“…in the Battle of Liushen, and defended a village against an attack from a Tatar group. He is an expert in swordsmanship, second favorite weapon is the spear, and he knows how to handle explosive powder.”
Jin Xiyan frowned as he half listened to Su Ao. He was trying to put the pieces together as best as he could with the information so far. When Su Ao stopped speaking, he turned his head to look at the eunuch.
“Well? Is there anything else?”
“A-ahh, um…” Su Ao bent his head down and held the paper close to his face and read outloud. “Li Changyu knows three languages, has trade relations with the North, and now a familial relationship with a Shiwei chieftain…”
He sighed and rubbed his forehead, “What Zhen means is, is there anything else further back?”
Jin Xiyan had no clue as to how Li Changyu knew both his Brother and Grandmother. In fact, he was downright chummy with his Grandmother, and Jin Xiyan wasn’t sure he’d ever seen his Grandmother smile in his presence before until today. What sort of trickery does he have?
“…Hmm…” Su Ao mumbled a few things to himself, then exclaimed, “Ah! It says here that he suffered a near fatal injury two years ago, then earned the courtesy name Li Yanhe.”
Fatal? Jin Xiyan jerked up in surprise, “What happened?”
“The military report for the incident is attached here, Your Majesty.” Su Ao handed a worn red envelope to him. Jin Xiyan took it and opened the top, pulled the report out, and unfolded it to read.
In this year during the reign of our Great Emperor,
A skirmish 40 li from the border trapped a hundred person garrison led by Captain Li Changyu. Severely outnumbered and refused aid, Li Changyu controlled the battlefield by overflowing the nearby river and successfully pushed back the Uyghur forces. He brought the garrison home with only two casualties.
Due to an arrow to the chest, Li Changyu has been granted a leave of absence in order to recover. Given his family, skill, and the bravery shown, it is this subject’s recommendation that he receive a promotion to Lieutenant General.
Office of the Ministry of War – Minister Ping
He read over the quick report once more and held it out to Su Ao, “This was before Emperor Father fell, is it not?”
Su Ao took the report back and inspected it before giving a nod, “Answering Your Majesty, yes.”
Jin Xiyan handed back the envelope as well and leaned back in his chair. He sighed, feeling the sense of loss once again for his Father. Crossing his arms, he rubbed one hand against his chin. Father made him a Lieutenant General? It felt strange to promote an omega to such a rank, and he assumed that his Father was also wary of the Li family from some of his advisor’s comments.
“There is nothing further back, Your Majesty.” Su Ao folded everything up and set the small stack on top of the desk in Jin Xiyan’s room.
For now, he gave up on trying to dig for clues in the files when there were none to be had. “See if you can ask any servants who have been around for a while. Maybe one of them knows Li Changyu.”
“Your Majesty,” a male servant came in and bowed. “His Highness the Empress is here.”
“Let him in.” He stood up and waved Su Ao off as he walked around his desk. Both servants scurried away and Jin Xiyan stood in the center of his room to wait for Li Changyu. He tried out a few different poses, shifting from arms crossed to standing up straight, then settled on widening his stance and crossing his arms.
Li Changyu entered shortly thereafter with a small jug of wine in one hand and a drinking bowl in the other. He was still in the martial robes he’d seen earlier and it made Jin Xiyan frown. Does he not like the robes I purchased for him? The tailor said they were the latest fashion and made of the finest silks, so he did not understand where the fault was. At least he is wearing the hair crown.
His Empress had a crooked smile and he held up the jug, “I was wondering if you’d like some spirits from the North? We never got to drink the betrothal wine.”
Jin Xiyan hesitated. He wasn’t sure if the liquor was in fact wine, or if it was something else. He barely ate anything not tested by Su Ao first. Even if it was just wine, he didn’t want to be drunk either. During his silence, Li Changyu looked Jin Xiyan up and down, then his chest rose high and fell with a sigh.
