[EXO] Shades of Jade (1/?)
Title: Shades of Jade
Fandom: EXO
Author: chiharu
Characters/pairing: Suho/Chanyeol/Baekhyun, Kris/Lu Han
Rating: PG
wordcount: ~ 5500
Summary: Chanyeol didn't ask for this, just like he didn't ask to be gravely injured and mistaken for a prince. 还珠格格! Wu xia Au. Collab with lunathunderhead.
Spin off of 还珠格格/ Return of the Pearl Princess/ My Fair Princess, the story of an orphan whose life changes after she is accidentally named princess. BECAUSE WE'VE ALL SEEN THIS right? Wu xia, on the other hand, is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. IDK I HAVE NO EXCUSES. The story is set in Beijing, but PLEASE IGNORE THE KOREAN DISCREPANCIES... UM. YES. And this is not historically correct by any means.
Chanyeol flips over the fence, landing with enough balance to leap over the next row of fruit stands while guards give chase behind him. A street vendor shouts when Chanyeol snatches an apple, laughing as he squeezes through the secret passage in the alley. He waits until the guards rush past him before emerging from his hiding spot, checking his surroundings and heading home.
It’s really Minseok’s fault, Chanyeol thinks as he chews idly at his apple. Minseok was all talk when it came to crashing the governor’s banquet. Yet, when the guards had descended upon them, Minseok had only yelped as the three of them scattered in different directions, Kyungsoo shoving the last of the meat tray into his bag and leaping over the railing. Chanyeol had managed to flip over a row of vicious looking men and kick three of them in the face in his glorious exit from the building.
Now Chanyeol thinks about it, Minseok was also the one who convinced them to crash the baker’s daughter’s wedding, ranting about her forced marriage. All in all, they walked away from that event fairly unscathed and with two months worth of bread.
Kyungsoo is already home when Chanyeol arrives, dirt smudged on his cheeks but otherwise unharmed. Minseok returns a few minutes later, beaming. They feast over the fire, laughing over the governor’s antics and dancing around the courtyard. Spring in the Beijing is particularly humid, wind sticking to Chanyeol’s hair as bangs plaster over his forehead.
Chanyeol has lived here all his life, finding friendship and brotherhood in the strangest of places. During the day, they camp out in the market district, leaving a trail of havoc in their wake. They’ve gotten in trouble with the law more than once, much more, yet Chanyeol could never leave. All he knows is the familiar lights of the lanterns during summer as children flood the streets, singing songs about the river gods.
In mid-April, merchants from afar flood the streets. People travel from across the kingdom to request audiences with the emperor. The city is filled with commotion as the promise of summer looms over the horizon. Chanyeol had used the last of his coins earlier this week and whines when the pharmacist refuses to give him ointment for the cut running down his right knee. He runs into someone on his way out of the shop, bumping shoulders as he gives the stranger a grin.
An impossibly delicate looking boy blinks back at him, a smile surfacing on his face as he regards Chanyeol. Later, the same boy approaches Chanyeol next to the fountain, dropping a paper bag containing a jar of ointment onto Chanyeol’s lap.
Chanyeol looks up from eating his stolen crepe. “How much?”
“No charge,” the boy says, standing next to his companion.
“Bullshit,” Chanyeol decides. “What do you want in exchange for this?”
The stranger pauses for a moment. “Well. We’re new to the city. Maybe you can show us around?”
Chanyeol takes Lu Han and Yixing’s offer to heart. He leads them through the market district, teaching them about the best vendors while they share hawthorn candy on a stick. Lu Han is thoughtful but quiet, mentally noting all of Chanyeol’s explanations as they traverse through the city. That night, Chanyeol brings them back to his place to find Kyungsoo and Minseok roasting goose in the courtyard.
“Did you go hunting?” Chanyeol asks, squatting next to the fire.
“Nope,” Minseok grins as he shares the food, laughing at Yixing’s astonishment. “What, have you never tasted loyal goose before?”
“We come from a small village,” Lu Han explains, a faint smile on his face. “Most haven’t heard of it.” He pauses when Chanyeol hits Minseok lightly on the arm, looking between them.
Chanyeol makes a face at his food. “I told you to stop stealing game from the loyal huntsmen. I don’t want to get beheaded for stealing from the emperor.”
“This is high quality stuff and you know it,” Kyungsoo says around a mouthful of food. “Let’s just thank him for his bountiful skills and feast on his behalf.” Kyungsoo bows dramatically, waving his skewer in the air. “All hail the emperor!”
“All the hail the emperor!” Minseok and Chanyeol chant, waving their food.
Next to Chanyeol, Lu Han falls silent.
On Sundays, Minseok and Kyungsoo display their swordwork in the town square while Chanyeol collects donations. In the afternoon, they count the coins in the basket and make their weekly trip to the orphanage, armed with food. The children cheer upon their entrance, latching onto Chanyeol and swinging from his arms. Minseok grins as he portions the steam buns and left over goose. Kyungsoo yelps when a small girl tackles him. They spend an hour chasing after a cat for Yeijin, who holds onto Kyungsoo’s hand until Minseok leaps down from the roof of the orphanage, a meowing cat in his arms.
They’re passing the merchant’s district on the way home when they find the streets parted by guards. “The provincial chief,” Kyungsoo explains, watching a carriage appear at one end of the street as people gather behind the row of guards. “A waste of manpower,” Kyungsoo adds. “What fools would try to interrupt his passage, anyway?”
“Eh,” Minseok says, nudging Chanyeol, “those fools.”
Chanyeol spots Lu Han and Yixing stepping in front of the carriage, kneeling down on the street. “Chief! We request your audience!” Lu Han says, holding a cloth-wrapped package in his arms.
A stout looking man peeks out of the carriage, regarding Lu Han once before ordering the guards to get rid of them. When Lu Han and Yixing protest, elbows jabbing into the guards, the provincial chief barks at them to get lost, mumbling something about peasants and disrespect. It’s not until the guards shove Lu Han to the ground that Chanyeol jumps in.
“Hey!” Chanyeol pushes a guard aside, tugging Lu Han up. Lu Han grimaces, rubbing idly at his elbow. “It’s fine if you don’t want to hear him! There’s no need for violence!”
“Arrest them!” The chief orders before more guards circle them. Chanyeol pushes Lu Han out of the way when a spear comes dangerously close to Lu Han’s face, Chanyeol dodging as he kicks the weapon aside. Minseok and Kyungsoo are by his side in seconds, fighting off the horde as the crowd scatters in the chaos.
Sparring had always come easily to Chanyeol, who flips over two men to disarm them. He kicks someone behind the knee while covering for Minseok. Chanyeol knows Minseok’s movements like the back of his hand after spending three summers training with Minseok and Kyungsoo by the river, dedicatedly following their shifu’s every order. Nowadays, they get into more scrimmages than Chanyeol can count; yet it’s truly been a while since he has felt the need to actually fight someone. To fight for someone.
Lu Han just stares, eyes wide, as Kyungsoo knocks another guard out of the way. Chanyeol manages to tug both Yixing and Lu Han into a back alley, pushing them behind a hiding spot. He whistles, effectively signaling the others to retreat. Chanyeol catches sight of Minseok and Kyungsoo leaping over the roof as guards give chase on foot.
“Shouldn’t we-” Yixing stops when Chanyeol covers his mouth, making wild expressions with his eyes. Yixing seems to understand, as both he and Lu Han fall silent.
“Are you stupid?” Chanyeol asks when the coast is clear. “Why would you stop an official carriage like that?”
