ISWTDB Ch48

Chapter 48: The Mute Prince vs. The Rakshasa General (19, 20, 21)

While Ying Zhao was shouting loudly, Duanmu Yi, who had been holding him down, had a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes.

Why did the little general insist on going back? Wasn’t it good to be with him? Was he in such a hurry to return to the Ying Mansion to see Bai Wenxuan?

The more Duanmu Yi thought about it, the angrier he became. He bit Ying Zhao’s round little face hard. Hearing the other’s cry of pain, he tore off his clothes in one swift motion.

Seeing the fierce man rip his freshly worn clothes into pieces, Ying Zhao couldn’t help but twitch his mouth.

He had only meant to put up a show, make some noise, and get the man to soften up, not really resist to the end. How did it end up being taken seriously?

Though he had intended to act out, the disparity in their strength was too great. Now, he wondered if it was too late to beg for mercy.

But soon, the man showed him with actions that it was indeed too late.

Ying Zhao just wanted to make a fake move, but the enemy took it seriously and completely overpowered him. Online, waiting for help!

Duanmu Yi, with his high martial arts skills and towering figure, easily subdued him. With little effort, he had Ying Zhao under control.

Ying Zhao, dumbfounded, looked at the man who had completely dominated him, puffing his cheeks like a bun, and bit down hard on his arm.

Duanmu Yi turned his head to see his little one biting his arm, red-eyed and fierce. Instead of being deterred, he felt even more unable to control himself. His gaze darkened for a moment before he became even more reckless.

Holding Ying Zhao, Duanmu Yi recalled the techniques he had read about in the book yesterday, eager to try them all on his little general.

When he kissed the little one before, he thought it was sweet, and holding him felt so warm. He wondered how much better it would be to do more intimate things.

Now, he found out that doing these things was indeed as wonderful as he had imagined. His little general was delicious enough to drive him mad.

Duanmu Yi wanted to hold back, afraid of hurting the person in his arms since he was the one receiving. Moreover, it was his first time.

But Duanmu Yi forgot that it was also his first time, and it was with the person he had yearned for countless times. So once he started, he couldn’t control himself, wanting to take more from the person beneath him.

At first, Ying Zhao resisted a bit, but since his man had already gotten what he wanted, he wondered why he should still be coy.

Besides, he deeply loved his partner. Playing a little bit of emotion was fine, but if his lover felt he was being forced, it would hurt his feelings.

Thinking of this, Ying Zhao pouted and stopped resisting, closing his eyes to enjoy it instead.

Duanmu Yi noticed Ying Zhao’s change in attitude. He knew he was in the wrong for forcing the little one.

Even though they were married, and the little general had always enjoyed his kisses and hugs, Duanmu Yi always felt that there was some affection from the little general’s side. But he had always been in the role of a male wife.

Now, he had taken Ying Zhao by force in another identity. Duanmu Yi was worried Ying Zhao wouldn’t accept it.

However, he was desperate to mark Ying Zhao as his own, to prove this person belonged to him. Otherwise, he would feel insecure and anxious.

Moreover, from the moment he brought Ying Zhao back to the Yin Pavilion, he had decided to keep him by his side forever, which made him act so ruthlessly.

He thought it would take much longer for the little general to accept him. But surprisingly, the little one, after some initial struggle, quickly became compliant. Seeing his little general clinging to him with misty eyes, Duanmu Yi felt a surge of heat in his heart.

The little one’s cheeks were flushed, looking incredibly attractive. He couldn’t help but open his mouth to pant, revealing two sharp little canine teeth. Duanmu Yi couldn’t resist bending down to touch those little teeth, only to be bitten by the little one.

Then, the little one even sucked on his tongue.

Duanmu Yi’s heavy breathing intensified. He felt like he was going crazy from the little one’s actions. The room’s sounds of cursing turned into muffled groans and then into Ying Zhao’s incoherent words. After a long time, it finally fell silent.

When everything was over, Duanmu Yi looked at the obedient little general lying in his arms, unable to stop smiling. The little one not only didn’t reject him but also became very enthusiastic later on.

He even started praising him, saying he liked him and calling him “husband,” wanting to be with him, which made Duanmu Yi extremely excited.

