Li Jinchen returned to his bedchamber, turning to glare at Xie Anci with fury on his face.
“You really want me to take a consort?”
“What’s wrong with that? Nangp Boyu has been looking forward to it for so long, what’s the harm in letting his daughter in?”
“Besides, is the harem really such an easy place to be?”
“Or is it that you’d actually touch her?” Xie Anci suddenly leaned in close to Li Jinchen, his warm breath washing over his face, the faint scent of gardenias lingering at the tip of his nose.
Li Jinchen smiled smugly. “Since I’ve already made her Imperial Consort, what’s stopping me from touching her?”
Li Jinchen raised an eyebrow, as if deliberately provoking Xie Anci, punishing him for not speaking up on his behalf at the palace banquet.
“You dare! If you dare touch her, I’ll make her disappear without a trace. And this place of yours, you don’t want it anymore, is that it?”
Xie Anci’s gaze turned cold and menacing as his right hand slid down toward Li Jinchen’s lower body.
Li Jinchen’s body trembled slightly.
This madman.
“Hurry up and change. We’re leaving,” Xie Anci urged.
Li Jinchen went into the inner chamber and changed into plain clothes.
He wore a deep blue brocade robe with cloud patterns embroidered along the hem, a white jade belt cinched at his waist, making his figure appear tall and upright.
The blue gemstone on his left ear glimmered faintly, and a light smile hung on his handsome face.
Xie Anci frowned as he looked at him. “Can’t you take out that earring?”
It irritated him just to look at it.
Was it meant to constantly remind him of the relationship between Li Jinchen and Zhou Yunqing?
“Why? I’ve worn it for many years. It can’t come out anymore.” A strange look flickered across Li Jinchen’s face.
“Fine. Let’s go.” Xie Anci said impatiently.
The night was calm as still water, moonlight spilling across the palace paths.
The two walked one after the other.
Li Jinchen watched the man walking ahead. He was tall and slender, dressed today in a dark purple brocade robe that made him seem both mysterious and elegant.
Xie Anci’s posture was straight and proud, broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist that slender waist, small enough to encircle with one hand, swayed before Li Jinchen’s eyes.
Li Jinchen suddenly thought of that night. In truth, Xie Anci wasn’t as frail as he appeared, his body was actually covered in a thin layer of muscle.
His smooth, fair skin was like satin, wonderfully pleasant to the touch.
Li Jinchen’s gaze darkened, and his Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.
“Shall we take a carriage?” Xie Anci suddenly turned around and asked.
Li Jinchen snapped back to his senses, his voice slightly hoarse. “It’s already been arranged. Your carriage is too conspicuous, we won’t take yours.”
Xie Anci nodded slightly. He hadn’t expected Li Jinchen to be so thoughtful.
The two boarded a very ordinary little carriage that could only fit four people and even then, only slender women.
With two grown men squeezed inside, it instantly felt cramped.
“You want to travel incognito, but did you have to make the carriage this small?” Xie Anci twisted his body awkwardly.
His own carriage was spacious and comfortable. Sitting in such a small, hard carriage for the first time, he felt rather uncomfortable.
“Bear with it, my dear young master.” Li Jinchen knew Xie Anci was accustomed to a life of luxury, so this was a bit hard on him.
Xie Anci raised an eyebrow. “So today I’m playing the young master and you’re my page boy?”
Xie Anci glanced over Li Jinchen. If anyone claimed this man was his servant, no one would believe it.
“Very well, young master.” Li Jinchen accepted the role quite readily.
Xie Anci looked out the window, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint smile.
His stunningly beautiful face looked hazy under the moonlight, and Li Jinchen gazed at him with a complicated expression.
“My lord, we’ve arrived,” the carriage driver said softly.
Li Jinchen stepped down from the carriage first, with Xie Anci following close behind.
Although it was already the hour of Xu, the streets were still crowded and bustling.
Men and women on the street all wore happy smiles on their faces, enjoying this once-a-year Mid-Autumn Festival celebration.
Seeing this, Li Jinchen felt deeply gratified, hoping that Aolong Kingdom would flourish for a thousand autumns under his rule.
His rule?
Li Jinchen paused, it seemed that it had always been Xie Anci who helped him govern the country.
But Xie Anci always acted on his own whims, killing or scolding ministers whenever he pleased.
So many people in the court disliked him or rather, feared him.
“Come, come, take a look! Fine jade wares!”
“Rouge! Rouge for sale!”
“Flower lanterns! Come buy your flower lanterns!”
“…”
The hawkers’ cries rose and fell along the street, interrupting Li Jinchen’s thoughts.
The moment the two stepped down from the carriage, passersby stopped and stared.
Looking at Xie Anci’s gorgeous face, Li Jinchen couldn’t help but say, “Why don’t you buy a mask first?”
“Just what I was thinking.” Today, Xie Anci only wanted to stroll around casually with Li Jinchen like an ordinary person, not draw attention.
The two came to a stall selling masks. The old woman at the stall’s eyes lit up when she saw them.
My, my these two men were the most handsome people she’d seen all day.
“Young sirs, buying masks?” the old woman greeted them warmly.
Xie Anci looked around, somewhat undecided.
There were many masks at the stall various little animals, some ghosts and monsters, and no shortage of exquisite ones.
Seeing Xie Anci hesitate, Li Jinchen picked up a little fox mask and handed it to him.
“I think this one suits you.”
As he spoke, Li Jinchen held it up to Xie Anci’s face.
“I’ll take this one then.” Xie Anci handed the old woman a tael of silver. “Keep the change.”
“Oh, thank you, young sir!” The old woman beamed with joy. So handsome and so generous, what a windfall!
But why cover up such a beautiful face? She was lucky to have seen it at all.
The old woman felt her life was now complete, her smile stretching nearly to her ears.
Xie Anci put on the fox mask and asked, “Don’t you want one?”
“No need. I, I don’t want to wear one.” Li Jinchen felt that with Xie Anci’s face covered, things would be much better.
“Fine, let’s go.”
“Very well, young master.”
Li Jinchen’s gaze followed Xie Anci, and for some reason, he suddenly felt afraid of losing him in the crowd.
The sea of people surged, and the bustling crowd could swallow Xie Anci up in an instant.
Li Jinchen hurried forward and took Xie Anci’s hand.
Xie Anci froze for a moment, then the corners of his mouth curved slightly. With gentle pressure, he gripped Li Jinchen’s hand in return.
Li Jinchen’s expression stiffened. What was he doing?
He wanted to pull his hand away, but that would seem too deliberate, so he could only let Xie Anci keep holding it.
Their actions drew soft laughter from the women on the street, who then politely looked away.
“It seems I haven’t given you a gift in a long time. What would you like?” Xie Anci asked after a moment’s thought.
The one thing this street didn’t lack was stalls and shops.
They had come here essentially to shop.
“Nothing. There’s nothing I want.” Li Jinchen frowned.
Before this, Xie Anci had sent him many gifts rare treasures, delicacies, and curiosities. Any single one of them was worth far more than everything here combined.
This was precisely what Li Jinchen resented most: it was proof of Xie Anci’s extravagance.