There was still no peace of mind for Grandfa, for even now they had no clue about the dying royal consort from the King's household. On top of that came the shock of Barrister Aas's disappearance. They had gone as far as his home, but the doors were locked, and it looked as though his entire family had been taken away in the night. Neighbors said people came and carried them off. It had been nearly eight days now.
By their count, that was exactly the day Barrister Aas vanished. Grandfa's thoughts churned with endless worries, but he forced himself to push them aside. Despite the turmoil, he clung to his vow to remain steady. After one restless night he traveled back to Yizhou, knowing he had left Wei Po and Mah in deep anxiety.
Sure enough, when he returned he found them distressed. By now they too had heard rumors of the kingdom's unrest. Mah had cried herself empty; her tears no longer flowed. She had already given up hope on Babiy long ago.
Grandfa didn't know what to say to comfort them....his own heart was burning as well. Quietly, he shut himself in his room, pacing back and forth in troubled silence.
★★ BARRISTER ★★
With the help of his guards, following instructions from their commander....a man he'd only spoken to by phone since that first meeting....they had begun preparing safe cover for smuggling Babiy out, even though he wasn't yet in their custody. That night, however, Hyun Tai made good on his promise: Babiy and Huan were finally delivered into Barrister Aas's hands under the name of Barrister Li Hua, as the men around him believed.
At first glance it was clear how badly they had suffered: thin, darkened, drained of strength, starved of food and clean air. Barrister's heart clenched painfully; he kept wiping away tears at their condition. Yet his faith in their innocence and dignity grew stronger that night, because the moment they were placed in his custody, doctors rushed forward and began tending to them as though everything had been carefully prepared in advance.
★★ THE PALACE ★★
Despite his young age, Zhan's sharpness was far beyond his years. Ever since his last call with Prince Deng, his instincts warned him not to meet face-to-face. Instead, he sent a message:
I agree to a discussion, but not in person. Let's talk over video call.
Prince Deng read the message more than twenty times, simmering with frustration and grudging awe at the boy's cleverness. His plans with the sorcerer Barbushi depended heavily on intimidating Zhan in person. The charm and fear they could impose face-to-face would have let them bend him completely to their will, at least until he finished the task they wanted. Now that chance was slipping away... and there was no time to run back to Barbushi, who had sworn this was their day of fortune with Zhan.
Still, by eight o'clock Deng rose to leave, flashing a signal to Prince Langya with his eyes. Not long after, Langya followed.
"You look restless, is everything alright?" Langya asked.
Deng dropped his gaze, exhaling a sharp hiss. "What peace could I possibly have when nothing is falling into place? That boy...he dared send me a message refusing to meet in person, demanding only a video call."
"What! What sort of bold child is this? He already dares look us in the eye as his equals."
"Don't worry," Deng replied coldly. "Soon he'll taste the bitterness of his defiance. Once he finishes our work, he'll understand there's no protection in this palace....not for him, not for anyone. My only concern is that Barbushi swore this was our day of fortune, and a face-to-face meeting would have sealed it."
Langya gave a grim nod. "The situation has shifted, but I see this as a minor obstacle. We don't have time to run back to Barbushi now, and letting this opportunity slip would be a greater mistake. Let's follow the boy's terms... then at dawn, we'll go to Barbushi."
Deng sighed heavily, reluctantly convinced. Together they sat down to plan their strategy for the upcoming video call with Zhan.
10:30 p.m.
At half past ten by the palace clock, Zhan sat at his laptop. Dressed in his dark, understated robe, only the outline of his handsome face was visible in the screen's glow. He looked composed, but the worry and youthful intensity around his eyes were unmistakable. With quiet respect he greeted the two elder statesmen on the other end of the video.
Prince Deng and Prince Langya answered with careful politeness, pity plain on their faces. Zhan's eyes were narrow; after one look he could no longer force himself to look at them.
Prince Deng cleared his throat and spoke first. "Son, we've taken on the burden you couldn't bear alone. All we need now is your decision so we can pull you back from the brink. We are ready...whatever it takes. Yibo won't crush our will with sorcery or empty threats; we won't be silenced."
Zhan inclined his head slowly. "Uncles, I appreciate that. From the start it's what I expected of you, even though I know you can't possibly feel the same pain my family felt. Still....I won't refuse help. Right now there is nothing I hate more than him. I'm ready to end him, even if it costs me my life. But please, Uncle: tell me the truth. How did you get that video? How did you learn it involved me? Why help me now...why not sooner, when King Yibo's abuses were already obvious?"
