Arc 2.12 Zu Tian

"Where is Zu- the Emperor?"

It had been a week and two since that day, Zu Tian and Feng Niao's relationship had gotten colder by each day.

It would be a lie if Feng Niao said he hadn't regretted what happened that day.

If only, he did not believe what Chen Mo said and brought Zu Tian to that place then he wouldn't have gotten injured and their relationship would have not become this cold.

"General Feng?!"

"Chen Mo, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to meet the Emperor but it seems that he is busy. But you're here so it's perfect. I have an order for you, let me meet the Emperor during the hunt."

"Are you going to harm him?" Feng Niao warily said.

"Harm? Him? Don't be silly. If I harm the Emperor, do you think I'll make it out of here alive?" Chen Mo laughed as if it was the funniest joke he had ever heard.

"Then why do you want to see the Emperor?"

"I just want to talk to the Emperor concerning our Empire. Really, believe me, were just talking. Even if not for me, do it for father emperor."

Mentioning the old emperor, Feng Niao wavered a bit. He bit his mouth in hesitance.

"Feng Niao, can't you at least do it for Father?" Chen Mo frowned seeing him hesitating.

After a while of persuading, Feng Niao finally surrendered and agreed.

"Great! I knew you will not let father emperor down. So, all you have to do is...."

Remembering those memories, Feng Niao could only describe himself as stupid for believing Chen Mo's words.

How could he forget how sly his brother is and how cruel he could get just to get what he wants.

Now, not only did he ruin the relationship he and Zu Tian have he will even die because of his stupidity.

Though he hadn't actually betrayed Zu Tian, the other doesn't know that. What he knew is that he actually betrayed him and is now waiting for his death day.

Yes, after Zu Tian dealt with the assasins he finally sentenced Feng Niao to a death sentence for betraying him.

Luckily, looking back to their past relationship Zu Tian promised that he wouldn't do anything to his countrymen due to his betrayal.

It really hurt being treated coldly by the man that he loves but what can he do when he was the one who destroyed their relationship by his own hands.

He could have denied it when the assasins came for them but he knows that he can't fully deny the accusation because those assasins that came were his own men that he had left behind when he left his own country.

He didn't know why they were there but he knows that the sin would be on his hand just by having his men there assassinating the Emperor.

He, the Great General who had conquered and fought many battles is finally coming to an end by the very hands of the man that he loves.

And due to his idiocy, he was pushed into a trap by his very own brother and was framed to have his beloved killed.

"I apologize General, but the Emperor is busy these days."

"Is that so?"

Hearing the word busy, Feng Niao already know what the middle age palace maid was saying.

This past week that Zu Tian hadn't visited him, he had been hearing flying rumors around his quarters that the Emperor kept on visiting his favored concubine almost every day.

They would even hear wild screams every time the Emperor visits her palace.

Just by this, Feng Niao could tell that Zu Tian had already thrown him at the back of his mind.

How would he dare to think that Zu Tian really had someone like him in his heart?

After all, he was just a man who warms his bed.

Someone who just spends his time when he was bored.

He was nothing.

He was just garbage that can't even be recycled.

He was such a joke.

It was so funny.

So fun!!!

"Hahahahah...."

Mirthful laughter spilled out from Feng Niao's lips as tears wet his face. He laughed and laughed as if he had finally lost it.

He kept on pounding his chest as if it could lessen the pain that he was feeling.

He kept on pounding and pounding, each pound harder than the previous one.

While doing so, he was laughing while crying. He was truly pitiful.

Watching the once bright young man crying his heart out pitifully while pounding his chest to alleviate the pain that he was feeling, the palace maid forcefully swallowed her voice in and wipe the tears quietly sliding down her cheeks.

It was really such a pity, the two of them were really good together.

[Host! Host! Feng Niao is finally losing it!]

The System yelled out at Zu Tian who was busy entertaining the female lead.

If it only have eyes of its own, it would have already burst out crying.

If it only have hands, it would have long beaten Zu Tian to death!

