Chapter 55
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Chu Xie appeared calm, but he was carefully crafting his words. He spoke quickly, beating Xu Chunmu to the punch. “It’s nothing. I was pursued the whole way, and Xu Chunmu got injured, which delayed our return.”
His words closely matched what Xu Chunmu had said earlier.
Jiang Yanchi’s suspicions diminished slightly as he responded with an “I see.” He then instructed a royal physician to check Xu Chunmu’s injuries. Seeing that Xu Chunmu indeed had a two-inch knife wound in his lower abdomen, his doubts were temporarily put to rest.
“Young Marquis Xu, you must be tired. Please rest in one of the side chambers.”
It was clear that they wanted to keep him out of the way.
Chu Xie’s expression darkened. As soon as Xu Chunmu left, Jiang Yanchi also sent away a few guards, leaving only two outside to keep watch.
With the outer layer of his black robe unfastened, he pointed at a pile of coarse linen clothes that Chu Xie had discarded in a corner of the room. “You wore this the entire month?”
The plain robe was covered in dust, and Jiang Yanchi could imagine Chu Xie wearing it, looking both pained and fresh. He removed his boots, sat on the bed, and took Chu Xie’s wrist to examine it. He then caressed his slender forearm. “You wore that rough robe, and it must have been uncomfortable.”
Chu Xie glanced at him and replied, “…It was bearable.”
Jiang Yanchi inhaled Chu Xie’s faint scent mixed with the smell of medicine. He couldn’t resist the urge to get closer, like a mischievous puppy, and leaned towards Chu Xie’s nape. His hand slipped under Chu Xie’s arm and gently touched his back. “Your injuries have healed well. Fortunately, you’re fine… Chu Xie, Chu Xie…”
He nuzzled and kissed it.
Chu Xie shivered, “What are you doing? Don’t go too far!”
“Anyway, we’re getting married. Is there anything that’s too much?” Jiang Yanchi muffled his laughter against Chu Xie’s shoulder. “If you hadn’t come back, I might have killed everyone in the Xu family and the residence of Yubei Wang… Whenever I thought of you dying in Puyang County, I felt that no one should survive there….”
“…?”
Chu Xie’s voice turned cold, “You…”
“But now that you’ve returned, everything is fine… If you want me to spare someone, I will. Ah Xie, can I hold you…? Jiang Yanchi hummed as he approached, sounding somewhat like a child. He snuggled against Chu Xie, and, like a child, he nestled closer to him. His scorching chest pressed against Chu Xie’s face, and he could clearly hear the rhythmic sound of his heartbeat.
“It’s been such a long time… I haven’t slept well for so long. I just want to doze off for a little while… and I want to hold you for a while…”
His words sounded pitiful, and Chu Xie couldn’t resist him. Feeling his racing heart, Chu Xie turned to face him.
But as soon as he turned, there was some distance between them. Jiang Yanchi reached out and pulled him closer. He whispered in Chu Xie’s ear, “Chu Xie, I am the Emperor now.”
“Uh-huh.”
“So, that makes you the Empress.”
“…”
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Do you want to back out?”
Chu Xie was quite annoyed by Jiang Yanchi’s clingy behavior. He tried to move back into the bed but was gently pushed back.
“Jiang Yanchi, you know it’s very hot like this.”
Chu Xie’s voice contained a hint of irritation. “Get off my bed. We’re not married yet.”
Jiang Yanchi chuckled and released his waist.
Just as Chu Xie relaxed, he felt a nibble on the tip of his ear. “The person belongs to me. What’s wrong with sharing a bed?”
The Emperor’s voice was teasing, but the warm breath on Chu Xie’s ear made him shiver.
What nonsense.
Chu Xie’s skin prickled as goosebumps appeared, and he turned into an irritable cat. He kicked his foot, but Jiang Yanchi deftly avoided the kick, getting up just in time. He continued to coax him while holding his leg.
“Alright, alright… We’ll do that after we get married.”
He turned his head back, feeling that he couldn’t go along with this so obediently. Jiang Yanchi’s eyes darkened.
Chu Xie thought he was about to get up and leave when he suddenly turned him over.
“You… Ah…”
His breath was immediately captured.
Jiang Yanchi’s actions were gentle but not to be resisted. With one hand on Chu Xie’s shoulder, he pressed him onto the pallet, and the other hand held the back of his head.
Just when he was almost out of breath, he began nibbling on Chu Xie’s pale lips, biting them until they turned bright red.
The man’s eyes held a hint of suppressed anger, his eyes were slightly teary, and his whole body went limp in Jiang Yanchi’s arms.
Jiang Yanchi savored it and could hardly restrain himself.
He just wanted to devour him completely.
His hand reached his back where the wound was. Suddenly, he snapped out of it.
No, his injuries at the back were not completely healed yet. He was already weak in health.
With this in mind, the nibbling turned into a light and fleeting touch. Finally, he reluctantly let go.
“Sleep now, I’ll be watching over you.”
