One of Queen Zaiye's pictures, hanging just above Prince Yibo, caught his eye as he walked in and stood still. He stared at it intensely, as if silently pleading for her to understand the depth of his truth and feel sympathy for him. He didn't know which language would help him explain himself clearly enough for her to understand. Although he knew she already grasped what he was after, she showed neither interest nor intention of granting what he desired.
He stood like that for nearly ten minutes. Then, slowly, he shut his beautiful eyes and opened them again with a long sigh. He loosened his tie and flung it aside before starting to remove every piece of clothing that felt too tight on his body. In that state, he walked into his bedroom, pushed open the door, entered, and sat at the edge of his circular bed, undressing the rest of what remained on him.
Once fully undressed, he headed into the en-suite bathroom attached to the bedroom.
He stayed inside for at least thirty minutes before emerging, wrapped in a towel. His forearms glistened with water, his hair soaked and dripping from his head down to his feet. Instead of sitting down to dry himself, he walked to the side of the bed and sat again, opening the bedside locker and rummaging through it for something.
After a few minutes, he pulled out his local SIM cards and started switching them on his phone. Before he could finish, something on the bed lit up and gave off a small sound. He glanced at it briefly, then returned to what he was doing. He already knew someone was waiting in the sitting room, but he wasn't in the mood for small talk....he rarely was. It wasn't in his nature to chat or entertain anyone.
Once he was done, he turned the phone on and placed it on the bed. Then he walked up to the mirror to begin getting ready. He applied different types of lotions and perfume....each for a specific part of his body...meticulously, like a woman preparing for her debut. Just as he was spraying his body spray, his phone rang. He paused and walked back to check who it was.
"Qiantang," the name flashed boldly on the screen. He turned his face away and continued what he was doing without answering. He knew she understood his routine; if she ended the call, she wouldn't call back.
But this time, unexpectedly, another call came through. He looked again, surprised...it was Dao He, the person he had been planning to call once he was ready. Without wasting time, he picked up.
"Thank God. You finally picked up. Only took two rings. I guess your spirit aren't around today?" Dao He teased.
Prince Yibo understood what he meant, but tonight, he wasn't in the mood for their usual jokes. His voice was lower than usual.
"Where are you?" Prince Yibo asked.
Dao He chuckled. "Come on, Prince. You're back and already getting moody? I'm your guy, remember? Anyway, I'm just about to enter Guangzhou now."
"Oh shit," Yibo muttered, shutting his eyes tightly.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"It doesn't matter since you're not here. See you later." He ended the call abruptly, pressing a hand to his damp hair, gripping it in frustration. He needed help...needed support. It was clear he had to do everything in his power to make Queen Zaiye soften toward him, to understand his struggle. He didn't want to self-destruct. The thought of that horrified him. He headed to his wardrobe and hurriedly searched for what to wear.
He returned to the sitting room connected to his bedroom, phone in hand, and spent nearly an hour on it. Whatever he was doing had his full attention. When the doorbell rang for the fifth time, he ignored it again...until finally he stood up and walked toward the CCTV screen that displayed every section of the house. It was the third sitting room. He switched to that feed, and there stood Nalan at the entrance, looking visibly tired and annoyed.
She wore a long gown with a slit that opened from below, fully covering her feet. Her head was loosely covered, the scarf hanging just around her neck. She tapped her foot in irritation, clearly tired of standing. He finally pressed the button that allowed her inside.
"Gege… good afternoon," she greeted cheerfully upon entering.
"Her Empress said you'd come in, but it was quiet for so long we weren't sure. Food was brought, but she asked us to stop. So she sent me to call you...come over to her quarters. We'll have lunch together," she explained.
He simply nodded. The expression disappointed her.
"Gege, you're still doing this? You didn't even answer me."
"I'm coming," he replied shortly. She was used to his aloof behavior by now. That had always been his nature, no matter how hard Queen Zaiye tried to change him. Even though he was more relaxed around his younger siblings, the habit stuck. He just wasn't someone who liked to talk all the time. Knowing standing there any longer wouldn't change anything, she sighed and turned away, muttering under her breath:
"He's always acting like he's deaf or mute. Never says a word, like someone with ear problems who doesn't hear people, let alone respond."
