ISWTDB Ch73

Chapter 73: The Secret Guard Is Mentally Ill (11,12)

On the other hand, Lu San wasn’t as easily appeased as Lu Yi thought. Although he didn’t tell Ying Zhao, he became even more clingy to him. At night, when Ying Zhao was asleep, he would pull his small hand.

Sometimes, he would imitate Ying Zhao’s way of kissing and kiss Ying Zhao’s cheek. Each time he kissed him, Lu San felt his heart pounding.

He thought Ying Zhao smelled incredibly good, the cold fragrance making him dizzy, and he even felt that Ying Zhao looked delicious.

Lu San didn’t understand why he felt this way. His master was a person, not something to be eaten. Yet he thought his master seemed more delicious than the best food, making him want to devour him.

But as soon as this thought occurred, Lu San was startled. He thought to himself that he wasn’t a monster that eats people, so why would he want to swallow his master?

Despite spending every day with Ying Zhao, Lu San also experienced some new troubles he hadn’t faced before.

The biggest trouble was that the person known as the Second Prince, Huangfu Zhaohong, frequently came to the Marquis of Anping’s residence to harass Ying Zhao.

Although Ying Zhao always treated him coldly and ignored him, the Second Prince seemed oblivious and continued to approach his master.

Each time Lu San saw the Second Prince looking at his master, he felt uncomfortable. He even found himself wanting to kill the prince for the first time outside of a mission, hoping the prince would disappear from the world.

One day, the Second Prince Huangfu Zhaohong came to visit Ying Zhao at the Marquis of Anping’s residence again. Ying Zhao was already fed up with this person. However, since the visitor was a prince, he couldn’t afford to offend him completely.

So, he usually dealt with him coldly, hoping the prince would take the hint and withdraw. But the prince was shameless and persistent.

But upon reflection, someone who could use so many tactics and find so many so-called true loves—how could they not have a thick skin? It was probably much thicker than the city walls.

Ying Zhao was annoyed by Huangfu Zhaohong’s persistent harassment when he saw Lu San hurriedly approaching. Upon seeing Lu San, Ying Zhao’s eyes immediately brightened.

Earlier, Lu San had mentioned he was hungry, so Ying Zhao had asked him to get some snacks from the small kitchen. Unexpectedly, at this moment, Huangfu Zhaohong had come again, endlessly pestering him.

Seeing Huangfu Zhaohong, Lu San’s eyes immediately turned sharp. Knowing this person was bothering his master again, Lu San didn’t hesitate to move to Ying Zhao’s side. He blocked Huangfu Zhaohong’s waist, holding the tray in front of Ying Zhao and said, “Try this; it just came from the small kitchen.”

Ying Zhao smiled and nodded, looking at Lu San with tenderness. This was also something he had deliberately instructed Lu San to do. Whenever Huangfu Zhaohong came by, Lu San could act more intimately with him.

Hold his hand or hug his waist, and do it deliberately for Huangfu Zhaohong to see. As expected, Huangfu Zhaohong immediately showed an unhappy expression when he saw their intimate behavior.

He thought that this so-called penniless scoundrel, who was rumored to be down and out, had unexpectedly become the husband of his treasured love. How could that not make him angry and jealous?

Seeing their close interaction, especially Ying Zhao’s tender eyes and tone, which Huangfu Zhaohong had never received, he was infuriated. He slammed his folding fan on the table to attract Ying Zhao’s attention.

As expected, Ying Zhao turned to look at him. But before Huangfu Zhaohong could feel pleased, Ying Zhao said, “It’s getting late. Second Prince, you should return to your residence.”

Huangfu Zhaohong was furious at Ying Zhao’s words but unwilling to leave like this. He turned to Lu San and ordered loudly, “This prince is thirsty. I want the freshest fruit juice. Go and get it for me now.”

Ying Zhao nodded. The kitchen didn’t have fresh fruit juice; only the kitchen at the Grand Princess’s residence had it. Ying Zhao was about to instruct a servant to get it for Huangfu Zhaohong.

But Huangfu Zhaohong waved his hand at the servant and turned to Lu San, saying, “This prince wants you to go personally!”

Lu San frowned, unwilling to comply. In his heart, he only listened to his master, and his master was naturally Ying Zhao.

Whatever Ying Zhao asked him to do, he would do it. He was unwilling to listen to anyone else, even if it were the command of a king or an emperor.

