“Luo Tingshi, I crave Autumn Dew Cup.”
In the dead of night, Yu Zhi suddenly propped himself up halfway, nudging the man beside him.
Luo Tingshi’s eyes snapped open.
Moonlight like frost seeped through the curtain’s slits, illuminating a pair of bright, sparkling eyes. Yu Zhi gazed at him earnestly, his eyes brimming with longing.
Luo Tingshi’s gaze lingered on those eyes for a moment before slowly drifting downward.
In recent days, Yu Zhi’s belly had grown considerably, rendering his previous undergarments too tight to wear. Two days prior, he had ordered several new garments made. Anticipating his belly would grow larger still, Yu Zhi had specifically instructed them to make them loose-fitting, resulting in the delivered undergarments being rather oversized.
The plain white undergarment hung loosely on Yu Zhi, exposing most of his shoulders, the snow-white skin dazzlingly bright.
Luo Tingshi’s throat tightened.
He reached out, casually gathering the slipping garment around Yu Zhi, carefully wrapping him up and tying the sash secure. Restraining himself, he brushed his knuckles lightly against Yu Zhi’s soft cheek and murmured, “I’ll go get it for you.”
With that, Luo Tingshi immediately rolled off the bed, swiftly dressed, and pushed open the door to leave.
Still half-asleep, Yu Zhi sat on the bed, staring blankly at Luo Tingshi’s movements. Only when the door closed did he snap out of his daze and ask, “Where are you going…”
Luo Tingshi was already gone.
Moonlight spilled across the floor, casting the solitary shadow of an osmanthus branch from the white jade vase by the window.
Yu Zhi withdrew his hand from the door, lay back on the bed, and closed his eyes.
After a short while, Yu Zhi slowly opened his eyes. Though he’d been too tired to keep them open moments ago, now he found himself unable to sleep.
Tossing and turning, unable to close his eyes, Yu Zhi felt a hollow emptiness inside, as if something were missing.
What was missing? Of course, it was that man.
A flicker of irritation surfaced in Yu Zhi. He lowered his head and poked his belly. “You two unruly little rascals. Isn’t having your father here enough? Must you insist on having him accompany you?”
The belly remained silent.
Yu Zhi reached outward, feeling the lingering warmth of that man’s body still in the bedding.
Like a tiny insect, Yu Zhi wriggled inch by inch toward the spot where Luo Ting had lain. Taking a deep breath, his nostrils filled with Luo Ting’s scent, as if he were being held tightly in his embrace.
In the blink of an eye, drowsiness washed over him. Yu Zhi yawned, burying his face in the blankets to sleep, breathing in Luo Ting’s scent.
Before drifting off, he thought hazily.
In the dead of night, where did Luo Ting go to get him that cup of autumn dew?
–
At dawn, the chirping of birds beneath the eaves woke Yu Zhi.
He rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up, his eyelids heavy and listless. Luo Tingshi hadn’t been there last night, and he hadn’t slept well.
He tugged at his slipping undergarment, glancing around the room. No sign of Luo Tingshi.
Luo Tingshi still hadn’t returned.
Yu Zhi hugged his quilt, frowning. After a moment of blank staring, he slowly slid toward the edge of the bed, reaching for his shoes and socks beside it.
“Your Majesty, don’t move! I’ll do it!” Luo Tingshi’s voice came from the doorway.
Yu Zhi looked up. Luo Tingshi hurriedly placed the box he was holding on the table, rushed forward, picked up a pair of clean silk socks nearby, and knelt down before him, carefully slipping them onto his feet.
“Why did you take so long to return?” “ Having just risen, Yu Zhi’s voice carried a hint of hoarseness as he questioned him, ”Do you know that neither I nor the child slept well all night?”
Luo Tingshi immediately panicked. His dark eyes scanned Yu Zhi’s face intently before he raised his hand and slapped himself across the face. “It’s all my fault for not thinking things through. I’ve caused you and the child to suffer.”
