Chapter 61. He really is in love. ...
Lin Yan's soul flew back to Qingyi Pavilion from afar.
Pushing open that familiar door, a warm fragrance wafted out, dispelling the chill of the night that clung to him, but it couldn't dispel the roar in his head.
He slammed the door shut behind him, his eyes fixed on a point in the void ahead, his pupils unfocused.
What just happened?
Everything happened in the blink of an eye, and Lin Yan felt like his brain needed a complete system reinstall.
Lin Yan raised his hand and pinched his thigh hard.
"Ouch!" He gasped in pain.
It's not a dream.
It really isn't a dream.
Xiao Che really did say it, that he was in love with him and wanted to be with him day and night, and he even hugged him!
He even agreed to give it a try, almost as if possessed!
Aaaaaaah!
Why did he agree? Huh?
Was he driven mad by Agula?
Was he bewitched by Xiao Che's good looks, or rather, his dragon might?
That's the emperor! The emperor!
If someone were to fall in love with the emperor, what would their parents' reaction be? Would they faint from fright?
Lin Yan suddenly raised her head, took a deep breath, and then another deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
It's alright, it's alright. Xiao Che said, take your time, there's no rush.
Why not give it a try? It's not like we have to do *that* right away. Maybe we'll find out we're not compatible after dating for a while, right?
Lin Yan tried to offer some optimistic self-comfort, but to little avail.
His heart was still pounding wildly in his chest, the drumming sound making his eardrums buzz.
The fake electric griddle is in the kitchen; the real electric griddle is actually his face.
No, I need to do something to distract myself.
His gaze swept across the hall, finally settling on the furry figure on the soft couch by the window.
Ah Man had returned sometime earlier, nestled on its favorite cushion with its paws tucked in, its emerald green cat eyes half-closed, seemingly unsurprised by Lin Yan's sudden arrival.
"Aman!" Lin Yan rushed to the soft couch as if he had seen a savior, scooped up the warm and fluffy cat ball into his arms, buried his face in its soft and fluffy fur, and began to rub and suck on it in a chaotic manner.
"Meow!" Aman was very unhappy about the sudden "attack" and stretched out her paw to press against Lin Yan's forehead, trying to push the annoying two-legged beast away.
"Aman, Aman, Aman!" Lin Yan ignored everything, rolled half a circle on the soft couch while hugging the cat, buried his face in the cat's belly, and said in a muffled voice, with a bit of incoherent excitement and confusion, "I'm telling you, something terrible has happened, something really terrible!"
"Meow?" Aman paused in his struggle, seemingly wondering what madness this two-legged creature was going through again.
"I! I'm in love!" Lin Yan raised his head, his eyes shining brightly. Looking at A Man's cat-like eyes filled with disdain, he solemnly announced, "With your master! The Emperor of Dayu! Xiao Che! Didn't expect that, did you? Hehe."
After he finished speaking, he couldn't help but laugh to himself, his mouth wide open, revealing a set of white teeth.
"Meow." Aman flicked her tail, her eyes filled with even more disdain, as if to say, "Is that all?"
"Really! I'm not lying to you!" Lin Yan thought Aman didn't believe him, so he sat up with her in his arms and started muttering to himself, as if the cat could really understand human speech, "Although the process was a bit scary and the ending was a bit sudden, well... anyway, we're together now! From now on, you're not just a wild child with only one dad!"
The more he talked about it, the stranger the idea seemed, yet strangely fitting. He couldn't help but chuckle twice and vigorously ruffled Aman's hair: "Happy? You have... uh, you have a mother now?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan was stunned into silence, quickly spitting out two "Pah!"s: "No, no! What effeminate nonsense! It means someone else is taking care of you! Yes! That's it!"
Ah Man's fur was all ruffled from his rubbing, and after hearing all that rambling, illogical nonsense, she finally lost all patience.
"Meow!" it cried out in protest, using all four limbs to break free from Lin Yan's arms, nimbly leaping to the corner of the bed, and warily watching the two-legged beast that seemed to have lost its mind.
"Hey? Don't run away!" Lin Yan reached out, trying to grab him again.
How could Aman give him another chance? With a push of its hind legs, it nimbly leaped onto the roof beam, looking down at Lin Yan with its emerald green cat eyes filled with kingly disdain, as if to say: Don't touch me, you idiot.
"..." Lin Yan's outstretched hand froze in mid-air. Looking at his cat master, who was sitting steadily on the roof beam, wagging his tail and clearly not planning to come down, he touched his nose in frustration.
Well, it seems Ah Man isn't happy that he's no longer single.
Sure enough, the cat was the most composed of all.
Lin Yan's cat-petting stress-relieving plan failed, and he slumped back onto the soft couch, gazing at the elegant figure licking its fur on the roof beam. His mind began to replay the scenes from the palace corridor uncontrollably.