Seeing Lu San’s expression, Ying Zhao knew he was being stubborn. But it was only a cup of fruit juice. Ying Zhao gave Lu San a look. Seeing Ying Zhao’s glance, Lu San, though reluctant, had no choice but to leave.

However, Lu San didn’t expect to run into Ying Ning on the way. Since Ying Ning lived near the Grand Princess’s residence, it was natural for him to be there.

When Ying Ning saw Lu San, he was particularly pleased. Although Lu San’s words had embarrassed him the other day, it only fueled Ying Ning’s determination to win him over.

In the past, Lu San was always close to Ying Zhao, making it difficult for Ying Ning to find an opportunity to get close. Now that Lu San was alone, he immediately approached him.

Ying Zhao, who was always monitoring his beloved’s situation through the system, naturally knew what was happening. Through the images sent by Xiao Bai, Ying Zhao could see Ying Ning’s scheming against his man.

He was truly insatiable. He had thought that Ying Ning, having read the original story, should be deeply in love with the Second Prince, Huangfu Zhaohong. Unexpectedly, he was so fickle and still coveted someone who didn’t belong to him. Since that was the case, Ying Zhao didn’t mind teaching Ying Ning a lesson.

So, Ying Zhao raised an eyebrow, turned to look at the infatuated Huangfu Zhaohong, and gave him a gentle smile, saying:

“Thank you, Second Prince, for taking the time to visit me every day. I’m just curious if you came today to appreciate poetry and paintings, or if there’s something else that interests you?”

The Second Prince, upon hearing Ying Zhao’s words, noticed there were no people around and decided not to beat around the bush. He stepped closer, looking at Ying Zhao with burning eyes and said:

“Ziyang, you know my intentions. Poetry and paintings are merely to cater to your tastes. How could you not understand my feelings with your intelligence?”

Ying Zhao smiled and looked outside, pretending not to know. He then turned and answered indirectly, saying to the Second Prince:

“Your Highness, the fruit juice does taste quite good. With the sudden heat these past few days, it’s the best drink. However, it’s quite a rare treat. Even I, as the heir, don’t get to drink it every day. It’s been so long, and I wonder why Huo Yi hasn’t returned. Could you please visit the Grand Princess’s residence and see if you could bring back some more fruit juice? It would allow me to benefit from Your Highness’s favor.”

The Second Prince’s eyes widened in surprise at Ying Zhao’s words. Ying Zhao had always been indifferent towards him, sometimes even speaking harshly when annoyed. He had never been so kind before.

He felt that Ying Zhao was finally willing to be close to him, but was too shy to show it directly, pretending to be coy. He was pleased, thinking it must be his sincerity that had melted the beauty’s heart.

It was just a cup of fruit juice; how could his aunt refuse him? Thinking this, Huangfu Zhaohong immediately nodded to Ying Zhao, not caring about his princely status, and happily went to the Grand Princess’s residence to get the fruit juice.

Ying Zhao watched Huangfu Zhaohong’s departing figure, suppressing his smile, thinking that he was indeed a vain and self-important fool.

Just with a few words, he was eagerly trying to prove himself. No wonder the original master didn’t want this person to take over Dayu.

On the other hand, as Huangfu Zhaohong was halfway to his destination, he suddenly heard a familiar voice. He then saw Lu San’s back, seemingly entangled with another man.

This made Huangfu Zhaohong feel a bit pleased, thinking that Huo Yi had just married Ziyang, yet here he was, entangled with a servant in the Marquis of Anping’s residence. If Ying Zhao knew about this, he would surely recognize Huo Yi’s true nature and turn to him instead.

With this thought, Huangfu Zhaohong quietly hid, wanting to watch the show and then find an opportunity to tell Ying Zhao about it.

However, when he hid and clearly saw the face of the person with Lu San, he discovered that it was Ying Ning, whom he had already taken into his own fold.

Huangfu Zhaohong frowned, listening carefully to their conversation.

Although the place where Ying Ning and Lu San met wasn’t particularly secluded, the foot traffic was relatively sparse. Moreover, Ying Ning felt that this was his territory, so he acted even more recklessly.

He called Lu San “brother-in-law” in a soft tone and leaned into his embrace. Lu San immediately frowned and moved away, trying to continue forward.

Unexpectedly, Ying Ning grabbed his sleeve, looking somewhat aggrieved as he said, “Brother-in-law, why don’t you understand my feelings for you?”

