“Why do you look tense?” Prince Lingyun asked Changling.

They were sitting in a room in A Thousand Lanterns. They had been complimenting Chushan’s business for five minutes and Changling wasn’t paying attention. 

Junfeng, Wu Yong, Changling and Dong Woo were here waiting for Qinghe to arrive with Long Wu and to lighten up the mood, they were having idle chat.

Changling stared at his uncle, then looked over at his father-in-law. Youxian looked so much like him, but he had feminine features, which he must have gotten from his mother.

His gaze shifted to Wu Yong and he could tell that he was concerned.

“You can tell us Changling. If it is too serious, maybe we could help you,” Wu Yong suggested.

Changling found this amusing. He crossed his fingers on the table and said, “It’s nothing serious.. In I’m just having trouble with Youxian, in fact, I’m in the doghouse because of you and your decisions.”

“What do you mean?” Wu Yong asked as he shifted his gaze to his friend, seeing that he grew concerned.

“Well, for starters, he hasn’t been feeling well all week and I don’t believe the report he gave me about him just needing rest. Secondly, he already knew about the engagement before I got the chance to tell him and now, I’m certain that with me being here, he’s going to take this chance and try to run away because of his insecurities,” Changling said and it just seemed like he was venting his thoughts.

Dong Woo hadn’t spoken to his son since he last saw him about two months ago, so he didn’t know any of this.

Changling’s brow shot up as he thought of something and asked, “Do you think Qiang Wu told him?”

Wu Yong remained silent. He was dying to know about their relationship and from what Changling was saying, he couldn’t get much, but he knew Youxian had insecurities.

“Changling, Youxian was always insecure. Everything he did, he never thought he’d conquer and even this relationship with you, Youxian is more than capable of fighting you, running away and even escaping the kingdom but yet, he is still in your palace pretending you’re holding him captive,” Dong Woo stated.

Changling looked at him confused, but as he thought of it, he realised he didn’t even apologise for taking his son hostage and embarrassing his family.

Changling’s face shifted to an unfathomable expression confusing them, “Dong Woo, I…”

“What? You’re sorry for what you’re doing to my son?” He questioned. Doing Woo was always good at reading people, especially his children. Changling and his siblings were a little hard to read but after bribing Yuhua when no one was looking, he learnt so much about that family and about his ex-lover and it wasn’t that Yuhua wanted to betray the family, Dong Woo just gave her other options.

Changling remained silent, how Dong Woo knew, he couldn’t understand but nevertheless, “I just…”

“You just what? You do as you please. I’ve seen that too many times and I am too old to even want to deal with you. I have many reasons to harm you in ways unimaginable, but I know that if I won’t do it, someone else will. Youxian may be small, but he is strong. He is my son, after all. He can deal with you, when he will? I don’t know not do I want to know. At least I don’t have to worry about a soldier coming to me with a pity on his face all to tell me that my son was kidnapped or worse, died on the battlefield. It would be an honour, but as his father, I wouldn’t wish it upon him. It was his wish to join the army, and he has gotten as far as becoming a general, so young and proved it even though people kept degrading him about his appearance and his connection to me and the emperor, so you can keep your apology, just take care off my son, that’s all I want and if he is sick, make sure he doesn’t die.”

Changling was pissed off, but what could he say? 

It’s the least he could do.

Things went silent after Dong Woo spoke. They knew he was angry. It was a surprise to see that he didn’t choke Changling. He had been silent since the beginning, but now they all knew…

*

Qinghe and Long Wu arrived… after introducing everyone, their meeting began.

“I’ll let you speak first, your majesty,” Long Wu spoke in a deep base-toned voice.

Long Wu’s face was covered with a scarf, only showing his sharp eagle eyes, which could kill anyone if it could.

Wu Yong had hoped he could see the man’s face as he was an enemy, but Qinghe had warned them in advance that he was a private person. And although he and Changling knew how he looked, Long Wu was dangerous and they shouldn’t try anything unexpected of themselves.

Choosing his words wisely, Wu Yong asked, “I would like to know how I offended you before we speak our business.”

