Some of Yan Bei’s emotions did not reach Wei Xicheng’s heart. He was too busy observing the streets, taking in the customs and scenery of this world. Ever since he had transmigrated, he had been trapped inside the imperial palace, long since bored out of his mind. Now that he finally had a justified reason to go out and get some fresh air, he certainly wasn’t going to let unrelated people ruin his mood.
The streets were bustling with excitement, and Wei Xicheng knew that it was mostly because of the man behind him—his return had drawn countless citizens eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary general. Realizing this, a sense of pride swelled in his heart.
This is my general. My husband.
For now, Wei Xicheng didn’t dare voice this thought to Yan Bei. He was afraid that this man, who had forgotten everything, would become flustered and flee to the border, never to return.
As for the rumors that Yan Bei might rebel—Wei Xicheng had never taken them seriously. From the very first moment he saw Yan Bei, he knew without a doubt that this was his lover. There was no mistake. As long as it was him, he would never do anything to harm him. Wei Xicheng was willing to stake his dragon throne on that belief.
Originally, Yan Bei was supposed to lead his troops to settle down and celebrate their victory before heading to the palace to report to the emperor. But now that the young emperor was right here on his horse, it wasn’t appropriate for Yan Bei to leave his side to address his soldiers.
Thus, the vice general took command and led the troops away, leaving only a few guards following the two of them.
Yan Bei wanted to ask if they should quicken their pace—at their current speed, they wouldn’t reach the palace before nightfall. But when he saw the young emperor brimming with excitement, he swallowed the question.
“General Yan, look at the clay figurines on the roadside. Don’t they look lifelike?” Wei Xicheng tried his best to chat with the wooden-faced man behind him, but his efforts were mostly in vain.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, they are indeed lifelike.”
“General Yan, have you ever eaten these pretty candied hawthorns?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, I have not.”
“Why not?”
“…”
Wei Xicheng twisted his body to look back at him, and because they were riding a horse, the constant slight jolts made them move closer and closer.
At first, there had been a small gap between them. But with Wei Xicheng’s shifting movements, the two ended up sitting tightly pressed together, their bodies subtly rubbing against each other with every step of the horse.
Where his back leaned against Yan Bei’s armor, it felt slightly cool, but where their thighs touched, it was warm. Wei Xicheng feigned ignorance and moved his leg slightly. The man behind him, without a word, retreated just a little.
Yet the more Yan Bei backed away, the more Wei Xicheng advanced. It became a silent tug-of-war. Yan Bei quickly realized the young emperor was doing it on purpose, but unable to decipher his intentions, he could only retreat again and again—until he was nearly at the horse’s rear.
With nowhere left to withdraw, Yan Bei remained still. Only then did Wei Xicheng finally settle down, fully nestling into the man’s embrace with satisfaction.
As night fell, they finally entered the palace.
Under the dimming sky, Yan Bei stood beside the horse, holding the reins, while Wei Xicheng remained seated, growing drowsy. His head bobbed slightly with each movement of the horse, making Yan Bei nervous—worried the young emperor might fall at any moment.
Yet, he couldn’t simply follow Wei Xicheng’s suggestion and gallop through the palace. Not because of etiquette or rules, but because he feared embarrassing himself.
Watching the young emperor’s delicate face nodding along with the horse’s steps, countless thoughts surged in Yan Bei’s mind.
No wonder he felt so flustered. After spending years alone at the border, living a solitary life, he was simply unused to being this close to someone else.
And the young emperor…
Yan Bei glanced up at the figure on horseback. It was obvious he had been raised in luxury—his features were as exquisite as a porcelain doll’s. His pale, flawless face was framed by delicate features, and when his lips parted slightly, the faintest glimpse of a small tongue could be seen. The moon-white silk robe he wore only made him stand out even more in the dim light.
When he wasn’t speaking, he looked like a celestial beauty untouched by the mortal world, breathtakingly androgynous.
Yan Bei was, after all, a normal man. Compared to him, the young emperor’s frame was much too slender. And after a whole journey of fleeting touches, it felt like an endless provocation—one that left his heart itching unbearably.
This journey had been less of a ride and more of a sweet torment.
As for the rumors that the emperor had come out of the palace to meet him for some ulterior motive—Yan Bei didn’t believe a word of it.
A person’s eyes don’t lie. In the young emperor’s gaze, he saw joy, cautiousness, and a bit of confusion—but not a single trace of scheming.
So, the little emperor was just a child who had yet to fully grasp etiquette. He probably thought generals were remarkable figures.
Thinking of this, Yan Bei glanced at the little legs dangling right under his nose and the finely crafted boots. This child deserved to enjoy the best of everything. The thought surfaced abruptly in Yan Bei’s mind.
This thought overturned all his plans at the border camp. He had originally decided to cooperate with the second prince, Prince Jing, but now he suddenly wanted to personally protect this child’s empire.
“We’ve arrived?” Wei Xicheng, still seated on the horse, rubbed his eyes. He hadn’t realized they had spent so long outside. Since he had gotten up too early that morning, and this body of his was weak and unaccustomed to much activity, it was no surprise he felt exhausted.
“Yes.” This time, Yan Bei didn’t use the formal address “Your Majesty, I report.” This earned a few chuckles from Wei Xicheng, which were followed by a big yawn, making the corners of his eyes slightly damp.
“If Your Majesty is tired, perhaps I should report on the border situation tomorrow instead?” Yan Bei frowned slightly but continued walking without hesitation.
“No need. Let’s go straight to the sleeping quarters.” Wei Xicheng smiled mysteriously. “I want to have a candlelit night talk with the general.”
If it had been any other minister from the imperial faction present, they would have immediately stopped the willful young emperor. The general had just returned, having traveled tirelessly and covered in dust. Who would see a candlelit night talk as an honor?
