The Little Crybaby Continues to Court Death as a Cannon Fodder - Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Xie Xuanying, lying ill on his couch, turned the matter over in his mind and felt more and more that this plan was flawed.

Having roamed the martial arts world for years, he possessed some medical knowledge; creating the illusion of a serious illness wasn’t difficult. However, if the imperial physicians were to investigate deeply, it would be easily exposed. Most importantly, he did not trust Hua Jingshi. Hua Jingshi looked exactly like the type to be deeply scheming; no matter how thick-headed Xie Xuanying might be, he didn’t believe for a second that Hua Jingshi truly had his best interests at heart.

But Hua Jingshi had given him a wake-up call: the Prince would sooner or later take concubines, followed by a Crown Princess. When that day came, Xie Xuanying might be kicked aside like trash and driven out of the palace, never to see the Prince again. Xie Xuanying absolutely could not allow that to happen. He had to find a way to stay by the Prince’s side.

The man on the bed tossed and turned, his face as pale as ash, though his movements remained quite agile. Within moments, he fished a silk pouch from under his pillow and poured out a single pill.

While wandering the world, Xie Xuanying had encountered a strange physician who hated saving lives but loved tinkering with bizarre concoctions. This pill was a gift from him.

A False Pregnancy Pill.

This medicine would not truly make one pregnant, but it would induce all the symptoms: loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, itching, breast tenderness… If a man took it, there would even be some “special” reactions. When Xie Xuanying first learned of its effects, he had felt a chill of disgust and couldn’t understand the physician’s twisted sense of humor, but he had accepted it anyway. He never expected it would come in handy today.

Taking advantage of the current silence, Xie Xuanying got out of bed to pour some water. He stared at the pill for a long time, gritted his teeth, and dropped it in. The pill dissolved instantly. Staring at the shimmering surface of the water, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He tightened and loosened his grip on the glass, still unable to bring himself to drink it.

His original plan was to wait for the Prince’s visit, use the opportunity to seduce and get intimate with him, and then, once the effects kicked in, tell the Prince he was “with child.” When the “months” were further along, he would stage a miscarriage to frame Hua Jingshi, play the victim before the Prince, and demand a formal status. For the sake of the “child,” the Prince would surely agree.

The plan was perfect. But Xie Xuanying simply couldn’t swallow it.

He wasn’t even sure if the medicine worked; the strange doctor had disappeared to the four corners of the earth right after giving it to him. Earlier, the imperial physicians had searched his quarters top to bottom, and when they examined the pill, they found no toxins—only mild, health-boosting herbs.

Xie Xuanying pondered for a moment and decided to lie back down to finish his psychological preparation before gulping it down.

After lying there for a while, he felt restless, his mind constantly occupied by the “spiked” water. He sat up, hesitating no longer, ready to drink it all. But after taking only a few steps, he saw the little Prince sitting at the table. A group of servants was fanning him, and as Xie Xuanying approached, the Prince looked up, just as he set down a glass chalice.

Seeing Xie Xuanying frozen in place, the Prince asked curiously, “What is it?”

“Your Highness, that cup of water…”

“The water here… why is it so sweet and fragrant?”

Yu Qing licked his lips as if savoring the taste, his full lips glistening. It was hot outside, and having rushed all the way here, he had worked up a sweat and was incredibly thirsty. He picked up the chalice again and drained the remaining ice water.

Xie Xuanying’s face turned as white as paper. His body swayed, and servants immediately rushed to support him. The room was noisy with concerned voices, but he heard nothing. His mind was filled with one thought: It’s over!

How could it be such a coincidence? The water was actually drunk by the Prince! Although Xie Xuanying couldn’t be certain of the pill’s potency, this was the Crown Prince!

Xie Xuanying was helped back to bed. Yu Qing paced slowly to his side. Xie Xuanying’s face truly did look terrible—his eyes were unfocused and his lips pale. Yu Qing leaned over and touched the man’s forehead; it was very cold.

“How did you suddenly fall ill? What else did the physician say?”

