Hua Hua You Long

Chapter 5- Heroes of the World

The summer wind blew past softly. In the lily pond of Tong'an's Imperial Palace, the rootless, green water lilies swayed and unfolded along with the breeze, filling the entire palace with the mysterious, light fragrance that fluttered and aroused one's heart, intoxicating all those who lived in this heavenly city[1] on earth, and also added few strokes of divinity to the sleeves of the people on the pavilion built amidst the water.

On the elaborately-woven divan lounged a man in white, his black hair cascading against suet jade[2] skin and his stunning eyes so otherworldly they were like stars in the cold, night sky. He leaned carelessly on the divan. To his side, the attendants carefully waved the long, broad fans for him. A poise of idle, carefree summer. This beautiful man was none other than the highest aristocrat of the Datong regime: Emperor Jing Zong, Xuan Yuan Jing.

"Zhen Ye," he called to the attendant standing behind him.

"What is Your Majesty's command?"

"Send for Duke Tongxin." Tongxin was his younger twin brother, and was also a publicly-acknowledged iron hand of the empire.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The attendant respectfully received his task.

Jing rose to his feet as well, and walked to the edge of the pond. Taking the fish feed the maids handed him, he tossed it nonchalantly into the water. His eyes focused on the school of koi as it ate, but his thoughts flashed to somewhere far away.

A few months ago, Jing tricked and scared the mountain bandit king Lu Cang with whom he had had a chance meeting[3] into coming to Tong'an.

In the past few months, he had continuously bedded Lu Cang to obtain the wicked and cruel fulfilment of sadistic love-making he didn't want others to know of. But after he brutally tortured Lu Cang last time at Tonghua House, every time Jing went to that little house by Yue Long Bridge, Lu Cang always cried loudly and threw tantrums, using death as a threat and not allowing himself to touch him no matter what.

He'd tried forcibly taking Lu Cang, but Lu Cang's body had been injured very severely from last time, and combined with mental resistance, it was impossible to smoothly enter him. Even if there was a chance of success if Jing used all his strength, he feared that at the same time, Lu Cang would lose his life as well. Jing was still unwilling to have his beloved toy destroyed just like this, so he could only forcibly endure his discontented desire for the past ten days.

He'd also tried abducting other jianghu[4] men into bed, but those men either kicked the bucket after he only messed around with them a little or were so loose and laid-back he couldn't get interested. Whatever the case, there was always something that was not to his liking, which made him miss that fierce, reputation-loving, yet physically arousing little mountain bandit Lu Cang even more.

This time, his calling Tongxin in was also because he thought of an idea to turn the tables on everything, and to relieve himself of his unspeakable restlessness.

"Your Majesty, His Highness Duke Tongxin is here." Following the attendant's well-mannered report, Zheng stepped onto the golden bricks of the pavilion.

"Big Brother." Zheng gave the due course of respectable greeting[5], watched Jing wave away the attendants, and then sprang off the ground, leaning straight into his brother's arms.

The two brothers had always been close. Zheng even harboured feelings beyond brotherly love towards Jing, but that was something the two brothers never discussed. Instead, the two maintained their intimate relationship as brothers.

"Alright, alright, Zheng, quickly get down, I have serious business to discuss." Jing patted the brother who was about the same height as himself, reminding him not to overstep his boundaries.