Chapter 1 The first five years have already blurred my memory…
Hungry...so hungry...
All I could see were broken, collapsed houses and my mother lying motionless beside me... I was so hungry...
He crawled forward unsteadily, too hungry to stand up...
Mother...Father...
I'm so hungry, I want to eat something. Why isn't Mom awake yet? Where's Dad? Why isn't he home...?
His little head was already fogged up from hunger.
Outside the rain, a handsome man in a black and gold robe stood holding an umbrella outside the ruins, with a person in brocade standing beside him.
Is there any noise over there?
"Your Highness may have misheard. This area has been completely flattened by the Northern Rong, and the remaining villagers have long since moved away."
The man, slightly shorter than the other man, had a strange, high-pitched voice that didn't sound like a normal man's. He looked towards the ruins.
"Let's go take a look."
The man stepped into the ruins. The person beside him didn't stop him, but sighed and followed, advising as they walked, "Your Highness is kind-hearted, but you must be careful. These are turbulent times, heavens!"
He was so shocked by what he saw that he lost his voice halfway through his sentence.
Before he could react, the tall man next to him immediately dropped his umbrella and rushed over, pulling up the child who was stuffing fat white maggots into his mouth.
The man's face was extremely ugly. Looking at the maggots wriggling in the child's mouth, his eyes were as gloomy as the sky outside.
The child, who had been abruptly pulled away, seemed somewhat dazed, chewing the insect in his mouth blankly, seemingly unable to discern what it was.
"This...this...Your Highness?"
"Take it back."
The man spoke in a low voice, ignoring the expensive fabric of his sleeves, carefully picking out all the maggots from the boy's mouth and wiping it clean before carrying him out.
"well!"
......
"Seventeen! What are you standing there for? Hurry up and eat!"
The handsome young man, who was slowly eating at a small table, was patted on the shoulder by a man much taller than him, and then he quickened his pace in stuffing food into his mouth.
Their food wasn't bad. Thirteen sat next to him watching him eat: "Why do you always eat so little? Can you handle the training this afternoon?"
"It's fine."
Seventeen's voice wasn't loud, perhaps because he ate too little, and he was very thin, but his thin clothes concealed a strong physique.
"Okay, hurry up and eat. I'm going now, don't be late."
Thirteen gave a few instructions and then got up and left in a hurry.
Seventeen looked at the white rice in front of her and lost her appetite, but she knew that she couldn't not eat. She forced the food in front of her into her mouth while suppressing the nausea in her stomach, then quickly wiped her mouth and stood up to run to the training field.
Five years have passed since that pitch-black, rainy night, and five years have also passed since he was brought back to the capital.
In five years, he went from being weak to being as lean as he is now.
He would remember that rainy night for the rest of his life. His Majesty took him away like a god descending from the heavens. He was not good with words and did not know how to repay His Majesty. He could only train hard and become stronger as soon as possible.
"Seventeen has arrived."
The instructor looked fierce, but he treated Seventeen very well, beckoning to him and saying, "The assessment is the day after tomorrow. Are you confident?"
Seventeen walked up to him and nodded vigorously. Her pretty and delicate face, however, seemed like poison to the coach, inspiring fear.
Although this child isn't very strong, he's flexible enough to be perfect for assassination work. Plus, he's got a beautiful face, making him a deadly weapon.
Thinking of the longsword that had been delivered through various channels, the instructor had a change of heart and believed that he had guessed some of the other person's thoughts, so he treated Seventeen with even more gentleness.
"Your situation is special, so we have set up a separate assessment for you. Don't worry too much. No matter what the result is, you will be able to graduate smoothly."
Seventeen lowered his eyes and nodded. The five years in the Dark Guard Camp were the happiest time of his life since he was eleven. He was also looking forward to seeing that person again.
Even just following behind the other person as a shadow would make him incredibly satisfied.
The Dark Guard was trained by the current emperor and kept in the shadows to handle his shady affairs.
The guards in the camp were all men, most of whom were orphaned children taken in from various places. Therefore, they had no worries and were instilled with only one belief from childhood: to protect His Majesty.
They obey only His Majesty's orders, follow him closely, and are his most loyal shadows.
This secret guard battalion is a thorn in the side of many. Many people know that His Majesty holds such a hidden force in the shadows, but no one has ever seen the true faces of these secret guards, nor do they know where they are.
In recent years, thanks to His Majesty's effective governance and the passing of the most difficult days, no new members have been added to the Dark Guard Camp. Seventeen is the last one.
Actually, there were more than seventeen people in the Dark Guard Battalion before, but many died while serving His Majesty, and the remaining members were replaced. Now there are only seventeen Dark Guards in the battalion.
From the moment they step into the Dark Guard Camp, they must abandon their own names and their past, focusing only on the one sitting on the dragon throne.
