“Dress properly, use one of the robes I gifted you. Carry yourself in a dignified manner. Wear your hair in a bun, and be punctual.”
These were the things Jin Xiyan advised Li Changyu about his birthday banquet. Did he expect his Empress to comply? A tiny part of him did, but seeing him now, Jin Xiyan quickly realized that he should have known better.
Li Changyu entered the banquet hall only when all the other guests had arrived and with his guard in tow. While he did wear one of the robes Jin Xiyan gifted him, it had clearly been altered. Once a long, flowing, beautiful pale jade robe with flower details at the bottom, it was now cut and fashioned like a set of martial robes. His silk pants were exposed, and the outer robe turned into a long shirt that was fastened with a wide crimson sash.
Worst of all was his hair. He had it down completely, with no tie. Though it looked like a long, smooth black curtain, the way it moved about as he walked made it look wild and free. Dangling from his ears were a pair of silver hoops that looked foreign in design. His face had no makeup except for a bright cinnabar three petal huadian that matched his own.
Jin Xiyan watched from his seat on top of the elevated platform at the end of the banquet hall. Alongside him to his left was his Mother and Qin Yuze; then, to his right, was his Grandmother. He tried to not sigh, but Qin Yuze must have seen his mood change because he reached across and touched Jin Xiyan’s elbow gently.
“Be strong, Your Majesty,” said Qin Yuze in his delicate voice. His red stained lips turned down slightly, openly sharing a grimace with him. He was touched by his Huang Guifei’s concern, and smiled softly down at him.
Li Changyu turned many heads when he came in and strode across the hall at a leisurely pace. He did something curious as he made his way over – he stopped by each and every member in his harem and his older children who attended. Most kept their eyes averted and frowned, though a few offered tentative smiles to Li Changyu’s boisterous greeting. His Eighth Concubine, a small meek little omega named Song Rushen, was the only one who responded to Li Changyu with equal enthusiasm.
At least he is getting along with them. Jin Xiyan appreciated the effort, because someone like Li Changyu came off as an easily jealous person. When Li Changyu finally arrived at the platform, he stopped and cupped his hands before bowing.
“Your Majesty, this humble wife’s wish is that your birthday brings much peace and tranquility for the coming year.” Even with a neutral face, Li Changyu’s eyes shimmered with humor.
Jin Xiyan nodded, “The family’s Empress is too kind.”
Li Changyu stepped onto the platform then paused, staring straight at Qin Yuze. Jin Xiyan glanced between the two and was confused at the fierce look from Li Changyu. He’d been perfectly nice to the others, but why–
Then it hit him. Qin Yuze was in the seat that should have been for the Empress. It had been so long that Qin Yuze was the highest ranking harem member that Jin Xiyan found it second nature to have him at his left. When the guests started to murmur amongst themselves, Jin Xiyan’s tongue swelled and he found it hard to talk.
Qin Yuze touched his fingers to his chin, eyebrows high on his forehead. “Oh, dear, I–”
“Don’t worry about it,” Li Changyu shrugged with a smirk. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes told a different story. They held onto Qin Yuze like a dagger to the throat. This was just a simple mistake out of habit, and Jin Xiyan didn’t think it warranted that much animosity. When Jin Xiyan finally got the nerve to open his mouth, Li Changyu spoke up again, “I will just find a different seat.”
“Your Highness,” his Grandmother called to Li Changyu. Both of them turned their heads towards her. She smiled sweetly at Li Changyu, “Would you join my table?”
“Royal Grandmother, you honor Erchen.” Li Changyu smiled in return, his previous anger evaporated from sight. This one Jin Xiyan could tell was a genuine one, as he’d noticed that Li Changyu would tilt his head to the side ever so slightly when he smiled from the heart. Normally, his other smiles were colder and looked more like a cat peeling back their lips to expose sharp teeth.
Li Changyu hopped onto the platform and waited for a servant to position a cushion beside his Grandmother. They situated Li Changyu closest to him, and as he sat down, the Grand Empress Dowager shot him a look over Li Changyu’s head. Jin Xiyan could feel the reprimand in them and his fingers twitched as his knuckles remembered the strikes he’d get from tutors. He suppressed a shudder.
Now seated, Li Changyu loudly whispered to Grand Empress Dowager, “The magpie builds a nest; the dove yet takes possession.”[1]
The duo at his right shared a giggle. Though his skill in poetry did not meet his Grandmother’s expectations, he thought he understood Li Changyu’s underhanded meaning towards Qin Yuze.
