"No, Your Highness..." Concubine An cried out. Two guards walked in from outside the sleeping chambers, each grabbing Concubine An by an arm and leading her away. Concubine An pleaded, tears streaming down her face, shock, disbelief, and heartbreak all surging through her.
Seeing that Hua Yun Jin had no intention of sparing her, Concubine An smiled through her tears. She turned and glared fiercely at Ming Yu, standing to the side, and spat out venomous words, "Ming Yu, you *****, my fate today will be your fate tomorrow. Don't you gloat.
His Highness will grow tired of you one day too. By then, your fate might not be as good as mine."
"Haha..." Concubine An laughed loudly, the laughter filled with sorrow and despair. Then, it gradually faded away.
When Ming Yu heard Concubine An's last words, she couldn't help but take a few steps back. Concubine An was right; Concubine An's fate today might be her own fate tomorrow.
Concubine An was Hua Yun Jin's concubine. If even Hua Yun Jin didn't care about her, what was Ming Yu, his slave? Her future fate might even be worse than Concubine An's.
"This King will never treat you that way..." As if sensing Ming Yu's unease and fear, Hua Yun Jin turned to her and said. He was harsh to Concubine An because he did not love her. He would not be harsh to Ming Yu because he had her in his heart.
Ming Yu's face turned slightly pale. She looked up at Hua Yun Jin. Hua Yun Jin's usually cold eyes were filled with tenderness. A strange feeling flickered in Ming Yu's heart, but it was immediately followed by a wave of sorrow washing over her. Had he once looked at Concubine An with such tenderness too?
Had he once said such words to Concubine An, yet today, he disregarded their past affections, imprisoned Concubine An, and then acted against her family.
It wasn't until the sleeping chambers were so quiet that the sound of a falling needle could be heard that Ming Yu finally came back to her senses. A self-mocking smile curved her lips.
Concubine An meant nothing to Hua Yun Jin. Then what did she, Ming Yu, a hostage, mean to Hua Yun Jin? That period of tenderness...
In the evening, Hua Yun Jin returned. Clad in a snow-white brocade robe, with a faint smile on his face, Hua Yun Jin walked towards her.
"Miss Ming Yu, thank you for waiting," Hua Yun Jin said, stepping forward and embracing Ming Yu, inhaling her fragrance deeply.
"Have you finished approving the memorials?" Ming Yu asked softly. Nestled in Hua Yun Jin's embrace, Ming Yu's heart was in turmoil.
"Silly Miss Ming Yu, what are you saying? I'm so good to you. If you dare betray me, I will personally capture you, skin you alive, rip out your tendons, and drink your blood..." Hua Yun Jin spoke fiercely. His words were venomous, but his usually cold eyes were filled with tenderness and undisguised love.
"Miss Ming Yu, thank you..." Ming Yu did not understand why Hua Yun Jin was saying this. Only Hua Yun Jin himself knew that he said thank you because Ming Yu gave him emotional warmth. From childhood, he had lived amidst schemes and bloodshed. His heart had long been cold, but since meeting Ming Yu, he realized that his heart could indeed beat.
He realized that his heart could still fall in love with someone.
"This is not like you to say such things..." Ming Yu said, confused. Yet, her heart grew increasingly uneasy. She felt that Hua Yun Jin was only telling half the story, as if he knew something but was not sure.
"Although I am the ruler of this city, I am ultimately just a person. Even though everyone in the world calls me Your Highness, but..."
Hua Yun Jin stroked Ming Yu's hair and said slowly, "But I am ultimately just a person. Everyone has weaknesses, and everyone has their unavoidable hardships.
Miss Ming Yu, do you understand? The path I've taken to reach this position has been paved with blood. Many nights, I dream of those I've killed, rising from hell..."
Ming Yu felt the sadness radiating from Hua Yun Jin and became anxious. She put her hands around his waist and comforted him softly, "You still have me."
Hua Yun Jin took a deep breath, holding Ming Yu tightly, his head buried in her hair. For so many years, he had never spoken of his inner pain to anyone.
Miss Ming Yu was special to him, so special that he could pour out his heart.
"Miss Ming Yu, don't leave me..." Hua Yun Jin murmured again.
"I won't leave..." As if hearing Hua Yun Jin's heartfelt plea, Ming Yu replied with reddened eyes, her voice choked with emotion.
At this moment, Ming Yu cast everything else aside. She knew she didn't want Hua Yun Jin to be sad.
No one saw it, but in the darkness of the night, outside the sleeping chamber window, a figure stood in the shadows. Through the half-open window, the two embracing figures on the couch were clearly visible. A sarcastic smile slowly curved the lips of the observer.
It was late at night, and all the palace servants were drowsy. Suddenly, an arrow whistled through the silence.
A eunuch guarding the sleeping chamber door let out a scream before an arrow struck his chest.
"Ah..." In just a moment, the area outside the sleeping chambers descended into chaos.
"Guards! Assassins!"
"Protect His Highness!" The sounds of hurried footsteps, figures darting back and forth, panicked palace servants, all ran in disarray.
When Hua Yun Jin heard the commotion, he sprang up from the couch. With a stretch of his right hand, inner force surged out, and his robe, hanging nearby, flew into his hand. Hua Yun Jin flicked his right hand, quickly putting on the robe.
"Miss Ming Yu, you stay inside. I'll go and see..." Hua Yun Jin's face was ashen. Who dared to attempt assassination in the palace!
Hua Yun Jin strode out. Seeing the chaos outside, he was furious and roared, "What are you doing?"
Hearing Hua Yun Jin's roar, the palace servants suddenly came to their senses and all knelt on the ground.
The Imperial Guards also arrived. A unit of the Imperial Guards knelt on one knee before Hua Yun Jin, "Your subordinate greets Your Highness."
Hua Yun Jin snorted coldly and immediately noticed the eunuch on the right, dead from an arrow wound. Hua Yun Jin's brow furrowed. "Take him away and bury him properly."
Two Imperial Guards came forward and dragged the deceased eunuch away for burial.
Hua Yun Jin calmly surveyed the surroundings. There was no movement. Only the trembling palace servants huddled on the ground. Hua Yun Jin let out a cold snort. It seemed someone intended to make a feint tonight. He just didn't know what prey they were aiming for or what danger they were trying to avert.
"Guard your posts properly, or don't blame me for being impolite..." Hua Yun Jin commanded coldly and turned to re-enter the sleeping chambers.
Suddenly, Hua Yun Jin turned sharply. Something powerful flew towards him. Hua Yun Jin waved his right hand, catching an arrow in his hand. His sharp eyes scanned the direction from which the arrow had come. The area was now empty.