When Liang XingHui was out of the room to god knew where, Li Xinyuan turned his head and stood up, staring at his feet intently.
For some reason, the carpet on the floor looked so damn good right now.
The surgeon blinked his eyes, silence prevailing between them as he spoke in a low voice, greeting the Crown Prince as he did so.
"This lowly one greets Your Highness the Crown Prince." Truthfully, Li Xinyuan didn’t know what else to say. The marriage was decided, the edict had been declared and he himself had accepted the ’reward’.
What else was there to say?
Liu Mingyun didn’t know what to say. All he wanted was to have Li Xinyuan as a friend he could confide in, but now all of a sudden they were betrothed to each other.
Slowly walking towards Li Xinyuan, the Crown Prince looked at his bowing form and felt a strange, nameless emotion bubbling in his heart as he sat down where his Lord Father was seated before.
"Please sit down, Doctor Li." He held his tongue, stopping himself from calling Li Xinyuan by his courtesy name. With a graceful gesture, he looked at Li Xinyuan’s dipped head intently.
Li Xinyuan raised his head in response and sat down, not speaking a word lest the fragile silence between them should shatter.
There was a tension around them, the surgeon had no idea why this tension even existed. With a slight shake of his head, he folded his hands on his lap, sat straighter and raised his head to look at Liu Mingyun.
"Did Your Highness wish to speak with this lowly servant?" He asked, voice even as he pursed his lips.
What even was there to say? They were barely friends, calling their relationship that of acquaintances would be a better term.
Liu Mingyun looked into his eyes, the former’s crimson irises boring into Li Xinyuan’s molten gold ones as he shifted on his seat, ever so slightly.
Li Xinyuan could practically feel a thin layer of ice freezing between them, perhaps turning into a wall, an invisible wall, that would be harmful for their future.
The thought alone made Li Xinyuan’s breath stutter. In his last life, he had been a doctor, a cardiothoracic and neurosurgeon who was too good for his own good.
A genius who couldn’t live a life of leisure, both because of his own career and his family background. And because he knew it, Li Xinyuan hadn’t even given a stable relationship or marriage much thought.
He didn’t think that would be plausible with his lifestyle.
But now, as a sixteen years old doctor in a fantastical world, the thought he had discarded with some level of remorse came back and this time—
—They could become a reality. They were within his reach.
Li Xinyuan didn’t want to lose it. But if Liu Mingyun wasn’t happy with the Emperor’s decision... Then Li Xinyuan’s wishes mattered little.
Finally, after what felt like a forced silence while walking on a floor full of legos, the Crown Prince took the initiative to talk.
"It was not This Prince’s demand." He said, as if it was an explanation enough. Li Xinyuan looked at him, slightly confused as he blinked carefully.
Seeing his puzzlement, Liu Mingyun let out a sigh and leaned on one side, a few locks of his long silver hair cascaded down one shoulder as he put his elbow on the armrest.
"This Prince had not known that His Imperial Majesty would give the Specter of Blood Moon such a reward." He sighed, feeling pained having to say those words. "The Emperor had not discussed it with This Prince beforehand."
Li Xinyuan blinked again. Of course, he knew that. Liu Mingyun had no need to explain that to him. But if it made the Crown Prince feel any better, then Li Xinyuan was not opposed to listening to his explanation.
His voice was nice, anyway.
After a while, Li Xinyuan spoke up, his voice was gentle, a soothing cadence rang in it. He was used to speaking to Liu Mingyun in this manner.
"Your Highness," he began carefully, gaze flickering to meet Liu Mingyun’s. "You have no need to explain anything to this lowly one."
Liu Mingyun pursed his lips, looking as if he had a lot to say in that regard. As if he disagreed with Li Xinyuan on that matter.
But ultimately, he said nothing. He respected whatever Li Xinyuan had to say.
"The Emperor’s decision is supreme." Li Xinyuan hummed, fingers twisting as he spoke. Considering that Li Xinyuan was originally from the modern era, it felt a little strange to talk or say something like that. "His Majesty the Emperor must have thought about things before bestowing upon this lowly one a reward of this nature."
Liu Mingyun frowned. Obviously, he knew what thoughts must have been on the Emperor’s mind to issue an edict like that.
As he listened, his frown couldn’t help but deepen. In the Emperor’s eyes, Li Xinyuan and his clan was a way, a means to an end for him to spread his influence, his dragon claws into the world of Jianghu.
And through the marriage between him and Li Xinyuan it was possible. More than possible, even.
With a shake of his head, somewhat displeased at what he was about to say, Liu Mingyun looked at Li Xinyuan, expression pensive.
"Specter of the Blood Moon can share with This Prince, This Prince will do what he can to change this edict, if Doctor Li so desires."
He didn’t want to force Li Xinyuan to be bound to himself via this marriage. He personally was not against it. Not in the slightest. But it was not necessary that Li Xinyuan’s opinion would match with his own.
Although so far, Li Xinyuan had yet to show any sort of aversion to the thought of being married to Liu Mingyun.
In a way, absence of such a reaction was a relief.
Li Xinyuan observed the Crown Prince in silence, seeing a slight frown upon the man’s handsome visage, Li Xinyuan felt a little perplexed.
Liu Mingyun was breathtakingly handsome, in easier terms, he was boyfriend material for him anyway. And now looking at his consideration for Li Xinyuan’s opinion on the marriage, Li Xinyuan’s belief in him solidified even more.
With a sigh, Li Xinyuan leaned back. Raising an eyebrow ever so slightly, the surgeon looked at the Crown Prince, head canted to the side as he spoke.
"Why does Your Highness believe that this lowly one would be opposed to getting married to you?" He hummed, the question in his tone was undeniable. "It could be that this lowly one wishes to be Your Highness’ wedded." With a teasing lilt in his voice, he added.
Liu Mingyun looked at him, seemingly baffled as he blinked, eyes slightly wide and lips parted.