The chamber of his father was as regal as it was supposed to be but sometimes he thought more as his eyes travelled around the room. Two vermillion columns carved with dragon gold patterns at the bottom and top rise to the high ceilings with red silk embroidered curtains lined across them in a zig zag pattern.
At the far end of the vast room as usual of his father and overstepping in the decorations of his room, sits raised dais with low rise steps behind. Upon it was his large canopy bed enclosed with curtains tied by the side giving a rare view of the pillows and beddings.
Li-Rong moved inside and took his eyes away from his bed to the floor in the middle where lay two pillows and a low wooden table holding scrolls and brushes with inks and a jug.
He rarely had any visitors here but insisted they bring in cushions of fine material all the way from Wei. He smirked. Everything here wasn't made in Wu but imported from other kingdoms, his father claimed they couldn't make it to his taste.
The ceramic vessels of fine China and large potted greenery holding a plant his father didn't care about were by the side close to the carved wooden windows. He glanced up and around to the lanterns hanging and sitting bathing the chamber with a warm amber lighting.
The place was both luxurious and comfortable, but the owner was anything but. He moved inside and sat down on one of the pillows to await his father.
For what felt like hours he waited until he sighed, deciding to find his father's eunuch to tell he would be leaving to return later but the voice of his father and steps coming into the room made him sit back down.
"Here you are. I thought you must have left or didn't come" His father's voice boomed behind him and he turned to answer him about how he was going to leave just now but the sight of the scantily clad woman on his arm made the words melt on his tongue and he stood up. His eyes, still on the woman.
He wouldn't dare.
His jaw flexed and his eyes wrinkled at the sides, but he swallowed them all and bowed his head "welcome your majesty"
"Hmm. I was just—"
"I've been here since. I think we should go straight to the point." He interrupted and his father who'd walked into the room, going straight to ring the bell to probably call someone hand seized in the air. He couldn't stay and watch such a travesty.
He was the emperor and has every right to do as he pleased but over his dead body would he watch him taint the memories of his mother and defile everything that was supposed to be or they had.
His father's eyes darkened and he dropped the bell back on the table, turning to the woman he didn't dare glance at. He waved his hand to the door, motioning for her to leave which she did by huffing and storming out.
A court lady? That was a low.
He groaned and his father's eyes struck back at him in full rage but he didn't cower or retreat. This was one thing his step-brothers were angry about.
He talked to their father however he wanted, he didn't bow or do whatsoever he wanted like a cow to the slaughterhouse. He acted on his own orders. On how it would benefit him and sometimes he's father although other times looked otherwise.
And now was that time, he'd disrespected him by interrupting him when someone was there and not even a member of the imperial family though she worked in the palace and knew things she was still an outsider.
His father was boiling over that but he couldn't do anything as smug as it sounded. He was his father's favourite and that'd earned him this position but there was more to it.
He was the Crown prince.
"You can't be stupid all the time and foolish. I don't know why I let you become what you're now"
His father hissed, a scowl on his face as he went to remove his outer robe and came back to him straight to his face to stand, glaring and pointing at him "stop acting smug and stupid, Li-Rong. I could have that title that has you flaunting around talking to me disrespectfully in front of people stripped in any minute. I fixed you there. Always know that" he said and sidestepped him to sit on the cushion.
Seems it had good perks too(the cushion), he smirked as his father sat on it and he sat back down on the pillow "Don't think you know everything. I could have you replaced any time. Remember you are replaceable" he continued.
"Just like Mother?" He countered which had his father leaping out of his chair and into his face, his voice loud and hard barking at him.
"Don't. You. Dare!"
Oh he will
He sneered at the display of him irked about him bringing up his mother like it was a joke. Which it was. If he had acted this way when she was alive, it would have gone far in her survival. His eyes glinted with madness and excitement over getting a rise out of his father.
The emperor.
Oh high and mighty has fallen and has no way back or direction and decided to free fall. That was his father. He lived for one thing now and that was destruction.
"I will do it. Don't push me Li-Rong. I won't care about the consequences" he added as Li-Rong leaned back to peer up at him. He wasn't intimidated by that demeanor his father was posing or frightened about his position, with him looking up to his father.
He was scared of what his father could do to her and how far his power could reach to save her which was nowhere.
"You choosed me for a reason and as sad as it sounds am fit for it. I never begged you for this sickening position. Remember you have other sons Father. You have them begging for it at your feet and I never did. I never came anywhere near your palace. Always remember that too" he gritted out.
He wasn't the first son and glad he wasn't but he was the crown prince. Which was the highest punishment his father decided to give him after he talked to him about his plans.
He thought he was speaking to a good man and father that would support his little ambitions but now he decided to give him his worst nightmare. Not that he couldn't reject it. He wanted to because what was one more rebellion?
Li-Rong stood up, his eyes almost welled up with tears but he tightened his jaw instead. He didn't want this life. He never wanted it yet he could do nothing. His father had the highest thing he wanted on a rope above him. One move out of line, she was going down to her end.
He blinked them back, harrumphing as he backed away. His father came close to him to touch his arm but he flinched away.
"Don't touch me" he hissed. His father's face morphed into a tight frown as he averted his gaze.
"When the time comes you'll understand all that I am doing for you. You will" with that Li-Rong's eyes followed him as he went into his inner chambers. Another room inside this same room as he heard. No one has ever stepped in there, only the maids who cleaned it up but they were all tight lipped about it; however , he didn't care.