Chapter 1542: The Regent Prince Is Too Fond of Me, What Should I Do 11

In the blink of an eye, it was mid-June again.

The Bihua Palace was heavily guarded, and the palace attendants who served close by had long grown accustomed to it, yet they still feared making a mistake.

Indeed, at this time each month, the prince's temperament was hard to fathom; even the customary tonic given to His Majesty had to be inspected inside and out three times, with no room for the slightest error.

Before the bloodletting day, Jin Chen needed to fast for three days, unable to eat anything except the nourishing decoctions, and Liu the Imperial Physician led three disciples in rotating shifts to guard him, allowing no lapse.

Fortunately, this had been the case for several years, and this group had done it many times, practice making perfect; they carefully made it to June 15.

That night.

In Bihua Palace, candlelight surrounded the room, and moonlight streamed through the window, casting hazy, shifting shadows; the air felt damp and hazy.

Inside the inner chamber, Jin Chen lay on the dragon bed with its curtains drawn; this month it was his arm's turn for bloodletting, so his bare, frail arm was extended, fingertips limp and hanging.

Beneath the dragon bed knelt Liu the Imperial Physician, with a dagger placed in a bowl, sharp and icy cold.

Liu Feng washed a handkerchief, folded it neatly, opened the curtains, and had Jin Chen hold it in his mouth.

"Your Majesty, it'll be over soon," Liu Feng could only whisper in comfort.

The young emperor, however, was accustomed to it; he bit the handkerchief, closed his eyes slightly, and soon the blade sliced his arm's skin, blood flowing out.

The entire hall fell into an uncanny silence, save for the sound of blood dripping into the bowl's bottom, like falling jade beads, or like oil sputtering over fierce fire.

Outside the screen, Xie Zhiwei waited on the noble consort's chair, reclining sideways, wearing only a dark outer robe, his bare toes on the blanket tensed, evidently enduring pain, the exposed skin pallid and almost ghostly.

The backlash of his spiritual power made the inner heat unbearable, as if he wanted to scorch his heart, liver, spleen, and lungs; his usually aloof phoenix eyes turned red, his expression growing more dazed and irritable, like a demon fallen into hell.

But besides the anxiety of waiting for the blood, there was also worry and unease about the person undergoing the bloodletting.

Their relationship had only just eased, Xie Zhiwei's gaze grew deeper, and the young emperor was no longer as easily placated as before.

After a while, Liu the Imperial Physician presented a jade bowl filled with fresh blood and a special secret medicine.

"Your Highness, the blood has come."

Xie Zhiwei, supported by Defu, gradually sat up; behind him was the window letting in moonlight, the blood in the jade bowl seeming to have been steeped in the emperor's lifespan, gorgeous and inexplicable, a chill pervading the air.

He stared at the jade bowl for a long while; Defu couldn't help reminding him before he seemed to regain his senses, then he lifted the bowl and drank it head back, a few drops of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, rolling down his refined jawline, tracing into his loose outer robe and leaving a red mark, winding and winding.

The blood still held a strange warmth, sliding down his throat; Xie Zhiwei, perhaps dazed from the backlash's burning, felt an inexplicable tenderness arise whenever he thought this blood flowed from Jin Chen's body.

He must rely on Jin Chen to live; Xie Zhiwei had formerly refused to admit it, but now he repeatedly chewed on that thought, and also considered that within these deep palace walls, Jin Chen could only survive under his protection.

The jade bowl chimed crisply against the table; Xie Zhiwei waved his hand to signal them to withdraw, and only when the hall was empty did he slowly rise, ignoring his loose robe, his long, alluring eyes once again gazing deep into the inner chamber as he stepped across the moonlit floor, passing through the screen.

"Your Majesty..."

Jin Chen was studying with Ling Gun Gun the strange cure for the spiritual power backlash when he heard that eerie voice and sprang from the blankets, instantly drawn to the cold, jade-like bare hand that had lifted the curtain's gauze.

