QT: Don't fall in love with the Male Lead

tw: corporal punishment, blood, talks of forced prostitution (that will remain just talks!)

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Xi Zirui doesn't know what he's going to do.

He can't risk Xiao Gou's life, the boy doesn't deserve to suffer the consequences for Xi Zirui's decisions.

But he also can't stand the idea of exposing Han Yu to public scorn, humiliation, exile, or perhaps worse, depending on how ruthless Su Xueyi decides to be with his punishment. 

It all hinges on how well he can lie, and if it's enough to save both Xiao Gou and Han Yu. 

In the end the decision is made for Xi Zirui, when Han Yu makes his way towards him and kneels down gracefully at his side.

"Imperial father, Xi-fei isn't to blame for anything that has happened," he says, meeting Su Xueyi's enraged gaze with his cool one. "It was this Prince who acted like a beast towards Xi-fei and forced himself on him. This Prince coerced Xi-fei into staying silent about the extent of his abuse and continue to endure this Prince's advances. This Prince is lower than a dog and deserves death (1)."

The sound of Su Xueyi's backhand striking Han Yu's cheek is deafening. 

Xi Zirui watches in slow motion as Su Xueyi's many rings crash into Han Yu's smooth lips and his lower lip splits like a ripe peach, dripping a stream of blood down his chin and into his robes.

He wants to lunge at Su Xueyi like an animal and tear him limb from limb for daring to touch Han Yu. 

He wants to cry, because Han Yu is willing to destroy his reputation in a desperate bid to save Xi Zirui.

He wants to close his eyes and open them somewhere else. 

Anywhere but here.

He doesn't do any of that, but he lets out a choked gasp when Su Xueyi lifts up the sword to Han Yu's right eye, the honed tip aimed straight at his pupil.

"Unfilial dog, I'll take out your eyes for daring to gaze upon this Emperor's concubine. This Emperor has given his ungrateful first son everything, and still he covets what belongs to this Emperor!"

Han Yu closes his eyes, fully accepting his fate. 

Xi Zirui can't stand by and watch him be mutilated.

He throws himself over Han Yu's legs, shielding him with his body.

Looking up at the sword hovering above his head, he says, "His Majesty, First Prince is only trying to protect this concubine, what he says isn't true. This concubine entered into an illicit relationship with First Prince, willingly and knowingly. This concubine deserves death, but he begs that His Majesty spare First Prince and all of this concubine's servants, who are innocent in this matter."

"Host! Emperor's favor dropped by 27 points. Now at 73 of a possible 100 points."

Xi Zirui barely hears Ni Ni's words. He only resumes breathing when Su Xueyi throws the sword on the floor with a disgusted grunt.

Han Yu's hand closes over his shoulder. "Zirui...why?"

Su Xueyi wrenches him away from Han Yu, shaking him furiously, gripping his arms hard enough to bruise. "What hasn't this Emperor given to Xi-fei? This Emperor treasured Xi-fei from the day of their wedding and held him up in the palm of his hand ever since! Why has Xi-fei returned this Emperor's devotion with such low and disgusting betrayal?"

Xi Zirui looks Su Xueyi in the eyes and tells him the truth. "Zirui acknowledges his sins and begs His Majesty's forgiveness, but he fell in love with First Prince."

The look Su Xueyi levels him with is so hateful that Xi Zirui is surprised Ni Ni doesn't announce that his favor has dropped all the way to 0.

He pushes Xi Zirui away from him, as if he can't stand the sight of him. It makes Xi Zirui stumble backwards into Han Yu's chest, who steadies him with a protective hand around his waist.

Su Xueyi's fury increases tenfold when he sees both of them standing so intimately next to each other.

Xi Zirui tries to spring away, but Han Yu holds him steady. "No, we face him together," he says, whispering the words into the shell of Xi Zirui's ear.

With narrowed eyes and his upper lip curled in disdain, Su Xueyi calls to the guards, "Seize them."

He and Han Yu are immediately swarmed by Imperial Guards who pry them away from each other, and half drag them towards Su Xueyi. 

Su Xueyi advances on Xi Zirui and pushes him down to his knees. He barely manages to catch himself on his hands, before Su Xueyi is tearing at the back of his robes, tearing the silk at the seams and making it hang in tattered ribbons around his waist sash.

"Father, what are you doing!" Han Yu shouts, struggling against the guards holding him down.

He doesn't get an answer from Su Xueyi.

Ashen faced, Bai Mi rushes towards the front of the dais. "His Majesty, there should be a trial first. There's no doubt they deserve grave punishment, but His Majesty shouldn't sully his hands by enacting justice himself."

Su Xueyi scoffs at her words, and holds her back by the shoulder when she tries to approach him. "The Empress should either take her seat, or leave if she's feeling squeamish."

Fingers tight on her fan, Bai Mi curves her neck and acquiescence and makes her way back to her chair.

Xi Zirui appreciates her for trying.

The problem is that he's growing ever more terrified as Su Xueyi continues to rip away at his robes, until he's left naked from the waist up, shivering miserably on his knees in the middle of the throne room.

