It’s like getting 3 stories in one. I really enjoyed it! I’m also hoping for a Season 2😆maybe featuring…
I did though of adding them😭 Wu Shiguang could be Ji Ling's brother and Wu Wangyan could be just like Lu Wuyi but her mission was WSG but I'm not that good okay I can't add so many characters 🥲 Thank u for reading 🩷
What a plot twist! Li Jie had so many opportunities to do it himself, being the closest to JL, why botheting to…
Yeah... Li Jie was actually trying to test the waters and see if Ji Ling could actually become a good king but when he saw that he was ready to give everything up for a woman he was like yea no that ain't going to work 😭 Thank u for reading 🥹🩷 IT REALLY WAS HARD 😭
I just have one thing to say: #UnreliableNarrator.
"Can you stop having such a face? You're spoiling my mood."
"Crown Pri— Young master. We shouldn't be here right now."
Ji Ling completely ignored his bodyguard's nagging, pausing to inspect a food stall full of fresh mantou.
He picked one and took a bite without a second thought, humming in satisfaction.
Li Jie on the other hand, looked at him in mortification. "What are you— You can't— Spit it out!" He removed the mantou from Ji Ling's hold throwing it to the ground. It only took a second for a starving child to pick it up and ran away with it.
The old man who ran the food stall glared at them, ready to make a scene, but Li Jie threw a few copper coins in front of him, grabbing Ji Ling by the sleeve in the meantime.
"You can't just eat anything that doesn't come from the imperial kitchen!" He growled, wanting to pull his hair out at how naive the prince was being.
Ji Ling freed himself from his bodyguard's hold, an angry scowl overtaking his face. "You need to stop being paranoid like my father. I'm not going to get poisoned just like that."
Li Jie started massaging his eyes with a groan. "So many people want you dead, I beg you to start being more careful. Let's head back now."
The prince eyed him with exasperation before whirling around. "You're free to go. I want to stroll around for a few more minutes."
"Absolutely not."
"Then let me enjoy a bit of freedom. I haven't gone out for years, Li Jie."
Ji Ling trusted his bodyguard a lot. They grew up together and he would go as far as to call him family. Sometimes it even felt as if he was more family than his own father, the Emperor was.
But he wished he was a little more understanding. Ji Ling wasn't a fool, as the Crown Prince, he knew many people were after his life. But everyone seemed to forget that no one outside of the palace had seen his face in the first place. So how can he get poisoned by eating some cheap food?
He had finally managed to escape him father's suffocative eyes and see what the world outside the palace looked like.
It was obvious that punishment awaited him when he returned, but that just fueled his desire of staying even more. Ji Ling would probably never get a chance of going outside again before becoming the Emperor, and that would happen years from now.
Li Jie wanted to say more, but decided to keep his mouth shut in hopes of getting this over with faster.
Ji Ling was content with that and started walking around, feeling overwhelmed by how lively every single street was.
Even though most of the commoners had barely enough to get by, they looked way more happier than he did and Ji Ling couldn't help but sigh in resignation.
Oh, if only he was a commoner, free from all those rules and—
His thoughts got cut short when all of a sudden, a woman was pushed to the ground.
"You thief! I gave you a job and a roof, is this how you thank me?!"
Many people glanced curiously at the commotion, but continued on their without a care about the woman who was obviously beaten up.
He went to step forward, but Li Jie caught him from the shoulder before he was able to. "You must avoid attention at any cost."
He turned to his bodyguard in disbelief. "What do you mean? Am I supposed to just sit back and watch?"
"You heard him. That woman is a thief."
Ji Ling shoved Li Jie's hand away with a scorching look. "When did you start sounding like my father?"
He didn't wait for his reply, Ji Ling walked towards the woman, and kneeled down in front her slowly as to not scare her. "Are you alright?"
He got no answer and the person behind him was still throwing a fit, so he quickly removed one of his rings and threw it at the man's feet with a scowl. "Take it and leave."
When Ji Ling turned his attention back to the woman, he found her breathing angrily while glaring at the ground. "I'm not a thief."
"I believe you." The words escaped from his mouth without a second thought, and he had no idea why. He knew nothing about this woman, and she could be way more than a thief.
She froze for a second, before raising her head to meet his eyes, and Ji Ling thought that those were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.
Her face was smeared with dirt, her hair a mess, and her clothes were practically rags, but even all that weren't enough to diminish her beauty.
Ji Ling grew up in the palace, he had seen a lot of stunning women, but none came close to the one in front of him right now.
"Thank you." She whispered gratefully, breaking him out of his trance. Ji Ling cleared his throat and averted his eyes, reminding himself that staring at her like a fool was not the right thing to do.
The prince got up and dusted himself off before offering her a hand. She hesitated a little, throwing a few glances around them before taking it.
Her hand was so cold that it made him shiver but still, Ji Ling couldn't help the feeling of loss once she removed it from his.
"Then, I will be taking my leave—"
"Wait."
She looked at him in question, and Ji Ling opened his mouth before closing it again helplessly. He had no idea what to say, all he knew was that he didn't want to get separated from her just like that.
"Where do you live?" Perhaps that was the wrong thing to say.
Her eyes flickered with suspicion and she quickly took a few steps back. "I don't think that's any of your business." She stated, marching away but Ji Ling followed right behind her.
"No— I'm asking so I can accompany you! It's dangerous!"
"I think it's more dangerous for you. You're definitely not from around here."
Well, she wasn't wrong.
It wasn't hard to reach her side and she gave him a dirty look when he tried to stop her by grabbing her sleeve.
"Can you at least tell me your name?"
"No."
"Why not?"
She finally stopped, turning to face him with a scowl. "Listen here sir, I'm grateful for your help back there, but don't test my patience."
Ji Ling blinked once, then twice. He wasn't used to people talking to him in such a way. Only Li Jie, who he just noticed had followed them around with a scowl of his own.
He could tell that he didn't have much time, so he decided to say whatever was on his mind. "I only want to help you. You don't have a place to work right now, correct? I can offer you a good post at the palace."
He didn't have to look behind him, Ji Ling could feel Li Jie's death stare from miles away.
The woman pursed her lips while sizing him up. "And what do you have to do with the palace? Are you taking care of the imperial horses?"
Ji Ling almost took offence but one look at his attire and he got reminded that he had in fact borrowed clothes from a male servant before going out.
He raised his chin before crossing his arms over his chest. "Not exactly. But I can assure you that he trusts me enough."
Yeah, Li Jie was glaring daggers at his back.
---
The way back inside the carriage was full of expected nagging.
"I can't comprehend what you just did. Do you have any idea on how much you messed up, your highness?"
Ji Ling yawned as he leaned back on his seat. It was a tiring day. "In a few days, you'll get a carriage and bring her inside."
Li Jie started tapping his foot impatiently. "And what about his Majesty?"
The crown prince waved his hand in dismissal. "My father couldn't care less about such stuff. He doesn't even know how many servants I have. He won't notice the addition." He then met his bodyguard's eyes with a serious look. "Unless you tell him, of course."