Standing beside the bed, Xie Zhiwei resembled a midnight specter; his phoenix eyes shimmered with flowing light, the crimson bloodstain at the corner of his lips intertwining with his pallid skin, even his collarbones tinged with blood.

Xie Zhiwei drew closer, his thick black hair cascading over Jin Chen's shoulder as he leaned in to view his frail visage, not missing the undisguised astonishment in Jin Chen's eyes.

"Little Royal Uncle… you…"

"This is not good at all; I still feel crazy—wasn't drinking the blood supposed to calm me?"

Jin Chen swallowed his words, lifting one hand from the blankets—the very arm that had just been cut, its elbow covered with a hemostatic cloth, his icy fingertips wiping the blood from Xie Zhiwei's lips.

"Are you still in pain?" Jin Chen whispered, his voice like delirium.

Xie Zhiwei lowered his posture to make it easier for him to touch; hearing this, his long, thick lashes fluttered as he pressed his scorching face against Jin Chen's palm, "I'm much better now… thank you for Your Majesty's grant."

Suddenly, Xie Zhiwei knelt down; Jin Chen then noticed he was sweating cold, perhaps from the pain of the backlash, his black hair sticking to his face, gorgeous like a demon.

"Why are you kneeling?" Jin Chen observed his state, his voice dropping considerably, the hand resting on his cheek moving down to touch his collarbone, picking up his own blood.

Xie Zhiwei said nothing, as if he had not yet reacted from the burning pain, his hazy gaze fixed on Jin Chen, then he shook his head.

Jin Chen let out a soft sigh, tugged at him, "I have no strength and am cold; will you lie with me for a while?"

The chill from excessive blood loss left Jin Chen nearly without warmth; he had just been using spiritual power to shield his body, but now it seemed unnecessary.

Xie Zhiwei, perhaps hearing what he wanted to hear, slowly slipped into the blankets, yet feeling hot, he removed that outer robe and lay with Jin Chen in the same quilt.

Jin Chen's expression stiffened; helplessly, he embraced the warm body, his restless heart only able to timidly kiss the face to sate his longing.

Who would have thought that even a simple kiss on the cheek would draw a fierce stare from the dazed one, Jin Chen returning the gaze, while Xie Zhiwei broke into a smile, adding a hint of madness, and leaned in to kiss Jin Chen's lips.

Jin Chen: "……"

Ah, the taste of blood.

Jin Chen retreated a step, and Xie Zhiwei's kiss landed on his cheek.

【Villain Heartthrob Value +10, total 40!】

The broadcast voice was what Jin Chen heard upon waking the next day; Xie Zhiwei had already left at some point.

Having accomplished nothing but a sufficient kiss, Jin Chen rolled over like a salted fish.

【Host, I'm sure!】 Ling Gun Gun said: 【There are many kinds of backlash ailments, but this type isn't recorded in the Main God's system shop; I borrowed medicine from the neighboring medical system, but…… I can't get it for now.】

【Can't get it?】

【The medical system is makeshift; right now we've only exchanged for the raw materials.】 Ling Gun Gun also felt helpless.

Jin Chen felt his days were numbered.

Thus, from this day onward, no one could enter Bihua Palace; Liu Feng received the order, leading the Imperial Forest Guard to personally guard the gate.

If Xie Zhiwei came, Liu Feng would kneel and refuse to rise, saying this was His Majesty's command.

On the fourth day, Chu Qingqing came to the palace front under the pretense of visiting His Majesty; Liu Feng merely entered to announce, and Chu Qingqing smoothly entered Bihua Palace, just happening to be fully seen by Xie Zhiwei.

Xie Zhiwei had not expected that he could not enter, while Chu Qingqing could.

Recalling that night's absurdity, Xie Zhiwei lifted his hand to lightly touch his bitten lip, feeling somewhat dazed.

Was His Majesty frightened by him? But… later it became clear that His Majesty was even more agitated.