The Cherished Inheritance Everyone Covets

Hedeng, the most cherished child of the Imperial House, was blessed by the gods with noble status and peerless beauty. Countless subjects adored him.

To everyone's shock, his beloved fiance, Leiderson, was caught in an explosion while heading to the battlefield. Not a trace of him remained.

Without his fiance's protection, Hedeng was like a pure white lamb fallen among wolves, his vulnerable throat bared for anyone to prey upon.

The empire was thrown into turmoil, rumors ran rampant, and the nights in Feilengcui stretched into endless darkness. His lover was gone, and his older brother had disappeared...

Alone and without support, he had no choice but to deal with all kinds of people as he searched for the truth behind the explosion. But after getting a taste of him, none of them were willing to let go.

A powerful federal leader wanted to make him his own.

A religious father who had gathered countless followers wanted to devour him whole.

A ruthless space pirate wanted to keep him as a treasured possession...

Two months later, the empire's people noticed that their beloved little prince had suddenly changed. Hedeng, who had never cared for power, now moved through the world of fame and influence. By day, he handled affairs of state, gave speeches at public assemblies, and visited the front lines to comfort the soldiers. At night, he attended banquets held for all sorts of reasons.

After deftly dealing with one problem after another, Hedeng stood by the window, gazing at the flowers in the courtyard. His eyes lowered, hiding his feelings.

*

Leiderson was the youngest general in the empire, yet many still looked down on him as an illegitimate child, treating him like an insignificant ant.

Then, at a meeting, he caught a fleeting glimpse of the prince. The aloof, proud prince everyone knew had approached him of his own accord. He would cuddle up against Leiderson and act coy, blush and whisper sweet nothings to him, and stand in front of him without hesitation whenever anyone questioned him.

"Xiao Deng, I don't want you to get hurt." He looked at the person before him and sighed helplessly.

The beautiful Hedeng simply looked up at him. "I'll take good care of myself. And you'll protect me too, right?"

*

At a glittering banquet, they met again. Hedeng stood on high, his gaze fixed on the well-dressed man below. The man's expression was stern, but his eyes were full of tenderness as he looked at Hedeng.

Hedeng was moved. After asking around, he learned that the man was a prominent guest of the Federation, recently in the spotlight. He never showed his true face, was ruthless in his methods, and wielded great authority.

Disguised as a bartender, Hedeng took the chance to touch the device behind the man's ear. The man's hand clamped around his wrist, yanking him into his arms. A callused fingertip brushed his soft lips, meeting his startled gaze.

The man pinned him against the wall and tipped Hedeng's chin up with a teasing gesture. "What, do you like me?"

When he saw the man's face, Hedeng's white lashes lowered. His breathtaking eyes dimmed with disappointment, and he shook his head. "Sorry, I mistook you for someone else."

But the man, who had been teasing him just moments ago, let out an almost inaudible sigh. He lowered his lashes and placed a crown encrusted with precious gems and jade on Hedeng's head.

His voice was hoarse, full of longing. "You weren't mistaken. It's me, Xiao Deng."

[Reading Tips]

* One-on-one, both leads are each other's only partners. Xiao Deng and Leiderson are mutually devoted.

* A little angst at first, then lots of sweetness.

Theme: Don't be anyone's accessory. Be yourself.