When Lu Han bristles, Yixing cuts in. “We’ve tried requesting an audience with the chief for weeks, but he’s never at his estate so-”
“Of course he’s never there.” Chanyeol gives them a soft look. “He won’t help you. The officials in this city are more corrupt than you think.”
“He has to,” Lu Han insists. “He’ll help us as soon as he hears our story.”
Chanyeol twists his mouth into a slight frown, setting his hands on Lu Han’s shoulder. “He won’t, trust me.”
“He has to,” Lu Han repeats, eyes dark.
For someone with such delicate features, Lu Han is surprisingly firm in his stubbornness. Chanyeol locks eyes with him for a minute before sighing, hands finding the back of his head as he spins around. “Okay, let’s go back to our place, then. I want to hear this story of yours.”
Lu Han grew up in Jinan. During the summer, Lu Han would sit by the ponds with Yixing, trousers rolled up as they dipped their feet into the water. They collected water lilies during the day, laughing as Lu Han chased Yixing through the town with a basket of flowers tucked under his arms. At night, they sat by the fire and watched Lu Han’s mother carefully press flowers into books. Lu Han’s mother made a living selling floral powder. She always smelled of the crepe mytrl, an ethereal scent lingering as she traveled from door to door, delivering medicine to the sick. That was how she found Yixing, violently ill outside the orphanage, the autumn after Lu Han’s tenth birthday. She carefully nursed Yixing back to health, assigning Lu Han to monitor duty as he refilled the Yixing’s water basin at night. They became inseparable after that, playing catch in the forest and aiding Lu Han’s mother in her flower collection.
Chanyeol is astounded at Lu Han’s story and asks him to make more ointment for his cut. Lu Han just laughs, tell him that caspias are no longer in season.
Kyungsoo, always the contemplative one, throws another twig into the fire. “Where is your mother now?”
“She died. I guess there was an illness that even she couldn’t treat.” Lu Han’s gaze flickers back onto the flame, watching it dance. He looks up, smiling faintly when Yixing sets a hand on his arm. “On her deathbed, she asked me to find my father in Beijing. We sold our house and belongings and have been traveling on foot since. The city is so large, and we keep running into trouble and dead ends. Now we’re running out of funds, and-”
“So that package contains the rest of your gold?” Kyungsoo asks, peering over Yixing’s shoulder and watching Lu Han unwrap the cloth. He pauses upon examining the items. “All you have left is a scroll and a fan?”
Lu Han shakes his head. “These were gifts from my father. It’s the only evidence I have to prove my word. He was traveling when he met my mother. He promised to send for her to come to Beijing after being called away on urgent business. I suppose he got held up and never came back for her. She asked me on her deathbed to approach my father and ask if he still remembers the woman he met at the lily pad pond.” He looks up to find four pairs of eyes on him, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry for telling such a depressing story.”
“No, no.” Minseok smiles. “You can live here for the time being. It’s not much, but we’ll do the best we can to-”
“I’ll help you find your father!” Chanyeol cuts in, setting both hands on Lu Han’s shoulder as he nods, eyes wide. Chanyeol ignores Kyungsoo’s comments about his runny nose and hugs Lu Han, digging his face awkwardly into Lu Han’s collar. “I’ll help you.”
Yixing looks torn between laughing and wanting to tear Chanyeol’s snotty face from Lu Han.
Lu Han accepts their offer but refuses to divulge more information about his father’s identity. He leaves in the mornings with Yixing to approach more officials, always returning in the afternoon, dejected but not defeated. In the evenings, they explore the city, Lu Han laughing as Chanyeol barters with every vendor possible. Minseok teaches them how to avoid pickpockets and Kyungsoo maps out all the shortcuts in the city.
Chanyeol takes Lu Han and Yixing to the orphanage once, laughing when the children swarm around new faces. Yixing is amazed after seeing Chanyeol flipping into the air to catch a stray ball in the middle of a ball game. Chanyeol throws it back at the children and blinks. “It’s nothing really. There are tons of people better than me.”
“The three of you trained under the same master, right?” Lu Han asks, watching Minseok chase a boy around the yard. “I wish I knew wu shu.”
Kyungsoo joins them, eyes wide as he grins. A pair of toddlers are busy hugging Kyungsoo’s leg. “It’s useful at times, when Chanyeol gets our asses in trouble.”
Chanyeol responds by throwing a spinning top toy at Kyungsoo. He shrieks when Kyungsoo lurches at them, giving chase as the children cheer. They spend the rest of the afternoon helping Xiao Chun paint his makeshift kite, gathering around the old man next door as he plays the erhu. Chanyeol watches as Lu Han bite slowly into his steam bun, Chanyeol grinning when Lu Han returns his smile.
In June, Chanyeol takes them to the first summer festival by the river, watching as Lu Han traverses from booth to booth under the lanterns. Minseok is determined to win at a dart game, dragging Yixing along and laughing when Yixing misses atrociously, nearly taking out the booth owner’s right eye.
They find Kyungsoo in a yoyo contest, cheering when Kyungsoo wins a bag of snacks. The five of them line up by the riverbed, munching on mahua and watching paper lotuses float on the water. When Chanyeol complains about wanting to make his own lotus, Kyungsoo sticks a red bean pastry into Chanyeol’s mouth and reminds him that they’re for the kids.
Minseok disappears for a bit and returns with a string of firecrackers, proceeding to light it with his match and almost setting Kyungsoo on fire. Kyungsoo chases Minseok into the crowd while the rest follow, Chanyeol grinning as he helps Lu Han jump over a fence. They watch as an elderly woman shoos Minseok away from her food stand, waving a rag over her head as she threatens to whoop Kyungsoo and Minseok in the ass.
When Chanyeol turns around, Lu Han is holding onto Yixing as he doubles over in laughter “Having fun?” Chanyeol asks.
Lu Han’s eyes almost twinkles as he grins back, a hint of mischief tugging at his lips. “The most.” Lu Han cheers when Minseok and Kyungsoo return with scallion pancakes in a paper bag, tearing the bigger piece off for Yixing and making a face when Yixing protests.
Chanyeol is busy chewing his own food when he sees a girl with a skewer of meat running into someone’s back. They watch as the person turns around, leaning down to pick up the skewer when his companion ushers him away, warning him to not touch or talk to anyone. The girl blinks after them and picks up a plaque from the ground. “Mister! You dropped something!” Her screech catches the attention of the nearby crowd, who ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over the jade plaque.
Even from afar, Chanyeol can recognize the engraving of 七 on the royal plaque. 七 for the Seventh Prince, Jongin.
The prince’s companion quickly snatches the plaque, barking at people to stay away as he proceeds to escort Jongin out of the crowd. Chanyeol has only heard about the Seventh Prince, whose complexion was rumored to be dark and radiant. Chanyeol gives Minseok a small shrug. He turns around to find Lu Han fixating on the spot Jongin was.
Lu Han’s eyes are wide and impossibly pained. He doesn’t respond to Kyungsoo waving in front of his face, finally turning around when Yixing pulls him into a small hug.
The walk back to the courtyard is quiet, with Kyungsoo leading the way. Chanyeol keeps checking behind them for fear that Lu Han and Yixing would run away. There is something eerie about the silence, causing hair on the back of Chanyeol’s neck to rise. Minseok stops suddenly when they approach the courtyard gate, spinning around as they all face Lu Han.
“What business do you have with Prince Jongin?” Kyungsoo asks at last.
“Nothing.” Lu Han gives them a confused look. “I don’t have any business with him. He just felt like someone I should know, that’s all.”
