Chapter 20

Bu Nian stood there in silence, motionless like a statue.

Lian Ai lifted the canopy and stepped down from the bed. He walked over cautiously, his voice soft. “General?”

Bu Nian shifted his gaze toward him. His voice was rough, the sound scraped from his throat. “I was drugged. Fuqu gave me an aphrodisiac.”

Lian Ai’s eyes widened. He rushed forward and grabbed his wrist, checking him up and down. Seeing that his clothes were still in place, he felt somewhat relieved, though a trace of anger surfaced.

“She… how could she do that?”

Bu Nian caught his wrist and pulled him forward, bringing him close. “The last two times, I never gave you a choice. This time, I will. If you’re willing, I’ll stay. If not, I’ll leave.”

He was holding back so hard his eyes had turned red. The heat in his breath was nearly scalding.

Lian Ai looked up at him, confused at what Bu Nian meant. Only after a moment did he catch on.

“You’re letting me choose?” he said, unable to believe it.

In his life, he had rarely been allowed to choose anything. Not life or death. Not even what to wear or how to behave. Everything was controlled by others. All he had ever been taught to do was obey.

Madam had told him since he was young to be gentle, to be quiet, to be compliant in front of guests.

Eventually, he came to believe that this was simply his fate. No one had ever let him choose, because no one had ever seen him as a person.

And now Bu Nian was giving him a choice?

Lian Ai stared at him, stunned, as though he had forgotten how to speak.

Bu Nian’s grip tightened around his wrist. But as they locked eyes, something in him broke. He suddenly let go, turned around, and strode toward the door without looking back. He walked fast, as if afraid that staying a second longer would make him go back on his word.

The door swung open. Rain poured down in torrents.

Lian Ai’s eyes followed him through the curtain of water. A bolt of thunder cracked through the clouds, so loud it rang through his skull and sent the soul back into his body.

He ran to the veranda in a few hurried steps, not caring that the rain would soak through his clothes. He saw Bu Nian walking into the storm, his figure about to disappear into the night.

“General!” he shouted with all his strength, his voice barely rising over the roar of the rain.

Bu Nian had a sharp hearing. At the edge of the courtyard, he stopped.

He turned around.

Across the downpour, they looked at each other.

Lian Ai clutched his thin robe tightly, his whole body shaking from the cold. But his voice didn’t waver.

“I’m willing.”

Bu Nian was still looking at him, his entire body drenched.

Lian Ai thought he hadn’t heard and raised his voice again. “I said I’m willing!”

The final word had barely left his mouth when Bu Nian moved. With a single leap, he landed right in front of Lian Ai.

His body was soaked through by the rain, yet his arms burned with heat. He wrapped them around Lian Ai’s waist, lifted him up and carried him into the room.

Thunder rolled outside while breathless moans filled the space inside.

It was Princess Fuqu’s first time pulling something like this, and she hadn’t dared use too strong a dose. Bu Nian had only drunk one cup, so the drug’s effect was far less intense than what Daoist Ji Yuan had once inflicted. His mind remained clear, and for once, there was more tenderness in what followed than either of the two times before.

He buried his face against Lian Ai’s chest, taking one of those flushed, stiff nipples into his mouth. He sucked slowly, sometimes using his teeth to graze it, while his hips moved with steady strength. Every time he pulled out, the tight ring of flesh clenched as if trying to hold him in. Every time he pushed back in, Lian Ai shivered all over.

His long hair was spread out over the bed, and his skin flushed pink under the rising heat of arousal. He bit his lip, his legs tightly wrapped around Bu Nian’s waist, ankles tangled behind him like two pale snakes made of jade.

Bu Nian played with his nipple, then suddenly noticed something. There were two tiny holes, as if they had been pierced by long needles.

“What’s this?” He sat up slightly, fingers rubbing that spot between his thumb and forefinger, never breaking his rhythm below.

Lian Ai looked like he couldn’t take any more. His hands clutched the sheets beneath him, his black hair falling across his wrists. Whether on his neck or the backs of his hands, the tension in his body drew sharp lines beneath his thin skin.

“Ah… General…” His voice trembled, eyes wet and glazed as he looked up. “It’s… a piercing hole… ahh…”

His cock, long and pale, rested against his belly, the tip glistening with clear fluid. The black hair at the base was already damp, matted with the slick that had been leaking from deep inside.

