The Ugly Empress Volume 1 Chapter 9

T/N: Translating this chapter is sooo much fun! Ha! I was being sarcastic.

It has so many difficult sentences I think I've fried my brain.

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The palace maid stood facing the standing bronze mirror, carefully brus.h.i.+ng the black hair of the person in front of her.

The person was wearing a yellow wide-skirt; the flowing yellow silk was tightened around the person's slender waist, the figure was lithe and graceful.

“Rui Xue, do you think I already have white hair?” The person asked, fingers gently picked a few strands of hair.

Despite wearing a skirt, the person's voice didn't sound as tender as women's; it sounded heavier. It was clear that the person, was in fact, a man.

“Da w.a.n.g,” Rui Xue smiled, “What white hair? This servant can't even see a shadow of it.”

The man chuckled, the smile on the man's powdered face made him looked more alluring, “You're just indulging me.”

“This servant doesn't dare, I only say the truth! Also, if Master were to know I lie to you, he will definitely break my legs.”

Hearing Rui Xue saying ‘master', the man's smile abruptly dimmed. He said, “How is your master these days? He doesn't come to the palace but sends you here everyday, aren't you tired of me?”

“How could I be tired of you?” Rui Xue said, “Master is working hard every day to handle all the political affairs for Da w.a.n.g, he's been very exhausted lately. I heard it's because Minister Zuo has always been opposing Master. He doesn't want you to be worried, so he instructs me not to tell you.”

The man sneered coldly, “Minister Zuo actually dares opposing Marquis Zhulu? Who gave him the courage?”

“Da w.a.n.g don't be angry, this slave has spoken out of turn. Master said he didn't want you taxing yourself by worrying, he said it'd break his heart.”

“You're just saying that to appease me.”

The man knew Rui Xue's words were only half-truth, yet he couldn't resist smiling over hearing them. The frown on his face melted away instantly, his drawn eyebrows loosened with a smile.

While the two of them continued talking, a servant came in, “Report to Feng w.a.n.g, Marquis Zhulu and Minister Zuo ask for an audience.”

“Let them come in.”

The man wearing wide-skirt stood up. Between his delicate and pretty eyebrows, his forehead had a sharp and st.u.r.dy quality. This combination of tough personality and feminine beauty didn't look awkward on him.

This man was the ruling king of Feng Country, named Feng Ming.

If you asked about Feng Ming, everyone would immediately curse him, saying he was an incapable ruler.

But the truth was, through many generations of Feng Country kings, there was no one who could compare to this person. Feng Ming was vicious and merciless; tyrannical even.

If another king was not vicious enough, or not ruthless enough, people would not curse that king, they would only write those faults as insignificant.

Feng Ming, on the other hand, had one grave fault that doomed him in people's eyes. The fault was that he played favorite; he only favored one person.

Feng Ming's favoritism to this particular person was uncannily deep, people could no longer measure it.

In Feng Country, there was a Marquis Zhulu, by the name of Zhao Lu. It was said that young Zhao Lu originally was a refugee; a homeless and a loner. Later, he joined the army just to have food and a place to live. One time, Feng w.a.n.g happened to personally lead the troops to battle and instantly set eyes on this one young soldier.

Since then, the young soldier's career shot up like a galloping divine steed, in a short time his status climbed up above a thousand people and just below one.

Moreover, this Marquis climbed up into Feng w.a.n.g's bed. Because of him, the cold-hearted and iron-fisted king eagerly tossed and turned on the bed under the marquis' body every night. Because of Marquis Zhulu's words, the insufferably arrogant king willingly wore women's clothing.

When Zhao Lu and Minister Zuo entered the King's residence, Feng w.a.n.g already situated himself on a curtained bed. Behind the curtain, the newcomers could only see a silhouette of someone laying lazily on his side.

Zhao Lu was wearing a black official attire; his figure tall and st.u.r.dy, his features strong and sharp. His straight and sharp-pointed nose added with his firm-set lips made him look grim.

As soon as Minister Zuo entered, he immediately kowtowed to pay respect to Feng w.a.n.g, meanwhile Zhao Lu, with neither saluting nor greeting, walked straight to the bed and opened the curtain.

No one in the entire Palace dared to stop him do so.

Zhao Lu climbed onto the bed, and it was unclear whether it was his intention or not, he just left the curtain open. He grabbed Feng Ming and held him in his own arms before saying lowly, “Have you been thinking of me?”

Feng Ming's face turned a bright red, looking a bit embarra.s.sed. Then his long and delicate fingers hooked Zhao Lu's belt, his rather long eyes gazed intently at Zhao Lu. He didn't answered, but n.o.body could doubt what his actions meant.

Zhao Lu smirked, and without sparing a single glance at Minister Zuo, he indicated that there was still a person outside kneeling on the ground to pay respect to Feng w.a.n.g.

Leaning against Zhao Lu's embrace, Feng Ming said, “Minister Zuo, no need to be so polite. Rui Xue, bring a chair for Minsiter Zuo.”

Rui Xue obediently moved a chair closer and helped the elderly minister to his seat.

Minister Zuo, still shaking because of Zhao Lu's impudence and arrogance, said, “Da w.a.n.g, this old subject came here because I have a little disagreement with Marquis Zhulu, and hope Da w.a.n.g can resolve it.”

“Oh?”

Feng Ming didn't sound too enthusiastic, as if he just went along with what Minister Zuo was saying, “Minister, please tell me about it.”

