattered!

What a brilliant Emperor! Wang Fuwei wished she could grind her back teeth to powder.

Yet, upon second thought, she found a sliver of consolation. At least Wang Jiang had caught the Emperor’s eye. Regardless of whether it was genuine trust or not, the power to dictate literary standards carried even more weight than military authority! In the previous dynasty, when the Grand Secretary presided over the examinations, every successful candidate regarded him as their mentor, allowing him to control half of the imperial court. In the current dynasty, the Grand Tutor also managed the examinations; if not for the old man lacking any treacherous ambitions, there would likely be no room left for her Wang clan to stand in this court.

Thinking of this, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the person chosen belonged to their faction. Although it was merely the minor mathematics discipline, it didn’t matter. She hadn’t entirely lost this round.

Wen Xing announced the dismissal of the court. As he walked down the steps, he cast a cold glance back at the woman behind the curtain, stating icily, “The ancestral instructions of the Dynastic Founder dictate that the inner palace shall not interfere in state affairs. Since This Emperor has been personally ruling for many years, I request that Imperial Mother refrain from appearing in the outer court again without authorization.”

Wang Fuwei’s pupils contracted. Before she could speak, the Emperor gave her no opportunity; he turned and walked away. As he departed, he added without turning his head, “That phoenix chair has not been used for many years. Have it sent to Imperial Mother’s palace.”

“Emperor!”

Wen Xing remained completely deaf to Wang Fuwei’s furious shout. His light-green silhouette vanished beyond the palace doors in an instant.

The court officials departed one after another. Only Wang Jiang remained kneeling within the hall, a sacred sense of mission welling up in his heart.

Mathematics. He was actually going to preside over the mathematics examinations! However, compared to His Majesty’s mastery, his own level of mathematics was akin to a tiny firefly beneath the brilliant moon. He must prepare thoroughly and seek more guidance from His Majesty!

As he was mentally encouraging himself, he completely failed to notice the gaze behind him, which fixed upon him like a physical blade. If that gaze could transform into an edge, he would have already been hacked into ten thousand pieces.

Ning Wujie stared at the man for a long while, imaginatively slicing him to pieces a thousand times over with his eyes, before he finally managed to forcefully suppress the nameless fire in his heart. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand Wen Xing’s intentions. But he simply couldn’t control himself.

Moreover, who could say for certain that the foolish tyrant was merely using this man as an example? What if it was killing two birds with one stone taking the person while winning the game? Just like what the Emperor did with him: using him as a knife while simultaneously…

At this thought, Ning Wujie’s teeth emitted a grinding sound, and he finally strode out the door with a thoroughly dark expression.

Upon returning to his bedchamber, Wen Xing threw himself directly onto the bed.

Attending court was truly exhausting; his energy was completely depleted, and he desperately needed to recharge. Before long, he drifted off into a hazy slumber.

In his half-asleep state, he sensed someone lifting the quilt. First came a brief draft of cold air, followed closely by a warm, radiant aura enveloping him, like the melting warmth of a winter sun. Wen Xing narrowed his eyes comfortably.

Then, he felt the person behind him slide both arms around his waist, pulling him close. A warm, youthful body pressed flush against his lower back.

Wen Xing opened his eyes in confusion. This stubborn bastard is actively embracing me?

He turned his head and saw Ning Wujie with his eyes closed. Sensing Wen Xing’s gaze, the youth’s eyelashes fluttered slightly before he slowly opened his eyes. “Is Your Majesty not asleep?”

Wen Xing blinked. What happened now?

Ordinarily, when this stubborn guy warmed his bed, he acted purely and safely as a human-shaped, constant-temperature heating pad. To avoid him, the youth would even press himself against the very edge of the bed; it was usually Wen Xing who subconsciously migrated toward the heat source in his sleep. Why was it reversed today?

Though perplexed, Wen Xing found it rather pleasant, as it spared him the effort of chasing after his heating pad. Thus, he merely uttered a soft “Mmh” before turning his head back to continue sleeping.

Then, he heard Ning Wujie begin to speak. “Your Majesty, adding the mathematics discipline to the imperial examinations is to cultivate a new faction of officials to counterbalance the Wang clan.”

Wen Xing thought to himself: Isn’t that obvious? With this kid’s sharp wit, how could he possibly fail to see through it? Why was he making small talk?

“But Wang Jiang belongs to the Wang family. Is Your Majesty truly so at ease with him?”

Without a second thought, Wen Xing replied, “On the surface, we are using him, but This Emperor intends to have the Grand Tutor oversee the mathematics examinations. The primary examiner of the imperial examinations remains the Grand Tutor. If you are still uneasy, order the Investigation Bureau to keep an eye on that man named Wang.”

Wang Jiang was merely a blueprint, a show put on for those wavering officials; there was no need to grant him any substantial authority.

