Chapter 23:  The Wise Jinshi x The Obsessed Emperor 02

As dusk approached.

The servant, Zhang Ping, carried a tray of food to Yun Huai’s side, his delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed.  “Master, please eat something.”

His young master had not left the room since being reprimanded by the old master two days ago, and he rarely ate.  He must be worried about the palace exams in half a month.

The old master had confined his young master for a month, which meant he would miss the palace exams.

They were all the old master’s sons.  Why was the old master so harsh on his young master?

Yun Huai slowly lowered the book in his hand.  A stack of books, all the contemporary classics he had read that afternoon, were already piled in front of him.

He stood up from the wooden chair.  His tall and slender frame gave him a delicate and graceful appearance.

“Serve the food.”

A man is made of iron, and rice is made of steel.  If you don’t eat, you’ll be hungry.

He wouldn’t deprive himself of food.  After all, he was no different from ordinary people in the mission world.  He couldn’t survive on air.

Zhang Ping silently placed the food on the table and handed Yun Huai a pair of chopsticks.

“Master, you can eat now.”

Yun Huai straightened his posture, took the plain chopsticks, and his slender fingers with distinct knuckles made the simple chopsticks seem elegant.

He had a refined and graceful appearance, inheriting his mother’s looks.  His mother had a gentle temperament, but he had a sharp and unyielding aura.

Once he set his mind on something, nothing could stop him.  He also had his own set of principles.

Yun Huai thought about things as he ate.

He remembered that his birth mother was called Lan Yue.  When he was very young, she was sold into servitude by his parents, entering the Wu family to serve the second Miss Wu, who was Yun Ai’s wife.  Later, she married into the Yun family with her mistress.

Lan Yue was gentle and meticulous, loyal to her mistress, obedient and docile, never daring to disobey her mistress’s orders.

Therefore, after three years of being unable to conceive, Mrs. Yun gave Lan Yue to her husband, hoping to capture his wandering heart.

Thus, Lan Yue went from being a maid to Yun Ai’s concubine, Lan Niang.  She soon became pregnant and was fortunate enough to give birth to Yun Huai.

Mrs. Yun took Yun Huai to raise, hoping to solidify her position.

But she hadn’t even had him for two months when she was diagnosed with a pregnancy.  Overjoyed, she immediately stopped keeping Yun Huai, the annoying illegitimate son, and returned him to Lan Niang.

She happily waited for childbirth, but unfortunately, she suffered a difficult labor.  She died after giving birth to a daughter, never getting to see her.

After her death, Yun Ai married a second wife, Luo Shi, and had a son and a daughter with her.  He even had an illegitimate son eight years ago.

Yun Huai swallowed the rice in his mouth and calmly considered the family situation.

Now, the transmigrated woman, Yun Shu, was on the same side as Ping Niang and the third son, Yun Cheng.  The second wife, Luo Shi, and her children were on the same side.  Yun Huai was excluded from both camps.

Yun Ai was a traditional patriarch who didn’t care much about the affairs of the back courtyard, even ignoring the storms brewing beneath the surface.

What family didn’t have some drama?  He couldn’t pray for his wives and concubines to live in harmony.  As long as their squabbles didn’t affect his interests, he was satisfied.  It even fulfilled his sense of male dominance.

Men like him, selfish and indifferent, were countless in this era.

Yun Huai didn’t want to judge him.  After all, he had never been deprived of food or clothing.  He was treated equally, allowed to study like his brothers.

Although his father was sometimes clueless, overall, he was passable.  He was just a collection of all the bad qualities of men.

After Yun Huai finished eating, Zhang Ping couldn’t help but ask, “Master, the old master won’t allow you to go out.  How will you take the palace exams?”

Yun Huai rolled his eyes.  “Well, I have a plan!”

Getting out of the Yun Mansion wasn’t difficult.

Seeing this, Zhang Ping breathed a sigh of relief.  “As long as Master has a plan, Zhang Mama and I will prepare the things you need for the exams in advance.”

“We’ll get you pens, ink, paper, clothes, and food.  We can’t hold you back.”

His young master had studied diligently for over ten years, and he was talented in writing.  He was much more capable than the second young master, who spent his days chasing women, and smarter than the third young master, who was the old master’s favorite.  He was sure to pass this time.

Yun Huai took out a white handkerchief and calmly wiped his mouth.  “You two go and prepare.  Just wait for me to become a Jinshi.”

“By then, I’ll move out of the mansion, take you and Zhang Mama with me, and live a peaceful life.”

He had no interest in staying in the Yun Mansion, squabbling with his brothers, sisters, stepmother, and concubines.  He wouldn’t limit his horizons to this mansion.  His world was much bigger.

Zhang Ping grinned.  “Yes, Master.  Wherever you go, Zhang Mama and I will go.”

They were master and servant, forever inseparable.

Half a month later.

The palace exams were about to begin.  Yun Huai, who was well-prepared, climbed over the Yun Mansion’s courtyard wall and jumped down, his movements agile, like a nimble feline.

After landing, Yun Huai steadied himself, and the book box he was carrying didn’t fall.

He adjusted his clothes and walked away, heading towards the street where the imperial examination hall was located.

A cold-faced man in a luxurious carriage happened to see the young man climbing over the wall.  A faint smile appeared on his stern face.

The other man’s movements were as agile as a proud white cat, making him want to pet him.

He said calmly, “Zhou Dehai, send someone to investigate that person’s identity.”

Zhou Dehai, the grand eunuch standing beside him, looked at the young man who was walking away.  At first glance, he thought he looked like a white crane in the clouds.

His face was like jade, his features outstanding.

His second thought was curiosity.  Could his Majesty have taken a liking to him?

Everyone in the court knew that the current Emperor was fond of men, not women.  He had reached the age of thirty but had not yet chosen an empress or taken a concubine.  But although he was fond of men, he never brought a male consort back to the palace.

Now, His Majesty was asking him to investigate a man.  Could it be that he had finally fallen in love?

“Yes.”  Zhou Dehai clenched his fist and went to investigate the young master’s identity.

The handsome man in the carriage leaned back, his dark eyes fixed on the young man in white who was walking away.  He couldn’t help but stroke his fingers.

He wanted to touch him, to hold him…

This noble and stern-faced man was Qin Jingchuan, the Emperor of Longteng Kingdom.  He had been on the throne for twelve years and was a shrewd emperor who held absolute power.

No one in the world could touch a single scale of his.

The transmigrated woman, Yun Shu, was infatuated with Prince Qin Hanyu, the Emperor’s eighth brother and the only one of his brothers still alive.

Qin Jingchuan’s path to the throne was not easy.  The ruler who had suppressed all his brothers to ascend to the highest position couldn’t possibly be a kind-hearted person.

After ascending the throne, the Emperor had openly declared that he didn’t like women, only men.  At the time, the court officials had repeatedly remonstrated, but Qin Jingchuan had shut them all down.

Years had passed, and the officials were too lazy to mention it anymore.  They only hoped that His Majesty would soon adopt a heir to cultivate a crown prince for Longteng Kingdom.

But Qin Jingchuan had always ignored the matter.

He didn’t take a male consort, nor did he choose a successor to the throne.  He lived alone.

Although Qin Jingchuan was only thirty years old, still young, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Recently, the officials had brought up the matter again, making Qin Jingchuan unhappy.  He left the palace to clear his head, but he didn’t expect to encounter a little sweetheart.

He wanted to hold him, kiss him, and…