From the moment they entered, King Yibo's eyes were fixed sharply on them. He sat in the living room with regal posture, waiting to see where Zhan would appear from. Since his return, he had looked around but hadn't seen him. His stubborn pride kept him from asking....until nearly an hour later, when he checked the CCTV cameras. There, he saw Zhan leaving alone and heading toward Dowager Ruyan's quarters, fearless even though it was already late.
King Yibo assumed he would be back soon, yet he showered, ate dinner, completed his work, and still there was no sign of Zhan. He even lay down, determined to ignore him, but found himself unable to rest. His body and heart both refused to accept the idea of existing without his other half. So he returned to the living room and sat waiting to see where Zhan would emerge. Nearly an hour had passed like that.
The moment Zhan walked in and saw him, he froze in fear under King Yibo's intense stare, unconsciously stepping behind Dowager Ruyan to hide.
King Yibo shifted his gaze from Zhan to Dowager Ruyan. Moving his lips slightly, he said in a low tone,
"Good evening, Grandma."
She answered warmly and gently reached back to pull Zhan forward from behind her.
"Here is your husband. He has been with me all evening. We are all well."
With that, she released his hand, wheeled her chair, and headed into the elevator.
"Rest well," Yibo murmured respectfully, lowering his head slightly, eyes half closed.
Silence filled the room after she left.
Neither spoke or moved.
King Yibo's sharp gaze remained fixed on Zhan, while Zhan stood exactly where Dowager Ruyan had left him...head down, nervously twisting his fingers. Every hair on his body bristled; he could feel King Yibo's stare in his veins.
After several long minutes, the king stood and walked toward him. Zhan squeezed his eyes shut tightly, bracing himself for a slap or some harsh punishment.
Instead, he felt the gentle brush of King Yibo's palm against his hand as he removed the bag with Zhan's hand. Without a word and with that calm, authoritative walk, he stepped aside and passed him.
Zhan released the breath he had been holding, gasping silently. He opened his eyes and watched King Yibo disappear from sight. His throat tightened with the urge to cough, so he hurried to the dining room, drank some water, and sat breathing deeply to steady himself. Only after regaining some composure did he stand and follow the king, silently wishing he wouldn't find him there.
But his luck was bad.
The moment he stepped into the bedroom, he found King Yibo seated on the bed, laptop resting on his thigh.
The room was dim, lit only by the bluish glow of the laptop screen, illuminating his well-defined features and commanding presence.
Zhan slipped quietly toward the bathroom, pouting slightly.
After washing up, he came out wearing a bathrobe. King Yibo was still seated exactly as before. Zhan stood behind him, giving himself time to dress in warm sleepwear and perfume the room. The scent grew stronger, but King Yibo remained focused on his work, seemingly ignoring him.
Feeling annoyed at being deliberately disregarded, Zhan walked softly to his side, sat down, and then boldly lay with his head on King Yibo's thigh, gently pushing the laptop a little to the side.
King Yibo fought hard not to react, continuing to type, refusing to acknowledge him.
Seeing he was being ignored, Zhan stared up into his face, then reached up and brushed his fingers lightly along the side of King Yibo's cheek, teasing along the hairline.
(This troublesome boy and his provocations…) King Yibo thought, trying to suppress the rush burning through his chest. Without realizing it, his lips pressed together tightly and his eyes squeezed shut.
"Please, don't be upset. I won't do it again. I didn't think I would be long... Mamy Dannen wasn't feeling well," Zhan whispered, pouting.
(This boy is going to kill me one day…) King Yibo groaned inwardly, heart pounding relentlessly.
Slowly, he removed his hands from the laptop and placed his right hand over Zhan's, which still rested on his face. He tried pulling away, but Zhan shifted suddenly, tucking his face against Yibo's stomach and sliding his arm behind his back to hold him tightly.
"Just kill me so you can rest, baby," King Yibo muttered unintentionally, his entire body relaxing completely.
Zhan, who didn't understand what exactly he meant, burst into a light laugh...so close that King Yibo could feel the warm breath against his stomach.
In his own careless excitement, Zhan squeezed him too tightly, causing Yibo a bit of pain.
"If I kill you, who am I going to stay with?" Zhan laughed, burrowing himself even deeper into Yibo's chest.
