CH 12

Ming Zhu boldly snatched the book from his hand, "I'm reading it for fun, to pass the time."

A canary that was locked up would often feel lonely too. Zhao Zhi treated her as a pretty plaything that he was raising. When he was free he would come over, if he was not free, then he would put her aside, and didn't even allow her to have some fun ?

Moreover, every time Zhao Zhi came, it was to fulfill his own personal desires. In bed he would always toss her in a variety of ways. He was not at all like outsiders believed he was, an elegant and dignified crown prince, whose words and actions were considerate.

It was difficult for Ming Zhu to see him, but now she had to endure her distress, and beg him in a low voice.

She said, "Your Highness, did you consider the matter I mentioned to you last time?"

Zhao Zhi, in a cool voice, "What matter ?"

Ming Zhu clenched her teeth, "The maidservant I brought over from the Ming family."

Zhao Zhi narrowed his eyes slightly, "You want her back?"

Ming Zhu nodded her head.

Zhao Zhi smiled gently, but the smile did not reach the bottom of his eyes and he just silently stared at her.

The maid was loyal to Ming Zhu, and had a previous record of helping her escape. The fact that Zhao Zhi did not take the maid's life before was already an act of mercy on his part.

Seeing that his face was as frosty as ice, Ming Zhu took a few steps forward, gently hugged his waist, opened her mouth and pleaded in a soft voice: "I grew up with her, please give her back to me, Your Highness."

Zhao Zhi wrapped his arms around her, his breath slightly cold, "I'll think about it."

Ming Zhu smelled the familiar musky scent on the man's body and said, "Then I thank Your Highness in advance."

Zhao Zhi carelessly said "hmm" and lowered his eyes to examine the girl's round and red cheeks. As his eyes darkened, the fingers holding her secretly tightened.

Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "Ming Ru is your legitimate1 elder sister?"

Ming Zhu froze for a few seconds, "Yes, she's my legitimate elder sister."

The family's pampered and spoiled legitimate sister. She was also the treasure in the palm of her father's hand, since childhood she had been loved as the apple of his eye. Her talent and appearance in the capital were extremely renowned.

Her legitimate sister had a haughty temperament, and was also somewhat arrogant and domineering. Her arrogance was seen as cute in the eyes of others, but to Ming Zhu, an unfavored concubine-born daughter, it was a great source of pressure.

Her legitimate sister didn't treat her well at all, and for some reason just didn't like her. In winter, she would order her to wash clothes for her, and before dawn, she would order her to get up and go to the kitchen to make food.

Ming Zhu spent those days in fear and anxiety. Every day she hoped that her legitimate sister could spend more time in the palace, accompanying the princess in her studies, so that she would less torment her when she'd come back home.

Zhao Zhi only asked this one question, and did not say anything else.

Ming Zhu couldn't help but be curious, "Your Highness, why are you asking about my sister? Did she come looking for me?"

If so, Ming Zhu would forget all about the previous enmity she felt towards her legitimate sister !

Ming Zhu still didn't know that Ming Ru was the candidate that Zhao Zhi's grandmother chose for the position of his side consort. The other day, Zhao Zhi met for the first time this legitimate eldest daughter of the Ming family. The person was educated and reasonable, and knew how to advance and retreat when doing things.

Zhao Zhi looked at this pair of clean and transparent eyes, pursed his straight lips and kept silent without saying anything.

(5.1)

Ming Zhu foolishly thought that Zhao Zhi mentioned her legitimate sister because her legitimate sister was entrusted by her family to come look for her in Wangyue Pavilion. She naively began to dream that her legitimate sister would bring her back to the Ming family.

Zhao Zhi looked down at her wet and clear eyes. The light coming through the window frame reflected in her eyes. They were wet and clear, dark and round, as if the bright and glistening white moon was being washed with water, they were so beautiful and clean that people couldn't move away their eyes.

Zhao Zhi gulped soundlessly, his thumbs curled up and he refrained himself from covering her eyes.

He said, "I'm just a casually asking, you don't have to think too much about it."

Zhao Zhi's words were like cold water being poured over her head, extinguishing her newly raised hopes.

"Oh."

As Zhao Zhi held her waist, the tip of his nose became filled with the unique fragrance emitting from the girl's body. After more than half a month of not being close to her, it was difficult at the moment not to be moved.

He rarely restrained himself in front of Ming Zhu. Gently lifting her chin, his dark pupils gazed at the flush staining the young girl's cheeks. The force on his fingers gradually deepened and forcing her to slightly open her lips, he kissed her.

Ming Zhu staggered back two steps and the back of her waist was pressed against the table. Unable to retreat, she was forced to tilt her snow-white neck to meet his kiss, as a few silky gasps escaped her lips.

Zhao Zhi let go of her waist and unhurriedly tidied up her slightly messy strands of hair.

1 In case some people are unfamiliar with the ancient chinese family system, children are either born di, which means they were birthed by the main wife, or shu, which means they were birthed by concubines. I'll use the word legitimate for di and the word concubine-born for shu.