Chapter 31: The Omen

Chapter 31: The Omen

Chen Shuoan was too dense to notice the change in Yuan Rang's mood.

He set the handkerchief down on the corner of the wooden bed, his hands covering Yuan Rang's dry, soft hair.

He was clueless when it came to this stuff—before he even opened his mouth, half his face was already red with embarrassment.

"I don't know. If you like someone, you just like them. There's no checklist or rules to it." Chen Shuoan didn't know how to broach the topic either, tripping over his words.

Yuan Rang said nothing.

Just when Chen Shuoan thought he'd dozed off on his lap, he heard Yuan Rang's soft laugh.

"If I loved someone, I'd give them nothing but the best in every way."

Yuan Rang lifted his face, a wild grin spreading across his face.

"So good that later on, when they look back, they'll only be able to think of me." Yuan Rang slowly rose to his feet, his left hand reaching out to stroke Chen Shuoan's cheek. "What I can't give now, I'll take by force later to win them over."

Chen Shuoan thought that last part was off, but he agreed with the rest wholeheartedly.

"What's yours is yours. What isn't yours will never be yours. Since when is it okay to just take what belongs to someone else? Same goes for things as it does for people. If the person you love just doesn't love you back, what's the point in forcing yourself on them or shoving gifts at them? But if you both love each other, then the sincerity you share is the most precious gift in the world." Chen Shuoan got serious and spoke earnestly, laying out his thoughts for Yuan Rang.

A smile tugging at his lips, Yuan Rang slowly leaned in, bold as hell, pressing his face right up against Chen Shuoan's, and said, "Well, that depends on whether they really don't like me at all."

His big palm cupped the back of Chen Shuoan's head, pushing him back.

Chen Shuoan felt super uncomfortable from that move. Even as dense as he was, he could tell the Sixth Prince's words had a pointed meaning.

But he never liked to overthink, so he asked seriously, "What are you planning to do?"

Yuan Rang flopped down beside him with a snicker, like he found Chen Shuoan's words adorably naive and pure.

"If there's even a tiny spot for me in their heart," Yuan Rang's voice dropped low, alluring like some mountain spirit, and he spoke slowly, "then I'll never let go in this lifetime."

Chen Shuoan fell silent.

Then he reached up to brush the hair out of his mouth, muttering gloomily, "Yeah, you gotta stay persistent. But Your Highness, could you scooch over? Your fancy hair is about to become my midnight snack."

Yuan Rang definitely wasn't moving.

With one big hand, he grabbed Chen Shuoan's waist and hauled him into his arms, then buried his head in the crook of Chen Shuoan's neck, grinding his sharp canines against the soft skin there.

Feeling the itch, Chen Shuoan burrowed deeper into Yuan Rang's arms, giggling. "Stop breathing! It tickles!"

For such ridiculous demands, Yuan Rang was more than happy to indulge him.

The Sixth Prince obediently held his breath, and while Chen Shuoan laughed, he carefully, quietly, and gently brushed his cool, soft lips against his neck.

No pushback. No rejection.

A hint of sweetness welled up in Yuan Rang's heart out of nowhere, as if Chen Shuoan really allowed these kisses.

He was about to lose his mind with joy.

Chen Shuoan squirmed in his arms, giggling like crazy.

As if he'd finally had enough of the horseplay, he lifted his head, breathless, and met Yuan Rang's gaze with big doe eyes. Then he affectionately rubbed his forehead against Yuan Rang's chin—a submissive gesture.

Yuan Rang couldn't take this teasing that no one else seemed to notice anymore.

He pinched Chen Shuoan's cheeks, forcing this heartless guy to pucker his lips, and looked at his totally innocent face. Finally, with helpless tenderness, he coaxed in a low voice, "Enough messing around. Go to sleep."

Chen Shuoan felt that even though he was clearly a few years older than this guy, he was always managed and indulged down to the smallest detail, and couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed.

He let out a muffled "Mm," turned over in Yuan Rang's arms, and gave him his thin back.

Yuan Rang immediately leaned over and wrapped his arms around his slender waist again, calling softly, "Shuo'an?"

Chen Shuoan flipped back around instantly, turning the tables by gently patting Yuan Rang's back, coaxing him like an older brother: "Alright, alright, time to sleep. Do you really need your big bro to tuck you in?"

Yuan Rang: "...?"

Chen Shuoan contentedly played the role of the older one.

Now he was the one spoiling Yuan Rang.

He'd finally gotten one back.

—

Late autumn. The sun came up later now.

Yuan Rang carefully pried the hands locked around his neck off, and looked at Chen Shuoan, who was sprawled out the moment he was no longer held, letting out a soft chuckle.

