Yan Mingyong stood there bathed in the sun, hair loose on his shoulders as the black robe slipped to the ground and revealed his single snow-white inner robe. His beauty could suffocate people.

Ye Zhizhou stared with wide eyes. He uncomfortably shifted his butt, wanting to rebuke him but also not wanting to talk, choked until his face turned all red. He finally shifted his gaze away resentfully. How despicable! He'd actually use a honey trap! No, he will not compromise! The brat would go out behind his back in the middle of the night, have night meetings with who-knows-who and later will not give him an explanation, unforgivable!

Yan Mingyong saw that Ye Zhizhou's eyes moved away, refusing to look at him. The hands on his collar tightened as his face sank. He directly threw off his inner robe to the ground and loosened the collar of his undergarments. He unyieldingly leaned forward, forced Ye Zhizhou to face him and kissed him hard!

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"Yan Mingyong.... Let me go!" Ye Zhizhou struggled to push him away at once, swearing in his mind! His lover is too small right now, he can't touch him with his mouth or his hands! He doesn't want to act like an animal! He is a good law-abiding citizen!

Seeing him struggle, Yan Mingyong's reason flew off to the highest of heavens. He forgot what he had set out to do in the first place, he fiercely kissed and bit, his hand felt for his belt. His body wrapped around Ye Zhizhou, firmly pressing him beneath him leaving no gap between them.

"Yan.. Mfh, Yan Mingyong!"

"Le'er, you're mine! Mine!"

One struggled and the other pressed on. In the middle of tossing side to side, all of their clothes came loose and their hair intertwined together, this scene appeared extremely ambiguous.

Suddenly the closed gate was pushed open. Emperor Yan was smiling as he stepped in, but once he saw the situation inside clearly he was shocked to a stop. His face quickly sank as he roared, "Little eighth, An Chengle, what are you doing!"

Ye Zhizhou's whole body stiffened, while Yan Mingyong's reaction was quick. He picked up the clothes on the floor and covered up Ye Zhizhou's exposed chest.

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He frowned at the emperor of Yan, showing a rarely seen childishness. "Why didn't you knock before coming in, Father! You're not allowed to look at Le'er! If you look once more I won't help investigate seventh brother!"

Emperor Yan had to swallow back his anger.. He couldn't help but raise his hand to clutch his chest, feeling himself getting a bit dizzy, "You.. this unfilial son! You actually.. actually.... What will you have me say to subject An!"

"What about this is so unspeakable?" Yan Mingyong stood in front of Ye Zhizhou firmly. He talked as if it was the most natural thing, "I want to get married to Le'er, Your Majesty, grant us a wedding."

Emperor Yan grabbed the door frame to support himself.

Ye Zhizhou endured and endured and finally couldn't endure it anymore. He ruthlessly kicked his lover's buttocks then covered himself with his clothes. This little brat! It's only a matter of time before he'd anger him to death!

Yan Mingyong angered Emperor Yan into leaving. Before he left, he looked like he wanted to say something to Ye Zhizhou but said nothing in the end, only sighing.

The reckless Yan Mingyong turned to hold Ye Zhizhou and rub against him, and seriously spoke, "Le'er, don't worry. Imperial father is sure to agree to our marriage. After the autumn hunt ends I will go propose marriage to your family."

Ye Zihizhou instantly exploded. He impolitely turned over the other boy and spanked his bottom a few times. He reached for the belt that was thriwn away and tied Yan Mingyong's hands together. At the end of it al, having vented all his anger he sneered at the boy, "Propose marriage? Very well, proposed it so boldly. Right, I forgot to tell you, unmarried couples are not allowed to meet. So, stay here, I'm going home. Goodbye!"

After he finished talking, he got up and grabbed his own belt, tied it around himself, and angrily rushed out.

After he was sure Ye Zhizhou had left, Emperor of Yan came out from a corner and entered the palace yard. He saw his family's little brat miserably tied on the ground and his face momentarily went rigid.

"You like him that much? You've decided on him?"

Yan Mingyong easily broke free of the belt loosely tying his wrists. He sat up, and said to his father, "Your Majesty, I will only want him in my whole life. In addition, he is the most suitable person for me."

