The evening breeze brushed over Prince Lan's face, as he trailed behind Lingyi, sending the familiar scent of jasmine into his nostrils. His attention was almost brought to this nostalgic feeling but he brushed it away and chose to better think of the scheming things he could do to the beauty before him. As Lingyi continued walking, she tried guessing what might be the reaction of her prince charming when she finally removed her cover. And, just like a lightning bolt, a revelation hit her. Why was he so eager to follow her to change when he knows not her identity?. "Lingyi stop it It already. What's with the silly thoughts , it's just normal, afterall it was you that suggested for him to change." Lingyi thought and continued, leading him to a room, three doors after Yanxi hall.
She pushed open the doors into the changing room, stepping inside with Prince Lan , still behind her. As she walked forward, she could sense the tension between them, something seemed off from the usual. The silence between them was louder than words. She paused midway, with the idea of unraveling out what might be amiss but unfortunately, she couldn't. Her sole aim of bringing him here was to confront her Prince Charming of the sudden silence and change in Character towards her. And that, she was going to do. Lingyi took a deep breath as she settled to remove her cover. The anticipation of what might be his reaction when she finally reveals herself to him made her blush subconsciously.
Just as she was about whirling herself to face Prince Lan, his hands grasped her from behind, stopping her from turning around. He pulled her close enough to himself that they could both scent each other. Lingyi blushed even harder.."so he knew I was the one all these while." She thought to herself. She didn't know what to say.. whether to lay her complaint and pour out her heart or to let everything move with the flow . However, she settled for the latter. But the last thing lingyi saw coming was the hands of Prince Lan moving upwards from below her waistline towards her bossom, she tried resisting but her resolve was too weak to resonate with her spirit. Truth be told , ever since her migration to this world, lingyi never thought that a day like this would come— a day she could feel the warmth embrace of her a man, feel the love , passion, even the lust, and this bodily starvation made her even more vulnerable.
Prince Lan leaned in closer, planting a slow kiss on lingyi's neck, she could feel his breath from behind, steamy..yet tempting. His hands continued on the same course, now on her breasts almost tearing off her garment as he tried to fumble the apples he was searching for. Lingyi started to feel slightly uncomfortable, she tried taking his hands off but he was already deep into whatever this feeling was.
While trying to resist, she felt something poke her garment from behind—his erection!, hard and ready for battle—the kind of battle she wasn't prepared for.
"Your Highness , we have to stop"...she said, yanking his hands away from her breasts.
"What makes you think we can stop now?" Prince Lan asked, holding onto her waist tightly and kissing her almost everywhere.
" This is scandalous, what if we are caught?...I didn't come here for this ".. Lingyi said, already pissed at this point.
"You should have thought of that when you knowingly seduced me ...luring me here. Tell me you don't want it"..He replied, as he tried caressing her.
"Seduced?!..want what?.."Lingyi asked in shock.
"You are just a maid...I am doing you a favour. Even if we are to get caught, you will end up in my manor as my concubine. Isn't that what you want?"
"Me?..never!"..lingyi cursed.
"And what kind of maid from the imperial household will reject such an opportunity " he said, aggressively kissing her neck .
Lingyi paused as though shocked by a strong electric current when the word "maid" and "imperial household" made way into her ears.
Truly it was a revelation, because it was only till then it dawned upon her that her prince charming was totally oblivious of her identity all these while. Anger surged within her, jealousy arose, she felt like giving him a hot slap right there on both cheeks. But then, her thoughts came like a voice.."I told you he was not worth it ". Lingyi exhaled in regrets, for although she had come tonight with one purpose, which was to get an explanation from her supposed beloved. Not that she was totally surprised, it's just that she didn't expect it to boil down to such a closure .
After much consideration, lingyi settled with the thought of living with her discovery by herself. But she wasn't out of Prince Lan's grasp yet, and the needed plan to escape from here without blowing her cover and raising any attention was not forthcoming. She struggled with her lover's grasp, growling in pain and hurt, but all her effort seemed to go down the drain. She has been gone for far too long, and her absence might be noticed now. Lingyi scanned the room, while in the midst of her struggles, hoping to find anything that might be of aid. Luckily, her blazing gaze fell on a wooden washing bowl. She stretched forward, grasped it tightly and flung it 180 degrees with swift, making sure not to reveal her face. As the wood hit Prince Lan, he immediately...or better say involuntarily let go, taking two steps back while he held the right side of his head where the bowl had hit him.
Lingyi swiftly drifted away, throwing the bowl at him so hard that before he could recover, she had already escaped the room.
"That bloody lowlife!".. Prince Lan cursed as he cleaned the drop of blood from the wound he just sustained.
Lingyi ran with all strength without looking back to whether she was followed or not. All she was after, was her escape. Half way to Yanxi hall, she stopped racing, but her pace was still quick, breath unsettled and sweats dripping down from almost all her pores. As she approached the ornate large doors of Yanxi hall, she paused...taking a deep breath and glanced around to see if anyone was watching her. She took one long look behind and fortunately , the coast was clear. She dusted her garment, folded her hands before her and walked into the grand bustling hall with an expressionless face, one that masked the turmoil brewing within her.
As she entered inside, her eyes met the glaring stare of Consort Shu, hostile and preying. Lingyi paid her no attention but went forward to position herself behind her mistress. Consort Xian had noticed lingyi's absence and lingyi could sense the tension from her. But that was the least of her problems, as she scanned the room for the sight of Prince Lan.
The feast was coming to an end, with few drunk and tipsy. The Empress Dowager had withdrawn earlier leaving everyone to make merry. However, lingyi was never in the attendance of merriment. Gradually, the imperial wives began to retire one after another following the Empress's departure.
Consort Xian was ready to leave, and as she stretched her left arm for support to stand up, lingyi immediately jerked out of her streams of thoughts, taking Mistress's hands as she bowed low, trembling not to reveal anything.
" It is either you take me for a fool or I have been too lenient on you"..Consort Xian whispered, shooting an unpleasant look at her as she arose.
"Niang Nai-"
"Save it for later" ..Consort Xian interrupted without even looking at lingyi but held onto her hands as she walked out of Yanxi hall gracefully.
Lingyi's heart sank deep into her abdomen, as she wondered what might be her punishment and the best explanation to give when the time comes for one.