Chapter Volume 2 23

Chiu Yue was the most playful of the girls, “What is there to be afraid of, we have King Ming’s seal! We can leave the capital easily!”

Chiu Lan shook her head, “It is out of the question, the capital is rampant with foreigners who have come to congratulate the King. There are countless envoys and their footmen stationed at the border of the capital. What would we do if they kidnap King Ming? Among other things, if we run into Princess Miao Guang’s party…”

The maid often listened to Rong Tian’s exchanges with Feng Ming. Topics ranged in political and national struggles. For the young lady to try to analyze the consequences in a rationalizing methodology, it was rather cute.

Hearing his servant’s words struck fear in him, nothing scared him more than Ruo Yan. And to hear that his troops may be prowling the capital sent a chill down his spine.

Shaking his head he finally submitted, “If that is the case, then we shall not leave the capital.” With his declaration, the other two maids naturally didn’t pursue the matter further.

Chiu Lan beamed him a smile, “Ming Wang is the smartest.”

“Well, the smartest one is you!” Chiu Xin tugged gently at Chiu Lan’s ear.

Chiu Yue looked around and an idea hit her, she moved to tug at her master’s sleeve.

“Ming Wang, I heard that Princess Miao Guang is very pretty, shall we go visit her instead?”

“The King of Li’s sister?” Chiu Xing interrupted, “can she even be compared to our Third Princess?”

Chiu Yue pushed her nosy friend aside, “The other attendants have been saying…” she grinned and moved closer to whisper into Feng Ming’s ear.

“The King sought a private audience with the Princess. Their discussion was long and intense.”

“King Ming, seeing that we won’t leave the capital we should pay the Princess a visit.”

Anyhow, Feng Ming wasn’t in a rush to return to the palace. His interest was perked and he wanted to see the Princess for himself.

He nodded, “Very well, I’d like to see that the King’s sister bear no resemblance to her dreadful sibling. But…where is she staying? Someone should go inquire about her whereabouts.”

Chiu Lan covered her mouth and laughed. Chiu Xing caught her and shouted, “Chiu Lan must know! King Ming you should ask her!”

Feng Ming took the cue, “Chiu Lan, if you know where Princess Miao Guang is staying then you should speak up.”

Chiu Lan had taken up one of Feng Ming’s bad habits, teasing people. Chiu Xing and Chiu Yue pestered her continuously for the answer.

Chiu Lan finally gave up and lazily replied, “I overheard the people who oversee the foreign envoys that she is living in an annexed royal mansion not far from the palace.”

“Then we shall head over there!” Feng Ming chanted. “Let’s go and take a look at the King’s sister!”

On his command the small party galloped towards the northern side of the palace.

As for Miao Guang, to be paid a visit by the man who her brother was enamored with was a godsend.

Xi Rei’s King Rong really lived up to his reputation, meeting the man in flesh, Miao Guang could already tell he was a tricky one to deal with. Moreover, King Rong would never take up her offer for marriage. There was also a potential threat he would keep her as a hostage.

However, her own brother was not a simple man. He had long anticipated the possibility of this outcome, the fact King Rong would delay his response to her proposal. Everything was going precisely as planned, she needed this time. As long as Rong Tian doesn’t declare war with the country of Li, she would be treated as royalty and her access would not be restricted.

She had to exploit the time she had left in Xi Rei to make a move on Feng Ming.

What does the man who won the hearts of the two legendary heroes look like?

Upon receiving the announcement from an attendant, Miao Guang hurried to fix her make up, and then quickly sat down in the middle of the room to wait for the arrival of her guest.

“You’re Princess Miao Guang?” Feng Ming blurted out with surprise. On his only mission out of Xi Rei territory he visited Fan Jia, a country famous for its beautiful women, with the Third Princess being one of the finest gems. He had a strange notion that the women of this era were all ethereal and goddess like.

Miao Guang’s mundane appearance came as a complete shock. In earnest he was rather disappointed. After the initial moments he realized his outburst was very rude. He felt guilty and immediately apologized, “I’m sorry, I’m…really…I….” he stuttered.

The princess gave him a faint smile, and gently asked, “Are you King Ming?”

”Yes, I am. But you can call me Feng Ming.” He was more comfortable with people addressing him by his name and hated the nonsense of people his age having to call him by his official title.

The two exchanged looks.

“Are you Ruo Yan’s sister? You don’t look alike. I mean you are better than him by far.”

“Really?”

Feng Ming didn’t know but beneath Miao Guang’s calm exterior she was trying to control the shockwaves of meeting him.

She knew the men of Xi Rei were collectively the most handsome men under the heavens. Her brother was also quite a handsome man himself. But to meet Feng Ming in person she could understand why her brother was enwrapped by the man’s charms.

Water.

