Terminology:
Winter in the northern hemisphere spans from late Dec to March, lasting for a three month period.
三月春 (san yue chun) is the name given the unique flowers found within Xi Rei in this story. The literal translation can be interpreted as “Three months of Spring”. Spring ( 春 ) the character can also be used in the context of youth, love and l.u.s.t. Therefore the name can be understood as “three months of l.u.s.t”. :D/ Implying lovers would have fun in bed for 3 long and cold months with this flower that would magically invigorate (Ancient v.i.a.g.r.a anyone?).
狸猫(Li Mao) means the common racc.o.o.n, also popularly known as ‘tanuki’ from j.a.panese. In Chinese myths, racc.o.o.ns are believed to be spiritual animals that possess the power to transform and are a master of disguising as objects, people etc. They are known to be mischievous.
Rong w.a.n.g (Snr). In Royal courts, it is common to inherit a position from your deceased Father.
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It surely wasn’t the first time that Feng Ming found himself awakening within the crook of King Rong’s st.u.r.dy arm. Yet this time he had to face the consequences of last night’s activities. Recollection of memories overwhelmed him and his face burned like blazing embers as he couldn’t hold back his embarra.s.sment. He kept his movements low keyed, slowly cracking his eyes open just enough to peek at the King. Rong Tian’s handsome features were in full view and luckily he appeared still in the spell of sleep. Feng Ming had the urge to get up and changed. Unfortunately, before he could attempt a getaway by slipping secretly out of the bed, he had a problem to deal with. That was the task of removing the King’s possessive arm off his waist.
As he motioned to displace the weight for his freedom, a familiar low and husky voice, sweetly greeted him in his ear.
“Does it still hurt? Dawn is just breaking in don’t flail about too much.”
Feng Ming looked genuinely stunned, “You were already awake?”
Not satisfied that he was potentially monitored by the King, Feng Ming shot Rong Tian a fiery expression.
“Did you wake up early so you could tease me?”
“I woke up when you moved,” Rong w.a.n.g pointed out, “Only a dead person wouldn’t feel you stirring within their arms.”
Usually King Rong behaved seriously and he would conduct himself maturely, nonetheless the ever growing moments he shared with Feng Ming was tearing down the tough exterior. He was able to keep his poker face whilst he was in a playful mood towards the Prince.
Feng Ming chuckled at Rong Tian’s reasoning before serving him a piece of his mind. He delivered a hearty kick under the heavy silk quilt they shared.
To his own surprised, the moment he recoiled his leg back from the a.s.sault, a sharp bite of pain shot from his backside. He winced at the unpleasant sensation that had been caused by aggravating his wound.
Rong w.a.n.g paled in concern for the Prince’s wellbeing, “What happened? Does it still hurt?” He leaned over, studying Feng Ming’s whitened complexion that was withered with pain.
With reproach he whispered, “I did warn you not to move about.”
Not delaying the issue any longer Rong Tian decided to take it into his own hands, whipping the heavy silk covers off from Feng Ming, before positioning himself between the Prince’s legs.
His large hands firmly parted the boy’s thighs for an inspection.
Fl.u.s.tered and helpless Feng Ming shouted his objections, “No, don’t look!”
Within a flash, Feng Ming shot up and retreated to one side of the bed before Rong Tian could catch a hold of him.
“It’s nothing really you don’t have to check.”
Seeing how Feng Ming was h.e.l.l bent on refusing him, and that forcing him to cooperate could lead to more damage Rong Tian let go of the subject and finally offered his submission, “Alright, I won’t take a look as you wanted.”
He left the warmth of the bed pallet and proceeded to dress himself, his departure allowed Feng Ming to calm down and adjust himself back on the bed. Which became his vantage point, where he could keep his large brown doe eyes glued on the King.
“Hey, take off those clothes again,” he suddenly requested. Feng Ming had snuggled himself back onto the bed, he was positioned with one hand lifting up his cheek.
“I want to watch you again.”
The outburst served to amuse the King, who had just tediously finished dressing the outer layer of his intricate heavy and elegant outfit.
He smirked, “What? Are you inviting me?”
Feng Ming gave him reserved look.
“I liked the snap shot images I could get of you changing your clothes, oh that’s right, you don’t know what a camera is,” he sighed ” talking to Ancients is really difficult sometimes. I can’t communicate using modern words.”
Waving his attention from the confused Rong Tian, Feng Ming wrapped himself tightly within the warm quilts, s.h.i.+fting himself until his head rested at an awkward angle on the bed’s headboard.
“I wanted to see you get dress again.” He pouted.
