From CEO to Concubine-Chapter 129: Kindling a Flame

Yan Zheyun was roused from slumber by the insistent pressure of soft kisses along his neck. This wasn’t an unusual way to wake up; why he’d once thought Liu Yao was frigid in bed, he would never know. The drowsy stupor of the early morning clung heavily to his brain as he tried to open his eyes but a warm hand pressed gently down on his eyelids to keep them shut.

"Go back to sleep," he heard Liu Yao murmur, his deep, resonant voice huskier than normal at the start of the day. It only ever became like that from a lack of use overnight or when they rolled into bed together and despite the laziness that still lingered in Yan Zheyun’s bones, he could feel the first stirrings of interest pooling low beneath his abdomen, a Pavlovian response that was as heady as it was embarrassing.

"How am I supposed to if you keep doing that?" Yan Zheyun mumbled his complaint but his actions were more honest than his mouth as he tilted his head to one side to give Liu Yao better access.

Liu Yao’s breath fanned over his collarbone as he chuckled and a second later, Yan Zheyun shivered as he felt the sharp nick of teeth against the sensitive skin just beneath his ear, which, of course, was intentional. Before he could squirm away—or squirm closer, his mind was still groggy from being awakened mid-REM sleep and he wasn’t ready to make important decisions—Liu Yao’s mouth closed over the area he’d just bitten, sucking lightly there the way he knew would reward him with a gasp.

"You—" With great difficulty, Yan Zheyun pushed Liu Yao’s hand away so that he could give him a proper stare. "Are you sure you want me to go back to sleep?" And also, wasn’t it time for court? Or did Liu Yao wake up even earlier than his usual god-forsaken hour just for a bit of a collaborative morning workout?

"Ah Yun seems ready to begin the day," was Liu Yao’s shameless remark and clearly he’d been up for quite a while longer than Yan Zheyun was because his reflexes were much faster. Before Yan Zheyun could stop him, a hand darted swiftly between the blankets to palm at the hardness growing between Yan Zheyun’s legs and Yan Zheyun had to avert his gaze to avoid being attacked with the full force of Liu Yao’s smugness at what was probably the ancient equivalent of 3 or 4 am.

In addition to being the most powerful man in the country, Liu Yao could sometimes compete with three-year-olds at being the most childish too. But Yan Zheyun couldn’t deny that this younger version of his boyfriend, that one that didn’t put on a facade of cold indifference or calculative judgement for the sake of politics, felt a lot more human. A lot more reachable.

"Go away," he protested, trying to push Liu Yao’s hand off to be contrary, just barely managing to catch his tone before it pitched into a whine. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d sounded like that; he’d learnt independence at a very tender age, just because his parents were constantly at work and had strictly impressed upon the housekeeping staff not to indulge him.

"But you’re pressing up against me," Liu Yao replied, nuzzling against Yan Zheyun’s cheek as he palmed him harder through the thin silks of Yan Zheyun’s underclothes, letting out an amused hum as he felt Yan Zheyun’s hips rut up against his touch.

"It’s an expected response," Yan Zheyun argued. "I’m a healthy young male—" Before he could delve into a long justification based on physiology, something equally hard pressed against his right thigh, cutting him short effectively.

"It is," Liu Yao crooned his agreement. "As Ah Yun has no doubt noticed, I’m a healthy young male too." Yan Zheyun didn’t know how he managed to manipulate his voice like that; was this still the same man who could instil fear into hundreds of others at a go just with one icy sentence? Right now, Liu Yao’s words were molten on Yan Zheyun’s ears, like liquid seduction, and it would be so easy to just give in except he could still feel the burn between his thighs, red rawness from where he’d taken Liu Yao between his thighs again the night before with perhaps not enough lubricant given the ridiculous stamina of this BL harem novel gong.

It always left him unable to do much the day after, stuck with the awkward waddle of someone who had ridden a horse for too long, except, from the knowing glances some of the servants had shot him when they thought he wasn’t looking, everyone was aware that he hadn’t been anywhere near the stables.

Suddenly, he wasn’t so sure about consummating their relationship with actual penetration. Sex in ’Hurt Me in a Million Ways’ clearly couldn’t be defined with the same normal parameters that he’d believed sex in his original world to have...although, it wasn’t like he had much to compare it to.

