Bai Mengxiang woke up, sleepiness still within his eyes as he peered at Xu Yongheng, who was still standing with no movement. Then, it changed into confusion.

"Yongheng, what are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to consummate your marriage with Yu Zhuang?" Bai Mengxiang asked as Xu Yongheng walked towards him and laid down on the bed. At this point, Bai Mengxiang was no longer sleepy but was wide awake, and was looking towards Xu Yongheng's eyes. He didn't show any sort of emotion while saying it, his eyes still remaining like normal and his expression was the same as always, kind and gentle.

"I didn't want to, I would never be willing to do something like that again after what I had done to you. Mengxiang, I know that even though you don't say it, it still would hurt you if I did do that with him, not just him but with anyone else. The day that I found out you were pregnant, I had already promised to never touch another person in my life except for you. You alone are enough for me, so even if that prince gets angry at me, he can do nothing anyways." Xu Yongheng said, his eyes looking only at Bai Mengxiang, who, although looked normal, Xu Yongheng didn't believe it. Then he pulled him into his arms, gently kissing his head.

"But, what if other people find out about this, wouldn't this ruin his reputation?" Bai Mengxiang asked again, biting his lips at the end of his sentence, hiding his emotions behind a mask in his eyes.

"Mengxiang, you are too kind. Someone like that prince, he is not someone who will peacefully live his life. He is someone who will want more and more, and he will do anything to get rid of the obstacles in his path, even resorting to pushing other people down. In his nation, he might have been treated well, living a life spoiled and getting whatever he wanted but in Xu Nation, things are different."

"No matter if he is a prince, his rank is only a consort. There is still you, and other people above him, that is why he will be trying to take you down. He will do anything to get my love, but I won't fall for it, never again. I left his chambers, and I will never step foot in there again even till my last breath. He needs to be taught a lesson that if he decides to do anything against you, I will never let him get away with it. You don't have to worry, Mengxiang. I can promise you that my heart belongs to only you and it will always be yours." Xu Yongheng held Bai Mengxiang tightly within his arms, his voice smooth and calming, gently like a soft breeze brushing past someone's face.

"I know, Yongheng. You don't need to worry, I understand. Thank you for everything," Bai Mengxiang replied in return, and he could feel Xu Yongheng smile, and he hid his own smile, though the feelings behind it were much different compared to Xu Yongheng's.

"Now go to sleep. Tomorrow, there will be a gathering in the harem for the arrival of a new consort. If anyone tries anything against you, you must tell me." Xu Yongheng could hear Bai Mengxiang's breathing loud and clear, his heart racing as he held Bai Mengxiang in his arms. This person, why did he leave him before, was he just crazy then?

~moments beforehand~

Xu Yongheng stood in front of the doors, unwilling to step in. Taking a deep breathe, he finally went in.

Sitting on the bed was Yu Zhuang, dressed in his red clothing, a veil covering his face. Behind the veil, he had a smile on, already anticipating what was to come.

Xu Yongheng walked towards Yu Zhuang, his footsteps slow and heavy, each step feeling like a dagger to his heart. 

A maid had followed after Xu Yongheng, carrying a tray with two cups of wine. The maid quickly set the tray in a table before walking out, and closing the doors, now standing beside it.

As soon as the maid had walked out, Xu Yongheng froze, unwilling to take another step closer to Yu Zhuang. Instead, he began to speak, his expression changing as his eyes glinted.

"Prince Yu Zhuang, We will not consummate this marriage with you. We think you should know well already that We only have one person in Our heart. That person, We love with everything and We will never touch another person even if it is going against the norms. That person who is carrying Our child is everything to Us, and no one will be able to replace him. We have promised to him that We will never touch another person, and We will stand by Our words." Just like that, Xu Yongheng walked out again, the door closing with a heavy bang.

