Will You Regret?
From the moment Suyin told him that the Emperor required his presence, Qi Xiu knew something was amiss. Her manners when speaking to him indicated she was hiding something, and he had no idea whether he should pry further or not. He could only let her lead him.
When the two arrived, he waited outside the throne room for a very long time, clutching at his sleeves until his palms were white. After a few minutes had passed, the guard to his side gestured to him and the door suddenly opened.
Qi Xiu walked in only to find unfamiliar gazes on him...
The room went silent.
"You... Your Highness!" Qiao Zhou broke the silence and cried out, rushing out to greet him with her arms wide open, but Yao Xuefeng was quicker than her.
The hot-headed general already swept past both her an Lei Wen and took Qi Xiu into his tight embrace, unwilling to let go for fear of losing this person. Only after what seemed like several years did he finally let go, checking to see if there were any injuries on Qi Xiu's body.
There was no mistaking it. His appearance and temperament matched completely. This man before him was his beloved crown prince, so if he even found a tiny scratch on his prince, he would never forgive this cunning Emperor.
"Who... are you?" Qi Xiu tried to back away as he asked cautiously. He looked up to stare at He An and their eyes locked, but He An broke the contact and turned away.
Qi Xiu's face paled.
"You don't know us?" Qiao Zhou was besides Yao Xuefeng and questioned Qi Xiu, her expression complicated. All three of them had grown up alongside Qi Xiu, for him to not remember them brought many doubts.
"You fucker! Did you do something to our crown prince?!" Lei Wen glared at He An with eyes as sharp as daggers.
Qi Xiu was confused. He knew about his identity since the assassin interrogation, but he didn't expect his people would come to find him so fast.
He An shrugged.
"I only said I would return him to you, everything else isn't my business." He said nonchalantly.
Qi Xiu was alarmed and quickly looked up at He An again, but the other avoided his gaze once more.
"Your Majesty...?" In the end, he could only utter these two words.
"Why the hell are you treating that evil fiend with such respect?" Yao Xuefeng scowled. His prince only ignored him.
"Qi Xiu, go with them." He An's words fell heavily and Qi Xiu's entire body froze.
"Are you driving me out?" He managed to say, face pale as a ghost. He An didn't answer out of guilt.
He didn't want to let his cub go, truly! But if he didn't, the system would yell at him for putting Qi Xiu in danger. Him staying in the north was preventing him from reaching the stars and Qi Xiu needed to return as soon as possible.
"Why?" Qi Xiu asked again, more panicked this time.
"Leave the north with him since he's in your hand now." He An spoke to Yao Xuefeng and the latter sneered as he tried to drag the prince away.
Yet Qi Xiu didn't move.
His attention was still on He An, eyes threatening to tear up.
"You're abandoning me again." He said with resentment.
"Your Highness, don't waste anymore time with this barbarian! Let's leave." Qiao Zhou tried to convince Qi Xiu, glaring at He An. She was at a loss on what to do. Just what kind of relationship did these two have?
"Qi Xiu, don't tell me you truly believed things between us could last? Leave with them." He An was currently reading a script the system had forcefully put in front of him.
[If you don't convince him to go back, the world's consciousness will kick you out and Qi Xiu will suffer again! Quick, host! Save him! QAQ]
"Our countries are at odds against each other, yet you believe we can keep a peaceful friendship? The south is poor compared to the north, so unless you offer the entire continent to me, keeping relations with you is impossible. What benefits will I get from keeping you around?" He An was crying internally at being the one to verbally abuse his cub like this.
He An: [Once this is over, I'm going to leave negative reviews about you. You don't deserve to be a system.]
Six: [I—It's not my fault! TAT]
Hearing his words, Qi Xiu hung his head low, heart full of bitter feelings. How stupid of him to think there was even a tiny chance this cold Emperor would have him in his heart... even in this life, he was the same.
"Will you regret this?" He ridiculed himself for impulsively asking this, smiling coldly as he clenched his fists at his side. When He An didn't answer, he asked again, "Will you regret it?"
He An still remained quiet.
Of course he'll regret this. He'll regret this for the rest of his life. The mere thought of his cub hating him made him feel more hatred for his ruthless system.
Six, sobbing in a corner: [You're blaming me again!!]
Qi Xiu took his silence as a yes and laughed bitterly before leaving on his own accord, Yao Xuefeng following behind him. Lei Wen and Qiao Zhou hurried to join them.
None of them turned back even once.
After they had left, Pan Fengge couldn't bear to look at the expression He An was making. He politely asked all the officials present to leave the room and they did so, leaving only him and the Emperor.
This entire matter was just processing in everyone's head. To think the concubine was actually the south's only crown prince! Is this why He An demanded for peace...
"Your Majesty, might this servant be bold enough to ask why you drove concu... Prince Xiu away?" Pan Fengge knew of He An's doting attitude towards Qi Xiu. Even if Qi Xiu was the crown prince of the south, it was unexpected of He An to suddenly act like this.
He An breathed heavily and leaned back before saying, "Fate takes what it wants."