"Seems like I found you already, woman."
'What? Did I hear him right?' Yi Hua asks to herself inside her mind as she remains frozen in that position supported by his arm, she watches the man grin which brings her out of her trance.
Realizing her posture, she pushes the man away and stumbles a little back before she stands straight on her feet, "Who are you?" She asks, maintain distance.
"Hmm but I am interested in knowing who you are." Luo Yan asks, raising a brow and taking a step ahead, Yi Hua gasps and takes a step back, "Just stay where you are."
Luo Yan chuckles, "Okay, so would you tell me who you are?" Luo Yan asks, growing curious of her identity as all he could see was a plain girl dressed poorly and dirt covered all over her robe.
"I- I don't need to tell you anything about me!" She scoffs, scrunching her nose as she looks around, she notices a few soldiers coming her way, widening her eyes and gasping in surprise as she runs past Luo Yan.
Luo Yan tilts his head, an amused grin taking over his lips, "She is really interesting." He mutters, watching her disappear into the thin air, he turns back around and frowns watching the soldiers half before him.
"Your Highness, have you seen Princess Hua around?" One of the guard questions, Luo Yan raises a brow and stays silent, "Why?" He asks as he grows curious, recalling how Yi Hua ran away.
"Princess Hua is not in her room. We are ordered to look for her." Another soldier speaks, their head hung low, as all of them catch their breath, "You should better be looking instead of asking. Foolish humans." He mutters, shaking his head and walking away.
The soldiers exchange glances and frown before they start looking around, Luo Yan walks to the way he last saw her before her disappearance, "She cannot be a Princess, she wasn't dressed as one." He thinks out loud, his eyes roaming around searching for her figure.
"But she sure has an attitude of a spoiled princess." He smirks, tilting his head as he smiles thinking about her talking daringly to him.
"Your Majesty! Why did you leave me behind?!" Zhou Yu appears behind him, running and struggling for breath, Luo Yan comes out of his thoughts and turns around.
"Just wanted a surprise visit. I am glad I did." He says, grinning proudly, "Eh? Your Majesty… we were supposed to be arriving here tomorrow." Zhou Yu reminds him, "I get it, we can just disappear back, can't we?" Luo Yan asks, which has Zhou Yu in confusion.
"But… Do we need to? I mean, Your Majesty, you are already here." Zhou Yu asks, awkwardly chuckling and Luo Yan frowns, "I am a king for nothing, I got to enjoy their grand welcome, shouldn't I?" Luo Yan mutters, shaking his head and disappearing off.
Zhou Yu widens his eyes and groans, "Not again!"
Zhou Yu too disappears, but the chaos was going on inside the palace.
—---
"Yi Zhen, please find her before this gets to your dad's ear." Hu Ying walks inside the patrol squadron, Yi Zhen widens his eyes, surprised by his mother's sudden appearance.
"Ma! You coming here is already going to be a matter of gossip." Yi Zhen retorts back, leaving the documents he was holding on the table, he approaches Hu Ying who grows quite after his words.
"Uh…I-"
"Ma, just go back, okay? She must be around, I told you locking her up is a bad idea." Yi Zhn says, holding Hu Ying by her arms and giving Hu Ying an urgeful look to listen to him.
Hu Ying bites her lower lips, troubled but nonetheless, she nods her head in agreement.
"Okay, find her." Hu Ying says, patting Yi Zhen's shoulder and walking away with the maids trailing behind, Yi Zhen then turns around and watches Dao Ye with a brow raised.
"She said she will return back to her room." Dao Ye says, pressing his lips in a thin line and looking away, "I want you to go back to her. Make sure no one finds out about her escape. Just come up with a story. Send the guards back." Yi Zhen says, walking back to the desk and taking in a deep breath.
"She wasn't rebelling before… She seems so changed." Yi Zhen says, pushing his hair back and throwing his sword on the desk, subtly.
"Dao Ye." Yi Zhen calls out, Dao Ye who was already making his way out stops and turns around, "Yes, Your Highness." He replies, turning around fully.
"Take this letter and show it to the guards. Bring Lin Yi out of the prison." Yi Zhen says, extending his hand and gesturing to Dao Ye to grab the letter.
The boy walks back and takes it, bowing his head down he looks at Yi Zhen, "Your Highness, are you sure? What about-"
"His Majesty wouldn't know. Anyway, I can come up with something to prove she isn't a culprit or an accomplice." Yi Zhen says, Dao Ye nods his head and smiles.
"On to work." Dao ye says, and he excuses himself out of the squadron.
—----
"Hua?" Lu Yang Yang calls out, looking around the chamber.
He frowns seeing no sight of her, "Did she-"
Just then she walks in drying her hair, "Oh, Hua." He mutters, watching her sulking as she sits down on the wooden bed, on the verge of tears, "I kept thinking about this situation all this while, I just cannot bring myself out of this mess, right?" Yi Hua asks, trying to control her tears.
"Hua, I heard something more. I think you still have a chance to not marry the demon king." Lu Yang Yang says, grinning widely while Yi Hua widens her eyes, gasping in surprise.
"Really?!" She exclaims, standing up and jumping in happiness.
"Yeah. The demon lord wants to select himself a wife and not get married to the princess." Lu Yang Yang says, floating around her, enjoying her reaction, Yi Hua goes freeze and frowns.
"You mean he can still marry me?" Yi Hua asks, tilting her head, "Uh… maybe not. He seems to have fancied someone. If not, why would he refuse to marry you and look for someone else." Lu Yang Yang explains, trying to cheer her up.
"But I am beautiful too, what if he chooses me?" Yi Hua asks, with that duh look while Lu Yang Yang blinks his eyes, "Uh, then… you gotta not be beautiful?" He mutters, awkwardly.
"Right… I will make sure he never lays a glance on me." Yi Hua says, laughing out loud, creepily.
"Even if he did… I am sure he wouldn't want you." Lu Yang Yang mutters, looking at her weirdly.
Yi Hua lost in her own world planning the things she could do as the demon lord's distaste.