BHB chapter 2

 

A warm and cold finger brushed against Jingzhe’s earlobe, and then a large hand covered his ear.

For a moment, Jingzhe thought he heard a roaring sound in his ear, like the rush of a river, but when he listened closely, he could only hear the hum of his own blood. Jingzhe flushed, not knowing why.

“This, this guard brother…”

Jingzhe didn’t realize his voice was trembling. The strange touch frightened him, and he wanted to run away.

If the door hadn’t been tightly shut, he wouldn’t have anywhere to hide!

Swallowing nervously, Jingzhe turned around, his limbs shaking, and faced the emotionless face.

“Are you alright?”

The guard stared coldly at him. “Why would you think something’s wrong with me?”

…Really alright?

That finger was still on his ear!

The way the guard looked at him made it seem like Jingzhe was already dead.

At any other time, Jingzhe would have been terrified. After all, he was just a eunuch. Offending the palace guards could make moving about very difficult. But now, with this guard seemingly indifferent, Jingzhe was practically moved to tears.

Indifference was good. The colder, the better!

Jingzhe’s tone clearly brightened. “It’s nothing, Guard Brother. I just had a conflict with some other palace people. To avoid them, I had to hide in here. Sorry for the trouble. I’ll be leaving now.”

After finishing his little speech, he stared at the arm still resting on his shoulder with hopeful eyes.

The guard slowly withdrew his hand. Jingzhe’s eyes lit up with relief. He was about to leave quickly when he heard the guard’s cold voice. “Where do you serve?”

Jingzhe didn’t want to answer.

Compared to the guards in Chenghuan Palace, this one was clearly extraordinary. If he found out about Jingzhe’s background, he’d definitely be curious.

However, Jingzhe knew that lying would only cause more trouble. So, he could only say, “I serve in Bei Fang.”

The guard’s gaze sharpened. Jingzhe felt increasingly uneasy under it. Braced himself, he added, “If I’ve made a mistake, just tell me or punish me.”

He raised the box in his hands. “I have to hurry and deliver food to the masters.”

The guard didn’t respond, but he raised a hand and took Jingzhe’s waist token.

Jingzhe didn’t panic.

The waist token was real.

After reading it, the guard tossed it back without keeping it. Jingzhe caught it and hesitantly asked, “Then may I leave now?”

But the guard had already turned and walked into the side hall. “Come in with me.”

Jingzhe let out a helpless sigh.

I knew it wouldn’t be that easy.

A while later, he stood inside the side hall.

Jingzhe had never been there before. In fact, he rarely stepped into these side halls, especially the ones near Fengxian Hall.

Upon entering, he was shocked by the messy scene inside.

This was a small hall adjacent to Fengxian Hall. Even if the person enshrined here wasn’t important, the stone tablets and offerings shouldn’t have been scattered on the ground.

Wasn’t this blasphemy?

The guard ordered, “Clean this up.”

Cleaning was the easiest task for Jingzhe. The problem was that this guard clearly came from a noble background, and the state of this side hall…

Still, the fact that the guard wasn’t affected by the strange two Bafu was a blessing. Otherwise, Jingzhe would have had to crawl out, even if it meant jumping over the wall.

The palace servants chasing him had really given him a headache.

With his back to the door, Jingzhe didn’t see the man leaning against the wall, silently watching him with dark eyes.

There was no dust in the hall—clearly, it was swept often.

Jingzhe only needed to tidy up the altar. He picked up the fallen offerings and set the candlesticks upright. Only then did he notice that some of the stone tablets had also fallen face down.

He frowned, organized everything, wiped his hands, and moved to lift the tablets.

But when Jingzhe saw the names engraved on them, he froze.

He never expected to see the stone tablet of the late empress here. Honored as Empress Dowager Cisheng, the late Empress was the birth mother of the current emperor, Emperor Jingyuan.

However, some called her the late Empress, meaning she hadn’t lived to see Emperor Jingyuan ascend the throne.

