When the Puppet Emperor Becomes a Heartthrob - Chapter 16

On a starry night, the lonely moon hung high in the sky, its warm, yellow light adding a touch of gentle warmth.

In a tent in the Northern Territories, Qin Mingjing’s brow suddenly twitched, and his right eyelid began to spasm.

He pushed aside the tent curtain and looked out. The ground was barren, and despite it being autumn, there was no sign of rain.

Qin Mingjing frowned and muttered to himself, “I do not know why, but I have a bad premonition.”

Sheng Mingyue raised an eyebrow, looking indifferent. “Is General Qin worried about the disaster relief?”

Qin Mingjing paused. He turned his head to look at Sheng Mingyue, scrutinizing him. Seeing that Sheng Mingyue’s expression was normal, he calmly asked, “That is indeed the case. How does the Grand Secretary view His Majesty?”

“His Majesty is diligent in governance, works for the people, and is very benevolent.” Sheng Mingyue’s response was polite and formal; Qin Mingjing could not discern a single trace of genuine emotion.

However, since he was the Emperor’s teacher, Qin Mingjing could only say, “The world says His Majesty is a foolish tyrant, but in fact, that is not the case.”

Qin Mingjing lifted his eyes and glanced at Sheng Mingyue in the tent. “His Majesty lost his father at a young age, and the Empress Dowager and the Prince Regent hold the real power. You, Grand Secretary, should be able to understand His Majesty’s hardships better than I.”

Sheng Mingyue remained silent. He stood in the black night, appearing to melt into the darkness. Although his expression could not be seen, in that moment, one could sense he was moved.

After a long while, he slowly stepped out of the darkness. His posture remained upright and dignified, refined and elegant, and a smile that easily inspired favor curled on his lips.

“General Qin, please do not worry. His Majesty is a person of great fortune, and heaven protects those who do good.”

In a desolate, uninhabited cave, the cold wind whistled mournfully. Even though he had started a fire, Xi Huai could not help but sneeze.

Li Wan, who had been in a coma, was getting worse. His cheeks were flushed red, he was breathing hot air, and his fever was unrelenting.

Xi Huai had no choice but to take out the panacea gifted to him by the palace intrigue supporting character. Without even reading the instructions, he stuffed the pill into Li Wan’s mouth.

To see a good deed through to the end, he summoned his courage, closed his eyes, loosened Li Wan’s collar, and began to wipe his skin with a handkerchief dampened with warm water.

“Mmm.” Li Wan let out a muffled groan at the touch of the damp cloth.

Hearing this, Xi Huai’s fingers trembled. He felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of guilt.

Until he braced himself and wiped further down.

Wait!

What is this?

He looked down and saw Li Wan’s flat chest. When he pulled open his trousers, he saw something tucked away that was larger than his own.

Xi Huai studied the unconscious Li Wan. That face was still beautiful and moving, but the exquisite makeup was washed away by the water, and his features no longer looked as gentle as before; instead, they carried a sense of heroic spirit.

Xi Huai finally understood the difference between before and after makeup. Compared to the gentle, elegant young woman he saw daily, Li Wan now looked much more masculine.

Are these two completely different people?

No. Xi Huai squinted. Why does he look so much like the lover from my dream?

Xi Huai studied the boy’s sleeping face repeatedly, eventually coming to an inescapable fact.

Li Wan is the lover from my dream, isn’t he?

He is the assassin who tried to kill me!

“Do not.” The boy was clearly trapped in a nightmare. “Mother, do not leave A-Jue.”

The boy grabbed his sleeve tightly, as if clutching a life-saving straw, refusing to let go even in death.

Xi Huai stiffened. After a long moment, he threw the handkerchief onto the unconscious boy’s face in anger.

The boy just let out a pained “Mmm.”

Xi Huai could no longer bear it. The sliver of kindness he had felt for him evaporated once he realized his true identity.

He yanked his sleeve back and was just about to stand up and leave when the boy let out a short cry and opened his eyes.

He was awake.

Xi Huai was startled, his hair standing on end. He worried that the boy would realize he had discovered his identity and, out of shame or rage, take action.

The boy had just fully regained consciousness from his coma. His eyes were still bleary and unfocused as they wandered toward him.

He paused, and from the boy’s rosy lips, two words drifted out softly.

“Mother.”

Xi Huai was dumbfounded. Just as he was about to leave, the boy gripped his sleeve tightly again.

“Where is Mother going? Mother, do not go. A-Jue will listen to Mother from now on.”

“Is your name Li Jue?”

“Does Mother not remember A-Jue?”

At this point, Xi Huai finally realized something was wrong. He scrutinized the boy’s face.

Ever since the boy woke up, he had been looking at him with the eyes of a stranger. His youthful speech and behavior were nothing like his usual self.

Even Xi Huai realized that something was fundamentally off. He used his mind to open the chat group and asked the palace intrigue supporting character about the effects of the panacea.

Palace intrigue supporting character: “The panacea cures all diseases. It can heal both internal and external injuries.”

Xi Huai was shocked. “Seriously? Why is the Consort acting like a fool after taking it?”

Palace intrigue supporting character: “Are you not at the autumn hunt?”

Because it was a long story, Xi Huai decided to keep it short.

