"I can take it from here. You are all dismissed." the female voice said.
Without any more seconds to spare, the woman came into view along with Prince Miyojin. It was the Second Princess Consort! She was holding the drunk-looking prince on his waist. While the prince was holding her over her shoulder. Lijuan felt green seeing the closeness of the two.
Upon coming into the bedroom, Xia Yu noticed the presence of Lady Mo.
"Oh good! You're here. Come and help me." Xia Yu instructed.
Lijuan couldn't do anything but comply.
She went to the princess and grabbed the prince from his vacant side. Together, the two women carried the prince to his bed and laid him there.
"Oh heavens! That took longer than I thought." Xia Yu complained after Miyojin was comfortably laid.
"Your Highness, may I ask what happened to His Highness?" Lijuan asked both in concern and fear.
"I honestly don't know. I only met him on my way back here. He did mention he drank to get something off his mind. But, he was too drowsy to answer my other questions."
Lijuan stopped herself from sighing with relief. She initially thought Miyojin had gone out drinking with the princess. It's good to know that wasn't the case.
"I see. Thank you for bringing His Highness back." Lijuan thanked the princess with a bow.
"It's no problem. Anyway, I'm very exhausted now. Please take care of His Highness. Make sure he's comfortable in his sleep. I'll have someone bring some hangover medicine tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Your Highness,"
"Well, I'll be off to my quarters now. Good night, Lady Mo."
"Have a good night's rest, Your Highness."
Lijuan kept her head low as Xia Yu left. When she heard the sound of a closing door, she let out a loud sigh.
Finally, she left!
Though Lijuan knew that Xia Yu wasn't a threat, she couldn't help but feel threatened. Xia Yu is everything she isn't. They are both beautiful but Lijuan knew she couldn't compare to Her Highness.
Lijuan's internal turmoil was interrupted by a groaning prince. She immediately went to him and began tending to him. She began helping him change into his nightwear. She was doing just that when suddenly, she found herself pressed against him. He grabbed her and was now holding her tight.
"Why are you undressing me? When did you get so naughty?" the prince murmured in her ears.
"I need to help you change into your nightwear," Lijuan replied, enjoying the prince's embrace.
"I can just sleep naked if you don't mind. Do you mind if I do?" Miyojin said with a naughty grin.
Despite getting flustered, Lijuan was in the seventh heaven. This was the intimacy she was craving for recently.
"Of course not," Lijuan said the words like a cat's purr. She even seductively began stroking his bare chest.
But to her surprise, the prince began laughing almost hysterically. She suddenly moves away from the prince. Puzzlement was etched on her face as she looked at him. Soon, Miyojin recovered from his laughing fit.
"You have been ignoring me lately. You are always around my brother. But now, you are being this naughty. What has gotten into you, Xia Yu?"
Upon realizing what Miyojin said, Lijuan felt a stabbing pain in her chest. He thought he was still with Xia Yu. The pain was so real for her that a tear started falling from her eye.
A few hours earlier.....
Jinyi had just finished his studies on the basics of Politics. He got up from his study table stretching his arms. He was about to prepare for bed when...
"Jinyi!"
Before the Third Prince could even reply, the Second Prince had already let himself in. He had a bottle of wine in his hand and he looked like he had already started drinking.
"Second Brother? W-what is going on?"
"I realize it doesn't work when you drink alone."
This reply from Miyojin only earned an eyebrow raise from Jinyi.
"What do you mean? What doesn't work?"
"Forgetting my worries. It doesn't work when you're drinking alone. So, join me."
The way Miyojin said it seems like he won't be taking any objections. Jinyi knew that his brother only drank when he was troubled. So, his drunken state could have a serious root. And since he was also curious, he accepted his brother's invitation to drink.
Together, they began taking shots. When Miyojin was drinking his third cup, Jinyi began his queries.
"So what's troubling you these days?" He said as he took another small sip from his first cup.
"Everything!"
Miyojin replied so fast it almost startled the other prince.
"That was so vague. Maybe you can tell me a little more details. I might be able to help you."
Miyojin scoffed upon hearing the word "help".
"How will you be able to help me if I don't have a problem?"
"I thought something was troubling you. You just said everything is troubling."
"Yes, it is troubling but it's not a problem."
At this point, Jinyi was thinking about whether his brother had already passed the point of talking with sense. But, he shouldn't give up that easily.
"So what's your troubling situation that isn't a problem?"
"Everything!"
Jinyi was inches away from throwing his cup at his older brother. He made one last attempt to get his brother talking. If this doesn't work, he is going to call his eunuchs to send him back.
"Is it about your role in the Imperial Council?"
"No..."
Finally! He's making sense.
"Is it about becoming a father soon?"
Miyojin lifted his head and eyed Jinyi. The younger prince thought he hit the mark.
"Oh? You're right. Why am I not worried about that? I should start to worry about that too."
WHA???
"So, that is not what you are worrying about. Perhaps, it's about Lady Mo."
"I wish she was the one I had been thinking about lately. It used to be her that occupies my mind."
So, that's a no. What could he be worrying about?
Then, a thought came to his mind.
"Is it about Second Sister-in-law?" Jinyi asked with a tone of hesitation.
"Yes!!! You finally guessed it right!" Miyojin exclaimed while clapping his hands.
