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Happiness.
The joy of their return is all his and exploding in his heart. The 6 years have been tragic for him, despite everything. There were some highs, but mostly lows, fears and doubts. What if when BangSul will return, things won't get back like they were before? What if he resents him for sending him to Heinmenhos?
When the Concubine and the Princess, with their following of guards and servants, return to the Palace, he is there to welcome them personally, with his heart beating faster than ever.
He is particularly warm with Byeul, maybe a bit less with BangSul, since it's a very formal situation with many people from the court witnessing.
After that, he organizes a dinner with the whole Imperial Family, ye, even Jack the Rapist, mainly for Byeul, to make sure she is welcomed warmly enough.
After the dinner, it follows a conversation with BangSul in the Sun Quarters - PanAn was sent away right before the return of BangSul - and... they basically 'disappear' from three days, and nobody even dares to ask what they have been doing in the residence for all that time...
After those days, the situations gets, more or less, back to how it was before. LianBi sure had to return to his own duties as Emperor and couldn't just start a new life as gay Rocco Siffredi-
When the Concubine and the Princess, with their following of guards and servants, return to the Palace, he is there to welcome them personally, with his heart beating faster than ever.
He is particularly warm with Byeul, maybe a bit less with BangSul, since it's a very formal situation with many people from the court witnessing.
After that, he organizes a dinner with the whole Imperial Family, ye, even Jack the Rapist, mainly for Byeul, to make sure she is welcomed warmly enough.
After the dinner, it follows a conversation with BangSul in the Sun Quarters - PanAn was sent away right before the return of BangSul - and... they basically 'disappear' from three days, and nobody even dares to ask what they have been doing in the residence for all that time...
After those days, the situations gets, more or less, back to how it was before. LianBi sure had to return to his own duties as Emperor and couldn't just start a new life as gay Rocco Siffredi-
There is no limit to weird.
After all that situation involving PanAn and Yoshi, when PanAn finally came to his quarters, he didn't have the chance to speak to him properly.
He ordered some eunuchs to get him warm food and to Ryuke to prepare him a hot bath, since he was all frozen and definitely needed to relax a little. When PanAn got out of the bathroom, though, while walking to the short table to eat the food the servants brought, he just collapsed on the floor.
They rushed him to the nursery, had him checked by the physicians, but since they were clueless and there was no apparent reason to justify his fainting, they just said it had to be due to a sugar drop and the cold, since he had been out for so long.
It seems that the current approach he is having is not working and it bothers him a lot to think that PanAn could have fainted out of fear towards him. He has to fix this matter and even if he is still furious about what he discovered about Florian, he decides to act that same evening, trusting he will manage to force himself to act flawlessly despite the anger.
Without warning anyone else than his own personal servants and Ryuke, at the end of the day and after dinner, he heads to the residence that was given to PanAn, intending to spend the night there. No, he doesn't have a crush on him or something, it's just that he can't stand the thought of having mistreated an innocent like that, he needs to help him feel safe again.
PanAn's servants almost get an heart attack to see the Emperor there, but he motions them to keep quiet and avoid to warn the concubine. They tell him PanAn went to sleep already and that surprises him, since it's barely 9:30 pm. But they confirm he always goes bed right after dinner since he moved to the new place, so he assumes it has to do with the 'trauma' too.
Regardless, he enters the residence and, leaving the servants outside, goes to the bedroom where he sees PanAn sleeping on the floor, all wrapped in blanket.
LianBi approaches him and bends on his knees to shake him. The boy jumps and sits up, looking at him as if he had just seen a skeleton with a scythe in hand. He tries to ignore, since it also hurts him a little when people are like that with him, and takes his hands, gently pulling him up to stand.
When up, he looks at PanAn from head to toe, as there is something weird he feels. Wasn't he a bit taller? - he wonders, while looking at the other. But since it's impossible he lost height and kinda unlikely he himself grew up more, it must just be a weird impression he has, so he discards it.
"Are you feeling better?" he asks in a soft tone, although he looks pale and not so well.
