ABBLEIP Chapter70

The slender and powerful fingers circled the ankle, the slightly rough fingertips rubbed the delicate protrusions of the joints, the force seemed casual, but it firmly held the jade-like foot, and it could not move.

 

Shen Qingzhuo gave up competing with his little disciple and asked in confusion, “What are you measuring this for?”

 

“Measured, of course I have a use for it.” Xiao Shen did not answer directly but just smiled and said, “I will help Master massage your feet.”

 

Shen Qingzhuo felt that he had no good intentions, so he kicked him. “Master is talking to you about serious matters, did you listen?”

 

“Yes, I did.” Xiao Shen took advantage of the situation and grasped the slightly red instep, using his knuckles to press against the sole of the foot, and replied nonchalantly, “Master allowed the Empress Dowager to poison Emperor Father, isn’t that laying the groundwork for dealing with the Qi family in the future?”

 

“En…” Shen Qingzhuo hummed softly as his soles were numb from being pressed. “It seems that Xiao Qi has grown after being away for a few years ah.”

 

Xiao Shen wrapped his palm around the exquisite, jade-like feet, enjoying the soft and smooth touch, and said with a smile, “Where else have I grown? Master, don’t you know?”

 

“You’re still growing—” The words stopped abruptly. Shen Qingzhuo recalled the scene he saw in the bathtub, and his palms seemed to be hot. “Shut up. Didn’t we agree not to mention it again?”

 

“Alright, won’t mention.” Xiao Shen pinched the sensitive sole of his foot and saw that the toes, as cute as petals, reflexively curled up.

 

“Don’t, don’t scratch, ahhaha…” Shen Qingzhuo laughed with an itch and stepped on his knee with his other foot. “Let go.”

 

How could there be such a sensitive person?

 

The dark eyes became more gloomy. Xiao Shen leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on the moist instep, then let go.

 

Shen Qingzhuo’s waist trembled, and he looked at his little disciple in surprise, “Xiao Qi?”

 

“Master’s feet smell so good.” Xiao Shen looked back at him calmly, “Could it be that you soak your feet with spices?”

 

“No.” Shen Qingzhuo frowned and replied without thinking, “Who would soak feet with spices?”

 

Xiao Shen nodded: “Then it’s probably body odor.”

 

After saying that, he picked up the basin and went out to pour water as if nothing had happened.

 

Since his attitude was so natural, as if he had just done something very ordinary, Shen Qingzhuo, who was sitting on the bed, began to doubt himself.

 

It should be just a gesture that his little disciple uses to express his intimacy, just like he usually likes to rub and hug his master, nothing to be surprised about.

 

Shen Qingzhuo stopped thinking deeply, and his little disciple came back.

 

“Master, can I stay overnight tonight?” Xiao Shen stared at him eagerly. “Today is New Year’s Eve, can you make an exception?”

 

“No!” Shen Qingzhuo refused decisively, “Go back to your own palace.”

 

Xiao Shen pursed his lips. “But I want to welcome the New Year and be the first person to say Happy New Year to Master.”

 

“Your intention, Master appreciated it.” Shen Qingzhuo got up from the bed and pushed the young man to force him to turn around. “But you have to go back to bed obediently.”

 

Xiao Shen was pushed towards the door by his master like a puppet and suddenly reached out to grab the door frame, turning his face to make a final struggle. “Is it really impossible? I promise I don’t need Master to help me tonight.”

 

Shen Qingzhuo paused slightly, a wave of heat surged in his cheeks, and he firmly pried open his little disciple’s fingers. “I’ll count to three, three, two—”

 

His little disciple always knew how to stop when he was ahead, so he let go of his hand and rubbed his master’s face before leaving, “Happy New Year in advance, Master!”

 

“Xiao Xiaoqi!” Shen Qingzhuo shouted in a low voice while watching his little disciple disappear in front of him.

 

The child is getting more and more disobedient as he grows up. He must find an opportunity to teach him a lesson next time.

 

Jiyue Pavilion finally returned to silence. Shen Qingzhuo stood at the door and called out, “Xiang Chen.”

 

“Master.” A dark shadow appeared in the courtyard.

 

“You don’t have to stay here on New Year’s Eve.” Shen Qingzhuo said calmly, “Go inside and rest.”

 

Xiang Chen hugged the sword and whispered, “I’ll stay outside to watch over Master.”

 

Shen Qingzhuo sighed, “Xiang Chen, do you know why I gave you this name?”

 

Two years ago, Young Master Shen promised to give the secret guard a name. After repeated consideration, he finally chose “Xiang Chen”.

 

Xiang Chen raised his dark and cold eyes and shook his head honestly, “I don’t know.”

