Chapter 33 Rumors
Zhuang Dongqing regained consciousness, but only briefly.
My thoughts are sluggish.
What is it? What does it mean?
Why bring this up again all of a sudden?
Mmm, it smells so good, I love it.
From a distance, Cen Yan smelled sweet; as they got closer, the scent faded, but that didn't mean it wasn't attractive. In fact, Zhuang Dongqing found it even more irresistible.
How to say it,
It was as if a net had been poured over his head, surrounding him from all sides, leaving him no way to struggle.
Cen Yan pulled him into his arms, and he couldn't help but press his skin against the other's.
It seems that only in this way can I feel more comfortable.
Zhuang Dongqing was torn apart; what was worse, he could sense that something was wrong, but he couldn't stop it.
His hand even reached inside Cen Yan's collar.
Zhuang Dongqing let out an uncontrollable sob, apologizing as she continued her increasingly inappropriate exploration.
But the more he crossed the line, the more Zhuang Dongqing felt ashamed, and the more he apologized repeatedly.
"sorry……"
"Feel sorry."
"I didn't want to either, sob..."
Cen Yan tried to comfort him and even stopped him several times, but to no avail.
Affected by the toxins, Zhuang Dongqing's mind was already dizzy. When the feeling of guilt overwhelmed her, she seemed to fall into a vicious cycle of self-loathing, using moral shackles to whip and bind herself more and more deeply, unable to break free.
"Zhuang Dongqing!"
Cen Yan suddenly raised his voice.
Zhuang Dongqing was taken aback. She looked up and, by the moonlight streaming through the window, Cen Yan saw a pair of moist eyes.
Just like that night.
A wave of tenderness washed over him, and Cen Yan called out again, "Qingqing."
Zhuang Dongqing was momentarily dazed.
It's been a long time since anyone called him by his nickname, ever since he came here.
A feeling of both strangeness and familiarity welled up inside Zhuang Dongqing, and he suddenly felt a little wronged. He hadn't been himself for a long time.
"Qingqing..."
Feeling that it was effective, Cen Yan called out again and reached out to touch Zhuang Dongqing's cheek.
If you don't understand the euphemism, then you have to be direct.
"No need to apologize, it's not your fault."
"Besides,"
"I came here on my own."
Under the covers, he led Zhuang Dongqing's hand to the ties of his inner garment, guiding Zhuang Dongqing to untie the knot, making it easier for him to do as he pleased on his body...
He looked at Zhuang Dongqing quietly, his amber eyes filled with gentleness.
"The poison in your body needs to be removed. Listen to me, we'll do it step by step..."
Unable to resist, Cen Yan swallowed and asked, "Is it okay?"
So gentle, almost like coaxing, Zhuang Dongqing nodded blankly.
As the ties loosened, Cen Yan's robe opened, and Zhuang Dongqing's hand touched it, unable to resist sliding it.
Cen Yan took a breath, his breath hot. Seeing that Zhuang Dongqing had calmed down, he could no longer restrain himself and, following his heart, planted a light kiss on the bridge of Zhuang's nose.
Zhuang Dongqing obediently closed her eyes.
So cute!
Cen Yan's hand, which had been resting on Zhuang Dongqing's side, couldn't help but slide down and pinch his chin. Zhuang Dongqing opened his eyes, his gaze hazy.
With a slight press of the fingers, the lower lip separates slightly from the upper lip, revealing a glistening sheen.
Cen Yan's eyes darkened: "Open your mouth."
Zhuang Dongqing was stunned, and hadn't had a chance to react yet.
Cen Yan then used his tongue to pry open his teeth.
Her mind was in chaos again, but this time it wasn't a breakdown; instead, it was sweet. Zhuang Dongqing made a whimpering sound in her throat. A moment later, she instinctively closed her eyes and, following Cen Yan, also actively pursued that slippery entanglement.
like.
The pent-up restlessness seemed to have finally found an outlet.
What followed was an even more intense outpouring of emotions.
