Animals are inherently sensitive to danger.
Although Wen Mingyu is not a real animal, due to the innate animal form of Omega, it naturally possesses some animal characteristics.
Droopy-eared rabbits are very timid; they get scared easily by any sudden movements or noises.
Not to mention, standing before him now is a man exuding a dangerous aura all over, as if encountering a natural enemy. Wen Mingyu’s body stiffened, wishing he could just fall to the ground and play dead.
These days, Wen Mingyu wasn’t only busy being a lazy fish; he was also sneakily gathering information. However, the palace maids were tight-lipped, and he had to rely on bits he overheard from the Marquis’s mansion and dig into his own memories.
The era thousands of years ago was too distant, with few historical records, but there were still some accounts.
It is said that during a court session, a high-ranking official dared to defy the tyrant, uttering words that angered him. In the blink of an eye, the tyrant, who moments ago had been calmly looking down at the civil and military officials, suddenly had bloodshot eyes. He transformed instantly, his face filled with madness and a terrifying aura. Seizing a guard’s sword, he swiftly struck down the disobedient official, blood splattering on the spot. The hall fell into a deathly silence, with courtiers shocked and afraid to utter a word, fearing they might be the next lifeless body.
Due to this incident, the tyrant’s reputation for capriciousness and disregard for human life became even more entrenched, instilling fear in every courtier.
The air itself seemed to have stagnated.
Thinking about all this, Wen Mingyu became so nervous that he forgot to breathe. His hand, resting on the door frame, involuntarily tightened, fingers curling and the knuckles protruding, showing a faint hint of white.
Being stared at by this tyrant who could take his life at any moment, his legs turned weak…
He had considered before how to handle it if he ever encountered the tyrant, but now that the moment had arrived, his mind went blank. He stood there dumbfounded, nearly revealing his true self, turning into a huddled ball of fur out of sheer fright.
Images of his own beheading were the only things his mind could conjure, and the thought was so grim that he wanted to cry in despair. Was this the end of his newly acquired second chance at life?
The man in black robes was tall and imposing, striding forward with a commanding presence.
Wen Mingyu couldn’t help but tremble, wanting to escape, but his weakened legs didn’t cooperate. The tiny distance he managed to retreat was almost negligible.
Mu Zhan stood just two steps in front of him, looking down at him with a calm expression.
“Are you the one sent by the Wen family? Who taught you manners? Don’t you know how to show respect?”
Upon hearing this, Wen Mingyu belatedly realized, “Oh right, in ancient times, you’re supposed to bow when you see the emperor. How exactly was the bowing posture again?1This is an inner monologue ” He had secretly practiced it a couple of days ago, but now he couldn’t recall!
He instinctively glanced at the palace maids around, hoping to follow their lead, but the person in front of him blocked his view.
Oh no.
He felt as if he were in an exam hall facing a question he didn’t understand at all, wanting to sneak a glance at someone else’s paper. However, the invigilator was standing right next to him, and in normal exams, at worst, one could fail a subject. In this case, if he got it wrong, it might cost him his life!
It was truly a desperate situation.
After a brief hesitation, the tyrant seemed somewhat impatient, his voice carrying a hint of coldness, “Did Marquis Guangyang send a mute to us? Quite audacious.”
Wen Mingyu’s heart skipped a beat. The next sentence couldn’t possibly be “I’m displeased, so I’ll kill your entire family,” could it?
Though he wasn’t fond of the Marquis of Guangyang, it wasn’t to the point where he wished him dead. Moreover, if it came to exterminating nine generations, he would be included in that too.
Wen Mingyu didn’t have time to think about what to say. He quickly responded, “I can speak.”
Mu Zhan squinted slightly, “Why didn’t you speak just now?”
Wen Mingyu didn’t dare to say he was scared silly and forgot to react. He could only hope that extending an olive branch would work—everyone loves to hear sweet words. So, he raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a harmless smile, and said, “It’s my first time meeting Your Majesty. I was so stunned by Your Majesty’s unparalleled handsome appearance and incomparable noble temperament that I forgot how to speak for a moment.”
