Lover Number 7.3

Before Huang Baozhai could utter another word, a knock resounded through the room, interrupting their conversation.

"Your Highness," came Han Yasheng's voice from the other side of the door. "The emperor has summoned you."

Li Jie let out a resigned sigh, already feeling the return of an impending headache. He turned to Huang Baozhai, offering her an apologetic smile. "We'll have to catch up later, alright?"

Huang Baozhai smiled warmly in return. "Don't fret about me. I've got matters of my own to attend to. Go and deal with what's at hand."

Li Jie nodded, straightening his attire and running a hand through his hair before making his way to the door. He was about to leave when Han Yasheng stepped forward, taking his hand.

"Li Jie," she implored, her eyes brimming with concern. "When you face the emperor, try not to lose your composure, alright?"

He halted, unsure how to respond. After a moment's contemplation, he simply said, "I'll do my best." Though he knew it was easier said than done, especially when they were alone.

Within a short span, he found himself standing outside the emperor's private quarters. A messenger had escorted him, flanked by his two personal guards.

"Son," the emperor's warm smile greeted Li Jie as he crossed the threshold into the emperor's private quarters.

His heart skipped a beat in fear as he quickly noticed the presence of Official Hong and his son, Hong Tao, a member of Li Jie's harem whom he had yet to interact with.

"Li Jie greets imperial father," he intoned, his voice steady, though his gaze remained lowered.

The recurring nightmares and the approaching anniversary of his lover's death weighed heavily on him, making it challenging to meet the emperor's eyes.

He feared that doing so might shatter his carefully constructed restraint, causing him to act on the violent impulses that simmered beneath the surface, which would ruin his meticulously laid plans.

"Come, sit beside your father," the emperor beckoned, a fatherly warmth evident in his tone.

It was a proximity no other prince had been allowed in the past, which had led Li Jie to believe that his father's love for him was genuine. However, over time, that love had transformed into something far more sinister, eroding the facade Li Jie had crafted over the years.

Without uttering a word, Li Jie took his place beside his father, his eyes avoiding Official Hong and his son.

He could feel the cracks forming in the facade he had so carefully maintained, all stemming from that one fateful night with Valerian.

He couldn't bring himself to blame Valerian, for the emperor had initiated the proposition, and Li Jie, out of necessity, had gone along with it.

The tragedy lay in the fact that Valerian had been deceived by his act. However, there was also Michael, the one who truly saw through the meticulously constructed walls Li Jie had built…

Blame, blame… who can I blame… Li Jie didn't even know why he was looking so hard to blame someone, but he knew it would at least take his mind off a lot of things and maybe, he could feel more at peace.

Before he could get too much lost in his thoughts, Official Hong broke the short-lived silence.

Official Hong offered his greetings, a warm smile gracing his face as he bowed, and Hong Tao followed suit. "This official is deeply relieved to see that Your Highness has regained your health," Official Hong voiced his sentiment, but beneath the pleasantries, Li Jie could sense something far more profound at play.

"Greetings, Official Hong," Li Jie acknowledged them, maintaining an air of respectful formality.

He observed the father-son duo before him. Official Hong, exuding the characteristic avarice that tainted the court officials, was contrasted by Hong Tao's apparent reserve.

This poised demeanor, even in the presence of the emperor and crown prince, left Li Jie uncertain. It could either be a sign of a shrewd mind or an innocence he couldn't decipher.

The emperor turned his attention to Li Jie, adopting the role of the doting father, his expression a facade of benevolence. "How are you faring, my son? It is said that certain activities can be quite taxing, especially for the first time. If you require more rest, I shall grant it willingly."

Li Jie's face flushed with embarrassment and indignation. Even in private, such words would have been met with ridicule, but now, they were spoken in the presence of an official. His father's hidden intentions sent shivers down his spine.

What schemes does he have in mind now?

"Imperial Father, there is no need to be concerned," Li Jie replied, forcing a sweet smile while gently taking the emperor's hands in his own. "The change in the seasons has merely taken a toll on my constitution. This year's winter promises to be particularly harsh."

Li Jie knew that Official Hong held considerable influence and was a fervent supporter of the emperor's agenda. Therefore, the emperor likely aimed to gain more of his favor through this meeting.

The emperor chuckled heartily, apparently satisfied with the situation. "Indeed, now that you are well, you comprehend why I've summoned you, do you not?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," Li Jie murmured, blushing like a demure maiden. "There is no need for Imperial Father or Official Hong to worry."

Inside, a sense of déjà vu loomed, as if he were trapped in an endless loop of these meetings.

