Chapter 73
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Little Xizi’s words were indeed correct. In the afternoon, Jiang Yanchi returned to the palace. Chu Xie saw the figure in the black robe from afar under the long street, and the strange feeling from last night surfaced again.
His face was somewhat pale, his eyes flickering and piercing.
Little Xizi took his robe, and Chu Xie smelled a faint smell of blood. He asked, “Where did you go? I told you to get some more sleep.”
“Well, there were some other matters.” The young emperor looked at Chu Xie, who always held the warm stove in his hands, and reached out to touch the delicate and smooth jade-like skin, “This place is windy; don’t stand here for too long.”
After saying that, he pulled Chu Xie inside and ordered not to let anyone else come in.
As soon as they entered the room, Chu Xie placed the golden-threaded warm stove on the square table near the entrance and brought over the uneaten pastries on the table. “Have you eaten?”
The young emperor did not take the plate from him.
He just raised his eyes slightly, avoiding direct eye contact, scanning with the corner of his eyes. After a while, he said, “Ate a little; not very hungry now.”
Chu Xie approached, smelled it, and said with a smile, “The smell of alcohol has dissipated now. Last night—”
Jiang Yanchi suddenly frowned, immediately questioning, “How do you have memories of last night?”
Chu Xie realized he had spoken out of turn and was suddenly choked, momentarily at a loss for words.
But the young emperor turned to look at the medicine bowl that had been emptied but not removed, then shifted his gaze to Chu Xie as if contemplating something. Suddenly, he stood up, grabbed his shoulder, and asked, “Your day and night memories are mixed up, aren’t they? When did it start? Last time when I asked the imperial physician, you clearly denied it…”
Suddenly, he released his grip, stumbled back two steps.
Leaning against the sandalwood table, the cups and dishes behind him clinked.
“Chu Xie, have you ever been completely honest with me, even for a moment?”
Seeing that he seemed genuinely upset, Chu Xie hesitated for a moment and admitted, “Yes, I have night memories now… I’m sorry. I was afraid you would be too happy. I was afraid you would have unnecessary expectations. I…”
I am destined to die sooner or later.
I will leave this world.
Chu Xie vaguely felt that he couldn’t say these words aloud. Little did he know that this moment of silence seemed to hit a sore spot for Jiang Yanchi, unleashing his instant fury.
He advanced, grasped Chu Xie’s shoulder blades, and pressed him against the window pavilion. The force wasn’t strong, but Chu Xie couldn’t break free.
“Unnecessary expectations?” He laughed coldly, sounding ominous. “In your eyes, what expectations are unnecessary.”
Chu Xie couldn’t handle Jiang Yanchi’s temper. Having suffered last time, he knew better than to confront him directly. He could only endure and say, “Perhaps the alcohol from last night hasn’t worn off yet, Little Xizi, Little Xizi! Fetch a sobering bowl of soup…”
Just as the door showed signs of being pushed, Jiang Yanchi immediately stopped it with a command, “Get out, anyone who dares to come in, I’ll chop off their heads!”
The footsteps outside quickly receded, and even the guards at the door were dismissed.
This emperor was truly unpredictable.
Chu Xie didn’t say anything, letting him grip his wrist.
Chu Xie woke up late today, still with disheveled hair. Jiang Yanchi glanced at the dressing table, seemingly remembering something. He pulled Chu Xie over and searched with his other hand for a while before finding a red velvet tassel hairpin.
His fingertips turned white, even trembling slightly.
He asked, “When did your memories start to mix? When I gave you this hairpin, the Chu Xie from the night already had memories from the day, right?”
“So, he had already started lying at that time. I never doubted… Red feather, twin meanings. Chu Xie, did you ever think of being a real couple with me?”
