Chapter 177: Kidnapping Someone, Courting Death!
Long Heng didn’t truly believe her story even though Bai Xiangxiu had already told him everything other than her feelings towards Song Jiaoyue at that time. There truly weren’t any flaws in her story for him to pick out. Naturally, she couldn’t tell him about the incident where she’d taken a knife for Song Jiaoyue…
Believing only about half of her story, he said coldly, “Even if he pleads for your release, I will keep you in my manor for the rest of your life. Don’t even think about leaving!”
“I have no intention to leave either! Alright?” Bai Xiangxiu countered resignedly as she blinked her eyes. It was as if she was saying, “What can you do about it?”
Long Heng’s anger immediately evaporated. Why does my anger vanish into thin air every time she makes those faces? Even though he knew that her words weren’t trustworthy. he couldn’t stop trying to convince himself that she wasn’t that sort of person and that he was overthinking things.
One part of him wanted him to be skeptical, yet the other part wanted to believe her. He felt very conflicted indeed. Every time he confronted her in anger, her charm would mellow him out instead. Then he would enter a valley of tenderness and just couldn’t bring himself to scold her anymore. Even when she wanted to go out for a stroll, she would just have to poke him whilst they were in the sheets and he would immediately give in.
The imprisonment quickly turned into one only in name after a few days. Even though she was technically being imprisoned, she was allowed to go out for a stroll everyday and would only return when she felt like it, all the while with Long Heng’s accompaniment. But just when Long Heng was about to unground her, something worrying happened.
A mysterious man snuck his way into the prince’s manor without being seen by the guards or even Long Heng’s concealed bodyguards. He’d lingered in the manor for quite a some time before finally arriving at Bai Xiangxiu’s room. At that moment, Bai Xiangxiu and Long Heng were playing a game of chess while drinking tea.
When she caught sight of the mystery person, she dropped her teacup in disbelief. Because Long Heng was right in front of her, she tilted her head and took a closer look at the newcomer, afraid that her eyes were playing tricks on her. In the end, there was no doubt. This person was indeed Yu Kuang.
Why has he come to the Prince Li Manor? How did he find this place? Most importantly, why is he looking at Long Heng with so much hate in his eyes? Bai Xiangxiu couldn’t react in time. Eyes wide open, she stared stupidly as Long Heng stood up to ask coldly, “Who are you?”
“Yu Kuang. I assume you’re Prince Li?” Yu Kuang closed the door politely and looked at Long Heng straight in the eye, as if he wished to have a private chat with the prince. His aura was in no way less imposing than that of Long Heng’s.
“Yu Kuang? Alliance Head Yu? To what do I owe the honor of your presence?” Long Heng asked while calmly looking back at him. Even though he seemed completely at ease, he was actually highly guarded and had subtly blocked the path to Bai Xiangxiu. If this man made any suspicious movements, Long Heng would find a way to have Bai Xiangxiu leave first. He was well-aware that this man was here for the woman behind him.
Just as he expected, Yu Kuang then pointed his finger to Bai Xiangxiu and said, “She… is your concubine. Am I right?”
“Yes.”
“Not your official wife?”
“……No. But what does that have to with you?” Long Heng was turning into a block of ice, flooding the room with frost. However, Yu Kuang wasn’t the least bit affected by it as he continued, “Since she’s not your wife, why don’t you give her to me?”
Swish! A hidden blade flew across the room. Yu Kuang tilted his head slightly to evade the attack. Unfazed, he continued, “You have more than one concubine. What does it matter to you to give one of them to me? To right my wrongs, I have to fulfil my promise and make her my wife.”
“Wife?” Long Heng clenched his fist and retorted coldly, “Does a well-respected wulin alliance head such as yourself have trouble finding a wife?”
Bai Xiangxiu gulped nervously. This is bad. A wulin alliance head is here to add to the trouble before the Song Jiaoyue matter is resolved. And he has multiple personalities at that too! Thank god it’s Yu Kuang that came. Yu Shū would probably have just taken me before anything else.
“Does the vaunted Prince Li have trouble finding more women? If you truly can’t find any, I can locate some beauties and send them to you. That person alone is enough for me.” Yu Kuang was absolutely serious. His celestial-like face was now voicing words that would cause many other women to swoon over him.
I don’t know whether I should sing his praises or scold him for speaking this nonsense. Bai Xiangxiu was a little touched. Not a lot of men were able to say such a thing in the olden times. Apart from being ascetic, he likely really wasn’t much of a lecher.
Unfortunately, Long Heng had noticed the expression in her eyes. Unable to suppress his anger, he ordered, “Get out or don’t blame me for being discourteous!”
Long Heng had already made his move before his words came out, yet Yu Kuang met him straight in the middle. No weaker than each other, their battle was highly perilous.
Bai Xiangxiu didn’t expect these men to be so hot-blooded to start fighting at a moment’s notice. However, it was obvious that they didn’t want to alarm others. Even though they were fighting, they did so only inside the room and only made muffled and quiet noises. Yu Kuang obviously doesn’t want people outside to be alarmed, but why is Long Heng doing the same as well? After putting some thought into it, Bai Xiangxiu finally understood why. Is Long Heng doing this to avoid tarnishing my reputation? The truth didn’t really matter. She was touched by his gesture nonetheless.
“Stop! Your Highness, Alliance Head Yu is actually my benefactor that saved my life when I was kidnapped by Luo Yunzheng. Do you remember the benefactor that I mentioned earlier? This is him.”
Long Heng had no intention of stopping. Instead, Yu Kuang had something to add, “I’m not your benefactor. I promised that I would marry you.”
“But I didn’t agree to that. So… Alliance Head Yu. You’re being a little…”
“Bai Xiangxiu!” Yu Kuang had raised his voice at her a little. He was likely worried that she might reveal the fact that he had multiple personalities.
Long Heng was extremely displeased when he heard Yu Kuang call out his concubine’s name. He warned sternly, “She is this prince’s woman. You have no right to order her around.”
Yu Kuang immediately retorted with, “She… must become my wife.”
He remained thus insistent because he had finally recalled everything that had happened between Yu Shū and Bai Xiangxiu, including seeing her shoulder and her wounded back. But most importantly, he had seen her gentle and caring side. Yu Shū was so captivated by her that his feelings had spread to Yu Kuang as well.
When he’d come looking for her after settling his business, Yu Kuang realized that she wasn’t Song Jiaoyue’s concubine after all. After listening in on the conversations between Song Jiaoyue and his maidservants, Yu Kuang realized Bai Xiangxiu’s true identity was Prince Li’s concubine.
But it hadn’t been easy to locate her. He’d had to hide within the manor and eavesdrop on the servants to finally piece the clues together. It turned out she had been imprisoned by Prince Li. People from the jianghu didn’t care much about the status and identity of women. They simply followed the whims of their heart. Moreover, he had actually come with the intention of negotiating in peace, but this Prince Li just wouldn’t let her go. Finally remembering that he was actually here for peaceful negotiations, he quickly added, “We can talk terms if you hand her over me. I can give you anything as long as it’s within my capabilities.”
Long Heng smiled coldly and replied, “Alliance Head Yu. The only wish I have is for you to get the hell out of my manor.”
Yu Kuang was furrowed his brows. Could it be that she was speaking the truth when she said that they are truly in love with each other?