Not only did Bai Li not greet the King but he ignored him, and even worse; challenged him in his own palace.
Just where did the Crown Prince get such courage from?
There was not an ounce of fear in Bai Li's gaze. And if Qin Shi Huang was not mistaken he could discern the emotion of ridicule within the those beautiful blue irises. And it was directed at him of all people.
His very own toy was looking down on him?
The timid incompetent fool of a Prince really dared to look down on him!
Unbelievable. If he didn't see it for himself he would have never believed it. This was the last thing he had ever expected to happen to him. The thought just never crossed his mind.
Interesting.
As if a water pipe had bust, the King could no longer hold in his laughter.
"Hahaha..." His laugh was loud and boisterous as if he had heard the most funniest joke in the world.
The sound of his melodic laughter filled the empty room with a stoic coldness, the atmosphere quickly became tense. And just when everyone thought the King would explode into rage, the opposite had happened.
The King slightly bowed his head and sought forgiveness. "My apologies your Royal Highness it was a slip of the tongue."
Lui Yang squinted his eyes as a frown appeared on his lips. This was not the reaction he was looking for, it was expected but he wanted something different. Qin Shi Huang was an unpredictable mad man yet his words seem to not have phased him at all.
Lui Yang needed to push further, he definitely had to carry on with this charade of his.
"Qin Shi Huang." He called thoughtlessly as he stood up from the throne, his hair unraveling and falling down to his ankles. "What is the punishment for disrespecting the Crown Prince?"
The King's voice was dry and monotonous. "Following the laws of the Hongdong Kingdom, the act of disrespect towards the Crown Prince is an act punishable by hanging."
"Do you think with a temporary position as the Regent King, you are beneath that law Qin Shi Huang?" Lui Yang stood in front of him with his head held high. "Your eye level should never be equal to mine. If your going to ask for forgiveness for your sins you should know your place first and where you stand. I am the sun of heaven and your just a substitute monarch." Lui Yang tilted his head and narrowed his eyes coldly. "Kneel."
If the surrounding people in the room didn't raise their heads before they definitely wasn't going to raise them now. The servants were beyond stunned, they were now scared. They feared they would lose their lives if they even moved a single finger.
The Crown Prince was right about everything, but did he lose his mind?
This wasn't no ordinary Regent King, he was Qin Shi Huang for godsake. All of the kingdoms power lie in his hands. What was the point of the Prince boasting about his position when it no longer had any value.
Did that mean that the Crown Prince suddenly wanted to revolt and take back his power?
With such an act, would the King even allow it?
The King was bound to be mad now. If he didn't abrupt into anger before he surely was going to do so now.
But once again the opposite had happened and everyone's expectations including Lui Yang's was not met.
Surprisingly there was not an ounce of refute from the King, he just calmly lowered his gaze and kneeled towards the prince. He kowtowed respectfully and asked for leniency. "I have offended the sun of heaven, may your Royal Highness be generous enough and forgive me for my foolish actions."
Qin Shi Huang's apology wasn't meaningful at all, it was clear that it was all a set of empty words. But that wasn't the scariest thing. The frightening part was the fact that he would even say them at all.
Did I over do it?
Lui Yang couldn't kick the subtle feeling that everything was going too smoothly. Surely the man was plotting something. How else would he be able to put his pride aside and easily bow toward him.
He just completely humiliated the King in front of many onlookers. It was impossible that Qin Shi Huang would not retaliate.
I over did it. I completely over did it.
He had a vague feeling that a death flag might have been raised.
But what could he do, Lui Yang had already excepted his future demise. Besides he would already be gone from the palace by then, right?
It was best for him to quickly get out of here and leave the presence of this mad man who secretly was plotting his death. "You are pardoned." He expressed calmly his attention no longer on the King but on the head eunuch.
"Follow me." Lui Yang commanded as he waisted no time in leaving the throne room. Besides the fact that he was really tired, he felt like if he stayed there for another second he would die pitifully. The atmosphere was really too stuffy in that room.
After awhile the King, Qin Shi Huang, had stood up and looked around the throne room emotionalessly. His whole bearing had changed and everything about him had become cold and unwelcoming. He walked towards the throne and sat on it. "You may stand." He ordered everyone and all the maids and guards complied.
"Your Majesty." They greeted once again.
And one guard in particular walked up to Qin Shi Huang and bowed. "What should we do about the Prince your Majesty?"
Crossing his legs lazily, he used the armrest and leaned his head against his hand. The King was silent for awhile before he replied. "Nothing."
They would do absolutely nothing.
But he on the other hand, he would keep an close eye on this so called Crown Prince.
There was no way he wouldn't have noticed anything strange. It was impossible. The usual Bai Li wouldn't even dare speak to him unless spoken to. He was a coward, dim witted, gloomy, stupid little thing that was as useless as a pebble in battle.
But today, Qin Shi Huang had gazed into those familiar pair of blue eyes and had an earth shattering discovery. An epiphany if you will.
That the young man he was looking at was not the Bai Li he had known.