Chapter 1
"Your Majesty, I have heard that the new emperor of Sheng State is cruel and ruthless. I implore Your Majesty to stay in the guesthouse tonight and not attend the banquet at the palace."
"Bang--"
The smoky green teacup fell on the table, and the dull sound suddenly poured into the ears of Changlin Hou. Changlin Hou's face trembled, and he quietly lifted his drooping eyelids and glanced at the young emperor sitting above him.
There was a hint of anger in the boy's pretty face.
Marquis Changlin immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed: "Your Majesty..."
Yu Zhi interrupted Marquis Changlin and said, "I came here to test Luo Tingshi's abilities. You want me to hide in the annex and not enter the palace?"
Marquis Changlin became more and more worried.
He had watched the young emperor grow up, and the young emperor had always been a man of his own ideas, and once he made a decision, he would not waver. This time, when the new emperor of Sheng State ascended the throne, the young emperor insisted on disguising himself as a member of the diplomatic corps and following them, and he was powerless to stop him.
But the new emperor of Sheng State is not a good person.
Marquis Changlin wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and spoke in a low voice, "Your Majesty, during the few days we've been in Sheng State, you must have heard a lot of rumors about Luo Tingshi. He took advantage of the old emperor's critical illness to launch a coup and seize the throne. After taking the throne, he immediately massacred the court. All the court officials who opposed him were beheaded, and the princes who competed with him for the throne also died suddenly."
"This boy is ruthless and ambitious. If he finds out you've come to Sheng State, I'm afraid..."
Marquis Changlin couldn't help but sigh.
Yu Zhi raised his eyelids, glanced at the worried-looking Marquis Changlin, and chuckled, "Then I must meet him even more."
Marquis Changlin opened his mouth to say something, but Yu Zhi waved his hand and said, "It's getting late, my Lord, go change your clothes quickly and don't delay me here."
"...Yes." Marquis Changlin walked out of the house with a sad face.
-
Half an hour later, carriages of envoys from various countries drove towards the palace.
Arriving at the palace gate, the guards checked the envoys' identities and then led them to the Linde Hall. Arriving at the Linde Hall, the envoys took their seats one by one.
The land of Kyushu was divided between the two states of Yu and Sheng, forcing the other smaller states to rely on each other. The Yu envoys naturally took first place. The Marquis of Changlin sat to the lower left of the throne. He turned and glanced at the person beside him.
The other party was looking around with interest.
That person had an ordinary appearance, the kind that would be lost in a crowd, but his aura...
He doesn't look like an ordinary court official at all.
Marquis Changlin quietly tugged at the other's sleeve and said in a voice only they could hear: "You should be more cautious and subdue your aura."
As he was speaking, the eunuch's shrill voice suddenly pierced the air: "Your Majesty has arrived!"
Yu Zhi's eyes flashed, and he followed the envoys and officials to stand up and pay homage to the new emperor.
The hall was filled with a solemn silence, with everyone bowing their heads and holding their breath. After about an incense stick of time, the sound of boots tapping on the ground could be heard from the left side of the hall. The "thump, thump" of footsteps approached from afar, striking at everyone's heart.
Yu Zhi said secretly.
Luo Tingshi is a tough guy and not easy to deal with.
At this moment, a shudder suddenly ran through Yu Zhi's back, as if he was being stared at by a ferocious beast. Yu Zhi instinctively sensed the danger and his breathing involuntarily stopped for a few breaths.
The sound of footsteps, neither hurried nor slow, turned towards the throne, echoing in the spacious hall. Yu Zhi took a deep breath, closed his eyes, calmed his mind, relaxed his slightly tense body, and pretended not to notice anything.
Suddenly, a low laugh came from above.
Yu Zhi felt that a vague gaze was always falling on his side, and he frowned slightly.
A lazy voice sounded: "Everyone, please stand up."
All the officials bowed to thank the new emperor. Yu Zhi lifted up his official robe and sat upright in front of the table, with his hands folded and his brows lowered.
Where Yu Zhi couldn't see, Luo Tingshi was leaning against the throne, his chin supported by his right hand, his eyes circling around Yu Zhi.
Passing by the slender waist outlined by the jade belt, Luo Tingshi's eyes paused slightly.
"Your Majesty is wise and powerful, with great talent and strategy. Now you have ascended the throne..."
An envoy from a small country came forward to congratulate and present gifts. Luo Tingshi glanced at him casually and his eyes returned to Yu Zhi.
