Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“I got so much work,” Xu Zifan said and sat on the chair. Li Hua told him that she would bring the tea for them.

“Stay here. I will ask the servant to bring the tea for Xu Zifan,” Feng Lao opined and stood up to leave.

“I will not take tea,” Xu Zifan stated. Li Hua found her brother was looking upset and worried. She asked him about it when Xu Zifan told her he had gone out with his friends for a drink at their request.

“I am glad that Elder Brother has made some friends,” Li Hua stated and glanced at Feng Lao. “Why do you not go to work? That way you will grow better,” she said out of concern.

“I cannot work because of certain restraints on me,” Feng Lao said. Li Hua was puzzled to hear about it. She did not know that Feng Lao could not work because of what his father did.

Xu Zifan asked them to talk with each other. “I am going to sleep since I have some drinks,” he asserted.

“Good night, Elder Brother. Make sure to tell the servant to put braiser in your room,” Li Hua told him. Xu Zifan nodded his head and asked them to take their dinner.

When he came to his room, he went to the window and stood next to it. He decided not to tell Li Hua because she would tell Jingfei. Jingfei might not believe Li Hua because she already thought that Li Hua was her enemy.

.....

“What if I tell Princess Jingfei about it?” Xu Zifan thought. He was more scared for Lóng Wei than he cared for Jingfei. Jianjun wanted to marry her to gain the Governor’s position in the capital. The King would definitely hear the request of his daughter and might announce Jianjun as the next governor of Qinping.

He took off his overcoat but did not find his token of identification. He searched in his pockets and wondered if it fell somewhere. He rechecked the pockets of his robe, but the token was not there. “Where did I fall it?” He murmured and frowned as he turned anxious.

He heard the knock on the door, followed by Li Hua’s voice.

“Elder Brother, may I come in?” She softly asked.

Xu Zifan quickly put on the overcoat and went to open the door. He saw Li Hua had fetched a glass of warm milk for him.

“Please drink it before sleeping. I mixed some crushed almonds in it,” she asserted with a smile and placed the tray on the table.

“I will,” Xu Zifan assured him.

She turned to look at her brother. “Is Elder Brother alright? Did something happen when he went for drinks with his friends?” Li Hua inquired.

“Everything is fine, Li Hua. I know that you are worried because I have not taken dinner with you and Feng Lao. But trust me, I am alright,” Feng Lao said and wore a fake smile on his lips.

“Elder Brother, do not lie to me. Whenever you say that you are alright, it means that there is something wrong,” Li Hua stated with a suspicious gaze.

“Why do you not tell us what happened outside? You indeed look troubled, Xu Zifan.” Feng Lao also walked in and stood next to him. “You know well that you are not good at lying,” he added.

Xu Zifan took a deep breath and smiled. “Nothing can be hidden from both of you,” he asserted and looked at them. “Li Hua, promise me that you will not do anything on the matter which I will tell you in a moment,” Xu Zifan said.

“I promise,” Li Hua without arguing and opposing her brother promised her brother.

“Li Jianjun is not a nice man. He is betraying the First Princess. He visits the brothel house and also he wanted a woman named Song Jia to become his mistress, but she refused. After he marries the First Princess, he will use her to gain the position of the governor.” Xu Zifan narrated the entire incident to them.

“How did you find out all this?” Feng Lao asked.

“The restaurant where I went with my three friends, I happened to go to the side where private rooms are present. Jianjun was with his friends inside the room and I happened to overhear their conversation,” Xu Zifan affirmed.

“We need to tell Princess Jingfei about it,” Li Hua stated.

“I will tell the First Princess about it tomorrow morning,” Xu Zifan said.

“Will she trust your words?” Feng Lao doubted whether Jingfei would believe Xu Zifan or not.

“I heard that Princess Jingfei was extremely happy with this proposal. We cannot let her fall into this bloody trap that is set up by Li Jianjun. Moreover, as the Crown Princess has predicted Li Jianjun is not a loyal man. Princess Jingfei’s life may get destroyed if we do not do anything,” Li Hua proclaimed with a worried look.

“But the question is if Princess Jingfei will believe Xu Zifan’s words or not,” Feng Lao stated.

“There is no harm in trying,” Xu Zifan stated. “I am worried about Prince Lóng Wei’s governor’s position more than anything. I do not want Jianjun to marry the First Princess because then His Majesty will surely announce Jianjun as the next governor. Prince Lóng Wei has gained this position after so many effort. I do not want him to lose his position,” Xu Zifan stated.

“I want the same, Xu Zifan. Tomorrow you should go to the palace and tell the First Princess about it,” Feng Lao opined.

Li Hua also agreed with Feng Lao’s words. “Elder Brother, you should meet the Crown Princess if the First Princess does not trust you. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess will surely help you in this matter then,” she advised Xu Zifan.

“I will do that if the Princess does not believe me,” Feng Lao acknowledged his sister’s suggestion.

~~~~~~~~

Jianjun was ready to leave for his house when the servant slid the door for him. He stepped out when his foot pressed on something. He knitted his brows and moved his foot away.

“What happened?” One of his friends asked. Li Jianjun bent on his knees and picked up the token.

“Xu Zifan,” Jianjun read the name. His two friends looked at him and then at the token.

“It seems a low-grade official’s identification token,” Jianjun’s second friend said.

“Did he overhear our conversation?” Jianjun muttered and stood up.

“Do you know him?” The first friend asked as he studied the facial expressions on Jianjun’s face.

Jianjun nodded his head. “Xu Zifan is the elder brother of Prince Lóng Wei’s wife. The lone heir remained from the Xu family,” he asserted.

“Do you think he heard everything we talked about?”

Jianjun did not answer his friend’s question and left from there. His personal servant was waiting for him outside the entrance of the restaurant and quickly opened the carriage’s door for Jianjun.

Jianjun kept looking at the token. “If he heard my entire conversation, then I have to make sure that he will not open his mouth. Prince Lóng Wei is not in the capital. If it falls in his ear, he will not spare me,” he mumbled and wondered if he should kill Xu Zifan.

“That is the only way left to keep me in a safer position. But before that I need to confirm if Xu Zifan overheard the conversation or not,” Jianjun decided after deep contemplation.