The flirtatious expression Feng Ming was showing Rong Wang made his heart thump harder, distracting him from his laughter as he brought his demonstration to a halt.
The King’s dark serious eyes hinted at admiration and appreciation as it lashed at Feng Ming.
Although Feng Ming was a man, he couldn’t help but to blush under the inescapable gaze that held him, especially when those eyes were framed by such a powerful and handsome face.
The fact that the same set of eyes, had previously inspected every inch of his body including his most private parts, as well as the tell tale marks scattered ubiquitously across his skin, his heart started to rapidly beat.
"Feng Ming." The face before him called out.
“Ah!” by the time the Prince heard his name, the man scared him as he was practically next to him.
“What…” his injured mouth managed.
The King suddenly smacked his chest loudly, and asked in a frightening tone.
“Do you remember what my name is?”
“A-ahh…” hesitation was clear.
Seriously, that’s the worst question that Feng Ming could hear from this mad man’s mouth. Considering last time when he failed to provide and answer he provoked a rage which left to in his current miserable state.
Feng Ming bit his lower lip as he racked the brain cells that were still functioning to draw out an answer.
“Unn…Rong” who was he kidding?
“Rong…”
Feng Ming cast a quick glance to see the Rong Wang’s reaction.
Please God, do not make me pull out a knife to castrate myself.
As expected, he doesn’t even remember my name.
Rong Wang’s long narrow eyebrows knitted together in irritation.
“I’ll repeat it, my name is Rong Tian,” he coldly said. “If you forget again, I will punish you.”
Feng Ming chanted the name as if it was of holy importance.
Rong Tian, Rong Tian…
I better not forget or this guy will go insane.
He repeated the two words in an endless loop in his mind just for good measure.
It was obvious what was ticking in the Prince’s brain, and his action undoubtedly made Rong Wang satisfied.
The icy stern face broke into a warm smile.
One could describe the change with spring flowers breaking through the ice of winter.
Feng Ming’s eyes were fixated, completely arrested by the smile presented to him from the evil Cao Cao. Even the devil could look this good when he grinned.
If he really was from Feng Ming’s day and age he would be a complete lady killer, milking the cash flow being one hell of a gigolo.
"Feng Ming, let’s have a talk." Rong Wang sat beside him, his eyes glued onto the imposter.
How should I treat this little assassin?
He was obviously an assassin, and following protocol Rong Tian should have thrown him into a filthy dungeon to be tortured. However, when one set eyes on such a lovely appearance and become infected with his rather playful personality, they would conclude how pitiful it would be to destroy him.
Was this attractiveness just an act, his specialty as an assassin? Perhaps this imposter wasn’t as simple as he presented himself to be?
This might be his guise, weaving an intricate character to keep. Staying alive within the enemies hold and gradually infiltrate and steal their intelligence. It was better to recruit such a cunning little fox onto his side.
"Talk…about…” his tongue was stinging with each effort to talk. “What?...” Feng Ming yawned, his words coming out in a mumble his incoherent words sounded ridiculous as if he was a child reciting a language he had just learnt.
Should he try and get rid of his unwanted visitor?
Feng Ming’s heart was in a conflict.
Being confined to the Prince’s Hall was utterly a blow to the brain, compared to endless boredom; even this devil offered a refreshing change.
However, this Cao Cao went overboard with provoking Feng Ming, he wasn’t sure whether he would be able to handle what would come next.
Is it better to be bored to death?
Or be irritated to beyond measure?
Whatever, considering I won’t be able to run off any where with out him pouncing on me.
His only option was to take it as it comes.
Coincidentally, they both made up their minds, and in that instant their eyes met, both determined with their decision as each elicited a sneer.
Feng Ming was unsettled by the Cao Cao’s enigmatic smile as if there was a message behind it that he could not decipher. This put him on alert.
Rong Wang was intrigued by the smile across the little assassin’s face, interested to the reason behind it.
“Feng Ming, where were you born?” He asked shifting their staring contest back to a conversation.
“This ..." Feng Ming didn’t want to be misunderstood through his mumblings so instead he taped the floorboards under his feet..
"You still refuse to concede that you are an assassin?" he threatened.
"I…in…fact…ah…” he stuttered whilst trying to work his wind around the lump in his mouth.
“The…son” it was chaos, impossible to comprehend what he was trying to say.
Rong Wang ended up observing Feng Ming as the younger man frantically attempted to use sign language waving his hands and arms to illustrate his words.
With a forced smile the King returned his gestures.
“Well, I understand, you say you are the Prince and not an imposter, correct?”
Feng Ming nodded enthusiastically.
“You claim that you actually feel into the water, half drowned yourself and when you woke up your memories had disappeared, and instead you gave yourself a new name. Feng Ming, right?”
Feng Ming shook his head in agreement, before giving the King a thumb up.
Rong Tian did not have a clue what sticking up one’s thumb meant but he could feel Feng Ming was praising his translation progress.
“I’m still not buying your story, its simply all lies. I’ve decided that you are a spy! In Xi Rei spies are put to death by fire,” their easygoing conversation took a sudden change of pace as the look on Rong Wang’s face scorned.
WHAT?
In disbelief of the cyclic accusations against him Feng Ming's eyes, widened, and without a blink stared bewildered at the King.
Rong Wang over looked the unpleasant look he was getting and laughed out loud.
“Don’t be afraid, you only have to answer a few questions, you will only need to nod or shake your head to answer me, then I can determine whether you are or aren’t a spy.”
The eyes that glared at him, relaxed and blinked as if he agreed to another interrogation.
