When Tantai Yi said this, Song Pu froze on the spot.
Seeing the blank look on his face, Tantai Yi found it somewhat amusing, though nothing showed on his expression. Instead he narrowed his eyes slightly, deliberately lowering his voice as he said with displeasure, “Why does Minister Song look like that? Could it be that everything you said just now was merely to humour me?”
Song Pu came back to himself, his fair face instantly flushing red. “No… Your Majesty misunderstands. Your servant is only overwhelmed by such favour! Your Majesty’s grace naturally fills me with joy, but… but this would be improper. I am an external official. How could I reside in the inner palace?”
Tantai Yi said, “Why not? My harem contains no women. Even if Minister Song wished to offend a consort, you would have no opportunity. I have no reservations, so Minister Song may set his mind at ease.”
At the words “offend a consort”, Song Pu’s eyelid twitched and his heart tightened. He hurriedly said, “Your Majesty’s trust moves me deeply. However, if I were truly to reside in the palace, it would surely affect Your Majesty’s reputation. I beg Your Majesty to think it over carefully!”
Tantai Yi’s pale golden eyes fixed on Song Pu, his tone already carrying a trace of impatience and danger. “Why is it that just now Minister Song spoke with such sincerity, yet when I invite you into the palace to keep me company you produce excuse after excuse? Is Minister Song’s devotion to me truly sincere?”
“…”
Song Pu swallowed and said earnestly, “Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I only fear that rumours might spread. After all, in this dynasty there has never been a precedent of a minister residing within the imperial city. How would your servant dare break such a rule? It would give others an excuse to make idle conjectures about Your Majesty. I only fear that malicious tongues might slander Your Majesty. When I imagine such a scene, my heart aches unbearably!”
Hearing this, Tantai Yi’s expression improved considerably. Unable to help himself, he reached out and took Song Pu’s hand again, saying softly, “Minister Song truly thinks of me.”
Song Pu’s fingers were squeezed painfully, his face paling at once. Since it was Tantai Yi holding him, he did not dare struggle and could only endure it.
Yet Tantai Yi did not notice. He continued gripping his hand, his tone turning low and sinister. “If anyone dares wag their tongues, I will cut those tongues out, lop off their limbs, and throw them into a wine vat to soak. Then we shall see who still dares gossip.”
Song Pu forced a smile through the pain. “Please reconsider, Your Majesty. Your servant believes in Your Majesty’s pure heart. Today I offended Your Majesty, yet Your Majesty did not punish me. Your servant understands Your Majesty’s feelings as clearly as a mirror. I only wish to offer my entire heart and blood to Your Majesty, to brave mountains of blades and seas of fire, to serve with utmost loyalty until death. If Your Majesty’s reputation were ruined because of me, it would be better to let your servant die!”
Tantai Yi seemed entirely unaware of his own strength. Song Pu’s finger bones throbbed with dull pain from the grip, and the sharp sting made a faint mist rise in his eyes. Even his voice carried a slight choke.
Paired with what he was saying, it made his sincerity appear utterly genuine.
Tantai Yi noticed the tremor in his voice. He paused, then reached out and pinched Song Pu’s chin, lifting his face.
Song Pu’s delicate brows were tightly knitted, and in those clear black-and-white eyes it seemed as though a pool of spring water shimmered, soft and luminous, stirring the heart.
Song Pu blinked. Clear tears immediately slipped past his long lashes and rolled down. He turned his face slightly aside, looking somewhat embarrassed as he explained, “Your Majesty… could you loosen your hand? Your servant is in some pain.”
Only then did Tantai Yi realise. Lowering his gaze, he saw that he had once again squeezed those jade-like hands until they had turned red.
This time he did not mock him. Instead he pressed his lips together, momentarily lost in thought.
Song Pu gently rubbed his hand, still feeling extremely awkward. It was said that a real man shed tears only rarely, yet his sensitivity to pain made it ridiculously easy for him to reach his limit. It made him look utterly lacking in masculine dignity.
Back in the modern world, his father had always laughed at him, saying that if he had been born in ancient times and subjected to torture he would confess everything before a single round was finished. Unlike now, born into a cosy nest at home.
His father’s good predictions never came true, but the bad ones always did. If he ever got back, he would sew that man’s mouth shut sooner or later.
“Your servant… your servant is terribly afraid of pain, which is why I behaved so,” Song Pu said hoarsely. “I beg Your Majesty not to blame me.”
Tantai Yi stared at him. After a while, long enough for Song Pu to shift uneasily in his seat, he finally said, “I do not blame you. Minister Song is so delicate. I wonder how the Duke’s residence managed to raise you.”