Li Jie started massaging his eyes with a growl. "You need to understand that every single person in the palace needs to have their identity checked."
"That's why I have you. You can go and search about her."
"And what if she is more than she looks?"
"Yeah. Everyone wants to kill me. The food stall owner, a helpless woman on the street. Maybe even you. Tell me Li Jie, do you want me dead perhaps? Should I be scared?"
Li Jie rolled his eyes, snorting "If you keep acting like that, maybe."
Ji Ling chuckled before kicking his bodyguard on the knee. "I just want to help her. If you find anything suspicious about her, let me know."
His bodyguard returned the kick with a huff. "Hopefully you won't regret this."
---
Ji Ling had just made his way back from the training grounds when Li Jie approached him.
"Her family got killed when she was very young. Nothing particular about her. She's clean."
The Crown Prince couldn't help but throw his bodyguard a winning smile. "So what's her name?"
"Lu Wuyi."
Ji Ling tasted the name on his lips, and found himself liking the sound of it.
It was a beautiful name.
"I'm still going to he suspicious of her. For your own sake."
Ji Ling sighed in exaggeration. "Just don't scare her away."
Li Jie studied the crown prince with an unsettling look. "Please don't tell me that you fell in love with her."
The younger man looked at him as if he had grown two heads. "What are you saying? I'm the Crown Prince. I can't just fall in love with anyone."
The words tasted bitter in his mouth.
From the second Ji Ling was born, his life was not his own. His father had made sure of that.
Ji Ling was not a fool. Lu Wuyi was beautiful and that was that. Love was a strong word, and it was not what he was feeling for her.
Li Jie of course didn't believe him.
---
It seemed as if Ji Ling had made it his personal mission to prove to his bodyguard that he really had no other thoughts about Lu Wuyi besides pity.
He asked no questions, so he had absolutely no idea in which part of the palace Lu Wuyi was working at.
It had been a few months already, and the prince had not even caught sight of her once. Which is rather normal, since the palace had more than 300 servants. But nevertheless, sometimes he thought that Li Jie had lied to him and the woman was actually never brought in.
But his pride wouldn't let him make any comment. He was not in love with Lu Wuyi. He only knew her name, and his father would arrange a marriage for him soon.
Ji Ling might as well forget her sole existence and move on. He did a good deed by helping someone in need and that was the end of it.
He had almost made peace with the thought, and he was currently waiting for his evening tea to be served. Li Jie wasn't there and so he was extremely bored. With nothing to do, he picked a random book and started flipping through it with a sigh.
Ji Ling wasn't like his father, he didn't like lashing out on servants for the little things, but he also didn't like it when his tea was late.
He was feeling suffocated by being locked in the palace, and drinking some well made tea could be considered one of the few enjoyments he had.
So he was allowed to at least throw a little tantrum, right?
After what felt like hours, Ji Ling heard soft steps outside of his room. He let the book fall on the floor without a care, and opened the door with a frown, ready to snap at the servant—
He was not prepared to come face to face with Lu Wuyi.
They both stared at eachother in disbelief and Ji Ling couldn't help the smile that took over his face.
For some reason, she looked prettier than he remembered.
Lu Wuyi gave him an once over before scoffing. She clenched the tray in her hands and took a step back. "What are you doing in the Crown prince's room?"
Ji Ling cleared his throat before crossing his arms in front of him. Right, she had no idea who he was. "What do you think I'm doing?"
"You didn't come to steal... Right?"
"Wrong."
"Then why are you dressed like that?"
He flashed a teasing smile and ignored her question. He was sure that she was smart enough to understand soon enough.
Ji Ling eyed the steaming tea in her hold and reached for the cup, bu Lu Wuyi stepped back once again with a glare. "This is for the Crown Prince."
His eyebrows rose in feigned suprise as he shifted from one foot to the other. "Is it?"
Lu Wuyi's face scrunched up in distaste and the young prince thought that she was adorable.
"If you don't tell me the reason you're here, I'm going to scream loud enough for the guards to run over."
Ji Ling thought of putting an end to this but he was actually having quite the fun...
"I helped you so much, and you aren't willing to bat an eye and let me off the hook?" He exhaled before tugging at his attire. "I just wanted to know what a silk robe feels like."
Lu Wuyi's expression hardened and before he knew it, she started screaming her lungs out.
Ji Ling did not hesitate, with one swift move, he covered her mouth with his hand which only made the woman drop the tray on the floor in suprise.
She stood frozen, her eyes wide in disbelief, and he was about to tell her that he was in fact the Crown Prince when she suddenly stepped on his foot with all the strength she had.
Next thing Ji Ling knew, he was pushed back with enough force to fall down if he didn't balance himself in time.
He stared at her in awe, at a complete loss of words.
Who was Lu Wuyi really?
"You're really something else!" She fumed before kneeling down to clean the mess. "Next time you lay a hand upon me, I'll make sure to break it!"
Ji Ling found himself smiling stupidly for no reason whatsoever.
He made as if to help her, but she pined him with a warning look. "Stay where you are. The Crown Prince is going to kill me when he learns that his precious tea got wasted and it's all because of you!"
"Don't worry, I'll explain to him when he returns."
"Great. He'll kill us both." She grumbled and focused back on her task.
Ji Ling stayed rooted to his spot, unable to take his eyes off of the woman in front of him. She really was the most beautiful in his eyes.
She clenched the clothe on her hand, exhaling in exaggeration. "Stop staring at me—"
"Your highness I— What's going on here?"
They both turned to look at Li Jie who had just returned and it only took a few seconds for Lu Wuyi piece the puzzle together.
She closed her eyes tightly before touching her head on the floor with a thud. "I apologise for my foolishness. Please don't behead me, your highness."
He could clearly hear the tremor in her voice and he decide that he didn't like it. Ji Ling did not want to be feared. The thought of it alone made him feel sick. That was his father's joy, not his.
"Get up." He winced right after the words left his mouth, his voice came out harsher than he intended.
Lu Wuyi followed his command, but her eyes stayed locked on the ground, hands clenched at her side tight enough to turn white.
He cleared his throat before smiling tightly. "How about you join me for some tea?"
Li Jie looked between them before slumping his shoulders. "I'll go fetch it..." He gave Ji Ling one last look full of warning before turning around and taking his leave.
Lu Wuyi followed the young prince inside the room and hesitated before closing the door. She looked ready to run away at any moment.
They both stood awkwardly for a few seconds and Ji Ling decided to break the silence first.
"Why were you the one to serve me tea today?"
Lu Wuyi stole a glance at him before lowering her head once again. "I deserve punishment for not recognising your highness. I'm willing to accept anything, but please don't kill me."
Ji Ling frowned. "That's not an answer to my question."
The young woman paused before exhaling shakily. "Suyin was sick... So I took her place. The blame is on me, please don't punish her, your highness. I forced her to stay put while I did her duties for the day. I had no idea that you would remember her face enough to know she wasn't the one who brought you tea today and—"
"I have no idea who Suyin is, or what her face looks like." Ji Ling thought that his next words shouldn't be spoken, but he said them anyways. "Your face is the one I couldn't forget."
