WMSG Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Chapter One Hundred – The End

The main courtyard of the Qi Wang Manor had been renovated inside and out. The pavilions, gardens, and ponds for viewing scenery were all re-trimmed and constructed by craftsmen. A complete renovation of the vast manor was no easy task, and Ye Yueshen specifically instructed them not to be too extravagant. Therefore, Shaou consulted Gong Xunwu, and only the areas that were not frequently visited were simply cleaned.

Life in the manor was too leisurely. Gong Xunwu had some matters to discuss and would summon his retainers, but he was worried about disturbing Ye Yueshen, so he met them elsewhere, not bringing them home.

Gong Xunwu was afraid that he would be bored, so he took him to the manor’s estate to soak in the hot springs and went hunting in the mountains. Ye Yueshen was enthusiastic at first, but after a few days, he found it tiring and stopped going.

When they were in the Marquis Manor, they shared a bed because Ye Yueshen didn’t want his family to worry that there were still rifts between him and Gong Xunwu, but now that they were in the Qi Wang Manor and his parents and brothers weren’t watching, Ye Yueshen wanted to sleep alone.

Gong Xunwu was unhappy in his heart, but at least on the surface, he was gentle and obedient, agreeing to everything Ye Yueshen said.

After dinner in the evening, he lingered in Ye Yueshen’s room, reading books and playing chess, and only got up to leave when Ye Yueshen was yawning with drowsiness.

As the days passed without anything serious to do, Ye Yueshen went to bed early and woke up early. He got up and looked at the dimly lit sky outside, and a strange surge of temper rose within him.

He ran to Gong Xunwu’s room. Gong Xunwu often suffered from insomnia and went to bed late, so he was still asleep. He knelt on one knee on the bed and patted Gong Xunwu’s face: “Gong Xunwu, wake up, wake up…”

Gong Xunwu opened his eyes, and Ye Yueshen’s fair and beautiful face was above him, his eyes blinking as he looked at him. Gong Xunwu’s sleepiness instantly vanished.

Although Ye Yueshen’s behavior was annoying, Gong Xunwu didn’t mind at all. He sat up halfway and asked in a slightly hoarse voice, “What’s wrong?”

“I have nothing to do. I’m bored.” Ye Yueshen grabbed his shoulders and shook him. He shook him once but he didn’t budge, so Ye Yueshen paused. Gong Xunwu cooperated with his movements and shook him, asking gently, “Then let’s go out and play today.”

Gong Xunwu pulled Ye Yueshen into the quilt and covered him with a brocade blanket. The early morning air was chilly, and Ye Yueshen was prone to getting sick from sudden changes in temperature.

“Are you doing this on purpose?” Ye Yueshen asked him, “Are you waiting for me to be bored at home so I have no choice but to come to you to relieve my boredom, and then we’ll be as good as ever?”

The corners of Gong Xunwu’s mouth unconsciously turned up. He thought Ye Yueshen was even more adorable when he was being unreasonable.

“Or should I find some experts to assassinate you?” Gong Xunwu ruffled his hair. “Do you think that kind of life is interesting?”

Ye Yueshen lay next to him for a while. Even without speaking, Gong Xunwu felt extremely happy. He wished that the rest of his life would be like this, with Ye Yueshen next to him as soon as he opened his eyes, a pair of bright eyes looking at him.

“I want to do business,” Ye Yueshen said softly.

In fact, he had been thinking about this matter for the past few days. Being an official was too much for him. The trouble that Ye Lingshen had caused in his family was scary enough.

He lived under the same roof as Ye Yuanshen, and he felt that only someone like Ye Yuanshen could navigate the officialdom. If he, unfamiliar with everything, plunged into a group of smart people, it would be strange if nothing happened.

As for doing business, he had thought of many ventures. Although he wasn’t very confident, he had been eager to try for several days.

Gong Xunwu agreed readily: “Okay, you can do whatever you want. I have some businesses these years. Do you want to be a manager or a waiter? Or do you want to start your own business? If you want to open a pawnshop, I’ll give you the money. If you want to sell things, I’ll accompany you to find the source. If you want to open a restaurant or teahouse, I…”

“I’ll tell you when I’ve decided,” Ye Yueshen turned to look at him. “I’ll consider the capital as a loan from you. I’ll pay you back when I make money, and you can take the loss if I lose.”