The two princes exchanged looks. Each had to hide his surprise at how hard and steady the boy's gaze had become. Finally Prince Deng let out a long breath, trying to tamp down the questions that crowded his mind.
"That footage came from Yibo's own systems," Deng said. "It's not the only one; there are many files showing how he destroyed the lives of those women. I collected them so we can bring them to court and give the victims their justice... even though I fear his power will make that difficult. You're linked to this video because we tracked his movements and surveillance. We only confirmed it was you the day he were seen practicing swordplay with Prince Langya. That's when everything lined up. Approaching him earlier would have been impossible....his authority is not something to be taken lightly."
"Exactly," Langya added. "Remember the day after you poured him a tea and he drifted off, looking out over the palace? I moved closer, kept watch, and quietly vouched for you...to show him that he have a proper consort now he can be with. He scoffed and said the person who would share his life hadn't yet arrived. I was surprised, too, but then Prince Deng dug deeper. That's how he found your grandfather in Yizhou."
The name Grandpa made something cold slide through Zhan, and he raised his head to look at the laptop screen. The moment he lock eyes with the Princes...The magic of controlling sank in: it was real. A hot, terrible sensation rushed through him. Tears sprang to his eyes before he could stop them. He whispered, barely steady, "I will kill him with my own hands. I will kill him with real venom, the way he's destroyed people with his dark arts. He shattered my family...I will shatter his life."
His voice came out low and hollow, but it carried the unmistakable weight of someone who had already crossed the point of no return.
Prince Langya and Prince Deng exchanged a look and smiled. "We'll give you every support you need," Deng said. "With special protection against anyone who might attack you. And what you do now will only raise your standing...someone like you is what Beiping needs. What do you want now to start with?"
Zhan answered immediately: "Deadly snake venom. Extremely potent."
"We'll get you not one snake but several. Listen for further instructions by tomorrow morning. Stay safe."
A bitter, low sob escaped Zhan. He sank down and let the weight of everything settle on him. The world around him blurred; his only purpose was destruction. He wanted, above all else, to see King Yibo's body lying broken on the ground. He wanted to watch the men who had mourned like children for their lost kin wake up to the cost of their selfishness.
That night Zhan barely slept. He was neither fully alive nor fully dead to the world; he paced, tried to wash himself even though he wasn't dirty, pulled a tangled lock of hair and kept hearing a voice at his door. At last, uncertain, he put on a robe and opened the door.
Abal, his loyal attendant, knelt there holding an ornate glass Jug. He bowed low. Zhan lifted his head and, with a voice barely above a whisper, asked, "Is everything all right?"
"Everything is in order, Your Royal Consort," Abal replied. "A message from the Great Lady has arrived."
The news made Zhan wary; he accepted the bowl reluctantly. The milk in it smelled faintly of something sharp. He set it down, intending to finish his preparations and take just a sip before trying to sleep.
As he reached for his phone the line buzzed. The caller ID showed Prince Deng, and when Zhan answered he could almost imagine Deng standing in the room. Zhan didn't speak; he listened. Then, in a tone that was anything but the careful courtesy he'd heard earlier, the voice on the line gave a chilling command.
"This milk contains five doses of the deadliest snake venom," the voice said. "By eight o'clock in the morning I want to hear the sound of death. I want the scream of Yibo's end...I want to hear the news from my bed where i sleeps."
"All right," Zhan answered, his voice trembling. Tears filled his eyes, but he bowed his head and replied with the hollow courtesy forced of him.
(Those hypocrites have enchanted him.🤦)
Zhan...you're not seriously going to give him that poison, are you? You thought sheer willpower would outmatch your heart, but the villains with wicked hearts will use your hands without you even realizing the damage until it's too late.
~**~
Ever since that incident happened, no one could say they'd seen a sign of King Yibo moving around the Palace... not even the attendants assigned to his wing. The cooks and his most trusted aides went about preparing his meals exactly as before, then carried them away, but that didn't mean fatigue: it was their duty.
That morning, as always, the staff had cleaned and perfumed every corner; the food was prepared in the usual way and brought up to the third floor... the king's floor. Only one senior attendant, who was allowed on the top level, remained to guard the dining tray so nothing would be tampered with, even though there seemed to be no one around who could pose a real threat.
