Meeting the so-called "Ruthless" Prince

In a beautiful alluring mansion where a lady with fair skin sits outside the balcony of her room. A loyal maid by her side watching together the scenery of their mansion.

"Third Lady, it is already time for breakfast." A servant called outside from her room.

The lady is unwilling to eat with them but since her mother is there, she must be there too.

"My Lady, are we going?" Her maid ask her also hesitating to go for breakfast.

"How is mother?" Xu Yi Guan, a daughter of a concubine and the favorite daughter of Master Xu.

"Mother is still in a bad mood hearing the news that you will get to marry the 2nd Prince". Yin Tian, the maid, told her lady the condition of her mother.

"I have no choice, Yin Tian. I am doing this to stop second mother, second sister and fourth sister to stop bullying my mother." Yi Guan said as Yin Tian help her lady to stand up from where she had seated.

"Sis, are you really going to do this? I mean, the 2nd Prince is ruthless. We may end up dead before you two get married." Yin Tian slowly lead her lady outside her room and walk towards the dining area.

Yin Tian often called Yi Guan a sister because they have been together and becoming friends since they were kids. And Yi Guan doesn't mind calling her that too.

"We will be fine, Yin Tian. It's just a rumor. Don't believe in them, understood?"

"I get it, My Lady." Yin Tian lower her head as respect to her lady.

As they reach the dining area, Master Xu, Madam Xu, 2nd mother and her daughters, and her mother are already there.

"What took you so long? Everyone is already waiting for you." Xu Zi, the Second Lady said mockingly.

Yi Guan was startled a bit but then put a smile in her face. And turn to face Xu Zi.

"2nd sister, you should call me 2nd Princes' Lady since I will be married to the Prince soon. And remember, once I get married, our status will be different." Yi Guan remain her smile and sits beside her mother.

"You!" Xu Zi was angered by Yi Guan's words so she give her a glare.

"Okay, that's enough. The food is getting cold." Master Xu speaks to lessen the cold scenario between the Xu sisters.

"Guan'er, are you still gonna do the marriage?" Yi Guan's mother ask as she is still worried for her daughter's future.

"Mother, as long as I can keep you safe from them, I am willing to accept this marriage." Yi Guan said and held her mother's hand.

"Alright, I can't stop you. But please, take care of yourself when you are in the palace. Also, don't let others look down on you specially you will be the 2nd Prince's lady." Her mother can help but to bless Yi Guan's future with the 2nd Prince.

"I understood mother." Yi Guan said and they start to have their supper.

After a several minutes of silent eating, one of their servant runs towards them saying, "Master, people from the Palace are here."

"Let them in." Master Xu ordered.

"Yes, Master."

All of them stands up from their seats as the people from the Palace enters their mansion and headed towards them.

"My greetings, Mr. Fu." Master Xu bow in respect.

"Please rise, Master Xu." Mr. Fu said as he fixed his eyes to Yi Guan. Mesmerizing the splendid beauty of the young lady. But he clearly knows that this fairy is the 2nd Prince's Lady.

After staring for a second, he speaks.

"I am here to fetch 2nd Prince's Lady." Mr. Fu said and bow down to Yi Guan.

Yi Guan seems to hesitate a little but Yin Tian lead her lady to the front near Mr. Fu.

"My Lady needs to dress up first, we will be quick." Yin Tian spoke for her lady.

Mr. Fu then said, "We are willing to wait for My Lady."

Yi Guan look back at her family and then headed back to her room to change.

10 minutes have passed and Yi Guan with Yin Tian is now walking towards Mr. Fu. Yi Guan is well dressed as people from the Palace couldn't take their eyes off her. Not just them, but all of the people around them.

A lady with such a fair skin and well dressed. Who wouldn't look to such a beautiful young lady?

Mr. Fu came back to his senses and even warned his people.

"What are you looking at? You dare to fix eyes on 2nd Prince's Lady?"

His people were frightened by his venting so they quickly look away and responds, "We dare not! We dare not!"

"Mr. Fu, It's alright." Yi Guan said and then added, "Can we go now?"

Mr. Fu replied, "Yes, My Lady."

Mr. Fu then clear his path for Yi Guan to walk.

"Guan'er." Her mother called her.

Yi Guan stop walking and face her family.

"Father, mother, I'll be going." Yi Guan said and bow to plead goodbye then walk towards the carriage.

"Take care, my daughter." Yi Guan's mother murmured to herself.

In the middle of their way to the Palace, an arrow was shot directly on the ladies' carriage.

The carriage instantly stopped that lead Yi Guan to be curious on what's happening outside.

