Since Barrister Lie Hua was no stranger to the household, the attendants greeted him warmly as he entered. Barrister Aas responded with polite nods and a charming smile, his voice perfectly mimicking that of Barrister Lie Hua...the role he had been thoroughly trained to play.
He walked into the grand sitting room, which radiated luxury and refinement, filled with the signature fragrance associated with the Beiping nobility.
With respect, he took a seat, smiling as he greeted the distinguished man dressed in the stately attire of the empire.
The man gave a faint smile in return. "Barrister, it's only now that I see you. Yet I sent word yesterday that I had returned to the country."
"Forgive me, Your Excellency," Barrister Aas replied. "I was detained by an unexpected matter. Our superior had called a late meeting, and I had hoped it would end quickly. By the time we finished, the night was far spent. I thought it best to allow you rest, knowing you would be tired."
"That is understandable. And how goes your work?"
"Quite well, Your Excellency. We are making progress."
The man nodded thoughtfully, lifting the shisha pipe in his hand and exhaling a slow plume of smoke. Silence lingered until a servant arrived with tea for Barrister Lie Hua. Once the servant departed, the man set aside the pipe and spoke again.
"Barrister, I have called you here urgently about your stubborn colleague...Barrister Aas."
"Has he committed another offense, sir?"
"In a way. There is a case involving a close friend of mine. Barrister Aas has been warned several times to step back, but he insists on pushing forward. His obstinacy finally caused him to be…silent forever. You know how his stubbornness is."
"Dead, Your Excellency?" Barrister Aas echoed in disbelief.
The man gave a cool smile, shrugging with the ease of one accustomed to power. "If they hadn't taken him out, what else should they have done? He would not listen. Surely you heard about the bombing in Tian City?"
"Yes, yes, of course, Your Excellency. The entire country was shaken. Such a thing has never happened here before."
"Well, your friend brought it upon himself. The bomb was planted in his very own car."
Barrister Aas stiffened, blurting out in shock, "What! My friend?"
"Calm yourself. It is over. His death is a warning to others like him. But that is not why I summoned you. We need you to replace him on that case...to gather every piece of information he had collected. You were chosen because of your uncanny resemblance to him. And as of now, no one beyond this room knows the truth. Before the investigators link the explosion to his car, we need you to finish everything he started."
"But, Your Excellency…"
The man quickly raised his hand. "Say no more, Barrister Lie Hua. I know you grieve, and I offer my condolences. But remember this: whoever eliminated him could just as easily erase you, no matter who you are. Consider this not just an order, but a safeguard. There's a note in your car awaiting you. That will be all."
It was a dismissal.
Barrister Aas rose slowly, his body heavy with dread. His mind was torn in pieces, unable to make sense of it all. If these were the true villains, then who were the ones he had been following in his case? And if they had gone so far as to put him in this role, what had really happened that night when he had been rescued? What was he being drawn into?
He asked himself these questions without answers, lost in thought as he reached his car. Somehow he managed to drive away. A voice in his earpiece stopped him not long after, instructing him to park.
That command saved him, for in his shaken state he might have crashed headlong into the street.
★★… ★★
The room was empty, filled only with the faint chill of air-conditioning and a fragrance that soothed the senses. Zhan closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, setting the tray he carried on a small table near an elegant couch.
This is my chance, he thought.
He repeated the words softly, glancing around with careful eyes, wary of hidden surveillance. Unlike other chambers he had visited, this one seemed free of cameras.
Moving quietly, Zhan slipped off his shoes and walked toward the bathroom. From within came the steady sound of running water. That confirmed it...King Yibo was inside.
Zhan began to inspect the room, starting with the rows of cologne bottles, sniffing them one by one. None carried the suspicious scent he feared. Uneasy, he placed them back in order. His eyes shifted to the show glass filled with neatly arranged books...nothing unusual.
He turned to the wardrobe: a tall case of glass, displaying various sets of nightwear hung crisply in view. Everything was immaculate, nothing hidden.
Still, something about the stillness gnawed at him.
Zhan stood frozen, confused about where King Yibo's clothes, shoes, watches, and other adornments were.
In all the other chambers he had visited, he had only ever seen simple arrangements like this one. Surely there's something deeper I need to uncover about King Yibo, he thought. His musings were interrupted by the strong scent of shower gel and luxurious bathing stuffs....scents so rare and refined he had never experienced them before.
