"Alf," Li Jie's body throbbed with exhaustion, his every muscle aching with a heaviness that mirrored his heart. Nothing about the previous night felt pleasurable or consensual to him. "I slept with someone."
Alfred paused, his gaze locked on Li Jie's troubled expression. The air grew thick with unspoken questions, with the weight of understanding hanging in the silence between them.
"The emperor ordered me to do so," Li Jie sighed, the weight of his duty pressing down upon him like an iron shackle.
They sat in the dimly lit room of the old tavern, a place that had become a sanctuary for the Orphic Order, their haven away from the suffocating walls of the palace.
After enduring two dates with different concubines and one night of unimaginable torment, the emperor finally granted Li Jie a day of respite from his duties.
But the memory of the emperor's smile, the pat on his shoulder, sent shivers down Li Jie's spine, an unshakeable feeling of disgust seeping into his very core.
"Was it... consensual?" Alfred's voice quivered with uncertainty, his words heavy with unspoken concern and empathy.
"He thought it was," Li Jie replied, his gaze drifting toward the window as if seeking solace beyond its glass pane. Then, he turned to face Alfred, his eyes clouded with a feeling of sorrow that threatened to drown him. "I can't even complain."
Alfred's heart ached for his friend, for the weight that Li Jie carried upon his slender shoulders.
The words struggled to find their way out of Alfred's mouth, stumbling over one another in an attempt to offer solace and understanding.
"But... Li Jie... That's not..." Alfred's voice trailed off, his heart breaking for the prince who seemed to carry the weight of the world upon his shoulders.
"You're allowed to feel sad," Alfred finally managed to utter, his voice laced with tenderness and unwavering support.
"I do feel sad," Li Jie chuckled hollowly, his laughter devoid of any true joy. "I feel like I'm suffocating, but I just don't know how to show it."
Alfred's eyes filled with an unspoken understanding as he observed Li Jie, his once vibrant and spirited friend now reduced to a shell of his former self.
Alfred reached out and gently grasped Li Jie's hand, offering what little comfort he could at that moment.
"I've gathered the information you wanted," Alfred said, his voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination. Completing the task assigned to him by Li Jie was the only way he knew to offer support. "About the harem and the nobles."
"Let's talk about the harem first," Li Jie said.
Alfred's grip on Li Jie's hand tightened ever so slightly. "The emperor promised the night routines to the harem members. It's one of the ways that we assume he managed to gain the support of certain officials and countries."
"Promised?" Li Jie scoffed bitterly, his eyes brimming with disillusionment. "He truly has no shame. So, the emperor begged for the harem members' support, huh?"
Alfred cleared his throat, a lump forming in his throat as he continued, his voice laden with a mix of apprehension and determination.
"Not necessarily. The position of the empress holds great weight, and most harem members come from esteemed families. They value their reputation, something that a mere concubine lacks, despite their potential strength."
Alfred paused, his eyes locking with Li Jie's, the weight of the truth hanging heavily between them.
"These are only my assumptions, but I strongly suspect that each harem member was promised more than just the chance to vie for the power of the empress. Otherwise, why would noble families agree to send their firstborns?"
Li Jie's gaze hardened, his brows furrowing as he absorbed Alfred's words.
The harem held more significance than he had initially believed. It was not merely a distraction for the emperor; it was a carefully calculated move to secure the loyalty of influential families and maintain the facade of power.
"And what about the second task?" Li Jie inquired; his voice laced with a renewed sense of purpose. Hope flickered in his eyes, tempered by the lingering pain that gnawed at his heart.
Alfred's lips curved into a small smile; the weight of Li Jie's sadness mirrored in his own eyes. "Many noble families whose sons aren't part of the harem have shown interest in the rebellion. But what's more intriguing is the silence from the noble families whose sons are in the harem. They remain conspicuously quiet, both in court and with their opinions."