Lu Wuyi's head shot up in suprise, her mouth opening and closing like the koi fish at his pond.
Ji Ling found it hilarious, and he had to hide his laugh by faking a cough. "In case you haven't realized, I'm not mad, I'm not going to punish you, and I definitely won't behead you."
"...Why?"
The smile slipped from his lips completely and he grew serious. "I don't know what kind of rumours you heard about me, but I'm not like the Emperor. I need you to understand that."
Lu Wuyi's expression hardened before she gave a mirthless laugh. "And why should I believe you?"
"Does it look like I'm capable of killing someone?"
"Looks can be deceiving."
Ji Ling looked at Lu Wuyi and thought that her eyes were full of hatred. He wondered if it was aimed at him or someone else.
He didn't blame her for doubting him, but he truly despised the thought of people seeing his father in him, and even more so when it came from her.
The Crown prince had no idea why it bothered him so much. She was just a servant, and he shouldn't care less about her or her views of him.
But the thought of her hating him gawked at his heart for some strange reason.
Ji Ling took a few steps and stopped right in front of her. "Then let me prove it to you," He raised his hand slowly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "That I'm not who you think I am."
Lu Wuyi pursed her lips in annoyance, but before she could snap at him, he sighed deeply in remorse. "I apologize but it was bothering me. You can break my hand now."
The woman started at him as if he was the most ridiculous person she had ever seen. The sparkle in her eyes had returned, so he thought it was worth it. At least he would be able to skip some calligraphy classes with a broken hand.
Lu Wuyi rolled her eyes before whirling around. "Your highness, I have things to do, so I will be taking my leave."
"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow. You'll be the one serving me tea from now on."
She made no further comment before taking her leave.
When Li Jie returned, he found Ji Ling smiling foolishly at nothing. He'd rather not bother.
---
Ji Ling had reached to a point where the only highlight of his days was Lu Wuyi's company.
She brought his tea right when the sun was just about to set, and then he would ask her to accompany him for a little while.
Today was one of those days where Ji Ling was in an awful mood, and his father was to thank for that.
Lu Wuyi must have noticed that he was dimmer than usual, so she took it upon herself to fill the silence in the room.
She poured some jasmine tea on his cup with gentle swift moves before sitting respectfully across from him. "Your bodyguard hates me."
Ji Ling smelled the tea with a satisfying hum before taking a sip. "What makes you say that?"
"Haven't you seen his face everytime I'm around? " The crown prince chuckled softly. "Li Jie is like that with everyone. Don't mind him." His head was throbbing again, so he started rubbing his temples. "He's convinced that everyone is out for my head."
Lu Wuyi rested her chin on her hand as she peered at him with interest. "And what do you think?"
Ji Ling's mouth curved into a smile. "If your goal was to kill me, I wouldn't be here right now."
She nodded with a hum and another comforting silence fell between them.
His headache was still not leaving him though.
"What's bothering you?"
A lot of things. His father was as controlling as ever, his brother wanted him dead just because of this stupid throne, and the court officials were pushing for a political marriage with a princess of an enemy kingdom.
He tapped a finger on the rim of his cup a few times before giving his sole focus on the woman sitting across of him. "Have you ever felt like running away?"
Lu Wuyi straightened up, a spark of annoyance appearing in her eyes. "What could possibly make your highness feel like that?"
Ji Ling frowned a little at her use of the formal title. He thought that they had grown closer enough to be considered as friends. Maybe something more.
"Do you think I don't deserve to feel like that?"
"Not when you have everything."
"But I don't have freedom."
Lu Wuyi's face hardened, and he didn't fail to notice the way her jaw tightened. "Have you ever gone days without food or water, your Highness? Have you perhaps slept out in the freezing cold?"
Ji Ling leaned closer, trying to decipher the emotions she was displaying. "What about you?"
She ignored his question, but something about the way she tensed told him all he needed to know.
"People out there are dying, and it's your duty to change that. If being trapped inside some walls makes you feel like abandoning your people, then perhaps you don't deserve the throne."
Ji Ling tried to still his rage, but it didn't work. "I don't want the throne in the first place!"
Lu Wuyi shook her head. "You don't have a choice."
He slammed his cup on the wooden table before standing up with a growl. "See? This is what I'm talking about! I never get to have a choice!"
The prince started pacing around, his breath quickening. He thought that maybe she would understand him. But she didn't. No one did.
Lu Wuyi let out a harsh breath before getting up as well. Her eyes bored into him, and he hated the disappointment he saw in them."There are more dreading problems than that, I assure you."
He knew that. But he also knew that someone like her would never get how tiring and draining it was to always be in the middle of some power struggle game.
Ji Ling's face went blank as he regarded the woman across from him. "You don't get to judge me, Lu Wuyi. I can barely breath the way I want in here."
"But the people need you. And they should come first."
She was right. But Ji Ling was also human, and he was selfish. He didn't want to spend his whole life locked in the palace, surrounded by two faced people and hate, by court officials that wanted nothing more but to manipulate him for their own greed.
At this point, it was pointless to say anything else. He turned his back on her with a frown and tried to ignore how tight his heart felt once she walked out of the door.
For some reason, he felt as if he had done a big mistake.
However, when the next day came, Lu Wuyi was back to her usual self. She acted as if the previous conversation never happened, and he went along with it.
But for some reason, he didn't feel any relief.
---
"She has been receiving a lot of letters in the past few days."
Ji Ling paused his reading on some official document that he couldn't care less about and looked over at his bodyguard with a yawn. "Who?"
"Your personal tea server."
"Don't call her that."
Li Jie inspected his sword with disinterested. "But that's what she is."
Ji Ling shot him a glare before focusing back on his task.
"Aren't you curious? About who's she's exchanging letters with?"
"It might be her family."
"She has no one."
The Crown prince pushed the document away with an exasperated sigh, and started rubbing his temples for the millionth time that day. His headaches had become more frequent. "What do you want me to do, Li Jie?"
"I want you to start being more cautious."
"When will you stop suspecting her? It has been two years. Aren't you tried?"
"I'll stop once I get to know what those letters contain."
Ji Ling couldn't understand Li Jie at all. He was being too paranoid when it came to Lu Wuyi, and it was starting to be draining.
Sure, he did have some curiosity about who those letters belonged to. Even after all this time, he knew close to nothing about Lu Wuyi, and he had a lot of questions.
Sometimes, when she let her guard down, he could see that something was haunting her. She was a mystery to him and as much as he wanted to know what troubled her, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
But he wished that she would trust him someday.
---
"I'm to marry the princess of Xijin in a month's time."
Lu Wuyi who was about to take a sip, froze midway. Even if it lasted fro a second, Ji Ling caught it.
She plastered a smile on her face, but he could tell it was forced. "I know. Everyone is gossiping about it."
"I have to leave in a few days." Ji Ling kept his sole focus on the woman across from him. She was avoiding eye contact completely, and he didn't know what to feel.
She sighed dramatically before resting her cheek on her hand. "That's such a loss for me... I won't have anyone to serve tea now."