Gong Xunwu couldn’t help but chuckle. Ye Yueshen glared at him: “What?”

“I won’t lend it. I’ll give it to you.” Gong Xunwu looked like he was happy to give him money.

Ye Yueshen turned his head to look away, refusing: “No, I’ll feel more accomplished if I make money and pay you back.”

“As you wish.”

“Or…” Gong Xunwu rolled over and pressed down on him, his breath on Ye Yueshen’s face, his voice low: “Give me some sweetness first, and then I’ll be happy to throw money at you.”

Before Ye Yueshen could say a word, his mouth was blocked. They hadn’t been intimate for many days, and one kiss was like lightning striking dry wood. Ye Yueshen was dizzy from the kisses, and before he knew it, his clothes were no longer on his body.

When Shaou came to knock on the door to ask if Yue Gongzi was in, Gong Xunwu was hugging Ye Yueshen, gently stroking his back to comfort him. Ye Yueshen leaned in Gong Xunwu’s arms, his breathing disordered, and whispered, “Don’t let anyone in.”

“He’s here. I still need to rest. No need to come in and serve.” After Gong Xunwu said this to the outside, he lowered his head and kissed Ye Yueshen’s wet cheeks: “He’s gone. Don’t worry.”

Ye Yueshen raised his head and bit Gong Xunwu on the chin. Gong Xunwu didn’t say a word. When they separated, there was a shallow ring of teeth marks on his chin, which wouldn’t disappear for at least half a day.

“Are you less angry now?” Gong Xunwu asked him.

Ye Yueshen lay on his chest and said in a muffled voice, “I wasn’t angry.”

Before breakfast, someone came from the Imperial Palace, the chief eunuch from the Emperor’s side, smiling and inviting Gong Xunwu and Ye Yueshen to enter the palace, saying that the Emperor had important matters.

Gong Xunwu had just finished bathing Ye Yueshen, and Ye Yueshen was lying absentmindedly on the soft couch behind the screen. Gong Xunwu glanced at the screen and said to the eunuch, “We woke up late today and haven’t had breakfast yet.”

“The Emperor hasn’t had breakfast either. He’s especially waiting for Your Highness and Gongzi to enter the palace to have breakfast together,” the eunuch said with an obsequious smile.

“Let me ask.” Gong Xunwu turned and walked behind the screen.

The eunuch could see the outline through the screen. He saw Qi Wang helping the person on the couch up, and from the reflected shadows, it looked like their faces were almost touching as they spoke.

The eunuch tutted to himself. He hadn’t expected that the King of Hell-like Qi Wang would be like this in front of his beloved. The Emperor had summoned them, but he still had to ask that Yue Gongzi for his opinion.

But the Emperor had been treating Gong Xunwu well recently, and the Emperor’s attitude was his attitude, so he honestly waited by the side.

Ye Yueshen had no reason to refuse. He nodded, letting Gong Xunwu put on his shoes for him. Gong Xunwu even asked him, “Should I carry you?”

Ye Yueshen didn’t appreciate it, saying in a muffled voice, “Stop teasing me.”

When they arrived at Zhaoyang Palace, the servants said that the Emperor was waiting in the study. After entering, Gong Xunwu led Ye Yueshen to perform the greetings. After the Emperor said “You may rise,” Gong Xunwu asked, “Didn’t you say you were waiting for your brother to have breakfast? Why are you in the study, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor glanced at the eunuch. He had said in the morning that he would keep Gong Xunwu and Ye Yueshen in the palace for a meal, but he was actually referring to lunch. However, the eunuch had simply coaxed Gong Xunwu in for convenience.

“Send for the meal,” the Emperor didn’t argue. He instructed the eunuch, “Bring it to the study.”

After the eunuch left, the Emperor dismissed the others and chuckled at Gong Xunwu: “I’m worried about what will happen after I die. I’m afraid that when I get to the underworld, I’ll turn around and see you with missing arms and legs following me down.”

