Chapter 5#
The burning sensation, in the end, turned into numbness all over the body.
When Hua Rong woke up for the first time, he didn’t see anyone in front of him, only heard Hua Gui’s broken gong voice: “Where is your Prince? My master has been unconscious until now, and I haven’t even seen his shadow. You are missing a porridge cook, but he is very enthusiastic. The Prince’s residence has been turned upside down. If this continues, is he planning to turn the capital upside down?”
Then, Liu Yun’s head appeared in front of Hua Rong, close at hand.
He heard two simple words in his ear: “Awake?” Suddenly, the world became quiet for a moment. Then, Hua Gui’s big basin face rushed into his eyes again.
After that, he heard Liu Yun say idly: “I gave the bank note to your subordinate. The master said you can eat whatever you want and wear whatever you want. If the money is not enough, just ask, treat this as your own home. If there are no other requests now, I will take my leave.”
“Is having money so great… You don’t even hire a doctor, do you have any common sense…”
Liu Yun swept a glance at Hua Gui and slowly moved his hand: “You are not the only one here who can gesture. If you still want to stay here, obediently lower your amazing tone.” A simple gesture easily dispelled Hua Gui’s arrogance.
Finally, amidst Hua Gui’s angry glare, the scene before Hua Rong’s eyes distorted again.
He was cold and hungry, never having thought that the Emperor would have a day of freezing and starving.
The reason why people wander near the busy market is really because the smell of food is too tempting. He didn’t want to return to the palace, but seemed to have nowhere to go. Just as he was slowly pacing to the street corner, he suddenly heard a woman’s cry for help from the back alley.
To think he would encounter such a thing when his mood was at its worst. Who is in charge of this district! That was the first reaction in his mind!
“You’ve already been sold, what does it matter where you do it and what you do?” After a frivolous provocation, there were the woman’s increasingly weak pleas for mercy and obscene jeering.
Curious, the Emperor pressed his body against the wall and tilted his head to look. A group of brightly dressed dandy young masters were molesting a woman.
The woman had already fallen to the ground, with her back to the Emperor, her face unseen.
And that group of young masters formed a circle, approaching step by step, looking as if they were going to swallow her alive.
The one walking at the very front wore crimson brocade, with a precious blade at his waist. He looked like a martial artist and was the leader of this group.
The leader, of course, took the lead. His fingers touched the woman’s clothes first, and with a rip, he tore a long slit.
Just as the delicious meal was about to be eaten, there was a movement behind him.
A water basin appeared out of nowhere, flying straight towards the leading man with a whoosh.
The man hurriedly raised a fist to strike horizontally, destroying the wooden basin, but inevitably got splashed all over with water.
Under the red light of the corridor, this water reflected greasy colorful light. It looked like it had washed countless dirty bowls.
“Who dares to hurt your grandfather! Come out and die!”
“Xiangyun Restaurant dishwasher boy, Lin Luoyin.”
Before the voice fell, a figure slowly walked out from the small door behind the restaurant. With coarse cloth sleeves rolled up, holding a porcelain bowl in his right hand, his face weathered but his spirit undiminished, it was Lin Luoyin who sold the sword that day.
The leading young master narrowed his eyes in resentment: “I wondered who it was, turns out it’s a dishwasher! What, is this bitch your lover? Fine, wait until we’ve had enough fun, we’ll leave a share for you too.”
Luoyin showed no fear, and splashed the water in the porcelain bowl just like that.
The water had substance but no fixed shape, drawing a silver arc under the moonlight.
The crimson-clothed young master had no time to dodge at all, and was splashed in the face with greasy dirty water again.
“Are you tired of living!” The man hissed, drew the long sword at his waist, and attacked with a killing move.
Luoyin’s figure moved slightly, dodging the sword edge. He extended two fingers, and with just a pinch, four taels moved a thousand catties, parrying the sword edge away.
The crimson-clothed man couldn’t react in time, couldn’t control his body for a moment, and rushed out. The long sword scraped against the stone wall, and actually turned back, leaving a not shallow bloody cut on his right face.
So powerful, the peeping person praised in his heart, only then realizing that a shadow was looming over his head.
He was watching too intently earlier and didn’t notice someone had stopped behind him and had been standing there for a long time.
He turned around and stared at the black shadow in a fit of pique—Han Lang.
Han Lang didn’t give a tight embrace, but gave him a kiss, like a dragonfly touching the water. He wanted to turn his head away, but Prince Han anticipated it and stopped him.
“It is a crime for commoners to attack officials’ children. Your Majesty, who do you want to help?” In the night, only the corners of Han Lang’s mouth were seen slightly raised, smiling strangely.
