MLIAM Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Shameless. Have we reached this point…?

Chapter 6: Shameless. Have we reached this point…?

“Wei Yan, don’t tell me you’re taking advantage of my amnesia from falling into the water to tease me with something like this, right?” Yu Shuli sized up Wei Yan’s expression, his eyes wide.

He really did lose his memory.

Wei Yan confirmed this in his heart, then chuckled softly, grasping his trembling fingers: “Do you think I’m joking?”

“If it weren’t for that relationship between you and me, do you think I would risk my life to save an ordinary brother with my current physical condition?” Wei Yan emphasized the word “brother,” playfully twirling his finger in Yu Shuli’s palm.

The scalding heat of his palm made Yu Shuli flinch.

He couldn’t tell if it was Wei Yan who had a fever, or if he himself had one.

Yu Shuli thought: How did the sky fall and people go crazy after one night’s sleep…?

He swallowed, attempting a desperate struggle: “Logically speaking, Wei Yan, our relationship isn’t just that of ordinary brothers, right? Aren’t we good buddies? Risking your life to save a good buddy and stuff…”

Yu Shuli, with a stiff neck, was about to continue when he was interrupted by Wei Yan’s ardent and ambiguous gaze.

That gaze was not the gaze one gave a good brother.

Yu Shuli shut his mouth, abruptly pulling his hand away. “Anyway, I don’t believe it.”

Wei Yan chuckled lightly, leaning back slightly, looking down at him with confidence: “How do you want me to prove it?”

Yu Shuli was momentarily speechless.

Yes, how to prove it?

He slowly got up from the bed, trying to step over Wei Yan: “I… I’ll go back and ask my dad…”

Wei Yan suddenly reached out, grabbing Yu Shuli’s wrist.

Yu Shuli, who was straddling Wei Yan, shuddered, and his whole body fell onto Wei Yan’s lap, sitting on him.

Wei Yan groaned, but didn’t let go, instead, his eyes deepened, and he gripped tighter.

Yu Shuli struggled, but couldn’t break free.

Him:?

Wei Yan moved his leg, and Yu Shuli slid down his thigh.

Facing Wei Yan’s playful gaze head-on, unable to avoid it, Yu Shuli panicked, and supported himself downwards with his palm. The sensation was strange. Looking down, he realized he seemed to be supporting himself in a place where he shouldn’t.

Wei Yan softly groaned, asking: “How is it?”

Yu Shuli: …I have to say, it’s quite big…

No! What on earth is he thinking!

Yu Shuli smiled awkwardly, wanting to move off Wei Yan’s lap: “I said I didn’t mean to… do you believe me?”

Wei Yan didn’t respond, only preventing him from getting off his lap, his voice a little low and hoarse: “I’ll prove it to you.”

Yu Shuli: “Huh?”

Wei Yan pulled his body closer, his other hand reaching around his waist.

The two’s breaths met, the scalding temperature burning Yu Shuli’s cheek, his entire person turning as red as a monkey’s butt. “Wha… what are you doing?”

“You asked me how to prove that you and I have already been privately engaged for life.” Wei Yan said: “Of course, I have to prove it to you.”

His gaze fell on Yu Shuli’s rosy lips, then moved away, tilting his head slightly, and kissed his cheek.

There was a crisp “crack.”

Yu Shuli, clutching the broken bed rail in his hand, felt his heart pound like a drum.

“Ha… have we… have we reached this point already?” He scrambled off Wei Yan, almost frantically climbing off the bed, rambling incoherently: “Hahaha… so we’ve kissed before… hahaha… it’s not very nerve-wracking… your skills are quite ordinary… hahaha… ju… just a kiss… don’t be nervous…”

Wei Yan, seeing his flustered appearance, couldn’t help but smile, taking the broken rail from his hand, saying gently: “Be careful of splinters.”

Their fingers touched, and Yu Shuli shuddered again.

“You seem… a little sensitive…” Wei Yan said, chuckling softly.

“What are you laughing at?!” Yu Shuli bared his teeth, looking over angrily.

“Okay, I won’t laugh.” Wei Yan spread out his hands, trying to purse his lips.

But at this moment, moonlight shone in, allowing Yu Shuli to see his moist and rippling eyes. The curve of the corners of his eyes was clearly smiling.

“You…” Yu Shuli was terribly ashamed. Clearly he had been taken advantage of, and logically he should punch Wei Yan in the face, but seeing his smiling face like that, he inexplicably couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Yu Shuli had no choice but to leave: “I… I’m leaving.”

Wei Yan called out to him, pointing to the door: “Just go out like this?” He leaned against the headboard, looking over with a bit of slyness: “If someone sees you, I wouldn’t mind, but won’t the Junior General be ashamed?”