Minseok bites his lip, exchanging a look with Kyungsoo. “Lu Han-ah,” he says. Chanyeol recognizes that tone as the one Minseok often used to lure disobedient kids at the orphanage out of their hiding spots. “You can tell us the truth.”
“He is telling you the truth.” Yixing steps in front of Lu Han, suddenly defensive.
Minseok presses on. “Lu Han, who is your father?”
Lu Han is silent. After what seems like an eon, he finally looks up. “The emperor. I am the emperor’s illegitimate son.” When Yixing protests, Lu Han shakes his head. “It’s okay, Yixing. There’s no one else I trust more than them.”
“A Prince,” Kyungsoo mumbles, pacing around the empty street. “You’re a prince?”
Lu Han laughs, but it’s devoid of humor. “Just because I was fathered by the emperor doesn’t mean I’m a prince.”
“But that’s what you are,” Minseok insists, stepping forward. “Why didn’t you tell us earlier?”
Yixing rubs the bridge of his nose, looking uncharacteristically tired. “No one would believe us. No one. They wouldn’t even hear Lu Han’s story. How are we suppose to approach the emperor when the palace is so far away, and we have no means of getting into the forbidden city?”
“I believe you,” Chanyeol insists, hand finding Lu Han’s. “I promised to help you, didn’t I? All you had to do was ask.”
Lu Han looks up at them, eyes unreadable. “I’m asking now.”
“Next week,” Kyungsoo speaks up suddenly. “The emperor is going on another hunting expedition next week. That’s the best way for us to reach him.”
Reaching the hunting grounds is easier said than done. The grounds are guarded by countless soldiers when the hunting party is out, leaving the cliff to the west as the only entry point. Chanyeol remembers climbing over it once to peek at the hunting party last year, but even that had taken a considerable amount of effort. He tells Lu Han as much while they approach the west point a week later.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Yixing asks when they’re hiding behind a boulder. He ducks upon spotting someone. “You said there wouldn’t be anyone at this entrance!”
“There shouldn’t be.” Chanyeol pokes his head out, frowning at the guards on patrol. “Leave it to them to ramp up security now. There must be another way in. There’s got to be.”
“This is the only way in,” Minseok decides, locking eyes with Lu Han. “You guys have to go in this way. Kyungsoo and I will take care of the guards.” He doesn’t wait for a reply before jumping out of their spot, diverting the soldiers’ attention as he engages them in combat.
“Don’t let Chanyeol do something stupid,” Kyungsoo says before jumping in after Minseok.
Chanyeol makes a face at them and gestures Lu Han and Yixing towards the base of the cliff. They manage to ascend halfway up before Yixing cries out in alarm, and Chanyeol nearly loses his own footing trying to tug Lu Han up. They settle on a relatively flat surface, Chanyeol watching as Yixing inspects Lu Han for wounds.
“We’re almost there,” Chanyeol insists, helping Yixing clean the cut on Lu Han’s arm. “We just have to finish scaling this cliff to access the forest, then we should reach the hunting ground in no time.” He stops when the sound of a horn fills the air, followed by the familiar echo of Kyungsoo’s whistle. “That’s from Minseok and Kyungsoo. They’re safe for now.”
Lu Han is quiet for a moment. “So the first sound must be a warning from the guards.”
Chanyeol looks back at the cliff and frowns. “Come on, we don’t have much time. If the hunting party retreats before we reach them-”
“Chanyeol-ah,” Lu Han says suddenly, grabbing Chanyeol’s hand. “There’s no use. Yixing and I can’t scale these rocks. You know that. You’re the only one who can.”
“But you-”
Lu Han carefully ties the clothed package around Chanyeol’s waist. “You’re the only one who can do it, Chanyeol-ah. You have to deliver these for me and explain everything, please.”
Chanyeol looks between Lu Han and Yixing. He thinks about Lu Han, staring wistfully at his mother’s fan at night as he sits by the window and the way Yixing tries to cheer him up. Chanyeol knows about Lu Han’s mischievousness and excitement for life, yet Lu Han’s enthusiasm always dim on the subject of his father. Chanyeol thinks that, more than anything, he just wants his friends to be happy.
“I won’t let you down,” is all Chanyeol says.
Infiltrating the royal hunting party is no easy feat, Chanyeol discovers when he emerges from the forest with cuts on his arm and leaves in his air. He vaguely remembers the screech of “Intruder!” before ducking from an onslaught of guards.
“I’m not here to fight!” Chanyeol yelps when a sword almost slices his arm open. “Really! I’m not! I just need to speak to the emperor!” He leaps over two men when they ignore him. Leave it to Minseok and Kyungsoo to make things harder for him, Chanyeol thinks as he evade the guards, slowly making his way out of the crowd.
Chanyeol doesn’t have time to be thankful that Lu Han and Yixing didn’t follow him into the clearing, because he’s interrupted by the sound of horses nearby as he dodges another blow. “I don’t want to fight!” Chanyeol yells again. He cries in alarm when someone knocks Lu Han’s package into the air, and Chanyeol jumps up in time to grab it. He misses his landing and rolls onto the ground, hissing as his free hand shoots to his side. When Chanyeol pulls himself up, he’s met with the sight of blood on his hands and an arrow stuck to his side.
“As expected from the sharpshooter, prince Baekhyun,” someone says as more horses approach.
Chanyeol mumbled something incoherent as the guards drag him by the limbs. “Let me go,” Chanyeol whines, wincing at the pain. “Let me go, I’m not an assassin!”
“Inspect him,” a new voice says, and Chanyeol looks up to find someone incredibly tall and angry scowling at him. Chanyeol puts up a fight when the guards grab Lu Han’s package, kicking and flailing until someone kicks him in the side, causing Chanyeol to recoil.
“I want to speak with the emperor,” Chanyeol manages to say as his vision clouds. “I have something to show him, I-”
“I’m right here,” an unexpectedly calm voice replies, and Chanyeol squints at the figure of Emperor Kangta on horseback.
“The emperor,” Chanyeol starts to say, but stops in a coughing fit. He vaguely remembers someone holding him.
The warmness around Chanyeol shifts a little, keeping a firm grip on Chanyeol’s wounds to minimize the bleeding. All Chanyeol can remember is the smell of sunflowers and the tenderness of the voice that speaks up. “Father, he’s gravely injured. Maybe we should have the medic look at him first?”
“Prince Joonmyun, we don’t know if he’s an assassin. It may be best inspect him before-”
“I agree. We can’t interrogate him if he’s dying on top of Joonmyun. Let’s tend to his wound first and-”
“But prince Baekhyun-”
“Enough,” Kangta cuts in, dismounting his horse.
Chanyeol tightened his grasp on Joonmyun’s arm as his head lolls to Joongmyun’s shoulder in deliria. Dirt poor, street rat Park Chanyeol never thought he would die bleeding on top of a royal prince. Even at the end of his wits, he can imagine Kyungsoo commenting on Chanyeol making a mess. “The package -show him the package,” he hisses, voice hoarse. Chanyeol coughs blood onto Joonmyun’s sleeve and doesn’t put up a fight when Baekhyun takes the items from him. He makes out the figure of Baekhyun presenting Kangta with the scroll and fan.
“Where did you get this?” Kangta asks at last, pushing through the crowd to kneel next to Chanyeol, despite the complaints from his subjects.
Chanyeol looks up, finally finding his voice. “Don’t you remember the woman you met by the lilypad pond?”
Kangta opens his mouth to respond, but that’s when Chanyeol passes out.
