Chapter 28 Touching the chest muscles, "Remove the armor, strip it clean."...
Chaos reigned in the study of Weiyang Palace.
The memorials on the desk fell to the ground, and when Ying Xi threw herself back into her seat, a whole bunch of them were swept away, and six or seven pen holders rolled around...
Ying Xi lowered his head, trying to calm himself down, but his mind was buzzing.
The eunuch brought the eight-treasure porridge into the study, and Yu Jing hurriedly served him, disregarding any presumption, and fed the emperor the porridge.
The eight-treasure porridge was very sweet, and Ying Xi finally recovered somewhat and wasn't so dizzy anymore.
But when he heard footsteps, he quickly waved his hand to dismiss the eunuchs, a hint of wariness in his eyes.
Sure enough, on the other side of the screen, Yingxi saw only the toe of a military boot.
Immediately afterwards, Xie Qianli's tall silhouette was projected onto the screen.
He may have just finished the daily drills of the Dragon Martial Army before arriving. He wasn't wearing the dragon-slaying scepter, but he was dressed in armor, and his steps were more hurried than usual.
The cool, silvery-white armor that greeted me as I entered made the study even brighter, as if a ray of light had burst in.
Task: Touch Xie Qianli's pectoral muscles (without clothing) (Hissing sounds) (right in the study) (as soon as possible) (0/2)
Ying Xi pushed the bowl aside, glanced at the task, and his face turned cold. The other party had entered without warning, and he gave Xie Qianli a warning look.
"What business does the Duke of England have with me in such a hurry?"
Xie Qianli stopped walking.
He calmly surveyed the study in Weiyang Palace, searching for the source of the chaos. It wasn't an assassin. He was unaware that Ying Xi had regained her composure in time. She saw the emperor's face was pale, almost devoid of color, with a bowl of porridge on the table, completely out of place with the memorials and writing materials.
Xie Qianli quickly averted his gaze.
Just past the screen, a dozen steps away from Ying Xi, he bowed and said, "Your subject has come to plead guilty."
The word "plead guilty" seemed to trigger something in Sweet Leader again, causing her to exclaim excitedly, "Your Majesty, this big wolfhound likes you too!"
Being liked is fine once, but the second time is just vulgar.
Moreover, Ying Xi was well aware of her situation with Xie Qianli, which involved the murder of her father and the hatred of being killed. How could she possibly like him?
Ying Xi scoffed, "What crime are you asking for?"
“Your Majesty, I have failed in my duties of managing your subordinates and in making poor personnel decisions, which led to the near assassination attempt on the monarch during the flower-viewing banquet. I bear the responsibility.”
Xie Qianli's voice sounded tired, and what he said was not a lie.
First his father died, then his deputy general; each death felt like a sharp blade stabbing into his heart. But Ying Xi released him again and didn't pursue the matter—this was the fourth time.
Which monarch could distinguish between his trusted subordinates and those who plotted to assassinate him?
Ying Xi acts with integrity.
Xie Qianli, on the other hand, felt obligated to reciprocate and could not be in the wrong.
Xie Qianli firmly stated, "I have come to plead guilty for the assassination attempt at Fengze."
Task: Touch Xie Qianli's pectoral muscles (without clothing) (Hissing sounds) (right in the study) (as soon as possible) (0/2)
Ying Xi's eyes lit up!
In an instant, it felt as if the clouds had parted and the sun was shining brightly. Even the most difficult tasks seemed like fleeting clouds, and could be accomplished with a wave of the hand.
It would be good to apologize with thorns on one's back...
This is a reason that's been offered to me; I'm not afraid I won't be able to get your clothes off!
Suppressing the smugness that emanated from his brows and eyes, Ying Xi could naturally adopt a profound demeanor. When he lowered the corners of his eyes, it would appear that his heart was unfathomable and that his imperial anger was about to erupt.
"Xie Qianli."
"Your subject is present."
"You have indeed disappointed me," Yingxi said. "Have I done anything to wrong you?"
That family feud couldn't be made public, so how could Xie Qianli possibly confront the emperor and ask, "Your Majesty, did you plot to murder my father?"
This was a loss they couldn't swallow; they had to suffer in silence. Xie Qianli understood this, of course.
As for how Ying Xi treats the Duke of Ying's mansion openly, that's something that heaven and earth can almost bear witness to.
Xie Qianli could only say, "Your Majesty's kindness is as heavy as a mountain."
Ying Xi raised her voice and questioned, "Then how did Xie Qing treat me?"
The emperor's words were concise yet awe-inspiring.
"You escorted the coffin back to the capital, showing no respect for the emperor, and led troops to forcibly enter the Shanglin Garden. For this alone, I would not have been too harsh to have you skinned alive."
"You allowed your subordinates to run rampant in the Ministry of Personnel. What was the attitude of your relatives in the Lishan Cemetery? And another of your subordinates even dared to assassinate me?" The emperor listed all the crimes, remembering every single grudge.
