Chapter 27

An Uneasy Feeling

Meiyin burst through Weimin's study room and tackle him in a hug, "Father! I thought I was going to die of suffocation!"

Weimin laugh at her silliness and reaches up to pat her head, "Welcome home Meiyin. You didn't have to attend the event you silly child."

Meiyin gasp dramatically, "If I haven't been there, jiejie would have been a fish on the chopping board!"

"Do I seem that weak to you my dear meimei?" Yueyin asks as she step through the door.

"Welcome home Yueyin," Weimin smile at her as she greeted him. "Based on your sister's reaction, I guessed the event wasn't so smooth?"

Yueyin shook her head, "The event went as well as it could Father." She didn't want to worry him but didn't account for her sister's dramatic mood.

"That's an understatement of the century! We pissed off the Empress, got shunned, befriended the Princess, got bullied, met Liu Lanyi and two Princes…" Meiyin recounted her experience.

Weimin's eyes widen and Yueyin facepalmed. "You pissed off the Empress?!" Weimin question while looking at Meiyin.

Meiyin look back at her father in disbelief, "What are you looking at me for Father? I said 'we' not 'I'."

"You think I can believe that your sister is capable of angering the Empress?"

"You'll be surprised!"

Weimin look towards Yueyin and she only smile back at him. He shook his head and moved onto the next concerning issue, "The two of you were bullied? Are you alright?"

Yueyin patted Meiyin's head when she pouted, "We're alright Father. You know that no one is capable enough to bully our Meiyin." Hearing that, Meiyin shoot a proud smile at her father and sister. "General Liu's daughter, Liu Lanyi, also helped us," Yueyin added.

"Ah! That Liu Lanyi definitely know martial arts!" Meiyin exclaimed as she remembers how the girl block her kick.

Weimin nodded, "Liu Guangjian is very proud of his daughter who is beautiful and well versed in martial arts. Every time he visit, he would talk nonstop about how well he taught his daughter and how she can beat at least thirty men on her own in a fight."

"It is not surprising if that were true. General Liu is as excellent of a general as uncle Ziyuan. Being his only daughter, he must have placed all his ambition on young miss Liu's shoulder," Yueyin commented.

Meiyin rested her head on Weimin's shoulder cutely and said, "Father, if you have any kind of hopes or ambition, jiejie's shoulder is quite strong."

Yueyin knock on Meiyin's head with her fist, "You dare to sell out your sister so cheaply?"

Meiyin giggles and ran out of the room as Yueyin threaten to give her another knock in the head. Weimin chuckles at his daughters' antics before getting back to the book he was reading.

---

Baekhyun stare at the royal library in shocked. Books were scattered everywhere. They were scattered on the tables, chairs, floor and every other surface possible in the room. Some were fallen in a pile looking as if they were used as a target practice. The place look like a tornado had passed through. He glared daggers at the culprit who was sleeping on a table with a book covering his face. Baekhyun can clearly hear his snoring.

He tries to calm himself down before approaching the sleeping figure, "Clearly the King's punishment for you is useless." Baekhyun lifted the book from the first prince's face.

"Hm?..." Jongin squinted as the light hit his eyes. He sits up slowly and rubs the sleep out of his eyes, "Baek? Are you here to entertain me?"

"I am here to clean up this…" he looks exasperated around the room, "…mess."

Jongin rub his head guiltily as he also looks around the room, "Father should have known better than to lock me up in here."

"I can't tell if this is punishment for you or for me," Baekhyun mumbled. He rolled up his sleeves and started to pick up the books off the floor.

"I am so bored Baek. Has it been a month yet? I am going to die of boredom in here," Jongin kicks a book by his foot on the table to the ground so he can straighten out his legs, "How's my Sehunnie doing? Why wasn't he punished like I am?"

Baekhyun dusted the books he just picked up and stack them back on the shelves, "Victims are usually exempt from punishment."

Jongin snicker at the advisor's comment, "He's not that innocent you know."

Baekhyun kept silent and continue to put the books back on the shelves. He's glad that aside from creases there were no other damages to the books. It has been two weeks since their return from China. As soon as they were done reporting to the king, the first prince was locked up in the royal library as punishment for his deed. He's to be locked up for one month to think and repent on his action. However, he's obviously not repenting for anything.

