Chapter 372 - On The Flipside

"What is the situation back home?" Prince Houyi asked as soon as his brother walked into what seemed to be the manor's reception hall. For his brother to have come chasing after him, trouble must be brewing.

"First tell me why you're torturing him?" Prince Yul responded, unflinchingly staring meeting his visibly furious brother's gaze.

"That is none of your business." Prince Houyi coldly responded.

"It is my business when I have been made to chase you across the border. Have you thought about the repercussions of all this?" Prince Yul scolded, starting to get worked up himself. His siblings were all going mad, "All this because of some girl who - Where is she? I'll kill her for you since you're having so much trouble with it." Prince Yul said as he took the seat across from his brother.

Prince Houyi ignored the last sentence and responded in the same cold tone, "That's what I'm trying to find out and no one's killing anyone." He warned, he knew his brother never liked the Chun siblings, especially Chun Hua. In Prince Yul's words, she was too desperate for his liking and was hiding something. Of course, Prince Houyi knew what she was hiding but he did not feel inclined to share the Chun siblings' history with anyone, not even with his brother. 

"They were gone by the time I arrived. I found Bao Zhun wandering about, I need the information and he has been proving stubborn. Time is short and wounds will heal." Prince Houyi offhandedly said. He did not like explaining himself to anyone but he had heard that his brother and Bao Zhun shared a friendship. 

Although he was not clear how deep that friendship ran, he was not going to fight with his brother over the idiot Bao Zhun so he made a bit of compromise, "Now what is the situation back home?" 

Prince Yul quietly assessed his brother for a bit before saying, "If they're gone, can't you just leave at that? They're your friends, right - Ah, you probably haven't been informed. The Long Emperor has pardoned them. Apparently, there was some misunderstanding." Prince Yul explained. 

But unexpectedly Prince Houyi's expression was not one of relief, "Misunderstanding?" Prince Houyi went with a frown. 

"Apparently some spies infiltrated Bao Zhun's men and stirred up trouble trying to incite war between our nations. I believe the blame is being thrown on the Long Emperor's brother for that."

"His brother?" Prince Houyi went again, apparently questions were the only reply he could give. 

Prince Yul scratched the back of his head, "Well... I'm not really clear on the situation but...His brother is accused of treason, currently imprisoned, Nalan's pregnant, grandfather has stormed over to Long country to drag her home, Father's trying to milk the situation. The main point is everyone's forgotten about you, so we can peacefully return home now." Prince Yul gave the great news with a smile.

Prince Houyi stared at his brother, seemingly in shock. After a few seconds, he finally blinked, "Nalan is - Nalan is pregnant?!" 

Seeing his brother's expression, Prince Yul quickly tried to rationalize things for him, "It's not that bad. He's still a prince, not married, no children - there's the whole treason bit but I'm sure there is some explanation for it. It can still work out, at any rate, I think everyone is overreacting a bit too much. She could have done way worse. Frankly, with her attitude, it's a miracle that a Pri-"

"How dare he?!" Prince Houyi suddenly pounded his fist on the wooden table next to him, denting it. 

"Okay, I think we're overreacting here too..." Prince Yul muttered under his breath, glancing off to the side. 

Prince Houyi was fuming. He knew that the Long Emperor only had one brother and that was Prince Yi. The same Prince Yi that Chun Hua had been trying to get him to work with, the same conniving fool who was desperate for his throne. It was obvious what his plan was with Nalan? 

{...I will kill him. How dare he use my sister as a pawn?!...}

{...Chun Hua...How dare you?! I regarded you as a confidante and you dared to scheme against my own?!... You have greatly underestimated me...}

Meanwhile, Prince Yul opened the jug on the table next to him and was disappointed to find that it was empty. He turned back to Prince Houyi, who was banging against the innocent table again. He sighed and stood up, "If you're going to Long country too, when you meet grandfather, do remember to tell him that I did find you as he wanted. I'm going home now, I'm taking Bao Zhun too -"

"Sit down." Prince Houyi menacingly ordered before he could take a step.