Chu Xie never expected the Little Emperor to be so sensitive. For a moment, he was at a loss for words. It seemed like the Little Emperor was waiting for his response. Chu Xie stammered, “I didn’t really mean to deceive you, I just…”
Jiang Yanchi’s hairpin in his hand snapped with a crisp sound as his thumb broke it. The red tassel fell to the ground with a clear noise. The broken end pierced his palm, and fresh blood seeped through his fingers, dripping onto the shiny broken hairpin.
His hand dropped, and the remaining half rolled onto the ground.
Chu Xie felt a sense of panic. He hadn’t expected a small lie to cause Jiang Yanchi to break the hairpin in anger.
He was this furious.
“I told you, I like you, and I revealed my feelings to you without reservation…” Jiang Yanchi’s blood-stained hand pressed against his forehead, eyebrows, and eyelashes, all stained with blood. He staggered back a few steps, looking at the person in front of him with a dazzling and disturbing beauty.
“It’s because I want you to trust me.”
“Not… to deceive me.”
The Little Emperor’s eyes gradually reddened. After a while, a somewhat frightening gloom emerged.
“Chu Xie, do you really have no heart?”
It was the first time Chu Xie had seen the Little Emperor like this. He wanted to approach, but seeing the blood on his face and smelling the faint scent of blood, he couldn’t lift his foot.
He even took a step back.
He wanted to say, “Deal with the wound on your hand first, clean the blood, and then we can talk.”
But the Little Emperor saw him stepping back and suddenly took a big step, grabbing his shoulder with the bloodstained hand, almost crushing his bones with the force.
“Sorry, I…”
Chu Xie saw in those eyes not only cruelty but also an undispellable disappointment, even despair.
He did lie. He did use Jiang Yanchi. He said some pleasing words, not thinking Jiang Yanchi would be this angry because of his lies.
“I really… didn’t like you. I lied to you. But, at that time, I was afraid that you… would kill me, so I…”
No, he was still lying.
Even when he threatened to commit suicide and killed Jiang Jingan, he knew he wouldn’t kill him.
But he was still lying.
Chu Xie felt the strength on his shoulder increase, and his face turned pale with pain.
Chu Xie, you’re not lying because you’re afraid I’ll kill you.
You’re lying to save Xu Chunmu with my imperial power.
Even when you return to the capital, marry me, it’s all for Xu Chunmu. If Xu Yi’s rebellion hadn’t failed, you wouldn’t have come back.
Xu Chunmu couldn’t let go of his grandfather and his people.
And you couldn’t let go of him.
Jiang Yanchi looked at the snow-white neck and almost wanted to strangle him directly.
How could this person be so heartless? Playing with someone’s true feelings for the sake of another person’s past and future.
So, you had to come back, marry me, and save the Xu family—this is the truth of your stay in Huaiqi County for more than a month, not some serious injury, not anything else, but you never intended to come back!
Clearly knowing that Xu Yi was going to rebel.
Clearly knowing that he was in imminent danger in the capital.
You still left.
If Jiang Yanchi hadn’t taken risks that time, used Zhou Tongling’s army to seize power from Xu Changling, controlled the capital overnight, and ascended to the throne by killing his father, let alone the throne, his life might not have been guaranteed.
Chu Xie, so smart, how could he not calculate all this.
But he still left him.
He killed Jiang Jingan for him, placed himself on the edge of a cliff, and even the stable position of the crown prince was on the verge of collapse.
But once Chu Xie used him up, he could turn around and abandon him, disregarding his life and death, and flee westward with someone else.
Yes, Zhao Xuan, who had been friends with him for more than ten years, had said it.
Those who believed in him would ultimately end up in a miserable state. But how could he believe it? He not only believed it but also handed himself over—
Yes, he willingly degraded himself.
He handed himself over to this person, letting him play with him.
He thought he was different.
Maybe every person deceived by Chu Xie thought they were the exception. Including the now repeatedly defeated Huchi Er.
Maybe he had also trusted him like himself.
Knowing that he couldn’t be trusted, shouldn’t be trusted, he still trusted him. And then—ended up like this.
In the end, what was the difference between him and those Northern Xiongnu people?
