Chapter 60 - The Wolf Tries To Save The Day

Xiao Zai was so tense that he could feel his molars grind inside his mouth from how tightly he was clenching his jaw.

All kinds of nightmare scenarios had been running through his mind ever since Chu Yun's servant had come to warn him that his father had summoned Chu Yun for a private audience.

A slew of memories of his dam -- beaten and broken after being on the receiving end of his father's attention -- flickered through his mind like a grim shadow puppet show. 

Rationally, he knew he wouldn't find Chu Yun in that condition, but he could only let go of the breath trapped inside his ribcage when he walked into the King's private offices and saw Chu Yun, whole and ale in front of him.

The room smelled overwhelmingly of his father's pheromones, which indicated their conversation hadn't been a pleasant one.

So did the tense line of Chu Yun's shoulders, although the most concerning thing was his father's smile, as if Xiao Zai's presence represented a victory for him.

"Miaoyan, let's go," Xiao Zai said, gesturing to Chu Yun while keeping his faze fixed on his father.

Chu Yun didn't look like he was in a hurry to leave. "You can go ahead," he said, his tone cold.

The King chuckled, always an ominous sound. "No, I've kept Miaoyan long enough," he waved towards the door, dismissing both of them blithely.

Xiao Zai had to fight down the urge to grab Chu Yun by the arm and pull him out of the office. He had almost reached his side when the King said, "Oh, by the way, I think Miaoyan had the right idea when he said that perhaps the First Prince could do with a change in staff."

Xiao Zai could see Chu Yun's right hand clench into a fist away from the King's line of sight. "Your Majesty is very wise," he muttered.

They both knew his father wouldn't leave it that.

The King hummed, enjoying the choking atmosphere. "In fact, I think it would be a good idea if that little manservant of his joined your household."

Xiao Zai whipped his face around with a shocked, "What?" 

His father couldn't be serious, he couldn't expect Xiao Zai to accept that man under his roof. 

The King's smirk grew as he nodded towards Chu Yun. "It would be a clean solution, no? Miaoyan suggested it to the First Prince himself."

Xiao Zai took a deep breath, reminding himself that the more he argued with his father, the more determined it would make him to go ahead with his plans.

Chu Yun remained quiet, but the knuckles of his fist had turned white. 

"I'll make the arrangements with the First Prince, you can expect the new servant tomorrow," the King said, turning away from them and facing the windows again. "You're dismissed."

He meant it this time.

Or so Xiao Zai thought, until they were almost out of the door, and he turned around with a beatific smile. "Oh, and congratulations on the house, I heard one can barely tell a traitor used to live there."

Xiao Zai closed the door on his father's smug face.

Of course he wouldn't let them leave without one last jab.

Chu Yun stormed down the hallway as soon as they left the office. Xiao Zai had to jog to keep up with him.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked, pulling him back by the elbow.

Chu Yun brushed his hand off with a glare. "Why did you come?"

Xiao Zai was taken aback. "You're the one who told your maidservant to warn me..."

"Yes, but 'warn' does not mean 'come in person'," Chu Yun said, his red lips tight with tension.

Xiao Zai really didn't understand why they were having this discussion. "Why does it matter?"

Chu Yun looked away from him, his bottom lip caught between his teeth. "He has his opening now..."

---

Chu Yun didn't feel like talking. Not on the carriage ride home, nor when they got there.

He blamed himself for telling Hua Nanyi to warn Xiao Zai. What was he expecting to accomplish, anyway? So what if his absence worried Xiao Zai? He would live.

Chu Yun should have known that Xiao Zai would want to come in person. He loved playing the brave, handsome hero -- Chu Yun should probably blame Gu Wei for filling his head with crap growing up.

He sulked for the rest of the day, blaming himself for not considering the possibility that the King of Zui would be a plain, sadistic bastard.

Hua Nanyi tried to make him feel better. "In your defence, it's not the kind of thing most people can just 'guess'."

He should have seen the signs, though. The King had such a dysfunctional relationship with his children, with his own concubines...nothing about that pointed towards mental or emotional stability.

On the other hand, there were all the signs that pointed to him being shrewd and calculating -- the kind of person who wouldn't act as rashly as he just had. 

There was the fact that he had allowed Gu Wei to carry the pregnancy of a bastard to term, and how he used Xiao Yuan's reputation as a drunkard to his advantage.

Maybe he had some condition that affected his mental state and caused him to act impulsively? Maybe he was a cruel person, and being cruel won over behaving rationally.

Either way, it posed a problem for Chu Yun. The worst enemy was an unpredictable one.

And now he was setting a literal wolf loose in Chu Yun's coop.

"What are you thinking?" Hua Nanyi asked, noticing his grim expression.

"That tomorrow I'll to have to open my home's door to the spy the King is personally sending me." 

Just thinking about it made his teeth ache. 

The last thing he needed in his house was Gu Wei, the second to last thing he needed was a man who looked like a cheap copy of him.

Especially one who the King had, surely, instructed to try and drive a wedge between him and Xiao Zai.