HMIME Chapter 47: I Just Want to Love You

In the Lotus Pavilion, the sound of mahjong tiles clacking echoed. Bai Lin arranged her tiles while saying, “Xiao Lu, remember to wash your hands frequently, ventilate the rooms, and pay attention to hygiene.”

Bai Lu felt puzzled, “Why are you suddenly saying this?”

He wasn’t a child anymore; there was no need for someone to remind him about hygiene.

Ming Si chimed in, “Young Master, you may not know, but recently, a sudden outbreak of illness has occurred in the harem. Those who contract this illness experience dizziness and swelling of the head within three days, followed by fever and coughing up blood within five days. Yesterday, one person even died from it. The imperial physicians couldn’t determine the cause, only suspecting it to be a plague. All those affected have been moved to the palace’s medical facility outside the palace walls for specialized care. The consorts in the harem have also started shutting themselves indoors, and everyone is feeling uneasy.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Lu also felt uneasy. “Is this an epidemic?”

Turning to Bai Lin, he worriedly suggested, “Mom… no, sis, why don’t you move to Bailu Palace for a few days? Wait until it’s safe here before coming back.”

Ignoring the unusual title, Bai Lin, although younger than Bai Lu, had a strong personality, so she let him call her sister.

Bai Lin glanced at him and teased, “No need. I’ve taken more vaccines than you’ve had meals. What illness could possibly infect me?”

“But… those vaccines were taken before…” Held back by Consort Wen’s presence, Bai Lu couldn’t express himself clearly and had to be indirect. “Now things are different. Why not stay at my place for a while?”

“Bah! 80,000.” Bai Lin played a tile and teasingly said, “If I move there, won’t it disturb your intimate moments? Can you two lovebirds still be free with me around?”

“…” Bai Lu remained silent. “As long as you don’t suddenly appear at the door like last time. My heart can’t take it.”

“Anyway, take care of yourself. Don’t worry about me. There’s no need for children to care for adults, right? Oh! I’ve won! Pay up!”

“…Didn’t we agree that the loser pays?”

Bai Lin, skillfully manipulating him, reassured, “Oh, it’s fine. Sister will hold onto it for you.”

“…”

This conversation felt all too familiar, reminiscent of the times when he received red envelopes during festivals. As a cute child, Bai Lu always received many red envelopes whenever he went out with Bai Lin during the New Year. Although those envelopes passed through his hands briefly, they always ended up disappearing under the spell of “Mom will hold onto it for you.”

Bai Lu’s talent for acting spoiled was inherited from Bai Lin, who promptly scattered the tiles and invited, “Let’s forget about that round. It was just a warm-up. Come, let’s start over.”

After playing mahjong in the Lotus Pavilion for two hours, Bai Lu bid farewell and left.

Out of the four players, he was the only one who lost money. He came in happily and left sorrowfully.

Well, a real man doesn’t compete with women. Bai Lu comforted himself in his heart, refusing to admit that his mahjong skills were terrible.

Feeling both sad and poor, Bai Lu left that heartbreaking place and returned to Bailu Palace, hoping to find comfort in Chu Ya, only to be told that Chu Ya hadn’t returned yet.

Bai Lu then went to the Court of Judicial Review to find him. The guards recognized him and let him pass without suspicion. Bai Lu entered unimpeded and stood outside the hall, faintly hearing Chu Ya’s calm voice inside, though he couldn’t make out what was being said.

Finding a window, Bai Lu stood by it to eavesdrop.

He didn’t realize that eavesdropping on state affairs was a serious crime. Well, maybe he did, but Bai Lu, being a small-time criminal, was either committing crimes or on his way to committing them. If it weren’t for his lover being the emperor, he would have been beheaded eight times by now.

Inside the Court of Judicial Review, Chu Ya was discussing the sudden outbreak of the epidemic in the harem with several courtiers.

One of them… the elderly gentleman who initially gave Bai Lu the essay “Love Trade” and later scolded him for his lack of etiquette, was stroking his white beard tremblingly, lamenting, “Your Majesty, forgive this old minister for speaking frankly, but this sudden epidemic is inexplicable. Even the imperial physicians couldn’t find the cause. It must be a warning from the heavens.”

Chu Ya remained silent, his gaze calmly shifting to another courtier. “What do you think?”

The other courtier, slightly younger but still elderly, hesitated, “Your Majesty, in recent years, you have governed diligently and cared for the people. The country is peaceful, and the people are happy. You have also taught many extraordinary skills and techniques. In my opinion, even if this epidemic is indeed a divine warning, it shouldn’t be because of dissatisfaction with Your Majesty’s achievements. Perhaps it is…”

He didn’t continue, apparently having some reservations. However, the other courtier had no such restraint. It seemed he felt he was already old enough and had lived long enough to speak his mind freely. He boldly said, “Your Majesty should understand why this plague has occurred in the harem.”

