Xiao Yun carried him with long, confident strides. As soon as they entered the room, a light and elegant fragrance greeted them.
The room was neat and tidy, with soft, harmonious colors and a few delicate decorations. It was refined and lovely—cleaner and brighter than a young lady’s boudoir. And this was just a resting room in the duty quarters—who knows what the main estate looked like?
Inhaling the scent from Xie Caiqing, Xiao Yun couldn’t help but rub his nose against him. The move was strangely intimate, as if memorizing the scent to track him by later. Xie Caiqing pushed at him in embarrassment and irritation.
Xiao Yun gently closed the door. The closer he got to the bed, the stronger Xie Caiqing’s scent became. Xiao Yun’s Adam’s apple bobbed. How could someone smell so intoxicating? Just the scent alone was enough to make his head spin.
No wonder people say “lust is a blade at your throat.”
The more he couldn’t have him, the more he wanted him. And once he did, he wanted more—never satisfied. Even while doing other things, he couldn’t focus, always thinking: What’s Xie Caiqing doing right now?
If only Xie Caiqing were a waist ornament, he thought, I’d hang him on my belt and never have to be distracted again.
“You smell so good, baby,” Xiao Yun chuckled.
Xie Caiqing’s eyes widened in shock.
Did he just call me…?
“Why are you looking at me like that? No one’s ever called you that before?”
Xie Caiqing wrapped his arms around his neck and silently shook his head.
When he was young, he had wanted his older brother to call him something affectionate like that. But his brother had always been strict and traditional—never said such playful words. Though he cared deeply, he never expressed it directly.
As a child, Xie Caiqing hadn’t understood and had thought he wasn’t good enough, trying desperately to earn favor. Only as he grew older did he realize that was simply his brother’s nature.
He turned his face away. “…Please don’t call me that, Your Majesty.”
Xiao Yun stroked his cheek. “Baby.”
Xie Caiqing was ashamed and annoyed. “Your Majesty may do as you please—just don’t tease me.”
“How is this teasing? I like you—I have to say it. If I don’t, I feel awful.”
“My beloved minister is so beautiful and so clever. Even carrying a lantern, I can’t find anyone else like you. I really, really like you.”
Xie Caiqing was stunned. In all his life, no one had dared to say such things to his face. In his heart, he muttered: Shameless.
Carrying a lantern? What nonsense.
It wasn’t true.
Xiao Yun had seen countless people. He could already read every subtle expression and reaction Xie Caiqing had. With a chuckle, he said, “You’re mad even when I tell the truth? Cursing me in your heart? Who doesn’t like being praised? And what did I say that was exaggerated? You’re gorgeous—unless someone’s blind—”
“Your Majesty!”
Xie Caiqing’s face turned bright red.
Xiao Yun was nothing like his stern older brother.
All those sweet words were just tricks to coax him into bed.
He remembered how humiliatingly he lost control last time…
There was nothing attractive about that. No one would genuinely like it. Xiao Yun was just flattering him again.
Not the first time he’d been deceived.
Xie Caiqing buried his face in Xiao Yun’s neck, praying the night would pass quickly.
Seeing how obedient and quietly reliant he was, Xiao Yun’s heart softened. With a laugh, he said, “Now I understand Qi Wang—truly, you take after your uncle.”
“…”
“Laughing?”
The top scholar buried his head and ignored him. When he saw the bed approaching, his body trembled slightly.
Xiao Yun touched his hair and said, “Don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt this time. I will make you feel comfortable.”
The last time he carefully observed Xie Caiqing’s expression, he only felt pain for a while at the beginning, but was absolutely comfortable afterwards. This time he had experience and knew where Xie Caiqing’s place was, so he would never make any mistakes again.
He cannot tolerate any mistakes in matters that are under his complete control.
He has read a lot of books in the past two days, and today he will make sure everything is safe and sound. It is guaranteed that Xie Caiqing will not object to doing this with him anymore.
Xie Caiqing didn’t believe Xiao Yun’s lies. He said it didn’t hurt last time.
However, Xiao Yun did not take medicine today, so he should be able to be let go soon.
If he doesn’t take the medicine, it will probably take less than an incense stick of time. If he just endures it, Liu Yun won’t wake up.
Xiao Yun put the man on the couch and smiled, “The couch of the top scolar is so soft.”
When he thought that this was Xie Caiqing’s couch, he felt more excited than lying on the dragon bed.
