Attacker

Luo Xiang led Bai Ying back to their chamber at the Plum Pavilion, unconcerned with the crowds still lingering in the Imperial Palace. They had already spent enough time there and needed to rest.

All the way he was so quiet. That's weird, BaiYing thought, usually, the Crown Prince would be noisy and nagging. But along the way, he just silently, grasped his hand, until they arrived in front of the pavilion.

"Em, let's ride again tomorrow, after that, we will fly the kites in the valley. The wind is quite strong, it's a very good time to fly the kites," said LuoXiang as he tidied BaiYing's hair. BaiYing looked up at LuoXiang who was very close to him, seeing his serious face. Both stared and admired each other until something ruined the romantic atmosphere.

"Kluuk" the sound of BaiYing's stomach roared.

The Crown Prince stopped his hand and restrained himself from laughing. BaiYing's adorable face puffed out around his mouth.

BaiYing brushed off LuoXiang's hand.

"This is because of Your Majesty, there's plenty of food at the Imperial Palace, we should have brought it home to eat. We have no food so what would we eat now?"

Luo Xiang turned his head, he laughed with satisfaction at BaiYing's cute puffed face.

"Hahahaha"

"Your Majesty, don't laugh, now what? I'm starving."

LuoXiang finally stopped laughing, he grabbed BaiYing's palm which had become very small in his grasp.

"Uh, um, shall we have hotpot?"

BaiYing nodded quickly, whatever it that as long as he ate, nothing mattered now besides his stomach's little friends in there.

"Okay!"

LuoXiang took BaiYing's hand and wrapped it around his, leading him into the living room. The maids followed the two behind.

"Don't be too spicy, just enough."

"I know, no pepper."

"Em, but chilies are fine, I don't think it's a problem."

LuoXiang nodded.

"Yeah, I know my YingYing '' said Luo Xiang caressing the boy's head.

BaiYing lowered LuoXiang's hand from his head.

"Your Majesty, don't mess it up, sister Yan and sister Bi took all day long to make these hair ties, this is pretty, isn't it?"

Yeah, of course, not because of the hair, but because the kid's face himself already shining like the stars, no need for any hair decoration or else to make him beam.

"Well, it's good, then would you keep wearing it to sleep? Look at your makeup, it's so thick like a clown."

BaiYing brushed off Luo Xiang's hand, he kept touching his cheek teasing him.

"No, this is good, this is the makeup for Tania's dancer. The trainer told us about this makeup"

"Trainer? you mean the dance coach from Tania?"

BaiYing nodded.

"Yes, who else, she is so kind, she said that I am quite talented, and maybe I will be able to dance Tania smoothly if I keep practicing"

The two of them entered the middle room and sat at the dining table where the servants were ready to serve them.

"Then do you still want to practice? I don't agree."

BaiYing glanced at LuoXiang sharply, what if he didn't agree?

"Why?"

"Well, because you are my concubine. YingYing can't carelessly show your body to anyone other than me. I don't know what's on Queen Mother's head when she thinks about that. How could she think about showing off mine in front of lots of people. I don't agree, then YingYing can't dance"

BaiYing screeched.

"Why is that Your Majesty? This is just dancing, this is also good for the body flexibility"

"What is the body flexibility? No matter what is the reason, YingYing should not dance, if I find out you still practicing I will punish the coach"

BaiYing stuttered. He could not argue anymore, the man in front of him always had a problem with his head. Sometimes he was so gentle but at other times he was not. Sometimes he listens to his words, sometimes he forces him to his words. What does this man want from him?

...…...

It was dark at night in front of the Plum pavilion. The wind blew gently, not so strong and calm, friction between bamboo stems could be heard vaguely. The light from the oil lamps hanging at each building was enough to make the surroundings brighter. The wind suddenly being pushed hard, when some black shadows darted rapidly between the trees and the roof of the pavilion consisting of two small and large buildings.

"Whoosh!"

BeiYau, who was standing guarding the door with the others turned quickly, immediately alerted. He raised his hand and ordered his trained soldier to pursue the black shadow.

"Chase them!"

In the room.

LuoXiang who was sleeping beside BaiYing lifted his head, a noise, even its faint, could be heard by his sharp ears. He got up immediately, reached his rope, and put it on, headed for the door where BeiYau was also waiting to knock.

"Your Highness!"

LuoXiang opened the door, glanced around, and entered back into the room.

"Mobilize your best people, I will take care of YingYing '' LuoXiang hadn't finished talking when they heard a shout from BaiYing's bed. Both immediately ran over.

"YingYing!"

Yan and Bi fell to the floor and saw someone standing on the bed holding BaiYing's limp body.

"No! Let him go!" LuoXiang exclaimed while drawing his sword.

BeiYau who was still standing behind the door immediately walked away before that person saw him, he would look for another side to attack.

They missed it. It's so quick. LuoXiang was only switched briefly and the man in black entered the room easily, even taking BaiYing who looked unconscious as a hostage.

Yan stood up, she was the closest to the bed and she tried to get up to hit the black-clothed figure with her hand.

"Let Her Majesty go, let her go!" but the figure's legs easily kicked Yan far to the floor.

"Akh!"

"Yan!" Bi exclaimed approaching her.

LuoXiang did not dare to move rashly. Whoever it was, he was a tall man with a sharp sword that pointed at BaiYing's neck. The Crown Prince tried to approach him carefully.

"Let him go, you want me right? It's me, release him and I'll let you attack me." LuoXiang tried to persuade, step by step closer. But a large, tall figure with a whole body dressed in black, even a black veil that only showed a pair of eyes glanced sharply as if grinning.

"Hehe, Your Highness the Crown Prince, you look so much like people said, so cocky and full of confident, but are you willing to lose a beauty like this?" The man, in his deep voice, played a sharp tip of the sword in the Baiying's smooth neck.

LuoXiang gulps, he's so scared the sword might scratch Baiying's neck, he was so close to danger, LuoXiang threw away his sword.

"Prangg!"

"No, please, just fight me, let go of him"

BaiYing opened his eyes and glanced at Luo Xiang who looked at him anxiously. He could not move, his whole body was paralyzed, whoever was holding his body so easily as if he was nothing more than a very light object in his hand.

"Ekh Y-Your Majesty"

The figure slowly descended the bed, still dragging BaiYing hostage as he slowly retreated towards the door. LuoXiang coded the guards to give him away, there's nothing more important than BaiYing's life, but, why would that person want to take him?

"Why him? Take me, he is just a kid of a small official, no, a small merchant who can barely be known by his name. She is just a commoner who happens to be my concubine, she is HuaBaiYen, daughter of HuaLie. You can't possibly plan all these things just to take the daughter of a small merchant away right, after this, then what? Her parent is even too poor to be able to pay for the ransom "

BaiYing tried to raise his very weak hand to hold the sword which was getting closer to his neck's blood vein, but he couldn't move. The man must have poked his acupoint, but why? Why do they do it to him?

The man who took BaiYing hostage, grinned, he stroked the boy's smooth cheeks with the sharp tip of his sword. 

"Hehe a very delicate face, smooth, smells so great, forgive me, but, I prefer a beauty like this more than you, this lovely HuaBaiYing"

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