NoGift

"MASTER! Master! Look! Black can see the land! Are we close to Xing already?" Black excitedly said, jumping around Argent.

"Pipe down, will you? We can see as well as you do, you know?" Aurum said, stopping Black from jumping around.

"Wrong! Black can see much far, far away than you Aurum."

"Yes, yes, you're great," Aurum said sarcastically.

Argent stared at the land that kept getting closer and closer. After more than a month of sailing, they finally arrived at Xing. She could finally start the search for her mother. Argent just hoped that it wasn't too late or she didn't really know what she would do.

She felt her hand being gripped. Argent looked down and saw her sister staring up at her.

"It's alright, Brother. Mother is surely still alive. We're definitely going to find her," Aurum said with conviction, as if reading what she was thinking.

For the first time, in a long while, Argent suddenly felt useless. She should be the one reassuring her sister, and here she was, the one being reassured. She should clear her head. Starting the search with a doubtful mind would only affect the result. She wouldn't be able to analyze things properly with negative thoughts filling her mind. If she second-guessed the current safety of their mother, then Argent might not really find her.

Argent took a deep breath and smiled down at her sister. "Yes. We're going to find her."

Not far from them, Li Jun's gaze inadvertently landed on the twins. He was again taken aback when he saw the small smile on the young duke's face. He once again remembered that day in the dining hall when the duke suddenly laughed. Li Jun finally understood why Lei Feng was so smitten with Argent Blackbourne. Because at that moment, he also found the duke quite mesmerizing. That smile should be illegal. Good thing the duke usually had an 'I don't care' face and didn't smile that often.

He glanced at the general. Lei Feng was also looking at the vast sea, but then after just a few seconds, he removed his gaze from the sea and looked at the duke's direction. Compared to looking at the sea, he stared at the duke much longer. The he regained his gaze and looked at the sea once again. But it didn't even last two seconds before he once again stared at the duke.

Li Jun shook his head. This friend of his was already hopeless. He wondered if it's really a good idea to bring the duke to Xing. But then he remembered the project plan that the duke showed him. It was quite ingenius. It was the first time he heard of something like that. He didn't even think that it was possible. But then, the duke assured him that Silver Corporation had all the equipment to make it possible. Li Jun, of course, didn't doubt him. With Silver Corporation handling everything, Li Jun had no doubt that it would be a success. Which meant a lot of money. And 40 percent of that money would go to him.

So in the face of that much gold, the only thing he could do was to prevent Lei Feng and the duke from interacting too much with each other. That way, Lei Feng wouldn't be reminded of his heartbreak. But then these last few days, the general seemed to be in a very good mood. Especially after that thunderstorm. Even with a serious expression on his face, it was easy to see how happy he was. Li Jun wondered if something happened between the two that he wasn't aware of? And could that something possibly renewed Lei Feng's hope?

Li Jun sighed. Why the heck was he so worried about someone else's love life? It's like he didn't have a life at all. He's starting to feel rather silly. But who made him such a great friend?

After thirty more minutes, the ship finally docked on the capital's port. There were guards on the port wearing armors with dragon symbol on their chestplates. On the forefront of those guards was a rather outstanding figure. It was a tall man wearing a white brocade robe. His long black hair was tied on top of his head by a jade crown. His pair black eyes were shaped like crescents that made him looked like he was always smiling. Making people think that he was easy to get along with.

It was the first prince of Xing - Li Shen.

Li Jun and the others went down the ship. As soon as he saw his first brother, Li Jun became excited and immediately ran towards him. "First Brother!"

"Welcome home, Ah-Jun," Li Shen said patting his younger brother's head.

"I'm home," Li Jun announced, smiling from ear to ear. Xing's air was definitely still the best.

Li Shen turned to the general who was just walking behind the fourth prince. "Thank you, General, for protecting Ah-Jun." The general only nodded as affirmation. Then he turned next to the two beautiful teenagers. One was a tall youth with silver hair and purple eyes and the other was a graceful girl with long golden hair and a pair of amber eyes. Truly, there probably wouldn't be any twins in the world more outstanding than these two. "Welcome to Xing, Lord Hanover and Lady Aurum," he said in perfect common tongue.

Argent made a slight bow while Aurum made an elegant one, almost as perfect as a princess of Xing would.

"We're happy to be here, Your Highness," Aurum said using the Xing language, her intonation was perfect. You could only hear her foreign accent if one would listen closely.

