Yan Shi got up with the intention to leave, then cast his gaze on Hua Ling and asked, “You, when you were about to be married over, did your mother instruct you to do anything?”

Yan Shi wasn’t asking this out of any good intent, what he truly wanted to ask was – “how does your mother intend to use you to deal with me?” But Yan Shi was someone who has extensive experience regarding these matters, he wouldn’t just directly say it like that. If Hua Ling was truly someone that was as pure and harmless as he seemed, even if he told him a lie, it would undeniably be reflected on his face. Moreover, this sentence could also be understood as – “Did your mother ever teach you how to be a good Wangfei?”

No matter which meaning Hua Ling construed it as, Yan Shi wouldn’t lose out.

But Yan Shi never imagined that his little Wangfei would actually be so pure that he was like a white blank sheet of paper, and could say just about everything, “My father and mother said, that I should inform them of your every move, even what you eat at every meal.”

Saying this, Hua Ling seemed to be very happy and let out a bigger smile, “Gege, look at how concerned mother and father are about us, they are always thinking of our welfare.”

Originally Yan Shi was incensed when he heard this, but he couldn’t help but laugh at Hua Ling’s comment. Forget it, anyway he had already known that this marriage wasn’t as simple as it seemed, there was no point in falling out with a child over it.

Perhaps it was because Hua Ling’s smile was too bright, it swept away the sorrow that Yan Shi had been feeling ever since he first found out about the marriage, and pretended to casually ask again, “Then did Minister Yuezhang mention how you should inform him about my matters?”

Hua Qiancheng was also a wily old fox, since he dared to let Hua Ling monitor him, then he would have definitely come up with a perfect method for him to relay the news.

Hua Ling, “Father says that I can just inform him whenever I go back home. He said afterall this pertains to our private affair[1], so it wouldn’t be good if too many people were to know about it.”

Yan Shi suddenly laughed and patted his head, “Since Minister Yuezhang has already said that this is our private affair, then you don’t have to inform him about everything.”

Hua Ling seemed to not quite understand his words, “Then what can be said and what can’t be said?”

“Don’t be anxious. When the time comes for it, I’ll be accompanying you.” And also take that opportunity to see if you are faking your current appearance.

Hua Ling nodded his head firmly, “I’ll listen to what Gege has said.”

Yan Shi asked gently, “Why are you so obedient?”

“My mother said, at home I have to obey my father, after marriage I have to obey my husband.” Hua Ling’s expression when saying this was particularly serious, “Since I have already married Gege, I should listen to what Gege says. Whatever Gege asks me to do, I will do it. If Gege tells me not to do it, then I definitely won’t.”

Yan Shi patted his head once more, “So obedient.”

Hua Ling yawned slightly, and looked at Yan Shi as if he wanted to say something but yet was too embarrassed to. After some hesitation, he finally said it, “Gege, it’s not early anymore, let’s go to bed and get some rest.”

After saying this, Hua Ling hurriedly lowered his head, it seemed like he was shy.

“I am tired today, so I won’t be resting here tonight. You should sleep first, I’ll come visit you tomorrow.” Saying this, Yan Shi made to get up.

“Gege, Gege.” Seeing that he was about to leave, Hua Ling became somewhat anxious, but was too mannered to hold on to him and could only tag behind him and call out.

Yan Shi walked swiftly out of the inner chamber, when he got to the outer chamber his footsteps suddenly came to a halt and he spun around quickly, almost colliding with Hua Ling who was following behind him.

“What have you done?” He reached out and grabbed Hua Ling’s wrist, his voice low and his eyes glinting dangerously.

“I – Gege, gege what are you saying? My hand hurts, quickly let go.” Hua Ling tried to retract his hand that Yan Shi had grabbed, but didn’t attempt to use his other hand to forcefully remove Yan Shi’s grip.

Yan Shi watched him for awhile then loosened his hold and strode forward with big steps towards the inner chamber. This bridal chamber was prepared by the people within his Wangfu, and he was certain that everyone within his Wangfu were his people.

The only one that could meddle with the things within this room was Hua Ling, but he had long since warned the people within his Wangfu against this. When Hua Ling and his attendants entered the room, they were already being monitored by his Wangfu’s people. Under their scrutiny, Hua Ling would have no chance to act. He was also very careful when he ate and drank tea just now, so just how did he get poisoned?[2]

Since this medicine wasn’t something he ingested, then could it be that he had inhaled it? But there wasn’t anything that looked out of place within the entire room. Yan Shi carefully inspected the candles but found no abnormalities.

He began to circulate his inner qi, intending to gather it within his dantian[3], but half of his internal energy seemed to have been sucked away by something, while the rest were slowly dissipating, bit by bit. Not only that, he even felt that he was slowly losing his physical strength.

“Gege, gege what’s wrong? What are you searching for?” Hua Ling asked anxiously from behind him.

“Let me ask you,” Yan Shi suddenly turned around, his eyes staring aggressively toward Hua Ling as if it could see through him, “Did you do anything within this room?”

Hua Ling wore a blank look, “No I didn’t. I was sitting on the bed the entire time ever since I entered this room, until you came.”

Yan Shi was somewhat unsteady on his feet, so he sat onto the chair. This body felt limp and weak, and now he couldn’t even lift his fist. But his face remained unchanged, so as to not let Hua Ling see a single trace of abnormality.

No, he has to leave this place. He struggled to stand up but his legs felt like they weren’t his own and completely didn’t obey his will, with a plunk he dropped back into the chair.

“Go, get an attendant from outside.” He forcefully held himself upright and wanted to sit up a little taller, but found that he didn’t even have the strength to that anymore. He could only put his arms on the table in an attempt to support his body.

