# Chapter 73: Whatever You Wish
The door creaked open. The setting sun streamed through the small skylight, falling on Man Cheng's already-thin shoulders. He did not lift his head, nor did he have the strength to. But then came a voice: "Tie his hands and feet properly. If he gets a blade, neither of us will die a peaceful death. Hmm, Your Highness?"
Tang Shounian walked closer, reaching to remove the Buddhist beads from Man Cheng's hand.
Man Cheng's heart tightened. He shouted, "What are you doing?"
Kong Fang laughed. "Your Highness, are you trying to keep a memento?"
Tang Shounian put on the authority of a prince, snapping, "Bullshit! Shut your mouth!" He turned to face Man Cheng, his expression full of guilt. "Don't blame me. General Cheng wants this thing. Just part with it reluctantly!"
Man Cheng froze. *Zhongshan! You're cutting ties with me?*
He watched his soul drift away as Tang Shounian took down the string of beads. Still clinging to a sliver of hope, he lowered himself to beg, "Hey! Please... I'm begging you, let him come see me one more time, okay?"
Tang Shounian stared at his pitiful face, lost in a daze for a moment, then frowned. "If he wanted to come, he wouldn't have asked me to fetch this sentimental nonsense. You're leaving this prison cell soon. What more do you want from him?"
Man Cheng forced a bitter smile. "You're finally going to kill me?"
Kong Fang burst into laughter. "Kill you? We're crazy about you, hahahahaha... We're sending you back! Your Prince of Yuanliao has opened the city gates. All the troops have withdrawn to Waiqiao Pass."
Man Cheng's eyes went wide.
*Zhangzhou! He gave up Pingbei City to save me!* Man Cheng's mind flooded with Zhangzhou's resolute, decisive eyes. His words echoed over and over in his ears: "I want Yuanliao to grow powerful and unmatched. May the Zhang dynasty reign for ten thousand generations." *Cheng Zhongshan! It must have been you! You bastard!*
*Zhongshan, why did you make me hate you in secret?*
Man Cheng bit down hard on his lower lip. Tears blurred his face. The pain of injury couldn't compare to the pain in his heart!
---
The bone-setting doctor emerged from Zhangzhou's tent, speaking in a low voice to Zhangzhou, who had been pacing at the entrance. Zhangzhou's expression grew grimmer by the moment. He whispered something to the doctor, who nodded and left with hands clasped respectfully.
Zhangzhou hesitated for a moment, then lifted the tent flap and entered.
Man Cheng lay on the bed, silent, watching him approach. When Zhangzhou reached him, he could no longer hold back. He suddenly knelt and pulled Man Cheng into his embrace. "Man Cheng! Thank god I was able to swap you back!" He gently touched the fresh bandage on Man Cheng's left shoulder. "Does it hurt?"
Man Cheng nodded, crying so hard he couldn't speak.
*Zhangzhou, I was wrong! I'll never again have even a single thought of leaving you! I don't want Zhongshan anymore! From now on, my whole heart belongs only to you!*
Man Cheng raised his right hand and wrapped it around Zhangzhou's neck. Afraid of touching Man Cheng's wound, Zhangzhou propped himself up on one arm and leaned down to press soft kisses to Man Cheng's fluttering eyelashes...
*Do you still remember that sweet kiss from over a decade ago? Do you still remember what it felt like to possess that smooth, porcelain doll for the first time all those years ago?* Zhangzhou traced gentle fingers over the person beneath him. Memories flashed by like scattered leaves...
Man Cheng's cracked lips parted, about to speak again, when Zhangzhou's fingertips brushed across them, then sealed them with kiss after kiss after kiss.
*If only we hadn't been born in this heartless era of chaos. If only fate hadn't toyed with us so. If only I weren't burdened with so many ambitions and responsibilities!*
*The person crying endlessly in my arms... he should have been living in wealth and luxury, without a care in the world. What made him taste the blood of slaughter? What dragged him into this vortex of suffering?*
Zhangzhou scattered light kisses down his body, pressing his lips to every inch of skin. The salty, warm tears seeped into his mouth...
*His docility and compliance, his ferocity and bloodlust, his arrogance and domineering nature... all for whom?*
*For me. I am the one who destroyed his entire life. I am the one who doesn't deserve his love...*
Zhangzhou's fingers traced down Man Cheng's taut waist, touching a gash along the way. Man Cheng flinched from the pain. Zhangzhou shuddered but continued his exploration deeper...