Ji Ling didn't joke along, and the smile on Lu Wuyi's face dimmed. "What do you think of the princess?" She tried to sound indifferent, but he wasn't a fool.
He shrugged before taking a sip. The tea was way more bitter than usual, he thought. "Well, I haven't seen her. But people are saying she's very beautiful."
He doubted that she was as beautiful as Lu Wuyi, though.
Ji Ling's heart was aching. He didn't want this marriage. He didn't want to leave.
But he knew what her response would be if she voiced her thoughts.
'It must be done.'
But the only thing Ji Ling wanted, was to stay with her.
She truly was the only one who lightened up his life.
And he was going to lose her.
---
Ji Ling watched helplessly as Lu Wuyi poured him some tea for the last time.
When he returned, he would be a married man. Having tea with a mere servant would be out of the question.
He saw her hesitating a little before unwrapping some fresh osmanthus cakes. "I made them myself. Let's say it's my gift for your wedding."
Ji Ling's face hardened. "I don't need such a gift from you," He snapped, unable to hold back his annoyance.
How could she be so cruel? Did she really have no idea about his feelings?
The prince shoved the treats away and instantly regretted it, but his irritation overpowered him. "After all this time, you still don't know I don't like anything with osmanthus in it? Or am I that unimportant to you that you don't bother to remember anything about me?"
Lu Wuyi pursed her lips before lowering her head . "I know. That's why I made them." She whispered bitterly. "Your highness. It's unfortunate, but both of us never got anything that we wanted in this life."
Ji Ling's face twisted in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
She chuckled to herself before finally meeting his eyes for the first time that day. "Can you promise me something? Next time, don't trust a stranger so easily. I know your bodyguard doesn't like me, but I agree with him. You should take his advice more seriously from now on."
She turned to leave, but Ji Ling took hold of her hand to stop her. His next words were laced with obvious desperation. "It doesn't have to end like this... I can give up everything. Let's run away, let's go as far as we can, let's—"
Lu Wuyi pushed his hand away gently and Ji Ling felt as if he had been stabbed right though the heart.
"Your highness, I wish you happiness." She looked at him one last time before taking her leave.
Ji Ling had never felt such pain before. Everything was hurting.
She wished him happiness? What a joke.
He would never be happy. Not without her.
---
The carriage was dead silent.
Everything was a blur, and Ji Ling could hardly breath by how heavy his chest felt.
He wanted to cry, but he refused to.
Li Jie who was sitting across from him, observed the prince with a blank face.
It looked as if he was contemplating something.
"Your highness, if you had to choose between people and your own happiness, what would you choose?"
Ji Ling tugged at his collar, suddenly feeling too hot. "Both."
Li Jie blinked once before reaching for the incense that was placed in the middle of the carriage. "I think you could be a great ruler. But you need time for that, and we don't have it."
The crown prince frowned at his bodyguard's words. His head that was already throbbing, started hurting even more the moment Li Jie added more powder.
The aroma was too strong, and it was making him feel suffocates.
"Li Jie— throw this out."
"But why? This is what you've been using for years. I brought it to you as a gift, remember?"
No, Ji Ling didn't remember. Everything was a blur.
"Stop the carriage, I need some fresh air." He demanded, his breathing quickening.
He tried to get up, but his legs weren't cooperating.
Li Jie's next words sounded from very far away. "You wanted to be with her right? Now you can."
Everything turned black.
EPILOGUE:
Fire was everywhere—
Manman closed the laptop with a thud.
He was in total disbelief.
"What kind of ending was that?! Li Jie killed Ji Ling?! That doesn't make any sense!"
Dizhu flipped the page of her book lazily. "And why is that?"
"What do you mean?!" He scoffed. "There weren't any signs of his treason!"
"Actually, there were many." His best friend shifted on her chair with a hum. "But judging by how fast you finished my masterpiece of 300k words, you skipped a lot."
Manman shrugged unapologetically. "That's because Ji Ling's love story with Lu Wuyi sucked me right in... Ugh you didn't even write anything about her! We're left with nothing!"
"Yeah, that's like the whole point."
He got up with a groan and started pacing around the room. "You must tell me what happened to Lu Wuyi at least."
Dizhu put her book down in confusion. "What do you mean? Wasn't it obvious? Li Jie had her killed because she wasn't able to poison Ji Ling."
"WHAT?!"
"Are you kidding me? You couldn't even read the epilogue?"
Well, he was too frustrated to do that.
Dizhu rolled her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest. "Weren't you the one telling me Ji Ling was a naive fool when you started reading this? Since when did you care so much about him?"
Manman cleared his throat and tried to sound as chill as possible. "Well. I didn't like him. But you know... Actually... I didn't do it on purpose!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about by the way." She deadpanned and Manman rolled his shoulders with a sigh.
It's not like he should be the one feeling flustered.
"I saw your character drawings."
Dizhu blinked once, then twice. Suddenly, her cheeks turned pink. "How dare you peek?!"
Manman couldn't help but smirk at her reaction. "More importantly, why does Ji Ling look so much like me? Of course he's going to turn into my favourite character with such a face."
Dizhu got up from her couch with a scoff. "Don't be ridiculous. You should go and check your eyes."
"And I'm sure Lu Wuyi looks like you. If you're going to write fanfiction about us, the least you could do was give them a happy ending."
Her face had now turned crimson, and as she started throwing pillows at him, Manman thought that his best friend was adorable.
Ngl, I didn't like this and I had to low-key force myself to finish 😭(For you Pia.)
I thought my idea was great and I just wanted to write something as an unreliable narrator, but after a while I was like "Um yeah WHAT am I writing?!" So here's that.
If you are confused and feel like the Jilu part didn't make a lot of sense and some parts were just random, that's how it's supposed to be. Because basically those parts were the ones Manman read. This was Ji Ling's book and romance was only a subplot, but dude skipped almost everything and focused in the love story only (mood) so he basically missed the whole point 😭 BUT to put it simply: Lu Wuyi was an assassin, the first "accidental" meeting wasn't accidental and she just had to gain his trust before killing him... But she well in love, the usual cliché. As for Li Jie he was also an assassin since THE START and he was there to do the job in case Lu Wuyi failed. (She had no idea about him being an assassin as well.)
Why they wanted to kill him? Well his father was a tyrant and honestly speaking, Ji Ling was unwilling to rule PLUS he was super naive, he just wasn't made for the throne. Li Jie hated that 😮💨.
I like to think that I dropped a lot of small hints? Like Ji Ling getting super touchy when it came to his father (I'm not like my father yada yada) Li Jie low-key being a liiiiitle cold hearted (well, he's an assassin after all.) Lu Wuyi's questionable mood swings (Should I kill this man or should I not? Oh no. I'm in love with him.) The osmanthus cakes 😔✊🏻 They were poisoned, but she knew he wasn't going to touch them in the first place.... Sigh....😮💨
Lu Wuyi knew that someone would finish her off for failing the mission, but I don't even want to imagine how she felt when Li Jie came to kill her. Like, she low-key though he was the voice of reason Ji Ling needed 😭 I'm sorry girl😭
Whatever bye thanks for reading whatever that was🩷
We have green flag JL 🟩 and red flag LWY 🟥 in VoS. So now they should try two other options: he's red flag…
I wish producers had their emails😭 Then I would text all the good ones two pictures, one of JJY and one of TJR and I would write long paragraphs of why they should cast them together 😭
We have green flag JL 🟩 and red flag LWY 🟥 in VoS. So now they should try two other options: he's red flag…
I want both of them to be red flags😭 Like maybe both of them are leaders of a sect and they're enemies but then they have to work together for some reason 😮💨
1 
Prince Ji Ling x Commoner Lu Wuyi.
