The Way of the Empress

“His Royal Highness is awake. I’m afraid this marriage of yours is about to change…” Grandpa Zhuo called Zhuo Yang to the study with a solemn expression, speaking very anxiously.

This time, because the crown prince was in a coma due to illness, Queen Catherine wanted to give the crown prince some joy, and brought up the marriage contract with the Zhuo family.

But the crown prince was in a coma and knew nothing about it.

Now that he’s awake, with the crown prince’s temperament and awareness of his own physical condition, it is impossible for him to willingly marry an innocent guide, and delay someone else’s life…

But this is precisely what Queen Catherine and the Zhuo family members did not want to see.1

Zhuo Yang furrowed his brows, a bit flustered by the sudden news. “Grandfather, this…?”

If the marriage changed, he didn’t know what to do.

“We can’t let him change it. The marriage contract between our Zhuo family and the royal family was made by your great-grandfather and Osred the Great. It has been delayed many years because our Zhuo family is worse than before. When you and Zhuo Yu were born, His Majesty Winston remembered and brought it up… Now, the engagement of your and His Royal Highness has already been announced.” The old Mr. Zhuo explained anxiously: “If, if the marriage contract is dismissed, I’m afraid that the marriage contract made by our ancestors and the royal family will be annulled like this.”

“You can’t let him annul. Absolutely cannot let him annul.” The old Mr. Zhuo was a little flustered.

This was the Zhuo family’s last chance to climb up the in-law ladder with the royal family. A chance for the family to revitalize. Not to mention paying his most valued guide grandson, even two or three were okay, as long as it means the marriage contract will not be annulled.

Zhuo Yang has been with Mr. Zhuo for many years. He understands his mind and thoughts the best. “Grandfather, what should we do about the situation?”2

“There is only one way now.” Mr. Zhuo fixed his gaze on Zhuo Yang, his eyes estimating the cost. “The prince wants to see you. Go clean up a bit, and no matter what method you use, you must keep this marriage and marry the crown prince. This is our Zhuo family’s last chance.”

He hinted with his eyes that Zhuo Yang could even seduce and dedicate himself to the crown prince.

Zhuo Yang is the best-looking among the Zhuo family’s children, and he is also a guide. He doesn’t believe that any sentinel can resist Zhuo Yang’s charm.

Even if the crown prince is now a sentinel with his mental strength wasted.

He is also still a man…

Zhuo Yang was taken aback. Despite his disgust of Mr. Zhuo’s words and insinuations, he still replied cleverly: “…I understand, grandfather.”

“Zhuo Yang. You are the last hope of our Zhuo family. Grandfather still has some private property here. If you succeed in keeping the marriage contract between our Zhuo family and the royal family, grandfather will give you all of these things. Even if something happens to the crown prince in the future, the Zhuo family will definitely provide you a lifetime of wealth and comfort.” Old man Zhuo also knew that forcing Zhuo Yang, an unmarried guide, to do this was too embarrassing. But he was already out of options and could only rely on Zhuo Yang’s hand to succeed.

Zhuo Yang cursed in his heart: A lifetime of wealth and comfort, you paralyzed old man.

But on the face, he still responded obediently: “The grandson understands, and the grandson will do his best to keep this marriage contract for the Zhuo family.”

“Okay, good boy.” Grandfather Zhuo patted Zhuo Yang’s hand as if all hopes were pinned on this guide grandson of his.

At this moment, there was an urgent call from the prince’s mansion outside the door: “Is Master Zhuo Yang ready? Your Royal Highness has a request.”

“Okay, okay.  that’s it.”

—–

Fifteen minutes later, the spacecraft carrying Yang Zhuo docked at the gate of the crown prince’s official residence.

The captain of the crown prince’s guard team saluted Zhuo Yang. “Master Zhuo Yang, please.”

“Thank you.” Zhuo Yang walked off the spaceship slowly and politely nodded at the guard team leader. The moment he left the spaceship, aside from some well-trained soldiers, the entire group waiting at the gate felt that there were flowers blooming in front of them.

They couldn’t believe it as they looked at Zhuo Yang, thinking in unison if there really could be such a good-looking person in this world?!

In the crown prince’s heyday, their mansion also received many famous guide beauties from Emperor Star. They were all beautiful, but none of them could match the one ten thousandth of the young master Zhuo Yang in front of them.

Even the two words he uttered in his light and clear tone… even his voice made people feel like a natural sound.

From head to toe, there was no visible imperfection. Even the non-female servants present felt their hearts move, involuntarily giving birth to a feeling of wanting to care for the other, and fear that even speaking louder will make such a delicate beauty shocked.

If so, if their crown prince was still at the peak of the year, it would match the young master Zhuo Yang…

Everyone in the prince’s mansion, who were known for being stern and picky, unanimously agreed that if the young master Zhuo Yang would definitely be a worthy crown princess for their prince.

It’s just a pity that their crown prince was now…

“Master Zhuo Yang please come with me. The crown prince is waiting for you in the study.” The butler sighed secretly in his heart, and quickly recovered from the awe-inspiring beauty., motioning and leading the Zhuo Yang’s way forward.

