Chapter 69 "It's nothing, except... the bed... collapsed..."
The ghostly figure seemed to have anticipated this; before Ji Chengning could open his eyes, a light black silk cloth was placed over them.
Ji Chengning tried to tear off the ribbon, but the other person was faster. Leather-wrapped fingers grabbed Ji Chengning's wrist and pressed it hard against his face!
The substance attached to his wrist bone was incredibly cold, smooth, and somewhat sticky, like—Ji Chengnin's breathing quickened, like—a venomous snake stained with human blood.
The venomous snake slithered through its designated territory.
The snake's tail scraped against the slightly deformed wrist bone, bringing a chilling itch.
How could Ji Chengnin let him have his way?
His eyes, hidden beneath the silk ribbon, suddenly sharpened, revealing no trace of sleepiness. His unrestrained leg abruptly bent at the knee and thrust upwards, slamming hard into the abdomen of the unidentified ghost.
"Bang!"
Bone collided with flesh, and the other party seemed to feel pain, letting out a muffled groan.
The two exchanged blows, their clothes rustling in the wind, and in no time they had exchanged dozens of moves.
The bed beneath Ji Chengning was already narrow and old, and it couldn't withstand the tossing and turning by two big men. The bed legs creaked and groaned, as if it were about to fall apart.
The young general's two powerful long legs held him tightly around the waist. Ghost Shadow's eyes darted around, and he made a move to get up, but Ji Chengning pulled him back to his side with a forceful tug.
Two muscular bodies collided violently.
His breathing became heavy and labored.
Seeing that the other party was entangled and unable to move, Ji Chengning raised the corners of his lips, revealing a hint of smugness.
The rage made his blood boil, and his reason was on the verge of collapse.
On the city wall, Ji Chengning was officially commanding the army for the first time. He was just an ordinary man, not a plant or tree, so how could he not feel nervous? Arrows rained down, but the rebels that were hit looked like terrifying zombies. The strange imperial edict entered his ears, and the morale of the army was thrown into chaos. He calmly stabilized the situation, but the inner garment that clung to his back was already soaked through.
Those forcibly suppressed feelings of fear and hatred from a life-or-death friendship, along with the trembling excitement aroused by the face of danger, surged forth all at once.
There is an urgent need for a way to vent.
His sideburns were disheveled, and a thin layer of sweat made the strands stick to his lips. His eyes were covered by a black band, making him seem particularly weak, yet his lips still held the same defiant and smug smile.
Ji Chengning tilted his head back slightly.
The smooth silk obediently pressed down on the straight nose.
He raised his hand to tear off the silk.
But the other party wouldn't allow it, and suddenly made a move, grabbing a vital spot on Ji Chengnin's arm, bending his knuckles, and pressing hard.
"hiss!"
Ji Chengnin was caught off guard and his waist jerked suddenly.
It looks like a fish that has been thrown into a frying pan.
This was the arm that Ji Chengnin had injured while drawing the bow.
Ji Chengning reached out to slap him, but then remembered that the man always wore an iron mask. He took a deep breath and angrily lowered his hand.
Ghost Shadow lifted Ji Chengnin's face with his free hand, admiring Ji Chengnin's furrowed brows with tenderness, and said softly, "Serves you right."
General Ji roared, "You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth. Get out of here!"
The evil spirit said gently, "I won't leave. If I leave, who will take care of the prince?"
Ji Chengnin paused, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
He didn't answer, and the evil spirit didn't want him to answer either. His fingers tentatively massaged the taut muscles beneath his fingers, and he slowly and deliberately uttered, "Your subordinates, your confidants, oh, and that cousin who follows you around all day, they all claim to be loyal, but they don't even know you're injured." He lowered his head, his cold mask pressing against Ji Chengnin's fingers, as if obediently asking for a caress. "Your Highness, how pitiful."
Ji Chengnin's expression suddenly turned stern. "How did you know I was injured?" His voice grew colder and colder, and he instantly concluded, "You were inside the city when the refugees attacked! Just who are you?"
The iron mask brushed against Ji Chengnin's fingertips, but the latter remained unmoved, only watching him warily.
