Youxian sat side by side on a boat, watching the land get swallowed by the ocean. Wulin was dressed casually and unbothered, but Youxian beside him had tears in his eyes.

Closing Youxian with a coat, he said, “Having second thoughts?”

Youxian turned to him and forced a smile. “You’re not as handsome as Changling, but you’ll have to do for now.”

Touching his heart in mock sadness, Wulin said, “I don’t know if I should be hurt or happy. I could just leave you here and swim back to land and report you.”

Youxian chuckled, he wiped his tears away saying, “At this point, I feel like a weight is being lifted from my shoulders. It’s scary, but we’ll be safe.”

Wulin looked down at his stomach and saw that Youxian was rubbing it. The season was changing and now was the perfect time to leave. By the time Changling finds out about them, it’ll be too late to do anything.

“I thought you were going to stay,” Youxian said.

Rubbing his cheeks, Wulin said as he stared at the coastline, “I don’t give fake reports. And who will protect you? I thought you’d escape to the mountains, but moving to Qing? That’s too much. Besides, no one will think of looking for you on the Talchulhada Island.”

“How sure are you?” Youxian asked him.

Wulin looked down at Youxian and smiled, “Because I’m from there.”

“You are? Wouldn’t that be the first place he looks?” Youxian asked worried, now he wasn’t so sure that he should’ve trusted Wulin.

Wulin sighed. Shaking his head, he said, “That place and I have history, and your lover knows it all too well. So, I’m using my history to deceive him in order to protect you, so just trust me for now.”

“Thank you Wulin,” Youxian said as he rested his head on Wulin’s shoulder.

Wulin just stared on in silence. He wasn’t keen on returning home, but what could he do now?

*

Back at the palace, everyone was preparing for Qinghe and Mei Yuan’s wedding. Although the emperor wasn’t happy, what could he do now because Changling was taking the lead in it all?

Qinghe and Changling were in the study going over the wedding plans when a servant came walking in.

Changling looked up at the man, who bowed. “What is it?”

The man looked panicked as he reported, “Your highness, I’ve just returned from the prince’s palace. We delivered the ingredients for this month, but no one answered. Usually there is a man who opens the door but there was no one, not even a sound was made. I had asked a guard to climb over the wall to open the door and when I went inside, there was really no one. We searched the palace because it was too quiet and found this.”

He handed Changling the parchment that was addressed to him.

Changling opened it reading; If you’re reading this, then that means I’ve left the palace. Don’t bother looking for me. It’s been a week already and I’m long gone. You’ve embarrassed me too much and I can’t take it anymore. Goodbye Changling, enjoy your life. Apologise to my family on my behalf. I just can’t face anyone anymore and who knows, I might be dead even before you read this. I know you’re going to kill Wulin because he didn’t tell you I’m escaping, but don’t worry, I’ll kill him for you. Just make sure his girlfriend is happy with someone else. He was a good person, so I feel bad for doing this to him.

“What is it?” Qinghe asked as he looked at Changling, who looked lost.

When he stood beside his brother and took the parchment from him. He saw Changling was shaking. After reading the letter, he forced Changling to sit and said, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll go see what’s happening. He couldn’t have gotten far.”

Just as Qinghe was about to leave, Changling grabbed him by the arm. He looked at him asking, “I last saw him two weeks ago. If he really left, he’d be long gone. Do you think it’s because of me that he left?”

Qinghe looked at his brother, worried, and smiled it off. “Maybe he just feels that you have replaced him. It’s nothing that you can’t change once you speak to him.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” Changling asked as tears fell from his eyes.

Qinghe stared at his brother. Things were getting complicated. He wanted to leave with his pregnant bride but even that was shoved once side because of this brother. He wasn’t surprised that Youxian was gone. His lover abandoned him for a title and a woman.

Smiling, he said, “Leave it to me.”

*

Qinghe rushed to Youxian’s palace with a few guards and indeed, it was empty. Youxian’s clothes were all gone, but the spare room, where Wulin spent his time had his clothes, so was it true, what could Youxian have planned?

