“Li Changyu?” parroted the little omega, his nose scrunched up. “But that is a Dashun name.”
Li Changyu pulled out from the omega’s grip and wiped his hands on the fresh cloth presented to him.
“He has a Dashun Father,” he answered. Li Changyu wasn’t going to reveal himself just yet, and he planned on drawing this out as long as he could, because teasing the omega jumped to the top of his priorities shortly after he captured the little thing. Before the omega could ask another question, Li Changyu spoke. “Think you are well enough to ride a horse?”
“R-Ride a horse?” The little thing’s violet eyes bulged, his mouth agape.
“Yes…” Li Changyu spoke slower, wondering if his accent was just too thick. “Ride a horse…”
The omega closed and opened his mouth a few times, redness tinged the top of his ears. “I do not know how to ride a horse, let alone know if I am fit to ride one.”
“You don’t know how to–what?” Li Changyu blinked. He stared at the omega, expecting a punchline at the end of a joke, but there was none. Sighing, Li Changyu rubbed his temple with two fingers.
This is what I get for kidnapping the first well-off looking group that came by. The omega was unable to ride a horse, injured, and likely a royal by the way the servant said Your Highness. Li Changyu worried now that his hopes at obtaining a potential liaison for trade with Dashun was sinking faster than quicksand. He couldn’t let that show, however, especially with Shen Pei beside him.
Looking up at her, he asked, “Go grab our horses, he’s riding with me.”
Shen Pei arched a brow but otherwise did not say anything and turned to get their steeds. The omega grabbed his wrist again, this time with a squeeze.
“What did you say to her?” His tone was more demanding than panicked, but the omega’s hold trembled. Li Changyu arched a brow at him and covered the hand with his and peeled it off him.
“You’re only paying me to translate to our King, so mind your manners,” he reminded the omega cooly. “If you’re that curious, I told her to get my horse.”
“O-oh…” The omega clasped their hands together and sat perfectly still. His eyes darted around their surroundings, then settled back on Li Changyu. He was silent, but there were a lot of unasked questions behind his eyes.
The look made Li Changyu flinch. A little part of his conscience told him he was an asshole for making the omega suffer, especially one so little, pale, and so…
Li Changyu’s eyes traveled down the length of the strange nobleman to his injured ankle. His pale jade robes were tattered and dirtied at the hem, evidence of his turmoil thus far. The garish tear that he ripped up the side splayed open, which made the fabric pool around his knees and expose his smooth, long leg. Warmth pooled at his center from the sight of it.
…So…breakable, his thought finished.
The omega looked down to where Li Changyu was staring and his face turned three shades of red. His small hands gathered up the fabric to cover it back up. Sharp, violet eyes glared at him, and heat rushed to Li Changyu’s cheeks. He coughed into a fist and turned away, willing his sudden excitement to settle down. While he wasn’t above teasing an omega, Li Changyu wasn’t a lecher.
Well…most of the time he wasn’t.
He gave the little thing a bit of privacy while they waited. It did not take Shen Pei long to come up with two horses, one being his Weixiao. Once Weixiao trotted up alongside him, immediately preparing for his Master to hop on, Li Changyu reached into the saddle bag to pull out his long raven feather cloak.
“Can you stand? You can wear this.” he asked as he turned. He faced the omega again, but he turned his head respectfully away and held up the cloak like a shield. Shen Pei followed suit, moving so her back was to them, but she cast a long glance back at Li Changyu.
Li Changyu could hear some scuffling and a sharp hiss, then soft fingers slid alongside Li Changyu’s and took hold of the fabric within his hands. The contact zapped him like a jolt of lighting and he quickly snatched his hands away. He shook out the lingering sensation in his left hand and peeked back at the omega. He was shrugging on his much too large cloak over his shoulders, the fabric leaving him swimming in it. The feathers along the collar looked like a plush pillow wrapped around the little thing’s slender neck. Li Changyu couldn’t help but snort.
Shen Pei went to hand the reins of the other horse to the omega, but Li Changyu stopped her with a raised hand.
“He doesn’t know how to ride. I’ll double with him.” At her arched brow, he shrugged.
“He doesn’t know how to ride?”
