Transmigrated as the Emperor, but Slacking Off - Chapter 28

Wen Xing flipped through the examination questions submitted by Wang Jiang, remarking nonchalantly, “Passable, though the difficulty level is slightly too low.”

As he spoke, his peripheral vision swept toward another corner of the hall.

Ning Wujie was buried over his desk, writing furiously. His fine bangs fell slightly across his forehead, and his entire being radiated a stark, palpable aura that warned others not to approach.

This stubborn bastard is starting to avoid me again.

The corners of Wen Xing’s lips curved into an amused, playful arc.

It was likely because he had teased the youth far too severely last time, causing him to refuse to come anywhere near him lately, dodging him as though he were a wolf or a tiger. The youth had even moved all his official work back to the Imperial Study, under the grand pretext that it facilitated discussions with the Grand Tutor.

Reflecting on his own actions, Wen Xing admitted that for someone like Ning Wujie, who had been raised under strict, orthodox Confucian etiquette and possessed deep, upright moral roots it had indeed been far too stimulating. To call it shameless and unprincipled would not be an exaggeration at all.

However, next time, he would absolutely dare to do it again.

He suspected that an evil little spirit resided deep within his soul, one that derived immense pleasure from watching someone with an exceptionally high moral baseline get led astray step by step. Just thinking about it was thoroughly entertaining.

Thus, breaking all his past precedents, Wen Xing had actually graced the Imperial Study with his presence.

Strangely enough, ever since he had grown accustomed to falling asleep to the sound of Ning Wujie reading memorials to him as a cure for insomnia, he no longer suffered from sudden chest pains simply by looking at a few official documents. Perhaps his subconscious had completely adapted to it?

Wang Jiang nodded respectfully. “Your Majesty possesses transcendent natural talent; these questions are indeed far too shallow for your eyes.”

“In the previous dynasty, there was a saying regarding the discipline of mathematics: ‘Mathematical principles are the foundation of statecraft.’ It once enjoyed magnificent glory. Yet, by the time of our current dynasty, the mathematics discipline has been abolished for over three hundred years. Modern scholars study nothing but political essays and strategies for the imperial examinations; almost no one touches mathematics.”

“Your servant reflected that since this is the very first time our dynasty is introducing the mathematics discipline to the examinations, the questions for the inaugural year should not be excessively difficult. Otherwise, if it baffles the entire body of scholars, it will be detrimental to the long-term development of this discipline.”

Hearing this, Wen Xing nodded with genuine appreciation. “What you say makes excellent sense.”

Though he was speaking directly to Wang Jiang, his gaze remained fixed entirely on the shoulder line of the other person in the room.

Sitting at his desk with his head buried in his work, Ning Wujie listened to this harmonious, back-and-forth dialogue between sovereign and minister. His back teeth ground together so hard they nearly turned sour, yet his hand did not pause as he continued writing memorials with furious speed.

Sensing that the youth refused to lift his head and did not even dare to cast a single glance in his direction, Wen Xing could not help but chuckle inwardly. Is his skin truly this thin?

He deliberately slid Wang Jiang’s booklet over to Ning Wujie. “What brilliant insights does Minister Ning have?”

The tip of Ning Wujie’s brush paused. After a brief hesitation, he rose to accept the booklet. His eyes swept across the text, reading ten lines at a single glance. Then, lifting his eyelids, he cast a cold glare at Wang Jiang and said icily, “Granted, the scholars of our dynasty only debate classics and strategy. But does that mean there are no masters of mathematics among the common folk? Since the purpose is to screen and select talent, we should be eclectic and unconventional. Why confine ourselves within a self-imposed cage?”

“Furthermore,” Ning Wujie pointed at one of the questions, sneering, “‘A circle has a circumference of three zhang and seven chi; what is its diameter?’ Even a scholar who has merely passed the child civil service exam could answer such a childishly simple question with ease. This ‘talent selection’ of yours—are you screening for the pillars of the state, or for useless gluttons?”

Faced with such a scathing critique, Wang Jiang’s expression froze, leaving him temporarily entirely at a loss for words.

