Covering her tear-stricken face, the maid painfully knelt there in pain: âIâm not actually a maid from the leopard tribe, Iâm Mu Xueâs cousin. My parents were killed by humans when I was young so itâs just me and my younger brother all these years. We depended on each other⦠Then Mu Xue kidnapped him before she ran away, holding him hostage against me. I canât say no to her, she will kill him if I donât do as she says.â
âYou think sheâs going to let your brother go because of your obedience?â The steambun asks with a rare look of pity.
Sure enough, that remark was lethal to the already distressed woman of the leopard tribe. Going red in the eye as tears continued to swell outward: âWhat do you mean by that?â
It canât be!
Mu Xue promised me, as long as I succeed then she will release my brother!
How can she go back on her words?
Butâ¦â¦
Upon remembering the past behavior and deeds of that evil girl, this distressed woman knew she couldnât keep fooling herself. Whatever the boy says are more plausible and a likely case than her own hopeful wishes.
Getting down to eye level since he could see how pained the woman was as well, Bai Xiachen understood he shouldnât be too hard on her either. âWhy didnât you come find my parents in the palace? As long as you told us the truth and asked for help then it wouldâve been a wiser decision.â
Making a shudder, she hung her head even lower in shame. Thatâs right, she didnât think things through, believing only in what Mu Xue said. Itâs not like this woman was that stupid to not want to seek outside help, but she didnât know Bai Yanâs personality or character. What if her case wouldnât be taken up? What then? Furthermore, everyoneâs been spreading rumors about the demon queen being a hostile female that hated the same sex in every way, that didnât help either.
âHighâ¦.. Highness.â Banging her head even harder now to make a case: âPlease save my brother, as long as you can save him then I am willing to pay for my sins with my life! I know trying to abduct the young prince is my fault, but my brother is innocent, he doesnât know anythingâ¦.â
Puckering his little lips over that plea, Bai Xiachen shoots back a snarky remark: âYour crime is of course unforgivable. If I wasnât so clever and caught you red-handed, I bet you wouldâve kept trying to kidnap Jin Tian.â
The woman couldnât refute the accusation. Trembling along the shoulders, she only hopes the boy wouldnât hold it against herself, or at least until they get her brother back somehow.
âBut I do want to know why Mu Xue would order you to kidnap Jin Tian though.â
âIâ¦â Giving a careful glance towards the little glutton, who was firmly protected behind Bai Xiachenâs figure: âI originally wanted to abduct the princess, not the young prince. You didnât give me a chance because you were always by her side, soâ¦.â
âYour target is Ling Yan?â Bai Xiachenâs expression promptly sank.
If the purpose of Mu Xue is to attack Mother then why is she going after Ling Yan?
It canât beâ¦.
Mu Xue is in line with the Celestial Palace?
Tightening his grasp around the girlâs hand, Bai Xiachen had a lot of emotions swinging between his eyes right now as he glances down to his sister.