5 CHAPTER 5 : LONG JIE - THE SECOND PRINCE

Opening her eyes, Li Xi Rui feel hurts all over her body. Her hips is sore. Her private part burns.

'What happen yesterday?', she try to recalled what happen. Noticing an arm encasing her, she looks behind her.

'No! It couldn't be', she screams mentally.

That jet black hair, that straight brows and pink lips would only belong to that man. The man she hated the most. Even more than the heroine and that crown Prince. It's non other than Long Jie- the second prince.

In her last lifetime, this man caused her family to fall. Feeling confused, shocked and rage, she left the bed and wear her clothes as quickly and quietly. Before leaving him in the hut, she take a look one last time, 'Consider this my payment for last night'.

She left as soon as the first ray of sun shines upon the land. She couldn't risk anyone discovering them. Her chastity is not the problem. She has given up her chance of marrying so it's not like anyone would care. She didn't want to be entangled with the royal family ever again. Walking with her sore body, she arrived at the main road. 'It will be a long walk to the mansion', she thought. But luckily for her, the Li family's guard been searching for her all night. So after a few minutes, they found her walking.

"Eldest miss! We have been looking for you. Waa....!!", as soon as Xiao Xi meet her, she began crying.

"Xi-er, where were you? Are you okay? Nothing happen right?", her mother's voice laced with concern. She looks at her daughter all over.

"Let her breathe. Xi- er, can you tell daddy what happen? When Xiao Xi come back crying and said you have been abducted, we have been searching all night", her father explained.

"Miss, it's this maid fault for being incompetent. Miss, please punish this servant!", Xiao Xi start kowtowing.

Seeing her family being like this, she couldn't help but feeling some what happy. She explains, after she fell unconscious due to the tea, 2 men brought her to an inn. After they left her in the room, she escape through the window and run to the forest. But when she couldn't see the road anymore due to the darkness, she found a hut and take a shelter there. Once morning come, she left and the meet with the Li's guard.

"They didn't do anything to you? Tell daddy if they do, I'll cut their private part off!", the Duke is fuming with anger.

Pacifying her father, she said, "No, they didn't. See, I'm healthy as a horse", she shows her fists. Luckily she can cover all the marking that Long jie put on her body.

Smiling, her mother said, "Husband, rather than you talk about that, go find the one who is responsible for this".

"I'm doing that now. The eldest miss will be recuperating in her room this whole week. Assign more guard for her!", the Duke shouted his mind.

"Yes Prime Minister Li!", all the servant kowtowing. Satisfied, the Duke left for the morning assembly.

After reassuring her family, Li xi Rui go to her room and ask for a bath. Usually, Xiao Xi will be helping her bath. But now, she couldn't risk them finding out about her lost chastity. They will be looking for trouble with Long Jie. Never will she let her family die once more.

Going in to the bath, she felt her pain is slightly betterglancing on her chest down she could only cursed that bastard for leaving her skin purple. On her arm, there is an obvious red and purple hand print. On her chest she could see bite marks all over. Even her nipples feels hurt.

"How much did he play with my body yesterday?", she mumbles. Feeling tired, she fell asleep in the bath tub. In her dreams, last night's scene is being replayed over and over again. This time, she remembers every single thing they do. And it looks like, she was the one taking advantage of the second prince first so she hardly could blame everything on him. So she decided to let it go since it was her fault first and it was not like she expects him to be responsible on her.

"Let it go", she said while looking at the marks again. "That will be the best option", she tell herself.

***

In a hut near the forest, a man just woke up. Reaching for the other side of the bed, he smiled while remembering what transpired last night. Moving his hand, he frowned. He opens his eyes and his eyes turns red.

"Where is she?", hastily, he went looking everywhere for her. But he couldn't find her anywhere in the hut. Looking at the state of his clothes, he couldn't just go out with just a blanket. So he sat on the bed, thinking, 'Just wait when I found her!'.

Looking around once more, he found a gold whistle and blew on in. In a second a black shadow appear in front of him.

"Master!"

"Find me clothes and investigate which woman was with me last night!", he command coldly.

"Yes master!", that shadow disappear.

Gripping his fist,"You wouldn't be able to escape from me!". From the glint in his eyes, he is determined to have her at all cost.

Meanwhile in the Li mansion, Xiao Xi couldn't stop her eyes from bulging out from the eye sockets. Those red and purple marks on her miss' body shows what had happened the night she went missing. Looking at Li Xi Rui inside the tub she wanted to ask.

"Mi..s..s.."

"I know what you wanted to ask but don't bother. Just don't tell anyone", Li Xi Rui calmly instructed her.

Xiao Xi knew her miss' virtue is on the line decided to keep the secret but tears still fells upon her cheeks. She help her miss wear her clothes and dried her hair with a cloth. She was so silent that Li Xi Rui started to feel uncomfortable.

"You don't have to worry, I don't have a plan to marry anyone. Afterall, love is not for me and I doubt that I will ever find them", she told Xiao Xi truthfully.

Xiao Xi, knowing how stubborn her miss can be just kept silent as she dry and brushing Li Xi Rui's long chestnut hair. In her mind, her miss is the most beautiful lady in the country. With her talent no one will refuse her. But that damned crown prince jilted her. Didn't he know no one would ever propose to the miss again after that? He ruin her marriage prospect. And that vixen Mu Jiu Jiu, how dare she took what rightfully her miss'?! Her miss try her might to be worthy of that man and gives up what she love the most. Luckily her miss' is a natural at the four arts that even when she just learn, she could be better than most ladies her age. If the woman like her miss is unworthy, then who else is worthy? Silently, she grieved for her miss. Maybe, one day her miss will find someone, she prayed in her heart.

After several days of peace, in the Jian Palace, all the servant are being cautious. Everyone could feel the cold emitted from the 2nd prince room.

*THUD!* The tea cup is smashed on the table.

"Still couldn't find her?", that voice is cold with no emotion can be detected. If Jie yi didn't witness the remains of the teacup, he would think that it was just like any other day and the 2nd prince is not extremely angry. In his head, he scolded himself. How can he find her if even the 2nd prince do not know how she looks like? But it's his duty to do what his master's wish without excuses.

"This servant is incompetent. Begging for punishment from master", he kowtowed.

"Look for her till you found her. Don't come back till you do", Long Jie didn't spare him another look and called for another teacup. Jie Yi silently breathe out. His master forgive him. If it's any other day, the punishment he get will be unbearable for failing his duty. But because his master's priority is the lady, he decided not to punish him and search for the lady instead. Disappearing from his master's sight, Long Jie smiles, "Let's see how long can she hide".