Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

671  I was never praised before Feng Lao looked at Chen Xiao through the bars of the prison. "You should not have come to my home to create a ruckus," Feng Lao told him. "Are you not remorseful of your actions? Miaoran devoted so many years to you, yet you considered her nothing."

Chen Xiao chuckled and he turned on the stone bed to face Feng Lao. "She should be happy that I married her. I wonder why you took an interest in a woman who was married to someone and then asked her to demand a divorce from me. You are into her. Am I right?" Chen Xiao's remark irked Feng Lao and he asked the prison guard to flog Chen Xiao ten times.

Chen Xiao was stunned to hear that and saw the prison guard had opened the lock of the prison.

"Forgive me, Feng Lao. I won't stay anything to you," Chen Xiao said as the prison guards held his arms. They dragged him out so that they could take him to the punishment ground, where they would flog him.

"Feng Lao, I was only asking you. There is nothing to be angry about. I never get flogged. Please ask them to stop," Chen Xiao loudly said.

"You must know how it feels when you beat someone, Chen Xiao," Feng Lao stated as he stood in front of him. "I wanted to punish you by my own hands. However, I don't want to dirty them. I hope after your prison term ends, you become the right person for this society else I have to kill you. I mean it, Chen Xiao. I don't wield a sword just to show off," he stated and asked the prison guards to take him to the punishment ground.

Chen Xiao had stopped pleading because he knew Feng Lao would not forgive him.

Feng Lao left the prison and thought to see Lóng Wei once. However, on the way, he encountered Xiaolian who informed him Lóng Wei and Li Hua had gone out to a shrine.

Feng Lao thanked her for the information and decided to leave when Xiaolian asked him if he was still upset with her.

"No," Feng Lao gave an instant reply.

"So, have you forgiven me?" Xiaolian asked.

"Hmm," Feng Lao simply nodded and took his leave.

Xiaolian felt a bit better to hear his response. She always wanted his forgiveness. However, one thing Xiaolian realized was that she was no longer attracted to him.

"Feng Lao, what were you doing here?" Qiu Mu encountered him and he stopped in his way.

Feng Lao greeted the Prince and bowed his head slightly. "I wanted to see Prince Lóng Wei and Princess Consort Li Hua," he replied.

"They are gone outside. Tianjie and his wife have also gone with them," Qiu Mu informed him.

"I met Princess Xiaolian earlier. She did tell me that they have gone to the shrine but I didn't know about the Third Prince," Feng Lao stated.

"Is your relationship with Xiaolian turned well? I thought you were giving a cold treatment to her," Qiu Mu said.

"That was the past, Your Highness," Feng Lao replied.

"I frequently get to hear about you from Brother Mingquan. Earlier, I could never get the chance to talk to you much. Perhaps because of my differences with Lóng Wei," Qiu Mu truthfully told Feng Lao about his thoughts toward him.

"I can understand, Your Highness," Feng Lao said.

Qiu Mu placed his hand on Feng Lao's shoulder and patted it. "Have drinks with me someday. I take my leave," he said and pulled his hand back.

"I would love to, Your Highness," Feng Lao said and passed a smile to Qiu Mu, who walked away. Feng Lao also left the palace to see Miaoran.

~~~~~

Miaoran made some unique designs on the fabric which brought applause from the other young women who had come to the shop workshop to learn embroidery. Their work was over, so everyone started leaving for their respective homes. Miaoran also put the strap of the cloth bag on her shoulder and came out of the workshop.

As she came to the front of the shop, her eyes landed on Feng Lao, who was standing next to the horse.

Feng Lao also looked in her direction and smiled brightly at her. Miaoran gripped the strap tightly and walked up to him.

"What are you doing here?" Miaoran asked him.

"I promised you to take to your home. Don't you want to see your mother?" Feng Lao reminded her.

"Yes," Miaoran nodded at him.

"So, how was the first day? I think you all are going basic training," Feng Lao deduced. "Did you make new friends?" He asked her and saw the threads tangled in her hair.

"It was nice, Feng Lao. Everyone praised me. I was never praised before so I did not know how to respond to them. But I felt delighted," Miaoran said with a smile.

Her heart fluttered when Feng Lao's fingers suddenly brushed her temples and he came too close to her. Her breath hitched and she stopped blinking. Her eyes fixated on his handsome face.

"I am glad you decided to join this work," Feng Lao said and removed the threads from her hair and then her shoulder. His eyes lingered on hers and he asked her why she was not blinking.

Miaoran came out of that trance and she blinked rapidly. "Nothing," she said.

"Shall we stop by a restaurant first? Are you hungry? Because I am," Feng Lao stated.

"Sure. We should fill our stomachs first," Miaoran answered when the horse neighed, and the sound made her jump in fear.

Feng Lao laughed to see her reaction. "Are you scared?" He asked.

"No. The horse suddenly neighed," Miaoran replied and caressed her chest.

"I have given him a name. You should call him Jinjing," Feng Lao told her and caressed the face of the horse.

"That's a beautiful name," Miaoran said when Feng Lao held her hand and pulled her toward the horse. He placed her hand on Jinjing's face and ask her to stay calm.

"What if Jinjing bites me?" Miaoran curled her fingers and furrowed her brows.

"Horses don't bite. They kick," Feng Lao said and smiled. "Stay calm and just do this," he told her and made her stroke Jinjing's face.

Miaoran felt a little comfortable and realized that Jinjing liked the gentle caressing. She tilted her head and again got lost in Feng Lao.