Chapter 55: The Big Bad Guy Is Bullying Me
The Go board was overturned.
A corner of the wooden Go board hit the ice-porcelain Go box on the table, falling to the ground and shattering!
The black pieces scattered in all directions, making countless crackling sounds. The sound was particularly harsh in the darkness.
Wei Wanlan’s recently calmed emotions were startled by the sudden crackling sound. The little finger that was about to pinky swear was suspended in mid-air and slowly tightened. He gradually clenched his fist, his large eyes flashing with bewilderment.
“Regent King?”
The Regent King’s back looked very hurried. He seemed to be looking for the door but couldn’t reach it. He stepped on some Go pieces, and the friction against the ground produced a series of harsh, shrill sounds.
Wei Wanlan thought of the words “fleeing in disgrace” at that moment.
But the big bad guy wouldn’t run away.
No matter where Wei Wanlan got the news from, he had never associated Su Jingzhi with “fleeing”.
Unable to understand, he scrambled down from the bed, wrapped in the sheet, wanting to check what was happening.
“Regent King?”
But he was sternly stopped, “Don’t move! Don’t come near!”
Su Jingzhi’s palm pressed firmly against the edge of the table, pushing the tabletop down. He pressed hard, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
This attack was different from before.
Su Jingzhi endured for a long time, but the dark spots in his vision not only didn’t dissipate but spread further until everything turned black.
He felt he might not be able to endure it; for the first time, he had the thought of going blind.
What made him even more uncontrollable was that he was about to lose his sanity, just like at Tianlu Pavilion. His chest heaved violently, as if a beast was lurking in his chest.
The beast was about to break free!
He couldn’t stay here. If he did anything to hurt Wei Wanlan…
He didn’t intend to tell Wei Wanlan that he was poisoned and didn’t have long to live.
This was an old grudge between him and the previous emperor and shouldn’t involve Wei Wanlan.
He only wanted to create the best conditions for him, showing his best self.
He didn’t want to leave Wei Wanlan with the impression of him becoming a cripple and didn’t want to cause trouble for his lover.
But his beloved little thing was so kind…
Wei Wanlan cautiously approached.
Thump!
Thump thump thump thump!!!
His heart beat violently. His blood surged.
The Regent King’s mind was filled with fierce malice, a surge of impulse to tear apart anyone who approached.
He called upon the last bit of his protective instinct, waving his hand forcefully to signal him to leave, but he didn’t see the glass palace lamp on the table.
His fingers knocked the lamp onto Wei Wanlan’s feet; the glass base shattered and exploded—
Crash…
He heard the shattering sound.
Fearing it would prick Wei Wanlan’s feet.
Su Jingzhi said heavily, “—Stay away from this King! Just stand there, don’t touch me!”
The blindness and loss of control caused by the poison were intensifying. He wanted to go out, his right arm extended towards the carved door, but at that moment, he heard Wei Wanlan crying and moving his feet randomly:
“The bedroom is on fire…”
It was the lamp just now!
The lamp was on fire.
Su Jingzhi couldn’t see the source of the fire, his heart panicked, his eyebrows throbbing. He couldn’t just leave; the servants hadn’t arrived yet, and how could he let Wei Wanlan be in danger alone?
He could only rely on his senses, barely perceiving a flickering light behind him on the left.
The Regent King pulled the tablecloth and lifted it. Wanting to put out the fire, he shook the tablecloth vigorously. But whether the fire was extinguished or not, all the tea sets on the table were overturned.
Everything was shattered and harsh.
Zichen Palace seemed to be about to be smashed to pieces by the Regent King…
Wei Wanlan was so scared that his cries changed tone.
The Regent King was furious, but he didn’t know where he had provoked him, why he was so angry, and what he had done wrong.
Thinking back, he just wanted to pinky swear with him.
But he had clearly said “sorry”; wasn’t he trying to reconcile? Otherwise, why would he call him “Xiao Wan”?
He got angry at him, and he apologized.
He was friendly to him, and he went crazy.
Wei Wanlan couldn’t understand the big bad guy. The big bad guy was terrifying. Wuu, will he hit people? Although the Regent King had never hit him. But… even being bitten would hurt.
