The official imperial letter arrived early in the morning, stamped with the heavy gold seal of the Emperor.
Because the external magic barrier of the estate had finally stabilized, the Emperor ordered the three of them to return to the inner palace for a single night. The kingdom needed to see that the unique Triple-Soul Bond was strong and working well.
Li Yan stood in front of a long mirror in the dressing room, adjusting the heavy layers of his outfit. For this special event, he wore a deep blue robe with intricate silver embroidery along the sleeves and collar. It was strange to see himself looking so grand, a far cry from the tailored business suits he used to wear in his corporate office.
The door opened, and Prince Jing Yuchen walked into the room, followed closely by General Zhen Sheng. Both men were dressed in their full formal attire. The prince wore a pure white royal robe with gold threads, while the general wore his dark military uniform, complete with silver medals pinned across his broad chest.
"You look okay, Mingxuan," Jing Yuchen said, walking up behind him to smooth down the collar of Li Yan’s robe. His violet eyes met Li Yan’s reflection in the glass with a hardened look.
"I feel like a walking curtain," Li Yan muttered, pushing the prince’s hands away. "Are we ready to handle the court? Remember what we discussed. We are here to show a united front, not to pick fights with the ministers or with ourselves."
Zhen Sheng let out a low chuckle, resting his hand on the hilt of his heavy sword. "Don’t worry, Duke. As long as those old politicians keep their mouths shut, I will keep my hands to myself. But if anyone tries shit then, I cannot promise anything."
"We are going to a royal ball, General, not a battlefield," Li Yan sighed, turning around to face them. "Let’s just get this over with."
The grand palace ballroom was filled with hundreds of guests when they arrived. The air was thick with the scent of expensive wines, heavy perfumes, and the mixed pheromones of the highest-ranking nobles in the empire. Brilliant crystal lamps hung from the high ceiling, casting a bright glow over the crowded floor.
The music stopped the exact moment the palace guards announced their names.
Li Yan walked into the ballroom, positioned directly between his two powerful husbands. To his right, the Crown Prince walked with slow, elegant grace, his royal pride clear in every step. To his left, the General moved with the easy, dangerous confidence of a tiger, his eyes scanning the crowd.
Whispers immediately broke out among the guests as the trio moved toward the main floor.
"Look at them," a lady whispered behind her fan. "They say the bond actually forced them to share a single bed."
"The Duke used to be so arrogant," a young lord murmured to his companion. "But now he walks between them like a prize."
Li Yan ignored the staring. His CEO brain was already working, analyzing the faces of the different ministers in the crowd. He needed to figure out who would support their new military alliance and who would try to block their plans for the northern defense.
"Stay close to me," Jing Yuchen whispered, his arm lightly brushing against Li Yan’s shoulder as they approached the long wine tables near the back of the room. "The old Prime Minister is watching us from the balcony. We must look perfectly aligned."
"I am right here," Li Yan replied quietly.
They paused by the wine table, and a servant immediately rushed forward to pour three cups of sweet plum wine. Li Yan took his cup, ready to take a sip, when a tall, middle-aged noble stepped out from the crowd, blocking their path.
It was Marquis Lord Imperial Member, a high-ranking noble known for his close ties to the corrupt factions in the court. He had a smug, nasty smile on his face, and his breath smelled heavily of strong alcohol.
"Ah, the Crown Prince and our famous General," the Marquis said, bowing slightly but keeping his eyes fixed on Li Yan. "And, of course, the beautiful Duke Xiao Mingxuan. It is truly fascinating to see you here tonight, Your Grace."
"Marquis," Jing Yuchen said, his voice instantly turning cold and formal. "Move aside. We are on our way to greet the Emperor."
The Marquis did not move. He let out a loud, snobby laugh, looking around the room to make sure the other nobles were listening to him.
