Sandara had been pondering deeply about what Kwon Jiyong had been so busy about for the past two days. Ever since they arrived in Lijiang, he would always leave at night and at daytime, he would lock himself up in his study. He would sometimes call Ryung to go out with him or stay with him inside his study and then the two of them would come out late at night, not even bothering to eat with her. She understood her husband's work is of utmost importance. Still, she was just wondering what the matter was to be exact. She didn't dare voice out her curiosity, afraid he'd send her back to Joseon.

On the third day, they set off to the South and waited for their troop's arrival. Sandara didn't know which shocked her more— Kwon Jiyong's sudden shift to his imoogi appearance just  a few days ago, or the fact that Kwon Jiyong had a property everywhere they went to. At the moment they were staying at, again, one of his many properties. Well, people say dragons like gold. For how long Kwon Jiyong stayed in this world to be able to accumulate such wealth, she was thinking probably hundreds and hundreds. Heck, she could live five times her lifetime and yet she still won't be able to reach quarter of his wealth.

This estate in Southern Ming is as huge as Kwon Jiyong's military estate. It was also surrounded by guards, most of whom were imoogis as Ryung informed her secretly earlier when they arrived. Sandara suspected it was for tighter security because it was in a foreign land which means Kwon Jiyong would never lower his guards even if he considers Emperor Zhu an ally. As she curiously looked at each guard, she noticed they all have opaque eyes unlike Kwon Jiyong's and Ryung's. She was reminded of Choi Seunghyun's presence though, although she didn't look at him much before because she finds the imoogi general quite arrogant.

Kwon Jiyong signalled Ryung to go on, as if giving the boy his permission, and not too long, he started inspecting each imoogi one by one in hopes to find anyone connected to his former clan, the Dark Den. Taking the boy to the Dragon Realm would be easier, but he knew they didn't have enough time. Since his estate here also had a lot of imoogis, Ryung might find one or two familiar people and start from there.

"What's the matter?" Sandara asked when Kwon Jiyong took her into his study which was smaller than the ones in his other estates. "What is Ryung doing?"

"Sit down," Kwon Jiyong motioned his hand to a chair before he sat across her. "He wanted to find s."

"Members?"

"Ryung, despite his size and appearance, used to be the son of a commander of a huge imoogi clan called the Dark Den. This clan is the greatest supporter of a former Queen during Silla, and the best in terms of poison arts and defense. But due to some reasons…" Kwon Jiyong paused for a while, weighing the right words to say. "The clan vanished. But there are certain distinct characteristics that distinguished a member from not. They have a fire emblem tattooed on their back and other belongings. Also, most of the members were half bloods."

"Half Bloods?"

"Offsprings of an imoogi and a human."

"So Ryung is a halfblood?"

Kwon Jiyong nodded and sighed before speaking. "Just like me." He hesitated but in the end revealed. "My mother is a human." Kwon Jiyong gauged Sandara's reaction but instead of getting a surprised or shocked look from her like what he expected, she only nodded and pondered as she tried to absorb these facts.

"How about Hyuk?"

The mention of his brother's name made his inner fire blazing in fury. He abhorred his name to death. Why is his wife asking about him?

"He's a pureblood." He answered nonetheless, his jaw tightened as he spoke.

"No wonder." Sandara stated, making Kwon Jiyong narrow his eyes on her. "No wonder he despises you. Because you're only a halfblood and yet you've become so great. Even greater than him."

Kwon Jiyong watched her intently. Would she know that he despises Hyuk more than Hyuk despises him? When he saw his brother for the first time, he already wanted to kill him right then and there. If not for Sandara, he would have found vengeance for Ara's death. The sudden thought stirred something within his heart. Had he really forgotten about Ara? Kwon Jiyong balled his fists as he took a deep breath. Hyuk abducted and assaulted Ara to make him suffer, and Kwon Jiyong promised he would make his brother suffer twice as much as he did.

But there was something different about Hyuk's movements these days. He had hidden himself well all these years, but ever since he found out about Sandara, he had been creating disturbances nearby which made Kwon Jiyong decide to plan a safer route from Joseon to Ming. 

He had suspicions about his brother's real intention. Hyuk could also be after his wife. He knew the possibility but he hated to admit it. Just the thought of Hyuk desiring his woman again made him furious. 

"Your Highness? Did I say something wrong?" Sandara felt anxious when Kwon Jiyong fell silent for a long while. "I'm sorry. I won't say anything anymore. I'll just listen."

"I don't want to hear my brother's name come out of your lips."

"I… I'm sorry." Sandara pursed her lips and lowered her head. Seeing the anger in Kwon Jiyong's eyes, she finally understood that the two brothers' feud might be irreconcilable.

"I took you here because I need to tell you something."

Sandara nodded and rested both of his elbows on the desk, paying Kwon Jiyong all of her attention.

"I think your mark worked. This place is surrounded by imoogis and not one got affected by your scent."

Sandara nodded. "That's good right?"

Kwon Jiyong was caught in between agreeing and disagreeing. Well, her mark sure worked on other imoogis. But how about him? If Sandara learns he had been dying to sleep with her again but he was trying to avoid her in fear of getting her pregnant, how would she react? "Mhm. That's good news."

There was a sudden awkward air between them. All the while, Sandara had been wondering why Kwon Jiyong never slept with her again. Did she somehow disappoint him? Did she do something wrong? Does she not attract or appeal to him that much lately? She was someone who had high self esteem, but when it comes to her husband, she couldn't help but feel insecure sometimes, especially now that they were in Ming where a dangerous little minx named Zhu Yunhe lives.

Kwon Jiyong, however, had felt something different in Sandara's silence. Well, he somehow got used to her jealous ways, so he thought his wife was worried about Zhu Yunhe and naturally, he wanted to clarify everything to her at once. "Another thing, the matter with Zhu Yunhe…"

"It'