The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

How could Shen Yue be happy to see the person she viewed as her archenemy? When she saw Shen Yu standing there with an air of superiority while she was reduced to a prisoner, her mind reeled.

Her emotions fluctuated so wildly they were more or less revealed on her face, but she was in a weak position right now. She could only restrain her anger.

She bit her lower lip in a show of weakness. "This slave didn't mean it."

Shen Yu knew she was dissembling, but he didn't care. "You said you have something important to tell His Majesty. His Majesty is here. Whatever it is, just say it."

Shen Yue didn't want to talk in front of him. She was planning to trade the original owner's secrets to secure her future, but with Shen Yu here, he might stand in her way.

"What I have to say is important. Your Majesty, can we be alone…?"

"How presumptuous! His Majesty doesn't take orders from a criminal slave!" Without waiting for Shen Yue to finish, the palace servant standing to one side scolded her sharply.

Shen Yue trembled with fear. She lowered her head, not daring to speak. After a while, she secretly glanced in the direction of the emperor.

With that one look, she almost cracked a molar.

The young and handsome emperor was holding the gorgeous young man in his arms, whispering to him. His face was tender, completely different than when he looked at her.

Jealousy surged in her heart. "Make him leave! Otherwise I won't talk!" Shen Yue said quickly, stumbling over her words.

Shen Yu paused when he heard this. He began to doubt his guess from earlier. Were the people from that place this stupid?

Shen QingRan never acted this stupid, right?

Meanwhile, Shang JunLin's face turned cold. According to his usual habits, suspicious people were to be killed. If Shen Yu hadn't hinted there was something strange about this woman, he wouldn't have come here at all.

With his hand on Shen Yu's shoulder, Shang JunLin said lightly, "If she doesn't talk, kill her."

Shen Yue was dumbfounded as she watched the two people leave. It wasn't that she didn't want to speak. She just… didn't want to bow her head in front of Shen Yu.

When a palace man walked up to her, Shen Yue hurriedly called out, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I'll talk! Don't kill me!"

Only now did Shen Yue truly begin to panic, as she realized exactly what kind of place she'd transmigrated into. This was the imperial palace, and she was facing the emperor himself, the one who stood above all others. Her status was that of a palace maid, while he was the head of a country with power over life and death.

Fear welled up in her heart. Shen Yue understood in hindsight just how foolish she'd been.

"Your Majesty, don't you want to listen?" Shen Yu asked in a low voice, feeling the strong grip on his shoulder.

Shang JunLin wasn't interested. "Meng Chang will provide a report. If you want to know you can read it."

Shen Yu thought that made sense. Besides, there were too many people around to ask her what he wanted to confirm.

The two left together.

This time Shen Yue was well-behaved. She answered every question put to her. It didn't take long before she revealed everything the original owner knew.

After they returned to the bedchamber, Shen Yu took off his cloak. "Your Majesty, can you spare Shen Yue's life?"

Shang JunLin also changed out of his clothes with the help of the palace attendants. "Why? Interested?"

Shen Yu touched his face, thoughtful. "I'm just a little curious why someone in the palace looks similar to me."

It was an irrefutable reason. Shang JunLin knew Shen Yu's family history and nodded. "As you like."

"Your Majesty is very kind." As Shen Yu looked at Shang JunLin, his eyebrows arched in a smile and his eyes seemed full of stars.

It was a sentence Shen Yu said often. Somehow Shang JunLin wanted to touch those starry eyes, and he resisted a sudden rise of desire. "Rest well."

Imperial Physician Gu had been charged by Shang JunLin with restoring Shen Yu's health. The physician came to Yuzhang Palace every other morning to take Shen Yu's pulse.

After taking the pulse as usual, Imperial Physician Gu asked Shen Yu about his recent condition. Shen Yu answered the questions one by one. When the physician was about to leave, Shen Yu stopped him.

"Imperial Physician Gu."

"What does the noble monarch wish?"

"I have to admit to Imperial Physician Gu that I've always been a domineering person. If Imperial Physician Gu wishes to take care of my health and put my mind at ease, you should push aside all other patients."

Imperial Physician Gu paused and looked over at the young man half-reclining against the head of the bed. He was dressed in red and his skin was as white as snow, like a red plum flower blooming wantonly in the snow. His face was careless when he spoke, as if he didn't realize he'd made a very difficult request for a healer.

