Chapter 146: If Line: If Jiang Xun Travels to His Past Life 2

Chapter 146 Alternate Timeline: If Jiang Xun Traveled to His Past Life 2

Shen Que froze. "What?"

Before he could react, the Emperor had already pinned him down.

A warm kiss landed on his eyelids, and Shen Que instinctively closed his eyes, already under the Emperor’s control.

Though the Emperor was young, his touch was far from inexperienced. Jiang Xun knew this body too well—so well that he could tell if Shen Que trembled from pain or pleasure.

"W-Wait—!"

The Imperial Tutor sensed something amiss, but his protest died halfway.

Compared to the seasoned Jiang Xun, Shen Que was the complete novice.

He was helpless to resist, his gaze unfocused as it fixed on the void. His hard-won composure crumbled utterly beneath the Emperor's unending kisses, until he finally turned his face away, burying half of it into the bedding.

Shame still burned in him.

The Emperor paused, soothing him with another kiss. "Teacher, this isn’t a game or a punishment. There’s no need to feel ashamed—it’s the most natural reaction."

As he spoke, he tried to turn Shen Que’s face back to kiss the corner of his lips, but the Imperial Tutor dug his face deeper, refusing to let him see.

Perhaps looking so undone before the Emperor and his former student was something Shen Que simply couldn’t accept right now.

"Alright then..."

Jiang Xun felt a pang of regret. He and Shen Que had been together for so long that he’d forgotten how shy the Imperial Tutor had been in the beginning. Though he burned to flip Shen Que around and see his current expression, he feared traumatizing him—lest he never allow him to touch him again.

So Jiang Xun asked, "Should I douse the light?"

A muffled reply came from the sheets, "...Mm."

Thus, Jiang Xun extinguished the lamp and tried kissing Shen Que again. This time, the Imperial Tutor didn’t resist.

Only when both were lost in the heat did Jiang Xun ask, "Can I? Please? Please?"

Like a pup begging for scraps, he seemed determined to keep asking until he received a firm answer.

At this point, how could Shen Que possibly refuse?

Yet even so, his body stiffened momentarily.

Last time had been pure agony—the Emperor had made no preparations and showed no regard for the one beneath him. It had been worse than torture.

Though the Emperor had promised it wouldn’t hurt this time...

Shen Que closed his eyes, forcing his rigid body to relax.

But... it truly didn’t hurt.

This first time was entirely different. An electric shock of pleasure shot up from his tailbone—a tingling ache raising goosebumps all over his back. Yet beyond the slight discomfort, an even stranger feeling blotted out every thought.

It felt good.

Shen Que’s toes curled involuntarily, thinking to himself, "I really am about to get hooked on this."

Jiang Xun had made thorough preparations, calming every muscle tremor. His experience far surpassed Shen Que's, and Shen Que had gone without for so long, making him more sensitive than most. As a result, both of them thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Once their passion ebbed, Shen Que lay limp on the imperial bed, too exhausted to lift a finger.

Jiang Xun rolled over beside him and prodded him. "Well? Was I right?"

"...?"

Shen Que's hazy mind slowly pieced together the question before he finally understood what the Emperor was asking.

He froze abruptly.

The Emperor was still staring at him expectantly, as if seeking praise, asking, "It didn’t hurt, did it? It felt good, just as I said, right?"

But the Imperial Tutor couldn’t bring himself to answer.

How could he possibly say yes? It would be downright indecent. Yet to deny it would be a lie.

Fortunately, Jiang Xun didn’t press further. Satisfied, he embraced his teacher, savoring the memory of his lover’s shy reactions. In high spirits, he nuzzled into Shen Que’s arms like a contented hamster and drifted off to sleep.

After a pause, Shen Que tentatively wrapped an arm around the Emperor.

Jiang Xun then leaned in to exchange a kiss before settling down, completely satisfied.

On the surface, little had changed after that night, yet everything was subtly different.

The Emperor began attending court daily, actively participating in state affairs. When disagreements arose with Shen Que, they locked horns, neither backing down. At times, Shen Que worried his words might have been too sharp, but regardless of the debate’s outcome, the Emperor would still seek him out in the evening.

Even more startling was that Jiang Xun was often right in their disputes.

Shen Que didn’t know the Young Emperor held memories from three lifetimes, but he grew increasingly awed by him. Their dynamic began to mirror an ideal ruler-minister bond.

Just as Shen Que thought life would continue smoothly, disaster struck: Shen Xiu was in trouble.

His impulsive, unrestrained nephew had gone too far.

Someone publicly denounced Shen Xiu before the court for misconduct, slandering the imperial court and defaming the Emperor.

