22 Chang Miriya's punishment
It felt like the middle of winter despite it being the peak of the summer season.
The terrified expression on the soldiers face was enough for Ru Naya to know that Jun Liyun would not be kind to anyone who dared to anger him. She remembered how she had heard rumours about how the most powerful person on the mainland also happened to be the most dangerous person as well. Therefore, whatever the punishment was, it was not going to be good. Ru Naya bit her lip as she stared at the terrified soldiers and couldn't help but wonder if she was making a terrible mistake by trying to be friends with him.
Meanwhile Jun Liyun ignored the pleading soldiers, and turned to face Chang Miriya next. Chang Miriya looked uncomfortable as she stood there; inwardly she gritted her teeth in anger at the thought that nothing was going according to her plans at all. Today, she should have been the only woman near the crown prince's palace and he should have fallen in love with her. She had spent so much time imagining how he would look like once he fell head over heels in love with her, and all of that fell apart just because of a single dirty mongrel who stood behind him. Just who was she? why was she Jun Liyun's esteemed guest? Jun Liyun didn't let people near him easily, yet this girl who she had never seen before stood near him comfortably.
She clenched her fists and ignored the pleading looks from the soldiers. No, she had to get a grip on herself! She would still be victorious, she would still seduce him and make him hers. She would go to any lengths for that!
"My darling prince," She began again, and her voice turned soft and pleasing in an instant, "I didn't mean to anger you! I just can't see you near a girl as it hurts my heart! So what if I did order the soldiers to stop any women from coming near the royal palace? What if I want to punish that insignificant girl then why is that wrong? You know as well as me that we're meant to be together so why do you push me away from you?"
"Lady Chang," He snarled, "You are just a mere concubine's niece who dreams too big. You think by getting the minister of war and these puny soldiers' back I will accept a woman like you? You think by stopping women from entering my presence would force me to like you? it seems like the Chang family failed to teach their young ones proper manners. Very well, I'll help them out here."
He turned to look at the soldiers, "A future princess should be compassionate and forgiving. Let's see the one you all have so dearly supported will show you mercy after today. All of you, I order you to drag Chang Miriya out of here by her hair, then she will be pulled through the imperial gardens, fighting grounds, the stables and from the front of all the palaces, afterwards she will be thrown out of the palacial gates. If she ever dares to show me her face again, the same treatment will be repeated. If any guard here tries to intervene then I'll have them beheaded right here and his entire family killed."
Ru Naya gasped as she heard the punishment and watched the shocked look on everyone's face, especially Chang Miriya who had started to tear up.
"No!" Chang Miriya threw herself in front of Jun Liyun and cried out feverently as she heard his verdict. Such a cruel punishment was far worse than death for her.
Though Ru Naya didn't miss her rubbing her chest against Jun Liyun's boots suggestively.
"I know you love me my dearest prince! why do you have to do this? Is it because of that slut," She threw a dirty look at Ru Naya before turning around again, "I will cherish you forever and I wouldn't ever let you down! Please give me a chance to show you how much I care!"
Chang Miriya was absolutely convinced that prince Jun Liyun would fall for her right away, and would probably throw the dirty rat beside him and pick her up and carry her to his room. This man whom she had loved from the second she had laid her eyes on him back when she had been a kid and had promised everyone that she would end up marrying him, had to fall in love with her no matter what. She was seductive and charming and had convinced so many people that she would become the future princess. If they could fall for her charms then Jun Liyun would also fall as well.
After all, he was a man and all men loved a beautiful sultry lady like her.
But Jun Liyun looked hardly bothered.
"Let's go inside," He told Ru Naya, his voice softened to everyone's surprise as he talked to her, "You don't want to see this."
Ru Naya threw a pitiful glance at Chang Miriya who looked shocked at Jun Liyun's rejection. She couldn't understand how a woman could still throw herself at the feet of a man who had already rejected her once.
Not wanting to see the scene about to occur, she followed Jun Liyun when he turned around and left. Once they were inside Jun Liyun closed the door, shutting out any noises from outside. Ru Naya was glad that he had done that for she didn't want to hear the sounds of pain as Chang Miriya had been dragged away by the very guards who had treated her like a princess just mere minutes ago.
