The central hall in the grand palace was completely quiet and tense. High-ranking ministers stood in tight groups along the wide walls. Their heads were bowed low, and their faces looked pale with worry.
At the far end of the room, on his grand gold throne, the old Emperor sat with a tired look. He looked a bit small under his heavy royal robes. His hands rested on the gold chair as his eyes moved between the two powerful men who had just walked in.
Prince Jing Yuchen and General Zhen Sheng walked straight to the center of the floor. Their boots made loud, sounds on the tiles. Every single eye in the room followed them. They did not bow fully, but their posture remained formal out of respect for the throne. The two Alphas naturally looked strong and dominant, making the room feel even more crowded.
The Emperor looked down at the general, his eyes showing true relief. "General Zhen Sheng, I hope you are feeling better today. The incident that happened that day against you at the party deeply worried me."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I am fine," Zhen Sheng replied, bowing his head slightly to show his respect. "The poison was a cheap trick, but it did not stop me."
"Good," the Emperor said, nodding slowly as he relaxed against his throne. "I have already ordered my secret guards to look into the wine served in that room. We found that a low-ranking servant brought the poisoned bottle from the outside cellar. We are tracking the person who paid him. I will not let a hidden traitor hurt my top general under my own roof."
"We thank you for your quick work, Father," Jing Yuchen said, keeping his voice smooth and professional. He did not want to waste time on past events. He stepped up to the big table where the military maps were spread out. "Now, we must look at the dangerous news from the borders."
"Yes, report the news," the Emperor agreed, leaning forward to look at the table.
"The northern sea borders are broken, Your Highness," an old minister said, stepping forward with a shaking paper in his hand. "Enemy scouts bypassed three main outposts in the middle of the night. They are already past the river lines. We do not have enough guards in that sector to stop them from moving deeper into our land."
"Why were those spots left empty?" Zhen Sheng asked. His brow furrowed as he placed his large hand flat on the table. He was deeply worried about his soldiers, but he kept his temper under control. "I gave clear orders to put more guards along those specific river lines two weeks ago. Who changed the layout?"
The Emperor spoke from his throne, his voice quiet in the large space. "General, the court ministers believed the southern supply lines needed more attention. We did not think the northern forces would attack so soon after the party."
"Your Majesty, the ministers made a massive mistake," Zhen Sheng replied, looking up at the throne with anger. "The enemy used the party as a trick. While the court was focused on the gathering and whispering about my status, the scouts were cutting through our borders."
"We must fix the errors now," Jing Yuchen added, his eyes looking at the map to stop the discussion before it turned into a useless argument. "We will adjust the defense plan immediately. General, move your main men to the northern river. I will send the royal guards to secure the lower valley."
The Emperor gave a slow nod, satisfied with the quick solution. The ministers quickly took notes, relieved that the two leaders were moving so fast to protect the land.
But as the meeting went on, both men felt a strange distraction pulling at them.
Zhen Sheng stopped in the middle of writing a note, rubbing his chest. His usual scent felt flat, like it had no energy. He felt an ache deep in his core because he was tied to Li Yan. He had locked Li Yan’s smell down earlier, and now that forced connection was hurting his own body.
Jing Yuchen felt it too. He held the edge of the table tightly, his face turning a bit tight. His own strength felt shaky. He didn’t like that the Duke was a problem, but his core needed the Duke’s sweet lily scent to stay steady.
"General?" a minister asked politely, noticing the sudden silence. "Should we move the supply wagons on the main road?"
"Yes," Zhen Sheng said, his voice sounding a bit rough. "Do it now. And be quiet about it."
He looked at the prince. Both men knew they could not stay away from the estate for long. The bond was pulling them back, demanding they see the man they locked away.Back at the quiet estate, the bedroom was dark.
Li Yan opened his eyes. His body felt hot, but his mind was clear. He pushed the blankets off and stood up. His knees felt weak, but he would not act like a victim.
He was a boss who had solved big business problems by finding a way out. He would not let a system trap him in this book.
"Ten percent for the general, and five percent for the prince," Li Yan said to himself. He gritted his teeth. "They are cold, mean Alphas. If I act weak, those numbers will never go up. They only respect power."
He stood up, using his will to stop shaking. He needed to leave this room to learn about the house and what he owned. If he wanted to survive this game, he had to know his tools.
He walked to the big doors, breathing deeply. He reached out and grabbed the metal handle.
Before he could pull it, the lock clicked shut.
"Duke Xiao," a cold voice said from the hallway. It was Marcus, the prince’s assistant. "The prince said you must not leave this room until the meeting ends. Please go back to bed."