 

“Xiang Chen, first means dawn, second, daybreak, and third, the sky is about to get bright.” Shen Qingzhuo explained slowly, “I gave you this name because I hope that one day you will find your own light, instead of hiding in the darkness all your life.”

 

Xiang Chen looked at him and suddenly knelt on one knee. “Please punish me, Master.”

 

“Why should I punish you?” Shen Qingzhuo was confused. “Why are you kneeling down for no reason again? Get up quickly.”

 

Xiang Chen lowered his head. “I must have done something wrong, so Master chased me away.”

 

“What are you thinking?” Shen Qingzhuo was both amused and annoyed and walked over to help him up. “I won’t chase you away. At least as long as I’m in the palace, you’ll have food to eat.”

 

In the past two years, as his power in the court grew, various dangers followed.

 

Once he encountered an assassination attempt outside the palace. If Xiang Chen, who was secretly protecting him, hadn’t blocked the sword for him, he might not have been able to withstand it in his current physical condition.

 

Xiang Chen stood up silently, as if he understood what he meant, and said in a stubborn tone, “If Master wants to leave, Xiang Chen will go with you.”

 

“Sometimes, I really feel like you are a stubborn donkey ah.” Shen Qingzhuo smiled helplessly, “Now Master wants you to go back to the room and have a good rest. Will you listen?”

 

Xiang Chen replied, “Yes, Master.”

 

“Wait a minute.” Shen Qingzhuo called him again and took out a gold-thread sachet from his sleeve. “It’s a New Year’s gift; keep it.”

 

Xiang Chen was stunned for a moment, and under his master’s urging, he hesitantly reached out to take the sachet.

 

“Go back.” Shen Qingzhuo waved his hand. “There is still a tough battle to fight in the new year.”

 

Xiang Chen held the sachet in his hand, took a last look at his master’s thin and elegant back, turned around, and disappeared into the dark night.

 

***

 

At the beginning of the new year, the palace was filled with joy, in sharp contrast to the increasingly withered Emperor Guangxi on the dragon bed.

 

On the fifth day of the new year, Shen Qingzhuo was ordered to go to the Zichen Palace. Although he was fully prepared, he was shocked when he saw the emperor.

 

“You are here…” Emperor Guangxi opened his eyes and spoke in a shaky voice, “Tomorrow… Tomorrow there will be a banquet for all the ministers…”

 

“Your Majesty, please rest assured. The humble minister has made all the arrangements.” Shen Qingzhuo guessed what he was going to say and took the initiative to inform him, “The Jinyiwei are on standby, guarding the Fengtian Palace from top to bottom to ensure that nothing goes wrong.”

 

“Cough…” Emperor Guangxi coughed hard, his throat sounding like a leaky bellows. “Make sure all the princes and ministers are present.”

 

“The humble minister understands.” Shen Qingzhuo bowed and replied, hesitating for a moment, and then asked, “What about His Highness King Jin?”

 

“King Jin ah…” Emperor Guangxi stared at a dot in the sky with a distracted look. “How is his health?”

 

Shen Qingzhuo replied, “Answer Your Majesty, His Highness King Jin is still the same.”

 

Emperor Guangxi took a breath. “King Jin is allowed to be absent…”

 

“Yes.” Shen Qingzhuo lowered his eyes and responded.

 

“If… there is any movement in Changshou Palace, you must follow Zhen’s order and immediately seal off Changshou Palace.” Emperor Guangxi said almost word by word, “You must not let… let the Empress Dowager destroy it…”

 

Shen Qingzhuo: “The humble minister understands.”

 

Emperor Guangxi closed his eyes. “Alright, leave now.”

 

When Shen Qingzhuo retreated to the outer hall, he happened to meet Consort Yuan, who came to take care of the emperor.

 

“Consort Yuan.” He bowed and saluted, “Please excuse me for a moment.”

 

Consort Yuan gestured to the maid beside her to leave, and then she said, “According to Lord Shen’s instructions, all the evidence has been left behind.”

 

Shen Qingzhuo asked softly, “The imperial edict?”

 

“In Su Huai’an’s hands.” Consort Yuan looked at him, her tone calm, “The person His Majesty trusts the most is still Eunuch Su.”

 

Shen Qingzhuo paused. “So Niangniang also doesn’t know who His Majesty will finally appoint as the crown prince?”

 

Consort Yuan slowly shook her head.

 

“No problem, it won’t affect the overall situation.” Shen Qingzhuo replied calmly, “From this moment on, please stay with His Majesty and take good care of him.”

 

Consort Yuan nodded slightly and asked, “What about the things you promised me?”

