Lan Ming Yue

Kitchen 

When Wang Dian woke up, it was already daylight. He had slept soundly and peacefully, without dreaming those messy dreams, and even his muscles and bones were relaxed and comfortably.

He had not experienced such a relaxed and fatigue relieving sleep for a long time, while lying on the bed, he didn’t want to sit up for a moment.

After staring at the blue curtains for a while, he remembered what happened last night, and sat up abruptly from the bed. Immediately after, he heard a crisp bell sound, and something lightly flicking his cheek.

He reached out and touched his ear, and from his right earlobe, he pulled down a gaudy earring. A fingernail-sized red agate was hung inside a ring of turquoise, a silver tassel was underneath, with a golden bell tied to it and two emerald feathers hanging out of place. Wang Dian’s eyes hurt when he saw it.

Someone lifted the curtain, Wang Dian looked up and saw Chong Heng.

Chong Heng’s eyes seemed to have been poisoned by the earring, and he couldn’t bear to look directly at him, “Master said, he is in a good mood today so he will help you go to morning court, you can continue to sleep.”

Wang Dian immediately ignored the earring, and said in shock, “He is actually willing to go?”

But suddenly felt that something bad would happen, “No, I’ll go and have a look.”

Chong Heng didn’t stop him, but just followed him and said, “Master said you can watch it if you want, but you cannot be discovered.”

Chong Heng took him up to the roof of the meeting hall, and quietly opened two pieces of glazed tiles, “Look.”

Wang Dian was speechless at the behavior of these two people going up to the beam and lifting tiles at every turn, and lowered his head to look into the meeting hall.

Afterwards, he was blinded by the earring on Liang Ye’s right ear that looked like a peacock spreading its tail.

“Why did he wear this thing to court?” Wang Dian felt that the stable and reliable image he had created in front of his courtiers these days might have been destroyed.

“Master said it looks good.” Chong Heng silently turned his head away.

Liang Ye wore a dragon robe casually, leaning askew on a chair with his legs crossed, one hand supporting his head, and the pendant on his ear dangled lightly. He was holding a memorial on the other hand, and was indifferently looking at it.

Kneeling at the bottom, Xu Xiude, the Shangshu of the Ministry of Household, loudly said, “Your Majesty, I went to the inner court to ask for the key to the treasury, unexpectedly, they drove me out. Your Majesty, they are really bullying people too much!”

“Your Majesty, the inner court is domineering and autocratic, and even if we have the heart, we are powerless to carry out many tasks, hoping Your Majesty to make a decision as soon as possible!” Zhongshu Ling Cui Yun left his spot among the ranks and said.

“Your Majesty, now that the outer court is in decline, one should not act recklessly.” Shi Zhong Bian Cang spoke out and advised, “The most urgent task is to solve the epidemic in Hexi!” 

(TL: Shi Zhong- ancient official name. It is one of the additional officials outside the regular official position. Because he served the emperor, went in and out of the court, and heard about the government, he gradually became a trusted and valuable post. (It’s translation is actually attendant or servant, but I think it’s different from the literal meaning of servant, so I used the pinyin)

“Dare to ask Bian Daren, the outer court has no power, therefore how can the Hexi epidemic be solved!?” Someone retorted.

Unsurprisingly, a quarrel broke out again, under urgent circumstances, Bian Cang said, “Imperial Perceptor Wen, you advise His Majesty!”

Wen Zong looked up at Liang Ye who was sitting on the dragon chair, and frowned unobtrusively.

Liang Ye casually threw away the memorial in his hand, ignoring the group of noisy ministers. He looked up at the roof of the meeting hall and coincidentally collided with Wang Dian’s prying gaze.

Wang Dian was amazed at his sharpness, then saw him raise his lips and smile, lifted his hand and fiddled with the earring on his right ear slowly, the subtle and crisp sound of the bell crossed the noisy clamor and accurately landed in Wang Dian’s ear.

The agate was gorgeous, and the turquoise was clear and beautiful, but they couldn’t suppress his demon-like smile at all.

