Chapter 5: Chu Yi is Willing to Become Your Majesty’s Consort
Chu Yi was still pondering the meaning behind Sheng Qianheng’s words when his entire field of vision was consumed by him.
He leaned his head back slightly, stunned for a moment before speaking, “Your Majesty, please don’t jest. This subject is a man. How could I possibly become a femme fatale who topples a nation?”
Sheng Qianheng raised an eyebrow, lifting a hand to brush against Chu Yi’s lips as he leaned in closer. “I never jest.”
Chu Yi grew nervous without realizing it. He unconsciously extended his tongue to lick the corner of his lips, only to unexpectedly touch the pad of Sheng Qianheng’s finger.
For a brief moment, both of them froze.
Chu Yi averted his gaze, not daring to look at Sheng Qianheng, deeply afraid of being bewitched by the tyrant’s handsome face.
Sheng Qianheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed. The Chu Yi before him was the first Kunze he had marked since differentiating into a Qianyuan. Although they hadn’t formed a permanent mark, to a Qianyuan, he already considered the Kunze before him his own.
Taking advantage of Sheng Qianheng’s momentary daze, Chu Yi quickly broke free from his grasp and took several steps back. “This subject is tired. May I be excused?”
“Now that your body has recovered, it’s time you shared some of my burdens.” Sheng Qianheng clasped his hands behind his back, rubbing his fingers together thoughtfully.
Chu Yi nodded. Fine, fine, as long as he doesn’t kill me, anything is fine. “This subject obeys the decree.”
Sheng Qianheng, noticing Chu Yi’s frequent absent-mindedness over the past few days, couldn’t help but ask, “What are you thinking about now?”
“These past few days, this subject has been staying with Your Majesty in Your Majesty’s bedchamber. This subject is unmarried, and Your Majesty has not taken a consort. This is improper.” Chu Yi wanted to test the tyrant’s attitude. “This subject wishes to return to my own residence.”
Sheng Qianheng had just picked up his bow again. Hearing Chu Yi’s words, he swiftly turned and drew the bow on him. “The truth?”
Chu Yi stared at the arrowhead, his pupils trembling uncontrollably. He tried his best to remain calm as he replied, “It is indeed the truth. But if Your Majesty is unwilling, this subject is willing to remain by Your Majesty’s side at all times, to share your worries…”
Sheng Qianheng wanted to trust every word Chu Yi said, but ever since his ascension, Chu Yi seemed to have become a different person…
They had known each other for seventeen years. When they first met, Chu Yi was twelve. At that time, Chu Yi was the former Crown Prince’s study companion and had accidentally stumbled upon Sheng Qianheng, who had snuck out of the Cold Palace.
The former Crown Prince, born of the Empress, was arrogant and self-important. He shoved Sheng Qianheng to the ground and ordered his servants, “Take him back to the Cold Palace! Don’t let him out again! Such bad luck!”
Chu Yi watched as Sheng Qianheng sat sprawled on the ground, his face smudged with dirt, his entire person filthy. He truly couldn’t bear it.
When the former Crown Prince wasn’t looking, he squatted down and raised a hand to wipe Sheng Qianheng’s dirty face.
Sheng Qianheng was young and only knew that the older brother before him was a good person, unlike the people in the Cold Palace who all disliked him…
He reached out and grabbed Chu Yi’s finger, smiling.
Seeing this, the former Crown Prince pulled Chu Yi up, admonishing him, “Don’t pay him any mind. He’s the son of a palace maid and hasn’t even started his formal education…”
Chu Yi watched as the servants picked up the small boy and walked toward the Cold Palace…
Chu Yi: “He hasn’t even started his education? He looks to be about four or five years old.”
Sheng Qianheng released the bowstring, and the arrow flew swiftly toward Chu Yi.
Chu Yi stared blankly at Sheng Qianheng, completely unable to move. The arrowhead grazed past his sideburns with a “whoosh,” and a few strands of hair, caught by the wind of the arrow, floated down.
Chu Yi’s heart was already in turmoil. Is the tyrant testing me?
Sheng Qianheng’s aim was almost perfect; he rarely missed. If he wanted to kill him, this arrow wouldn’t have gone astray.
Sheng Qianheng spoke coldly, “Not afraid?”
Chu Yi took a deep breath. “This subject is not afraid. If Your Majesty wishes to kill this subject, there is no need for such trouble. A single command is all it takes.”
“You see things clearly, having figured out that Zhen cannot bear to kill you.” Sheng Qianheng turned and removed his protective gear. “But Zhen has no choice but to kill you!”