Prince Yul frowned, "As I just told you, you don't need to find them anymore. I can't leave him here... He still needs to explain himself before father." He added, for extra pressure. Prince Houyi sent him a death glare and he quietly lowered himself back to his seat. 

Prince Houyi was silent for a long time. When he finally spoke, it seemed he had reigned in most of his anger. "You said grandfather went to Long country?" He solemnly asked.

"En. He rushed over as soon as he heard the news." 

"And Rui?" 

"Still in Long country, I think...I haven't heard any news about him." Prince Yul admitted, he usually did not care to know about Prince Rui's matters. 

Prince Houyi's eyes slightly narrowed in thought for another long while. One could tell from his eyes that he was calculating his next move, "And the Zou Lords, what is their reaction?"

Prince Yul sighed, "As I said, Father is trying to milk the situation. Obviously, it did not go as he wanted since she got a Prince rather than an Emperor. They are saying that Nalan was defiled and stirring up calls of war - but you and I both know Nalan always does as she likes, she is not one to be bullied or forced into anything, especially not this."

Prince Houyi silently nodded in agreement and Prince Yul continued, relieved that at least one other person was thinking straight, "From what I hear, they are either discontent and angry. The ones who want war are still angry over our last surrender - they are blaming father for his weakness and now, grandfather for his impulsiveness. He should not have rushed to Long country like that." Prince Yul said with a sigh.

"On the other hand, there are others who want nothing to do with the situation who are discontent about being forced to fight in a war for...nothing." Prince Yul finished, making the executive decision to keep the insulting words that had been used to describe Nalan out of the narrative. 

"Good enough. We'll leave tomorrow." Prince Houyi calmly announced, rising to his feet to leave. 

"Leaving to where?" Prince Yul asked for clarification, falling into step with his brother.

"Home. We can't waste this opportunity." Prince Houyi dismissively answered. He stopped in front of his men on guard and ordered, "Prepare to move out in the morning." He was not yet certain where exactly he was heading first or how this would all unfold, but he needed to return to Zou to be able to do anything now. 

After passing along his orders, Prince Houyi then moved in the direction of the makeshift prison to Bao Zhun and his father, only to be stopped by his brother grabbing his arm, "What do you mean not wasting this opportunity?" Prince Yul asked with a frown. 

"Grandfather's away, tension is high and everyone is distracted. It's the perfect time to act." Prince Houyi calmly explained, "There may not be another chance like this. I am tired of walking on eggshells, aren't you?"

Prince Yul's frown deepened as his brother's meaning sank in. Still, he neither responded nor released his hold. 

Prince Houyi sighed and slightly smiled, "Don't worry, I won't kill him. He will be more useful to us alive. Moreover, I think he will be much more willing to cooperate with his father here. You did well to bring him. You've had a long journey, you should go rest." He added, with a reassuring pat, brushing off the hand holding him back and signaling to one of his men to escort his brother away.  slapping his brother's arm and brushing his hand off and walking on, leaving his brother rooted to the spot. 

"Your highness, this way please." The man courteously said to Prince Yul, who seemed to be rooted to the spot staring after his brother. Despite knowing of Prince Houyi's ultimate plans, Prince Yul never committed to the "cause", Prince Houyi never demanded that of him - all that was asked of him, just like now, was not to get in the way.

It had always been like that between them, this was the way Prince Houyi wanted it. It was his responsibility to protect his siblings so while he did all the dirty work, their hands stayed clean. This way if anything went wrong and the plan failed, they would at least be safe. As for Prince Yi and the Chun siblings, he would deal with them in due time.

Although he was angry about Nalan's condition, this condition has provided him with quite the opportunity. The Lords were dissatisfied with his grandfather, plus his grandfather was absent and his stupid father was greedily distracted instead of taking advantage of this absence. He would ordinarily be grateful to Prince Yi for providing such a unique opportunity, if not for the strong urge to disembowel him. 

It did not take long before pained cries emanated from the makeshift torture chamber, shocking Prince Yul out of his stupor. He could hear Bao Zhun cursing, his father apologizing, and his brother "negotiating". Prince Yul hesitated for a few more moments, before he finally clenched his fists, turned, and walked away from the room... distancing himself from whatever horror was unfolding.