After they finished their plans on how to deal with the new hostile threat, the room returned to silence.

A finger drumming on the table, Feiyun seemed deep in thought, how could she actually let them know that she was feeling rather sour at the moment, drowning in vinegar*.

Feiyun put on an aloof appearance while Tianhuo simply sat beside her, glancing at her from time to time.

Ruyi sat in front helping to prepare some tea, he too kept glancing to Feiyun and then to Tianhuo.

If anyone was to come in now, they wouldn't realize that the atmosphere seemed weird but to Ruyi, he definitely knew that this ambiguous air was definitely suffocating.

'Why doesn't Princess even ask a single question? And...'

Glancing to his cold faced, God of War who can kill without batting an eye, Master- Ruyi's foxy smile and eyebrow couldn't help but twitch,

'Could he be...Nervous?!!'

The God of War is glancing nervously with a slight crease between his brows...what the hell. If anyone else were to see this then even if hell freezes over they wouldn't believe it.

Ruyi decided to start by breaking this unbearable silence,

"Erm...Princess...you shouldn't be a-angr"

However at this moment, the spaced out Feiyun finally reacted,

"I will send some people to investigate everything about the WangHu Warrior Tribe"

Upon hearing Feiyun speak of the WangHu Warrior Tribe, Ruyi had 3 black lines on his head. Truly this Princess was an enigma.

'What?....that's what's bothering her? Isn't this Princess too relax? Some woman is here trying to snatch your husband and you're thinking about Tiger men??'

Tianhuo also seemed to let out a small unnoticeable sigh and the room's ambiguous atmosphere changed, enveloped in seriousness.

Thinking back, Ruyi could still remember the small girl with fiery red hair that Tianhuo had saved. How cruel those people had been.

"Princess everything about the WangHu Tribe had been erased. As though they never existed. Those were the orders of the our Emperor, because they refused to bow. A smudge on his face, of course he couldn't let them live. "

Ruyi sighed with a frown on his foxy face after a pause he looked up and continued,

"After decimating the entire Tribe, many young children were captured to be trained as slaves but even as children they were quite strong and many were killed while rebelling, others killed themselves due to their pride as warriors to not fall as slaves."

Feiyun brought a slender finger to her chin, rubbing it slightly. Her cherry lips pressed thin in thought until she finally nodded.

"Let's just go with the current plan."

Ruyi nodded in understanding, he too agreed that although it might seem mean to hide it from her, it would be better than blindly going in in rage.

"Then Princess how about FeiAn?"

A slight blush appeared very faintly on Ruyi's face, his eyes forming a gentle crescent as he smiled at Feiyun trying to get his point across.

"No, I have other plans for her. Just take FeiXu. "

Feiyun waved her hand, a slight curl on her cherry lips, her eyes mischievous.

'BLACKBELLIED! HMPS!'

Ruyi couldn't help but pout slightly. This Princess was too black-bellied. That woman from before had nothing to do with him, why does she punish him too? If anything, Tianhuo should be the one answering.

Reluctantly, with pouting lips, Ruyi left the two by themselves so he could pass on the orders.

And once again the ambiguous heavy silence filled the air.

Very slowly, after a few cups of tea, Tianhuo finally drew nearer to her, his fingers interlock with hers as he brought her slender and cold hand to his lips.

As though a feather on a water surface, he left a small kiss on her hand.

"Is my lioness angry or jealous?"

The corners of feiyun's lips curled up slightly as a small chuckle left her lips.

"Hmmn, who knows? Although... I would love to hear the story behind it."

Her dark eyes held a sense of anxiousness but at the same time felt steady and leveled. Just as she place her cup back onto the table, a large hand grasped onto her slender waist, pulling her right onto his lap.

Feiyun could feel his firm chest radiating with warmth and his heart beat loud and reassuring as she snuggled closer, allowing him to wrap his arms around her.

Just like that Tianhuo finally let out a sigh and continued his explanation to exonerate himself of the 'crime' place on his head.

But the moment his mouth opened, a knock came from outside.

"Princess, there's a maid from the Xue Manor requesting your audience."

Feiyun smirked slightly although she wanted to know what happened between the two. Before that, she will punish him a little after all she did not like it that another woman had casually mentioned his name.

Still in his arms, Feiyun's ice cold hand and fingers tracing along his jawline. Slowly finding its way to his lips that seemed so incredibly sweet.

Underneath her gentle hold, she could feel Tianhuo freezing up slightly. A thumb gently grazing over his lips causing Tianhuo to react as his usually emotionless face seemed to glow a little pinkish under the cheeks. His eyes blinking at her in a slightly surprise look.

Usually it was him dominating over and doing stuff like that to her, this time she will show him what her "Queen of the Night" act is like.

