Chapter 83: Ancient Era / 9.4 : The deal
As soon as the emperor was gone Eden walked to his father. Weilong caressed his head affectionately and asked:
"Are you okay?"
Eden smiled reassuringly.
"I’m okay father don’t worry."
Weilong smiled, he can tell that his son is ready to fight and he’ll fight at his sides but he can’t help but worry. He is the only family he has he can’t lose him.
They both turned when a guard came and said:
"Your highness the emperor asked for you."
Eden nodded, he hugged his father and followed the royal guard. He entered his imperial study and watched the guards close the doors. He turned and after respectfully bowing he said:
"Your majesty."
He looked into Yecheng’s eyes and saw worry and fear. Yecheng stilled for a few seconds not sure how to fix this then he stood up. He walked to Eden and stopped in front of him. He looked at him silently then asked:
"Are you okay?"
Eden smiled.
"I’m okay your majesty."
They don’t need to do this he already made a decision yesterday.
Even if Yecheng were to give up everything including his harem to be with him and made him empress it wouldn’t change the fact that he is the emperor. In this era, even the empress has to call him your majesty and follow the protocols since you’re married to the son of heaven and ultimately you’re his servant. Eden will never be in a relationship that isn’t equal he would rather die, he already spent all his lives being controlled. Now that he is free how stupid would he be to go back to doing that when he has a choice?
He’ll deal with the Miao family then leave the kingdom and live somewhere far away. He’ll make sure his father has someone at his side before he leaves and that the throne is secured for Shenyan. He’ll just do his duty as Yecheng’s noble consort until then and not say anything or he knows how his husband would react, he can pretend for a little while.
Yecheng looked at Eden hopefully and asked:
"Do you hate us?"
Eden shook his head with a smile. Yecheng finally relaxed, he’s never been this anxious before. He asked tentatively:
"Then will you be our real noble consort?"
As he waited for Eden’s answer all he could hear was his rapid heartbeat. Eden murmured:
"If this is what his majesty wants."
Yecheng’s heart sank. He doesn’t want him to agree because he is loyal to him he wants Eden to do it because he wants to. Yecheng looked at him disappointedly.
"I don’t want you to say yes just because this is what we want."
"His majesty is the one who told me not to forget my place."
Yecheng felt like he had been slapped while Eden thoroughly enjoyed this moment. He knows that this is how things are in this era but he still doesn’t have to act that way when it’s just the two of them.
He understands all the protocols when they are in public but when they were in the room he didn’t have to go that far yet he did because he is used to everyone being his servant as the emperor. Eden will never be anyone’s servant no matter how much he cares for the so-called master.
Yecheng pulled him in his embrace and said caressing his cheek:
"I know that this is a marriage of convenience but we don’t want it to be anymore."
He looked at Eden’s reaction and saw that he looked worried. Does he dislike him that much? Eden said:
"Your majesty it will never work."
"Why?"
"Because I’m selfish I don’t like to share my partner and I want to be on equal grounds with him."
Eden pushed him and took a step backward. He’ll just nip this in the bud now so he can be done with it. Yecheng blinked stunned, does that mean Eden would be willing to give him a chance? He took a step forward and asked:
"Will you give us a chance to prove to you that it can work?"
Eden wanted to shake his head no but couldn’t. He knows that Yecheng misunderstood him or he wouldn’t ask him that.
Eden sighed and said clearly:
"Your majesty you don’t understand what I meant. I knew that I was marrying the emperor and I was okay with that because I understood that it was just for convenience. But his majesty wanting to change the nature of the agreement only makes things more difficult."
Yecheng took a step forward again and immediately said:
"It doesn’t have to be."
Eden said frustrated:
"It is because I’ll never allow my lover to be with someone else let alone a harem. I’ll never agree to be his servant and call him your majesty and I would want us to be equal but it will never happen with an emperor. I don’t want to be forced to do something I don’t want to do."
Eden looked at Yecheng teary-eyed and said determinedly:
"I’ll never allow anyone to make me do something I don’t want to do ever again I would rather die."
Yecheng looked at Eden stunned. He loves Eden he doesn’t want him to submit to him or act like the people of his kingdom. He indeed acts the same with the empress and his concubines but it’s only because he doesn’t feel anything for them. The only person he doesn’t act that way with is his son Shenyan. Yecheng wiped his tears when they fell and said after pulling him in his arms:
"That’s not what I want either. I know that I acted wrong yesterday but I swear it won’t happen again."
Eden was stunned that he didn’t speak in the royal form and said I. Even in the original timeline when he fell for Xinjie she never stopped calling him your majesty and Yecheng saying us or we. That’s how he is sure it will never change.
Yecheng promised:
"Give me a chance and I’ll prove to you that you and I can have a real relationship. I’ll disperse the harem once I deal with Xinjie I swear and in the meantime, I won’t be with anyone but you. You don’t have to call me your majesty, I don’t even like it it makes me feel like you hate me."
Yecheng swallowed with difficulty then looked down. What if Eden does hate him?
Eden looked at him and saw the same emotions he saw in Cael yesterday. Since he decided to leave he might as well give him a chance, he has time while he deals with the Miaos. Eden lifted his head and said:
"I don’t hate you I just didn’t like how you used your power over me. And..."
Yecheng looked at Eden and saw that he seemed emotional, he can feel him changing his mind he doesn’t want to go backward. He murmured:
"Please tell me."
Eden looked at him and said:
"When we were done you looked at me surprised like you couldn’t understand why you would feel anything for me. As if anyone having any kind of feelings for me made no sense."
Eden looked away. The person he loves made him feel worthless, it shouldn’t happen. He never cared about what anyone thought of him until he met Gege. He loves him so, of course, he cares about what he thinks.
Yechenng looked at him stunned again.
"Eden that’s not what I was thinking I swear. When you entered the banquet hall I immediately fell in love with you like something in me awoke."
Eden looked at Yecheng to see if he was telling the truth.
"I was surprised but only because I couldn’t understand how I was so blind before. We saw each other every day but I never noticed you, I was a blind fool."
Eden’s eyes moistened, he knows he is telling the truth. He wrapped his arms around his neck, and Yecheng hugged him back.
He can’t believe Eden thought that. Everyone fell in love with him when he came back how could he even doubt himself?
Eden pulled back and looked at him. He feels a thousand times better hearing that. At least now he knows that that night meant something to both of them. As usual, his Gege fell in love with him at first sight. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Yecheng looked at his lovely smile and felt his heart beating faster. He caressed his cheek and asked:
"How could you even think I felt nothing for you? I wanted you so much I went too far so you would be mine."
Eden thought and said:
"I’m willing to give you a chance and see how things would work if we were to be together. I already told you what it would take but in the end, if I see that you can’t do it I’ll leave."
Yecheng looked at Eden stunned. He held him tighter and said:
"You can’t leave me ever."
Eden said:
"As soon as I deal with the Miaos for what they did to my father I don’t plan on working for the kingdom anymore."
Yecheng looked at Eden stressed. No, he can’t lose him if he already feels as much as he does just now what will it be in a couple of weeks? He’ll show him that they can be in a real relationship so he’ll never leave his side.
"You won’t leave me because I’ll prove to you that we can be together okay?"
Eden nodded. He told Yecheng what it would take so the ball is in his court now. Eden leaned in and kissed him. Yecheng was stunned, he woke up and kissed him back passionately. No matter what he has to do he will so Eden will never leave his side.
