## Chapter 1:

In the peak of spring in Hanyang, pear blossoms bloomed across the mountains and fields.

White, snow-like waves of petals drifted through the courtyard, and the air carried a sweet yet faint floral fragrance. As the Prime Minister, my father was extremely busy during that time. He rarely mentioned court affairs at home. Perhaps due to the pride of the yangban nobility, my usually composed father always wore a stern expression, and even the air around him seemed strung with cold tension.

One afternoon, while playing with an embroidered ball in the courtyard, I saw my father leading a boy through the gate.

"Yiwen," Father called to me, waving.

"Yes, Father." I dropped the ball and respectfully approached him.

Father patted my head and said in a low, gentle voice, "This is Jiangwu, the same age as you—both six years old. From today, he will stay in the residence as your study companion."

I turned to look at the boy beside Father, half a head shorter than me. He wore a clean, plain servant's uniform typical of official households. Though his head was lowered, his back was straight, faintly revealing a trace of pride. His brows were stern, his thin lips tightly pressed, and his eyes held a deathly stillness and wariness far beyond his years—like a young wolf trapped on a cliff.

I noticed dust on his face and reached out to wipe it, but when he saw my approaching hand, he instinctively stepped back, his whole body tense, fists clenched tightly.

I did not retreat. Instead, I stepped forward and gently embraced him with both arms.

His body stiffened like stone in that instant.

I patted his cold, slender back and whispered in his ear with the gentlest yet firmest voice I could muster at the time:

"My name is Li Yiwen. What's yours?"

The response I expected never came. I looked up at Father; he simply nodded and walked straight into the residence. Turning back to the still-silent boy, I sensed his fear and told him, "Don't be afraid. No one here will hurt you. I will protect you!"

At that moment, he lifted his head and stared at me quietly, as if dazed. After a long while, I simply took his hand and prepared to show him around the residence.

"Come on! I'll take you for a walk first!"

Just as I turned while holding his hand, a hoarse, faint yet steady voice sounded behind me:

"...Jiangwu. My name is Jiangwu."

Hearing his name, I turned and smiled brightly. "From now on, you'll stay by my side, Jiangwu." Then I continued pulling his slightly rough little hand. "Let's go. I'll show you the flowers I planted!"

Although I had two older brothers, they were much older. As the third son born late to my father, I had always played alone without any peers my age. So when I saw Jiangwu, my heart leapt with joy. From that day on, Jiangwu became my childhood companion and study partner.

Later, from the servants' whispers, I learned that Jiangwu was the only son of a upright Censor. Born into a yangban family, he had once lived in luxury. But days earlier, his family had suffered a horrific massacre. Bandits of unknown identity slaughtered dozens of Jiang family members overnight. Only this child was hidden in a cellar by a loyal servant and survived.

Father respected his father's integrity and, despite the risks at court, brought him into the Prime Minister's residence under the guise of protection.

At first, the servants whispered privately, calling him a fallen star of misfortune, a remnant spared only by the Prime Minister's pity. Whenever I overheard these remarks, I would flush with anger, stride up to them, point at their noses, and scold loudly:

"If I hear anyone say such things again, I'll tell Father! Jiangwu is no star of misfortune!!"

The servants immediately begged for mercy and hurried away.

When Jiangwu heard these whispers, he always remained silent. But I didn't want him wronged, so I scolded the servants for him and told him he was not a star of misfortune and to ignore their ignorant words. He would simply look at me quietly and say it was fine.

As years passed, the distance between Jiangwu and me melted like snow. We climbed pear trees to pick flowers, caught butterflies in the hills behind the residence, and threw snowballs at each other in the snow-covered courtyard during winter.

"Ah! Jiangwu! Take this—!"

I excitedly threw a large snowball at him, hitting his chest. Jiangwu paused, then a rare smile curved his lips as he threw one back. "Young Master, watch this!"

Unexpectedly, his throw was too strong. The snowball hit my shoulder, and I slipped with a yelp, falling backward into the thick snow.

"Young Master! Are you all right?!" Jiangwu's face changed drastically. He rushed over in panic, kneeling beside me, his hands trembling as he tried to check my face for injuries.

Lying in the cold snow, I looked at his anxious expression and couldn't help bursting into laughter. The sound echoed through the silent snowy night. Jiangwu stared at my smile, slightly dazed, then exhaled in relief and lay down beside me, laughing at the overcast sky and falling snow.

Several more years passed. When we turned fifteen, I displayed exceptional literary talent, passing the preliminary examinations and earning a nominal place at the Sungkyunkwan Academy.