Chu Xie, who had lost his breath, was breathing heavily. He shot Jiang Yanchi an annoyed look, “Get out, or I won’t be able to sleep.”
“Can’t sleep, huh?” Jiang Yanchi smiled and said, “Well then, let’s do something you don’t do when sleeping.”
Chu Xie didn’t fall for it, though.
“I don’t like men. I’m telling you, even if we get married, it’s a marriage of convenience. I won’t…”
Jiang Yanchi mumbled, “Mmm, we’ll get married first.”
***
Guided by the steward, Xu Chunmu was taken to a secluded cottage in a corner of the Chu Residence. Seeing people coming and going from the mansion and hearing the footsteps of guards outside the walls, he had a feeling that something was not right.
After sitting down for a while, he called for a maid and asked, “Have Lord Chu and His Majesty always been so close? Why have people from the palace come here, and who are the people outside the mansion, are they part of the Imperial Guard?”
“Yes, His Majesty searched for Lord Chu for a whole month. After all, Lord Chu’s health has never been good, and he was homeless and had to endure the elements while he was away. His Majesty naturally cares for him,” the straightforward servant, Tao Li, replied as she placed the dishes and porridge on the table. “These meals and medicinal dishes are all prepared by the palace’s small kitchen upon His Majesty’s orders. Two palace chefs have been assigned to the Chu residence, and there are also two resident imperial physicians. His Majesty treated Lord Chu poorly in the past, but perhaps now he wishes to make amends.”
“Make amends?”
Xu Chunmu was puzzled once again.
“Yes, because His Majesty likes our Lord, of course. He was unkind to him in the past, but now he wants to marry him. Naturally, he must be considerate in every aspect.”
As Tao Li spoke, some color returned to Xu Chunmu’s pale face.
“What are you saying? Who is going to marry whom?”
Tao Li set down the last plate of desserts and said, “His Majesty, when he was still the Crown Prince, had already expressed his intention to marry Lord Chu. But Lord Chu wasn’t very willing. However, he’s the crown prince, there wasn’t much we could do.”
“Our Lord has this beauty and uniqueness that you can’t find anywhere else in Great Wei.” Tao Li thought about the times when the Crown Prince had caused trouble for their Lord. Their Lord had been hurt quite badly, and she couldn’t help but feel indignant, “Who wouldn’t want our lord? Before, the Crown Prince made things difficult for the Chu Residence, but now he’s come to marry the person. Very few could agree with such a strong attitude…. it’s not easy for Lord Chu. Young Marquis, the food is ready. You should eat a bit before resting. If you need anything, you can call me. I’ll be in the room next door.”
Xu Chunmu stopped Tao Li and asked, “Did Chu Xie agree?”
“Agree to what?”
“To become the Crown Prince’s consort.”
Tao Li nodded, “Yes, he agreed earlier. The Chu residence received the dowry list, but it hasn’t been delivered yet. Now that Lord Chu has returned, the wedding date will be set soon. Young Marquis, would you like to stay and have a glass of wedding wine?”
Tao Li rested her index finger on her chin for a moment and said, “Now that our Lord and the Crown Prince are getting married, isn’t it more like becoming the Empress?”
“Oh, that sounds good.” Thinking about it, Tao Li became even more delighted. “If our Lord becomes the Empress, I’d like to see who in the capital dares to bully our Lord.”
Chu Xie.
So, your words from the past were about owing something to the Crown Prince.
Xu Chunmu was shocked, as if he suddenly understood something.
He was about to rush to Chu Xie’s residence, but the guards of His Majesty outside stopped him. “His Majesty said that Lord Chu should rest well and not be disturbed today. Young Marquis, please return.”
“Is His Majesty still inside?” Xu Chunmu asked.
“His Majesty will return to the palace today. Tomorrow, he should bring Lord Chu into the palace for proper arrangements and recuperation,” Little Xizi explained gently as he came over. “Young Marquis, you saved Lord Chu, which is equivalent to saving His Majesty. You don’t need to worry; His Majesty won’t make things difficult for Young Marquis. Moreover, just now, Lord Chu was vouching for you all along. After experiencing these dangers, rest assured, you don’t need to keep seeking His Majesty’s favor. Rest well.”
“I heard from the servants in the mansion that His Majesty is going to marry Lord Chu. Is that true or false?”
Little Xizi nodded, “His Majesty personally mentioned it, and the marriage proposal has already been made. It’s definitely true. Now that Lord Chu has returned safely and without any injuries, he will rest and recuperate for half a month. Afterward, preparations for the grand wedding will commence.”
Naturally, Xu Chunmu had no intention of sleeping and endured until nightfall. Jiang Yanchi finally left the Chu Residence to return to the palace. The Imperial Guard, however, remained outside the Chu Residence, ensuring its protection.
Indeed, very considerate.
Why hadn’t Chu Xie mentioned the news that he was going to marry Jiang Yanchi after returning?
It was clear that he had him in his heart, so how could he marry someone else like this?