"This minister…"

Imperial Physician Gu instinctively wanted to refuse, but he was interrupted by Shen Yu.

"Imperial Physician Gu should do as I say. I'd never harm one of my benefactors."

As he met Shen Yu's pointed gaze, Imperial Physician Gu swallowed back what he would have said. He saluted respectfully. "This minister will obey."

After Imperial Physician Gu left, some of the palace servants were puzzled. "Why would the noble monarch do this? You will ruin your reputation for no reason."

Shen Yu smiled and said nothing. He wanted to repay a kindness from his previous life. Besides, he got along well with Imperial Physician Gu. Without this gentle and polite court physician, who would take care of his health?

Not to mention, Imperial Physician Gu's medical skills really were outstanding. After taking the medicine for a few days, Shen Yu felt much better this winter than before.

Elsewhere, the situation at court was getting more and more tense. After three ministers were sent to jail in succession, no one else dared to speak for Imperial Censor Zhang, but that didn't mean they agreed with the emperor's decision.

Beneath the calm surface of the water, a dark tide was rising, and various forces were stirring. The Son of Heaven sat high on his throne and had a panoramic view of everything below.

Shen Yu more or less heard the details. Combined with the memories of his previous life, he could roughly guess the situation. Some people stretched their hands out too far, thinking they hadn't made any mistakes, but they didn't know a pair of eyes was watching their every move.

Imperial Censor Zhang was the first to go, but he was merely the "bait" put forward by several parties. Shang JunLin caught him so quickly the rest were unprepared. No one knew who would win out in the end.

Shen Yu thought back and recalled that in his previous life the King of Yue seemed to have said he'd benefited a lot from this incident. Shen Yu wasn't involved, so he wasn't sure how.

The matter erupted after the King of Yue secretly entered the capital, and it certainly had something to do with him. Shen Yu was the type to seek revenge for even the smallest grievance, and since this was related to the King of Yue, he wouldn't stand idly by. He didn't care about anyone else, but in this life, the King of Yue would never get what he wanted!

For the time being, the imperial palace was calm, but Shen Yu knew it wouldn't be long before the storm of his previous life swept into the harem.

Sure enough, when he got up early the next morning, Shen Yu heard the sound of suppressed crying.

Shen Yu: "What happened?"

Mu Xi was tying up Shen Yu's hair. "Last night several attendants from our palace were disposed of."

Shen Yu: "Why didn't you inform me?"

Mu Xi: "His Majesty gave orders not to disturb your rest."

When Mu Xi thought of the scene last night, her fingers slightly trembled. It was one thing to hear that His Majesty was ruthless and murderous—it was totally different to witness it firsthand.

After last night, Mu Xi realized more clearly what kind of person the current emperor was. When he was around Shen Yu, he was completely different, even mild. But last night the emperor was more in line with the rumors. Tyrannical and brutal, violent and cruel, a merciless killer.

He didn't have to do anything himself. All he needed to do was lift his chin as a signal, and everyone, whether they were arguing or begging for mercy, would die in an instant.

Shen Yu noticed Mu Xi's strangeness and slightly narrowed his eyes. "Did you see it too?"

Mu Xi: "… Yes."

Shen Yu adjusted to a more comfortable position. "Tell me what happened."

Lately Shang JunLin had been busy. He no longer stayed in Yuzhang Palace every day like at the beginning. Shang JunLin was absent last night, and Shen Yu followed the doctor's advice and went to bed early.

When he thought of this, Shen Yu frowned. Did he really sleep so deeply last night? Despite all that noise he hadn't woken up.

When she recalled the situation last night, Mu Xi couldn't help but shiver. "After you fell asleep, a pair of mysterious shadow guards took over Yuzhang Palace. All the servants were taken to an isolated palace. No matter what we asked, no one answered. Not long after we got there, His Majesty arrived with a group of imperial guards, and then…"

And then came the sight of bright scarlet and the disgusting smell of blood. Mu Xi huddled with the other servants from Yuzhang Palace and watched the silent execution, shaking with fear.

After recounting these memories, the color in Mu Xi's face drained away. She wasn't some newcomer, but who could keep their face unchanged when witnessing such a scene?

"Mu Xi." As she became more and more upset, Shen Yu had to interrupt her. "It's all right."