"Please stop," Han Yu says, his voice hoarse with the tears he's trying to hold back.

"Give this Emperor your whip," Su Xueyi says, extending his hand towards one of the guards.

The man unwraps the whip from it's coil at his hip, and hands it to Su Xueyi who tests his flexibility before deeming it adequate.

"What are you going to do?" Han Yu asks, the terror palpable in his voice. 

Su Xueyi smiles, a cruel mocking thing, and for the first time ever Xi Zirui is afraid of him.

He knows Su Xueyi is the Emperor, the sheer power he commands. He knows better than many people everything that entails, but it's as if only now it becomes real for Xi Zirui. 

Su Xueyi can do whatever he wants with him. 

In the most vicious and cruel ways a human being can be owned, Xi Zirui is.

He saw Su Xueyi has a harmless buffoon because of the way he treated him and acted around him, of course that was all conditional to him continuing to behave as Su Xueyi expected him to.

"This Emperor isn't going to do anything," he smirks and turns the whip towards Han Yu, handle first. "First Prince is."

Only now is Xi Zirui meeting the real Su Xueyi, and it's terrifying. 

Han Yu recoils in shock from the whip.

Xi Zirui whimpers despite himself.

He doesn't want to be here right now.

"I'm not doing it, I'm not going to hurt Zirui," Han Yu says, struggling once again in the guard's hold.

"Either First Prince does it, or this Emperor takes out Xi-fei' eyes, and then his tongue, and maybe all his fingers," Su Xueyi says, his voice filled with a sadistic mirth.

Xi Zirui can see the horror painted in vivid tones of red across Han Yu's fice, from his still bleeding lips to his reddened eyes. 

It's hard to tell which one of them this is a harsher punishment for.

Xi Zirui would rather be maimed by Su Xueyi than put Han Yu through this.

Steeling his voice Xi Zirui says, "Han Yu doesn't need to do it, it's fine I can endure anything."

He hears a waterlogged gasp and then Han Yu takes the whip from his father's hands.

Unsteadily, with a white-knuckled grip on the whip's handle, Han Yu makes his way behind Xi Zirui's unmarred, trembling back. 

"Ten strikes. The more First Prince delays, the more this Emperor will be inclined to take out Xi-fei's eyes."

Han Yu swallows around the knot in his throat, and lifts the whip above his head. "I'm sorry, Zirui."

He brings it down so softly, that it barely smarts. 

Su Xueyi throws his head back in a jarring laugh. "You think this is bed-sport, boy?" he says, losing all his haughty composure, addressing Han Yu like a naughty child who he intends to discipline. "For each strike that doesn't draw blood, I'll cut out one of his fingers."

The next time the whip lands, Xi Zirui feels his skin split open around the smooth leather like a plum revealing its red insides.

The pain is like nothing he's ever felt before. He supports himself on his trembling arms and closes his eyes against the tears.

Behind him, Han Yu is openly sobbing, gut-wrenching sobs that make him sound young, scared and hopeless. 

Xi Zirui wants to tell him he's fine, that he can keep going, but pain leaves him breathless and dizzy.

His mind is only rendered more vacant as the next strike lands, and the next, and the next.

It's easy to lose count when his entire back feels like it's on fire, and yet Xi Zirui doesn't remember ever feeling his cold, his body shaking and teeth shattering uncontrollably. 

He thinks he's on the verge of passing out.

Amidst the haze of pain, he has enough clarity to notice that Han Yu is doing his best to ensure that no strike lands in the same place twice, sparing Xi Zirui from even greater pain and deeper wounds.

He only realizes it's over when he hears the clatter of the whip falling to the ground. 

Han Yu drops to his knees at his side, and cradles Xi Zirui's face in his hands, mindful of his ruined back. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry," he presses the mindless litany against Xi Zirui's neck, his tears mixing with Xi Zirui's sweat in a bouquet of desperation.

Exhausted, nearly beyond coherency, Xi Zirui lets himself fall against his chest, trying to hold on to his elbows with trembling fingers.

Su Xueyi squats in front of them, taking up their entire field of vision. "What a moving scene," he says, his words dripping venom. "I wonder if First Prince will still embrace his lover so sweetly when he next sees him in the Capital's best brothel."

Han Yu's ashen face becomes even paler, a ghostly pallor taking up his fine features. "What?"

Su Xueyi smiles. "That's where whores belong, is it not?" Darting a brief look at Xi Zirui, he adds, "He'll stay in the palace only long enough for his wounds to close, and then he'll be sold to the brothel. This Emperor intends to recoup his losses."

Xi Zirui is far too gone to properly process Su Xueyi's words and Han Yu is struck dumb, holding on to Xi Zirui while tears of helplessness fall down his cheeks.

Su Xueyi slaps his slack face. "First Prince needn't worry, this Emperor will make sure First Prince is there to watch when Xi-fei takes his first costumers." 

The last thing Xi Zirui remember before losing consciousness is the sound of someone sobbing brokenly, his last coherent thought is that through the whole ordeal, Su Xueyi's favor only decreased once.