A/N finished editing this chapter to escape from studying T-T my exams are next week I'm scaredddd
"Quick, come quickly!"
"Get the doctor, hurry!"
"More water! More!"
The chaotic shouts rang out in the night, startling countless people from their beds. The lights in the imperial living quarters gradually turned on, revealing the streams of maids and servants making their way hurriedly in and out. One maid stepped out of the imperial bedchamber carrying a bronze basin of bloody water. The water sloshed slightly with her frantic movements, the wooden doors behind her sliding shut with a bang. Not a moment later, they opened again to allow another maid to enter. The door-servants silently wiped the sweat on their foreheads.
Inside, Jiang Zhilan stood anxiously by the head of the bed. His hands clenched within the wide sleeves of his white inner robes, the ends stained with blood. An outer robe had been haphazardly thrown on and Eunuch Shuang stood by his side, equally as anxiously trying to get him to sit down.
"Your majesty! Your leg is still wounded!" Jiang Zhilan ignored him, only staring at the bed. Liu Qingyuan lay prone, his shirt opened to reveal his blood-stained chest and the hideous wound on his abdomen. The smaller injury on his shoulder had been hastily bandaged and had already stopped bleeding, but the injury on his stomach still slowly bubbled dark red. The imperial doctor was sweating as he placed a fresh piece of gauze down and applied light pressure.
"Y-your majesty, it...it won't..."
"What? What is it!" The doctor raised a sleeve to wipe his sweat. It had been so long and the bleeding was finally showing signs of stopping but the patient had been in the cold snow for who knows how long and his body was already weak.
"It's best to...prepare yourself." Jiang Zhilan stood uncomprehendingly for a few seconds before the meaning hit him like a stone. He stepped forward, grabbing the doctor by his collar.
"What do you mean?" He said coldly, "If you don't save him, I'll have your head!" The doctor frantically sputtered, stuck between heaven's will and the king's power over his own life. If king Yama decided to take Liu Qingyuan away, what could he, a mere mortal, do about it? Aiya, the grievances of the palace servants were always the heaviest.
"Your majesty," Eunuch Shuang tried to coax the king away. Jiang Zhilan threw off his arm, letting go of the doctor's shirt. He felt a gentle touch on his knee. He turned immediately, nearly getting whiplash on his neck.
"Qingyuan!"
Liu Qingyuan managed to open his eyes, his eyelashes trembling. "Cough...I'll be fine," he squeezed out the words, his voice hoarse and far too weak, and his face a few shades too pale to be healthy. That wasn't far from the truth; his consciousness was still floating as he tried to grip Jiang Zhilan's hand. Jiang Zhilan squeezed his hand, the corners of his eyes turning red. The entire room had quieted, no longer stirring with anxiety or loud shouting. The doctor held his breath, not daring to look up. If the patient woke up, it might still be okay. But his relief was still tentative as Liu Qingyuan slipped back into unconsciousness.
It wasn't until the dawn sky spread its wings and the snow was filled with the blinding light of the new morning did the activity around the imperial chambers finally cease. The doctor collapsed with shaking knees into a chair and tremblingly accepted the cup of water Eunuch Shuang offered him. His assistants were cleaning up the last of his equipment, along with the used bandages and gauze.
Actually, the wound had stopped bleeding early on but Liu Qingyuan kept startling out of unconsciousness as he was trying to stitch him up, kicking the doctor away tens of times. It was a blessing that the king was here, otherwise the doctor didn't know if his old bones could have survived.
Jiang Zhilan was currently slumped on the edge of the bed, his head pillowed on his arms and his hand refusing to let go of Liu Qingyuan's. The dark smudges under his eyes spelt out his exhaustion, though the tension in his face had faded enough for him to doze off.
Once all extraneous servants had left the room, or were resting momentarily in the outer room before leaving, Eunuch Shuang approached the king, patting him lightly on the shoulder. "Your majesty,"
"Mhm?" Jiang Zhilan blearily raised his head, eyes struggling to stay open.
"You should go rest."
Jiang Zhilan tightened his grip, glancing over Liu Qingyuan's sleeping face. "I'm okay, I'll just sit for a while."
"Your majesty, morning court is in just a few hours." But Jiang Zhilan refused to budge. Eunuch Shuang sighed internally, eyeing Liu Qingyuan with pity. Nobody knew how much the king doted on him. He silently wiped away the tears in his heart. His poor king, wu wu wu... "Your majesty," He tried again, "What if you collapse when he wakes up? Won't that make him worried and hinder his recovery?" He tried to subtly hint, playing towards logic that he thought the king would like.
Jiang Zhilan, "..." Don't think I'm blind. But he still stood up. "Fine-ugh!" He stumbled, nearly falling as Eunuch Shuang hurriedly supported him.
"Your majesty! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine," He placated him, "My leg is just numb." Eunuch Shuang helped Jiang Zhilan to a chair, only remembering later the wound on his leg.
