by La Mi Tu
Seeing Song Xi like this, Xi Mei smiled and didn’t answer. Her eyes looked straight at Ah Nan. As it happened, Ah Nan was also looking at her. Xi Mei felt that there was a fire burning inside, making her fidget. She whipped her whip and pointed to Ah Nan, and said to Song Xi, “The toll is tenfold and he has to stay.”
At the first part of the sentence, Song Xi was relieved. Tenfold, then tenfold was fine. As long as the goods weren’t confiscated. However, why was the latter sentence so wrong!?”
“What are you doing by keeping Ah Nan? He’s clumsy, he can’t do anything well, and he’s still a novice. Do you want to change to somebody else…”
“No! I just fancy him! This lady just like beautiful young boys!”
The stubbornness of Xi Mei was well known. The things she had set on wouldn’t be changed. But leaving Ah Nan, Song Xi couldn’t do it. Although he didn’t like this young man who entered the caravan through the backdoor, Ah Nan wasn’t bad. For the success of the caravan, he needed to leave Ah Nan in the bandit’s nest. But in the event if something happened to Ah Nan, not only it wasn’t easy to tell the boss (elder Yu), Song Xi himself would also feel very apologetic.
“Miss Xi, we can pay more for the toll, but Ah Nan really can’t stay. I promised the boss to protect him. This is hard to comply.”
“Hehe, then there’s nothing to say!” Xi Mei laughed and clapped. The bandits flocked over and surrounded the caravan. “Since boss Song refused, I can only let you all stay! Brothers, take them all to the Chao Tian village!”
Immediately, the bandits came forward and shoved the crowds. They (bandits) bound their (caravan) hands one by one with hemp rope, and their eyes were wrapped in black cloth.
“Walk!”
Special Chapter: The Last Princess (1) Part 2
* * *
Chao Tian village was located in the deep mountains of Dayu Mountain. Song Xi and the others were blindfolded by a black cloth. When they were taken to the village, the sky was already dark.
When they saw the light, the crowds found out that Chao Tian village was actually a dam in the mountain, with only a narrow path out. The dam was surrounded by cliffs. It was a smart move to choose such a place for a village.
“Do you like it here?” Xi Mei came up to Ah Nan and stood beside him. She then found out that her height was barely at Ah Nan’s chest. The more she looked at him, the more satisfied she was, the more she liked him. She decided that Ah Nan was her man. She simply leaned in his arms and felt the masculinity of his body.
“Not bad.”
Ah Nan didn’t push Xi Mei away this time but looked closely at Chao Tian village. It was easy to defend but difficult to attack. It was no wonder that the imperial court hadn’t found the bandit’s nest for so long. So, it turned out they were hiding here.
“I picked this place! People of the imperial court can’t find it!”
Xi Mei leaned on the wooden fence and looked at her Chao Tian village. Her eyes were full of confidence.
Ah Nan turned his face to the side and looked at Xi Mei. This woman was in her twenties, less than thirty. Usually, she looked just like a gorgeous beauty, somewhat vulgar, somewhat sexy, like the owner of a bar, both flattering and flirtatious. If it wasn’t because the reputation of Chao Tian village was too well-known, and there was too much blood on her hands, no one would believe that the woman in front of him would be the bandit’s leader who coldly killed people.
“Why did you become a bandit?”
“Do you discriminate against bandits?” Xi Mei frowned and her two red lips moved close to Ah Nan. “My father was a bandit, my mother was a bandit, and my dead man was a bandit, so I’m naturally a bandit too!”
This answer made Ah Nan smiled faintly. When he smiled, the corner of his mouth was very beautiful. Xi Mei’s heart trembled and turned her eyes to one side. She had seen men more handsome than Ah Nan. Why did she think that Ah Nan was different? The smile was so charming. This Ah Nan was really good-looking!
“What’s your name?”
“Ah Nan.”
“Ah Nan? Good name… Xi Mei suddenly tiptoed, trying to give Ah Nan a peck on the lips, but was avoided by him. Her lips just rubbed the stubble on his chin. “Ah Nan, I like you! If you don’t want anything to happen to them, stay here.”
“What if I say no?” Ah Nan smiled wickedly. That smile made Xi Mei almost be indulged in it.
