Feeling the metallic taste of blood filling his mouth, the Mountain King’s temples twitched twice, but he did not think much of it. When he slept with others, the people beneath him often bit him instinctively because they could not endure it, so he had long grown accustomed to the taste of blood. Yet this time, he had been extraordinarily careful. He had never expected his beauty still would not be able to bear it.
The Mountain King kissed him several more times affectionately, but suddenly noticed that the bloody taste was growing stronger and carried an unfamiliar scent. As soon as he pulled back, he realized with a start that the injured one was actually Mu Xueshi.
Bright-red blood was trickling down from the corner of Mu Xueshi’s lips. It was impossible to tell whether the wound was on his lips or inside his mouth. Panic immediately seized the Mountain King. He cupped Mu Xueshi’s face in both hands and demanded loudly, “What happened? Why are you bleeding so much?”
Mu Xueshi’s eyes were half-closed, his face pale, his lips trembling constantly as muffled sounds escaped from them. No one could tell what he was trying to say.
The lust raging inside the Mountain King was extinguished in an instant. He strode outside, and within moments he had returned with medicine to stop the bleeding.
“My lady, it may hurt a little. Bear with it.”
As he spoke, he carefully rubbed the medicine onto his fingertip and slowly reached toward Mu Xueshi’s lips. A bandit chief who usually killed without blinking now found himself nervous over such a tiny wound. To him, this amount of pain would be no more than a scratch, yet he still worried that Mu Xueshi would not be able to endure it.
The hemostatic medicine spread across Mu Xueshi’s thin lips and quickly dissolved into liquid, flowing away with the blood. Gritting his teeth, the Mountain King poured most of the remaining medicinal powder onto Mu Xueshi’s lips.
“Mmm…”
Mu Xueshi frowned hard, his eyes misting over. Had he known he would bite himself this badly, he would have used less force earlier.
Seeing Mu Xueshi in pain, the Mountain King immediately pulled him into his arms and gently stroked his back to comfort him. Mu Xueshi’s upper body was completely bare, and the smooth, delicate feel beneath the Mountain King’s hands soon caused his thoughts to wander.
Mu Xueshi quickly noticed the change in the Mountain King’s body. He stopped sniffling and let himself slump weakly onto the bed. The Mountain King hurriedly gathered him back into his arms and held him close, his face full of concern.
“My lady, this is all my fault. I was too impatient. Lie down and rest properly in a moment. I’ll sit here for a while and then leave.”
Mu Xueshi finally let out a sigh of relief. At least biting himself had not been for nothing. The only unfortunate thing was that his mouth would probably be unable to eat properly for several days. Relaxing completely, he leaned against the Mountain King’s chest. It felt as though he were reclining on a large, soft sofa. If only this sofa would stay still, it would actually be quite comfortable.
Looking down at the person in his arms, the Mountain King found that adorable little face irresistibly endearing. Every time he saw it, he wanted to peck it. Unfortunately, those beautiful lips had been injured because of him. Letting out a sigh, he silently prayed that no scar would remain. When he saw Mu Xueshi’s breathing gradually become steady, he carefully laid him back on the bed, covered him with a thin blanket, and quietly left the room.
“Go investigate something for me. Find out the name of the Third-Rank official recently appointed by the Emperor!”
Standing with his hands behind his back, the Mountain King’s face was dark with displeasure.
The bandit summoned over was named Fu You. He had once been the leader of several mountains to the south, but after being conquered, he had submitted to the Mountain King and become one of his subordinates. Fu You possessed remarkable skills and a quick mind. Although he lacked the Mountain King’s courage and commanding presence, he still enjoyed considerable prestige here.
Hearing the question, Fu You furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment without replying.
“I want you to leave immediately and investigate it. What are you dawdling around for?”
Fu You chuckled twice and said to the displeased Mountain King, “My King, I seem to recall hearing someone mention this matter before. Why don’t we summon Little Parrot? He knows everything that happens within hundreds of miles around here.”
The Mountain King nodded and ordered him to bring Little Parrot over immediately.
Before long, a sturdy, lively-looking man came hurrying over. As usual, he first bowed and scraped before the Mountain King, tossing out several flattering remarks.