Lu San’s face turned sour as he brushed off Ying Ning’s hand, responding harshly, “Feelings or not, I don’t understand! I have things to do.”

With that, Lu San turned to leave. Seeing Lu San’s look of annoyance, Ying Ning’s teeth clenched in frustration. Just thinking about how Lu San seemed to have a good relationship with his own elder brother recently made him even more unwilling.

He didn’t want Ying Zhao to have things so smooth, so he lowered his head, took a deep breath, and then raised his head to show a pitiful expression, saying to Lu San, “Brother-in-law, my feelings are indeed for you. Do you think I’m not as good as my brother?”

Although Ying Ning was a man, he had a more delicate demeanor compared to Ying Zhao. His slim figure and preference for plain clothing made him appear like a fragile willow. When he acted tenderly, it was very likely to evoke a protective instinct in men.

Even Huangfu Zhaohong had a preference for this aspect of him. In the past, many men had been captivated by Ying Ning’s use of this tactic. However, it had no effect on Lu San this time.

Lu San looked at Ying Ning’s pretentious manner and felt deeply annoyed. A man shouldn’t act so effeminately.

He thought to himself that his master was far better, standing tall and straight like a pine tree. Though his features were not sharp, he was gentle to others, giving off a refined and dignified presence. When he gave orders, his demeanor was extraordinary.

Thinking this, Lu San compared Ying Zhao and Ying Ning and felt they were worlds apart—like the heavens and the earth.

Hearing Ying Ning’s question, Lu San didn’t hesitate to shake his head and say, “Yes, you are indeed far inferior to master!”

Ying Ning could not believe Lu San would say this, and was momentarily stunned.

However, seeing Lu San’s self-evident manner, he recalled Huo Yi’s reputation as a scoundrel and his current position, and felt he had found some insight.

Ying Ning decided to stop pretending and said brazenly, “Brother-in-law, how could I not know what kind of person you are? Stop pretending to be righteous! Rest assured, even if there is something between us, Ying Zhao will never find out. Even if he does, this marriage is imperial favor; he wouldn’t dare do anything to you! Why don’t you come to my room and sit for a while?”

As Ying Ning spoke, he licked his lips and leered at Lu San’s strong physique.

Lu San frowned deeply, finding this person incomprehensible and repulsive. He forcefully shook off Ying Ning’s hand, ready to scold him, when he noticed someone approaching from behind.

Lu San turned around and saw it was Huangfu Zhaohong. He let out a sigh of relief. He had been rushing to leave to prevent Huangfu Zhaohong from being alone with his master. Now that Huangfu Zhaohong was not with his master, Lu San felt somewhat pleased.

In contrast, Ying Ning was already pale with fear. Although encountering Lu San’s deliberate seduction wasn’t a problem, the fact that the prince he admired saw him in such a compromising situation was troubling.

He wondered how he appeared in Huangfu Zhaohong’s eyes now. The prince would never accept someone who would try to seduce other men as the queen of their nation.

As expected, Huangfu Zhaohong’s gaze was coldly directed at Ying Ning. However, he remembered he was still in the Marquis of Anping’s residence.

Moreover, his interactions with Ying Ning had always been private, unknown to others. He simply snorted coldly at Ying Ning and turned to leave.

Seeing the Second Prince turn away, Ying Ning finally came to his senses. He ignored Lu San and rushed to Huangfu Zhaohong, eager to explain.

But Huangfu Zhaohong was in a fit of anger and had no intention of listening to Ying Ning. Ying Ning grabbed the prince’s sleeve urgently, saying, “Second Prince! Your Highness! It’s not as you saw. I… I have my difficulties.”

However, Huangfu Zhaohong merely scoffed at Ying Ning’s words. He had been hiding and observing the entire scene; how could he not see Ying Ning’s true intentions?

Clearly, Ying Ning wanted to seduce his brother-in-law and was shamelessly trying to justify himself. Huangfu Zhaohong was filled with anger, and when Ying Ning clung to his sleeve, he used some force to push him down.

Ying Ning looked at Huangfu Zhaohong’s indifferent departure with a face full of sorrow, feeling his heart plunge to freezing point.

Although Huangfu Zhaohong had numerous beauties and countless suitors, he required his lovers to be wholly devoted to him. Witnessing Ying Ning seducing others right before his eyes had truly enraged him.

In Huangfu Zhaohong’s heart, he still cared deeply for Ying Ning. Compared to other lovers, Ying Ning held a relatively high status.

