Shui Lian waited in his room as he heard the other girls talk about Kana, the new princess. She had beautiful wavy black hair, they said, so long it reached her knees. She had such large eyes, lashes so long and thick she looked like a doll. Her eyes were deep set and were so different from theirs.

Yet they also said the wedding had been pulled off in a rush and Kai Yin had no knowledge of it.

"Lies!" Shui Lian complained to Ai and Miao, both listening to Shui Lian's drunken sobs. Shui Lian never really got drunk so the two were careful around him.

"Let's talk about something happier," Ai said, feigning a laugh, "maybe you will be better off without him anyways, you always called him dumb—"

"I love him!" Shui Lian continued his sobs. "I love him even now."

"Well, Kai Yin likes men, he won't be able to perform with a woman," Miao murmured, careful to not be heard.

"Guards have increased here and most likely around Kai Yin. He can perform with women, he told me how he lost her virginity," Shui Lian remembered.

"Can't you be taken as a consort?" Ai asked.

"The Cruel Prince doesn't even take a consort. Or concubine. Only the third floor girls who haven't been visited in months."

"He visits sometimes, like twice to Bai He and once to Feng Hua. I'd say thrice a month." Miao was accurate because sometimes Prince Jin Long would scroll the halls in search of something new, and Miao hated him.

"Kai Yin won't come. He's a faithful man, and husband. Maybe he never even saw me romantically," Shui Lian cried.

"Then forget about him!" Miao sighed.

"I can't."

"He's faithful though, you said it yourself," Ai said.

"Then where is he?"

Unbeknownst to Shui Lian and the inhabitants of Peony Palace, hell was being raised in the inner court.

Kana followed Kai Yin around, which annoyed him, especially because she was so small she would lose track of him with her tiny steps. Kai Yin wasn't fond of ditching her in the labyrinthine court and would slow down for her, but she knew her place and never so much spoke or raised her hand to be escorted.

Kai Yin had rushed to where Jin Long was and then finally turned to Kana.

"I will speak to my brother alone, Kana. Farewell."

He paused, seeing her child-like face show no sign of happiness nor sorrow. She nodded.

"Yes, Prince Kai Yin."

"Where's your servant?" Kai Yin asked, wishing she could leave.

"I can return to my bedchamber. Thank you for worrying for me, Prince Kai Yin." Kana dipped her head and left to leave.

It made Kai Yin feel guilty for a moment, but then he remembered his purpose and was angry instead. He had been angry for the three nights his brother would drink to his wedding and Kai Yin would sit in silence with Ka Na, her clothes taken off and yet she slept alone.

Kai Yin felt not disgust, but unable to be sexually aroused by Kana's young body. She was nearly two heads shorter than him and sometimes he felt as though she was more like a younger sister, not that he had one.
Back at the door, Kai Yin knocked on the door before walking in.

Jin Long was at a desk, seemingly reading a book, but Kai Yin felt as though his brother had expected this confrontation.

"Congratulations on your wedding, Kai Yin," Jin Long said. "Where is your lovely bride?"

"You touched Shui Lian, didn't you?" Kai Yin ran towards Jin Long but his brother's guard moved. Jin Long held up a hand to stop his bodyguard.

"Stay calm now, you know he was quite interesting. I had thought you would liked a more, well, traditional sort of love. A kind and nice girl, like Princess Kana." Jin Long smirked.

"You weren't satisfied enough by the fact I won a battle for you?" Kai Yin asked.

"I had orchestrated the camps and formation, it is rightfully my battle," Jin long replied casually.

"You're wrong. I went to talk with the villages elders. I convinced them by telling them we would include them as Jia Kingdom and they would be safe from other future attacks," Kai Yin said. "I used no weapon but speech."

"And you're a fool! You would've gotten killed if luck wasn't on your side," Jin Long laughed.

"What did you do to Shui Lian!" Kai Yin shook as he yelled.

Jin Long would not look up. Kai Yin walked towards his desk, stopping himself from grabbing his collar.

"I will not repeat myself!"

Jin Long stood up and closed his book.

"That boy insulted me. I made sure he knew you'd be married off, how kind was I?" Jin Long looked at Kai Yin. "He deserves to know he'll be forgotten, it will hurt less that way."

"Shui Lian isn't Ming Yu!"

Kai Yin's words made Jin Long's eyes grow wide.

"Leave!"

"I'm not finished with you—"

"Leave or my guard will escort you out!"

