Chapter 25

When the Emperor finally stopped, Xiao Lin was a little in daze. He slowly looked around. They were still in the woods. All around were tall trees and rich vegetation with occasional twitters of the birds, and seemingly distant cries of unknown creatures.

Why did the Emperor suddenly stop? Xiao Lin didn't know. A brief inspection of his surroundings told him there was not anyone here.

Wasn't the Emperor going to take him back to the palace? Or...did he want to execute him here in this wilderness?!

Scared by his own various speculations, Xiao Lin neither dared to voice out his questions nor did he dare to look up and meet the Emperor's eyes. He really couldn't guess what was going on in this man's head!

Thinking since the Emperor had already stopped and not even walking, Xiao Lin thought he should get down from his embrace. He pushed against the Emperor's chest, wanting to be put down. But the man refused to get the cue. He pushed again, this time a little harder. But the arm around his waist only tightened in warning.

Feeling helpless and anxious, Xiao Lin could only put a stop to his little struggle, not wanting to piss off the Emperor any more than he already had with his escape. So just like that, in this uncomfortable silence, he sat still, body stiff and straight, eyes downcast looking at the front of the Emperor's robe. He couldn't help but think if the other man was looking at him, making Xiao Lin feel even more anxious and self-conscious.

The Emperor was indeed looking at him. His cold eyes regarded the body in his arms, as if looking for something, before he finally let the person go.

Feeling the ground under his feet, Xiao Lin exhaled a long breath as he took an unsteady step back, wanting to put some distance between them, but he couldn't even exhale completely before his breath hitched hearing the Emperor's next words.

He momentarily froze thinking he might have heard wrong before looking up to meet the monarch's indifferent eyes holding their usual coldness. "Eh?"

Hands behind his back, the Emperor's eyes flashed with displeasure having to repeat himself. "Remove your robes." He said, voice turning stern.

"I... wh--" A spark of panic alighted in Xiao Lin's heart and eyes but the protest got stuck in his throat as he saw the other person's eyes turn colder, and the surrounding air suddenly felt heavy.

Xiao Lin didn't understand. Why did he have to remove his robes? In this wilderness...were they going to...!!!!!?

What to do!? His eyes unconsciously darted around in anxiousness as he subconsciously took a step back.

Seeing this, the Emperor raised a brow. "Want to run away again?" Frigid, deep and low voice asked, making Xiao Lin's body give an involuntary tremble. He immediately lowered his eyes. He wasn't really thinking of running away, it was just a natural reaction when faced with a threat!

The Emperor glanced around in a leisurely manner, his tone also becoming light. "Still in the woods. Many places to hide." He commented in a suggestive tone, before fixing his stare back on the small person in front of him. "Have courage to try again, concubine Lin? Then go."

Xiao Lin's heart was racing. Still looking down, he slowly shook his head. "No, Your Majesty." He said in a low voice.

He was not under any false hope or optimism that he would be just let go after trying to escape the first time. From what he had gathered from some of those historical books he had read once, he knew this was not any small offense. If this monarch didn't kill him, he would surely administer punishment. Would probably throw him into the cold palace to rot? Xiao Lin still didn't have a good understanding of this world yet. Just from the earlier incident, he knew this man was powerful. Unpredictable. Xiao Lin would be a fool to try to run away again.

The Emperor observed him calmly. "The first time you didn't listen. Make zhen repeat it. And you still do not obey. Concubine Xiao Lin, you truly are a disobedient one." He shook his head, as if very disappointed before continuing, "Do you want to increase your punishments?"

Then he narrowed his eyes, voice lowering. "Do you want zhen to remove them for you? Zhen won't just remove your robes then, but strip you completely naked and take you back to the palace in such a state."

Xiao Lin shivered. He definitely didn't want that! His hands shook as he lifted them to his robe and started undoing the knots. When only the inner robe was left, his hands halted for a few seconds before he gritted his teeth and pulled the sash. The robe opened, revealing a pale and slender body underneath. He didn't know what the Emperor's purpose was. But making him remove his clothes here, it couldn't be anything good!

The Emperor's eyes imperceptibly narrowed, immediately catching the sight of the thing around his concubine's neck as the understanding flashed in his eyes. Blood pendent. So, this was the thing hindering him from tracking his concubine's blood.

The blood contract formed with another person allows the contractor to track the blood of the contracted person. A blood pendent can be used to block an access, becoming an obstacle to locate the blood of the contracted person, hence their location couldn't be known. But for the blood pendant to work effectively, the blood in the blood pendant had to be equal in strength to or stronger than the contractor's.

The Emperor's and Xiao Lin's blood contract was still incomplete, hence weak. But even so, the Emperor was powerful enough that even if the contract was weak, no ordinary person's blood could hinder him. That could only mean, this blood pendant was not from an ordinary person.

He moved forward, hand shooting up, grabbing the nape of his concubine with one hand to prevent him from escaping and the pendent with the other. Xiao Lin was frightened by such sudden movements.

"Where did you get it?" The Emperor asked, voice calm and indifferent.

Xiao Lin stood frozen in place, at first he thought this man got impatient and finally decided to pounce on him. But hearing the question, he became baffled, momentarily not understanding what the Emperor was talking about. The tug of the chain around his neck made him realize it was about the pendant.

Xiao Lin stiffly lowered his head to glance at the pendent being pinched in the Emperor's fingers. Ah, this pendant that mysteriously appeared in his room. This useless thing which didn't help at all as it promised. Wasn't he still found by the Emperor in the end! Xiao Lin could not help but think he was tricked by the person.

"I... I don't know...I-I really don't know. Foun-found it on my bed with a note...said it would help...escape." He stuttered out honestly but cautiously. The last word was almost said in a whisper.

The Emperor's deep eyes regarded him for a few minutes.

And Xiao Lin stood rooted stiffly as if awaiting the judgment of his trial.

He didn't know if the Emperor believed him or not. But the man finally let him go, but not before turning that pendant –that was still fastened around Xiao Lin's neck-- into a powdery ash in front of the very eyes of Xiao Lin. Some of the dark ash fell on Xiao Lin's pale skin, lining where the chain had been before slipping from the smooth skin and scattering away by the wind.

Glancing at the robes on the ground, the Emperor ordered. "Put them back on." Then he turned around and disappeared into the darkness of the woods.

Xiao Lin stood there, stupefied.

After standing there like an idiot for half a minute, he slowly started to put the clothes back on, utterly baffled. Why was he left alone suddenly? He made me strip just to destroy some pendant? Xiao Lin frowned.

He looked around. Did the Emperor really leave? Should he wait or leave? Standing alone in the middle of the dark woods, where even the sunlight was sparse because of rich foliage and tall trees, Xiao Lin suddenly felt scared. He didn't have any weapons. What if there were wild animals?! Right at this moment came a sharp noise of branch breaking, making Xiao Lin jump.

The rustling sound got stronger. Xiao Lin alertly looked in the direction, ready to flee in the opposite direction.

Before he could, he caught a glimpse of a human being.

A man in the imperial guard uniform appeared. He bowed in greeting.

"Imperial concubine Xiao Lin. Please follow me. Your carriage is ready to take you back to the palace."

***