SEHE Chapter 37

The Carriage 

“Your Highness, Dugong Daren, this humble one merely…”

“So this is how people from the Crown Prince’s mansion conduct themselves,” Tang Xizhui said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “When masters are conversing, servants still dare to interrupt.”

Pei Yanci stood behind Crown Prince Gu Jiuqing, shooting a dark glare in Tang Xizhui’s direction.

Really making him accompany someone for an entire night—what could this person do? Could he even function down there?

Tang Xizhui caught the mockery and disdain conveyed by his gaze. Behind his mask, his eyes narrowed slightly, the corners lifting with pleasure, like a black cat leisurely stretching its limbs, preparing to toy with prey about to reach its mouth.

“Your Highness?” Pei Yanci called out softly to Gu Jiuqing, as if aggrieved, asking why he would hand him over to someone else.

“He is the chief steward of this prince’s mansion, and this prince permits him to speak.” Tang Xizhui’s words stirred faint displeasure in Gu Jiuqing’s heart, and without thinking, he protectively said, “Yanci has important matters to attend to today…”

“Your Highness is indecisive and lax in governing subordinates. His Majesty’s concerns were indeed correct.” Tang Xizhui directly interrupted his words.

Gu Jiuqing’s mouth went dry.

“It’s getting late, and this lord is also tired. Let’s leave it at that for today. I’ve long grown weary of these Eastern Palace officials’ hackneyed arguments.”

With that, Tang Xizhui rose. The Crown Prince and all the officials in the hall stood up, respectfully seeing him off.

Tang Xizhui walked a few steps, then glanced from the corner of his eye to see someone still not moving, and cleared his throat.

Pei Yanci didn’t notice, still thinking about how to influence Gu Jiuqing later.

Suddenly his wrist tightened, and he was pulled forward, stumbling a step and nearly colliding into that golden, fragrant embrace.

Looking up, he saw Tang Xizhui’s two dark eyes staring at him ominously.

“Your Highness, this person—this lord will return him to you tomorrow morning.”

The corner of his mouth curved into a dangerous, chilling smile as he pulled the man outside.

Gu Jiuqing said nothing, only stared at the two with bright eyes, as if trying to see through something, while his hand gripping the armrest slowly tightened.

The two were escorted to the door by a group of guards and beautiful attendants. Huo Cun skillfully knelt on the ground, lowering his head.

Tang Xizhui stepped on his back to mount the carriage.

Pei Yanci glanced at Huo Cun, but still went around to the other side, kicked off the ground, and nimbly leaped onto the carriage. Lifting the curtain embroidered with gold thread, he smelled a strong fragrance.

Tang Xizhui’s customary incense drifted in wisps from a copper-inlaid yellow glazed censer. The censer’s three legs were three copper-bodied candle-bearing dragons, and the body was shaped like a heavy lotus escaping from hellfire.

The incense burner sat on a golden nanmu wood square low table. The floor was covered with a woolen flowered felt carpet of light blue base color, woven with complex precious grasses and purple, brown, and green clustered flowers. Scattered around were deep red blessing-patterned brown-edged cushioned pillows. Tang Xizhui was reclining against a golden nanmu wood armrest, the hem of his golden robes spread carelessly around his feet, propping his head up to look at him.

“What are you standing there for? Come serve me quickly.” His voice carried a teasing tone.

Pei Yanci removed his shoes. The soft felt gave a cloud-like sensation through his foot coverings.

He didn’t obediently sit beside him as instructed, but instead sat cross-legged to the side, his back against the carriage wall and cushions.

“The show’s been put on well enough. Stop making trouble.”

Today was the first formal visit of the Eastern Palace officials to pay respects to Gu Jiuqing, and they witnessed this Crown Prince being led around by Tang Xizhui’s words throughout, even offering up his close associates. This showed his nature was extremely cold and callous.

Even if those people had previously heard of or privately seen and praised Gu Jiuqing’s reputation for benevolent virtue, Tang Xizhui’s words today easily destroyed the carefully cultivated rumors.

Between him and Tang Xizhui, wise people should know which side to choose.

Gu Jiuqing had lost completely this time.

“Who says this lord is putting on a show?” Tang Xizhui straightened up. Seeing Pei Yanci look over without reacting in time, he grabbed and pulled the man beneath him.

Pei Yanci let out a soft cry and was about to roll aside to sit up again when a hand suddenly pressed down beside his cheek, stopping his movement.

The body suspended above was like thick golden ink that would suffocate him, trapping him in this narrow, confined space. This made anger rise on his face. “Let go.”

“Last time you agreed to dine with this lord.”

“When? I don’t recall.”

“You’re going back on your word.” Tang Xizhui’s eyes grew darker, reflecting no light.

“You’re turning black into white.” Pei Yanci sneered coldly, his sharp gaze unyielding.

“Oh?” That devastatingly beautiful face instantly drew near.

Nose tips touching, Pei Yanci’s eardrums throbbed, and he could even clearly hear his own breathing stop for a moment before becoming irregular and trembling.

“Then now, this lord invites you to dine with me. Will you?”

His voice was deliberately lowered and deepened, indescribably tender and gentle. His light, warm orchid breath seemed to hook souls as it slipped between Pei Yanci’s slightly parted lips.

