Xie Zhengming paused, a trace of desolate sorrow suddenly reflected in his gaze.
Silly Duan’er, you don’t know that it was this very “wise and sagacious lord” in your words who originally forced that vicious woman, Princess Yan Ning, into the estate, ultimately leading to our separation across different worlds.
Seeing that Xie Zhengming remained silent for a long moment, Qin Duan couldn’t help raising his head to look at him.
“Ah-Zheng?”
Coming back to his senses, Xie Zhengming blinked and replied,
“Mhm, you’re right.”
As he spoke, Xie Zhengming stood up and pulled Qin Duan along with him as he walked out.
“Accompany me to change my clothes.”
Qin Duan was stunned for a moment, but he didn’t say anything, obediently following Xie Zhengming out of the study.
It had been a long time since he had helped Xie Zhengming change his clothes. In the past, he never let anyone else handle these tasks, always doing them personally. Back then, the two of them were truly like a loving couple. Later on, as they grew less intimate than before, these chores were gradually replaced by servants.
Xie Zhengming held Qin Duan’s hand as they walked toward the bedroom, saying,
“Duan’er, from now on, let’s share a single study. I’ll give orders to have the wall between my two studies knocked down so we can move all your books over. That way, we won’t spend half the day in separate studies without even seeing each other.”
Qin Duan looked at Xie Zhengming with some surprise, not answering right away; he really didn’t understand what had gotten into Xie Zhengming. Over the past two days, why was he behaving so uncharacteristically and acting so close to him, as if they had returned to the way things used to be?
Yet he also remained soberly aware that the present was no longer the past. Xie Zhengming was no longer the penniless descendant of a convicted official, but the Prince of Ding of the Daxing Dynasty. Could they really return to the past?
And yet, Xie Zhengming’s actions involuntarily made him lean toward that possibility, perhaps Xie Zhengming really had changed his mind and returned to him?
Qin Duan couldn’t be certain, and in his heart, he dared not let down his guard entirely; he simply followed Xie Zhengming’s lead, taking it one step at a time.
Arriving at the bedroom, the servants had already prepared the scented everyday garments. Qin Duan reached out to undo Xie Zhengming’s white jade lion-buckled belt, and then his slender, scallion-like fingers moved to the clothing ties. Xie Zhengming watched Qin Duan’s lowered eyelashes, his gaze falling upon the garments as Qin Duan earnestly untied the inner robe’s fastenings. Those lightly pursed thin lips were pale in color, yet as moist as flower petals drenched in morning dew.
Xie Zhengming’s breathing grew progressively ragged. Unable to help himself, he grabbed Qin Duan’s hand, pressed it against his chest, and used his other arm to wrap around Qin Duan’s pliable waist, pulling him directly into his embrace before leaning down to kiss him passionately.
Qin Duan was forced to press tightly against Xie Zhengming’s warm chest. Having practiced martial arts since childhood and led troops in battle for years, Xie Zhengming was all hard muscles. His tall and imposing physique gave off an invisible sense of oppression just by standing there.
Swept up in passion, Xie Zhengming kissed him while pulling him even tighter. Qin Duan was almost entirely swallowed up in Xie Zhengming’s embrace, making it somewhat difficult for him to breathe for a moment.
Left with no alternative, Qin Duan raised a hand to press against Xie Zhengming’s chest, gently pushing him away with a trace of struggle.
Only then did Xie Zhengming realize that he had gotten so carried away by the kiss that he had almost hurt Qin Duan. But looking at Qin Duan’s refined face before him, a pang struck his heart as he recalled his past life: Qin Duan cutting off all romantic ties with him, forming a bond with someone else instead, and the scene of the two of them bowing to heaven and earth at their wedding ceremony. Overcome by a sudden ache in his chest, he involuntarily pulled him into an even tighter embrace.
“Ah-Zheng.”
Hurriedly loosening his grip, Xie Zhengming released him from the confinement. Qin Duan gasped for breath, a lingering rosy flush still staining his cheeks. A pair of captivating phoenix eyes, eyes brimming with affection, had now grown misty, looking as though he were about to cry yet shedding no tears. This sight made Xie Zhengming’s lower abdomen instantly flare with heat. He didn’t want to hold back anymore.
“Duan’er let’s.”