“You are late,” Jin Xiyan said to Li Changyu.
“Don’t worry,” Li Changyu waved as he shooed away Jin Xiyan’s complaints. “I’ll punish myself with three drinks for that.”
Qin Yuze cleared his throat and Jin Xiyan turned his attention back to him. His Wife’s easy smile curved his eyes, “Your Majesty, after our first drinks to Zhen, would Zhen permit this humble Wife to play the qin for our guests?”
“Zhen would love that, dear Huang Guifei.” He offered another soft smile to Qin Yuze. His round cheeks turned to a pretty shade of pink that matched his lovely robes. Qin Yuze ducked his head shyly away, making the gold discs dangling from his hair pin clink together. The red jade pin that he purchased for Qin Yuze was particularly eye-catching against his snow white hair.
He’s so beautiful today. He thought to himself, I’ll have to treat him later.
After that hiccup, Jin Xiyan was happy to get the festivities underway. Conducting a room or dealing with foreign dignitaries and ministers was one thing, but dealing with people fawning and tripping over themselves for his favor was exasperating. Jin Xiyan had to constantly be on guard against sweet smiles and promising words, which sucked up so much of his energy that he often went to bed alone instead of visiting his harem after such things. He often breezed right through banquets and gatherings for this reason.
“My A-Chang, you and Emperor Grandson look well suited,” his Grandmother’s voice crooned. “Such a jade and gold pair – literally! It was a fateful pairing, surely. I know the Imperial Astrologer agrees.”[2]
Jin Xiyan kept his face neutral. In his opinion, they looked nothing close to being a pair. Li Changyu leaned and slumped where he sat, while Jin Xiyan’s posture was perfect. Li Changyu was loud and he preferred quiet. His Empress wore his expressions, while Jin Xiyan had enough foresight to be reserved. The only thing suiting them was the fact their names and clothes were gold and jade.
“Do you really think so, Royal Grandmother?” Li Changyu’s lips tipped into a lopsided grin. He cast a long, sideways glance at Jin Xiyan before leaning towards him now. “Did Your Majesty hear that? Fate brought Your Majesty and I together.”
To be polite, Jin Xiyan nodded his head slowly and said noncommittally, “It was a most auspicious pairing, indeed.”
Li Changyu laughed in response. It bubbled out of him and while he tried to shut his lips and hide them with the back of his hand, his golden eyes twinkled with leftover mischief. There was something soothing about the sound, like it tickled a corner of his heart. A strange ache took root there, one that he had to touch his chest and rub at in an attempt to soothe it. It didn’t work.
Because Li Changyu shared a table with the Grand Empress Dowager, he shared a plate with her as well since there was no room for another set of dishes. Jin Xiyan caught glimpses of him tending to his Grandmother, putting food aside for her and only nibbling on a few of the dishes. It was perhaps childish, but Li Changyu paid such attention to the Grand Empress Dowager instead of him. He wasn’t even attempting to curry favor with him by acting as a Wife to Jin Xiyan. To correct this, he decided to take the initiative.
When Qin Yuze went to the main floor to play the guqin for them, Jin Xiyan looked at Li Changyu and said, “Zhen would like you to prepare tea.”
His family’s Empress arched a shapely brow and looked at him up and down. Li Changyu scooted closer to him and spoke softly, “This Wife would ask if Zhen is ill?”
Frowning, Jin Xiyan shook his head, “No. Zhen is healthy.”
“Injured?”
“No…”
“Elderly?”
Jin Xiyan’s frown deepened and he prepared to scold him, “Li Changyu…”
“Ah, ah!” Li Changyu held up a finger and raised a pair of sticks in the other. He took one of the three meatbuns that Jin Xiyan had on his plate and stuffed it into Jin Xiyan’s half open mouth. Forced to take it, he almost gagged as he chewed on it whole. He glared at Li Changyu’s beaming face. “Look at how this Wife dotes on Zhen. Just sit and enjoy the meal I prepared and let me tend to Royal Grandmother.”
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.
He had enough sense to finish the bun before he spoke. Jin Xiyan hissed low in Li Changyu’s ear. “Would it kill you to show some affection, at least in front of members of the Court?”
