As soon as they have arrived, Steward Wong gently knocked on the door frame. “Your Highness, Li FangMing has arrived to see you,” Steward Wong announced. They could hear a rustling sound followed by the sounds of hurried footsteps. Not long after, the door was unlocked and opened.

“Your High—aaah!!” Li FangMing was just about to greet Qin YiJun when he was pulled in and the door was once again closed. Steward Wong who was left outside could only shake his head as he prayed that Li FangMing can pull their Crown Prince out of his fear and sadness.

As soon as the door is locked, Li FangMing found himself being hugged by the Crown Prince. He was surprised by Qin YiJun’s state. The boy was unlike the cheerful boy he used to know. “Your Highness?” he called out but Qin YiJun didn’t answer. Li FangMing tried the second time but there was still no answer, instead, the Crown Prince only tightened his hug around Li FangMing.

“YiJun?” this time, Li FangMing tried to call the Crown Prince by his name. Ever since they had gotten closer over the past two years, Qin YiJun has been urging Li FangMing to drop the formality and call him by his name whenever they are alone. At first, Li FangMing was reluctant but after much coaxing from the Crown Prince, Li FangMing finally agreed.

“FangMing… my mother died. What should I do?” Qin YiJun asked as he pulled away from Li FangMing to look at his friend’s face.

“Died? But Steward Wong said that—”

“She died in front of me! We were just about to eat dinner when she suddenly clutched her throat in pain. She swiped all the dishes away from the table before she fell down on the floor and… and…” Qin YiJun started to cry as he recounted what he had seen.

Li FangMing didn’t know what else to do so he just pulled Qin YiJun back into a hug as he let him cry on his shoulder. Li FangMing had never seen his mother ever since he could remember. The other kids told him that his mother ran away after he was born and that he was an unwanted child. His father never recognized him until recently. So Li FangMing is unable to understand Qin YiJun’s pain of losing his mother. But seeing Qin YiJun cry does evoke that protective feeling he has for the boy.

Li FangMing stays quiet as Qin YiJun cried and after a while, Qin YiJun finally stopped crying and has calmed down. While he was silently comforting the Crown Prince, Li FangMing noticed the untouched food on the table. He remembered what Qin YiJun said earlier about his mother died after eating and figured that Qin YiJun didn’t want to eat. “YiJun, you must eat,” Li FangMing said as he pulled away and helped wipe the tears away from Qin YiJun’s face.

“No! If I eat, I’ll die!” fear was evident in Qin YiJun’s eyes as he said that and it only made Li FangMing worry more. So Li FangMing can only do what he can think of to make Qin YiJun believe that the food is not poisoned. He walked over to the table while Qin YiJun tried to stop him. “FangMing! Don’t go! What if the demon appears and then force you to eat? You’ll die like mother!” Qin YiJun said in a panicked voice. Li FangMing pretended not to hear him as he picked up a bowl of porridge and ate them right in front of Qin YiJun.

Qin YiJun’s eyes widened when he saw what Li FangMing just did. He was afraid that Li FangMing would collapse anytime soon, but it did not happen. “FangMing? You’re alright?” he asked. “Are you in pain anywhere? If yes, hurry and tell me so I can get someone to go get Old Pan!”

“YiJun, I’m not in pain. See? I’m alright! There is no poison on the food so hurry and eat before the porridge gets too cold,” Li FangMing said with a smile as he held up the spoon to feed Qin YiJun. The Crown Prince was reluctant at first but after a while, he finally opened his mouth and ate the porridge. “See? Not poisoned, right? If I didn’t eat it first, you wouldn’t even want to eat it!”

“But that doesn’t mean you should do reckless thing like that! What if it really is poisoned??”

“Don’t worry, YiJun, I know the food is not poisoned. Plus, if it helps to get you to eat, I will gladly do so,” Fang Ming answered. “Now, hurry and eat more!” he said as he continued to help feed Qin YiJun. After the porridge, they ate the osmanthus cake together and finished them quickly.

Once they have cleaned up all the food, Li FangMing went to the door, opened it and saw a servant waiting on them. “His Highness has eaten! You can bring out the dish now,” Li FangMing said with a smile as he let the servant in. The servant came in and cleaned up the dish before leaving and Li FangMing closed the door once more.

“FangMing,” Qin YiJun called Li FangMing over once the door is closed.

“Yes?” Li FangMing turned around and walked towards Qin YiJun who is now seated on his bed.

“No matter what, you are not allowed to die. Is that understood?”

“Is that an order from the Crown Prince?” Li FangMing asked in a playful manner.

“FangMing, I’m not joking…”

“I’m sorry. It is just that, Steward Wong said to cheer you up. Did I fail?” Li FangMing looked at Qin YiJun worriedly. When he did not have any reply, he suddenly feels bad. “Sorry,” he apologized again.

“No need to apologize. If it is you, I will always forgive you. Just promise me that you won’t die and leave me,” Qin YiJun said, the last of his sentence contains a sense of urgency.

“If that is what you want, then I will do my best to live no matter what! I promise. So YiJun must promise me the same, okay? You must eat well when the servant gives you your food!” Li FangMing told the other boy.

“Good. I also promise,” Qin YiJun replied. Then, he went to his drawer beside the bed and took out a small knife. Li FangMing was confused as to why Qin YiJun would suddenly take out a knife. When he saw what Qin YiJun did next, his mouth opened in a silent scream.

“Yi-!” Li FangMing was about to scold Qin YiJun when his mouth was covered before he can even begin. His eyes stared at Qin YiJun’s bleeding palm. The cut is small, but for a Crown Prince to have it, it is enough to make a servant lose their life if the Emperor ever found out.

“Don’t worry. I just made a small scratch,” Qin YiJun said and when he saw that Li FangMing won’t scream anytime soon, he slowly let go of the male’s mouth. “FangMing, I have a presumptuous request…” Qin YiJun said before he handed the knife he used before. “Will you become my ‘Blood Brother’? One who will share my worry, and who will support me in my time of needs?”

Li FangMing blinked a few times before he glanced at the small knife in his hand. His hand was shaking as he held the knife, not in fear, but in anger. “YiJun! Next time you do something like this, tell me first! I was really scared earlier!” Li FangMing still scolded Qin YiJun. Then, without any hesitation, he too made a small cut on his hand. “Do you even need to ask? Even if you don’t ask me to be your blood brothers, I will still stay by your side and support you! Even if you don’t want me anymore, I’ll just become a soldier and work up my way to be a general!” Li FangMing was smiling as he joked a bit. Soon, both boys say their oaths and became ‘Blood Brothers’.