As Tang Xizhui spoke, he felt his own lips seemed to touch the other’s, yet perhaps not—everything seemed like his own wishful thinking.

The sensation wasn’t clear, cool as silk, yet burning enough to disturb and annoy.

Just like this face pressed too close.

He felt his lips were a bit dry, and a bit itchy.

His dark lashes trembled slightly, eyes lowering to hide his thoughts. His chin lifted gently, and his lips easily touched those two soft petals.

Tang Xizhui froze.

Taking advantage of this moment of shock, Pei Yanci exerted slight force, pushed away the hand braced beside him, and took the opportunity to sit up.

Tang Xizhui came to his senses and smiled with amusement. “You really stop at nothing to achieve your goals.”

“Dugong Daren flatters me.”

“If you’re willing to sacrifice your own body, the benefits would be even greater.” He hinted suggestively.

“If it’s worth it, what’s wrong with that?” Pei Yanci was indifferent about this.

This statement successfully touched this Dugong Daren’s sore spot, and his expression instantly darkened.

“You’re debasing and cheapening yourself.”

“A lowly body naturally debases and cheapens itself.”

Tang Xizhui frowned at him. Seeing he didn’t seem to be lying, he lost interest for the moment. “Get out.”

Pei Yanci calmly performed a bow and unhesitatingly picked up his shoes.

“Do you think this lord would be fooled a second time?”

Pei Yanci cursed inwardly, realizing trouble. His hand on the carriage edge was about to jump when his waist tightened, and his whole body was pulled back, falling again onto the flowered felt.

“Mmm…” His lips finally were forced to taste Tang Xizhui’s flavor.

Just a moment of distraction, and a heavy body pressed down, squeezing his chest and easily restraining his limbs.

Pei Yanci’s hands were grasped and imprisoned behind him by one palm. His body struggled left and right, trying to curl and twist to escape this predicament, to escape Tang Xizhui’s lips.

“Mmm…”

Pei Yanci’s held breath was exhausted. In the moment he secretly caught his breath, a soft tongue took advantage of his unpreparedness and directly pried open his teeth.

He struggled even more violently, turning his head to dodge. A hand clamped his chin, pinning him dead against the felt carpet, unable to move.

His scalp tingled, and he could only be forced to tilt his head back, neck taut, passively accepting.

Two crystalline tears slid from the corners of his eyes, disappearing into his disheveled temples.

Tang Xizhui was domineering and fierce, determined to crush all his dissatisfaction and resistance. His rough tongue surface scraped across gums, licked the palate, rampaged across the inner walls of his mouth. The tip of his tongue circled and teased Pei Yanci’s tongue, depriving him of breath, possessing everything inside and out.

Pei Yanci felt dizzy and disoriented. This sensation was foreign to him—so foreign it made his hands and feet cold and stiff.

Yet his whole body burned and went soft, as if his flesh was being corroded and bones split, all his blood urgently seeking an outlet to release this heat.

His throat made unclear whimpers, seeming like rare yielding pleas, yet also like unwillingness, wanting to reclaim control of his body.

He began trying to fight back, his tongue tip clumsily hooking in temptation, then biting down hard.

Tang Xizhui frowned.

Fresh blood flowed from between their lips, trickling down their chins.

The metallic taste spread across taste buds. Pei Yanci cursed silently that this was bad.

Indeed, he saw a flash of purple light in Tang Xizhui’s deep, enchanting eyes. The assault in his mouth became fiercer, the force restraining his body seeming to want to crush and absorb him into the other’s body.

Really bringing this on himself.

He cried out in pain, but the sound was immediately completely blocked by the other’s lips, not reaching either of their ears.

No good.

“Tang Xi, Tang Xi…” Pei Yanci struggled to separate their distance, calling his name unclearly.

The gentle murmur was like an ancient summons. Tang Xizhui regained some consciousness, lifted his head, and stared at him with dark eyes.

At this moment, he had no human emotion, like a wild beast that only wanted to mate.

“You’re hurting me.” Pei Yanci spoke in a rare soft tone.

Not being soft wasn’t an option. At this moment, he was weak all over yet burning fiercely, able only to lie in the flowered felt and his embrace, gasping.

Tang Xizhui’s breathing had been calm throughout, but his expression was more inscrutable than usual.

Fresh blood still trickled from the corner of his mouth, like rose petals scattered on barren snow, adding a trace of wildness and dangerous decadence to that gorgeous, magnificent face.

Pei Yanci felt the force binding his limbs and body dissipating. He had no strength to rise now, so he simply lay there.

Tang Xizhui suddenly leaned down.

He startled, but only felt the rough tongue surface slide from his collarbone to his chin, then to the corner of his mouth.

Tang Xizhui licked away the blood and saliva from his body, kissed away the staining filth, swallowing even the last trace of blood, leaving only a crystalline sheen.

He chuckled softly, lying on his side next to Pei Yanci, his arm lightly embracing him.

Neither spoke again.

After evening out his breathing, Pei Yanci quietly pulled his sleeve up a bit. Sure enough, his wrist now bore a circle of red marks, particularly conspicuous against his pale skin.

How could this person have such strength in his hands?

He calculated in his mind for a moment, then pulled his sleeve back down, covering the wound.

He would never easily expose his wounds, or his weaknesses, to others.

Unless they had value to be exploited.