Mu Zhan almost burst out laughing, tugging at the corners of his lips, and said, “What did you say? Say it again?”
If Wen Mingyu were sober at this moment, he would surely sense the danger, act sensibly, and shift the conversation to something else—basically, diverting the topic.
However, Wen Mingyu was drunk, and his brain was not functioning properly. He didn’t pick up on the threat in Mu Zhan’s tone at all. Instead, he laughed foolishly and fearlessly repeated the insult, seemingly oblivious to the potential consequences.
“Dog Emperor.”
Mu Zhan’s eyebrow twitched. He pressed his temple, his expression looking as if he were contemplating whether to simply kill the person on the spot or throw them out to sober up and torment them a bit before finishing the job.
However, after a quiet moment, Mu Zhan didn’t make any move. Perhaps he felt it beneath his dignity to argue with a drunkard. He reached out to push the other man’s head away.
Yet, Wen Mingyu seemed to find that spot comfortable and treated it as his territory. He was pushed away for a moment, but immediately stuck back, grabbing onto Mu Zhan’s arm and refusing to let go.
Mu Zhan was somewhat surprised; indeed, being drunk made people lose their rationality, quite different from their usual selves. When sober, Wen Mingyu always seemed timid, despite putting on a bold facade. His legs trembled beneath him.
Mu Zhan didn’t like the idea of Wen Mingyu being afraid of him, but an immediate change wasn’t possible. So, he let him act it out. After all, with time, the act might just turn into reality.
Mu Zhan withdrew his hand and looked down at him with a hint of meaning, saying, “I’ll give you one chance. Get up on your own.”
Wen Mingyu didn’t pay any attention, persistently wanting to nestle on Mu Zhan’s legs for sleep. Since he couldn’t hold onto Mu Zhan’s hand, he settled for hugging his waist. Worried about being pushed away again, he buried his face in Mu Zhan’s lap, pressed tightly against his abdominal muscles, and willingly nestled into Mu Zhan’s embrace.
Mu Zhan stiffened for a moment, then smiled. His hand gently landed on Wen Mingyu’s head, lightly brushing through the soft black hair. The gesture could be considered gentle, but upon closer inspection, his eyes revealed a deep and frightening sense of obsessive determination, sending shivers down one’s spine.
“You chose this yourself.”
“I gave you a chance. If you don’t run, it’s too late for regrets now.”
Mu Zhan sat there, one hand propped on the table, casually holding a wine glass. He appeared to be leisurely enjoying a drink alone. However, upon closer inspection, one would notice another person lying on his lap. His other hand rested on Wen Mingyu’s head, gently stroking in a slow, deliberate manner. Following the smooth long hair, he pinched the back of Wen Mingyu’s neck, then continued to caress his back, maintaining a gentle touch.
It was exactly like stroking a cat.
And Wen Mingyu seemed to have been petted the right way. He stopped making a fuss, comfortable enough to emit low murmurs. He became limp like his bones had turned to jelly, lazily lying on his side, stretching his body. Occasionally, there was a slight shiver.
After a while, Mu Zhan stopped, and Wen Mingyu seemed a bit dissatisfied. With half-closed eyes, he reached out, hooked Mu Zhan’s hand, and placed it back on his back, signaling him to continue.
Mu Zhan, however, remained still. Instead, he swirled the wine glass in his hand.
“Want a drink?”
Wen Mingyu looked up with a sluggish nod, unconsciously licking his lips. The moist lips resembled flower petals adorned with dewdrops, appearing even more tender and inviting.
“Yes.”
As he reached out to grab it, Mu Zhan dodged.
Mu Zhan squinted, “What do you have to exchange?”
Wen Mingyu pondered for a moment and then said, “I’ll tell you a secret.”
Mu Zhan’s eyes darkened, “Tell me then.”
Wen Mingyu crawled up softly, swaying as he leaned in close to Mu Zhan’s ear. Cupping his hand around his mouth, he whispered in a hushed tone, “Actually, I’m not…”
Mu Zhan appeared calm, his expression unchanged, but his hand gripping the wine glass involuntarily tightened, the knuckles turning white.
