The Emperor despised Rong Mu's lantern as too ugly and refused to place it in the Gilded Hanging Lantern Tower no matter what. Rong Mu had always been broad-minded in this regard, as long as he could coax the Emperor into being less mad, he could accept anything.
The two walked in strange silence through the palace corridor, several guards following far behind.
A gust of cool wind hit, and Rong Mu couldn't help coughing twice. His throat still hurt faintly. He carried the lantern of atonement he had made for the Emperor, their two names connected and swaying crookedly.
Just when Rong Mu thought this journey would pass without incident, Shang Cizhou suddenly spoke from beside him: "If you do not like others calling you Attendant, I can have them all call you Young Master."
Rong Mu turned in surprise, not knowing what act the Emperor was performing. The other's eyes darkly fell on his neck: "I have already sent guards to summon the imperial physician. When we return to the Ziyuan Hall shortly, he will examine you first. Do not leave any flaws or scars."
Rong Mu suddenly understood, his lips moving: "Yes, yes, yes. Your Majesty, rest assured. This servant will remain beautifully pretty to withstand the marriage pressure for Your Majesty."
Shang Cizhou was silent for a moment. "It is not only that."
Rong Mu tilted his head.
Not only that? Then what? Could this tyrant actually be concerned about him...
Good! This favorability boost was working! All his hard sacrifice had not been in vain, finally producing positive results!
Rong Mu felt extremely pleased. In a moment of excitement, he coughed a few more times, pulling at the wound on his back and twisting uncomfortably.
His fragile little flower stem...
Rong Mu thought they would turn back this way, but unexpectedly, in the next moment his entire person was lifted into the air.
After the Emperor's guidance the first time, the second time he carried him with great proficiency.
Rong Mu made an "ah" sound, his mouth not yet closed in time to catch a mouthful of cold wind.
Shang Cizhou lightly tapped his toes, leaving the guards behind as he silently passed over palace wall after palace wall, then several towers. Cold wind blew past his face, and before long, the garden of the Ziyuan Hall entered view.
Rong Mu: "..."
Rong Mu was dumbfounded.
"You know martial arts!" he exclaimed.
Shang Cizhou's tone was unclear: "I have fought wars, been on battlefields. I have always been the one to face enemy leaders directly."
Rong Mu was excited: "Ah, I've heard of this! Ming Chun told me you beat Western Yue so badly they couldn't find their heads, and Lang Xi said you once faced Southern Dai in battle and won a pot of flowers from the Southern Dai king!"
Shang Cizhou stopped on a tower corner: "A pot of flowers?"
Rong Mu nodded: "Mm-hmm! It's fine, Your Majesty, flowers are so pretty. Let's not be in a bad mood just because you only got a pot of flowers..."
Shang Cizhou interrupted him: "Lang Xi is good at telling stories. Do not believe everything he says."
Rong Mu choked: "Ah? He lied to me?"
Shang Cizhou: "He did not lie. I did indeed win something from Southern Dai, but it was not only a flower. There was also a person."
A person?
Was it finally coming! The white moonlight that the tyrant remained faithful to, could it be,
"But years have passed. The flower has long become mud, and I and that person have long since fallen apart. Now I have forgotten his appearance," Shang Cizhou said with strange calmness, as if speaking of merely an unremarkable stone by the roadside. "Compared to him, I find your face easier to remember."
Rong Mu's spiraling emotions were forced to cool, like shipping a CP halfway when the main character tells you they already broke up long ago.
"I see... Then you never looked for him after?" Rong Mu asked, unwilling to give up.
Perhaps this was the central knot of the tyrant's condition!
If he could resolve this matter for the tyrant, wouldn't a beautiful tomorrow be within reach,
Shang Cizhou lowered his eyes to look at him, tilting his head slightly. Night wind lifted his hair tips, tangling with Rong Mu's.
"It seems I did look for him."
Rong Mu: "..."
It seems? Must his memory be this bad?
Shang Cizhou, however, seemed not to often recall this matter. Looking at Rong Mu's face for a long while, he said: "I remember now. I did look. I even went to Huguo Temple to find Min Kong and had him help me search."
Rong Mu nodded repeatedly: "And then?"
Shang Cizhou said: "Min Kong has always been mystical and muddled. He said he couldn't find him either and advised me to give up. So I gave up."
Just that?
Just that, just that?
You give up too easily!
"Could it be that monk chanted some bewildering sutra for you!" Rong Mu said angrily. "This is too irresponsible! You were the Crown Prince, the heir apparent at the time! How dare he fool you?"
Shang Cizhou laughed self-mockingly, carrying Rong Mu as he lightly descended into the Ziyuan Hall.