At around eight o'clock, the attendant froze in shock...something he hadn't expected to see. King Yibo himself, who'd been out of sight for days, strode into the sitting room with the calm, arrogant bearing of a ruler.
The attendant dropped to the floor in a bow, his lips trembling as he offered his greeting. Yibo barely acknowledged him...a slight nod, then he passed by. The attendant closed his eyes for a long breath, overcome by the scent of the king.
Yibo, apparently unaware of the tension in the room, seated himself and folded his legs with the effortless poise of a monarch. Only then did the attendant dare move forward again.
"Your Majesty, would you like some tea?" he asked.
Yibo inclined his head once, just enough to answer. The attendant hurried away, returned with a small tray and a teapot in under two minutes, and set it down on the low table beside the king's chair. Yibo sipped twice and then, after a long pause, asked in a clipped voice:
"What's happening across the Beiping Empire?"
The question stunned attendant...an odd, unnerving question that made the sitting room fall silent. The attendant had been ready to speak, but at that moment his knees gave way and he dropped to the floor, overcome.
"May you be safe and well, your majesty," he managed at last, his voice shaking. "Many troubling things have happened; there's much for you to hear. I am not sure which you wish me to report first."
He waited, and after a few long minutes...long enough for dread to settle...Yibo nod, the attendant began. He recounted, carefully and in order, everything from the day Zhan was taken from the King Chamber up to the present moment. He finished with the pledge that if he had said anything the king did not want to hear, he asked forgiveness before continuing.
When the attendant finished speaking, Yibo stirred. Until now the servants had not expected any reaction; they rarely saw their sovereign look so focused. Then, as if on command, Yibo tapped a hidden control by his chair and a small computer screen lit up... something the attendant had seen him do before but never quite understood.
★★... YIZHOU VILLAGE ★★
After the turmoil of the night, Grandfa, together with Mah and Wei Po, set out early with the intention of returning to the Babiy home in the Beiping Empire.
Grandfa was fully prepared to face anyone directly now, with no trace of fear in him. Just then, a young man who had been lingering around their neighborhood suddenly stopped in his tracks when he saw them. Convinced it was truly them walking ahead, he snatched out his phone and quickly dialed a number.
The call was answered just as it was about to ring out. He spoke in a rush, without even waiting for a reply:
"Boss, unbelievable...they're here, heading out. Looks like they're even leaving the town."
"Woow, interesting," came the amused voice on the other end. Then the command followed:
"Turn around immediately, get back to the main road before they arrive. I want them in front of me within the next fifty minutes."
"Consider it done, boss," the young man answered with utmost respect.
Meanwhile, Grandfa and his family were walking on, oblivious to the hidden danger, more concerned with Mah's slow steps. Every few paces she had to stop and rest before they could continue.
The young man lay in wait for about eleven minutes until they finally reached the spot where he had parked. He stepped out quickly, a plastic bag dangling from his hand, humming to himself as if carefree. At that moment, Grandfa, who had been counseling Mah gently, caught sight of him. For a moment he stiffened, then seeing the man pass by without seeming to recognize them, Grandfa felt uncertain.
"Young man, isn't this…?" Grandfa began.
The stranger turned suddenly, feigning surprise. "What did you say…?" Then he froze, pretending to be in shock. "Good heavens, could it be… you, Grandfa?"
Grandfa exhaled deeply, his doubts vanishing, and smiled. "Ah, rascal, it's me indeed! How come no word of you in town?"
The young man lowered his head, scratching his neck with a sheepish grin. "Forgive me, Grandfa. Work has kept me so busy I even planned to slip through without stopping by. In fact, I'm expected in the Beiping Empire within the next hour and a half to deliver a message."
Relieved, Grandfa chuckled. "Well, that's good news then. We're heading the same way, so we can travel together. Saves us the trouble of waiting for transport."
The young man widened his eyes in mock realization, only now pretending to notice Wei Po. He bowed quickly, apologizing for not greeting them earlier. Wei Po responded kindly, assuring him it was no matter.
"In that case, Grandfa, please get in and let's go. We can finish greetings along the way."
"Ah, that's true," Grandfa agreed. "But we'll forgive your neglect this time."
"No worries, Grandfa," the young man said lightly. "The elephant's path is wide enough for the camel to follow."
They all smiled and climbed into the car...Wei Po and Mah at the back, Grandfa taking the front seat. Once he confirmed they were settled, the young man adjusted the snug mask on his face and shifted a folded handkerchief closer to the car's air vent. He turned on the air conditioning and pressed it there casually.
