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Shang Qinghua was going to die, there was no doubt about it.
He had pissed off his King for the last time.
It had all started with a fight following his precious son’s wedding to his bestie. They were drinking in the banquet hall when he asked Mobei-jun when he was going to settle down.
It fucking hurt to ask him that question. He had been in love with his King for years at this point, and he had been dreading the day he finally took a Queen.
But with Luo Binghe settling down, he was sure that Mobei-jun would start getting offers left and right.
“Do you want that?” Mobei-jun asked after a prolonged bout of silence. At first the question baffled Shang Qinghua. What did his opinion matter? Something about his frown had a nervous laugh leaving Shang Qinghua.
“S-sure! Gotta continue your line and all that.” He said with an awkward laugh. Mobei-jun’s frown became a glare.
“Is that the only reason we should get married?” He asked. Shang Qinghua winced.
He definitely had no plans on settling down himself. The only one he wanted would never want him back. But he found it sad that his King didn’t even see the value in having a life partner for anything but procreation.
Everyone deserved a little romance in their life, right?
“Well, I mean, I didn’t take you as a romance kind of guy, my King. But I’m sure you can have anyone you want. So long as you treat them well, I’m sure anyone could fall for you.” He said, meaning that a little too literally.
“I doubt it.” With that, Mobei-jun rose to his feet and stormed out of the banquet hall. Shang Qinghua frowned after him. Usually he could figure out why his King’s brooding mode had been activated, but this time he was stumped.
The very next day, Shang Qinghua was ordered to send out marriage requests to all of the major households in the Northern Kingdom.
If his writing suffered as he wrote out the requests, it was no one’s business but his own.
A week later, Mobei-jun gave him a list of criteria and he was to personally interview the potential spouses.
His King’s requirements surprised him, to some degree. Intelligent, easy to laugh, loves to read and write, and very insightful. Surely these traits weren’t something he could just pull out in an interview. These were things that you learned about people over time…
But then again, it wasn’t really his place to question his King’s tastes.
Shang Qinghua spent that week in agony as pretty lords and ladies all competed for his King’s affections. In fact, a couple even requested dinner with Mobei-jun. He of course turned all of them down, but hot damn, the audacity of these rich people.
And then finally, a tiny little lord from an upper family must have caught his King’s eye. Mobei-jun had stepped into that interview and took it over from him.
Shang Qinghua nervously paced in his office until his King arrived.
“I have invited him here for the weekend. Make sure that the guest wing is set up properly.” Mobei-jun had commanded next. Shang Qinghua nodded, cracking some joke despite the fact that on the inside his heart was breaking.
So now he stood outside of the palace, trying his best not to cry as the lord arrived with his entourage.
He was a pretty thing, Shang Qinghua mused as he watched the man greet his King with a bow. Petite with light hair and very energic eyes. He laughed easily, and was able to hold an intelligent conversation with his King.
He seemed to really check every one of Mobei-jun’s boxes, much to Shang Qinghua’s dismay. But he had a job to do, so he braced himself for a long weekend.
His resolve only lasted until dinner. After the little lord touched his King’s hand, and Mobei-jun didn’t protest, Shang Qinghua couldn’t take it anymore. He quickly excused himself and fled the palace.
He hid out on An Ding Peak for two days before Shen Qingqiu found him.
“Wow. Married life really does it for you, huh?” He tried to tease his best friend.
And he meant it too. Shen Qingqiu was absolutely glowing. The new Empress rolled his eyes, swatting the top of Shang Qinghua’s head with his fan.
“Is there a reason you are being a dumbass?” He asked, sitting down at the nearby table.
“What did I do this time?” He asked, jerking away from him. Shen Qingqiu pinned him with his most judgmental look. When he didn’t immediately crumble, he let out an annoyed sigh.
“You are in love with Mobei-jun. So fight for him you idiot.” Shang Qinghua winced at that, and he looked down at his hands.
