After the meeting with the Emperor, Jiahao went back to his mansion together with his brothers who were eagerly waiting for the news of Yue. Little did they know that Yue was already with them the whole time.
"Brother, what is this ridiculous message you sent? That Yue's alive? I've been barely coping up with her disappearance," Yuhan yelled when they were already inside Jiahao's office.
"Brother Yuhan, calm down first. Let us hear what Brother Jiahao have to say," Qing said.
"Explain yourselves. What happened?" Xuiying asked as he sat down.
Jiahao sighed as he signaled for Xuefeng to open the door.
"I will... But first, someone would like to see you first," Jiahao said as he signaled for them to look at the person who entered.
As soon as they realized who it was, their jaws dropped and tears started to fall. No words came out of their mouth as she came inside.
"Sister Yue! I miss you!" the youngest prince, Li Jingyi exclaimed as he ran to hug her.
"I miss you too, Yi. You've grown a lot from when I last saw you. You should hurry up and grow so you can be like your brothers, alright?" she smiled sweetly at the young prince.
"Y-Yue?"
"How can this be?"
Yue faced them and smiled at them sweetly. Her smile was different from before. It was much more bright and cheerful while her smile in the past was ... emotionless, as if she was suffering from something.
"I'm sorry for leaving," she said as she walked over to Xuiying. "I won't leave all of you, ever again." She signaled for Yuhan to come closer so she could hug both of them after all, both of them were the closest to her in the past, including Jiahao.
Xuiying couldn't utter a word and Yuhan was crying his eyes out. Qing was smiling. Everyone was happy and it calmed her heart. She was worried they might get angry at her for leaving.
"You all cared for me like your sister. But I had to deal with things that you won't understand," Yue said as she sat down. "On why I left... I will tell you when the time is right."
"How did you arrive? And when?" Xuiying asked.
Yue giggled at his question.
"I was with everyone when all of you went to greet Father Emperor and Mother Empress," she said. "Guess."
They thought for a moment and thought of the beautiful and fiery red bird that Jiahao asked from the Emperor. Jiahao almost pleaded the Emperor to keep it.
"Y-You were the bird?" Yuhan asked.
"No," she smiled at them.
"I'm the Phoenix."
....
"Your Highness, the princes are now complete. Who do you plan to choose as the crown prince?" her maid asked as she gently brushed through Fang's hair.
"Choosing the crown prince is not my decision. But I do hope that it would be the 8th prince," she smiled.
She has been in love with the 8th prince but the prince only has eyes for Yue, her sister. Every time she tries to play with him in the past, he would just ignore her. Every time she tries to befriend him, he would always be indifferent to her. His eyes would only search for Yue and that was the reason for her deep resentment towards her sister.
"Your Highness is very beautiful and caring, there is no way that the prince wouldn't fall for you," her maid said.
She smiled at her maid's praise. Of course she is. If she wasn't, she wouldn't be chosen to become the crown princess.
"I would like to visit the 8th prince," she suddenly said. "My brother recently moved to the 8th prince's residence."
She had always despised her older brother since he was only fond of Yue. If she needs to get close with the 8th prince, she would need to get close to her brother first.
"Prepare my new dress and some rare ginseng. I'd like to go visit my brother at the 8th prince's residence," she announced.
"Then I will prepare now, Your Highness," the maid said as she excused herself.
"I will replace you soon enough, my dear sister," she scoffed.