"Ah Feng, it's been a while. You have become thinner. Doesn't my fifth brother take care of you well when I was not around" Xiao Feng was taken aback by the familiar voice.
She was engaged to him since she was born. At the time crown prince was 6 years old and the emperor and empress had asked the crown prince to take care of Xiao Feng. The crown prince will always come to Xiao manor to see the cute girl. He was grown up with the word that Xiao Feng will be his wife when they are older.
When Xiao Feng is 4, she starts going to the palace more often and stays in the palace most of the time. The crown prince and Xiao Feng spend almost all the time with each other when the crown prince and they are not studying.
How they played together when they were young. How they spend time even 2 years ago. The crown prince took off his mask.
"Who is that?" Shan Yuan whispered to Linlin. Shan Yuan almost wants to take Xiao Feng far away and hide from all the men.
"Crown prince"
"eighth brother?" Linlin gave a "did you hear that?" look.
"Ah Feng, where is 'brother Zheng'?"
"8th brother, you ran away and now Xiao Feng is married to me. Don't you think it's inappropriate for my wife to talk to another man so intimate?"
"What's their relationship?" Shan Yuan whispered again to Linlin.
"Princess and the crown prince were engaged to each other since the princess is born. If the crown prince didn't go missing two years ago and we got a false alarm that he died prince Jing will not stand a chance to marry the princess" Linlin answered.
"Master, I think you got another rival," Bai Qi said and Shan Yuan shooed both Linlin and Bai Qi as they chuckle.
"5th brother you must be kidding me. You are a substitute in the first place"
"You!!"
"Brother Zheng, are you okay?" The crown prince smiled as everyone was shocked in both armies. No one thought that Xiao Feng would ask if he is okay and the Wei army was even shocked to see their commandant smiling for the first time in almost 3 years, they haven't seen him smile, even a little. Not for a single one.
Xiao Feng had a lump in her throat and she couldn't utter a word. She couldn't think anything straight.
"Brother Zheng, don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
"I will give you an explanation after this" Xiao Feng nodded. She needed an explanation. She needed and explained what happen that year. Why he didn't even send her a letter?
"Cut the crap, my soldiers be ready! the third prince colluded with the Wei kingdom to murder the former emperor. The crown prince is part too! Kill!!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!" Xiao Feng didn't move a bit nor red moon. The red moon was in the corner line so they all fight without a disturbance. Linlin rode a horse towards Xiao Feng and guide Xiao Feng's horse to the side. Xiao Feng was lost in thought to even care about what happen in his surroundings. Shan Yuan was going to talk to her but Linlin shook her head. Xiao Feng's eyes were glued to the crown prince. A few more hours passed and the Sui kingdom start retreating. Because Xiao Feng is the one who knows the plan well, they couldn't handle it well.
"Xiao Feng, let's retreat for now" Xiao Feng looks at prince Jing and shook her head. Gao Zhe almost dragged his master back. Now on the war ground, there were only the crown prince, third prince, Wei soldiers, red moon and Xiao Feng left. The Crown prince rode his horse towards Xiao Feng. Xiao Feng was still speechless for hours now. The crown prince smiled seeing Xiao Feng. She was tearing up. Shan Yuan was going to stop it as Linlin hold him from going.
The crown prince get off the horse and went towards Xiao Feng. The red moon army know how close their princess and crown prince were and didn't disturb instead went a few steps back to give them privacy. The crown prince grabs her from the waist and takes her down. Shan Yuan clenched his fist. It's not he didn't trust Xiao Feng. He doesn't trust other men.
"I missed you" Xiao Feng hugged burying her head in his chest finally crying. She held her tears until now. She cried and cried and finally calm down.
"You're okay! Why didn't you come back? Why didn't you send a single letter back" Crown prince open one of his arms toward Liuyang, and the same servant from before came and put a cloak in his hand. Xiao Feng looks at him. It was the same servant a few years ago. The crown prince put the cloak on Xiao Feng and adjust it.
"You should wear more in the snow climate" He took her hand but Xiao Feng retreats her hand.
"Brother Zheng, you" Xiao Feng looks down and took a deep breath.
"Do you know the reason why I am suffering so much is you!" Xiao Feng took her fist up to punch him hard but stopped and clenched her fist more until the crown prince reached his hand and took her hand between his hands.
"You can hit me as you wish, I will explain everything to you"
"Then tell me, tell me so I can stop doubting everything"
"Xiao Feng, let's go to our tent we can talk about it"
"No! I want an explanation now"
"Please"
On the other hand prince, Jing was making a mess in his tent.
"He is alive. He is alive" Prince Jing threw the pot to the ground.