He got out of bed, straightened the man out, tucked the blanket in snugly around him, and finally, unable to resist, bent down to press a gentle, restrained kiss to his forehead.

From then on, he couldn't hold himself back anymore.

Yuan Rang's wandering lips found Chen Shuoan's neck, nibbling lightly and urgently, then his tongue came out to lick and suck hard.

Chen Shuoan squirmed in his sleep, like he was about to cry.

"Mm..." Chen Shuoan pushed against the head buried against him, struggling beneath Yuan Rang.

Yuan Rang captured Chen Shuoan's lips, pried open his teeth, and greedily tasted him, while his hands gripped hard, pinning Chen Shuoan's wrists above his head.

The air inside the bed curtains grew hot and heavy, mixed with the sobbing whimpers of the one being kissed.

"Get off..."

Chen Shuoan's eyes blurred with tears from the kissing, his whole body going weak.

"Dear..." Veins bulged at Yuan Rang's temples as he pecked sharply at the corners of Chen Shuoan's mouth.

Then, fighting back his discomfort, he got up, brushed his fingers over Chen Shuoan's lips a few times, and finally left, reluctant.

————

Yuan Rang stood at the edge of the firelight, with Jili kneeling beside him.

"Your Highness." Jili pulled a sealed letter from his robes and held it up to him.

Yuan Rang rubbed his brow and said flatly, "Just the key points."

Jili quickly acknowledged, opened the letter, read it carefully, and said in a low voice, "Word from the Zhongyong Office in Bozhou. They say the iron ore shipments are all ready, waiting for Your Highness's command."

Yuan Rang's face was hidden in the darkness beyond the candlelight. Hearing this, he said in a deep voice, "How many people in the Zhongyong Office are working for the Fourth Prince?" Jili caught on and whispered, "Xia Jinggu and Song Jian."

Yuan Rang chuckled lightly and said, "Then let Supervisor Xia take his men and transport those batches of iron ore toward the Shuobei border, leaving a few traces along the way to dangle a little bait for our Lord Yan."

Jili replied respectfully, "Yes, Your Highness."

Feeling the Sixth Prince's wild ambition up close, Jili broke into a cold sweat.

As the Sixth Prince's trusted confidant, he indeed knew more than others.

For instance, Supervisor Xia Jinggu was ostensibly one of the Fourth Prince's men, but his elderly mother was in the Crown Prince's clutches.

Others might not be aware of this, but a closer look would reveal it easily.

A large batch of missing iron ore suddenly shows up on the road to the Shuobei border—what's it for? Who's it being shipped to?

Was it a local warlord up to no good, hoarding iron ore to forge weapons and plotting rebellion?

Or was there someone within the Great Rong Dynasty harboring sinister intentions, smuggling iron ore to the Xiongnu to build up their power?

Who could really say for sure?

Third Prince Yuan Wu had been completely useless in his post. His Majesty wouldn't just ignore the missing iron ore, and sending Chief of the Imperial Guard Yan Bi to get to the bottom of it was a hundred percent the right call.

Because Lord Yan is the Emperor's man.

And that was exactly what the Sixth Prince was counting on.

Anyone with half a brain could see Yuan Wu had been set up, but right now, the Fourth Prince's men were hauling that iron ore north.

What did that imply?

It meant the Fourth Prince was the one who'd framed the Third Prince.

So why was the Crown Prince backing the Fourth Prince's men?

What did that imply?

It meant the Crown Prince was a master schemer, using someone else's knife to stab the Third Prince in the back, and then turning around to slap the Fourth Prince with a charge of colluding with the Xiongnu.

Bottom line, the Sixth Prince wanted His Majesty to see that someone was wearing the Fourth Prince's mask while doing the Crown Prince's dirty work.

And that the Crown Prince had ulterior motives.

Jili steadied himself, but his breathing quickened.

After a long pause, Jili finally heard his master speak.

"Third Brother is a mediocrity, plain and simple; Father will definitely call him back before the new year. Tell me, who do you think Father will appoint to the position of Iron Commissioner of Pingshuo?"

Jili dared not speculate on the emperor's thoughts, so he could only lower his eyes and reply, "I wouldn't presume to know."

But odds were, it'd be his own master.

Yuan Rang chuckled softly, dropped the subject, and then asked out of the blue, "A year's worth of affection—how long will he remember it?"

Jili followed his gaze to the Sixth Prince's sleeping quarters.

A sliver of warm firelight leaked through the wooden door's cracks, glowing like a star in the pitch-black night.

Jili caught on and reassured him, "Young Master Chen is a man of deep feelings and loyalty—he's bound to think of Your Highness every moment."