After playing for some time at the field in the afternoon, the women gradually left the scene.

In the evening, another banquet with civil and military officials was held. Duan Changchuan drank three more cups, switching to tea for the fourth.

Returning to the Ming Sheng Hall, it was past midnight after he finished bathing. Duan Changchuan was very tired. As he sat on the bed, yawned a few times and could hardly keep his eyes open.

Just as he was about to lie down, Chang Le reluctantly held him back, “Your Majesty, please wait for a moment. This morning, Imperial Physician Fang prescribed an ointment for you, let this servant apply it to You. It won’t take a long time.”

The young emperor blinked and, after a while, finally reacted, “Ah…? Oh, then go get it.”

“Ei,” Chang Le went to get the ointment.

So, after taking a bath and entering the room, Bai Su saw the little kid in bright yellow undergarments sitting obediently on the bed. His head kept nodding.

In a daze, she remembered the night she married her Omega when she entered their bedroom after taking a bath, her little one looked just like this.

His eyes completely shut, sitting on the edge of the bed, letting her dress him in his sleepwear. Both ears were red, and he kept snuggling into her embrace.

Bai Su rubbed her still recovering gland on the back of her neck, unable to help but frown.

She crossed over with both body and spirit, but her Omega didn’t come over. It would be an issue when she encountered her rut period.

An Alpha without the comfort from an Omega for a long time would eventually develop Pheromone Deficiency Syndrome. It might take a year, or it might take ten, but regardless of the interval, that day would inevitably come.

Anyone who knows that they wouldn’t live too long, will not have a good time.

Sigh, Pheromone Deficiency Syndrome… Wouldn’t it be considered a lunatic in this era?

“Your Majesty, this servant is back… greetings, Your Highness Empress.” Chang Le returned with the salve and immediately bowed to Bai Su.

Bai Su nodded and sat on the side couch, realizing that the dragon bed she slept on yesterday was a special case. The bedding for the side couch was already prepared today, and she had no reason to continue sleeping on the dragon bed.

Moreover, Duan Changchuan didn’t want any real husband-wife connection between them, it was best to avoid any gossip from the servants. She understood that.

The reason was he was annoyed with her, but more importantly, she came from the Bai family, a concubine daughter, moreover as a substitute. Even if she openly admitted to being discarded by the Bai Family, Duan Changchuan wouldn’t want to have much involvement with her.

Who knew if she would be a spy from the Bai family?

This status would inevitably be disliked by both sides.

On the other hand, Chang Le was still talking to Duan Changchuan, “Your Majesty, your wound looks much better. It was still swollen this morning, but now it’s much improved. Imperial Physician Fang’s ointment is truly miraculous; it was only applied once this morning.”

“Is it better now? Then, no need to apply more.”

“Huh? Your Majesty, it’s not fully healed yet. Apply it once more, and it should be completely better by tomorrow.”

“Isn’t it better already? I don’t want to apply it.”

“Your Majesty, why did you lie down… sigh!”

Bai Su followed the voice and saw a noticeable small bump on the dragon bed. The little eunuch, who was still kneeling at the bedside, holding the extracted salve, looked unsure of what to do.

He really acted like a child. But if he wasn’t willing to apply it himself, the subordinates couldn’t force him. After all, who dared to oppose the ruler, the Nine to Five Supreme Emperor ^[1]九五之尊 – According to ancient Chinese beliefs, the number 9 ranks as the highest number, and the number 5 is a “middle” or “central” number. Thus 9 and 5 together … Continue reading?

But, this Nine-Five Supreme Emperor was a child who had just turned 18 years old.

Bai Su helplessly got up, walked to the side of the bed, and asked, “What happened?”

“Answering You Highness, His Majesty’s neck was bitten by a bug. Imperial Physician Fang prescribed an ointment, but His Majesty didn’t want to apply it. This servant is afraid that if it isn’t applied today, it might not fully heal tomorrow.”

“Give me the ointment. You may leave.”

Chang Le looked at the person lying in bed and hesitated.

Bai Su said, “Rest assured, your Emperor is capable in literature and martial arts. As a woman what can I do to him?”

Only then did the little eunuch hand over the ointment and say, “Then this servant will take his leave.”

