"Just, sit still and do nothing. It's so calm here, if only we could be like this for a long time"
The ducks' swarming got nearer, they passed in front of them. BaiYing smiles.
"Hehe, they are so cute."
The Crown Prince sat still, held BaiYing's hand, and grasped it.
"Was the training so tiring?" He asked.
BaiYing nodded,
"Yes, it is so tiring and challenging. They keep telling me to shake my hips and swaying. How can I do that? My hips are so small, shake my shoulders back and forth, turn my head with the body remains still, this is very difficult"
LuoXiang stifled a laugh.
"Erm, then, will you give up? I will tell the Queen Mother that your conditions are not suitable for physical training so it's fine if you don't want to participate."
No sounds for a while, until BaiYing smiles.
"The others are participating, of course, I have too. Otherwise, people will say that Your Majesty plays favor."
"Well, so, what is the problem with that? Indeed I only care more about YingYing."
BaiYing raised his head, looking at Luo Xiang who seemed serious about his word. He's not sure whether to believe he is the same man as few days a ago, the evil. But, maybe he felt sorry for him and tried to repay for what he did.
"Your Majesty will only make my position harder, all sisters will hate me even more"
"Do they hate you now?" LuoXiang asked, BaiYing nodded.
"Emm yeah, although they didn't show it, I can feel it, Your Majesty shouldn't add more trouble to me."
BaiYing pulled LuoXiang's hand closely and put his head back on his shoulders.
LuoXiang swallowed hard, was he giving BaiYing trouble? How could he? He is the Crown Prince. His word is the order, who would dare to argue with that?
"Just tell me if they don't like you, no one is allowed to bully you."
BaiYing didn't move, still resting his head on Luo Xiang's shoulders. Yeah, just listened to him, but one and another, he would no longer trust him so easily after what he did. That man, if the situation is safe he can rely on him, but if it's not, he will make him as a shield for him to hide on. How can he trust him again? He is just a tool.
"Your Majesty, can I go back to my house?"
BaiYing's question made LuoXiang stop his movements. He froze.
"Em, you, still want to go home?"
BaiYing nodded.
"Of course, I intend to go home and pass my seventeenth birthday at home, it means that I do not want to die here Your Majesty. This time, please spare my life, I know I have made a very heavy and unforgivable mistake but, considering that I almost died twice from being a shield, just consider it my fault to break even, or, .. ''
BaiYing raised his head back to look at LuoXiang's face.
"Maybe for the third time, if Your Majesty still wants to use me as bait for the third time. It's fine with me, but after that, I can go home, right?"
BaiYing's big round innocent eyes looked at LuoXiang for a moment waiting for his answer. LuoXiang stared at those beautiful eyes, he could no longer hold back and pulled BaiYing into his arms.
"Oh"
BaiYing was startled, he didn't expect LuoXiang to hug him so tightly now.
"Eh, Your Majesty"
"Please forgive me about that, YingYing, forgive me for using you as bait. My heart hurts to imagine if something bad happens to you, I don't know what should I do about that. I'm so sorry to put you in danger, I should be the one who protected you, I shouldn't have done it to you. "
BaiYing stuttered, what was this the man talking about? And why did he hold him so tight?
"Your Majesty"
"You are half of my life, how could I possibly do that to you? It's all my stupidity"
BaiYing tried to push the man's huge body from him.
"Your Majesty, I don't mind, after all, I am just a fake concubine. Your Majesty can use me as much as you want, just do whatever you want as long as you don't punish me."
LuoXiang let go of his hug, looking at BaiYing's face for a while. The man smiled as he smoothed BaiYing's front hair which was messy because of the hug.
"Whatever, I want?"
BaiYing nodded, but he instantly regretted his word, what does it mean to do whatever he wants? it doesn't mean he gives him the right to torture him slowly to death right? Or anything worse than that?
....
Soon after that.
The sun had set to its place. The sky slowly lost the light and darkness replaced its natural light.
Along the path leading to the Plum pavilion, LuoXiang couldn't stop smiling while carrying BaiYing on his back. So earlier, when BaiYing was about to stand up his feet were tingling because he had been sitting too long and almost fell back because of it. He almost lost the strength to walk so LuoXiang offered his back to him, and now, he was carrying BaiYing on his back.
"Your Majesty, I'm heavy just put me down here. I'll walk slowly."
LuoXiang shook his head.
"No, you're not heavy, just hold on tight soon we'll arrive at the room"
BaiYing tightened his grip, he was also afraid of falling. The Crown Prince was so big and tall, that the man didn't need a lot of effort to carry him, he might just enjoy it.
It didn't take long for Luo Xiang to arrive in front of the Plum Pavilion where Yan and Bi were already waiting.
"Your Highness"
BaiYing fell asleep on LuoXiang's back from exhaustion, maybe it was because of LuoXiang's comfortable back. The Crown Prince walks directly into the bedroom inside the medium-sized pavilion. The young man fell asleep so soundly that he didn't even get disturbed when LuoXiang put him on his bed.
Yan lowered his body in front of LuoXiang.
"Servant will prepare the hot water."
LuoXiang smiled, he stroked BaiYing's cheek which was partially covered in hair.
"Also bring liniment too. Concubine Hua's legs are hurt a bit so I will rub them"
The maids lowered their bodies to their knees.
"Let us do it, Your Majesty," both exclaimed at the same time.
LuoXiang smiled, he shook his head as he took off BaiYing's shoes one by one, and gently put them back in the original position.
"Just bring it here, don't be too noisy, Concubine Hua is tired, let him rest"
The maids nodded their heads.
"Yes, Your Highness."
...…...
After a while.
BaiYing opened his eyes, he was too tired and did not realize he had fallen asleep earlier. He was about to get up but stopped when he saw the Crown Prince was still in front of him massaging his feet on the bed.
"Your Majesty, what happens? Did I fall asleep?"
LuoXiang gazed at BaiYing with a bright smile as he applied ointment from his calves to his ankles. BaiYing, who was holding LuoXiang's hand, wondered why the Crown Prince was performing such a kind act. He is the honorable Crown Prince.
"Your Majesty, let my servants do it, you must not do this."
Luo Xiang took BaiYing's hand and put it in its original position, slowly shifting his body closer to the half-seated BaiYing.
LuoXiang lowered BaiYing's head back down.
"Your leg muscles are very tense, it must be due to a lot of physical activity. Starting tomorrow, you can only join flower arrangements, knitting, and music classes. If you are bored, you can come to observe me while working in my office. I'm sure my work will be finished quickly if you're there."
BaiYing chuckled. He didn't believe the man said that.
"Your Majesty will feel very disturbed, I'm so noisy."
LuoXiang kept staring at BaiYing so closely, BaiYing tried to avoid his eyes but it was useless. The man spread his hands on his left and right while holding him still lying on the bed. He smiles mischievously with bright eyes.
"Then, just bother me as you please, I don't mind at all"
Luo Xiang's serious expression matched his deep voice.. But somehow, pretty scary.
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