"I merely wanted to offer my congratulations, Imperial Highness. It must be quite an experience to share a home with two such dominant Alphas. Tell me, Duke, how does it feel to be a bottom after years of pretending to be a proud lord? The entire court is wondering how a high-rank Alpha can survive such a royal embarrassment."
The room went completely dead silent. The music died down, and every guest turned to look at the wine table, holding their breath.
Li Yan opened his mouth to reply, his mind ready to deliver an insult that would ruin the man’s political reputation without a single drop of blood.
But before a single word could leave his lips, his husbands reacted.
An invisible wave of pure, suffocating pressure exploded from Prince Jing Yuchen. His Enigma traits flared with an absolute, terrifying power that filled the entire section of the ballroom. The air grew freezing cold, and the smell of ozone became so thick it burned the throat.
The Marquis didn’t even have time to blink. The raw physical force of the prince’s spiritual energy slammed into his chest like a heavy hammer.
"Ack!" the noble choked out, his eyes widening in pure horror as his knees buckled. He dropped heavily to the floor, his hands clutching his stomach as his body began to shake violently. A second later, a dark stream of blood poured from his mouth, staining his expensive robes as the prince’s pressure crushed his internal energy lines.
"You dare insult my spouse in my presence?" Jing Yuchen hissed, his violet eyes glowing with a dark, murderous light as he looked down at the bleeding noble. "Your family line ends tonight, Marquis."
At the same exact time, a loud, sharp ring echoed through the ballroom.
General Zhen Sheng had drawn his sword halfway out of its scabbard, the bare metal flashing brightly under the crystal lamps. He stepped over the groveling noble, a wild, mocking smirk on his lips as his golden eyes scanned the rest of the frightened court.
"If anyone else has an opinion about the Duke’s position in our bed," Zhen Sheng growled, his deep voice carrying easily across the silent room, "step forward right now. I have been looking for an excuse to paint these palace walls red."
The surrounding nobles immediately scrambled backward, tripping over their own robes in a desperate rush to get away from the general’s blade. No one dared to breathe.
Li Yan stood between them, holding his wine cup, his left eyebrow twitching in pure irritation. He looked at the bleeding man on the floor, then at the glowing eyes of the prince, and finally at the giant sword in the general’s hand.
"Are you two serious right now?" Li Yan muttered under his breath, leaning closer to them so the crowd wouldn’t hear him. "I had a whole verbal response planned out to destroy his reputation, and you two just turned this into a literal crime scene."
Jing Yuchen did not lower his pressure, his gaze remaining cold. "He insulted your honor, Mingxuan. I will not allow a common dog to speak to you in such a manner, we are the only ones allowed to make your life hell, no one else."
"And it’s much faster to just cut them," Zhen Sheng whispered back, slinging his sword back into the scabbard with a loud click. "Look at him. He won’t be talking trash for the next six months."
Li Yan let out a long, heavy sigh, shaking his head as the palace guards finally rushed inside to drag the unconscious, bleeding Marquis out of the room. He was deeply annoyed by their dramatic, over-the-top fantasy behavior. It was messy, it was loud, and it completely ruined his subtle political strategy for the evening.
But as he looked at the two powerful men standing shoulder to shoulder in front of him, their broad chests still heaving with anger as they shielded him from the eyes of the entire world, a strange warmth bloomed inside his chest.
He took a slow sip of his plum wine, his lips curving into a tiny, hidden smile.
They are absolute idiots, Li Yan thought to himself, his heart beating a little bit faster against his ribs. But they do look incredibly hot when they are protecting me.
"Alright, the show is over," Li Yan said aloud, stepping forward and grabbing both of their sleeves to pull them away from the wine table. "Let’s go find the Emperor before you two decide to start a war in the middle of the ballroom."
Jing Yuchen’s dark expression instantly vanished, an annoyed look returning to his eyes as he followed Li Yan’s lead.
Zhen Sheng grinned broadly, falling into step beside him as they walked through the crowd of bowing, terrified nobles, their bond glowing brighter than ever before.