“Clear the battlefield!” Liang Ye dismounted his horse, his heavy combat boots stepping through bloodied water as he strode through the city gate.
“Yes!” Bian Feng gripped his spear tightly, making no attempt to hide the admiration in his eyes.
Liang Ye paid no attention to those behind him. Amid bowing salutations, he quickly ascended the city gate tower, where he ran into Wang Dian coming down. His eyes instantly blazed with heat as if they would catch fire. His long arm reached out, spanning four or five steps to pull Wang Dian down and pin him against the wall, gripping his chin for a fierce kiss.
Chong Heng couldn’t avoid the sight in time. His eyes were instantly shocked, and he swiftly turned to block Lu Shu and others who were trying to descend, coldly commanding. “Go back!”
Though confused, since Chong Heng was Liang Ye’s man, Lu Shu and the others dared not offend him and could only return to the city wall in bewilderment.
Wang Dian heard Chong Heng’s voice and pushed Liang Ye away, but Liang Ye grew even more unrestrained. With a blood-covered face and sinister gaze, he forcefully pressed his knee between Wang Dian’s legs and said hoarsely, “Really want to *** you right here.”
Wang Dian’s head ached from the thick smell of blood and gunpowder on him. Hearing this, he twisted his lips and said, “You fucking try it.”
Liang Ye’s killing aura hadn’t yet subsided, his breathing hot with the scent of blood. He stared intently into Wang Dian’s eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing forcefully twice. “Am I impressive?”
“…Impressive.” Wang Dian smiled, suppressing his anger. “Very impressive.”
Liang Ye cockily raised an eyebrow, his hand pressing Wang Dian’s nape as he kissed his lips, recklessly exploring inside.
Wang Dian’s face and clothes were stained with blood, the smell making the food in his stomach churn. He coldly pushed Liang Ye away, “Enough.”
A violent cough timely sounded from Chong Heng on the city wall.
Liang Ye let out a dissatisfied grunt, roughly grabbed Wang Dian’s waist twice, and pulled him up.
“How unseemly.” Wang Dian pointed to the blood on himself and said quietly, “I’ll return to the tent first.”
With that, ignoring Liang Ye’s dissatisfaction, he went straight down the steps.
Knowing Wang Dian feared the cold, Liang Ye had placed several braziers in his tent. Wang Dian threw his blood-stained outer robe onto the couch, wiped the blood from his face and neck with a wet cloth. When he closed his eyes, he still saw the bloody shadows of the battlefield.
And the moment when Liang Ye recklessly charged toward the blade with his chest.
His stomach began to twist in pain. The wet cloth was gripped tightly in his hand as Wang Dian grit his back teeth to forcefully steady his breathing.
It was like this again.
It was always like this.
Fragmented, blurry images flashed through his mind, finally freezing on the scene of Liang Ye being shot through the heart at the birthday banquet.
Anger, heartache, along with unwillingness and deep hatred engulfed Wang Dian completely. He felt like a drowning patient unable to surface. The sensation of suffocation and fear of impending death wove into an airless net, sinking him heavily to the bottom.
“…Why… was I the one who died?”
The wet cloth gripped tightly was soaked with fresh blood. Wang Dian coldly stared at his hand with whitened knuckles, difficultly covering it with his other hand, forcefully using all his strength to pry it open, his eyes brimming with damp gloom.
“Not dead… Liang Ye isn’t dead.” He repeated these words to himself over and over, as terrifying and unbearable pain spread through his entire body. He growled lowly, “Not dead!”
The sharp short arrow deeply pierced into the cotton blanket.
Wang Dian was covered in cold sweat, breathing heavily, staring at the short arrow that had missed his palm by mere inches. He closed his eyes in exhaustion.
After a while, he pulled out the short arrow with trembling hands and put it back in the sleeve crossbow tube, wiped the cold sweat from his face, and let out a heavy breath.
A victory naturally called for celebration.
Under the black night sky, bonfires blazed brightly. The soldiers gathered together, rarely able to eat meat, shouting excitedly, making quite a commotion.
In the main tent, Liang Ye sat in the head position and raised his wine bowl, smiling, “This victory was entirely thanks to all your brothers’ brave fighting. Zhen won’t say much, let’s drink first to show respect!”
With that, he threw back his head and drained the large bowl of wine.
Although the emperor said this, the generals didn’t dare take credit. They naturally praised His Majesty’s heroic enemy-slaying prowess on the battlefield, saying everything was thanks to His Majesty, long live His Majesty, we subordinates will follow unto death, heaven blesses Great Liang, and so on – quite a harmonious scene between emperor and generals.
Since they were at war, soldiers were strictly forbidden from drinking alcohol, and the generals only drank very low-proof rice wine. Despite it being just rice wine, with the emperor’s praise like this, they were all thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Wang Dian sat quietly at Liang Ye’s lower seat, just drinking silently, accepting anyone who came to toast him, smiling as he drank cup after cup.
Liang Ye glanced at him, stood up with his wine bowl and walked to Wang Dian’s front, smiling, “But ultimately, if the Prince of Danyang hadn’t delivered supplies and weapons in time, this battle couldn’t have been won so easily.”
Wang Dian raised his wine and stood up, meeting the naked desire and affection in Liang Ye’s eyes, smiled slightly, “This minister did what he should.”
