The Little Crybaby Continues to Court Death as a Cannon Fodder - Chapter 38

Chapter 38

“What are you doing there, lurking in the shadows!”

Yu Qing’s shoulders shook, his thighs trembling uncontrollably. With a tilt of his small frame, he began to tumble backward.

Wei Shengyin, however, was quick-witted and agile. He instantly wrapped an arm around Yu Qing’s waist, helping him steady himself.

Yu Qing didn’t dare look Wei Shengyin in the eye. From the hurried glance he’d just taken, Wei Shengyin’s holy and cold face was covered in the marks he himself had left behind—not just on the corners of the mouth, but on the corners of the eyes, the cheekbones, and even the wet hair.

Absurd. Simply absurd.

He just wanted to come to the Deep Heart Pavilion for some “air conditioning.” How—how did it turn into this!

Though it wasn’t Yu Qing who made the first move with his hands, it was Wei Shengyin who made the first move with his… mouth. He swore that before Wei Shengyin started, he hadn’t shown even a spark of intent! If anyone was to blame, it was Wei Shengyin; he, the Prince, had simply made the mistake that any man would make.

Yu Qing first looked up and glared fiercely at Wei Shengyin. But after all, the man had just “served” him and made a small sacrifice. The Prince was not one to ignore merit or fault; a warning glare was enough for now.

Cradled in the man’s arms, the little Prince’s legs were still shaking. He turned his head, his watery eyes flashing with a hint of aggression: “Xie Xuanying, you dare to spy on Us? Do you truly think that because you have Our favor, you can act so arrogantly?”

“As I see it, there’s no need for you to stay by Our side. Get lost! Go back to wherever you came from!”

Yu Qing was looking for an excuse to kick Xie Xuanying out of the palace. Xie Xuanying’s heart belonged to the martial world; given a chance to leave, he should have been cooperative.

But for some reason, Xie Xuanying reacted like he’d taken the wrong medicine. Instead of the joy he usually showed at the thought of leaving, his first reaction was a sharp denial: “No!”

Realizing his tone was improper, he hurriedly tried to save face: “I’ve done nothing wrong! It’s you who are here trying with this wild man, and I caught you. You are the Crown Prince, yet you don’t learn any good—doing… doing… such shameless things in the garden with someone else!”

“What does it have to do with you!” As Xie Xuanying got louder, Yu Qing got even louder. “Did Us do anything shameless with you?”

“If you don’t want to do it with us, plenty of others do. Now roll! I don’t want to see you!”

The young Prince’s voice was naturally crisp and filled with arrogant nonchalance, but having just been stimulated, it was now soft, waxy, and slightly raspy. His red lips opened and closed, and combined with that stunning face, he was incredibly charming.

Xie Xuanying stared at that face for a long time. For the first time, he didn’t talk back; instead, his handsome face turned even redder.

“I’m not leaving.” “You were the one who snatched me here. You had someone drug me, causing me to lose my internal power. You must take responsibility for me.” “I. Am. Not. Leaving!”

…

Yu Qing was nearly fuming. Compared to Xie Xuanying, he cared more about his “business.”

Using his soft fingers, he poked Wei Shengyin’s Adam’s apple with little strength. In a commanding tone, the little Prince said: “From now on, the cold spring of Deep Heart Pavilion belongs to Us. I will come every day.”

To Wei Shengyin, these words were nothing. To Xie Xuanying, they were like a thunderclap. Coming every day? Wasn’t that just a disguised way of saying the Prince would be here every day doing shameless things with this “pretty boy”?

How could that be allowed!

“Your Highness,” Wei Shengyin began, having organized his words for a long time, “the Emperor once decreed that no idle persons are allowed in the Deep Heart Pavilion. As the Crown Prince, your frequent visits would be improper.”

The Deep Heart Pavilion was the seat of the nation’s fortune, and the High Priest was the messenger of the gods. If the Prince were seen here often, rumors would surely spread that he had ulterior motives.

Beside them, Xie Xuanying’s expression darkened. This “pretty boy” really didn’t know how to appreciate a favor. The Prince was willing to condescend to come here, and this guy was actually playing hard to get?

As expected, the Prince looked unhappy. His face was only the size of a palm; when he frowned, his features bunched up, making his lip pearl even more prominent. His long lashes fluttered as he expressed his dissatisfaction.

“But Your Highness,” Wei Shengyin added slowly, “you can come to the Deep Heart Pavilion under the guise of taking lessons. Fate and Numerology. You can say you have developed an interest in the study of Fate.”

Yu Qing followed Wei Shengyin’s suggestion and pestered the Emperor. The Emperor, who had always doted on him, waved his hand and let him do as he pleased.

