How To Survive as a Villain

Xiao YuAn rubbed his neck and groaned. His voice was like a board of wood dragging on the sand, it was hoarse and unpleasant. He stretched out his hands and opened his clothes. His abdomen was bruised, there were black and purple spots all over, it was truly a shocking sight.

Hearing noise, Yan HeQing gradually woke up, and after seeing Xiao YuAn’s appearance, his eyes flashed with a trace of feeling at a loss.

“We both fought each other, aren’t you hurt too?” Xiao YuAn felt indignant. “Do I have a strangled bruise on my neck?”

Yan HeQing nodded his head.

Xiao YuAn sighed: “What can I do? If I’m seen like this, they will definitely wonder what happened, they will blame you.”

Even though Xiao YuAn was harmed by Yan Heqing, he still thought about his safety. Yan HeQing was surprised.

“Well, it’s winter, so it’s normal to wear a lot of clothing. It should be fine to just cover it.” Xiao YuAn muttered to himself, and he didn’t realize that Yan HeQing’s eyes had changed.

“Right.” Xiao YuAn propped himself up and looked at Yan HeQing, “Is your hand all right?”

Yan HeQing didn’t understand: “Hand?”

Xiao YuAn held Yan HeQing’s wrist and pulled it closer to his eyes. The place he bit yesterday was no longer bleeding, only the deep tooth marks were left behind.

Don’t leave any scars on these hands!

He must be in harmony with Princess Yongning!

And he must be praised for his good looks by his wives!

Ouch, to be honest, his hands are really beautiful. They’re slender, white and have a clear bone structure.

Xiao YuAn was watching it attentively. Yan HeQing suddenly withdrew his hand, frowning slightly, his expression was awkward.

“Ah…” Xiao YuAn went stunned for an instant, then he rubbed his neck and smiled: “Don’t worry, I’m not an homosexual like the Emperor.”

Probably, maybe, I shouldn’t be, I don’t know.

Yan HeQing opened his lips slightly, glanced at Xiao YuAn, and seemed like he wanted to explain something, but at the end he didn’t say anything.

The sky was faintly light with the dawn, and a knock sounded at the Imperial bedchamber door. It was Hong Xiu: “Your Majesty, this maidservant is waiting to help you wash, and get ready for the day.”

Xiao YuAn quickly pulled up the quilt and wrapped it in a circle to cover up his neck and the rest of his body.

Hong Xiu walked in with a red basin, when she saw Xiao YuAn’s appearance, she instantly looked at the messy bed, and could not help but be dumbfounded.

Fearing that she might suspect something inappropriate, Xiao YuAn said: “Hong Xiu, take Yan Heqing back to Jing Yang Palace first.”

Hong Xiu put down the basin, stuttering: “I’ll o-obey His Majesty’s o-order”.

Seeing that the two of them had left, Xiao YuAn breathed cold air to ease the pain. While looking for a piece of clothing that could cover his neck, he washed himself and got dressed.

When Hong Xiu came back, she helped Xiao YuAn put on his robe, and seemed like she wanted to say something but stopped herself.

Xiao YuAn felt nervous: “What’s wrong?”

Hong Xiu tied his belt for him, her lips were pressed in a tight line, suddenly she raised her eyes and said: “Your Majesty! I know everything!”

What do you know! I don’t understand! Speak clearly!

Hong Xiu was angered to heart: “Since you don’t have that kind of feelings for him, he forced himself onto you!”

“……”

Xiao YuAn patted his chest and eased his breath, feeling that yesterday’s internal injury was now instantly attacking him.

Forget it, it’s better to be misunderstood about such things rather than explain them. I was afraid that Yan HeQing’s attempt of assassination was found out.

Xiao YuAn clenched his fist against his lips and coughed softly: “Cough, it wasn’t forced. It’s just that last night, the moonlight was very bright, and we both slept in the same bed. I wasn’t careful enough…it was an accident, and is only part of my plan. I’m really not interested in him.”

Hong Xiu was sad and indignant: “Your Majesty, you’ve never been on the receiving side. In order to attack the Southern Yan Kingdom, Your Majesty, you had to sacrifice a lot, this, this, this is…disgraceful.”

Xiao YuAn was twitching the corner of his eyes with that sad cry of hers.

Hong Xiu was still softly crying in despair: “Your Majesty, this maidservant will go get you some ointment.”

Xiao YuAn was puzzled: “Why the ointment?”

Hong Xiu bowed her head: “It’s applied ‘there’.”

Xiao YuAn still didn’t understand: “What? Where?”

Hong Xiu stomped anxiously: “That ‘place’!”

Xiao YuAn suddenly realized what she meant and asked for the Heaven’s help without words: “…The ointment is no longer needed, is there any throat medicine…my throat really hurts…”

Seeing that Hong Xiu got up and was going towards the Taiyi Palace, Xiao YuAn added: “And then take some ointment for wounds healing and scar removal to Yan HeQing.”

Hong Xiu felt uncertainty: “Ointment for wound healing and scar removal?”

“Well, I accidentally bit him yesterday.”

“…Your Majesty, yo…”

“I really don’t like him, don’t look at me like that…”

In the fifth year of serving the young Monarch, Hong Xiu suddenly discovered that the Emperor’s mouth was saying no, but in his heart he meant yes¹.

Footnotes:

Footnotes

1. 口是心非 kǒu shì xīn fēi; It’s a Chinese idiom, when you say one thing but mean another thing / Two-faced / Duplicity /Empty words.