CH 26

Just as Gu Yan came back from outside, his fingers were stiffened by the night wind. Fortunately, warm incense was burning in the room, the temperature was suitable, and it didn’t feel cold.

Gu Yan took off his outer robe and casually threw it on the floor. He then closed the bed curtains as he got on top. 

No one knew if it was because he had been suffering for too long and had exhausted all his strength or if that was how the medicine worked, but when Ye Zi felt someone approaching, he only frowned and didn’t wake up.

His sleeping face was quiet and well-behaved as his thick and slender eyelashes fluttered slightly, adding a bit of fragility for no reason and making him look more pitiful.

Gu Yan gently clasped his wrist, lowered his head, and kissed his moist lips.

The bedchamber was silent and the light was dull.

Gu Yan kissed him tenderly and the temperature gradually increased. After a while, Ye Zi finally couldn’t bear the disturbance. He frowned slightly, murmured dreamily, and opened his eyes in a daze.

In a trance, Ye Zi thought that he was still asleep. If it wasn’t a dream, why would he see Gu Yan on top of him and undoing his clothes?

……Undoing his clothes? ? ?

Ye Zi was startled and instinctively struggled to escape, but Gu Yan grabbed his wrist and held them high above his head.

Ye Zi looked at him in horror: “What are you doing?!”

The heat had already gotten to Gu Yan’s brain that he thought Ye Zi was only being shy. He leaned up to kiss his eyes and said softly: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

“No! Don’t……” Ye Zi wanted to stop him, but after his previous bullying, Ye Zi had long since lost the strength to resist. He collapsed on the bed, wanting to cry without tears.

Didn’t this person only go to a birthday banquet? Why did he suddenly come back with such a rough appearance?

…..Did he eat something he wasn’t supposed to at the birthday banquet?

He had only taken a nap, how did things suddenly turn out like this? 

Gu Yan’s movements became more and more fierce. Realizing that this person was for real, Ye Zi was so frightened that his eyes turned red. He desperately begged for mercy, trying to get him to come back to his senses: “Your Majesty, d-d-don’t do this……you can’t do this to me, if this gets out——”

“It’s okay if it gets out.” Gu Yan patiently reminded him, “A Zi, we are already married.”

As he said that, he gently pulled open Ye Zi’s pants.

Ye Zi closed his eyes in despair.

“……”

Gu Yan’s movements stopped abruptly. Ye Zi was caught up in this dilemma and squirmed uneasily: “……Your Majesty?”

Gu Yan looked up at him, the corners of his eyes were red and his gaze was burning: “You’re not poisoned?”

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Ye Zi was confused: “Poisoned?”

Gu Yan was almost as confused as Ye Zi at this moment and his brain was a muddled mess as he forced the question out incredulously: “Those snacks, did you eat it?”

“Snacks?” Ye Zi didn’t understand why he suddenly brought this up. He tilted his head, thought about it, and said sheepishly, “Are you talking about the ones Qiu Tang brought? I…..ate it.” 

Gu Yan asked: “How much did you eat?”

Ye Zi shrunk his neck and replied guiltily: “I ate……all of it.”

After Ye Zi finished speaking, he vaguely realized something and felt appalled at heart.

Was it because he didn’t leave any snacks for him and that was why he was this angry? 

So when this person became angry, he was actually this…..fierce?

Finally understanding this, Ye Zi sincerely admitted his mistake: “Sorry, Your Majesty, I wanted to leave some for you but I was too hungry and without knowing……..I ate it all.” 

Gu Yan’s eyes darkened and Ye Zi begged again in a low voice: “If you want it, I’ll find someone to make it for you, as much as you want……but can you first…….let me go?…….”

It was too shameful to have two people in bed like this discussing who ate the snack.

He and Gu Yan stared at each other for a moment. The moment he released him, Ye Zi hastily rolled to the other side, pulling his clothes indiscriminately.

He clutched his lapel, peeked at Gu Yan, and asked tentatively: “Then……I’ll go find someone to make the snacks for you now?”

Gu Yan was annoyed: “Who is talking to you about snacks?”

Aggrieved, Ye Zi closed his mouth. 

Why was he being fierce? He was the one that brought it up first.

Gu Yan pressed against his temples which were throbbing and his overheated brain finally regained some clarity at this moment.

The medicine was placed in the snacks under Great Princess Rui’s orders so there would be no mistakes. That girl Qiu Tang was timid and she definitely wouldn’t dare to mess with the snacks. Furthermore, Ye Zi said that he did eat the snacks…….

In this way, there was only one possibility.

Gu Yan asked: “Mortal drugs don’t have an effect on you?”

