Chapter 87 - The Wolf Wants The Fox More Than Anything

Xiao Zai could barely enjoy the pleasure of waking up wrapped around Chu Yun's body before he was slipping out of his embrace and sitting up in bed, stretching languorously.

"Get dressed, we have a long day ahead."

Last night Xiao Zai had spent ages trying to coax Chu Yun into letting him touch him, only to be rebuffed as if by a hissing cat. When he had finally managed to convince Chu Yun to let him hug him, he could barely enjoy it before the warmth of Chu Yun's body and the comfort of snuggling up to him lulled him into sleep. 

Now it was morning and Chu Yun was hiding himself away behind layers of robes. 

Xiao Zai wanted nothing more than to tumble him into bed and have his way with him. Push him down against the mussed sheets and take whatever he wanted, again and again, with no thought for duties or responsibilities.

In his imagination Chu Yun would fight him only perfunctorily, before giving up sweetly. 

Reality wouldn't be like that, Chu Yun was all hard edges, and he didn't give up control easily. But there was the promise of sweetness within him, and it drove Xiao Zai mad.

It scared him, how much he would do for those crumbs of tenderness.

And so, he got up from the bed and started preparing for the day ahead, mentally preparing himself for making polite conversation with people who a few months ago didn't even register his existence.

---

Their first stop was the house of the Minister Steward, or the Small Treasurer, as he was sometimes called. The role of the Minister Steward was to administer the finances of the royal clan. As one of the nine lower ministries the stewardship was sometimes dismissed as a minor ministry.

Chu Yun was happy to tell Xiao Zai why that wasn't so, "Obviously, the King can do as he sees fit, with the royal treasury, and the Minister Steward has no real power to stop him if he decides to empty the royal clan's coffers, for instance." 

They were walking down the street towards the Minister's house, Chu Yun's hand looped through Xiao Zai's elbow. Xiao Zai would have been happy to keep walking forever, with Chu Yun pressed this close to his side.

"Of course, people sometimes forget that 'royal clan' includes all branches of the family tree, that is, all royal relatives," he smirked and looked up at Xiao Zai, his eyes shining. "Countless uncles, aunts, cousins and the like, spread over both Haolin and the whole country of Zui, getting their pensions directly from the small treasuries' coffers."

They came to a stop outside the gates of the Minister's residence just as Xiao Zai realised what Chu Yun's aim was with earning the Minister Steward's support. 

"They have to write to the Stewardship whenever they need more money and justify all their extra expenses," he said, turning to Chu Yun. "That would become a very unpleasant affair if the minister held any resentment over the Crown Prince and future King."

Chu Yun smiled, nodding in approval. His smile warmed Xiao Zai more than the weak winter sun ever could.

---

The Minister Steward was a portly alpha man with a single omega husband who he seemed to dote on excessively. The husband greeted Chu Yun like an old friend, which Xiao Zai did his best not to show any displeasure about -- considering the Minister himself hadn't.

Not ten minutes into their meal some seven children burst into the room demanding attention from their parents. All of them were extremely close in age, which made Xiao Zai's head spin. 

Even more so when the Minister's husband offhandedly remarked he was once more with child.

Such display of...fertility, felt vulgar to Xiao Zai, he could only imagine what Chu Yun was thinking about it.

In any case, that brought them once again to a problem they experienced before: the Minister Steward was exceedingly polite, very courteous and overall he and his husband were pleasant company.

He didn't even mince words and went straight to the point: "His First Highness isn't of course anyone's first choice of a Crown Prince, begging pardon for the disrespect." They were all gathered there to be borderline treasonous so no one minded much. "However, news is that one of his beta concubines is with child, and while the chances of the union between an alpha and a beta female producing an alpha son are small, they aren't nonexistent."

He shrugged apologetically. "Perhaps, his Second Highness can humbly request an omega concubine from his Majesty?"

Chu Yun changed the subject tactfully and the meal went on without any other diversions into the subject.

---

That was lunch, they had dinner at the estate of the Minister of Finance. Unlike the Minister Steward, everyone was perfectly aware of just how important his role was among the nine lower ministries.

Xiao Zai could tell Chu Yun's mood had considerably soured since morning. The matter of an heir kept being brought up at every turn, and it obviously vexed Chu Yun not to be able to come up with a good alternative, whenever it came up.

A King needed an heir, that was a base principle the society of both their nations rested on.

They were in the carriage, almost reaching the Minister of Finance's house when Chu Yun suggested, his fingers tightly closed around of his fan, "Maybe we can persuade your father to allow a concubine, mayb-"

Xiao Zai shut off that line of thought immediately. "Absolutely not."

Chu Yun sighed in annoyance, but it was obvious he was relieved by Xiao Zai's quick refusal.

"You'll think of something," Xiao Zai said, smiling warmly and reaching forward to hold Chu Yun's hand. "You always do."

Chu Yun straightened up in his seat, his gaze hardening as he looked out the window. 

"There's adoption, of course, but in order to ensure the legitimacy of the child's royal bloodline....it would require a direct royal family member to die and leave behind an orphaned child."