Liang Ye probably took it as a compliment and eagerly said, “Tonight, Zhen will open your eyes.”
Wang Dian cupped his chin with his palm, feeling itchy from the stubble, “Open your uncle, shave off the beard.”
“All military commanders keep beards, and Zhen’s is still too short.” Liang Ye’s aesthetic sense had apparently gone through some tortuous development, as he said gleefully, “Zhen wants to grow a long, beautiful beard.”
Actually, at Liang Ye’s age, many men kept beards. But since Liang Ye was rebellious in every way – not only did he not keep a beard, he even dared to shave his head bald. When Wang Dian first transmigrated, Liang Ye’s hair was short like his, and he didn’t feel anything was wrong with it – he looked handsome either way.
Occasionally not shaving for a few days and keeping some stubble did give him a different kind of mature feeling, but as soon as Liang Ye mentioned wanting to grow a long beard, Wang Dian thought of old men like Yan Ze, Wen Zong and Xu Xiude, and immediately felt uncomfortable.
“Not allowed,” Wang Dian said through gritted teeth.
“Zhen is the emperor, Zhen will grow it if Zhen wants to, and you’ll grow one with me.” Liang Ye said smugly, trying to drag him down too.
The more Wang Dian didn’t want him to do something, the more he wanted to do it. Wang Dian couldn’t be intimate with him for more than a few minutes before he made his teeth grind with anger.
As Liang Ye leaned in to kiss him, he suddenly felt a cool sensation on his chin.
Wang Dian had somehow taken out the willow leaf knife from his body and said menacingly, “Shave it off, or no kisses.”
Liang Ye glared at him fiercely, his whole body showing rejection. He wasn’t even afraid of the sharp knife against his vital point, and still leaned forward. Wang Dian, afraid of actually hurting him, moved the knife-holding hand further away.
Probably seeing that Wang Dian really disliked the beard he had worked hard to grow, Liang Ye hesitated for a few seconds between Wang Dian and the beard, but still chose Wang Dian. “Since you don’t like it, I’ll shave it off.”
Damn, he even dared to hesitate.
Wang Dian stuffed the willow leaf knife into his hand. Out of sight, out of mind. Also not quite at ease about the grain transfer, he wanted to go supervise it, but Liang Ye grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.
He straddled Liang Ye’s thighs, and the willow leaf knife was stuffed back into his hand.
“You do it,” Liang Ye lazily leaned against the chair, both arms resting on the backrest, looking like a tyrannical lord forcing his young wife.
A vein popped on Wang Dian’s forehead. He pressed a hot towel against Liang Ye’s face for a while, then started shaving his beard with the small knife.
Wang Dian was meticulous and patient. Sitting on Liang Ye’s lap made him slightly taller, and he lowered his eyes to focus on his chin, his movements very gentle. Liang Ye narrowed his eyes in comfort, and his hands, originally resting on the backrest, mischievously moved to Wang Dian’s thighs and gave them a squeeze.
Wang Dian’s hand trembled and nearly cut his chin. He lifted his eyelids in warning, “Behave.”
Liang Ye snorted with laughter but stopped misbehaving.
After finishing the shave, Wang Dian was finally somewhat satisfied. He could finally feel that he was seeing the real Liang Ye. Earlier outside the tent it had been pitch dark, and due to the remaining poison he couldn’t see clearly, only feeling that Liang Ye had gotten very tanned. Now with the tent brightly lit and the distracting beard cleanly shaved off, he could finally see him clearly.
He had gotten tanner, but this fellow was originally fair-skinned, so the tan wasn’t too dark – the wheat complexion made him look healthier and more energetic.
Wang Dian was grudgingly satisfied and stroked Liang Ye’s smooth chin. “Alright, I’m going out to check on the grain.”
Liang Ye held his waist firmly and wouldn’t let him move, narrowing his eyes and staring at him intently, his voice hoarse, “Others are watching the grain.”
Wang Dian’s eyebrows twitched slightly, “I still should personally—***! Liang Ye!”
Three months without seeing each other, Liang Ye had been yearning so desperately for him that despite Wang Dian’s protests, there was no way he would let him go.
Wang Dian was pressed against the desk, his originally neat clothes now disheveled and messy. His breathing was somewhat suppressed as he tried hard to control his voice, “Liang Ye… damn you…”
Liang Ye held his waist from behind, kissing his ear while laughing, “You’ve shaved off the beard, and you still owe Zhen twice before, adding up to at least ten times.”
Wang Dian was shocked by his shameless spirit and gritted his teeth, “Liang Ziyu, you… have you no shame… damn!”
Liang Ye turned him around, kissed the reddened, moist corner of Wang Dian’s eye, admiring his fierce yet gradually pleasured expression, “Zhongqing.”
Wang Dian’s breath tightened as he gripped the silver armor on Liang Ye’s forearm. His knuckles turned pale from the force, and he was forced to tilt his head back, the candlelight outlining his sweat-dampened neck in beautiful lines.
…..
In the large tent, only one charcoal stove was burning, and it wasn’t particularly warm. Yet Wang Dian was covered in sweat, his clothes still on and uncomfortably sticking to his body. To make matters worse, Liang Ye was pressed tightly against him, contentedly kissing his reddened shoulder blades.
Wang Dian was so tired he couldn’t even move his fingers. That bastard Liang Ye never knew what “moderation” meant in bed, though Wang Dian was equally matched with him, at least he still had some restraint.
“Call out once more,” Liang Ye, having removed his armor, coaxed half-teasingly, “Call out once more and Zhen will let you go.”
“Get lost,” Wang Dian cursed, his ears burning hot.