The noisy hall suddenly fell silent, and the timid ones were already trembling and wanting to escape. After all, this smile was too familiar. Before, His Majesty used to smile like this every time he wanted to chop off someone’s head!

Wang Dian on the roof glared at him, and took the glazed tiles to block the hole tightly.

Liang Ye’s smile disappeared in an instant, he lowered his head to look at the group of idiots who were in the way, and said with a gloomy and irritable tone, “Why aren’t you arguing anymore?”

Everyone looked at each other.

Liang Ye glanced around the hall, then his eyes fell on Xu Xiude, “Drag this fat man out and chop him.”

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare this one’s life! Your Majesty, spare this one’s life!” Xu Xiude was almost scared into peeing, and kowtowed desperately on the ground.

“Xu Xiude is the Shangshu of the Ministry of Household, please think twice, Your Majesty!” The Youpushe, Yan Ze, knelt down to plead with him. 

Afterwards, Cui Yun, Bian Cang, Zeng Jie and others also knelt down to plead for mercy. When all the officials saw it, they also knelt down.

Liang Ye had no intention of changing his mind at all, and his gaze was not kind, “Why, threats——”

Before he could finish speaking, his eyes were suddenly dazzled by a light, and he instinctively looked up.

Wang Dian shook his head at him, and shouted at him with his mouth: “This! People! Still! Have! Uses!’

Liang Ye frowned in displeasure, he got up, flicked his sleeves and went away.

“Sanchao—” Yun Fu said loudly when he saw this. (TL: end of the court meeting)

Xu Xiude, who had survived the catastrophe, sat paralyzed on the ground in an instant. Someone came to help him. He looked in the direction Liang Ye left and gritted his teeth vigorously.

Wang Dian, who was squatting on the roof, squeezed the earring in his hands, and Chong Heng, who was beside him, looked at him with admiration, “You are dead.”

Wang Dian raised his eyelids and glanced at him.

Chong Heng pointed to the earring in his hand, “If you wear it, perhaps the Master will spare your life.”

“This ugly thing—” Wang Dian frowned.

Chong Heng looked behind him vigilantly, while Wang Dian unconsciously gave the earring a slap in his hand and said, “Do you want to see Liang Ye wear this thing every day and make a spectacle of himself?”

“Make a spectacle of myself?” Behind him came Liang Ye’s gloomy questioning.

Wang Dian turned his head and saw the earring on Liang Ye’s ear shining in the sun, he gestured to him with the other earring in his hand, and said against his conscience, “It’s not too bad, you will definitely look better wearing a pair.”

Liang Ye took it and put it on for him, “If you dare to take it off, Zhen will make your life worse than death.”

“……” Wang Dian sat on the roof and twitched his mouth.

Then the glazed tile scalded his buttocks after being exposed to the sun.

Wang Dian originally wanted to go to the study, but was dragged by Liang Ye to the remote Cold Palace. The Cold Palace was overgrown with dense weeds. After going through multiple bends, they entered a more remote small kitchen, however, it seemed that it was well equipped, and should have been used regularly.

Afterwards, he watched this lunatic take out a piece of cake from his dragon robe, half a piece of ginger, two scallions, and a handful of sweet potato leaves, squatted down and then pulled out a jar of rice from the stove.

….Outrageous.

“You don’t want Zhen to kill that fat man, do you want to keep it to make soup?” Liang Ye was probably very unhappy, and asked with a foul face.

“Xu Xiude is the Shangshu of the Ministry of Household, and single-handedly promoted to a higher position by the Youpushe, Yan Ze. On the list I saw in the inner court that night, Yan Ze was there. If Xu Xiude was moved, the grand empress dowager would definitely not sit idly by.” Wang Dian took the cake he handed over and squeezed it. It was a bit soft, but it didn’t look very delicious.

“Tsk, Zhen thought you were not afraid of anything.” Liang Ye took a sip of the soup, tasted it, and then added some sugar to it.

