No position to threaten me [Bonus chapter]

Xiana's back hit the pillar as Licheng pinned her to it. The unpleasant expression on his face showed how annoyed he was at Xiana. She tried to move away from his hold, but she was not strong enough in front of him.

"I don't do child's play," Licheng's gentle tone suddenly changed. "So, next time I do not want it to get repeated. You are in no position to threaten me either. Also, do not try to paste your thoughts on me. Earlier you said we both have different personalities. My actions and your actions are different. Do anything you want, but do not do something which makes me punish you," Licheng said while boring his gaze at her.

Xiana gulped for the first time to hear his words.

"Did the Princess understand?" He asked.

"Yes," Xiana replied.

"Great." Licheng moved his left hand to her right one and their fingers touched. He took the flute from her and rested its base on her cheek. She lowered her gaze to look at the flute and asked him what he was doing.

"Leave," Licheng let go of her left hand and at the same time lifted the flute from her cheek. Xiana did not waste any second and ran to the chamber to go outside.

When Xiana came out of the chamber, Eunuch Jize asked if she was alright. Xiana did not reply to him, instead, she asked him a question, "When will he eat lunch?"

"When His Royal Highness will order me," Eunuch Jize answered.

"Hmm." Xiana did not say anything. She decided to stay outside the chamber because she wanted to serve the lunch meals to Licheng. Again, she heard the melodious sound of the flute and it made her wonder why he was playing it.

"Eunuch Jize, why is Licheng rude to his elders? He does not respect anyone around him," Xiana said.

"Princess Xiana, did something happen inside?" Eunuch Jize asked.

"No," Xiana lied.

"The Crown Prince does not like when someone disturbs him in the middle of the playing flute," Eunuch Jize said with a tiny smile on his lips.

"Why did Eunuch Jize not scold the Crown Prince when he talked so rudely with the Empress?" Xiana queried him.

"I am in no position to do that," Eunuch Jize answered. "I am surprised the Crown Prince did not punish Princess Xiana for disturbing him," he asserted.

"I didn't disturb him," Xiana said in a low voice and leaned against the door with her arms crossed.

An hour later, Licheng stopped playing the flute. Eunuch Jize gestured to Xiana to move away from the door. He walked in and found Licheng on the same rock. He was lost in his deep thoughts.

"Pardon me for intrusion, Your Royal Highness," Eunuch Jize said with a humble tone. Licheng tilted his head to look at him.

"Should I ask the maidservants to set the lunch table for His Royal Highness?" Eunuch Jize asked.

"Not needed. I will have my lunch with my mother," Licheng replied and rose to his feet. Eunuch Jize nodded and asked Licheng for the flute. "I will place it in its place," Eunuch Jize said.

Licheng handed the flute to Eunuch Jize and went ahead of him. He stepped out of the door and saw Xiana in front of him.

"Where are you going?" Xiana asked.

Licheng did not answer her and walked past her. The other maidservants had kept their heads low. Xiana went behind him and asked him if he was upset with her.

"You should go back to your room and have lunch," Licheng finally spoke with her. "I don't want your father to complain to me that I starved his daughter," he muttered. "Now, don't follow me from here," he affirmed.

Xiana halted in her steps and watched him go away.

Licheng soon reached outside the Empress' Yunxian chamber. "Please inform Mother I have come to see her," Licheng said.

The maidservant bowed and went inside. Within seconds, she returned and humbly told Licheng he could go inside. Licheng stepped into the chamber and turned to the left to enter the room. To his surprise, both his father and mother were seated on the floor chairs.

The maidservants were taking away the dishes to the kitchen and he realized they had lunch before he could arrive. He greeted both of them and asked his mother if he should come later.

"We are done eating. Crown Prince Licheng tells us why he is here," Empress Yunxian said. Emperor Zhenji noticed the coldness in his wife's voice and he wondered if Licheng said something to her.

"I wanted to apologize to Mother for my morning's behavior," Licheng said.

Emperor Zhenji knitted his brows and asked the Empress what had happened between them.

"His Majesty should ask his son," Empress Yunxian said.

Emperor Zhenji glanced at Licheng with inquisitiveness and expected an answer from him.

"Should I say, Mother?" Licheng asked for permission first.

"Crown Prince Licheng told Ji Anning he has nothing to do with her and even told her how he wanted to marry Xiana," Empress Yunxian herself narrated to the Emperor.

"Is it true?" Emperor Zhenji could not digest the fact that Licheng said that. "Crown Prince Licheng told me he did not want to marry Princess Xiana," he affirmed and gazed at Empress Yunxian for a brief moment.

"Because I may marry her in the future," Licheng said. It was necessary to tell such a lie because if he would tell the truth to his mother, she would try to make Ji Anning get close to him.

Emperor Zhenji was still perplexed by his son's words. He was unable to believe Licheng's words, so he decided to ask him later about it.

"However, I am here to apologize to my mother because I should have understood her intentions too. She sees me as the Crown Prince of the Kingdom. Indeed, at this age, I should get married, but Mother I cannot focus on that part at the moment," Licheng put forward his thoughts calmly this time.