“Hey, you…” Yu Zhi was startled and didn’t have time to stop him. “Why are you hitting yourself?”
Yu Zhi shook his head and spread his arms.
He was inviting him to embrace him.
Luo Tingshi understood and rose to wrap his arms around Yu Zhi. Yu Zhi pressed his cheek against Luo Tingshi’s waist, inhaled deeply, and smiled contentedly.
Luo Tingshi stared at Yu Zhi’s curved eyes and brows, his dark eyes deepening.
Yu Zhi was addicted to pretending around him, but he’d be weaned off it in another five months.
Luo Tingshi fixed his gaze on Yu Zhi’s curved eyes and brows, his dark eyes growing heavier
Luo Tingshi stared at Yu Zhi’s arched brows and eyes, his dark gaze deepening.
Yu Zhi’s addiction to him was feigned; in five months, he could break it.
His own addiction to Yu Zhi, however, was genuine—a lifelong habit impossible to quit.
“Hmm? This scent…” Yu Zhi detected a faint sweet-and-sour fragrance on Luo Tingshi. Lifting his head, he looked directly at the wooden box Luo Tingshi had set down and exclaimed in surprise, “Autumn Dew Cup? You actually managed to get hold of it?”
Autumn Dew Cup was a folk snack from Yu Kingdom, not particularly precious but notoriously laborious to prepare.
It required simmering early-ripened autumn pears, hawthorn berries, and sour oranges into a thick paste, which was then poured into thin flour shells. These were gently steamed over low heat for fifteen minutes before being drizzled with sugar threads. The proportions of each ingredient were meticulously measured—one drop too much made it sour, one drop too little made it sweet. The heat had to be perfectly controlled; the slightest misstep ruined the entire dish.
Even experienced hands only had a fifty-fifty chance of success, while ordinary cooks rarely managed it even after ten attempts.
Creating it was difficult enough; achieving its optimal flavor was an even greater challenge.
Luo Tingxi smiled as he pulled Yu Zhi up, leading him to the basin stand to wash his hands and face. “Hurry, it’ll get cold soon.”
Moments later, Yu Zhi sat at the table. A dozen cups and bowls were arranged on the wooden surface. Golden sugar threads clung to the pale yellow jelly shells, settling into the porcelain vessels like translucent threads of gold.
Yu Zhi picked up a cup and popped its contents into his mouth.
His sharp teeth cracked the shell, releasing a burst of tart-sweet juice that instantly filled his mouth. A crisp, sweet fragrance enveloped his tongue, layers of sour and sweet intertwining to create a mouthful of vibrant flavor.
Yu Zhi’s eyes lit up as he swiftly picked up another.
Before long, every cup on the table was empty.
Looking up at Luo Ting, Yu Zhi asked, “Which chef made these? To produce so many Autumn Dew Cups overnight? Even the imperial chefs couldn’t manage that.”
Luo Tingshi shrugged nonchalantly, “Every cook in the city worked together. Each batch usually yields one or two perfect ones.”
Yu Zhi was utterly astonished. “How did you manage to mobilize so many people in the middle of the night?”
Luo Tingshi replied, “Money talks.”
Yu Zhi pressed further, “How much silver did you spend?”
Luo Tingshi held up a few fingers. Yu Zhi’s eyes widened instantly, and he sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re a spendthrift! A total spendthrift!”
Even the emperor wouldn’t splurge a thousand taels just to satisfy his appetite.
Luo Tingshi chuckled: “If it means you can eat what you crave, what harm is there in spending a fortune?”
Yu Zhi shot him a look and muttered: “You wicked feudal landlord.”
“What do you mean?” Luo Tingshi asked, puzzled.
Yu Zhi replied solemnly, “Father said powerful landlords are small landlords, while emperors are the big ones. It’s precisely because you layer upon layer strip the common folk of their very marrow that they live in such poverty.”