With those quiet grumbles, she returned to their side of the palace.
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Yibo sat quietly, facing Queen Zaiye, dressed in casual clothes that only emphasized his youth and beauty. Between them lay a lavish spread of food and drinks of every kind imaginable.
"Yibo," Queen Zaiye's voice echoed in his ears, breaking his trance. He stopped sipping the pure grape juice he'd been nursing for a while. His stomach felt heavy, overwhelmed, and the thought of eating made him sick. The weight of his life's current turmoil had robbed him of any appetite. It felt bigger than anything he could handle.
"Yes, Mom," he replied softly.
"Has it gotten so bad you can't even eat?" she asked, her eyes studying him deeply, as if searching for something beneath the surface.
He set the glass down and clasped his hands together, visibly uneasy. He always found it difficult to talk to her about such things. No one could help him if he didn't open up to her....she was the only one who could truly understand and offer a solution.
"Is this still about you refusing to go back to school?" she pressed.
A weight heavier than before settled on him under her unwavering gaze. Conversations like this weren't ones you could have with just anyone. But his continued silence would only lead to destruction....he knew that. In this entire world, she was the only person who could listen and possibly offer a way forward.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he began slowly, lowering his head. "I tried to follow your plan, just as you instructed, but it didn't work out. Please forgive me. If I've done anything to dishonor our legacy or the image of this palace, then I sincerely apologize. We never know how our enemies might twist the smallest things to use against us. If I act recklessly, it could become ammunition in their hands....enough to ruin everything you've worked so hard to build."
He paused, trying to steady his breath. "Please forgive me, just like I said before… I want to get married. You know the kind of person I'm drawn to, Mom. If you allow it, I promise it won't distract me from your plans. I'll stay focused, I swear. Everything will go just the way you want it to."
Silence fell over the entire sitting room, as if even the devices and walls around them paused to listen. Each of them was lost in their thoughts. Queen Zaiye knew that Yibo had been longing for this for years...long before he ever voiced it aloud. She had hoped that by immersing him in education and pushing him toward greatness, he'd forget everything else and follow the path she carved for him.
But now… he had grown. Too young for marriage in her eyes, yet too firm in his resolve. It clashed with every part of her plan.
Yibo, on the other hand, was filled with quiet determination. He wanted this desperately. If he failed this time, he wasn't sure he'd ever succeed. The uncertainty of what lay ahead terrified him. Deep down, he knew nothing was guaranteed....no position, no protection, no second chance. And though he'd never admit it, part of him feared he might lose everything.
"Prince Yibo," she called again, her voice sharper now, more firm...just like her nature.
"As I've said before, marriage at this time goes against everything I've planned. It could jeopardize everything we've built. I will let you marry, Yibo… but not now. When the world knows who Prince Yibo truly is...when you've become the man I've envisioned.....then I will grant you that wish."
Her tone softened slightly. "When your name alone commands respect and strikes fear into the hearts of enemies, then your wedding will be one the world speaks about. I've already chosen someone worthy of you...someone who matches your rank and future. Be patient, and I promise you, I'll make it happen."
She paused, then added gently, "But for now, as your mother, I'm asking you....please set this thought aside. You're only twenty. Do you really believe, at this young age, that you're ready for all the responsibilities that come with marriage? On top of everything else we're trying to achieve at the same time?"
She shook her head. "You can't do both at once. Focus on fulfilling my dreams for you first, and I promise....you won't lack anything from now until the end of your days."
Silence returned.
For a few moments, Yibo replayed her words in his mind. Then he reached for a plate of rice and quietly began to eat. He could see now that there was no other way. If he wanted to pursue his desire, he'd have to do it in secret....even if it meant enduring pains from night to dawn.
Queen Zaiye kept observing him, trying to understand his emotions, but Yibo was always a mystery when he wanted to be. No matter how closely you watched, you could never fully read him.
She sighed inwardly, hoping he'd take her words to heart.
"You'll return to school once your break ends, as usual," she said firmly. "I don't want His Majesty knowing anything about this. This is my decision, and I don't want his involvement."
Yibo simply nodded again in agreement.
