CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

500 Cold Night

A gust of night breeze from the Pai Hua valley behind Xin Hua’s new building complex. A soft swish caressed the leaves and tall grass of the dark valley as far as the eye could see.

The sound of birds and night wolves began to be heard from a distance, even the sound of a small duck that still managed to swim to the shore in Chi Yun’s artificial lake. Bai Ying was sitting alone in the small pavilion in the middle of the lake with his eyes far ahead, silent and staring blankly.

The dark moon seeing hanging above the black sky with some little stars around it, what a pleasant atmosphere to just sit and daydream with blank eyes.

Yan and Bi as well as several other maids could only stand in line along the road leading to the small bridge not daring to disturb Bai Ying who looked very devastated at that time. A couple of times they could hear the boy sigh so heavy as lots of things in his mind.

“Heh”

Yan and Bi looked at each other asking what they can do for their beloved highness. But they both seem helpless.

The maids lowered their heads when they saw Chen Ming appear.

“Greeting, Your Highness Prince”

Chen Ming stopped his steps in front of the lined-up maids, raising his right hand.

.....

“You guys go back to the pavilion and prepare the King’s favourite food, he must be very hungry because he hasn’t had dinner yet,” he said.

Yan and Bi as well as the other maids bent their knees and answered in unison.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Immediately, the group of young maids led by Yan and Bi lined up neatly towards the path leading to the Plum Pavilion.

Chen Ming stood for a while in his place, before moving his feet and approaching Bai Ying who was sitting by bending his knees and resting his head on his folded hands.

“Hey sweetie what are you doing here? The air from Pai Hua valley is quite cold, you can catch a cold later” Chen Ming said then sat down beside his sister. Bai Ying didn’t turn around until Chen Ming grabbed Bai Ying’s shoulders and let the young man rest his head on him.

“Hey if you want to cry just let it out, brother is always here for you” Chen Ming whispered.

Chen Ming’s gentle words caused Bai Ying to burst into tears, which were quickly wiped away even though they kept falling without him being able to stop them.

“Ems, brother, is it true that Ying has forgotten something very important? How could Ying er forget about the incident that got my father and mother, and the entire family of Hua killed? How could Ying er forget about them brother?” he asked.

Chen Ming stroked Bai Ying’s hair that fell down behind his shoulders.

“Hey you don’t forget them, just, don’t remember them yet, one day you will definitely remember them”

Bai Ying’s body shook, and he cried until he fell down.

“Ems, how could Ying forget such an important thing brother, does this mean, that Ying also forgot about the other things? What else did Ying er forget? Brother, please tell me” Bai Ying said holding Chen Ming’s hand.

Chen Ming looked at Bai Ying for a moment, then cast his gaze far ahead.

“Em, that’s, just some of the other things, well, soon, Xiao Ying will remember to come back to it, don’t worry too much about it my brother, right now, the important thing is that you are fine, that’s the most important thing”

Bai Ying dropped his head on Chen Ming’s shoulder. Looked up where the sky was black with only a few stars visible.

“Brother, do Ying er must go back with the Crown Prince back to Yue Yang Palace? Why can’t Ying stay here, brother?” he asked.

Chen Ming took a deep breath. He gripped Bai Ying’s fingers tightly.

“If you really don’t want to go and you feel compelled, you don’t have to follow what he says, that person always wants to force everybody to follow his orders as his will, actually brother doesn’t really like him, he’s pushy.”

Bai Ying lifted his head from Chen Ming’s shoulder, wiping away the tears that had been falling. wet his cheeks.

“Really? Ying er doesn’t need to come with him? But, what if grandma scolds Ying er because of it? she will be disappointed” he asked excitedly.

“Em, I don’t think Grandma will force her will either if Xiao Ying doesn’t want to go, it’s a matter of your life, also, what do you think about the Crown Prince?” Chen Ming asked.

Bai Ying thought.

