CH 39

Jin Wang took a three-day leave of absence under the pretext of being ill.

For three whole days and nights, ever since Jin Wang picked him up at Huitong Building, Ye Shu hadn’t had a good meal, let alone a peaceful sleep.

On the dragon couch, the table, the dragon throne, the bath…… Whichever places Ye Shu thought of, or had never thought of, all were left with unbearable (to recollect) and unpleasant (to look at) memories.

How can there be such an inhumane situation, it simply doesn’t give people a chance to live.

Following the last round, Ye Shu’s pale fingers clung to the smooth, wet edge of the bath, too exhausted to brood over it.

Jin Wang pushed his wet hair aside and came up to give him a kiss on the side of his face. That intimate and delicate kiss settled on his face, tracing the contours of his cheek down to his slender neck.

“Stop…” Ye Shu’s voice was low and hoarse. He didn’t even have the strength left to push him away, shrinking lightly, “Stop messing around, can’t stand it…”

Jin Wang held the man closer, his arms naturally encircled the other’s waist. “Didn’t someone just ask Gu to get in here, what’s the problem now?”

“S-Say no more…”

Ye Shu couldn’t bear to look at himself during this heat period.

These natural physiological instincts were beyond human control. When the tide of emotions comes to the fore, all sense of morality and shame are forgotten, leaving only the passionate and dangerous craving within.

Like a beast who has broken free from its cage, returning to its most primitive nature in that ultimate pleasure.

As for Jin Wang, the man was simply rotten to the core.

Knowing that he couldn’t resist such pleasure, he deliberately teased him. Most often he would try to force him to say things too embarrassing to mention; if he refused to say them then Jin Wang wouldn’t give. However, Ye Shu couldn’t stand it for long, and fell into this trap time and time again.

During the past three days, what shouldn’t be said had been said many times over.

He had no desire left to keep living.

He didn’t understand how there could be such an asshole in this world.

That asshole hadn’t enjoyed himself to the full and was still intent on taking advantage of Ye Shu. Those hands were slender and powerful, as if they belonged to the most skilled musician, who knew exactly what to do to draw out the most beautiful music.

Ye Shu was completely aware that those hands were gradually going downward, and he pleaded in a weak voice, “Your Majesty, let me go ba, really can’t…”

“Wrong name,” Jin Wang leaned over to his ear and whispered, “Think again, what did you call Gu earlier?”

Ye Shu couldn’t say it. Pushed to the limit, he bit Jin Wang’s shoulder.

“Sss,” Jin Wang hissed in pain, but didn’t avoid it and instead caressed Ye Shu’s nape with his fingers. “You always call Gu a dog, but look at the way you bite people; I think you are one too.”

Ye Shu’s ears turned red from shame, and he bit harder.

His Majesty the monarch wasn’t a real beast after all. So long as Ye Shu was no longer in heat, he wouldn’t touch him again. Jin Wang helped him clean up, letting him soak in the bath for a little more than half an hour, then carried him out of the water.

The ground by the bath was wet and slippery thus Jin Wang didn’t dare let Ye Shu touch down. Draping him with some clothes, he first placed him on the small settee by the pool, before turning around to get his own.

Ye Shu leaned on the settee as he watched him get dressed.

Jin Wang had a slender figure and extremely broad shoulders. Due to years of martial arts practice, his fine and strong muscles exuded a rolling strength, well shaped and beautiful, very pleasing to the eye. The only flaw was that his upper back was now streaked with bright red strokes, which made a rather alarming sight on his fair skin.

Noticing his gaze, Jin Wang looked over with a smile. “What are you looking at? Not all of them are from you.”

Ye Shu immediately averted his gaze.

Jin Wang put on his bathrobe, walked to Ye Shu’s side, and leaned down. “Shouldn’t say you’re a little dog; a little wildcat would be more appropriate.”

Ye Shu, with his neck red, tilted his head and dared not look at him.

Jin Wang chuckled as he picked  up Ye Shu. “Let’s go, little wild cat.”

Jin Wang carried him back to the bedchamber.

Food had been laid out on the table.

The past three days, Jin Wang had dismissed all the inner servants of Yangxin Hall. Except for the meals delivered during mealtimes, the entire Hall, and even Qianqing Palace, were as silent as the grave.

Even the guards on patrol and the shadow guards on duty dared not approach.

