Chapter 5#
Kill That Emperor (5)#
It was exactly noon.
Rain was always plentiful in early spring. Outside the hall, a drizzling rain began to fall, droplets trickling down the eaves onto the stone bricks, like pearls large and small cascading onto a jade plate. The fine, lingering rain wrapped around everything in a lingering manner, only stirring restlessness in people’s hearts.
Murong Xiu felt exactly this way. He wished he could reach out and brush aside the layers of thick clouds hanging over the capital.
After silently watching the rain for a while, he heard footsteps behind him and withdrew his gaze.
“How is it?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, the injury on Eunuch Shen’s face is not serious. I have prescribed an ointment to be applied three times daily; it should heal in a few days. As for his tongue, Eunuch Shen needs to be mindful of his diet and avoid spicy foods.”
The one answering Murong Xiu was Imperial Physician Xu.
The last time, he had also treated Shen Jue.
Murong Xiu gave a slight nod and said, “You may withdraw.”
Physician Xu’s gaze swiftly swept over Murong Xiu’s figure before he lowered his head and left.
His movement was extremely subtle, but Shen Jue, standing between him and Murong Xiu, saw it clearly. He calmly took in Physician Xu’s infatuated demeanor—yet another admirer of Murong Xiu. The entire palace, no, perhaps the entire capital—every man there adored Murong Xiu. But the amusing thing was that despite so many people adoring him, Murong Xiu could only remain a puppet emperor.
“Shen Jue.” Murong Xiu’s voice interrupted Shen Jue’s thoughts.
Shen Jue lowered his eyes and murmured softly, “Your Majesty.”
Murong Xiu turned his head to look at him. Seeing Shen Jue like a startled gray mouse, he found it both irritating and somewhat amusing. “Come here.”
Shen Jue obediently walked over to stand before Murong Xiu.
Murong Xiu spoke again.
“Lift your head.”
Shen Jue complied.
Before his eyes was Murong Xiu’s face—so beautiful it was hard to look away.
In his previous lives, Shen Jue had been bewitched by that face. Now that he had regained his memories, he only saw a face no different from that of a Rakshasa demon in the eighteenth level of hell.
A human skin was nothing but a layer of hide; beneath it was all bone.
Murong Xiu had no idea what Shen Jue was thinking. His gaze fixed on Shen Jue’s face.
Shen Jue’s left cheek was swollen high, now coated with a layer of white ointment—whether applied by himself or by Physician Xu, Murong Xiu didn’t know. Combined with his slightly cracked lips, it made him look even uglier.
Even more like that black-furred dog he had seen before.
Ugly and dirty.
But how could Qin Yuan have taken a liking to him?
Murong Xiu found it strange. Although he detested Qin Yuan, he also felt there was nothing aesthetically pleasing about Shen Jue to warrant Qin Yuan’s actions. In terms of looks, Qin Yuan was actually better-looking, but his eyes didn’t seem like those of a good person—they were off-putting at first sight.
Thinking this, Murong Xiu couldn’t help reaching out to pinch Shen Jue’s chin, turning his face this way and that to examine it carefully.
It really was a face that wasn’t good-looking.
Murong Xiu rubbed the skin beneath his fingertips. Shen Jue was still young, and though he did rough work every day, the skin on his face was still smooth.
With slight pressure from his hand, Shen Jue had no choice but to open his mouth.
Murong Xiu looked at Shen Jue’s teeth—fine and white, as if they hadn’t fully grown yet.
He shifted his gaze, withdrew his hand, and asked in a deep voice, “What was Qin Yuan doing to you just now?”
Upon hearing this, Shen Jue’s face changed color, alternating between pale and red, extremely unsightly. He stammered, his mouth opening and closing, unable to form a clear word for a long time. It wasn’t until Murong Xiu lost patience and kicked Shen Jue’s leg that he spoke.
Murong Xiu was sitting at the time, but even standing, Shen Jue wasn’t much taller than him.
