Chapter 4#

Take Down That Emperor (4)#

Seeing the room before him, Shen Jue suddenly halted.

“You said Feng Qingbao is inside?”

The young eunuch who had led him here nodded repeatedly. “Yes, Eunuch Feng is inside.”

A trace of mockery flickered in Shen Jue’s eyes, but he quickly concealed it, replacing it with an uneasy expression.

That morning, when Murong Xiu had gone to the morning court, a unfamiliar young eunuch had arrived, claiming that Feng Qingbao wanted to see him. Shen Jue knew there was a trap involved, but he needed that trap, so he pretended to know nothing and came along.

When he saw Qin Yuan, Shen Jue’s steps faltered sharply, and he turned as if to flee. How could Qin Yuan let Shen Jue escape? He immediately ordered his men to seize Shen Jue. They not only shut the door but also bound Shen Jue with ropes, only stopping short of gagging him.

“Eunuch Shen, we meet again.”

Qin Yuan had a pale, beardless face, about twenty years old. He looked at Shen Jue the way a viper eyes its prey.

Shen Jue pressed his lips into a straight line, his face pale, his eyelashes fluttering rapidly from fear.

This frail appearance of his clearly pleased Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan gave a sinister smile. “Why is Eunuch Shen afraid? I haven’t done anything yet.”

Shen Jue’s lips trembled slightly. “Chief Steward Qin, what do you want by tricking me here? If His Majesty finds I’m not there after court, he will surely—”

Before he could finish, Qin Yuan interrupted him. “Oh? Do you think His Majesty would make a big fuss over a mere servant like you? You overestimate yourself.” Qin Yuan crouched down, reaching out a hand to pinch Shen Jue’s chin. “So ugly, how do you have the nerve to serve before the emperor?”

Looking at Qin Yuan before him, Shen Jue found it somewhat amusing.

Qin Yuan was making things so difficult for him out of sheer jealousy. Qin Yuan adored Murong Xiu, but Murong Xiu detested everything related to the Regent King, never even glancing at Qin Yuan, even once decreeing that Qin Yuan should not appear before him.

Loving without being loved in return, not even having a chance to see Murong Xiu, Qin Yuan was driven mad with envy for Shen Jue, the personal attendant eunuch. Thus, even though the Regent King didn’t care about a nobody like Shen Jue, Qin Yuan still wanted him dead.

Because they were both servants, Qin Yuan was so jealous of Shen Jue.

Why could Shen Jue gain Murong Xiu’s favor, while he could not?

Qin Yuan carefully scrutinized the person before him, convinced he couldn’t find a single redeeming quality. His gaze slowly moved downward, landing on Shen Jue’s hands. Those hands were the ones that could serve Murong Xiu. Perhaps they had even touched Murong Xiu’s body, when Shen Jue dressed him.

Qin Yuan’s eyes narrowed, and he said coldly, “All of you, leave.”

The eunuchs behind him filed out, not forgetting to close the door.

When only Shen Jue and Qin Yuan remained in the room, Qin Yuan suddenly grabbed Shen Jue’s hand.

Shen Jue flinched, trying to pull his hand back, but Qin Yuan was a grown man and much stronger. Not only did he hold onto Shen Jue’s hand, but he also undid the ropes binding Shen Jue’s wrists with his other hand.

Seeing this, Shen Jue frowned almost imperceptibly.

Wasn’t this Qin Yuan here to beat him? Why untie him?

Because Shen Jue had regained his memories, some things were different from before.

Originally, Shen Jue had not stayed to keep vigil for Murong Xiu every night, so Qin Yuan hadn’t been jealous enough to tie him up.

When Shen Jue realized that Qin Yuan was starting to undo his own belt, his expression visibly froze. His hand was still held in Qin Yuan’s grip, his clear black-and-white eyes wide with shock. And when Qin Yuan gave a twisted smile and said, “Today I’ll give you two choices. One, you can have a good feel of your Uncle Qin’s little treasure, and I’ll let bygones be bygones, sending you back today. Two, you give your worthless life to me. Which do you choose?” Shen Jue hadn’t expected Qin Yuan to be such a pervert. Enraged, his eyes reddened.

It seemed that the Heavenly Dao could not tolerate him even for a moment. The moment he recovered his memories, it arranged these filthy things to await him.

To be honest, after enduring a thousand cycles of reincarnation, Shen Jue no longer valued his body much. Over so many lives, he had been humiliated in countless ways, even having been a child and…

Shen Jue clenched his teeth, his body trembling with anger.

