Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“I am unable to understand why the Queen allowed Li Hua to go out of the palace. The last time, Princess Consort went out, she was attacked. I had given strict orders, yet no one cared to follow them,” Qiu Zedong said hoarsely.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I had no idea that such a thing would happen,” Zhu Liling stated.

“I think that the Queen does not care about the Sixth Prince and his wife,” Noble Consort Xiuying interrupted. “We all are aware of the factor that Li Hua’s life is in danger because of their family enemy about whom no one has found yet.” She looked at the King and asked him not to scold Li Hua. In her eyes, if there was someone, who should have been stopped was the Queen.

“Your Majesty, the attack looked like a plan to me. So many assassins already knew that the Princess Consort will be present there. It seems someone around the Princess Consort is the one, who did all this,” Hei Chengxi stated and briefly looked at the Queen. Zhu Liling gulped and curled her fingers.

“General Hei, interrogate them and inform me about it as soon as you find out about the culprit,” Qiu Zedong said. “The Princess Consort is not allowed to step out of her manor until my next order,” he asserted and asked Gao Bing to appoint a Eunuch for Li Hua. She lifted her head to look at him. This was not what she wanted. If a person from the King’s side was appointed in her service, then it would be difficult for her to even practice in her free time.

Since she had doubts about the King, she did not want him to get suspicious of her if she practiced with Feng Lao. “Your Majesty, may I request you something?” Li Hua asked the King.

“You may,” Qiu Zedong allowed her to make a request.

“Because I have been attacked so many times, I want to learn self-defense. If His Majesty allows, then I will learn sword fighting and shooting arrows from Feng Lao. I do not want to stay quiet, the next time I get attacked,” Li Hua asserted.

.....

“Aren’t you already doing that?” Qiu Zedong asked her. Zhu Liling, Xiuying, and Ruoxi glanced in Li Hua’s direction. Zhu Liling realized why Jin Yu used to go to see Li Hua most of the time. “In this palace, nothing is hidden from me.” Those words of Qiu Zedong once again intimidated Li Hua.

Her inner voice once again told her that the King was not the one, what he portrayed himself. Now, he would appoint the Eunuch, who would have his eyes on her all the time. She could not escape that either.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I thought to tell His Majesty so that I can focus majorly on that,” Li Hua stated.

“I have no problem with that as long as you keep with your health. Prince Lóng Wei will question me if his wife’s health gets affected. She must keep her health in mind too,” the King showed his concern. It perplexed Li Hua. The King would be furious at her for one moment, and the other moment, he would show his care.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will not be hard on myself,” Li Hua said and looked down.

Qiu Zedong dismissed them. Li Hua came out of the hall and looked at Hei Chengxi, who lowered his eyes before leaving.

Qiu Mu wanted to leave too, but he stayed back and asked Li Hua why she went out when death was hovering above her head. Li Hua halted in her ways and tilted her head and looked at Qiu Mu, who stopped ahead of her. He also tilted his head and peered at her.

“If Lóng Wei finds out about it, he will not work in Qijiang. If you truly want his growth, then stop inviting danger upon yourself,” Qiu Mu affirmed.

“What was the message that you got from your well-wisher? Now, I think I should have checked it. Did your well-wisher ask you to meet and, then you were attacked because you believed that unknown person?” Qiu Mu had concluded correctly, but Li Hua did not utter a word. Qiu Mu walked ahead as he did not get a response while Li Hua resumed walking after a few seconds.

Li Hua arrived at her manor and went to see Feng Lao. He was injured while fighting those assassins. She knocked at the door of his room which Lóng Wei had asked him to take for the days when he would not be in the manor. She pushed the doors open and went inside.

Feng Lao had almost come to the door and he halted to see Li Hua. “What happened? Did Ye Yujin tell everything?” He asked.

Li Hua shook her head. “Xiwan took Ye Yujin somewhere,” Li Hua stated. She told him what the King had decided for her and told him that they would have to be careful from now onwards. She looked at his hand which was wrapped with a bandage.

“Forgive me, Feng Lao. Because of me, you could have lost your life. You were right. I should not have planned something so dangerous,” Li Hua stated and tears appeared in her eyes.

“This life has no use. I will be happy if I die for you,” Feng Lao stated with a smile. Li Hua furrowed her brows together.

“You are filling me with more guilt, Feng Lao. Do not say that your life has no use.” A tear rolled down Li Hua’s cheek and she lowered her head. “You cannot die for me. I will never be able to live peacefully if you do that,” she asserted.

Feng Lao wanted to hold her and tell her not to be so negative. But he could not. “Li Hua, then, I will not do that,” he said and continued, “hopefully, I find a woman and get settled with her.”

Li Hua looked at him again and smiled at him.