Your Majesty, Please Be Obedient - Chapter 15

Eating too quickly caused him to choke.

As Jiang Qiyan’s small face turned red from holding his breath, he suddenly felt a large hand placed on his back, and a cup of water was held out before him. Jiang Qiyan quickly took a large gulp from Master’s hand. The water was lukewarm.

Perhaps fearing the boy might choke, Pu Tingsong waited until he saw him swallow before gently patting his back to help him catch his breath. A low sigh followed. “It seems I must prepare some snacks for you after all.”

Actually, it was not necessary. At Master’s place, he could eat his fill at every meal. During his leisure time, he did not feel hungry.

Jiang Qiyan suddenly began to understand why, back in the Imperial Palace, Master always used food to reward him. Master must have discovered back then that he was always going hungry. Yet, Master never pointed it out to hurt his self-esteem; he simply used that method to silently provide him with extra meals.

Master had always been looking after him with silent care, a meticulousness that reached into his very bones. Every word and every action, though Jiang Qiyan did not realize it at the time, was filled with painstaking effort. But Master never spoke of these things. Master never said a word.

Jiang Qiyan did not know why, but he felt a lump in his throat that made his neck ache. Before he could take two breaths, tears filled his eyes. Unable to let them fall, he tilted his head back slightly, causing the salty, bitter water to flow back and make him choke.

“Cough, ugh, cough, cough!”

The low sigh turned into a long one. Pu Tingsong pulled him into his embrace, his hand patting the boy’s back with a gentle, never-ending rhythm. It was as if he did not know fatigue, or perhaps this small amount of effort was unimportant in Master’s eyes. Master’s eyes were full of him, and his voice carried a hint of worry. “How can you choke on your own tears?”

“Little Qiyan, I have taught you that you are not allowed to shed tears while eating.”

But he was just so moved. Along with the gratitude, there was a faint sense of unease. He did not know what about himself made him worthy of such treatment from Master. As a Crown Prince in name only who was not favored, he did not even have value for Master to exploit. Master’s kindness came without reason and too suddenly.

This unease persisted until the end of the year.

The servants in the manor were busy changing the peach wood charms. The lanterns at the entrance had been replaced with bright red ones, and the character for Good Fortune was pasted all over the courtyard. Pu Tingsong sat under the corridor for a while, watching them work. Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a small head at the corner.

Pu Tingsong withdrew his gaze and acted as if he did not know. The little pet had been avoiding him recently, but not completely. He was always peeking at him from a distance in some corner, and as soon as he was discovered, he would flee in a panic.

This was the eighty-fifth secret peek of the day.

Pu Tingsong counted silently in his heart. If there was one more, he would no longer turn a blind eye. He laughed softly without a sound, stood up, picked up the book resting on the windowsill, and turned to go to the pavilion behind the rockery.

Jiang Qiyan still did not trust him with his whole heart. Pu Tingsong knew this could not be rushed; no matter how many setbacks occurred, he had to deal with them patiently, dissolving the doubt bit by bit. He sat leisurely in the pavilion, brewed a pot of tea, and read his book while sipping. He showed no intention of looking behind the rock.

Master was not in a hurry, but Jiang Qiyan was. He was hiding behind the stone, but why did Master not discover him? Why did Master not call him over? Clearly, as long as Master called, he would go.

Jiang Qiyan’s eyes were slightly red. He knew he was being timid. He did not actually want to hide from Master, but when one does not know how to accept an overwhelming kindness, one instinctively chooses to refuse or escape.

“Sigh.” The sound of the teacup hitting the tray was very crisp, making him flinch. Master’s voice sounded somewhat sad. “Am I really that frightening?”

No, but…

“I give you candy and you do not eat it; your pockets are so full they cannot hold any more.” Pu Tingsong sat with his back to him, taking a small sip of tea. “If you save it for too long, it will become inedible. If you continue like this, I will not give you any the next time we meet.”

“No!” Hearing this, his eyes grew redder. It was because he feared Master would not give him any in the future that he could not bear to eat them.

“Then will you come here?” Master negotiated with him in a good-tempered manner. “How long do you plan to hide?”

He did not know. But in truth, he was not yet ready to accept this excessive indulgence. Brother Fang had taught him something today that might help Master. He really did not want to receive Master’s grace for no reason without being able to repay it even slightly. Yet he was conflicted because this tenderness was something he truly longed for. Like a candle flame in the dark, one could actually do without it; the worst that could happen was fumbling in the dark or hitting a wall. But once you have owned it and known its goodness, you want to keep it forever and never let it go out.

“Come here.” Pu Tingsong turned around in his seat. His tone was no longer a question. “Come here. Stand right here.”

Jiang Qiyan trembled slightly. He knew that at a time like this, he could not refuse. He slowly emerged from behind the stone and walked toward Master one slow step at a time. He stood very close to Master and then lowered his head.

