Shang JunLin gave him a meaningful look. "That depends on the noble monarch's behavior."
Shen Yu pretended not to understand the deeper meaning of Shang JunLin's words. With some doubt he asked, "Is my behavior not good enough? Tell me, Your Majesty, do you want me to act spoiled? Or clingy? Or cold and aloof...?"
Images of various styles of Shen Yu ran uncontrollably through Shang JunLin's mind. His heart suddenly thumped, and he interrupted Shen Yu, "This emperor likes the noble monarch as you are now."
"What a coincidence. I like this me too." Seeing Shang JunLin's face change slightly, Shen Yu added, "Of course, what I like most is Your Majesty."
Shang JunLin's eyes softened at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Meng Gonggong, who'd just returned from his busy work, heard this exchange and couldn't help shaking his head. His Majesty and the noble monarch were so deeply in love.
In the magnificent main hall, the nobles and vassal kings had already taken their seats. The well-trained palace servants deftly served plates of delicacies. In the highest position in the hall, there were two vacant seats. One belonged to the emperor, while the other, prepared for Shen Yu, was placed a little lower down.
His Majesty hadn't arrived yet. The guests were relatively relaxed and talked to each other in low voices.
Their conversation focused on imperial politics and the relationships between the major clans. Today they also had one more topic to discuss: that is, Noble Monarch Shen.
"His Majesty really dotes on this Noble Monarch Shen."
"That's just it. Today Yuzhang Palace is the only power in the harem. I heard that a little while ago, Noble Monarch Shen actually imprisoned some concubines of the previous emperor and tortured them in Yuzhang Palace out of jealousy."
"Is that... actually true? And His Majesty allowed it?"
"His Majesty was there when it happened. One of the former concubines was pretending to play hide-and-seek and was bold enough to crash into His Majesty's arms. Noble Monarch Shen was so furious he destroyed the woman's hand on the spot."
"Careful, be careful what you say."
The first speaker seemed to inadvertently glance in a certain direction. He lowered his voice and said, "I'm telling you, they say the noble monarch lost his temper that night, and His Majesty coaxed him personally for a long time."
"That's, that's impossible, isn't it?" His audience refused to believe it. "He's just a man. If His Majesty chooses, he can have as many men as he wants, right?"
"But the only man His Majesty fell for is Noble Monarch Shen."
At that moment, a low-ranking, unobtrusive official came over and asked in a quiet voice, "What happened to the late emperor's concubines who were taken away by Noble Monarch Shen?"
"They're still locked up in Yuzhang Palace, of course. Noble Monarch Shen probably won't let them go until his anger subsides."
"His Majesty is too..." Some of the audience had trouble accepting it. "Anyway, they were just former concubines."
Some of the listeners sided with Shen Yu. "Those women had thoughts they shouldn't have and were caught in the act. Noble Monarch Shen wouldn't have gotten angry with them otherwise."
The people continued talking vigorously, unaware that a man sitting not far from them had quietly crushed the cup in his hand.
"His Majesty and the noble monarch have arrived!"
YOU ARE READING
The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits
RomanceShen Yu was sincerely in love. For that person's sake, Shen Yu ignored his illness-ridden body and plotted to overthrow the tyrant. It was only after Shen Yu died that he learned the truth. He was a character in a book, and the man he loved only vie...