On the way here, Zhuo Yang was very determined, but now he suddenly began to feel a little nervous. He politely smiled at the butler: “Thank you!”

The butler felt his heart skip another beat. This young master of the Zhuo family is really, really good-looking…

Zhuo Yang followed the butler generously through the doors one after another in the crown prince’s mansion. Finally, he was taken to a solemn study in an European style room.

A bead curtain hung in the study, and behind the desk behind the bead curtain, sat a tall, stalwart figure.

Although he couldn’t see the other party clearly, and the other party couldn’t see himself clearly, Zhuo Yang knew that the man was Crown Prince Moodys.

Nine years ago, he scared and made several little guides who accidentally ran into him cry because of his overly ugly face. Out of courtesy, the crown prince now hung a curtain of beads to prevent outsiders from seeing his overly ugly face.

“Hello, respective Royal Prince of the Empire.” Zhuo Yang looked at the bead curtain hanging between himself and the crown prince, causing them to be unable to see each other’s faces. He secretly smiled in his heart as Mr. Zhuo’s abacus utterly failed this time. Taking the lead to open his mouth, showing courtesy was the first step in greeting the prince.

A low, dark voice came from behind the bead curtain: “Are you Zhuo Yang?”

“Yes, I am Zhuo Yang.” Zhuo Yang retracted his gaze.

Although he couldn’t see the crown prince’s face, he vaguely remembered that the other party had a pair of blue eyes, as blue as the sky, and a head of bright blond hair, which seemed to be able to pour out sunlight…

Plus… a pair of extraordinarily generous, warm palms that Zhuo Yang did not want to let go of…

“Sit down.” The crown prince’s voice revealed deep tiredness and weakness. People can feel his current physical condition is very bad simply from listening to it.

Zhuo Yang sat on the sofa in the study obediently: “Yes, Your Highness.”

“Ahem, I think, you should already know the purpose of my calling you here.” The crown prince coughed weakly and dryly. His tone was unexpectedly mild.

Zhuo Yang responded clearly: “Yes, Your Highness, I know.”

“In that case, I will keep a long story short. This marriage was set for me by my mother while I was in a coma. Originally, with my bodily condition as such, I was unwilling to marry and delay others. And your family forced you to go up and be the object of my marriage contract…” The crown prince coughed again. “Ahem, I think we should be in agreement about this ridiculously imposed marriage contract, and are unwilling to fulfill it.”

“I don’t want to get married, and you shouldn’t want to. In that case, why don’t we let the marriage contract be annulled?” He coughed hoarsely.

The maid standing behind him constantly patted him on the back…

“No, Your Highness. I am here today to ask you to marry me.” Zhuo Yang looked at the other party and became uncomfortable. Frowning, he wanted to stand up and walk to the other side, but considering the issue of etiquette and the people on the other side taking care of him, he suppressed himself and spoke one word at a time.

The crown prince had already inquired clearly about the private details of his marriage partner’s home, and replied: “If you are worried about facing the pressure of your family, don’t worry about it. I can handle it properly for you and not let anyone blame you.”

Although he has become like this now, he can still do this little thing…

“No, Your Highness, you can’t help me. If you want to help me, you can only marry me.” Zhuo Yang rejected the prince’s proposal.

The person behind the bead curtain frowned in confusion.

A smile appeared on Zhuo Yang’s lips, and he asked again: “His Royal Highness, do you remember me?”

“You?” It seems the crown prince really had no impression.

Zhuo Yang was not surprised that the other party did not remember him. After all, he was just a passing visitor to the other party.

“Eleven years ago, the Zhuo family held a banquet. You arrived, and accidentally destroyed the plan I had to frame my stepmother and make her make a fool of yourself. You helped me keep that secret, and blocked the entrance to my school for a week, asking me why I didn’t learn well at a young age, but instead learned intrigue and secretly framed people.” Zhuo Yang helped him recall, “I answered you, ‘The Zhuo family is a place where the strong prey on the weak. I don’t harm people, but others will come to harm me.‘ Do you remember?”

Moodys finally remembered something with his reminder: “…It’s you.”

That year, he was invited to and attended the Zhuo family banquet. Seeing an extremely beautiful boy in Zhuo’s family, he couldn’t help but glance more and pay more attention. Unexpectedly, he destroyed the plot that beautiful child had to frame his stepmother. The eight-year-old boy did not expect it would be smashed by someone, and could not help but look at him in horror…

Back then, Moodys considered his young age and because it would only embarrass his stepmother without serious consequences, he did not reveal the incident on the spot.

Rather, afterwards, he went to the gate of this child’s school and blocked the child for a week…

He wanted to correct the bad and evil wickedness of this child to be a normal and well-behaved child, but the overly beautiful boy answered like this.

Moodys had a deep impression on this matter.

“It’s me, Your Highness.” Zhuo Yang was very happy that Moodys remembered him.