==============
In the following days, the gossip in the Prince of Funing’s residence was updated fiercely, and the versions were diverse.
One moment, the apprentice Zou Qi took in was found; the next moment, a Hero Lin came to the Han residence.
The little apprentice was naturally the Emperor, and Hero Lin was naturally Lin Luoyin.
This episode of the Emperor running away actually fulfilled Lin Luoyin, allowing him to be appreciated by Prince Han and become a disciple of the Prince of Funing’s residence.
And during this time, Hua Rong spent almost all his time between muddle-headedness and wakefulness.
When he woke up, he often saw Han Lang. Especially at night, because these days, Han Lang had been sleeping beside him, sharing the same bed and pillow.
But it was really purely sharing a bed, incomparably pure, just sharing a bed.
Sharing a bed also had gains. Hua Rong slowly figured out some of Han Lang’s habits.
For example, he found that Han Lang was a very light sleeper. At night, as long as he made a slight turning movement, he would definitely wake up, and it was hard for him to fall asleep after waking up.
Therefore, even if Hua Rong woke up, he tried his best not to move, not daring to breathe loudly, for fear of disturbing him.
However, there are exceptions to everything. For example, tonight, Hua Rong really couldn’t stand it anymore, so he had to carefully curl up his body again and again—
“What are you shaking for?” An unhappy voice sounded. Sigh, Han Lang was awakened after all.
Hua Rong looked up, facing Han Lang, extended his hand out of the quilt, and gestured awkwardly: “This lowly one has an upset stomach and wants to go to the latrine.”
“Can’t you hold it?”
Hua Rong smiled reluctantly and nodded.
Han Lang grunted lightly, got up with annoyance, got out of bed, and carried Hua Rong horizontally.
Hua Rong was so surprised that he forgot to cover his stomach, gesturing with both hands in the air: “I can do it myself.”
Han Lang didn’t put him down: “You are so weak, I’m afraid you’ll fall in.”
“Prince, you can call Hua Gui.”
“Is this Prince not as good as him?” At night, Han Lang’s sneer was even more terrifying.
“People have three urgencies. Thank you, Prince, for your consideration.” After finishing the business, he didn’t forget to thank him. The moon was setting in the east, it was time to give thanks.
Han Lang still ignored him.
Back in the room, Han Lang put Hua Rong back on the bed. A strand of hair hanging from his forehead tickled Hua Rong’s face.
Hua Rong raised his hand and tucked that strand of hair behind Han Lang’s ear. Han Lang stiffened all over, as if he had a reaction to this special action.
After a while, he stared at Hua Rong’s stomach with a hint of mockery: “You wouldn’t be thinking of seducing this Prince right now, would you?”
Hua Rong hurriedly shook his head.
Han Lang didn’t pursue it, lay down beside Hua Rong with his clothes on, really having no intention of meeting the Duke of Zhou again.
“Hua Rong, what exactly do you see in this Prince?”
“Money.” Since he was bored, Hua Rong rubbed his stomach and simply stopped sleeping, chatting in sign language.
“Just money?” The smiling eyes suddenly froze, and a heavy pressure gradually attacked Hua Rong.
Hua Rong shook his head: “And ability.”
“Hua Rong, do you know why the Han family has held power in the court for generations?”
Hua Rong shrank his head, didn’t dare to move his hands much, and gasped.
“The Han family lineage, whether acting recklessly or stopping war with blood, no matter what, all possess the destiny to protect the Emperor.”
Hua Rong frowned, his stomach started to feel uncomfortable again. Suddenly he smiled apologetically, gesturing with both hands: “Prince, I might have eaten something bad. Can you take me to the latrine again?”
“What did you eat?” Han Lang asked with a frown.
“My health is not good, this lowly one just drank porridge.”
Han Lang was silent for a while.
Drinking porridge and having diarrhea like this, needless to say, the porridge must have been tampered with.
The reigning Emperor, already eighteen years old, actually still played this kind of trick.
First, he wanted him to share a bed with Hua Rong, but didn’t allow him to touch him, saying it was to test his self-control.
Next, he actually put medicine in someone’s porridge to make them have diarrhea.
“Protecting the Emperor is right, it’s just hating iron for not becoming steel.” He smiled bitterly, picked up Hua Rong horizontally, with a clear goal, heading straight for the latrine.
The next day, Han Lang sent Liu Nian to deliver new clothes for Hua Rong to try on. He said if the clothes didn’t fit, he would send someone to alter them on the spot, to be used for social engagement in new attire at night.
“Social engagement? Not going to some obscene place, right?” Hua Gui saw that the one on duty today was not Liu Yun, and his volume began to rise again.