Luo Tingshi frowned. “Shengguo is mine. Its lands and treasures naturally belong entirely to me.”
Yu Zhi glanced at him but said nothing.
Luo Tingshi reached out and pinched Yu Zhi’s cheek. “What? I’m using Sheng Kingdom’s silver to support you, and you’re unhappy about it?”
“Oh right, you’re not from Yu Kingdom,” Yu Zhi perked up immediately, looking at Luo Tingshi with eager interest. “Then you’d better spend more silver—give all of Sheng Kingdom’s money to the people of Yu Kingdom. Heh heh.”
Luo Tingshi chuckled. “You’re scheming like this, yet you don’t even try to hide it from me?”
Yu Zhi raised an eyebrow. “This was your choice. I never forced you.”
Luo Tingshi said, “If you were willing to marry me, all my silver would be yours.”
Yu Zhi waved him off, supporting his waist as he stood. “Forget it. A man like you can’t be trusted.”
Luo Tingshi swiftly circled the table, seized Yu Zhi’s right hand, and guided him toward the exit. Only after crossing the threshold did he pause, exasperated. “What do you mean, ‘a man like me’? What kind of man am I?”
Yu Zhi replied, “Cunning and treacherous, ruthless and cruel, delighting in manipulating others.”
Luo Tingshi turned to look back.
The autumn sun pierced through the clouds, slanting through the plum trees in the courtyard and casting mottled light across Yu Zhi’s profile. Fine downy hairs glowed with a pale gold, softly nestled against his cheek. His snow-white skin, infused with the warm autumn light, resembled a piece of fine warm jade.
Luo Tingshi froze for a moment, until Yu Zhi turned back in confusion.
His jet-black pupils, tinged by sunlight, seemed almost dazzling. Yu Zhi narrowed his eyes slightly.
Luo Tingshi lowered his head: “Your Majesty, I wish to kiss you.”
Yu Zhi: “?”
Completely baffled by the abrupt turn of conversation, he glared up at Luo Tingshi. “In public like this? What manner is this!”
In those bright, clear eyes, Luo Tingshi saw his own reflection.
Luo Tingshi murmured softly, “You didn’t refuse.”
Yu Zhi gasped in shock: “I… um… hm…”
Luo Tingshi’s kiss descended, pressing against the youth’s slightly cool lips. He gently pressed and ground, carefully seeking the most fitting spot.
One hand cradled the boy’s lower back, made more sensitive by pregnancy, while the other covered his cheek. The palm, calloused from labor, gently stroked the soft downy hair there. The index finger slipped behind the boy’s ear, tracing circles with just the right pressure on the tender flesh at the base. Each time the fingertip brushed the earlobe, the boy trembled in his embrace.
Luo Ting opened his mouth to take the youth’s full, soft lower lip, gently nipping at it, savoring its tenderness before sucking lightly. Then, he increased the pressure slightly, sucking and grinding with a rolling motion.
“Luo…” Yu Zhi murmured indistinctly.
He heard someone approaching. The footsteps were steady and deliberate, carrying a weighty presence as they echoed down the corridor.
It was Lu Jing.
Seeing Lu Jing about to round the corner, Yu Zhi grew anxious.
He pushed Luo Tingshi with the tip of his tongue, only to have his entire tongue seized by the other. Luo Tingshi was like a venomous snake lying in wait; seeing his prey come willingly, he swiftly ambushed, wrapping his tongue around Yu Zhi’s. His tongue tip deliberately quivered as it slid gently from the root upward.
“Let go…” Yu Zhi protested urgently.
Just as Lu Jing rounded the corner, Luo Ting suddenly pulled Yu Zhi into a tight embrace and spun him around, hiding behind an ancient tree in the courtyard. His wide robes shielded the person in his arms completely.
Without a closer look, one wouldn’t notice he was concealing someone within his embrace.
He stepped back slightly, soothing the youth in his arms. “Don’t be afraid. He didn’t see us.”
