8.4

The first thing Farley did when he woke up was have the empress release Mandy. He used the excuse that he'd be too wrought with worry if Mandy was still held in prison and wouldn't be able to focus on recovering.

The Queen still wasn't able to find out why Farley had a bout of mania and jumped off the balcony. Farley wasn't able to say why he did either, but repeatedly assured his Queen mother that Mandy had nothing to do with it. In order to have Farley recover as quickly as possible, the Queen agreed to release Mandy to care for Farley as he heals.

Now that Farley had Mandy to care for him, Qiao Chen was obviously not needed anymore. He briskly moved to another room and gave the couple the entire master bedroom to themselves.

Mandy was more of the mistress of the palace than Qiao Chen was. Qiao Chen didn't mind. He didn't even want to control this palace anyways. Unfortunately, the Queen was a little upset with him. However, that matter had to wait until Farley recovered.

Qiao Chen endured his boredom for a couple of days before he made plans to 'visit the von der Woods' and 'pick up a few things'. This was the perfect excuse for him to go out coincidentally meet up with Tang Ao, but Mandy stopped him in the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Mandy asked once he saw Qiao Chen dressed up to go out.

"Going out." was Qiao Chen's simple reply.

"His Highness is injured so badly, but you don't even take a single minute of your day to go see him. How do you still have the mood or time to 'go out'?" Mandy asked provocatively. He was intentionally making things hard for Jovin. He thought that Jovin would have at least visited Farley because of his injury. Then Farley and Mandy would have taken the opportunity to ridicule or harass him to vent their frustrations. Unexpectedly, Jovin didn't even take another glance at Farley after Mandy's arrival. The two no longer had their typical punching bag to vent frustrations, so Mandy naturally had to find another way to vent his anger- by making trouble.

"I beg your pardon? In what capacity are you to question me?" Qiao Chen retorted. Jovin wouldn't have cared enough to respond to such things to prevent his life from getting any harder. Unfortunately for Mandy, he wasn't Jovin anymore. Qiao Chen wouldn't let anyone walk all over him as they pleased.

"I…" Mandy trailed off. He didn't know how to reply to Qiao Chen's questions. He really didn't have the identity as the prince's partner. However, this wasn't his entire fault either. If it weren't for Jovin, then Farley's Head Consort should have been him. It was supposed to be me who sat on the thrown beside Prince Farley as the main partner.

 "It's seems that you've deliberately forgotten that I am the Prince's Head Consort. If that's the case, then allow me to remind you. You are required to give your greetings and salute to me when you first seen me. You must also use honorifics when you speak to me." Qiao Chen replied calmly. His charisma seemed to swell in that moment and Mandy suddenly felt an invisible pressured that forced him to bow his head.

"Weren't you born of a noble family? How do you not even know how to greet royalty? If you don't, then find someone who can teach you proper etiquette." Qiao Chen reprimanded. His tone was full of dignity and power. Even Richie was surprised. He never knew that his young master had the charisma and the presence befitting royalty.

Mandy knew that the Queen would definitely side with Jovin once he gave birth to the first born child. Mandy didn't care if he offended Jovin, but the empress was another story. He didn't dare offend the Queen. Mandy had no choice but to put his right hand on his chest, bow, and then give his greetings to Qiao Chen, "Your Royal Highness Head Consort."

"Sometimes it's better for people to be more self aware when they do things. However, it seems that there are those who aren't as aware. They do as they please and it's like they don't have a face to save or any self respect. There's really no hope for such people." Qiao Chen said as he passed by Mandy and left.

Mandy's eyes burned red with anger. He knew that Jovin was scolding him for his shamelessness. Yes he was considered the outside party, but how would he have been the outsider if it were for Jovin's intervention? Mandy angrily thought, 'It was clear for everyone to see that Jovin was the one who stole everything from me. What right did Jovin have to say these things to me now?'

