Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]-Chapter 130: Petals of Violet Chrysanthemum — I

[Bonus Chapter 15]

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Into the silent night, with the gentle moon hanging upon the dark expanse, Li Xinyuan assumed his place upon the window sill with no fanfare or much thought.

The surgeon and his companions were well within the facets of riches offered by the prosperous province of Zhejiang.

Leaned against the window, perched upon its sill, Li Xinyuan hummed a soft noise, gently caressing the soft fur of Bai Huiqi’s body all the while.

His eyes were half-lidded, twin molten golds hidden beneath the frail grandeur of his flesh vessel. His raven hair was let down, freed of its pinned restrain, and flowed down his chest.

The moonlight shone down on him, flitting softly as it pressed upon his eyelids a kind kiss. Cool, the night breeze danced on his flesh, mingling with the cold moonlight.

In the silence, under the light, the surgeon’s person looked no less ethereal than what perhaps a nymph would have looked like.

Li Xinyuan’s brows furrowed, consternation drew itself upon his features. Deep in the ocean of lost thoughts, the surgeon found himself wondering, questioning.

The purpose of his visit, perhaps the sole one too, to Zhejiang province was a chance to meet with the female lead of this world. Maybe then he would be able to gauge the amount of influence she wielded on the world.

If she was a good character, or a bad one, inherently.

Along with the wonderment, he felt gratitude about his whereabouts being concealed so that he may not be bothered by the unwelcomed.

Li Xinyuan slowly shifted, leaned forward so he could sit properly. With his movements, Bai Huiqi jerked awake from his light slumber.

Peering up at the surgeon, the white fox spirit determined the man poised to retire for the night. Without needing a command, Bai Huiqi issued a soft coo and deftly left Li Xinyuan’s lap.

The surgeon could only watch in silence, the swift retreat into the shadows made by the pristine fox.

"Well, I suppose I ought to retire for the night too." He remarked, largely to himself, before hopping off the window sill. To the fox who had scurried away, the surgeon gave a wave. "Good night."

Distantly, his heart nagged him relentlessly. He felt as if something had escaped his notice. But, however much he thought it over, Li Xinyuan could not seem to remember.

Eventually, he dismissed the feeling. If he couldn’t remember then certainly it was not a significant manner. Either that, or it was merely an illusion his mind conjured.

With a heavy sigh on his lips, Li Xinyuan rolled his shoulders, and shifted his legs so he may stand on his feet.

Where he stood, the shadow of his silhouette stretched far. Hazy and vast, it barred the moonlight from spilling on the floor.

Tap.

A gentle noise jolted the lethargy away from his person. Torn away from the vestiges of lulling slumber, the surgeon’s spine straightened ram-rod. freёwebnoѵel.com

His breath turned faint whence his gaze fell on the ground, immediately attracted to the additional shadow on the ground beside his own. Under his wide, flowing sleeves, the surgeon allowed numerous long thin needles to slide in his hands. His muscles were tense, poised to defend should the need arise.

Just as the shadow moved, Li Xinyuan whirled on his heels. Agile as a pit viper, his hand shot forward, needles pinched between his fingers.

But before he could defend against the attack, the unknown individual leapt towards him. Li Xinyuan opened his mouth, his instincts urging a scream out of his throat—

"—Shh!" The individual shushed him, his voice infinitely familiar, as was his gentle palm curled around Li Xinyuan’s wrist to cease his attack.

They collapsed onto the floor, Li Xinyuan under the man, his hair splayed on the floor, a raven web of silk. With his hands pinned to the wood, and his lips locked under a kind press of a calloused finger, the surgeon calmed down.

Silent and surprised, he gazed up at the man pressing him on the ground. Their faces infinitely close, nose against nose, and lips merely a few inches shy of one another.

The surgeon’s golden irises glimmered in the moonlight. Shamefully, he felt hypnotised by the pool of carmine staring into his own, shining with mischief all the same.

Red met gold, deep ambers and sun, healing touch and roaring blood. Snow white locks of hair entwined with the raven splayed on the ground. Snow met the night, and the distant moon greeted the cruel sun—all of it in silence.