Yu Zhi was secretly annoyed.
As an emperor, he was accustomed to the attention of others, but the gazes falling on him made him quite uncomfortable.
Cold and dangerous.
There is also a bit of indescribable meaning mixed in.
It wasn't like she recognized his identity, it was more like, it was...
Yu Zhi was stuck.
No one had ever dared to look at him like that, and Yu Zhi didn't understand what it meant, and he felt even more annoyed.
What exactly does Luo Tingshi want to do?
-
Envoys from several countries took turns presenting gifts, and soon it was the turn of the State of Yu.
Yu Zhi and Marquis Changlin exchanged a glance, then stood up, walked to the foot of the imperial throne, and bowed slightly to Luo Tingshi.
Marquis Changlin said, "Congratulations to Your Majesty on receiving the mandate from Heaven and ruling the world. I, a humble servant, have come here on the orders of our Emperor to offer you congratulations. I hope the alliance between Yu and Sheng will be forever solid."
Luo Tingshi sat up straight and said with a smile, "I have a deep friendship with the Emperor Yu. When I was young, I even made an agreement with him that when he ascended the throne, I would go to witness the ceremony. Unfortunately, I was unable to go to Chengyu Kingdom when the Emperor ascended the throne four years ago. This is truly a great regret for me."
Deep friendship? That's a bunch of nonsense!
Yu Zhi snorted in his heart.
It was just a few days of playing together with Luo Tingshi when they were young. If Luo Tingshi hadn't mentioned it, he would have almost forgotten about it.
Luo Tingshi changed the subject and looked at Yu Zhi with a leisurely smile, "Dayu is indeed a land of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. Even the envoy is so elegant and graceful. May I know the name of this gentleman?"
Yu Zhi: “…”
He lowered his eyes and replied respectfully, "Lu Jing."
Luo Tingshi clapped his hands and smiled: "You are such a lofty figure, such a model for others to admire. What a great name."
A cold light condensed in Yu Zhi's eyes hidden under his long eyelashes.
Why did he recite this poem? Did Luo Tingshi recognize him?
No, absolutely not.
Yu Zhi immediately dismissed his thoughts. He had only been five years old when he met Luo Tingshi, and his personality and appearance had changed drastically. Furthermore, he had deliberately used magic to conceal his appearance today. To others, he appeared to be just an ordinary person.
So what is Luo Tingshi doing?
Yu Zhi complained inwardly, while bowing: "Your Majesty, I am so kind."
Seeing the two of them interacting with each other, Marquis Changlin on the side was puzzled. He raised his eyelids and secretly glanced at the Emperor of Sheng, only to see that the man was measuring his Majesty with his eyes without any scruples.
He looked very interested.
Marquis Changlin's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly had a bad premonition.
He immediately laughed loudly and raised his voice to attract Luo Tingshi's attention: "There are countless talented people in Yu Kingdom. If the Emperor is interested, why not come to Yu Kingdom for hunting next spring and see the handsome men of Yu Kingdom?"
Luo Tingshi smiled and said, "Then I would be disrespectful to refuse."
Yu Zhi stood aside with his hands hanging down, listening to the two people's laughter and thinking secretly in his heart.
In his vague memory, Luo Tingshi was not as unpredictable as he is now when he was young. Luo Tingshi must have experienced a lot over the years.
Yu Zhi's father had only one child, him, so he was born the crown prince and did not need to compete with others for the throne.
Sheng State was different. The old emperor had many sons, and Luo Tingshi had fought his way through a sea of blood to seize the throne. Such people were often extremely ambitious. Even after only a brief encounter with him today, Yu Zhi sensed the intense desire within Luo Tingshi.
He was unwilling to divide the world with the State of Yu.
Yu Zhi pursed his lips, feeling a faint worry in his heart.
-
After the envoys from various countries presented their gifts, musicians and dancers filed in. As the music began, the women in the hall moved with graceful steps, their figures dancing gracefully.
Yu Zhi picked up the wine glass, took a sip, and glanced at the man on the throne.
Unexpectedly, the man happened to look over here, and their eyes met in the air. Yu Zhi's heart skipped a beat.
Luo Tingshi had a pair of wolf-like eyes, with narrow and deep pupils. The wildness in his eyes was hard to conceal when he looked at him.
Yu Zhi let out a low cry, pretending to be frightened, and hurriedly looked away. His right hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly, and some wine spilled from the glass, wetting his sleeves.
"What's wrong?" When Marquis Changlin heard Yu Zhi's movement, he immediately turned around and asked.
