I hate you

Chapter 5

Out of nowhere two eunuchs introduced themselves before leading them to a...garden.

He was momentarily stunned by the vision in front of him.

Wild but refined, a combination that took his breath away. Exotic flowers he had never seen before were in full bloom. As he got closer he saw a blue fish jump from the pond nearby.

Petals fluttered down in pink swirls with the wind from what looked like cherry trees and landed almost lovingly on the turquoise blue waters of the pond.

It was as if he'd reached heaven's garden.

Xei Ming was so entranced by the beauty of the garden that he failed to notice a pair of cold eyes of the person under an especially large tree staring at him unblinkingly.

Open mouthed Mei Ming was about to continue forward when he was jerked down and forced to kneel by his already kneeling and terrified parents.

They immediately kowtowed again and again begging a thousand pardons towards the man sitting below a tree who was apparently the emperor, Jian Li Rong.

It was only then that he noticed the man wearing the golden dragon robe. The beautiful beyond words and even the entire world seemed to pale in front of him. Even though the man was the definition of pale, long snow white hair, extremely pale skin, long white lashes framing beautiful pale blue eyes, he was too beautiful for mere words. His beauty was not delicate but sharp and cold like ice...a thousand year old ice bigger than the towering palace they were currently in.

He gave off an oppressing aura as he stared expressionlessly at Xei Ming who wanted to squirm uncomfortable under that unforgiving gaze.

He could have kicked himself for not noticing. Great. He'd just ignored the presence of an emperor.

He doubted even the heavens could save him now. He just hoped Han Ren and Meilin didn't get dragged into it.

For the hundredth time he asked the heavens what he had done in his previous life to deserve this. The emperor raised a palm and Han Ren and Meilin stopped immediately, looking no less terrified. But the emperor was not even looking at them, instead he continued to stare at Xei Ming.

"Do you not have a tongue, boy?" His voice was clear but bland.

To his horror Xei Ming realized that he had not uttered a single word of apology.

He straightened before kowtowing and offering the sincerest apology he could manage which was harder than he though. It was hard to feel apologetic toward someone who caused him and his currently family such pain. His feet gave a painful throb of agreement.

Unknown to Xei MIng his straight backed kowtow gave him a dignified air as he apologized to the emperor. In fact he didn't look like her was kowtowing at all but instead looked like he was being kowtowed to, much to his parents dismay.

The two eunuchs couldn't help but ridicule the audacious man disdainfully. How dare a commoner look so proud, they thought. Even a toad had better sense. At least it knew not to provoke a heron.

Jian Li Rong's eyes narrowed slightly a second before a devious twinkle sparked in his pale blue eyes before quickly disappearing.

"Rise" Xei Ming gladly stood up. His back hadn't fared much better than his feet. It was stiff and tense and ached all over.

"From now onwards..." the emperor began his tone saying his command was not to be brooked with.

The two eunuchs couldn't help but smile as they were sure that Xei Ming would suffer the heaviest punishment for being so insolent. Serves him right they thought without a lick of sympathy.

Han Ren and Meilin felt like that their world was being ripped apart right in front of them as kneeled there helplessly.

As for Xei Ming he was holding his breath and paying that the punishment would be anything but a death sentence.

As if. You offended him too much. You will get a death sentence alright. You-

He squashed the tiny inner voice and began chanting to himseld.

Please. Not a death sentence. Not a death sentence. Anything but a death sentence.

"...you will become consort" The emperor finished.