Turning back to her husband, the empress said, “Your majesty, please reconsider. Qiang Wu was crowned Crown Prince by you and no one else. You’ve moulded him into being the best and everyone is waiting to see what your time and effort has produced.”

Qiang Wu look at his mother and felt bad. He was the only one that wanted him to be the emperor so that she could stay in power alongside his grandfather. Turning his head a bit, he looked at Chushan and saw where the beauty came from. Even Changling had it.

Wu Yong slapped his hand against the table in front of him saying, “ENOUGH! This is not up for discussion. Everything has been decided and NO ONE absolutely NO ONE may say anything!”

Wu Yong stood up, looked at everyone, then walked off angrily as they bowed to him.

Empress Kim turned to Chushan, looked at Yifan strangely, then asked, “What the hell are you doing back here? Don’t you know that you could be executed for deceiving the crown?”

Chushan turned to her and placed her hand on the empresses shoulder, shocking her, “I’ve lived too long to care about being executed AND just so you know sister, I’m not afraid of anything, not even YOU so whatever you are concocting against me and my family in that little head of yours, put it to rest.”

Folding her arms across her chest, she added, “Because if you even dare lift a finger towards any of my children, this delusional life you’re living will end.”

“Mother,” the twins wrapped their arms around her, giving her a hug. She smiled and hugged them both. Patting them on the backs, she said, “I heard a lot about you two. Just because I told you to take care of things did not mean that you should go on dates.”

The twins shuddered. Who could have possibly told her about this?

They retreated and blushed as they looked at her. Their gazes turned to their father, and they saw he couldn’t be bothered, but his jaw was clenched and his fists were rock solid.

“Mother, I think we should head back to your palace,” Qiang Wu said from behind her.

Chushan turned to look at him and smiled, making him smile back at her a bow. “It’s prince Qiang Wu, right?” She asked.

“That’s Crown Prince Qiang Wu,” the empress corrected.

Chushan sighed. She looked at her and said, “You can stop now. I’m not your enemy. We were family before, and here we are again.”

Trying his best to avoid an eruption of emotions, Qiang Wu asked, “Would it be okay if I refer to you as mother, like we do with the other wives?”

She sighed inwardly and shook her head, confusing him. “That is not a wise idea. I may be your brother’s mother, but I am not your father’s wife. That ended when they declared me dead in the documents. I’m Mrs Yifan Rong, so aunty should be best and I’m sure your father wouldn’t want you calling my husband, father too.”

Changling walked over and paused when he passed Kim Haeun. He turned to her and saw that she was looking at him expectantly and nervously. 

‘I got myself into this,’ he thought and turned back, walking towards his parents.

He stopped in front of them and bowed to his parents. Looked at the empress and bowed to her.

“Son,” Yifan called him and soon saw Qinghe standing beside his brother with an equally blank expression. Qinghe bowed to them as Changling asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“It wouldn’t be a surprise now, would it be?” Yifan questioned them.

Changling’s brows knitted, and both he and Qinghe knew that something must have happened.

“The emperor told us about your engagement and wanted our approval,” Chushan said. She looked at Kim Haeun, then back at her son and said, “But it looks like you aren’t happy about the woman we selected for you. Is it that boy? Where is he?”

Changling bit down on his molars, asking, “What are you talking about? Of course I’m happy.”

Yifan turned to the empress and bowed, leaving.

Chushan watched her husband leave and said to the eunuch present as she pointed a finger between her sons, “Have the guards watch these two, knowing them, this banquet the emperor is preparing, they won’t show up and we wouldn’t want this looking bad on His Majesty.”

She bowed to the empress with a smirk and left as she spoke, “My daughters, come.”

As they were leaving, Qinghe noticed that Mei Yuan and Haeun didn’t follow. He turned to them, saying, “That includes you two.”

Mei Yuan looked at him confused, she didn’t meet her mother-in-law before and now… suddenly… just like this?

She nodded her head and grabbed her cousin, rushing after the others.

“Your mother is here,” Qinghe teased with a light chuckle. Even though he was pretending to be happy.