Gong Xunwu paused for a moment before saying, “It’s early in the morning, Your Majesty.”

“But you’re thinking about breakfast,” the Emperor looked at Ye Yueshen. “Yue’er, sit down. Breakfast will be here soon. Sit down, and I’ll talk to you.”

The Emperor got up from the dragon throne, walked over, and sat down on one side of the Arhat bed, beckoning Ye Yueshen to sit down as well, ignoring Gong Xunwu.

Gong Xunwu sat down on a chair opposite him and saw the Emperor take a plate of water caltrops from a small table and give them to Ye Yueshen: “These have been marinated in honey and roasted in a pit. Try something fresh.”

Ye Yueshen very practically started peeling the water caltrops and eating them. The Emperor looked at him affectionately for a while, his gaze lingering on a red mark on his neck, and then he frowned and looked at Gong Xunwu accusingly.

Gong Xunwu’s face remained unchanged, with an indifferent and shameless look: “What does Your Majesty mean?”

“My relationship with my relatives is weak,” the Emperor said in a deep voice. “The princes I’ve given birth to are all useless. I feel that I was too harsh on Fifth and too lenient on him. It was my mistake.”

The Emperor was not admitting his mistake, but expressing his dissatisfaction with Gong Shengyin, and Ye Yueshen understood this.

In fact, he was also worried that if Gong Shengyin ascended the throne in the future, even if he went to the fief with Gong Xunwu, his parents and brothers would still be in the capital, and Gong Shengyin would probably have the ability to kill them all, no matter how far away they were.

Ye Yueshen couldn’t help but raise his head.

The Emperor’s eyes were sharp. He noticed Ye Yueshen’s movement and looked over: “Just eat. It’s nothing.”

Ye Yueshen lowered his head again. Just then, the eunuch came in carrying a food box and placed it on the small table, placing bowls and chopsticks in front of Ye Yueshen. Sitting next to the Emperor to eat was even more difficult than eating water caltrops.

Ye Yueshen suddenly felt like he was in a dilemma. If he didn’t eat, he was worried that the Emperor would think he was eavesdropping. If he did eat, wouldn’t the Emperor be talking while he was chewing…? What did the Emperor take him for?

The Emperor sighed: “Fifth cannot restrain himself and did something like imprisoning the son of a Marquis. I dare not and do not want to hand the throne over to him.”

Gong Xunwu added a very neutral sentence: “Perhaps Your Majesty can teach Fourth a lesson. Besides, Your Majesty is still young.”

“Are you trying to coax me with such nonsense?” the Emperor glanced at him. “Have you been at loggerheads with me so much lately that you’ve become so polite?”

Gong Xunwu chuckled twice: “Your Majesty, are you going to pass the throne to me?”

“Do you think so?” the Emperor’s eyes were sharp.

Ye Yueshen clenched his fists. He didn’t know if this was the Emperor’s test. Could the food in front of him be a Hongmen Banquet for him and Gong Xunwu? Then the Emperor would be underestimating Gong Xunwu too much…

“I don’t want it,” Gong Xunwu refused without hesitation. “I only have Yueshen in this life. I can’t have children, and I don’t want to listen to the civil and military officials nagging me every day to have descendants. If Yueshen gets upset, wouldn’t that be the end of my life?”

“Worthless!” the Emperor glared at Gong Xunwu, but it didn’t seem like he was really angry. He took out an imperial decree from his sleeve and threw it to Gong Xunwu like trash: “I will not establish a crown prince.”

The eunuch knocked on the door and came in: “Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince has arrived.”

Gong Shengyin walked in calmly, his eyes slightly blue, but he still looked very energetic.

“Your son pays his respects to the Emperor and to Royal Uncle,” Gong Shengyin knelt down and saluted.

The Emperor turned to look at Ye Yueshen, his sternness replaced with gentleness as he asked, “Why haven’t you started eating? Are these dishes not to your liking?”

Ye Yueshen shook his head and picked up his chopsticks to casually pick up a small meatball.

“This sticky rice steamed meat is sweet. Have some of it first to fill your stomach. When it’s lunchtime, tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll have someone make it for you,” the Emperor personally scooped a spoonful of sticky rice steamed meat and put it in Ye Yueshen’s bowl.

