A sweet scent of incense entered Xue Lan’s nose and his eyes opened drowsily. He found himself in an unknown bedroom with his hands and feet shackled. His mind was a bit fuzzy but he was still clear-headed.

The door opened in front of him and Xue Nian entered with a wooden box.

“You made quite a mess to our plans, Fifth Prince,” Xue Nian closed the door and locked it. “I would already commend you for muddling the Emperor’s heart if it was for our nation’s cause.”

Xue Lan didn’t respond. He glared threateningly at Xue Nian.

“How fierce. Rest assured, I have plenty of ways to tame you back,” Xue Nian gripped Xue Lan’s jaw forcefully. “Tell me, what do you plan to do by seducing the Emperor to your side? I don’t believe a slut like you genuinely have feelings for him.”

Xue Lan’s mouth was sealed shut.

“Is this how you want to play?” Xue Nian sneered. He opened the wooden box and took out a vial, “I’m sure you remember what this is? We’ve enhanced it to have 5 times the effect.”

It was impossible for Xue Lan to forget about that aphrodisiac. Not only did it trigger unbearable arousal, his sensitivity was also raised to 3 times than normal.

Not to mention, it had an addictive effect on its consumer which forced him to go through withdrawal after consuming it twice a day for 10 straight days.

“If you obediently answer, I’ll spare you from this and re-educate you like a normal dog. I don’t want to leave any obvious traces myself,” Xue Nian popped open the vial. “You know my patience level. I’ll give you 5 seconds.”

Xue Lan only opened his mouth when Xue Nian counted to 4, “I didn’t seduce him. How can I when he never even touched me?”

Xue Nian’s eyes narrowed, “Don’t lie to me. You know very well the consequences for that.”

“Do I look like I’m lying to you?” Xue Lan stared straight into Xue Nian’s eyes.

“…”

Xue Nian scrutinized Xue Lan’s face and found that his eyes didn’t waver the slightest. It was hard to believe that the Emperor fell for Xue Lan without even tasting him in bed but he indeed heard some rumours that Xue Lan was chosen as the divine beast’s caretaker because the Emperor hadn’t touched him yet.

“Fine, let’s just say you’re telling the truth,” Xue Nian closed the vial back, “but you need to relearn how to speak properly to me as well.”

Xue Nian loomed on top of Xue Lan and sealed his mouth with a metal tube strapped to his face.

“Since you’re so keen on staying silence, then you’re only allowed to bark from this moment onward,” Xue Nian ripped open Xue Lan’s robe. “Until you learn to properly address me as your master, you’re nothing more than a dog.”

He then saw the tattoo on Xue Lan’s chest.

“Heh. Now I know you’re telling the truth. Such an ugly tattoo on your body, who would want to hold you in bed?” Xue Nian took out a metal ring from the wooden box. “You know the rules. Dogs are not allowed to relieve without permission.”

Xue Lan struggled when Xue Nian put his hands into his robe. Xue Nian unrestrainedly slapped his face until he finally stopped his struggle.

“Good, good. Be livelier. It’s more satisfying for me to tame a feral dog after all,” Xue Nian put the ring on.

Xue Lan glared at him full of enmity. The rebellion in Xue Lan’s eyes and the blood trickling from his lips aroused him even more.

He grabbed a collar and wore it on Xue Lan’s neck. He held the other end of the chain and violently tugged Xue Lan up.

“Bark.”

Xue Lan disregarded his order and slammed his head on Xue Nian. Xue Nian staggered back and laughed sinisterly.

He choked Xue Lan down back to the bed and grinded his front with his knee, “Your master ordered you to bark, so bark like a b*tch!”

The door suddenly broke open, alarming Xue Nian. Before he could see who intruded into the room, he was kicked off the bed and crashed into the wall.

“My, my, what a rough trainer you are,” Mo Shen tutted.

Xue Nian coughed out the blood from his lungs, “You! Why are you here!?”

“I am rather offended that you think a fossil like your councilor can tame me. If my master is a dog, I can confidently call myself a wolf, if I may humbly say so myself,” Mo Shen raised Jiang Wei’s head he was holding and threw it to Xue Nian.

