Part 2

A white shadow flashed in front of her eyes followed by the sound of metal and jade b.u.mping into each other . Something fell onto the deck while the white shadow returned into Yetian Zhan's hand .

The boat returned to its previous liveliness, but the white jade flute stayed quietly in between Yetian Zhan's fingers . There was a gentle glow on it, as though the sharpness before was just an illusion .

Yetian Zhan helped Qingchen up, then said with the corner of his lips still carried that lazy smile: “Please be careful miss . ”

Qingchen moved back a step to remove herself from his hand . The thing that fell was a knife . Someone in Chang Men Sect took an opportunity to attack when the guards were unaware . Maybe he was trying to save himself by planning to kill the witness .

She looked at the man who was just defeated by Yetian Zhan and being pushed down by the guard . Looking down on him with disdain, like waves of cold glow, “Even if you killed me, there are many others . If you have the courage to do something, why would you be afraid of someone telling about it?”

Yetian Zhan's eyes moved, then re-examine her with a smile, and asked: “Why really happened?”

Qingchen said: “These people used various methods to capture many girls with a goal to sell them here into a place called something Tian Wu Zui Fang, which I guess is not a good place at all . There are all girls from good and clean family . To be taken away from home, their family must be extremely worried . They have also been suffering a lot along the way . Please . . . Your Highness, please help them . ”

A glint flashed in the warm eyes in front of her, as though the flash glow of cold moon on the water . However, Yetian Zhan stared at Qingchen for a long time without a change in his expression, yet still asked: “They? How about you?”

Qingchen thin brows jumped, then dropped her head while hiding the restlessness in her heart: “I have no attachment and alone, it does not matter where I go . ”

“So, you would like me to save all of you?”

“Yes . ”

A sense of excitement pa.s.sed in Yetian Zhan's eyes: “Since it does not matter, then why do you ask to be saved?”

Qingchen said: “It does not matter for me, but they are different from me . ”

Not getting any response after her replied, just when she was going to lift her head, she heard him said slowly without a care: “Why should I save them?”

A slight wave ripple in her eyes, a wave of anger hidden in the deep calmness of her eyes . She slowly raised her phoenix eyes, with a firm stance, said: “Under the feet of the Emperor, within the imperial city, there are people ignoring the law by misusing their strength to bully others, doing criminal deeds by forcing young girls of good families to prost.i.tute themselves . Where is the discipline of law? Where does this put the image of the royal family? I believe Your Highness, who is n.o.ble as the prince, while receiving the blessing of G.o.d, is also responsible for the common folks, will not stay as a bystander . ”

Still with his uncaring stance, Yetian Zhan said: “Of course, I will do something, but since this is within Tiandu, so it is under the jurisdiction of the capital division . There will be extremely harsh investigation which will involve these girls . Considering their weak const.i.tutions, can they go through the difficult circ.u.mstances of being in jails? In addition, the person in charge of the capital division, the Fifth Prince, is currently in a battle outside the capital and might not be able to return anytime soon, this case will not be easy for me . ”

Qingchen can hear that he is relaxing his stance in this case: “What is Your Highness' request in exchange for saving them?”

Yetian Zhan played with his jade flute, his slender fingers complementing the white jade, giving off an elegant glow: “It depends on whether these people worth saving . ”

Qingchen silently thinking, her gaze falling on the jade flute in his hand, then raised her head saying: “In that case, I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to bet with me? If Your Highness wins, we accept any outcomes decided for us, if I win, then please save them . ”

Yetian Zhan listened to her suggestion with his excitement picked, “How should we bet, let me hear it?”

Qingchen said: “Since Your Highness carries a jade flute along, I believe Your Highness is someone who is deeply knowledgeable in music . There is a zither on the boat . If Your Highness is able to accompany my music when I play the zither, then Your Highness has won, and lose if otherwise . Will this be possible?”

As soon as she finished her sentence, Yetian Li on the side, shook his head, while Wu Pingting loosen her expression with a smile . Within Yige city, it is common knowledge that the Seventh Prince, Yetian Zhan, is renowned for being undefeatable in his skill with the flute . Qingchen has surely end her own escape route with this move .

At the same time, Yetian Zhan looked at Qingchen quietly, and said: “Alright, you can go to test the zither . ”

Two guards quickly picked up the zither which has fallen on the floor and place in front of her . Qingchen re-adjust the tone and test the tightness of the strings . It was not a good zither, but she can make do .

She sat herself on the floor in front of the long low table, her white dress spread out behind her . With a quiet elegance, she looked to Yetian Zhan . Yetian Zhan lifted the corner of his lips and slightly raised his hand, signaling her that she can start .