“Would it have killed you to have a bit more consideration towards me?” Li Changyu hinted towards Qin Yuze with his eyes. “You let him walk all over you and he has the nerve to insult me like that.”
“It was a mistake,” he said, grinding his teeth. “I have been married to them a lot longer than I have to you. It was just a habit.”
Li Changyu’s eyes snapped back to him and he snorted. He inched closer to Jin Xiyan, their noses just barely touching, and to the outsider it probably looked like they were sharing an intimate moment. His gaze flicked between Li Changyu’s eyes and his full lips as they spoke.
“If you really think that, then you’re either naïve or blinded by good looks.” Li Changyu’s cocky smirk grated on his nerves more than his words. “What, a pair of peach blossom eyes bat at you, and you lose all sense?”
Something snapped in him and Jin Xiyan grabbed Li Changyu by the chin, pinching the sharp feature between his thumb and forefinger. Li Changyu showed no fear or grimace, but his grin softened and his lips parted slightly. This close and in such bright light, Jin Xiyan could see the honey colored flecks in his eyes and the small birthmark under the left one. Huh…I’ve never noticed that before.
They hovered together like this until Li Changyu’s voice took on a smooth, velvety quality, “Are you planning on kissing me or lecturing me with that mouth of yours?”
Jin Xiyan bristled as heat flooded his cheeks. For someone who was a virgin just over a week ago, Li Changyu was brazen. Is he…is he really coming onto me in the middle of a crowded room?!
“I…” he began, speaking through clenched teeth. “Zhen does not kiss on the lips. That shows favoritism.”
It was one of the few lessons he remembered that his Father had passed to him. A harem was a responsibility, and something as simple as a kiss could turn disastrous if it started infighting.
Li Changyu’s brow twitched and his eyes narrowed, “Is that so…” At his en, Li Changyu let out a humph and reached over. He grabbed a meatbun by the hand and stuffed it into Jin Xiyan’s mouth.
Li Changyu pulled away and left Jin Xiyan coughing. He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed once again.
“Just stick to eating the meatbuns I made – they’re your favorite.” He turned his little nose up in the air, “You’re welcome.”
Jin Xiyan rested back against his chair as he swallowed. How does he know all this? He watched Li Changyu warily. It was strange, having what felt like a stranger knowing such details about him. He really hadn’t eaten meatbuns since he was a child, so he had forgotten their taste. They were delicious, and it took Jin Xiyan another second to comprehend that Li Changyu was implying that he made them himself. He knows how to cook?
Qin Yuze approached Jin Xiyan when he was dabbing the corners of his mouth with a cloth. His Huang Guifei’s lips had a pout.
“Your Majesty did not listen to this humble Wife’s playing…”
Ah! He did miss Qin Yuze’s musical piece while he was bickering with Li Changyu. In order to save face, he held out his hands to Qin Yuze and took his. Jin Xiyan patted his much larger hand over them.
“Zhen’s dear Wife, Zhen did in fact listen. Zhen is truly blessed to have such talent in the harem.” He smiled, hoping that it was warm enough to pacify Qin Yuze. “For this, perhaps Zhen should gift you with three new bolts of silk?”
“Our husband is so generous, is he not?” Li Changyu slithered back next to Jin Xiyan, his eyes trained on Qin Yuze. “Giving out gifts on his most special day.”
“You are one to talk. At least there are gifts to be given.” His Mother, who had mostly quiet up until now, sneered at them from behind a fan. “I see Your Highness the Empress has come empty handed.”
“Royal Mother,” Qin Yuze bowed to Jin Qiuye before sitting down between him and Jin Xiyan. “Perhaps there were just some circumstances that were beyond control. I am sure that His Highness simply forgot–”
“I certainly did not,” Li Changyu’s next smile dropped the temperature in the room a few degrees. “I spent quite some time cooking like a dutiful Wife. My Mother taught me that nutrition is important medicine, and I hope to make sure His Majesty is healthy.”
The arguing between him made him feel a bit awkward, but it looked like none of the guests were paying too close attention. Their voices were hushed enough, but he worried that Li Changyu wouldn’t stay quiet much longer.
“Your Majesty!” All heads turned towards the center of the banquet where Minister Gong from the Ministry of Personnel stood. He held his hands in front and bowed low. “May His Majesty’s birthday bring strength and protection to the Palace.”
