Shen Ling had been carried off by the Emperor.
Jiang Xinbai knelt on the ground, grinding his teeth in fury. “He curries favor with those above and bullies those below! Who knew he had such a scheme? He used teaching us to dance as an excuse and treated us all like stepping-stones!”
When he finished, he tugged on Zhuang Xinan’s sleeve and said indignantly to the Young Marquis, who had been infatuated with the Emperor for years, “Young Marquis, look! He’s using us!”
Zhuang Xinan silently pulled his sleeve free, then matched Jiang Xinbai’s indignation. “Yeah! That’s so awful of him. What a big bad guy. We won’t let him play with us next time!”
Jiang Xinbai sensed something was off. Zhuang Xinan was notorious as a wastrel, spoiled and domineering, and he had been in love with His Majesty for years. Surely he should be flying into a rage and treating Shen Ling as a thorn in his side.
He couldn’t help asking, “Young Marquis, that’s it?”
The Emperor had already carried Shen Ling far away. Once they were out of sight, Zhuang Xinan sprang to his feet and dusted off his knees. With a sigh, he said, “Didn’t you say he was an idiot? How could I, the son of the mighty Marquis of Zhenbei, get angry with an idiot? A marquis should be broad-minded enough to let things slide. Want some roast meat? I’m going to practice grilling. As the saying goes, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. One day, His Majesty will fall for my cooking.”
Jiang Xinbai: “…………”
He followed after him, unwilling to give up. “You’re really fine with letting an idiot get the jump on you?”
Zhuang Xinan shot him a sidelong glance. “What else can I do? Why don’t you go snatch His Majesty off the Dragon Bed right now?”
Seeing that Zhuang Xinan wouldn’t join his side, Jiang Xinbai looked to the other three, only to find Chen Mingyue lost in that ridiculous dance again. He had no coordination and was the slowest to learn, but had absolutely no idea how bad he was, shaking like someone performing a spirit-summoning ritual. Meanwhile, Wang Yuanli and Li Shi had started fighting again, each clutching the other’s lapels as they shuffled sideways like conjoined twins, cursing each other as bastards and scoundrels.
I told you not to bring sworn enemies in here!
Standing in the garden, Jiang Xinbai suddenly felt a little lost.
Minister He had arranged for him to enter the palace as a spy. Before he came, they’d agreed he’d have plenty of help and that they would make Prince Jing’s faction regret crossing them. So why did it feel like he was the only one taking this seriously?
“Don’t worry. His Majesty has always been impartial. Surely he wouldn’t favor just one person? There’s plenty of time; our turn will come eventually.” Zhuang Xinan had a striking, sharp-featured face, full of menace. He looked exactly like a tyrannical evil consort who might casually have a palace servant beaten to death, yet his tone was gentle as he put an arm around Jiang Xinbai’s shoulder like a big brother and patted him reassuringly. “Come on, the kitchen just sent over some mutton. Let’s roast some and build up your strength.”
And so, after losing their lead dancer, the square-dancing squad dispersed dejectedly and headed to Young Marquis Zhuang’s quarters for a late-night snack.
By the time a towering blaze surged skyward and nearly singed his hair, Jiang Xinbai was helping Zhuang Xinan haul water to put out the fire, and suddenly felt that his life was so hard.
Damn it, were there any normal people in this palace at all?
＊
The Imperial Garden was some distance from the Emperor’s chambers. Li Sui carried Shen Ling for a quarter of an hour, while the person in his arms hung around his neck and kept calling, “Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty, are you tired?”
“Your Majesty, we’ve come such a long way. Why don’t you put me down? We could hold hands and take a walk…”
“Your Majesty, look, the stars are so beautiful tonight. Why hurry? Let’s admire the moon together.”
“Your Majesty, do you have a favorite poem? Maybe I could sing you a song—”
Shen Ling clung to Li Sui’s neck, sweating profusely, his mouth opening and closing nonstop as he tried to stop the Emperor from heading to his chambers.
