Back in the modern world, he’d been obsessed with collecting perfumes. An entire cabinet at home was devoted to his fragrance collection.
So Jiang Sheng had a rather sensitive nose.
Hearing this, Jiang Feng panicked. “What are you wandering around here for? This is no good place.”
Jiang Sheng ignored him. He fished a little bottle from his pouch, shook out two pills, swallowed one, and stuffed the other into Jiang Feng’s mouth.
The Divine Doctor had prepared him a whole pharmacopoeia—his little pouch was basically a traveling medicine chest.
The pill kept the mind clear; at minimum, the incense wouldn’t knock him out.
Jiang Feng, holding the pill, had one hundred percent faith in his little brother and swallowed it without question—though he couldn’t help asking, “What is this? I’ve heard the North-Guarding Prince’s Manor keeps a Divine Doctor. Can he really compound anything?”
Jiang Sheng muttered, “How do you know everything?”
“Please. I’m your gege. You married the North-Guarding Prince—of course I investigated him inside and out.” Jiang Feng leaned close and whispered, “Ask the Divine Doctor for me when you get back—can he make THAT kind of drug?”
Jiang Sheng mimicked his conspiratorial whisper. “What kind of drug?”
Jiang Feng waggled his eyebrows. “You know. THAT kind. The kind that makes a man unable to perform.”
Jiang Sheng froze—then his eyes lit up. “Right! Why didn’t I think of that!”
The Chastity Drug!
Jiang Sheng nodded hard. “Done, Gege! I’ll ask the Divine Doctor when we get back!”
As he spoke, he tugged Jiang Feng deeper inside, wandering like sightseers. Everything in here was bustling; every gambling table was ringed with people.
Jiang Sheng studied the gamblers’ faces. So focused. So frenzied. As though their eyes could see nothing in the world but the table before them.
Jiang Sheng began to guess why the incense was lit here. A diluted Azure Jade Incense, its effects so potent—not enough to cause hallucinations, but enough to cloud judgment. At a gambling table, that was a masterstroke.
Look at these people—ready to wager their entire fortunes, eyes bloodshot, every one of them.
The deeper Jiang Sheng went, the more nervously Jiang Feng clutched at him. “Let’s go. Don’t linger in a place like this… I—our Alliance has strict rules. No gambling dens.”
Jiang Sheng’s head filled with question marks.
“Isn’t yours an Assassin Alliance? That many rules? And aren’t you the Alliance Master? Who’d dare discipline you?”
Jiang Feng went silent.
The brothers, cut from the same cloth—a man has to have his pride!
Jiang Sheng lowered his voice. “I’m investigating something.”
He gave his gege a mysterious wink.
Jiang Feng joined the quest instantly. “Investigate! Gege supports you!”
He followed Jiang Sheng a stretch further, watching him wander and pause, nose twitching, sniffing at the air.
“Sheng’er, what are you investigating?”
Jiang Sheng whispered, “Sniffing incense. There’s something wrong with the incense here!”
Jiang Feng imitated his brother and sniffed. “There’s incense burning here?”
Jiang Sheng: “…You smell nothing?”
Jiang Feng shook his head.
Jiang Sheng muttered, “Do you have rhinitis?”
They’d made a full circuit and found Incense Burners placed all around the gambling hall’s perimeter. Jiang Sheng was sneaking closer, hoping to snag a piece to examine—when their fumbling must have been too obvious. They’d been marked long ago. Two burly men had appeared behind them at some point, eyeing them with open hostility. “Gentlemen. Come with us.”
“…”
Lu Yan returned to the manor to learn that his Wife had gone missing yet AGAIN.
Abducted by his Elder Brother-in-Law.
He drew a deep breath. A wave of headache.
It really was time to consider seizing the throne.
That way, he could set up two Dragon Thrones.
One for him. One for his Wife.
He’d bring his Wife to morning court from now on.
He pressed a hand to his temple and said coldly, “Where is Jiang Feng staying now?”
The moment Cheng Yu finished giving the address, Lu Yan beckoned. He hadn’t even had a sip of hot tea since returning, and now he was off again, racing to find his Wife.
Meanwhile, the Assassin Alliance was in its own chaos.
Vice Alliance Master Chen Du’s face was black as he jabbed a finger at several subordinates. “You can’t even keep watch on one Alliance Master! What use are you?!”
The men hung their heads in silence.
Chen Du’s head was about to explode. He’d known Jiang Feng’s temperament—he never should have been sweet-talked into this. Once they dragged him back this time, he was forging a golden chain and locking the man to the bed.
Just then, someone came running in with a report: the North-Guarding Prince had arrived.
The words had barely landed when Lu Yan strode through the door.
Chen Du’s face went cold, hand tightening on his sword. “This is not the Prince’s Manor. The North-Guarding Prince does not run wild here!”
Lu Yan had no mood for pleasantries. “Where’s Jiang Sheng? Can you people not keep watch on a single person? Stop letting Jiang Feng come steal my Princess Consort!”
Chen Du’s face was stone, teeth gritted. “Jiang Feng isn’t here!”
Lu Yan’s eyes narrowed. “Where did he go?”
“How would I know!”
The two men stood their ground against each other—when someone outside called out at the top of his lungs, “The Alliance Master has returned! The Princess Consort is with him!”
The two exchanged a glance and marched outside in unison. Through the main gates came Jiang Feng and Jiang Sheng, supporting each other, both filthy and disheveled, Jiang Feng’s face even bearing a wound.
Like a pair of Kitties slinking home from a night of debauchery.
Jiang Sheng was still muttering—needed a bath, needed to clean up, absolutely could not let Lu Yan notice.
Then he looked up…
Oh no.
Jiang Sheng snapped to attention like a soldier.
