Chapter 21: Worse Than a Beast
Chu Yi subtly shifted toward the inner side of the bed, trying to maintain a safe distance from Sheng Qianheng.
How can someone have the energy to make love every day!
As an emperor, shouldn’t Sheng Qianheng’s mind be filled with court affairs?
Seeing Chu Yi’s incredulous and terrified expression, Sheng Qianheng had no choice but to get up and sit back at his desk. “Thinking is one thing, but you don’t have to worry. I’m not that much of a beast…”
Chu Yi hugged the quilt, wrapping himself up completely before retorting, “You… are simply worse than a beast!”
Sheng Qianheng raised an eyebrow. He didn’t argue. During his Passion Tide Period, he had indeed wanted to drag Chu Yi into that secret room and do everything he wanted to do.
But he knew he couldn’t. Chu Yi was originally a Zhongyong. Even if he had already differentiated, he was still no match for a Kunze…
“If I were truly worse than a beast, how could you still be lying on my bed, fully clothed?”
Chu Yi immediately pulled back the quilt to look at his clothes. The lake-blue thin shirt was to his liking. But the thought of Sheng Qianheng changing his clothes for him made him feel uncomfortable all over. Who knew if he had done anything improper to him?
“Sheng Qianheng, if you don’t exercise restraint, sooner or later you’ll…”
Sheng Qianheng was reviewing a memorial, and his handwriting became crooked. “Sooner or later what? Say it.”
Chu Yi noticed the clothes on the rack, quickly got off the bed, dressed himself neatly, and then bowed properly. “Your Majesty, this concubine is tired and will return to Jingyang Palace first.”
With that, Chu Yi walked out of the hall on his own. Just as he was about to step out of Yangxin Hall, Sheng Qianheng spoke, “In five days, Zhen intends to go out of the palace on an incognito visit. Does my beloved consort want to come along?”
Chu Yi immediately retracted the foot that was about to cross the threshold, looked back at Sheng Qianheng, and asked, “Really?”
Sheng Qianheng: “Of course.”
Chu Yi walked back to Sheng Qianheng’s side, fawning, “Your Majesty, would you like this concubine to massage your shoulders?”
Sheng Qianheng knew that Chu Yi had nothing to do in the palace and that it was indeed hard on him to be confined in the deep palace. “My beloved consort is so fawning. It’s not like you.”
Chu Yi: “How could that be? It is this concubine’s duty to serve Your Majesty.”
He reached out to massage Sheng Qianheng’s shoulders, his gaze drawn to the red, swollen lump on the back of his neck. Could Sheng Qianheng be having an allergic reaction too? Just like my previous reaction, and also on the back of the neck?
Chu Yi tried his best to avoid the lump, but the more he tried, the more he inadvertently touched it.
Sheng Qianheng endured it several times. Just as he was about to lose control, he grabbed Chu Yi’s hand. “Chu Yi, I see you’re really not afraid of me being a beast.”
Chu Yi was puzzled. It wasn’t until he noticed Sheng Qianheng’s flushed neck and earlobes that he realized he had done something wrong.
So Sheng Qianheng’s neck is so sensitive. Now I know how to handle him in the future!
He broke free from Sheng Qianheng’s hand and feigned innocence. “Has this concubine offended Your Majesty in some way? This concubine does not know…”
Sheng Qianheng raised a hand to rub the bridge of his nose. “You should go back first…”
Chu Yi quickly bowed and slipped out of Yangxin Hall.
The moment Chu Yi stepped into Jingyang Palace, he saw all the servants kneeling outside the bedchamber door.
He was puzzled, and it wasn’t until he saw Lianfang and Moshu with cold sweat on their faces and pale lips that he immediately demanded, “What happened?”
Lianfang’s voice was weak. “It is us servants who failed to take good care of Your Ladyship and let Your Ladyship get lost in the palace. His Majesty has only given us a small punishment. We servants will do our best to serve Your Ladyship in the future!”