I don’t want to be bitten again, QAQ
At this time, the carved door suddenly opened—
There were hurried footsteps outside. Eunuchs and maidservants knelt down in confusion, their heads bowed in fear, not daring to raise their heads:
“Your Majesty, Your Highness, what happened in the room?”
Only Su Jingzhi’s shoe tips and robe hems were visible.
The Regent King, who had practically lived in Zichen Palace recently, left without looking back, leaving the fearful gazes of the servants behind.
An Ruyi’s gaze followed that back, gasping.
He could hardly believe it: “Your Highness—”
…
Actually, the fire had been put out by then. The Regent King had extinguished it before leaving.
So the palace servants didn’t know there had been a fire. When they came in, they saw only a mess everywhere: broken porcelain pieces, Go pieces scattered everywhere, a fallen palace lamp, and overturned teacups.
Wei Wanlan, pitifully wrapped in a sheet, was still trembling from fear, his eyes still red from crying. The intense fear made him shiver, his throat choked, both wronged and uncomfortable.
The big bad guy is bullying me, QAQ!
The big bad guy got angry for no reason.
The maidservants were quick and efficient, and Zichen Palace was restored to its original state in no time.
Wei Wanlan was helped back to the dragon bed.
In the dragon bed, the little emperor curled up into a ball again.
“Your Majesty,” An Ruyi leaned closer, whispering at the bedside, “Are you alright?”
The scene just now looked like… the Regent King had used force, and His Majesty refused to cooperate, provoking the Regent King’s anger.
Although An Gonggong had already tested the Regent King’s feelings, he wanted a mutual relationship with the little emperor.
But who could say for sure whether the Regent King might lose control of his feelings?
Nobody could say for sure.
So An Gonggong subtly hinted, gently pulling Wei Wanlan, afraid that the little emperor wouldn’t understand: “Your Majesty, some things should be cleaned up.” The eunuch lowered his voice even further, instructing the little emperor: “If the Regent King leaves anything inside you, you can’t keep it overnight.”
Wei Wanlan remained silent for a moment before nodding slightly, gathering the sheet from under the covers and handing it out:
“He used the sheet to dry my hair. It’s a little damp, and it’s uncomfortable inside.”
Your Majesty, are you sure you understand?
What? Drying hair?
You two just drying hair could cause such a commotion? Are you kidding me?
Are you treating this eunuch like a fool?
An Ruyi suspiciously took the sheet, feeling that there must be something wrong, and repeatedly examined it for suspicious traces. His eyes almost popped out, but he found that there was indeed only water stains.
Pure hot spring water.
With the scent of bath petals.
An Ruyi: “Did the Regent King really only dry your hair? Did he not touch anywhere else?”
To say he touched, he did. He touched my face. When he put my hair behind my ear, he pinched my ear. The sensation remained; the Regent King’s fingertips were rough and hot.
But Wei Wanlan didn’t want to talk about this. He was still lying in the blanket, goosebumps still lingering. He pouted, his lips trembling.
Recalling the Regent King’s furious appearance just now, he turned his back to An Ruyi, not wanting to deal with this eye of the Regent King for now.
Bad guy…
The next morning, five o’clock wake-up call.
It was called a wake-up call. In fact, after last night’s commotion and having to follow the big villain’s rules this morning, fearing the Regent King’s wrath, Wei Wanlan was too timid, so he hadn’t slept much at all.
Before dawn, he couldn’t stay in bed anymore, his survival instincts kicking in.
Although he was sitting up, his eyes were still dull. Wei Wanlan leaned softly against the bedpost, his slender legs dangling, his bangs slightly drooping, forced to operate with difficulty.
The carved door of the bedroom opened at this time.
Seeing that the emperor was awake, An Ruyi quickly took a few steps: “Your Majesty, after you finish your morning meal, you will be receiving Doctor Fang for a pulse check. The doctor will teach you some methods to help you calm your heart and improve your sleep.”
“Okay…” Wei Wanlan nodded while leaning against the bedpost.
The emperor thought it was An Ruyi’s idea, feeling that he was considerate. He decided to put him back on the whitelist and stop being angry that he was the Regent King’s informant.
He was tired, his body achy. He stretched out his arms but kept his eyes closed.
