Loved By The Emperor (MPREG)

The emperor's chuckle still echoed faintly in Yu Chen's ears as he stood in the courtyard, his face burning red. He pressed his hands to his cheeks, muttering to himself. "That man... How does he always manage to turn everything into a teasing session?"

Before he could fully recover, Wu Feng peeked out from behind a pillar, his face glowing with excitement. "Your Highness! That was incredible! His Majesty is so protective of you. Did you see how he defended you from the other consorts? Truly, His Majesty must be captivated by your charm!"

"Charm?" Yu Chen echoed, his voice rising. His blush deepened as he recalled the emperor's words. Charming when I'm angry? This idiot is making it worse!

"You come here!" Yu Chen barked, rolling up his sleeves. His sudden movement made Wu Feng freeze mid-step. "If I don't beat you today, call me a pig!"

Wu Feng's eyes widened. "Your Highness, what has this humble one done to deserve such wrath?"

But Yu Chen wasn't listening. He charged at Wu Feng, who yelped and turned tail, darting across the courtyard with surprising speed. "Your Highness, mercy! Mercy!"

The game of cat and mouse continued until Yu Chen, panting and frustrated, finally stopped. Hands-on his hips, he scanned the courtyard for Wu Feng, who had disappeared behind a large peach tree.

"Wu Feng!" Yu Chen shouted, glaring at the tree. "If you don't come out here and let me kick you, don't expect any snacks from me!"

There was a long silence before Wu Feng's muffled voice replied, trembling with despair. "Your Highness, I don't know what this humble slave has done, but taking away snacks is such a harsh punishment! Please reconsider! Please reconsider!"

"Come receive your kick," Yu Chen said, jabbing a finger toward the tree, "or no snacks for a year."

Behind the tree, Wu Feng groaned as if mourning a great loss. After a moment of intense contemplation, he finally emerged, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Dragging his feet, he walked over to Yu Chen and knelt down, prostrating his behind.

"Your Highness," Wu Feng said dramatically, "please be gentle."

Yu Chen froze, goosebumps crawling up his arms. "You—You!" he spluttered, pointing at Wu Feng as if that alone could convey his outrage. "Go away! Why would you say it like that?"

Wu Feng tilted his head, looking genuinely confused. "What's wrong, Your Highness?"

"Just forget it," Yu Chen muttered, rubbing his arms to get rid of the goosebumps. "Forget it, forget it. I'm going inside."

He turned and stormed toward his chambers, fully intending to collapse onto his chaise like a salted fish. But just as he reached the doorway, Wu Feng called out behind him.

"Your Highness, do I still get snacks?"

Yu Chen stopped dead in his tracks, his eye twitching as a new wave of irritation surged through him. This damn foodie, he thought, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "We'll see," he muttered, not turning back as he retreated indoors, already planning his next snack bribe strategy. Once inside, Yu Chen flopped onto the chaise, letting out a heavy sigh. The weight of his situation pressed down on him like a lead blanket. Daggers to the left, poison to the right, he thought grimly. And all because of that ridiculous favour from the emperor. Is there no escape from this madness?

As he stared at the intricately carved ceiling, a thought struck him—one that made his heart leap with both excitement and trepidation. The royal hunt. It was scheduled to take place in three weeks, and from what he'd overheard, the entire court would be leaving the palace to join the festivities.

It's the perfect chance to escape, Yu Chen realized, sitting up abruptly. Away from the watchful eyes of the palace walls, amidst the chaos of the hunt, he might actually be able to slip away unnoticed.

He got up and started rifling through his belongings, searching for anything small and portable yet valuable enough to sell. A jade hairpin caught his eye—a gift from the emperor. Its exquisite craftsmanship and understated elegance made it highly valuable. Yu Chen hesitated for a moment, frowning as he rolled the pin between his fingers. Why did he even give me this? Shaking the thought away, he set it aside in the pile of items to take.

Next, he examined the decorative vase on the corner table. "Too bulky," he muttered, moving on to the gold-threaded sash he rarely wore. "This could work. Maybe I'll roll it up."

Just as he bent down to inspect a lacquered box, a loud crunch startled him. Whipping around, Yu Chen caught Wu Feng mid-bite, crumbs still on his lips.

"Wu Feng!" Yu Chen shouted. "What are you eating?"

Wu Feng froze, a guilty look flashing across his face. "Your Highness, this humble one was merely inspecting the snacks to ensure they're still edible!"

Yu Chen groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Get out," he muttered, waving him away. "Go check the kitchen or something."

"But Your Highness—"

"Out!"

Wu Feng scampered off, muttering under his breath about unjust accusations. Yu Chen exhaled deeply, but his irritation quickly gave way to doubt. Could he really do this? How am I supposed to survive outside the palace? He thought. He barely knew how the outside world worked, let alone how to navigate it alone. The streets could be just as dangerous as the palace—if not worse. Bandits, deceitful merchants, or even officials who might sell him back to the emperor for a reward loomed in his mind.

And what if he was caught? The royal hunt was bound to be heavily guarded. A missing consort would cause an uproar. The emperor would know instantly, and punishment would follow swiftly. His stomach twisted at the thought.

But the alternative was worse. Every day in the palace felt like suffocating under a gilded shroud. He could still feel the phantom pain of the poison that had killed the original Bai Yu Chen. If I stay, they'll kill me eventually. If I leave, at least I have a chance.

Yu Chen glanced at the jade hairpin again, his fingers brushing the cool surface. It was a gift from the emperor, one of many signs of his favour that had caused Yu Chen nothing but trouble. Yet, as much as the emperor infuriated him, there was something about the man's teasing that lingered in Yu Chen's mind longer than he liked.

"Ridiculous," he muttered, shaking his head. "None of that matters." His resolve hardened. He'd take that chance.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Author's Corner.

Hello, dear readers. I hope you can take these recent chapters as an apology for the long hiatus. just to reassure you that I have not abandoned this book. I had several chapters written when I took a break, so for the next few weeks, expect a couple chapters every week. I still don't have an update schedule as I'm trying to edit the chapters I've previously written. Anyway, please continue to vote and comment, as I need feedback on the story so far.

Enjoy.