Only then did Chu Yi understand that Sheng Qianheng knew everything about his several escape attempts and had even punished his personal maid and page!
After dismissing all the other maids and servants, he led Lianfang and Moshu into the room.
Seeing Lianfang limping, Chu Yi reached out to support her.
Lianfang repeatedly waved her hands. “Your Ladyship, you mustn’t.”
In the bedchamber, Chu Yi had both Lianfang and Moshu sit down and asked, “What did Sheng Qianheng punish you with?”
Lianfang shook her head, but Moshu spoke up, “Lianfang was punished with fifty strokes on the soles of her feet…”
Chu Yi’s gaze shifted to Lianfang’s feet. Even upon close inspection, he couldn’t see anything wrong. Inflicting harm without leaving a trace…
Beating Lianfang’s feet was, in other words, a warning to him not to run away again.
He stood up, took out a high-quality ointment from the drawer of the dressing table, and handed it to Lianfang. Lianfang refused several times, not daring to accept it.
Considering that Lianfang was a woman and there should be a distinction between men and women, Chu Yi didn’t want to force her hand open. He could only persuade her, “If you don’t accept it, then you don’t acknowledge me as your master!”
After exchanging a glance with Moshu, Lianfang took the ointment. “This servant and Moshu only acknowledge Your Ladyship as our master. Our loyalty can be witnessed by the sun and moon.”
Five days later, Sheng Qianheng and Chu Yi went out in plain clothes. Both were dressed in simple commoner’s attire.
Chu Yi followed far behind Sheng Qianheng. The injuries Lianfang had suffered were still fresh in his mind. It was better to stay far away from the tyrant. Who knew how many other kinds of punishments he had?
Sheng Qianheng, on the other hand, had rushed through a mountain of memorials in these five days. He had originally thought that bringing Chu Yi out for a change of scenery today would make him overjoyed.
But during breakfast this morning, Chu Yi had been absent-minded, and there was no trace of excitement on his indifferent face.
Now, Chu Yi was lagging behind. Every time he looked back, their gazes were averted. Sheng Qianheng couldn’t figure it out. Five days ago in Yangxin Hall, when he mentioned going out of the palace, Chu Yi had been very happy.
He deliberately slowed his pace, waiting for Chu Yi to walk beside him.
But the moment their paces matched, Chu Yi quickened his. He immediately reached out and grabbed Chu Yi’s wrist.
Although Chu Yi knew it was wrong to be angry with Sheng Qianheng—his life was in this damn tyrant’s hands—he really didn’t like this unequal, intimate relationship…
The moment Sheng Qianheng clasped his wrist, he tried to hypnotize himself into continuing the act. But he still secretly warned himself that once he successfully escaped, he wouldn’t have to tolerate Sheng Qianheng in the slightest.
He turned to look into Sheng Qianheng’s eyes, a smile in his own. “What’s wrong?”
Sheng Qianheng saw a couple pass by them, their fingers intertwined.
His gaze moved down to Chu Yi’s hand. He slowly slipped his fingers between his and then said, “Are you in a bad mood? You haven’t said a word to me today.”
Chu Yi felt Sheng Qianheng’s fingers intertwine with his, one by one. He unconsciously lowered his gaze to their hands.
Even though he and Sheng Qianheng had done everything they should and shouldn’t have done.
When he looked up at Sheng Qianheng, his attention was drawn to his ears, which seemed to be tinged with the color of the sunset. “I’m not in a bad mood, just a little tired today. But A-Heng, why are your ears so red? Is it too hot?”
Sheng Qianheng shook his head, took Chu Yi’s hand, and walked forward, trying his best to remain calm. “Chu Yi, have you ever been to this market?”
He had been to a supermarket, but he had only ever seen this kind of quaint, ancient market in television dramas. However, Chu Yi felt that the scene before him was not much different from his memory.
