Disclaimer: Everything used in this story, including place, characters and situation, are fictional and had nothing to do with fiction. The historical Chinese dynasty used in this novel is fictional, and no timeline like this exist in real history. It is all from the author's imagination. No word would be published anywhere without the author's permission, and grammatical errors may be found in this work.
In his plain black traditional robe with a rapidly beating heart, Huang Dewei was pacing around his ordinary small room. The room was painted white ...a brown wooden bed was laying in the middle of the room while an ancient brown wardrobe was on the right side...a wooden bookshelf was standing proudly next to his wardrobe while right across the bed was a huge window which opened outside on the street.
Today was a big day for him...Today was his only chance to get back what has been taken away from him. As time was slowly passing, he was getting more and more restless when a knock reached his ears. With the speed of a rocket, he quickly ran towards his house door and opened it. He saw a palace guard in his uniform standing in front of him.
'Huang Dewei, you have passed your written and performance exam and had been appointed to be a Royal Guard at the palace based on your skills. You will be serving as a personal royal guard for the emperor. You shall be at the palace tomorrow early by drawn.' The palace guard loudly read out the letter written by the emperor as he let Huang Dewei know the results. Huang Dewei, sighed in relief upon hearing the results as he nodded his head yes. After completing his duty, the guard turned over and walked away while Huang Dewei felt his restlessness vanishing from inside him. He remembered why he was going there.
He was a low-level ordinary man who fell in love with the Ministry of War of Palace's daughter Xin Ying, but unfortunately, they got separated, and she was forced to marry the emperor of the country to produce an heir for him. They were heartbroken but Huang Dewei made a plan that he would apply to be a royal guard at the palace, and then find Xin Ying there and then they will find a way to run away from the palace together even if that means killing the emperor. But being Emperor's royal guard was also a surprise to Huang Dewei, but who cares? The closer he was to the enemy, the better it will be.
He was just excited to go to the palace tomorrow and reunite with the love of his life, Xin Ying. She also must be anxiously waiting for him, Huang Dewei thought as a smile spread across his face while, on the other hand, Xin Ying was sitting in front of her father, Li Qiang. She was wearing her Empress's traditional attire as she was respectfully waiting for her father to say something.
'I know you must hate me at a moment since I force you into this marriage.' Li Qiang started off the conversation
'No, Father, don't say that, please.' Xin Ying said in a soft and delicate voice while her father sighed.
'But trust me, I did it for you...for us...Once you give an heir to Emperor, you will get that power that no one can bring you down. You can always fall in love again, but you can't have the power the same as the Empress of the country. Do you understand what I am trying to say?' Li Qiang said as Xin Ying looked up towards her father and nodded her head yes.
'Let's get on our mission now, my daughter. Give this country the heir, and then see how powerful we will get and our coming generation. I worked hard all my time to make your alliance with the future Emperor since the young age when he was only six, and now it's time to see fruit for my all patience and sacrifice, and you are the only one who can do it, Will you do it for me?' Li Qiang asked with hopeful eyes, and a soft and concerned voice as Xin Ying nodded her head yes once again.
'Yes, Father, I will.' Xin Ying gave assurance to her father as a smile spread across his face, and all Xin Yang could do was sigh. Her father wanted power over everyone else, and Xin Yang knew and saw that all through her life, and it was fed into her brain that she will be a future Empress from a young age, but then she falls in love with the wrong person.
She was a coward, so she could not do anything other than bowing her head in front of her father and accepting whatever he wanted from her. She loved Huang Dewei more than anyone in this world but still less than her father. However, living with a cold-hearted, ruthless man like Wang Lei was not something easy either. The past three months with her husband had been hell for her. There was no love between them, and the more she lived with Wang Lei, the more she misses Huang Dewei. She wonders what he was doing, but now she can never escape. That was her destiny. If she runs, she and Huang Dewei will be killed for cheating on Emperor because it is a huge sin, so they should never meet again.
With one last smile at her daughter, Li Qiang got up from his place and got out of the room, and as soon as he was out, Xin Ying angrily punched the table as the fire was blazing from her eyes. Why did she have to sacrifice so much in her life? Nothing works for her. She wanted to die...no actually she wanted to kill the person whom she can't tolerate...her ruthless husband...the emperor of the country...Wang Lei.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on him as he memorised them all. The moments of his body while playing sword riding were making everyone fixate on him. Nobody was able to look away because that was how charming, muscular, and perfect he was looking. His component was sweating tiredly while no one even could hear him breathing heavily. That was how much he had control over him.