“I’ll drink alone, then.” Li Changyu made himself comfortable at a nearby table and sat down in the chair. He set the bowl and jug down to bend over and take off his boots, discarding them with a thunk as each one landed on the floor. Jin Xiyan frowned, but his Wife didn’t pay attention to his obvious displeasure. Li Changyu leaned back in the chair and popped open the wine jug then poured out a healthy portion of wine.
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.
“Zhen would ask you to not get drunk.” Jin Xiyan stayed where he was and watched Li Changyu. The other man’s fine, elegant brow arched.
“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on getting drunk. I just need a little liquid courage.” Li Changyu set the jug aside to take a large gulp from the bowl and a red flush spread across his cheeks immediately.
Li Changyu’s face scrunched up like he tasted something extremely bitter. His new bride’s face was extremely expressive and revealed a lot of their emotions, the good and the bad. Jin Xiyan bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling at the way Li Changyu drank the wine like it angered him.
Stepping forward now, Jin Xiyan joined Li Changyu at the table. After another sip, Li Changyu put the bowl down and fiddled with the lid of the bottle. Jin Xiyan caught that and the other nervous fidget of Li Changyu’s left leg bouncing up and down.
“Are you that nervous?” Jin Xiyan asked. Li Changyu did say in his lie to Royal Grandmother that he was scared. It was curious, reading something that depicted a person as fearless and seeing them in the flesh behaving so anxiously.
A snort was his first response followed by another crooked grin. “Aren’t all omegas supposed to be blushing maidens on their wedding night?” Li Changyu nudged the bowl towards him, but he declined with a small shake of his head. Then, strangely, Li Changyu admitted, “I am nervous.”
If he was openly admitting his fears, Li Changyu either trusted him or the man was already near the tipsy point after just three quarters of a bowl. Jin Xiyan took the jug of wine and the stopper from him to put it aside.
Like their original wedding night, Jin Xiyan wanted to reassure his bride, “Zhen promises, it is not Zhen’s intention to hurt you.”
“Trust me, you wouldn’t be able to even if you wanted to try.” Li Changyu’s golden eyes danced with mischief as he continued to smirk. Though he was a vulgar man, there was a certain charm to his smile that drew one in. Jin Xiyan found himself staring at Li Changyu’s mouth during their conversation, watching how it moved around the words as he talked.
“Zhen will ignore that comment.” He shook his head with a sigh. “Is everything a fight to you?”
Li Changyu held their palms up and made a measuring motion, as if weighing the opinion first, then answered. “More or less. I’ve been at the border for over half a year, and have only been home for a week now. I guess it’s hard to break habits.”
That long? Questions floated around in his brain, and curiosity got the best of him. “Habits?”
“Mhm,” Li Changyu made a small noise and rested an elbow on the table and faced Jin Xiyan. He cradled his flushed cheek in his palm. “In my position, I have to be aggressive, or people will try to take advantage because of my status.”
“You are a Son of a General. Who would consider that low enough status to abuse?”
There was a silent laugh hanging on Li Changyu’s smile, “I meant my status as an omega. Did Your Majesty forget that I am an omega?”
Jin Xiyan scanned from the top of Li Changyu’s head down to take him in again. His posture was shoddy, his cheeks were ruddy from drinking just a tiny bit of liquor, and his clothes were form fitting and for the military. He wore no makeup, his hair lacked the shine from applications of fine, expensive oil, and his calloused fingers had worn out and broken nails. There was nothing soft about Li Changyu, save for the gentle roundness of his cheeks lending to his pretty set of features.
Nothing like an omega at all.
He avoided that question and asked one of his own that had been hard pressed on his mind since learning that Li Changyu was in the military. “You are untouched, yes?”
The bottom of Li Changyu’s small ears turned red and the color slowly filled to the top like a glass being poured. “Of course I am! What do you take me for?”
“It is a reasonable question,” Jin Xiyan cocked his head to the side and watched Li Changyu intently, gauging his reaction. “Being around that many alphas, for so many years…”
“Thousands of omegas are around alphas all the time and you don’t see them all losing their virginity! I have respect for myself, and I would never sleep with superiors or subordinates in order to take advantage of a situation. Besides, my Father would have killed me if I had tried such a stunt.” His scowl deteriorated into a pout. “The Emperor has always been my first.”
