The Emperor’s Yearning

The next day, Lin Xiao went over to Xia Yutian’s courtyard and picked Xia Yushen up. He could see the young boy’s father glaring at him, to which, he returned with a smirk of his own. Upon seeing the smug face of Lin Xiao, Xia Yutian stormed off in anger.

“ShenShen, ah! Your father seemed to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Did your mother not satisfy him last night?” Lin Xiao asked in a joking manner.

“Father is angry because of what happened last night,” Xia Yushen replied.

“Last night’s matter and he still angry until now. Did his face hurt so much?” Lin Xiao scoffed. “It wasn’t my fault he tried to demean Shizun is it? Xiao Shen, you agree with what I did, right?”

“Father was wrong but big brother Lin shouldn’t have shamed him in front of everyone, ah! Now, he won’t be able to walk around the household without feeling embarrassed,” Xia Yushen said. But on his face, he didn’t appear to be denouncing Lin Xiao. Instead, a big smile was plastered on his face.

“What a naughty child,” Lin Xiao smirked as he knelt down and pinched Xia Yushen’s cheek when he saw the young boy’s expression. “Where is your filial piety, huh?”

“Ah’Shen gave his filial piety to Shizun when Ah’Shen gave him his three kowtows,” Xia Yushen struggled to reply as Lin Xiao continued to pinch his cheek. “Father never treated Ah’Shen well even when Ah’Shen tries his best. He even punished Ah’Shen when Ah’Shen didn’t do anything wrong,” Xia Yushen complained.

Lin Xiao let out a small chuckle as he finally released Xia Yushen’s cheek. He then picked the boy up in his arm and carried him through the hallway.

“So you’re secretly happy that big brother Lin bullied him last night? Your mouth says righteous stuff, showing filial piety but inside, you’re rejoicing your father’s suffering. What a bad boy. Who taught you like this, hmm?”

“Shizun is my master, but the things that Ah’Shen learn are all from big brother Lin!”

Upon hearing the young boy’s answer, Lin Xiao couldn’t help but burst out in laughters. “Good. Very good! Shizun only teaches good things. So naturally these bad things are all picked up from me. ShenShen is very daring.”

“It’s because Shizun and big brother Lin is spoiling Ah’Shen too much. Big brother Lin must take responsibility!” Xia Yushen grinned widely at Lin Xiao. “Speaking of which, where is Shizun?”

“Shizun is already waiting by the entrance with General Bai. Xiao Shen, you haven’t ridden a horse, right? You’re going to ride one today. Excited?”

When Xia Yushen heard that he will be riding a horse, his face lighten up. Eyes turned crescent as he gave Lin Xiao a big smile. “Yes, yes! Very excited, ah!” he said while nodding his head vigorously.

While Lin Xiao planned to go to the market with Xia Yushen and Long Yinlian, a certain shadow guard had rushed over to the Emperor’s side in order to give him a daily report.

“So, he is planning to go to the market to buy weapons for that child you mentioned?”

“Answering to the Emperor. This is indeed what this slave heard.”

“En. You’re dismissed,” Qin Yijun replied as he waved his hand. After the shadow guard left, he pondered for a bit as he stared at the memorials in his hand. He appears to be deliberating whether he would like to continue working on the memorials or grab the chanced meeting with Lin Xiao. In the end, his yearning won over his sensibility and he called over the head eunuch.

“Has Meng Chen recovered?” he asked.

“Answering to Your Majesty. This servant heard that Meng Chen is still bedridden and will be unable to get off bed for a while,” the head eunuch replied.

“…” Qin Yijun pitied Meng Chen’s state, thus he could only let out a heavy sigh. ‘Meng Chen is bedridden, and Bai Chenyi is with Lin Xiao. Who else should I bring out of the palace without causing a scene…’

Qin Yijun was deep in thought as he tried to name someone from the back of his mind. “If Zhen am not wrong, the third young master of Bai family is currently on leave from duty? Is he in the city?”

“This servant can send someone to inquire.”

“En. Go, and if he is around, pass the order that Zhen wishes to see him.”

The head eunuch bowed to the emperor before he left to do as the emperor ordered. Left alone, Qin Yijun stood up and left the Imperial Study, going straight to Tianlong Palace. Heading towards his bed chamber, he proceeded to walk over to his wardrobe. The servants within Tianlong palace was ready to serve him when they were all dismissed by Qin Yijun.

“Zhen doesn’t require your service. You are all dismissed,” he said to the servant. The servant simply bowed and quietly left their emperor to his own.

Qin Yijun then proceeded to take out few simple clothes and began to ponder what he should be wearing. ‘It’s decided. Zhen’s identity this time is the distant relative of Bai family who came to the capital for a visit. This outfit will do,’ Qin Yijun eyed the simple designed outfit, but upon closer inspection, the materials made were top notch.

Moments later, Qin Yijun left Tianlong palace in his disguise. When he reached the gate to the outer court, he saw that the person he called for has arrived. This person, if looked from afar, looked similar to Bai Chenyi. But once you got closer, you’d notice the difference between them.

Standing before this person, Qin Yijun would can only wonder what he had eaten to have grown this big.

“Bai Minghai sees His Majesty,” the third young master of Bai family, Bai Minghai greeted Qin Yijun.

“En. Today, as soon as Zhen steps out of the Imperial Palace, Zhen’s identity is that of your distant relative. Help Zhen think of an identity,” Qin Yijun said to Bai Minghai.

When Bai Minghai saw the emperor dressed in a disguise, he had already figured out that the emperor wished to go out of the wall. But he did not expect that the emperor would wish to take the identity of being his distant relative.

“Then… My uncle from the land of Ruanyu from across the sea have a son that is close of age with His Majesty. His name is Bai Ruohan,” Bai Minghai replied, though he sounded slightly uneasy. After all, though the Great Ruanyu and their Qin Empire have close relationship with each other despite being separated by the great sea, to take one of their great general’s identity might cause a problem.

“Bai Ruohan, Hanxin Gong? The War God of Yilian?” Qin Yijun asked, as if to confirm the identity.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Bai Minghai replied with a slight bow of his head.

“Mmn… Though this identity is a bit troublesome, it is fine as long as the people of Ruanyu doesn’t know. Zhen will borrow this identity for the rest of the day.”

“Your Majesty, may this servant ask what Your Majesty wish to do outside the palace?” Bai Minghai asked in a slightly worried tone.

“Zhen wish to see someone. It has been a long time since we were separated. Now that Zhen know where he is, Zhen is unable to stop this yearning,” Qin Yijun replied as he then proceeds to walk out of the gate.

Bai Minghai who heard Qin Yijun’s answer thought that the Emperor had fallen in love with a young maiden outside the palace. He had to rein his curiosity and remind himself that this is the Emperor and thus, he mustn’t let any rumours spread out.

By the time Bai Minghai caught up to the Emperor, he suddenly heard the Emperor speak, already in his disguise’s persona: “Minghai, the readers here… they should probably go to Tapas to continue reading. I heard this site is not the author’s priority and the author kept forgetting about this site’s existence. In addition, its free in tapas. In fact, I heard this particular chapter was released in tapas in August 29.”