He twisted her hair back into a bun and placed the new hairpin in it. Turning her face to look his way, he gazed at her appearance in approval.

“I’ll be back,” he said and soon returned with a mirror. He held it in front of her and asked, “What do you think?”

Rucheng stared at herself in the mirror, then at the pin in her hair. She’d be lying if she didn’t like it. He even combed her hair so tenderly.

She gazed at him and said, “Your Highness, I have to attend to my duties.”

He nodded his head, feeling slightly hurt that she wasn’t smiling, and placed the mirror down. Helping her up, he said, “You can leave, but you have to leave something behind.”

She looked at him, confused; she had nothing to give him. “What is it, Your Highness?”

Qiang Wu stepped forward and cupped her cheeks. Before anything registered, he leaned forward and kissed her.

Rucheng stared at him as their lips caressed each other. His eyes were closed and unlike before, when it was gentle, this kiss was desperate—her eyes closed.

Qiang Wu pulled away to give her time to breathe. He thought of something, then picked her up bridal-style and rushed off to his chamber with her.

Rucheng frowned when he picked her up and started moving. “Your Highness, where are you taking me?”

He opened the doors to his chamber and walked over to the bed. He placed her down and looked at the confusion on her face.

“Your Highness,” she called him.

Qiang Wu climbed on the bed straddling her and said as he looked at her robes, “I want to see them.”

“See what?” She asked.

“Your legs,” he said.

How ridiculous was this prince?

She frowned, then nodded her head. He climbed off of her and sat down on the bed, excited.

Rucheng looked at him, then climbed on the bed and straddled him as he did her. As she was about to take off her shoes, he said, “Wait.”

He sat back up and helped her off him. He climbed off the bed and knelt before her.

Qiang Wu took off her shoes, then he took off the socks.

Looking at her feet, they looked like porcelain. Holding her left foot, it felt so warm and soft. He looked up at her to see what face she was making, but there was no expression, just the flush of pink on her cheeks.

He looked back down, then trailed his hands up her legs.

Rucheng trembled and tried her best to not show it.

His hands moved higher and higher, lifting her tunic. As he reached her thighs, he looked up into her eyes. Standing up, he leaned over towards her and kissed her again. 

Qiang Wu was soon lying on top of her and kissing her passionately as he continued exploring her thighs, moving closer and closer to her core.

Rucheng’s eyes snapped open when she felt a finger where it shouldn’t be and quickly flipped them over.

He looked up at her, surprised, then looked between them and saw that her thighs were exposed from under her tunic.

She reached inside his robes and grabbed the organ that was standing at attention. Gazing into his eyes, she gave him the best ministration he had received so far.

*

Rucheng was silent as she left his palace, and so was he. She wasn’t sure what he was planning, especially with her.

*

Qian Luse, Youxian and Rucheng were in the kitchen staring at the tonic Qinghe ordered Qian Luse to make.

Youxian stared at the bowl and asked, “Are you sure about this?”

“There is no need to be nervous. I’ll take the blame for it,” Qian Luse said with a smile, but she wasn’t looking forward to it.

Youxian nodded his head. “At least he’ll get better this way.”

Rucheng volunteered to take it to him in the form of tea.

*

“How was your trip?” He asked her.

Rucheng looked at her brother. “It was fine, but I have something to report.”

He raised a brow as he drank the tea. “Speak.”

She told him about what happened and gave Changling the hairpin.

He looked at it and smiled. Handing it back to her, he said, “Maybe I should work hard and become the Crown Prince. What do you think?”

Rucheng looked at the pin after receiving it, then at him and said, “I will be happy with whichever you choose. It is your birthright.”

“Do you want to be the empress Ah-Cheng?” He asked.

She shook her head. “I’ve never thought about it.”

“Other girls wish to be the empress too. How about you make him see you only?” He suggested.

Rucheng thought about it. “Will I marry you if I want to become the empress?”

Changling scoffed after he yawned, “I swear you sisters just want us for yourselves. But if you wish, I will make it happen.”

“Then I want to become empress to earn back our mother’s honour,” she said.

He smirked and nodded his head, “And what about marrying Qiang Wu?”

“If you chose him as my husband, then I will accept it,” she answered.

Changling stood up. “Tell Youxian to return to my chamber. I want to rest.”

*

Qian Lan and Qian Luse made their way to the imperial court. They informed the eunuch that they were here to inform his majesty about Changling’s health condition.

