A carriage stopped in front of the domineering gates. Engraved on the two large gates was a white tiger prowling down, their vicious fangs about the height of someone's head if they approach the gates. One couldn't help but feel intimidated. On both sides of the gates were marble white guardian lion statues.

"Inside the carriage are the sisters of Xue Feiyun, quickly go in and let them know, don't let my miss wait too long."

A small maid approached the guards standing outside and arrogantly ordered before turning around and helping the two ladies down the carriage.

The guards only stared at her and remained motionless.

The small maid upon seeing the guard's attitude looked to Zhen Zhen who signaled with her eyes while hiding behind a fan.

The small maid then took out a horse whip. It was thin and long with a small bead at the end.

With a smirk on her face, the small maid brought the whip down and whipped one of the guard on the face.

"Arrogant! This is the young misses of General Xue's manor!"the little maid screamed.

Yet the guard remained stoic as though no one was there, only the red stripe cause by the whip remained on his cheek. The thin whip had cut his cheek which bled while the bead bruised slightly underneath his eye, any closer and he would have been blinded.

Zhenzhen pretended to be angry at her maid and reprimanded her, of course she did not forget to tarnish feiyun's name.

"Who said you could make a move. Slap yourself once. Did working in older sister Feiyun's courtyard previously only taught you this was correct?"

The little maid saw that Zhenzhen was only pretending and apologised dramatically then gave herself a light pat on the face.

"Sister do we really have to do this? Is it mother or father's idea? " Qiqi whispered slightly fearful of the guard's unchanging glare as she tugged Zhen Zhen's sleeve.

Qiqi hadnt known that the idea to make a ruckus at the front gates to tarnish feiyun's reputation was all Zhenzhen's idea to get revenge for the crown prince's embarrassment that feiyun caused during the family meeting.

Completely focused on petty revenge, Zhenzhen forgot that the house she intended to make a ruckus at belonged to the merciless god of war.

Qiqi on the other hand was blinded by her love and want to see Tian Huo decided to tag along with Zhenzhen. In Qiqi's head, she was so much better compared to feiyun how come it's not her standing by his side. She could not help herself.

"Who dares to cause such a ruckus so early in the morning?"

Old Zhao's stern voice appeared from behind the small side gate in which servants and the like go through to get in and out of the manor.

Although Old Zhao had the qualifications to use the main gate but it was really too large and since it was just him one person why would he need to trouble people to open the large main gates.

Upon seeing a old man appear from the side gate, Zhenzhen assumed his position is a just a lowly servant, not worth to put in her eyes.

Zhen Zhen arrogantly 'hmphed' while gently speaking but not forgetting to be loud enough for those commoners crowding near because of the commotion.

" I came on behalf of my parents. Seeing such an unfilial behaviour from my own sister, how could I bear to not teach her right from wrong for the sake of my parent?"

Zhenzhen's act of the delicate White lotus was truly perfect.

Upon seeing the family sigil on the carriage, Old man Zhao immediately recognized the family sigil and the the two ladies were the sisters of Feiyun. He turned his head and nodded to a small servant following behind him.

The small servant quickly nodded and rushed towards Feiyun's courtyard.

Upon reaching the courtyard, he was stopped by Qinfei who was standing guard outside the room.

Feiyun had slept passed breakfast into the late morning because of Tianhuo's treatment last night. Qinfei did not want to disturb Feiyun's rest but hearing the little servant news, she had no choice.

But Feiyun had already awoken by the scuffling and thudding of the little servant's footsteps as he ran in and heard his explanation of what was going on outside.

"Qinfei, prepare my clothes. I will see who dares to disturb this manors peace."

Feiyun showed a annoyed face. She had intended for Tianhuo to rest but this issue appeared. Her sisters are asking for a beating it seems.

*Back at the front gate*

"It seemed that my sister's arrogance has even infected the servants here to be arrogant. As a sister I truly have failed..."

Zhenzhen pretended to wipe a nonexistent tear with her handkerchief.

The crowd surrounding them upon seeing a gentle young lady being treated this coldly by the guards and old Zhao started having their hearts swayed.

They felt sorry and pity for Zhen Zhen and Qiqi. They even felt a little angry at Feiyun. Truly they have forgotten whose gates they were crowding in front of.