Hanyang's scholars came to congratulate Father, calling me a prodigy from the Prime Minister's residence. Father had high hopes for me. Though I was the legitimate third son and could not inherit the family title, with my intellect, I could rise through the civil service examinations and establish my own yangban household at court.

Father also wanted to groom Jiangwu for the examinations so he could assist me in officialdom. But when Father spoke to him, Jiangwu knelt heavily before him and said with determination:

"My lord, this humble one has mediocre talent and is unsuited to literature. The guard commander says I have aptitude for martial arts. I beg you to allow me to hone my skills so that one day... I may become a sword by the Young Master's side and protect him for life."

Father looked at him deeply. He understood Jiangwu still carried the blood feud of his family's massacre. Practicing martial arts was both to protect me and to one day seek justice. After careful consideration, Father nodded.

Thus, while I studied the classics at the academy, Jiangwu endured grueling training with the commander at the residence.

Even during rest, when I studied in the study, he practiced swordplay in the courtyard outside.

Every afternoon after class, Jiangwu would ride to the academy to escort me home. Dressed in a crisp black guard robe, his posture straight as a pine, he would wait at the gate holding the reins. When I emerged, he would help me mount, then lead the horse with steady steps.

We would walk slowly back to the Prime Minister's residence along Hanyang's streets, chatting about our day.

"Young Master, what did the teacher lecture on today?"

"The Mingxin Baojian, and court taxes... so tedious. What about you, Jiangwu? What moves did you practice today?"

"The commander taught me an ambush saber technique, emphasizing counterattacking..."

From age fifteen, our studies grew busier. The walk home from class became our brief daily time together. We discussed literature and martial arts, each drawing growth from the other's expertise.

In summer leisure, we liked playing in the lake outside the city on rest days. The cool water washed away sweat and fatigue.

Since childhood, we had always played naked in the lake and bathed together at the residence. But one day, Jiangwu suddenly became strange.

He began avoiding bathing with me. At the lake, he would deliberately turn his back and keep several steps away.

Today, seeing him turn away again, I mischievously scooped water and splashed him.

"Jiangwu! What are you doing? Staying so far away."

"N-nothing, Young Master!" Jiangwu's voice was strained, his neck faintly red as he kept his back to me.

"Why turn your back?" I swam behind him and reached for his shoulder.

The moment my hand touched his skin, his entire body shuddered violently as if shocked.

"I... I want to go look over there!" Without glancing back, Jiangwu plunged forward with powerful strokes, swimming toward deeper water without looking back.

"Hey! Wait for me! Jiangwu! Where are you going?" I shouted angrily and swam after him.

To everyone, we were master and servant with deep affection. Yet some malicious servants privately mocked Jiangwu, saying that despite his yangban origins, he had become the Prime Minister's third son's loyal dog.

Even when Jiangwu overheard such insults, he never grew angry or argued, his expression calm. I could never guess his thoughts or feelings.

Of course, unlike our childhood, I no longer needed to scold them loudly. Now, servants fell silent at the sight of us, and such whispers became rarer.

So we continued living together quietly.

"Jiangwu, look. The pear blossom season has come again."

Seated on horseback, I gazed at the snow-like pear blossoms lining the streets.

"Yes, Young Master." Jiangwu, holding the reins, replied softly.

"Remember the day you arrived? Hanyang was also filled with blooming pear blossoms."

A white petal drifted down onto my wide sleeve. Jiangwu stopped, extending his callused hand from years of sword practice, and gently brushed it away.

"Yes, Young Master."

On impulse, I plucked a delicate pear blossom from the tree, tucked it behind my ear, and turned to him with a smile:

"Does it look good?"

Jiangwu stood below the horse, looking up. After a brief pause, he gave his usual faint smile:

"Yes, Young Master."

As he spoke, he did not stop walking. His rough palm tightened slightly on the reins, steadying the horse so I could sit more securely. He did not look at the flower again, only occasionally glancing at my profile as we walked together through Hanyang's snow-white pear blossom dusk.

------

## Chapter 2:

That same winter, Hanyang faced a rare bitter cold unseen in a decade.

Yet court struggles grew so heated they turned into a life-and-death struggle.

The Left State Councilor's faction forcefully advocated increasing taxes on the lowborn and commoners, urging the Crown Prince to enact harsh policies to tighten control over the lower classes, claiming it was to "prevent the lowborn from gathering and turning into bandits."

Father and the Right State Councilor firmly opposed this in court. Father righteously pointed out that it was precisely the Left Councilor's harsh policies and heavy taxation that had already made it impossible for the people to grow food in this harsh winter—further increasing taxes would only drive the people to rebellion.