Thinking it over, he made his way to Qiang Wu’s palace and found him lazing around. Qiang Wu smiled when he saw his brother-in-law. “What brings you around here?”

“When last did you see Youxian?” He asked.

“About two weeks ago. He came to tell me that brother finally visited him. Why? Is he sick again?” Qiang Wu asked.

“Sick? No one told us he is sick,” Qinghe said.

Qiang Wu nodded his head. “Mn, he had bad stomach cramps and was always feeling dizzy. I went with him to the physician, but it just seems to be the change of season and a tummy bug.”

Qinghe nodded his head slowly as he listened to him. 

Qiang Wu began to suspect something was wrong and asked, “Did he do something again?”

Qinghe shook his head but then paused and nodded, “Mn, he ran away. Do you know of any places where he could have gone to?”

Qiang Wu sat there, frozen in place. He recalled their last conversation and how sad Youxian looked. Frowning, he said, “I think I might know.”

Qinghe waited for him to speak, but he didn’t open his mouth. “Where?”

“He said he wanted to travel around the kingdom when he got the chance, but the place he wants to go to the most is Qing,” Qiang Wu said. “You don’t think he really went, do you?”

Qinghe felt his body shiver. Shaking his head, he said, “No, you need a trading permit or a travel permit.”

“But hyungnim, Youxian was part of the military, he’s got a travel permit and the tiger seal,” Qiang Wu said as he recalled Youxian’s days in service.

“What?” Qinghe asked, flabbergasted.

Qiang Wu didn’t even get to speak because Qinghe stormed off. He made his way to the military defence office and got all the information on Youxian that he needed. Qiang Wu was right, but the tiger seal was used during wars. 

*

Qinghe returned after the sunset. Changling was sitting with his wife beside him, but anyone could tell that he was lost. They were going to eat now, but Changling hadn’t touched his food.

When he saw Qinghe alone, he knew then and there that Youxian was really gone or he would be beside him, right?

Changling looked at his wife and said, “Leave us. I have something to discuss with my brother.”

“But I haven’t even eaten yet,” Haeun said.

Changling looked at the servants. “Take her to eat in the chamber.”

“Your Highness!” She protested, but he gave her one look and she went silent.

When Haeun was gone, he turned to his brother, asking, “What took you so long?”

“Changling, I did my best. Youxian left the kingdom to Qinghe a week ago, maybe not long after you visited him. I went with his portrait to the harbour and asked about him and there are eyewitnesses. He might already be in Qing as we are speaking,” Qinghe said.

He went into detail explaining how he came to this conclusion.

“Are there any signs of Wulin?” He asked.

Qinghe shook his head. “No, and I take that as a sign that he is still alive. I’ve asked the guild to search the kingdom for Youxian and Wulin. I’ve sent word to our contacts in Qinghe too, to look for him. I’m hoping that we get word back about his whereabouts soon.”

As Qinghe looked at his brother, Changling seemed to be deadly calm, but his eyes were telling a different story. He could see the rage boiling within, and it was just calling for bad news.

“As my brother, what do you think of this situation?” Changling suddenly asked.

Qinghe took in a deep breath then sighed, saying, “I’m not surprised he left you.”

“Why?” Changling asked as he started eating.

“Your ambitious Ah-Ling. The moment you decide to take on the title of Crown Prince, everything of your past would slowly fade, especially when you have no control of it. You’ve been fighting the empress, your father, our parents, the officials and customs. Not to mention, you got the crown princess pregnant before your wedding. You had an affair while being in a relationship with Youxian. Youxian was a man of status who fought against you and gave up on the happiness of those that he knew. He was happy before you entered his life. Yes, maybe he loved you, but did you give him any choice? And now he has left. No one was watching him, especially the one who was holding him captive.”

“I left Wulin with him,” he said.

“Wulin? Did you forget who Youxian is? His father warned you that Youxian wasn’t just someone you could do what you want with unless he allowed it. Have you forgotten? I won’t be surprised if Wulin is found dead, but for your sake, I hope he is still alive,” Qinghe said.