Through his eyelids, he heard An Ruyi’s voice again:
“Don’t wear your outer clothes today. Your Majesty will need to undress to relax while the doctor teaches you the method. Your Majesty, please have your breakfast first. The food has been prepared.”
“Oh, thank you, An Gonggong.”
“You flatter me.”
Wearing his bright yellow pajamas, he sat at the dining table. Wei Wanlan slowly drank two or three mouthfuls of porridge and casually ate some other dishes and considered his breakfast finished.
The servants rushed over to help the emperor wash up.
After Wei Wanlan was cleaned and fed, he was once again a clean, fragrant, and soft one. Before half a moment had passed, the Imperial Guard outside Zichen Palace reported:
“Your Majesty, Doctor Fang is here to see Your Majesty.”
Wei Wanlan nodded, “Announce him.”
In the dragon bed’s curtains.
Wei Wanlan lay back down. The old doctor bowed, took Wei Wanlan’s pulse, and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with his health. He hadn’t been scared badly last night.
Then, he began to tell Wei Wanlan about treating insomnia, guiding Wei Wanlan to adjust his breathing.
“A true person’s breath originates from the heels; the breath of ordinary people originates from the throat.”
“Exhale the old, inhale the new, for longevity.”
“…”
In the bedroom, Doctor Fang’s slightly hoarse, old voice echoed around Wei Wanlan, like a senior’s gentle admonition.
Actually, Wei Wanlan was already sleepy.
The reason he didn’t sleep just now was because he didn’t dare to disobey the Regent King.
And now Doctor Fang was teaching him how to sleep soundly. Wei Wanlan naturally followed along, obediently following Doctor Fang’s instructions, inhaling—exhaling—inhaling again—exhaling again…
He couldn’t let people think that Doctor Fang’s medical skills were poor, could he?
So Wei Wanlan wholeheartedly focused, and before he had completed a few rounds of breathing exercises, he was already sleeping soundly, about to drool.
An Ruyi quickly lowered the curtain for the emperor. In his sleep, Wei Wanlan arched his body and rubbed his head against the pillow:
“Thank you, Doctor Fang.”
“It’s my duty. I’m just following the Regent King’s orders.”
Doctor Fang said politely.
But in fact, the old doctor was really speechless today.
At the time of the early morning, before dawn, he was still on duty at the Imperial Medical Office, on the night shift. He thought there wouldn’t be anyone with a headache or fever in the second half of the night. He had ordered the apprentices to lock the door of the Imperial Medical Office and was just about to doze off until dawn.
Then, just as his back touched the bed…
There was a banging knock at the door of the Imperial Medical Office.
Doctor Fang and several apprentices in the Imperial Medical Office were awakened.
The visitor was a retainer from the Regent King’s residence, holding the Regent King’s seal. The man spoke concisely, explaining the Regent King’s instructions in a few words, with additional rewards. He entered and left in half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. It didn’t delay Doctor Fang and the others from getting some extra sleep.
But the Regent King’s order, coming in the dead of night, made everyone think it was a major event, something that would affect the very foundation of the Great Wei.
The order turned out to be:
“The emperor is having difficulty sleeping. Please check his pulse at dawn and teach him breathing exercises to improve sleep.”
Doctor Fang only had one feeling after hearing this.
—It’s not that His Majesty has insomnia, but Su Yan is purely insane.
Recently, many people in the palace heard that the Regent King had ordered the little emperor to wake up early.
Some even speculated that the Regent King would next take the little emperor for morning exercises, making him run around the palace.
It was clear that the Regent King wanted to give the little emperor a break, allowing His Majesty to sleep a few more hours, but the villain was making the Imperial Medical Office look bad, as if the doctors were hindering the emperor’s efforts to cultivate good sleep habits.
Linghu Zheng would certainly remember the Imperial Medical Office for this!
They would be infamous forever!!!
Doctor Fang sighed inwardly. The Regent King was truly skilled in political strategies; he shifted the blame so deftly that no amount of money could compensate for the bad reputation.
But who could offend the Regent King?
Amidst Wei Wanlan’s even breathing, Doctor Fang shook his head slightly and was quietly dismissed by An Ruyi.