Zhenzhen remained covered under the thick blankets perspiration all over her body and face. Her hair messy as it crumpled into bunches. Watching the crown Prince Ruofeng put his robes back on.

Turning back around to face her, the lustful Prince teasingly pinched her nose,

"You're so aggressive today. Really... You would be so lost without me."

Zhenzhen forced a smile as she help him tie his robes. Tilting her face down low enough so that he couldn't see her face which held a cold expression. The man in front of her was a man she loved yet every time she saw her reflection in his eyes her chest ached with self pity.

"Is it because of your sister's passing? Don't worry, you'll get your revenge soon enough."

Crown prince Ruofeng lifted her chin with his two fingers, examining her beautiful features.

He had been with many ladies in the capital. Although he saw her as nothing but a toy, she was still a beautiful women whom many men wanted for themselves.

Just a simple promise to give her a title of princess and any women would be willing to be on their knees for him.

"Really?"

Zhenzhen cautiously questioned, digging for any information she could get out of Ruofeng.

After thinking for a moment, Ruofeng could not keep his mouth shut. He longed to let go of the information he had overheard, wanting to hear praise to feed his ego.

Taking a seat beside Zhenzhen, he picked up a cup of smelly black herbal medicine, bringing it to her lips. His eyes asking her to drink it. Only after she swallowed did he continue in a soft voice loud enough for both of them to hear.

"Well... Keep this between us. Although its not confirmed yet... but i overheard Advisor Ronghe and my father talking about the southern plains. Apparently there's going to be war soon. He intends to send the 4th Prince Tianhuo there as Commanding General."

Frowning slightly, Zhenzhen couldn't grasps why Ruofeng would say that the South War would help avenge Qiqi.

"Once he leaves the capital, its a 3 weeks journey to the border of Southern Xing. Do you think he will get there safely?"

Ruofeng smiled as he pressed a finger in between Zhenzhen's scrunched up brow. His eyes filled with evil intent.

"And when he leaves, who do you think will protect that irritating ugly girl of his?"

Finally standing up, he lazily waved and left, His robes fluttering in the sun with a hand behind his back. The trail of guards and eunuch following behind him in a grand manner as soon as he left the establishment.

The smile on Zhenzhen's face disappeared as soon as Ah Li, the small maid that served by her side, hurried in with a big bowl of warm water for her mistress.

"Bring another bowl of water."

Zhenzhen ordered, after seeing the little maid had left, She bent over the bowl with two fingers down her throat. Forcing out the black herbal medicine that she was forced to drink.

When Li returned, she found the first bowl of water she had brought over full of black liquid. Covering her mouth with both hands and she quickly went over to quietly remove it without question.

Li was young but not stupid. She knew what that medicine was. To hide this secret affair and to prevent Zhenzhen from bearing his child, the Crown prince would force her to take the herbal drink. Yet her mistress was here puking it out. It could only mean one thing.

For a unmarried lady to bear a child would bring shame to the entire household of both sides. If the other side happens to be royalty, there would only be one possible solution - Marriage.

"Make sure no one sees you, dump it somewhere far from here."

After wiping down her mouth, Zhenzhen glanced down and patted her abdomen.

------

"Imperial Edict from the Son of Heaven! 4th Prince Xing Tianhuo, On immediate orders of his majesty, is to head South with the Western army to quell the rising Southern Bu lords as leading Commanding General! Not to return to the Capital until orders are complete!Come forward to receive."

The flowery voice from the Eunuch irritated Tianhuo, Scrunching his eyebrows together he approached the eunuch, easily towering over him. Taking the edict from his hands and returning to his grand seat, Feiyun by his side.

The Eunuch was shocked that Tianhuo had completely ignored the rules. The edict from the son of heaven could be said to represent the Emperor himself. In its presence, people would bow and respect it. Yet this 4th prince didn't bat an eyelid and took it without a word.

While he was pondering if he should reprimand on such rude behaviour, Tianhuo's cold voice and stare sent shivers down his spine. Tianhuo's dark blue eyes watching the Eunuch with a sense of hostility, his cold aura chilling the entire room.

"Still not leaving?"

One wrong step and the Eunuch feared he might lose his head, if he could he would have smacked himself.

'What reprimand? this is the devil ah!'

"I-i-i-i will take m-my leave. Wishing 4th Prince a safe journey."

After completing his curtsy, the eunuch spun on his heels and darted out the room, leaving behind a trail of dust.

Feiyun who had been listening ,observed Tianhuo who was silently sipping his tea. The look in his eyes was definitely anger and rage. Had he let lose, probably the little eunuch would not even have a hair let alive.

Glancing at Ruyi and FeiAn who both were pale and stood still as a statue under the pressure of Tianhuo, Feiyun could only let out a small sigh and waved to them to leave.

As soon as the doors close, Feiyun removed her mask, picking up Tianhuo's hand and placing it to her cheek. Her eyes filled with worry as she questioned

"What's wrong?"

Tianhuo silently looked at her, his thumb gently caressing over her soft cheeks. All along she had been by his side, witnessing her mature and intelligent personality that he'd long forgotten that the lady by his side was still young.

After a long pause, he finally replied

"This edict, do you understand what its true meaning is?"

Nodding her head, Feiyun pounced into his arms, knocking him down to the cushions around them. Of course she knew.

The intentions of the emperor were so obvious even a child would understand. Sitting in a straddling position, she looked down on Tianhuo who watched her with hungry eyes.

"The Emperor wants to punish you right? Just quelling the Southern Bu lords who are acting out or something. If he wants to separate us by sending you away then... lets just go together."