There is an aching pain on Chanyeol’s side as he drifts in and out of consciousness. His thoughts disperse like dandelion fluff drifting in the wind, but there’s a hand holding him down, pulling him back to that courtyard, to the memory of Kyungsoo sweeping the ground and Minseok laundering their clothes. There’s something exhaustive about the image of Lu Han and Yixing smiling over a fire, and suddenly Chanyeol wishes he was there.
The first time Chanyeol snaps awake in a feverish daze, he finds three imperial medics leaning over his bedside, tending to his wounds.
The second time around, there are two boys peering over him. One of them is changing the damped towel on Chanyeol’s forehead, smiling a little when Chanyeol manages to make a garbled noise. “Sorry for shooting you,” the boy closest to him says. “Get better soon.” His whisper lingers, even after Chanyeol’s eyes flutter close.
When Chanyeol opens his eyes again, Emperor Kangta is by his bedside. Chanyeol is aware of the dampness of his own shirt and the exhaustion seeping into his bones. He immediately tries to sit up, blinking when Kangta helps him. “The scroll and fan-” Chanyeol tries to say, his voice scratchy.
Instead of replying, Kangta slowly pushes a spoonful of porridge into Chanyeol’s mouth. “I remember that fan,” he says, watching Chanyeol swallow the food. “I wrote the poem on it myself and gave it to your mother. When my advisors called me back to Beijing urgently that Spring, I honestly meant to send for your mother. However, the border conflict lasted longer than I anticipated, and before I knew it, two years had passed.”
“I-” Chanyeol starts, but closes his mouth when Kangta sighs.
“Where is your mother now?”
Chanyeol frowns, thinking back to that conversation by the fireside. “She’s dead.”
When Kangta looks sharply away, Chanyeol becomes keenly aware of his own precarious position. The guilt in his chest grows as Kangta continues to feed him the remaining contents of the porridge bowl, but Chanyeol knows for a fact that he can’t tell the emperor the truth. Not now.
When Chanyeol comes to again, he asks the nearest servant about the date.
“You’ve been on bed rest for a week, your majesty,” the girl replies, bowing.
Chanyeol jumps out of bed and sends the servant away. He paces around the room and suddenly feels the need to smash something. One week. He’s been out of contact with everyone for a week, the pain on his side now but a dull ache. He decides that the most important thing at the moment is to contact Lu Han, so Chanyeol changes into the clothes set neatly on a chair and sneaks out of the bedchamber.
He makes it thirty paces into the palace garden before getting lost. Chanyeol thinks if he can just sneak over the palace walls, then finding his way back will be easy. He freezes when someone shouts “Where are you going?”, and Chanyeol peaks behind him to find a familiar faces.
Ah, shit shit shit. It’s Arrow Boy and Angry Face. Chanyeol can’t deal with them, not now, so when they approach him, Chanyeol immediately engages them in combat.
Arrow Boy blocks Chanyeol with his arm, spinning around to dodge the next move as he twirls out of Chanyeol’s range, hands in the air. He steps back when Chanyeol goes for his legs, easily dodging the attack as he leaps away from Chanyeol. “Wait! I’m sorry! I’m sorry for shooting you!”
Chanyeol is stepping forward when someone grabs his arm.
“Are you in the condition to fight right now?” Angry Face asks, his grasp on Chanyeol’s arm firm. “It’s not a good idea to open your wound.”
“Wu Fan is right,” Arrow Boy continues. “If you want to get even, I’m up for us to spar it out, but you’re hurt and I really don’t want to explain to Father why I injured my new brother a second time around.
Wu Fan lets go, a chuckle escaping him. “I don’t think you should spar with him regardless, Prince Baekhyun. Your brother will no doubt rush in, screeching about violence while simultaneously kicking everyone’s ass.”
“He’s weird like that,” Baekhyun agrees. He pauses, glancing around to find Chanyeol in the middle of scaling the garden walls. “What are you doing?”
“No one is allowed to leave the palace without security clearance,” Wu Fan says, leaping to the top of the wall and looking down at Chanyeol.
Crazy tall motherfucker, Chanyeol thinks as he pulls himself up, landing on the same level as Wu Fan. “I need to get out of here, so please don’t get in the way,” Chanyeol says before launching himself at Wu Fan.
Wu Fan humors him by easily blocking all of his moves, knocking at Chanyeol’s knees as he pushes back Chanyeol’s advances. Suddenly Chanyeol wishes he had trained harder, his movements imprecise while he tries to maintain his footing. It’s unsuccessful, because Chanyeol ultimately loses his balance and goes tumbling from the wall.
Chanyeol knows how to roll into a proper landing, but he doesn’t expect the suddenly swish of clothing as someone catches him in midair. His savior lands gracefully on the ground and sets Chanyeol upright despite the height difference.
“Good job, Joonmyun.” Emperor Kangta is here now, nodding as Wu Fan lands to bow. He breaks into a pleasant laugh when Chanyeol stares at him, eyes wide. “My sons are so lively this early in the morning. However, you shouldn’t be sparring yet. You’re not completely healed.”
“Father, you never asked for his name,” Joonmyun adds, scooting closer to Chanyeol, his smile blinding.
Chanyeol hesitates, blowing away the bangs over his eyes. “It’s... Chanyeol, sir.”
Kangta is silent for a moment, as if contemplating the name. Finally,he steps forward to set a hand on Chanyeol’s back. “There no need for formalities. From now on, you should call me ‘Father’.”
Chanyeol thinks Kangta looks entirely too young to have fathered any of these people, but he keeps his mouth shut for once. Kyungsoo, Chanyeol thinks, would be proud of this feat.
Kangta continues. “This is the Fifth Prince, Baekhyun.”
Baekhyun smiles, mouth silently forming around the words, sorry again.
“This is the Fourth Prince, Joonmyun. The one next to him is Wu Fan, the son of General Wu. Wu Fan is currently in charge of palace security and the safety of my children.”
Chanyeol just nods dumbly.
“Why were you trying to leave the palace?” Joonmyun asks, his smile impossibly bright.
“I wanted to see my friends,” Chanyeol replies slowly. .
“You’ll get to go outside of the palace walls,” Kangta says cryptically, turning around to walk towards another wing. When Joonmyun, Baekhyun, and Wu Fan follow, Chanyeol can’t help but tag along, walking alongside Kangta. “There will be a parade in three days. That’s when the rest of the city will be introduced to you.”
“But I-” Chanyeol stops when Joonmyun shushes him.
“It will be really exciting, I promise. But first we must gather the royal advisors and train you on the basics,” Joonmyun adds, looping one arm through Chanyeol’s. He leans in close, whispering into Chanyeol’s ear. “I heard Father was really fond of your mother, and now he’s equally fond of you. You must know that being the object of Father’s affection is as equally rewarding as it is dangerous, so you mustn’t do anything silly, okay?”
“Silly?”
“Yes, like interrupting one of his nostalgic spiels.”
Chanyeol just nods lamely, partly because Joonmyun looks smart, and partly because he smells distinctly of sunflowers.
tbc
a/n: This is a summer collab between lunathunderhead and myself! I'm super excited, so please anticipate the drama, action, and ~SEXUAL TENSION~ derp. Even though this installment is more action/plot centric, BE READY FOR THE KRISHAN AND JOONBAEKYEOL.
还珠格格 was my childhood! I watched it faithfully as the first series aired in mainland China, laughing with xiao yan zi and crying with ziwei, pretending I was a ge ge and getting sent to bed by 9pm orz. I'm also kind of a wu xia nerd sooooo yah.
THANK YOU halcyondusk FOR BETA-ING!!
♥ Want to talk EXO? Meta? EXO Meta?? Talk to me on twitter!
