CH 42

October 7, 2022Merchie

It was getting late; those who had gone out to hunt began to return in groups of twos and threes.

In the end, after everyone’s prey was counted, Pei Zheng and A’mu Le were tied, followed by the fourth prince Qi Changfeng.

The barbarians were skilled at both horsemanship and archery, so Pei Zheng did actually save some face for the Celestial Dynasty. However, the Emperor was still unsatisfied, so there was no reward during the evening banquet.

The banquet was held right outside of the Emperor’s tent; there was a blazing bonfire, freshly roasted meat and fish, accompanied by rich wine and beautiful dancers.

Without the stifling rules of the palace, the air was full of free-spirited chatter and laughter. A’mu Le was surrounded by other officials and ministers, and they were engrossed in conversation.

There were even a few daring officials who toasted Pei Zheng and walked over to chat with him. However, they were all immediately repelled by his cold gaze.

The atmosphere was lively and warm. Pei Zheng sat alone in a corner with his eyes narrowed and gulped down cup after cup. Although the wine was fragrant and rich, it was hardly enough to get him drunk.

His eyes were pinned on a white-clad figure standing in the distance, who was mingling and socializing with the other guests.

That white-clad figure appeared to have had too much to drink. He suddenly walked toward a deserted, shadowy corner and disappeared into the darkness.

Pei Zheng got up and followed slowly.

As soon as he turned the corner, he spotted the figure leaning against a tree trunk and vomiting with fervor; it was as though all of his internal organs would soon come spilling out as well.

“If you can’t hold your liquor, then don’t drink. Who are you showing off to?”

Pei Zheng handed him a white handkerchief, and Qi Changfeng straightened his back slightly while still gripping the tree trunk.

“Nothing to, do with you.”

Seeing that he did not intend to take it, Pei Zheng tossed the handkerchief onto the ground. He stared at Qi Changfeng with cold eyes and did not speak.

“I heard that the candidate for the marriage alliance has been finalized.” Qi Changfeng asked, “Which princess is it?”

Pei Zheng sneered, “Who told you that?”

“None of your business, just tell me who Royal Father chose.”

“You want to know?” Pei Zheng took two steps forward. “You’ll have to beg me.”

Qi Changfeng’s expression immediately darkened. “Pei Zheng! Don’t think that you can continue manipulating things from behind the scenes1, the barbarians won’t let their guard down just because of this marriage alliance! Their entire tribe has no integrity to speak of…”

“It’s not you.” Pei Zheng interrupted. With those words, he promptly turned back and left.

Qi Changfeng clenched his fists as he stared at Pei Zheng’s back. “It’s…Changyi, isn’t it?”

The gloomy, receding figure suddenly stopped.

Qi Changfeng immediately pieced everything together, “It’s him, right? You’re seriously going to send him to the freezing borderlands? He’s an idiot, how is he supposed to protect himself? Aren’t you afraid that he’ll die there?!”

Pei Zheng turned around and walked back toward him. He reached out and grabbed Qi Changfeng’s neck, his eyes tinged with scarlet.

“Die? I thought you didn’t care about him. What does it matter to you where he dies? Quit pretending to be sympathetic, all you ever cared about was the throne!”

Qi Changfeng’s face was red from being choked, and he couldn’t draw breath. He grabbed Pei Zheng’s arm and rasped, “Pei Zheng, how can you be, so heartless, you don’t deserve, to be called a man!”

Pei Zheng’s grip tightened with killing intent, he strangled Qi Changfeng until he was about to faint before he suddenly let go and walked away.

Qi Changfeng leaned against the tree and gasped for breath. Just now, Pei Zheng’s gaze was so cold and merciless; it was filled with the deepest, most bitter hatred.

…

Qi Changyi had stayed in Pei Zheng’s tent the entire time; he did not even attend the evening banquet.

Pei-gege said so, he said I’m not allowed to run around randomly anymore.

Cheng Feng brought him something to eat. After he finished eating, he laid down on his stomach beside Pei Zheng’s bed and promptly fell asleep.

Once he ate enough, he would sleep. Once he slept enough, he would eat. He was like a domestic piglet.

It wasn’t until he felt a crisp, yet gentle touch on his back that Qi Changyi finally blinked open his hazy eyes and woke up.

Wine, it was the smell of wine again, the very same scent from that terrible night. The bite mark on his collarbone began to ache, and Qi Changyi unconsciously shrank backward in fright.

Pei Zheng’s fingers stopped, and he lifted his eyelids to look at him, “You’re awake?”

Qi Changyi rubbed his eyes and nodded.

“Come.” Pei Zheng pulled the little man to his feet and walked out of the tent.

Everything was covered in darkness, even the lights from the other tents had been extinguished already. Only the bright moonlight and the glittering stars above illuminated the mountains and forests in the distance.

They walked towards Pei Zheng’s tall black horse, and Pei Zheng mounted gracefully. He reached down and held out his hand, “Come up.”

Qi Changyi reached out and took it. When he lifted his head and glanced at Pei Zheng, he suddenly could not catch his breath, and he flushed red from the tip of his ears to the end of his neck.

Under the moonlight, the man on the horse had a handsome face and skin that shone like white jade. His eyes were slightly narrowed; it was as though all the rivers, lakes, and mountains in the world were beneath him in terms of both beauty and arrogance.

But Qi Changyi could not find the right words to describe him, he could only think to himself, Pei-gege is really beautiful, he’s the most beautiful man in the world.