Father cited examples from Chinese dynasties' rises and falls, warning that harsh governance was fiercer than tigers and urging the Crown Prince not to heed slander.

The Crown Prince merely stated he needed to consider it carefully before dismissing court.

Afterward, the Crown Prince secretly summoned Father. In the study, Father presented preliminary evidence of the Left Councilor's corruption and requested authorization to dispatch secret inspectors to thoroughly investigate the Left Councilor, his relatives, and his faction.

However, neither Father nor the Crown Prince anticipated that an inner court attendant bribed by the Left Councilor would immediately report the meeting's contents to him.

The Left Councilor, desperate, wrote a bloody secret order that night. Mobilizing his long-cultivated death squad, he decided to strike first and massacre the Prime Minister's residence that very night.

Late at night, heavy snow fell.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh"

The sound of arrows piercing the air and screams instantly shattered the residence's peace. Countless black-clad, masked death warriors surged in like a tide, killing on sight.

The guards were caught off guard and fell one after another. Only the guard commander and Jiangwu, covered in blood, protected Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, and me as we retreated toward the back gate.

"Young Master! Stay close to me!" Jiangwu wielded a heavy saber, its blade flashing like lightning, each strike spraying hot blood. His eyes were icy like a beast's as he shielded me with his back.

At the back gate, we were intercepted by the death squad leader—a tall, venomous-eyed swordsman.

To cover Father's group's escape, Jiangwu engaged the leader in combat. Their blades clashed, sparks flying.

Jiangwu fought more fiercely, attacking recklessly without defense, which actually hindered the leader.

After a grueling fight, Jiangwu, enduring a side kick to create an opening, thrust forward and pierced the leader's chest with his heavy saber!

But before Jiangwu could catch his breath, dozens more death warriors surrounded him. Exhausted, he began to falter.

"Yiwen! Don't go there! Run!" Eldest Brother clutched my sleeve, shouting desperately.

Seeing Jiangwu fight alone, his clothes soaked in blood indistinguishable from the killers', my mind went blank. Only one thought remained—I cannot let him die!

"Brother! You and Father go first! Jiangwu and I will follow!" I yanked free from Eldest Brother's grip and pushed him toward Father and Mother.

"Yiwen—!" Mother cried heartbreakingly.

"Go! Quickly!" The guard commander gritted his teeth and led Father and Mother out the back gate. Gripping my sword, I turned without hesitation and charged back into the battlefield of blood and snow!

"Young Master! Why did you come back?!" Jiangwu's face changed drastically, his eyes filled with unprecedented shock and anxiety. "Run! It's dangerous here!"

"Stop nagging! If we go, we go together!" I thrust my sword through a death warrior trying to ambush Jiangwu from behind and stood back-to-back with him amid the snow and blood.

As we fought and retreated, trying to break through, my peripheral vision caught the already-dead leader on the ground.

From his struggle, the leader's sleeve had slightly opened, revealing a letter with a special lacquer seal hidden deep inside.

"Jiangwu! You go first!" Thinking I must get that letter, I hacked back approaching killers and rushed toward the corpse.

"Young Master! Danger—!"

Ignoring the danger, I broke from Jiangwu's protection, rolled across the ground toward the body, and grabbed the secret letter!

But the moment I seized it, a death warrior's long blade whistled toward me!

"Thud!"

The cold blade sliced my arm, blood spraying!

"Young Master—!!"

Jiangwu's eyes nearly burst from their sockets as he roared like a beast. Like a mad black panther, he pounced, his ring saber cleaving the attacker who wounded me in two!

He pulled me into his arms and swung his blade to repel other approaching warriors.

"Go!"

With one hand holding his saber and the other tightly gripping my waist, Jiangwu carried the wounded me through the final line of defense and into the snowy night.

We stumbled through deep snow. Footsteps of pursuing warriors echoed behind us. Cold wind cut our faces like knives. My arm wound throbbed painfully, blood dripping onto the snow, leaving a trail of crimson dots.

But this was still our territory. Using our familiarity with the terrain, we gradually pulled ahead of the pursuers.

After running for an unknown time, an abandoned mountain temple appeared ahead. Its door panels rattled wildly in the wind and snow.

Jiangwu carried me inside. Behind a massive, half-collapsed stone Buddha statue was a narrow gap filled with dust and dead leaves.

Jiangwu hid me behind the Buddha and crouched by the broken wall, peering out warily through a crack.

Soon, a squad of death warriors arrived outside the temple.

"Search!"

As they dispersed, one warrior with a torch approached the temple entrance. The flickering firelight on the eerie stone Buddha face made it seem sinister. He glanced inside, saw no one, and turned away as the wind made the beams creak.

