After Transmigrating, I Was Marked by the Tyrant | CHAPTER 1-2
CHAPTER 1-2
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
CHAPTER 1
Moonlight shone from high above and a cool night breeze lingered in the night.
Within Changlu State's Royal Hunting Grounds, several squads of elite cavalry held their torches aloft as they searched the woods surrounding the camp.
Half an hour ago, Changlu Kingdom's ruler was assassinated in his own tent, his fate now uncertain.
The camp was in chaos, filled with cries, shouts, and wails. In another tent not far from the ruler’s, a handsome young man sat at a table, engrossed in reading a book.
“Young Master, you really won't go take a look?” Beside him, an attendant serving tea asked in a low voice.
The young man didn’t even look up. “No.”
"But what if something happens to His Majesty..."
Before he could finish, the young man lifted his gaze, casting him a cold, piercing glance.
Though young, the man possessed refined and elegant features, even appearing somewhat frail.
He must have been about to retire for the night, wearing only a thin inner robe that accentuated his slender frame. His flawless, pale face was marked only by a small, crimson mole beneath his left earlobe, its vivid color striking against the charcoal fire's glow.
But when he looked at him like this, it sent chills down his spine and he dared not meet his eyes.
The attendant broke into a cold sweat and hastily clamped his mouth shut.
"You've been by my side long enough. You should know what to say and what not to say without me having to teach you."
The young man turned over a page. “There shouldn’t be a next time. Get out.”
"Yes... yes!"
"Wait," the young man suddenly called out. "Remove the charcoal brazier. It's too hot."
The attendant paused, glancing at the young man.
A faint, fruity aroma had inexplicably filled the air.Perhaps due to the heat from the brazier, a delicate pink flush had risen visibly across the young man's cheek, all the way to his earlobe, making the small cinnabar mole beside his eye appear even more vivid, adding a touch of allure.
He tugged at his loose collar, his expression impatient. "What is it?"
“N-Nothing.”
The attendant suddenly found it hard to breathe. He dared not say another word as he hastily removed the brazier and hurried out.
Only after leaving the tent and being jolted by the night breeze did the attendant realize something was wrong.
The young master was usually extremely sensitive to the cold, but now it was late autumn, and the night was chilly. How could he be hot?
Silence returned to the tent. The young man sat upright, his gaze peering beyond the book. Seeing that there was no movement outside, he let out a long sigh, threw the book on the table, and slumped down as if boneless.
".....Finally gone"
About fifteen minutes earlier, Ye Shu had transmigrated into this world.
It was a political intrigue novel.
In the story, the Great Yan, Changlu, and Western Xia were divided regimes. The male lead, Jin Wang, was the new emperor Changlu.
This male lead was unlike any other.
Jin Wang was petty, ruthless, and vengeful. Denied favour by the previous Emperor, he plotted meticulously, assassinating his father and brothers to seize the throne. On the day of his enthronement ceremony, the court eunuchs who had bullied him in his youth were all dismembered and thrown into a tiger cage, where they were devoured by the tigers.
After ascending the throne, Jin Wang first purged corrupt officials and eliminated political rivals with brutal efficiency. He then launched military campaigns, personally leading his armies to conquer Great Yan and Western Xia within three years, ultimately unifying the realm.
Ye Shu had transmigrated into the body of a cannon fodder character who shared the same name as him in a novel.
The original Ye Shu was the son of a disgraced official, reduced to servitude in childhood. He met Prince Jin Wang and became his study companion. Having grown up together, Jin Wang, upon becoming emperor, made the unprecedented decision to appoint Ye Shu as Left Prime Minister, granting him oversight over all officials.
However, their political views soon clashed, creating a growing rift between them.
In the third year of Jin Wang's reign, the original Ye Shu conspired with foreign enemies to assassinate the emperor during the autumn hunt. The assassination failed, the plot was exposed, and Ye Shu's entire nine generations were implicated, making him the first named and identified cannon fodder to be eliminated by Jin Wang.
In short, he was just a tool for the male lead to gain experience points.
"What a mess..." Ye Shu groaned, slumping over the desk. The wailing outside the tent gave him a splitting headache.
The weeping outside was loud and chaotic, but no one knew that Jin Wang wasn't even in the camp that night.
Long before the original Ye Shu plotted the assassination, Jin Wang had anticipated the move. The figure remaining in the emperor's tent was merely a decoy.
Once the assassin strikes, the original Ye Shu’s entire scheme will be exposed.
Three days later, Jin Wang would personally lead his troops to surround the original Ye Shu’s mansion.
Imprisonment, confiscation of assets, and death by a thousand cuts.
The original Ye Shu only survived three chapters in the book. At the end of the third chapter, his body had been reduced to a skeleton by the thousand cuts, personally pushed off the city wall by Jin Wang himself, and then trampled into mud by countless iron hooves.
—Truly crushed to dust.
Ye Shu shuddered and couldn’t sit still.
Even putting everything else aside, this death was far too gruesome.
It was already bad enough that he had somehow transmigrated into a book, he didn’t want to just die like this.
Definitely not, he had escape immediately.
Let someone else be this tool—he was done serving!
The camp was in chaos, and no one noticed a figure silently slip away.
Ye Shu knelt by the stream, cupping water to wash his face. His fingers trembled slightly.
Water droplets slid down his neck, leaving a winding trail beneath his collar.
He tugged impatiently at his collar.
Why... why is it so hot?
The royal hunting grounds were located in the mountains outside the capital. It was late autumn, and a mountain breeze blew through the night, but Ye Shu felt no chill.
He had been so caught up in the panic of his transmigration earlier that he hadn’t noticed anything unusual about his body.
Only now, with the night breeze brushing against him, did he begin to regain some clarity.
An indescribable heat surged through him like wildfire, growing stronger with each passing moment. A thin layer of sweat quickly formed on his forehead, and even his breath felt hot.
