*After Youxian left*

Changling walked through the palace with no expression on his face. Inside the courtyard, Youxian’s parents, the emperor, his wife, the Rong elders and some officials, along with the royal siblings, were standing and waiting.

When they woke up this morning, they all received a summons to the palace and here they were, waiting patiently.

Qinghe was standing by the doorway of the entrance to the garden, waiting for his brother.

Everyone was wondering why they were summoned, especially the emperor. But what was even stranger was that the palace was completely empty–abandoned, if you might say.

“Qinghe?” His mother called.

Chushan was worried about what could have happened that made Changling call them all out here. Was he going to hurt Youxian here today, in front of his family?

Qinghe turned to his mother and smiled at her helplessly as he shook his head, “Just wait, mother. I’m in no place to speak right now.”

Yifan raised a brow as he stared at his son. Something was definitely amiss. “Where’s Youxian?”

Youxian’s parents looked at Yifan, then back at Qinghe, and saw that he was no longer smiling.

“Hyung?” Changling suddenly called in a calm tone.

Qinghe looked at him and the look in his eyes told Changling that he was helpless. Changling sighed and tried his best to fight back the anger, hurt and sadness that was left in his heart.

Youxian had a special place in his cold heart and maybe you could say that he was the reason Changling was changing into a human from the monster he had become over the years.

Nodding his head, he stopped in front of everyone, with Qinghe at his side. Looking at the crowd of people who you could say were his relatives and close acquaintances.

His gaze moved to his wife, who was rubbing her stomach over all the layers of her clothes as she stood beside the empress and wondered, ‘Was it because I married you or because of my child?’

Changling had no regrets and always made decisions after contemplating on them. 

Taking a deep breath, he said, “Thank you all for coming here on short notice. I won’t keep you here much longer and I only asked you to come over to inform you of something.”

Pausing, he looked at his mother and could see that she was ready to reprimand him and thinking of everything that happened, could he say that this was all her fault?

“If you’re not okay with speaking, I can tell them,” Qinghe said beside him.

Changling shook his head then continued, “To make a long story short, I’ll just say it. Youxian is missing for over two weeks now and there is literally no trace left of him. We’ve searched the kingdom, neighbouring kingdoms and we’ve sent an investigation team all the way to Qing, but there is no sign of him.”

“How can he just disappear?” Yifan asked. He was the first to respond while the others stood there silently in shock and disbelief.

Chushan looked at her husband, then she looked back at her son and asked, “Didn’t you keep a close eye on him?”

“I did,” Changling answered.

“Then explain it so we can understand!” Yifan said, almost growling at him.

Changling stared at his father in disbelief. They were really blaming him for this.

“Your highness please, Youxian wouldn’t just disappear. He would have said something to someone,” Youxian’s mother said with tears in her eyes. She was worried about her son. She hadn’t seen him in so long and here to find out that he was gone and who knew maybe he was gone for good?

Qinghe looked at his brother. Changling seemed calmed from the outside, but he knew his brother well. It was all just for show.

Changling sighed and said, “He left because of everything that happened since I arrived here. So if you want to blame someone, feel free to blame me.”

He turned to Qinghe and glanced at him, then turned back, saying, “I won’t mention the details, but just know that I won’t give up looking for him until I find a dead body.”

“Dong Wook stared at Changling. He wasn’t angry because, unlike everyone here, he knew where his son was. How else would Youxian leave the palace under everyone’s noses and no one knowing about this?

He turned to his ex-wife and watched as the tears slid down her cheeks. Why Youxian wanted to leave, he didn’t know, but it was for his son’s happiness, even if that meant that everyone he left behind would be hurt.

*

A few months later…

Youxian opened his eyes and looked around the room. His body was in pain, especially the wound on his stomach where he was cut open to remove his child. 

Turning his head, he saw Wulin walking around the room, cradling her with a smile on his face.

Youxian and smiled as he watched them. Wulin was really something else. Who knew that an assassin would make the perfect father to a child that is not his?

“Wulin?” He called softly.

Wulin looked at him and smiled. He sighed in relief as he made his way to the bed. Climbing on, he said, “Don’t get up. The physician said you need as much rest as you can. I’ve also taken the liberty of hiring a governess.”

Youxian chuckled and sat up. He looked at Wulin, then at the baby in his arms. 

Handing the child over, he Wulin said, “You gave birth to a girl.”

A smile crept on Youxian’s lips, followed by tears. Looking down at his child, he couldn’t believe it. How could he, a man, a former commander in the royal army, a man who many looked up to, give birth to a child?

“You are the most precious gift I could ask for,” he said and kissed her nose.

Wulin stared at him and felt proud, when he began feeling like this, he didn’t know but it probably was around the time when he fell sick and Youxian took care of him, going as far as giving him a bath even though he was pregnant, “What are you going to name her?”

Youxian turned to him and shook his head. “Why don’t you name her?”

“Why me?” He was conflicted.

“I don’t see why you shouldn’t be the one to name her. Haven’t you been looking forward to meeting your daughter?” Youxian asked him.

Wulin looked at the baby girl in his arms, repeating the words, ‘Your daughter.’ He felt overwhelmed with emotion and just the thought of being a father never occurred to him. 

Looking at him, Wulin nodded his head. Picking her up, he stared at her for who knows how long and said, “Xing Guang.”