TPATTHU Chapter 65
by VolareAfter ascending the throne, Xiao Zhinian had not moved out of Yanqing Palace/Hall. The carriage went straight to the palace gate.
Liu Bao saw him from afar and ordered the palace servants in the palace to come out.
“This servant respectfully welcomes Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be well.”
Before the footstool could be placed, Xiao Zhinian jumped out of the carriage. He looked up at the long-unseen palace, finally back.
Liu Bao said, “Was Your Majesty’s trip to Luo City enjoyable?”
Xiao Zhinian patted him on the shoulder twice and smiled, “It was thrilling but safe. The main thing is…”
What’s the main thing?
Liu Bao followed Xiao Zhinian’s gaze and looked behind him, only to see another person getting off the carriage. First, he saw the clothes and was shocked that His Majesty had taken a fancy to a commoner woman during his trip. When he saw the person’s face, his eyes widened, and he took two steps back in fright.
“He, he… Shen Zhejiang?!”
The palace servants were all new and had never seen Shen Zhejiang. They looked at each other, surprised by Chief Liu Bao’s reaction.
Hearing this, Shen Zhejiang raised his eyes to look at Liu Bao and nodded. Then, seeing that there was no footstool, he was a little embarrassed.
He couldn’t get down.
Seeing this, Xiao Zhinian grabbed Shen Zhejiang’s wrist, pulled him down, and held him firmly in his arms.
The palace servants didn’t know Shen Zhejiang’s identity, but seeing his close relationship with His Majesty, he must be His Majesty’s beloved.
Shen Zhejiang was annoyed, “What are you doing? Let me down.”
Xiao Zhinian refused, carrying Shen Zhejiang into the hall. He said, “Let them all see clearly. In the future, you are the master of this Yanqing Palace/Hall. See who dares to be disrespectful. Have you all remembered?”
The palace servants lowered their heads and said, “We have remembered.”
“…”
Shen Zhejiang’s strength was not as great as Xiao Zhinian’s, and he couldn’t push him away at all. He could only let him act recklessly with a dark face.
Entering the inner hall, Xiao Zhinian put him down. Shen Zhejiang tidied his disheveled clothes and looked around, returning to a familiar place.
Xiao Zhinian continued, “In the years that you were gone, everything has remained the same. Every flower and tree, I couldn’t bear to discard.”
Liu Bao carried two plates of pastries and a pot of tea into the room, placing them on the table.
He hadn’t recovered from the fact that Shen Zhejiang was alive. He rambled on, “Your Majesty always thought that you were gone, Shen Zhejiang, and kept it as a memento. He refused to move to another palace. This servant advised him several times, but he wouldn’t listen. Oh, right, there’s a Shen Zhejiang ash urn buried under the tree in front of the courtyard. Every first and fifteenth of the month, His Majesty goes there to drink with you.”
“…”
Shen Zhejiang understood that it must have been Han Zitang who fabricated it.
That’s right, Xiao Zhinian would definitely not believe it when he learned of his death. This action was perfect for deceiving everyone.
Xiao Zhinian straightened his face and said, “You’re too talkative. Dig out that ash urn and throw it away. My teacher is still alive and well.”
Liu Bao said, “This servant will do it right away!”
–
At the third quarter of Xu hour, dozens of connected bronze lamps in Yanqing Palace/Hall were lit, illuminating the hall brightly. The shadows of the lamps flickered, creating a long-lost warm scene.
Shen Zhejiang took a bath and returned to the hall. As soon as he entered, he saw the handsome youth leaning against the headboard of the bed through the thin gauze screen embroidered with a landscape pattern.
He casually propped up one leg, his black hair flowing like silk. Several strands of hair intentionally or unintentionally slipped over his shoulder, and the ends of his hair were curled, falling on the small book held between his slender, jade-like fingers. He was focused, not knowing what he was looking at.
Although Shen Zhejiang couldn’t see his expression clearly, he could feel the ease and comfort, just like the young man he used to be.
His footsteps paused.
He just stood there, motionless, taking in this scene, engraving it in his heart from this moment on.
The night was very quiet.
Thump! Thump!
But Shen Zhejiang clearly heard the sound of drums, ebbing and flowing, close to his ear.
No.
It wasn’t the sound of drums.
Shen Zhejiang raised his hand and almost unhesitatingly placed it on his chest, pressing down on his accelerating heart. But he couldn’t cover it, his palm was being struck again and again.
It was his heartbeat.
Deafening.
Even Xiao Zhinian caught it. In that instant, he seemed to sense it, suddenly raised his eyes, and directly met Shen Zhejiang’s amber-like eyes, the thin gauze blurred, and ripples rippled in his heart lake.
“Teacher.”
“What are you looking at?”
Shen Zhejiang came to Xiao Zhinian and lowered his head to look at the book in Xiao Zhinian’s hand. Before he could see clearly, he was pulled into Xiao Zhinian’s arms. After a dizzying moment, he was firmly held by Xiao Zhinian’s arms.
Behind his ear was Xiao Zhinian’s slightly lazy, pleasant voice, ticklish.
“Does Teacher want to read it together?”
Before Shen Zhejiang could answer, the book was snatched over by Xiao Zhinian and placed in front of him.
Shen Zhejiang took a closer look, and his face instantly turned red. Xiao Zhinian was actually reading these shameless things, simply…
He suddenly raised his hand and snatched it away, “Indecent!”
Xiao Zhinian had already anticipated his reaction and retreated first, leaning against Shen Zhejiang’s neck and smiling, “Our dynasty has an open atmosphere, what does this count for? Teacher often said that knowledge gained from books is superficial in the end. I deeply feel that it is better to practice twice to learn quickly. What does Teacher think?”
Shen Zhejiang subconsciously struggled twice and said, “No…”
He had no chance to say the rest.
A mischievous smile appeared in Xiao Zhinian’s eyes. He lowered his head and mischievously licked the white, delicate, and rarely exposed skin on Shen Zhejiang’s neck.
Shen Zhejiang shuddered, his pupils widened slightly, and he felt the urge to escape for the first time.
The next moment, his waist was encircled by a strong arm, extinguishing his thoughts, unable to escape the shackles.
Shen Zhejiang suddenly realized that the youth behind him was different from him. He was at the age of vigorousness, and his desires in that aspect were always strong, exuding a dangerous aura like a wolfhound, as if he wanted to tear his flesh apart and devour it.
A sense of trembling arose spontaneously.
At this moment, a hand slowly and deliberately stroked his Adam’s apple from his chest, the fingertips slightly rough, but the coolness of the dragon scale ring on his index finger slowly spread, stimulating his rationality.
At this moment, Xiao Zhinian’s low voice was already stained with a bit of heat: “Teacher promised in person, you can’t go back on your word.”
With a light pinch.
The two fell onto the bed.
In the confusion, Shen Zhejiang saw Xiao Zhinian raise an arm, reach over his line of sight, and take something from the cabinet at the head of the bed. His hazy eyes followed Xiao Zhinian’s movements.
Then, he saw a medicine box.
“Good ointment, I specifically asked the imperial physician for it today, without saying that the person in the palace is you.” Xiao Zhinian opened the box, and a faint medicinal fragrance filled the air between the two. He dipped a little with his finger, enduring, “Tonight I’ll be more restrained, and I won’t hurt you again.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Zhejiang trembled.
You can’t completely believe the youth’s words. The second half is true, the first half remains to be considered.