Only then did we slightly relax our grips on our ring sabers.

After some time, hearing distant shouts of "Nothing here! Search the valley! They can't have gone far!" the footsteps faded. The temple returned to dead silence.

"Young Master... are you all right?"

Jiangwu immediately turned, kneeling before me, trembling as he tore strips from his clean undergarment to carefully bandage my arm wound.

His movements were extremely gentle, afraid of hurting me. After bandaging, he quickly offered his water flask: "Young Master, drink some water."

"No... I'm fine." I smiled weakly, took the flask, and drank. Blood loss made my vision blur and my body shiver with cold.

Enduring dizziness, I pulled out the blood-stained letter from my robes and unfolded it in the faint snowlight from the broken wall.

The handwriting was familiar and bold—it was the Left Councilor's personal script! It clearly ordered the death warriors to massacre the Prime Minister's residence that night, leaving no survivors.

"Heh..." I couldn't help a weak cold laugh. "Left Councilor... as stupid as a pig! In his haste to silence us, he forgot to have his subordinates burn this top-secret letter... Now he's finished..."

Before I finished, my vision darkened. A sharp tearing pain shot through my brain, and I collapsed.

"Young Master! Young Master—!"

Jiangwu reacted swiftly, catching me in his arms. He anxiously called my name. When his large hand touched my forehead, his face completely changed.

My forehead burned like red-hot iron.

Blood loss, the frantic run, and the bitter wind and snow had overwhelmed my body, triggering a high fever.

"Young Master... Young Master, wake up!"

With possible pursuers outside, Jiangwu knew he couldn't leave me to fetch help. Helpless, he could only hold me tightly, waiting for the snow to stop and dawn to come.

"Jiangwu... so cold... I'm so cold..."

In delirium, I murmured, teeth chattering, instinctively curling into his embrace.

The snow outside grew heavier. Wind howled through the wall cracks. The temperature plummeted, the air inside nearly freezing. If this continued, I would not last until sunrise—I would freeze to death in this ruined temple.

Jiangwu held me tightly, feeding me water, embracing me. But I still cried out from the cold. Our blood-stained clothes, wet from snow, made it worse—like wearing soaked clothes for warmth on a winter night.

Seeing my pale face and purple lips, Jiangwu's eyes filled with bloodshot veins. He fell into agonizing, rebellious inner struggle.

Finally, he clenched his teeth, his gaze resolute. He removed his heavy outer and inner robes, then with utmost reverence and trembling, untied my robes and cut away my blood-and-sweat-soaked clothes.

He laid his clothes on the ground, draped ours over us, then leaned against the giant Buddha statue's back. With his sturdy, steel-like body, he deeply and tightly embraced my similarly bare upper body in his broad, burning arms.

Skin-to-skin contact allowed his lava-like body heat to flow continuously into mine.

"Young Master... Young Master..." Jiangwu whispered a vow in my ear, voice choked. "You won't die... I will never let you die."

That night, like an indestructible mountain, he used his flesh and blood, his body heat, to guard my life in the ice and snow.

As Jiangwu held me, he recalled the death squad leader he had fought at the residence. During combat, he had recognized the man's face and attacked in furious rage.

Now knowing they were the same death squad that massacred his Jiang family years ago, it seemed the mastermind behind this assassination... the Left Councilor... must have been the one who orchestrated his family's destruction.

New hatred and old grudges, court intrigue and the Young Master's safety, intertwined completely in that night's snowy wind.

-----

## Chapter 3:

The faint morning light filtered through the temple's broken tiles.

The snow had stopped. The air carried the fresh scent of earth and melting snow.

I felt enveloped by an incredibly warm, solid body. A steady, powerful heartbeat sounded in my ear.

The dizziness had faded. Though my mind felt slightly sluggish, my strength had mostly recovered.

Slowly opening my eyes, I found my head resting on Jiangwu's broad chest. Our clothes covered us, our bare upper bodies tightly embraced.

Startled, I moved slightly to get up. My hand accidentally brushed against the hard, hot rod in Jiangwu's trousers.

I glanced at Jiangwu. He was still asleep, brows slightly furrowed, but his arms instinctively held my waist tightly, as if afraid I would freeze.

His body emanated a strong masculine scent unique to adult men, mixed with a faint sweat aroma. From my palm through the fabric came the sensation of something huge, burning, and iron-hard pressing against me.

In that instant, my heartbeat accelerated violently. Blood rushed to my head, my cheeks burning like fire.

Only now did I deeply realize that the thin, frail boy who once followed me everywhere had, at some unknown point, grown into a mature man with broad shoulders, a strong chest, and solid abs.

