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Dusk tinged the snow, rime frost glistened, silver frost clung to bamboo, no birds or beasts in sight. Zheng E had no heart to admire this intricate snow scene. His eyes throbbed unbearably, his vision a chaotic mix of black and white, his eye sockets feeling like they harbored crawling larvae. Stepping out of the carriage, he rushed straight into the house.Shen Yilun was bewildered, dragged inside by Zheng E whose grip left his wrist stinging.
Days prior, the first snow had suddenly swept across the plains. Where could commoners find shelter from the biting cold? Countless frozen corpses littered the night. Even Shen Yilun himself, faced with mountains of case files piled up before the New Year, struggled to maintain composure—let alone Zheng E, this impostor.Officially serving as the Commissioner of Public Welfare, he managed grain procurement and market purchases, overseeing the collection of corpses and burial rites. Covertly acting as an envoy to the Eastern Palace, he coordinated the Ghost Market's grain trade and the transport operations of the canal transport guild. For days, Zheng E had scarcely closed his eyes. Just as he finished the final task, the sound of snow-laden bamboo snapping caught his attention. Glancing outside, he saw the dawn light and realized another sleepless night had passed.Just as he was about to rest, a messenger rushed in with urgent news—the prisoner beneath the earth sought an important matter and requested an audience. Zheng E reluctantly agreed, fighting off his weariness.Shen Yilun had never before made such an extraordinary request. Even trivial matters like extra clothing or food had been arranged by Zheng E's orders. Their occasional meetings were filled with Shen Yilun's rambling, urging Zheng E to reconsider his stance. Zheng E had no idea what could possibly prompt this "guest of honor" to open his mouth and ask for an audience.
Upon descending, Zheng E found Shen Yilun seated, penning a poem:
“A sudden snow blankets a thousand miles in white, Gloom and sorrow darken the fields far and wide.As a minister in the imperial court, one must witness the suffering.”
"Understood. I shall go," Zheng E replied.
"Ah Zheng, you must take me on this matter," Shen Yilun said solemnly upon seeing him.
"If you intend to escape, Sir Shen, you could easily find another opportunity," Zheng E quipped.
"Not so. Investigations demand meticulous attention; they cannot be taken lightly. The intricacies involved are too complex to explain fully now. If you have doubts, Ah Zheng, you may even shackle me. But the hardship grows with each day delayed. Every moment lost means another soul may turn to dust before help arrives."
"...As you wish."
Thus, Zheng E disguised himself as a guard, concealing his silver hair beneath a conical hat and his features behind a black official's cap. He shared a palanquin with Shen Yilun. Zheng E was certain Shen Yilun would never attempt escape, yet he could not let the man see his trust. So, he drew forth a thread-thin fungal filament and wrapped it around Shen Yilun's waist as a warning.Every breath Shen Yilun took, every contraction of his abdomen, every movement—large or small—was transmitted through this parasite to Zheng E's palm.
As he approached the gathering of villagers, before he even set foot on the ground, cries of "Lord Shen has arrived!" "Lord Shen, please help us!" and "Lord Shen..." filled the air. This year's grain harvest had been poor, and now sudden heavy snow had fallen. The villagers feared they would go hungry and freeze to death without enough charcoal.Shen Yilun comforted each in turn, then surveyed every household's stockpiles of manure and compost, winter plowing to preserve soil moisture, and repairs to homes and clothing. He even arranged for wealthy families to hire the poor to chop firewood and pound rice, inquiring into every detail, including weddings and funerals.Zheng E felt a sudden pang of loss. Twelve years had passed, and Shen Yilun was no longer the little shadow following him. Now he was the legitimate Commissioner of Constant Peace, a prominent court official bringing light to the villagers. As for Zheng E, he was merely a despicable villain who had usurped the Commissioner's glory.At noon, the blazing sun reflected off the snow, its glare piercing Zheng E's eyes. He rubbed his temples, unable to shake the knot of frustration in his chest.
