Can I befriend her? [Bonus chapter]

"Princess Xiana did not tell me where the Crown Prince's manor is, so it took me more time than usual to reach here," Shen Daoren told Licheng and took the seat.

"I told her to bring you here," Licheng said.

"Princess Xiana got suddenly angry because I didn't tell her why she was brought here," Shen Daoren replied.

"I apologize on her behalf. She is new to all this," Licheng said.

"The Crown Prince should not apologize for Princess Xiana's mistakes. Also, I am myself curious to know the real reason why she is here," Shen Daoren asserted. Licheng only told him that Xiana was an important person who would help Licheng in achieving something bigger.

"I will tell you all when the right time comes," Licheng asserted. "I need to find an old document, which must be in the state's biggest library, situated in the famous shrine of the capital. I do not have time to search about it, so I want you and the other four martial brothers to fulfill this task for me," he put forward his request to Shen Daoren.

"We will do it. Please describe more about it, Your Royal Highness," Shen Daoren affirmed. Licheng nodded and told him about the document, which he came to know about when he was fourteen. However, when he stepped out of the palace, to find out about the document he could not. However, he didn't go into detail about why he could not find it.

"The unique quality of this document is that it possesses a strange golden glimmer, which isn't seen by any random person. Either a person like me can have it or any of you five can have it because we possess great martial abilities," Licheng explained to him.

"I understand," Shen Daoren said. Before he could speak further, he heard footsteps. Both of them looked toward the entrance to the pavilion and saw the two princes with Eunuch Jize. Shen Daoren stood up from his place while Licheng remained seated on the chair.

Prince Xuanzi and Yuan both bowed to see their brother.

"What happened?" Licheng asked them.

"Brother Licheng, can I punish your servant?" Su Xuanzi asked.

Licheng arched his eyebrow at his question. "Which one?" He queried.

"The one who is too pretty to be a servant," Su Yuan answered and ran to Licheng. He sat in front of Licheng on the chair and continued, "First Brother, she called the second brother a crybaby who would run to our mother to complain about the servant." Su Yuan then started laughing and looked at Su Xuanzi, who had an infuriated expression on his face.

"I am talking about Yu Xiana. She has no manners on how to talk with a prince. I would like to punish her so that other servants do not learn such things, Brother Licheng," Xuanzi explained the reason why he wanted to punish Yu Xiana.

Su Licheng did not expect such an attitude from Yu Xiana. However, he knew why she was acting that way. "I apologize on Xiana's behalf, Brother Xuanzi. Please do not get angry," he said.

"Why is the First Brother apologizing on a servant's behalf?" Yuan looked at Licheng with inquisitiveness.

"She is the Princess of Yu Kingdom," Licheng clarified to Yuan.

"What? How can a princess be the servant of the First Brother?" Yuan was shocked to learn about Xiana's identity. "If she is the princess, then can I befriend her?" Yuan asked.

"Don't even try to do that, Yuan!" Xuanzi shouted at him.

Licheng was bewildered to see Xuanzi's behavior. Perhaps, in those seven years, his calm-looking second brother changed so much, which he definitely had missed.

"Brother Licheng, I want to show her that in this palace our rules work! I would have punished her by myself, but since she works as a servant in my elder brother's manor, I came to ask his permission," Xuanzi stated. His anger had not subsided even after Licheng apologized to him.

"I refuse it, Brother Xuanzi," Licheng said.

Shen Daoren and Eunuch Jize had expected the same response from Licheng.

"Why, Brother Licheng?" Xuanzi frowned to hear that.

"Because I will punish her," Licheng asserted.

"But the First Brother can go lenient on Xiana since she is a princess," Yuan asserted and looked at Xuanzi.

Licheng smiled when he heard Yuan's statement. "I will not. She insulted my brother, so I must punish her," Licheng said. His words came as an assurance to Xuanzi and he thanked Licheng.

"I thought I lost my elder brother because we had no communication for seven years," Xuanzi said, which vanished the smile from Licheng's face, "but he proved me wrong. We still have the same bond. We are united by hearts."

"Of course!" Licheng said.

"But I want to befriend Xiana. Can I do that after she gets punished?" Yuan asked and looked at Xuanzi. "Please, Second Brother," he requested.

"There are better people whom you can befriend. Why her?" Xuanzi was again irked.

"Because she is a princess. I have never met a princess before," Yuan asserted.

"Our younger sister is a princess," Xuanzi opined.

"Brother Xuanzi, but Xiana is from outside. Please allow me to befriend her," Yuan requested and stood up. Licheng enjoyed his younger brothers bickering.

"Do whatever you want to. Don't come to me crying when she will insult you," Xuanzi allowed Yuan to befriend Xiana and looked at Licheng again. He thanked Licheng, who asked Xuanzi to take the seat.

Luckily, there were three chairs, so Xuanzi took the last one. Shen Daoren took his leave while Eunuch Jize asked the princes if they would like to have lunch together since the lunch hour was near.

"Why not? I was thinking if Sister Ning could join us," Licheng said.

"I will bring her here," Xuanzi opined when Eunuch Jize said he would send a servant.

"She won't come until I go there," Xuanzi said and asked his two brothers to wait for him. Xuanzi didn't want to upset Licheng, who returned home after seven years, so he decided to bring Su Ning there by hook or crook to the pavilion in the Crown Prince's manor.

"Thank you, Xuanzi," Licheng said as he understood why Xuanzi decided to bring Su Ning.