WMSG Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Chapter Forty-Two She’s Teasing You

Gong Xunwu sat by the bed on a soft couch reading a book, while Ye Yueshen was in the bathing room taking a bath. Originally, Gong Xunwu had asked Ruoya to go in and serve, but he didn’t know what Ruoya was muttering inside, her mouth never stopping.

Remembering the last time Ye Yueshen jumped into the pool to help Ruoya retrieve her bracelet, and Ruoya hugged Ye Yueshen without restraint, Gong Xunwu felt displeased. He knocked on the door and asked Ruoya to come out.

After the bath, Ye Yueshen wore Gong Xunwu’s sleeping gown, his hair wrapped in a turban on top of his head, like the occasional foreign travelers in the capital’s bustling market.

Ye Yueshen didn’t say a word to him, not even a glance. He rummaged through the blankets, picking out the thinnest one to unfold, then crawled in and lay down.

Gong Xunwu was still reading. After a while, he got up again, pushed the door open and quickly returned, holding a Buddha’s hand citrus that he didn’t know where he had found. He bypassed Gong Xunwu, climbed onto the bed, and adjusted his lying position while hugging the citrus.

Having finally found a comfortable position, Ye Yueshen’s eyes softened with satisfaction. But when he accidentally met Gong Xunwu’s gaze, his eyes turned cold again, and he turned over, leaving only his back.

Gong Xunwu even felt a little guilty. After all, he had watched him toss and turn for so long, and he had finally found a comfortable position, only for himself to ruin it with his prying eyes, forcing him to readjust.

Gong Xunwu put down his book and got into bed, poking at his tightly wrapped hair: “What is this for?”

Ye Yueshen closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep.

“How did I make you angry again?” Gong Xunwu vaguely sensed that Ye Yueshen had been a little unhappy since Yan Kui mentioned Ye Yuanshen.

But this matter was Ye Yueshen’s own request. Even if he didn’t blame Ye Yuanshen for being too clever and discovering their secret, he couldn’t attribute the exposure to Gong Xunwu.

Gong Xunwu also wondered if he had disturbed his “romantic rendezvous” with Ruoya? Thinking of this, he suddenly felt a little irritated.

Ye Yueshen said, “You don’t care that my brother knows about us. I’m very angry.”

Gong Xunwu narrowed his eyes and hugged him from behind: “Can you be clearer? I still don’t understand.”

Ye Yueshen turned around, looking at him coldly: “That’s why I’m angry. You don’t understand the impact of this matter on me at all. You denied it when your brother suspected us, but you don’t care when my brother might find out. Are you the only one who is human? Are you the only one with dignity? Am I not human? Do I not have any? You are just a self-righteous bastard.”

Gong Xunwu was completely stunned, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

It wasn’t because Ye Yueshen called him a bastard, but because he really hadn’t considered Ye Yueshen’s situation before. Or rather, he subconsciously believed that his attraction to Ye Yueshen was a kind of favor, just like the people around him flattered him.

Ye Yueshen didn’t care whether he apologized or flew into a rage. He finished speaking and turned over to close his eyes, the emotional turmoil making it difficult for him to fall asleep.

Time passed slowly. Gong Xunwu thought he had fallen asleep and wrapped his arms around his waist from behind again, gently pulling him into his embrace.

Ye Yueshen’s eyelashes trembled. He hated this situation too much.

He had considered simply surrendering to Gong Xunwu, humoring him a little, putting on a smiling face, and pretending to feel a little affection. After all, Gong Xunwu wanted him, so he should have at least a little liking for him.

Would pleasing Gong Xunwu make the protection he received more solid? So he wouldn’t have to hear Gong Xunwu threaten him with Du Ruxiang, and he wouldn’t have to remember that terrifying scene.

Just consider it saving himself some effort.

But when he had to face Gong Xunwu, he felt that compared to the poverty and loneliness of his previous life, he already had too much now. He had never surrendered in his previous life, so was he really going to be completely useless this time?

Ye Yueshen went to bed late and woke up late. He opened his eyes and saw the sunlight pouring through the window lattices, guessing that he had already missed breakfast.

