Translated by Dan-danmein

Edited by Jules

Hearing Mu Hanzhang inside call for someone to show Qin Zhaoran to a guest room, Jing Shao turned around and left. Although he was so angry he was about to explode, he forced himself to calm down in case he might do something irreparable.

“Wang Ye still hasn’t come back yet?” Seeing that the sun had already set, Mu Hanzhang looked at the sumptuous food in front of him and couldn’t help frowning.

The servants looked at each other. Naturally, they didn’t know where the prince had gone.

Mu Hanzhang sighed and had people take away the cold food. As soon as he got up, he heard familiar footsteps outside the door (omggg he recognized Jing Shao’s footsteps). Before he could look up, he was hugged in the arms of the person who came toward him. 

“Where have you been… wu…” Suddenly, Mu Hanzhang was picked up horizontally. He struggled a couple of times but was unable to break free, and was carried into the bedroom.

Jing Shao threw the man in his arms onto the bed, stripped off his clothes and then pounced.

“Are you hurt?” Mu Hanzhang saw the blue and purple bruises on Jing Shao’s shoulders and hurriedly got up to take a look, but Jing Shao pressed him back down.

Jing Shao held down the person who was trying to struggle, tore open his clothes, leaned over and began to nibble and bite, eager to make sure that this person belonged to him and that no one could take him away.

At first, Mu Hanzhang wanted to persuade him to eat dinner first. Gradually, he was aroused by Jing Shao’s proficient techniques. The hands he had pressed to Jing Shao’s chest to try and push him off slipped down unconsciously and now clenched the bedsheets under them.

Jing Shao moved quickly. He looked at his Wang Fei below him: his eyes were hazy, his body was being tossed about and he was moaning quietly. However, Jing Shao felt empty in his heart. Everything had been too smooth since his rebirth. He had always thought that Jun Qing used to like women before, or that he was wholeheartedly dedicated to his studies and so didn’t like anyone at all. Unexpectedly, this Qin Zhaoran showed up halfway. They were childhood sweethearts who shared the same interests; they could talk about poetry and song lyrics, and could critique current, relevant issues. On the other hand, he was just the prince whom the North Marquis had forced Jun Qing to marry. He just wasn’t able to accept it right now…

Jing Shao knew that he might be overthinking things, so he went to fight a bout with Gu Huaiqing in the afternoon to help him forget about it. The more he deliberately tried to forget, however, the more he couldn’t help thinking about it. If Jun Qing had already had someone else in his heart since long ago… every scene from all the resentment he had from his previous life and all he had done to change things this time around flashed in front of him, as if ridiculing him and saying that everything was just his own wishful thinking, and if Jun Qing had been given a choice, he might not look at him at all…

Thinking this, Jing Shao’s actions became even fiercer. 

Mu Hanzhang soon felt pain and couldn’t help frowning. “Gentle… gentler… ah…”

But Jing Shao ignored him and thrust harder and harder.

“Wu…” Mu Hanzhang raised his hands and pushed at him. However, he had no strength at all. Jing Shao’s movements became even rougher. His erection, hard as iron, stirred back and forth in Jun Qing’s body, and the pleasure in Jun Qing’s body faded like a tide, and was instead followed by more and more severe pain. “Ah… hurts…”

Mu Hanzhang lifted his head, his white neck arching beautifully as it was bitten by the man on top of him. He felt like he was being bitten by a beast, and fear, along with pain, swept through his body. “Stop… stop… ah…” 

The body below Jing Shao became more and more tense, and not after long, he came, pouring his essence into Jun Qing. Panting for a moment, he slowly pulled away. Only when he saw Mu Hanzhang tremble and curl up did he realize that he had just done a despicable thing.

“Jun Qing…” Jing Shao hesitated before he reached out to stroke his arm, but his hand was flung away.

Watching Jun Qing curl up in pain, he immediately regretted it and slowly clenched his fist. This man was the purest and warmest existence to him. If he lost him, it would be meaningless for him to even live again. Jing Shao took a deep breath and said with some force, “I, I’m telling you, no matter who you have stowed away in your mind, you can only be my Wang Fei all your life. I won’t let you go.”

Mu Hanzhang slowly turned around and looked at him strangely. “What crazy thing are you talking about?” 

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“The teacher said that the materials I learned were too varied, compared with Qin Zhaoran, who had only focused on reading the relevant texts, so the teacher had me continue studying for another three years…” Mu Hanzhang was stunned for a long while, and subconsciously replied in a low voice to Jing Shao’s words.

“Then why did he say he was waiting for you to become the No. 1 scholar? You had an agreement with him before you married me, right? Whoever became the No. 1 scholar first would take the other as his wife?” Jing Shao threw all caution to the wind and just blurted out everything he had been thinking.

Mu Hanzhang stared at him for a long time, before he reacted. It turned out this rascal was eating vinegar! Enduring the discomfort in his body, he slowly sat up and sighed. “Is there something I haven’t told you?” 