Shen Que couldn’t even defend him—because every word in the memorial was true.

No ruler could tolerate such insults, and Jiang Xun was no exception.

This accusation might mean Shen Xiu’s head.

Ice shot down Shen Que’s spine, his body stiff with dread, yet he couldn’t utter a single word.

The Emperor merely smiled and said nothing. He dismissed everyone, leaving only the uncle and nephew behind.

Shen Que opened his mouth, knowing he ought to placate the Emperor, but his integrity barred him from begging. After a long pause, he feebly plucked at Jiang Xun’s sleeve and muttered stiffly, "Your Majesty, he... must be punished."

Punishment was inevitable—but if only his life could be spared.

The tug on his sleeve was so faint that Jiang Xun might’ve missed it entirely.

At this point, the Imperial Tutor still didn’t know how to coax Jiang Xun. When it came to playing coy, ten of him couldn’t compare to the Young Emperor.

But Jiang Xun adored him anyway—whether he tried to placate him, sulked in silence, or awkwardly tugged his sleeve. So, propping his chin on his palm, the Emperor said with lips quirking mischievously, "Teacher, answer one question for me. If your answer pleases me, I’ll let him go."

Somehow, Shen Que relaxed. "Alright."

He truly had no idea what Jiang Xun would ask or what answer he wanted—whether it was for the Shen family to leave court politics, for him to enter palace service, or something else entirely. But Jiang Xun simply looked at him with a mischievous grin. "If both Shen Xiu and I fell into the water, who'd you save first?"

"...?"

Shen Xiu, kneeling on the ground with his eyes closed, awaiting death: "?"

Shen Que stammered, unable to follow the Emperor's random thought process. The Emperor lightly kicked Shen Xiu. "Hey, Little Censor, your uncle won’t answer. Then you tell me—if both you and I fell into the water, who do you think your uncle would save first?"

In their past life, Jiang Xun had already proven that, between him and Xue Jin, Shen Que valued him more. But between him and Shen Xiu, Jiang Xun had never compared. Later, as they grew older together, Jiang Xun found the question too embarrassing to bring up, though it had always lingered in his mind. Now, he finally had the chance to ask.

Shen Xiu was baffled. "Huh?"

The young censor’s face was blank, utterly stunned.

"By all rights, your crime of slandering the Emperor deserves to be beaten to death. But if you don’t want that..." Jiang Xun leaned down, his tone threatening. "Choose. Your. Words. Carefully."

Shen Xiu perked up, quickly sensing the Emperor’s intention to spare him, and blurted out, "You, of course! How could my dim light compare to the brilliance of the moon? Who am I to stand beside Your Majesty?"

"Good." Jiang Xun patted Shen Xiu’s shoulder. "Little Censor, you're reassigned. Go to the Lianghu region as a Military Advisor and farm the land for me."

"...?"

Just like that, the Emperor let him off unusually leniently.

Shen Xiu hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude. "Thank you, Your Majesty!" He immediately bowed and prepared to leave.

Shen Que let out a quiet sigh of relief. It was already lunchtime, and he wanted to put the matter behind them. He took the Emperor’s arm, intending to have lunch together.

But Jiang Xun gave Shen Xiu a strange, almost pitying look. "Teacher, no rush. You should see Shen Xiu off properly and have a good talk with him."

- Your nephew's about to disappear! Ten years of farming! He won't be back!

Shen Que: "?"

Baffled but obedient, he did as asked.

Yet when he returned to the palace after sending Shen Xiu away overnight, thinking the matter resolved, the Emperor waiting on the dragon bed put on a pitiful face.

Jiang Xun buried his face against Shen Que’s chest like an ostrich burying its head in sand. "Teacher, your nephew insulted me. So terribly. I’m heartbroken now."

"..."

From the way Jiang Xun was rubbing against him, Shen Que couldn’t detect any trace of sadness.

If another Emperor had asked this, it might have been an accusation. But Shen Que knew Jiang Xun wasn’t like that. Picking up on the hint, he pulled the Emperor into an embrace and coaxed, "Heartbroken? Then what would make it better?"

Jiang Xun: "Find a way to make me happy."

Shen Que paused. "...What way?"

A thought occurred to him, but he could scarcely believe it.

Jiang Xun turned and pointed at the table.

There sat the very box they'd used in prison years later.

Had it been the Shen Que of later years, he might have recognized it at a glance—it was the same box they had once used in prison.

But the present Shen Que had no memory of this. Under Jiang Xun's eager, searching look, he could only give a slow, uncertain nod.