Duanmu Yi had never felt as happy and satisfied as he did now. He kissed the little one’s cute nose, only to have his face slapped by a small paw.

Ying Zhao rubbed his itchy nose, seeming somewhat dissatisfied, and mumbled drowsily, “No more, I’m so tired!”

Seeing the little one in his arms acting all proud, Duanmu Yi chuckled and pulled him closer. Then he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep with him.

The next day, when Duanmu Yi woke up, he found his arms empty. His little one, whom he had been thinking about, was staring at him with wide eyes.

As soon as Ying Zhao saw him wake up, he immediately pounced on him, clawing and biting like an angry little cat.

Duanmu Yi held Ying Zhao tightly, letting him hit him. Watching his little sharp teeth leave one bite mark after another on his body, he felt a ticklish sensation in his heart. As he held him, the atmosphere started to change again.

Ying Zhao had just wanted to act spoiled, enjoying the feeling of rolling around in his man’s arms. But he quickly realized that his lover seemed to be reacting again, so he sat up straight and said fiercely to Duanmu Yi:

“You rogue! What’s in that head of yours?”

Duanmu Yi looked at Ying Zhao baring his teeth and claws in front of him but smiled gently. He touched his hair and silently mouthed a word, “You.”

Ying Zhao naturally understood Duanmu Yi’s lip movements, his cheeks instantly turning red. After a moment of hesitation, he stopped making things difficult for Duanmu Yi.

He sat up straight, wrapped the quilt tightly around himself, and raised his head to Duanmu Yi, saying:

“Now I’m going to ask you some questions, and you have to answer them honestly!”

Duanmu Yi nodded, then heard Ying Zhao ask him, “Are you the young master of the Yin Pavilion?”

Duanmu Yi nodded. Seeing him answer truthfully, Ying Zhao was satisfied and pursed his lips. He then asked:

“Then why did you bring me here?”

Hearing Ying Zhao’s question, Duanmu Yi’s expression turned stiff. After a long time, he lowered his eyes and silently mouthed the words “Bai Wenxuan.”

Ying Zhao blinked. Although this was expected, seeing Duanmu Yi admit it in front of him was still amusing.

He put on a surprised expression and said to Duanmu Yi, “Bai Wenxuan? Why Bai Wenxuan? Why did you bring me here because of him?”

This time, Duanmu Yi didn’t answer. He quietly looked into Ying Zhao’s eyes, held his hand, and placed it on his chest.

Being gazed at so passionately by his lover, Ying Zhao couldn’t help but blush, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the deep affection in his eyes.

Ying Zhao showed a helpless expression, holding Duanmu Yi’s hand in return and asked, “Is it because you’re jealous of him? Because I kept going to see him?”

Duanmu Yi pursed his lips and nodded. Hearing this, Ying Zhao suddenly went limp and complained to him:

“Duanmu Yi, are you stupid? I’ve told you before, I approached him because I had things to do. Do you know, Bai Wenxuan is a spy from the Chiyue Kingdom!”

Duanmu Yi was shocked by Ying Zhao’s words, shaking his head in disbelief. He hadn’t expected Bai Wenxuan to have such a special identity.

But then a wave of joy surged in his heart. So, the little one didn’t actually like Bai Wenxuan. He approached him just because of his special identity to take action.

Ying Zhao had been observing the changes in Duanmu Yi’s expression, knowing what he was thinking. Seeing his uncontrollable smile, he reached out and pinched Duanmu Yi’s cheek, saying disdainfully:

“You fool, what if bringing me here exposes your identity? Do you know how sensitive the Yin Pavilion is? If others find out about your connection to it, you’ll be in danger, do you understand?”

Although Ying Zhao’s pinch hurt, Duanmu Yi felt sweet in his heart hearing his little one obviously worrying about him.

He couldn’t help but scoop Ying Zhao, along with the quilt, into his arms and kissed his cheek fiercely. Ying Zhao, caught off guard by Duanmu Yi’s kisses, quickly pushed his head away and glared at him.