Though Luo Tingshi spoke these words, his gaze remained fixed on the space behind the pillar, locked in a distant stare with a pair of light brown eyes. Those light brown eyes held a cold, icy glint. He lifted his chin, flashing a defiant smile at the other. Deliberately sliding his sleeve down, he brushed the tip of his tongue against the lips of the youth in his arms, coaxing him to part his mouth.
Simultaneously, his fingers enveloped the youth’s entire ear, kneading and pinching it with an intensely sensual motion. Yu Zhi’s ear grew red and hot, his legs went weak, and he hung dazedly against Luo Tingshi’s body.
“Mmm…” An unconscious, suggestive sound escaped his lips.
The owner of the light brown eyes darkened and turned to leave.
Luo Tingshi chuckled softly, his large hand reaching for the back of the youth’s head. The youth hadn’t yet come of age, his jet-black hair loosely bound by a bright yellow ribbon. His knuckles sank effortlessly into the dark hair, reaching deep within.
The youth finally couldn’t resist parting his lips, and Luo Tingshi immediately seized the opening.
The movement between their lips was no longer gentle, but a complete and utter invasion. His long tongue swept fiercely across the youth’s teeth and sensitive upper palate, brutally exploring every soft spot inside his mouth. He captured the soft tongue that tried to evade, stirring it wildly.
A large hand clamped tightly around the youth’s nape, leaving him no chance to escape.
Only the wet sound of lips and teeth meeting filled his ears. Yu Zhi let out a soft whimper, a tiny mew escaping his throat.
–
Not far away, in the corridor, a figure stood guard, his face as cold as frost.
Imperial Physician Zhang approached carrying his medicine chest. Spotting the figure, he asked in confusion, “Why is Minister Lu standing here?”
Lu Jing stretched out an arm to block him. “Don’t go any further.”
Zhang glanced at Lu Jing’s expression and instantly understood. Stroking his beard, he remarked, “Those two are… enjoying themselves, aren’t they?” “
Lu Jing’s expression darkened further. He slammed his fist hard against the wall and roared, “That scoundrel Luo Tingshi is in the courtyard… intimate with His Majesty! He must have forced His Majesty! How despicable! His Majesty is young and innocent. He’s been taken advantage of!”
“I doubt it,” Dr. Zhang replied with a smile. “If His Majesty truly didn’t want to, he couldn’t have forced him.”
Lu Jing froze. “Are you saying…”
Dr. Zhang patted Lu Jing’s shoulder. “Their affairs aren’t for us to meddle in. Leave it be. Pretend you never saw anything.”
“But…” Lu Jing turned back uneasily.
Doctor Zhang: “His Majesty is about to become a father. Stop treating him like a child. Let him handle it himself.”
Lu Jing sighed. “I’ll take your advice.”
–
It was a long, agonizing kiss.
Yu Zhi had no idea how long he’d been kissed. When he came to his senses, he found himself in the Rain-Retaining Pavilion within the garden, held in the man’s arms, sitting on his lap.
Yu Zhi stiffened his expression. “Put me down.”
Luo Tingshi replied, “There’s no bench in the pavilion. Sitting on the hard stone is uncomfortable. You’re carrying a child; comfort is paramount. Besides, the night air has turned chilly. To avoid catching a chill, it’s better to stay seated on my lap.”
Yu Zhi turned to glare at him. “Fine words, but you’re merely seeking an excuse to take liberties with me.”
“How is this taking liberties?” Luo Tingshi offered a segment of honey tangerine to Yu Zhi’s lips. “It is the Emperor who refuses to see His Majesty suffer.”
Yu Zhi lowered his head, his lips swollen and glistening from being ravaged, parting slightly to steal the tangerine from Luo Tingshi’s fingers. Luo Tingshi’s eyes darkened.
Yu Zhi lifted his eyelids, warning Luo Tingshi, “No more kissing.”
