CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

“Forgive me, but what are you doing?”

Soon after.

The sound of broken items. Screams of pain until blood was flying inside the diner floor.

“God damn it! Take this!”

Bai Ying lowered his body to hide under the table while everyone around him suddenly started fighting. It started with a man with an ugly face with a bald head who was about to touch him, but the handsome-looking man prevented him and pushed him so that he hit another guest. The other guest was angry because the bald-headed man pushed him so he threw the food in his hand at the bald-headed man. But instead of hitting him, it hit the face of a woman sitting not far from them. The woman screamed, and the man who came with her got angry and hit the man. Finally, the commotion could not be avoided, everyone was hitting each other and smashing all the food and even the furniture was destroyed. The waiters were overwhelmed by stopping the fights involving all the guests without exception.

“Ouch, customers please don’t make a fuss, please stop”

The handsome-looking man who had also lowered his body under the table approached Bai Ying. Seeing the young man’s face and smiling broadly, he still manages to smile at times like that.

“He, things being like this, looks like we won’t be able to eat together huh? Come here, hold my hand.” The young man stretched out his hand in front of Bai Ying. Waiting for the young man to grab it.

.....

“Come on, let’s get out of here”

Bai Ying looked at the big hand for a moment and saw the commotion around it. It was like what his brother said, that he would only make everyone fuss because of him, this was really lame. Bai Ying couldn’t help but accept the man’s outstretched hand which pulled him out from under the table, nestling among the people who were fighting towards the door. The man lifted his robe high to cover his and Bai Ying’s head so he could safely exit the messy tavern.

“Bastard, come here!” cried some of the rough men who had no intention of stopping fighting either.

...

Bai Ying let his hand be pulled by the young man away from the diner. The commotion was still heard even when they were far away. It was seen that some residents watch it from outside and soon the guards from the city of Sui Lian burst in.

“What’s going on here? Stop it all!”

Bai Ying and the young man took cover behind a wall. Still panting from running away so fast earlier.

The young man stood in front of Bai Ying who was leaning against the wall facing him. He laughed at the commotion that he thought couldn’t possibly happen on a sunny day like this, but it did happen. The young man laughed, stopping when he looked at Bai Ying who was occasionally looking at the diner.

The man was stunned. Bai Ying’s face at this time, his pair of big round eyes with a light that seemed to radiate so brightly. His full red lips were like a perfectly ripe plum, he was so beautiful that the young man subconsciously drew closer.

Bai Ying widened his eyes. He held the chest of the young man who was getting closer to him, too close. Stop him from keep moving.

“Young master!” his voice made the young man stop his movements. His eyes were wide open, he was almost drooling, what was he doing? Immediately he pulled his body back away.

“P-pardon me, uh..” he scratched his head, damn, he cursed to himself, how could he lose himself at a time like this? The young man moved away from Bai Ying and headed towards the street. Bai Ying was still stuttering in place until the young man quickly came back to him.

“Eh, come on, let’s get out of here, don’t let those people from the diner pinpoint us as the culprits and drag us to the city guards, the last thing I want right now” he stretched out his hand in front of Bai Ying waiting for him to grab it.

Bai Ying looked at the young man for a moment, he didn’t really want to walk with other people at this time, nor did he want to meet new people, looks like he had caused the people in front of him to get into trouble because of him. But, he didn’t need anyone else on this trip

Bai Ying dusted off his clothes and put his hood and veil back on. Walked past the young man to the street exit from the passage between the buildings.

“Excuse me, young master”

The young man pulled his hand back, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. The sweet young man just walked past him making it awkward.

“Eh” but without thinking, he immediately followed Bai Ying.

“Hey Young Master, please wait for me”

....

The sound of horseshoes traced the path out of the large city of Sui Lian. In no time, Bai Ying who had gotten his black horse, Xiao Hei, and the young man on his big brown horse were back on the road and heading to the next town.

Along the way, the young man tried to talk to Bai Ying, even though the young man didn’t seem to care about him at all.

“Um, what’s your name?” asked the young man.

The road which was quite lively due to the many merchants and travelers like them also passing through it meant that everyone had to walk quite slowly.

Bai Ying would ignore him, ignore the young man who might get tired of him, and walk away, why should he follow him? He didn’t need to tell him his name either.

The young man seemed to understand. The cold demeanor of the young man with a pretty face in front of him didn’t make him even think of getting away from him. Just looking at him from behind, even with a head covering and veil, he could already imagine how beautiful Bai Ying’s eyes were that for an instant carried his heart away with him. How could he pretend he didn’t see him now? Such a pretty creature walks into his life, all of sudden.

The young man smiled. He should have introduced himself first.

“I am Su Li Ming, you can call me Su Li Ming, Li Ming, or Brother Ming Ming. And looks like I am older than you, I am twenty-one years old, originally from Bu Li city in the west of Li country”

The words of the young man called Su Li Ming made Bai Ying look at him. He pulled the reins of his horse to stop his path. The young man stopped too when he saw Bai Ying’s gaze on him, he stretched out his hand again.

“Eh, nice to meet you, eh young master..”

Bai Ying’s gaze made the young man look at him clumsily, he had gone awry.

“You, from Li country?” Bai Ying asked. His voice was pleasant to hear it made the young man even more fascinated by him that he forgot to close his gaping mouth. Bai Ying pulled his lips and rolled his eyes. It’s useless to talk to the imbecile in front of him. He was starting to lose his temper because of his strange behavior earlier.

Bai Ying was about to continue on his way back when the young man’s soul finally back to his body. He immediately caught up with him.

“Y-yeah, that, uh I’m from the country of Li, it’s west of the Capital city of San Po, to get there we have to pass through Yue Yang’s palace. Uh, where are you going?” asked Li Ming.

Bai Ying continued on his way. He stomped his horse’s bridle, accelerating the pace because the road was getting quiet. The orange sun was already in front of them slowly descending into its bed.

“Young master, please wait for me, we can go there together, it’s a very beautiful country, spring all year round with warm air, you will definitely like it very much. Um, what’s your name?” shouted the young man following Bai Ying, it seemed he would not stay away from Bai Ying who was already getting irritated with him.

“Don’t follow me!”

“Hey, Young Master, come on, I can protect you from the philandering men, with this kind of face, it’s not good for you to wander alone. Little Brother”

“Please don’t follow me!” Bai Ying exclaimed annoyed.

...

It was raining heavily. Several large horses were led into the stables of a large inn not far from the city of Sui Lian. After passing through the Pai Hua valley that stretched all the way to the end of Sui Lian City and finally arrived at the small town at the foot of the valley.