"That's your only problem...you don't understand," Aunt Anu said, folding her arms across her chest and narrowing her eyes at the Queen.
"And honestly, I never expected you to. But maybe if I lay out a few signs, you'll finally grasp the reality of things."
She took a step forward and stood firmly.
"Perhaps when you entered this house, your eyes were closed. And if they were open, then clearly the weight and darkness in your heart blinded them. Look closely....take in every inch of this house, from the gate to this room. Do we look like people in need? Even if we did look like that, so what? We are who we are for a reason. Life deals people different hands, not because they're more or less worthy, but to test them. Wealth and power don't define a person's worth, nor do they make anyone more important than those who don't have them."
She took a breath and continued, her voice growing firmer.
"You've said a lot, and honestly, I'm not even sure you're in your right mind. If not, you'd best gather your senses. All those promises and offerings you've listed....those might as well be stories from a fantasy in your head. Zhan is far beyond your reach now....he has grown, moved on, and risen above you all. Just like the sky is far above the earth, he's far from where you left him."
"Even if you brought together everything you and your royal family own....it wouldn't be enough to win Zhan back. Not his dignity. Not his peace. We chose honor, not titles. We chose self-respect, not status. Our worth can't be measured in golds, pearls, silvers or in palaces. Wealth is not value. Glittering luxury doesn't guarantee peace of mind. So, here's my only advice: gather your things and quietly leave the same way you came in. You and all your so-called treasures....your vehicles, your maids, your finery...I want them gone before their dust even settles on this ground."
A wave of disbelief washed over the Queen. It was like a dream... no, a nightmare. Never in her life had someone spoken to her like this. Not once. She had spent her entire existence being obeyed, respected, and feared. Yet here stood a woman...an ordinary woman...dismantling her pride with cutting words she'd never imagined hearing. Shaken, she muttered:
"Do you even know who you're talking to?"
Aunt Anu let out a scoffing smile, stepped closer, and stared her straight in the eye.
"You're lucky I didn't know your name. But I know exactly who you are....a mother and wife to the king of my nation. A woman full of pride, entitlement, and cruelty. Someone who's silenced voices, trampled on the dignity of those beneath her. So, listen carefully: you leave now....before your little 'mission' reaches the ears of His Majesty. Before I expose your scheme and tear it apart thread by thread."
The Queen was stunned. The sharp description struck deep, more painful than a slap. All her life, she had been seen as generous, noble, powerful. But here....here, she was being called exactly what she feared most.
Suddenly...
"Granny! I want this shirt! Tell Aunt Niu to give it to me today!"
"Me too, Granny, please....unless Bah comes back!"
The cheerful voices of Jianghu and Jiangji broke through the tension. They came running into the sitting room, giggling and holding shirts in their hands, eagerly rushing to show Aunt Anu.
The Queen's eyes froze on their faces.
Two boys. With faces nearly identical to Yibo's. Their features mirrored her son's so perfectly that for a moment, she forgot to breathe. And then....there it was. Her own face, too. She could see traces of herself in them.
She stepped forward slightly, unsure if her eyes were deceiving her.
"Stop right there!" Aunt Anu's voice cracked like a whip.
"Don't you dare approach them. Just as you cast them out before they were even born, they are forever cast out from your world. They are not your blood. And I suggest you turn around and leave...before your breath pollutes the air they breathe."
With that, she took the twins by the hand and guided them away, the boys glancing back at the Queen, confused, wondering who that strange woman was.
The Queen was sweating. Her legs felt like they would collapse beneath her.
Who were these boys? How could they look so much like Yibo?
"Your grandchildren. Zhan and Yibo's children."
A voice from deep within her answered the question for her. Her stomach dropped. Her visit had turned into a nightmare.
She had rejected Yibo's pleas. She had silenced him when he tried to speak. She had dismissed everything without listening.
Now it was too late.
A piercing headache spread across her skull. Dizzy and humiliated, she staggered out of the house. Her guards followed in silence, too stunned to speak. She didn't even remember to instruct them to unload the gifts.
Within minutes, all the cars pulled out of the compound and disappeared down the road.
Inside the car, the Queen sat with her hand pressed to her forehead, her mind spinning. Aunt Anu's sharp words echoed relentlessly in her thoughts. But what cut deeper were the faces of those children....they had carved themselves into her mind, leaving her restless. She needed answers. Without hesitation, she instructed her trusted maid to inform the driver to head straight to Prince Yibo's quarters...and to confirm that he was indeed there before they arrived.
Meanwhile, Aunt Anu was pacing alone, still fuming. She couldn't believe the nerve....after everything, it was Xiao Yun's foult that the Queen still dared to look down on them. But at least, for once, she felt lighter. She had let out some of the anger that had weighed heavily on her chest for so long. Even if only a little, it was enough for now.