When that broad palm reached the silk-soft skin between Man Cheng's thighs, Man Cheng's breath quickened. He tried weakly to resist, to pull away. Zhangzhou seemed not to notice. He pressed his body tighter against Man Cheng's, utterly disregarding the other's weakness and pain. The fiery passion coursing through his entire being was about to consume him!
Man Cheng looked at him with a pleading gaze, pushing weakly. Zhangzhou grabbed the hand that pushed against his chest, brought it to his lips and kissed it, then interlaced their fingers and pressed Man Cheng's hand firmly onto the pillow. Just as he always had, he dominated, slowly entering, like a flood of overwhelming desire surging forth violently...
Man Cheng's shoulder throbbed with unbearable pain. He whispered, "Zhangzhou, you... be gentler... it hurts so much..."
"Man Cheng! I love you! I love you!" Zhangzhou repeated these words low and hoarse, over and over, his movements never slowing.
Man Cheng heard those words—the very words he had been obsessed with his whole life—and couldn't help but melt away his grief and dissolve his senses. He bit down on his lower lip and endured the pain, submitting completely to Zhangzhou's every demand.
When transcendent bliss washed over his entire body, tears suddenly streamed down Zhangzhou's face.
"Man Cheng! I... I love you! I'm sorry, Man Cheng!"
*I'm sorry, Man Cheng. This is the last time. I know I'm hurting you. Bear with me, okay?*
Man Cheng stared at him in surprise. His tears were so rare, so precious! *This time, what for? For Pingbei City, the city he traded for me?* Man Cheng's throat ached. He tried to comfort him: "Zhangzhou, don't cry... I... when my wounds heal, I'll help you take it back."
Zhangzhou shook his head. His tears fell onto the wound on Man Cheng's body, but Man Cheng didn't feel the stingring. He continued to comfort: "Don't be sad. Even if we can't hold Waiqiao Pass, let's retreat from Yuanliao City first! We can take it back later! Zhangzhou! I'll help you take it back! I will..."
Zhangzhou couldn't bear to let him finish. He leaned down and kissed him repeatedly like a violent rainstorm. After a long while, he breathed heavily beside Man Cheng's ear, words coming in fragments: "Man Cheng, there's no need... you never have to worry about these things again, Man Cheng... I... I'll take you. I'll take you far away..."
Man Cheng was overjoyed. His clear, bright eyes instantly lit up. "Zhangzhou, really? You really want to? You really..."
Before he could finish, tears of excitement were already streaming down unceasingly.
"Zhangzhou, you're going to take me away from all this trouble and chaos, to live a free and easy life, right?"
"Zhangzhou, we're going back to how we lived in Anqing, right?"
"Zhangzhou... you'll be with me every day, right?"
"You'll... love me the way you used to, right?..."
Zhangzhou's tears poured like rain. He couldn't speak. Man Cheng asked one question, and he nodded. Man Cheng asked another, and he nodded again.
Years of wishes suddenly coming true! Man Cheng completely forgot about every time Zhangzhou had broken his promises. He believed with the same absolute trust as when he had first waited and hoped for his oaths. When love reaches such a point, what else can you do but believe? Man Cheng felt as if he were in a dream. Before the promise even came true, he was already living within it.
*Zhangzhou, don't wait any longer. Take me away from this noisy, busy world and this fear of slaughter. From now on, be like you were in Anqing—give me all your heart and soul!*
*I still have six years. Don't waste a single day...*
*Six years... As long as you're by my side, I'll have no regrets.*
---
Man Cheng drifted in and out of sleep, constantly worrying about the hand he was holding, afraid the person beside him would suddenly disappear. In his daze, Man Cheng suddenly felt his hand was empty!
*Empty!*
"Zhangzhou?" Man Cheng startled awake, searching for him. He opened his eyes to find Zhangzhou sitting by the bed, staring at him blankly.
Man Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. He said to him, "You... hold my hand and don't let go... when I can't see you, I'm scared."
Zhangzhou took the hand he had held for a lifetime. A thousand emotions swirled within him. Fighting back his grief, he said tenderly, "Man Cheng, get up and take your medicine."
