After a night of being tossed around by medicine, Qin Yuanxi woke up feeling a bit groggy and uncomfortable. But his body’s memory reminded him vividly of the intense activities from the previous day. Rubbing his slightly sore waist, Qin Yuanxi noticed that his body had been cleaned at some point, leaving him feeling fresh and tidy. He couldn’t understand how Zhao Tuo managed to do that.
His nostrils twitched as a faint aroma reached him, reminiscent of the wild bird Zhao Tuo had roasted for him before, fragrant and enticing. After a night of restless activity, Qin Yuanxi was indeed feeling a bit hungry. While massaging his empty stomach, he saw Zhao Tuo walking in, holding something wrapped in a large leaf that resembled what he’d seen on TV called ‘roasted chicken.’
Qin Yuanxi’s attention fixated on Zhao Tuo’s hands, and he found himself almost drooling. He couldn’t be blamed, though— he hadn’t eaten anything before being tied on the mountain, and then he endured a long period of captivity, followed by strenuous physical activity. When the scent of the roasted chicken wafted over, hunger took over, and he couldn’t resist.
“What did you do? It smells amazing.”
Zhao Tuo unwrapped the leaf, revealing a golden-roasted chicken, causing Qin Yuanxi’s eyes to widen in surprise. “Roasted chicken? Where did you get this?”
“I caught a wild chicken on the mountain,” Zhao Tuo said, offering the chicken to Qin Yuanxi. “Your Majesty must be hungry. Have a bite to satisfy your stomach.”
Qin Yuanxi’s hand, already reaching for the chicken, hesitated for a moment before he pulled Zhao Tuo closer, and they sat together on a wooden bed. Qin Yuanxi then pulled out a chicken leg and fed it to Zhao Tuo, saying, “Don’t call me Your Majesty.”
“Then… call you Young Master?” Zhao Tuo seemed a bit unsure, looking adorable.
Gently tugging at the chicken wing, Qin Yuanxi’s ears turned slightly red. “Do you remember what you called me last night?”
Zhao Tuo suddenly became restless, and Qin Yuanxi sensed his thoughts. Placing a hand on Zhao Tuo’s thigh, he held him down before starting to nibble on the chicken wing, saying, “Is it not okay to call me Ah Xi? I like it when you call me that.”
Seeing Zhao Tuo’s slightly embarrassed expression and the faint blush on his cheeks, Qin Yuanxi playfully bumped his knee against Zhao Tuo’s and pretended to be composed. “What’s the matter? Can’t you call me that? Or is it that you don’t like calling me that? Are you not happy being with me? Tell the truth!”
It was impossible for Zhao Tuo to say he wasn’t happy. Though Qin Yuanxi’s memories were hazy, he vividly recalled the harmony between them, especially Zhao Tuo’s enthusiasm and persistence, repeatedly indulging in him until Qin Yuanxi couldn’t endure any longer. Zhao Tuo clearly wasn’t done yet, so how could they not be happy together?
“I-I’m very happy,” Zhao Tuo’s voice lowered, and he avoided looking at Qin Yuanxi, looking rather awkward.
“Then, what’s with that expression now? What are you thinking?” Qin Yuanxi couldn’t help but feel a bit upset.
They had enjoyed themselves thoroughly last night, so why was Zhao Tuo wearing such a mournful face the next morning? Although the effects of the medicine might be lingering, fundamentally, they both willingly engaged in what happened yesterday. At least Qin Yuanxi was more than willing. With Zhao Tuo’s fierce martial skills, if he hadn’t been willing, how could Qin Yuanxi have forced him?
Before Qin Yuanxi could respond, Zhao Tuo kneeled on the ground again, saying, “This servant deserves to die for overstepping.”
“Overstepping?” Qin Yuanxi was dumbfounded, finally understanding what was bothering Zhao Tuo. So, this guy was troubled because he’d taken him last night? After all, he was an emperor, and last night, he had become Zhao Tuo’s partner in bed. No wonder Zhao Tuo appeared so uneasy.
Throwing away the chicken bones in his hand, Qin Yuanxi wiped the oil off his mouth with Zhao Tuo’s sleeve and then asked him, “Well, what if the roles were reversed? Would you still be willing to do it with me?”
Qin Yuanxi asked casually, and Zhao Tuo didn’t even think twice before blurting out, “Of course, I’m willing.”
Only after saying it did he realize what Qin Yuanxi had asked and what he had said, making his face even hotter. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but didn’t know how to put it.
But being close to His Majesty, he genuinely was willing.
“Really willing?” Qin Yuanxi’s lips curved into a playful smile as he intentionally loosened Zhao Tuo’s collar, appearing as if he was about to tease him.
Little did he know that, in order to prove his sincerity, Zhao Tuo unexpectedly took the initiative to undress himself and even offered to serve Qin Yuanxi well. This startled Qin Yuanxi, who quickly pulled him back, softly coughing, “N-no need for that now. I strained my back quite a bit last night. Next time, I promise to give you a good performance.”