She hadn't planned on telling Zhan what had just occurred. Only Papa....Xiao Yun....deserved to know. She feared that if Zhan found out, it would shake his resolve about returning to his marriage. And that, more than anything, she wanted to avoid. She needed him to go back. To see the Queen lose her power over him once and for all.
~**~
Zhan entered his father's sitting room slowly. Xiao Yun looked up as he massaged his aching legs with a bottle of warming oil. His knees were the source of most of his pain these days...even sleep didn't come easy anymore.
He welcomed Zhan with a warm smile. It was hard to believe this was the same Xiao Yun who once never cared if Zhan laughed or cried.
Zhan smiled too as he dropped his bag and reached for the bottle.
"Let me help, Baba. Your hand doesn't seem to reach far enough." He knelt in front of his father and began to apply the oil gently.
"What can I do? Fenghua is so busy now, always running around trying to manage everything on her own. I can't blame her...it's a lot for one person."
Zhan smirked playfully.
"Maybe I should introduce you to the widow I spotted down our street?"
Xiao Yun gave him a playful swat.
"Nonsense, silly boy. At this age, there's only one woman in the world I'd want to be with...and even then, she's far out of my reach. Yunjun your mother...the only woman I ever truly loved. A kind, dignified soul...I've never met anyone like her in my life."
Zhan's face fell. The mention of his mother always stirred something deep in him. He looked down quietly.
"You remind me of her, you know," Xiao Yun said. "Not just in the way you think...but I hope you inherit her patience and loyalty. Even just a fraction would be enough."
Zhan stayed quiet, absorbing every word. His father watched him closely.
"There's something on your mind, isn't there?"
After a few moments of silence, Zhan finally spoke.
"I made a decision recently without asking for your advice. I'm sorry."
He told his father everything...how he had accepted the King's request without consulting anyone.
Xiao Yun listened, then smiled.
"You didn't make a mistake, Zhan. What you did was right. At this point, none of us can or should make decisions for you. The choice is yours alone."
He paused.
"As much as I want to protect you, as much as I want to preserve your pride, I want even more to see you married with your head held high. Unless, of course, that life no longer serves you."
Zhan fell into quiet thought again.
Xiao Yun continued, gently offering more advice, forgiveness, and reassurance for past missteps.
Zhan stayed with him for a long time, only leaving when he felt calm and clear-headed again. Zhan finally left to join the rest of the family inside.
Meanwhile, the Queen had arrived at Prince Yibo's quarters. The head of his staff confirmed he was inside. He wanted to explain that no one had seen Yibo for days, but the Queen had already moved on, eager to see her son.
She looked around the sitting room in confusion. It was unusually quiet, dim, and cold. The air conditioner was the only thing humming. There were no signs that anyone had been using the space for days. Most of the lights were off, and the place felt abandoned. She walked through the rooms, turning on the lights, eyes wide with worry.
She hadn't expected Yibo to still be in the country.
Finally, she reached the last bedroom. The door was unlocked. She pushed it open.
There was someone lying on the bed.
A voice from below asked softly, "Who is it?"
"Yibo...?" she whispered, approaching carefully.
He stirred slightly. After a long pause, he pushed back the blanket and sat up slowly, resting his back against the headboard.
The Queen gasped when she saw him clearly.
He looked nothing like her son. He had lost so much weight, his skin pale and drawn, his face covered with stubble he'd never let grow before.
In a panic, she rushed to his side.
"Oh my goodness...what happened to you?"
She watched as his chest rose and fell heavily with labored breaths.
Eyes shut, he replied hoarsely,
"I don't feel well."
"You don't feel well? You're clearly ill!" she snapped.
"How long have you been like this? Why didn't you tell anyone? You locked yourself in here...what, were you hoping to die?"
She didn't wait for a reply.
"Are you a child, Yibo?!" she barked again.
He said nothing. The pain in his body overwhelmed him.
Realizing how serious it was, her hands trembled as she fumbled for her phone. She called someone immediately, her voice sharp with urgency as she ordered a discreet car and medical team to prepare for a hospital run.
After ending the call, she sat beside him, stroking his arm helplessly.
Her mind was in chaos.
What happened to him? How long had he been suffering like this without anyone knowing?
This illness...this torment...had gripped him so tightly it had altered his world. And now, it was reshaping hers too.
She could only watch, heart torn, as her son struggled for every breath.
Qiantang came to mind. A deep mix of resentment and frustration stirred in her chest. She had chosen Qiantang for Yibo hoping he'd find care and comfort...the same type of attention Qiantang herself enjoyed in her household. She had chosen her to be a worthy wife, a woman who could give Yibo peace and rest. And yet, since the wedding, there was nothing to show for it. Their marriage had become stagnant, unremarkable, void of fulfillment.
