The Mad King's Heir

Well, that’s what she thought. That’s what she truly believed. No matter what, Red Valkyrie would always have her back. But this delusion of hers burst immediately. Yu Wen said, "The people of Aurelia will always be my top priority. Even on my deathbed, I will keep fighting for them to the very end."

Xiu Ying’s lips twitched slightly, but she remained composed. Her expression and tone serious, she said, "I am glad that the people can still rely on you. Let me know when you intend to go to the frontlines."

Yu Wen said, "Yes, Your Majesty. Is there anything else?" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Yes, about Li Jun," she said before falling silent. She was scrutinizing his expression to see if there was any reaction, but Yu Wen didn’t react at all. His eyes remained just as cold as before as he ate the sour candy. He didn’t even respect her enough to eat after the call.

"What about him?" he asked.

She put on a grieving expression, seeming so sad and pitiful before saying, "What happened to him was heartbreaking. I just wish I had been more diligent with security. I should have known someone who harbored evil intentions would slip past security."

Yu Wen asked, "Then why didn’t you let me interrogate him at the time. I wanted to know who sent him or who helped him otherwise, the security of the imperial palace would always be at risk of being infiltrated."

He now knew, of course, that Li Jun orchestrated all of this, but the hatred that man had was real, and the person who helped him smuggle that powerful plasma gun into the palace was real. The man’s death also had nothing to do with Li Jun.

Xiu Ying had been thinking the same thing before she found out that Li Jun wasn’t dead. The way the man died right under her nose made her turn the imperial prison upside down, but she had no answers.

Now that she knew Li Jun was alive, she was starting to think that it was all Li Jun’s doing. If only she knew that her darling daughter had participated in this, she would die from anger.

Lu Anu suddenly walked in and said, "It’s time to take your medication."

Xiu Ying, hearing her voice, was about to say something, but Yu Wen interrupted her. He didn’t want her to speak to his mother. He said, "If that is all, Your Majesty, I have matters to attend to."

She restrained her anger and said, "There is nothing else." After that, she ended the call. She clenched her jaw tightly, trying to restrain her anger.

Li Yu knew her mother was going to speak to Yu Wen, so she had brought her some tea as an excuse to hear his voice. Xiu Ying knew what she was here for, but she didn’t chase her away. If this could calm her daughter and stop her from doing something stupid, then she would let her feed her obsession as much as she could.

Li Yu poured out some tea and handed the steaming cup to her mother. She smiled and asked, "How is he? Is he better?"

Xiu Ying took the cup and replied, "He is getting better. He will be back on his feet in a week." She took a sip but almost choked when Li Yu asked,

"Since he is going to the frontline, can I go there too?"

Xiu Ying threw the cup to the ground, and it smashed into pieces. Frightened, Li Yu cowered. She didn’t think her mother would react this strongly. She just wanted to see Yu Wen, that was all. Did she have to react this way?

Her mother yelled, "Yu-er, don’t test my patience. You want to go to the frontline and risk your life for a man who is obsessed with another man."

Li Yu forgot to be afraid. She retorted and said, "He is dead! Li Jun is already dead, and if I don’t brush up my presence, he will forget about me, about-"

Before she could finish her passionate speech, she was slapped hard across the face. Xiu Ying was breathing heavily as she glared at her daughter. She couldn’t fathom why the hell her daughter refused to see anyone else other than Yu Wen. Her obsession, no matter which possibility the system showed her, was always constant, like Yu Wen had poisoned her soul. It was troubling.

Li Yu held her throbbing cheek and got up. She bowed before her mother, and without saying anything else, she walked away. Xiu Ying yelled, "Stop, did I say you can leave?"

Normally, when her mother said this, she would do as told and cower like a frightened bunny. But this time she only stopped for a second before walking out. Xiu Ying’s pupils trembled as her fists clenched till her knuckles paled.

She called out for an attendant. A young woman rushed in and bowed before her, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty," with a tremor in her voice.

"The imperial princess is not to leave the imperial palace until I say so, do you understand?" Xiu Ying commanded, and the attendant shakily accepted the order.

***

While Li Yu was being grounded by her mother, Lu Anu was cooking up another plan. She brought one of the young women whom in the past she had considered to be the perfect candidate for her son.

She was her goddaughter, Maki. She joined Red Valkyrie as an engineer from the day she graduated. She, like many others, liked Yu Wen. Who wouldn’t? But Yu Wen was so cold like an iceberg at the northern poles. No one could get close to him.

She had long realized he would never be interested in her, but when Lu Anu asked her for help, she jumped at the opportunity. When they entered the medical bay, Yu Wen’s brow creased. This couldn’t be good.

When his mother kept insisting that he should get married, she had brought Maki up, but he explicitly refused. Now that she knew that he liked Li Jun, why would she bring her back into the picture?

Lu Anu said, "Don’t give me that face. I am trying to help you."

Yu Wen, "..."