AYM Chapter 19

With a loud “Bang!”, the window across was slammed shut with a startled cry from the young courtesan. Yan Yihuan’s mind went completely blank and couldn’t quite recover from the shock. 

 

“What are you thinking about that you can’t even afford to blink?” Since Yan Yihuan had thrown himself straight into his arms, Li Xuanming naturally wouldn’t let the opportunity go to waste. He held him in front of himself, fingers tightening ever so slightly.

 

Yan Yihuan shuddered, snapping back to his senses. He immediately turned his head and glared furiously.

 

“What do you think you’re doing in broad daylight?!”

 

“What broad? What daylight?” Li Xuanming raised his chin lazily. “Why don’t you just close the window then?”

 

Was this really just a matter of closing the window??

 

Yan Yihuan thought to himself that if the window were shut, then he’d be finished too, and if he were carried off the boat, how disastrous would that be,

 

“Y-you… Didn’t you say we’d go for a walk on the streets after I finished eating? You can’t go back on your word.”

 

“You sound quite eager, already thinking that far ahead.” Li Xuanming chuckled lowly, lifting the hem of Yan Yihuan’s robe and kneading him slightly through the fabric, “Quite energetic.”

 

Yan Yihuan’s entire body tensed in an instant, a wave of pleasure made his mind dizzy and left him momentarily weak. Seizing the chance, Li Xuanming mischievously leaned in, subtly nudging him even closer to the window.

 

A cool breeze from the river slipped inside, jolting Yan Yihuan from his trance. That’s when he realized he was facing the open window, while that scoundrel was hidden behind him.

 

“So, will you close the window?” A warm breath carried the muffled words to his ear, Yan Yihuan’s face flushed crimson as he gritted his teeth and said,

 

“If you don’t let go, how am I supposed to close it!”

 

The restraint around his arms suddenly disappeared. Yan Yihuan arched his back slightly and stepped towards the window. Lifting his eyes, he glanced at the bustling crowd on the shore, heaving a silent sigh before shutting the window.

 

But what he didn’t see was that, on the shore, someone’s eyes had suddenly widened, seemingly shouting towards him, yet their voice was drowned out by the clamor.

 

Yan Yihuan clutched the window frame and panted slightly. He couldn’t deny that, in just this short moment, left hanging between release and restraint, he felt an unbearable restlessness. Before he even realized it, his body had instinctively walked straight back.

 

Li Xuanming curved his lips in satisfaction. This pleasure-seeking little thing, his body would always be far more obedient than his mouth.

 

As if offering a reward, Li Xuanming finally stopped teasing him. To spare Yan Yihuan’s dignity, he sealed Yan Yihuan’s lips with a deep kiss, swallowing all his cries into his own mouth. Only when the tense body beneath him gradually relaxed did he let him go.

 

“Would your dear Jing Ge make you feel this good?”

 

In a daze, Yan Yihuan could only shake his head upon hearing those words, unable to form a complete sentence. It was only when the lingering sensations slowly faded that he finally came back to his senses.

 

Sure enough, it was still him that made him feel good… Yan Yihuan couldn’t help but think bitterly.

 

Suddenly, a hand was stretched out before his eyes. Yan Yihuan’s breathing stagnated, and he exclaimed, “Why are you showing me this?!”

 

“What’s there to be afraid of? It’s your own thing.” Li Xuanming leaned in closer and murmured, “By the looks of it… have you touched yourself?”

 

“No!” Before the words fully left Li Xuanming’s mouth, Yan Yihuan had already denied it loudly. His entire body turned red, as if he had been soaked in a vat of wine.

 

Li Xuanming only smiled without saying a word. He wiped his hands clean and let go of him. Yan Yihuan froze for a moment, feeling somewhat unaccustomed to the sudden loss of weight on his body.

 

“Why do you look so reluctant? Want to continue?”

 

“N-no need!” Yan Yihuan jolted back to his senses and hurriedly put some distance between them, but he  couldn’t help but steal a glance at Li Xuanming. Seeing that the flush at the corners of his eyes had yet to fade, a strange numbness pricked at his heart.

 

Li Xuanming suppressed the urge to pin him down again. Instead, he reached out and pushed the window open. The cool breeze instantly dispelled the heat inside the cabin. The boat slowed down as the dock was already in sight.

 

This was the largest dock in the capital, where nearly half of the ships from upstream would choose to dock. Their boat originally had an exclusive berth, but instead of heading there, it veered towards a regular berth.

 

Just then, there was a knock at the cabin door on the second floor. It was Huai De requesting an audience from outside. Li Xuanming walked to the door, and Huai De whispered into his ear, 

 

“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince of Qin seemed to have spotted something just now and suddenly started chasing after the boat, so we did not dock at the imperial berth.”

 

Li Xuanming frowned upon hearing this. This boat was custom-made, its exterior appeared no different from a private ship owned by a wealthy household, with no markings of the imperial family.

 

The only possible explanation was that Yan Yihuan, who had been by the window, had accidentally been spotted by him.

 

“Instead of handling his proper business, he’s here playing the lovesick fool again.” Li Xuanming let out a cold laugh, “Go divert him.”

 

There were numerous boats here, all looking quite similar. Even if Li Xuanjing managed to chase them to the dock, he wouldn’t be able to pinpoint which boat they were on. However, if he chose to linger in the area, it would still be troublesome.

 

Li Xuanjing’s matter would be taken care of by others, Li Xuanming hadn’t left the palace tonight just to trouble himself over this person. After giving his instructions, he turned around and said, “There are clothes in that cabinet over there. Go change and get ready to disembark.”