Looking at his handsome, rugged profile and listening to his steady breathing, a certain emotion surged in my heart like a tide.

His lifelong protection, his unwavering presence during last night's snowstorm, and his deep affection in using his body heat to save my life... All the gratitude, palpitations, and years of suppressed affection instantly transformed into reckless boldness.

My breathing quickened. As if possessed, I continued gently stroking that erect hardness through his thin trousers.

"Mm..."

As my fingers pressed and caressed, the sleeping Jiangwu let out a low moan, his brows furrowing deeper, his hips involuntarily twitching slightly.

This reaction was like a potent aphrodisiac, completely igniting the madness in my heart.

I swallowed, growing bolder. Sliding my hand into his trousers, when my palm fully grasped that huge, thick, burning member, my heart nearly leapt from my chest. Gently and swiftly, I began stroking it up and down.

"Mm-hmm..." Jiangwu's waist rose and fell with my movements, his breathing growing heavy.

At that moment, an indescribable desire flooded my mind. From where I got the courage, I don't know—I bent down and fully pulled Jiangwu's massive member out of his trousers.

It was an astonishingly large, veined, heat-radiating organ.

Lowering my head, I opened my lips and took the huge glans into my mouth.

"Mmm... suck..."

The wet sucking sounds echoed clearly in the silent ruined temple. The satisfaction of my mouth being filled with warmth and hardness, combined with Jiangwu's masculine scent filling my nostrils, made my own lower body swell painfully. While diligently deep-throating him with my tongue, I reached into my own trousers and stroked myself rapidly.

"Mm... Young... Young Master?!"

A voice filled with shock and hoarseness suddenly cried out.

Jiangwu had finally woken.

Opening his eyes, he saw his long-desired, high-status Young Master—bare-chested, lying between his legs, diligently licking and swallowing his crude lower body.

The immense visual and psychological impact made Jiangwu panic and try to rise: "Y-Young Master! No! This... this is improper...! No... Mm!"

How could I let him get up? I pressed both hands firmly on his thighs, lifted my eyes, and glared at him with a mix of charm and dominance, then took him even deeper into my throat!

"No... don't... Young Master...! This... ah... no!"

Though his mouth said no, Jiangwu's body trembled violently from extreme pleasure. My warm mouth and nimble tongue pushed his already erect member to its limit—I could even feel his veins throbbing against my tongue!

Playfully, I swirled my tongue tip wildly on his sensitive spots, my stroking speed increasing.

"No... don't! Young Master! Stop... I can't... Ah—!"

Jiangwu could no longer control himself. His hips thrust upward involuntarily!

A thick, hot, fishy liquid erupted into my mouth!

The strong, pungent smell made me cough twice, but I didn't spit it out. Instead, I swallowed it with a gulp, then like a greedy cat, continued licking every trace of white fluid from his member clean.

Jiangwu collapsed against the wall, chest heaving violently, his eyes filled with shock, shame, and uncontainable passion.

Taking advantage of his panting, I crawled back to his side, wrapped my arms around his neck, and continued stroking my own painfully swollen member.

Leaning close to his ear, I looked at him with hazy, watery, seductive eyes, my voice soft and breathless:

"What to do... Jiangwu, my hand is so sore... I can't stop..."

Jiangwu froze completely. Before him was me with affectionate eyes, skin flushed pink with desire, my delicate organ trembling slightly. Such a sight was lethal poison to any man.

Jiangwu's breathing grew as heavy as a roaring beast. Veins bulged on his neck. Desperately suppressing himself, his hands clenched into fists, his voice hoarse beyond recognition:

"Young Master... this humble one is lowly... I cannot defile you..."

Seeing his extreme restraint and suffering, my heart filled with tenderness and love. I reached out, gently caressing his rugged cheek, gazing tenderly into his eyes, and gave my final permission:

"Jiangwu... take me."

These words became the key that completely unlocked the beast's chains.

"Young Master...!"

Jiangwu could no longer endure. With a suppressed growl, he flipped over and pressed me heavily beneath him! He rained down kisses, fiercely prying open my lips, his tongue wildly intertwining with mine.

Our remaining lower garments were torn away at some point.

Jiangwu knelt between my legs, his large hand caressing my inner thighs, applying simple lubrication. Then, he raised that member which had just ejaculated yet remained iron-hard, aimed at my untouched private entrance, and slowly, firmly pushed inside!

"Ah—!"

The tearing sensation made me furrow my brows, my hands clutching his back tightly, nails leaving red marks on his firm muscles.