“Gege, what’s wrong with you? Are you ill?” Hua Ling was extremely anxious.

“No I’m not,” Yan Shi could feel that his strength was vanishing at a very quick pace, in a while more, perhaps he wouldn’t even be able to sit upright anymore. He exerted his remaining energy to look up at Hua Ling’s face, but the expression on his face didn’t seem to be fake. Could this matter really be unrelated to him? But no matter if it was related to him or not, he couldn’t let him know that he had been poisoned. “I’m just really tired and can’t walk. You go and get someone from outside to come in and help me up. I want to go back and rest.”

“Gege, you scared me.” Hearing that Yan Shi was fine, Hua Ling’s expression gradually returned to normal, “Since gege is tired, then we can just rest early.”

Saying this he came over to help him up, but Yan Shi refused, “If I’m here, I’ll disturb your rest. I won’t be staying here tonight, I will come back another day.”

Hua Ling smiled, “Gege, what are you saying. We’re already husbands, how could I think that you’re a bother. Gege, I’ll help you up to go rest.”

At this moment, Yan Shi didn’t even have the strength to speak. He could only watch helplessly as Hua Ling helped him up and walked step by step toward that red bedspread.

Yan Shi closed his eyes. Just now he had secretly examined the inner state of his body. Even though he had lost his strength, but he couldn’t detect any poison, everything was functioning normally. His heart settled down a little, it seems like Hua Qiancheng didn’t want his life. Was it just to let him get off his high horse?

As Yan Shi was thinking about this, Hua Ling had already helped him over to sit on the bed. Forget it, right now he couldn’t move anyway, naturally they wouldn’t be able to consummate the marriage.[4] Even if he rested here for a night it wouldn’t change a thing, Yan Shi comforted himself with this thought.

But unexpectedly –

“You, what are you doing?” Yan Shi looked at the person who was struggling to loosen the sash around his waist.

Hua Ling lifted his head, his face filled with doubt, “Gege, I am helping you to undress. How can you sleep with your robes on?”[5]

So he was just taking off the robes to sleep, Yan Shi left out a breath in relief.

But he had just relaxed when Yan Shi felt a chill wash over his body, “You-you – “ he actually didn’t even have enough strength left to complete a sentence.

He suddenly felt a wave of regret that he had never before felt settle within his heart, he had really made the biggest mistake of his life tonight!

“Gege, what did you say?” Hua Ling held his upper body up halfway, his ear pressed against Yan Shi’s ear, while his hand continued its movement below. In a flash, Yan Shi’s jade-like white chest was revealed.

Because he practiced martial arts all year round, Yan Shi’s figure was very good. Though his body was slim, but it wasn’t weak. His skin was extremely soft and smooth, and it felt great to touch. At a place where he couldn’t see, Hua Ling quietly swallowed his drool.

“S-stop.” Yan Shi’s voice was now not much higher than that of a bug, and it quickly faded away into the air.

“Gege, I’m a little shy.” Hua Ling’s hand rested lightly on the side of Yan Shi’s waistband, like he wanted to take it off but at the same time was too embarrassed to. “Gege, how about you do it yourself?”

Yan Shi felt that if he didn’t try to stop it now, then it would be difficult to predict what will happen next. He tried once more to circulate his inner qi around his dantian, but it was useless. He gritted his teeth and lifted one arm into the air, “Stop–  “

The remaining half of his words disappeared and the arm that was raised up fell back down to its original position.

“Gege, why is your body’s condition so bad? You got so tired after a marriage ceremony.” Hua Ling tilted his head and gazed at him for a moment then smiled again, “But don’t worry, you can rest assured I won’t laugh at you. Gege, just now did you mean to let me help you take it off? Then I- then I’ll just have to help you take it off. Gege, besides my own body, I have never seen anyone else’s naked body before, not even my younger brother’s. So I was a little embarrassed just now. Actually, I am still a little embarrassed now, but I’ll have to eventually get over it. You have to believe in me, and I’ll believe in myself.”

Hua Ling let out a deep breath, and his hands began to move again.

Yan Shi looked at his movements desparately, I meant for you to stop just now! Stop it!

After a short while, the clothes on Yan Shi’s body were all removed.

“Gege, are you cold?” Not waiting for a response, Hua Ling took the blanket and covered Yan Shi’s body with it, “Even though it’s summer now, but it’s still better to be careful so you won’t catch a cold.”

Following that, Hua Ling quickly took off his own clothes and got under the blanket. He seemed to want to hug Yan Shi, but perhaps it was because he was too shy so he didn’t. Finally, he laid down by his side and whispered softly into his ear, “Gege, even though you’re very tired, but after all, tonight is our wedding night, since-since you…… then, then I can do it…… I-I’ll be very careful, and I will definitely not hurt you.”

  

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Translator’s Notes:
[1] Just to clarify, the ‘our’ here refers to Yan Shi and Hua Ling.
[2] I used ‘poisoned’ for the lack of a better term. It wasn’t actually poison but….. kinda like an aphrodisiac? 😉
[3] 丹田 (dantian): a core that martial arts practioners form by condensing spiritual energy/qi into a ball
[4] Ahhh Yan Shi, you naïve little thing~ *winks*
[5] In ancient Chinese setting, people often wear a few layers of robes. Often, there is an inner robe (usually plain white in colour) and a more colourful outer robe that is worn out on the streets. Often, people would sleep only in their inner robe.

  

dreamxx: I’m sorry I didn’t post last week… I really needed a break before school began. Chapter 5 will be out soon!

  

Thank you for your support! ( ˘ ³˘)♥

  

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