In this regard, he wasn’t entirely lying. Initially, he had heard terrifying rumors, imagining the tyrant to be a fearsome figure with a fierce appearance. However, upon seeing him in person, he was surprisingly young and quite handsome. If it weren’t for the overwhelming aura, he could be mistaken for a charming young gentleman.
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a collective gasp of horror from the palace maids around. It seemed that what Wen Mingyu said was too frightening for them to control their reactions.
Wen Mingyu was startled, feeling like he might have taken the wrong route and stepped on a landmine.
His smile became stiff, almost unsustainable.
However, Mu Zhan stared at him for several seconds, then suddenly let out a laugh, though it was unclear whether it was a genuine laugh or a sarcastic one.
Then, Mu Zhan turned and walked away, leaving behind the command, “Bring him over.”
Wen Mingyu was stunned, not understanding what the tyrant meant. A eunuch with a fair complexion approached him, holding a dusting brush and smiling, “Master Wen, His Majesty wants you to come. Please follow this servant.”
Wen Mingyu: “…Oh.”
Though he maintained a smile on the surface, his heart was already brimming with tears. Was his strategy of using sweet words to please successful or not? The tyrant didn’t mention killing him, but why did he want him to go over? Was it to devise a method of torment, or was it a whimsical decision to use him as a pastime? He preferred the latter.
As he was about to leave, Sanxi called out to him. Wen Mingyu turned around, meeting Sanxi’s worried gaze. Despite their brief time together, he felt Sanxi was a decent person, and they had developed a bit of a connection. So, even though his legs were trembling, he smiled to reassure him, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
…Fine, my foot. He might not come back after this.
Wen Mingyu followed the eunuch, and for the first time in many days in the palace, he stepped out of his own living space. The imperial palace was indeed magnificent and splendid, breathtakingly so, but he had no mood to appreciate it when his life was on the line. He tried to inquire about something from the eunuch, who seemed approachable with his smiling appearance, but in reality, he was tight-lipped and evasive—a master in the art of deflecting questions.
Wen Mingyu could only keep quiet and walked silently to a magnificent palace. As soon as he entered, the door closed behind him with a soft thud, as if it had landed on his heart, making him shudder involuntarily.
Mu Zhan sat in the central seat, and the table in front of him was filled with exquisite and sumptuous dishes, the aroma wafting through the air.
Wen Mingyu suddenly felt hungry. It was about lunchtime now.
Mu Zhan sat there, one hand supporting his chin, looking indifferent. He showed no interest in the tempting dishes spread out before him.
Wen Mingyu couldn’t help but glance at the food and discreetly swallowed.
Not knowing why the tyrant summoned him, he stood there without moving after entering the hall.
Mu Zhan lifted his gaze slightly and glanced at him, saying in a calm tone, “Come and sit down.”
Wen Mingyu was a bit surprised but obediently walked over, looking at the chairs uncertain about where to sit.
Mu Zhan tapped the spot beside him.
Wen Mingyu immediately sat down, his movements so quick that it seemed a bit impolite. Of course, he wasn’t being rude, just afraid of displeasing the tyrant and receiving a “decapitation combo” service.
Mu Zhan, chin resting on his hand, calmly asked, “What’s your name?”
“Wen Mingyu.”
He answered reflexively. Wen Mingyu paused for a moment, fortunately, the original owner’s name and his pronunciation were the same, so it wasn’t considered a mistake.
But as soon as he finished speaking, he felt a faint gaze suddenly piercing down from above. A chill ran down his spine, and his heart almost stopped beating.
What’s going on? Does the tyrant dislike his name?
“Which characters?” Mu Zhan asked again.
This time, without hesitation, Wen Mingyu explained the characters of the original owner’s name: Wen Mingyu2闻 (Wen): This character means “to hear” or “to smell.” It can also be associated with knowledge or being informed. 明 (Ming): This character means “bright” or “clear.” It can also signify intelligence, understanding, or clarity. 郁 (Yu): This character means “luxuriant” or “lush.” It can also convey a sense of richness or abundance. So, “Wen Mingyu” (闻明郁) would be translated as “Hearing/Bright Abundance” or “Informed and Intelligent Prosperity,” with each character contributing a unique meaning to the name. Thank you google.
