Upon hearing this, Xueya put down the medicine in his hand and rolled up his sleeve. The weather was warming up, and he was dressed in a thin gauzy outer robe with white cloud patterns over a light green inner garment. As his sleeve rolled up, his arm was revealed—smooth and pale, like a lotus root.
“It feels just like this—smooth and soft,” Xueya gently caressed his arm with his fingers. “Brother really likes it… ah, no, I shouldn’t tell you that. Anyway, once you use it, others will really enjoy touching your skin too.”
The whiteness of his arm was indeed dazzling, almost blinding. After taking in the sight, Yi Yefeng averted his gaze slightly and asked about something else, “Has Your Majesty’s foot injury fully healed?”
“It healed long ago,” Xueya replied, much faster than the arrow wound on his hand. Seeing Yi Yefeng avoiding his gaze and seemingly uninterested in the medicine he was offering, Xueya grew anxious. He waved his arm in front of Yi Yefeng’s face. “Look! It’s really smooth. Once you use it, your skin will feel this smooth too.”
Yi Yefeng tilted his head back to avoid the arm that was almost touching his face. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness, but I don’t need this.”
“What do you mean you don’t need it? Without it, how are you going to find a perfect match? Let me tell you, men are simple creatures—at the end of the day, they’re all attracted to beauty. Everyone loves good-looking things.” This was Xueya’s heartfelt advice since he himself was easily charmed by He Xulan’s face, often agreeing to things in a daze and regretting them afterward.
Despite Xueya’s well-meaning lecture, Yi Yefeng neither listened nor looked at him, which made Xueya angry. He decided to force Yi Yefeng to accept his goodwill.
“I am the emperor, and I command you to roll up your sleeve.” Xueya was ready to apply the medicine himself so Yi Yefeng could experience its magical effects.
Upon hearing this, Yi Yefeng gave Xueya a deep look before kneeling on one knee. His narrow-sleeved robe couldn’t be rolled up due to his muscular arms, so he had to undo his outer garment and pull his arm out separately.
When Xueya saw that Yi Yefeng’s arm was several times thicker than his own, he quickly rolled down his sleeve and even hid his arm behind his back. Only after confirming that Yi Yefeng had no intention of mocking his skinny arm did Xueya pick up the medicine again. He dipped his fingertip in it, preparing to apply it to Yi Yefeng’s arm, but just as he was about to make contact, he heard someone call, “Guan Guan.”
Xueya immediately turned to the source of the voice. He Xulan had emerged from the study at some point and was now standing in the hallway, looking over at them. Ever since Xueya had become emperor and He Xulan had taken over handling state affairs, He Xulan had been incredibly busy. During the day, Xueya often had to entertain himself since He Xulan had no time for him. But it couldn’t be helped; there was much to do with the establishment of a new dynasty.
Seeing He Xulan come out of the study, Xueya was overjoyed. He hastily smeared the medicine on Yi Yefeng’s arm and said, “You can apply it yourself. Here’s the rest of the medicine.”
With that, he ran towards He Xulan.
When Yi Yefeng turned to look, he saw Xueya throwing himself into He Xulan’s arms. Even from behind, it was clear how happy Xueya was.
Xueya followed He Xulan back into the study, instinctively avoiding the sight of the memorials on the desk. “Brother, are you done with your work today?”
“No, but I heard you talking outside, so I came to check. What were you and General Yi talking about?” He Xulan asked as he sat down at the desk and pulled Xueya onto his lap.
“I was giving him some medicine—really good stuff. It not only removes scars but also whitens the skin,” Xueya explained honestly. “Once he uses it, people will like him even more.”
“In recent days, the noblewomen of the capital have nearly worn down the threshold of the Yi household. I doubt he needs your medicine,” He Xulan said, taking Xueya’s hand and noticing the remaining ointment on his fingertips. He then wiped it clean with a silk handkerchief.
Xueya shook his head. “He doesn’t like women. It doesn’t matter how many of them come knocking.”
He Xulan paused in his actions, and because Xueya was sitting on his lap, their positions made Xueya slightly taller. He Xulan looked up at him, his light brown eyes narrowing slightly. “How does Guan Guan know that General Yi doesn’t like women?”
“Because…” Xueya stopped mid-sentence. He couldn’t tell He Xulan that Yi Yefeng had feelings for him. What if one day He Xulan found him useless and decided to turn to Yi Yefeng instead? That would be a disaster! “I just know, okay? You used to tell me not to bully him, and I listened. Now I’m treating him well. Am I being good?”
He spoke with the expectation that He Xulan would praise him for doing a good job. But instead of praise, He Xulan said, “I know Guan Guan means well, but General Yi doesn’t need the medicine you gave him.”
“Why not?” Xueya was confused. He really liked these products, even using them when he wasn’t injured.
“He doesn’t like being white.” He Xulan seemed unwilling to dwell on the topic and switched subjects. “Have you done your homework?”
