TVSS Chapter 30

As the saying goes, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Once the seed of doubt is planted, any trivial matter can become its fertilizer, nurturing the seed to sprout and grow.

Taking advantage of the status of the main character, Wei Zixuan, being close to his elder brother with no concealment, Su Jingxuan knew that the emperor’s visit the next day was a sign that the hidden moves he left behind had already taken effect.

No matter how the internal struggle between the emperor and the protagonist proceeds, he left the capital for the Yubei fiefdom in a good mood, accompanied by the old eunuch, a child, and some simple luggage. He joined Chu Heng’s entourage, maintaining a low profile.

As the current Empress, his entourage was extremely plain. Only a few eunuchs and servants followed Su Jingxuan; there was not a single guard. The emperor did not assign anyone to protect him, seemingly indifferent, allowing him to fend for himself outside.

Chu Heng was somewhat irritated by the emperor’s actions, increasingly feeling that the emperor’s eyes weren’t eyes and the nose wasn’t a nose. He secretly blamed the previous Crown Prince for being incompetent, allowing a creature like this to ascend to the throne in the bloody struggle for succession that followed.

Regardless of the young man still carrying the prestigious title of Empress when arriving at the Yubei fiefdom, local officials would certainly look down on him. Sunlight flatters and shadows undermine.

Since the emperor did not value the young man, Chu Heng would take the initiative to show care. To make the local officials along the way take Su Jingxuan seriously, Chu Heng, although eager to get close, restrained himself and treated him with courtesy, showing respect and consideration at every step. This was to make it clear to everyone that even the humble Crown Prince should not be underestimated.

The old eunuch was deeply moved and admired when he saw Chu Heng’s attitude and actions. He had initially thought that Crown Prince Gong was just acting out of male instincts to help the young master because he couldn’t match Wei Guijun’s dazzling charm, despite being the color of the bright moon.

But unexpectedly, Crown Prince Gong was so upright. He had helped them multiple times in the imperial palace, and even after coming out, he continued to treat the young master with great respect and courtesy, showing no signs of domination or ill intentions. He was truly caring for the young master.

However, Su Jingxuan couldn’t help but burst into laughter in his heart. The soul can be reincarnated, memories can disappear, but what’s engraved in the bones cannot be changed. A beast that devours people might become Li Xiaohui, but he would never believe that it could transform into a kind-hearted person.

While Chu Heng maintained a respectful demeanor towards him in public, Su Jingxuan, who noticed the intense gaze and restrained attitude, was well aware. Despite the surface display of respect, the cold and stern expression would disappear when he looked at him, leaving behind a gentle, warm look that couldn’t be ignored.

The careless soldiers from the northwest and the moved old eunuch failed to notice, but Su Jingxuan knew. The strategist who had speculated earlier was now more confident in his guess.

Although he couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at the discussions, Chu Heng’s submissive behavior had significant benefits for him. As it was an expression of his lover’s affection, there was no need for pretense on his part.

However, the soldiers from the northwest had some different opinions on this. They didn’t care about the Empress; they only knew that even the emperor had to give way to their lord. Seeing their powerful lord bowing down to a frail young man made them feel quite uncomfortable.

Military men have a special kind of pride. They only admire and respect the strong. Only a few northwest military leaders had seen Su Jingxuan’s powerful side that day in the imperial garden. The soldiers who had not entered the palace were unaware of this, so they were slightly dissatisfied.

However, with Chu Heng’s imposing presence, no one dared to say anything. After all, whatever the lord said and did was right.

Because of the Empress and the young prince added to the entourage, Chu Heng had prepared a carriage for a comfortable journey. To pass the time, the soldiers engaged in various games during breaks.

Su Jingxuan, sitting aside, watched with envy. As a man himself, he loved such activities, especially seeing the soldiers gathered around the bonfire, drinking, eating meat, engaging in combat, and wrestling. It was genuinely lively and enjoyable.

Chu Heng, sensing his longing gaze, couldn’t help but notice. Despite the Empress’s usual demeanor and manners, he had a childlike curiosity and round, roving eyes. Without the formal attire of the Empress, the young man was no different from ordinary people of the same age when he stepped out of the palace gate.

Holding back the group of soldiers immersed in games, Chu Heng left them to order specially prepared delicacies. Unable to resist, he sat next to Su Jingxuan.

“Chunyi Junhou, this prince is incompetent, making you suffer in these desolate mountains and wilderness. Endure a little longer; once we cross this mountain, we’ll divert the waterway, shorten the journey, and the large boat will be well-equipped. You won’t have to endure the hardships of roughing it any longer.”

