Chapter 19 (2/2)

Pei Khan heard Yan Shi Ning’s soft voice. He looked at her, sniffed and stopped crying.

The palace nurse maid saw Pei Khan holding onto ninth prince’s wife. She quickly walked to them to carry Pei Khan away but Pei Khan hugged ninth prince’s wife’s neck tightly.

‘It’s alright, let thirteenth prince play here with me,’ Yan Shi Ning said.

Pei Khan wiped his nose on Yan Shi Ning’s dress while she was distracted. She gently pinched his bottom.

Pei Khan retaliated by patting Yan Shi Ning’s dress and spoke in a serious tone. ‘Small, small.’

Pei Jin laughed and nearly spat out the tea in his mouth. He leaned close to Yan Shi Ning and whispered in her ear. ‘Wife, your chest is truly small.’

Yan Shi Ning’s head spun insanely. Mouthy boy and little boy were truly brothers!

Yan Shi Ning was about to curse Pei Jin but suddenly a piercing shriek was heard.

‘Assassins!’ a guest cried out.

Yan Shi Ning was shocked to see the assassins and the palace guards’ swords clashing in front of her and chaos around her.

Pei Khan was scared to death and buried his head into Yan Shi Ning’s chest like a little scared turtle putting its head in its shell.

There were many assassins in all directions of the gardens. Some assassins were disguised as palace guards. Most of the assassins’ target was the emperor. But some of them were fighting their way toward Yan Shi Ning’s direction, where there were three princes near her.

Yan Shi Ting screamed loudly, hid behind Pei Lam and gripped his outer robe. His face darkened and he grabbed two wine jars. One to shield his chest from an assassin’s sword and he used the other to smash the assassin’s head. Then he kicked the assassin’s little brother.

While another assassin was attacking Pei Jin, Yan Shi Ning hugged Pei Khan tightly.

Pei Jin stood in front of Yan Shi Ning and Pei Khan. He picked up a cup and aimed it at the assassin’s face. The assassin’s sword struck the cup and aimed the sword at the unprotected Yan Shi Ting.

Yan Shi Ting screamed and used all her strength to pull Yan Shi Ning in front of her to shield her from the assassin’s sword.

‘Shi Ning!’ Pei Jin warned.

Pei Jin leapt and kicked the assassin’s chest. The assassin’s sword sliced the sleeve of Yan Shi Ning’s dress before the assassin fell on the ground.

In that moment Yan Shi Ning’s whole body stiffened from shock and she couldn’t stop tears falling down her face.

Pei Jin hugged Yan Shi Ning.

‘Don’t be scared, I’m here,’ Pei Jin said.

Pei Jin’s eyes stung, he was scared to death he almost lost Yan Shi Ning.

Pei Lam watched Pei Jin hug Yan Shi Ning for a while. Then he glanced at Yan Shi Ting, remembered Yan Shi Ting’s reaction and he smiled cryptically.

Pei Jin and Yan Shi Ning were hugging each other tightly after a life and death situation. After their hearts calmed a little they felt something move between them.

Pei Khan raised his head and he exhaled. ‘No air, no air.’

Pei Jin and Yan Shi Ning laughed. Afterward he hugged both Yan Shi Ning and Pei Khan tightly. But his eyes looked menacingly at Yan Shi Ting.

Yan Shi Ting was shocked by Pei Jin who was usually a gentle man, because there was deadly cold aura in his eyes and her body shook uncontrollably.

***

End of Chapter Nineteen