Shen Yilun had been making his rounds all day and only headed home as the sun dipped toward the western hills. Zheng E, utterly exhausted, had closed his eyes for a brief rest when he felt a piercing stare fixed upon him. Irritated, he snapped, "Shen Yilun, what exactly are you looking at? Do you think your own face is so beautiful?"
"No,Ah Zheng. Why are you crying?"
"Am I?" Zheng E frowned in confusion. He touched his face—it was wet. Tears had fallen without him noticing. Opening his eyes, he could barely see. Shen Yilun before him blurred into a golden haze. Zheng E's heart sank. The days of exhaustion, hunching over dim lamps, followed by today's outing into the blinding sunlight reflecting off the snow—it had likely triggered snow blindness.
"Ah Zheng, why are your eyes so red?" Shen Yilun leaned forward, about to get closer for a look, then reached out to wipe away his tears. Zheng E slapped his hand away, thinking to himself, It's all because of you."It's nothing. Sit down." They walked in silence until they reached Autumn Twilight Residence. Zheng E pulled Shen Yilun along and hurried into the house. He feared that delaying even a moment longer would leave him completely blind.
Zheng E tore off his conical hat and collapsed onto the bed. His eyes felt like they were splitting open, his eyelids spasming shut tight.Though lying down, his hand remained clasped around Shen Yilun's wrist. Shen Yilun stood by the bedside, smoothing the furrowed brow on Zheng E's forehead with his free hand, wiping away his tears, and brushing aside the damp strands of hair. Only after sitting quietly for a moment did Zheng E release his grip.Shen Yilun rose and headed toward the door. Just as he reached it, he felt the delicate tug of the fungal thread at his waist. Turning back, he said, "Ah Zheng, I won't leave. It's cold in here. I'll fetch the saltpeter and lamp oil to light the brazier."
"They're both in the lower level of the storeroom. Also, take 15 grams of coptis from the second and third compartments of the medicine cabinet. Boil three bowls down to one bowl..."
The tension at his waist eased. Shen Yilun obeyed, stepping outside to retrieve the medicine pot and set it over the kindling brazier. As the flames grew, he saw warmth spreading through the room. He then removed Zheng E's outer robe, took off his hair ornaments, and covered him with the quilt. He silently rejoiced that Ah Zheng had dressed lightly as a guard today. Had he been in his usual ceremonial attire, simply removing all those head ornaments would have taken considerable time.Shen Yilun watched the decoction finish boiling. After it cooled slightly, he dipped a handkerchief into it, wrung it until half-dry, and applied it to Zheng E's eyelids as instructed, securing it with a cloth strip. When finished, Zheng E said, "Just go. I'm fine. There’s nothing serious. Two days of rest will suffice." Words of gratitude felt somewhat superfluous between these two.
"Ah Zheng, are you cold?" Zheng E wondered what this completely irrelevant question was meant for.
"I'm not cold." Of course, he wasn't warm either. He was sure that Shen Yilun couldn’t manage to bring in another brazier on his own, and Zheng E didn't wish to dwell on it.
"But I am cold."
"Wrap yourself in my cloak for now. I'll have more braziers brought shortly."
Zheng E, blinded by his injury, heard rustling sounds and assumed Shen Yilun had fetched his robe to put on. Yet the very next moment, the quilt was pulled back, and Shen Yilun slipped in wearing only his undershirt. The narrow bed could barely fit one person, so Zheng E had to turn sideways to prevent Shen Yilun from hanging half his body off the edge.Shen Yilun took Zheng E's icy hand, rubbing it and breathing warm air upon it until the frozen solidity finally melted into spring water. Zheng E realized Shen Yilun had no intention of leaving. He simply pulled the other's shoulders closer, their noses touching, and whispered softly, "Sleep." Two patients with body temperatures lower than normal, huddled together like this, could at least keep each other warm.Before long, Zheng E, overcome by exhaustion, drifted into a deep sleep. In his daze, the person in his arms shifted, furry head brushing against his chest. The ticklish sensation made Zheng E grunt softly. Unconsciously, he shifted back a few inches, pressing himself against the wall, afraid the other might fall.Little did he know Shen Yilun remained awake, ear pressed to his chest, listening to the strings of his heart plucked. In the silent, endless night, the howling wind could not enter the house, and the drifting snow merely covered the broken mud. Only the occasional crackle of the fire echoed Zheng E's steady heartbeat.
