Capturing My Demon King Costar

The melodic tinkling of a child's laughter wakes up Yao Shen. He wakes in stages, being at first aware of the soft grass under his cheek, and then of running water nearby.

"Dage, look!"

Gingerly, Yao Shen gets up to his feet. He opens his eyes in the middle of a luxurious courtyard, the kind he has only seen in historical sight tours, or the very best of period dramas.

The source of the childish laughter is a boy of no more than ten years, tugging on the sleeve of a slightly older teenager, who must be aged around fifteen.

"Dage, the carps you gave me are already so big," the boy says, his dark eyes sparkling with joy.

The older teen turns around and Yao Shen can see his face for the first time.

It's like looking into one of his high school pictures. Except his hair had never been that long and Yao Shen is sure he has never looked that serious and focused.

Yao Shen never had a younger brother either.

"That's because didi has been taking good care of them." The younger him -- the other him -- pats the young boy's head who preens under the attention, his smile widening.

"Of course, I didn't want to disappoint Dage!"

It's obvious from that little interaction that the two are extremely close. The young boy in particular looks up to his older brother a great deal.

Is this who Yao Shen was before becoming a ghost king?

Some distant voice calls out "Fourth Highness!" and the boy disappears towards the sound of the voice, after shooting his Dage a little wave.

Yao Shen keeps watching as the other him looks out at the manicured pond, his hands clasped leisurely behind his back.

Two maids must not notice his presence, and gossip among themselves.

"It's such a pity that Fourth Highness's concubine mother is unfavored by the Emperor," one of young girls sighs, shaking her head at the young prince, now almost at the end of that stretch of the courtyard. "He's so clever and well-behaved, even his teachers can't help but praise him."

"Really unfortunate. Being born on the fourth day, of the fourth month too..."

He's now talking with an older gentleman dressed in sober dark robes. Even at a distance it's possible to tell how his whiskers shake with mirth at whatever the boy is saying to excuse missing the lecture he should have been attending.

The other maid lets out a drawn out sigh. "With his brilliance, and how much the Crown Prince indulges him, he might even find himself rising above the petty grievances of the Imperial Harem and being conferred a good title in the capital or another important city." Her expression grows sombre. "I'm afraid his Majesty won't allow it, due to his low opinion of his concubine mother. Everyone knows the only thing keeping her out of the cold palace(1) are her family connections."

"His Majesty has his reasons." The girl's features shift into something sharp, now that she's no longer discussing the innocent son, but the mother instead. "Everyone knows that Lady Lu entertains...gentleman callers. Some even say Fourth Highness' parentage should be questioned."

It's then that the 'Crown Prince' with Yao Shen's face steps out of the shrubs, clearing his throat.

The two maids go immediately pale, and drop to their knees  in deep prostration, their foreheads knocking against the the leaf-covered ground

"Begging for his Highness' forgiveness, these lowly slaves have spoken unwisely and out of turn," the older of the two begs, while the younger maid sobs openly. "This lowly slave deserves death, and begs that his Highness delivers punishment as he sees fit."

"This lowly slave deserves death as well!"

Yao Shen watches in shock as the scene unfolds. He has seen it play out several time on dramas, but it's another thing to watch it happen in real life. He looks at the other him -- he can have both maids executed if he wants, and no one will question him.

His hands still clasped behind his back, the Crown Prince addresses both prostrated servants:

"You are both servants of the Imperial palace, you should know to conduct yourselves with decorum and dignity. Any future speculation and malicious gossip about Xiao Si's parentage will be met with capital punishment."

The two women knock their foreheads against the ground once more, echoing their understanding of Yao Shen's words.

"Go meet steward Chang and ask him to punish both of you for idleness and rumour mongering."

The two women rise to their feet with deep bows and then retreat without turning their backs to Yao Shen, their eyes lowered in extreme subservience.

The whole display makes Yao Shen's skin crawl. It's chilling to see himself speak so coldly to another person.

"That's the Dage I remember," a wistful voice says from behind Yao Shen.

He turns around to find Si Wang, looking just as he did in the Wuji pavilion moments before, and not at all like the cute ten-year-old who just left. Except perhaps around the eyes. There's some of that childish innocence around his eyes still, but it's less charming, more manic. 

"So we were brothers," Yao Shen says, tilting his head towards the pond. "Are you mad I forgot? It's the ghost king's fault."

"Don't be silly, of course I don't blame you for that." Si Wang chuckles, even as his expression darkens. "What I blame you for happened a lot earlier."

Yao Shen rubs the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "You're going to have to be more specific about your grievances, because I don't-"

Si Wang advances towards Yao SHen with furious strides and holds him by the collar of his shirt, almost lifting him off the ground.

"You saw that scene just now! You know what kind of viciousness I was up against, and you left me there..."

Yao Shen is confused about that. Wasn't he the Crown Prince? How could he have left anyone behind?

Enraged by his obvious confusion, Si Wang lets go of him with a disappointed sigh. "You still don't understand, that's fine, there's still time."

---

The scenes dissolves around him, and the next thing Yao Shen sees is a lavishly appointed study. A man in golden brocade robes, who can't be anyone except the Emperor, paces back and forth in front of a moon window.

"Someone must go to the front lines," he says, his dark eyes looking at a distant point above a wall hanging, and not at the row of three young men kneeling in front of him.

"Imperial father, this son volunteers," one boy with a wispy thin moustache and a reedy voice says.

The Emperor shakes his head. "You're too inexperienced. We need to send someone who will moralise the troops and renew their fighting spirit. If I send them a green general, it will be as good as admitting I have no faith in our victory."

The young man lifts his eyes from the floorboards, looking up at his father with the disbelief of a spurned child.

"But, I am your son, how can the troops interpreter me joining them as anything but a sign of your trust in their victory?"

Beside him, a much broader young man laughs mirthlessly. "The men want to see someone who is not only skilled, but also dear to our Imperial father. Only then, will they be sure that their Emperor is fully confident in their victory, Imperial father wouldn't risk the safety of a beloved son on a lost battle." He smirks derisively at the thin young man. "Seeing your face will make the men throw down their banners and run for the hills."

The Emperor doesn't once look at them, but he hums quietly in agreement.

The prince with the reedy voice bites down on his humiliation and stays quiet.

Clearly emboldened, the broad prince gestures towards Yao Shen. "That's why I think Dage should be the one to go."

Watching the scene, Yao Shen falls just as quiet as his counterpart.

This is also one of those scenes he has seen played out countless times in period dramas. There's always a prince plotting to get rid of the Crown Prince and usurp them -- and there's nothing  more convenient than a tragic death in combat. 

Otherwise, why wouldn't brother-as-wide-as-he-is-tall, offer himself for the honour?

The Emperor considers his son's suggestion, and this time his quiet hum is one of enthusiast approval. "That would be the best course of action."

The prince preens, but it's short-lived. "This Emperor is glad to see that your lessons with strategist Fan are proving useful. For a moment I feared you were going to volunteer yourself."

While it's amusing to watch the smile slip off his face, Yao Shen has to wonder why the Emperor called all his adult sons to a meeting if he had already made up his mind.

And then it hits him, as he watches the other him circle his arms solemnly in front of his chest, still kneeling on the floor. "This son will carry out father's orders."

He wanted to make sure Yao Shen wouldn't have a choice but to accept.