Jin Xiyan, thankful for the Minister unknowingly cutting off the argument, relaxed in his seat. He lifted a hand to let Minister Gong rise.
“Thank you, Minister Gong.”
He expected that to be the end of it, but Minister Gong stood tall and gestured to the room. “In fact, this humble servant has something to help ensure safety in the palace. As many know, my family breeds many beasts. My gift to His Majesty is a set of the finest dogs.”
Minister Gong’s arm swept across in a grand gesture as the doors to the banquet hall opened. Seven large mastiffs with thick bushy coats charged in, held back by rope leashes in the hands of a few servants. Jin Xiyan’s body locked up and his pulse raced. The slobbering jowls opened when they let out a booming bark, revealing sharp, menacing teeth. His palms grew slick with sweat and Jin Xiyan would swear that all of the dogs had their eyes set on him. Fear immobilized him, and he didn’t know how he could respond.
Then a flash of black and jade flew past his eyes. Jin Xiyan blinked, and standing in front of him was Li Changyu.
“Minister Gong!” Li Changyu’s voice cut through the banquet hall like a commander delivering orders. “Get those disgusting fleabags out of here. I will not allow such beasts to step foot in the Palace.”
A murmur rose amongst the guests and Minister Gong blinked back in surprise, but his eyes narrowed. “Your Highness is bold to complain about a gift that’s not even meant for you.”
Li Changyu shot back, “When one can see how offensive it is to try and pass off some mangy mutts as a gift worthy of His Majesty, I expect anyone to disagree.”
Li Changyu glanced over his shoulder at Jin Xiyan. A thought more disturbing than the dogs crept up in his mind. Does he know I’m afraid of dogs? How that could be possible, Jin Xiyan couldn’t tell, but a sharp pain in his temple made his breath hitch. Li Changyu’s eyebrows set low in a determined expression, and he looked back at Minister Gong.
“A temper tantrum is most unbefitting of you,” Minister Gong didn’t bother concealing the contempt in his eyes. “I think it is more appropriate–”
“Me? I?” Li Changyu’s icy tone snapped Jin Xiyan out of his paralysis. “Is this how you dare address your Empress?!”
Li Changyu stood with the confidence of someone in charge and walked down the length of the banquet hall towards Minister Gong. The energy emanating from him was thick and oppressive. It was so palpable that even the dogs started to cower and lower their heads down between their paws. Minister Gong held up his hands, eyes wide. Jin Xiyan could not see Li Changyu’s expression, but from the looks of the guests and the court official himself, it was likely menacing.
“This…this servant…” Minister Gong sputtered.
“You’ll hold your tongue for the rest of the afternoon.” Li Changyu huffed. “As for the dogs, they will be sent to guard the treasury and the temples. That is,” his head turned towards Jin Xiyan, “if His Majesty feels that this is a sound plan.”
Their eyes locked with one another and something stabbed at his temple once more. Li Changyu’s face and body blurred and another image tried to blend with it, but the pain made him blink and it faded instantly. He touched two fingers to his temple and nodded.
“Send them there,” he dismissed them with a wave.
“You heard His Majesty,” Li Changyu clapped his hands together twice. “Get moving.”
Everything returned to normal, but it wasn’t long after that when he decided to dismiss everything. His headache was a dull throb that felt worse the longer things went on, so he exerted his power as Emperor and stopped the party. Guests did linger or take their time leaving. His Grandmother was one of them and approached him once he stood.
“I will have a chest of calming tea blend sent to Zhen’s quarters,” she bowed her head deferentially. There wasn’t the typical coldness in her eyes, but her lips were pursed and she motioned with a fan towards the room. “This Grandmother thinks the Empress deserves some praise.”
Jin Xiyan turned in the direction she pointed to and saw Li Changyu walking out the door with Minister Ping. It was not the Senior Ping during his Father’s time, but rather his son who took over the Ministry of War once Senior Ping retired. They were side by side, heads bowed low to one another as they spoke. They are going somewhere alone together.
A strange knot wrapped itself up in his belly and he gave a parting nod to his Grandmother.
“Erchen thanks Royal Grandmother. May the rest of your day be well.” With that, he stalked off to follow Li Changyu.
Surprisingly, he didn’t have to go too far to find them. After walking around, he heard Li Changyu’s distinct voice whispering to the left outside of the building. He slowly approached the corner, where the voices were louder but still hushed.