They’d be grateful if it wasn’t seen as a deliberate act of making things difficult.
But clearly, with Yan Bei, Wei Xicheng saw no issue with this at all. And besides, Yan Bei hadn’t just returned today.
Yan Bei parted his lips slightly, instinctively about to refuse, yet somehow, the words never came out.
The two walked slowly toward the sleeping quarters. On the way, they encountered Xiao Taozi rushing toward the city gates and the emperor’s sedan chair.
Xiao Taozi reached out to help Wei Xicheng down from the horse, but before he could, the imposing general beside the horse had already acted first.
Yan Bei extended an arm, and Wei Xicheng took advantage of the support to lightly leap down. At the last moment, he intentionally played a little trick.
He leaned forward, arms wrapping around Yan Bei’s waist in a brief embrace.
Sure enough! The general’s physique was truly remarkable!
Although their touch was fleeting and Xiao Taozi quickly escorted Wei Xicheng into the sedan chair, the sensation did not fade so quickly for Yan Bei.
He could clearly feel that the little emperor had taken the opportunity to sneakily touch his waist. If it had been anyone else, Yan Bei would have been furious. But now, he only found it rather strange.
He glanced toward the sedan chair, where the little emperor had already settled inside.
Wei Xicheng lifted the curtain, now fully awake. Grinning, his eyes curved into a beautiful arc. “General Yan, do you want to ride with me?”
At these words, the eunuchs carrying the sedan stiffened, awaiting Yan Bei’s response. The emperor was small and light, making their task manageable. But if they had to carry a tall, muscular general full of solid muscle, they’d need extra bowls of rice tonight.
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace, but this minister prefers to walk.” Since the question had been posed as an option, Yan Bei declined without hesitation. He suppressed a chuckle, realizing that everyone around the young emperor seemed to share his playful nature.
The sedan carriers finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The group moved grandly into the emperor’s sleeping quarters. Wei Xicheng pulled Yan Bei aside and gestured for him to lean in.
Yan Bei, unsure of the reason, obediently lowered his head, allowing the little emperor to pull his ear closer. A wave of warm breath brushed against him.
“General, would you like to bathe with me?”
…
Yan Bei realized that jumping out of line wasn’t nearly enough to describe the little emperor’s personality.
Moreover, he had a peculiar habit—sometimes he spoke freely and recklessly, while other times he spoke with a refined, poetic cadence. From his tone, one could infer his mood.
As warm steam filled the air, blurring Yan Bei’s vision, he heard the faint sound of a door opening.
Immediately, his muscles tensed, shifting from a relaxed soak to a state of high alert. He grabbed a towel and looked toward the intruder.
“General, are you not finished bathing?”
The hand holding the towel relaxed, and Yan Bei’s entire body eased.
He had refused the little emperor’s request to bathe together, to which the young emperor had grinned and told him that the imperial hot spring had a partition. As long as they pulled the divider shut, they wouldn’t disturb each other.
With things phrased that way, Yan Bei had no choice but to agree. However, he hadn’t expected that midway through his bath, the young emperor would push open the door and enter his side.
“Is the water temperature to your liking, dear minister?” Wei Xicheng playfully dipped his toe into the water. He had already washed quickly on the other side—after all, what kind of royal hot spring bath would be complete without soaking together with his beloved?
The water wasn’t very deep. When Yan Bei stood up, it barely reached his knees. His powerful, muscular legs nearly made Wei Xicheng’s eyes pop out of his head.
Every version of Yu Beiyan had an excellent physique.
But no version had a body quite like General Yan Bei’s. His tanned skin, packed with explosive muscle, was even more exaggerated than in other worlds. His entire presence exuded aggression and dominance.
Wei Xicheng snuck a glance at the mystery area covered by a small towel and could barely suppress a mischievous grin.
Yan Bei bowed slightly. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness. This minister is very satisfied.”
Satisfied not just with the water temperature, but also with the sudden term of endearment—“dear minister.”
As he stood up, the misty steam no longer obscured his view, and he finally saw the little emperor clearly.
Wrapped in only a single towel, the young emperor stood barefoot on the expensive stone floor. His milky-white skin was flawless, untouched by the harsh elements.
His slightly damp black hair draped over his back, framing a delicate face flushed pink from the steam. Tiny droplets of moisture clung to the tip of his nose, glistening in the light.
A bead of water gathered at the sharp curve of his chin, resembling a perfect translucent pearl. It dripped downward, tracing along his slender throat, sliding over his collarbone, and pooling in the hollow of his chest before forming a thin stream down his torso.
Yan Bei swallowed, his throat dry.
He tried to avoid looking where he shouldn’t, but he didn’t know where else to look. Lowering his gaze, his eyes landed on the young emperor’s small, round toes, playfully tapping at the water’s surface.
It felt like they were tapping against his heart.
In an instant, he sat back down, his expression shifting to one of rare awkwardness.
“May I ask why Your Majesty has come here? This minister will be finished soon.”
“Oh, don’t rush. Who else is going to scrub my back?” Wei Xicheng stepped into the water, tossing his towel aside.
The water wasn’t particularly hot, but still, Yan Bei’s face turned a deep red.
The absurdity of the situation made Wei Xicheng burst into laughter.
He handed a bar of fragrant soap to Yan Bei.
“Dear minister, let’s play a game of picking up the soap together, shall we?”
—
Author’s Note:
Yu Beiyan: “Ridiculous… You pick it up.”
Actually, Xicheng has been spoiled by all the versions of his laogong (husband) across different worlds. As long as his lover is with him, he doesn’t take anything seriously—total romance brain!
Also, have you guys noticed how diligent I’ve been updating these past few days?!