Jiangwu immediately stopped, his eyes full of tenderness. He leaned down and gently kissed the tears from the corners of my eyes:

"Young Master... does it hurt? This humble one... will pull out..."

"No... don't pull out..." I tightly wrapped my arms around his neck and shoulders, whispering in his ear, my eyes moist. "Jiangwu is so gentle... I like it..."

"Young Master..."

"Say my name, Jiangwu... Mm-hmm... say my name."

"Young Master..."

"Quickly!"

Seeing me beneath him with flushed cheeks and eyes full of tenderness, Jiangwu's final defenses completely collapsed. His hips began thrusting faster and more wildly, each stroke deep and fierce, pounding hard against my sensitive spot!

"Yiwen... Yiwen... I love you! Yiwen...!"

Hearing him call my name in abandon, immense happiness and pleasure assaulted my mind simultaneously. I smiled happily, lifting my hips to meet his thrusts:

"...I love you too... Jiangwu! Will you stay with me like this for life?! Ah...!"

Upon hearing my confession, Jiangwu paused briefly, then thrust even more vigorously.

"Good... good! This life... I am yours!" Jiangwu growled through gritted teeth, his thrusting speed so fast it created wet sounds.

As I kissed Jiangwu, I felt the ultimate warmth and fullness his hard cock brought inside me. My tears finally flowed uncontrollably. They were tears of overwhelming joy.

"Ah! Jiangwu... I like it so much! Jiangwu—!" I moaned in abandon. My entrance involuntarily sucked and clenched around Jiangwu's hard cock from the pleasure.

"Yiwen... you're so hot inside... so tight... Ah!"

"Do you like it, Jiangwu...?"

"I like it! I'd like it even if I died... it feels so good... Young Master!"

Jiangwu completely transformed into a wolf. Straightening his back, he gripped my waist with both hands, thrusting with extreme dominance. Each penetration was so intense, as if he wanted to stuff his heart and soul into me along with it.

Outside the ruined temple, crimson dawn light bathed our tightly entwined bodies in a sacred yet lascivious glow.

"Don't stop... Jiangwu! Ah! I like it... I like Jiangwu inside me... Mm!" I lifted my hips, embracing my own thighs with both hands to make my entrance fit Jiangwu's massive cock better, allowing smoother thrusts.

"Yiwen... Yiwen!"

"Jiangwu~~~ I can't... I'm going to... I'm coming! Coming...! I like it so much! Jiangwu~~~"

Hearing my tearful moans, Jiangwu also reached his limit. He pulled my legs over his shoulders and delivered dozens of final storm-like thrusts!

"Give it to me! Jiangwu... Ah—! Don't stop!"

"Young Master! Together...!"

With Jiangwu's final deep thrust, a stream of scorching hot essence poured deep into my passage, while my own release sprayed across my abdomen and chest at the same moment.

"Ah... Jiangwu..."

After the peak of orgasm, the exhausted Jiangwu collapsed heavily onto me. Panting, he held me, sweat dripping from his forehead onto my chest.

I stroked his soaked black hair, gazing at him lovingly:

"Jiangwu..."

"This humble one is here... Young Master..."

"From now on... in private, don't call me Young Master anymore, all right?"

Jiangwu paused, then revealed an extremely gentle smile, leaning in to kiss my lips:

"All right... Y- Yiwen. I love you."

I smiled sweetly and kissed him back passionately.

Recalling last night, the moment I saw Jiangwu surrounded by death warriors, I instinctively knew I had to follow him. I even thought that dying together with Jiangwu wouldn't matter, as long as I was with him.

Now, reflecting carefully, I realized I had long since deeply loved this taciturn boy.

In this dawn, I finally understood my own heart completely.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, I pushed Jiangwu's chest and looked at him seriously:

"Jiangwu, when you said you loved me just now... was it true?"

Still lost in the kiss, Jiangwu didn't react immediately. Dazed from my push, he looked at me: "...Huh?"

"Pull out! Get up!" I suddenly grew angry on a whim, struggling to push him away.

"What's wrong?! Yiwen!" Jiangwu panicked and held me tighter, preventing movement.

"You... you said you loved me while... while doing it. Did you really mean it, or was it just because it felt too good... the atmosphere made you say it casually?!" I glared and pressed him.

Jiangwu was completely stunned. He never expected that the usually intelligent and calm me would fuss over such a question at a time like this.

Seeing him dazed for a while without responding, anger surged within me.

"...Get up! Your cock still has the nerve to stay inside me! Get up!" I pushed him angrily, but his long-trained, burly physique made it impossible for me to budge him if he pressed down.

