When Mu Yang finally opened his eyes, he found himself face-to-face with a perplexed young man. The young man's expression was a mix of concern and uncertainty, as he held his wrist and checked his pulse. Mu Yang couldn't help but continue to gaze at the familiar face before him. Though slightly paler than before, Mu Yang knew without a doubt that this was still his beloved Cai Lung. Before Mu Yang could utter a word, the entrance door swung open abruptly, revealing the presence of the royal physician.
Dressed in a red official robe, the physician wasted no time in expressing his disdain. "Didn't I tell you to get some rest, Your Highness? Your fever is gone, there is no need for a nightly watch."
Mu Yang's brow furrowed as he reached out to touch Cai Lung's delicate hand, gently grasping his wrist. Their eyes met, and they shared a moment of unspoken understanding. Mu Yang had something to say, but before he could speak, Cai Lung cut him off.
"Well then, I won't be in your way, Physician Lu." Cai Lung declared, freeing his wrist from Mu Yang's grip and exiting the room.
By the time Mu Yang regained his senses, Cai Lung had already closed the door behind him. At the same time, Eunuch Sang entered the room, followed by Wang Mama carrying the crown prince in her arms. Mu Yang lifted his hand to his nose, catching a whiff of the lingering fragrance left behind. He turned to his blank-faced personal servant and inquire.
"What's going on?"
Eunuch Sang's duty was to carry out the emperor's orders, and this occasion was no different. He had delivered the decree to the empress, showing no mercy as he had Wang Mama take the prince from her residence. Witnessing the empress faint, Eunuch San had commanded her maids to assist her back to her inner residence for rest. Undoubtedly, trouble would arise once she woke up. However, the emperor's intentions were clear—he wanted to rid himself of the empress and secure the prince first, hence the task assigned under false pretenses.
It was the royal physician who spoke up first. "Your Majesty, you don't know that His Highness has been here multiple times." he said, inspecting the bandage wrapped around the Emperor's bare torso.
"I had to send him away countless times to prevent him from falling ill himself."
Mu Yang's frown deepened, but he had more pressing matters to attend to. "I understand, you may withdraw." he instructed. Mu Yang wanted to summon Cai back, but he had to address this matter first.
Physician Lu packed up his kit, bowed, and exited the room, closing the door behind him. Eunuch Sang stepped forward, motioning for Wang Mama to approach. They presented the sleeping baby to Mu Yang, who gazed at the pink-colored infant and ran a finger gently down its cheek, eliciting a smile.
"How did it go?" Mu Yang asked, referring to the empress's reluctance to accept the decree.
"In the end, she fainted, and we had to remove the crown prince from her residence. However, the empress has yet to awaken."
Mu Yang continued to observe the baby as he listened to the report, Eunuch Sang had prepared the edict while Mu Yang was away, and no one knew about his personal spy hidden within the palace—a man who left no trace behind and secretly relayed all the palace news to him. Mu Yang was aware of the schemes of the Left Minister and his mother's failure to abide by his orders to stay in seclusion and care for her illegitimate child. From this day forward, he vowed to cleanse the court.
"Alright, bring the child to the wet nurse, and Eunuch Sang, I would like to attend court tomorrow."
"Are you sure that is wise, Your Highness? Perhaps we should postpone until you have fully recovered." Eunuch San advised.
"No need. The sooner I address these issues, the sooner I can rest."
"Very well, Your Highness, i will call for court tomorrow." Eunuch San responded.
The two then exited the room, closing the door behind them. Mu Yang had no idea when he fell asleep, but he was awakened by cool fingers on his forehead. The room was dimly lit, and he could feel black hair cascading over his chest. He opened his eyes to find Cai Lung staring at him intently. Mu Yang reciprocated the gaze, and they locked eyes for what felt like an eternity. A blush crept onto Cai's face, and he swiftly withdrew his hand, as if it had been burned.
However, Mu Yang was quicker this time, grabbing hold of his wrist and pulling Cai Lung's lithe body closer
"Don't." Cai Lung murmured, his voice barely audible in the quiet room. "Moving like this will only reopen your wounds. Please, let me go." He struggled to regain his balance and push himself away from the man, but a hand firmly held him in place.
Did you miss me?" Mu Yang asked, his emotions evident on his face as he gazed at Cai Lung.
"What was there to miss?" Cai Lung muttered, attempting once more to break free from Mu Yang's grip.
"Did you miss me?" Mu Yang repeated, using his other hand to brush Cai Lung's hair away from his face. His fingers gently ran through the dark strands, and he lightly kissed Cai's forehead.
"Did you miss me?" he whispered into Cai's ear.
His face flushed, Cai Lung sought refuge in Mu Yang's shoulder, but his movement caused Mu Yang to grunt in pain. Cai immediately looked at his face, noticing the fine sheen of sweat on Mu Yang's forehead.
"This is why i warned you not to move. Let me go so I can check if your wounds have reopened." Cai Lung urged.
"I'm fine, just a little pain, But my little bird you still haven't answered my question. Did you miss me?"
"I was worried about you." Cai mumbled. "And yes, i suppose i did miss you a little, but don't misinterpret my words." he said stumbled over his words
"Then how should I interpret them?" Mu Yang replied.
For some reason, Cai Lung's gaze was drawn to Mu Yang's lips, which were so close in the darkness. He could feel Mu Yang's breath brushing against his cheek, and his heart began to race. He could sense Mu Yang's growing desire pressing against his hips, causing his breathing to become more erratic. Before another word could escape his lips, he felt Mu Yang's soft, yet firm, lips on his.
YOU ARE READING
宮殿 Gōngdiàn×The Palace
Romance當蔡仁遇見皇帝的時候，他永遠不會有新的東西。 The autumn leaves littered the dirt road of Fu Shang, the sun setting over the mountains as a young man said farewell to his village and mu quin. This was his destiny, for when the winter of his eighteenth year arrived, his in...