Everything about this bothered Jinyi. First, the Second Prince is indeed very drunk. Second, of all the things he should worry about, why is it his wife? Princess Xia Yu hadn't caused any trouble so far. To be exact, it was she who helped his brother out of trouble.
"Why? What about Second Sister-in-law?"
Miyojin gave Jinyi an annoyed glare.
"Have you gone blind? Didn't you see that she's always around Zhujin?"
Jinyi did notice. But, he couldn't see why Miyojin was worried. According to their older brother, the princess had been a lot of help regarding planning for the country's economic development. They aren't just friends. They're like real brother-and-sister towards each other.
"Second Brother, I don't see why that is something troubling."
"Of course, it's troubling! I'm her husband and yet she spends all of her time with him. She used to spend every morning with me. But ever since Lijuan came, she passed all her wife obligations to her. Now, she treats me like I'm just a ghost!"
Oh? So this is the troubling thing he wishes to forget for a moment.
Jinyi started chuckling.
"Why are you laughing? Do you enjoy seeing your brother suffer?" Miyojin said, looking almost offended.
"I couldn't help it. I thought it was something worrisome. It turns out you're just jealous."
"Jealous? I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous?"
"Well... now that I'm thinking about it. You do look displeased whenever you see First Brother and Second Sister-in-law together."
"But I'm not jealous!"
"Oh, really? Didn't you just say that your wife no longer spends time with you? Then, I'm guessing you're missing her."
"Who's missing her? I'm not missing anyone."
"You know? Your worries are just simple. Just tell Second Sister-in-law to spend more time with you."
"Why would I do that? I'm not missing her. Who says I want to spend time with her?"
Jinyi sighed in disappointment.
"This is pointless. You're right. I can't help you if you're in denial of your worries."
Miyojin looked like he wanted to reply. But Jinyi spoke first.
"Let's just continue drinking."
Miyojin's words failed to materialize as Jinyi poured another cup of wine. Together, they continued drinking but switched to lighter and barely sensible topics.
"And that is all I need to report." the Minister of Foreign Affairs said. He bowed to the emperor and went back to his seat.
Currently, the Imperial Council is at the Palace Court discussing matters of the empire. Apart from the emperor and his ministers, all of the princes were present. The meeting was about to be adjourned when a minister came forward.
"Your Majesty, there is news I need to deliver." The Minister of Sea Affairs declared.
"What is it about, Minister Ruan?"
"It is a message from the Yumin Islands."
"Ah! The islands of the fishermen. Tell me more of this."
"Yes, Your Majesty. The fishermen from Yumin had an abundant fish harvest this year. It is twice as many as what they had harvested in the last three years. They wish to celebrate this abundant harvest. Thus, they sent an invitation to His Majesty to attend their festival."
Upon hearing the news, the court erupted in whispers. The Yumin Islands are a group of islands found on the Xieye Sea. The said sea is located east of the Great Yong Empire. The islands are a haven for fishermen. That is because the islands are rich in sea resources.
Though Yumin is a part of the empire, the Imperial Council and the citizens rarely interact. Usually, only the merchants visit the islands to do business. Most of the Yumin citizens had only reached the east coast of the empire.
"This is such a rare event."
"Ah, yes! There has been a lot of fish supply recently."
"It is true. The price of fish from them had dropped a quarter compared to last year."
"Indeed, the fish markets now have an abundant supply of seafood. They even had a lot of the rarest fishes."
Amid the whispers, the emperor's voice was loud and clear.
"That is some splendid news. Where and when will the festival take place?" the emperor said in a slight tone of excitement. He himself had not even seen the islands but had heard some stories.
However, the smile of Minister Ruan disappeared.
"That, Your Majesty, is the unusual part."
"Unusual? How?"
"The festival will take place on another island, not in Yumin. According to them, they discovered this island which is rich in marine resources. They plan to open this island to the rest of the empire during the festival."
"Ah... they even found an island. Where is this island?"
"That is the problem, Your Majesty. I had asked our marine patrols. None of them knew where that island was. The message only stated that the island is found southwest of Yumin. I had asked our soldiers to scout the island. But the festival is more than a week away. I believed the festival would have ended before they could find it."
"Minister Ruan is right, Your Majesty. This is indeed a problem. Your Majesty cannot go to a place our soldiers have not even set their feet on." The Minister of Defense interjected.
"But Minister Yun, this is the Yumin Islands. I believe His Majesty's decline to attend will dishearten them. It took decades for them to accept that they are a part of our nation. We can't let this be disrupted by a mere rejection of their invitation." the Minister of Public Relations expressed his point.
Soon the court began a fierce discussion about whether the emperor should go or not. Opinions were thrown left and right. Only the princes did not join the conversation.
"Enough!" the emperor commanded silencing the court.
"I understand your concerns. This is why it is decided that instead of me, a royal representative will be attending." the emperor announced.
"But Your Majesty, the problem of the festival's location is still unsolved. We can't send a member of the Imperial family wandering in search of that island." Minister Yun reminded.
The court was quiet for a bit. But it didn't last long. Prince Zhujin rose from his seat, attracting everyone's attention.
"Father, if I may, I would like to offer a suggestion regarding the matter." Zhujin requested cordially.
"You may speak your mind." the emperor granted.
"Father, I know someone who can help us locate this island. This person knows the Xieye sea very well"
"That is great news! Who is this person?" the emperor asked.
With a smile on his face, Prince Zhujin answered.
"It is the Second Princess Consort, Princess Xia Yu."