"Last born? Who do I see here that looks like the last born?" One of Queen Zaiye's most trusted ladies-in-waiting spoke up just as she entered the balcony connected to the sitting room where Prince Yibo and his mother were seated. She quickly pulled her ears away from the wall where she had been eavesdropping and composed herself to appear sincere.
"I brought a message for the prince from the her highness Xueyin section," she explained hastily. "When I arrived, I didn't find anyone around, and since she emphasized the importance of the message, I took it upon myself to deliver it personally."
"A message? What kind of message?" Xu Mei asked, giving her a suspicious look. The woman handed her a folded white piece of cloth wrapped around something small. Though she hesitated at first, Xu Mei eventually took it, her eyes still fixed on the woman.
"You know better than anyone that when Her Majesty is in a private meeting with the Prince, no one is allowed to interrupt, unless given express permission. Don't ever make such a mistake again....whether by error or intention. If she had seen you, you know the consequences. I don't need to say them out loud. You may leave now," Xu Mei said firmly, gesturing toward the door.
"Thank you," the woman replied respectfully before leaving in haste. Her heart was bursting with joy at her success. Xu Mei hadn't caught her. On top of that, she knew she had just overheard something valuable....even if the message wasn't fully clear, with deeper thought, its meaning could be pieced together.
Standing quietly, Xu Mei pondered over how the last born had been found standing at the door. She hadn't heard the full conversation, but something about it disturbed her. She turned the message over in her hand once more before leaving with it, knowing that even if she delivered it to Her Highness, she'd only repeat exactly what she thought...
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Concubine Xueyin phone buzzed from where it sat on her lap. She glanced down and saw it was a call from her eldest daughter, who had recently married into the royal family of Xi'an. She picked up the phone and said, "His Majesty is in Bahrain. He left just before your arrival for the Northern Kings' Summit. He said you should call him on his other line." With that, she answered her daughter's call.
"You'll return to school once your break ends, just like always. I don't want His Majesty knowing anything about this. This is my strategy...I don't want him to know it exists," Repeating the exact words the Last born had shared with her.
She mulled over those words again and again. For the tenth time, she rose, hands clasped behind her back, pacing. Her voice echoed with gravity as she muttered to herself,
"I knew it....I absolutely knew it. There's definitely something Queen Zaiye is hiding. No doubt about it. How could you be the only one to bear a male heir.... one who, without question, is destined to inherit or replace the King...and yet you send him off to school? You isolate him from every royal responsibility as if he's a foster child, not a blood-born prince. There's no way she's not plotting something."
She turned sharply to face the last born.
"If only you had caught the full conversation....then today, you would've earned your freedom," she said bitterly.
The words hit the girl like a slap, sending chills down her spine. She dropped to her knees, looking up at Xueyin.
"If that's the case... I promise you....I'll uncover all of their secrets, even if it's the last thing I do. I'll earn my freedom."
Xueyin nodded slowly, a knowing smile on her lips, and gestured that she could go.
💚🦁❤️🐰💛🐢
Zhan approached their house slowly, as if his knees had given out beneath him. His eyes were fixed on the building, studying its structure like someone trying to memorize the blueprint. Every trace of hunger and exhaustion from the long walk home from school had vanished, replaced by a deep unease and weakness that took over his entire body.
Construction workers were carrying out heaps of sand from inside, tossing them outside the house. Judging by the sheer volume of earth, it was clear a section of the house had been demolished. Their father stood near the entrance with the workers, animatedly giving instructions and explaining what he wanted them to do. Could it really be true? Was Zhan's suspicion about to be confirmed?
His mind drifted far into thought, so deep that he forgot he was still standing at the entrance. It wasn't until a small hand, covered in dirt, tapped him while calling, "Gege welcome," that he snapped out of his daze. He turned to see Yulou beside him, her clothes stained and dusty like she had rolled in the sand.
"What happened, Yulou? Why are you playing in the dirt after I told you not to?" he asked, half-exasperated.
"They're building something, Gege! A new part of the house... even inside our room!" she replied with innocent excitement, completely unaware of what that might truly mean. Her joy was pure, but to Zhan, it only confirmed his fears. If construction had reached even their rooms, then their father was repeating the same thing.