His fingers, which were clenched into fists, were pried open, and a piece of candied fruit was suddenly placed in his palm. “I bought snacks for you to eat. There are no other children in the house.”

There was one, Fang Wuming. And as long as Master wanted, he could pick up other children at any time.

Jiang Qiyan gripped the candied fruit, his hand trembling as he moved to put it in his pocket. In the end, it was because he was too useless, so he could be replaced at any time, could he not? It was he who had begged Master to let Fang Wuming stay, but now that Master actually kept him, Jiang Qiyan felt so uneasy. If Master grew tired of him, then Fang Wuming would replace him as Master’s most favored child, right? Fang Wuming knew so much, even though they were the same age.

“Master,” Jiang Qiyan forced a smile, “I, I will give Master a head massage, okay? Brother Fang taught me. Can Master let me try?”

Everything should have a price. But Master wanted nothing; how could he feel at ease?

Pu Tingsong looked at him for a long time before slowly speaking, “Has Fang Wuming said something to you recently?” It was a certain tone.

That day, he had held the candy, wanting to share it with Fang Wuming. Fang Wuming had bowed to him and said, “It is a kind gesture from the young master, and I should not refuse. However, if I take this candy, the Imperial Preceptor might throw me out.”

The speaker was careless, but the listener was attentive. Thus, he suddenly remembered that he, like Fang Wuming, was a piece of duckweed without roots. Whether he could stay was controlled by Master. If Master did not want him, he could be thrown out at any time, could he not?

“Master,” Jiang Qiyan did not answer Pu Tingsong’s question. He just tentatively climbed onto Master’s knees bit by bit. “Master has been staying up for many days. Does your head hurt?”

“Jiang Qiyan.” His waist was suddenly encircled. “What do you think is the relationship between me and you?”

The hot breath exhaled by Master brushed against his ear, making him itch, and he instinctively shrank his neck.

“I, I do not know.”

Actually, he knew; it was the relationship between the owner of the house and the person living under the eaves. But he did not dare say it.

“You call me Master. I,” Pu Tingsong paused, “am your teacher. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to pass on the Way, teach skills, and resolve doubts. As a father figure, whether providing shelter or care, protecting you is my duty. Little Qiyan.”

Jiang Qiyan looked up and saw gentle light floating in Master’s eyes. “You are different from them. If you feel bad for me and massage my head, I will be happy. But if you try to please me because you fear I will abandon you, it is quite unnecessary.”

I am different from them, Jiang Qiyan repeated in his heart. I do not need to please Master, because I am a child of Master’s house, unlike other wild children.

“Are you still going to massage?” As if joking, Pu Tingsong lowered his head so the little fellow sitting on his lap could easily reach.

“I am!” Jiang Qiyan reached out and covered Master’s temples. “I, I want to make Master happy.”

“Then stop when you are tired, and then take out two pieces of candied fruit from your pocket to eat, okay?”

“Okay.” Since Master would not abandon him, he would continue to stuff candy into his pockets in the future.

“Share one with me? I am also craving it.”

“I will not share.”

“So Qiyan is a little miser.”

“Qiyan will give everything to Master!”

“You…” Pu Tingsong shook his head. “Little Qiyan has grown up and can tease his Master now.”

Jiang Qiyan suddenly held Pu Tingsong’s face and gave him a kiss. “Wu!”

Wait, how did Brother Fang teach him to say that phrase? “Nothing to, um, by body…”

By body what? He had been reciting it the whole way for fear of forgetting, but after stealing a kiss from Master, his mind suddenly went blank and he could not remember anything. Forget the original words; the meaning was about the same anyway!

“In short, I, I have grown up. I will be Master’s wife!”

Brother Fang had said that when one does not know how to repay someone, one must either work like a horse or marry them. Master did not want him to work like a horse, so he only had the path of marrying Master left.

Since being ambushed by that kiss, Pu Tingsong had been in a daze. By the time he recovered, the person on his lap had already run away out of embarrassment. He shook his head again. “Truly, the innocent words of a child.”

He lowered his head and smiled. “Repaying by marriage is unnecessary. How could you think you have nothing to give in return?”

You probably have no idea of your own value.

An emperor personally supported and raised by oneself is always easier to handle than a new emperor of unknown origins. It could save a great deal of unnecessary trouble. As for that Fang Wuming, it was time to deal with him. What kind of nonsense had that man been telling his little rabbit? Since he dared to corrupt his little pet, he should not blame Pu Tingsong for being ruthless. That child probably had no idea what “repaying by marriage” even meant.

To be honest, that moment just now had truly given him a start. While drinking tea to calm his nerves, Pu Tingsong thought about how to correct the child’s perspective. They were both male; how could they marry? This matter was too absurd, simply unheard of. Fortunately, Jiang Qiyan was still young and there was room for salvation.

He could not wait. Tomorrow, he would invite Fang Wuming to leave the manor!

Support