abcnovels
Chapter 69 - Another Morning (2)
Chapter 69 - Another Morning (2)
Chapter 69 - Another Morning (2)
"LISTEN! YOU ARE MY WIFE! SO YOUR PROBLEM IS ALSO MY PROBLEM! I FIND THE KILLERS SO YOU BETTER DON’T DO ANYTHING FOOL AGAIN AND JUST STAY NICELY IN YOUR ROOM!"
After saying that, Prince Li gets out from the room right away, leaving TanTan who just be silent on the bed.
’...’
’What was that?’ If he didn’t say it in an angry tone, I might hear it as he was really concern about HuaMuTan?? Since when he considers HuaMuTan as his wife? consider me as his wife?’
The last mind sudden makes TanTan’s face blushing, she shakes her head strongly,
"Stop...its silly TanTan, Prince Li maybe just concerns about his own reputation... he doesn’t want HuaMuTan makes trouble which will drag him along later...yes...must be like that..."
TanTan is trying to distract her mind with another thought, she thinks about what she should do after this. She doesn’t get any useful clues from the masked man last time. TanTan feels disappointing a lot... it seems she is not going to anywhere to solve the mystery she has, the dream she got just now is still clear in her mind and it makes her felt more responsible to find the killers of HuaMuTan. Looks like HuaMuTan’s Mom’s wish is the reason why she can be in HuaMuTan’s body...so if she fulfills her wish...can she go back to her time?...
But she can’t do anything if Prince Li really restricts her acts after this.
’Maybe. I need to deal with this Prince...I cannot always sneak out from here easily... either we make a peace between us or I definitely need a divorce right away..."
The door opens again, TanTan reacts as she thinks Prince Li is back, but no...it is
a woman which TanTan recognizes as the one who she saved from the ship.
"Its..you!!" TanTan feels glad that the woman is fine, but also confusing to see her here...
A Xing notices the confusion on TanTan’s face, she greets TanTan politely and then approaches TanTan to give her a piece of paper,
TanTan takes it and reads it,
’My name is A Xing, I am very grateful for Madam HuaMuTan has helped me last time, I own my life to you... as repaying your kindness... I will serve you from now.’
TanTan surprised, she doesn’t expect she would get another servant, XiaoRue is enough...as a modern woman, TanTan doesn’t feel comfortable to be followed by many servants.
"You don’t need to be my servant...I already have XiaoRue..." TanTan then realizes something..."That’s right, where is XiaoRue?...She supposes to be here to give morning serving..."
A Xing looks want to explain but hard because of her disability, TanTan notices it immediately,
"You...can’t speak?"
A Xing shakes her head sadly, she opens her mouth and shows her cutting tongue.
TanTan shocks and becomes mad,
"That badass crown prince is really cruel!! I hope he is rotten in jail..."
A Xing smiles sadly, she then takes a water basket to serve TanTan, she starts wiping TanTan’s feet although TanTan tries to reject to be served.
"Really, you shouldn’t do this after what happened in the ship...you are free now... where is XiaoRue anyway?"
A Xing shakes her head, she writes something in TanTan’s palm, 2 words,
’angry’ and ’punish’.
"angry? who?... Prince Li?"
A Xing nods,
"and punish..? who is being punished? ... are you saying XiaoRue is being punished by Prince Li?"
A Xing nods again,
TanTan stands immediately,
"What?!! Where?!"
At the same time, someone rushes coming to the room,
"Oh Good!...you have awake..."
QingQing smiles relieved but TanTan also can see a worry expression that QingQing tried to hide from her.
"What’s wrong? Is it about XiaoRue?" TanTan asks,
QingQing looks to A Xing and confirms her, "She knows?" A Xing nods.
"Oh well...Your husband is angry to XiaoRue for letting you out..."
"He can’t do that!! XiaoRue is innocent..!!! Where is she now?!"
TanTan feels angry to hear it.
"She is kneeling down in front of the main room right now.." QingQing tells. Hearing that, TanTan immediately puts on her daily clothes and walks out of the room. QingQing and A Xing follow her.
In the main room, XiaoRue has been kneeling since Prince Li asked her out of HuaMuTan’s room to do a reflection. Uncle Tong who comes there to report, seeing her before entering the room,
’Silly girl, she is punishing herself...’
When Prince Li comes back to the main room, Uncle Tong greets to him when Prince Li has entered the room and the first thing he reports is about XiaoRue,
"Master, she was kneeling down since last night...and she won’t stand till she gets your forgiveness..."
Prince Li actually didn’t think that XiaoRue would willing to punish herself. He just intended to give a light warning to her and he can see that Uncle Tong also concerns about XiaoRue.
"...tell her to return to her room and..." Before he finishes talking, he sees TanTan and others coming.
TanTan rushes and worries to see XiaoRue kneeling at there, she comes to XiaoRue immediately,
"Are you okay, XiaoRue?"
"XiaoJie...you already awake? XiaoRue relieves, now XiaoRue can take the punishment with ease..."
"What are you talking, XiaoRue?!! There is no punishment... I’ll deal with him...!!!" Hearing the loud voice from TanTan, Prince Li comes out to respond.
When TanTan sees Prince Li, she immediately throws her anger, although XiaoRue tries to stop her weakly.
"What do you think you’re doing! XiaoRue didn’t do anything wrong... besides she is my person, you don’t have any right to punish her!!!"
"XiaoJie... it’s not like that..."
"Don’t be afraid, XiaoRue! Now, stand up and go back to your room..."
"Its.." XiaoRue looks to Prince Li, she still wants to get his forgiveness to feel ease.
Prince Li sighs,
"Fine, she may stands but she should be sent back to Mansion Hua right away...!!!" orders Prince Li. Everyone surprises to hear it but Prince Li just turns back to the room.
