The prince freezes at the sudden call, that man was seriously contacting him now?!
He tried to ignore him and focused on the person in front of him... Yet the man kept reaching out to him to the point where XianLen had to quietly reply in his head and hope nobody noticed "What is it? I'm quite in a tight spot now..."
"She wants to talk with you"
The prince gulped down and pressed his lips together "Not now" he said, trying not to loose focus on the person with him "It's very urgent" replied the man "Trust me, now is the worst moment ever" but apparently he didn't listen and soon the voice of ChangLai was heard inside his head "Your Highness? Can you hear me?"
The prince gripped on the fabric of his clothes as his palms were becoming sweaty -Is something wrong?- asked the merchant, rising an eyebrow amused -You seem distracted, what could be the reason uh?- his voice got transmitted to ChangLai and she went silent
-Nothing's wrong Sir- he said before trying to reassure the woman in his head "Lai'Er, I don't know what questions might be going through your head but trust me... I'm still on your side"
-Be honest, Prince. Something's suddenly bothering you- smirked the man -What could it be...?- he almost whispered while looking outside the window with a smile
"Lai'Er, please... I swear" the prince mentally begged before hearing her sigh "So it's true... Well then, I need you to tell me exactly what's happening. I trust you and know you might be acting along for some other reason but I need to know EVERYTHING. I'll explain why, don't worry" the prince finally released his breath and relaxed.
Such actions caught the eyes of ChiaHao who reached out and hand to catch an empty book to scribble some words... He soon after turned it around and showed it to the Prince while saying -Anyway, I'm quite busy for today so I shall take my leave- but the words the prince read were quite different "Pretend that I'm gone and talk freely, I know someone is speaking to you right know through the mind... That might as well be someone I'm interested in. If you don't obey, I'll reveal your position and make everyone's life a hell"
The Prince had to quickly decide what to do -Oh sure, I'll see you next time- he replied and bowed his head in defeat seeing that man's joyful expression "He's listening, be careful" he managed to quickly warn her before speaking -So what is it, Lai'Er?-
Hearing that name, Wang ChiaHao was kind of surprised... It wasn't who he was expecting "Tell me how you two met"
-Well... I found myself in danger and he rescued me, but apparently he already knew about me- "he was trying to make me own him one more, to threaten me" he adds in his mind
"What happened after?" She asks
-He asked me to go with him at the emperor's birthday, using my female appearance- Wang ChiaHao finally understand what the conversation is about and rests his back against the chair, enjoying the troubled expression on the prince's face
"Why?"
-To help him... Deliver a message to the Emperor- she then asks about what kind of message, XianLen looks at the merchant -The content of the message...- the man catches on and begins scribbling on the white pages -... Uhm, let me recollect it so I can sum it up properly- soon after, words appears in front of the prince "Be honest, tell her what happened and reassure her that I am against the current Emperor"
-Well, he wanted to convey to the emperor how unstable his situation is. We pretended to read his future and scared him enough for his madness to act up and do the rest of the job... Wang ChiaHao is not on his side and wants him off of the throne at all costs- the he adds in private "This much is true".
"Who does he wants on the throne then?" Is her next question
-That... I don't know- he sincerely replies -He hasn't let anything traspare- he speaks carefully, realizing how a single wrong word could ruin all the hard work done till now
"How's the Emperor?"
-The Emperor was already a maniac, but now he's completely crazy. As if he hit his head. Nobody stands by his side anymore, he's being used by those around him for their own purposes... His counselor is the one actually in charge, meanwhile some snakes are whispering poison inside His Majesty ears in hope of him abdicating the throne out of fear... The slaughtering had partially subsided, when The Emperor feels more sane he would still give out weird orders but at least less people are getting jailed or killed than before-
"What about his counselor? What kind of person is he? Good or bad? What does Wang ChiaHao have against him?" At the pouring in questions, XianLen feels lightheaded...
-His counselor?- he murmurs, trying to understand what she wants to know and ChiaHao quickly scribbles some words down "He's a coward, without a strong person protecting him he's worthless. Tell her that, tell her also that I'll throw him in the trash for interfering"
-Well, he's someone who clings to those stronger than him and plays cool with someone else's power. He's simply trying to manipulate the country and come out as a saviour to earn the throne- "These aren't my words, I still haven't figured that man out but I can say that he and Wang ChiaHao are enemies... That Assassin isn't as simple as that, he's not one who simply seeks the throne to me, at that party he might actually have been the real reason for our appearance instead of The Emperor" he adds
"Why are you with that man as of today?"
-Well, he has been kind enough to repay me for helping me. He opened a fortune teller shop for me to work into and protect me from any possible attack from the Emperor since I emgraged him at his birthday. He comes in everyday to check my well being... I had to run away from the previous place I worked at, since the royal guard wanted to attack me- "He's keeping me in the palm of his hand, he knows I'm a good card to use if he wants to control both the emperor and you".
After some silence, she speaks again "Did my brother really run away?"
-Yes, both he and the other man disappeared... I'm sorry Lai'Er- "Wang ChiaHao and Ying SheGu both know their location, be careful"... Sorry, yes the prince is truly sorry but not for not knowing their location... But for not being able to protect them, for not being more useful. He was simply a card for others to play and a piece to threaten their enemies. ChangLai needed him alive to be the next Emperor and to be her eyes inside the Capital, The Emperor would want him dead if he found out about his survival... Wang ChiaHao knew all of that and used it to his advance, to have ChangLai at his disposal in fear of exposing his right to the throne while also using his powers to scare away The Emperor. In the mist of that it was that man too... Ying SheGu, surely Wang ChiaHao was using XianLen against him too but he didn't know exactly why... That was one incognita that only the merchant had already figured out and knew how to handle.
The Prince doesn't know is Wang ChiaHao would actually keep him alive and allow ChangLai to fulfill her plan, but for now he was useful as a pawn alone so he will be kept alive.
...
-He didn't lie afterall- I let the man in front of me go -I will accept that man's proposal- he watches me in disagreement -Wang ChiaHao can't seat on that throne, The Emperor must survive untill I'm back. If Ying SheGu and Wang ChiaHao are really enemies, then I might as well help Ying SheGu as long as he's gonna benefit me...- he sucks his breath in, already wanting to turn away angered -Listen to me- I grab his face -I know that I'm not yet powerful enough to end the war alone, I need to stay here on the battlefield as a respected person, I need men to fight with me... That Assassin can help me achieve that once the reports reach the Capital-
-You sound desperate- he says with dead eyes, not really expecting my reply -I am-