“Shall I massage your back, Your Majesty?”
Seeing Zhao Tuo’s still-flushed ears, Qin Yuanxi felt even more fortunate to have found this treasure. He leaned closer and pressed his lips against the corner of Zhao Tuo’s mouth, saying, “No need for a massage, but from now on, don’t say things like ‘below me.’ When it’s just the two of us, call me Ah Xi, and I’m willing to be submissive.”
This early morning, Qin Yuanxi dared not let him massage his back; what if the massage ignited something more? He can’t guarantee that, and he still feels a little uncomfortable at the moment. It’d be truly frustrating if he wanted to indulge in something but couldn’t. So he exercised restraint.
The two of them shared a roasted chicken, and Zhao Tuo was considerate, leaving all the best parts for Qin Yuanxi. Qin Yuanxi felt embarrassed and fed Zhao Tuo while feeding himself, feeling like a young couple in the early stages of love. Bite by bite, the taste was infinitely delightful.
“When did you find this path, Zhao Tuo?”
At this moment, Qin Yuanxi was lying on Zhao Tuo’s back, hugging his neck, having Zhao Tuo carry him. The path in the mountains wasn’t easy to walk on, and Zhao Tuo was afraid he’d stumble with Qin Yuanxi, so they moved slowly.
“I hunted the chicken to find the path.”
Zhao Tuo wasn’t much of a talker. Whenever Qin Yuanxi asked a question, he’d respond, and the warm morning sunlight bathed them, creating a pleasant and cozy atmosphere.
Unfortunately, this warmth and happiness didn’t last long. Although Zhao Tuo found a path, it led to the main road leading to Wazi Fort. As of now, Wazi Fort was entirely surrounded by government troops. The fire from last night had just settled down, and the deputy general took advantage of the situation to launch a direct attack on the stronghold.
The location of the stronghold was well-chosen, but it couldn’t withstand a powerful attack from heavily armed troops. The deputy general was acting on orders from the Regent Prince, and he was already one step behind the Regent. He didn’t dare to be lax and swiftly captured the fort in one night. At this moment, they were tallying up the seized goods and searching for people.
Since the Regent Prince’s token was here, the Regent himself must be present too. The mission was accomplished, and it is necessary to report back to the Regent. However, the deputy general had searched the fort inside and out but couldn’t find the big Buddha. This made him uneasy, fearing that he might not be able to explain himself properly if the mission had some errors.
Just when he was in a state of panic, one of his subordinates reported that they found two suspicious individuals on the mountain road, not seeming like bandits. The deputy general couldn’t afford to be careless and hurried to the scene, only to find a magnificent figure— none other than the real Regent Prince.
Without hesitation, he dashed over and from afar saw a handsome young lad by the side of the Regent Prince. His heart trembled, how could His Majesty be here as well? At the same time, he secretly rejoiced that he arrived just in time. If he had been any later, his life might have been in danger.
“Your servant pays respects,” he said.
Qin Yuanxi raised his hand to interrupt him, “I’m asking you, have you wiped out all the mountain bandits on the hill?”
The deputy general immediately understood that His Majesty didn’t want to reveal his identity, so he quickly reported, “They’ve all been captured, and they will be brought to the capital for punishment in a few days.”
While speaking, he kept glancing towards the Regent Prince. Zhao Tuo, annoyed by this, furrowed his brows, “Are you the general?”
“Yes,” the local deputy general didn’t grasp the meaning behind the prince’s words and became even more respectful.
“What about the General’s token?”
“Here, the General’s token is here.” The deputy general hastily presented the Regent Prince’s military order, then he felt something was amiss but couldn’t quite figure it out. Anyway, after the Regent Prince received the military order, he didn’t say another word.
On the other hand, His Majesty asked a few more questions about the bandits, and the deputy general answered each one reluctantly, barely passing the test.
“Is this token important?”
On the way down the hill, Qin Yuanxi asked casually. Zhao Tuo was a man of few words; he had just asked about that token when he first arrived, and Qin Yuanxi guessed it must be something very important.
He merely asked one question, and Zhao Tuo suddenly took out the token and handed it to Qin Yuanxi.
“For me?” Qin Yuanxi was a little surprised, “Why are you giving me your stuff?”
“This is a military order. It can be used to mobilize troops stationed in different areas and to deploy the three armies in the capital,” Zhao Tuo firmly handed the token to Qin Yuanxi, “With the military order in hand, the world is in your hands.”
Qin Yuanxi blinked his eyes. He really didn’t expect General Zhao Tuo to be so formidable, claiming that with this military order, he held power over the entire world. Wasn’t this token too powerful then? With the military order in his hand, wouldn’t Regent Lu become a mere paper tiger?
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
