Chapter 43

"Your sleeping posture is  quite interesting!" Li Yan said sarcastically, reminding memories from the night before. "Limbs over the four directions with mouth half open and drooling... Hair all over the face..."

But Shen Nuo smiled sweetly. "Yeah, lively right?" He asked narrowing his eyes. "At least not like your Rest-In-Peace-Posture whenever you're sleeping!"

He tried to move his face away but Li Yan grasped from his chin firmly. "Don't move!" He said, dipping the brush into the ink. Then he proceeded drawing the turtle upon Shen Nuo's pitiful face.

Shen Nuo smiled bitterly.

"Don't you have reports to read?" He asked in an agonized voice, looking at his own reflection from the little mirror that Li Yan had personally given to him. "There's really no space for you to draw anymore. How about you let me go?"

"No. Zhen hasn't finished colouring yet." Li Yan said patiently, pointing at a bowl full of charcoal.

Shen Nuo was speechless. The turtle had yet to be colored? And with charcoal!!? He wanted to hug a curtain and cry.

Li Yan however was very satisfied. He swiftly ended the coloring, returning Shen Nuo's unique medicine back to Shen Nuo in two folds. "Undress!"

Shen Nuo's eyes widened. "Huh?"

Li Yan raised his brows. "I haven't drawn the nervous system and the rib cage of yours. Why, flowers on your- ...? Undress!"

"..." Shen Nuo suddenly felt so hot. To take off the dress forth him??? "Ahem, Your Majesty, how about you change the punishment?" He asked pleasantly.

Li Yan smiled slightly. "Are you sure?"

Shen Nuo nodded.

"Then bark till I'm pleased!"

"!!!" Shen Nuo was dumbfounded. He really did not know what to do with the dog. To undress or to  bark... One was no less worse than the other. While Shen Nuo was thinking  whether he should greet back Li Yan's baby brother and disappear into thin air, Minghe stirred in his sleep.

Shen Nuo and Li Yan froze in their movements. They did not want to wake Minghe up.

Li Yanlong was actually reading some court reports at the Study. Minghe who refused to sleep alone, was just beside Li Yan, with his little fluffy head leaned onto the desk in a calm and a peaceful sleep.

The jade desk was full of memorials and various kinds of reports. But Li Yan did not seem to slacken. Despite it being already past midnight, he continued to draw on Shen Nuo's face. Minghe would have been happy to witness this if he was awake. But for Li Yan, he did not want to. Because for Li Yan, this grudge was personal...

Shen Nuo sighed.

Why am I attracted by a dog? Should I do a research on myself? Perhaps I might be possessing some kind of magnetism qualities.

"Li Yan!" He whispered in an exasperated voice. "If I bark, wouldn't that wake up Minghe? Huh? You don't have to paint me either. I already have a color! How about you let me go? I have to make medicine for your White Lotus!"

"No." The reply was short and simple. Li Yan turned back to read the reports, mercifully placing away the paint brush. "It will take some time for Zhen to end reading the memorials. Accompany Zhen!"

Shen Nuo pouted his mouth and pulled a painful look. "Li Yan, I'm also sleepy."

"Sleep on the floor."

"..." Shen Nuo just couldn't believe it. "You-! Li Yan I'm sleepy! I want to go!" He said in incredulous disbelief. "If I have nothing else to do, you shouldn't keep me here!"

Li Yan did not even look at him. "Zhen said no."

Shen Nuo frowned but his irritated face switched back in an instant. He smiled cutely. "Husband, wife is worried! Wife thinks husband cannot read so much memorials with this wife troubling you like this. How about you ask this wife to get lost?"

"No."

Shen Nuo just gritted his teeth and forced out a smile. "Wife thinks husband is hungry." He quickly picked up a chestnut, from the fruit bowl, cracked it with the Jade Seal and brought it towards Li Yan's lips.

"Hmmm." Li Yan subconsciously responded and opened his mouth and took it.

"Can I go now?"

"No."

Shen Nuo's smile even broadened. "Wife thinks husband is thirsty too!" He poured a cup of wine for Li Yan and pushed it towards him. "Husband, please drink!"

Li Yan drank it.

"Now can I go?"