King Yibo had no choice but to put his laptop aside, lie back, and pull Zhan fully onto him. Zhan stared intently at his face with determination, while the king's gaze locked just as deeply into his eyes, stripped bare of any reserve.
"Why don't you want us to live in peace, baby?" Yibo asked softly, narrowing his eyes slightly at Zhan.
Zhan rolled his eyes dramatically, pouting and giving Yibo a teasing nip on the lips.
"What did I even do? If it's about going to Grandma's room, I already apologized."
The comment almost made Yibo laugh, but he held it in, pressing his lips together while watching Zhan sharply.
Zhan rolled his eyes again and complained,
"Stop staring at me like that. Don't you know how handsome you are?"
With a raised brow, King Yibo asked,
"Am I really that handsome?"
"Absolutely. Who else? Have you looked at yourself properly in the mirror? I'm not lying....you're the most handsome man in all of Beiping."
His bold expression made Yibo laugh inside, filling his heart with a warmth he couldn't hide.
Not because he actually believed himself to be the most handsome, but because he finally understood: Zhan had begun to love him.
You only see perfection in someone you love. Even though Yibo knew there were people objectively more attractive than Zhan, in his eyes, Zhan was incomparable—because he was his.
He didn't realize he was smiling until he caught Zhan staring at him.
With wide dramatic eyes, Zhan complained,
"See? Your smile is beautiful. Why don't you smile more?"
King Yibo placed both hands firmly on Zhan's back, pulling him even closer until their faces were almost touching, noses brushing.
"In everything, you're my wild creature, my soul."
"And you're mine too."
Zhan whispered, pecking Yibo's lips. But then he suddenly pulled back, embarrassed. It always took him effort to give kisses, but he couldn't help feeling shy.
Slowly, Yibo pulled him back again, inhaling sharply. He shifted, rolling them over so they lay facing each other. Without waiting another second, he pressed their lips together in a deep kiss.
:-*:-*:-*:-
There was no trace of playfulness in Prince Langya as he stood stiffly at the doorway, narrowing his eyes at Consort Xuan Ji.
"Say what you came to say. I only have twenty minutes." His tone was cold.
Consort Xuan Ji looked him up and down with irritation, clicking her tongue.
"Langya, if you think scheming is your escape route to corner me, you're mistaken. If anyone is getting exposed here, it will be both of us... and I'll make sure you fall first. Don't forget, plotting is what I do best."
Langya released a sharp laugh.
"Do you really think you can threaten me, Xuan Ji? If I were you, I'd step out of my way now.... otherwise I swear I'll kill you and bury your body right here in the palace, and no one will ever find it."
"Oh really? Then try it. Go on—kill me! Let's see!"
She shouted angrily, pushing her chest against his, provoking him.
Langya's fury exploded. In an instant his hand shot to her throat, squeezing brutally. Her eyes widened in shock, fighting desperately for breath, trying to claw his hand free....but he was far stronger. He dragged her to the wall, slamming her head against it while tightening his grip.
She let out a strangled scream as blood began to spill.
At that moment, Jasrah, resting in the bedroom, woke to the sound and rushed out. Seeing blood covering Xuan Ji's face and Langya choking her violently, she released a terrified scream before collapsing to the floor.
Guards stormed into the corridor in panic. One ran at full speed to alert the palace security, because this incident was far beyond their authority.
Instantly, chaos erupted....clearly Zhan had been waiting for such an opportunity. Within moments, despite the late hour, the entire palace was in an uproar. Consort Xuan Ji and Jasrah were rushed to the hospital, while Prince Langya, trembling violently, stood in shock, only now regaining awareness of what he had done.
He froze at the sight of his own actions, drowning in humiliation and disbelief.
None of the officers said a word to him. They simply gathered everything and decided the matter would be presented to the king in the morning.
What puzzled everyone most was what exactly had happened between him and Consort Xuan Ji to escalate to this level....especially at such a late hour, around two in the morning.
-------
During the entire commotion, the Inner One was on the far side of the palace, negotiating with the tea-leaf farmer who supplied herbs for King Yibo's royal tea blend. Her identity was concealed under a full disguise, so he had no idea who she was. In fact, all the conversation was handled by Jazaa, while the Inner One sat silently, commanding the space with her presence.
At first, the farmer refused their demands....but the moment he saw the heavy pouch filled with gold and heard the threat toward his family line, he surrendered immediately.
