---
In the steaming kitchens of the palace, gossip was boiling faster than the soup.
Maids leaned close to one another, their voices hushed but thrilled.
"I saw them! With my own eyes!"
"The prince… on top of that knight? Or was it the other way around?"
"They were so close. I thought they were going to kiss!"
"They must be lovers! It explains why the knight stays in his chambers."
By midmorning, the rumors had spread from the lowest halls to the highest balconies. The image of Prince Xìn Xuān—dominant and tangled atop his knight—had already turned into palace scandal.
---
Shèng Lín, still inhabiting the prince's body, expected consequences.
But surprisingly, no one summoned him for questioning. No scolding came from advisors. No lectures from noble ladies.
Of course, he realized: No one questions a prince. Not about his preferences. Not about his lovers.
That didn't stop the tension from creeping in—until the King himself came.
The grand doors opened, and the Emperor of Skiiri stepped in with his usual commanding grace. His expression was unreadable, but his tone was dry.
"You know, my son…" he began, walking slowly toward Shèng Lín, "we royal men can get almost anything. But that doesn't mean we should take unwanted things."
Shèng Lín bowed, masking the twist in his chest.
"You're going to marry Princess Lù Zhāo soon," the king continued, "so perhaps your nerves are frayed. Maybe you needed… a release. But don't make a habit of this."
Shèng Lín lowered his eyes. "Yes, Father."
But his thoughts were elsewhere—with the real prince. If this was the lecture he received… then what about the one actually bearing the weight of it?
---
Meanwhile, Prince Xìn Xuān—trapped in Shèng Lín's body—was enduring far worse.
In the training grounds, knights surrounded him like predators scenting weakness. Their sneers were no longer hidden. Their jeers were open.
One of them snorted. "Tired already? Maybe all that stamina was used up in bed."
The prince froze.
Others laughed darkly.
He said nothing and pushed through drills, his body screaming. Sweat poured, vision blurred.
But then—another insult.
"You should stick to your skills in sheets. You don't belong here."
Prince Xìn Xuān raised his head slowly.
That was a mistake.
"Lower your gaze!" one knight barked, storming up to him. "You're not good enough to look at us."
Before he could even react, a fist slammed into his cheek. He staggered back, blood tasting sharp in his mouth.
The knight raised his fist again, but—
It never landed.
A hand caught it mid-air.
Strong. Royal.
Shèng Lín—wearing the prince's face—stood there, eyes cold, grip tight.
The knights fell silent instantly.
One by one, they lowered their heads, stepping back in shame or fear.
Shèng Lín turned to them, voice like steel.
"I will deal with you all later."
He looked down at the injured prince in his body and gently took his arm.
"Let's go."
For once, Xìn Xuān didn't resist.
As they walked away from the field, Xìn Xuān spoke under his breath, voice hoarse.
"…You didn't have to come."
Shèng Lín didn't look at him. "Yes, I did."
And just like that, for the first time…
He felt protected.
Not as a prince.
But simply as someone seen.
---