Underneath A Thousand Skies ✔️

57 Favoring Qie Over Wife (57)

Both Bai Mei Lien and Song Jia shouted in unison.

"Brother Cheng, no!"

"Wang ye, don't!"

Song Jia gritted her teeth and prepared to cut the ropes on her feet in one fast strike. If Zhao Cheng died here, all of her previous efforts will be in vain.

Actually, if Song Jia was thinking clearly, she would have realized that for Zhao Cheng to be in his position right now, he was anything but stupid. He would definitely not hand himself over to his enemy just like that. But Song Jia was clouded with her feelings just like Bai Mei Lien was, although the type of feelings that was evoked vastly differed between the two girls.

"It seems that my imperial san di is very lucky, to have both his big wife and small wife [1] express their concern over him."

Zhao Cheng saw the first prince shoot an interested glance at Song Jia and his heart stuttered. His voice radiating with suppressed anger, he said coldly, "Zhen came alone as you requested. Imperial brother should not go back on his word."

"San di doesn't need to be worried, benwang isn't so untrustworthy."

Having said so, the first prince made his men surround Zhao Cheng in a tight circle while his hand lowered the sword that was pointing at Bai Mei Lien's throat. In one movement, he cut off the ropes that were binding her hands and legs.

"There, both your woman and child are free. Benwang has kept his part of the deal. San di should hand over the imperial jade seal to benwang as promised."

Zhao Cheng did not move. "You still haven't released zhen's Empress."

Empress?

The first prince looked with surprise at Song Jia. His san di's principles and ethics were indeed commendable. Even if she was not the woman he loved, he would not slight her in the least.

"San di has a beautiful sweetheart already, can't san di leave this feisty one to me? Benwang promises to treat her well. After all, if benwang becomes the Emperor, she will have a better future with benwang rather than with san di."

The first prince's words sounded good to the ears, but as to how he would 'treat her well', only the first prince himself knew what he meant by this.

Zhao Cheng clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force. His anger beginning to boil, he said, "She is zhen's Empress, how could zhen bear to give her away? Da ge is really ambitious, not only wanting the throne, but also wanting zhen to cast pearls before swine. Isn't this treating zhen like an idiot? Da ge's appetite is big, to be a snake wanting to swallow an elephant, zhen has high hopes that da ge wouldn't embarrass himself and choke."

If Song Jia wasn't pretending that her hands were still tied, she would have clapped loudly. She didn't know that Zhao Cheng's mouth was this poisonous! First calling the first prince a pig, then a snake without much pause, such an accomplishment surely couldn't be achieved by just anyone.

Because of Zhao Cheng's insults, the first prince's expression distorted with extreme anger. He took a step forward towards Zhao Cheng, but suddenly paused as a twisted idea struck him. Changing his mind, he walked towards Song Jia instead.

"Contrary to rumors, it seems that san di regards his wang fei quite highly. This pearl that caught san di's eyes, let benwang have a taste."

Without waiting for either of them to react, he grabbed Song Jia by the waist and lowered his head to kiss her.

In the blink of an eye, many things happened at once.

Song Jia, unable to restrain her disgust, had used her hands to push him away. Then the shadow guard that was constantly by the first prince's side moved, and a brilliant red arc splashed in the air as the head of the first prince separated from his body. Even in death, his eyes were still wide open, unable to believe what just happened.

Clangs of swords and whooshes of arrows filled the air, along with the sounds of a fierce battle. Zhao Cheng moved like a Yellow Dragon on land, his sleeves fluttering in the air as his sword cut the air, wounding shadow guards left and right. The dragons on his robe seemed as if they were alive, slithering along with his every movement.

It did not take a long time for the battle to finish. The 'fake' shadow guards who Song Jia realized were actually Zhao Cheng's spies for the first prince protected her and Bai Mei Lien, not even letting a drop of stray blood splash their clothing. Once again, Song Jia cursed the fact that she had worn white for this particular day.

The archers on the trees were taken care of, and the corpses of the first prince's loyal servants all lay on the ground, dead. Zhao Cheng wiped his sword on a cloth handed over by his subordinate before walking over towards Song Jia. He examined her face with great concern.

"Are you hurt?"

Truthfully, he had known the situation from the moment the two of them were abducted. He did not hesitate to follow after them, despite knowing that the spies he planted among the first prince's men wouldn't dare to let them get hurt. When he received the report that Li Jia was thrown over the back of a horse like a sack of rice and even had to sit extremely close to his lecherous older brother, Zhao Cheng nearly lost his calm. He extremely regretted that he had not strangled that imperial brother of his when he had the chance.

All the while when he was racing on his horse to catch up to them, Zhao Cheng's back was drenched with cold sweat, fear turning the blood in his veins ice-cold. He simply couldn't think, if something happened to Li Jia, what he would do...he didn't want to think about it, because even if it was merely in his imagination, he felt that it would sink him into an endless abyss, an endless abyss that he could never climb out from.

No, it was simply intolerable to even think about!

Song Jia covered the hand that was caressing her cheek with her own and smiled, "Wang ye shouldn't worry, qie is totally fine. Ah...chenqie [2] should probably call wang ye 'Your Majesty' now."

[1] Big wife is another term for the official wife, and small wife is another term for the side women, or concubines
[2] Chenqie 臣妾 : I, your royal concubine (even used by the Empress)