The ride back to the palace was silent. Qinghe kept looking at his brother, and the calm look on his face was frightening.

Facing forward, Qinghe looked at Dong Woo, then at the others and saw that they were all looking at Changling. He had been off since Long Wu left.

Taking in a deep breath, he lifted his right arm and elbowed Changling in the face, hurting his nose.

Changling groaned and glared at his brother as he cupped his face, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Fix your face. You’re scaring the others,” he answered.

Wu Yong was ready to reprimand Qinghe, but he didn’t know what to say. At least Changling was speaking now.

Prince Lingyun looked at Qinghe and said, “Your brother is the crown prince now. You cannot go around hurting him.”

Staring at him listlessly, Qinghe said, “I’m sure you heard my mother’s words earlier on. How we deal with our family.”

“Well, things need to change,” Prince Lingyun said sternly.

Qinghe side-eyed his brother, asking, “What’s bothering you?”

“I’ll tell you later,” he answered, rubbing his nose as he leaned his head back.

“You might as well speak now, everyone is curious,” Qinghe said as he pulled out a sack of money and dropped it on Changling’s balls, who squirmed.

He glared at his brother as he sat up and said, “Fine! I know why Youxian has been acting weird since the banquet.”

“But he was acting strange even before the banquet, I don’t understand,” Qinghe questioned.

Sitting forward and facing his brother, “Didn’t you hear what that asshole said?”

Thinking about it, Qinghe didn’t know what he was talking about. He only paid attention to the things they told Long Wu to say.

Changling was at a loss for words. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with my problems.”

*

Changling returned home early in the morning. Taking a tray to the chamber with a light snack and tea with him, he placed it on the side table and sat down on the bed. He brushed Youxian’s hair out of his face and stared at him for a moment.

He looked so beautiful, so peaceful, but there were dry stains on his cheeks.

Sighing, he continued staring as he drank the tea, thinking, ‘So you’re letting me do all of this to you? Who is the victim here?’ 

Staring out at the morning cars, he was reminded of what Long Wu said.

Someone appeared outside the window, blocking his view. The man bowed to him and smiled. “Your highness?”

“What is it?” Changling asked. The man that stood out of the window was the man who posed as Long Wu. 

“I have more details that I need to verify with you,” he said.

Changling stood up and made his way over to the window. Opening it, he asked, “What else did the crown princess say?”

The man’s eyes sparkled, “Nothing more. If you want, I can keep an eye on her, but she made sure to put fear in the master’s heart.”

Changling scoffed, “I doubt he has fear in his heart.”

“I’m sure he is scared of you, though,” he commented.

“I want you to do a thorough investigation on the crown princess,” he ordered.

The man nodded his head. “Yes, your highness.”

*

Youxian opened his eyes. He saw Changling standing by the window. He looked at the man that was standing staring up at him and frowned. He wasn’t someone he knew, but the man had the royal guard uniform. 

Sitting up, he brushed his hair out of his face. He tried to listen to what they were saying, but he couldn’t make out the language they were speaking in.

“Changling?” He called.

Changling and the man looked at him, and the man smiled with a nod of his head. 

“Who is he?” Youxian asked as he got up from the bed.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not here to steal our husband from you,” Long Wu teased.

Youxian smiled and hugged Changling from behind, sneaking his head around to look at Long Wu and said, “Oh don’t worry, the prince has only eyes for me.”

Long Wu nodded his head slowly as he thought of the relationship between the two brothers. Yes, Changling had moved on and so did Qinghe but… it was a big BUT–what others don’t know won’t hurt them.

He looked at Changling and said, “I’ll be back with my investigation.”

After he left, Changling looked down and asked, “Did you sleep well?”

“I did. Did you just get back?” He asked, as he saw the heat rising from the teacup.

Changling nodded his head tiredly and pushed the window doors close with his foot. He kissed him on the forehead, saying, “Yes, that Long Wu was a headache.”

Looking at him confused, Youxian asked, “Was it him at the window?”

“My love, I am Long Wu. He’s just a pawn,” he said as he fell to the bed. Climbing onto his back, Youxian said, “You’re a busy man, your highness.”

*

Changling was sitting in the Royal Study eating from a bowl of fruits and reading through the family records, memorising himself with the reputation of the family.

There was a knock on the door and the person let themself in.

Looking up, Kim Haeun. He smiled and placed the book in his hands down. Turning his head, he looked at the space beside him and she took the hint. Sitting down beside him, she blushed, saying, “Have a disturbed you, your highness?”

Changling chuckled, bringing a grape to her lips. He pushed it in and watched as she chewed, saying, “Oh now, you’re the soon-to-be crown princess. You’re more than welcome to disturb me.”

She chuckled as she wiped her lips. Looking down at the scrolls and books in front of them, she asked, “What are you up to?”

He cleared his throat and rubbed his face. “Oh this? I have to be a good son and do my duties.”

She chuckled, looking at him apologetically. She asked, “It must be hard. Your highness, if I may? Can I ask you a question?”

He nodded his head as he sat his elbow on the desk and rested his head in his palm. “Go ahead, maybe you’ll take my mind off of all of this.”

She looked at the books he tapped and said, “I was surprised when my parents told me about the engagement, especially since I did not know about you. How does it feel knowing that you are the crown prince when you’ve grown up as a citizen?”

“What? Are you asking me how it feels to be rich when I come from a poor background?” He interpreted.

Haeun’s eyes widened. “Oh no, that’s not what I meant.”

“No, I think you did.” He sat up straight, saying as he looked down at the books, “I’ve always known that I’m the crown prince. My mother said that if I wanted the title, I could have it but on my own time and not on hers.”

“She sounds like the perfect mother,” she mumbled.

“She is,” he said.

She looked at him surprised, “I didn’t mean that.”

“You did. Haeun, you shouldn’t say something then say you don’t mean it. Rather speak the truth or I won’t like you,” he said lazily.

Nodding her head, she lowered her gaze and bit her lip.

Changling lifted her chin so that she could look at him. His gaze lowered from her eyes to her lips as he said, “You shouldn’t bite your lips.”

“Forgive me,” she whispered.

“Mn,” he hummed as he slowly brought her closer until their lips met. Changling kept his eyes open as he devoured her lips. Changling lifted her up onto his lap. He helped her display a passionate kiss. He let her lips go and kissed her neck gently.

Opening her eyes, she realised that she was in a muzzled state. Lifting her hand, she ran her hand through his hair, accepting each of the kisses and said, “Your, your highness, we shouldn’t.”

“Why?” He asked in between pecking her neck.

“What if someone comes in?” She asked.

Changling recalled his orders, to only let her in if she came looking for him and smirked. He had an inkling that she would come looking for him, seeing as she was tied to the empress. 

He ran his hand down her side, then up her tunic, making her gasp. His hand was cold, but the surprise of his hand under her tunic.

“Your highness, no don’t,” she said, pushing against him.

Changling’s grip on her thigh tightened. She screeched in pain but her mouth was quickly closed and when she looked at Changling, the gaze he looked at her with frightened her.

“Wh, what is it, your highness?” She asked.

He shook his head. “Why are you frightening me?”

“We, we can’t do this. We’re not married,” she said.

He chuckled, “You do understand that you’ll be my wife eventually, right?”

She nodded her head cautiously.

“Then just sit back and enjoy what I have to offer and besides, I need to show you what you’re getting yourself into,” he said as he sat her on the desk and stood between her legs.