Chapter 11: Can a Mad Tyrant Be Forced? [11]

Chapter 11: Can a Crazy Tyrant Be Forced Too? "11"

Just as Mu Jin expected, the door to the bedchamber was soon opened.

Ying Huaifeng stood there, staring at Mu Jin for a long moment, but did not approach him immediately like before.

"Why is Your Majesty here? Weren't you supposed to be dining with the Regent?"

Hearing the obvious displeasure in those words, Mu Jin grew even more certain of his suspicions, but he merely gave Ying Huaifeng a cold look.

"Ying Huaifeng, I hope you know your place. What happened today ends here. If there's a next time, I won't go easy on you."

Ying Huaifeng felt stung by Mu Jin's cold gaze, his fingertips trembling just a little. He walked over to Mu Jin's side and spoke in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, it's windy out here. You'd better go inside."

Mu Jin figured Ying Huaifeng was going to push his wheelchair, so he didn't stop him.

It wasn't until Ying Huaifeng suddenly scooped him up in his arms that Mu Jin snapped out of it, still dazed. Once he came to, he slapped Ying Huaifeng right across the face and said angrily:

"How dare you! Ying Huaifeng, what the hell are you doing! Put me down right now!"

Ying Huaifeng didn't get mad at the slap, nor did he even break his stride. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and sped up.

"Your Majesty better think this through. If I put you down now, you'll just be left sitting on the floor."

Hearing Ying Huaifeng's barely veiled threat, Mu Jin was livid, but the hand he'd raised fell back down.

He'd already slapped Mu Siyang and then Ying Huaifeng today, and the redness in his palm still hadn't faded.

At the end of the day, it was because his current body was just too weak...

Mu Jin made a mental note to find something later, because hitting people with his bare hand wasn't exactly pleasant for him either.

It had to be handy for hitting people and easy to carry.

A lightbulb went off in Mu Jin's mind, and a vague idea started to form.

While Mu Jin was lost in thought, Ying Huaifeng had already carried him over to the bed.

Ying Huaifeng set him down gently, lifted his robes, knelt in front of him, and began massaging his legs with practiced skill.

Mu Jin had wanted to say something, but every word died in his throat the moment he felt the touch on his legs.

Only after Ying Huaifeng pulled his hands away did Mu Jin ask, "When are my legs finally going to get better?"

What puzzled him most was why his legs only had feeling when Ying Huaifeng touched them now.

Mu Jin suspected Ying Huaifeng had done something to his legs, but he had no proof.

Ying Huaifeng sat beside him, looking at him. "Your Majesty's legs are heavily poisoned. Fully detoxifying them will take some time."

"Your Majesty can rest easy. With me handling it, the detox will take at most half a month. It's just that Your Majesty hasn't walked in so long that even after the poison is gone, you might not be able to stand up right away."

Ying Huaifeng let out a sigh as he spoke, then shifted his tone. "But when the time comes, I'll naturally have my ways to help Your Majesty."

Mu Jin couldn't see the smirk curling on Ying Huaifeng's lips and just nodded slightly:

"Mm, then what about my eyes..."

"Ten days. Give me ten days, and they'll be completely healed."

Ying Huaifeng's gaze was intense, and his tone was so firm that no one hearing him could doubt a word.

For the past two days, he'd been massaging Mu Jin's legs to prep for the upcoming treatment, but he'd never touched his eyes because he was still missing a few ingredients.

Having gotten the clear answers he wanted, Mu Jin was in a much better mood and no longer held a grudge over Ying Huaifeng suddenly using the gu worm to mess with him, or for carrying him.

Ying Huaifeng thought of Mu Siyang, who'd also be staying in the palace tonight, and then of the people Yun Fuyue had arranged. His mind churned, and a solution came to him.

He suddenly smiled again. "Your Majesty, have all the things I asked for earlier been prepared?"

Mu Jin nodded. "Mm."

The smile in Ying Huaifeng's eyes grew deeper. "Then have all those things brought over. These past few days have been enough to loosen up Your Majesty's legs. Starting tonight, it's time for the herbal bath."

"But..."

Ying Huaifeng paused, then said meaningfully: "During the bath, Your Majesty's legs still need to be relaxed with special techniques for the medicine to fully soak in."

"So starting tonight, I'm afraid I'll have to bathe with Your Majesty every night."

Mu Jin heard him out, completely unconcerned: "Fine, I'll handle the arrangements. You just focus on doing your job well."

In the storyline Mu Jin had gotten, there was no detailed description of how Ying Huaifeng had cured "Mu Jin's" legs.

Now, no matter what Ying Huaifeng said, Mu Jin would obediently comply.

So much so that he had no idea that just soaking his legs in the herbs would've been enough—no full bath needed, and no special pressing or relaxing techniques from Ying Huaifeng either.

But the scheming Ying Huaifeng, wanting to squeeze out more benefits for himself, was almost tempted to make the absurd demand that Mu Jin hold him every night to fully detox.

Only a sliver of remaining rationality forced those absurd words back down before they could leave his mouth.

Once they'd finished discussing all that, Mu Jin asked offhandedly:

"How'd your hand get hurt?"

Ying Huaifeng was caught off guard and instinctively looked at his palm, which he hadn't had a chance to treat yet.

Only then did he notice that when he'd carried Mu Jin earlier, some blood had gotten smeared onto Mu Jin's hand too.