A servant prepared to answer, but Xie Xuanying suddenly broke into a fit of coughing. Yu Qing looked at him again, and the man rose with agonizing slowness to lie his head on Yu Qing’s lap. Yu Qing frowned, looking down at Xie Xuanying, but ultimately refrained from pushing him away since he was a “patient.”

“Your Highness…”

When they met every day, Xie Xuanying felt nothing, but after just one day apart, he finally recognized his own heart. His mind was entirely filled with the Prince. The scenes by the cold spring were vivid in his mind, and the Prince’s dazed expression haunted him. Xie Xuanying was filled with regret; why had he stood by that day? He should have stepped forward and pulled them apart. He couldn’t let the Prince continue to be bullied by others.

“Speak.”

“Your Highness, I missed you very much.”

Xie Xuanying was not a man for sentimentality; even his sweet talk was tinged with a stiff, rigid tension. Hearing this, Yu Qing’s eyebrows twitched. Seeing how pale the man was, he thought: Forget it, why get angry at a sick man?

“You are mine, of course you should miss us.” The little Prince’s expression was arrogant as he domineeringly pinched the man’s chin. “Have you taken your medicine?”

Xie Xuanying let out a submissive “yes.” His temper had mellowed significantly; at least he was more obedient than before. Yu Qing instructed the servants to take good care of him.

“Your Highness, you are so good to me.”

“Recover well. You said you wanted to see us, so we came. Now we must return. Remember to take your medicine on time.”

It wasn’t as cool here as in the Eastern Palace. Yu Qing’s attempt to rise met with resistance; his sleeve was held fast.

“Your Highness, you haven’t visited me in a long time. Can you stay tonight?”

If Xie Xuanying’s complexion had been even slightly better, Yu Qing would never have agreed. But the man’s weak, thread-like voice gave him the feeling that this might be their last meeting. Yu Qing’s face stiffened slightly as he remembered Eunuch Lin saying Xie Xuanying wouldn’t live much longer. Was Xie Xuanying truly going to die young?

But he really did hate the heat, and the conditions here didn’t compare to the Eastern Palace. After a moment of inner struggle, he sighed. Fine. The man was dying; what was one wish? It could be considered an act of charity.

The little Prince did not forget to instruct the servants: “Remember to add more ice during the night.”

…

The news of Xie Xuanying returning to favor spread through the palace like wildfire. Hearing that he was unwell, the Prince had ditched the Prime Minister and rushed over to offer warmth and concern, even specifically ordering extra ice. Ice was a luxury in the palace; the amount distributed to each residence was limited. Giving more to Xie Xuanying meant less for the Eastern Palace. It was even said the Prince was staying the night to personally tend to him. A Crown Prince stooping to serve another—every detail suggested Xie Xuanying was back in favor.

At night, Xie Xuanying’s complexion improved. He lay in bed as stiffly as an ice sculpture, his eyes afraid to wander. Beside him, the little Prince had just finished bathing. His snowy-white inner robes wrapped around his slender frame, and his exposed skin was whiter than snow, covered in a fine layer of water droplets.

Eunuch Lin and Eunuch Zhang were on either side, drying his silken black hair. The droplets from his hair soaked parts of the inner robe, making the nearly transparent fabric cling to his curves, creating a silhouette more breathtaking than if it were seen directly.

Xie Xuanying stole a glance. His heart raced uncontrollably. His throat moved as his gaze greedily shifted downward. The Prince’s build was more delicate than a typical man’s. The damp robe clung to the curve of his lower back—a dramatic dip that transitioned into an exceptionally rounded fullness. The slender waist and full hips interwove into an alluring curve.

Xie Xuanying tried to keep himself in a “weak” state, but he discovered that certain “vile” reactions were unstoppable even by his own schemes. His jaw tightened as he stealthily pulled a thin quilt over himself.

“Leave us.”

When his hair was mostly dry, Yu Qing waved his hand, dismissing the eunuchs. He picked up a popular folk novel about spirits and monsters and began to read intently. Yu Qing loved studying literature; having taught himself several languages in the past, he knew he had a natural gift. After more than a month in the Qing Dynasty, he could read normal books fluently, having mastered everything except a few obscure ancient texts.

