Chapter 58
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For some reason, Chu Xie felt that when Jiang Yanchi called him “Lord Chu,” it carried a different meaning, and it wasn’t a sign of respect. Goosebumps rose on his back.
“Gifts aren’t given like this…”
That hand let go and reached forward, pressing against his chest and pulling him back.
Chu Xie’s back pressed against a cold embrace.
That hand moved upward, and the fingertips hooked onto his cloak, untying the long cord with a tassel. Seeing something stashed inside, Jiang Yanchi unexpectedly pulled out a hairpin.
Chu Xie’s expression momentarily became flustered.
“What is this?” The emperor’s fingers touched the sharp end of the hairpin. “Why are you carrying such a dangerous item with you and keeping it in your robe? What if you accidentally hurt yourself?”
After saying this, he placed the hairpin on the cloak.
“Hmm?”
“I…” Chu Xie had intended to find some other excuse, but…
Jiang Yanchi had killed Jiang Jingan for him, spared the entire Xu family for his sake, and concealed the Chen Lianzhou crime. Bringing him into the palace was also to protect him from the complicated political situation in the capital city.
Everything he had done was driven by an inexplicable infatuation for the role he was playing.
Now, with his power diminished, he couldn’t afford to lose Jiang Yanchi’s protection if he wanted to safely navigate the storyline and save Xu Chunmu’s life.
That meant he couldn’t easily sever Jiang Yanchi’s attachment.
For him, the real world was the one with Shen Yin.
In this world, he shouldn’t feel indebted to anyone, show compassion, or get close to anyone because it was all an illusion.
Jiang Yanchi was an illusion, and so was Xu Chunmu.
He had to use everything at his disposal to save Xu Chunmu, save Little Yin, and let the lost soul from another world willingly give up his original body, so he could live once more in a world with family.
That was what mattered most.
Chu Xie didn’t understand why he was repeating all of this in his mind again. He just felt the embrace becoming warmer, and the breath was getting closer to his ear.
He slowed down his voice, “This hairpin has red feathers and a finch tail. Red finches are rare, and having two of them symbolizes a pair. I really like it.”
There was a hint of a sulky tone in his voice, and Chu Xie knew he hadn’t quite controlled his tone. But his throat felt dry, and he couldn’t perform the role of a shy lover so smoothly.
The embrace behind him stiffened for a moment.
Jiang Yanchi’s voice carried a hint of surprise that he couldn’t contain, “You…”
Chu Xie picked up the hairpin and handed it to Jiang Yanchi, “You take one, and I’ll take one. Is that okay?”
The breathing behind him faltered for a moment, as if he hadn’t expected Chu Xie to say that.
The young emperor looked deeply at Chu Xie, then suddenly hugged him tightly. He rained kisses on him, starting at his nose, then moving to his cheeks, like he was savoring some precious fruit.
Chu Xie pushed him away, and this time he felt it wasn’t right. He extended his hand to resist, but it was caught and his wrist was twisted behind his back. “Your… “
His exclamation was cut off as a painful bite followed.
Jiang Yanchi held him, almost breaking his waist, and after some wrestling, he undid Chu Xie’s belt and stripped him of his clothes, not caring about bathing or incense. He just spread Chu Xie’s clothes on the ground and paid no attention to what was left, only the little undergarments.
Chu Xie panicked.
He shouldn’t have given him the hairpin. It seemed to have had an unexpected effect.
The hand traveled down along his spine.
Looking into the now inky-black eyes of the young emperor, Chu Xie said anxiously, “You…”
“Ah Xie, I want to check how your wounds are.” Jiang Yanchi turned that white-as-jade body over, his fingertips tracing the faint red marks left by the injuries. Even the more severe ones had completely healed. The flesh wounds were no longer a problem, the imperial physician’s medicine had indeed been effective. In another half month, even the scars would fade away.
However, the beating during the time he was being flogged, hitting his muscles and bones one hundred times, required more time for recovery.
This pure-as-jade person should be carefully nurtured, just like the caged bird in the tower, meticulously cared for day and night, and not left to be battered by the elements, bearing pain and suffering.
The flames in Jiang Yanchi’s heart were gradually extinguished by the crisscrossing scars.
All that was left in his heart and eyes was pity and remorse.
It was his fault for not recognizing his beloved sooner, for not doing well enough.