"You can’t do that!!!" TanTan in reflex chasing him into the room. QingQing wants to follow also but Uncle Tong stops her, shakes head softly to gesture do not disturb them a signal. A Xing helps XiaoRue to wake up,
"Will XiaoJie be alright?" asks XiaoRue worry. QingQing looks to XiaoRue who can’t stand well cause her knees to weaken, she leans to A Xing to stay standing.
"They will be fine...you should care about yourself. Come, I’ll help you return to your room..." QingQing then puts her arm around XiaoRue’s shoulders to help her walks.
A Xing feels confused either she needs to follow QingQing or stay waiting for TanTan. Uncle Tong notices it and tells her to stay, waiting for TanTan with him.
In the main room, Prince Li sits right away in his chair while TanTan still angrily shouts to him,
"You don’t have the right to send XiaoRue away from me!!! Why does she need to go??!!"
Prince Li glances to TanTan and then answers her in cold tone,
"She can’t do her job nicely..."
"She does!! You just purposely did this cause I disobeyed your command!!! Don’t you be a shame to throw your anger to a harmless girl!"
"HUAMUTAN!!!" *BRAG!!!
Prince Li hits the table beside him very hard, it silences TanTan right away.
Prince Li walks close to her,
"If you are saying XiaoRue can leave because of you...you are absolutely correct! Yes, you did mistake and XiaoRue must take the consequence because of it, so do you think your manner right now can helping XiaoRue?! Your manner just confirms me more to send XiaoRue out immediately!!"
TanTan shocks to hear it. Sudden she realizes she is facing a fierce man who is also a general of many soldiers. His threat sounded really serious.
’Maybe I better not to offend him too hard...or I’ll lose XiaoRue...’ TanTan thinks in silence. Prince Li observes her face closely. So close that TanTan surprises when he speaks,
"So, what are you thinking?"
TanTan talks softer but she doesn’t want to see surrender easily so she stares back at Prince Li sharply, challenging him.
"...I know my mistakes, if you are still angry...you may punish me but let XiaoRue keep staying beside me..."
Prince Li smirks,
"Oh?? How dare I punish you, the amazing great daughter of Lady Hua...Will you use Lady Hua’s honored name again to suppress me this time?!"
TanTan tries to remember in HuaMuTan’s memory, ’Did she really do that? Hm. HuaMuTan might able to do that... wait, the power of Lady Hua’s name, why I don’t think about using it before...’
"Well...if that so, you shouldn’t dare to send XiaoRue back...If you do that, XiaoRue will report all bad treats you did to me to Lady Hua...!!!"
"...!!" With a short distance between him and TanTan, Prince Li stares at TanTan angrily but he calms himself, turns around from TanTan and sits down
"Then I’ll prepare myself to hear any complaints from Lady Hua...I want to see how will you explain the bad treats I did to you? Did I ever really harm you in this mansion?"
"...!" TanTan can’t respond that, because she actually wouldn’t dare to report and make worry the old Lady. And as the prince said, she doesn’t have a solid proof that she was treated badly in Mansion Li. Besides didn’t just now she decided to make a deal with Prince Li? So she calms herself,
"...Prince Li, can’t we make a deal?"
Prince Li narrows his eyes,
"What do you want?"
TanTan takes a long breath, she sits and starts to speak,
"Listen, Prince Li...I really don’t want to make any more trouble. I mean...I realize how bad the relationship we have in the past... but I really not who I am before, you can feel ease because I really don’t have any feeling on you...so can we just be friends?"
"What?" Prince Li sudden giving a cold expression.
TanTan continues,
"...I mean, although we are might still married but I ’ll also set you free to do what you want since a long time ago... I won’t disturb any relationship you have with another woman... Isn’t good for both of us? We don’t need to torture each other anymore..."
"..."
Prince Li just silent and it makes TanTan worry, especially because his expression can’t be read easily.
"I just want to make peace with you...sincerely...and I’ll find out how we can divorce without getting any punishment from the kingdom..."
Prince Li stands again and comes closer to TanTan, his hands hold the armchair where TanTan sits, and he leans closer to her,
"Are you really serious about what you said?"
*Deg*
’Why lately he always talk closer to me?!! It surprises me all the time...making me uncomfort and my heart beating too fast too...am I truly scared to him?’ TanTan keeps her eyes staring while she nods slowly, she tries to calm,
"...of course...I am serious..."
"What a pleasure offer from you HuaMuTan...but..." He looks straight to TanTan’s eyes.
*Deg*
’This woman makes me mad...she is HuaMuTan, but what did she just suggest can’t be from the past HuaMuTan.’ Prince Li is struggling in his mind. He supposes can agree easily for what TanTan offers but something in his heart doesn’t allow him...he doesn’t want it anymore as he used to.
"But...what?"
"I won’t take it..."
"W..Why? Don’t you hate me? Doesn’t this is what you want all the time, to get rid of me?" asks TanTan seriously, she even half-shouting to him.
"I don’t....!" Prince Li stops. He almost saying ’I don’t hate you’ but he’s not sure it’s okay to admit it? to this woman? How if she just pretending? But he keeps looking to TanTan’s eyes, it’s so clear and challenging him. He repeats slowly,
"I...don’t hate you...anymore"
TanTan widens her eyes, is he saying...?
Prince Li steps backward, he turns back from TanTan to cover his awkward feeling.
"..."
Hearing the words makes TanTan’s heart feels oddly pleased but TanTan guards her mind to keep realistic,
"But...your acts telling me the opposite!"
"I...!!" Prince Li wants to say more but there is a sudden shout from outside.
"Master, Minister Hua has arrived..."
Prince Li responds right away,
"Let him enter..."