Because his back was turned to Ning Wujie, Wen Xing did not see the faint upward curve that brushed across the youth’s lips upon hearing this sentence.

Thinking the conversation had ended, Wen Xing prepared to close his eyes, but the person behind him spoke once more. “Then… what does Your Majesty think of Wang Jiang as a person?”

Wen Xing recalled their brief interactions. Though they had only met twice, he felt Wang Jiang’s demeanor was quite sincere and didn’t seem like someone harboring hidden schemes. He possessed the passionate righteousness of a scholar and the pure loyalty of a clean heart. Thus, he answered honestly, “Not bad.”

The arm around his waist tightened significantly.

“Furthermore, upon learning that he is presiding over the mathematics examinations, the Wang clan will definitely try to win him over. We shall see how he performs then.” Wen Xing added, “If he withstands the test, it wouldn’t hurt to elevate him.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Wen Xing felt a sudden lack of air. Frowning, he looked down beneath the quilt at his waist, which was being squeezed tightly. “Ning Wu”

He was abruptly flipped over. In the next instant, the youth pinned him down, both arms driving into the pillow beside his head, creating a small, inescapable cage.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Ning Wujie’s eyes were rimmed with red, filled with intense reluctance and burning anger.

Wen Xing found himself increasingly unable to comprehend the youth. Why was it that nowadays, he didn’t even have to do anything to enrage him to this extent?

Ning Wujie stared at the man beneath him, gnashing his teeth in hatred at this foolish tyrant. His voice turned dark and ominous. “How exactly does Your Majesty intend to… elevate him?”

Elevate him into your bed as well?

Wen Xing knit his brows. All this fuss just for that? “I haven’t thought it through yet. We’ll take it one step at a time.” He never planned things that far in advance. Since it was all a performance for others anyway, did it matter?

Take it one step at a time. Ning Wujie recalled how he himself had been lured onto the dragon throne step by step by this very tyrant. The tyrant was lecherous; did he even need a plan?

His chest heaved violently, a flush of red spreading from his eyes to his temples. He stared at the man, gritted his teeth fiercely, and suddenly lowered his head, biting down upon those infuriating lips.

The bitten Wen Xing was startled. “Ning… mgh… jie…” With his lips trapped, he could only emit muffled sounds. “You… pre… sumptuous…”

Yet, the youth ignored him entirely, merely clamping onto his lips and gnawing at them as if venting his fury. It made Wen Xing frown. Is he a dog? It hurts like hell.

However, Ning Wujie possessed immense strength, making it impossible for Wen Xing to break free. Thus, Wen Xing decided to alter his strategy, transforming the discomfort into enjoyment. After all, making a foolish tyrant suffer was out of the question.

He lifted his arms, wrapping them around the back of Ning Wujie’s neck, and pulled the youth down firmly. Their lips pressed tightly together, their teeth colliding, completely stripping Ning Wujie’s presumptuous teeth of any room to cause further chaos. Then, his nimble tongue slipped into the seam of the youth’s lips.

The soft tongue entangled with the other, their warm, heavy breaths intertwining. The youth pinning him down stiffened entirely.

Sensing that the force restraining him had slackened, Wen Xing took advantage of the opening. With a swift twist of his body, he flipped Ning Wujie beneath him, deepening the kiss from a dominant position.

Ning Wujie’s chest rose and fell dramatically. The sensations from the tip of his tongue sent waves of numbing electricity straight into his heart, causing it to thud wildly and forcing out trembling, uncontrollable gasps.

He’s so good to kiss, Wen Xing thought. Why is a man so good to kiss? Is this even scientific?

The person beneath him did not push him away like last time, so he began to push his boundaries, demanding more from the kiss. Their breathing tangled, and a silver thread traced down from the seam of their lips.

A pair of hands wound around Wen Xing’s back one pressing against the nape of his neck, the other anchoring his waist, holding him securely within an embrace. Even though Wen Xing was the one pinning the youth down and kissing him, he still felt a strange illusion of being dominated by this fellow.

An unknown amount of time passed until Wen Xing felt he was running out of breath. Finally, he lifted his head and took a long, deep breath of air.

When he lowered his eyes to look down, he saw the youth’s eyes had lost their focus, swimming with a thin layer of moisture. The flush at the corners of his eyes had bled outward, coloring his cheeks and traveling all the way to the roots of his ears. This beautiful sight left Wen Xing dazed for a moment.

He felt an illusory guilt, as if he had terribly bullied an innocent young man. It was merely a kiss. He didn’t dare imagine what the youth would look like if he truly bullied him severely. That would be incredibly beautiful.

The youth’s scattered, pitch-black eyes refocused, reflecting the delicate fragments of the evening light.

While admiring the view, Wen Xing sat upright. The moment he straightened his posture, he felt something hard press against him, causing him to frown slightly. Could this kid be wearing a weapon even while sleeping?

