Lying back on the bed, Jiang Wu took a moment to zone out, gradually easing his discomfort.
Yin Wuzhi knelt by the bed, looking at him. “Do you want to eat something else?”
Maybe if he hadn’t eaten anything, the swinging earlier wouldn’t have made him feel so sick.
Jiang Wu didn’t respond.
Being ignored again, Yin Wuzhi laid on the bedside, resting his chin on his arms. His long eyelashes lifted slightly, his gaze fixed on Jiang Wu’s profile.
Looking straight on, Jiang Wu resembled Yao Ji. But from the side, he looked even more like the late emperor. Yin Wuzhi had spent several years in the capital during his childhood and could faintly recall the image of the emperor before his illness—elegant and dashing. It was said that in his youth, the emperor was a famous handsome man in the capital.
But Jiang Wu’s appearance was even more refined, with a fragile, glass-like quality. Though devoid of vitality, he exuded a peculiar, ethereal charm.
Yin Wuzhi propped up his chin and shifted his position, his gaze never leaving him.
Having finished zoning out, Jiang Wu turned his head, just in time to meet his eyes. “I told you to kneel. Are you kneeling?”
Yin Wuzhi snapped back to attention, straightened his back, and stared ahead. “I am kneeling.”
Jiang Wu went silent again.
Yin Wuzhi focused straight ahead on the empty space, his eyes slowly shifting back to Jiang Wu. When their eyes met again, he reflexively looked away. “Tomorrow is another morning assembly. You’ve been recuperating for so long, you can’t delay any longer.”
The ethereal Jiang Wu emitted a faint aura of resentment. “Why?”
“Everyone has been covering for you during this time, but you’re too young to stay sick for so long. You can’t keep pretending; people will catch on.” Yin Wuzhi paused before continuing, “Think about it. If everyone knows you’re just lazy, how can you slack off properly in the future?”
…Yin Wuzhi had actually seen through his laziness.
If everyone knew, he’d definitely be pestered to death by the officials.
He couldn’t let Yin Wuzhi know he was scared; that would ruin everything.
“Well, it’s not impossible for me to attend court. But first, Beloved Minister Yin must serve me well. Once I’m pleased, I’ll naturally go.”
“I carry you wherever you go. I always think about how to get you to eat more, even blowing on the food to cool it before feeding it to you. Don’t even mention lifting a hand—have you ever lifted one?” Yin Wuzhi couldn’t resist mocking him. “The only thing left is to feed you mouth-to-mouth.”
Jiang Wu stared at him.
Yin Wuzhi: “What are you looking at? Don’t even think about it.”
A brief silence followed, and Yin Wuzhi almost wondered if Jiang Wu really wanted him to feed him like that. Then, Jiang Wu spoke, “Who allowed you to stop using formal speech with me? How dare you.”
So that’s what it was about.
Yin Wuzhi’s expression softened, brushing off the strange pang of unease. “This minister was rude. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
“Give me a kiss, and I’ll forgive you.”
Is that all you know how to do? Yin Wuzhi glared at him. “Do you have no sense of propriety?”
“If you refuse, I’ll have someone strip your clothes and toss you into the bed curtains.”
“…”
Yin Wuzhi’s face turned as black as coal.
Not because of the threat, but because he realized that every time Jiang Wu forced him to do these things, even though his mind resisted it, his body… somehow enjoyed it.
The tyrant humiliated him, tortured him, and should have been loathed. Yet, Yin Wuzhi found himself, as if bewitched, feeling his heart race and secretly anticipating the touches from Jiang Wu.
But Jiang Wu didn’t truly care for him. He was just playing games.
Yin Wuzhi’s voice turned cold. “I can stay by your side and serve you, but I won’t follow these kinds of orders anymore.”
“I give the commands,” Jiang Wu said. “I’ll count to three. If you don’t agree, I’ll have your clothes stripped.”
Yin Wuzhi remained unmoved.
“Three.”
He wouldn’t give in to Jiang Wu any longer. Agreeing to stay by his side was already the biggest indulgence he allowed himself.
“Two.”
A ruler and his minister should maintain their proper roles.
“One.”
No compromise.
Jiang Wu shouted, “Sixteen!”
A figure stepped into the light and knelt.
“Strip his clothes.”
Sixteen immediately lunged at Yin Wuzhi.
The two figures blurred in swift motion, exchanging over ten moves in an instant. The candles in the room flickered as they fought silently, the only sounds coming from the wind of their strikes and the rustle of fabric.
Jiang Wu closed his eyes and yawned. “Call for reinforcements.”
As a young general of the Eagle Army who grew up in the southern borders, Yin Wuzhi had experienced countless hidden and open battles. Sixteen, an elite shadow guard, was at a disadvantage in this open fight.
Calling for reinforcements meant escalating the commotion, alerting the guards outside. With a swarm of them, Yin Wuzhi would undoubtedly be overwhelmed.
An object flew toward the teacup on the table. Yin Wuzhi swiftly flicked his sleeve, catching it. In a cold voice, he said, “Do you realize what he’s doing? If this commotion reaches the guards, all because of his ridiculous demand, are you not afraid of becoming a laughingstock?”
Sixteen acted as if he hadn’t heard, leaping toward the candlestick.
This guy only listens to Jiang Wu’s orders!
Yin Wuzhi rushed over to steady the candlestick, and when he turned his face, he saw the man pouncing toward a nearby decoration.
…No different from a war dog raised by the Yin family.