When he came out, he saw Ruoya helping Gong Xunwu adjust the sash around his waist, because he had dressed too hastily and it had turned halfway around.

Gong Xunwu turned around at the sound. He instinctively wanted to explain that Ruoya was not his personal attendant, but Ye Yueshen ignored them and went to the bathing room to wash his face.

Ruoya, oblivious, followed him to the bathing room to serve Ye Yueshen.

Ye Yueshen smiled at her. Towards people outside the imperial family, Ye Yueshen was always very friendly.

Ruoya liked his kindness, and chirped happily like a cheerful little bird: “Your Highness left breakfast for you. Would you like some pear soup? I knew you were coming last night, so I got up early to stew it. Master said my pear soup is very delicious.”

She spoke nimbly, generously expressing what she had done for Ye Yueshen. Her expression wasn’t asking for credit, but simply showing her affection. She seemed truly happy.

She sometimes referred to Gong Xunwu as “Your Highness” and sometimes as “Master.” Ye Yueshen thought she was just speaking incoherently and never suspected that they were not the same person.

Gong Xunwu waited for a long time but she didn’t come in. He went to the outer hall and saw the two of them drinking sweet pear soup together, Ruoya looking like a kind old woman despite her young age.

Ye Yueshen crunched on the half-cooked pear chunks and praised insincerely: “It’s so delicious.”

“Delicious?” Gong Xunwu walked over, reached out and pushed the large porcelain bowl aside, saying coldly to Ruoya: “Have some manners. Don’t give him food randomly.”

Ruoya immediately wore a bitter face, and Ye Yueshen comforted her: “It’s very well stewed, I like it very much. If it’s convenient, could you stew it for me again in the future…”

Gong Xunwu covered Ye Yueshen’s mouth, grabbed his arm and pulled him up, taking him away without explanation.

Once outside, he said: “Aren’t you going to the palace? If you’re not going, I have other things to do. I don’t have so much free time like you. I think your cousin is right.”

Ye Yueshen corrected him: “It’s cousin.”

Gong Xunwu wasn’t interested and was speechless at his inability to focus on the important point.

They got into the carriage hastily, and Shaou handed in a pastry box from the door.

On the way, Gong Xunwu suddenly said: “Don’t always order Ruoya around. He’s not an ordinary servant.” Even he didn’t realize that his tone was a little sulky.

Ye Yueshen nodded: “Understood.”

Gong Xunwu turned his head to look at him intently. Ye Yueshen was puzzled: “I understand. I won’t order him around again.”

Gong Xunwu turned away in annoyance, no longer looking at him, not understanding why Ye Yueshen didn’t ask about Ruoya’s identity, not even asking “Why is he not ordinary?”

Gong Xunwu was full of doubts. Although Ye Yueshen was already an unparalleled beauty, Ruoya was also very pretty.

Wasn’t Ye Yueshen even a little curious? Wasn’t he even a little jealous? Did he really not care about me at all?

Ye Yueshen opened the pastry box, and a fragrant aroma immediately wafted out. Ye Yueshen reached out to take the most beautiful pink flower-shaped pastry.

Gong Xunwu suddenly closed the lid, forcefully snatched the pastry box away, called out to Shaou, and threw the pastry out of the carriage window.

He might as well starve him to death, Gong Xunwu thought.

Ye Yueshen didn’t suffer any real harm, other than feeling inexplicable.

After entering the palace, Gong Xunwu didn’t rush to take him to see the imperial concubines, but instead walked around the Imperial Garden for a long time. His pace was neither fast nor slow, and his eyes didn’t wander, clearly not sightseeing but moving with a purpose.

At first, Ye Yueshen thought he was deliberately making him anxious, so he humbled himself and said softly: “Although I don’t know what you’re angry about, I hope you’ll forgive me and take me to see the imperial concubines.”

Gong Xunwu glanced at him, not even stopping.

Finally, they found a girl of about ten years old in a small pavilion. The girl was dressed very adorably, her not-too-long hair styled in two small buns on top of her head, each with a short tassel butterfly flower.

“Royal Uncle!” The girl shouted, running over to hug Gong Xunwu’s leg and looking up at him: “Long time no see, Royal Uncle.”

