The Sickly Emperor Is Only Immune to Me

Chapter 158: Chapter 158: The King

Sang Yan caught sight of the storied Puluo King.

Unlike what she had imagined, the Puluo King was a young, chubby fellow.

But he was too fat.

Tiny head, no neck, and a horizontal expanse; sitting on the couch, he resembled a white, blooming mountain.

Definitely weighed four hundred pounds.

That heavy, and he was still eating.

“Mr. Jiu, please, have a seat.”

His warm invitation was accompanied by him gnawing on a pig’s trotter.

He just gnawed away, his mouth glistening with oil.

She watched in shock and also remembered what Qi Jiu had reminded her earlier: Du Shan used to be a beggar who developed some problems due to hunger.

What kind of problems from hunger are these?

He must have gone mad with hunger!

“King, you seem to have gained weight again.”

Qi Jiu looked at the other’s massive body, which required the assistance of four or five people to move, and furrowed his brows tightly.

He had a premonition that if Du Shan kept eating like this, he would either burst or die of obesity.

And yet, he could not afford to let him die.

“I have something to discuss with the King, you all take away the food.”

“Yes.”

Palace Attendants cleared the table of food.

Du Shan looked on with a pained expression, wanting to say something but held back.

He felt unsatisfied; not seeing food would make him extremely anxious.

But Qi Jiu had spoken, and he dared not disobey.

He regretted inviting him over.

But some matters still needed to be discussed with him.

In his conflicted agony, his eyes turned to the beautiful woman beside Qi Jiu: “And who might this be?”

He was not interested in women, but their identities intrigued him.

Qi Jiu had never brought a woman here before.

This was the palace, a place for political discussion.

Qi Jiu cared even more about these protocols than he did.

He did not expect him to say—

“She is my honored guest. She will be staying here for a few days.”

“Oh.”

Du Shan nodded and instructed the Palace Attendants: “Quickly escort this honored guest to the Fengming Pavilion. And call for the Queen to accompany her.”

The Palace Attendants immediately complied and gestured for Sang Yan to follow with a “please” motion.

Sang Yan frowned, not wanting to leave.

She felt that Qi Jiu’s visit held no good intentions and was likely about how to deal with He Ying.

“You brought me here just to have me stay temporarily?”

She wanted to stay and eavesdrop.

Qi Jiu nodded: “Don’t you dislike the inn? This place is quiet, suitable for you to rest.”

Most importantly, in the palace, he could keep a better watch on her.

“Take good care of her. Whatever she wants, give it to her.”

He instructed the Palace Attendants, also wanting to keep the conversation’s content from her.

Sang Yan wanted even less to go, playing the weak card: “I want to stay by your side.”

That phrase was a bit flirtatious.

Qi Jiu’s heart skipped a beat, then a wave of pleasure rippled through him.

He smiled and asked: “You want to stay by my side? Have you thought it through?”

Sang Yan: “…”

She just realized the ambiguity of her words, as if she was willing to be with him, and quickly corrected herself: “Not like that. I—I’m scared. This place is so unfamiliar, I want to stay with you.”

She was going all out to gather information.

How could Qi Jiu not see through her little ploy?

His smile grew even more radiant: “You’d better remember your own words.”

Saying this, he waved his hand at the Palace Attendants, signaling them to leave.

Three people were left in the room.

Qi Jiu pulled her onto his lap, playing with her hair, and asked, “The King sent for me, what for?”

Du Shan was drinking water.

With nothing to eat, just water to drink.

After a gulp, he wiped his mouth and then said, “I’ve received a letter from Emperor Da He, stating that his Empress has been kidnapped by pirates and has made it to Puluo Country. They wish to come ashore to search for her.”

As he said this, his gaze shifted toward Sang Yan, faintly suspecting her to be the one.

“We have had no dealings with Da He and are unsure of their true intentions. What do you think, Mr. Jiu?”

He dared not let them land easily.

