Chapter 103 – Black-Bellied Regent VS Loyal Shadow Guard (7)
Mu Jin’s figure was petite. When Wen Renhong hugged him from behind and held his hand to teach him how to write, it was as if he was holding him in his arms. A pleasant smell came from the other party, and somehow, the man always felt like his heart had skipped a beat.
He subconsciously tightened his arms, and the back of the person in front of him was forced to lean on his chest. Wen Renhong could feel the person in his arms stiffen for a moment, but then the other party quickly relaxed again. Perhaps it was because of the innate obedience of the shadow guards that they would not resist their master.
Wen Renhong was surprised to find himself holding Shadow Eleven in his arms. He couldn’t think of a reason why he did it. But the feeling of holding someone in his arms was undeniable, and he felt a sense of being finally filled up inside.
He could feel that the person in his arms had a very slender waist. He feared even the most beautiful women outside would be ashamed of their own waists in comparison.
The man knew how much strength was hidden in this lean waist. His own shadow guards were as agile as leopards. They could climb walls and enter and leave the imperial palace like no one was there, and they could also cut a person’s throat in an instant.
But it was such a person who was now being held in his arms without any defenses, so obedient, that it made his heart melt.
The person in his arms had really small hands. When he taught him to write, he could wrap his hands around the other person’s hands completely.
His chin gently landed on Mu Jin’s head. Wen Renhong fought the urge to rub his chin against the other person’s head. He found this gesture to be strangely endearing
Mu Jin still wore a mask on his face. He never took it off except when he ate. This was the rule for shadow guards.
The man leaned over slightly, wanting to catch a glimpse of Mu Jin’s expression. Although he couldn’t see Mu Jin’s face because of the mask, he could at least see his eyes. But all he saw was a deep seriousness in the person’s eyes, as if he was truly trying hard to learn and understand how to write these characters. Yet, there was no other emotion in his eyes.
Wen Renhong couldn’t help but feel lost. He didn’t even know what he wanted to see in Mu Jin’s eyes. After teaching him twice, he let go of his hand and let Mu Jin practice on his own. The man then sat on the chair beside him and stared at Mu Jin as he wrote.
Mu Jin could naturally feel his lover’s gaze. However, it seemed that so far, his man hadn’t really thought about him in that way, or perhaps he hadn’t figured it out yet. So, his gaze towards him was mostly filled with confusion, and there was less of the burning heat that used to make his face flush and his heart race.
Although he couldn’t help but find it a little funny, he also felt that this kind of pace was very good. Falling in love slowly while getting to know each other was a way that made people feel comfortable.
In the days that followed, the relationship between the two men seemed to have grown closer. Wen Renhong would let Mu Jin practice calligraphy by his side every day, but the man rarely taught Mu Jin hand-in-hand anymore. Instead, he would spend most of the time staring at him in a daze.
He also had someone add a couch in the room specifically so that Mu Jin could rest and watch the night there at night. He no longer needed to sleep on the beam.
Noticing the change in his lover, Mu Jin was happy, but he still kept to his duties and did not do anything unnecessary
One night, Wen Renhong took out two more pots of wine and asked his subordinates to prepare some small dishes. He then called Mu Jin out and asked him to accompany him in drinking.
Mu Jin found it a bit novel. After all, except for the one time before, Wen Renhong had never called him out to drink again. Moreover, the other party would never have such a big scene when drinking in the past.
After all, although he could sense that Wen Renhong enjoyed drinking, most of the time he would only have one or two glasses. The only exception was the day he ate Mu Jin’s personal pastries, when he drank a whole pot. Otherwise, he would usually just take a sip.
But this time, looking at the table of fine wine and food prepared in front of him, it seemed that the man was planning to get drunk.
Mu Jin appeared and stood silently beside the table after glancing at the man in front of him. Wen Renhong pushed a pot of wine towards Mu Jin and said, “Sit down and drink with me.
Mu Jin did not refuse. He had always liked the taste of wine, so he would naturally not waste such a fine drink. He took a small sip, the aroma of the wine was strong, and it was smooth to the mouth. It was indeed a good wine. Mu Jin enjoyed it very much in his heart, but he did not show it on his face. Looking at the appearance of the man opposite him, it seemed that the other party was also in a good mood.
However, after drinking three cups, Mu Jin’s movements slowed down significantly. As a shadow guard, he absolutely could not get drunk. Although it would be perfectly acceptable for him to drink some if his master ordered him to, he did not intend to drink more than three cups in order to ensure Wen Renhong’s safety.
But when Mu Jin stopped drinking, the man across from him seemed displeased. He frowned at Mu Jin and said, “Why did you stop? Didn’t I say I wanted you to drink with me?” The man then filled Mu Jin’s wine glass again.
But Mu Jin knew clearly that this palace was not actually as peaceful as it seemed. On weekdays, there were not only spies, but it was also possible to encounter assassins, so Mu Jin did not dare to relax completely. He hesitated for a moment, then replied to Wen Renhong, “Master, your subordinate still has to guard the night.
