Bruised (A Fengqing Fanfic)

Chapter 2

Feng Xin exhaled before shoving his bloody hand against the talisman that was securing the palace, smearing across the calligraphy. The gates were wide open, but no one could cross the threshold.

Except him.

The barrier glistened brightly in response and Feng Xin stepped through, a feeling of ice momentarily clawing his spine. When they had both been deputies, they'd made their own personal seals such that, if in an emergency, the other would be able to get through. It meant the transgressor owed the other a big favor, very literally forming a spiritual contract.

He'd hoped Mu Qing hadn't changed his seal in all these years and he hadn't.

The palace was empty. He checked Mu Qing's rooms first and the sight was enough that he touched his temple and yelled into their array for his Highness—and yes, Hua Cheng—to come immediately to Mu Qing's palace.

"Coming! What is it?"

"Mu Qing. I think he was attacked. His deputies think I had something to do with it," Feng Xin said. Mu Qing's carefully appointed room was destroyed, the walls charred in streaks, tasteful furniture broken, silks torn and burnt. And the bed had a pool of blood smeared into it. "I'm at his place. It's...Just hurry up!" He dashed back into the hall. Mu Qing wasn't in his bedroom so he couldn't keep staring.

A moment later his Highness and the Ghost King came around a corner. He didn't ask how they got in so easily, he'd stopped being surprised by anything Hua Cheng could do a while ago.

"I haven't found him yet." Feng Xin hadn't finished saying this before hundreds of silver butterflies exploded from behind Hua Cheng and spread out. "This way," he said after a moment, leading them up three levels to a garden. It was enclosed in crystalline glass with five stone paths leading to a fountain at the center.

Beside the fountain, laid out respectfully on a mahogany bench, was Mu Qing. He was under a heavily embroidered blanket, ornate pillows under his head.

Xie Lian's breath caught.

"He's not dead," said Hua Cheng quickly, because indeed, it looked like a dead body.

When they came close, he was panting though his eyes were shut. Mottling his throat and jaw and lips were long, thin burn marks.

"Mu Qing?" whispered Feng Xin and Mu Qing gasped awake, his eyes snapping open. The irises had gone pale, almost white. His delicate lips quivered as the eyes searched, clearly distressed but not seeing them.

"Mu Qing!" Xie Lian said, reaching to touch him and hitting resistance.

"Xie Lian?" Mu Qing's voice was broken.

"There's a barrier around him. The deputies must have done it," said Feng Xin.

Mu Qing's voice hitched, eyes wide as he tried to sit up and then curled in from the pain of the attempt. The silk embroidered blanket slid a little and there were so many more marks on his clavicle and shoulder, Feng Xin's heart stuttered when he saw. He opened his mouth to say something, but Hua Cheng glared at him.

"Shut up," Hua Cheng mouthed at him before putting his hand on the barrier. "Your Highness."

Joining his husband, Xie Lian put his palm to the barrier and the pair brute-forced their way through, sending it shattering apart. After all, it was only a deputy official's handiwork, it couldn't withstand two powerhouses like Xie Lian and Hua Cheng.

Xie Lian knelt by him. "It's Xie Lian! It's me! I'm going to touch you, alright?" It seemed like Mu Qing couldn't see them but could hear him.

Mu Qing grimaced and leaned away.