A healthy son who held the power of secret soldiers may not be to His Majesty's liking, but a son who, while having the secret soldiers under his command, was also ruled by his feelings and unable to have children of his own will let His Majesty feel at ease. Duke Zhen Guo was a staunch loyal member of the emperor's own faction, Yan Mingyong marrying Duke Zhen Guo's son could only be most suitable. Although he secretly wished to give Le'er a marriage that was unrelated to benefits, situation over man, one who wants to live freely in this imperial city must worry over the thoughts of those in power.

Emperor Yan stood up firmly even while feeling complicated watching his son's serene expression and indifferent eyes. "After the autumn hunt has concluded this emperor will grant you two a wedding!" After that sentence, he fell silent. He tried to probe, "Mingyong, do you really not want this position of mine?"

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

"I don't." Yan Mingyong refused it without the slightest amount of hesitation. He got up and slowly put on his clothes. "I want to live leisurely days with Le'er. Moreover, Your Majesty, it's not as if you're going to seat me on that position."

Emperor Yan was slightly angry at having his thoughts exposed, but his heart softened when he thought of everything his son had helped him to do all these years.

"Then.... Be well." He turned and left.

Yan Mingyong stopped in the middle of tidying his clothes. His head raised up to watch the brilliant golden figure walking away and his lips pulled up in a smile, "Fortunately, I still have Le'er, and I also.. only have Le'er left."

The Autumn Hunt's festivities began. Many common folks were drawn to come look at the carriages of the ministers and nobles lined up at the city gate from early morning.

An Chengsheng put down the poem anthology he was flipping through and looked at Ye Zhizhou, who's staring off into space at one corner of the carriage. He sighed, "Le'er, did you not sleep well yesterday? Why do you look downcast?"

Ye Zhizhou lifted his eyes to glance at him. He took out an "old poem anthology" from his bosom and threw it over, then changed his posture and continued to stare in a daze. His brat actually let him go back home... How suspicious, he felt there was a plot behind all this.

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An Chengsheng caught the anthology book and started reading immediately out of habit. He only snapped out of it after he had read two pages. He put down the book and stroked his younger brother's head helplessly, "What's wrong, did you fight with the eighth prince?"

"Big brother." Ye Zhizhou shook off the hand on his head and looked at his brother seriously, "Are you one of the first prince's people now?"

"Le'er, you...." An Chengsheng withdrew his hand. He frowned slightly. "Who told you these things? The eighth prince?"

"No." He shook his head and sat up.

He looked straight into An Chengsheng's eyes, and earnestly said, "Big brother, the first prince is not exactly a wise monarch-to-be worth following. The empress's influence has taken deep root. The influence behind him is complex and there is also the empress dowager behind him. All the power he has now will turn into a rope that restricts him after he ascends the throne. What's more, the first prince's inherent character is too indecisive and his princess consort belongs to a kingly clan that lacks tolerance. Big brother, please consider it carefully"

In the original plot, because the third prince pulled the first prince from his high position An Chengsheng was also suppressed, the House of Zhen Guo was implicated and had to experience hard days. Afterwards, the second prince took the chance to extend his goodwill, only then did An Chengsheng make a slow comeback. By then, An Chengjie who had worked hard under the seventh prince simply couldn't be bothered with An Chengsheng's life or death, he was rolling around in bed with the seventh prince all too happily.

An Chengsheng turned solemn. "Le'er, did you hear something from the eighth prince?"

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

No, he read the spoilers in the system's data. He returned to the corner, his hand waved flippantly, "Big brother, the future of the House of Zhen Guo is on your shoulders. Think of what father would do and think, and think again." The emperor was holding the seventh prince so highly he was close to falling to his death, the court matters were as murky as muddy waters, this story had steered far from its original course. He didn't know which prince will ascend in the end so remaining neutral was the best course of action. He didn't want to admit it, but since he had Yan Mingyong with him, the House of Zhen Guo should not commit any terrible offence— he even felt they would be able to live out their lives peacefully.

An Chengsheng watched his younger brother who had turned away from him, in deep thoughts.

They arrived to the hunting grounds and a lively shooting ceremony started off the hunt. Each sacrifice was set up then everyone along with the emperor worshipped heaven and earth. The first arrow was shot, the emperor declared that the Autumn Hunt had officially begun. The first prince took the lead to enter the thick forest with his troop, the rarely seen eighth prince followed closely behind him. The other princes reacted to this by convening their troops one after another. Only the seventh prince who had feigned illness was quietly cooped up in his tent.