Ye Shu lowered his head to examine his hands, a sudden realization dawning on him.Could he be… drugged by aphrodisiacs?
Who the hell drugged me?!
────────────
"Not a single one captured?"
The towering treetops obscured the moonlight, and a figure clad in black stood among the trees.
Behind him, the man at the forefront spoke tremblingly, "Y-Your Majesty, the bandits were extremely cunning and had clearly planned this in advance. We truly..."
"Is it that you can't, or that you won't?"
Jin Wang's voice was calm and steady. Behind him, the Imperial Guards knelt in unison.
"Your Majesty, please forgive us! Your subordinates would never dare to betray Your Majesty!"
"Dare not?" Jin Wang finally turned around, his handsome eyes cold and piercing in the moonlight, his gaze falling indifferently on the leading imperial guard. "This one, drag him away and slice him to pieces."
剮 cut off the flesh / cut into pieces / scrape the flesh off the bones
“Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Majesty, have mercy!”
The screams and cries echoed through the woods. The guards exchanged uneasy glances, hesitant to move.
"Hmm?" Jin Wang raised an eyebrow. His gaze sent shivers down their spines. Two guards immediately stepped forward and dragged the man away.
As the screams faded into the distance, the forest grew so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Jin Wang said calmly, "If you haven't found him by the time he breathes his last, you know the consequences."
The guards hastily replied, "Yes, Your Majesty!" and scattered in a panic.
────────────
Jin Wang continued his walk through the forest. Suddenly, a strange sound came from the darkness behind him. He paused, and a gold needle instantly appeared between his fingertips.
A sweet, fruity fragrance drifted through the trees.
Jin Wang's expression changed slightly.
This scent...
Before he could react, a figure crashed into his arms. Jin Wang stumbled back half a step, his spine pressing against the rough tree trunk.
At the same time, a strip of black silk was draped over his eyes, blocking his vision."Don't move," a low, soft voice whispered in his ear, trembling uncontrollably.
The sweet, fruity scent filled his nostrils.
The fragrance was faint, green plums after a rain, teasing his senses in the darkness, making his mouth water.Ye Shu was having a hard time right now.
Realizing he might have been drugged, his first instinct was to escape before the drug took full effect. But the forest was incredibly vast, the paths treacherous and difficult to discern; he got lost almost immediately upon entering.
Ye Shu walked alone in the forest for a long time, his body growing increasingly hot under the influence of the drug.
Furthermore, he couldn’t relieve himself at all. He wanted....he wanted someone to help him.
"I’ve been drugged," Ye Shu gasped softly, his voice filled with grievance, "...Could you please save me?"
A long silence followed.
The body in his arms was burning hot. Jin Wang calmly withdrew the golden needles, then wrapped his arm around Ye Shu's slender waist. His fingertips gently traced the curve of Ye Shu's lower back, sending a shiver down his spine.
The sweet, fruity fragrance suddenly intensified.
"You want me to help you?" Jin Wang asked softly, his voice tinged with amusement. "Do you even know who I am?"
"You... you're wearing the Imperial Guard's uniform."
Ye Shu gripped Jin Wang's arm tightly, as if clinging to a lifeline. “Help me find someone…to detoxify. I can repay you....In five days, go to the teahouse ten miles outside the city. Under the table in the private room at the end of the second floor... The money there will ensure you never have to worry about food or clothing again. You won't have to risk your life in this dangerous trade anymore."
The original Ye Shu body wielded immense power and wealth in Changlu. He had already decided to flee, and while he couldn't take his fortune with him, giving some to this man wouldn't be difficult.
With no one else in the forest and no way for Ye Shu to escape, this was the only solution Ye Shu could come up with.
But the man merely chuckled softly.
The sound was low and deep, like a tiny hammer striking Ye Shu's heart.
“I don’t want money.”
Ye Shu's legs trembled, unable to support him. His eyes rimmed with red. "Then what do you want?"
The man retorted, "You’re the one begging me, shouldn't you be the one figuring it out?"
"I... I don't know," Ye Shu murmured, his consciousness fading as he pressed his forehead against the man's shoulder. "Please help me... I'll give you anything you want..."
Ye Shu leaned too close.
With his eyes covered, his other senses became sharper than usual.
The fruity fragrance seemed a hundred times more intense, its cloying sweetness permeating every pore, drawing out the most primal instincts within him.Jin Wang had never imagined that the young Left Prime Minister, who dared to argue with him in court and defy his authority, would actually differentiate into a Kunjun.
In this world, some men and women undergo a second differentiation upon reaching adulthood. Qianjun typically become rulers, possessing great power and high status, while Kunjun's status are relatively weaker and more prone to... conception.
Given Ye Shu's temperament, Jin Wang had always assumed he would become a Qianjun.
This was far too interesting.
The sharp corners of Jin Wang's lips curled slightly upward. Beneath the sweet, fruity scent of green plums, a completely new aroma began to spread through the forest.
The pheromonal scent of a Qian Jun was cold and intense, fiercely aggressive, like a long-sealed bottle of potent liquor—rich, mellow, and intoxicating.Ye Shu let out a soft moan, barely able to contain himself.
He seemed to finally sense the dangerous aura emanating from the man, stumbling back half a step, only to be yanked back forcefully.
Their clothes rustled softly against the grass as the two tumbled into a patch of meadow.
The black silk covering Jin Wang's eyes finally slipped away, revealing those handsome yet sinister eyes.
Jin Wang looked down at the person in his arms.
Ye Shu was completely disoriented from the fall. His brows were tightly furrowed, yet he instinctively burrowed deeper into Jin Wang's embrace. His head tilted to the side, the small mole near his earlobe now as crimson as blood.
This was the distinctive mark of a Kunjun.
