Silver snake shackles

Xie Huizhou had received a post in the Ministry of Personnel. As custom dictated, he had to enter the imperial palace to thank the emperor in person.

Since the day he had emerged from his mother's womb, Xie Huizhou had never met this father of his. He had no idea how to get along with a father who loathed him, and for a moment, he felt a little nervous.

Could he not go?

The emperor had dug a pit for him, yet he still had to go thank him in person. How could anything so absurd exist in this world?

"Your Highness, are you afraid?" Standing nearby, Zhang Lanhe noticed Xie Huizhou's nervousness and handed him a cup of tea. "With me here, no one can do anything to you."

Not even the emperor.

Why not kill him and put someone else on the throne?

Although putting Xie Huizhou, who had no power base whatsoever, on the throne was not impossible, it would take some effort and quite a few people would have to die. Still, it could be done.

The dragon throne was something everyone who pursued power dreamed of, but it was also a prison chair, trapping many people in Capital City.

If it could keep Xie Huizhou from leaving, the throne was a good option.

Only, Xie Huizhou was unwilling.

To offer his thanks, he had to wear a prince's robes. Zhang Lanhe had someone bring them over and watched him with a burning gaze. "Your Highness, these ceremonial robes are complicated. Do you need me to dress you?"

He had figured it out: Xie Huizhou expected others to dress and feed him. He might not know how to put on such complicated clothing.

The Imperial Preceptor was different. He was more than happy to dress his partner!

Zhang Lanhe looked at Xie Huizhou expectantly, all but wishing to take over every task involved in attending to him personally.

Xie Huizhou snatched the clothes and ushered Zhang Lanhe toward the door. "Imperial Preceptor, you're the Imperial Preceptor who offers prayers at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, not my personal eunuch. You shouldn't be doing menial work like this. Step outside for a moment."

If the esteemed Imperial Preceptor dressed him personally and word got out, their relationship really would become ambiguous.

The Imperial Preceptor currently had a reputation for liking men and having an intimate ailment.

At present, Xie Huizhou was convinced that his identity had not been exposed before the Imperial Preceptor. Worried that the Imperial Preceptor might trace the Snake Pattern on his waist back to him, he pushed him outside without a second thought.

Zhang Lanhe inwardly regretted the missed opportunity, but obediently sat in the pavilion in the little garden outside, drinking tea and watching the rain.

Rain pattered against the banana leaves. Amid the rain, the rustling of the person changing inside sounded particularly sharp, setting the imagination running.

Xie Huizhou put on his underclothes, then fumbled with the complicated robes. Even after struggling for ages, he still could not get them on properly, and suddenly regretted not keeping someone to help him dress.

"I really don't know how to put these on. Why did ancient clothes have so many pieces?"

Just then, he suddenly heard hissing, along with the sound of scales scraping over a wooden cabinet.

The sound was so close it seemed almost beside his ear.

"A little white snake?" Xie Huizhou turned and saw a silver thing hanging in the air, flicking its forked tongue, its mung-bean-sized eyes watching him curiously. "Why is there a snake in the guest room?"

Worried that it was venomous, Xie Huizhou hurriedly put a safe distance between them and drew the dagger at his waist, warily watching the vital spot behind its head.

Looking closely, he realized it was a beautiful little silvery-white snake. It looked gentle, harmless, and nonvenomous, something anyone could pinch to death.

Only then did Xie Huizhou lower his guard and slowly approach to examine the little snake that had slipped in at some unknown point.

This white snake was rather different from other snakes. Its scales were exceptionally beautiful, shimmering as though with rippling light. It looked less like a living creature than a work of art carved from white jade-a miniature version of the giant snake in his dream.

The beautiful little snake made one reluctant to hurt it.

Xie Huizhou marveled at it. "Could this be the white snake of legend? Did it turn into a giant snake as the story got distorted?"

The little white snake seemed not to understand. It tilted its adorable little head and looked at Xie Huizhou.

Xie Huizhou was suddenly overcome by its cuteness.

Sure enough, when even the scariest thing became miniature and harmless, all its threatening displays seemed like attempts to look cute.

Xie Huizhou worked up his courage and stroked the snake's head. The icy touch reached right into his heart.

