The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

18

"Mu Xi, when it's someone's birthday, what do you usually give them?" Shen Yu held a teacup and asked the maid who was tying up his hair.

Mu Xi thought a little. She couldn't think of anyone but His Majesty who could make Shen Yu ask this sentence. "Is the young master going to give His Majesty a gift?"

"That's right." Shen Yu didn't deny it.

"But... Didn't the young master already decide on a gift list?"

When Mu Xi mentioned this, Shen Yu remembered asking her to handle some things related to the birthday ceremony. "Bring me the gift list. I want to take a look."

"Very well."

Mu Xi finished her work and personally went to get it. "Young master, this is the preliminary list."

Shen Yu took the list and read it from beginning to end. He didn't see anything wrong with it, but he still wanted to give something in addition to what was there.

His knuckles tapped on the table. Shen Yu sorted through his memory and tentatively decided on a few things.

One specific thing would require more thought.

Early the next morning, Shen Yu felt the warmth at his side and opened his eyes in confusion.

"Your Majesty?"

Shang JunLin was holding an official report, half-reclining against the head of the bed as he looked through it.

"Awake?"

The low voice came from above Shen Yu, who rubbed his ears. "Your Majesty isn't going to morning court today?"

Usually by the time Shen Yu woke up, Shang JunLin had already gone to court. If it wasn't for the sunlight outside, Shen Yu might have thought it was still early.

"This emperor took a rest day," Shang JunLin said. He put down the report in his hand. "Didn't you say you wanted to visit the Zhenbei Marquis' residence today?"

Shen Yu's puzzlement gradually cleared. He sat up, holding the quilt. "If Your Majesty hadn't reminded me, I almost would have forgotten."

It was obvious he didn't care much at all about going to the Zhenbei Marquis' residence.

"..." Shang JunLin was speechless. "This emperor told you last night."

Shen Yu thought back to the previous night. It seemed that Shang JunLin really did mention it, but Shen Yu had been preoccupied with something else lately and hadn't paid attention.

Seeing that Shen Yu was awake, Shang JunLin called someone in to serve him. After washing up, they changed into their traveling clothes.

Shang JunLin didn't wear the formal robes that represented the emperor's dignity, but chose a black robe that didn't reveal his status. Shen Yu wore a light-colored robe with a snow-white fox fur.

"Is Your Majesty going to hide your identity when you leave the palace?" When Shen Yu looked at the man dressed as an ordinary person, his eyes lit up.

Shang JunLin had an impeccable face—sword brows, starry eyes, sharp features. Nothing about his appearance was less than perfect. When he took off the sumptuous formal robes of the emperor, he looked even younger and more handsome.

A large part of the reason Shen Yu decided to accept staying in the harem and cooperated with Shang JunLin was because of his face. The more he looked at Shang JunLin, the more he thought this face fit his aesthetic ideal.

"Mm," Shang JunLin agreed, explaining, "It's not convenient for this emperor to leave the palace with my true identity."

Shen Yu understood that although the case of Imperial Censor Zhang was closed, there were still a lot of unspoken doubts about it. In fact, there was no need for Shang JunLin to accompany Shen Yu to the Zhenbei Marquis' residence at such a time.