When it came to matters involving the Wei family, Gan Yongfu dared not comment. After all, the emperor’s hatred and fear of the Wei family had never diminished since Gan Yongfu had known him.
Emperor Changde quickly regained his composure. “Forget about the letter. Send someone to eliminate the Su family girl directly. As for the Wei family, Wei Yunzhao is too difficult to touch, so kill his younger brother instead. Consider it a warning to him.”
Emperor Changde’s gaze fell on the teacup beside him. “They brought this upon themselves. The Wei family has been too ungrateful and refuses to behave. Since they insist on meddling, I’ll show them the consequences of their interference.”
Gan Yongfu was inwardly shocked but showed no expression. “Understood. I will make the arrangements immediately.”
“Your Majesty, what about the two missing men?”
Emperor Changde took a sip of tea. “Didn’t you say the bodies were delivered to the government office?”
Gan Yongfu understood. Whether they had escaped or been captured, they were to be treated as dead. “Yes, I will issue the orders at once.”
Gan Yongfu bowed and retreated. Emperor Changde, meanwhile, stood up and walked to a wall, where he twisted a vase. A hidden door opened, revealing a secret chamber.
The chamber was lit by oil lamps and was quite large, but it contained only a bed. The walls were adorned with various torture instruments, serving as decorations. These instruments had once been used on Jiang Jinyue, but now they served a different purpose.
The huakui who resembled Jiang Jinyue had been brought into the palace but hadn’t been given proper quarters. Instead, Emperor Changde had locked her in this secret chamber, allowing her out only occasionally for brief walks.
Emperor Changde claimed it was to protect her from the Empress, who might kill her for resembling Jiang Jinyue too closely. In reality, he wanted to keep her confined and tormented, fearing that her presence in the palace would stir gossip.
No matter how much she resembled Jiang Jinyue, she was still just a lowly courtesan, unworthy of public attention.
The idea of the emperor being infatuated with a huakui would undoubtedly provoke discontent and criticism from the court officials. To avoid such trouble, Emperor Changde decided to keep her hidden, eliminating any chance for gossip.
However, his initial intentions had changed. Now, Emperor Changde felt he couldn’t live without this beauty. He had given her the name Ruyue, and her greatest talent was her ability to bring him pleasure, even though he was impotent. She achieved this by using the torture instruments on the walls, and Emperor Changde indulged in this daily.
[Ruyue (如月): resembling the moon
“My beauty, have you missed me?” The moment he entered the chamber, Emperor Changde’s anger vanished, replaced by a smile. He opened his arms to embrace Ruyue.
Ruyue was dressed provocatively, her figure alluring. Emperor Changde was more than satisfied, kissing her repeatedly.
Not only was her body enchanting, but her voice was also soft and seductive, like a hook that tugged at one’s heart. Her delicate hand caressed Emperor Changde’s face as she cooed, “Your Majesty.”
Emperor Changde felt his bones melt. He wanted to indulge in beastly desires, but his condition prevented him. Instead, he begged Ruyue to bring him pleasure, grabbing her hand. “My beauty, hurry. I’ve missed you.”
Ruyue giggled. “Does Your Majesty miss me or the instruments on the wall?”
Emperor Changde urged her to fetch the tools. “I want you to use them on me. I’m itching all over.”
Ruyue’s smile grew even more bewitching. After savoring Emperor Changde’s desperate anticipation, she finally stood up and began selecting an instrument. She examined each one carefully. “Which tool does Your Majesty wish to favor today? The leather whip? The small wooden rod? Or perhaps this spiked whip? Shall we choose this one today?”
Emperor Changde naturally agreed and urged her to hurry.
Ruyue took the whip and lashed it against the ground with a loud crack. Emperor Changde shuddered, he felt like something clawing at his heart and scratching his lungs.
[抓心挠肺 (zhuā xīn náo fèi): lit. clawing at the heart and scratching the lungs; fig. extreme anxiety or anticipation]
This new hobby of Emperor Changde’s was known only to himself and Ruyue. Even Gan Yongfu was kept in the dark, as an emperor he was well aware that relying on such methods for pleasure was humiliating and degrading for a ruler.
Since his condition rendered him impotent, Emperor Changde felt he hadn’t had a single happy day. In the past, he had vented his anger by torturing Jiang Jinyue, but now Ruyue brought him physical pleasure. Even though he knew it was wrong in his heart and shouldn’t be indulged in, he felt addicted, as if he couldn’t live without Ruyue.
As the whip struck his body, Emperor Changde let out a satisfied moan, and he became more and more pleased with Ruyue. By the end, he felt completely at ease, his earlier rage having vanished without a trace.
Seeing his reaction, Ruyue seized the opportunity to make a request. “Your Majesty, I’d like to visit the imperial garden. It’s been so long since I’ve been outside,” she said, clinging to Emperor Changde’s arm and acting coquettishly.
Fresh from his indulgence and faced with the beauty’s coquettish pleading, Emperor Changde couldn’t resist. He finally agreed, on the condition that he accompany her.
Ruyue naturally had no objections. She changed into a beautiful dress and happily followed Emperor Changde out of the secret chamber.
Gan Yongfu, having finished giving orders, returned just as Emperor Changde emerged with Ruyue. Knowing the emperor’s dislike for others seeing Ruyue, Gan Yongfu discreetly cleared the imperial garden of people. Every time they visited, no one else was allowed to be present.
Ruyue was well aware that the dog emperor was guarding against her escape, but she didn’t care. After all, her purpose for going out wasn’t to meet unimportant people.
After strolling through the imperial garden and receiving the information she wanted, Ruyue obediently urged Emperor Changde to return. Her sensible behavior made Emperor Changde like her even more.
“My beauty is truly lovable. Come, let’s go back,” Emperor Changde said, holding Ruyue’s hand and happily leading her back.
After locking Ruyue back in the secret chamber, Emperor Changde’s mood remained pleasant, and he began attending to official matters.
The first memorial he picked up was from the Eldest Prince. In it, the eldest prince wrote that the border was unstable and war could break out at any moment, so he couldn’t return to the capital for now. Emperor Changde tossed the memorial onto the table. “Ungrateful bastard.”
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