Chu Yi shook his head. He tried to break free from Sheng Qianheng’s hand but failed. He had no choice but to let him lead. “Sheng Qianheng, look around. Do you see any two men holding hands on this street?”
Sheng Qianheng was puzzled. Why couldn’t they? Although they were both men, they were already married.
Although it was rare for someone to marry a male wife, it was not uncommon to take a male concubine.
Both commoners and court officials had male concubines. The main wife was usually a female Kunze for the sake of procreation, but there was no gender distinction for concubines; it was all based on personal preference…
He deliberately held Chu Yi’s hand tighter and retorted, “You are my wife. Why can’t I hold your hand?”
Chu Yi sighed silently. He wanted to argue that he wasn’t the Empress and couldn’t bear the title of ‘wife’.
“As long as you’re happy…”
The two of them wandered aimlessly. Chu Yi had no intention of wandering around; his mind was focused on how to escape during this trip out of the palace.
But every time he looked back at Sheng Qianheng, he could see a hint of childish innocence in his eyes…
Recalling the brief mention of Sheng Qianheng’s childhood in the book, he couldn’t help but feel moved.
The twenty-two-year-old Sheng Qianheng, visiting a market for the first time, was healing the unfortunate child of his past.
Sheng Qianheng led Chu Yi to a stop at a small jewelry stall. He picked up a jade hairpin and tried it on for Chu Yi. Today, Chu Yi’s hair was in a half-updo, which was perfect for it.
Chu Yi patiently accompanied Sheng Qianheng on his stroll. Seeing the beads of sweat on Sheng Qianheng’s forehead, he couldn’t help but raise his sleeve to wipe them away. For a moment, he forgot that Sheng Qianheng was a tyrant and simply cared for him as a younger brother.
At noon, the sun hung high in the center of the azure sky, unobstructed, pouring down thousands of golden arrows.
Chu Yi hadn’t eaten much for breakfast. Now, passing by a restaurant, the faint fragrance that wafted to his nose made his hunger unbearable.
“A-Heng, you’re sweating from all the walking. It’s almost mealtime. Shall we go to the restaurant ahead to eat?”
Sheng Qianheng stared at the hand Chu Yi used to wipe his sweat, and he couldn’t help but remember how he had used a handkerchief to wipe the dirt from his face when he was a child. A smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
He rarely smiled. Usually, his brows were furrowed, as if he kept his thoughts hidden in his heart and didn’t easily tell anyone.
Perhaps because he was usually so serious, Sheng Qianheng’s image as a tyrant was deeply ingrained in Chu Yi’s mind. But when he saw the faint curve of Sheng Qianheng’s lips, he forgot everything.
Sheng Qianheng’s eyes curved, and deep within them was Chu Yi’s reflection. His usual solemn and unapproachable demeanor seemed to have vanished.
Chu Yi’s gaze was fixed on Sheng Qianheng’s face, unable to look away. Watching Sheng Qianheng smile, he felt a sense of daze or trance
Sheng Qianheng had the head eunuch pay for the jade hairpin. Seeing that Chu Yi seemed to be in a daze, he cupped his face and asked, “A-Yi, are you so hungry you’ve gone silly?”
Only then did Chu Yi come to his senses and quickly avert his gaze. It felt as if a herd of small deer were running wild in his chest. What was he doing? How could he be so captivated by this tyrant’s face!
The stall owner covered his mouth and laughed. “This humble one wishes you two eternal love and the early birth of a noble son.”
Chu Yi pressed his lips together and looked at the stall owner, muttering, “We’re both men. How can we have an early birth of a noble son?”
Seeing that the situation was not right, Sheng Qianheng immediately wrapped an arm around Chu Yi’s waist and pushed him toward the restaurant a few li ahead.
Seeing Sheng Qianheng’s guilty look, Chu Yi looked at him sideways and said, “Why did that stall owner wish us an early birth of a noble son?”
