After the steward fell to the ground after being whipped by Xiao Ying, the old steward was alerted quickly. As soon as the old steward came, the steward who was beaten to the ground began to accuse Xiao Ying of her crime.
In the palace, the people who worked in the slave house were of the lowest class.
No one had ever dared to fight against the steward.
Xiao Ying was the first.
The old steward ordered Xiao Ying to be detained as soon as he arrived.
“You will be dragged out and beaten to death for fighting against a steward!”
The steward who was lying on the ground shouted, “Drag her out and beat her to death! This ugly monster is too cruel!”
Xiao Ying revealed how the steward had asked her to wash the clothes for the dancer. “They were the ones who deceived me first. I didn’t cooperate and he hit me first. I was not wrong. Do you want me to be beaten for nothing? Sorry, but I’m not stupid.”
The old steward frowned. “You still have a sharp tongue in the face of death? Take her to the execution room.”
The steward who was sprawled on the ground glared at Xiao Ying with a dark and furious gaze. She should have looked at her own capabilities before picking a fight with him.
Just when Xiao Ying was about to be taken away, an authoritative voice rumbled in the halls. “Stop.”
Everyone looked towards where the voice was coming from and saw a tall figure coming over with several confidants.
Seeing Long Ming striding over, everyone held their breaths.
Not only because Long Ming had come to the slave house, but because he had shaved the beard he had for many years.
Since taking the throne, Long Ming had always kept a beard and few people could see the outline of his face clearly.
And at this moment, his face was shaven clean.
Xiao Ying, who was being held down, was stunned when she saw Long Ming. She had seen Long Ming when he was younger and knew that he was good-looking. But he was still a young hunk then. Many years later, he kept a beard and she did not get to see his face properly.
His facial features were still as exquisite, the outline of his face was well-defined as if it was carved out. His deep blue eyes, tall nose bridge, lips and sharp jaw made him look handsome and wild when combined together. Paired with his black attire outlining his masculine figure, after shaving, he looked both young and full of mature charm.
The dancer who had almost seduced Long Ming last night stared fixedly at him.
The King was so handsome and stylish?
Long Ming did not look at the others, his hawk-like eyes falling on Xiao Ying. Seeing a trace of surprise in her eyes, he retracted his eyes with satisfaction.
After shaving, he was no less than the Qiao Yanze she liked, right!
Although they were not of the same type, at least his appearance was not bad. However, what ran through Xiao Ying’s mind was, why did Long Ming shave his beard for no reason?
The old steward reacted first and reported to Long Ming about how Xiao Ying had beaten the steward.
The steward on the ground looked at Long Ming with expectation and fear. King had never come to the slave house before. This time, he came because of this matter and he felt a mixed combination of honor and fear.
“Your Majesty, you must stand up for me. This slave is disobedient. She had just arrived at the laundry room and beat me up like this!”
Xiao Ying bit her lip. She did not look at Long Ming and did not explain anything. She would be beaten to death in the end and it did not matter how Long Ming would punish her.
Just when everyone thought that Long Ming would give the order to kill Xiao Ying, he said coldly, “Drag the steward away and beat him to death.”
The steward and old steward both widened their eyes.
What?!
The steward trembled with fear. “Your Majesty, w-what did I do wrong?”
“What did you do wrong? Do you think I don’t know that you slept with that dancer?” Long Ming swept his cold eyes over to the dancer who was enjoying the show. Sensing the danger she was suddenly pulled into, the dancer’s legs turned weak and she fell to her knees. Before she could say anything, she heard Long Ming say coldly, “Drag her down together with the steward. Since they seem to enjoy each other’s company so much, she can be his companion.”
When the dancer heard this, her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
…
Xiao Ying did not expect that not only did Long Ming not punish her, but he even asked the new steward to let her rest for half a day. As she had not slept last night, her nerves were all tensed up and she fell asleep after lying down on the bed.
Long Ming came to the slave house again, but did not alert the others. His confidant stood guard outside the slave house and Long Ming went in alone to the room where Xiao Ying was sleeping.
There were four beds in the room. The others went out to work and Xiao Ying was sleeping on the bed.
She did not wake up when Long Ming went in.
Long Ming stood by the bed and stared down at the sleeping woman.
In the past, she seduced the old Burmese King and was very delicate. She could not sleep if the bed was too hard or too soft, and would scream when she saw insects. Back then, he thought she had lived a sheltered life in some rich family, but it was all an act.
It seemed like she had not been living well the past few years. She had lost weight and looked haggard.
Under her long eyelashes, her dark circles were obvious and there were calluses on her hands. Those soft hands that were so delicate before were now worn with the harshness of reality.
Long Ming’s eyes moved down and his eyes darkened when he saw that there was a red mark on her fair neck. It must have been left by Sachs.
Long Ming leaned towards her neck. His fingertips brushed against her skin and he rubbed it.
Xiao Ying felt someone rubbing her neck, but she was having a nightmare and could not wake up.
She dreamed that after Xiao Xi was taken away by Qiao Yanze, Qiao Yanze was unable to put down his hatred and became a boa constrictor, opening his big mouth and snapped at Xiao Xi’s neck.
She ran to save Xiao Xi when suddenly, that boa constrictor bit her neck.
Ouch!
“Young Master Qiao, stop it…”
When Long Ming, who was biting Xiao Ying’s neck to erase the mark left by Sachs, heard Xiao Ying’s voice, his body stiffened.
Raising his head from her neck, he looked at her.
She had not woken up, but was calling Qiao Yanze’s name repeatedly.
A coldness appeared in Long Ming’s eyes and he stared fixedly at her, as if he wanted to devour her. But in the end, he did not want to look at her anymore and left quickly.
The door was slammed shut and Xiao Ying was jolted awake by the loud sound.
Sitting up from the bed, she looked at the door that seemed to be still shaking with a frown on her face.
Feeling some pain in her neck, Xiao Ying reached out her hand and touched it, only to find that the skin of her neck had broken.
She was stunned.
Who came in to bite her just now?
…
Qiao Yanze booked a room beside Cen Xi’s suite. He did not sleep and sat on the sofa, smoking half the night. The next morning, he called Da Zuo and Xiao Zuo in for a meeting.
After analyzing Young Master Li’s route of hiding, Qiao Yanze pinched the bridge of his nose. “Da Zuo and I will stay in Burma to chase after Young Master Li. Xiao Zuo, you will take Cen Xi back to the Capital. She’s weak so take her to the Royal Hospital for an examination.”
Xiao Zuo nodded in acknowledgement.
Qiao Yanze raised his left hand to look at his watch. “It’s almost eight. Xiao Zuo, find a female attendant to see if she’s awake next door. She did not eat anything yesterday so she must be feeling hungry.”
A few minutes later, Xiao Zuo came back in a hurry. “Young Master, something happened!”