Long Wu looked at Changling, who nodded secretly for him to accept the question and answer. He chuckled then said, “Fair, I’ll give you that. When I was young, I met a very arrogant royal. He wasn’t you, but he is related to you. Now you must know, as all the lower-class citizens, if we are not slaves or working the farms, we are beggars. I loved my parents, and they did everything in their power to show me that they weren’t poor until one day, a man broke into our home wearing royal robes. He had seen my mother on the street with my sister and I and had followed us home. He made sure to show me what a bastard my father was, and he beat me up, too. He proceeded to force himself on my mother and made us all watch as we were tied up and then he just left. My mother was broken and in pain, but she survived. My father wanted to report the incident not because he got my mother pregnant but because we needed justice, but not even the magistrate would listen to us. A few days later, we left the house for school and work and when we returned, our house was gone and we were left with nothing. All our memories, clothes, food were gone and what were we stuck with? A child. A girl, to be exact. My father couldn’t stand to watch my mother breastfeed the child who came from a man who ruined our lives and left us. I searched far and wide for him, all to find out that he went to confront the royal and was killed at the order of your father who didn’t want to believe lies. When I told my mother about his death, she killed herself and I was stuck raising my brother and half siblings. Now, your majesty, are you ready to speak business with me or do you want to know more?”

Wu Yong and the others were stunned. Who the heck was the person that started all of this? 

Long Wu looked at Changling and saw the approval in his eyes.

Wu Yong cleared his throat. “I’m sure Qinghe has told you about what we want.”

Long Wu looked at Qinghe and shook his head, “Unfortunately, your majesty, this man is of little words. He may be a scholar, but he doesn’t speak.”

Prince Lingyun and General Junfeng looked at Qinghe, who was silent.

“Our boarders are being attacked and you are hindering us from protecting the villages in the kingdom. Our people are suffering because of you and your people,” General Junfeng spoke.

“No, they are suffering because of your incompetent soldiers,” Long Wu spoke.

Changling rubbed his head as he snickered inwardly.

“This won’t get resolved if we start out like,” Prince Lingyun said. “Look, we get it okay. You were hurt by one of our family members, but that does not mean the kingdom has to suffer. If you want, we could do a full investigation, but please, consider the citizens. We come from the same kingdom and we live under the same sky. Can’t we come to a resolve that will benefit the kingdom and us?”

“I don’t need you to investigate my past. I know who did it and if I wanted him dead, he’d be dead already. I heard that you two want my wives,” Long Wu said, surprising everyone, especially the brothers.

Wu Yong could see that the brothers were now hot and bothered, the generals too.

Wu Yong sighed, but he knew this was going to be brought up and he was prepared for it. “The Rong sisters are powerful women and are an asset to this kingdom. Yes, I was made aware that you want to marry them, but they will decide that for themselves. As for the generals wanting to be with them, that will be up to the twins to decide and if it is marriage you want, I have a list of candidates you could choose from.”

“Does that include your daughters?” He asked.

Wu Yong nodded his head. 

From behind him, Changling wasn’t happy. He didn’t know the others like Mei Yuan, but he still considered them his sisters.

“So the option for me to be the son-in-law of the emperor is on the table,” he said, contemplating it. He looked at Qinghe and asked, “How is it being the son-in-law of the Emperor? I hear he doesn’t like you and wants you killed.”

Qinghe didn’t answer. He could have just to piss his father-in-law off, but he didn’t.

Wu Yong looked at his son-in-law wondering what he was thinking, then Long Wu’s laugh brought him from his thoughts.

Standing up, Long Wu said, “Gold, you’ll pay me to back off from the kingdom’s affairs and, I don’t want to marry your daughters but I’d like to see the list you spoke of. And about the twins, I was only kidding. I am not interested in them anymore, especially now that their brother is a prince, who’d want that load on their shoulders. Oh and Changling, I will be letting your explorer know that you found someone to replace him. I know how crazy he is and who knows, if your Crown Princess won’t kill him as she promised him earlier tonight maybe he could cause trouble in my place.”