[Host, can't you just see Feng Niao, just for once? The kid is too pitiful. Just once, Host, I can't bear to see him crying.]

Xiao Xiao almost went mad screaming at its Host who seemed to have gone deaf and mad.

The System had rattled on for so long but Zu Tian was still unmoved and it was driving it crazy!

'Xiao Xiao, will you shut up?'

Having enough, Zu Tian roared at his System, face darkening.

"Your Majesty, i-it hurts."

Qi LianLian hissed in pain when Zu Tian suddenly tightened his hold on her wrist. His face was so dark that black ink could be squeezed out from it, she felt scared.

"Oh? I'm sorry, Lian'er. Does it hurt? I'm so so sorry if I hurt you. How could I have hurt my little beauty? Muah."

Caressing her bruised wrist, Zu Tian lovingly kissed her hands while flirting with her.

"Your Majesty~" Qi LianLian flushed red feeling Zu Tian's hand around her.

"Let's continue this on the bed, shall we?"

"Crown Prince, I've got news about the assasins that we sent in the palace a few weeks ago."

"Did they spill out the beans?"

"No. As far as our spy had said, they were all already dead. They did not say a word about us nor the General. They admitted that it was all of their doing."

"Hah! Those idiots! Do they think that by saying that idiotic Feng Niao had nothing to do with it that he would really be free from the accusation that he had tried to kill the Emperor? What a bunch of idiots!"

"Everyone, I need your help."

Amidst a group of people in black, Chen Mo kneeled in front of them kowtowing in tears.

"Please, save my brother."

"What happened to Master Feng?"

Hearing about their Master, the once indifferent people quickly change their attitude toward the dandy prince.

Seeing him crying and kowtowing to them, they knew that the situation should be dire for their Master.

Their Master who was sent to be a hostage to another nation did not allow them to go with him or even allow anyone to know of his situation.

He did not even send letters to them to say if he was fine.

They were all really worried about his safety but they couldn't even get any news from him because the palace was like an iron-clad gate that was impenetrable even for them, the best shadow guards of their country.

"My brother... he, he is being treated inhumanely by that bastard of Qi's Emperor!!"

Chen Mo's face was so full of rage and viciousness that the shadow guards could not believe that such a happy-go-lucky prince like him would have such an expression on his face.

Something horrible must have happened to their Master for him to act like this!

"What happened?"

"Is Master alright?"

"What did that son of a bitch emperor do to the Master?!"

"He...He is using brother as some sort of a....woman."

Chen Mo almost whispered his last words because of how embarrassing it was to admit that his own brother was being intimate like that with another man.

"What did you just say?!"

"That bastard emperor?! He didn't... he just did not do it, right?"

All of the shadow guards were heaving in anger, some clenching their teeth about to break it, some had already lost it and sent the table flying.

"I'm not lying. I saw it with my own two eyes! When I came to visit my brother in the palace, I was even more surprised than you did when I knew that he was living in the Emperor's palace. I thought that it was suspicious but I did not believe in my gut feeling. But when I saw just how that bastard of an Emperor treated my brother, he was..... he was..."

Chen Mo was about to exaggerate his made-up story more but was unable to continue when a chair came flying his way.

"That fucking son of a bitch!! I will kill him!!!!!!!!"

Seeing them raging, smoke almost coming out from their ears, Chen Mo secretly smiled slyly knowing that he had already achieved what he had gone there to.

'Be angry. Get angry. The more you get angry, the more irrational your decisions will be. With my brother gone and all of you, this world will be mine!"

"Oh well, those idiots did save us from getting labeled as rebels. I never thought that bastard was bidding his time to catch us in a trap. It was good for me to send those useless things there to get caught for us. Than dying a useless death, why not use their deaths to our advantage as a stepping stone for our future success."

"Crown Prince is wise."

"This fall out, Feng Niao can only take it if he does not want to implicate his own country and family. Tell Feng Niao that his father would be so proud of him for sacrificing himself for the good of the nation. Just let him dream for a while that an illegitimate child like him can get my father's love. He is going to die anyway one of these days."

"Yes, Crown Prince."