Yu Zhi shook his head: "Nothing, my Lord, don't worry."
Marquis Changlin subconsciously looked up at Luo Tingshi. Luo Tingshi raised the corners of his lips, raised his glass to him and drank it all in one gulp.
Seeing this, Marquis Changlin drank a glass of wine with Luo Tingshi.
Yu Zhi lowered his eyes and stared at the clear liquid in the cup, thinking secretly that his performance just now should not have revealed any flaws, but he didn't know whether Luo Tingshi believed it.
Yu Zhi was thinking aimlessly as he slowly rolled up his sleeves.
He spilled the wine on purpose, not only for Luo Tingshi to see, but also for another reason - he was a little hot.
My mouth is dry and my body is burning.
Yu Zhi touched the exposed wrist, and the skin under his fingers was burning hot, as if it had been rolled in a furnace.
He was startled.
A sudden heat surged into Yu Zhi's heart, and his chest felt stuffy. After a moment, the heat became even stronger. Yu Zhi looked at Changlin Hou and said, "I'm going out to get some fresh air."
Marquis Changlin glanced at Yu Zhi's slightly red cheeks and whispered, "I'll send someone to accompany you."
"No need. I'll just rest in the pavilion next to me." Yu Zhi waved his hand, stood up and left the hall.
Luo Tingshi, who had been paying attention to this side, raised his eyes, looked at Yu Zhi's slender back, and narrowed his eyes.
-
The night was dark, with no stars or moon.
Yu Zhi walked along the corridor towards the water pavilion. A cool breeze with the fragrance of jasmine blew towards him, but for some reason, he didn't feel the slightest bit of coolness. Instead, his body became even hotter and his head felt a little dizzy.
It's strange. He didn't drink much today, so why is this happening?
Yu Zhi rubbed his forehead and quickened his pace. Soon, a corner of the pavilion appeared in Yu Zhi's sight.
The wind blew, and the palace lanterns under the eaves swayed, flickering. The pavilion was surrounded by water on three sides, and there were rows of green bamboos on both sides of the road, which was very quiet.
Yu Zhi stepped on the swaying bamboo shadows, one step deep and one step shallow, and ran towards the pavilion.
Linde Hall was not far from the pavilion. The faint sound of silk strings drifted across the shimmering water and reached Yu Zhi's ears. Yu Zhi sat on a bench in the pavilion, his back against the vermilion railing, and raised his hand to slightly open his collar.
It's too hot.
In just a short while, the heat spread throughout Yu Zhi's body. Waves of heat washed over his meridians, and Yu Zhi felt like he was about to melt.
"Huh..." Yu Zhi exhaled a breath of hot air.
Something's not right, it doesn't seem like he's drunk.
Yu Zhi's lower abdomen suddenly contracted, and a terrifying wave of energy rushed through his body and headed straight for the top of his head. Yu Zhi noticed the changes in his body and raised his hands to cover his burning cheeks, his eyes full of horror.
...He's in heat?
Yu Zhi took a deep breath and stood up suddenly.
The power of estrus was too fierce, breaking his little magic to deceive his eyes, and he has now returned to his original appearance.
You have to find a deserted place to hide and not be seen by others!
Yu Zhi stumbled down the stone steps, the heat surging through his body, his head growing increasingly dizzy, countless points of light flashing before his eyes, the scene ahead becoming distorted and blurry. Yu Zhi could not see the road ahead, stumbling and running in the dark.
As I walked out of the pavilion, I suddenly heard some vague conversations.
"Tell me, a man like His Majesty would choose what kind of woman as his queen?"
"You're asking for your life! How dare you make such irresponsible remarks? Watch out for your head."
"I know, I know..."
Yu Zhi was startled and quickly hid in the bamboo forest, shrinking himself into the darkness, hugging a bamboo and secretly looking out.
Several maids in palace dress passed by the path and walked into the distance.
After the figures of the others disappeared, Yu Zhi slowly stepped out of the bamboo forest. Just as he was about to walk into the darkness, an unprecedented wave of passion suddenly engulfed him. Yu Zhi was completely overwhelmed, his legs softened, and he fell forward.
"ah!"
Yu Zhi screamed and hit the hard ground. He felt pain in his forehead and his eyes were dizzy.
Hmm, something's wrong...
Why is the ground so hot? And why is it moving?
Yu Zhi opened his hazy eyes.
In the dark night, a pair of dark and cold eyes were staring at him.
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