"Still not letting my young miss in?!" Zhenzhen's maid loudly reprimanded old Zhao.

With both his hands behind his back, old zhao's eyebrows scrunched up and his face twisted in clear disgust.

How did someone as virtuous and talented as feiyun have sisters like this. Wasn't there a saying that the apples don't fall far from the tree? How come this 'apples' seem to have come from a different tree?

"Old Zhao my how come you didn't tell me that my sister's are here?"

Feiyun appeared as the great manor main gates opened for feiyun, Qinfei pushing her through. The guards standing at the sides who were unchanging no matter what, all turned and bowed deeply with one need to the ground.

Upon seeing Feiyun, old Zhao didn't sense any anger from her words, her eyes seemed to be smiling but a trace of mischievousness hidden behind.

Instantly he knew that there would be a show to watch. He bowed deeply and greeted her.

"Wangfei(princess), this old one is at fault, please punish this servant. Wangye(prince=Tianhuo) had given orders that no one is allowed into the manor no matter who or what."

Feiyun smiled and commanded gently , "Withdraw."

She knew why he had given the order, it was because of his treatment, although even without the treatment as excuse, one would rarely get to enter Tianhuo's manor unless they have an emperor's seal or edict otherwise they would be rejected at the gates.

Old Zhao straightened and went behind Qinfei, standing and waiting for orders.

Upon seeing how the guards and old Zhao treated feiyun with respect, Qiqi only felt even more jealously swell within her. This would all be hers if only feiyun didn't exist!

"Hmph sister, you finally showed yourself. " QiQi arrogantly spoke but was cut off by Zhenzhen's dramatic cry.

"Sister, how could you not give father and mother face. To not greet your parent after wedding to prince Tian Huo. Do you still have any sense of propriety in you?"

Hearing this, the crowd started murmuring.

Feiyun only slightly reclined back on the wheelchair, her hand supporting her chin a small smile on her face.

Upon seeing no reaction from Feiyun, Zhenzhen clenched her fist hidden in her sleeves.

'what happened? This girl used to be afraid to even look me in the eye. Could it be she thinks now that she's a Wangfei she can go against me? 100 years too early!'

"Sister, I know you're angry that I am trying to teach you. You can hit me like usual but for the sake of mother and father I still think, as a sister I have to let you know what you're doing is wrong. "

Zhenzhen continue to loudly proclaimed while pretending to be scared of Feiyun while hiding in the embrace of Qiqi who was playing along.

If others were to hear this they could only come to a conclusion that Zhen Zhen was virtuous while Feiyun was arrogant and unbridled even hitting ZhenZhen.

"That's right, how could someone like you marry Prince Tianhuo, you don't deserve it!" Qiqi couldn't hold her jealously in and tried adding oil to the fire. This was the perfect opportunity for her to vent some of the jealousy stored in her.

"Done?" Feiyun finally spoke. The entire crowd around fell silent.

Feiyun's small smile had now grown yet the smile didn't reach her ice cold eyes. She only leaned on one hand and stared down at her dramatic sisters.

"Old Zhao, tell me, what is the deserving punishment for offending and slandering a princess, touching another person's property and refusing to acknowledge the emperor's imperial edict?" Feiyun questioned her voice nonchalant.

Old Zhao slightly bowed, all those crimes Feiyun had just mentioned could either land you in prison , exile or even execution of the entire family, depending on the rank of the family involved.

"For offending and slandering a princess; imprisonment, exile or beheading of the entire family up to 3 generations. For punishing someone else's servant, that depends on the servant's masters demands for compensation. For refusing to acknowledge the emperor's imperial edict ; beheading of 9 generation of family." Old Zhao replied.

Feiyun nodded her head and appeared to be thinking deeply.

"What to do...such heavy crimes ah, younger sister can you bear them?".

Upon hearing the ridiculous punishments, Zhen Zhen was fuming. What was this slut thinking about.

" Older sister I do not understand what you mean, how am I accountable for all those crimes. I hope sister doesn't accuse me wrongly." Her woeful eyes could even draw tears out of a dead person.

