Chapter Twenty-three

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From here on out, chapters will be somewhat otherwise due to me writing Changling's story for another book alongside this one so please be patient.

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The royal court was in a deathly silent state. The only ones calm were the twins and Dong Woo. Even Jung Hwan was gaping.

Wu Yong's mouth parted open as his mind raced on their words. The twins smiled at each other as they gazed at all the conflicted. The right prime minister, Minister Kim, the empresses father was the first to snap out of his stunned state, "Nonsense!" he proclaimed.

The twins turned their attention to him and raised a brow, "And you know this how?"

"This is just preposterous, if there was another child we would have known!" he said convincing himself and his supporters who agreed.

Qian Lan raised an intrigued brow, "So Minister Kim watches the emperor as he lays his seed… interesting," she said with hidden implications.

Minister Kim's eyes widened. His face flushed in embarrassment, "Imprudent! How dare you speak ill of the emperor?"

"She wasn't, you were!" Qian Luse interjected.

"The emperor knows who he slept with," Qian Luse added looking at the man in regal robes ahead of them.

"You were stunned when you first laid eyes on us yet you dismissed the thought that came to mind," Qian Lan said gently.

"The name Wang Chushan should ring a bell to all of you accept the royal siblings," Qian Luse stated.

Wu Yong's eyes widened. Indeed, when the two of them showed their faces they reminded him of his late consort.

"Yes, the late consort Wang, what about her?" the empress asked defensively.

"She's our mother," they stated with proud smiles across their faces.

Gasps were heard from behind them as the empresses face twisted. 

"S-she's alive?" Wu Yong asked in disbelief.

They nodded, cheekily Qian Luse asked, "Or else, how would we have come to be?"

His head snapped to Dong Woo, "Dong Woo!" he called. Dong Woo glared at the twins who were grinning at him. He turned around with a steeled face, "Yes your majesty?"

"Is what they say true?" Wu Yong asked hurriedly.

Looking at his best friend he nodded stiffly. Wu Yong looked at his non-verbal confirmation dumbfounded. He slumped in his chair as his eyes unfocused. He lost so many years with that child. How was he raised? How was he treated? Was he called a bastard? What about Chushan?

These cunning twins said they're her children too, who was their father. They came here to bargain for Rong Qinghe's life. Rong Qinghe. Rong? General Rong?

His eyes focussed on them again, "You said your mother is Chushan?"

"Yes your majesty," they answered in unison.

"Who is your father?" he asked.

"Rong Yifan," they answered with pride.

Wu Yong's anger fumed, visible on his face for everyone to see. He sat up on his throne, "So he defiled my wife?"

Qian Luse smirked while her sister frowned, "No, he showed her love and showered her with riches while you disrespected her and divorced her."

"What did I say?" Dong Woo asked as he whipped his head around glaring at them. They regarded him with a scoff.

"Just wait and see what our oraboni does to you when he finds out you're disrespecting his father," they said in unison directed at the emperor.

"His father?!" Wu Yong yelled as he stood up.

They tilted their heads in opposite directions, "You certainly don't think that you are qualified to be his father?" they asked.

Qian Lan, "You disregarded our mother for seven years."

Qian Luse, "You snuck into her room and forced yourself on her."

Qian Lan, "You divorced her."

Qian Luse, "You didn't even check the body at the Wang residence if there was a foetus within it."

Qian Lan, "And you still remained until today quiet about the pregnancy."

"Do you know that he hates you?" They asked in unison.

"And you want to have both his father and Hyung-nim executed?" Qian Luse added.

Wu Yong looked at them with no words to refute. They spoke the truth. His eyes scanned over the court. The officials were looking at him with angry expressions and his children and consorts were in complete shock.

"I said it before, our oraboni is willing to exchange his life for your daughters, Qinghe's and our father," Qian Lan said with a gently voice as her eyes scanned the empress.

"What will happen to my daughter if I agree?" he asked as he sat back down.

"Nothing. She'll pay a visit to our parents to see if our mother will accept her apology for putting oraboni in this position. After that, their wedding will be set, she'll learn how to serve him and hopefully gain oraboni's forgiveness but knowing Ah-Ling, he won't make life easy for her," she answered conversationally.

His eyes moved over to scan Dong Woo and asked, "Where is he now?"

Dong Woo turned to the twins who looked at him blankly. Turning back to Wu Yong he answered, "I do not know. They didn't want me to know their whereabouts." 

"And Chushan?" he asked gazing at the twins.

"Our mother is most likely being fondled by our father at home," Qian Luse answered with a grin.

