chapter 6

"Are you .. sure ?"

Xingchen looks up as emperor Zixuan asks the same question to him again.  He nods firmly "yes , your highness, I have no love relation with Second prince Zemin. I took care of him on highness's order."

Xingchen sees the complex expression on his highness's face. He stays silent.

"Xingchen , I have announced Zemin's marriage thinking you ..." Emperor Zixuan hesitates "Anyways, does Zemin know about this .. I mean your intention about taking care of him..?"

"Second prince knows."Xingchen replies calmly. "His highness can ask second prince."

Zixuan sighs with a frown "no ..need. I apologise for my misunderstanding."

Xingchen bows before leaving the court hall. He doesn't look back. He made himself pretty clear to Zemin and his highness. There is nothing to look back.

***

"I am sorry !" Empress Yuzu opens his mouth after a long silence. Even though he heard Xingchen's reply from Zixuan yet he didn't believe it. He wanted to meet Xingchen face to face but he ended up meeting Zemin instead.

"There is nothing to say sorry, Yuzu. It's my fate. It has always been like this. Whatever I want, never comes to me." Zemin replies casually.

"Not that." Yuzu shakes his head with an anxious face "I made a big mistake. I announced your marriage without consulting you. I thought you and Xingchen would be ... Oh god."

"No need to panic like that." Zemin passes a glass of water to Yuzu "I have to take someone as my partner anyway. Just the difference is I have to marry now. A lawful partner. A concubine wouldn't do."

"Yes.." Yuzu frowns in worry then he looks up "No.. I would ask Zixuan to take back his announcement. You don't have to force yourself in an unwanted marriage."

Zemin shrugs "It's no big deal. I have already learned to compromise in these two years."

Yuzu's face becomes gloom "A marriage shouldn't be a compromise Zemin. You deserve a partner whom you love, who loves you .."

Zemin chuckles"Not everybody is lucky like my brother Yuzu. Life happens. I have to marry someone sooner or later. So, why damage Zi's reputation ?"

"But ..."

"My reputation is already no good throught out the kingdom. It will be hard for you to find a consort for me within tomorrow but I know you can definitely find someone."

Yuzu looks at Zemin's way too casual face "Are you sure ? You want to proceed with the wedding ?"

Zemin nods. "I am. I can't avoid it forever, so the sooner, the better. But whoever you choose just tell her my truth. Tell her about the actual truth behind this marriage. Then if she agrees, I have no problem."

Yuzu nods with a dejected face. Based on Zemin's calmness and determination , he knows that there is no point of talking anymore.

Yuzu turns around to leave but he eyes fall on Xingchen who is standing outside Zemin's door.

Xingchen bows at Yuzu "His highness has summoned Empress in his chamber."

Yuzu looks at Xingchen's face for sometimes. Did he really misunderstand Xingchen's feelings towards Zemin ?

"I was going to visit his highness. We need to select a consort for Zemin's marriage tomorrow." Yuzu tries to read Xingchen's expression. But Xingchen doesn't even blink. No hesitation, no shock, nothing.

Xingchen nods at empress Yuzu giving him the way out.

Zemin stays silent until Yuzu leaves the courtyard completely. Then he looks at Xingchen. Xingchen's eyes are already on him. "Is there anything minister Xingchen wants to say ?"

Xingchen hesitates a little. After today's reveal Zemin tried to force him and he panicked. He slapped Zemin in self-defense.

"If there is nothing then I have to sleep. Minister Xingchen should go back to his room too." Zemin turns around to fix his bed.

Xingchen frowns at Zemin's back. Zemin calls Empress Yuzu by the name. He even calls the Emperor by the name. So, it's going to be weird if he calls Xingchen as Minister. "......."

"You should call empress as 'empress'..." Xingchen finally opens his mouth.

Zemin stops whatever he was doing. "I knew him before he became an empress. And I still consider him as my friend, not as my brother's consort or empress."

"That doesn't look good. People might misunderstand. His highness might get offended."

Zemin turns around to face Xingchen directly "It's already late, minister. We can discuss this topic another time. Now, I need to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day."

***

"You aren't serious !" Empress Yuzu looks at his husband Zixuan in disbelief.

"Zemin has a reputation Yuzu. A very bad reputation. You know that. Even though he is going to be an emperor, yet it's hard to find a bride for him overnight."

"But we can try .." Yuzu shakes his head.

"I tried Yuzu and only your sister volunteered to marry him."

Yuzu closes his eyes in disbelief "Yimli wants to marry Zemin, because she wants to complete with me. She has no desire to lead a peaceful married life. She doesn't have that quality either."