Xie Caiqing was ashamed and angry. Whether he was willing or not, he belonged to Xiao Yun, let alone a couch.
“Unhappy again?”
Xie Caiqing was stunned. He had no expression on his face, so how could Xiao Yun know his emotions?
Xie Caiqing laid quietly on the pillow, with black hair, rosy lips, fair skin, and unparalleled elegance. Xiao Yun’s heart was moved slightly, and he leaned over and pressed down, and a passionate and deep kiss fell on the neck. Xie Caiqing raised his head, his whole body softened, and he could not help but hum, and soon became confused and dazed.
He found Xiao Yun taking off his clothes and suddenly woke up: “Candlelight…”
“I want to watch.”
Xie Caiqing’s face suddenly turned pale: “No!”
Xiao Yun frowned: “What’s wrong?”
Xie Caiqing asked anxiously, “Your Majesty, can you please put out the candles? Please, just put out the candles, okay?”
Xiao Yun stared at Xie Caiqing who was trying to kill him. Xie Caiqing was so anxious that beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
He seemed to be really frightened. Xiao Yun was puzzled. He suppressed his anger, rubbed his soft ears, and whispered, “It’s okay.”
Xie Caiqing begged, “Can you please put it out?”
Xiao Yun smiled and said, “Where have I not seen?”
Xie Caiqing’s eyes turned red: “I will be so ugly later, please turn off the fire, I don’t want to bother your majesty.”
Xiao Yun was suddenly shocked. Unbearably ugly? An eyesore?
Is that what he meant?
Xiao Yun said: “The top scholar refers to——”
“Your Majesty, please don’t say anymore!” Xie Caiqing felt so ashamed that his teeth turned cold.
Xiao Yun was shocked.
How could such a good child be taught like this?
He thought Xie Caiqing knew that he was beautiful, but it turned out that he didn’t know?
Xiao Yun laughed unhappily: “I’m praising you sincerely, you think I’m flirting with you, I want to look at you because I think you’re pretty, you think I want to humiliate you, right?”
Xie Caiqing was startled. Isn’t it?
Xiao Yun kissed the corner of his lips: “The top scholar looks a hundred times better without clothes than with clothes.”
He grinned wickedly and said, “When the top scholar is screaming in my ear, he looks a thousand times better than when he is wearing clothes.”
Xie Caiqing was stunned for a few seconds, his face redder than the candle, and he wished he could tear Xiao Yun into pieces.
“Really, it’s beautiful to look at. I’ve been thinking about the ugly scenery that the top scholar described every day these past two days.”
Xie Caiqing: “…Your Majesty, please stop talking!”
How could it possibly look good?
“Don’t disbelieve it,” Xiao Yun smiled, loosening his collar to reveal his strong chest.
“Come on, come on, touch it, don’t you like it?”
Xiao Yun pulled his hand and was about to move it towards his chest.
Xie Caiqing’s breathing was rapid, and he was so embarrassed that he had no place to put his eyes. He wondered how someone could be so shameless: “Your Majesty!”
He moved his hands.
“The top scholar doesn’t think I’m ugly. In my eyes, the top scholar is certainly very beautiful.”
Xie Caiqing was silent.
“…” Xiao Yun’s expression froze, his face darkened, “I don’t care, except for that thing, my whole body is beautiful.”
Xie Caiqing: “…”
Xiao Yun was very satisfied with that thing. For some reason, when ugliness tore apart beauty and caused it to collapse, there was a different kind of impact that made people addicted.
“You are still young and don’t know what’s good. If you think I’m ugly, then there’s no one else. In a few years, you will know that I’m good, one in a million.”
Xie Caiqing twitched the corner of his mouth and then suppressed it with a blink.
How come there are still people bragging about themselves?
Xiao Yun said: “Be good, relax, and concentrate on feeling it. Don’t feel any pain or shame. I am adoring you and want you to feel comfortable.”
In the end, no matter how Xiao Yun coaxed him, Xie Caiqing refused to not put out the candle. Xiao Yun would not let him worry for a whole night over such a small matter. Thinking that there was still a long time to come, he got off the bed with regret and put out the candle.
In the middle of the night, Xie Caiqing was lying face down, biting his wrist. Xiao Yun coaxed him for a long time, but he refused to take his hand out of his mouth. He didn’t make a sound for a long time, and his forehead was covered with sweat.
