Young Prime Minister, a Hermit

Chapter 79

“Yihan, I’m no longer your master, and you’re no longer my subordinate. We’re a couple in a relationship.” I tilted my head and looked at him. “If you’re angry, just say so. If you’re unhappy with something I do, just say so too.”

"Would you listen if I told you, young master?" Yi Han said expressionlessly, then chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I understand. It's late, young master, you should rest!"

I grabbed his hand, glaring at him angrily. "With this attitude, how can we be dating? We might as well break up! Calling me 'Young Master' over and over again, as if you're afraid I won't know you treat me like your master." I forcefully shook off his hand and stormed out, not wanting him to see my reddened eyes or the fear in them. No matter how hard I tried, he still treated me like Lin Yu, not Lin Jialan.

A tremendous force came from behind, and I felt a blur before my eyes, a chill running down my spine, and a sharp pain in my shoulders. I was firmly pressed against the wall. Yi Han's dark green eyes, tinged with dark purple, were inches away from mine, gripping me tightly as if he wanted to devour me.

Here he comes again, this man who seems both cold and unlike himself, as if he's completely transformed in an instant! I shrank back slightly, only to be met with an even more turbulent surge of dark green. My lips were seized fiercely, sucked relentlessly, swallowing my breath, stinging my tongue, until I pounded his chest in exhaustion, and only then did he slowly release me.

With his hands braced on either side of my neck, I was firmly trapped in a small area on his chest, my body pressed against his broad, muscular chest. The familiar warmth transmitted through the thick fabric, along with his rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing, made me feel a little dizzy.

"Don't leave my side!" Yi Han suddenly lowered his head and kissed me again. My already swollen lips hurt slightly, and I instinctively gasped and backed away.

"Don't show any charm in front of others!" He tightened his grip on my waist, and my body pressed tightly against his. The scorching, almost boiling heat transmitted through the fabric.

"You're not allowed to fall in love with anyone else!" His kiss spread from my lips to my collarbone, and a tingling sensation immediately came over me. I shrank back, and a cat-like whimper escaped from between my lips and teeth.

Yi Han paused, his hand, which had almost broken my waist, loosened its grip and slowly moved upwards. Suddenly, he cupped the back of my head with his hand and kissed me intermittently and sparingly: "May I... ask for this?"

I stood there, stunned, letting him kiss me, unable to react for a moment.

Silly... Something inside my heart softened, and I struggled to stand on tiptoe, my hands slipping under his armpits to wrap tightly around him. "Silly..." I gently kissed his warm lips, my tongue tracing their smooth curves. "Silly, of course you can, because..." My breathing, which had just calmed, became heavy again, and I succumbed to the storm of kisses and the complex mix of bittersweet emotions. Because... I love you!

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Three days later, I represented the Jin Yao Kingdom in escorting Princess Jianing to the Shui Wu Kingdom for her marriage. This was my second time leading a large army westward. As expected, we were ambushed multiple times along the way, but Liu Cenfeng seemed to have arranged everything before leaving, so each time we escaped unscathed. So much so that when we reached the Shui Wu border and were attacked again, I lay soundly asleep on Yi Han's lap, not even bothering to go out and take a look.

The wedding was held on the eighth day of the fifth lunar month. When we arrived, the Defeng Hall of the Shuiwu Kingdom's royal palace was already decorated with great festive cheer, and everywhere was filled with fiery red. Jia Ning was arranged to stay in the Yuqing Palace in the north, while Jun Wuhen, who would arrive five days later, would stay in the Ruiting Palace in the south. The two were not allowed to see each other until the wedding took place.

For five days I patiently waited for news from Liu Cenfeng, but even after Jun Wuhen arrived and the wedding preparations began, I still hadn't seen him. I started to feel uneasy, wondering if something had happened to him, or if he simply didn't want to see me.