After a brief moment of sweetly kissing, the other party waiting outside the door who had not heard Feiyun's response knocked once more

"Princess?..."

Feiyun pulled away with a smirked, she could see those blue eyes she knew too well drew closer, a flame of passion ignited within, the scent of mint filled her nose craving for more of her kisses.

But she stood up abruptly, elegantly making her way over to the door.

"I will see you tonight."

With just these words, she disappeared from the room leaving him the feeling of being so close yet so far.

---

On the way to the Xue General Manor, Feiyun was informed by the little maid. Seems that Concubine Xia had fallen ill because of the recent events that happened to Zhen Zhen.

A cold smirk appeared on Feiyun's face once again.

'It's time to end this farce. '

It seems, the Xues' might have misunderstood her actions.

Once she arrived at the grand gates of the Xue Manor, the maids and butlers who had treated her with disrespect previously had all turned gracious and kind. Smiling and gently appeasing her the moment she stepped pass the Manor gates, proving her thoughts right. they had really misunderstood her intentions.

If one didn't know, they would have thought an Empress came to visit the Xue Manor.

Initially, Feiyun thought she would have to wait in the main hall but who knew they had led her right to the front of Concubine Xia's courtyard.

The grand garden filled with peony flowers of all colors, a fake fountain and river with a small red bridge and rainbow carps.

From outside, Feiyun's sensitive ears had already picked up on the sobbing of the woman inside.

"Madame, Princess Consort Feiyun has arrived."

Instantly, the sobbing inside stopped and a old maid quickly opened the doors, graciously greeting Feiyun as though they were close enough.

"Princess! Madame has been waiting. Quickly come."

Just as the old maid was about to reach out her wrinkly hand to grab Feiyun in, Feiyun quickly evaded, her eyes filled with cold killing intent the pressure emitting from her was regal and heavy, making the old maid shrink back in fear.

The old maid froze in her place only able to bow her head as she made way for Feiyun to enter.

Withdrawing her gaze, Feiyun peered inside for a brief moment before stepping in.

"What has Concubine Xia hurried this princess over for?"

Hearing her arrogant claim, Concubine Xia felt blood rush to the back of her throat, scoffing internally,

'Princess? This Peasant really thought she had soared to the highest branch to become a Phoenix? This is all temporary, once the God of War meets the Princess from the Long Tribe, would he even still have eyes for you?'

But in order for her to meet with Zhen Zhen, she could only hold in her rage and disdain and kiss up to this fake princess.

"Ah'Yun, come sit down. I've heard that the Emperor is hosting a banquet for the Princess of the Long clan-"

Before Concubine Xia could even finish, Feiyun had spat out her words,

"Cut to the chase, what do you want from me?"

Rudely cut off by Feiyun and stumped for words, Concubine Xia could only take a deep breath and calm her nerves.

"ahahaha... Ah'Yun is as serious as ever. There's nothing much, just hope that Ah'Yun can help this lady to meet with Zhenzhen...You helped her once before so this time you wouldn't mind right? You should know that right now your sister is all alone in the Palace, I just want to meet her and make sure she is fine...there's the baby too. Aren't you worried about your would be nephew?"

Concubine Xia had spoken so many words yet Feiyun only remain quiet, a frown between her brows revealed from behind her half mask. Her gaze as distant as ever. Concubine Xia could only hold her breath.

"Pfft! Hahaha!"

A loud melodious laughter rang out. The maids waiting outside stunned in their place. Who didn't know that the relationship between the 2 women inside were like water and oil. But such a cheerful laughter? What was really happening?!

Inside, Concubine Xia was just as dumbfounded, watching the young girl laughing her heart out, she could only pretend to chuckle along.

Catching her breath, Feiyun gently fanned her face with her fair hand,

"Concubine Xia... You are really amazing. Help her? Are you referring to when I condemned her to imprisonment in the palace?"

"...What?"

Concubine Xia could only stand slowly, her eyes narrowing trying to understand what is happening.

"Is your brain made out of cotton? Why would I help her? She haven't done anything that deserve even a glance from me."

As though a cat got her tongue, Concubine Xia had her suspicions on why Feiyun would have stepped up to help her the other day it seems that there was really something else. Recalling back to the Emperor's orders, if the child is not Ruofeng's then the whole manor would be executed- was this what she was aiming for?

'Could it be this woman didn't believe that the child is Prince Ruofeng's?'

Concubine Xia sneered internally, seems the girl is still young after all, thinking she had everything under control.

"Concubine Xia, I hate to break it to you but what you're thinking is definitely wrong. That baby would not live to see daylight. Neither would your pampered daughter. "

Feiyun finally sat down, toying around with the teacup on the table.

"You... What do you mean?! Are you trying to plan something evil you corrupt whore?!"

Finally unable to hold back her temper, Concubine Xia erupted.