If other people were provocative, Xi Mei would immediately kill that person without saying anything but Ah Nan was different. At first glance, Xi Mei took a fancy to Ah Nan. So that was why she took him to Chao Tian village.
“Ah Nan, you should have heard of my reputation. If you don’t agree, I’ll kill them one by one and let them die in front of you.” Xi Mei smilingly spoke, but her eyes looked like it had a knife. She was determined to have this man. The men she had fancied, there wasn’t one who she couldn’t obtain.
“It doesn’t matter. I heard that anyone who has been taken to Chao Tian village, end up with dead eventually. You’re afraid that people will leak the location of Chao Tian village and therefore will kill them every time. This is your usual trick. Since they are doomed to die in the end, why should I care so much?!”
Ah Nan’s answer was somewhat inhuman, but the more Xi Mei listened, the more she liked this man.
Everyone said that she Xi Mei’s methods were cruel. Not only robbing the money but also robbing people of their lives. However, she never cared about these claims. She liked this kind of life. Who in this village didn’t have a few lives in their hands? She killed the most! In this line of work, she had long forgotten the virtues and moralities. She was just going to live in the moment.
“Ah Nan, you can’t run away! You’re mine, just mine.” Xi Mei’s hand pulled out the hairpin on Ah Nan’s head and put her hands in his thick black hair. “Tonight, you can’t avoid the consummation! Looking at your appearance, you’re still a virgin. You can rest assured. I’ll teach you step by step!”
After saying that, Xi Mei laughed loudly and swung into the room.
This time, except for Ah Nan, everyone else was tied up and thrown into the hut. The bandits in the village were drinking heavily and eating large pieces of meat. Those wooden houses were covered with white skeleton head on the roof, as if they were advertising their glorious achievements.
“Husband Ah Nan, come on…” Xi Mei changed to a thin layered red-burning gauze dress, with only embroidered ‘mandarin ducks playing in the water’ on the red undergarment and a red shorts inside. The white flesh was particularly enchanting under the red dress. The bandits on the field cheered and immediately filthy words were filled in Ah Nan’s ears.
“Husband, are you shy? Would you like me to come to you?” Xi Mei had put on makeup, and it looked very sexy under the lights.
Ah Nan ignored Xi Mei. Instead, he pulled the rabbit meat in front of him and stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it up.
“Leader, the husband is perhaps shy! Look at him, he’s certainly a small chicken. Leader, you must remember to be gentle!”
“Hahaha! Husband, you must eat enough, then you’ll have the energy to work hard! It’s been a long time since the leader has cared about someone!”
Everyone’s words made Xi Mei very happy. She simply sat beside Ah Nan and served him the food. Seeing Xi Mei like this, the bandits whistled and roared one after another. They all said that Ah Nan was blessed enough to enjoy Xi Mei’s close service.
“Get lost!” Xi Mei looked at those people and put her hands on Ah Nan’s arms. “You all must have a good drink and good meal today! Right, don’t come to disturb the bridal chamber! I want to be happy today!”
After saying that, Xi Mei went into Ah Nan’s arms. “Husband, are you done with eating? If you’re full, let’s go do something meaningful~~~.”
Ah Nan, who was avoiding before, lifted her up and put her on his shoulder. And in the whistling sound of everyone, they went to their bridal chamber.
If Xi Mei
had foresight, she would definitely let go of Ah Nan and the caravan. However, she wasn’t a god and couldn’t do fortune-telling. She didn’t know that her life would come to an abrupt end on this day.
When seventy-six people lively heads fell in front of Xi Mei, she screamed. No matter what, she couldn’t connect the former ordinary Ah Nan with the crown prince of Nan Feng, Feng Xiao, in front of her.
Looking at the red figure in front of her, handsome and with an unusual purple-eyed man, Xi Mei knew that she was wrong. She couldn’t imagine that the magnificent crown prince would disguise as a servant in order to clean up the Dayu Mountain’s bandits. When she entered the bridal chamber and was knocked unconscious by him, Xi Mei noticed something unusual. But this oddness happened so suddenly that she was caught off guard.
