Standing before Xian Le with a wooden sword in my hand as he sits on the ground panting like a dog. His attire is in a mess and dirty from the ground beneath us with his hair dishevelled, it took me three hits and he was down. He hasn’t managed to get a hit and as a prince, this is very disappointing.

I lower my hand holding the wooden sword, “Get up, we’ll practise again tomorrow.” He nods and sighs. After freshening up, he jogs his way back to me and sits down beside me while a maid pours him a cup of tea.

Ling Tian sits across from us and smirks. With a yawn he asks, “YuMi, how old are you?”

Raising a brow I answered, “I’m twenty-six of age.” He nods his head, “You’re five years younger than our eldest brother and Yu Sheng, which makes you three years older than me – wanna get married?”

Xian Le chokes on his tea making Ling Tian burst out laughing. The servants and maids beside us look at Ling Tian in shock. Rolling my eyes and folding my arms in front of my chest, I lean back and close my eyes.

“Aww sweety, why aren’t you answering me, how DARE you refuse my marriage proposal, ME, A PRINCE OF JILEI!! I’ll kill you for humiliating me like this,” he jokes while wiggling his brows at his brother.

Sighing I smile, he really has some sort of strange humour.

“Brother Tian~” Xian Le complains making me frown. Lifting my head I look at him who’s pouting at Ling Tian with flushed cheeks.

Ling Tian shrugs, “Baby boy, don’t worry, I won’t take your woman from you while you’re conscious.” He says making Xian Le’s eyes widen in horror. He looks between me and his brother than plants his hands between his hands.

Raising a brow at Ling Tian who smirks at me and raises his hands in defeat. “YuMi, our baby brother here has a strange hobby,” he says making me knit my brows.

Xian Le slams his hands on the table and glares at Ling Tian who smirks and pulls a bamboo flute out from behind him and places it near his mouth. Blowing air out, he starts playing a beautiful tune.

Xian Le settles down beside me and leans back but is fidgeting uncontrollably. Closing my eyes I take in the beautiful tune and think about yesterday when I spent time with my family. My thoughts get stopped when I hear someone clearing their throat.

Opening my hazy eyes I see many faces before me. Looking at Xian Le and Ling Tian who stopped playing his flute stand at attention, I raise a questioning brow at them. They both have awkward smiles and Xian Le starts, “Brothers and sisters, I’m sorry for not welcoming you all properly, if I’d known you all were coming I would have gotten the servants to prepare for your arrival.”

Standing up I move to the side and the princes and princesses sit down. As I am about to walk away I get called back, “Sister YuMi~” that squeal again!

I turn to glare at the culprit and he’s pouting again! Knitting my brows at his motion to return. He cuddles into my side making his brothers and sisters frown.

“Let me introduce you to my siblings; this beautiful lady wearing a purple tunic is my eldest sister Qinyi, the one in a pink tunic is my sister Qingxue, the one wearing green is my sister Ling Xiao. The twins are Ning Huang and Ning Hong, this handsome fellow here is Tianyao, the one with a crooked smile is Lanshan. This is You Ming and that brother of mine is called Zhan… and you have me, the fool Ling Tian and the crown prince Xian Rong – together we are this empires, princes and princesses.”

I bow to all of them which they return with a friendly smile and Ling Tian continues, “The crown prince, myself and LeLe are the Empresses offspring, The twins and Tianyao are the sons of Third noble wife Dal. Zhan, Qingxue and Ling Xiao are the children of first noble wife Hana and Lanshan and Qinyi are the children of second noble wife Kaihua and finally You Ming from the households fourth wife Byeol… in respective order, we are Xian Rong, Zhan, Lanshan, Ning Huang and Ning Hong, Ling Tian (points to himself), You Ming, Qinyi, Tianyao, Ling Xiao, Qingxue and our baby Xian Le oh and don’t forget mother Byeol is expecting a baby too.”

Ah my father’s been around, I think while nodding to this ridiculous introduction.

“Don’t forget about our second sister,” Lanshan says in his deep voice making me raise a brow and tilt my head. “Ah yes, sorry, how can I forget about her… YuMi, that’s not all, our second sibling after my brother Xian Rong is our sister who was born of my father's concubine Ni Xing,” Ling Tian says making my body freeze in anger at the mention of my mother's name.

Swallowing down my anger I ask, “Why isn’t she here?” I ask them. They avoid my gaze and look at Ling Tian who has a pained expression on his face.

“They were exiled,” he says making me raise a brow.

“Why?” I ask, pressing for him to continue.

“Well the council decided that they must leave due to traditions,” he says while swallowing hard and I can see the sweat form on his head while he clenches his hands into fists.

“Because every first child born must be a son and our father's concubine gave birth to a daughter instead so they were exiled,” says Tianyao. I look over at him and he has this blank expression on his face that he had since he’d arrive.

I nod my head not really caring for the rest of the details because I know what happens, I mean like… I am that damn child! “What’s your sister’s name?” I ask nonchalantly.

“Well, we don’t know, none of us even heard her cry and the only things we know is that she’s concubine Ni Xing’s daughter and female.” Ling Tian answers.

“Well, since its fate then let it be, I’m sure your sister is living a wonderful life compared to all of you living here in the imperial palace where you are locked up,” I say and Ning Hong scoffs, “That’s if she’s alive and what do you mean that we’re locked up?”

Shrugging I pick up a stray leaf under my foot and let it fly in the wind, “The sky belongs to the birds that can fly not those under watchful eyes.”

Waving them off I turn around and walk away.

[Short chapter because I wanted to introduce the siblings to you.]