Chapter 75 - My heart is yours

The next day, Ding Qi receives two letters, one from Zhejiang and another from Hefei. As usual, he looks for Zhang Xiaofan should Zhang Yi sends something he should know.

Zhang Xiaofan was a bit busy in the lab. Ding Qi goes into it, he stops what he was doing, and bows to him:

-Majesty!

-Please, rise. We have received two letters, one from Zhejiang and another from Hefei.

-Let's read them!

Ding Qi helps Zhang Xiaofan to rise. They take a seat at a table nearby, and he reads out loud the letter from Zhejiang:

-"Dear friend, Ding Qi. It's been some time since we last got up-to-date with the epidemiological situation in our empires. We have already completed the immunization process in our empire, and cases are plummeting. Zhang Yi discovered a new strain of the disease that might be more deadly or transmissible than the original pathogen. We do not know so far if the medicine we developed together is still effective. Maybe you should take a more careful look at it as well. And do you know how things are going in Hefei? Waiting for your reply. From your close friend and Emperor of Zhejiang, Feng Long".

-I have already identified this new pathogen... not that big of a deal. The medicine seems to work against it too. - Zhang Xiaofan smiles.

-Well, we must tell them that too. But, let's read the letter from Hefei as well. I'm curious.

-Right.

Ding Qi opens the letter and immediately notices something different:

-"His highness, we are from the Hefei's Health Bureau. We sent this letter to inform his highness that emperor Bai Chongye was infected by the disease and seems to be recovering after taking the medicine you've sent to us. Bai Chongye ordered a full lockdown in the city that will be enforced until the number of cases is below 10 a day. We have recorded twelve thousand new infections a day on average. We doubt the lockdown alone will lower this threshold to less than a hundred new cases a day. We are also aiming to develop our own medicines. We recognize your sector cannot supply enough medicine for all the people currently living in Hefei. We ask you to send another sample containing just the raw material and instructions to make it. Our chemists will try to create a new medicine using similar components easier to find in our area, avoiding sending these components from Huangshan to Hefei. This is a lengthy and expensive strategy to implement. Bai Chongye is willing to fight the disease. We apologize for the bad treatment you may have received from the prince. We will wait for a reply, please, if your highness can, do it as quickly as possible. Furthermore, this lockdown will affect important trade routes for other empires, so you may receive some complaints from them. Just reply that no one is allowed to enter or leave the city until the epidemic is under control. Humbly, The Health Bureau."

Ding Qi smiles:

-Finally, Bai Chongye will do something! He had to get infected and probably suffer from it to realize his mindset was wrong!

-Yes, that's a good thing. If he does that, we will get the epidemic under control in Huangshan very quickly next week! -Zhang Xiaofan smiles.

-I hope so! Let's write back to Zhejiang and also send a sample of our medicine to Hefei. 

-Right!

Zhang Xiaofan moves to his lab. He separates the components, putting them in tiny containers that can be carried by a pigeon. He also writes another letter containing the instructions to prepare the medicine and the exact proportions of the mixture.

He then returns to Ding Qi's room. Ding Qi has already written a response to Feng Long and to the Health Bureau. Ding Qi takes and sends both the letters/samples in two different pigeons, one for Zhejiang, the other for Hefei. He smiles at Zhang Xiaofan:

-Zhang Xiaofan... Let's have a walk?

-A walk?

-Yes, you know... Maybe in the woods. I'm happy with this news, so I want to do something different.

-As your Majesty wants. 

Ding Qi extends his left hand to Zhang Xiaofan. He smiles and takes his hand. They descend from behind the palace, entering a path leading to the forest, which is nearby. 

The path is steep as they are walking uphill. Ding Qi smiles:

-Zhang Xiaofan, we are going to a place you may be familiar with, but it's been a long time you haven't been there.

-I have no idea which place is majesty referring to...

-You will remember it.

They reach a brook. Ding Qi notices something is missing:

-There was a bridge there... It disappeared! 

-How are we going to cross it, majesty? My boots will get wet! 

Ding Qi thinks for a moment. He removes his boots and looks at Zhang Xiaofan:

-Can you hold my boots?

-Yes...