Coming to see your secretly engaged lover late at night and stuff…

Yu Shuli gritted his teeth: “Not! A! Bit!”

“Alright.” Wei Yan spread out his hands, wanting to laugh, but unintentionally coughed twice: “Then I have no objections…”

Yu Shuli originally wanted to leave, but hearing him cough, he hesitated and turned back.

Wei Yan was hunched over by the bed, his black hair partially obscuring his face, making it impossible to see his expression.

As if sensing Yu Shuli turning back, Wei Yan forced himself to look up and smile.

“What? Still want to keep me company?”

Yu Shuli stammered: “Are… are you alright?” For a moment, he even felt a little guilty. He had been here for so long, only caring about his amnesia and their relationship, without caring about Wei Yan at all.

Wei Yan had risked half his life to save him.

“I’m fine, you go back.” Wei Yan pulled the bed curtains closed completely, but couldn’t hide his muffled coughing.

How could Yu Shuli feel at ease and go back?

He took a few steps back: “Should I help you call for the imperial physician?”

Wei Yan coughed severely, only extending a hand, shaking it, indicating no need.

Yu Shuli didn’t leave, standing there, listening to him go from muffled coughing and wheezing to gradually calming his breathing.

Wei Yan knew he hadn’t left, explaining: “Calling the imperial physician is useless… it’s just a waste of time.”

Yu Shuli felt a stuffiness in his heart: “Who says! Imperial Physician Yang’s medical skills are so good, there’s definitely a way… I… I’ll go call him…”

“Don’t go!” Wei Yan called out to him, then beckoned, signaling him to come over.

Yu Shuli hesitated, but still walked back to the side of the tent.

Wei Yan suddenly spoke: “Yu Ji’an, I wasn’t going to live for too long anyway.”

Yu Shuli concealed the stagnation in his chest and his own panic, changing the subject: “Did you take your medicine? The imperial physician prescribed medicine for you, right? Did you obediently take it? I remember you always secretly pouring the medicine away.”

Wei Yan sighed, falling silent.

“You really didn’t drink it!” Yu Shuli suddenly felt like he had found something he could do, his eyes lighting up slightly: “I’ll go get someone to brew the medicine!”

Wei Yan abruptly reached out from the bed curtains, accurately grasping Yu Shuli’s wrist once again.

This time, Yu Shuli didn’t dodge, instead slowly grasping his scalding hand.

“You… you obediently take your medicine.” He, a general, had never coaxed anyone in a low voice. He was still a little unaccustomed to it, but thinking that Wei Yan was like this because of him, he tried to suppress his awkwardness, persuading him: “If you don’t take your medicine, of course you won’t get better. Only if you take your medicine properly, will you get better.”

Wei Yan didn’t know what he was thinking, muffled in the bed curtains, not saying anything for a long time.

After a long time, he softly said “Mm.”

“Then… then I’ll help you call someone?”

Again, after a long time, Wei Yan said “Mm.”

Yu Shuli breathed a sigh of relief, just about to pull his hand away when he felt the hand holding him suddenly tighten.

Violent coughing, accompanied by the strong smell of blood, came from within the bed curtains.

Yu Shuli’s heart jumped.

“Wei Yan!” He forcefully pulled open the bed curtains, seeing the man lying face down on the bed, his side covered in a large pool of blood.

Yu Shuli’s voice was trembling. He embraced Wei Yan’s thin back, shouting towards the doorway: “Quick, summon the imperial physician!”

The guards in the distance heard the voice, although puzzled that the one who spoke wasn’t Wei Yan, they also realized the seriousness of the matter and hurried to the Imperial Hospital.

*

The most honored concubine’s palace in the Imperial Palace—Chaoyang Hall.

Emperor Zhao Wu thoughtfully stroked Consort Xian’s smooth back, listening to his subordinate’s report.

“You said that Yu Shuli, as soon as he woke up, secretly went to see Wei Yan?” His voice was a little low, and it was impossible to discern his emotions.

Through the beaded curtains, the subordinate could see a slender and beautiful woman lying in the emperor’s arms.

He didn’t dare to look up, staring straight at the floor: “That’s right. Wei Yan coughed up blood and fainted. It was Yu Shuli who called the imperial physician for Wei Yan.”

“These two…” Zhao Wudi frowned tightly, “Could they have true feelings?”

Consort Xian scoffed, gently pushing the emperor with her soft hand, and said with a smile, “Your Majesty, haven’t you heard the rumors among the people?”

Zhao Wudi lowered his eyes to look at her: “Oh?”

Consort Xian straightened her body. Seeing that she was still improperly dressed, she was a little shy after all. She gathered her clothes, and then slowly said: “Prime Minister Wei once admired Yu Shuli’s second sister.”