There was something strange in how he worded his last sentence, but perhaps the strong liquor and his obvious lack of resistance muddled his brain. He had no reason to suspect that Li Changyu was lying, but Jin Xiyan was even more apprehensive about sleeping with Li Changyu if he was this compromised. He leaned forward and covered Li Changyu’s fist with his hand.
“There is plenty of time, and Zhen does not want to force the issue if you are unwell tonight.”
Li Changyu blinked and he stared at their joined hands. The blush staining his cheeks made the gold and amber flecks in his eyes stand out even more. Li Changyu sat upright and took a deep breath before he stood. He looked down at Jin Xiyan with a confident expression, but the flush still remained.
“Li’s fulfil their duty to the Emperor, on the battlefield or off.” Li Changyu looked towards the bed and motioned to it. “You married me for a specific reason. I just hope Your Majesty can take responsibility,” he held his arms up with a shrug, “or else I’ll be forced to tattle to Royal Grandmother. ”
A chuckle escaped him before he could think to stifle it. Li Changyu’s conduct was rash, abrasive, and it lacked etiquette. Past all that, Jin Xiyan saw that Li Changyu was clever, and did in fact know how to conduct themselves accordingly when they wanted. It was…unique.
He stood up as well and now he was the one to look down at the other. Li Changyu craned their head back and kept a wary eye on Jin Xiyan, but he did not let Li Changyu’s nervousness dissuade him any longer.
He moved closer to Li Changyu and curled an arm around his shoulders. His bride, still suspicious, stiffened but did not move away. Jin Xiyan bent down and pulled Li Changyu’s legs into one arm and effectively swept him off his feet. Li Changyu let out a cat-like yowl and kicked out his legs. He was heavier than the others, though it made sense since he was a head taller than his other omega Wives. This, and the fact it was like wrangling a tiger cub, made Jin Xiyan’s hold unsteady.
“Stop it or I will drop you,” he said firmly, unaware that he relaxed his own speech. Li Changyu went completely still and clutched at the collar of his robes like he was afraid of falling. Looking down at him, his eyes were wide and unblinking with his head ducked down into his shoulders like he was trying to shrink into himself.
This man…Jin Xiyan didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh. He carried Li Changyu to the bed and gently set him down in the center before straightening in order to disrobe. Li Changyu’s nervous stare hadn’t calmed at all, and he blinked several times at Jin Xiyan.
“Could…could we do this with our clothes on?” Pinching their lips together, he muttered, “Or partially on, or…”
“You are my Wife, and therefore I can see what is mine,” he stated the simple truth. Li Changyu narrowed his eyes and looked prepared to say something rude but his mouth snapped shut as Jin Xiyan’s single robe fell away. The blush that crept up his ears again made him smile. He’s not so unaffected, is he?
Li Changyu openly stared for a few more moments, his mouth opening and closing like a carp. Jin Xiyan gestured to him, indicating it was his turn, and Li Changyu gulped. He said nothing as he undid a jade piece that hung from their belt and scrambled to the other end of the bed to carefully set it aside on a table. The way he cradled the object like it was precious piqued Jin Xiyan’s interest. His name is jade…maybe he likes that more? He would have to take that into consideration when buying something for Li Changyu.
His bride turned around and sat there, far away. Jin Xiyan crooked a finger for him to come closer and Li Changyu quietly shared his displeasure through a glare as he scooted back towards the end of the bed where Jin Xiyan was. Though Jin Xiyan thought they were still ridiculous, there was one advantage to Li Changyu’s clothes. When he started undressing Li Changyu, it took little time or effort to get his bride naked, especially when he didn’t put up a fight.
Seeing him in better light and fully naked, Li Changyu was more fit than other omegas he’d seen. His bruises were less pronounced now, with evidence that Li Changyu applied the mint scented hemostatic that he had the Royal Physician send over. He quietly sighed in relief.
