Taming Tyrants III

Arc 7: Royal Deceit (230)

Hong Cha felt weak in a sudden. She leaned on a tree and waved the lantern forward. There is a residence but it looks old and abandoned. Hong Cha is about to walk forth but her knees gave way. She doesn't know what's wrong, why her body became limp. She breathed in and out and she came to recover half her strength. Hong Cha looked behind when she heard footsteps. She can't see well with the lantern far from her position.

"We are finally alone, Song Cha Hua."

Her eyes widened to hear Gu Chi Lian's voice. She looked back to the moon gate and saw Zhao Xue staring at her. Zhao Xue bid her farewell and left. This caused Hong Cha to be afraid.

"Zhao Xue! Zhao Xue, don't leave me!" Hong Cha desperately stood up but she still fell. Gu Chi Lian caught her and sighed.

"You really deserve to be held this way. Gu Zixing is good enough to ignore how dangerously alluring you are." Gu Chi Lian embraced her closer and her struggles were meaningless. He held a lock of her ebony black hair and enjoyed the flowery scent of a maiden. "Song Cha Hua, quit being troublesome. You're not like a prostitute at all, haha."

"Your Highness, this is not appropriate. Please let go, I beg you!" Hong Cha felt her strength diminishing every passing second. She became more frantic when Gu Chi Lian lied her down the bed of grasses. He must be mad!

"You're such a darling." Gu Chi Lian removed her cloak. He became more excited when Hong Cha became still underneath him.

Hong Cha whimpered the moment Gu Chi Lian's hand roamed her figure. She broke to tears as he kissed her feverishly. What Gu Chi Lian doesn't know, Hong Cha reached for a rock nearby. With the little bit of strength she has, Hong Cha used the rock to hit his head.

"Argh! Damn it, vixen!" Gu Chi Lian cursed. He lost his focus and Hong Cha took this chance to crawl away.

"Someone! Help!" She screamed loudly, her voice went hoarse. Unfortunately, the injury she caused wasn't enough. Hong Cha was dragged back. She can't fight as Gu Chi Lian strangled her. "Let...go!"

"Let go? You dare to hit me! I was nice enough not to kill you!" Gu Chi Lian exerted more force that Hong Cha started coughing. There was a trace of madness from his eyes that she didn't fail to notice. "Why, huh? You want to throw yourself at that good for nothing Gu Zixing? He is nothing without House Gu! You are so damn blind, all of you are blind!"

"I... Can't breath..." Hong Cha's eyes watered. Her grasps slowly loosened from attempting to push his hands away. She let her tears fall and thought, she shouldn't have had said it was a joke, she should have just admitted she loves Gu Zixing.

"Chi Lian!"

A familiar voice shouted. Hong Cha opened her eyes and saw Gu Chi Lian fall down. She narrowed her eyes to see clearly. Gu Zixing had arrived and he was fighting Gu Chi Lian. Hong Cha wanted to stop him but her consciousness is slipping. The last thing she saw is that a group of people separated Gu Zixing and Gu Chi Lian.

It was unknown how long she was unconscious. When she woke up, she is back in her bedroom. Hong Cha got ready for breakfast. The maid opened the door and her eldest brother's face greeted her.

"Hong Ji!" She was so happy for some reason that she saw him. Hong Cha jumped in his embrace.

"Aiya, our Xiao Cha got heavier!" Hong Ji teased. He brought her down and arranged her clothes. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.

"What's the matter?" Hong Cha asked curiously.

"Nothing. I can't believe you will be fifteen soon." He smiled faintly and held her face. "Our Xiao Cha will finally be grown up. I can't play as your greatest knight anymore."

"Hong Ji, no one can replace you." The young girl smiled foolishly. She held unto his arm and cheerfully said, "You talk like a worry wart, just like Father. Can you stop reminding me I have to leave the manor one day?"

"Xiao Cha." Hong Ji sounded worried. He embraced her tightly in a sudden. Hong Cha felt her blouse becoming wet. She can't believe Hong Ji is crying.

"Big Brother, do you have to be so sad? I still have one more year to be your sister. Even if I get married soon, I won't forget my siblings. Once I leave too, look after Father. You know he likes drinking with his fellow ministers." Hong Cha comforted him. She embraced him back but Hong Ji seemed to refuse to let go.

"Xiao Cha, always remember, Father-, Father loves us." He stuttered, unable to hold back the grief he felt.

"I know that!" Hong Cha tittered. "Hong Ji, why are you crying? Eldest Sis will laugh at you if she sees you like this."

"Brother Ji, you're here." Hong Cha's eldest sister arrived on time. Seeing this, she covered her mouth and her eyes reddened. "Brother Ji, did you tell her?"

"She doesn't need to know." Hong Ji responded.

"Know what? Eldest Sis, Big Brother, what is it?" Hong Cha began to suspect. She have a bad feeling. "Is Father already back? Did he win?"

"Young Miss, the Madame is still unconscious." A young man arrived whom Hong Cha recognized. Her eyes brightened and she hurriedly went to him.

"Student Lou! You're back, is Father also here?" Hong Cha asked in excitement. She noticed the young man is at loss. "Student Lou? Hey, talk! If you won't speak, Father will hear this!"

"Young Miss..." The young man gritted his teeth.

"Xiao Cha." This time, Hong Ji spoke. "Xiao Cha, Father won't be back."

"He won't?" She frowned. Hong Cha felt unpleasant. "I hate him! He said he'll be back before New Year! Why does he keep breaking his promise?"

"Xiao Cha!" Her eldest sister finds it rude and shouted at her. Hong Cha was stunned since it was rare when her sister gets angry. "Don't you get it? Father won't be home because he died!"

Hong Cha's heart thumped. She looked around and noticed how solemn they are. Her sister is also crying.

"Father is gone... He can't be home again..."

"You're kidding!" Hong Cha got irritated. "Y-you, I don't believe you! He promised to be back, he promised!"

"Young Miss!" Student Lou was alarmed when Hong Cha ran away however, Hong Ji stopped him. "First Young Master, Young Miss might hurt herself..."

"Mother is out there to look for her." Hong Ji explained. He turned to his sister coldly, "Xiao Cha is still young. Why do you have to do that?"

"Brother Ji, she is no longer a baby! Don't you worry she will grow up like a silly lady? You saw how she reacted, like-, like a spoiled princess she is! She needs to know, she needs to learn how difficult it is to live in this world... Father is gone, we have no one to protect us anymore..."