Chapter 90 - Come see the waterfall with me

 Moving down to Xie Yun's bedroom, Meng Zhang helps him get to his bed. Xie Yun drank way too much jin and was dizzy:

-You drank too much Xie Yun, what an embarrassment for us... We're lucky Feng Long really likes us and would not bother to see the prince drunk.

-Who Feng Long thinks he is??? He might be more athletic than I am, but I love you more than he could ever imagine...

Meng Zhang smiles:

-I'd love to hear it from you when you are sane again. Please, take a rest.

Meng Zhang helps Xie Yun to lay down on his bed and then leaves the room. On the upper floor, Feng Long and his friends wait for him to come back, overlooking the city:

-I'm impressed how Meng Zhang can keep this empire up and running, despite his prince behaving so oddly. - Yu Lexuan smiles.

-Despite being so young, Meng Zhang has a good understanding of how things are supposed to work. His prince might not be as wise as him, but as he usually solves matters himself, it does not matter how competent he is. He thinks differently than we do. It seems to work. - Feng Long smiles.

Meng Zhang arrives next and bows to Feng Long:

-Your majesty. My prince is being so unruly... I think I should punish him. 

Feng Long smiles and moves closer to Meng Zhang:

-Please, rise... There's no need to punish him.

-Well, so let's reunite later. I'll have to deal with other matters. Feel free to walk anywhere you wish. 

-Of course, sorry if we are keeping your majesty too busy. - Feng Long bows.

-Please rise... I'm having a good time with all of you. I'll take my leave.

Meng Zhang smiles, helps Feng Long to rise, and moves away. Feng Long and Yu Lexuan face each other:

-So, let's have a walk? I think you may like to know about other places in the city. - Yu Lexuan smiles.

-As you wish... Zhong Kunyi, are you going to accompany us? - Feng long turns.

-Ah, no, sorry... I'm a bit tired. I'll stay in the palace for some time. I think Xie Yun might get up again in a few hours.

-No problem then.

Yu Lexuan and Feng Long get out of the palace holding hands. Yu Lexuan smiles at him:

-Please, I'll show you a beautiful waterfall. You might not believe how beautiful it is.

-Oh, waterfalls... Interesting, I used to like those places to do, you know, hot things. - Feng Long smirks.

-Good, so cold water will not be a problem. - Yu Lexuan smiles, blushing slightly.

They walk down the main street of the city. Nanchang has a rich assortment of restaurants and stores neatly arranged over several blocks. There are some spaces in front of the stores and restaurants where people can sit and small kiosks selling craft items and food. 

Yu Lexuan guides Feng Long into a narrow street, eventually leading to a pathway within the nearby forest. Feng Long can hear the sound of a distant waterfall:

-I can hear it, Yu Lexuan.

-Yes, we will reach the waterfall in a second.

Shortly after, they reach the waterfall, as Yu Lexuan told Feng Long. The waterfall is odd as the water enters a crevasse. There's a shallow pool in the base, directly leading to the river about half a li away. Feng Long is impressed:

-This is beautiful, Yu Lexuan!

-It fits nicely with your appearance. - Yu Lexuan smiles.

-I think you do look better than it does. 

Yu Lexuan smiles and gets closer to Feng Long, hugging him. Fen g Long smiles and leans in a trunk behind him:

-Yu Lexuan... How are we going to pay Meng Zhang for accepting our treaties?

-You know how...

Yu Lexuan moves his left hand over Feng Long's "absolute unit", caressing it gently:

-Yu Lexuan! Well, I don't think Meng Zhang will accept it as a, well, payment. 

-If you can't, may I? - Yu Lexuan smirks.

-It is your choice!

-I need your permission...

-You have it.

Feng Long kisses Yu Lexuan deeply. Yu Lexuan responds by deepening it. After a couple of seconds, they separate:

-If any of us decides to pay Meng Zhang, I fear this might be, you know, too much for him. - Feng Long blushes.

-Well, Zhong Kunyi will not be that different too... I'm not 100% sure if Meng Zhang has never had some fun with his prince, nor how high Xie Yun's pillar actually is...

-How about having a conversation with him beforehand? 

-This is not needed. I think you can pay him. He 'pretended' to like you today. He really likes you, Feng Long! - Yu Lexuan laughs.

-Well, Yu Lexuan... I... - Feng Long blushes.

-Feng Long, please have a high-level meeting with his majesty today... The highest level he will ever have, hahaha!!! 

-Yu Lexuan!!!

Feng Long smiles and runs after Yu Lexuan, who runs away from him.

While they play, Meng Zhang takes a cup of tea and the treaties from Zhong Kunyi, reading them carefully. 

Minutes later, a dull rumble is heard. Yu Lexuan and Feng Long notice clouds gathering quickly:

-Feng long, I think it is time we moved back to the palace...

-Yes, let's not wait for it!

While Yu Lexuan and Feng Long move back to the palace, Meng Zhang gets up and moves to the window, looking at a now darkened horizon. As the sun is at a very shallow angle on the opposite side of the storm, the lit landscape makes the clouds look even darker than they are. Lightning is seen but happening very far away, so the thunder that can be heard is just a dull but sometimes powerful rumble.

Meng Zhang closes most of the windows of his bedroom, leaving only one open. He looks at the storm, now growing in size. Rain can be seen falling on the other side of the river, covering the landscape in a white blanket. 

In the square below, Feng long and Yu Lexuan move fast into the palace. Zhong Kunyi meets with them on the ground floor:

-It seems that a storm will hit the city soon.

-Yes, that's why we came back. 

Yu Lexuan looks at Zhong Kunyi and smirks. Zhong Kunyi cannot get what Yu Lexuan meant to say:

-Yu Lexuan, what are you planning in your mind?

-Ah, nothing... Feng Long might want to tell you something. It might or might not help you tomorrow.

-Something? Please, explain it to me.

Feng Long blushes and moves closer to Zhong Kunyi:

-I think it is time I had a high-level meeting with Meng Zhang, well, if you can understand what I meant to say. 

-A high-level meeting? Do you mean... Bedtime?

-Exactly... - Feng long blushes.

-Well, I propose you another thing to do... Xie Yun has been a hassle for me to handle. Maybe you can try getting closer to him.

-I think this is impossible.

-It is not... He behaves differently when drunk. If you try that way, maybe we can have some progress on this matter too... It will be tough for me to get other treaties passed.

Feng Long thinks for a moment. There was nothing on his head keeping him from having a higher-level conversation with Xie Yun, getting close to him would be a challenge of course, but the plan suggested by Zhong Kunyi might work:

-You know, Zhong Kunyi... That's a great idea actually... Let's spend two more days here. I think I can do it. - Feng Long smiles.

Yu Lexuan puts one of his hands over Feng Long's chest and laughs:

-No one, NO ONE, can withstand what's behind this garment! 

Zhong Kunyi and Feng Long laugh. The storm finally reaches the city and heavy rainfall quickly starts, creating small waterfalls on the steps leading to the palace.

...

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