Leaning closer to Ying Lili's ear, Sheng Li whispered, "Never expect love from this evil and cruel man. Feed this in your mind- 'You will never warm my bed.' Remember this memorable wedding night, my dear Crown Princess."

  Ying Lili peered into the dark red eyes of Sheng Li. "Who wants to warm your bed? A cruel man like you deserves no love," Ying Lili stated with a stern expression.

  "Stop calling me cruel. I might end up doing something with you which I do not want to," Sheng Li pronounced, which terrified Ying Lili a little. But, she wanted to keep her guard, so she said, "Do not even try doing that." The crown princess was struggling to get released from the crown prince's grip, but it seemed to her that he was quite powerful for her to handle.

  The crown princess felt her skin near the chest got wet because of the blood dripping from the wound she had given to the crown prince's chest. "You injured a royalty and do you know what it means?" Ying Lili heard Sheng Li asking this from her.

  Sheng Li then released Ying Lili's one hand and traced her face outline using his index finger. "Your beauty can seduce, can mesmerize every single person in this world, but not me. The first prince is already spellbound by your beauty and I do not know about the other princes." Ying Lili was confused.

  "I want to kill this man so desperately, but why does it seem like he is missing something in his life?" A sudden thought stuck in the head of the crown princess.

  "Why are you not killing me? I tried killing you," An-Ying Lili questioned Sheng Li who snickered. Ying Lili was waiting for a response from the crown prince.

  "You are different, which is pressuring me to not kill you. Your futile attempts were almost nil in front of this cruel prince. I have started liking this hate relationship between us. A brave woman like you shall not be killed easily," Sheng Li proclaimed and leaned closer to Ying Lili who put her free hand on his shoulder to push away Sheng Li.

  Her strength seemed so little in front of the crown prince. In fear, she tightly shut her eyes and puckered her lips together. "Throw away the thought that I am going to consummate the marriage with you. My main goal for today is over. I really enjoyed this wedding night. We will play more like this. You acted the way I wanted you to," Sheng Li whispered against Ying Lili's lips.

  Forthwith, An-Ying Lili opened her eyes and with astonishment looked at Sheng Li who was grinning at her. He left her both wrists and stood up. The blood from his wound had spread on the white satin bed sheets.

  "I hope you will not get injured next time by me. Play carefully with me, my dear crown princess," stated Sheng Li as he walked out of the bed-chamber.

  Sheng Li reached his bed-chamber and sat on the bed. The crown prince opened the knots of his robes and looked at the wound the crown princess had given to him. "I should have killed her the moment she stabbed me. But, why did I stop?" muttered Sheng Li who stood up and checked a nearby wooden cupboard.

  Taking out the cotton, he wiped the blood off the wound and cleaned it nicely. After applying the medicine over the wound, he went to the bed and laid on it. He pulled up the sheets and covered himself from it just below the chest, and closed his eyes.

  Ying Lili could not believe her ears as she sat up on the bed. Both of her wrists had now the impressions of the fingers of the crown prince. She looked at the sheets, which had a patch of blood on them, including on her clothes. She was relaxed and happy that the crown prince did not do something to her.

  Ying Lili touched her clothes near the chest and the blood came into her hands. "I have to clean it before the other maids will see this. But how?" the crown princess thought.

  Head eunuch, Xing-Fu, came to the door, standing behind the white curtains from which the crown princess was faintly seen. "Your highness, forgive me for intruding on you. Your attendant will help you change and then you can sleep peacefully," asserted Xing-Fu.

  "Are you helping me?" Ying Lili asked softly.

  "No, your highness. This is the order of the imperial Crown head which I must follow," Xing-Fu proclaimed. Ying Lili understood and shook her head in agreement.

  "Your highness, this eunuch wants to say something," Xing-Fu stated.

  "Yes, please," Ying Lili permitted the head eunuch.

  "Your highness should consider the crown prince as a cold and ruthless man. I have been serving the imperial highness since his birth. He is not the person her highness is thinking of," Xing-Fu pronounced humbly.

  Ying Lili knitted her brows. "May I ask why are you speaking like this?" An-Ying Lili asked politely.

  "Your highness, your marriage with the crown prince is especially emphasized by the Imperial Emperor. Because never felt the love, he turned himself in like this. I hope her highness will see through the crown prince," Xing-Fu replied.

  "He killed my father. Does the head eunuch think this woman can open her heart for such a person who did not listen to my mother's begging and killed my father?" Ying Lili complained as her eyes turned teary.

  "Your highness is misunderstanding the crown prince. His highness is not the person who will go against his father's orders. His highness was only threatening you and others there as he thought he could stop the marriage. His highness had never listened to anyone's request but, for her highness he went back to the Palace of Juyan to pay homage to the late King," Xing-Fu explained to Ying Lili who was now in deep thought.

  After a while, Ying Lili spoke. "A tainted relationship is always tainted, and it cannot be mended. Thank you, head eunuch, for telling me all this. Please thank the imperial emperor for sending this message through you."

  Xing-Fu flinched as he was confused about how the crown princess found out that the imperial emperor had sent this message through him. "Your highness, I shall leave. The attendant will be here soon," asserted the head eunuch, and gracefully stepped back, going outside the chamber.

  An-Ying Lili fell in deep thought. A thought came to her mind- 'Did my uncle lie to me?" But, she was not ready to accept that because in her eyes the Crown Prince was brutal who deserved no love.

  Su Binxi came there, which stopped the thoughts of the crown princess. "Your highness, I have brought a fresh pair of clothes for you. Let me help you," Su Binxi offered, and stepped ahead when she saw the bloodstains on the sheets.

  "My lady, can I ask something?" Su Binxi asked, and lowered her eyes.

  "Speak," Ying Lili gave her permission.

  "Why does his highness leave so soon? You were supposed to be in the bridal chamber the entire night," Su Binxi stated.

  "Do not take the other meanings of this. Nothing happened. It is just that I injured the crown prince," Ying Lili told her assistant who gave a nod and then took Ying Lili to the dressing room.