Love it? Hate it? Please leave some feedback, even if it may be a little late. You can also join the community, since I'll be locking up NC17 fics.
Fandom: EXO
Author: chiharu
Characters/pairing: Suho/Chanyeol/Baekhyun, Kris/Lu Han
Rating: PG
wordcount: ~ 5500
Summary: Chanyeol didn't ask for this, just like he didn't ask to be gravely injured and mistaken for a prince. 还珠格格! Wu xia Au. Collab with lunathunderhead.
Spin off of 还珠格格/ Return of the Pearl Princess/ My Fair Princess, the story of an orphan whose life changes after she is accidentally named princess. BECAUSE WE'VE ALL SEEN THIS right? Wu xia, on the other hand, is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. IDK I HAVE NO EXCUSES. The story is set in Beijing, but PLEASE IGNORE THE KOREAN DISCREPANCIES... UM. YES. And this is not historically correct by any means.
Chanyeol flips over the fence, landing with enough balance to leap over the next row of fruit stands while guards give chase behind him. A street vendor shouts when Chanyeol snatches an apple, laughing as he squeezes through the secret passage in the alley. He waits until the guards rush past him before emerging from his hiding spot, checking his surroundings and heading home.
It’s really Minseok’s fault, Chanyeol thinks as he chews idly at his apple. Minseok was all talk when it came to crashing the governor’s banquet. Yet, when the guards had descended upon them, Minseok had only yelped as the three of them scattered in different directions, Kyungsoo shoving the last of the meat tray into his bag and leaping over the railing. Chanyeol had managed to flip over a row of vicious looking men and kick three of them in the face in his glorious exit from the building.
Now Chanyeol thinks about it, Minseok was also the one who convinced them to crash the baker’s daughter’s wedding, ranting about her forced marriage. All in all, they walked away from that event fairly unscathed and with two months worth of bread.
Kyungsoo is already home when Chanyeol arrives, dirt smudged on his cheeks but otherwise unharmed. Minseok returns a few minutes later, beaming. They feast over the fire, laughing over the governor’s antics and dancing around the courtyard. Spring in the Beijing is particularly humid, wind sticking to Chanyeol’s hair as bangs plaster over his forehead.
Chanyeol has lived here all his life, finding friendship and brotherhood in the strangest of places. During the day, they camp out in the market district, leaving a trail of havoc in their wake. They’ve gotten in trouble with the law more than once, much more, yet Chanyeol could never leave. All he knows is the familiar lights of the lanterns during summer as children flood the streets, singing songs about the river gods.
In mid-April, merchants from afar flood the streets. People travel from across the kingdom to request audiences with the emperor. The city is filled with commotion as the promise of summer looms over the horizon. Chanyeol had used the last of his coins earlier this week and whines when the pharmacist refuses to give him ointment for the cut running down his right knee. He runs into someone on his way out of the shop, bumping shoulders as he gives the stranger a grin.
An impossibly delicate looking boy blinks back at him, a smile surfacing on his face as he regards Chanyeol. Later, the same boy approaches Chanyeol next to the fountain, dropping a paper bag containing a jar of ointment onto Chanyeol’s lap.
Chanyeol looks up from eating his stolen crepe. “How much?”
“No charge,” the boy says, standing next to his companion.
“Bullshit,” Chanyeol decides. “What do you want in exchange for this?”
The stranger pauses for a moment. “Well. We’re new to the city. Maybe you can show us around?”
Chanyeol takes Lu Han and Yixing’s offer to heart. He leads them through the market district, teaching them about the best vendors while they share hawthorn candy on a stick. Lu Han is thoughtful but quiet, mentally noting all of Chanyeol’s explanations as they traverse through the city. That night, Chanyeol brings them back to his place to find Kyungsoo and Minseok roasting goose in the courtyard.
“Did you go hunting?” Chanyeol asks, squatting next to the fire.
“Nope,” Minseok grins as he shares the food, laughing at Yixing’s astonishment. “What, have you never tasted loyal goose before?”
“We come from a small village,” Lu Han explains, a faint smile on his face. “Most haven’t heard of it.” He pauses when Chanyeol hits Minseok lightly on the arm, looking between them.
Chanyeol makes a face at his food. “I told you to stop stealing game from the loyal huntsmen. I don’t want to get beheaded for stealing from the emperor.”
“This is high quality stuff and you know it,” Kyungsoo says around a mouthful of food. “Let’s just thank him for his bountiful skills and feast on his behalf.” Kyungsoo bows dramatically, waving his skewer in the air. “All hail the emperor!”
“All the hail the emperor!” Minseok and Chanyeol chant, waving their food.
Next to Chanyeol, Lu Han falls silent.
On Sundays, Minseok and Kyungsoo display their swordwork in the town square while Chanyeol collects donations. In the afternoon, they count the coins in the basket and make their weekly trip to the orphanage, armed with food. The children cheer upon their entrance, latching onto Chanyeol and swinging from his arms. Minseok grins as he portions the steam buns and left over goose. Kyungsoo yelps when a small girl tackles him. They spend an hour chasing after a cat for Yeijin, who holds onto Kyungsoo’s hand until Minseok leaps down from the roof of the orphanage, a meowing cat in his arms.
They’re passing the merchant’s district on the way home when they find the streets parted by guards. “The provincial chief,” Kyungsoo explains, watching a carriage appear at one end of the street as people gather behind the row of guards. “A waste of manpower,” Kyungsoo adds. “What fools would try to interrupt his passage, anyway?”
“Eh,” Minseok says, nudging Chanyeol, “those fools.”
Chanyeol spots Lu Han and Yixing stepping in front of the carriage, kneeling down on the street. “Chief! We request your audience!” Lu Han says, holding a cloth-wrapped package in his arms.
A stout looking man peeks out of the carriage, regarding Lu Han once before ordering the guards to get rid of them. When Lu Han and Yixing protest, elbows jabbing into the guards, the provincial chief barks at them to get lost, mumbling something about peasants and disrespect. It’s not until the guards shove Lu Han to the ground that Chanyeol jumps in.
“Hey!” Chanyeol pushes a guard aside, tugging Lu Han up. Lu Han grimaces, rubbing idly at his elbow. “It’s fine if you don’t want to hear him! There’s no need for violence!”
“Arrest them!” The chief orders before more guards circle them. Chanyeol pushes Lu Han out of the way when a spear comes dangerously close to Lu Han’s face, Chanyeol dodging as he kicks the weapon aside. Minseok and Kyungsoo are by his side in seconds, fighting off the horde as the crowd scatters in the chaos.
Sparring had always come easily to Chanyeol, who flips over two men to disarm them. He kicks someone behind the knee while covering for Minseok. Chanyeol knows Minseok’s movements like the back of his hand after spending three summers training with Minseok and Kyungsoo by the river, dedicatedly following their shifu’s every order. Nowadays, they get into more scrimmages than Chanyeol can count; yet it’s truly been a while since he has felt the need to actually fight someone. To fight for someone.
Lu Han just stares, eyes wide, as Kyungsoo knocks another guard out of the way. Chanyeol manages to tug both Yixing and Lu Han into a back alley, pushing them behind a hiding spot. He whistles, effectively signaling the others to retreat. Chanyeol catches sight of Minseok and Kyungsoo leaping over the roof as guards give chase on foot.
“Shouldn’t we-” Yixing stops when Chanyeol covers his mouth, making wild expressions with his eyes. Yixing seems to understand, as both he and Lu Han fall silent.
“Are you stupid?” Chanyeol asks when the coast is clear. “Why would you stop an official carriage like that?”
