Mr. You's fictitious marriage

Prologue

"Do you not care for men, perhaps, captain?" whispered the sultry voice of the Crown Prince into You Huo's ear.

"With all due respect, I simply do not care for you, Your Highness." He answered, moving farther away from the unwanted touches and others' looming presence. "Sir, I understand your desire to find a partner for yourself. However, I cannot help you in this matter. My duty is to protect you, not to interfere in your personal affairs."

Keeping his professionalism and avoiding punching the royal scumbag in the face wasn't easy. For a long time, You Huo tried to focus on his duties and ignore the uncomfortable situation, as their social positions were such a contrast to one another. But it seems that continuing in such a manner was becoming increasingly impossible as the prince's disrespectful behavior continued to escalate, and You Huo found himself struggling to maintain his composure.

He knew that any outburst could have serious consequences, but he also couldn't help feeling a growing sense of anger and frustration towards the royal scoundrel. It will have to come to an end and if today was the day, then so be it.

Earlier this afternoon, You Huo was the one who noticed the relapse of the king's ailment through the window of the carriage and ordered the ceremonial procession to stop to treat the monarch. Which led to the Colonel of the Regiment, the Crown Prince Du Dengliu's, overt displeasure. As You Huo watched the Crown Prince's sneering face, he couldn't help but think that if looks could kill, his highness would have single-handedly caused a mass extinction event. The first prince was unhappy whenever his seventy-year-old father missed the chance to go to heaven.

Everyone knew of the Crown Prince's aspirations, with his openly disgusted and power hungry gaze directed at his old father. As well as silent neglect of the king's deteriorating health by the Crown Prince's party.

"If only you were as attentive to my needs as you are to the king's health," spit out the Crown Prince. "To the regimental office!"

You Huo couldn't help but roll his eyes and silently wish for a way out of this most precarious situation.

He was made to enter the cabinet before the Crown Prince. Such a breach of protocol was surely a sign of trouble to come. And trouble did indeed come, as the door slammed shut with a deafening bang. Du Dengliu had closed in on him, and You Huo's back was pressed against the writing desk.

That's how they came to be in their current predicament: You Huo clearly rejecting his superior's advances, and Du Dengliu not getting a no for the answer. Being refused was probably a new experience for the prince, so he couldn't forget the idea of adding You Huo, the famous celestial beauty of the royal military academy, to his list of conquests.

Du Dengliu, with a sly smile upon his lips, sauntered closer to You Huo, his eyes glinting with a dangerous fire. "I can take everything from you, and then you will have no other choice but to come to me," he murmured, his breath hot upon the other man's ear.

Until You Huo's firm hand on his chest pushed him away.

"This won't happen, Your Highness." You Huo uttered it tonelessly, lest he laugh himself hoarse. It was always those kinds of people who thought that they could induce loyalty, admiration, or any kind of genuine feeling through coercion and intimidation.

Finally, Du Dengliu seemed to decided to take a different approach:

"Pray, dear You Huo, do not rebuke me so harshly," his voice turned calm and persuasive, just as when he argued against ministers during long court sessions. He grabbed hold of You Huo's hand. The touch of Du Dengliu's fingers against the guard's wrist caused his face to change from an impassive expression to a much darker one. "You may have your doubts about this arrangement, but I implore you to listen," the heir to the throne continued, gazing into You Huo's eyes with sincerity. "This union will bring prosperity for us both. You will have the protection and resources of a future king, and I will have a loyal and capable guard by my side."

"Your Highness, please respect yourself. As I've said many times, I don't like to be touched. And I already have a marriage partner; please release my hand."

The prince's eyes narrowed at You Huo's words. "Who is this marriage partner anyway? You never introduced them to your comrades." he asked, his tone laced with annoyance, not letting go of the other's hand yet.

'What kind of lover could that iceberg of a man have?' The prince could scarcely believe it; this man had never shown interest in any eligible ladies or gentlemen of the court. Surely his lover must be some crass and vulgar creature with nothing to offer but their wealth? Yes, the prince thought to himself; once he discovered their identity, he would surely be able to make use of this information to his advantage.

Suddenly, like his limit of patience was reached, the captain of guards easily shaken off Du Dengliu's grip, and his expression returned to its blank state as he replied, "It's none of your concern, Your Highness."

The prince gritted his teeth, feeling his ego bruised. That ingrate refused to even answer a simple question!

He wasn't ready to let go of that young man who was invading his dreams at night and messing up his thoughts during the day. Du Dengliu was sure they both would benefit from this potential relationship, despite the supposed marriage partner, but this little fiend with a poker face was always denying him! He was a future king, the owner of every person on this land, but a mere guard dared to resist him like that!

"Let me see what kind of man you would marry. If he is unworthy of you, then... Don't blame this on me!" The prince's voice trailed off as he tried to come up with a threat that would make You Huo reconsider. However, the guard simply raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the prince's words. The two of them stood in silence for a few moments, the tension between them palpable.

Finally, Du Dengliu let out a frustrated sigh and turned away from You Huo, pacing back and forth in the small room. He couldn't understand why this guard was being so difficult. Didn't he see the potential benefits for both of them? Du Dengliu could offer him wealth, power, and influence beyond his wildest dreams. But You Huo seemed to have no interest in any of it. He just stood there, arms crossed, staring at Du Dengliu with no expression.

"Very well, mister You are hereby dismissed from the duty of captain of the Royal Life Guard! Due to your neglect of duty and violation of the regiment's traditions, you have been demoted to the rank of cornet. I will consider it my right to pursue you as a citizen of my kingdom if you aren't married in a month's time. You won't benefit any longer from the fact that you are my subordinate."

"You know me, You Huo; I will take all the means possible and stop at nothing before reaching my goal." Du Dengliu finally said it, his voice laced with anger and his smile more of a snarl.

You Huo's expression didn't change, but his eyes narrowed slightly. "As you wish, Your Highness," he said simply, before turning and walking out of the room.

Du Dengliu could not help but sigh as he watched You Huo's back recede into the distance. His heart was torn in two, caught between vexation and enchantment. For months, he had harbored a secret passion for the stoic guard captain, an ember that threatened to flare up into an all-consuming flame at any moment. However, success without struggle was like honey without bees; it had no taste. Du Dengliu craved the thrill of seducing those who were seemingly out of reach, stirring up their deepest desires until they were forced to succumb to his will. He knew that You Huo would make a most delectable prize for him to savor when he finally gave in to his own desires.

He stood up from his velvet chair, determined to start planning his next move in this endless game of politics. Of course, a mere guard could do nothing to help him on a political front, but having this beauty in his bed in the future would be helpful for his stress management anyway.