Seventeen focused intently on training, making final preparations for the assessment the day after tomorrow.
Thirteen sat next to the instructor, nudged his arm, and whispered, "Where will Seventeen be sent?"
Their tasks varied. Some might be sent to remote towns to keep an eye on an official, some might infiltrate the officialdom to find those with ulterior motives, and some might be sent to pose as ordinary citizens. But he couldn't figure out where Seventeen was going.
The child arrived late, and was already eleven years old when he arrived. He was old enough to remember things and understand reason, which really surprised them.
But His Majesty said nothing, simply tossed the still-sleeping child over and left.
After waking up, Seventeen remained silent for a while. He would eat when given food, wear clothes when given clothes, and do whatever he was asked to do, as obedient as a rag doll.
Thirteen didn't know what had happened to Seventeen. Although the brothers in the Dark Guard were all from poor families, they weren't usually so dull-witted.
"It depends on what the higher-ups want."
The instructor did not reveal Seventeen's whereabouts, and his ambiguous statement sent Thirteen packing.
Seventeen was too thin and his martial arts skills weren't very good. Although he had some thin muscles, they were far from enough for actual combat, so he definitely wouldn't be sent to a dangerous place. So, was he going to be sent to keep watch? Thirteen touched his chin and thought it was very likely.
Stalking doesn't require much skill; all you need is good agility and flexibility, which are precisely Seventeen's strengths.
Late at night, after washing up, Seventeen lay in bed. The assessment was the day after tomorrow, and the instructor told him to rest for a day tomorrow so he could go out for a walk and relax.
But he didn't know where to go.
Since he was brought here, he has only gone out twice. Once was to go out with the instructor to buy supplies, and the other time was when there was no one else in the camp. Ninth Brother took him out to carry out a mission, but he didn't ask him to do anything. He just kept an eye on a family all night.
Should he go out? Seventeen pondered. He wanted to go out... but not to the streets of the capital. He wanted to go out and see His Majesty.
But just thinking about it makes it clear that His Majesty is not someone he can see whenever he wants.
Unable to sleep, tossing and turning, but fortunately each of the guards had their own small room, so they wouldn't disturb others.
Seventeen's dark eyes shone brightly in the moonlight streaming through the window. He climbed onto the roof to look at the full moon, thinking that it was January 16th again.
The entire palace was eerily silent, with only a few trusted confidants scattered in strategically located corners, their eyes fixed on the disloyal individuals hidden in the darkness.
Who is it?
Seventeen's expression hardened, and he turned around to strike the shoulder of the person approaching from behind, but his wrist was lightly grabbed.
His thoughts raced. Not just anyone could enter the imperial city, especially the Dark Guard Camp. Perhaps it was some senior figure.
Seventeen's strength softened, and his attitude of showing weakness was very obvious.
"Is that Ninth Brother?"
He was closest to Ninth Brother in the camp, and Ninth Brother's unruly nature meant he was capable of doing such frightening things.
But the man in black was masked, and his features were very deep under the moonlight, making Seventeen feel somewhat familiar, but she couldn't quite place him.
"Seventeen?"
"yes."
The other party was obviously one of his seniors. Could it be his third, fourth, or fifth brother whom he had never met?
As Seventeen was pondering, the person released her slender wrist, their tone flat: "Why are you here watching the moon so late at night? Didn't I give you a day off tomorrow?"
Seeing how familiar the other person seemed... Seventeen lowered her eyes and replied, "I couldn't sleep, so I came out for some fresh air."
"Who are you?"
Seventeen was still very curious: which of his brothers from the Dark Guard Camp was this?
The man in black sat down next to Seventeen, glanced at Seventeen who was carefully examining him, and a slight smile appeared on his lips hidden under his mask.
“I am not a secret guard, but... a bodyguard by His Majesty’s side.”
Seventeen was somewhat surprised. His Majesty's guards? Why would they come to the Dark Guard Camp in the middle of the night?
What are you doing in the camp so late?
The other party meant no harm and was a fellow professional. Perhaps because of the other party's friendly attitude, Seventeen felt good about him and lowered her guard a little.
"Come find the instructor to retrieve what His Majesty requested."
The man in black spoke vaguely, but Seventeen understood that he probably had something important to say.
"Is His Majesty still handling state affairs so late?"
Seventeen's tone was somewhat surprised. He had only had one encounter with His Majesty... He could only recall the faint fragrance emanating from the other person. His memory of the past five years had become blurred. Perhaps this person often accompanied His Majesty, and upon closer inspection, he seemed to have a faint fragrance as well. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember if it was the same scent His Majesty had worn back then.
The man in black had a faint smile in his eyes: "Yes, Your Majesty has worked hard."
