Editor: Mimishijie
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That night, Xiang Han returned to his chambers with an aching body. Thankfully, there was the imperial doctor to help massage him.
System comforted him by the side, [Mr. Xiang, such training actually has its benefits. This body is too weak, what if one day it encounters danger? I might not be able to freely control it.]
A pressure point was pressed and Xiang Han instantly let out a cry of ‘ah’ before he gritted his teeth and replied, [Then we should take it step by step, ah.]
However, with such intense training, the sleep that came that night was deeper and sweeter. He did not even have the energy to read the yellow books on court romance. But the next few days, Xiang Han felt that he could no longer take it. After eating lunch, he began to fake his illness.
Zhao Ze heard that the Little Emperor was sick and his heart grew worried. However, after investigating a little further, he actually heard that the Little Emperor was researching recipes with Luo Bai. As for the dragon body having suffered or whatnot, they were all rubbish.
Zhao Ze immediately sunk into silence.
As a reward for his efforts in saving the emperor, Luo Bai was thrust into the position of a royal Chef as an exception. However, since it wasn’t something really extreme, no one would comment on it. Moreover, he was young, eager to learn, and had an open personality. Adding on to the fact that the Emperor liked to eat the food he cooked, with His Majesty as his backer, his life in the Imperial Kitchen was smooth-sailing.
At the start, Zhao Ze completely disregarded this person, only treating it as though the Little Emperor had found a common-age playmate. But after hearing that the Little Emperor chose Luo Bai to prepare his every meal, played with birds and fishes with him whenever they were free, and they researched new recipes together all the time, he instantly felt that things were not that simple.
The Little Emperor was gay. He heard that he and Luo Bai would often research new recipes and sometimes they would fall asleep while talking on the dragon bed. This time, because he wanted to ‘hang out’ with Luo Bai, he even faked illness and skipped lessons. It was too absurd.
His heart inexplicably felt gloomy, thinking that the Little Emperor’s personality was too wild. A few days ago, he was looking at him as if he were in love but in the blink of an eye, he stuck together with that pretty boy. As for Luo Bai, with a weak and helpless face like his, apart from knowing how to make a few dishes, what else was good about him?
Zhao Ze left unhappily, not even understanding why he was angry.
In the afternoon the next day, taking advantage of the time the Little Emperor was still busy with court documents, he secretly called Luo Bai over and sternly warned him, “You saved the emperor once and deserve your rewards, however, you should not depend on His Majesty and lead him astray, skipping work and playing around…”
Luo Bai was still confused when he was called over but hearing all this made him stunned. With a “thump”, he fell to his knees and stuttered, “I-I didn’t…”
“From what this minister heard, you refer to yourself as “I” in front of His Majesty?” Zhao Ze interrupted him expressionlessly.
Luo Bai shook and his face paled, saying, “I-It was His Majesty who told me-told this servant to call myself that way.”
Zhao Ze sneered and said, “His Majesty is generous and does not mind such courtesy between those he is close with. But this is not an excuse for a servant like you to not stick to customs. Yesterday, you even enticed His Majesty to fake illness and skip classes. Do you know your crimes?”
Luo Bai was frightened out of his wits, trembling on his knees and completely unable to return a single word. He simply could not understand, it was clearly His Majesty who dragged him along every time. So, how did he become the one who enticed the Emperor?
At this time, a eunuch rushed in and whispered something into Zhao Ze’s ears.
Zhao Ze put down his teacup and slowly said, “In consideration that this is only your first offence and since you are still unaware of the rules of the palace, this official will let you off from this bout of misconduct. In the future, adhere to the rules of the palace and remember your place, don’t get cocky just because of the Emperor’s favour.”
Luo Bai’s face was deathly pale and he did not even know when Zhao Ze had left. The eunuch from earlier slowly tottered over and told him with pity, “Sir Luo Bai, the Emperor requested for you earlier.”
Luo Bai heard this and simply wanted to cry but had no tears left. He had just been scared off by Minister Zhao Ze, how could he still dare to get closer to the Little Emperor?
Xiang Han heard that Luo Bai was ill and could not accompany him for his meal. He was disappointed because he had finally found a friend he could talk to after much difficulty. Ah, forget it, he would just let the imperial physician go take a look at him later and send some nourishment over.
System, [Mr. Xiang, you can talk to me, ah.]
Xiang Han: …
He waved his hand and allowed the head eunuch to enter the Little Emperor’s treasury to pick a few nourishment products to send over to Luo Bai. That kid was just like the original host, too skinny.
After Zhao Ze knew of this matter, he expressionlessly crushed the brush in his grip.
That afternoon when he was conducting a class for the Little Emperor, Zhao Ze took out ‘Records of the Grand Historian’ and expressionlessly said, “Your Majesty, today we will be discussing ‘Records of eloquent flattery.”[1]
Xiang Han had a bad feeling and pretended to ask in surprise, “Minister Zhao, haven’t we learnt about those records before?”
Zhao Ze, “This minister was not clear enough the last time.”
Xiang Han: …
After forcefully drilling into him the dangers of favouring a servant too much and the rumours it could lead to, Zhao Ze once again began to preach, “Your Majesty, it’s not good to be gay. Favouring a male concubine is even less like a proper Emperor. Liking a woman is more normal.”
