"If you only knew, Jasmine. Eldest brother is far from it. That man can be a mess sometimes. He'll have his entire parliament running around like a chicken with their heads cut off just because he thought it was funny. But why waste your breath on him?" Hoon turned to me with his salacious eyes shining and hungry. "I don't like you talking about other men, especially when we're in bed together."

"So, what are you going to do about it?" I purred.

"I'm going to punish you until you scream my name." He crooned before rolling over on top of me.

We were like rabbits who couldn't get enough of each other. So in love and so happy for the last two years that we hardly noticed the time slipped by. We were so drawn and so occupied with each other that I thought nothing could go wrong until I noticed the slow trickle of concubines arriving at the palace almost every other week.

They were the youngest and prettiest of all concubines I've seen.

I asked Hoon what's going on, worried that his father had picked those women for my husband to impregnate. The emperor had been desperate enough for grandchildren.

"Hoon, what's with the new concubines arriving at the palace suddenly?" I kept my voice subtle, hiding the fret in it. I didn't want Hoon finding out my worry. I dreaded the idea of him picking up another bride or concubine and tossing me aside.

He turned to me, soft eyes cherishing his wife in front of him. He smiled. "Why? Are you worried?"

I Scowled, quivering as I held my anxiety from slipping, but he saw right through me anyway. He laughed. "Father sent scouts to find the prettiest women. He wanted to round them in the palace."

"What for?"

He kissed my lips, easing my mind. Hoon led me to the sofa, draping a coat over my shoulder. This was around the time in the afternoon when he takes me for our long walks before dinner. "Those girls are not for me. Trust me, Jasmine. I wouldn't care to look twice at any of those girls when I have you. You're the most beautiful girl in the world."

I can't help the smile that jumped on my lips, even after two years, my husband could still come up with the cheesiest things to say. I kissed him again while he led us to the door, spilling into the long hallway of this wing.

Hoon had since moved me to his chamber, opting out on acquiring our own manor. He said it was just him and I together. His chamber in the palace was large enough to house both of us and there's no need to live in a big manor.

A manor is grueling, he told me. I don't want you going through the stress of keeping up a huge home with maidservants, cooks, gardeners, and guardsmen to look after. You and I in my chamber are fine. Everything is within our reach, we don't have to worry about anything.

"Those girls are for father and for youngest brother." Hoon continued.

I stopped, shaken. I haven't heard anything or thought about third prince Julong in a while. But the sudden mention of his name came as an unwelcome slap to my face, waking up whatever it was that's been asleep and dormant.

Hoon paused, he gave me an inquiring look. I could tell he's a little agitated. Hoon doesn't like talking about his brother, and I tethered around mentioning third prince Julong afraid it could lead into an argument. "What's the matter?"

"Umm, nothing," I said and stepped forward, walking with slight hasten in my speed. "It's just that I haven't heard about prince Julong in a while. I didn't even know he's due to come back."

"It's been two years, father misses him, and he wanted his youngest son back. He said life is too short to keep his son away in a foreign land and Julong is better off coming home." He paused and licked his lips wet. "Should I be worried about something?"

"No," I answered. "Two years is a long time in the past." Whatever we had back then should be long buried, or at least I hoped.