AN: It seems when my muse returns, she returns with a vengeance. Another conversation that I think should have happened sometimes during HZGG. Perhaps not quite in this way, but just happened at all.

Brothers: Yongqi and XiaoJian

The day after the Emperor finally announced the date of the double wedding, Yongqi went by himself to seek out XiaoJian. He entered the bustling Hui Bing Lo only to be informed by Liu Hong that XiaoJian had stepped out to visit friends nearby but would be back soon. When Yongqi told her that he would wait, Liu Hong nodded, tried hard to hide her curiosity, and directed Yongqi to XiaoJian's room. So it was that when XiaoJian returned, he found Yongqi pacing back and forth with a clear sign of nervousness.

Thinking the worst, XiaoJian immediately asked, "Yongqi! What brings you here? Where is everyone else? Is Xiao Yan Zi ok?"

Yongqi turned to the sound of XiaoJian's voice and nodded, "Xiao Yan Zi is fine. Last I saw her, she was with Qing-er and ZiWei, playing with Xiao Pian Zi (XYZ's parrot)…I came alone today because, well, I wanted to ask you something."

At hearing that his sister was alright, XiaoJian visibly relaxed and gestured towards the table and chairs in the room, "Why don't we sit and you ask me. I for one need some tea to warm up from being outside."

Yongqi nodded and thanked XiaoJian for pouring an additional cup. He sat nursing the drink, staring intently at the tea leaves in his cup.

It was XiaoJian who broke the awkward silence, "Well, Yongqi, what did you need to ask?"

Yongqi finally looked up and said, "XiaoJian, we haven't always gotten along. And I know as Xiao Yan Zi's brother, you probably don't think I'm good enough for your sister. But, Huang Ah Ma has finally decided on our wedding date and has invited you, Liu Qin, Liu Hong, and Jin Suo to attend."

XiaoJian looked startled, "I thought outsiders were not allowed to enter the Palace?"

Yongqi smiled wryly, "You'll discover that normal Palace rules never really apply where Xiao Yan Zi is concerned. And she would definitely want you there, as her family."

XiaoJian nodded, "We'll definitely be there…But you came for another purpose, did you not?"

Yongqi nodded and took a deep breath, "Yes…I came to ask for your blessing. I probably should have asked you as soon as you told us of your true relationship with Xiao Yan Zi, but so many things were happening, there never seemed a good moment. Now that HAM has finally decided on a date, I can't put it off anymore. And since you are the only blood family XYZ has left, I felt it right to ask you."

XiaoJian stared pensively at the younger man, causing Yongqi to fidget. After a long pause, he asked, "Does XYZ know you're here today?"

Yongqi shook his head, "No, she has no idea. And I don't plan on telling her. This is something I must do for myself."

XiaoJian asked curiously, "Why?"

Yongqi sighed, "Because I know XYZ loves you and looks up to you. She truly cares for your opinion. And I do too. It took me a long while to admit to it, but you are in many ways a better man than I am. It's just that in my arrogance and my misplaced jealousy, I refused to accept that truth. And I was very jealous, not just because of XYZ, but also because everyone else depended on you so much and welcomed you with open arms. Even Er Kang would defer to you. You were the savior we couldn't do without and me, I was relegated to the background. I was not used to feeling so helpless and was unwilling to admit to myself that my fear also stemmed from a sudden lack of authority and control. I know I still have that streak of arrogance in me, but I truly care for XYZ and want her to be happy. For her sake, I know I need to quell this pride. I also know she would want us to be friends. And I thought, since we're soon to be brothers, that I would just like to start off right this time."

Xiao Jian looked at Yongqi's earnest face and spoke carefully, "Yongqi, I won't lie to you, I have long held doubts about you and Xiao Yan Zi as a couple. Not because I looked down at you, but because you two come from such different worlds. I once asked ZiWei if she truly thought you two could be happy together. And she told me that love makes anything possible, that it can bridge the greatest differences. But I still doubted, perhaps because I have experienced not such a love and perhaps because in my eyes, Xiao Yan Zi will always be my baby sister…What you ask for, it's not that simple for me to give…"

Yongqi let out a soft breath, "I suppose not…for you have seen me at my worst, seen my jealousy, seen my weakness…But XiaoJian, I really care for XiaoYanZi, and if you'll just tell me how, I will earn your blessings."

Xiao Jian smiled softly, "You misunderstand me, Yongqi. I do not doubt your love for my sister. I have seen how hard you tried to change for her. Perhaps the moment that really let me accept you two as a couple was when Er Kang returned with ZiWei after XYZ had lost her. Even though we all knew XYZ was at fault, you still stood by her and gave her comfort. And she...you were the one she turned to. For all that she looked up to me, when she suffered heartache, you were her balm. My sister, she's not the more mature person nor is she one likely to talk about her emotions relating to matters of the heart, even I can admit that, but by her actions, I can tell how much she cares for you and depends on you. Sometimes, I wonder if she truly understand or even knows how much she needs you… But whether or not she does, you still give of yourself….And in some ways, I can understand your struggles. You love XiaoYanZi for being the way she is, but you have also lived your life fulfilling the expectations of others, especially those of your family. And even though you don't want XYZ to change, you know she must to fit into your world. In some ways, in your confused way, you're trying to protect her. As a brother who has not been there for his sister, how can I not approve of someone who has been her protector and her safety net?"

Yongqi frowned, "Then what is it that's making my request difficult?"