Fang Bingyuan spoke up in agreement, “Those proficient in mathematics are not limited to the common folk; in fact, there are quite a few minor clerks within various government bureaus who possess great skill. They are precisely the ones who need this path as a ladder to ascend to the heavens.”

Ning Wujie directed a glacier-cold gaze at the speechless Wang Jiang, thoroughly unable to comprehend what this foolish tyrant could possibly see in this bucket of rice. Was it merely his physical skin? But even his appearance was vastly inferior to his own. It seemed the man truly only possessed the advantage of bearing the surname ‘Wang.’

With a lingering smile at the corners of his lips, Wen Xing turned back to Wang Jiang, his tone remarkably gentle and amiable. “Why don’t you revise it again?”

Coming back to his senses, Wang Jiang nodded repeatedly. “Master Ning’s criticism is entirely correct; your lower official was indeed narrow-minded.”

As expected of someone heavily esteemed by His Majesty, Wang Jiang thought to himself. His insight pierces straight to the heart of the matter; is that why he managed to catch His Majesty’s favorable eye? It turned out His Majesty favored those who possessed both exceptional looks and an exceptional mind.

In truth, before he arrived here, the Empress Dowager had deliberately sought him out, dropping subtle hints left and right, reminding him that since he had miraculously caught the Emperor’s eye, he must seize the opportunity to divide Ning Wujie’s favor.

However

Setting aside the fact that he had absolutely no intention of competing for favor, just looking at this Master Ning whether in terms of appearance or intellect he himself could not compare in the slightest.

Wang Jiang sighed inwardly. With an attitude of utmost deference and sincerity, he bowed deeply to Ning Wujie. “Master Ning is immensely erudite and multi-talented. In the future, I hope Master Ning will offer me much guidance.”

Ning Wujie knit his brows, momentarily unable to discern whether this man was genuinely magnanimous or simply putting on a grand performance in front of the foolish tyrant.

He turned his head to look back at Wen Xing, only to find the foolish tyrant leaning thoroughly out of posture against his grand throne, slightly raising a pair of elegant brows as he looked at Wang Jiang. That gaze was hard to define it was unclear whether it was scrutiny or admiration.

It was likely admiration. After all, which superior didn’t enjoy someone who put on grand airs and possessed an exceptional silver tongue?

The knot between his brows tightened significantly further. When he spoke, his voice carried a biting chill. “I dare not presume to instruct you.”

Wang Jiang, who had just been blasted by another wave of freezing air: “…”

Right at this moment, an urgent voice resounded from the distance: “Urgent military intelligence!”

Everyone’s eyes instantly locked onto the sealed secret box held in the messenger’s hands, which bore the distinct fiery wax seal of the Ningyuan Army.

Wen Xing cast a glance at Ning Wujie. Seeing the youth’s eyes fixated unblinkingly upon the box, a rare flash of conscience struck him, and he said, “Minister Ning, you open it.”

Ning Wujie stepped forward with grand strides and broke open the secret box

“From the seventeenth of the sixth month to the twenty-second of the ninth month, Asutai, the chieftain of the Shuofeng tribes, personally led one hundred and twenty thousand cavalry to assault the Hanitie Pass seven times. The Ningyuan Army has been dispersed across various strategic border towns in the northwest to guard against sudden ambushes; the remaining garrison defending the Hanitie Pass numbers seventy thousand.”

“On the very day the city’s arrows were utterly depleted, the military supplies transported from the capital fortunately arrived at the pass, allowing the Hanitie Pass to be successfully held. However, Asutai has split his forces to plunder the surrounding border towns, burning, killing, and looting to replenish their logistics. Your servant requests the immediate dispatch of the Jizhen and Xuanfu battalions to assist in the defense.”

Ning Wujie closed his eyes, letting out a long, profound sigh of relief.

Thank goodness. The military supplies had made it in time; his father and brother had held the line!

With this heavy stone finally lifted from his heart, he set the memorial down. Without a word, he picked up a military order template, drafted the commands to deploy the reinforcing battalions, and then—under Wang Jiang’s thoroughly shocked gaze completely naturally picked up the imperial jade seal from the desk right in front of the Emperor and stamped it down.

