HMAM CH 70 Charming Hearts
Yang Ziran rode back to the mountain villa on horseback with his subordinates at a hurried pace to report. Meanwhile, in the moonlit cave, little Lord Feng, holding his beloved in his arms, thought to himself that even if he were to be taken to the execution ground and lose his head, it would still be worth it at this moment.
Jing Ye felt that his bones and flesh were cold, but his mouth, nose, and skin were hot. His mind was in a haze as if he were caught between fire and ice, while he tightened his embrace around the waist of the person next to him, mumbling nonsensical words.
Feng Ling stared at his long eyelashes and pale lips, carefully leaning in closer.
He gently made contact.
Mo Qi and Mo Wu stood not far outside the cave; as martial artists, their senses were sharp, and it didn't take long for them to figure out what was happening inside.
Mo Qi, with his face covered, couldn’t help but feel a flush reach his ears.
Mo Wu shot him a glance with an unreadable expression.
About an hour later, they heard the rustling of treetops. A figure approached under the moonlight, wielding a folding fan like a weapon, dressed in black with a layer of light gauze over it. His movements were akin to a gliding dragon, followed closely by two others who were also skilled warriors.
Mo Wu bowed and said, “Lu Gongzi.”
Lu Baizang gave a brief reply, his previously charming demeanor now somewhat stern as he strode directly into the cave.
As soon as he entered, he saw Jing Ye lying in Feng Ling’s arms, his hair disheveled, draping over his face, making it hard to tell if he was merely asleep or awake.
Feng Ling was also struggling to maintain his position, knowing that the poison in Jing Ye’s body had been siphoned out. He did not prevent Lu Baizang from taking Jing Ye from him.
Lu Baizang lightly pushed Jing Ye’s hair aside and took his wrist to check his pulse. His eyes unconsciously caught a glimpse of a faint kiss mark peeking out from beneath his heavy collar.
Experienced in the realm of such things, Lu Baizang immediately understood what had transpired. Looking over at Feng Ling, he coldly smirked, “Little Lord Feng, you’ve done well in shielding His Majesty; I should formally report this to His Majesty.”
Though Feng Ling was in pain from the poison, he still sat upright on the grass mat. As a scholar with no physical strength, he did not feel intimidated by Lu Baizang's presence and remained unwavering.
“In His Majesty’s time of peril, his loved ones are nowhere to be found. If subjects do not exert their utmost efforts, how can they protect His Majesty?”
Lu Baizang gritted his teeth in anger, leaning down to whisper into Jing Ye’s ear, “Han Fang? Han Fang?”
Jing Ye forced his eyes open slightly to glance at him before closing them again, muttering, “I’m very tired.”
“It’s nothing to worry about. I’ll take you back,” Lu Baizang said, lifting Jing Ye onto his back and slowly walking out of the cave.
His two subordinates closely guarded the path in front of them, while Feng Ling strained to keep up, following them out.
Lu Baizang safeguarded Jing Ye back to the villa where Lin Xiaosheng and Gu Hong awaited in the sleeping chambers. Originally, Gesha insisted on waiting, but Gu Hong advised him to return.
By the next morning, Jing Ye finally awoke, the poison having been resolved. He quickly regained his strength after eating something and ordered a return to the capital.
The case was swiftly solved; the remaining forces of the rebels had left behind their last thread in the palace, hoping for a last desperate attack that ultimately did not succeed.
Feng Ling returned to the palace, resuming his role as the poised and dignified scholar; he requested permission to stay in the library. When he grew weary from reading, he would rise to walk under the eaves and gaze at the shimmering distant palace with its azure roof tiles.
Two days later, news of a great victory came from Wuhuan. Jing Ye felt jubilant once more, casting aside his romantic entanglements as he personally received the emissary.
After the morning court session, in good spirits, Jing Ye thought that even if he couldn’t meet the Wuhuan King, he could still offer comfort to his younger brother, so he instructed Ye Mao, “Let’s have lunch with Consort Xiang. Zhen will personally deliver the good news to him.”
Ye Mao bowed in acknowledgment. Before reaching Fengyang Palace, Jing Ye recalled something and stated, “Zhen remembered that a certain vessel state sent a pipa as tribute, with an exquisite tone. Unfortunately, the palace musicians lack the skill to play it well, leaving it untouched. Do go fetch it for zhen and present it to Consort Xiang.”
Ye Mao agreed and took his young apprentice to retrieve it.
Just as they secured the pipa and were headed back, they spotted a person dressed in the clothes of a palace eunuch coming around the corner of the palace wall. The individual was quite tall and kept their head down, making it impossible to see their face. Ye Mao couldn’t help but feel a suspicion arise and called out, “Hold on! Which palace do you serve?”
The person paused for a moment, then slowly turned around while keeping their head lowered. Ye Mao instructed his apprentice to wait in place while he approached and asked, “Which palace are you from, and what is your name?”
As he got closer, Ye Mao realized this person was tall, towering over him, and carried themselves with an air of arrogance, unlike ordinary eunuchs.
Just as Ye Mao was about to say, “Lift your head,” the person lifted their head first, arching an eyebrow with a mock smile, “Ye Gonggong is quite imposing.”
Once Ye Mao recognized the features, he was so startled that his legs gave way, “Y-You...”
