Exchange

Chapter 67

"Yaahhhhhhhhh!!!"

"No, no, no, please let me go- waaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!"

Crown Prince Yin didn't get a single ounce of proper sleep for the past day.

Darkness is nothing, but the constant screaming nearly broke his spirit. Just based on the whirring of the machinery and sound of tools, he could imagine every type of torture being done with the prisoners around him.

He just kept his eyes shut and tried to empty his mind.

He didn't know how long had passed when he heard the creaking of the hinge and saw the reflection of light passing through his close lids.

"This small one greets His Highness" Ruyi gestured a bow.

"I'm surprised you still know who I am" Yin spoke roughly due to his dried throat but the sarcasm can't be denied.

"This small one doesn't dare" Ruyi was sweating inside. He might look apathetic outside but it still takes a lot of guts to directly offend the Crown Prince.

Yin scoffed.

"Let me guide Your Highness out of here" Ruyi didn't mind the attitude of the Crown Prince and informed him the purpose of his visit.

"Surely you won't let me go this easily?", by this time, Crown Prince Yin had already adjusted to the light and is staring intently at Ruyi, trying to gauge his intention.

"Please follow me Your Highness" Ruyi didn't answer but gestured towards the door waiting for the Crown Prince to get up.

When Yin cannot find any clue from Ruyi's face, he started moving out of the bed.

They are really cruel. They gave him a nice warm bed, and diligently send in aromatic food, but he never get to have a proper sleep and wasn't able to eat due to darkness. He'd like to get out of this place as soon as possible, but are they really not planning another trap for him?

Ruyi led him in a normal room this time.

"This servant suggests that Your Highness clean up first before setting out. Then, this one will excuse himself" Ruyi left the Crown Prince alone in wonder.

Yin was confused. He was trying to guess what's cooking on Yyan's mind. Is he trying to get him confounded so he would go crazy?

Yin decided to just see how it all goes. He immediately went to the bathroom to wash himself from all filthiness.

The comfort the warm water brought urged him to fall asleep, but he resisted the temptation since he is still in the enemy's territory.

Just as he finished preparing, he heard the knock on the door.

Yin thought they were really confident that he would not be able to escape to give him the right to control the door.

He opened it and found Ruyi once again.

"We have prepared a meal for Your Highness to enjoy. Please follow me"

"Is this my final meal before death?"

"Your Highness surely jest"

"You've already did so much theatrics, aren't you getting tired?"

Ruyi didn't reply and continued to lead the Crown Prince to the Mess Hall.

He opened the door but didn't enter.

The Crown Prince entered without hesitation, ready to curse Yyan when he saw Yue instead.

"Please take a seat. I'm already starving but brother said it's bad to eat before the Royal so I waited for you" Yue was standing against the window, her brows scrunched and impatient.

"What are you doing here?" Yin didn't expect to see the lady in such a short time. He thought Yyan would not let her go out in fear for her life.

"Eat breakfast. I woke up really early and didn't get the chance to eat during the travel. You should be thankful I waited for you" Yue walked towards the table full of fine dishes and took a seat.

On the other room, Yyan smiled and Assistant Yi almost burst into laughter. Young Miss is naughty. How could Young Master afford to let her starve?

"Where's Yyan? I don't think he would leave you here alone" Yin didn't take away his eyes from the lady as he interviews her.

"Don't you get tired? If you don't want to eat then I'll start"

"You-"

"Save your saliva for later. I know you must be tired and starving, please. I really had this prepared for m- you"

"You just slipped!"

But Yue didn't give him any more attention and started to eat her fill.

Seeing how Yue is enjoying her meal, Yin also got seated and started eating.

Yin was wondering himself at this point how he could be so unguarded with this lady in front of him. He just felt like it was an ordinary day, actually, it felt like how his could be if he was just a normal person.

They ate unhurriedly and comfortably.

After getting his fill, Yin was now able to think more clearly.

"What do you want from me?"

Yue almost smiled when she heard him. His brother just asked her the same question.