Startled, Zhan spun around. He quickly turned back, shutting his eyes tight, exclaiming, "Oh heavens, Zhan!" and hurried toward the door, nearly stumbling, his body trembling visibly.
As for King Yibo, nothing seemed to disturb him. He stepped out with calm composure, giving no sign that he even noticed Zhan's presence in the room.
To Zhan's amazement, King Yibo sat down right at the table where the tea had been placed. The unfamiliar taste, so different from what he was used to, made him pause. He studied the cup as if searching its depths for the answer to what had changed.
Outwardly, his face betrayed nothing...only the serene glow of a man whose skin was well-kept, rested, and untroubled. He pressed two fingers to his forehead, rubbing slowly for nearly forty seconds before setting the cup down without drinking.
Then, moving with deliberate ease, he crossed to the glass case where his nightwear was kept. Placing his hand against the glass, he slid the entire panel aside, revealing a hidden door. Without hesitation, he stepped inside. The panel slid back into place.
★★…
The disappearance of Prince Maiqing was now beyond doubt within the palace. No matter how many searches were conducted, no trace of him could be found. His family wept bitterly, the palace in chaos.
(As you recall, Prince Maiqing was the uncle of King Wang Murong, Prince Langya, Prince Deng, and the others. To King Yibo, he was a grandfather figure, as he and King Wang Tengshan...King Yibo's grandfather...were brothers.
Just as King Yibo now faced struggles from Prince Deng, so too had his father, King Wang Murong, endured the same battles against uncles like Prince Maiqing. Yet none of them had ever succeeded, for King Wang Murong was as sharp and unyielding as his son, King Yibo, is now.
Their repeated failures against King Wang Tengshan and his son King Wang Murong were now redirected at King Yibo. But unlike before, it was clear he would not forgive them.
Meanwhile, Prince Deng and his allies seized every opportunity to turn circumstances against King Yibo. They bided their time.)
Unaware of these maneuvers, King Yibo had been delayed and arrived late at the emperial court that day. When the matter of Prince Maiqing's disappearance was raised, he initially dismissed it as trivial, suspecting it was a ploy or a deliberate absence. Calmly, he told the court he required more time before making any judgment.
Some ministers were reassured by this response and dispersed to quiet the people's unrest. But to his enemies, the King's measured words sounded like the sharpening of a blade meant for them. They kept silent for now, watching and waiting for their moment.
★★… BARRISTER Aas...★
The barrister's turmoil was overwhelming. Since he had been locked in the room, no one had spoken to him. Hours passed until finally, after eight o'clock, a man arrived with food.
He seized the chance, desperate.
"Please, I must speak to your master. I have matters of great urgency... important matters that cannot wait."
At first the man ignored him, but finally replied, "The boss isn't here. Meeting him is no simple matter. He may not even be in the country. Don't trouble yourself... if he needs you, he will come to you."
With that, the man turned to leave.
Panicked, the barrister called out, "I beg you! Contact him by any means. What I must say is vital....it cannot be delayed."
The man hesitated, studying him, then gave a small nod. "Very well. I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you," the barrister said earnestly.
Within minutes, the man returned, handing him a phone. Overjoyed, the barrister took it and greeted the voice on the other end with respect.
The reply was brief, indifferent. The barrister, agitated, plunged straight into his explanation:
"I have done everything you instructed. But the outcome has left me deeply unsettled. The case I've been pursuing...it is connected to relatives of male royal consort of this empire. Because of it, I was sent to that village. And now they've turned the task upon me. I cannot grasp your true purpose, or theirs. My thoughts are tangled, I don't know what to believe anymore."
"Do not burden yourself with understanding," the voice replied coldly. "Just complete the work they ask of you. Give them the information about your own case."
"If I do this, innocent people will be in danger. Good people. The Families have already been torn apart, three children separated from their parents. If I hand them over, I will never forgive myself."
"You have no choice, Barrister Aas. Unless you're prepared to lose your own family."
The line went dead.
The barrister leaned heavily against the wall, his breath unsteady, his heart pounding with dread.
***
It had now been four days since Prince Maiqing disappeared, and six full days since Zhan entered King Yibo's Chambers.
The palace was in turmoil. Whispers and disputes were spreading quickly, fueled by the remarks Prince Maiqing had made about King Yibo on the very night he went missing. Instantly, the royal household was divided...most voices turned suspicion toward King Yibo's words, twisting them into accusations.