" Number 1, you offended this princess when you did not bow upon seeing me...Number 2, for accusing that this princess hit you before." Feiyun. Raised a slender finger with each count, her smile benevolent as she continued,

"Number 3, for slandering me of being unfilial. when did I not greet father and mother? Is it that the banquet at the Imperial palace wasn't big enough that mother and father weren't happy? If so I can let the emperor know about this." her fingers continued to count.

" Number 4, hurting the guards that belong to prince Tianhuo."

Feiyun glance and looked upon her nails as she spoke as if everything she spoke was a trival matter.

"Still need me to continue? Number 5, My marriage to Prince Tianhuo was bestowed by the emperor. Could it be that sister, you are better than the emperor that you can have opinions and make decisions about the imperial edict in public?" Feiyun's cold eyes fell on Qiqi.

'who was this person?'

Zhen Zhen felt cold sweat behind her back. But it was not only her. Under Feiyun's imposing aura and question, the commoners crowding around also suddenly felt the severity of what they had witnessed before.

They wanted to turn and run but afraid that moving now would draw attention to themselves, they could only hold their breath and watch in cold sweat.

Seeing her sisters stumped for words, Feiyun continued,

"You tell me, as your sister how can I not worry about you being unable to handle such crimes. Therefore in this wangfei's eyes, because you are still concubine born sisters of mine I can pardon your actions today but because it was witnessed by other, i have no choice but to punish, otherwise as a Wangfei who would still respect me when i go out."

Feiyun held her chin for abit and then continued, "Since sister likes talking about propriety, copy the 4 virtues book 1 time."

Zhenzhen and Qiqi smirked...

'who cares if she punished us, even if we don't do it, who will know.'

"Old Zhao, prepare 2 tables, chairs, paper and ink for my sisters. I will sit here and watch them finish copying. Like this the people will know i am fair. "

Feiyun smirked knowing that the twins had no intention to do them. Old Zhao waved a sleeve and two servants went to prepare.

Zhenzhen and Qiqi was stunned, she wanted to punish them to copy the book here? in public? Although it was just one copy but the book was very thick with many pages and words ah...

This move almost made the twins spit out blood, but in front of so many people they could not show their anger otherwise their reputation would be ruined.

Feiyun sighed deeply, looking with eyes full of pity. The twins sat down on the chair prepared, their fingers freezing on such a cold day yet they could not say a word. With redness in their cheeks and their veins on the forehead popping out, they started copying while the little maid grind ink for them.

'this slut! What princess? she did not have a title just became princess by marrying a prince. In the future I would also become a princess. Fucking bitch! Who let her be so arrogant.'

"But...as for the matter of harming prince Tianhuo's servants...this I cannot help you ah..."

Qiqi slammed her brush down as feiyun's voice trailed off. Her hands wrapped around the whip on her waist. Just as she was about to pull it out, she was interrupted by a voice.

"My Wangfei, you are truly magnanimous."

Tianhuo appeared from the gates. His blue eyes falling upon Feiyun as he gently touched her cheek. His gaze gentle like that of warm spring. His complexion was still pale and his voice slightly raspy.

Upon seeing TianHuo, people around greeted, kowtowing their heads, not wanting to meet his cursed eyes.

Not acknowledging the greeting and in an instant his eyes turned cold as he turned to face the two sisters.

" But...I am not benevolent enough."

Tianhuo's long slender finger pointed at the cowering maid beside Zhen Zhen " Old zhao..."

Bowing in acknowledgement to Tianhuo ,old Zhao turned to the two servants behind and ordered

"Whip that maid 100 counts with that horsewhip she used. Count this as his Highness mercy for touching prince Tianhuo's property, be thankful he allowed you to keep your life."

In an instant two servants were by the side of the cowering maid. They dragged her out in front of the 2 tables where Zhenzhen and Qiqi were writing. The little maid resisted but was tied down to a wooden slab. The horse whip in one hand fell and a blood curdling scream pierce the surrounding.

The surrounding fell completely silent. Only the crack of a whip followed by the screams for mercy and sobbing of the small maid could be heard.

With each strike cutting deeper, the blood followed the whip and splattered around, even staining the papers that the twins were writing on. Her back and bottom were stained red with blood as she slowly loss her will to scream and faded like ashes in the wind.