The moment Xueya heard the word “homework,” he immediately felt guilty. The arms he had been wrapping around He Xulan’s neck slowly retracted. “I wrote one page. I… I’ll go write the second page now.”
Ever since discovering that he couldn’t understand the memorials, Xueya had started practicing his calligraphy on his own without He Xulan having to constantly supervise him. However, he still preferred to alternate between writing and playing.
“Alright, I’ll check tonight.” He Xulan released his grip, letting Xueya get up.
Back in his chambers, Xueya knelt on the bed, half-heartedly practicing calligraphy with a brush. He was still determined to mend things with Yi Yefeng. Since Yi Yefeng didn’t like the medicine he had given him, Xueya decided to offer him something else. But what did Yi Yefeng like?
Ah, chicken legs.
For the third time, Xueya, carrying a big bowl of chicken legs, waited for Yi Yefeng. When he saw Yi Yefeng come out of the study, he quickly poked his head out from behind a pillar. “Yi Yefeng, come here.”
Yi Yefeng saw Xueya and tilted his head slightly before walking over. “Your Majesty.”
“Are you hungry? I brought you some chicken legs.” Xueya extended the bowl toward Yi Yefeng.
Unlike his reaction to the medicine, Yi Yefeng immediately picked up a chicken leg and started eating. He devoured it quickly, finishing in just a few bites. The chicken legs had been specially prepared, boneless, crispy, and tender. Xueya had made sure to eat beforehand so he wouldn’t be tempted, but watching Yi Yefeng devour several legs made him unconsciously lick his lips.
Because the chicken legs were meant for Yi Yefeng, Xueya hadn’t tasted them himself.
“Is it good?” Xueya asked, staring intently at Yi Yefeng’s mouth.
Yi Yefeng, chewing on a large piece of meat, didn’t speak but nodded. Soon, he finished the one in his hand and reached for the last one in the bowl. There was only one left. As Yi Yefeng took another, Xueya was calculating in his head that this one would be just enough for him.
Just as he was thinking that, Yi Yefeng reached for the final chicken leg. Xueya watched as he grabbed it and was about to take a bite when he couldn’t help but swallow audibly. Although the sound wasn’t loud, Yi Yefeng’s keen ears picked it up.
“Your Majesty, do you want some?” Yi Yefeng asked in confusion.
Xueya couldn’t possibly admit he wanted to eat. Besides, Yi Yefeng had already asked, so why didn’t he just give it to him directly?
“I… I don’t want any. You can have it.” Xueya said, going against his true desire.
Yi Yefeng noticed how Xueya’s eyes stayed glued to the chicken leg in his hand, so he put it back in the bowl. “Your Majesty, I’ve had enough.”
“You’re full?” Xueya’s fox-like eyes lit up instantly.
“Yes.”
“Food shouldn’t go to waste, so I guess this one’s mine.” Xueya happily picked up the chicken leg, sitting down on a nearby bench to eat. The chicken leg tasted so good that he couldn’t help but squint his eyes and sway from side to side in delight.
As he ate, he noticed Yi Yefeng preparing to leave and quickly asked, “Where are you going?”
“I’m heading to the training grounds.”
Xueya gave an “oh” and asked again, “Are you coming to the palace tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“What do you want to eat tomorrow?”
“Anything’s fine,” Yi Yefeng paused, “as long as it’s meat.”
Xueya and Yi Yefeng unexpectedly became food buddies. The two didn’t need much conversation; they would just eat in silence, occasionally exchanging a few words about what to eat the next day. However, their meat-sharing arrangement was soon discovered by He Xulan. When Xueya found out, he didn’t think it was a big deal. He felt he was just making friends with Yi Yefeng. But He Xulan was furious—really furious.
It had been a long time since Xueya had seen He Xulan lose his temper. At least since He Xulan had taken him out of the coffin, he hadn’t said a single harsh word to him. This time, however, He Xulan pressed him down on his lap and gave him a hard spanking—bare bottom and all.
Xueya felt utterly humiliated. He was already twenty by age, and he was now the emperor. How could he still be spanked like this? And not just spanked—spanked so hard that his bottom swelled!
“You dare hit me! I’m angry. I’m going to depose this empress!”
A few days ago, the grand ceremony to make He Xulan empress had already taken place.
Upon hearing this, He Xulan didn’t even bother to let Xueya pull up his pants. He flipped Xueya over and held him in his lap. “What did you say?”
When Xueya met He Xulan’s gaze, he immediately faltered. But he felt like he couldn’t back down—after all, he was the emperor. Why should he be afraid of He Xulan? “I’m going to…” Before he could finish his sentence, He Xulan narrowed his eyes, making Xueya quickly change his words. “…take a concubine.”
“A concubine? Who do you want to take?” He Xulan’s expression grew even colder.
Summoning all his courage, Xueya attempted to challenge He Xulan’s authority, trying to make him realize that he couldn’t just spank him whenever he wanted. “You’re always so mean to me… I… I’m going to find someone gentler to keep me company in the palace. Someone who doesn’t just spank me all the time. I… I’m the emperor, and if I say I want to take a concubine, I will take a concubine!”
