The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

58

Shen Yu："..."

"How does Your Majesty want me to comfort you?"

Shang JunLin leaned in close. "How does Ah Yu think?"

Shen Yu patted Shang JunLin's lowered head. "There, there, Your Majesty. Don't feel bad. Are those people worth Your Majesty's anger?"

With this, Shen Yu gracefully withdrew his hand. "Does Your Majesty feel comforted?"

Shang JunLin laughed in spite of himself. "Ah Yu knows very well this emperor meant something else."

Shen Yu widened his eyes and played innocent. "If Your Majesty doesn't tell me, I won't know what kind of comfort Your Majesty wants."

"You can pretend to be confused about this. The spring exams will conclude soon, and then we'll see what excuses you come up with to stall this emperor." Shang JunLin straightened up and walked to the side with his hands behind his back.

Shen Yu didn't understand. "Why is Your Majesty so certain you'll win?"

Shang JunLin looked at him with a smile. "Has Ah Yu forgotten who decides the final score in the palace exam?"

Shen Yu naturally hadn't thought about it. When he heard Shang JunLin say this, he widened his eyes in disbelief. "Surely Your Majesty won't 'abuse power for personal gain' in order to win?"

Shang JunLin lifted his eyebrows. "If it means Ah Yu will take the initiative to approach this emperor, why not abuse my power?"

Shen Yu came closer, carefully observed the man's face, and didn't see any trace of humor, as if Shang JunLin really meant it. Shen Yu was speechless for a moment.

"What about Your Majesty?" Shen Yu walked around him. "If Your Majesty doesn't win me over, you can't expect me to be willing."

Shang JunLin laughed. "I wasn't serious." He grabbed the young man walking to his side and picked him up. "How could this emperor really do something so foolish? If Ah Yu is really worried, this emperor will have someone arrange a screen, and you can read the examination papers with me."

Caught off guard and lifted into the air, Shen Yu put his hands on the man's shoulders. Shang JunLin picked him up like he was holding a child. Shen Yu's head was a little higher than Shang JunLin's.

From a superior height, Shen Yu looked down at the man. "Your Majesty, were you planning this from the beginning? To let me accompany Your Majesty as you score the exam?"

Shang JunLin patted Shen Yu's lower back and didn't deny it. "Does Ah Yu agree?"

"I'll think about it." Shen Yu didn't say no. A moment ago Shang JunLin truly didn't sound like he was joking. If there wasn't a big difference in Jiang HuaiQing's and Hè ChengYu's scores, Shang JunLin might decide to play favorites and award Hè ChengYu the zhuangyuan position.

If not for the bet, it really didn't matter to Shang JunLin who ranked first or second.

But when it came to this particular subject, Shang JunLin was inclined to act like an intemperate tyrant. It was fine if Shang JunLin became a tyrant for his own reasons, but Shen Yu would never allow Shang JunLin to become an intemperate tyrant because of himself!

"You don't come here often. This emperor will show you around," Shang JunLin said and began to walk away.

Shen Yu patted him on the shoulder. "First put me down."

Shang JunLin thought about it. Shen Yu was probably unwilling to be held like this in public. With some regret, Shang JunLin gave up the idea of carrying Shen Yu everywhere and put him down.