Air halted, tension rose, breaths were faint yet full of anticipation. Two hearts, caged in different flesh vessels, beat in tandem.

"My Liege," finally, the surgeon breathed out, unmoving. Then suddenly, all at once, he snapped out of the trance.

All too overwhelmed, Li Xinyuan realised, with dawning horror, of his compromised and vulnerable position under the young man. Panic seized him for a brief moment, with his hands pinned, he couldn’t quite move.

Too close. His breath choked. The proximity too intimate for the nature of their relationship.

Blood rushed to his cheeks, healthy pink bloomed beautifully under his skin. "Your Highness!" He called again, voice tight and barely calm. "What are you—?"

Li Mingyun smiled down at him, as though oblivious, he merely shifted his knees that encased the surgeon under his person.

Without preamble, the royal man straddled his betrothed. Void of shame, he freed Li Xinyuan’s wrist and shifted on his thighs, leaning back to create some distance.

"Xin’er startled me immensely," Liu Mingyun drawled, his crimson gaze fixed on Li Xinyuan’s face. With his free hand, he flicked his hair back, and hooked the fingers of others under the latter’s chin. "So I wondered if the favour should be returned."

Teasingly, he offered Li Xinyuan a soft grin and moved to stand. "You appear ready to combust," he bent down and offered the surgeon his hand. "And this reaction? Delightful."

Li Xinyuan took the offered hand, and stood up. Speechless, he could only stare helplessly whilst the Crown Prince laughed. The sound was a thing of beauty, deep and pleasant.

He was older, he shouldn’t feel something like this for the Crown Prince. But this laughter of his, perhaps a rarity, made his heart itch pleasantly.

His blushed deeper, ears and face ablaze, ignored the rigorous etiquettes and shoved the Crown Prince’s shoulder.

"Stop laughing." He grumbled. Liu Mingyun did not stop. The shove barely budged him, his laughter slowed, however.

"Very well," he gasped for breath, wiping the corner of his eyes. "I do not believe I have had a laugh quite like this in a long while."

Li Xinyuan huffed, resisted the urge to roll his eyes. With a distasteful glance at Liu Mingyun, he answered. "This lowly one doubts Your Highness the Crown Prince has performed a stunt like this—" he gesticulated to the window then himself and the Crown Prince "—in, well, ever."

"That is true." Liu Mingyun affirmed, his voice was soft as he stood in front of Li Xinyuan, his hand holding the surgeon’s still. He leaned closer, as though divesting a secret. "I escaped from the Forbidden City to rescue you." He whispered against Li Xinyuan’s ear. "Are you honoured?"

Li Xinyuan stilled, now all too aware of the calloused thumb running over his knuckles. His skin tingled from the ghost of Liu Mingyun’s whisper.

He put on a confident front, his voice firm. "Immensely." It only made him bite his lower lip when he felt Liu Mingyun’s smile against his ear.

"You should be." The Crown Prince replied, meaningfully squeezed his hand before distancing himself to fully admire Li Xinyuan’s unkempt appearance. "You’re stunning."

The surgeon bit his tongue, his heart fluttering. Despite the conflict and guilt in his heart, he did nothing to stop the young man from pressing a fleeting kiss on his knuckles.

Under the moonlight, as the two stood by the window, Li Xinyuan heard the Crown Prince’s quiet admission that made his heart squeeze.

"I was worried." Liu Mingyun looked out of the window. Carefully, he sat on the window sill and dusted off the place beside himself. "You worried me. But I’m relieved now that I’ve confirmed your well being myself."

Li Xinyuan joined him on the window sill. He didn’t know what to say, so he remained quiet. Merely listened.

"Does Xin’er know? The trouble of escaping from the Forbidden City was worth, all because I have seen you unharmed." Liu Mingyun turned to look at him, his handsome face kind. "There is nothing more I want."

Thump.

Li Xinyuan’s heart skipped a beat. Or perhaps two, he wasn’t sure. He rarely felt as speechless as he was now.

Wordlessly, the surgeon leaned against Liu Mingyun and allowed his head to drop on the Crown Prince’s shoulder.

"... His Majesty will not be pleased."

"... No, he will not be." Liu Mingyun chuckled, and intertwined their fingers all the same.