Ink Blade

Trying to Contain the Warmth (part 1)

In the end, Mo Ren asked the guards guarding in front of the door of the sleeping chamber, and chased in the direction Chu Yan headed.

Walking all the way to the back garden, unexpectedly, he ran into Qiu Jin first. As soon as she saw Mo Ren, she rushed forward anxiously, "Elder brother Mo, do you know what’s the matter with the Master?"

Mo Ren shook his head, "What happened to the Master?"

Qiu Jin asked urgently, "Could it be that you are angry with him again? He has been drinking alcohol early in the morning, refuses to eat, and refuses to see anyone..."

Mo Ren's face sank at that moment, "Drinking alcohol? Master, it's just that, kinds of things happened yesterday, but how could he drink alcohol early in the morning without even having breakfast!...Why didn't you stop him?"

Qiu Jin anxiously said, "Stop him? Master won't listen. He also ordered no one to follow him, what can I do—"

Mo Ren said angrily, "What kind of method is not possible! The Master told you not to follow, so you really didn't follow!?"

Qiu Jin was left speechless, her eyes widened, "I..."

She almost blurted out– I'm not you, rushing to be beaten and scolded......

-Of course, she only thought about this kind of thing in her heart, and she would never dare to say it. Mo Ren had always been calm and courteous, but once it involved the Palace Master, he became impatient. Without exception, the rare times when he touched real fire were all for the Master's sake. At this time, if he was provoked again, that would be the real beating and scolding.

Fortunately, Mo Ren didn't have the heart to argue with the maidservant, so he turned around and passed her and walked inside. Entering through the small archway, many fragrant flowers in the garden in early spring had sprouted, and were really beautiful to look at.

Chu Yan was sitting alone under the pavilion with red columns and flying eaves, while being fascinated by the delicate peonies that were budding outside the pavilion.

His long hair was scattered lazily on the long robe that was draped over his shoulders, and he was holding an exquisite silver wine jug in his hand, but there was no wine cup on the table, he just raised his hand from time to time and poured it into his mouth, one mouthful at a time.

Obviously it was the season of spring, but the garden where only one person was drinking alone appeared somewhat desolate and lonely.

Mo Ren had never seen Chu Yan look so despondent, and he felt like there was a lump in his throat for a while. He walked all the way through the path in the back garden, knelt on the bluestone floor under the steps of the pavilion, and said softly, "Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach hurts the spleen and stomach. If the Master is angry, please feel free to scold this subordinate. This subordinate only hopes that the Master will not hurt his body......" 

Chu Yan turned around with a three-point drunkenness, only to find the black-clothed guard kneeling at the bottom of the steps. He then smiled dimly, "Have you thought about it, really don't want to leave?"

Mo Ren said, "Yes.”

Chu Yan looked at the sky in a daze, threw the wine jug down casually, waved his sleeves and said, "Forget it...get up, you don't have to kneel in front of this Master from now on."

Mo Ren pursed his lips and his voice was even softer, "This subordinate dares to ask the Master to have a meal."

Chu Yan frowned and said, "No, have no appetite.”

Mo Ren immediately knelt down again, "It was this subordinate who displeased the Master, Mo Ren knows his crime, requesting the Master to give him punishment."

Chu Yan's face darkened suddenly, and the muscles at the corners of his lips twitched, "Are you threatening this Master with yourself?"

Mo Ren didn't dare to answer, and buried his head even lower, just waiting for his master to scold him. Unexpectedly, Chu Yan gritted his teeth and took a few breaths, but what he said angrily was, "Someone…..pass the food!!"

"......”

After a while, Qiu Jin came in with a food box, and gave Mo Ren a convincing look of admiration.

Chu Yan thoughtfully waved her to go down. When there were only two people left under the pavilion, he looked in the direction of Mo Ren and said, "May as well, since you insist on staying, this Master has a request—you still have to follow this Master as this Master's personal bodyguard. Don't think about anything else, have you noted it down?"

Chu Yan specifically said this sentence, mainly because he was frightened by what Mo Ren said just now that he was willing to go back to the Dark Hall for training. He was afraid that this person would really lose his mind and do something to hurt himself, therefore he made a point on purpose.

Mo Ren also guessed a little bit of the meaning of his Master, although the principles of dignity and humility that were forcibly carved into his bones and blood in the previous life made him dare not think about it, but just the sentence "be safe and secure as this Master’s personal bodyguard" was enough to warm his heart.

He whispered "yes". Chu Yan also smiled a little, and knocked on the food box on the table, which meant that the guard should start to do his "work".

Mo Ren was a little nervous for a while, he hadn't served his master for a long time, and he was a little afraid of not doing well.

Under Chu Yan's gaze, Mo Ren stretched his body, slowly opened the food box with both hands, and carefully arranged the breakfast inside.

Actually...this time, even if he poured food on the head of his master with trembling hands, Chu Yan wouldn’t be willing to beat and scold him, but Mo Ren was still uncontrollably nervous.

He was extremely calm even when killing people with a sword, and even the heaviest punishment in the Jiuzhong Palace couldn't make him change color in fear. The only thing he’s afraid of was not serving his master well, which would result in Chu Yan giving me a cold and disappointed look.

He didn’t know if it's because of nervousness, or because of the temptation of the delicious dishes–hot porridge, and sweet fruits in front of him, but Mo Ren suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach, and the guard realized that he seemed to have not eaten a serious meal for several times.

He frowned indistinctly, a little disgusted with this body that was not used to being hungry. By turning sideways to pass the jade chopsticks to the master, he pressed his right hand hard on his abdomen.

Unexpectedly, Chu Yan who seemed to be casual on the surface, but in fact he was secretly staring at Mo Ren all the time. This little trick was caught by the palace master. Chu Yan stood up abruptly and changed his face, "Ah Ren!? Where does it hurt?"

Mo Ren was so frightened that he almost dropped the chopsticks in his hand, and blurted out subconsciously, "This subordinate is fine!"