Jin Xiyan was curious about Li Changyu’s scars. There were a number of them, but none of them were particularly ugly except the one on his arm. It was darker than the others, and more rough and uneven. As his eyes raked over Li Changyu’s body, the more his Wife squirmed. He pressed his muscular thighs together and curled up, like he was hiding once again.
“What are you looking at?” He asked with a faint whine in his voice.
He met Li Changyu’s eyes and instead asked a question of his own, “Which scar was made by the arrow?”
Blinking, Li Changyu tilted his head, “You’ll have to be more specific…there’s a few of those.”
That sentence made his throat tighten. He didn’t like the idea of multiple arrows sticking in Li Changyu’s body and he shook his head to clear the image from his mind.
“The one from two years ago, when you fought the Tatars at the river.”
Li Changyu looked genuinely surprised, then a smirk smoothed over his lips as he sat up and hung his legs off the edge of the bed. Jin Xiyan joined him and sat facing Li Changyu.
“This one,” Li Changyu lifted up his right arm and pointed to a small, crescent shaped purple mark that was along his chest, a few inches away from his nipple towards the pit of his arm. Jin Xiyan reached out a hand to lightly touch it with his fingers and Li Changyu squirmed. He frowned at Jin Xiyan, “That tickles.”
“It’s a very small wound.” He didn’t stop touching, and Li Changyu’s muscles twitched.
“The arrow went completely through.” Li Changyu let out a huff then twisted around to show his back, where there was a matching scar just a little lower. “See?”
It went through him?! Jin Xiyan, now realizing that it was in fact a serious wound, flinched and quickly pulled his hand away. He was filled with the sudden worry that he had inadvertently aggravated his old injury when Li Changyu mentioned it was ticklish.
“I’m not porcelain.” Li Changyu’s eyes were soft and the corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smile. “If you can touch me…does that mean I can touch you?”
His eyes drifted over Jin Xiyan now and the blush returned. Li Changyu’s boldness surprised him, but he nodded his consent. One of his rough hands stretched out and brushed the centerline of Jin Xiyan’s chest. The palm felt hot against his slightly cool skin and he naturally shuddered, but Li Changyu didn’t pull away. His hand moved up and down along his sternum, and he was sure Li Changyu could feel his heartbeat. In return, Jin Xiyan slid a hand over Li Changyu’s hip, the tips of his fingers glided over the slightly raised edge of another scar.
Jin Xiyan peered down at Li Changyu and like usual his Wife made direct eye contact, his gaze unwavering. As the heir, Jin Xiyan grew used to people looking away or the tinge of fear and uncertainty in their eyes. It was doubly so when he became the Emperor two years ago. Even his harem, all of them would be demure and respectful. This was the first person outside his immediate family to look at him in such a way. He’s unlike anyone I’ve been with...
“Could you…” Li Changyu’s voice was soft, and slightly unsure. “Could you tell me what to do?”
Jin Xiyan thought about the events yesterday and chose his words carefully, “I know you do not want to be on your back, but it would be easiest to prepare you first in that position. Is that alright?”
Li Changyu’s hand twitched slightly at his request, but his touch didn’t stop. “In that case…yes. Yes, it is alright.”
Jin Xiyan had his hair down already, but Li Changyu still had his hair up. He reached for the crown piece and pulled out the gold pin. Holding the pin in his mouth, he took a hold of Li Changyu’s sleek black hair and gently weaved his hair out of the gold ring. When it was off him, Jin Xiyan gently lowered his hair down to rest over one of his shoulders. He took the pin and fed it through the holes once again before moving to set it aside.
They both shifted towards the center of the bed and Li Changyu stiffly laid back down. It took a few moments before his ramrod straight spine was on the bed, but Jin Xiyan waited patiently. He curled up beside Li Changyu and propped up his head on his elbow so he could look down at his face. He carefully stroked up and down the center of his chest, occasionally gliding down as far as his navel.