Chu Yi immediately dropped to his knees, his vision momentarily blackening. “This subject… this subject does not know how I have displeased Your Majesty…”
Sheng Qianheng sat down in the pavilion on the training grounds and took a sip of the tea that had already been prepared. “My beloved Minister Chu has not angered Zhen. But the world demands that Zhen kill you. I must give the world an explanation.”
Chu Yi, on his knees, shuffled forward, his body trembling slightly. He rehearsed various speeches in his mind, but when he opened his mouth, only one sentence came out, “Your Majesty, this subject wants to live…”
Sheng Qianheng had lived in this palace for twenty-two years, enduring the cold stares of others. Now, sitting on the supreme throne, he felt no joy in his heart.
He dismissed everyone. “Chu Yi, come here.”
Chu Yi raised his eyes and, bit by bit, shuffled on his knees to Sheng Qianheng’s side.
Sheng Qianheng asked, “You want to live?”
Chu Yi nodded. “This subject has not yet seen all the wonders of the world. I do not wish to lose my life just yet.”
This was not the answer Sheng Qianheng wanted to hear. His fingertips tapped on the table. “It has nothing to do with Zhen?”
“This subject once promised Your Majesty that I would witness an era of peace and prosperity alongside you.” Chu Yi tried hard to recall the details from the book, but there was too little recorded. “I hope Your Majesty will grant my wish.”
Sheng Qianheng: “You said you were willing to share my burdens?”
Chu Yi couldn’t be bothered with such things now and immediately agreed, “Of course I am willing.”
Sheng Qianheng used a fan to lift Chu Yi’s chin, then gently patted his cheek. “At morning court today, Zhen encountered two major problems.”
Chu Yi naturally understood the lifeline Sheng Qianheng was offering him and took the cue. “This subject is willing to hear the details.”
“First, the ministers have submitted memorials urging Zhen to kill the traitorous Prince Regent, Chu Yi, to eliminate future trouble…” Sheng Qianheng picked up two memorials that had been placed on the table beforehand and pretended to leaf through them. “Second, the old officials from the previous court, for the sake of the nation’s future, have repeatedly urged Zhen to take a consort. What is my beloved Minister Chu’s opinion on these two matters?”
Chu Yi wore a smile. “This subject believes that taking a consort is for the sake of the imperial harem’s heirs. Since ancient times, emperors have taken many consorts to ensure a flourishing line of succession. At Your Majesty’s age, the late Emperor already had three princes and one princess. Yet Your Majesty’s harem is empty…”
Sheng Qianheng smiled faintly. “You’ve only analyzed the matter of taking a consort. What about the matter of taking your life?”
Chu Yi stammered, “This… Your Majesty, please don’t tease this subject anymore…”
“It seems my beloved Minister Chu still does not understand Zhen’s heart…” Sheng Qianheng stood up. “Tomorrow, at the third quarter of the wu hour, the executioner will be ready.”
Chu Yi thought it over. This tyrant was simply trying to make him offer himself up to enter his harem.
As long as he could live, what did it matter if he became a consort?
He could think about escaping later.
He immediately called out to stop Sheng Qianheng, “Your Majesty, Chu Yi is willing to become Your Majesty’s consort.”
Sheng Qianheng turned back, his gaze fixed on Chu Yi’s eyes. “Zhen does not marry one whose heart is not sincere.”
Chu Yi took a deep breath. “I am willing…”
Sheng Qianheng understood. He walked back to Chu Yi and helped him up. “In that case, the identity of Chu Yi can no longer be used… The Prince Regent, Chu Yi, will die tomorrow at the third quarter of the wu hour.”
Chu Yi was silent. This damn emperor! If he wanted to make me his consort, why couldn’t he just say so instead of beating around the bush! He nearly gave me a heart attack…
“Your Majesty, then what name should this subject use?”
Sheng Qianheng pulled Chu Yi to him, burying his face in the crook of his neck and sniffing delicately. “Zhen has my own plans.”
The next day, the Prince Regent, Chu Yi, was executed at the palace gate at the third quarter of the wu hour for treason.
After Chu Yi agreed to enter the palace as Sheng Qianheng’s consort, Sheng Qianheng informed the several ministers at court who had often urged him to take a consort, making the old officials beam with joy.
Chu Yi thought to himself, don’t celebrate too soon. As a male consort, he couldn’t produce any heirs.
Sooner or later, those memorials would turn into pleas for Sheng Qianheng to take another consort who could bear children.
Translator’s Notes
-
Third quarter of the wu hour : The wu hour is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The third quarter of this hour is approximately 11:45 a.m. This was traditionally the time for public executions in ancient China, as it was believed to be the time when the yang energy was at its peak, which could suppress the yin energy of the executed ghost.
