Chapter 10

"Who is the woman you are chasing?" She asked calmly.

"That doesn't concern you," Mao Guanglie said.

"Yes, that's true. I can't help but be curious, though."

"She's a traitor found guilty of consorting with enemy soldiers," Prince Yi Feng answered. Mao Guangli was surprised that he had responded to her but would not say so. His Master's words were law, and what he spoke would always be flawless. It was the duty of a servant to think this way.

The word traitor made Lia Jiao's teeth clench together. Wasn't she a traitor too? She had to take a moment to breathe, the thoughts of that night flickering in front of her eyes. The smell of the blood of that night had never truly left her nose.

"Come down from there. This Prince is ordering you." Prince Yi Feng was extremely patient with her, much out of character for him. Her skill with the bow had impressed him, and he could admit that he wanted to know more about her, perhaps she could become a sword for him in the future. As much as he despised women, he wasn't above using them.

Liang Lai Jiao thought it over for a while. She measured the options. She had never planned to stay on this mountain forever. She'd promised Prince Li Feng long ago that she would serve him with her life. It seemed that the time had come. But she wasn't willing to just ignore the woman and the baby.

"I wonder if this second prince might be willing to make a deal with me?"

"Are you planning on begging for your life?" He asked with a tilt to his lips.

"I have no need for that," she said simply. His eyes flashed with surprise. "Whether I live or die, it was already a gift to live until now."

He tried harder to see her face, she was hidden too deep in the depths of the tree. He could only see a sliver of skin peeking out from the foliage.

"What do you want then?" He asked after a while. The men behind him were shocked, this person had never been easy to deal with.

"Your guard has moved forward three different times; I ask that you once again tell him to remain where he is."

The guard's brows narrowed. He had been very quiet in his movements, and from here, he could even see that her eyes had never turned in his direction.

"It's his duty as a guard to keep me safe," Prince Yi Feng said, ignoring her.

"I don't want to have to hurt him," she said softly. The strange gentleness of her voice confused the men below her and dumbfounded the Prince.

"If that's so, then there is no reason to listen to anything you say. Come down from there before we have to become rough with you." He was losing some of his patience.

Liang Lai Jiao smiled faintly, a feeling of bitterness filling her chest. "I wonder if this Prince knows about the nature of a bee," she said softly in that same gentle way as before. The Prince didn't answer; only shifted slightly, hoping to see her better. "A bee has no desire to sting because it knows that if it does, it too will die. Likewise, I am willing to sting, but I have no desire to."

The Prince quirked a brow, "So it sounds like you don't have faith in your ability then. You're worried that you would die as well?"

"I would die, but not because I am weak, or my ability is not enough, but because I will not harm you."

"You just said that you are willing, so now what are you saying?" He found the words she was saying more and more enjoyable.

"I will kill all the others, but you, I can only submit." As much as she disdained the idea of it, she was someone who held firm to her word. Aside from that, although she was well trained and had spent years alone in this mountain fighting, she had never actually killed a person. She wasn't ready to do so unless things headed in the wrong direction. And part of her words was really just bluffing, how was she supposed to know how capable they were.

His eyes flashed with suspicion. What kind of words were these? Wasn't this basically saying that she would kill him once she got close enough?

"I suppose that you are very loyal to our great nation and our emperor, then?" He said with an edge to his voice.

"I care for the people within this nation, but I have no care for the rulers of it. In fact, I would even say I despise them."

He let out a dark laugh, "Then it's just me? It seems that you've fallen in love at first sight!" He glared at her with disgust. " Perhaps that woman and you have been plotting together to lead me here for a while now. Men be on guard for any type of ambush!" The men instantly became more alert.

"How could I love someone that I've only seen twice? I'm not a fickle person." She rolled her eyes; how egotistical could he be?

He blanched at her response; where had she seen him the first time? "Twice?"

"Mmmm, at that time, I made a promise that I would not hurt you." She said these words with such simple conviction that it left him feeling uncertain.