Back at the Eastern Palace, Yu Qing was delighted. But at the first bite of his dinner, he noticed something was off.

“Did the Imperial Kitchen change chefs?” “Your Highness, these dishes weren’t made by the Imperial Kitchen, but by Young Master Jingshi himself.”

Eunuch Zhang bowed with a fawning smile, looking sentimental. “Young Master Jingshi stayed in the small kitchen all afternoon!”

Young Master Jingshi? Yu Qing looked confused.

Eunuch Lin knew the Prince had likely forgotten the orders he’d given—the Prince’s whims always came and went quickly. He hurried forward to remind him about Hua Jingshi.

At the mention of the name, Yu Qing recalled a few things. It wasn’t that he was exceptionally lustful, but he had heard that the Thirteenth Prince of the Jing Dynasty, Hua Jingshi, was of peerless beauty and was known as the “Number One Beauty of the Capital.” Out of curiosity, he had invited the man to the Eastern Palace as a guest.

Who knew the original body had done so much evil that his subordinates automatically interpreted “guest” as something else and snatched him into the Hall of Aides. Yu Qing didn’t think much of it; a place to live was a place to live, and his Eastern Palace was much better than the hostage manor.

“Bring him to Us.”

As soon as he spoke, light footsteps sounded at the door. Hua Jingshi had been waiting there for quite some time. Yu Qing lowered his head to sip the soup. Regardless of the man’s looks, his culinary skills were divine. The soup was fresh, savory, and had a lingering aftertaste; clearly, a lot of effort had gone into it.

A large swath of vibrant red entered his peripheral vision. As Yu Qing set down his glazed bowl, someone was already kneeling to pay respects.

“Look up.”

Hua Jingshi’s hands were trembling, his palms wet with cold sweat. Hearing that casual, crisp voice, he dazed for a moment before slowly looking up to reveal his full face.

He had always understood his advantages. His father had favored his mother because of her face; the Imperial Kitchen showed them mercy mostly because of this face. He had even escaped the treacherous hostage manor because of it. Hua Jingshi was not a sentimental person; living in a foreign land meant being humble. To live well, one had to pay a price.

Despite all his mental preparations, when he saw the Qing Prince’s face, he couldn’t help but freeze. The Prince’s features were exquisite, his skin like snow, but what was most attractive was the unapproachable coldness—noble, elegant, and possessed of a natural aura of sovereignty.

Looking at this face, Hua Jingshi felt a moment of confusion. It seemed like he was the one getting the better end of the deal.

Yu Qing rested his chin on his hand, dissatisfied with the distance between them. He stepped down and walked over to Hua Jingshi, noting the clothes he wore. The style was simple, but it was a striking, solid red.

Eunuch Lin misunderstood: “Bold! How dare you wear such a provocative color before His Highness…”

“Red suits you very well.” Yu Qing glanced back at Eunuch Lin, then slowly returned his gaze to Hua Jingshi. “It complements your skin.”

“You made this meal today?” “Answering Your Highness, Jingshi made it.”

Hua Jingshi offered a sweet, obedient smile. “I heard Your Highness has had a poor appetite lately. Jingshi is grateful to Your Highness and wished to share your burdens. But Jingshi is clumsy and could only think of this method.”

“It’s delicious. Us likes it.”

Hua Jingshi’s chin was suddenly lifted. Yu Qing leaned down, a few strands of his hair brushing against the tip of the man’s nose. It was itchy, but Hua Jingshi didn’t dare move.

“What reward do you want?” “Is any reward possible?”

The Prince’s expression remained cold, as if he could find interest in nothing. He let go, sat back, and said lazily, “Any reward.”

“But it must be realistic. If you wish to return to the Jing Dynasty, that is a fool’s dream.” “Jingshi does not wish to return.”

A light gaze fell upon him, and Hua Jingshi offered another perfect smile. This smile was perfectly calibrated—gentle yet not lacking in masculine spirit. It was an alluring, purposeful smile designed to captivate anyone.

Sure enough, the Prince’s eyelashes fluttered, seemingly drawn in.

Hua Jingshi grew bold and crawled forward on his knees until he stopped at the Prince’s feet. He leaned down, tilting his head slightly, and rested his cheek against the Prince’s knee through the luxurious purple robes.

Without permission, he kept his hands on the floor like a servant waiting for a master’s command. His expression was submissive, as if receiving a heavenly blessing.

“Your Highness, let Jingshi serve you tonight.” Keeping his face against Yu Qing’s knee, he lifted his eyes, which were filled with pleading and a hint of maiden-like shyness. “I… I will do very well.”