Mandy angrily walked back to Farley's room. He was ready to tell Farley everything so that Farley can help settle accounts for him. Farley would definitely teach him a lesson and help him vent his frustrations.

Qiao Chen intentionally angered Mandy. He didn't really care if Mandy shamelessly stayed by the married prince's side. However, Qiao Chen was a no goody-two-shoes. He'd take every opportunity to get back at everyone who wronged him. He'd never miss a chance to avenge his former life, no matter how petty the squabble.

Qiao Chen's eldest aunt was very surprised to see Qiao Chen when he returned and immediately questioned, "You! Why are you back again?"

"Grabbing some things," Qiao Chen replied.

"Grabbing things? There's nothing in this house that belongs to you." Qiao Chen's aunt yelled. Her face turned ugly once she heard that he was here to take some things.

"I'm here to take what my father left behind for me. My grandfather told me before that if he died, then those things would be saved for me in the future."

"Everything your father left behind should belong to this family. You have no right to take any of it away. Furthermore, it was this family that fed and raised you for so many years. Did we do this all for nothing? It's such a small inheritance and you want to take it all?"

"Are you saying that you won't allow me to retrieve my father's belongings?"

"I won't even allow you to take a single bowl from this house."

"Really? Then it seems that I have no choice but to live here then. If her royal highness sends someone to ask, then I'll just let them know that I will die with my father's relic." Since the empress decided to put him in such a position in Jovin's, and now his, life then of course he has to make good use of her name. It'd be such a waste if he didn't.

"You…" Qiao Chen's eldest aunt could only freeze up and watch as Qiao Chen walked upstairs. Most of the valuable things that Jovin's father left behind had been long sold and squandered by the family. Whatever that was left was useless. However, his attitude was very irritating. 'If Jovin really decided to turn this little matter into a huge scene, then it would be the van der Woods who would suffer in the end.' Qiao Chen's eldest aunt quickly deduced.

Later that evening, Qiao Chen stayed at the van der Woods' home. He decided to stay in his late father's study all night. He told the bodyguards who came to guard and monitor him to keep watch outside. His strict instructions were: He wanted to be along, and no one was allowed to enter and disturb him.

In the middle of the night, Qiao Chen removed a specific book from the bookshelf. This released the mechanism that opened the hidden compartment behind the bookshelf. Inside this compartment was a long wooden box.

Qiao Chen walked into the small room beside the study with the box in hand. He locked the door behind him and turned on the alarm. Then he moved the bedside table and revealed the secret underground passage.

Only Jovin's grandfather and father knew about this secret passage. No one else in the family was given knowledge or access to it. Qiao Chen only knew about this because of his system.

—-

Qiao Chen wore a black cloak. The wide hood covered the top half of his face. He handed a card to the guard at the entrance and entered a mansion very easily.

Qiao Chen was led to a room by the guards. Qiao Chen took off his hood, looked at the man sitting on the sofa, and greeted, "Good evening, Prince of the South."

"Please, have a seat." Tang Ao lifted his hand and gestured at the seat opposite of him.

The chip Qiao Chen gave Tang Ao before told him that Qiao Chen would be visiting this late night. Tang Ao wouldn't have stayed up so late otherwise.

"I've come here to discuss a deal with you."

"A deal?"

"Before we talk any further about this, may I ask you a question first?"

Tang Ao looked at Qiao Chen for a bit before he replied with a smile, "You may."

"I would like to know if you came back to the capital planet to take back what originally should have belonged to you."

"I'm afraid I can't answer this question for you."

"This is because you still don't trust me, right?"

Tang Ao smiled, but didn't reply to Qiao Chen's prodding.

"What if I told you that I can help you get what you want in the quickest and most efficient method possible? Would you agree to this deal with me?"

Many years ago, Tang Ao's grandfather was the ruler of the empire. However, Tang Ao's grandfather died when he was very young. No one was able to assess the old emperor's cause of death properly either. Tang Ao's father was too young at the time of the late emperor's passing and unable to ascend the throne. This meant that Tang Ao's grandfather's younger brother ascended the throne in his place. This brother was Farley's grandfather.