"What Crown Prince was I? The previous Emperor did not like me. My foster mother, Lady Qi, was kind-faced but ruthless-hearted, only loving that imperial brother of mine whom I already slaughtered. It was good that person left then. I could not even protect myself, I would have dragged him down sooner or later."
Rong Mu sighed long, reaching out to smooth the tyrant's spine: "Who knows with fate. As long as a true heart remains, one day you will meet him again."
Shang Cizhou laughed with unclear meaning, not knowing whether he was laughing at Rong Mu's naivety or at himself for having any true heart remaining.
He merely lived day after day so casually.
The two suddenly appeared, catching the attendants of the Ziyuan Hall off guard. An imperial physician in his forties waited in the side hall, apparently having waited for quite some time.
As soon as Shang Cizhou placed Rong Mu on the soft couch, the physician hurried over to pay respects.
"Is Your Majesty unwell?"
Shang Cizhou sat to the side, extending two fingers to lift Rong Mu's chin. "I am fine. Come examine him."
The physician had several wrinkles on his face, not showing his age much, but appearing quite experienced. Rong Mu quietly raised his heart, afraid this physician would see that he was not human.
Under the bright lights of the hall, Rong Mu's chin slightly raised. Lang Xi and Ming Chun stood guard nearby, watching as several red finger marks appeared on that previously fair neck.
This little girl Ming Chun's tears came at will. Even Lang Xi silently sighed, secretly glancing at his master.
Rong Mu: "..."
His voice hoarse and dry: "No, don't misunderstand..."
Shang Cizhou frowned: "Do not speak."
The physician's hand trembled. After looking carefully twice more, he finally relaxed: "Your Majesty, rest assured. The attendant has no serious harm. It is only that his frame has not yet fully grown, making his flesh appear more delicate. Some medicinal ointment will suffice. In the future... in the future, please be careful in your conduct, and never use great force."
Shang Cizhou nodded with great seriousness: "I understand."
Rong Mu could only twist his pretty face in performance: "Many thanks, Imperial Physician."
I can't clear my name!
I can't even clear my name if I jump into the Yellow River now!
He hurriedly slapped away the Emperor's hand, but Shang Cizhou did not let him escape, reaching out to twist him back. He said to the physician: "His back, there should also be a bruise from impact."
The old physician's face reddened: "May this humble subject ask Your Majesty, what object caused the impact?"
Shang Cizhou maintained a calm appearance: "A table corner. It was my carelessness, the force was somewhat heavy."
The physician coughed once: "Then the attendant must remove his clothes before this humble subject can examine him."
Ming Chun immediately stepped forward but was grabbed by Eunuch Lang. How could a little palace maid compare to someone experienced before the Emperor? Lang Xi, with great perceptiveness, led Ming Chun out, leaving Rong Mu alone clutching his collar in a daze.
Not... you guys.
If you're going to run, why are your faces red as teapot bubbles!
He was "beaten" by the tyrant, not "bedded" by the tyrant!
Rong Mu wore a mask of pain, extremely unwilling: "Your Majesty should leave too. This servant will examine alone with the physician."
He had thought Shang Cizhou, with his fierce temper, would have run off long ago. He hadn't expected him to still stand there after all this time. If he didn't move, the physician dared not move either.
Rong Mu raised his eyes to look at him in puzzlement, when suddenly his entire person was pressed down onto the soft couch. The Emperor's knuckles brushed past his neck, pulling his collar back over his shoulder.
Rong Mu felt the sensation of his clothes being torn open while hearing Shang Cizhou say to the physician: "Close your eyes, turn around. I will describe to you, and you prescribe the medicine."
Rong Mu: "..."
What was this feeling of a wolf dog marking its territory?
The physician, having seen many things, hurriedly turned around and knelt to listen to the Emperor's instructions.
Rong Mu felt his hair being lifted and cupped by a hand, then cool breath on his shoulder and back. He felt something was wrong and hurriedly turned his head to look back.
He saw the Emperor slowly approaching his spine, white and glowing, delicate and fragile. Rong Mu watched with wide eyes as the Emperor, as if possessed, caressed the wound with his fingertip.
In that instant, as if electric current shot straight to his crown, Rong Mu's eyes widened, momentarily forgetting where he was.
By the time he reacted, he had already reflexively kicked the Emperor in the waist.
The tyrant let out a low muffled groan. The old physician's face grew even redder. Only Rong Mu himself felt the hair at the back of his head tighten for an instant then loosen.
Shang Cizhou bit out two words through his teeth: "Rong. Mu."
In the corner of the hall, Bi Jiangxue swayed left and right. If not for the flower stem supporting it, it would have immediately gone limp.
Rong Mu said in a floating tone with straight eyes: "Your Majesty, forgive this offense... It was not intentional assault. But have you never heard the saying, certain things should only be admired from afar... and not... profaned up close?"
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