This rare respite felt like Zheng E had entered the realm of Hua Xu—a land of flower-adorned paths, peaks of exquisite rock, winding balustrades, pavilions, and jade-carved railings, where warblers sang and strings played of their own accord.A fawn emerged from the blossoms, its antlers still budding, its body speckled like plum blossoms. It nuzzled affectionately against his hand. Zheng E stroked the young deer gently. As if understanding human emotion, the fawn blinked its large, watery eyes and licked his cheek, sending a wave of warmth and ticklish sensation through him.The fawn bowed its head to nudge him, and Zheng E fell backward with the motion, letting it nuzzle freely. The fawn pushed open his clothes, licking from his waist down to his lower body, teasing Zheng E until he became aroused. Just as Zheng E tried to rise to stop it,when suddenly, several vines shot out from the grass, binding his limbs so he couldn't move. He tried to command the fungal threads, but they wouldn't obey. He could only watch helplessly as the fawn took his throbbing member into its mouth, saliva coating the shaft, glistening with moisture.veins bulging, unable to control his moans. Eyes tightly shut, he released himself in a flash of white and gold light within the deer's mouth. After a moment's gasping to regain his breath, he tried to open his eyes, only to find them covered by a handkerchief. He realized it had all been a wet dream.
Warm, sticky semen trickled down his waist and abdomen. His member had softened, yet remained cradled in a warm, firm grasp. The palm bore no calluses from swords, only those from writing—it was Shen Yilun's hand.
"My lord has such leisurely inclinations. Why, so early in the morning, are you already amused by toying with me?"
Though Zheng E couldn't see it, he could vividly imagine Shen Yilun's face flushing crimson at the taunt: the delicate skin of his earlobes and nose tip turning the deepest red; the corners of his eyes and cheeks tinged with a blush of shame; his brow furrowed, his thin lips trembling slightly.Each time he spoke to provoke him, Zheng E would see this very face, and it gave him a sadistic thrill.
"...Sorry, Ah Zheng, I'll wipe it for you." After fumbling for a while, Shen Yilun finally realized: the handkerchief had been taken to apply medicine to Zheng E.Last night, after confirming Zheng E was fast asleep, he rose, trimmed the candle, and took up his brush. He penned a memorial detailing the people's myriad hardships, urging village officials to extend aid. By the time he finished, the long night's watch had ended. He went out to send a carrier pigeon with the message, only to find the eastern sky already turning pale. Feeling slightly weary, he was about to crawl back into Zheng E's embrace when he noticed the man lay flat, his crotch bulging. Days of relentless toil,and a night of deep, uninterrupted sleep had allowed pent-up desire to rise with the faint morning light.Shen Yilun had assumed it would soften naturally after a moment's wait. Unexpectedly, Zheng E murmured and moaned in low, sensual tones, indulging in a wet dream. He feared that if he listened any longer, his own desire would stir. He resolved to stroke him swiftly, hoping to return to sleep soon. Little did he know he had become a divine deer, teasing the man in his grasp until his craving became insatiable.Zheng E groped, hooking his fingers around Shen Yilun's waist and pinching the soft flesh of his lower abdomen. Shen Yilun winced in pain and instinctively let go. Seizing the moment, Zheng E slid his hand between Shen Yilun's thighs, pulled down his undergarments, and squeezed his member hard—a deliberate act of retaliation for Shen Yilun's earlier boldness.Caught off guard, Shen Yilun arched his back in a tremor, his breath catching in a sharp gasp as pleasure and pain tangled. His hands fumbled for support, smearing Zheng E's semen across his abdomen—a stain now impossible to wipe clean.