Using the softest tone to say words that weren’t very harsh.
He Xulan’s lips curved slightly, as if he had returned to his usual gentle demeanor. “So, His Majesty thinks I’ve been too harsh? It seems I’ve been too busy with state affairs lately, and my temper has changed. If His Majesty wants to take a concubine, that’s fine. However, the national treasury is currently empty, and I fear we can’t afford the expenses of His Majesty’s concubine. But don’t worry, I can let His Majesty experience what it’s like to have concubines first.”
Xueya was stunned. Experience what it’s like to have concubines? What did that mean?
He soon found out.
He Xulan refused to attend the morning court sessions and made Xueya go, saying that since he was the emperor, it was improper for the empress to take over his duties. Having just been spanked, Xueya was reluctant to submit to He Xulan so soon and stubbornly attended the morning court, preserving his pride. After barely making it through the grueling session and before he could even finish breakfast, He Xulan was already urging him to review memorials.
The memorials made no sense to him. He sat in the study for the entire day but couldn’t make heads or tails of them. By nightfall, Xueya dragged his exhausted body back to his chambers, ready to sleep, when Huang Gonggong entered with a red lacquer tray.
“What is this?” Xueya asked, staring at the dozen or so tokens on the tray.
“Your Majesty, the Empress asked me to bring these. Since Your Majesty has no heirs, apart from handling state affairs, you should also focus on securing the dynasty’s future. So, the Empress instructed Your Majesty to flip a token tonight.”
“Huh?” Xueya was completely baffled. He picked up one of the green tokens and saw that it bore the names “Consort Ling,” “Concubine Duan,” “Noble Consort Lan,” and “Noble Person Xu”—all of which clearly referred to He Xulan.
Xueya then examined the other tokens, which were simply labeled “Beauty” and “Lady of Honor,” without any names. Curiosity piqued, he wondered, Who are these people? Could He Xulan really have arranged for others?
If that was the case, he’d have to kill He Xulan.
To be sure, Xueya kept the “Beauty” token. “This one,” he decided.
Fifteen minutes later, “Beauty” He Xulan appeared before him.
Xueya: “…”
He knew it.
Seeing He Xulan, Xueya yawned and prepared to lie down and sleep. But just as he settled in, a hand slid around his waist, starting to undo his clothes.
“Brother, I’m really tired,” Xueya complained.
“You were the one who said you wanted to take a concubine. Now you can experience what it’s like after taking one. Since you summoned a concubine to your bed, you can’t just leave them unattended while you sleep. Alright, now I’m the emperor’s newly appointed ‘Beauty,’” He Xulan whispered softly in Xueya’s ear from behind. “How could you call for the Empress, who’s so overbearing and controlling, after he’s hogged you for so long? Now that he’s finally not around, don’t mention him. Especially since he hasn’t even given you a child after all this time—such a shame.”
Xueya: “???”
Before Xueya could fully comprehend what was happening, He Xulan had already pinned him down.
That night was chaotic, and Xueya couldn’t wake up for the morning court session. When he finally woke, he was dragged back to the study to review memorials again. Before he could even complain, He Xulan left, only to return shortly after, carrying a bowl of ginseng soup.
“Your Majesty, drink this ginseng soup before reviewing the memorials,” He Xulan said gently.
Xueya, not wanting to deal with the memorials, used the ginseng soup as an excuse to slack off. He sat on the beauty couch, sipping his soup, when suddenly a hand rested on his leg. Immediately on guard, Xueya scooted away. “We just did that yesterday.”
“Wasn’t it the ‘Beauty’ who served you yesterday? There are still other concubines in the palace. You need to spread your favor evenly. Hmm, today, let’s dote on Consort Ling right here in the study,” He Xulan said, scooping up Xueya, who had shrunk into the corner.
Another round of chaos ensued, leaving Xueya utterly exhausted. As the hands on his body continued to move, he whimpered in frustration, “No more… If we keep going, I’ll be ruined…”
“How can His Majesty favor one over the other? After Consort Ling, it’s Noble Consort Lan’s turn.”
Upon hearing that, Xueya clung to He Xulan’s neck, desperately kissing his face in a random attempt to appease him. “Brother, I was wrong. I won’t take any concubines. Please, stop bullying me.”
Having finally “eaten his fill,” He Xulan lazily basked in satisfaction, allowing Xueya to kiss him for a while before saying, “No more concubines?”
“No more,” Xueya shook his head.
“And in the future, can I still spank His Majesty’s bottom?”
Xueya hesitated, but when he saw He Xulan narrow his eyes, he quickly nodded obediently. “Yes.”
“And will you still bring food to Yi Yefeng?”
“No, I won’t.”
Hearing this, a rare smile appeared on He Xulan’s usually dignified and cold face. He leaned down and kissed Xueya’s forehead, his long eyelashes concealing the mix of satisfaction and possessiveness in his eyes.
“Good boy.”