Dowager Taihou smiled coldly and turned her face away. The boxes of tea Cao delivered began their transfer to the king's private quarters, while the seeds for new plantations were placed aside....Jazaa had already secured three full crates for him.
Zhan sat quietly, eyes fixed on a point in space, clearly lost in deep thought. Every few moments, a small smile tugged at his lips, and he curled into himself, burying his face between his knees like someone shy about their own happiness.
After a while, he stood suddenly, as if startled awake, and glanced at the clock. He knew that at this hour, King Yibo would be in the gym, since he hadn't returned yet. Zhan hurried to change into training clothes....the outfit fitting him perfectly and revealing every defined line of his body.
He entered the gym, looking around. It was empty and quiet, everything powered off. It seemed the king wasn't there. He pouted and turned to leave, but suddenly remembered the last time he found Yibo upstairs practicing swordplay with Prince Langya.
"Yes!" Zhan whispered, winking mischievously before heading up with quiet, confident steps.
The automated door announced his entry loudly, forcing King Yibo to stop the spinning motion of his sword and turn slowly to face him.
The guards immediately turned their backs respectfully.
The way Zhan approached....confident, glowing, almost explosive....made the king freeze mid-movement.
"Good morning your majesty,"
Zhan said boldly, placing his finger along the sharp edge of the sword and guiding it gently down to rest against the Yibo's grip.
King Yibo stared at him without responding. Zhan pretended not to notice the stare; he slid the sword from King's hands and smiled. Yibo didn't return the smile...he spun the sword with impressive skill and, before Zhan could react, the blade lay flat against his throat. Though it didn't press into the skin, the cold metal was frighteningly close.
Zhan nearly lost control of his bladder from shock, trembling violently. Yibo lowered his head to Zhan's shoulder, his breath warm against his ear.
"Looking for trouble, are you?"
Eyes filling with tears, Zhan shook his head frantically.
With a quivering tongue he whispered, "Yibo… Er-Gege… I surrender."
"Not enough,"
King Yibo murmured, pressing the blade closer.
Zhan tensed even harder, while Yibo fought the urge to laugh.
"Redeem yourself, baby."
"With what?"
Zhan asked quickly, panicking.
King Yibo half-closed his eyes, exhaling softly against Zhan's neck.
"Anything."
"All right, all right....I agree! But please take it away, you only get one life…"
Zhan stammered, voice shaking.
This time Yibo couldn't hold back; a real smile escaped. He pulled back, removed the blade from Zhan's throat, and turned him to face him. Genuine tears pooled in Zhan's eyes.
Trying hard not to laugh, Yibo glanced at the guards who were still facing away. With a small flick of two fingers, he dismissed them. They left silently, closing the door and leaving them alone.
Yibo guided Zhan backward toward the side table, opened a beautifully carved sword case, and returned holding another sword. He placed it gently in Zhan's hands and slid off Zhan's jacket, setting it aside with a quiet signal to begin.
Barely had Zhan finished swallowing his tears when Yibo suddenly lifted his sword. King Yibo glanced at him, lips twisting slightly. Then Yibo turned his head aside with a faint smile, lowered his sword tip to the floor, and began to circle around Zhan. Standing behind him, he spun his sword playfully....only for Zhan to unexpectedly raise his own blade to block.
Yibo's eyes widened slightly, surprised by the defense. Zhan pushed forward and returned the strike sharply. Yibo blocked with force, astonished that Zhan was attacking with such precision.
"So, you actually know swordsmanship?"
Yibo asked in genuine surprise, locking eyes with him.
Zhan smiled and launched another swift strike at Yibo's legs. Yibo dodged with incredible speed, spinning away to avoid the blow. Zhan laughed lightly, dropped his sword to the center position, and began circling Yibo in return, lifting a brow and winking.
"Are you going to stand there asking where I learned," Zhan teased, "or do you want me to pin you to the ground?"
Yibo straightened, smiling, his lower lip caught gently between his teeth. They continued circling each other, then without warning lunged forward....clashing with the fierce, confident stance of two warriors proving a point.
Their blades collided repeatedly, skill and control echoing through the training hall. Though Yibo was undoubtedly more experienced, Zhan's ability shocked him. He followed Zhan carefully to avoid injuring him, knowing their strengths were nowhere near equal.