With that thought, he subconsciously reached out to investigate. A moment later, his expression froze.

Ning Wujie’s entire face instantly darkened. The air turned dead silent for several breaths.

Wen Xing was utterly speechless. This… this scale… is this even reasonable? His male pride suffered a devastating blow in an instant.

Refusing to accept it, he attempted to look down, but Ning Wujie suddenly shot a hand out, pinching his jaw to keep his head up. He saw Ning Wujie’s expression look as if he had been struck by lightning, his ear tips red enough to bleed. A dark, furious face coupled with crimson eyes two contradictory aspects appeared on this person simultaneously.

Wen Xing raised an eyebrow. This guy… could he have been kissed into this state by me? Is that why he’s so angry? Realizing this, Wen Xing’s eyes lit up.

The fingers pinching his jaw tightened a fraction more. Ning Wujie’s pupils shrank drastically, his gaze darkening as he rasped in a thick voice, “Let go.”

Amused, Wen Xing pressed his hand over the one clamping his jaw. “You let go first.”

The moment Ning Wujie’s fingers loosened, Wen Xing abruptly threw off the restraint on his jaw, yet his other hand, which held the youth captive, became even more unyielding.

Ning Wujie drew in a sharp breath, a misty layer of moisture invading his already dark eyes. “You…”

Looking into Ning Wujie’s nearly dazed eyes, Wen Xing curled his lips. “What about This Emperor?” As he spoke, he leaned down again, blowing a breath against the taut skin of the youth’s neck. “This Emperor never said I would let go just because you did.”

Fine, dense currents of electricity assaulted Ning Wujie’s mind. His gaze scattered, and his voice trembled slightly as he uttered an suppressed, airy rasp, “You shame…” The word shameless almost burst from his lips.

“Don’t be shy,” Wen Xing said with a bright smile. “This is perfectly normal.” He hadn’t realized his kissing skills were this exceptional. Youths truly possessed robust, hot blood.

An impulse to tease arose within him. He wickedly lowered his voice right next to the youth’s ear. “Do you want This Emperor to help you?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Wen Xing felt a sudden thud against his palm, nearly losing his grip.

Wen Xing was stunned. Ning Wujie’s pupils shook violently. Spurred by that single sentence, his scattered gaze snapped back into focus, and he suddenly recoiled, leaping off the bed.

Wen Xing’s palm felt empty. Raising an eyebrow, he propped his head against his right arm on the soft pillow. Watching the youth’s crimson neck and the vivid blush that stretched from his eyes to his cheeks, he smiled with immense satisfaction. “Why so shy? This Emperor won’t mock you.”

“This Emperor can barely contain my affection for Master Ning.”

Ning Wujie clutched his loose waistband, desperately wishing he could drag this foolish tyrant along to smash their heads against a wall. Gritting his teeth fiercely, he ultimately swallowed his furious curses, turned around, and stormed out the door.

Watching the youth’s retreating figure as he practically fled, Wen Xing cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone. “Are you sure you don’t need help?”

BANG!

The palace door slammed shut, leaving Wen Xing alone on the bed, wearing a sly, triumphant smile.

Not long after, the crisis of the mass strike fizzled out as officials from various departments gradually returned to their posts.

In fact, quite a few officials felt immense envy upon hearing that Wang Jiang had been granted the position of chief examiner for the mathematics discipline. They bitterly regretted not mimicking his actions to deliver a stirring display of loyalty. A magnificent future had slipped right through their fingers. What a pity! Others, who had returned past the three-day deadline, were ruthlessly stripped of their positions, leaving them utterly distraught.

Although the strike crisis had passed, when combined with the vacancies from the treasury fraud case a month prior, the Six Ministries were still severely short-staffed and required massive reinforcements. Consequently, Ning Wujie simply moved his official work back to the Imperial Study to facilitate discussions and selections of candidate officials with the Grand Tutor.

Within the Imperial Study, Ning Wujie and Fang Bingyuan sat opposite each other at their respective desks, buried under mountains of documents.

“Master Ning.” Fang Bingyuan made his final stroke, stood up, and walked over to hand a compiled list to Ning Wujie. “These are all students whom this old man personally mentored. Perhaps they can offer some assistance to His Majesty.”

Ning Wujie rose and respectfully accepted the list to look through it.

Fang Bingyuan remarked with sigh of emotion, “The Wang clan possesses immense power, deeply entrenched across half of the imperial court. This old man previously worried that His Majesty’s wings had not yet fully grown, which is why I always urged him to be cautious in word and deed.”

“I truly did not expect that after His Majesty’s sudden change in temperament, his actions would become so thunderous and decisive. This time, with the officials slacking off and striking, he shattered the entire plot with just a few casual remarks.”