He lowered his gaze, suppressing the murderous intent in his eyes.

Shen Jue, you must endure. Endure, and you can go back.

But when Qin Yuan grabbed Shen Jue’s hand and shoved it toward his pants, the thread of reason in Shen Jue’s mind finally snapped.

His mind went blank, and then he began to struggle wildly. His eyes reddened at the corners, and he used all his strength to break free from Qin Yuan. Seeing Shen Jue’s refusal, Qin Yuan angrily slapped him across the face.

Shen Jue’s face, though plain, had fairly delicate, fair skin. After the slap, his cheek reddened, and paired with the red at the corners of his eyes, it added a certain allure he didn’t usually have.

As a eunuch, Qin Yuan had wanted Shen Jue to touch him as a way to get closer to Murong Xiu. He thought that those hands of Shen Jue’s had touched Murong Xiu’s clothes, and maybe even his hands.

But he hadn’t expected Shen Jue to refuse.

Qin Yuan panted heavily, both angry and vexed. Seeing Shen Jue’s face turned to the side from the slap, he hit him several more times, until blood trickled from the corner of Shen Jue’s mouth and he stopped struggling, before Qin Yuan finally ceased.

“Eunuch Shen, do you still think you’re something special? Letting you touch me is me doing you a favor. If you obey now, fine. If not, I have ways to make you pay.”

Shen Jue’s hair was disheveled from the beating. He tilted his head, his body trembling slightly, as if from fear or overwhelming anger.

Seeing this, Qin Yuan gave a cold laugh and once again grabbed Shen Jue’s hand, thrusting it toward his pants.

But just as his hand went inside, the door opened.

Qin Yuan frowned and turned around angrily. “Can’t you see I’m handling business—”

Before he finished, Qin Yuan quickly pulled Shen Jue’s hand out, dropped to his knees trembling, not even bothering to tie his belt.

“Your… Your… Majesty.”

Murong Xiu covered his nose with a silk handkerchief, glanced disdainfully around the room. When he noticed Qin Yuan’s undone belt, his expression shifted slightly. He slowly turned his gaze to Shen Jue.

The young man who had been scolded by him last night was still with his head turned to the side, hair covering his face, feet tied with rope, his right hand hanging limply in midair.

“Outrageous!” Murong Xiu understood immediately, his look turning to one of a dead thing as he stared at Qin Yuan. “Guards! Drag this wretch out and beat him to death!”

Hearing this, Qin Yuan kowtowed frantically, shouting, “Your Majesty, mercy! Your Majesty, mercy!” Seeing that Murong Xiu wouldn’t even look at him and that men were coming to drag him away, Qin Yuan blurted out in panic, “I am the Regent King’s man, Your Majesty! If you kill me, you must ask for the Regent King’s consent!”

Murong Xiu had been seventy percent angry; now Qin Yuan’s words pushed him to a full ten.

“Oh? Do I need the Regent King’s permission to punish a servant? Guards! Have this insolent wretch torn apart by five horses!”

Death by dismemberment was far more painful than being beaten to death. And after death, with the body in pieces, the next life would likely be reborn only as an animal.

Qin Yuan was about to cry out again, but a quick-witted person stuffed a cloth into his mouth and dragged him out. As he was pulled away, because his belt was undone, his pants slid down, revealing half his pale backside.

Murong Xiu caught sight of it and sneered in disgust, his hatred for the Regent King deepening.

The Regent King was shameless, and his underlings were even more so.

After dealing with Qin Yuan, Murong Xiu turned his attention to Shen Jue.

Shen Jue remained in the same position, as if stunned.

Murong Xiu was silent for a moment before walking slowly to stand before Shen Jue. “Shen Jue, lift your head.”

The young man before him shrank back, and after a long while, said, “Your servant fears defiling Your Majesty’s eyes.”

“It’s fine. Lift your head,” Murong Xiu said coldly.

When he saw the injuries on Shen Jue’s face, his gaze turned even colder. He had promised to protect Shen Jue just a few days ago, and now, in just a short time, Shen Jue had been beaten again, and even…

But this matter was also due to Shen Jue’s foolishness.

Murong Xiu was still angry at Shen Jue. “Just because some random young eunuch told you to follow him, you did? How can you be so stupid?”

At these words, Shen Jue lowered his head again and said nothing.

Seeing this, Murong Xiu snorted coldly. “Get up. Come back with me.”

…

When the Regent King learned that Qin Yuan had been torn apart by five horses, he nodded calmly. “What was the name of that ugly servant?”

The subordinate replied, “Shen Jue.”