Won was sipping tea in a Pavilion, with Ozaris to the side reading out of a book various notes and details.
Won placed the cup down and said, "Sweet Night is indeed doing better than I expected. With this we'll eventually be able to start distribution channels with sects, and even be a hub for the various sects to connect. Make sure they know their place though, those who are accepted into those Immortal sects are quite arrogant and will no doubt be wanton. Show the Sect leaders our potential and capabilities, not as a subsidiary but as an equal."
Ozaris said, "But master by doing this the overall strength of Ito will increase undoubtedly, with Ito becoming more popular and more recognized it will continue to grow and by the time we prepare to eat it up we will face unprecedented hardships."
Won nodded, "You think I don't know that? But don't worry I'm not planning to destroy Ito. Like how Ito plans to consume Ying, I will consume Ito. The more it grows the better it is for me when I eat it. Anyway how goes the training of the little Prince?"
Ozaris bowed and said, "Prince Sigrid has become proficient in reading and writing, and has read many of the classics given to him. Although physically weak he indeed has the characteristics of a good ruler. He has requested a few things and also your company to discuss many things."
Won asked, "Oh? The little Prince had requested many things? Like what?"
Ozaris said, "He wants many different sweets he heard about from the dungeon of the Head scholars family home. He has also requested a horse and to see his mother."
Won smiled, "Allow him whatever he wishes. A child should enjoy their life to the fullest. Although I plan to use him, that dosen't mean he should suffer. Let him savor life and when the times life let me savor life. About his mother... How much does he remember about her?"
Ozaris said, "According to the scholars the Prince was imprisoned in the dungeon from a extremely young age, this being the orders of Concubine Meng herself. As he stayed in the Meng family home he was constantly bullied by the youths of the Meng Family, and we completely alone. His only memories of his mother are her coldness and cruelness, not even giving him a second look, instead training him to be a puppet for her rule. Yet as a child he longs for the embrace of a mother."
Won nodded, "Get a woman who looks like the Concubine and send her. Then send the Shadows to kill the real one."
Ozaris bowed.
Won stood up and swept his robe back.
Ozaris asked, "Master where might you be going?"
Won smirked, "A date!"
...
Wearing a black coat and a red Taoist robe underneath, Won walked by the side of Yuna who wore an elegant milky white Hanfu with a Pink cloak around her.
The two walked side by side, admiring the sides.
Yuna asked, "Tell me what do you think? About what we are doing?"
Won rubbed his chin and said, "I am the type of man who despises dating, I believe it's as simple as love and marry."
Yuna laughed, "Love is a fleeting thing how can you claim to hold it? What if tommorow another man comes to me, he claims he knows me best, he claims I am best suited for him and to leave you?"
Won looked at Yuna and said, "A man no matter how great in the face of another man's heated heart can become a great villain no matter how they may try. Someone can easily give a thousand reasons they are better for you, or the fact that I am not good to you. In the end of the day all I can do is give you my 100%, my love and affection and hope for your love. I don't feel simply due to my affection you must be forced into receiving and returning said affection, no matter how great my love for you is I hold no rules nor laws for you. If one day I treat you improperly I hope you could teach me and correct my manners, and If I ignore them I hope you will do what's best for you. Never will I say you should sacrifice everything for me, although if I love you I would sacrifice all. I'll do my best to never let you go, but I won't force you. I similarly won't be stuck in that moment, if you leave me I will be sad for a long moment but that will fade."
Won chuckled, "We are not in barbaric times nor foolish times where one must love another simply because they are loved, nor are we in some dreary romance novel. Life is as such a great painting, made of countless brush strokes. I won't kill myself if I don't receive your love, nor will you if you lose my love someday. We will continue to live life."
Yuna smiled, "How sophisticated. You genuinely make me admire you Won."
Won smirked.
He looked to sky and said, "Although I suppose as much as I try, I don't think I can ever let someone I love go. It's hard to receive my love and once you do that love of mine is infinite. Unbreakable and unshattering. As much as I say I can endure the pain, a love like mine is one that's bitterly hard for me. If one day Princess Yuna you were to receive my love, you would be my strength and I would continue to think of you alone. You would be my light, and I would be lost in the darkness without you. Yet I am sure that will settle, yet I will always be on your side. If I love you that is. I will always be by your side protecting you even if you toss me away."
Yuna's eyes shone in a strange light.
She thought, "Ah. This man he's so strong. So remarkable. He's so strong like a magnificent wall, yet he's so human... His weakness's don't make him ugly, they brighten him up. Why does my heart seem to race a little?"
