Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Commander Huang Xi must have gotten the message of the King,” Lóng Wei asserted. “May I know why he is smiling so much?” He squinted his eyes in suspicion.

“This is the first time the Sixth Prince initiated the conversation with me,” Huang Xi answered, “that’s the reason behind this smile, Your Highness.”

“I met His Majesty earlier. I have to guard the Sixth Prince and his wife on their journey to Xinshui Town. I am ready for it.” Huang Xi put his hand on his chest. “I will protect you both with my life,” he stated.

“Commander Huang Xi is so enthusiastic to go on this journey,” Lóng Wei remarked.

“Your Highness, what about the white jade tassel that you found in the forest two days ago? Will we not inform the King about it?” Huang Xi asked.

“It is not the right time,” Lóng Wei said.

“What is the Sixth Prince waiting for? He must tell the King so that everyone will know that he wasn’t the one who murdered those thirty servants,” Huang Xi suggested to Lóng Wei, who shook his head.

“Huang Xi, that’s not important at the moment. I have already proved my innocence in this matter. I have to give my wife some time, so I will stay away from trouble for a while,” Lóng Wei affirmed with a bright smile. Huang Xi was surprised to hear the Sixth Prince.

.....

“It seems His Highness is madly in love with his wife,” Huang Xi said.

“Of course,” Lóng Wei answered. “Huang Xi, we can become friends on one condition,” he put forward.

“What condition, Your Highness?” Huang Xi got curious.

“You need to bring your father’s seal,” Lóng Wei affirmed.

“Pardon me?” Huang Xi was shocked to hear Lóng Wei and looked around. “Did I hear something wrong?” He again asked to confirm.

“Your father’s seal. I need it. If you bring it, then we will become friends,” Lóng Wei repeated his words.

“Does His Highness know that it’s an impossible task? Father will kill me if I try to even pick it. He will ask me hundreds of questions. Also, he is the first General. Can His Highness not give me some other task? I will surely complete that.” Huang Xi humbly refused to bring his father’s seal. However, he asked Lóng Wei to give him some other task.

“Huang Xi, I do not get scared of anything. This is the simplest task I have given you. I can bring it on my own. However, you always ask me to make you my friend, so I thought to see if you are capable enough to give me the shoulder in my every work,” Lóng Wei explained to him.

“May I know why His Highness needs it and for how long?” Huang Xi asked.

“I need it for a week,” Lóng Wei answered. “I cannot tell the reason to have the First General’s Seal,” he cleared Huang Xi, who sighed.

“A week? The Sixth Prince wants to take the seal to Xinshui Town?” Huang Xi arched his brows and anxiously gazed at Lóng Wei, who hummed.

“It seems you are unable to do it,” Lóng Wei opined.

“I will do it. I will bring the seal, Your Highness. The Sixth Prince must keep his promise to make me his friend.” Huang Xi agreed to bring his father’s seal to Lóng Wei, who was astonished for a second. He had not expected that Huang Xi would be so eager to become his friend.

“Great. I will wait for you to come to my manor,” Lóng Wei said and left the lakeside. Huang Xi wondered how would steal his father’s seal. He never stole anything in his life. But it was a golden chance to become Lóng Wei’s friend, or else he would not even talk to him during the entire journey.

Lóng Wei ascended the stairs of the Crown Prince’s manor and went straight to his chamber. The maidservant didn’t stop him from going inside. Eunuch Lishi scolded Lóng Wei for entering unannounced when the Crown Prince was taking his morning meals.

“Eunuch Lishi, please calm down,” Xiaoming said.

“Can I have my breakfast with the Crown Prince?” Lóng Wei asked, beaming into the eyes of Xiaoming.

“Never. The Sixth Prince shall leave,” Eunuch Lishi pronounced.

“Eunuch Lishi, bring the food for my youngest brother. He wants to have his breakfast with his eldest brother.” Xiaoming ignored what Eunuch Lishi said earlier.

“Sure, Your Royal Highness.” Eunuch Lishi could not refuse the command of the Crown Prince and instructed the maidservant to bring breakfast for the Sixth Prince.