"Are you going to let the guards off the hook?" Ru Naya asked curiously.
"Why? want me to punish them as well?" He raised an eyebrow at her.
"No, it was sort of my fault with the second guard cause I gave him a fake name." She explained to him.
"Too bad, Chang Miriya wouldn't let them go for treating her like this." He sighed. "The reason I didn't punish them was because Chang Miriya would do it so herself."
Ru Naya felt bad for the guards who had been swayed by the words of a pretty lady. However, as imperial troops they had abused their powers and if they didn't get punished then they would be emboldened enough to stop people from entering at their will.
She then looked at Jun Liyun, not feeling scared of him despite what he had done earlier. She herself felt shockingly calm at the prospect of what had just occurred, she wondered why.
There was a sudden knock on the door and Ru Naya opened it gingerly. She didn't hear any agonizing sounds or screams so she knew that Chang Miriya had been taken away.
She then looked at the person who had knocked and to her surprise saw the man who she had given the fake name to. The frantic soldier no longer looked angry at her and instead looked remorseful.
"My lord, an eunuch informed me that Queen Yi requested your presence." He said respectfully.
Jun Liyun sighed, "Very well."
"Um," The man hesitated before he turned to face Ru Naya and bowed deeply, "Please forgive me lady Shi..or lady Ru for my brash behaviour earlier. Please forgive my rashness and I am willing to bear any consequences for my misbehaviour."
The man held a bated breath as he waited for Ru Naya's next words. Her words would decide his fate for him, for if she did not forgive him then Chang Miriya would do her absolute best to destroy him for witnessing her humiliation. Even Chang Miriya wouldn't dare to hurt any person forgiven by the prince so she wouldn't be able to inflict punishment on him. Now that he had witnessed how the crown prince treated Ru Naya, he knew that if she pardoned him then the prince would surely let him off the hook.
Ru Naya stared at the man who looked genuinely terrified, and she felt pity for him. She wasn't keen on anyone receiving torture for trivial reasons, so she nodded at him, "Apology accepted. However, please tell the other guards that I am going to be coming over from tomorrow onwards so inform them to not impede my entrance anymore."
"Thank you so much, my lady," The man answered gratefully. He bowed again to Jun Liyun before turning around to leave.
Once he left, Ru Naya murmured,"Looks like I should take my leave as well. Can you give me that token of yours?"
"Ru Naya," Jun Liyun's voice sounded strangely off.
"Hm?" She turned around and saw him looking at her oddly.
"What fake name did you give the imperial guard?" He demanded softly.
"Oh," Ru Naya nodded, "Just a name I made up on the spot! I called myself Shi Wen."
Jun Liyun's eyes were indescribable as he stared at her after she finished answering his question. She saw that there was pain, happiness, confusion and wonderment that quickly flitted through those striking eyes and Ru Naya was confused as to why her answer had triggered that sort of reaction in him.
He then gave her a devastatingly handsome smile and fished out a token from his robes before handing it over to the dazed girl.
"I'll see you tomorrow Ru Naya." He said softly.
Ru Naya was still stunned silly because of Jun Liyun's gorgeous smile and she nodded at him absentmindedly. She waved him goodbye before walking away in bewilderment.
Jun Liyun watched her till she disappeared, his eyes now impossibly gentle.
Wen Shi, that was the name of one of the elders in Rosa Idyllwood. She also was Sha Ri's closest friend. Since he had Ru Naya's background investigated, he knew that there was no one she knew of that went by the name of Wen Shi. Then, what were the odds of her coming up randomly with the name that was same as Sha Ri's bestfriend? The way he felt about her in the first place had made him suspicious that Ru Naya was the reincarnated version of his soulmate, but now that Ru Naya had spoken of a name she shouldn't have known of had cemented the idea that she indeed was Sha Ri.
And somehow, in this life, Sha Ri was a human.
"Sha Ri, I've found you," He whispered as he stared at the direction Ru Naya had disappeared into, "And it seems like I have found my future queen of monsters as well."
