Chapter 18

Yanlong smirked with distress and shook his head disgustedly. He slowly got down the mossy stairs and entered the warm waters. He came towards Shen Nuo who stood unable even to lift a leg and flee.

"Shen Nuo." He said drawing back his dangerous voice, pressing him onto a rocky wall with streams of cascading waters. "So, tell Zhen, how did your meeting with Zhanhua go? Was it pleasant?"

________________________________________________________________

Shen Nuo felt so vulnerable. He couldn't tell Li Yan the matter of Minghe's assassination without raising awkward questions from the other party. Li Yan was not Zhanhua. Li Yan was not patient like Zhanhua either.

So better not to reveal anything at least for the time being. Shen Nuo looked at Li Yanlong. "It's nothing. I happened to meet him there at the restaurant. It was a coincidence."

Li Yanlong narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?" He hissed in a dangerous voice. "Zhen did not know that Zhanhua was that generous. He even carried medicines with him to the restaurant himself. How did he know that your ear was wounded?"

Shen Nuo was speechless. This Dog Emperor really knew how to question. Really, the Emperor bit him that night and miraculously, the next morning Zhanhua happened to bring some ointments with him.

A cold shudder ran down Shen Nuo's back. Why does it sound like he met Zhanhua that night behind the Emperor right after that incident at the Imperial Library...

Ok! Matters were drawing bad again. He felt angry for no reason. What was this Dog Emperor doing? In the previous life, at least original Shen Nuo must have led a dog-trouble free life. But why was it different now?

Li Yan shouldn't be caring about the matters concerning him. He should be at Consort Lian's chamber right now...

Shen Nuo narrowed his eyes. He felt even angry when he remembered Lian. He looked at Li Yan testily. "Why should I tell you? It's not like we're husband and wife for real. I thought you knew it. Mind your own business!"

Yanlong gritted his teeth. "Zhen doesn't mind even if you **** anyone! But still you're Zhen's wife. This matter concern's Zhen's dignity." He said in a gloomy voice. "Zhen once told you not to run after other men. Don't mistake Zhen's patience as forgiving!"

Shen Nuo spat on his face. "You dream!" He tried to push the Emperor away.

The Emperor's gaze turned colder. He grasped from Shen Nuo's throat without mercy.

Shen Nuo choked in his breath at once. Tears seeped down his red eyes. His pale hands grasped tightly upon the strong wrist of the Emperor.

"Li... Yan..." He stammered hoarsely out of his breath. Blood lines trailed down the corners of his pale lips. The grasp upon his throat was too tight, as if he wanted to crush his neck.

The Emperor tightened his grip more and more onto the pale neck, leaving a deep mark of red print of his strong and slender fingers. His narrowed phoenix eyes looked ruthless and demonic without a slightest bit of affection.

"Li Yanlong!" Shen Nuo cried out hoarsely. "I'm...still your consort! Is this the...way you're supposed to...treat me? What..what did I do for you to...hate me this much!!?"

The Emperor pursed his thin lips. His aura got colder and colder. Shen Nuo dared to ask this question from him? Didn't he know? Didn't he know anything? The Emperor felt mad.

For the crimes that General's Manor had already committed, not only Shen Nuo, but the entire General's line should be beheaded. Not even a thousand deaths can atone the sins. But still he did not do it. He even married Shen Nuo who was his enemy. Wasn't he being too merciful?

He, Crown Prince Li Yan ascended the throne at a very young age of seventeen. It was because his father, the former Emperor died of a sudden illness.

Anyone did not doubt the death. There were only four people in this world who knew the actual truth.

One was Shendu, the current Grand Martial of Li Yang, Shen Nuo's third brother. Another was Li Yan himself. Another was his trusted subordinate Zhangsun. And the last person was the real murderer of the former Emperor, who was Shen Nuo's father, retired Martial Shen Ruoyun...

But how did Li Yan know? He did not know it. He did not know until ten years already passed since the sudden death of his father. He did not know it until the evening before the day he married Shen Nuo and brought him to the Palace.

He did not know until that moment that he just married the son of the murderer who killed his father. How could he not hate?

His love towards Shen Nuo turned to hate the evening before the day he married him. He used to secretly adore and cherish Shen Nuo. Even he did not know what kind of an entanglement he had over this youth. It was simply inexplicable and unspeakable. He just didn't want to give up when many wanted Shen Nuo...

So when the General's Manor proposed Li Yan to have Shen Nuo's hand in marriage, young Emperor Li Yan was so happy. He had not seen this bride-to-be of his for seven years. He couldn't wait until the marriage. He wanted to see him. He was too excited.

But he was the Emperor. He did not want to loose his face. So that late night before their marriage, he dressed himself in a shadow guard suit and left to the General's Manor with Zhangsun.

The entire manor was decorated with red curtains for the occasion next day. But he did not see his bride. Instead, he witnessed the most blood curdling truth that roused out his inner demon. Old General Shen Ruoyun was drunk in his study and was speaking nonsense with his third son, Shendu...

Li Yan and Zhangsun hid behind the window and stole a glance. Shen Ruoyun laughed in his drunkenness and looked at his son with a pleased look. "Shendu, it had been ten years since I killed him. You're my only capable son. Why do you still hesitate?"

