Chapter 19#

Kill That Emperor (19)#

In previous lifetimes, Feng Qingbao had not been transferred out of imperial service. So when Shen Jue saw the bruises on Feng Qingbao’s arm, his gaze froze, and his voice turned cold as he asked, “What happened?”

Feng Qingbao stammered and tried to pull his arm back. Seeing this, Shen Jue tightened his grip. “Speak.”

“Eunuch Liu hit me. He’s old and bad-tempered. Under his charge, I naturally have to endure some hardship,” Feng Qingbao said softly, head lowered. “But it’s nothing. He just likes to pinch people. I can stand it.”

“If you could stand it, you wouldn’t have come to me, would you?” Shen Jue directly saw through Feng Qingbao’s attempt to hide the truth. “Does he often starve you as well?”

Feng Qingbao remained silent, which was an admission.

Shen Jue pressed his lips together before letting go of Feng Qingbao’s arm. “I’ll find a way to transfer you back. Just wait a few days.”

Feng Qingbao’s eyes lit up, and his previously lifeless little face instantly brightened. “Really?”

“I’ll do my best.” As he spoke, Shen Jue pulled a pouch from his sleeve. Although Murong Xiu had taken his pouch last time, he had returned it a few days later. The large banknotes inside were gone, but some small silver coins had been added.

He pressed the pouch into Feng Qingbao’s hand. “Take this. You’ll have some silver. If that Eunuch Liu won’t give you food, use this to bribe one of the eunuchs on duty in the Imperial Kitchen. At least you’ll be able to buy something to eat.”

Sometimes when the eunuchs grew tired of their regular meals, they would secretly slip silver to the Imperial Kitchen and buy themselves something nice.

Feng Qingbao squeezed the pouch in his hand, his eyes gradually turning red. “Shen Jue, if you give me your money, what will you do?”

“I serve right before His Majesty—do you think I’ll go hungry? Don’t worry.” Shen Jue was still thinking about Murong Xiu and the Regent, so he couldn’t keep talking with Feng Qingbao. Besides, he needed to bring up Feng Qingbao’s matter with Murong Xiu. Feng Qingbao had a simple nature and was fairly able to endure hardship. If even he had come running to Shen Jue, unable to bear it anymore, Shen Jue felt he owed it to him to help.

Shen Jue hurried away. By the time he reached Murong Xiu’s study, only Murong Xiu was there. He paused for a moment before walking up to him. “Your Majesty, has the Regent already left?”

Murong Xiu was still reading a memorial. At Shen Jue’s words, he nodded. “He has left.”

Shen Jue frowned slightly. When had the Regent become so easy to dismiss? With You Congxuan in the Imperial Prison, logic dictated that the Regent, having lost this counterfeit, would pester Murong Xiu again. That would make Murong Xiu even more disgusted with him.

Murong Xiu shifted his gaze from the memorial to Shen Jue. Seeing his frown, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Shen Jue quickly smoothed his brow and forced a smile. “Nothing.” He paused, then changed the subject. “Your Majesty, this servant saw Feng Qingbao today.”

“Feng Qingbao?” Murong Xiu still remembered that young eunuch, though it seemed he no longer served in the imperial presence afterward. Now Murong Xiu only valued Shen Jue and paid little attention to other servants.

“Feng Qingbao wishes to return to imperial service. This servant thought Your Majesty’s side truly lacks attendants who know how to serve, so why not transfer Feng Qingbao back?” Shen Jue asked tentatively.

Murong Xiu looked at Shen Jue upon hearing this. “You and Feng Qingbao are close?”

His tone was calm, as if merely asking an ordinary question, but Shen Jue still thought before answering. “Somewhat. When this servant was injured before, Feng Qingbao often came to see me and helped change my bandages.”

“Since you get along well, transferring him back is no trouble. Go tell Liang Rong.” After saying this, Murong Xiu’s gaze returned to the memorial.

Shen Jue lowered his eyes, finding Murong Xiu’s behavior somewhat unusual. Murong Xiu clearly knew that he and Liang Rong were on bad terms, and that Liang Rong was the one who had transferred Feng Qingbao out. Now, going to Liang Rong to ask for Feng Qingbao’s return would not be easy.

The next day, Shen Jue went to see Liang Rong. As expected, Liang Rong smiled the moment he saw him. “What wind has blown you here? Steward Shen isn’t by His Majesty’s side but has come to see me?”

“Chief Steward Liang, this servant is here about Feng Qingbao. His Majesty says he’s short-handed and thinks Feng Qingbao served well before, so he wants to transfer him back.” Shen Jue gave a slight smile.

Liang Rong’s smile faded, replaced by a troubled expression. “Ah, that’s difficult. Steward Liu is short on people, so I transferred Eunuch Feng there. Transferring him back now… Steward Shen, I understand you’re close with Eunuch Feng, but moving someone back to imperial service isn’t a simple matter. It’s very troublesome.”

Shen Jue knew this old fox would make excuses, so he brought out Murong Xiu again. “But His Majesty has already issued the order.”

Liang Rong clicked his tongue and said in a shrill voice, “Steward Shen, don’t try to pressure me with His Majesty. I have no choice either. Personnel transfers aren’t that simple. How about this—I’ll pick some young eunuchs from places that don’t need many staff.”

