Hua Ren simply nodded, not meeting their eyes. He couldn't bring himself to look at them. All because of him, they had to beg and grovel at the feet of the Emperor in front of everyone.
As they pulled away and rose to their feet, they cast one last, lingering look at their son before bowing to the Emperor then turning and leaving the hall.
The doors closed behind them with a heavy thud, leaving Hua Ren alone with the Emperor. The silence that followed was oppressive and thick with unspoken words and unasked questions. Hua Ren kept his eyes fixed on the ground, his heart racing. He could feel the Emperor’s sharp gaze on him, as if he was trying to assess his identity by staring at him.
"You're truly an Omega?" The Emperor asked, as if he still couldn't wrap his head around it. It was weird to think that the General who had been by his side for many years, the very person he watched grow into a formidable warrior, was an Omega. A beautiful one at that. The entire thing left him completely disoriented so he didn't know what to do.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Hua Ren answered, his head still lowered. "I am an Omega." Hua Ren already knew that him being an Omega was hard for the Emperor to accept. He could hear the strain in the Emperor’s voice when he asked the question but he didn't blame the Emperor though. All his life, he had acted like an Alpha, doing things no Omega would ever dare to do. In fact, sometimes, he doubted his own identity so it was normal for the Emperor to still doubt him. Having a pretty face wasn't enough to prove his gender.
The Emperor kept quiet for a long time then he sighed. "Look at me, Hua Ren." His voice was calm but commanding.
Hua Ren shook his head, refusing to comply. He was afraid of the kind of expression the Emperor would have. Disgust. Disappointment. Hatred. Hua Ren knew he would be completely broken if he saw any of those.
"Look at me." The Emperor commanded, his tone leaving no room for refusal.
Hua Ren had no choice. It took all of his courage to lift his head and look at the Emperor. He was surprised to see the Emperor looking somewhat clueless. As if he didn't know what to do with him.
"You are to come with me," the Emperor finally said. "You will be taken to my palace, where you will live until I decide what to do with you. You are not allowed to leave your room without my permission. If you dare break my rule, I will forget that you're an Omega and have you slaughtered like an animal. Do you understand?"
Follow the Emperor? Live in the palace?
Hua Ren wanted to say that he didn't dare. He wanted to speak, to say that he was fine staying in a cell as he should, but the words wouldn't come. As he stared at the Emperor’s blank expression, the selfish want to remain by the Emperor’s side did not let him speak. Instead, he nodded mutely. This would be the first time he would stay so close to the Emperor. How could he pass up such an opportunity?
The Emperor turned to the two maids who stood quietly by the side. "Escort him to my palace. Ensure that he is given a room and that he is properly attended to. I will see him tonight."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The maids answered and quickly moved to Hua Ren’s side, their expressions neutral though there was a hint of pity in their eyes. They all knew the Ivory Warlord was a good person and none of the believed he would betray the Emperor. They gently removed the long chains binding his hands and helped him to his feet.
"Thank you." Hua Ren said softly to the maids then gently pried off their hands from his body. "I can walk on my own."
The maids were respectful and just nodded, standing on either sides of him. They all bowed deeply to the Emperor then made their way out of the Hall of Heavenly Justice. Hua Ren sighed when the large doors closed behind them, leaving the Emperor alone. He thought today would be the final day of his life but instead, his secret was exposed and now, he was going to stay in the palace until the Emperor decides his fate. What a huge turn of events.
But despite everything that had happened, despite being happy that he was going to live in the palace with the Emperor, Hua Ren couldn't get a certain Alpha out of his mind. Nor could he forget the scent of his pheromones.
Hua Ren didn't know why but as they walked towards the palace, instead of looking forward to seeing the Emperor tonight, he was wondering what Sheng Fei was doing and whether they were safe.
After they left, the Emperor sat heavily on the throne, the weight of the recent revelation bearing down on him. His fingers pressed against his temples as he massaged away the tension.
"This changes nothing!" a voice snapped inside his head, the sharp tone worsening the ache in his skull.
He groaned, narrowing his eyes. "You're wrong. This changes everything."
"How?" The voice hissed, sly and insistent. "That general can never be controlled! Heed my warning! Kill him before it’s too late!"
The Emperor’s frown deepened as he leaned back, resting against his throne. "Don’t you get it? It is precisely because Hua Ren is an Omega that he can be controlled. I am an Alpha. All I have to do is mark him, and he will be under my command forever. I can use him to control the Celestial Weapon in his possession. Don’t you see? That’s far better than trying to find another way to wield it. It could take months, years even. Our plans can’t wait that long. How many more years do you want to remain a broken sword? How much longer can you wait for revenge?"
The voice was silent for a moment, its presence thick and brooding. It seemed to be weighing his words. Then, slowly, it spoke again. "I still think it won’t work. What if he already has an Alpha? What if he has a mate?"
The Emperor scoffed, a smug smile tugging at his lips. "What mate dares to go against me? Once I mark him, his mate has no choice but to leave him to me. You know that a permanent mark can never be erased. Hua Ren will belong to me."
The voice hummed, doubtful but curious. "And what if Hua Ren refuses to let you mark him?"
"He has no choice," the Emperor replied firmly. "He’s been accused of murder and treason. His punishment was death, but now, as an Omega, his sentence will be life imprisonment. Do you really think Hua Ren wants to rot away in a cell for the rest of his life? To prove his loyalty to me and to this Kingdom, he will become my concubine. He’ll allow me to permanently mark him. I’ll keep my general and the Celestial Weapon."
A low chuckle reverberated through his head, the voice dripping with newfound admiration. "I must admit, I underestimated you, Minxiu. You’ve got that uptight general on a leash."
The Emperor just smiled. "Indeed. I’ll talk to him later, and tomorrow, we will announce it. I will marry the Ivory Warlord."