ISWTDB Ch41

Chapter 41: The Mute Prince vs. The Rakshasa General (5, 6)

Duanmu Yi nodded upon hearing this. He didn’t hope for the general to like him much; he just wanted a quiet place to stay. After all, no matter where he went, it made no difference to him.

Duanmu Yi raised his wine cup, and their arms intertwined. This was the first time Duanmu Yi had been this close to the general, and he was surprised at how petite the other was.

How could such a small hand wield those swords and spears on the battlefield? Then, the Rakshasa mask was lifted slightly, revealing a pointed chin and rosy, adorable lips.

Duanmu Yi blinked, watching as Ying Zhao downed a cup of wine and exhaled. Seeing Ying Zhao’s red tongue, Duanmu Yi couldn’t help but feel curious about what the general really looked like. But after drinking, Ying Zhao ignored him again.

Ying Zhao sat by the table, impatiently tapping it. Then he walked to the bed, picked up Duanmu Yi’s book, and returned to the chair, flipping through it. He then looked up and coldly said to Duanmu Yi:

“It’s about time for you to sleep. I’ll go to bed later.”

Duanmu Yi nodded obediently at Ying Zhao’s words. He then undressed and naturally lay down on the bed, closing his eyes.

Ying Zhao read for a while longer until the person on the bed was breathing steadily. He then quietly walked to the bedside and softly asked, “Duanmu Yi, are you asleep?”

Although the person on the bed showed no reaction, seemingly deeply asleep, his fingers twitched slightly when Ying Zhao spoke, which didn’t escape Ying Zhao’s notice.

Seeing this, Ying Zhao’s eyes curved in a smile, and a grin appeared behind his mask. He gently sat on the bed’s edge and tentatively called again, “Duanmu Yi, you’re really asleep, right!”

Seeing Duanmu Yi still pretending to sleep, Ying Zhao deliberately sighed. He took off his mask and set it aside.

He removed his outer robe and carefully lay down beside Duanmu Yi. Seeing Duanmu Yi’s exposed shoulder outside the quilt, he tugged at the quilt corner, grumbling, “How can you not cover yourself properly? What if you catch a cold!”

Ying Zhao then snuggled into the quilt himself, cautiously reaching for Duanmu Yi’s hand. Feeling the calluses on his lover’s palm, Ying Zhao felt a pang of pain in his heart. It seemed his lover’s days in the palace had been tough.

Once he confirmed that Duanmu Yi was truly unresponsive, Ying Zhao hugged his arm, gently holding him. He then leaned over and kissed Duanmu Yi’s cheek.

After the kiss, Ying Zhao smiled silently, finding the game both new and fun. After watching Duanmu Yi for a while, he quietly lay back down beside him.

Lying on his side, staring at Duanmu Yi’s face, Ying Zhao leaned into his ear and chuckled softly, “Finally, I’ve brought you home. Duanmu Yi, I really like you!”

After saying this, Ying Zhao closed his eyes in satisfaction, seemingly falling asleep. Once Ying Zhao’s breathing steadied, indicating he was indeed asleep, Duanmu Yi slowly opened his eyes.

In reality, he hadn’t fallen asleep earlier. When Ying Zhao got into bed, Duanmu Yi was a bit surprised because he thought Ying Zhao wouldn’t want to sleep with him.

Hearing Ying Zhao testing if he was asleep, Duanmu Yi didn’t know why he pretended to be asleep. Perhaps he was just curious about what the young general would do.

Unexpectedly, after confirming he was asleep, the general, who usually acted very disdainful towards him, actually kissed him.

The scent of the other still lingered in his nose, and thinking about this, Duanmu Yi blushed unconsciously. This was the first time someone had been so intimate with him.

What surprised him even more was that he didn’t feel any aversion to Ying Zhao’s closeness. In fact, he even somewhat enjoyed the soft touch of that kiss.

Then, the young general whispered in his ear, saying he liked him and even expressed relief at finally marrying him!

So, could it be that the young general actually liked him but was pretending to dislike him?

Duanmu Yi frowned, unable to understand why the other would do this. Hearing the steady breathing beside him, he estimated that Ying Zhao was indeed asleep. Duanmu Yi then slowly turned his head to look at Ying Zhao’s face in the moonlight.

Seeing Ying Zhao’s appearance, Duanmu Yi was stunned. No one would have thought that the dignified national general would look so adorable.

This cute appearance made Duanmu Yi sigh sincerely. However, what attracted him wasn’t just Ying Zhao’s looks.

More importantly, seeing the gentle curve of Ying Zhao’s mouth and feeling his warm breath beside him, Duanmu Yi felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity and affection.