I just have one thing to say: #UnreliableNarrator.
"Can you stop having such a face? You're spoiling my mood."
"Crown Pri— Young master. We shouldn't be here right now."
Ji Ling completely ignored his bodyguard's nagging, pausing to inspect a food stall full of fresh mantou.
He picked one and took a bite without a second thought, humming in satisfaction.
Li Jie on the other hand, looked at him in mortification. "What are you— You can't— Spit it out!" He removed the mantou from Ji Ling's hold throwing it to the ground. It only took a second for a starving child to pick it up and ran away with it.
The old man who ran the food stall glared at them, ready to make a scene, but Li Jie threw a few copper coins in front of him, grabbing Ji Ling by the sleeve in the meantime.
"You can't just eat anything that doesn't come from the imperial kitchen!" He growled, wanting to pull his hair out at how naive the prince was being.
Ji Ling freed himself from his bodyguard's hold, an angry scowl overtaking his face. "You need to stop being paranoid like my father. I'm not going to get poisoned just like that."
Li Jie started massaging his eyes with a groan. "So many people want you dead, I beg you to start being more careful. Let's head back now."
The prince eyed him with exasperation before whirling around. "You're free to go. I want to stroll around for a few more minutes."
"Absolutely not."
"Then let me enjoy a bit of freedom. I haven't gone out for years, Li Jie."
Ji Ling trusted his bodyguard a lot. They grew up together and he would go as far as to call him family. Sometimes it even felt as if he was more family than his own father, the Emperor was.
But he wished he was a little more understanding. Ji Ling wasn't a fool, as the Crown Prince, he knew many people were after his life. But everyone seemed to forget that no one outside of the palace had seen his face in the first place. So how can he get poisoned by eating some cheap food?
He had finally managed to escape him father's suffocative eyes and see what the world outside the palace looked like.
It was obvious that punishment awaited him when he returned, but that just fueled his desire of staying even more. Ji Ling would probably never get a chance of going outside again before becoming the Emperor, and that would happen years from now.
Li Jie wanted to say more, but decided to keep his mouth shut in hopes of getting this over with faster.
Ji Ling was content with that and started walking around, feeling overwhelmed by how lively every single street was.
Even though most of the commoners had barely enough to get by, they looked way more happier than he did and Ji Ling couldn't help but sigh in resignation.
Oh, if only he was a commoner, free from all those rules and—
His thoughts got cut short when all of a sudden, a woman was pushed to the ground.
"You thief! I gave you a job and a roof, is this how you thank me?!"
Many people glanced curiously at the commotion, but continued on their without a care about the woman who was obviously beaten up.
He went to step forward, but Li Jie caught him from the shoulder before he was able to. "You must avoid attention at any cost."
He turned to his bodyguard in disbelief. "What do you mean? Am I supposed to just sit back and watch?"
"You heard him. That woman is a thief."
Ji Ling shoved Li Jie's hand away with a scorching look. "When did you start sounding like my father?"
He didn't wait for his reply, Ji Ling walked towards the woman, and kneeled down in front her slowly as to not scare her. "Are you alright?"
He got no answer and the person behind him was still throwing a fit, so he quickly removed one of his rings and threw it at the man's feet with a scowl. "Take it and leave."
When Ji Ling turned his attention back to the woman, he found her breathing angrily while glaring at the ground. "I'm not a thief."
"I believe you." The words escaped from his mouth without a second thought, and he had no idea why. He knew nothing about this woman, and she could be way more than a thief.
She froze for a second, before raising her head to meet his eyes, and Ji Ling thought that those were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.
Her face was smeared with dirt, her hair a mess, and her clothes were practically rags, but even all that weren't enough to diminish her beauty.
Ji Ling grew up in the palace, he had seen a lot of stunning women, but none came close to the one in front of him right now.
"Thank you." She whispered gratefully, breaking him out of his trance. Ji Ling cleared his throat and averted his eyes, reminding himself that staring at her like a fool was not the right thing to do.
The prince got up and dusted himself off before offering her a hand. She hesitated a little, throwing a few glances around them before taking it.
Her hand was so cold that it made him shiver but still, Ji Ling couldn't help the feeling of loss once she removed it from his.
"Then, I will be taking my leave—"
"Wait."
She looked at him in question, and Ji Ling opened his mouth before closing it again helplessly. He had no idea what to say, all he knew was that he didn't want to get separated from her just like that.
"Where do you live?" Perhaps that was the wrong thing to say.
Her eyes flickered with suspicion and she quickly took a few steps back. "I don't think that's any of your business." She stated, marching away but Ji Ling followed right behind her.
"No— I'm asking so I can accompany you! It's dangerous!"
"I think it's more dangerous for you. You're definitely not from around here."
Well, she wasn't wrong.
It wasn't hard to reach her side and she gave him a dirty look when he tried to stop her by grabbing her sleeve.
"Can you at least tell me your name?"
"No."
"Why not?"
She finally stopped, turning to face him with a scowl. "Listen here sir, I'm grateful for your help back there, but don't test my patience."
Ji Ling blinked once, then twice. He wasn't used to people talking to him in such a way. Only Li Jie, who he just noticed had followed them around with a scowl of his own.
He could tell that he didn't have much time, so he decided to say whatever was on his mind. "I only want to help you. You don't have a place to work right now, correct? I can offer you a good post at the palace."
He didn't have to look behind him, Ji Ling could feel Li Jie's death stare from miles away.
The woman pursed her lips while sizing him up. "And what do you have to do with the palace? Are you taking care of the imperial horses?"
Ji Ling almost took offence but one look at his attire and he got reminded that he had in fact borrowed clothes from a male servant before going out.
He raised his chin before crossing his arms over his chest. "Not exactly. But I can assure you that he trusts me enough."
Yeah, Li Jie was glaring daggers at his back.
---
The way back inside the carriage was full of expected nagging.
"I can't comprehend what you just did. Do you have any idea on how much you messed up, your highness?"
Ji Ling yawned as he leaned back on his seat. It was a tiring day. "In a few days, you'll get a carriage and bring her inside."
Li Jie started tapping his foot impatiently. "And what about his Majesty?"
The crown prince waved his hand in dismissal. "My father couldn't care less about such stuff. He doesn't even know how many servants I have. He won't notice the addition." He then met his bodyguard's eyes with a serious look. "Unless you tell him, of course."
Li Jie started massaging his eyes with a growl. "You need to understand that every single person in the palace needs to have their identity checked."
"That's why I have you. You can go and search about her."