Luo Tingshi suddenly asked, “Is it pleasurable, Your Majesty?”
…Of course it was pleasurable.
Luo Tingshi seemed to have honed his skills on him, growing increasingly adept at kissing—a stark contrast to his earlier clumsy, headlong rushes within his mouth.
He nearly lost himself in that kiss just now.
Yuzhi pressed his lips together. Thankfully he’d managed to hold back—otherwise he would have been utterly humiliated.
Luo Tingshi chuckled softly. “Your Majesty needn’t say it. I know well enough. Your body never lies.”
Yu Zhi suppressed his embarrassment and anger at these words, lifting his chin. “You’ve grown quite skilled at serving others lately. You served me very pleasantly just now. But you must never kiss me indiscriminately in public.”
Luo Tingshi raised an eyebrow. “From Your Majesty’s tone, it seems I’m merely a favorite kept for your pleasure?”
Yu Zhi retorted, “What else could I be?”
“You bastard!” Yu Zhi, pressed against his sensitive spot, suddenly fell into Luo Tingshi’s embrace. Clutching his chest, he lifted his head, forcing imperial dignity to shout, “Do you want more punishment?”
Luo Tingshi sighed softly, his fingertips brushing the faint flush around Yu Zhi’s eyes. “Your Majesty, look at you now. Why do you appear so pitiful? Would you like this ‘favored consort’ to assist you?”
Yu Zhi shuddered violently, swatting Luo Tingshi’s hand away before burying his face in the emperor’s chest. “Don’t touch me. Give me a moment.”
Luo Tingshi lowered his gaze, his eyes lingering over the figure in his arms before his brows knitted together.
“Your Majesty, it seems to me you’ve been overcome by desire?”
Yu Zhi slumped against him, exhausted, shaking his head. “No.”
These past days, he had Luo Tingshi tend to him daily. At the critical moment, he would immediately position himself at the entrance of the Dragon’s Den, allowing his essence to surge in and nourish him.
Nourished thus, the restlessness had long been subdued, no longer troubling him.
At this moment… it was simply his body craving release.
Luo Tingshi said he was suffering, but was he not suffering too?
Only he feared…
Yu Zhi felt a rising irritation. He could no longer remain in Luo Tingshi’s presence; the influence Luo Tingshi exerted over him far exceeded his expectations.
Yu Zhi pressed down on Luo Tingshi’s shoulder as he stood up. “I am going to the study. Do not follow me.”
-
Yu Zhi pored over memorials all day long. Only when the night watchman’s call drifted through the courtyard walls did he close the scrolls.
The moment he stood up, Yu Zhi felt the world spin violently. Black spots danced before his eyes. He grabbed the long table with a start and bellowed, “Luo Tingshi!”
“Bang—”
The door burst open instantly. Luo Tingshi flew forward, catching the swaying figure. “Where does it hurt?” he demanded anxiously.
“Everywhere hurts… Carry me back to my chambers. Summon Imperial Physician Zhang.”
Waves of dizziness crashed over Yu Zhi. Clinging tightly to Luo Tingshi’s embrace, he grimaced in discomfort, his face as pale as paper. Waves of dizziness assaulted Yu Zhi as he clung tightly to Luo Tingshi’s embrace, his face pale as paper, his brows furrowed in discomfort.
Luo Tingshi’s heart clenched sharply. He swiftly picked Yu Zhi up and carried him back to the bedroom.
Half a quarter of an hour later, Imperial Physician Zhang hurriedly arrived.
Luo Tingshi wiped the cold sweat from Yu Zhi’s forehead with a silk handkerchief, glancing sideways at the physician. Seeing him frown, Luo Tingshi immediately asked anxiously, “What’s wrong with him?”
Doctor Zhang replied, “His Majesty has caught a chill. The cold pathogen has entered his body. Combined with the persistent emotional distress that has never been resolved, it has led to the simultaneous onset of multiple ailments today. His Majesty’s constitution cannot bear it.”