Xie Qianli shrugged.
“I shouldn’t have dampened your spirits,” Yingxi said. “I should have handed the world over to you. Then you and your Xie family’s army would no longer believe unfounded rumors, and that would have been what you wanted!”
Who would have thought that the emperor would bring up the secret suspicions between the two men in the open?
Being frank makes one appear more open and honest.
Ying Xi had been wronged by the Duke of Ying's mansion for two lifetimes. How could he not be angry? And how could he not make a few sarcastic remarks?
So Yingxi became angrier and angrier as she spoke. She had been feeling dizzy and lightheaded earlier because she hadn't eaten, and now her old ailment had flared up again due to her anger.
He forced himself to hold onto the edge of the table, but Xie Qianli moved closer. The sound of armor clashing echoed in the study for a moment, and Xie Qianli, his handsome brows furrowing beneath his gleaming silver armor, pursed his lips.
Xie Qianli tried to stand up.
Ying Xi, however, felt as if her stomach was being ripped apart and shouted sharply, "Kneel down! Are you taking advantage of my discomfort to assassinate me?"
"Your subject dares not!" Xie Qianli immediately knelt back in his original position.
But his gaze remained fixed on Ying Xi, observing that her skin had lost all color and that a fine layer of cold sweat had formed on her forehead, like white jade moistened with water.
A breathtaking fragility intertwined with an unapproachable aura. Xie Qianli gritted his teeth, his heart already clenched into a fist.
Xie Qianli squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Your Majesty, please take care of your health."
"Your Majesty, I know I am guilty. Your Majesty's words are too harsh. I have no intention of overstepping my bounds and will accept Your Majesty's punishment."
Task: Touch Xie Qianli's pectoral muscles (without clothing) (Hissing sounds) (right in the study) (as soon as possible) (0/2)
Ying Xi vented her anger on everyone before laying the groundwork: "Lang Xun! The Duke of Yingguo has offered his apology to me with a bundle of thorns on his back. Go and find me a bundle of thorns!"
"Yes!" Outside the study, the guard Lang excitedly received the order, grinning mischievously as he jogged up to the armory to grab the thickest spiked club.
In the study, Xie Qianli knelt for a long time, receiving the emperor's cold command:
"Remove your armor, take it all off," Ying Xi paused, "upper body."
***
"Your subject obeys the decree; Your subject has been disrespectful."
The rustling of armor echoed in the study.
The armor worn by the Longwu Army was heavy, with breastplates, shoulder armor, arm guards, and gauntlets covering the wearer completely.
The armor plates gently tapped against the floor of Weiyang Palace, producing a sound like shattered jade.
For ten years, Ying Xi had never figured out how to put on and take off that silver armor, or how to fix and connect it so that it could both serve a defensive purpose and make a person look heroic and upright without being cumbersome.
But Yingxi didn't look.
Instead, when Ying Xi saw him remove his armor, she deliberately looked away and casually picked up a memorial, but couldn't concentrate on reading it. Her breathing became a little erratic.
Immediately afterwards, Sweet Tong's screams filled the air; Sweet Tong had gone mad:
"Aaaaaaaahhhhh!"
"Looks slim in clothes, but muscular underneath, this big wolfhound has a great physique!"
"You could never build such realistic muscles in a gym. That big wolfhound must be incredibly strong!"
"Your Majesty! Those pectoral muscles must feel so bouncy and firm!! You'd be doing the audience a disservice if you didn't touch them a few times!!!"
Sweet Tong's madness continued. Ying Xi had never heard such unrestrained words from any other girl before. She didn't know how to evaluate this girl, but she had to continue to pay attention to Xie Qianli.
Xie Qianli was already in the study, shirtless with his upper body completely exposed.
The man's inherent sense of propriety and integrity led him to fold his clothes and armor plates neatly.
With deep tan skin, smooth contours, broad shoulders, a straight back, and powerful upper arms, he possessed the physique most men dreamed of.
But when his naked body was exposed, the nine-foot-tall British Duke was blushing inexplicably from behind his ears to the tips.
Xun, the assistant in the study, shouted, "Your Majesty! The brambles have arrived!"
The guard strode forward and presented the bundle of brambles.
Ying Xi took the thorny branch; it was heavy. It looked like an old, rusty spiked club from an armory. He approached.
Xie Qianli closed his eyes.
Ying Xi was slightly nearsighted. He was carrying a stick, looking for a good spot to strike later, and decided to beat and scare the opponent at the same time.
As long as I hit him a few times and then casually pat Xie Qianli's chest a couple of times as a show of force, I can barely get by with this task and complete it.
Task: Touch Xie Qianli's pectoral muscles (without clothing) (Hissing sounds) (right in the study) (as soon as possible) (0/2)
As soon as possible.
Ying Xi raised her arm!
The spiked club whistled through the air as it was swung.
Ying Xi swung her staff, her gaze falling downwards.