“That’s what I said.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The omega interjected, “What are you saying?”
Li Changyu paused when Shen Pei looked from him to the omega, then back, but she shrugged much in the same way he did and turned to walk away. Li Changyu crossed his arms and looked down at the omega.
“Are you going to keep interrupting me and asking me things while I’m talking?” he asked.
A bit of red traveled up to the tops of the omega’s ears. He dipped his head down, but his eyes remained on Li Changyu.
“N-no…” he answered back tentatively.
“Since you don’t know how to ride, you will ride with me.”
Without waiting for a response, Li Changyu took hold of the omega’s waist and lifted him up. The omega cried out and covered his hands with his in a tight squeeze. It was easy to hoist the small, lithe frame onto Weixiao, settling him at the front of the saddle. Once seated, the omega immediately let go of Li Changyu and grabbed the horse’s mane in a similar white knuckle hold. He was lucky that Weixiao was a very tolerant, obedient horse, and he paid no mind.
Li Changyu shook his head, though he shouldn’t be surprised that an omega from the South wouldn’t know how to ride. Sighing, he braced one hand on Weixiao and stuck his foot in the stirrup to swing himself up and over. The omega wavered at the shift in weight and let out a squeak.
He waited a moment, but the omega still held on for dear life. Gently, Li Changyu pulled each finger one by one off Weixiao’s long black hair. He quickly stuffed the thick reins into the omega’s hands, letting him hold it.
“There’s no need to be afraid of the horse. He’s quite tame.”
“It is…it is not the horse.” The omega held the reins close to his chest like a child would a blanket. “It-it just is rather high up…and I have never ridden before.”
“Well, first you want to give a slight tug on the reins and say go.”
“G-go?”
Of course, that would not really make Weixiao go. He only listened to Li Changyu, but he wouldn’t reveal that. All it took was a light squeeze of Li Changyu’s thighs to urge the horse into a soft trot right after he said go. The omega sucked in a breath.
“See? Very easy,” reassured Li Changyu. He glanced over to his comrades and nodded, and soon the whole herd of them moved. Li Changyu noticed that the little eunuch was now sitting astride Shen Pei’s horse and looked just as terrified. He clung to the front of Shen Pei’s martial robes like an infant with its Mother.
“How…how do I turn this beast?” asked the omega, looking at the strap of leather in his hands.
“You don’t have to worry about that. Weixiao knows the way back to the camp by himself.”
The little thing was full of questions, “What is your name?”
Uh… “Jiuxing,” he lied easily, giving his Brother’s name. Somewhere back at the camp, his tiny middle Brother Li Jiuxing sneezed. This concerned their Mother, who was now worried about him catching a cold. Of course, Li Changyu was oblivious to this information. “What is yours?”
“…” he paused, fiddling with the reins between his hands. “I…my name is…” His answer drifted, and instead he asked, “When will we get there?”
For now, Li Changyu would accept the change in conversation. “At this pace? Not until nightfall.”
“Then…should we not go faster?”
“Sure,” Li Changyu said, and with a stiff press of his heel, Weixiao set off into a gallop.
The omega reared back in surprise at the sudden change of pace and fell back against Li Changyu. At the contact, Li Changyu stiffened and the omega let out another sound of alarm, pitching himself forward. He scooted himself up, trying to keep himself far from Li Changyu.
A slow smirk curved Li Changyu’s lips. He brought his arm around the omega’s waist and pulled him closer until his body was flush against him. The little thing tensed and the reins shook in his grasp. He turned his head to glare at Li Changyu, his nostrils flared.
“This is already most improper – unhand me!”
Li Changyu arched his brow, “Do you want to fall off the horse?”
The stern look of his faltered, then the omega pressed his lips tightly together in a slight grimace.
“No but–”
“Then sit properly.” Li Changyu lowered his head so their faces were mere inches apart and pitched his voice low, “Do not worry, no one here could spread rumors of your chastity. Your gecko cinnabar mark will remain intact.”
The little one’s eyes flashed and color stained his cheeks again, “You!” He snapped his head around, looking ahead to avoid his gaze. “This is an indecent discussion to have with an unmarried omega!”
Li Changyu bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing, and the omega continued.