Wang Jiang: !

Using the imperial seal right in front of the Emperor’s face!

Wang Jiang glanced at the thoroughly serene Wen Xing, and then at Fang Bingyuan, who looked completely unfazed as if he had long grown accustomed to the sight. He could not help but press a hand to his forehead, thinking to himself: With this level of absolute imperial favor, how on earth am I supposed to divide it? The Empress Dowager is truly making things far too difficult for people!

Ning Wujie asked with superficial formality, “Does Your Majesty wish to inspect the deployment order?”

Wen Xing waved his hand. “No need.”

Wang Jiang: “…”

Wang Jiang was utterly numb. Even military deployment orders could be casually left for Master Ning to decide entirely on his own? The Emperor didn’t even bother to spare it a single glance!

Ning Wujie handed the deployment order over to Fang Bingyuan. “Grand Tutor, please look it over.”

How could Fang Bingyuan fail to understand? The meaning Ning Wujie wanted to express was clear: he had no intention of acting as a tyrannical autocrat. Whenever major state affairs were involved, Ning Wujie would always consult him. This was precisely one of the core reasons why the elder was willing to accept Ning Wujie’s assistance in governing the state.

The two men immediately plunged into a deep discussion regarding administrative affairs.

Wang Jiang found himself temporarily unable to interject. Seeing that the Emperor this grand master of mathematical arts was right here, he realized the opportunity was rare. Thus, he drafted several more mathematical equations on a sheet of paper and presented them to Wen Xing for guidance.

Originally, Wen Xing had been entirely unwilling to involve himself in work-related discussions, but if solving equations was treated as a personal hobby, he didn’t mind sparing it a glance or two. Thus, he accepted Wang Jiang’s sheet of paper and began flipping through it.

“Seven hundred grain carts, each carrying twenty-five dan of rice. Ten carts break down along the journey. How much additional weight must be loaded onto each remaining cart to satisfy the original total quota?”

Wen Xing found it rather amusing. “This is a trick question.”

Wang Jiang’s eyes lit up instantly. “Your Majesty is divinely wise, seeing through it with a single glance.”

“In truth, there is no need to add any weight…”

On the other side of the room, Ning Wujie was holding a brush, gathered around the desk discussing matters with Fang Bingyuan. Hearing the commotion from the other side, his ears twitched slightly. His gaze bypassed the old man, landing squarely on the pair who were currently immersed in an atmosphere of “harmonious sovereign and minister.”

I have been working in this Imperial Study for so long, yet I have never once seen this foolish tyrant step foot here, let alone discuss administrative affairs with me.

Now, the moment this Wang Jiang appears, this foolish tyrant actively rushes over to debate the imperial examinations? Is he no longer afraid of triggering his sudden chest pains?

Heh.

Ning Wujie finally understood. Whether this foolish tyrant’s chest pains triggered or not depended entirely on the object of his discussion. If someone caught his favorable eye, he could comfortably endure it just to win a smile from a beauty.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he saw Wang Jiang share a laugh with the foolish tyrant over whatever topic they were discussing.

SNAP—

The brush tightly gripped in Ning Wujie’s fingers was snapped cleanly in half. Fang Bingyuan startled slightly, lifting his eyes to look at Ning Wujie, only to collide with a pair of eyes that were cold to the very marrow of the bone. That gaze was chilling enough to plunge the entire Imperial Study straight into the depths of a bitter midwinter.

Fang Bingyuan let out a small shiver. What on earth is the situation here?

The old man followed Ning Wujie’s line of sight, only to see the Emperor currently chatting and laughing merrily with Wang Jiang.

The old man understood. Master Ning has encountered a formidable rival.

If Fang Bingyuan had previously harbored some lingering doubts and hesitations regarding His Majesty favoring Ning Wujie, looking at the situation now, it was vastly better for His Majesty to favor Ning Wujie than to favor someone from the Wang family. At the very least, Ning Wujie was completely open and honest with him, whereas someone from the Wang clan might not be.

After a moment of deliberate thought, the old man attempted to offer comfort. “His Majesty is merely enjoying a brief flash of novelty.”

