The Mad King's Heir

Li Jun looked at the floating screen where his grandpa was grinning like a fool and said, "You seem to be in a good mood. You would think the world is not burning."

Draco could hear something in his tone, but he didn’t care. He had seen that eager look in Lu Anu’s eyes. That shrew was eyeing his grandson and ready to marry her off to her stoic and boring son.

He wasn’t going to let that happen. He would rather introduce him to some handsome guys in Blue Sapphire. He would not make the same mistake he made with his daughter ever again.

"Of course, I am in a good mood. You are finally coming back home," he replied before taking a sip of his tea with a smug smile.

Damian, sitting a few feet from him, interjected, "He is happy because you aren’t going to be near Yu Wen. You have no fucking idea how panicked he was. The old man cou- ouch." The reason Damian stopped talking was because he was hit by his father’s slipper.

"Grandpa, you know he saved me, right?" Li Jun said defending Yu Wen. He knew his grandfather disliked him, so it made sense that Draco wouldn’t hide his true feelings. But unlike in the past, Li Jun couldn’t let his grandpa keep disparaging Yu Wen.

Draco snorted coldly and said, "You saved him, and he saved you. You are even. You should stay away from him. He will only bring you trouble... Plus, there are plenty of guys out there who are more than qualified. You have the pick of the litter."

Li Jun sighed. He wasn’t thinking about that. He wasn’t thinking of having a relationship with Yu Wen. Yes, the sex was great. There were no complaints in that department, but that was it. His grandpa was worried about nothing, but he also didn’t like being told who to date or not.

"Why are you focusing on me when I am still so young? What about Uncle Ian?" he said with a slight curl of his lips.

Damian’s eyes widened. This brat had thrown him under the bus just like that. He had betrayed him with no hesitation. He mouthed, "You brat." Li Jun stuck out his tongue at him, taunting him.

Damian turned to look at his father, and when he saw that Draco was looking at him with an inquisitive gaze, as though saying, "Well?"

"Dad, you know I am very busy," he said, and Li Jun laughed.

Draco sneered. Damian thought he was sneaky, but as a father, he knew exactly what he was up to. He was just asking for the sake of it, but he knew all his shenanigans. Damian’s eyes were a little shifty, like he was hiding something, but Draco didn’t expose him.

He said, "Anyway, war is coming to Aurelia. From what it looks like, it seems like Helion will be going all out."

Damian heaved a sigh of relief. He said, "That has nothing to do with us. Let them handle it. None of you is allowed to intervene." Both Li Jun and Damian nodded. Li Jun had always wanted to leave the troubles of Aurelia behind, and now that his wish had come true, why would he jeopardize that?

At night, he lay in his bed staring blankly at the token in his hand, the same token Yu Wen had given him. He was wondering if Yu Wen was awake yet. Whether he would ask about him or where he went. Would he come looking for him again? Realizing what he was thinking, he laughed at himself, thinking he was being ridiculous.

***

The memorial hall in the Imperial Palace was silent and tense. The attendants in the room stood afar, afraid to breathe loudly. Xiu Ying stood by the candles, lighting some incense in front of Li Mingze’s tablet. Thinking of everything that was crumbling around her, she tightened her grip, and with a snap, it cracked. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Instead of getting another one, she tightened her grip, and the splinters stabbed her flesh. She suddenly ordered, "Get out," through gritted teeth, but because her voice was low, they thought that they had heard her wrong, and they hesitated.

"Get the hell out!" She yelled and kicked the cushions on the floor. The attendants rushed out in fear. Plenty of them already had bruises that had recently healed. They didn’t want to be hurt again.

Xiu Ying’s lips twitched as she glared at that memorial tablet that seemed to be taunting him. She remembered the night that Li Mingze died. Died would be the wrong word. It was the night she murdered that madman in cold blood.

She was tired of waiting for him to kill himself. No matter how high the dose she administered was, he refused to kill himself and take that wretched son with him. The system had told her that this was the perfect plan.

Li Mingze killing himself after committing filicide. Everyone knew Li Mingze was a madman who treasured Li Jun so much. If he were to wake up from his violent episode and realize, in his madness, he had killed the most precious treasure he held dear to his heart, then he would end his life.

That was the plan, but after years and years of waiting, the worst thing Li Mingze ever did was hit Li Jun, and that was it. Running out of patience and thinking that Li Jun would be easy to take care of, she went over the system and poisoned him.

As he lay there dying, Li Mingze smiled grimly his eyes bloodshot and fierce. He had said to her, "You will never rule Aurelia. It was never yours, and it will never be yours."

Xiu Ying kicked him hard at the time and said, "Not only will it be mine and my daughter’s, but I will send that bitch’s son to be with you soon."

At the time, Li Mingze laughed manically while coughing up blood. "You are not going to kill my son. My son will kill you, and you will die the most horrific death hahahahaha." Xiu Ying kicked him repeatedly in rage. Even when he stopped moving, she didn’t stop. She kept kicking and kicking until she had no strength left.