23 Blood For Blood (2/2)

”Luo Meng.” Shen Hong instructed his bodyguard on what to do next by the browbeat tone of his voice.

On cue, the domineering guard sheened the sword which whistled through the air and rested on the Lady of Wei. Gasps broke out as the palace maids frantically shuddered in fear and started to cry uncontrollably. However, the so called Lady of Wei did not flinch. Despite the threatening sword on her neck, she stayed unmoved.

Huizhong smirked.

'How intriguing,' he thought.

He knew she was one of a kind from the moment they met, and perfectly, she was doing a good job concerning that. The emperor eyed Luo Meng as a signal, and deftly, he sheathed the sword away.

Sighs of relief lightened the atmosphere, a bit. The possibility of them walking away alive was next to nothing as the emperor was not one to forgive, but still they petitioned the heavens for mercy.

Emperor Huizhong stared down at the Lady of Wei, not knowing what he felt towards her. Was it lust or pure frustration that there was a woman that existed with no desire for him?

”Eunuch Nam,” he called as he took a step forward.

”Yes, your majesty.” Eunuch Nam scurried next to him.

Blood for blood was what Huizhong believed in. The last time they were together, she was brass-necked and dared to kick him. Her head was respectfully lowered, her eyes cast to the floor. He wondered what she would do if she found out that he was the Dura Mountain Camp General, the person she so desperately sought far and wide for, unaware that he was so near.

He vacantly looked down at her delicate fingers that were poised on the ground. They were the hands that once attempted to steal from him, but then, days later, they had softly stroked his chest and made him lose his mind. What a conundrum.

Hers were the most almond shaped nails he'd ever seen on petal soft fingers, dainty with youthfulness. Vengefully, he placed his boot on her fingers and balanced his weight on her. He salvaged at how she breathed in deeply, a small sound elapsing from her lips. Watching her squirm in pain brought him much delight.

But… why was she not afraid of him? What made her not shake in his presence? Exasperated by her reaction, he heavily lifted his leg off her fingers and mercilessly kicked her, causing her to topple over. The palace maids covered their mouths in pity, knowing that they could be next.

The Lady of Wei dejectedly coughed in pain, and strangely, her hands protectively flung to her back, though he had roughed up her ribs instead.

This was a deja-vu moment for him that had him sway backwards in confusion. The emotions that always swarmed over him after his troubling dreams nestled in his heart, stinging him all over.

”Your majesty, are you alright?” Eunuch Nam lightly held him.

Shen Hong shrugged the eunuch's hands off him and staggered away before stopping. How could a girl he met four summers ago have such an effect on him every time he saw something that reminded him of her?

”Send them to the Ministry of Law for canning until they are pertinent,” he said, his voice rid of emotion. He had wanted to warrant dismissal and order them to maintain peace on this matter, as someone who held his interest was involved. However, that was divergent from his personality and who he was.

He was Emperor Huizhong and no woman was above his rules and principles.

S.V