He didn't even realize he'd entered his differentiation period, still so oblivious.
Jin Wang maliciously ground his fingertip against the vividly colored mole, eliciting a few soft, sweet moans.Ye Shu couldn't bear this torment and struggled slightly in his arms, "Don't..."
Jin Wang's tone was indifferent: "Did tonight's events have anything to do with you?"
"No...."
Jin Wang tightened his grip: "Tell me."
Still so self-righteous.
Jin Wang nearly laughed in exasperation.
In the three years since his ascension to the throne, Ye Shu seemed to have transformed into a completely different person, constantly opposing him at every turn. But tonight, Jin Wang felt as if the old Ye Shu had returned.
The one....who had always granted his every request, the one who had been his constant companion for so many years.
The collar of the man in his arms had mostly come undone during their struggle. Jin Wang finally raised a hand to cover it. "There's no one else here, only me. Tell me, what should we do?"
Ye Shu let out a soft whimper.
The only response was an increasingly intense fragrance of fruitwood.
Giving up all resistance, its fragrance overflowing, like a ripe plum ready to be picked.
Jin Wang gazed at him deeply and finally smiled in satisfaction. “Very well.”
Moonlight filtered through the treetops, casting dappled shadows that enveloped the two figures in their intimate embrace like a veil.
Jin Wang tightened his grip around Ye Shu's waist, crushing the soft moans against his ear into fragmented whispers. "Ye Shu, Ye Qian, you'd better not have betrayed me."
He lowered his head, nibbling at the small mole near Ye Shu's earlobe, peppering it with light bites and kisses as his potent pheromones flooded into him.
Ye Shu’s body couldn’t stop trembling as he was held in Jin Wang’s arms.
The intimacy was like that of lovers.
"Otherwise, I will make you pay the price..."
Ye Shu opened his eyes.
The sky was still dark, but a faint, dawn-like light filtered through the thin, gold-threaded gauze curtains above him.Ye Shu stared at the gauze curtains above him, somewhat dazed.
Where am I...?
The air was filled with a delicate, warm fragrance, and a faint, almost imperceptible hint of wine. Ye Shu propped himself up on the soft bed, hearing soft cracking sounds from his muscles as they strained under the weight.
A sharp pain shot through his lower back, and he slumped back down. "Hiss..." Ye Shu hissed softly.
His memories of the previous night were actually quite hazy.
From the moment he entered the woods, his body grew hotter and hotter, his desire to be touched growing stronger. But there was no one. He walked through the empty woods for who knows how long before he finally heard footsteps.
His mind was a blur, consumed by lust; in his hazy state, he only remembered that he absolutely could not let anyone see his face.
So, he casually tore off a piece of his shirt and blindfolded the other person, then pounced on him.
Afterwards……
Frantic, out of control, delirious passion.
Ye Shu covered his face, unable to bear thinking any further.
He had only gone to ask for help, how did it turn out like this…
Heaven and earth bear witness: he did like men, and he was indeed a bottom, but that didn't mean he was willing to let just any man sleep with him.
Especially not… such a rough man.
Ye Shu rubbed his aching lower back, suddenly feeling a pang of resentment.
This was completely different from the gentle, considerate, and gradual first night he had imagined.
The experience was awful. It took Ye Shu a while to sit up, supporting himself on the edge of the bed.
He had already been changed into clean undergarments, soft and comfortable, though the size was off—the sleeves hung half a length too long. Ye Shu casually rolled them up a few times, letting them droop loosely around his wrists.
He cautiously lifted a corner of the gauze curtain to peek outside.
This appeared to be a royal bedchamber.
The chamber was lavishly decorated with exquisite craftsmanship, yet it avoided ostentation. Every ornament and carving had been meticulously arranged, their priceless value immediately apparent.
Even with no understanding of this world, Ye Shu could tell that the owner of this place was undoubtedly extremely wealthy and powerful, perhaps even far exceeding the average rich person.
Could he have slept with someone from the royal family? Wasn't that person from the Imperial Guard last night?
Wasn’t that man last night an imperial guard???
"...I can't be this unlucky," Ye Shu muttered under his breath. Just as he was about to get out of bed, footsteps sounded outside the door.
With lightning speed, Ye Shu retreated, pulling the quilt tightly over himself.Someone pushed open the door and entered.
More than one person entered. Ye Shu lifted his head from under the quilt and peered through the gap in the gauze curtain.
The person leading the group was dressed in black robes. From Ye Shu's angle, he couldn't see the man's face, only the gold-embroidered hem of his garment.
"Why hasn't he woken up yet?" The voice was deep and resonant, and Ye Shu's scalp tingled instantly.It really was that guy from last night!
Ye Shu instinctively tightened his grip on the thin quilt, holding his breath as he heard another voice reply.
"Your Majesty, Lord Ye is weak and likely exhausted. A little more rest should do the trick."
Y-Y-Your Majesty?!
Jin Wang lowered his head, his voice almost gentle and considerate: "My beloved minister, did you sleep well?"
The hall was filled with the fragrant aroma of tea. Ye Shu, now fully dressed, emerged from the inner chamber and immediately spotted Jin Wang sitting in the main seat, sipping tea.
He shuffled over timidly. "Your Majesty."
In high spirits, Jin Wang countered, "Am I really that frightening?"
Ye Shu was about to nod when something occurred to him, and he quickly shook his head.
Jin Wang chuckled. "You weren't this afraid of me before."
Ye Shu buried half his face in the quilt and mumbled, "Oh, really?"
"Mm," Jin Wang sat down on the edge of the bed.
Ye Shu, "……"
The original Ye Shu was quite the badass.
Jin Wang lowered his gaze. "Enough of that. Let's talk about something else."
"I won't." Jin Wang's tone was very gentle.
"Your accomplices are already in prison. I will also investigate and punish everyone else involved."
