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In the end, Tang Qi still could not avoid it. The one who had personally come to the Tang’s residence to invite him over was the steward of the Crown Prince’s residence.
Tang Qi smiled guiltily. Was the steward here to settle accounts with him?
Tang Qi, “What a rare guest.”
The steward smiled. “Imperial Guard Tang. Our Crown Princess has been cooped up at home all day. Why don’t you go over and play with him?”
Tang Qi, “… I have something on… today.”
How could the steward not know that Tang Qi did not dare to show his face at the Crown Prince’s residence because he took their Crown Princess to the brothel yesterday?
Steward, “Imperial Guard Tang, you have been brothers with our Crown Prince for so many years. Don’t you think bringing our Crown Princess to the brothel is kind of…”
The steward stopped talking, and his eyes narrowed as he smiled. He should have looked amiable. But to Tang Qi who had just committed wrongdoing, this squinty old fox looked exactly like Meng You as he plotted against others.
The servants truly take after their master.
Tang Qi resigned himself to his fate. “Steward, please just say it straight if you have something to say.”
Steward, “This old slave has just said it. Our Crown Princess has been cooped up at home all day. So I’d like to ask Imperial Guard Tang to take him out for a stroll.”
“This old slave is afraid that the Crown Princess would fall ill from missing the Crown Prince too much. He has still yet to step out from his room today. Usually, he would have eaten two meals and a dessert, but he did not even drink a drop of water today. This old slave is a little worried.”
Tang Qi recalled Yan Ke’s unstoppable spirit when he had entered the brothel; he had insisted on fooling around even if Meng You came. Tang Qi really could not tell where the ‘missing’ in ‘missing Crown Prince too much’ came from.
Tang Qi, “Well then…”
The two men returned to the Crown Prince’s residence together. The steward knocked on the door to Yan Ke’s chamber. Yan Ke opened a crack in the door and reached a hand out to pull Tang Qi, who was standing behind the steward, into his room. He then shut the door quickly.
The steward stood outside in the wind with complicated feelings, “…”
While a petrified Tang Qi stood face-to-face with Yan Ke inside the room, “…”
Yan Ke lowered his voice. “Tang Qi, do me a favor.”
Tang Qi glanced at the lingering shadow on the window and shouted at the top of his voice. “What can I do for the Crown Princess?”
Tang Qi looked at the door as he spoke. He hoped that the steward outside would know that there was truly nothing immoral going on between him and the Crown Princess.
Yan Ke smacked Tang Qi on the head and said, “Can’t you keep your voice down?”
Tang Qi, ”Uh… Your Highness, there’s no grudge or enmity between us. Why must you do this?”
Yan Ke ignored his question. “Tie me up and tie me tight. Tie me in such a way that I cannot untie myself. Once you are done, help me inform the steward and the others I’m not feeling well. Then, come over tomorrow to untie me.”
Tang Qi finally had a mental breakdown.
Tie him up, then tell the steward that the Crown Princess was not feeling well?! He wanted to live longer, alright? Of all times for Yan Ke’s body to be unwell, it had to be right after he came?!
Tang Qi, “I refuse. I’m not doing it! Farewell, Your Highness!”
Yan Ke, “Since we are buddies, please just do me this favor!”
Seeing that Tang Qi was really prepared to leave, Yan Ke grabbed him.
The instant Yan Ke’s hand touched Tang Qi, Tang Qi felt as if a hot iron had burned that particular spot. He covered his hand in fright and pressed himself against the door. He looked at Yan Ke warily, his pair of eyes begging for mercy.
He had never been taken advantage of in such a way, even during those years he was enslaved by Meng You.
Tang Qi felt aggrieved and said, “Your Highness, it isn’t right for us to be doing this!”
Yan Ke, “It’s fine. There’s nothing wrong about it. Hurry up, or it’ll be too late.”
Tang Qi felt distressed. “Meng You is my buddy!”
Yan Ke, “It is precisely because he is your buddy you have to help him keep me captive at home, you understand?”
Otherwise, if I can’t stop Yan Ke tonight, that buddy of yours will become a cuckold.
Tang Qi cried out, “Although I often tell Meng You to throw me back to the cesspit and end our relationship here, I don’t really mean it. I still want to be buddies with Meng You.”
Yan Ke nodded and looked at Tang Qi with indifference. “And?”
What does it have to do with me? How does tying me up affect your deep friendship?
Tang Qi, “You see that shadow outside the door? Do you know what that is? That’s Meng You’s spy. You think Meng You isn’t home, but in fact, he knows everything. Perhaps he will find out tomorrow that we are both alone in a room this very moment.”
Yan Ke threw the hemp rope on the table to Tang Qi, “I’m not a woman. Even if I am, I won’t be interested in you, okay?! Hurry and be a man.”
Tang Qi was at such a loss that he even thought of banging his head against the door to knock himself out.
Tang Qi, “Your Highness, you don’t have to treat me as a man.”
Yan Ke bellowed, “Freaking hurry up! I can’t hold back anymore!!!”
Yan Ke felt his chest tightening, and his consciousness began to falter gradually. His determination to skip out on the meeting by getting Tang Qi to restrain him was starting to waver.
Tang Qi looked at Yan Ke, who could barely open his eyes now. Worried, he threw the hemp rope aside and walked over to him. “Your Highness, are you alright? Do you need me to get your steward to call for the Imperial Physician?”
Yan Ke staggered and stared at Tang Qi with resentment. “G.o.dd.a.m.n you, Tang Qi!”
And then, he fell into a coma.
Perhaps it was not the man who fell into a coma, but his soul. Because Yan Ke woke up again.
Tang Qi caught hold of Yan Ke as he collapsed after a fainting spell. When Yan Ke opened his eyes, the sharpness in his eyes had disappeared and the rage in his body was gradually dissipating. His temperament had completely changed.
Yan Ke pushed Tang Qi away and looked at him warily with unfamiliarity and disgust.
Tang Qi felt wronged. “Your Highness, I’m glad you are fine now. In that case, I’ll take my leave.”
As someone who was serving in the palace, Tang Qi was extremely proficient at reading a person’s expressions and body language. He could read a person’s mind just by looking at their eyes.
Yes. The Crown Princess hates him now.
For no other reason than because Tang Qi did not tie him up.
Yan Ke raised his hands and looked at his body; it had been a long time. A faint, sinister smile formed on his face, but unfortunately, that smile did not go unseen by Tang Qi. Tang Qi was initially looking askance at Yan Ke out of the corners of his eyes. Based on his interactions with Yan Ke these past few days, he knew that this expression was at odds with the Yan Ke he knew, and so he turned to scrutinize Yan Ke with narrowed eyes.
Yan Ke retracted his smile and walked over to Tang Qi.
Yan Ke, “Thank you for not tying me up just now, but I’m sorry. I still need to use you for a while.”
Yan Ke spoke softly as if he was whispering into Tang Qi’s ear. Tang Qi realized that this did not augur well, but before he could let the steward in, Yan Ke grabbed the inkstone on the desk and knocked him out.
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