“She’s your mother,” Changling said and the calm, blank expression he had turned to fury. He was just about to leave when the eunuch stopped them, saying, “Your highness, my Lord Rong, the emperor would like to see you.”

“What does he want?” Changling asked, annoyed.

Qinghe already knew what it was about and dragged his brother along with him. 

*

The Rong daughters followed their parents to Changling’s palace behind a servant. When they arrived, they lined up in front of the couple confusing the daughter-in-law.

Youxian was already back and arrived at the palace being filled with all the similar-looking faces and got himself familiar with them, but listening to the younger ones speak, he kind of understood why they were here and what was going to happen.

But what a timing…

Chushan’s gaze landed on Mei Yuan, and the smile dropped from her face. “Come here,” she ordered.

Mei Yuan didn’t know why, but her feet moved before she could register anything. It wasn’t even a few seconds before she was standing in front of her mother-in-law when a crisp sound echoed through the palace.

Youxian stood behind everyone in shock. Chushan slapped Mei Yuan across the face, and it was hard. She was turning red with a palm print against her cheek as she cupped it and it instantly started swelling.

She didn’t dare to look at Chushan because there was only one explanation for this…

“We were living in comfort away from all this political bullshit! Now my sons have to live this unfortunate life all because of you. Why couldn’t you fall for someone else’s child and not mine?”

Mei Yuan didn’t know how to answer her. She lifted her gaze slightly to look at Chushan, but regretted it immediately.

Chushan was glaring at her. She would not let this girl go easy and her title only worsened the position she was in.

Kim Haeun rushed to Mei Yuan’s side and held her. She glared at Chushan and asked, “Are you crazy? Do you know who she is?”

Chushan raised her hand and slapped Haeun across the face and both cheeks and grabbed her by the neck. Choking her, she said, “Just because you’ll be marrying into my family, don’t let it get to your head. Know your place and your life will be easy.”

She threw her down to the floor and the panicked Haeun looked at Mei Yuan for help. She had come to her rescue, but the princess wasn’t even looking at her.

She couldn’t wait to tell the empress.

Chushan looked at Mei Yuan and said, “I’m waiting, girl.”

Mei Yuan let her tears fall and explained as she looked at her mother-in-law in the confidence she gained when she was distracted.

“I love him. I always have and always will. I know that my actions have caused trouble for your family, but I would do it all over again just to be with him. Whether it is this lifetime or the next, I’ll make sure that he stays by my side and neither you, my brother, or my father can do anything about it,” she said.

Chushan and Yifan stared at her for a moment, then they smiled simultaneously 

Worrying Mei Yuan. 

Chushan turned to her husband and asked, “What do you think?”

His eyes moved to Haeun as he said, “Changling did a great job teaching her.” Looking at his daughters, he said, “I don’t agree with a lot that your mother does, but you know our family rules. Take her away and teach her too. We have enough to deal with.”

The twins bowed and helped Haeun off the ground and dragged her into the palace. Chushan’s eyes that followed them, saw Youxian and how pale he looked and felt sorry for him. Holding her arm out, she said, “Come here.”

He walked over cautiously and bowed.

“Don’t worry about the formalities, boy. Let me look at you,” she said. Yifan also stared at Youxian, but looked away. He didn’t really care who Changling played around with, just as long as he was treated well.

She cupped his cheeks and said, “You look like your father. Unfortunately, in this lifetime, you’ve met my son. Is he treating you well?”

Youxian didn’t know what to say. He looked at Mei Yuan and she was just as clueless. Turning his gaze back to her, he said, “You said she’s marrying into your family. Who is she marrying?”

Chushan could see the worry in his eyes and sighed, “I don’t think Changling will have the chance to tell you this, so I might as well. Kim Haeun will be marrying Changling once he is crowned as the next emperor because the Emperor wants an heir from him.”

Youxian’s gaze turned to Mei Yuan for validation and she nodded her head, breaking his heart.

Lowering his head, he mumbled, “Oh…”