So it was a little princess. Ye Yueshen gave her a bow: “Greetings, Princess.”

“Who are you?” The little princess looked at Ye Yueshen, and after a moment, she exclaimed: “You’re so pale!”

Ye Yueshen looked at her tanned little face and smiled without saying anything. He wasn’t good at interacting with children.

Gong Xunwu took the little princess’s hands off his leg and said to her in an adult tone: “Royal Uncle is taking you to Consort Shun’s palace. You said you wanted to see her fragrance box, understand?”

The little princess patted her chest: “I understand, leave it to me!”

On the way, the little princess couldn’t keep up with their pace, and reached out to have Gong Xunwu hold her hand, but Gong Xunwu didn’t notice.

Ye Yueshen took her other hand, thinking that a girl this old was just a child, and it was safer to hold her hand.

But the little princess said loudly in a clever manner: “Impudent! How dare you hold my hand!”

Ye Yueshen was really startled. Remembering where he was, it might really be against the rules.

Gong Xunwu sternly scolded her: “Don’t make trouble.” He then said to Ye Yueshen: “She’s teasing you.”

The little princess giggled and took Ye Yueshen’s hand again, asking him: “Who are you from?”

Gong Xunwu answered for him: “From Yongning Junzhu’s household. Do you remember Junzhu? You can call him Third Brother, or if you don’t want to, you can call him Ye Yueshen.”

The little princess obediently said: “Ye Yueshen.”

Ye Yueshen: “…”

Consort Shun was the birth mother of the Third Prince, Gong Yiyin. In the original story, she was also a character with few scenes. Ye Yueshen knew very little about her, belonging to a mediocre character who was neither remarkably stupid nor remarkably intelligent.

When they met, Ye Yueshen was slightly surprised. Consort Shun looked very young and dressed very fashionably. At least Ye Yueshen had never seen anyone with more gorgeous hair ornaments than hers.

Consort Shun sat in the seat of honor wearing a head full of glittering gold and silver jewelry, and Gong Xunwu claimed that the little princess had insisted that they come over.

The little princess grinned without exposing the lie, cooperating by saying: “A few days ago, I saw Consort Shun’s pearl hairpins and wanted Royal Uncle to buy them, but Royal Uncle bought the wrong ones. I want Royal Uncle to see Consort Shun’s hairpins.”

Consort Shun smiled modestly, raising her eyebrows slightly: “Those are hairpins bestowed by the Emperor. You can’t buy them outside. Little Princess, don’t make things difficult for Prince Qi.”

The little princess pouted, walked to Consort Shun’s side, put her hand on Consort Shun’s lap, closed her eyes and sniffed, then said: “Consort Shun smells so good. Consort Shun, can I see your fragrance box?”

Consort Shun glanced at the small hand on her yellow skirt and instructed the maid beside her: “Take the little princess to get it.”

Ye Yueshen’s eyes lit up, and then he received a warning glance from Gong Xunwu.

Soon the little princess came over with the fragrance box. The fragrance box was very large, with small compartments inside. The little princess opened each compartment, and first let the maid next to her smell: “Smell this, it smells like oranges!”

The maid cooperated and sniffed, saying it really did.

Then the little princess held it out for Ye Yueshen to smell, and then for Gong Xunwu to smell.

Gong Xunwu also cooperated and smelled it. After a while, he said: “If you haven’t had enough fun, you can stay in Consort Shun’s palace first. I and Zherong can’t accompany you.”

It wasn’t good to stay too long. Consort Shun had someone see them off, and said to the little princess with a smile: “This concubine is going to greet the Empress Dowager in her palace, so I won’t keep the little princess.”

So the little princess left with them. Ye Yueshen approached Gong Xunwu and said in his ear: “Is there?”

Gong Xunwu nodded: “Yes.”

Ye Yueshen blinked, not at all surprised.

Gong Xunwu said: “Let’s go to Consort Gui’s palace to take a look.”

Consort Gui was the birth mother of the Crown Prince, and her status in the palace was based on her son’s position, but she could never surpass the Empress.

The little princess pushed Gong Xunwu’s leg and looked up at Ye Yueshen innocently, asking: “Why are you whispering?”