“—this is all you could find, Shixiong?” Li Changyu whispered.
“This is an exact copy of the incident and medical report that I made myself,” said Minister Ping, though he sounded none too pleased. “Shidi, I don’t know why you are looking into Shizun’s death.”
Shizun? They are martial Brothers? This was information he did not know about Li Changyu, and was perhaps part of the past that he couldn’t dig up about his Wife. Jin Xiyan dared to peek over, and partially obscured by a thick red column was Li Changyu. He could see that Li Changyu was leaning casually against it and heard shuffling of paper.
“I work in mysterious ways,” Li Changyu snorted and there was more shuffling. “And you are sure there are absolutely no reports of the Emperor in an accident?”
“None. My Wife’s Cousin said that the Eunuch in charge of archiving the accounts of the household, couldn’t find a hint of it in any of the logs.”
Jin Xiyan clenched his teeth together, further aggravating his headache. He’d told Li Changyu that out of sympathy for his injuries, and what he presumed was in confidence. Of course there would be no report about it – his family kept it secret in order to keep peace and not let the Court worry. To tell an outsider, and to even go so far as to investigate it…
What are you up to? He growled internally.
“It says Shizun died of a snake bite in his sleep. Do you really think that is even possible, Shixiong?” Li Changyu let out an exasperated sigh. “Let us pretend he did die by a snake – those grounds were meticulously kept. How could a snake just crawl directly into his bed and conveniently bite him right around the time this accident happens?”
“Without the exact date of the accident, and if it was even purposeful, this is all speculation.”
“Things don’t happen to a Crown Prince on accident, Feng-Shixiong. If it happened before the attack, it leaves a weakness that the assassin could exploit. If it was after, then it would help with a cover up.”
That…all sounded plausible. The truth was, Jin Xiyan didn’t remember much of the incident himself except that he almost drowned in the lotus pond. He could not say one way or the other if he tripped, fell, or was pushed. Only that one minute he saw the plum blossom tree and the next was blank until he woke up two days later. Under his Grandmother’s advice, they forbade anyone from talking about it and hired a whole new staff.
“See if you can dig into it a little more, Shixiong. Maybe the original coroner could tell you something?”
“I can’t exactly expend man power to go off on your hunch, Shidi.”
Li Changyu huffed indignantly. “Take this as an order from Your Empress then!”
“Oh, yeah? Where is Shidi’s Phoenix Seal then?” A smack. “Ow!”
He’s probably annoyed that my Mother still holds it. The Empress Dowager still controlled the inner workings of the harem, though he delegated a lot to Qin Yuze. The Phoenix Seal however had not transferred to Li Changyu’s control because his Mother said to hold off on it for a while. Jin Xiyan inched closer to the red column and pressed himself on the other side of it as he continued to listen.
“Alright, alright,” Minister Ping groaned. “Here’s the other thing you ordered, Your Highness.”
“Ahh, yes!” Papers sounded like they exchanged hands and Li Changyu let out a surprisingly endearing little noise of excitement. “This is excellent. The Emperor won’t know what hit him.”
That made Jin Xiyan go on high alert.
“I went through a lot of trouble getting that from Li Wangshu. It’s from his own private collection of this poisonous rot.”
Poison? A deep freeze settled over Jin Xiyan’s heart and he began to walk around the column.
Li Changyu had the gall to laugh, “Look, look at this one. I bet if I did that, the Emperor would just die!”
Just as he crept up beside Li Changyu, he slammed his fist over his Wife’s head. Both Minister and Wife startled, but it was only Minister Ping who looked appropriately alarmed. Li Changyu simply blinked at him, holding open a yellow book and stack of papers in his hands.
“What are you two doing here unsupervised?” He glared at Minister Ping first, then down at Li Changyu. He growled at him, “And what exactly would kill Zhen?”
Another laugh came out of Li Changyu. He nudged Minister Ping with an elbow. “Run, now, while you still can.”
“You will stay right there.” He ordered Minister Ping while still pinning Li Changyu with his stare. He took hold of Li Changyu’s throat and held him against the column. It wasn’t tight, and he wasn’t choking him, but there was enough pressure to show he meant business.
Strangely, Li Changyu let it happen. He cocked an eyebrow and amusement danced in his eyes. His Wife held up no resistance, but Minister Ping fell to his knees and began to plead.