He soon became immersed in the story. At the scary parts, his slender white fingers would tighten slightly, his knuckles turning pink, and his cheeks flushing. The candlelight on the table flickered playfully across his face, accentuating his exquisite, almost bewitching beauty.

Xie Xuanying was dazed for a moment. By the time he came to his senses, his hand was already under the quilt, and right in front of the Prince, he began to do something incredibly bold.

But the Prince was simply too striking. Every inch of his skin was as delicate as snow, possessing the noble luster of jade. The damp robes revealing the flesh beneath felt like a direct seduction. Even through the fabric, Xie Xuanying could perfectly reconstruct the scenery beneath in his mind.

In this instant, several images overlapped: the Prince by the cold spring, the Prince sprawled over the hostage, the Prince being forced to kiss with his face pinched, the Prince being bullied…

“…Mnh.”

A sudden, muffled groan made Yu Qing put down his book. He rose slowly and walked to the bedside, tilting his head to look at the flushed Xie Xuanying.

“Are you feeling unwell? We will have the doctor called.”

“No, Your Highness!”

In his haste, Xie Xuanying grabbed Yu Qing’s hand. Yu Qing felt a sudden dampness. Looking down, he saw that his wrist and the back of his hand were covered in moisture. Before he could realize what it was, a strange scent wafted through the air. He frowned and instinctively sniffed it.

When he finally realized what it was, his face turned a brilliant crimson. Without a second thought, he pushed Xie Xuanying away. He wanted to strike him, but remembering the man was a patient, he only glared with fury.

Looking at his “dirty” hand, the little Prince’s anger boiled over. Out of spite, he rubbed all the traces from his hand back onto Xie Xuanying’s face, cursing with a red face: “Are you mad? You’re this sick and yet you’re thinking about this? You… you’re beyond help!”

He had actually felt pity for Xie Xuanying, wanting to satisfy his last wish before death. Here he was, showing great kindness, and what was Xie Xuanying doing? One last “act” before the end? And he was sitting right there! Xie Xuanying was truly bold—for the sake of his lust, he dared do anything. Was he tired of living?!

The fuming Prince turned to leave, but was hugged from behind. Xie Xuanying, forgetting what he had just done, had grabbed him in a panic. Both froze, and the atmosphere became even more awkward.

A pink tide spread from the Prince’s face down his neck and into his robes. His snowy-pink skin emitted a faint fragrance, and his messy black hair fell behind him, making his skin look even more delicate.

“Your Highness…” Xie Xuanying’s throat moved. Overcome with emotion, he leaned down and kissed the white flesh of the Prince’s neck.

A jolt of electricity made Yu Qing shudder. He realized Xie Xuanying was becoming even more excessive, slowly holding him and rubbing against him, his lips wandering over the back of his neck.

The little Prince gave a cold snort and used his weight to push back against Xie Xuanying, breaking free and running toward the door. The ground he passed was covered in a trail of dripping water. Unfortunately, the Prince was not athletic and was quickly caught. Xie Xuanying pinned him against the door, his handsome face flushed, while another “area” became increasingly fierce.

Yu Qing was livid. Trapped in the man’s arms, he didn’t forget to glare downward, cursing: “Are you crazy! Us will have you punished!”

“Your Highness, haven’t you noticed?” Xie Xuanying restrained the urge to kiss him. He knew he had gone too far today and the Prince was exceptionally angry; he needed to coax him.

He used his damp hand to cup the Prince’s face. Yu Qing’s brow twitched and his lashes lifted—another sign of an impending temper tantrum—but his chin was held and gently turned away.

“These were all left by You.”

Yu Qing looked over irritably. On the floor was a long trail of moisture, like a water dragon stretching from the inner room to his feet. He looked down and saw a small puddle forming around his toes.

Only now did the little Prince notice the abnormality in his body. He suddenly tensed his muscles, then relaxed after a moment. He was now certain that these were indeed left by him.

He frantically clutched the man’s chest: “What… What is happening? What is wrong with Us?”

“Why is there water flowing!”