Chapter 15: Can a Mad Tyrant Be Forced? [15]

Chapter 15: Can a Crazy Tyrant Be Forced Too? "15"

Right now, Mu Jin was starting to suspect the Lifebound Gu might be hidden under his own bed.

Why else would they all keep trying to climb into his bed?

Mu Siyang, however, pressed: "Why won't Your Majesty answer?"

"Since Your Majesty cannot give me the thing I want, surely such a small request can't be refused?"

Mu Jin stayed silent. The request was odd, sure, but it wasn't unreasonable—there really didn't seem to be any grounds to refuse.

But he didn't like Mu Siyang, nor did he want to share a bed with him.

So Mu Jin spoke seriously: "I will help the Prince Regent find that thing as soon as possible, but I'll need some time."

Whether he could actually find it or not, he just needed to brush this off for now.

The smile on Mu Siyang's face finally vanished completely at Mu Jin's words.

Did this little emperor really think he was in a position to negotiate?

He let out a mocking scoff, but the second he closed his eyes, the image of Mu Jin, eyes brimming with tears, flashed through his mind again.

In the end, Mu Siyang swallowed his impatience.

Fine. The little emperor was afraid of him, and there was no rush. There would be plenty of time in the future.

The most pressing issue was still dealing with Yun Fuyue.

Mu Siyang thought of the snake that had suddenly shot out and bitten him last night, and his gaze darkened.

That was the imperial garden, after all—snakes and bugs didn't just show up there for no reason.

Not to mention Yun Fuyue had just sent a few people over to Mu Jin.

Although Mu Siyang had not yet found the snake that bit him, he'd already made up his mind that the one who made the move was one of Yun Fuyue's people.

Whether they meant to use that snake on Mu Jin or were really after him—

As long as he found evidence, it would give him leverage over Yun Fuyue.

Of course, even if there wasn't any evidence, he could always manufacture some.

Mu Siyang pulled himself together and shot Mu Jin a meaningful look before speaking: "Then Your Majesty had better search hard on my behalf."

"But since something this serious happened to me in the palace, I'll need to stay here for a few more days to get to the bottom of it. I'm afraid I'll have to bring in some of my own people. Surely Your Majesty won't refuse?"

Mu Jin replied coldly: "You don't need to report such trivial matters to me, Prince Regent. It's not like the harem is short on your people."

"If the Prince Regent has nothing else, I'll be on my way."

He'd also promised to go check on Zhao Ruoqian.

Mu Jin turned over the possibility of secretly getting Zhao Ruoqian out of the palace.

There were hardly any people in this palace loyal to him, and the only one he could use right now was Ying Huaifeng.

The reason "Mu Jin" had misunderstood Zhao Ruoqian was because she'd originally been sent by the National Preceptor.

At the time, relations between the three factions were already stretched to the breaking point, and the thin veneer of peace had been completely shredded.

"Mu Jin" had also caught Zhao Ruoqian discussing with the National Preceptor how to kill him after gaining his trust.

This was originally just Zhao Ruoqian's stopgap measure to buy time and keep Yun Fuyue from personally killing "Mu Jin."

But unfortunately, "Mu Jin" had overheard and seen it, and Zhao Ruoqian hadn't told him right away—and after that, she never got another chance.

For someone already riddled with suspicion, the small amount of trust he'd reluctantly extended was once again seeded with doubt—which all but guaranteed the two of them would never have a good ending.

Mu Jin wasn't sure where things would end up now that the plot had veered so far off course, and the best solution he could think of was to simply send Zhao Ruoqian away.

Away from the palace, away from the protagonist and the villain, away from him—only then would Zhao Ruoqian be safe from death.

"What's Your Majesty thinking about?"

Suddenly yanked up by the chin, Mu Jin was jolted out of his thoughts.

Mu Siyang sounded annoyed: "Did Your Majesty not hear a single word I said?"

"If that's the case, I'll have to find other ways to make Your Majesty remember."

As he spoke, Mu Siyang's calloused fingertip pressed against Mu Jin's lips, rubbing them with a light, lingering pressure.

Mu Jin frowned and immediately grabbed Mu Siyang's wrist. He didn't like this feeling, and he didn't like Mu Siyang touching him like this.

Mu Siyang paused, staring at the hand gripping his wrist, but didn't seem annoyed. Instead, he laughed out loud, his tone almost teasing:

"I do think Your Majesty's hands look prettier than before. So fair and tender..."

As he spoke, Mu Siyang started playing with Mu Jin's hand, his wide sleeve sliding down to bunch at his elbow and revealing a stretch of fair, slender forearm.

When Mu Siyang caught sight of the faint red marks on Mu Jin's arm, his expression shifted instantly, and a fury he'd never felt before surged through him!

Even when he'd learned Mu Jin had killed his most important subordinate, he hadn't been this angry.

But now, staring at those suggestive marks, rage nearly consumed Mu Siyang!