Leaving a group of soldiers engaged in heated battles, Chu Heng ordered specially prepared exquisite food and sat next to Su Jingxuan.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your consideration. I rarely leave the palace and have never been to the northwest. Your arrangements are fine, but could Your Highness stop calling me Chunyi Junhou? We’re not in the palace, and Your Highness has taken care of me several times. ‘Empress’ feels distant. Your Highness can call me Jingxuan; it’s my courtesy name.”

As he said the last sentence, his face turned slightly red.

Although the old eunuch felt that this might not be appropriate, considering the young master’s age and personality, and since they were alone with no outsiders, he thought it was fine. After all, the young master wanted to express his intimacy with His Highness. There was no harm in it.

However, the young master having a courtesy name and calling it Jingxuan, how come he wasn’t aware of this? The old eunuch felt a bit puzzled.

Chu Heng didn’t have as many thoughts as the old eunuch. He felt a surge of hot blood rushing to his forehead, making his head dizzy. His mood was exhilarated, and his heart was pounding with joy, filled with a tremendous sense of satisfaction and happiness.

“Alright, I’ll call you Jingxuan from now on.”

He couldn’t restrain himself. His tone was light and cheerful, and he pretended to pat Su Jingxuan on the shoulder in a carefree manner. When the motion stopped, his hand didn’t retract immediately. Instead, it lingered, reluctant to leave the touch.

The attendants serving them didn’t sense anything unusual; they simply thought that Prince Gong, being a military man, had a straightforward and unreserved character, paying no attention to minor details.

However, Su Jingxuan’s face turned even redder, and he smiled with curved eyes.

Then, he pointed to the wine jug in Chu Heng’s hand and continued, “Your Highness, can I have some of this? The wine smells really fragrant.”

As he spoke, he stared at the wine jug and extended his delicate tongue to lick his lips, appearing as if he had been craving for a long time, resembling a hungry stray cat rather than the dignified Empress.

The attendants couldn’t help but cover their mouths to suppress their laughter, and the old eunuch shook his head with a smile, feeling a mix of emotion and satisfaction.

Chu Heng, tempted by this action, felt a tingling sensation in his heart. He couldn’t resist pinching Su Jingxuan’s shoulder, savoring the lingering touch.

“This is a strong liquor unique to the northwest. It’s extremely potent, suitable for the soldiers. Regular people can’t handle it. I’ll have someone bring you a different one.”

He couldn’t refuse any request from the young man, but this was an extremely strong liquor, and the young man was only sixteen. Drinking it was not advisable.

“You look down on me. I can drink this. I have a good tolerance for alcohol.”

Without waiting for him to call for another type of liquor, Su Jingxuan’s face immediately turned docile, interrupting with a pitiful plea.

Although he knew that the young man was deliberately seeking sympathy, Chu Heng, captivated by his charm, couldn’t resist. Su Jingxuan was like a child, and his every expression and action made him feel fond of him, making it impossible to refuse.

All these thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

Staring at Su Jingxuan’s expression, Chu Heng compromised without much resistance.

“Okay, just one sip. This liquor is very strong; you can only have one sip.”

“En.”

Su Jingxuan’s eyes lit up, took over the half-empty jug from Chu Heng’s hand, and without any reservation, he took a big gulp directly from the spout that Chu Heng had just drunk from. Then, he handed the jug back, grinning mischievously, without a hint of intoxication.

The old eunuch was dumbfounded, and the attendants discreetly turned their heads, suppressing their laughter.

The soldiers, who had been quietly observing the situation, couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

“Haha, good alcohol tolerance, Empress has good alcohol tolerance! Admirable!”

Some soldiers even clapped and praised. Although it was just half a jug of strong liquor, the fact that a small young man had downed it without turning red was indeed impressive.

The dissatisfaction the soldiers harbored towards the Empress, who made their lord kneel, unexpectedly dissipated because of this half jug of liquor. Laughter echoed, and the atmosphere became lively.

“Who taught you to drink like this? Aren’t you afraid of harming your body?”

Chu Heng returned to his senses, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He couldn’t figure out the emotions he felt – it was neither anger nor laughter, but a mixture of both. Finally, he could only reach out and help wipe away the moisture at the corner of Su Jingxuan’s mouth, staring at the mischievous young man with eyes full of complexity.

Su Jingxuan didn’t avoid it; he let his lover wipe it away. His gaze was as bright as sparkling stars.

He liked his lover’s dominance, as well as the unique tolerance and tenderness he showed towards him.

The scene became lively for a while, and everyone burst into laughter.

At this moment, a soldier approached the strategist, holding a carrier pigeon with a secret message. The strategist took it, opened the letter, and read it.

After a moment, the strategist’s face changed abruptly. He put down the wine cup and walked to Chu Heng.

“Your Highness, there’s urgent military information.”