Jin Wang wanted to carry Ye Shu straight back to bed, but Ye Shu refused and insisted on walking over to eat by himself.

It had been three days and his feet hadn’t touched the ground once!

Jin Wang and Ye Shu looked at each other. Compromising with a sigh, he put the man down. Ye Shu’s feet touched the ground but his legs were too weak. Jin Wang, having fully anticipated this outcome, fished him up once more with pride.

“……”

Jin Wang gave him a ‘you’re just showing off’ look.

Ye Shu moved his numb legs, pointing to the table as if nothing had happened. “Help me over.”

Jin Wang dutifully complied.

Ever since Ye Shu declared he would see how he behaves, Jin Wang had taken it to heart and treated him with extra care. The stately monarch, His Majesty, personally served him his meals, clothed him, took him to baths, to freshen up, and also helped him vent the fire in his body anytime and anywhere, not distinguishing day and night. Perhaps even a concubine wouldn’t be as useful as he was.

Ye Shu thought in his heart as he looked at Jin Wang, who was picking up some dishes for him.

The two hadn’t once set foot out of the palace, and were both wearing only soft bathrobes.

His Majesty always kept himself meticulously groomed, but it was not so today. His slightly wet hair was tied with a hairband, a few strands hanging down over his forehead, revealing an indolent temperament not often seen in the past.

A drop of water snaked down his slender neck and sank into the black collar. Its lapel was loose, vaguely exposing his collarbone covered with ambiguous red marks.

Ye Shu’s throat became dry, thinking that he looked more alive when he wasn’t wearing anything.

The bowl of congee didn’t even smell good anymore.

Jin Wang paused and he put down the chopsticks. “Ye Shu.”

Ye Shu sheepishly averted his gaze and nonchalantly asked, “What is it?”

“You’re…”Jin Wang helplessly pressed the space between his brows, trying his best to ignore the smell in the air that was so blunt it seemed like seduction. “Eat well and take a good rest afterward.”

He paused, then added, “……you can’t stand to continue any longer.”

Understanding what he meant, Ye Shu’s cheeks burned hot, not daring to let his foolish fantasies have their way anymore.

“The Great Yan’s envoy and officials will depart from the capital tomorrow afternoon,” Jin Wang suddenly opened up.

Ye Shu, with his thoughts still somewhat wandering, let out an ‘oh’ before realizing, “Weren’t they scheduled to leave yesterday?”

“The day before yesterday, to be exact,” Jin Wang gave Ye Shu a slice of cabbage, his voice placid, “It was said that the Great Yan prince suddenly fell ill which tarried their departure.”

“Yu Yan fell ill?” Ye Shu was shocked, then seeing Jin Wang’s slightly raised eyebrows, he instantly added, “How delightful.”

Jin Wang, “……”

Still a chicken as always.

Yu Yan’s suppressing incense was the reason Ye Shu had suddenly fallen into a heat cycle. Though, in his opinion, Yu Yan was unaware and guileless, so he didn’t blame him at all.

But Jin Wang could be so petty. He most likely wouldn’t be gracious.

Speaking of it, Yu Yan was the picture of good health when they met that day, but suddenly fell ill after they parted. It couldn’t be something Jin Wang had caused, could it?

Suddenly somewhat worried, Ye Shu took a look at Jin Wang.

Those suspicious eyes weren’t even being subtle, Jin Wang knew what he was thinking about without him having to ask. “Gu didn’t do it.”

Ye Shu narrowed his eyes, not quite convinced.

“……” Jin Wang said patiently, “Yu Yan is a Kunjun; a Kunjun who has never been marked.”

Ye Shu, “I know that.”

Jin Wang asked, “Then do you know what happens when a Kunjun encounters another Kunjun who is entering their heat cycle?”

Ye Shu was stunned.

He hadn’t yet read about it in the book.

But Ye Shu was perceptive and quickly realized what Jin Wang meant. “You mean he…he was affected by me?”

Jin Wang nodded. “Yes.”

When Jin Wang arrived at Huitong Building that day, the suppressing incense in the room had already lost its effectiveness. Jin Wang saw at a glance that Yu Yan was an unmarked Kunjun.

He was in uncharted waters. In the past, he relied on suppressing incense to push down his instincts. It was absolutely normal to be pushed into the heat cycle after being soaked for so long in a high concentration of a Kunjun’s faith incense.

Ye Shu put down his bowl and tried to get up.