"Y-ye, Jeonha..." PanAn replies with a string of voice. "A-about yesterday..."
"It's all clear to me, no need to mention that incident again." After Yoshi wrote him how things went, he doesn't need further proof, but there were, even, since the robe PanAn wore when he came to his quarters was all stained with grass and earth.
After a short conversation, in which LianBi does his best to reassure and comfort PanAn, he tells him that he will be spending the night there. After all, the whole Palace is his, he can sleep anywhere he wants, even on top of Gamja if he feels like it.
With a good dose of patience and encouragements, he convinces PanAn to get on the bed, since he doesn't fancy the idea of sleeping on the floor. He is more cozy on a soft mattress. He joins on the bed, pulls the boy close to himself and the two fall asleep like that. - images.app.goo.gl/kiCzr3zuSVBxDSyd6 -
He ordered some eunuchs to get him warm food and to Ryuke to prepare him a hot bath, since he was all frozen and definitely needed to relax a little. When PanAn got out of the bathroom, though, while walking to the short table to eat the food the servants brought, he just collapsed on the floor.
They rushed him to the nursery, had him checked by the physicians, but since they were clueless and there was no apparent reason to justify his fainting, they just said it had to be due to a sugar drop and the cold, since he had been out for so long.
It seems that the current approach he is having is not working and it bothers him a lot to think that PanAn could have fainted out of fear towards him. He has to fix this matter and even if he is still furious about what he discovered about Florian, he decides to act that same evening, trusting he will manage to force himself to act flawlessly despite the anger.
Without warning anyone else than his own personal servants and Ryuke, at the end of the day and after dinner, he heads to the residence that was given to PanAn, intending to spend the night there. No, he doesn't have a crush on him or something, it's just that he can't stand the thought of having mistreated an innocent like that, he needs to help him feel safe again.
PanAn's servants almost get an heart attack to see the Emperor there, but he motions them to keep quiet and avoid to warn the concubine. They tell him PanAn went to sleep already and that surprises him, since it's barely 9:30 pm. But they confirm he always goes bed right after dinner since he moved to the new place, so he assumes it has to do with the 'trauma' too.
Regardless, he enters the residence and, leaving the servants outside, goes to the bedroom where he sees PanAn sleeping on the floor, all wrapped in blanket.
LianBi approaches him and bends on his knees to shake him. The boy jumps and sits up, looking at him as if he had just seen a skeleton with a scythe in hand. He tries to ignore, since it also hurts him a little when people are like that with him, and takes his hands, gently pulling him up to stand.
When up, he looks at PanAn from head to toe, as there is something weird he feels. Wasn't he a bit taller? - he wonders, while looking at the other. But since it's impossible he lost height and kinda unlikely he himself grew up more, it must just be a weird impression he has, so he discards it.
"Are you feeling better?" he asks in a soft tone, although he looks pale and not so well.
"Y-ye, Jeonha..." PanAn replies with a string of voice. "A-about yesterday..."
"It's all clear to me, no need to mention that incident again." After Yoshi wrote him how things went, he doesn't need further proof, but there were, even, since the robe PanAn wore when he came to his quarters was all stained with grass and earth.
After a short conversation, in which LianBi does his best to reassure and comfort PanAn, he tells him that he will be spending the night there. After all, the whole Palace is his, he can sleep anywhere he wants, even on top of Gamja if he feels like it.
With a good dose of patience and encouragements, he convinces PanAn to get on the bed, since he doesn't fancy the idea of sleeping on the floor. He is more cozy on a soft mattress. He joins on the bed, pulls the boy close to himself and the two fall asleep like that. - images.app.goo.gl/kiCzr3zuSVBxDSyd6 -
Taking the hat off.
"Are you sure about this?" asks LianBi, sat on his throne, unnerved even before being given the real news.
"Ye, Jeonha. After being notified that I was seen leaving the Palace multiple times this week, I can confirm that Prince Florian must have been leaving the Palace." Since he is Ryuke and knows for sure he didn't leave the Palace even just once. And he is also sure Norihiko didn't return in secret. "For that reason, I sent a junior eunuch to follow 'me', the other day."
