บท 17: Why? (I)
"D-Demoted to a COMMANDER!!! Why???"
Bai Qiang was startled. His face turned ashen. He couldn't comprehend what was happening, at first his father blamed him for something that he couldn't even think of in a millennium and now this unbelievable imperial edict.
From childhood, he was always a prideful and hardworking person. Instead of following his father's footsteps to seek the Prime minister's position, which was ultimately easy and everyone also predicted for him, he worked his ass off to become a general to prove himself. And yeah he did accomplish his goal. It's only been nine months since he had promoted to the general's position.
But now all his hard work was in vain! On top of that, a false accusation!
Prime Minister Bai was rather quiet after reading the contents on the paper. He loudly breathed a sigh of relief that the decree was just about a demotion. He was very contented that his idiotic son only got demoted rather than beheaded.
'It must be that old cunning fox Emperor's doing, giving me some face.'
He calmly sat on a couch, poured a cup of tea and slowly started to sip. His action was elegant. Afterwhile, he scrutinized his foolish son's expressions with deep thought.
Bai Qiang was feeling impatient at his father's agonizing silent treatments. But then sensing his father's sudden intense gaze, he started to panic.
"Father, please trust me. I didn't do anything. I dare not. It is a false accusation. Forget about the Princess, I've never even met Prince Bengt before. So how can I hurt Her Highness! Someone must be jealous of my success, have a grudge against me or our family. That's why they conspired against me. Please, father, tell me, who claimed that to His Highness? I swore to your name that I won't show that person any mercy."
Prime Minister Bai spat his tea and started to cough violently after hearing his son's declaration. Did his son swore to kill the princess!
"You muscle head!" He slapped Bai Qiang's head.
"You impudent! You surely take an oath to kill the princess? How dangerous!!!" Prime Minister Bai barked as he intensely stared at his son.
At first, Bai Qiang was fuming with anger and irritation on his father misbehavior. His old man was always good at making a scene. But later, he was flabbergasted and couldn't proceed with the shocking news to his stomach. He was about to cry in frustration, however, then he thought the mischievous father of his who'd always made fun of him. Maybe had another trick to irk him this time. So he was infuriated.
"Stop with your childish jokes and suspense, father. I am being serious here. Who accused me to His Highness?"
"Harrumph! I wish I was kidding. It was truly Her Highness who accused you." His father scoffed.
"Her Highness? Y-you mean P-princess Liena...?!!!"
Bai Qiang stammered out with difficulty. Discerning his father's constant nod in approval, he understood that it was true. Suddenly he felt his earth was shattering into pieces.
'Why? Why? Why Princess lied? Why did she blame me?' His brain was buzzing with questions.
Prime Minister Bai understood from his son's abnormal behavior that he wasn't lying. He felt heartache was coming with his cheerful son's sudden sorry state. So he slowly rose from his seat and patted Bai Qiang's back to cheer him up and imposed him on the couch. He offered Bai Qiang a cup of tea, but Bai Qiang declined.
"Son, I believe in your honesty and dedications. I just think that, somehow, maybe some misunderstanding created between the two of you. Both of you were in the capital yesterday, right? So maybe, without your knowledge, you've offended her?"
Bai Qiang felt a warm feeling bubbled up in his heart when his father said he believed in him. But then he frowned on his father's contradictory remarks. He jeered,
"Geez! You two-faced sly demon! No wonder you are a prime minister!!!"
Prime Minister Bai lightly coughed on his son's mockeries as if it was a joke. Acting like he didn't hear anything, he asked with a serious expression.
"Now, tell me, everything son, what you did yesterday. I need to understand everything. Listen carefully. We need to prove you are innocent, though it is very difficult... But, this is the only way I'll be able to help you, okay? You know my limits in the royal court better than anyone."
Bai Qiang's started to describe his yesterday routine with a sour face. His father concentratedly listened to everything. Pondering for a while, he winked at his son when he noticed that his son's face turned scarlet while describing the bullying incident. So he proceeded,
"By the way, who was the girl that you bullied? You said you were going to apologize to her... So, which family she is from? And, why you bullied?"
Bai Qiang was embarrassed, he didn't know how to describe Nuwa since he knew his father will surely kill him after learning her origin. So, to dodge the discussion, he shyly murmured, "Nothing special." And then hurriedly asked,
"Father, I think I should take a visit to Her Highness. What do you think?"
"Humm..." His father replied absentmindedly.
"I'll take my leave then."
Prime Minister Bai was suspicious when he heeded his son hurriedly left his study. His eyes were glinting mysteriously.
[Note: Unedited chapter.]
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