The sun shone high in the sky overlooking the kingdom of Haneul. 

In the imperial court sat the eighth emperor of Haneul, Emperor Jang. Overlooking the ministers and officials who bore the world out of him–Emperor Jang slumped in his chair, “And so with this, I beg your majesty to increase the funds.”

Waving his hand, Emperor Jang nodded, “All items for talk and needs towards the citizens are priority. We’ll have the funds ready soon. Next!” 

Another official stepped forward. Holding up his name plaque, he stated, “Next, your majesty, I ask of you to approve of General Chun’s marriage.” 

Hearing General Chun’s name, Emperor Jang frowned. Straightening his back, he looked down at the official who proposed this. Narrowing his eyes on Official Yu, he asked, “And? Who do you want him to marry?”

Straightening himself, Official Yu said, “Many young maidens have fallen for our General Chun. The most recent proposal was from the left minister of Byeol.”

Hearing those words, Emperor Jang’s body trembled. Grabbing a book from the desk in front of him, he threw it at Official Yu, “How dare you!”

Official Yu bowed, and so did everyone else. “How dare you all think that you can force me to marry General Chun to an outsider? Don’t you all know that he is the General of my army! Do you all really expect me to marry him off?”

Emperor Jang was furious, “Court dismissed! Get out of my sight before I behead you all!”

Everyone quickly left while Emperor Jang went to his study. His eunuch was with him. Emperor Jang always got angry when it came to General Chun’s marriage. Everyone knew that the two of them had a deep bond of master and servant because General Chun saved his life when they were younger.

Emperor Jang was afraid of losing him to anyone with the suspicion that they were all after his life. Well—he wasn’t completely wrong.

“Bin, call General Chun here,” he ordered his eunuch.

Eunuch bowed and left. Emperor Jang ran his hands over his face, frustrated. 

*

On the training field, General Chun stared at Eunuch Bin. He looked frustrated and tired from the long walk here. Shaking his head, General Chun looked at his deputy, saying, “Take care of things. The emperor is calling me.”

The second in command nodded his head knowingly. As he watched General Chun leave, he looked at his back, that had light red claw marks around the shoulder area, and sighed. ‘He’ll probably return with more marks.’

General Chun took his time to get to the emperor’s study. He returned to his temporary living quarters in the palace and took a bath. Sitting in the warm water, he recalled the emperor’s words, ‘You should stop taking a bath before coming to meet me.’

Shaking his head, he disapproved, to disgrace the emperor with his smell—he was taught better.

Pushing the doors open to the emperor’s garden, he looked around and found him watering the plants as he spoke to them. Closing the doors gently, then locking them, he silently made his way to the emperor. Stopping behind him, he placed his hands on the emperor’s waist, who immediately froze. 

As General Chun rested his head on his right shoulder, he sighed. Placing the bucket of water down and placing the ladle in it, he leaned against General Chun’s chest as he wrapped his arms around his waist.

General Chun placed a kiss on the underside of his chin and hummed. “I thought you limited me to a weekly visit.”

Emperor Jang sighed, “What would you have me do then? I’m in a dilemma.”

“And it involves me?” He asked as he started kissing his neck, sucking the skin into his mouth and nibbling on it. 

Biting back a moan as he recalled what this would lead to, he said, “Yes. They want to marry you off.”

“And?” General Chun asked unbothered as he continued on to the back of the emperor’s neck.

Emperor Jang pushed him away, saying, “I’m serious, Li!”

Li sighed heavily this time and let him go. “I thought you called me over because you wanted my companionship. Why do I have to listen to this? You know where my heart stands and my loyalty. Even if you were to agree to the marriage, I’d never go through with it.”

“What will you have me tell them? This isn’t the first time your marriage was brought up. It would’ve been better if you were born away from this godforsaken palace!”

“Then you wouldn’t have met me,” Li said with a frown.

Emperor Jang smiled weakly. Walking up to him, he placed his hands on his cheeks. Staring into his eyes, he said, “I would have found you.”

Pouting Li asked, “How? I could’ve been born in the wilderness and killed. You would have been someone else’s. Some other man would get to hold you. Kiss you and love you and I—I’d be dead.”

Emperor Jang shook his head, amused, “There is a time to be silly and there is a time to be serious. Why are you not taking this seriously and why are you thinking of ‘what ifs?’ none of that has happened and I cannot just decide for you. You are your own person and I respect that.”

Li smirked. “Well, you may be saying that now.” He tugged at Emperor Jang’s robe, continuing, “You’ll sing a different tune when I don’t want to play the same game as you.”

Emperor Jang immediately caught on to what he was talking about and hit his chest, “That is a different story and you know, the emperor’s word matters.”

He turned around, pretending to be angry. Li wrapped his arms around him, saying, “I’m all yours, Your Majesty.”

“And mine you shall stay,” he said with a smirk.

*

“You did all that complaining and for what?” Li asked him.

The emperor looked at him and rolled his eyes. He was getting dressed. There was another meeting to be held, and it was again about this man in front of him.

Li was sitting on the bed staring at him, dressed in his official garbs. Walking up to him, he wrapped his arms around his neck and straddled him. 

General Chun was more than happy to be in a position like this. “Your highness, might I ask, what is this about?”

Emperor Jang raised a brow, grinding his hips as he licked his lips. He hummed, “Well, I just like this position, General Chun. Don’t you want to stay like this until the day we die?”

Tilting his neck to the side, he said, “I’d more than like this—very much if you ask me.”

*

Emperor Jang looked at the officials, who were bowing to him. Taking his seat, he looked at General Chun and admired how handsome he was. 

Things wouldn’t have gotten here if their relationship was known to the public, but what outcome would it cause? It can’t be terribly bad. He is the emperor, after all.