Upon laying eyes on Feng Ming, that was the word that came to mind. The man’s eyes were glistening, playful and mysterious. The lighting reflected off his doe eyes and made one feel the power of the seas, deep and magnificent, wild and full of vitality.

Miao Guang knew her brother the best and could instantaneously understand how he must have felt. For such a rare specimen to be born into royalty, why would her brother let him slip away? This person was pure and refreshing as water, surely countless maidens would swoon and gravitate towards him.

They remained in silence studying each other before Miao Guang flashed him a sweetened smile.

“King Ming is well known for his advance knowledge in mathematics. My brother has told me much about your abilities. He even spoke of the battle he had with you at the Fan Jia palace. He told me how he was defeated and was left completely red faced. I laughed so hard my stomach was about to burst.”

Then in a whisper she continued, “My brother has never been so disgraced in his life!”

Feng Ming was really fooled by his own misconceptions. In no way would he have ever guessed that Ruo Yan’s sister was so outspoken and candid. She was better than her treacherous sibling by a hundred fold. This occasion made it obvious that just because people are related it can’t determine their personality, rather he suspected that Ruo Yan must have inherited all the bad genes!

He chuckled.

“A young Princess is more fun! Each time the Fan Jia’s Third Princess speaks with me, she always keeps the formalities. The Empress too, referring to herself in third person. It irritates me to no ends.”

Feng Ming didn’t hesitate to bombard her with more personal questions. He moved closer to her.

“Princess, how old are you?”

Miao Guang secretly cast a glance at Feng Ming’s temple, beneath his translucent skin there was a hint of purple. Inwardly she thought: It appears a more obvious symptom is beginning to surface after one month. I wonder how distressed King Rong will become.

She grinned, “I’m two eights.”

“Twenty eight? Are you really that old?” Feng Ming stared at her with bewilderment. He shook his head. “You surely defy your age.”

“King Ming you are an interesting person too, I am not twenty eight, I am sixteen years old.”

“Ah! Then you are younger than me!” Feng Ming dragged a chair up beside the Princess and sat casually sat down.

”At such a young age, how could Ruo Yan have the heart to send you here as an ambassador?”

Miao Guang had never experienced such informalities with a dignitary. She momentarily froze on the spot.

“Sixteen is the standard age of marriage for women, how can I be young?” She answered.

“Marriage?” Feng Ming repeated dumbfounded, he looked her up and down. One could easily forget she was Ruo Yan’s sister.

“It’s young and you are thinking about marriage?” he laughed lightheartedly until it dawned on him.

His laughter died.

Marriage was a normal milestone in life. Rong Tian was at the edge of seventeen and Miao Guang was sixteen. When young adults hit the age of requirement they marry, if Ruo Yan sent his only sister to Xi Rei, is the purpose to…

The trouble brewing inside his mind wasn’t hidden well on his face, the happy go lucky smile quickly melted from his face.

Miao Guang had a hunch what the King was thinking.

“King Ming what is on your mind?”

“I…I…” He frowned, shook his head and dismissed her concern. “It’s nothing.”

Does Rong Tian intend to get married? From Feng Ming’s knowledge marriage was one of the most popular themes he’d see in dramas set in ancient China. The thought of Rong Tian desiring to wed and it left him with a distasteful bitterness. His stomach knotted.

“I won’t conceal the truth from King Ming,” Miao Guang lent in and whispered into his ear, “I am here to seek marriage.”

“Seek marriage?” Feng Ming murmured.

“Yes, when we caught word of King Rong’s claim to the throne, my brother ordered me to seek marriage with King Rong in order to fortify Li’s stability. As soon as King Rong takes the offer, Miao Guang shall remain here. I will not return to Li.”

That’s right, Rong Tian is a King, he will have to get married to ensure his lineage will continue to reign and that means he will…

Feng Ming felt like he was cut in half by a bolt of lightning for a moment he couldn’t move, his body felt cold and his face waned.

“Congratulations Princess.” He managed but his mood to chat with her disappeared he stood up and gave the Princess a respectful gesture. “I have to head back now, Princess please take a rest.”

“King Ming please stay a bit longer, Miao Guang has something she would like to say to you privately.”

She motioned to the attendants in the room to step down and once they were gone she secured the door and looked silently at the King.

She suddenly dropped down to her knees and knelt at his feet her lips were pursed and her eyes watered.

“Miao Guang is to be bold as to wish King Ming to do something for her.”

Feng Ming was startled he took a step back, “Princess, what is the meaning of this!” he blabbered.

“Do you want me to leave Rong Tian’s side? Do you want me to never see him again?” he continued frantically.

This was the sort of pitiful love triangle one would read in romance novels based in the warring states period of China. Unfortunately his own plot was turning for the worst, even for a modern person like him he was finding it hard to swallow.

The answer from the Princess knocked him out of the water, “Please help me escape from Xi Rei’s capital King Ming!”

