chapter 31

Tani was sewing a design on a handkerchief when she hears a knock on her door.

She jumps down the bed happily to open the door "I was just thinking about you .. I am making a beautiful...."

Tani stops as another figure appears behind Zemin. Her smile disappears. Her face turns pale. "Minister Xingchen ?"

Xingchen looks at Tani with burning eyes "You have the letters, don't you ?"

Tani takes a step back. Her body trembles.

Zemin holds Xingchen's hands more tightly. "Tani .. I .. trusted you as my sister. Why ?"

Tani falls on the ground in despair "I .. I am sorry, Zemin. I .. I made a mistake once. And I .. wanted to correct it. But ... I ended up making more mistakes ... Will you give me a chance to explain.

Tani sits on her bed with an exhausted face.

"It all started ...Years ago ... When the late emperor died, suddenly we got to know Zemin was the abandoned prince of Zi kingdom.

Everybody started talking about this. The school boy who used to bully Zemin, that Rude teacher who used to hate Zemin and those schemeing Friends who used to look down on Zemin, all started to fear him overnight.

I was shocked by their change, but happy inside. Now nobody will torment him." Tani chuckles.

"But my happiness lasted until I met Zemin, I saw him confused, lost and in a lot of pain. He only had one question why his own mother never loved him.

And I ... as his secret admirer, went to visit his original mother to ask this question. Why she abandoned Zemin and kept her other son.

I was young and native. It was easy to fool me with a story. So she told me a story. Where She was the victim and father Tao was the villain.

Zemin never told anyone, but it was me who started all the Chaos. It was me who provoked him against father Tao, it was me who broke his sweet home and pushed him in the path of crime."

Xingchen looks at Zemin's silent face. Zemin looks at Tani with a serious expression but Xingchen notices the faint tremble of Zemin's fingers.

Xingchen slowly interlocks his fingers with Zemin's. Zemin relaxes a little.

"I never ... blamed you. But what ..."

"When I heard, you made your own place in the palace. I was so happy for you and visited the palace to congratulate you.. also to confess my love to you.

I did exactly that. I confessed to you but you rejected me. I knew that you were in love with Minister Xingchen.

So I planned to step back as an apology. I was planning the leave the palace when I overheard Empress dowager in her cold palace.

She was telling someone how she used me to harm you. How she hated you from the core of her heart. And how she would never let you live in peace. She said that she has her ways to make your life miserable.

I got scared. The way she looked when she said those words, I was sure she was serious.

So, I knew it was the best if you stay away from the palace, from her reach.

You have suffered enough. I just wanted to protect you. So, I convinced Xingchen to give you a break for few months.

I told him how you wanted to restart your business and wanted to stay away from the palace. So if he really loves you, he should give you some space. And then you will go back to him one day, if you really loved him.

Xingchen agreed. He had too much faith in you. He thought you will be back in months.

And that's how ... I brought you here."

Xingchen lets out a sharp breath "then , you concealed my letters to keep him here ?"

"I never thought you would write him letters. I thought I convinced you enough to let him go. But then your letter came...

At first, I was going to give it to Zemin. But out of curiosity, I read your letter first. You told him about our conversation in that letter. You even asked him to go back to you. You said that You missed him.

I couldn't give him that letter. So I hide it and I hide every letter you wrote to him. In your every letter you wanted him to go back to that palace."

Xingchen closes his burning eyes. "So, you hide them to save his life ? Then Why didn't you tell him about empress dowager's death. I wrote him to attend her funeral. She was dead, SHE COULDN'T HAVE HARMED HIM ANYMORE !!!"

I was scared. I was scared of Zemin hating me. If I had told him she died and He had visited that palace again.. all my lies ....

"You planned to lie forever to me ?" Zemin asks in disbelief.

"You promised me, you wouldn't jump off that cliff. It's already been five years. In two or more years, I thought ...

You will forget Xingchen and Xingchen can't t come here leaving his chief minister responsibility."

Zemin rest his head on Xingchen's sholder tiredly. "Yeah, It was a good plan."

Tanishy looks at Zemin in tears "I did everything to protect you, Zemin trust me."

Zemin closes his eyes. Tears falling down his cheeks "You didn't protect me, Tani. You made my life more miserable."

"Mine too." Xingchen whispers hugging Zemin in his arms.

***

!! Six months later !!

Xingchen opens the door for three people standing outside his courtyard.

"Welcome !"

Zhan hurriedly runs inside the new house leaving his parents behind.

Yuzu walks in with a big smile "wow ..you guys have money saved."

Xingchen chuckles "It's not that expensive."

"Not expensive? A house this big that also in capitals..." Zixuan looks around the house "I payed you good all these years. You sure , you don't want to be my chief minister again?"

"Yeah .. I am sure. I am learning pottery now."

Zixuan looks at the pots at one corner of the house. "Who will buy this ? You should think about your career choice again."