Bu Nian leaned down to check the other nipple and found the same. Two tiny holes, perfectly aligned. He imagined how they would look with delicate rings threaded through them, how they would sway beneath a sheer robe, barely hidden. His gaze darkened and his grip grew tighter.

“Ah.. ngh…” Lian Ai arched his back from the sudden stimulation, his waist lifting beautifully off the bed. His hips trembled, and his long legs locked tighter around Bu Nian as though trying to break his waist.

Bu Nian could tell he had just climaxed. Yet there was no sign of release from between his legs. He kneaded the skin from Lian Ai’s hips down to his ass and murmured, “You didn’t ejaculate, but it still felt good?”

Lian Ai whimpered. When he realized Bu Nian had stopped touching his nipples, he reached up and pinched them himself, letting out a breathy moan. “It feels good…”

Bu Nian had only paused briefly when Lian Ai climaxed. Once his breathing settled, he started thrusting again.

Lian Ai’s features could only be called delicate, but the way he moaned, the curve of his back, and the contrast of black hair against pale skin came together to form a kind of irresistible allure.

Bu Nian’s cock swelled even more inside him. Lian Ai seemed unable to bear it, his breath catching as he tried to push him away.

“It’s too thick… please… I can’t…” His fingers dragged weakly across Bu Nian’s waist, then down between them. They found the base of Bu Nian’s shaft, still partially exposed, and stroked it.

Bu Nian’s breath caught. He seized Lian Ai’s wandering hand and pinned it to the mattress, gripped his waist, and began to fuck him hard.

Lian Ai’s body jolted with every thrust, his brows drawn tight. It was hard to tell if it was pain or overwhelming pleasure.

Bu Nian kept going, pumping in and out with brutal force. After dozens of thrusts, his cock twitched, and he came deep inside.

The hot release hit his sensitive inner walls, and Lian Ai cried out. At the same moment, his cock throbbed and spilled out its own load.

—

Princess Fuqu acted with arrogance and no restraint. To drug General Bu Nian during her own father’s birthday banquet was an outrage that spread through the capital like a cold wind in winter. It slipped silently through every street and alley, reaching every ear in no time.

An unmarried young woman using such a disgraceful tactic just to get a man was not only absurd but also painfully foolish.

For a time, the affair became the favorite subject of gossip during meals and gatherings. Many said that after this, Princess Fuqu would likely never be able to marry.

Though Bu Nian had not actually been taken by her, he was still a high-ranking general of the court. To be subjected to such a disgrace, and for no reason, was something the Emperor, as the head of the royal family, could not overlook. He summoned Bu Nian and the Prince of Kangding to the imperial study to discuss the matter. When the Empress Dowager heard of it, she insisted on being present as Princess Fuqu’s elder.

The Emperor had always been somewhat afraid of his mother. He didn’t argue.

As soon as the Prince of Kangding entered the study, he collapsed at the Emperor’s feet, crying that he had failed to raise his daughter properly, that her grave mistake was entirely his fault, and that he was willing to accept any punishment His Majesty saw fit.

The Emperor couldn’t bear the sight. He quickly motioned for the eunuchs to help him up.

“Fuqu is our younger sister. We care for her deeply.” He turned his eyes to Bu Nian, who stood unmoved, expression cold and unreadable. The Emperor’s tone shifted. “But even a royal must answer to the law. For a princess to behave so disgracefully, she must be punished.”

The Prince of Kangding looked like he was about to collapse again. Bu Nian stepped forward, cupped his hands, and bowed slightly. “Your Majesty is wise.”

The Emperor pressed his lips together in thought, then said, “Why not send Fuqu to Hualu Temple to shave her head and observe retreat for two years?”

When the Prince of Kangding heard this, his legs nearly gave out. Hualu Temple was located in the cold, desolate northwest. It was the kind of place where relatives of disgraced officials were sent for punishment. His daughter was a princess by birth, noble and delicate. How could she be sent to endure such hardship?

At that moment, a soft cough came from behind the beaded curtain that hung in front of the imperial seat. It was enough to draw everyone’s attention.

The Emperor turned back and bowed his head slightly. “Mother?”

Bu Nian’s gaze, sharp as a hawk’s, shot toward the richly adorned silhouette behind the curtain. His instincts told him that whatever she was about to say, he would not like it.

