Cheng stood before the emperor, but his thoughts were still on his meeting with Xiao the night before.
... "Your Highness, I beg for mercy," she had pleaded. "I know I was wrong and deserve punishment, but I am carrying his child. I regret my actions deeply.... Please, Your Highness, have mercy on me."
Now, standing before his father, Cheng lifted his head. He could see the emperor's patience was wearing thin.
"If I understand your report correctly, Prince Yizong was drugged with an aphrodisiac during the festival. Someone took advantage of his condition. Is that correct?" the emperor asked, stroking his beard.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The emperor's eyes darkened. "And you claim to have no knowledge of who is responsible, Prince Cheng?"
Cheng met his father's scrutinizing gaze, recalling Yizong's warning before he came here.
... "Your Highness, I understand your dilemma. But do not hide the truth from the Emperor. For your own sake, it is better to speak honestly. He likely already knows and is merely testing you."
The emperor's question replayed in his thoughts. He allowed a brief pause, then he answered. "That is correct, Father."
The emperor's hand moved from his beard to the ring on his finger. "You, my son, are the wisest of my children."
"And yet, you expect me to believe such words from you?"
Cheng stayed silent. He knew he couldn't deceive the emperor, but he also didn't want to provoke him further.
———Outsidethepalace
The midday sun beat down on the palace, its heat reflecting off the golden-tiled roofs and white stone pathways. At the palace gate, the guards shifted uneasily, glancing at the lone figure kneeling in the courtyard, Mei.
She had arrived in a rush, breathless and desperate, falling to her knees outside the emperor's hall, her forehead pressing against the hot stone.
"I request an audience with His Majesty," she said to the guards.
The guards exchanged glances, some whispering among themselves, but none stepped forward. Instead, a senior officer approached and spoke in a clipped, indifferent tone.
"I've already told you, His Majesty will not see you. He is busy."
"Please," Mei said, her voice firm despite the tremble in her limbs. "I will not leave until he does."
She remained kneeling, the heat crawling against her back like fire, her clothes sticking to her damp skin.
Time passed slowly, but she refused to move.
The guards murmured among themselves, while officials walking by cast brief, curious glances before continuing on their way.
At last, a guard stepped inside and made his way to the grand hall. Bowing low, he spoke.
"Your Majesty, a young woman named Meiying requests an audience."
Prince Cheng tensed at the news, his hands clenching at his sides. Mei was outside the palace? She must have heard, but why did she have to come now?
The emperor, who had been silently watching Cheng, let out a slow exhale before turning to the officer.
"Send her away," he said firmly. "I have no time for this."
The guard returned to the entrance, exchanging a glance with his fellow sentries, who waited expectantly. Then, he stepped forward and addressed Mei.
"His Majesty will not see you. Leave now."
But Mei only shook her head, her jaw tightening with defiance.
The sun climbed higher, and the hours dragged on. The guards grew restless, muttering under their breath. Finally, one stepped forward and grabbed her arm.
"Enough of this. Stand up."
Mei didn't move.
A second guard tried to pull her to her feet, but she remained kneeling, her body rigid despite the sweat soaking through her clothes.
"You've been here for hours!" one snapped. "Leave before you collapse!"
Mei lifted her head. Her face was pale, and her breathing was shallow. "Not until His Majesty grants me an audience," she murmured.
Her fingers dug into her thighs, the heat becoming unbearable for her, but she forced herself to stay upright. She had to endure. She had to save Xiao.
Inside the palace, the emperor rose from his seat and stepped closer to Cheng. "Do you remember our last agreement?"
Cheng lifted his head. "Yes, Your Majesty."
The emperor turned away. "And what was it?"
Cheng bowed slightly. "If my explanation was not reasonable, I would share the same fate as Yizong."
"Does this information serve me in any way?"
Cheng remained silent. He knew the emperor expected him to pass judgment himself. This was no longer about the investigation. He could tell from the shift in the emperor's demeanor, it was because of her. The woman kneeling outside under the scorching sun.
If she hadn't come, perhaps he would have been shown some leniency. But now, that possibility was fading.
Cheng raised his head, watching as the emperor stood in silence, gazing into the distance.
No one understood better than him how much the emperor despised defiance. And when faced with it, mercy was never his way.
Just then, a guard entered and knelt. "Your Majesty, it has been hours since you ordered the young lady to leave, yet she remains."
