Chapter 110 – Extra 3
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Fu Nian never dared to report the incident of helping Chu Zhaoyi seize the evidence of rebellion and dispose of the stolen goods to the Emperor.
Even if it was unintentional, it was a capital offense.
More importantly, he was certain that his master would be deeply disappointed in him. His master had treated him with great affection, allowing him to live in the inner courtyard, providing him with a separate living space, crafting prosthetic limbs for him, and teaching him short sword techniques and the art of making concealed weapons that his senior martial brothers and sisters had never learned. When they traveled together, he didn’t even have to carry his own packages. To outsiders, it appeared as if he was a beloved younger brother of some household, and no one could guess that he was a disciple who had been picked up.
The autumn temperature was quite chilling, and Fu Nian had just come out of the study.
The Emperor’s birthday was in two days, and they would need to accompany him to the suburban palace for the celebration.
Since the accidental theft of the scroll and his inadvertent involvement in the conspiracy, Fu Nian had sensed that Chu Zhaoyi seemed less repulsed by him.
On the day of the Emperor’s birthday, it was pouring rain.
The wet roads made the journey treacherous, and they had to depart before dawn.
Today, Fu Nian was fortunate not to have to act as a coachman, and he sat inside the carriage with the other servants.
The air inside the carriage was stuffy, and the jolting made Fu Nian feel uncomfortable. When they reached the halfway point, Fu Nian, in consideration of the coachman, suggested that he could take over and ride the horse-drawn carriage himself.
“Fu Nian.”
Just as he was discussing changing positions with the coachman, Fu Nian heard someone calling his name not far away.
He quickly turned around, some disheveled hair sticking to the side of his face, brushing against his lips. “What is it, Your Highness?”
Chu Zhaoyi waved at him, and he obediently walked over.
Before he could ask again, he was suddenly yanked.
Fu Nian reacted quickly, stabilizing himself within the carriage instead of falling headfirst.
Chu Zhaoyi made a disapproving sound, looking somewhat disappointed.
“What is it, Your Highness?” Fu Nian asked again, confused.
“Get in the carriage. Sit with me for the second half of the journey.”
The tone of command left Fu Nian with no room for argument. Apart from the young servant who needed to serve Chu Zhaoyi conveniently, it was considered an extreme breach of protocol for the other servants to ride in the same carriage as the young prince.
“Chu Yo is tired and wants to sleep. You’ll take over.”
So, he was being asked to take over the shift.
Fu Nian nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.”
He followed Chu Zhaoyi into the carriage. Although the fur-lined seat was much softer and more comfortable than the one the servants sat in, Fu Nian didn’t dare to sit too casually in front of the master.
As soon as he sat down, Fu Nian heard the young prince in front of him say, “Take off your pants.”
Fu Nian was momentarily taken aback.
“They’re covered in mud, very dirty. Take them off quickly,” Chu Zhaoyi added when he saw Fu Nian’s confusion.
“I understand.” Fu Nian realized he had misunderstood the order and quickly lowered his head.
He swiftly removed his outer pants and straightened the wrinkled inner pants.
Just as he had settled back into his seat, his knees suddenly sank.
He saw the head resting on his thigh, yawning casually, occasionally brushing against his severed limb. For a moment, Fu Nian didn’t know where to place his hands and his breathing became noticeably erratic.
From this angle, he could clearly see the collarbone exposed on Chu Zhaoyi’s upper body, with still-fading crimson marks. Since that day he had attempted to poison Chu Zhaoyi… afterward, the young prince would often summon him in the middle of the night.
Of course, most of the time, Fu Nian would unilaterally serve, and occasionally, when he did well, he would receive a pat on the head and hear some unrealistic promises and sweet words.
Having grown up without parents, the care he received from his sect had been divided among many. Only the care he received from Chu Zhaoyi was unique.
Chu Zhaoyi was special.
“Relax a bit. If you’re so tense, how can I use your leg as a pillow?”
During his trance, Fu Nian heard the person on his lap complain.
He quickly snapped out of it and said, “I’m sorry.”
Although he apologized verbally, his body couldn’t relax at all.
Whenever he lowered his head, he could see the prominent Adam’s apple bobbing up and down with each breath, the thin lips slightly parted, revealing sharp little canines, full of vitality yet also composed.
Fu Nian turned his head away.
When they arrived at the palace, Fu Nian, as usual, hid in the shadows, silently observing the surroundings, waiting for an opportunity to act.
The banquet was long and boring. Fu Nian found the music noisy, the laughter, flattery, and praise unbearable.
As the evening banquet approached its end, Fu Nian sensed faint footsteps approaching him.
Suddenly, there was a small wooden stick by his side. He picked it up and saw that it was a signal from the Emperor indicating that he should attend an audience after the banquet.
