“Ling Yan, you’re all right.” Comforted by the sight, Bai Yan caresses the girl’s hair and asked, “Where’s your brothers?”
Biting her little finger: “They followed an auntie and left.”
“Gone?” The concerned mother cocked an eyebrow and turned to the guardian maid, “Explain Mu Ying, what is going on?”
Going slightly pale at the inquiry, the maid knew she better told the truth and all the truth less she meets the same fate as her own mother. Truth be told though, Mu Ying never wanted to follow through with whatever plan the older prince had in mind, it’s risky in her view. Even so, she had no say or right to order someone much higher than herself in the pyramid ladder.
“My Queen, His Highness Prince Xiachen said the Celestial Palace wants to go after the princess. In order to put a stop to that threat, he is intending to remove the threat in person, that’s why he’s having the second prince impersonate the princess due to their similar figure and face. Right now they should be heading to the prearranged location organized by Mu Xue.” After saying that, the maid could feel a noticeable drop in temperature around herself and the increasingly cold eyes coming her way didn’t help either.
“Mother.” It’s then Ling Yan speaks up, rubbing her own dreary eyes filled tired fatigue: “I am sleepy, I want nappy.”
It’s not intentional, but the girl’s crisp childish voice did ease up the demon queen’s stern hard face.
“Here Mu Ying, take my daughter to her room and let her sleep. I want you by her side at all times do you understand? I do not want a single person you do not know getting anywhere close to her, and if they do…. I believe you understand what I’m saying, right?”
“Yes I do Your Highness, I won’t fail you.” Arching her fist, the almost heroic looking Mu Ying complies with distinguished determination.
Seeing how Mu Ying was ready to take Ling Yan and leave, Bai Yan stops her again after remembering something else: “Hold on, since Xiachen wants to use this chance to draw out Mu Xue then let him, I will follow them from behind. However, I want you to dress Ling Yan up in Xiachen’s clothes before you bring her inside the palace.”
“Yes.” Mu Ying exhales heavily, relieved that she’s not being called to be reprimanded.
Then at further thought, something hit her at the realization of what her instructions meant. Why is the queen having me dress the princess up as the prince? Does Mu Xue have other eyes in the palace that we’re not aware of?
She did not think too much of this though, the issue had gone way beyond her scope of duty. Nodding in compliance, Mu Ying continued to head for the palace without looking back.
……
Not far from the city’s premise, Red Leaf had just finished leading Bai Xiachen and Di Jin Tian to the prearranged location she had with Mu Xue. This dark damp place was a cave, a good meeting spot for some dark dealings.
“Brother, what are we doing here?” The little glutton asks, his face puzzled and unsure of what to make of this place.
“Jin Tian, listen to me. From this point forward, everything that we do are for Ling Yan’s sake so you must follow my instructions,” said the steambun with a stern face. “You are a man, a pillar of our family. It’s your job to protect your sister and our mother, that’s your duty.”
Glowing in the face over the responsibility, the little glutton felt proud and happy: “Yes Big Brother, I will protect Mother and Ling Yan, I am very, very good.”
“Mmm, that’s right, you are a very good boy. Now don’t say anything from this point forward in case they find out you are an imposter.”
Of one of the main reasons Bai Xiachen would dare to bring Jin Tian out with him for this plan was because the little glutton’s a boy, while the Celestial Palace was after a girl. Even if they are discovered somehow, it’s unlikely those people would try to kidnap his younger brother.
