Translator:
Henyee Translations
Editor:
Henyee Translations
Mu Huai found Ming Shu in a nearby secluded alley.
In the quiet alley, the girl stood quietly under a tree, staring at the seductive fruit hidden in the green leaves.
A cool breeze came from the other end of the alley, blowing past the girl’s skirt, and she looked like a fairy among floating clouds, about to rise in the wind.
Shashasha—
The leaves shook.
The air seemed to be filled with the scent of fruit.
Mu Huai found she was actually very good-looking.
… When she was quiet.
She gave others a feeling of tranquility and gentleness.
But thinking of the annoying way she talked… Mu Huai immediately dropped the thought.
Um… Are these fruits edible?
Ming Shu carried the fruit out of the alley and when saw Mu Huai standing there, she was somewhat surprised. Then she covered the fruit.
Uncle, why are you still here?
Mu Huai turned around without saying a word.
…
What?
What’s wrong with this man?
Mu Huai didn’t walk fast. It seemed he was deliberately waiting for Ming Shu to catch up. King Huai’s mansion and the royal palace lay in two different directions, but Mu Huai intended to send Ming Shu back.
When the majestic outline of the royal palace appeared, Mu Huai slowed down and opened his mouth, still with his back to Ming Shu.
You’d better stay in the palace.
This is confusing.
Ming Shu thought.
This cheap uncle is very abnormal today.
Was it because she burned the painting that he was angered to the point of insanity?
Uncle, are you feeling all right today? Do you want to… Ah, Uncle, where are you going?
Before Ming Shu finished her sentence, Mu Huai quickly left. He was afraid that he might want to kill her again if he heard something irritating.
Ming Shu scratched her head, then looked at the fruit in her arms, smiling happily. Who cared about those unimportant matters.
Ming Shu went back to the Heavenly Temple and was scolded heavily by the master. But Ming Shu seemed to care not at all, which made the master so angry that he grounded Ming Shu as punishment.
Sitting alone in a small dark room, Ming Shu was feeling quite wronged. That painting was given to her by the emperor, right? Which meant it was hers, right? Then why couldn’t she decide what to do with it?!
No one will let her out without my permission.
The angry voice of the master rang from outside, followed by footsteps that gradually faded away.
After a while, Zhi Qi’s voice rang through the door.
Princess… are you okay?
Zhi Qi, it’s so dark here, can you get me some food?
…
Is there any relationship between darkness and food?
Zhi Qi was a little hesitant.
Princess, the master didn’t allow us to give you food.
Just keep it quiet, don’t let anyone know.
Zhi Qi was about to answer but was interrupted by another voice.
Zhi Qi, the master wants to see you. Go, I will stay here.
Ah, but…
Go ahead, the master is waiting for you.
Zhi Qi discussed with the person for a while, but the result was clearly not hopeful. So Zhi Qi could only let Ming Shu reflect here, and she would plead for the master to quickly let her out.
Ming Shu helplessly leaned against the door with her stomach. When he lets me out, I will have starved to death.
Princess, the master is trying to protect you. His Majesty is very angry now. It’s better for you to avoid the tense situation. When things settle down, the master will let you out.
Humph, that old fox is really hard to serve.
There was only a small window high in the wall of this dark room. Ming Shu couldn’t reach it, and she couldn’t find a way to escape now.
Ming Shu sat down in a cross-legged position. Time passed by, and she didn’t know how long it’d been, but the light outside grew darker.
The dark room was now pitch black.
Ming Shu touched her empty stomach. So hungry.
Then she put her palms together before her chest. Someone will bring me food, someone will bring me food, someone will…
Kata—
Someone threw a stone through the small window. It fell down on the floor in front of Ming Shu.
Ming Shu blinked. Now the prophecy is happening so fast?
Are you there?
A deliberately lowered voice sounded from outside the small window.
The prince?
Why is he here…
Ming Shu approached the small window.
Hi, what can I do for you, Your Highness?
There was a strange noise outside, then Ming Shu saw a black shadow appear at the small window. The voice of the prince became clearer.
Didn’t I tell you to protect this body? What were you doing today? What if something bad happened?
…
Does this prince also have a mental problem? He climbed the wall in the middle of the night just to educate me? Very impressive…
I don’t care what you do, but you can’t hurt her body. That body is not yours.
Your Highness, there’s a very serious situation right now.
Ming Shu interrupted Mu Ze.
Are you injured?
The person outside suddenly became nervous.
Where were you hurt? Is it very serious?
I’m hungry.
…
A long, strange silence.
Wait for me.
Mu Ze quickly disappeared after saying these few words.
After a while, Mu Ze came back. He began to pass some food to Ming Shu from the small window, piece by piece. But because the window was too high and Ming Shu couldn’t reach it, Mu Ze put the food in a basket, then lowered it down with a rope.
After transferring all the food he brought, Mu Ze suddenly said,
I’m not doing this for you, it’s for Little Ci. Don’t mistake my intentions.
I didn’t say you care about me… I’m not that kind of sentimental little girl,
Ming Shu murmured in her heart.
I know what happened today. The painting… Did you really burn it?
Mu Ze seemed to be leaning against the wall outside, and his voice sounded further away than before.
Since you know, why bother asking?
Just to confirm,
Mu Ze said.
You are bold. There were so many different forces fighting for that painting, and you… burned it.
I feel a little regretful now. If I hadn’t burned it, I wouldn’t have been locked up here. I don’t even have any food.
…
While Ming Shu was enjoying the food, Mu Ze waited outside in silence, not knowing what he was doing.
Someone is here, I’m leaving now,
Mu Ze suddenly said.
Remember, protect Little Ci’s body well. I’m always watching.
The moonlight streamed in from the small window. The patrolling guards looked everywhere only to find no one, then eventually left. The world returned to silence.
…
Drip.
Water drops fell onto the lake’s surface, ripples spreading out, and the reflections began to fluctuate and distort, as if the world in the water was about to collapse.
Blood.
Fighting.
Bodies.
All of these images fused together to present a tragic scene.
The mountains and rivers seemed to have been dyed blood red. Besides red, there was no other color in this world.
Ming Shu opened her eyes suddenly, gasping harshly.
What was lingering in her brain was the strange scene.
What was that?
Ming Shu tried to sit up, but she found her limbs were too weak to move. It was similar to the discomfort of a person who had never run a marathon running five kilometers in one breath.
A thought flashed past Ming Shu’s mind.
Prophecy.
That is a real prophecy…
But what does it mean?
What she saw was only a very vague picture, and she didn’t see anything solid.
How did the Host interpret these images when they were so hard to understand?
Ming Shu tried to remember the thought process of the Host. But even if she could quickly inherit the Host’s skills, she couldn’t synchronize with her thought process.
