Ch5 - The Qixi Palace Banquet

Ye Yang sent off Yun Lin, who had lost his wits, his mood becoming more complicated.

He had no idea whether the two eunuchs would give an account of his and Yun Lin’s words to Feng Luan. If they did tell of this… it was alarming to consider that Feng Luan’s favorability score would plummet yet again. Now, Feng Luan’s favorability score might have reached the negatives. 

Once Ye Yang leaned back on the bed, perhaps due to the worsening of the wind and cold, he felt even dizzier. At the same time, he tried to recall the long set of instructions the System gave when he had transmigrated.

During that time, he was severely ill and fainted, and as his surroundings had grown darker, he got to the bottom of the lake in the imperial garden. Before his very eyes were floating large words, which simply explained his current situation.

After all, he had read plenty of novels during his convalescence and soon came to accept everything that lay before him, thinking that he could not afford to give up the chance of such a life where he was free of all constraints and attachments.

Even so, Feng Luan’s favorability score had fallen to a critical level and the System mentioned that the moment Feng Luan’s score was lower than 0, the dog emperor would most likely kill him. 

He was annoyed and perplexed when, suddenly, Mama Li barged inside the chamber, shouting as she stood by the door, “Young Master! Pah, Yun shijun! What an incredibly happy occasion!”

Ye Yang looked vacantly at her, not being entirely convinced.

Wasn’t Mama Li assigned as a teaching Mama? How come she was still in the palace and didn’t leave already?

Before he could part his lips and query, he spotted a young eunuch step in, his face glowing radiantly as he smiled, and affirmed loudly, “Yun shijun, what a happy occasion!”

Ye Yang, “……”

Ye Yang guessed that he understood the situation.

It couldn’t be that the dog emperor wanted to sleep with him, right?!

As an unswerving straight man, Ye Yang had a headache. 

He had to refuse to serve him, however Feng Luan’s favorability score was too low. If he turned him down again… He was aghast at the possibility that Feng Luan would end his life on the spot.

Studying the beaming faces of the eunuch and Mama Li, he recollected at once that it was the day of the Qixi. There was a banquet held at the palace and Feng Luan had requested him to attend. In other words… As long as he worked hard enough at the palace banquet, he still had a chance to save the favorability score of the dog emperor!

It’s just that the way the dog emperor’s favorability score fluctuated was a little too bizarre. So far, apart from using rainbow farts, he had found no other way to add points to the tyrant’s favorability score.

Ye Yang, danger. 

……

As the sun was dipping behind the horizon, someone came to invite Ye Yang to make his way to the Qixi Palace Banquet.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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At the Qixi Palace Banquet, the imperial concubines fought one another skillfully, speedily threading a needle under the moonlight. In the middle of the banquet, all the people of the palace gave a performance art. Chu Lian danced devastatingly beautifully and attracted Feng Luan’s attention. Anyway, none of this had anything to do with him, meaning that he just needed to silently eat melons and say a couple of rainbow farts to the tyrant. 

After mulling over the matter, he raised his head and took notice of Chu Lian, the heroine of the book, treading lightly towards the open space. During his previous encounter in the palace, his head was filled with thoughts of the jade stick that was trampled on by Feng Luan, unintentionally disregarding Chu Lian’s favorability score. But, at this moment in time, when he looked up, he perceived Chu Lian’s favorability score.

「Chu Lian’s current favorability score is -121」

Ye Yang, “……”

What evil did he commit to cause Chu Lian to despise him so much? 

All of a sudden, Kang Ning announced at the top of his voice the arrival of the emperor. Ye Yang hurried to sit upright and, as he turned his head to the side, he happened to meet the disdainful eyes of Feng Luan and caught sight of the unmissable red numbers popping up above Feng Luan.

「Feng Luan’s current favorability score is -1-1-1-1-1 …… current favorability score is –17」

Ye Yang, “……”

Huh? How did it drop only from looking at him? 

Ye Yang’s flattering grin directed to Feng Luan completely fell off his face. He blocked his face with his hand and hurriedly lowered his head, no longer so much as sparing a glance at him.

Currently, he was seated too far away from Feng Luan to sweet-talk him. His only option was to attempt to reduce his presence, lest Feng Luan would be vexed when he glimpses him. It would be detrimental if the favorability score continued to be reduced.

The Qixi Palace Banquet wasn’t so much of a major event. Imperial Concubine Shen was unwell and couldn’t come, and the Empress Dowager didn’t enjoy social gatherings bustling with noise and excitement. At this time, all the main characters were gathered in the chamber and the banquet had already started. Ye Yang concentrated on munching on his food; the affairs concerning the Qiqiao had nothing to do with him. He gobbled down his meal happily, conscious of the scathing glares sent his way from time to time—that was, undoubtedly, Feng Luan.

Ye Yang was afraid of being found out. 

Yet, the roasted goose served at the banquet was so delectable, that he shrugged off the looks Feng Luan sent his way and watched the rest of the concubines and maids of the palace threading needles and fighting skillfully under pressure. Afterwards, each person in the palace demonstrated their talents. Chu Lian was itching to have a go. She had been practicing her exotic dance routine for a long time and was bent on presenting it to Feng Luan.

She had already changed her clothes and was about to proceed forward. However, Feng Luan opened his mouth and called out, “Yun shijun.”

Ye Yang, chewing on a mouthful of roasted goose, raised his head blankly and subconsciously replied, “……ey?”

Feng Luan, “……” 

Viewing him consuming the roasted goose, Feng Luan thought of his finger that had been nibbled last night. He held in his fury and snorted coldly, uttering, “it has been brought to my attention that Yun shijun is proficient at playing the qin, chess, calligraphy and painting. Imperial Concubine Chu wants to dance. It’s better to ask Yun shijun to play the qin, isn’t that right?”