“There will already be questions about my reputation because I have been kidnapped!”
“Alright, alright,” he tried to calm the omega down. “I assure you, the leader’s goal is not to collect omegas.”
However, the longer he was with this omega, the more his plan was teetering towards that possibility. This close, Li Changyu could smell the omega’s sweet, lightly floral scent. The omega’s looks were alone enough to lure someone in, but his pheromones could leave a man with lesser control salivating. He was also unlike any omega Li Changyu had met. Though he was small and dainty like omegas on the Northern Frontier, he looked like he could be toppled over with a stiff wind. Like he needed his hand held in order to make sure he wouldn’t fall. He found himself wanting to do just that, and Li Changyu unconsciously tightened his arms around the omega.
The omega huffed in disbelief, “Then what is your leader’s goal?”
“You’ll see, eventually.”
Silence fell between them, but Li Changyu had the distinct impression that there was a bit of a pout in it. He chuckled to himself, but by and large he kept quiet. Their ride was peaceful other than the few minor scares when Weixiao had to turn abruptly or climb up a steep hill. The omega sucked in a breath when tents of reds, yellows, and whites filled the line of the horizon. Li Changyu liked that the omega seemed to appreciate the sight.
Their tent city was small by typical standards. Li Changyu led half of his group to be closer to the frontier lands in an attempt to encourage trade. He thought that the sword-happy Dashuns would feel less intimidated by a smaller band of his peoples. Step two of his plan was to kidnap someone to be an emissary of sorts, because Li Changyu assumed that the Emperor would be more likely to trade if the words came from a fellow Dashun than him.
Their temporary rampart was made of jagged wooden spikes to help protect the encampment and had one main entry that was kept under guard. As they drew near, he raised a hand to signal for the gate to be lifted. The two guards on the ground shouted up to the two stationed at the little towers on the gate. Three men were needed to hold onto the large crank that turned a wheel to raise the gate. It creaked and groaned in strain, and Li Changyu didn’t wait for it to rise all the way before he crossed it. The omega’s head craned back and looked every which way. Looking down, Li Changyu could just barely see the look of awe on the young omega’s face. His eyes were fixed on the gate as they went under it, and Li Changyu ducked slightly to avoid the bottom edge of the gate.
There was a brief cheer when he arrived, the soldiers at the gate lifting their hands and weapons high. His people who were busy and milling about would stop and acknowledge his arrival, their faces beaming in a smile. Li Changyu waved and thanked them as they rode deeper to the center of the camp, where his tent was.
The omega turned his head, looked up at Li Changyu, and commented, “You are quite popular.”
Li Changyu choked on his next breath at those words but quickly steadied himself. Casually, he said, “I suppose.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“Directly to our leader,” Li Changyu answered, “that is what you wanted, isn’t it?”
“Y-yes…” Again the omega looked around, “Which tent is his? Or…or is he meeting me in some town square out in the open?”
Li Changyu pointed straight ahead to the large white tent with red flaps. It’s top sat higher than the others, and stretched out even farther. If he wanted, Li Changyu could ride his horse right into the tent, but he didn’t. He stopped near it and helpful hands immediately rushed to assist him. One of them was his omega Brother, Li Jiuxing. He waved them off and indicated to the omega with a jerk of his head.
“Watch him after we make proper introductions. He’s the one I picked up from the road.”
“Uh-huh, uh-huh. Where is Shen Pei? Did she come back with you?” Li Jiuxing blinked up at him, his large round eyes like an innocent puppy.
A puppy looking for their Master. Li Changyu sighed internally and rolled his eyes, “Yes, she is here. You can talk to her after the announcement.”
Word of his arrival spread quickly, it seemed, as throngs of people herded themselves towards his tent. Before the omega could look any more panic stricken, Li Changyu grabbed a hold of his shoulders and ushered him into the tent. Inside it was pleasantly warm, with fresh incense in the air. A long rectangular carpet led to his cushioned bench which had a table in the middle. It wasn’t like his normal throne, but the finely carved wood and plush fabric made up more than enough for it. Behind it were screens strategically stationed which blocked his bed, affording a bit of privacy.
The omega looked side to side, watching when the people filed in and filled the space that was considered the main room of the tent. Midway, he looked over his shoulder to Li Changyu.