When he was young, the empress passed away, and the late emperor appointed a new empress. After Emperor Jingyuan ascended the throne, he honored his birth mother as Empress Dowager Cisheng[mfn] Empress Dowager Cisheng (慈聖太后) means: “The Compassionate and Sacred Empress Dowager”[/mfn], sealed off the Cining Palace[mfn]”Cining Palace” (慈寧宮) means”Palace of Kind Tranquility”. [/mfn], and relegated the new empress—the current empress dowager—to the Shoukang Palace[mfn]”Shoukang Palace” (壽康宮) means “Palace of Peaceful Long Life”[/mfn].

The Shoukang Palace was to the left of the Cining Palace. Although it was newly built and quite comfortable, the palace was not as orthodox or extensive as the Cining Palace. The side halls beyond the main hall always felt off, too.

Emperor Jingyuan’s decision drew much criticism.

When he first took the throne, many court officials strongly objected. The most outspoken ones even pointed at Emperor Jingyuan’s nose and angrily accused him of being unfilial.

Filial piety had long been considered essential to governing a nation.

Emperor Jingyuan had been raised by the Empress Dowager for over a decade. It was outrageous behavior, so it was only natural that the civil and military officials would protest.

What wasn’t natural was Emperor Jingyuan having them beheaded. Their heads were then placed one by one on the steps for public display.

The air was thick with the stench of blood every time someone entered the palace. It was only after the Empress Dowager personally pleaded with Emperor Jingyuan that the heads and bodies were allowed to be “reunited at home.”

This showed just how ruthless Emperor Jingyuan was.

Many people died in the palace, especially in Qianming Palace. Serving the emperor required a sharp mind. In the past, such stories were simply meant to frighten new palace staff. But with Emperor Jingyuan, they were all too real.

“Can you read?”

Jingzhe snapped out of his thoughts. His face turned pale. He hurriedly set the tablets down and turned to answer cautiously. “I only know a little. It’s nothing worth mentioning.”

Most palace servants were illiterate. This wasn’t just a palace rule—it was an unspoken one.

Before entering the palace, Jingzhe’s parents treasured him and taught him well from a young age. He had also studied for a few years.

The guard didn’t say how much he believed.

After a while, however, the guard walked toward Jingzhe. Hearing footsteps behind him, Jingzhe turned around instinctively. Two hands, warm and cold, touched his face, moving roughly and strangely.

Jingzhe froze at the sudden contact. When he came to his senses, he nervously grabbed the guard’s arm and asked, “Guard Brother, what are you doing?”

Was this some kind of skin hunger?

Jingzhe was used to being tough, but after pulling a few times, he couldn’t budge the guard. The close contact only deepened the darkness in the man’s eyes, like a storm ready to break loose.

The guard grabbed Jingzhe’s collar and ran his palm down inside it.

Jingzhe’s scalp tingled the moment something foreign touched him. He was so frightened that his skin went numb. “Stop! No, calm down! Don’t touch me like this. You’ll regret it.”

Before he could finish, the guard shocked him by taking the next step, causing him to bite his tongue and let out a pitiful whimper.

Damn it!

Jingzhe wanted to die.

That cursed Bafu had actually worked. Even this cold-faced guard wasn’t immune.

Even worse, whatever the guard had eaten growing up made him absurdly strong. Jingzhe couldn’t resist him at all.

There was a rustle, then a crack.

The guard clamped his hands around Jingzhe’s neck and shoved him hard against the altar. The offerings he had just arranged scattered to the ground, becoming tainted with dust.

…

Jingzhe’s head buzzed and his body went limp. He just wanted to die.

To be clear, the guard’s movements weren’t violent. There was no lewd groping or crossing the line.

He just kept rubbing.

From his neck down to the sides of his waist.

From his trembling belly to the slight dip of his spine.

Over and over.

The warm and cold hands were soaked in the searing heat of his skin.