"And what if she is more than she looks?"
"Yeah. Everyone wants to kill me. The food stall owner, a helpless woman on the street. Maybe even you. Tell me Li Jie, do you want me dead perhaps? Should I be scared?"
Li Jie rolled his eyes, snorting "If you keep acting like that, maybe."
Ji Ling chuckled before kicking his bodyguard on the knee. "I just want to help her. If you find anything suspicious about her, let me know."
His bodyguard returned the kick with a huff. "Hopefully you won't regret this."
---
Ji Ling had just made his way back from the training grounds when Li Jie approached him.
"Her family got killed when she was very young. Nothing particular about her. She's clean."
The Crown Prince couldn't help but throw his bodyguard a winning smile. "So what's her name?"
"Lu Wuyi."
Ji Ling tasted the name on his lips, and found himself liking the sound of it.
It was a beautiful name.
"I'm still going to he suspicious of her. For your own sake."
Ji Ling sighed in exaggeration. "Just don't scare her away."
Li Jie studied the crown prince with an unsettling look. "Please don't tell me that you fell in love with her."
The younger man looked at him as if he had grown two heads. "What are you saying? I'm the Crown Prince. I can't just fall in love with anyone."
The words tasted bitter in his mouth.
From the second Ji Ling was born, his life was not his own. His father had made sure of that.
Ji Ling was not a fool. Lu Wuyi was beautiful and that was that. Love was a strong word, and it was not what he was feeling for her.
Li Jie of course didn't believe him.
---
It seemed as if Ji Ling had made it his personal mission to prove to his bodyguard that he really had no other thoughts about Lu Wuyi besides pity.
He asked no questions, so he had absolutely no idea in which part of the palace Lu Wuyi was working at.
It had been a few months already, and the prince had not even caught sight of her once. Which is rather normal, since the palace had more than 300 servants. But nevertheless, sometimes he thought that Li Jie had lied to him and the woman was actually never brought in.
But his pride wouldn't let him make any comment. He was not in love with Lu Wuyi. He only knew her name, and his father would arrange a marriage for him soon.
Ji Ling might as well forget her sole existence and move on. He did a good deed by helping someone in need and that was the end of it.
He had almost made peace with the thought, and he was currently waiting for his evening tea to be served. Li Jie wasn't there and so he was extremely bored. With nothing to do, he picked a random book and started flipping through it with a sigh.
Ji Ling wasn't like his father, he didn't like lashing out on servants for the little things, but he also didn't like it when his tea was late.
He was feeling suffocated by being locked in the palace, and drinking some well made tea could be considered one of the few enjoyments he had.
So he was allowed to at least throw a little tantrum, right?
After what felt like hours, Ji Ling heard soft steps outside of his room. He let the book fall on the floor without a care, and opened the door with a frown, ready to snap at the servant—
He was not prepared to come face to face with Lu Wuyi.
They both stared at eachother in disbelief and Ji Ling couldn't help the smile that took over his face.
For some reason, she looked prettier than he remembered.
Lu Wuyi gave him an once over before scoffing. She clenched the tray in her hands and took a step back. "What are you doing in the Crown prince's room?"
Ji Ling cleared his throat before crossing his arms in front of him. Right, she had no idea who he was. "What do you think I'm doing?"
"You didn't come to steal... Right?"
"Wrong."
"Then why are you dressed like that?"
He flashed a teasing smile and ignored her question. He was sure that she was smart enough to understand soon enough.
Ji Ling eyed the steaming tea in her hold and reached for the cup, bu Lu Wuyi stepped back once again with a glare. "This is for the Crown Prince."
His eyebrows rose in feigned suprise as he shifted from one foot to the other. "Is it?"
Lu Wuyi's face scrunched up in distaste and the young prince thought that she was adorable.
"If you don't tell me the reason you're here, I'm going to scream loud enough for the guards to run over."
Ji Ling thought of putting an end to this but he was actually having quite the fun...
"I helped you so much, and you aren't willing to bat an eye and let me off the hook?" He exhaled before tugging at his attire. "I just wanted to know what a silk robe feels like."
Lu Wuyi's expression hardened and before he knew it, she started screaming her lungs out.
Ji Ling did not hesitate, with one swift move, he covered her mouth with his hand which only made the woman drop the tray on the floor in suprise.
She stood frozen, her eyes wide in disbelief, and he was about to tell her that he was in fact the Crown Prince when she suddenly stepped on his foot with all the strength she had.
Next thing Ji Ling knew, he was pushed back with enough force to fall down if he didn't balance himself in time.
He stared at her in awe, at a complete loss of words.
Who was Lu Wuyi really?
"You're really something else!" She fumed before kneeling down to clean the mess. "Next time you lay a hand upon me, I'll make sure to break it!"
Ji Ling found himself smiling stupidly for no reason whatsoever.
He made as if to help her, but she pined him with a warning look. "Stay where you are. The Crown Prince is going to kill me when he learns that his precious tea got wasted and it's all because of you!"
"Don't worry, I'll explain to him when he returns."
"Great. He'll kill us both." She grumbled and focused back on her task.
Ji Ling stayed rooted to his spot, unable to take his eyes off of the woman in front of him. She really was the most beautiful in his eyes.
She clenched the clothe on her hand, exhaling in exaggeration. "Stop staring at me—"
"Your highness I— What's going on here?"
They both turned to look at Li Jie who had just returned and it only took a few seconds for Lu Wuyi piece the puzzle together.
She closed her eyes tightly before touching her head on the floor with a thud. "I apologise for my foolishness. Please don't behead me, your highness."
He could clearly hear the tremor in her voice and he decide that he didn't like it. Ji Ling did not want to be feared. The thought of it alone made him feel sick. That was his father's joy, not his.
"Get up." He winced right after the words left his mouth, his voice came out harsher than he intended.
Lu Wuyi followed his command, but her eyes stayed locked on the ground, hands clenched at her side tight enough to turn white.
He cleared his throat before smiling tightly. "How about you join me for some tea?"
Li Jie looked between them before slumping his shoulders. "I'll go fetch it..." He gave Ji Ling one last look full of warning before turning around and taking his leave.
Lu Wuyi followed the young prince inside the room and hesitated before closing the door. She looked ready to run away at any moment.
They both stood awkwardly for a few seconds and Ji Ling decided to break the silence first.
"Why were you the one to serve me tea today?"
Lu Wuyi stole a glance at him before lowering her head once again. "I deserve punishment for not recognising your highness. I'm willing to accept anything, but please don't kill me."
Ji Ling frowned. "That's not an answer to my question."
The young woman paused before exhaling shakily. "Suyin was sick... So I took her place. The blame is on me, please don't punish her, your highness. I forced her to stay put while I did her duties for the day. I had no idea that you would remember her face enough to know she wasn't the one who brought you tea today and—"
"I have no idea who Suyin is, or what her face looks like." Ji Ling thought that his next words shouldn't be spoken, but he said them anyways. "Your face is the one I couldn't forget."
Lu Wuyi's head shot up in suprise, her mouth opening and closing like the koi fish at his pond.