Eunuch Lim reported to him, but he was currently discussing the matter of the borders with the twin generals. His younger brother, Prince Lingyun, and his best friend, Kwon Junfeng.

They agreed to put the meeting on hold to find out how he was doing.

The sisters were invited into his office and the first they saw were the two generals. They bowed to the emperor, then the generals.

“Please, tell me how is my son,” Wu Yong said.

“Your majesty, Ah-Ling hasn’t been resting, so brother Qinghe has ordered us to put him to sleep,” Qian Luse answered.

Wu Yong frowned. He didn’t like Qinghe at all, but he knew Changling better than him. “Will it help?”

They nodded their heads, “If only he could rest but with Youxian around, its…. tempting to put it that way.”

Wu Yong sighed. He heard the reports from those that he sent to spy on them about the sounds coming from Changling’s palace.

Shaking his head, he looked at his brother and saw how the two generals were eyeing the sisters. Smiling, he said, “Qian Lan, Qian Luse, let me introduce you to my younger brother Prince Lingyun and his best friend General Kwon Junfeng. They are the twin generals protecting the kingdom.”

The twins bowed. They knew about the twin generals and heard of their feats in battle.

The twins smiled and Qian Lan said, “It’s an honour to meet the two generals. We’ve heard so much from the tales told by the poets.”

Prince Lingyun smirked, and so did General Junfeng.

Prince Lingyun said, “Some of it is just exaggerating stories but I must say, brother, you are selfish for hiding these beauties from us.”

Wu Yong smirked. “These are the daughters of Consort Wang and General Rong of Silla.”

Their eyes widened and the smirks they had dropped. Prince Lingyun had heard that she was alive, and now, when looking at them, he could see her.

“Speaking of my mother, she wanted to know what was the decision of the Hwabake?” Qian Lan asked.

Wu Yong looked at them and thought about it. He had gotten the charges dropped and compensated everyone that needed to be. But he needed a way to rein them all in and get control back.

“I’ve appeased the Empress and the relatives of the dead, but he cannot go unpunished. He needs to learn the palace rules, family rules and accept the coronation which will be held soon after he recovers and, depending on how things go, then they will decide.”

Qian Lan nodded her head. Her sister asked, “And what about Hwan Youxian marrying him?”

Glancing at her, he said, “That isn’t up for discussion. If he wishes to be with him, then so be it, but he must marry a woman of my choosing to birth children.”

“What about Princess Mei Yuan? My mother wants her to visit them,” Qian Lan asked.

“The palace is always open to your parents, but my daughter will not be leaving,” he said.

The sister’s frown then smiled, bowing as they said, “That is all of our questions.”

He nodded his head. Looking at the generals, he asked, “Do you wish to say anything to them before they leave?”

They shook their heads.

*

“Brother, why do I find something strange about those sisters?” Prince Lingyun asked.

Wu Yong sighed, “Tell me about it. I had them followed twice, but the people I sent after them have yet to return. Not only them, but their sisters have caught the attention of my sons.”

*

As the generals were leaving, Prince Lingyun said, “Things seemed to be chaotic in the palace.”

Junfeng sighed, “They are beauties.”

“They are,” Prince Lingyun said as they came to the steps.

At the bottom, they saw Prince Qiong Lin with a girl that looked like the twins, but she was dressed in black and had a wooden sword in her hands. They were talking to the twins.

The generals walked over curiously.

Qiong Lin saw them arriving and bowed. The sisters turned around curiously, then bowed too. 

“Uncles, have you come from seeing father?” He asked.

Prince Lingyun nodded his head, but had his eyes on the younger girl. He walked up to Qian Luse and asked, “If you are Qian Luse, your sister is Qian Lan, then who is this?”

Qian Luse hid her smile behind her sleeve, then answered, “This is our sister, Yuhua.”

“And what is the prince doing with her?” Junfeng asked curiously, directing the question to Qiong Lin.

He looked away embarrassed answering, “I wanted to see how good she is with the sword.”

“And?” Junfeng probed.

Qiong Lin frowned, saying, “Uncle, she embarrassed me. I thought you were the best, but I think I need a new teacher.”

Junfeng laughed, amused. He looked at Qian Lan, who was smiling proudly at her sister, and said, “Well now, we shouldn’t expect less from the children of General Rong.”