"There is not many options Yuzu. Except Yimli .. maybe I can ask Yaad. He might agree. But remember Yaad is Afreen's cousin. Bringing him to the picture means bringing Afreen back. And I don't want her out of prison." Zixuan explains.

Yuzu hesitates "I don't know. I don't think Yimli is good for Zemin."

"Then let's ask Zemin what he wants."

"He wants Xingchen. I am sure of it." Yuzu pouts.

"But Xingchen is not in the options. He needs to choose between Yimli and Yaad."

***

"Yaad ! Boys are better for me. I am sorry Yuzu, I don't think I can handle your sister." Zemin replies with almost sleepy eyes.

"Yaad is my ex. Consort Afreen's cousin. And out of all my ex. Consorts,  Afreen was the worst. We can make a whole list of her schemes and sell it as a book." Zixuan warns Zemin.

Zemin chuckles this time "You can make a book of my schemes too. Don't worry I can handle it. Also it will be less boring this way. Can I marry Afreen ?"

Yuzu looks at Zemin with a serious face "Zemin, you can still back off. You shouldn't be making decisions like this. Getting married doesn't mean destroy yourself."

"It's same for me." Zemin whispers. Then he looks up "Yaad is better for me. Your sister deserves better, Yuzu."

Zixuan sighs "As you wish !"

***

"What wish ? I wished to marry you, Zixuan .. not your brother." Yaad shouts with a glare.

"You don't get to choose, Yaad. You are staying here in my palace without any position, I never asked you to leave. Now, if you want to stay here and take care of your sister then marry my brother." Zixuan states casually early in the morning.

Yaad growls "No way ! You can't for me."

"Zemin is Zixuan's twin and now he is the emperor of southern portion of Zi. What's the difference?" Yuzu asks Yaad more calmly.

"If there is no difference, then why don't you marry Zemin , Yuzu ?" Yaad shouts.

"I am already married to Zixuan." Yuzu tries to reason out.

Yaad scoffs "don't fool me. I wouldn't marry the stand in. I was here to marry Zixuan."

"Then I made myself pretty clear that I wouldn't marry you, Yaad. You can leave the palace, now." Zixuan states casually.

Yaad hesitates "my sister is here..."

"She is facing her punishment. You can't take her with you. After her punishment period is over, you can come back and take her."

***

"It's all my fault." Yuzu sits on bed holding his head. He is getting a headache. "What should we do now ?"

"Wait !" Zixuan places a bowl of warm soup in front of Yuzu "I knew Yaad would deny. He didn't deny because he wanted to marry me, that was an excuse. He denied to buy himself some time. He wants to consult Afreen first before he agrees."

Yuzu looks up "you mean ..."

"I mean Afreen's interference. That's what I feared. But Zemin ...."

"Can't we really stop it ?" Yuzu asks in whisper. "why I feel like we are going back to ... "

Zixuan smiles thinly. "I just asked Xingchen to announce Yaad and Zemin's marriage."

"WHHYYYYYYY ?"

"Xingchen didn't give the order to announce. He went straight to meet Zemin."

"You mean ... He can stop ..."

"Let's see !"

***

"I can see through your schemes , Zemin."

"I don't understand what minister Xingchen wants to say."

"You planned to marry Yaad and scheme against his highness again. Now you want Afreen and Yaad in your gang." Xingchen elaborates.

Zemin tilts his head "Is that so ?"

"It is. You are taking advantage of his highness's kindness again. You planned to marry Yaad from the beginning,.right ?"

Zemin chuckles "then minister Xingchen must stop me. Why doesn't minister Xingchen marry me instead of Yaad ?"

"I made myself pretty clear..."

"Then you shouldn't interfere in my personal business and next time ask my permission before you enter my bedchamber."

Xingchen blinks. He looks at Zemin in shock.

Zemin ignores Xingchen and looks at his back "Does prince Yaad want anything from me ?"

Yaad who was standing outside the door widens his eyes. He comes out of his hidding. "Umm... I was here to talk .. about our marriage.."

Xingchen turns around irritated "What ?"

Yaad frowns at Xingchen. "I am here to talk with him .. alone."

"You can't .."

"Let me decide that, minister Xingchen. He is my would be consort." Zemin cuts Xingchen's words before looking t Yaad "let's talk in the garden. I was going for a walk that way."

Yaad smiles before before looking back t Xingchen. He thought Zemin had no other interest and his way to the power was clear but it looks like this way has thorn too.

He needs to pull this thorn out before it becomes another Yuzu.

ㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