Emperor’s poison

The masked man was surprised someone could hold his paws still, absorbing his internal powers. "Who are you?" He asked, trying to wriggle his hands away from Prince Xi Yuan.

Prince Xi Yuan turned the man's pawed hands, turned him around. His hands fisted and collided with the man's chest after he opened his palm, he spat out blood.

The man's face held shock, "You ---" His blooded lips shook. Xi Yuan didn't stop there - he pulled the man's hands, turning him around again, his back facing him - his two hands collided with his back.

Prince Xi Yuan smirked when the man tumbled on the floor, vomiting blood. "Tell the person who sent you that you met his match!" Xi Yuan said, standing akimbo.

The students murmured, ‘Didn’t they say his cultivation is the weakest in the whole of Xi’s dynasty? How could he defeat him in such short period?’ Wei Xun looked at the prince, thinking about what they said.

The academy is still inside the palace grounds so palace guards surrounded them, ready to seize them as prisoners till they confess who they were. "Retreat!" A whistle was blown and they all escaped, leaving a small purse.

Everyone left the area since the palace guards intervened. A maid in black outfit looked around, bent and picked up the purse.

**

**

"We are still in the palace, why shouldn't we be called Princes?" Prince Xi Hunian complained to his brother, dusting his clothes.

Prince Xi Lehua wasn't listening to his brother's rants. First, he was pissed at the way Wei Xun blocked his hands, insisting he shouldn't help her but when Prince Xi Yuan stepped in to protect her, she didn't refuse. Why!

Another thing baffled him. Why did those men attack her? She isn't even from the Xi's dynasty and it was certain they came for her.

Prince Xi Lehua watched his second brother, Prince Xi Yuan entered into his room. "Isn't he doing too much?" Prince Xi Hunian whispered beside him and that caused his heart to be full of hatred once again today.

WEI XUN'S WING ✓

"Your majesty arrives!" A loud voice came. It startled Wei Xun and they quickly rushed outside, falling on their knees to welcome the highest royal in the dynasty.

Emperor Xi Jeguk bent to raise Wei Xun up by her shoulders, smiling warmly at her. "Stand up, child." He said in a low voice.

Wei Xun looked at him, her lips stretching into a smile. She didn't expect the emperor to be so warm because it was her first time seeing him after arriving at the palace three days ago.

"I heard about you being attacked. I'm sorry it had to happen in the palace. I risked your safety." Emperor Jeguk said with an apologetic face.

Wei Xun quickly stopped him, "Not to worry. Prince Xi Yuan stepped in on time to save me. Help me relay my thanks to him." She bent her knees in a respectful manner.

Emperor Jeguk sighed and nodded. "These gifts include medicine and ingredients to make you recover quickly. Please accept them." He smiled, holding Wei Xun's hands.

Wei Xun looked at the two boxes of gifts and bowed again, "Thank you, your majesty. Thank you." She didn’t expect the special treatment.

Emperor Jeguk wasn't done yet. “This is a very special one. Place it under the pillow when you sleep. It will make you relax and maintain the stability of your spirit." He placed a purse in her hands before leaving.

Yang Xia was smiling throughout, "It seems the Emperor likes you really well." She winked.

Wei Xun sent her away, laughing in a low voice as they both entered the room. Yang Xia arranged the medicines and other ingredients.

 "Put that under my pillow." Wei Xun pointed to the purse as she combed her hair slowly. She smiled as she remembered the way Xi Yuan shielded and protected her. If not, she would be heavily wounded by now.

When she was ready to sleep, Wei Xun relaxed on the bed, inhaling the fragrance in the room that was earlier brought by the Emperor. In a few minutes, she slept off.

From inside the purse, a spider crawled out onto the pillow. It crawled so close to Wei Xun and stung the side of her neck. "Ah!" Wei Xun sat up immediately as her hand moved to her neck.

Wei Xun's eyes widened, glancing over at the purse, her eyesight began to fade. She held the bed, her butts landing on the ground as blood out of her nose and the corner of her mouth - she passed out.

FEW HOURS EARLIER ✓

Iron bell maid Zhi Xang carried on with her normal duties, "Head steward Zhu!" She gasped and bowed. A low chuckle sounded before words were whispered into her ears.