Zheng E kneaded and rubbed, hardening him deliberately. With a mischievous streak, he scraped the sensitive glans with his nails, gliding from the hood down to the urethral opening, circling, stroking, and teasing. The member leaked clear fluid in surrender. Shen Yilun gasped and moaned incessantly, his vital organ held captive, unable to resist. His hands clenched helplessly onto the bedrails, knuckles turning pale and white, veins bulging.That hand, tired of the tip, moved to grasp the two balls, kneading, squeezing, and flicking them. Reaching down to the rosebud, it found it already wet and slippery. Listening to Zheng E's moans for so long, coupled with the earlier teasing, had made him naturally lubricated. One finger slid in like a fish entering a pond; two fingers felt like a dragon playing in the sea, meeting no resistance.Without needing to search, Zheng E's experience guided him to that sensitive spot. At times he tapped lightly and teased slowly, like mist rising from clouds; at others he pressed hard and thrust urgently, like rain battering flowers. His calloused fingers ground against his sensitive spot, his knuckles scraping the edges of his back door.How could Shen Yilun endure such relentless assault? His breathing grew erratic, his moans swelling into a crescendo as he neared release. Just then, Zheng E withdrew his hand. His four fingers circled the shaft, his thumb pressing firmly over the opening. Refusing to grant him release, he suppressed his triumphant joy and teased, "My darling, has your servant Zheng E served you well this time?"
"Ugh... I’m gonna cum... ah ah... Zheng... please..."
Zheng E knew he'd gone too far, his advantage abused. He withdrew his hand and returned to stroking his own shaft. Having listened to those languid moans for so long, he was hard again. He simply told him, "Take care of yourself. Put on your cloak and go back downstairs."He thought to himself, the bed in this man's room was narrow and hard, and after squeezing together all night, how could he sleep well? Better to return to the soft bed downstairs and get some more rest. He had no idea Shen Yilun hadn't slept a wink all night.
Another rustle followed, warm breath curling up between Zheng E's legs. Soft flesh pressed against the outer thighs, one hand gripping the shaft while another enveloped it. The glans touched a slippery, secret place. Shen Yilun drew in a deep breath, thrusting his hips downward, taking half of it inside.Zheng E was suddenly clamped tight by the passage. Uncertain whether pleasure or shock came first, he cried out in surprise:
"Shen Yilun, you—"
—I told you to handle it with your hands, not with me!
The tables had turned, and now Zheng E was at a loss. Shen Yilun thrust upward and sat down, taking in a few more inches until half of it was inside.Zheng E lost his composure, his vision blurred. He tried to lift Shen Yilun up, but accidentally pinched a sensitive spot. Shen Yilun instantly went limp, falling down involuntarily. In one breath, he took it all the way in. The honeyed flesh spasmed, moans impossible to suppress. He was on the verge of ecstasy, erupting violently.Beneath him, Zheng E first felt the hot semen burning his abdomen, then the soft shaft slumping down. He knew Shen Yilun had released. Using his hands for leverage, he bent his knees to sit up. This movement thrust the wicked root deeper inside. Having just climaxed, Shen Yilun couldn't bear this new penetration, his whimpers tinged with grievance.Zheng E thought, You wanted it. He lifted the butt and thrust, the wet sounds echoing, waves of tingling pleasure washing over him. The soft flesh clasped before him grew rigid again—perhaps Shen Yilun's member had risen once more, brushing against Zheng E's lower abdomen and dripping a few lingering drops of semen.