"Your highness, please calm down"
"How can I calm down? Finally, Xiao Feng accepted me and here he is again, Xiao Feng is with him now. If she decides to work with him, do you know if the statements are right? If it's the crown prince who unity the 8 kingdoms instead of me"
"It's just a statement, we don't know if it's right or not"
"But I want it to be true. I want to unite the 8 kingdoms and rule the whole world. If Xiao Feng decided to help him! It's over. It's all over"
"I already have a way"
Xiao Feng was sitting in the tent with the crown prince.
"It's true that I was missing but I didn't run away. I don't know what happened either but when I woke up, I was with a man. It's the crown prince of Wei. I didn't have any memories and Liuyang wasn't with me. A year ago, I finally got my memories back after meeting Liuyang in the city. When I was rescued, I was heavily bruised. I blank out when I argued with 5th brother. I was going to report his secrets to the father emperor. So, I thought I was planning a comeback for a long period. I met 3rd brother then and the Wei kingdom said they will help me to succeed to the throne. That's why I was hiding till now"
"You will succeed to the throne anyway, why do you have to do this? You don't know what I went through" Crown prince touched her hand caressing.
"I know. Soon we can together rule the country"
"Brother Zheng, no. The crown prince, my brother-in-law, the second prince succeeds the throne. My eldest sister is the empress. I don't want more"
"Xiao Feng, when I become the emperor, you will be my empress. I will give you everything you want. We can be like we were in the past
"No, we can't go back now. I don't want to be the empress. I just want to be happy. I didn't care about the world much but after you abandoned me, I understand how a man can change. How a man can put on an act? I underestimate people before but I am sorry. Brother Zheng. I don't find the same feeling I used to feel"
"Xiao Feng? I didn't abandon you. Please"
"But you must at least inform me after you got the memories, then I could hold on. I could have helped you. But now everything is over. I am already married" Xiao Feng stood up.
"I am not the same little girl who used to be naïve and carefree. I am a married woman who has the same responsibility as my family and same the country"
"Xiao Feng, you said your dream is my dream"
"I can't remember. Pardon me crown prince" Xiao Feng bowed a little and walk out of the tent. She was crying out of their camp. Red moon and Linlin were waiting outside of the camp for her.
In the tent, the crown prince was standing with his man beside him.
"What did she do after going back? And the red moon?"
"Red moon was just standing in front of camp looking straight at the main camp. Princess was crying all the way. She didn't talk to anyone on the way, she looks pale and the princess must be tired. She dismissed all the servants and ask no one to disturb her and start again to cry" The person said.
"Princess has never cried," Liuyang said.
"I guess it's right. She is hopeless because of Xiao's family. I will make it easy for her. Prepare for the next plan"
Prince Jing was in his tent with his man beside him. One guard knelt beside them.
"Did she say so?"
"Yes, your highness. Princess royal grand said that she doesn't like the crown prince anymore and she said your highness is her husband and the crown prince doesn't need to interfere with her family matters" A smirk appear on prince Jing.
It was night and Xiao Feng finally stopped crying. She didn't cry because she couldn't let go of the feelings. She has already let go of the feelings but she used to have very strong feelings, she loved this person and she couldn't accept the fact that she lost them. In the past, she couldn't imagine her future without him. Now in her future, there was no more that person. Though she blamed others in her heart she was blaming herself and hating herself for this large change in her.
Xiao Feng was sitting on the snow-filled ground looking at the sky. Northern auroras filled the sky. A jug of wine was in her hand.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Xiao Feng looks at him and nodded.
"I heard that crown prince and you" Shan Yuan hesitated. Xiao Feng also ignored what he said. Because she is confused about her feelings towards Shan Yuan. She doesn't have a little bit of feeling for prince Jing and after thinking for a whole evening she knows she no longer has feelings for the crown prince.
She and the crown prince had an unbreakable bond and later after he went missing and she met Shan Yuan. Though Shan Yuan and her spending time were limited she is closer to him.
"So, what happens? You can tell me if you want" Xiao Feng drank a sip of wine.
"I said it's over. No matter what explanation he had I can't give him forgiveness yet. After all, he was the closest person after my brother" Xiao Feng paused for a while and look down.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk. If you want to cry just cry. I have seen you in your every state" Xiao Feng looks at the sky drinking more wine. She was completely blushed and a little bit drunk. Shen Yuan didn't stop her because she needs to let her go.
"There's nothing but if you want to ask anything you can just ask me"
"So do you like a crown prince?"
"I don't think so"
"Then do you like prince Jing"
"Not even in my next life"
"Do you like me?"
"Of course, ye-"