Li Jie's smile grew, a mix of determination and anticipation dancing upon his lips. "Excellent," he breathed, his voice tinged with excitement. "We'll expedite our main rebellion plan. Let chaos engulf the empire and divert attention away from the harem."
The pain he felt continued to claw at his heart, but Li Jie had mastered the art of burying his emotions, of locking away his sorrow for the sake of his duty.
As the crown prince in the midst of turmoil, he had no luxury to wallow in sadness.
"Send a ten-minute notice to all the Orphic members in the vicinity," Li Jie commanded, his smile widening, a glimmer of something almost giddy shining in his eyes. "Gather them swiftly. Today, we take the final step in our rebellion!"
As the members of the Orphic Order began to gather, Li Jie's smile held a haunting quality, a mixture of anticipation and sorrow.
The weight of their impending rebellion settled upon him, reminding him of the sacrifices that would be made and the lives that would be forever changed.
Yet, despite the heaviness that clung to his every step, Li Jie couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement igniting within him.
He stood before the assembled group, his gaze sweeping over each face, each person who had chosen to stand by his side in this audacious endeavor.
Their unwavering loyalty and shared sense of purpose offered a glimmer of solace amidst the darkness that consumed his heart.
"My comrades," Li Jie's voice carried a mix of determination and vulnerability, resonating through the room. "Today marks the culmination of our rebellion, the final step toward reclaiming our freedom and restoring justice to this realm."
A collective hush fell over the gathering, eyes locked onto Li Jie, their prince, their beacon of hope. At that moment, the air crackled with both trepidation and quiet resolve.
"We have endured hardships, witnessed injustices, and felt the heavy chains of oppression," Li Jie continued, his voice thick with emotion. "But no longer shall we be silenced. No longer shall we bow to the whims of a tyrant."
A wave of determination surged through the room, the Orphic members standing taller, their eyes shining with a fierce resolve. They had fought alongside Li Jie, seen the fire that burned within him, and now they were ready to unleash that passion upon the world.
"Our rebellion begins now," Li Jie's voice resonated with a mixture of anticipation and sorrow, as though he was acutely aware of the losses that lay ahead. "We must be prepared to sacrifice, to face the unknown, and to stand united against the forces that seek to oppress us."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, lingering on the faces of his comrades, his chosen family.
Each person bore their own burdens, their own scars, yet they had chosen to walk this path together, bound by a shared vision of a better future.
"I ask you to remember why we fight," Li Jie's voice wavered with a raw intensity. "For the countless lives shackled by the emperor's rule. For the injustices that have plagued our land. For the love we hold in our hearts, the freedom we yearn for, and the legacy we wish to leave behind."
Tears welled in Li Jie's eyes, a silent testament to the weight he carried, the pain that gnawed at his very core.
He knew that their rebellion would come at a great cost, that lives would be forever altered, and that the road ahead would be treacherous.
But at that moment, hope burned brighter than ever before.
"Today," Li Jie's voice trembled with both vulnerability and determination, "we embark on a journey that will test our strength, our resilience, and our unity. But I believe in each and every one of you. Together, we shall create a future that shines with the brilliance of justice and freedom."
A resounding cheer erupted from the gathered Orphic members, their voices intertwining in a chorus of unwavering support.
Li Jie's heart swelled with a mixture of emotions—sadness, anticipation, and a flicker of happiness.
The path ahead would be arduous, the challenges daunting, but they would face them together, fueled by the hope that their rebellion would pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.
As Li Jie's gaze swept over the faces before him, his eyes met Alfred's, a silent exchange that conveyed more than words ever could. In that fleeting moment, they shared a bond of unspoken understanding and a commitment to carry the weight of their shared destiny.
The time for action had arrived.
With hearts alight and souls intertwined, the Orphic Order would take its final step, weaving their rebellion into the tapestry of history.
The empire would tremble, but Li Jie's spirit burned with an unyielding resolve—the flame of change that would illuminate the darkness and forge a path toward liberation.