“You are already twenty-six years old, yet you still have no heir. There is no successor in the imperial family, so heaven is angry. It has sent down this disease. Your Majesty doesn’t favor the harem, yet you allow a lowly outsider, a mere musician, to sleep in the imperial bed. This is unacceptable!”

Chu Ya didn’t speak, only looking at the other courtier with a calm gaze. “What do you think, Chen?”

Chen, slightly taken aback, broke into a cold sweat on his back. “…I am well, thanks to Your Majesty’s blessings.”

Chu Ya smiled, “Chen, you are getting older. Take care of your health. Anger harms the body. In the future, try to be less angry.”

Then he paused for a moment and said to the others, “You are all respected courtiers. Your spirits are limited due to your age. I am still young and cannot do without your assistance. I hope to focus my energy on state affairs in the future. As for my private affairs, there is no need for you to worry.”

He said this with a smile on his face, but the atmosphere in the court had become extremely cold, and the air seemed to solidify, making people feel suffocated with tension.

One courtier wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. “Your Majesty is right. We should focus on state affairs.”

Chu Ya nodded in satisfaction. “But there is no need to worry. This epidemic is not related to heaven. I have ordered an investigation into the cause, and it will be resolved by the end of the month.”

Since His Majesty had given his assurance, no one could say anything more. After all, His Majesty had never failed to fulfill his promises.

When the matter was settled, the courtiers left one by one. Chu Ya took a sip of tea and chuckled softly as he covered the teacup. “How long did you plan on eavesdropping?”

Bai Lu suddenly realized that his shadow was clearly reflected on the paper window because he was facing the sun, while Chu Ya was facing the window. He must have noticed him from the beginning.

Feeling embarrassed, Bai Lu pushed open the window and jumped in.

Chu Ya didn’t mind his rude behavior and asked affectionately, “Why did you come to see me today?”

Bai Lu felt too embarrassed to admit that he had been defeated by three women at the mahjong table, so he made up an excuse, “Nothing much, just bored. Came to see what you were up to.”

He casually pulled up a chair and sat down, leaning his arms on the armrests and picking up Chu Ya’s teacup. After taking a big sip, he smacked his lips and teased, “I have to say, can you really fulfill the promise you made earlier? Don’t let them come urging you to have a child.”

Chu Ya was puzzled, “What promise?”

“The one about resolving the epidemic by the end of the month. I heard the epidemic is quite serious. How are you going to solve it?”

“Oh, that. Just let Si Zhu handle it.”

In fact, Chu Ya wasn’t lying. As long as Si Zhu stopped poisoning, wouldn’t the “epidemic” naturally stop? So letting him handle it wasn’t wrong.

Bai Lu expressed doubt, “That guy who likes to cross-dress? Is he capable?”

“Si Zhu has a strong knowledge of medicine, even surpassing the palace’s top physicians. So I think he should be able to handle it.”

Bai Lu breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good. Although he’s a bit eccentric, as long as he can cure the disease, I’ll be relieved. My mom is reluctant to move out of the harem. If this contagious disease can be cured sooner, I’ll be reassured.”

Chu Ya smiled and didn’t continue the conversation.

After a while, Bai Lu suddenly became restless, fidgeting and twisting his fingers, making crackling sounds.

Seeing Bai Lu’s hesitance, Chu Ya asked tenderly, “What’s wrong, A-Bai? Did I go too far last night? Is your back uncomfortable? Don’t be shy. If you’re uncomfortable, just tell me, and I’ll apply some medicine for you.”

“…Shut up!”

Bai Lu glared at him, then hesitantly glanced aside and whispered, “I was just thinking… maybe we should postpone the disbandment of the harem for a while…” Chu Ya’s expression changed slightly, and his tone turned cold, “Why? Didn’t you urge me to do it before?”

“Those courtiers… no, not just them, many people in this world wouldn’t want to see their emperor appointing a man as his consort. If not now, let’s do it slowly. I don’t want to see them insulting you.”

Chu Ya sighed in relief, “So, it’s just that you’re concerned about this…”

For a moment, he actually thought Bai Lu had fallen in love with someone else, almost staging an adult drama in the Court of Judicial Review.

Chu Ya’s expression softened again, and he looked at Bai Lu carefully, whispering, “A-Bai, do you know what I think?”

“What?” Bai Lu asked, puzzled.

“I’ve always felt that I came to this world for you. So everything here, combined, is not worth as much as one of your fingers. Let others say what they want. In this lifetime, I only want to love you wholeheartedly.”