Yu Zhuang was smiling, smiling with happiness, his eyes filled joy until Xu Yongheng began to speak. Right away, under the veil that covered his face, his face turned into an ugly sight filled with hatred and jealousy. So it was like that? That person, that person who he had saw at the banquet, the one who was carrying the child of the man he loved, that person, he had took away his man. The man who should be his had rejected him, unwilling to consummate their marriage, unwilling to even touch him and going as far as to tell him these words on the day that should've been his most happy moment in his life.

 Bai Mengxiang. The name of that wretched person. The man who was praised throughout the Xu Nation for his beauty, his unrivaled zither skills, and his kindness. Yu Zhuang wanted so much to kill that person for taking away the man he loved. The man who should be his, who should've fell in love with him at first glance.

Outside the door, the maids began talking.

"His Majesty walked out without even consummating, just what did that prince do?"

"Don't you know, the only person His Majesty loves is Imperial Noble Consort Bai, His Majesty's childhood sweetheart. Imperial Noble Consort Bai is a beauty praised by everyone, he is gentle and his kindness is well known, not to mention, his zither skills can make even the greatest being bow down in front of him. Only someone like that is befitting to be the one His Majesty loves."

"Right, I saw Imperial Noble Consort Bai at the banquet, and he was just so beautiful. His smile was filled with gentleness, every move he made was filled with grace. And most of all, he was standing by His Majesty's side with a pregnant belly."

Yu Zhuang heard those words from within the chamber and he clenched his fist, his nail drawing blood from his pale skin. Bai Mengxiang, he was going to make sure that his life was a living death.

No one had ever took something away from him and get away with it without suffering the consequences. Everything Yu Zhuang wanted, he would get and he would stop at nothing to get it. In his life, he was raised like this, with one word, he could destroy a family. With one glance, he could take whatever it was he wanted. Never in his life had he been subjected to this type of humiliation, all because of a lowly person who couldn't even reach him in a million years.

Yu Zhuang gritted his teeth, turning angrier with every passing second. 

He was a prince, a figure untouchable in his home. He was the diamond, the priceless jade that everyone wanted but couldn't get. He had always gotten whatever it was he wanted, and that wouldn't stop now. It was just one measly person, someone who doesn't deserve his position. The position that should've rightfully been Yu Zhuang's. He should've been the one that the emperor loved.

He tried to calm himself, to restrain himself from going crazy.

It was just one person, someone who he could get rid of easier than snapping his hands. There was no need for him to worry. After all, the emperor's heart is fickle. If Yu Zhuang could just snatch a moment to gain the emperor's attention, he would be able to hook and reel him in. Then, Yu Zhuang would destroy that other man and make sure he died a death worse than death itself.

One side of his lips pulled up, turning unto an evil smirk. Yes, all he needed was a plan and he would take away the emperor and make him fall for Yu Zhuang. After all, everything he wanted, he would always get. 

It had always been like that, and it will always be like that.

"Consort Shi, His Majesty had not consummate the marriage with the new consort." A maid bowed down, informing her master, afraid to look into his eyes.

"Is that so? Of course, it took me a while to gain his favor too, and look at me now. I climbed ranks and ranks, successfully gaining his favor, but in the end, I was still dethroned by that person. That person who has a higher rank than me, a better background than me, most of all, he is carrying His Majesty's child. That person stole everything from me, even in the past life he had took everything away from me. But that's fine, a new consort has come. From what I know, he is infatuated with His Majesty. If I can reel him in, I will be able to use him to the fullest I can. Then, I can just continue my way up and climb the ranks then take away the Empress's seat." 

Shilian held a copper hairpin in between his fingers. As he spoke, his eyes were glazed with a heavy hatred, speaking from his mind and his heart, and most of all, his memories from the past life. He was given a chance to go and fix everything and right when he thought it had been changed, it reverted back to the old route. Bai Mengxiang had stolen Xu Yongheng away from him once again. 

He smirked, the brittle hairpin snapping away at his strength. He was going to destroy Bai Mengxiang's happy ending even if it costed him his own life. He was never going to let him live a life peacefully after everything they had done to him in his past life.