Good Night, Mr. Ghost - Chapter 102

When Jiang Chenyi woke up, the room was empty. The warmth from the other side of the bed had vanished. He reached out, feeling a mix of disappointment and relief. If he had woken up to find Meng Loudi there, he would have felt incredibly awkward.

Ah, how embarrassing.

The young man buried his face in the pillow, rubbed his lower back, and climbed out of bed. He ventured out to find the palace deserted. Not daring to wander aimlessly, he turned his attention to Meng Loudi’s bookshelf. Unlike his own chaotic collection of notebooks, the books here seemed grand and sophisticated-military strategy, Records of the Grand Historian, and biographies of emperors.

Jiang pulled out a book on military strategy, but after reading a couple of pages, his brain felt like it was turning to mush. He couldn’t understand a thing.

Forget it.

He sighed, put the book back, and picked up a volume of Records of the Grand Historian, settling onto the divan to read.

When Meng Loudi returned at noon, he found the young scholar sprawled on the divan, having made a mess of it. Yet, instead of being annoyed, he felt a sense of delight. The young man was finally not wary of him.

Hearing the door open, Jiang propped himself up and glanced toward the door, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of Meng Loudi’s face. His face flushed, he pretended to be oblivious, lying back on the divan as if he hadn’t noticed anything.

Meng Loudi closed the door, walked over, and playfully grabbed Jiang’s ankle.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Jiang jerked his foot away, looking at the Prince Regent with eyes glistening with unshed tears, appearing both pitiful and endearing.

Meng Loudi sat down, smiling, “Chenyi, is your body feeling comfortable now?”

“Uh, yes, comfortable, no problem.” Mentioning this made Jiang’s face redden again.

“That’s good. Tonight, let’s dine with others,” Meng Loudi said, skillfully holding Jiang’s hand and kissing the back of it softly. “With His Majesty.”

His intimacy with the young man was natural, as if they had always been this way, with his heart and eyes full of him.

Jiang was taken aback, “With His Majesty?”

“Yes, we’ll dine together,” Meng Loudi replied with a smile.

“This, this isn’t right, what does this mean?” Jiang suddenly pulled his hand away.

Dining with the emperor, what kind of situation was that?!

He was just an ordinary citizen; what right did he have to do such a thing?

Jiang was filled with fear.

Meng Loudi’s smile faded, but seeing the young man’s panic, he laughed again, pressing him down onto the divan, “What? You don’t want to?”

Meng Loudi’s imposing presence made Jiang’s breath catch for a moment.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just…”

The young man turned his head, avoiding Meng Loudi’s gaze, murmuring, “I don’t have the qualifications to sit at the same table as His Majesty.”

Even sitting at the same table with the Prince Regent was already a breach of decorum for him.

To sit with the emperor…

He might as well be executed.

Meng Loudi listened to his words seriously, released his grip, and sat upright, asking, “Then what do you think you are?”

“What?”

“What do you consider yourself to be?” The Prince Regent tilted his head, looking at him with eyes as dark as night.

Jiang climbed up from the divan, tidying his slightly disheveled clothes, “I… am yours.”

The Prince Regent, pleased, nodded, “Right, mine. Isn’t that enough?”

“But I’m just a servant or a male favorite. How can I dine with His Majesty?!” Jiang suddenly lifted his head.

No matter what.

That young emperor was still the emperor of the Song Dynasty, and even if he was disrespectful, there should be a limit!

There is a distinction between ranks; how can this be?

Isn’t this intentional humiliation?

He had always heard that the Prince Regent, Prince Fu’an, was disrespectful to the emperor, constantly offending him, even having intentions of usurping the throne…

He thought those were baseless rumors, but now it seemed otherwise.

The young man’s eyes were filled with tears.

Meng Loudi didn’t understand why he looked so aggrieved.

Whether a servant or a male favorite, as long as he was his, Prince Fu’an didn’t care.

It was just a title.

“Why look at me like that?” Meng Loudi reached out, pinching Jiang’s chin, his voice icy, “Want to be beheaded?”

Jiang’s tears fell instantly.

Beheaded!

Go ahead and do it!

The young man, in a fit of rage, pushed his hand away, shouting, “Then do it! Let His Majesty dine with a male favorite! Prince Fu’an is truly remarkable!”

For the first time, someone showed him a bad attitude.

Meng Loudi’s face darkened, looking at him silently.

Too terrifying.

Jiang’s bravado lasted for two minutes before his tears fell, his shoulders shaking as he wiped his eyes messily, sobbing, “You, you do it, if you dare, behead me.”

Seeing the young man’s tears, Meng Loudi felt like laughing.

Really, after showing attitude, now playing weak?

Thinking he would fall for it?

Ha.

The Prince Regent grabbed his wrist, easily restraining his struggles, looking into those tear-filled eyes, he softly spoke.

“So, you think I’m disrespectful to the emperor?”

“Yes.” The young man bit his lip, nodding.

Prince Fu’an leaned closer, staring into his eyes, smiling, “Because you’re a male favorite? A lover without status?”

Jiang nodded frantically.

