“What are you? Dare to talk to this young master like that!” Xie Longyuan shouted aloud, pointing to Ye Zhen.

  “I am your grandfather,” Ye Zhen said, smiling.

  Lu Xiangzhi, who had made his presence scarce until now, coughed lightly. As much as he wanted to beat Xie Longyuan because he was the son of Princess Royal he had to restrain himself because of the royal personage beside him and let him handle it.

  Xie Longyuan’s face turned red with anger. “Hold them for this young master, and beat them to death!”


  Mo Rongyi took a step forward and looked at Xie Longyuan coldly. “Don’t you dare touch her!”


  “If you want to fight for a while, let us see first to whom the lantern king title will be rewarded.” Ye Zhen was not afraid of Xie Longyuan. There were many who could defend Mo Rongyi. Xie Longyuan wanted to fight them, but he didn’t want to die.

  “The Lantern King is—” the assistant minister of the Minister of Works looked at Xie Longyuan and said, “A hundred birds paying reverence to the phoenix, octagonal lamp.”


  Xie Longyuan had been dead sure of winning. He had long wagered with others that he would be the Lantern King. Now that the title was snatched away by a boy, how could he stomach the humiliation? He immediately ordered his entourage behind him to catch the lad. “Just break their hands and feet, but keep them alive.”


  Ye Zhen pulled Mo Rongyi and took a step back. Seeing this, Xie Longyuan’s courage grew. He said to the two servants around Mo Rongyi, “Forget it. Kill them if you have to. It is useless for such people to live.”


  Mo Rongyi snorted coldly. “Whoever touches this prince shall be put to death.”


  Right in front of the Lantern Tower, it was utter pandemonium. Xie Longyuan hadn’t expected expert fighters around Mo Rongyi. Looking at how they were making a child’s play out of his lackeys, he immediately surged with the need to jump into the fray.

  In order to protect Mo Rongyi and Ye Zhen, Lu Xiangzhi kicked out those who approached and stuck close to them. He had to do something.

  Ye Zhen watched it all with relish. How could Xie Longyuan’s idle followers compare with the palace guards? Just a few tricks and they were beaten black and blue.

  She tried to locate Mo Rongyi in the midst of this chaos and found him standing on the other side. Just when she wanted to move to that side, she suddenly felt an arm around her waist. Before the startled her could even cry out for help, she was whisked out of the melee. After several twists and turns, she realized she had left the lantern tower far behind. And it had all happened with such speed, that she didn’t even have the chance to shout.

  “Let me go! Help!” Ye Zhen screamed as she was being carried into the depths of a deserted lane. She felt unprecedented fear.

  “It’s me!” A deep voice rang by her ear, and Ye Zhen was too stiff to struggle any more.

  “Mo Rongzhan?” She blurted out and called him by name.

  Mo Rongzhan locked her in his arms and looked at her with low eyes. “Lu Yaoyao, you have become bolder and bolder. You dare to encourage the little prince to fight with Xie Longyuan.”


  Ye Zhen was in a panic.

  “How can I not when it was very clear that Xie Longyuan wanted to bully the little prince?” Ye Zhen looked up in defiance and stared at him. There were no lights in the alley. She could only see his handsome outlined by the moonlight. His eyes shone like the morning star, bright and pure. She seemed to vaguely see the smile at the corner of his lips.

  Mo Rongzhan lowered his head and smiled. “Aren’t you afraid of being clumsy?”


  Ye Zhen said faintly, “What am I afraid of? If worse comes to worst, the people in Princess Royal’s Mansion will be caught again.”


  “Do you blame me for being unfair and not getting justice for you?” Mo Rongzhan dipped his head and sniffed the faint fragrance of her temples. The gloomy mood seemed to be much lighter now.

  Only

  “This official’s daughter dares not,” Ye Zhen replied coldly.

  Mo Rongzhan looked at her for a moment, pinched, and pecked her pink lips gently. “You cannot dare to say it, but is that what you think in your heart?”


  Ye Zhen gasped,

  “What? Nothing to say?” Mo Rongzhan chuckled and couldn’t help kissing her soft lips a few times.