“In terms of appearance, although Wang Jiang possesses an uncommon and dignified bearing, he is still vastly inferior compared to Master Ning.”

These words failed to provide even an ounce of comfort. The knuckles of Ning Wujie’s fist which still tightly gripped the broken pieces of the brush turned stark white, and his expression darkened by several degrees more.

Exactly. In the eyes of this foolish tyrant, all he has left is his appearance. He didn’t even possess the qualification to debate state affairs with the Emperor; he had to rack his brains to adapt official memorials into storytelling scripts before the tyrant would deign to listen to a few sentences, and even then, it was merely used as a sleep aid.

Yet, Wang Jiang didn’t need to go through any such trouble at all. On his very first day arriving at the Imperial Study, he could already converse harmoniously with that foolish tyrant.

Heh.

Shivering slightly from the freezing aura, Fang Bingyuan’s eyes darted around as he pondered the situation. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He turned around and addressed Wang Jiang, “Master Wang, this old man still harbors a few doubts regarding the procedures of the mathematics examinations. Why don’t we step aside and discuss them?”

Wang Jiang readily agreed. He turned to utter a few parting words to Wen Xing before walking over to Fang Bingyuan.

The old man firmly grabbed Wang Jiang’s wrist, laughing warmly. “Several reference volumes detailing the examination procedures are currently kept within the official bureaus. Why don’t you accompany this old man over there to take a look?”

Without waiting for Wang Jiang to answer, the old man bowed to the Emperor to take his leave, dragging the man right along with him.

Wang Jiang hastily excused himself as well, turning his head back as he walked out the door. “On another day, your servant shall draft a few more questions to present for Your Majesty’s inspection.”

The veins at Ning Wujie’s temples throbbed violently. There is a next time?

Once the two had walked far into the distance, Wen Xing turned his head to look at Ning Wujie, only to find the youth staring frostily at their departing figures for a long moment. Then, turning back around, the youth sat down before his desk and silently resumed his work without uttering a single word.

Wen Xing raised an eyebrow. Is he truly this unwilling to pay me any mind?

A moment later, Ning Wujie spoke up in a cold, mocking tone, “Your servant does not possess any mathematical equations here for Your Majesty’s amusement. These are nothing but dull, tedious political matters, entirely devoid of interest.”

“Why doesn’t Your Majesty please return?”

As he spoke, he actually lifted his head to stare directly at Wen Xing, his voice carrying a ghostly echo. “Or perhaps, it wouldn’t hurt for Your Majesty to give chase after the Grand Tutor to continue your grand conversation with Master Wang.”

With narrowed, laughing eyes, Wen Xing smiled. “Is Minister Ning truly this eager to drive This Emperor away?”

Ning Wujie cast a sidelong glance at him, grinding his itching back teeth before he picked up his brush to continue writing. “How could your servant dare to constrain Your Majesty? Your servant is merely preoccupied with a mountain of duties and currently lacks the leisure to accompany Your Majesty in idle chatter. I merely fear I might neglect the sacred imperial presence, that is all.”

Wen Xing let out a long, drawn-out, “Oh? Is that so? This Emperor mistakenly assumed Minister Ning ‘hated’ me, which was why you couldn’t wait for me to return.”

Ning Wujie’s brows knit tightly together. How does this foolish tyrant remember those drunken words so vividly? He dragged them out to torment and embarrass him from time to time.

“It seems This Emperor thought too much.” Wen Xing looked at Ning Wujie with a thoroughly teasing gaze.

Ning Wujie closed his eyes tightly.

Hate him? Toward this thoroughly unprincipled foolish tyrant, he did indeed hate him immensely. In fact, within the strict moral etiquette he had been raised under since childhood, such a foolish tyrant—who completely disregarded the righteous order of sovereign and minister, allowed himself to be entirely blinded by lust, neglected the affairs of the state, and acted in a thoroughly shameless, unprincipled manner deserved to be viciously denounced by the entire realm and pointed at by ten thousand condemning fingers.

Just a few days ago, the Emperor had even dared to do that to him…

At this thought, he nearly snapped another brush in half. Yet, the moment he recalled the image of this foolish tyrant lying severely ill upon the bed a month ago, his hatred vanished completely, leaving nothing but a profound ache in his heart.

