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The King smiled at Chu Yun, as one did at a very small animal who foolishly tried to take on a much larger opponent.

"You think yourself very clever, don\'t you, Miaoyan?" His eyes narrowed as he inspected Chu Yun. "I\'ve met my share of people who thought they were smarter than me." He clicked his tongue. "Things didn\'t end up well for them, and were very tiring for me. Which is why I now prefer the company of idiots."

That explained why Min Sezhui was his favourite concubine. A girl so simpleminded she just accepted that sometimes the King was going to hit her for no apparent reason.

"I wouldn\'t dare offend his Majesty," Chu Yun said, his tone flat. He was going to keep repeating empty platitudes until the the King let him go. 

The King leaned closer to him, bringing his lips a hairsbreadth away from Chu Yun\'s ear. "And yet you had no problem humiliating Xiao Yuan in public by feeding him some bullshit about palace rumours."

"With all due respect," which was none, "His First Highness humiliated himself."

The King drew back with a hiss, Chu Yun could see the desire to hit him written all over the King\'s face.

Chu Yun really wished he would.

"Insolent brat, how dare you?"

Chu Yun quirked one eyebrow and leaned back against the wall the King had backed him into.

He hadn\'t planned for a confrontation this early on, but a good strategist knew how to adapt, and Chu Yun was the best.

The King had no love for the First Prince, but it was obvious he considered him an useful pawn. Chu Yun\'s machinations at the party two days before did nothing but reinforce the public image the Prince had already established -- the same image the King exploited to keep a tight leash on the First Prince.

What the King took issue with wasn\'t that all of Haolin\'s nobles had once again seen the First Prince for the pathetic drunk he was -- but that Chu Yun was trying to use it to make Xiao Zai look good in comparison.

"I think his Majesty should ask himself why the First Prince threw such a tantrum at the prospect of losing a servant." 

Obviously the King knew why, but the point of this conversation was to insinuate Chu Yun did as well.

He frowned in fake consternation. "Especially considering that servant bears such a striking resemblance to one of his Majesty\'s concu-"

Chu Yun couldn\'t finish before the King wrapped his large hand around his neck and slammed him against the wall.

"Did that snake Bailiu set you up to this?" He snarled, showing his sharp canines. "No, he\'s a slippery one, he wouldn\'t trust you so easily."

Chu Yun sighed, even through the grip on his airway. "Your Majesty, every single one of your subjects speculates about it."

It was obvious the King didn\'t appreciate Chu Yun\'s condescension, but he was as much trapped in this impasse as Chu Yun was. He let go of Chu Yun\'s neck.

He couldn\'t do anything to Chu Yun because there was a political alliance riding on his marriage to Xiao Zai -- even if Chu Yun didn\'t fully understand what had prompted it. 

"I advise Miaoyan to not stick his nose in matters that don\'t concern him," the King said, wording the \'advice\' like a threat.

Chu Yun clasped his hands in front of his chest and bowed deeply to the King of Zui. "Miaoyan will follow his Majesty\'s guidance."

They both knew he wouldn\'t. The King was somewhat frustrated with this turn of events, he had all the power when he called Chu Yun into his office, but that had shifted over the course of their confrontation.

His morose silence revealed the depth of his frustration. Which meant he was much more dangerous now than when he had been spitting accusations in Chu Yun\'s face and slamming him into walls.

The King turned to the window once again, his forehead creased in thought.

"Miaoyan should keep visiting Concubine Min," a slow smile spread from the corner of his lips and took over his entire face. The King thought he had found the way to keep Chu Yun in check. "She appreciates the company, and her face should serve as a good reminder of what could happen if Miaoyan doesn\'t follow the advice this King shared with only his best interests in mind."

So the King\'s strategy was to try and intimidate Chu Yun into compliance by using his \'perceived\' empathy against him. He couldn\'t hurt Chu Yun because of who he was, but Min Sezhui was his concubine, and he could beat her black and blue for all anyone cared.

This wasn\'t the first time someone had thought Chu Yun was too well-mannered and kind to be ruthless. Chu Yun was happy to disabuse the King of that notion as he had all those who came before him.

"Miaoyan is happy to keep Sister Min company, but what his Majesty does with her is none of his concern," he said, his words as dispassionate as possible.

The King turned to him with a smirk, eager to call his bluff. "Really? So Miaoyan wouldn\'t care if she were to appear with all the bones in her face broken? Or one of her limbs missing?"

Chu Yun shrugged. "Miaoyan doesn\'t have an opinion on how his Majesty disciplines his own harem."

The King\'s expression darkened. He didn\'t like the idea of having the wrong read on Chu Yun.

"Really? I got the impression from what Miaoyan said earlier that he was one of those bleeding hearts who suffered with the cruel treatment of omegas."

Chu Yun smirked and crossed his arms. "His Majesty is mistaken, it\'s true that I care deeply: about the omegas of Xin." He shrugged. "I feel great pity for Sister Min, as I feel for all omegas born in Zui, but they are none of my concern."

The King\'s expression shifted, he was needled at Chu Yun\'s insults, but couldn\'t really disagree with him without recanting his previous assessment on the inferiority of omegas.

"All I can do for Sister Min is pray that she is born an alpha in the next life, or perhaps outside of Zui borders."

The King kept his flinty gaze fixed in Chu Yun, looking for the chink in his armour. If Chu Yun allowed him, he would use Min Sezhui like a punching bag to bring him to heel -- for slights real or imagined. 

This was how Chu Yun saved her.

They were still locked in a staring contest when a servant\'s voice sounded from outside the office. "His Highness the Second Prince requests an audience with his Majesty."

Something must have shown in Chu Yun\'s face, because the King broke out in a huge grin, finally breaking their standoff.

"Let him in."