“You’re still fooling around with me! You’re so stupid you could make me cry. I’m always worrying about you! That’s why I told Grandmother that we were right. Someone as foolish as you needs my constant care! So, leave the task of continuing the Ying family line to Wuji. Otherwise, without my supervision, you’ll cause a mess!”

Hearing Ying Zhao’s words, Duanmu Yi looked at him in shock. The little one had already discussed this with Grandmother Ying, deciding early on that he would only have him for the rest of his life.

So, the little general wouldn’t have any concubines or children! He did all this for him?

Thinking of this, Duanmu Yi felt incredibly moved. He hugged Ying Zhao tightly and kissed his lips passionately, regretting that he couldn’t express his gratitude with words.

After some more affectionate moments, Ying Zhao asked Duanmu Yi to bring his clothes. Given the recent events, Duanmu Yi naturally didn’t refuse Ying Zhao’s request.

Watching Ying Zhao rummage through his clothes and pull out a token from the Ying Mansion, he handed it to Duanmu Yi and said:

“Tell your men to send this token back to the Ying family and inform Grandmother Ying that I met a friend and will stay with him for a couple of days. Last night, I didn’t notify her because I was drunk. Otherwise, if you just took me away like this, the entire Ying family would be in an uproar! It’s lucky it’s my day off, otherwise, I’d have to worry about attending court.”

Duanmu Yi nodded vigorously upon hearing this, quickly taking the token Ying Zhao handed him. He turned and left the room to give the necessary instructions.

However, when he returned to the room, he found that Ying Zhao still hadn’t dressed. Duanmu Yi sat on the edge of the bed, wanting to ask if Ying Zhao was hungry and if he needed some food.

After all, the two had been busy for most of the day, and it was already afternoon. So, Duanmu Yi pointed to his mouth and then touched Ying Zhao’s small belly.

Ying Zhao immediately understood what Duanmu Yi meant, a smile curling on his lips. He extended a small hand from under the quilt and beckoned Duanmu Yi closer.

Seeing this, Duanmu Yi leaned in, and Ying Zhao whispered in his ear:

“It’s still early for dinner. As my ‘male wife’ in the Ying family, shouldn’t you properly serve your husband again?”

After saying this, Ying Zhao licked his lips in front of Duanmu Yi and lifted a corner of the quilt. Duanmu Yi felt a shiver run down his spine at his words, like an electric current through his body. He quickly tore off his outer robe and slipped under the covers.

In his heart, he kept thinking, of course, he should serve his husband well! As the little one’s ‘male wife,’ he wished he could make his little general comfortable every moment.

Since Duanmu Yi had left a message with his men for the Ying family, Ying Zhao wasn’t in a hurry to return immediately. The two of them continued until it was dark before stopping.

They called the servants to prepare food and took a good bath to relax before planning to rest. Although Ying Zhao felt his waist was sore and he was very tired, his heart was full of happiness.

After all, being completely with the one you love always makes you feel happy. Moreover, after a period of effort, the situation in the court was becoming clearer.

The Crown Prince’s support was very high, something the Emperor could no longer control. Furthermore, his lover had revealed his identity in front of him. Since he was his man, it was okay to use him.

Thinking of this, Ying Zhao smiled, snuggled into Duanmu Yi’s arms, bit his chin, raised his face, and said domineeringly:

“Say, am I your husband?”

Duanmu Yi nodded. Ying Zhao was very satisfied and asked again:

“Then isn’t your stuff my stuff?”

Duanmu Yi nodded again. Ying Zhao gave him a big smile and kissed his cheek. He said:

“That’s your reward! Since what’s yours is mine, it’s okay for me to ask the Yin Pavilion to do something for me, right?”

Duanmu Yi lowered his head, looking at the little one in his arms with a mischievous smile. He pinched his chin and kissed his lips, smiling and nodding.

Although he didn’t know what the little general wanted the Yin Pavilion to do, Duanmu Yi was naturally very happy to help his beloved.

So, the next morning, after they had breakfast and Ying Zhao dressed up, he followed Duanmu Yi to the main hall of the Yin Pavilion.

Ying Zhao saw the ten shadow guards who had always followed Duanmu Yi. Knowing how they had cared for his lover over the years, Ying Zhao was very polite to them.

