EMHTC -Chapter 27 Shock! A strange hobby appears in the court…

The old emperor watched helplessly as his beloved ministers descended into chaos.

Marquis Ji’an! What’s wrong with you? Haven’t exercised since you stopped going to war, have you?! Getting dragged by your hair like this!

【Well, he’s over fifty, didn’t sleep a wink last night, and clearly pushed himself too hard. It’s normal for him to run out of strength.】

The old emperor: “…”

【Unlike his wife, who’s clearly much smarter…】

The emperor clicked his tongue, annoyed. Why stop now? Say more!

【Oh, and about Marquis Ji’an’s older brother…】

What about him?

The civil and military officials turned their confused gazes to the man. This was His Majesty’s true trusted general—a blade-wielding warrior who could take on eight opponents at once!

【Ugh, he’s pretending to work hard but actually tripping up Marquis Ji’an on purpose!】

Marquis Ji’an’s pupils trembled as he turned to look at his brother, disbelief etched across his face. “Brother, you—!”

【Ohhh, makes sense now. Turns out he knows Marquis Ji’an once tried to seduce his wife but failed!】

The civil and military officials: “!!!”

Now this has our full attention! Details, please!!!

Everyone crowded closer to the scene.

Outside the circle, Ji Sui stood awkwardly. “…?”

Noticing his unease, the crown prince, ever the enthusiast, grabbed him and dragged him forward. “Come! Come with me!”

Ji Sui: “Wait, no—”

Not now! This is not the time for your kindness!!!

“Aiya, Zainian, don’t be so reserved! Let me tell you, when it comes to enjoying the spectacle, the front row is where it’s at! You’ve never tried it? Once you do, you’ll understand how exciting it is!”

The crown prince pulled him forward relentlessly.

Ji Sui desperately tried to resist. “Your Highness! I don’t—”

“Relax, you’re just not used to our current atmosphere yet! Come, come, this prince will personally introduce you to the fun—”

“Hold on, Your Highness!” Ji Sui protested, unwilling to experience this so-called fun. Why is the crown prince so adept at this sort of thing? Could it be…

Ji Sui squeezed his eyes shut in frustration.

Xu Yanmiao!!!

As a prince who’d been taken to the battlefield at the age of twelve by his father, the crown prince had an insurmountable physical advantage over Ji Sui. Ji Sui, being a scholar who despised sweating, excelled only in the six arts of a gentleman related to propriety, music, calligraphy, and arithmetic—not in physical contests.

So, when Ji Sui was forcibly dragged from the back of the crowd to the front row to enjoy the commotion, he was already drenched in sweat and his elegant robes crumpled like wilted greens.

Despair overtook him.

…It’s over.

Sure enough, Xu Yanmiao’s inner thoughts filled the air with tension the next moment.

【The Princess of Qinghe… is a regular visitor to this Yulong Temple?! Hiss—How could this be! Wasn’t she supposed to be devoted to Ji Sui in a one-on-one love story?! But yesterday, she specifically requested an act to be performed at the temple!!!】

Ji Sui: Haha.

Must you spell it out this clearly?

The crown prince, caught off guard by the unexpected revelation, nearly choked on this latest gossip. “…!”

He wanted to comfort Ji Sui, but his shock and curiosity over this information got the better of him. The conflicted mix of disbelief and sympathy on his face, combined with a touch of admiration for Qinghe Princess’s audacity, made his expression look twisted beyond recognition.

Meanwhile, the old emperor’s expression was pure devastation.

Qinghe?!

How could it be Qinghe?!

His face was flushed with rage at the thought of anyone daring to defame his daughter’s reputation. Qinghe was his only virtuous, well-mannered legitimate daughter!!!

Fortunately, Xu Yanmiao was standing far enough away not to hear the emperor’s outburst.

“This must be a misunderstanding…” The old emperor refused to accept the reality. His daughter had always been gentle and sensible—

【Let me see, let me see. She played the role of an arrogant noblewoman opposite the prime minister! A prime minister wielding immense power!】

【And they even added a frail top scholar son as a prop! The prime minister’s beloved treasure!】

【Oh! And this line! This one’s a classic: ‘Lord Prime Minister, you wouldn’t want your son to find out about this, would you?’】

Although the prime minister in question was nearing eighty and hardly wielding immense power, Prime Minister Dou still felt his face turning green. He looked at Ji Sui and whispered, “Lord Ji, listen to me, there’s absolutely nothing between me and the princess!”

The newly appointed top scholar, who’d been mentioned as a prop in the drama: “…”

He glanced down at himself and sighed in relief. At least he wasn’t frail. Hopefully, Lord Ji wouldn’t take out his anger on him…right?

【And she also said: ‘Ha, Lord Prime Minister, did you think of this day when you publicly humiliated me as unfit for marriage?’】

The old emperor’s vision darkened. Ji Sui raised a trembling hand to his forehead and swayed unsteadily.

