ITF Chapter68

The first time Jiang Han saw Bai Heting in person was in the Royal Colosseum, which could accommodate tens of thousands of spectators. That day, he was hundreds of meters away from Bai Heting and only saw a tall and straight figure.

This was the first time he had seen Bai Heting’s appearance clearly.

He could not imagine that someone with such a peaceful sleeping face could actually be a cold-blooded person who regarded human life as grass.

He ordered two Alpha guards to turn Bai Heting over and used a pair of scissors to cut open the back collar of his robe. Just as he was about to put down the scissors, he suddenly heard a weak murmur.

“It was the wine cup…”

He looked down and saw that Bai Heting had actually woken up. He turned his face slightly with stiff movements, but instead of looking at him, he looked at Bai Jiashu, who was sitting a few meters away.

“It was the wine cup…” His articulation was a bit slurred, “It was the wine cup, not the wine.”

Jiang Han did not expect him to wake up so quickly and couldn’t help but worry whether this sudden situation would interfere with his plan. Not daring to act rashly, he cast an inquiring look at Bai Jiashu.

Bai Heting fixed his gaze on Bai Jiashu and continued, “During the autumn hunt, it was you as well.”

Bai Jiashu gave a cold laugh.

“It really wasn’t that time,” he said with a hint of regret in his tone. “If you had accepted that first cup of wine today, we might still be in the palace drinking and chatting happily right now. Why didn’t you cherish the opportunity I gave you?”

His bodily functions had not yet fully awakened. Bai Heting tried to get up, but he had little strength in his body. Just as he crawled up a bit, he fell back down again.

“However,” Bai Jiashu added, “this is something that has to be done sooner or later anyway, so earlier is better than later. The sooner you wash away the mark; the sooner we can hold the wedding. You said it yourself, bearing offspring for the royal family to continue the bloodline is my duty.”

Bai Heting moved his fingers slightly as they gradually regained sensation and said in a low voice, “I cannot undergo this surgery.”

Jiang Han placed the scissors on a small table to the side, picked up a sharp small knife, and consoled, “Don’t be afraid, it will be over very soon. I won’t hurt your gland.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Heting, seemingly gathering strength from nowhere, suddenly pushed himself up from the table with his arms, only to be forced back down by the guards on both sides, gripping his shoulders.

It was a futile struggle. Jiang Han looked down at him, feeling utterly disappointed.

Such an outstanding senior brother had actually died at the hands of such a coward who feared death. He already couldn’t understand the faith of Bei Chengzhou and the Urdan rebels; at this moment, he couldn’t help but feel regret for Bei Chengzhou once again, and also for himself.

His knowledge, his ideals, his ambitions, and even his life would all vanish into nothingness today.

During the surgery, he intended to seize an opportunity to sever that life-or-death carotid artery. And once he made his move, whether he succeeded or not, only death would await him. Under such tight surveillance, there would only be one chance to strike; he had to ensure that Bai Heting had no chance of survival at all.

Jiang Han raised his head and ordered the guards surrounding the table, “This is very dangerous. Hold him down tightly and don’t let him thrash around.”

“Physician.” With his head held down by a guard, Bai Heting could only clutch a handful of Jiang Han’s robes with his fingers before giving it a gentle tug. “I really… cannot undergo this surgery.”

Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that one day, he would actually utter such words, “I beg you…”

Yet this slightly trembling appearance only made Jiang Han feel all the more disgusted. Holding the knife in his right hand, he pressed down on the back of Bai Heting’s neck with his left hand, then cut through that thin layer of skin with steady, precise movements. Yet his expression slowly turned grave.

Seeing the change in his countenance, Bai Jiashu immediately stood up. “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Han carefully examined the red, swollen area beneath the knife. In general, only glands in heat would swell to this extent. He hesitated for a moment, then released his left hand from Bai Heting’s neck and instead took hold of his wrist.

The pulse was smooth and powerful, rolling like pearls on a jade plate.

He asked in astonishment, “You are pregnant?”

The fingers clutching his robe slowly loosened. The upper half of Bai Heting’s face was pressed into a soft pillow; he could not see, but he could feel the rage and pressure of the amber pheromones. He heard Bai Jiashu’s footsteps drawing closer and closer, and a moment later, a chilling voice rang out above his head, “Is what he said true?”

Bai Heting did not reply and was flipped over again as Bai Jiashu grabbed him by the shoulder. The guards on both sides immediately took a few steps back in a panic.

“So,” Bai Jiashu’s voice carried a piercing chill, “You don’t want to remove the mark because you intend to keep this bastard child?”

