Chapter 42: Prisoner at the Bottom of the Steps
“…”
Mu Bai’s Adam’s apple bobbed; before he could even rise, Su Mo had already shackled one of his hands.
He lifted his wrist and shook it twice, the iron chains clinking loudly.
Su Mo seized his hand, bound it behind his back, and shackled it to the other.
Unlike the coarse, rust-covered fetters found in the torture chamber, these still carried considerable weight on the wrists—cold and unyielding.
Given Mu Bai’s speed, he could easily have escaped being shackled if he wished, but since Su Mo did not force him, he made no struggle.
Su Mo bent down, lifted her into his arms, and placed her on the edge of the bed before gently removing her shoes and socks.
Even though restraints were being used, his movements remained tender and careful.
The slight unease Mu Bai had felt after being shackled gradually faded, and she softly called out, “Brother Su Mo.”
“Hmm?”
“I fought a Red Lotus Sect guardian at the Peng residence; my clothes are stained with poison and blood. Let me wash first.”
Su Mo lifted his eyes: “A Red Lotus Sect guardian? Which one?”
“I don’t know; it was a man.”
“Then it must have been Hong Ri. Among the four great guardians of the Red Lotus Sect, he is the only man. Apart from the red-robed guardian we encountered last time, the remaining two—Hong Yue and Hong Yu—are both women.”
Mu Bai raised an eyebrow. “You seem to know quite a lot.”
Su Mo merely smiled and kissed him lightly. “I’ll go boil some water.”
At this hour, all the servants in the residence had retired for the night, leaving the prince no choice but to attend to matters himself.
Watching Su Mo unfold the folding screen, Mu Bai teased, “Are you tired, dear brother? Let go of me, and I’ll come help you.”
Su Mo stepped out from behind the screen, lifted him up, and carried him toward the bathing tub.
Mu Bai waved his hand, letting the shackles clink for him to hear: “If you don’t release me, how can I bathe?”
“I’ll help you.”
Mu Bai: “…”
The bathing tub in the prince’s bedchamber was large enough; fitting two people inside posed no problem at all.
Inside the barrel, there was a protruding spot where Su Mo sat, slowly and deliberately removing the single layer of clothing still clinging to the person in his arms. His lowered eyelashes reflected a shimmering glow within his eyes.
Mu Bai leaned closer and kissed his eye.
Su Mo’s eyelashes trembled slightly; he tilted his face up to capture Mu Bai’s lips, exchanging a lingering, passionate kiss.
The hazy steam made everything around them moist and warmly heated, gradually intensifying. Mu Bai wanted more, but bound by shackles, he could not free his hands.
“Brother Su Mo.” He gently nibbled the other’s ear. “Let me go; this is inconvenient.”
Su Mo, however, did not grant his wish. He toyed with the iron chain between the shackles and asked with a smile, “What do you want to do? I’ll help you.”
Mu Bai bit down on the tip of Su Mo’s ear and gave it a tug.
The man’s hand then caught him beneath the water’s surface. “Tell me.”
Mu Bai could barely endure it.
Kneeling in the cramped space of the bathing tub, his hands bound, he struggled to maintain balance with every movement. His knees slipped, and he toppled backward, plunging beneath the water.
Although Su Mo swiftly pulled him up, he still choked on quite a bit of water.
A faint flush spread across the corners of Mu Bai’s eyes—whether from choking or anger, it was hard to tell.
When Su Mo’s fingers brushed against his lower lip, they were swiftly caught between Mu Bai’s teeth.
Mu Bai showed no mercy, his sharp teeth sinking deep into the flesh, nearly grazing the bone beneath.
Yet Su Mo merely smiled softly, pulling him closer. Sensing Mu Bai’s irritation, he ceased demanding any active pursuit of affection, instead coaxing gently: “Come sit over here, come to me.”
“Xiao Bai, be good.”
…
Normally, Mu Bai had never felt that the nickname “Xiao Bai” sounded like something belonging to a domesticated pet.
Until this night… perhaps not just this one night.