“Where is your leader? Is it alright…” his violet eyes scanned around the room again, “for everyone to be here without him?”
“Oh, don’t worry, he’s coming soon.” Li Changyu said casually. He stopped a bit aways from his temporary throne, and to keep the omega’s modesty, he didn’t insist on taking off his cloak. Li Changyu skirted the omega and sauntered towards the chair and turned his back to it.
The omega openly frowned, his plump lip stuck out in a slight pout. Li Changyu smirked while seating himself left of the table, which was quickly covered with a plate of fruits and even grapes from the West. A gold goblet filled with water was placed near his elbow which he propped on the table, holding his chin in hand. Thinking he should be comfortable for the conversation to follow, Li Changyu bent his leg and placed a foot on the chair to sprawl leisurely across his wide seat.
Everyone was quiet save for the shuffled footsteps and smack of the tent flap as it opened and closed. Li Changyu waited for a good amount of people to enter before he spoke.
“I did not come back empty handed!” He announced, “We found a large boon, and it will be shared amongst everyone!”
The resounding cry startled the omega, his shoulders hunching and he seemed to shrink in on himself and burrow even further into the feathers of Li Changyu’s raven cloak. His eyes flitted around, confusion etched on his features.
Li Changyu smirked and continued, “I found the perfect representative to start our trade. Dashun omegas are treated like little lambs, so everyone is to treat our guest and his eunuch with the utmost respect!”
Not understanding him, the omega looked at him in fright like he’d issued a death sentence. Li Changyu’s grin broadened, unable to contain his amusement.
When the cheers quieted down, the omega let out a stammering breath, “W-h-where is your leader?”
Li Changyu gestured to himself with a haughty wave of his hand, “He has arrived.”
The omega blinked and pointed at him, “You?”
He arched a brow, “Me.”
“You are Li Changyu?”
“What, is that so hard to believe? Am I not attractive enough to be convincing?” Playing offended, Li Changyu crossed his arms over his chest.
Though they could not understand them, his people watched the exchange, heads turning from their King to the other. A curious murmur spread through the small crowd, each wondering what exactly the other was saying. Shen Pei rolled her eyes from where she stood in the far corner. The tiny eunuch she held in place by the shoulders trembled and nearly bit the nails of his right hand down to the cuticle.
The omega’s jaw went slack and he blinked once, then twice. His face went through several shades of pink before the top of his ears turned blood red. He stomped a foot forward, his small hands balled up into fists at his side.
“It was you this whole time?!”
Li Changyu paid no mind to his tone and shrugged a shoulder, “Would you have come along so easily if you knew I was? I didn’t hear you offering to tell me who you are.”
Fury blazed in his eyes and he shouted, “I am Jin Xiyan, Ninth Prince of Dashun!”
A Prince?!?! All mischief and cheekiness fell away as the blood drained from Li Changyu’s face. His eyes widened when the realization of what he’d done came crashing down like a landslide. I accidentally kidnapped a Prince?! Speaking in a language his people didn’t understand, and guessing Jin Xiyan didn’t either, he yelled.
“FUCK!”
The extras are good… But what about the main story… Do we have to wait for the extra to end??
Yes, the extra will end on one more chapter and the main story will pick up again.
Thanks for the chapter ❤️☺️
You are welcome!
Nobody can scare Li Changyu but himself! Prince or not, Jin Xiyan wouldn’t make a good emissary because the Emperor probably won’t take anything he says seriously, especially regarding trade or business. An alpha son-in-law, however, might have a chance 😉
teehee. LCY dug himself in a hole.
El extra es muy divertido. Thanks for update!🥰
You are welcome!
LOL! Ya done fucked yourself, LCY. I appreciate his outburst tho.
Nah he’s gonna be fucking JXY in the next chapter 👀
Ha! I wouldn’t expect anything less.
Heheh.
I love alpha LCY. Can JXY just stay with him forever instead? I’m sure QYZ will get over it.
Everyone likes big LCY but I really still like smol LCY. They still have the same personality lmao
That was funny lmao…
I am glad you liked this!
Hagagahgsgshsgs the “FUCKKK” XD welpp LCY oh well..