He didn’t know why, but after seeing Ying Zhao again at their wedding, his perception of him had completely changed.

In the past, he had no particular feelings towards the general, and even when Ying Zhao was cold and harsh, Duanmu Yi felt no ripples in his heart.

But tonight, everything about Ying Zhao gave him a completely different feeling. Even if it was the same tone and posture, for some reason, he found Ying Zhao endearing.

Tonight, not only did the young general come to his room, but he also brought food for him and even confessed his feelings after he had fallen asleep.

So, my young general, which is your true self?

Duanmu Yi found it hard to understand Ying Zhao’s intentions, but after tonight, he felt that marrying this person might not be a bad thing.

Looking at Ying Zhao’s peaceful sleeping face and slightly upturned lips, Duanmu Yi suddenly felt an impulse. He wanted to experience the softness of those lips again.

But could he really do that? Would the little guy change his attitude once he woke up?

Since they were already married, it should be okay to kiss him, right? Duanmu Yi convinced himself as he gently moved closer to Ying Zhao.

When their lips touched, the soft sensation returned, making Duanmu Yi’s mind go blank for a moment. He breathed heavily and quickly pulled back.

Taking a deep breath, Duanmu Yi touched his chest. It wasn’t just softness and beauty; it also made his heart race wildly.

Meanwhile, in his mental space, Xiao Bai was watching their interaction, his mind in a daze, muttering:

“Why does the host pretend not to know that Duanmu Yi is pretending to sleep? And then the host also pretends to sleep afterward!”

Ying Zhao heard Xiao Bai’s muttering and smiled, saying softly, “You’ll understand when you grow up; it’s called fun!”

The next morning, Ying Zhao woke up early. The first thing he did was quickly put on his mask, then jump out of bed and sit at the table, as if he had never slept on the bed.

Looking at Duanmu Yi, who was clearly awake but still pretending to be asleep, Ying Zhao’s lips curved into a smile.

He knew exactly what had happened last night. Thinking about how his lover couldn’t resist secretly kissing him, Ying Zhao felt a surge of sweetness in his heart.

He coughed lightly, and sure enough, Duanmu Yi opened his eyes and slowly sat up, looking somewhat confused.

Seeing Duanmu Yi turn his head towards him, Ying Zhao immediately resumed his usual cold tone, unceremoniously saying:

“Since you’re awake, come over and help me dress. I am your husband, remember?”

Hearing this, Duanmu Yi pressed his lips together, got out of bed without any resistance, and carefully dressed Ying Zhao. As he fastened Ying Zhao’s belt, Duanmu Yi’s hands encircled his small frame.

Seeing the petite general in his arms, a gentle light flashed in Duanmu Yi’s eyes. Thinking about the kiss from last night and looking at the little guy stubbornly wearing the Rakshasa mask, he felt an odd sense of satisfaction knowing that he was the only one who knew the adorable face behind the mask.

After dressing Ying Zhao, Duanmu Yi carefully tied his hair. Ying Zhao adjusted his robe and felt that his man had served him very well.

Satisfied, he nodded and called out, “Someone, bring breakfast in. I’ll eat here.”

After speaking, Ying Zhao sat quietly at the table, waiting for the servants to bring food. In fact, there was no need for Ying Zhao to eat breakfast there. According to the original habits of Ying Jingning, he usually ate in the carriage on the way to court.

The reason for doing this was simply that Ying Zhao was worried the servants might skimp on Duanmu Yi’s food and clothing.

Sure enough, before long, the table was filled with a sumptuous breakfast. The smell of steaming buns and lotus leaf porridge reached his nose, making Ying Zhao’s fingers twitch with anticipation.

Once the servants had left, he immediately picked up a spoon, lifted a corner of his mask, and started eating heartily.

Duanmu Yi had been in the general’s mansion for about a month and naturally had heard of the original owner’s habits. He had also heard Ying Zhao scolding the two servants outside his door yesterday.

So, the general was worried about him! He wanted to see with his own eyes that his food was not being shorted, which is why he stayed to have breakfast with him, right?

Thinking of this, Duanmu Yi felt a warmth flow through his heart. He picked up the bowl of porridge in front of him and took a sip. Seeing the pointed chin peeking out from under the mask, he was even more certain that Ying Zhao was just a tsundere with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

After breakfast, Ying Zhao, as usual, took the carriage from the Ying residence to the court. Although he was still respectfully addressed as the National General in court, in reality, he held only an honorary position without any real power.

