Chapter 30

The moment he was thrown onto the bed, Li Zhaoyi saw stars.

It was so sudden, completely unexpected. He never imagined Yun Yin would just act, right in the middle of their conversation.

But the shock also brought a memory crashing back.

A memory that both of them seemed to have forgotten, a moment that had actually happened.

He had returned to the palace from outside the city and met Yun Yin in the main hall’s square. Yun Yin had brought him back to Bright Clarity Hall, and before leaving, he had kissed him.

And in fact, his lips were still a little swollen.

Yun Yin was already leaning over him.

He pinned Li Zhaoyi’s slender wrists above his head with one hand, a completely dominating posture. Li Zhaoyi’s neck was tilted back, his chin held in place as he was kissed, utterly unable to move.

When the kiss ended, Li Zhaoyi heard a hoarse voice by his ear.

“Your Majesty.” Yun Yin called him.

It was like a direct address, and also a murmur to himself.

Li Zhaoyi’s heart skipped a beat. But—

He didn’t know this had already happened once. Although he vaguely understood what Yun Yin wanted to do to him, he wasn’t as afraid as he was last time.

He was still fixated on what Yun Yin had said. Yun Yin said, because of this matter.

But it was true.

Lu Zhong had said a person should repay kindness. Without Yun Yin, he wouldn’t be alive.

He owed Yun Yin his life. No repayment would be too great.

Why?

Why did Yun Yin have to deny him? He was willing. He himself wanted to repay Yun Yin, and Yun Yin was worthy of that repayment. Did Yun Yin find him ridiculous? Or… did he simply not need this repayment?

Yun Yin didn’t need his repayment.

Li Zhaoyi thought.

It seems… that’s how it is.

Without him, there would be someone else.

Just like Lu Zhong said, even if Yun Yin truly didn’t want to be Emperor himself, he could find a child from the Imperial Clan.

Of course, that would be difficult, but Yun Yin was so clever, he could always find a way.

So… had he been wrong?

Yun Yin didn’t need him at all. Perhaps Yun Yin was even annoyed by him…

The moment this thought appeared in his mind, Li Zhaoyi’s thoughts became frantic. His eyes widened, wanting to say something, but his chin was held firmly, and a new kiss fell, heavy and deep, fierce enough to devour him whole.

“Mm…”

He was truly struggling to breathe. He struggled, trying to tell Yun Yin to let him go.

But when he tilted his face up and met the other’s eyes, he froze.

Within those eyes was an impenetrable fog, a profound desire, and also… his own reflection, full and complete.

Subconsciously, he stopped struggling. His heart pounded, and he panted softly.

As if possessed, the moment Yun Yin’s tongue probed deeper, he actively parted his lips for the first time.

And then, gently, clumsily, he gave a little lick.

–

Li Zhaoyi’s action was pure instinct.

He was truly clueless about such matters, and naturally had no idea how maddeningly tempting a sudden initiative was after being so passive.

For a fleeting moment, he felt Yun Yin tense up.

But soon, he was swept away by a storm.

The bed was soft; he was trapped within it, unable to move. His face was burning, his gripped wrists ached. He whimpered softly in the gaps between kisses. Yun Yin’s lips traveled from his mouth to the tip of his nose, then to his forehead.

As if overwhelmed by uncontrollable emotion.

Yun Yin’s breathing was much heavier than his. Every exhale was laced with restraint and forbearance.

Li Zhaoyi’s clothes were completely disheveled.

He had changed back into the casual robes he wore as Emperor, the ones Yun Yin had personally chosen for him. Smooth fabric, embroidered with dragon patterns and gold trim. The entire magnificent and elaborate Dragon Bed was offered up to the most honorable person in the world.

But beneath the disheveled clothes, his collarbones were delicate, his skin warm and smooth to the touch.

Yun Yin reached out to touch him and successfully drew a shudder from him.

He called Li Zhaoyi again:

“Your Majesty.”

He couldn’t help it.

The moment he stepped into the hall, he knew Li Zhaoyi had to belong to him tonight.

But by a twist of fate, they had started so innocently.

Yun Yin didn’t agree with Li Zhaoyi’s ideas, but he didn’t want to destroy the pure beauty in the other’s heart. Although, he thought with some self-deprecation, when he dragged Li Zhaoyi into this chaotic political situation, their beginning hadn’t been so beautiful.

But Li Zhaoyi said: “Yun Yin.”

“Weren’t you waiting for me to be willing?” he said.

Yun Yin’s eyelashes trembled slightly. Then, he heard Li Zhaoyi’s shaking voice say the next line:

“This Sovereign is willing.”

Without needing a prompt, without needing a self-reminder.

For the first time, Li Zhaoyi actively used this self-designation he had once so strongly resisted.

They both knew exactly what this meant.

~

At first, it was pure chaos.

The servants had long been dismissed from the courtyard. Only a few faint candles burned in the bedchamber.

The candlelight was far away, but the real and subtle sensations were very close.

Spurred by Li Zhaoyi’s words, Yun Yin’s actions were somewhat hasty and rough. In contrast were the soothing, pitying kisses he placed on Li Zhaoyi’s cheek and neck.

Li Zhaoyi felt very strange.

He should be afraid.

He and Yun Yin—they couldn’t be called enemies, but they were certainly not family.

Yun Yin had tested him repeatedly. Even before he escaped the palace with Lu Zhong, the other man hadn’t fully trusted him.

And it was precisely these two people, now doing the most intimate thing in the world.

And he understood nothing.

