Chapter 1541: Regent Prince Dotes on Me Too Much, What Should I Do 10

After Jin Chen returned to the palace, he hadn't seen Xie Zhiwei for several days.

But this time it wasn't that anyone was deliberately avoiding anyone; it was just that the northwestern war was at a critical juncture, the court inside the imperial city was also worried about the war, so Xie Zhiwei's busyness was understandable.

Jin Chen knew that in their eyes he was merely a useless ornamental emperor who couldn't help with anything, so he simply stopped caring about anything, shut himself in the Azure Splendor Hall to plot for two nights, and by the way gathered two palace secret guards to serve as his eyes in the imperial palace.

Xie Zhiwei seemed to be trying to appease him, sending people every day to deliver gifts, wishing to present all the beautiful things to the young emperor.

At first Jin Chen found it novel, but later only gifts came without the givers, making him feel like a lonely consort in the cold palace, while Xie Zhiwei was the emperor.

On the third day, Xie Zhiwei suddenly sent De Quan to summon someone.

Jin Chen could only drag himself out of the comfortable dragon bed, yawning as he went into the Imperial Study.

"I have been waiting for Your Majesty for a long time."

Just as he stepped into the inner chamber of the Imperial Study, he heard the beautiful person's light yet slightly weary voice, and Jin Chen stifled his yawn.

Coincidentally, the languidly reclining Xie Zhiwei on the Noble Consort's chair lifted his eyes; his slightly upward-slanting phoenix eyes were intensely oppressive, his pupil color deep and gloomy, only easing a little upon seeing Jin Chen, with a gentle emotion gathering in his gaze as he leisurely set down the memorial in his hand.

"I... just woke up." Jin Chen spoke truthfully.

Xie Zhiwei didn't blame him for his sleepiness, merely patted the space beside him to signal Jin Chen to come over.

"Your Majesty, about that day... are you still angry?" Xie Zhiwei asked first, his tone gentle.

"Not angry anymore."

Jin Chen smiled at him.

"The northwestern war was a great victory; the chief commander, General Zhenbei, will soon lead the troops back to the court, and according to regulation it is due to award merits and rewards."

Xie Zhiwei picked out a few memorials for Jin Chen to view; when Jin Chen took them and met Xie Zhiwei's somewhat weary eyes, his jet-black pupils, made paler by the bright candlelight in the hall, resembled high-quality amber, as if they could absorb one's soul.

Xie Zhiwei didn't notice Jin Chen's gaze, merely continuing: "Just General Zhenbei already holds the rank of first grade, being the foremost of our military officers, and his maternal relatives are also imperial merchants……"

He deliberately stopped there, then turned to ask the obviously distracted young emperor: "Your Majesty, what do you think should be the reward for General Zhenbei?"

Jin Chen blinked back to focus, lowered his eyes to collect his thoughts.

General Zhenbei... he was precisely the capable general who later aided the protagonist in the original storyline.

The reason was none other than that, after the northwestern war, he received an ennoblement from the Regent Prince; though his official rank didn't change, he gained greater actual authority, giving him a sense of superiority over imperial power, unaware that it was all a trap set by Xie Zhiwei.

In less than half a year, the triumphant General Zhenbei successively lost two close relatives, while the secretly embezzling imperial merchant relatives were wiped out to a man, revealing Xie Zhiwei's ruthlessness.

Thinking of this, Jin Chen silently finished reading the memorial from the military officers requesting promotion and ennoblement for General Zhenbei, set the memorial down, and said: "Award merits and rewards, but secretly check him in an appropriate way."

Jin Chen emphasized the two words "appropriate" heavily.

He didn't think the imperial merchant shouldn't be punished—after all, embezzling imperial silver and gold is a grave crime—but the timing was inappropriate.

Xie Zhiwei gave a light chuckle, not missing Jin Chen's caution in his eyes, reached over and gently tugged at the strand of hair falling on his shoulder, saying, "Your Majesty came out in a hurry; let me retie your hair for you."

The topic changed that quickly?

Jin Chen then made an acknowledging sound and turned to let him tie his hair.

The pleasant sensation of his fingers threading through the strands was hardly different from a massage; Jin Chen couldn't help but yawn again, his thoughts drifting, seeing that he was about to drift off to sleep, before hearing Xie Zhiwei continue the previous topic.

"General Zhenbei has a fine wife and children; I think..." "No!" Jin Chen hastily turned and grabbed Xie Zhiwei's hand, trying to suppress the villain's budding scheming, "Punishment should not extend to family; even if the young uncle wants to reprimand General Zhenbei, how could he lay hands on women and children?"

Xie Zhiwei's smile on his face faintly froze, his profile hidden in the shifting candlelight shadows, his expression inscrutable.

"Your Majesty has indeed improved considerably."

At this critical juncture, Jin Chen didn't care whether his identity would be suspected, continuing: "For soldiers fighting abroad, a family they rarely see after years is both a soft spot and a reverse scale; moreover, General Zhenbei's wife even saved his life. Furthermore, if this were leaked now, the young uncle would inevitably arouse suspicion among the troops."

"Never mind suspicion, what's wrong with holding a grudge?" Xie Zhiwei inserted the last hairpin into Jin Chen's hair, his fingers tracing over the youth's stern face, saying, "Your Majesty, as a ruler, do not be hesitant."

Jin Chen: ""

Is this being hesitant? People are about to rise in rebellion! Then it'll be chopped off hands and feet!

The handsome prince didn't understand my hints, feeling weary.

Jin Chen took Xie Zhiwei's wrist, leaned over and whispered softly: "But young uncle, all you do is for the people of our dynasty and the stability of the realm; you truly shouldn't be held such a grudge."

"Just send a trusted minister to secretly investigate General Zhenbei's manor; if treason or any other crime is discovered later, it's not too late to act."

Jin Chen sat up straight, almost pressing himself against Xie Zhiwei, endless affection.

"Besides... if something happens to you, who will protect me?"

Xie Zhiwei, being pulled by him, upon hearing those last words felt like a wandering ghost that had finally found its resting place.

"Good." Xie Zhiwei gently embraced him; today's inclination to test was thus withdrawn, and he could no longer entertain any suspicion or arise any doubtful feeling.

Being completely different from before, what's wrong with that? He said Jin Chen was sincere, and so he was.

Jin Chen had come in haste, wearing thin clothes, and was also affected by a chill from deficient qi and blood; being held like this was wonderfully comfortable, so he directly wrapped his arms around Xie Zhiwei's waist.

"Young uncle, you haven't rested properly these days; go ahead and sleep for a while."

Xie Zhiwei's body stiffened for a moment, then after an instant eased slightly, a deep, inseparable darkness flickered in his eyes, filled with obsession.

"Your Majesty, will you accompany me in resting?" Xie Zhiwei asked.

"Sure."

Jin Chen's drowsiness welled up again; after taking the tonic, he wanted to sleep all day, and burying himself in Xie Zhiwei's embrace he closed his eyes.

After a long while, Xie Zhiwei slowly closed his eyes; the memorials were untended, only the two embraced on the Noble Consort's chair.

They seemed to have finally found a certain equilibrium in their interaction; as long as they didn't mention the monthly bloodletting, they could remain affectionate.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +5, total 30!】

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -2, total 73!】