Ning Xuan only wanted to throw his head back and roar at the heavens: How is this even possible?!
Seeing Ning Xuan sitting frozen on the bed clutching his clothes without moving, Feng Xuanyi wore an expression that practically screamed, “Could you hurry up? I’m in a rush.” Yet he still patiently reminded him, “If you’ve decided to stay like that, then I’ll call people in now.”
Ning Xuan jolted and hurriedly replied, “Wait! I’ll be done immediately!”
At this point he no longer cared about modesty or covering himself. He instantly sprang upright from the bed, his pale naked body displayed openly like flawless white jade before Feng Xuanyi. Ning Xuan only focused on desperately wrestling with the complicated pile of clothes and completely failed to notice the darkening look in Feng Xuanyi’s eyes behind him.
“Someone,” Feng Xuanyi called calmly.
Ning Xuan immediately shuddered and leapt off the bed. After scrambling about frantically, he rushed over to Feng Xuanyi and stopped at a respectful distance. By the time Yi Shu and the others entered in response to the summons, Ning Xuan had barely managed to finish straightening his clothes. At first glance, he actually looked fairly proper.
No one spoke as they entered. With their heads lowered, everyone skillfully went about their tasks in orderly silence. Yi Shu and Yi Ji moved back and forth between the folding screen and Feng Xuanyi while helping him dress. Yi Quan prepared water and towels for washing. Yi Shu arranged the dressing table in preparation for styling Feng Xuanyi’s hair. Yi Heng lit incense. Yi Yang made the bed. Yi Guang had already begun directing the servants carrying in breakfast.
Watching the group work efficiently and silently, with even the sounds of utensils barely audible, Ning Xuan could not help but feel the stark contrast painfully. Every one of them was highly trained and capable, while he himself could only stand there like a decorative beam.
Frowning, Ning Xuan thought to himself that the manor clearly did not lack manpower. So why insist on having him serve personally? Even if they truly were short-handed, why would they choose someone who could barely take care of himself and who would only create chaos nearby?
Then he looked up—and instantly his face flushed bright red.
Feng Xuanyi was standing there with his arms spread while the attendants dressed him. Although he had already put on underpants before the servants entered, the large patches of faint reddish marks across his chest remained fully exposed.
Ning Xuan nearly exploded.
Did this man have no sense of shame whatsoever?! Those obvious marks were just openly displayed in front of so many people! What exactly was he trying to do?! Was he not satisfied unless he created as much trouble as possible?!
What Ning Xuan did not realize, however, was that none of the attendants serving closely by Feng Xuanyi’s side dared stare openly at their master’s body. To casually examine him in such a setting would practically be suicidal. Even if they noticed something, they had to pretend they had seen nothing at all. Besides, though they already understood such matters well enough, this was still the first time they had ever seen such marks appear on Feng Xuanyi’s body. Naturally they were shocked, but after the briefest pause, they hurriedly buried both their curiosity and surprise.
Looking up, Ning Xuan unexpectedly met Feng Xuanyi’s gaze. Somehow Feng Xuanyi had already turned halfway toward him. His dark eyes were deep and gentle, carrying a smile that was not quite a smile, like a bottomless pool enticing others deeper and deeper until they became unable to escape.
The instant their eyes met, Ning Xuan felt as though something exploded in his head. His mind turned hazy and dizzy.
In no time at all, Feng Xuanyi had changed into a heavy crimson court robe. Yesterday Ning Xuan had been so thoroughly dazed from that unexpected kiss that he had not had the chance to truly look. But today, standing around uselessly like a pillar with nothing else to do, once his eyes landed on Feng Xuanyi, they rooted there completely.
The elaborate and heavy official robes did not make Feng Xuanyi appear oppressive or cumbersome in the slightest. Instead, they only further highlighted his tall frame and commanding presence. The high collar rose elegantly upward, the top knot left slightly undone to reveal a glimpse of the pristine white inner robe beneath. One could vaguely see the sharp lines of his collarbones. The broad belt at his waist was tied with meticulous precision, two symmetrical tassels hanging neatly from either side. The cloud-patterned shoulder mantle rested upon his shoulders, making him appear even more upright and imposing. Beneath the naturally draping robes, the pointed tips of his embroidered cloud-patterned boots peeked out.
What should have been an old-fashioned and rigid outfit somehow became, on Feng Xuanyi, a mixture of authority, charm, and carefree elegance.
Ning Xuan could not help sighing internally. Truly, comparing people was enough to drive someone mad. On ordinary people, official robes merely looked fitting or dignified. But on Feng Xuanyi, they somehow turned into vintage high fashion.
Completely ignoring Ning Xuan, who had already drifted into his own little world of admiration and disbelief, Feng Xuanyi calmly finished washing up and ate a few simple bites at the table. Then, summoning Yi Yang and Yi Heng, he left for court.
During the ride in the sedan chair, Feng Xuanyi leaned lazily against one side with one hand supporting his head while the other lifted the curtain just enough to leave a narrow slit. Through it, he watched the common people already bustling through the streets before dawn, busy preparing for another day’s livelihood.
In the past, he had always felt indifferent toward such scenes. They were merely unrelated strangers. But now, for some reason, the sight of people busily living their ordinary lives felt unexpectedly pleasant.
Perhaps because his heart felt strangely light, he was experiencing a kind of happiness he had never known before.
The moment he thought of the flustered little fool from earlier that morning, shouting and panicking nonstop, Feng Xuanyi nearly burst out laughing again. He had to physically restrain himself to avoid dying of suppressed laughter and forever ruining his dignified reputation as a prince.
Otherwise, he honestly would not have minded staying at the manor longer just to watch Ning Xuan’s endlessly changing expressions, like a human color palette. Every thought and emotion showed plainly on that face no matter how hard Ning Xuan tried to hide them.
The more Feng Xuanyi thought about everything that had happened last night, the more amused he became. He wondered what kind of chaos that little thing would stir up while he was gone.
And just like that, despite having only just left home, Feng Xuanyi already found himself oddly homesick.
This unfamiliar feeling—actually thinking about another person—was entirely new to him.
Without even realizing it himself, the corners of his lips lifted slightly. Not his usual calculating half-smile, nor the cold mask restrained by layers of caution, but a genuine smile. Small. Faint. Warm. Gentle.
Only no one was there to see it.
Clenching his fist before slowly relaxing it again, Feng Xuanyi lowered his eyes to stare at his empty palm. The disdain and arrogance in his gaze quietly disappeared.
Today, he thought, he should have quite an enjoyable battle with those old foxes at court.
Meanwhile, back at Prince Rong’s manor, Ning Xuan remained utterly incapable of sharing Feng Xuanyi’s relaxed mood.
Although he was relieved—even grateful—to discover that he himself had apparently not been the one “bullied senseless,” that did not mean he was willing to become the one doing the bullying.
After all, he still understood the principle of “Do not impose upon others what you yourself do not desire.”
Yet the emotions Feng Xuanyi stirred within him had already become increasingly chaotic and impossible to untangle. And now, after this incident, everything had only been pushed to the extreme.
Could it be that before he himself had even realized it, his body’s desires had already become strong enough to launch an unconscious “night raid”?
That was a prince! An imperial prince and ruling noble of the current dynasty!
Forget exterminating nine generations of one’s family—such outrageous disrespect probably would not spare even nineteen or one hundred and ninety generations!
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