The Prince Is Abolished

Chapter 4

Prince Xi Mang gawked awkwardly while Lu Ran was still coming to her senses. The lamp sinking this way felt ominous to her.

The stranger's 'mocking' gaze also added fuel to the fire but his words hurt her more.

'Who lights a lamp in the day and after the festival is over?'

'Who are you to question me and why are you sneaking up on people?'

'Hey! Don't blame me for sinking your silly lamp!'

Lu Ran was angry and also very emotional at this incident. Her heartiest wish just sank...like that. She tried to piece it all together while being inconsolable.  

'I didn't say you did. But now, wait ...you are wet. You swam here...so...and it is due to your swimming that the water rushed and my lamp sank!' 

'Oh...I am sorry. I saw you and wanted to speak to you so I swam...'

'A man your size should be conscious of the effect he has on humble beings and objects but I see, you lack...'

'Please. I am sorry. I was afraid you will go away and I ran the whole road and then jumped here just to get to know you.'

Xi Mang was out in plain clothes to go around the Mi kingdom. He was on the bridge when he saw the face of the goddess who he had seen last night and lost his senses. But he didn't realize that a fragile lamp that the lady had placed in the river would get destroyed due to his haste.

'If you give me a chance...'

'Please go away.'

'No, I hurt you, so please give me a chance to make it up to you, my lady. Let's light another lamp.'

Lu Ran was hurt and didn't hear what he said.

All she wanted was to light a lamp. Just this much. And here it was, sunk under water all due to a stranger she had liked earlier.

She abruptly turned away from Xi Mang and went away with her maid.

Xi Mang stood there sheepishly; his hot pursuit of the beauty has turned cold and that too by his own act. 

With a heavy heart he walked back to his horse and went for his meeting with Song Wu.

Song Wu was also a merchant and had around 1100 of his own guards. He was wealthy but was nowhere near the Lu family. Song Wu also lacked good reputation and was considered a notorious element by people. He was said to be indecent and had a roving eye. Both of the allegations on him were true and Xi Mang knew it well and still protected him.

Wu's reputation was so bad, that those who did business with him hid their tracks. Hardly any good families socialized with him.

What further made him a pariah was that in the Mi kingdom, the royal family, the Lu family, and all the noble families practiced monogamy. But Song Wu eyed destitute women of the poorest families and often made them serve him sexually in lieu of saving their kin.

Due to shame and fear, young girls and their families hid this act, thus, it was business as usual for Wu, and people also started fearing him.

Xi Mang association with Song Wu was a secret and he needed him for financial support if his political ambitions with regards to a greater Mi kingdom were to be made real.

But today, Xi Mang was not in control of his self. Lu Ran's hurt face and his own failure in getting to know her name occupied his heart and made him aloof to his appointment with Song Wu.

If only I were a bit more considerate...If that lamp hadn't sunk.

For once, the haughty prince was pondering on something as simple as a leaf lamp of a nameless damsel!