With a creak, the door was pushed open, and Chu Xie, who was dozing off, awakened. He had a somewhat lazy and tender expression as he looked at Xu Chunmu, whose complexion was extremely unpleasant. “Chunmu, didn’t you go to rest?”
“You’re going to marry Jiang Yanchi.”
He had said his name directly.
Chu Xie realized that something was amiss in Xu Chunmu’s tone. He thought for a moment and realized that he had never mentioned this matter to Xu Chunmu.
“Yes,” Chu Xie forced a smile and continued, “Don’t worry, His Majesty has promised to stop pursuing the matter of rebellion in the Xu family. As long as he has Xu Yi and Xu Chengjin’s heads, there won’t be any consequences for others.”
“How did you convince him?”
Xu Chunmu was puzzled as he looked at those unusually red lips, and something seemed to have occurred to him. He clenched his hand in his sleeve, and his voice trembled as he asked, “You’re determined to come back with me, aren’t you? You’ve planned to do this all along, haven’t you? You said you wanted to protect me, is this how you intend to protect me?”
“To become the Crown Prince’s consort, to become the Empress. And then protect me?”
The coldness in his voice was palpable, “Chu Xie, what’s going on in your mind? I truly… I just don’t understand you anymore. I…”
“Wasn’t it you who insisted on returning to the capital? You said you wanted to protect the people of the Xu family.” Chu Xie was also caught in his words, his beautiful eyebrows furrowing, “I just spoke with His Majesty and finally persuaded him to let go of this matter. Xu Chunmu, in the future, you…”
“In the future?”
Xu Chunmu lowered his voice, leaned close to Chu Xie, and pointed outside. “Do we still have a future together?”
Ah.
So, he was talking about escaping and living in seclusion together.
Chu Xie finally understood.
“At this point, this is the best solution. Chunmu, you can’t lose your family, I understand that, and I helped you save them. But the situation is not easy to balance, and at this stage, if you’re thinking of leaving the capital together, it’s absolutely impossible. It’s easy to come back to the capital, but leaving is a thousand times harder.”
Xu Chunmu clenched his teeth.
“Why didn’t you tell me about your engagement with the Crown Prince? If I had known about your engagement with him, I would never have allowed you to return to the capital. You think you’re doing this for my good, but you don’t understand that for me, you…”
“If I don’t return to the capital, do you really think that a few blunt words will make Jiang Yanchi spare your entire Xu family?” Chu Xie shook his head. “Chunmu, don’t torment yourself. Right now, what’s more important than anything else is that you stay alive.”
“I only want you to stay alive.”
“But I want to be with you!”
Xu Chunmu pulled the blanket up and forcefully pulled Chu Xie up. “Let’s go, we need to talk to His Majesty and make it clear. You and I are the ones who love each other. How can he forcefully take you away like this?”
We aren’t in love, though.
Chu Xie had a headache.
“He’s not taking me forcefully; it’s an agreement between us. We have a mutual interest,” Chu Xie explained.
“Chu Xie, do you like me or not?” Xu Chunmu held his hand tightly and refused to let go. “If you like me, how can you marry someone else?!”
“I, I don’t like you.”
Chu Xie hesitated for a moment. He responded quickly to the clear storyline, but he was not skilled in handling this emotional question-and-answer session. For a moment, his mind seems to become tangled up, and he repeated, “Xu Chunmu, I don’t like you. When I was in Huaizhi County, I was just trying to keep you from returning to the capital city. I actually don’t have those feelings for you. In fact, I… I don’t like men.”
Xu Chunmu assumed he was just making excuses.
“You don’t like men, so why did you agree to marry Jiang Yanchi? He’s an ambitious usurper aiming for the throne. By marrying him, how can you be sure—”
Chu Xie, who has never been guarded against Xu Chunmu, interrupted him, “By marrying him, Xu Chunmu, I will become the Empress, higher than everyone except the Emperor. With enough power in my hands, I can execute those I want to execute, protect those I want to protect. It gives me a better chance to steer events in the direction I want…”
“Chu Xie!”
Seeing the numb yet relieved expression on his face as he said these words, Xu Chunmu was filled with intense anguish. “I don’t need you to form a marital alliance with the royal family to protect my family. I can protect my family myself! You and I can protect them! Why don’t you ever believe… why do you act on your own, why…”
“Is it because you’re so confident in your beauty that you think you can marry the Emperor and live a life of luxury forever? No, it’s not. It’s like accompanying a tiger. Today, Jiang Yanchi might be all compliant and obedient, but who’s to say that he won’t grow suspicious and resentful of you in the future, causing all sorts of torment… Chu Xie, Jiang Yanchi’s temperament is unpredictable, haven’t you suffered enough in his hands? You still want to marry him…”
“How did you get these injuries, and how did you get that scar on your chest?”
As Xu Chunmu spoke, his voice trembled, and he grabbed Chu Xie’s shoulders, leaning down to hug him.
“You don’t really love him; how can you marry him?”
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