“There is actually another solution that may be more fitting. Has General Bu considered it?” The Empress Dowager’s voice was calm. “Since Fuqu has taken a liking to you, and your two households are well matched, it could be said that you are destined for one another. Why not take this opportunity to join your families? Would that not be a fine outcome?”

The Prince of Kangding’s aged face lit up at once. “Thank you, Empress Dowager, for bestowing the marriage. Thank you, thank you.”

Bu Nian said nothing. In the next instant, he lifted the hem of his robe and dropped to his knees before the Emperor.

“This servant would rather die than marry a woman who drugged me.” His fists were clenched as he looked straight at the Emperor, and then at the woman behind the curtain. “Since the day this servant’s father was killed by an assassin, I’ve treasured my life above all else. To marry the princess is out of the question.”

There was no hesitation in his voice, no room for negotiation. He spoke with such finality it shattered the last glimmer of hope the Prince of Kangding had been holding onto. The old man was so shaken he nearly fainted then and there.

Of course, the Emperor could not push a man to his death simply to force a marriage. He offered reassurance. “The Empress Dowager was merely making a suggestion. No one intends to force the matter. You don’t need to go this far.” He turned to the woman behind the curtain. “Isn’t that right, Mother?”

The Empress Dowager seemed to let out a long sigh. “Fine then. Since you have no intention toward that girl Fuqu, I will not press you. But Hualu Temple really is too far. Your Majesty, why not assign her to Ziwei Temple instead? It’s closer to the capital, and if I wish to visit her, the trip would not be so difficult.”

Ziwei Temple sat on Mount Ziwei just outside the capital. Because of its proximity, its incense offerings flourished, and nobles visited frequently. It could not be compared to the cold, remote austerity of Hualu Temple.

The Emperor looked at Bu Nian, then at the Prince of Kangding. After a moment of hesitation, he still chose to side with his own blood.

“Ziwei Temple it is.” He raised two fingers. “Two full years. Not a day less.”

The Prince of Kangding still felt the punishment was harsh, but it was far better than sending his daughter off to suffer in Hualu Temple. Perhaps in a year or so, Bu Nian would have forgotten the matter. By then, he could beg the Emperor to show mercy and bring his daughter home early.

Bu Nian had known from the start that with the Empress Dowager involved, Fuqu would never truly be punished. Now that he heard the Emperor lift the blade only to lay it down again, all he could do was sneer inwardly. He had expected nothing different.

When it was over, Bu Nian and the Prince of Kangding both took their leave. The prince, eager to rush home with the news, nearly bolted from the imperial study.

Bu Nian, as always, kept his composure and walked steadily to the door. He had just turned to leave when a well-manicured hand extended from behind the beaded curtain. With a delicate motion, it lifted the veil. A long, sharp golden nail guard glinted on the little finger.

“Bu Nian, you’re not young anymore. It’s time you gave some thought to your future.” The Empress Dowager’s voice was soft but cold. “Settle down soon, so your parents’ spirits can rest in peace.”

Bu Nian’s hand clenched tightly. His jaw tensed, the lines sharp from how hard he was holding back.

He lowered his head, concealing his eyes. He did not want her to see the killing intent behind them.

“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will see to it that I take care of that matter soon. So that they may rest easy, wherever they are.”

Lian Ai opened his eyes in a daze and found that the sky outside was still grey. The weather had been gloomy these past few days, and even people’s moods felt weighed down by it.

When Fen Zi saw he was awake, she called for a servant to bring in a tonic that had been simmering over the fire.

“What is it this time?” He had developed the habit of taking a short nap every afternoon, and each time he woke, Fen Zi would bring him a different kind of tonic.

Today’s tonic. looked especially strange. He stirred the bowl with a spoon and saw, aside from the usual lotus seeds and lily bulbs, thin slices of something that looked like either dried fruit or some kind of legume.

“That’s the wing of the jin-yu insect. There’s barely a few taels left in the storeroom, but the general gave all of it to you.”

The mention of insects and wings made Lian Ai’s face tighten. “Jin-yu insect? What’s that?”

Fen Zi’s eyes shifted, then she clapped her hands. “Ah, it’s also known as the ‘fu-gui insect.’ You must have heard of it by that name.”