"You forced father to marry me off, didn't you?" Kai Yin yelled.

"He was always going to marry us off, you're not the only victim!" Jin Long scoffed, pupils dilated as though he would fight Kai Yin right there and then.

During childhood, they always had fights with wooden swords and Kai Yin never said it, but he grew strong under the bullying of his eldest brother. His brother was the Empess's first son and coddled. Despite being sickly, people still respected him. He would even ask for Kai Yin, a brother from a mother with mediocre status, as a sparring partner.

It used to be a big fuss, eunuchs, the guards, and even the Emperor's bored consorts watched. 

In his mind Kai Yin recognized that face. That face ready to kill, surging hatred for his own life into Kai Yin.

After breaking eye contact, Kai Yin left, unable to say anything back.

After all, would it hurt Shui Lian any less?

Kai Yin rushed to be alone in his room and breathed in and out heavily, feeling blood rush to his head in fear and anger. He knew he had to see Shui Lian soon, and decided tonight was a night as well any night night.

At that same time, the Emperor met with a man.

The young man walked forth and bowed down low. Only one advisor stayed in the room, and four guards guarded the tea room for the Emperor. There was a poison tester for the tea, but he was sent away afterwards.

"Dianxia," Wei Jiang called him formally as he knelt down on one knee and hands in front of his. "Ask anything of me."

Wei Jiang was loyal to his master but before the the Emperor he felt small and knew he'd have to betray Kai Yin if he had to.

"So, which girl caught my fifth son's eye from Peony Palace?"

"I'm not familiar, but I can find out if you wish, Your Majesty."

The lie Wei Jiang said caused goosebumps to form on his flesh. One wrong move and both Kai Yin and him would be in troubled. Not to mention Shui Lian.

"I heard a rumor, and maybe it's a rumor, but he has been with that boy in Peony Palace, hasn't he?" The Emperor was blunt.

"Yes. They seem to be friends, and Prince Kai Yin visits women, too. I will find the person Prince Kai Yin is seeing, Your Majesty!"

"Ahh, General Wei Jiang," the Emperor said, raising this thick brows in relaxation, "you do anything I ask for and have been watching over my son and he's finally conquered land and gotten married. I wonder what you want."

"No, to be of service is my only wish. Prince Kai Yin's happiness is my happiness—"

"Really?" The Emperor challenged, a strange smile.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"You sure? Not to free a courtesan? Maybe even marry one? Of course, I have other choices, if it's a palace servant-girl. It's good time for you to marry and have an heir before you go off to battles. Hard work tires the soul, you need your own happiness..."

Wei Jiang listened, body trembling from the implication.

"Tell me who my fifth so is visiting. If she's of good birth she can be a consort, if not, she'll be a concubine. I don't like the idea of generals playing with my sons' women. You'll have a wedding soon, too."

"Is another war coming up, Your Majesty?" Wei Jiang shouted, surprising himself. He lowered his voice. "Pardon my rudeness!"

"I'm not here to scold you," the Emperor brushed aside, "how is my son's marital relationship?"

"Both Princess Kana and Prince Kai Yin are doing fine, Your Majesty," he sputtered.

"Has he and the short foreign princess made love yet?"

Wei Jiang knew he had to lie, but the hesitation was the only answer the Emperor needed.

"He is still young. Make sure you guide my son to the right path. Imagine being a sodomite!" He laughed to the air, as though imagining it. "They are ugly rumors spread by my enemies. I will not let him painted as be one under any circumstances. Separate the two."

"I'll guide him to the best of my ability, Your Majesty!" Wei Jiang declared, feeling a bit feverish and wanting to end the talk.

"Well, if you really want to guide him, tell the foreign princess to force him to sleep with him and he shall be fixed."

Wei Jiang lowered his face so the Emperor wouldn't see his scrunched up frown.

"Maybe it's the age of the princess, Prince Kai Yin prefers well-endowed woman," Wei Jiang added.

A powerless general, Wei Jiang's only revenge was this lie. It was so crude the Emperor didn't think twice before bellowing a laugh.

"Just like me. I used to like the taste of three or four woman a night. Invite him there and have some girls out to perform a dance and arouse him. He can bring any girl to his bedchamber. A foreign wife can't do naught."

"Understood, Your Majesty." Wei Jiang raised his head and the Emperor gestured for him to stand up.

"Go on. Don't let my son be heirless. But what a surprise." More laughter. "My son isn't a sodomite after all."