chapter 7

"I want to make it work." Yaad stands in front of Zemin with a serious face "I want no conditions in our marriage. I want to stay with you, eat with you, work with you and make love with you."

Zemin listens to Yaad carefully "ok .. now what's the real reason ?"

"Why don't you trust me. I have never hurt you."

Zemin sits on the garden bench "Because I know your type. So come clear. What's the catch ?"

Yaad sits beside Zemin "not much. I want my sister out of prison."

"Then cancel the wedding. I can't do that."

"Why not ? You are the emperor too." Yaad pouts.

"Come clear Yaad. What do you want ? I don't think you love your sister that much !"

"I did something bad when I was a teenager. Don't ask me what. Just .. she has it against me and she can harm me with that. I need to listen to her." Yaad comes clear.

"So blackmail ?" Zemin grins. He suddenly feels the spark that he used to feel before.

"Yep ! I will help you, if you help me."

"Help me with what ?" Zemin tilts his head.

"With whatever your mission is. I don't think you changed overnight , just like that. Doesn't your redemption sounds like story ? A cock and bull story !"

Zemin laughes out loud "well ... Diamond cuts diamond .. huh .. ok .. deal. You help me , I will help you."

"NOOOOOO !" Xingchen wakes up from his sleep with sweat covering his forehead. His breathing goes hard. Ever since he heard the conversation between Yaad and Zemin in the garden, he can't forget it.

He gulps to ease his dry throat. Zemin is scheming. He is the emperor of southern Zi, yet he is scheming. Xingchen can't believe this. But .. but he heard them with his own ears.

"No .. this can't be. He needs to stop Zemin. He needs to meet Yuzu... right now. He doesn't have much time. Within hours Zemin is going to marry Yaad. He needs to stop them."

Xingchen climbs down the bed while fixing his robe. Yuzu must be in his bed chamber right now.

***

"There must be a misunderstanding, Xingchen. I know you have bitter feelings for him but you can't suspect everything he does."

"I heard him" Xingchen emphasizes.

Yuzu frowns at Xingchen "And can I ask why ? Why you followed them ? What was your intention of listening to their private conversation, Xingchen ?"

Xingchen hesitates but the urgency in his voice doesn't leave "I am not making up things, I swear."

"Ok fine, let's say .. you are not making it up. But what's the proof Xingchen ? Why did you come to me ? What am I suppose to do ?"

"Can't you cancel the wedding?"

Yuzu tilts his head "cancelling the wedding would stop Xingchen from scheming ?"

Xingchen shakes his head impatiently "but ... That .. would stop them .. from scheming together ... "

"You don't need to marry to scheme together, Xingchen." Yuzu sighs "I can't stop the wedding. The guests are already here, the preparation is done, there is no way out."

"Please empress Yuzu. It will be risky. Please just stop the wedding." Xingchen tries again.

"How can I ? You tell me.. what am I suppose to say ? Zemin you can't marry Yaad because I doubt you and Yaad ?" Yuzu asks a bit irritated. "Zemin never wanted to marry Yaad in the first place. He wanted to marry you. He compromised to Yaad because you said that you two had nothing which is clearly a lie."

Xingchen blinks. He opens his mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"I can't stop this marriage, Xingchen. If you want to stop this marriage so much , the you marry him."

***

Xingchen comes out of his thoughts as the rim of the wine glass touches his lips. He stops thinking about Yuzu's words.

"Drink half of the nuptial wine." The priest says to Xingchen.

Xingchen slowly opens his mouth without looking at Zemin. He drinks the half.

"Feed you husband the rest."

Xingchen follows the priests order with a numb mind. He takes the wine glass from Zemin and raises the glass without looking at Zemin's face.

He doesn't need to look as he feels Zemin's breath on his hand. Zemin drinks the rest.

"Now to the vows." The priest's formal voice rings again.

"I , Zi Zemin take ..."

"Let him take the vow first." Zemin cuts the Priest in a calm voice.

Xingchen fists on his robe. Zemin hasn't asked anything since he suddenly agreed to marry him. Though he didn't raise any objection, he.ignored Xingchen since he came to the alter.

The priest nods helplessly before turning at Xingchen. "Say with me ..

"I, Lee Xingchen .. take Zi Zemin as my lawfully wedded husband ...

Xingchen utters the same thing in low voice "to have and to hold .... "

He hears the claps and cheers "for better , for worse...."

He tries to sneak a glance at Zemin. But Zemin never looked at him "in sickness , in health... till death do us apart."

Xingchen feelshis throat dry as the vow ends.

The priest looks at Zemin "now you say...."

"I, Zi Zemin take Lee Xingchen as my lawfully wedded husband ...

The priest waits for Zemin to repeat till now but Zemin stays silent.

Xingchen hears the crowd go silent. He doesn't dare to look up yet he sees the panic in Empress Yuzu's face from the corner of his eyes. He notices how emperor Zixuan take a step forward in worry.

"Your highness , you need to repeat the vow to complete this marriage." The priest utters cautiously.

Xingchen blinks. Still there is no word from Xingchen. He feels suffocated suddenly.

"Zemin ..."

Xingchen hears emperor Zixuan's warning tone. "If you don't repeat the vow, he will be .... "

Zixuan stops. He hesitates to use this word to address his chief minister. But Xingchen already took the vow. Now even when Zemin doesn't take the vow, still Xingchen can't back off.

"Zemin, do you want Xingchen to be your concubine?" Yuzu uses euphemism to describe mistress.

In Zi, a concubine is equall to mistress. The unlawful wife of the emperor.

Xingchen's eyes burns as he hears the gasps and whispers of the crowd. Nobody said it loud yet, but he already knows that he has become the concubine of the emperor of Southern Zi.

A tear escapes from his eyes. He lowers his head and fists on his robe to control his emotions. He can't break down here.

"I am tired of standing. Isn't it my turn now ? It's our wedding at the end of the day." Yaad walks down the alter with a falming red dress, grabbing everyone's attention.

Xingchen fists turn white. He doesn't look up. But he feels Zemin, leaving his side.

"Wait !" Xingchen hears Zixuan's shout. "What does this mean ?"

"Is this a joke, Zemin ?" Yuzu's voice came from far.

Xingchen takes a step back. He needs to leave. If he stays here any longer, he will break down. He turns around to leave.

He doesn't love Zemin but He can't see Zemin taking vows for Yaad but not for him.

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