Lian Ai suddenly understood. The fu-gui insect was small-bodied with oversized wings and was said to only appear in early summer, on the mountain slopes around the capital. No one knew how the rumor began, but people believed it was drawn to the city’s wealth and was a creature that had grown strong by absorbing heaven and earth’s spiritual energy. Supposedly, eating it could cure all illnesses and strengthen the body. At one point, it had caused a frenzy among the capital’s wealthy. Every summer, more people went into the mountains to catch them than there were insects to catch, yet demand still far outstripped supply.

Fen Zi continued, “But the nobility thought the name ‘fu-gui’ sounded too crude. So they renamed it ‘jin-yu insect,’ praising its wings like jade, its body like gold. At least it sounds more elegant.”

Lian Ai took a sip. The flavor was surprisingly pleasant, light and sweet with nothing strange about it.

“Has the general returned yet?” He knew that these insect wings were more precious than real gold or jade, and he didn’t dare waste a drop. He finished the entire bowl cleanly in just a few mouthfuls.

Fen Zi saw how quickly he finished and assumed he must have liked the taste of the jin-yu insect wings. She quietly took note and made up her mind to include a little of it in his tonic every day.

“The general has returned. He’s in the ancestral hall right now.” Fen Zi paused before continuing, “He didn’t look pleased. Something must have gone wrong at court. He’s been there for over an hour. Perhaps you should go take a look.”

Lian Ai hesitated. “Would it be proper for me to go to the ancestral hall?”

The ancestral hall enshrined the memorial tablets of the Bu family line. With his standing in the household, entering such a place was already improper. He wasn’t qualified to set foot inside.

Fen Zi seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. She spoke with unusual seriousness. “Since the general brought you back to the estate himself, and even gave you something he treasures, your place in this household is no longer the same. There’s nothing improper about it.”

Lian Ai had nothing to say to that. He couldn’t explain all the tangled thoughts in his heart to her. He had no words to refute her either, and so he could only nod quietly. “Then I was overthinking it.”

With Fen Zi accompanying him, he walked to the entrance of the Bu family’s ancestral hall. Inside, the candlelight flickered. Bu Nian stood motionless at the center, staring at the rows of ancestral tablets.

Fen Zi waited outside in the courtyard. Lian Ai stopped just beneath the eaves, not daring to step inside.

“General…” he called softly to the man’s back.

Bu Nian seemed to snap out of his thoughts at the sound of his voice. He turned, and when he saw Lian Ai standing at the doorway, he reached out a hand toward him.

“Come in.” His voice and expression was calm.

But just as Fen Zi had said, Bu Nian was not in a good mood.

He said nothing more. He placed his hand into Bu Nian’s, then stepped carefully across the threshold into a place he had always regarded as sacred.

“From the time of the Grand Ancestor, the Bu family has served Great Qi with absolute devotion, never once wavering. My father was no different. He was loyal to the Emperor to the end.” Bu Nian stared at his father’s memorial tablet, his grip on Lian Ai’s hand tightening with each word. “And look how he ended. Butchered at Lingshan. To this day, the real killer has yet to be found and punished.”

Lian Ai bore the pain without pulling away. He asked softly, “Was it Prime Minister Lu?”

Back then, when the old general was assassinated, many believed it was the work of Prime Minister Lu. After all, no one in the court clashed with the old general more openly than he did. But looking at Bu Nian now, it no longer seemed so simple.

“If it were him, it would be easy to deal with.”

Lian Ai froze. If even a prime minister would be easier to handle, then who was the real culprit? Could their rank be higher than Lu Binglian’s? Could their power run even deeper?

There were only so many people in Great Qi who could be that untouchable.

He drew a slow breath, pushing the thought from his mind.

“One day, I will make the one who killed my father pay. I will cut them into pieces.” By the time Bu Nian spoke those last words, he was grinding his teeth. The hatred in his voice made Lian Ai’s chest tighten. The pain in his wrist suddenly worsened, and he couldn’t stop himself from crying out.

Bu Nian snapped out of it. He released his grip at once and glanced at the angry red marks on Lian Ai’s wrist. His brows furrowed. “I lost control.”

Lian Ai saw the pain in his eyes. That tight, suffocating rage, so raw and consuming, felt as if it could tear through everything around him.

“General…” Lian Ai lifted his hand and gently touched the space between his brows, as if trying to smooth away the shadow lingering there. “You’ll get what you seek.”

Bu Nian stared at him for a long moment. At last, his furrowed brow eased.

He looked at Lian Ai and said quietly, “Then I’ll take your blessing.”