92 His Embrace

XuanRong stood up, wanting to pick the butterfly-shaped hairpin.

"XiaoJie, be careful! Let this servant clean the broken box."

YuYing immediately stopped XuanRong. She carefully picked the broken shards and placed it on a silk cloth. YuYing grabbed the butterfly-shaped hairpin and saw that one of its wings had a small dent on it.

"XiaoJie, this hairpin is already broken. Do you want to throw it away?" YuYing asked.

Looking at the hairpin on YuYing's hand, a sudden wave of sadness once again engulfed her heart.

"No.. just.. just place it on the dresser."

"Yes. This servant understands."

After placing the butterfly-shaped hairpin on the table, YuYing curtsied and left the room in order to throw the broken box.

XuanRong touched the hairpin and laughed sadly.

'Why am I still thinking of the past? He and I are from a different world.'

XuanRong grabbed the hairpin and placed it inside a new box.

"YuShen, has my maternal grandfather already arrived in the residence?"

"Old Master is still on his way."

"Mmm.. I see. Go and tell Zou mama to prepare everything. Nothing must go wrong."

"Yes, this servant understands."

When YuShen left, YuShang and XuanRong were the only people left inside the room.

YuShang, who was standing near the door, slowly walked towards XuanRong.

"XiaoJie..."

"Mmm? What is it?"

YuShang closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"XiaoJie... This servant has something to say." After opening her eyes, YuShang stared at XuanRong.

"XiaoJie... the truth is... when you were inside the inner room while trying to recuperate last full moon, someone tried to sneak inside the courtyard."

"What did you say?" XuanRong froze. Her heart started beating fast.

'Impossible!' XuanRong did not want to assume but she could not help it. There was a faint hint of expectation inside her heart, hoping that the one who tried to sneak inside her courtyard was him, her benefactor. But when XuanRong carefully thought it over, the hope and expectation she felt were extinguished in an instant. Just basing on that man's level of qinggong, if he really wanted to see her, if he tried to sneak inside the XiangFu, even An Wei would not be able to stop him. Blocking him would be futile. Thus, since no one was able to approach her during last full moon, it would only mean that An Wei and her maidservants were able to successfully stop the person who wanted to sneak inside Fu. Suddenly, XuanRong lost her interest to know the person who wanted to see her. She thought that it might be an assassin or some other people.

"….oh.. is that so?"

Sensing XuanRong's lack of response, YuShang was puzzled. In the past few days, she saw how XuanRong deeply concealed her true feelings. Although her XiaoJie would often laugh together with them, it was only superficial, and the happiness would not even reach her eyes. YuShang thought that the main reason of it was related to that powerful man who once abducted their XiaoJie. YuShang knew that her sisters, YuShen and YuYing also noticed their XiaoJie's sadness but they decided to remain silent about it, choosing to conceal the matter regarding what happened during last full moon. YuShang would be lying if she would say that she was not bothered by it. She deeply understood her older sisters for concealing the truth from XuanRong. That man was simply dangerous. The aura around that man was screaming of endless carnage, making them subconsciously fear him. Such a dangerous man, it would not be good for their XiaoJie to interact with that kind of man. A person like him was definitely a man among men. Just one look and one could tell that he was one of those prominent figure in the jianghu[1] and might be a leader of a sect or a group. One must not swim too far from the shore. Although their XiaoJie also established a fraction to do her own bidding, it was still different from those sects and larger groups in the jianghu. The purpose why her XiaoJie raised Shu Yi and the rest was not because she wanted to enter the muddy waters of those jianghu people but to have her own force in order to defend and protect those people she cared. YuShang knew that although what YuShen and YuYing did was beyond their status as XuanRong's maidservants, she could not bear to hate them. After all, they, including her, only decided to conceal that matter because they only wanted to protect their XiaoJie from that man. That was why, when YuShen proposed to hide the matter from XuanRong, although they were quite reluctant, she and An Wei decided to agree.

