Chapter 240: Part 3

Chapter 240: Chapter 199: Part 3

Getting it done wasn’t so simple. As the saying goes, if a ruler wants his subject to die, the subject has no choice. But Xie Che had no intention of killing him. The mere act of stripping his power and holding him accountable for his past deeds involved countless delicate details to handle. That was the official side of things. On a personal level, he couldn’t even bring himself to face Noble Princess Consort Rong.

Only when he came to Bihua Palace could he finally catch his breath and speak of his troubles.

“I don’t care about anyone else. I only need you to be on my side.”

Jiang Xian stroked his shoulders and the nape of his neck. He was much thinner than before. The sharp angles of his shoulder blades pressed against her palm, bringing to mind the utter loneliness of a king. “Of course I’m on the Emperor’s side. But how can we not care about others?”

Xie Che was momentarily speechless, then complained, “This is when a favored concubine is supposed to say, ‘Just kill all who disobey me.'”

Jiang Xian retorted, “And can the Emperor kill them all?”

“…No. And even if I could, I wouldn’t want to.”

Xie Che was even less fond of killing his officials than the late Emperor had been. In his later years, the late Emperor had been consumed by a lust for power, and many ministers who hadn’t retired in time met a grim end. He might not have been soft-hearted, but he was decent enough to want to give a peaceful end to those who had served him.

“After hearing what the Emperor said, I only have one feeling.”

“What feeling?”

“I’m afraid the Emperor will be angry if he hears it.”

“I pardon you in advance.”

‘This wasn’t the first time she’d said something so disrespectful and improper,’ Xie Che thought.

Jiang Xian realized that as the Emperor nestled meekly in her arms like a lonely cat, his thin back soothed by her touch, she found this version of him far more endearing than when he was being all-powerful. “There are many things the Emperor cannot do. And now, listing them out to me one by one… it sounds more like you’re pouting.”

“Are you mocking me?” Xie Che wasn’t angry, just a little flustered. He felt like a cat that had rolled over to show its belly, only to be likened to a fuzzy, peeled egg—a delayed flush of mortification.

“How could that be mockery?”

“Historically, it’s always been women who pout and act coy with men. For it to be the other way around is just improper.”

“If the Emperor doesn’t tell anyone, who will know? Besides, isn’t it nice to pout to a woman?”

Jiang Xian was surprisingly strong. At first, Xie Che was afraid of crushing her, but then he discovered she could almost lift him. So he simply melted into her arms like he had no bones. By day, his shoulders carried the weight of the world. By night, he would wander the Imperial Palace with nowhere he truly wanted to go. Now, held quietly in her arms, being doted on like a woman would be by a man, he found a different kind of tender comfort.

“…It’s nice.”

“If it’s nice, then the Emperor should pout to me more often.”

She knew she was no born leader, the kind who could be an emperor or a CEO. But if she were still in modern society where men and women were equal, she’d have no problem supporting a small family. Xie Che was clearly enjoying himself in her arms. All he craved was the most ordinary warmth, something only she could give him. “It won’t always be like this. Today was an exception.”

“I wouldn’t mind a few more exceptions like this.”

Sensing the hidden delight in her words, Xie Che was surprised. “I thought you weren’t interested in men’s looks. Turns out you like this type? You actually like it when a man shows weakness and acts cute to get your comfort?”

“…”

Jiang Xian pretended she didn’t hear him.

Xie Che understood the principle of being flexible. What was the point of always acting mighty in front of his own woman? If he wanted to be a hero, he had more than enough of that during morning court. Men who insisted on their women bowing to them were often the ones who couldn’t hold their heads up elsewhere and needed to compensate in front of their wives and children. Xie Che had no such need. Having figured out Xian’er’s preference, his voice took on a slightly stuffy, nasal tone as he nuzzled her neck:

“You have no idea how swamped I’ve been for the past half-month. Xian’er, you have to dote on me.”

“Anyone else can misunderstand me. I only need your affection.”

“Xian’er, look at me.”

…

This secretly scheming Emperor, it turned out, was surprisingly skilled at playing the part of a siren.

Jiang Xian was only human; she had desires, too. His teasing had stirred her. But just as things were reaching a boiling point, Xie Che placed his hands on her shoulders and said with righteous gravity, “You are with child. No matter how much I may want to, I cannot engage in such activities. We should rest early.”

“…Then what was the Emperor doing just now?”

“I was pouting.”

The Dog Emperor looked over at her with perfect innocence.

Regardless, that night in Bihua Palace, Xie Che had a night of tender, peaceful sleep. The next day, when he walked out of Bihua Palace, he felt reborn, with renewed courage to face his challenges.

「By the end of the month,」 a secret report arrived from Jiang Yi in Beichuan. The secrets it exposed left the Emperor furious after reading it.