When Lu Han bristles, Yixing cuts in. “We’ve tried requesting an audience with the chief for weeks, but he’s never at his estate so-”
“Of course he’s never there.” Chanyeol gives them a soft look. “He won’t help you. The officials in this city are more corrupt than you think.”
“He has to,” Lu Han insists. “He’ll help us as soon as he hears our story.”
Chanyeol twists his mouth into a slight frown, setting his hands on Lu Han’s shoulder. “He won’t, trust me.”
“He has to,” Lu Han repeats, eyes dark.
For someone with such delicate features, Lu Han is surprisingly firm in his stubbornness. Chanyeol locks eyes with him for a minute before sighing, hands finding the back of his head as he spins around. “Okay, let’s go back to our place, then. I want to hear this story of yours.”
Lu Han grew up in Jinan. During the summer, Lu Han would sit by the ponds with Yixing, trousers rolled up as they dipped their feet into the water. They collected water lilies during the day, laughing as Lu Han chased Yixing through the town with a basket of flowers tucked under his arms. At night, they sat by the fire and watched Lu Han’s mother carefully press flowers into books. Lu Han’s mother made a living selling floral powder. She always smelled of the crepe mytrl, an ethereal scent lingering as she traveled from door to door, delivering medicine to the sick. That was how she found Yixing, violently ill outside the orphanage, the autumn after Lu Han’s tenth birthday. She carefully nursed Yixing back to health, assigning Lu Han to monitor duty as he refilled the Yixing’s water basin at night. They became inseparable after that, playing catch in the forest and aiding Lu Han’s mother in her flower collection.
Chanyeol is astounded at Lu Han’s story and asks him to make more ointment for his cut. Lu Han just laughs, tell him that caspias are no longer in season.
Kyungsoo, always the contemplative one, throws another twig into the fire. “Where is your mother now?”
“She died. I guess there was an illness that even she couldn’t treat.” Lu Han’s gaze flickers back onto the flame, watching it dance. He looks up, smiling faintly when Yixing sets a hand on his arm. “On her deathbed, she asked me to find my father in Beijing. We sold our house and belongings and have been traveling on foot since. The city is so large, and we keep running into trouble and dead ends. Now we’re running out of funds, and-”
“So that package contains the rest of your gold?” Kyungsoo asks, peering over Yixing’s shoulder and watching Lu Han unwrap the cloth. He pauses upon examining the items. “All you have left is a scroll and a fan?”
Lu Han shakes his head. “These were gifts from my father. It’s the only evidence I have to prove my word. He was traveling when he met my mother. He promised to send for her to come to Beijing after being called away on urgent business. I suppose he got held up and never came back for her. She asked me on her deathbed to approach my father and ask if he still remembers the woman he met at the lily pad pond.” He looks up to find four pairs of eyes on him, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry for telling such a depressing story.”
“No, no.” Minseok smiles. “You can live here for the time being. It’s not much, but we’ll do the best we can to-”
“I’ll help you find your father!” Chanyeol cuts in, setting both hands on Lu Han’s shoulder as he nods, eyes wide. Chanyeol ignores Kyungsoo’s comments about his runny nose and hugs Lu Han, digging his face awkwardly into Lu Han’s collar. “I’ll help you.”
Yixing looks torn between laughing and wanting to tear Chanyeol’s snotty face from Lu Han.
Lu Han accepts their offer but refuses to divulge more information about his father’s identity. He leaves in the mornings with Yixing to approach more officials, always returning in the afternoon, dejected but not defeated. In the evenings, they explore the city, Lu Han laughing as Chanyeol barters with every vendor possible. Minseok teaches them how to avoid pickpockets and Kyungsoo maps out all the shortcuts in the city.
Chanyeol takes Lu Han and Yixing to the orphanage once, laughing when the children swarm around new faces. Yixing is amazed after seeing Chanyeol flipping into the air to catch a stray ball in the middle of a ball game. Chanyeol throws it back at the children and blinks. “It’s nothing really. There are tons of people better than me.”
“The three of you trained under the same master, right?” Lu Han asks, watching Minseok chase a boy around the yard. “I wish I knew wu shu.”
Kyungsoo joins them, eyes wide as he grins. A pair of toddlers are busy hugging Kyungsoo’s leg. “It’s useful at times, when Chanyeol gets our asses in trouble.”
Chanyeol responds by throwing a spinning top toy at Kyungsoo. He shrieks when Kyungsoo lurches at them, giving chase as the children cheer. They spend the rest of the afternoon helping Xiao Chun paint his makeshift kite, gathering around the old man next door as he plays the erhu. Chanyeol watches as Lu Han bite slowly into his steam bun, Chanyeol grinning when Lu Han returns his smile.
In June, Chanyeol takes them to the first summer festival by the river, watching as Lu Han traverses from booth to booth under the lanterns. Minseok is determined to win at a dart game, dragging Yixing along and laughing when Yixing misses atrociously, nearly taking out the booth owner’s right eye.
They find Kyungsoo in a yoyo contest, cheering when Kyungsoo wins a bag of snacks. The five of them line up by the riverbed, munching on mahua and watching paper lotuses float on the water. When Chanyeol complains about wanting to make his own lotus, Kyungsoo sticks a red bean pastry into Chanyeol’s mouth and reminds him that they’re for the kids.
Minseok disappears for a bit and returns with a string of firecrackers, proceeding to light it with his match and almost setting Kyungsoo on fire. Kyungsoo chases Minseok into the crowd while the rest follow, Chanyeol grinning as he helps Lu Han jump over a fence. They watch as an elderly woman shoos Minseok away from her food stand, waving a rag over her head as she threatens to whoop Kyungsoo and Minseok in the ass.
When Chanyeol turns around, Lu Han is holding onto Yixing as he doubles over in laughter “Having fun?” Chanyeol asks.
Lu Han’s eyes almost twinkles as he grins back, a hint of mischief tugging at his lips. “The most.” Lu Han cheers when Minseok and Kyungsoo return with scallion pancakes in a paper bag, tearing the bigger piece off for Yixing and making a face when Yixing protests.
Chanyeol is busy chewing his own food when he sees a girl with a skewer of meat running into someone’s back. They watch as the person turns around, leaning down to pick up the skewer when his companion ushers him away, warning him to not touch or talk to anyone. The girl blinks after them and picks up a plaque from the ground. “Mister! You dropped something!” Her screech catches the attention of the nearby crowd, who ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over the jade plaque.
Even from afar, Chanyeol can recognize the engraving of 七 on the royal plaque. 七 for the Seventh Prince, Jongin.
The prince’s companion quickly snatches the plaque, barking at people to stay away as he proceeds to escort Jongin out of the crowd. Chanyeol has only heard about the Seventh Prince, whose complexion was rumored to be dark and radiant. Chanyeol gives Minseok a small shrug. He turns around to find Lu Han fixating on the spot Jongin was.
Lu Han’s eyes are wide and impossibly pained. He doesn’t respond to Kyungsoo waving in front of his face, finally turning around when Yixing pulls him into a small hug.
The walk back to the courtyard is quiet, with Kyungsoo leading the way. Chanyeol keeps checking behind them for fear that Lu Han and Yixing would run away. There is something eerie about the silence, causing hair on the back of Chanyeol’s neck to rise. Minseok stops suddenly when they approach the courtyard gate, spinning around as they all face Lu Han.
“What business do you have with Prince Jongin?” Kyungsoo asks at last.
“Nothing.” Lu Han gives them a confused look. “I don’t have any business with him. He just felt like someone I should know, that’s all.”