“Can you fight with a sword?”
Feng Ming shook his head.
Rong Wang replied coldly, “The Prince has been trained in sword arts by the martial art masters in the palace since childhood, if you are the Prince, how can you not fend with a sword?”
To his own defense Feng Ming murmured, “Mmh…I-…mm can’t-“this was absurd, he was obviously trying to corner me until I give him what he wants to hear!
Once again he gave his silent lecture, waving his arms crazily explaining to the thick headed man his condition.
"Oh, so every single part of your life before your fall you’ve completely lost all knowledge of?" he didn’t sound impressed, but Feng Ming immediately gave affirmation by nodding.
“Can you remember the person you loved the most?”
The question threw him off, what kind of question was this?
Feng Ming scratched his head, nodding his head slightly before changing it into a shake.
“Is that a yes or a no?” the King asked sternly.
Feng Ming hesitated, but his eyes lit up with an idea as he nodded to confirm his position on the question.
“You can? Then who was the person you loved?” he demanded impatiently.
"Ah. ... King...ahh…nnnhhh,” he purposely muttered.
Rong Wang stared at him for his response but suddenly laughed, “I give you credit for not being entirely stupid, you seem to know a trick or two. Of coarse every one knows, that one could only endlessly love their own parents.”
He managed to pass this part of the trial, Feng Ming beamed triumphantly whilst making incoherent noises of his satisfaction.
“However,” he swerved back to the topic, his eyes flashed his cunningness. “What are the names of your father and mother?”
Feng Ming was blindsided, he inwardly cursed.
He didn’t even know the name of the Prince, where was he going to pull the names of the Prince’s parents out from. Even the maids that served him in his quarters had not even used names when he had brought the topic up.
Rong Wang knew from the beginning there would be no answer to his question, but he had caught the rabbit, he just wanted to see his prey squirm under his malicious treatment. Watching Feng Ming’s distress was rather enjoyable.
Interjecting before Feng Ming could mumble the king replied in his stead. “I know, I understand that you fell into the river and you’ve washed up like a blank piece of paper, yes?”
Sparing Feng Ming, the younger man nodded.
The questions that followed were answered with a muddle expressions, it was a complete shamble. One would either think he was an elaborate story teller or a complete madman.
Rong Wang did not care much about the answers he received, but during his more civil second round of interrogation he could an answer to his questions.
He had two conclusions, firstly, no matter how desperate Feng Ming’s claim was he was not the Prince, secondly, he could not be a spy spent by the country’s enemies. There was no sane spy that would infiltrate Xi Rei with no basic knowledge of the country.
So where did this strange young man come from?
The two continued long into the night, with one asking and one doing his best to answer.
Feng Ming was lively and lovable, his appearance was alluring, the more Rong Wang was with him the more he felt a strange connection. His heart couldn’t help but lower the barriers to bask in the delight of their conversation.
With a chuckle, Rong Wang had another sly plot.
“Since you have lost your memories of Xi Rei, it is necessary that I, the Regent King take the responsibility to restore the knowledge to you, my little Prince.”
He smirked smugly.
“From today onwards I will teach you everything that you’ve forgotten, from etiquette within the Royal courts to every other matter that is important.”
Teaching me? Etiquette and more??
The expression on Feng Ming’s face was if, the King had a huge ruler that smacked him across his head. All Feng Ming saw in his mind were stars dancing around in a dizzy spell.
The handsome features on the King’s face frowned strictly, as if he was sternly talking to a child in front of him.
“Disobedience will be punished, you should remember.” He intimidated.
It was true…he was in for it now.
Feng Ming’s head bowed down in disbelief, his jaw wide open as he muttered and cursed his bad luck, this Prince wasn’t going to get a break at all.
"Tonight’s lesson will be the first on etiquette. I will teach you how to bid someone good night.”
“When you leave your subjects in the Royal courts, there will be important figure heads and officials. Whom you need to express to them your confidence and trust”
“You will need to kiss them on the lips.”
You are kidding me!
Are you trying to take advantage of me?
Feng Ming’s large eyes nearly popped, as they strained themselves staring scornfully at the King’s face.
Witnessing the little assassin’s signature expression only issued a fit of laughter deep from Rong Tian’s stomach.
In all seriousness, he spoke again and this time he wasn’t toying with the younger man.
"Your etiquette is in the most need of attention, and it is an important factor if you were the Prince, if you can’t even tolerate learning, You will be easily spotted as an imposter, and treated as a spy.”
And spies are to be burnt until crispy.
Feng Ming finished off the sentence for the King in his mind.
After all, the real intention of this gloating maniac was trying to use his power, to threaten a goodnight kiss from Feng Ming.
Should I surrender myself, just this once?
Before he could draw a conclusion, the shifty bastard already approached him, closing in their proximity.
The other’s warm breath brushed across his cheeks, tickling him gently.
Rong Tian did not delay his assault, as his tongue flicked across Feng Ming’s sensitive lips, gentling enticing him with his wet touch. Their kiss was missing the violence that their previous two encounters held. Rong Tian was even sincere as he toke in account the injury within the younger man’s mouth and did not push to attack him there.
Being engulfed by such a masculine beast that intoxicated him with his deadly kiss, Feng Ming began to feel light headed.
Compared with teaching Feng Ming etiquette, Rong Wang was probably more suited to teach him the art of kissing.
For the Regent King, their meeting had concluded in passionate kiss, although he had completely fought to restrain himself, he left with a strong taste of sweetness in his mouth.