Before he ascended the throne, Farley's grandfather promised that he would give the throne back to Tang Ao's father once he came of age. He knew that he had to appease those who were loyal to Tang Ao's grandfather first.

However, once Farley's grandfather secured his place on the throne, he took control of all the power and settled in place. The promise to return the throne to Tang Ao's father was never fulfilled.

Once Tang Ao's father grew up, he offered to be stationed at the empire's border planets. Farley's grandfather insincerely urged Tang Ao's father to stay a few times before he quickly handed over the empire's most affluent border planets in the southern region. The south managed by Tang Ao's father from then on.

The southern planets were rich in mineral resources. The planets also all had temperate climate. This was conducive to the growth and cultivation of various plants and crops. Tang Ao's father meticulously managed the region into prosperity. While other planets and region of the empire began to decline, the southern region only grew more and more.

Tang Ao's father was forced to leave the capital planet because of the circumstances. He kept a low profile in the South and quietly built his strength and wealth as he waited for the perfect opportunity to take back all the rightfully belonged to him.

Unfortunately, Tang Ao's father's time came to an end. He wasn't able to wait any longer and passed on his legacy and right to the throne to Tang Ao.

Tang Ao visited the capital planet to attend the wedding in the public's eye. However, he also had another purpose for coming here.

"If my guess is right, then you should be here in the capital for the prophesy book, shouldn't you?" Qiao Chen asked confidently.

Tang Ao raised a brow. He didn't expect Qiao Chen to be able to come to this conclusion so easily.

"I can help you get the prophesy book. However, once you succeed, you have to marry me. This is the deal that I want to make with you."

"Marry you?" Tang Ao asked. He felt excitement shoot through his nerves, but his appearance remained unchanged. He calmly continued, "With an identity like yours, it is quite difficult for you to divorce. Furthermore, you haven't told me how you can help me obtain the prophesy. How can I believe that you can even help me?"

"My present identity and status are all temporary. I have a way to get rid of it. As for the prophesy…"Qiao Chen smiled and said, "You can wait until you have it before you can decide whether or not you want to marry me."

"You seem to be very confident. However, I'm not sure what it is that allows you to be so confident. Tang Ao had checked everything he could about Jovin in the past few days. Jovin had no mother, no father, and his own relatives didn't even treat him well. It could be assumed that there was no difference between him being born in this "life of privilege" over being born an orphan.

"You'll find out eventually." Qiao Chen put the wooden box on the table and pushed it towards Tang Ao. "This is my father's relic. It is very important to me, and I hope that you can help me keep it for a while."

"You want me to take care of your father's relic for you?" Tang Ao looked at Qiao Chen with some surprise. The two of them shouldn't be familiar enough with each other to be able to trust the other with such precious things.

"You should know that I don't have a single person that I can trust at the capital. I can't take this back to the prince's palace. The entire palace is under her watch and this is a sizeable object. It isn't easy for me to carry or hide it. If I do take if back there, then she'll have a way to find out what is inside. Furthermore, I can't let her know what is inside this box either."

"What if this thing will cause me unnecessary trouble?"

"This object is very important and not just to me." Qiao Chen looked at Tang Ao and replied seriously. "It won't bring you any trouble as long as you don't let anyone else know that it's here before I use it. This is because this is that last place they think it would be. The most dangerous place is also the safest place to hide something."

Qiao Chen stood up and continued, "I've been out for too long. I should return now. If you agree with the deal, then help me keep my father's relic for the time being. If you don't agree, then I'll put it back where it was originally hidden."

"You said that you could get rid of your present identity. Are you sure you don't need my help?" Tang Ao implicitly agreed. Therefore, what he cared about now was whether Joven would be able to shed his status as the Prince's Head Consort in such a short time.

Qiao Chen smiled, "No need. I have my ways, and these ways won't take long at all."