Minseok bites his lip, exchanging a look with Kyungsoo. “Lu Han-ah,” he says. Chanyeol recognizes that tone as the one Minseok often used to lure disobedient kids at the orphanage out of their hiding spots. “You can tell us the truth.”
“He is telling you the truth.” Yixing steps in front of Lu Han, suddenly defensive.
Minseok presses on. “Lu Han, who is your father?”
Lu Han is silent. After what seems like an eon, he finally looks up. “The emperor. I am the emperor’s illegitimate son.” When Yixing protests, Lu Han shakes his head. “It’s okay, Yixing. There’s no one else I trust more than them.”
“A Prince,” Kyungsoo mumbles, pacing around the empty street. “You’re a prince?”
Lu Han laughs, but it’s devoid of humor. “Just because I was fathered by the emperor doesn’t mean I’m a prince.”
“But that’s what you are,” Minseok insists, stepping forward. “Why didn’t you tell us earlier?”
Yixing rubs the bridge of his nose, looking uncharacteristically tired. “No one would believe us. No one. They wouldn’t even hear Lu Han’s story. How are we suppose to approach the emperor when the palace is so far away, and we have no means of getting into the forbidden city?”
“I believe you,” Chanyeol insists, hand finding Lu Han’s. “I promised to help you, didn’t I? All you had to do was ask.”
Lu Han looks up at them, eyes unreadable. “I’m asking now.”
“Next week,” Kyungsoo speaks up suddenly. “The emperor is going on another hunting expedition next week. That’s the best way for us to reach him.”
Reaching the hunting grounds is easier said than done. The grounds are guarded by countless soldiers when the hunting party is out, leaving the cliff to the west as the only entry point. Chanyeol remembers climbing over it once to peek at the hunting party last year, but even that had taken a considerable amount of effort. He tells Lu Han as much while they approach the west point a week later.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Yixing asks when they’re hiding behind a boulder. He ducks upon spotting someone. “You said there wouldn’t be anyone at this entrance!”
“There shouldn’t be.” Chanyeol pokes his head out, frowning at the guards on patrol. “Leave it to them to ramp up security now. There must be another way in. There’s got to be.”
“This is the only way in,” Minseok decides, locking eyes with Lu Han. “You guys have to go in this way. Kyungsoo and I will take care of the guards.” He doesn’t wait for a reply before jumping out of their spot, diverting the soldiers’ attention as he engages them in combat.
“Don’t let Chanyeol do something stupid,” Kyungsoo says before jumping in after Minseok.
Chanyeol makes a face at them and gestures Lu Han and Yixing towards the base of the cliff. They manage to ascend halfway up before Yixing cries out in alarm, and Chanyeol nearly loses his own footing trying to tug Lu Han up. They settle on a relatively flat surface, Chanyeol watching as Yixing inspects Lu Han for wounds.
“We’re almost there,” Chanyeol insists, helping Yixing clean the cut on Lu Han’s arm. “We just have to finish scaling this cliff to access the forest, then we should reach the hunting ground in no time.” He stops when the sound of a horn fills the air, followed by the familiar echo of Kyungsoo’s whistle. “That’s from Minseok and Kyungsoo. They’re safe for now.”
Lu Han is quiet for a moment. “So the first sound must be a warning from the guards.”
Chanyeol looks back at the cliff and frowns. “Come on, we don’t have much time. If the hunting party retreats before we reach them-”
“Chanyeol-ah,” Lu Han says suddenly, grabbing Chanyeol’s hand. “There’s no use. Yixing and I can’t scale these rocks. You know that. You’re the only one who can.”
“But you-”
Lu Han carefully ties the clothed package around Chanyeol’s waist. “You’re the only one who can do it, Chanyeol-ah. You have to deliver these for me and explain everything, please.”
Chanyeol looks between Lu Han and Yixing. He thinks about Lu Han, staring wistfully at his mother’s fan at night as he sits by the window and the way Yixing tries to cheer him up. Chanyeol knows about Lu Han’s mischievousness and excitement for life, yet Lu Han’s enthusiasm always dim on the subject of his father. Chanyeol thinks that, more than anything, he just wants his friends to be happy.
“I won’t let you down,” is all Chanyeol says.
Infiltrating the royal hunting party is no easy feat, Chanyeol discovers when he emerges from the forest with cuts on his arm and leaves in his air. He vaguely remembers the screech of “Intruder!” before ducking from an onslaught of guards.
“I’m not here to fight!” Chanyeol yelps when a sword almost slices his arm open. “Really! I’m not! I just need to speak to the emperor!” He leaps over two men when they ignore him. Leave it to Minseok and Kyungsoo to make things harder for him, Chanyeol thinks as he evade the guards, slowly making his way out of the crowd.
Chanyeol doesn’t have time to be thankful that Lu Han and Yixing didn’t follow him into the clearing, because he’s interrupted by the sound of horses nearby as he dodges another blow. “I don’t want to fight!” Chanyeol yells again. He cries in alarm when someone knocks Lu Han’s package into the air, and Chanyeol jumps up in time to grab it. He misses his landing and rolls onto the ground, hissing as his free hand shoots to his side. When Chanyeol pulls himself up, he’s met with the sight of blood on his hands and an arrow stuck to his side.
“As expected from the sharpshooter, prince Baekhyun,” someone says as more horses approach.
Chanyeol mumbled something incoherent as the guards drag him by the limbs. “Let me go,” Chanyeol whines, wincing at the pain. “Let me go, I’m not an assassin!”
“Inspect him,” a new voice says, and Chanyeol looks up to find someone incredibly tall and angry scowling at him. Chanyeol puts up a fight when the guards grab Lu Han’s package, kicking and flailing until someone kicks him in the side, causing Chanyeol to recoil.
“I want to speak with the emperor,” Chanyeol manages to say as his vision clouds. “I have something to show him, I-”
“I’m right here,” an unexpectedly calm voice replies, and Chanyeol squints at the figure of Emperor Kangta on horseback.
“The emperor,” Chanyeol starts to say, but stops in a coughing fit. He vaguely remembers someone holding him.
The warmness around Chanyeol shifts a little, keeping a firm grip on Chanyeol’s wounds to minimize the bleeding. All Chanyeol can remember is the smell of sunflowers and the tenderness of the voice that speaks up. “Father, he’s gravely injured. Maybe we should have the medic look at him first?”
“Prince Joonmyun, we don’t know if he’s an assassin. It may be best inspect him before-”
“I agree. We can’t interrogate him if he’s dying on top of Joonmyun. Let’s tend to his wound first and-”
“But prince Baekhyun-”
“Enough,” Kangta cuts in, dismounting his horse.
Chanyeol tightened his grasp on Joonmyun’s arm as his head lolls to Joongmyun’s shoulder in deliria. Dirt poor, street rat Park Chanyeol never thought he would die bleeding on top of a royal prince. Even at the end of his wits, he can imagine Kyungsoo commenting on Chanyeol making a mess. “The package -show him the package,” he hisses, voice hoarse. Chanyeol coughs blood onto Joonmyun’s sleeve and doesn’t put up a fight when Baekhyun takes the items from him. He makes out the figure of Baekhyun presenting Kangta with the scroll and fan.
“Where did you get this?” Kangta asks at last, pushing through the crowd to kneel next to Chanyeol, despite the complaints from his subjects.
Chanyeol looks up, finally finding his voice. “Don’t you remember the woman you met by the lilypad pond?”
Kangta opens his mouth to respond, but that’s when Chanyeol passes out.