His consciousness was foggy; he sensed the light filtering in from outside shifting between bright and dim, as if a long time had already passed.
They had stayed in the bathtub for a long time; upon emerging, Mu Bai felt utterly weak and sore. Just as he collapsed onto the bed, shackles were locked around his ankles…
He had thought that was already too much, yet there was something even more… Mu Bai refused to recall it.
At that moment, he had been so furious he wanted to curse, but instead heard Su Mo murmuring vaguely about departing on a long journey, possibly returning only after a very long time, or perhaps never returning at all.
Su Mo kept whispering softly into his ear, stirring a sour warmth in his chest until his entire body softened, leaving him completely at Su Mo’s mercy.
Now that I think about it, it must have been a lie.
How could he not return…
Mu Bai suddenly opened her eyes.
What met her gaze was a bed canopy in warm red hues.
He sat up, clutching the quilt, and saw the disheveled marks on the sheets. Though his body had been carried away to be washed, it still retained a lingering warmth.
But where had the person who lay beside him gone?
Mu Bai’s heart began to race; suddenly, he heard footsteps crossing the threshold.
He lifted his gaze to see Su Mo entering, dressed in an elaborate black-and-gold embroidered palace robe, carrying a bowl of congee.
Mu Bai: “What are you…”
Su Mo placed the porridge on the table, sat by the bedside, and raised his hand to touch Mu Bai’s forehead. “No fever. That’s good.”
Mu Bai was momentarily stunned, his face truly flushing with heat. “You actually know… What you did last night was simply outrageous.”
Su Mo smiled and kissed his ear.
“Xiao Bai, I’m heading to the palace shortly and will be departing today. Take care of yourself in the manor…”
“Departing? Where to?”
“Didn’t I already tell you?” Su Mo tucked the blanket around him. “Rebel forces are causing unrest at the border; Father has ordered me to lead troops and suppress them.”
When Mu Bai went to the Peng residence, Su Mo was in his study attending to correspondence; this very letter was among those he received.
“…” Mu Bai vaguely remembered that Su Mo had indeed told him last night about leaving for a distant war.
He furrowed his brows: “Is this the doing of that concubine who entered the palace a few days ago?”
Su Mo raised an eyebrow: “Indeed, she recommended me to my father. How did you know?”
Mu Bai then recounted everything he had learned from Peng Deshou to Su Mo, holding nothing back.
“Oh…” Su Mo showed no surprise, merely stating calmly, “I see.”
“You cannot go. The Red Lotus Sect and the Third Prince intend to use this opportunity to harm you.”
“But if I defy the imperial decree, I fear it will only give them an even easier pretext to seize upon.” Seeing Mu Bai’s brows knitted tightly together, Su Mo reached up to smooth them out. “Are you worried about me?”
Mu Bai slapped his hand away. “Isn’t that obvious?”
“Then call me ‘husband’ once more,” Su Mo said with a smile. “Thus, even if I perish on the battlefield, I shall have no regrets…”
“Pah, pah, pah!” Mu Bai retorted angrily. “Are you cursing me to become a widower?”
“I won’t call you that. Let’s see if you can return alive first.”
“You already called me that last night… in bed,” Su Mo remarked.
“Shut up.”
Mu Bai clutched his clothes tightly, lowering her eyes. “Haven’t you heard? Nothing a man says in bed should be taken seriously.”
Su Mo smiled. “Then was what you said last night—that you like me the most—not true either?”
“Did I say that?”
“Mm.” Su Mo leaned close, whispering into his ear, “You also said you’d willingly become my prisoner.”
Mu Bai: “…”
He could only pretend to have lost his memory: “I don’t remember.”
Su Mo raised a hand to trace the curve of his lower lip. “Then say it again.”
“I won’t.”
“Alright.” Su Mo said indifferently, “Then I’m leaving.”
“No.” Mu Bai still held onto him tightly.
“Can’t bear to let me go?”
Mu Bai turned his face away and nodded slightly.
“I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
Mu Bai gave a muffled “Mm” in response, still refusing to let go.