Every detail of these happenings reached King Yibo's ears, yet, as always, he brushed them aside with calm indifference. His silence, however, only fanned the flames within the royal family, heightening tensions and threatening unrest across the palace. The sharp remarks, which questioned his reign directly, deeply unsettled Dowager Taihou. Desperate, she demanded to see her son. For while the arguments had begun within the inner family, the matter was quickly spreading throughout the palace, threatening to spill outside its walls.
Within half an hour, Dowager Taihou received King Yibo's response: he refused to meet with anyone. Her temper rose at once. She dismissed all her attendants and began pacing restlessly. She knew him too well...once he made such a declaration, there was no persuading him.
In her frustration, Zhan came to her mind. Though forbidden from leaving King Yibo's chambers until the full seven days had passed, she nevertheless demanded his presence.
Zhan had been sitting quietly on a small balcony where he often read and took in the evening air, when Dowager Taihou's summons reached him. He felt a flicker of surprise but masked it. On the second morning of his stay, Dowager Ruyan herself had called him, sternly warning he must not leave King Yibo's wing until the seven days were complete. Zhan had yielded, apologizing for his earlier mistake. Since then, he endured the confinement, though uneasily, distracting himself with the books he had gathered from the study. Even King Yibo, whose presence lingered heavily around him, he avoided with a silent game of distance. The mysterious explosion days earlier, coupled with the disappearance of Prince Maiqing....now widely linked to Yibo...only deepened Zhan's conviction: King Yibo was far from a simple man.
Soon after, Zhan dressed with care, allowing a subtle fragrance to cling to him. As he stepped out of the quarters, his attendants were already waiting. This time, unlike before, he returned their greetings with a quiet nod and warmth. Yet inside, he felt pity for them....and bitterness at the oppressive weight of their servitude under such absolute power.
When they reached Dowager Taihou's residence, the guards saluted sharply as his car door was opened. Servants prostrated themselves upon the floor. Zhan only lifted his hand gently in acknowledgement, his heart tightening at the sight.
He left the attendants at the outer hall, following the Dowager's trusted maid into her chamber.
"Good evening, Mah-Mah," Zhan greeted respectfully.
Dowager Taihou sat upright, her face stern, her gaze heavy. She raised her hand faintly in acknowledgment, then silence filled the room. Only after a long moment did she finally stir, fixing her eyes on Zhan, who lowered his head.
"My son," she said at last, her voice edged with steel, "do you know why I have called you?"
"No, Mah-Mah," Zhan replied quickly.
Her tone deepened with gravity. "It is about your husband. I know you are aware of everything stirring within this palace."
"Yes, Mah-Mah," Zhan answered carefully. "But I feel much of it is nothing more than slander....lies meant to stain his name."
His words, measured and soft, eased something in her chest, though her heart still trembled. For while Zhan spoke out of loyalty, her own instincts filled her with dread.
"That may be so," she said slowly. "But we cannot take chances. In truth, your husband frightens me. Even now, when I called for him, he refused me outright. He claims he has no need to see anyone."
Zhan lifted his head in surprise, silently marveling at King Yibo's audacity. If nothing else, he thought bitterly, at least he should have spared his own mother some respect.
"Mah-Mah… and he truly said that?" Zhan asked quietly.
For the first time, Dowager Taihou gave a faint, ironic smile. "Do not doubt it, Son. Your husband is capable of far worse than you imagine. Since he refuses to see anyone in person, I've called you here to help me reach him by phone."
Zhan swallowed hard. He himself hadn't laid eyes on King Yibo in four days. How could a phone call be possible with a man who had outright refused to meet even his mother? Still, he only nodded, choosing silence. Deep inside, he wanted to hear the truth of this matter as much as she did.
- - - -
That night, as he lay awake, Zhan still found no way to approach King Yibo. He wasn't even sure where the king could be found, and asking the servants seemed unthinkable for someone of his position as the royal consort.
Around one o'clock, while pacing the room and sighing in frustration, a message arrived on his phone. At first, he considered ignoring it, but curiosity pushed him to check. To his astonishment, it was from Dowager Taihou.
I am proud to have you by my son's side. You have eased my worries. May your troubles be lifted as you have lifted mine. I just finished a call with your husband.
"WHAT?!"
The exclamation burst from Zhan as the phone slipped from his hand and landed on the carpet. What could that possibly mean? He hadn't spoken with King Yibo, so how had the Dowager been reassured enough to believe otherwise?
