Nine Tails of Twin Brothers

Concealed

"this has been fun, you should come with your dad to these meetings more often, now please take me to the edge of the river"

"You won't do me a favor but you won't do me one"

"A-Feng!"

"Fine!"

Ye Hua turned back his face as Bai Qian floated towards them and caught the knowing smile on his third uncle's face through the corner of his eyes. He ignored it, no one could prove anything and he would keep it that way.

"Bai Qian greets the princes of the nine heavens" Bai Qian greeted as she walked towards the seat at the head of the room.

All three stood up and bowed in response. She pretended not to see the pointed way the other two looked at the second prince as they all took their seats once she was seated.

"It is not often that 3 of the 4 princes of heaven come visiting. How can Qing qiu help the Nine heavens today?" She asked

There was a moment of terse silence before the second prince stood up; "This prince apologizes to Bai Qian for his outbursts and rude words. Si Xing was just and effective in protecting her people from enemies who sought to harm her" he concluded with a bow

Bai Qian observed the prince over the top of her cup then smiled "Such charming words from the second prince of the nine heavens. Of course Bai Qian has to accept the apology"

Ye Hua took a sip from his tea to avoid sighing loudly as his uncle straighten up with a smile. Was he the only one that realized she'd twisted her words and was not really accepting the apology as his uncle had twisted his to avoid actually apologizing? He was getting a headache trying to figure it out.

"Now" Bai Qian continued "how can Qing qiu help?"

Ye Hua sighed and proceeded to explain the plans they had made for the attack and the areas they wanted her input on. It soon became a  dialogue with questions and ideas bouncing back and forth between him and Bai Qian. He again found himself fascinated with the way her mind worked. Once all the details had been hashed out and decision made, Ye Hua sat back and sipped his now cold tea as his uncles filled the room with platitudes towards Bai Qian.

"Are you planning to lead the attack?" Bai Qian asked. She didn't specify whom she was asking and her focus was on the tea she was pouring but it was pretty clear whom that question would be directed at

"No, but I plan to send a decoy." Ye Hua replied. He had mused over it for a while and the enemy needed to think he was on the field so there had to be someone there who looked and acted like him at least in the beginning of the attack. it would be tough to set up the decoy but he would find a way

"Zhe Yan has a spell that will help someone borrow your face and voice as long as you allow them to but the spell has a backlash on the borrower under certain conditions so he doesn't allow anyone use it without his permission. Your brother knows how to reach him if you want to explore that option"  She replied

Ye Hua panicked, she called Mo Yuan his brother rather than shifu, did that mean she had stopped thinking of him as just her shifu and started thinking of him in other ways? Was Mo Yuan making more headway than him? He had to find time to come woo her, he needed to plan it out. He decided then that he would do what he could to get this spell and use the time to plan his approach. He loved his da ge but he was not going to lose here; at least not without trying his best.

"That would be most useful. I'll ask da ge"  he replied, voice steady and showing none of the panic he was feeling

"if you are sending him a message, please let him know I may be a little later than planned today" She added