The amusement on Yue's face didn't escape the Yin's eyes, but instead of getting irritated, he found her more and more pleasing in his eyes.

"I want you to tell me everything you know about this pendant" Yue handed him the sketch she had. Yin took it but didn't give it a glance.

"And what do I get from this?"

"Your freedom"

"Both of us knew that you can't really keep me in here for long, eventually I'll walk out of here unscathed"

"Your right, you'll eventually walk out of here, but don't be so sure about the unscathed part"

"You won't dare"

"You really think so?"

Yin stopped to think, they have really been courageous in keeping him, what else they will not do? Pei! When did he become someone so unsure? He actually let himself get led around by this little lady.

"Hmp, don't try to mess with me"

"I already did"

"Pfft" Ruyi already can't help himself, but Yyan gave him a glare, he immediately shut up. He didn't understand what's wrong with his Young Master.

Yin was about to retort further when he caught glimpse of the drawing.

His attention was finally turned to the paper and he momentarily forgot about Yue.

He studied every detail of the pendant she had drawn.

For a while he was lost in thought and Yue just observe at the side, not intending to disturb the man in his thoughts.

After a long time, Yin finally turned to Yue.

"Where did you see this?"

"You owned it"

"This is not the one I owned"

"I just saw it when I was trapped in your collection room"

"The one that I had was similar, but is different"

"You lost me"

"This pendant similar to mine, but they are not entirely identical. Based on your drawing, I can assume that they are two of a kind. I presume you owned the other one?"

"I lost it"

"Do you know what it is?"

"I'm asking you"

"Don't get me wrong"

"Alright, but I really didn't know"

"I obtained the pendant accidentally in the ruins of an ancient kingdom. I tried to search through all the records but found little to no information regarding it so I just had it lying for a while collecting dust"

"You're not hiding anything from me aren't you?"

"If there's someone who's hiding something here, isn���t it you? Surely you won't get interested in something that doesn't look special of you didn't know anything about it"

"You're right, I knew something"

"What does it take for you to tell me what you knew?" there is a subtle hint of manic expression in Yin's face.

"I want nothing. You are now free to go" Yue squinted her eyes and immediately detached herself from the transition when she hinted that things might go wrong.

"Why don't you become one of my person instead?" Yin smiled dangerously seductive.

"I don't want to become one of your person" Yue frowned. She can still see the traces of her friend in his face but he was using it to seduce her.

"Only person" Yin didn't expect that such words would come from his mouth but he didn't show it.

"Don't like you" Yue felt uncomfortable and didn't give face to the Crown Prince.

"You already like someone?" it's more a statement rather than a question. Yin didn't think that anyone could be better than him. He didn't consider Yyan since he is her brother.

"Why, does Your Highness like me?" Yue can't figure out why the Crown Prince had suddenly taken an interest in her when all she ever does is to mock him.

"You're proving to be more and more interesting, what's not to like?"

"But I won't let you eradicate my family" Yue never forget that this man bore a grudge against her brother and that the royal family wanted them dead.

"I'm not such a stiff person. If my lady decided to stay with me then I'm willing to set aside my grudge to your brother, make sure that your family will remain standing as long as I'm alive" Yin was serious when he let out those words.

Yin already approached Yue at this point.

"Big words for someone who can't even save himself"

Yue kept her guard up. She's afraid she might not be able to predict how the Crown Prince would react.

"My lady is underestimating this Crown Prince. If I want to, I can escape here anytime and take you with me the second time" Yin was about to reach out for Yue when- "Aaaahh!! let go of me, you bastard!"

"Say another word and I will send your head to the court" Yyan appeared just in time and twisted Yin's arms.

"You have really lost your mind! Did you really think you can get away with this?!" Yyan had broken through his expectations time and time again.

"You should've thought about it when you stepped into my bottom line" Yyan had long prepared himself for this fallout, besides Yue, he is not afraid of anything.

The two suddenly fought and Yue was left standing dazed.