“Your Majesty, please, this humble servant apologizes–”
“Shut up, Shixiong.” Li Changyu still had to strain to talk, but his sarcasm still came through. “Do you really want to know all about my evil plans, Your Majesty?”
Li Changyu lifted the book up and Jin Xiyan took it and held it on the page it was open to. He looked down at the text, which was–
It was pornographic drawings, depicting various sex acts on both pages. There were men and women entangled in all kinds of poses. The most prominent drawing was of a young man with a cock buried far down his throat, his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. Shocked, he dropped the book at the same time he let go of Li Changyu. He took a step back and a fire lit up under his cheeks while Li Changyu roared with laughter.
“Li Changyu!” He bellowed, which made him laugh even harder.
His Wife wiped a tear from his eye as he folded the papers in his hand and stuffed them in his robes. Li Changyu then picked up his slightly crumpled book once his laughter died down. He looked up at Jin Xiyan, grinning ear to ear.
“What? You don’t like it?” He asked, all too innocently.
“Are you so shameless?!” Jin Xiyan’s temper rose and he flung an arm out to point at Minister Ping. “You! Leave!”
The Minister left in an instant, leaving a trail of dust behind from how fast he moved. Li Changyu flipped through the book with a hum.
“I don’t know what was floating around in your mind, but here I had your best interests at heart.” Li Changyu tapped on a page, eyes twinkling. “This Wife wants to ensure his husband is happy. Doesn’t that deserve a reward?”
His hand shot forward, once again grabbing Li Changyu by the throat and pushing him back. He pressed in close, forcing the book to press into Li Changyu’s chest. Jin Xiyan’s blood boiled and that cocky grin didn’t disappear. He didn’t know if he wanted to smack it or bite it off his face.
“How dare you have something like this?” His chest worked like a bellows as he breathed. “With him?!”
Both of Li Changyu’s eyebrows rose and his eyes twinkled. “Your Majesty are you…jealous?”
No. He told himself, because he most certainly was not. This was about propriety – Li Changyu was married and was unescorted with another male. A man he was apparently close to, and they could have gotten away with anything. They were sharing filth like this between them. It was improper – disgusting – because…because…
“You are mine.” He felt the need to remind Li Changyu and glowered down at him.
“Mmm,” Li Changyu smirked and one hand reached out to firmly caress Jin Xiyan’s torso. He ran it downward until he pressed his palm against Jin Xiyan’s cock. “Yes, yes. Big strong alpha, me little omega. Do you need to piss on me too so you can feel secure?”
Jin Xiyan’s mouth twitched. For the first time he had an instinct to kiss him, specifically on the lips. It was just to shut him up, but he had the persistent thought that Li Changyu would certainly let him take his mouth just like he let Jin Xiyan take everything else. It made him hard, and with Li Changyu’s hand applying pressure, it jumped.
“You acted all sweet and innocent in bed, and now you’re just a hedonist.” His cock thickened as he remembered their first night. His guilt about being so rough was quickly swallowed up by his arousal from inhaling Li Changyu’s tart, woodsy scent. He bent his head forward to the top of his head where he could take in some of it.
“If it’s with you,” Li Changyu murmured, “I could try anything once. I guess that makes me a hedonist?”
Jin Xiyan leaned back to look Li Changyu in the eye. His gaze was steady and unwavering, but his expression was pinched.
“Say…think you could back up your alpha ego for a second? My back still hurts.”
Remembering Li Changyu’s injury, the flash of memory of the blood was a cold bucket of water that knocked him back to his senses. He practically jumped away from Li Changyu, putting a small distance between them. He mentally kicked himself for not being gentler, but Li Changyu just chuckled and rubbed his neck idly.
“Thank you,” he said. “I don’t want to waste my breath saying that there’s nothing between Minister Ping and I, but you don’t need to worry about me doing something like that.”
“Still,” being reminded of how he found Li Changyu soured his erection a little. “It does not look good, and if you had been caught–”
“You’re right.”
Now it was Jin Xiyan’s turn for his eyebrows to shoot up high, “…Excuse me?”
“You’re right,” Li Changyu shrugged. “Don’t act all high and mighty about that. I am simply saying that you are in fact correct – it would have looked bad. I will work harder next time.”
“No,” Jin Xiyan stepped forward and pushed a hand into Li Changyu’s robes. The Li Changyu he knew came back and struggled against his search. Jin Xiyan pulled out the bundled up papers and balled them up in his fist.
