Chapter 12: Can a Mad Tyrant Be Forced? [12]

Chapter 12: Will the Crazy Tyrant Be Forced Too? "12"

Night fell.

Mu Jin had the warm pool made ready for his bath, then sharply dismissed everyone and ordered them to bring Ying Huaifeng to him.

The palace attendants watched as Ying Huaifeng was carried into Mu Jin's bedchamber, exchanging knowing looks. Though none of them said a word, every one of them figured Ying Huaifeng would probably die tonight.

Mu Jin didn't want them to stay, and they weren't exactly eager to remain either. They scurried off faster than rabbits—who knew if they'd be next?

"Your Majesty."

Ying Huaifeng approached Mu Jin and dropped the prepared medicinal pouch into the warm pool. Instantly, a strange scent filled the air.

Mu Jin's nose twitched. The smell was a lot like the one he'd caught in Ying Huaifeng's room earlier that day.

He looked away without letting anything show on his face, then reached a hand out to Ying Huaifeng and said slowly:

"Come serve me."

Ying Huaifeng lowered his eyes and gave a soft sound of acknowledgment, walked straight to Mu Jin's side and started peeling off his ornate robes one by one.

Only when Mu Jin was down to his inner robe did Ying Huaifeng's breathing start to get heavier. His fingers gave a subtle flick, undoing the sash.

Skin as white as jade was laid bare right in front of him.

Winter had already set in, and even with the braziers keeping the room warm, Ying Huaifeng's long pause after stripping Mu Jin bare still made him feel a chill.

More importantly, Mu Jin could clearly feel that burning gaze roaming over his body.

But he couldn't see a thing, and he had no idea what expression Ying Huaifeng had on his face right now.

Mu Jin silently counted to a few seconds in his head, but Ying Huaifeng still made no move.

Without any expression, he pulled out the whip he'd had Zhou Fuhai prepare.

It was a long silver whip with a moon-white gem set into the handle.

Without a second's hesitation, Mu Jin cracked the whip straight at Ying Huaifeng!

Ying Huaifeng instinctively raised his hand to catch it, but forced himself to stop and let it hit him instead.

He let out a muffled grunt and dropped to his knees, looking up at Mu Jin, not caring about his torn clothes or the bloody welts on his body.

Ying Huaifeng asked hoarsely, "What is Your Majesty doing?"

Mu Jin said coldly, "Keep your shady little thoughts in check! Carry me to the bath!"

He'd only meant to slap some random charge on Ying Huaifeng, but to his surprise, Ying Huaifeng went quiet for a long moment, like Mu Jin had hit a nerve.

Ying Huaifeng gave Mu Jin a long look, stood up, came back to his side, and scooped him up easily.

Mu Jin didn't think much of it at first—after all, they were both men, and on his very first night in this world, the two of them had already seen each other bare.

Anyway, as long as he couldn't see, only Ying Huaifeng would be the one embarrassed.

But when Ying Huaifeng started pulling off his undergarment, Mu Jin couldn't help grabbing Ying Huaifeng's robes and mumbling:

"Do we... do we really have to?"

Ying Huaifeng looked at the man in his arms, let out a soft laugh, and said soothingly:

"Of course we do. If we don't get everything off, how's the medicine supposed to get into your body?"

"Your Majesty will have to get used to this. Don't worry—as long as I'm here, nothing's going to happen to you."

Mu Jin's fingers tightened, then slowly loosened as he gave a stiff nod, letting Ying Huaifeng carry him into the warm pool.

………"This is a censored divider. Don't ask how much was cut—the author doesn't know either"…………

Completely unaware of all that, Mu Jin got impatient when Ying Huaifeng didn't respond.

He reached up and felt around for Ying Huaifeng's face.

"Crack!"

Mu Jin laughed coldly. "What, do I have to beg you to move?"

"Your Majesty..."

Ying Huaifeng's voice was hoarse. "I'll start treating Your Majesty's legs right away."

Mu Jin thought something sounded off about Ying Huaifeng's voice, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Soon, the gentle pressure on his legs pulled his thoughts back, and he didn't have the energy to dwell on that weirdness.

Mu Jin wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but the strange scent in the air seemed to be getting stronger and stronger.

In the end, he couldn't even tell if it was Ying Huaifeng's gentle touch or that weird scent in the air that was making him so drowsy.

A huge wave of sleepiness washed over Mu Jin. He couldn't see anything to begin with, and now he was about to pass out completely.