The wedding was in three days. That night, I woke up in the middle of the night, the scene from my dream still vivid in my mind: Ren Yao's tragic death in Naihe Pavilion. So vivid, so heart-wrenching, as if I had experienced it myself. Unable to fall back asleep after waking, I put on an overcoat and slowly walked along the covered corridor. Passing Yi Han's room, I couldn't help but stop and push open the door. The room was empty. My heart skipped a beat, then I shook my head and laughed at my own unnecessary anxiety. Maybe he couldn't sleep either and just went for a walk.

We walked and stopped intermittently until we unknowingly arrived at the Imperial Garden. Shuiwu Kingdom was merely a small, impoverished nation sandwiched between two powerful states, lacking both autonomy and substantial wealth and military strength—qualities that Huoling and Jinyao would absolutely not allow. Therefore, although it was also an Imperial Garden, Shuiwu's opulent splendor could not compare to Jinyao's. In fact, compared to the understated elegance of Chiyu Pavilion, the rockeries, pavilions, and terraces here appeared somewhat vulgar. If it weren't for the elaborate decorations required for a grand wedding, it would likely have been even more despised by the people of both great nations. Therefore, I became increasingly puzzled as to why Jun Wuhen would choose Shuiwu over Huoling for the wedding.

The fifth-day moon was just a crescent moon, its ends gently curved, bathing the entire night in a serene silver glow. I had just rounded a rockery, intending to sit down on a stone bench ahead, when I suddenly heard faint voices ahead. The voices were very soft, especially since the wind was rather strong tonight, occasionally rustling the branches and masking other sounds, leaving only a soft, continuous crackling sound. I was a little curious; who, like me, would be unable to sleep in such a quiet night to admire the moon?

I tiptoed toward the source of the sound. The moonlight veiled the entire landscape in a hazy mist, and I could only vaguely make out a soft figure ahead. A voice, indistinguishable between male and female, drifted on the wind: "...I know you've always known exactly what you want, and once you've made a decision, you won't regret it. But the day after tomorrow..."

"Who—?!" A sharp shout pierced the air, startling me so much that I fell to the ground with a thud, my palm pressing against the sharp rock, a piercing pain shooting through me. The gentle figure trembled slightly, uttered only one sentence, "Silence!" and vanished into the vast night.

The voice was still somewhat ethereal, but the words "silence" sent a shiver down my spine. Fear coiled around me like a venomous snake, suffocating me. Light footsteps approached from afar; to others, they would probably just be the sound of wind rustling through branches. But I clearly felt the murderous aura, thin as smoke yet omnipresent.

Without time to ponder why this cold, chilling murderous aura felt so familiar, I ignored the injury on my hand and scrambled to my feet. My throat was hoarse and numb. I seized this critical moment and shouted, "Help—"

The sound abruptly stopped the moment the cold gripped my throat. My heart was still churning inside and out: "Yihan, help!" But I couldn't utter another sound, because the familiar silver-threaded blue robe swirling before my eyes made my blood run cold instantly.

The hand gripping my throat suddenly froze, and then I heard a voice that was all too familiar: "Young Master—?!!"

"Cough cough—" As soon as he let go of my hand, I coughed violently. My lowered eyelids reflected the familiar green robe and the Qing Shuang sword with its silver tassels. My vision was immediately clouded with tears. I felt empty and sad, and tears fell immediately. I couldn't tell if it was relief, grievance, or anger.

"Young Master!" Yi Han hugged me tightly, his cool fingertips frantically wiping away my tears. His usually aloof and indifferent face was now clearly etched with fear and heartache. "Young Master, did I hurt you? I... I didn't know it was you."

"You...you want to kill...you want to...kill me!" I sobbed incoherently, clutching his collar. The chilling fear from moments before still lingered in my heart, not from the approaching death, nor from the cold night, but from the murderous aura that had suddenly erupted from the familiar figure in his blue robe and silver hair—a aura as natural as my breath, a murderous aura directed at me. I couldn't imagine what I would do if one day Yi Han looked at me with unfamiliar eyes, a sword pointed directly at my heart. Would I still have the courage to live in this world?