At first, Li Yan couldn't understand anything. He did not like to eavesdrop. But for some reason, that day, he felt like wanting to hear more. So he listened hard.

In the other hand, Shendu looked furious. "Father!"

Shen Ruoyun narrowed his eyes. "The throne should have been yours!"

A cold shudder ran down Li Yan's back. He saw Zhangsun's hand tightening to the sword. But Li Yan grasped from that hand tightly, shaking his head.

Unaware of the thing happening just outside the window, Ruoyun continued in his drunkness. "Your great grandfather, passed his throne to his second son..."

"Dad!" Shendu said furiously. "The Throne cannot be passed down to women. The first child was a female. There was nothing wrong in it!"

But Shen Ruoyun shook his head. "She was your grandmother! The heroic woman that led armies through leagues and leagues to unite Li Yang... She unified Li Yang while her useless incompetent brother took the throne. I killed his son. Is there anything wrong?"

Shendu looked at his father in horror. "Father! You're drunk! Let Shendu take you back to your room. You need to have a good sleep!"

He tried to pull away his father. But the old man pushed him away and laughed like a lunatic.

Li Yan went pale. He suddenly understood. He suddenly understood his father's death which happened ten years ago was actually a murder... He did not know what to feel. He was restraining so hard. He gritted his teeth and pulled Zhangsun back, who was trying to barge inside to kill...

The old man finally coughed and looked at his son. "But this way is also fine, Shendu, if Shen Nuo can marry the Emperor and become the Empress, his son would be the future successor. No matter what, it's still our Nuo Nuo's son! Hahaha!"

Li Yan's eyes were moist. This was too shocking to believe. He used to love Shen Nuo blindly but never thought his love would cause himself to be taken advantage of like this. So his marriage with Shen Nuo was a trade.

It was to take the power of the throne...  But it was too late. Li Yan realized it was too late for everything. If he continued to hear, he was afraid he would burn the entire manor in his wrath.

He pulled away Zhangsun forcefully and returned to their own quarters again. That night, he did not sleep. He was suffocated. He remembered the day his father died. His father repeatedly asked him to marry the Princess of Xi Kingdom and make her his Empress.

That day, Li Yan didn't take it too seriously. His father asked him just one favor. He asked him to have the future heir only from this princess and from no one else.

So soon after the death, he married the Xi princess as his official Empress and gave birth to Minghe... He did not love her. He just wanted to fulfill his father's wish. Because his heart belonged to someone.

But now when he reminded the whole thing, he had a terrible guess in his heart. His father actually knew the murderer. His father also knew his blind son was madly in love with the enemy who killed him.

But he had not wanted his son to suffer. So he asked this humble favor without breaking Li Yan's heart.

That night, Li Yan shed tears like he had never done before. His love towards Shen Nuo became loath. He swore to himself he would never let Shen Nuo bear his child.

The next day, he married him. But his face was deadly pale. He was not smiling. His eyes were very red and his voice was hoarse. But looking at innocent Shen Nuo, he still couldn't bring himself to hate him. He was in a terrible mess. What should he do?

Young Shen Nuo waited in the wedding chamber waiting for Li Yan to come that night. But Li Yan went to Consort Lian and spent the night with her.

He gave Shen Nuo the cold shoulder. By this time, little Minghe was already five years but unfortunately Empress Xi died at the childbirth. Everyone thought that the Emperor would appoint Shen Nuo as the new Empress. But startling his people, their Emperor married the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister and appointed her as the Empress.

And Shen Nuo who married the Emperor just a month ago was ignored without a cause or a reason, just like that...

There were numerous times Li Yan wanted Shen Nuo dead, since the day he married him but he couldn't bring up himself to do it. And shamelessly, in the depths of his heart, he had to admit that he still loved that person dearly. Wasn't he insane?

But still he kept repeating to himself that Shen Nuo was innocent. It was Ruoyun who did it not Shen Nuo...

So everytime he wanted to kill Shen Nuo, he controlled himself and spared Shen Nuo like that...

The old Martial Ruoyun betrayed the former Emperor's trust, and killed him. And today his son was betraying him over for a handsome good looking man... What was the difference between this father and son?

Useless! It was really useless! Li Yan silently pursed his lips and slowly let go of Shen Nuo's throat. His eyes continued to stare at Shen Nuo coldly. Upon Shen Nuo's pale neck, the red marks left by his strong fingers looked distinct.

Shen Nuo massaged his throat furiously, gasping for breath. His face was swollen and blushed at loss of breath. He looked too glossy and beautiful under the curtains of cascading silver streams.

His face looked frightened and confused, also angry and anxious. Li Yan did not know whether to kiss him or kill him. Both seemed quite appealing.

Nevermind! He will let him go this one last time.

It was suddenly when a guard charged in without permission. That man was horrified and he skidded to a halt right at the banks and cried out. "Your Majesty!"

Li Yan turned to look at the guard. "What is it?" He asked in an icy voice.

"Your Majesty! Immediately return to the court! An urgent military report from Xu Lin Pass!"

________________________________________________________________