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The royal hall was silent as the Emperor appraised each of his sons who had come to dine with him for their late night meal. He was aghast at how each of them had change so much over these last few years. It had been more than ten years since all of his children had all been in the same room together for a meal.

"Father, did you know that I have blessed you with a pair of twin granddaughters." Ning Yu raised his wine glass and emptied it.

Ning Ren had worn a dark green garment that was of a rougher quality than his brothers. He had avoided touching any of the food. He was just drinking and avoiding eye contact with everyone.

Ning Zhuo voice cut across the room, "I saved father from a military disaster so through my brilliance, I was garnered the crown. I'm sorry that not all of you could attend the important celebration honoring my coronation as crown prince."

Ning Qi snorted into his wine glass.

Emperor Tong shot him a look, "Is there something that you wish to say on this matter, Ning Qi? I see you must have gotten so emotional that food did not go down properly."

Ning Qi gave a look of alarm as he looked at his father who was gazing at him in expectation. "I--I-I think that the coronation is much deserved as older brother is the most devoted and prestigious out of all of us. He would always win at arrows and swordplay when we would play as children. I did pay respect to you at the ceremony where you received the crown because I thought so--"

Ning Ren rolled his eyes, "I sent brother a fine sword from Yan to commemorate the occasion because he is such a model to the nation of what is filial duty." He had a coughing fit after he said this.

"Are you sick, Ning Ren?" Emperor Tong said suddenly.

"No father, I am just readjusting to the cleaner Caiwong environment as my body is expelling the pollution I obtained from being in Jungpi for so long."

"How strange. Maybe it would do you well to return to Jungpi." The crown prince sneered in between sips of wine. He laughed raucously until Emperor Tong shot him a look. "Ahem, excuse my manner as I am just trying to ease up Ning Ren who does not seem to wish the festivities. Laughter is the spice of life, dear brother."

Emperor Tong sighed and turned to his other son who was timid and shy in the brilliance of his brothers.

"Today is the anniversary of his mother dying," Ning Qi spoke up, "He is perfectly supposed to look like a miserable child. It is his misery."

"Ning Qi, we do not speak of these things during happy times."

"I'm sorry father, Ning Yu is unaware of these things being the youngest so I wished to enlighten him."

Ning Yu offered a toast, "I thank the thoughtfulness of elder brother and I apologize for his insensitivity in offering offense to brother Ning Ren."

Ning Ren waved off the apologies, he was too drunk to really care anymore.

"Let us change the subject to a more pleasant topic. All of you failed in your missions."

"If you had allowed us to continue, I'm sure we would have had more success." Ning Ren said darkly.

"Jungpi has changed it's line of succession to favor the true born daughter, Princess Yan Ming. Her marriage contract is that if she marry a prince, he must forfeit all rights to the thrones of adjoining lands. It was not suitable for any of you. As the plans are connected I did not want to disrupt our border unnecessarily. Also there is a new princess of whom we have little news."

There were murmurs in the room.

Ning Ren's tone was serious. "The new princess is not yet of marriageable age. Why is it a concern that the house has adopted a child? I've seen the scrawny thing with her shaved head, sucking--she's some street rat they found desperate enough to do anything for food and a home. The queen brings her every day to court like some prized dog to sit on her lap, like she's some goddess of maternal grace. There's some prophecy they want to fulfill with two daughters."

Emperor Tong raised his eyebrows. "The people revere them. Did you not learn anything from all the scholars I had waste their time with you?"

Ning Zhuo butted in, "Father, father, please calm down . . . Ning Ren is too young to have these types of conversations. Let us speak in private, I have spies who can inform you better if you want information on Princess Yan Sha."

Ning Ren stumbled out of the hall drunkenly as they continued their discussion. He put a hand out to steady himself and told a eunuch to tell his father he had gone out due to stomach pains.