These shadow guards, although surprised by Ying Zhao’s appearance as the General of the State, didn’t show it and were very respectful to him.

After all, they knew Ying Zhao was a bloody warrior who fought for the country. No matter his appearance, he deserved their admiration.

Moreover, he now had the identity of the young master’s wife, making him their legitimate master, so they naturally followed his orders.

Ying Zhao knew his man’s personality well. Although Duanmu Yi’s martial arts were strong, he had no scheming mind and didn’t care about material things. For many years, he was unwilling to return to the Yin Pavilion and was unfamiliar with it.

Fortunately, there were these ten shadow guards. They were considered the master’s private bodyguards, protecting him secretly. They each managed a branch of the Yin Pavilion, working together to keep it well-organized.

Ying Zhao understood the power of the Yin Pavilion and didn’t hide anything, directly asking these shadow guards if there had been any recent changes in the Canglan Kingdom.

The Yin Pavilion didn’t disappoint him. They not only knew that Bai Wenxuan was a spy from the Chiyue Kingdom but also discovered that the Emperor’s favorite concubine in the palace had many connections with Chiyue.

However, it was said that the concubine had cut off ties with Chiyue and was now focused on being the Emperor’s favorite. Even so, she wasn’t quiet in the palace.

Mie Er told Ying Zhao that they had received news that the concubine had been secretly giving the Emperor sterilizing drugs. No wonder no new princes had been born since her son was born.

The Emperor’s health had long been deteriorating. It seemed this concubine, having received the Emperor’s favor upon entering the palace, caused him to build grand palaces and indulge in pleasures for her.

This made the people see the Emperor as foolish and decadent. Compared to being a spy for Chiyue, being a favorite concubine was much more comfortable. Moreover, with a son, why would she willingly work for Chiyue and let others benefit? No wonder she severed ties with Chiyue.

So, if not for Bai Wenxuan’s incident allowing Chiyue to break through Canglan’s borders, the concubine would have tried to make the Emperor crown her son as Crown Prince.

Once the Emperor died, she would reap the benefits. Indeed, there is no heart more poisonous than a woman’s!

Thinking of this, Ying Zhao smirked. It seemed the Emperor’s health was already beyond repair, so it might be time for him to abdicate.

Then Ying Zhao took out the rubbing of the token he had made in Bai Wenxuan’s room from the inner layer of his clothes and showed it to the shadow guards.

Mie Yi immediately recognized it. This token was one that only the Emperor of Chiyue could bestow, allowing unrestricted access to the capital and palace of Chiyue without any obstruction. Such tokens were extremely rare, with fewer than three existing in the entire Chiyue Kingdom.

Although Ying Zhao already knew what it was, he still feigned surprise and nodded at Mie Yi, asking:

“Can the Yin Pavilion replicate an identical token?”

Mie Yi nodded confidently and said with a smile:

“No problem, Xiao Wu is a master of counterfeiting. The token he forges can definitely pass for the real thing.”

Satisfied with this answer, Ying Zhao entrusted the task to Mie Wu, who promised to deliver the token to him within two days.

Once Ying Zhao had gathered all the information he needed from the Yin Pavilion and arranged for the token to be made, he and Duanmu Yi returned to the Ying family.

Duanmu Yi, being highly skilled in martial arts, could naturally sneak back into his own courtyard without being noticed. His courtyard was usually deserted, and the food delivered by the servants had been handled by the shadow guards stationed there.

Therefore, although Duanmu Yi had been away for two days and nights, no one noticed. After returning to the mansion, Ying Zhao went to see Bai Wenxuan and showed him a stack of supposed Ying family secret military formation diagrams.

He said that he believed he should cultivate someone capable of protecting the peace of Canglan Kingdom in times of crisis. He mentioned that martial prowess and talent were secondary, and the most important quality was trustworthiness. Currently, the only person he trusted and could rely on was Bai Wenxuan.

Bai Wenxuan immediately put on a grateful expression, thanking Ying Zhao for his trust. Inwardly, he mocked Ying Zhao’s words, thinking him a complete fool.

While hastily putting away the diagrams, Bai Wenxuan promised Ying Zhao that he would study them diligently and not disappoint him. He even suggested that Ying Zhao visit him daily to provide more guidance.

