Chapter 182: Palace Intrigues and Unconventional Love

Chapter 176: Waves

Xiao Chiye marched south from the Pi Bo Camp, meeting up with the Ci Zhou garrison at the northern border before veering off the same path as Shen Zechuan and heading west of Dun Zhou. To avoid alarming the Wang of Fan Zhou, he could only march at night. Fortunately, they managed to catch up just in time.

Shen Zechuan leaned forward to sniff Xiao Chiye.

Xiao Chiye refused to let him do so and tried to lift him up. Shen Zechuan grabbed his front shirt. Seeing that Shen Zechuan’s right hand was wrapped in bandages, Xiao Chiye was afraid he would hurt him further if he exerted too much force, so he lowered himself and allowed Shen Zechuan to sniff him.

"I haven’t washed for two days either," Shen Zechuan said, pressing his knee into the bedding as he nestled against Xiao Chiye. "Let’s wash together."

The sound of raindrops tapping against the eaves sounded like countless tiny brushes. Xiao Chiye opened his chest to Shen Zechuan, who then leaned on it. The unbuttoned collar exuded nonchalance as every inch of his skin craved Xiao Chiye’s touch. He seemed so relaxed that the subtle intimacy that slipped out appeared unintentional, and even his sensuality was innocent.

Shen Zechuan had the ability to turn his breaths into whispers. In Xiao Chiye’s eyes, he was a natural beauty. His gaze stirred Xiao Chiye’s heart like his warm fingertips, creating ripples on the surface of Xiao Chiye’s inner lake. When he begged, he did so with such fervor that it was as if he was immersed in a deep sleep.

They had always been in perfect harmony in bed. Even the slightest moan could be understood by the other. Their supreme pleasure derived from their flawless synchronization. Xiao Chiye had to brace himself to withstand such a lover; he needed to be like a wall, strong enough to resist waves.

"All right then," Xiao Chiye suddenly changed his tone and said provocatively, "I’ll take a bath with you."

Shen Zechuan sensed something amiss in that look.

Dunzhou was situated in the east, where the weather tended to be colder. Unlike the baths in Qidu with their open windows, the bathing facilities within Tianni Courtyard were tightly sealed. Not only were they fully equipped with bathing amenities, they also featured various intricacies. Upon opening the door and rolling up the bamboo screen, a humid warmth engulfed the air.

Shen Zechuan, still clad in his clothes, immersed himself in the water. His wrists were bound by his waistband, supposedly to prevent his wounds from getting wet, and were casually hung on a small rack by the poolside. Xiao Chiye had even picked out a tiny golden bell from a wicker basket, suspending it in mid-air so that it would chime melodiously whenever Shen Zechuan moved.

Soaked through, Shen Zechuan couldn't withstand the heat of the bath. But at this moment, he was preoccupied with other matters. His ears flushed red, making his jade-like pearls appear even more lustrous. Xiao Chiye squatted in front of him, holding up his legs.

"You never learn your lesson, no matter what I say," Xiao Chiye said, half-naked, as he wiped the small knife clean with a cloth. "I'll have to teach you a proper one."

"Xiao Ce'an!" Shen Zechuan curled his toes slightly, keeping his eyes shut.

"Mm," Xiao Chiye focused on his task. "Who are you calling?"

Shen Zechuan felt the cold blade against his skin, causing him to open his eyes filled with shame. "I hate you to death!"

Xiao Chiye cast him a glance and replied, "I hate you just as much."

Feeling the friction of the blade, Shen Zechuan could only tremble slightly. The water was warm, while the knife was cold—every inch that passed was acutely discernible. He couldn't endure it, unable to look down, so he dared only to fix his gaze on Xiao Chiye.

That look was too pitiful; Xiao Chiye had never seen such an expression before, and he was so moved that he wanted to draw it down immediately. He had been angry just now, but he suddenly laughed. Xiao Chiye had never done this before, so he did it carefully, shaving every bit of hair that needed to be removed.

Shen Zechuan's back still leaned against the pool wall, and the contrast of these two experiences had drained all his composure. He truly felt that he was in Xiao Chiye's grasp, not daring to move a muscle. However, the surroundings were brightly lit, illuminating his labored breathing in the mist. The droplets on the jade beads followed the rise and fall of his chest, as if Shen Zechuan himself had become Xiao Chiye's jade, with no secrets left to hide.

Xiao Chiye asked, "Will you stab me again next time?"

Shen Zechuan didn't answer.