“Why fight a battle you’ve already lost?” He muttered. There was a pause, and then Shen Qingqiu slid over, taking one of his hands. When his tears began to fall, his friend stayed silent and just sat there with him, letting him cope with this pain in his own way.
Shen Qingqiu left after a couple of hours, making Shang Qinghua promise to reach out if he couldn’t handle this alone again. He was about to start a bath when there was a knock on the door. He sighed, shaking his head.
“What now?” He grumbled.
--
Shang Qinghua screamed and slammed his door shut when he found his King waiting on the other side. Of course he would appear after he had been ugly sobbing for the last two hours. He was in no shape to see him, that was for sure.
“I’m, I’m a little busy, my King.” He tried to say.
“I will break this door, Qinghua.” Mobei-jun said. He squeaked, quickly pulling back from the door.
His King entered in all of his majestic glory. When he opened his mouth to say something, Shang Qinghua quickly walked into the kitchen to begin preparing tea.
He wasn’t ready to face him quite yet.
“So is Lord Gong your chosen spouse?” He managed to ask. He was proud that his voice only shook a little.
“No.” Mobei-jun said. Shang Qinghua jumped when his hands settled on his hips. “Qinghua. Look at me.” His King ordered. He reluctantly turned, feeling ashamed as tears streamed down his cheeks. He didn’t even realize he was crying again, god damnit. “Don’t be afraid.” Mobei-jun murmured. He lifted his hand, and to Qinghua’s surprise, he wiped at his tears.
“I’m never afraid of you, my King.” He whispered, even as he began to shake with restrained sobs.
“Then why are you crying?” He asked.
“You’re getting married.” Shang Qinghua blurted out. He then flinched, trying to turn around again. When Mobei-jun picked him up and set him on the counter, he squeaked in surprise.
“Only if you say yes.” He said. Qinghua’s eyes widened in surprise.
“What?!”
--
“I can’t believe I’m such an idiot.” Shang Qinghua said 30 minutes later. He and Mobei-jun were laying in his bed, him having decided upright wasn’t working for him anymore. Mobei-jun was more than happy to tuck him into bed, so long as he could join him.
“You are.” Mobei-jun agreed. “But you’re my idiot.” Shang Qinghua pouted up at him, even if he could acknowledge that he deserved that.
“In hindsight, you were doing a very poor imitation of a traditional demonic courtship.” Shang Qinghua sighed.
“Excuse me?” Mobei-jun asked in outrage. Shang Qinghua sent him a fond smile.
“Mobeibei, you had me terrified most of the time. Courtship is supposed to give you butterflies in your stomach, and send your heart racing in love, not fear.” He explained. Mobei-jun glared.
“So what does it say about you, since it worked?” He asked. Shang Qinghua paused at that before turning his pout at his beloved once again.
“Okay, while that’s fair, that’s also a low blow. You have to pamper me from now on, so no being mean.” He ordered. Mobei-jun let out a snort at that, shaking his head.
“Somehow I don’t think it works that way.” He said. Despite his words, he did pull Qinghua closer. Qinghua let out a content sigh, cuddling even closer into his arms.
“I do love you, you know.” Shang Qinghua murmured. “You were always my favorite.” Mobei-jun pressed a kiss to the top of his head.
“I love you as well.” Shang Qinghua grinned, nuzzling his face against Mobei-jun’s chest.
Maybe this man had an ounce of romance in him after all.
That night was the first night Shang Qinghua fell asleep rather peacefully. And in the morning, he woke up to a very burnt attempt at breakfast. After he got done laughing so hard he cried, he had kissed Mobei-jun’s cheek and offered him a warm smile.
“I’m not going to eat this, obviously, but I really, really appreciate the gesture. This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.” He said.
“But I didn’t accomplish cooking a simple meal.” Mobei-jun tried to protest. Shang Qinghua shook his head, reaching up to cup his face.
“But you attempted it. And that’s what counts, my love. Now come on, let’s go eat in the dining hall and show off how happy I am to the peak.” He said with a wink. His new boyfriend? fiancé? let out a sigh but offered him a fond smile.
“As you wish.”