Lóng Wei’s lips curled up into a smile and he settled in front of the Crown Prince. He took the chopsticks from Xiaoming’s hands. “The Crown Prince will not mind if his youngest brother will use the chopsticks that are specially designed for him. Correct me, Crown Prince, if I am wrong,” Lóng Wei stated.

Eunuch Lishi gaped at Lóng Wei. His acts always boiled his blood.

“Of course, Brother Lóng Wei can use these chopsticks.” Xiaoming allowed him to use them. He asked for another pair and asked Lóng Wei why he didn’t have his first breakfast with Li Hua.

“Li Hua?” Lóng Wei chuckled. “The Crown Prince shall address her as Sister-in-law. Only I can pronounce her name,” he said with a stern tone.

“The Sixth Prince must not forget that he’s sitting in front of the Crown Prince of the Kingdom.” Eunuch Lishi could not control his anger and raised his voice at Lóng Wei, whose lips curled up from one side.

“Shall I throw Eunuch Lishi out or will the Crown Prince ask him to leave?” Lóng Wei asked Xiaoming, which seemed insulting to Eunuch Lishi. However, before he could speak, Xiaoming asked him to leave and also told the other servants to leave the chamber.

The last maidservant, who served the meals to Lóng Wei, also left after bowing. Once the door closed, Xiaoming asked Lóng Wei about his real reason to visit his chamber.

“Why don’t we first have our breakfast?” Lóng Wei opined. “The Crown Prince’s mood will get ruined if we start conversing. Let’s have breakfast.” Lóng Wei brought the soft tofu in front of his mouth and ate it. Xiaoming also started to eat. They had their breakfast in utter silence. While Xiaoming could not eat well, on the other hand, Lóng Wei enjoyed it.

The Sixth Prince brought the water glass to his mouth and drank from it. Plonking the glass on the table, he thanked Xiaoming for letting him do breakfast with him.

“I know the Crown Prince will not confess easily. Well, I have evidence against him. If I want, I can show it to our father,” Lóng Wei pronounced and took out the tassel from his pocket. He put it on the table, and Xiaoming looked at it.

The faint smile from the Crown Prince’s lips had disappeared to see the tassel.

“What’s the use of gathering the support of the Second Prince, who could not even find this before I got my hands on it?” Lóng Wei commented and once again made fun of the capabilities of Qiu Mu.

Xiaoming held out his hand to pick the tassel. But before Lóng Wei picked it up and put it inside his pocket. “Shall I go to our Father and tell him what his dearest, eldest son did?” Lóng Wei waited for his response.

“If Brother Lóng Wei wanted to tell our father about it, then we would not be here,” Xiaoming deduced.

“Absolutely correct!” Lóng Wei answered. “I don’t want anyone to find out about it. Who cares about the lives of those thirty servants? Hundreds of people die daily. The Crown Prince only ended the miseries of those thirty servants.”

Xiaoming was unable to understand what Lóng Wei wanted. He was unable to see what was going on in his head.

“What does the Sixth Brother want?” Xiaoming asked him.

Lóng Wei smiled and gestured to him to come closer. Xiaoming leaned forward and so did Lóng Wei. “I want him to remove the Second Prince from the position of General.”

Xiaoming gaped at him in bewilderment.

“Why? Is it too difficult for the great Crown Prince? He has one week to do it. The day I return from Xinshui, I want the Second Prince to come down from the position of the second General,” Lóng Wei affirmed.

“Ah, I forgot to tell the most important thing to the Crown Prince,” he leaned back and sat straight.

Xiaoming furrowed his brows together.

“Don’t even think of assassinating me during my journey to Xinshui because this evidence will reach the King even in my absence. Even my death will lead to the doom of the Crown Prince. So, he must make a wise decision. I will not deny the fact that he is the smartest amongst all of us,” Lóng Wei proclaimed while stressing the word smartest and smirked.

Lóng Wei stood up. “I must leave, Crown Prince. He shall not fool his youngest brother in any way. I am hundreds of steps ahead of him. So, he must make a wise decision and execute a proper plan against the Second Prince to remove him from the position of General,” Lóng Wei repeated his words. He turned and left the chamber.

Xiaoming slammed his hand on the table. “How can I make such a big mistake?” He muttered.