Ye Yang, “……”

The damned emperor was very much aware that he had amnesia, yet he requested for him to play the qin? Wasn’t this just a deliberate attempt to make him become the laughing stock?

Ye Yang, “Your Majesty, I—” 

「Feng Luan’s favorability score has been decreased by 1, current favorability score is –18」

Ye Yang, “——I’m good at dancing and singing! Tell, now do tell me what you want me to play!”

Chu Lian considered she had excellent dancing skills. After all, the accompaniment was only the accompaniment and would be unable to steal the spotlight from her. She only smiled and appeared self-assured. She inquired, “Yun shijun, what would you like to play?”

Ye Yang was somewhat shamefaced. “Er…… I…… I think Sister Chu’s dancing is graceful, effortless and delicate like the music made by a wind instrument. Let’s just blow!” 

Chu Lian was not in the slightest anxious and demanded to know more, “dizi or xiao?”

Ye Yang, “neither of them……”

Chu Lian frowned, “xun then?”

Ye Yang put a bold face on and replied in a small voice, “……suo……suona.” 

Chu Lian, “……”

Ye Yang did learn to play the suona, but only a bit from his grandfather when he was a child. He was not that practiced that he feared he would not be able to play even one entire song.

He peeked at Chu Lian’s dancing posture as she stood in the open area, raised the suona tremblingly and blew the first note.

Chu Lian staggered and almost stumbled to the ground. Taking a cursory glance back at him, she was startled to see Feng Luan staring at them. She absolutely couldn’t let herself become the object of ridicule. She grit her teeth and danced. But, before she could even take two steps, another few grating notes were blown on the suona. 

Chu Lian did not stop, nor did she twitch. She remained in her awkward posture for a long time and listened to Ye Yang blowing out of tune notes. She gnashed her teeth in anger. The original graceful and entrancing exotic dance had turned into a cringe-making routine in the awful atmosphere. Glancing back with her charming appearance, her eyes suddenly turned bitter and sharp as she gazed straight at Ye Yang.

Feng Luan choked on the wine and was coughing desperately. Kang Ning rushed to help him and remarked, “Your Majesty, Yun shijun is just fooling around.”

But even before Kang Ning had finished speaking, he noticed Feng Luan’s slightly curved lips. He seemed to have been holding back and was suppressing a smile. It just happened that Ye Yang blew yet another long, unstable note, causing Chu Lian to miss her footing. Feng Luan couldn’t stop himself from laughing. The rest of the people at the banquet immediately began laughing heartily with the emperor. With the flat notes continuously blown on the suona by Ye Yang, the palace banquet was overflowing with gaiety.

…… 

Ye Yang felt disgruntled in his heart.

He hadn’t touched this thing in so long that he was mortified. Apart from Chu Lian, everyone at the banquet was buoyant. When he finished the song and returned to his seat, Feng Luan beckoned to him to come closer to talk.

Ye Yang was excited.

He could barely control himself from jumping over with his stool, but he restrained himself, somehow still remembering that Feng Luan would not appreciate that. He forced himself to walk over slowly and asked softly, “what is His Majesty’s order?” 

Feng Luan tilted his head slightly, raised his eyes to gaze at him and queried, “is this what Prime Minister Yun has taught you?”

Ye Yang, “……”

Feng Luan was in a good mood. He lifted his hand and ordered a servant to pour wine, while also commenting, “you are an interesting person.”

What was he supposed to do if he called him ‘interesting’? Just add points to the favorability score! 

Ye Yang was about to reply, when he caught the cold glint of metal. He looked up and saw a sharp blade hidden in the sleeve of the servant Feng Luan commanded to pour wine, an ominous light flickering in his eyes.

Ye Yang subconsciously grasped Feng Luan’s wrist, pulling him to the side, and, without hesitation, leaped to block him.

He didn’t think much of it. All of his actions were conditional reflexes from his years of work, yet it completely slipped off his mind that Yun Yang was frail and lacked the physique he had trained back then. He was almost reeling. Then, he felt a piercing pain in his shoulder. Feng Luan grabbed his waist with one hand and stepped back to avoid the assassin’s weapon.

The imperial bodyguards charged to the spot. Ye Yang wished to glance back, but was really light in the head. The wound inflicted on his shoulder was aching unbearably, feeling as if it was on fire. His forehead was covered in a layer of cold sweat. He felt something was wrong. 

Was it that painful to be injured by a dagger?

Kang Ning cried out in alarm, “that dagger is poisonous!”

Ye Yang, “……”

The banquet was in an utter mess. Ye Yang finally was able to move his head and look briefly at his shoulder. The front opening of his clothing was stained with blood and he was dizzy. There was too much of a racket around him. He couldn’t help murmuring, “oh, my God, there’s so much blood, am I dying……” 

Feng Luan held him in his arms, wearing a complicated look on his face. After a while, Feng Luan whispered, “do not worry, zhen won’t let you die.”

Nevertheless, Ye Yang was befuddled. He discerned that above Feng Luan’s head were popping up numbers near his favorability score, but his eyes were hazy, as if covered in a veil of mist. He couldn’t make them out clearly. He parted his lips, his voice trembling a bit, insisting on voicing his thoughts.

Feng Luan knitted his brows and bowed his head, trying to hear what he was going to say.

“Be…… Be nice to the doctor.” Ye Yang slowly closed his eyes. “Learning medicine is not easy, cherish what you have at this moment…… Don’t let the imperial physician be buried with me.” 

Feng Luan, “……”