Once everyone in the room, including the attendants, had left, Bai Su half-knelt and approached, patting the small bump on the bed.

“Why did you suddenly lose your temper with Chang Le this evening? Did you also get drunk tonight, hm?”

He completely ignored her.

Bai Su:…

If she didn’t know how the young emperor looked when he was asleep, she would have thought he had already fallen asleep, “Your Majesty, one should take medicine when you’re sick, this is something that even children understand. Why are you making a fuss?”

“Duan Changchuan, do you know why there have been few wise rulers throughout history? It’s because sitting on the throne as an emperor is too high, and the power is too great, making it difficult to hear the voices that need to be heard.”

At the mention of state affairs, the little bump under the blanket moved slightly.

Bai Su couldn’t help but curl her lips. “In the court, those who dare to disobey the monarch are said to ‘risk their lives’ in doing so. Because if the king is slightly dissatisfied, it might cost them their lives. A wise ruler can discern right from wrong and control rightful criticism. But if there is no one in the world willing to oppose you, it becomes a difficult task. So, being a wise ruler is a challenging thing.”

The young emperor opened his eyes and spoke in a hoarse voice, “I…”

“Hmm?”

The young emperor fell silent for a moment, hesitated, then suddenly changed the topic and complained in a low voice, “I just feel better and don’t want to apply medicine… Why are you giving me such a long lecture? Even more nagging than the master at the Imperial Academy.”

Bai Su chuckled, “Because Your Majesty, you seem to want to be a wise ruler. This concubine just wants to say that in matters of state, there will be people willing to risk their lives to advise the emperor for the sake of the people and that is a righteous act. But in private, taking your medicine and taking care of your health, no one will oppose you in such matters. If you don’t want to eat, no one will force you to eat, and if you don’t want to apply medicine, no one will force you to apply it.”

Because people were selfish, and no one would risk their lives to persuade an emperor who didn’t want to take care of his health. So, the emperors since ancient times, are often lonely at the top.

“Therefore, Duan Changchuan, from today onwards, take good care of yourself in everything, understand?”

Bai Su didn’t say the rest. Between them, saying too much had already crossed the line. After all, the other person was the ruler of the entire country.

“I’m not being willful,” the young emperor said. Then he lifted the blanket.

Bai Su didn’t expose him and continued, “Then apply the medicine. If you apply it today then You’ll be better by tomorrow.”

The young emperor tightened his fingers around the edge of the blanket and hesitated for a while before nodding. Brushing aside the strands of hair, he turned his neck to expose it to her.

It was the deep night of midnight, and Chang Le had already extinguished most of the lights before leaving, leaving only two lamps on the table casting faint and flickering light. The young emperor’s jade-like neck was submerged in the pulsating shadows. The more blurred it looked, the more one wanted to scrutinize…

Bai Su’s heart skipped a beat.

Hastily calming her mind, she silently repeated, “Calm down, he is just an ordinary person, an ordinary person without glands. You have your own Omega.”

Repeated several times, she then focused on applying the medicine to him.

Duan Changchuan didn’t know what was wrong with him. Whenever he thought about someone touching his neck, he felt resistant. But when Bai Su offered to help, that inexplicable resistance seemed to disappear. Uh, there was a little embarrassing, but also a hidden expectation rising from the depths of his heart.

‘There was no way I have a weird fetish, right…?’ He thought to himself.

The woman’s fingertips gently slid over his neck, and Duan Changchuan’s fingers, squeezing the blanket, tightened unconsciously.

The person must have used some new fragrance after the bath, and the scent of peony that wafted into his nose was even stronger than what he smelled in the afternoon.

It smelled really good…

He even thought about continuing like this with her, not wanting to be separated…

“Alright, you can go to sleep now.”

After applying the medicine, Bai Su patted his shoulder and withdrew to put away the medicine bottle.

Duan Changchuan felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over him, instantly waking him up halfway.

‘What are you doing, Duan Changchuan? It’s only been a day, how can you…’

He quickly laid down, pulled the blanket up, and covered himself tightly.

Sleep!

It’s all because he’s young and has too much vigor.

Yes! That must be it!

Although… she really smelled good.

So, what kind of fragrance was she using…?