Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“No questions will be answered at the moment. So, leave silently,” Lóng Wei told Xu Zifan. He smiled to see him safe and left the chamber.

“Close your eyes,” Lóng Wei told Li Hua.

“I won’t,” she said flatly, refusing to close her eyes.

“Then, I will keep standing here,” Lóng Wei said.

“Then stay,” Li Hua said. Her eyes turned misty and she immediately turned her back to him. Lóng Wei stepped in and closed the doors behind him. He quietly walked towards her and put the bamboo basket full of red bayberries on the table.

Li Hua almost turned to him to scold him when Lóng Wei hugged her from behind while showing the tiny bouquet of flowers that he had prepared for her while returning.

The orchids, which symbolized Love, Lóng Wei presented to Li Hua as he securely placed his hands around her.

“I went to Yuze to calm myself,” he said, “and then picked these for you.”

.....

Tears rolled down her cheeks. She had been holding them for a long time, but seeing him, joyful, sound, and safe, she couldn’t. She broke into tears and held his hands.

“I was terrified,” she said in a low voice and sniffled.

Lóng Wei immediately withdrew from the back hug and turned her towards him. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and asked her not to fry. She stopped crying and shot a glare at him.

“Why did His Highness ask Eunuch Lianying to kill him?” Her tone intimidated him.

“I only threatened him. He is a coward, who can never kill me,” Lóng Wei said, and took an orchid from the bouquet and put it on the side of her hair bun. “Don’t be angry. I was already upset,” he stated, and looked down into her eyes.

“Yuze treated my wound. I talked with him and then my anger vanished. If I hadn’t left, then Lianying would be dead,” he clarified to her why he left the hall.

Li Hua lifted her hand and touched his neck. “Why do you have to do that? Eunuch Lianying could have-” Her voice choked and she sniffled.

Lóng Wei brushed her hair away from her brow and handed her the orchid bouquet. “Do you think a coward can kill me?” He questioned her.

“I am hungry. Let’s have our breakfast,” Lóng Wei said, and called the maidservant in. He asked her to send the breakfast meals for them.

Li Hua hugged Lóng Wei tightly. “I told everyone that everything His Highness did had a reason behind it. His Highness has told me not to tell anyone about Kang Huijuan’s wrongdoing, but I could not stop. I told them how he portrayed His Highness wrong. His Majesty has sent a summon to him. I hope I didn’t do anything wrong,” Li Hua said. She didn’t like it when Xiuying had that accusing gaze on Lóng Wei. So, she decided to tell them what happened with Lóng Wei was an injustice.

“You did the right thing. You didn’t do anything wrong,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her. They stayed that way for a few minutes when Li Hua withdrew from that hug.

He put his hand on her cheek and caressed it. “I will not worry you anymore. I didn’t know Lianying would lie about Yuze and bring up my past before everyone. I cannot tolerate Yuze’s insult and it made me furious,” he said. He tilted his head as the maidservant came inside with breakfast meals.

“Your Highness, these flowers are beautiful,” Li Hua said, and she put them inside a vase.

“Yuze has sent red bayberries for you,” Lóng Wei told her, pointing towards the table.

Lóng Wei turned to look at the maidservant, and said, “You should also take some.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the maidservant said. Li Hua picked a bowl and filled them with bayberries. She handed the bowl to the maidservant, who thanked her and left the chamber.

“My Elder Brother will work in the bureaucratic office in the city’s center,” Li Hua informed Lóng Wei after they finished the meals. “His Majesty bestowed him the title and also gave him a residence. I am thankful to my Husband, who made it possible,” she stated.

“If you are thankful, then you should give me something,” Lóng Wei said.

“What does His Highness want?” She asked.

“Don’t leave me,” Lóng Wei said, “ever.”

“I won’t,” Li Hua said with a smile full of assurance. Lóng Wei took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers.

~~~~~~

Xiaoming sat down on the seat right below the King’s throne and looked at the ministers before him who had gathered.

“Is it true that the Prime Minister’s son did such an obscene thing?” One of the ministers whispered.

“Why would Princess Consort Li Hua lie about such a thing? Prince Lóng Wei didn’t beat Kang Huijuan without any reason,” another one said.

Tianjie glanced at Mingquan. “Lóng Wei hid such a big truth from everyone. I wonder if our father will punish Kang Huijuan when there’s a lack of evidence,” he stated.

“The woman is alive and safe,” Mingquan answered.

“I am surprised Lóng Wei saved a woman,” Zhang Xi whispered. Tianjie agreed with his words.

“Brother Lóng Wei’s past has nothing to do with his present,” Mingquan said. “His matters with his late mother were complicated. We must not judge him merely because of that reason,” he advised both of his elder brothers.

“People will always judge Lóng Wei,” Tianjie proclaimed. “Today’s morning incident has taught us one thing about Lóng Wei: he has a big reason to hide the truth behind his mother’s death. He even questioned our father why he was not given the death sentence,” Tianjie said with skepticism. He had realized that Lóng Wei wasn’t the type, he always portrayed him to me. He had a different personality under that mask.