Chapter 9#
Off with That Emperor (9)#
Physician Xu had treated countless patients, even occasionally offering free clinics in the capital, but he had never seen anyone with such a fierce will to live.
Shen Jue’s body was so battered that anyone else would have likely died long ago.
Even if they survived, their mind would probably be damaged.
Physician Xu knew that Shen Jue was someone by Murong Xiu’s side. Though he had some precious medicines on hand, they couldn’t compare to the entire Imperial Medical Bureau, so he went to find Murong Xiu. When Murong Xiu learned that Shen Jue was injured again, he was visibly startled for a moment before finally asking, “How badly is he hurt?”
Physician Xu thought it over and decided to answer honestly: “Very badly.” He paused, then added another sentence, “Whether he lives or dies depends entirely on his own will. I can only do my best, Your Majesty.”
Murong Xiu’s lips pressed into a tight line. That day, Shen Jue’s blood still seemed vivid before his eyes. The frail youth’s face was half-covered in blood, and with stubborn eyes he had said—
“Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. Your servant is one who serves the Son of Heaven.”
Shen Jue had called him the Son of Heaven, but was he really the Son of Heaven?
What Son of Heaven could be so pitifully weak?
He didn’t want to die; he wanted to live. So even if the Regent truly did something to him, he could only bear it. But why did Shen Jue risk his life for him? Because he was the Son of Heaven?
These days, Murong Xiu had been haunted by Shen Jue’s words. Day and night, it felt like someone was whispering that phrase in his ear—words soaked in blood, every syllable carrying tears.
“Whatever medicine he needs, use it. Don’t hold back,” Murong Xiu said softly.
Physician Xu nodded, then looked at Murong Xiu with concern. “Your Majesty has thinned considerably lately. I heard that Your Majesty has been sleeping poorly at night, so I specially concocted a soothing incense. Would Your Majesty like to give it a try?”
Murong Xiu showed little reaction, merely waving his hand. “You may withdraw.”
Physician Xu wanted to say more, but seeing Murong Xiu’s expression, he could only fall silent and retreat from the hall. When he stepped outside and caught sight of the unfamiliar eunuchs, he sighed inwardly. Now, the Regent likely held absolute power in the court, and even the people around the Emperor were the Regent’s men.
Physician Xu’s thoughts lingered on Murong Xiu, but he didn’t forget the patient he was currently caring for. With Murong Xiu’s permission, it became much easier for him to obtain medicinal herbs from the Imperial Medical Bureau. It wasn’t until the fifth day after his injury that Shen Jue finally woke up.
When he came to, Physician Xu was applying medicine to his wounds.
Shen Jue’s body was covered in injuries. Applying medicine took one or two hours every day.
As soon as he regained consciousness, he felt pain all over and couldn’t help but gasp sharply, his hands gripping the bedding beneath him tightly.
Hearing the sound, Physician Xu looked up at Shen Jue. Seeing that the man was awake, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. “You’re finally awake.”
“P-Physician Xu.” Shen Jue’s voice was very weak. “You’re the one treating me again.”
Physician Xu sighed deeply. “You really have a hard life. I’ve seen many patients, but never one like you. Still, I’m afraid you’ll be left with lasting damage.” Not yet healed from his previous injuries, Shen Jue had suffered another beating. Even if his constitution was strong and he was young, he wouldn’t fully recover. His ribs hadn’t completely mended from before, and after being beaten again, even a slight increase in exertion would leave him gasping for breath.
Shen Jue was very calm. “It’s good enough just to survive.”
Physician Xu couldn’t understand for once. “Is living like this meaningful?”
Shen Jue heard this and gave a faint smile. His gaze seemed to look past Physician Xu, to somewhere else. His eyes appeared empty, yet also as if they contained the whole world.
“Yes.”
Only by living could he change his fate.
Physician Xu shook his head. He couldn’t help but admire Shen Jue a little.
If he were in that position, he didn’t know how long he could endure.
After applying the medicine, Physician Xu left an apprentice with Shen Jue.
Though Shen Jue was awake, he was prone to fever. If not treated in time, there was a high chance he could die.
The apprentice was only eleven or twelve years old, having been raised by Physician Xu since childhood. He had a round face. After Physician Xu left, he moved a small stool and sat beside Shen Jue’s bed, staring intently at his wounds.
Shen Jue found the kid’s gaze a bit unnerving.
He couldn’t help but glance at the apprentice. “Good-looking?”
The apprentice didn’t look up. “Good-looking.”
Shen Jue: “…”
Alright then.
The apprentice stared for a while until he heard a sound at the door. He looked up in that direction. The moment he saw who it was, he knelt on the ground.
“This servant greets Your Majesty.”
Murong Xiu had come alone. He hadn’t expected there to be an apprentice in Shen Jue’s room. After a brief pause, he said, “You may leave.”
After the apprentice withdrew, Murong Xiu turned his gaze to the person on the bed.