There is an aching pain on Chanyeol’s side as he drifts in and out of consciousness. His thoughts disperse like dandelion fluff drifting in the wind, but there’s a hand holding him down, pulling him back to that courtyard, to the memory of Kyungsoo sweeping the ground and Minseok laundering their clothes. There’s something exhaustive about the image of Lu Han and Yixing smiling over a fire, and suddenly Chanyeol wishes he was there.
The first time Chanyeol snaps awake in a feverish daze, he finds three imperial medics leaning over his bedside, tending to his wounds.
The second time around, there are two boys peering over him. One of them is changing the damped towel on Chanyeol’s forehead, smiling a little when Chanyeol manages to make a garbled noise. “Sorry for shooting you,” the boy closest to him says. “Get better soon.” His whisper lingers, even after Chanyeol’s eyes flutter close.
When Chanyeol opens his eyes again, Emperor Kangta is by his bedside. Chanyeol is aware of the dampness of his own shirt and the exhaustion seeping into his bones. He immediately tries to sit up, blinking when Kangta helps him. “The scroll and fan-” Chanyeol tries to say, his voice scratchy.
Instead of replying, Kangta slowly pushes a spoonful of porridge into Chanyeol’s mouth. “I remember that fan,” he says, watching Chanyeol swallow the food. “I wrote the poem on it myself and gave it to your mother. When my advisors called me back to Beijing urgently that Spring, I honestly meant to send for your mother. However, the border conflict lasted longer than I anticipated, and before I knew it, two years had passed.”
“I-” Chanyeol starts, but closes his mouth when Kangta sighs.
“Where is your mother now?”
Chanyeol frowns, thinking back to that conversation by the fireside. “She’s dead.”
When Kangta looks sharply away, Chanyeol becomes keenly aware of his own precarious position. The guilt in his chest grows as Kangta continues to feed him the remaining contents of the porridge bowl, but Chanyeol knows for a fact that he can’t tell the emperor the truth. Not now.
When Chanyeol comes to again, he asks the nearest servant about the date.
“You’ve been on bed rest for a week, your majesty,” the girl replies, bowing.
Chanyeol jumps out of bed and sends the servant away. He paces around the room and suddenly feels the need to smash something. One week. He’s been out of contact with everyone for a week, the pain on his side now but a dull ache. He decides that the most important thing at the moment is to contact Lu Han, so Chanyeol changes into the clothes set neatly on a chair and sneaks out of the bedchamber.
He makes it thirty paces into the palace garden before getting lost. Chanyeol thinks if he can just sneak over the palace walls, then finding his way back will be easy. He freezes when someone shouts “Where are you going?”, and Chanyeol peaks behind him to find a familiar faces.
Ah, shit shit shit. It’s Arrow Boy and Angry Face. Chanyeol can’t deal with them, not now, so when they approach him, Chanyeol immediately engages them in combat.
Arrow Boy blocks Chanyeol with his arm, spinning around to dodge the next move as he twirls out of Chanyeol’s range, hands in the air. He steps back when Chanyeol goes for his legs, easily dodging the attack as he leaps away from Chanyeol. “Wait! I’m sorry! I’m sorry for shooting you!”
Chanyeol is stepping forward when someone grabs his arm.
“Are you in the condition to fight right now?” Angry Face asks, his grasp on Chanyeol’s arm firm. “It’s not a good idea to open your wound.”
“Wu Fan is right,” Arrow Boy continues. “If you want to get even, I’m up for us to spar it out, but you’re hurt and I really don’t want to explain to Father why I injured my new brother a second time around.
Wu Fan lets go, a chuckle escaping him. “I don’t think you should spar with him regardless, Prince Baekhyun. Your brother will no doubt rush in, screeching about violence while simultaneously kicking everyone’s ass.”
“He’s weird like that,” Baekhyun agrees. He pauses, glancing around to find Chanyeol in the middle of scaling the garden walls. “What are you doing?”
“No one is allowed to leave the palace without security clearance,” Wu Fan says, leaping to the top of the wall and looking down at Chanyeol.
Crazy tall motherfucker, Chanyeol thinks as he pulls himself up, landing on the same level as Wu Fan. “I need to get out of here, so please don’t get in the way,” Chanyeol says before launching himself at Wu Fan.
Wu Fan humors him by easily blocking all of his moves, knocking at Chanyeol’s knees as he pushes back Chanyeol’s advances. Suddenly Chanyeol wishes he had trained harder, his movements imprecise while he tries to maintain his footing. It’s unsuccessful, because Chanyeol ultimately loses his balance and goes tumbling from the wall.
Chanyeol knows how to roll into a proper landing, but he doesn’t expect the suddenly swish of clothing as someone catches him in midair. His savior lands gracefully on the ground and sets Chanyeol upright despite the height difference.
“Good job, Joonmyun.” Emperor Kangta is here now, nodding as Wu Fan lands to bow. He breaks into a pleasant laugh when Chanyeol stares at him, eyes wide. “My sons are so lively this early in the morning. However, you shouldn’t be sparring yet. You’re not completely healed.”
“Father, you never asked for his name,” Joonmyun adds, scooting closer to Chanyeol, his smile blinding.
Chanyeol hesitates, blowing away the bangs over his eyes. “It’s... Chanyeol, sir.”
Kangta is silent for a moment, as if contemplating the name. Finally,he steps forward to set a hand on Chanyeol’s back. “There no need for formalities. From now on, you should call me ‘Father’.”
Chanyeol thinks Kangta looks entirely too young to have fathered any of these people, but he keeps his mouth shut for once. Kyungsoo, Chanyeol thinks, would be proud of this feat.
Kangta continues. “This is the Fifth Prince, Baekhyun.”
Baekhyun smiles, mouth silently forming around the words, sorry again.
“This is the Fourth Prince, Joonmyun. The one next to him is Wu Fan, the son of General Wu. Wu Fan is currently in charge of palace security and the safety of my children.”
Chanyeol just nods dumbly.
“Why were you trying to leave the palace?” Joonmyun asks, his smile impossibly bright.
“I wanted to see my friends,” Chanyeol replies slowly. .
“You’ll get to go outside of the palace walls,” Kangta says cryptically, turning around to walk towards another wing. When Joonmyun, Baekhyun, and Wu Fan follow, Chanyeol can’t help but tag along, walking alongside Kangta. “There will be a parade in three days. That’s when the rest of the city will be introduced to you.”
“But I-” Chanyeol stops when Joonmyun shushes him.
“It will be really exciting, I promise. But first we must gather the royal advisors and train you on the basics,” Joonmyun adds, looping one arm through Chanyeol’s. He leans in close, whispering into Chanyeol’s ear. “I heard Father was really fond of your mother, and now he’s equally fond of you. You must know that being the object of Father’s affection is as equally rewarding as it is dangerous, so you mustn’t do anything silly, okay?”
“Silly?”
“Yes, like interrupting one of his nostalgic spiels.”
Chanyeol just nods lamely, partly because Joonmyun looks smart, and partly because he smells distinctly of sunflowers.
tbc
a/n: This is a summer collab between lunathunderhead and myself! I'm super excited, so please anticipate the drama, action, and ~SEXUAL TENSION~ derp. Even though this installment is more action/plot centric, BE READY FOR THE KRISHAN AND JOONBAEKYEOL.
还珠格格 was my childhood! I watched it faithfully as the first series aired in mainland China, laughing with xiao yan zi and crying with ziwei, pretending I was a ge ge and getting sent to bed by 9pm orz. I'm also kind of a wu xia nerd sooooo yah.
THANK YOU halcyondusk FOR BETA-ING!!
♥ Want to talk EXO? Meta? EXO Meta?? Talk to me on twitter!
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