Youxian got dressed in his chamber then went to tell Changling where he was going, but when he entered the chamber, he could hear Changling’s snoring. He went over to the bed and sat down beside his sleeping prince.

His mind recalled the conversation he had with Qian Luse and still he could not wrap his mind around the fact that Changling might love him. It’s still too soon to have those feelings.

Youxian could feel that he was about to cry and quickly rubbed his face. He got up and looked at Changling and whispered, “I will be back, Your Highness, I promise.”

He left the chamber and Changling, who should be asleep, opened his eyes and narrowed them. He left his chamber and asked, “Where is he going?”

Qian Luse was surprised to see her brother standing on the steps, especially when Youxian just told her he was asleep in his chamber, so who was lying? “To your brother’s palace. He said he was going to be back.”

Changling gazed at his sister, who was sweeping the path, and said, “If he does not return, you will receive his punishment.”

“I’ll go fetch him if he does not return,” she retorted.

Changling looked at the door for a moment. It took so much to not go after him and Youxian said he would be back so, he should trust him and this was the last time that he would.

Youxian arrived at the Crown Prince’s palace and was greeted by an anxious and confused Qiang Wu, “Ah-You, why are your eyes red? Did my brother hurt you again?”

Youxian said instead, “Let’s talk inside. I walked all this way.”

Qiang Wu nodded and lead him in, “So what happened? My father has been worried and there is still no news from my brother’s palace. Is he okay?” He asked after sitting down.

Youxian sat down opposite him and shook his head. “Your brother is stubborn. Instead of resting, he lectured me all night and is finally asleep.”

Qiang Wu, bit on his bottom lip. He too was frightened after seeing Changling in that condition yesterday morning.

“Do you know how he came to be in that condition?” Qiang Wu probed.

Youxian nodded his head. “I think it has something to do with bandits before I left, Changling and Qinghe had heated conversations about them.”

Qiang Wu was confused, and he knew Youxian did not come here to talk about bandits. “So he just let you leave after all that fussing before?”

“No, Qiang Wu. I think you know your brother is a dangerous man and I do not want someone so dangerous to harm you, hence I have decided to leave the army and serve by his side as his consort,” Youxian explained bitterly.

Qiang Wu chuckled, confusing Youxian. He thought Qiang Wu would be pissed, but here he was, smiling.

“Hwan Youxian, I am no fool. At first, I thought my brother might be molesting you against your will when you first told me, but how you reacted when he fell unconscious before us all and the tears that flowed in the medical chamber spoke otherwise. Anyone can tell that you love your abuser and that he would do anything to keep you from leaving his side, which includes killing all of us. The Rong siblings seem to be wary around you and threaten you but treat you like gold, which tells me that even they have no right chasing you away,” Qiang Wu said with a mischievous smile.

Youxian turned red and cupped his cheeks. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“Because I know you, Youxian. You’ve always wanted someone who would hold you higher than me. I was worried that you would never find someone because you were interested in men, but I do not have to worry about marrying you off to someone anymore. My brother seems to be rough around the edges and may have forced you under him, but for him to make you his consort and publicly? Not even I have the courage to approach Rong Rucheng and my brother knows that,” Qiang Wu admitted.

Youxian’s tensed shoulders sank at ease and asked, “Do you think my decision is wise?”

Qiang Wu shook his head. “I do not know. I could tell when I first saw my brother that he was dangerous and after killing all those royal guards, it only showed that we should be wary of him. When I spoke to him that day, he told me that if he wanted the title of Crown Prince, I would have been dead already along with the emperor. To be honest, I want to get him on my side and with you being my best friend, him being your husband, will that not be best for me? But then again, I do not know how my mother will react or my grandfather and I know my brother won’t let them go, especially after what they did to his mother.”

Youxian nodded his head. “He doesn’t speak about her much, but she has left him a legacy to take care of. I think their parents are much more than we think they are.”

“Do me a favour, will you?” He said.

Youxian stared at for a moment then nodded his head listening to what he had to say.

*

Youxian returned to Changling’s palace and found Qian Luse in the kitchen making food. “I’m back,” he said.

She turned around and smiled at him. “Any later and I would have gone and fetched you. Oraboni came looking for you right after you left. It seems he was never asleep.”

Youxian’s eyes widened in disbelief. He quickly turned around and rushed to Changling’s chamber, but as he ran past the pavilion, he saw Changling sitting there and stopped. 

He looked at Changling, who was enjoying a cup of tea and could see a strange look on his face.

He cautiously walked over to him and stopped at the top of the pavilion steps. Changling turned to look at him and Youxian said, “I have returned.”

Changling gazed at him expressionlessly for a moment, then asked, “Where are you coming from?”

“From the Crown Prince’s palace,” he answered.

“And what did you go do there?”He asked, taking a sip of his tea.

Youxian exhaled as he replied, “I told him he shouldn’t expect me back at work because I will serve at your side.”

Changling chuckled, relieved. He waved Youxian over, who sat down at his side, and he cupped his chin, bringing Youxian closer and kissed him on the lips. Changling sucked his lips into his mouth and when his tongue explored Youxian’s mouth, Youxian melted against him and moaned.

Changling pulled back to give him time to catch his breath and smiled down at him. He looked into his eyes and said, “I can tell you enjoyed that.”

Youxian blushed, “You just have a way of using your tongue in a way I like.”

Changling smirked, amused. “And how is that?” He asked curiously.

Youxian looked into his eyes and he was surprised to see that there was a smile in Changling’s eyes.

Changling frowned when he saw Youxian’s eyes turn glossy, “What…” he started to question, but Youxian interrupted him, “I think I love you, Your Highness.”

Changling’s eyes widened. He never expected this from him. He looked into his eyes as he asked, “Why are you saying this suddenly?”

Youxian’s eyes watered as he said, “Your Highness, I don’t want to see you like that again. Please don’t scare me like that. I thought I was going to lose you.”

Changling stared at his consort and said, “I will only stay safe if I do not get double-crossed. You said you would stay by my side, so stay here and be good. I need to rest Ah-Xian and you know you are the cause of all of this and if you behave, everything will go accordingly.”

Youxian took in a deep breath and nodded his head. He knew very well that if he did not run to Qiang Wu, Changling wouldn’t have killed so many because of him and he wouldn’t have gotten hurt, too.

Youxian sat up and wiped his tears away. He stood up and ran back to his chamber and shut the doors. Sliding down against the door, he burst out into tears and cried. Everything was just too much for him, all at once was just too much.

*

Before Changling even reached Youxian’s chamber, he could hear Youxian cry and did not know what it was about. He really did not like it when someone cried, but to hear this type of cry from Youxian, someone who had a place in his heart — made him wonder what was his next step.