Chapter 27 - I Am The King's Wife

The brunette groaned as the sunlight hit his face. Eyes heavy with lack of sleep, he felt his butt hurting and winced as he sat up. He liked spicy food, but not like that!

'Ugh,' he rubbed his eyes and stood up slowly, 'Time to go before the Ghost King tries to kill me.'

Grabbing his green tunic, he threw it on and tightened it with loud yawns.

"Ah Mo," a voice spoke up and he turned to the door to see a head of platinum blonde and green eyes.

"Ah, brother," he smiled, "If it weren't for you, I'm sure I'd die."

"That is true," a grin spread across the young face, "I wanted to ask you something before you leave."

"Hm? What is it?" The brunette looked at him curiously.

"You've known Sheng Shui all his life, right?" The blonde asked and Zhang Han Mo frowned.

"Why do you talk about yourself like it isn't you?" His golden eyes stared intently into emerald ones.

"Just answer the questions," his brother pleaded.

"Yes. We grew up as brothers, had the same master," the brunette stated crossing his arms, "but Sheng Shui had a different purpose than big brother and I did."

"What purpose?" Ying Yue pinched his brows.

"He was chosen to be Heaven's Conduit," he watched the blonde closely, "Chosen to manipulate the Ghost King and if needed," he dropped his voice lowly, "… to kill him."

He saw the blood drain from his brother's face, the shaking of his body, and the quiver of his lips. His golden eyes watched the pursing of those lips and the shake of light blonde hair. He saw those shaky hands fisted and sharp green eyes turned to him.

"I will never," Ying Yue stated softly, "I couldn't."

"It is Heaven's task set upon him to complete," the brunette sighed and eyed his brother, "Since you returned, does that not mean you will finish your job?"

"No!" The blonde said sternly, "Your brother left Wang Li," his voice softened, "... because of what he was tasked with. He loves him and couldn't kill him. That's why he left and…" he shook his head again looking away, "I am not him."

Han Mo felt his eyes widened feeling a sense of nostalgia hit him.

He remembered his brother crying for so many days when he left the Ghost King. He remembered the faraway look on those eyes. He remembered how broken the blonde was.

"I love him," his brother had said, "How can I stay when I know? How can Heaven punish us like this?"

Golden eyes stared at the blonde and reached for his shoulder.

"Who are you?" He searched those green eyes.

"I am the king's wife," a smile, just like his brother's, "I am Ying Yue."

'Ying Yue!' His mind shouted at him, and it sounded just like his eldest brother, 'It can't be… how?'

"You've returned," he whispered and the blonde tilted his head confused, "What do you remember?"

"Huh? I don't know what you mean," a frown graced his lips, "but your brother seems to like making me relive his memories."

The brunette grabbed the blonde's wrist and felt the flow of his brother's energy. He found himself laughing as he pulled the blonde into a hug. This was the best news they had heard in centuries! He had to tell his brother!

"Where is the Ghost King?" He questioned pulling back.

"He needed to leave for a moment," green eyes looked at him, "Why are you so happy?"

"Ah Yue," Han Mo placed his hands on the blonde's shoulder, "Those dreams are Sheng Shui's but they are also yours."

Ying Yue just stared at the brunette incredulously.

"I need to leave now," Han Mo continued, "When I return, brother, we shall leave together. We had been waiting for a long time."

Ying Yue found his mouth opening and closing at such a strange event. The brunette had taken off and he was here, in the room even more confused than when he entered.

"What a weirdo!" He shook his head, "He made no sense! No wonder Sheng Shui was such a shameless person." He sat on the bed and thought about what the brunette told him.

"How are those dreams mine too?" He leaned forward and placed his temple against a fist, "I definitely have not gone… all the way with Wang Li," he flushed remembering his dream last night, "Or have we ever had a fight like…" he found himself sad remembering the look on the Ghost King's face in the dream – cold, distant, blank.

"Eh, I am getting a headache," he sighed and stood up, "Why must everything be so complicated."

"Sir Yue."

He glanced at the door to see purple eyes looking around the room, before settling onto him again. He blinked innocently at the silver haired boy, before a thought settled in his mind. Eyes widening, he quickly shook his head and walked forward.

"Ah Shen. This is not what it looked like! I… I just wanted to ask Ah Mo a question. That is all! Nothing happened."

Purple eyes blinked at him and nodded.

"I see."

"…"

"You are brothers. I would not have assumed what you think."

Ying Yue deflated inwardly. He was Sheng Shui who was brother to Han Mo and another. He wanted to smack his head for forgetting that detail because now he looked even worse. Shaking it off, he offered a smile to the young man.

"What are you doing here, Ah Shen?"

"Sending him off with a meal," Shen responded holding the meal container.

"Oh."

The blonde felt bad for rushing the brunette off.

"I am sure he would have been happy, Ah Shen."

He saw the man nod and was about to leave, but Ying Yue was a curious cat.

"May I… ask a question, Ah Shen?"

"You may ask any questions, Sir Yue."

The blonde smiled and he led the cook to his favorite place. They sat under the plum tree where blossoms were slowly littering the grounds. He saw the relax of shoulders and softening of the boy's face.

"Have you been to this area?" Ying Yue questioned and the silver haired male nodded.

"My king comes here often to gather his thoughts. Somedays he would play chess, other times to rest, but many days he would sit alone quietly."

"Do you join him?"

"Only when he asks."

"Has he?"

"Yes."

Ying Yue waited for the man to expand his comment, but nothing else came. The boy looked to be lost in thought and the blonde tilted his head, wondering what was going through his mind. He had burn scars along the right cheek and jawline. The young man's fingers were calloused and the skin on the thin skin had memories of burns.

He smiled and placed a hand on the cook's shoulder.

"Tell me, Ah Shen, how did you meet Wang Li?"