"Yiwen... Yiwen, calm down," Jiangwu reacted and couldn't help chuckling softly. He held me tightly, his eyes sincere and affectionate. "I meant it... truer than my life. I really love you... I already loved you before you loved me."

My face instantly flushed crimson: "I-is that so? When? Tell me!"

"When you told me you would protect me." Jiangwu gazed at me tenderly, his rough fingers gently brushing my cheek.

This time, it was my turn to be stunned. "...When was that?" I asked.

Seeing my puzzled expression, Jiangwu smiled and leaned down, kissing me again.

-------

## Chapter 4:

Two days later, in the court hall of Hanyang Palace.

The atmosphere was suffocatingly oppressive.

The surviving Father, dressed in court robes, stood before the hall and righteously accused the Left Councilor of using death warriors to carry out political assassination—a heinous crime.

However, the Left Councilor's faction was powerful. After brief panic, they quickly counterattacked. The Left Councilor knelt on the floor, weeping profusely, accusing Father of false charges, claiming the death warriors were bandits in disguise and the Prime Minister's residence had merely been robbed.

Seated on the dragon throne, the Crown Prince's face was ashen. He knew perfectly well this was the Left Councilor's doing, but without direct, fatal evidence—only confessions from low-ranking death warrior remnants and speculation—he could not convict him outright.

The stalemated debate gradually turned the court's sentiment against Father.

"Injustice, Your Highness! The Prime Minister slanders this old minister! I beg Your Highness to uphold justice for this old minister!" The Left Councilor cried loudly.

Father trembled with rage but lacked fatal proof. Normally composed, the thought of his son's uncertain fate made him unable to wait calmly for complete evidence. His fists clenched so tightly his nails nearly pierced his flesh.

Just as the court atmosphere forced the Crown Prince to reach a conclusion, at this critical moment, the Crown Prince's personal attendant quickly approached and whispered in his ear.

The Crown Prince's eyes lit up, joy instantly appearing on his face. He slammed the dragon desk:

"Announce! Quickly announce!"

"Announcing—the Prime Minister's third son Li Yiwen, and guard Jiangwu, to audience—!"

With the attendant's high-pitched announcement, the grand hall doors slowly opened.

Wearing a plain white daoist robe and black Chengzi crown, with Jiangwu in black guard attire beside me,

We walked steadily into the hall under the gaze of all civil and military officials. Reaching the front, we knelt and performed the grand salute:

"Student Li Yiwen, pays respects to Your Highness!"

"This humble one Jiangwu, pays respects to Your Highness!"

The moment Father saw me, his eyes reddened. I slightly turned my head to look at him. Knowing he couldn't immediately inquire about my well-being in court, I could only convey with my eyes that I was safe.

I smiled faintly at Father, then presented my memorial:

"Your Highness, this student has evidence regarding the Left Councilor's plot to exterminate this student's family to present to Your Highness."

"What evidence?"

I then reached into my robes and took out the letter bought with our lives, raising it high with both hands:

"Your Highness! On the night of the villain's raid, this student's personal guard personally slew the death squad leader. This student retrieved the assassination order personally signed by the Left Councilor from his body! It bears the Left Councilor's private seal and handwriting—conclusive. Please examine it, Your Highness!"

"Quickly! Quickly present it for Us to see!" With the Crown Prince's joyful voice, the attendant swiftly presented the secret letter to the dragon desk. The Left Councilor's faction officials fell silent, while the Left Councilor himself watched the letter reach the Crown Prince's desk with trembling fear.

The Crown Prince unfolded the letter. With one glance, his dragon countenance turned furious, joy and rage intertwining:

"Excellent! What a Left Councilor! Irrefutable evidence—have you anything to say?!"

The Left Councilor immediately knelt on both knees, his forehead striking the floor with a thud, his face ashen, lips quivering: "Injustice... Your Highness, injustice... This must be a forgery by villains! They seek to frame this old minister and sow discord between this old minister and Your Highness! Injustice, Your Highness!"

The Crown Prince gave him no chance to argue. His thunderous rage erupted instantly:

"Injustice?! We have long dispatched people to secretly investigate your accounts! You accepted bribes, oppressed the common people, stole and sold state treasury flint, slandered loyal officials! Every single charge—how is any of it unjust?! Guards! Strip the Left Councilor of his position and title on the spot, confiscate his property, and imprison him! Thoroughly investigate his household members and all officials with close dealings with him!"

"Your Highness!? Spare me, Your Highness—Your Highness—!"

Amid the Left Councilor's miserable wails, the imperial guards rushed in and dragged this giant parasite who had dominated the court for years away.

Father looked at me, his eyes filled with pride and emotion.

That night, the moon was bright and stars sparse.