This was the first time Wen Renhong had ever heard his shadow guard refuse an order. He found it a bit surprising. But he knew that shadow guards were not only required to obey their masters’ orders, but also to prioritize their own safety. So he could understand why Mu Jin had refused.
The man was inexplicably happy that his request had been denied. He didn’t blame Mu Jin at all. Instead, he clapped his hands and called over the high-ranking guards in the courtyard. He told them to guard the outside well. Then he turned to Mu Jin and said, “Now you can rest assured.”
Seeing how insistent Wen Renhong was, Mu Jin couldn’t refuse any longer. He raised his wine cup and drank it all in one go.
Only then did a smile finally appear on the man’s face. They had both drunk quite a bit, and they ordered two more rounds of wine. The table was already filled with empty wine bottles, but Wen Renhong was still in high spirits.
The man looked at the moonlight outside the window, his expression somewhat tired, but he seemed to finally have a moment of reality. He murmured to Mu Jin, “Eleven, news came from the Hidden Pavilion that Wen Renhui has been imprisoned today, and the empress has also been placed under house arrest. My fourth brother has finally met his end.”
Seeing that the other person didn’t respond, Wen Renhong didn’t mind. He continued speaking on his own, “When I was young, the person I envied the most was my fourth brother. He had a high-ranking mother and was favored by my father. He had the best of everything, from food and clothing to shelter.”
“I still remember when I was very young. There was a palace banquet one time, and all the princes were allowed to attend, except for me. My father didn’t like me, but I was young and couldn’t resist my curiosity. I decided to sneak into the garden to take a look, but I met my fourth brother sitting in a sedan chair on the way.”
“I still remember how he looked down at me from the sedan chair at that time, mocking the shabbiness of my clothes, and saying, A dog like you doesn’t belong here.”
At this point, Wen Renhong suddenly laughed, as if he was mocking his once helpless and young self.
After a while, he continued, “Wen Renhui was once so brilliant, but now he’s nothing more than a prisoner in the Heavenly Prison. The tables have turned. Now I really want to go to the Heavenly Prison and see him. I want to ask him, who is the man and who is the dog!”
Wen Renhong laughed as he spoke, his laughter unrestrained and full of relief. But Mu Jin could hear the bitterness in his words. This bit of grievance was just the tip of the iceberg of what the man had suffered before.
Mu Jin looked at his lover in silence, drinking another cup of wine. His heart ached for Wen Renhong even more.
The man had a high tolerance for alcohol and rarely got drunk. He didn’t drink much on a regular basis because he didn’t like the feeling of being out of control. Wen Renhong preferred to stay sober at all times. But today, he was feeling sentimental, so he decided to let loose and drink a little more than usual.
After saying those words, I thought I saw a flash of heartache in the other person’s eyes. But when he went to confirm it again, he found that there was nothing in the eyes of the person opposite, as calm as ever.
Wen Renhong chuckled, thinking that he must have drunk too much and seen wrongly. He sighed in his heart. That’s right, how could a shadow guard understand the feelings of ordinary people? Or perhaps, compared to himself, their experiences were the real misfortune.
So, the man who suddenly felt a sense of shared suffering opened up and began urging Mu Jin to drink, wanting him to also get thoroughly drunk together.
Mu Jin drank with Wen Renhong glass by glass, but he didn’t dare to get really drunk. He quickly ordered 003 in his mind to help him adjust his body, which relieved a lot of his drunkenness, and only showed some signs of drunkenness on the surface.
Wen Renhong felt a good mood seeing the slight confusion in his shadow guard’s eyes. He smiled at Mu Jin and said, “Eleven, are you drunk?
Mu Jin shook his head. “I’m not drunk, Master,” he said, standing up and bowing to Wen Renhong.
The person across from him walked with steady steps, but it was clear that their reactions were already a bit slow. The guards were trained to resist the effects of drugs and alcohol, so they were not easily affected. Seeing the other person’s performance, Wen Renhong was certain that although the other person was still denying it, it seemed that the little guy in front of him was really drunk.
Because he had been drinking, the other person’s mask had been pulled down to his neck, revealing his entire face. Mu Jin’s cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were slightly dazed. Wen Renhong was so captivated for a moment that he found the little guy in front of him to be breathtakingly beautiful.
He coughed lightly, trying to ignore the strange feeling in his heart. The man turned his gaze to the night scene outside and asked casually, “Eleven, if you weren’t my shadow guard, what would you want to do?”
Mu Jin was stunned after hearing this. He subconsciously shook his head at the man in front of him and immediately said firmly, “Subordinate is the master’s shadow guard. Subordinate will always stay by the master’s side.”
Wen Renhong curled his lips at Mu Jin’s answer. He felt a little satisfied in his heart, and his mood couldn’t help but improve a little.