Yin Chengyu loosened his outer robe, untied his hair crown, and went into the water wearing only his snow-white undershirt. He found a raised flat stone and sat down, the water just covering his chest.

The temperature of the pool water was just right, not too hot, and as the steam rose, her porcelain-white skin quickly turned a layer of red. Her long black hair was spread out behind her back, and the ends of her hair were immersed in the pool water, like a clump of dense water plants, swaying slightly with the waves.

Xue Shu was on the shore, folding his changed clothes neatly on the screen. Yin Chengyu looked at his back, broad shoulders, narrow waist and long legs, and then he had evil thoughts again, and said lazily: "You come down too, help Gusong loosen his bones."

On the contrary, Xue Shu was stunned for a moment after hearing that, and then his eyes darkened. He silently unbuttoned his clothes and entered the water.

Probably because of years of martial arts training, he was now half a head taller than Yin Chengyu. He entered the water and went around behind Yin Chengyu, sitting on a slightly higher stone, the height was just right for Yin Chengyu to lean on him comfortably.

The flowing wind was blocked by the screens on all sides, and in this small space, even the cold air became hot.

Yin Chengyu ate two pieces of cake with his tea, and stopped him from massaging his shoulders. He asked him to turn to the front and said, "Punch your legs, too."

Xue Shu went around to the front and massaged his legs.

The obedient look with lowered eyes is very attractive.

Yin Chengyu always knew that he had a good appearance.

Unlike him, Xue Shu's appearance is more aggressive, like a beast born from nature, with a kind of beautiful wildness that cannot be ignored. When he looks up at people, most people will be shocked by the hostility revealed in him, thus ignoring his superior appearance.

Only Yin Chengyu had the chance to see his docile appearance when he put away his claws.

After staring at him for a few moments, Yin Chengyu reached out and pulled out the hairpin on his crown. The crown fell into the water without a thing to hold it in place, and his long hair also spread out and fell. His hair was just like him, coarser and harder, yet extremely smooth. A few strands of hair were wetted by the splashing water and stuck to his cheeks, neutralizing the coldness between his eyebrows and eyes, making him look a little softer.

Yin Chengyu's fingertips traced his face lightly, and finally sank into the water, hooking the belt that was floating in the water.

The wet white sash slowly wrapped around the green fingers stained with pink, making them look more charming for no reason.

Yin Chengyu leaned closer, pointed at his untied collar, and curled the corners of his lips in a half-smile: "Now that you are a healthy man, you are not afraid of being seen by others?"

Apparently, the past brought back unpleasant memories.

Xue Shu pursed his lips, avoiding his gaze and looking at the water. His hands were immersed in the water, and because Yin Chengyu was too close, her long hair, swaying like waterweed, followed him, brushing against his palm. Xue Shu subconsciously curled his fingers and gathered a few strands of black hair in his palm.

"My body is covered with old scars. I just don't want to alarm Your Highness. I also... don't want Your Highness to see my imperfections."

The two of them were worlds apart. Even if he got the person he loved, he would not want him to see more of his miserable life.

This was the first time he had been so frank, except for the period when he had not yet recovered his memory.

Yin Chengyu's expression paused, and his fingertips stroked the old scar on his shoulder. It was left when he fought against pirates in Tianjin last year. Although it had healed long ago, the scar still remained.

"Where did the injury come from?"

"When I first entered the palace, I didn't know the rules, and I was left behind when I was punished." Xue Shu was unwilling to elaborate and just mentioned it lightly.

In fact, in his previous life, his back was covered with dense whip wounds, new wounds and old wounds stacked one layer on top of another. Sometimes he felt ugly and disgusted when looking at himself in the bronze mirror, and naturally he didn't want Yin Chengyu to see it.

He was already so unbearable that he could no longer bear to see even a hint of disgust in his eyes.

The whip marks all over his back are the marks of shame left by his time of weakness.