LianBi shuts his eyes. He knows Florian is a shapeshifter, but never thought he'd use his powers to elude the security of the Palace. "And what did he find out? Where has he been going?"
"He left to Taifuan each day, walked alone to the most luxurious inn in the town. According to eunuch Ryu, he would head to the same room every time, changing back into his real shape before entering the room, booked to a nothern woman."
The Emperor covers his face with hands. "Don't tell me that he is involved with the prostitution case the IAs are investigating on..."
"I beg your forgiveness, Jeonha, but he seems to not just be a customer of the prostitute. I spoke with the innkeeper and, according to her words, Bastion the servant has been delivering the money for the rom, plus extras to safeguard the privacy of the woman and of His Highness."
"You are telling me that NOT JUST he brought a prostitute with him in MY Kingdom, right UNDER MY NOSE, he has also been ensuring her to perform her crime indisturbedly and COVERED HER TRACKS?!"
"Ye, Jeonha... it seems to be so."
He is totally out of himself. "Join the IAs and tell them what you-know. I want that parasite of a woman caught and processed for her crimes! I claim the IAs to move at the time Florian visits that whore, I want him caught on the scene!" So that nobody can tell he is overreacting, for once. Because he doesn't plan to restrain himsefl at all.
Since there have been a lot of rumors and strange movements around that inn, the IA started to investigate a few days before and soon realized that the woman in the inn was a prostitute and that she made quite a few customers in that brief time.
Together with the information gathered by the eunuchs, the IA prepare their raid at the time chosen by the Emperor. And indeed shortly before that moment, 'Ryuke' entered the inn, punctual like a swiss clock.
They wait some time then begin the assault. It's so fast and massive that nobody has the time to react, or notice, before it's too late. The IAs storm inside the room of the prostitute, finding her and Florian on bed, having sex. Basically there couldn't be a way in the world to deny his guilt.
Sao himself grab the Prince and pulls him off her, very roughly, as if he was any random commoner. Florian is dragged out of the room and the inn, without even pulling his pants back up. - Luckily northern wear long undershirts, so nothing is in the air, but still the shame is burning - .
The General drags Florian in the town that way, heading towards the IAs' hq, to avoid to bring scandals upon the Palace. From there, anyway, the road to the Palace isn't long.
When Florian is finally taken to the Red Hall, the wrath of LianBi is all for him, confirming once again the fact that he is good and nice, but when angry he is truly terrifying.
He even hits his nephew, not giving a damn what Jeremi and Kyung might think about him. They should be glad he doesn't impeach him for the abetment he offered to that prostitute.
In the end, since LianBi is way too angry to be reasonable and listen to whatever excuse Florian would invent for him, he just orders him to be grounded in his residence and wait until the Emperor will contact him again.
"Ye, Jeonha. After being notified that I was seen leaving the Palace multiple times this week, I can confirm that Prince Florian must have been leaving the Palace." Since he is Ryuke and knows for sure he didn't leave the Palace even just once. And he is also sure Norihiko didn't return in secret. "For that reason, I sent a junior eunuch to follow 'me', the other day."
LianBi shuts his eyes. He knows Florian is a shapeshifter, but never thought he'd use his powers to elude the security of the Palace. "And what did he find out? Where has he been going?"
"He left to Taifuan each day, walked alone to the most luxurious inn in the town. According to eunuch Ryu, he would head to the same room every time, changing back into his real shape before entering the room, booked to a nothern woman."
The Emperor covers his face with hands. "Don't tell me that he is involved with the prostitution case the IAs are investigating on..."
"I beg your forgiveness, Jeonha, but he seems to not just be a customer of the prostitute. I spoke with the innkeeper and, according to her words, Bastion the servant has been delivering the money for the rom, plus extras to safeguard the privacy of the woman and of His Highness."
"You are telling me that NOT JUST he brought a prostitute with him in MY Kingdom, right UNDER MY NOSE, he has also been ensuring her to perform her crime indisturbedly and COVERED HER TRACKS?!"