"So cool, just like the Imperial Preceptor."

He withdrew his hand as soon as he touched it, only to see that not only was the little snake not angry, it boldly rubbed against his hand, eager to please.

Delighted, Xie Huizhou began playing with the snake.

This was his first time petting a snake!

Meanwhile, Zhang Lanhe instantly sensed someone stroking his avatar, boldly running their hands all over it.

Zhang Lanhe, who had been drinking tea and admiring the rain, went rigid. He instantly possessed the white snake, wanting to see who was so outrageously bold as to shamelessly put their hands all over him!

The moment he saw through his avatar's eyes, he saw Xie Huizhou touching him.

His main body shared his avatar's sensations. Xie Huizhou's warm, soft hands were touching his avatar, which was no different from touching him directly.

"Your Highness, you're so bold. I'm overwhelmed by your favor."

Seeing his chance, Zhang Lanhe immediately took control of his avatar to make mischief.

The white snake slowly climbed up along Xie Huizhou's fingertips. Its silvery-white body suddenly coiled around his smooth wrists, locking them together like a silver chain.

A little risqué.

Xie Huizhou thought this scene could serve as material. He would draw it into his pictures later and give the conservative people of Great Xia a little erotic shock.

Xie Huizhou tried to free himself from the silver snake's coils, but it tightened its grip. He could even make out smugness on its tiny head.

He would either have to find a way to make the little snake let go or simply kill it.

Had this snake gained sentience?

The little white snake had not hurt him, so he had no reason to kill it.

If this struggle continued, he might not make it to the palace in time to offer his thanks. Anxiously, he called to Zhang Lanhe for help. "Imperial Preceptor, are you there? Could you come help me? There's a snake in here."

Xie Huizhou called out, his voice trembling slightly.

Zhang Lanhe thought he must not frighten Xie Huizhou too badly. After waiting a while, he leisurely walked in, feigning surprise only when he saw the silver snake around his wrists.

"Your Highness, this is my beloved pet, Little White. It went into hibernation earlier, then disappeared after waking in spring. So it was hiding here."

Zhang Lanhe reached out and removed his avatar. The silver snake left Xie Huizhou's wrists with great reluctance, threatening its main body.

Zhang Lanhe grew jealous of his own avatar, his eyes turning cold. "It actually frightened Your Highness. Then it deserves death. I'll go stew it into snake soup right now."

Even he could not cling to Xie Huizhou at every moment, yet his avatar wanted to go that far. This really was turning the proper order upside down.

Although it was not as though he could not feel it too, he still minded.

Xie Huizhou had not expected Zhang Lanhe to be so ruthless and hurriedly stopped him. "Hey, don't. I touched it first. I liked it because it was pretty. Why hurt an innocent little snake?"

A little petting meant snake soup? If he touched someone else, would they have to be stewed too?

Zhang Lanhe went along with it and gave away his avatar. "Oh, then why not give it to Your Highness? It can protect you. You don't usually need to worry about feeding it either. It hunts for itself."

As soon as it heard the command, the little silver snake shot out like an arrow and wrapped itself around Xie Huizhou's left wrist. Without looking closely, one would not notice that it was alive; it looked more like a snake-shaped ornament.

Seeing Xie Huizhou's disheveled clothes, Zhang Lanhe immediately turned away to give him privacy. He had only taken a few steps when Xie Huizhou caught his robe.

"Imperial Preceptor, help me. I really can't figure these clothes out."

His scheme had succeeded, and Zhang Lanhe was thoroughly pleased.

"All right."

The Shadow Guards hidden in the distance were still enjoying the spectacle, taking in every interaction between them.

"Has our young master forgotten we exist?"

"It's only helping him dress. I could do it too."

"The Imperial Preceptor really is willing to be someone's servant. Does he have designs on our young master?"

"Don't ask. If you have to ask, it's their way of flirting."

The Shadow Guards watching in secret had endured far too much.

Before long, Zhang Lanhe finished dressing Xie Huizhou, then turned and took down the sword hanging on the wall to accompany him into the palace.

"Your Highness, the palace is full of petty people and trouble. Let me accompany you."