After the Heavenly Emperor ascended the throne, the position of the Fuxi Palace Master remained empty. Until of course a son differentiated into an alpha.
The Heavenly Emperor and former Empress had a son before Xie Jianyu, but he differentiated into an omega. He was then married off to the Shuiran Palace Master.
Afterward, the former Heavenly Empress was under great pressure to produce another child. This child had to be a son, and he must differentiate into an alpha!
The Heavenly Emperor prayed for a hundred days and a hundred nights to beg for an alpha son. On the other side, the other palace masters prayed for the opposite.
After another five years, the former Empress gave birth to a second son. It was Xie Jianyu.
Zhang Fengxi briefly recalled the news of Xie Jianyu's differentiation in his past life.
He became an alpha on his sixteenth birthday. Not a day later.
That very day, Fuxi Palace fell into his hands and he was appointed as the crown prince across nine layers of heaven.
Zhang Zhiyuan was never an ambitious man. He gladly extended his congratulations to the royal heavenly family and Fuxi Palace. The other palace masters were not as happy. Wuyang Palace Master especially was very unhappy because his eldest son became an omega around the same time Xie Jianyu became an alpha.
Zhang Fengxi only found out about Liu Yichen's hunger for the Dragon Throne after Liu Wenyuan's death.
If Liu Yichen had known that the royal heavenly family and Fuxi Palace deceived the entire empire, he would undoubtedly use it to dethrone the current Emperor...
But what was the Emperor's plan? Once an omega, forever an omega. Xie Jianyu was never going to sire a child. How did the Emperor plan to keep up the grand lie?
While Liu Yichen went to greet the crown prince, Zhang Fengxi moved to a select corner to take a good look at Xie Jianyu.
At the first glance, Xie Jianyu was everything that an alpha hoped to be.
Tall, handsome, and charming.
His martial arts were impeccable, and his swordsmanship was one of the best if not the best.
All these achievements in his sixteen years of life truly made his parents' chests swell from pride.
On a second glance, Zhang Fengxi saw the signs that most people overlooked once they were mesmerized by the faux "alpha aura" that Xie Jianyu exuded.
Such as, the slender body that was buffed up by layers and layers of clothing.
Or the lacking body height that was augmented by wearing boots with high heels. Those boots were incredibly heavy.
In his previous life, Zhang Fengxi did find out that Xie Jianyu's actual physical appearance was not what he wanted people to believe. Back then, though, he never once thought that Xie Jianyu was an omega. He merely thought that Xie Jianyu's body was a little underdeveloped.
Looking back, Zhang Fengxi realized that he had been quite stupid.
How did he not suspect Xie Jianyu's gender all these years?
Despite the taciturn and cold temperament, the remarkable pretense year after year, Xie Jianyu was undoubtedly an omega!
By chance, while he was listening to Liu Yichen's talk about some political issue, Xie Jianyu raised his face and his eyes met with Zhang Fengxi's.
Their gaze locked on each other for a split second before Zhang Fengxi looked away and left his corner.
No, no, no, Zhang Fengxi told himself. Don't look at him, don't talk to him, don't even think of him.
Any association to Xie Jianyu would only bring misfortune to him. In return, Zhang Fengxi had caused him enough woes for ten lifetimes.
At the most opportune time, Liu Wenyuan stepped out to meet all his suitors.