Pei Zheng lifted the little man onto the horse, flipped him around, and held him tight against his chest. Then, he whipped the horse once, and the two galloped off beneath the moonlight.

Qi Changyi hugged Pei Zheng’s waist tightly. All he could hear was the whistling wind and the nervous thumping of his own heart.

The hems of their robes flew in the night wind, twisting and fluttering, loosening and tightening.

Qi Changyi didn’t know how much time had passed before the horse finally stopped. Pei Zheng patted the little man in his arms, hugged him close, and dismounted.

They had reached a steep cliff in the depths of a mountain forest. The silver light of the moon was like a thin silk veil that swathed the entire mountain. Lush trees stretched endlessly and merged with the undulating snow-capped mountains in the distance.

“Wow, it’s beautiful!”

Qi Changyi stood at the edge of the cliff and stared in awe, his eyes shining under the moonlight.

Pei Zheng was standing behind him; he reached out and pulled the little man to his side, “Be careful.”

“Pei-gege, how did you find this place?”

“When I went out hunting this morning.”

Qi Changyi’s heart was overflowing with joy, and his eyes curved into the same shape as the crescent moon in the sky. “Then, did you plan this trip just for me?”

Pei Zheng nodded lightly.

“Mwah,” Qi Changyi ran over and kissed Pei Zheng, but due to their height difference, he could only kiss the tip of the other’s chin. He quickly covered his face, too embarrassed to speak.

Pei Zheng’s gloomy mood finally dissipated with this soft, sweet little kiss.

He gently removed the little man’s hands, revealing the flushed face hidden underneath. His features were natural and unadorned, yet delicate as silk; a sight that captured the soul with its beauty.

Pei Zheng’s voice was hoarse. “Next time, you have to do it like this.”

Then he leaned down, clasped the back of the little man’s head with one hand, and pulled his body into his chest with the other. Their lips pressed together, before Pei Zheng’s tongue invaded Qi Changyi’s mouth, and began to explore that small, warm cavern. Their tongues twined together, and all that was left was a mouthful of sweetness.

It wasn’t until Qi Changyi was breathless to the point of suffocation that Pei Zheng finally parted from the other’s swollen red lips. He lowered his head to the little man’s level, “Breathe.”

The little man puffed his cheeks and sucked in a few big breaths.

Pei Zheng continued to hug Qi Changyi against his body, and spoke in a low voice, “Little Highness.”

“Pei-gege.”

“Do you like me?”

“I, I do.”

“Will you always like me?”

“I will!”

“Then you should never betray me, always think of me, and always remember me.”

“Okay!”

“No matter what I say or do, you must always believe in me, stay by my side, and never leave me. You understand, don’t you?”

“I do!”

From the author:

Ding ding ding ding ~ (It’s my turn)

When I see all of my beloved readers here, I can say with certainty that Dianxia Qingcheng will be available on the bookshelves soon.

Thank you all for your continued support!

Thank you all for the support, recommendations, reward points, and monthly tickets, as well as the criticism and comments.

You guys are my motivation to continue writing!

Every time I see everyone’s comments and tickets, I realize I’m not alone. There are so many precious readers by my side. I’m really touched.

Writing really is a lot of work, when you have an idea in your head, you can write about 2,000 characters in an hour. But more often than not, I’m stuck, and it takes two or three hours to write the same amount…

I get really stuck…

Like, stuck to the point of wanting to explode…

Stuck to the point of balding…

I strove for a small burst in word count today (whatever the number is, it’s definitely longer than the previous chapters!)

From now on, each chapter will have no less than 3000 words!

If I can get more than 100 tickets per day (though it’s really unlikely hehehe), I’ll make them even longer.

I really love you all, I’ll have to put you all in the little prince’s harem though, my harem already has over 3000 beauties hiahiahia

I need a break (

Tonight, I will send everyone a fan gift box as a reward (hurry up and love me, why are you still hesitating?)

You’re not allowed to leave me in the future, okay?

(Lays on the ground and throws a tantrum)

Spoiler alert! (Just kidding)

The climax is here! It was a kiss, you guys!

Will their romantic journey go smoothly? (Even if I think with my feet, I know it won’t)

How will Pei Zha2 abuse His Highness next (you will probably want to pull him out of the screen, smash his head in, and punt him right into the sky)

How much pain will the little Highness endure before he finally gets sick of Pei Zha and actually wants to run away from him (let’s hug our adorable little prince)

Will his escape be successful? What if it isn’t? What will he do if it is? (insert crematorium identification number here)

Also, what happened between Pei Zha, His Highness, and the fourth prince in the past?

Pei Zha wasn’t born a pervert. How did he become such a silly doofus?

There is also the side couple, the bodyguard x the Imperial Doctor, how will their relationship bloom in the future?

Also, the side characters: Zhao Litang, Qi Changfeng, A’mu Le, Qi Yirou, Qi Bingzhi…what’s their role in all this?

…

I’ll shut up now, I don’t want to spoil anything.

Notes

r u kidding me author 3000 words im going to die

You guys might’ve thought I would skip uploading today but nope i was just translating this long ass note from author-san, I was gonna skip it, but in the end it’s really cute

1: 只手遮天: cover the sky with one hand, manipulating or deceiving the masses

2: I thought it was a typo, but author-san has written Pei Zheng (裴铮) as Pei Zha (裴渣); 渣 is like crumbs or scum