Jin Wang gazed at Ye Shu and asked leisurely, "...Does my beloved minister have anything else to say?"
Ancient ABO setting, fictional dynasty, sweet and fluffy mpreg story
Qianjun = Alpha | Kunjun = Omega┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
CHAPTER 1
════════════════════════
Within Changlu State's Royal Hunting Grounds, several squads of elite cavalry held their torches aloft as they searched the woods surrounding the camp.
Half an hour ago, Changlu Kingdom's ruler was assassinated in his own tent, his fate now uncertain.
The camp was in chaos, filled with cries, shouts, and wails. In another tent not far from the ruler’s, a handsome young man sat at a table, engrossed in reading a book.
“Young Master, you really won't go take a look?” Beside him, an attendant serving tea asked in a low voice.
The young man didn’t even look up. “No.”
"But what if something happens to His Majesty..."
Before he could finish, the young man lifted his gaze, casting him a cold, piercing glance.
Though young, the man possessed refined and elegant features, even appearing somewhat frail.
He must have been about to retire for the night, wearing only a thin inner robe that accentuated his slender frame. His flawless, pale face was marked only by a small, crimson mole beneath his left earlobe, its vivid color striking against the charcoal fire's glow.
But when he looked at him like this, it sent chills down his spine and he dared not meet his eyes.
The attendant broke into a cold sweat and hastily clamped his mouth shut.
"You've been by my side long enough. You should know what to say and what not to say without me having to teach you."
The young man turned over a page. “There shouldn’t be a next time. Get out.”
"Yes... yes!"
"Wait," the young man suddenly called out. "Remove the charcoal brazier. It's too hot."
The attendant paused, glancing at the young man.
A faint, fruity aroma had inexplicably filled the air.Perhaps due to the heat from the brazier, a delicate pink flush had risen visibly across the young man's cheek, all the way to his earlobe, making the small cinnabar mole beside his eye appear even more vivid, adding a touch of allure.
He tugged at his loose collar, his expression impatient. "What is it?"
“N-Nothing.”
The attendant suddenly found it hard to breathe. He dared not say another word as he hastily removed the brazier and hurried out.
Only after leaving the tent and being jolted by the night breeze did the attendant realize something was wrong.
The young master was usually extremely sensitive to the cold, but now it was late autumn, and the night was chilly. How could he be hot?
Silence returned to the tent. The young man sat upright, his gaze peering beyond the book. Seeing that there was no movement outside, he let out a long sigh, threw the book on the table, and slumped down as if boneless.
".....Finally gone"
About fifteen minutes earlier, Ye Shu had transmigrated into this world.
It was a political intrigue novel.
In the story, the Great Yan, Changlu, and Western Xia were divided regimes. The male lead, Jin Wang, was the new emperor Changlu.
This male lead was unlike any other.
Jin Wang was petty, ruthless, and vengeful. Denied favour by the previous Emperor, he plotted meticulously, assassinating his father and brothers to seize the throne. On the day of his enthronement ceremony, the court eunuchs who had bullied him in his youth were all dismembered and thrown into a tiger cage, where they were devoured by the tigers.
After ascending the throne, Jin Wang first purged corrupt officials and eliminated political rivals with brutal efficiency. He then launched military campaigns, personally leading his armies to conquer Great Yan and Western Xia within three years, ultimately unifying the realm.
Ye Shu had transmigrated into the body of a cannon fodder character who shared the same name as him in a novel.
The original Ye Shu was the son of a disgraced official, reduced to servitude in childhood. He met Prince Jin Wang and became his study companion. Having grown up together, Jin Wang, upon becoming emperor, made the unprecedented decision to appoint Ye Shu as Left Prime Minister, granting him oversight over all officials.
However, their political views soon clashed, creating a growing rift between them.
In the third year of Jin Wang's reign, the original Ye Shu conspired with foreign enemies to assassinate the emperor during the autumn hunt. The assassination failed, the plot was exposed, and Ye Shu's entire nine generations were implicated, making him the first named and identified cannon fodder to be eliminated by Jin Wang.
In short, he was just a tool for the male lead to gain experience points.
"What a mess..." Ye Shu groaned, slumping over the desk. The wailing outside the tent gave him a splitting headache.
The weeping outside was loud and chaotic, but no one knew that Jin Wang wasn't even in the camp that night.
Long before the original Ye Shu plotted the assassination, Jin Wang had anticipated the move. The figure remaining in the emperor's tent was merely a decoy.
Once the assassin strikes, the original Ye Shu’s entire scheme will be exposed.
Three days later, Jin Wang would personally lead his troops to surround the original Ye Shu’s mansion.
Imprisonment, confiscation of assets, and death by a thousand cuts.
The original Ye Shu only survived three chapters in the book. At the end of the third chapter, his body had been reduced to a skeleton by the thousand cuts, personally pushed off the city wall by Jin Wang himself, and then trampled into mud by countless iron hooves.
—Truly crushed to dust.
Ye Shu shuddered and couldn’t sit still.
Even putting everything else aside, this death was far too gruesome.
It was already bad enough that he had somehow transmigrated into a book, he didn’t want to just die like this.
Definitely not, he had escape immediately.
Let someone else be this tool—he was done serving!
The camp was in chaos, and no one noticed a figure silently slip away.
Ye Shu knelt by the stream, cupping water to wash his face. His fingers trembled slightly.
Water droplets slid down his neck, leaving a winding trail beneath his collar.
He tugged impatiently at his collar.
Why... why is it so hot?
The royal hunting grounds were located in the mountains outside the capital. It was late autumn, and a mountain breeze blew through the night, but Ye Shu felt no chill.
He had been so caught up in the panic of his transmigration earlier that he hadn’t noticed anything unusual about his body.
Only now, with the night breeze brushing against him, did he begin to regain some clarity.