“Bastard, kill me! Just kill me!” Xi Mei looked up and looked at Ah Nan fiercely, no, it should be Feng Xiao. “Just kill me!”
“Rest assured, the next one is you.”
Feng Xiao clapped his hands and a person came forward to read the crime of Xi Mei. Until only now did Xi Mei knew that she had 143 lives on her hands. She couldn’t remember it herself but didn’t expect that Feng Xiao could find out.
“Execute….”
“Wait a minute!” Just as the big knife was about to fall, Xi Mei shouted out. “His Royal Highness, I, can I ask you something?”
“Talk.”
“The mute girl who cooked for us is innocent. Her parents were killed by me. I saw that she was young and there wasn’t any threat, so I let her stay as a servant. She’s clean and innocent. Please be generous and don’t kill her. She, she’s only nine years old, still a child….”
“I know. Execute her….”
The head of Xi Mei fell down and rolled to the ground. Before dying, Xi Mei had been staring at the small figure not far away. There were too many unwillingness and intolerances in her eyes. Rong Hua, aunt could only help you till here. How your future would unfold, it would depend on your own fortunes…
~~~Rong Hua~~~
When that heaven-like man came over, my cold heart suddenly jumped up. He came up to me and lowered his body. I found out that he had a pair of deep purple eyes, which was different from ordinary people. Beautiful and flirtatious, emitting an enchanting radiance.
“What’s your name?” His voice was very soft and low, with an enchanting luxury. I clenched my fist and looked at his eyes with some fear. I don’t know what kind of existence I would be in Feng Xiao’s eyes. At least my petite body, and wide and fully patched rough cloth would make him pity me from the heart. Moreover, I’m a mute.
“Can you write?”
Feng Xiao opened his palms and put it in front of me. His fingers were slender. I thought that such a noble person as him must be very spoiled. But didn’t expect that there was rough callus on his palms and fingers. It seemed that the rumored imperial crown prince who was a master of pen and sword, wasn’t fake. Otherwise, Feng Xiao wasn’t able to sneak into the Chao Tian village alone and eliminated the bandits that plagued the people in one go.
“Rong Hua.”
I extended my fingers and wrote these two words in the palm of Feng Xiao.
“Rong Hua? Good name!” Feng Xiao rubbed my head. Just when I thought he would hand me over to the soldiers behind him, he picked me up. He looked young and not very sturdy. However, he was very tall and was strong enough.
It was the first time that I was held like this. I was a little nervous. My small hands tightly grabbed the clothes on his chest. The firewood ash that was on my hands left a small handprint on his red burning brocade. I was so shocked that I pulled back my hands.
Although this was Chao Tian village, news from the outside wasn’t blocked. Aunt Xi Mei would bring back all kinds of news from the outside, such as news about Feng Xiao. I knew that he had germophobia (obsession with cleanliness) and liked red. The clothes on him must be the brocade with golden carp. I heard that once a palace maid went near him and wanted to get the favor of the crown prince, but she was thrown into the fish pond.
Now, looking at the grey handprint on his brocade, I closed my eyes and my small body shivered. I don’t know if my fate would also be thrown out by him like that palace maid. But with my frail body, I would be seriously injured if not dead landing on the ground.
After waiting for a long time, when I felt hopeless in my heart, I heard a chuckle in my ear. “Ha, this little fellow is very interesting!”
He wasn’t mad? I was very surprised and looked at Feng Xiao with wide eyes. His smile was very charming. Although I was only a nine years old child, I couldn’t help but blush. Devilish beauty! It was probably to describe such a man like him!
Feng Xiao held me and went out all the way. I saw the head of aunt Xi Mei. The look before her death was filled with all kinds of complicated feelings. I knew that she was worried about me.
“Don’t look! Children mustn’t look at these things….”
Just when I was about to say farewell to aunt Xi Mei, a fragrant handkerchief covered my head and blocked my view. The handkerchief smelled very good. I had never smelled such a smell. It actually had the same scent as Feng Xiao.
Feng Xiao didn’t let me see, so I just rested on the shoulders of him. Children always made people put their defenses down. This was what aunt Xi Mei often said.
