"So why the need to spar?" Changling asked Qinghe as he sheathed his sword. Qinghe did the same, then threw a towel at Changling to wipe off the sweat.
He walked over to his brother and sat down on the floor at his feet. Changling raised a brow and sat down beside him, he looked at his brother and asked, "What is bothering you?"
Qinghe looked at his brother and said, "Mei Yuan is expecting."
"Expecting what?" Changling scoffed.
"Our child," he answered and watched as Changling's face distorted.
He was stunned momentarily then said, "Oh shit, I am going to be a grandpa."
Qinghe burst out laughing, leave it to Changling to turn an unpredictable situation into a stress reliever.
Changling placed his hand on his shoulder firmly, saying, "Congratulations brother, I did not think you could do it, but you did. When is the baby due?"
"We just found out that she is one month along. I don't know how to deal with this. Her father doesn't even like me, well he used to, but not anymore. I don't even think he will love my child when it's here," he said with a sigh.
Changling looked at his brother and said, "When did you ever care about someone who did not care about you?"
Qinghe's gaze saddened as he explained, "Imagine growing up knowing that your grandfather is the emperor but he wants nothing to do with you because of your father?"
"I don't know about grandfather but he is my father," Changling answered, amused.
Qinghe sighed, "Must you always use that smart mouth of yours?"
"How else will I speak if not with my mouth?" He answered and they saw the twins walk over.
"They need to get married soon too, you as well," he said.
Changling turned to him saying, "I have Youxian, I do not need marriage to bind us together. He'll be mine for as long as he lives."
"You need to start treating him well, he is not your sex object," he advised. They accepted the tea from the twins as Changling asked, "What is Youxian doing?"
Qian Luse looked at him as she answered, "He said he was going to visit Qiang Wu then return before dinner time."
Changling nodded his head, saying, "Okay. Girls, send word to mother and father to visit. We are moving Qinghe and Mei Yuan's wedding to the end of next week."
Qian Lan raised a brow, confused, asking, "Is this about the baby?"
"The sooner the better and I think she gave birth already so she will be good enough to travel," Changling explained as he looked at them.
The girls nodded their heads and left. Rucheng and Yuhua had just returned but now they had to set out on another journey.
Qinghe looked at his brother and asked, "What are you planning by having Qiang Wu lay his eyes on Rucheng?"
Changling looked at his brother and smirked, "Our mother is supposed to be the empress so why not have our sister fill that position?"
Qinghe shook his head, "Who she marries is up to her to decide, not you. We agreed we would not force marriage upon our sisters, so do not start. I want the twins to marry first before her and after you. I am willing to marry you and Youxian, but I need to know that you are not just playing around like you always do."
"I've fallen for him," Changling admitted. Qinghe looked at him surprised and couldn't help but smirk.
"I decided to take Mei Yuan as mine seeing that we were eventually going to get married as punishment for dragging us all into this situation. Mother always said the only time a child is conceived when adults have fun and she was right. At the beginning it was all to show her that she is weaker than me but she showed me that night that I am the weaker one and she got everything she wanted — me," he said disheartened.
Changling looked at his brother and said, "We take after our mother in that sense, she was always the one in charge of the house."
"Do you think father will be disappointed that she is pregnant?" He asked.
Changling shook his head, "I do not know. Father barely showed anger when you told us about her."
Qinghe ran a frustrated hand over his face and lied down on the ground, "Ah-Ling, I don't know what to do anymore. Our lives were calculated and carefree, now we are behind palace walls under a roof with rules that don't agree with us."
Before he could say anything, Youxian came walking in looking exceptionally handsome. He had a smile on his face when he saw Changling looking at him. He skipped towards the brothers and hopped into Changling's lap.
Kissing him on the lips he smiled asking, "Why are you all sweaty?"
Changling grabbed his ass and said, "We're getting married at the end of next week."
"What?" Youxian asked and climbed off of him.
Changling started at him and nodded. He could tell that he was being serious and looked at Qinghe who as usual held his poker face. He turned back to Changling and said, "Why would you decide that on your own?"
Changling stared at him noticing the anger on his face and just shook his head, "Mei Yuan is pregnant and we need to cover it up or else something bad might happen to my brother. I've already sent word to my parents that the wedding will be moved."
Changling looked back at Qinghe who was now looking at him and asked, "You defiled the princess?"
"In the same way I defiled you?" Changling asked him.
He gazed at Changling and said, "Yes in the same way you defiled me."
Standing up Changling stood taller than him and held his jaw as he said, "Do you honestly think you can say what you want? Didn't I teach you manners?"
Youxian immediately grew worried that something was going to happen to him, but he just couldn't take this. He had not even decided if he wanted to be with Changling in the future and here he wanted to marry him? It was against the law too!
Changling flicked him on the forehead, then kissed him on the lips. Youxian focussed on him and he said, "I know this is too much so soon, but things will be okay. I just need you to go along with this for me and if you don't want to do this for me, then do it for the baby."