Wang Li Xun, the Crown Prince, goes out hunting for the Celestial Flower to save his mother from a terminal illness. When he nearly dies from the attack of a mythical beast, he is saved by a mysterious boy who lives in the mountains.
To repay his ki...
Just like he promised, he provided her with everything she needed, including a private quarter and a bathroom which she requested. To her, it was amusing how he hadn't realised that his kindness helped her - him unintentionally concealing her gender from everyone.
After their walk in the garden, he graciously escorted her back to her assigned room and allowed her to retire for the night. Some time later, a palace maid came knocking on her door, serving a scrumptious dinner and preparing a warm bath for her.
Once Long'Er was in bed, she began to feel nervous. The next day would mark the first day of her duty in the palace and thinking about it resulted in her not sleeping much that night. She tossed and turned in bed, drifting in and out of her sleep for the next couple of hours until she gave in to her fatigue.
When morning arrived, someone came knocking on her doors.
After tightening her ponytail and adjusting her mask, she crossed the room and swung the wooden doors open, revealing an unfamiliar face – a man who looked no younger than twenty-five.
She peered up into his face. He was tall and well-built, his shoulders broad. His hair was pulled back into a topknot that was secured by an intricate, metal piece, revealing a small crescent-shaped scar beneath his sharp jawline.
It was from one of his many battles, she supposed. A badge of honour.
The man glanced down at her coolly, giving her an approving nod at her prim and proper look. "I hope you are well rested," he said politely. "I'm Ling Yao, chief of the security team who is in charge of the Crown Prince's safety. I will be supervising your training as well."
She listened to him attentively. "Yes, sir."
He nodded once. He was about to leave but he stopped, wearing a pensive look on his face. "For His Highness to bring you in personally, it's the highest honour anyone would wish to receive," he told her seriously. "I hope you won't disappoint me."
As if his words weren't stressing her enough, the fearsome look in his eyes was downright chilling. If the Crown Prince trusted her, Ling Yao didn't. To him, she was a stranger from out of town; a person who was suspicious to him in every way.
In other words, he was warning her.
Try anything funny and you'll die.
His message was well received. She nodded her head wordlessly, wondering how Li Xun had gotten himself such an intimidating bodyguard.
"Come on, boy. We have to go."
Ling Yao marched off and she followed behind him closely. After taking several hallways, they eventually reached the prince's quarters. As they walked past the palace maids and eunuchs, she noticed how they would bow to them politely. A greeting which she found uncomfortable.
They stood outside one of the rooms as an attendant announced their arrival.
Shortly afterwards, a voice came from inside.
"Come in."
The attendants pulled the doors open. Ling Yao entered first, followed by Long'Er. Her eyes travelled across the luxurious room that was furnished with extravagant pieces of furniture. There was a huge bed with golden linings placed in the middle of the room, and on top of it sat the owner himself.
Dressed in his formal royal robes with golden dragon imprints, Li Xun was reading a book. When he heard them entering, he lifted his head with a smile and greeted them warmly.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
The question was directed more towards her. The sight of him made her feel less uncomfortable in this new environment and she relaxed a little. "Not really," she answered him truthfully. "I'm not used to the bed. I'm afraid that I might fall out of it because it's too comfortable."
"That would be a sight to see," he grinned. "Have you eaten?"
"Yes."
Earlier in the morning, someone had made rounds to every guard's room to distribute trays of breakfast. She swore that the food served here made her feel like royalty, because everything tasted so delicious.
Li Xun placed his book aside and stood up. He took in her appearance, noticing that she was wearing the dark-blue uniform that all guards were given. "That looks good on you," he complimented, but his curious eyes wandered to the mask that she was wearing. "But why won't you remove that?"
At this, Long'Er looked away nervously. "I have a burn mark on my face," she lied.
She could tell that he believed her easily. His eyes widened in surprise. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"
Flustered, she bit her bottom lip. She was taught never to lie to people, but here she didn't have a choice. Not even as guilt gnawed her from the inside.
"A fire," was all she revealed. "I was caught in a fire."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Li Xun's voice faltered, but his words were full of sympathy. He was obviously uncertain what he should say to make things less awkward between them. "You may keep the mask on at all times."
She sighed in relief. "Thank you."
Rubbing his hands together, he decided to change the subject by making a surprise announcement. "Well then, I hope you're ready for a meeting with my parents. They have heard about your deeds and are waiting for you."
Her jaw dropped instantly, her eyebrows shooting towards the sky. Did she hear him wrongly?
When he mentioned his parents, did he mean the Emperor and Empress of this nation?
Li Xun was studying the change in her expressions. "What's wrong?" he asked, a teasing smile emerging. "Are you afraid of them? They might bite, but they can't be any scarier than the monster you've defeated."
He was trying to calm her anxiety, but it wasn't as effective as he thought. "It's easy for you to say that since they are your parents," she mumbled bitterly.
She was aware that if she made a wrong move, especially if they found out that she was posing as a man, she would be dragged to the dungeons and held captive for the rest of her life. "If anything happens to me," she said, "I want to be buried by the ocean."
Her sudden joke took him by surprise and he couldn't help but burst out laughing. Clearly, he hadn't expected her to respond with such a humorous remark.
"No one's dying, silly."
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