Five Years After My Death, the Mad Emperor Still Summons My Spirit

Ming Lingyi almost couldn’t stop herself from laughing out loud.

"So, let’s agree on this now. For the next two competitions, one of you will come to our restaurant to be a reviewing teacher. I just wonder, who will be coming first?" Ming Lingyi asked.

Liu Yu, of course, wanted to go first. But even though both he and Chen Guochao were Imperial Doctors, his own seniority couldn’t compare. Besides, Chen Guochao was in charge of Yizhai, which also put him at a slight advantage.

So, after some thought, Liu Yu voluntarily yielded. "Then let’s have Dr. Chen go first. Dr. Chen is a very responsible Doctor at the Imperial College. I’ll just observe next time."

Seeing Liu Yu yield, Chen Guochao couldn’t help but cup his hands in the other man’s direction.

"Thank you, Dr. Liu." Chen Guochao looked a little embarrassed. He was used to keeping to himself at the Imperial College and wasn’t skilled at navigating social relationships. He wasn’t even that familiar with a young man like Liu Yu. Now, having suddenly received this goodwill, Chen Guochao pursed his lips. "How about this? I’ll treat you to a meal sometime. Right here at Ming’s Restaurant."

Liu Yu said, "Well... it’s probably not easy to get a table right now, is it?"

Hearing this, Ming Lingyi took the opportunity to explain the "perks for reviewing teachers" that she had previously promised Gongsun Liangce. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

A flash of excitement crossed Liu Yu’s face. "So, you’re saying that the reviewing teachers not only get a chance to dine for free, but can also always get a table whenever they come to the restaurant?"

Ming Lingyi smiled and nodded.

’This is fantastic!’ Liu Yu couldn’t help but think. ’Even without the fame from being mentioned in the official gazette, I’d come just for the perk of always getting a table at Ming’s Restaurant!’

After seeing off the two Doctors from the Imperial College, Ming Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she reached back to rub her sore neck, a pair of large hands suddenly pressed down on the exact spot that was bothering her.

Strong pressure was applied to her sore neck, pressing down before starting to knead.

The relieving pressure almost made Ming Lingyi let out a sigh of pleasure.

Li Yun had been waiting in the backyard for Ming Lingyi for a long time. They had agreed she would come find him when she was finished. But who knew the restaurant would have one visitor after another? First, the owner of Liufang Bookstore came looking for Ming Lingyi to discuss a new tavern, and then some Doctors from the Imperial College showed up to volunteer for the restaurant’s next review.

Li Yun was growing impatient. ’At this rate,’ he thought, ’I’ll probably be waiting until dawn for Ming Lingyi to come find me.’

Ming Lingyi seemed even busier than him, the Emperor.

How could Li Yun possibly sit still at that thought?

He walked right out. If the mountain wouldn’t come to him, he would go to the mountain.

"Why did you come out?" Ming Lingyi asked, feeling so relaxed from the massage that she wanted to let out a sigh.

When Li Yun spoke, his tone was laced with complaint. "Boss Ming is a very busy woman. If I’m not a bit more proactive, who knows how many other people will come to steal your attention."

His words were dripping with jealousy, and Ming Lingyi couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Her laughter only made Li Yun feel more sullen.

’Although he knew the analogy wasn’t entirely appropriate, he couldn’t help but feel like a consort waiting for the Emperor to flip his name tag.’

"Something funny?" At some point, Li Yun’s hand had moved from her shoulder to her earlobe. He toyed with it gently, a slow, plucking motion that made the pale lobe turn a faint red.

Ming Lingyi felt a ticklish tingle and tried to turn her head away from his hand.

But Li Yun was determined to get "revenge" for her laughter. As she turned her head, he simply bent down and scooped her up from her seat by the waist.

Suddenly airborne and completely unprepared, Ming Lingyi couldn’t help but let out a small cry.

"Li Yun, what do you think you’re doing? Put me down!"

As she spoke, Ming Lingyi glanced around in a panic. ’This isn’t my room! People could walk by at any moment. What if someone sees us?’

’Li Yun might be shameless, but she had a reputation to uphold!’

Her words, however, did nothing to stop him. He didn’t tell her that with his sharp hearing, he would know the instant anyone approached. Seeing the panic on her face, Li Yun suddenly felt the urge to tease her.

"I can put you down," Li Yun said. "And I can make sure no one sees us."

Ming Lingyi: "?"

"Come back with me," Li Yun offered.

’There were far too many people at Ming’s Restaurant. It was noisy and not the least bit private. What he wanted was a place where he and Ming Lingyi could be alone.’

Ming Lingyi: "..."

’She knew it. Li Yun was never this kind. He was full of wicked ideas.’

’His intentions were so obvious they might as well have been written on his forehead.’

’She had agreed to let him stay the night, not to let him carry her off somewhere else.’

’At least here in the restaurant, Li Yun had to show some restraint.’

’Who knew what would happen tonight if she actually left with him.’

Li Yun remained standing there, still holding Ming Lingyi. "Well?" He seemed to be waiting patiently for her answer, but when he saw her biting her lip, hesitating, he chuckled. "Sounds like someone’s coming. From the footsteps, I’d say it’s Ming Chengyu."

Ming Lingyi’s hearing wasn’t nearly that sharp, but she believed him without a doubt.

The instant he finished speaking, Ming Lingyi clutched the front of his robes. "Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!"

’Ming Lingyi didn’t dare imagine how furious her brother would be if he saw her like this with Li Yun.’

’She hadn’t forgotten the sight of the two of them facing off in the hallway just a few days ago.’

A cryptic smile played on Li Yun’s lips. "Alright."

The word had barely left his mouth when he swept Ming Lingyi away, disappearing from Ming’s Restaurant like a gust of wind.

A moment later, another person appeared where the two of them had just been standing.

Ming Chengyu had come looking specifically for his sister. Ming Lingyi had been seeing so many people earlier that he’d only just now found a free moment to talk to her properly about the upcoming reviewers.

He really had no choice. Among the crowd that had come to enjoy the spectacle today were many of his friends from the Xianyun Liushui Pavilion.

But when his friends saw that both Zhang Sifan and Pu Yan had served as reviewers alongside him for the restaurant’s poetry competition, they swarmed him the moment it was over. The ensuing clamor nearly made Ming Chengyu’s head explode.

"Chengyu, that was a low blow! Are we brothers or not? If we are, how could you bring Zhang Sifan and the others along for the fun and not me?"

"And I thought I was your best friend! You get to recommend reviewers to the owner of Ming’s Restaurant and you don’t even mention my name? Talk about playing favorites!"

"I don’t care! I don’t care! If you don’t take me to meet Boss Ming today, I’m going to cause a scene!"

Ming Chengyu never would have imagined this group of friends would be fighting over the chance to be a reviewer for the restaurant. ’He couldn’t help but recall that when their poetry society held events, these same people were never this enthusiastic!’