Quickly, Zhan grabbed Yulou's hand and rushed into the house.
Despite the ongoing renovation, Fenghua hadn't paused her usual craftwork. A single glance at her face revealed how deeply frustrated she was today. Zhan quietly scanned the changing structure of the house, studying the areas where remodeling had begun.
"Where did he get the money for all this?" Zhan thought bitterly. "Just two days ago, he couldn't even afford a single grain of rice for the house."
He asked himself the question, knowing there was no answer....and perhaps no point. This wasn't the first time he'd seen such things. It was likely the third time since he became old enough to notice. Anything before that had been a blur of childhood.
"What are you doing, standing there over me like that? If you're going to complain, just say it and move on. This isn't something new....at least not for your father, who chases every whim like a stray dog sniffing after a goat. If he saw another 'goat,' then you already know the rest."
Fenghua's harsh, biting words snapped Zhan from his thoughts. He stepped back, stunned. She had likely been waiting for a moment to unleash her frustration, but this was too much. Even if she didn't care about his younger siblings or others in the house, she should've at least considered the workers outside.... the same people buying her crafts or hearing her outbursts. If they weren't family, they were still the kind of outsiders who'd take joy in spreading tales about their home.
Zhan pulled his younger siblings along and headed toward their room. But just before entering, he stopped in his tracks, stunned by what he saw.
Half of their room had been completely gutted....only a small section remained, barely enough space for them to live in. As they continued to grow, he knew the space would feel more and more suffocating. This was the second time their father had chopped off part of their room to make space for some new addition to the house, always right before getting married again.
Zhan looked around in frustration at their scattered belongings. Just six hours ago, before leaving for school, he and his siblings had carefully arranged everything, cleaning the room until it sparkled. But now, it was all overturned and dusty, as if no effort had been made at all.
He rushed to his box, silently praying that the money he had saved....money they relied on....was still safe. He opened it with trembling hands and began checking inside.
A heavy sigh of relief escaped him, his eyes closing momentarily as he saw the money untouched.
"Zhan! Hey, Zhan!" his father's voice rang through the house like a hunter calling to his prey. He sounded close. Zhan quickly shoved the money between his thighs just in time as their father entered the room.
"So, you're unhappy about your father's wedding too?" his father asked, throwing the question at him with no intention of getting a real answer. Zhan had no choice but to shake his head, signaling no.
"You sulk like some overgrown lizard every time someone speaks. If you're not upset, why didn't you answer when I called your name? You pretending to be deaf now?"
"I didn't hear you, Baba. I'm sorry," Zhan murmured, his voice soft and subdued. Something in the way he spoke reminded his father of Zhan's late mother, Yunjun, and for a brief moment, the older man's tone softened.
"I'm sorry too, Zhan. I'm only trying to make things easier for us, alright?" he said, his voice gentler now.
Zhan looked up in confusion. Easier? In what way? He hadn't seen any signs of their life improving under their father's decisions. Sensing the doubt in Zhan's eyes, the man continued,
"Look, I know Fenghua isn't the best person. She can't even handle taking care of you all... I took a bit of your room to build a private bathroom for my new wife. She said she doesn't like going outside to use the toilet. You know how particular she is about cleanliness. But trust me, once you get to know her, you'll see for yourself."
He grinned as if he'd just made the most generous promise in the world. But Zhan kept his head down, too embarrassed and burdened to even lift his eyes.
Their father reached into his pocket and pulled out some cash.
"Here, take this. Use it to buy food for yourself and your siblings. Make sure Fenghua doesn't see it.... I'm not letting my money to go through her hands. That woman… I know how much you've taken on, Zhan. You're a good boy, just like your mother. May you be rewarded with a good wife someday so I can finally rest. And if that boy outside says anything to you, don't shut him out with your usual cold attitude, alright? Give him a chance, you hear?"
Zhan could only nod in reply, eager for his father to leave so they could finally have some peace.
That day, Zhan didn't go to work. Ms. Bao had informed him earlier she'd be spending two days at the palace, so he took the opportunity to stay home. Together with his siblings, he cleaned up the small remaining space of the room, wiping down the cement floor with a worn-out cloth. It wasn't much, but it was theirs...for now.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