YuShang could still remember that night when XuanRong was ambushed after leaving the Chen residence. When the man arrived and forcefully took their XiaoJie and left without saying anything, they almost flipped the entire capital and was even trying to consider asking the Chen residence for help. Luckily, quarter a shichen later[2], they were informed that their XiaoJie had safely returned to the Prime Minister's residence. They tried to ask their XiaoJie but she would only say that everything was okay, that all of them should not worry, making them feel remorse over the fact that they were unable to protect her and their XiaoJie had to suffer grievance. Although her YuShen Jiejie and the rest did not say anything, YuShang knew that the matter of that night's abduction left a huge fear inside their hearts, marking that powerful man as their mortal enemy.

But… although she felt the same… she could not help but be eaten with guilt every time she sees her XiaoJie subconsciously look outside the window as if she was waiting for someone. Since her XiaoJie could just summon An Wei if she wanted to see him, it would only mean that the person her XiaoJie was longing for was another person. When she saw the deep sadness inside her XiaoJie's eyes when she stared at the hairpin, YuShang recognized the similarity of it when her XiaoJie would subconsciously look outside the window. Although YuShang knew nothing about the hairpin, she understood that the object must somewhat be related to that powerful man, making her regret agreeing to her YuShen Jiejie's words. Thus, she decided to speak and tell XuanRong the truth.

"XiaoJie.. please forgive this servant for concealing that matter from you. YuShen Jiejie was only afraid that being disturbed during full moon would only harm you, thus, we decided to stop that masked man from approaching your inner room. We only decided not to tell you because we thought that since XiaoJie was already thinking many things, those minor details should not be mentioned. This servant hopes that XiaoJie would forgive us for not informing you."

YuShang immediately kneeled after saying those words. On the other hand, while YuShang was wholeheartedly asking for forgiveness, XuanRong foolishly stared at her for a few seconds after hearing the word 'masked man'.

'It was really him…' XuanRong could not help but gasp. After hearing YuShang's confession, she wanted to get angry at them for disappointing her. What she hated the most was being betrayed by those people she cared for, and what they did was a form of betrayal. But…. XuanRong knew that they only did that because they were trying to protect her. It was also her fault for not properly telling the truth. If from the start, she already told them that the man was her benefactor, it would not reach like this… It was already too late… Even if XuanRong now knows that the man tried to visit her, but the fact that he did not tried to visit her once again after last full moon, left a sour taste in her mouth.

*sigh*

"YuShang, stand up.. I don't blame you.. but please, do not do this again… you know me… I hate being betrayed the most. I will forgive you this time but this will be the last time.. Do you understand?"

When YuShang heard XuanRong's words, she could not help but sigh in relief. She stood up and bobbed her head. "Yes. This servant understands."

XuanRong nodded. "You must not be rude to him. He….. He once helped me before. He is my benefactor.. I owed him my life.."

Hearing the truth from XuanRong, YuShang's eyes widened. Shame crept out of her face, making it red. She could not believe that they harmed the person who was their XiaoJie's benefactor. Shame! What a huge shame!

After talking to YuShang, XuanRong decided to send her away because she wanted to be alone for a few minutes before going to the center hall where her coming of age ceremony would be held. Since XuanRong was already done dressing up, YuShang immediately curtsied and left the room, leaving XuanRong alone.

After thinking for a few minutes, XuanRong stood up from sitting in front of the dresser. Planning to close the window, she walked towards it and raised her hand to pull both sides when a shadow suddenly moved from the outside. Before she knew it, XuanRong felt that she had fallen into someone else's embrace, her body immediately went stiff, but when a familiar lotus scent assaulted her nostrils, she subconsciously relaxed.

"You…"

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"Mother… are you really sure about this?"

XuanFei could not help but be worried. If things would go wrong, not only XuanRong would face the wrath of the Emperor but also the entire XiangFu. Dealing with XuanRong in this matter was not worth it if it would also mean that they would also be burned in the process.

"Hush! Nonsense… Do not worry.. everything will be okay… No matter what happen, you must follow everything that I have told you.. do you understand? No need to fret… mother already prepared everything… Fei'er.. always remember… Sometimes, in order to win, one must be cruel towards oneself. After it is done, mother will make sure that the Crown Prince will marry you."

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[1]. Martial artist world

[2]. One shichen is two hours. A quarter is thirty minutes.

[Unedited Chapter]