A Royal Engagement

Everything is Real

(CHONG)

We have gone through all the CCTV cameras all over the ground. Watch, rewatch and rewatch them over and over again. It's now 3am in the morning and in the end.

We found nothing conclusive.

All we saw are people coming and going. No one stood out as too suspicious.

"Fuck!" I muttered darkly. Lao and the night shift security personnels in the CCTV room of the Palace look at me.

"I'm sorry Chong," Lao said. "I think that will be enough for today. Thank you for your hard work, everyone," he said before pulling me to go outside the CCTV room.

"You are tired. I am tired. Let's stop for today before we start searching for that woman again. The Prince and Dayu will have some scheduled interviews later on and they will both need us. We need at least a few hours of sleep to function properly today for them," Lao said while we wall away from the room.

"I need to find that woman," I said. "I need to make sure Dayu is safe..."

"Is Dayu your only concern?!" Lao, obviously tired too is quick to lose his temper. "The Prince is the one in danger!"

"Well, Dayu is in danger too by association to the Prince!" I said as hotly, "Your Prince has two bodyguards and an arsenal of security, Dayu only has me! Are you gonna stand there and tell me that if the Prince and Dayu are both in danger, your team will choose my Consort over your Prince? No, right?!"

Lao open his mouth to counter but he stopped himself and sighed again.

Because I am right. If push came to shove, they will choose the Crown Prince to save and leave Dayu to hang.

Well, I will never let anything bad happen to my ward. Not on my watch.

"Fuck you all," I said quietly before striding away from Lao who still can't refute what I said.

"Chong!" He caught my arm and turn me to face him. "Dayu is my friend too!" Lao said with agony in his eyes. "I will..."

He turn away as emotions gripped him. Lao is in the most vulnerable position. As the Chief Aide for the Prince, he ultimately had to make sure that Wang Qing is safe. Wang Qing will always be his first choice.

But Dayu is his friend too. And to think that there is a threat to Wang Qing, and in Dayu by association, it is killing Lao. Scenarios that if the Crown Prince and Dayu both got in danger and he has to choose whom to save, I think Lao will kill himself first before he made a choice.

The three of them, the Crown Prince, Dayu and Lao had a deep and complex relationships.

"You are right," Lao said after he gain some composure, "Fuck all of this!"

I pity the man. Really...

I stared down at him, I am taller by at least four inches on Lao. I am even taller than the Crown Prince. But I never underestimate someone shorter than me. Look at Dayu, that one is obstinate to the core.

"Concentrate on your Prince," I said. "Leave Dayu to me. Trust me that I will protect him. You cannot split your mind and heart like this. You will save no one if you will be doubtful and undecisive. Save the Crown Prince, always and leave Dayu to me. I will protect him,"

Lao stared back at me. Gauging me. Asking himself if he can trust the welfare of his friend to this person. Dayu is important to him, I am glad to see him thinking and thinking before giving me an answer.