Only then did he turn to look at Gong Shengyin, who was kneeling on the ground: “Rise.”

Gong Shengyin stood up, looking at the Emperor in confusion.

Ye Yueshen secretly looked at Gong Xunwu. Gong Xunwu’s expression was normal, but he didn’t notice Ye Yueshen’s gaze right away, so Ye Yueshen determined that he was a little distracted. He was clutching the imperial decree tightly, and Ye Yueshen couldn’t help but feel nervous.

The Emperor stared at Gong Shengyin, the son he had owed and given opportunities to, but he was short on talent and had too much cunning. Greed and ruthlessness were Gong Shengyin’s prominent characteristics.

But if he had seen his father’s methods of fighting for the throne back then, he would know that greed and ruthlessness were never his sins. His shortcoming was that he couldn’t suppress his desires in the dark.

Some things could be done in secret, this was the secret meanness of imperial power, but it couldn’t be said aloud or appear in the sunlight.

The Emperor didn’t want to let his son gamble away the country passed down from generations just yet, as an arbitrary emperor disregarding public opinion would cause great disasters.

“Do you have a woman you are fond of?” the Emperor asked him.

Gong Shengyin was silent. After a long silence, he looked up at Ye Yueshen in front of the Emperor and Gong Xunwu, and then lowered his head and said, “Returning to Your Majesty, I do not.”

The Emperor sneered: “Then it will be up to your mother and grandmother to decide.”

“Returning to Your Majesty, your son does not wish to…”

Before Gong Shengyin could finish speaking, the Emperor interrupted him: “I plan to establish an Imperial Grandson. If you cannot produce one, perhaps your fourth brother is willing to.”

Gong Shengyin was completely stunned. After a long time, he still maintained his shocked expression. He turned to look at Gong Xunwu, who was holding the imperial decree, and then looked at the Emperor, with Ye Yueshen, who was equally astonished, in the corner of his eye.

“Your Majesty…” Gong Shengyin’s voice was weak and trembling, as if he had suddenly lost his vitality.

The Emperor ignored his cry and instead asked, “Do you want to now?”

Gong Shengyin lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, his chest heaving violently, his whole body trembling, but in a short period of time, he had already considered the pros and cons, organized his emotions, and resigned himself to fate: “Your son’s marriage is entirely up to Your Majesty.”

“Not bad,” the Emperor looked at him. “I know you can’t figure it out right now. It’s okay. I won’t die in a short time. You can think about it slowly. Go back. When you give birth to your eldest grandson tomorrow, I will invite the best teacher to teach him.”

When Gong Shengyin left, every step seemed like he was about to fall. Ye Yueshen couldn’t help but look at that lonely figure. The male protagonist of the original story had actually ended up like this.

Ye Yueshen completely lost his appetite. He put down his chopsticks, and after a long time, he realized that Gong Xunwu was looking at him.

When their eyes met, Gong Xunwu asked sourly, “You’re feeling soft-hearted again?”

“I’m not,” Ye Yueshen denied, “I’m just feeling a little emotional.”

“What’s wrong with your son being the emperor?” The Emperor seemed tired of sitting and straightened his back: “If I had a promising child, I would be eager to be the Supreme Emperor.”

Gong Xunwu stood up: “Your Majesty, I see that he doesn’t have much of an appetite. We won’t stay in the palace for lunch today.”

The Emperor didn’t try to stop them: “Go ahead. I heard that he moved to the Qi Wang Manor. You should often accompany him back to the Marquis Manor to see his mother. Old people worry about their children.”

“Yes.”

The two of them didn’t say a word along the way, silently leaving the palace. After getting into the carriage, Gong Xunwu showed him the imperial decree, “Your Majesty wants me to support the Imperial Grandson. When the throne is passed to a younger brother, I will be the regent.”

Ye Yueshen didn’t look at the imperial decree, took it and casually threw it aside. He asked Gong Xunwu, “Is this a good outcome?”

“It can protect us for a lifetime of stability. I think it’s a good outcome,” Gong Xunwu hugged him in his arms. “Being able to grow old with you is my good outcome.”