Officials agreed—whether or not the top scholar was frail remained unclear, but Ji Sui’s swaying just now certainly gave off that impression.

As for Prime Minister Dou, his face hadn’t stopped turning greener.

Suddenly, the Minister of Justice noticed something alarming: Prime Minister Dou’s face was turning an even darker shade of green!

Seeing that Xu Yanmiao was about to drop yet another bombshell, Ji Sui immediately stepped forward to intervene. “Xu Yanmiao! You…”

The old emperor felt gratified.

He gazed at Ji Sui’s back as though beholding a priceless treasure.

Who would’ve thought Ji Sui held such deep feelings for his daughter! Everyone knew about Ji Sui’s cleanliness obsession. Even though his daughter had been unfaithful and had something going on with a monk, Ji Sui wasn’t angry. Instead, he interrupted Xu Yanmiao to protect her reputation!

By stepping in, Ji Sui was surely risking becoming Xu Yanmiao’s next target! The old emperor’s eyes filled with tears. “Good! Good!” He hadn’t chosen the wrong son-in-law.

As for his daughter’s affair, he would make sure she ended it with the monk and returned to live harmoniously with Ji Sui! Such an outstanding man was not to be wasted…

【Wait! I just realized something!】 Xu Yanmiao’s eyes glowed with excitement, completely ignoring Ji Sui standing in front of him. His cheeks were flushed with exhilaration. 【Lord Ji and Qinghe Princess! They’ve never shared a bed—not since the first night of their marriage!】

Xu Yanmiao repeated with dramatic emphasis: 【Never. Shared. A. Bed. Before!】

Ji Sui could feel the stares on his back go from fiery to icy, with a murderous chill creeping in.

Ji Sui: “…”

He knew it. Xu Yanmiao was a menace. Not only to his literary works but also to his very existence.

Meanwhile, the old emperor’s glare was nothing short of deadly.

How dare you, Ji Sui! Marry my daughter only to force her into a life of celibacy! I knew it! My shy, gentle, quiet, and reserved daughter would never seek out a monk! You drove her to this!

Grinding his teeth in fury, the emperor could barely restrain himself from drawing his blade.

The ministers, on the other hand, kept their heads down, determined to avoid eye contact with the enraged monarch. No one dared to make a sound.

Yet secretly…

Many officials gave Ji Sui silent thumbs-ups in their hearts.

Lord Ji truly lived up to his name! To treat a princess like this—what a role model! Even more shocking than the last guy who wanted to have the princess flogged!

Ji Sui remained calm.

Turning to face the emperor, he quickly formulated a flawless excuse.

He’d say that he and the princess were deeply in love but, due to a tragic accident, had conceived a daughter out of wedlock before their marriage. After their wedding, they lost their child, leaving the princess heartbroken and reckless. Both of them were too grieved to want more children, so they agreed to sleep in separate rooms until they found their lost daughter.

Who would’ve guessed the search would take over thirty years!

This explanation was bulletproof, Ji Sui decided.

He stepped forward, putting on a solemn expression. “Your Majesty, I…”

【Oh! No wonder they never shared a bed! Turns out it’s a contract marriage!】

The words caught in Ji Sui’s throat, and he nearly spat blood in frustration.

Xu Yanmiao, that troublemaker, finally reacted and asked him, “What are your instructions, Lord Ji?” Ji Sui stared at Xu Yanmiao expressionlessly.

Xu Yanmiao looked even more confused. “Lord Ji?”

Ji Sui chuckled dryly, “Heh.”

Xu Yanmiao: “?”

Ji Sui wiped the fake smile off his face and said flatly, “It’s nothing.”

“Understood!” Xu Yanmiao obediently refrained from asking further questions.

And then…

【Hiss! Not only a contractual marriage, but Ji Sui also had an ex-wife? Could it be an undying love for the ex-wife?!】

【Eh, wait, that’s not it either…】

Xu Yanmiao was still immersed in his gossiping frenzy.

You’re still digging!

Ji Sui gritted his molars.

Xu Yanmiao! Don’t you have anything better to do than watch other people’s drama?!

The emperor suddenly spoke up, “Marquis Jian’an! Have you caused enough trouble?!” cutting off Xu Yanmiao’s immersion in the drama. Xu Yanmiao snapped back to reality, and his heart’s voice abruptly ceased.

“No—!”

The Minister of Justice blurted out anxiously.

We haven’t heard the whole story yet! After all, it doesn’t make much of a difference for Marquis Jian’an to wear a green hat for a few decades. But what’s this about Ji Sui’s ex-wife? We want to hear about it!

And what’s the deal between him and Princess Qinghe? Why a contractual marriage? What exactly was in the contract? Your Majesty, if you don’t want to hear it, we do!

The emperor sneered coldly.

No! You don’t want to hear it!