Her eyes widened, she fell to her knees. "It is too dangerous. I -- I can't do it." Zhi Xang trembled on her knees in fear. What if she gets caught?

A sigh, "Zhi Xang, you have always wanted to be promoted to serve in the Emperor's Palace. Without being a gold bell maid, it is impossible." Steward Zhu talked sense into her, glancing around.

He tapped her shoulder, "Think about it. Your - only - opportunity." He turned and left.

Zhi Xang stood up and watched him leave. She squeezed the paper letter given to her in her hands, thinking about his words. "A gold bell maid." She muttered - her deepest desire.

Zhi Xang entered her room that was also shared with three other maids, and locked the door. "Some men will attack the teacher of the Feng Cultivation Academy. You must pick up whatever is left of them when they leave without being caught." She read.

That task was a little bit simple. Just to pick whatever they drop, a very easy task. "Make sure it gets to the Princess using the Emperor as bait!" The paper letter fell to the floor as her eyes widened in fear.

In later hours, Zhi Xang looked around, careful if someone was watching her as she walked to the area. She bent to pick the purse that was intentionally thrown down by one of the masked men.

The report said in the presence of the emperor, "Princess Wei Xun was attacked today by some unknown masked men. One of eye witnesses says Prince Xi Yuan saved her."

Emperor Jeguk had sighed, "Pack up some medicines and expensive adornments for the princess. It is the Xi's dynasty's fault one of the most powerful heavenly princesses was attacked meters in the palace." He explained.

As goods were packed up, the maid made good use of the sneaky chance. She exchanged the purse she took from the fight scene with the initial one that was packed up for Wei Xun.

"The emperor will be blamed for her death, very soon." The maid smirked as she helped carry the boxes to Wei Xun's wing.

———-

Wei Xun's breathing was getting difficult as she tried to keep her eyes open. Her eyes closed, her mind traveled far away, her spirit wandering away from her body for some minutes.

"Xun'er.... Xun'er!" A particular woman called, shaking her repeatedly. "Be brave and try to survive!" She yelled. "Mother!" Wei Xun shouted, crying profusely.

Wei Xun ran after her mother, using up her strength. Suddenly, her mother disappeared while she fell into the water. Her head hit the depth of the water, causing blood to rush into her brain and she went unconscious.

Wei Xun gasped back to life, her blooded lips dried up like someone who had been soaked in an ice bath for more than a day. "Yang Xia..." She dragged a small bell from her cloth and shook it weakly.

"Princess!" Yang Xia's eyes widened in fear and shock. Her eyes traveled to the purse on the ground and the dead spider on the pillow, to the sting on the side of her Mistress's neck.

Wei Xun held her maid's hands really tight, afraid of death. The spider obviously poisoned her and she could feel the toxins traveling in her entire body - she fell unconscious, entirely.

SOUTHERN WING ✓

Prince Xi Yuan decided to come to his initial wing, his beloved room. He had surprisingly missed it even though it held some memories he didn't want to remember.

"We found this." He could swear he saw her hairpin in that pavilion but she passed out in the pavilion waters and divided his mind away from it. He just hoped they wouldn't be caught. The consequences might not necessarily affect him too much but it will definitely jeopardize her entire stay in the palace academy.

Prince Xi Yuan walked towards the waterfall in his wing, where he always bathed when he was little. "Distractions. Practicing is hard." He muttered, taking out his sword.

The sword waved the waters, droplets of it remained. Prince Xi Yuan lined it with his hands without them having contact. He wielded the sword slowly, slicing each drop of water into two as he practiced.

Eyes closed, mind distracted and body relaxed, he tried to remember the practices he had beneath the water the day he drowned. "Master Yuan!" He could hear the faraway voice but chose to try to concentrate.

Prince Xi Yuan dragged his foot placement backwards and forward, his flexible body doing some clips as he practiced fists techniques, using his sword.

Suddenly, his brows tightened as he began to sweat. Overlooking what the problem could be, he continued wielding his sword. His hands shook on the sword's handle, he steadied it and continued practicing.

"Master Yuan!" The yell. Prince Xi Yuan's sword sunk into the ground, his eyes opened as he breathed heavily. His hands were shaking vigorously and he could feel his internal system being destabilized.