"Ye, Jeonha... it seems to be so."
He is totally out of himself. "Join the IAs and tell them what you-know. I want that parasite of a woman caught and processed for her crimes! I claim the IAs to move at the time Florian visits that whore, I want him caught on the scene!" So that nobody can tell he is overreacting, for once. Because he doesn't plan to restrain himsefl at all.
Since there have been a lot of rumors and strange movements around that inn, the IA started to investigate a few days before and soon realized that the woman in the inn was a prostitute and that she made quite a few customers in that brief time.
Together with the information gathered by the eunuchs, the IA prepare their raid at the time chosen by the Emperor. And indeed shortly before that moment, 'Ryuke' entered the inn, punctual like a swiss clock.
They wait some time then begin the assault. It's so fast and massive that nobody has the time to react, or notice, before it's too late. The IAs storm inside the room of the prostitute, finding her and Florian on bed, having sex. Basically there couldn't be a way in the world to deny his guilt.
Sao himself grab the Prince and pulls him off her, very roughly, as if he was any random commoner. Florian is dragged out of the room and the inn, without even pulling his pants back up. - Luckily northern wear long undershirts, so nothing is in the air, but still the shame is burning - .
The General drags Florian in the town that way, heading towards the IAs' hq, to avoid to bring scandals upon the Palace. From there, anyway, the road to the Palace isn't long.
When Florian is finally taken to the Red Hall, the wrath of LianBi is all for him, confirming once again the fact that he is good and nice, but when angry he is truly terrifying.
He even hits his nephew, not giving a damn what Jeremi and Kyung might think about him. They should be glad he doesn't impeach him for the abetment he offered to that prostitute.
In the end, since LianBi is way too angry to be reasonable and listen to whatever excuse Florian would invent for him, he just orders him to be grounded in his residence and wait until the Emperor will contact him again.
Prince Florian.
"What is taking him so long?" asks LianBi, while waiting for Florian to arrive to the Red Hall, to give him a proper welcome.
"I do not know, Jeonha", answers Ryuke in a rather embarassed way, like every time he doesn't have the information the Emperor wants. "I was warned that he entered through the Northern Gates about 20 minutes ago, he should be here by now..." He bites his lip. "If I may, I shall go to check."
He nods and the sangseon bows, leaving the throne hall to run on the path between the Red Hall and the Gates in question.
- Ryuke finds Florian still discussing with Yoshi. He bows and approaches. "Your Highness, I beg for your forgiveness. Jeonha is waiting for you", he informs in a sorry tone, always acting overly formal, even compared to his twin. "Please, follow me." He bows again and leads the way. -
*Advisor Hu could have followed and witnessed the meeting, according to his role.
As the servants announce the arrival of his nephew, he stands up from the throne and orders them to let him in.
Florian walks inside the room with his head bowed and gaze down, then kneels at the proper distance, prostrating himself.
He acts so arrogant, but he is terrified, after all - he thinks, keeping his gaze on him while he does. "Get up."
Florian obeys, just sending a quick and shy glance to the Emperor. "Shiix Xu, Jeonha..." he murmurs with his usual accent, that for once he tried to cover, but unsuccessfully.
"I wish we could have met in a more comfortable situation." LianBi tries to be encouraging, giving him a kind smile and motioning him to sit by the short table near the throne. "Join me."
*After some introductive, light conversation*
"Why didn't you send your son away...?" suddenly asks Florian, always avoiding to keep a long eye-contact with him.
He mentally sighs at the question, guessing what kind of feelings and thought the nephew is having about his own father. And he also can't help but worry his daughter and Bang-sul might be having the same thoughts about him. "My second son is a terribly vulnerable person. I knew that he wouldn't manage to handle the matter, he is not strong enough." Which is true, although ChangMi would probably benefit greatly from an experience like that. "Don't think it grieves me any less to have had to part myself from the people I sent. A big chunk of my heart was torn off of me." It truly shattered him, he is not taking it well either.
- After Florian leaves the Red Hall, escorted to the comfortable residence prepared for him, the Emperor and the Sangseon remain alone.