"Watch how you speak!" The empress reprimanded her. She rolled her eyes and turned to look at the emperor. He looked like he was fighting with himself. After a while he sighed, "If I agree to all of this, when will he arrive?"

"When we fetch him," Qian Lan answered gently.

He nod his head, "I'll agree to the marriage, but Rong Qinghe has to move into the palace with Mei Yuan. They are to return after meeting your parents and I'd like to meet your parents. My son… your brother, will take his place beside his siblings as prince…" he trailed.

The twins looked at each other for a brief moment. Qian Luse bowed then turned around and left to call her brothers. Turning her attention to the emperor Qian Lan nodded, "Those terms are acceptable but my parents won't be travelling anytime soon as my mother is expecting a baby within the next two months but by all mean, your majesty his welcome to travel to our home if your talk is urgent. Since my brothers will be entering the palace, their attendants will be entering with them. Both Ah-Qing and Ah-Ling have needs that the palace can't provide for. Your daughter will also be trained by them oh and Mr Hwan?"

Dong Woo looked at her oddly as she suddenly started speaking to him, "Yes?"

"Have your eldest son visit Ah-Ling's place of arrangement, our mother told him about your conversation with her," she said with a smile on her face.

Dong Woo looked at her confused for a moment then suddenly remembered. He nodded his head slowly, "A-alright."

She smiled then remained silent as she looked at Mei Yuan. Her eyes also drifted over to Crown Prince Qiang Wu who looked like he was about to puke. Her eyes that were glued on him caught his attention.

He straightened himself and returned her gaze with a curious one. 

Wu Yong ordered his eunuch to get Mei Yuan's palace ready to accommodate Qinghe who won't be sharing a room with her but living with her and have the palace near Qiang Wu's palace ready for him.

Thirty minutes after Qian Luse departed, laughter boomed through the halls outside the court room, "Hyung-nim look, they're all dressed the same and look miserable."

Qian Luse's melodic laugh was soon here then Qinghe's stern voice, "You're an idiot Ah-Ling."

"Aww, don't be mean Hyung. Just imagine how much all this costs, we could probably feed the poor with it no?" Changling chuckled.

"Look at you, you can't even… Ah-Ling don't!" Qinghe's voice rang then everyone heard him sigh.

Qian Luse pushed the doors open and entered with her two brothers behind her. As Changling walked in his steps slowed as he looked at each person in the court room. Everyone else who wasn't expecting Changling to be Wu Yong's child looked at him stunned and in disbelief.

Changling was tall and handsome. His eyes were sharp but had a glint of mischievousness in them. His muscles could be seen through his robes even though the black cloak covered him. His silk hair hang down reached down to the small of his back. His face held elegance, discipline and beauty, similar to that of the girls.

Rucheng and Yuhua followed behind them discreetly taking everyone's expressions. They kept their heads lowered and stopped behind their brothers. Changling stopped and looked at the emperor. His face that held a smile straightened the longer he looked at the emperor.

Changling's looks matched Wu Yong's but held the beauty of his mother. Qinghe turned his head to looked at Changling who was beside him and forced him down to bow, "Greetings Your Majesty."

Changling didn't wait for him to speak. He stood up straight and glared at his brother. The twins chuckled seeing this from behind their brothers.

Wu Yong couldn't take his eyes off of Changling which disgusted him. Ignoring the emperors' befuddled gaze, his eyes drifted over to his siblings. They all looked like the emperor but had hints of their mothers in them.

He raise a brow at his staring siblings and smirked when he saw them tremble under his gaze. Turning to Wu Yong he said, "Thank you for revoking your decision against my father and Hyung-nim," he said with a smile on his face.

Wu Yong cleared his throat and composed himself, "Y-yes. It was unfair of me." 

Changling scoffed, "Yes, holding me prisoner made you change your mind."

"Ah-Ling!" Qinghe reprimanded him.

Changling groaned then zipped his mouth shut. Qian Lan cleared her throat, "Oraboni and Orabonim both will be entering the palace and living here. Orabonnim will be living with his wife-to-be whereas oraboni will have his own palace. Since everything is sorted out, the two of us will be leaving, if you need anything from us just inform Ah-Cheng and Ah-Hua."

Seeing that everything was somewhat awkward, Dong Woo approached the brothers and escorted them to their palaces. Changling followed to see where his Hyung would be staying and Qinghe did the same with Rucheng and Yuhua following behind them.

The two retired to their rooms but didn't sleep, from here on out things were going to be different, especially for Changling.