A breathy sigh escaped Li Changyu’s lips and his hips slightly shifted towards Jin Xiyan the closer his hand drifted down towards his cock. As he watched his fingers drag over Li Changyu’s well toned torso, he too was getting stiff. It didn’t look like Li Changyu was opposed to sex since his body responded to Jin Xiyan’s touch. The notch in Li Changyu’s throat bobbed when he swallowed.
“Aren’t…aren’t you going to put it in?“ Li Changyu stammered softly.
He chuckled and slid his hand down all the way now, taking Li Changyu’s length in hand and curled his fingers around it. Li Changyu’s sharp gasp brought Jin Xiyan’s attention back to his lips.
As he spoke, he gently worked his hand up and down and squeezed out the pearls of precum that gathered at the head. “That would hurt you, and I don’t want to do that.”
Li Changyu bit his lip and tilted his body towards Jin Xiyan, almost laying on his side, and pressed closer. A shaky hand came up to grab Jin Xiyan’s shoulder, but it didn’t push him away. Through clenched teeth, Li Changyu muttered out a quick sentence.
“Ivetouchedmyselfdowntherebefore.”
“Pardon?” Jin Xiyan angled his head better to try and see Li Changyu’s face, but the man was trying to hide it in Jin Xiyan’s collarbone.
“Ivetouched…myselfdownthere!” While it was louder, it still made no sense and he gave Li Changyu’s cock a little squeeze to pry it out of him. Li Changyu gasped once again and blurted out, “You can put it in, I’ve touched myself down there!”
Jin Xiyan’s hand froze as he registered what Li Changyu had said. “You…touched yourself?”
Li Changyu buried his face into Jin Xiyan’s chest and nodded. He slowly let go of Li Changyu’s cock and moved his hand over his hip to caress one of his firm, plush cheeks and rested it on there. He inched his fingers towards the seam between them and felt the slick clinging there. His heartbeat quickened when he knew Li Changyu was aroused, but more than that, his cock ached at the thought of his bride touching himself.
Before he pressed on further, he whispered into Li Changyu’s ear, “Are you saying you prepared yourself for Zhen?”
The sound that came out of Li Changyu was like a soft grunt mixed with a whine, and that was his only response aside from shivering as Jin XIyan slid his fingers in further and brushed against his entrance directly.
His tight ring was pliable, letting his middle finger dip smoothly. Li Changyu jerked his hips forward, and their cocks brushed against one another, making Jin Xiyan hiss at the contact. He pulled Li Changyu even closer and slid his middle finger as deep as he could in this position. A few more sounds came from his bride, and a deep sense of satisfaction welled in his chest. He enjoyed knowing he could make his Wives feel good, and Li Changyu’s stilted moans were evidence of that. However, Jin Xiyan wanted to see his face as he made them.
“This Wife is so considerate…but my fingers are much thicker than yours, and my cock even more so.” He pressed his lips to the shell of Li Changyu’s bright red ear, “Do you think you can bear with it for a little while longer?”
He swirled his finger around idly, and it elicited a long, drawn out muffled moan. The sound made his blood hum and his heartbeat quicken, and he lightly rutted his cock against Li Changyu’s. The smaller body against Jin Xiyan responded in kind and clung to him tighter than before.
Between his moans, Li Changyu asked in a trembling voice, “It’s…it’s okay?”
Thinking that Li Changyu was worried about some sort of punishment, Jin Xiyan teased another finger against his hole to help distract his fears. “Do you feel how excited you make me?” He emphasized his point by thrusting hard, pushing their cocks together until Li Changyu cried out.
“As long as it is either you or me touching what’s mine and no one else, then that is all that matters.” Jin Xiyan traced his hot ear with his tongue and whispered again, “How about you lay back down, and you can tell me where inside you it feels best, hm?”
LCY is kinda cute… 😊
have you seen val’s lewd art of LCY?
he’s effin’ hot.
:hamhole:
Yes I saw it 😌
LOLOL HAMHOLE 😂
thanks for the chapter <3
Oh- oh… Oh~ 👀 me likey
offers popcorn, and tissue for drool
accepts and enjoys 👀👀