His lips trembled for a long while before he asked, voice thick with tears, “Gege… my eyes are playing tricks. Look for me—is that Lu Yan up ahead?”
Jiang Feng was silent.
He drew a deep breath and said, low, “Little brother… the situation is dire. Gege is starting now.”
What?? Starting WHAT??
Before Jiang Sheng could react, Jiang Feng’s figure swayed—and he fainted dead away right in front of him.
Jiang Sheng: “???”
Gege, you start your act WITHOUT me?!
Across the way, the Vice Alliance Master’s face changed drastically; he practically sprinted over to catch his gege.
Jiang Sheng blinked guiltily, met Lu Yan’s eyes for two seconds, and clutched his head. “Ah, me too, I also—”
Before he could finish, the man’s arms closed around him, hard.
“Too late to fake it.” Lu Yan said coldly.
Jiang Sheng: “…” Sob. It’s all gege’s fault.
Lu Yan and Chen Du each hoisted one limp body, exchanged a tacit nod of silence, and turned to go their separate ways.
Jiang Sheng babbled excuses the entire ride. “This time my gege really kidnapped me! Everyone at the Alliance saw it! I wasn’t willing!”
Lu Yan’s face stayed cold. Not one word in reply.
Back at the manor, Lu Yan hauled the man inside, stripped him, and inspected him from head to toe, thoroughly.
Fortunately, the Kitty was merely dirty, not hurt.
Jiang Sheng protested strenuously, “Really not hurt! Gege blocked everything for me!”
Lu Yan ignored him. Still uneasy, fearing internal injury, he had the Divine Doctor come take Jiang Sheng’s pulse, and only relaxed once everything was confirmed fine.
Servants brought in hot water. Lu Yan bathed his dirty Kitty, while Jiang Sheng clung to the rim of the tub, bragging about everything he’d accomplished that day—preening so proudly that he completely failed to notice how black Lu Yan’s face had become.
The moment he finished, the world spun. Lu Yan flipped him over and landed two sharp smacks on his bottom.
Wet skin made the sound extra crisp.
Jiang Sheng froze—then his whole face burned scarlet, and he thrashed and struggled. “You—you’re hitting your Wife again! Lu Yan! Don’t push it! I’ll have you know I have my gege now—”
The mere mention of gege earned two more smacks.
“…”
Jiang Sheng went quiet, lips wobbling, sulking in silence.
Lu Yan said coldly, “Did I not say this matter was none of your concern? The waters run deep. If anything had happened to you, I—”
The man’s throat caught, and for a moment, no more words would come.
Jiang Sheng hurried to say, “Nothing would have happened! My gege knows martial arts!”
Lu Yan ground his teeth. “With his three-legged-cat kung fu? The two of you escaping unscathed was pure luck.”
Jiang Sheng was a born fence-sitter. He couldn’t stand hearing anyone disparage his Husband—but this time his gege had protected him, so hearing Lu Yan call Jiang Feng’s skills “three-legged-cat” made him a little unhappy too.
“My gege protects me, though! Without him I’d have gotten beaten.” Jiang Sheng pouted. “Shouldn’t we go check on my gege?”
Lu Yan gave his bottom a squeeze. “Relax. Even if you went now, you wouldn’t see him.”
He’d overheard Chen Du ordering someone to go buy a golden chain.
Jiang Feng would be invisible for a while, most likely.
Lu Yan had never approved of such methods. His Jiang Sheng should be free—unbound.
But now, Lu Yan found himself seriously considering them.
What was with this once-twice-gone-the-moment-you-let-go business?
He washed the man clean and carried him out. Jiang Sheng burrowed into his arms, wronged, whining that his bottom hurt and demanding Lu Yan rub it.
As if Lu Yan couldn’t tell exactly how much force he himself had used.
Little drama queen!
Thinking this, Lu Yan still reached out and rubbed his Wife’s bottom—and somewhere along the way, his thoughts began to wander.
Jiang Sheng simply had too much energy.
Even done thoroughly in bed, he’d settle for two or three days—and the moment he recovered, he’d come bouncing right back out.
Lu Yan flipped him over, and Jiang Sheng instantly went limp as a belly-up Kitty, utterly at his mercy.
“I only want to come home and see Baby waiting for me. Is even that too much to ask?”
Lu Yan peppered kisses down Jiang Sheng’s spine, deliberately slowing his movements, teasing until Jiang Sheng’s tears were about to fall.
Lu Yan was determined to make him suffer a little today.
With the roles utterly reversed, he lectured Jiang Sheng on the importance of moderation, arm hooked around his waist, large hand closing over him from the front.
Jiang Sheng’s voice went soft and sweet, whimpering for his Husband.
Calling Husband accomplished nothing.
Jiang Sheng burst out wailing, words slurred. “You dare bully me! Gege said today he’d take me out…”
Some word in there struck a nerve in Lu Yan. The man’s face darkened, his rhythm turning heavy, one thrust after another, as he bit at Jiang Sheng’s ear and growled indistinctly, “Leave? Try it! Let’s see if Jiang Feng can take you anywhere!”
“We’ve been married twice, Baby. I will never let you go. Don’t even dream it!”
“Besides—” Lu Yan gave a cold snort, “don’t overestimate Jiang Feng. I suspect even he is willing but powerless.”
Jiang Sheng couldn’t even catch his breath, his head a blank white—no spare thought for whatever had happened to his gege. He crawled forward like a soft-legged shrimp, only to be mercilessly hauled back.
The procedure that followed was almost familiar by now.
He swore up and down he’d never run off again, that he’d be good and listen to Husband.
It was always like this.
Act up—get done—be good…
Lu Yan gripped Jiang Sheng’s wrist, his gaze deep and dark. “Next time you misbehave, I’ll lock Baby up. All right?”