Mu Jin's fingers curled slightly, confused about why Mu Siyang had suddenly flown into such a rage.

That intense, unhinged stare was impossible to ignore.

Mu Jin had no doubt that if looks could cut, that gaze would have carved the flesh right off his arm.

Mu Jin's brows knit tighter and tighter as he instinctively tried to pull away: "Let go!"

Mu Siyang gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on Mu Jin's wrist.

Within moments, a red mark appeared on the once-fair wrist. Mu Jin could clearly feel the pain radiating from his wrist, and he shot Mu Siyang a hostile glare.

He snapped coldly: "Mu Siyang! This is the imperial palace! Don't you dare go too far!"

Mu Siyang laughed as if in anger, his words dripping with implication:

"Your Majesty probably doesn't realize—there are far bolder things I can do."

"But before that, why doesn't Your Majesty explain to me... where those marks on your body came from?"

Mu Siyang's eyes were bloodshot, his gaze so deep it seemed he would devour the pale little emperor before him whole.

He had only originally taken a bit more interest in Mu Jin's transformation—a puppet he had personally installed to rein in Yun Fuyue. It wasn't as if he truly loved him.

But precisely at the moment he was intrigued, at the moment he felt he could be patient and give it more time.

Someone else had beaten him to it and touched his little emperor!

How could Mu Siyang not be furious and enraged?

Mu Siyang couldn't bear to do anything to Mu Jin, but he wished he could cut the one who'd beaten him to it into a thousand pieces.

Because of the intense pain, Mu Jin's body instinctively welled up with a faint mist of tears in his eyes, and the corners of his eyes tinged red.

But he had no clue what he looked like right then, just glaring at Mu Siyang and snapping:

"Mu Siyang, Regent Prince, you have overstepped your bounds!"

Mu Siyang couldn't bear seeing Mu Jin like this—those beautiful, vacant eyes misted over, tears welling in his eyes, the corners of his eyes tinged with red, his thin lips parting just enough to show a hint of a soft pink tongue.

This Mu Jin hit Mu Siyang right in the heart, softening it instantly.

Mu Siyang couldn't quite understand it. Back then, when the little emperor sobbed his heart out in front of him, he hadn't cared one bit—he'd even found it annoying.

But now, when the little emperor was about to cry, before a single tear even fell, his anger had already faded.

Or maybe, with a face like Mu Jin's, even crying was just too damn endearing—so why had he ever found it annoying?

Mu Siyang noticed his own change in attitude and even briefly wondered: was the little emperor now even the same person as the one in his memory?

But he quickly brushed those doubts aside.

Mu Siyang found it laughable. No matter how much Mu Jin had changed, he was still the one Mu Siyang had put on the throne himself.

As the one pulling the strings, he knew better than anyone what his pawn looked like.

The little emperor had changed a lot, but somehow it still tugged at his heartstrings.

A faint smile curled at the corner of Mu Siyang's lips, and his grip unconsciously loosened.

Sensing the shift in Mu Siyang, Mu Jin yanked his hand free and slapped him twice—smack, smack!

Mu Siyang: "..."

Caught off guard by the sudden slaps, Mu Siyang hadn't even processed what just happened.

Mu Jin was absolutely livid, and he'd put more force into those slaps than ever before.

The sharp crack of the slaps made the tension in the room even heavier.

The maids and eunuchs outside all bowed their heads, trembling, terrified that either of the two inside might kill them on a whim.

Zhou Fuhai swallowed hard, staring at the ground. As much as he wanted to know what was going on inside, he didn't dare look up.

Mu Jin rubbed his wrist, straightened his sleeve, and let out a cold sneer:

"The Regent Prince got bitten by a snake and lost his mind. He'd better cool off now."

With that, he pushed his wheelchair and left without a second thought.

When Zhou Fuhai saw Mu Jin come out, he quickly followed, wiping the cold sweat off his forehead and moving behind him to push the wheelchair.

Mu Jin said coldly, "Take me to Noble Lady Zhao's place."

Zhou Fuhai respectfully acknowledged, not daring to bring up what had just gone down.

But after they left, a maid immediately slipped inside, knelt before Mu Siyang, and relayed what she'd overheard.

A dangerous cold glint flashed in Mu Siyang's eyes. As he muttered "Noble Lady Zhao," it sounded like he wanted to chew her to bits.

"Good. Very good."

The maid knelt, head bowed, and asked quietly, "Your Highness, should this servant get rid of that woman?"

Mu Siyang closed his eyes and finally got himself under control:

"Don't touch that woman yet. Plant some people around her and dig into her background. I want everything on her by today, or you'll lose your head!"

The maid trembled slightly but remained kneeling, lowering her voice in response,

"Yes."

Mu Siyang had originally been about to leave, but now that he had calmed down, he remembered Ying Huaifeng, whom Mu Jin had kept by his side these past few days.

He stopped in his tracks and said coldly, "Also investigate that Ying Huaifeng."

"Yes."