The emperor stroked his beard, listening in silence.
"Shall I have her removed?" the guard asked.
The emperor turned the ring on his finger, thinking. Then, with a slight shake of his head, he said, "No. Let her stay. Let us see how long she lasts."
A slow chill crept up Cheng's spine. Why was she still there? Now wasn't the time to be stubborn.
The guard bowed and left the room.
The emperor turned to Cheng. "Go back and return when you have something worthwhile," he said. "In the meantime, Yizong is not to leave the palace."
He stared at Cheng for a few minutes. "I trust you'll make the right decision when the time comes?"
Cheng did not answer right away, unsure if he could trust his own voice. After a brief pause, he bowed. "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."
Without another word, he turned and left the palace.
Cheng'sPOV
I clenched my fists, struggling to contain my anger. Forcing myself to stay composed, I walked out of the palace with steady steps. Losing control in front of the emperor would accomplish nothing.
As I stepped outside, I stopped. My worst fear was right before me.
Mei was still on her knees beneath the merciless sun.
She swayed slightly, her body fighting to stay upright. Sweat dripped down her face, and her trembling hands pressed against the ground for support. The strength she once carried had withered under exhaustion.
Raw, pure anger burned within me, making my pulse pound in my ears.
Mei didn't belong here, this wasn't her burden to bear.
Before I knew it, I was moving.
I had no plan, no strategy, only the urgent need to reach her, to pull her out of this suffering. But just as I stepped forward, a guard rushed past me, an umbrella in hand.
I stopped abruptly, my gaze fixed on her.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
Our eyes met, and something inside me twisted. The fire in her eyes, the spark I knew so well had dimmed. She looked hollow, drained.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be.
I took a step forward, ready to act, to do something. But then—
"Your Highness."
The voices of royal officials called from behind, their greetings sharp and unavoidable. A jarring pull back to reality. A reminder of where I stood.
I forced myself to keep walking.
Not toward her. Instead, I stepped past her.
I didn't look back. I couldn't.
But with each step, I felt a deep, aching pain in my chest.
The emperor's hand in this was clear.
This was his punishment.
His way of reminding me of the life I was born into, my duty, my place. He wanted me to feel it, to understand that without the throne, I was nothing.
He had seen through me.
He knew my weakness.
And he had used it against me.
I had known pain. I had known loneliness. But this, this feeling of powerlessness was something else entirely.
And I hated it.
Cheng didn't spare them another second.
The moment he reached his chamber, he walked in without a word, ignoring the greetings. He had endured enough of them already.
He tore off his robe and let his hair fall loose.
The feeling of helplessness sank deeper into his skin. He had never let anything affect him like this before. The rage built up so fast, so violently, that it stole his breath.
This was exactly what the emperor hoped for.
He wanted him to understand what it felt like to let his emotions take over and lose control to the darkness.
Cheng felt Lokian Shen stir like never before. It was overwhelming, a force of pure, wicked energy clawing its way to the surface. For a brief moment, he considered letting go, allowing it to take over completely.
Then he thought of Mei.
He couldn't let her see him like this.
He wouldn't.
If she ever looked at him with fear, if she saw who he really was and turned away—
No.
The darkness rose rapidly, its pull stronger than ever.
He summoned his Qi, forcing it to rise against the chaos inside. The struggle was brutal. The darkness lashed out, resisting with everything it had. He could feel it overpowering him, fighting its way back up.
He was losing.
Desperate, he gathered every ounce of energy he had left and unleashed a raw burst of power, forcing it down with sheer force.
The impact was so intense that a sharp recoil struck through him like a blade, sending him crashing to the floor.
....
Hours passed. The sun rose high, then began its slow descent, still Mei remained on her knees.
Her body trembled with exhaustion, her vision blurring at the edges. She was barely holding on, yet she didn't move. Not because she couldn't, if she had wanted to leave, she would have done so hours ago but because she had to stay. Walking away was not an option.
She had already defied the emperor twice. There was no turning back now.
To rise now would be to admit defeat, not just to him, but to herself. It would mean her words had meant nothing, that her defiance had been empty. The court would see her as nothing more than a foolish girl who dared to challenge the Son of Heaven, only to crumble under the weight of her own boldness.
No. If she left now, she might as well have never come at all.
So she stayed.
Even as the guards changed shifts, preparing for the night watch.