The mask's owner sighed sullenly before replying, "Take a guess?"
He placed a hand beside Ji Chengnin's ear, affectionately brushing away a stray strand of hair. "Guess who I really am?"
I guess?
Ji Chengning was so angry that he laughed.
There were nearly a thousand people on the city wall at the time, and everyone saw him draw his bow and shoot an arrow. He was using a heavy bow, and he drew it to its fullest extent. Anyone who paid attention could guess that he might have injured his arm.
"This ghost" can freely enter and leave his barracks, so it must be someone close to him!
After quickly reviewing dozens of names in his mind, Ji Chengnin blurted out, "Li Bi?"
The expression beneath the demon's ferocious mask turned even more grim.
Li Bi?
In Ji Chengning's heart, could Li Bi really be so intimate and affectionate with him?
Or is it that Li Bi had ulterior motives and was intentionally trying to seduce Ji Chengning, who then asked this question because he was aware of it?
Before he could finish speaking, Ji Chengnin denied it, saying, "No, Li Bi wouldn't be that bold."
Jiang Linzhou didn't come along. Besides, even if he had, Ji Chengning felt that Young Master Jiang wasn't very interested in men. His previous relationship with Mei Xuewu was just a pretense due to circumstances. Moreover, Jiang Linzhou didn't have such good skills.
"Could it be," the demon's pale eyes stared intently at Ji Chengnin, watching his lips part, his heart inexplicably trembling several times, and he said, "that you are Chen Jian?"
A moment of silence.
There was no sound around him; all Ji Chengning could hear was the other person's increasingly rapid and heavy breathing.
Was he right?
Ji Chengnin was greatly encouraged.
He was about to speak when he heard the other person laugh.
His flat, emotionless voice laughed like the sound of a machine jaws snapping shut—harsh, stiff, eerie, and with a metallic, metallic feel.
Chen Jian?
The demon's mouthful of silver teeth was nearly crushed.
Oh, he forgot, there's also the military doctor who's known the prince since childhood!
The ghostly figure grabbed his arm and abruptly lowered its head.
The outline of the mask's nose was almost touching Ji Chengnin's, and the latter could even feel a slight tremor of a living person's aura.
The living evil spirit said in a sinister tone, "Your Highness, you've guessed wrong."
Ji Chengning knew that even if he guessed correctly, the other party wouldn't admit it. Besides, he really couldn't think of any other answer, so he simply didn't guess. "Since none of them are correct, just tell me yourself, you are... um!"
Before the words were even finished, the fingers gripping his forearm tightened. Caught off guard, Ji Chengnin instantly felt a throbbing, aching sensation throughout his arm. With the force of the other's grip, the feeling was extremely strange, as if something was breaking through his skin and flesh. After a sharp, needle-like pain, the tense muscles immediately relaxed, and his meridians felt clear.
But comfort is often harder to bear than pain.
Ji Chengning almost cried out after being massaged a few times, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Its sharp teeth bit down hard on its bright red lips, making the flesh sink in and turn white.
The ghostly figure frowned, pried open Ji Chengnin's face, and inserted its fingers inside, saying, "Bite."
He gave the order.
Ji Chengning didn't hold back and bit down hard on the finger that was pressed against his lips.
The leather smelled cold and fishy, as if it had been soaked in blood, making Ji Chengning feel nauseous. However, upon closer inspection, he could detect a faint, lingering fragrance.
Like a pure white flower blooming on rotting flesh.
Saliva dripped uncontrollably from his mouth.
The ghostly figure paused in its rubbing of his arm.
"idiot."
The ghost stared unblinkingly at his face.
Ji Chengnin was already in a bad mood, and hearing this made him even more irritable, causing him to clench his teeth.
"Click."
The sharp teeth are embedded in the finger bones.
It wasn't the force of flirting, but rather, the desire to bite the bone off and chew it to pieces.
The ghost seemed oblivious to the pain, and took the opportunity to insert another finger, spreading it open, "So fierce."
Ji Chengnin's throat trembled, and he mumbled, "Then get out of here."