Upon closer inspection, Ying Xi could see that Xie Qianli was covered in tiny wounds, the stab wounds left two days ago in Shanglin Garden when Lang Xun and the others pierced him like sieves, each one or two inches long.
Besides the wounds from the battlefield, Xie Qianli also had a network of old, crisscrossing scars on his body. Ying Xi's eyes flickered slightly; those were... whip marks.
Looking further down, the scissor wound that pierced through the tiger's mouth had formed a string of dark purple scabs.
The bramble suddenly stopped in front of Xie Qianli.
The wind suddenly stopped, and Xie Qianli opened his eyes. His gaze went from bottom to top, and his pupils reflected Ying Xi's clear jawline. The sleeves of her dragon robe were spread out, revealing bright dragon patterns, and a slender arm was raised from within the sleeves.
Xie Qianli was puzzled and slightly raised his chin.
This seemingly minor movement revealed his injuries from a different angle, making them more clearly visible to Ying Xi, especially the whip marks all over his body.
On the battlefield, a soft whip has an absolute disadvantage, and no one would use a soft whip as a weapon.
It was obvious that the whipping was not done by the enemy, but by one of their own. The only possible executioner was Xie Ji, the former Duke of Ying.
Old grievances resurfaced, and Ying Xi guessed that Xie Qianli's beating must have stemmed from their past debts.
However, he had never seen Xie Qianli's scars in his previous life, nor did he know that they were so shocking. He suddenly realized that this man in front of him, whether new or old, was injured because of him everywhere!
Task: Touch Xie Qianli's pectoral muscles (without clothing) (Hissing sounds) (right in the study) (as soon as possible) (0/2)
The flashing task interface served as a reminder to Ying Xi that she must act according to the plan immediately.
Even if he is heartless and harbors resentment towards Xie Qianli, he shouldn't inflict further injury on Xie Qianli just to complete the mission.
Ying Xi put the bramble down and tossed it aside. Thrown into the corner, the bramble made a series of clattering sounds.
Ying Xi said, "Rise."
"..." Xie Qianli was slightly taken aback. He stood up as instructed and used his height advantage to look down at Ying Xi.
He saw the emperor reach out his hand, his palm pressed against the ugly whip mark closest to his heart. The wound was not healing well, and it looked like an earthworm crawling clumsily.
Xie Qianli's heart was racing.
Fearing that Ying Xi might notice, he trembled slightly but dared not back down.
He could feel the calluses on Yingxi's fingertips from holding the pen, little by little, and her skin against his, soft and slightly cool.
Unbeknownst to Xie Qianli, Ying Xi's heart also raced when her fingers touched her body. She had seen a few of those scars before, but most were unfamiliar to her.
Xie Qianli originally had a cinnabar mole on his chest, but after being whipped, the skin there was broken, and the mole shattered and merged into the old wound that Ying Xi had just touched.
Yingxi's voice had a hoarseness that she herself was unaware of:
"You were punished because of me, but you never complained to me. The fault lies with me, and I owe you one."
Task: Touch Xie Qianli's pectoral muscles (no through clothing) (Hissing sounds) (right in the study) (as soon as possible) (1/2)
Then.
Yingxi's fingertip touched the second wound.
It was a fresh wound, not yet healed. When someone touched it, it triggered a sensitive reaction in the muscle tissue, causing pain, itching, and a cool sensation.
Xie Qianli's heart pounded even harder.
“During the assassination attempt at Fengze, Xie Qing was being attacked by my guards, yet he still thought of my safety and protected me without hesitation.”
"You have already been punished for being attacked with blades, so your merits and demerits cancel each other out."
Thump, thump...
Xie Qianli's chest heaved.
A fiery heat surged in his chest. He pursed his lips, remaining silent and unsure of what expression to make towards Ying Xi.
Xie Qianli lowered his eyes and took in the emperor's gaze.
He had a jumble of thoughts, so chaotic they were irritating. He forced himself to calm down, but finally a clear thought flashed through his mind: Ying Xi had lost weight.
The half-eaten bowl of porridge on the table, her voice slightly hoarse, her face as fragile as glass—facing Ying Xi, Xie Qianli felt uneasy, and an inappropriate pity welled up within him.
Xie Qianli became increasingly flustered, like a restless beast, and he lowered his head. He saw the top of Ying Xi's soft hair, and further down, her slender waist that could be wrapped with one arm.
Xie Qianli took half a step back.
Task Complete: Touch Xie Qianli's chest muscles (no clothes allowed) (Hissing sounds) (right in the study) (hurry up!) (2/2) Gained +500 Charm Points and unlocked 1 Truth/Truth voice line.
"Yay!" Sweetie cheered.
Despite still being dissatisfied with Xie Qianli, Ying Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief after completing the mission.
His smile was like a spring breeze, he waved his hand, and he was smug and delighted.
"Kneel down, Xie Qing. I am wise and will not punish you."
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