Tianhuo's eyes widened slightly, unable to grasps what Feiyun just said

"Together?"

Smiling widely like a little child.

"The edict never stated that i couldn't go with you right?"

Sitting back up, Tianhuo sternly replied,

"No! Too dangerous."

"You... Then we shall stop here for tonight, don't think of touching me until you come back from the south."

'what danger?'

Feiyun simply rolled her eyes, unlike some typical damsel in distress, Feiyun was pretty much a warrior.

Like a small child throwing a tantrum, Feiyun stood up, prepared to leave, only to have Tianhuo pull her back down. In a swift motion, he was now on top of her. Having caught her, he had a self satisfied expression.

However Feiyun was having none of it. Easily, she slipped out of his grasp, her legs clamped around his waist as she twist and turned over, gaining the top position. Her eyes were playful yet strong and fierce.

Tianhuo chuckled as he gave in to her. Never once has he ever heard of a wife wrestling with her husband.

Trying to regain his composure, he cleared his throat, sliding his finger through his black hair.

"You win, truly...you never fail to impress me every time."

Feiyun could only blush from his sudden chuckle, the honest deep blue eyes that was slightly watery from laughing. Her fingers rest on Tianhuo's heavenly while his inky black hair was messily sprawled out on the mat from all the tossing and turning.

Faced with a perfect painting of a hot mess. A desire filled within her as found herself leaning in towards him. Taking his lips between hers as she playfully nibbled. Tianhuo responded as he place a hand behind her head, pulling her closer and deeper.

A soft moan escaped Feiyun's mouth as she enjoyed the sweet taste of Tianhuo's lips.

Pulling back, Feiyun rest her head on Tianhuo's broad chest, listening to his calm heartbeat when hers was about to leap out of her chest because of the passionate kiss they shared.

"Tianhuo...is there a place where I can put my mother's memorial ash tablet*? I think my mother deserves freedom with a beautiful view. "

After a pause, Tianhuo casually replied as he stroke Feiyun's thick black hair in a gentle motion.

"There is... Jade Vermilion Abbey, my mother's tablet is there as well."

Feiyun remembered Ruyi mentioned that for that for royalty, even after marrying out, they will be brought back into the palace. Their memorial tablets are kept in the palace in a Grand ancestral hall.

It was no surprise that her mother, the unfavoured Princess Feiyue's tablet was left to the Xue family. But to think that Tianhuo's mother who should be a high ranking Concubine was also not in the palace's Grand ancestral hall.

"Your mother...Imperial Concubine Hanyu? Why?"

Tianhuo's eye dimmed, gentle with a tranquil distance.

"I don't remember much about my mother but i know she always told me that when I'm older we would go on long journeys away from the capital. So when i was 15, after i came back from my first War, I took her to the Abbey that she loved to visit."

Curious, Feiyun continued, propping a hand under her chin.

"How did you manage to get the tablet out of the palace without them realising?"

Tianhuo glanced down to see Feiyun's curious little eyes looking back at him. Although he did not like telling others about his mother, he would not hide anything from Feiyun.

"Hmm... My mother wasn't really a favoured concubine. Its easy to replaced the real one with a fake..."

Feiyun could see that his eyes held traces of self blame as he shared about his mother. Feiyun realized that she did not know much about Tianhuo even though he seemed to know everything about her. However the topic of his mother clearly brought him great pain.

Trying to comfort him, Feiyun snuggled her face into his chest, hugging him tightly. Although she did not know why he looked that way, she did not want to question further. If it brought him pain then, somethings is better left unsaid.

A long silence continued In the large hall, only the two of them; A small body on top of another. It wasn't the kind of awkward silence but a soothing and peaceful calm. So rarely was the atmosphere around Tianhuo ever so tranquil.

"We should get packing, if we are to reach Southern Xing in a month, we should leave as soon as possible."

Sitting up, Feiyun combed her messy hair and curled a strand behind her ears. Glancing towards the stone tablet made of cheap marble filled to the brim with her mother's ashes. A complicated expression appeared on her face.

'mother huh...'

Feiyun thought to herself. A word so unfamiliar to her who was abandoned and then raised by her foster father in the underworld with no warmth or happy family.

That little detail did not escape Tianhuo's eyes. Having tidied his hair and robes, Tianhuo place a large warm hand on Feiyun's head, pulling her into an embrace and planting a kiss on her forehead.

"The Abbey is on the way, We can stop by to give your mother a proper prayer before we head to the south."

Even though he did not know what was eating at Feiyun's heart, he knew it was something related to her mother. Unsure if his consoling worked, he glanced down.

A bittersweet smile appeared on Feiyun's face knowing that Tianhuo was worried about her.

"I'm alright. "

Assured, Tianhuo smiled, a gentle look in his eyes once again sending her heartbeat racing.

"O-old Zhao."

Feiyun called, trying to change the topic. Upon her call, Old Zhao came in the hall, ready to respond to her command.

"Pack our things. We leave tonight."

Before Feiyun could give an order, Tianhuo had already spoken.

'Tonight?! why so early?'

Feiyun thought to herself. Old Zhao merely nodded and withdraw. He was pretty much used to his overbearing lord's orders. For someone as experienced as him, 1 hour was more than enough to get everything in order.

Tianhuo could clearly see Feiyun's confused surprise. He simply chuckled,

"We leave tonight so the crows don'ts catch us."

A simple hint as he stood up and walked towards his study to prepare his things for the journey, leaving a contemplating Feiyun behind.

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