An indescribable heat surged through him like wildfire, growing stronger with each passing moment. A thin layer of sweat quickly formed on his forehead, and even his breath felt hot.
Ye Shu lowered his head to examine his hands, a sudden realization dawning on him.Could he be… drugged by aphrodisiacs?
Who the hell drugged me?!
────────────
"Not a single one captured?"
The towering treetops obscured the moonlight, and a figure clad in black stood among the trees.
Behind him, the man at the forefront spoke tremblingly, "Y-Your Majesty, the bandits were extremely cunning and had clearly planned this in advance. We truly..."
"Is it that you can't, or that you won't?"
Jin Wang's voice was calm and steady. Behind him, the Imperial Guards knelt in unison.
"Your Majesty, please forgive us! Your subordinates would never dare to betray Your Majesty!"
"Dare not?" Jin Wang finally turned around, his handsome eyes cold and piercing in the moonlight, his gaze falling indifferently on the leading imperial guard. "This one, drag him away and slice him to pieces."
剮 cut off the flesh / cut into pieces / scrape the flesh off the bones
“Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Majesty, have mercy!”
The screams and cries echoed through the woods. The guards exchanged uneasy glances, hesitant to move.
"Hmm?" Jin Wang raised an eyebrow. His gaze sent shivers down their spines. Two guards immediately stepped forward and dragged the man away.
As the screams faded into the distance, the forest grew so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Jin Wang said calmly, "If you haven't found him by the time he breathes his last, you know the consequences."
The guards hastily replied, "Yes, Your Majesty!" and scattered in a panic.
────────────
Jin Wang continued his walk through the forest. Suddenly, a strange sound came from the darkness behind him. He paused, and a gold needle instantly appeared between his fingertips.
A sweet, fruity fragrance drifted through the trees.
Jin Wang's expression changed slightly.
This scent...
Before he could react, a figure crashed into his arms. Jin Wang stumbled back half a step, his spine pressing against the rough tree trunk.
At the same time, a strip of black silk was draped over his eyes, blocking his vision."Don't move," a low, soft voice whispered in his ear, trembling uncontrollably.
The sweet, fruity scent filled his nostrils.
The fragrance was faint, green plums after a rain, teasing his senses in the darkness, making his mouth water.Ye Shu was having a hard time right now.
Realizing he might have been drugged, his first instinct was to escape before the drug took full effect. But the forest was incredibly vast, the paths treacherous and difficult to discern; he got lost almost immediately upon entering.
Ye Shu walked alone in the forest for a long time, his body growing increasingly hot under the influence of the drug.
Furthermore, he couldn’t relieve himself at all. He wanted....he wanted someone to help him.
"I’ve been drugged," Ye Shu gasped softly, his voice filled with grievance, "...Could you please save me?"
A long silence followed.
The body in his arms was burning hot. Jin Wang calmly withdrew the golden needles, then wrapped his arm around Ye Shu's slender waist. His fingertips gently traced the curve of Ye Shu's lower back, sending a shiver down his spine.
The sweet, fruity fragrance suddenly intensified.
"You want me to help you?" Jin Wang asked softly, his voice tinged with amusement. "Do you even know who I am?"
"You... you're wearing the Imperial Guard's uniform."
Ye Shu gripped Jin Wang's arm tightly, as if clinging to a lifeline. “Help me find someone…to detoxify. I can repay you....In five days, go to the teahouse ten miles outside the city. Under the table in the private room at the end of the second floor... The money there will ensure you never have to worry about food or clothing again. You won't have to risk your life in this dangerous trade anymore."
The original Ye Shu body wielded immense power and wealth in Changlu. He had already decided to flee, and while he couldn't take his fortune with him, giving some to this man wouldn't be difficult.
With no one else in the forest and no way for Ye Shu to escape, this was the only solution Ye Shu could come up with.
But the man merely chuckled softly.
The sound was low and deep, like a tiny hammer striking Ye Shu's heart.
“I don’t want money.”
Ye Shu's legs trembled, unable to support him. His eyes rimmed with red. "Then what do you want?"
The man retorted, "You’re the one begging me, shouldn't you be the one figuring it out?"
"I... I don't know," Ye Shu murmured, his consciousness fading as he pressed his forehead against the man's shoulder. "Please help me... I'll give you anything you want..."
Ye Shu leaned too close.
With his eyes covered, his other senses became sharper than usual.
The fruity fragrance seemed a hundred times more intense, its cloying sweetness permeating every pore, drawing out the most primal instincts within him.Jin Wang had never imagined that the young Left Prime Minister, who dared to argue with him in court and defy his authority, would actually differentiate into a Kunjun.
In this world, some men and women undergo a second differentiation upon reaching adulthood. Qianjun typically become rulers, possessing great power and high status, while Kunjun's status are relatively weaker and more prone to... conception.
Given Ye Shu's temperament, Jin Wang had always assumed he would become a Qianjun.
This was far too interesting.
The sharp corners of Jin Wang's lips curled slightly upward. Beneath the sweet, fruity scent of green plums, a completely new aroma began to spread through the forest.
The pheromonal scent of a Qian Jun was cold and intense, fiercely aggressive, like a long-sealed bottle of potent liquor—rich, mellow, and intoxicating.Ye Shu let out a soft moan, barely able to contain himself.
He seemed to finally sense the dangerous aura emanating from the man, stumbling back half a step, only to be yanked back forcefully.
Their clothes rustled softly against the grass as the two tumbled into a patch of meadow.
The black silk covering Jin Wang's eyes finally slipped away, revealing those handsome yet sinister eyes.
Jin Wang looked down at the person in his arms.
Ye Shu was completely disoriented from the fall. His brows were tightly furrowed, yet he instinctively burrowed deeper into Jin Wang's embrace. His head tilted to the side, the small mole near his earlobe now as crimson as blood.
