"Daddy, are you sure? I can stay," Huan said to his daddy.

Xiao Si traced his words on Huang’s palm, "Don't worry. I can manage. You need to focus on growing up and becoming stronger, so don't let me hold you back."

"Just three more days, Daddy, and you'll reunite with Gege. Until then, wait for me! I'll become stronger for both of you," Huan vowed with a bright smile.

Xiao Si nodded and Huan then left, the smile sliding from his face as he worried about his daddy.

Xiao Si looked around at the recently cleaned room. He wondered what path Meng Yao would choose once he understood the full truth.

If he chose the path of embracing his heritage as a royal, there would be no peace for him and blood would flood the way but if he chose to ignore his royal birthright, Xiao Si would have to stay away from his firstborn to protect him. he'd like Meng Yao to have that peaceful life but he also didn’t want to be out of his son’s life.

Xiao Si had already lost out on so many years with Meng Yao – he didn’t think he could bear to lose any more precious time.

Later, as Xiao Si prepared for bed, an unwelcome presence entered his room.

"Are you going to sleep? Since when did you sleep at night?" the general asked snidely.

Xiao Si bared his teeth in a silent snarl at him before pointing at the door and gesturing for him to leave.

"You want me to leave now when a few days you were willing to offer yourself to me? What changed?" the general demanded angrily.

Xiao Si didn't say anything and just pointed at the door.

"You won't talk? I want to hear your voice."

Xiao Si stomped his foot and continued to point at the door with rejection painted all over his face. He was clearly angry but the general didn’t care. What mattered to Wang Feng wasn’t the anger he always saw on Xiao Si’s face but that his Wangfei wouldn't say a single word. General Feng took Xiao Si’s silence as a challenge to his authority and pride.

(A/N: Wang is a title given to a general and Wangfei is the title for the general's wife)

Wang Feng went up to Xiao Si but he pushed the general away immediately. Because Xiao Si was now frail from constant starvation and illness, he was the one who lost his balance and began to fall. Wang Feng immediately caught him within his arms rather than let Xiao Si fall. Xiao Si struggled fiercely. He rather fall than endure Wang Feng’s touch.

"My wife, I shall have you tonight," Chong Lin declared with a mixture of lust and fury.

The servants had informed him that Xiao Si was still refusing to take his medicine and eat his meals. Chong Lin struggled to repress the faint sense of guilt he felt, knowing that his actions had brought Xiao Si to this point. Instead, he focused on the unacknowledged fear of losing Xiao Si forever and turned that fear into fury towards his stubborn spouse. Chong Lin was done being patient with him.

As Xiao Si feebly struggled, he found himself wishing he hadn't neglected his health so much. He was too weak now to stop Chong Lin’s assault.

Chong Lin threw him onto the bed and Xiao Si tried to jump up and run – but he was blocked by Chong Lin before he could gain his footing. Easily pushing Xiao Si’s shoulders back down on the bed, Chong Lin’s mouth went to Xiao Si's neck kissing and sucking. Xiao Si pushed Chong Lin’s face, his fingers curling to scratch and tensing his lower body to knee Chong Lin in the crotch but Chong Lin easily captured Xiao Si’s hands and used his legs to restrain Xiao Si’s lower body.

"Don't even try it,” Chong Lin growled as his grip on Xiao Si’s wrists tightened enough to raise bruises. “You brought this on yourself. You refuse to perform your wifely duties so I have no choice but to force you."

Xiao Si was tempted to end this nightmare by biting his own tongue off but he wanted to stay alive long enough to see Meng Yao again. He resisted as long as he could, managing to leave several vicious scratches on the general’s body, but in the end he was still taken by force.

Later that night Xiao Si remained awake as the man embraced him from behind. In his hand was a hair ornament with an edge sharp enough to kill. He wanted to stab the sleeping man in the neck with every fiber of his being but at the last minute, he paused. He knew that if he killed this man he would kill his father as well.

Xiao Si let out his breath in a silent sigh and moved to free himself from the grasping hands that revolted him. The hands tightened, however, and Chong Lin’s gloating voice sounded.

"Till the very end you didn't make a sound."

He smirked then took the hairpin out Xiao Si's hand.

"Hmph! Did you forget that I'm a stronger martial artist than you? Do you think I can't sense your killing intent towards me?" He let out a mocking chuckle.

Xiao Si snarled in disgust, struggling to be free. Chong Lin smiled and raised a lock of Xiao Si's hair to his nose, sniffing it.

"You smell lovely and you’re so sweet to have. After fourteen years of abstinence, now I can taste you as I like," he gloated to Xiao Si in a whisper.

Xiao Si turned away, refusing to face him.

"Let's go another round!"

Xiao Si struggled even more fiercely but Chong Lin only chuckled. Even when Xiao Si viciously bit the tongue Chong Lin tried to insert into his mouth, Chong Lin only grinned triumphantly and forced himself on Xiao Si once again. Suddenly Xiao Si stopped struggling and lay limply beneath the man assaulting him. He resolved to endure and survive. He would live through this – for his father and for his son.