“The grand empress dowager won’t keep waiting forever. The Hexi epidemic is a major issue, it’s estimated that she will summon you.” Wang Dian took a bite of the cake and stuffed it into his mouth, and tasted it, it was unexpectedly soft and sweet. He lowered his head and took another bite. “Either strike or appease, perhaps we can seize the opportunity to raise some conditions.”

Liang Ye turned around and narrowed his eyes.

Wang Dian swallowed the cake in his mouth, “My guess is wrong?”

“You ate the cake that Zhen was planning to soak in the soup.” Liang Ye pointed to the little cake left in his hand.

Wang Dian looked down at the cake, then at Liang Ye, not quite understanding, “There are so many meals in the imperial kitchen, why did you run to this remote Cold Palace to cook for yourself?”

…also having to drag him along.

“The dishes in the imperial kitchen are greasy.” Liang Ye snatched the crumpled cake from his hand and threw it into the soup, “There is no more for you.”

Wang Dian exclaimed in surprise, “So you still think about me.”

Liang Ye stirred the soup with a spoon, pointed the spoon at his nose, “Zhen will chop you for the stew soup.”

Wang Dian backed away, but the small kitchen was small and crude, and he hit the wall after taking half a step. Liang Ye took a spoon and flicked it like drawing flowers with a sword, and threw soup to his face.

“Childish.” Wang Dian raised his sleeves to wipe his face, causing the bell on his ear to make a faint sound.

Liang Ye suddenly came up, stretched out his arms and trapped him between the wall and himself, his gaze wandering back and forth between his earring and the soup spot on the corner of his mouth.

Wang Dian felt that this posture was a bit eerie and was also somewhat dangerous.

Especially as Liang Ye’s face was getting closer and closer to him, he reached out and pressed his hand against Liang Ye’s chin, “I’ll go find you a cake—”

“Master, the Empress Mother is outside, saying that she wants to pay respects to the Grand Empress Dowager together.” Chong Heng’s voice came from outside the door.

Wang Dian turned his head and looked outside the door, only seeing Chong Heng’s figure through the paper screen, and said seriously, “I’ll take Yun Fu there.”

“That damn old woman is very troublesome.” Liang Ye stared at the earring that was completely exposed in front of him when the other turned his head sideways, suddenly, he lowered his head to enclose the little golden bell.

Liang Ye’s hot breath sprayed on the auricle of his ear, causing Wang Dian to freeze all over. Although he couldn’t explain why he was stiff, anyhow, Liang Ye’s movement was very fucking wrong.

But trying to hide from this guy would definitely cause his earlobe to be torn apart.

The bell rolled twice under his tongue, Liang Ye had had enough fun, then he spit it out without interest, “The soup is too sweet, not drinking anymore.”

Wang Dian was a little irritable, “Sick.” (TL: As in “Are you sick?” Abnormal (said sarcastically or jokingly).

Liang Ye smirked and poked his ear, “Huh, why is it red?”

Wang Dian patted his recklessly poking hand away. 

Good, this guy is really energetic again after sleeping. His dogs are not even as annoying as him.

“Master, the Empress Mother is urging you.” Cheng Heng’s voice sounded again.

“Coming.” Liang Ye frowned, he then hugged Wang Dian very smoothly, leaned against his neck and sucked hard, then said in a muffled voice, “Wait here for Zhen to come back, don’t run around.”

The door opened and closed again, and the sound of footsteps gradually faded away.

Wang Dian wiped his neck vigorously, and stared at the fire in the stove in a daze.

Liang Ye didn’t look very happy just now, even a little scared.

This lunatic is not afraid of anything, yet is scared of the grand empress dowager? Not letting him go in fear of being exposed?

With a crackling sound, the fire in the stove grew a little stronger. Wang Dian walked to the pot, picked up a spoon, scooped up some soup, blew on it, and took a sip.

So sweet.

He stared at the emptied sugar jar on the table, clearly there was still more than half of it after Liang Ye was finished using it, apparently, it was all poured maliciously before he left.

Sick!

To feel a bit pitiful for this lunatic, he must have brain dysfunction!

Who the hell would want to pity him!