This was the distinctive mark of a Kunjun.
He didn't even realize he'd entered his differentiation period, still so oblivious.
Jin Wang maliciously ground his fingertip against the vividly colored mole, eliciting a few soft, sweet moans.Ye Shu couldn't bear this torment and struggled slightly in his arms, "Don't..."
Jin Wang's tone was indifferent: "Did tonight's events have anything to do with you?"
"No...."
Jin Wang tightened his grip: "Tell me."
"...I won't tell you." Ye Shu was already delirious with passion. He buried his head in the man's chest, murmuring, "...You stood by and watched me die. You're so mean. Why should I tell you?"
Still so self-righteous.
Jin Wang nearly laughed in exasperation.
In the three years since his ascension to the throne, Ye Shu seemed to have transformed into a completely different person, constantly opposing him at every turn. But tonight, Jin Wang felt as if the old Ye Shu had returned.
The one....who had always granted his every request, the one who had been his constant companion for so many years.
The collar of the man in his arms had mostly come undone during their struggle. Jin Wang finally raised a hand to cover it. "There's no one else here, only me. Tell me, what should we do?"
Ye Shu let out a soft whimper.
The only response was an increasingly intense fragrance of fruitwood.
Giving up all resistance, its fragrance overflowing, like a ripe plum ready to be picked.
Jin Wang gazed at him deeply and finally smiled in satisfaction. “Very well.”
Moonlight filtered through the treetops, casting dappled shadows that enveloped the two figures in their intimate embrace like a veil.
Jin Wang tightened his grip around Ye Shu's waist, crushing the soft moans against his ear into fragmented whispers. "Ye Shu, Ye Qian, you'd better not have betrayed me."
He lowered his head, nibbling at the small mole near Ye Shu's earlobe, peppering it with light bites and kisses as his potent pheromones flooded into him.
Ye Shu’s body couldn’t stop trembling as he was held in Jin Wang’s arms.
The intimacy was like that of lovers.
"Otherwise, I will make you pay the price..."
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
CHAPTER 2
════════════════════════
Ye Shu opened his eyes.
The sky was still dark, but a faint, dawn-like light filtered through the thin, gold-threaded gauze curtains above him.Ye Shu stared at the gauze curtains above him, somewhat dazed.
Where am I...?
The air was filled with a delicate, warm fragrance, and a faint, almost imperceptible hint of wine. Ye Shu propped himself up on the soft bed, hearing soft cracking sounds from his muscles as they strained under the weight.
A sharp pain shot through his lower back, and he slumped back down. "Hiss..." Ye Shu hissed softly.
His memories of the previous night were actually quite hazy.
From the moment he entered the woods, his body grew hotter and hotter, his desire to be touched growing stronger. But there was no one. He walked through the empty woods for who knows how long before he finally heard footsteps.
His mind was a blur, consumed by lust; in his hazy state, he only remembered that he absolutely could not let anyone see his face.
So, he casually tore off a piece of his shirt and blindfolded the other person, then pounced on him.
Afterwards……
Frantic, out of control, delirious passion.
Ye Shu covered his face, unable to bear thinking any further.
He had only gone to ask for help, how did it turn out like this…
Heaven and earth bear witness: he did like men, and he was indeed a bottom, but that didn't mean he was willing to let just any man sleep with him.
Especially not… such a rough man.
Ye Shu rubbed his aching lower back, suddenly feeling a pang of resentment.
This was completely different from the gentle, considerate, and gradual first night he had imagined.
The experience was awful. It took Ye Shu a while to sit up, supporting himself on the edge of the bed.
He had already been changed into clean undergarments, soft and comfortable, though the size was off—the sleeves hung half a length too long. Ye Shu casually rolled them up a few times, letting them droop loosely around his wrists.
He cautiously lifted a corner of the gauze curtain to peek outside.
This appeared to be a royal bedchamber.
The chamber was lavishly decorated with exquisite craftsmanship, yet it avoided ostentation. Every ornament and carving had been meticulously arranged, their priceless value immediately apparent.
....This isn't good.
Even with no understanding of this world, Ye Shu could tell that the owner of this place was undoubtedly extremely wealthy and powerful, perhaps even far exceeding the average rich person.
Could he have slept with someone from the royal family? Wasn't that person from the Imperial Guard last night?
Wasn’t that man last night an imperial guard???
"...I can't be this unlucky," Ye Shu muttered under his breath. Just as he was about to get out of bed, footsteps sounded outside the door.
With lightning speed, Ye Shu retreated, pulling the quilt tightly over himself.Someone pushed open the door and entered.
More than one person entered. Ye Shu lifted his head from under the quilt and peered through the gap in the gauze curtain.
The person leading the group was dressed in black robes. From Ye Shu's angle, he couldn't see the man's face, only the gold-embroidered hem of his garment.
"Why hasn't he woken up yet?" The voice was deep and resonant, and Ye Shu's scalp tingled instantly.It really was that guy from last night!
Ye Shu instinctively tightened his grip on the thin quilt, holding his breath as he heard another voice reply.
"Your Majesty, Lord Ye is weak and likely exhausted. A little more rest should do the trick."
Y-Y-Your Majesty?!
Ye Shu froze in place, as if struck by lightning, unable to process the information for a while.
His memories of the original Ye Shu were hazy, and last night's chaotic scene meant that even if he had seen the other person's face, he couldn't remember who it was.
He actually slept with Jin Wang???
Hold on……
He actually slept with Jin Wang???
Hold on……
In ancient times, such things were considered significant, saying 'A day together as husband and wife means endless devotion the rest of your life' or something. Given how Jin Wang had ravaged him last night, perhaps he could use this to beg for his life.
The next moment, Jin Wang's icy voice rang out: "Administer acupuncture. Prick him awake."
