Pathological Trapping - Chap 4
　The cold palace is desolate, and the east wind is colder here than anywhere else.
　　Mu Jian lived in the back hall.
　　The front hall was filled with demoted concubines, and there were miserable cries and wails heard day and night.
　　Li Dezhuang felt creepy when he heard it, and couldn’t help but wonder how Mu Jian managed to spend one long night after another here.
　　Mu Jian only has the blood of a prince, but the only people guarding him are an old nanny and two low-ranking palace maids.
　　After nightfall, no one cared whether he was cold or hungry, which made it convenient for Li Dezhuang to go in and out.
　　There was not even a light in the temple.
　　Mu Jian sat on the cold steps, holding the cat, looking so pitiful no matter how he looked at it.
　　He heard the noise and looked up to see Li Dezhuang coming over. He curved his eyebrows and smiled, revealing two small canine teeth, showing a childish cuteness that was not suitable for his age.
　　”Brother Li is here.”
　　Li Dezhuang was almost frightened to his knees by this title.
　　”Your Highness, you can’t call me that.”
　　Mu Jian didn’t understand, he tilted his head, looking innocent, “Why?”
　　”You are a prince, a highness. I am a servant.” Don’t yell at me, or you’ll put me in jail!
　　Mu Jian pursed his lips.
　　That’s what the palace maid called him.
　　Brother Li is tall, Brother Li is short.
　　She didn’t stay here for long and didn’t talk much to him, but nine out of ten sentences were about her big brother Li.
　　Li Dezhuang squatted in front of him and lifted up his tattered gown, only to find that his pants underneath were very old and torn.
　　The trousers were patched and the hems were untied. Li Dezhuang tied “Easy to Kneel” to his knees.
　　”What’s this?”
　　”Knee pads are for your highness’ knees. It’s cold in winter, your highness should not freeze your knees.”
　　Mu Jian was dazed.
　　The knees were protected by a layer of soft padding, blocking the wind and feeling warm as if they were on fire.
　　He couldn’t help but reach out and touch the kneepad. The material was poor, and the position was crooked. It was ugly. But he touched it like it was a treasure.
　　Li Dezhuang took out the frostbite cream from his arms and applied some on his hands.
　　He moved very gently, as if he was afraid of hurting him.
　　Mu Jian stared at him blankly. Under the pale moonlight, the person in front of him glowed brightly, and his lowered eyebrows revealed a bit of warmth like a spring breeze. It actually made people feel that this winter was not so long and hard to endure.
　　He was a little speechless, “Why are you so nice to me?”
　　”You are His Highness.” My future wealth and honor depends on you!
　　Mu Jian lowered his head, “But no one is so nice to me.”
　　He is a prince, a prince who is not allowed to see the light of day, and no one cares about him or asks about him.
　　There were so many people in the palace who flattered the powerful and looked down on the weak. Who would really treat him as His Highness? Most people only knew of his existence but had never seen him.
　　Mu Jian raised his hand and smelled the ointment on his hand. The light fragrance mixed with the scent of soapberry on Li Dezhuang’s body made people feel inexplicably comfortable.
　　”There will be many people who will be kind to Your Highness in the future.”
　　”Then will you always be nice to me?”
　　”meeting.”
　　Mu Jian looked at Li Dezhuang and smiled softly, looking very romantic.
　　”Then I will remember the kindness that Guard Li has shown me, and I will definitely repay you when I have the chance in the future.”
　　This is exactly what Li Dezhuang was waiting for!
　　”Okay, Your Highness must reward me with a few more beauties when the time comes.”
　　Mu Jian meant it sincerely when he said he wanted to repay the debt.
　　He thought Li Dezhuang would have more demands, such as promotion, power, etc., but he didn’t expect that he wanted a woman. And Mu Jian could see that he was not lying.
　　Mu Jian felt inexplicably unhappy, but he still smiled, revealing his two little fangs, looking innocent and cute.
　　”Okay, I’ll give you whatever Guard Li wants when the time comes.”
　　Li Dezhuang became happy.
　　As an emperor, your words are law!
　　”Then I would like to thank Your Highness first.”
　　Mu Jian grabbed Li Dezhuang’s arm with her red hands, and there was timidity and desire in her bright eyes.
　　”Guard Li, can you come and talk to me more often?”
　　Li Dezhuang felt sorry for him and touched his head.
　　”Of course!”
　　From then on, Li Dezhuang would send a painting to the beauty every half a month, and would go to see Mu Jian when he was free.
　　Firstly, she wanted to talk to him, and secondly, she wanted to keep an eye on him. She was afraid that if she wasn’t careful, he would be dragged behind the rockery by the little beasts and usher in the turning point of his life.
　　In the blink of an eye, it was time for the New Year banquet.
　　This year is different from previous years. The Xu Dynasty recovered the lost border territories, and the emperor was very happy, so this year’s annual banquet will be more grand than previous years.
　　As a result, there is a shortage of manpower.
　　Li Dezhuang and his men had to help from time to time. On the day of the annual banquet, they were responsible for guarding the palace roads to prevent thieves from sneaking in.
　　The east wind is biting.
　　Even though Li Dezhuang was wearing thick clothes, he was still shivering from the cold. He looked towards the northwest corner, where the sound of stringed instruments could be heard. Just by looking at it from a distance, he could imagine how lively the New Year banquet was.
　　Sure enough, human sorrows and joys are not shared.
　　They were grinning.
　　I am suffering.
　　Li Dezhuang was just complaining in his heart when he heard the footsteps of several people on the palace road. Those people approached while chatting and laughing.
　　Li Dezhuang lowered his head. Those people walked past, and suddenly someone said “Huh”, stopped, and then said.
　　”Your Highness, isn’t this the little guard who threw himself on you?”
　　Li Dezhuang felt as if struck by lightning, but he still held on to a glimmer of hope. When he looked up, he met the gazes of those people who were looking at him, and his heart skipped a beat.
　　The people in front of me were dressed in gorgeous clothes.
　　Even if he was an idiot, he knew that they were of high status, not to mention that someone had just said “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince”.
　　Except for the crown prince who had a little anger in his eyes, everyone else’s eyes were three parts sneering and seven parts looking forward to the show.
　　What he wanted to watch was not just the show of this little guard, but more of the show of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in front of him.