“Fu Nian pays his respects to Your Majesty and wishes Your Majesty a happy birthday.” After the evening banquet, Fu Nian arrived at the pavilion as instructed by the signal, kneeling respectfully and kowtowing.
He heard the man in the dragon robe cough, and he knew it was a signal for him to report on Chu Zhaoyi’s situation.
Fu Nian hesitated.
He had secretly read some correspondence between Chu Zhaoyi and certain ministers, and the content… mostly contained seditious words.
If he reported truthfully, the already fragile relationship between father and son would likely completely collapse. As for whether Chu Zhaoyi would be executed or exiled, it all depended on the Emperor’s mood.
“Lately… the young prince has been unwell and has been recuperating in the mansion. He still avoids me as he did before, very diligently. From what I can see in the correspondence, there’s been nothing inappropriate. His studies and martial arts have remained the same, never falling behind a single day, except when he’s too ill to get out of bed.”
“Hmm, I believe you.”
Fu Nian listened with a sense of guilt.
But the thought of watching Chu Zhaoyi be executed… he still remembered that before entering the palace, the Emperor had said that if there were special circumstances, he would not hold it against him if he killed Chu Zhaoyi.
After a few more questions, Fu Nian knelt and watched the Emperor leave in a sedan chair.
“Sorry. Rebellion disciple Fu Nian… hasn’t grown into a competent assassin.” Muttering to himself in the rain, Fu Nian spoke self-deprecatingly.
When he returned to the palace where Chu Zhaoyi was resting, he saw Chu Zhaoyi, who had just bathed, being wiped down by Chu Yao.
His tall and broad back was still dotted with water droplets, his hair not as neatly tied as during the day, and a few wet strands hung loosely on his shoulders.
“Chu Yao, you can go out first. I’ll take care of the rest,” Chu Zhaoyi said to his servant.
Hearing Chu Zhaoyi telling the servant to leave, Fu Nian was about to follow him out when he was stopped.
“Come here.”
Chu Zhaoyi’s voice had a clear hint of alcohol, making it even more intimidating than usual.
Fu Nian took two steps forward and stopped about three steps away from Chu Zhaoyi.
“Did you report my recent activities to Father again?”
Fu Nian said, “It was what His Majesty requested.”
But right after answering, he felt a sudden pain in his jaw, and his entire body felt like it was about to be lifted.
His cheeks were firmly pinched, and he could only watch Chu Zhaoyi helplessly, unable to say anything.
Unknowingly, the young prince had grown taller than him.
Chu Zhaoyi’s breathing was accompanied by a nasal sound, sounding very displeased. “What good did Father give you that makes you so loyal? Is it more than what I’ve given you in the palace?”
“Wuwu.” Fu Nian tried to respond, but with his face being pinched, he couldn’t speak.
The coercive gaze left him at a loss, and gradually, he was pushed step by step to the edge of the bed and pushed down hard.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Chu Zhaoyi’s grip was much stronger than usual.
Amidst the struggle, Fu Nian felt water droplets from Chu Zhaoyi’s hair fall onto his chest.
The combination of the post-bath floral scent and the alcohol was intoxicating.
“Prince treats me very well. But my master has given me orders, and I was raised by my master. My master told me to be loyal to His Majesty, so I am loyal.”
Chu Zhaoyi interrupted in an irritable tone, “Will your master treat you the same way I do? Will he care for you, feed you extra food to make you stronger, and even heal your frostbitten scars? Will he spend every night sleeping with you and doing these intimate things?”
Fu Nian remained silent.
“Since you can’t let go of your master, I’ll give you a chance to see what kind of person your trusted master really is!”
“He’s not my biological parent, but he raised me. Do you have the right to speak ill of him?”
“Do you dare to defy me?”
“…” Fu Nian couldn’t speak with his face being pinched and could only bite his lip to prevent any sound from escaping.
He knew that Chu Zhaoyi had a hot temper, but he hadn’t expected it to be this explosive.
Comparing today with their usual interactions, Fu Nian realized how gentle Chu Zhaoyi usually was.
After some time, Fu Nian felt Chu Zhaoyi’s attitude suddenly become gentler, and he began to take care of his feelings.
“Ah Nian, I had a bad attitude just now. Let me hug you…”
“Ah Nian, be loyal to me. I won’t mistreat you. I will be good to you in the future, even better than Father and your master…”
“Ah Nian, I’m sure you haven’t told Father the whole truth, otherwise, I would have been executed long ago…”
“You can’t bear to see me die, can you…”
The soft words accompanied by gentle care.
All Fu Nian knew was that he felt light-headed, and aside from his involuntary soft sobbing, he couldn’t say anything.
Yes, he liked Chu Zhaoyi’s gentle and undiluted affection, a love that was only for him.
Contrasted with his usual fiery temper and paired with those delicate facial features, it was even more irresistible.
He had never experienced the love of his parents, so any kindness shown to him would be magnified infinitely in his eyes.
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