Feng Xiao obviously regarded me as an ordinary child. What he didn’t know was that I grew up with aunt Xi Mei, so I was used to seeing all kinds of blood. The scene just now didn’t frighten me at all. As early as the day when Chao Tian village was established, I knew that there would be a day like this. Aunt Xi Mei also knew. In other words, for the past five years, we had been waiting for this day, waiting for Feng Xiao to come.
I held on Feng Xiao’s shoulder and watched Chao Tian village where I grew up these years. I got far and farther away. My mood became heavier too.
Aunt Xi Mei was dead. My only relative was gone, and my future looked dim. I don’t know how I could stay with Feng Xiao and how I could survive.
Aunt Xi Mei had said, “Rong Hua, no matter what happens, you must hold on to it. Even if you drift and lives without purpose, you must live on. Because your body is filled with noble blood. You won’t be petty and low forever. You must not only live but also live a splendid life….”
Thinking of aunt Xi Mei and Chao Tian village, I slowly fell asleep. When I woke up again, I was lying on a clean bed. This room was far better, cleaner and more beautiful than my cottage in Chao Tian village. The curtains hanging on the side of the bed were translucent, embroidered with fluttery butterflies on it. Even the wings of the butterflies were decorated with beautiful little gems.
The things from Jue Se Fang were really exquisite. I couldn’t help but reach out and touch the butterflies on the curtains.
“Miss Rong Hua, you’re awake?”
After hearing the movement on the bed, a pretty girl appeared in front of me. She wasn’t much older than me. About thirteen year’s old and looked very friendly.
“This servant Dong Rui is sent by His Royal Highness to serve you!”
Dong Rui was the second person I got to know after leaving Chao Tian village. She smiled every day as if she never knew sorrow. In Dong Rui’s words, I was too depressed. She thought it was because I had been in the Chao Tian village for a long time and was frightened by the bandits, so that’s why I had lost my childishness and innocence. But how could Dong Rui know, I was also a bandit.
Feng Xiao placed me in the Hua Yang Hall of the Eastern Palace. Here, it faced the sun and was warm. Feng Xiao said that I’m too thin compared to children of the same age and should be nourished well. Moreover, basking in the sun was one of the tasks that Feng Xiao arranged for me. He said to supplement me with calcium. I don’t know what calcium supplement was, but I followed the request of Feng Xiao. First, it was to please him, this was the request of aunt Xi Mei to me; second, his words were reasonable.
I liked the warm sunshine and I also like
d the freshness and cleaness on Feng Xiao. It was just that I remembered the words of aunt Xi Mei: the hatred of destroying the country, made us unable to live under the same sky. Feng Xiao, he was destined to be my enemy in this life.
Special Chapter: The Last Princess (2) Part 1
* * *
I had been in Hua Yang Hall for three months. During these three months, I had gone to every place in the Eastern Palace. Everyone knew that I was the mute girl who was picked up by Feng Xiao. They saw that I was only a child, so they didn’t hinder me much from wandering around.
Three months was enough for me to remember the layout of the Eastern Palace. Except for Feng Xiao’s study that I couldn’t enter, I had my presence at all his other places.
What made me worried was that there were very few times to see Feng Xiao in the past three months. After he placed me in the Hua Yang Hall, he never appeared in front of me again. Aunt Xi Mei said that I should please Feng Xiao and get his likes. That way I could survive here. So, I made a decision.
“You want to be a palace maid?” Dong Rui was surprised, “Isn’t it good now, miss? There’s His Royal Highness, no one will bully you!”
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” I wrote on paper.
Dong Rui looked at it for a long time and smiled. “Miss, allow this servant to report to His Royal Highness.”
However, Feng Xiao didn’t come see me in the end. That young man who held me in Chao Tian village never appeared again. Only Dong Rui brought back a reply. Feng Xiao agreed to let me start from the lowest rank for palace maid.
Dong Rui brought me a small size of the palace maid’s clothes. I took off the robes on my body and started as a small palace maid.
Many people didn’t understand my choice. People thought that I should ask for more things through the favor of Feng Xiao. I heard everyone’s comment but didn’t respond. Aunt Xi Mei said that no one would be guarded against children. I didn’t think so. Feng Xiao’s cold shoulder at these times was sufficient to show that I was merely a small wave and didn’t attract his attention.