Without delay, he rose and instructed Luo Ting: “I shall prepare the medicinal decoction for His Majesty. Stay here and tend to him. Should anything seem amiss, summon me immediately.”
The moans of agony from the bedside pierced Luo Tingshi’s ears, tearing at his heart like a knife. He wished he could take the suffering upon himself.
Luo Tingshi’s expression was icy as he repeatedly dabbed Yu Zhi’s burning palms with a damp silk handkerchief.
Yu Zhi’s face was deathly pale, even the lips that had been ravaged that morning were now a wan, bloodless shade. His lips parted slightly, moving with the faintest of movements, as if trying to speak.
Luo Tingshi leaned closer to listen, straining to make out the words. To his shock, he heard him calling—
“Luo Tingshi… Luo Tingshi…”
Luo Tingshi quickly grasped Yu Zhi’s palm and pressed it against his own cheek, letting him feel his presence. He whispered softly, “Your Majesty, I am here.”
“Hold… hold me.”
At these words, Luo Tingshi promptly removed his shoes and climbed into bed. He wrapped Yu Zhi tightly in the quilt, enveloping him completely before drawing him into his embrace.
Lying within the familiar embrace, the unease in Yu Zhi’s eyes gradually faded.
Luo Tingshi lifted a finger to brush away the strands of hair scattered beside Yu Zhi’s ear, his heart filled with regret. Yu Zhi always kicked off his blankets when asleep. He must have caught a chill last night when he wasn’t there to tuck him in properly.
Luo Tingshi lowered his head, pressing his forehead against Yu Zhi’s. It felt scorching hot, like a furnace.
He hurriedly reached for the silk handkerchief beside the bed, dipped it into the basin of water on the small bedside table, and gently placed it on Yu Zhi’s forehead.
“It hurts…” Yu Zhi murmured through clenched teeth, his head splitting as if being repeatedly crushed by a chariot. Unable to bear it, he rolled to the side.
In that instant, an arm reached out from behind, gripped Yu Zhi’s waist, and pulled him forcefully back.
Outside, a fierce wind howled.
Cold air slammed against the wooden window, pouring into the room. The candle flame flickered out for a moment before quietly reigniting, casting a faint, bean-sized glow that drifted toward the bed.
It revealed a pair of bloodshot, bloodthirsty eyes.
The candle flame jerked violently, its tongue flickering as if startled.
Luo Ting held the person in his arms so tightly he seemed to want to fuse them into his very bones. The veins on his knuckles stood out, his fingertips turning white from the force.
The instant Yu Zhi rolled out of his embrace, Luo Tingshi’s entire back became drenched. His blood seemed to freeze in the cold wind, his lips turning pale.
Fortunately, he had caught him in time. Luo Tingshi dared not imagine what would have happened if Yu Zhi had rolled off the bed just then…
Luo Tingshi buried his face deeply in Yu Zhi’s neck, his voice hoarse: “Xiao Yu…”
“Luo Tingshi…” The faint, weak voice from his embrace murmured, “It hurts…”
Luo Tingshi understood. Yu Zhi was hurting from his grip. He loosened his arms slightly, lowered his head to kiss the pale lips in his embrace, and whispered soothingly, “Doctor Zhang is preparing your medicine. Just bear with it a little longer.”
Yu Zhi seemed to hear him and lay still obediently.
But moments later, he whimpered and burrowed back into Luo Tingshi’s embrace, calling out plaintively, “Luo Tingshi…”
“Do not reignite the conflict.”
Luo Tingshi replied, “Very well.”
“Nor should you vie with the Emperor for the child.”
“Yes.”
“Do not bully me.”
“Yes.”
“Um… what else do you want me to do?” Yu Zhi, feverish and delirious, pressed his face against Luo Tingshi’s palm with effort, lifting his moist eyes.
“Can I pet the little cat?”
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