Liang Ye held his bowl with one hand, while Wang Dian held his bowl with both hands to show respect. The wine bowls clinked together with a clear sound, as Liang Ye’s fingertips seemingly casually brushed across his hand, “Zhongqing, Zhen drinks to you.”
Wang Dian looked up at him, smiling gently and openly, “Your Majesty, this minister drinks to you.”
The bowls full of wine were drained in one go. Having drunk too quickly, the clear wine spilled from the corner of his mouth, sliding down his slender neck, dampening his newly changed clothes.
Liang Ye’s eyes darkened slightly as he gripped his bowl tightly, similarly drinking it dry in one gulp.
Although the victory celebration was very lively, Liang Ye still felt both thirsty and hungry. His gut, not yet recovered from the killing and excitement, desperately wanted to satisfy its hunger with flesh and blood. Wang Dian sat there casually, like the most sumptuous main course of this victory feast, making all the blood in his body clamor with desire.
Finally, after enduring until midnight when the celebration dispersed, Liang Ye was already starving. He returned to his own tent in front of all the generals, then silently made his way to Wang Dian’s tent, dismissing the guards.
Lifting the tent curtain, Wang Dian was leaning on the couch reading a book, with a charcoal brazier beside him for warmth. Hearing the movement, he turned his head to look at him.
Liang Ye couldn’t quite read his expression for a moment, only feeling his breath stop for an instant, and called out in a deep voice. “Wang Dian?”
“Mm.” Wang Dian pressed hard between his eyebrows, “Why did you come? You should rest well after fighting.”
“I’m not tired.” Liang Ye kicked away the obstructing brazier and sat at the end of the couch, grabbing Wang Dian’s bare feet. Finding them bone-chillingly cold, he frowned and tucked them into his embrace, “You’re so sensitive to cold, why aren’t you wearing socks?”
“They’re uncomfortable,” Wang Dian closed his book and pressed his feet against Liang Ye’s stomach, “Go to sleep.”
“I’m hungry,” Liang Ye swallowed, gripping his ankle to pull him closer, pressing down on him, “Let me have the main course of the victory feast.”
Wang Dian stared at him expressionlessly, “If you keep at it all night, will you even sleep?”
“You can catch up on sleep tomorrow.” Liang Ye lowered his head to kiss his neck, skillfully undoing his belt buckle, grabbing his hand for proof, somewhat pitifully, “I’m about to burst.”
Though his words were pitiful, his hands weren’t pitiful at all as they roamed over Wang Dian.
Wang Dian rolled up his book and pressed it against his chin, “It’s my turn.”
Liang Ye grinned, refusing to discuss this, shamelessly saying, “Zhen has learned everything there is to learn. You’re so delicate, how nice it would be to just lie back and enjoy.”
Wang Dian closed his eyes and laughed lazily. “Playing tricks?”
Liang Ye lowered his head to kiss his ear, “How could it be tricks? I’m just being considerate of you.”
“No need to be considerate about this.” Wang Dian opened his eyes, meeting the cunning calculation in his eyes, smiled slightly, “Like you, I prefer to take matters into my own hands.”
Liang Ye bit his earlobe, his sharp canines maliciously grinding down, very strategically saying, “I’ve defeated Yu Polu, can’t you let me have my way just once?”
Although this “once” might include many instances, as long as he could achieve his goal, what was face worth? He, Liang Ye, had never been particular about small details.
“No.” Wang Dian curled his hand to lift his chin, “Your Majesty, I remember the count very clearly, no credit given.”
Their relationship had finally become much more intimate. Liang Ye weighed the pros and cons between forcing his way and compromising, decisively choosing a third method. He suggestively stroked his lips, coaxing, “How about tonight we just use—hiss.”
Wang Dian withdrew the book he had struck against his waist, frowning, “What’s wrong with your waist?”
Liang Ye looked at him blankly for a while, belatedly remembering, dismissively said, “Oh, probably just got nicked by Yu Polu.”
Wang Dian’s hand gripping the book suddenly tightened, his voice cold. “Get up.”
Liang Ye felt guilty and obediently sat up.
Wang Dian reached to undo his clothes, but Liang Ye didn’t want him to, saying seriously, “Zhen thinks doing it with clothes on has a special flavor.”
“To hell with your special flavor, take it off.” Wang Dian’s hands trembled slightly, which he forcefully suppressed.
Liang Ye considered his anger, keenly judging it to be quite significant, wisely decided not to push his luck, and honestly took off his clothes, lowering his head to look at where it had hurt earlier.
There was a long cut on his waist and abdomen. It seemed his Liu Ye Sword’s scabbard had helped block it, so the cut wasn’t deep, but the scabbard had been slashed through.
Liang Ye pulled out the thin scabbard, wearing an expression of distress as if he’d lost a concubine, “My scabbard.”
Wang Dian forcefully gripped his wrist, staring intently at the wound on his waist and abdomen, his lips pale, “I’ll call the military doctor.”
“No need, it’s just a small wound.” Liang Ye leisurely pulled him back, saying happily, “You can help me apply medicine and bandage it.”
He really liked when Wang Dian tenderly and carefully bandaged his wounds.
“Liang Ye!” Wang Dian suddenly grabbed his collar and yanked him forward, shouting angrily, “Can’t you take better care of yourself!?”
Liang Ye was stunned by his shout, swallowing nervously at his bloodshot eyes, “Wang Dian?”