"This slave has lost her manners." Mu Xi gradually returned to her senses. After all, she was a strong-minded woman. It didn't take long for her to calm herself.

"Was there a great deal of commotion when you left the palace last night?" Shen Yu was still a bit concerned.

"Not much. His Majesty probably didn't want to disturb you. There wasn't much noise the whole time." When Mu Xi thought of the troops who came and went like shadows, she felt a chill.

In that case, it made sense. Imperial Physician Gu's new prescription made Shen Yu sleep more heavily. If Shang JunLin gave orders not to disturb him, it wasn't strange that he hadn't noticed anything.

"Young master, what do you think His Majesty meant?" He specifically ordered them not to wake the young master. Was that because he cared?

Shen Yu shook his head. He didn't know what the emperor thought.

"Please go back and reassure the other servants of Yuzhang Palace. Pick some things from the warehouse and reward them," Shen Yu ordered.

"Yes, young master."

"You should also have a good rest today."

Mu Xi was about to refuse when she heard Shen Yu continue. "Give the others in Yuzhang Palace a holiday as well."

"Very well."

Shen Yu usually didn't like the palace servants to wait on him too closely. Mu Xi adjusted the personnel for each shift and left the rest of the time free for everyone to compose themselves. Doing this didn't affect the normal operation of Yuzhang Palace.

Shen Yu thought of the scene in his previous life when the King of Yue gloated about how his reputation was so much better than the tyrant's. Shen Yu was determined to make sure the King of Yue would never have such an opportunity.

In later years, the image of Shang JunLin as a tyrant became more and more widespread, a fact which couldn't be separated from the wanton smears of the King of Yue and similar individuals. Some people ah—they slandered others without any self-awareness of how much worse they were themselves.

After Shang JunLin dealt with court affairs, he hesitated for a while, then went to Yuzhang Palace.

Meng Gonggong, who was following the emperor, said in surprise, "Isn't it… too quiet here?"

Compared to its usual state, Yuzhang Palace seemed almost empty all of a sudden. They hardly encountered any palace servants along the way.

The bedchamber was dim. The attendants accompanying Shang JunLin went forward to light the candles. Only then did the palace regain its usual illumination.

"What happened?" Shang JunLin looked at the young man who sat at the table and didn't rise to meet him. "Where are the palace attendants?"

"I saw they were all distracted, so I sent them to rest." Shen Yu still didn't get up. His eyes remained on the mirror in front of him.

As for why he was distracted, everyone present could guess without Shen Yu needing to say it.

Meng Gonggong didn't think His Majesty would encounter such a thing at Yuzhang Palace right after finishing his official duties. Cold sweat ran down his face. He said to himself: My little ancestor, even if you're unhappy with His Majesty's actions, you shouldn't throw it in His Majesty's face ah.

Shang JunLin took a few steps to Shen Yu, grasped his chin, and turned Shen Yu's head towards himself, asking coldly, "Are you complaining about this emperor?"

To the emperor's surprise, Shen Yu, who was enveloped in the icy aura, wasn't the least bit afraid. Instead his eyes were full of interest. "Does Your Majesty also intend to see my blood?"

TL Notes:

Current posting schedule says every 4 chapters I take a day off, so I won't post tomorrow. Thank you for reading (and for comments and emojis etc. etc. etc.)! ♥ I feel happy every time Shen Yu gets a little insolent…

air of superiority – 高高在上 – superior; sit up high in a leading position; be far removed from the masses and reality; be very lofty

"Your Majesty is very kind." … a sentence Shen Yu said often – Last sighted: Chapter 5

push aside all other patients – from 其他活就都推了 – The original is more like "push off all other activity/work", which is pretty vague

seek revenge for even the smallest grievance – 睚眦必报 – seek revenge over a dirty look, not let anyone get away even with a hostile look

shadow guards – 暗卫 – Alternatively: dark or secret guards. In most novels, they're bodyguards who protect the Emperor in secret. They may or may not be the same as the Hidden Dragon Guards mentioned in Chapter 6

imperial guard – 禁军 – The imperial army serves directly under the emperor, usually guarding the emperor, the palace and the capital (Wikipedia)

came and went like shadows – 神出鬼没 – come and go like a shadow; act swiftly and wittingly; alert and quick; divinely appearing and demonically vanishing

[ Project Page | Ko-Fi ✿ | Other translations by Confectioner ]