“You clearly like it when I treat you like this,” Ghost Shadow seemed to enjoy seeing his annoyed expression, pinching and lifting his chin, and asked softly, “Why are you pretending to be disgusted?”
like?
Ji Chengnin first gave a cold laugh.
Then he realized that he really couldn't refute it.
He truly enjoyed the feeling that "He" gave him; the overwhelming emotions surged like a tide, wave after wave, enough to drown out all the thoughts that tormented him and kept him awake all night.
Envelop him completely, immerse yourself in it, steal a moment of peace, and remain oblivious to the world around you.
Young Master Ji's thoughts raced for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was deep and low, "Because I don't know who you are."
The ghostly figure paused for half a second, seemingly incredulous, "Just for this reason?"
"Otherwise what?" Ji Chengning heard the hesitation in his voice, and the corners of his lips subtly turned up. He clung to the other's arm to prop himself up and sighed softly. "I have no idea who you are, whether you're a man or a woman, a human or a ghost. How can I not feel disgusted by such disrespect towards me?" He said meaningfully.
The evil spirits fell silent.
Ji Chengning reached out, whether he really couldn't see or was doing it on purpose, he groped slowly to touch the other person's tense neck.
That area of skin was trembling.
Ji Chengning gently persuaded, "I want to be completely honest with you, without hiding anything from you."
The evil spirit did not stop Ji Chengning's actions.
He merely chuckled coldly, "The young master is fond of beautiful women. If he finds me unremarkable and plain-looking," he added through gritted teeth, "wouldn't he immediately forget about me?"
Gently brush your fingers across your skin.
Ji Chengning noticed for the first time that the other person's skin was actually very smooth and had distinct features. Even without looking, he knew that the other person must have a tall and slender appearance.
The ribbon hung behind her ears, sliding down with her movements, getting tangled in her long hair, seemingly about to fall but not quite.
Ji Chengnin said softly, "Actually, I really like you."
Upon hearing this, a strange, throbbing feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.
It's not a feeling of shame for deceiving people, but an expectation.
How do you expect the other person to react?
The seductive words trembled on the side of her neck.
What did Ji Chengnin say?
The demon opened his eyes wide in disbelief, as if he had been stunned by the word "like". His usually indifferent eyes cracked and a hint of confusion appeared.
He said he likes him?!
He gripped the ring tightly, but the cold object pressed against his finger could not rouse him to any sense of reason.
Overwhelmed by a mix of emotions—surprise, anger, joy, and resentment—his mind was in complete chaos. For a moment, he truly wanted to tear off his mask, stare intently into Ji Chengnin's eyes, and ask him, "Your Highness has seen my appearance; do you still like it?"
After that, no matter what Ji Chengning answered, she would force him to say the word "like" over and over again.
His voice was hoarse, and he could no longer use sweet words to coax people.
no.
A fragile sanity desperately tried to stop it.
He should know that Young Master Ji's whims could be easily bestowed upon any toy that pleased him. Although his words were affectionate, they were also incredibly frivolous and not worth believing.
They should tear off Ji Chengning's fingers from the edge of his mask.
Scratching the mask with my fingertips, even through a layer of black iron, brings a captivating, alluring itch.
He could hear his own foul breath.
His pupils contracted uncontrollably as he suddenly recalled the arrow Ji Chengnin had just shot.
With vigor and determination, they were unstoppable.
It was as if the arrow had struck not the man in purple, but—
he.
Pierced through the throat by an arrow, yet still alive, he knelt in a pool of blood, barely clinging to life, only able to look up at the hunter who coldly watched him, his lips trembling, his broken throat emitting a hissing sound.
But the arrow pierced his neck too quickly, and he didn't even feel the pain.
Only rapid blood loss brings about a mesmerizing, chilling hallucination.
Ji Chengning's fingers were already gripping the edge of the mask.
The demon snapped back to reality and grabbed Ji Chengnin's hand.
"Swish—"
Clothes rub.
Ji Chengnin's smiling yet affectionate eyes suddenly darkened. He was not a very patient person to begin with, and if someone would lower themselves to coax another person for even a moment, that person should at least be obedient and compliant, even if they were not moved to tears.