Xiao Che's deep and earnest voice, those phoenix eyes filled with stars, that tight, suffocating embrace, and my own trembling "I do"...
My cheeks started to heat up uncontrollably again.
He really is in a relationship.
With the emperor.
This feeling is so peculiar.
I felt a little panicked and a little scared, but deep down, there seemed to be a faint, barely suppressed joy and sweetness rising within me.
It's like secretly hiding a piece of candy during the period of losing your baby teeth. You know you shouldn't, but you still can't help but want to lick it and taste that tempting sweetness.
Just as Lin Yan was staring blankly at the roof beam, repeatedly questioning and comforting himself, a series of hurried footsteps, though tried to be as quiet as possible, could still be heard outside Qingyi Pavilion.
Immediately afterwards, the palace door was pushed open with a creak.
Lin Yan subconsciously looked up and saw Xiao Che striding in, still covered in the chill of the night.
He had clearly arrived in a hurry, perhaps leaving as soon as the banquet ended, without even having time to change out of his formal attire. He had simply removed his heavy crown, and his dark hair was loosely tied back, with a few strands falling to his forehead, adding a touch of rare casualness to his appearance.
There is also urgency.
Xiao Che's gaze swept quickly across the hall, instantly and accurately capturing Lin Yan, who was slumped on the soft couch.
Their eyes met.
Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks, which had just calmed down a little, turned bright red again. She didn't know where to put her hands and feet for a moment. She subconsciously tried to sit up straight, but she almost slipped off the couch because of her panic.
Xiao Che quickly stepped forward and grabbed his arm to prevent him from falling.
The hand was warm and strong, and Lin Yan felt as if he had been burned, his body stiffening slightly.
"What's the rush?" Xiao Che's voice was a little hoarse, as if he was still out of breath from rushing over.
He didn't let go while supporting Lin Yan; instead, he used his arm to pull her firmly into his arms.
Another hug.
It was more direct and closer than the previous one under the palace corridor.
Lin Yan was completely stunned, stiffly letting Xiao Che hold her, her nose once again filled with that heart-stirring scent of agarwood, mixed with a faint smell of alcohol and the coolness of the night breeze.
Xiao Che hugged him tightly, resting his chin on the top of his head, and took a deep breath, as if only in this way could he confirm that the person in front of him was real.
He held her like that for a long time without saying a word, only tightening his arms around her more and more.
Lin Yan could even feel the disordered heartbeat coming from his chest.
Why does it seem like Xiao Che is much more nervous than I am?
This realization caused Lin Yan's tense body to relax a little bit in a strange way.
He raised his hand and gently hugged Xiao Che's waist.
Xiao Che received a response from Lin Yan, and his arm unconsciously tightened a little.
"Your Majesty..." Lin Yan was being choked and couldn't breathe properly, so he couldn't help but groan softly.
Xiao Che seemed to come to his senses, loosening his grip slightly, but still not letting go completely. He simply adjusted his embrace to a more comfortable position, looked down at him, and his eyes were filled with undisguised affection.
"Is the banquet over?" Lin Yan asked, trying to break the overly ambiguous and quiet atmosphere by making conversation. His voice was so soft it was like a mosquito's hum.
"Hmm." Xiao Che responded, his gaze still fixed on his face, as if he couldn't get enough of looking at him. "Princess Qimuge is quite sensible. She has taken her brother back to the villa and is keeping him under strict guard. The Honglu Temple and the Ministry of Rites will handle the follow-up matters."
Lin Yan: "..." Watching, guarding?
Is that correct?
"Oh...that's good." Lin Yan replied dryly, his eyes darting around, but he didn't dare to look Xiao Che in the eye.
Seeing his embarrassed and helpless appearance, with even his ears turning red, Xiao Che's smile deepened.
He pulled Lin Yan to sit down on the edge of the bed, but still didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he held Lin Yan's hand in his palm and gently stroked her cool fingertips.
"Why are your hands so cold?" Xiao Che frowned slightly, wrapping Lin Yan's hands in his own to try to warm them up.
Lin Yan subconsciously tried to pull her hand away, but it was held even tighter.
"N-nothing, I'm not cold," Lin Yan said, her voice even lower.
Xiao Che looked at him and suddenly whispered, "I'm very happy."
Lin Yan understood the seemingly random sentence instantly.
His cheeks burned even hotter, and he lowered his head, muttering softly, "What's there to be happy about..."
"Of course I'm happy." Xiao Che's tone was extremely serious, with a childlike stubbornness. "I'm happy if you agree."
Hearing this, Lin Yan felt a slight increase in the small sweetness in her heart.