Unsure of how to face this foolish tyrant, Ning Wujie simply chose to ignore him entirely.

Wen Xing didn’t mind either. Knowing that Ning Wujie was swamped with administrative work especially after the civil official strike he didn’t press the youth, content to simply wait off to the side.

Feeling thoroughly bored, he instructed a young eunuch to fetch a few popular fiction novels from his bedchamber.

He leaned thoroughly out of posture against his chair, propping his temple against one fist while holding a novel in his other hand. His two long legs were casually and restlessly crossed, resting right on top of the imperial desk.

This posture possessed far too much of a physical presence, making it impossible for Ning Wujie to resist casting a sidelong glance.

When Wen Xing lifted his arm, his wide, loose sleeves slid down, exposing a section of his porcelain-white forearm that was dazzlingly bright to the eyes.

Ning Wujie averted his gaze, only for his eyes to inadvertently land upon Wen Xing’s crossed bare feet. This foolish tyrant hadn’t even bothered to wear shoes, leaving his bare feet resting right on top of the desk. His distinct, well-proportioned toes resembled exquisitely carved pieces of jade. Perhaps he had reached an exceptionally exciting part of the story, as his feet were actually swaying back and forth in rhythm.

Ning Wujie: “…”

Ning Wujie forced himself to tear his gaze away, straining to refocus his attention onto the official document before him.

However, a few breaths later, he heard that foolish tyrant emit a long, drawn-out, “Oh~”

“It can actually be done like this!”

Ning Wujie ground his teeth, completely at a loss as to what kind of chaotic, scandalous garbage this foolish tyrant was filling his head with now. He lowered his eyes, telling himself to clear his mind, forcing his senses to ignore the noise emitted by the tyrant as he continued writing.

Before long, the tyrant emitted another sudden, “Pfft—”

Ning Wujie closed his eyes deeply. Finally unable to contain himself, he lifted his eyes to glare at Wen Xing. “If Your Majesty wishes to read fiction novels, why do you not return to your bedchamber to read them?”

Wen Xing’s eyes were crinkled into beautiful crescent arcs from laughing. Ning Wujie could swear he caught a distinct flash of wicked mischief swirling deep within the tyrant’s eyes.

The tyrant lazily lifted his wicked eyelids, curling a single finger toward him. “Come over here. Let This Emperor show you something highly entertaining.”

Ning Wujie had absolutely no desire to look. His natural instincts screamed that whatever this foolish tyrant was reading was definitively not a good thing. However, he knew deep down that if he refused to comply, the tyrant would undoubtedly have a hundred other methods waiting to force him over.

Ultimately, letting out a heavy, helpless sigh, he walked over.

The foolish tyrant spread the novel wide open and tossed it directly onto the desk right in front of him—

One side of the page detailed the narrative text, while the opposite side displayed a vivid, explicit illustration.

Two human figures were intertwined in an incredibly bizarre, compromising posture. The surrounding environment closely resembled the imperial throne of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, yet differed slightly. The figure beneath was entirely stripped of clothing, save for a pair of loose socks hanging precariously around his hoisted ankles. Meanwhile, the figure pinning him down was completely disheveled, though one could clearly discern he wore the grand imperial ceremonial robes, with the ceremonial tassels of his crown tossed entirely to one side.

Ning Wujie stared at the page with a completely blank expression for several long heartbeats.

Then, as though he had finally fully comprehended what his eyes were witnessing, his entire face darkened instantly. In the blink of an eye, he slammed the book shut with a resounding SNAP and closed his eyes deeply.

This absolute tyrant!

To think he would actually consume such a thoroughly scandalous, visually putrid object within a highly restricted, secure administrative area like the Imperial Study! He feared another glance would strike him blind.

Vicious, unrestrained laughter echoed beside his ears.

Wen Xing laughed so hard he had to throw his head back, feeling as though he had just witnessed something monumentally entertaining. Ning Wujie’s reaction explicitly told him that this youth had definitively never seen such things before.

