As the crown prince walked away, Lei Wanxi turned to Ying Lili. “Sister Lili, you two are like a lion and a lioness. How could you two fight openly in the Palace? Indeed, it is your territory, but many eyes are on you,” proclaimed Lei Wanxi.

An-Ying Lili thanked Lei Wanxi for his sudden interruption because he prevented a big fight between them. “It is my pleasure to make things good between you two,” Lei Wanxi pronounced. “But, may I know why two were fighting and what rumors have spread in the Palace?” Lei Wanxi queried with a confused expression.

“The friendly sword fighting between me and the elder first brother was taken negatively, the sixth brother. So, Sheng… I mean the crown prince is furious about that,” stated Ying Lili. Lei Wanxi shook his head.

“Sister Lili, I do not know whether or not I shall tell you this but, the crown prince is saying right. The first brother is supposed to marry you and he still has eyes on you, so it is better to keep a safe distance from him, sister Lili,” suggested Lei Wanxi.

An-Ying Lili gave a nod and left for her inn after taking her to leave from there. Lei Wanxi took a breath of relief and left from there. An-Ying Lili came to the Inn and found Sheng Li there who was seated on the bed. She halted at her place and asked him what he was doing there.

“We are not done talking. Come here,” Sheng Li voiced in a commanding tone, but Ying Lili ignored him and averted her gaze from him. “Did I not tell you not to come here? Then why do you come here? I hate seeing your face,” Ying Lili stated with annoyance.

Sheng Li stood up and came near Ying Lili who did not move from her place at all. Grabbing her chin, Sheng Li moved her face towards him, to look into his eyes. “Even I hate your beautiful eyes, your eyes, and this entire seductive face of yours. Do you know your acts are known to everyone in the Palace?” Sheng Li asked her with an exasperated expression.

Ying Lili slapped off Sheng Li’s hand and stepped back. “I did nothing wrong. You have snatched my freedom. Do palace people not know what kind of crown prince they have? – Having an affair with the other woman. You consider yourself invincible but could not stop this marriage,” Ying Lili pronounced, shooting glares to Sheng Li.

“Are you jealous that I am not giving enough attention to you?” Sheng Li asked as he smirked.

“Who wants your attention? I am just stating the facts. You told me that I am affecting your position as the crown prince then what about you, who is openly making out with your lover,” Ying Lili snapped at him. Sheng Li grabbed her arm and pulled Ying Lili towards her.

“I told you already that I was not making out with her,” stated Sheng Li and tightened his grip on Ying Lili’s arm.

“I also told you that I do not look at your brothers with bad eyes, especially your first brother. I just wanted to do swordsmanship,” Ying Lili stated as she lowered her eyes. “The Palace has taken away my freedom,” the crown princess further added.

“That’s why I told you to kill yourself. That way you would be free from this Palace burden,” Sheng Li asserted. Ying Lili lifted her eyes and met Sheng Li’s gaze. “Killing myself would have made me a coward and my father’s name would have been tarnished. I am not a woman who gives up easily,” Ying Lili proclaimed with an affirmed voice.

Sheng Li’s grip loosened on Ying Lili’s arm. “Let’s have swordsmanship tomorrow in the morning. I would like to see why you are so favored by my father,” Sheng Li stated. Ying Lili’s eyes widened when Sheng Li heard something. The next second, he carried Ying Lili in his strong arms, which shocked her.

“What are you doing? Leave me,” Ying Lili protested, and she was thrown on the bed. The crown princess was confused seeing the sudden behavior of the crown prince.

Before she could get down the bed, Sheng Li grabbed her both hands, pinned them down on the soft mattress. Ying Lili thought to kick him, but Sheng Li locked her legs by placing his legs on either side of Ying Lili’s legs. He was hovering over her, which terrified Ying Lili, and she closed her eyes. “D-Don’t do anything to me,” Ying Lili stuttered.

Leaning closer to Ying Lili’s ear, Sheng Li whispered, “Shhh. Let’s act for a few minutes as someone is going to come. Let’s end the rumors about you in a go.”

Ying Lili opened her eyes and looked at Sheng Li who was looking into her pearly eyes. For a few seconds, they got lost in each other’s eyes. The crown princess heard the sound of anklets and looked towards the entrance. “Let’s make out here. It is just to show the Empress that our relationship is going well,” Sheng Li whispered against Ying Lili’s ear.

“What!?” Ying Lili exclaimed When Sheng Li placed his lips on hers. 

The Empress, Weng Wei, stopped at the door of the bed-chamber, seeing both the crown prince and crown princess on the bed. She averted her gaze and lifted her hand slightly in the air, to stop the court lady from coming after her.

Sheng Li moved his lips over Ying Lili’s lips while Ying Lili was carrying a shocking expression on her face. The Empress continued looking at the two and then left the bed-chamber. The Empress told Su Binxi not to let anyone enter the bed-chamber and left from there.

As soon as Sheng Li found the empress had gone, he parted his lips from Ying Lili and at the same time let go of her hand. Ying Lili saw that Sheng Li had put his thumb on her lips thus not kissing her directly. Still, she was angry at him, so she shouted at him. 

“Lower your voice. I have no intention of kissing you. But, because you had created such a problem, that’s why I had to do that,” Sheng Li asserted and moved away from Ying Lili. He stepped down from the bed. “Because you made mistakes, I am punishing your attendant,” stated Sheng Li and walked out of the bed-chamber.

Ying Lili feared hearing that, so she went after Sheng Li. Su Binxi was on her knees pleading with the crown prince. “What are you doing?” Ying Lili questioned Sheng Li and stepped towards Su Binxi when Sheng Li grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. “Take her away,” the crown prince ordered. Two soldiers came forward and took Su Binxi away.

“Leave her. She has not done anything wrong,” Ying Lili asserted. “Punish me but leave her,” she further added.

“I would love to do that, but I cannot. Do not make me angry ever again, someone else has to take the punishment instead of you,” Sheng Li pronounced. The crown prince released her hand and walked away. Ying Lili stepped forward when Court Lady Xu stopped her.

“Your highness, you did not have your food till now. Please have your meals first because the royal physician will come to check you,” Court Lady Xu politely told Ying Lili.

“But, Su Binxi. I need to save her,” Ying Lili proclaimed.

“Your highness, Su Binxi was an informant. She is being punished for a reason,” asserted Court Lady Xu. An-Ying Lili did not believe this. Court Lady Xu gestured to two attendants, and they took Ying Lili inside the chamber.

~~~

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