Chu Xie was still worried about what Jiang Yanchi might do next, but he was surprised when Jiang Yanchi helped him put on his undergarment and carried him into the bath filled with flower petals.
The mist filled the air and soon made their skin slightly reddish from the warmth.
“Don’t worry, from now on…” Jiang Yanchi held him close and kissed his cheek again, his body soft and fragrant. “I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore, including myself. You don’t have to be afraid.”
Their dark hair spread out in the water, and their long strands intertwined like ink in the pool. Jiang Yanchi picked up a wooden comb from the side and patiently began to comb Chu Xie’s wet hair.
“I won’t force you either. If you don’t want to, I won’t do anything.”
His voice was close to Chu Xie’s ear, softer and more gentle than the warm water in the bath. The last few words turned into a breath against Chu Xie’s earlobe.
The atmosphere was too intimate.
He couldn’t tell whether the slight blush on his face was due to the steamy water or something else.
The incident when he had almost beaten himself to death had become a huge shadow in Jiang Yanchi’s heart. He couldn’t let go of it, whereas Chu Xie, aside from the initial curses, hadn’t paid it much mind.
There was no fear, either.
Like when Zhao Xuan had given him poisoned wine, he hadn’t truly felt betrayed. There was no anger or disappointment in his heart.
All these characters were like reading comprehension test papers to him.
He just wanted to understand, answer, and score full marks.
However, Jiang Yanchi’s excessive care for him weighed heavily on his mood.
After forcefully deviating from the plot, the young emperor’s character had strayed the farthest from the original script. He had secured the position of Crown Prince in advance, ascended to the throne ahead of schedule by killing his own father, and even killed Xu Yi, who wouldn’t have died otherwise, sparking rebellion in the Western region…
By pulling up the sprouts to help them grow, he had ascended to the throne faster than in the original plot, but now, the once-stable imperial throne was in constant peril.
The protagonist, originally bursting with ambition, was now singularly focused on him.
The righteous path he had been on had almost turned into that of a tyrant.
Jiang Jingan’s death had drawn him into this mess.
When Xu Yi rebelled, he hadn’t offered any help at all.
It seemed like he had been causing trouble for Jiang Yanchi all along.
In four months’ time, when Jiang Yanchi’s original ascension day arrived, and after he successfully saved Xu Chunmu and returned to the real world, what would become of Jiang Yanchi?
Chu Xie found himself unusually perplexed.
“What’s wrong?”
Jiang Yanchi’s inquiry came from behind, sounding concerned. “You seem to be filled with worries.”
Chu Xie didn’t answer.
“Don’t worry too much. The unrest in the Western region will be resolved soon. Let’s have our grand wedding as soon as possible. How about the 27th of this month? It’s an auspicious day…”
A grand wedding so soon? Don’t you need at least half a year to prepare?
No, the unrest in the Western region…
“Your Highness, let Xu Chunmu contribute to the cause and withdraw the troops from the northern Xiongnu.”
“Xu Chunmu has always been fighting in the northern region, and he’s not familiar with the terrain in the Western region…”
Chu Xie was worried that Jiang Yanchi might assign more military authority to Zhao Lingqu, so he explained, “No, he’s quite familiar with it. He can handle it. Zhao Lingqu just happened to win a battle…”
“That’s not just a coincidence,” Jiang Yanchi chuckled. “You don’t understand military strategy. The terrain in Huaiqi County is full of mountains but lacks strong defenses, making it difficult to defend and easy to attack. He can manage to withdraw one hundred and fifty thousand troops…”
With no other options, Chu Xie had to reveal the whole truth: “Actually, the strategy wasn’t his. It was Xu Chunmu’s…”
“Xu Chunmu?”
“Yes, when we were in Huaiqi County, he accepted Xu Chunmu’s military strategy for that battle. He couldn’t have done it on his own…”
Jiang Yanchi pursed his lips and suddenly fell silent.
“I’m telling the truth. Right now, half of Xu’s troops are stationed in the northwestern region. Your Highness, why not just let Xu Chunmu lead the troops in this battle? Three hundred thousand troops are better than one hundred and fifty thousand…”
“After all, the Xu family rebelled. I’ve just executed his father and grandfather, and now I’m giving him back three hundred thousand troops. It’s as if I’m inviting him to rebel.”