Ye Shu, “……”
This man is sick!
The chamber fell silent, Ye Shu could only hear his own frantic heartbeat. Soon, someone lifted the gauze curtains, a hand resting on the back of his hand, lifting a finger—
Ye Shu could no longer remain still.
"No!" Ye Shu yanked his hand away a split second before the silver needle pierced his skin, abruptly sitting up.
He put so much force into the movement that he tumbled right off the edge of the bed.
"Ugh…"
The fall aggravated a throbbing pain in his back, his eyes reddened with pain.
A pair of black brocade boots approached him.
Ye Shu looked up, his gaze following the other person's luxurious black robe upwards, meeting a pair of handsome, smiling eyes.
Jin Wang lowered his head, his voice almost gentle and considerate: "My beloved minister, did you sleep well?"
────────────
The hall was filled with the fragrant aroma of tea. Ye Shu, now fully dressed, emerged from the inner chamber and immediately spotted Jin Wang sitting in the main seat, sipping tea.
He shuffled over timidly. "Your Majesty."
Jin Wang took a sip of tea and slowly said, "Last night… my beloved minister surprised me greatly."
The teasing in his words was too obvious; Ye Shu's ears burned, and he lowered his head without speaking.
Jin Wang didn't seem to mind. He put down his teacup and pointed to something in front of him. "I prepared some gifts for you."
Three exquisite wooden boxes were placed on the ground, in descending order from small to large.
Jin Wang raised an eyebrow. "Open them and see what's inside."
Ye Shu instinctively felt this couldn't be good news, but he dared not refuse. He stepped forward and opened the first box.
Inside lay a sealed secret letter.
Ye Shu's heart leaped into his throat.
The seal on the letter was unique to the original Ye Shu and could not be forged
This was a secret letter proving the original Ye Shu's collusion with foreign enemies.
With this evidence, his treasonous plot and assassination attempt were as good as confirmed.
What should I do?
A cold sweat broke out on Ye Shu's back.He frantically dredged up the original Ye Shu's fragmented memories, his thoughts in chaos. Without thinking, he opened the second, slightly larger box.
Inside lay a sealed secret letter.
Ye Shu's heart leaped into his throat.
The seal on the letter was unique to the original Ye Shu and could not be forged
This was a secret letter proving the original Ye Shu's collusion with foreign enemies.
With this evidence, his treasonous plot and assassination attempt were as good as confirmed.
What should I do?
A cold sweat broke out on Ye Shu's back.He frantically dredged up the original Ye Shu's fragmented memories, his thoughts in chaos. Without thinking, he opened the second, slightly larger box.
“Ah!”
With trembling hands, Ye Shu slammed down the lid of the box, latching it back into place.
Inside the box lay a bloodied, severed hand.
Inside the box lay a bloodied, severed hand.
Before Ye Shu could recover from the shock, Jin Wang said languidly, "This was the commander of my Imperial Guard. A pity he's been flayed so thoroughly, leaving only this hand. He accepted quite a lot of your money with this hand. Do you recognize it?"
Ye Shu felt a wave of nausea, a bead of cold sweat sliding down his cheek.
Is this man a psychopath?!
Yet Jin Wang simply said in a calm voice, "The third item. Open it."
Ye Shu glanced at the final wooden box, his fingertips trembling almost imperceptibly.
The last box was the largest, its lid sealed tightly, revealing nothing of its contents.
Ye Shu steeled his resolve, strode over, and yanked the lid open. At the bottom of the box lay a human head.
The head's eyeballs had been gouged out, leaving two pitch-black sockets that stared silently back at him.
"Aaaaaah—!" Ye Shu stumbled back several steps, collapsing to the ground.
Jin Wang gazed at him, his voice calm and unwavering: "This is one of the assassins involved in last night's attack. He was captured recently. There are still over a dozen more awaiting execution outside. Would beloved minister come join me to observe?"
Ye Shu's face drained of color, his mind buzzing.
He stared blankly at Jin Wang, seeing his lips move but hearing no sound.
Overwhelmed by terror, Ye Shu's vision finally went black, and he lost consciousness.
────────────
The young man on the bed was pale, his brows furrowed in his restless sleep.
Jin Wang sat beside the bed, idly twisting Ye Shu's earlobe between his fingers. "How is he?"
After taking Ye Shu's pulse, the Imperial Physician gently placed his wrist back on the bed. "He's merely suffered a shock, perhaps a touch of hemophobia. He'll wake shortly."
"Hemophobia..." Jin Wang lowered his gaze, pinching Ye Shu's cheek. "Still so useless."
The Imperial Physician glanced at Jin Wang, hesitant to speak.
"Speak your mind," Jin Wang said.
The physician bowed deeply, his forehead touching the ground. "May I ask Your Majesty, how do you intend to deal with Lord Ye?"
Jin Wang's eyes narrowed slightly.The physician felt a chill run down his spine, but he dared not raise his head. "Your Majesty possesses the rare Qianjun physique, one in ten thousand. A Qianjun's mark can only be bestowed upon a single Kunjun. Once marked, the pheromones of both parties will fuse together, and even courtship... courtship can only be done with each other. Unless the Kun Jun dies, the mark cannot be removed or transferred."
Jin Wang asked casually, "What are you trying to say?"
The Imperial Physician steeled his resolve and bluntly declared, "Your Majesty, this decision will sow the seeds of future calamity!"
Jin Wang remained silent for a long time. The imperial physician's shoulders trembled, and beads of sweat slowly seeped from his forehead.
The ruler of Changlu is unpredictable in temperament, but he never show it on his face.
Whether bestowing rewards or punishments, he always maintained an air of detached elegance. There was only one exception:
When he fell silent.Jin Wang's silence meant only one thing: he was contemplating which method of execution to inflict upon someone. The longer the silence, the greater the danger.