However, as soon as he finished, Mu Zhan’s expression grew even colder.
Wen Mingyu, feeling both timid and confused, thought, “What’s wrong with the name? It sounds good. What did I do to offend you? Can’t I just change it?!”
While he was still dissatisfied, his chin suddenly felt a cool touch as it was gripped by a pale, slender hand.
Wen Mingyu was forced to lift his head and lock eyes with Mu Zhan. The fingers on his chin exerted a slight pressure, pinched for a moment, and then slid along the edge of his cheek, slowly and gently caressing upward. Those fingers felt a bit cool, like a serpent crawling slowly, sending shivers down his spine and making his heart race.
After delicate caresses for a while, the fingertips grazed over his ears, giving them a gentle rub.
The unprecedented intimate touch made Wen Mingyu extremely uncomfortable, causing him to shudder. He tried to pull back, but he was firmly held, unable to break free.
Wen Mingyu was completely bewildered, having no idea why the tyrant suddenly acted so erratically. Being pinched on the chin and having his face touched out of the blue, it wasn’t exactly painful, but it was frightening. He felt like he had become a dissected frog on an experiment table, and the tyrant’s gaze penetrated through his skin, seeing everything underneath. The places touched also inexplicably felt a tingling warmth.
After the exploration, Mu Zhan seemed to lose interest suddenly. He closed his eyes slightly, withdrew his hand, lazily leaned against the back of the chair, his expression turning gloomy.
So… what exactly does this mean?
Wen Mingyu was left with a question mark overhead but still discreetly breathed a sigh of relief.
He had just feared that the tyrant developed an interest in skinning, which would have been horrifying.
An eerie silence hung in the air.
Wen Mingyu couldn’t help but sneak a few glances at the food on the table. He didn’t want to, but it smelled too good.
“Do you want some?”
The deep voice suddenly sounded, startling Wen Mingyu. He looked up at Mu Zhan, resembling a startled little creature with wide, round eyes and fur standing on end. However, he quickly recovered, put on a smile, and innocently shook his head, saying, “No, I don’t.”
This was the emperor’s food, and if the emperor didn’t eat, how could he dare to think about it? Wasn’t that seeking death?
A slight curve appeared at the corner of Mu Zhan’s mouth, and he chuckled, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. There was no sign of pleasure; instead, a hint of coldness was evident. “Since you don’t want to eat…someone, who made these dishes?”
Wait, what’s happening?
Wen Mingyu was a bit confused, but Mu Zhan quickly clarified, his voice deep and heavy, “The dishes made are utterly unappetizing; there’s no point in keeping them.”
Damn, truly worthy of being a tyrant, suddenly deciding to kill someone.
Wen Mingyu certainly didn’t want anyone to die because of him. He hastily picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of meat, and swiftly stuffed it into his mouth. With a pleasantly surprised expression, he said, “It’s really delicious~”
This time he wasn’t pretending; the imperial feast prepared for the emperor was indeed top-notch, with a superb taste that made his eyes light up.
Mu Zhan waved his hand at the eunuch who had just been called in, dismissing him. He looked at Wen Mingyu with a smile that seemed almost playful. “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to eat just now?”
Wen Mingyu grinned, his eyes sparkling. “Because they all looked too delicious.”
Mu Zhan: “Then finish them all.”
Oh, he took this threat quite seriously.
Wen Mingyu obediently responded with a face full of innocence, burying his head in eating, focusing on his meal.
The roast duck skin is crispy, the sweet and sour pork is tangy and delicious, the steamed perch is fresh and smooth, the shrimp is tender and satisfying, and the silky white jade tofu melts in the mouth…
The delicacies were exquisite, but there was a strong and hard-to-ignore gaze from above, making his scalp tingle. The intense pressure made it difficult for him to fully enjoy the delicious food, causing a bit of indigestion.
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