When Jing Shao heard this, the hair on his body suddenly stood on end. Was Jun Qing going to confess to an agreement to elope with Qin Zhaoran? His heart was filled with resentment. Even if those two somehow became a harmonious couple today, he would certainly become the evil tyrant who would tear apart the mandarin ducks (perfect couple) and firmly bind this man to him. He had lived two lives. There was only one person who belonged completely to him. No one was allowed to snatch him away!

Mu Hanzhang slowly stretched out his hand and stroked the side of Jing Shao’s handsome face. “I love you.”

“Hmph, I’m telling you, even if you knew each other first, I also…” Jing Shao suddenly stopped halfway. “Jun Qing, what did you say?”

Mu Hanzhang rolled his eyes and then turned away to lie back down, but he was pulled into an embrace. 

“Say it again!” Jing Shao excitedly hugged the man in his arms. Before letting him speak, he continued, “I knew it. Benwang is such a brilliant military genius, how can you like someone else! I love you too, Jun Qing. Even through two lives, I have loved only you.”

Mu Hanzhang felt the arms hugging him tremble slightly, and he finally sighed. At first, he thought that the way Jing Shao expressed his love was like a child, and it still seemed to be the case now; it was just that his love was so simple and couldn’t have any bit of falsehood in it. He was like a small beast who had marked his designated territory; no one had better dare contaminate it even one bit. “Qin Zhaoran and I are just friends. If he hadn’t won the position of top scholar, I would have forgotten him. ”

Jing Shao heard this and was even happier. He suddenly thought of something, and hurriedly put the man in his arms back on the bed. “Quick, show me, are you hurt?”

“No, no…” Mu Hanzhang immediately blushed, but he couldn’t resist Jing Shao and was pressed down to be examined thoroughly. 

Jing Shao looked carefully and slowly pushed a finger in. Fortunately, there was no bleeding, but it was slightly red and swollen.

“En…” Mu Hanzhang moaned and pushed at him.

Jing Shao moved his finger, still buried in him. The soft and slippery place lured him into continuing to go deeper. This person was his, completely his, inside out. Just thinking this made his heart full. He leaned over, kissed Jun Qing’s soft lips, which had teeth marks from being bitten, and thanks to the slickness from earlier, thrust into his beautiful body again without any hindrance.

The moon was high in the sky, and not a sound was heard in Ruoshui Garden, though the sleepy birds on the eaves were occasionally startled into flight by the moans which spilled out from within the house. 

“Bang!” Jing Shao hugged his pillow and stared dumbly at the closed door in front of him.

He, unexpectedly, was, driven out of the house, by his own Wang Fei! (the commas were in the original)

“Wawu!” When Xiao Huang, who was playing in the yard, heard the sound, it immediately threw down the branch in its mouth and ran to the corridor.

“What are you looking at, stupid tiger!” Jing Shao glared at Xiao Huang, who had come to watch the excitement. “Benwang will restore my position as the head of the household and make him realize what seven principles he has violated in driving his husband out the door!” 

The fluffy tiger gave him a disdainful look.

Jing Shao snorted coldly and knocked on the door. “Jun Qing, I know I was wrong. Let me in!”

The guards patrolling outside the yard were all transferred from his personal army. When they heard the Wang Ye’s shout, they all collectively stumbled. The leader scolded everyone, quickened his pace and led the team away from the gate of the main courtyard.

The door was opened halfway with a creak, and Mu Hanzhang stood in the gap and glared at him. “Don’t you feel ashamed, howling like this in the middle of the night?” 

Jing Shao immediately stood up, held the door open with one hand and said with an apologetic smile, “Jun Qing, I was wrong. Don’t drive me out. I don’t have a bedroom in Ruoshui Garden; will you make me sleep in the yard?”

Xiao Huang had squeezed in through the crack in the door while they were talking.

Mu Hanzhang massaged his temples and turned to go back into the house. Elated, Jing Shao followed him in and closed the door behind him.

The big tiger had already taken the initiative to get settled on the bed and was rolling around on the soft quilt. 

Mu Hanzhang climbed in and put the tiger in the middle, like a boundary dividing two countries.

Seeing his action, Jing Shao’s face immediately crumpled. “Jun Qing…” The man ignored him and turned his beautiful back to him as he went to sleep. The soft summer inner shirt stuck to his skin, and the red marks which decorated his shoulder blades (called butterfly bones) could be seen faintly through the thin silk layer. Just looking at them made Jing Shao’s heart feel itchy. He really wanted to hold the warm, fragrant body in his arms. In the end, when he reached out, he only touched the furry tiger.

Xiao Huang had already grown. When it lay down, it was about as long as a person. Its wide body as it slept sprawled on its back separated Jing Shao from Mu Hanzhang in all directions.

Jing Shao angrily grabbed a fluffy ear and squeezed closer on the bed. Sleep! 

After a long time, when Jing Shao was about to fall asleep, he suddenly heard Mu Hanzhang ask him, “What do you mean that even through two lives, you’ve loved only me?”