Xiao Yun’s hands became wet when he touched him. It was okay if Xie Caiqing was willing to speak, but the corners of his eyes would turn red. When he was unwilling to speak, he could not help but shed tears because his body was too sensitive. He still kept it tense, trying to cover up his mistakes and thinking that the sound would be quieter this way.
Xiao Yun laughed and deliberately moved upwards, and Xie Caiqing immediately collapsed and shouted.
Xiao Yun said, “Top Scholar, please be gentler, the old man will hear it.”
Xie Caiqing’s breathing immediately became rapid and he clenched his teeth.
Xiao Yun said in a low voice, “He comes to me every day, but I secretly bully his bright and handsome apprentice right under his nose. What if he hears something——”
Xiao Yun suddenly frowned and took a breath. Why was he trying to scare Xie Caiqing? This was just torturing himself.
He almost lost face in front of Xie Caiqing.
“Relax, the top scholar doesn’t want me to start well but end badly, right?” Xiao Yun said with gritted teeth.
Xie Caiqing really wanted to nod, but he gritted his teeth and felt angry in his heart, wondering why it took so long, even longer than last time.
The efficiency is too low.
“Mm……”
Xiao Yun took advantage of his distracted breath to finally take his arm out of his mouth, and without saying anything, he flipped him over on the pillow and offered his hand: “Come on, come on, I know you won’t say it, but you curse me in your heart every day, so I’ll let you bite me to vent your anger.”
Xie Caiqing really couldn’t bear it anymore. Xiao Yun kept teasing him. He was filled with hatred and looked at the hand in front of him. He was confused and grabbed it and bit it hard.
Xiao Yun let out a “hiss”, but instead of getting angry, he laughed twice with unusual joy, becoming even more deadly.
Xie Caiqing bit Xiao Yun’s hand with his teeth, and his whole body was exposed to Xiao Yun’s sight. The flawless white jade on his neck shook slightly.
…
At four o’clock in the morning, Xiao Yun was rubbing Xie Caiqing’s waist.
Xie Caiqing nestled in his arms and fell asleep on his chest, his long jet-black hair scattered on his shoulders, which were white with one or two red marks, which was indescribably tender.
Xiao Yun stroked the white jade on his neck, thinking that Xie Caiqing was a perfect jade in every sense, and he was the flaw on Xie Caiqing.
Instead of making him feel ashamed or guilty, this thought made him extremely excited.
He never tired of making Xie Caiqing dirty. A piece of blank paper being cooked thoroughly, isn’t that the ultimate happiness in the world.
He thought with a bit of regret that only he, Yin Xian and Xie Zha were the only ones who knew that Xie Caiqing was his.
Why not a girl? Then he could announce it to the world with drums and gongs in a grand manner, and make sure that everyone knows about it, which would give Xie Caiqing face and teach those who look down on him a lesson.
If it was a girl, she could be made to be an empress. Although her birth was of low status, the court officials would certainly not agree. If he insisted, who could stop him?
Besides, if he does this, the girl will definitely get pregnant, and everything will be easy once she has a child.
Now that he was a man, he didn’t even have a status, following him in an unclear manner.
Even the first time belonged to him.
This emperor is a coward.
He didn’t care. What others think is none of his business. The main reason is that the top scholar is thin-skinned and doesn’t want others to know.
He was so depressed and sick over the trivial matter of being transferred away before. If this matter were to become public, he would probably seek death.
Never mind.
Xiao Yun lamented the imperfection, raised his hand to look at the deep tooth mark on the base of his left hand, and laughed.
Not mentioning the little rabbit teeth, they are quite amazing.
It won’t go away in a few days.
It was an unspoken grievance, one without a name—just pitiful in a strange way. If he could be pampered and cared for elsewhere, so be it.
Just as he was thinking this, Xie Caiqing, lying on his chest, slowly opened his eyes. His face was still warm, tinged with a faint blush.
Xiao Yun said, “Does it hurt? If you keep saying it hurts, you’re wronging me.”
Xie Caiqing had fallen asleep from exhaustion last night. He still looked a little dazed, his limbs tingling faintly, and his palms felt warm.
It wasn’t something one could easily get used to, especially since it had never happened before. It was a bit sore, yes, but definitely not painful.
Xiao Yun saw him remain silent and lifted his brow proudly.