Soon Zhan stripped off his sport shirt, dripping with sweat, wearing only tight training shorts that barely covered his upper thighs. The fabric clung to him like a second skin, revealing long slender legs dusted with soft hair...mesmerizing to look at. Yibo kept stealing quick glances, distracted enough that Zhan nearly won several exchanges.
Because Zhan looked incredibly attractive....only in a half–sport shorts, skin glowing with sweat....confidence blooming bold and unrestrained.
The next voice struck them like a stone thrown through glass.
"What is going on here?"
Prince Langya had appeared almost in the middle of the arena, stepping so close they hadn't noticed his approach. Both men turned immediately....especially Zhan, who froze like someone caught in a spotlight. Trembling, he reached blindly for anything to hide himself with, unable to even look up. Before he knew how it happened, his body pressed instinctively against King Yibo, arms locked around him, trying to hide his bare chest under the king's embrace.
"What brings you here without permission? Leave. Now."
King Yibo's voice struck like thunder as he wrapped an arm protectively around Zhan, turning their backs to Prince Langya.
"I said, GET OUT!"
Yibo roared again, louder....powerful and violent enough that even his body trembled with it. His eyes ignited with a sharp, dangerous edge, like war drums sounding across stone.
Prince Langya stumbled backward, almost losing his footing from sheer terror. He had never imagined this young man could possess such fury. Then his gaze shifted, and he finally understood the obsession Deng spoke of every day, Zhan name he repeated like a sickness.
He, who had known countless women across different lands, who once treated desire like a game, suddenly felt his chest tighten painfully. Zhan's body....pressed into Yibo's, trembling and flushed....was unlike anything he had ever seen.
His legs nearly gave way; he collapsed back against the wall, gasping for air as if struck in the chest. Right now he wanted nothing both to feel Zhan's warm pressed to his body.
(Humm…)
The moment Zhan felt King Yibo's heartbeat....fast and heavy, pounding as if it would break out of his chest...and heard the furious roar he threw at his uncle, his mind spiraled in panic. The fear of that voice unsettled him more than the fear of being seen. His hand trembled in Yibo's grip, and he lifted his gaze slightly to his face.
King Yibo's features were twisted with a frightening rage...his eyes completely darkened, transformed by fury. Zhan had to lower his eyes, his whole body shaking from the intensity radiating off the king. Without a word, Yibo yanked his hand and dragged him toward the doorway he had entered through. He did not stop until they were inside the bedroom.
He released Zhan abruptly and walked straight into the bathroom, slamming the door. Zhan stared after him, chest tight, heart racing. He alone knew the kind of fire he had seen blazing in Yibo's eyes. His instincts screamed at him to get out of the room before the king returned and took his anger out on him… both because of jealousy and raw temper.
So Zhan fled.
When King Yibo finally emerged after a long time in the bathroom, he did not go looking for Zhan. He needed silence. He needed to be alone. His anger consumed him...he was a possessive man, and the feeling he had toward Zhan was explosive enough that he could destroy anyone who crossed the line. A deep, unfamiliar hate burned inside him for Prince Deng and Prince Langya....stronger than anything he had felt before for all the wrongs they had done. The pain in his head throbbed violently.
He walked to the window, hands clasped behind him, still wearing only the bathrobe. Outside, the sky was thick with heavy black storm clouds. Despite the morning hours, the day darkened further, as if another night were falling.
His phone rang. He ignored it. It rang again...this time he grabbed it angrily and answered, but said nothing. Prince Aoying's respectful greeting came through the line.
King Yibo felt rage toward everyone. Even though Prince Aoying had done nothing wrong, he was the one suffering. Instead of responding politely, Yibo snapped sharply, "Why are you calling?"
Prince Aoying stuttered slightly, but with determination, he delivered the report regarding what had happened between Prince Langya and Consort Xuan Ji the previous night.
In a flash of fury, King Yibo ordered,
"Tell security to arrest him. Lock him up with the other fool. Install recording surveillance inside the cell. And Consort Xuan Ji....if the doctors say she has no medical issues, security should detain her as well."
He ended the call abruptly, breathing hard.
No matter how hard he tried to stay controlled and calm, he realized his enemies did not want peace. They wanted his rage. They wanted to see his true face. He had restrained himself only for Zhan's sake....because he was the ruler, because a king was expected to swallow everything and remain composed.
But if they wanted the real Wang Mo Yibo, then the game would begin now.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