As evening drew near, seeing the boy remain fixed in one spot, Xiao Yi urged him to rise and take a stroll. Eventually, the two found themselves ambling toward the lotus pond again.
Yan Si's expression was utterly dejected and sullen; no matter what he did, he found no joy.
After walking for a while, Xiao Yi suddenly stopped Yan Si, saying: "Master, let us return."
"Why?" Was it not he who had insisted he should go out? Why turn back now? Could it be...
Initially, Yan Si had paid no mind, but now he finally looked around. Indeed... those two were here, engaging in the same intimate display as the day before.
He thought to himself: While I am consumed by sorrow, what of them?
Instantly, Yan Si stripped off his outer robes.
Seeing this, Xiao Yi cried out in panic: "Mas... Master... what are you doing?"
"Hush!" Yan Si gestured for Xiao Yi to be silent and instructed him to hide. As for himself, he slowly and gently slipped into the water.
Meanwhile, The Eldest Imperial Prince RongCheng and The Male Imperial Consort Shan Yuan were entirely oblivious to their surroundings. The lotus flowers were in full bloom this season, and the two frequently launched their boat onto the lake, allowing them to intimately converse and pluck lotuses.
RongCheng held a bundle of lotus pods, resting his head upon Shan Yuan's lap. He used one pod to gently poke the Consort's cheek, ordering: "Quickly, shell the seeds for your husband."
Shan Yuan said nothing, merely taking the lotus pod and carefully extracting the seeds, then placing them upon RongCheng's lips.
Yet, the Prince was still not satisfied, immediately shaking his head: "That is still not good enough."
"What more do you desire?"
RongCheng looked up at the Consort, pointing a finger at his own lips.
Shan Yuan understood the meaning, casting a soft glance at RongCheng, and asked: "Are you a mere child?"
"Indeed," The Prince, accustomed to shameless behavior toward Shan Yuan, immediately replied: "Hurry, hurry, the child greatly needs his mother's care."
"You..." Where on earth had this Eldest Imperial Prince's sense of propriety fallen? Shan Yuan sighed helplessly. He took the lotus seed into his mouth and bent down...
The man only wished for a kiss, yet he put on such a clever display...
The very moment Shan Yuan and RongCheng's lips touched, the boat suddenly rocked violently. In moments, a head covered with moss and weeds abruptly surfaced from the depths of the water, startling the two men!
In their fright, they instinctively leaped up. The heavily disturbed boat rocked even more violently, tipping over and flinging them both into the lake.
The sudden situation left no one able to comprehend what had happened, not even the one who had just surfaced.
It took a moment for the two, who had fallen into the pond, to resurface. The moment RongCheng realized the culprit before him was none other than the mischievous Yan Si, he moved toward him with some anger, grasping his neck and rapping him on the head. He asked in a low, stern voice: "A-Si, do you wish to die?"
Knowing he had caused great trouble, Yan Si stammered: "I... I... I apologize! I did not mean it! I did not mean to make you both fall into the water... I only... only wished to play a small trick... just a small one... Elder Brother, please forgive me."
RongCheng's expression grew even more severe: "You cannot be forgiven. Punishment is mandatory!"
"Ah, no!"
Even as he spoke, the Prince pushed Yan Si's head underwater...
The two looked exactly as if they were merely playing. Though he spoke of punishment, RongCheng could hardly bear to let him truly drown, merely forcing him to swallow a few gulps of water at most... Shan Yuan silently watched for a long while, then shook his head and smiled.
For many days, the pressure of court affairs had rendered RongCheng unhappy. He had resorted to seeking pleasure to relieve his stress, which left Shan Yuan exhausted every night—a thought that still filled him with fear.
Yet, after Yan Si's foolish act just now, RongCheng seemed somewhat more relaxed, even naturally playing with the boy.
Looking at the two, Shan Yuan began to have a change of heart, feeling that perhaps he had worried too much; the "Little Brother" was likely only acting this way due to a lack of affection.
When he saw Yan Si had drunk quite a bit of water, Shan Yuan swam closer and gently advised: "Your Highness, forgive him. If you continue thus, are you not afraid he might truly drown?"
Hearing this, RongCheng finally ceased his actions and cleared his throat: "Very well. Because the Elder..."
As he spoke, he suddenly felt Shan Yuan glare at him and quickly corrected himself: "Because... the Second Brother has spoken thus, I shall temporarily spare him. If there is a next time..."
Yan Si quickly shook his head: "No... I would not dare again... I absolutely would not dare!"
However, RongCheng was still not fully satisfied and shifted his gaze toward Shan Yuan, as if wanting Yan Si to say something to him.
Suddenly realizing the intention, Yan Si softly said: "Second Brother, I apologize! Thank you for helping me!"
If Shan Yuan had said nothing, would RongCheng truly not have let him go?
It seemed the Prince's ultimate goal was indeed a word from Shan Yuan. For between the three of them, there was no need to speak of favors; it was enough that his consort and his sworn brother merely acknowledged each other.
Shan Yuan naturally understood RongCheng's intention, only shaking his head and smiling without replying.
Immediately afterward, all three returned to the boat together to shell the lotus seeds. That moment was somewhat relaxed and joyful; the distance between Shan Yuan and Yan Si seemed to be gradually shrinking.
Yan Si began to feel that Shan Yuan was not as indifferent as he had thought, but quite the opposite—very warm and thoughtful toward others. There was a gentleness about him that made everyone near him feel extremely comfortable.
"No wonder Elder Brother loves him so much..." Thinking back to himself, he truly had no virtues whatsoever; he even caused trouble for others. He truly could not compare.
After an afternoon of enjoying the cool water in the lotus pond, Yan Si returned in quite a cheerful mood. After finishing his dinner, he continued to watch the two small crickets. Before long, he suddenly noticed a strange phenomenon.
"What are they doing?" Inside the cage, the male cricket seemed to be lying on top of the female, performing some action...
"Don't tell me... they are mating?" Yan Si stared at the crickets for a very long time, and his mind began to wander: "I wonder what Elder Brother is doing at this hour?"
What else could he be doing?
Embracing his consort in sleep? Or... perhaps doing the same as this pair of crickets...? Thinking this, his heart suddenly clenched in pain; he truly did not wish for it at all.
Yan Si sighed and returned to his bed, lying down with a silent longing. Perhaps the act of making love was an innate instinct of every human being; if it was not mentioned, all was well, but once seen, it ignited an inexplicable craving.
The image from the lotus pond that day never left Yan Si's mind; he even entertained far more distant thoughts, though they were not yet clear.
If only he could see it.
If only he could touch the man's robust body, feel his taut chest muscles and broad, dependable shoulder... every part was desirable to the point of death. Moreover, he wished to see that object...
Knowing he had just harbored such wicked thoughts, Yan Si immediately slapped himself hard, silently scolding: "Confound it! How dare you think such things!?"
Even if he were to see it, so what? Could he truly reach out and touch it? He clearly recognized that he was utterly unworthy of the man, so why did he still allow his heart to yearn? If the matter were to be revealed, it would only lead to scorn and abandonment.
"No... I cannot let that happen! Go to sleep... quickly, go to sleep..." Yan Si struggled to pull himself away from his tangled thoughts, squeezing his eyes shut.
Even if RongCheng held Yan Si in high regard now, the boy was still but a common weed by the roadside.