Chapter 5: A Royal Brother's Feud.

It had been two weeks ever since Feng Yuan had his near death experience. He hadn't left the bed and he did most of the things while in bed. Emperor Feng had visited,promised to find him a cure giving him a glimmer of hope. His brothers were yet to visit now that they heard Feng Yuan wouldn't be able to walk for the next God Knows how long.

That afternoon Feng Liang paid him a visit. Feng Liang and Feng Yuan weren't the best of brothers. Even though their feud was mutual ,Feng Yuan didn't pay attention to it neither did he bear malicious intentions towards his brother. Feng Liang on the hand was a jealous maniac who would celebrate when something bad happened to Feng Yuan.

"How is the Cold Palace?"Feng Yuan asked in sarcasm.

Feng Liang had accidentally burnt down his Opal Moon Hall a while back and he had to stay at the Cold Palace especially as a punishment for his careless behavior.

The Cold Palace was initially preserved for the Emperor's illegitimate children but since Emperor Feng didn't have one so far,the palace had been vacant for years. Just as the name suggested,the palace was very cold with no warming mechanisms installed.

"I'm doing well at the Cold Palace. Now that you've become crippled I'm just a few steps

away from inheriting the Crown Prince title."

"You must have coveted that title for years. You think you're the only one worthy of becoming the Crown Prince?"

"Who else apart from me? Feng Yiran is just a useless playboy spending nights drinking with prostitutes. How can he be worthy of being the Crown Prince?"Feng Liang asked with contempt.

"Then Mister Crown Prince see yourself out your visiting time is up,"Feng Yuan said disdainfully.

"How dare a cripple like you try to act arrogant to me?"

"Little characters like you only feign confidence when you feel you're at a loss,"Feng Yuan smirked arrogantly.

"You!..."Feng Liang pointed a finger at him,"Just wait I will make you lower that ego of yours once I grasp the crown prince title,"He swore and walked out.

Feng Yiran was rarely available at night but that night he created time to go visit his elder brother. Feng Yuan and Feng Yiran weren't much close but Feng Yiran saw him as an idol that was hard to reach not like a brother who lived in the same palace as him. He felt Feng Yuan was too perfect to be his brother so he mostly avoided him to avoid comparing himself with Feng Yuan. The fact that they had Feng Liang as their common archenemy is what brought them together.

"Feng Liang visited,right?"

"Yes he did."

"Father said he is going to test the two of us to see who will go to Nanhua State for negotiation."

"Negotiation?"

"Yes. The Nanhua Empress Regent has appointed her son to conduct a negotiation between Longyuan and Xianfeng to stop the war and the two empires have agreed to it so they are each sending a Royal representative for the negotiation."

"When is the negotiation?"

"On the 15th of the next month."

"So father will send someone based on the accumulation of merits?"

"Yeah. Something like that."

"I heard father is hosting a hunting competition in the Natural Forest. I'm sure Feng Liang will try to play dirty so be careful."

"I will. What about you? I heard Physician Chen said the poison in you is deadly and you can no longer walk."

"Yes and my dantian is starting to feel empty."

"It's sucking your qi?"Feng Yiran was shocked.

"Yes."

"Is there really an undetectable poison in this world?"

"Apparently there is one."

"What will you do now that you are going to lose your martial arts?"

"I will maybe go and settle down on some mountain and confine myself there like a hermit."

"Or you could get married and have someone take care of you for life."

"Maybe."

The poison had already mixed with the blood in his veins and the qi in his meridians. At night he would feel excruciating pain especially around the chest. He strenuously sat up on bed and tried suppressing the poison with some of the left inner energy in his body. He groaned in pain as the pain was too much to take in. His neck became stiff displaying a number of veins on it. Suddenly the door creaked open and Han Shuo rushed in. Han Shuo rushed over and sat on the bed and channelled some of his inner energy to Feng Yuan from the back.

"You shouldn't do that!"Feng Yuan roared.

"Why?"

"Your inner energy is so weak so it can't be of any help."

"Are you looking down on me?"

"I'm not looking down on you I'm simply reminding you."

"Keep the reminders to yourself,"Han Shuo shouted as he continued channelling his inner energy to Feng Yuan.

"Are you trying to be a hero or you're trying to prove your loyalty to me?"Feng Yuan asked in ridicule.

After he finally suppressed the poison ,he lay on his back and his always regal facial expression returned naturally.

"Weren't you asleep yet?"

"A good doctor always knows when their patient is in pain."

"Really? Or you just have sharp ears like a bunny?"Feng Yuan said teasingly.

"Stop calling me a bunny!"Han Shuo grumbled.

"You know bunnies usually sleep with one eye open."

"Stop telling me about f*cking bunnies,"Han Shuo said angrily and left the room.

'How can a doctor have such a sharp tongue!'Feng Yuan thought and smiled with mirth.

The following day Emperor Feng arranged a hunting competition at the Natural Forest where young noble men hunted several edible wild animals while Emperor Feng and his panel of ministers sat and served as the judges to determine the winner of the competition.

In the past hunting competitions Feng Yuan always emerged the winner but this time the ministers were anticipating to find out the winner since Feng Yuan wasn't there. It was hard to guess who between the two other princes would emerge the winner.

The forest was invaded with vibrant young men riding on horses with arrows and bows. During such times accidents were bound to happen especially intentional ones like shooting someone's horse and stealing of preys.

"Your Highness there is a large deer over there,"a man whispered.

Feng Liang cast his eyes happily over the deer his attendant had discovered. He felt as if the heavens were helping him. He and his servants formed some sort of array and shot the deer killing it in one go. Along with the other little preys they had hunted ,they were sure they would win. They settled somewhere in the forest to take a rest as they watched others struggling while riding on horses with zero or one prey.

"Let's go it's almost time,"Feng Liang smirked proudly.

They all came out of the hunting square . Feng Yiran and other noble young men were already there ready to present their preys. Taking a glance at Feng Yiran's prey sack,he was sure it contained only a few hares or even squirrels. Feng Liang had two sacks ;one with hares and one large one containing the large deer he had hunted. As everyone revealed their preys,Feng Liang chose to reveal his last.

"Father I hunted this deer especially for you,"Feng Liang said proudly as he asked his servants to reveal his prey

As the deer was finally revealed the ministers stood up in dismay. It was a white deer.

"The Sacred White Deer!"

In Longyuan Empire,it was a taboo to hunt the Sacred White Deer. The white deer was a symbol of purity and peace, and hunting it was considered an omen of impending disaster for the empire.

Feng Liang was shocked how he ended up getting a white deer instead of the brown deer he had hunted earlier. Even Emperor Feng was already enraged so he wasn't ready to hear Feng Liang's explanation.