Luckily, however, Liu Yao was attentive in bed in more than one way and seemed to remember that Yan Zheyun was still sore because he didn’t ask for more than a helping hand. It was a nice enough way to wake up, Yan Zheyun decided, languid and unrushed in the hazy glow of the dim candlelight tucked away behind the bed curtains and folding screens that kept them out of sight from the entrance to the chambers.

He couldn’t recall when he’d drifted off again after releasing in Liu Yao’s hand, but could vaguely make out the fond sigh and the kiss on his temple before Liu Yao intertwined their fingers and took over Yan Zheyun’s task of pleasuring him by borrowing his hand. When he next woke up, the sun was shining through the silk fabric windows (1). Liu Yao must have cleaned him up too—he never let anyone touch Yan Zheyun after moments of intimacy, not even Xiao De—because there was no residual stickiness on his fingers, but even so, Yan Zheyun could feel his cheeks heating up just from the memory of the velvety heat he’d stroked off...for a while before falling asleep once more.

Hopefully, Liu Yao wasn’t keeping track of debts owed.

The smarting between his thighs was as good a reason as any to not go for his usual morning run. Even though it was very scenic here in the imperial villa, the higher altitude made it a challenge that Yan Zheyun might have appreciated once but Yan Yun’s body most certainly did not. For as long as Yan Zheyun could remember, keeping fit had been part of his daily routine but where the efforts used to be rewarding, Yan Yun’s fragile beauty shou disposition was like a glass ceiling that no amount of exercise seemed to be able to shatter. Yan Zheyun had finally reconciled himself with the idea that he wasn’t going to ever get his abs back again.

Still, he had a monumental task to fulfil, one that he’d drafted and refined plan after plan for discussion with Liu Yao until he’d finally been given the green light the day before.

After a quick breakfast, what he needed to do was go for a walk.

The sky was teal with the faintest wisp of white clouds and Xiao De had chosen robes for him of a similar shade. The gardens were inviting with their warm pastels and it felt like he’d walked into a painting.

Seated in one of the many pavilions by the large pond were two ladies and their attending maidservants. Even from a distance, Yan Zheyun could tell who they were; the one dressed in vibrant hues had to be Imperial Concubine Hui and the one whose palette was much closer to his was Talented Lady Zhao.

The invitation to the imperial villa hadn’t been extended to all the concubines in the inner palace. It wasn’t tradition so much as the emperor’s preference but he had the final say in who would form part of the imperial entourage. Custom dictated that the empress dowager and empress would come along, the former out of the emperor’s filial piety and the latter because of her status in the harem. But the empress dowager had issued Liu Yao an ultimatum stating that she refused to leave her palace until the fourth prince was no longer held under house arrest, believing that Liu Yao would keep up appearances of being a dutiful son and succumb to her demand.

As a result, Liu Yao had fielded multiple memorials from his civil officials lecturing him on his role of setting an example for his civilians and the empress dowager and the fourth prince were still, as far as Yan Zheyun could guess, sweating through the heatwave in the capital.

There was also no empress, of course. So Yan Zheyun’s name had been first on Liu Yao’s list. Followed by Gracious Consort Yao. Hua Zhixuan had, rather unsurprisingly, asked to be left behind with special access to the library adjunct to Tianlu Pavilion and Noble Consort Dou had had to stay behind to oversee the running of the harem.

In total, Liu Yao had brought a measly four concubines with him, a number so meagre that his officials had once again attempted to protest. Imperial Concubine Hui had been selected on the grounds of her rank and her relative lack of familial background. Talented Lady Zhao had been chosen for exactly the opposite reasons, possibly an acknowledgement of the left prime minister’s loyalty.

Recently, Liu Yao had been sharing more and more about court politics with Yan Zheyun. He’d listened attentively to what Liu Yao wished to divulge and didn’t pry into the rest.

Where there was more than one concubine there was also usually drama, Yan Zheyun had learnt in the past, so it was with some surprise that he noted that neither Imperial Concubine Hui nor Talented Lady Zhao was particularly invested in each other’s company; one was staring out into space with a look of elegant boredom and the other was quietly perusing a scroll. His arrival stirred the peace like a pebble tossed into the tranquil waters of a lake, Talented Lady Zhao raising her head in mild curiosity even as Imperial Concubine Hui came to life with an animated smile that Yan Zheyun found alarming.

"Oh, it’s Imperial Concubine Yue Langjun," Imperial Concubine Hui greeted, her added respectfulness only serving to emphasise the subtle disdain she’d always held for him.