To be honest, he had never liked men before and didn’t understand it at all. He had even worried about how someone as small and slender as Xie Caiqing could possibly take him. But the facts proved that, as long as he was patient, it was entirely possible.
Xie Caiqing was still in Xiao Yun’s arms when he finally came to his senses. The dazed look on his face was quickly replaced by panic. “What time is it?”
“Almost time for court,” Xiao Yun replied with a lazy smile.
Xie Caiqing sat up in a panic.
Xiao Yun hugged him from behind. “It’s fine, Liu Yun hasn’t—”
Suddenly, candlelight lit up outside. Xie Caiqing immediately panicked. The shadow of the lamp on the paper window was approaching their inner room.
Xiao Yun also sat up quickly. Xie Caiqing, flustered, lifted the blanket to get up. But just as he lifted a corner, he realized he wasn’t wearing any clothes and was covered in marks. He was instantly so embarrassed he wanted to disappear, hurriedly pulling the blanket back over himself.
“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Xiao Yun quickly pulled down the bed curtains he had just tied up, laid back down, and whispered instructions in Xie Caiqing’s ear.
…
Liu Yun, wearing an outer robe, called out to Xie Caiqing twice from outside, but heard no reply. He knocked twice on the door to Xie Caiqing’s room and finally heard a muffled response. Somewhat angry, he pushed the door open and came in.
Xie Caiqing never expected him to just walk in like that and was instantly terrified, his heart pounding.
Xiao Yun, still holding him under the curtains, signaled him to stay calm.
Xie Caiqing glanced at him and saw that even at a time like this, he was still lounging lazily, as if he didn’t mind the trouble at all. A wave of anger surged up inside him, but he took a deep breath and forced himself to stay calm.
“Xie Caiqing!” Liu Yun called.
Xie Caiqing clenched his hands, lifted the curtain slightly, and replied softly, “Teacher…”
“You told me you wouldn’t sleep, that you’d stay alert. If His Majesty sent for you, you’d call me immediately. And now you’ve gone to sleep?”
“Teacher…”
Liu Yun scolded harshly, “Luckily His Majesty didn’t send anyone. Otherwise, if word got out that you neglected your duties and slacked off, do you think you’d be let off easy?”
Xie Caiqing: “…”
His Majesty was right beside him.
Xiao Yun was struggling to hold in his laughter. Still embracing him, he whispered with amusement, “Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. I’ll make sure you’re well rewarded.”
Xie Caiqing’s ears flushed red as he cursed silently in his heart.
“I know I was wrong, Teacher,” Xie Caiqing said obediently.
“I told you not to grow arrogant just because you’re favored. Why are you still getting lazy?” Liu Yun, though always strict, did care for him. He was mostly just trying to scare him. Seeing that Xie Caiqing was genuinely apologetic and not making excuses, his tone softened a little. “Remember this next time. All of us from the Hanlin Academy serve closely by the Emperor’s side. Our job is to give our utmost to serve His Majesty. You must never slack off or take chances, thinking ‘there’s nothing tonight, the Emperor won’t come,’ and just go to sleep. If something does happen, you’ll be the one to bear the blame. Not even for a moment can you let your guard down!”
Xiao Yun held down Xie Caiqing’s trembling hand and murmured against his flushed ear, “You didn’t slack off at all. You served me very well. No one else could make me happier than you do.”
“…” Xie Caiqing was utterly mortified, shame and anger boiling inside him. His neck itched terribly, and he shrank it inward. His heart was racing from nervousness.
Liu Yun said, “Did you hear me?”
Xiao Yun was still nibbling at his ear. “If he punishes you, I’ll make it up to you. It’s all my fault anyway.”
Xie Caiqing replied in a trembling voice, “Your student understands.”
Only then did Liu Yun’s expression ease. “Then why aren’t you getting up?”
“Yes, sir.”
Seeing his humble and remorseful attitude, Liu Yun finally left.
Xie Caiqing let out a sigh of relief. Xiao Yun pulled him back in to steal a kiss before heading off to court. But just as the door had been closed—it suddenly opened again.
Xie Caiqing held his breath. Even Xiao Yun was startled.
Xie Caiqing tried hard to keep calm. “Teacher…”
Liu Yun frowned as if he were sniffing something, looking puzzled.
“What is it, Teacher?”
Liu Yun muttered, “Why does it smell like the Emperor in here? That scent…”
Xiao Yun froze in disbelief. “…”
Xie Caiqing: “…”
