Your first step to know about me

The next morning, Xiana swept the yard of the Crown Prince's manor. It was a minor punishment Licheng gave her because he gave words to Xuanzi. She glared in Licheng's direction, who was in the pavilion with his five martial brothers.

Xiana stopped sweeping the ground and placed her hand on her back. "It seems they are conversing on a serious matter. Shen Daoren is the same as Licheng. I wonder what the four martial warriors are like?" She mumbled.

She left the sweeping work in the middle and rushed to the pavilion to hear the conversation. She hid behind a pillar and heard Licheng speak.

"Don't get caught while fetching the document," Licheng said.

"Why does the Crown Prince go himself and ask the shrine's caretaker about it? I believe it will be easier to take the document that way." This voice was unfamiliar to Xiana, but she knew it was of one of the martial brothers. She turned around to face the pillar and carefully peeked out of it.

"No one should find out," Licheng said and lifted his head from the map when his gaze landed on Xiana's eye widened it, and quickly turned away. She tightly closed her eyes and pursed her lips together.

'Did he see me?' Xiana thought and decided to jump down so that Licheng would not question her. She jumped down without making any noise and ran to the place where she had thrown the broom. She picked it up and again began sweeping the ground.

"Do this work in the night," Licheng told them and stood up to leave the pavilion. Xiana saw him leaving the pavilion, so she did not look in his direction anymore.

"Do you wish to sweep only this particular area?" Licheng's voice fell into her ears. She didn't expect him to approach her and gazed at him for a brief moment.

"This area was dirtier. The servants in your manor didn't clean the place well when you were not here," Xiana said and moved ahead. Licheng noticed how she avoided his gaze and he took steps toward her.

"What were you doing behind the pillar?" Licheng didn't beat around the bush.

"Pillar?" Xiana arched his brow at him. "What do you mean? Don't disturb me. I have an entire yard to sweep. You punished me just because your little crybaby brother asked you to," she twitched her lips and asked him to go away.

Licheng held the broom firmly as he stood in front of her. Xiana frowned and asked him what he wanted from her.

"Truth," Licheng replied. "You were behind the pillar, hearing the conversation," he asserted.

"I never did that," Xiana lied to him and held the broom to snatch it from him. She found his accusing gaze at him and it made her feel embarrassed.

"I was curious," Xiana admitted she was hidden behind the pillar. "You were talking about a secret document. You are planning to steal it," she said and smirked at him.

Licheng smiled to hear the truth from her and brought his hand to her nape. He let go of the broom, which fell to the floor. Licheng pulled her close, thus taking her by surprise. Their eyes locked and his left eye shone bright red. "Now, you have to forget about that conversation, Xiana," he whispered against her lips and she blinked. She pushed him away and asked him why he was holding her that way.

"For this," Licheng said and lifted the eyelash from her cheek. "Do you want to make a wish?" He asked and held her other hand. He put the eyelash on the back of her palm, "Make a wish, Princess." He pulled his hand back and the tiny smile slowly vanished from his lips.

Xiana closed her eyes and made a wish before blowing it.

"Brother Licheng, Good morning." They both hear Su Yuan's voice. Licheng greeted him a good morning too and saw a Chinese rose in his hand.

"Is this Princess Xiana?"

Xiana turned to look at him and recognized his face. "Yes, I am," Xiana replied.

Yuan quickly ran in her direction and with a wide smile said, "I am Su Yuan, the Third Prince." He forwarded a Chinese rose to Xiana and said, "I was in the royal garden, so I brought it for the princess."

Xiana grabbed the Chinese rose flower and tilted her head to look at Licheng. "How can your brother is sweeter than you?" She remarked.

"Did you call me sweet, Xiana?" Su Yuan asked. She looked at him and nodded her head.

"When Brother Xuanzi told me you were the servant appointed, it was hard to believe because you looked like a princess to me. Then, I found out you are the Princess from the Yu Kingdom. You are beautiful, Xiana," Yuan affirmed and again smiled at her.

"Thank you for the compliment, Prince Yuan," Xiana said.

"You can call me Yuan. I am calling you by your name," Yuan told Xiana and looked at Licheng. "Can I take Xiana with me, Brother Licheng?" He asked for permission.

"Sure," Licheng said and asked Xiana to sweep the entire yard first.

"I will do it later." Xiana wanted to escape the punishment and requested Licheng to let her leave.

"Yuan, you can leave. Xiana will come later," Licheng stated.

"Why doesn't the First Brother ask someone else to do this work?" Yuan opined. Before Licheng could answer him, he heard a feminine voice that was new to him.

They all saw a young, petite woman who appeared to be from a noble family. Xiana checked her out from top to bottom when heard Yuan whisper in her ear.

"Xiana, the young woman in front of us is Ji Anning. She is the one whom my First Brother was supposed to get engaged to when he was fifteen."

Xiana turned her head to look at Yuan and smiled a little. She found a good way to escape from there and quietly took a step back. Yuan gazed at Xiana and understood that she was thinking of leaving.

"Follow me," Yuan told Xiana, and they turned around to leave.

"Stay here, Xiana," Licheng said as he caught her wrist. "Your first step to know about me starts here. Defend me here, Xiana," he affirmed.