Capítulo 31: Emperor's Orders
Tianshi Xue's heart was at her throat. What is going on?! her mind was screaming. She knew she said she wanted to die, but now that her old body was probably already cremated, she wanted to take her words back. Who would know if she would get a third chance at life?
So no! No dying. At least until she figured out what was going on with her life.
She was standing behind the broad back of Prince Qui. She hated him but he was the only one standing between her and the person who was most likely going to kill her.
"Who goes there?!" the prince bellowed, his voice round and whole. It would've echoed if they were in an enclosed space.
She was still trying to keep up at how fast he moved earlier. She hadn't even heard someone was near them and the next thing that she knew, he was out of her vision and the next moment, he was back, brandishing a long sword.
Her immediate thought was, "What if the person had a gun? How would the prince win with a sword?"
It only added another tremor to her body. There she was, wet, shivering against the cold, and afraid for her life.
She had to stand on her tiptoes to be able to see what was happening over the prince's shoulder, his body was on fire and it was warming her face.
"My Prince!" shouted the male voice. "I come in peace. I have a message from the Emperor."
"Show yourself!" Prince Qui said.
Feeling a little calmer, she peeked from the prince's side. She saw the man wearing camouflage come out of the bushes and into the road. He had both of his hands up and his head bowed.
The Prince's shoulders relaxed and he lowered his weapon. The man was from his own platoon. "Captain Li Zhong."
The man knelt on one knee and bowed his head more. "General Yang."
"What brings you here?"
Captain Li Zhong turned his eyes to the princess and then to the general. Did he catch them at a bad time? Something burned inside his chest. Were they taking a bath?! "If I may ask for some privacy with you, General."
Prince Qui turned to Tianshi Xue and she looked up at him, squinting against the sun behind his head. "Finish your bath, don't go anywhere."
He did not wait for her to answer and crossed the river until he reached the shore. He turned his back on the road so that he was still facing the water and that he could still see the princess washing her hair under the makeshift waterfall.
"How's the invasion?" he asked, not taking his eyes off her.
"General, it is the princess' uncle, General Bingwen, who's at our doors."
At that, his eyes snapped to the young captain before returning to the princess. "What does he want?"
"He wants to take her. Apparently, he had already left his Emperor nephew and was working under King Tiankong. He wants to take the princess and marry her to him so he would be an official."
Prince Qui was cursing in his mind. "Does he plan to storm the empire?"
The Captain looked down at his feet for a second. "The Emperor made no mention—"
"Do YOU think he will destroy our gates?" the prince asked once more.
"Yes," The Captain nodded, sounding certain. "I think he will. He's got a lot of people with him. Around twenty to thirty thousand men."
Now Prince Qui cursed aloud. "Please tell me you're here to tell me that the Emperor is summoning us back."
The Captain shook his head, his eyes were low. "I'm sorry, My Prince. But it's the opposite. The Emperor wants you to stay here with the princess. He plans to wait out General Bingwen and see if he will leave. If he would cause destruction, here are your orders."
The Captain straightened his back, ready to give the prince the order of the Emperor. "Prince Yang Qui, you are hereby ordered by the Emperor to remain in hiding until further instruction. If the worst happens, you will hear the bells and it would only mean one thing: you have to marry Princess Yingyue and save the empire from casualties."
Prince Qui froze. "What are you talking about?"
"The Emperor's orders, sir!" It was like Captain Li Zhong's throat wanted to close up. He could feel the general's anger—or whatever negative emotion that was.
"But she's my brother's fiancee."
There was nothing else he could say other than, "Emperor's orders, sir!"
"I don't have an augur with me."
To that, Captain Li Zhong's eyes slid to the prince. "Doctor Jung is a registered augur, My Prince."
Prince Qui's jaw locked. Now he knew the reason why the doctor that was sent to them wasn't the princess' personal one. Because they needed someone who would double as an augur—a person who could marry two people.
Then Prince Qui was howling a humorless laugh. His father… the Emperor… who would've thought? There were enemies at their walls and he still thought about one-upping them by making sure that the princess would stay in their family.
The Prince had got to hand it to him. That was too forward thinking. A back up plan with no holes.
"What if I drag her back inside the walls and don't marry her?"
The Captain bowed his head. "I think we know the answer to that, Your Highness. He might not be able to kill you as you are his best general and you are his son. But what of the people around you? You are bound by duty to protect your people."
This irked Prince Qui. This was why he hated being a prince. It was all about duty. This was why he preferred being a general.
"What if Bingwen would not attack?" he tried.
"You have to wait until someone fetches you here."
Prince Qui nodded begrudgingly. "Don't return. When I hear the bells, I'll marry the princess. Is that everything?"
The Captain nodded. "Yes."
"You're dismissed. Travel safe."
The soldier gave him a curt nod before jumping back into the forest. Prince Qui's eyes drifted to the princess, still under the waterfall with her eyes closed, her hands massaging her head. Her clothes clung to every curve of her body. Its light fabric showing more of her fair skin.
He didn't want to look, but his eyes could not stop looking at her.
This woman could be his wife?
He shook his head.
She hated him. Abhor him, would be the right phrase. And what of Prince Xiaodan? He seemed truly taken by this woman.
The princess' face moved and he pried his eyes away from her body just as hers opened. "Is he gone?"
He nodded.
"What did he say?"
He started crossing the river. "Nothing of importance."
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