Should Da He be using the guise of searching for someone to inspect their forces on the island with the intent of annihilating them and seizing their wealth, it could mean the end of their kingdom.

The previous Puluo King had perished in precisely such a downfall!

Qi Jiu, with a smile hooking at his lips, had been scheming for a long time, awaiting He Ying’s entrapment in his web.

Thus, he nodded, the picture of righteous indignation, “To demonstrate friendly relations between our two nations, we naturally should allow them ashore. But they must disarm and limit their numbers, no more than ten people allowed. Besides, let’s prepare a grand banquet as well. I would also like to meet this Emperor Da He.”

“Good. I know what to do.”

Du Shan set down his teacup and loudly summoned people to come in.

He had drunk much water and needed to relieve himself.

Qi Jiu watched as four men carried him to the toilet, but they hadn’t gone far when the bed suddenly collapsed.

Du Shan fell flat on his face, ending up wetting himself.

With wet pants dripping visibly, it was especially obvious.

Had it been anyone else, a king in such disarray would certainly call for blood, but with his good nature, he didn’t get angry. Instead, he just laughed awkwardly, “I’ve made a fool of myself in front of Mr. Jiu.”

Qi Jiu couldn’t muster a laugh.

His face taut, brows furrowed, lips pursed, he pulled Sang Yan and left.

But they didn’t go far.

The imperial eunuch, who had previously come to summon them, had barely finished assisting the Emperor out before Qi Jiu kicked him to his knees.

The abrupt movement startled Sang Yan.

“Mr. Jiu, I beg for forgiveness. Spare my life, Mr. Jiu.”

The imperial eunuch wailed pitifully.

Sang Yan covered her chest, stepping back twice, wary of becoming Qi Jiu’s punching bag.

Up until now, Qi Jiu always appeared as a gentleman, smooth and graceful, although merciless in killing, he himself never took action.

What had gotten into him now?

Qi Jiu was in a foul mood.

He had picked up Du Shan and put considerable effort into grooming him for the throne. In just three years, the bright young man had turned into a foolish pig, a blight on his eyes.

“I told you before I left: the King needs to control his diet. How did you let him end up like this? Are you all weary of living, taking my words for the whistling wind!”

He was enraged that his authority was being challenged!

And furious that he had propped up a good-for-nothing!

He had always cherished talent and despised fools!

Du Shan’s self-indulgence disappointed and angered him!

Especially with Sang Yan present.

It was like parading something one was proud of in front of a beloved woman, only for it to be a disgraceful piece of junk.

“Mr. Jiu, forgive us. The King truly can’t control his eating.”

The imperial eunuch explained tremulously, “When the King goes even a little while without food, he cries. When he cries, he causes trouble. There was even a time when he was so hungry, he bit a palace maid. We—we—”

They had thought to impose a diet on the King, but once he was fasting, he became like a madman. They were helpless!

They had their troubles.

Sadly, Qi Jiu was not concerned with their difficulties.

He looked at Han Chen with a chilling expression, cold as ice, “All those around the King, execute them with the stick.”

Han Chen: “…”

He always knew Mr. Jiu was ruthless, but he hadn’t expected so many to be executed over such a matter.

“Mr. Jiu?”

“A bunch of worthless scum, not deserving of life.”

His decisions were swift and merciless, his thirst for blood cruel.

Sang Yan, feeling the chill in her hands and feet, trembling inside, also sensed that he was making an example of a chicken to warn the monkey—he was the supreme ruler here. She had to bow her head to him.

But she wouldn’t bow down!

“Mr. Jiu, that’s not right. Every person has value, even if they are lowly as ants. Even if driven out of the palace to become farmers, they could still grow some grain for Puluo Country. Why must you kill them? They are sheep, and a wise ruler knows how to shear off every bit of their wool.”

She rambled on only to save lives.

Saving lives was half kindness, half an attempt to win hearts.

In this unfamiliar palace, she urgently needed allies.