But what Mu Zhan wanted to hear, Wen Mingyu only hinted at the beginning before stopping. Suddenly, he sniffed like a curious puppy and asked, “What’s the smell on you?”
It was a pleasant aroma of alcohol, much more enticing than the drink in his hand.
Wen Mingyu’s nose twitched slightly. After taking a couple more sniffs, he collapsed, laying on Mu Zhan’s shoulder. He seemed as if he had consumed several large barrels of alcohol, almost losing control. He was so intoxicated that he was on the verge of revealing something. His head felt itchy, and it seemed like bunny ears were about to pop out.
Fortunately, despite being heavily drunk, Wen Mingyu still remembered that this was something he absolutely couldn’t let anyone know. He lowered his head and nuzzled into Mu Zhan’s embrace, rubbing his head against him to alleviate the itchiness, preventing the bunny ears from emerging.
Mu Zhan was getting agitated from the rubbing, unable to control the irritation. When he was about to lift Wen Mingyu, he heard the soothing and prolonged sound of breathing.
Wen Mingyu had fallen asleep.
Mu Zhan: “…..”
The next day, the sun was shining brightly.
Wen Mingyu woke up with a pounding headache, a typical symptom of a hangover.
He groggily looked around at the unfamiliar and luxurious surroundings, along with many exquisite dragon-patterned decorations…..
So, he slept in a dragon bed?!
Wen Mingyu was startled, jumped up, but due to his dizziness, he couldn’t stand steadily and bumped his head on the bedpost.
A servant girl heard the noise and hurriedly rushed in. In three or two steps, she approached, carefully supporting him.
“Young Master Wen, His Majesty has instructed not to disturb your rest. You can sleep as long as you want.”
Wen Mingyu tried to recall what happened last night. After having a drink, his memories became fragmented, with only a few scattered images. Did he… insult the Dog Emperor?
Oh no, he’s in big trouble.
His face turned ugly, and he waved his hand without hesitation, “No need to sleep. I want to go back.”
He wished he could fly out of the palace, but that was impossible. Going back to his own palace, at least, would provide temporary refuge.
Once back, Sanxi eagerly came to greet him, genuinely happy. “Young Master, you spent the night in the Emperor’s sleeping quarters. This has never happened before. The Emperor must really like you.”
However, Wen Mingyu wasn’t pleased at all. He even felt like banging his head against the wall. If he could go back to his sober self before drinking last night, he wouldn’t touch a drop of alcohol, not even if someone paid him.
Moreover, he began to wonder, how did he end up on the bed after originally sitting at the table with food and drink? It couldn’t have been him. Did the tyrant carry him? No, no, no. He’d rather believe it was the palace servants who brought him there!
His expression changed repeatedly, feeling a chill down his spine. He had the ominous feeling that today might be the last day of his life, and he felt like crying.
Sanxi assisted him with washing up and gave him sobering tea.
He sat by the table, holding a cup, contemplating his short life. His expression seemed as if he had seen through the troubles of the mortal world and was about to become a monk, looking out of the window with a calm demeanor.
Sanxi was completely puzzled, unable to understand what had happened to the Young Master. He spent a night at the Emperor’s place, and now he returned like this. Could it be that something happened with the Emperor?
Sanxi’s heart skipped a beat, questioning if he had gone mad to even dare to entertain such disrespectful thoughts. Of course, the Emperor was the most valiant and invincible!
Wen Mingyu’s mind was filled with a jumble of thoughts. On one hand, he felt like he was about to die, and on the other hand, he argued against himself. If the tyrant wanted to kill him, he would have done it last night. Why let him sleep peacefully in the dragon bed? Maybe the tyrant was a masochist who enjoyed being insulted…..
Thinking about this, Wen Mingyu felt extremely uneasy. It was impossible for such absurd things to happen.
After a while, a palace servant came to inform him that the Marchioness of Guangyang would be visiting him in the palace after lunch.
Wen Mingyu was stunned for a moment before realizing who it was. He didn’t know why his original self’s stepmother would come to see him, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t be for anything good.
“Does the Emperor know about this? Did he approve?” Wen Mingyu asked.
The young eunuch respectfully replied, “Yes, Young Master. The Emperor even mentioned that if you don’t want to meet, you don’t have to. It’s just a pastime for you when you’re bored.”