Yin Wuzhi was furious: “Make him stop. Disappear.”
Jiang Wu ignored him.
“I’ll do as you say.”
Sixteen, who had been about to smash a blue and white porcelain vase on the ground, paused and quietly awaited the emperor’s next command.
After a long silence, Jiang Wu finally said, “Hmm.”
Sixteen calmly placed the vase back and leaped out the window, vanishing into the night.
Standing by the window, Yin Wuzhi took a deep breath.
A kiss, right? It’s not like he hasn’t kissed before. What’s the big deal?
He strode quickly to the dragon bed, grabbed the lethargic emperor on the bed, and clasped his chin.
Jiang Wu, like a toy, was held in his hand and tilted his head in response.
Those lifeless eyes showed no emotion.
Jiang Wu didn’t like him at all, yet he constantly toyed with him.
“Why?” Yin Wuzhi squeezed his face, eyes reddening. “Why do you insist on forcing me… to do this to you?”
Wow, he’s about to cry again.
So easy to bully.
Jiang Wu’s lips were squished, making his speech unclear, but it didn’t stop him from making his foolish imperial declarations: “You’re just something I toy with, nothing more.”
To his surprise, Yin Wuzhi understood: “Am I just a thing to you?”
Jiang Wu felt the pain: “Let go of me.”
Yin Wuzhi released him. Red marks lingered on Jiang Wu’s face, but his expression remained unchanged: “If I like you, you’re something. If I don’t like you, you’re nothing.”
Yin Wuzhi’s mouth formed a curve, only to flatten into a tight line in an instant.
“Is this your idea of love?” he said angrily. “Shallow, cheap!”
“To you, it’s a mountain of grace,” Jiang Wu stated calmly, without a hint of charity. “Your entire family should be grateful.”
Yin Wuzhi looked furious, as though he could devour him whole.
Jiang Wu sensed the sweetness of death and, without restraint, added fuel to the fire: “Kiss me. Or would you rather I strip you naked and tie you up…”
Yin Wuzhi silenced him with a heavy kiss.
Jiang Wu’s head was held up by Yin Wuzhi, forcing him to tilt his face back.
His clear eyes gazed at the corners of Yin Wuzhi’s tear-filled ones.
So easy to cry—one kiss, a glance, and he’s crying again. Will he ever grow up?
Speaking of which, could someone like this really become a legendary emperor? Could history have been rewritten?
Yin Wuzhi wanted to bite him, just to see if he would dare force another kiss.
This incapable emperor was unbearably despicable.
Then he suddenly recalled the earlier “It hurts.”
He tightened his embrace, holding the soft, boneless figure, indulging himself without restraint.
When Jiang Wu was finally released, his mind was a blur.
Yin Wuzhi unclasped his jaw, and only then did he hear Jiang Wu inhale deeply.
What exactly was this person? If no one helped him open his mouth, would he have just let himself suffocate?
Yin Wuzhi’s feelings were complicated, his voice hoarse: “As you wished.”
That was true.
But what Jiang Wu really wanted was to see Yin Wuzhi resist, not comply.
Then again, maybe it didn’t matter. Yin Wuzhi’s expression was terrifying enough.
Jiang Wu watched him quietly and said, “It’s not enough.”
“Don’t push your luck.”
“Do you want to kneel or sleep with me?”
Yin Wuzhi responded without hesitation: “Kneel.”
“Then continue kneeling.”
“…”
Yin Wuzhi had expected that to be the start of something, not the end. Why wasn’t the emperor continuing to threaten him?
Yin Wuzhi supported Jiang Wu’s head, laying him down gently, and pulled the blanket over him. Jiang Wu, out of habit, closed his eyes and began to drift into sleep.
Yin Wuzhi knelt beside the bed.
After a while, Jiang Wu heard his voice: “So, sleeping… just means sleeping?”
Jiang Wu’s mind was getting hazy: “Mm.”
Sleeping is just sleeping, what else would it be?
Yin Wuzhi fell silent.
He had been punished to kneel many times before, but today, his knees felt like they were on pins and needles, making him want to stand.
“Your Majesty.”
Jiang Wu didn’t move.
His sleeve was tugged, and Jiang Wu let out a little hum.
“My knees hurt.”
“Hmm…”
“I want to sleep too.”
“Oh.”
“…Can I choose again?”
Jiang Wu’s palm was gently brushed, making him curl his fingers as Yin Wuzhi’s voice came again: “Can I choose again, Your Majesty?”
“Hmm.”
“Then, I’m getting on the bed?”
“…”
Yin Wuzhi quietly climbed onto the dragon bed, lowering his voice: “Just sleep, no serving.”
Jiang Wu gradually fell asleep.
Yin Wuzhi wasn’t sure if he was talking to the emperor or to himself: “Is there only one blanket?”
In the servant’s quarters beside the dragon bed, there was a neatly folded quilt.
“Your Majesty, move over a bit. I don’t have enough space.”
“…”
Yin Wuzhi lightly poked Jiang Wu’s cheek.
He really was asleep.
So, he had no choice but to gently move him inside.
Yin Wuzhi reached out. The emperor’s body was still soft, and he remained completely still in sleep, letting himself be moved.
The sweet scent of osmanthus filled the embrace and their noses. Yin Wuzhi had intended to push the emperor further inside but, as if by some strange compulsion, he tightened his hold.
Pressing his forehead against Jiang Wu’s, he stared at his lips.
Originally, they hadn’t been so red.
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