chapter 12

(Traditional Chinese cover scanned by Dairytea)

Chapter Twelve

I think my

jaw just hit the ground after finally getting a good look at w.a.n.g Rui.

I knew that

he must be effeminate to have been targeted by Chai Rong, but I’m having a hard

time shaking off the image of Hero w.a.n.g in his prisoner getup. In my head, he

should be a real man’s man with perhaps a few delicate facial features, but

this man before my eyes – oh my, oh my…

A long,

almond face, lily-white skin, ink-black eyes that seem to be wet with ripples…

His hair untied, bound in bed by the five flower tie,

his white robe making him seem all the more thin and fragile… Oh dear lord… No

wonder the young prince went so far as to kidnap this tanhua on the street in broad daylight. If I were gay, I wouldn’t

let this juicy piece of meat slip by me, either. Seriously, dude, why you gotta

look like this?

Well, at

least he still has one redeeming trait – his voice. “You foul dog! You may kill

a man but not humiliate him! The bright heavens above govern all that is below!

Your sins of l.u.s.t and delusion shall be punished by heavenly judgment! If you’re

still a man, kill me now!”

I straighten

myself. “Good Hero w.a.n.g, let us have a conversation.”

Hero w.a.n.g scoffs

indignantly, “Between a man and a beast can be no conversation!”

For crying

out loud, this pretty boy is a f.u.c.king nerd who only knows books.

I pull a chair

over and sit with my legs crossed. “My good hero, this prince comes before you

today to ask for forgiveness. I was wrong to have done those things. I lost all

my virtues, and am no better than a swine or a hound. But after nearing death,

I had an epiphany. I have decided to return to the side of virtue and abandon

my evil past… In other words, I will not force you again!”

w.a.n.g Rui howls

in laughter. “What is this I see? A jackal or wolf quitting meat? A tiger or

panther fasting for Buddha? How comedic!”

I sit closer

to the bed. “Brother w.a.n.g, I am offering my most sincere apologies, and I pray

that you can forgive me. Let us forget all the unpleasant matters of the past.

From this day forward, I wish to be a friend to you.”

“Forget?!”

Hero w.a.n.g continues to laugh.

Then it

occurs to me. Why of course! No regular ol’ guy would want that to happen to them.

It’s bound to cause some lifelong trauma whether the act was successful or not.

w.a.n.g Rui’s laughter becomes more and more unsettling and really gets to me. I move

in a little closer.

“Her- I mean,

Master w.a.n.g. I know the old Chai Rong deserved to be struck down by lightning

for what he did, but I’m telling you that Chai Rong died by your hands. You’ve

done society a favour and had your revenge. The Chai Rong you now see before

you is a new man. I’m talking to you as a fellow man. One should let the

bygones be bygones, and with his head held high he is still a good man through

and through.”

His laughter

ceases and he turns to me. “Knave! No need to dress in sheep’s clothing. All

the lives of the w.a.n.g household lie in your hands, so I can do little but obey.

If you dare, let my house go, and dispose of me alone!”

Now I’m just

frustrated. It’s clear I won’t be able to reach him this way any time soon. I

guess being a gentleman takes not only a kind heart but even more patience.

Sighing, I approach the bed. w.a.n.g Rui lets out a disdainful scoff and shuts his

eyes in preparation for whatever his fate may be. I flip him over, and he

shakes as if he were zapped. Seeing the pathetic sight of his eyes squeezed

shut and teeth gritted, I really feel like a f.u.c.king bandit about to rape some

village girl.

Sighing

again, I make quick work of the binding. His eyes are still closed and his jaw

clenched. I’m feeling a little ticked off now. h.e.l.l, do I really look like a

f.u.c.king pervert! I throw the ropes aside and tidy my sleeves.

“Believe it

or not, Master w.a.n.g. I ain’t that pervert Prince Chai Rong from before. I’m a

man who loves only beautiful girls! Your house is still in the hands of the

empress dowager, and I can’t do anything about it for the time being. You stay

put here for a few days, and when she lets your house go, I will let you go, as

heaven and earth are my witness. Take it how you will.”

After taking

my stand with pa.s.sion, I turn and stride off in a proud manner, chest thrown

out, back straighter than ever.

Out the side

chamber, into the courtyard I go. It’s really nice out. The early spring sun is

not too strong, and it’s perfect weather for a stroll. I enter a walkway that

leads to a rock formation. I manoeuvre around the rock and come to an open

s.p.a.ce – a large, clear lake. The emerald ripples gleam under the sunlight. On

the other side is a nice stretch of gra.s.s decorated with numerous Taihu stones

of varying sizes. I find a rock and sit down facing the water.

Heaving a big

sigh, I wonder aloud, “I hope I’ll find my way back before nightfall.”

“Oh dear, is

the prince lost in his own house?”

I turn as a

man in black steps out from behind the rock formation. A chuckle escapes me.

“Long time no

see, Master Su!”

An ancient roping method. The binding is looped around five essential point,

the neck, arms and wrists, with the arms folded behind. This is standard for

prisoners charged with serious crimes.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Dairytea:

( w.a.n.g Rui is actually a pretty boy?! *A*  )

Chapter Thirteen

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