At that moment, however, Steward Liu came over to report that a servant from Empress Dowager C’an’s palace in the inner court had arrived to convey the Empress Dowager’s command, requesting Prince Ding to enter the palace and listen to music.
Holding Qin Duan, Xie Zhengming felt a chill strike his heart. It seemed that yesterday, after he showed his face in front of Princess Anhui and officially secured Qin Duan’s status, the news had finally reached the Empress Dowager herself.
Xie Zhengming pecked the corner of Qin Duan’s lips and said,
“Wait for me. We’ll continue tonight.”
Unwilling to answer, Qin Duan simply stepped out of Xie Zhengming’s embrace, smoothed down the clothing that had been wrinkled by their recent movements, and reached up to take an ink-blue Shu-brocade cloak from the dragon-shaped stand. Draping it over Xie Zhengming’s shoulders, he tied the cords neatly for him and said,
“Go ahead.”
As his gaze shifted, it was filled with an endless, hidden tenderness. How could Xie Zhengming possibly have any remaining desire to enter the palace and spar with the Empress Dowager? He just wanted to tumble onto the bed with Qin Duan right this instant! Yet since the Empress Dowager had sent someone with a summons, he had no choice but to go. Letting out a soft sigh, he gave a moderate pinch to the soft flesh at Qin Duan’s waist, his eyes blazing with a raw desire that made him want to devour the person right on the spot, and repeated,
“Wait for me.”
This time, Xie Zhengming’s voice carried an unmistakably deep hoarseness and extreme ambiguity, causing Qin Duan to tremble slightly all over upon hearing it.
Xie Zhengming’s slender peach-blossom eyes gazed straight at him. With no other choice, Qin Duan whispered an almost inaudible “Mhm.” His white-jade-like face and snow-satin neck instantly flushed a brilliant crimson.
Xie Zhengming curved his lips in satisfaction before turning to leave.
In the third month of spring, spring rain bridged the willow-shaded paths like a curtain.
A light drizzle had just fallen in the morning, and the sky had cleared up. Instead of taking a carriage, Xie Zhengming chose to ride a horse, accompanied only by Zhou Ji.
Xie Zhengming’s mount was a rare and peerless steed known as the Night-Shining White. Zhou Ji rode a spirited red-chestnut horse.
To be able to ride horses through the streets of the capital when off duty was a privilege held by no more than five people in the entire Daxing realm. Aside from first-rank dukes and commandery princes, there was only Xie Zhengming, a prince of a different surname. Furthermore, the court permitted them to bring two guards, allowing Zhou Ji to bask in a bit of reflected glory.
Since neither of them wore court attire, passersby simply assumed they were officials running errands for the yamen. Many young women cast covert glances at them due to their handsome, upright figures and outstanding appearances. Zhou Ji happily returned a flirtatious wink, leaving those maidens’ hearts fluttering wildly.
Seeing this stunt, Xie Zhengming let out a light snort.
“Spring is truly in the air, isn’t it? Our little General Zhou has even started to feel the stirrings of romance. But with you tossing out winks everywhere, how come you never seem to get serious about any particular young lady?”
Zhou Ji retorted,
“Neither Your Lordship nor Brother Qin is married yet; what am I rushing for? Besides, I have neither parents nor family, and I don’t understand literature. Those maidens might look at me with admiration, but when it truly comes to marriage, they start demanding proper family background and lineage. I’m just a rough-around-the-edges fellow, unlike Your Lordship, who is skilled in both civil and military arts—even princesses are fighting to marry you. This trip into the palace is probably because of running into Princess Anhui yesterday, right?”
Xie Zhengming chuckled and said,
You’re not so stupid after all.
“That’s for sure! Even a fool can see that Princess Anhui fancies Your Lordship.”
Xie Zhengming smiled helplessly and pressed his lips together. Glancing at Zhou Ji, a thought stirred within his mind, and he said,
“Zhou Ji, you are now a third-rank Feiguang General. By all accounts, matching a princess wouldn’t be out of the question… Would you be willing to help me?”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ji almost tumbled off his horse. His handsome face turned bright red, a mixture of anger and embarrassment.
“General, what are you talking about?! The person Princess Anhui has her eyes on is you! Though I may lack talent and shallow of mind, I only ever want to marry someone whose heart holds me alone. I have no interest in climbing high to marry some princess!”