“Speak.”
Shen Jue seemed humiliated, trembling as he lowered his head. “He wanted this servant… wanted this servant…”
“Hmm?” Murong Xiu pressed.
“To have this servant touch… touch him.” Shen Jue finally got the words out.
Murong Xiu’s expression shifted slightly. “Touch him where?”
Shen Jue dropped his head even lower. “This servant does not wish to defile Your Majesty’s sacred ears.”
Actually, what Shen Jue said was already quite clear, combined with what Murong Xiu had seen earlier. But Murong Xiu was surprised, even incredulous. Even if Qin Yuan’s taste was truly unlike others, wasn’t Qin Yuan a eunuch? Would that thing have a reaction when touched?
Murong Xiu suddenly felt a sense of shock.
His gaze involuntarily shifted to the area three inches below Shen Jue’s navel.
Murong Xiu had never looked closely into how eunuchs were castrated, but he knew they couldn’t perform that kind of act.
“You… take off your clothes.” He was genuinely curious.
Shen Jue’s hand moved slightly within his sleeve. He stood still, silent and motionless. Seeing him like this, Murong Xiu felt a twinge of regret—what was there to see of a eunuch’s body? He was about to tell Shen Jue not to bother when he saw Shen Jue’s hand move to his belt.
The speed at which he disrobed was too fast for Murong Xiu to stop him.
The clothes piled messily around his ankles. Although it was noon, the light inside the hall was not very clear. The dim light fell upon the boy’s bare body—a body that was not beautiful, covered with some old scars.
Murong Xiu looked at the area he had been curious about and found himself at a loss for words.
So that was what it looked like.
“So ugly.” Murong Xiu couldn’t help stating the truth.
As soon as he said it, he saw the body before him flush pink.
Seemingly from shame.
The boy bent down, flustered, grabbing his clothes to cover his private parts.
This dodging and hiding struck Murong Xiu as somewhat amusing. He curled his lips and issued an order: “Don’t cover yourself.”
Shen Jue’s movements stiffened abruptly, then slowly he released his grip. He hunched his head, like a clam forcibly pried open, revealing its soft interior, so frightened it didn’t know what to do.
After Murong Xiu had his fill of looking, and even made an inner judgment, he withdrew his gaze with satisfaction.
“Does touching there cause a reaction?” Murong Xiu asked again.
Shen Jue closed his eyes briefly before saying in a low voice, “No.”
“Really?” Then why had Qin Yuan wanted Shen Jue to touch him?
Murong Xiu was genuinely curious.
Shen Jue said nothing in response.
A thought struck Murong Xiu. “Show me—touch it.”
At these words, Murong Xiu saw Shen Jue remain motionless. Just as he was about to frown, he noticed a glistening drop slide down Shen Jue’s chin. Murong Xiu was taken aback. He had seen people cry before him—most of them weeping and begging for mercy—but he had never seen anyone shed tears in such silent, soundless sorrow.
“Shen Jue, you…” Murong Xiu couldn’t help reaching out to pinch Shen Jue’s chin, forcing him to look up.
Shen Jue clearly didn’t want Murong Xiu to see his tears, twisting his body to dodge a few times until Murong Xiu gave a cold snort, making him stay still. Murong Xiu held Shen Jue’s chin, applying slight pressure, and finally saw the tears on his face.
Shen Jue was still crying.
Large, heavy tears tumbled from his eyes one after another.
Murong Xiu’s gaze paused. Had he bullied Shen Jue to tears?
He was silent for a moment, then quietly withdrew his hand and said in a low voice, “Alright, stop crying. Put your clothes back on.”
Shen Jue dressed as quickly as he had undressed, but when tying his belt, his hands kept trembling. Murong Xiu noticed and let out an almost inaudible sigh. It seemed he really had bullied Shen Jue.
But Shen Jue was his servant, after all. He had only wanted to look at Shen Jue’s body. When he bathed, Shen Jue attended him, hadn’t he also seen his body completely?
