Chapter Text
Ren Jun-Long was born different from his three older brothers and two sisters, that being all the women who gave birth to the emperor's children had black or brown hair with dark brown to hazel eyes were the spitting image of the said emperor and their respective mothers, but for Ren Jun-Long he was born vastly different.
He had neither brown or black hair, but hair that was pure white as freshly fallen snow and eyes that were a pale green like jade. The emperor had dark brown eyes that looked black with deeply rich brown hair and his mother, his sweet, sweet mother had black hair and the lightest of grey eyes. his mother fought tooth and nail for him to be able to live since the emperor wished to kill him because he thought that his mother had lied with another instead of him, but against all odds she was able to show her innocence and prove that he was the emperor's son.
Though the emperor didn't wish to spend time with him and all his other siblings were cruel and vicious with each other he would choose to sneak out of the royal wing in the palace and make his way to where his mother slept. she was the one good thing in this damnable place and because he spent so much time with her, he learned about his grandparents.
They were cultivators who had left the cultivation world in hopes of being able to settle down here and raise their children. but it didn't come to pass. his father had seen his mother, and she was made to join his harem, but before she had left her home grandmother Ren had given her sword Genghis, meaning just and righteous. It was held in a light pale green sheath that was embroidered in light blues and purples. Grandmother Ren had told his mother that she would know what to do when the time came. That was when Ren Jun-Long decided he wished to become a cultivator. He already knew that his father didn't care much about him and the palace was a dangerous place to live in. It was then at six years of age that he began his training under his mother and the books she had on the subject from Grandmother Ren.
Now it was Seven years later bordering on eight when his father decided that Lord Gou's daughter would join the Harem. To say that Ren Jun-Long was disgusted was an understatement. The girl would only be seventeen and his father was nearly forty. But when the girl had come in, she didn't introduce herself as Gou Yu-Song, but as Mei Kai-Ming. a servant girl that was only fourteen and forced to pretend to be her mistress.
"Please your highness! I'm not Lord and Lady Gou's daughter! I'm just a servant who was forced to pretend that I was." the young lady pleads as she kowtows. Ren Jun-Long knows the look that shows up on his father's face. it is the beginning signs of anger that will come to the point of someone losing their head and it will most likely be the servant girl before the family that she served is next. What was she thinking! Telling the Emperor that she wasn't a noble woman! His father Sai Junfeng was a cruel and vicious man that Ren Jun-Long detested ever since a young age. He had to figure something out.
When his father goes to speak Ren Jun-Long cuts him off. "Your highness, perhaps I could take the girl as a new maid for my mother? I know she could use an extra hand around her palace with the two maids that left her services a year ago due to their age." Sai Junfeng's eyes narrow. "And just what are you up to Jun-Long that you would suggest this? What do you have planned?" Ren Jun-Long keeps his calm as he calmly locks eyes with the emperor. "Just a new servant for my mother to help her take care of her palace and to offer her a new companion to speak with. Nothing more and nothing less your highness." "One move out of line from the girl Jun-Long and I will make sure your mother lives the rest of her life in the cold palace and that the girl is killed in front of you. do I make myself clear Jun-Long?" Ren Jun-Long would love nothing more than to sock the man in the face but he holds back for his mother and now the young girl that his father has made clear is his responsibility, even if she will be his mother's maid. he keeps his calm blank mask as he appeases the man before leading the girl to his mother's palace.
When they are safely in his mother's private courtyard he takes a minute to look at the girl. she was pretty in her own way with long wavy black hair that held tints of brown and light brown eyes with a gentle oval face graced with thin lips and a mole under her left eye. Ren Jun-Long bows to her as she stares at him in shock.
"Fourth Prince Ren Jun-Long. I'm afraid that I have forgotten your name miss." "Oh, uh, I'm Mei Kai-Ming your highness." She quietly gets out before she makes a hasty bow. Ren Jun-Long nods and gestures for her to follow him as he goes to knock on his mother's door. "Oh, A-Ju I didn't expect you this early yet and who is this young lady?" His mother asks with a small smile and Mei Kai-Ming bows quickly. "This one is Mei Kai-Ming my lady." "Mother I brought Mei Kai-Ming here to ne a maid for you. She was Lord Gou's maid for his daughter before they decided to pretend that she was young mistress Gou. The emperor knows and in order for me to ensure her safety I informed him that you needed some extra help and new company to spend your time with." Ren Jun-Long explains, and surprise crosses his mother's features before a proud smile settles on her features. "My A-Ju is so smart. I'm proud of you, my darling." she says before she turns to look at Mei Kai-Ming. "I'm Ren Daiyu, but you may call me Lady Ren or Mistress Daiyu." "Of course, Lady Ren." His mother nods in acceptance and looks back at him. "Now A-Ju I know that this is around the time you train. Go along, the courtyard is ready for you." "Yes mother, I love you and will see you later."
From then things played out how they had till a year later. Ren Jun-Long had just turned fifteen when Mei Kai-Ming had snuck into his rooms in the main palace in the middle of the night. "Your highness, your mother requested your presence urgently! we must go as quietly and quickly as possible." Ren Jun-Long doesn't question how she managed to get into his room, but he quickly dresses before following her to his mother's palace.
What greets him is a group of twenty people, both men and women and the only ones that are completely loyal to his mother and have her complete trust. Then he sees his mother looking frazzled and haggard. She was no longer her calm and elegant self as she was earlier this morning. when she sees him she runs up to him and grabs him by his shoulders, the grip would have left deep bruises for days if he hadn't developed a core. " You must leave Ren Jun-Long! You and Mei Kai-Ming must leave with these people tonight! They will take you safely into the cultivation world and to the remains of your grandparents' home." Fear seizes his heart, and he panics. "Leave? Why must we leave!" his mother looks at him in fear. "The palace isn't safe now that your fifteen, not only that you're the fourth in line to the throne. Now that the Empress Sai Zing and her closes friend Lady Wang have given birth to their own sons there are now rumors of them collaborating to kill you and prince Wu Quen, but because they are rumors i can do nothing about it but send you away and stage an accident that makes everyone think that your dead." His mother explains and he feels his heart squeeze and a sick feeling forms in his stomach. "What about you? you're sending away the people you trust the most." Ren Jun-Long says in worry. His mother smiles gently at him as she kisses his forehead. "That is exactly why I'm sending them away, all but a-Ning, he came with me when I entered the palace, and he will stay with me until the end." his mother tells him as he looks over to the man that is like his uncle.
"I will protect your mother until my dying breath. It is what I promised your grandparents when we left." Shi Ning states with a wicked look in his eyes. The man had a vengeful and wicked streak when it came to protecting his mother and him and to leave them both to the unknown was unthinkable. But his mother was putting her foot down and he knows that she won't allow him to argue about this.
"I love you a-Ju. but you can't stay here. It's even more dangerous now. I was hoping to send you to the cultivation world when you turned eighteen but now is the time you must leave." his mother then pulls him into a tight hug, and he grips her back just as tight before kissing her cheek and bowing low to the ground. It's with tears shed that Ren Jun-Long and what are now his people disappear into the night.