“So, your highness, what brings you here?” Changling asked.

Qiang Wu looked at Changling. After a moment, he said, “Many are not happy with your arrival.”

“Are you one of them?” Changling asked, amused.

Rucheng returned, whispering something in his ear after she placed the tea she brewed for them on the table and poured for them, making him hum.

“Your sisters are beautiful,” Qiang Wu said as he watched Rucheng leave.

“Are you interested in her?” He asked with a smirk.

Qiang Wu smiled at him, “Even if I was, father wouldn’t allow it since I’m to be married soon.”

Changling nodded. “I’m sure it’s because they think I am here to take your crown from you.”

“Are you?” Qiang Wu raised a curious brow. This question had been eating at him. Changling regarded him, “Believe me when I say this, if I wanted it, you’d be dead and so would everyone else you know.”

Qiang Wu’s body froze.

Changling continued, “I’ve known since a young age that I was a prince or well heir apparent, but I don’t care. I have other things going for me and being the crown prince will just stop all my plans.”

“Plans?” Qiang Wu asked.

“That is none of your business… so little brother, who are the people you speak of?” Changling asked with a smirk.

“My mother, grandfather, and his followers. My mother also wants you to visit her,” he said as he moved the cups out of the way for the dishes Rucheng was placing on the table. He smiled at her and thanked her.

She smiled back and walked away. Changling looked on, amused. “If your mother wants to see me, she knows where to find me. I won’t be leaving my palace for anyone.”

Leaning forward with a cup of tea, he added, “I will support you because I don’t want to be in your place.”

They toasted their cups, then spoke over lunch, getting to know one another.

Changling walked Qiang Wu out and locked the doors behind him. Walking back to his room, he closed the door and turned to look at the boy sitting by the table near the window overlooking the garden.

Youxian got up from his seat and turned to look at a stunned Changling.

When Changling entered, his body froze. The boy standing ahead of him was absolutely stunning. Tall and slender. Handsome yet beautiful. His skin was creamy, covered in light blue silk that enhanced his beauty.

His lips were rose pink and plump. His eyes had a youthful gaze to it as its light brown colour shone with the sunlight shining through the window. A perfect nose that was untouched by danger.

His dark brown hair was tied up in a bun with a light blue band holding it all together at the base. Around his forehead was a light blue band tying his outfit together. He had a sword at his side, wearing white pants and black leather boots and a light blue waistband, keeping his robes together.

Youxian bowed at the half-naked man before him. “Your Highness,” he greeted. Changling snapped out of his daze as his soothing voice entered his ears. He smiled gently at him as his eyes dilated. Walking towards him, Changling sat down at the table and ordered, “Sit down.”

Youxian sat down opposite Changling in his seat from before and stared at the handsome man before him.

“What is your name?” He asked.

“My name is Hwan Youxian, Your Highness,” he answered with a hint of annoyance.

It didn’t go unnoticed, making Changling’s smile widen. “Annoyed? Why is that?”

Youxian sat back in the chair and folded his arms. His best friend was the crown prince, and this person was basically a nobody until his coronation. Raising a brow, he said, “Wouldn’t you be after waiting so long for someone?”

Changling nodded as he gazed out of the window. “Yes, but no one told you to arrive early. You informed Ah-Cheng that you’d be here in the evening, yet here you are alongside the crown prince, so of course you’d wait.”

Youxian scoffed but said nothing. If he knew he’d have to wait almost three hours, he would have arrived later.

Changling brought the passionfruit tea to his lips and asked, “Do you know why you are here, Youxian?”

He shook his head. “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

Changling looked at Youxian, finding the younger boy to be quite the spoilt brat his mother told him he was. “You’re here because you disrespect your father and need discipline,” he said bluntly.

Youxian found his statement offending, “What do you know?” He asked as he slammed his hands on the table and stood up.

Changling raised a brow, then stood up. He stood taller than Youxian. Steeling his face, he raised his hand and smacked him across his face. The younger boy fell to the ground and cupped his right cheek that was burning with the after sting of Changling’s palm.

He glared up at Changling, “How dare…” he started, but was shut up by another slap across his other cheek. His eyes watered as his cheeks stung. Looking up at Changling, who was fixing his robes, he crawled back, stopping when his back hit the wall.

“I’ll be disciplining you and you won’t be leaving my palace until you have learned manners, understand?” Changling said as he bent down in front of Youxian.

His eyes still held a glare as he looked at Changling. Hearing and seeing no answer, Changling smirked and stood up. He turned around and sat down at the table. Immediately, Youxian got up and ran away, running out of the doorway.

Changling got up and ran after him. Youxian panicked as he darted through the palace. He made it out through the way Rucheng lead him here.

Jumping over the steps, he landed on the ground and cursed when he heard Changling’s heavy footsteps behind him.

He didn’t make it far because Rucheng cut his escape route. Just as he planned to use his sword on her, Changling’s hand gripped the back of his neck, pulled the sword away from him and chucking it to the side. He swung Youxian around and slapped him a few more times until he was unconscious.

He slumped down, limp against Changling, who hugged him then carried him off to his room. Placing him on the bed, he took the waistband from Youxian’s waist and tied his hands with it against the post of the bed.

Sighing, he looked down at him. Caressing his swollen cheek, the boy whimpered and shuddered. “Rucheng!!” he called.

She came into his chamber and looked at her brother, touching the boy affectionately. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for him,” she asked in disbelief.

Changling scoffed, “Of course not, but he will be a suitable consort, no?”

Rucheng’s mouth hung open dumbfounded, “Oraboni, don’t tell me you were planning this the entire time.”

He shook his head. “No, but the idea came to me when I first laid eyes on him,” he said with a lust-filled gaze.

She hummed, then shrugged. “Well, it’s not like I care.”

Changling looked at his little sister unamused, “Since we’ve clarified that you don’t care, fix his face. It’s swollen and I want it handsome again.”

She looked at him with a mocking gaze, “You do understand you are the reason he looks like this, no?”

He shook his head innocently. “Who told him to disobey me?”

Rucheng shook her head and turned on her heels and walked out. She returned with a clean robe and a herbal salve that she made to stop the swelling.