Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

181 Keep your eyes on the ground

Lóng Wei reached the place where he had asked Tang Zhaodang to meet him. He didn’t expect that Tang Zhaodang would come, but he had. He was pacing and halted to see Lóng Wei. He bowed before him and looked at him.

“Your Highness, I was unable to do what you have asked me to,” Tang Zhaodang’s words disappointed Lóng Wei. He had thought that he could use the evidence against the Shui family when he went in the evening with Li Hua to the Shui Residence.

“However, I have brought something which could surely make the Prince believe me,” Tang Zhaodang said. Lóng Wei wondered if it could be. Tang Zhaodang took out a folded sheet of paper and showed it to Lóng Wei.

“What is it?” Lóng Wei asked as he took it from Tang Zhaodang.

“His Highness must see it himself,” Tang Zhaodang replied. Lóng Wei unfolded the paper, and the first thing he saw was the royal stamp on the paper. He turned the paper upside down and started to read it.

“This was the official order which Late Official Xu Guang Li had received from the higher authority,” Tang Zhaodang said. Lóng Wei read the words written on it. “I was supposed to deliver it to him, but the next day, I found he was no more,” he asserted.

“Who gave you this?” Lóng Wei inquired.

“Shui Feng Lao gave me this the previous evening. A few hours before the Xu family was murdered brutally,” Tang Zhaodang answered.

“Why did he give it to you?” Lóng Wei enquired, his brow furrowed.

.....

“He said that he had to leave in the evening to another city. Since it was evening, I didn’t bother to go to the Xu residence. Had I gone to the Xu residence, then I would have at least saved them.” Tang Zhaodang said and sighed in frustration.

“Can I see Li Hua once? Also, are the others alive? In the morning, there were no bodies in the Xu Residence except the servants. Everyone in Xinshui thinks that the Xu Family members were burned alive in the fire.” Tang Zhaodang was too desperate to know about the Xu Family.

“You didn’t bring what I wanted,” Lóng Wei stated.

“But I brought something which could be helpful to His Highness. Your Highness, I am a fourth-rank official. I am not allowed to even meet the governor except in special circumstances. Going into the Governor’s Residence and bringing out that specific scroll which His Highness wanted was tough for me.” Tang Zhaodang explained his situation to Lóng Wei, who was least interested in knowing that.

“Feng Lao is going to refuse that he ever handed you this piece of paper,” Lóng Wei stated. “Though it carries a piece of useful information. It says that Xu Guang Li was supposed to-” Lóng Wei paused as he heard the sound of someone walking on the dry leaves. He turned to look and wondered if Tang Zhaodang brought someone with him.

Lóng Wei was relieved when Huang Xi appeared in his sight.”Your Highness, Princess Consort, sent me after you. Don’t scold me. You can scold your wife later,” Huang Xi stated, and halted before him. Tang Zhaodang recognized Huang Xi and greeted him.

“Are you Tang Zhaodang?” Huang Xi asked. He nodded and lifted his head.

“Oh.” Huang Xi gazed at Lóng Wei, who told Tang Zhaodang that they were leaving.

“You should leave first,” Lóng Wei told Tang Zhaodang.

“Your Highness, Princess Consort told me to bring Tang Zhaodang with us,” Huang Xi said in a low voice, but it was audible to Tang Zhaodang. He was delighted to hear that Li Hua had allowed him to meet her.

“He failed in his task,” Lóng Wei said. “I cannot take him with us.”

“Will you be able to handle the anger of Princess Consort?” Huang Xi raised his eyebrow and looked at Tang Zhaodang.

“If you betray us from here, then I will have no option but to kill you,” Huang Xi told Tang Zhaodang with a menacing expression.

“And how do you know that he won’t betray us?” Lóng Wei inquired of Huang Xi.

“Your Highness, if Tang Zhaodang had to betray us, then he would be here with the enemies. Enemies’ main aim was to kill everyone in the Xu Family,” Huang Xi asserted. “Princess Consort is waiting for us. She said that she will not even drink a drop of water if His Highness doesn’t bring Tang Zhaodang with him.” He delivered the remaining message from Li Hua to Lóng Wei.

“It is unbelievable to hear that Li Hua posed such demands. She used to be a timid woman,” Tang Zhaodang said with a tiny smile on his lips.

Lóng Wei tilted his head and glared at him. “Only I can pronounce her name and a few others. Also, keep your eyes on the ground while conversing with my wife. If your gaze meets hers, then I will kick you out instantly,” Lóng Wei instructed Tang Zhaodang.

“Your Highness, you are too possessive for Princess Consort. That’s not good,” Huang Xi complained.

“Huang Xi, you too from now onwards, you won’t look at Li Hua,” Lóng Wei stated and scrunched his nose before walking ahead. Huang Xi chuckled and turned to gesture to Tang Zhaodang to come with them.

Tang Zhaodang was shocked to find that the cold palace was in Xinshui. However, it was so luxurious that one would like to spend his entire life in this place. He internally thought the Sixth Prince was lucky to come to the cold palace, far from palace trouble. He barely knew how tough it was for Lóng Wei to stay in the cold palace.

“Where are they?” Lóng Wei inquired.

“Your Highness, they are present in the common gathering hall,” Huang Xi answered. Lóng Wei nodded and stepped up onto the stairs.

Tang Zhaodang stopped outside the chamber and looked inside. Huang Xi turned to him and asked him to hurry.

He stepped inside, and the first person he saw was Xu Zifan. A bright smile appeared on his lips, and he soon covered the remaining distance between them to hug him tightly.