ADENCPIFPM Chapter 7

“Cough… I’ll go find a pair of scissors…”

Chu Chen quickly slipped out the door, avoiding the other man’s gaze. In his haste, he tripped at the threshold and stumbled right out.

Chongyang caught him, a teasing smile on his face. “Your Highness… so soon? Not even an incense stick’s time…”

“You’re the one who’s not even an incense stick’s time!” Chu Chen snapped. “Go find me a pair of scissors.”

Chongyang chuckled. “The ropes aren’t even untied yet. Why don’t I do it?”

“No need.” Chu Chen blocked him with an arm, remembering where the knots were tied. He felt it wasn’t right to trouble Chongyang with it.

Seeing this, Chongyang pulled a dagger from his robes. Chu Chen took it and said,

“You don’t need to stand guard right outside. Stay further away.”

“I’m still worried, sir,” Chongyang replied. “What if Your Highness unties him and he attacks?”

“My Imperial Father wouldn’t send a desperate killer to my bed, would he?” Chu Chen countered. “Besides, I am a gentleman. I won’t force him. If he’s unwilling, he can just say so. There’s no need for violence.”

Chongyang nodded, but still looked uneasy. He moved a few steps away, clearing the doorway.

Chu Chen entered the room with the dagger in hand. Seeing the other man’s gaze still fixed upon him, he felt his face flush again.

“Did Imperial Father force you to come? Why are you bound?” Chu Chen gestured with the dagger for a while, trying to find an easy spot to cut the ropes. But the bindings were so tight they were practically pressed against the man’s skin. When Chu Chen reached out, he could touch the man’s body, which felt hard and hot to the touch.

“Why aren’t you speaking?” Chu Chen asked.

The man stared straight at Chu Chen, who barely dared to meet his eyes, reflexively looking away each time. It wasn’t that he was cowardly, but rather that Chongyang had set the scene today in a way that was far too suggestive. Especially with ‘that’ thing lying on the cabinet, Chu Chen couldn’t stop his mind from filling with filth.

Though he truly had no intention of doing anything with the man upon their first meeting, he still couldn’t suppress his awkwardness…

“This Prince is a man of honour,” Chu Chen said. “Although you were sent to me by Imperial Father, I have no intention of forcing you. For now, you may stay in the Prince’s Mansion. All your expenses will be covered by me. In the future, if we…”

Chu Chen paused, then added, “Never mind. We’ll worry about the future later.”

The man’s gaze remained fixed on Chu Chen. Hearing his words, he froze, visibly surprised. Chu Chen fumbled around for a while before finally finding a spot where he could cut the ropes. But the moment he raised his hand, the man caught a glint of cold steel flashing past the window out of the corner of his eye.

Without a second thought, he threw himself forward, slamming into Chu Chen.

Using the momentum of the impact, he sliced through the ropes and pinned Chu Chen beneath him. Almost simultaneously, the cold glint streaked past his head and embedded itself in the wall behind them. Chu Chen stared at him, his heart pounding wildly. In all his two lifetimes, he had never been this close to another man…

“I… I didn’t expect you to be so forward…” Chu Chen stammered, his face flushing. “Actually… I’m not ready for this. It’s all so sudden, and we don’t even know each other…”

Chu Chen tried to push him off, only to feel something warm and wet on his hands. He looked down and gasped, seeing them covered in blood. He reached out to help the man up, only to see a crimson stain spreading across the man’s lower abdomen. It seemed that when he had lunged forward, he had been stabbed by the very dagger Chu Chen hadn’t managed to pull back in time.

“I’ll have Chongyang go get a doctor!” Chu Chen hastily rose to his feet, only to be grabbed by the wrist.

The man’s grip was so tight it made Chu Chen’s wrist ache. In a daze, Chu Chen was suddenly reminded of another person with immense strength…

The man stared at Chu Chen for a long moment, making sure he wouldn’t keep trying to leave. Then, he pulled off his outer robe, exposing his lean, muscular torso and the wound on his lower abdomen. Chu Chen stared blankly as the man tore strips of fabric from his inner garment and skillfully wrapped them around the injury.

“You should apply medicine first, or the wound might get infected,” Chu Chen reminded him.

The man glanced up, his gaze so sharp that Chu Chen couldn’t help but shrink back.

After finishing the bandages, the man donned his outer robe, his expression calm and composed, as if he weren’t the one who had just been injured. Once dressed, he noticed the blood covering Chu Chen’s hands. He took Chu Chen’s hand and began to wipe away the blood.

His calloused palm rubbed against the back of Chu Chen’s hand, creating a slight itch. Chu Chen looked up at him and, as if possessed, asked, “Is this your first time doing this kind of work?”

The man glanced at Chu Chen in silence, then lowered his head and continued wiping the blood from his hands…

“What’s your name?” Chu Chen asked again.

The man remained silent.

“Are you… a mute?” Chu Chen pressed.

The man didn’t react, as still and unresponsive as a handsome block of wood.

“If you won’t speak, I’ll just call you Mutou,” Chu Chen declared.

Newly named Mutou still didn’t make a sound, not even a nod or a shake of his head.

Chu Chen felt utterly exhausted. He’d finally gotten a male favourite—stunningly handsome, tall, and muscular, perfect in every way. Too bad he couldn’t speak, and his mind seemed a bit slow…

‘The Emperor’s taste is truly something else!’