Xiao Jian took a sip of tea and tried to think of how to formulate his reply… "In my travels with all of you, I have had a lot of time to think about what you all mean to each other. The love ZiWei and ErKang share is one that can literally move heaven and earth. The love between you and XYZ, though it took me longer to see, is also there. Jin Suo is completely devoted to ZiWei. Liu Qing and Liu Hong are true friends; they did not ask for details but were endlessly loyal. Even ErKang, for all that he doesn't really understand her, would tease XYZ like an older sibling would. But I could not quite see what the relationship was like between ZiWei and you. For all that you were blood brother and sister (and anyone who meets ZiWei and doesn't believe she's HS's daughter must truly be blind or an idiot), you didn't quite act that way…In some ways, you and I, we have opposite experiences with our sisters. I have known of mine my whole life and have been actively searching for her. Whereas you, you had no idea of ZiWei's existence but she found you anyways. Nontheless, we're both older brothers, and we have responsibilities to our sisters. Perhaps you who grew up with countless half-siblings cannot quite appreciate what it means to want to do everything in your power to protect your family."

Yongqi blinked in surprise at XiaoJian's unexpected reply, "You're not giving me your blessings because you think I have not been a good enough brother?"

XiaoJian tilted his head in thought, "Perhaps not quite. It's just that I wonder what kind of family XYZ is marrying into if this is how siblings are like with each other. No matter how much she loves you, she is one of those people who need to have contact with others. Because she grew up without a family, she will hold family close to her heart."

Yongqi took a sip of his tea and then said pensively, "I think I can see that. It's one of the big reasons Er Kang wanted to marry ZiWei as soon as possible; he wanted to remove her from all the competitiveness that goes on in the Palace…You're right in that growing up as I did, I did not think much about emotional ties between siblings. In a way, I never dared to, because I didn't know if my siblings truly wanted to be friends with me or because I was one of those favored by HAM. The only true friend I had was Er Tai and, after Er Tai left to marry SaiYa, Er Kang to a lesser extent. But Er Kang had always been the older one, the more responsible, more logical one. He had been set as an example for both me and Er Tai since we were young, the model young man that the Qing dynasty could be proud of. I think in his eyes, I will always be his kid brother's best friend. And in a way, I think that's why I can trust in our friendship, because he doesn't see my status so much and feels free to reprimand me. But at the same time, it also means I got used to having Er Kang in charge. With Zi Wei, it's the same. I have such belief in Er Kang's ability to take care of everything that I know I can trust Zi Wei to him. Make no mistake, I too care about my sister very much. I think anyone who meets ZiWei will eventually be won over by her goodness. But with Er Kang in her life, I knew she wouldn't need me. From the very beginning, he had been her rock, her shelter, her heart's home. And me? What could I do that Er Kang could not do better? You speak of wanting to protect your sister, and I can understand that. But in my case, ZiWei does not need my protection. Am I proud to be her brother? Of course! I am constantly humbled by her almost angelic goodness and her endless patience. And because of that, I am grateful she is marrying someone like Er Kang, someone who can remove her from the Palace and keep her safe. But XYZ, she's another story. She burst into my life with no warning. She singlehandedly overturned everything I had been brought up to believe in; status, wealth, philosophy, it all meant nothing to her. She cared nothing for hidden motives and implied meanings that are the norm at court. She, unlike ZiWei, really needed me. And I find that I need to be needed, and perhaps that was another reason for all my moody behavior. In the Palace, I had the power, the means to protect XYZ. But in the world out here, the real world, I could barely take care of myself."

Suddenly realizing that he had been ranting, Yongqi blushed and apologized to Xiao Jian, "I'm sorry, I have digressed."

To his surprised, XiaoJian smiled, a true smile, "It seems, Yongqi, that I have underestimated you. You speak of stepping aside for your sister because she already has someone to take care of her…that is something I am still learning to do. It's difficult to admit that I am not the sole man in my sister's life. But I trust in you to take good care of her." He chuckled, "I had told ZiWei that if you ever did wrong by XYZ, I would not hesitate seek vengeance. ZiWei had laughed and said that the chance of XYZ hurting you was far more likely. And I think I understand that now….Yongqi, you have my blessing. I know I can trust you to understand the responsibility you have been given."

Yongqi nodded, "Thank you Xiao Jian, it truly means a lot to me. And I promise you, you needn't worry about XYZ in the Palace. She has a way of ripping away the false pretenses, just by being her. It made Huang Hou Niang Niang her early enemy, true, but it endeared her to all my siblings. Ling Fei Niang Niang and Qing Er told me that the fateful day that XYZ and ZiWei were to be executed, all the Ah Ge's and Ge Ge's knelt in front of HAM and begged him to spare them. In all my life, I have never known all my siblings to agree on anything. Even 12-Ah-Ge, Huang Hou Niang Niang's son, joined in their pleas. If ZiWei inspires friendships by her goodness, then XYZ does the same with her openness. She has even managed to win over Lao Fuo Ye. Because of her, my entire family is changing to be, well, more like a family. And, I have not told anyone this yet, but I plan to work hard so that HAM will elevate my title to that of a Qin Wang, not for the sake of the title, but for the property rights that comes with it. Then, I can follow Er Kang's lead and remove my beloved from the Palace. I promise you that I will free her from that gilded prison. I will not be the one to clip her wings."

XiaoJian nodded in acceptance, "Well then, my brother, why do we not go downstairs for some wine? I feel like celebrating…my little sister is getting married soon after all! Also, I'm sure Liu Hong would want to know that we have not killed each other!"

Yongqi smiled back, feeling a great burden shed.