When Cen Yan tried to leave, Zhuang Dongqing even chased after him, grabbing his shoulders and preventing him from going.
The movement was too large, and one hand pressed against the wound, causing Cen Yan to frown.
She didn't stop Zhuang Dongqing, but simply supported his wrist with her hand to prevent the pressure from being applied directly to the wound.
When Zhuang Dongqing's chest cavity was compressed to its limit and he had to breathe separately, he realized that the sensation under his hand was wrong.
After touching it, I finally belatedly remembered what it was.
Cen Yan still had injuries.
As soon as this thought popped into her head, Zhuang Dongqing felt as if she had been burned, and she jerked her hand back.
The movement was so fast that Cen Yan couldn't even grasp it.
"I……"
The hurried words were barely begun when Cen Yan's actions interrupted them.
Cen Yan pulled his hand over and placed it below her own wound.
In that short moment, Zhuang Dongqing's fingertips trembled slightly with guilt as she pressed on his wound.
He kissed her again, and the moment they touched, Zhuang Dongqing was once again captivated.
Her face was already flushed red from lack of oxygen.
Cen Yan knew that this rosy complexion could spread all over her body.
He has seen it.
But when she returned the kiss, Zhuang Dongqing didn't dare to use force, and her hand on Cen Yan's body was only loosely placed.
When Zhuang Dongqing breathed in fresh air again, she was completely unable to think.
His mind was like a kaleidoscope, a jumble of lines and blurry colors. When Cen Yan was close to him, it was like fireworks of different colors exploding one after another, leaving him overwhelmed and swept up in this dazzling spectacle.
The belt was ripped open.
Zhuang Dongqing shuddered when the long fingers touched her skin.
He seemed to have become a piece of slime in Cen Yan's hands, to be molded and manipulated at will.
Have you ever done this yourself before?
Cen Yan asked him.
A warm breath brushed against his ear, and Zhuang Dongqing asked in confusion, "What?"
So Cen Yan squeezed it a little harder.
Zhuang Dongqing trembled.
Only then did they realize that, without them noticing, all the ties had been untied.
Zhuang Dongqing tried to push Cen Yan's hand away, but instead, his long fingers pulled her in and held hers.
Ugh.
Bullying people.
Just as he opened his mouth to accuse her, he was gently kissed, and Zhuang Dongqing was instantly thrown into a daze.
……like.
When Cen Yan kissed the bridge of his nose, Zhuang Dongqing changed his mind, saying with extreme shame, "How could you do that..."
He wanted to stop, but he couldn't.
He and his hand were both in Cen Yan's hands.
Damn it, none of them listen to reason.
"Continue, just like that..."
After a pause, Cen Yan's voice deepened, "Or do you want to take the initiative..."
“Or,” Cen Yan lowered his eyes, concealing the turmoil within, “you want to turn around…”
Obscene.
Zhuang Dongqing shook his head, shaking his head vigorously.
"No, the wound will burst open."
The sentences were so fragmented that they could not form coherent sentences.
The tone of voice is like that of a cat in spring.
Cen Yan: "Then let's continue."
With a heavy press of his thumb, Zhuang Dongqing bit her lip.
Too embarrassing, she buried her head in Cen Yan's shoulder.
But this is only the beginning.
After that, there was no time to worry about anything else.
In the chaos, Cen Yan kissed him again, receiving a passionate response.
I was so ashamed that I cried, but the more ashamed I felt, the more I couldn't stop.
like.
I love it.
At the moment of the explosion, Zhuang Dongqing's whole body went numb.
Cen Yan's hands did not stop, slowly stroking from beginning to end, and Zhuang Dongqing trembled again, unable to control herself.
The air has become salty.
The chaos seemed to have left with it, leaving Zhuang Dongqing's mind blank.
Cen Yan grabbed something to wipe his hands and wiped Zhuang Dongqing's hands as well.
Zhuang Dongqing trembled slightly, looking dazed.
"Are you done?" Cen Yan asked him.