Lost in passion, Shen Yilun gripped Zheng E's shoulders and demanded a kiss, heedless of the morning's unwashed state. He nibbled at the corner of his lips with desperate abandon, trailing backward to his ear, his voice hoarse as he murmured, "Ah Zheng... may... ah... may I ask... one thing?"
"Must you... hmm... ah... at this very moment... urge me to repent...?" Zheng E couldn't be bothered with idle chatter. He grabbed the back of Shen Yilun's head, silencing that overly talkative mouth. With practiced ease, he pried open his jaws, tangling his tongue with Shen Yilun's, sucking and licking until saliva dripped freely, the wetness only heightening the sensuality.Teeth clashed, the ache adding to the thrill. They paused their movements below, lost in the long, languid kiss until breathlessness threatened, then withdrew their tongues, lips still lightly pressed together, both panting heavily.
"It's not that... Ha... Ah Zheng..."
"Then what is it?"
"You never used to... call me that..."
Zheng E’s throat tightened at the words, his thoughts racing. Officials stealing lovers and raping prisoners had been common since ancient times—perfectly reasonable. But answering him thus would make them lovers. As a man facing death, he couldn’t promise the weighty vow of a lifetime.Shen Yilun, unwilling to wait for his hesitation, thrust his hips forward, teasing and coaxing Zheng E until the surge of desire became too much to contain. Finally, the name he hadn't heard in twelve long years escaped his lips: "Ah Shen—"This long-lost intimacy shattered what little rationality Shen Yilun had left. His anus greedily swallowed and released the sinful root within, his intestinal walls contracting as he sat up abruptly, his juices flowing freely.Zheng E, realizing his slip of the tongue, gritted his teeth to suppress his gasps. His heavy breathing transformed the darkness before his eyes into a vibrant, blossoming paradise. His gaze locked with those doe-like eyes brimming with desire, and he knew it was too late. He hurriedly lifted Shen Yilun, but it was already too late. Half of him was exposed to the cold air, half still inside, spilling hot semen. He couldn't pull out before he came.Shen Yilun, unaware of the disruption, shifted his hips down, taking him fully inside, pushing the scorching seed deeper. his lips moved upward, kissing his eyes through the cloth strip—left to right, right to left. The bitter taste of huanglian water spread, writing an untimely footnote to this sweet cloud-and-rain encounter.Zheng E, his mind reeling from Shen Yilun's kisses , feared another moment of this would make him hard again inside. He used both hands to rub Shen Yilun's tip, that spot so sensitive it was ready to explode at the slightest touch. A trickle of white fluid oozed, smearing across here and there. By now, there wasn't a single clean spot left on him.
"Ah Zheng, call out one more time."
"If you had pulled out earlier... now look—I can't see. Who are you going to find to clean you up?"
A clumsy attempt to change the subject. Zheng E was grateful his eyes were covered, preventing Shen Yilun from seeing his expression—though his naturally fair skin had already been betrayed by his crimson cheeks.
Shen Yilun, aware he'd gained the upper hand, ceased his playful teasing. He withdrew his hips, white semen trickling from the honeyed cleft, creeping down the inner thighs—a truly sensual sight. Poor Zheng E, afflicted by his eye ailment, had missed this erotic spectacle.Shen Yilun casually wiped the residue from his discarded undergarments, paying no heed to the lingering traces within. Naked, he walked to the chest of drawers, retrieved two sets of clean clothes, dressed himself, then helped Zheng E change. He balled up the soiled garments and tossed them beside the bed, pulled the quilt over them, wrapped his arms tightly around Zheng E's waist, and lay down.
"How did you handle the paperwork from yesterday's patrol?"
"I've taken care of it last night. Now let me sleep."
"Hmm."
Winter days are bitterly short, spring nights sweetly long. Eyes unburdened by the toil of paperwork, ears untroubled by the howling wind and snow. Blood feuds, ideological clashes, the nearness of death—all became illusions. Only the breath at his ear and the warmth of skin against skin felt real. With his beloved beside him, what more could a man ask for?