Ye Shu felt a wave of nausea, a bead of cold sweat sliding down his cheek.
Is this man a psychopath?!
Yet Jin Wang simply said in a calm voice, "The third item. Open it."
Ye Shu glanced at the final wooden box, his fingertips trembling almost imperceptibly.
The last box was the largest, its lid sealed tightly, revealing nothing of its contents.
Ye Shu steeled his resolve, strode over, and yanked the lid open. At the bottom of the box lay a human head.
The head's eyeballs had been gouged out, leaving two pitch-black sockets that stared silently back at him.
"Aaaaaah—!" Ye Shu stumbled back several steps, collapsing to the ground.
Jin Wang gazed at him, his voice calm and unwavering: "This is one of the assassins involved in last night's attack. He was captured recently. There are still over a dozen more awaiting execution outside. Would beloved minister come join me to observe?"
Ye Shu's face drained of color, his mind buzzing.
He stared blankly at Jin Wang, seeing his lips move but hearing no sound.
Overwhelmed by terror, Ye Shu's vision finally went black, and he lost consciousness.
────────────
The young man on the bed was pale, his brows furrowed in his restless sleep.
Jin Wang sat beside the bed, idly twisting Ye Shu's earlobe between his fingers. "How is he?"
After taking Ye Shu's pulse, the Imperial Physician gently placed his wrist back on the bed. "He's merely suffered a shock, perhaps a touch of hemophobia. He'll wake shortly."
"Hemophobia..." Jin Wang lowered his gaze, pinching Ye Shu's cheek. "Still so useless."
The Imperial Physician glanced at Jin Wang, hesitant to speak.
"Speak your mind," Jin Wang said.
The physician bowed deeply, his forehead touching the ground. "May I ask Your Majesty, how do you intend to deal with Lord Ye?"
Jin Wang's eyes narrowed slightly.The physician felt a chill run down his spine, but he dared not raise his head. "Your Majesty possesses the rare Qianjun physique, one in ten thousand. A Qianjun's mark can only be bestowed upon a single Kunjun. Once marked, the pheromones of both parties will fuse together, and even courtship... courtship can only be done with each other. Unless the Kun Jun dies, the mark cannot be removed or transferred."
Jin Wang asked casually, "What are you trying to say?"
The Imperial Physician steeled his resolve and bluntly declared, "Your Majesty, this decision will sow the seeds of future calamity!"
Jin Wang remained silent for a long time. The imperial physician's shoulders trembled, and beads of sweat slowly seeped from his forehead.
The ruler of Changlu is unpredictable in temperament, but he never show it on his face.
Whether bestowing rewards or punishments, he always maintained an air of detached elegance. There was only one exception:
When he fell silent.Jin Wang's silence meant only one thing: he was contemplating which method of execution to inflict upon someone. The longer the silence, the greater the danger.
The atmosphere in the hall froze to a freezing point. The imperial physician finally couldn't hold back any longer: "Your Majesty..."
"You speak with reason," Jin Wang murmured suddenly. "Prime Minister Ye has harbored treasonous intentions. He cannot be allowed to live."
"But I don't want him to dead."
The imperial physician looked up, stunned.
Jin Wang stared coldly at him, repeating each word softly: "I said, I don't want him dead."
The Imperial Physician shuddered violently and kowtowed deeply. "This humble servant is terrified!"
Jin Wang stared coldly at him, repeating each word softly: "I said, I don't want him dead."
The Imperial Physician shuddered violently and kowtowed deeply. "This humble servant is terrified!"
Jin Wang said nothing more.
He walked to the imperial physician and reached out to help him up. "Elder Feng is advanced in years, don't kneel for too long."
The Imperial Physician didn't dare accept Jin Wang's assistance and quickly stood up. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Jin Wang sent the imperial physician out of the hall and said in a low voice, “I know of a medicine that can briefly suppress the pheromone scent…”
The Imperial Physician understood immediately. "Understood, Your Majesty. I will attend to it at once."
Jin Wang nodded, his expression remained gentle. “Elder Feng is a veteran from the last three reigns in succession, and once saved my life. I will always remember that. However... I do not wish to hear today's words repeated."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The door slowly closed, sealing off all external sounds.
Jin Wang returned to the bedside and saw Ye Shu's eyelashes flutter slightly, as if he was about to wake up.
The corners of his mouth lifted and he slowly lowered his head.
Just as he was about to touch Ye Shu's lips, the person beneath him suddenly turned away, shrinking into the inner part of the bed.
Just as he was about to touch Ye Shu's lips, the person beneath him suddenly turned away, shrinking into the inner part of the bed.
Ye Shu tugged the quilt around himself, wrapping it tightly as he curled into a ball. "What are you trying to do?!" he asked warily.
In high spirits, Jin Wang countered, "Am I really that frightening?"
Ye Shu was about to nod when something occurred to him, and he quickly shook his head.
Jin Wang chuckled. "You weren't this afraid of me before."
Ye Shu buried half his face in the quilt and mumbled, "Oh, really?"
"Mm," Jin Wang sat down on the edge of the bed.
"You even dared to call me a tyrant in court. Don't you remember?"
Ye Shu, "……"
The original Ye Shu was quite the badass.
Jin Wang lowered his gaze. "Enough of that. Let's talk about something else."
Ye Shu protested, "...Don't show me any more human heads!"
"I won't." Jin Wang's tone was very gentle.
"Now that it's been confirmed that you were responsible, things are much easier."
"Your accomplices are already in prison. I will also investigate and punish everyone else involved."
"As for you..."
"You are the mastermind. According to the law, those who commit treason shall be executed by a thousand cuts."
Jin Wang gazed at Ye Shu and asked leisurely, "...Does my beloved minister have anything else to say?"
Comments
Post a Comment