Within minutes, Yibo was taken to a private, high-end hospital owned by the family's personal physician. From the start, the Queen had insisted he shouldn't be admitted into the royal medical wing...she was convinced that those who plotted against them, who spun lies and schemes, had eyes everywhere in the palace. She preferred he be treated in a facility with specially reserved, luxurious suites....far from prying eyes.
She had intended to inform His Majesty before leaving, but she knew he was likely occupied with state matters. Seeing him wasn't guaranteed. So, she chose to inform him later, her mind already too heavy to function clearly.
Yibo's condition was dire enough that the doctors began emergency care immediately. His breathing worsened, forcing them to place him on oxygen.
The doctor, puzzled, turned to the Queen.
"What exactly is troubling the Prince? Our initial tests haven't shown any obvious illness. Just overwhelming emotional distress and overthinking...something that's begun affecting his heart. And his chronic abdominal condition... It's worsening and could pose a serious threat."
The Queen shook her head slowly, clearly taken aback.
"I don't know, Doctor. I truly don't know what could have disturbed him so deeply."
"But I do," came a firm voice. Nalan had entered the hospital quietly and now stood at the doorway.
The Queen turned sharply, shocked to see her.
Without hesitation, Nalan said,
"It's Zhan. He's the one on Yibo's mind. He's the cause of his pain...and the only one who can bring him relief. My dear Queen mother, the choice is yours now...to think of what to do"
With that, Nalan turned and walked out. The Queen and the confused doctor watched her in stunned silence.
After a long pause, the doctor cleared his throat.
"Whatever the cause... if there's any hope of emotional recovery, it needs to be addressed immediately."
Alone in the hospital suite, the Queen paced back and forth, replaying Nalan's words in her head.
"Zhan? Zhan?" she whispered. She lifted her eyes to look at Yibo, asleep and breathing with the help of the oxygen mask.
Since she had known him, Yibo had never fallen this ill...not to the point of being hospitalized. He was the type to power through any sickness, to keep working, keep moving even when unwell. And yet here he was, frail and pale on a hospital bed.
Could Nalan be right?
Was Zhan truly still that deeply rooted in Yibo's heart?
Had he never let go?
And if he hadn't... would he ever?
What if this illness took him away?
That terrifying question crushed into her mind, making her knees weak. Trembling, she collapsed into a seat and reached for her handbag. Her fingers trembled as she searched for her phone and dialed His Majesty.
He answered in his usual composed tone, though distant, as he'd been lately.
In a low, soft voice, she asked,
"Did my message not reach you, Your Majesty?"
"It did. But what am I to do?" he replied. "You chose this path for his life, didn't you? Then there's no problem. All I can do now is hope... and wish him well."
Then the line went dead.
The Queen froze. Her phone slid from her hand to the floor. She clasped both hands over her mouth and exhaled shakily, a lump rising in her throat. Never had she imagined hearing such detachment from him...her husband.
She stood quickly and went over to Yibo's bed, gazing down at his sleeping face, pale and sunken. Her husband's words rang in her ears:
"You chose this path for his life..."
She shook her head in denial, gently running a hand across Yibo's forehead as if searching for an answer. For clarity. For guidance.
On the other end of the call, His Majesty let out a deep, weary sigh. After hanging up, he couldn't settle. A part of him longed to fly straight to the hospital and see his son. But he held back.
He needed the Queen to find her own way there. To face the truth. To fix what she had broken.
"May you recover, my son. May this be brief," he murmured aloud, leaning back into his chair, the weight of his emotions pressing hard on him.
Then...
"Are you okay? You look tense."
He was jolted by the voice above his head. It was Xueyin. He had forgotten he'd sent her to fetch an apple drink from the sitting room.
He held out a hand silently and took the drink without replying.
Still, she sat beside him.
"Anyone can see something's wrong. If it's about the Prince... well, sometimes we just have to accept things. Every child is a different test. You can have many, but they will ever be alike. And sometimes, daughters bring more peace than sons. Maybe this is just part of the journey. If one child causes sorrow, another may bring joy."
He set the cup down, surprised.
"Did i say something to you about Yibo?"
Xueyin flinched slightly.
"Oh...I just assumed it had to do with what's been happening these past few weeks."
He said nothing more and returned the cup to his lips. But unease lingered in his chest. He began to analyze every word and move Xueyin had made recently.
She grew tense beside him. Part of her bristled with frustration... after all their careful planning, things were unraveling. But another part warned her to tread carefully.
No one knew King Mo Yi better than she did.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