Chapter 115: A Touch of Jealousy
With a sharp whoosh, the hairpin flew through the air, piercing the screen, its painted landscape now stained with blood. It had happened so fast. The screen ripped open, revealing a masked figure in black, a dagger aimed at the Demon Lord’s neck.
Luo Nianshang reacted instantly, pushing the Demon Lord aside, then her leg shot out, connecting with the assassin’s wrist. The dagger clattered to the floor.
The assassin ducked, avoiding Luo Nianshang’s kick, then lunged for the dagger, but a gust of wind, Luo Nianshang’s attack a hair’s breadth from her face, forced her to roll aside.
Luo Nianshang snatched the dagger, then casually tossed it, its blade embedding itself in the wall.
The assassin, clutching her shoulder, where Luo Nianshang’s hairpin had pierced her, her eyes filled with hatred, now knew that Luo Nianshang was a formidable opponent. Her gaze shifted, and she yanked out the hairpin, turning, her weapon now aimed at the Demon Lord.
Everyone in Cang Xi knew that their Second Princess was a spoiled, incompetent, and lecherous fool.
The Demon Lord hesitated. Should she break character, or maintain her disguise?
As she debated this, the assassin suddenly flew across the room, crashing into the wall, her body slumping to the floor.
A hand reached out to the Demon Lord, and a familiar, comforting voice asked, “Are you alright?”
She looked up at Luo Nianshang, placing her hand in Luo Nianshang’s.
Luo Nianshang pulled her to her feet, the calluses on her palm brushing against the Demon Lord’s skin, a strangely intimate touch.
The guards, alerted by the commotion, soon surrounded the room. Their leader, seeing that the Second Princess was unharmed, his eyes wide with surprise, stared at her.
His reaction didn’t escape the notice of the two women in the room. The Demon Lord, her mind sharp, quickly deduced the reason for their delayed arrival.
How interesting. They hadn’t appeared during the fight, but now that it was over, they had rushed in, their feigned concern a poorly disguised attempt to protect their own positions.
She smiled, her gaze fixed on the guard, her amusement evident.
The guard, feeling the weight of her gaze, his heart pounding, quickly dropped to his knees. “Forgive our tardiness, Your Highness!”
The other guards, kneeling outside the room, their faces pale, their bodies trembling, didn’t share his fear. They were the Emperor’s personal guard, assigned to protect the Second Princess, but they had become her tools, enabling her whims.
She pampered them, providing them with food, wine, and generous salaries. Even their transgressions were overlooked. They had become arrogant and complacent.
But they didn’t understand that the woman standing before them wasn’t their spoiled, indulgent princess. She was the Demon Lord, forged in the fires of suffering and bloodshed.
Her eyes narrowed, but her voice remained gentle. “Since you failed to protect me,” she said, “then you shall be punished.”
The guard, his head bowed, was about to thank her for her mercy when he realized what she had said. His face paled, and he cried out, “Please spare me, Your Highness!”
The Demon Lord, tired of this charade, walked over to him, her foot connecting with his chest, her smile unwavering, but her eyes cold. “Who are you begging?” she asked, her voice laced with a dangerous amusement. “And which princess are you referring to? Me? Or my sister?”
She was done with this. Her face hardened. “Take him away!”
The guards exchanged nervous glances, then, seeing the Demon Lord’s glare, they quickly dragged the whimpering guard and the unconscious assassin away.
The guard, struggling, dropped a token, and the Demon Lord, picking it up, tossed it to Luo Nianshang.
It was the Captain of the Guard’s token.
Under Luo Nianshang’s questioning gaze, the Demon Lord returned to the room.
She began removing the numerous hairpins and ornaments adorning her hair. The fight had dislodged some of them, their chains tangled in her hair. Impatient, she simply ripped them out.
Luo Nianshang, watching her, her brow furrowing, tucked the token into her sleeve, then approached the Demon Lord, gently taking her hand, stilling her frantic movements.
She thought she saw the princess flinch.
She patiently untangled the hairpins and ornaments, her movements gentle and precise.
The Demon Lord, her usual impatience and irritability soothed by Luo Nianshang’s touch, stood still, her heart pounding in her chest.
Those hands, accustomed to wielding a sword, were now performing such delicate tasks. She felt a surge of warmth.
She wondered if she was the first to experience this gentle side of Luo Nianshang.
The weight on her head lifted, and she felt a strange sense of loss. She wanted this moment to last.
But such moments were always fleeting.
“Why did you give me this?” Luo Nianshang asked, holding up the token, her voice laced with confusion.
The Demon Lord touched her head, realizing that all the ornaments were gone. She turned to face Luo Nianshang, her lips curving into a small smile. “You’re quite skilled,” she said. “And not bad-looking. You’ll be my personal guard from now on.”
Luo Nianshang, surprised by this sudden appointment, found it rather impulsive, but also strangely familiar.