Listening to Bai Wenxuan’s hypocritical words and seeing his eager expression, Ying Zhao’s eyes flashed with a hint of sarcastic amusement. After saying a few more concerned words, he left.

Perhaps because Ying Zhao often mentioned military affairs and personal matters to Bai Wenxuan in a heartfelt manner, Bai Wenxuan believed that he had already extracted all the secrets he could from the Ying family upon obtaining the so-called military formation diagrams.

Thus, in the evening, Bai Wenxuan, along with his servant Shumo, claimed to be going out for a stroll but never returned.

Ying Zhao knew that Bai Wenxuan had taken the fake military formation diagrams and left Canglan for Chiyue. Bai Wenxuan was cautious enough to send a runner from an inn in the evening to inform the gate guards at the Ying mansion that he would be staying out for two nights after meeting a friend.

Ying Zhao was well aware that Bai Wenxuan intended to delay any suspicion and make him think he hadn’t left Canglan yet.

However, Ying Zhao was unconcerned, as he had already set up all the necessary arrangements and even hoped Bai Wenxuan wouldn’t leave.

Naturally, after Bai Wenxuan disappeared from the Ying family, Ying Zhao didn’t send anyone to search for him. He even informed Prime Minister Yu, and they quietly imprisoned the officials Bai Wenxuan had bribed through various means.

With Bai Wenxuan gone, Ying Zhao no longer needed to pretend. He spent his days lovingly with Duanmu Yi and dealt with the spies placed by Bai Wenxuan and the Emperor, dismissing those who had ridiculed Duanmu Yi and retaining only the loyal and virtuous servants.

Madam Ying was delighted to see Ying Zhao and Duanmu Yi’s affection. Ying Zhao later learned that Madam Ying had long known the true identity of Duanmu Yi’s mother. The two had been friends for many years, and Madam Ying sympathized with Duanmu Yi’s mother’s fate.

Duanmu Yi no longer needed to hide his martial skills in the Ying family and taught Ying Wuji alongside Ying Zhao, hoping he would soon excel.

After a period of peaceful days, Chiyue Kingdom began to stir again, causing trouble at the border.

Chiyue first initiated two small skirmishes. Although the remaining generals in Canglan couldn’t compare to Ying Zhao, there should have been no problem picking two to counter such provocations.

However, Canglan suffered heavy defeats in both confrontations, which only fueled Chiyue’s arrogance. The Emperor, Yan Lang of Duanmu, grew increasingly worried about Chiyue’s actions, even though Ying Zhao’s body couldn’t allow him to fight on the front lines. Still, he ordered Ying Zhao to oversee the military.

Naturally, Ying Zhao brought Duanmu Yi along. They stood on the city wall, watching the Canglan soldiers retreating as per his instructions, fleeing in panic after a certain period, a smile playing on Ying Zhao’s lips.

This time, Chiyue’s every move followed the fake military formation diagrams Ying Zhao had given Bai Wenxuan. Although the diagrams seemed impressive at first glance, a true expert could discern many flaws.

Thus, Ying Zhao purposely created this situation to inflate Chiyue’s ambition, making them believe they were invincible and prompting them to launch a full-scale attack on Canglan.

As expected, after initial probing, Chiyue’s king grew more confident. He gathered a large army and launched a massive offensive against Canglan, despite the country’s incomplete recovery.

Most of Canglan’s generals followed Ying Zhao’s orders. Those placed by the Emperor who were reluctant were pressured by Ying Zhao’s Yin Pavilion, forcing them to comply and creating a facade of major defeats.

Unaware of the true battle situation, Emperor Yan Lang of Duanmu grew anxious and regretted having the military doctor ruin Ying Zhao’s body, preventing him from fighting on the front lines.

Watching the army of Chiyue Kingdom gradually approach, Duanmu Yanlang grew increasingly fearful. Naturally impatient, he erupted in a fit of rage during the court session.

However, halfway through his outburst, he suddenly felt a tickle and pain in his throat, and with a cough, he spat out a mouthful of blood. His vision went black, and he fainted.