Yuna coughed and said, "Let's continue with our date!"
Won smiled.
Yuna said, "Come let's go I heard there's a horse racing competition. Let us take bets?"
Won laughed, "Oh princess simply because you are smarter than your brother, don't think your the better gambler! I'll have you know I've refined my skills over my 19 year's of life! I go like oop, and floop, and always win!"
Yuna snorted, "Hmph! This oop and floop can go fly a kite for all I care! I'll have you know much of my allowance I make from gambling!"
Won covered his mouth, "My! How obscene to think the Princess of a Confucius run state is openly preaching her gambling skills! My god!"
Yuna knocked Won's head with her knuckles and asked with a sweet and pitiful smile, "Why are you going to bully little ol me?"
Won lowered his head, "How could I dare Boss princess! You as a royal even defy the state law! If not a Big Boss I don't know who you are! This little one will follow you for life!"
Yuna smirked, "Follow me kid! I'll teach you the Ito family specialty gambling skills!"
Won said, "Yes Boss!"
The two laughed as they continued on.
...
2 years passed quickly. The moments so bright and colorful it was soon lost.
In the streets of Ito a grand celebration was being sung.
With red lanterns placed all around, the people were all cheering.
They turned and twisted in excitement and joy.
Various people danced around, with festive music continuously spitting forth.
Won was currently walking down the streets and said to Lulu by his side, "Shouldn't you be enjoying the festival? Isn't that how children should act?"
Lulu said, "Big brother! I am no more a child, furthermore with how you teach me could I even have the bearing of a noble woman much less a child? Yesterday I threw that poor maid over my shoulder..."
Won laughed, "Huh? Why can't you be free and laugh? I never taught you that! Furthermore why must you be a noble woman type person. Those characteristics were invented by prudish men set to control and lower the standing of women. Furthermore does certain behavior really have a set definition? So if you like fighting and swords as a girl does that make you strange? The fact is you are a girl and like those things, so why aren't they girly? It dosent make sense to me."
Lulu huffed, "Big brother this is why all the nobles call you a total psycho! You have no sense of decorum or morals and ethics, you just mouth off and complain about various things without manners!"
Won threw his head front, "Why did I say anything wrong? Come on tell me where I'm wrong!"
Lulu shook her head, "You're not wrong per say, but these are just things Humans do. Shouldn't you have some understanding of that."
Won huffed, "So attaching these certain ideologies and messing with innocent fellows is human? You know my policy."
Lulu sighed, "How can I not know. "I'll do whatever the fuck I want, so anyone else can also do whatever the fuck they want." That's what you say."
Won nodded, "As long as it dosent interfere with my life or those I care about I don't give a shit."
Lulu sighed deeper and said, "Big brother can you just get me that snack. I just wanted that snack and you said it's not in my training diet, and went into a whole speech, eventually with you saying I should enjoy my childhood. So can't I have a snack!"
Won shook his heads, "That's two different matters. One affects the carefully laid arrangements I've set up and the other is simply some fun. Imagine you eat that impurity and the world I have been steadily building inside you becomes corrupted and ruins you. Atleast for the next half year you must definitely only eat Spiritual bamboo and fresh dew."
Lulu's expression sank.
"You're a bully big brother!"
Won stuck his tongue out.
A man came up to the two of them and said, "Greetings my lord and madam. Here I have a wedding invitation to the Prince Imperial Roku's wedding and the Ying Princess Yuan'er. They will only cost a 1000 gold."
Won smiled, "Mister you do realize everyone is invited to the wedding right?"
...
Won was standing atop a roof, his hand swirling a jug of Spiritual wine. A slight smile on his face.
From the deep flush on his face one could see he had drunk quite a bit.
Won said, "Brothers. Mother. Auntie. I haven't let you guys down have I? I've done good right! You might not even recognize me now, with how confident and strong I am! Hehe, I used to be a pathetic kid. You all died because I was weak, but now I'm strong! Look I've manipulated an entire Empire simply for my goals! Everything fell neatly into place! I've changed and I will continue to rise. One day I'll bring you back. My heart is cold, it doesn't easily race, and that's because this cold and twisted heart now only cares for itself... How unappealing of a fate. Hehe look at myself despairing foolishly."
He continued to drink like that.
...
Won slouched on his chair and said, "Make sure the Shadows are prepared for any unexpected circumstances. I've set up a few defences, but I doubt some persistent bastards will be held back by that. So brute force is needed. Make sure that today isn't ruined no matter what."
Ozaris knelt on the ground.
"Yes master!"