“Second sister?”

Consort Xian gave a “Mm”: “His second uncle’s daughter, Yu Miaomiao, the one who lost her mind later.”

Only then did Zhao Wudi have an impression, saying “Oh.”

“Didn’t that incident happen later? Because Wei Yan had a private meeting with Yu Miaomiao, causing her to be humiliated outside. Yu Shuli was in the military camp at the time. After returning and learning about this, he angrily broke off with Wei Yan. The two of them were almost like strangers.”

“I did know that the two of them were at odds, but I never thought it was because of this incident.” Zhao Wudi seemed a little puzzled: “To be at odds over a woman, these two…”

Consort Xian scratched the back of Zhao Wudi’s hand with her nails: “Oh dear, Your Majesty. Men are at odds with other men, not because of interests, but because of women.”

“What you say… is also true.” Zhao Wudi thought for a moment and nodded.

He looked at the subordinate who was still kneeling outside, asking: “What else did Yu Shuli do after calling the imperial physician?”

The subordinate lowered his eyes and honestly replied: “It seems… that he replaced all the guards around Wei Yan with his own people.”

Yu Shuli hasn’t taken back his military command yet, but he has won many battles, and has a great reputation, so naturally, there are many people who support him.

In his hands, he not only has his father’s former subordinates and disciples, but also his own generals.

This is one of the reasons why the emperor is wary of him.

Zhao Wudi was stunned.

Consort Xian added: “This Yu Shuli, he actually took advantage of Wei Yan’s coma to install his own people. He’s reaching too far, he’s so bold. He doesn’t have any military command in his hands, I don’t know what he’s being arrogant about.”

Zhao Wudi shook his head: “What do you women understand? Now, Da Liang’s border defenses all depend on him, I must rely on him. He can’t have anything happen to him in the palace. What he relies on is my favor. He’s dissatisfied with my bestowing the marriage between him and Wei Yan, he’s demonstrating.”

“Then he’s being too much. He openly rejected Princess Jiangning before, and now he wants to be wary of the people Your Majesty arranged.” Consort Xian scoffed: “Your Majesty, don’t let him off lightly.”

“No.” Zhao Wudi smiled instead: “It’s precisely because he resists like this that I feel at ease. Why should I punish him? This marriage contract can both restrain Yu Shuli and restrain Wei Yan. I can’t think of a better deal than this.”

“Your Majesty is so amazing.” Consort Xian smiled, twisted a grape, peeled it, and fed it to the emperor.

Zhao Wudi swallowed it with satisfaction, shifting his gaze to Consort Xian, revealing a smug look. Seeing her adoring and admiring appearance, he couldn’t help but continue to show off.

“He thinks that by replacing two guards and controlling Wei Yan, he can threaten me and make me cancel the marriage? Naive. Wei Yan is just a pawn of mine, even if I sacrifice him, so what?” Zhao Wudi picked up the strong wine on the side in a good mood, pinched Consort Xian’s lips, and poured the wine in.

“I’m going to let these two dogs fight each other.”

Consort Xian tilted, bumping into the table next to her, knocking a blank Imperial Decree onto the ground.

The clear and mellow fragrance of wine overflowed from the corners of Consort Xian’s lips.

She hummed softly, closing her mouth obediently swallowing the wine. “Your Majesty is wise.” Her fingers slowly touched the emperor’s chest, moving downwards.

Zhao Wudi’s eyes darkened, waving his hand to dismiss his subordinates, then leaning over to touch Consort Xian.

And just like that, they engaged in the act within the palace.

Before long, ambiguous sounds echoed within the room.

The sounds ended quickly. Consort Xian picked up the blank Imperial Decree from the ground. “Your Majesty, Yu Shuli dodged the Conferment Banquet by chance. Now that he’s fallen into the water and is staying in the palace, why not block those two’s path earlier and directly issue your conferment?”

Zhao Wudi pondered for a moment, then smiled: “Beloved Consort, you’re the one who understands me!”

He took the blank Imperial Decree, simply taking the paper and pen, and, fueled by the wine, wrote down the conferment for Yu Shuli.

Including gold, silver, and treasures, and inheriting his father’s title, and of course, the marriage between Wei Yan and Yu Shuli.

A moment later, the Imperial Seal was stamped, and everything was finalized.

The smile finally reached Consort Xian’s eyes. She leaned over, throwing herself onto the emperor, and said Coquettish, “Your Majesty, the nights of spring are short, quickly show some love to your concubine, don’t be so busy with official matters…”

Zhao Wudi smiled, embracing her towards the bed, and then lying on top of her: “You little seductress… wait, here I come!”