The two remained silent for a moment, and sat side by side on the edge of the bed.
Xiao Che still held Lin Yan's hand, occasionally pinching his fingertips, as if it were some very interesting game.
Lin Yan lowered his head, staring at the two clasped hands, his mind a jumble of emotions, yet also a strange sense of peace.
In the quiet room, only the soft breathing of each other and the faint sound of the wind outside the window could be heard.
The atmosphere was so warm it almost felt unreal.
After a long while, Lin Yan finally couldn't hold back and whispered, "Your Majesty..."
"Hmm?" Xiao Che turned his head to look at him.
"You really like... hugging, holding me like that?" Lin Yan couldn't hold back any longer. From the palace corridor until now, it seemed like Xiao Che hadn't let go of him for very long.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Che was not embarrassed at all. Instead, he chuckled softly, a sound of pleasure and satisfaction that made Lin Yan's ears tingle.
Not only did he not let go, but he also pulled Lin Yan closer to his chest, so that Lin Yan's back was completely pressed against his chest, forming a hugging position from behind.
This posture undoubtedly indicates greater intimacy.
Xiao Che gently rested his chin on Lin Yan's shoulder, his warm breath brushing against Lin Yan's sensitive neck.
"I like it." Xiao Che's voice rang in Lin Yan's ears. "I want to hold you, hold you forever."
He paused, as if making an extremely important promise, each word striking Lin Yan's heart.
"I want to hug you for a lifetime."
Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat, as if he had been hit hard by something, and a tingling, numb sensation instantly spread to his limbs and bones.
lifetime……
The word, spoken by an emperor, is both too heavy and too sweet.
The sweetness made him feel dizzy and somewhat at a loss.
He even forgot to struggle, forgot to be shy, and just leaned against Xiao Che's chest, listening to the steady and powerful heartbeat behind him, feeling the warm and reliable embrace, and feeling the reassuring scent around his nose.
The moonlight outside the window shifted quietly, casting a soft glow through the windowpane.
The night grew deeper.
Lin Yan's originally highly tense nerves gradually relaxed in this excessive tranquility and warmth.
The fatigue of the past few days and the aftereffects of the huge emotional ups and downs just now surged up like a tide. Her eyelids began to feel heavy, her head nods little by little, and before she knew it, she leaned against Xiao Che's chest and drifted off to sleep.
His breathing became even and long.
Feeling the person in his arms completely relax and hear the very faint breathing, Xiao Che lowered his head and looked at Lin Yan's peaceful sleeping face, the tenderness in his eyes almost overflowing.
He carefully laid the person flat on the bed, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a rare treasure.
She pulled the quilt over him and carefully covered him up, even twisting the corners of the quilt tightly.
After doing all this, Xiao Che did not leave immediately.
He sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching Lin Yan's sleeping face in the dim moonlight.
I watched it for a very, very long time.
Finally, he sighed very softly, as if satisfied, or perhaps with a sigh.
Then, he leaned down and, with extreme restraint, placed a light, feather-like kiss on Lin Yan's smooth forehead.
"Go to sleep," he murmured softly, his voice almost inaudible.
Straightening up, Xiao Che blew out the bedside lamp, leaving only a small, ever-burning lamp in the corner emitting a faint light.
He turned and went to the outer room, where he whispered a few instructions to Li Defu, who had been standing with his hands at his sides, trying to make himself a background figure.
Li Defu showed no surprise, but nodded respectfully and quietly withdrew, gently closing the palace door behind him. Like the most loyal guard, he stood outside, completely isolating the room from the tranquility and indescribable atmosphere.
Xiao Che walked back into the inner room, took off his outer robe and shoes and socks, lifted the other side of the brocade quilt, and lay down very naturally.
He turned to his side, looked at the person sleeping soundly beside him, hesitated for a moment, and finally reached out his arm to gently pull the person back into his embrace.
Lin Yan unconsciously smacked his lips in his sleep, as if he had sensed the heat source. Instead of resisting, he snuggled closer, found a more comfortable position, buried his head in Xiao Che's neck, and continued to sleep soundly.
Xiao Che's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed completely, and the corners of his lips involuntarily turned up, forming an extremely pleasant arc.
He tightened his arms and closed his eyes.
The hall fell completely silent, with only the steady breathing of the two people remaining.
But at this moment, Rouyuan Villa presents a completely different scene.
Qimuge dismissed all the servants from the Northern Rong and the palace maids sent by the Dayu, leaving only her and her brother Agula in the room.
The moonlight shone on Agula's still flushed and resentful face. Qimuge looked at her brother and felt utterly overwhelmed.
She rubbed her aching temples, her tone more serious than ever before: "Brother Wang! Your behavior at the banquet today was far too rash! Far too absurd!"