Feng Ming was getting ahead of himself even audaciously making requests. Unfortunately, Rong Tian was not in the mood to complete Feng Ming’s whimsical request.
“Aren’t you getting up? If it gets any later, I won’t take you out to ride White Cloud.”
With just those few words the King lured Feng Ming to leave confines of the cosy blankets in a matter of seconds.
The Prince’s eyes had lit up by simply thinking about the arrangements he had today. He was especially excited and now he couldn’t care less that he was denied the joys of admiring Rong Tian’s physical charms. A slender hand shot out from beneath the warmth, reaching for his under robe. He drew the garment under the quilt where he shuffled around dress himself. As he conducted himself in such a hasty manner, it was inevitable that he had accidentally pulled at his injuries.
Feng Ming’s face immediately twisted in discomfort, and his eyes watered.
“Do you need a hand?” Rong Tian had been watching closely with a smile.
“There’s no need!” Retorted Feng Ming who was now determined to keep what was left of his pride.
“There’s no need to be so thin skinned, nowadays h.o.m.os.e.xuality is a widely accepted customs throughout the country there’s no need to be shy about such matters. This won’t be appropriate, especially if you remain bashful on this topic outside of the Palace.”
“Why would it be an issue?”
“His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince would be expected to live a life filled with many s.e.xual liaison within the Palace, thus being shy to such aspects of Palace life would surely incite suspicion of character, correct?”
By this stage Feng Ming was at least clothed in his plain undercoat and he finally left the sheets. Now he was being doted on by the King, as the older man stood next to him and a.s.sisted in fixing a white belt around his small waist. He then proceeded to help him into the plentiful layers of his eloquent outfit.
Continuing the topic of ‘love liaisons’ it suddenly struck Feng Ming, “Wasn’t An He not compatible with you in bed? So how could he not be embarra.s.sed about a same s.e.x relations.h.i.+p? Furthermore, wasn’t he timid and weak by nature? Rong Tian don’t you dare coax me into doing things by using the Prince’s name and “reputation” to threaten me!”
Rong Tian chuckled at how bright this “Prince” was.
“Oh, An He was honest with me however in the presence of others he had another persona. Naturally, when I bullied him he carried his wrath out on other people. Well, after all he was the Crowned Prince and he could do whatever he wanted.”
“Are you implying that he…and other men… he did…,” Feng Ming was finding it hard to swallow and he feared the answer.
“As time pa.s.ses by within the Palace, it is certain that one would entertain themselves, using and abusing their authority.”
“Who was it with?” Feng Ming asked desperately.
“I never paid attention to who he shared his trysts with, although based on An He’s ability I highly doubt whether he was able to seduce anyone of high ranking or n.o.bility. It is most likely he bullied the servants around him into submission to cater for his needs.”
The thought that there could be one or two servants around him that had once shared their bodies in intimacy, made Feng Ming’s stomach lurch and a layer of goose b.u.mps formed over his skin.
“Wasn’t An He yours? He sought lovers within your own territory, didn’t you get jealous?”
“Whoever said he was mine? He was merely a plaything, when I am absent he had the freedom of doing whatever he wants.”
Rong w.a.n.g suddenly broke out a sinister laugh.
“You are mine, if you sought a lover in the palace, I will be jealous. Actually I would be infuriated and jealous.”
“Hmph!” Feng Ming snorted as he stood nearby finally dressed.
“We should leave quickly, just in case we miss the ‘deadline’ and you break your promise.”
“When have I broken my word?” Rong w.a.n.g asked, as he happily ushered Feng Ming out of the Prince’s chambers.
At this time the country was midway through a long winter, the air was icy and dry, the sun peaked out and shone down onto the palace, permeating warmth for a few good hours of the day.
Feng Ming was held in the Prince’s quarters for a long period of time, and on the occasion he would be permitted to step out of his perimeters he was always scuttled off by Rong Tian in a hurry. Feng Ming was in terrible discomfort today, which was the result of strenuous bedtime activities.
Seeing the Prince was physically challenged today the King allowed a casual pace as they made their way around the Palace grounds. The King was unusually attentive and careful with Feng Ming as if he was made of porcelain. Rong w.a.n.g spontaneously took Feng Ming on a detour, so he could enlighten his love with the majestic winter scenery of the Royal Palace. On their new path, they bypa.s.sed the grandest Palace garden.
Xi Rei had a strange breed of flowers, which preferentially blossomed in full during winter. The bright colours of a fully opened bud was a completely contrast to the dull greyness of winter. Each flower was capable of growing into the size of a human palm. They were exceptionally beautiful.