While laughing, he meticulously observed Ning Wujie’s expression, and as expected, that beautiful flush of crimson had already bled from the roots of his ears all the way down his neck.

This was far too entertaining vastly more amusing than the novel itself.

Ning Wujie spoke in a dark, heavy whisper, “Who purchased this for Your Majesty?”

“Was it Xinghe?”

Confronted with Ning Wujie’s dark, interrogative tone, Wen Xing sensed the gravity of the situation. His smile instantly vanished, and he actually answered with remarkable honesty, “I merely instructed him to help me purchase a few newly published novels.”

Ning Wujie looked at him in sheer disbelief. “Your Majesty allowed a thirteen-year-old child to purchase this kind of filth?”

Wen Xing thought to himself that he hadn’t explicitly requested anything restricted for mature audiences. It was just that the kid probably hadn’t inspected the contents either, casually sweeping a few volumes off the shelves. The blame lay entirely with the lack of censorship within ancient underground print shops; the contents of popular fiction were truly bound by absolutely no taboos. In fact, the more scandalous and eye-catching it was, the better it sold. It wasn’t surprising at all that Xinghe had accidentally bought such a volume.

Knowing he was entirely in the wrong, he didn’t dare to laugh any further. He stated with immense gravity and sincerity, “I won’t let Xinghe handle this in the future.”

Fortunately, Xinghe didn’t know many characters yet and didn’t care for fiction novels. Otherwise, if the child had accidentally flipped it open, he would truly be guilty of corrupting a minor.

Yet, a second later, another thought crossed his mind: The youth standing right in front of me is only seventeen years old himself, a mere four years older than Xinghe.

Then why is it that when I showed it to Ning Wujie, I didn’t feel even a shred of guilt for corrupting a youth?

The fault lay entirely with the fact that Ning Wujie was far too mature. His intellect and strategic cunning were completely on par with those ancient, slippery foxes of the imperial court; he lacked even an ounce of the naivety a seventeen-year-old youth ought to possess. Yet, his skin happened to be as thin and sensitive as a youth going through puberty.

What a thoroughly contradictory individual.

Ning Wujie cast a suspicious glance at the honestly repenting Wen Xing, adding, “You are not permitted to let anyone else purchase them either. Your Majesty is completely barred from reading such things henceforth.”

Wen Xing was profoundly shocked. What is up with this overwhelming aura of a strict father figure?

He stated with immense dissatisfaction, “Ning Wujie, has This Emperor spoiled you far too much?”

“You refuse to let me leave the palace, claiming it is unsafe. Fine, I listened to you. Now, you even want to dictate what This Emperor reads? Who gave you the audacity?”

In the past, there was one riddle Ning Wujie could never fathom: given that this foolish tyrant had been raised and educated inside the palace by the Grand Tutor since childhood, a member of the supreme imperial lineage, how could he possibly possess so many wild, unrestrained, and frivolous habits? Now, he finally understood it was all taught by these putrid novels.

He stared directly into Wen Xing’s eyes. “Your servant would never dare to constrain Your Majesty. It is simply that as the sovereign of a nation, should Your Majesty not exercise self-restraint? Your Majesty is so utterly deficient in discretion; how do you expect the myriad citizens of the realm to view you?”

The youth stood in a towering, dominant posture, while Wen Xing leaned back against his imperial throne. Looking up, he could clearly discern a deep, hidden expression of profound disappointment swirling within the depths of the youth’s dark, pool-like eyes.

Deficient in discretion.

Wen Xing turned the phrase over in his mind, finally beginning to understand why this fellow had been constantly angry and dodging him lately. He had mistakenly assumed his past shameless behavior had been far too stimulating, leaving the youth too embarrassed to face him. It turned out that in the youth’s eyes, he was “deficient in discretion,” completely failing to meet the sacred, divine standard an emperor ought to possess.

He hadn’t expected that despite his young age, this youth was actually an ancient, stubborn traditionalist. Wen Xing suspected that if he were to crack open Ning Wujie’s skull, he could unearth a literal chastity archway erected inside.

He stroked his chin, a wave of profound cunning flashing across his eyes.

Heh. Just watch how I completely shatter that archway of yours.