"No."

"..."

Shen Nuo was speechless. Could it be that the dog had somehow held a grudge against him for drawing flowers on his purple beans yesterday night?

Shen Nuo narrowed his eyes. "Ok! What is your punishment? Just tell it quickly so that I can end it and go!"

Li Yan changed the memorial patiently. "Why don't you take this chance to read some books here? At least you'll learn some manners!"

Shen Nuo cursed inwardly. "Don't you always ask me to accompany you each night? I have to sit and read the books of your Study until you're done. I'm sick of your books!"

Li Yan raised his freezing gaze and picked up the dreaded brush again. "Did you say anything, Consort Shen?" He asked checking the fine fox tail fur on the brush. "Zhen did not hear properly..."

But the moment Shen Nuo saw the brush, he became very obedient. He quickly screwed up his face and smiled bitterly. "This consort said that the books inside this Imperial Study are very interesting! This consort had already read some of them for more than a hundred times and still thinks reading them once more is worthwhile!"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes in satisfaction, placing the brush away. "Then you better get on reading!"

Shen Nuo gave him the middle finger in his heart and left to the tall racks of the study. Transmigrating into the wife of a rebellious dog was really his nine life times bad luck. He came back with a pile of books.

Half an hour later, Li Yan ended his work. He neatly piled the reports in a corner of the desk and smiled looking at his wife who was absorbed in a certain book. He was very pleased by this.

Shen Nuo might be shameless and unrestrained but still to watch him read a book so calmly and patiently... was something extremely rare and pleasing to the sight. His Nuo Nuo was too cute and glossy...

"What are you reading?" He asked Shen Nuo. "Give me a book."

Shen Nuo randomly pulled out a book among the piled books he brought and threw it towards Li Yan. Li Yan wasn't prepared. The book hit the wine cup spilling the wine all over the jade desk. Li Yan was speechless.

He opened his mouth furiously but had to shut it back quickly when he remembered who was sleeping beside him. He looked at Shen Nuo in incredulous disbelief.

On the other hand, Shen Nuo did not seem even to care. He spiritedly pulled Li Yan's wine jug towards him and took a sip. His eyes were still glued to the book he was reading...

Li Yan pursed his thin and cold lips and pulled out his silken handkerchief, wiped the desk clean and placed the dirty handkerchief at a corner of the desk.

However, the moment Li Yan picked up and saw the topic of the book Shen Nuo just picked up for him, his breath immediately tightened. He silently threw the book towards Shen Nuo again, narrowing his eyes darkly.

"Is this the interesting book that you told Zhen before? Hmm?" He asked in a heavy voice.

Shen Nuo nodded subconsciously. "Why not? I read it a hundred times. Not only that, the contents of the chapters are well explained. You can understand just by skimming through!"

"Then why did you read it a hundred times?" Li Yan's magnetic voice that was gradually becoming hoarse.

Shen Nuo replied honestly. "Of course because it was resourceful and interesting!"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes into slits. "Really?'

Shen Nuo felt that heated gaze and suddenly felt uneasy. He raised his eyes from the book to look at the dog.

Why the @#$k are you staring at me like that, huh?

His eyes subconsciously lowered to look at the cover page of the book. For a moment, he was confused by the extremely messy and ancient writing style of Chinese. He slowly read it word by word.

'OUR *** LIFE'

"!!!"

It was suddenly when Shen Nuo thought he was going to have a heart attack. It was a phonographic novel! But why was there a phonographic novel among the piles of books he brought? What he brought to read were clearly books on traditional medicines!He was speechless for a moment that he kept dumbly staring at Li Yan.

The Emperor who saw the sudden fluctuations in Shen Nuo's face was suddenly in a very good mood. His thin lips stretched into a haunting smile. He slowly drew his face closer to Shen Nuo.

"Shen Nuo, do you want it?" He asked in a seductive magnetic whisper. "You don't have to go this far. Just simply come to me and ask for it!"

Fuck! Shen Nuo threw the wine in the jug onto Li Yan's face in his sudden nervous panic. The book in Li Yan's hand slipped down. And the wine dripped down Li Yan's face in lines, staining his face and trailed down moistening his lapels.