“Going to wish the old Prince a happy birthday.”
The old Prince was the only veteran in the court that Han Lang hadn’t touched.
There was no other reason, just—the old Prince was really too old, so old that he forgot the first sentence after saying the second.
In the past, the old Prince had many titles: Prince Zhenbei, Prince Yangrong, Prince Anyi…
And now, the three words “Old Prince” were enough to represent the dignity and glory of his life, as well as the time that could not be recovered.
Hua Rong hadn’t seen the old Prince yet, but saw the old Prince’s belly first. Time indeed spares no one. A super huge fat man, no one would have thought he was once a hero on the battlefield who commanded the wind and clouds.
“I was saying, which wind blew you here? Turns out today is your birthday.” Upon meeting, the old Prince affectionately helped Han Lang up and pulled him straight back to the living room.
“Today is your birthday banquet, Old Prince.” A minister on the side reminded carefully.
“So Prince Han and I have the same birthday, then congratulations to both of us.” The old Prince scratched his ear in embarrassment.
“It’s yours alone, Old Prince.” Another minister interrupted.
At this time, the old Prince realized it as if waking from a dream, said “oh”, and then started chatting about family matters with Han Lang again.
“Han Lang, they say you are a treacherous official, is it true or false?” Gasping sounds were everywhere.
“Who are they?” Han Lang sat up straight excitedly.
“Him, him, and him, seems like him too!” The old Prince frowned to recognize people. For every one he recognized, that person would kneel and cry “wronged”.
Han Lang laughed heartily, “Old Prince, treacherous officials only appear in peaceful and prosperous times. If they say there is a big treacherous official, it just tells you that the world is extremely peaceful.”
“Haha… That’s true! Peace, world peace!” The old Prince’s voice was like a bell, slapping Han Lang’s shoulder vigorously, “I said so, how could Han Yan be a treacherous official?” The old Prince laughed loudly, unaware that the surroundings were completely silent, and almost everyone was looking at Han Lang’s instantly ashen face.
“Han Yan”, these two words had always been Han Lang’s taboo, a taboo that had been sealed for many years and no one dared to mention.
Han Lang narrowed his eyes and smiled, successfully concealing the rising sinister air in his eyes, “Old Prince, I am Han Lang.”
“Oh, it’s Han Lang.” The old Prince’s tone revealed a little disappointment, “Han Lang, you are not young anymore. Are you married? Do you have children? How many are boys?”
Han Lang was all smiles and replied: “The Prince lives in seclusion, maybe you don’t know that I prefer male favorites!”
“You prefer male favorites? That won’t do. How can men give birth to children!” The old Prince shook his head extremely unhappily, “What male favorites, Han Yan, this won’t do. The Han family’s bloodline cannot be broken.”
Han Lang only smiled and didn’t answer, nor did he correct him again. After chatting for a while, someone asked for instructions to start the banquet.
The officials took their seats. Only then did Hua Rong realize that Han Lang had fallen behind at some point, whispering with Liu Nian on the side. Liu Nian seemed to have given Han Lang a small piece of paper. Han Lang snatched it, glanced at it, and said something with a hint of frustration.
Hua Rong watched his lips move, seeming to say, …how long are you going to be awkward.
The banquet began, and Han Lang was fairly normal: “Old Prince, I propose a toast to you. I wish the Prince fortune as vast as the East Sea and longevity as great as the South Mountain.”
His voice was clear and spirited. The officials followed suit, standing up and raising their cups. Before they could laugh, they saw Han Lang raise the porcelain cup high above his head and slowly pour it down—the clear wine wetted Han Lang’s entire face. Who would have thought he would pour the wine on his own head.
The whole venue was instantly silent, everyone was dumbfounded. But Han Lang put the cup back on the table quite calmly, as if nothing had happened, and sat down to eat.
Hua Rong stared blankly at Han Lang.
Behind Han Lang, Liu Nian lowered his eyebrows and remained silent, while the “black-faced” boy following Liu Nian today shrugged his shoulders, not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth.
The old Prince also leaned forward and asked: “Han Yan, are you doing this to amuse me, an old man?”
Han Lang looked around calmly and said slowly: “Naturally, it is to amuse you. If the Holy One were here, he would presumably be even happier. Everyone, am I right?”
Sounds of admiration arose from all sides. The ministers followed suit and poured wine on their own heads, laughing loudly. An unprecedented grand occasion!
Hua Rong half-opened his mouth, forgetting to “pour” food for himself for a moment, and heard Han Lang murmuring in his ear again: “Hating iron for not becoming steel.”