But the other man didn’t say a word. Carrying him, he strode toward the Bedchamber at a breakneck pace, seeming utterly impatient. He was turning into a ravenous beast, even his breathing growing heavy.
Shen Ling watched the scenery blur past. Even his fingers were trembling.
I’m done for. My ass is a goner tonight!
For the first time, he thought the imperial palace was so small and time passed so quickly.
With a crash, the Emperor kicked the door open, and a wave of steam billowed out.
Shen Ling stared blankly.
No way. Were they going to take a bath together too?
The Emperor casually set him down. As soon as Shen Ling had steadied himself, a dark robe flew over and landed right on his head.
Taking his clothes off already? He really couldn’t wait, could he?
Shen Ling hurriedly pulled the Emperor’s robe off his head. When he looked up, the other man was already half-submerged in the bath. His long black hair hung down, obscuring his back; his figure was tall and straight, making four words pop into Shen Ling’s mind: “like a lotus, pure and upright.”
Forget it. Whether it happened sooner or later, it was going to happen. He was going to get fucked either way, so he might as well take the initiative. Maybe he could even enjoy it.
Gritting his teeth, Shen Ling started undoing his own sash too.
“Your Majesty, wait for me!”
He dropped the dark robe at his feet, his white under-robe hanging open at the collar. Kicking off his shoes, he pattered over, took a deep breath, and was about to plunge into the water. “Your Majesty, I’m coming—”
Before he could jump in, a hand stopped him by the head. The Emperor fixed him with a dangerous stare. “Stop.”
Shen Ling slammed on the brakes at the edge of the bath and met the Emperor’s gaze, softened by the rising steam. Perhaps the candlelight was dim, or perhaps the mist blurred everything; the murderous edge between the young man’s brows seemed less pronounced. The face Shen Ling had never dared look at closely before was now startlingly clear: long brows, phoenix eyes, and a red beauty mark. Only his eye sockets were dark, giving him the exhausted look of someone who hadn’t slept all night.
Actually… when His Majesty wasn’t killing people, he was pretty handsome.
Shen Ling blinked. His lashes brushed the Emperor’s fingertip, and the Emperor snatched his hand back as if burned. He pointed to the things in a wooden box nearby and said coldly, “Pick that up.”
Then he turned around, swept his loose hair aside, and exposed his broad back. “Scrub.”
Shen Ling looked at the soap in his hand, then at the Emperor’s bare back, and breathed a sigh of relief.
So he just needed someone to scrub his back? Why didn’t he say so earlier? Scared the life out of me!
“Coming, coming!” He quickly rolled up his sleeves, grabbed the fragrant soap beside him, and began scrubbing furiously. He even asked obsequiously, “Does that feel good, Your Majesty? Is the pressure right?”
The water was just the right temperature. With his back to Shen Ling, the Emperor’s shoulders and back were broad, his lines smooth; he looked like a trained martial artist. But when Shen Ling kneaded his shoulders and neck, the muscles were taut and felt knotted. He probably sat hunched over his desk for too long and had some minor neck and shoulder problems.
Shen Ling’s parents both had some problems with their necks and lower backs. He had often massaged them as a child and studied acupressure points. Doing the same for the Emperor was no trouble at all.
Li Sui hadn’t rested in days. The person behind him massaged with just the right amount of pressure, the water was perfectly warm, and even his voice was gentle and soft as cotton, almost lulling him to sleep. As Shen Ling scrubbed and rubbed, drowsiness crept over him.
All he could hear was the splashing water and the young man asking carefully, “Your Majesty, it’s hard to put any strength into it while I’m kneeling. May I get in?”
The Emperor murmured in assent.
Then fingers threaded through his hair, pressing the acupressure points with just the right touch. The heavy, aching head he’d carried for days gradually relaxed. Beneath the water, he saw a pale shape moving. Its clothes were soaked and clung to its body, like a white fish swimming by.
Relaxing, he wondered vaguely who had taught Shen Ling all these ways of serving someone. Prince Jing? The Prince Jing’s heir? Or was he just naturally so licentious?