After Father emerged from the Crown Prince's council chamber, he finally had a chance to meet us, who had been waiting outside. Though staying at the palace overnight was improper, the Crown Prince had tacitly allowed it.

"Yiwen... are you all right? That night... I thought you..." Father's voice trembled slightly as he patted my shoulder.

"I'm fine, Father. Jiangwu... he protected me well." I turned to look at Jiangwu behind me.

Father raised his eyes to Jiangwu, his gaze complex yet relieved. He stepped forward and patted Jiangwu's solid arm:

"Very good... very good, good child... you've worked hard! Without you, Yiwen might not have returned."

Jiangwu bowed slightly to Father, his voice steady: "Protecting the Young Master is this humble one's duty, my lord."

Father looked at Jiangwu in silence for a moment, then asked quietly:

"Child... you have grown up now. Do you still wish to leave the Prime Minister's residence to avenge your family's massacre?"

Jiangwu replied with a firm tone:

"My lord... today in court, this humble one's family feud has been completely avenged."

Father paused briefly, then immediately understood—the Left Councilor had indeed been the mastermind behind the Jiang family's massacre. With this realization, Father sighed deeply, filled with emotion.

"So that's how it is... fate toys with people. Very well. What are your plans now? Continue protecting Yiwen in the residence, or take the military examinations and restore your Jiang family name?"

At that moment, I stepped forward and interjected:

"Father."

Father turned to me: "What is it, Yiwen?"

Jiangwu and I exchanged glances, then both bowed deeply to Father. I spoke:

"After this ordeal, your son deeply feels the vastness of the world and the limitations of court. I wish... to travel with Jiangwu and see the beautiful rivers and mountains of the realm. I hope Father will permit it."

Looking at us, as a Prime Minister who had seen countless people and was wise and perceptive, how could he not notice the look in our eyes?

Father pondered for a moment, then sighed softly.

"Very well... surviving this great calamity is fortune enough. If you wish to go, then go. However, I have one condition."

"Please speak, Father."

"Next year's civil and military examinations—you must both pass. Once you obtain official ranks and give the family and court an explanation, you will be free."

I paused slightly. Seeing my confusion, Father continued:

"The world is vast, but the court's laws and distinctions of status are everywhere. Without proper official ranks, you may be harassed or questioned by local officials and constables at any time..."

By this point, Jiangwu and I fully understood Father's painstaking intentions. Overjoyed, we bowed deeply again:

"Yes, Father!"

"Understood, my lord!"

"Let's go. Return to the residence." Father smiled with relief. As he passed Jiangwu, he patted his shoulder.

Another year passed. Hanyang once again welcomed the pear blossom season.

Jiangwu and I did not disappoint Father's expectations. I smoothly became the youngest top scholar in the civil examinations, while Jiangwu, with his unparalleled martial skills, won first place in the military examinations!

The tale of both civil and military top scholars emerging from the Prime Minister's residence spread throughout Hanyang and even all of Joseon.

The day after the appointment ceremony, we declined all court appointments. Packing only simple belongings, we prepared for our journey.

At the Prime Minister's residence gate, Mother held my hand, tears and snot flowing: "Yiwen, you child... if you suffer any grievances out there in wind and dew, remember to come back! Understand?"

Then Mother angrily glared at Father standing silently beside us.

To Mother, no matter our age or achievements, we would always be her children.

"Understood, Mother. Take care of yourself." I smiled to comfort her, then turned to Eldest Brother and Second Brother.

"Be careful on the road, Third Brother!" Eldest Brother patted my back.

"I will, Eldest Brother, Second Brother."

I looked back at Father. Father said nothing, merely nodding slightly at me. Understanding, I bowed to Father, then mounted my horse.

Jiangwu deeply bowed three times to Father and Mother, expressing gratitude for years of upbringing and accommodation, then gallantly mounted his tall horse, guarding my side.

"Hya—!"

Two fine horses galloped away, leaving Hanyang's prosperity and turmoil behind.

Pear blossoms fluttered along the way, like a grand snowfall.

Jiangwu rode closer, reaching out to gently brush a pear blossom petal from my hat brim. Turning to look at me, his eyes were full of smiles:

"So, where are we going now, Young Master?"

I turned my head, deliberately drawing out my tone:

"Young Master?"

Jiangwu chuckled softly and corrected himself:

"Yiwen."

"That's more like it," I raised my chin, gazing at the boundless sky and road ahead. "I don't know. Let's go to the sea first. I want to see the legendary boundless ocean."

"All right," Jiangwu tightened the reins, riding alongside me. "Let's go. Together, we'll see the sea."

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