Both of their gazes shifted to the guards. Sharp eyes roamed over the guards with suspicion, making them shift uncomfortably.
"You have something to inform me?" Chóng Fēi asked them with a coldness and dryness which was as sharp as his blade without being loud. A cold, almost knowing smirk was at his lips.
They shook their heads. "Of course not, Gōngzǐ."
"We..were just guiding you towards the chamber with honor, Gōngzǐ." The chief said. But his words had trembled at the edge.
The space between his eyes and nose was faintly glittering with sweat—not out of a hot environment in here, but more likely nervous.
"Honor..huh.." Chóng Fēi's mouth rolled faintly over the words bitterly, not looking like he believed it a little. The faint huff was judgmental.
"Then, honor me once again properly." He added to the man.
"Why..not, Gōngzǐ?" They smiled—fake and tight, listening to whatever Chóng Fēi was about to throw.
"Gather all the female prisoners at the meeting cell." Chóng Fēi ordered. His words left no room for denying. "And..take out one of the recent female prisoners who was supposed to attend today's execution. While the others wait at the meeting cell, send that one female to the cell we go to. Also—all the guards shall be prepared at the room too."
Lìngxiāo nodded once. Firmly. He could understand what Chóng Fēi might be preparing for: the observation.
One guard was about to speak. His words almost defensive. "Gōngzǐ, we would have trouble to arrange things newly again. Try to understand."
Chóng Fēi's eyes burned on them, his "I do not understand, now what would you do?" He asked, chin raised, impatience silent but still daring within his voice.
A few seemed to hold his gaze in that way again. The way it was outside.
Lìngxiāo's own anger was boiling up. No compromise when it is not a mistake by the younger ones—but a crime by the elders who should have been fair enough.
He also stood forward, his gaze looked like dimmed dark golden-brown blackholes. His smile was tight but really looked it. He didn't say much, but he looked scarier than any ghost. "He has ordered you something. Prepare for it."
A few men actually got horrified by Lìngxiāo's deadly look, the way his voice dropped lower yet shifted like not only his own but another voice speaking through it—though it was just his throat vibrating his voice into this low yet sharp tone.
The men looked at him with wide eyes, trying not to look horrified but it wasn't working much.
Chóng Fēi also froze for a second at how dangerous he sounded—maybe more than he was being. He looked at him from the corner of his eye, keeping the girl secured and unaware of the war of words here.
"A-as your order, Gōngzǐ!" A few of them already ran away to prepare. A few were left, shifting awkwardly before joining them.
Lìngxiāo stared at their way before exhaling a faintly shallow breath, swallowed, his pulse still felt faster than usual. He acted as one of his most dangerous selves in front of people. But he couldn't totally regret it. He couldn't measure how angry he had gotten within himself just by knowing about the situation here.
Chóng Fēi didn't speak. He turned to the way where they were going once he was done composing himself.
Lìngxiāo quietly followed, determined.
'There would be a good justification right away.'
It didn't take them long to reach the cell where they would observe a few things. The room had a single bed, a table where a lamp stood without glowing.
Lìngxiāo immediately turned it on. The fire flickered within the glass like the hope of the people itself here. Chóng Fēi gently laid her down, calming her down to speak without scaring her. His one hand kept a gentle hold over hers.
Lìngxiāo joined in, carefully sitting at the other side of her. His own throat tight from the revelation. It felt sick. The girl was too young for those. Not even elders should be like this either. His eyes caught the faint light with a mix of silent disappointment and sympathy for them. He gently stroked her hair, untangling the tiny knots into a relaxed way as if trying to fill up the gaps in her life which her parents left with or without any intention.
Chóng Fēi silently looked at him through his lashes before looking back at the child. A really small but gentle and careful smile was at his lips—meant to make others feel safe. He hid the depth of what happened better than Lìngxiāo, though there was a vein popped over Chóng Fēi's forehead.
Lìngxiāo struggled to hide too better.
He was already on an emotional load. The watery wine still kept his nerves throbbing. And now such a sensitive topic was on hand to think about. He didn't know how long he could keep those hands calm which still wasn't sure if it had really killed his own father or if all were made up by something, only to ruin him. If it was about adult women, he could still stay composed with this anger. But children? It made his blood boil hotter.