His head, neck, shoulders, and even arms were all vigorously rubbed by those pale fingers, then covered in foamy white suds in the water.
“Wow, what’s in this soap? It smells so good.”
“Your Majesty, your hair is so black and smooth.”
“Your Majesty… Your Majesty…”
The young man’s voice seemed to come through a veil of water, distant and hazy. Before he knew it, the Emperor’s eyes had closed.
His elders had taught him to take pride in whatever work he did, and Shen Ling had always been a conscientious worker. That applied to scrubbing and massaging people too. After all, if he didn’t do a good job, he might get his head chopped off. So Shen Ling put his whole heart into it, polishing and buffing, loosening muscles and kneading bones. When he got to the Emperor’s waist, he paused, too embarrassed to continue lower. He could only turn the man around. Looking at the Emperor’s fair skin and full chest, Shen Ling raised his hand, wondering if grabbing someone’s chest would be a little impolite.
But he really did have a great body. For someone who’d been pampered his whole life, he had no extra fat at all. His chest and abs were well-defined, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Shen Ling couldn’t look any lower.
Taking a towel, Shen Ling covered his waist and examined that face up close. Wet hair clung to the Emperor’s cheeks. His eyes were closed, and the steam had brought a little color to his skin, making the beauty mark between his brows look even redder.
Like Guanyin seated on a lotus throne.
Shen Mei hadn’t lied when he said the Emperor was handsome.
It was just that most of the time, he looked worried. Was he fretting over state affairs, or thinking of his White Moonlight?
There was still some foam at the Emperor’s temple. Shen Ling scooped up some water to rinse it off, but as he leaned closer, those tightly shut eyes suddenly sprang open.
Shen Ling jumped. The next second, a hand clamped hard around his throat.
“Your… Majesty?”
Something thick and dark unfurled in the Emperor’s eyes. That murderous edge was back. Shen Ling trembled all over and grabbed the Emperor’s arm, begging, “Your Majesty, you’ve just had a massage! Don’t use so much force, or you’ll get a cramp!”
Soft, pale, damp—like a wriggling fish. His soaked, translucent under-robe clung to his body, leaving nothing to the imagination. Steam had soaked his hair at the temples, curling it against his cheeks. His eyes were wide, clear and innocent, like a deer that knew nothing.
Fragile and slender, easy to bite, to control, to destroy.
Then the Emperor’s arm went numb, and he involuntarily released his grip on Shen Ling’s throat. Clutching his elbow, he fixed his eyes on the coughing young man, his gaze dangerous.
“Your Majesty, cough, cough—you see? I told you, you just had a massage. Cough, cough, you’ll get a cramp.” Shen Ling grabbed the edge of the bath and climbed out, trying to look calm. “You’re all washed. Please rest, and I’ll take my leave. Sleep well.”
He had barely climbed out when a hand seized his ankle and dragged him back down.
“You’re here to attend me tonight. Where are you running off to?”
Shen Ling: “…” Damn, he means it!
“Playing hard to get?”
That face pressed closer, their breaths mingling. With his back against the bath, Shen Ling felt himself being squashed flat, his chest too constricted to breathe.
His eyes darted around. The Emperor’s face drew near, as if he meant to kiss him on the lips; beneath the water, something hot pressed close too.
You wouldn’t do it when I was mentally prepared, but now I’m exhausted from scrubbing and massaging, and I still have to get fucked? This is too much.
On impulse, Shen Ling suddenly reached out and grabbed the Emperor by the balls.
The Emperor froze, his pupils suddenly widening.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you absolutely mustn’t!” Shen Ling swallowed, stammering, “You haven’t rested in ages, and your body is exhausted. If you overindulge, you could easily die suddenly!”
Li Sui: “…………”
Seeing the Emperor’s face darken, Shen Ling hurriedly leaned over and peppered his face with a string of hasty kisses, coaxing, “Let’s save our strength and try again tomorrow!”