“Let’s get this started,” he said.

They fixed their posture and the minister from before stepped forward, “Here I have the names of eligible young ladies for the general’s marriage.”

Emperor Jang raised his hand. “I’m going to stop you right there. He took a deep breath in and started, “I’ve thought long and hard about this. I will not be marrying General Chun off to anyone. Instead, he will be marrying me.”

The official’s eyes widened. Some gasped, and even General Chun was in shock. He quickly bowed, holding his name plaque up, saying, “Your majesty please, I cannot have this honour. Your name and the kingdom’s reputation will be put at stake if you risk such a union.”

“I see no better fit for you. I will not marry you to anyone except myself. You are the leader of my army. The soldiers answer to you—imagine if I were to marry my general off to another kingdom, the power they would have.” Standing up, he continued, “I want to hear nothing of this any longer.”

Waving his sleeve, he gave his command, “Here is my decree. General Chun is to wed the Emperor of Haneul by the next full moon.”

Eunuch Bin bowed, “But your majesty, that is in three days. We are nowhere ready to prepare for a royal wedding!”

Emperor Jang looked at him and raised a brow. Thinking it over, he then looked at General Chun, asking, “General, since you will be marrying me, do you mind having a not so glamorous wedding or would you rather wait until the servants can prepare everything?”

General Chun was put in an awkward position. Smiling nervously, he said, “Your majesty. The decision is yours.”

Emperor Jang nodded his head pleased, sitting down, he gave the order, “Get everything ready. We will have a wedding in three days AND kill anyone who opposes officials too! This will be my wedding, so I expect everything to go smoothly.”

Looking at the general, he said, “Prepare yourself. We’ll be heading over to your family home with the dowry.”

*

General Chun smirked as the emperor walked into the chamber.

“What?” He asked.

“When did you think up such a bizarre idea?” He asked.

Glaring at him, he asked, “So you don’t want to marry me?”

General Chun gasped. He walked up to him and hugged him. “Of course I do, your majesty. I want to spend the rest of my days with you.”

Hugging him back, he said, “I take it you’re happy.”

“More than happy. I get to see you every day. Who knows, maybe I won’t long for you and I might even ask for a divorce.”

Emperor Jang grabbed him by the neck and squeezed. “Oh, if you think you can get rid of me, you’ve got another thing coming, General Chun.”

“Yes! Your majesty,” he said and gave him a passionate kiss.

*The Night of the wedding*

With the red silk wrapped around their wrists, walking around the marriage crystal. General Chun snuck a look ahead of him at the emperor and saw that he was watching him. His eyes wandered around at the onlookers and they had profound expressions. They couldn’t say anything, some of them couldn’t even look, but they had to be here.

“The servants should’ve been the only ones to attend the wedding,” he mumbled.

The emperor heard him and was not happy that all these tasteless people were attending his wedding. General Chun wasn’t his first marriage but the women he got married to, they’ve all played their part and are living peaceful lives–far away from the imperial palace and this mess. 

But it was his peace. Suddenly stopping, he tore off the silk robe, saying, “That’s enough! The ceremony is complete. There will be no banquet after this. I’m not interested in spending any more taxpayers’ money.”

Looking at his groom, he said, “The carriage awaits us. I’ve arranged that we go on a vacation for a month.”

Looking at his son, he said, “Son, you will be in charge as the Crown Prince. Take this time as a learning a lesson on how to be a better emperor. Sometimes we need to make decisions that are better for the future and not for the moment.”

Crown Prince Wen bowed to his father, “Yes, father.”

*

Climbing into the carriage, General Chun looked at the emperor, who was yawning. Sitting down beside him, he knocked on the door and the horses neighed, starting their journey. Looking at his husband, he asked, “So, Your Majesty, what is it like being the husband of General Chun?”

Emperor Jang smirked. He climbed onto General Chun’s lap, straddling him as he asked, “That is my question to you, Ah-Li. What does it feel like being married to the ruler of your birth kingdom?”

General Chun thought about it, then frowned, “I imagined my wedding being held during the day and not night time with beautiful flowers around us and a happy bride. Never did I imagine my bride to be the ruler and those I love to be excused from my wedding.”

Emperor Jang pouted, “I can arrange for a wedding you like, but can you really blame me for wanting you all to myself?”

General Chun chuckled, shaking his head. He said, “You need to do something about this jealousy, your majesty. What if this gets out of hand and you end up locking me away in the prison?”

Pretending to think about it, Emperor Jang said, “That sounds like the perfect idea. I’ll build a prison just for the two of us, where we’ll love each other and spend our day in passionate displays.”

“Are you sure I love you?” He asked.

“Of course! Who else would have put up with me all these years? Loving each other in secret and pretending not to be close.”

General Chun nodded his head. “That is true. What would you have done without me?”

Thinking about it, emperor Jang frowned. Looking into his eyes, he said seriously, “Li, if you weren’t in my life, I would’ve died back then. Truly, I am grateful for you and you’ve accepted my heart, too. Back then, I was afraid that you wouldn’t accept my feelings for you even though it started with me being clingy and paranoid. You even stuck through my weddings with my wives and you’ve been a role model for my sons and especially for the citizens of this kingdom. So yes, I would have been nothing without you, and thank you for agreeing to marry me.”

General Chun flicked his forehead, saying, “You’re thinking too deep into this. And don’t say that you would’ve been dead. It is your fate to be here and right now. And we both know that I am the one who ran after you confessing my feelings, so I should say thank you for giving me your heart.”

Popping a kiss on his lips, he said, “I love Chun Li.”

General Chun smiled, “And I love you Jang Yun.”