Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

172 I am interested in women, not men!

Xiaoming looked at Eunuch Lishi and shouted at him. “Why did you go to my mother!?”

Liu Jin Yu was bewildered to see the Crown Prince’s anger. She stayed quiet and waited for her turn to get scolded by him.

“Eunuch Lishi, you have been with me for eighteen years. I trust you more than anyone around me, yet you have to do this with me. I strictly told you not to let the word go out regarding Liu Jin Yu. Then why did you do this?” Xiaoming bellowed at him once again.

“Your Royal Highness, please forgive me,” Eunuch Lishi said while keeping his gaze down on the floor.

“Leave my sight!” Xiaoming told him. “Don’t come before me unless you give me a valid explanation,” he ordered. Eunuch Lishi complied with the order of the Crown Prince and left the chamber.

Liu Jin Yu slightly lifted her head to look at the Crown Prince, who was staring at her. “Why did you tell such a lie in front of the King?” Xiaoming questioned her.

“To save us both. If His Majesty had found out that His Royal Highness brought me to his manor without any servant selection process, he would have definitely punished me first. In my opinion, the Crown Prince should let me go. His Royal Highness’s mother thinks that I am trying to get close to him. That’s why Eunuch Lishi took me to the Queen, I feel. Your Royal Highness, the palace is not a place where the prince can converse with a person, especially a woman from a low-born family.”

Xiaoming totally agreed with her words. But he didn’t want her to leave the palace. Around her, he would feel calm, and he could be what he was!

“I will pay the debt of the Crown Prince by working hard. Even if it takes me years, I will keep working to pay him back,” Liu Jin Yu proclaimed.

.....

“No. You cannot leave. I have reprimanded Eunuch Lishi. He will never do any such thing,” Xiaoming stated.

“Your Royal Highness, how long will I be here? The Crown Prince cannot force me to stay here for a long time. I have a life of my own. I cannot handle the life of a palace. His Royal Highness has no idea how scared I was when the Queen summoned me. It felt like today was my last day in this body,” Liu Jin Yu complained to him.

Xiaoming realized that he had trapped Liu Jin Yu which was indeed wrong. He should not snatch her freedom. He only wanted to see her once. He wanted to see the woman who defeated him so easily.

“Stay for two weeks. I will be married in two weeks. Then, I will send you away. I won’t ever come to see you. Don’t worry, I will not tell anyone about your real identity, your work, or the organization that you work for,” Xiaoming said. For some reason, he felt weirdly sad saying all these things to her.

Liu Jin Yu walked up to him and asked him to show his hand.

“Pardon me?” Xiaoming got perplexed.

“Your hand, Your Royal Highness.” Liu Jin Yu looked at his right hand. Xiaoming lifted his hand and she grasped it gently. He had never seen such a daring woman in his life. She had lied so confidently in front of the King and the Queen, and now, she was holding the Crown Prince’s hand.

She went to his study desk while dragging him along with her. She picked the brush, dipped it in the ink, and made a black dot in the middle of his palm.

“What’s this?” He asked when she put the brush back in its place.

“His Royal Highness holds great power. If he ever loses focus, then he must focus here. He must look at the middle of his palm and remind himself who he is! I saw His Royal Highness wasn’t able to say what his mind possessed at that time. You are the Crown Prince, and you can speak your thoughts fully. You cannot fear anyone. So, look here and think this when you get nervous,” Liu Jin Yu opined. Xiaoming stopped blinking and continued to peer into her eyes. How could she see his hidden side when he didn’t even open up to her?

Liu Jin Yu pulled her hand back while Xiaoming put his hand down. Also, she talked so casually with him as if his title never mattered to her.

“I heard from the servants that the Crown Prince isn’t marrying because he likes men. Is it true?” Liu Jin Yu asked.

“That’s ridiculous. I like women. I mean, I am interested in women, not men. Just because I delayed my marriage doesn’t mean that I like men.” Xiaoming’s temper suddenly burst.

A maidservant, who was standing close to the door, heard it. She could not hear the previous conversations because of the low intensity of their voices. She decided to tell Noble Consort Xiuying about it and left silently.

Liu Jin Yu noticed that her shadow was no longer on the door and smirked.

“That’s good. May His Royal Highness find a woman soon for him,” Liu Jin Yu said and bowed before him. She recalled the beauty of the Queen and thought of telling Xiaoming about it.

“Your Royal Highness, your mother is incredibly beautiful at this age. I was surprised to see Her Majesty’s face,” said Liu Jin Yu and lifted her head to again gaze at him.

“Yes. My mother looks beautiful despite her age.” Xiaoming agreed with her words, and a smile formed on his lips. However, the smile soon disappeared, which Liu Jin Yu noticed. He went to the chaise lounge and sat on it.

“What happened to the Crown Prince? Why did his smile disappear out of the blue?” Liu Jin Yu waited for his response.

“My father brought two more consorts and a few other concubines despite having my mother as an official wife. My mother is so beautiful, yet that beauty could not capture his heart for a long time. I should not be saying this, but I do not like it,” Xiaoming asserted.

“The king needs to strengthen himself. Noble families help the king get stronger by entering into political marriage alliances with them. A time will come when the Crown Prince has to undergo this as well,” Liu Jin Yu stated. “He has to learn to distribute his love equally to all the women he has,” she made him understand.

“No. I asked my royal father not to force me to have consorts or concubines. I will have only one official wife. I have only two weeks left to find the woman of my choice,” Xiaoming stated.

Liu Jin Yu was surprised to hear him. “The Crown Prince took an incredible decision. I didn’t know that he’s so thoughtful,” she said with a smile. “His Royal Highness will surely find the woman of his dreams,” she encouraged him.

“Jin Yu, thank you for listening to me. I need to go somewhere tomorrow. You will accompany me too,” Xiaoming stated.

“An undercover?” Suddenly, Liu Jin Yu seemed excited.

“No. I have to apologize for my mistake,” Xiaoming replied. “I committed a grave crime to win someone,” he said, and Li Hua’s face flashed in front of his eyes.