Duke Zhen Guo returned to his family's tent and saw both his sons nestled inside. He was very puzzled. "How come both of you are not hunting?"

Although he never clearly asked about it, he knew his eldest was keeping the first prince's company, while his youngest son had the eighth prince who was so sticky to him to the point that it was odd he could have returned to the residence yesterday. Now he's not even taken to the hunt, Duke Zhen Guo found it even harder to believe.

An Chengsheng glanced at Ye Zhizhou and said laughingly, "The weather is too hot, don't want to move around."

Ye Zhizhou told the truth without being pressured, "I fought with the eighth prince."

Duke Zhen Guo looked at his youngest son without a word, he didn't ask for the reason. He walked away shaking his head.

One shichen later, a guard covered with blood rushed out of the forest and into the camp. He ran in and screamed for help, alarming everyone. They hurriedly stopped him and carefully asked, the answer they got was very shocking!

"The sixth and fourth prince fought over a prey, then.... Then they fell down a cliff together! The first prince and the eighth prince took a detour to look for them but in the chaos from a landslide we were separated!"

People were in an uproar. The emperor only had eight princes in total, now two of them fell off a cliff while another two were separated from their guards, if something bad were to happen....

"Look for them, all of you!" Emperor Yan hit his armrest, his body trembled slightly because of the chaotic up and downs in his mood. "Get the remaining princes to come back first! Lei Shihong, return to the capital. Lead the army here, now!"

Lei Shihong followed his orders quickly and raced away on his horse.

The relaxed and lively atmosphere of the camp was wiped away, everyone in the camp lowered their heads and didn't dare to speak. The larger half of the soldiers guarding the camp were sent deep into the forest. An Chengsheng was terribly worried over the first prince's safety and wanted to follow, but Ye Zhizhou pulled him back.

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"Le'er?"

"Don't go." He could faintly make out the position of that wisp of spiritual force in Yan Mingyong's body.

He frowned slightly. He dragged An Chengsheng away from the crowd and said with a lowered voice, "The situation's a bit strange, don't move for now." Yan Mingyong was clearly staying put at a campsite not too far away. If the first prince was working with him there should be no danger to them.

An Chengsheng's brows knitted. He hesitated, but, glancing at their parents who stood a distance away from them he stopped asking to be included in the search party.

The campfire burned all night. When dawn arrived, the soldiers came back with the heavily injured and unconscious sixth prince and fourth prince. There was no news of the other princes, as if they had disappeared into thin air.

"Keep searching!" Emperor Yan who hadn't slept all night looked old and haggard. His eyes were bloodshot and his voice was unrecognisably hoarse. "Find them alive, or bring me their bodies if they're dead, I....."

Boom——

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An earth-shaking explosion suddenly came from deep within the forest. All heads turned towards it, only to see smoke rising from the explosion.

"What happened?!" Emperor Yan was alarmed. He stood and walked over, he could see thick smoke and fire sparks rising in the distant woods. His eyes were tinged with panic. "Why are there explosives in the forest?"

Rumble——

After a brief silence many more explosions sounded. Smokes rose up in succession as the forest fire grew larger. They gradually merged and quickly seem to encircle the entire campsite.

"No... My princes are still in the forest! Quick, quickly put it out!" The sight of raging fire made his eyes bulge out. He staggered towards it, nearly falling before Lei Shihong caught him in time. "Who is harming my sons! These bombs... Seventh! Where is the seventh prince? Come here!"

"My Father, now, there will be no one else," Yan Mingli stepped out from the back of the crowd, his face twisted in sick joy, "You only have this one son left. Lord Lei, Imperial Father is tired. Aren't you going to help him into his tent?"

Emperor Yan turned his head in shock, "Lei Shihong, you, you..."

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Lei Shihong's head dipped without a word, he unceremoniously 'helped' the emperor retire.

All of the officials were frightened but without waiting for their reaction, the soldiers charged in and rounded them all up.

Ye Zhizhou stood behind the crowd watching everything unfold. He probed for the weak spiritual force from Yan Mingyong again, his mouth pulling up. He was certain that Lei Shihong wouldn't betray the emperor, he's also very sure that Yan Mingyong is completely safe right now, so all that is happening right now.... The Emperor's quite good at acting, ah.

Translator: Padam | Editor: Divetus