Xue Nian avoided the head and unsheathed his sword, “Then let’s see if you’re strong enough to fight a lion.”

He swung his blade to Mo Shen’s neck only for it to be stopped by the tip of Mo Shen’s middle finger. The demon smiled ferociously at him, “You mean a kitty cat?”

Xue Nian froze in place as fear washed over his bones and chilled him to his core. His instinct screamed for him to run but his legs were nailed in place by the demon’s mere aura.

“What’s this? You’re trembling like a baby kitten, Your Highness,” Mo Shen flicked the sword off Xue Nian’s hand.

“Y-y-you…What are you…?” Xue Nian took a step back in reflex and tripped on his own feet.

“Me?” Mo Shen raised his foot, “I am but a dog.”

With his heel, he stomped his foot down and crushed Xue Nian’s manhood.

“AAAAAGGHHHH!!!!”

Xue Nian screamed and seizured from the extreme pain. His nerves and brain couldn’t handle the burden and he blacked out with his eyes rolled back.

Right after, Mo Shen and Xue Lan heard rapid footsteps coming toward them. The two of them looked at each other and Mo Shen gave Xue Lan an affirmative nod.

Yang Huo appeared at the door and saw the people inside. Seeing the state Xue Lan was in, he was briefly stunned but then hurriedly returned to his senses, “Your Majesty, over here!”

Tian Chen rushed to the room but halted at the door when he saw Xue Lan’s abused state. His blood flared with rage and snatched Yang Huo’s sword to directly behead Xue Nian.

“Qi Ming’s representatives have assassinated the Empress upon Our grace of hospitality,” Tian Chen’s murderous aura pressured the air of the whole room. He threw the sword back to Yang Huo, “Spread the word. Qi Ming has dishonoured the peace treaty and Qian Jin shall answer their act of disrespect and insolence with war.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Yang Huo sheathed his sword and quickly left.

Tian Chen went to the bed and gently unbuckled Xue Lan’s gag.

His face tightened seeing Xue Lan’s swollen cheek and bleeding lips. The strap from the gag left a red mark because of its tight application and a bump was forming on his forehead.

“Your Majesty, the incense…” Xue Lan pointed with his eyes.

It was then Tian Chen noticed the sweet fragrance in the room and immediately extinguished them.

Mo Shen opened the wooden box and found the key to the shackles. He unlocked them and helped Xue Lan up before removing his collar as well.

Tian Chen took off his outer robe and draped it over Xue Lan, “Prince Xue, cut yourself off from Qi Ming. You shall now permanently become Qian Jin’s Imperial Prince.”

“What does it matter?” Xue Lan hoarsely said. “Wherever I am, whatever my status is, I am only useful for pleasure.”

“Forgive me. Xue Lan, I never wished to cause you any form of pain,” Tian Chen carefully pulled Xue Lan into his embrace, “I will make it up to you. This, I promise.”

Xue Lan pushed Tian Chen away, “Your Majesty’s promise is too heavy for this subject to bear.”

With a raise of his arm, Mo Shen readily carried him up from the bed. The two of them silently left the room, leaving the desolate Emperor by himself.

The place Xue Nian brought him to was the basement of a small house in the slums. Outside, 2 carriages awaited to bring Xue Lan and Tian Chen back to the palace. It was already morning the next day.

Mo Shen placed Xue Lan in before entering the carriage himself. He reached out and slithered his hand into the opening of Xue Lan’s robe.

Xue Lan faintly twitched as Mo Shen pulled the ring off.

Mo Shen chuckled and shuffled the ring through his fingers, “Too bad they died too easily. Even after I held myself back from killing Xue Nian.”

“At the very least, he got a taste of his family jewel being crushed,” Xue Lan threw away Tian Chen’s robe. “And the device?”

With a smirk, Mo Shen pulled out a tube from his robe, “Acquired.”

“Good,” Xue Lan nodded in satisfaction. “Let us solve the puzzle then.”