Seventeen buried her face in her knees, turned to look at him and said, "Since His Majesty has important matters to attend to, you should hurry and go find the instructor, but the instructor may already be asleep."
The man in black nodded, his gaze sweeping over Seventeen before he nimbly jumped down and slipped into the instructor's room.
Not long after, Seventeen saw the candles in the instructor's room lit up, and two figures seemed to be talking about something.
Then the lights went out, and the man in black reappeared.
He stood below, looking at Seventeen sitting on the roof, seemingly deep in thought. Seventeen looked back at him, then suddenly remembered something and waved at him.
The man in black leaped onto the roof, and Seventeen asked him curiously, "I forgot to ask you earlier, what's your name?"
The man in front of her paused for a moment, then replied, "Just call me...Mingyue."
Mingyue? Seventeen tilted his head and thought for a moment. His Majesty has such a guard by his side. Perhaps... he could ask His Majesty about him?
“Mingyue...then I’ll call you Brother Yue.”
Seventeen's eyes were exceptionally beautiful under the moonlight. The cool moonlight seemed to veil him in a light gauze, carrying dust particles, like a misty moon fairy.
"...good."
For some reason, Seventeen felt that Yue Ge's voice was a little hoarse.
"Aren't you going back to report?"
"His Majesty is preparing to rest before I leave. I will report back tomorrow morning."
Seventeen tilted his head and looked at him. This man was one of the few outsiders he had ever met, and he was a little curious about him.
In addition, the other person always gave him a familiar feeling, which made him feel somewhat... at ease.
"What do you usually do when you're with His Majesty?"
"We usually stay by His Majesty's side and occasionally he will order us to go out on errands."
"I see." Seventeen yawned, resting his chin on his hand. Mingyue looked at his handsome profile and asked, "Tired? Then go back and rest."
"I don't want to sleep."
A note from the author:
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New story! Emperor (top) x Bodyguard (bottom)! As usual, a sweet story, so jump in without worry! The top has an alias in the early chapters, hehehe.
Thank you for your support! *kissing sounds* [kissing emoji]
★★★Next novel: "After Transmigrating into a Book, I Was Pampered by My Childhood Sweetheart"★★★
Childhood sweetheart, seemingly innocent yet secretly cunning and taciturn, x delicate, weak, and shy, please have mercy on me (reaching out).
Delicate and pampered type, the kind who expects everything to be done for him. Enter at your own risk if you don't like this.
As a perpetually unlucky guy who could choke on water and end up in the hospital while eating, Li Huai had only one thought in his mind when the out-of-control truck sped towards him: "Finally, I'm free."
But when he regained consciousness, his eyes were filled with despair: How come he didn't die again?
But soon he realized that this place didn't seem to be a hospital?
A group of people dressed in mismatched clothes around him were crying and shouting about something like "Young Master" or "Alliance Leader." The flood of memories squeezed Li Huai's already aching brain, and he fainted again.
When he woke up again, he understood his current situation: he had transmigrated and become the beloved, silly boy of the martial arts alliance leader.
Sha Geda was born an idiot. Although she was beautiful, she was physically weak and needed to be taken care of in everything, like a flawed flower grown in a greenhouse.
Li Huai wanted to continue feigning madness and not let others know that he had been given a new soul, but things didn't go as he wished.
Since waking up, his childhood friend and elder brother have visited him every day. Their cold eyes seem to see through Li Huai's disguise, and before he knew it, he had confessed everything.
Fortunately, his elder brother did not doubt his identity, but only thought that Li Huai had recovered from his illness.
Li Huai secretly breathed a sigh of relief, only to find himself surrounded by so many people.
In just a few words, Li Huai finally understood what they were talking about: that he was blessed with good fortune, and that even a trace of it would bring him a string of good luck, and so on...
Li Ze found it utterly absurd. How could such an incredibly unlucky person be the reincarnation of a lucky koi fish? These people must be out of their minds!
His good brother stood in front of him, keeping all the madmen outside the door. Li Huai was completely unaware of the bloodlust that flashed in his eyes. He only felt that the tall and straight figure was exceptionally handsome, and a flower seemed to quietly bloom in his heart.
"Good brother, I feel much better now, I can go out and play."
Li Huai held his elder brother's hand, swaying like a spoiled child, while Lu Ze'an looked at him with his gloomy black eyes. The fleeting madness seemed like an illusion, but upon closer inspection, only tenderness remained.
"Really? I think I heard Ah Huai calling out my brother's name last night... Then it seems Ah Huai is capable of..."
Li Huai's earlobes turned bright red. How could his deeply hidden secret be exposed by a few words he uttered in his sleep?
Lu Ze'an rolled his dark eyes, and when they landed on Li Huai's reddened neck, his madness intensified.
Delicate and beautiful flowers, yet fragile, should be kept indoors, allowing oneself to admire them day and night.
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