The instant he saw Shen Jue clearly, his breath nearly stopped. He knew Shen Jue was seriously injured, but he hadn’t expected him to look like this. When Shen Jue saw Murong Xiu, he tried to get up and pay his respects, but after several attempts, he fell back onto the bed. Finally, he said shamefully, “Your Majesty, this servant… this servant cannot rise to pay his respects.”
Murong Xiu forced a bitter smile. “No need for formalities.”
He looked at the small stool the apprentice had left behind, hesitated for a moment, then sat down on it.
His gaze swept slowly across Shen Jue’s injuries, his expression complicated.
Shen Jue knew what Murong Xiu was thinking at that moment, so he forced a smile toward him. “Your Majesty, your servant feels no pain.”
“No pain?” Murong Xiu found it utterly absurd. “With you looking like this, you still don’t feel pain? Do you only feel pain when you’re dead?”
Almost. He only truly felt pain after becoming a ghost.
Back then, he could only float in midair, watching helplessly as Murong Xiu and the Regent were deeply in love. At first, Murong Xiu would occasionally remember that he had a servant, but before long, he completely forgot Shen Jue.
Forgot the loyal little eunuch who was willing to die for him.
Shen Jue really wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t yet. He had to pretend everything was fine.
Murong Xiu didn’t know what was on Shen Jue’s mind. Looking at the wounds all over Shen Jue, he didn’t know what to do. Once, Shen Jue had said he was afraid of death, but in truth, Shen Jue wasn’t afraid at all. He had nearly sacrificed himself for Murong Xiu and had now completely offended the Regent.
“Shen Jue, I’m useless. I can’t protect you. If… if you’re willing, I’ll send you out of the palace.” Murong Xiu didn’t want to fight anymore. He was truly exhausted.
Shen Jue immediately shook his head upon hearing this. “Your Majesty, your servant won’t leave.”
Murong Xiu turned his face away. “If you don’t leave, are you waiting to die in the palace?”
Shen Jue was silent for a moment. “Your servant is Your Majesty’s serv—”
Before he could finish, Murong Xiu interrupted him.
“Don’t say that. Does saying that mean anything? I, Murong Xiu, am nothing but a puppet emperor, a plaything living at others’ mercy.” Murong Xiu stood up, tears in his eyes. “Following me will bring you no good. Leave as soon as you can.”
He had switched from “we” to “I.”
Shen Jue looked at Murong Xiu like this and said softly, “Your Majesty might not remember, but the first time your servant saw Your Majesty, he swore a solemn oath: that in this life, he would have only one master, Your Majesty. If Your Majesty doesn’t want your servant, there’s no need for your servant to live.”
“You!” Murong Xiu was somewhat angry. “Weren’t you afraid of death before?”
Shen Jue curved his lips into an extremely obedient smile. “That’s right. Your servant is afraid of death, but when it really comes down to it, he no longer fears it. It’s just a cheap life, after all.”
Murong Xiu closed his eyes, then without saying another word, he swept his sleeve and left, as if he were angry at Shen Jue.
Shen Jue’s injuries dragged on until summer.
The day he recovered, he was summoned before the Regent.
The Regent looked at him as if he were an amusing plaything. “Hard to kill.”
Shen Jue was forced to tilt his head up. That day, he had forgotten to pretend; now he couldn’t be bothered to fake it. He looked calmly at the Regent.
“Little mouse, I said last time that if you survived, I’d give you a great gift. Would you like to know what that great gift is?” The Regent smiled gently, like a refined and cultured man. But Shen Jue knew that the Regent was nothing but a monster in human skin.
“A great gift from Your Highness? How could this servant dare to accept?” Shen Jue said sarcastically.
Seeing the sting in Shen Jue’s words, the Regent smiled even more happily. “So you’re not a little mouse—you’re a little hedgehog. Even better.” He clapped his hands, and someone brought up a chest.
When Shen Jue saw the chest, he already understood.
Inside the chest was Murong Xiu’s undergarments.
Seeing the chest arrive, the Regent personally opened it and said very gently to Shen Jue, “Come, put these clothes on.”
In this world, the only person who could treat receiving a beating as a great gift was likely the Regent.
When Yang Xu dumped Shen Jue onto the bed, Shen Jue couldn’t help but let out a muffled groan. Yang Xu didn’t even glance at him and left directly. Shen Jue reached under his pillow, pulled out a jar of medicinal ointment, and began applying it to himself. He had gotten this medicine from Physician Xu. Physician Xu hadn’t asked what it was for, but looked at him with a bit more sympathy.
How many days could someone targeted by the Regent live?
While applying the medicine, Shen Jue’s mind wandered a little, because in a few days would be Murong Xiu’s twentieth birthday.
On Murong Xiu’s birthday, the Regent drank too much and almost slept with Murong Xiu. It was only because Murong Xiu fought back desperately and smashed a vase over the Regent’s head that he barely managed to protect himself.
Shen Jue thought, his chance had finally come.