Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

275 Put your skirt down

Xiaoming knocked at the door and asked Liu Jin Yu if she was ready.

“Give me five minutes,” Liu Jin Yu said in a low voice, which was audible to Xiaoming only. He waited while looking around. He wanted to make sure that no one found that Liu Jin Yu was with him in the manor. It would create senseless rumors again, which might affect Liu Jin Yu.

When five minutes passed, Xiaoming again asked her why she was taking so long. She was supposed to change the dress only. The door opened at that moment. Xiaoming turned to look at her and was mesmerized by her beauty.

He saw her in a hanfu dress for the second time, and she looked breathtaking even in that simple white dress. “Can I come out?” She asked while peeking outside. Xiaoming hummed and stepped aside. Liu Jin Yu stepped out and closed the door of the bathhouse.

“The Crown Prince and I will have a problem if someone finds out that-” she couldn’t finish her sentence because Xiaoming had placed his finger on her mouth.

“I have made sure that no one will find out,” Xiaoming said and lowered his hand. They somehow reached the Crown Prince’s main chamber. Liu Jin Yu found out that the female servants were already sent away and only Sun Fuguo was present around.

“Your Royal Highness, as per your order, the servants are told to retire to bed early,” Sun Fuguo informed Xiaoming. He thanked him and asked him to go to his room. Sun Fuguo was hesitant about leaving, but when Xiaoming stressed it, he left.

“It’s not good,” Liu Jin Yu said.

Xiaoming turned to her and raised his eyebrow in inquisitiveness.

.....

“This dress is heavy. I love my old clothes,” Liu Jin Yu complained. She pulled up her skirt such that her legs were visible to him. Xiaoming looked at her with a shocked expression. “I am even unable to walk properly,” she said with a stern tone.

“Put your skirt down, Jin Yu,” Xiaoming said as he averted his gaze. She left the grip of her skirt and gazed at him in bewilderment.

“I am not used to this type of dress, Your Royal Highness. I will buy some comfortable clothes for myself,” Liu Jin Yu said. Xiaoming returned his gaze to her and found her dejected.

“You are supposed to wear dresses heavier than this. Multiple layers of clothing with heavy jewelry. What will you do then?” Xiaoming asked her.

“I will find a way to reduce them,” Liu Jin Yu said. “Also, it is not decided if I will even get permission to marry the Crown Prince or not,” she stated while exhaling a deep breath.

“Your words hurt me. Of course, I will get the permission,” Xiaoming confidently said.

“No. You and I will be punished,” Liu Jin Yu said with a serious look.

“I won’t let that happen,” Xiaoming assured her. “You earlier told me that you have faith in me,” he reminded her of their previous conversation.

“His Majesty will surely be angry tomorrow. What if His Majesty declared that he was going to behead me? I am scared for the first time, Your Royal Highness,” Liu Jin Yu stated and fidgeted with her fingers.

Xiaoming grasped her hands and asked her to look into his eyes. “I will not let that happen. They wanted me to find a woman of my choice, and I did. Father never goes against his words. He has promised me that he will not force me. The problem is my mother. It will be hard to convince her,” Xiaoming stated. His words gave Jin Yu some assurance that everything would be alright.

But the slight fear was still present in her heart. The King might order to kill her to seduce his son. She’d heard folklore about a low-class woman being killed if her feelings for an upper-class man were revealed to the public.

She was ready to take this risk too to punish the culprit who had killed Wu Jin. If early death was her fate, then she would accept that. She calmed herself down.

She came out of her thoughts when a soft fabric touched her cheek. She found Xiaoming wiping her cheek with the handkerchief. “You didn’t even wash your face in the bathhouse,” he mumbled and stepped close to her.

“Will His Highness not take his dinner?” She asked again.

“We already have a discussion over this.” Xiaoming shifted his focus to the other cheek.

“Every activity of the Crown Prince is recorded. If he does not eat his dinner, then he may get sick too.” Liu Jin Yu started to convince him to take his meal.

“Jin Yu, I have a strong immune system,” Xiaoming said. “I will eat if you agree to eat dinner with me,” he added.

“Sadly, I have no appetite,” Liu Jin Yu said, and her eyes filled with tears. She recalled how she used to prepare dinner for her master and herself. They were a happy family. Had she known that the last night would be Wu Jin’s last meal, then she would have cooked his favorite food.

“He was laughing in the morning. It was not expected,” Liu Jin Yu said in a painful voice. She gulped the lump that had formed in her throat.

“We will make sure to catch the culprit soon. I will ask for a thorough investigation tomorrow,” Xiaoming told her and held her hand. “Come with me.” He took her to the patio, and they both sat at the top of the stairs.

“Does His Royal Highness drink wine?” She asked. “I want to drink,” she murmured. Xiaoming asked her to wait and left to get the wine.

He returned after a few minutes with a jar and two cups and put them on the wooden floor. Liu Jin Yu took the jar from him and opened the lid from its top. She filled the cup for Xiaoming while she didn’t fill the cup for her.

When he asked the reason, he was amused by her reply.

“I will drink from the jar,” Liu Jin Yu said.

“You may get drunk,” Xiaoming warned her.

“That’s better,” Liu Jin Yu said, and drank the wine straight from the jar. Xiaoming wanted her to stop, but then he didn’t. It was probably the best choice to lessen her pain. He sipped the wine from the tiny cup while gazing at her.