"Hey Baek, is everything alright out there?" Jongin asks.

Baekhyun would have continued to ignore him if his tone wasn't so serious, "Everything is fine, quite peaceful without you out there actually. Why do you ask?"

Jongin shrugs, "Don't know… just an uneasy feeling."

Baekhyun wait for him to continue but Jongin didn't say anything more. "Perhaps it's the side effect of being locked up. It's only two more weeks, you'll survive."

Jongin lay back down on the table frustratingly and covered his face with another book.

---

Tai yang and Yue liang clashes against each other. Their owners continue to slash mercilessly at each other. The sound when the two blade touches is like an exciting melody echoing in the bamboo forest. With the way their owner practice with them, if tai yang and yue liang weren't forged by one of the best swordsmiths of the time, the blades would have broken into pieces.

"Xiaoyin, you've been slacking!" Tao said as he pushes her back.

"Are you talking about yourself Tao dage?!" Meiyin bounces off the bamboo behind her and charges back towards Tao. The two of them have resumed their practices after a couple of days. Meiyin was excited to practice with him again the day after the flower viewing event, but Tao cancelled on her. She was disappointed that he keeps cancelling a couple days afterwards too. When she came to visit Master Wong out of boredom the other day, she ran into Tao and he had requested to move their practice time to a later time in the day. She had asked him why and was happy to hear that he got a new job that pays well. She had promised to visit his mother more often during the day time when he's away at his job.

About half an hour later, both of them finally sheath their swords. "That new form Sifu taught you seems to counter my form well," Tao said as he handed her some water.

Meiyin beams at him, "Doesn't it? I begged Sifu to teach it to me. He was reluctant at first saying you'll complain about the favoritism."

Tao rolled his eyes at her, "Using me as the shield again, Sifu sure knows how to play favorite. If he hadn't wanted to teach it to you, he wouldn't have bothered with inventing that brand-new form."

"See? You are complaining about favoritism!" Meiyin pointed out.

Tao glared playfully at his junior brother, threatening to draw his sword again. Meiyin laugh and raises both hand up in surrender. Tao take a look at her and frowned. He wonders why it has been so long already but his junior brother still doesn't seem to have gotten any sturdier. "Xiaoyin, are you a picky eater? If not, how come you've trained for so long already and yet your body doesn't seem to be anymore strengthen than the day you started?" Tao inquired.

Meiyin looked down at her body and then back up at him and laughed, "I'm definitely not a picky eater. I'm just slender by nature Tao dage. My sister said that if my muscles get any toner, I won't be able to get marry."

Tao look questioningly at her, "Why would a man be worrying about muscles being too toned to get marry? Shouldn't it be the opposite? Xiaoyin, you're not making any sense."

Meiyin had a good laugh at his confusion. "Let's go for an early dinner. I promised my sister that I would drop by and check up on a friend after our practice," she said as she wipes away her tears from laughing too hard. Tao nodded, the frown still on his face. He doesn't understand why she laugh so much, but figure he should just let it go.

The two of them made it back into the city and Meiyin led Tao to a small restaurant. Once inside, the waitress who seems to be about their age immediately rushes over to them when she saw them. "Meiyin! Welcome in!" the waitress smile happily at them.

"Meiyin?" Tao asks as he look to his junior brother for answer.

"Tao dage, this is my friend Zhen Ruyi. She likes to call me by my twin sister's name as a way of teasing me," Meiyin said as she sends a signal glance at Ruyi.

"I see… nice to meet you young…young miss Zhen. I am Huang Zitao, Xiaoyin's senior brother," Tao introduced himself.

Ruyi caught on quite quickly and let out a little laugh, "Xiaoyin and young master Huang, I will show you to your table,"

"Um..uh… just… just Zitao is fine," Tao stuttered and Meiyin has to try to hold back her laughter at his inability to deal with girls.

They followed Ruyi and settle down at one of the tables. After taking and passing on their orders to the old lady owner at the register, Ruyi joined them at the table. "How have you been Ruyi?" Meiyin asks.

