Chapter 156 - 156 – The Enemy’s Ploy

Steward Paul rushed upstairs and knocked on Ren and Fang's bedroom door in a panic early morning – well, it wasn't sunrise or anything, but Ren and Fang usually woke up around nine in the morning these days (since morning exercises were suspended in deference to their currently over filled schedules), and it was only twenty minutes past seven at the moment, and the newspapers had been delivered exactly five minutes ago. Steward Paul had taken one look at the headlines and rushed upstairs to wake up his master from their sleep.

Fang was the one to wake up first at the sound of from the door. He quickly threw on a robe and went to open the door, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

As soon as Fang opened the door, he found himself facing the pale and panicked face of Steward Paul.

"Young Master Fang!" he cried. "The papers – the Valley Kingdom – they – they –"

Fang frowned. "Take a deep breath and calm down, Steward Paul," he said softly. "Then you can tell me what is wrong."

Steward Paul did exactly as Fang suggested, and then said to Fang, "Young Master Fang, the deposed royal family of the Valley Kingdom – they have issued a press release in all the international papers this morning. They are claiming that you are a prince of the Valley Kingdom and that you are the real heir to the throne, but you were lost when you were young and you should now go back and take responsibility for the Valley Kingdom and…"

Fang sighed and shook his head ruefully. He'd been warned by the Dragon Queen earlier that something of this sort may happen later – he had just not expected that these people would move so fast. It was extremely annoying. Ren's birthday was the day after tomorrow, and Fang didn't want anything to come in the way of celebrating his beloved fiancé's birthday. Unfortunately, it seemed that the entire universe was conspiring against him and his plans to give Ren the most perfect birthday ever!

But right now, he needed to calm down the middle aged man in front of him first. 

"Breathe, Steward Paul," Fang said gently. "And show me the newspaper, please."

Steward Paul seemed to draw strength from Fang's calm demeanour and handed him the newspaper silently.

Ren came up behind Fang, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "What's wrong?" he murmured in a soft voice hoarse from sleep.

Fang thought that Ren looked utterly adorable like this – with messy hair, dishevelled pyjamas and his golden eyes half open and sleepy.

Fang patted Ren's cheek gently and said, "You go back to sleep. I'll wake you up in a bit."

Ren blinked slowly and took in the pale, pinched and panicked face of Steward Paul, and all the drowsiness of sleep disappeared from his face. Steward Paul was a very calm and composed person – if he was looking like this early in the morning, then there was clearly something majorly wrong.

And if Fang was acting in a such a cavalier manner – then Ren was one hundred percent sure that the matter involved Fang.

Ren sighed. "What happened? Did the Valley Kingdom royals do something again?" he asked tiredly.

"Mmm," Fang hummed casually. "I'll handle it, love. You get some rest. You were working till very late last night," he murmured.

Ren frowned. The more Fang tried to push him away from the matter, the more suspicious he became. He turned to Steward Paul. "Tell me," he ordered.

Steward Paul immediately responded to the authority in Ren's voice. "Master Ren, the deposed royals of the Valley Kingdom have issued a press release. They are claiming that Young Master Fang is the son of the late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom who was rumoured to be disinherited twenty years ago because she eloped with someone from the Dragon Kingdom. However, the late crown princess was never really disinherited, and the heir to the throne of the Valley Kingdom is Young Master Fang. They are claiming that Young Master Fang needs to go back to the Valley Kingdom now and take responsibility for the state of affairs there, since the current emperor has been deposed and the throne now falls to Young Master Fang," he said quietly.

Ren frowned. "Have they released any evidence that Fang is the son of the late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom?" he asked.

Steward Paul nodded. "They have released a DNA analysis report with the family, and they have also released pictures of the crown princess, her husband, and their daughter – all of them were killed soon after the birth of Young Master Fang, based on the timelines given," he replied. "They are also claiming that Young Master Fang was stolen away by an enemy immediately after his birth, and that they have spent many years searching for him, and finally found him in Cosmopolis."

"DNA analysis?" Ren asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did they mention how they got hold of Fang's DNA?"

Steward Paul nodded. "They have admitted that they used illegal means to get his DNA, but they say that they were desperate to do so after they caught a glimpse of Young Master Fang, because he looked so much like his parents," Steward Paul replied. He pointed at the newspaper in Fang's hands. "They have published a few pictures. Master Ren – the pictures do appear to support their claims. The late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and her husband, the man from the Dragon Kingdom – look remarkably similar to Young Master Fang. And their young daughter is the spitting image of our Young Lady Sylvia," he murmured.

Ren sighed. "Have they revealed the identity of the man from the Dragon Kingdom?" he asked.

Steward Paul shook his head.

Ren sighed again.

Steward Paul hesitated, and Ren could see clearly the question that was pooling in his eyes.

"It is true," Ren said quietly. "Our Fang is really a prince – and he is not just a prince of the Valley Kingdom. The late husband of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom – the man from the Dragon Kingdom – he was actually the half brother of the current Dragon Queen. So, our Fang is not just a prince of the Valley Kingdom, but he is also a prince of the Dragon Kingdom."

Steward Paul's eyes widened in shock. "Young Master Fang – no, Prince Fang…!" he stuttered.

Fang rolled his eyes. "Please don't call me 'Prince Fang', Steward Paul," he said lightly. "I have no intention of claiming my bloodline or my legacy from either nation. I am Fang, and I will always be Fang. I am Ren's Fang, Fang from Cosmopolis, and hopefully, Dr. Fang of SIMS soon enough. Maybe CEO Fang or Chairman Fang in the future if Zephyr takes off well. But that is all I am. I am not, and will never be, Prince Fang of the Valley Kingdom!" he announced.

Steward Paul stared at Fang in shock, and then a slow smile spread across his face. "Yes, Young Master Fang!" he said happily. Then his face fell again. "But – but how will we deal with this issue? If the people of the Valley Kingdom start demanding your return, then…"

Fang chuckled. "How could I return to a kingdom that I have never even been to?" he asked. "The Dragon Nation is still relatable, and the Dragon Queen I could still acknowledge as a relative – but as far as the Valley Kingdom is concerned, I have nothing to do with them. I could help them for the sake of my late mother, but they have no right to demand anything from me."

Ren nodded. "Exactly so," he said. "Fang has nothing to do with them. We will issue our own press release, and announce that we will help the Valley Kingdom set up a democracy, and if they are determined to make Fang the heir to the throne, then…"

"Then I will use my right to the throne to abolish the monarchy in the Valley Kingdom," Fang said firmly. "My life and my love are in Cosmopolis, and I am not going anywhere."

Ren had to admit that he was touched by Fang's words. "Are you sure?" he asked Fang. "You can be the emperor of the Valley Kingdom if you want to, you know. I will support you. We will all support you."

Fang shook his head. "I don't want to," he said. He reached out and caressed Ren's face. "What I want is right here."

Ren flushed, and Steward Paul beat a hasty retreat.

"We will have to inform Pax," Ren said with a sigh. "These stupid people, why can't they stop causing trouble for us?" he grumbled.

Fang agreed with Ren whole heartedly and cursed entire royal family of the Valley Kingdom several times over in his head. Even if they had to cause trouble, couldn't they have waited for a few more days? Why did they have to heap extra work on Fang's head before Ren's birthday?!