Chapter 39: Promise

That evening, Qingyi and Qingfeng went to the side hall to rest, while Ye Qingyu went to bed with the help of the palace maids. But after the maids left, a figure quietly slipped in. Ye Qingyu closed his eyes and remained motionless, having anticipated that Qingyi would not stay in the side hall.

"Xiao Ye, please move inside. The bed is so big, why don't you leave some space for me?" Qing Yi grumbled rudely.

Ye Qingyu didn't say anything, but just turned his body slightly.

Qing Yi quickly climbed onto the bed and put his hand on the person beside him. Xiao Ye surprisingly did not resist. Qing Yi was puzzled. This was in the imperial palace. When they were in the prince's mansion, Xiao Ye had always refused. Why did she become so generous in the imperial palace?

"Xiao Ye, I seem to be a little drunk." Qing Yi murmured softly.

"Agarwood has a strong aftertaste. It would be strange if you didn't get drunk after drinking a whole jar of it," Ye Qingyu responded, letting Qingyi get closer.

"Chenxiang is really a good wine! Xiaoye, do you think I have made too few wishes?" Qingyi was a little drunk and his words were a little incoherent.

"What wish?" Ye Qingyu asked with some confusion.

"At the beginning I said I wanted to taste the three famous wines of Da Chu, and now I have tasted them all. I said I wanted to go to the capital and visit the palace, and that has not come true. And I said I wanted to sleep in your bed, and it seems that it will come true too! I have to think about it carefully and decide what next wish to make." Qing Yi felt that knowing Xiao Ye was the greatest blessing in his life.

"Then I advise you to set bigger wishes. Look at these wishes of yours, are they achievable?" Ye Qingyu said helplessly.

"Anyway, this is what I think and hope for in my heart. No matter whether I can do it or not, as long as I am happy with it, why should I care about others!" Qing Yi argued.

After a moment's contemplation, Qing Yi continued, "A big wish? Let me think... I want to become the best martial artist in the world!" After much thought, Qing Yi concluded that he could only devote himself to martial arts training. Perhaps this was the only way he could surpass Xiao Ye. He wasn't particularly good at studying, and he had practiced music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but they were much more tiring than martial arts.

"..." Ye Qingyu was immediately depressed upon hearing Qing Yi's "grand" wish. This boy, shouldn't he be saying some sweet nothings right now? On my bed, he actually said he wanted to be the best martial artist in the world. How tacky and snobbish.

"Why aren't you talking, Xiaoye? Don't you want me to be the best in the world? I will practice martial arts well every day in the future. My master said that if I can bring the Taixuan Tiandun and Baimos Shengong in my body to the extreme, I will definitely become the supreme master of the martial arts world in the future." Qing Yi's tone revealed his determination to win.

"...So what if you're the best in martial arts?" Ye Qingyu's tone seemed a little unhappy. Qing Yi heard it and looked at the person next to him.

"Don't you wish that? Xiaoye, this is my wish! That way I can protect you and draw my sword for you anytime, anywhere." Qingyi's sweet words were sometimes late, but they were never absent. After hearing this, Ye Qingyu's originally depressed mood was instantly replaced by touching.

"Today I saw a lot of books in your study. Qingfeng said that you have more books in your study in Xibei Wangcheng. He also told me that when you were a child you didn't like practicing martial arts, you only liked reading. If I have mastered peerless martial arts, you can concentrate on reading, playing the piano, painting, and doing whatever you want. Leave all the fighting and killing to me!" Qingyi's tone revealed determination. He didn't wait for Ye Qingyu's answer, but felt his body being hugged tightly.

The two of them were silent for a long time. Qing Yi finally couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "Xiao Ye, are you moved? Do you want to marry me?"

"..." Ye Qingyu was indeed moved. He actually didn't like martial arts since he was a child. It was his father who forced him to practice. Later, he met his master and by chance, he mastered a set of superb skills. He didn't expect Qing Yi to say such words. It really surprised him. He was originally very moved, but after hearing Qing Yi's frivolous "commitment of one's body", his emotions finally calmed down. He felt helpless. How could this kid have such strong energy?

