Warmth under the moonlight

And again, she recalled the incident when she flouted the scholarship's rules. In that instant her reaction was clearly visible on her face. Her hands spontaneously gripped her dress tightly. Become awkward.

"Hmm… Your Majesty…" she stammered. Afraid that the words she was about to say could offend the Emperor.

"Yes..." said the Emperor, turning to her. Waiting patiently for what she has to say.

Still timidly she tried to say "Yesterday when I said that this scholarship rule is unfair. Hmm… I don't mean to be ungrateful. I should be grateful that there are still men who can still study and become scholars to build and prosper this kingdom" she tried to explain and hoped that the emperor would not misunderstand 'can my words be understood by him?' she asked to himself inwardly.

The emperor smiled looking at Qing Yang. Instead of answering what has been conveyed by her. The emperor asked, "You didn't read the parchment I gave you today?" his head tilted to the side slightly so that he could see her face more clearly.

"Huh" she hesitated, her brows furrowed trying to understand what the emperor was trying to convey. 'Parchment' she repeated on her mind. She just remembered, because she was lost in her thoughts when she arrived at Xiao Hai's house. She forgot about the parchment. And earlier she had left it on the study table in her room while hastily following Tan Ruo dan dragged her effortly to the living room to meet the guest.

Why did the emperor suddenly ask about parchment huh. What does that have to do with me denouncing the rules for scholars? The more she doesn't understand. She wrung her fingers that were on her lap, nervous.

"Hah… that… uh… I put it in my room, I wanted to read it after dinner but the royal guards suddenly came to pick me up so I left it in the room." She said shy. She couldn't possibly say that she herself forgot to meet the emperor tonight. Her face lowered more and deeply looking on the ground, the corners of her eyes occasionally glanced at the emperor.

"Ha ha ha ha…. It's okay, tomorrow you'll find out too." The Emperor laughed in amusement at Qing Yang's flustered appearance.

'Tomorrow, what would happen tomorrow?' if she came home from here, she would bury herself under the blanket, burying her face in the pillow. And as hard as possible to fall asleep quickly, but she doubts she can sleep well this night.

Silence filled the two of them again. On the one hand not knowing what to do, on the other hand feeling depressed that he had put too much pressure on the person sitting next to him. Who was now lowering her head even deeper and wringing her fingers. He was afraid that she would hurt her fingers if she squeezed too hard.

"After yesterday's incident, are you still afraid of the sea?" Ask the Emperor looking for a topic of conversation and can distract her from being too anxious..

"It's not really, hmm... previously what I was afraid of was that I was afraid of drowning because I couldn't swim and the thing, I was most afraid of, Mom and Dad going away from me" replied Qing Yang, still looking down.

The Emperor grabbed Qing Yang's hand, surprised and wanted to pull it from the emperor's grasp but was immediately grabbed by the Emperor tightly. And the next second the emperor hugged Qing Yang in his arms "Let me feel what you feel, and you don't have to be afraid anymore if you drown, I will help you out of the sea, cry if you want to cry, my shoulders are always ready to support for you".

Qing Yang, who did not understand what was happening, heard the emperor's words make her lose the strength she had been trying to look strong and tough in the eyes of Grandma and the others. Unknowingly her body shook, and she cried.

The emperor hugged her tighter letting her cry until the tremors subsided. The Emperor let go of his hug "Now wherever you go they will always be with you, Blue sea Pearl" the Emperor said whispering in Qing Yang's ear then wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks with both his hands cupping her cheeks, slowly using his thumb he wiped the tears that flowing down her cheeks.

Qing Yang stared at the Emperor in silence. This was the first time she cried in front of other people. Especially in the presence of an emperor. But what can she do, tears just flow. It was as if the solid walls that she had built all this time since the death of her parents collapsed instantly and only left dust and the dust was now carried away by the wind.

The emperor's hands then wrapped around her waist. The two of them looked out at the sea. Looking for, feeling the peace on the side-lines of the waves rustling on the coast. Crashing through the rocks seems to give its own music, playing along with the wind that blows away the confusion, sadness, and anxiety. Hopefully tomorrow will be replaced with a more cheer day.

The two sat quietly, enjoying the silence of the night. Looking up at the horizon above the sky, full of twinkling stars. As if to join in filling the peace of the night with full of joy

On the other hand, on a cliff not far from the coast, stood a figure in the darkness. His face, which was hidden from the shadow of the tree, looked gloomy. He clenched his palms until they turned pale, as if blood was afraid to flow and made the figure more and more filled with a deeper anger. He didn't want to see what was happening in front of him any longer. He turns around to leaves. Disappear in the darkness of the night in thin air.