Shen Jue understood that Liang Rong simply didn’t want to bring Feng Qingbao back. So he stopped wasting words, gave a fake smile, and turned to leave. This matter clearly required Murong Xiu himself to speak directly to Liang Rong.

Thus, to get Feng Qingbao back and to make Murong Xiu voice the order, Shen Jue attended to Murong Xiu even more meticulously in the following days.

Watching Shen Jue serve him food, Murong Xiu noted that Shen Jue hadn’t done much food preparation before. He had once pitied Shen Jue’s injured hands, so he served himself. Even after Shen Jue’s hands healed, he still did it himself. But these past few days, Shen Jue had suddenly started serving him again. Murong Xiu lightly tapped his left hand on his knee and said leisurely, “Come on, out with it. Do you want a raise in your monthly allowance, or two new sets of clothes?”

Shen Jue gently set down his chopsticks and gave Murong Xiu a fawning smile. “This servant doesn’t want those things. It’s still about Feng Qingbao. This servant is of low rank and negligible words. Last time I went to mention Feng Qingbao’s matter to Chief Steward Liang, but he made all sorts of excuses and refused to transfer the person back. This servant believes that only if Your Majesty personally instructs Chief Steward Liang will he stop prevaricating.”

“Oh, so it’s about this.” Murong Xiu nodded. “It seems you two really are close. Fine, call Liang Rong in.”

This time, with Murong Xiu personally raising the matter of Feng Qingbao, Liang Rong had no grounds for refusal. That afternoon, Feng Qingbao returned to imperial service. He first went to pay his respects to Murong Xiu, who had just woken from his nap and was being dressed by Shen Jue. Seeing this, Feng Qingbao stepped forward to help, but Murong Xiu shot him a glance so icy that Feng Qingbao froze on the spot.

While Feng Qingbao stood there dumbfounded, Murong Xiu took his first real look at Feng Qingbao.

Feng Qingbao was about the same age as Shen Jue, both still in their youth with bodies not yet fully grown. His face still had some baby fat, and he was much better-looking than Shen Jue—a delicate, pretty face.

Originally, Murong Xiu had maintained his dignity and refused to acknowledge his own beauty, nor did he care about appearances. But now, with his face ruined, he found himself becoming particular about good-looking people.

Would Feng Qingbao stand beside him and outshine him?

Murong Xiu mused to himself. In his current state, he doubted anyone would be outshone by him.

After Shen Jue finished dressing Murong Xiu, he saw Feng Qingbao still standing there foolishly and coughed lightly. Feng Qingbao snapped out of his daze and quickly fetched water for Murong Xiu to rinse his mouth.

Once everything was done, Murong Xiu headed to the study. Shen Jue followed first, then looked back when he saw Feng Qingbao not moving.

Just then, Murong Xiu’s voice came from ahead. “Shen Jue, you alone accompany me to the study. Too many people—it’s annoying.”

Feng Qingbao gave Shen Jue a bitter smile. In Murong Xiu’s heart, he didn’t even measure up to one-tenth of Shen Jue, so he didn’t dare ingratiate himself before Murong Xiu, fearing he’d only annoy him.

…

After Feng Qingbao returned to imperial service, life didn’t improve much. Relying on the fact that Murong Xiu didn’t care about Feng Qingbao, Liang Rong privately gave him all sorts of trouble. Feng Qingbao, useless as he was, would hide in corners and cry when bullied too badly. And Shen Jue happened to catch him at it.

Seeing Feng Qingbao turned into a sobbing mess, Shen Jue frowned and pressed his own handkerchief into the other’s hand. “What’s the use of hiding here and crying?”

Feng Qingbao looked at Shen Jue and cried even harder. Holding Shen Jue’s handkerchief, he shook his head and sobbed, “I think I’m useless. You… you don’t need to bother with me. No matter where I go, I’m fated to be bullied.”

In previous lifetimes, Feng Qingbao hadn’t been this unlucky. Perhaps because Shen Jue had changed some things, the other had ended up like this.

Shen Jue sighed. Seeing the other only clutching his handkerchief without wiping his tears, he stepped forward, took the handkerchief, and personally wiped Feng Qingbao’s tears, forcing a gentle tone as he comforted him. “Don’t cry. Liang Rong is the type who bullies the weak and fears the strong. He acts like this because he knows you and I are close. He can’t do anything to me, so he takes it out on you. But I promise you, he won’t be causing trouble for much longer.”

Shen Jue’s true nature was rather cold and aloof. Feigning affection was one thing, but when he genuinely tried to comfort someone, his words became dry and his tone stiff. Yet such words and actions, seen by others, made Shen Jue seem exceptionally different toward Feng Qingbao, even carrying a hint of tenderness.

Murong Xiu, watching the two in the corner, silently clenched his fists. The Regent beside him chuckled.

He leaned close to Murong Xiu’s ear and lowered his voice. “Your Majesty, didn’t I tell you? You treat Shen Jue so well, but it’s useless. The one he truly cares about is that young eunuch. And that young eunuch really does have a special charm when he cries, unlike Your Majesty, who is cold and aloof.”

Murong Xiu released his fists and turned his cold gaze. “Ni Xinyan, is this what you wanted me to see? Just two servants slacking off and chatting together.” With that, he turned and left directly. But the Regent did not leave. He stood there for a moment, and when he saw Feng Qingbao suddenly throw himself into Shen Jue’s arms, he drew a soft breath. A moment later, the smile on his face also vanished.