He was being led by the nose by Yun Yin, passively enduring everything, only able to make the softest hums, disheveled and at a loss. But seeing Yun Yin’s expression, that little bit of negativity vanished again.

Yun Yin had never been this gentle with him.

…Well, that wasn’t entirely fair.

Most of the time, Yun Yin’s temper was fine. He just liked to tease him. It was just… Li Zhaoyi thought, it was ultimately different.

He, Lin Ping, Li Zhaoyu, Wanrong…

And many others.

He knew Chang Zixuan, too, another one of Yun Yin’s good friends. At his birthday banquet, he saw them talking outside, their posture relaxed. Yun Yin had shed that unconscious wariness he always seemed to carry around him.

He tried hard to get close to Yun Yin, but he also knew that all the ties between them were just him, one-sidedly remembering Yun Yin for eight years.

While Yun Yin knew nothing.

In the end, it was different.

But… it could be the same, just for a moment.

At least at this very moment, Li Zhaoyi had an illusion.

He was also stepping into Yun Yin’s life.

No longer a passerby who could be replaced at any time.

That was what he thought.

But gradually, even this subtle distraction became impossible.

Actually, Li Zhaoyi had heard some gossip about Yun Yin.

Yun Yin probably hadn’t done this before, but Li Zhaoyi didn’t know if he was a natural genius or self-taught. In any case, Yun Yin made him feel extremely uncomfortable—hot, and also…

Ticklish.

He said, “Are you… done yet?”

There was a barely perceptible sob in his voice. It sounded less like complaint or urging, and more like a spoiled plea.

Then, he heard Yun Yin sigh.

He whispered, “Your Majesty… but your subject hasn’t even started yet.”

He withdrew his hand. A small bottle by the bedside clattered to the floor. Li Zhaoyi was turned over, kisses falling on the back of his neck. At a certain moment, his fingers suddenly clenched the bedsheets beneath him, knuckles turning white.

–

Midnight, outside Bright Clarity Hall.

A young eunuch in a deep blue eunuch’s robe hurried to the Palace Gates. When the guards at the entrance stopped him, he quickly said:

“This servant is from Gu Manor. I come on behalf of Vice Grand Secretary Gu to deliver a message. I have urgent business to see the Prince of Pingnan.”

The guard at the gate was about to refuse, but upon hearing this, his face showed hesitation.

Moments later, he allowed him through.

The young eunuch was profusely grateful and immediately strode quickly towards the hall.

Bright Clarity Hall was lit with dim, yellow lamps, so someone was clearly still there. He let out a sigh of relief. However, just before he reached the hall, a man in black appeared before him like a ghost: “The Prince has ordered that no one is to approach.”

The young eunuch’s gaze fell to the man’s waist, recognizing him as a Shadow Guard of the Yun Clan.

He showed some respect: “Good evening, my Lord.”

“I am here to deliver a message on behalf of Vice Grand Secretary Gu,” he said. “I must trouble you, my Lord, to pass it on. It is truly urgent.”

He believed that having phrased it this way, he wouldn’t be blocked again.

Yes, Yun Yin was in Bright Clarity Hall. But everyone knew the one residing there was merely a puppet. If the Prince was looking for him, it was likely nothing serious, at most a warning or a reprimand.

He didn’t take it seriously.

But after he spoke, the man before him still looked troubled.

The young eunuch was taken aback.

And it was in that moment of silence that he suddenly heard some strange sounds from within the hall.

…At first, it seemed like the sound of wood creaking. But perhaps because whatever was making the sound was so sturdy, the sound was muffled, rhythmic, one after another. If his hearing wasn’t sharp, he wouldn’t have noticed it.

He was a little puzzled.

So late at night, were they rearranging the Intimate Items in Bright Clarity Hall?

The more he paid attention, the clearer the sound became. While chatting idly with the man, he curiously pricked up his ears. At a certain moment, he suddenly heard a sharp, tearful gasp.

The young eunuch froze for a second.

In an instant, he realized what was happening, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.

“…The Prince is indeed discussing important matters with His Majesty,” the man before him said. “Perhaps you could leave the item with me. It’s a secret report, isn’t it?”

He looked at the young eunuch, his eyes holding an all-knowing calm.

The young eunuch was terrified, his heart pounding. He didn’t dare look at him, timidly agreed, and dared not glance again at the lit candles. Bowing deeply, he hurriedly fled the area outside the hall.

Mu Ke withdrew his gaze.

He continued to stand at a respectful distance from the hall, the secret report tucked into his sleeve.

After an unknown amount of time, even the horizon began to show the first light of dawn. Only then did the hall door behind him open.

Yun Yin was fully dressed. “What is it?”

Mu Ke presented the secret report: “Just delivered. This subordinate saw that Vice Grand Secretary Gu had not marked it as urgent, so I did not deliver it inside.”

Yun Yin opened it and glanced at it. “Understood,” he said.

He thought for a moment. “Send word to my uncle. Tell him I will visit his residence this afternoon.”

Mu Ke acknowledged the order.

As he turned to leave, he couldn’t resist sneaking a glance up at his master.

The other’s expression was normal. Besides a slightly hoarse voice, there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary. Just as Mu Ke was about to withdraw his gaze with some regret, he noticed something in a certain spot.

He paused.

Yun Yin turned around, and that ambiguous red mark disappeared completely beneath his collar.

The hall door was closed.

Yun Yin walked back inside. The morning light was beginning to rise.

On the Dragon Bed, illuminated by the soft, flickering candlelight, someone was fast asleep. Clothes completely scattered, bedding in disarray, the room was filled with the lingering traces of passion.