To Wield Such Prowess || ZHANYI/YIZHAN FF

29 [Final Chapter]

Yibo sets the folder of the archive down his table and sighs in exhaustion, leaning back on his chair.

"Hm, Yibo, are you done?"

He bites on the inside of his lips as he looks up at his mother gazing towards him.

"Not yet, Mom," he says, looking down and getting back to reading again.

As he does so, his sight catches on the mark on his right thumb that has been there since he was born, signifying that he is a zilch.

Yibo has spent all his life being a zilch alpha, performing the duties just as he was compelled by his heart. Even when his parents tried to stop him, Yibo persisted.

He was stubborn just like that.

Yibo would always point out that it is what he was born as, and he was bestowed with the qualities that would help him achieve that purpose, so it would be a waste to not go out there and use it.

He didn't want to only be a Beijing prince either, settling on only advising and setting regulations.

He wanted to personally be of help, even when he started it having no idea of how to take care of an omega, since he doesn't have one of his own.

However, tomorrow will probably be the day that his parents finally succeed in making him cease to be a zilch alpha.

Yibo sighs, flicking his gaze back to the documents that just endlessly either give him new information or remind him more and more on things about Xiao Zhan.

They also knew Yibo would want to run away to Chongqing, unfortunately.

Everywhere around the palace is surrounded with border spells and protected by guards.

Do they disagree with Xiao Zhan's character that much?

Why won't they let Yibo marry him?

Yibo tries to swallow the itch of saying these words—of asking these questions—building up in his throat.

But when he finally gets to the last sentence of the last file on the archive, he just can't stop himself anymore.

Yibo closes the folder and grits his teeth, getting up from his seat. "I'm done, mother," he says, gently placing the folder down her table with both hands.

"Good job, Yibo," Yibo's mother remarks as she stands up, and Yibo chews on his lips, lowering his eyes as he breathes out shakily. "So, are you still willing to go through with the marriage?"

Yibo purses his lips tightly, and he lifts an offended gaze at his mother. "Mom, it's not like I have a choice. Do I have a choice?"

"Of course, you do, Yibo. Beijing and King Xiao would want you to have an option to retract if you ever decide you don't want to marry him anymore, after reading things about him."

Yibo scowls. "Mom, what is the use of what Zhan-ge would want—" The sentence suddenly clicks in his mind, and Yibo's mouth fall open as he stares at his mother with wide eyes. "Y-You.. You mean, the one I'm going to marry is.. Zhan-ge, Mom?"

Yibo's mother furrows her brows. "Of course it's King Xiao, dear. Were we not clear enough? If not King Xiao, who else? I do believe he's the best choice to be your spouse."

Yibo blinks, unable to find words to say for several seconds. "B-But Mother, you didn't want me to meet him. I can't touch him or even see him. That's why Zhan-ge doesn't even want to look at me."

"That's our tradition. You're not supposed to see your future spouse three days before the wedding, Yibo. I strictly advised King Xiao to follow it. I thought you were aware of this? Liu Haikuan already told you this."