He had even considered that if he were to become the emperor of Dayu, it wouldn’t be impossible to make Ying Ning a noble consort. However, he didn’t expect this wretched person to engage in such despicable behavior behind his back.

Furious, Huangfu Zhaohong left in a huff, completely forgetting about helping Ying Zhao with the fruit dew.

On the other side, Ying Zhao, who had witnessed the entire process through the eyes of the little white fox in his mind, curled his lips. It was only right to send a gift to those who coveted him.

With concrete evidence of Huangfu Zhaohong seeing Ying Ning’s seduction of Lu San, and with Huangfu Zhaohong’s arrogant and double-standard nature, he was bound to be extremely angry, and might even come to loathe Ying Ning.

Lu San, seeing Ying Ning greatly affected and fallen to the ground, paid no heed to him. He left without a trace of pity and went directly to the Princess’s courtyard, where he easily obtained the fruit dew that the Second Prince wanted.

When he returned to the courtyard, however, he found that the annoying Second Prince had not yet come back. He happily took the fruit dew into the room and presented it to Ying Zhao.

Ying Zhao was sitting in the room reading when Lu San, with a smile, brought the fruit dew to him. Ying Zhao took a sip from Lu San’s hand, then pushed Lu San’s hand to make him drink some as well.

But Lu San shook his head and said, “Master, you drink it! This thing is rare!”

Ying Zhao knew it was rare but was always willing to share good things with his lover. Naturally, he did not want to drink it all by himself and glared at Lu San.

To Ying Zhao’s surprise, Lu San was very insistent and refused to drink. Lu San usually had no particular preferences; aside from filling his stomach, everything else was secondary. Of course, if the food was delicious, that would be even better.

Since meeting Ying Zhao, Lu San had placed Ying Zhao above everything. As the weather grew warmer, his master also felt the heat.

In the evenings, Lu San worried that keeping the room cold for a long time might not be good for Ying Zhao. He would secretly get up, remove the ice, and gently fan Ying Zhao.

Despite this, Ying Zhao had recently developed a liking for cold treats, but consuming too many cold foods was not good for the body. Nothing compared to the fruit dew, which was made with many fine ingredients, cooling and nourishing.

Seeing the concern in Lu San’s eyes, Ying Zhao’s heart warmed. He took a sip of the fruit dew and then quickly kissed Lu San’s lips. The delicious fruit dew was passed into his mouth, with the icy sweetness stimulating his taste buds.

Even sweeter was Ying Zhao’s kiss. Lu San felt as if he was going to lose his mind, with a tingling sensation spreading from his toes to his head. He couldn’t help but embrace Ying Zhao, passionately kissing him, trying to savor both the fruit dew and his lover’s sweetness.

After a long while, Lu San released the heir, who was now soft in his arms. Realizing what he had done, Lu San became flustered.

He had seen birds feeding each other in the wild and felt that his master was incredibly kind, feeding him this delicious treat with his own mouth.

His master was kind enough to feed him the fruit dew, but what had he done! Seeing his master’s lips slightly swollen and his eyes red with tears, Lu San’s heart was painfully struck. He felt both a sweet and torturous sensation and was filled with worry and guilt.

He quickly loosened his embrace, concerned that his strength might have harmed his delicate master. Yet, seeing Ying Zhao resting against him, Lu San felt a hidden sense of satisfaction.

Ying Zhao didn’t think too much about it, feeling comfortable in Lu San’s embrace. He found his lover’s martial skills impressive and his kisses overwhelming.

Just as he was thinking this, Lu San apologetically said, “Master, I’m sorry, I was wrong!”

Ying Zhao blinked, looking at Lu San with some confusion. Lu San, with a flushed face and an expression of self-reproach, continued, “Master, it’s all my fault for being too greedy. You fed me something delicious, and I ended up making your lips swollen.”

“Pfft!” Ying Zhao didn’t expect his lover to be so innocent and couldn’t help but laugh.

But he loved his clueless lover. Ying Zhao leaned in and kissed Lu San’s high, straight nose, softly asking, “Do you like me feeding you?”

Hearing Ying Zhao’s question and seeing the blush at the corners of his eyes, Lu San’s throat, which had just swallowed the fruit dew, felt dry and he couldn’t speak.

Ying Zhao wasn’t ready to let him off easily. He held Lu San’s chin, making him look directly at him. He said softly, “I’m asking you that. Why don’t you answer? I want to hear the truth.”

