Will Of Heaven

二十

Gambling House

✤

I truly don't want to get into trouble. Although I can be a little rebellious sometimes, I wouldn't overstep my boundaries. Thus, I sent Ying to the Palace to get permission of getting more shadow guards as well as to inform Consort Lin that I was with Jia Xu.

Though a woman being with a man outside might be scandalous, Jia Xu is my betrothed. It won't be a problem as long as the Palace knew about it. It can be considered as our formal meeting with each other before deciding to get married.

"You're too paranoid" Jia Xu glanced at the guards dressed in plain clothes from a distance. I denied "No. I'm being careful". He sighed "Having them around means less freedom"

"I'd rather have my security than freedom"  going to an unknown place and taking narrow route alleyways. I wouldn't take the risk of endangering myself yet at the same time I can't help myself from following him to probe things outside of my knowledge.

"What rigid rules and you insist on following them? You must have a boring life" offended, I told him in a mocking tone "Oh really? Why not try losing them from following us if you're so capable" He looked back at me with a cunning smile, tightening his hold on my wrist as he pulled me in his arms, his mouth came near my ears as his hot breath sprayed on my neck "If you don't take a risk, life won't be exciting". I was about to raise my hand to give him a resounding slap for his impudence, what follows was him dragging me through the maze in these alleyways, as I struggled to follow him, tripping a few times. Good thing his hold on me was tight so he could pull me up before I could kiss the ground.

As someone from the palace who has never done any labor work, I was immediately exhausted, trying to catch my breath. "I can't--I can't run anymore" My feet slowed down as I gasped "I'm exhausted..."

Jia Xu continued to drag me with him, I feel like a rag doll being dragged on these dirty alleyways "I said I can't run anymore!" I dug my feet into the ground in protest, they're my guards, it's not like they're going to kill us. He looked behind me and sighed "Good thing we already lost them" I also looked back and found a deserted dark alleyway, it was daytime, and yet with the shadows of the buildings surrounding it, it remained gloomy.

"You clearly know they're not following us anymore, aren't you?" his eyes widen a bit, he seems innocent and aggrieved like being wrongfully accused. I wouldn't fall for such pretense. I couldn't hear their footsteps for a while and yet he continued to treat me like that. What kind of a noble gentleman is he?

Without thinking, I raised my foot to kick his calf and he immediately avoided it. My anger started boiling up "Who told you to dodge?"

"Did you tell me not to dodge?" he asked in a flabbergasted expression. I gritted my teeth, giving him a sharp cold stare. "Alright, alright, we better hurry inside. Getting too much attention here is always not a good thing" he appeased me and didn't dear drag me again, he was one step away from me as he lead the way "You better don't stray far from me"

He seems to enter the back door of a two-story wide building, as soon as we entered. I was dazzled by the glittering gold and silver displayed all over the spacious receiving hall, the marble floor shone with luster. There are painted lanterns that are not lightened at the sides.

This isn't anything new to me, nobles and royalties love to show off their wealth through materialistic things, theirs however has a touch of elegance and classiness, not gaudy and outlandish like this one.

Scowling at this display of wealth that is simply distasteful in the eyes, I walked beside Jia Xu and whispered to him "Where is this place?"

"Gambling house" he handed me a black thin veil to cover half of my face.