The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

"If you don't clean up, you'll get sick." Shang Junlin looked calmly into his eyes, his face showing no signs of anything unusual.

"I'll wash myself." Shen Yu pressed his hand, not letting him move.

A trace of regret flashed in Shang Junlin's eyes. "Really don't want me to help?"

Shen Yu quickly pushed his hand away. "No need."

Seeing him insist, Shang Junlin slowly withdrew his hand. Shen Yu thought he had given up, and he breathed a sigh of relief, but little did he know, Shang Junlin took advantage of his relaxation and grabbed his hand.

"Let me do it, it's not convenient for you to do it alone, Ah Yu," Shang Junlin chuckled softly. "Besides, it's not the first time for me to do this kind of thing, Ah Yu, don't worry."

Shen Yu suddenly grabbed the edge of the bathtub, wanting to say that he wasn't worried about this, but unfortunately, he didn't get the chance.

Water splashed as Shang Junlin followed suit into the bathtub for ease of movement.

The bathtub was spacious enough for Shen Yu alone, but with two men inside, it felt somewhat cramped, nowhere to hide, only able to stick closely together.

Shen Yu's fingers, clutching the edge of the bathtub, were gradually pried open by the man. "If you're uncomfortable, you can hold onto me."

Shen Yu was powerless, completely no match for the man. Once he fell into the man's hands, he could only submit to his actions.

"Weren't you supposed to help me wash? Your Majesty, what are you doing?!" Shen Yu's voice was slightly breathless.

"Like this..." Shang Junlin took Shen Yu's earlobe into his mouth, red and tempting like a strawberry. "Wouldn't this make it cleaner?"

"You don't wash like that..." Shen Yu bit down on his lower lip, trying to stifle any sounds.

After a bath that lasted almost half an hour, when Shen Yu was lifted out, his entire body was flushed.

After changing clothes, Shen Yu leaned on the soft couch while Shang Junlin sat beside him, automatically massaging him.

Shen Yu couldn't help but reflect on himself. He hadn't resisted Shang Junlin either. Last night, Shang Junlin hadn't eaten anything special to provoke such a reaction.

He didn't know that the night before, watching Shang Junlin insist on staying up even though he was clearly exhausted, softened Shang Junlin's heart.

Being reciprocated by someone who cherished him was a kind of happiness that couldn't be described in words.

Filled with various emotions, if not for not wanting to disturb Shen Yu's peaceful sleep, Shang Junlin wouldn't have just held him all night, would he?

After another round of activities during the day, Shang Junlin knew he was in the wrong. He had the kitchen prepare Shen Yu's favorite dishes, albeit light ones. He set up a small table next to the soft couch and fed Shen Yu himself.

Shen Yu was ravenous and had no intention of dwelling on what had happened earlier with Shang Junlin. After finishing his meal, a minister came looking for Shang Junlin.

"I'll be back in a moment," Shang Junlin kissed Shen Yu's forehead. "If there's anything you want to do or need, just tell them."

"Your Majesty, go quickly," Shen Yu waved his hand, his back hurting at the sight of him.

After lying down for a while, Mu Xi walked in. "Young Master, Physician Gu is requesting an audience."

"But today isn't the day for a checkup. Why is Physician Gu here?" Shen Yu wondered. "Let him in first. Did Physician Gu mention what it's about?"

"It seems to be at the request of His Majesty," Mu Xi went out to receive him.

Physician Gu entered with a medicine box on his back and bowed to Shen Yu first. "Greetings to Your Excellency."

"Physician Gu, no need for formalities."

Physician Gu straightened up and looked at Shen Yu.

The young man's complexion was rosy, with a hint of redness at the corners of his eyes and vivid lips, making it easy to tell he had just been through something. Physician Gu remembered why he had come and approached Shen Yu to feel his pulse.

"It was His Majesty who sent me to check on Your Excellency," Physician Gu explained.

After taking Shen Yu's pulse, Physician Gu withdrew his hand. "There's no major issue with Your Excellency's health, just a bit of deficiency in qi and blood. I'll prescribe some tonics for you to take for two or three days."

Physician Gu had been called away early in the morning by the palace, thinking something had happened, only to realize his mistake when he arrived at Yuzhang Palace.

Having to take tonic medicine after just one night made Shen Yu's forehead twitch. "Please wait here for a moment, Physician Gu. When His Majesty returns, he should also be examined."

"Of course."

Physician Gu stayed, and Shen Yu didn't want to leave him hanging. Besides, there were some things he wanted to ask.

"Now that General Gu Huai has achieved military exploits, I congratulate Physician Gu in advance."

"Thank you, Your Excellency. To be honest, it wasn't until the person came to report the good news early this morning that I learned about it." He hadn't even had time to process it before he was called into the palace again. So far, he hadn't felt much about the whole thing.

Regarding Gu Huai's disappearance these days to join the army, Physician Gu always felt a sense of unreality. In his impression, Gu Huai was still a child who needed his protection at every turn. Who knew that one day, this child would spread his wings and become a towering hero.

He had heard about Gu Huai's deeds, how he had become a little war god who never lost in battle in the Subei Army. This matter was widely talked about in the capital, from newspapers to neighbors, with countless people discussing it.

When he heard about it before, he didn't know the protagonist was Gu Huai, so he just brushed it off. But now, Physician Gu couldn't help but wonder, would Gu Huai be cold on the border? Would he get hurt?

Shen Yu was feeling a bit crowded mentally, but he managed to chat with Physician Gu for a while until Shang Junlin returned.

Physician Gu stood up to bow.

Shang Junlin waved off Physician Gu's courtesy and sat down on the soft couch. "Is His Excellency feeling well?"

He directed the question at Physician Gu.

"In response to His Majesty, His Excellency is in good health," Physician Gu repeated his earlier words.