"Young Master, don't cry... don't cry... I didn't know it was you!" Yi Han held me tightly in his arms, his voice softer and more tender than I had ever heard before. "How could I kill you? Even if I die, I would never hurt you!"

He lowered his head and kissed away my tears with his cool lips, his movements clumsy and nervous, yet so tender and loving. A soft warmth slowly rose in my heart, and I tiptoed to find his lips and kissed him fiercely. With a slight force from my teeth, the taste of blood seeped out, and my hands naturally climbed onto his shoulders.

His eyes widened suddenly, he took a step back and grabbed my wrists with his other hand, the shock and pain in his eyes clearly visible: "Young master, you are injured!"

This clueless idiot, why does he have to be arguing with me about this ridiculous hand injury at a time like this? I forcefully shook off his hand, my still-bloodied arm wrapping tightly around his neck. My lips, hot with breath, were only inches from his, and though my breath was unsteady, I glared at him fiercely. As my lips parted, they inevitably touched his: "Are you going to kiss me or not? If you miss this chance, you might regret it..."

The sudden, warm, wet kiss that sealed my lips clearly answered his question. I clung to him, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat beneath the thin fabric, and blissfully forgot everything. Forgot the love we once shared, forgot the excruciating pain, and forgot the love and hate that entangled in my heart. The solid walls crumbled piece by piece, revealing a heart that was gradually healing. I thought I could start a new life, with this man I loved and who loved me. A vague unease stirred within me, as if I was about to lose something important, but that fear came and went too quickly, so quickly…

Xiao Yi

2007.11.13 20:50

Chapter 54: Heartwarming (End)

Oops, how come I didn't see such a big flaw? I'll go tell the editor right away. Thank you everyone...

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Chapter 56 Suspicion Turns to Hatred

Chapter 56 Suspicion Turns to Hatred

Yi Han frowned deeply, carefully holding my hand in both of his, picking away the pebbles and wood chips from the wound. A searing pain shot through me, and I hissed in pain. His face paled, and his brows furrowed even more.

I couldn't help but gently smooth his brow with my other, uninjured hand. When he looked up at me, the tenderness and self-reproach in his eyes were clearly visible, and for some reason, I felt much better. I lightly tapped the tip of his nose with my slender, delicate index finger and said arrogantly, "Am I the most important person to you?" I paused, realizing I was being too domineering, and quickly added, "Of course, excluding your master and mistress."

Yi Han was taken aback for a moment, then a gentle smile appeared in his eyes. He reached out and grabbed my hand, pressing his cool lips to my palm.

There was no intimacy or lust involved, yet I felt a tingling sensation throughout my body, even my ears burned. That simple, brief kiss spoke volumes of unwavering resolve and deep affection. He whispered, "My lord, it's been like this for a very, very long time."

It felt as if a needle had gently pierced my heart, which had soared to the clouds. It didn't hurt, but it was enough to bring me back to reality. I forced a smile, wanting to say something, but I couldn't utter a single word. Yi Han didn't notice my strange behavior and lowered his head to concentrate on cleaning my palms.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "I will be leaving Tianyu tomorrow. Ruoshui will protect you in the shadows in my place. Young master, remember to stay obediently in the palace. I will definitely return before the wedding begins, understand?"

I was taken aback and blurted out, "Going to do what?"

His expression was cold and indifferent, but there was a faint sense of nostalgia and sorrow in his eyes, and even his voice unconsciously carried a hint of sadness: "The day after tomorrow is the anniversary of my teacher's death."

I let out a soft "ah," my lips parting slightly. I felt I should comfort him with something, but I couldn't utter a single kind word. After a long while, all I could do was gently hold his cold hand, squeezing it tightly to transfer the warmth of my palm to him.

Yi Han's handsome lips curved slightly, the curve not deep but very obvious, and his dark and bright eyes made me feel warm all over. He cleaned my wounds gently and carefully.