Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Crown Prince, I made your way a bit clearer. It is now easy to remove the Second Prince from the position of the General. I hope that the Crown Prince will not disappoint me,” Lóng Wei stated. His lips curled into a smirk.

“Will the Sixth Prince surely give me my tassel back?” Xiaoming asked.

“Of course. I will forget the incident that ever happened with those thirty servants. I will forget that the Crown Prince tried to put blame on me and return his tassel only if he does what I want,” Lóng Wei again reminded him about the condition between them.

“Brother Lóng Wei wants me to find the evidence against Brother Qiu Mu? It is impossible for me,” Xiaoming stated and clenched his fists which were behind his back.

“Nothing is impossible for the great Crown Prince. When he can hire an assassin to kill the servants then, he can do anything,” Lóng Wei affirmed. “Li Hua must be waiting for me. I shall take my leave,” he said and left Xiaoming’s sight soon.

Xiaoming understood what Lóng Wei wanted. He wanted to create a rift between Qiu Mu and him. Qiu Mu could do anything for Xiaoming. Lóng Wei was clearing the strongest people around Xiaoming and the first such person was Qiu Mu.

If Xiaoming would go against Qiu Mu then, he would become his enemy. However, if he didn’t do anything then, Lóng Wei would reveal the truth to their Royal Father. Xiaoming was stuck badly.

~~~~~

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Li Hua looked for Lóng Wei from the balutrade. It had been thirty minutes, and her heart kept sinking with the thought that Lóng Wei might get punished.

“Your Highness, the Sixth Prince had strictly instructed that you must finish your lunch. Since the King has called every Prince, the meeting will take time to end,” Court Lady Hong advised Li Hua, who turned to look at her.

“The Sixth Prince might get punished too,” Li Hua said. After Lóng Wei told her that he had no evidence against Qiu Mu, she was confident that the King must have scolded or punished Lóng Wei for failing to produce evidence.

“Court Lady Hong, shall we go out? Let’s check and find when the Sixth Prince will return,” Li Hua suggested to her. “Please don’t say no. If the Sixth Prince gets punishment then, it will not be good. Let’s go and see.” She requested Court Lady Hong and grasped her both hands.

“Please don’t do this, Your Highness. Let’s go and see if the Sixth Prince is alright.” Court Lady Hong agreed to take Li Hua out, and they both left the manor. As they reached the western corridor, they encountered Xiaoming, who was astonished to see Li Hua.

Li Hua promptly lowered her eyes and greeted the Crown Prince. His heart used to get fluttered every time he would see Li Hua. Only he knew how much it hurt seeing Li Hua with his youngest brother. Had he taken the step to make her his then he would not have to see this day.

Li Hua thought to ask Xiaoming about Lóng Wei. But she stopped herself when she recalled what Lóng Wei told her. Xiaoming had feelings for her and for no reason, she wanted to talk to him. Li Hua kept her head low and waited for Xiaoming to go ahead.

However, to her wonder, he didn’t move from his place. It seemed to her that he had his gaze on her. It seemed uncomfortable to her. “Please excuse me, Your Royal Highness,” Li Hua said humbly. She decided to leave his sight as soon as possible.

“The Royal Mother praised your tea skills and,” Li Hua looked into his eyes, “also your music skills. I apologize to you that your name is joined with me even after you are married to Brother Lóng Wei.” Xiaoming kept his tone polite but he wasn’t formal with her.

“The Crown Prince doesn’t need to apologize. My name was never associated with him. It is a misunderstanding among many. Hopefully, my husband will clear it,” Li Hua asserted. She didn’t know why she used ‘my husband’ in front of Xiaoming. But it would be best to avoid any further conversation with Xiaoming.

He bored his gaze into her pupils. When Li Hua called Lóng Wei her husband, he felt that he was stabbed directly in his heart. When did he build such strong feelings for Li Hua!? For her, he killed those thirty servants. He never did such a henious thing in his life.

Without saying anything anymore, Xiaoming walked ahead. Li Hua was perplexed to get such a reaction from him. But she didn’t put much thought into it and walked ahead to find Lóng Wei.

Li Hua reached outside the private chamber and found the doors were half-closed. No one was present outside, and she found out that everyone had left already.

She heard strange voices that came from inside the private chamber. She asked Court Lady Hong to stay back and went inside the chamber. With quiet steps, she walked in, and the sounds became clearer.

“I cannot owe anything to Lóng Wei. I must find a way to close his chapter,” Qiu Mu said and looked at Eunuch Shi Rang.

Li Hua’s eyes grew bigger, and she hid behind the pillar before they could notice her.

“The Sixth Prince will leave for Xinshui tomorrow, Your Highness,” Eunuch Shi Rang stated. Qiu Mu hummed.

“I will make sure that he will never return to the palace this time. All these years, I didn’t do anything against him. But this time, I have to. Before Lóng Wei becomes a real threat to me, I have to kill him,” Qiu Mu asserted.

Li Hua thought about going out when almost got hit by the large lantern beside the pillar when she was pulled back and pinned to the wall of the pillar.