Scum Consort

Chapter 7 - Three days

Live in the abandoned chamber for the rest of his life ? A vein pops in Zixuan's head as soon as he hears Yuzu saying that.

"Make your intention clear , consort Yuzu." Zixuan asks in a loud and cold voice.

All the ministers tremble as they hear emperor's cold voice. They stop whispering immediately. And the court falls in pin-drop silence except little sniffs that were comming from concubine Jia-Li's side.

Concubine Jia-li didn't utter a word after her punishment were declared. But she started crying since that moment and still crying. Everybody in the palace knows she can cry for hours.

And most of the time whenever she needs anything, she cries untill emperor leaves his all work and gives his full attention to her. If it was other time emperor would have left court to calm her down. But this time, she needs a lot of effort.

Yuzu looks around slowly as everybody is looking at his face with a questioning gaze. He suddenly feels like a deer caught off guard.

"I am accustomed to my life in abandoned chamber. It's peaceful there away from main palace. In such way that no concubine can frame me there. And I am affraid if I go back, after few days I will be thrown out of main palace with new accusation."

"ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TRUST ON MY JUSTICE?" Zixuan raises his voice louder.

"His highness shouldn't ask me that question ? Afterall , I didn't end up in abandoned chamber on my own !" Yuzu looks directly at Zixuan. He doesn't need to raise his voice.

The ministers of the court look at each other in disbelieve. Even Minister Bai is shocked by his sons behaviour. What is Yuzu saying?

Zixuan who was still holding his eye contact with Yuzu, smirks "Is it the reason ? Is consort Yuzu not satisfied with the punishment? Or is it consort Yuzu's vulger trick to grab my attention ?"

Yuzu feels like laughing. How much narcissist a man could be ? "It's my way of protecting myself. I am not into any love competition with other desperate concubine."

"You aren't desparate? Your words are contradicting your deeds , consort Yuzu."

"I am not desparate for love. Not anymore. I have realised love is something which one can have for free without begging." Yuzu retorts forgetting there are other people in the court too.

Zixuan also seems to forget about others. He growls in rage "Can zhen know who is giving consort Yuzu free love ?"

Yuzu scoffs "Definitely not someone from main palace. I would never go back to such a place where fraud , liars and cheaters wins in the end."

"You are saying like everyone in the palace has only one job to do? Everybody wants to frame you ? Are you a hero of a story ?" Zixuan asks through gritted teeth.

Yuzu laughes this time loudly "Why doesn't his highness ask that to his beloved concubine ?"

"Yuzu !" Minister Bai calls out this time with horror in his face. Why his polite, modest Yuzu looks like an evil villain today ? Why his son is laughing at Emperor.

Yuzu who was laughing eye to eye with Zixuan turns his gaze to his father. His eyes turns soft seeing the horrified face of his father and other ministers.

Yuzu's eyes also falls on Xingchen who was also looking worried. Yuzu closes his mouth and stops laughing. "I ....if his highness gives me permission, then I can leave."

Zixuan tastes sour as he observes the change of Yuzu's tone when he looked at zixuan's chief minister.

"Does consort Yuzu still need my permission ?"

Yuzu sighs. Why can't this emperor just say simple words like 'yes, you may go' or 'no, you may not'. Yuzu sighs again internally. As much as he doesn't want to bow but.....

He bows anyway. "This consort needs the permission to leave."

Zixuan's eyes again falls on the hair stick on Yuzu's head.

Yuzu stands straight waiting for Zixuan's permission but instead of persmission he sees Zixuan walking down from the stairs.

Yuzu frowns as Zixuan stands directly in front of him. Who am I , consort Yuzu ?"

Yuzu frowns harder with a tilted head. Zixuan is only five inches taller than him. But with only one feet distance between them Zixuan looks like a monster.

Zixuan hissed voice rings close to his ears again as Zixuan repeats his words "Who. Am. I , Yuzu ?"

Yuzu blinks "H...his highness."

"Who ?" Zixaun asks again.

Yuzu lowers his head as he feels the tension between him and Zixuan. Also the complete silence of court isn't helping Yuzu. Yuzu closes his eyes. He can't be weak. He will never be the old Yuzu again. He shoots his gaze at Zixuan with a jerk.

"You are the Emperor of Zi Kingdom."

Zixuan tilts his head "Who. Are. You , Yuzu ?"

Yuzu takes a deep breath. "Huh ?"

"Who. Are. You ?"

"C..consort of Zi kingdom." Yuzu curshes hisself for his trembling voice.

"Who. Are. You. From. Today ?"

Yuzu's legs feels wobbly. He tries to take a step back and Zixuan moves along with Yuzu's steps, making himself more closer.

Yuzu almost whines when Zixuan breath hits Yuzu's face. He fists on his robe "Noble ..consort ..of Zi Kingdom."

Zixuan smiles with satisfaction "Don't. Ever. Forget. That.... I have a reputation to maintain. And that can't be maintained if my noble consort lives in an abandoned chamber."

Yuzu wants to shout where was his reputation when Zixuan threw him out of the main palace ! But he wants Zixuan far away from him more . So he stays silent.

Zixuan who feels the other presences in his court. He takes a step back from Yuzu.

"I am giving you three days, n.consort Yuzu. If within three days, you don't move back to main palace , then after three days I will abduct you from your chamber and lock you in main palace on my own."

"I wouldn't go back there." Yuzu states firmly before walking out of the court. Fuck the permission. He is a scum consort. He doesn't need to obey.

Everybody gasps and waits for the order to capture Consort Yuzu for his disobedience to the emperor. But Emperor slowly walks back and sits on his throne. 

After a long silence , Zixuan finally stands up again  "Court dismissed."

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