That bastard Liang Ye indeed hadn’t learned anything good.
“Have you forgotten?” Liang Ye maliciously whispered in his ear with a laugh, “Let Zhen demonstrate for you, ‘Brother… be gentle.'”
Wang Dian wanted to take his sword and slash this scoundrel.
Although Liang Ye had previously made a big show of reading those male romance picture books, and Wang Dian had secretly looked at them too, they were merely conventional. Despite Liang Ye’s bold talk, he had been as pure as white paper, learning most practical matters from Wang Dian, considering that His Majesty had found even Wang Dian’s privately considered playful words extremely vulgar.
Though Wang Dian never said it, he had enjoyed the feeling of teaching someone bit by bit. Control wasn’t always about positions; Liang Ye had been an obedient student throughout.
But in just three short months in the army, that clean white paper had been corrupted beyond recognition.
Who had the audacity to teach the Emperor such nonsense!
The feeling of Liang Ye escaping his control wasn’t pleasant; an uncontrollable Liang Ye always easily made him… lose composure.
What’s worse was – he found it exciting.
Exciting my foot! Liang Ye, you dirty thing!
Wang Dian angrily pushed him away and said hoarsely, “Bath.”
Knowing his love for cleanliness, Liang Ye lazily replied, “Where would we find extra water in the Gobi Desert? It’s all being saved for the soldiers to drink.”
Then he watched as Wang Dian’s face turned from red to green, and raised an eyebrow.
“Your Majesty,” Wang Dian stared at him with a false smile, his anger unabated, and kicked him in the stomach, “Now that the supplies have been delivered, I’ll return to the capital.”
Liang Ye wasn’t angry about being kicked, instead grabbed his foot and played with it on his stomach, teasing, “Now?”
“Now.” Wang Dian withdrew his foot unhappily.
Liang Ye sighed and got up to help him put on his boots.
Wang Dian was slightly surprised by his action, seeing which Liang Ye proudly said, “Zhen has heard that among common people, those who cherish their wives help them put on shoes, unwilling to let them walk too much.”
“…Stop listening to such nonsense.” Wang Dian’s mouth twitched.
Liang Ye squeezed his calf, “But their wives are all very obedient, considering their husbands as heaven. Zhen cherishes you so much, you should learn to be content and only listen to Zhen from now on.”
Wang Dian stepped on his shoulder with his boot, showing a friendly smile, “Liang Ziyu, do you want to hear what nonsense you’re talking?”
Liang Ye wasn’t angry even when stepped on with boots, and stroked up along his thigh, “How about Zhen clean you up first, you’re all we–Ouch!”
Wang Dian glared at him menacingly, “Liang Ziyu, think before you speak, damn it.”
Liang Ye got hit on the head and grumbled, “Wang Dian, you’re absolutely disrespectful.”
Although Wang Dian was disrespectful, Liang Ye, having eaten and drunk his fill, occasionally managed to behave like a decent person. In the dead of night, he led people on horseback out of the camp.
“Where are we going?” Wang Dian had the cold, dry wind blowing in his face, making his mood even worse.
Liang Ye wrapped him tightly in a cloak, “Taking you somewhere nice.”
After about half an hour, Liang Ye finally stopped in front of a cave.
“There’s a natural hot spring here.” Liang Ye reached out to the person on horseback. Wang Dian swatted his hand away and dismounted by himself, walking into the cave.
Liang Ye rubbed his numbed palm and happily followed.
“Zhen only discovered this place a few days ago. If Zhen wasn’t worried about you catching cold, Zhen would have done—” Liang Ye was startled by Wang Dian suddenly turning around.
“You wait outside,” Wang Dian said.
“Why?” Liang Ye narrowed his eyes unhappily, “Zhen wants to bathe too.”
“You can bathe after I’m done.” Wang Dian sneered, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting.”
Liang Ye licked his dry lips, “Zhen’s thoughts are pure, nothing could be more upright.”
Wang Dian would be a fool to believe him, “If you dare come in, I’ll return to the Capital tomorrow.”
Other words might be false, but this was sincere. Although he had only taken a brief look, the conditions in the military camp were far worse than he had imagined. Though he felt for Liang Ye, he had no intention of sharing his hardships.
Never mind cleansing the soul – when basic material needs couldn’t be met, he’d rather return to the capital to scheme and plot. Let Liang Ye suffer and get tanned by himself.
He changed into clean robes on the shore while Liang Ye got into the water with a belly full of complaints. Hearing Wang Dian’s words, he exclaimed in shock. “How could you be so heartless? You just said you loved Zhen.”
“Words said by men in bed can’t be trusted,” Wang Dian squatted by the shore and said with a smile, “You said you’d only do it twice, after all.”
Liang Ye clicked his tongue and leaned on the shore, trying to grab his ankle.
Wang Dian warned, “We only brought one set of clean clothes.”
Liang Ye reluctantly let go. The bite marks on his shoulders swayed with his movement, his lean waist flickering in and out of view in the water. Wang Dian uncomfortably averted his gaze, then justifiably looked back a moment later – his person, he could look however he wanted.
Liang Ye openly let him look, snorting with laughter, “Zhen has learned everything there is to learn, so don’t even think about it.”
Wang Dian reached out to touch his wet neck, looking down with a smile, “You’ve learned bad habits, I need to teach you properly again.”
He really disliked Liang Ye being out of his control, in every sense.
Suddenly his forearm was grabbed, right on the unhealed old wound. He unconsciously frowned, then heard Liang Ye’s dark, dissatisfied voice.
“What happened to your arm?”