Ji Ling found it hilarious, and he had to hide his laugh by faking a cough. "In case you haven't realized, I'm not mad, I'm not going to punish you, and I definitely won't behead you."
"...Why?"
The smile slipped from his lips completely and he grew serious. "I don't know what kind of rumours you heard about me, but I'm not like the Emperor. I need you to understand that."
Lu Wuyi's expression hardened before she gave a mirthless laugh. "And why should I believe you?"
"Does it look like I'm capable of killing someone?"
"Looks can be deceiving."
Ji Ling looked at Lu Wuyi and thought that her eyes were full of hatred. He wondered if it was aimed at him or someone else.
He didn't blame her for doubting him, but he truly despised the thought of people seeing his father in him, and even more so when it came from her.
The Crown prince had no idea why it bothered him so much. She was just a servant, and he shouldn't care less about her or her views of him.
But the thought of her hating him gawked at his heart for some strange reason.
Ji Ling took a few steps and stopped right in front of her. "Then let me prove it to you," He raised his hand slowly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "That I'm not who you think I am."
Lu Wuyi pursed her lips in annoyance, but before she could snap at him, he sighed deeply in remorse. "I apologize but it was bothering me. You can break my hand now."
The woman started at him as if he was the most ridiculous person she had ever seen. The sparkle in her eyes had returned, so he thought it was worth it. At least he would be able to skip some calligraphy classes with a broken hand.
Lu Wuyi rolled her eyes before whirling around. "Your highness, I have things to do, so I will be taking my leave."
"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow. You'll be the one serving me tea from now on."
She made no further comment before taking her leave.
When Li Jie returned, he found Ji Ling smiling foolishly at nothing. He'd rather not bother.
---
Ji Ling had reached to a point where the only highlight of his days was Lu Wuyi's company.
She brought his tea right when the sun was just about to set, and then he would ask her to accompany him for a little while.
Today was one of those days where Ji Ling was in an awful mood, and his father was to thank for that.
Lu Wuyi must have noticed that he was dimmer than usual, so she took it upon herself to fill the silence in the room.
She poured some jasmine tea on his cup with gentle swift moves before sitting respectfully across from him. "Your bodyguard hates me."
Ji Ling smelled the tea with a satisfying hum before taking a sip. "What makes you say that?"
"Haven't you seen his face everytime I'm around? "
The crown prince chuckled softly. "Li Jie is like that with everyone. Don't mind him." His head was throbbing again, so he started rubbing his temples. "He's convinced that everyone is out for my head."
Lu Wuyi rested her chin on her hand as she peered at him with interest. "And what do you think?"
Ji Ling's mouth curved into a smile. "If your goal was to kill me, I wouldn't be here right now."
She nodded with a hum and another comforting silence fell between them.
His headache was still not leaving him though.
"What's bothering you?"
A lot of things. His father was as controlling as ever, his brother wanted him dead just because of this stupid throne, and the court officials were pushing for a political marriage with a princess of an enemy kingdom.
He tapped a finger on the rim of his cup a few times before giving his sole focus on the woman sitting across of him. "Have you ever felt like running away?"
Lu Wuyi straightened up, a spark of annoyance appearing in her eyes. "What could possibly make your highness feel like that?"
Ji Ling frowned a little at her use of the formal title. He thought that they had grown closer enough to be considered as friends. Maybe something more.
"Do you think I don't deserve to feel like that?"
"Not when you have everything."
"But I don't have freedom."
Lu Wuyi's face hardened, and he didn't fail to notice the way her jaw tightened. "Have you ever gone days without food or water, your Highness? Have you perhaps slept out in the freezing cold?"
Ji Ling leaned closer, trying to decipher the emotions she was displaying. "What about you?"
She ignored his question, but something about the way she tensed told him all he needed to know.
"People out there are dying, and it's your duty to change that. If being trapped inside some walls makes you feel like abandoning your people, then perhaps you don't deserve the throne."
Ji Ling tried to still his rage, but it didn't work. "I don't want the throne in the first place!"
Lu Wuyi shook her head. "You don't have a choice."
He slammed his cup on the wooden table before standing up with a growl. "See? This is what I'm talking about! I never get to have a choice!"
The prince started pacing around, his breath quickening. He thought that maybe she would understand him. But she didn't. No one did.
Lu Wuyi let out a harsh breath before getting up as well. Her eyes bored into him, and he hated the disappointment he saw in them."There are more dreading problems than that, I assure you."
He knew that. But he also knew that someone like her would never get how tiring and draining it was to always be in the middle of some power struggle game.
Ji Ling's face went blank as he regarded the woman across from him. "You don't get to judge me, Lu Wuyi. I can barely breath the way I want in here."
"But the people need you. And they should come first."
She was right. But Ji Ling was also human, and he was selfish. He didn't want to spend his whole life locked in the palace, surrounded by two faced people and hate, by court officials that wanted nothing more but to manipulate him for their own greed.
At this point, it was pointless to say anything else. He turned his back on her with a frown and tried to ignore how tight his heart felt once she walked out of the door.
For some reason, he felt as if he had done a big mistake.
However, when the next day came, Lu Wuyi was back to her usual self. She acted as if the previous conversation never happened, and he went along with it.
But for some reason, he didn't feel any relief.
---
"She has been receiving a lot of letters in the past few days."
Ji Ling paused his reading on some official document that he couldn't care less about and looked over at his bodyguard with a yawn. "Who?"
"Your personal tea server."
"Don't call her that."
Li Jie inspected his sword with disinterested. "But that's what she is."
Ji Ling shot him a glare before focusing back on his task.
"Aren't you curious? About who's she's exchanging letters with?"
"It might be her family."
"She has no one."
The Crown prince pushed the document away with an exasperated sigh, and started rubbing his temples for the millionth time that day. His headaches had become more frequent. "What do you want me to do, Li Jie?"
"I want you to start being more cautious."
"When will you stop suspecting her? It has been two years. Aren't you tried?"
"I'll stop once I get to know what those letters contain."
Ji Ling couldn't understand Li Jie at all. He was being too paranoid when it came to Lu Wuyi, and it was starting to be draining.
Sure, he did have some curiosity about who those letters belonged to. Even after all this time, he knew close to nothing about Lu Wuyi, and he had a lot of questions.
Sometimes, when she let her guard down, he could see that something was haunting her. She was a mystery to him and as much as he wanted to know what troubled her, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
But he wished that she would trust him someday.
---
"I'm to marry the princess of Xijin in a month's time."
Lu Wuyi who was about to take a sip, froze midway. Even if it lasted fro a second, Ji Ling caught it.
She plastered a smile on her face, but he could tell it was forced. "I know. Everyone is gossiping about it."
"I have to leave in a few days." Ji Ling kept his sole focus on the woman across from him. She was avoiding eye contact completely, and he didn't know what to feel.
She sighed dramatically before resting her cheek on her hand. "That's such a loss for me... I won't have anyone to serve tea now."
Ji Ling didn't joke along, and the smile on Lu Wuyi's face dimmed. "What do you think of the princess?" She tried to sound indifferent, but he wasn't a fool.