Chu Xie was just a pawn protecting Xu Chunmu, a blade that could be easily discarded after use.
“Chu Xie, you’re really something.” After saying that, he lowered his head and fiercely bit his lips, as if he wanted to bite him inch by inch.
“Thinking of using me and then discarding me, you have wishful thinking.”
Chu Xie looked at the expression in his eyes at this moment, feeling as if it were more cruel than the last time the Northern Xiongs envoy came for negotiations.
Thinking about what happened last time, his face turned pale.
Pushing forcefully, he said, “Uh… Jiang Yanchi—”
“I am the Emperor of Great Wei.”
The man let go of him. Chu Xie got a moment to catch his breath, but he saw blood staining his lips, and a cold thin smile appeared, “Who allowed you to address me by name.”
Seeing his hand reaching for his collar, Chu Xie began to tremble.
It wasn’t fear from remembering the pain last time, but a sense of humiliation.
It seemed like—whenever Jiang Yanchi got angry, he could arbitrarily insult him, and each time he faced such a situation, he could only bear it without any resistance.
Originally, he was the one who tried to win this person over with his body. But now, he felt an unbearable sensation.
What is a husband and wife, after all?
As the outer garment was removed, a faint red appeared in Chu Xie’s eyes. He suddenly found strength from somewhere, stepped on Jiang Yanchi’s foot with force.
The man winced in pain, taking two steps back.
Pa—
When he realized it, Chu Xie found that he had slapped him.
“Jiang Yanchi, you scoundrel!” Chu Xie looked at his own hand. This time, there was no apology. Instead, he clenched it into a fist.
The little emperor tilted his head slightly, gradually revealing a hint of red on his face.
He nodded extremely slowly, as if making some determination, and locked eyes with Chu Xie again, who was red with anger.
“I said, if I can’t have your heart, having your body is also acceptable.”
After saying that, when Chu Xie tried to lift his foot to step on his instep again, Jiang Yanchi swept his feet, and the man immediately stumbled backward.
Another waist-hugging move, imprisoning him in his arms, he stepped forcefully towards the inner room. “You are married to me. In this lifetime, you can only stay by my side and obediently be my empress!”
Chu Xie panicked and resisted, trying to flip away when he was thrown onto the bed. However, he was dragged back and pressed down. Watching his belt being removed, he trembled all over, and the color drained from his face.
“Jiang Yanchi, how can you treat me like this!”
“I helped you ascend to the position of Crown Prince. I protected and supported you all the way, even if I lied to you. In the end, you have successfully ascended to the throne… Despite some difficulties along the way, but after all, you, you…”
“You haven’t suffered any loss at all!”
Chu Xie was really panicked this time. Jiang Yanchi heard his words, paused his actions for a moment, and suddenly looked down at the person beneath him. “Did you hesitate?”
“What?”
“At Puyang County… When you abandoned me, did you hesitate?”
Chu Xie choked for a moment, his eyes suddenly reddening. “I’m sorry. I know that I did wrong to you in that matter… But at that time, Xu Chunmu was severely injured, and I—”
The fabric on his body was torn apart, cold wind entered the room, blowing over the delicate snow-like skin.
Jiang Yanchi grasped his legs and pushed up. This time, there were no words.
“Your… Your Majesty!”
A pale hand tightly grabbed his wrist, clutching the cuff of his sleeve as if seeking help. Jiang Yanchi lifted his gaze and saw Chu Xie’s eyes filled with fear. In an instant, it felt as if a branding iron seared his heart.
“Don’t, don’t do this… Please, really, don’t…”
Chu Xie’s body was frail and fair, originally as tender and smooth as jade. Now, however, it trembled like chaff due to fear.
With little hope, Chu Xie silently clutched the blanket, closing his eyes as if resigned, tightly biting his lower lip, awaiting the impending pain.
But that person let go of him.
When he opened his eyes again, he only saw that person standing silently by the bedside.
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