At this point everyone watching were on their knees kowtowing deeply, not wanting to breath, holding back vomit in their guts as they watched and hear the punishment of the maid while dots of blood fell on their hands and all around. Such a cruel punishment.

'What lenient punishment? What mercy? Who could survive a 100 whips ah?'

Zhenzhen was now frightened by this sight as she turned her head to Feiyun who was still smiling as though the punishment before didn't happen and quickly turned back to copying.

The entire front part of the table was stain red with spots of blood, some falling onto Zhenzhen's hands, but she did not wipe them off. She did not want to stay a second longer as the dead corpse of her maid stared back at her with souless eyes.

'The faster i finished the faster i could leave.' she thought to herself.

Qiqi on the other hand gathered herself and approached Feiyun and Tianhuo.

This was her chance to get closer to Tianhuo and let him see her graceful side and beautiful face. Why should she be afraid, the maid wasn't even hers.

" Without a maid to grind the ink stone we wont be able to write ah. Gracious sister, let us go back to the manor to finish this book. "

Qiqi pretended to talk to feiyun although her direction she moved in was toward Tianhuo.

Just as Tian Huo turned to face Qiqi who was approaching, she pretended to stumble on her dress and fell towards Tianhuo, hoping he would catch her.

At least that was what she planned. But instead Tianhuo took a step back and let her fall onto the ground, face first.

" Your highness..." Qiqi embarrassed at the situation, put on a wronged expression and started tearing up grabbing onto Tianhuo's sleeve.

'Shameless...'

Feiyun could only sigh upon seeing Qiqi's acting. Even in public shes not afraid to steal her sisters husband.

The corner of Feiyun's lips curled ever so slightly although her eyes remained distant, this did not escape TianHuo's eyes, causing him to raise an eyebrow slightly.

Who was he? A God of war, a commander of the great army that faced countless enemies on the battlefield, killed thousands... yet how come a single smile from this girls lips could make his spine crawl ever so slightly? pulling back his thoughts, he looked down at the person grabbing his sleeve.

"ink? you have enough..." Tianhuo spoke his eyes piercing and his voice cold trailed off as his slender finger pointed at her ink stone.

Qiqi followed his finger and felt the liquid in her stomach lurch up when her eyes landed on the ink stone filled with red liquid. Blood that had collected in the ink stone as the maid was whipped.

Upon seeing her ink stone, Qiqi froze up. Her hands still gripping on his sleeve,

"Seeing that my sister still have a lot to write, please spare this hand of hers."

Feiyun bowed her head, to which Tianhuo did not like, he wont allow her to bow to him.

His voice cold like an Asura straight out of hell. With a flick of his sleeve he sent Qiqi flying into the carriage wheel, pulling Feiyun's chin up.

Zhenzhen was so frightened by this she instantly kowtowed on the ground completely disregarding her status as a daughter from a generals house.

"Your highness please forgive my sister for her wrong doings." Zhenzhen pleaded, truly she did not expect this outcome.

"Wangfei, sitting out here is bad for your health, go in. Old Zhao, when they are done send the copies in. "

Tianhuo waved a sleeve and turned, picking Feiyun up into an embrace. She held her hands around Tianhuo's neck as they disappeared into the manor, the heavy hates slamming shut.

Once inside, Feiyun turned to a small servant

" Send the maid back to the Xue manor after they are done. And give this to the guard that was hit."

She place a small bottle of ointment into the small servants' hands who was trembling when he approached Tianhuo. After that he quickly bowed and ran away as though staying a moment longer would kill him.

As they made their way to the main hall for breakfast, Feiyun flicked Tianhuo's forehead and reprimanded.

"Idiot, you're still recovering from the treatment. Put me down."

Tianhuo smiled pressing his forehead to feiyun's,

"I am fine. Not pain."

Seeing his unwillingness to put her down, Feiyun stopped struggling and gave in, afraid that she would hurt him if she continued.

Once inside the room, Tianhuo sat her down and extended his hand In front of her as though a kid asking for candy.

" Where's my surprise?" He asked

"What surprise?" Feiyun questioned back confused.

"You say after the treatment you have something for me..." Tianhuo replied slightly dejected.