Chapter 317 - Prelude (1/2)

”Good news, my father is starting to warm up to us...” Zhao Chang announced as soon as he walked into Prince Yi's study.

Prince Yi stopped what he was doing and looked at him with a curious eyebrow, glad and somewhat surprised that more good news was coming his way....this was until Zhao Chang explained, ”This time he actually let me finish talking before telling to get out...It's progress!” He exclaimed when he saw Prince Yi's expression fall, ”Anyway, at this point. He's at least thinking of you as a viable option...before he would send me out once I mentioned your name let alone actually listen. Anyway, why'd you send for me so urgently?” He asked, leaning back into his chair.

Prince Yi knit his brows and then averted his eyes, ”I have decided on a princess consort.”

Zhao Chang's eyes went wide, ”You have?... And it's not my sister, is it?” He asked with a frown, ”Is it because she was married before? That wasn't even a marriage, you know this. Everyone knows it, the Emperor's life is pretty open, he even admitted it himself, he never touched her, he's never even held her hand. Trust me I know, he never liked my sister or me. You can talk to her yourse -”

”It's not about that.” Prince Yi cut in with a frown.

”Then what is it...Why not her?!” Zhao Chang barked.

Prince Yi let out a breath, then stood up and walked over to the window, keeping his back turned to his friend as he calmly said, ”I cannot wait for your father to see reason...Time is short.”

Zhao Chang also stood up and walked over to Prince Yi, facing him, ”You cannot wait? Why can't you wait? This is unlike you, why the rush? There's no better no one better for you, my father will support you and with him, you can achieve what you want, what we want. The Emperor is obviously too busy with his family affairs to bother with you so why are in a hur-”

”By the time he does something, it will be too late!” Prince Yi bit out, ”Why should I wait on his attention?!” He added, glaring at Zhao Chang.

Prince Yi faced forward, he did not intend to get angry. It was just that the mention of him rushing things hit a sore spot. He has been quite aware that he has been rushing into things a bit too much.

He knew it was unlike him, but this feeling of restlessness was also unlike him and it was driving him mad he could not sit still and remain sane, he tried and could not go one day without drinking himself to a stupor being plagued by incessant irritating thoughts.

No one seemed to understand that he is silently being driven towards a cliff's edge right now.

They stood there quietly for a while, each with their own thoughts until Zhao Chang sighed, massaging the back of his neck as he said, ”Fine...It's not like it will make much of a difference anyway. My father will be fine as long as my sister becomes Empress later on, but my sister a side consort right now might be hard to swallow -”

”Understandably.” Prince Yi flatly responded and then sincerely said, ”You should know that this was not my intention. Had I known -” Prince Yi paused and let out an irritated breath, working through this mess the Emperor created was truly annoying.

Prince Yi had called Zhao Chang here to inform him beforehand the news about Princess Nalan got out. He decided to do this, not only because Zhao Chang was a useful pawn but also because Prince Yi actually like this friend of his. As irritating and air-headed as Zhao Chang could sometimes be, he was still a good friend to him. It was sometimes nice to have someone to talk to...not that Prince Yi talked a lot anyway. After all, one could never be too careful with people.

So Prince Yi had to handle this with care. Regardless of the promise of becoming Empress, the prime minister's daughter being a side consort to anyone but the Emperor would be hard to swallow for anyone. But how could Prince have expected that the Emperor would suddenly toss such a good pawn his way at such a terribly inconvenient time too?

Prince Yi closed his eyes and let out an irritated sigh, balancing was not an easy act at all.

”So...who's the lucky girl?” Zhao Chang asked, not at all trying to hide the sarcasm in his tone. He was not happy, after all, he had been working for years to have his best friend as his in-law. They were supposed to be on the same page on this issue but now, Prince Yi had gone and chosen someone else.

Who else could compare to his sister?!