The rough friction left his skin raw and swollen.

With each rasping sound, Jingzhe couldn’t stop his body from trembling instinctively. Goosebumps rose one after another, as if he were prey held by the nape of the neck.

The helplessness was unbearable. When the man behind him suddenly froze and took a step back, Jingzhe’s knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

He clutched the altar tightly, nearly scraping his fingers raw. Once he realized it was over, Jingzhe trembled as he looked at his torn clothes, wishing he could just pass out.

He had lived cautiously until now, never expecting to be caught up in something like this. Panic mixed with deep, uncontrollable shame and anger.

His fingers trembled, but he bit his lip desperately.

If he didn’t, he might lose control and scream right then and there. It wasn’t the guard’s fault; it was that stupid, absurd Bafu.

At least his secret wasn’t exposed. If things had gone out of control, it would have been dangerous for him.

He swallowed dryly.

Taking a few deep breaths, Jingzhe forced himself to calm down. Then he whispered, “Please, just go. I’ll clean up here. I’ll leave afterward. It won’t have anything to do with you.”

After an excruciatingly long silence, footsteps brushed the floor, and then the guard left.

Jingzhe’s forced calm only lasted until then. His breathing sped up. Calm down. Calm down.

He kept repeating it in his mind. After a while, he tugged his robe on and draped it over his body.

[Skin Hunger Buff has expired.]

The voice exploded in his ears like thunder. Jingzhe couldn’t hold back his fury anymore and yelled,

“What the hell? Who are you?!”

[It’s a buff, not a Bafu.]
[The system introduced itself to the host on the day it appeared.]
[The system originally chose Helian Duan as the host, but due to an error, it bonded with you instead.]
[The system’s main mission is for Helian Duan to ascend the throne. It has adapted to assist you in helping Helian Duan ascend. If you fail, there will be penalties.]

Jingzhe closed his eyes. What a mess.

The name Helian Duan sounded familiar. After a moment, he remembered—that was the Thirteenth Prince.

Prince Rui[mfn]瑞 (Ruì) is a title that means: Auspicious, fortunate, lucky[/mfn], the son of the Empress Dowager from the Shoukang Palace.

This so-called “system” wanted to help Prince Rui ascend the throne. In other words, it wanted to stage a coup?

Jingzhe’s face was already pale, but it turned even paler.

[As long as you successfully help Helian Duan, you can remove the system.]

“You can’t leave on your own?”

Jingzhe shut his eyes. So this was all a fatal “error.”

[Once bound, you can’t leave unless the mission is completed.]

Jingzhe felt hopeless. How could he—a low-ranking palace servant buried deep in the inner palace—help a high-born prince?

What a joke!

Even more so…

Jingzhe didn’t want to.

On the day Emperor Jingyuan ascended the throne, the palace was in chaos, but Jingzhe was elated. He was happy that the crown prince didn’t take the throne. How could he help him now?

A cold wind blew through the half-open window.

Jingzhe came to his senses and shook his head.

“I refuse.”

His clothes were in tatters. After the rage and shock wore off, his whole body ached, especially his back. He suspected it was swollen from the rubbing and incredibly uncomfortable, but he didn’t want to move.

He sat there for a while, hugging his knees, before mustering the strength to move.

Suddenly, a soft cloth was placed over his head, plunging him into darkness.

Jingzhe reached up in a panic, but a large, cold hand gripped his wrist. Rough fingertips pressed against his bare back and slowly moved down.

“Don’t move,”

Helian Rong spoke.

His voice was icy.

His gaze fell on Jingzhe little by little, and the body beneath the robe trembled slightly, like a puppy soaked in a downpour.

Afraid and ashamed.

There seemed to be a dark, twisted fire smoldering in Helian Rong’s eyes. It was a gaze too strange to describe.

Jingzhe belatedly realized—

Only the Skin Hunger Buff was gone.
The Loved by All buff was still in effect!

He wanted to bury his head in the ground.