Almost at once, Mah, Wei Po and Grandfa inhaled deeply, releasing faint sighs of relief. Within moments their heads grew heavy; they clutched their temples, unable to speak. Mah and Wei Po slumped against the seat, already slipping into unconsciousness. Grandfa tried to say something but his strength gave out, and he too collapsed.
The young man let out a long breath of satisfaction, glancing at them through the rearview mirror. Once sure they were unconscious, he pulled down the mask, smiling faintly. Then he tapped his phone.
"Done, boss," he reported.
"Proud of you," came the short reply before the line went dead.
(The deed was sealed—finished and done. 🤦😱)
★★.... ★★.... ★★.....
King Yibo, who had stopped paying attention to his attendants long ago, was completely absorbed by the computer screen in front of him. He worked with calm precision as the messages he wanted to see appeared one after another.
He adjusted his glasses and frowned as he opened a long text. At that moment Zhan entered, and the faint scent of his subtle cologne reached Yibo's nose even before he came into view.
Something tightened in Yibo's chest; he lifted his gaze slightly through his lenses and looked directly at Zhan. Zhan was dressed simply...not flashy, not humble either...no makeup, his presence understated, his fragrance barely there.
On the surface it might have looked like the state of the kingdom had made Zhan so composed, but inwardly everything was twisted and raw for him. Anyone who knew Zhan's vow against King Yibo would have expected joy in this moment...his chance to move closer to the outcome he wanted...but Zhan's heart was frozen by confusion and anguish.
He couldn't stop himself. Everything about him seemed machine-controlled, as if a remote guided his actions. When Zhan trembled as if startled by Yibo's presence, Yibo lowered his eyes again and returned his attention to the computer, as though he didn't even notice Zhan in the room.
Zhan drew a ragged breath; his heart hammered faster and faster. Despite how weak and exhausted he felt, he couldn't force himself to withdraw.
Like a chameleon, Zhan moved toward Yibo until he stopped directly in front of him, bowed slightly, and set a jug on the small table beside the king without saying a word.
Yibo's closest attendant, startled by the unexpected moment, snapped back to attention and offered a formal greeting to Zhan. With a brief nod, Zhan took his seat in the chair beside Yibo.
Feeling the tension, the attendant quickly excused himself and left the living room.
Zhan, barely holding back tears, lifted his face. Today his bearing seemed to swallow whatever shyness he might have had; with effort he lowered his eyes to the king, who behaved as if there were no other breathing person in the room.
"... please… don't…dri..ink...it" Zhan said, syllables halting as if learning to speak them.
Yibo barely reacted; he didn't move, hardly even glance at Zhan for nearly two minutes. Finally, reluctantly, he raised a hand and continued with what he'd been doing.
Ordinarily, Yibo's gesture might have embarrassed him beyond endurance, yet he surprised both himself and Yibo by rising, stepping to the side, and returning with a glass cup. Yibo watched with half-closed eyes; his nerves flickered as if something inside him signaled danger.
Zhan bowed his head and opened the jug he'd brought. He pour the milk.... only half a cup...mixed with five different vemon potent snake-based tinctures. His hands were shaking; Yibo noticed the tremor from the corner of his eye.
Zhan held the cup out. Yibo's eyes narrowed; he blinked, and for a brief moment tears welled in Zhan's eyes, an unexpected heaviness blooming in Yibo's chest at the sight of Zhan's face.
Yibo stopped what he was doing. Although he had not turned fully, his focus shifted entirely to Zhan; his heart and senses tightened almost in unison. Normally he didn't drink milk at odd hours...milk was for routine, tea or water came more often...but now, despite everything screaming in his head not to...he reached out. As if pulled by the same remote, Yibo put his hand gently over Zhan hand the one with the glass.
Zhan seemed to regain some composure and eased back, opening his eyes wide enough to meet Yibo's. They stared into each other's eyes for almost a minute without moving... something neither had ever experienced before.
Yibo slowly withdrew his gaze with clinical calm and took the cup from Zhan's hand.
Zhan flinched as if waking from a dream. He reached out with a tentative, trembling motion as if to stop Yibo from drinking the milk...then, to his astonishment and horror, Yibo lifted the cup to his mouth to drink.
(If only you could hear me from my world, I Wil said...don't drink it Yibo.)
😳🙆
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