ITOTIABSAM | The Tyrant in the Deep Palace | 74
Xie Ye had never experienced such a "fierce" kiss before.
It was intense, as if the next moment would bring about the end of the world, with an air of readiness to face death.
"Gu..." His name was called out in a broken, fragmented manner. The difference in their ages and physique meant he couldn't break free. His lips stung, and a faint taste of rust filled the air.
This seemed to trigger an instinct buried deep within him. Acting faster than conscious thought, Xie Ye momentarily lost focus, and in retaliation, he bit back.
The force he used was a bit heavy, but the man being bitten didn't get angry. Instead, he seized the opportunity, pressing forward without even looking up, precisely catching the small emperor's attempt to push him away, grasping the delicate wrist exposed by the drooping sleeve, pressing it against the screen painted with ink mountain scenery.
Xie Ye felt a bit breathless.
Born with a weak constitution and having ingested a fair amount of poison sent by the protagonist, his body was simply too frail. He could only use his other hand, which still had some freedom, to tightly grip Gu Cong's collar, following the other's rhythm, being led higher and higher, before crashing down heavily again and again.
And at this moment, the man who had caused him such distress suddenly became gentle, his empty hand circling tightly around Xie Ye's waist, supporting him. He licked the tiny wounds on his lips caused by his teeth, comforting him like a frightened little animal, adopting a remarkably obedient and considerate demeanor.
"Such a good boy."
He was cunning through and through.
As Xie Ye regained his breath, he felt like he had turned into a puddle, and if it weren't for Gu Cong supporting him, he might have melted down the screen.
The slight lack of oxygen made his limbs weak, his slightly swollen lips glistening with moisture, bright red and dripping like the most delicate flower petals in spring, dew-kissed. His chest heaved rapidly, and the young emperor glared fiercely at the other, but ultimately only managed to squeeze out, "Insolence."
Not biting? What nonsense.
Unfortunately, he didn't have much intimidation power in his current state.
With a hint of redness around his eyes as if he had cried, and his voice hoarse, Gu Cong remained silent, leaning closer only to kiss the lips of the young emperor again, unable to resist.
He felt like he was on the verge of dying.
But what surged in his heart wasn't fear, but waves of light, floating pleasure, and a restless desire for more satisfaction.
Just beyond the wall ahead was the Hall of Government where the officials gathered, and yet here he was, in such an intimate moment with the young emperor in such a solemn place.
Reluctantly, he finally rubbed the young emperor's wrist, ensuring that he could stand on his own, then Gu Cong, who knelt down after a long absence, bowed his head, awaiting his ultimate punishment.
Xie Ye's anger surged up like a blaze: "Who allowed you to kneel!"
Gu Cong looked up in surprise.
He never expected that the young emperor's greatest concern would be this.
At such a critical moment where he could lose his head, he remained obedient, standing up straight, hoping the other wouldn't frown.
The palace attendants waiting outside had already faintly heard the commotion, but none dared to speak up. In the few seconds of waiting for judgment, countless thoughts flashed through Gu Cong's mind. Ultimately, they condensed into one plea: "Your Majesty."
"I implore Your Majesty not to drive me away."
"I would rather die."
— The young emperor was actually a very gentle person. Considering the care he had received from Gu Cong in the past, perhaps he would spare his life, like initially, sending him back to the summer palace and cutting off all ties.
However, the current Gu Cong had a completely different mindset from when he first entered the palace. Back then, he might have just wanted to stay, but now, he would not leave.
Not even in death.
The dark lashes of Xie Ye drooped, obscuring his expression. The young emperor's shoulders trembled slightly, perhaps with anger. Only Xie Ye himself knew that beneath his calm exterior, his eyes were laughing, silently, joyfully, excitedly, almost maniacally laughing.
He had obtained what he desired most.
And more.
Though he was clearly the prey being lured step by step into a trap by the hunter, he remained unaware. In what should have been his most innocent identity, he agonized in repentance, praying to be forever bound by the hunter, unable to break free day or night.
Too wicked.
Xie Ye thought.
Relying on the pitiful background of the young emperor, relying on his own foresight as a transmigrator, he spoke of granting the other freedom while secretly plotting how to make them accept a villain tainted with blood.
Truly wicked.
He felt not a shred of guilt, but instead mildly complained, almost petulantly, that the other had taken too long to understand.
"Why would I kill you," finally managing to squeeze out a sentence from his throat, Xie Ye lifted his head, calm as ever. "As for driving you away..."
Deliberately dragging out his tone, Xie Ye suddenly changed the subject, raising an eyebrow. "You've had your fun, now you want to run? Where in the world does such good fortune exist?"
Thud.
As if emerging from darkness into light, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. With a faint realization of the underlying meaning, Gu Cun was momentarily stunned by this unexpected stroke of luck. Without engaging his brain, he blurted out, "Not enough."
Just one kiss couldn't possibly be enough.
As expected, he received a kick from the young emperor.
But it didn't hurt, as if being teased by an annoyed cat, he could only show a toothless grin.
Fifteen minutes later, palace servants who discreetly observed Gu Cun accompanying Xie Ye out of the inner chamber were left wide-eyed and amazed. Though they only vaguely heard a few words, a mere palace eunuch, with no status to speak of, dared to question the emperor about taking a concubine and wasn't punished. Gu Cun was truly a reincarnation of a male fox spirit.