"I must make sure he will live well, while here. I can't risk him to send complaints to the King, that might influence the way my people are treated in his court. I also can't risk anything to happen to him while under my responsibility. Have someone monitor his residence day and night. Don't let anything slip from my attention."
"Ye, Jeonha."
*The next day, afternoon reports in the Red Hall.*
Ryuke walks in and bows to the Emperor, holding the piece of paper on which he took note of the information to deliver. "Shiix Xu, Jeonha, I have the daily reports from Night Blossom Residence."
"Proceed."
The sangseon nods and unfolds the paper. "Prince Florian rejected every maid and eunuch sent to him so far, only letting his northern servant into the residence."
LianBi sighs deeply. "Let it be so, if his only presence makes him more comfortable. He was assigned to serve a Prince, he should know what to do."
Ryuke nods. "Mama didn't leave the residence for the whole day so far. He didn't even get out to the gardens surrounding the building."
"He needs some time to settle in. Have him treated with the utmost respect from guards and servants from our side."
"Ye, Jeonha." He gives another glance to the paper. "Although the Prince didn't leave his residence, his northern servant left several time during the course of day. 4 times so far, twice in the morning and twice more during the afternoon."
LianBi raises a brow. "Where did he go to?"
"I have questioned the gate guards. Each time he left, he returned shortly after, with nothing on him except from some... northern snack."
"Isn't he eating his food?"
"Actually... all of the trays that were delivered to him were returned full, Jeonha. The Prince doesn't seem to appreciate our cuisine."
"I hope well he is not worried I could be attempting to his life. You should investigate that. Also, get informed from his servant on what the Prince enjoys to eat, so that it will be served to him. I can't let this behaviour continue for the next 6 years, looking as if I'm starving him!"
"Tomorrow I shall give proper instructions to the northern servant, Jeonha."
"I do not know, Jeonha", answers Ryuke in a rather embarassed way, like every time he doesn't have the information the Emperor wants. "I was warned that he entered through the Northern Gates about 20 minutes ago, he should be here by now..." He bites his lip. "If I may, I shall go to check."
He nods and the sangseon bows, leaving the throne hall to run on the path between the Red Hall and the Gates in question.
- Ryuke finds Florian still discussing with Yoshi. He bows and approaches. "Your Highness, I beg for your forgiveness. Jeonha is waiting for you", he informs in a sorry tone, always acting overly formal, even compared to his twin. "Please, follow me." He bows again and leads the way. -
*Advisor Hu could have followed and witnessed the meeting, according to his role.
As the servants announce the arrival of his nephew, he stands up from the throne and orders them to let him in.
Florian walks inside the room with his head bowed and gaze down, then kneels at the proper distance, prostrating himself.
He acts so arrogant, but he is terrified, after all - he thinks, keeping his gaze on him while he does. "Get up."
Florian obeys, just sending a quick and shy glance to the Emperor. "Shiix Xu, Jeonha..." he murmurs with his usual accent, that for once he tried to cover, but unsuccessfully.
"I wish we could have met in a more comfortable situation." LianBi tries to be encouraging, giving him a kind smile and motioning him to sit by the short table near the throne. "Join me."
*After some introductive, light conversation*
"Why didn't you send your son away...?" suddenly asks Florian, always avoiding to keep a long eye-contact with him.
He mentally sighs at the question, guessing what kind of feelings and thought the nephew is having about his own father. And he also can't help but worry his daughter and Bang-sul might be having the same thoughts about him. "My second son is a terribly vulnerable person. I knew that he wouldn't manage to handle the matter, he is not strong enough." Which is true, although ChangMi would probably benefit greatly from an experience like that. "Don't think it grieves me any less to have had to part myself from the people I sent. A big chunk of my heart was torn off of me." It truly shattered him, he is not taking it well either.
- After Florian leaves the Red Hall, escorted to the comfortable residence prepared for him, the Emperor and the Sangseon remain alone.