"Really, thank you for informing me this so bravely. And letting me see the evidence..a little." Chóng Fēi spoke to her carefully, making her comfortable first. "You deserve a really big gift..but you have to help me more."
Lìngxiāo watched. The way Chóng Fēi was handling the situation felt like a drop of water in his dried-out desert of a heart. His smile twitched back to much more comforting and simple as he nodded, agreeing with him.
The girl, who had barely learned what might have happened with her—but knew it wasn't right somehow—nodded softly to his words. As if determined to help though she was still weak. Her eyes were less hollow at the mention of gifts. Receiving big gifts from the clan who dominated this town was a really big thing for the common people. But still she didn't overreact like a sweet girl.
Her hands faintly trembled—with silent excitement right now more than fear or shame as she hugged herself, looking at both of them with wide eyes.
"Will..help you, Gōngzǐ.." she mumbled softly.
Lìngxiāo and Chóng Fēi shared a faint glance before Chóng Fēi continued carefully. He leaned down a little, voice low. His words had necessary censors which he usually barely used. "Can you tell me..who did this to you? Since when? Are there..more likely this..?"
Lìngxiāo's safe hand gently slid down over her shoulder, careful not to hurt, as he gave a gentle squeeze to remind her that they were there and wouldn't betray her at all.
The girl held a soft, innocent gaze over Chóng Fēi's before thinking back about the moment only she knew. Her small fists got tight over the bedsheets.
Chóng Fēi took both of her hands, keeping them in his larger, warm ones. "It's alright. It's only us. You can trust us, little lady..?" He paused at the end like a gentle question, asking for her name.
"Shà Shà.." she mumbled her name quietly when she understood the words. Her hands softly clenched over Chóng Fēi's palm.
"That is a beautiful name..just as you. But you are much braver..than you think." Lìngxiāo said gently, his voice getting steady now—not trembling with rage. He made sure she was comfortable in all ways.
"Alright, Little Shà Shà.." Chóng Fēi exhaled quietly, thoughtfully looking at the child's rough hand, searching for proper words before he added, his eyes meeting hers when he spoke. "Would you share the answers we seek?"
She nodded again, but raised her hands from his and raised them towards Chóng Fēi with a gentle, hopeful blush. "Gift.."
Chóng Fēi looked at her hands. Lìngxiāo exhaled softly with a faint smile as he could tell that the child was using Chóng Fēi's own tricks on him. She needed something first to speak, still didn't have the idea of the weight of what she carried with herself.
"Ah, I have nothing with myself to gift you right away. Your Fēi prince is..a little poor today.." Chóng Fēi said with so much composed fondness that Lìngxiāo could almost physically feel it. A small fond smile tagged to his lips.
Lìngxiāo stayed quiet, watching what he did next while he kept his one hand at the back of her head for gentle grounding.
The child was about to pout.
But Chóng Fēi leaned down, framing his own face over her small hands. "I just have my face. Is it enough, little princess?"
The girl blushed too hard, her hands trembling over Chóng Fēi's cheeks as if she was already falling hard for him.
'Is it..really him or..anyone else..?'
Lìngxiāo's own breath caught just faintly. He felt like he was seeing someone else within Chóng Fēi's skin. The gentleness he was showing earlier was one thing.
But this? He looked like a really admired father figure to his daughter or something.
He kept quiet, mouth shut too tight like afraid to break the moment. Just watched while his own chest somehow..felt warm with satisfaction.
It truly impressed him.
"Oh yeah, I have a ring too.." Chóng Fēi added as he remembered something before she responded.
He opened his palm. He had three majestic rings on his three fingers. One was plain silver with a tiny white stone like a blurred moon which is usually called the 'pride of the men'. A stone used specifically for men's jewels.
That was the one he rolled out of his finger.
Lìngxiāo looked at it better. Then blinked.
'Wait..it is..the engagement ring? But..did he not tell that..he was not official with her..?'
'He's giving this away? Why? He had more rings to choose from.'
Questions just started within his headspace.
Chóng Fēi just simply adjusted the size around her small finger. Then almost whispered, "Don't tell anyone. Keep it secret or those foolish men would steal it."