Pastime?
Wen Mingyu looked utterly confused. What did Mu Zhan mean? It seemed like Mu Zhan didn’t like the Marchioness either?
He couldn’t quite fathom Mu Zhan’s intentions, but the words did give him some inspiration. Since he might die at any moment and hadn’t had the chance to retaliate against those he disliked from his original world, wasn’t this a good opportunity? Even if he wasn’t pleased, he could make those annoying people even more unhappy, and then he would be content.
So, Wen Mingyu nodded, “Let her come.”
Shifting his focus away, Wen Mingyu refused to dwell on last night’s events. He ate quite a bit during lunch, and if it weren’t for the discomfort in his stomach due to the hangover, he could have eaten even more.
Half an hour later, the Marchioness did indeed arrive.
Her makeup was exquisite, and she maintained a graceful posture, but due to her infrequent visits to the palace, she couldn’t hide her nervousness and fear. After all, there was that fearsome figure within the palace.
It wasn’t until she saw Wen Mingyu that she could finally relax a bit, regaining a sense of familiarity. However, when their eyes met, she froze.
Who was this elegantly dressed young gentleman? His noble temperament seemed to be of royal descent.
The Marchioness completely forgot her manners until Sanxi reminded her, “Isn’t the Marchioness going to bow?”
She instinctively followed through, but as she rose, she remembered that Wen Mingyu was just an unrecognized servant to the Emperor. Why should she bow to him?
Taking a seat across from Wen Mingyu, the Marchioness smiled and said, “Mingyu, I want to have a private conversation with you.”
This was a hint for the palace attendants to withdraw.
However, Wen Mingyu acted as if he didn’t understand and straightforwardly responded, “Go ahead.”
The Marchioness’s expression stiffened momentarily. She struggled to maintain her smile and softened her voice, saying, “You see, Mingyu, the Marquisate has carefully raised you. Your father dotes on you very much. After you entered the palace, he has been deeply concerned. How have you been these days?”
Wen Mingyu intentionally elongated his response, “Oh, you care for me so much. That’s why I grew up with insufficient food and clothing, bullied by servants. I never learned a single word, thanks to your unique form of care.”
The Marchioness didn’t expect him to be so blunt in exposing the truth. Unable to contain her irritation, she forced an explanation, “That was the result of some malicious servants. Of course, I also bear some responsibility for not noticing such people. I’ve already sold them off, and I will make amends for you.”
Wen Mingyu looked surprised, “Doesn’t that mean your Marquisate will be empty? Almost every servant in your house has bullied me. Your son has also beaten me many times. Are you going to sell him too?”
The Marchioness couldn’t control the twist in her expression. “That was when my son was young and didn’t know any better. I’ll make him apologize and make amends to you.”
Wen Mingyu raised an eyebrow, “Kneel down and apologize? Oh, I’ll be waiting.”
The Marchioness was so provoked that her mouth twitched, and veins bulged on her forehead.
She suppressed her anger and shifted the topic, slowly explaining the purpose of her visit. In simple terms, she heard that Wen Mingyu was doing well in the palace and wanted him to speak favorably to the Emperor, benefitting their family. She subtly hinted and warned him that their fates were intertwined – if one prospered, so would the other; if one suffered, so would the other. Without the Marquisate as his background, it would be challenging for him to maintain his position in the palace.
However, Wen Mingyu, after listening to her lengthy discourse, treated it like hearing someone pass gas. He yawned impatiently.
“Are you done? My answer is simple – stop dreaming. I won’t help,” Wen Mingyu replied.
The Marchioness, infuriated by someone she used to control and disregard, couldn’t hide her anger any longer. She raised her voice sharply, “Aren’t you a part of the Marquisate? Do you have no conscience? When the family needs help, you act so heartless, completely indifferent!”
Wen Mingyu replied, “Oh, then I guess I have no conscience.”
The Marchioness, pointing at him, scolded, “You! You get a little favor, and you become arrogant, forgetting who you are. I bet when you’re abandoned and left to die in the future, no one will come to help you!”
Wen Mingyu sneered, about to retort, when a deep voice suddenly came from the doorway.
“Do you have an issue with my person?”
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