All maids and females from the palace were admiring him while males' gazes were filled with envy and jealousy. Many people did not want him to be where he was, but that place was his, and he was not giving it to anyone. He was the Emperor of the Wang dynasty...He was Wang Lei, fully aware of how much power and control his name and title held. He was writing history right now...he was an example to the future generation, and he wanted to be an unbeatable example for generations.
Even though he was assumed to be saved inside the palace, he only knew that was the most dangerous place for him. His enemies were everywhere. The palace was a mess because everyone was doing what they wanted, and the biggest challenge for him was the corruption of rich and elite people on poor people. He needed a permanent solution for it on which he was secretly working. However, there was still a long way. Palace politics was the normal thing in the palace, but he knew he was not someone easy to trample on.
With one last strike of the sword and his component was on the ground. Everyone cheer around him as he proudly and coldly looked up while his head servant XiXi ran towards him and handed him the water; he took and gulped the water because he was very thirsty with all the fighting he had been doing for the past hour without a break. Then he composed himself and walked out of the fighting court while his head servant and other servants respectfully followed him.
With steady steps, he entered his palace area, then entered his room chamber while closing the door behind him, leaving his servants outside the door to wait and guard him. He changes his closed and sighed as he sat down on his chair. He leaned back and closed his eyes when he heard his servant.
'Dear Emperor, your Majesty Xin Ying is here to meet you.' As his servant announced, he sat back up properly as Xin Ying entered inside. She stopped in front of him, and anger and fire-filled eyes looked towards him, who was looking back towards her.
'What is it? How come you are here?' Wang Lei asked emotionlessly as he stood up.
'I know you must be busy, but can you fulfil your duties as a husband as well instead of just being an Emperor? You might don't want me, but our families want children from us. They are waiting.' Xin Ying said coldly and rudely while he stared towards her and then sighed.
'I understand; I will come to your room tonight.' Wang Lei said and turned over, then walk and picked up the book while she glared towards him then, without a word, walked out. He sighed as soon the door closed, and he put away the book.' More than him, he knew it was her who don't want him, and he wonders what the reason for her hatred towards him was. They both were arranged and forced into it, but she hates him, and he doesn't understand the reason. 'He thought, then shook away his head. He doesn't have time for that since he has a lot of work to do.
Wang Lei changed into his Emperor's traditional red robe and walked out of his residence. After a short walk, he reached his destination. He sat down in his working place in the chamber and started working. His work chamber had a huge table in the middle which had his giant chair on the one side for Wang Lei to sit and do his work comfortably. The front of the table had a soft red carpet where people who came to meet or complain to him can sit down to talk to him. He was an emperor; people were not allowed to sit right in front of him. He was above them. The side wall had a huge window, and the right-side wall had a huge painting hanging from it. The walls were painted cream.
He was busy in his work reading the reports when someone knocks on his door. His personal assistant Cheng entered inside. He is an older man in his late forties, and he has been serving since the young age of nineteen. First twenty years, he served Wang's father, Wang Wei, and then he starts serving Wang Lei since he became an Emperor.
Wang Lei became an Emperor at the young age of seventeen, and now he was twenty-seven. He had fought many wars and had seen bloodshed from a young age. He has too many enemies and lives a life under continuous threat. He came across as a heartless, cold emperor, but he disagrees with all the rules placed into the Wang dynasty from generation and hopes he could change them.
He looked up towards Cheng, who bowed down before him and then looked up towards their Emperor.
'Your Majesty, your new personal royal guard is here. Do you want to meet him?' Cheng announced as he respectfully looked down. Wang Lei thought for a while and then nodded his head yes.
'Yes, send him in.' Wang Lei ordered, and Cheng nodded his head yes as he walked out. Another knock happened, and a young man in a royal bodyguard's clothes walked inside. Huang Dewei walked inside as he was looking down. He did not dare look at the man sitting in front of him as he stopped a few steps away from his chair. They asked him to report early in the morning for his duties, and today he was here. They made him wait half a day because Emperor was busy, and he can't start his job before meeting with the emperor who had to approve of him before he can start his work. He decided as much as he hated the emperor, he will give his best performance in front of him for Xin Ying.