The chat group users all cited the novel law: he who falls off a cliff shall not die, and this reputation is well-deserved.

At this moment, an unfamiliar nickname popped up: “You fell off a cliff. Are you alright?”

The chat group exploded. “Holy crap! The group leader finally appeared!”

Apocalypse novel protagonist: “Group leader, it has been so many years. Where have you been?”

The group leader did not speak. Instead, Xi Huai was startled. He had never seen the group leader and had assumed the group was created by the apocalypse novel protagonist.

The group leader simply said “Hmm” and did not answer their questions. Instead, he asked Xi Huai again, “Fell off a cliff, are you alright?”

Xi Huai was taken aback. He had not expected the group leader to care about him.

What was more surprising was that there actually was a group leader.

He felt a warmth in his heart. “I am fine. I am just surprised. It turns out the assassin who tried to kill me, and the lover from my dream, is the Noble Consort.”

The apocalypse novel protagonist was also surprised. “So, the Noble Consort is a cross-dresser? I should have guessed that. I thought he was transmigrated into a political intrigue novel.”

The palace intrigue supporting character said proudly, “I saw the signs as soon as he took the Great Tonic Pill. What, you guys only just figured it out?”

Xi Huai: “?”

Xi Huai could not understand a single word. While he was confused, the supporting character changed the subject. “If you don’t understand, check the instructions for the panacea.”

Xi Huai had forgotten about that. Sure enough, his attention was diverted, and he opened the instructions for the panacea.

It stated that the side effect of the panacea was memory confusion, lasting for three days.

This meant Li Jue’s memories were muddled, and his mind had apparently regressed to that of a child.

If this wasn’t called accidentally becoming a father, then what was it?

Stop joking. I do not want to be an inexplicable father for three days.

Xi Huai closed the chat group and said, “Let go! I am not your father!”

Li Jue gave him a strange look. “You are naturally not A-Jue’s father; you are A-Jue’s mother.”

“I am even less your mother.”

“You are not A-Jue’s mother?” The obedient expression on Li Jue’s face suddenly turned icy.

Before Xi Huai could react, the previous facade vanished, and Li Jue violently grabbed his throat.

“Since you are not my mother, then go to hell.”

This was not just a short-tempered brother; he was a lunatic.

Xi Huai was terrified. This is absurd! He is even crazier than the little Emperor.

The thin air made his breathing rapid. He struggled, patting Li Jue’s arm, and his intense desire for survival made him gasp out, “Stop! Stop! I am your lover.”

The hand on his neck stalled. Like a hyena lurking in the forest, Li Jue’s cold, chilling eyes subsided. He frowned, scrutinizing him, and repeated, “You are my lover?”

“A-Jue, do you not remember me? I am Xi Huai.”

Xi Huai regained his air. He clutched his neck, calmed his breathing, and explained with great emotion, “We were truly in love and about to get married, but unfortunately, you were targeted by the local bully, who tried to take you by force.”

Li Jue, upon hearing this, looked as if he had heard something outrageous, his eyes widening in shock, before calming down again. He sneered, “Nonsense. I am only at the age of beginning learning, how could I be your lover?”

Xi Huai: “…”

Does this panacea come with its own settings?

But it was not a big problem; he seized the opportunity.

“You have long since reached the age of study, but you were taken by the bully and became his wife.”

“We were forced to elope, but were chased by the bully and fell off the cliff, which is how you lost your memory.”

Xi Huai tremblingly extended his hand and stroked Li Jue’s face. Very good, still burning hot. It is clear his memory is scrambled and he is acting without his brain.

However, this face was truly nice—white and tender. His hands itched; he wondered how it would feel to slap him.

But the next moment, as if he were something dirty, Li Jue reflexively swatted his hand away.

Thank you, I feel offended. Where did this little kid come from, calling himself your master everywhere? Someone, come and discipline him.

Xi Huai continued, “A-Jue, do you not remember? Do you not remember how you used to cook for me?”

Li Jue’s blank brain flashed with fragmented images at Xi Huai’s voice.

He saw the boy lift his hand, holding a spoon, and he saw himself leaning over to take the spoon into his mouth.

He saw the boy holding him in his arms, and he saw them galloping on horses across the prairie.

He also saw them being chased by assassins, and the boy protecting him unto death.

Such ambiguous, unclear behavior, it was as if they really had been in love.

Li Jue’s head buzzed. Instinctively, he felt that they shouldn’t be like this.

But he could not control his heart pounding; he could not restrain himself from wanting to believe him.

“A-Jue, even now, are you still unwilling to believe me?” Xi Huai saw Li Jue’s hesitation and delivered the final blow. “I took care of you all night without sleep. If I were a bad person, I would have taken advantage of you while you were unconscious last night.”

Saying this, he turned around. “Fine. If you are unwilling to believe me, then I shall leave.”

Very good, very good, you want to perform this scene, right? Let us break things off completely from this point on.

Xi Huai was fully committed, performing the heartbreak perfectly, lacking only tears.

However, when Li Jue could not see him, he immediately restrained his pained expression.

He looked calmly straight ahead, frantically thinking about how to end this scene.

But the next moment, a voice repressed with impatience sounded from behind him.

Support