Ye Zi didn’t understand: “What do you mean?”

Gu Yan took a deep breath, tried his best to suppress his fire, and told him about the drug that Great Princess Rui had given them.

Ye Zi’s jaws dropped and only after a long time did he come back to his senses as he mustered out with difficulty, “How could Great Princess Rui……so you’re saying that the plate of snacks I ate was actually——?” 

Ye Zi was a little scared but he calmed down and then recalled: “After I ate the snacks, I did feel a little feverish and sleepy, so I went back to bed to rest. However, I didn’t feel any discomfort. After that, I fell asleep and when I woke up, I saw…….you here.”

Thinking of what happened just now, Ye Zi was still a little embarrassed. Ye Zi glanced at Gu Yan shyly, lowered his head, and wondered: “But if I was poisoned, why did nothing happen?”

Gu Yan thought about it: “Maybe it’s because……”

Ye Zi did ingest the medicine that was in the snack and the medicine did work, at least Gu Yan did feel the unusual heat in his body.

But that was all the effect that medicine had.

The only explanation that made sense was that the medicine only worked on humans. And since Ye Zi was actually an immortal plant, the medicine’s effect wasn’t as strong as it would have had on ordinary humans.

After realizing this, the anger in Gu Yan’s heart did not subside and instead became more irritable.

Knowing that Ye Zi was not tortured by the drug, Gu Yan finally felt relieved, but at the same time, he couldn’t help feeling a little regretful.

Who would have thought that his little immortal plant could have such a unique ability?

He glanced at Ye Zi, who was terrified by him, and sighed helplessly. Fortunately, he came back to his senses in time. If he really did do something to this person, he didn’t know how it would end.

Gu Yan explained his analysis to Ye Zi before getting up: “Anyway, thankfully you’re fine. You should take a good rest.” 

He was about to leave after saying this, but Ye Zi suddenly reached out and grabbed him.

Ye Zi asked in a low voice: “Were you……also poisoned?”

Gu Yan’s movement stalled.

In an instant, Ye Zi, who had calmed down, had already thought through the cause and effect clearly. Great Princess Rui’s medicine was intended for the two of them so Gu Yan naturally couldn’t escape.

No wonder when he tried to break free from Gu Yan’s grasp earlier, Ye Zi did feel that the other party seemed to have……

Ye Zi’s cheeks burned up, not daring to look up at him.

No wonder he suddenly did this to him. Once drugged, who could control their words and actions?

The fact that such a thing happened was, in the end, all Ye Zi’s fault. If he hadn’t talked nonsense in front of Great Princess Rui, he wouldn’t have caused so much subsequent trouble.

It was he who nearly harmed Gu Yan, how could he sit back and do nothing now?

Ye Zi pursed his lips, blushed, and said with difficulty: “You have to be uncomfortable like this. How about I-I help you……”

Although he didn’t finish his sentence, Gu Yan already understood his meaning.

Gu Yan’s eyes darkened. Suddenly and selfishly, he didn’t want to explain.

He lowered his head and with a hoarse voice, he chuckled softly: “A Zi, what were you going to do just now, tell me again?”

Ye Zi blushed instantly from his cheeks to his neck. He lowered his eyes and his voice trembled with nervousness: “I said……I’ll help you.”

The only sound left in the bedchamber for a while was the sound of shallow breathing. The lamp beside the bed danced, reflecting the two figures beyond the bed curtains.

It was distant, indistinct, and couldn’t be made out clearly.  

……

Gu Yan fetched a silk handkerchief to wipe Ye Zi’s hands before throwing their dirty clothes and silk handkerchief aside. Ye Zi leaned against Gu Yan, blushing and complaining in a low voice: “My hands are sore.”

Gu Yan smiled and stroked his hair: “Thank you for your hard work.”

The two of them had messed around for most of the night and Ye Zi couldn’t resist the drowsiness. He muttered something vaguely and half-closed his eyes.

Gu Yan suddenly asked him: “Are you going to go to sleep just like that?”

Ye Zi froze as he looked up from his drowsy state and asked: “Are you still uncomfortable?” 

“No.” Gu Yan paused and said in a low voice, “I was afraid that you were uncomfortable.”

Ye Zi: “……”

Ye Zi felt the temperature on his face rise some more and hurriedly buried his head into the quilt, pretending to be calm: “I……I’m not uncomfortable.”

“Is that so?” Gu Yan inclined his head to look at him, “But I seem to have seen……”

Gu Yan didn’t finish his sentence. He paused for a while, with a bit of surprise and sweetness in his heart. He licked his dry lips and asked in a hoarse voice: “A Zi, are you also………”

……Turned on?