"Your majesty! Your wound!" Jiang Zhilan grabbed him before he could make a fuss.
"It's healed."
"But it's only been a few days..." Jiang Zhilan looked at him. Did he forget he had the phoenix mark? But Eunuch Shuang gazed back with stubborn eyes and Jiang Zhilan could only relent and let him summon the doctor again. He leaned against the table, propping his brow on his hand, a deep exhaustion snaking its way down his body. He only opened his eyes again at the sound of approaching footsteps.
The doctor limped forward, the smile on his face uglier than crying. Aiya! He'd just laid down, did you know how hard it was to get back up again? "Your majesty, forgive me for offending."
"Mhm." Jiang Zhilan untied the bloody robe, picking apart his clothes. A milky, well-shaped thigh came into view, following the slight curvature of the bone. The doctor ignored everything else, only pinching the slightly stained bandage. Once the gauze fell away, the two servants couldn't help but look up in astonishment. "What?" Although the wound wasn't originally deep, it had already healed after only a couple days, leaving a small circle of pink, tender flesh that would soon disappear completely in a day or so. The doctor couldn't help bowing down.
"Your majesty's dragon body is blessed."
"See? Didn't I tell you it was fine?"
"Ah yes..." Eunuch Shuang reluctantly agreed. With his movements, the stiff, bloody sleeves scratched lightly against Jiang Zhilan's wrists, reminding him of his filthy attire. He grimaced.
"Go prepare a bath."
"You're dismissed as well," Jiang Zhilan addressed the doctor, "Go back and have a good rest. You did well."
"Thank you, your majesty." The doctor packed up his medicine chest and the two of them left.
âââââ
Jiang Zhilan's figure approached the bed, his hair still slightly damp and his skin eluding the faint fragrance of bath salts. He carefully climbed over Liu Qingyuan, laying down on the inner portion of the bed. Jiang Zhilan gazed at the man's sleeping profile, tracing the arch of his brows and the curve of his pale lips. He leaned against Liu Qingyuan's arm, silently closing his eyes. Even if the future was uncertain, he won't let anything happen to him again.
âââââ
In the evening of the same day, Liu Qingyuan opened his eyes. The chambers were dimly lit, the low light giving the room a sense of ambiguity and peace. His face was still pale but traces of rosiness were beginning to reappear, and Liu Qingyuan found that as long as he breathed slowly, the wound wouldn't hurt. There was a weighty warmth on his left side and he slightly turned his head, his gaze capturing the king's figure. The dark circles under his eyes were evident. Liu Qingyuan gently touched his stomach, prodding tentatively. After a while, his figure rose slowly from the bed, the occasional sound of pain rising gently from his throat.
The arm resting on his chest slid down to rest in his lap. Liu Qingyuan paused, an unconscious smile rising. One hand caressing the skin on the back of Jiang Zhilan's hand, and the other suddenly pressing to the left side of his chest, a distorted expression appearing on his face. That strange feather mark that seemed to appear from nowhere was faintly flickering on his skin, and the unsettling feeling of a creature sliding through his veins reappeared. The sensation slowly filtered down, seeming to settle at his stomach. A wave of nausea rose suddenly and Liu Qingyuan couldn't help clapping a hand over his mouth and retching. He pushed Jiang Zhilan's arm away, ignoring the twist of pain in his abdomen as he prepared to stand up.
"Ugh...,"
"Qingyuan?" The sleepy voice sounded behind him, oblivious and confused. He wanted to respond but his stomach cramped again and he blanched, sweat beading on his temples as the creature stirred in his stomach. "Qingyuan? What's wrong?" Jiang Zhilan was more awake now, hurriedly climbing out of bed and grabbing a random decorative pot. "Do you want to throw up?"
Liu Qingyuan clung to the bed's pillar, brow furrowed. As Jiang Zhilan approached, the nausea seemed to recede and he closed his eyes in exhaustion. "I'm fine," He reached out a hand, "Come here." In his daze, he even forgot to address Jiang Zhilan formally.
"...oh." Jiang Zhilan put down the pot and sat next to him, his gaze worried. Liu Qingyuan breathed deeply as if his lungs were suddenly cleared.
"Your wound-" He stopped abruptly, a sudden weight falling onto his shoulder. Liu Qingyuan's arm snaked around his waist like a vice, the musky scent of him filling his nose. Liu Qingyuan closed his eyes, unconsciously relaxing against the king's form. After a few moments, Jiang Zhilan's back trembled and a startled noise caught in his throat. Liu Qingyuan abruptly raised his head, and the king coughed a little embarrassedly.
"It's nothing, the mark was suddenly hot..." Liu Qingyuan hesitated, releasing his grip a little. Was it because of him? Before he could move further, his head was pushed back down and his face smothered in a fair, blossom-scented chest. "Just stay there!"
