stay with me [BxB] mpreg

3. preparations

Chang Sheng reached the palace of the Wu Wei Kingdom by nightfall, entering the gates with his billowing robes. Sometime between visiting Yu Hua and returning, Chang Sheng had layered on outer black robes with embroidered gold stitching, giving him the true impression of an Emperor. 

"Emperor!" Numerous noble-women supposedly admiring the palace garden flocked to his side, faces painted heavily with makeup, kowtowing unanimously. "We welcome His Majesty back -"

Chang Sheng brushed past them, even daring to use his martial arts to hurry by faster. 

"Emperor," a court official appeared at Chang Sheng's side, giving him a half bow. "You should not ignore those women, those are potential concubines -" 

The women looked up, grinning, only to stare wide-eyed in shock as Chang Sheng brushed the official away. 

"When has xiao ren become brazen enough to challenge Zhen?!" Chang Sheng demanded. 

The court official bowed again. "No, xiao ren doesn't dare, it was only a suggestion -"

"Xiao ren let the words of these women affect xiao ren's judgment?" Chang Sheng sneered. 

The court official bowed lower. "Xiao ren doesn't dare -"

"Hmph, get out of Zhen's sight!" Chang Sheng flapped his sleeve in the official's face, quickly walking away. 

"Your Majesty, please wait - !" Many of the women called out desperately, but not before Chang Sheng had already made his way into his own courtyard, as large as a miniature palace. 

"Please, Court Official Gu," one of the ladies turned to where the official once stood. "Eh? He's gone?"

"Are those pesky flies far away enough?" Chang Sheng scowled. 

"Mm, they cannot hear us." Court Official Gu said, appearing at Chang Sheng's side but lowering himself. 

"Good." Chang Sheng yawned, stretching his arms. "Zhen has no ideas why you keep pushing them onto me, Gu. You know I will not take those annoying, over-done camels."

"Camels is a little too much," Court Official Gu retorted. 

"They are camels." Chang Sheng hissed. "They spit at you, ugly, always trying to show off their lumps..."

Court Official Gu started coughing out of laughter. 

"Ah, I need my little Yu Hua." Chang Sheng smiled, putting a hand on his chest. "I am already dying inside this palace." 

"How is your little hideaway doing?" Court Official Gu asked teasingly. 

"Fine, thank you very much." Chang Sheng sneered in response. 

"You have never once let me seen him since we were all eight years old," Court Official Gu smiled. "I remember he was exceptionally beautiful -"

"Forget him! Yu Hua's beauty is only for this Zhen to enjoy ~" Chang Sheng hissed. 

"My, you would make quite the creepy husband," Court Official Gu laughed. 

Chang Sheng smiled a little in response. 

Chang Sheng and Court Official Gu were actually good friends. It was just that they held up a pretense in front of others, especially since Court Official Gu's family was the same family of Marquis Gu, the man who had murdered Chang Sheng's father. 

All the other court officials wanted to burn Court Official Gu along with his father, but Chang Sheng saw potential in the young boy. 

Undoubtedly, Court Official Gu was a textbook genius. Not only that, but he was abused by his family since young for being born from a concubine mother that passed away at birth, no matter how brilliant he was. Court Official Gu, to prove his loyalty in front of Chang Sheng, confessed the sins of his siblings and their many betrayals of the state, then killed them firsthand himself. He swore absolute loyalty and Chang Sheng, also gifted intelligence from the heavens above understood that Court Offical Gu spoke truth and took him as his right-hand man.