"Stop bribing my husband." Zemin walks out of the room carrying Zhan in his arms.

Zixuan rolls his eyes. He is seeing that stupid smile on Zemin's face for six months straight. He can't believe his twin can look this stupid.

"I am hungry !" Zhan shouts from Zemin's arms. "I want chicken."

Xingchen laughs "wait a minute ,baby .. chicken will be here in a blink."

***

"So pottery huh ?" Yuzu asks Xingchen as Zixuan , Zemin and Zhan get busy playing chess.

"I am very bad at it." Xingchen chuckles.

"Well, you have a unique style. What is this bowl or a glass ?" Yuzu grins.

"A long bowl." Xingchen's face turns red. "Zemin mocked we can use it in the army. Before the enemy can realise what is it, it will break their heads."

Yuzu laughs out loud. "Good idea."

Xingchen pouts "I want to make something good for Zhan's birthday. I don't know what."

"Maybe a chicken piggy bank?"

Xingchen blinks "that's a good idea. I should start making it from tomorrow."

Yuzu nods "But you have to help me in preparing the banquet. Only two weeks left .. I don't know what to do and what not to do."

"Of course, I will help. I heard his highness invited Lan kingdom and Lu kingdom this time ? Is it true ?"

"Yeah , why ?"

Xingchen nods "I wonder how is San Yi in Lan kingdom. It will be great if we could meet him again. That kid has suffered enough."

Yuzu nods "yeah right.. should we invite hi... Ahh ?"

"Time to bed." Zhan jumps in front of Yuzu.

"Zhan !" Yuzu scolds.

"Time to bed." Zhan repeats with a giggle.

***

Xingchen slides under the quilt with a big sigh "hahhh ... I am tired."

Zemin puts down his book and hugs him from behind "me too .. let's relieve our stress."

Xingchen hits on Zemin's moving hands under his robe "not today."

Zemin pouts. He runs his nose on Xingchen's neck "why why ? You said it yesterday too ... don't you love me.."

"Don't start your emotional blackmail, you asshole ! We did it yesterday."

Zemin bites lightly Xingchen's neck.

Xingchen struggles to push Zemin away "his highness, Zhan .. they all are here.. not today."

Zemin pouts harder but he leaves Xingchen "ok fine. You don't love me."

Zemin lies on the bed giving his back to Xingchen.

Xingchen groans. "Ok fine .. but today .. "

Xingchen couldn't finish his sentence. Zemin pulls his on top before. "I got you."

Xingchen smiles before flipping them around. "No ... Today ..only cuddle."

Zemin looks at Xingchen's soft face in silence for sometimes.

"Hmm ?" Xingchen tilts his head.

Zemin's eyes turns glossy. He picks on Xingchen's forehead lightly before hugging him tightly in his arms.

Xingchen hugs back with a smile "Do you still think I am dream ?"

Zemin chuckles "No, I have already seen the dreadful reality of your pottery skills."

Xingchen hits on Zemin's shoulder as Zemin brusts into laughing.

Xingchen throws a pillow at Zemin "go , sleep outside."

Zemin catches the pillow and jumps on Xingchen "no, your promised cuddle."

"I want to cuddle too." A sleepy Zhan stands outside their room with a pillow in his hand.

Zemin groans "That's why I don't invite these two. They give their little shit to us, then have sex.... Ouch."

Zemin pouts at Xingchen. Xingchen glares "He is actually your little shit. Don't forget that!"

Zhan yawns "What's a little shit ?"

"Nothing baby, come here. You want cuddles."

Zhan hurriedly runs into the room and places his pillow in between Xingchen and Zemin.

"Come, come .. sleep."

Xingchen pulls the quilt to cover all of them and turns down the lamp "Goodnight , baby."

Zemin also lies down "yeah, good night, little shit."

Zhan giggles hearing his new nicknames "Good night , papas."

_____________ X _____________

The End

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(That's it, thank you for being with me in this journey. I know it was painful.

Xingchen and Zemin are the characters, I never wanted to give a happy ending.

This story was supposed to end with Xingchen writing his last letter to Zemin and Zemin not getting it and jumping off the cliff.

That would've been painful, so I changed. After all, you guys are reading this story for ten months. You all deserved a happy ending.

Yeah, I have a habit of changing my stories according to the comments. So, your comments really matter.

Also I realised a huge difference between the comment sections of the scum consort and the Guard dog.

Scum consort's comment section is absolute drama. Sometimes I read that comment section for fun ..

While The guard dog's comment section is built by the most mature people of the Wattpad community. Like literally big comments that come from the people who actually understand the plot.

So, it's wonderful to have you all here. Thank you for being with me.

And some of you already know the 3rd book of this series. Those who will be here in future.

This is the 3rd book.

Story of San Yi (who replaced his sister) × Xi lan.

A new story in a new kingdom, with new villains.

(We all are bored of Zi right?)