He shrugged before taking a sip. The tea was way more bitter than usual, he thought. "Well, I haven't seen her. But people are saying she's very beautiful."
He doubted that she was as beautiful as Lu Wuyi, though.
Ji Ling's heart was aching. He didn't want this marriage. He didn't want to leave.
But he knew what her response would be if she voiced her thoughts.
'It must be done.'
But the only thing Ji Ling wanted, was to stay with her.
She truly was the only one who lightened up his life.
And he was going to lose her.
---
Ji Ling watched helplessly as Lu Wuyi poured him some tea for the last time.
When he returned, he would be a married man. Having tea with a mere servant would be out of the question.
He saw her hesitating a little before unwrapping some fresh osmanthus cakes. "I made them myself. Let's say it's my gift for your wedding."
Ji Ling's face hardened. "I don't need such a gift from you," He snapped, unable to hold back his annoyance.
How could she be so cruel? Did she really have no idea about his feelings?
The prince shoved the treats away and instantly regretted it, but his irritation overpowered him. "After all this time, you still don't know I don't like anything with osmanthus in it? Or am I that unimportant to you that you don't bother to remember anything about me?"
Lu Wuyi pursed her lips before lowering her head . "I know. That's why I made them." She whispered bitterly. "Your highness. It's unfortunate, but both of us never got anything that we wanted in this life."
Ji Ling's face twisted in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
She chuckled to herself before finally meeting his eyes for the first time that day. "Can you promise me something? Next time, don't trust a stranger so easily. I know your bodyguard doesn't like me, but I agree with him. You should take his advice more seriously from now on."
She turned to leave, but Ji Ling took hold of her hand to stop her. His next words were laced with obvious desperation. "It doesn't have to end like this... I can give up everything. Let's run away, let's go as far as we can, let's—"
Lu Wuyi pushed his hand away gently and Ji Ling felt as if he had been stabbed right though the heart.
"Your highness, I wish you happiness." She looked at him one last time before taking her leave.
Ji Ling had never felt such pain before. Everything was hurting.
She wished him happiness? What a joke.
He would never be happy. Not without her.
---
The carriage was dead silent.
Everything was a blur, and Ji Ling could hardly breath by how heavy his chest felt.
He wanted to cry, but he refused to.
Li Jie who was sitting across from him, observed the prince with a blank face.
It looked as if he was contemplating something.
"Your highness, if you had to choose between people and your own happiness, what would you choose?"
Ji Ling tugged at his collar, suddenly feeling too hot. "Both."
Li Jie blinked once before reaching for the incense that was placed in the middle of the carriage. "I think you could be a great ruler. But you need time for that, and we don't have it."
The crown prince frowned at his bodyguard's words. His head that was already throbbing, started hurting even more the moment Li Jie added more powder.
The aroma was too strong, and it was making him feel suffocates.
"Li Jie— throw this out."
"But why? This is what you've been using for years. I brought it to you as a gift, remember?"
No, Ji Ling didn't remember. Everything was a blur.
"Stop the carriage, I need some fresh air." He demanded, his breathing quickening.
He tried to get up, but his legs weren't cooperating.
Li Jie's next words sounded from very far away.
"You wanted to be with her right? Now you can."
Everything turned black.
EPILOGUE:
Fire was everywhere—
Manman closed the laptop with a thud.
He was in total disbelief.
"What kind of ending was that?! Li Jie killed Ji Ling?! That doesn't make any sense!"
Dizhu flipped the page of her book lazily. "And why is that?"
"What do you mean?!" He scoffed. "There weren't any signs of his treason!"
"Actually, there were many." His best friend shifted on her chair with a hum. "But judging by how fast you finished my masterpiece of 300k words, you skipped a lot."
Manman shrugged unapologetically. "That's because Ji Ling's love story with Lu Wuyi sucked me right in... Ugh you didn't even write anything about her! We're left with nothing!"
"Yeah, that's like the whole point."
He got up with a groan and started pacing around the room. "You must tell me what happened to Lu Wuyi at least."
Dizhu put her book down in confusion. "What do you mean? Wasn't it obvious? Li Jie had her killed because she wasn't able to poison Ji Ling."
"WHAT?!"
"Are you kidding me? You couldn't even read the epilogue?"
Well, he was too frustrated to do that.
Dizhu rolled her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest. "Weren't you the one telling me Ji Ling was a naive fool when you started reading this? Since when did you care so much about him?"
Manman cleared his throat and tried to sound as chill as possible. "Well. I didn't like him. But you know... Actually... I didn't do it on purpose!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about by the way." She deadpanned and Manman rolled his shoulders with a sigh.
It's not like he should be the one feeling flustered.
"I saw your character drawings."
Dizhu blinked once, then twice. Suddenly, her cheeks turned pink. "How dare you peek?!"
Manman couldn't help but smirk at her reaction. "More importantly, why does Ji Ling look so much like me? Of course he's going to turn into my favourite character with such a face."
Dizhu got up from her couch with a scoff. "Don't be ridiculous. You should go and check your eyes."
"And I'm sure Lu Wuyi looks like you. If you're going to write fanfiction about us, the least you could do was give them a happy ending."
Her face had now turned crimson, and as she started throwing pillows at him, Manman thought that his best friend was adorable.
Ngl, I didn't like this and I had to low-key force myself to finish 😭(For you Pia.)
I thought my idea was great and I just wanted to write something as an unreliable narrator, but after a while I was like "Um yeah WHAT am I writing?!" So here's that.
If you are confused and feel like the Jilu part didn't make a lot of sense and some parts were just random, that's how it's supposed to be. Because basically those parts were the ones Manman read. This was Ji Ling's book and romance was only a subplot, but dude skipped almost everything and focused in the love story only (mood) so he basically missed the whole point 😭 BUT to put it simply: Lu Wuyi was an assassin, the first "accidental" meeting wasn't accidental and she just had to gain his trust before killing him... But she well in love, the usual cliché. As for Li Jie he was also an assassin since THE START and he was there to do the job in case Lu Wuyi failed. (She had no idea about him being an assassin as well.)
Why they wanted to kill him? Well his father was a tyrant and honestly speaking, Ji Ling was unwilling to rule PLUS he was super naive, he just wasn't made for the throne. Li Jie hated that 😮💨.
I like to think that I dropped a lot of small hints? Like Ji Ling getting super touchy when it came to his father (I'm not like my father yada yada) Li Jie low-key being a liiiiitle cold hearted (well, he's an assassin after all.) Lu Wuyi's questionable mood swings (Should I kill this man or should I not? Oh no. I'm in love with him.) The osmanthus cakes 😔✊🏻 They were poisoned, but she knew he wasn't going to touch them in the first place.... Sigh....😮💨
Lu Wuyi knew that someone would finish her off for failing the mission, but I don't even want to imagine how she felt when Li Jie came to kill her. Like, she low-key though he was the voice of reason Ji Ling needed 😭 I'm sorry girl😭
Whatever bye thanks for reading whatever that was🩷
The producer of Chasing Jade will do the trick... 🧐