The demon chuckled coldly, lowered its head, and whispered a few words in Ji Chengnin's ear through its pale lips.
Their flirtatious and lingering manner bordered on vulgar.
The young marquis slapped him across the face.
"Smack!"
That slap seemed to have flipped a switch. The two of them were extremely in sync when it came to these things. The bed shook violently, and the curtains billowed—they started fighting again!
"Tear—"
The gauze curtains that had been covering them were torn off by the two men, and the silk strips were nowhere to be seen. Ji Chengning leaned in, his target being the evil spirit's throat, which was not covered by iron armor.
The bed groaned under the strain.
The two exchanged blows, their fists flying with deadly force. It wasn't for flirting; they were clearly fighting to kill each other. Just as their blood was boiling, a loud bang was heard!
Both of them wanted to get up, but neither wanted to let the other go. They grabbed each other's arms and pulled each other's ankles, entangled in a very twisted position, and crashed heavily to the ground along with the bedding and bed board.
"Clang—"
The soldiers on night watch were instantly startled awake and rushed forward, "General, what's wrong, General?"
The demon, mimicking human speech, whispered in Ji Chengnin's ear in a soft voice, "What is it, General?"
Ji Chengnin glared at him fiercely and said in a muffled voice, "It's nothing, it's just that the bed is broken."
Even with his thick skin that made others envious, Young Master Ji's ears were burning hot at this moment.
The soldier said warmly, "The furniture in the barracks is old and in disrepair, so it's common for it to break down. If you don't mind, why don't you stay in my barracks for the night?"
"Thank you for not abandoning me~" the evil spirit said in a pretentious tone in Ji Chengning's ear.
Ji Chengning slapped him again.
His palm pressed intimately against the black iron mask.
The demon's eyes darkened.
He resisted the urge to grab Ji Chengnin's hand and lean in to let him hit him again.
"Thank you," Ji Chengnin cleared his throat. "Everyone is resting now, so it would be inconvenient for me to disturb them. I'll just stay on the ground for the night."
The soldiers, having witnessed Ji Chengnin's lightning-fast arrow that split rocks, were filled with admiration for him and quickly replied, "Yes, sir."
The two lay on the thick bedding in contorted positions.
As the evil spirit unblocked Ji Chengnin's meridians, it sneered, "The young master serves the court with his life. I wonder when His Majesty the Emperor plans to bestow upon him the Nine Bestowments and the Ten-Tassel Crown?"
The bestowal of the Nine Bestowments and the crown with ten tassels were originally intended to reward important officials, but later they became the standard for powerful ministers to rebel. Before a powerful minister proclaims himself emperor and usurps the throne, he always pretends to go through this process, and finally, after repeatedly declining, he "reluctantly" dons the dragon robe.
These words were utterly outrageous. Ji Chengning's heart stirred slightly, and he kicked him hard.
The evil spirit suffered terribly.
Not only did he accept it, but the light chuckle emanating from his mask suggested that Ji Chengnin felt it would be more appropriate to say he accepted it with a smile.
Ji Chengnin forced himself to suppress the urge to touch his hands.
He didn't know which spot the other person pressed, but a warm and comfortable sensation spread from his injured arm, gradually surging in, making Ji Chengning feel sleepy.
Did he come today to take care of his wound?
Ji Chengnin suddenly realized.
Then it was decisively rejected.
How is that possible?
As expected, the evil spirit raised his thin lips slightly and laughed, "The emperor doesn't trust you. What a pity, Your Highness." His tone was cheerful, but beneath the smile was a deep-seated hatred. "You have failed as a loyal minister."
Ji Chengnin's heart trembled.
He didn't know what he was thinking. Maybe the other person was pressing his arm so comfortably that he was too lazy to lift it, or maybe it was something that even Ji Chengning himself didn't know the reason for.
He grabbed the ghost by the back of its neck and pressed down hard.
The kiss landed on the lips sculpted from the mask.
"Shut up."
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Author's Note: Happy May 20th, my dear wife! I love you and hope you're happy every day. There's a red envelope dropping in this chapter, muah!
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