Meng Loudi’s smile bloomed, as beautiful as red plum blossoms in the snow.

“How sly, huh? What? After getting into my bed, you think you can sit beside me? Such ambition.” He pressed him into the divan, one hand pinning his wrist, the other tracing his ear.

Jiang’s breath nearly stopped.

Meng Loudi’s presence enveloped him.

Irresistible.

Meng Loudi looked at the trembling young man beneath him, watching him close his eyes in fear, continuing, “Because you’re in such a difficult position, you’re afraid of me?

Thinking you lack the courage to face us so-called nobles. How long have you had this thought?

Was it since that day? Thinking about this, waiting for the right opportunity to push me?

All these little thoughts, since you’ve worked so hard, I’ll fulfill them for you.”

“What?” Jiang was bewildered.

What did he do?

He just didn’t want to disregard the principles of ruler and subject.

Prince Fu’an lay on him, chuckling softly, a serene smile on his face, “Still pretending? Tsk, I know, since I favor you now, fulfilling a small wish isn’t much. Wait, in a few days, you’ll become the officially married Princess Fu’an.”

Jiang: “…”

What?

What happened?

Meng Loudi looked at the young man’s blank expression, smiling, “Didn’t expect it to be so easy, did you? I told you, I favor you, and favoring you means fulfilling your little wishes, so tonight, dine with His Majesty.”

“Prince?”

“Call me Loudi.” Meng Loudi kissed his cheek, using a silk handkerchief to gently wipe away his tears, still smiling, “Chenyi’s tears are salty.”

Jiang: “Oh, Loudi.”

For some reason.

He suddenly realized that the Prince Regent of the Song Dynasty seemed to have something wrong with his brain.

So, what happened, that he became someone the Prince Regent valued, even becoming some so-called Princess Fu’an?

Jiang’s mind was blank for a long time.

He knew nothing.

“Too happy to speak?” Meng Loudi touched his face, feeling its softness, lying outside the divan, hugging him, snuggling like a playful beast, “Want to stay with Chenyi.”

“Why?” The young man’s voice was puzzled.

He had many questions.

Why him?

Was there something special about him?

Meng Loudi wrapped his arm around his waist, “Feels very reassuring.”

With that, Meng Loudi closed his eyes, slowly falling asleep.

Jiang stared at the palace ceiling with vacant eyes.

Ah, he had a calming effect?

When it was time for dinner, Meng Xiujin ran to Chang’an Palace Hall with eager steps.

For the first time, his uncle had actively invited him to dinner!

Although his uncle’s dinners were usually bland and mostly vegetarian.

But this was an invitation!

And there were others present!

What a miracle.

The emperor pushed open the door, excitedly shouting, “Uncle! I’m here!”

Dinner was already set.

Meng Loudi and Jiang were seated.

Prince Fu’an looked at his nephew, showing displeasure, “Since we agreed to dine together, why are you late? Making elders wait, Meng Xiujin, is this what an emperor should do?”

Heavens knew, there was still a little time before the official dinner time!

Meng Xiujin: “I was wrong.”

Jiang watched the emperor apologize to Meng Loudi, looking both angry and helpless.

“Come sit down,” the Prince Regent said calmly.

“Yes.” Meng Xiujin sat across from Meng Loudi, looking at the dishes, surprised they weren’t bland!

He remembered his uncle’s meals were always fixed!

Could it be because of that person?

The emperor looked at the dazed Jiang.

Seeing him not bow, who was he?

The only person who didn’t bow to him in the Song Dynasty was Meng Loudi.

The young emperor looked at Jiang, “Hey! Aren’t you the storyteller licentiate?!”

Jiang’s soul returned, supporting his body to show a weak smile, “Yes, commoner greets Your Majesty.”

“Imperial uncle! You brought him back!” Meng Xiujin’s eyes lit up, excitedly saying, “Give him to me! I want to hear him tell stories!”

Meng Loudi calmly rolled up his sleeves, serving Jiang food, “No, he’s your aunt.”

“…Ah?” Meng Xiujin’s expression turned blank like Jiang’s.

The Prince Regent mercilessly delivered a blow, “In a few days, we’ll pick an auspicious date, and Chenyi and I will marry, so he’ll be your aunt. Respect him well in the future.”

Meng Loudi’s face bore a gentle smile, appearing soft and easy to bully.

“Oh, okay.” The emperor held his bowl, momentarily unsure of what to do.

Aunt?

His?

Meng Xiujin’s mind also went blank.

He thought his uncle would remain alone forever.

Clearly so reclusive, with unpredictable moods, difficult to understand, and so troublesome, what kind of oddity could catch his uncle’s eye?

Meng Xiujin looked at Jiang, his voice trembling, “Aunt?”

Jiang: “Yes.”

The Prince Regent was happy, delighted, smiling, “Finish your meal quickly, then leave. Xiujin still has many things to do, right? Xiujin is already thirteen, some matters should be handed to you. After dinner, let’s discuss them in the study.”

“Okay.” Meng Xiujin nodded.

He had always been aware that one day, he would bear the responsibilities of being an emperor.

He wouldn’t remain a child forever, nor could he always rely on his uncle.