“That’s enough. Stop wagging your tongue. I’m asking you: do you know the name of the major Third-Rank official who was recently appointed in the palace?”
Little Parrot looked surprised after hearing the question. He could not understand why the Mountain King had suddenly become interested in the most beautiful man under heaven.
“What? Even you don’t know?” The Mountain King’s irritation was obvious.
Little Parrot immediately waved both hands and answered loudly, “Of course I know! Within hundreds of miles around here, there’s nothing I, Little Parrot, don’t know.”
“Then hurry up and tell me!” The Mountain King’s face darkened, and he looked ready to beat him.
Little Parrot quickly retreated two steps and replied, “This matter has already spread throughout the Imperial Capital. Isn’t it that Young Master Mu, Mu Xueshi, who is called the most beautiful man under heaven? Just a moment ago, Your Majesty said you weren’t interested in palace affairs. Now you’re asking about it, so naturally I’m puzzled.”
The moment he heard those words, the Mountain King’s expression changed. He had heard the rumors about Mu Xueshi before. Not long ago, stories about him had spread throughout these mountains like wildfire. Whenever the bandits gathered together with nothing to do, they would enthusiastically discuss every detail of the man’s exploits. One particular story had left a deep impression on the Mountain King—the terrifying Third Prince was said to be deeply devoted to Mu Xueshi.
Trusting his instincts, the Mountain King became convinced that this person truly was Mu Xueshi. The identity he had revealed the first time had been the truth. At that moment he had been desperate to escape and would naturally have used his status to intimidate everyone there. As for why he had concealed it the second time, the Mountain King could not yet figure out the reason. There was, however, one thing he could say with certainty: this person absolutely deserved the title of the most beautiful man under heaven.
The Mountain King had always despised people from the imperial court and wanted nothing to do with them. The last time the Third Prince rooted out traitors, some of the brothers here had been implicated and were now serving as penal soldiers at the border. He had yet to settle that score with the court, and now Mu Xueshi’s matter had become entangled with it as well. He would not let the matter rest easily.
No matter what, the person in that room was his. Even if the imperial court sent troops to level these mountains, he would still make sure Mu Xueshi remained safe and sound in his arms.
Seeing that he was no longer needed, Little Parrot whistled a few tunes and happily ran down the mountain.
Fu You noticed something was off about the Mountain King and asked bluntly, “My King, do you suspect that the person in the room is the Mu Xueshi everyone has been talking about?”
“Nonsense!”
The Mountain King suddenly roared, startling the unprepared Fu You.
“He is my wife, not some Mu Xueshi. Do not mention that name in front of me again. And one more thing—do not make a grand affair of this wedding anymore. There is no need for a lavish celebration. Just invite a few trustworthy brothers. Also, set up more ambushes around the nearby mountains. If anyone trespasses here, no matter who they are, capture them and boil them alive.”
“Yes.”
The Mountain King glanced at Fu You once more, then silently turned and walked back toward the house.
Mu Xueshi overheard fragments of the conversation, but he heard the Mountain King’s final instructions clearly. Only then did he realize he had underestimated him. The Mountain King was not merely a man of courage with no brains, as he had assumed. The sudden change in plans was undoubtedly because he had sensed that Mu Xueshi’s identity was unusual. That meant the scheme he had discussed with Lu Fei and Lu Fan would likely no longer work.
The small flame of hope that had just ignited in Mu Xueshi’s heart was extinguished almost immediately. His chest felt stifled with frustration, yet he dared not even open his eyes. The Mountain King was walking toward him right now, and opening his eyes would probably arouse suspicion.
So Mu Xueshi could only pretend that he had heard nothing and knew nothing.
As the sound of heavy breathing drew closer and closer, Mu Xueshi kept every nerve taut, remaining alert to anything the Mountain King might do. Gradually, after about half an hour had passed, Mu Xueshi finally dared to open his eyes. To his surprise, the Mountain King had fallen asleep sitting against the side of his bed.
Mu Xueshi found it hard to believe. The Mountain King had actually slept beside him so honestly, without the slightest guard. Then again, there was really nothing for him to guard against. Even if Mu Xueshi left the room, he still could not leave the mountain. But a little trickery might still be possible.