She tilted her head quietly, many different songs flashed in her mind, then her beautiful slender fingers gently glides through the strings, with her left hand like orchids, she held on one side of the zither .

She ignored everyone, while her calm gaze fell on an empty s.p.a.ce in front of her, then slowly raised her left hand following her feeling at the moment, she suddenly started to pick the zither strings .

A sudden sound, a clear sound carrying a slight muteness . Each person present felt that something seemed to have flashed through them, causing them to tremble along with the aggressive zither sounds .

A sound fell, each sound of the strings were tight . An aura of the running metal horses suddenly can be felt from the common zither .

Everyone seemed to see a thousand miles away in a military camp, yells of soldiers and neighs of horses, a battle is imminent, the wind and clouds moved in the background . Everyone's hearts seemed to slowly tense up by the murderous sound, hanging them to the point of feeling unbearable .

While they are silently surprised, suddenly they heard the sharp chord protruded, as though sounds of “silver bottles breaking water bags splas.h.i.+ng the contents, clas.h.i.+ng sounds of knives and spears of the cavalry”, thousands of soldiers and horses sweeping through the desert, creating a sandstorm causing the sky to lose its color .

Within the sway of the zither sound, killing and galloping, scaring the heart and moved the soul; within the gentle chord, the air of swords were around them, as though they can hear it .

There were actually so many different air under the small and weak fingers . Sometimes, when the chord is light and low, with a fleeting sound entangled in them, complimenting the rhythm .

Yetian Zhan had the jade flute in his hand, but never raised it to his lips . He only quietly holding it while listening to the song, as though he was at the battle along with the sound of the seven chord zither, where the wind and clouds were surging, and the army suppressing the city .

When the low desolate sound returned, the volume of the zither sound increased, high and low, with a potential of reaching the clouds, causing people cannot help but change their expressions when hearing the sound .

Qingchen looked down while the sound of the zither continued to increase . She put a little more strength into her finger, but heard the sound 'peng', the zither could not handle the raging air, suddenly the strings broke, the song dispersed and disappeared .

The broken zither string cut through the jade like finger creating an injury, fresh blood quickly flows out, dripping on the zither, as though the beautiful red plum flowering .

Yet, she was not moved, but focusing her gaze on the zither . So serious that she was giving off the feeling that she put all her attention into it, so focused that it caused others to feel worried .

A short while later, a pair of white based riding shoes stopped in front of the zither . She traced her gaze up along the light blue long robe, meeting Yetian Zhan's clear eyes .

He pa.s.sed a handkerchief to her, when she did not react, he took her hand and helped her wrapped her wound gently . At the same time, he instructed: “Someone, find a place to house these girls for a while . Make sure they are properly taken care of . Take the rest to the jail under the capital division and take my command plate to seal Tian Wu Zui Fang . Take down anyone who resists . ”

As soon as he finished his instruction, Wu Pingting lose all colors . She could never imagine Prince Zhan who has always been known for being warm and gentle is actually so merciless . She kneeled down said: “Your Highness, please consider……consider his Excellency Guo……”

Yetian Zhan simply looked at from the corner of his eyes: “Of course, this prince will not forget Guo Qi, ask him to wait for the criminal order from the central judicial office . ”

Then ignored the sobbing sound behind him, only looking at Qingchen who had her head raised looking at him with questioning eyes .

The flash of color within those pair of deep eyes surprised him, as though his heart was missing something, an unspeakable feeling slowly spread through .

Time pa.s.sed, he shook his head with a smile, then said: “I have lost . Even if I could play a song to accompany yours, I will be no match to the emotions in your song . ”

What kind of experience that would cause a gentle and weak woman to play a song that contains such far away excitement that was filled with vicious murderous aura, but still emphasizing the unwavering coldness that is so deeply rooted .

Qingchen looked towards his elegant face, the corner of her lips slightly lifted, revealing a bitter smile, she lightly got up, “Thank you Seventh……” Before she could finish her sentence, suddenly her heart palpitates, her vision turns dizzy, and she fell towards the zither in front of her .

She was emotionally tired, as though the zither strings that broke, it could not hold further stress .

Yetian Zhan quickly caught and held her up . Seeing her condition, he frowned and quickly picked up her light body, stepping out of the boat .

After a wave of dizziness, Qingchen forced herself to open her eyes and saw Yetian Zhan who was looking down to her . Those warm and gentle gaze, so much like Li Tang . Suddenly she felt that time has returned, when they were talking in low voices while embracing each other, light, gentle and deeply intoxicating .

She moved her hands wis.h.i.+ng to touch the familiar eyes, but gave up due to fatigue, the feeling of her exhausted heart slowly devoured her .