"Your Highness, please don't meddle in, 'cause I don't want to be rude here, and His Majesty has summoned Noble Consort Yue."
Han was glaring at him upon hearing that.
Just then, Song came inside the room with a dinner tray in his hand.
Seeing Chan there, he understood that something was wrong, 'cause Chan is An Hao's personal guard.
"What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're here to hurt His Highness."
Song quickly put the tray on the table and said this to Chan while staring at him. And Chan was also staring at him.
"Hey, I'm not talking to you. I'm just here to complete my task — to escort Noble Consort Yue to His Majesty."
"Why did His Majesty summon my master all of a sudden? Don't tell me he's gonna punish him?"
Chan jerked Han's hand off and was about to touch Yue again without giving any answer to Song.
But 'cause of their noise, Yue finally woke up before Chan could touch him.
As he opened his eyes, he saw Chan there and remembered seeing him with Hao earlier in the afternoon.
Yue quickly glanced at Han to make sure he was fine, then sat up.
"What are you doing here?"
"His Majesty has summoned you. That's why I'm here to escort you to him."
Yue knew he couldn't say no, 'cause when the Emperor himself summons, it's mostly like an order. That's why he came down from the bed.
"Your Highness, I will be back soon, so don't worry. Song is here with you."
"No, don't go. Please don't leave me alone."
Han's eyes became teary, but Yue couldn't do anything. He had to leave.
"Your Highness, I promise I will return soon."
He was about to go out with Chan when Song stopped him and came closer to Yue to whisper into his ear.
"Master, His Majesty has called you. Do you understand what that means? How can you go to him looking like this? You just woke up. At least change into better clothes and take a bath so that beautiful fragrance will come out from you."
Yue found that very unreasonable. Why would he take a bath and change clothes just 'cause Hao summoned him?
"Song, don't worry about me. Just go and take care of His Highness."
Song couldn't say anything more, 'cause by then Yue had already left with Chan. So Song went to Han.
"Your Highness, I brought dinner for you. Why don't you eat first? 'Cause it looks like Master won't return soon."
"What do you mean by that, Song?"
Song didn't know how to answer the kid — why Yue wouldn't return soon.
Of course, it's because he's going to spend the night with Hao. But he couldn't say that to Han.
"What I mean is, the Imperial Palace is very far away, so he'll take some time to return. Won't he? And until then, you must've fallen asleep."
————————
On the other side, when Yue came out from the carriage and stepped into the Imperial Palace, it was so silent, like no one lived there — but servants could still be seen.
It's all 'cause of Hao's anger. Everyone had become mute, since Hao had killed many servants who were gossiping around instead of working.
"Where is His Majesty? And what work does he have with me all of a sudden?" Yue asked.
"Noble Consort, I don't know anything. I'm just doing my job."
Then Yue found himself in front of Hao's bedchamber. Chan knocked on the door.
"Your Majesty, I've brought Noble Consort Yue with me."
"Let him in." As Chan heard the answer, he stood at the door while sending Yue inside.
When Yue stepped inside, the door closed behind him.
He found Hao sitting on the bed, his long hair loose, wearing a comfortable black, single-layer gown.
Yue froze there seeing him and glanced around.
But a smile spread across Hao's lips seeing Yue there, and his heart also started to beat fast as he looked at him.
"Come here," Hao said, patting the space beside him.
Yue stepped forward and sat beside Hao. As he sat, Hao wrapped his arm around Yue's waist and pulled him closer.
Yue clenched his own legs, 'cause he wanted to hit Hao for that touch — but he couldn't. For the mission, he had to make Hao fall for him.
"Wow, your skin is so soft."
Hao's other hand was rubbing Yue's hand and gripping tightly around his waist.
"Your Majesty, what are you doing? Please let me go."
But his struggle was nothing compared to Hao's strength. Hao had a firm grip on Yue so he couldn't get away.
Just then Yue flinched and looked at Hao.
"Your Majesty, why are you touching my ears?"
When he said that, Hao had already brought his mouth near Yue's ears — and hearing him, he bit them.
"Ughh~~" Yue quickly covered his mouth as he realized what kind of weird noise he was making.
And again, in the next second, he flinched and looked at Hao.
"Your Majesty, please don't touch my tail now. Ears and tail are our sensitive parts."
Hao rubbed his hand through Yue's tail. "But your tail is so soft and fluffy, so let me touch it a little more."
No words came out from Yue's mouth—he was too busy suppressing those weird noises from escaping.
Yue was shivering from the sensation, clenching both fists while looking down.
Hao noticed this, which is why he finally let go of Yue's tail.
"What happened? You don't like my touch?"
"Your Majesty, Prince Hao is also your son. Then why are you treating him so harshly? He's only a 5-year-old kid."
Hao's mood was great, but as soon as he heard Han's name, his mood became foul again.
"Why are you bringing that cursed bastard's name here when we're having such a great time?"
Yue also knew that he shouldn't have brought up Han's name, but he had to heal the relationship between father and son, so he would have to convince Hao first.