Calmly, Mu Xueshi put on his shoes and got out of bed. He walked over to the bamboo table and drank a couple of mouthfuls of water. When he set the bowl down, he discreetly smeared the medicinal powder in his hand along the rim of the cup. Then he returned to bed as if nothing had happened and continued pretending to sleep.
The Mountain King quickly woke when he sensed movement from Mu Xueshi. He lazily opened his eyes and watched him. Seeing that Mu Xueshi had merely gotten up for a drink, he paid it little mind. By the time Mu Xueshi lay down again, the Mountain King had lost all desire to sleep. He walked over, touched Mu Xueshi’s hair, and spent the rest of the night watching his sleeping face.
When the rooster crowed at dawn and gentle sunlight streamed into the bamboo house, Mu Xueshi clearly heard the sound of someone gulping down water. He narrowed his eyes and looked over. The Mountain King was drinking from the very cup Mu Xueshi had drugged the day before. After finishing, he even examined the cup for a moment, a trace of a smile lingering in his eyes.
Seeing this, Mu Xueshi suddenly felt a little reluctant. He knew exactly why the Mountain King was using the cup he had drunk from. It was the same reason he himself liked eating food handed to him by the Third Prince.
Unfortunately, if he wanted to return home, he had no choice.
The powder was the same medicine Mu Xueshi had once used on Sun Ye and the palace maids. It would cause a person to fall into a deep sleep after one or two hours. His plan was to go hunting with the Mountain King. Once the medicine took effect, he would seize a horse and escape from the mountain.
“My lady, I had this longbow specially made for you. See if it suits your liking.”
Mu Xueshi accepted the bow and inspected it carefully. It was sturdy and beautiful, and simply holding it made him feel more heroic. He genuinely liked it and wanted to keep it with him. Yet when he thought of having drugged the Mountain King, guilt crept into his heart.
“Forget it. I don’t know how to shoot. I’ll use it another time.”
“That’s all right. I can teach you.”
The Mountain King was much taller than Mu Xueshi and had to bend down to meet his gaze. He placed his hand over Mu Xueshi’s and gently pulled. The arrow shot straight forward and embedded itself in a large tree not far away.
Seeing the arrow buried deeply in the trunk, Mu Xueshi secretly admired him. The Mountain King’s strength truly was extraordinary.
“Well, my lady? Shall we go now?” the Mountain King asked softly.
Mu Xueshi nodded, then said, “Can it just be the two of us? I don’t want anyone else following.”
Only then did the Mountain King realize that he had been so engrossed in watching Mu Xueshi that he had completely failed to notice that thousands of people had gathered around them. Those bandits had been standing there all along, making no noise whatsoever as they quietly admired Mu Xueshi’s every move.
“Get lost, all of you!”
At the Mountain King’s roar, thousands of people scattered in every direction, rushing down the mountain in a cloud of dust. A few slow-reacting ones were shoved by the crowd and tumbled downhill. The sight was truly spectacular.
“Very well. Whatever my lady says goes.” The Mountain King immediately turned back to Mu Xueshi with a gentle smile.
Scratching his head awkwardly, Mu Xueshi said, “Could you stop calling me ‘my lady’? I don’t like it. I’m a man.”
As he led a horse over, the Mountain King chuckled and replied, “All right, all right. Then I’ll call you Xiao Youzai. How about that?”
Mu Xueshi froze. He had not expected the Mountain King to remember the name he had given, let alone say it so naturally. Ever since arriving in this world, that name had been buried away. Only the Third Prince had ever mentioned it, but he had never called him by it. Hearing it now felt strangely unfamiliar and inexplicably bittersweet.
The wind rustled past his ears, yet Mu Xueshi did not feel nearly as carefree as he had imagined he would. Behind him, the Mountain King tirelessly recounted legends of these mountains and tales of the heroes who had lived among them. But Mu Xueshi’s mind remained fixed on the image of the Mountain King drinking from that cup earlier that morning, and on the sound of him calling out his true name.
Futile Devices Scans 
Leave a comment