 

Yan Yihuan lowered his head and only then realized that his clothes were completely disheveled and wrinkled beyond recognition. Instead of being embarrassed, he let out a mocking laugh, “And you think you’re any better off?”

 

Li Xuanming raised his brows slightly at the remark, lifting his sleeve. “This is where you clung on and refused to let go just now.”

 

Then, he smoothed out the creases on his chest, “This is where you rubbed your face against when you couldn’t take it anymore.”

 

As he spoke, his gaze landed on a certain damp spot on the hem of his robes, “And this…”

 

“Alright, you don’t need to say it!” Yan Yihuan could only curse himself for running his mouth. He obediently changed into a fresh set of clothes. But when he turned back around, only Huai De stood behind him.

 

“Where’s Zhao Chufeng?”

 

“Please wait a moment, Third Young Master. The lord needs more time to get ready.”

 

How mysterious and secretive. Yan Yihuan watched the bustling scene at the dock, growing increasingly anxious. But when he tried to lean out the window for a better look, Huai De subtly blocked his movement, keeping him inside the cabin.

 

At that moment, Han Zhen also came up and spoke in a low voice to Huai De, “Too many people; lost track of him.”

 

Huai De’s expression suddenly grew serious, making Yan Yihuan feel a slight sense of unease. He began to suspect that this trip was not as simple as a mere outing.

 

Just then, the door to the inner room creaked open. A tall, unfamiliar man stepped out, sending a jolt of alarm through Yan Yihuan. Since when had someone been hiding in there?!

 

As soon as the man appeared, his gaze immediately landed on Yan Yihuan. Seeing his startled expression, he suddenly chuckled,

 

“What, don’t even recognize your own husband anymore?”

 

“…Zhao Chufeng?” Had this guy swapped heads or something?

 

Yan Yihuan was utterly stunned, not even noticing that he had been taken advantage of. He circled around Zhao Chufeng, clicking his tongue, “Are you too ashamed to show your face? Hiding like this, it’s obvious you’re not a good person.”

 

Meanwhile, Huai De whispered a few words into Li Xuanming’s ear. Li Xuanming’s brows furrowed as he pondered for a moment,

 

“Keep following Qiao Shiqing[mfn]Reminder: Qiao Shiqing(first mention: around the end of chapter 12) – a former subordinate of Du Yunsong who once served under him when he was at the Residence of King Qin[/mfn], he’s bound to meet with him.”

 

Huai De nodded, then pulled out a money pouch and handed it to Li Xuanming.

 

“Then my lord and the third young master should enjoy yourselves thoroughly.”

 

The name Qiao Shiqing sounded somewhat familiar, but Yan Yihuan just figured it must be an official under investigation by the Censorate, which was why Zhao Chufeng had concealed his identity. But no matter what official business he had today, it had nothing to do with him.

 

At this moment, Yan Yihuan was only thinking about one thing. He was determined to spend every last coin in that money pouch to make Zhao Chufeng feel the pain for once.

 

When the two of them arrived at the riverside marketplace, they were immediately enveloped by the continuous flow of people. The sounds of vendors shouting, people chattering, and cheers instantly surrounded them. 

 

Unlike the extravagant opulence of the painted boats on the river, this was where the real hustle and bustle, the genuine warmth of life, can be found.

 

Yan Yihuan seemed particularly happy. Just as he was about to dive into the juggling stall nearby, he was grabbed by the arm. He turned back with an unhappy glare, only to be pulled close and held tightly against Li Xuanming’s side.

 

“There are too many people here, don’t run about.”

 

Yan Yihuan shot him a sideways glance, feeling a little deflated. In fact, he has seen all sorts of interesting things before. These street performances were nothing more than a way to find some excitement and distract himself from his recent gloom. What frustrated him even more was that he was now at someone else’s mercy, unable to even watch what he wanted.

 

But before he could finish grumbling to himself, a force suddenly pushed him forward. Somehow, he was jostled through the crowd and found himself standing right in the front row.

 

He seems to have noticed that I was upset?

 

Yan Yihuan tilted his head slightly, glancing at the slender fingers tightly gripping his arm. A strange, indescribable feeling welled up inside him.

 

Why had Zhao Chufeng sought him out? Was it because he had bitten him a year ago?

 

If it was for revenge, why go through all this trouble? If it was to humiliate him, then there was no need to specifically bring pears from Linjing, nor to prepare all his favorite dishes. So what exactly was his purpose?

 

The street performance before them was quite impressive, and the surrounding cheers and shouts of praise were endless, yet Li Xuanming felt that the space beside him was unusually quiet.

 

Looking downwards, he saw that Yan Yihuan appeared to be watching the performance, but his eyes were vacant. In the midst of an excited crowd, he looked oddly lonely.

 

Li Xuanming frowned and was about to say something, when a gong[mfn][/mfn] sounded suddenly. Yan Yihuan seemed to wake from a dream, glanced at the troupe leader who had come to collect a reward, then turned to Li Xuanming, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes.

 

“Pass me the money pouch.”

 

Already aware of his little scheme, Li Xuanming feigned displeasure as he passed the pouch to him, watching as Yan Yihuan took out a silver ingot and tossed it onto the troupe leader’s gong. Among the scattered copper coins, it stood out conspicuously. Such generosity immediately drew the troupe leader’s loud gratitude and the curious stares of those nearby.

 

At last, Yan Yihuan finally broke into his first broad smile of the night. The orange-yellow glow of the fire danced in his eyes, but even that could not outshine the brilliance in his gaze. It was just like the day in Linjing when they had first met, making Li Xuanming’s heart stir inexplicably, with the thought that this person before him should belong to him alone.