"I must make sure he will live well, while here. I can't risk him to send complaints to the King, that might influence the way my people are treated in his court. I also can't risk anything to happen to him while under my responsibility. Have someone monitor his residence day and night. Don't let anything slip from my attention."
"Ye, Jeonha."
*The next day, afternoon reports in the Red Hall.*
Ryuke walks in and bows to the Emperor, holding the piece of paper on which he took note of the information to deliver. "Shiix Xu, Jeonha, I have the daily reports from Night Blossom Residence."
"Proceed."
The sangseon nods and unfolds the paper. "Prince Florian rejected every maid and eunuch sent to him so far, only letting his northern servant into the residence."
LianBi sighs deeply. "Let it be so, if his only presence makes him more comfortable. He was assigned to serve a Prince, he should know what to do."
Ryuke nods. "Mama didn't leave the residence for the whole day so far. He didn't even get out to the gardens surrounding the building."
"He needs some time to settle in. Have him treated with the utmost respect from guards and servants from our side."
"Ye, Jeonha." He gives another glance to the paper. "Although the Prince didn't leave his residence, his northern servant left several time during the course of day. 4 times so far, twice in the morning and twice more during the afternoon."
LianBi raises a brow. "Where did he go to?"
"I have questioned the gate guards. Each time he left, he returned shortly after, with nothing on him except from some... northern snack."
"Isn't he eating his food?"
"Actually... all of the trays that were delivered to him were returned full, Jeonha. The Prince doesn't seem to appreciate our cuisine."
"I hope well he is not worried I could be attempting to his life. You should investigate that. Also, get informed from his servant on what the Prince enjoys to eat, so that it will be served to him. I can't let this behaviour continue for the next 6 years, looking as if I'm starving him!"
"Tomorrow I shall give proper instructions to the northern servant, Jeonha."
Mutual Trust.
After all the wars and international tension caused by the Goddess of War during her time of rule, it has not been easy for Xhuanghen to re-establish its old alliances.
LianBi stays firm on his position: he doesn't want any pointless wars to continue, especially now that the whole world is still healing from the wounds left by Mijhatev and her horrors.
As it has happened countless of times before, as a proof of good will, the courts from the various nations establish some 'hostages exchange', so to speak. It does not only happen between Xhuanghen and Heinmenhos, but also between Alamahor and Krimahad'Ru.
Upon returning to the Red Hall, after the world summit the Emperor just attended, he had to go through the Generals and the Ministers.
It begins as every reunion: miniters shouting among each others as if they were in a bar and there wasn't the Emperor witnessing their blabbing.
"We can't escape from it, Jeonha..." says the Minister of International Affairs. "It's the only way we have to restore the old peace between the countries."
"Alternatively, we could take profit of the crisis, gather all our strenghts and launch a surprise attack to subjugate Heinmenhos and force it under our rule. It's the most propicious of times!" proposes the Minister of War.
LianBi rolls his eyes. "Don't you dare propose anything similar, ever again", he says slowly and through teeth, making the minister panic right away.
"What is to be discussed is not whether we are sending someone, but who is Jeonha going to send", finally intervenes General Yung.
"Who is the King sending?" inquiries the Minister of Inner Affairs.
"His youngest Prince", replies Sao. The General were to the summit together with the Emperor.
"But the King of Heinmenhos has an immense number of sons!" complains another minister. "They can't expect Jeonha to send one of his precious Princes."
"Neither they'd accept if we just send a meaningless member of the court, though! They aren't fools!"
And another pointless argument among the ministers begins.
"Send Concubine Yi", suddenly proposes General Yung, causing the whole court to turn silent instantly.
"What?" growls LianBi, totally displeased by the idea.
"Fourth and Fifth Princes are too young. It'd be strongly unwise to send your firstborn. Your only choice is between the Second Prince or someone equally noble and valuable to you. They have already forced you to send your daughter, you may want someone mature enough to keep her safe in a court filled with princes."
He shuts his eyes at Sao's words. He basically pushed the exact words to tie his hands on the matter. He can't hope the Zhou to not tell Qing about what happened, it'd entirely look as if he loved Bang-sul more than his own children. It'd make him look even more of an awful father and, knowing his son and his reaction, it would probably lead to so many scenes from the Second Prince...
