THE ARGUMENT

Xiao Jun reached out Qianru's hand and walked back with her to his bedroom.

Xiao Jun's hand was big and warm with callous on his fingers as resulted of holding sword for long time, either it was when swordsmanship training or battle. Qianru always felt safe beside him.

"Oh, let me take the medicine box, I need to bandages your wound." Qianru was about to open the door again when Xiao Jun closed it right before her young female servant entered the room.

And then he pulled her away and sat her on the couch. "Don't bother with my wounds, it is fine."

"But…" Qianru traced Xiao Jun's body with her eyes, the black robe that he was wearing make it difficult for her to find his injuries. From what she could see, he has slightly bruises on his face and scratches on his hands.

"I need to tell you about something." Xiao Jun sat down on the opposite couch, as his expression turned serious.

Looking at how Xiao Jun turned solemn all of sudden, Qianru straightened her back. She had rushed home from Xiao Tianyao's mansion and didn't have time to find out what had happened in the palace today, so she was slightly nervous by the way Xiao Jun's talked.

"What is it?" Qianru asked warily.

"Qianru, I am sorry that I have to break my promise to you."

The woman in front of him tried her best to hide her disappointment, but failed miserably. Her lips tightened as her beautiful eyes downcast. "Something happened in the palace?" She asked without looking at Xiao Jun's eyes.

"The Emperor sent me to the Kingdom of Rockstone." Xiao Jun said without any attempt to hide it. It was already bad for him to break his promise for bring her along to meet his master, Ye Xiu, but since the plan had changed, he couldn't bring her to the Kingdom of Rockstone, it was too dangerous for her.

"What?" Qianru snapped her head to look at him, her eyes hardened as she discerned the information. "Why the Emperor wants you to go to The Kingdom of Rockstone?"

She might be a delicate woman who seemingly only knew how to play a music instrument or make a poem, but the truth was, she was well aware about the tempest that occurred between Xiao Jun and the Emperor.

If it concerned Xiao Jun, she needed to know whatever it was.

That was why, the moment Xiao Jun told her about going to The Kingdom of Rockstone, Qianru could figure out roughly what exactly Xiao Zi's plan was.

"I will be representative for our country."

"Jun, don't play dumb with me!" Qianru slightly raised her voice in panic. "You must have known exactly what The Emperor is up to. You will not walk blindly into his trap, right?"

With the sight of Qianru caressed her own arms, it brought back a memory from the past. When they were younger, Qianru has a habit to stroke her arms whenever she felt anxious.

After all the horrendous things he had been through and his rude reason to marry her that caused her life was in danger, Xiao Jun glad to know that there was something that stayed the same. She was still the same Qianru that he met fourteen years ago.

"Don't worry. I will be back soon." Xiao Jun lied smoothly. Actually, he didn't know when he would come back or whether he could make it back or no.

Qianru lowered her head, the lie he was telling her didn't go unnoticed. "When?"

"I will leave early this morning." Xiao Jun looked at Qianru's figure who was trembling as if she was holding back her emotions.

"Bring me with you…" She said, barely a whisper. "I want to go with you." She didn't lift her face to see him, but the determination in her voice laced with defeated, knowing what Xiao Jun's answer would be.

"Qianru…" Xiao Jun started, but she cut him off.

"You promised me to bring me with you." Her voice sounded off. "You have to keep your promise."

"Qianru…"

"No! I am going with you!" Qianru raised her head and shouted at him fiercely.

It was very rare for Qianru to raise her voice and lost control like this. But, her eyes that filled with tears and determination made Xiao Jun realize, it wouldn't be easy to win the argument this time.

"Qianru, you might die if you come with me." Xiao Jun said in matter of fact tone.

"And I might die if I stay here!" She retorted stubbornly.

"For meantime, you can return to Qi mansion."

The pain flashed on her expression when he said that. "You keep sending me home…" She lowered her head as she couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes any longer. "Don't you think it's almost the same thing like you wanted to divorce me?"

"No!" Xiao Jun rejected the idea, but he knew it was true.

She had just returned from Qi mansion and now she would go back and lived there for no one knew how long.

For married women to be in their family for long time, it was the same thing like told the other people publicly that their husband didn't want them anymore, it was humiliation.

Xiao Jun circled the table and sat next to her, in closer look, he could see how much determination that she needed to hold back her tears. Her shoulders were slightly trembling when she clenched her fist.

"You know that's not what I meant." He put his hand on top of hers, squeezed it gently. "You will be safe there rather than here or with me."