‘Where did he find a specimen like this?’

Unsure if the man was truly simple-minded or just traumatised, Chu Chen had him recover from his injuries in a side room for a few days. Unexpectedly, after several days, a visitor from the palace arrived—the Emperor’s personal head eunuch, Eunuch Yao.

“Is His Highness the Sixth Prince satisfied with the gift His Majesty bestowed upon him?” Eunuch Yao asked.

“Satisfied, satisfied,” Chu Chen replied hastily.

Eunuch Yao smiled. “Is His Highness truly satisfied?”

Chu Chen quickly replied, “Of course, I’m satisfied.”

“If Your Highness were truly satisfied, this old servant wouldn’t have needed to make this trip.” The smile faded from Eunuch Yao’s face as he spoke. “It’s been six or seven days now, and Your Highness hasn’t even touched that person’s body. His Majesty said there is no need to force you, and instructed me to take the person away.”

Chu Chen:!

The Emperor had planted a spy in his mansion???

“May I ask, Eunuch, where is this person being taken?” Chu Chen asked.

“The Sixth Prince is not the only unmarried Imperial Prince,” Eunuch Yao said.

Chu Chen froze and asked, “Fifth Brother?”

“Precisely,” Eunuch Yao replied.

The Emperor had always looked down on the original owner of this body. Only a few days ago, due to his guilt over Princess Ning’an, he had slightly changed his attitude toward Chu Chen. If not for this, he would never have directly bestowed the person upon Chu Chen. But he never expected that the spy he had planted in Chu Chen’s mansion would report that Chu Chen had only taken a glance at the person on the first day and had never touched them again.

This infuriated the Emperor. With no other way to vent his anger, he simply had Eunuch Yao send the person to the Fifth Prince.

The Fifth Prince may not have many talents, but when it came to humiliating others, he was more skilled than any other Imperial Prince.

“Eunuch, you’ve misunderstood,” Chu Chen said hastily. “I accidentally injured him a few days ago and allowed him to recover first. He should be mostly healed by now, and I was just planning to summon him to serve me.”

Hearing this, Eunuch Yao’s expression softened slightly. “Your Highness, please do not tease this old servant.”

Chu Chen quickly replied, “How could I? Our Imperial Father sent him, and I like him immensely. How could I bear to give him to Fifth Brother? I must trouble you, Eunuch, to speak well of me to our Imperial Father. I will certainly arrange matters today so he need not worry.”

When the Emperor had sent the man, he had said it was in preparation for Chu Chen’s future wedding. If the man were given to the Fifth Prince, wouldn’t that mean his own wedding was indefinitely postponed? The recent battle reports from the front lines stated that Yao State and Cangsui were winning consecutive victories. Once Great Chu was defeated, the matter of a political marriage would surely be brought up again.

Chu Chen had to make this arrangement for himself, so he absolutely could not hand the male favourite over to the Fifth Prince. Besides, the favourite seemed foolish and was even mute; at least in his mansion, he wouldn’t be bullied. If he went to the Fifth Prince’s mansion, those concubines would probably pick his bones clean.

“Chongyang, go fetch Mutou.” After seeing Eunuch Yao off, Chu Chen instructed.

Chongyang obeyed and returned shortly with Mutou.

Mutou was wearing a new robe today, which made his figure look even more upright. It seemed his injuries had healed, and his complexion looked good. That day, Chu Chen had been so distracted that he hadn’t even dared to look closely at his features. Seeing him today, he was stunned to realise the man was not just good-looking, but stood out even against Chu Chen’s own refined and privileged appearance.

However, Chu Chen’s temperament was more gentle, while Mutou’s features were somewhat sharp.

Chu Chen’s initial sense of “forcedly making do” faded a little as he looked at the man before him.

He had to admit, men were easily swayed by beauty.

“That day… This Prince saw that you were quite proactive, and you even accidentally injured yourself. I presume you don’t object to serving me?” Chu Chen said, “Imperial Father has given you to me, and I accept you gratefully.

Today, I shall formally claim you.”

Chongyang:!

‘The Sixth Prince is finally going to break his fast! What a joyous occasion.’

Mutou’s expression remained unchanged at the words, and he said nothing. Chu Chen had long since treated him as a mute, so without waiting for an answer, he commanded, “Chongyang, this Prince wishes to bathe. Have Mutou come in to attend me.”

Hearing this, Chongyang replied with delight, “Yes!”

It was very common for the Imperial Princes of the State of Dachu to have concubines or male favourites. However, Chu Chen had ultimately grown up in a modern country with a highly developed civilisation, so in the short term, he actually found it a bit difficult to accept such a crude and simple relationship.

But looking at the current situation, this move would not only protect himself but also protect Mutou—a win-win. Besides, judging by Mutou’s appearance alone, he felt he wasn’t losing out, and Mutou certainly wasn’t losing out either…

He just didn’t know if Mutou’s skills were any good…

“He came here as a gift, got stabbed before anything happened, turned out to be mute, and now the Emperor is checking whether the Prince has ‘used’ him yet.” 😂

At this point, even Chu Chen needs a coffee to process his own life. ☕

If this chapter entertained you, buy your poor translator a Ko-fi.
I survived translating this mess. The least you can do is keep me caffeinated. 😂☕