"That's it! I'm going to cut his little brother off and kill him after!"
"LiAi, if we kill XueYa, how do we wake up YaYun?"
LiAi simmered at LiBai's words but said no more. She only fanned herself furiously as Wei KaiJun tiptoed around her seat by the table. He was trying to stay close to her, but at the same time, evade her. If LiAi suddenly decided to lash out and kill a man, he didn't want to be the first victim. Wei KaiJun was too young to die so soon, and he already regretted giving LiAi the weaponized fan.
"Is YaYun ok?" Lan QingYu asked softly. His bleary eyes had gained a little life, his skin flushing with a rosy tint ever since the guards stepped into the White Lotus Hall. They had told the snakes of XueYa entering Plum Blossom Hall and putting YaYun into a deep sleep, taking his place as the emperor.
The sun was hiding behind a set of heavy rain clouds as the crew sat in the main hall, watching through the open doors how the first drops of rain painted over the white stone steps.
"He is sleeping," Yu Zhong assured QingYu, and the green snake let out a little sigh, blushing under Wei KaiJun's and Xie JingYi's grinning faces.
"Don't worry, QingYu. Your hubby is safe," Wei KaiJun said.
"We don't know what XueYa did to the fox, but Yating is no longer a problem," Xie JingYi added as he made his way around the table, sitting down next to LiChun. "YaYun is all yours."
QingYu was burning bright red at their words, feebly trying to hide behind LiangLin's back. "I don't know what you guys are talking about."
"Honestly," LiChun said, popping peanuts in her mouth idly. "YaYun is as good as dead, if that damn sorcerer stole the throne and sent him into a deep sleep - ow!" LiChun cried out when LiBai smacked her over the head with her fan. "Sis, it's the truth! If XueYa wants to be the emperor, he might never wake-"
"Be quiet, Chun'er!" LiBai hissed, throwing LiChun a warning glance that promised more whipping if she kept bringing QingYu's mood down.
LiChun turned to QingYu and seeing the worry creating lines over his brows, she quickly sealed her lips, pouting. Her head was throbbing, LiBai was so heavy-handed!
"Can I see him?" QingYu asked.
All eyes fell on Yu Zhong, waiting for the ox to answer. To their surprise, the chief of guards smiled gently at the green snake.
"Yes, you can, QingYu. ChangChang is there to look over him at the moment."
"Wah, he never smiles at us!" Wei KaiJun complained after Yu Zhong took QingYu with him to see YaYun. QingYu had turned into his snake form to travel with Yu Zhong unnoticed.
LiangLin was anything but pleased with the situation. QingYu wanted to stay in Plum Blossom Hall with YaYun until he woke up, but that could take forever! Not to mention, what if XueYa made a surprise visit?
"Don't worry, Lin'er. QingYu can always hide in his snake form," LiYue assured him, but LiangLin still pouted. It was too risky!
"We are here for another reason too," Wei KaiJun started, smiling awkwardly at the snakes.
"XueYa has disguised himself as YaYun," Xie JingYi said, eyeing the snakes warily. "And he announced that the wedding will still go on as planned."
"What? But I thought he took care of the fox?" LiChun perked up from her slumped posture. "Unless he took care of the fox in... that way..."
"..." LiangLin flushed dark red at the words, his fingers curling to fists over his lap. That damned sorcerer! And here he had thought that XueYa wasn't that incurable. In reality, he was just a flirty bastard towards everyone! The next time LiangLin saw that one-eyed piece of shit, he would shove that red coat up XueYa's ass!
The guards could feel the atmosphere turn murderous, and Wei KaiJun quickly said, "No fox, XueYa wants to marry you, LiangLin."
"Oh." LiangLin's raging blush darkened, but the atmosphere no longer promised death.
The monkey could have said that earlier! LiangLin got agitated over nothing! Would he look good in the wedding hanfu, though? LiangLin never tried to wear all red before-
"Over his dead body!" LiAi announced, and the sisters nodded in agreement.
"What? Wait-" LiangLin started. But his futile attempt to speak up was immediately shot down by LiBai.
"No marrying anyone! What does any of this have anything to do with Lin'er?"
"I-" LiangLin tried, but LiChun butted in.
"Let's just kill him!"
How could there be a wedding if the groom was dead? Besides, if XueYa died, no one could wake YaYun up from his slumber. LiangLin wished to point this out, but no one spared him any attention.
"He thinks LiangLin is the one YaYun wanted," LiBai reminded them, and LiangLin slowly sealed his parted lips.
LiangLin had forgotten about this little issue. Somehow, he felt disappointed. Did XueYa do all this just because of YaYun?
"Yes, XueYa is unaware of QingYu's existence," said JingYi.
"We could just tell XueYa about QingYu, and he no longer demands to marry LiangLin, right?" LiYue said, her frown deepening.
"Is he trying to steal everything from YaYun? These brothers have a weird relationship," said LiChun.
"We don't know what he is planning. He won't talk to any of us," JingYi admitted.
"Ah, we never thought XueYa would go this far as to take over the throne." Wei KaiJun shook his head. "Even uncle WeiJie was surprised by the sudden turn of events. He hopes we still trust in XueYa, but the guy is making it hard for us."
"We should tell XueYa about QingYu. That way, he won't bother Lin'er any further-"
"No."
LiBai arched her brow as she turned to LiangLin. "What no?"
LiangLin had turned his gaze down on his hands, trying to hide away his eyes that were filled with disappointment. He hated the feeling he was getting, although he shouldn't have expected anything from XueYa to begin with. Sweet words were just words in the end.
How annoying.
"We can't tell him about QingYu," LiangLin said, trying to think rationally of the situation. "If he is trying to marry me because of YaYun, he will try that with QingYu, too."
"LiangLin is right," JingYi said. "QingYu is easier to bully compared to LiangLin, so in this situation, it is better if we marry LiangLin off."
"Are you selling my brother off to save your emperor?" LiChun snapped, her eyes thinning as she glared at the flushed rooster.
"Ridiculous! As if we will let our 51 be shoved into the wolf's gaping mouth!" LiAi raged, her cheeks burning bright red, and Wei KaiJun took a step back, out of her reach.
"It is best to do as XueYa says now that YaYun is under his mercy," Wei KaiJun said.
"XueYa never uses force to conquer a lover," said JingYi. "I know he forced LiangLin to marry him, but he would never physically force himself on someone. As long as LiangLin acts like he is only loyal to YaYun, XueYa won't touch him."
"Tsk, and we are supposed to believe that after he ascended the throne as his brother?" LiAi snorted, her hand gripping at the fan, nearly snapping it in two.
"If XueYa wanted to force himself on LiangLin, he would have had plenty of opportunities until now, don't you think?" Wei KaiJun said, and the sisters exchanged glances with each other.
KaiJun wasn't wrong, until now, XueYa hadn't touched LiangLin, even though he could. Still, how could they trust a man who would do this to his twin brother?
"I will do it," LiangLin said, evading his sisters' questioning glares. "I could find out what he is planning and maybe get the antidote to wake YaYun. Besides, if he tries anything, I will stab him on our wedding night."
"51, I'm just glad if you aren't the one getting stabbed by him."