The repetition grated on Li Jie's nerves, and his mind echoed with the refrain: another night, another night, another night… It was a relentless mental chant that made him want to bang his head against the table.

For a fleeting moment, Li Jie's gaze met Hong Tao's, and he detected an emotion that mirrored his own, an underlying fear concealed beneath the surface, only that Hong Tao, unlike Li Jie, was too inexperienced when it came to concealing his emotions.

Inside the hall, the atmosphere remained dense with tension, as unspoken power plays and courtly politics continued to weave their web around the young prince.

Li Jie watched as the emperor's gaze seemed to dance with delight at the prospect of yet another opportunity to extend his influence. This was the game that they all played, the dangerous dance of ambition and politics within the palace walls.

But amidst the carefully chosen words and veiled intentions, Li Jie felt his heart grow heavy. The emperor was not simply using him for political advantage; he was using him to further a disturbing personal agenda.

Official Hong's voice, smooth and persuasive, cut through the tension. "I believe it would be wise to allow these young individuals some private discourse," he suggested, as though extending a courteous invitation. His gaze remained unreadable, a practiced mask of courtly civility.

The emperor's boisterous laughter jarred Li Jie from his thoughts, a stark contrast to the turmoil within him. "Certainly!" the emperor chimed in, his eyes crinkling with an act of paternal affection. "Son, this is an excellent opportunity to nurture your affections, is it not?"

Li Jie, a master of concealment, acknowledged his father with a measured smile but refrained from direct eye contact. His polished exterior concealed the turmoil within, a roiling storm of emotions that were no longer held at bay.

With grace, he rose from his seat, moving to exit the hall, a silent Hong Tao following in his wake.

Stepping out of the grand hall, the sudden hush of the palace's opulent corridors enveloped them. Li Jie, his resolve fortified, finally felt compelled to turn to Hong Tao.

He had decided that, at this moment, he would not don the same deceptive mask he had worn around Valerian. Now was a time for raw, unfiltered conversation.

His gaze fell upon Hong Tao's towering, trembling form, and the prince couldn't ignore the palpable anxiety and fear that emanated from him.

It was a stark revelation, one that had managed to elude Li Jie's awareness until this very moment.

Not every soul within the palace's gilded confines harbored ambitions of winning his favor, and not all were ensnared by the allure of his station.

The crown prince, once blinded by his own self-pity and self-loathing, had failed to recognize the subtler complexities of the palace's intricate chessboard.

These courtly maneuvers extended far beyond the narrow scope of his own desires and afflictions.

In this clandestine arena, where power and machinations ruled, other pawns moved with their own motivations, each playing a unique role in the grand tapestry of the imperial court.

Li Jie, once ensnared by the belief that every step within the palace was a calculated move in pursuit of him, now saw a broader picture.

The realization dawned upon him that not everyone was willingly consigned to their roles in the emperor's intricate game.

There was no longer a need for pretense, for the masks they wore for the court. Not everyone in the palace would fight for Li Jie's favor; not everyone would be willing to bend to the emperor's desires. Some, like Hong Tao, had their own dreams and loves, which they held dear.

Li Jie and Hong Tao stood there, silent and lost.

Both were but pieces on a vast, intricate chessboard of politics and intrigue, caught in the machinations of the court. It was a revelation, a harsh awakening to the cruel realities of life within the palace's hallowed halls.

As the oppressive silence lingered between them, Li Jie felt a pang of empathy for Hong Tao. He saw a reflection of his own struggles, desires, and vulnerabilities in this young man, trembling on his knees, tears cascading down his cheeks.

Li Jie hesitated, searching for the right words to express the complex web of emotions within him.

He had been trapped in his own suffocating world of self-pity and hatred, but now, his perspective had shifted.

The palace was a ruthless arena, a place where many fates were intertwined, each soul with its own story, ambitions, and love.

"Hong Tao, I..." Li Jie's voice faltered, stripped of its usual facade. He wanted to say something, to offer comfort or understanding. But the words eluded him, just as they had eluded him when he faced his own heart-wrenching struggles.

Then, it was Hong Tao who broke the silence, his voice quivering with sincerity and desperation.

He suddenly fell to his knees, a gesture of profound vulnerability, his tears tracing lines of heartache on his face.

His words held the raw truth of a person torn between duty and love, a soul grappling with the agony of betrayal.

"Your Highness, please forgive me!" Hong Tao implored, his gaze fixed on the ground, unable to meet Li Jie's eyes. "I... I can't... Your Highness… I… I am already in love with someone... Please... Please don't make me betray them..."