Ears red, Liu Qingyuan settled down, squeezing the king's figure. The gentle hand stroking his scalp sent pleasant tingles down his spine and he closed his eyes.
Outside, Eunuch Shuang jolted awake. He blearily rubbed his eyes, unable to distinguish whether the faint traces of voices were from his dream. A junior eunuch walked up to him. "Shuang gongggong, are you not going to rest? You've been awake for nearly two days..." Eunuch Shuang wanted to send him a glare but he didn't have the energy to. After all, he was the king's attendant. Several days of resting upright weren't common but they weren't necessarily uncommon either...He shooed the other off.
"I'll be off duty in a bit."
"Shuang gonggong, make sure to take care of your health."
Eunuch Shuang, "..." Little brat! Are you saying I'm an old man?
"Scram!"
"Ah...okay..."
After a while, Eunuch Shuang couldn't hold back anymore and intended to check on the king. If he was still sleeping, he'd go and take a half hour nap...who would have known that as soon as he tentatively poked his head into the room, the king's gaze would clash directly with his own. Liu Qingyuan's figure was curled in his embrace, his curtain of long black hair obscuring his expression.
Eunuch Shuang, "..."
Jiang Zhilan, "..."
Eunuch Shuang silently retreated, closing the door again with a soft sound. In his heart, he sent out a prayer for guard Liu's wellbeing. He'd just been injured yet the king was already so enthusiastic...
Liu Qingyuan was oblivious to his thoughts, lazily leaning on Jiang Zhilan. A soul-deep feeling of comfort enveloped him, reducing the dull ache of the wound to nearly nothing. He shifted slightly, brushing his lips against the king's collarbone.
"Ah...what are you doing?" As if possessed, Liu Qingyuan opened his mouth, gently biting down on the skin. Through lidded eyes, he watched the white turn red and the light flush spread across the smooth column of his throat. He watched his adam's apple bob slightly.
"What? You...you're still injured..." Liu Qingyuan's lips curled up in amusement, his voice mellow and teasing.
"What are you thinking about?" He felt the body under him tense in embarrassment.
"What do you mean?" The king feigned confusion, pushing at his shoulder. "You should lay back down. Your wound will get aggravated." After all, not everyone was like him, the phoenix mark speeding his recovery. Liu Qingyuan was taller than him and he'd been hunched over just now. He was worried that his wound might have been affected. Liu Qingyuan pulled away reluctantly, turning to lay back down. He paused and touched his abdomen.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Zhilan's gaze sharpened, "Does it hurt?" On the contrary, it didn't hurt much at all, merely emulating a sore feeling if he moved too fast. But...it shouldn't be like this, not this soon. Liu Qingyuan reached down, undoing the ties of his shirt. He pulled his robes apart, reaching to undo the bandages. Jiang Zhilan hurriedly grabbed his hands. "What are you doing!"
Liu Qingyuan paused, but before he could stop him fully, he'd already torn them off. Jiang Zhilan's mouth opened. The wound was a deep, ugly red but it had already scabbed over; a feat that should have been impossible in less than a day.
"You..." From the corner of his eye, Jiang Zhilan caught sight of a strange shape. He reached out, pushing the fabric off Liu Qingyuan's chest. The mere glimmer of a phoenix feather flickered on his skin before sinking into his wheat-coloured chest and disappearing without a trace. Jiang Zhilan felt a flare of heat across his back, causing him to break out in a sweat. "This..." Their eyes met.
"I also don't know when this appeared." Jiang Zhilan sent a pensive gaze at the half-healed wound, then back to his chest, fingers brushing over the skin. The muscle underneath jumped and a large hand enveloped his own. Liu Qingyuan gently removed his hand. "Your majesty," The sudden address caused Jiang Zhilan to raise his eyes.
"Hm?"
Clunk. "Aiyo!" The loud exclamation turned both their heads, gazes clashing with Eunuch Shuang's face. "Your majesty! The person hasn't healed yet, don't do this!"
"No its-" Jiang Zhilan, who was leaning forward on top of Liu Qingyuan, quickly scrambled back. The bandages fell from his movement, snaking onto the floor in a white pile. Fearing that Eunuch Shuang would sense an abnormality, he quickly reached out, blocking the wound. Eunuch Shuang's eye twitched. He'd clearly just advised the king, how come he still boldly touched him! Face calm, Liu Qingyuan removed the king's hands, drawing his robes closed. He glanced up at Eunuch Shuang.
"I'll trouble you to get more bandages."
"...oh...okay...then...I'll call the doctor too."
"No! I mean," Jiang Zhilan coughed. "Just bring them here. I'll do it myself."
Eunuch Shuang gave the king a glance before bowing low. "This servant...advises his majesty to play less. Guard Liu...is still injured."
"You-" Exasperated, Jiang Zhilan waved him away. "Quickly go!"