Lu San looked at Ying Zhao, swallowing hard, and, as if enchanted, opened his mouth to answer, “I like it.”

Ying Zhao, pleased with the answer, kissed Lu San’s lips again and continued, “How about now?”

Seeing this, Lu San’s pupils dilated. If the fruit dew could be explained as feeding, then this was clearly kissing! His master was actually kissing him!

According to the storybooks, the mouth was a place where only lovers could kiss. So if his master was kissing him, what was he considered?

Lu San couldn’t bear to think about it. Even if he was foolish, he knew that he was a shadow guard, an orphan, and a servant. Such a lowly person didn’t deserve to be with his master.

Lu San didn’t understand many grand principles, only that he was the dirt on the ground while his master was the moon in the sky.

Although Ying Zhao often kissed him, it was usually on the face or forehead. Lu San enjoyed those kisses and even dreamed of them.

Usually, when they held hands or kissed cheeks, Lu San thought of himself as a mere pet, believing that his master was just showing him affection.

But now, his master wasn’t just feeding him; he was kissing! How could this be? That meant he was dirtying his master!

So Lu San suddenly knelt on the ground, quickly pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped Ying Zhao’s mouth while his eyes reddened, saying, “Master, I’m sorry!”

Lu San’s sudden kneeling left Ying Zhao dumbfounded. He hurriedly pulled Lu San up, asking in confusion, “Lu San, what are you doing? Why did you suddenly kneel?”

Lu San’s mouth was pressed into a straight line as he looked at Ying Zhao with pained and guilty eyes, saying, “Master, it’s not proper to kiss, it’s dirty.”

Ying Zhao was momentarily stunned by Lu San’s words, then thought about the class system in this world. In many wealthy households, shadow guards and personal attendants were often treated as nothing more than objects.

They were merely things, and if they died one day, they might not even get a coffin; they would be wrapped in straw mats and thrown into a mass grave to be devoured by wild animals.

Although the Marquis of Anping’s residence did not practice such cruelty and the old marquis was very kind to them, such deeply ingrained views still existed in their minds.

At this moment, Ying Zhao realized that although his lover was silly, he was actually self-conscious and insecure.

Even though he loved him and cherished their closeness, he still truly saw himself as a master and even thought that he, being of low status, did not deserve his master’s kisses.

Ying Zhao admitted that, upon realizing this, he couldn’t help but feel heartbroken. So, he clenched Lu San’s hand in anger and, holding his face, kissed him several times on the lips.

He loudly said, “How could it be dirty! How could it not be proper to kiss! In my heart, there is no one more precious, cleaner, or more deserving of my kisses than you!”

Seeing Lu San’s stiff and confused expression, Ying Zhao took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger. He said to Lu San:

“Lu San, have you forgotten what I told you? I am your master, and what I say is final. Now I tell you, you are the most important person in my heart, my lover. I kiss you because I am fond of you and want to spend my life with you. Whether you want it or not, you have to accept it and never leave me. From now on, when I kiss you, you are not allowed to refuse, understand?”

Lu San was stunned by Ying Zhao’s words. His master had actually said he was fond of him and wanted him as his lover. Lu San felt like he was in a dream that he never thought could come true, hoping that this dream wouldn’t end.

But then, his cheek was sharply pinched by Ying Zhao. Lu San, wincing from the pain, came to his senses and looked at Ying Zhao with innocent blinking eyes.

Seeing Lu San’s cheek reddened from being pinched, Ying Zhao felt a pang of heartache and kissed him gently. Leaning against Lu San’s embrace, he said, “You’re not dreaming. I really am fond of you. Lu San, are you unwilling to listen to me?”

Upon hearing Ying Zhao’s words, Lu San immediately shook his head vigorously. Of course, he would listen to Ying Zhao. He would willingly obey his master for a lifetime, even if it meant giving up his life.

Seeing Lu San’s expression, Ying Zhao finally smiled. He then pointed to his lips and said, “I want you to kiss here.”

Lu San looked at Ying Zhao’s red lips, swallowed hard, and, unable to resist his desire, lowered his head. He lightly touched Ying Zhao’s lips.

But Ying Zhao held his chin to prevent him from pulling away. He lowered his gaze slightly and actively touched Lu San’s lips. Noticing the other’s stiffness, his eyes suddenly darkened. He patted Lu San’s arm and said softly, “Relax, I’ll teach you.”

“Umm!”

“Open your mouth… That’s it!”