Not ask an unknown man

"Crown Princess, would you please tell me what I have done that I need a punishment for?" Lee Xianwu asked.

"You entered the inner palace, which is not allowed," Jia Li stated, looking at the plant in his hand. "Did you come to steal here?" She queried him.

"I did not steal it, Your Royal Highness. I asked—"

"Enough!" Jia Li stopped him from speaking and asked him to follow her. Jia Li had to find Lee Shimin's eldest son, and since she could not leave this unknown man alone in the royal garden, she asked him to accompany her. He looked quite strong, so if they found Lee Shimin's eldest son, he could be a help to Jia Li.

Lee Xianwu put the medicinal plant into the handkerchief and put it into his inner pocket of the overcoat before silently walking behind Jia Li. After following her, he realized Jia Li was searching for someone. It piqued his interest, and he opened his mouth to speak, "Is the Crown Princess looking for someone?" he asked.

Jia Li did not answer him and kept walking. Xianwu turned silent for a while and asked after some time the same question.

"Will you keep your mouth shut?" Jia Li scolded him.

"The Crown Princess is abusing her power. Who gets imprisoned to pick a medicinal plant? I asked an eunuch and he allowed me to come here," Lee Xianwu affirmed and stopped.

"Don't lie to me. Your face says it all. You are a frequent thief!" Jia Li pronounced and turned to look at him.

"Being the Crown Princess of the Empire this trait does not suit you. You should not assume things," Lee Xianwu stated and sighed.

"Have you lost your mind? How dare you speak this way with me?" Jia Li arched her eyebrows at him. Lee Xianwu chuckled and walked up to her. She took backward steps in fear and asked her to stop where he was. However, Lee Xianwu did not listen to her this time.

Soon, her back hit the wall behind her and he caged her between his arms. "I would like to advise the Crown Princess to use her senses while showing off her power. Also, she should not ask an unknown man to follow her, especially when she has no one around her," he asserted in his deep voice.

Jia Li blinked several times. "I kn-know how to fight," she stuttered and averted her gaze from him.

"The Crown Princess is lying," Lee Xianwu declared and lowered his right hand, before taking a step closer to her. His fingers brushed against her, and she asked him to stay within his boundaries.

"You wi-will be punished for this," Jia Li cautioned him, and she raised her hand to hit him when he caught her wrist. He pinned it to the wall and buried his face in her neck. Jia Li widened her eyes and thought to scream. But before she could do that his other hand pressed against her mouth firmly.

"The Crown Princess will easily be killed while using such a move. I hope she keeps the two pieces of advice in her mind which I gave her," Lee Xianwu whispered near her ear. He let go of her wrist and mouth before pulling away. "Everyone must be searching for the Crown Princess, so she should go back," he stated.

Jia Li glared at him and saw him walking away. "I forgot to ask his name," she mumbled, "he is a nobleman but an insolent one." She looked at her wrist and found it had turned red. He had grabbed her wrist quite strongly.

Jia Li decided to return to the palace ground. When she took her seat, Empress Mingxia inquired where she suddenly went.

"I was feeling suffocated here. So, I needed some fresh air," Jia Li lied and looked at her front. The nobles were seated according to their ranks. Jia Li's eyes fell on Xianwu, who was seated next to Lee Shimin. "Is he a minister or an official from the military? How is that possible? I never saw him before," she murmured.

She saw him conversing with Lee Shimin and it made her annoyed. She concluded that Lee Xiwanu belonged to the military. His grip was too fierce on her and it said it all.

'So, it means that they both are together. The reason why I didn't like his aura,' Jia Li thought. The event began shortly but her focus was on her father and his surroundings. She saw the chalice in her father's hand and gazed at Chen Xin, who gestured to her not to be worried.

With every second, the fear inside her kept increasing.

Chen Xin stopped the servant, who brought sweets for the Emperor and asked her to taste them first. Eunuch Shou told Chen Xin everything was tasted first.

"I understand. However, it's the order of the Crown Princess," Chen Xin stated. Eunuch Shou nodded and asked the maidservant to check one. The maidservant was hesitant in the beginning.

Chen Xin found how hesitant the maidservant was. "Why are you not eating this?" His stern tone intimidated the maidservant and she picked it up with a trembling hand.

Chen Xin decided to stop the maidservant and take her away for further interrogation when the speeding arrow hit her right in the middle of her neck. She fell and died on the spot.

Chen Xin promptly turned to check at the tower from where the shot was directed. A commotion occurred and the Emperor's bodyguards came to the rescue.

Jia Li asked the bodyguards to escort her father and mother. The princes got scared too and the event was suspended immediately. Her eyes landed on Lee Shimin, who was trying to pacify the fear among the nobles but she could not see Lee Xianwu around.

"Was he the one?" Jia Li mumbled and frowned. Her father held her hand and took her along with him. The enemy was so close to her. That man was the one who was behind this attack. She would not spare him and would punish him to death.