Chapter 87
Walking into Youxian’s chamber, Changling looked around for him, but he wasn’t here. Instead, he found the wet nurse sitting on the bed singing to Xianling.
When she saw him enter, she was about to stand up, but he waved his hand, dismissing her action. She bowed her head to him. “Welcome, your majesty.”
“How is he?”
She smiled down at the baby in her arms. “He is amazing, Your Majesty.”
“Amazing?” Changling asked, confused.
She nodded with a chuckle. “Yes, I’ve never met a baby so silent. He moans here and there but never gives me an earful. His Highness suspects that he isn’t his child because the crown princess was apparently a noisy baby.”
Changling chuckled. “I heard the stories, too.”
She handed Xianling over to his father and excused herself, going to the toilet and for a break to have something to eat.
Alone with his son, Changling stared at the baby in his arms with a smile on his face. “You’re sleeping so peacefully while everything around me is a mess. Did you come with a curse, or am I just fated to never be loved other than by my family?”
Xianling moaned in his arms, but didn’t wake up. He leaned down and kissed him on the nose. “Your father almost killed me because I wanted you near me. Doesn’t he know that the palace is a very dangerous place? The safest place to be is near the monster that runs this place—isn’t that true, my son?”
*
Entering Youxia’s chamber, Youxian found her standing in the middle of the room, staring up at the ceiling. He closed the door, locking it, then turned around to her.
Youxia had returned from her thoughts, and when their eyes met, she immediately lowered her head.
Walking towards her in slow strides as his eyes scanned the chamber, as he said, “So you know how to behave, huh?”
She stayed silent and closed her eyes. Gripping her dress, she held her breath as she listened to his footsteps. Her father circled around her once, watching her. He sighed inwardly, as he grew serious.
Walking to the table behind her, he picked up the sword that her father gifted her at her coronation ceremony and unsheathed it. Placing the sword down after admiring it, he turned to look at her and she was still in place.
He scoffed, saying, “You know, the best part of having you is knowing that I have full control over your life—luckily your father loves me enough and lets me do what I want but I don’t think he loves me enough to leave me after what I am going to do to you. Do you have anything to say to me, Crown Princess Youxia.”
She winced, hearing him hiss out the title. Taking in a deep breath, she shook her head.
“Remove your clothes.”
She didn’t waste time and undressed. When she got to the last layer of clothing, he stopped her. Standing on her right, he raised the scabbard and brushed it over her growing breasts. “Not only are these growing, but your woman parts are bleeding too. Did you think because you have these that you’re now old enough to do as you please?”
She shook her head, tears seemed down her cheeks while she tried her best to remain calm. Lifting his hand, the scabbard smacked into the back of her left knee.
Youxia fell to her knees and, although she wanted to scream out in pain, she knew better. Sitting up on her knees, she held her hands in place on her thighs as she was taught.
“Coming here was a mistake, but I knew it was going to happen, but this Xing Guang? I expected more from you. Never mind poisoning Yerim or killing your father’s consort. I don’t even care that you named yourself Crown Princess, but me? Xing Guang, why would you involve me in all of this? What if your brother died? What if I died? What if you lost us both? Didn’t you think of that?”
“I’m sorry, daddy.”
“You’re sorry? You’re sorry?” A bomb went off. The scabbard flew through the air as it hit Youxia’s body, leaving red marks across her body.
The scabbard fell to the ground near her head as she was in the foetus position. Her body was trembling as she held herself together.
Kneeling down, Youxian looked at his daughter and lifted her head. “Open your eyes, he instructed.”
When she looked at him, she could tell that his anger was gone. But still, she had to be cautious. “You will NOT marry your father’s son. You WON’T be the empress of this kingdom, but I know you want to be an empress and you’ll get it.”