"Could it be… he's not human at all?" Zhan whispered aloud, glancing nervously around the room. Was there a hidden camera somewhere? But even if there was, how could that explain what had happened during Dowager Taihou's meeting?
Morning came, but sleep had entirely eluded Zhan. His mind was unsettled, heavy with suspicion. Yet he felt a flicker of relief knowing that this was his last day confined to King Yibo's chambers. After his dawn meditation, he carefully packed his belongings, eager for freedom and silence, though part of him was still tempted to confront King Yibo for answers. In the end, he resisted. He needed distance more than confrontation.
According to tradition, just as the royal consort was ceremoniously escorted into the king's chambers, so too would he be formally released on the seventh day, with full honors and elaborate gifts.
Many had assumed that, since Zhan was brought into King Yibo's chambers outside the usual custom, the ritual would not be observed... especially given the chaos the palace had endured over the past two days.
But Dowager Ruyan shocked everyone. She insisted on upholding every detail of the ceremony: attendants carried priceless perfumes and rare gifts; a gleaming luxury car was prepared; ten servants were assigned to accompany Zhan; and the elder court officials themselves oversaw the farewell procession, their bamboo flutes announcing the formal close of the seven-day rite.
It was like summoning a storm. The influential elders immediately seized on it, openly criticizing King Yibo and his grandmother, Dowager Ruyan, for caring more about ceremony than the disappearance of Prince Maiqing. Or perhaps, some whispered, they already knew the truth and were covering it.
For Zhan, the ritual was dizzying. The sheer grandeur, the solemnity, the sudden weight of countless eyes fixed on him....he felt like a carved statue, displayed for history rather than a living man. By the time he was returned to his own chambers, he was still lost in bewilderment, his mind a whirl of questions with no answers.
★ It turned out that everything had been part of Dowager Ruyan's plan today. By nine o'clock that evening, she herself...just as she had once done with Zhan...led the ceremonial escort of one of the two female royal consorts who had entered the palace before Zhan's arrival.
Although King Yibo had not yet appeared, Dowager Ruyan did not send the royal consort back either. In her words, he will care for the female royal consort like he did to Zhan too, after tiring of shutting himself away in his chambers, as was his custom whenever his temper soured. Everyone knew it as his habit, and so they accepted it.
For the moment, the palace breathed easier. The earlier fear had passed, for Zhan had safely completed his allotted days and emerged unharmed. Instead of worrying further for the fear of loosing the female royal consort, courtiers busied themselves with hushed criticisms, whispering about how improper the situation had become.
Dowager Ruyan ignored their murmurs, turning a deaf ear as she always did. Yet Dowager Taihou and Daneen were left bewildered, for her actions went directly against their plans...for the second time. This time, they resolved to confront her openly, though they decided to wait until morning.
- - - -
The stir of gossip and unease throughout the palace woke Zhan from his shallow sleep. He had barely rested, having spent much of the night trying in vain to reach Sir Fenghui and Sir Mulan by phone, only to find them both unreachable.
But what truly unsettled him was a passage he had just read in one of the old chronicles about King Yibo.
"There's definitely trouble," Zhan muttered aloud, leaping to his feet. He started for the door, then quickly turned back, rushing into the washroom for a hurried bath. He dressed in haste and stepped out.
The moment the attendants saw him, they dropped to their knees, their faces pale and their movements heavy with unease.
Instead of acknowledging their greetings, Zhan threw them a sharp question, his eyes blazing with suspicion.
"What is happening in this palace? Something is wrong, isn't it?"
They froze, trembling as though chilled to the bone. None dared to answer. Their silence only sharpened Zhan's fury, and he snapped at them with sudden force.
Terrified, they finally obeyed. The bravest among them, his trusted aide, spoke up with visible dread.
"My lord… at dawn, it was discovered that the first royal consort...who spent last night in His Majesty's chamber...was dead. And Prince Maiqing… his body was found in one of the inner rooms of the palace."
Zhan's face drained of color. He had known nothing of this. For an instant, he stood frozen, his breath caught, as though lightning had struck him.
Then the room began to spin. The attendants blurred, their voices distant. Darkness crept into his vision, swallowing the edges of the sitting room until everything was lost in a suffocating void.
NB
So the curse is still there? It is only our fearless bunny escaped from it...?😳 Or I remember now, Cao said they will use the remaining two royal consorts to finish their second task.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