Agula, with his neck stiff, clearly didn't think he was wrong. Instead, he said confidently, "How was I rash? I've taken a liking to Lord Lin and admire him. What's wrong with asking the Emperor of Dayu for his hand in marriage? Isn't this a way to show the sincerity of the Northern Rong?"
Qimuge was so angry at his sophistry that she almost fell over: "Sincerity? Brother, look carefully, that Lord Lin is a man, and moreover, a close minister of the Emperor of Dayu! He is deeply trusted! You, in front of the Emperor of Dayu and all the civil and military officials, directly asked to marry a man. This is not just impolite, this is provocation, this is slapping the face of the Emperor of Dayu!"
She grew angrier as she spoke, her voice rising several decibels involuntarily: "If it weren't for the magnanimity of His Majesty the Emperor of Dayu, and the current state of our Northern Rong... based on what you did today, it wouldn't be unreasonable to arrest and punish you on the spot! And you still think it's justified?"
Agula was a little embarrassed after being scolded by her sister, but she still stubbornly said, "So what if he's a man? We warriors of the grasslands like what we like, why should we care about other people's opinions? I think that Lord Lin is handsome and has a good temperament, much better than those delicate and weak women! If he is willing to come back to the grasslands with me, I will definitely treat him as my principal wife, and I will never marry anyone else in this life!"
Looking at her brother's matter-of-fact, even somewhat wistful, expression, Qimuge was utterly speechless.
She opened her mouth, but for a moment she didn't know how to refute this overly progressive idea.
After a long while, she sighed weakly, looked at Agula with the eyes of someone looking at a fool, and said earnestly, almost with a hint of pity: "Brother, my good brother, wake up! Putting aside whether Lord Lin is interested in men or not, even if he is, do you think the Emperor of Dayu will release him? Can't you see His Majesty's intention to protect Lord Lin?"
Qimuge recalled Xiao Che's cold, stern gaze and the sudden drop in pressure around him at the banquet, and felt lingering fear: "His Majesty did not react on the spot today, which is already a great favor. How could you still be having such an unrealistic dream? Could it be that what Father said is true..."
Qimuge paused, swallowing back the part about "you're not very bright," and instead said something more tactful: "Before he left, Father repeatedly instructed you to consult with me on matters, because he was afraid you... would act impulsively and disregard the consequences. This marriage alliance is no child's play, nor can it be brought about by your own wishes. This matter ends here and must not be mentioned again! Otherwise, if we anger the Emperor of Dayu and ruin Father Khan's grand plan, neither of us can bear the consequences!"
Agula listened to his sister's words, his brows furrowed, his face filled with displeasure and stubbornness.
He did indeed fall in love at first sight with Lin Yan, whom he had only met once, attracted by his handsome appearance, composed demeanor, and the competence he displayed when greeting them.
In his view, if you like something, you should strive for it; this is the nature of a son of the grasslands.
Why does it become so complicated when it comes to my sister and the people of Da Yu?
“I just love him,” Agula said in a low voice, his tone carrying the stubbornness of a young man. “If he is willing to marry me, I will treat him with all my heart. The eagle of the grassland never lies!”
Looking at her brother's unyielding attitude, Qimuge felt a deep sense of powerlessness wash over her.
She raised her hand to press her throbbing temples, and a ridiculous thought suddenly popped into her mind.
Father usually dotes on this elder brother and indulges his whimsical ideas. Could it be that... it's because he saw that his elder brother's mind was different from ordinary people, so he is so lenient with him?
Could it be that the king's favor stems not from valuing the child, but from concern for the fool?
The thought sent a chill down Qimuge's spine.
Looking at her brother, who was still immersed in the beautiful fantasy of "one life, one love, one partner," she could only let out a long sigh filled with helplessness and worry.
"Brother Wang, it's late, you should rest." Qimuge waved his hand wearily, too lazy to argue with him anymore. "Tomorrow we still have to learn the etiquette of Dayu. Remember, be careful with your words and actions, and don't cause any more trouble."
After saying that, she turned and left, her back view filled with weariness.
It seems that the burden on her shoulders during this mission to Dayu is far heavier than she imagined.
Not only did he have to complete the task entrusted to him by his father, the Khan, he also had to keep a close eye on his not-so-bright brother to prevent him from doing anything outrageous or foolish again.
Qimuge looked up at the cold moon over the capital of Dayu and felt that the future was bleak.
Agula, who remained where he was, clenched his fists and faced the moon, his eyes gleaming with a determined light.
Lin Yan...
Agula silently recited the name in his heart.
He will not give up.
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Author's Note: My sister guessed right, Agula is indeed a... [doge]
To help us climb the charts next week, there will be extra chapters, both on Saturday and Sunday! [heart emoji]
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