"Protect My Lady!" Mr. Fu drew his sword from its sheath and observe the surroundings.

The guards are also surrounding the carriage to protect the ladies.

Because of curiosity, Yi Guan open the door of the carriage and ask, "Mr. Fu, what is happening?"

"My Lady, some bandits are attacking. Please stay inside for your safety." Mr. Fu said and then a bandits attacked them.

"Mr. Fu, careful!" Yi Guan shouted and closes the door quickly.

"My Lady, it's alright. They will protect us." Yin Tian said to calm her lady.

They heard loud shouting outside because of fighting. Swords crashing towards one another.

But then a sword went through the carriage almost hitting the ladies. They couldn't help but scream in frightened.

"Aaaaaahhhhhh!"

Mr. Fu saw the scene and quickly went to them.

"My Lady!" Mr. Fu shouted but he was too late. The carriages' door was broken. A bandit went inside and pulled Yi Guan out.

"My Lady!" Yin Tian shouted and frightened by her lady being hostage.

"Don't go near us! Or else I will kill this lady!" The bandit who hostage Yi Guan said.

"You dare to kill the 2nd Prince's Lady?" Mr. Fu warned the bandit.

"Huh! I will kill her no matter what!" The bandit puts his sword on Yi Guan's neck.

"My Lady!" They shouted.

The bandit was ready to cut Yi Guan's neck but a sword hit his head resulting him to stop and blood spits to Yi Guan's head.

"Aaaaaahhhh!" Yi Guan shouted as the bandit loosen his grip to her. The moment the bandit loosen her, she also looses her balance and almost hit the ground. But luckily, a man reaches for her waist before she could fell off the ground.

Yi Guan was startled when someone wrap an arm to her waist but she eventually hold on in the arms of the man who stop her from hitting the ground.

She look at the man but then their eyes interlock with each other.

After seeing their men being killed by a sword in the head, they knew that this person is dangerous as a storm.

"Let's go!" The bandits starts to run away from them. Mr. Fu was supposed to chase them but he stop for he knew it's useless if he'll do that.

"Your Highness! My Lady!" Mr. Fu and Yin Tian run towards the two.

Hearing that Mr. Fu called the man 'Your Highness', Yi Guan quickly move her body away from the man, but in a gentle way.

"My Lady! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Yin Tian was scanning through Yi Guan but seeing that her lady is fine, she calm herself.

"I'm fine". Yi Guan responded and looked at the man beside her.

"Your Highness, thank you for saving me." Yi Guan still had no idea who this man is except she knows that this man is one of the nobles.

The man starred at her for a couple of second but then divert his eyes on Mr. Fu.

"Fu Cheng, let's get back to the mansion".

"Understood, 2nd Prince". After learning that the man beside her is the 2nd Prince, her eyes widen.

"2nd Prince? It's you?" Yi Guan can't help but blurted out what she was thinking.

When she realize what she just have said, she quickly apologize.

"Your Highness, I apologize for what I've just said earlier". Yi Guan lowered her head in response of respect.

"My Lady, you don't need to apologize. Besides, everything you've said wasn't offending His Highness. Also...." Fu Cheng look at the 2nd Prince before he continued and then he chuckled.

"Also, you are His Highness' Lady. You don't need to be quite formal when nobody else is around."

The 2nd Prince gazed on Fu Cheng for warning. And Fu Cheng just shut his mouth as he was ordered.

"We'll talked about ourselves once we get home." The 2nd Prince said. After that, he whistle.

A horse with an armor covered within his body came running towards them and stops in front of the 2nd Prince.

'So this is 2nd Prince's horse. Just seeing this horse being armored, this means it's not an ordinary horse.' Yi Guan thought.

The bandits broke their carriage so Yi Guan was suppose to ask a question regarding on how can they get back to the mansion without a carriage.

2nd Prince must have read Yi Guan's mind and then he said, "You will ride the horse with me."

Yi Guan didn't expect him to say that.

2nd Prince went up to the horse's back and lend his hand to Yi Guan.

Yi Guan was hesitating since this is their first meeting but the Prince already lend her to ride his horse with him.

Of course she accept his hand but the moment she went up, she took a great force to sit on the horse's back that lead her to almost fall down on the other side. Luckily, the Prince hold her shoulder to prevent her from falling.

"Don't use too much force in sitting down. Be careful next time." 2nd Prince said.

'Next time? This means I will have another chance to ride his horse again?' Yi Guan said in her mind and the she responds to the Prince.

"I will be careful next time." She said.

Yin Tian is also riding on Fu Cheng's horse. Once they have settled down, they went back to the mansion.