“Today at the court a.s.sembly, many officials proposed to immediately send troops to attack Xue's Capital City, taking advantage of its shortage of soldiers. If it's done later after Xue Country welcome Teng Country's Eldest Princess, after Xue's soldiers recover their strength, we're afraid it will be too late. It's just that, seems like Marquis Zhulu disagree…”

Zhao Lu suddenly cut Minister Zuo off, “Indeed, I disagree.”

As he talked, his hands which had been holding Feng Ming got naughty. Pus.h.i.+ng Feng w.a.n.g down to the bed, Zhao Lu lied on top of him then reached out to tore open his collar, feeling up Feng w.a.n.g's naked skin.

Feng Ming almost yelped in shock. There were still people outside and the curtain was not closed properly.

However, Zhao Lu had not come to his palace for half a month. Let alone being intimate, he thought Zhao Lu was tired of him. After all, this person was not a broken-sleeve, which was why Feng Ming, a proud king of Feng, was actually willing to wear women's clothing.

[T/N : Broken-sleeve (duan xiu) is a euphemism for h.o.m.os.e.xuals.]

And now, because Zhao Lu suddenly showed interest, Feng Ming instantly melted; body turned soft and pliant.

Zhao Lu kissed Feng w.a.n.g's chest while saying, “Xue Junliang is very cunning, that's why for so many years, we have been in a deadlock against Xue Country. I wonder how Xue Junliang would be stupid enough to let a sneak attack happen while his capital city is vulnerable. Also, if our soldiers manage to travel long-distance to Xue at full-speed, they will be exhausted. Launching a sneak attack at that kind of situation, it's clearly a suicide.”

As he spoke, Zhao Lu opened and closed his lip at each words, grazing against Feng Ming's skin.

Feng Ming's upper garment was now opened to his waist, messily stuck at his elbows. To tell the truth, Feng Ming didn't want anyone see him like this, but he was afraid of defying Zhao Lu's intentions and made him unhappy. So, even if he felt ashamed, he just accepted what the other man wanted.

Zhao Lu saw Feng Ming's cheeks started to blush, and knew the other party was aroused. He turned Feng Ming to lie on his front and took his clothes all the way off, leaving Feng Ming's b.u.t.tock completely exposed. Then Zhao Lu's fingers rubbed at the crack between his cheeks.

In a low whisper, he said, “Da w.a.n.g, please reconsider, aren't my words reasonable?”

“Ah…” Feng Ming moaned lowly. Clearing his throat, he tried to restrain the strange noises. When he regained a steadier voice, he said coldly, “I think Marquis Zhulu's words are plausible. Minister Zuo, you haven't consider thoroughly…”

Halfway through his words, his voice shook a little, hands gripping the clothes that were crushed under his own body. The man behind him entered his body without neither gentleness nor preparation.

Feng Ming let out an involuntary gasp, he was in pain he cold-sweated. Still, gritting his teeth, he continued, “Minister Zuo, Teng w.a.n.g is a coward. If we attack Xue Country, Teng w.a.n.g might send his troops to help fight us just to please Xue Junliang. Have you ever thought of that?”

“That…” Minister Zuo was stunned by Feng Ming's question. What Feng Ming said was true, Teng w.a.n.g had always been cowardly, in order to survive he often had to beg for help from either Xue or Feng.

After saying the question, Feng Ming could not speak any more words. He and Zhao Lu hadn't seen each other for a half-month, so naturally his b.u.t.t had become too tight of disuse. He was so in pain he almost fainted.

Zhao Lu, on the other hand, didn't stop at all. He heard Feng Ming managed to convince Minister Zuo against sending troops, then eventually the minister excused himself. With a pleased smile, he grabbed Feng w.a.n.g's waist even more forcefully.

—

Xue Junliang was applying soothing medicine on Teng Yun. He had originally intended to give the Empress a red date, so he was not in a hurry to go do something else. He spread the ointment slowly, little by little.

[T/N : There, another mention of red dates. Still not sure what that meant. Red-dates or red-jujubes are believed to be a cure-it-all fruit because of the nutritional content. Soo-Chu at Wattpad sent me a link to an article about how people give red dates to newlyweds to wish them having a baby soon. Xue Junliang intended to give red dates, yet I don't think he intended to sleep with the empress. I'm so confused.]

The ointment was a bit cold, but it seemed to do its work immediately. Teng Yun, who had been bothered by the slight pain on his face and by being in a foreign country, couldn't be relaxed enough to have a good sleep. Only now he felt the pain ease.

Although he didn't like Xue Junliang's face being so close, he'd just had to accept it. The other man was smearing the medicine very carefully, Teng Yun started to loosen his tight nerves. Gradually, without him knowing it, sleepiness washed over him and his eyelids grew heavy.

When Xue Junliang noticed the other party hadn't said anything for a long time, he looked up and saw the Empress had actually fell asleep on the soft couch.

He straightened up and whispered to Jiang Yu to go find him a cloak, then he personally cover the Empress with it.

Jiang Yu leaned closer to Xue Junliang's ear to whisper, “Da w.a.n.g, the spy in Feng Country sent a reply.”

Xue Junliang took the note handed to him; written on the note in small handwriting was —First remove Minister Zuo.

The letter was inscribed with only one word, “Lu.”

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[T/N : The real t.i.tle of the chapter is this “Lu”. But because it was too spoiler-y, I translated the t.i.tle. LOL. Can you guess who this spy is?]