Ying Huaifeng kept his eyes on Mu Jin, watching his head bob up and down—clearly he was already exhausted to the point of passing out.

………"This is a censored divider. Don't ask how much was cut—the author doesn't know either"…………

Mu Jin groggily opened his eyes, staring blankly.

His brain was sluggish, so slow that he couldn't even figure out where he was or what he was doing. He just buried his head in the crook of Ying Huaifeng's neck and let out soft little sounds.

"Mmm..."

Ying Huaifeng clearly hadn't expected that reaction from Mu Jin. He froze, forgetting for a second to control the gu worm inside Mu Jin's body.

"Your Majesty."

Ying Huaifeng spoke softly in Mu Jin's ear, but Mu Jin didn't react. After a moment's thought, he tried a different name.

"A Jin...?"

"Mmm..."

Mu Jin finally looked up, blinked his dazed eyes once, then dropped his head again, leaning against Ying Huaifeng's shoulder and falling into a peaceful sleep.

Ying Huaifeng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He ran his slender fingers through Mu Jin's hair and sighed:

"Your Majesty, oh Your Majesty—falling asleep in my arms during a medicinal bath. I really can't tell if you're just carefree or if you simply don't have any guard up around me at all."

Ying Huaifeng said this with a tone of helplessness and righteous indignation.

As if he wasn't the one who had added other herbs to the medicinal bath, plunging Mu Jin into this deep slumber.

But Ying Huaifeng thought about it and concluded it had to be the latter.

If Mu Jin didn't trust him, how else would he have fallen asleep in his arms like that?

Ying Huaifeng wound a strand of Mu Jin's hair around his finger, toying with it, and finally brushed a kiss against the ends of the hair, a slow smile curling at the corners of his lips.

But unfortunately, he was no gentleman, and he was afraid he'd have to betray His Majesty's trust...

………"This is a redacted section. Don't ask how much was cut—the author doesn't know either"…………

…

When Mu Jin woke up, his mind was still a little foggy.

He wet his dry lips, trying to piece together what had happened the night before.

But all he remembered was dozing off in the medicinal bath. After that, he remembered nothing.

Mu Jin braced himself with one hand and sat up, his dark hair spilling half over his chest and half down his back as he moved.

Just as he was about to call out, a hand suddenly snaked around his waist from behind, yanking him back into an embrace.

"Ah!"

The sudden motion startled a cry out of Mu Jin, his body tensing up.

Ying Huaifeng held Mu Jin completely in his arms, murmuring close to his ear:

"It's still early, Your Majesty. Why not get a bit more rest?"

Realizing that the person behind him was Ying Huaifeng, Mu Jin's eye twitched, and he ground his teeth. "Ying Huaifeng!"

But Ying Huaifeng merely smiled. "Your Majesty, rest assured. I'm here."

"Why are you—?!"

Mu Jin wanted to demand why Ying Huaifeng was in his bed, but he cut himself off, remembering he'd agreed to this himself.

Ying Huaifeng watched his reaction, the mirth in his eyes deepening.

"What were you about to say, Your Majesty?"

Mu Jin's words died in his throat, and he said coldly, "Get off!"

Ying Huaifeng let out a sigh, his warm breath ghosting over the back of Mu Jin's neck.

Mu Jin wasn't sure if he was just being overly sensitive right now.

Ying Huaifeng was only speaking from behind him, yet Mu Jin could swear he felt lips brush against the back of his neck.

That fleeting contact made Mu Jin's body go rigid. He wondered if it was all in his head, or if Ying Huaifeng had actually grazed him by accident.

"You really do toss people aside once you're done with them, Your Majesty. Last night I helped you deal with the few people the National Preceptor sent, and I even went ahead and taught that old geezer, the Prince Regent, a lesson."

"I finally got everything sorted and thought I'd come back to rest, but I didn't expect you to have forgotten your promise and try to kick me out."

Ying Huaifeng said this in a deeply aggrieved tone, and even though his eyes held nothing but amusement and not a trace of real hurt, he still played the part to the hilt.

Mu Jin was thoroughly confused.

This wasn't right...

Why did Ying Huaifeng suddenly seem like a little puppy coming back to its owner for a treat?

Even if the plot was supposed to go off the rails, wasn't this way too far off track?

Mu Jin found it really weird. Just as he was about to summon 648 to ask, Zhou Fuhai's frantic voice rang out from outside the bedchamber:

"Your Majesty! Something awful has happened, Your Majesty!"

"Last night, the Prince Regent was taking a walk in the imperial garden when a snake came out of nowhere and bit him!"