Jin Xiyan went on to explain as Li Changyu scowled, “I heard what you were talking about. I want you to drop it.”
“But–”
“No buts.” Jin Xiyan stuffed the papers into his own sleeve and he planned on burning them later after reading the contents of them himself. “I will look into it myself. Trust me.”
Li Changyu gave him a skeptical once over but shrugged afterward. “Alright. If you come across anything–”
“I will decide if something is worth sharing.” Jin Xiyan shook his head at the glare that seemed second nature to Li Changyu. “For now, worry about picking something from that book.”
“What?” Li Changyu froze.
“You said you would try anything once.” Jin Xiyan fought against his own blush and tapped a finger against the yellow cover in Li Changyu’s hands. “Pick something, and come to me when you’re better.”
He couldn’t believe that he said that outside of the bedroom. To not lose face, Jin Xiyan feigned confidence and turned around to walk away, leaving a speechless Li Changyu behind.
[1] The line Li Changyu says about the dove and the magpie comes from a poem from The Book of Songs, translated by a man named W. Jennings.
Que chao. 鵲巢. The Wedding-Journey of a Princess by Book of Songs Shijing 詩經. Translated in Classical Chinese Literature: An Anthology of Translations. Vol. I, from Antiquity to the Tang Dynasty, pp. 103-104. Dynasty: Pre-Qin.
[2] In regards to the comment about the Jade and Gold match, it’s a common idiom to say that a couple is perfect for one another. Their names (and clothes in the scene) are exactly that – jade and gold. However, their opposites are also heightened with this phrase as well.
李 畅 玉 Oǐ Jtàcu Tù (李 Oǐ – qiew 畅 mtàcu – rwbbat 玉 sù – pjvf)
金 夕 颜 Aīc Wīsác (金 pīc – ubiv 夕颜 zīsác – mbibg bo recrfa/verx)
P ilxf qijslcu bc kbgvr jcv cjwfr j iba, rb sbe klii rff atja ogfdefcais lc atlr qlfmf jcv lc ws kbgx lc ufcfgji.
For example, Li Changyu’s name is “smooth jade” – this is a bit about the “ideal” gentleman being smooth and round and perfect as jade. The phrase is 谦谦君子温润如玉 (qiān qiān jūn zǐ wēn rùn rú yù) which translates to “a moderate gentleman is warm and gentle as jade”. This line is said by Word of Honor’s character Wen Kexing, and a great breakdown of the phrase by AvenueX is available here. When I watched this and heard the phrase and her description of it, I was immediately inspired by this idea of what if there was a man who was absolutely the opposite and funnily named this very gentle, elegant name. Thus, we have our baby boi Li Changyu. It sort of highlights some of the hopes and dreams that his parents had for him, being an omega, but those were…quickly squashed..
Oh i love this Omega so, so much. Thank you , Thank you. Thank you for this novel !!!!😍
thank you for your praise!
ahhh OM
i loved there interaction and now on seccond thought that wife(concubine) really got me angry
LC did good in controlling his temper …ugh how i wished he got slapped 1000 times…..😡😡
Like any good telenovela or drama, slapping will be ABUNDANT in here.
Why do I get the feeling that the Empress Dowager and Third Uncle are very suspicious 🧐🤔🤔
EVERYONE should be considered suspect. Sus is sus!
Qin Yuze (was that his name? I’m too lazy go check this b*itch name) is a green tea b/tch and deserves to be castrated by our dear LCY ☺🔪
LOOOOOOOL yes our white lotus….is indeed WL.
Love the chemistry between MC and ML. MC of course is the best!
the “I am so annoyed I need to fuck it out of my system” vibe.
I absolutely despise the Empress Dowager and QY, so good job there, lol. I can’t wait for massive face-slapping. I wanted LC to just say “Bish MOVE” but I know he couldn’t. Ugh!!
You know that sound that plays in Kill Bill when there’s an intense eye moment? That’s what played in Li Changyu’s head.
😂
Somehow smell misunderstanding here.. foreshadowing?? FOR GONG ABUSE!!??
(ﾟοﾟ人)) Sus…
Loooooooool
Absolutely obsessed – this story is phenomenal! Thank you for your hard work!
Hello new reader! I hope you keep enjoying and please feel free to ask questions or (yell) comment!