章 13: Making a place in my Heart
"Over my dead body," Lóng Wei said loudly. "I don't know about the Crown Prince, but I indeed have lost my mind a long time ago," Lóng Wei announced with a menacing look.
Qiu Zedong turned furious to see how Lóng Wei is protecting a palace maid. In just a day he got mesmerized with her! He was unhappy with Li Hua and decided to throw her out of the palace to seduce his son.
"How dare you say such words in front of the King? You were not supposed to enter here when I allowed Li Hua only," Qiu Zedong stated and clenched his fists.
Xiaoming stood up from his seat and got on his knees. "Royal Father, please calm down. I didn't mean to anger you. Please forgive me for my mistake. I accept the decision of the Royal Father," the Crown Prince said while keeping his eyes low.
Li Hua was trembling in fear. She could see herself standing at the cliff's end.
"What is wrong with the Crown Prince? He is also saving this palace maid," Jingfei said. She put more oil in the fire to anger the King. She knew that Qiu Zedong was short-tempered. The present situation was best to punish all those three. Never did she feel so humiliated as she felt today. So, she wanted those three to be punished brutally, especially Li Hua.
"I had not expected such foolishness from the Crown Prince." Qiu Zedong was disappointed in Xiaoming. He was not listening to the King's judgment. "How dare he ask for forgiveness for this palace maid?" he questioned Xiaoming.
"Royal Father, it's the fault of this seductress. She made the Crown Prince this way. Brother Lóng Wei has already lost his senses, so nothing can be expected from him. But the Crown Prince's behavior is bothersome," Qiu Mu said this time.
"Your Majesty, I didn't seduce the Crown Prince nor did I seduce the Sixth Prince," Li Hua spoke finally. She could bear everything but could never bear someone pointing his finger at her character.
"By mistake, the hot water fell on the hand of the Sixth Prince. Indeed, I held His Highness's hand but that was out of reflex. If His Majesty wants to punish me for that mistake, then I will accept it. The First Young Mistress punished me though by putting her foot on my right hand with which I touched His Highness's royal body. I do understand my place, Your Majesty," Li Hua without fearing the King.
She remembered how timid she used to be. However, the day her family died and Feng Lao rescued her, she decided to not remain a weak person anymore. If she had been strong enough, she would not have left Feng Lao behind.
Xiaoming found out that Li Hua lied to him about her hand injury. He tilted his head to look at her and found her head was still touching the floor mat beneath her.
Lóng Wei took a deep breath in and grabbed the arm of Li Hua. He pulled her up, she peered at him. "You don't need to apologize for the mistake you never made," he said as he bore his gaze at her. "Royal Father, punish me because I started it," Lóng Wei said and turned to look at Qiu Zedong.
The King was awestruck by the way his son protected Li Hua. He never cared for the people, then why her. He would have loved it if Li Hua was from a noble family, but a servant class he could never accept. That's why the Sixth Prince's acts made him furious.
"Li Hua will wash the clothes in the washer's house for a day. No one will help her if someone does, I won't hesitate to cut his hands," Qiu Zedong announced the punishment for Li Hua while staring at Lóng Wei.
Lóng Wei pulled out the dagger which he had put inside his sash and took it out of the sheath. He walked to Qiu Zedong and handed him the dagger.
"Cut my hands, then, Royal Father," Lóng Wei said with a stern look and forwarded his hands. "I will go against the wish of the Royal Father. A king must do a fair justice. Punish us three children, who started it. The Princess should not have hurt her hand when I was the one supposed to punish her. The Crown Prince should not have called her to his manor despite knowing the consequences. A servant will be punished no matter what his master does. It's not the fault of Li Hua that she ended up touching my hand, and making a place in my heart which no one was ever able to do."
Lóng Wei had never feared anyone, not even the King. This was the thing that Qiu Zedong liked about him.
Jingfei, on the other hand, was scared. What if the King punished her too. But then, she was the inner palace head. She could do this without anyone's permission.
Oppositely, Qiu Mu was thinking about why their father did not cut Lóng Wei's hands. At least, he would not trouble him ever.
"Royal Father, I made a mistake by calling Li Hua in my manor," Xiaoming accepted his mistake and rose to his feet. "I should have remained cautious of my actions. Li Hua never seduced me. When I saw the cut on her hand, I could not help but apply ointment to her palm. Please punish me for my mistake." He bowed his head.
Qiu Zedong felt stuck. He could not punish his both sons and make it into gossip.
"I dismiss this matter. You all may leave. Li Hua can stay behind," Qiu Zedong stated.
"Why?" Lóng Wei asked promptly, "Royal Father." He didn't forget to use the title.
"Leave before I change my mind," Qiu Zedong said. "Eunuch Gao Bing, take them out," he ordered.
Lóng Wei walked out, followed by the others.
Li Hua felt nervous and saw the King had taken his seat. Her eyes looked at the floor mat beneath her.
"Lóng Wei never took the punishment for anyone," Qiu Zedong initiated the conversation with her. "He has been a troublemaker since his childhood. He loves to see people around him getting punished. He loves to bring the evil truths of people around him. But he never once stood for anyone until today."
Li Hua did not know what to say at this point. She herself had no idea why Lóng Wei did that.
"It seems Lóng Wei has built a likeness towards you. The more I will punish him for fighting and standing for a servant, the more he will do that. So, I want you to not respond to his feelings," Qiu Zedong instructed her.
Li Hua would never accept his feelings because she had a lover, Feng Lao. No one could ever take his place in her heart. She promptly agreed with His Majesty's command.
"Your Majesty, I know my limits. I will never commit a crime to accept the feelings of a Prince," Li Hua stated.
"This shall remain between us. Now, you may leave," Qiu Zedong told her and motioned his hand in the air.
Li Hua bowed ninety degrees before leaving the King's chamber.
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Yayyyy! We have reached 50 PS target. This week after reset, on Monday, there will be a 5 chapters mass release.
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