At that time, he used silver to secretly go to the imperial mausoleum to see Yin Chengyu, but found that Leng Yue, whom he had cherished, had fallen into a quagmire and was trampled upon. He was determined to help him, so after returning to the palace, after some consideration, he managed to transfer from Zhidian Supervisor to Xichang.

At first, he was just a clerk in the Zhidianjian, and because he refused to flatter and curry favor, he was not valued. Even if he spent money, he could not get a good job or a good place, so he took a detour and went to Xichang.

It was because there was a criminal officer in the West Factory named Tan Liang, who used to be a criminal officer in the East Factory. Because he was too old to withstand the turmoil of the East Factory, he was transferred to the West Factory to be a criminal officer for honor.

Tan Liang had some friendship with Gao Yuan, the then supervisor of the East Factory. Although he was only a figurehead of the West Factory, even the supervisor of the West Factory had to treat him with courtesy.

He managed to enter the West Factory and acknowledged Tan Liang as his godfather, intending to use Tan Liang's influence to enter the East Factory.

But Tan Liang was a former prison official in charge of the imperial prison. He had a very twisted personality and a little-known hobby - he loved whipping people. The person being whipped was not allowed to move or cry out in pain. If he did something wrong, he would pour salt water on the wound, so the person could only endure it.

Including him, Tan Liang adopted more than ten adopted sons, but only four or five survived. It is said that the first ones were all whipped to death by him.

He was good at endurance and never cried out in pain. He could even stand up and go to work after being whipped. Perhaps his life was tougher than others, so he not only survived, but gradually became the most valued of Tan Liang's surviving adopted sons.

Later, he took advantage of Tan Liang's influence. Although he did not enter the East Factory, he got the opportunity to accompany the emperor. During the Danxi Winter Hunting, he gained the trust of Emperor Longfeng and gradually took power.

After that, he completed several good tasks in succession, secretly sowing discord between Emperor Longfeng and the East Factory, and finally took the West Factory into his pocket, thus having the capital to compete with the East Factory for power.

In the end, he skinned and boned Tan Liang himself, whipped him into a pool of rotten meat, and fed him to the wild dogs at the mass grave.

However, after he recovered his memory in this life, he no longer had that resentful temper. He just found a reason and quietly dealt with Tan Liang.

Yin Chengyu knew that he was not telling the truth.

The huge palace was full of filth and corruption. The lives of the powerless eunuchs were worthless, and it would not be surprising if they died quietly one day.

He didn't say anything, but there was heartache in his eyes. With his warm palm on Xue Shu's cheek, Yin Chengyu leaned over and kissed him tenderly.

As their lips and tongues intertwined, Yin Chengyu opened her eyes, stared into his pupils, and asked intermittently: "When you were alone in the palace, did you ever regret it?"

I regret entering the palace after purifying my body, and I regret all the suffering I endured.

"No." Xue Shu bit the tip of his tongue and pressed his forehead against his, exchanging hot breaths: "Your Highness is worth it."

Xuanzang had to go through 81 trials to obtain Buddhist scriptures from the West. When he attempted to pick the moon from the sky, he naturally had to endure the test as well.

Whether in his past life or this life, he never regretted it for a moment.

Yin Chengyu saw the determination in his eyes.

The hidden emotions in his heart gradually fermented and boiled in his resolute and unrepentant gaze. Yin Chengyu's slightly raised neck was stained with a beautiful layer of pink. His chest rose and fell violently, and his body pressed closer to him. He said in a hoarse voice, "Come?"

Xue Shu's throat tightened slightly, his back slightly arched, his face turned away and his jaw rested on his shoulder. His hoarse voice had already become a whisper: "I want to try the things that Your Highness has saved."

Yin Chengyu's eyelashes trembled, and he was silent for a few breaths before he replied, "I am tired, you have to serve me better."

…

The water in the pool rippled and splashed all over the ground.

