Chapter 58
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The man in front of him continued to approach step by step, leaving him no space to retreat.
Fu Nian watched as behind him was the dragon throne, but there was no choice but to step back. He was dressed lightly, and when he pressed against the cold dragon throne, he couldn’t help but shiver.
“Don’t come any closer,” Fu Nian clenched his prosthetic limb and shouted in a low voice, “I used to be loyal to you, so naturally, I won’t laid a hand on you, but now… if you come any closer—”
Chu Zhaoyi ignored his threat and continued to press on step by step. “What will happen if I come closer?”
Too close…
At a distance almost touching, every breath, Fu Nian could feel the familiar scent on the other person’s body.
His clenched fist ultimately didn’t strike out, and it hung weakly at his side.
At that moment, he thought about delivering a punch to Chu Zhaoyi, but when he raised his hand, perhaps out of fear of the Emperor, or perhaps due to other emotions, he still couldn’t bring himself to do it.
“I will, I will strike!”
“Then strike,” Chu Zhaoyi paid no attention to Fu Nian’s feeble resistance, and with outstretched arms, he enveloped him in his embrace. His head rested on Fu Nian’s right shoulder, constantly rubbing the sensitive skin on his neck with the tip of his nose. “You can hit me however you want.”
Fu Nian gritted his teeth.
The warmth in the bend of his arm was warm, and he tried to struggle a few times, but instead of breaking free, he was held even tighter.
In desperation, he opened his mouth and bit down on the earlobe that had come so close.
This time, Fu Nian bit down with all his might, and instantly, the sweet and metallic taste filled his mouth.
“Hiss…” Chu Zhaoyi didn’t dodge.
When Fu Nian saw that Chu Zhaoyi didn’t avoid it, he quickly released his bite.
“Go on,” said Chu Zhaoyi in a calm tone, his hands behind his back showing no sign of loosening. “I apologize for neglecting your feelings all these years. I have burdened you.”
As the words “I’m sorry” reached his ears, any further shouts or anger that had been building up within Fu Nian were choked back. His throat tightened uncomfortably, rendering him unable to speak.
This man, Chu Zhaoyi, was actually apologizing…
His dry eyes, unaccustomed to tears, suddenly welled up. Soon, his vision became blurred as the tears overflowed.
“After you left the palace and headed south, I’ve reflected many times… Reflecting on how, over all these years, we went from secretly yearning for each other to confessing our love and promising to be together forever, only to end up in endless arguments. After you left, Zhen wrote to you many times, but I never received a reply, not even once. You wouldn’t even accept the medicine the Imperial Army sent for you in person… So I acted impulsively, sending you the marriage decree and phoenix crown, along with the news of my upcoming ascension, hoping that it would bring you back,” Chu Zhaoyi continued, his voice faltering as he spoke.
Chu Zhaoyi would forever remember that morning when he received the news of Fu Nian’s return to the palace. By noon of the same day, a coffin was placed before him, and his Ah Nian laid inside, motionless and silent. Only a small gu bug still showed faint signs of life, wriggling incessantly….
Fu Nian didn’t respond with words, only clenching his teeth tightly, trying to hold back the tears welling up in his eyes.
“Zhen is saying all this because I just wanted to convey,” Chu Zhaoyi paused, and he seemed to get stuck, as if he were frozen. After a long silence, he continued in a low voice, his arms trembling as he held Fu Nian from behind, “I wanted to say… I wanted to say that it’s really great that you’re back. I miss you very much.”
“Is that so…” Fu Nian heard his own voice crack, carrying a hint of a sob, and quickly raised his volume, trying to shout the rest of his words with more force, “You just need an obedient dog—”
But before he could finish the sentence, the second half was abruptly swallowed back.
His mouth was filled with a familiar scent and warmth. A stubborn tongue, disregarding his clenched teeth, pushed its way into his mouth, taking over the tiny space inside.
“…” He couldn’t speak; all he could do was feel his body surrender gradually to the tender, lingering kisses and the warm embrace.
Fu Nian had never experienced anything like this before.
In his previous life, apart from that day at the altar when he tasted the sensation of a genuine kiss in his youth, the rest of the time was mostly him bearing the other person’s desires unilaterally. He had never, until today, felt himself gradually losing control in a kiss like this.
As his breath grew heavier and his vision blurred, Fu Nian finally regained a hint of clarity.
He felt like a fish gasping for air after being stranded on land.
Before he could catch his breath, his autonomy over his own breathing was once again mercilessly taken away.
He had so many questions he wanted to ask Chu Zhaoyi.
So many grievances from the past he wanted to shout out.
But now, his sensory experience was occupying most of his brain’s thinking capacity. He hadn’t even realized when he tightly embraced Chu Zhaoyi’s back, clutching the dragon-embroidered golden thread tightly in his hand.
“Don’t…” When their lips parted, Fu Nian hadn’t finished speaking, and he suddenly realized that his prosthetic limb was still resting on Chu Zhaoyi’s back. Whether it was because of their intense quarrel earlier or for some other reason, his previously delicate attire was now somewhat disheveled. “It’s been many years, and I’ve forgotten all the techniques I learned. If Your Majesty wants someone to serve you or to—”
Before he could finish, Fu Nian suddenly felt a cool sensation on his shoulder.
There was a warm stove in the hall, so it wasn’t cold.
“Would this choke you? Why didn’t you speak up when you were wronged before?” Chu Zhaoyi noticed Fu Nian’s silence and took the opportunity to get even closer. As for the latter half of his statement, Chu Zhaoyi considered it and decided to keep it low and whispered in Fu Nian’s ear to ensure that every word was heard clearly. “Have you really forgotten? I wish I could find a mirror for you. Let you see what you look like now. What have you forgotten besides the words that came out of this mouth?”
