Solemnly Promised

The prince, like a madman, yelled, "We would hate to inconvenience the two love birds, wouldn't we?" addressing Ying Tie who grabbed the old man's arm and commanded him to lead the way.

Wu Yange couldn't help but admire the length these parents had gone to protect their son as they walked to a deserted east wing and went through multiple corridors to get to a secret inner room. A room that would take even a skilled architect, days to figure out it existed.

The old man pointed at the shabby ill-maintained door and Ying Tie didn't waste any time, he kicked the door down frightening a woman sitting by the edge of the bed.

The scene wasn't what the prince had envisioned that he actually showed a quizzical expression.

Rong Zian and Chen Mei were both dressed in red wedding attires but the groom was lying motionless on the bed as though dead. In a panic, Wu Yange shoved the horrified woman aside and checked his pulse. Though his heartbeat was low, it was there making him sigh in relief.

Chen Mei stood aside with tears streaming down her face, her gaze fixed on her master. A frantic Madam Rong tried to come up with a defence as she stood by the crammed door but Ying Tie faced her with an intimidating stance that she instantly cowed away. Wu Yange's rage had varnished and was left physically weak, "What happened to him?" he asked with a pained appearance.

"He was tranquillized by our Madam two days ago when he informed her about his departure," she said almost choking on her tears.

The prince couldn't fathom what she had just said and had to ask, "Did she really care for him that much that she didn't want him to leave?"

"You majesty misunderstands, she hated him enough to feed him poison so he could never make something out of his life," she said as she tried to suppress her sorrow.

Seeing that the prince didn't respond, she continued, "I have been serving my master for five years and in that short space of time I have personally witnessed the abuse he suffered under Madam's hands. She came to me after she drugged him demanding that I, a maiden of poor background, should marry young Master Rong. I instantly refused because regardless of my family background, my master has always been in love with Wang Tian since childhood and would rather die than marry someone else. But when she said she would offer my master freedom if I agreed, I accepted it so I could take him far away from this evil woman. He could then divorce me and would be free from her clutches."

Her confessed had the prince's mind in turmoil, he stood up as though defeated and spoke softly, "You have earned your freedom, your master is no longer your concern because his under my care now." He carried Rong Zian through the confusing corridors and carefully placed him in the carriage. Filled with vengeance he instructed his guard to inform the emperor of the situation at the Rong Mansion and to absorb the servants into the imperial palace.

Ying Tie joined a weary prince at the carriage and asked, "Will he be okay to travel?"

"Will rest when we get to Xiānnǚ, hopefully, he will be awake by then," said the prince as he joined an unconscious Rong Zian in the carriage. They rode slowly through the deserted narrow road which took them two days, a journey that would normally take a day.

Apparently, they had misjudged Rong Zian, by the time they reached the beautiful city of Xiannu, he was still knocked out. The prince carried him into the inn even though Ying Tie had volunteered to complete the task. Wu Yange cautiously handled Rong Zian as he placed him on the bed and a frustrated Ying Tie had to watch helplessly. He had never seen this side of the prince even though they had known each other since infancy. 'What's so special about this idiot, he will only slow us down,' he thought to himself with a puzzled expression.

"You can go rest, I will watch over him a while longer," suggested the prince as he wiped Rong Zian's pale face. Ying Tie shook his head in disapproval as he exited the room, he was now certain that the prince had been possessed by a spirit as it was the only logical explanation for his behaviour.

Even though the prince knew Rong Zian would wake up eventually he couldn't shake off the guilt. Wu Yange had lost all rational thought when he wasn't there at the meeting pointing and had branded him guilty without any second thought.

He hated this about himself, the inability to trust people even when they have the best intentions. He solemnly promised he would never be as prejudice towards Rong Zian ever again as he gently wiped his face a warm cloth.

Ever since that unfortunate cuddling incident, the prince had mixed feeling towards Rong Zian and had expressed it in anger but seeing his cherry plump lips now, he just had to find out if this attraction he felt had just been a fluke. He leaned in and as their lips touched, Wu Yange felt as though the warmth from Rong Zian's lips had transferred to his and spread all over his body provoking every nerve ending in his body. It was official, he found this young man attractive but whether he was going to do something about it or not was yet to be determined.