Eventually, LianBi opens his eyes and gives Sao a death stare that hides the promise he'll make him pay for this. "Concubine Yi will go", he says in a rather angry and unwilling tone. He is pissed off. First his daughter and now also his lover. If anything wrong happened to them in Heinmenhos, the proposal of the Minister of War will suddenly turn extremely appealing.
He doesn't even find it entirely equal, since the son of the King is his biological nephew while his own child and Bang-sul are in no way related to Jeremi.
Since there is nothing he can do about it, without causing a war, one week later the Princess Byeul and Concubine Yi are prepared, together with a group of guards and servants, naturally, to head to Heinmenhos.
Let's skip all the goodbyes, they are teleported near the Royal Castle, which they have to reach together with a procession of more guards and servants from the King, sent to welcome and escort them safely.
LianBi stays firm on his position: he doesn't want any pointless wars to continue, especially now that the whole world is still healing from the wounds left by Mijhatev and her horrors.
As it has happened countless of times before, as a proof of good will, the courts from the various nations establish some 'hostages exchange', so to speak. It does not only happen between Xhuanghen and Heinmenhos, but also between Alamahor and Krimahad'Ru.
Upon returning to the Red Hall, after the world summit the Emperor just attended, he had to go through the Generals and the Ministers.
It begins as every reunion: miniters shouting among each others as if they were in a bar and there wasn't the Emperor witnessing their blabbing.
"We can't escape from it, Jeonha..." says the Minister of International Affairs. "It's the only way we have to restore the old peace between the countries."
"Alternatively, we could take profit of the crisis, gather all our strenghts and launch a surprise attack to subjugate Heinmenhos and force it under our rule. It's the most propicious of times!" proposes the Minister of War.
LianBi rolls his eyes. "Don't you dare propose anything similar, ever again", he says slowly and through teeth, making the minister panic right away.
"What is to be discussed is not whether we are sending someone, but who is Jeonha going to send", finally intervenes General Yung.
"Who is the King sending?" inquiries the Minister of Inner Affairs.
"His youngest Prince", replies Sao. The General were to the summit together with the Emperor.
"But the King of Heinmenhos has an immense number of sons!" complains another minister. "They can't expect Jeonha to send one of his precious Princes."
"Neither they'd accept if we just send a meaningless member of the court, though! They aren't fools!"
And another pointless argument among the ministers begins.
"Send Concubine Yi", suddenly proposes General Yung, causing the whole court to turn silent instantly.
"What?" growls LianBi, totally displeased by the idea.
"Fourth and Fifth Princes are too young. It'd be strongly unwise to send your firstborn. Your only choice is between the Second Prince or someone equally noble and valuable to you. They have already forced you to send your daughter, you may want someone mature enough to keep her safe in a court filled with princes."
He shuts his eyes at Sao's words. He basically pushed the exact words to tie his hands on the matter. He can't hope the Zhou to not tell Qing about what happened, it'd entirely look as if he loved Bang-sul more than his own children. It'd make him look even more of an awful father and, knowing his son and his reaction, it would probably lead to so many scenes from the Second Prince...
Eventually, LianBi opens his eyes and gives Sao a death stare that hides the promise he'll make him pay for this. "Concubine Yi will go", he says in a rather angry and unwilling tone. He is pissed off. First his daughter and now also his lover. If anything wrong happened to them in Heinmenhos, the proposal of the Minister of War will suddenly turn extremely appealing.
He doesn't even find it entirely equal, since the son of the King is his biological nephew while his own child and Bang-sul are in no way related to Jeremi.
Since there is nothing he can do about it, without causing a war, one week later the Princess Byeul and Concubine Yi are prepared, together with a group of guards and servants, naturally, to head to Heinmenhos.
Let's skip all the goodbyes, they are teleported near the Royal Castle, which they have to reach together with a procession of more guards and servants from the King, sent to welcome and escort them safely.