The warm breath drew closer, carrying a hint of ambiguity, slowly spreading in the silent night...

Ye Qingyu looked at Qing Yi's handsome face which was gradually getting bigger in front of her eyes, raised her hand and gently pushed him away, putting some distance between them.

"Xiao Ye~" Qing Yi muttered dissatisfiedly, wondering in his heart, why doesn't Xiao Ye let him touch her again?

"Stop making trouble, go to sleep quietly, and don't come near me again." Ye Qingyu rudely slapped away Qing Yi's outstretched hand.

"But I'm not sleepy at all, and you're not asleep either. Are we just going to lie there like this and do nothing?" Qing Yi had drunk quite a bit tonight and was a bit tipsy. This slight intoxication only made his desire to get closer to Ye Qingyu even stronger.

"..." Ye Qingyu felt helpless and couldn't help complaining in her heart, is this person still acceptable? Why is he becoming more and more like a drunkard and a womanizer!

"If you don't want to do anything else, just let me kiss you, Xiaoye. If you don't let me kiss you, I will use force!" Qing Yi said half-jokingly and half-threateningly.

"..." Ye Qingyu thought to himself that he couldn't hesitate any longer. This kid was not only a drunkard and a womanizer, but also a complete scoundrel.

Seeing that Ye Qingyu didn't say anything, Qingyi took it as her tacit agreement. He propped himself up with his hands and slowly approached Ye Qingyu. Then he leaned down and gently touched Ye Qingyu's cold lips like a dragonfly touching the water, then lay back on the bed.

"...Is this the end?" Ye Qingyu was filled with doubt. Although he had rejected him, with Qing Yi's shameless personality, how could he let it go so easily? This was not right. He couldn't help but look at Qing Yi who was lying obediently beside him.

"Why are you looking at me when you're not sleeping?" Qing Yi's tone was indifferent, and no emotion could be heard from it.

"You..." Ye Qingyu wanted to ask him what was wrong, but she felt it was a bit difficult to bring up. After all, she was the one who rejected him, and now she was asking him why he was so perfunctory. She felt a little embarrassed.

"Xiao Ye, don't you want to sleep? Go to sleep quickly." Qing Yi said softly, but did not get closer to Ye Qingyu.

"Are you angry?" Ye Qingyu always felt that something was wrong with Qing Yi, and felt a little worried in his heart.

"If I say I'm angry, will you agree?" Qing Yi closed his eyes, lying flat on the bed, no longer moving towards Ye Qingyu.

"No." Ye Qingyu refused decisively.

"You rejected me so straightforwardly, Xiaoye, and yet you still ask me if I'm angry?" Qingyi's tone was filled with a hint of sarcasm.

"Just asking casually." Ye Qingyu knew that Qing Yi was a little drunk. This was the first time he saw Qing Yi drunk. He didn't expect that he would be like this after being drunk. He was much more honest and obedient than when he was sober.

"Don't worry, I won't be angry with you, never. Xiaoye, I will move if you let me move, and I won't move if you don't let me move." Qing Yi said, and really just moved his mouth and lay there obediently.

When it comes to sleeping, Qing Yi is actually much more obedient than Ye Qing Yu. He can sleep a whole night lying flat on his back, while Ye Qing Yu's bed was too big since he was a child, and he didn't develop good sleeping habits. There is always a difference between the position before going to bed and when waking up.

Ye Qingyu couldn't help but feel a sweetness well up in his heart after hearing Qing Yi's tipsy words. He felt that although he had been poisoned since childhood and endured physical torment, he had always been raised in love. The Emperor of Chu, his father, and the King of Shi all cared for him. Later, when Mingyue and Qingfeng came along, they took even more care of him. Then he met Qing Yi, who was obviously younger than him and had a lively and outgoing personality, but he always showed his love for him to the fullest.