Unable to pull his sleeve free, Su Mo could only smile helplessly. “Xiao Bai.”
Mu Bai said, “Come here.”
He leaned in as instructed and received a kiss from Mu Bai.
It was an extremely light kiss, barely perceptible, yet incredibly tender.
Before Su Mo could react, Mu Bai pulled away, wiping his lips with his thumb. “Alright, you may go now.”
“…”
Mu Bai pushed him gently. “Why haven’t you left yet?”
If he didn’t go soon, Mu Bai feared he truly wouldn’t be able to let him go.
Su Mo caught his hand, pressed him back into the bed, and tormented him until the corners of Mu Bai’s eyes turned crimson before finally pulling away with a gasp. “Wait for me.”
“…Alright.”
After Su Mo left, Mu Bai lay on the bed, staring blankly for a long while before finally getting up to wash, dress, and drink the bowl of congee left on the table.
Stepping out of the bedroom, he saw Ye Xing and Jin Yi both standing in the courtyard. Startled, he asked, “Why are you two here? Did Su Mo not bring anyone with him?”
Jin Yi nodded and replied, “His Highness instructed us to stay and keep you company.”
Mu Bai, still uneasy, wanted to send Ye Xing along, but upon hearing that Su Mo already had other hidden guards at his side, he abandoned the idea.
He sat blankly by the stone table for a while before asking Jinyi, “Do you know what’s happening over there? How many rebels are there?”
“Madam, I’m not clear on that either.” Jinyi paused, then continued, “In recent years, His Majesty’s health has been deteriorating, and rebellions have erupted along the borders. Normally, local generals should suppress them; there shouldn’t be any need to dispatch His Highness. However…”
“Just what?”
“His Highness has been favored by the Emperor since childhood. With his exceptional talent, looks, and martial prowess, he inevitably became a target among the imperial family. Initially, he feigned illness and retreated to Qinglian Valley to avoid the struggle for succession. But later…” Jinyi glanced at Mu Bai before continuing, “Madam must understand: once His Highness’s true martial abilities and his pretense of illness are exposed, he will become the focus of everyone’s hostility. Returning to the imperial capital would then mean certain doom. Being sent to fight on the border is, under these circumstances, considered fortunate.”
Mu Bai nodded listlessly, resting her head on the table.
Jinyi added, “There are some words I am unsure whether I should speak or not.”
Mu Bai replied, “Then speak them.”
“His Highness received a letter last night and instructed Ye Xing and me in advance: if he fails to return, we are to take the silver from the manor and escort the Lady back to Qinglian Valley.”
Mu Bai: “…”
She sighed softly and said, “Lady, back at Lingyun Ferry, Ye Xing and I already knew His Highness harbored feelings for you, yet we never expected him to personally intervene in the martial arts tournament for marriage. He has long known he could not stay by your side forever, yet still chose to marry you… It is like quenching thirst with poison; truly unlike something he would do.”
Mu Bai fell silent for a moment, then rose from the table and turned to walk back into her room without another word.
Ye Xing watched his retreating figure and asked Jin Yi, “Didn’t His Highness instruct us not to tell the Lady? Why did you blurt out everything?”
“I…” Seeing Mu Bai enter the room and close the door, she too felt regret. “I just thought the Lady should know these things.”
The two stood guard outside the door, filled with worry. After about half an hour, the door opened again.
Mu Bai emerged dressed in white palace attire, sword in hand, and before their very eyes, scaled the wall to leave the prince’s residence.
“Where is the Lady off to?”
“I don’t know, but before His Highness departed, he said that if the Lady were to leave home carrying a sword, the two of us need not follow.”
“That makes sense.”
Since they did not follow, they naturally had no way of knowing that Mu Bai had rushed to the palace gates to wait for their prince.
Su Mo, escorted out by a crowd of ministers, had just bid them farewell when, upon stepping beyond the palace gates, his path was blocked by a sword.
The sword-bearer, clad in a white palace robe, wore a cold expression on their beautiful face: “I will go with you.”