“No, he won’t.” Chu Xie affirmed. “He has a bottom line, which is why he helped you fend off external threats instead of aiding his grandfather in bringing in the Xiongnu forces.”
“Even if everyone in the world opposes you, Xu Chunmu will never betray you.”
Jiang Yanchi fell silent again and hugged Chu Xie even tighter.
“Your Highness, instead of trusting some distant relative from the Zhao family, why not trust Lord Xu…”
“Chu Xie.”
He rested his chin on Chu Xie’s shoulder and gently caressed his earlobe. “You don’t need to worry too much about court affairs.”
“Xu Chunmu is a military genius with an excellent understanding of the northwestern terrain. Your Highness, only he can secure a good result against Huchi Er…”
“I know he saved you.”
Jiang Yanchi reached his hand out of the water, pinched Chu Xie’s chin, and massaged it gently but not too lightly. “But repaying a favor isn’t done this way. The way of a monarch is all about balance. Xu Chunmu already had a high reputation in the north, and if he achieves this military success, it’s possible that the Changming Army will only know Lord of Zhenguo, not the emperor. It’s not that I don’t want to trust him, but human hearts… can’t withstand such tests.”
Sitting in this position, even a slight mistake could lead to irreversible consequences.
“Then why did you lead the Xiongnu troops into chaos, why did you kill Xu Yi, why did you…”
“That’s because I thought you were dead.”
He increased the pressure of his hand on Chu Xie’s chin, causing him some pain. “If you had died, I wouldn’t care about anything.”
“But since you’re alive, I have to climb higher, think carefully, and secure this position. Chu Xie, you once told me that sometimes it feels like the world still has hope as long as one person is alive…”
Jiang Yanchi continued, “Now, I feel that way.”
Chu Xie shivered all over. “Your Highness, don’t forget, ‘I’ might disappear. If it’s only the evil Chu Xie left, you…”
A pang of pain struck Jiang Yanchi’s heart. “No, you won’t…”
“I will.” Chu Xie turned around and looked earnestly at Jiang Yanchi. “If only he’s left in the end, Your Majesty must forget me completely. Be a good emperor, take care of your mother, and live your own life…”
Jiang Yanchi was stunned. “You know I can’t forget you. Whether it’s the current you or the one from the daytime, they’re both you.”
“That Chu Xie is utterly evil, Your Majesty treating him as if I comply with his wishes will only lead to being continuously pushed into the abyss. You could have been a good emperor without me. If I were not here, Your Majesty would definitely be a good emperor.” Chu Xie, in a rare moment of intimacy, spoke such cruel words. The emperor had a bitter smile on his lips, “What you like is only the kind side of me, isn’t it? If this side of me disappears, Your Majesty… just let go of Chu Xie.”
Chu Xie tested Jiang Yanchi.
After all, what you like is just a shadow I perform. Childhood likes always fade away slowly with time, and you have a long life ahead.
But Jiang Yanchi denied it vehemently.
“Good and evil, in my eyes, it’s all you. It’s just you in different circumstances. The one in the daylight is you, driven by hatred and cruel in methods, while the one in the deep night is the inherently kind you, untouched by harm. I’ve said it many times; both are you, Chu Xie. I like you, the real you. I want to marry you, the real you, whether it’s day or night. Drink this medicine as the imperial physician prescribed. Whether it eventually merges or… whatever the result, I’ll go along with you, whether you end up being good or evil.”
Chu Xie now sat in a position facing Jiang Yanchi, somewhat uncomfortable.
Jiang Yanchi’s arm circled his waist, and he tilted his head slightly, gazing at him with warm and affectionate eyes.
“What you choose, I’ll follow. If you choose the righteous path, I’ll be with you; if you fall into darkness, I’ll go with you. Ah Xie, don’t be afraid.”
That hand patted gently along his spine as if to comfort.
“I know you have many concerns, always seeming to hide many secrets from me. You have to believe me, no matter how base your desires, how cruel your actions, I will always stand by your side… Stop facing all problems alone, attempting to mediate all troubles with your own strength. I know you’re used to being alone, but it’s different now. You have to learn to rely on me, not always carry everything alone.”
He held his hand, kissed the rosy fingertips, and couldn’t help but take a couple of bites.
“You’re not alone in this world, you have me.”
A faint glimmer of light seemed to sparkle in Jiang Yanchi’s eyes, gradually getting brighter, like a spark splashed onto Chu Xie’s heart.
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