"I asked Physician Gu to stay on purpose, to examine Your Majesty as well." Shen Yu nudged Shang Junlin's arm.

"I'm not... feeling any discomfort..." Under Shen Yu's gaze, Shang Junlin swallowed the rest of his words. "In that case, I'll trouble Physician Gu."

Shen Yu was finally satisfied.

Physician Gu approached to feel Shang Junlin's pulse.

After a moment, Physician Gu released his hand. "Your Majesty is in good health, without any issues."

"Does His Majesty need to take medicine?" Shen Yu couldn't help asking.

"Well..." Physician Gu hesitated for a moment. "Your Majesty is indeed fine and doesn't need medication."

Shen Yu lay back wearily, feeling like he was the only one with a weak body.

Meng-gonggong escorted Physician Gu out and also took the servants out of the room.

"Why did you suddenly want Physician Gu to check my pulse?" Shang Junlin lifted Shen Yu up and pulled him into his arms.

Shen Yu squirmed, finding a comfortable position. "Physician Gu prescribed medicine for me, so I thought Your Majesty might want to take it too."

Shang Junlin finally understood why Shen Yu wanted Physician Gu to stay until he returned. He pinched Shen Yu's chin. "You really underestimate your husband."

Shen Yu turned his head away, not wanting to look at him.

Shang Junlin ordered someone to bring the documents to the soft couch. He held Shen Yu while reviewing the documents, and Shen Yu fell asleep in his arms before long.

Shang Junlin looked down at him, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

The atmosphere in the palace was warm, in stark contrast to the bleakness at King Yue's side.

As the New Year approached, it should have been a time for reunion. However, due to being forced into a corner, King Yue had no choice but to retreat to Hanzhou. He couldn't return to his well-established fief, and even his own people didn't know where he was. He didn't have a single trusted follower by his side, which was deeply frustrating.

The people of Hanzhou also had strong opinions. Being confined to the city without reason made them live in constant fear, worrying about the possibility of conflict both inside and outside the city, leaving them far from content.

At first, the people of Hanzhou hadn't realized their situation, but they soon realized they had been forced into rebellion. Many of them were dissatisfied, and this dissatisfaction led to a small-scale uprising, which was quickly suppressed.

Several troublemakers were executed on the spot, and the rest were thrown into the dungeons, their fate uncertain.

The people of Hanzhou were angry but dared not speak out. Their lives were at the mercy of others, and they couldn't do anything about it.

What should have been the busiest time of the year was now desolate throughout Hanzhou. All the gates were tightly closed, and unless absolutely necessary, everyone stayed indoors.

Who knew if going out would mean coming back alive.

"How much longer can Hanzhou's food supplies last? Has Tan-xiangsheng's people not arrived yet?" King Yue looked discontentedly at the middle-aged man in blue.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. Just wait a few more days, and they'll be able to join us," the man reassured.

"How could I not be worried? Hanzhou's food reserves are already low, and if the court's forces don't arrive before long, our people might starve to death first." After waiting for so many days, King Yue was becoming increasingly anxious.

He knew he would tread this path eventually. He had once fantasized about various possible scenarios, but he never imagined it would happen in such a messy situation, rushing things.

In his expectations, before taking action, he would be fully prepared, winning the support of the masses and having the people's hearts on his side. But now, now the people saw him as a traitor.

He was only trying to reclaim what rightfully belonged to him. He could have done it openly and honorably. If it weren't for Shang Junlin's coercion, why would he end up like this?!

The more he thought about it, the more unwilling King Yue felt.

He didn't know when it started, but rumors about him began to spread in Hanzhou. Even children sang rhymes mocking him.

As the rumors spread, inevitably, they reached King Yue's ears.

The first time he heard someone compare him unfavorably to Shang Junlin and criticize him as worthless, King Yue smashed everything in his study.

The servants stood with bowed heads in the empty room, not daring to say a word.

Even after smashing everything, King Yue was still not relieved. He glared fiercely at the other person in the room, like an enraged lion. "What other rumors are circulating about me? I command you to immediately arrest anyone spreading rumors, and I will personally torture them!"

"My Lord, calm down," the servant knelt down. "It's not that I refuse to do it, it's just that now..."

"Now what?"

"Now, almost everyone is spreading these rumors, not just in Hanzhou, but all over Da Huan. And, some of them are even more outrageous..."

King Yue's head throbbed. He couldn't even dare to imagine how he was being portrayed outside. This was the ending he had envisioned for Shang Junlin, but it ended up happening to himself.

A bloody sweetness surged in his mouth, and King Yue's vision blackened as he collapsed.

"My lord! Quick, someone! The lord has fainted!"

The mansion instantly fell into chaos.

"Your Majesty, are you saying King Yue fainted from anger?" Shen Yu, draped in a snowy white fox fur, walked through the snow as if he were an otherworldly being.

"Yes, that's the news just received from Hanzhou. It's said that someone told King Yue about the rumors outside, and he fainted on the spot." Shang Junlin held Shen Yu's hand, strolling leisurely.

"King Yue is too fragile. With just this bit of news, he couldn't handle it. And yet, he still dares to harbor thoughts of Your Majesty's position." Shen Yu sneered coldly.

Shang Junlin sensed something and raised an eyebrow. "Did you have a hand in this, Ah Yu?"

Shen Yu looked at him innocently. "Doesn't Your Majesty know everything I do every day?"

Author's note:

A little scene about the medicine:

Shen Yu was displeased that only he had to take medicine and insisted on dragging His Majesty into it.

His Majesty held the medicine. "Do you really want me to drink it? Won't you regret it?"

Shen Yu wondered, what was there to regret?

The next day, Shen Yu got up, clutching his sore waist. "...That was a mistake."