"I've been well. The restaurant's owners treat me really well. I can't thank you and your sister enough for your help," Ruyi said. After the incident with Jihao and Chunhua, the Zhang sisters has helped Ruyi found a live-in job at this small restaurant owned by an old kind couple. They chatted a little more before Ruyi had to leave to help other customers.

"Is she from the shelter that your family help out with?" Tao asks.

Meiyin shook her head, "No, she was a poor girl that was bullied by my cousin. My sister and I are happy that she's doing better now. We check in on her every now and then."

"Your family's kindness is well known in the city," Tao said as he places some food into Meiyin's bowl.

"We don't do it for the fame. We just want to help out those who truly need the help."

Tao smile warmly at her. He hadn't understood at first but the more he got to know this junior brother of his, the more he understood why his master was willing to break his own principle and reputation to take on Xiaoyin as a disciple. His mother also seems to really like Xiaoyin. He had never seen his mother liking and getting close to anyone like that before. She was always wary of other's intention and he grew up that way too. But things change ever since Xiaoyin entered their life. He doesn't know if it's because he and his mother lowered their walls due to their trust in Master Wong or if it's simply because Xiaoyin's charming personality is just hard to guard against.

The two of them continue to enjoy their food and chatting with occasional visit from Ruyi when she have a spare moment. Suddenly, the sound of plates shattering ring loudly through the restaurant. Tao and Meiyin look over to see a group of men trying to gang up on Ruyi and the old lady owner. They shouted profanities and threw all the bowls and plates on their table to the ground, shattering them. Their commotion started to scared away the other customers who left money on the tables and quickly left the restaurant.

Meiyin got up from her table and quickly make her way over to Ruyi and the lady owner, "Ruyi, what happened?"

Ruyi was holding onto the lady owner's arm to support the shaking woman. She turns to Meiyin and said in a low voice, "We asked them to pay for all of the food that they ate… but they refused to…"

"Do you know who we are?! You dare to ask us to pay?!" the man who seem to be the leader of the group shouted at Ruyi. He slams his hand angrily on the table, trying to assert his dominance.

Meiyin pushes Ruyi and the lady owner behind her towards Tao. She knew he had followed her over and knew that he'll understand her intention to protect Ruyi and the lady owner. "Were you birthed by a rock? Did no one teach you to pay for what you take? Who cares who you thugs are, even the Emperor have to pay when he ate someone else's food!" Meiyin shouted back at them while Tao pull Ruyi and the lady owner to a safer zone.

"Where did you come from you little brat? Stay out of other's business!" the man drew his sword and pointed it at Meiyin, trying to intimidate her.

Meiyin narrow her eyes at him, "You should know that the moment a sword leaves its scabbard and being pointed at someone, is the moment it needs to draw blood. Since you challenged me so openly, it would be rude for me to refuse." Meiyin unsheathe tai yang and say loudly, "Ruyi, add all the damages to their tab. We'll make them pay in full."

The thug's leader charges at Meiyin and she easily dodges his attack. The other thugs also drew their sword and charges at her but half of them was blocked by Tao and his yue liang. "Tao dage, you're joining the fun too?" Meiyin ask him while she parry the other thugs' swords.

The fight ended just as quickly as it broke out. "Well? Are you guys going to pay up or are you guys planning to walk out of here with one arm missing?" Meiyin ask as she sheathe her sword. She looks around at the group of beaten up thugs groaning in pain on the ground. "Ruyi, how much do they owe you guys?" she asks as Ruyi walk the old lady owner over to Meiyin.

The lady owner was about to speak up to thank Meiyin and Tao when suddenly Ruyi shouted, "Watch out!" and pushes the old lady owner away from the line of fire. Meiyin's reflex kicked in and she jump forward, catching Ruyi in her arms and propel both Ruyi and herself out of the line of fire. Luckily, the arrow* that one of the thugs shot from where he was only grazed Meiyin's hair sash. Tao quickly acted and flew over to disarm the thug and knock him out. He quickly turns around to Meiyin and Ruyi to see if they're alright.

Meiyin got up off the ground, but when she bends down to help pull Ruyi up her hair sash broke and her long hair fall down. Tao stare at her in absolute shock.