When Xiao Chiye finished shaving, he noticed that Shen Zechuan's eyes were red, either from the steam bringing tears to his eyes or from anger. Xiao Chiye showed no mercy, reaching out to pinch Shen Zechuan's cheeks and saying fiercely, "For every injury you inflict, I'll shave you."

Shen Zechuan was cold, his eyes brimming with tears. The flush in his ears had spread to his chest, and before he could catch his breath, Xiao Chiye pressed him against the pool wall, kissing him until the bells jangled.

* * *

The rain continued the next day, and Shen Zechuan had a rare good night's sleep.

When Xiao Chiye put on his robe and got up, Chen Yang was already waiting under the eaves. He wore wooden clogs inside the room and didn't allow anyone to discuss business in there. Instead, he walked down the veranda and went into another room.

Chen Yang followed behind, lifting the bamboo screen to let some of the stuffy air in the room escape. He turned to Xiao Chiye and presented the roster, saying, "Two thousand three hundred cavalrymen were captured this time. They are currently being held in Dunzhou prison, guarded by the Tzu Prefecture garrison."

Xiao Chiye flipped through the book but did not sit down. With his back to the light, he asked, "Where's Lei Jingzhe?"

"Dead," Chen Yang paused for a moment. "They dug him out of the ruins already dead. Judging from the injuries, it seems he was strangled."

Putting the book down, Xiao Chiye recalled Shen Zechuan's injury on his right hand. He stood there for a while before saying, "Don't wait till we return to Cizhou. There won't be time. Write a letter now and send it with haste to Qidong, sealed with my private seal…" He paused and turned around. "Or use Lan Zhou's seal instead."

This matter concerned the situation in Zhongbo, so he could not mix personal feelings into his conversation with Qi Zhuyin. It was already a favor that Qi Zhuyin was willing to take care of Lu Pingyan for Lu Guangbai. Xiao Chiye's private seal represented Beilu; if they continued to owe favors, they would never be able to repay them. Besides, Cizhou was now under Shen Zechuan's jurisdiction. As the main general of Beilu, putting his own seal on the letter would undermine Shen Zechuan's authority. In the future, Shen Zechuan would still have to interact with Qi Zhuyin, and it would be awkward for both parties if his personal relationship with Qi Zhuyin were to interfere.

"Lei Jingzhe was the leader of the turmoil in Dun and Duan Provinces. This time, he brought the Border Sand cavalry into Dun Province. Beilu and Cizhou joined forces to fight against the Border Sands, for the people of Zhongbo," Chen Yang said smoothly. "Even if this news were to reach Qudu, we would still be in the right."

"The root of our righteousness lies in the fact that Qudu has no troops," Xiao Chiye said. "Otherwise, there would be countless charges to pin on Lan Zhou. But even a cornered dog will jump over a wall. Now that Dun Province is in our hands, Lan Zhou holds sway over three provinces. No matter how preoccupied Xue Xiuzhuo and the Empress Dowager are, they will start thinking of ways to rein Lan Zhou in. The best way would be to release Qi Zhuyin, first eliminating Fan Province so that Cizhou loses its shield in the southeast."

But this matter was not urgent. With no one in the border regions, Qi Zhuyin had already moved from Cang Prefecture to the border region to defend the gap for Lu Guangbai. The Border Sands had transferred Hason from the southeast to the north, but they had not gained any advantage. Amar still had a strong military presence in the area.

Xiao Chiye's timely arrival in Cizhou was also due to Xiao Fangxu's intentions.

After Zhongbo's defeat, Duan Province had no troops, making it a weak spot for the Great Zhou. However, Amar did not launch another attack. Instead, he concentrated his forces in the north and southeast, seemingly bypassing Zhongbo altogether to focus on Beilu and Qidong. Xiao Fangxu believed this was a ploy to divert attention, and the appearance of the Scorpion Unit further confirmed Amar's determination not to abandon Zhongbo. Thus, he took Shen Zechuan's proposal to rebuild Zhongbo's defenses seriously.

Xiao Chiye asked more about the military affairs in Dun Province, and just as they began to discuss the armory, Gu Jin entered.

"Master," Gu Jin glanced at the courtyard and said, "Fei Sheng and the others are still kneeling in the corridor."

Xiao Chiye turned his head and peered through the window lattice without responding.

Gu Jin didn't dare to bring it up again and retreated to the side.

There were still bandits to deal with in Dunzhou, but Xiao Chiye's 15,000 troops were more than enough to maintain order. When Liuer saw Xiao Chiye, he was so awestruck that he couldn't even walk straight. Seeing Lei Jingzhe dead, he didn't dare to have any more misgivings, but he was not an entirely innocent man. Xiao Chiye had no intention of keeping him around and arranged for him to be under Kong Ling's command. Xiao Chiye left the military arsenal in Dunzhou untouched; they would need it for future battles.