“No, nope! It’s nothing!” Ye Zi opened his mouth to interrupt him, refusing to admit it. He turned his back to Gu Yan and quickly said, “It’s very late, you should rest early.”

Who actually got turned on first before they even helped the other person? 

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He obviously didn’t even touch it yet, how could he be this shameful?

Ye Zi couldn’t hold back his shame and sobbed in his heart, wishing he could just find a crack in the ground and bury himself.

Gu Yan looked at his back, helplessly and angrily, and lightly ground his lower teeth.

This person was clearly turned on. If he didn’t have clear feelings for him, how would that have been possible?

How dare he try and deny it, he really needed to be taught a lesson……

Gu Yan restrained the urge to drag the person beside him up, so as to teach him a lesson, and sighed. He extinguished the oil lamp by the bed and lay back on the bed.

What happened today was completely beyond his expectation. Not to mention that it was unprepared, but he almost really took Ye Zi by force. After tossing him for so long tonight, Gu Yan couldn’t bear to push him any longer.

Gu Yan understood Ye Zi’s character. Although he looked soft in nature, he was unmoved by force or persuasion.

If he pushed him too hard, it would be counterproductive.

He had to go step by step and find an opportunity for this person to admit his true feelings to him personally.

Gu Yan seemed to have thought of something and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

He gently stroked Ye Zi’s hair and said in a low voice: “Sleep well, good night.”

Ye Zi didn’t respond, it seemed as if he had already fallen asleep. 

The night was dreamless.

The next day when Ye Zi woke up, Gu Yan was no longer in the bedchamber.

The bed had already been cleaned up and the dirty clothes that had been discarded on the side had also been taken away. Thinking about what happened in this bed last night, Ye Zi’s cheeks burned slightly.

He shook his head and got out of bed to wash up.

When Ye Zi finished washing up, two servant girls brought in the morning meal and laid out the dishes on the table.

Ye Zi glanced at the large table of pastries and porridge and smiled: “I’m the only one eating this morning, what’s the point of making so many?”

Qiu Tang thoughtfully said: “The Prince ordered this. He said that you were tired last night and would be hungry in the morning and that we should prepare more food for you.” 

Ye Zi was drinking tea and suddenly choked violently.

Qiu Tang was frightened and she hurriedly patted his back. 

Ye Zi waved his hand and understood Gu Yan’s intention.

Since Great Princess Rui looked for a doctor and had someone drug them, she was waiting for this day. Once Gu Yan spread the news, making everyone in the manor mistakenly think that they had consummated their marriage, this could at least guarantee that there would be no more troubles in the future.

Speaking of which, last night they came close to……

Ye Zi recalled what Gu Yan almost did to him last night, his ears felt hot, and he felt somewhat regretful in his trance.

If he didn’t spoil the fun yesterday and they continued on, maybe that wouldn’t have been a…..bad idea?

Ye Zi’s heart swirled with thoughts and the smile on his lips could no longer be suppressed as love seemed to fill the air. 

Qiu Tang prepared a bowl of porridge for Ye Zi. When she saw his expression, she teased: “Do you miss the Prince?”

Ye Zi treated people well. Not only were the servants around him not afraid of him, they even dared to joke with him occasionally.

Her words hit the mark but Ye Zi was also not ashamed and asked: “So what if I miss him? By the way, where the hell did he go, how come I haven’t seen him at all this morning?”

Another servant girl answered: “The Spring hunt has ended today and His Holiness has summoned the ministers back to the capital early in the morning. The Empress Dowager felt that she hadn’t had enough fun so she dragged the ladies and concubines from the capital to come and stay at the palace for a few days. Your Majesty is going to pick them up.”

This servant girl was called Qiu Luo. When Ye Zi was still a little green plant, she often helped water him together with Qiu Tang.

The two were originally outer courtyard maids in the Prince’s manor, responsible for doing chores, cleaning laundry, and maintaining flowers and plants. After Ye Zi became the Princess Consort, he asked Gu Yan to transfer them to his courtyard so that they directly served him and work could also be a bit more leisurely for them. 

Ye Zi let out an “oh” and didn’t take it to heart.

Qiu Tang was anxious for him and couldn’t help but speak up to remind him: “Your Highness, haven’t you heard? Commandery Princess Changning is also coming.” 

Ye Zi: “……”

Fortunately, nothing happened between them yesterday. If it was the second day after their consummation and he woke up to find that Gu Yan had left him to find a woman, with whom he once had marriage talks with, and that he was also going to bring her over for a few days……

Ye Zi felt numb at the back of his head when he thought about it and he immediately tossed his fluttering feeling down the gutter. 

He took a bite of the bun, feeling indignant.

Scum.