He had no military power, and there was no need for him to speak in court. However, today, Ying Zhao had more important matters to attend to.

After court, Ying Zhao quickly followed Prime Minister Yu as he walked out of the main hall. He deliberately bumped into the elderly prime minister and then hurriedly supported him, whispering in his ear, “Prime Minister, I have something important to discuss with you!”

After saying this, Ying Zhao straightened up and loudly apologized, “Prime Minister Yu, I am so sorry! I didn’t see where I was going. Please forgive me.”

Prime Minister Yu’s eyes flashed upon hearing Ying Zhao’s whispered words. He nodded slightly at Ying Zhao, then laughed heartily at the apology, saying:

“General, you are too kind. It’s a minor thing, no need to worry.”

He then cupped his hands at Ying Zhao and turned to leave.

Ying Zhao watched Prime Minister Yu leave, and just as he was about to leave himself, he heard a commotion behind him. Turning around, he saw the Crown Prince Duanmu Shuofeng earnestly trying to persuade the emperor:

“Father, you cannot continue with these grandiose constructions! The war between Canglan and Chiyue has just ended, and the treasury is empty. How can you disregard the suffering of the people just to please a concubine? You must consider the welfare of the common people, Father!”

The emperor, Duanmu Yandang, glared angrily at the Crown Prince and scolded him, “You unfilial son! How dare you! I do not need you to tell me how to rule!”

With that, Duanmu Yandang angrily left, completely ignoring the Crown Prince, who was still desperately trying to persuade him.

This was a common sight. Ying Zhao raised an eyebrow, thinking that the father was foolish, but the son was kind-hearted.

Over the years, Duanmu Yandang’s governance had become increasingly foolish, and it was thanks to the Crown Prince that Canglan had hope.

A glimmer of thought flashed in his eyes, and Ying Zhao left with some new considerations in mind.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yu soon quietly arrived at the place they had arranged years ago and found Ying Zhao.

Seeing Ying Zhao, he immediately smiled and walked over, affectionately patting his shoulder, saying, “So, what is it that you need from your Uncle Yu?”

Prime Minister Yu and Ying Zhao’s father, Ying Zhentian, had been close friends for many years. Although Prime Minister Yu came from a humble background, he had risen to his position through his unmatched wisdom and talent.

The Yu family was not wealthy or influential. He had earned his status through hard work, and during his impoverished youth, Ying Zhentian had helped him greatly.

Few people knew of his close friendship with Ying Zhentian from his early years. Later, in court, Prime Minister Yu understood the need to avoid suspicion.

Thus, his interactions with the general’s mansion appeared distant. However, behind the scenes, the Ying family and the Yu family shared a genuine bond.

After Ying Zhentian’s death, Prime Minister Yu had always looked out for Ying Jingning in court, helping him in many ways both openly and covertly.

However, Ying Jingning was proud and had always relied on his own strength on the battlefield, unwilling to depend on his father’s friends.

Unfortunately, Ying Jingning, as a military man, was ultimately naive and fell for a trap. He was not only deceived by his beloved Bai Wenxuan but also suffered severe injuries that left him weak.

He lost his military power, and even the family’s ancestral military strategies were stolen by Bai Wenxuan. The loyal Ying family was ultimately wiped out, leaving no survivors in the original storyline.

Ying Jingning had never asked Prime Minister Yu for anything over the years, so this sudden request made the old prime minister a bit emotional.

Since Ying Zhentian’s death, he had always wanted to take care of his friend’s son. Now that Ying Zhao finally needed him, Prime Minister Yu naturally hurried to their old meeting place.

Seeing Prime Minister Yu arrive, Ying Zhao immediately performed a deep bow and respectfully said:

“Uncle Yu, you are here! I didn’t want to trouble you, but this matter is of great importance. Can we find a quieter place to talk?”

Hearing this, Prime Minister Yu nodded at Ying Zhao. The Yu family owned several private properties in the capital, so the old prime minister led Ying Zhao through a hidden alley to a tavern through a back door.

The shopkeeper, seeing Prime Minister Yu, naturally understood that his master had business to attend to and immediately led them to the innermost private room.

After the shopkeeper left, Ying Zhao saw that the place was indeed secluded and then spoke to Prime Minister Yu, “Uncle Yu, I wonder if you attended my wedding that day?”

Prime Minister Yu nodded upon hearing this. Ying Zhao and Duanmu Yi’s marriage had caused quite a stir in the capital. Naturally, he had attended and even brought a generous gift.

“In that case, Uncle Yu, did you notice that Bai Wenxuan, reputed as the most talented scholar in the capital, was also at the banquet? He even came to toast me.”