Fu Nian was dumbfounded. The warmth on his earlobe suddenly increased, and he couldn’t say another word of the retort he had prepared.
“Do you want to hit me or scold me?” Chu Zhaoyi asked while his hands remained busy.
Their physical intimacy was far more honest than their words, especially Fu Nian, whose body’s reaction contradicted his verbal defiance.
“…,” Fu Nian hadn’t said anything yet when he suddenly felt himself being lifted.
Sitting on the throne that symbolized supreme authority, Fu Nian belatedly realized the impropriety of the situation.
He had just wanted to turn around when his right shoulder was forcefully pressed against the cold chair.
“You are the greatest contributor to helping me seize power; this position should rightfully be shared with you.”
Fu Nian immediately realized what Chu Zhaoyi meant.
In an ordinary place, Chu Zhaoyi had no choice but to obey him, no matter what.
But…
This place was the grand hall where monarchs met with their courtiers every morning.
It was a witness to Chu Zhaoyi’s rule over the realm.
Suddenly, Fu Nian realized that something was amiss and growled lowly, “Chu Zhaoyi! This is—”
“Wu—”
As a reflex action, the prosthetic limb once again acted against the will of his brain and clung tightly to Chu Zhaoyi’s broad back.
The strong scent of herbal medicine…
And the voice of the young medicine child reciting scriptures.
Fu Nian opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.
He was still in the Imperial Hospital.
Raising his eyes, his left arm was still extravagantly wrapped in bamboo and gauze bandages, even more securely than before.
A feeling of exhaustion washed over his entire body. Although the drowsiness had subsided, from his body to his fingertips, every part was filled with a sense of extreme fatigue.
“You’ve finally awakened. You’ve been asleep for almost a day.”
As Fu Nian was reminiscing, he heard the familiar voice of the imperial Doctor by his side.
Finally awakened?
“You’re the first person I’ve seen in so many years who could challenge the royal carriage and still come out alive. What were you thinking, fighting with the guards from the Ministry of Punishment? Now, the young medicine child have some practical experience.”
“Fighting with the guards from the Ministry of Punishment?” Fu Nian thought back to what had happened before he fell asleep.
As he contemplated, Fu Nian suddenly felt that something was amiss.
No, it was as if Chu Zhaoyi had exposed his deception that had lasted for so long. Gradually, it had escalated into an unrestrained argument where neither of them seemed capable of having a civil conversation. They were both being antagonistic, to the point where it even turned physical.
But in the end, Fu Nian couldn’t figure out which part had gone wrong, leading to the culmination of their interaction on the dragon throne… Besides arguing, there had been other forms of interaction.
In the end, Fu Nian remembered that his tears had flowed like a dam bursting, disregarding propriety and rank, as he tearfully recounted Chu Zhaoyi’s “glorious deeds” over the years, while also pleading for mercy. Chu Zhaoyi had, surprisingly, not berated him verbally, but in practice, the louder Fu Nian cried, the more Chu Zhaoyi pushed back.
Ultimately, it was not so much that they parted on bad terms as it was that Fu Nian, exhausted, had fallen asleep, bringing an end to their “dispute.”
Facing the Doctor’s inquiry, Fu Nian was utterly perplexed. “His Majesty said that I fought with the guards from the Ministry of Punishments, did he?”
Fu Nian immediately realized that this excuse might have been fabricated by Chu Zhaoyi to cover up the real events.
After all, the actual situation had been too absurd.
So absurd that even if it were written in a book, people would find it unbelievable.
“Ah, yes,” Fu Nian chuckled dryly, hurriedly replying.
“Please sit up a bit so I can adjust the bamboo and gauze bandages on your prosthetic limb and left arm. Later, I’ll have Ling Shan come to apply medicine to your wounds. I have other matters to attend to.”
“You’re busy,” Fu Nian said hastily, “I apologize for the trouble.”
The Doctor didn’t respond, his face expressing, “this old man ought to.”
Fu Nian didn’t continue to press the issue and instead focused on getting better.
After adjusting the bamboo and gauze on his prosthetic limb, Fu Nian watched as the Doctor and the young medicine chid exchanged a few words and left some ointment before hurriedly departing.
Seeing that the medicine child was about to come over to apply medicine to him, Fu Nian immediately took the initiative. “I’ll do it myself.”
“No, you can’t see.”
Fu Nian naturally refused.
His injuries were not something a child should see. “There’s a bronze mirror over there. I’ll go over.”
With that said, Fu Nian, without waiting for the medicine child’s consent, began to stand up on his own.
As his feet touched the ground, Fu Nian had just started to stand up when he suddenly lost his balance.
He knelt down in front of the medicine child.
The medicine child was surprised. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Ah…”
The medicine child only then realized that Fu Nian had merely fallen down and wasn’t trying to pay respects. He came over to help Fu Nian up and asked softly, “Did you hurt your waist while fighting?”
Listening to the medicine child’s innocent voice, Fu Nian had no choice but to vaguely reply, “Mm.”
Assisted by the medicine child, Fu Nian sat back on the bed and waited for the medicine child to bring a bronze mirror for him, all the while silently observing his prosthetic limb.
He couldn’t help but reflect on when such an “injury” that couldn’t be seen by anyone could make him so unsteady.
In the past, Chu Zhaoyi… had been fierce, mixing harsh words with gentle ones. However, never before had he felt like today, with his limbs so weak that he couldn’t stand.
As he contemplated this, Fu Nian suddenly heard bustling voices from outside the room.
“Why did you come here in person…”
“Your humble servant pays respects to Your Majesty…”
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