Look at that wrinkled collar, look at that shifted screen, thinking that such small adjustments could deceive the eyes and pass unnoticed in broad daylight, where is the decorum? Where is the propriety?
Of course, these thoughts could only be kept to oneself. Even if Gu Cun's sudden rise to power aroused envy and resentment, one had to admit that his presence did make their days in the palace a bit more bearable.
And who can predict how long the emperor's favor will last? Look at Pei Yi, who once enjoyed the emperor's favor so deeply, and now? He is just waiting to grow old in the palace.
Cough, cough.
Returning to Mingguang Hall in the rain, Pei Yi has been running a high fever for several days.
With a body as sturdy as an ironclad, he shouldn't be so fragile, but upon hearing that the Prince of An's residence sought a marriage alliance with the Xue family, he went from feigning illness to actually falling ill.
Of course, he had thought about this day coming.
But he never expected it to come so soon.
In a sort of self-inflicted torture, Pei Yi quietly gathered information related to the Prince of An's residence and the Xue family using the knowledge he had acquired. Thus, he learned that it was the master himself who went to propose the marriage, and the betrothal gifts went around several blocks, arousing envy from countless ladies in the city.
The Xue family's daughter was also extremely happy, her lifelong dream coming true, as if they were a pair of perfectly matched individuals.
"Master? Master, why are you coughing again?" Just as she returned with medicine, Xia He heard a few stifled coughs and hastily set down the tray, pouring a glass of water for him.
But Pei Yi's concern wasn't about his health.
Leaning against the pillow, he cooperatively drank the water, moistening his throat, and then casually asked, "I heard that His Majesty attended the morning court today?"
If the tyrant attended court, the master would definitely bring up the marriage.
"Yes," thinking that the master wanted another opportunity to regain favor, Xia He hesitated before continuing, "Today, the Prince of An mentioned the marriage with Miss Xue. His Majesty, for some reason, insisted on meddling, snatching Miss Xue into the palace and even said he would grant her the position of Noble Consort."
"It's well known that Commander Xue dotes on his daughter, so even if Miss Xue and the Prince of An were deeply in love, they would ultimately have to bow their heads, admit defeat, and cancel the marriage under pressure from His Majesty."
The term "snatch" was used quite blasphemously, and Xia He wouldn't dare to be so blunt if there were others around.
Muttering to himself, Pei Yi repeated, "Cancel the marriage?"
Xia He nodded. "Yes, indeed." Miss Xue is probably going to cry her heart out tonight.
Pei Yi asked, "And how did the Prince of An react?"
Xia He replied, "He probably wasn't willing either, but with His Majesty exerting pressure and Commander Xue publicly canceling the engagement, the Prince of An, despite his affection for Miss Xue, ultimately has to consider the dignity of the royal family."
Pei Yi breathed a sigh of relief.
And he felt ridiculous for being so tense.
Being sick not only made his body weak but also seemed to shake his resolve. He had been ill for many days, and the "joke" of him fainting from jealousy in front of the Mingguang Hall had already spread throughout the palace, yet he hadn't received any new instructions from the household—whether to give up, continue, or take on new tasks. It was as if he had been completely forgotten in the depths of the palace.
The master would eventually marry.
Even if he became a shadow behind the other after his studies, experiencing numerous ambiguous affectionate gestures, when it came down to it, he was probably no different from other covert guards.
He shouldn't have any grievances, nor could he afford to have any. But the news of Prince An's request for marriage the next day finally shattered Pei Yi's composure.
Even Xie Ye hadn't anticipated that the protagonist attacker in this world could be so flexible.
However, it seemed that the other party was just going through the motions, completing the previously over-the-line proposal to enhance his image as a passionate lover. He kneeled for half an hour and then wanted to leave hastily.
Xie Ye seized the rare opportunity to openly make things difficult for the protagonist, making sure that Xi Jinyu didn't have an easy time. He gained some reputation effortlessly, enough to keep someone kneeling all day until the palace gates were closed.
Coincidentally, this inadvertently struck a nerve with Pei Yi, prompting him to imagine a scenario where Xi Jinyu truly loved Miss Xue.
There were no outsiders in the bedroom. Xie Ye leaned against the soft bed, while Guo Cong sat beside him, reading medical books and fanning the little emperor.
Seeing the corners of the other's eyes curling up, although he didn't know why the little emperor suddenly looked happier, he instinctively leaned forward and kissed the other's lips.
There was a tiny scar on those lips, healed from being bitten by himself. Every time, Guo Cong would place his kiss on it, as if it could heal faster that way.
Before the little emperor could get angry, he withdrew and sincerely said, "Your Majesty looked really good just now."
... How should he write the phrase "taking advantage" again? Xie Ye found himself passively reviewing it once more.
He hadn't expected that Guo Cong, once freed from restraint, would become even clingier than in the previous two worlds. His mouth seemed to be coated with honey, spouting sweet words at the drop of a hat, yet speaking with utmost sincerity.
Feeling a slight warmth in his ears, Xie Ye unconsciously licked the scab on his lips following the other's gaze. Previously, he had been almost rendered speechless by the kisses, prompting a slightly irritated response from Guo Cong: "Not biting? Hmm?"
"It's my fault." Quickly admitting his wrongdoing without any argument, Guo Cong leaned forward earnestly:
"I humbly request Your Majesty to bite me a bit more."
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