The old man’s tone carried a sense of distinct gratification. Stroking his long beard, he laughed self-deprecatingly. “To my shame, this old man has assisted His Majesty for many years. Not only did I fail to help him trim the constraints around him, but I allowed us to be constrained by others in every possible way.”

Ning Wujie looked up. Seeing the elder’s silhouette slightly stooped in the sunlight, he said, “Grand Tutor is a veteran of three reigns and a trusted minister of the state. Having witnessed the perils of this official sea, your thoughts and concerns are naturally more thorough than ordinary people’s. There is no need to dwell on it.”

Yet, the Grand Tutor shook his head. “It was only when Master Ning smashed the treasury embezzlement case a month ago that this old man realized our dynasty had been hollowed out to such a terrible extent.” Speaking up to this point, he let out a long, heavy sigh. “It is all because this old man spent years worrying over my own reputation for purity. Otherwise, had I cultivated disciples and associates earlier, we wouldn’t have allowed the Wang clan to monopolize the court.”

He turned back to look at Ning Wujie, stating with sincere appreciation, “Now, this old man has seen the light. Master Ning is a military general of such a young age, yet you don’t even care about the reputation of serving the Emperor through your appearance…”

Ning Wujie’s temple twitched violently.

“So why should an old fellow like me, with one foot already in the coffin, care about accusations of ‘forming factions for private gains’?” The Grand Tutor bowed deeply to Ning Wujie. “Master Ning possesses a broad mind, willing to bear infamy just to assist His Majesty. This old man should learn from you.”

Ning Wujie stared at the old man, expressionlessly helping him up, and uttered dryly, “Grand Tutor praises me excessively.” Divided by his thoughts, he bitterly reflected that it was entirely because that foolish tyrant refused to let him leave.

Right at this moment, a green-robed official uniform appeared outside the doors of the Imperial Study. “Grand Tutor, Master Ning.” The newcomer bowed. “Grand Tutor is the chief examiner of the imperial examinations. Your servant has drafted a new set of regulations for the mathematics portion and wishes to seek Grand Tutor’s guidance.”

Upon seeing the sudden arrival of Wang Jiang, Ning Wujie’s face instantly turned frosty. Ignoring the newcomer completely, he returned to his desk, picked up his brush, and continued writing memorials.

Sensing Ning Wujie’s glacier-cold expression, Wang Jiang’s bowing posture froze, completely chilled by the reception. So, terrifying. Did I offend him somehow?

Fang Bingyuan welcomed him warmly. “Master Wang, there is no need for such formality.”

Wang Jiang felt secretly intimidated, but he forced himself to remain composed as he stepped forward to hand the regulations to Fang Bingyuan. “I originally thought the Imperial Study was a highly restricted area of state secrets. I did not expect that after being appointed as the mathematics chief, I would be granted entry.” He failed to notice that after he uttered these words, Ning Wujie’s face darkened by several degrees.

He surveyed the layout of the study, looking quite honored and curious. “Has His Majesty not arrived?” He had hoped to consult the Emperor on a few examination questions.

Before Fang Bingyuan could answer, the cold, ignoring figure of Ning Wujie spoke up frostily. “His Majesty never comes to the Imperial Study.” He stopped his brush and stared at Wang Jiang, his voice sharp and chilling. “His Majesty suffers from an ailment whenever he looks at state affairs, so he never sets foot here. Do you not even know this?”

Wang Jiang’s expression stiffened. He replied shamefacedly, “Your servant has indeed heard rumors of His Majesty’s ailment, but I did not realize it was this severe. It is my own ignorance.”

Ning Wujie ceased paying him any mind and returned to his work. Wang Jiang then began consulting Fang Bingyuan regarding the regulations. For a time, only the murmur of their discussion echoed within the study.

However, before long, a sudden shout resounded outside the door: “The Emperor arrives!”

The motion of Ning Wujie’s brush paused abruptly. He looked toward the door in sheer shock.

The Emperor appeared at the entrance, clad in a moon-white light robe. All three men were stunned.

Wen Xing’s gaze swept over Ning Wujie. With a smile, he walked toward the main seat and made himself comfortable. Spotting an extra person in the room, he remarked curiously, “It’s quite lively today. This Emperor thought only Master Ning and the Grand Tutor were here. Why did you come as well?”

Delighted by the Emperor’s appearance, Wang Jiang bowed. “Your servant has drafted several examination questions for the mathematics discipline and wishes to seek Your Majesty’s guidance.”

Wen Xing raised an eyebrow. “Present them for This Emperor to see.”

Watching the foolish tyrant engage in pleasantries with Wang Jiang the moment he arrived, Ning Wujie’s gaze turned abruptly cold.

So, it wasn’t that he disliked coming to the Imperial Study; it was simply that the person he wanted to see wasn’t here before.

Heh. Foolish tyrant.