Man Cheng obediently took the medicine bowl and drank it clean. Then he asked, "Zhangzhou, when do we leave?"
Zhangzhou helped him lie back down, his voice trembling. "Soon. I've already made arrangements..." He paused, pressing Man Cheng's hand against his own face. "Man Cheng, we were both wrong... if there's a next life, you shouldn't be the woman—you should be me... it should be me... in the next life, I'll repay everything I owe you. In the next life, I'll be obedient to you in every way... Man Cheng, this life, just listen to me, okay?"
Man Cheng nodded.
Zhangzhou continued, "You must listen to me! You must, you must... Man Cheng! I... I... you must obey me..."
Man Cheng felt dizzy. *Why is Zhangzhou's voice trembling with a sob?* He wanted to open his eyes and look at Zhangzhou, wanted to nod for him again, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pry open his heavy eyelids.
"Man Cheng... I love you, I... I love you, for all eternity... for all eternity..."
*Zhangzhou's voice, why is it fading further and further away...*
---
*Over a decade ago, in the Anqing palace, two young boys who hadn't yet grown up, unable to suppress their longing for each other, secretly explored forbidden fruit for the first time. With his youthful face still soft, Man Cheng's cheeks flushed pink. His eyes gathered with tears as he grumbled with a mix of anger and reproach: "Zhangzhou, why do you look so comfortable while I'm in so much pain I could die..."*
*Zhangzhou's face turned red. Filled with guilt and regret, he held his beloved close, apologizing endlessly.*
*Man Cheng squirmed in his arms, the pain making him whimper: "What do I do? I need to call the imperial physician!"*
*"No way!" Zhangzhou laughed and cried at the same time, quickly saying: "If we did that, the whole palace would find out. Your grandfather would fly into a rage."*
*"And then?"*
*"And then he would separate us."*
*Man Cheng gasped. "Why?"*
*"You fool..." Anxiety and worry crept onto Zhangzhou's face, which was just beginning to show signs of authority. He said solemnly: "Because what we did is wrong!"*
*Man Cheng whined in grievance.*
*Zhangzhou kissed away the tears on his eyelashes, comforting him: "You just lie乖乖 in bed and don't move. It should stop hurting in a couple of days..."*
*Man Cheng pouted.*
*"I'll feed you meals, help you bathe, keep you company talking..." Zhangzhou said. Seeing that the person in his arms still had an unhappy expression, his mood fell. He sighed softly and slowly said: "I'm sorry. If you don't like it, I won't do it again."*
*"Don't be angry!" Man Cheng quickly wrapped his arms around Zhangzhou's neck, acting coquettish. "I'm not afraid of pain. As long as you're happy, I'm not afraid of pain. Not afraid, not afraid."*
*Zhangzhou's heart ached even more. He pressed his lips to Man Cheng's and kissed him repeatedly, whispering constantly: "Man Cheng, I love you so much. I really do..."*
*"Me too..." Man Cheng was a bit shy, curling deeper into his embrace.*
*Suddenly, Zhangzhou's voice was heavy with deep helplessness and regret. "Man Cheng, why weren't you born a woman? If only you were a woman!"*
*The words pierced his heart like a knife. Man Cheng froze, then burst into tears of remorse and guilt.*
*Zhangzhou realized he had misspoke. Alarmed, he frantically wiped away Man Cheng's tears, deeply regretful. "I'm sorry! Man Cheng! Stop crying..."*
*Man Cheng choked out between sobs: "...You're嫌弃 me already. In the future, you'll不要我了..."*
*Zhangzhou cut him off,急切地 said: "You fool! Don't think such things! How could I嫌弃 you? It doesn't matter that you're not a woman. I'll love you my whole life. I'll love only you, forever!"*
*Man Cheng's tears gradually stopped. He settled down and asked: "You really don't嫌弃 me?"*
*Zhangzhou nodded.*
*"You'll always be with me, right?"*
*Zhangzhou nodded repeatedly.*
*Man Cheng emphasized once more: "Zhangzhou! Never leave me. Never go back to Yuanliao." Zhangzhou's eyes flickered with hesitation. Man Cheng immediately noticed. He eagerly pleaded: "Zhangzhou, I'll give you the throne, okay? Never go back! Please?"*
*Zhangzhou laughed softly. "You're really foolish! Do you think the throne is a kite? That you can just hand it to me and I'll catch it?"*
