Love Sword

4

'Your highness should retreat back to his chambers to rest. We will be leaving early tomorrow morning.' Said He Chang in a dead tone as if he was talking to an insignificant person.

After saying so, he left the trembling prince alone in the cold.

Xiang Ning breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the former tension ease a little. He looked up to the dark sky, not even one star in sight.

Suddenly he felt lonely and sad. He felt like his life is just like this sky at this moment. Dark and depressing without a single light or warmth.

———

He Chang dropped his sword with clang onto the wooden table in the middle of a small but dimly lit room.

As he laid himself onto the straw bed made for bodyguards, he stared at the low ceiling above him. His eyes serene and devoid of any emotions.

As he was slowly shutting his eyelids to drift into dreamland, he heard slow footsteps.

'What do you want?' Asked He Chang, with his eyes closed.

The footsteps paused a little before continuing. A figure appeared from the dark corner of the room, revealing a woman dressed in all black. Even her face was covered with a black cloth.

'How come you are not sad?' Asked the woman.

She took her mask off as she continued to walk towards the small straw bed.

As her face came into view, it was no other than one of the palace maids in the royal palace.

He Chang opened his eyes, but he did not dart his gaze towards the woman in front of him at all.

'Sad about what?' He asked.

The palace maid giggled. She walked forward with soundless steps. Her white hands undoing her clothes one by one in a painfully slow manner.

She had snuck into the guards' sleeping quarters secretly to come to accompany this man in her heart for the night.

Even if this man's face is ordinary and not handsome like other scholars or men. His well-built body and persona made him appear quite charming in the lady's eyes.

They had accidentally slept together when He Chang was extremely drunk once and had been sneakily sleeping together since then. She knew this man's heart is filled with the princess but she was not worried, the princess is far out of his reach. No matter what, he has to settle with women of lower ranks like herself.

He Chang did not budge as the small snowy body of a woman slowly engulf him.

The little maid raised her face to look at He Chang's unperturbed expression.

'The princess will soon be married. Aren't you a bit too uncaring? Don't you have her in your mind for so long?' Asked the girl.

He Chang could sense the mockery in her tone.

'What makes you think that the princess and that the third prince of Da Dong will end up together?' Asked He Chang.

The maid laughed out loud.

'Are you trying to lie to yourself? Stop being in denial, the princess will marry a prince. You should stop having your ridiculous dream and focus on me instead.' Said the servant girl.

Not hearing a response, she smiled as she knew she had achieved her purpose. She traced her fingers across the strong solid chest and gently removing the clothings covering the tanned and strong body underneath.

He Chang's eyes darkened.

He pushed her down and hovered above her in a rush.

The originally quiet room suddenly leak soft groans and whimpers from the small pink lips of the maid girl.

He Chang skillfully caress and take care of her all night to the point of exhaustion.

———

The morning sun appears to be exceptionally bright today, as if announcing the royal arrival of the Da Dong third prince's fiancé that is about to happen in just a few hours from now.

The carriages are ready.

He Chang sat on his black horse and watched as the princess walks out. Today, she is not wearing her usual male clothes.

She is wearing a beautiful pink robe with silver jewelries adorning her from head to toe. She is looked really pretty compared to her usual attire.

He Chang gripped the reign of his horse tightly as he saw the princess drinking to draught of love in front of the emperor.

In Chang'An, when a woman drinks the draught of love, a small red mole will appear somewhere on her body. This small red mole means that the woman has already devoted her life and body towards a man and that man will be the love of her life forever.

Usually the draught of love will be drank a few days before the wedding. However, in this case, the princess is required to drink it one month before the wedding to show Chang'An absolute honesty towards the great Da Dong.

A small red mole appeared on the princess's hand as soon as she finished downing the potion. Right at that moment, a loud cry broke out.

'SOMEONE HELP!!!!'

An elderly palace maid came running out of the maids' resting quarters. Her hair disarray as if she had just woken up from her sleep.

'What is going on!' Shouted the emperor in anger.

Knowing that she had just committed a crime worthy of her head by interrupting the princess's draught of love ceremony, the elderly maid who served in the royal place for decades fell onto her knees.

Tears rolled down her wrinkly cheeks, body shivering from the fear of death.

'Y-Your majesty, A-A'Jue is d-dead.' Stammered the elderly maid.

The emperor rose up from his seat, eyes dancing in fury.

'How dare you talk about death in the middle of a merry ceremony for the princess? Are you trying to bring misfortune to her highness's new marriage life?' Shouted one of the ministers provocatively.

'T-This one d-doesn't dare!' Shouted the old maid in fright.

'GUARDS!!!' Shouted the emperor.

'Stop!'

Princess Ruo An watched the trembling woman in front of her in curiosity. Why would she lie about someone's death?

'He Chang.' Called the princess.

He Chang gaze moved from the old woman towards the princess, his eyes filled with questions.

'Go check the maids quarters.' Said Ruo An.

'Your highness, this could cause delay for your journey.' Objected a eunuch sent by Da Dong to escort princess Ruo An and prince Xiang Ning to Da Dong.

Ruo An nodded towards He Chang as a signal.

Receiving the sign, He Chang hopped off his horse and walked towards the maids quarters.

Pushing the door open, a foul stench found its way into his nostrils.

Princess Ruo An was stopped by the emperor from going in, fearing that the smell might stick to his daughter's clothings.

He Chang walked towards the middle of the giant wood shed where a small body is laying. Lifting his foot, he kicked the body over.

To Be Continued...