It wasn't until midday that Xiao Chiye remembered Shen Zechuan was still asleep. He returned to the room to find that Shen Zechuan was already up and listening to Kong Ling discuss matters under the eaves.

Upon seeing Xiao Chiye, Shen Zechuan silently averted his gaze.

Xiao Chiye was not in a hurry. He knew he had been too rough with Shen Zechuan last night, and Shen Zechuan was still wary. He had risen early that morning, so he drew back the curtains and took a nap in the inner chamber.

When Xiao Chiye woke up, Shen Zechuan was seated at the table, looking over the affairs of Ci Prefecture.

Xiao Chiye wiped his face with a handkerchief and asked, "Have you eaten?"

Shen Zechuan replied quietly, "No."

Xiao Chiye found the situation amusing. He imagined Lan Zhou, that little darling, being uncomfortable with nothing on underneath and thought that his prim and proper posture was somewhat alluring. He sat down opposite Shen Zechuan, crossed his legs leisurely, and said, "Go ahead and serve the dishes then. Let’s have a meal together."

Shen Zechuan put down his brush, about to say something, when someone entered from outside.

Chen Yang did not enter the inner chamber. "Master, Tiger is here."

Only then did Xiao Chiye remember that he had asked Chen Yang to summon Tan Taihu before going to bed because there was something he wanted to discuss in front of Shen Zechuan. He straightened up and said, "Let Tiger come in—"

Suddenly, Shen Zechuan mouthed silently to him: Don’t let him in.

Xiao Chiye wore an inquisitive look, but Shen Zechuan ignored him. Tan Taihu had already stepped through the door and was waiting for Xiao Chiye to call him into the inner chamber. Not understanding Shen Zechuan’s intentions, Xiao Chiye could only say, "I summoned you because I have something to discuss. I didn’t bring it up in Liubei earlier, but now is as good a time as any. Tell me, will you defend Dunzhou?"

Tan Taihu had always followed Xiao Chiye. Hearing this, he was taken aback and remained silent for a moment before asking, "Will Master also be staying in Dunzhou?"

Xiao Chiye twirled his ring finger. "You had no choice but to follow me in Qudu, and later, we went to Liubei due to circumstances. It’s different now. You’re capable of standing on your own two feet…."

Seeing Shen Zechuan crawl across the table, Xiao Chiye knew that things were not looking good. He tried to press down on Shen Zechuan’s forehead, but Shen Zechuan bit down on him instead. In pain, Xiao Chiye did not make a sound.

Tan Taihu, who was outside, heard the crucial part and asked anxiously, "Master, are you not sending me back to Liubei?"

Shen Zechuan traced Xiao Chiye's contours with the tip of his nose, and Xiao Chiye wanted to pull his leg back, but with Shen Zechuan in between, he couldn't lift the table to retrieve him. They hadn't done anything the previous night; Xiao Chiye had been concerned about Shen Zechuan's injuries and had simply fallen asleep after shaving him. Now, the heat was making his desire surge.

"You're from Zhongbo, and your trusted subordinates are from Zhongbo too," Xiao Chiye regained his composure, paused for a moment, then continued, "We've said this before when we were in Qudu."

Words could be slippery.

Xiao Chiye tilted his neck slightly, hiding his sigh carefully so it wouldn't show. As he listened to Tan Taihu kneeling through Shen Zechuan's words, he felt a wave of desire wash over him.

The corners of Shen Zechuan's upward-slanting eyes shimmered with moisture, trapped beneath his lids. When he looked up at Xiao Chiye like that, all his hostility transformed into rippling light, stirring a desire within Xiao Chiye to bite him. The restless hand traveled up Shen Zechuan's jaw, eventually resting on the back of his head.

"Don't cry," Xiao Chiye rasped, "Keep going."

Tan Taihu choked back his freshly shed tears and knelt outside, saying, "Sir... I've served as the governor's aide for five or six years, and it was under the governor's patronage that I learned how to lead troops. Since we left Qudu, the governor has been grooming me every step of the way. Back when we were in Libei, you made me memorize the layout of the three camps. I thought you wanted me to stay in Libei and guard the camp for you, so why am I being left behind in Duzhou now?"

It was too hot.

Unable to resist, Xiao Chiye loosened his collar. The waves of passion were numbing his lower back. He retracted what he had said last night—such a lover was not someone he could lean on; he only wanted Shen Zechuan to cry until there were no more tears left.