Trap in a Book

Chapter 12

"Don't worry, I won't waste my time killing you. I'll let you bleed to death as you are a filthy person who doesn't need to waste my strength,'' ZhangWei despite her as he heard all the rumors of her crimes towards Baozhai. She shot a glare at him before he vanished. "Next time, I see you. I will personally find a way to kill you,'' she spits out in pain.

LiMie trembled in fright as she saw Xiaomei bleeding. She helped Xiaomei up and took her to the house. LiMei quickly grabbed all sorts of things to try to clean and bandage the wound. "Miss, hold on. I'll go get help!" LiMei said and tried to leave.

Xiaomei grabbed her sleeve, "LiMei, you know no one will care and think I did this myself. Let it be. Just help me wrap it tightly," she said.

"No, I will go get Bao! He will help!" LiMei said quickly, but Xiaomei stopped her again as she knew the guards will be arriving soon since they saw him coming in this direction.

"LiMei, we have to make this place look filthy," Xiaomei said out of breath.

"What? Miss, but your arm?" LiMei said, confused.

"Not right now. The guards are coming. We need to look like we are in a terrible state, so they don't get suspicious of us," her forehead shows pain. "So, help me, grab a bucket of dirt and mix it with water,'' Xiaomei said.

LiMei wanted to say something but hurried out and grabbed dirt and splash water in a bucket while Xiaomei forced herself to hide the money and food ingredients somewhere they wouldn't look. LiMie hurried back to the house. "LiMei, smear the mud everywhere," Xiaomei said and gathered all of her strength she had. She and LiMei covered the house in mud, she covered the walls, the table, the seats, the cabinet, the closet, and the floor in mud while LiMei was covering the outside, including the door at a fast speed as they were mostly splashing and throwing it on. They threw the bucket beside the house before heading back inside and blowing out the candle as they wiped their muddy hand on their clothes. Xiaomei wanted to make the house dirty, so whoever comes here will pity them and think that there's no possible way she is involved with anything.

Xiaomei told LiMei to pretend to be sleeping as they heard footsteps at their door. A loud bang came from the door, and guards entered the room with fire torches in their hands. Both Xiaomei and LiMie got up, and before Xiaomei could speak, another handsome man, he had a cold and aloof look and a perfect bridge nose, spoke in a serious tone "where are you hiding the assassin?"

"Excuse me, but I don't know what you are talking about? Both my maid and I were sleeping," Xiaomei said, but the man didn't pay any attention to her and waved his hand.

"Search,'' he commanded as all the guards started separating and searching. They forced Xiaomei and LiMei out of the house so they could search everywhere and watch them closely. At first, they were trashing everything, but for some reason, they felt pity for her and LiMei as they saw how filthy the place was and saw how Xiaomei and LiMei looked dirty and thin.

Xiaomei did her best not to show pain on her face and pulled her arm behind her while the handsome general was watching her. LiMei saw Bao was here as she wanted to ask for help, so she slowly made her way toward him without being noticed. However, a guard appeared and barked, "Move!" and shoved LiMei to the ground to report back to the handsome man. Bao was about to hurry to help her up, but Xiaomei stared at him to tell him to stop, so he didn't get in trouble and caused people to think that he was involved with them before she helped her. Xiaomei wouldn't care or mind if they treat her badly, or talk down to her, but shoving LiMei was absolutely a no.

"General BoJing, how rude of your soldiers to push my maid down without apologizing when she was not in the way? There was plenty of space to come through without shoving her to the ground. We followed what you told us. We are standing outside of the house as you all are trashing the place," Xiaomei said coldly.

The man stood there, unmoved as his facial didn't show consideration, "Why does that have to do with anything with me? I don't care about your maid, she is not mine," he said. She expected his response to be like this as he was written to be a very cold-hearted man but has a soft spot only for the main girl.

"Oh, is that so? Such a shame to have a royal general like you," she said politely, but it felt like a slap to the face as all the guards stopped and looked at him.

Instead of feeling ashamed or embarrassed, he said "For a person like you to say such a thing like that is so ironic.''

"That may be true, but I don't harm others who aren't the person I am going for. And I am in here for a reason, ain't I? I am repenting," she states, sending chills to everyone.

"Oh really, then why did we see the assassin come straight in this direction and spot the person magically disappearing here," he sternly said.

She smirks before saying, "are you sure you weren't slow and lost him." As she walks forward to him, hiding her arm behind her, and to his surprise to see such clear eyes in front of him, even if she looks in a horrible state, she still shines lightly in the dark. He noticed her face to be slimmer and her body to be thin with dirt covering her entire body, but instead of looking sickly, she looks well put with her clear eyes. "General BoJing, let's make a bet if the assassin isn't here, then buy me a bag of rice and leave here now. However, if you somehow find the assassin, then I am willing to be sent to prison and be punished whatever it is decided on, so you could help ease the one you like to be at peace," she cunningly said as he knew who she was implying.

"Why would I agree to this ridiculous thing,'' he said, finally feeling overwhelmed.

"What's there to be afraid of? I'm just helping you? Ain't I? I am willing to put my life for a bag of rice," she said, slyly, which caused the guards to find her more pitiful to give her life for a bag of rice.

Silence has come upon them as her eyes smile at him and cause him to feel irritated as he agrees. She smiled and said, "General BoJing, continue on your search, I allow you." LiMei grabbed her sleeve, worried, but Xiaomei grabbed her hand to assure her.

A couple of minutes later, all the guards report seeing nothing to BoJing as his face turns ugly. "Let's move out," he ordered, staring at her the whole time while she tilted her head and smirked, provoking him.

All the guards moved out as BoJing was one of the last ones to leave, while Bao waited at the entrance for everyone to leave, so he could talk to them as he was worried about them. BoJing continued to stare at her as if he was suspicious of her, but she didn't waver and stood there looking at him unmoved. "I hope General BoJing will keep his word," she mocked him as he didn't say anything and walked away. There Bao made it look like he was going to follow him but didn't.

In the trees, a shadow was hidden in the dark as the sly man smiled mischievously. "Look at that... she is a smart and calculated person, interesting," Zhangwei said before vanishing again.

Once BoJing was out of sight, Xiaomei collapsed on her knees. She was in constant pain as she was breathing heavily and used her other arm to support her up. "Miss!" LiMei said, hurrying to her. She saw how pale Xiaomei looked, and she was sweating profusely. "Hurry, help me carry her on my back," Bao said as he rushed to her. He piggybacks her out of the cold palace. LiMie quickly grabbed the things they needed; money and a face veil for Xiaomei.

Xiaomei weakly said, "where are we going?" As blood drips down her arm and rolls off her fingertip. "To a doctor," he said quickly and led her down the secret pathway, which was the opposite direction where BoJing and guards headed as they were heading towards the village.