Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Lay down. You still need to take a rest.” Xiaoming’s voice fell into her ears, and she turned her head to gaze at him. “Why am I here?” She asked the first question.

“I brought you here,” Xiaoming replied, taking a seat beside the bed.”I told you not to fall into any danger,” he said.

“I didn’t do anything, Your Royal Highness. While I was returning, three masked men chased me and attacked me. I didn’t invite any danger,” Liu Jin Yu answered.

“Maybe someone recognized you and sent them to kill you. You stole from a lot of people,” Xiaoming opined.

Liu Jin Yu shook her head. She didn’t agree with Xiaoming’s opinion because she had never encountered any such thing. She was never caught stealing from anyone. “They were highly trained, Your Royal Highness. Their actions were swift. They seemed to be assassins. It happened to me for the first time. Luckily, His Royal Highness had given me the dagger, so I got saved.”

Liu Jin Yu’s words perplexed Xiaoming. Who would send highly trained assassins after her? Why would someone do it? Xiaoming thought and asked her where they started chasing her.

When I reached outside the market. It seemed they were waiting for me,” Liu Jin Yu replied. She touched her left arm and shut her eyes because the pain was intense. “I think it was someone from the palace,” Liu Jin Yu remarked.

“What do you mean?” Xiaoming furrowed his brows together.

.....

“Her Majesty called me that day not to get close to the Crown Prince. I have no enemies outside, but in the palace, I drew a lot of attention. That’s why I asked the Crown Prince to let me go. I can pay him back even working outside. Forgive me, Your Royal Highness, but I also love my life. I could have run away today, but I didn’t because I wanted to tell you all this personally.” Liu Jin Yu for the first time felt what it was like to go through death. Three trained assassins were after her. What if she were dead?

Xiaoming could not deny her assumptions. Indeed, her presence around him brought a lot of unwanted attention. Being the Crown Prince was such a tough job. He could not even show any affection toward any person.

Affection?

He looked at Jin Yu. He liked her personality. He found her different and thought to keep her close for a while. But since she got attacked because of him, he decided to let her go.

“You can leave tomorrow morning. You don’t need to pay me. What will I do with the money? I have everything,” Xiaoming stated, and walked out of the chamber. As the doors opened, Eunuch Lishi immediately bowed and asked for forgiveness.

“Did you tell my mother that Liu Jin Yu would go out today?” Xiaoming asked him. Eunuch Lishi stopped blinking, wondering how Xiaoming found out.

“Answer this question and I will forgive you,” Xiaoming said.

“Forgive me, Your Royal Highness. I did so because Her Majesty had asked me to keep telling her about Liu Jin Yu’s whereabouts,” Eunuch Lishi said, and started to beg for forgiveness.

Xiaoming chuckled and said, “Tell my mother that because of her I can never be happy. Also, I forgave you, but you will no longer serve me. I want it to end calmly, so it is better for you to leave than plead with me.” His decision came out of the blue, and it terrified Eunuch Lishi.

He grabbed the Crown Prince’s feet, seizing his last chance to calm down.”Your Royal Highness, we only wanted your good. If a lowly class maiden roams around you, then that will only affect your position. I assure you that no such thing will happen in the future. I want to serve his Royal Highness till my last breath.” Eunuch Lishi requested Xiaoming to give him one last chance. He would not disappoint Xiaoming this time.

Xiaoming stepped back and said, “Eunuch Lishi, I know that I cannot befriend any person if he or she does not belong to a noble class. But why should I bother people? I have one life to live, which I am unable to live fully because of the restrictions I have been put under. I don’t know why you even think that I am incapable of bringing nobles in my favor.”

“I never think of His Royal Highness as an incapable person. Please do not think this way, Your Royal Highness.” Eunuch Lishi kept his head down while begging Xiaoming to give him the last chance.

“Eunuch Lishi, please leave my sight. You can serve the Queen from now on. I don’t need you to be around me. Liu Jin Yu isn’t the type of woman you and my mother thought she was. Go and tell my mother that her son is no longer a three-year-old child, who needs her guidance all the time. Leave before my anger bursts out on you,” Xiaoming said and stepped back. Eunuch Lishi realized that Xiaoming would not want him anymore. He felt guilty for betraying the Crown Prince.

Xiaoming glanced at the maidservant and asked her to bring dinner for them. He walked in and closed the doors behind him.

He went back to see Liu Jin Yu. He walked up to her and bowed before her. Liu Jin Yu was puzzled to see him.

“Forgive me, Liu Jin Yu. Because of me, you were going to die. I should have sent you away after I knew about you. But my curiosity to know you makes me keep you close to me. So, as a friend, I cannot put your life in danger. I am truly apologetic for the incident,” Xiaoming said, lifting his head to look at her.

“The Crown Prince should not bow his head in front of a commoner. Also, it was not his fault,” Liu Jin Yu proclaimed. “Thank you for getting me treated by a physician, and agreeing to let me go. I will always remember the Crown Prince,” she said, and her lips curled up into a broad smile.

Liu Jin Yu stood up and walked up Xiaoming. “I must give a hug,” she said and embraced him. It astonished Xiaoming. Never once any dares to do this to him. But he didn’t get furious because it was Liu Jin Yu.

Liu Jin Yu patted his back and said, “I have told the Crown Prince to listen to himself. Whatever he feels right, he must do it. Today’s attack on me wasn’t His Royal Highness’s fault but because we got entangled in a way which threatened my life. If he ever needs me, he can call me anytime. In his service, I will always be present.”

Xiaoming lifted his hands and put them on her back. He felt light-hearted. “You are a great woman, Liu Jin Yu. Stay this way. I am honoured to have you as my friend,” he said and smiled.