'Name?' He heard his majestic deep heavy voice and Huang Dewei jumped on his place.
'Huang Dewei.' He replied as he stood still in his place while looking down. He was staring at the ground it was the most important thing ever. He was even trying not to breathe too loudly, whereas Wang Lei took in his presence. He was a tall, handsome man with long black hair, sharp features, full lips, and a petite yet strong muscular build.
'Any connections in the palace?' Wang Lei asked as he was intensely looking at the man standing in front of him
'No, I came after passing the exam.' Huang Dewei quickly said in a strong tone, and Wang Lei could not help but smile. He liked his answer. He did not need someone from the palace; that's why he kept the exam and wanted an ordinary man because he cannot trust anyone from the palace. The job he needed to be done can only be done by someone who has no connection in the palace and someone he could trust.
Wang Lei stood up from his place as he approached Huang Dewei and stopped in front of him. Huang Dewei kept looking down anxiously as he could feel his presence so close to him. He could feel his warmth. Wang Lei looked towards for a few seconds, then moved his hand and pulled his face towards him from his chin.
Huang Dewei's eyes met with the most good-looking gorgeous man he ever saw in his life. His breath caught in his throat as he was staring towards Wang Lei. He was their emperor but ordinary people like Huang Dewei can never see him. Maybe they see his painting all over the country at important events but Huang Dewei with a guarantee can tell after seeing him in real life that those paintings did no justice to his beauty. Ordinary people like Huang Dewei got his order, and they follow his rules all their life without ever actually seeing the emperor. That was the first time he was looking at their emperor, and he was mesmerising. He always only heard about him, but he was a lot more charming in real life.
Huang Dewei thought as he took in his presence. Long black hair, sharp cold eyes, pink lips, long fingers, tall figure, and muscular chest. He was the definition of perfection, and Huang Dewei could not look away. Is that guy his competition? He going to lose this game.
'There is only one thing I need from you, Huang Dewei while working as my bodyguard. Do you know what that is?' Wang Lei asked with a serious and icy tone as Huang Dewei came back to his senses.
'P..protection...' Huang Dewei managed to whisper out the words and saw Wang Lei shake away his head in no.
'No, Trust. I need your trust and loyalty, Huang Dewei. Trust that you will do whatever I ask you to do, and loyalty that you will do without any question or curiosity, got it?' Wang Lei said in gentle tone, and Huang Dewei nodded his head yes whereas Wang Lei was still staring towards him and then he pulled him closer, and Huang Dewei was surprised. He felt his heart dropped in his stomach.
'And if you betrayed me, Huang Dewei, then trust me there is no one evil and wicked than me in this world. I will make your existence become non-existence. I will become the pain you can never heal from.' Wang Lei dangerously whispered as he threatens him on his first and Huang Dewei's eyes widened with shock because he was here to betray him. He can never be trusted and loyal towards Wang Lei.
'If you think you will betray me then leave now and never come back.' Wang Lei said as he gave him an open chance o walk away while he slowly let go of him and moved away, Huang Dewei was just shocked and dumbfounded as he stares at him. He can't back down now but now he was a little nervous to be fighting against Wang Lei.
'I am yours from today onwards, your Majesty. I will never betray or leave you.' Huang Dewei said with a strong voice to make himself sound truthful because he knew he was lying, but he did not care. All that mattered to him at this moment was Xin Yang
'You want to be mine?' Wang Lei asked amused, and Huang Dewei looked at him as he panicked.
'No, I meant...' Huang Dewei mumbled anxiously as he did not know what to say because he did not literally mean that. He meant this as subjective words to show his loyalty
'Don't panic. I know what you mean. Relax. You would not want to be mine because then there is no way out.' Wang Lei said as he walked back to his seat and Huang Dewei was taken aback by his words and seriousness.
'Well then, come to work tomorrow. Today look around the palace and settle yourself into your room at the Royal Guard quarter. You may leave now.' Wang Lei ordered in a cold, calm emotionless manner, and Huang Dewei nodded his head yes, then bowed down to him and walked out.