Feiyun frowned as she covered her ear slightly, as though completely put off by Concubine Xia's language.

"Tsk, so vulgar. Having offended the crown, even if I didn't do anything, do you think the Empress would allow that baby to be born?"

Silence filled the air as Concubine Xia could only stare at Feiyun full of hatred, the devil must have possessed her to even think that this jinx had saved them.

"Well...even if the Royal powers didn't make a move. That child will be saved from coming into this world where only suffering is awaiting it."

"Y-you what did you do?"

With a finger pointing towards her, Feiyun only smirked and revealed the incident of that night.

"She fed me with wine filled with Cuxi poison. I'm sure Concubine Xia would know. It attacks a person's reproductive organs. Prevents the victim from conceiving a child and should the person have sex, it would quicken the poisoning slowly draining them of life. I only returned it to her. an eye for an eye."

Having said her words, Feiyun stood up and elegantly walked out, not even sparing a glance towards the frozen Concubine Xia who now stood pale and shivering. The fear of losing both her daughters, her future grandson, the would-be-ladder into power, almost driving her crazy.

Having left the courtyard, Feiyun walked towards the gates, coincidentally passing through the courtyard she used to stay in. Her thoughts wondering to the mother whom she had no memory of causing her heart to sink.

Until now she had no impression of her mother, what she looked like, she would never know.

---

"Where did she wonder off to?"

As Tianhuo sat in the large pavilion, under the waning blue sky and slow setting sun and the slow rising moon, a dark shadow appeared by his side, completely wrapped in black cloth only leaving his eyes showing.

"Answering to Master, Princess went to the General Manor to visit Concubine Xia."

after a pause the shadow further commented, hoping to please his master,

" Princess seem to be slightly down."

Nodding, Tianhuo waved and the shadow bowed his head before disappearing once more.

A long time passed with Tianhuo just staring into space, wondering about his wifey.

But suddenly, the atmosphere around him turned serious. Tianhuo had already sense the presence watching him. He turned his head towards the forested area, eyes narrowing and the atmosphere dropping another 10 degrees colder.

"Come out."

With a swift flick, the teacup in his hands flew in the direction of the forested area and smashed against the tree, shattering into dust.

"Hoo... Truly the man fit for me. To be able to sense me there."

Dressed in a slender dark fitting dress, completely protected with leather wraps and light armor, the cold lady emerged from the tree's shadow.

Standing under the rising moon's light, her beauty was truly ethereal and bewitching like a lone flower under the moon's shine.

Tianhuo was silent, remaining nonchalant in his seat but the coldness in his eyes was growing colder with each passing moment.

"Tianhuo, those words you said back then, were really hurtful. "

A woeful expression appeared on the beauty's face but met with no response from the man,she only continued slightly infuriated,

"Is this how you repay me after having save your life? When we get married, the whole Long Tribe would be yours. We will stand at the top together but instead you choose her? What has she to offer you, just a poor peasant. Born as the first daughter but treated worse than a slave. Who knows how many men she had please before getting to whe-"

Just as she was about to continue, a small jade dining knife flew towards her. Nimbly, Long Lishi had dodged but the sharp pain on her neck made her narrow her eyes at the man before her. The small cut sliced some of her hair and revealed a small line where blood seeped.

If she had not dodged, that would have been fatal. No one had ever dared offend her this way. If it was something she wanted, then she WILL have it.

"You dare?! Because of that women!"

The blood had risen to her head in anger and she shot towards Tianhuo baring a short sword in her hand.

Nimbly, Tianhuo had dodged.

Without his GuanDao or any other weapon to defend against her, Tianhuo could only dodge her sharp blade. The blade was definitely dipped in poison although it was dark, Tianhuo could clearly see the surface of the blade was slightly shiny.

Yet, even though this was the deepest part of the manor, none of his guards were alerted which could only mean that right now he was surrounded by the enemy.

Allowing this ambush, it seems he would need to retrain his guards vigorously after this.

The two figures swept across the courtyard. One advancing the other retreating.

-------------------------------------------

*Drowning in vinegar* - The idiom chī cù 'to drink ' This saying is related to a story in Chinese history.

In the Tang Dynasty, there was a person named Fang who was a very famous prime minister. One day, the emperor wanted to give him some beautiful women,to be his concubines. However, Fang's wife strongly disagreed. She told the emperor that even if she died, she would still not agree to it.

The emperor said, "Sure. there is a glass of poisonous wine on the table. If you drink this wine, I will agree with your request and will not let your husband keep the concubines." Fang Xuanling's wife took the poisonous wine and finished drinking it all at once without any hesitation. The emperor laughed so hard and told her that it was not poisonous wine, it was just vinegar. Since then, the meaning of "chī cù" is jealousy or being jealous.

Authors note:

-Aerus