Seeing the puzzled expression on Prime Minister Yu’s face, Ying Zhao continued, “There are some rumors in the capital about me and him. I wonder if you have heard them?”

Hearing this, Prime Minister Yu smiled. Although these were merely the gossip of wealthy families, he had indeed heard his children mention it at the dinner table.

There had always been rumors in the capital that Ying Jingning truly admired Bai Wenxuan, the most talented scholar in the city. It was said that he actually disliked the mute prince, Duanmu Yi, and only married him because he could not defy the emperor’s decree.

Thinking of how his friend’s son had to endure a marriage he didn’t want, Prime Minister Yu couldn’t help but feel some guilt. He sighed, patted Ying Zhao’s shoulder, and said:

“Jingning, in this matter, your uncle was indeed powerless. I couldn’t even help with your marriage!”

Hearing this, Ying Zhao quickly shook his head and said, “Uncle Yu, I didn’t come to you today because of my marriage. I just wanted to tell you that Bai Wenxuan is not as simple as he seems.”

Prime Minister Yu immediately frowned and asked, “Jingning, what do you mean by this? Could it be that the rumors about you admiring this top scholar were deliberate?”

Ying Zhao nodded and then leaned forward to whisper to Prime Minister Yu his suspicion that Bai Wenxuan was a spy for Chiyue. He detailed how, during the previous war, the enemy had managed to preemptively learn about military movements.

He explained how he had been severely injured and how the military doctors had deliberately not treated him properly, even drugging him, which resulted in his weakened condition and inability to return to the battlefield.

Ying Zhao hid nothing from Prime Minister Yu because he knew that if there was anyone in the court he could trust, it was definitely this man in front of him.

Although Prime Minister Yu was shrewd, he genuinely cared about the entire Canglan Kingdom. He worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people and was an unquestionably good official.

Hearing Ying Zhao’s words, Prime Minister Yu’s face immediately showed a look of shock. Although he had heard that the previous battle was extremely difficult and that Ying Jingning was severely injured, he had never imagined that there was such a secret.

He was stunned to learn that the enemy had stolen their battle plans, leading to Canglan’s heavy losses.

After Ying Jingning managed to defeat the Chiyue Kingdom single-handedly, he had been sabotaged by the emperor’s men, resulting in his weakened condition.

Thinking of this, Prime Minister Yu suddenly stood up and angrily shouted to Ying Zhao:

“The emperor is foolish and cruel! The Ying family has been loyal for generations. Your father died on the battlefield, and you have fought for the country since a young age. After you risked your life to defeat the enemy, how could the emperor do this to you? It’s truly heartbreaking!”

Seeing Prime Minister Yu so agitated, Ying Zhao knew he was genuinely angry on his behalf. He quickly held Prime Minister Yu’s arm and comforted him:

“Uncle Yu, what’s done is done. Please don’t get too upset. Over the years, the Ying family has been under your care. When I was on the front lines, it was thanks to you that my grandmother and younger brother were looked after. Now, though my health is compromised, I can finally stay in the capital to accompany them.”

As he said this, Ying Zhao showed a bitter smile, which only made Prime Minister Yu feel more pity for him. Then, Ying Zhao’s expression turned worried as he continued:

“However, the emperor has long been wary of the Ying family and has taken back our military power. I cannot return to the battlefield, and spies remain in the capital. I’m afraid Chiyue has not given up and will attack Canglan again sooner or later. Then, the people will suffer once more!”

As Ying Zhao spoke, he subtly poured a cup of tea for Prime Minister Yu and continued:

“Although I have mostly been away from the capital, I still have some understanding of what goes on here. Bai Wenxuan alone could not cause such a big storm. Even if he could steal the military plans from me, how did he manage to transport them out of the capital and deliver them to the enemy? This must be thoroughly investigated!”

Having been immersed in court affairs for many years, Prime Minister Yu immediately understood the hidden implications in Ying Zhao’s words. His eyes flashed as he sternly said, “Jingning, what you say is true. But, what you want to tell me is more than just this, isn’t it?”

Ying Zhao smiled upon hearing this and nodded, “Indeed, Uncle Yu, nothing can be hidden from you!”

He then leaned in close to Prime Minister Yu and whispered:

“To speak boldly, the emperor is foolish and cruel. For years, it is thanks to the Crown Prince assisting in governance that the court has had moments of clarity. However, in recent years, the emperor’s attitude towards the Crown Prince has worsened. Recently, he has frequently shown signs of wanting to depose the Crown Prince. If the heir to the throne is really changed, the common people will suffer greatly!”