*"Then..." Man Cheng's voice turned tearful again: "Then what do I do? What can I use to keep you with me forever? Tell me! What?"*
*Zhangzhou lost his reason in the moment. He kissed away the faint worry creasing Man Cheng's brow and tenderly responded: "You yourself is enough! Man Cheng! I'm willing to be your hostage for a lifetime. To only listen to you forever."*
*"Really?"*
*"Really. I swear." Zhangzhou's expression turned grave. He pointed to the heavens: "I will never leave you for my whole life. I will love only you forever. If I betray you, may I die without a whole body, may I never be reborn!"*
*"A lifetime isn't enough! The next life too, and the one after that! I want you with me for all eternity!"*
*Zhangzhou laughed. "Alright, alright, all eternity. Then you must believe me. No more crying, okay?"*
*"I believe!" Man Cheng's soft, delicate face hadn't yet fully matured. His water-clear eyes overflowed with deep affection and unwavering certainty—*
*"Whatever you say, I believe!"*
---
Man Cheng woke to find himself in his own room! When did they return to Yuanliao City? A sharp pain shot through his left shoulder. Ignoring it, he got up and saw a figure moving at the door.
*Zhangzhou?*
He hurried to push the door open. The person at the door was Peng Hong.
"You're up?" Peng Hong noticed him standing blankly at the door. "What? Disappointed you didn't see Zhangzhou?"
Man Cheng was speechless for a long while. "Is he at Waiqiao Pass?"
"He gave you medicine so you could sleep for another day. Do you feel better?"
"Did he ask you to bring me back?"
Peng Hong nodded. Man Cheng asked again, "How are things there?"
"Not good. We can only hold our ground inside the pass. Cheng Zhongshan hasn't come out to fight yet, and we're already stretched thin. If he suddenly appears out of nowhere, we're finished. You know his power. No one in our army can match him!" As Peng Hong spoke, he saw Man Cheng pressing a hand to his shoulder wound, his eyes full of unwillingness. His heart ached even more. "Man Cheng, you can't go to the battlefield anymore. Your left hand... it will never be as agile as before!"
Man Cheng was stunned for a long time. His voice trembled. "My left hand is crippled?"
Peng Hong didn't answer. He didn't even look at him, his gaze hazy and unfocused.
Man Cheng's tears welled up, but the corner of his mouth rose slightly. "That's fine..."
"Man Cheng, Waiqiao Pass can't hold for another two days. Once the Yongzhao army breaks through, Yuanliao City will fall in an instant."
Man Cheng's gaze drifted aimlessly. He said quietly: "Did he tell me to stay here and wait for him? I'll listen. I won't be stubborn anymore."
"Man Cheng, the reinforcements from the Yu Kingdom's Crown Prince, Wei Ying, have already arrived at Jianqing City. I have to go to Waiqiao Pass right away. I can't escort you to Jianqing. Zhangzhou wants you to take the Yu Kingdom princess and..."
Man Cheng's eyes flickered with a lazy, wandering light. He murmured to himself: "Whatever place he tells me to wait for him, I'll listen... I understand. As long as there's Wei Yang, the Yu Kingdom will still lend him troops. He can make a comeback... Whatever he wants me to do, I'll do it..."
*What "fly away together"... How could I be so foolish? Actually believing in an impossible promise.*
"Man Cheng, stop waiting for him..."
Man Cheng stared at him. His gaze had gone hollow.
"Man Cheng, Zhangzhou asked me to tell you this: he'd rather die at Waiqiao Pass than see Yuanliao City fall. He won't... won't come to you anymore. You... take Wei Yang and escape. That woman loves you very much. She can give you the peaceful life you want. You..."
Peng Hong didn't finish. He saw infinite despair and desolation welling up in Man Cheng's brow and eyes.
"Man Cheng..." Peng Hong wanted to comfort him but didn't know how to begin.
Man Cheng had no strength left to support his battered body and crushing grief. He leaned against the doorframe, his eyes gazing down at the blue stone steps beneath his feet. Yet the corner of his mouth lifted in a faint smile.
*A lifetime of stubborn infatuation—what has it brought me?*