Chapter 51: Under His Command Part 1

The hearth fire crackled and sparked.

Gu Huaiyu’s shadow danced against the wall, flickering in the dim light. The animal furs draped over his shoulders had slipped down at some point, but he didn’t feel the slightest chill.

His thin, frail body was usually perpetually cold; no matter how high the fire was stoked, he could never truly warm up. Yet now, in this drafty room surrounded by ice and snow, he felt no cold at all. Instead, a faint, pulsing heat flowed through his veins—the potent effect of the Nine Li blood.

He turned his back, standing sideways to Pei Jingyi and his unsheathed “weapon,” and lightly touched his own lips with a fingertip. The lingering taste of iron remained between his teeth.

The power of the Nine Li blood was truly domineering. He had felt such a significant effect after drinking it just once; if he consumed it for an entire year, would he become as physically robust as Pei Jingyi?

He didn’t even need to be exactly like Pei Jingyi. As long as he had a healthy body, he could live another ten or twenty years—long enough to personally realize the ambitions of his youth.

He thought of the vast, picturesque lands of Great Chen, of waking with the power to rule the world and sleeping in the lap of luxury. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something else.

Pei Jingyi let out a ragged gasp, tilting his head back as he casually tore open his belt. One hand reached brazenly beneath his robes.

Gu Huaiyu’s expression, already like frost, turned even colder. Since contracting the cold poison, he hadn’t dealt with such “disturbances” in years, but that didn’t mean he was ignorant of what Pei Jingyi intended to do.

To perform such a filthy act right in front of him—did this man have a death wish?

Pei Jingyi was looking for a moment of release, a small consolation for his efforts, when a frigid rebuke came from above: “Stop.”

“What does the Chancellor forbid?”

Hearing Gu Huaiyu’s voice only intensified Pei Jingyi’s arousal. Especially since Gu Huaiyu had turned to face him, staring down at his movements with a condescending gaze. His damp eyelashes were heavy, and his blood-stained lips were hauntingly beautiful.

Gu Huaiyu didn’t even have to do anything. Simply being watched like this was enough to fuel Pei Jingyi’s excitement. His eyes turned a feral red, and he licked his parched lips.

Gu Huaiyu didn’t want to be too blunt; such words would only foul his mouth. “I forbid you from being so insolent in my presence.”

Pei Jingyi’s hand didn’t stop. On the contrary, the Chancellor’s scrutiny made him even more reckless. Amidst the rustle of fabric, his breathing grew heavier. “The Chancellor thinks this is insolence?”

“I suppose so. After all, your lordship is used to the real thing… unlike me.” His fingers tightened, and a low groan escaped his throat as he stared fixedly at Gu Huaiyu’s blood-stained lips. “I can only rely on my own hand.”

Gu Huaiyu’s face darkened further. He narrowed his eyes in a sharp warning. “If you dare move again, I will cut off your hand.”

The air in the room instantly froze.

Forced to stop, Pei Jingyi tilted his head back, gasping for air. His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed violently. “The Chancellor is truly heartless.”

Gu Huaiyu ignored the hoarseness in the man’s voice, keeping his eyes locked on him to prevent any further “accidents.” However, the obvious protrusion beneath the robes was an eyesore he couldn’t ignore.

Lowering his eyelids slightly, he commanded coldly, “Put away your ‘weapon.’ Do not let it foul my sight.”

Pei Jingyi laughed breathlessly. “The Chancellor is asking for the impossible…”

“You won’t let me use my hand, yet you want it to behave…” As he spoke, he actually reached down and tugged his belt further, revealing a section of well-defined abdominal muscles. The taut skin quivered, betraying the agony of his restraint. “Why don’t you tell it yourself, Chancellor? It doesn’t listen to me, but it might listen to you.”

Gu Huaiyu had never been so insulted.

Who would dare utter such filth to his face? Seeing that Pei Jingyi’s belt had been pulled down to his hips, threatening to reveal that unsightly thing—

Gu Huaiyu discarded his dignity as Lord Chancellor and delivered a vicious kick. “I think you truly wish to die!”

The kick was brutal. Pei Jingyi groaned and doubled over, but instead of retreating, his hand took advantage of the force of the impact to tighten its grip. He began to move with even more fervor, the sound of fabric rubbing and heavy panting echoing loudly in the silence.

Gu Huaiyu’s face hit rock bottom. Amidst his fury, there was a flicker of shock. Even that didn’t stop him…

“Forgive me, Chancellor.” Pei Jingyi pumped a few more times, easing the peak of excitement caused by the kick, before a gravelly laugh escaped his throat. “I truly couldn’t help it. It hurts too much.”

Gu Huaiyu couldn’t bear to look at him; every second was a challenge to his patience. He turned his back, took a deep breath, and urged, “Hurry up. I will give you fifteen minutes.”

“Fifteen minutes is too short.” Pei Jingyi’s gaze was raw and explicit as he stared at the Chancellor’s back. The slender waist beneath the silk brocade was partially hidden, but his rounded, prominent hips were clear to see.

Pei Jingyi focused his gaze there, pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he exhaled. “I need at least an hour.”

Gu Huaiyu closed his eyes and didn’t look back, his tone grim. “I don’t care how long you need. If you waste my time—you won’t have that thing anymore.”

Pei Jingyi chuckled, his chest heaving. “Does the Chancellor have nothing else to say to me?”

Gu Huaiyu knew what he was referring to. Having drunk his blood, an explanation was owed. But to explain was to admit a need—to admit he couldn’t survive without him. It was the same as handing his weakness to another.

What he loathed most was being pitied.

“Why should I explain my actions to you?”

Pei Jingyi’s hand didn’t stop. In all of Great Chen, who else would have the chance to do this while staring at the Chancellor’s back? He wouldn’t waste the opportunity. His throat felt parched. “The blood helps your illness, doesn’t it?”

Gu Huaiyu’s brow arched. Was he going to use this to demand a title? A promotion?

Instead, Pei Jingyi panted softly, his voice rasping but sincere. “Whenever you want blood in the future, I’ll be there.” He paused, his voice dropping an octave. “Not just blood… anything you want to drink… I’ll give it to you.”

Gu Huaiyu didn’t catch the double meaning, but as long as the man wasn’t extorting him, it meant this mad dog was still somewhat loyal.

He waited for a while. Judging that the time was nearly up, he said without turning around, “Fifteen minutes are up.”

The rustling behind him grew frantic. Pei Jingyi’s breathing was incredibly heavy. “Is the Chancellor trying to kill me?”