“What?” Feng Ming stared at her like a confused madman. “You want to escape? Don’t you want to be Xi Rei’s Queen?”

”King Rong would never wholeheartedly marry me but in order to keep peace between our two nations he may consider the marriage.” Miao Guang broke into sobs and wallowed, “I can’t…I just…”

Hearing the Princess’s strange request allowed Feng Ming to calm his own emotions and shake of the disbelief.

“ You want to escape?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Yes, the only purpose of bring a Princess is to be a political marriage tool. I was forced to come to Xi Rei by the orders of my brother.”

”Please rise up, you don’t have to kneel before me.” Knowing that she was no longer his rival in love Feng Ming’s mood immediately did a one eighty. He assisted her by propping her up.

He frowned, “But if you defy your brother’s command you will never be able to set foot back in your homeland. What will be of you then?”

Of course Miao Guang’s rejecting the position of Queen was great news for Feng Ming. With that said he was now on her team.

The young lady’s face reddened and with her head bowed she whispered, “As long as King Ming can escort Miao Guang fifty Li away from the capital of Xi Rei, Miao Guang has a destination in mind.”

“Where are you going to go?”

“This…” she hesitated.

“If you don’t tell me, how can I help you?”

“Is King Ming really willing to help me?” Her eyes shone with hope and disbelief. She looked at him shyly, biting her lips before her face turned scarlet.

“King Ming have you heard of Yong Yin’s oldest Prince, Yong Yi?”

“The country of Yong Yin’s Prince?”

Miao Guang nodded, bashfully biting her lip. “He also came to Xi Rei to congratulate King Rong. As long as I can breakaway from my attendants, he will be waiting for me fifty Li outside the capital of Xi Rei.”

“Oh!” It clicked. He clasped his hands in delight, “The two of you are courting, then…”

“Ming Wang!” Miao Guang was embarrassed to have her love life discussed so openly. She urged him, “Please don’t tell anyone about this, if this leaks out it would lead to many troubles. Not only will Xi Rei, Li and Yong Yin be involved other countries will become hostile. So…”

“So I will keep my lips sealed.”

“Yes,” she reaffirmed.

“I know,” Feng Ming nodded. “You can escape and then we can fabricate a story that the Princess died of an illness whilst she was in Xi Rei. Then our country won’t be accountable and they will not be able to trace the whereabouts of the Princess. I have an attendant called Lie Er who specializes in this kind of stuff…”

Miao Guang shook her head and looked at the King sternly. “King Ming, did you forget that we can’t let anyone find out? Otherwise the consequences could become serious.”

“Okay, I won’t whisper a word to anyone.” He stuck out his tongue cheekily.

For him to chance upon such an amazing eternal love story Feng Ming couldn’t help but to feel geared up. Excitement was bouncing inside his stomach. Inwardly he cursed Ruo Yan for being a scum of the earth, exploiting his own sister in such a manner.

The pair continued their heated discussion for an hour before Feng Ming left.

All his maids had waited for him outside in the gardens, when they saw him appear they flew over to bombard him.

“King Ming you were in there so long! We were so scared you were in trouble, we were about to send someone to inform the King!”

“What did the Princess say? The door was suddenly shut, what ever she said she is Ruo Yan’s sister, King Ming you must not let her fool you!”

Feng Ming shook his head and said, “She’s actually quite pitiful.”

“What? Pitiful?” gasps the girls.

“Pretend I said nothing,” his hand shot to cover his mouth. He turned to Chiu Lan, “About our little sneaky adventure today, no one is to speak a word of it to Rong Tian.”

“But Ming Wang, you are out of the palace already and the King would definitely have found out by now, how can we deny it?”

“That’s fine but at least no one is to speak of our visit to Princess Miao Guang, otherwise he will worry. Perhaps he will become so furious he would transfer you all to attend another master!” Feng Ming threw in a bit of intimidation to seal the deal.

Chiu Xing patted her chest bravely, “That wouldn’t be the case would it? We met the Princess alone and she doesn’t even pose a threat. Then again, I caught a glimpse of the Princess and she is definitely not a person the King would become jealous about if you wanted to meet with her.” In the end the arguments all lead to appearance. The girls loved to gossip and it wasn’t long until all three girls compared Miao Guang with the Third Princess.

Feng Ming has long been accustomed to the noisy bunch, he mounted his horse. Inside he couldn’t help but feel full of energy and a strong sense of responsibility. He was hiding a big secret.

Once they returned to the Crowned Prince’s quarters they noticed the eerie atmosphere. All his guards were knelt down outside his residence, their bodies trembling in silence.

Seeing their master’s return they were somewhat relieved. One of the servants quickly greeted him, “King Ming please enter immediately, the King Rong declared if he didn’t see you soon he will behead us all.”

Chiu Lan and the other girls dared not to go in, instead they betrayed their loyalty and pushed Feng Ming closer to the door before quickly slipping out of sight.