Yan Zheyun returned her greeting with a cheery smile before acknowledging Talented Lady Zhao’s greeting with more genuine warmth.

"Imperial Concubine Hui Niangniang is too polite," he returned the favour lightly.

"Aiyo," Imperial Concubine Hui said, waving him into a seat with an affection that was so casual that Yan Zheyun would believe it if he hadn’t also observed in the past how she’d sowed strife and discord amongst the other concubines with such ease during harem assemblies. "I’m undeserving of such treatment, everyone knows that even though we’re of the same status, I’m only an imperial concubine by name whereas Yue Langjun outranks even the consorts in reality—"

Yan Zheyun cut her off with exaggerated anxiousness. "Shh, is Hui Niangniang trying to get this concubine into trouble? This concubine has been fortunate to have His Majesty’s attention for now and dares not wish for more."

A big lie, of course. Yan Zheyun didn’t particularly care for the title of empress but if that was what it took to be the one and only, then it went without saying that he wanted it. He’d always been ambitious and he drew the line at sharing his partner.

Before Imperial Concubine Hui could drag him to participate in her favourite past-time of warmongering, Yan Zheyun quickly diverted the flow of the conversation to Talented Lady Zhao.

"Lady Zhao’s reputation for being well-versed in the scholarly arts has reached far and wide in the capital," he said.

Talented Lady Zhao appeared surprised that she was spoken to. Yan Zheyun knew that they hadn’t had much opportunity to interact in the past, which was why he hadn’t immediately approached her in private to broach the subject on his mind. Not only would that have been incredibly inappropriate considering their positions in the harem, but it would probably also have backfired spectacularly since he had yet to earn her trust.

"Yue Langjun is too generous with his compliments," was her demure response. "This little sister is ignorant and has only dabbled a little with some crafts, music, and poetry."

"But Lady Zhao is renowned in the poetic circles," Yan Zheyun added. "This concubine...has not had much chance to enter the schoolyard..." He let his face fall a little. "But His Majesty had complimented the maturity and style of your writing to me."

At this, Imperial Concubine Hui let out a laugh and Yan Zheyun knew that she had mistaken his bringing up of this topic as one of jealousy. Talented Lady Zhao watched him with a careful caution too but he didn’t miss the way her eyes brightened.

It was galling but Yan Zheyun had to try and establish whether there was more to this happiness than feelings for Liu Yao that she might be harbouring.

Imperial Concubine Hui sighed extravagantly. "So it turns out that a little bit of poetry is what it takes for His Majesty to pay attention?" She shook her head. "Such a pity for the rest of us who aren’t as accomplished at literature as Little Sister Zhao and who are without the natural gifts of Yue Langjun."

"His Majesty is a fair and wise ruler who appreciates the talents of all his subjects and places a strong emphasis on the education of the masses," Yan Zheyun continued, as though he didn’t hear her unspoken insinuation. After so long, he’d become so immune to such jibes that they no longer bothered him. "It is only to be expected that he would commend Lady Zhao."

A flicker of confusion crossed Lady Zhao’s face but her manners were impeccable as she thanked Yan Zheyun once again.

"The education of the masses," Imperial Concubine Hui murmured. "Yue Langjun seems to be having some trouble forgetting his past...such idealistic dreams are hardly relevant to us as concubines."

Yan Zheyun made an agreeable noise. Unlike Hua Zhixuan, he wasn’t here to start a revolution of ideas amongst them, not yet at least and definitely not with Imperial Concubine Hui around. But he could start to share some of his sentiments towards the topic and see if Lady Zhao would take the bait.

"Even so," he said, throwing in a hint of wistfulness for a nice touch. "It would be good if everyone had a chance to study, knowledge should be a resource available to all regardless of age or social status or gender..." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Imperial Concubine Hui clicked her tongue, clearly dismissing his words as the unrealistic longings of an ex-slave fantasising about an old long-gone life of prestige but it wasn’t her reaction Yan Zheyun cared about.

He observed as Lady Zhao’s eyes went wide with an astonishment that she fought to conceal behind her usual composed veneer but the spark in them, which had kindled at the mention of Liu Yao’s praise, was ablaze now.

The wistfulness he’d injected into his little speech was really a reflection of hers.

There might be good news for Liu Yao tonight, after all.