The person advanced a step, grabbing Ye Mao by the collar as if he were a chick, saying, “Lead the way; I want to see your emperor.”
At that moment, Jing Ye had just stepped into Fengyang Palace where Gesha was cleaning his hunting bow and arrows brought back from yesterday's outing. Upon hearing the summons from the attendants, he handed the bow to a maid and said, “Take care of that.”
He turned around just as Jing Ye entered. When he prepared to pay his respects, Jing Ye waved him off and said, “No need.”
A maid brought over a teacup. Gesha looked at Jing Ye, resting his hand on the small table beside him, saying, “Your Majesty seems quite happy.”
Jing Ye smiled, “Your brother has won a great victory; zhen came to tell you.”
Gesha’s eyes brightened, and he smiled, playfully asking, “Will Your Majesty reward this subject?”
Jing Ye took a sip of tea, finding it amusing, and looked up at him with a smile, “What kind of reward do you want?”
Suddenly, Gesha bent down, catching Jing Ye off guard as he pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips. His youthful eyes sparkled as he said, “Can Your Majesty sleep with me tonight?”
Before Jing Ye could regain his composure, someone dashed in, and a shadow swept past, delivering a blow that knocked Gesha to the ground, causing blood to seep from the corner of his lips.
Jing Ye stared at the sight of Gesha bleeding and the figure wearing eunuch clothing, which he found strangely familiar. His heart felt tired, wondering why he couldn't enjoy a few peaceful days.
With haste, Ye Mao rushed in, and upon seeing the situation unfold, his legs became even weaker. “This-this-this servant is incapable of protecting Your Majesty...”
Jing Ye couldn't afford to pay him any mind; he stood up, furrowing his brows, and addressed the intruder sternly. “Young City Lord Le, you have entered zhen's palace uninvited and harmed a consort. What is the meaning of this?”
Le Zhenghuan, hearing the reprimand, appeared unbothered. Instead, he lunged forward and embraced Jing Ye, burying his head in his shoulder. “I don’t like others touching you. This person is repulsive and deserves to be hit.”
Gesha sat up from the floor, lightly touching the bleeding corner of his lips, his eyes downcast and silent.
Jing Ye pushed Le Zhenghuan away and helped him up, keeping him behind him protectively. “He is zhen's consort and thus under zhen's protection. If the young city lord Le wishes to visit the palace, sending an invitation or passing a message would suffice. Sneaking in disguised as a eunuch and openly harming others makes it difficult for zhen to maintain hospitality.”
Le Zhenghuan glanced at Gesha behind Jing Ye, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, completely wasting his fine appearance, and pouted, “Since you wouldn’t return to Pingyue City with me, I had no choice but to come here to be with you.”
His words dripped with a sense of grievance. If only he were strong enough to defeat Lu Baizang, he likely would have taken Jing Ye away by now.
Jing Ye knew this young devil was used to being willful and unrestrained, easily yielding to soft approaches but resistant to force. He sighed and spoke gently, trying to reason, “Since you are here in my territory, you should follow my arrangements. Otherwise, getting angry and throwing tables isn’t the way to be together peacefully.”
Le Zhenghuan looked at him, pursing his lips. “If you’re not always with others, I wouldn’t be hurting anyone.”
“…” Jing Ye was exasperated. He instructed Ye Mao to summon the imperial physician and said to Le Zhenghuan, “This certainly wasn’t expected. You’ve vented your rage; alright, let’s move this conversation to my place. We’ll talk after lunch.”
As there would be no dining happening in Fengyang Palace, Jing Ye took Le Zhenghuan with him, followed by a large group of people, leaving the palace feeling somewhat empty.
Gesha leaned against the window on the soft couch, while a maid carefully wiped the blood from his lips, saying, “Your Highness has suffered, running into that little devil.”
Gesha slightly turned his face to allow her to clean him. The sunlight outside illuminated his youthful face, his handsome features still carrying a hint of softness, but his eyes were deep and somber.
“Do you know him?”
The maid hesitated, then softly replied, “A few years ago, I accompanied an elder from our tribe to Pingyue City to meet the old city lord. It was the city lord’s birthday, and besides us Wuhuan, there were other tribes’ emissaries present, including the famous warrior known as ‘Chishan’.”
“During the banquet, Chishan acted inappropriately towards the maids of the city lord’s manor. Normally, he would only be reprimanded for such behavior, but unexpectedly, this young city lord challenged Chishan to a duel and defeated him, severing both his hands on the combat stage.”
The maid’s voice trembled as she recalled that day, her body shaking slightly. “Without his hands, it was as if the eagle had lost its wings. Before we even returned to the tribe, he committed suicide in his room.”
Gesha’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.
After a moment, a young eunuch entered and announced, “Your Highness, Ye Gonggong has brought the physician, along with the imperial kitchen staff. They have brought several bowls of congee and side dishes for you to recuperate with, saying it was His Majesty's orders. And that Your Highness should rest carefully and His Majesty will come check on Your Highness tomorrow.”
Gesha nodded, “I understand.”
Once the young eunuch had exited, the maid sighed and remarked, “The monarch of the Central Plains knows how to charm people's hearts so effortlessly that it's hard for Your Highness not to feel indebted."
As the congee was served to him, Gesha took a sip, finding it neither too salty nor too mild, neither warm nor cold.
If this was indeed a means of charming hearts, it was no wonder that people grew infatuated.