Chapter Text
It was a nice summer day; the sun was high in the sky, and the wind was drifting through the trees. Not a sound could be heard other than the slow breeze passing through — all of that before a piercing, shrieking scream broke the silence.
“Your Highness, please! This humble servant begs of you, please get down from there!”
“Why should I? I’m doing fine up here.”
A voice from the tall tree rang out. The voice’s owner could barely be seen if it weren’t for his body adorned with an emerald green robe, with patterns of dragons that were embroidered in gold threads in the middle of it.
“Please, Your Highness. You could get seriously injured.”
Pleading softly, the voice — of who seems to be his servant — said, filled with concern. The servant was dressed down in a plain blue robe, but it still did not take away the beauty from his dashingly good-looking features.
“Did you forget, Eunuch Jiang? I am a Wu. The Wus do not get hurt easily, remember?”
“I am more than aware that you are a part of the Wu Family, Your Highness. But it does not make you immortal,” said the servant, trying his best not to roll his eyes.
“How would you know that? I could be immortal for all you know, Eunuch Jiang.”
The man replied with a smug tone while proudly snickering in a knowing manner, trying to convince his servant as if he could possibly be immortal if he wanted to.
“Please, Your Highness. I’ll do anything you want, but by the will of Heaven, I beg Your Highness to reconsider your decision and step down from there,” said Eunuch Jiang, with worry adamant on his face as he watched the man on the tree waving his hands around whilst talking without a care in the world.
“Hmm, as I, Wu Suowei, am a virtuous and honorable Crown Prince that can’t bear to see his humble servant suffer, I shall abide by my humble servant’s request.”
Finally beginning his descent from the tree by stepping on the tree branch, the man adorned in the emerald robe whistled to himself, amused by his rather adorable servant panicking.
“Thank you, Your Highness, for considering your obedient servant’s request.”
“Anything for you, Jiang Xiaoshuai.”
Smiling brightly, the man finally reached the ground with a quick jump from the tree branch that was fairly high from the ground, with a sheepish look on his face — as if his servant hadn’t spent almost an hour trying to convince him to step down from the tree.
Revealing his face: a pair of bright doe eyes that seemed to sparkle under the shining sun, a soft, structured straight nose with a gentle slope, accompanied by a soft pink lip that contrasted with his rather pale skin.
“Please address me as Eunuch Jiang, Your Highness. After all, you are the Crown Prince Wu Suowei, heir to the Great Tang.”
--- At The Crown Prince’s Chamber ---
“What do you mean you won’t be attending me anymore?”
“It is as I said earlier, Your Highness. I have been released from my position as your attendant.”
“But we have been together ever since I was a mere infant, Xiaoshuai.”
“Please, Your Highness. You cannot be addressing me like this. I am your servant.”
“I care not if you are a servant, Xiaoshuai. You are my friend, first and foremost.”
“Look, Suowei. It is not by my own will that I am to be released from the position, but it is a direct order from His Majesty, your father. I can't bear to defy a royal order from His Majesty. You know that yourself, Wu Suowei.”
“But I don’t want anyone else to be by my side but you,” said the man, his voice trembling, trying his hardest not to cry in front of his best friend.
“This can’t be. I’m going to seek an audience with my father.”
“But Suowe—”
“Xiaoshuai, just listen to me once, okay? Let’s make our way to the palace. Now,” said Wu Suowei.
-- At The Central Palace --
“Your Majesty, your son, His Highness the Crown Prince, is looking to seek an audience with you.”
“Suowei? Very well, bring him in. I am curious to see what important matter weighs so heavily upon him that he dares to seek an audience with me.”
The Crown Prince stepped into the royal hall, hurried footsteps filled with urgency, his emerald robe trailing behind him, parted by the wind. Silence filled the royal hall before he finally opened his mouth to speak.
“Your Majesty—”
“What’s with all of this formality, Son?”
“Father. Why would you release Eunuch Jiang from his position as my attendant without acknowledging me first?” said Wu Suowei, with an unknowing tone, completely caught off guard by his father’s rash decision.
“I see, so that’s why you are so eager to meet me today — going so far as to even seek an audience,” said the Emperor, barely glancing at his son, who was demanding an answer to the situation at hand.
“Father, you know how much Xiaoshuai means to me. He has been with me ever since I was a child. You can’t do this to me.“
“Perhaps if you started taking your role as the Crown Prince seriously, this wouldn’t be happening right now,” the Emperor replied, voice void of any emotion.
“But Fath—”
“My words are definite. Not even you, my beloved son, can do anything to change it.”
“What if… What if I do anything you ask me to, without any objection?”
The Emperor, who was going through the royal decree, suddenly paused his actions caught off guard by his son’s own words.
“I’ll take the extra royal lessons that you keep persisting for me to take, and I will involve myself more in the royal court. I—I will take any tutor that you want me to learn with. Just please, let Xiaoshuai stay with me as my attendant.”
The Emperor smiled subtly before speaking.
“So you will stop making a hassle about every single arrangement made for you?”
“Yes, I’ll do anything you want me to. With one single condition that Jiang Xiaoshuai is to be my attendant again.”
Silence lingered through the room for a while, before the booming voice belonging to the Emperor filled the room.
“As you wish. But I also have a condition that you have to abide by.”
“What is it?” answered Wu Suowei hastily.
“You are to be tutored and kept under watch by the son of General Chi from the Chi Family.”
“Son of the Chi Family? Do you mean the eldest son?”
“Oh, so you are well aware of Chi Cheng. If there's no objection from your part, I’ll arrange for you and Chi Cheng to meet tomorrow.”
‘Chi Cheng? The messy kid that can barely write and speak?’
“B-but—”
The Emperor suddenly rose from his throne.
“It has been a long day. If there is nothing further to be discussed, I will take my leave now. You should be retreating to the Eastern Palace as well. Don't want you to be late for your arrangement with Chi Cheng now, do we?”
“Yes, Father.” Wu Suowei meekly nodded, dejected by the sudden news, but having no other option but to abide by his father’s decision.