Wolf King And His Fox Consort

Chu Yun was stunned silent for a long time. Beside him, Xiao Zai too was speechless.

Lieba Chun, Wise Prince of the Xiongnu wanted to marry Chu Hean?

His mind kept getting snagged on the the improbability of it all, and he couldn't form coherent thoughts past it.

He would have never thought that the reason for the Xiongnu's presence at the Zui borders was related to a marriage alliance. No matter how much he wracked his brain, he had no memory of anything like that happening before.

Even back when the three kingdoms were only Zhou, there were never any marriage alliances between them and the Xiongnu. They were either at war or actively ignoring each other.

Not even the best strategist could predict the uncertainty of fate.

Although, Chu Yun suspected that his brother must have done something to lead events to their current predicament.

Finally, Chu Yun couldn't stay silent anymore, Lieba Chun's roguish smile was on the verge of slipping, and Xiao Zai looked like he wanted to become one with the throne and disappear from sight of the entire court.

"The Wise Prince, means my brother Chu Hean?" Chu Yun asked, his voice coming out croaky and uncertain.

Lieba Chun spread his arms around to encompass the throne room. "Does his Royal Highness have another?"

That merited the raucous laughter of the Xiongnu with him, even though Chu Yun thought it really wasn't that funny. He cleared his throat pointedly. "And where is Chu Hean? I assume the Wise Prince has talked with him about this?"

Lieba Chun whistled, and the crowd behind him parted to admit a man and woman walking beside a young man about a head shorter than them.

Chu Yun's eyes widened. Hua Nanyi hadn't made it up -- Chu Hean was indeed wearing the clothing of the Xiongnu. His legs were wrapped in fur, tied tightly around his calves with bright red wraps, in a similar pattern to the ones that tightened the sleeves of his shirt around his forearms. His hair was gathered high on top of his head, braids from his temples joining the high pony tail, many decorated with the same type of beads Lieba Chun himself wore.

His eyes widened too when he caught sight of Chu Yun's pregnant stomach. His mouth fell open in obvious shock, and then promptly slammed closed with a loud click.

Chu Yun was grateful that he hadn't made any comment on it at least. Although it was obvious from his expression that he was burning with a mixture of shock and curiosity.

"Brother, you seem well," Chu Yun said, smiling at Chu Hean despite everything that had happened between them, and apparently, to them, since the last time they saw each other.

"His Royal Highness looks well too," he said, his expression inscrutable, and just because he couldn't resist, he added, "how far along now?"

It was an extremely inopportune thing to ask of him in the middle of so many people, especially a contingent of foreign people, but Chu Yun just smiled and rested a hand over his swollen middle. "Some eighteen weeks now."

Chu Hean just nodded, his face still unreadable.

Lieba Chun noticed there was something happening between the two of them but unable to say what cupped his fists in front of his chest in a salute. "Congratulations to his Majesty and his Royal Highness, may their child be born healthy and strong."

Xiao Zai thanked him, although from the corner of his eye Chu Yun could tell he still looked very out of it by everything that was happening. "So, the Wise Prince came all this way to ask for Chu Yun's permission to marry Chu Hean," he rubbed the bridge of his nose momentarily, "I apologise for the question, but why not go to his parents? Is it Xiongnu custom to ask the brother instead?"

He made a fair point. There was no reason why Chu Yun would have a say over his parents, even though he was King Consort of Zui -- they were still the higher authority in matters concerning Chu Hean as their unmarried child.

Lieba Chun chanced a look towards Chu Hean, charged with tension. "I was under the impression they were...unavailable."

While he was being diplomatic, Chu Yun could read between the lines. Chu Hean had most likely lied to him and told him his parents were dead. Lieba Chun really didn't know anything about Chu Hean -- however he came to be interested in marrying him, it clearly wasn't related to his position as nephew of the King of Xin, because the Wise Prince clearly had no insight about Xin's internal situation.

"Ah, yes, I see why the Wise Prince would think so," Chu Yun said, in an attempt to clear the air and avoid making the Wise Prince feel awkward. 

He would kill Chu Hean if he had brought a diplomatic crisis to his doorstep with whatever was happening here. He exchanged a look with Xiao Zai, and then smiled at Lieba Chun. "Perhaps it is better for us to proceed with the feast and discuss the Wise Prince's proposal while we eat?"

To his credit, Lieba Chun wasn't inclined to make a scene, he bowed respectfully and said, "I'm happy to do as his Royal Highness thinks best."

Despite his roguish smile and rakish good looks, Lieba Chun didn't seem to have any second intentions beyond the motives he stated. The man seemed genuinely interested in marrying Chu Hean, for whatever reason.

Chu Yun's gaze drifted to the sullen Chu Hean standing a few steps behind Lieba Chun -- it remained to be seen if the Wise Prince knew just how much he was risking by even suggesting the idea.

--- 

Xiao Zai and Chu Yun descended from the dais and adjoined to another hall, where tables had been laid out on each side of the room so that the people sitting behind them could admire the entertainment happening between them, as well as talk with each other from across the distance.

The two of them sat a table together, with Chu Hean and Lieba Chun sitting on the table right next to theirs.

Food and drink was brought out by servants at the same time performances and musicians filed in to entertain everyone. There was little talk during the height of the performances, everyone's attentions focused on the skilled dancers. Only afterwards, as they left and only the musicians remained, playing a pleasant background melody, did Lieba Chun finally address the elephant in the room.

"Chu Hean gave me the impression that his and his Royal Highness' parents were deceased." He kept his voice down as he sat sideways on the floor to better talk with them.

Chu Yun shot Chu Hean a glare. "I have no idea why he would have told the Wise Prince something like that."

Now that everyone was occupied and entertained, they could talk more openly, but still Chu Hean refused to say anything.

Chu Yun expected Lieba Chun to be upset at the realisation he had been lied to, maybe even demand some kind of compensation for the insult, but instead, after a brief frown of confusion, he threw Chu Hean a smirk over his shoulder and shook his head with an indulgent smile.

"His Highness should be well aware of his brother's...'particular' temperament."

Chu Yun and Xiao Zai chuckled in unison, prompting Chu Hean to shoot them an annoyed glance.

"Yes, I'm well aware of just how particular he can be."

He hadn't always, but Chu Hean had done his best since his wedding to Xiao Zai to show Chu Yun just how mistaken he had been about him. He wondered where Ru Long was now, and what did he think of the whole situation. 

Chu Yun knew that the minute Xiao Ziyi delivered the official invitation that he would be forced to leave, or at least hide. It would put him in an uncomfortable position, as the Crown Prince of Su, to be seen arriving in Zui in company of Xiongnu delegation, and obviously he couldn't drop in on the feast unannounced. 

"I'm very curious about how the Wise Prince made Chu Hean's acquaintance," Xiao Zai said, voicing a question that was burning Chu Yun as well.  "It must have been a recent meeting, as the last time we were together Chu Hean didn't mention the Wise Prince."

Lieba Chun chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. He had sharp features, his handsome ruggedness contrasted very sharply with his large eyes and his long and thick eyelashes. His gaze softened his entire appearance. Instead of intimidating, Lieba Chun resembled a young boy that had just committed some minor infraction and expected to use his charm to talk himself out of any punishment.

"We Xiongnu do things differently, than the people of Zui and Xin when considering a mate. It is important for us that any pair is well-matched," he looked towards Chu Hean who avoided him and kept staring at his food.. "I knew Chu Hean was the one for me when he managed to sneak into my tent in an attempt to assassinate me, and almost succeeded."