"Um… Tao dage… I can explain?" Meiyin offered, hoping he won't be angry with her for hiding her gender from him. However, Tao didn't response and still stare wide eyes at her.

Ruyi helped the old lady owner up, and then came over to him and wave her hand in front of him but got no reaction, "Meiyin, I think you broke your senior brother…"

Neither of them knew that Tao was having one heck of a flashback to all the suspicious moments. The small girly frame, the slender body, the pretty face, the handkerchief, the twin sister… just how in the world did he thought someone like this is a male?!!!!

---

Sehun stood by his bedroom's window and stare out into the night view outside. Ever since their return from China, Sehun had felt that something was quite off within the palace. He can't seem to put his finger on what it is. One thing he did noticed was the change in shifts of the palace guards. He had asked Chanyeol to look into this, but since Chanyeol also just came back together with him, the young general needed some time to look into it. Sehun had thought to discuss with Jongin, but then his hyung's excited face pops into his mind and he decided to let the thought go. He was not willing to let Jongin think that he wanted to visit him during his lockup punishment. Three more days and it'll be exactly one month. He can discuss with Jongin then when he is release from the library.

Sehun closed the window and makes his way over to his bed, planning to turn in for the night. He lies down, hoping to drift off to sleep quickly. However, the uneasy feeling would not let him rest. He thought of his mother and her strange behaviors since his return. She had seemed a bit more distant than usual. He had inquired her maids about it and they said that during the time he was away in China, she had been in several arguments with the king. Although the king had forgiven her and made efforts to reconcile, but his mother refuses to meet with the king.

Sehun got up off his bed and put his shoes back on. Since he can't sleep anyway, he should at least see if he can help his parents reconcile. He makes his way over to his father's place, wanting to consult with him on the issue. Although his mother was married to his father after Jongin's mother, but she has always been his father's favorite. It was due to this favoritism that Sehun was chosen as the crown prince instead of Jongin. Although, his mother and Jongin's mother fought all the time over their father, but the two princes' relationship has always been good. When he was little, Sehun tried to avoid Jongin as much as possible because he thought that his hyung must have hated him. However, the more Sehun tried to avoid Jongin, the clingier Jongin gets to his dongsaeng. The first prince would follow the younger one everywhere and teases him every time there's a chance. The two of them grew up like that, never letting their mother's competitiveness get in between them. Those who don't know them might think Sehun dislikes his brother, however, those that are close to them know that Sehun just doesn't know what to do with his hyung's love for him. 

In the distant, he saw that his father's room was void of night guards. He frowns with worries and quicken his pace. When he got there, he noticed that the door was left slightly opened. He stops in front of the door and was about to knock, but his eyes widen at what he can see through the slight opening of the door. He stood there in shock until his father's body hit the floor with a loud thud. With trembling hands, he pushes the door open wider. His mother, with the knife dripping with blood still in her hand, turns to look at him.

"Ah, my Sehun," she smiles at him, "Why are you not in bed at this hour?"

"M… mother…. what have you done?" Sehun stares at his father's body on the floor. He wanted to rush over to check on him and to see if he is alright, but his body would not move.

"Just something that I've wanted to do for a long time now," his mother replied while wiping the knife with the handkerchief that the king had specially made for her. Afterwards, she threw the handkerchief to the floor next to his father's body.

He wanted to ask her why. He wanted to ask how could she. He wanted to ask her a million questions but his mouth would not form another word. Suddenly, everything afterwards happens so fast that Sehun's shock mind couldn't comprehend anything. He just stood there, shocked and unmoving.

Jongin's mother showed up to the scene. She was told to prepare for the king's visit for the night, but when he still hasn’t shown up, she decided to go look for him. When she steps into the room and saw the king on the ground, she screamed his name and immediately rush over to him. She picks him up and cradle him in her arms, her fingers fumble to feel for his pulse. When she found none, she let out a soul shattering cry. When she hears Sehun's mother's laugh, she lay the king down gently on the floor. She stood up and screamed at Sehun's mother, "You devil! How could you do this?! He loved you! He abandoned me to love you! He chooses to love you even when everyone was against it! So how could you do this to the man that has prioritizes you over everything else?!"  

