Demonic Seed 4

Ouyang Xueqing scoffed mockingly. "What? Do you think I can forge an Imperial Edict?"

An Zhengnan didn't want to admit that he did think that she would do that. And if she got caught, The Lord would just let her be. But this kind of Imperial Edict…what was The Lord's thinking?!

"No, how can you do this?" He didn't mean to look down on her at all, but he forced himself to say it for her safety. "You are weak, weakest of us all. Even if you go there, what can you do? You will just be a burden. Not only have you not unlocked your attributes, but you also couldn't even transform! What can you do there?!"

The more he said it, the more agitated he became. When he imagined that she could have ended up like Ren Yupei, he felt his heart sank underground.

Qian Fangyi nodded his head rapidly. If something had happened to The Princess under his temporary guard, he would be personally executed by The Emperor!

 Ouyang Xueqing pursed her thin lips and glanced at Ling Xiaochen. Upon receiving her faint nod, she patted An Zhengnan's shoulder as if comforting him. "Fret not. Do you think Imperial Father will entrusted this job to me if I don't have the ability?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is," Once again, she dug into her sleeves and pull out a roll of talismans. Those were the Meridian Protection Talisman that she had extorted from Uncle Ling before he could put it on auction. Well, not her exactly, but Ling Xiaochen did. "This is Meridian Protection Talisman that I got from Imperial Father himself. With this, we will not be affected by the ghost qi!"

"Seriously?" An Zhengnan eyed her full of doubt. "Why didn't the Lord give it to me?"

"Heheh." She brushed her nose awkwardly. "Well, it's because I beg Imperial Father to let me come here. Trust me, I will solve this problem for sure!"

"The ghost qi isn't the main problem here." He sighed. What a dense girl she was. "I am worried about you. What if something unexpected happen and you are injured? Who knows what creature dwell inside?"

"Don't worry." She grinned jovially. "That's why Xiaochen is here to shield my back, right Xiaochen?"

As cue, Ling Xiaochen nodded and put on a solemn expression. "That's right. I will protect The Princess so that she will not sustain any injury. Don't worry, I am a wolf, and I am fast and strong!"

All of An Zhengnan's excuses was rebuked one by one. In the end, he sighed helplessly. "I will go with you."

She mused. Even if he didn't want to come, she had planned to drag him along anyway. But then, for the perfection of her act, she still asked. "Are you sure?"

He flicked her forehead. "I am here to escort you anyway."

"Great!" She clapped. "We will depart tomorrow after sunrise."

With no objection anymore, they complied resolutely. "Yes, Princess!"

"Princess." Qian Fangyi asked. "How many men do you need from us?"

Ouyang Xueqing tapped her chin. "No it's okay, me, Xiaochen and An Zhengnan is enough."

He was doubtful. "Are you sure? What if something happen?"

She shook her head. "Don't worry about us. If something happen, I will not blame you anyway. This is my order, remember?"

Qian Fangyi sighed in relief and nodded. As long as they won't take responsibility for any further accident, everything was fine. Even if he had five heads, it wouldn't be enough to compensate for the Princess' safety.

"Okay, first. Let's stick one of these talisman onto Brother Ren and see if it will have any effect." Ouyang Xueqing peeled off a talisman and carefully put it on his robes. As soon as the talisman touched him, it glowed with a faint light before gathering on his chest. Ouyang Xueqing held her breath and she stared wide eyes, scared to miss out even a single reaction.

The ray of light dissipated after it had successfully gathered in his meridian.

Ren Yupei's furrowed eyebrows slightly eased. After seeing that, Ouyang Xueqing let out a huge sigh of relief. Great, the talisman seemed to work!

An Zhengnan who observed Ren Yupei's state closely finally nodded. "His condition improves."

"Yes." She added. "Let's observe further and let him rest fully."

After three days of sitting in carriage, Ouyang Xueqing felt like her bottom was flatten and her spine cracked. As soon as she went into her designated room in the same floor as Ren Yupei's, she took her mask off, slumped onto her bed, and sighed blissfully.

She drifted off to sleep in no time at all.

It was nearly dusk by the time she woke up by the knock on her door. "Princess, are you asleep?"

Realizing it was Ling Xiaochen's voice, she woke up sluggishly and dawdled toward the door. "What's wrong?"

"It's dinner time." Ling Xiaochen glanced over her back. "Do you want to have dinner now?"

Ouyang Xueqing rubbed her eyes to brush off the sleepiness and nodded. "If you're looking for An Zhengnan, he's not here."

Ling Xiaochen's face instantly flushed and she stammered. "Who…Who's looking for him?!"

"Oh." She yawned. "Sorry if I'm wrong."

Ling Xiaochen knew that Ouyang Xueqing was teasing her. She gritted her teeth and spat out. "Hurry, I'm starving!"

"Okay okay." Her eyes brightened at the thought of food. Her stomach screamed in support as she tidied herself, grab her mask and put it back on. Together, they went down toward the dining hall attached to the inn.

The inn's security was top notch because it was reserved wholly for the knights and guards. Ouyang Xueqing and Ling Xiaochen's room was side by side, in the same fifth floor as Ren Yupei and An Zhengnan. As they climbed down the stairs, there were many knights lounging around that instantly stood up with straightened back when Ouyang Xueqing passed.

But Ling Xiaochen was right. An Zhengnan was nowhere to be seen.

She called the nearby guard. "Do you see An Zhengnan?"

He saluted and answered swiftly. "Reported to Princess, Captain is now patrolling around the town."

"Oh, I see." She mumbled. "Okay then. Take us to the dining hall."

"Yes, Princess."

The food in this small Valley Town was of course couldn't be compared to the first class cuisine in Royal Palace. It was blander, rougher, and didn't arouse her appetite. But Ouyang Xueqing knew that she couldn't complain, not when she herself volunteered to come here. She knew that she was spoiled rotten but at least, she wouldn't be unreasonable toward others.

She finished a bowl of dumpling and rice with some side dishes while Ling Xiaochen wolfed down all the food in the table. After that, Ouyang Xueqing went to Ren Yupei's room while Ling Xiaochen felt like she ate too much and in need for a walk.

The two guards standing outside his room saluted and opened the door for her. Ouyang Xueqing nodded and entered swiftly. The sky had darkened, and the only light in the room came from the burning candle, giving off a slight warmth and comforting feeling.

The only sound in the room was her steps and the man's soft and even breathing. Ouyang Xueqing sat on his bed side and stared at his peaceful face. Like this, he looked like a person that's only sleeping instead of a sick patient.

"Brother Ren." She muttered in a small voice. "Why have you not wake up yet?"