It was just that, the more he preached, the more uncomfortable his heart felt.
Xiang Han listened until he was dizzy and left with a bitter face.
After that day, he continued hearing about it for a few more days until he could no longer endure and said, “Minister Zhao, but Zhen really…has no interest in women.”
Zhao Ze immediately choked. When he recovered, he frowned and asked, “What did the imperial physician say?”
Xiang Han scowled, his expression was one of extreme bitterness as he softly said, “The imperial physician said that Zhen doesn’t have a problem…It’s just that the heart rejects intimacy with women.”
Zhao Ze was stunned and his lips trembled. After a moment, he struggled to ask, “H-How could this be? Your Majesty…what is the knot in your heart that caused this rejection?”
He asked with extreme care, afraid of agitating the other person.
Xiang Han’s heart was distressed, but in order to completely destroy Zhao Ze’s hopes of seeing him get married and have a child, he pretended to be frustrated. “Zhen also does not know, but Zhen will not marry a woman in this life, and will probably grow old alone.”
Zhao Ze froze and unconsciously thought, this minister will accompany His Majesty.
But after he came back to his senses, he was so shocked by his own thoughts that he broke out in cold sweat. He quickly calmed down and forced himself to comfort the Emperor, “Your Majesty, there’s no need to be too depressed. You are still young, everything will work out eventually.”
After this time, Zhao Ze no longer tried to persuade him on the matter of men and women. Since the Little Emperor had no interest in women, no matter how he tried, wouldn’t it simply be rubbing salt into his wounds?
Xiang Han finally regained his peaceful days but quickly realised that he had not seen Little Bai recently. During dinner, he could not help asking, “Luo Bai hasn’t recovered?”
The eunuch attending to him instantly used a vague reply to evade his question. Xiang Han felt that something was wrong and hardened his expression, asking again before he learnt of the truth.
He instantly became unhappy. Even if he had to walk down the virtuous path to be a wise monarch, he still felt that Zhao Ze was too strict. His teacher had not said anything. Moreover, if he had a problem, he should find him instead. Why did he have to bully Little Bai?
Xiang Han personally went down to the treasury to select a few fun items and sent them to comfort Luo Bai. Instead, Luo Bai was frightened out of his wits, afraid that Zhao Ze would come and find him again.
The next day, when Zhao Ze came to conduct his classes, Xiang Han expressionlessly confronted him, “Minister Zhao, Zhen heard that you were investigating Zhen’s whereabouts a few days ago from the palace maids and eunuchs? Don’t you know that prying into the emperor’s privacy is extremely disrespectful?”
Zhao Ze knelt down without a trace of panic on his face and courteously replied, “This minister heard that Your Majesty’s dragon body was ill and felt extremely worried. That was why I simply asked around a little. I beg Your Majesty to give me punishment.”
Xiang Han’s lips twitched as he remembered that he was at fault for lying first. Therefore, he quickly glossed over and brought up another topic, “Zhen also heard that a few days ago, you caused trouble for Luo Bai daren. Minister Zhao’s hands can reach truly far that you even dared to even punish Zhen’s people?”
His words were rather harsh but Zhao Ze understood his temper and honestly admitted his mistakes without a single excuse.
Xiang Han abruptly got the feeling of having punched cotton and felt depressed. However, this matter was not a big deal. If the court knew of it, he would certainly be admonished for harping over trifling details.
Thus, after thinking, he could only cut the other person’s salary as a grand gesture that held little meaning.
However, there was still a need to send him a warning and therefore, Xiang Han expressionlessly said, “In the future, you are not allowed to make things difficult for Minister Luo. You are both Zhen’s right-hand men, you have to get along with each other.”
“Understood,” Zhao Ze replied but his heart was extremely moody. The Little Emperor actually put him and that pretty boy on the same level. How could that lad be considered His Majesty’s right-hand man?
Until he left the Imperial Palace, his heart was filled with dissatisfaction. At first, when he thought about how the Little Emperor was unable to like women and was often depressed, Zhao Ze logically thought that it was not a big deal to leave Luo Bai by his side to keep him company.
But why did his heart feel so uncomfortable?
He went home feeling depressed but in the end, he was dragged out by his mother to look at pictures of young ladies. Therefore, before he even stepped in, he already ran off. His mother clutched her chest and shouted behind him, “You’re already twenty, yet you don’t have a wife. Are you trying to kill me with anger?”
***
[1]”Records of eloquent flattery” is a classical Chinese text written by Sima Qian, a Western Han Dynasty writer, and is included in “Historical Records.” The biography is a synopsis of the Han Dynasty’s Yichen Dengtong, Zhao Tong and Li Yannian, revealing that they have no talents and no virtues, but they are good at their intentions, observing their opinions, specializing in flattering the Lord, even at the expense of their personality
1 thought on “Chapter 3.06 – Think of a way to chase him out of the palace (1)”
Haha Big boss you little vinegar pot! Don’t be jelly, Xiao Han only has eyes for you…and tasty food. Your husband is a foodie, not looking at other men. Sigh~, the road to acceptance will be long considering the common view of the era they’re in. But Brother Ze is catching feels so we’ll get there. So far Xiang Han has taken real well to being emperor, nice 😊👍