He turned to the battlefield, now silent after his outburst, his anger pouring down like a storm: “Look at yourselves! Fighting like common ruffians in full public view! Where is the decorum and dignity expected of high-ranking officials?”

The entire court was dead silent.

Both sides of the scuffle hung their heads low, looking dejected, as they endured the emperor’s reprimand. With an outlet for his frustration, the emperor’s mood improved considerably.

Suddenly, a voice emerged in his mind: 【Huh? Wasn’t this guy just enjoying the show a moment ago? Why the sudden rage?】

【Could this be the legendary “serving the emperor is like tending a tiger”? Hm! Being an official really is hard. The boss’s mood changes faster than a chameleon.】

The emperor’s mood “crashed” again. He was utterly infuriated.

The emperor shot a fierce glare at Xu Yanmiao, who looked perplexed, wondering which unfortunate soul nearby had angered His Majesty enough for him to glare in this direction.

Taking a deep breath, the emperor muttered to himself: “This one is untouchable.”

He turned to Marquis Jian’an.

Marquis Jian’an: “?!” His expression instantly became one of pure horror.

The emperor declared, “I shall adjudicate this matter myself today.”

Glaring at Marquis Jian’an and the elegant woman, he said, “Since the two of you are so estranged, why not separate?”

The woman immediately agreed with enthusiasm.

Marquis Jian’an suspected she was eager to elope with that charming abbot and didn’t want to let her have her way so easily. However, with the emperor watching, Marquis Jian’an’s face twitched. He didn’t dare to openly show his displeasure and reluctantly replied, “As you command!”

The emperor continued, “Since you signed a contract…”

Mentioning contracts made the emperor think of Xu Yanmiao’s earlier words about contractual marriages, further souring his mood. His tone became even frostier: “This breach of contract is on you. Therefore, this lady is not guilty of adultery. Do you understand?”

The woman promptly knelt and thanked him for his immense kindness. Marquis Jian’an begrudgingly accepted the verdict.

“As for this Yulong…” The emperor paused, grinding his teeth, then skipped the subject entirely. “You monks have seduced women without shame. According to the law—”

【Eh? Are they going to be executed immediately? Or what?】

【By the way, the daughter of the Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Court… ever since she chopped off her cheating ex-husband’s hand and returned home, her killing aura has been intense. She often goes hunting and can fill an entire cart with prey! Later, she accidentally ended up at Yulong Temple, where a group of charming monks fawned over her to cheer her up.】

The Censor-in-Chief’s eyes suddenly turned misty.

No wonder my daughter has been so cheerful lately. It turns out her unyielding spirit has softened!

The 69-year-old censor immediately stepped forward, trembling: “Your Majesty! This old servant… this old servant…” He racked his brain for a reason and finally stammered, “This old servant and the Wen family… Wen family… ah! That’s the one… the 75-year-old imperial attendant who still plays with young boys. We have deep ties! This old servant often visits Yulong Temple with him! That… a day of marriage, a hundred days of grace. This old servant wishes to plead for clemency…”

The officials were awestruck.

For the sake of his daughter’s reputation, he was willing to ruin his own. A true sacrifice!

The eldest Wen: “???”

You’re so noble! So virtuous! You’re pulling me into this for your daughter? Everyone had already forgotten about my 75-year-old scandal, and now you’ve brought it up again?!

【Also, the Minister of War, whose wife loves spending afternoons at Yulong Temple sipping tea and listening to the monks serenade her with music…】

【She’s stopped complaining about the minister’s refusal to bathe.】

The Minister of War: “!!!”

“Your Majesty!!!”

That roar sounded like it might tear his throat apart.

The Minister of War shouted, “Your Majesty! I believe these monks are simply running a business! It’s all consensual! If brothels like the Southern Wind Pavilion and Hundred Flowers House are not punished, then why should this fraudulent temple be?”

“Moreover! Not everyone goes there just for… physical indulgence. Some go to enjoy the performances, like in a theater!”

The emperor: “…”

Honestly, he really wanted to ask—how hard is it to take a bath?

【And…】

Before Xu Yanmiao could finish his thought, someone suddenly stepped forward.

It was a senior academician of Huagai Hall, speaking earnestly: “Your Majesty! The Minister of War’s words are true. These monks run their temple honestly. If necessary, they can each be flogged twenty times, and Yulong Temple can be shut down. That should suffice.”

The emperor, puzzled, asked, “You neither have a sister nor a daughter. What’s your interest in this matter?”

“Well…”

【Holy crap!】

【Hahahahahaha!】

Xu Yanmiao’s laughter suddenly erupted.

【What a character! Such peculiar tastes! Whenever his wives and concubines meet their lovers, he makes it as convenient as possible!】

【He even takes joy in knowing they’re with others!】

【Hiss—he deliberately marries or takes concubines who are already in love with someone else. No wonder he doesn’t want these monks punished!】