Jing Shao opened his eyes and met a pair of lively, bright tiger eyes, shining in the dark. He stretched out his hand and flicked the tiger’s head. “This life is like this, and so will be the next life.”

Mu Hanzhang turned around and glared at him firmly. “What about the concubines before we got married?”

“Cough cough.” Jing Shao almost choked on his saliva. “I didn’t touch any of them.” 

“What about Song Lingxin?”

“Also didn’t touch Song Lingxin!”

“Really?”

“Really!” Jing Shao said firmly. 

Mu Hanzhang looked at him, smiled lazily, leaned over slowly and gave him a kiss. “Sleep.”

Jing Shao widened his eyes and leaned forward to chase another kiss. In the end, he received a mouthful of fur.

“Ao!” Xiao Huang disdainfully rubbed itself clean on the pillow.

The next day, Mu Hanzhang wasn’t able to get up because of last night’s activities. 

Jing Shao was so distressed that he personally fed him breakfast and dawdled before he went to the battlefield.

Qin Zhaoran drank too much yesterday and stayed in Ruoshui Garden for the night. When he heard that Mu Hanzhang was ill, he ran over to see him, but was stopped by the guards outside the door. “Wang Ye ordered that the Wang Fei be allowed to rest. No one is allowed to disturb the Wang Fei.”

“Is it brother Zhaoran?” The voice of Mu Hanzhang came from inside the room. “Let him in.”

Qin Zhaoran pushed open the door and saw Mu Hanzhang half-reclining in bed with a book in his hands. “Why have you suddenly become ill?” 

“It’s a common occurrence.” Mu Hanzhang smiled. “Yesterday you drank too much and I didn’t have time to ask. Today I’ll say it directly: Are you aware of the local authorities’ dealings with the overseas merchants?”

Qin Zhaoran glanced at the blue and purple bite marks on his neck and felt a little bitter. “I am, but I truly haven’t taken even a cent.”

Mu Hanzhang nodded. “There will be big moves in Jiangzhou these days. Don’t get involved.”

In the next month, Mu Hanzhang began to look for evidence that the Jiangzhou officials had profited illegally off overseas trade, while Jing Shao continued to fight with Gu Huaiqing slowly, drawing the battle out. 

It was when Mu Hanzhang got enough evidence and surrounded the mansion of the governor of Jiangzhou with his own soldiers that he understood the meaning in the eldest prince’s sinister eyes.

“I’m the eldest prince’s maternal uncle, marquis. I guess you haven’t realized who you are facing. These matters are just small things; shouldn’t you be friendlier to your imperial family, little brother?” The magistrate of Jiangzhou looked at Mu Hanzhang coldly. The marquis had only brought a hundred people. With his own troops, he would be able to take them down.

Mu Hanzhang looked at the soldiers behind the magistrate of Jiangzhou and couldn’t help frowning. He didn’t expect this little magistrate to have such strength; the eldest prince must have been aware of this, and hadn’t obstructed him from coming to Jiangnan. Was he planning to take care (like get rid of, but more veiled) of him with this?

In Mu Hanzhang’s heart, he was wondering how long the one hundred people Jing Shao had allocated to him could hold on for. Jiangzhou City was fifty li from Pingjiang; even if he had the left protectorate general go back to report the matter now, he didn’t know if Jing Shao would make it in time. 

“I advise the marquis to put down your treasured weapon. Let’s enter the house and properly discuss things. Otherwise, it won’t be easy for this servant to explain to the Wang Ye how your soft skin was marred.” The magistrate of Jiangzhou smiled insincerely and waved his hand, motioning for his people to seize Marquis Wenyuan.

Originally, he wanted to tie him up and lock him away for a bit. Without any progress in two months, the emperor would stop thinking about the maritime business. Unexpectedly, someone leaked the information, and evidence against him which implicated the eldest prince as well had already been obtained. He could only fight this way in this life-or-death struggle. As long as Marquis Wenyuan was dead…

“When did eldest brother have an uncle who is a prefectural magistrate? Why didn’t Benwang know?” A clear voice came from behind the crowd. A black horse walked out slowly. Jing Shao jumped off the horse with a sneer and stood next to his Wang Fei.

“Cheng, Cheng Wang!” When the magistrate of Jiangzhou saw Jing Shao still wearing armor, his heart suddenly went cold. “You, aren’t you supposed to be on the battlefield?” 

“Hmph.” Jing Shao put one hand around Mu Hanzhang’s waist and raised his hand. “Not one person is to be let go.” With that, the soldiers behind him rushed up, and he picked up Mu Hanzhang and mounted his horse, moving further away to oversee the process.

And Gu Huaiqing, who had been left hanging in the middle of battle, was so angry that he threw down and broke his longsword.

A few days later, the account books detailing how the eldest prince had colluded with officials in Jiangnan to accept bribes from overseas merchants so that they could perform illegal trade were handed to Emperor Hong Zheng.

Notes: Bad Jing Shao!!! You did something irreparable even though you were aware you might >:(