I don't know when the wooden tray was moved to the shore. Without the warmth of the pool water, more than half an hour later, the tea and food had completely cooled down. The small teacup rolled around on the tray.

With his body immersed in the warm water, Yin Chengyu yawned unhappily, raised his foot and kicked Xue Shu, splashing water: "I'm hungry."

"There's meat porridge in the kitchen." Xue Shu stepped out of the pool and walked barefoot across the cold ground, leaving a trail of wet water marks.

Yin Chengyu narrowed his eyes and watched him dry his body and put on a wide robe.

After tidying himself up, Xue Shu leaned over, picked up Yin Chengyu from the water, and wrapped him in a large, thick cloth.

After all, the water outside was not as warm as the hot spring water. Xue Shu quickly helped him to dry his hair and change into clean clothes. He then wrapped him up in a warm shawl and asked in a low voice, "Shall I carry His Highness back? No one will see us."

Yin Chengyu was extremely tired and didn't want to move. After a slight hesitation, he nodded.

Xue Shu went out and called for people to clear the way in advance, then he carried the man horizontally in his arms and walked towards the temporary dormitory that had been cleaned up.

After counting the number of prisoners, Ying Hongxue ordered people to interrogate the prisoners one by one and make them confess their evil deeds. Then she compiled the information into a book and went to ask Yin Chengyu how to deal with the prisoners. However, she went to the study but found nothing. She thought that Yin Chengyu might be resting, so she thought of sending the book over first and waiting for Yin Chengyu to rest before reading it.

On the way, they met someone from the prefecture who was also looking for Yin Chengyu to report something. They walked together and went to the bedroom where Yin Chengyu was temporarily resting.

Ying Hongxue had sharp eyes. As soon as she reached the gate of the courtyard, she saw from a distance that it seemed that Xue Shu was walking towards her holding someone.

She realized what was going on in a flash, and no longer cared about looking for anyone. She immediately pulled the officials from the city back.

The city officials looked at her in confusion: "But what's wrong?"

Ying Hongxue smiled and said, "I just suddenly remembered that His Highness had previously asked us to discuss something with you. Now that His Highness is still resting, why don't we discuss the matter first and then come to His Highness for a decision."

When the officials heard this, they stopped asking questions and went back with her the same way.

When Xue Shu carried the person back to the house, Ying Hongxue and his group had already walked a long way away.

The charcoal basin had been lit in the room, so it wasn't cold. Xue Shu reached out and touched the newly changed quilt, and as instructed, a hot water bottle was stuffed under the quilt to keep it warm.

The person in his arms was already drowsy, but Xue Shu did not wake him up. He carefully untied the shawl and laid the person on the bed.

Yin Chengyu looked at him in a daze, with the redness still lingering at the corners of his eyes. Xue Shu tucked in the quilt for him and patted him twice, speaking softly, "I'll stay here, Your Highness, go to sleep."

Yin Chengyu fell asleep peacefully.

Xue Shu ordered his men to keep the porridge warm, brought a small stove, moved the sleeping man to the side of the couch, gently combed his half-dry long hair, and dried it carefully.

The cool wet hair gradually turned dry and warm, lying smoothly in the palm of my hand, exuding a pleasant smell.

Xue Shu's throat rolled, his fingers curled up several times, and finally he couldn't help burying his face in the long hair and sniffing deeply.

His chest rose and fell violently, and he kept breathing in and out. An indescribable joy grew from the bottom of his heart, making him want to hug the sleeping person in his arms regardless of everything and pour out all his joy.

It turns out that having someone you truly love is such a joy.

The previous entanglement did not satisfy him, but instead aroused a deeper desire.

But reason prevailed in the end. He knew that Yin Chengyu was exhausted, so he tried his best to suppress the thoughts circling in his mind, got onto the bed carefully, and leaned over to hold the person in his arms.

Like a beast guarding a treasure.