She thought of the Demon Lord, who had chosen her left envoy based on appearance.
She attached the token to her belt. Her goal of gaining access to the royal family had been achieved. There was no need to question it further.
But the Demon Lord’s words to the guard had intrigued her. She knew the Second Princess was favored, but she didn’t know the details.
And the information she had received might be inaccurate. This princess didn’t seem incompetent.
But what did a personal guard even do?
She was used to being the Sword Saint. She had no idea how to play this role.
The Demon Lord, seeing her standing there, her expression blank, thought, “Idiot.”
The room, after the fight, was a mess. She pointed at the debris scattered across the floor. “Clean this up,” she ordered.
Luo Nianshang, finally understanding her duties, nodded, then retrieved a broom and began sweeping.
She wasn’t good at acting. She couldn’t feign subservience. Even her sweeping movements possessed a certain grace and power, drawing attention.
The Demon Lord, watching her, struggled to contain her laughter.
She gathered the discarded hairpins, tossing them into a jewelry box, then settled onto a chair, her gaze fixed on Luo Nianshang.
The sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears, and she turned, her gaze fixed on the doorway. A figure in yellow robes entered the room.
The woman, her age evident in the lines etched on her face, her features similar to the Second Princess’s, her demeanor regal, was clearly the Emperor.
The Demon Lord, suppressing her annoyance, stood up, bowing respectfully. “Greetings, Mother,” she said.
“There’s no need for formalities.”
Bai Zhao, placing a hand on the Demon Lord’s shoulder, her expression suddenly changing, asked, “Have you grown taller?”
The Demon Lord’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly replied, “No, it’s just my shoes.”
Her shoes were hidden beneath her long robes. Bai Zhao wasn’t going to lift her skirt to check. The matter was dropped.
The Emperor of Cang Xi was known for her ruthless efficiency. Under her rule, the kingdom had prospered, its people grateful, believing she was a gift from the heavens.
She had worked tirelessly for years, only to have her achievements attributed to divine intervention. It had frustrated her, but the gods’ influence was too strong. She had been powerless.
She had had no one to confide in, except for her second daughter.
She settled onto the main seat, her gaze falling upon Luo Nianshang, who was sweeping the floor. She was startled by Luo Nianshang’s aura, her every movement radiating an air of power and authority.
She studied Luo Nianshang more closely, realizing that this girl’s presence was even more imposing than her own.
Knowing her daughter’s habits, she couldn’t help but ask, “Did you kidnap someone from Hua Yong?”
Hua Yong was a neighboring kingdom, their relationship with Cang Xi amicable. She had heard that Hua Yong’s current emperor was a puppet, the true power residing with his elder sister.
She had never met this princess, but her daughter had recently spent a month in Hua Yong. She suspected her daughter had kidnapped her.
But the Demon Lord had no idea what Hua Yong was. She had only recently learned about Cang Xi.
Seeing her mother’s gaze fixed on Luo Nianshang, she said, “No, I found her on the street. She’s quite skilled. She even protected me just now.”
Bai Zhao, unconvinced, decided to investigate. If this girl truly was the princess of Hua Yong, then she would have to proceed cautiously.
She examined her daughter, relieved to see that she was unharmed.
“You must have been terrified,” she said, her voice filled with a false concern. “Those guards were clearly negligent. I’ll replace them.”
“As for your elder sister,” she continued, “I’ve reprimanded her.”
The Demon Lord scoffed inwardly. A mere reprimand for endangering her life? It seemed her mother’s love wasn’t that strong.
Luo Nianshang, having finished sweeping the floor, retrieved the dagger from the wall.
Then, she approached the Demon Lord, her voice respectful. “Your Highness, I’ve finished cleaning. What would you like me to do now?”
Luo Nianshang had been standing sideways, her face partially hidden. Now, facing Bai Zhao directly, her beauty undeniable, Bai Zhao gasped.
Where had her daughter found this girl?
She was unsettled. Her voice turned cold. “What’s your name?” she asked. “And where are you from?”
Luo Nianshang had prepared a false identity. “My name is Chen Su,” she said. “I’m from Lu Cheng, in Hua Yong.”
Lying always made her uncomfortable. She fidgeted slightly, her hand, hidden in her sleeve, twisting nervously.
Bai Zhao, her intuition, always sharp, sensing a lack of sincerity, felt a surge of unease. This girl’s aura was unsettling, her presence radiating a power Bai Zhao couldn’t control.
Could she truly be the princess of Hua Yong?
Her voice, however, remained gentle. “It seems my daughter is fond of you.”
Luo Nianshang, hearing this, glanced at Bai Cheng, noticing her panicked expression, which she quickly masked with a smile. “Mother, you’re teasing me again,” she said, her voice playful. “Why would I be interested in such a cold and unapproachable woman?”
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