Shen Nuo's eyes widened into disks. He was dumbfounded. This wasn't something he wanted to do. Shit!

Li Yan gritted his teeth. "Shen Nuo!"

"I'm sorry!" Shen Nuo quickly apologized, pulling out the dirty handkerchief from the corner of the desk. He tried to wipe Li Yan's face with it. But Li Yan grasped from his wrist tightly.

A cold shudder ran down Shen Nuo's back. "Let go!"

"Are you deliberately trying to provoke Zhen?" Li Yan hissed venomously. "You know the cloth is dirty!"

"..."

Minghe who woke up at some unknown moment, caused by the noisy ruckus, saw the book fall down from the desk. While Li Yan and Shen Nuo engaged in their hand fight, Minghe picked up the book with sleepy eyes and turned the pages blankly.

His eyes that paused at a certain phonographic picture were misty and very confused for a while. Then by the next moment, he gently tapped Li Yan's shoulder and asked in a genuinely curious voice.

"Imperial Father, this picture -"

Li Yan looked at Minghe subconsciously and suddenly his eyes widened. "!!!"

Shen Nuo immediately snatched the book away from Minghe. His eyes shone brightly and couldn't help but grin madly.

Li Yan was almost eating his teeth now. "Shen Nuo, don't you dare mistake my patience as enduring!" He raised his dangerous voice.

But the moment Minghe woke up, Shen Nuo knew his neck was safe so he dared to do a bit more.

"How can you be so unromantic? Huh?" He switched back in an instant. "Ok! Fine! If you don't want to read, then I will!"

He calmly placed the book on the desk and flipped through the pages. Minghe was very curious. He tried to get close to Shen Nuo to steal a glance at the treasure.

But Li Yan pulled him back. He glared at Shen Nuo. "Don't go too far." He said in a warning voice.

"What are you saying?" Shen Nuo protested. "This is why you're so cold! You have to read these books if you're to live happily with your loads of wives and cabbage! You tell me! How can anyone stand your icy face? Huh? No wonder no one comes near you!"

Li Yan couldn't take it anymore. His hands clenched into fists. How could Shen Nuo be this shameless?

But suddenly Shen Nuo's face changed at the speed of lightning. "Huh? Wait! Why is this kind of a book inside your Study?"

Li Yan: "..."

Shen Nuo saw the lost look in Li Yan's face and thought it was very interesting. He felt like teasing more. So he smiled viciously. "Because you also read them secretly! Hahaha!"

Li Yan did not reply verbally. But his foot under the desk replied immediately. One of his strong boots firmly stepped on Shen Nuo's foot and tightly pressed against it, not letting go. The look he gave to Shen Nuo was also very meaningful.

Shen Nuo sucked in a cold breath in pain. Li Yan smiled coldly.

Shen Nuo raised a brow and threw the dog a sharp look.

You @#$king let me go!

Li Yan smirked derisively and turned back to his work. But the boot pressed Shen Nuo even harder, restraining him firmly in a place.

Shen Nuo waited for few minutes. There definitely was a difference between a cow patiently strolling down a field and a bull charging. He wanted to play fair with the dog. If the dog wanted trouble, he would definitely help him search it!

So under the desk where Minghe did not see, Shen Nuo's naughty hand didn't stay idle. Those slender fingers of a trouble searching hand swiftly crawled over the cold jade floor and stopped upon the rebellious black leather boot that belonged to the dog.

Li Yan obviously felt something was not alright but before he could make it alright, Shen Nuo grasped Li Yan's boot in a firm and a tight grip.

"!!!"

Li Yan did not expect to get attacked like this and so was caught off guard. He couldn't help but glare at Shen Nuo. "You-!"

But Shen Nuo's face looked very innocent. "Me? Me what-?"

Minghe raised his brows too. Daddy Shen was calmly reading a book. Why was Imperial Father suddenly shouting at him?

Yeah, he did not see Shen Nuo's mischievous smile. He did not see the private fight under the desk either. So he was politely confused. Meanwhile, Shen Nuo swiftly pulled away the boot and sock in one swing, leaving the dog with a bare foot.