Before Zhang Xiaofan could finish a sentence, Ding Qi takes him in his arms:

-Now it's easy to cross, isn't it? - Ding Qi smiles.

-Ah... Majesty... yes... - Zhang Xiaofan blushes.

Ding Qi crosses the brook, carrying Zhang Xiaofan in his arms. Zhang Xiaofan avoids looking directly at Ding Qi, as he is a bit embarrassed. When they reach the other side, Ding Qi allows him to stand:

-See? It is far from complicated when we work together.

-I agree...

Zhang Xiaofan gives Ding Qi's boots back to him. He puts them on and resumes walking, taking Zhang Xiaofan by his hand. Zhang Xiaofan is a bit scared:

-Is his majesty in love... with me? He's behaving so oddly today... - He thinks.

They walk for a couple of minutes. Ding Qi guides Zhang Xiaofan in a tight passage between two large rocks, getting to the other side in a moment. When they move out of the rocks, they are greeted by a fantastic view of Huangshan:

-His majesty, now I remember! It's been months since I last visited this place... Is one of my favorite ones! - Zhang Xiaofan smiles.

-I guessed that... I have seen you here on multiple occasions. Let's use this rock as a bench. I'm a bit exhausted already.

-As your majesty wants.

Ding Qi and Zhang Xiaofan sit. Ding Qi caresses the right hand of Zhang Xiaofan, gently:

-Zhang Xiaofan... After getting to know Bai Chongye will start to do something, I feel so much better. 

-Me too... This disease has really stressed me out a lot... You may not even understand...

-I understand... Well, no one is really putting pressure on me, I dismissed all my counselors, and it really improved things. But I can still feel the pain of those who lost their loved ones...

- Sometimes I was so sad... Your majesty really helped me to stay strong.

-We all should thank Zhejiang, if not by them, we'd never have gotten to know what had killed us.

-Yes, your majesty is right...

Ding Qi moves a bit closer to Zhang Xiaofan, passing his arm behind him. Zhang Xiaofan blushes:

-Ah... majesty. Look at that cloud...

-I can see it... But I also can see you.

-Majesty, you...

Ding Qi moves closer, kissing Zhang Xiaofan deeply. He responds to the kiss by deepening it. Ding Qi enjoys the kiss, caressing him. They then stop after a while:

-Majesty... Have you chose me as... as your... love? - Zhang Xiaofan is embarrassed.

-I... Well, how can I explain it...

-I noticed that your majesty is always trying to stay close to me... I may not be fully ready for it yet...

-Only time will tell... The only thing I can say is that... kissing you is so good for me. 

Both Ding Qi and Zhang Xiaofan blush. He moves closer to Ding Qi, hugging him:

-Your Majesty... If this is good for you must be good for me too... 

-It must be suitable for both of us... I may not be a good match for you, but you are a good match for me... I gotta be honest... Yu Lexuan is what I dream of, but Feng Long is his soulmate. There's nothing I can do... And you come next, Zhang Xiaofan...

-I can understand you... I feel really honored to be someone you consider that much...

-I'm sorry for not putting you as my only and one choice...

-My heart is yours, Ding Qi...

Ding Qi hugs Zhang Xiaofan tightly, and his eyes water. Zhang Xiaofan caresses him:

-You are my only and one love then, Ding Qi... No one has ever loved me so openly as you do. Sure, Yu Lexuan may still be in your mind, and I respect it deeply... But, if he's not there, I'll try to be as good as he is. 

-Zhang Xiaofan... XIAOFAN!!!

Ding Qi kisses him deeply while crying. Zhang Xiaofan caresses him, and his eyes also water. Despite being seen by Ding Qi as the only game in town, Zhang Xiaofan was happy to know the emperor actually loved him. He also finds Ding Qi rather attractive, which is a bonus.

Ding Qi recovers slowly, looking at Zhang Xiaofan. He smiles:

-Zhang Xiaofan... Let's return to the palace. I almost forgot that we have some affairs to solve there. 

-As your majesty wishes.

They return to the palace through the same path. While returning, Zhang Xiaofan was thoughtful:

-The emperor wants me, he cried for me... But how can I show him he is not overcompensating? May I be sufficient to him? I cannot compare myself to Yu Lexuan, he is way more beautiful than I am... 

...

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