Zhuang Dongqing didn't know.
He opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.
Actually, he didn't need to say anything. Cen Yan kissed him again. Zhuang Dongqing obediently closed his eyes. The kiss was light and brief, as if he just wanted to touch him.
A finger touched her forehead. Zhuang Dongqing belatedly realized what was happening and flinched away, saying, "Dirty."
Cen Yan chuckled: "You actually look down on yourself?"
Zhuang Dongqing remained silent, feeling so ashamed she wanted to die.
"It should be healed."
Cen Yan breathed a sigh of relief.
It's not so hot anymore, thank goodness.
It's not that I don't want to, it's just... the conditions here are really not good enough, and Cen Yan doesn't like them.
And that's not all.
It's probably not advisable for a woman to be pregnant at this time. Whether Zhuang Dongqing is suitable is also a question that needs to be addressed after returning to Beijing.
Furthermore, Zhuang Dongqing cried so hard the first time, when they had everything, but now they have nothing. It wouldn't be good if she hurt someone.
Finally, there are probably the injuries on his body.
If it ruptures because of this, who knows if Zhuang Dongqing will still change his dressing the next day...
None of them are suitable.
Cen Yan got up, picked up the teapot from inside the room, went outside to rinse his hands, stood in the cold wind for a while to calm himself down, and then went back inside and got into Zhuang Dongqing's bed again.
"Um?"
Zhuang Dongqing was puzzled, but she still made room for him. In just a short while, Zhuang Dongqing's eyes were already closed.
After touching his forehead again to confirm that there was nothing wrong and that he wasn't hot, Cen Yan said, "Go to sleep."
Zhuang Dongqing gave a mumbled reply.
Held in Cen Yan's arms, she struggled at first but couldn't break free. As she drifted off to sleep, she snuggled closer to him, burying her head against his shoulder and falling into a deep sleep.
*
I slept until it was broad daylight.
Liu Fu called out from outside, but it was Cen Yan who answered.
After getting dressed, Cen Yan went to the outer room to wash up. Liu Fu wanted to go in, but was stopped. "Let him sleep. He had some problems last night and it took him a while to get some rest."
"oh oh."
Luk Fook didn't think much of it.
Cen Yan glanced at the sky. "The people from the Prince's Mansion will be here soon. Let's pack our things first."
Liu Fu followed the instructions.
Cen Yan's prediction was correct. He had just started eating breakfast when he heard the rapid sound of galloping hooves. Upon closer listening, he could also hear the rolling sound of carriage wheels.
The two guards realized something and went out to check.
Cen Yan remained motionless as he drank his porridge and ate his steaming hot buns.
Just as he finished eating the steamed buns, he heard the guards outside excitedly calling out "Commander Hao," "Manager Liu," and "Commander Xu."
It sounds like everyone's here.
A moment later, the courtyard gate was opened wide.
"master!"
"master."
"master!"
Several calls made Cen Yan frown.
Hao San stepped forward and knelt down first, his head bowed low, overwhelmed with guilt. "Your subordinate is late in guarding the bodyguard. Please punish me, Master!"
Her emotional outburst only earned her a curt reply from Cen Yan: "Keep your voice down."
Cen Yan: "Zhuang Dongqing is still sleeping. Everyone else should leave. I'll talk to you after I finish eating."
"yes."
"yes."
"yes."
The guards of the Prince's mansion were always obedient to orders. After Cen Yan gave the order, the courtyard quieted down in no time. The others retreated to the outside of the courtyard. After finishing the last mouthful of porridge, Cen Yan put down his chopsticks and bowl and turned around to see a row of people kneeling behind him.
That's not surprising.
Cen Yan asked, "Where is Master Zhao?"
Liu Qi: "In the car, we brought medicine for injuries and changes of clothes for this trip. We also brought yours and Young Master Zhuang's."
Mentioning Zhuang Dongqing, Liu Qi became nervous again, "By the way, Young Master Zhuang, he..."
He's fine.
