"Your Majesty, Emperor Father. Your Son, the Seventh Prince Huang Shu, begs you to strip his title as Imperial Prince and draft me together with Bai Yunyu to the border."

…

…

The main hall went quiet after the Seventh Prince uttered his request. They didn't expect the most popular and referred Prince, even more than the Crown Prince himself, would throw away all his ranks and status just for a Ger Peasant.

Emperor Jing closed his eyes. He knew that he also had a Ger lover, and he loved his beloved Ger more than the rest of the harem members.

Emperor Jing was actually in love with his current Ger lover for far longer than people might've expected.

But Huang Shu was still a Prince. He didn't have any meaningful rank to influence the court, unlike him, because he was the Emperor.

Emperor Jing took a deep breath and glanced at his first son, Huang Bei the Crown Prince. He knew that Huang Bei also loved Bai Yunyu. Just by his gaze, it was obvious that he had been crushing on that Ger for a while.

But there was a difference. Huang Bei could only wish Bai Yunyu a good life and thought he could move on. Unlike Huang Shu, who bravely stripped his rank for his beloved Ger.

Emperor Jing closed his eyes and then replied, "Twenty Five years ago, when I was only twenty years old, I fell in love with a Ger around my age. He is from a noble with a very small land, almost invisible to other nobles in the nation."

"I promised him that I will bring him to the Imperial Palace once I can strengthen my position. So I begged him to stay single for a while, who would've expected that -a while- turned to be twenty-five years of waiting."

"He stayed single for twenty-five years, and I can finally cement my position, strong enough to take him to the Imperial Palace," Emperor Jing said.

Emperor Jing looked down at his son, Seventh Prince Huang Shu, who still kowtowed in front of him, "My son, you're braver than I thought. You decided to ditch everything for your loved one and chase after him."

"But I have one question, Huang Shu," Emperor Jing paused for a moment and asked, "I will not spare you any pity just because you're my son. When you said that you want to be stripped of your rank, you will lose all your privilege and be no more than a regular peasant. I will remind you, the border is harsh, and food will be rationed, are you ready to go on such arduous life."

"Yes, Emperor Father, I am ready for anything. My life before him has been so bleak and empty. I'm grateful for what you provide for me, but I can't feel anything when I was the Seventh Prince without any interest in anything. Now that I've found someone that I love, I will not let him go," Huang Shu replied assuringly. He didn't even stutter in his words.

"This unfilial son apologize for his ungratefulness, but let me follow my beloved!" Huang Shu added.

"Begging the benevolence Emperor Father to fulfill my request!"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Huang Shu knocked on the wooden floor three times with his forehead to signify his seriousness about his request.

Emperor Jing was finally convinced by his son. He nodded and said, "Alright, my son, Seventh Prince Huang Shu, I will demote you and strip all of your ranks, including your privilege and your title as Seventh Prince. You will now be known just as Huang Shu," Emperor Jing declared. "You're still my son, but you will not be able to enjoy the privilege of an Imperial Prince."

"Understand, thank you, Your Majesty Emperor Father," Huang Shu said.

"Good, you may leave now, prepare yourself because Bai Yunyu will go tomorrow morning," Emperor Jing instructed.

Huang Shu nodded. He got up and then bowed his head once more before turning his back. He walked away without looking back at his father and the court officials.

Because his determination had been cemented, he didn't want to turn back.

'Bai Yunyu, even if you despise me, I will always be by your side. Wait for me, my beloved.'

…

After Huang Shu left, Huang Bei immediately asked his Emperor Father, "Father, are you really going to discard Seventh Brother like that? He might have taken a rash decision right now. At least, once he returned with Bai Yunyu, I hope you can be benevolent enough to return Seventh Brother's title."

Emperor Jing smiled and replied to his son, "My son, I cannot return his title because he seems to be determined upon following his beloved Ger. But, once you become the new Emperor, you can restore his rank if you have enough goodwill for him because I don't think Huang Shu will come back and beg for his rank to be restored."

"I understand, Emperor Father," Huang Bei said.

Emperor Jing asked, "My son, do you know the difference between you and him?"

"I understand," Huang Bei nodded confidently. After seeing how sincere Huang Shu's love for Bai Yunyu, he realized that he didn't deserve Bai Yunyu's love.

Huang Bei gallantly admitted his weakness, "I'm not strong enough to be like my Seventh Brother. I'm not courageous for someone that I love. I understand what Seventh Brother is doing. I'm just not that courageous."

"You're wrong, my son. You're not a coward. I know your quality," Emperor Jing closed his eyes again, then continued, "But your love for Bai Yunyu is like a speck of dust compared to Huang Shu's love and devotion for that Ger man."

**

Huang Shu was preparing for his departure tomorrow morning. He prepared just enough for himself because he knew he couldn't bring much.

There was no worry in him about his rank. Huang Shu kept thinking about Yunyu instead. He was afraid that Yunyu would be too lonely after he lost his father.

As he was packing, someone suddenly came to his room, standing at the door while staring at him, "My son, what are you doing?" Concubine Ai asked.

Huang Shu paused for a moment and then continued packing up, "You must've known about it from Emperor Father. I am not the Seventh Prince anymore, and I will be drafted as a regular soldier on the border."

Imperial Concubine Ai had been holding her rage for so long, she thought by ruining that Bitch Ger's reputation, her son would think twice to date a 'whore'. Who would've expected that Huang Shu was so stupid that he actually requested to be stripped of his rank?

Imperial Concubine Ai grabbed few table decorations near her and then threw them to her son's head, "You ungrateful shit! I've raised you well for nineteen years, and this is how you repay me?!"

Huang Shu decided to just ignore his mother while she kept throwing things at him. After he finished packing, he finally got up with a medium-sized box filled with his clothes that weren't grandeur. He turned and faced his mother, who was ready to throw a ceramic vase at him.

He stared at his mother and then bowed his head courteously, "Mother, I have become an unfilial son. Forgive me for saying this, as much as I respect and love you as my mother. I will never leave Bai Yunyu. Let me find my own happiness."

"From now on, you don't need to treat me like your son anymore, goodbye… Imperial Concubine Ai."

Imperial Concubine Ai paused as she kept staring at her son. Huang SHu bypassed her and walked away.

Imperial Concubine Ai slumped on the floor, feeling defeated.

'What went wrong? I raised him to be an honorable Prince. I always told him that we're noble. He could never touch the peasants because they're disgusting.'

'But now, look at this, my son has been tainted by that Bitch Ger until he turns mad. How could a sane person leave everything that he has just to follow a bitch?'

Imperial Concubine Ai clenched her fist. Huang Shu was her ticket to have a prosperous life in the future. As long as Huang Shu became a high minister, then her old life would be guaranteed, but it was all gone now, thanks to that Bitch Ger.

'I will get you, you disgusting deformed thing!'