Youxian helped Changling into his royal robes and Changling, who was staring at him the entire time, could see that something wasn’t right with his lover.

Cupping his cheeks, he made Youxian look at him and asked, “Do you love me?”

Staring into his eyes, Youxian was confused by his sudden question and his feelings for him weren’t even true.

Blinking his eyes innocently, he nodded his head. “I do.”

Changling leaned down and pecked him on the forehead. He felt the sweat beads against his lips and asked as he stared back into his eyes, “What’s going on with you? You haven’t been feeling well for a few days now and you’re looking terrible.”

Youxian scoffed. He continued dressing the prince as he said, “If you’re tired of me, you are welcome to leave. You don’t have to call me ugly.”

Changling shook his head and sighed, “That’s not what I meant. Why do you keep making me out to be a monster?”

Youxian briefly looked him in the eyes and said as he moved his gaze, “You aren’t a monster, but if you are really concerned, I’ll go see the physician while you’re at court.”

Changling nodded his head, “Good, and I want you to stop overworking yourself.”

*

They stopped outside the physician’s pavilion, and Changling looked at Youxian, who seemed rather nervous.

Rucheng was by his side and she was holding his hand with a conflicted expression as they looked at the pavilion.

“I would’ve left Ah-Cheng with you, but she was summoned too,” he said.

They looked at him and Youxian asked, “Must she go? I’m sure if you say something, uncle will let it slide.”

Changling looked at his sister, then back at Youxian and smiled. He kissed him on the forehead and said, “I’m sure there is nothing seriously wrong with you. We’ll return once this crap is over. Make sure you rest when you get home, understand?”

Youxian nodded his head listlessly and let him kiss him on the cheek. 

When he was inside, Rucheng looked at her brother. She had something she wanted to tell him but now wasn’t the time and it had something to do with Youxian.

Looking at his sister, he ignored her gaze and said, “Let’s go. It’s a long walk and I am in no rush.”

“Yes,” she mumbled.

*

They arrived outside the royal palace, and Changling frowned. The twins were here, and they were partnered up with the Prince and the General.

When Xian Lan and Xian Luse saw their brother, it was like they woke up from a dream. They excused themselves and rushed to his side while Qinghe and Yuhua made their way over with Mei Yuan.

Qinghe wrapped his arm around Changling’s neck and forced him to bend over and the people watching them were sure they looked like they were about to fight.

“You took your sweet time,” Qinghe said as he choked his brother.

Changling punched him in the stomach hard, making Qinghe let go of him with a grunt.

Changling glared at his brother, then pushed his hair back over his shoulders and said, “You’re the only one that doesn’t see me as a human.”

Qinghe rubbed his stomach with a smirk and asked, “What are you doing after this?”

Changling’s attention turned to a beautiful female that arrived with Qiong Wu as he answered, “Nothing. Why?”

Qinghe looked behind him at the person who caught Changling’s attention, then turned back to him and whispered, “You have a meeting with your father later.”

Changling became furious. Glaring at his brother, he asked, “What the fuck did you just say?”

Everyone around them was surprised at his outburst, especially at how harsh he sounded.

Qinghe shrugged his shoulders and stood beside him, remaining silent. Changling was glaring at his brother so intensely that it made everyone become alert.

“I asked you a question,” Changling said.

Qinghe ignored him completely, almost as if Changling didn’t exist.

Although his brother looked crazy right now, Qiong Wu was given a task by his father. He walked over with the girl following him and bowed to his brother. “Hyung-nim, how are you this morning?”

Qinghe scoffed beside him, irking Changling further, but under everyone’s watchful eyes, he suddenly smiled and answered, “I was great until a moment ago. Who’s this you brought with you?”

The girl stepped forward as he placed his hand on the small of her back and introduced her, “Brother-in-law, hyungnim, this is my cousin, Kim Haeun. She is my mother’s elder brother’s daughter.”

Haeun bowed, “It’s an honour to meet you, your highness, I’ve heard so much about you.”

Qinghe raised a brow and looked at the twins for answers, but they shook their heads.

Changling tilted his head to the side, trying to recall if he heard about her, “You’re making me feel bad now. You’ve probably heard incorrect stories about me and here, I’ve heard nothing about you.”

Prince Lingyun stopped beside Changling and placed his hand on his shoulder saying, “That’s alright, you don’t need to feel bad about not knowing her. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to get to know one another.”

Changling opened his mouth, ready to call him out on his bullshit. Why would he want to get to know her?

But Qinghe had an odd feeling about this meeting and hit him gently with his elbow, reminding him not to speak out of turn.

Changling wasn’t done with his brother and Prince Lingyun who wanted his sister…

A eunuch arrived before them all and bowed. “The royal court awaits everyone.”

When the Rongs walked into the court, they could sense the tension in the air. 

As they lined up in the court, they had to follow procedure and although Qinghe was marrying a princess; he wasn’t family yet. He took his place on the opposite side of the court from his brother, with his sisters beside him.

“I’m hungry,” Changling mumbled.

Qiong Wu chuckled beside him. Looking at his brother, Changling turned to look at him and smirked.

“You should take Haeun out to eat,” he hinted.

Changling raised a brow and sighed. He figured something like that would happen because there was no way that she would be allowed in court unless she was needed.

But why the empress’s niece?

“His majesty has arrived,” the eunuch announced, and everyone bowed.

As Wu Yong sat down, the first person he looked at was Changling, who didn’t follow the rules. Everyone else was still bowed and waiting for him, but Changling didn’t bow for too long.

Wu Yong raised a brow at him and Changling smiled, then scrunched his nose. He mumbled something as he pointed to his back and it appeared Wu Yong understood him. “All rise.”

The court proceeded as usual with the state affairs and solutions that could help the current problems.

Surprisingly, Qinghe and Changling give a lot of input and ideas that even the officials wouldn’t think of.

Wu Yong looked at his eunuch. “Have you noted their suggestions? I want to see it in motion and I expect results.” 

He looked at Qinghe and said, “I want you to provide a detailed plan of action and make sure that it goes according to plan.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Qinghe answered as he sighed inwardly. It looked like his years of studying would be put to good use now.

“Next order in the court,” Wu Yong started and looked at Changling. He smiled, then turned his attention to the court and said, “In three days, my son, Prince Changling, will be coronated as Crown Prince Hwang Seonu Da and Five days later, he’ll be married to Kim Haeun.”

Changling sighed so loud that the court went silent even though many wanted to object.

Wu Yong looked at his son and asked, “Do you have any objections?”

Changling didn’t even look at him as he shook his head and answered, “None, your majesty.”