Liu Qi felt relieved.
It's no wonder they did this. For the sake of speed, Cen Yan only sent them their location information, without mentioning anything else, such as whether they were safe or what their situation was.
No sooner had he finished speaking than a voice called "Liu Fu" from inside the room, indicating that Zhuang Dongqing had woken up.
Cen Yan glanced back, and Liu Fu, understanding, pushed open the door and went in to serve.
Cen Yan: "Have Master Zhao come over, he'll take a look at Zhuang Dongqing in a bit."
A guard received the order and went out of the courtyard to search for the person.
Cen Yan poured himself a glass of water, and then turned his gaze to the three attendants who had followed him for many years.
Hao San and Xu Si were both emotionally charged. One was red-faced and swollen from excitement and guilt, while the other had bloodshot eyes. Even Liu Qi, who was usually reserved, had tears welling up in his eyes.
Cen Yan: "These days haven't been easy, have they?"
Hao San: "As long as we can find our master and know that he is safe and sound, nothing else matters!"
"Tell me, how much have you lost in terms of horses and personal guards?"
Hao San gritted his teeth, “The guards who followed the master were all poisoned by snakes and died. The team I led, including myself, was left with only three people to protect me from the ambush. We brought out two hundred warhorses, but after this battle, when we counted them, only one hundred and twelve remained. Xu Si’s two teams were injured but not killed during the escort, as was Liu Qi’s team.”
"Your subordinate is incompetent!"
Hao San lowered his head heavily, his eyes were red-rimmed, and his hands were clenched into fists at his sides.
Cen Yan understood this feeling.
It is anger.
And resentment.
Cen Yan: "Has the body been disposed of?"
"Everything that could be found has been properly dealt with."
Cen Yan: "Give him a proper burial. Send a message back to his fiefdom, instructing him to treat his relatives well and to follow the old customs."
"That's alright."
After he finished speaking, everyone fell silent. After a long while, Cen Yan spoke again: "What about the court? They didn't say anything good about me, did they?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Hao San's face was filled with indignation, and Liu Qi quickly said, "Let me report it."
Cen Yan studied Hao San's expression for a moment, then raised his hand to stop Liu Qi, "Hao San, continue."
The reports were straightforward; they were all well-trained soldiers, and their relay of information was extremely accurate.
In the first two days after Cen Yan disappeared, the people of the Dingxi Prince's Mansion searched frantically to no avail. Some even praised him for his loyalty and patriotism. However, as time passed and no body was found, leaving his fate unknown, other voices began to emerge in the court.
Just two days ago, the Prince's Mansion was impeached by a faction led by the Third Prince.
It is claimed that Cen Yan faked his death, but in reality, he colluded with the deposed crown prince to plot a rebellion.
The casualties suffered by Hao San and Cen Yan, leading their two teams of guards, were merely a smokescreen.
Hao San glared and gritted his teeth: "If the trap were really that powerful, and the snake venom really that ferocious, we should have found our master's body long ago. Since there is no body, there must be a trap inside."
"They also accused my Prince's Palace of abnormal casualties. Apart from the two squads of personal guards, all the other squads were unharmed, with no dead and only minor injuries. They said that the master had long been colluding with the deposed crown prince, and that the deposed crown prince's remaining forces were able to launch such a fierce counterattack, so someone must have been passing on the message!"
It goes without saying who this person who delivered the message is.
Hao San was furious. "I've never understood the intricacies of the court, but I'm just not willing to accept it."
"Both of our brothers are gone, and you, my lord, have been bitten by a snake and your life hangs in the balance. How can those officials dismiss the merits of the Prince's Mansion with just a few baseless speculations? When the mutiny occurred in the hunting grounds, we didn't see any of them step forward or risk their lives. Now that they've returned to the capital, it's our fault as the ones protecting the Prince!"
"Such a distortion of the truth and confusion of right and wrong..."
"If we had known this would happen, we..."
"Your subordinate is dull-witted and cannot understand!"
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