With his eyes half-closed, the color had completely drained from Bai Heting’s face. He seemed utterly exhausted, lying limply on the table, still remaining absolutely silent.

General Bai Heting’s rare retreat and cowardice finally had an explanation, and Bai Jiashu couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Once he laughed his fill, he sighed again and pressed further, “How long do you plan to keep it? You don’t actually want to give birth to it, do you? Do you really think I would let it live?”

Bai Heting remained quiet for a moment, then opened his eyes and softly called out, “Your Majesty.” He took a deep breath and said slowly, “This is your nephew.”

The smile in Bai Jiashu’s eyes froze. “Now you remember your own identity?”

Bai Heting was choked by this counter-question. He had not expected that Bai Jiashu actually knew he was Bai Yi’s biological son.

“You too, and Royal Father too,” Bai Jiashu added. “Why must every single one of you be like this? Is it not good for our family to stay together happily?”

Bai Heting stared at those bottomless, pitch-black eyes and was utterly stunned.

He caught a glimpse of an underlying meaning from those words. Although Bai Yi had countless lovers, he would never indulge himself regardless of the consequences. His bizarre death now had a terrifying answer.

He shook his head in disbelief, “Bai Jiashu, you are insane.”

He had called Bai Jiashu straight by his name, yet Bai Jiashu did not blame him for the offense. He continued to ask while staring into Bai Heting’s eyes directly, “My good brother, how have you looked at me all these years? Did you think I was a joke? What kind of plans did you and Royal Father plot behind my back?”

Bai Heting said blankly, “I don’t understand what you are talking about.”

The confusion on his face did not seem feigned, and Bai Jiashu was also somewhat surprised, “You didn’t know?” He pondered for a moment, then smiled with sudden realization, “Thats true though, how could a man as scheming and calculating as him possibly tell you everything?”

Bai Heting still did not understand. He looked at Bai Jiashu earnestly and said softly, “I have never harbored any malicious intent toward you.”

“You harbor rebels, and even want to bear his offspring,” Bai Jiashu countered. “Is this what you call never harboring malicious intent?” He turned his head toward the dumbfounded physician and ordered in a deep voice, “Take it out.”

Everything Jiang Han knew had been completely overturned in an instant. Still unable to recover from this sudden turn of events, he asked blankly, “Take what out?”

The young new king gave him the precise answer, “Cut the child out.”

A wave of chill rushed straight from his toes to the top of his skull. This command was no different from murder. Jiang Han quieted down and reminded him in a low voice, “Your Majesty, once the mark is washed away, the fetus won’t survive for long.”

Yet Bai Jiashu remained unmoved, “I want it dead right now.”

Jiang Han glanced at Bai Heting and emphasized his tone slightly, “If we perform a C-section to take the child, he will die too.”

At this, Bai Heting smiled faintly.

He sighed and said, “He simply wants me dead.”

Bai Jiashu looked at Bai Heting expressionlessly, his tone carrying no fluctuation either, “Don’t worry about the people under your command. I will treat them well, and they will never know the truth of today.” He spoke without any concealment, “After you pass away from illness, I will hold a decent funeral for you to express mourning and regret. Leave in peace; I will not let history repeat itself, nor will I let them threaten the stability of this country for your sake.”

There was no look of surprise on Bai Heting’s face as if he had anticipated this outcome long ago, and he blinked at Bai Jiashu slowly.

There was no fear in those eyes, but there was nothing else either.

“You asked me how I look at you,” he said calmly. “I think you are pitiful. Your inferiority complex is beyond cure; you want to satisfy your ridiculous self-esteem by controlling me. You look down on your mother’s practically nonexistent marriage, yet you want me to follow in your mother’s footsteps and become a lifeless, pretty stone on your crown.”

Bai Jiashu’s expression changed violently, “How dare you—”

“Bai Jiashu, listen closely.” Bai Heting suddenly raised his hand, grabbed the front of Bai Jiashu’s robe, and pulled it downward.

“I did it willingly.” He stared fixedly into Bai Jiashu’s eyes. “No one forced me. I was the one who asked him to mark me. That day, I knew someone would come to rescue him, so I deliberately led your men away. He’s already gone, and you’ll never find him.” A smile instantly bloomed across that pale face, it was a smile carrying a touch of frantic ruthlessness, “I love him. Even if you kill me, that fact will never change. You wear a crown and hold the power to command the wind and rain, yet you are not worth even a ten-thousandth of what he is.”

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