Gay Harem

Lover Number 2.5

Both Huang Yiming and the emperor turned abruptly, their attention drawn to the pale figure standing behind the partially opened door.

Only Huang Yiming caught sight of Li Jie's slight trembling and the telltale sign of his hands shaking, concealed beneath his long white sleeves.

"Li Jie..." the emperor called out, his voice laced with uncertainty. Unlike Li Jie, he displayed obvious trembling, unable to hide his emotions.

"Imperial Father," Li Jie repeated, unsure of how to react. He struggled to tear his gaze away from his father, his eyes betraying a subtle quiver. "Yiming-ge... Can you accompany me to my room now that you're free?"

Huang Yiming bowed respectfully to the emperor and swiftly moved to Li Jie's side, without seeking explicit permission to leave from the emperor.

Seizing the opportunity presented by the emperor's state of shock, Huang Yiming discreetly placed his hands behind Li Jie, guiding him towards his chamber. He knew that Li Jie was likely too overwhelmed to gather his thoughts at that moment.

Seconds after Huang Yiming and Li Jie departed, the emperor suddenly fell to his knees, his eyes widened, and his mouth agape in disbelief.

"Get up!" a voice resounded from above, snapping the emperor out of his stupor.

Looking up, Emperor Li Xian Jun was confronted by his angered wife—the empress of the Li Kingdom, Yang Mei.

"Empress," the emperor exclaimed, appearing even more astonished than before. He hadn't seen the empress in over a month.

Yang Mei was known for her desire to explore the world, often venturing outside the kingdom's borders in search of new alliances. Behind her graceful facade, she possessed a strong-willed personality, though she had never shown any harshness towards her son.

As the daughter of a high-ranking official, she understood the weight of familial expectations all too well. Consequently, she had refrained from imposing such burdens on her son, allowing him the freedom to discover his own path. Yet, she knew that the reality of his birthright as the future emperor offered him little choice.

Despite her busy schedule and travels, Yang Mei had always longed to be the mother she had envisioned. It was only upon witnessing the Empress of the Zhang Kingdom with her son that she realized the mistakes she had made. Determined to rectify matters before it was too late, she hurried back to the palace.

However, she had not anticipated stumbling upon her son eavesdropping on a distressing conversation.

"Yang Mei..." the emperor finally spoke, rising to his feet slowly. "You have returned earlier than expected."

"Mmm," the empress responded, her brow furrowing as she held her head high. "And you have reverted to your previous state earlier than expected."

The emperor frowned but refrained from further response to his wife's comment.

Despite their arranged marriage and lack of romantic feelings, the emperor and empress shared a close friendship.

This close bond allowed Empress Yang Mei more freedom compared to other empresses, enabling her to be true to herself without the weight of the crown burdening her heavily.

However, even the closest of friends argue, and for Yang Mei and Emperor Li Xian Jun, this argument seemed different, leaving them uncertain if it would pass as smoothly as their previous disagreements.

"I was wrong," the emperor finally broke the silence.

Both of them stood before their ancestors, unable to meet each other's gaze for opposing reasons.

"Am I the one who should be hearing this?" Yang Mei responded after an agonizing minute for the emperor.

"No," he replied, though they both knew that even if he were to express it to their son, it would hold little meaning.

"Li Jie is being granted a harem," the empress stated, casting a glance at the emperor, her frown etched deeply on her face. "Why is that, Your Majesty?"

Li Xian Jun would have flinched if he hadn't perfected the art of concealing his emotions long ago.

"Currently, we need to keep people entertained, and it seems the best choice," the emperor evaded looking in his wife's direction. "Li Jie's personal life will divert their attention from the kingdom's current situation."

"Only six weeks," the empress's voice turned cold yet brimming with emotion. "I was absent for just six weeks, attempting to forge an alliance that you failed to establish, and you have already subjected our child to countless forms of torment."

An itch tugged at the emperor's heart, but he dismissed it, replying, "It is a sacrifice Li Jie must make, and we both know that, for the sake of his kingdom, he must relinquish many things."

"He shouldn't have to," the empress retorted. "Li Jie should not be burdened in any way. If your management of the kingdom created a problem, then you should bear the sacrifice, not our son."

Throughout the conversation, neither of them had locked eyes, further intensifying the tension between them.

"He shouldn't have to," Li Xian Jun conceded. "But it must be done. There was no better alternative."

"I am deeply disappointed in you," the empress shook her head. "In fact, I am disappointed in both of us. We have let our son down in numerous ways. He still cares for us, I can see it in his heart just as I did on the first day. But what will happen when he finally decides he has endured enough?"

"My queen, Yang Mei..." The emperor's voice quivered slightly, though the empress remained unaware. "I am not happy about subjecting my own son to such treatment, using him in this manner, forcing him to be someone he is not, saying things that should never be uttered. But if it is not me, then it will be someone else who tells him all this before ending his life on the spot."

Yang Mei fell silent for a few minutes, carefully considering the emperor's words and her response before finally speaking.

"If you believe that embodies all that a good emperor should be, then you should know that you are the worst of the worst," Empress Yang Mei declared. "Even at the end of the day, a person's instinct compels them to protect their own blood, yet you spill it on the ground without a second thought."

With those words, Empress Yang Mei turned and departed without waiting for the emperor's reply.

"Your Majesty," a servant entered and bowed after thirty minutes that felt like mere seconds to the emperor. "General Lang wanted me to inform you that the preparations for the harem are complete."