Upon setting his eyes on the strange flowers that were in full bloom in the dead of winter, Feng Ming stopped in his steps and pointed out towards the vast splashes of colour around him and exclaimed, “These flowers are breathtaking!”
Rong w.a.n.g approached the Prince, closing their distance until the warm stream of air from his nose was gently blowing on Feng Ming’s pink frosted cheeks.
He murmured to his lover, “Those are a speciality to Xi Rei, this breed of flower is called ‘Three months of Spring’, as this country’s Prince, how could you not even know?”
“You’ve never taught me! How would I’ve known?” He reb.u.t.ted.
“Haven’t I told you, if you come across something you don’t know or are unfamiliar with do not make a big scene. Instead stay quiet and I will naturally explain it to you.”
“Humph!”
Rong w.a.n.g studied Feng Ming’s face, and it was rather transparent that he wasn’t satisfied. Not paying heed, he ignored Feng Ming’s mistake and reached for the boy’s collar, and drew the cloak collar together to seal in the warmth. He bent down and intimately whispered, “When these flowers bloom they are a splendid sight, but if you greet them with this sour face of yours you’ll make them heart broken.”
Listening to Rong w.a.n.g’s concession, Feng Ming was bashful with the man’s way with words. He was still reluctant to admit any wrong doing, so he waved it off and said, “I’m not mad, just merely curious to why it has been given such a name considering they only open in winter, why are they called ‘Three months of Spring’?”
Suddenly a strange and wicked smile stretched across Rong Tian’s lips, with a soft and mischievous voice he whispered into Feng Ming’s ear.
“These flowers are capable of invigorating the one’s pa.s.sion until they are bursting at the seams. The nomenclature refers to the actual ‘usage’ and ‘effectiveness’. Dearest Crown Prince, why else would they be planted so plentifully around the Imperial concubine quarters?”
They were that type of flowers with that type of usage.
By the time Feng Ming had time fully digested what Rong Tian had explained to him, his face immediately lit up like a matchstick. Whilst they were dawdling, he had plucked a stem of this said flower and had been innocently twirling it in his hand. Upon realisation, he had quickly thrown the offensive ‘Three months of l.u.s.t’ at the King’s chest.
In a disgusted voice he blatantly scolded the man.
“I knew something was fishy, I wondered what purpose you had by taking a detour and you brought me here!”
Rong Tian defended, “You were the one that asked why blame me? As the Prince, when you are unfamiliar on how to handle matters, you should be thoroughly reprimanded. Now come over here and I will punish you for not fulfilling our goals from last night, instead we shall conclude it here.”
Feng Ming froze on the spot.
Rong w.a.n.g had only meant it as a joke and found the Prince’s reaction priceless. He reached forth, taking Feng Ming’s hand into his own, so they could walk hand in hand to their next destination.
Along the way, Feng Ming was laughing, telling jokes and banters to amuse the King. It was not long before they reached the perimeters of the Queen’s palace.
Standing in the grand entrance of her gates the unloved Prince could not help but feel unease as he recalled the lukewarm reception he had the last time. His heart was reluctant to step forwards and ultimately he refused to place his foot forwards to enter any further.
The Regent King understood the Prince’s mindset and discomfort thus he did his best to console the boy “The Queen stays within the innermost chambers and rarely ventures out. We will only visit the King, as there’s no need to see the Queen.”
The King boldly stepped forwards taking the lead by walking through the gate and to the side. Prompting the Prince to follow in his footsteps, finally Feng Ming took a gulp and gathered his nerves to cautiously follow.
Across their path numerous guards stood on watch, each man saluted and greeted their masters.
On the day of the Queen’s Birthday, Feng Ming was pretty much herded back to the Prince’s chambers after the meet and greet of the ceremony. He barely had the chance to take a look around the second largest living quarter within the Royal grounds. It was only natural that he would be curious, taking the opportunity to peek back and forth at his surroundings.
Gradually the path they took lead into a wide corridor where near the end they took a left turn through a small door, which connected into a smaller hallway that was equally as long. Rong Tian continued his pace guiding Feng Ming. The couple continued to walk for a while. Again they made a turn, entering another narrow corridor, which appeared to host less traffic and guards. At the end, it was connected to a small corridor, which was immensely different to the rest of the Palace.
In contrast the building design was less elegant and it was awfully peaceful. The hallway didn’t feel inviting, it was tunnel-like, even though the sun was beaming down overhead where they were going to advance into had no windows. Instead this hallway depended on two rows of torch to illuminate the darkness.