Seeing this, Ying Zhao raised an eyebrow, thinking that even the heavens were helping him. The development of events was indeed going smoothly. He had planned to stage a coup using the situation with Chiyue, seizing the throne during the ensuing chaos.

Yet, unexpectedly, before he could act, the old emperor had already collapsed on his own. It seemed that everything would proceed even more smoothly from here on.

Duanmu Yanlang’s body was already frail, and this sudden illness required the joint diagnosis of several imperial physicians. Naturally, the physicians revealed the truth.

Duanmu Yanlang was greatly shocked, wondering why Imperial Physician Liu, who regularly checked his pulse, had never mentioned his frailty.

He ordered Imperial Physician Liu to be arrested and interrogated thoroughly. The interrogation revealed that Liu had long been bribed by the Virtuous Consort, who had been poisoning his food, not only depleting his health but also making him unable to have children in the future.

Enraged, Duanmu Yanlang immediately ordered the arrest of both Imperial Physician Liu and the Virtuous Consort, condemning them to death. His fury only worsened his condition, causing him to cough up several more mouthfuls of blood.

Due to Duanmu Yanlang’s health, he had no choice but to let the Crown Prince oversee the government. Seeing the timing was right, Ying Zhao mobilized the army of Canglan Kingdom to counterattack Chiyue.

Although Ying Zhao himself was physically weak and unable to fight, with Duanmu Yi by his side, no one could stand against him. Thus, the mute prince, once considered a bad omen, donned his armor and went to battle.

With Ying Zhao’s support, Duanmu Yi led the troops to defeat the enemy forces of Chiyue step by step, advancing all the way to the gates of Chiyue’s capital.

The emperor of Chiyue was furious, unable to understand why the previously invincible military formations had suddenly failed.

Moreover, he did not expect that on the night Canglan’s army reached the city gates, someone disguised with his token led a small elite force into Chiyue, silently killing the guards and opening the city gates for Canglan’s army.

The token’s origin was, of course, due to Ying Zhao having Mie Liu forge it. For the Yin Pavilion, such a task was effortless.

Canglan’s army decisively defeated Chiyue. The Chiyue king, learning that his token had been used, immediately thought of Bai Wenxuan. Reflecting on the so-called Ying family secret military formation diagrams Bai Wenxuan had excitedly brought back, he realized it had been a ruse all along.

Believing they had a chance for a great victory over Canglan, they were now on the brink of ruin. Furious, the Chiyue king ignored Bai Wenxuan’s explanations. In a crisis, all past sentiments were forgotten. Enraged, the Chiyue king drew his sword and stabbed Bai Wenxuan to death.

Bai Wenxuan stared in shock, unable to believe his end had come this way. He had always thought himself in control, manipulating everyone around him.

In his final moments, he felt he was destined for a brighter future, achieving heights others could not reach, not this ignoble end. But he had no more time to think as he took his last breath.

Subsequently, Chiyue sent envoys to Canglan’s camp to seek peace. Ying Zhao reported this to the Crown Prince, who, out of compassion for Chiyue’s suffering people, agreed to peace on the condition that Chiyue ceded two cities and paid annual tribute to Canglan, becoming a vassal state. Chiyue, thus severely weakened, had no chance of recovery.

Not only was Bai Wenxuan killed by the Chiyue king, but he also became a criminal in Chiyue. After Ying Zhao returned to the capital with a large army, Duanmu Yanlang, increasingly weak, abdicated and passed the throne to the Crown Prince.

Ying Zhao, having trained his younger brother Ying Wuji to guard Canglan and support the Ying family, then accompanied Duanmu Yi back to the Yin Pavilion, living a carefree life in the martial world.

Together, they traveled across the beautiful landscapes, enjoying the scenery. With ten shadow guards handling the Yin Pavilion, they had no worries about its operation.

During this time, Ying Zhao and Duanmu Yi also found a suitable successor for the Yin Pavilion, taking him as a disciple and having the shadow guards train him thoroughly.

In their later years, they returned to the Yin Pavilion to enjoy their old age in peace.

Thanks to the Yin Pavilion’s knowledge and secret remedies from the martial world, Ying Zhao and Duanmu Yi maintained good health, living to over a hundred years old before passing away together.