 

“Don’t worry, Niangniang, a gentleman always keeps his word and promises.” Shen Qingzhuo looked back at her with a frank look. “When everything is settled, the humble minister will give what Niangniang wants with both hands.”

 

“Alright.” Princess Yuan stood up and bowed, “Then I wish Lord Shen a successful start and immediate success.”

 

Shen Qingzhuo bowed in return: “Niangniang, please.”

 

***

 

That night, the palace fell into a deep sleep and was completely silent.

 

Shen Qingzhuo stood in front of the desk, holding a brush and rolling up his sleeves. The tip of the fine wolf-hair brush fell on the snow-white rice paper, and the flowing black characters emerged one by one.

 

“Lord Shen.” Lin Jinyu opened the door. “My Lord is so elegant ah, you can still concentrate on practicing calligraphy at this moment.”

 

Shen Qingzhuo did not even turn his head, his brush was not slow. “Why can’t I concentrate?”

 

Lin Jinyu walked to the desk, propped up the table with one hand, and admired Lord Shen’s calligraphy. “Do you know how many people can’t sleep tonight?”

 

“I can’t sleep either ah.” After the last stroke fell, Shen Qingzhuo raised his eyes and smiled, “After all, what we have to do is to usurp the throne.”

 

Lin Jinyu smiled slightly: “No, no, it’s obviously a great thing to help the country.”

 

“Lord Lin is right.” Shen Qingzhuo also smiled and then said seriously, “How is it? Was King Qin convinced?”

 

Lin Jinyu lightly said, “You don’t understand him, he is a stubborn person, and he will repay a drop of water with a spring of water.”

 

Shen Qingzhuo’s expression remained unchanged. “It’s normal that I don’t understand King Qin. It’s enough that you understand him.”

 

“Over the years, whether it was towards King Qin or Shuodong, His Majesty has done a great job.” Lin Jinyu turned around and leaned against the edge of the table. “Xiao Luchi was grateful to his brother, so he accepted the call back to the capital without hesitation and didn’t even consider whether this was a trap or not.”

 

There were many examples in history of secretly summoning the kings back to the capital, framing them for treason, and taking advantage of the opportunity to seize military power. What’s more, King Qin led his troops back to the capital at such a sensitive time of power transition.

 

Shen Qingzhuo thought to himself, He is indeed worthy of being the hero of the original book, such courage is indeed not possessed by ordinary people.

 

But he still reminded: “If King Qin insists on standing on the same front with His Majesty, then I can’t do anything either.”

 

Lin Jinyu frowned and looked at him seriously. “Qingzhuo, I know you must have made all the preparations, but I still hope you can let him go. I, Lin Jinyu, guarantee you with my life that King Qin has no ambition to fight for power and seize the throne.”

 

The two looked at each other under the candlelight, both of them were open-minded.

 

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.” After a brief silence, Shen Qingzhuo curled his lips and took out a white porcelain bottle from his sleeve. “You can’t persuade him, but you can always stop him, right?”

 

Lin Jinyu’s eyes fell on his hand. “This is…”

 

“It will only make His Highness King Qin fall into a deep sleep and sleep peacefully through this palace transformation.” Shen Qingzhuo handed the porcelain bottle to him. “There will be no side effects.”

 

After hesitating for a moment, Lin Jinyu reached out to take it. “Alright.”

 

Just then, a familiar “Master” suddenly came from outside the door.

 

Shen Qingzhuo was startled and withdrew his hand as if he had been electrocuted. He subconsciously lowered his voice and said, “King Jin is here, you should find a place to hide.”

 

“His Highness King Jin?” Lin Jinyu raised his eyebrows slightly. “Why should I hide? I’m not even the wild man who is having an affair with you.”

 

When the last word fell, Xiao Shen, who got no response, gently opened the door.

 

The next moment, their eyes met, and His Highness King Jin’s expression suddenly changed, and he shouted coldly, “Who are you?”

 

“Xiao Qi, calm down!” Shen Qingzhuo immediately walked to his little disciple’s side. “Lin Jinyu, Lord Lin, you have met him.”

 

However, Xiao Shen’s expression did not improve, and his tone became colder: “In the middle of the night, why is Master alone with him in the same room?”

 

The author has something to say:

The Master: Let me explain. We are discussing state affairs!

The Wolf Cub: In the middle of the night? A single man and a single man[mfn]Might be confusing, but this phrase was originally 孤男寡女 which means a single man and a single woman, but the author changed it to men. (Simply means, when a single man and woman were in the room together, there would be rumors going around)[/mfn]discussing state affairs?

Lord Lin: Wait, why do I feel that His Highness King Jin looks familiar?