Several people there were surprised when they heard her talk in the Xing language. Because they never heard her talk in anything but the common tongue during their travel.

"My, I didn't expect Lady Aurum to speak our language so well," the first prince said, reverting back to the Xing language.

Aurum smiled. "I learned a lot of foreign languages during my primary school years." Foreign Languages was her chosen elective during her last three years in Starlight Academy. She continued to study it because of her being the official face and spokesperson of sPhones. She had to do a lot of promotions in different languages after all. "But my brother speak the Xing language much better than me. Isn't that right, Brother?"

Argent just shrugged. "Your Highness, I don't mean to be rude, but could you already take us to the place where we would be staying? We're starting to gather attention, as you can see."

Argent was right. Some passersby were already taking out their sPhones and recording everything that's happening here.

Li Shen raised his brow when he heard the young duke speaking the Xing language. It was just as Lady Aurum said. He spoke like a true native of Xing. Was he really just that talented? Or was there another reason behind it? "My apologies, Lord Hanover. But a problem has occured regarding the place I've chosen for you."

"What problem?" Li Jun immediately asked.

He had told his brother about the duke coming here to Xing with him since that day the duke offered that business deal with him. So he knew his brother had already prepared the Blackbourne's recidence as early as a month ago. So what was this problem then? His brother gave him a look, silently telling him that he would tell the answer when they're alone. Meaning it's not appropriate to say it here in public.

"If that's the case, then they can stay at the Zhang family's house," the general suddenly interjected. "We have a lot of unoccupied courtyards. I'm sure my mother wouldn't mind if the duke and his family would stay there with us."

[What's this? Is Lei Feng actually making a move right now?], Li Jun thought. As much as he wanted to support his friend in this love of his, Li Jun knew it could only end up hurting him. So as a good friend, he had to put a stop to it. But before he could even offer an alternative, the duke already spoke.

"I think it's a great idea," Argent said.

She was not sure what problem this first prince was talking about. Argent just knew it was good for them. Because as much as possible she didn't really want to deal with Xing's imperial family. The less interaction she had with them, the better. It's already enough to deal with the fourth prince regarding the business.

Argent had no doubt that the imperial family here probably had the same number of problems as the royal family of Albion. They're probably even worse considering that the Emperor had his own harem. Just thinking of those harem intrigues were already enough to give her a headache. Not to mention, the different princes who were fighting for the throne. Argent didn't want to be a part of any of those dramas.

She didn't come here to be tangled in those after all. She came here to search and rescue her mother.

"If Lord Hanover and the General both agree, then that's good," the first prince said. "And by the way, our Imperial Father invites you, Lord Hanover, and your sister, Lady Aurum, to the palace tomorrow. I'm sure the General wouldn't mind escorting you there."

Argent only nodded. "We'll be there, Your Highness."

They all said their goodbyes. Argent's party rode on one of the carriages parked there. While the two princes rode on the other one.

Inside the carriage, Li Jun asked his brother again about the problem regarding the Blackbourne's residence.

"It's Li Ran," his brother simply said but Li Jun immediately understood.

"I knew it has something to do with that shitty brother of us."

"Now, now, it's not right to refer to the crown prince as that," Li Shen said, but there wasn't really any reprimand in his voice.

"So, what did he do?"

"He made a fuss, saying that the residence was already his and I have no right to use it. With the help of the Empress, as usual, he ended up having his way," Li Shen answered. "He probably heard of the business deal you have with the founder of Silver Corporation. He's probably hoping that you would offend Argent Blackbourne by doing this. And thus, making a crack to your relationship."

Li Jun snorted. "How childish. Too bad for him, his plan won't go anywhere."

"Are you sure? For all we know, that Blackbourne is already offended."

"You don't have to worry, Brother. Because the duke couldn't be bothered about things like that."

"Is that so? Hmm... but it's really quite a surprise that you managed to make a deal with the famous founder of the Silver Corporation," Li Shen said, changing the subject.

"Honestly, I'm quite surprised too. I haven't mentioned this during our calls, but he's actually the one who reached out to me for this business deal."

Li Shen gazed down, his expression unreadable. "I see."

"What do you think of him, Brother? Argent Blackbourne, I mean."

Li Shen slightly raised the corner of his lips and looked outside the window of the carriage. "He's exactly what I expected."