Dare you step on me again! Today I will show you what it would be like for a Dog Emperor to walk around with a bare foot!

Li Yan gritted his teeth in anger. "Stop it!"

Minghe was very curious. He turned to Shen Nuo and asked in a curious voice. "Daddy Shen! Stop what?"

Shen Nuo raised his shoulders blankly. "You must ask your father. How on earth am I supposed to know?" He said in virtuous voice that had not harmed anybody.

But under the desk, the grasp even tightened. This was obviously provoking...

No matter how hard Li Yan tried to pull his leg back, he couldn't. He did not know from where Shen Nuo got this power. It was not that he couldn't turn the tables and teach a very good lesson to Shen Nuo. It was that he refused to make a scene infront of Minghe.

At this moment, Zhangsun entered unbidden. He was the personal guard of the Emperor and did not care for formalities regarding matters of urgency. He had been out for tidings and did not know of Shen Nuo's presence. So when he unexpectedly met his gaze with the face of the rebellious wife full of turtles, he was stunned.

Li Yan looked at him curtly. "What is it?" He asked in an unhappy voice. He was still trying to pull his leg from under the desk.

Zhangsun bowed politely. "Your Majesty, Grand Martial Shendu reports that he is on his way to the Capital with Prince Altai in captivity. They would be here within three days. Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

Shen Nuo smiled sweetly meanwhile listening and suddenly thought of experimenting on the flexibility of a dog's foot. So five slender fingers wrapped around Li Yan's ankle. It was so soft to the touch... Then with the other hand, he tickled the soft skin underneath.

"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Li Yan who opened his mouth to speak had to shut it back quickly. He grasped the brim of the desk tightly as a shiver ran down his spine. Itchy...

Zhangsun who saw this was startled. "Your Majesty, are you alright?" He was genuinely concerned.

"I..." Li Yan's breath hitched. His scattered voice was hoarse. "I..."

No matter how hard the dog tried to express himself, he could not give our a single whimper.

So the dog glared at the fox with narrowed eyes and pursed his lips tightly to endure the tickle from his dog leg. His eyes turned red at the ends in the attempt.

This fox really dared! So the dog made a mental note to eat the fox alive...

But before that, a bewildered Zhangsun was still waiting for an answer. The dog gritted his teeth.

"Zhen will ... summon a ... meeting now! Leave!"

Zhangsun looked at Shen Nuo blankly. Shen Nuo smiled to him sweetly and winked. "Leave." He said in a seductive whisper. "Don't waste my precious time with my husband. Don't you see?"

Zhangsun was stunned again. He quickly disappeared out of the Study.

"Give me back my boot!" Li Yan said in a furious whisper. "It's urgent! I should summon a court meeting!"

Shen Nuo smiled enchantingly. "Beg me!" He whispered.

Li Yan gritted his teeth. His eyes flashed. "Shen Nuo. Zhen once politely reminded you something. Don't provoke Zhen. You'll regret it."

Shen Nuo calmly picked up the confiscated boot by his side and threw it away. It flew over a rack and disappeared out of sight. Shen Nuo's smile broadened. "Challenge accepted!"

Li Yan was suddenly breathing hard. His entire body was stiff. His eyes were very red at the ends and his adam's apple moved.

He slowly stood with his murderous eyes firmly locked with Shen Nuo's. He knew Shen Nuo was daring only because Minghe was near. Shen Nuo obviously knew Li Yan would not do anything to him infront of Minghe.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes coldly before he flicked his sleeves and disappeared amid the tall racks of the Study. But he appeared soon again, and the boot that flew away was back on his foot. His eyes had clearly anger. But he gritted his teeth and gave Shen Nuo a frightening smile.

"The court meeting will end soon... Consort Shen, beware! The night will be cold and long..." He said in a icy voice before glaring at Shen Nuo and striding out. The meaning behind the words were very obvious.

Shen Nuo quickly hugged Minghe, smiling to himself bitterly. "Ancestor! You'll sleep with me tonight!"

And Minghe: "..."

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Sorry for the late updates... Exam stress again... You might wonder why I have so much exams but yeah, I can't help it. I was born to do exams. 🥲😭 So sorry if the chapter was boring.

Hope you enjoyed...💕