"Loved me? You dared call that obsession of his towards me love?! If he had loved me, he would have set me free! If he had loved me, he would not have murdered the man that I loved!" she screamed back at Jongin's mother and then laugh loudly, "He thought I fell for him. What a fool! I've been waiting for this moment for so long… the moment when I have enough power to execute my revenge!"

What is going on? What are to two of them saying? Sehun can't wrap his mind around anything he hears or see. Did his parents not love each other? What is this revenge?

Sehun still stood there in shock. His body refuses to move even when Jongin's mother dived at his mother. The two women fought and struggle against each other until his mother let out a painful gasp and collapse on the floor. Sehun's frozen gaze finally moved from his father's body to his dying mother. She smiles at him and try to reach for him, "I'm sorry… my child… my… my Sehun…"

Jongin's mother stab her again before whipping around with the knife that she had successful taken from Sehun's mother. She charges at Sehun while yelling, "You're that murderer's child! You should go to hell with her!"

He sees the knife coming at him but he couldn't will his body to move out of the way. Suddenly, a figure flew in and block in front of him. This person was only millimeters away from him so Sehun could clearly hear the sound of the knife ripping through flesh.

"F**k, that hurt! Mother, have you finally lost your mind?" Jongin push his mother away as hard as he can. The momentum causes her to pull the knife out along with her, making Jongin gasp out loudly in pain. He coughed up a little blood, but quickly wipe it away with the back of his hand. Using the time that his mother was in confusion from having stabbed her own son, Jongin quickly turn around to check on Sehun. He slaps Sehun's cheek a few times while calling his name, trying to get the boy's gaze to focus on him.

"Hyung…?" Sehun ask as his mind finally started to focus on Jongin.

Jongin smile at him, "Stupid brother… you finally call me hyung willingly…" Jongin's vision starts to blur. He was glad that he made it in time. There was only three days left until he gets to be release from the library. The king has threatened to extend his lock up if he doesn't behave and Jongin did his best to not have his punishment extended. However, the bad feeling he has been having had gotten so bad tonight that he was extremely restless. He decided to sneak out of the library and went looking for Sehun. When he got to Sehun's place, the maid told him that Sehun had went looking for the king. So, Jongin headed for the king's room but when he got near he heard a lot of loud noises inside. When he steps inside the room, he didn't have time to assess what's going on. All he saw was his mother trying to kill Sehun and without thinking he jumped in the way.

Finally awaken from his shock, Sehun quickly catch Jongin's body before it hit the ground. As he was lowering Jongin to the ground, Jongin's mother charges at him again while screaming like a madwoman. Sehun was about to beat her down but then Chanyeol burst through the door and block her attack with his sword. The general quickly disarmed her and knock her out. Baekhyun also came running in with several guards. They all quickly rush over to the king, but after realizing that he can no longer be save they turn their attention to the two princes.

Sehun had his hand on Jongin's wound, hoping the pressure will help slow the blood loss. Baekhyun quickly tear up his outer robe and wrap up the first prince's wound. He then checks Jongin's pulse to make sure that he can still be save. The whole time, Sehun stare blankly at his brother's unconscious form. Baekhyun reaches out and gently pat Sehun's shoulder, "He's alright for now."

Sehun finally look towards him. Baekhyun answer his silent question, "The knife must have been poisoned, there are traces of it in his wound."

Sehun's hand clenches into a tight fist. His nails digging into his skin and drew blood. He doesn't want to accept what had just happened to be real. However, he knows that if he doesn't take action right now, he might lose Jongin too. He stood up and turn to Chanyeol, "Take a group of guards with you to my mother's palace. Search the place for the antidote."

Chanyeol nodded then left. Sehun then turn back to Baekhyun, "Take him back to his palace and call for the physicians." Baekhyun nodded and motion for some of the guards to come over and help him carry Jongin. Before Baekhyun step out of the door to follow those guards, he can hear Sehun's broken low voice, "Please save him…"

---

Author's Notes:

* this arrow was shot using a crossbow.

I was going to write a part where Tao meet with Meiyin's "twin" sister but somehow forgot to note it in my plots timeline and uh… it got to this chapter and uh… I don't know where to fit it in now and so uh… I'm sorry? :( it would have been a fun little part with her teasing him and all.