Jin Wang hurriedly stopped him. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll go and see him,” Ye Shu said. “If he has fallen into heat, he’ll definitely be discovered by his people, in that case he’ll no longer be able to conceal his identity, then the throne…”

Ye Shu coughed lightly, then added, “Won’t he have no way to pass on messages to Your Majesty then?”

“Rest assured,” Jin Wang held Ye Shu back in place, saying, “I have eyes in their group, and according to sources, the second prince’s identity hasn’t yet been revealed.”

“How did…”

“I’m going to see them off tomorrow, I’ll know when I get there,” Jin Wang said. “Let’s eat ba.”

Ye Shu let out an ‘oh,’ barely assured.

After lunch, Jin Wang still couldn’t resist teasing him a little as he pressed the other into the bed to tenderly ‘clear’ the table.

What could he do about it? His ‘junior’ refused to sleep, no man could bear to look at it aggrieved.

In the afternoon, Ye Shu, looking satiated, buried his face into the pillow as drowsiness crept over.

Jin Wang finished helping him clean up, lowered his head to kiss him, but Ye Shu, in a daze, avoided him. “Stop it now…”

Jin Wang couldn’t get himself to laugh or to cry.

“You drill into Gu’s embrace whenever you feel like it, yet after you’ve had your fill, you won’t let Gu touch……” Jin Wang held the man in his embrace, rubbed his hair, and pinched his face playfully. “Little rascal, what do you take Gu for?”

“……” Ye Shu murmured something and buried his head into Jin Wang’s embrace.

And soon fell asleep.

The next day, Ye Shu’s heat cycle ended and he insisted on going to see off the mission.

Jin Wang tried to dissuade him but it was to no avail, and he had to take Ye Shu with him to the city gate.

Jin Wang assisted Ye Shu as he got off the carriage, the same as Yu Yan who was also assisted down from the mission’s carriage.

The two looked at each other through the crowd and carriages and saw something extremely similar in each other’s eyes.

Ye Shu, “…”

Yu Yan, “……”

With a remarkable procession from Chang Lu’s side, it was clear that the monarch attached great importance to Great Yan.

Jin Wang led the officials ahead to say a few words to the Great Yan’s mission, while the two Kunjun stood at the back of the crowd in a weird silence.

Ye Shu couldn’t help but ask, “These past few days, you…”

“Khoff khoff khoff—”Yu Yan suddenly tilted his head as he coughed aggrievedly. “I……khoff khoff……I just accidentally caught a cold, khoff…Thank you for your concern.”

Ye Shu, “……”

He doesn’t look like that at all. He’s pretending…

All of a sudden, a fox fur was draped over Yu Yan’s shoulders.

The two turned their heads at the same time. The ink-clad guard spoke with concern in his voice, “Master, pay attention, you’ll catch a cold.”

“……” Yu Yan stiffened for a moment. No longer coughing, he frowned and barked, “Didn’t I tell you to go ahead and keep watch? What are you doing here? Go, go, go!”

A hint of gloom flashed across Mu Yungui’s eyes, before he whispered a ‘yes,’ turned his head and left.

Ye Shu sized him up suspiciously.

Yu Yan’s ears inexplicably reddened a bit. He cleared his throat and signaled one of his subordinates to present a brocade box. “On my visit to the capital this time, I must thank the noble consort for showing consideration to me. This is a humble gift that I have taken great efforts to find. I hope that you and His Majesty will accept it.”

The brocade box was finely made. It wasn’t too small, and it had to be held with both hands. Ye Shu turned it upside down and felt it’s sizable weight.

Ye Shu asked, “What’s in this?”

“The noble consort will know once you go back and take a look.” With a smile on his face, Yu Yan seriously patted the brocade box. “Remember to open it with His Majesty.”

A/N:

Quiz game with no prizes: Guess what goodies are inside

Yu Yan: Bearing grudges.jpg

TN:

Yes you read it right. I have changed some things, again. Hall of Yang Xin has been changed to Yangxin Hall as well as the palaces to their pinyin.

Ye Shu’s palace from the Palace of Eternal Longevity to Yongshou Palace .

Concubine An’s palace from the Palace of Heavenly Grace to Chengqian Palace .

And Jin Wang’s (the emperor’s)palace from the Palace of Heavenly Purity, which was previously mentioned once, to Qianqing Palace .

All has been edited now hopefully. Apologize for the inconvenience!