Ying Huaifeng's eyes were full of mirth, but his voice was dripping with feigned hurt:

"It was all for raising the gu to take care of those people for Your Majesty that I got hurt by accident. Your Majesty better feel sorry for me..."

As he spoke, Ying Huaifeng grabbed Mu Jin's hand, as if he felt no pain, and pressed his fingertips against his own wound.

Mu Jin curled his fingers, his eyes empty and unfocused, lips parting slightly. For a moment, he didn't know what to say, and finally reminded him:

"I already agreed to sleep with you tonight."

Ying Huaifeng kept smiling. "That's right, Your Majesty already agreed to me. So tonight, it can only be me..."

"Besides, the matter of treating Your Majesty's legs is confidential, so surely no one else will find out."

And definitely not that Regent.

With that thought, Ying Huaifeng's mood brightened even more.

Mu Jin felt that Ying Huaifeng's words sounded a bit strange, but they were also very reasonable, so he did not refute them.

Having obtained the answer he wanted, Mu Jin had no intention of staying longer.

Since Ying Huaifeng had to help him treat his legs and eyes while also scheming, he needed to allow him enough time.

Mu Jin patted Ying Huaifeng's face and said in a casual tone:

"Alright, I still have other matters to attend to. Walk me out."

Now that he had a definite timeline for when he would regain his sight, Mu Jin was in a good mood and far more tolerant of Ying Huaifeng.

He reached out his hand on his own, allowing Ying Huaifeng to carry him out once again in the same manner.

After returning, Mu Jin quickly arranged for the items he had previously asked Ying Huaifeng to prepare to be delivered.

Over a hundred types of herbs were dumped in a messy pile, jars and bottles held all sorts of poisonous insects, and several exquisite robes were all dumped in Ying Huaifeng's courtyard.

Those people dumped the items carelessly, cursed under their breath and rolled their eyes, then left without hesitation.

The herbs were scattered, insects scattered all over the ground, and the scorpions, centipedes, and other poisonous creatures that had been trapped in jars were now set loose.

Even the robes were dirty, with shoe prints stamped on them.

When Mu Jin found out, he had Zhou Fuhai bring those people to him.

They knelt before Mu Jin, not daring to make a sound, only hearing the person seated above let out a light chuckle:

"You certainly know how to stir things up. I admire your methods."

Zhou Fuhai stood beside Mu Jin, hearing those light, casual words, and couldn't help but swallow nervously.

Though Mu Jin appeared to be in an excellent mood, it sent a chill down Zhou Fuhai's spine, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Zhou Fuhai kept his head lowered, not daring to speak.

But the ones kneeling below had no clue what was coming.

Their faces brightened, their earlier worries gone in a flash. Just as they started to kowtow, before they could speak, Mu Jin waved his hand casually:

"Enough, take them away and give them their reward."

The group exchanged looks, sensing something was wrong, but figured a reward couldn't be bad.

Then Mu Jin's voice, almost gentle, rang out again:

"Since you like letting those bugs out so much, you probably won't mind being locked in with them..."

"Your Majesty! Please spare us!"

"No, no! Your Majesty, have mercy! This servant will never do it again! Your Majesty, please!"

"It was my fault, my hand slipped, that's why the bugs got out. Your Majesty, spare this servant's life, I beg you!"

The faces of the men who'd been rejoicing just moments ago went pale with terror.

They kowtowed and begged for mercy nonstop, and the smell of blood filled the air.

Mu Jin frowned in disgust, his voice turning icy:

"Why aren't you taking them away? Do you want to go feed the bugs too?"

Zhou Fuhai didn't hesitate and had the men dragged out, mouths covered, then cleaned the blood off the floor.

Word of this quickly reached Yun Fuyue and Mu Siyang.

Mu Siyang didn't care much—he was used to Mu Jin's temper by now.

As for why those things were sent to Ying Huaifeng.

What Mu Siyang heard was that Mu Jin and Ying Huaifeng had made a bet.

If Ying Huaifeng could heal the legs Mu Jin had crippled, then Mu Jin would keep Ying Huaifeng around to serve him. If not, then his life and death would be up to fate.

Mu Siyang didn't pay much attention to this.

In his view, Ying Huaifeng was just a little toy Mu Jin played with for fun, and he never bothered with such trivial things.

Besides, he had far more important things to look for now...

But when Yun Fuyue heard the news, his expression changed and he smashed his favorite teacup.

"The little emperor sent him herbs and poison bugs again?"

Yun Fuyue sneered at the messenger in front of him. "What? That old bastard Mu Siyang didn't react?"

The man quickly repeated the palace rumors, then added:

"Mu Siyang seems to have bought the story, so he didn't look into it."

"What a useless fool."

Yun Fuyue calmed down considerably, poured himself another cup of tea, and his eyes were full of mockery:

"Have someone whisper in that fool's ear, and sooner or later use his hand to get rid of Ying Huaifeng."

"Yes."

The man acknowledged, then asked with some confusion:

"But Ying Huaifeng is a cripple now. If we want to eliminate him, why not just do it ourselves? Why involve Mu Siyang?"

An image of Mu Jin playing with a cat surfaced in Yun Fuyue's mind. His gaze softened, and his tone carried a strange tenderness:

"He is a plaything I personally gifted to the little emperor. Now that the little emperor is so taken with him, how could I ruin it with my own hands..."

The man said no more, bowed respectfully, and turned to leave.