Love Sword

31

The night began to fall, everything fell into a dead silence. Xiang Ning who is peacefully sleeping suddenly felt an urge to drink some water.

Opening his eyes, he was met with the dark ceiling in the pavilion. He sat up and began searching for the lantern using the help of the dim silver moonlight.

Lighting up a candle, he began searching around the room for a jug of water.

What?

No water?

He sighed and looked out at the sky outside. It is so dark at night, he felt a little reluctant to walk all the way to the royal kitchen which is far away.

Lan is still not back from her leave and he has no other maid to wait on him, being as unfavored as he is.

'Right now, Chang'ge must be asleep right? I shouldn't disturb him.' Said Xiang Ning to himself.

He walked out of the pavilion and was about to move to the kitchen when he heard a groan nearby.

Xiang Ning stopped on his tracks and slowly turned around. The groaning stopped but he heard rustling instead. Gulping down the fear in his heart, he stepped towards the sound as slowly as possible.

No one?

The courtyard behind his pavilion is empty.

So what was that sound?

'Agh...'

Xiang Ning's eyes widened, it couldn't be illusion. He clearly heard that. He turned his head to the giant tree at the far corner of the courtyard and his heart stopped.

He saw a hooded figure sitting underneath the tree, it seems like he is unconscious but his lips keep mumbling in pain voluntarily.

Xiang Ning moved towards the body very quietly and carefully. As he got closer, he saw an unfamiliar man with a dark black cloak covering him.

As he moved the candle closer, he noticed that the lips of that person is quivering from the cold and pain. The pale lips of the man is so white and bloodless, Xiang Ning felt really bad.

He used his finger to poke.

'Hey?'

No response.

Xiang Ning gasped. This guy is bleeding so badly? What happened? It looks like he is so seriously injured.

'Hey, are you okay?' Asked Xiang Ning a little louder.

The man slowly opened his eyes, those eyes stared at him sharply. Like a wounded animal, wary of the person in front of him.

'You're really injured, let me help you.'

As he was about to help the man stand up, a hand pushed him away.

'Go away.' The man said.

So harsh.

Xiang Ning still stubbornly grabbed the man and pulled him up.

'Stop being so persistent. You're seriously injured, you need to dress the wound first.'

The man did not say anything and leant his body onto the smaller body of the prince.

They slowly moved into the pavilion.

Xiang Ning dropped the bloody person on his bed and began to take off the cloak and a part of his clothings.

The wounds are so deep, he doesn't have the knowledge to help him. Xiang Ning turned around and was about to go get Jin Shan when the man behind him grabbed him.

'Don't tell anyone, just get me the medicine box.' He said.

Xiang Ning reluctantly grabbed the medicine box and handed it over. He watched as the man treat and wrap up his wound skillfully as if he had done this multiple times.

After he's done, he turned to look at Xiang Ning.

'Is this your habit?' He asked

Xiang Ning scrunched his eyebrows. What does this guy mean?

'Letting random strangers into your room, is this your habit?' He continued.

'Ah.' Blurted Xiang Ning, he hastily got up.

'I-I just saw that you were wounded so it must be really painful.' Stammered Xiang Ning.

The man watched the little prince with a mysterious gaze. He grabbed the prince by his wrist and pressed him down on the bed.

Because the movement was abrupt, Xiang Ning found it very hard to comprehend what was going on. When he recovered his senses, he stared at the man hovering over him in fright.

He raised his hand and tried to push the man away but although the man was wounded, he couldn't push him away at all.

'What are you doing?' He asked.

'I'm just showing you that you can't just trust a random stranger.' He said.

Xiang Ning grew panic, he pushed the man harsher and hit the bandaged wounds of the man. This action caused the other to groan in pain and back off.

Xiang Ning got up and ran away but he was grabbed again. He attempted to shout but his mouth was covered with a wide hand.

'You better not tell anyone about me.' He whispered.

Xiang Ning tried his best to calm down and hastily nod to appease the other. The man let go of the prince and watched as Xiang Ning backed away a few steps but did not attempt to go anywhere again.

'What's your name?' Asked Xiang Ning hesitantly.

The man did not reply.

'I don't have one.' He said after a pause.

Xiang Ning was puzzled, no name? Surely this guy is lying.

'Call me whatever you want.' Said the man.

Xiang Ning nodded

'Why are you here then?' He asked

(To kidnap you.) thought the man.

But he decided to not say anything and jumped outside before disappearing into the night.

———

The man landed himself outside the palace walls and turned around to observe the high gate walls.

He smiled and chuckled

'How gullible.' He muttered underneath his breath as he sat down.

Truth was, when he finished whipping himself fifty times at the Hu clan, he was already so weak because the whip he used was a one of a kind whip made out of the Ling Long steel. The damage it causes is equivalent to hitting yourself with a sword. The pain was immense.

His bad luck did not even subside. On his way back, he even encountered some mountain bandits and their martial arts were surprisingly strong. He spent his last energy fighting them but got injured severely during the process.

By the time he arrived at Xiang Ning's pavilion, he was on the verge of fainting but who knew that the person he was supposed to kidnap will actually help him instead?

With a naive mind like that guy, how can he survive in this cruel world?

To Be Continued...

Short Stage:

Jin Shan: I will protect him, you stay away.