Song Pu could not tell whether it was an offhand remark or a veiled jab. He lowered his head and quietly wiped the dampness from his face.
His hand still hurt from Tantai Yi’s grip, but after resting a while it improved somewhat.
Tantai Yi said, “Since Minister Song has so many concerns, the matter of entering the palace can be discussed another time.”
As if recalling something, he frowned slightly and murmured almost to himself, “In a few days’ time the palace will become lively again.”
Song Pu perked up a little. “Your Majesty is vigorous and full of spirit. With a consort selection this year, next year the palace will surely be filled with heirs!”
Tantai Yi narrowed his long eyes slightly and looked at him. “When did I say I would select consorts?”
Song Pu froze, then hurriedly said, “Then what does Your Majesty mean?”
Tantai Yi gave a cold laugh. “The Empress Dowager probably finds herself lonely in her old age. She has issued a decree summoning young ladies from the families of court officials and commoners alike to enter the palace to accompany her. Naturally I must comply with the Empress Dowager’s wishes.”
Song Pu knew a little of the imperial family’s private affairs. For instance, Tantai Yi was not the Empress Dowager’s biological son, and the two did not appear particularly close. They were mother and son in name only. Beyond that he knew nothing.
But judging from Tantai Yi’s expression, Song Pu guessed their relationship was not good. Tantai Yi’s face clearly wore the expression of someone thinking, “I am about to cause trouble for the Empress Dowager.”
The matter of entering the palace ended there. Tantai Yi did not mention it again, and Song Pu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Living permanently in the palace would mean working overtime. Not only overtime, but actually living at the workplace.
Why was he, a pure and innocent male university student, already experiencing the hardships of corporate servitude so early in life? Damn it.
After coaxing the dog emperor a little longer and seeing him finally begin reviewing memorials properly, Song Pu’s face showed a rare look of relaxation.
Tantai Yi glanced at him. “Minister Song seems very pleased.”
Song Pu said sincerely, “Your Majesty’s posture while reviewing memorials is exceptionally handsome and imposing. Your servant felt so stirred that I could hardly restrain myself. If I disturbed Your Majesty, I beg forgiveness.”
The corner of Tantai Yi’s mouth lifted slightly. Lowering his gaze to the memorials, he said unhurriedly, “I like sweets. But not too sweet.”
Song Pu immediately brightened. Sweets? Perfect!
His family ran a cake shop, and he was rather talented at it himself. His father had even wanted him to inherit the business and become a pastry chef. Besides sweets he could also make various snacks. Because the university canteen food was dreadful, he had often secretly cooked in the dormitory, honing quite respectable culinary skills.
Of course, compared with the imperial chefs his cooking was nothing remarkable. Only his snacks and desserts might impress the dog emperor. And the dog emperor just happened to have a sweet tooth. What a coincidence.
Song Pu beamed, his voice turning noticeably gentler. “Your Majesty may rest assured. As long as Your Majesty reviews the memorials properly and they are not sent back again by the Grand Secretariat, your servant will give Your Majesty a very big surprise.”
While looking over the memorials, Tantai Yi noticed how much softer Song Pu’s voice had become. For some reason an odd itch stirred in his heart, and he found himself wanting to hear him speak a little more.
He also noticed that Song Pu had unconsciously forgotten the distance between them and had leaned slightly closer. Warm breath brushed against Tantai Yi’s ear, leaving a faint tingling sensation.
Ignoring the feeling, Tantai Yi snorted coldly. “Minister Song’s words make it sound as though you are coaxing a small child.”
Song Pu was embarrassed. Although he did indeed think of the dog emperor as a rebellious overgrown child, he had not expected Tantai Yi to be so sensitive. “Your Majesty jests. Your servant was simply captivated by the unparalleled majesty Your Majesty displays when reviewing memorials. Inevitably I grew greedy and wished to watch a little longer, so…”
Tantai Yi glanced at him and did not think he was exaggerating. When he was young and visited the late emperor’s study, he too had felt the late emperor was exceptionally solemn and imposing while handling affairs of state. Standing beside him, he had not even dared to speak, afraid of disturbing his work.
The unpleasant memory suddenly made Tantai Yi irritable. He wanted to fling aside the memorial in his hand and lose his temper. Yet noticing the attentive gaze beside him, he restrained himself.
“I am hungry,” Tantai Yi said.
Author’s Note:
Ah-Gou: I want to slack off!
Ah-Gou has thrown you a “lure the tiger away from the mountain”. What will you choose?
Ah-Pu hints frantically: eating while slacking off does not interfere with work at all!