“Erm, well, he’s not so bad, sometimes the Crown Prince can be kind and gentle too, sometimes he is soft-spoken, and treats Ying very well, but, sometimes the Crown Prince is also a bit rude, he likes to forget his promises, even though he just said it”

“Oh really? What has the Crown Prince promised and broken?” Chen Ming asked.

“Well, he said he would take Ying anywhere, go home or anywhere, but, he took his words back at the last moment, he even yelled at Ying er, how could Ying trust him again? It’s really unpredictable what mood he’s in.” Bai Ying replied, puffing his mouth out.

“Well then, you don’t have to go back to the palace with him, brother will forbid you this time” Chen Ming exclaimed.

Bai Ying straightened his body looking at his brother who looked excited.

“Really, brother? We can do that?”

Chen Ming nodded.

“Of course, we can! Why not?”

Luo Xiang who was standing by the lake beside a tree not far from the middle of the lake heard all of their conversations clearly, clenching his fists tightly.

He turned his body towards Bei Yau who was standing behind him.

“Bei, prepare everything, we will leave the day after tomorrow,” said the Crown Prince then walked past Bei Yau and headed back to the pavilion. Bei Yau nodded as he lowered his head deeply.

“Ready, Your Majesty”

The bodyguard turned to look at the lake where Chen Ming laughing with his brother, Bai Ying looked much better and was already laughing at his brother’s jokes.

“Hehe, brother!”

.....

Night’s getting late.

Bai Ying was already fast asleep on his bed after being tired of sitting in the pavilion all night. He muttered as the Crown Prince’s hand touched his cold cheek, raised both hands and rubbed them.

Luo Xiang remembered what happened earlier, after waiting for a long time by the lake to see Bai Ying and Chen Ming talking together, Chen Ming finally approached him.

For a moment, the young prince looked at Luo Xiang sharply while glancing towards the middle of the lake above the small pavilion where Bai Ying was already asleep with his head resting on the pavilion peg. The cold wind caressed his long hair far away.

“I put him to sleep, you may take him to the room, he really needs a lot of rest right now, and, please don’t make him cry again.”

Chen Ming swallow hard, he really doesn’t like the Crown Prince from the beginning, since his love for his brother is too big to be shared with that guy, but he can’t deny, that in this world, his brother maybe only loves one guy, who up until now he can’t remember yet, but one day that love will come back to him, even if it’s not, he still has the time to take his beloved brother back to him.

“I understand why you were being so loud to him about going back to his home, but Xiao Ying is still a kid, he is not as mature as you think he is, that kid may look like it but far in his heart he just a child who grows up, don’t make us regret letting him go with you,” After speaking like that Chen Ming continued his stride down the path, even passing Bei Yau without even looking at him.

Luo Xiang didn’t budge, his pride too big to listen to anyone else talk about how he is. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ (F)ire

Bei Yau could only see Chen Ming’s long silky hair passing past him, the sweet smell he yearned for so much passed in front of him, and the young bodyguard clenched his fists tightly.

Luo Xiang turned his body towards the pavilion, and immediately, although not in a hurry, he headed towards the pavilion, where Bai Ying was, looking at the young man’s innocent face for a moment until he lowered his body, wrapped one hand around his neck and carried him up.

“Eh, Your Majesty, you’re so mean, Your Majesty, is a big liar”

Bai Ying was delirious when he was already in Luo Xiang’s arms, Bai Ying’s hair was hanging loosely down along with his wide clothes swaying lightly by the wind.

Luo Xiang straightened his body, swallowed hard, and saw a tear drop from Bai Ying’s tightly closed eyes, with his big hand he wiped the tears from Bai Ying’s smooth cheek, and rubbed his chin against his forehead and kissed it gently.

“Heh, Ying Ying, please forgive this rude brother, forgive your brother Xiang Xiang for being so harsh on you” he whispered, taking Bai Ying towards their pavilion.

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