However, he himself was a normal man—being seen was nothing. But Shen Jue was not.
And he had even said that part of Shen Jue was ugly.
For the first time in his life, Murong Xiu tried to put himself in someone else’s shoes. If he were Shen Jue, how would he feel?
Probably very sad.
Murong Xiu knew Shen Jue’s background—an orphan sold into the palace as a child. In this world, no man who could barely survive would willingly become a eunuch. Shen Jue had entered the palace because he had no other way to live.
For the first time, Murong Xiu felt guilt.
Should he treat Shen Jue a little better?
But why on earth had Qin Yuan wanted Shen Jue to touch him?
Meanwhile, Shen Jue had already finished dressing. He raised his hand and wiped the tears off his face with the back of his hand—such a crude method made Murong Xiu frown. With a hint of disgust, Murong Xiu waved his hand. “Go wash your face. You don’t need to serve me today. Tend to your face first and let it heal.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Shen Jue immediately retreated from the hall as fast as his feet could carry him.
Seeing him leave so quickly, Murong Xiu was taken aback again.
…
Shen Jue hurried away from Murong Xiu’s hall and returned to his own quarters. There, he boiled water and took a bath, soaking until his skin turned red before climbing out of the tub. One great advantage of being a favored eunuch by Murong Xiu’s side was that he could always have hot water to bathe whenever he wanted. Ordinary young eunuchs could only bathe at night, and sometimes didn’t even get hot water—they had to make do with cold.
Shen Jue changed into clean clothes, then sat before the bronze mirror to apply medicine to his face.
Although Imperial Physician Xu admired Murong Xiu, he had medical ethics—unlike Qin Yuan, who was jealous of Shen Jue. The medicine he gave Shen Jue was all top-quality.
As Shen Jue was applying the ointment, a knock came at the door.
“Shen Jue, are you in there?”
It was Feng Qingbao’s voice.
Shen Jue didn’t stop his hand and said nothing.
Feng Qingbao called out again, then pushed the door open directly. Seeing Shen Jue applying medicine inside, he exclaimed, “You were in the room—why didn’t you answer?”
“But you still came in anyway, didn’t you?” Shen Jue tilted his head back, carefully examining his face in the mirror.
Feng Qingbao’s face reddened slightly. “I thought you were in, so I tried pushing the door.” He walked up to Shen Jue and, after seeing the injury on his face, gasped. “This on your face—did that Qin… hit you?”
He didn’t speak Qin Yuan’s name aloud.
“Mm.” Shen Jue finished applying the medicine.
Feng Qingbao first closed the door, then found a stool and sat down. He looked left, looked right, and then said, “He’s been executed by His Majesty’s order. I think you should still be careful these days.”
They both knew whose man Qin Yuan was.
Shen Jue nodded.
Feng Qingbao continued, “Why did he trick you into going there today? Just to beat you up?”
Shen Jue tucked the ointment into his clothes before calmly saying, “No. He wanted to take advantage of me.”
“Huh?” Feng Qingbao was stunned. He looked Shen Jue up and down, incredulous. “He wanted to take advantage… of you?”
Shen Jue nodded matter-of-factly. “He wanted me to touch him.”
Feng Qingbao gasped again. “Wow, crazy—no, that’s a pervert. Even you?” The way he looked at Shen Jue suddenly held a bit more sympathy. “No wonder he was always picking on you. So he had the hots for you. Creepy.”
Shen Jue, hearing Feng Qingbao’s words hinting that he wasn’t even worth being molested, narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a low voice, “Actually, he originally wanted to go after you, but he was afraid you’d talk, so he picked me instead. When he wanted me to touch him, he also made me imitate your usual way of speaking.”
Feng Qingbao: “!!!”
After a moment, Feng Qingbao’s fair little face turned red, and he said indignantly, “No wonder I always felt the way he looked at me was weird.”